The latest group of celebrities to earn a spot on the coveted Hollywood Walk of Fame have been revealed.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce confirmed the official list of entertainers welcomed into the Walk of Fame class of 2017 on Tuesday and among them was gospel great Shirley Caesar. The Grammy-Award winning pastor and vocalist has over 50 years in the industry under her belt and is certainly deserving of being honored with her very own Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Also included in this year’s inductees on the music side of things is iconic R&B male group New Edition. 2016 has turned out to be quite the year for the fellas of New Edition and receiving a star on the Walk of Fame seems to have come at the perfect time. In addition to their nearly 40 years of success in the music industry and upcoming scripted miniseries about their rise to fame, the group will also light up the stage at the 2016 ESSENCE Festival this weekend in New Orleans.
The Academy Makes Big Diversity Push
Another familiar and deserving artist receiving a star this year is late Tejano music superstar Selena. Although Selena’s real-life shine was dimmed much too soon when she was killed in 1995 at the young age of 23 just as her career was beginning to blossom, the fact that Hollywood is paying tribute to her with a star on the Walk of Fame over two decades later certainly speaks volumes to the lasting impact she made during her time on earth. Multitalented entertainer John Legend, who has made a lengthy list of impactful strides over the course of his 16-year career in the music industry, is also set to receive a star.
On the entertainment side, supermodel-turned-media mogul Tyra Banks will be honored with this year’s class. Tyra made history in the fashion industry as the first Black model to land on the cover of Sports Illustrated and went on to become one of the world’s most famous models before later building a massive empire. Today, she is a successful actress, talk show host and businesswoman. Producer extraordinaire Lee Daniels is also among those in the film and television industry who will be receiving a star. With an impressive Hollywood resume as a talented producer and director under his belt, Daniels is the mastermind behind several critically-acclaimed television and film projects of the last decade including Empire, The Butler, Monster’s Ball and Precious.
Other notable 2016 Hollywood Walk of Fame Honorees include Ice Cube, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Eva Longoria, N’Sync, Goldie Hawn and Ryan Reynolds, to name a few.
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