Becoming the first female rapper to be named Songwriter of the Year, the 'Bodak Yellow' hitmaker gushes in her acceptance speech that she deserves her success because she 'worked her a** off'.
- June 22, 2019
AceShowbiz - Cardi B became the first female rapper to be named Songwriter of the Year at ASCAP's Rhythm & Soul Music Awards on Thursday, June 20.
The 26-year-old star, who was also honoured at the ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire hotel ballroom in Los Angeles for her tracks "Bartier Cardi", "Ring", and "I Like It", took home the biggest prize awarded on the night by American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) chiefs.
According to Billboard magazine, Cardi expressed her delight after accepting the award from ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews.
"I just want to say I'm very grateful," the "Bodak Yellow" hitmaker gushed. "Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing too much because when it comes to female rappers, it's like you're never doing too much or they're always pitting you against another female rapper. People on my team are like 'Cardi, you're crazy. You won a Grammy. Cardi, all your songs are charting'."
Hitting out at those who say she doesn't deserve her success, she added: "Everybody always wants to say I made it because of this or made it because of that. I made it because I worked my a** off... Thank you very much, ASCAP. This is an honour for me."
Motown Records' 60th anniversary was also commemorated at the event, with its 89-year-old founder Berry Gordy, Jr. and current president Ethiopia Habtemariam collecting the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award.
Rapper and activist T.I. received the organisation's inaugural Voice of the Culture Award.
Other songs honoured at the ceremony included Drake's "Nice for What", and Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up".
