Grammy-winning artists Pastor Mike Jr. and Lalah Hathaway will be joined by Bay Area indie rapper LaRussell and Christian hip-hop artist Miles Minnick as performers at BET’s 27th annual Super Bowl Soulful Celebration. The network will premiere the one-hour primetime special on Saturday (Feb. 7) at 8 p.m. ET.
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NFL MVP/broadcaster Cam Newton will host the special, whose theme this year is “Go Higher.” Rounding out the slate of performers for the NFL-sanctioned inspirational event will be American Idol winner Jamal Roberts, the NFL Players Choir and award-winning HBCU band the South Carolina State University Marching 101. This year, the celebration is comprised of curated segments filmed during Super Bowl week festivities in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Highlights include a collaboration featuring Minnick and LaRussell. In addition to appearing on the BET special, LaRussell was earlier announced as the opener for the Super Bowl LX Tailgate Concert on Sunday (Feb. 8).
Melanie Few, who founded the annual event and serves as executive producer, said in a statement, “This year’s refreshed format allows us to slow down and be more intentional. By creating space for deeper storytelling, intimate performances and meaningful moments of reflection, we’re able to honor powerful voices, impactful leaders on and off the field and the spirit of community that has defined the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration for more than 25 years.”
Also working alongside Few as music director and producer was Grammy winner Adam Blackstone. “The new format gives us room to be more expressive and cinematic,” he commented. “It allows the music, the stories, and the emotion to breathe, creating a powerful experience that celebrates community, purpose and excellence in a way that feels both intimate and expansive.”
Last year’s celebration featured an array of artists, including The Isley Brothers, Yolanda Adams, Tori Kelly, Muni Long, Jonathan McReynolds, Master P, Big Freedia, Lucky Daye and Trombone Shorty.
Once again, the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration will honor individuals whose leadership and influence is in keeping with the event’s mission of “bridging faith, football, and culture through music, testimony, and tribute,” as noted in the press announcement. This year’s honorees include Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (Lifetime of Inspiration Award), the New York Giants’ Jameis Winston (Faith in Action Award) and the Minnesota Vikings’ Javon Hargrave (HBCU Player Spotlight).
An encore presentation of BET’s Super Bowl Soulful Celebration is set for Monday at 10 p.m. ET.