It’s time for us to pop some champagne for the late legendary music mogul Andre Harrell.
According to a press release sent to The Root, BET is partnering with Revolt TV and iOne digital brands to present a star-studded tribute celebrating the life of Harrell called A Tribute to Andre Harrell: Mr. Champagne & Bubbles. Special guests will include Chris Rock, Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Babyface, Naomi Campbell, Lee Daniels, Robin Thicke, Clarence Avant and more.
“There is a divine message when a soul as bright as Andre’s, Mr. Champagne & Bubbles, the official life of the party, chooses to transition during a time when so many people [whose] lives he touched so deeply, cannot get together to console each other, to share joy-filled stories, and to do the ‘hampty hamps’ two-step in the name of his love,” Harrell’s son Gianni Credle-Harrell said in a statement. “This Tribute is our gift to Andre. When his day came, Andre said, ‘Listen, if they ain’t playing Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “Before I Let Go” at my funeral, guess what, I ain’t going.’ He said, “I don’t want a funeral. I want a party”. Well, Andre, in the words of Frankie, ‘You made us happy, This you can bet, You stood right beside us, And we won’t forget.’ Credle-Harrell, Andre’s ex-wife Wendy Credle and award-winning producer Rikki Hughes will executive produce the special.
“As a prolific leader, Andre Harrell was passionate about the betterment of the people around him, empowering and molding some of the biggest names today,” Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET noted in a statement. “His passing was a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry and the culture. I am forever grateful, humbled, and honored to have experienced his presence throughout my career. Working closely together over the past two years with him to tell his story through the upcoming Uptown Records Biopic is something I will truly cherish. He was a wonderful adviser, friend, and someone I consider family.”
Harrell, the founder of Uptown Records, died on May 7 at the age of 59.
A Tribute to Andre Harrell: Mr. Champagne & Bubbles airs commercial-free on Sunday, May 24 at 7 pm ET, concurrently, on BET, BET Jams, BET Soul and REVOLT TV (while streaming on all iONE digital brands) Fox Soul and via the Fox Soul app.