Before producer Robert Townsend tapped Jesse Collins to write for the WB Network comedy “The Parent’ Hood” in 1997, opportunities were few and far between for the former radio disc jockey. At that point in Collins’ life, he was filing unemployment forms and pretending to have job interviews at Walmart and Chili’s.
But Townsend saw potential in Collins. From the very first break, it opened doors for Collins, propelling him to become Hollywood’s leading curator of some of music’s biggest moments, from the Grammy Awards to this year’s highly-acclaimed Super Bowl performance. For these accomplishments and more, Collins was chosen diverseHitmakers Manager of the Year.
“I’ve been really lucky to have the opportunity to work on some shows where we’ve been able to create some moments, and that’s a lot of what makes award shows great — it’s those artistic, once-in-a-lifetime moments together,” says Collins.
The producer, who heads up Jesse Collins Entertainment, won an Emmy Award for his work bringing together Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent for the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, which featured bona fide Southern California legends flaunting their stuff at a SoFi stadium In Englewood, California.
That’s no luck — that’s the vision Collins has brought to major live events like the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, numerous BET Awards shows, and Soul Train. (For BET, Collins also produced the reality series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” which featured guest appearances by his former “Parent’s Hood” co-star Faizon Love.)
One notable moment Collins helped bring to screen was Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar’s stunning opening at the BET Awards in 2016. Queen Bey and her dance troupe waded into a shallow pool of water on the Microsoft Stage in Los Angeles to perform her anthem “Freedom”, They are eventually joined by Lamar.
Collins says his simple secret as a producer is to remain attentive and, if necessary, be a source of motivation for the performers. “It’s really about helping an artist create something memorable,” he says. “In general, artists always have a vision. It’s just trying to figure out how we can help them shape that vision in a moment of television.”
Collins is preparing for a busy awards season early next year. He will executive produce the Golden Globes on Jan. 10, followed by the Grammys on Feb. 5. And in his spare time, on Feb. 12, he’ll give his second consecutive Super Bowl halftime performance, this time with Rihanna.
The producer says he’s inspired by the amount of entertainment these days, even in a time of great upheaval. His motto is to “keep looking forward” while also making sure he “lives in the moment”, especially the ones he helps create.
“There’s great content on TV and movies right now,” says Collins. “That’s all that matters. Let’s stay focused on how we can take advantage of what we have and make it great.”
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