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| Reginald Hudlin |
By Darlene Donloe
Get ready for an unforgettable night of music, film, and fun at the iconic Hollywood Bowl!
Black Movie Soundtrack V is returning to the legendary venue on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, and all indications point to it being a star-studded celebration of Black cinema and its iconic soundtracks.
Produced by Reginald Hudlin and hosted by Craig Robinson, Black Movie Soundtrack V is designed to be an evening of joyful, moving, and unforgettable music and film.
Marcus Miller is the musical director, and Derrick Hodge is the conductor of the Color of Noize Orchestra.
The lineup for the living mixtape includes an impressive array of artists, including Bun B (from the legendary hip-hop duo UGK), Morris Day, Full Force, Jennifer Holliday, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Miles Caton (‘Sinners’), Tom Morello, PJ Morton (Maroon 5), and Tyrone Huntley.
“Tyrone Huntley starred in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ at the Bowl,” Hudlin said. “He actually worked at the Bowl as an usher. He auditioned for that show and got it. What a great story.”
D-Nice will DJ the event.
The event will feature live performances of iconic songs from Black cinema, accompanied by film clips and special guests.
“I gotta be honest,” said Hudlin, an Academy Governor, who has a passion for celebrating the rich history of music in Black cinema. “I really started this event for me. I'd been wanting to do it for a number of years. I wanted to do that with my favorite music and movies. That's how I came up with the idea. I’m glad that the crowds come out every year, but to be honest, I did all of this for me.”
Hudlin said he continues to do the annual event because he ‘loves films and music’.
"Music really is the ultimate expressive art form,” he said. “That's why I love doing this show.”
Hudlin said the show “celebrates this great music that has been done over all these decades.”
“My main thing is to entertain people,” he said. “Actually, they all teach you what you like. It’s very interesting. I’ve produced the Oscars, done TV shows, I make movies, but this show at the Hollywood Bowl gets the biggest reaction from anything I’ve done.”
This year’s celebration of music and film includes tributes to Luther Vandross, the hit movie 'Sinners,' Quincy Jones, and Prince, two people that Hudlin calls “Music’s greatest innovators.”
“Both of those men deserve tributes,” said Hudlin, known for producing the movies Django Unchained, Marshall, Boomerang, House Party, the documentary 'Sidney,' and more. “They both deserve to be honored. We have Morris Day and Jerome. The two of them performing together is like, ‘wow.’ Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who consistently deliver, will be there to pay tribute to Prince. Prince is special to me. I try to honor him every year. Quincy, what can you say about Quincy? He has given us so much music, starting from back in the day.”
In addition to the tributes to Prince and Quincy Jones, Miles Caton, who starred in the hit movie ‘Sinners’, will deliver soulful vocals, Full Force will present some classic hip-hop moments, and Grammy-winning bassist and composer Derrick Hodge will conduct the Color of Noize Orchestra. At the same time, D-Nice will keep the party going with timeless hits.
Hudlin said when he first came up with the idea for Black Movie Soundtrack, he made a list of all the songs he wanted in the show. The list landed at 120.
“I asked the Bowl how many songs they thought could fit in the show,” Hudlin said. “They said, ‘about 12.’ I panicked. I had a list of 120. That’s when they told me the other songs could be included in future shows. We’re going to work our way through the incredible songbook I came up with of Black Movie Soundtracks. It was back then that we realized the show couldn’t just be a one-night-only event.”
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| (l-r) Reginald Hudlin, Craig Robinson, and Marcus Miller |
The event, created by the visionary artists Hudlin and Miller, was first held at the Hollywood Bowl in 2014.
The show paired live performances from some of the industry’s hottest acts with movie clips projected on a large screen.
Together, Hudlin and Miller have created a one-of-a-kind concert experience that pays homage to the legacy of Black movie soundtracks through live performances and a curated selection of film clips. From the very beginning, the show has been a hit.
Black Movie Soundtrack has paid tribute to Black cinema and music through performances by Gladys Knight, Babyface, Common, El DeBarge, Chaka Khan, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and more.
Other acts featured in previous years include Charlie Wilson singing the “Theme From Shaft,” Gladys Knight singing songs from the “Claudine” soundtrack, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds singing “Give You My Heart,” Lalah Hathaway doing “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” from Boomerang, Full Force doing “Ain’t My Type of Hype” from Hudlin’s movie “House Party,” and Public Enemy and En Vogue performing music from films including “Sparkle,” “In the Heat of the Night” and “Do the Right Thing” and more.
The Black Movie Soundtrack has become a beloved tradition at the Hollywood Bowl, bringing together music lovers and film enthusiasts alike.
“I just want everyone to come out and enjoy themselves,” Hudlin said. “When you sit in the theater, and you see someone who looks like you, that’s a really big thing. Black Movie Soundtrack is not just about the music. It’s about being proud of the history.”
‘Black Movie Soundtrack V,’ The Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Bowl gates open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Attendees can take public transportation by catching the Metro B Line to Hollywood/Highland Metro Station and then taking the free Bowl shuttle.
Parking options are also available, including Park and Ride and Bowl Shuttle tickets.
Tickets for Black Movie Soundtrack V start at $25 and can be purchased through TodayTix.
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