Diddy's non-public jet troubles stored him from amassing his award on the Apollo Gala — however he nonetheless stole the present with a $250,000 donation

• Diddy was among the many honorees lauded on the Apollo Theater’s gala Monday evening in Harlem.
• The mogul missed the enjoyable — however made up for it with a six-figure donation to the historic Harlem landmark.
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, company sponsor Warby Parker, and outgoing Apollo CEO Jonelle Procope rounded out the honorees.

Hassle on the tarmac stored the person of the hour on the Apollo Theater’s annual spring profit from attending the gala.  

Diddy was set to take house the legendary theater and performing arts heart’s Icon Award for his accomplishments in music, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and schooling. However airplane troubles stored the hip hop mogul marooned in Miami, he mentioned.

“Apollo, Harlem! I simply wish to say thanks for honoring me this 12 months with the Icon Award,” Diddy mentioned by way of video on the gala Monday evening, the place he seemed to be ensconced within the cabin of a personal airplane.

“As you possibly can see, I have been sitting on the bottom on the airport for over – I  obtained right here at like 9 a.m. — they usually’re simply not letting any airplanes fly out proper now,” Diddy defined. “I positively want I may very well be there with y’all. I am nonetheless attempting to get there, nevertheless it was vital for me to make this video and thank y’all from the underside of my coronary heart. I am considered one of your Harlem sons.” 

Though the “Cannot Cease, Will not Cease” rapper wasn’t there bodily, his presence was felt when Tarik Brooks, president of Combs Enterprises, introduced that his boss would donate $250,000 to the Apollo to help its packages and providers. 

“I am no Sean Combs, however I understand how a lot this evening meant to him,” Brooks mentioned in entrance of an viewers that included Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg, Spike Lee, New York Instances reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones, Cuba Gooding Jr., restaurateur Melba Wilson, actor Leon Robinson, Valerie Jarrett, and Bryant Gumbel.  “The Sean Combs Basis can be donating $250,000 to additional the mission of the Apollo!” 

Additionally honored on the June 12 occasion had been outgoing Apollo Theater president and CEO Jonelle Procope, company sponsor Warby Parker, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who recalled venturing into jazz singer Sarah Vaughn’s Apollo dressing room as a 4-year-old when his father performed in her band. 

Attendees had been handled to a live performance from the likes of Wyclef Jean, DJ D-Good, MC Lyte, Stout and Gladys Knight — who introduced the home down along with her stirring rendition of “You are The Greatest Factor That Ever Occurred To Me,” in tribute to Procope. 

Diddy heaped reward on the theater, which started serving Harlem’s Black group in 1934, for its dedication to  Uptown Manhattan.

“The Apollo means a lot to me. It was a beacon of hope for me,” Diddy mentioned. “It is most likely one of many final issues we now have in Harlem that actually represents Harlem.”