Renowned Mary J. Blige praises the message in her music as she receives the Icon Award at the 2022 B

The distinguished Billboard Icon Award was presented to Mary J. Blige during the recent 2022 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.

The esteemed award was bestowed upon her by the talented singer and 2018 winner, Janet Jackson.

Expressing her admiration for Jackson, 54-year-old Blige described her as one of her “biggest inspirations growing up.” She reflected on the journey to becoming a legend, highlighting the perseverance and hard work required to attain greatness through overcoming obstacles and achieving widespread influence. Blige, a nine-time Grammy Award winner, emphasized that this has always been her representation.

During her speech, Blige humorously reminisced about her roots, stating, “I was ghetto fabulous, and I still am,” asserting proudly, “So ghetto, so fabulous, and people were threatened by that.”

She conveyed the enduring message in her music which resonates with others, expressing, “The message in my music has always been that we are not alone in our struggles. And I’m not alone now.” She added a personal note about finding her own love and the significance of self-love.

This latest accolade marks Blige’s eleventh win at the Billboard Music Awards, following her previous achievements in 1995 for her album My Life and her successful The Breakthrough album era in 2006.

Prior to receiving the prestigious recognition, she expressed gratitude for the honor, reflecting on her multifaceted and unexpected career journey which has spanned various fields including acting, producing, and entrepreneurship. She humbly acknowledged the significance of being honored with the Icon Award at this stage of her career.

“My career has been such an incredible and unexpected journey that has included many turns into avenues I never could have imagined like acting, producing, launching businesses and now even my own music festival,” she said in a statement.

She continued, “Through it all, I always one way or another gravitated back to my first love, music. To be recognized in this way at this moment, with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, is an incredible honor and one that I am truly humbled by.”

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