NAACP Image Awards
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Usher will receive the President’s Award at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, to be held on Saturday, March 16, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. This award dates to 1987 and has been presented to a mix of musicians, political figures, film stars, athletes and others.
Previous music stars to receive the honor – which is presented “in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service” – are Ella Fitzgerald (the inaugural winner, 1987), Lauryn Hill (1999), John Legend (2016), Jay-Z (2019) and Rihanna (2020).
Usher has already won two 2024 NAACP Image Awards in pre-telecast presentations. He won outstanding male artist and outstanding soul/R&B song for “Good Good,” his hit collaboration with Summer Walker and 21 Savage. And Usher is nominated for the top prize, entertainer of the year, which will be presented on the live telecast. In that category, he is competing with Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer.
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The show will air live on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, CBS, BET Her, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Paramount Network, Pop, Smithsonian Channel, TV Land. The show will also stream live on the CBS network feed available on Paramount+.
Usher headlined Apple Music’s halftime show for Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, just days after the release of his ninth album, Coming Home, which marked his debut as an independent artist. Usher has won eight Grammy Awards and has landed nine No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200.
Usher is the founding chairman of Usher’s New Look, which has served more than 55,000 youth worldwide through education and mentorship. His commitment to philanthropy and social activism has earned him the NAACP’s 2010 Ford Freedom Award Scholar and Morehouse College’s 2014 Candle Award.
“We are honored to present this year’s President’s Award to Usher for his unparalleled talent and remarkable contributions as an artist and advocate for our community,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. “Beyond his vocal talent and stage presence, Usher has empowered thousands of under-resourced youth to pursue their dreams through college readiness programs, financial literacy, and career planning. His dedication to creating positive change in the world has touched countless lives, redefining the boundaries of creativity and compassion.”
“Usher stands as a distinguished multihyphenate performer, consistently setting new standards for Black Excellence,” BET president and CEO Scott Mills, said in a statement. “With a career spanning over three decades, Usher has earned his place as one of the foremost performers of our era and a beacon for social change in our community. It is a profound honor to recognize his extraordinary impact and lasting legacy.”
Andra Day will be the only performer on the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, which will be hosted by Queen Latifah. Presenters include Donnie Wahlberg, Idris Elba, Jeffrey Wright, Keke Palmer, Kerry Washington, Leslie Jones, Sterling K. Brown and Taraji P. Henson.
Previously announced honorees include poet laureate Amanda Gorman, who will be honored with the Chairman’s Award, and R&B supergroup New Edition, who will receive the Hall of Fame Award.
For the first time, BET and the NAACP will broaden access by providing audio descriptions for the live telecast. This ensures that blind and visually impaired viewers will be able to take in all the action occurring on the screen. VITAC and Audio Eyes will provide the audio description on the Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) channel.
The night kicks off live at 7 p.m. ET on BET, BET Her and VH1 with the 55th NAACP Image Awards Red Carpet Live! hosted by Terrence J, Naturi Naughton, and Novi Brown.
NAACP will also recognize winners during a Fashion Show on March 15.
Andra Day is set to perform at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, which will air live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 16. Day, who received an Oscar nomination three years ago for her lead performance in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, will be the only performer on the show.
Presenters include Donnie Wahlberg, Idris Elba, Jeffrey Wright, Keke Palmer, Kerry Washington, Leslie Jones, Sterling K. Brown and Taraji P. Henson.
Queen Latifah is set to host the show for the second year in a row. Poet laureate Amanda Gorman will be honored with the Chairman’s Award. R&B supergroup New Edition will receive the Hall of Fame Award.
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The show will air live on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, CBS, BET Her, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Paramount Network, Pop, Smithsonian Channel, TV Land. The show will also stream live on the CBS network feed available on Paramount+.
For the first time, BET and the NAACP will broaden access by providing audio descriptions for the live telecast. This ensures that blind and visually impaired viewers will be able to take in all the action occurring on the screen. VITAC and Audio Eyes will provide the audio description on the Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) channel.
The night kicks off live at 7 p.m. ET on BET, BET Her and VH1 with the 55th NAACP Image Awards Red Carpet Live! hosted by Terrence J, Naturi Naughton, and Novi Brown.
NAACP will also recognize winners during the Awards Dinner on March 14 and Fashion Show on March 15.
Here’s the host, performer and presenters for the 2024 NAACP Image Awards.
Host
Queen Latifah
Performer
Andra Day
Presenters
Delroy Lindo
Deon Cole
Diarra Kilpatrick
Donnie Wahlberg
Erika Alexander
Idris Elba
Jeffrey Wright
Keke Palmer
Kenya Barris
Kerry Washington
Leslie Jones
Lil Rel Howery
Morris Chestnut
Ryan Michelle Bathe
Sabrina Elba
Sterling K. Brown
Taraji P. Henson
Victoria Monét and Chris Brown were each double winners on night one of the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, which were held virtually at naacpimageawards.net on Monday (March 11).
Monét won outstanding album and outstanding new artist, both for Jaguar II. Brown won outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary) for his hit “Sensational (featuring Davido & Lojay, and outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional) for his featured role on Ciara’s “How We Roll.”
Monét won three Grammys on Feb. 4, including in two similar categories – best R&B album and best new artist.
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Usher, H.E.R., Megan Thee Stallion, Kirk Franklin and Tems were among other winners across 13 music categories.
Actor Khleo Thomas hosted Monday’s show. NAACP will continue to recognize winners in non-televised categories virtually until Wednesday March 13 on www.naacpimageawards.net, at an awards dinner and program on Thursday March 14 and the fashion show on Friday March 15. The awards dinner will be hosted by Sherri Shepherd and will honor Frankie Beverly with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The fashion show will be hosted by Brandee Evans and will honor June Ambrose with the NAACP Vanguard Award for Fashion.
The televised 55th NAACP Image Awards, hosted by Queen Latifah, will premiere live on Saturday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. New Edition will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame on the telecast.
Monday’s awards focused on music and literary categories. Here’s the full list of music winners from Monday.
Outstanding album: Jaguar II – Victoria Monét
Outstanding male artist: “Good Good” – Usher with 21 Savage x Summer Walker
Outstanding female artist: “The Journey” – H.E.R.
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional): “How We Roll” – Ciara feat. Chris Brown
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary): “Sensational” – Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay
Outstanding new artist: Jaguar II – Victoria Monét
Outstanding hip hop/rap song: “Cobra” – Megan Thee Stallion
Outstanding soundtrack/compilation album: The Color Purple – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” – Various Producers
Outstanding original score for TV/film: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Jongnic Bontemps
Outstanding international song: “Me & U” – Tems
Outstanding jazz album: Brand New Life – Brandee Younger
Outstanding gospel/Christian song: “All Yours” – Kierra Sheard feat. Anthony Brown
Outstanding gospel/Christian album: Father’s Day – Kirk Franklin
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Source: handout / NAACP
The upcoming NAACP Image Awards list of honorees will feature Frankie Beverly and New Edition receiving prestigious achievement awards.
Source: handout / NAACP
On Thursday (March 7), BET and the NAACP announced that New Edition will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. The iconic group from Roxbury, Massachusetts who expanded the reach of R&B, attaining superstardom in the process with hits like “Can You Stand The Rain”, will receive the honor at the upcoming 55th NAACP Image Awards. The award goes to individuals whose careers have made a generational impact on their profession. The event will be hosted by Grammy Award-winning musician and actress Queen Latifah at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, March 16.
In addition, legendary R&B singer and songwriter Frankie Beverly will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. That award is presented to those individuals who’ve made significant contributions to the entertainment industry and to civil rights. Responsible for such timeless hits as “Joy and Pain” and the summer barbecue anthem “Before I Let Go”, Beverly will receive the award at the NAACP Image Awards Dinner which will be held on March 14. He recently received the Living Legend Award at the 2024 Urban One Honors.
“It is our distinct honor to celebrate New Edition and Frankie Beverly–two musical icons that have been instrumental in shaping our cultural landscape with their remarkable talent and enduring influence,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson in a statement announcing the honors. “We recognize the power of their artistry in showcasing the enduring power of Black excellence in the arts.”
“New Edition and Frankie Beverly’s influence has laid the foundation for modern R&B, shaping the genre’s sonic landscape and resonance in numerous ways. From the acclaimed ‘The New Edition Story’ on BET to our commemoration of Frankie Beverly at the 2012 BET Awards, we are thrilled to celebrate these musical luminaries, whose melodies are intricately woven into the very fabric of our culture,” said BET Executive Vice President of Music Programming & Music Strategy Connie Orlando in a statement.
The NAACP Image Awards will air on BET and be simulcast on CBS.
New Edition will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame during the 55th NAACP Image Awards, which will air live on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. Queen Latifah is set to host the show.
New Edition is the seventh group to receive this honor, following The Four Tops, The O’Jays, The Temptations, The Dells, Earth, Wind & Fire and The Isley Brothers.
R&B singer and songwriter Frankie Beverly will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award during the NAACP Image Awards Dinner, which will be held on Thursday, March 14 in Los Angeles. The award is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to civil and human rights in addition to their contributions in the entertainment industry.
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“It is our distinct honor to celebrate New Edition and Frankie Beverly – two musical icons that have been instrumental in shaping our cultural landscape with their remarkable talent and enduring influence,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement. “We recognize the power of their artistry in showcasing the enduring power of Black excellence in the arts.”
Connie Orlando, EVP specials, music programming & music strategy at BET, added: “New Edition and Frankie Beverly’s influence has laid the foundation for modern R&B, shaping the genre’s sonic landscape and resonance in numerous ways. … We are thrilled to celebrate these musical luminaries, whose melodies are intricately woven into the very fabric of our culture.”
Both acts have received Lifetime Achievement Awards on the separate BET Awards. Beverly’s group, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, received the honor in 2012. New Edition was honored five years later. In addition, BET aired the miniseries The New Edition Story (produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment), which aired over three nights in January 2017.
New Edition landed five No. 1 hits on what is now Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the 1980s and ’90s: “Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,” “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Can You Stand the Rain” and “Hit Me Off.” In addition, group members Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant and the members of spinoff group Bell Biv DeVoe (Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe) have achieved success on their own. New Edition’s The Culture Tour was named the top R&B concert of 2022. Most recently the group has embarked on a residency at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly had a pair of No. 1 hits on what is now Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the ’80s – “Back in Stride” and “Can’t Get Over You.” The group had 29 hits on that chart between 1977 and 1994. Remarkably, Beverly was the sole author of every single one of them. In 2019, Beyoncé covered Beverly’s 1981 hit with Maze, “Before I Let Go,” on Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé and in her corresponding album, Homecoming: The Live Album. Beyoncé was born two weeks after Maze’s record entered what is now known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, a sign of the staying power of Beverly’s songs.
Both New Edition and Beverly have been under-recognized by the Grammy Awards. New Edition received just one Grammy nod — best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal for “If It Isn’t Love” 35 years ago. Beverly has never been nominated for a Grammy – on his own or with Maze.
NAACP will recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories from March 11-13 on its website, during the Awards Dinner on March 14 and Fashion Show on March 15.
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Source: Amy Sussman / Getty
Multi-hyphenate entertainer Queen Latifah will once again host the NAACP Image Awards, which is set to air in two weeks on BET.
On Tuesday (March 5), the NAACP along with BET and CBS announced that Queen Latifah will be back to host the esteemed 55th NAACP Image Awards. The prestigious ceremony will air live on BET and be simulcast on Saturday, March 16 at 8:00 P.M. ET. The Grammy Award-winning musician, Emmy, and Golden Globe Award-winning actor and producer hosted the event last year and recently received the Governor’s Award in addition to kicking off the fourth season of her highly acclaimed CBS series The Equalizer which she stars in and produces.
The award-winning writer and poet Amanda Gorman, who performed at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, will be presented with the Chairman’s Award which honors those who use their platforms to effect positive change. Creative director and designer June Ambrose, who has been a creative director at PUMA in addition to being responsible for many of the significant looks in Hip-Hop culture, will also be presented with the Vanguard Award at the Image Awards’ Fashion Show on Friday, March 15. Other honorees at the awards will be recognized in a non-televised separate dinner which will take place on March 14.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with groundbreaking megastar Queen Latifah and are elated to welcome her again as this year’s host! We also look forward to honoring changemaker and poet Amanda Gorman and fashion icon June Ambrose for their tremendous impact on culture,” said BET EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy director Connie Orlando. “Queen Latifah, NAACP, and Pastis have been such incredible partners in amplifying Black culture, excellence, creativity, and ingenuity, and this year’s unforgettable show will be no different.”
“The NAACP Image Awardsis an important celebration for our community and industry every year, the group’s President and CEO Derrick Johnson said. “We get the opportunity to highlight the major accomplishments of artists, writers, entertainers, activists, and other change makers that push Black excellence forward in a powerful way.” The 55th NAACP Image Awards will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. More information can be found on their website.
Queen Latifah will return to host the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, which are set to air live on Saturday (March 16) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. Latifah also hosted last year’s show. This year’s event will be held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, where the show took place from 2006-13. […]
Victoria Monét and Usher received the most nominations in the music/recording categories for the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, earning six and five nods, respectively. RCA Records received 20 nominations, the most across record labels.
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Winners will be revealed during a two–hour live TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS.
Usher is nominated for entertainer of the year, where he is competing with Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer.
Usher is also nominated for outstanding male artist, where he is squaring off against Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Davido and Jon Batiste.
Monét is competing for outstanding female artist with Ari Lennox, H.E.R., Janelle Monáe and Tems.
The awards recognize excellence across a broad range of categories. Here, we focus on the nominees in 15 recording categories, as well as two general categories, but the full list also includes 30 TV/streaming categories, 16 in motion pictures, nine in literary, six in podcasts, five in directing, four in writing, three in documentaries, three in costume design/make-up/hairstyling, one in stunt work.
Nominees for outstanding motion picture are American Fiction, Origin, Rustin, The Color Purple and They Cloned Tyrone. Of these five films, only American Fiction was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture.
Domingo leads the nominations across the motion picture categories with three nominations: outstanding actor in a motion picture for Rustin and two nods for his work in The Color Purple — supporting actor in a motion picture and outstanding ensemble cast in a motion picture.
Ayo Edebiri received the most nominations in the television and streaming categories with two for Abbott Elementary and The Bear.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of this year’s nominees, whose outstanding contributions across film, television and streaming, music, literature, podcasts, and more have inspired us all,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement.
“As we reflect on the rich legacy of the NAACP, we take pride in honoring the artistic brilliance of this year’s nominees. We are excited to illuminate and celebrate the extraordinary talent within our community,” said Scott Mills, President and CEO, BET Media Group.
By visiting NAACPImageAwards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the 55th NAACP Image Awards in select categories. Voting closes Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. Winners will be revealed during the 55th NAACP Image Awards telecast on March 16, on BET and CBS. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14, which will stream via NAACPImageAwards.net.
Here are all the nominees in the 15 recording categories, preceded by the nominees in two general categories.
General categories
Entertainer of the year
Colman Domingo
Fantasia Barrino
Halle Bailey
Keke Palmer
Usher
Outstanding social media personality of the year
Angel Laketa Moore
Druski
Keith Lee
Lynae Vanee
Terrell Grice
Recording categories
Outstanding album
Clear 2: Soft Life – Summer Walker (LVRN/Interscope Records)
For All the Dogs – Drake (OVO/Republic Records)
I Told Them… – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)
Jaguar II – Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
The Age of Pleasure – Janelle Monáe (Atlantic Records/Bad Boy/Wondaland)
Outstanding soul/R&B song
“Back to Your Place” – October London
“Good Good” – Usher feat. 21 Savage x Summer Walker
“ICU Remix” – Coco Jones feat. Justin Timberlake
“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét
“Lipstick Lover” – Janelle Monáe
Outstanding hip hop/rap song
“All My Life” – Lil Durk feat. J. Cole (Alamo Records)
“Blue Eyes” – Vic Mensa (Roc Nation Records, LLC)
“Cobra” – Megan Thee Stallion (Atlantic/Warner Bros/Mattel and 10K Projects/Capitol Records)
“Palisades, CA” – Larry June & The Alchemist (The Freeminded Records/ALC/EMPIRE)
“Sittin’ on Top of the World” – Burna Boy & 21 Savage (Atlantic Records)
Outstanding male artist
Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)
Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Davido (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)
Jon Batiste (Verve Records)
Usher (Mega/Gamma)
Outstanding female artist
Ari Lennox (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
H.E.R. (RCA Records)
Janelle Monáe (Atlantic Records/Bad Boy/Wondaland)
Tems (RCA Records/Since ’93)
Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary)
Burna Boy & 21 Savage – “Sittin’ on Top of the World” (Atlantic Records)
Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Lil Durk & J. Cole – “All My Life” (Alamo Records)
Usher, 21 Savage, Summer Walker – “Good Good” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Victoria Monét feat. Lucky Day – “Smoke” (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional)
Ciara feat. Chris Brown – “How We Roll” (Beauty Marks Entertainment
Coco Jones feat. Justin Timberlake – “ICU Remix” (Def Jam Recordings)
Dreamville, Bas & Black Sherif feat. Kel–P – “Creed III: Soundtrack” (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Karen Clark Sheard, Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard – “God Is Good” (Timeless Music Group/Roc Nation Records, LLC)
Voices of Fire – “Joy (Unspeakable)” (Columbia Records)
Outstanding new artist
FLO (Uptown Records / Republic Records)
Jordan Ward (Artium/Interscope Records)
Leon Thomas (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)
October London (Death Row Records)
Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
Outstanding gospel/Christian album
All Yours – Kierra Sheard (RCA Inspiration / Karew Entertainment)
Father’s Day – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Records)
Impossible – Pastor Mike, Jr. (Rock City/Black Smoke)
My Truth – Jonathan McReynolds (MNRK Music Group)
The Maverick Way Complete – Maverick City Music (Insignia & TRIBL Records)
Outstanding international song
“Amapiano” – Asake feat. Olamide (YBNL Nation / EMPIRE)
“City Boys” – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)
“Me & U” – Tems (RCA Records/Since ’93)
“People” – Libianca feat. Ayra Starr & Omah Lay (RCA Records/Sony Music UK/5K Records)
“Unavailable” – Davido (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)
Outstanding music video/visual album
“Boyfriend” – Usher (Mega/Gamma)
“Cobra” – Megan Thee Stallion (Hot Girl Productions)
“How We Roll” – Ciara (Beauty Marks Entertainment)
“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
“Sensational” – Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Outstanding soundtrack/compilation album
Creed III: The Soundtrack – Michael B. Jordan, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, Frank Brim (Dreamville / Interscope Records)
Godfather of Harlem: Season 3 (Original Series Soundtrack) – Swizz Beatz & Avery Chambliss (Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment)
Metro Boomin Presents Spider–Man: Across the Spider–Verse (Soundtrack From and Inspired by the Motion Picture/Deluxe Edition) – Metro Boomin (Republic Records)
The Color Purple–Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Various Producers (WaterTower Music/Gamma)
The Little Mermaid Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Alan Menken, Mike Higham and Lin–Manuel Miranda (Walt Disney Records)
Outstanding gospel/Christian song
“All Things” – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Records)
“All Yours” – Kierra Sheard feat. Anthony Brown (RCA Inspiration / Karew Entertainment)
“In The Room” – Maverick City Music (TRIBL Records)
“It’s Working” – Todd Dulaney (DulaneyLand / MNRK)
“JOY (Unspeakable) – Voices of Fire feat. Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records)
Outstanding jazz album
Brand New Life – Brandee Younger (Impulse! Records)
Melusine – Cécile McLorin Salvant (Nonesuch Records)
Who Are You When No One is Watching? – Braxton Cook (Nettwerk Music Group)
Phoenix – Lakecia Benjamin (Whirlwind Recordings)
Truth Be Told – Angie Wells (Cafe Pacific Records)
Outstanding original score for TV/film
American Fiction – Laura Karpman (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Rustin – Branford Marsalis (Netflix)
The Color Purple – Kris Bowers (Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Other Black Girl – EmmoLei Sankofa (Hulu)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Jongnic Bontemps (Paramount+)
The 2024 NAACP Image Awards will include eight new categories, including original score for TV/film. The show will broadcast live from Los Angeles on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. Nominations will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 25.
NAACP will also recognize winners in non-televised categories March 12-14, which will stream on www.naacpimageawards.net and during the NAACP Image Awards Dinner, which will be held on Friday, March 15, in Los Angeles.
The NAACP Image Awards celebrates outstanding achievements and performances across more than 80 competitive categories spanning film, television and streaming, music, literature and podcasts. The 55th NAACP Image Awards will include these eight new submission categories:
Motion Picture: Outstanding youth performance; outstanding cinematography in a motion picture; outstanding short form documentary
Recording: Outstanding original score for TV/film
Podcast: Outstanding scripted series podcast; outstanding limited series/short form podcast
Literature: Outstanding graphic novel
Stunt: Outstanding stunt ensemble
“We are thrilled to bring back the Image Awards along with our partner BET and CBS once again,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. “With such a significant year in achievement among African-Americans in all areas in 2023, we know the show will celebrate and inspire our community once again.”
“BET Media Group is honored to continue our long-standing partnership with the NAACP to celebrate Black excellence and the countless contributions made by the Black community,” said BET President and CEO Scott Mills. “We are thrilled CBS is joining us to bring viewers this powerful awards program, honoring the many talented individuals and our diverse stories of humanity and resilience.”
All entries are evaluated and narrowed to the top five in each category by members of the NAACP Image Awards nominating committees, which are comprised of individuals within the entertainment industry and NAACP board members, NAACP Foundation trustees, staff, partners and others. The submission deadline is Nov. 3.
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Source: Amy Sussman / Getty / Angela Bassett
The 54th NAACP Image Awards went down last night live for the first time in front of an audience for the first time in three years, and it was an evening full of Black excellence.
Queen Latifah held down the hosting duties during the 2-hour special that aired on BET and was held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.
Understandably, the awards show has not had a live component since the coronavirus pandemic came and shut every damn thing down. Last year’s show was a hybrid presentation because it was partially virtual and featured live appearances from live presenters, award winners, and honorees.
As expected, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever took home the big honor of winning the Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture.
Wakanda Forever star Angela Bassett took home three awards: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for emotional performance as Queen Ramonda in the MCU film, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for 911, and night’s biggest honor Entertainer of The Year.
During her speech, Bassett showed love to Ariana DeBose, who was ridiculed for her BAFTA Awards rap featuring the lyric “Angela Bassett Did The Thing.”
DeBose wound up deleting her Twitter account following the ridicule she received. Bassett did reveal she reached out to the West Side Story star to see if she was okay following the “ridicule.”
Other Notable NAACP Image Award Winners
Will Smith, who was not in attendance, won the Outstanding Actor award for his performance in the AppleTV+ film Emancipation.
Viola Davis, the most recent person to reach EGOT status, won Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in The Woman King.
Beyoncé didn’t get the recognition she deserved at The Grammys, but her latest project, Rennaissance, was appreciated at the Image Awards, winning Outstanding Album.
It was a night of celebrating nothing but Black Excellence in many different categories.
You can see some of the winners from the night below and here for the complete list.
Motion Picture Categories
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Motion Picture
Tenoch Huerta Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
The Inspection
Outstanding International Motion Picture
Bantú Mama
Outstanding Breakout Performance In A Motion Picture
Jalyn Hall, Till
Outstanding Ensemble Cast In A Motion Picture
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Wendell & Wild
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Keke Palmer, Lightyear
Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)
Dear Mama…
Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
More Than I Want to Remember
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Ericka Nicole Malone, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Television Categories
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Cedric The Entertainer, The Neighborhood
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Drama Series
P-Valley
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Nicco Annan, P-Valley
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Power Book II: Ghost
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Loretta Devine, P-Valley
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
The Best Man: The Final Chapters
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Photo: Amy Sussman / Getty