Videos

Rachelle Jean-Louis accepts the Executive of the Year award from Victoria Monét at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

Dana Droppo:

Hello everybody. My name is Dana Droppo. I’m Chief Brand Officer of Billboard. It is my tremendous honor to introduce an artist whose unparalleled talent earned her Billboard’s Rising Star honor at women in music. Also seven Grammy nominations, three wins, including Best New Artist. She’s a decorated songwriter. She’s an explosive dancer and a visionary of R&B music, a genre that is, in her manager’s words, “both timeless and influential.” Tonight, we’re here to celebrate that manager, an incredible executive who I am so proud and excited to honor. She is someone who has always answered and come through for me when I needed a favor or advice. She’s been a big dreamer and quiet hustler since the day I met her. And I also think it is illegal to be so talented and so incredibly fine at the same time. It’s giving Virgo energy, which is very appropriate, because she is the second woman ever to be named Billboard’s Hip-Hop and R&B Executive of the Year. The first was Beyonce. Please welcome to the stage. Victoria Monét.

Victoria Monét:

Hi everyone. I’m going to be reading from my phone, and I have a lot to say, so brace yourselves.

Keep watching for more!

Megan Thee Stallion accepts the Artist Of The Year award from Billboard’s Editorial Director Hannah Karp at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

Hannah Karp:

There’s only one woman who has topped the Hot 100 with a rap song this year, and I am thrilled to have her with us tonight. Not only did she kick off 2024 with a bang with that incredible No. 1 “HISS,” but she debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in June as an independent artist, no less. The biggest debut for any rap album released by a woman in 2024. She also topped Billboard’s, Top R&B Hip-Hop albums chart for the second time in her career, becoming the sixth female rapper to do so, ever. And on top of it all, as a philanthropist, an activist, a college graduate, an entrepreneur and a fitness coach, that’s keeping us all in great shape, she is an incredible role model, not just for everyone in this business, but for our children and for music fans around the world. Please give it up for our Artist of the Year, Megan Thee Stallion.

Megan Thee Stallion:

Back there running my mouth. Okay? First of all, I want to thank God, yes, period. And then I want to thank my angels, my mama, my daddy, my granny, because I know they watching over me and nothing would be possible without them.

Teezo Touchdown accepts the Rookie of the Year award from Billboard’s Senior R&B/Hip-Hop/Afrobeats writer Heran Mamo at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

Heran Mamo:

My name is Heran Mamo, the Senior R&B Hip Hop Afrobeats writer here at Billboard, and I’m very excited to present our next award this evening. This genre defying star embodies the emotional melodies of an r&b singer, the clever lyricism of a rapper and the instrumental intensity of a rock star, and he certainly nailed the look of one, too. He’s taken his signature rock and boom sound from Belmont, Texas to the biggest arenas and stadiums around the country, with stars like Tyler The Creator and Travis Scott. In the words of his manager, Amal Noor, Teezo is your favorite artist’s favorite artist. Just ask Drake, who described his debut album, ‘How Do You Sleep at Night?’ , which celebrates its first anniversary in just three days, some of the best music ever. He always performs with a mic hidden in a flower bouquet, but tonight I’m honored to give him his flowers on this stage. Please join me in a round of applause for Billboard’s 2024 R&B Hip Hop Rookie of the Year, American singer-songwriter, Teezo Touchdown.

Teezo Touchdown:

Thank y’all God. Firstly, I would love to thank God for the gift. Father God, I want to say thank you for my gift that has taken me from a small town in Beaumont, Texas to corners of the world that I couldn’t even imagine.

Keep watching for more!

Playboi Carti accepts the Artist of The Year award from Billboard’s Deputy Editorial Director Damien Scott at Billboard’sR&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

Damien Scott:

My name is Damien Scott. I am the Deputy Editorial Director at Billboard. I’ve been here for a year now. This is the first Power Players, Hip-Hop Power Players I’ve been involved with. And when we started to think about what exactly a Hip-Hop Power Player is, I think, to me, it was somebody who exhibits a special quality, right? Someone who is able to control the game, control the genre, someone who is in the embodiment of hip-hop, and hip-hop, to me, as it probably is to a lot of you, is young, brash, innovative and honest. And the person who is getting this award right now has blazed a trail that has influenced a number of younger artists. He’s released a number of amazing tracks this year, and on top of that, he knocked his first Billboard Hot 100 hit with “CARNIVAL” earlier this year, and put his name in the record books with Ye, Ty Dolla $ign, and Rich The Kid. He’s gone from one of the most promising and exciting rappers in the game to one of the most forward thinking CEOs and one of the of the most powerful, exciting labels that we have right now, in Opium. What’s even crazier is that he’s just getting started, and I’m a huge fan of his. I know he’s someone who makes people think about what rap is supposed to be, and to me, that’s exactly what a rapper is supposed to do. Make everybody think what the hell is going on right here? What am I listening to? Is this good? Is this bad? And the fact of the matter is that it’s great. And it’s my honor to introduce the 2024 R&B Hip Hop Power Player Artist of the Year to Mr. Playboi Carti.

Keep watching for more!