berry gordy was a songwriter. he said, we're gonna make music for the world.nd all of that changed in the 70s. george: marvin wanted to compete on a high level. "why can't i make a record like the beatles? i'm selling records like they sell. why can't i have that artistic expression?" ♪ picket signs ♪ ♪ don't punish me ♪ ♪ with brutality ♪ ♪ talk to me, honey, so you can see ♪ ♪ oh, what's goin' on ♪ ♪ what's goin' on ♪ ♪ hey, what's goin' on ♪ ♪ tell me what's goin' on ♪ ♪ ooh ♪ graham: marvin gaye was very much affected by the vietnam war. his brother was in vietnam, so he's hearing all these stories about what's going on over there. he's seeing the protest here, and it's changing him. he holds up a mirror to america. "look at yourselves, america." graham: he's talking about the war, he's talking about poverty, changing him as an artist in a way that berry gordy is not super happy about. ♪ mother, mother ♪ ♪ everybody thinks we're wrong ♪ ♪ they do ♪ initially berry gordy did not want marvin to do "what's goin' on." questlove: motown was supposed to be non-t

soul is being able to express yoururself. >> stevie wonder went to berry gordy and he negotiated hisshot from half court with your eyes closed. "music in my mind." oh, he made it. he ain't going to do it again. "talkiking." "indivivisible." "first finale." oh my god, he did it. and then suddenly "songs in the key of life." ♪ you believe in things you don't understand ♪ ♪ >> what the beatles did in the '60s i feel stevie wonder was the person to do that for music in the '70s. >> hi there, welcome aboard. you're right on time for a beautiful trip on "the soul train." what's your pleasure and what's your treasure? bet yourur bottom wewe got them baby. ♪ this is this is this is ♪ >> "soul train" finally offered amererica its fifirst view o of afrocecentricity. it was a new idea to say, black is beautiful. >> i would literally run home from church to get home to see "soul train." it was thehe one reliaiable plao see the artists you loved. >> there's no question "soul train" broke a lot of artists and d introduceded a lot of f a to audiences that they had never performed for. ♪ >> ten year

well, motown, berry gordy didn't| well, motown, berry gordy didn't want to put out what's going on, whenhim as more as a matinee idol. that was clearly something that marvin disagreed with them and was prepared to argue, but it was quite something to challenge someone like berry gordy in motown at that point in his career, so that courage is also part of the legacy, i think. , , , , courage is also part of the legacy, ithink. , , , ., ~ i think. just briefly, do you think the timing _ i think. just briefly, do you think the timing of — i think. just briefly, do you think the timing of this _ i think. just briefly, do you think the timing of this is. .. _ i think. just briefly, do you think the timing of this is... what - i think. just briefly, do you think the timing of this is... what do | i think. just briefly, do you think. the timing of this is... what do you make of the timing of this? it is the timing of this is... what do you make of the timing of this?- make of the timing of this? it is a coincidence. _ make of the timing of this? it is a coincidence, shall— make of the timing of

. >> if i could be quincy jones or berry gordy or somebody like, that's what i wanted to be. >> she co-wroteve hits for aaliyah, including the title track of her sophomore album, 1 in 1,000,000. your love is would write and produce for so many others, including destiny's child, queen latifah, monica, fantasia, even whitney houston. >> when you can give an artist a sound or a song that is more challenging, but the good thing the blessing is i was able to be missy misdemeanor elliott and still do that at the same time. >> but her world stopped in 2008 when missy was diagnosed with graves disease, an autoimmune disorder that can impact nearly every organ in the body. we also knew her comeback took nearly a decade. there was that surprise performance at the super bowl in 2015. i'm the hottest round i told y'all. she was inducted into the songwriters hall of fame in 2019, and last year she became the only female rap artist ever inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame. >> i'm still like, wow, because that felt so far out of reach. like, especially coming up in the hip hop community, that's prob

schiffman, the guy who owned the apollo at that time, called berry gordy, who was our manager at thatm serious. he wasn't even paying us any money. >> reporter: in the decades that followed as more places became integrated the apollo struggled financially and closed its doors more than once. >> we could have lost the apollo. but we're still here. ♪ >> reporter: actress and singer melba moore says she grew up watching shows at the theater and then got a chance to perform here. >> melba moore! >> reporter: and later became a guest host on "it's showtime at the apollo," the tv version of amateur night. >> okay, nancy, i've got to show you something. >> yeah. >> reporter: moore says this theater is something to be treasured. >> this is the very famous signature wall. >> oh, my god! i'm here. okay. let me find me. oh, here i am. there. look at that. wow. >> love, melba moore. aw. >> and this, that's prince. >> get real. >> reporter: tonight the apollo theater is awarded a prestigious kennedy center honor at a ceremony that we'll see later this month on cbs. >> this is the magic of art. the

never heard of that in the decades since that era, talk about the importance for not just you, but berry gordy and everyone at, at motown to tell those stories and bring those voices too. >> i think it was very important men, because it enlightened people as two people who didn't know about black people, black culture of black creativity, or black talents, are things you mentioned like some user fortunately, i go for new hood and joy. so the elementary school i went to, one of the first ports that we learned about was elected use so i think it's a great thing for people to know about all that you know about the contributions that black people have made to disk country. and that was a light on it. >> let me ask you about the dynasty of motown, right? you are one of the obviously most well-known artists at motown, but then came brandy and neo and eric obeid do and now there's city girls and quaver. >> what do you think? >> about some of the newer artists in the music you hear now, i think we've got some wonderful new loudest in ms vcc. i'm not one of those people who says when your kids or so, t