Bryan-Michael Cox’s “Breakfast Club” brunch has become a staple of the Grammy Awards weekend. The annual brunch has featured and honored notable individuals in music such as Sean “Diddy” Combs, Swizz Beatz, Jon Platt, and Chris Hicks.
One day before the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, the pre-Grammy Brunch was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. This year’s honorees included Kawan “KP” Prather and DJ Khaled.
Prather, who played an intricate role in the success of artists such as OutKast and T.I., earned Grammy nominations for his work on Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.” The song was nominated for Best Rap Song (taking the prize in that category), and Song of the Year.
DJ Khaled was also honored for his work in the music industry. The Miami-based DJ, producer and label executive has become a force in music and social media. His branding expertise on social media reveals the importance of reaching new audiences in a timely manner. During the award presentation, DJ Khaled discussed how he toiled for years as an unknown DJ before breaking out into the mainstream about a decade ago.
“I’ve been in this game 10 years with We the Best, but I put in 25 years of blood, sweat and tears,” DJ Khaled said. “I started in a room with two turntables and a beat machine. I had a bunch of records by Michael Jackson, Nas, and Sam Cook hanging on my walls. I knew it would take hard work, dedication and passion. Bryan Michael Cox is the first person to ever honor me. To be honored is respect. It has been a long journey to get to where I’m at. But we have to keep going and the key is to win more.”
Notable singer,s songwriters, artists, and executives such as Herbie Hancock, Bilal, Grammy-nominated DJ Rogers, Shanti Das, and one half of the Alvin Calvin Waters production team were in attendance.
The event was sponsored in part by Toyota Green Initiative; rolling out magazine; and The Machine Group, which is owned by brothers Alvin and Calvin Waters. The Waterses, responsible for securing international publishing deals for the likes of Teddy Riley and Bryan-Michael Cox, decided to get involved with the brunch after learning about Music & Memory. “Our grandmother is 103 years old and suffers from dementia,” says Calvin Waters. “My brother and I spend time with her listening to music, so we know firsthand how important this program is and we were happy to make a contribution.”
