💐 CHICAGO CULTURE BALL SAID GIVE THEM THEIR FLOWERS NOW

730 BOOM RADIO | CHICAGO CULTURE

📍Chicago, Ill. Barack Obama Presidential Library

Now THIS is what I like to see.

Not another tribute after somebody is gone.

Not everybody suddenly remembering how legendary somebody was when it's too late for them to hear it.

GIVE PEOPLE THEIR DAMN FLOWERS WHILE THEY CAN STILL SMELL THEM. 💐

And Chicago did exactly that this weekend.

The 5th Annual Chicago Culture Ball took over the Obama Presidential Center on August 15, bringing together artists, entrepreneurs, community leaders, executives and cultural heavyweights for a night celebrating Black excellence and the people helping shape Chicago culture.

And among those getting his flowers was somebody who has been carrying Chicago music on his back for DECADES:

BUDDY. DAMN. GUY. 🎸

The legendary bluesman was honored as one of the evening's cultural icons, alongside other Chicago figures including Don C and J. Ivy.

And baby...

If we're having a Chicago Culture Ball, Buddy Guy better have a seat somewhere near the FRONT.

🎸 BECAUSE BUDDY GUY AIN'T JUST PART OF CHICAGO MUSIC

This man helped make Chicago blues recognizable around the world.

Buddy Guy's influence stretches across generations and genres, and his guitar playing influenced some of the biggest names in rock and blues.

So when we're talking about people who helped create the musical identity of this city...

YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND SKIP BUDDY GUY.

You'd have a whole paragraph missing.

At 90 years old, Buddy Guy is still here to witness generations of people recognizing what he contributed to the culture.

And THAT'S what made this particular honor special.

❤️ HIS DAUGHTERS GOT TO PRESENT THEIR DAD WITH HIS FLOWERS

Buddy Guy wasn't simply called onto a stage and handed an award.

HIS DAUGHTERS HELPED HONOR HIM.

His daughters Shawnna and Carlise Guy were part of the presentation celebrating their father's legacy. Coverage from the event confirms that the blues legend was introduced by his daughters during the Chicago Culture Ball.

And YES...

THAT SHAWNNA. 🎤

Chicago rapper Shawnna, Buddy Guy's daughter, carved out her own place in music, becoming one of the recognizable female voices to come out of Chicago hip-hop.

So think about that picture for a second.

You've got a father who helped carry Chicago blues around the world...

Standing beside a daughter who went out and made her own mark in Chicago hip-hop.

BLUES ON ONE SIDE. HIP-HOP ON THE OTHER.

SAME BLOODLINE.

SAME CHICAGO. ❤️

Now THAT'S culture.

And having both of his daughters there to participate in honoring their father?

Baby, forget the red carpet for a minute.

THAT'S THE MOMENT.

Because awards are nice.

Applause is nice.

But being able to stand there and watch your children help celebrate something you spent your entire LIFE building?

That's different.

🏆 AND BUDDY WASN'T THE ONLY ONE GETTING HIS FLOWERS

The Chicago Culture Ball wasn't built around one person. The event was created specifically to recognize people whose work positively impacts the African American experience and represents Black excellence across music, art, fashion, entertainment, business and community leadership.

And the 2026 honoree list was STACKED.

Among those recognized by the Culture Ball were:

State Rep. Kam Buckner, Kim Lewis CEO of CurlMix, Darrell Spencer founder and CEO of Crowned Skin, Sean Mac award-winning DJ, Dr. Suzet McKinney president and CEO of Chicago Loop Alliance, Hebru Brantley contemporary artist and visual storyteller, Keeana Barber CEO of WDB Marketing, McKinley Nelson founder of Projects Wish Chicago, Dr. Wendy McDonald physician, entrepreneur and author. Kareem Edwards, owner/operator of Chick-fil-A South Loop, Jason Mercer principal at CAST US/Cleveland Avenue. Dr. Veronica Appleton, advertising executive and philanthropist and several other leaders and entrepreneurs.

Additional event coverage highlighted Buddy Guy, Don C and J. Ivy among the cultural figures honored.

And THIS is why I don't think we need to turn the article into an encyclopedia listing every category and every award title.

The bigger story is what the room represented:

CHICAGO HONORING THE PEOPLE WHO HELP MAKE CHICAGO... CHICAGO.

🖤 AND THE LOCATION MADE IT HIT EVEN HARDER

This year's Culture Ball wasn't held just anywhere.

It happened at the Obama Presidential Center.

The event organizers described the fifth anniversary as a celebration of the visionaries, builders and cultural icons moving Chicago forward, complete with an awards ceremony, performances and a gathering of creatives and community leaders.

So you've got Black entrepreneurs.

Black artists.

Black executives.

Black community leaders.

Black music legends.

All being celebrated inside the Obama Presidential Center in CHICAGO.

BABY, THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF BLACK HISTORY IN ONE BUILDING.

And some of it is still being written.

💐 LADY RED SAYS GIVE THEM THE FLOWERS NOW

We have this terrible habit sometimes.

Somebody can spend 50, 60, 70 years contributing to the culture...

And we'll say:

"Yeah, they're a legend."

Then keep moving.

But the minute they're gone?

Here come the documentaries.

Here come the murals.

Here come the three-hour tributes.

Here come everybody talking about:

"We lost an icon."

NO.

TELL THE ICON WHILE THE ICON IS SITTING RIGHT THERE.

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Let Buddy Guy hear the applause.

Let him see the room stand up.

Let his daughters stand beside him.

Let him know Chicago understands what he gave this city.

And let's do the same thing for the entrepreneurs, artists, organizers, executives and community leaders who are building their legacies right now.

Because culture isn't only something we inherit.

SOMEBODY IS CREATING IT WHILE WE'RE SITTING HERE.

And that's what I like about the Chicago Culture Ball.

It's not simply:

"Look who used to matter."

It's:

"LOOK WHO MATTERS."

Past.

Present.

And next.

Congratulations to Buddy Guy, his family and all of the 2026 Chicago Culture Ball honorees.

And seeing Shawnna and Carlise standing there helping honor their father?

That's bigger than an award.

THAT'S LEGACY LOOKING BACK AT LEGACY. ❤️🎸🎤

Chicago blues raised its hand.

Chicago hip-hop answered.

And the Culture Ball said:

WE SEE ALL OF Y'ALL.🙌

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