Atlanta is not easing into summer. The city is in the middle of the inaugural Black Music Week, a 13‑day run of performances, panels and industry awards that has been packing venues across town. The marathon celebration wraps Saturday with a five‑on‑five youth soccer tournament that will kick off the ATL Rhythm Cup summer series.
About the week
Branded "bamX," the program runs May 25 through June 6 and is produced by Mauldin Brand in partnership with the Black American Music Association and Unite Atlanta. Many of the events are centered at Morehouse College's Ray Charles Performing Arts Center, according to bamX.
Programming and panels
The week folds in a revived Jack the Rapper "Remix" conference, a Dot Connectors tech track, a health summit and a fireside chat between Mayor Andre Dickens and Jermaine Dupri, pairing legacy recognition with industry development. As noted by Discover Atlanta, the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center serves as the hub for panels, showcases and awards.
Awards and honorees
The second‑ever Black American Music Awards took over the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse, mixing current stars with legacy acts. As reported by 95.5 WSB, honorees included T.I., Jermaine Dupri, Anthony Hamilton and Kenny Lattimore, while groups such as Cameo, Brick, the S.O.S. Band and Jagged Edge were also recognized. 95.5 WSB also noted that Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis attended to present a Global Creative Impact award and that the week will close with a youth tournament featuring about 80 kids ages 12–15.
"Not only just celebrate what's happened to me, but what's happened to those who paved the way and those who have come behind me," Anthony Hamilton said during the awards night, 95.5 WSB reported. His comment captured the evening's focus on honoring the past while spotlighting new talent and industry conversations.
Youth tournament and community reach
The five‑on‑five tournament is scheduled for B.T. Harvey Stadium on the Morehouse campus and is billed as the ATL Rhythm Cup kickoff, pairing sports and youth development with festival programming. The stadium listing and related schedule appear on the event's official program, per bamX.
Organizers' vision
Organizers say they want the week to grow into a long‑running platform for Black music, commerce and education, with partners aiming to build it into an annual draw for visitors and industry activity. Local reporting notes that Mauldin has framed the effort as part of a broader push to "unite Atlanta" and to spark sustainable cultural and economic investment, according to UATL.
For now, the debut run stitches awards, panels and community events into a citywide showcase of Atlanta's outsize influence on American music. Schedules and ticketing information are available on the official event pages and in local coverage as the program heads into its closing weekend.
