Femme it Forward‘s third annual Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala began with a surprise when Snoop Dogg and his wife Shante Broadus were brought out to receive the Black Love Award.
“This is gorgeous because throughout my profession I’ve been nominated and won quite a lot of awards, but there’s nothing like an award that brings you back home to the stage to let people know that that is the rationale why you might be so successful,” Snoop Dogg said while accepting the award alongside his wife.
“I’ve been nominated for 20 Grammys and never won one, but this right here, this feels higher than one,” he continued. “And to the couples on the market tonight, it’s at all times going to be rocky, it’s at all times going to be hard, but when it’s true love, and it’s meant to be what it’s speculated to be, it’s going to at all times be excellent news. That’s real love. Black love.”
Snoop Dogg’s award wasn’t the one unanticipated moment of the ceremony — held on the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Friday — which celebrated honorees Jill Scott, Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, GloRilla, Doechii, Lady London and Nija. Saweetie, who hosted the event, was also presented with the Give Her FlowHers Award.
“I’d wish to thank God because without prayer and faith, I’d have lost my mind a protracted time ago,” Saweetie said expressing her gratitude for the respect. “Everyone knows this because we know the way crazy this industry can get but tonight this room is secure. Thanks all for allowing all of us to be vulnerable.”
In a moment undoubtedly referencing the outcomes of this week’s presidential election, Femme it Forward founder Heather Lowery, in her opening remarks, acknowledged the frustration felt by supporters of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
“To the ladies and girls who’re overqualified and undervalued, are you able to all stand for those who felt this fashion at any point in your journey?” Lowery began. “We wish to carry space for you tonight and remind you we see you, we honor you and you might be good enough. You’re the rationale why we’re here tonight. I do know we’ve all been overwhelmed with so many emotions over the previous few days. I need you to treat your grief the identical way you’ll treat your garden. Nurture it. Give it space, give it time, let it bloom.”
During Chloe and Halle’s acceptance speech for the My Sister’s Keeper Award, the singers doted on each other with Chloe telling her younger sister, “Halle, the perfect award I actually have ever received happened 24 years ago whenever you were born. I’m so grateful to God that I get to do life with you. I’m higher because you might be here. I’m stronger because you might be next to me. Thanks for teaching me about courage and strength.”
Halle returned the praise in kind telling Chloe, “You’re my rock sister, I like you a lot and thanks for being the ear I could at all times tell my deepest thoughts to. Thanks to your heart that’s able to loving so deeply and protecting me. I’m honored to call you my sister. Halo is the luckiest boy to have such an important auntie.”
Doechii, fresh off of becoming the primary female rapper to receive a Grammy nomination for best rap album within the 2020s, was presented with the Visionary Award by her mother. The award is the primary Doechii has received since releasing her album, Alligator Bites Never Heal, she noted in her speech. “I’m able to simply accept this award with such a transparent mind and a really, truly renewed spirit. I’m recently sober and I never lost reference to God, but I’m capable of receive messages from God like I never have before because my mind is obvious and I’m present,” she said.
“Because I do know that there may be at all times a young Black girl on the market that’s watching me, I just wish to say that to be a visionary, not only do you may have to have a vision, but you may have to have an unwavering belief and faith in that vision to make it occur,” Doechii continued. “Don’t accept no. Understand that you simply will not be too difficult, the job is just too difficult for them and God will put you ready and connect you with people who find themselves capable of do the job.”
Fellow rapper GloRilla, in receiving the Big Femme Energy honor, noted she didn’t write a speech, telling attendees, “I ain’t got no teleprompter because I can’t stay awake in heels that long.” Still, the Memphis artist, who also received two Grammy nominations on Friday, left the audience with words of wisdom.
“I at all times live by the three D’s: determination, dedication, and diligence,” said GloRilla. “Don’t let no one tell y’all what y’all can’t do because at the tip of the day, the day gotta end. Every single day the sun won’t shine, but that’s why I like tomorrow,” she concluded, referencing the lyrics to her 2022 song “Tomorrow.”
The ultimate award of the evening was presented to Jill Scott who gushed over receiving the Muse Award in her remarks.
“I like what I achieve this much and the concept that anything that I contribute inspires you to feel the way you’re feeling, to laugh slightly harder, to make love slightly more passionately, more sincerely, it has done such an important deal for my soul and I need to thanks for that,” she stated. “That I may very well be any a part of your joy, your life means the world to me.”
