Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lizzo and Lil Nas X were among the top music winners at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards, which took place last night (Feb. 22) at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Southern California.
This year's key honors, the President's Award, which recognizes special achievements and distinguished public service, went to nine-time GRAMMY winner Rihanna for her achievements as a public servant and her work as an activist and philanthropist, which include the Clara Lionel Foundation, a nonprofit organization she founded in 2012 that "supports and funds groundbreaking education and emergency response programs around the world."
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In an impassioned speech she delivered while accepting the award, Rihanna spoke about the importance of solidarity when tackling global issues and actions.
"If there’s anything that I’ve learned, it’s that we can only fix this world together," she said. "We can’t do it divided. I can not emphasize that enough. We can’t let the de-sensitivity seep in."
“How many of us in this room have colleagues and partners and friends from other races, sexes, religions? Show of hands," she continued. "Well then, they want to break bread with you, right? They like you? Well then, this is their problem, too. So when we’re marching and protesting and posting about the Michael Brown Jrs. and the Atatiana Jeffersons of the world, tell your friends to pull up.”
Rihanna now joins previous artists like Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter and Lauryn Hill who have received the President's Award.
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Following a big night at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards last month, where she won three golden gramophones, Lizzo took home two major awards at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards last night, including Entertainer Of The Year and Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for "Juice."
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Beyoncé, a 24-time GRAMMY champion, also took home multiple awards yesterday. Her 2019 concert film and documentary, Homecoming, won for Outstanding Variety Show, while the accompanying album, Homecoming: The Live Album, won for Outstanding Album. She also won for Outstanding Female Artist, among other awards.
Elsewhere, Lil Nas X won for Outstanding New Artist, while Bruno Mars won for Outstanding Male Artist. Other winners included Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Kelly Rowland, Kirk Franklin, Jazzmeia Horn and more.
Presented by the civil rights organization NAACP, the annual NAACP Image Awards, which hosted its 51st installment this year, "celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors," according to the event's website.
To view clips and a full winners list from the 2020 NAACP Image Awards, visit the event's official website.
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