As the recipient of the prestigious Innovator Award at the Apollo Theater, multi-hyphenate Teyana Taylor expressed her gratitude for her family’s support, according to PEOPLE.
In her acceptance speech, Taylor thanked her management teams, award presenters Sherri Shepherd and Dapper Dan, and the renowned theater, which was holding its Spring Benefit.
“For the village you have placed in my life — my mom, my dad, my babies, and my apple pie,” she laughed, many believing she was talking about Aaron Pierre. “I love you all so much. Thank you for loving me the way you do. I would not be the woman that I am today without you. Thank you for being my whole world, my heartbeats, my reason, my examples.”
It really takes the village, y’all,” she said. “This little innovative little Harlem girl, you see, being honored tonight has a tribe that helps me be the greatest that I can be. I’m filled with so much gratitude. Thank you for having my back, my front, both my sides.”
Taylor went on to share her memories of performing onstage at the Apollo when she was just 8 years old. The group was called the Sunshine Girls and she asked the audience not to boo them before they started singing.
“We didn’t get booed,” she added. “It’s so amazing to be here tonight and still feel nervous, still feel the jitters. This is such an iconic stage, and I’m just so grateful. I never would have thought — 8-year-old me never would have thought I’d be back on the stage being honored.”
Other celebrities in attendance were Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Monica, Deborah Cox, Shoshana Bean, Adam Blackstone, D-Nice, and more. Clive Davis, the legendary record executive, was honored with the Legacy Award and was inducted into the Walk of Fame.