Daryl Stewart (pictured above)
Producer and performer, Newark, New Jersey
How was the ceremony?
I really enjoyed Spike Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s speech. It was personable and cheeky. Spike was interrupting Kareem so much that eventually Kareem just put his hand on Spike’s head and told him to simmer down.
Who’d you go with?
My friend Keyaira. We met in high school. It makes it a lot less tense and stressful and uncomfortable to go to these things when you get to sit with your lunch-table bestie. At one point, I found myself surrounded by so many fabulous Black folks — Maurice DuBois from CBS was to my right, and Deborah Cox was to my left — I just looked at Keyaira and thanked her, and that was the whole conversation. I was just so grateful to be in that space. I mean, I live in New Jersey — I’m still trying to give myself permission to participate in these things.
Charles Phillips
Venture-firm managing partner, Upper West Side
Makaela Reed
College student, Houston, Texas
Jaboukie Young-White
Actor, Bushwick
How was the night?
I mean, like, Wyclef really rips. He’s such a performer, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Like, he’s Wyclef. But it’s also what the Apollo demands of people — it’s like, No, you cannot phone it in. And he didn’t. He had everybody hip-hop-hurray hand-waving.
Christopher Ratsimbazafy-Da Silva
Quant researcher, Dumbo
Penda N’diaye
Sexual-wellness expert, Bedford-Stuyvesant
Who were you most excited to see?
I was looking forward to seeing Diddy in the flesh, but he couldn’t make it. He took a video from the tarmac in a private jet instead. I was like, There are 50,000 commercial flights between Miami and New York every day. Did you really wanna be here?
Denise Odom
Legal technician, East Orange, New Jersey
Kyresha Bowman
Classical singer, Washington, D.C.
Torae Carr
Radio host and songwriter, Coney Island
How’d you pick the jacket?
My stylist, Marty Mc’Fresh, did. It’s from the Black Tux. It was supposed to be for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event later this week, but when he was showing me it, I was like, “No, I gotta do this tonight at the Apollo.” A lot of people complimented my look, so I guess I pulled it off.
Kimberly Bassett
D.C. secretary of state, Washington, D.C.
Devon Arnold
Actor, rapper, and comedian, Harlem
Flo Ngala
Photographer, Harlem
Lewis Long
Gallerist and art appraiser, Harlem
Did you see any outfits you especially liked?
There was one lady, a young influencer named Blake Newby. I’ve known her parents since college; it’s a tight community and an intergenerational one. Anyway, she had on something I thought was really fun and very stylish but really appropriate. It was great to see her, and I thought she looked pretty smart.
Chloe Mason
College student, South Orange, New Jersey
Valerie Jarrett
Obama Foundation CEO, Upper West Side
Deborah Cox
Actress and singer-songwriter, Parkland, Florida
Blake Newby
Host, Lower East Side
Which performance was your favorite?
I would probably have to say Gladys Knight. I feel like she’s everybody’s favorite auntie. And she looked fantastic, too. She had these embellished pants that were so stylish, and her hair looked fabulous.
Gabrielle Crockett
Photographer, Washington, D.C.
Chris Adams
Event producer, Harlem
Charles Phillips
Venture-firm managing partner, Upper West Side
Makaela Reed
College student, Houston, Texas
Jaboukie Young-White
Actor, Bushwick
How was the night?
I mean, like, Wyclef really rips. He’s such a performer, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Like, he’s Wyclef. But it’s also what the Apollo demands of people — it’s like, No, you cannot phone it in. And he didn’t. He had everybody hip-hop-hurray hand-waving.
Christopher Ratsimbazafy-Da Silva
Quant researcher, Dumbo
Penda N’diaye
Sexual-wellness expert, Bedford-Stuyvesant
Who were you most excited to see?
I was looking forward to seeing Diddy in the flesh, but he couldn’t make it. He took a video from the tarmac in a private jet instead. I was like, There are 50,000 commercial flights between Miami and New York every day. Did you really wanna be here?
Denise Odom
Legal technician, East Orange, New Jersey
Kyresha Bowman
Classical singer, Washington, D.C.
Torae Carr
Radio host and songwriter, Coney Island
How’d you pick the jacket?
My stylist, Marty Mc’Fresh, did. It’s from the Black Tux. It was supposed to be for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event later this week, but when he was showing me it, I was like, “No, I gotta do this tonight at the Apollo.” A lot of people complimented my look, so I guess I pulled it off.
Kimberly Bassett
D.C. secretary of state, Washington, D.C.
Devon Arnold
Actor, rapper, and comedian, Harlem
Flo Ngala
Photographer, Harlem
Lewis Long
Gallerist and art appraiser, Harlem
Did you see any outfits you especially liked?
There was one lady, a young influencer named Blake Newby. I’ve known her parents since college; it’s a tight community and an intergenerational one. Anyway, she had on something I thought was really fun and very stylish but really appropriate. It was great to see her, and I thought she looked pretty smart.
Chloe Mason
College student, South Orange, New Jersey
Valerie Jarrett
Obama Foundation CEO, Upper West Side
Deborah Cox
Actress and singer-songwriter, Parkland, Florida
Blake Newby
Host, Lower East Side
Which performance was your favorite?
I would probably have to say Gladys Knight. I feel like she’s everybody’s favorite auntie. And she looked fantastic, too. She had these embellished pants that were so stylish, and her hair looked fabulous.
Gabrielle Crockett
Photographer, Washington, D.C.
Chris Adams
Event producer, Harlem
More From This Series
- The Look Book Goes to the Luar Fashion Show
- The Look Book Goes to the U.S. Open
- The Look Book Goes to East Hampton Library’s Authors Night
