Queen Latifah Instagram – “I’m going to take this in for a moment. This is very surreal. I want to thank the Kennedy Center so much. Reneé Fleming, I mean, Happy Birthday, that sounds like that? My birthday is March 18, wherever you are pull up! You know? Billy Crystal, my Pisces brother. And Rita Moreno…flirting with Barry Gibb. That’s priceless right there! I discovered my love of music with my Aunt Angel, and she directed a mass choir and taught them songs. I learned how to teach harmonies and melodies and watched her build these songs into these big, beautiful creations that moved through me when they all sang together. Miss Dionne Warwick, you are such an inspiration to me…You showed me that it’s beautiful to sing a beautiful melody that you could pull someone in and capture them. Plus, we from Jersey plus your sons are right. You don’t say no. You show up. Thank you so much. My partner, Shakim, who believes in everything I want to do. We sit there together, and we create things and ideas, and we figure out how to go for them. He’s my rock. I couldn’t have done any of these things without him because he had to get out there on the front lines and convince people that I could do the things that I said I could do, and we could do it together as well. I see some of my heroes in this room. I don’t know if you realize, but if it weren’t for MC Lyte, I would not be doing this. MC. Lyte was, like, 16 years old, rapping, and I saw her on video box, and I was like, “What?! You’re telling me a teenager like me can speak like that, can be bold like that, can be beautiful and brave like that? I must do that!” Finally, I would not be here without my family. They are the foundation of who I am. They showed me how to have love for one another, have respect, how to be brave, and move throughout the world. I live my life in the moment. That’s the only way I can get through. What I do is to be right there when I’m doing it and just be present and I’m in this right now. I don’t know what I’m gonna think about this tomorrow or what happened yesterday, but right now I’m here with you in this moment, and I’m so very grateful.” 📸 @scottsuchman