If you love awards season, you’re likely already well acquainted with the work of Jesse Collins, whether you know it or not. In just the past two years alone, the veteran Emmy and NAACP Award winner has produced the Grammys, Golden Globes, American Music Awards, BET Awards, and Soul Train Awards, in addition to TV specials “The Light We Carry” with Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, “Yara Shahidi’s Day Off,” “The New Edition Story” and “The Bobby Brown Story,” and recent Super Bowl halftime shows starring Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Eminem in 2022, and Rihanna in 2023, among many other notable credits.
In short, Collins is a master of the production game, which made him an ideal guest for theGrio’s “Masters of the Game” series. Speaking with me, Season Two host Maiysha Kai, the surprisingly humble uber-producer proved uber-relatable as he retraced his steps from a somewhat aimless kid growing up in Toronto, Canada, to a boundary-pushing radio DJ — and now, a go-to Hollywood heavyweight and advocate who reliably advances the careers of other people of color.
“There’s an ecosystem of people who have come through our doors; that we’ve done things together, and that we’ve stuck together,” said Collins, later adding, “Collaboration is really important. Sometimes, it’s better to get half of the pie or a third of the pie than none of us get any pie at all.”
Want to hear more about how to build a modern media empire with some of Hollywood’s biggest brands? Season Two of “Masters of the Game,” hosted by Maiysha Kai continues with the innovative, insightful Jesse Collins at 8 p.m. ET Friday (June 30) on theGrio TV cable network and fast channels.
Maiysha Kai is theGrio’s lifestyle editor, covering all things Black and beautiful. Her work is informed by two decades of experience in fashion and entertainment, great…
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