Earlier this week, various big names gathered to attend City Of Hope's annual Spirit Of Life gala in Pasadena. This year's even also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the organization's partnership with the Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (MFEI). Among those in attendance were Diddy, Ludacris, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, and more. Jay-Z was even spotted in the crowd, seated next to Swizz Beatz. The duo were seen chatting with Jon Platt, CEO of Sony Music Publishing.
In one clip, N.O.R.E. is seen approaching their table, asking Swizz Beatz to tell the room what he's grateful for. He thanked everyone for coming out and "helping people to save lives." When N.O.R.E asked Jay-Z to share a message with the people, however, he was told “I ain’t gonna do that. Get out my face, dog.”
Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, And N.O.R.E.
This year's gala celebrated music industry executive and entrepreneur Lyor Cohen, who gave a heartfelt speech towards the end of the evening. “We came here to help eradicate cancer, but wouldn’t it be great if we could also eradicate hate?” he told the crowd. Cohen proceeded to call on his peers to pray for peace for the people of Israel and Palestine.
“I’m so sorry to hijack this special event to express my feelings as a human,” he said. "Just as I express them when injustices happen to anyone targeted because of their race or religion or sexual identity… My heart goes out to all the Palestinian people in the region that have had to endure unnecessary loss of life. I pray for peace – won’t you join me?” DJ Cassidy also curated a performance featuring various hip hop artists who've been impacted by Cohen. Attendees saw performances from Swizz Beatz, T.I., Ja Rule, Public Enemy, and more. Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more news.