It was a royal Atlanta event at the YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on Wednesday night. Atlanta’s finest came out in full fashion force to celebrate the iconic LaFace Records.
In the 90s and early 2000s, LaFace records — founded by LA Reid and Babyface — was the home of artists like Usher, Toni Braxton, TLC and more. It brought the Atlanta sound to the forefront. Celebrities like Future, T.I., Tiny, Monica, Ludacris, Rick Ross, Da Brat and more were on hand to pay homage to the Atlanta hit-makers.
“We were always told what we couldn’t do, but being in this room reminds me what we can do. You don’t see us fighting often in Atlanta. We come from a place where we don’t see silver spoons until we can purchase them ourselves. We support, love and uplift everyone. I don’t need to know you to love you.. We will always welcome you to Atlanta because we feel like we can grow people from everywhere,” said Monica about LaFace’s importance.
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LA Reid thanked the folks in Atlanta for embracing them even though they weren’t natives of the popular city. “We’re not from Atlanta, but the city opened its arms to us and it didn’t have to,” he said during the ceremony. “Atlanta never made us feel like outsiders and as a result we were able to give that back by giving opportunities to young aspiring artists like Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin and Rico Wade who are real geniuses. The real measure of a record executive is the ability to bump up against genius and I’m proud to say I started my career bumping up next to the greatest songwriter ever [Babyface]. It doesn’t get better, but Dallas measured up and Jermaine measured up and Organized Noize measured up. They gave us greatness and music that will live forever. So, I’m thankful to Atlanta for embracing us.”
Looking around the room, Babyface added,
“The thing that keeps sticking with me when I Iook across this room and see all the talent — if we had anything to do with inspiring this — to me that’s God’s blessing. When amazing things are happening you don’t always realize it. When we came down to Atlanta, we were just trying to make some music. I didn’t have it in my head that we were going to make this the greatest label of all time, but in that journey, were able to meet amazing people. I’ve never seen a music label like this where people didn’t want to go home. The thing that stayed with me is that that feeling of having something to be proud. It wasn’t just a record company. People were proud to say that they worked for LaFace. I feel blessed to have written the songs I wrote, but I’m just as blessed to have known and worked with the people at LaFace and to be a part of this city. There is no place like Atlanta and I don’t think there ever will be.”
See photos from inside the black tie event, below:
1. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: L.A. Reid, Tameka “Tiny” Harris and Babyface attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,arts culture and entertainment,attending,horizontal,usa,topix,music,three people,fashion,three quarter length,georgia – us state,small,tameka cottle,l.a. reid,atlanta – georgia,babyface – musician
2. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Lecrae attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,one person,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,looking at camera,music,fashion,georgia – us state,youtube,lecrae,atlanta – georgia
3. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: DL Warfield attends 2020 YouTube Music Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,music,fashion,georgia – us state,youtube,atlanta – georgia
4. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Ludacris and Monica attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,arts culture and entertainment,attending,horizontal,usa,topix,waist up,music,two people,fashion,georgia – us state,ludacris,monica – singer,atlanta – georgia
5. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: 2 Chainz performs onstage during YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,one person,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,usa,music,performance,smiling,sunglasses,fashion,three quarter length,incidental people,georgia – us state,2 chainz,atlanta – georgia,youtube music,legends ball
6. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: L.A. Reid and 2 Chainz attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,music,two people,fashion,three quarter length,georgia – us state,l.a. reid,2 chainz,atlanta – georgia,square – composition
7. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: L.A. Reid, Monica, Kandi Burruss and Babyface attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,arts culture and entertainment,attending,horizontal,usa,topix,music,four people,fashion,three quarter length,reality tv,georgia – us state,kandi burruss,the real housewives of atlanta,l.a. reid,youtube,bestpix,atlanta – georgia,babyface – musician
8. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Sleepy Brown, L.A. Reid, Kandi Burruss, Big Boi and Babyface attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,arts culture and entertainment,attending,horizontal,usa,music,fashion,three quarter length,reality tv,georgia – us state,five people,kandi burruss,big boi,the real housewives of atlanta,l.a. reid,sleepy brown,youtube,atlanta – georgia,babyface – musician
9. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: T.I., Da Brat and L.A. Reid attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,arts culture and entertainment,attending,horizontal,usa,topix,music,three people,fashion,three quarter length,georgia – us state,t.i.,da brat,l.a. reid,atlanta – georgia,youtube music,legends ball
10. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Kesha Ward and 2 Chainz attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,topix,music,two people,fashion,georgia – us state,2 chainz,atlanta – georgia,kesha ward
11. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Donell Jones attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,one person,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,looking at camera,music,smiling,sunglasses,fashion,georgia – us state,youtube,donell jones,atlanta – georgia
12. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Da Brat attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,one person,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,music,fashion,georgia – us state,da brat,youtube,atlanta – georgia
13. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Killer Mike and Shana Render attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,music,two people,fashion,georgia – us state,youtube,killer mike,atlanta – georgia
14. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Big Boi attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,one person,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,topix,looking at camera,music,sunglasses,fashion,three quarter length,georgia – us state,big boi,youtube,atlanta – georgia
15. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Ludacris attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,one person,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,topix,looking at camera,music,fashion,georgia – us state,ludacris,youtube,atlanta – georgia
16. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: CeeLo Green attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,one person,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,topix,music,fashion,georgia – us state,cee-lo,youtube,atlanta – georgia
17. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Monica attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,topix,music,fashion,georgia – us state,youtube,atlanta – georgia
18. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: Rick Ross attends YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) vertical,photography,celebrities,people,full length,one person,arts culture and entertainment,attending,usa,topix,music,sunglasses,fashion,rick ross – rapper,georgia – us state,youtube,atlanta – georgia
19. YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball
Source: Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 15: L.A. Reid and Future attend YouTube Music 2020 Leaders & Legends Ball at Atlanta History Center on January 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for YouTube Music) photography,celebrities,people,arts culture and entertainment,attending,horizontal,usa,topix,waist up,music,two people,fashion,georgia – us state,l.a. reid,atlanta – georgia,youtube music,legends ball
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