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ABC/Image Group LA; Lou RoccoLizzo and Rihanna ended Black History Month with big wins and viral speeches at this year’s NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena, California over the weekend.
Lizzo was named Entertainer of the Year, and took a moment to celebrate meeting all of her “heroes” at the awards show, including Angela Bassett, who was also nominated in the same category. On Sunday, Lizzo she celebrated her win on Instagram, posting her acceptance speech that paid homage to the veteran actress.
“Ms, Angela Basset, thank you for this award. It says that I’m the Entertainer of the Year but you are the Entertainer Period!” Lizzo said. “Period, hands down, thank you so much!”
The singer also went on to shout out her team of dancers. “I just want to shout out all of the big black girls that I bring on stage with me,” Lizzo said. “I do that because I want them to know that they are the trophies.”
Last year, Lizzo was named TIME‘s Entertainer of the Year, won three Grammy Awards and also won a Soul Train Award for Album/Mixtape of the Year for Cuz I Love You.
On Sunday, fans also time to re-post Rihanna’s inspiring call to action acceptance speech. The Fenty Beauty creator, who received the President’s Award, was recognized for her distinguished public service and her groundbreaking efforts in the music industry.
“I’m lucky I was able to start the Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012. And if there’s any thing that I’ve learned it’s that we can only fix this world together,” Rihanna said. “We can’t do it divided. I cannot emphasize that enough. We can’t let the de-sensitivity seep in. The, ‘If it’s your problem, then it’s not mine; It’s a woman’s problem; It’s a black people problem; It’s a poor people problem.’”
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