“I want to thank Nelly for his support of Make A Wish,” 18 year old Avis said before the crowd at the 10th Annual Black And White Ball Sunday night at The Four Seasons.
“Make-A-Wish gave me something to look forward to at the end of my chemo,” Avis said. “It was the light at the end of my tunnel. I was like ‘as soon as I’m done I get to go to Rio.”
In the ten years since Nelly has been presenting the black tie gala, most of the buzz is around the celebrities and the glamour of it all – the outfit preparations that begin as soon as the elaborate gowns and dapper tuxedos hit the red carpet the year before.
But those who attend the dinner portion are aware that a party with a purpose is actually underway.
The Black and White Ball usually presents the two recipients of the full ride four-year scholarships to incoming students at Lindenwood University. The Grammy winning rapper and St. Louis native switched things up by becoming a genie of sorts for 2016.
“We chose make a wish this year to lend our support – which is such a great organization – mainly because growing up in certain areas we don’t always have our wishes come true,” Nelly said.
The Black and White Ball was benefactor for two young people.
Because of funds donated to Make-A-Wish Missouri, Avis was able to celebrate more than a year of chemotherapy treatment with an all-expense paid trip to Brazil. And 10 year-old Cole will be able to take his family on a cruise later this year.
“We at Make A Wish Missouri have one very important goal,” said Donn Sorenson, board chair of Make A Wish Missouri. “Which is to grant wishes to kids fighting life threatening conditions and giving them hope, strength and joy. Nelly’s got a big heart and I’m very grateful for that.”
“We’ve been talking about a few things moving forward with Make A Wish,” Nelly said. “We’re trying to put together something really special. We are in the baby stages. The talks have been overwhelming and I don’t want to give too much away – I’ve said too much already.”
Big ups for “Big O”
This year’s Black and White Ball also paid homage to Orlando Pace for his years on the field as a member of The St. Louis Rams.
Highlights from his professional career played for the few who didn’t know him as one of the most famous members in the history of the franchise. Fellow teammates spoke of him being an integral element of the 1999 Super Bowl Champion team. It was also made known that Pace is among the incoming class of the Professional Football Hall of Fame before Nelly welcomed “Big O” to the podium.
“It still brings chills to hear ‘Hall of Famer’” Pace said. “St. Louis has some great sports fans.”
He thanked Nelly for lending his celebrity for such a good cause over the past decade.
“I came to the very first Black and White Ball,” Pace said. “And each year it gets better and better.
The After Party
All I do is win, win, win…no matter what
Got money on my mind I can never get enough
Every time I step up in the building everybody’s hands go up…and they stay there
By the time headlining performer T-Pain sang his hook on the DJ Khaled club banger before the crowd, he already had them in the palm of his hands.
No remnants of the dinner portion of the program remained. Tables and chairs had been broken down and carried out as the room transformed into one of the hottest parties of the year featuring the brightest stars in STL.
T-Pain and his hype man ran through some of his most popular hits of the mid-2000s and a captivated audience rapped, sang and danced right along with him – many of them would not have instantly been pegged as fans.
One of the things the Black and White Ball does best is bring together elements of local tastemakers that wouldn’t otherwise collide.
Radio and television personalities, local recording artists, the corporate community, the club scene came together under a groove kicked off by The Dirty Muggs. It continued with T-Pain before being closed out by Nelly, Shad Moss (better known as Bow Wow) and Jermaine Dupri.
Nelly took some time to revisit some of his hits, JD and Bow Wow joined in.
Sunday had turned to Monday when the confetti dropped for the grand finale.
Juvenile’s “Back That Thang Up” blared through the speakers and guests happily obliged.
“This year was lit,” one of the most glamorous guests yelled out to her equally glammed up group.
She then assumed the position for one last twerk before calling it a night.
