A longtime Hollywood insider that most of the people in this country probably never heard of has passed away.
That is an injustice to what this man has accomplished, however.
My guess is that The Black Godfather will get far more fame in his death than he did while he was alive.
I am speaking of Clarence Avant, who died at the age of 92 this week, reported the New York Times.
The Godfather
If you have Netflix, you may want to scroll through the documentaries to check out “The Black Godfather” to see what Avant accomplished during his life.
While others got the glory, it was often Avant that was pulling the strings and making the deals behind the scenes.
For instance, did you know that it was Avant that promoted Michael Jackson’s first solo world tour after “Bad” came out?
Did you know that it was Avant who took over Motown Records in 1993?
Did you know that he was a trusted adviser for some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, including, “Quincy Jones, David Geffen, Jay-Z, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Jim Brown, Pharrell Willians, Whitney Houston, Antonio ‘LA’ Reid, Lionel Richie, Reginald Hudlin, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, and Jamie Foxx,” reported The Guardian.
When Avant got his Hollywood Star, Quincy Jones stated, “He’s always told me the damn truth in all aspects of my life.
“he’s also been the silent architect of so many deals it would make your head spin. He gets things done but doesn’t beat his chest or look for credit.
“He’s a teacher, he’s a master communicator, he’s the perfect marriage between street sense and common sense.
“What he did for us, the sons and daughters of the Afro-American community, he brought us some understanding of what the music business was all about.”
He is “the guy” in many of the pictures you see in those names above that everyone outside of the industry had no clue about.
He was a rare man that got things done, but never really looked for the credit. He was an absolute legend in the industry.
Rest in peace, sir, for we may never see another like you in our lifetime.
