Musicians and entertainers flocked to the Beverly Hilton on Friday night to give their A-list peers their flowers at the second annual Femme it Forward Give Her FlowHERS Gala in Los Angeles. This year the organization — which recognizes leaders in music for their artistry and mentorship of the next generation of trailblazers — honored SZA, Brandy, Teyana Taylor, Flo Milli, Jordyn and Jodie Woods, and Monaleo.

Saweetie, who hosted the event was also presented with the Give Her FlowHers Award. “I’d like to thank God because without prayer and faith, I would have lost my mind a long time ago,” she said, expressing her gratitude for the honor. “We all know this because we know how crazy this industry can get but tonight this room is safe. Thank you all for allowing all of us to be vulnerable.”

“I want to say thank you to God and thank you to my mama for birthing an icon and always seeing the star in me,” said rapper Flo Milli, the 2023 Bloom Honoree, as she accepted the first honor of the night. “Along this journey, I’ve been doubted, I’ve been laughed at, I’ve been talked about, but I’ve been supported and loved as well. When I decided that I wanted to pursue this path, I never made a plan B, because that’s not believing in my plan A. So, I’m thankful for all my supporters and everyone that made it possible for me to be in this position.”

Snoop Dogg and his wife, Shante Broadus, were also honored with the Black Love Award at the 2024 Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala.

“This is beautiful because throughout my career I’ve been nominated and won a lot of awards, but there’s nothing like an award that brings you back home to the stage to let people know that this is the reason why you are so successful,” Snoop Dogg said while accepting the award alongside his wife.

“I’ve been nominated for 20 Grammys and never won one, but this right here, this feels better than one,” he continued. “And to the couples out there tonight, it’s always going to be rocky, it’s always going to be hard, but if it’s true love, and it’s meant to be what it’s supposed to be, it’s going to always be good news. That’s real love. Black love.”

Doechii, fresh off of becoming the first female rapper to receive a Grammy nomination for best rap album in the 2020s, was presented with the Visionary Award by her mother. The award is the first Doechii has received since releasing her album, Alligator Bites Never Heal, she noted in her speech. “I’m able to accept this award with such a clear mind and a truly, truly renewed spirit. I’m recently sober and I never lost connection with God, but I’m able to receive messages from God like I never have before because my mind is clear and I’m present,” she said.

“Because I know that there is always a young Black girl out there that’s watching me, I just want to say that to be a visionary, not only do you have to have a vision, but you have to have an unwavering belief and faith in that vision to make it happen,” Doechii continued. “Don’t accept no. Understand that you are not too difficult, the job is just too difficult for them and God will put you in a position and connect you with people who are able to do the job.”

Fellow rapper GloRilla, in receiving the Big Femme Energy honor, noted she didn’t write a speech, telling attendees, “I ain’t got no teleprompter because I can’t stay up in heels that long.” Still, the Memphis artist, who also received two Grammy nominations on Friday, left the audience with words of wisdom.

“I always live by the three D’s: determination, dedication, and diligence,” said GloRilla. “Don’t let nobody tell y’all what y’all can’t do because at the end of the day, the day gotta end. Every day the sun won’t shine, but that’s why I love tomorrow,” she concluded, referencing the lyrics to her 2022 song “Tomorrow.”

Another touching moment in the evening was having two mothers give their daughters flowers; in presenting to Brandy, her mom and former manager Sonja Norwood commanded the audience to stand on their feet to celebrate the woman she announced as “your favorite singer’s favorite singer.”

Brandy thanked her parents, brother Ray J, and daughter Sarai before she extended a heartfelt thank you to her fans.

“Your loyalty, passion and support have fueled my motivation and inspired me to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” said the 2023 Muse Honoree. “It is you who have given me the strength to persevere through the highs and lows of my career.”

Elizabeth Woods also presented to her daughters, Jordyn and Jodie Woods, who were the event’s My Sister’s Keeper Honorees. Teyana Taylor’s daughter Junie joined her on stage to accept her flowers, which were presented to her by Lori Harvey.

“Thank you for reminding my heart that your plan is far greater than any plan I could ever have for my life,” Taylor said as she dedicated her speech to God. “Thank you for reminding me and all the amazing women in this room tonight that the wait was not punishment, it was preparation for what was already written in the palms of your hands and your plans.”

“And my mom is the best mom ever,” Junie said, adding one final line to Taylor’s speech as she stood on her toes to project into the mic.

Lizzo presented the last award of the night, which featured performances by up-and-coming artists Jane Handcock, Ambré, Maeta and LAYA, as well as a presentation of the Pen it Forward Honor to songwriter and producer duo Nova Wav.

In chronicling her journey from being an “O.G. SZA fan” to now a friend, Lizzo called SZA “my favorite songwriter of all time.”

“Your music is a gift to us all. You tear us apart, and you put us back together again. You challenge us to examine our shadows and cuss them out or invite them, consensually, to the strip club,” Lizzo said taking a jab at the sexual harassment lawsuit that was filed against her earlier this year. “You’ve done so much for us. Honestly, we don’t deserve you, but you deserve your flowers. You blow my mind every single day, Solána Imani Rowe. I love you deep.” The star also sang “Happy Birthday” to SZA, who turned 34 earlier this week.

SZA, who that morning was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, spoke candidly about this chapter in her career as she accepted the Big Femme Energy Honoree Award.

“This is a strange stage in my life, not because anything is wrong per se, but probably because everything is right,” she said. “I’m seeing God move in my life in a very strong and direct way, and I really would like to just be still enough to listen to how to spread that to other people and know what I’m supposed to do right now. I feel so blessed and so grateful to even be acknowledged by anyone and around peers, especially in my own life, that I look up to.”

The final award of the evening was presented to Jill Scott who gushed over receiving the Muse Award in her remarks.

“I love what I do so much and the idea that anything that I contribute inspires you to feel how you’re feeling, to laugh a little harder, to make love a little more passionately, more sincerely, it has done such a great deal for my soul and I want to thank you for that,” she stated. “That I could be any part of your joy, your life means the world to me.”

In her closing remarks, Femme it Forward founder Heather Lowery encouraged guests to give flowers to the women in their own personal lives. “Let’s be sure to extend this sentiment beyond this room,” she said. “Be a shining example to the women in your lives. Commit to understanding her, not judging her. Show her what true sisterhood looks like.” S: Hollywood Reporter