Beauty Icons Gather for Intimate Brunch After Bronner Bros. Awards in Midtown
The weekend's Bronner Bros. Beauty Icon Awards festivities wound down Sunday with a more relaxed affair: the Beauty In Good Company Brunch at The Starling in Midtown Atlanta, presented by SALT.XO Handcrafted Skincare. The invite-only gathering brought together beauty entrepreneurs, celebrity hairstylists and brand founders following Saturday's awards ceremony, which honored figures including Topicals founder Olamide Olowe, makeup artist Derek Rutledge and hairstylist Tokyo Stylez. Executive producer Kelly Keith said she wanted attendees to network on a more personal level after the bigger event, likening the vibe to a family reunion rather than a traditional after-party. Guests dined on shrimp and grits, herb-roasted chicken and baked salmon, while a champagne bar served bellinis and mimosas. A Baroma Parfum Bar activation let attendees blend custom fragrances to take home. During a panel discussion, Olowe shared that Topicals is expanding into Nigeria and other African markets, that she's relocated to Lagos and stepped down as CEO to focus on growth, and that she acquired BREAD hair care last year. Colorist Greg Gilmore also discussed a forthcoming book on the influence of cosmetologists and announced an educational class in Houston next month. Keith said planning is already underway for a bigger Beauty Icon Awards next year, marking Bronner Bros.' 80th anniversary in 2027.
Oct 20, 2026
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Living Legends Foundation Celebrates 35 Years of Legacy, Perseverance and Community
By Sienna Atlantis ATLANTA — This iz Atl had the opportunity to attend The Living Legends Foundation marking its 35th anniversary on Friday, October 2, 2026, with an awards dinner at Flourish Atlanta, recognizing leaders whose work has helped shape Black music, radio, media and entertainment. Q Parker, a founding member of the R&B group 112, served as honorary gala chair, while Chaka Khan served as honorary ambassador. The celebration brought attention to the professionals whose contributions extend across artist development, broadcasting, live entertainment, advocacy and cultural preservation. As someone who attended, I left deeply inspired. The accomplishments being recognized were remarkable, but the messages about perseverance, creating family and pouring into people gave the evening its personal meaning. Julliette Jones reflected on persistence, referencing a quote she attributed to Nipsey Hussle about the difference being that she did not quit. She also spoke about creating a sense of family within the industry and pouring into others. Greg Street and Living Legends Foundation Vice President Skip Dillard echoed the importance of being there for one another. Those reflections offered a meaningful perspective on success. Careers are built through work and determination, but they are also sustained by people who offer encouragement, share opportunities and remain present when support is needed. Louis Carr, president of BET, received the Ray Harris Lifetime Achievement Award. According to his official executive biography, Carr generated more than $10 billion in advertising sales during his leadership of BET’s media sales business. His career helped establish the commercial importance of Black audiences, and he was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2023. The Black Promoters Collective received the A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award. The foundation recognized Shelby Joyner, Gary Guidry, Troy Brown, William “Bill” Ingram, Sulaiman Mausi, Shahida Mausi, Lionel Bea, Janice Cotton and Walt Reeder Jr. The collective has presented major touring experiences, including Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine Tour” and “The New Edition Way Tour,” featuring New Edition, Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton. Its “Queens Tour” featured Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills. According to the company’s May announcement, BPC reached No. 10 on Billboard Boxscore’s midyear 2026 Top Promoters chart, its first appearance in the top 10. Kenny Smoov received the Jerry Boulding Radio Executive Award for a career encompassing broadcasting and national programming leadership. His 23-year tenure at Cumulus Media included 21 years leading Nashville’s WQQK, known as 92Q. As vice president of urban formats, he oversaw programming and talent across the company’s urban radio stations. He departed Cumulus in September 2026 to pursue independent ventures through Nashville Brown LLC. Greg Street received the Frankie Crocker Radio Personality Award. A longtime voice at Atlanta’s V-103, Street has championed artists including T.I., Goodie Mob, Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and Killer Mike. In a 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution profile, Killer Mike credited Street with playing his music early and continuing to support him as an independent artist. The profile also detailed Street’s encouragement of André 3000 and Big Boi to release their separate projects together, resulting in OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.” Those contributions illustrate how a broadcaster’s belief in an artist can influence a career beyond the records played on air. Julliette Jones, chief operating officer of Alamo Records, received the Impact Player Award. Her career includes promotion work with Aaliyah, Joe, A Tribe Called Quest and NSYNC at Jive Records, followed by senior positions across major labels. At Atlantic Records, she helped drive radio campaigns for Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Kodak Black and Gucci Mane. Her transition into operational leadership at Alamo expanded her responsibilities into developing the structure and workplace culture supporting the label’s growth. Her remarks about refusing to quit gave a personal context to that professional journey, while her emphasis on pouring into people acknowledged the responsibility that comes with leadership. Tim Reid, BMG’s senior vice president of repertoire and marketing, received the Music Executive Award. According to BMG, his campaigns have included projects by Janet Jackson, Maxwell, Anthony Hamilton, India.Arie, Lil Dicky, Logic, Big K.R.I.T. and Terrace Martin. His work included Jackson’s “Unbreakable,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2015. His BMG responsibilities have also encompassed Chief Keef, Mustard, Tank, Joyce Wrice and Ledisi. Reid appeared on Billboard’s 2025 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players list, following recognition in previous years. Phylicia Fant received the Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award. Her career spans publicity, artist strategy and cultural partnerships, with leadership roles at Warner Bros. Records, Columbia Records and Amazon Music. According to her Save The Music advisory board biography, her Amazon Music work has included collaborations with Usher, Lucky Daye, Jon Batiste, Andra Day, Keke Palmer and Omar Apollo, alongside Beyoncé’s Club Renaissance merchandise pop-up and HBCU homecoming sponsorships. Fant also founded The Purple Agency in 2008 and served as an executive producer of “Eggs Over Easy,” a documentary examining Black women’s experiences with fertility. James McMillan, an entertainment attorney and CEO of ART@WAR Entertainment, received the Kendall Minter Entertainment Advocate Award. His legal career has included representing New Edition, Cool & Dre, Machine Gun Kelly and 8Ball & MJG. Through ART@WAR and its partnership with Atlantic Records, he extended his work into label ownership and artist development, connecting legal advocacy with the business of building careers. Ted Lucas, founder and CEO of Slip-N-Slide Records, received the Hip-Hop Visionary Award. Founded in 1994, the Miami label helped launch the careers of Trick Daddy, Trina and Rick Ross. Lucas has also worked with newer talent, including Teenear. His contributions helped bring South Florida’s music to national audiences while establishing a lasting business within the region. Ralph McDaniels received the Entrepreneur Award. Known to generations as “Uncle Ralph,” McDaniels created “Video Music Box” in 1983, providing a television platform for hip-hop videos, interviews and the communities surrounding the music. According to the program’s official website, his directing and producing credits span more than 400 music videos, including Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.” and Nas’ “It Ain’t Hard to Tell.” His film credits include co-producing “Juice” and “Roxanne Roxanne.” The Video Music Box Collection contains more than 20,000 hours of material, with preservation efforts intended to keep that history available to future generations. The celebration was presented by the Living Legends Foundation. Its officers include Chairman David C. Linton, President Azim Rashid, Vice President Skip Dillard, Secretary Pat Shields and Treasurer Cecelia “CC” Evans. Publicists Jalila Larsuel and Tosha Whitten were listed as the event’s media contacts. Founded in 1991, the foundation carries its mission beyond the annual awards through financial assistance for industry professionals, scholarships for students pursuing careers behind the scenes and preservation of Black entertainment executives’ legacies. That work gives substance to the message of community expressed throughout the evening. Supporting the people who have served the industry, while creating opportunities for those entering it, connects recognition with care. What stayed with me was the encouragement to keep going and to help others do the same. Hearing accomplished professionals speak about family and pouring into people made the path ahead feel more possible. Their stories offered inspiration through both what they had achieved and what they were willing to give. The foundation’s 35th anniversary honored careers that deserve a lasting place in music history. It also acknowledged something deeply human within that history: the people who believe in us, stand beside us and help us continue. Footage brought to you by:worthmorethanphotsgraphy
Oct 4, 2026
Meet Smitty: The Marketing Mind Behind Atlanta's Indie Concert Scene
Mike “Smitty” Smith has spent years working behind the scenes of Atlanta's music scene, wearing two hats that complement each other more than people might expect: marketing director and concert promoter. It's a combination that lets him think about an artist's brand and their live show as one continuous story, rather than two separate jobs. Originally from Baltimore, Smitty traces his start in the industry back to his college days. He doesn't get into the specifics of those early years, but it's clear they laid the groundwork for the promotion work he does today, giving him a long runway to learn the business from the ground up before building a career around it in Atlanta. Ask him who inspires him, and Smitty doesn't point to a single mentor or icon. Instead, he talks about admiring people broadly, noting that genuine love and admiration for others feels increasingly rare these days. It's a philosophy that seems to carry into how he approaches his work — less about chasing individual glory, more about lifting up the people and artists around him. Right now, that means putting his energy into an upcoming show: an indie artist concert set for Thursday, September 24th. As a promoter, these are the moments Smitty lives for — building the buzz, coordinating the details, and getting a stage under artists who might not otherwise have one in front of an Atlanta crowd. If there's one thing Smitty wants people to take from his work, it's simple. He wants people to enjoy the platform he's building and use it for their own benefit, whether that's artists gaining exposure or fans discovering new music. For a marketing director and promoter, that kind of mindset — sharing the spotlight rather than hoarding it — might be the clearest signal of where his priorities lie. Keep an eye out for that September 24th show, and for whatever Smitty has cooking next.
Sep 15, 2026
Atlanta Hip Hop Day Festival Brings Free Two-Day Lineup to Fourth Ward Park
Historic Fourth Ward Park hosts the Atlanta Hip Hop Day Festival this weekend, with the free two-day event running September 5-6. The festival pairs live performances with a vendor market, giving local artists and small businesses a spot inside one of the city's more popular green spaces. It's positioned as a community-first alternative to the city's bigger ticketed festivals, with no cover charge for either day. The event lands in the middle of a packed Labor Day weekend slate across the city, competing for attention with the Atlanta Weekender's five days of programming and Atlanta Black Pride Weekend's citywide run of parties and gatherings. Fourth Ward Park's central location and walkability to the Beltline make it an easy add-on for anyone already out exploring the holiday weekend's other events. Organizers have kept the festival's footprint modest compared to ticketed peers, betting on free admission and a central location to draw a steady crowd across both days rather than a single large one-day turnout.
Sep 4, 2026
Marietta Art in the Park Marks 40th Year This Labor Day Weekend
Marietta Art in the Park celebrates its 40th anniversary this Labor Day weekend, running September 5-7 on Historic Marietta Square with free admission. The juried fine art festival brings roughly 200 artists to the square, alongside live music throughout the weekend. This year's edition adds two community-focused features: a collaborative graffiti mural that visitors can help build over the course of the event, and a textile art project built around a U.S. flag design honoring the nation's 250th anniversary. The festival is one of the longer-running fine art shows in the metro area, and the anniversary milestone has organizers leaning into interactive elements rather than just vendor booths this year. The mural and textile projects give attendees a hands-on piece of the event rather than a purely browse-and-buy experience. With Stone Mountain Park and Lanier Islands also running their own Labor Day weekend programming, Marietta Square adds a lower-key, arts-focused option for anyone looking to stay closer to the city this holiday weekend.
Sep 4, 2026
Yung Joc Marks 20 Years of "It's Goin' Down" With Rolling Out Cover Reveal
Atlanta's music and media scene turned out this week for a milestone moment at Rolling Out headquarters, where Yung Joc celebrated two decades since the release of his breakout single "It's Goin' Down." This Is ATL was in the building for the special edition of Rolling Out's Cover Conversations series, which paired an intimate Q&A with the official unveiling of Joc's new magazine cover. Joc, born Jasiel Amon Robinson, first broke through in 2006 when "It's Goin' Down" — the lead single off his debut album New Joc City — climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The record, produced by Nitti, helped put a young Joc on the national map during a stretch when Atlanta hip-hop was rapidly becoming one of the most influential sounds in the genre. Two decades later, the energy in the room made clear the record hasn't lost its pull — guests were locked in the moment those familiar opening bars hit. The conversation, moderated by industry veteran Jerry Clark, gave Joc space to walk through the making of the song, his whirlwind rise in 2006, and what it's meant to stay a fixture in Atlanta entertainment ever since. From there, the night built toward its centerpiece: the reveal of Joc's Rolling Out cover, a full-circle nod to an artist whose footprint has since stretched well beyond music into radio, TV, and business. For This Is ATL, nights like this are exactly why we show up — watching the city celebrate its own, in the room where the culture actually happens.
Sep 4, 2026
Atlanta to Host Marquee Season-Opening Matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
College football's opening weekend brings a nationally watched game to Atlanta, as Baylor and Auburn meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Aflac Kickoff. Baylor enters looking to avenge a home loss in last year's season opener, with head coach Dave Aranda turning to transfer quarterback DJ Lagway in hopes of recreating the form Lagway showed as a freshman standout in 2024. Auburn arrives under new head coach Alex Golesh, who takes over a program aiming to keep pace in a competitive SEC. Transfer quarterback Byrum Brown, already familiar with Golesh's offensive system, gives the Tigers a veteran presence at the position. The Atlanta showcase is one of several high-profile openers around the country this week, as the sport returns to a full schedule following last week's limited Week 0 slate. Other notable matchups include Louisville-Ole Miss in Nashville, Clemson-LSU in Baton Rouge, Boise State-Oregon in Eugene, and UCLA-Cal, each featuring new coaches, transfer quarterbacks, or postseason storylines carrying over from last season. For Atlanta football fans, the Baylor-Auburn game offers a chance to see SEC and Big 12 talent on a big stage without leaving the city, kicking off the 2026 season with local flair.
Sep 3, 2026