Getty H.E.R. accepts the Best R&B Album award.
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriters Jill Scott and H.E.R., along with Skip Marley, will perform on the 51st NAACP Image Awards special airing live on BET on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at 8 p.m. Eastern.
The live event will feature appearances by Alicia Keys, Brie Larson, Dave Bautista, Evan Alex, Jamie Foxx, Janelle Monae, JB Smoove, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lena Waithe, Leslie Odom Jr., Michael B. Jordan, Morgan Freeman, Octavia Spencer, Robin Thede, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Sterling K. Brown, Tamron Hall, Tiffany Haddish and Winston Duke.
Five-time NAACP Image Award-winner Anthony Anderson will return as host of this year’s awards program, marking his seventh consecutive year in the role.
Who Is Performing at the NAACP Image Awards This Year?
The singer-songwriter H.E.R. spent the beginning of her career trying not to reveal her identity. She released an album with seven songs, no biography and a full-body silhouette on the cover. While she tried to stay under the radar, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Drake and Alicia Keys are fans.
With her debut album, Volume 1, and the follow-up, Volume 2, she teased only her silhouette on their covers. Since then, her identity has been revealed. According to Billboard, fans figured out who she was after digging through SoundCloud, with Janet Jackson and Drake both raving about her and revealing H.E.R. identity on social media. Born Gabriella Wilson, she goes by Gabi or her stage name, H.E.R. An acronym that stands for Having Everything Revealed, reported The Oprah Magazine.
Skip Marley, the grandson of Bob Marley and the rising R&B artist embracing newfound love in New York City. Throughout their journey through the city, the pair passionately sways under the green lights of a party uptown, before taking a giddy trip on the subway, reported Rolling Stone.
Marley and H.E.R. first premiered the song during a show at the Hollywood Bowl with Lauryn Hill in October. In November, Marley revealed what drew him to collaborating with H.E.R. “When I made the song, I was looking and wondering who could be a feature and then I thought of H.E.R. because I love her vibe and her energy really. As soon as I heard the [completed] track I was in love,” Marley told Vibe Magazine.
Three-time Grammy Award winner Jill Scott commemorated her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1, with a 20th anniversary tour that began late 2019, reported Billboard.
Who Are the Presenters at the NAACP Image Awards this Year?
The evening’s lineup of presenters includes: Alicia Keys, Janelle Monae, Jamie Foxx, Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe, Leslie Odom Jr., Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Octavia Spencer, Morgan Freeman, Sterling K. Brown and Tamron Hall. Actor and five-time Image Award winner Anthony Anderson returns as host for the seventh consecutive year, reported Billboard.
Among the winners so far, Greenleaf won outstanding drama series and black-ish was crowned best comedy series. Omari Hardwick was honored for his performance in drama series Power, while Jharrel Jerome won outstanding actor in a limited series for Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us. Niecy Nash also won for her performance in the series, which follows the Central Park Five.
On the music side, Lil Nas X won breakthrough artist and Bruno Mars was awarded outstanding male artist. Beyonce won multiple awards including outstanding variety show for Homecoming, outstanding album and female artist, reported The Hollywood Reporter.
READ NEXT: Read more about the NAACP Image Awards.