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TV One’s Urban Honors returned with another year to celebrate the icons of the culture! Having aired on Monday night, this year’s honorees included: Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Bobby Brown, LL Cool J, Pharell Williams, Tamela Mann, and David Mann. Hitting the stage Marvin Sapp, Monie Love, Doug E. Fresh and more!
The show was televised on TV One and Cleo TV on the Martin Luther King holiday!
BOSSIP caught up with several of this year’s honorees and got them to discuss the annual awards show.
LL Cool J, who won this year’s Entertainment Icon award, a topic that Yandy Smith and other guests at this year’s Urban One Honors reveled over.
“I think [a cultural icon] means being legendary, I think it means magical, I think it means your genius is different from everyone else’s,” Smith said. “I think it means being creative and a visionary beyond measure and I’m super excited to be part of Hip-Hop’s iconic culture. I worked at a pretty iconic company, Violator Management so I had the pleasure of working with icons like Missy Elliott, Busta, 50 so it’s super exciting to be here and see a lot of them [icons] getting their flowers.“
Trina Braxton offered a similar sentiment.
“My definition of a cultural icon is someone whose lasted throughout the decades, it’s someone that’s generational—like someone like Michael Jackson, Madonna,” Braxton explained. “And now we are honored to have David and Tamela Mann, Pharrell—people who have withstood the generations. My children, my children’s children will know them and that’s what makes an icon.”
Braxton continued.
“Sexy Lips LL Cool J To Be Honored at the Urban One Honors—hello!” Braxton said, offered, prompting Smith to readily concur.
“Only because my husband is not standing right next to me—I would say Sexy Lipped LL Cool J To Be Honored At The Urban One Honors–shout out to his wife!” Smith said.
Actress and former Destiny’s Child singer LeToya Luckett was “the Backstage Pass” host at this year’s Urban One Honors and explained the role she was tasked to serve.
“A lil bit of tea,” Luckett said before adding, “they put the right one back there. I’m excited to be able to talk with some of the biggest stars and icons and celebrate them tonight and just asked them how they feel about that. A lot of times when you’re being honored you [wonder] do I deserve it, what kind of moment is this for me? And I really want to know deep down inside how they feel.”
Scroll down to check out the purple carpet arrivals of the honorees, performers, and more at TV One’s Urban One Honors!