Queen Latifah to host NAACP Image Awards, first round of winners announced

The NAACP Image Awards are officially getting the Queen Latifah treatment. The Emmy-, Grammy-, Golden Globe- and NAACP Image Award-winning actress, rapper and singer is set to host this weekend’s upcoming awards show.

The “54th NAACP Image Awards” will air Feb. 25 from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, as theGrio previously reported, and now BET and the NAACP announced the “U.N.I.T.Y.” singer as host of the show.

“It’s an honor to host the 54th NAACP Image Awards, especially in the year we are celebrating 50 years of hip-hop,” Latifah said. “This is a night to celebrate Black excellence and Black contribution to our industry and beyond. Celebrating one another, lifting each other up and you know we’ll have fun doing it!”

Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO, also shared a statement regarding Latifah’s involvement in the show saying, “This year’s NAACP Image Awards will be an amazing celebration, highlighting the major accomplishments of artists, writers, entertainers, activists and other changemakers. It will also be a night that shows how we come together as a community to make a powerful impact on amplifying our stories around the world.”

NAACP and BET also announced the first round of winners on Monday, revealing who collected trophies in the non-televised award categories. The first round included music categories like Outstanding Album, Outstanding Soul/R&B Song and Outstanding Female Artist, all three of which went to Beyoncé for her work on “Renaissance.”

The “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack also took home multiple awards, including Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album and Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for Rihanna’s lead single on the project, “Lift Me Up.” Check out the full list of winners from the first round below:

Outstanding International Song

“No Woman No Cry” – Tems

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental

“JID014 (Jazz is Dead)” – Henry Franklin, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge 

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

“Positive” – Erica Campbell

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

“Kingdom Book One” – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)

Silk Sonic – “Love’s Train”

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)

Chris Brown feat. Wizkid – “Call Me Every Day”

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

“Lift Me Up” – Rihanna

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” – Music From and Inspired By – Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan

Outstanding Male Artist

Chris Brown – “BREEZY” (Deluxe)

Outstanding Female Artist

Beyoncé – “Renaissance”

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

“Cuff It” – Beyoncé

Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Song

“Hotel Lobby” – Quavo, Takeoff

Outstanding Album

“Renaissance” – Beyoncé

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