The 'Girls Trip' star was originally scheduled to be honored with the accolade, which saw Oprah Winfrey and Patti LaBelle as previous honorees, at a gala on November 20.
- October 13, 2018
AceShowbiz - Hip-hop legend Queen Latifah has withdrawn from accepting one of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's top awards, citing "personal reasons" for the change of plans.
In August, the rapper, actress, and TV personality was announced as the recipient of the Marian Anderson Award, named for the pioneering opera singer, who became the first black artist to perform at the Metropolitan Opera.
The honour is given to "critically acclaimed artists who have impacted society in a positive way," and the "Girls Trip" star had been due to follow in the footsteps of previous recipients like Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Maya Angelou, Dionne Warwick, and Patti LaBelle.
However, weeks before the presentation was set to take place at a gala on 20 November, event organisers revealed Latifah has since had to decline the accolade due to "personal reasons", and as a result, the big night will be postponed.
The Marian Anderson Award is rescheduling its 2018 Gala originally scheduled for November 20, as Queen Latifah is unable to accept this year due to personal reasons. pic.twitter.com/2naU0YHbbQ
— MarianAndersonAward (@AndersonAward) 10 October 2018
No further details have been released, but officials hope to honour Latifah "in the future".
Representatives for the 48 year old have yet to comment on the news, which emerges seven months after Latifah mourned the loss of her mother, Rita Owens, who passed away after struggling with a heart condition for over a decade.
