Magic Lemonade

While you’re in LA for Art Week, make space for what’s next. Art Melanated presents SAVAGE at Band of Vices @bandofvices , a powerful emerging artist exhibition honoring the legacy of Augusta Savage and her commitment to building infrastructure for Black artists. SAVAGE brings together 11 visionary finalists selected from a global open call, artists shaping the future of contemporary art in real time. Bold work. Strong narratives. Museum level presence. If you’re here for Frieze, Felix, or the institutional shows across the city, this exhibition belongs on your list. Band of Vices 1700 S Santa Fe Ave #371 Los Angeles 90021 Now extended through March 21 Meet the curators this Friday from 12 to 2PM. Come through. Ask questions. Build relationships. Collect early. LA Art Week is about discovery. The future is ours. 🎥 by @derfmania #SAVAGEExhibition #ArtMelanated #LAArtWeek #EmergingArtists SupportLivingArtists

SAVAGE was powerful. Today, we’re honored to officially announce the winners of our inaugural global emerging artist competition, and to acknowledge every artist who made this exhibition what it is. 🥇 Grand Prize Winner: Devin Wesley $10,000 + $500 Blick Art Materials Gift Card 🥈 Runner-Up: Garry F Grant $2,500 🥈 Runner-Up: Jonathan Barber $2,500 To our featured artists…thank you for believing in what we’re building. Your vision, vulnerability, and commitment to your practice made this exhibition unforgettable: Ahkeem Shaw @ahkeemshaw Asia Estelle @asia.orf Crystal Noir @crystalnoir.art Danielle Scott @artistdaniellescott Devin Wesley @devinwesleyy Enam Gbewonyo @enamgd Garry Grant @garryfgrant Jess Owens-Young @truthofstrength Jonathan Barber @jonneebizz Kim Alexis Newton @kimalexisnewton Rikiesha Metzger @rikiesha_metzger While awards were given, what we witnessed opening weekend confirmed something deeper: every one of you is shaping the future of contemporary art. The conversations sparked, the connections formed, the collectors engaged , that’s real momentum. A very special thank you to Harmonia Rosales and Magic Lemonade Stand for your extraordinary generosity and belief in our program to support emerging artists. Your support helped make this moment possible. Thank you to everyone that supported with their time, ideas, product and finances to make this possible. Thank you to @ibestwines @edmondshonorbourbon @vuelotequila for making sure the people had a great time. Thank you to @shashacharcuterie . Big thanks to our DJ @badgyalrozay for the music vibes. Thank you to @blickartmaterials for adding to the grand prize. Thank you Kevin West for also being a part of this monumental exhibition. More thank you’s on our website and app! Thank you to everyone who joined us at Band of Vices and helped make this moment meaningful. The exhibition remains ON VIEW through March 14. If you’re in LA for Frieze, make SAVAGE part of your weekend. Bring someone with you. Share great art. Support living artists. The future is ours. Video by @derfmania #ArtMelanated #SAVAGEExhibition #EmergingArtists SupportArtists LAArtWeek TheFutureIsOurs

🚨 New Series Alert 🚨 History doesn’t just happen — it’s led. Proud to direct and executive produce Field Generals: History of the Black Quarterback alongside my partner and fellow EP’s Maria Taylor and Lorne Michaels Broadway Video A story of evolution, born from revolution. Streaming February 5 on Peacock. Produced by Magic Lemonade Because leadership leaves a legacy. #FieldGenerals #HistoryOfTheBlackQuarterback #BeTheMagic

Like Dave’s closing… this is a long one, so hang in there with me. When Dave calls and says, “Rikki, I think we should shoot this… like really shoot this,” and it’s the day before 😳 (Side note) I archive everything Dave does—but a special requires a very different kind of preparation. This time, there was none. No prep. No polish. No safety net. We didn’t have our maestro Stan Lathan. No usual crew. I couldn’t even see what most of my camera ops were shooting—I had to direct purely on instinct. The venue had just been remodeled. Everything was working against us. And then we realized… none of that mattered. This wasn’t about a perfect special. It was about preserving a moment in time. Messy. Raw. Unedited. Just like the message. The credit sequence—what so many of you are responding to—became its own mini-film. Intimate. Revealing. Deeply human. Captured through the lens of world-renowned Leica photographer Mathieu Bitton @candytman masterfully edited by our DP/Editor Ian Cook @hardroadpix and carried home by Stevie Wonders “Joy Inside My Tears”. We shot this in Washington, D.C. on 10/10/25. And the very day the Kennedy Center was renamed, we wrapped our tour , dropped a surprise special on Netflix, and stood together knowing we had made a piece of art. Freedom of speech isn’t about agreement. It’s about protecting the right to question. Because the moment we stop questioning, we don’t become united—we become monolithic. Grateful to witness. Honored to direct. #BeTheMagic #TeamChappelle #Gratitude @netflix @netflixisajoke

As we gear up for ABFF Honors 2026, here’s a look back at the brilliance of our 2025 celebration. Every moment reminded us why this event is so special. Excited to honor our next group of trailblazers Dwayne Johnson, Jennifer Hudson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Damson Idris, and the creative team behind Sinners Feb 2026 SLS Beverly Hills. #abffhonors #dwaynejohnson #sallirichardsonwhitfield #damsonidris #jenniferhudson #sinners

ICYMI: The 2026 ABFF Honorees are here. Thank you to every press and media outlet who covered this announcement — we appreciate the continued support and amplification of Black excellence in film & entertainment. See you in February ✨ #ABFFHonors #ABFFHonors2026

🚨 Interrupting your regularly scheduled program with breaking news… The 2026 #ABFFHonors is officially set! We’re celebrating the creative team behind SINNERS — Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler & Sev Ohanian — plus honorees Jennifer Hudson, Damson Idris, and Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Hosted by KevOnStage | February 16 | SLS Beverly Hills Presenting Sponosr @ally ABFF Honors is executive produced by Jeff Friday, Nicole Friday (NICE CROWD) and Rikki Hughes (@msrikki | Magic Lemonade) in association with dePasse Jones Entertainment. 🗞️ Big thank you to @TheHollywoodReporter for sharing the exclusive. #ABFF2026 #NiceCrowdEvents #HollywoodReporter #ABFFHonors #ShowUpForBlackEvenrs #AllyDoItRight

Magic Lemonade has been expanding throughout the globe and we are honored to have @sayitmsjackson to lead the way in Saudi Arabia. Our team of magicians are might, currently on 3 different continents spreading the MAGIC . This is our founders dream Thank You Crista!! And thank you to our Middle East representative @roewilliams #Bethemagic

Magic Lemonade… #BeTheMagic

🎬 From Love Jones to reuniting at ABFF, and now back on screen together — Nia Long and Larenz Tate are set to star as love interests in a new Netflix romantic drama. ❤️‍🔥 We’re so proud of our 2025 Festival Ambassadors for continuing the magic and showing the world what #BlackLove looks like on and off the screen. 🌍✨ We can’t wait to support and celebrate this next chapter. 🙌🏾 📸: @kelbpics & @redcarpetimages #ABFF #ABFF2025 #NiaLong #LarenzTate #Netflix #BlackLove #ScottEvans #LoveJones

Always happy to collaborate with my friends. I’m so proud of you! Thank You for trusting me and @magic_lemonade with your art, AGAIN!! Go watch this LEGEND @therealearthquake . None of this would be possible without my amazing co creator @jaythesoulchef . No comedy magic occurs with out the great @stanlathan … the maestro. @netflixisajoke @netflix

When I tell you this team did this!! I’m so proud of my amazing team that always makes the magic possible . Allow me to introduced you to our magicians … #BeTheMagic #BMACGala2025 such an important event @magic_lemonade make up: @glammmbaeee 👗 @aprilroomet