Rihanna To Receive President’s Award At NAACP Image Awards
“Rihanna has not only enjoyed a groundbreaking career as an artist and musician, but has also distinguished herself as a stellar public servant.”
The NAACP announced on Tuesday, 4 February that Rihanna will be the recipient of the organization’s President’s Award, to be given out during the 51st NAACP Image Awards.
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson will present the pop icon with the award during a live broadcast on BET on Saturday, 22 February from Pasadena, California.
The President’s Award is presented “in recognition of a special achievement and distinguished public service”. Rihanna will join other illustrious recipients including Jay-Z, Jesse Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Muhammad Ali, Soledad O’Brien, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, among others.
“Rihanna has not only enjoyed a groundbreaking career as an artist and musician, but has also distinguished herself as a stellar public servant,” Johnson said. “From her business achievements through Fenty, to her tremendous record as an activist and philanthropist, Rihanna epitomizes the type of character, grace, and devotion to justice that we seek to highlight in our President’s Award.”
BREAKING: Rihanna will receive the prestigious President’s Award during the 51st #NAACPImageAwards. The President’s Award is presented in recognition of a special achievement and distinguished public service. Make sure you are tuned-in to @BET on Feb. 22 at 8/7c. pic.twitter.com/AsFna7jdpk
— NAACP Image Awards® (@naacpimageaward) February 4, 2020
The 31-year-old pop star and fashion icon is reportedly in the process of recording her ninth album, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2016’s Anti.
Meanwhile, the nine-time Grammy winner has been busy with her many business ventures including her Fenty make-up line and Savage X Fenty lingerie line.
The singer-and-designer also picked up the ‘Urban Luxe’ award at the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards last year at the Royal Albert Hall for her eponymous Fenty label.
She then capped off 2019 by releasing a career-spanning a photo book or “visual autobiography”, this past October.
The multi-hyphenate artist also released her own zine in collaboration with i-D magazine, titled Rihannazine, that is dedicated to “some of the people who are progressively reshaping the communities across fashion, music, art and activism – creating a more inclusive and diverse future”.
In November, Rihanna told Vogue that her forthcoming album would be “reggae-inspired or reggae-infused.” Further elaborating, “It’s not gonna be typical of what you know as reggae. But you’re going to feel the elements in all of the tracks”.
Listen to the best of Rihanna on Apple Music and Spotify.
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