After premiering the revealing video for “Kiss It Better,” Rihanna was honored at BET’s “Black Girls Rock!” celebration on Friday (Apr. 1) at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.
While accepting the Rock Star Award at the annual event honoring black women, the 28-year-old singer gave a speech about being celebrated and wanting to inspire.
“Thank you so much for celebrating us in a world that doesn’t celebrate us enough,” she said (via E! Online). “The minute you learn to love yourself, you will not want to be anybody else…Role model is not the title they like to give me…but I think I can inspire a lot of young women to be themselves and that is half the battle. Hopefully one day I’ll be raising my own little black girl who rocks.”
Brandy, Monica, Jazmine Sullivan, and Andra Day hit the stage during the Tracee Ellis Ross-hosted event, while Hillary Clinton and Gladys Knight were among the famous guests. Ms. Lauryn Hill capped off the night with a performance of her classic “Lost Ones.”
Check out some photos from the event below…
