President Biden Moves Missy Elliott To Tears With Prestigious Honor

President Joe Biden honored many notable acts with prestigious National Medals of Arts and National Humanities this past Monday, including musical legends Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott.

"I know the power of the women in this room to get things done," the president shared, adding that the female winners were "proving a woman can do anything a man can do, and then some, that includes being president of the United States of America."

Missy Elliot was emotionally moved by the honor, sharing on X, "I am HUMBLY GRATEFUL! Crying Tears of JOY!" She also made sure to pay respect to her peer Queen Latifah, adding "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."

As women who mastered and dominated their crafts, the award being given to Black female artists in the hip-hop realm was a monumental gesture. "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," Eliott added.

The ceremony is meant to emphasize the significance of creative pursuits, as President Biden noted that this is a "very consequential time in the arts and humanities in America because extreme forces are banning books, trying to erase history, spreading misinformation."

Among them, acts like Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Idina Menzel, and Eva Longoria were honored. Anthony Bourdain and Selena Quintanilla were also awarded a posthumous humanities honor, an emotional gesture that moved fans and the acts' respective families.

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Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Joe Biden