Back Together Again with Lakeside, and Major at the Inglewood Family Unity Day

The city of Inglewood welcomed hundreds of residents to Darby Park for the 2nd Annual Inglewood Family Unity Day. The lyrics to “The Second Time Around” by Shalamar and “Back Together Again” by Lakeside come to mind while writing this review, particularly about the 2nd Annual Inglewood Family Unity Day.

By Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer

     (Inglewood, CA) The city of Inglewood welcomed hundreds of residents to Darby Park for the 2nd Annual Inglewood Family Unity Day. The lyrics to “The Second Time Around” by Shalamar and “Back Together Again” by Lakeside come to mind while writing this review, particularly about the 2nd Annual Inglewood Family Unity Day.

     This is another signature event held in Inglewood that is growing in popularity. It was evidenced by the large multicultural crowd in attendance at Darby Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

     Residents of Inglewood and visitors from surrounding communities came together to celebrate the spirit of unity and cultural pride in Inglewood. There was something to engage the entire family—live music, free food, interactive lawn games. Inglewood Family Unity Day was a fun-filled, full day of connections, celebration, and community pride.

     Fortunately for locals, we haven’t experienced summerlike weather, yet! The weather forecast was nice, pleasant, and sunny, with a slight breeze. The energy and vibes were prevalent throughout the park. Everywhere you looked, there were countless smiles, contagious laughter, and the joyous feeling of camaraderie in the park. Guests were texting and emailing family and friends to describe the vibes in the park as All the Way Live!

Councilwoman Gloria Gray and Major, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

     The 2nd Annual Inglewood Family Unity Day at Darby Park was hosted by District 1 Councilwoman Gloria D. Gray. An event of this importance and magnitude is sure to attract a host of elected officials and other invited special guests. In attendance were Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Jr., Councilmembers Eloy Morales Jr., District 3, and Inglewood Chief of Police, City Clerk, City Treasurer, officials from State offices, and Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

    Several weeks ago, I joined thousands in this same park for the 3rd Annual Inglewood Music Festival hosted by Councilwoman Dionne Faulk. Residents of Inglewood haven’t skipped a beat. Another way of viewing it is the beat goes on!

     Thurz and Carolina or Cristina Marquez served as emcees on this beautiful day in “The City of Champions.” DJ Jeff One was on deck of the ones and twos. DJ Jeff One played some memorable old school tracks and classic new school tracks while the party people arrived at the park, and in between sets.

     The live music portion of the program begins with the Inglewood High School Drumline. The band represented the City of Inglewood during the Independence Day Parade in the nation’s capital several weeks ago. The band is directed by Mr. Jauregui, who combines precision, passion, and powerful sounds to deliver unforgettable performances. It’s no wonder that the Inglewood High School Marching Band continues to earn accolades for its showmanship and school spirit. This was on full display as the band showed up and showed out to the delight of Inglewood residents.

    Singer and songwriter Phillip Lauth has performed at various events and festivals in Inglewood. It was a treat when he graced the stage to showcase his vocal styling on selections of R&B, soul, and gospel tunes. Mr. Lauth performed “Got This Feeling in My Body,” “Sunday Morning,” and “Before I Let Go.”

     We outside! We are having CHURCH in the park. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, any day, and anywhere is ok to sing Praises to the Lord. Greater Los Angeles Cathedral Choir let the crowd feel the spirit of the Lord in Darby Park during their energetic performance. The Choir performed “No, I’ll Never Stop Praising the Lord,” “My Mind Made Up,” “Over and Over,” and “I Put it all in His Hands.”

     The previous choir was a perfect segue for Platinum-selling artist, Major, who performed and spoke an inspiring and uplifting message of HOPE. Major thrilled the crowd with “I Prayed for You,” “For the Win,” “Baby, Will You Love Me,” and closed with “Why I Love You.” Major’s song “I Prayed for You landed on Billboard #1 Radio Airplay, Gospel Songs, May 12, 2025. Major is up for two Stellar Award nominations, Song of the Year and Urban Performance of the Year for his single “I Prayed for You.”

Tommy The Clown, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

     D-Smoke spoke truth to power about the pride of Inglewood. You can’t go wrong if you have Tommy the Clown on the lineup. Tommy the Clown and his crew were thoroughly entertaining with a high-octane segment of dance.

      The Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea are two-time Grammy Award winners and trailblazers in the world of mariachi. They perform regularly at Disneyland and tour extensively. The celebrated all-female ensemble held the crowd’s undivided attention throughout their set. The group performed popular selections from various regions of Mexico.

     Katalyst is a nine-piece ensemble hailing from Inglewood. This tight-knit band performed an eclectic mix of experimental contemporary jazz. The band consisted of Brandon Cordoba-piano, Grammy-award winning trombonist Jonah Levine; Brian Hargrove-keyboards/piano; Ahmad Dubose-percussions, Marlon Spears-bass guitar; and Katalyst founder and drummer Greg Paul.

     La Verdad brought on the heat, musically. This powerhouse Latin soul and salsa ensemble is known for their electrifying performances. The ensemble is led by Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Gabriel “Gabrielito” Gonzalez. Salseros responded to the infectious grooves of salsa, boogaloo, cumbia, cha-cha, and Latin funk performed throughout their crowd-pleasing and captivating set. The group performed “Are You Ready,” followed by a Willie Bobo medley: “I Don’t Know,” “Fried Neck Bones and Some Home Fries,” and “Guajira.” They continued with “What’s Going On” and “What You Won’t Do for Love.”

Mark Wood, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

    Lakeside, led by founding member and frontman Mark Wood, performed a dazzling set of classic and timeless selections from their extended catalog of hits. The grown folks and late comers (young people) were moving and grooving to their repertoire of funk, soul and R&B. Lakeside took the crowd on a joyful and Fantastic Voyage down memory lane as they performed “Your Love is On the One,” “Raid,” “It’s All the Way Live,” “All About Family,” “I Want to Hold your Hand,” “Something About that Woman,” and “Fantastic Voyage.”

     The 2nd Annual Inglewood Family Unity Day highlighted the spirit of Inglewood, fostering unity, joy, and neighborhood pride. Because when Inglewood unites, everybody wins.

     Ricky Richardson is a Southern California-based writer, music reviewer, and photographer. Contact him via: liltampared@netzero.net