Andra Day, Nick Cannon, Mario & More Support 1500 or Nothin’ LA Wildfire Benefit Concert

Andra Day, Nick Cannon and Mario were among the lineup of stars who helped raise funds on behalf of Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts at the 1500 Day Benefit Concert. This year, 1500 or Nothin’ — the Grammy-winning creative collective behind projects by Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Usher and others — partnered with the City of Inglewood to turn its 20th-anniversary celebration into a fundraiser held during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend (Jan. 18).

1500 or Nothin’ was founded by Larrance “Rance” Dopson and James Fauntleroy. In a statement following the celebration/concert, Dopson said, “Inglewood has always been supportive of us since day one. We felt it was important to host a benefit concert for culture and to bring people together during a time when L.A. is in need. I want to help rebuild our city back up and provide access to musicians and families experiencing losses.”

More than 1,000 people attended the 2 p.m.-midnight event at the collective’s newly built WePlay Studios in Inglewood, California. In addition to the aforementioned artists, attendees were treated to performances by Rapsody, Xzibit, Jon B., LaRussell, BJ The Chicago Kid, Trinidad James, EastSide K-Boy and various local L.A. artists. Among the concert’s afternoon-into-evening highlights: Day singing her signature song “Rise Up,” Mario performing his classic “Let Me Love You” and Xzibit weighing in with fan fave “X.”

Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts presented Dopson with a special commendation at the event, recognizing 1500 or Nothin’s continued impact on music and the local community. The City of Inglewood initially honored the collective with its own designated 1500 Day on Jan. 15, 2020, which has since become an annual celebration. A portion of the proceeds raised during this year’s celebration will be donated to Inglewood Rising, a nonprofit partner with the City of Inglewood. 

In an earlier press release announcing the 1500 Day Benefit Concert, Butts commented, “These devastating wildfires have destroyed 12,000 structures and resulted in the deaths of at least 24 people so far. Our goal is to help the people that have been displaced; find some path to normalcy as they rebuild their lives. We have a number of short-term rental units that have sprung up. So we want to put together funds to assist families with transitional housing.”