Lil' Kim Honored with WEEN Icon Award

Lil’ Kim is the q-WEEN B.

On Wednesday (Nov. 16), the Hardcore rapper was honored as a WEEN Icon at the 6th annual WEEN (Women in Entertainment Empowerment) Awards taking place at Espace in New York City.

“I love you so much for even making the decision,” said Kim while accepting the award. “Everyone who’s behind the decision to give me this award. I was excited from the moment I heard about it. I do this for my fans because they love me unconditionally. It’s just a blessing to this day.

“When I first got into this industry, I received a lot of hate,” she added. “I still receive a lot of hate. But you know what? I’m a very sensitive person. I’m a cancer so it used to bother me. But every time I talked to God, he used to say, ‘Honey, let them keep hating.’ He let me know that no matter how much they hate, they cannot stop what he has for me.”

Other honorees included Meagan Good, music executive Ethiopia Habtemariam, actress Yara Shahidi, Teen Vogue editor Elaine Weltheroth, executive Dia Simms, and Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland.

But Kim made a point to congratulate another honoree, Teyana Taylor, during her speech. “When I met Teyana, she was so cla-chet, I said, ‘Damn! She reminds me of me!’ I love you,” she added. “When she honored me, I’m looking at her like, ‘Did she just do me better than me?’ She did that. You did that! From the moment I met you years ago…I said, ‘You’re misunderstood too.’ I saw that. People did not give her her props either. Now that everything is going on with you, I’m so happy because you’re so deserving.”

A tearful Taylor took the mic afterwards to accept her WEEN Mission Award. “I worked hard,” she said. “There’s people in this room who’ve watched me grow up.”