'Mr Champagne & Bubbles': Andre Harrell was a friend and 'guru' to Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Babyface and more
Fans and the music community paid their tributes to the late Andre Harrell on May 24, following his passing earlier this month at the age of 59. The Uptown Records founder died on May 7 after suffering heart failure. During his time in the music industry, he helped launch the careers of several artists including Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Mary J Blige.
On May 24, BET held a two-hour special with appearances from Mariah Carey, Babyface, Russell Simmons, Chris Rock, Lee Daniels, Kimora Lee Simmons, Robin Thicke, Naomi Campbell, Clarence Avant, Jamie Foxx, and many more who all united to pay tribute to the man who launched a thousand stars.
The commercial-free tribute was affectionately titled 'Mr Champagne and Bubbles', a nickname that was given to Harrell. The event was executive produced by Harrell's 25-year-old son Gianni Credle-Harrell, the legend's ex-wife Wendy Credle, and Rikki Hughes. During the tribute, many of Harrell's friends took a moment to share how much of an impact he has had on them as well as the music industry as a whole.
Epic Records chair and CEO Sylvia Rhone shared in an Instagram post prior to the show's airing, "Tonight we celebrate the incredible life and times of Andre Harrell. His legacy and spirit have no expiration date! That smile, that laugh, that brilliance, that style, that foresight as a trendsetter, that FRIEND!!" BET also took to Twitter to state, "Because of Andre Harrell, we are Black excellence. #CelebratingAndreHarrell." One fan responded, "This was a great tribute! I didn't know him personally but he was part of my life with the Uptown artist he brought to us! Their music who was there for me during the good & the bad times of my life! Music is powerful to connect to your life! RIP #andreharrell & Job Well Done," while another said, "Andre did so much while he was here and changed many lives."
Black excellence, a term that encompasses the accomplishments of black people despite the hardships they have faced, is one that is frequently invoked by black entertainers to honor the community and celebrate their victories.
Babyface's touching tribute during the BET special included a track he wrote two days after Harrell's death. In the song, Babyface sings about how Harrell fought for black artists' right to be unapologetically black, adding, "Andre, you knew who you were, and I swear if nothing else, you taught me how to be me." Jamie Foxx also recollected a similar journey with Harrell, who Foxx stated introduced him to the term 'black excellence' and served as one of his greatest inspirations throughout his career. Foxx also stated that the first call he made after his 'Ray Charles' Oscar win was to Harrell.
Robin Thicke shared his tribute on Twitter: "From the tribute on @BET today, one of the first songs from Andre Harrell's Uptown Records that inspired me. #CelebratingAndreHarrell." For Thicke, Harrell was everything from a mentor to a friend, and in 2010 he even became a godfather to Thicke's son. Only a week before his passing Harrell approved one of Thicke's unreleased tracks, 'Forever Mine', which he debuted during the special.
Mariah Carey also shared an emotional and heartfelt tribute, stating, "I don't know that there's anybody that can ever have the same type of impact on the industry as Andre Harrell did." As the singer found herself holding back tears, she shared more details about how he directly impacted her life, adding that she called him "guru" and he dubbed her a "pop diva super starlet". Carey also recalled, "He was fun personified," and spent some time walking down memory lane while looking at some old photos.
Pharrell also took a moment to talk about how Harrell shaped his career, stating, "I would not be here, as a musician, if it weren't for him recognizing what was in Teddy Riley. If it wasn't for him recognizing what was in Puff. (Andre) did that for scores of people, and those people went on to change the course of history through sound."
"Andre Harrell knew the importance of giving people opportunities. #CelebratingAndreHarrell," tweeted one fan.
The night of celebration and tears was the perfect way to honor Harrell's impact on the music industry and the world as a whole. "Shout to @bet for the touching Andre Harrell tribute," stated one fan, adding, "I smiled, nodded my head, and looked on with awe at Andre's greatness all with tears in my eyes. Well done. #CelebratingAndreHarrell."