Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah have each added a prestigious honor to their names after receiving a National Medal of Arts from President Joe Biden.
On Monday (October 21), President Biden presented the 2022 and 2023 recipients of the National Medal of Arts at a private ceremony at the White House, with the female rap pioneers being honored alongside the likes of Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg and Eva Longoria.
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The National Medal of Arts is “the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government,” according to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
“It is awarded by the president of the United States to individuals or groups who are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States.”
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Missy celebrated the achievement on X (formerly Twitter) by posting numerous photos and videos from the event, including clips of her and Latifah hanging out together at the White House.
“I am HUMBLY GRATEFUL! Crying Tears of JOY! Thinking of the days I wasn’t so strong but through FAITH & PRAYER I kept going..I’m SO THANKFUL @POTUS,” she wrote. “[And] CONGRATULATIONS to the other amazing ppl who was blessed with this honor.”
In a second tweet, the “Lose Control” hitmaker added: “And a BiG CONGRATS to my sis @IAMQUEENLATIFAH who deserve all the bouquets she also was honored today! Thank you for kicking down doors QUEEN for me & those after you #NationalMedalsofArts @FLOTUS The entire committee.”
🙏🏾I am HUMBLY GRATEFUL! Crying Tears of JOY! Thinking of the days I wasn’t so strong but through FAITH & PRAYER I kept going..I’m SO THANKFUL🙏🏾@POTUS 🙏🏾& CONGRATULATIONS to the other amazing ppl who was blessed with this honor🙌🏾☺️ https://t.co/F86ksfZZsM
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) October 22, 2024
And a BiG CONGRATS to my sis @IAMQUEENLATIFAH who deserve all the bouquets she also was honored today! Thank you for kicking down doors QUEEN for me & those after you🙏🏾🫶🏾 #NationalMedalsofArts@FLOTUS
The entire committee 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/HlyJgbIAtp— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) October 22, 2024
The rare accolade adds to a series of recent wins for Missy Elliott.
Last month she became just the third female rapper in history to earn more than $2 million from a single concert.
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Touring Data reported that the Virginia native earned her highest grossing concert of all-time on August 8, pulling in $2.050 million from her show at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena as part of her TOut of this World Tour.
Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat are the only other women in Hip Hop to achieve the feat.
As for Queen Latifah, it was recently announced that she has a biopic in the works, with Will Smith on board as a producer.
According to Deadline, the project is currently in development as a joint venture between Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment, Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Jesse Collins Entertainment.
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It will be the first in a slate of Hip Hop biopics the companies have planned, which will all be independently financed through HarbourView Equity Partners. No writer or director have yet been announced.
In a statement, Latifah said of the film: “We all came into this industry together, and Hip Hop has shaped each and every one of us. Hip Hop’s impact has expanded beyond just music and has created a lasting impression on culture and society overall.
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“It is a dream to be able to collaborate with friends and colleagues that have not only a shared understanding, but are able to tell these stories that were the backdrop of our lives.”
