TEDDY RILEY

Hezekiah Walker became a student at Virginia Union University two years ago, but the Grammy-winning gospel singer took his collegiate experience to the next level by launching a gospel music center on the campus.

Three acts who kept music alive during the worldwide pandemic will be honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers later this month.

(AP Photo)LOS ANGELES – Yes, 2020 may seem like a complete fail with all the constant bad news and tragic moments. It’s been filled with gloom and doom(scrolling), but some celebrities and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year. He reassigned his 10 seamstresses in New York to produce thousands daily for health care workers on the frontlines. The singer and husband Emilio Estefan's restaurant Estefan Kitchen served up homemade meals for health care workers in Miami. The challenge coordinated offers by celebrities and athletes to raise funds to feed those in need during the pandemic.

LOS ANGELES – Taraji P. Henson remembered wearing her favorite outfit to a music festival where some of the biggest New Jack Swing tunes were being performed from Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison” to Tony! Tone!’s “Feels Good.”At the time, Henson had no clue about the backstory behind the music era, which made its mark in the ’80s and ’90s. I was enjoying the music,” said Henson, who serves as a producer of the six-part series, which airs Tuesdays. The series examines the “rise and eventual fall” of the New Jack Swing movement. “I didn’t think of her as an audio actress, but she’s just great at it.”Through the podcast, Henson wants the New Jack Swing story to be turned into a film.

LOS ANGELES – Taraji P. Henson will host a new podcast series focused on the story behind the New Jack Swing music era. Wondery and Universal Music Group announced Thursday that Henson will host “Jacked: The Rise of New Jack Swing.” The six-part series will premiere Nov. 17 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the Wondery App. The Oscar-nominated actor will also serve as a producer of the series, which is being dubbed as the “rise and eventual fall” of the New Jack Swing movement. The story will involve “dashed hopes, jealousy, betrayal, drugs, hip-hop and rivalries.”Megaproducer Teddy Riley is known as the leader of the New Jack Swing era, which made its mark in the ’80s and ’90s. The podcast series is the first project between Wondery and Universal Music Group since both announced their partnership last year.

NEW YORK A tribute to Andre Harrell, the influential music executive who discovered Sean Diddy Combs and died earlier this month, will air Sunday. It will air commercial free on BET, BET Jams, BET Soul and REVOLT TV, where Harrell served as vice chairman. Diddy often credits Harrell with giving him the tools to find success in music and life, even saying Harrell was like a father figure to him. In 1993, Harrell let go of Diddy, who then launched his uber-successful Bad Boy Records. Diddy posted multiple tributes to Harrell on social media following his death.