On Monday night (Feb. 20), the NAACP announced its first slate of winners for its 54th NAACP Image Awards non-televised award categories. Beyoncé, Rihanna, Silk Sonic and Chris Brown were among the winners.
Beyoncé was the night’s biggest winner, taking home three awards, including Outstanding Album (Renaissance), Outstanding Soul/R&B Song (“Cuff It”) and Outstanding Female Artist.
Earlier this month, Beyoncé made history at the 65th Grammy Awards, winning her 32nd trophy, the most of any artist. She also became the first Black woman to win Best Dance/Electronica Music Album.
Beyoncé also shared the “CUFF IT (WETTER REMIX)” and dates for her headlining Renaissance World Tour.
Chris Brown, performing sold-out shows in the U.K. and Europe, walked away with two awards, including Outstanding Male Artist and Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary) for “Call Me Every Day” featuring Wizkid.
The R&B legend’s pair of awards come fresh on the heels of releasing a Cassie-starring video for “Psychic” with Jack Harlow. The song appears on Brown’s Grammy-nominated album, Breezy (Deluxe), as well as the standard version.
Rihanna won Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
The chart-topping ballad, for which Rihanna co-wrote with Tems, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson, is nominated for Best Original Song at the 95th Oscars. It marks Rihanna’s first Academy Award nomination.
Rihanna recently performed at Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show earlier this month. She revealed during her 13-minute set that she was pregnant with her second child.
Silk Sonic, the duo composed of Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, landed Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional) for “Love’s Train.”
The duo’s Con Funk Shun remake reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. It spent 13 weeks atop the same chart.
Earlier this month, Silk Sonic earned their second RIAA award for the An Evening With Silk Sonic album cycle. “Smokin Out The Window,” co-produced by Mars and D’Mile, was presented a 2x multi-platinum honor for reaching over two million equivalent units sold.
Other winners included Tems, Erica Campbell, Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin and Quavo and the late Takeoff.
Additional winners of recording categories will be announced this Friday, Feb. 24.
Hosted by Queen Latifah, the 54th NAACP Image Awards will broadcast live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET on BET.