Pound the alarm because Nicki Minaj just added a new trophy to her collection.
The "Chun-Li" rapper was officially honored with the prestigious Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Nicki took the stage on Aug. 28 to deliver a few words on the iconic achievement—and to highlight another milestone she recently welcomed: motherhood.
"You guys are my babies, but I have a new baby," Nicki said while on stage. "I have a new baby. His name is Papa Bear. I love you. Mommy loves you so so so so so much."
While Nicki was sure to shout out her little one, who she and husband Kenneth Petty welcomed in September 2020, she also took the opportunity to shout out others in her life, including those who helped shape her skill in music.
She noted, "I want to take a second to just say thank you to all of the key people that inspired me and who I think inspired my flow—Lil Wayne, Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh."
Later in her speech, Nicki went on to highlight inspiring figures in the industry who have passed on, including the very artist who her award is named after.
"I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here," she said. "I wish that people understood what they meant and what they were going through. I wish that people took mental health seriously, even for the people who you think had the perfect lives."
The honor—which grants the winner a gold-plated moon person over the traditional silver one—has been given to Missy Elliott, Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, LL Cool J, Madonna and David Bowie in past years.
But this year, it's in Nicki's hands—and for good reason. According to Bruce Gillmer, who serves as Paramount's Chief Content Officer in Music, the 39-year-old artist deserves some recognition.
"Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry," Bruce said in a statement, per the outlet. "She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically 'Nicki.'"
Talk about a moment 4 life.