Cardi B has another big award to put on her shelf, and it’s a historic one.
On Thursday night, the “Invasion of Privacy” rapper was named Songwriter of the Year at the 34th annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, reports Billboard.
The annual event, held by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, honoured the songwriters and publishers of the most-performed ASCAP songs of the past year on the R&B/hip-hop, rap, and gospel charts.
“I just want to say I’m very grateful,” Cardi told the audience after accepting the award from ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. “Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing too much because when it comes to female rappers, it’s like you’re never doing too much or they’re always pitting you against another female rapper. People on my team are like ‘Cardi, you’re crazy. You won a Grammy. Cardi, all your songs are charting.'”
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She continued: “[With] everybody saying I’m not this or that, sometimes I gotta see it and feel it for myself because it’s hard. Everybody always wants to say I made it because of this or made it because of that. I made it because I worked my a** off… Thank you very much, ASCAP. This is an honour for me.”
As an ASCAP tweet points out, the 26-year-old performer is the first female rapper in the organization’s history to be honoured as Songwriter of the Year.
Also honoured at the ceremony were Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. and current Motown president Ethiopia Habtemariam, who accepted the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award on behalf of the iconic record label as it celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
“Your success is the greatest thrill I could have,” Gordy said, referencing the evening’s other honourees. “Pop, R&B, soul, standards, even country… my vision at Motown has always been to make music for all people: black, white, red, yellow, young, old, the cops and robbers. It’s exciting to hear how you’re constantly trying to do the same thing that we were trying to do to make this a better world. I’m so proud and thank you all for continuing the fight.”
In addition, rapper Tip “T.I.” Harris was on hand to accept the organization’s inaugural Voice of the Culture Award.
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“People like me come from a place where they usually don’t let us in these kinds of buildings to sit at tables with fancy tablecloths and nice silverware,” he said in his acceptance speech, holding his young daughter in his arms. “So for us to be here is an extreme accomplishment. I’ve learned to use my voice to create a path for the future. I have always said that our culture is our greatest asset… I am a proud product of it and a fearless protector of it.”
T.I. ended his speech on a note of humility. “I’m not being honoured for anything that the rest of you in the audience can’t do,” he added. “I’m just doing my little part and urge everybody else to do their part, too. All of the success that I have and all the influence that I’ve gained ain’t going to mean s**t if I don’t use it make the world a better place for my children to live in.”
