Entertainment Music Usher Pays Tribute to the Women in His Life While Accepting President's Prize at 2024 NAACP Image Awards The "Coming Home to You" musician was presented with honor for his work in entertainment and entrepreneurship By Charlotte Phillipp Charlotte Phillipp Charlotte Phillipp is a Weekend Writer-Reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2024, and was previously an entertainment reporter at The Messenger. People Editorial Guidelines and Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 17, 2024 07:02AM EDT Close Usher. Photo: John Salangsang/Variety via Getty Usher was a special honoree at this weekend’s 2024 NAACP Image Awards. On Saturday, the “Coming Home to You” musician, 45, was presented with the President’s Award — a special honor that is awarded to celebrities and other figures “in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service.” After NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson presented the pop star with his award, Usher kissed his wife Jenn Goicoechea in the audience, before making his way on stage. Wearing an all-black ensemble, Usher gladly accepted the award, thanking the women in his life for making him who he is today. "I'm so overwhelmed with appreciation for my entire family, without them I wouldn't be able to do this," Usher said. "They say behind or beside or with every strong man is a stronger woman, and for that I thank my mother and my beautiful wife Jennifer for holding me down. My kids, I love you guys so, so much." In a staetment ahead of the ceremony, NAACP's Johnson said, “We are honored to present this year’s President’s Award to Usher for his unparalleled talent and remarkable contributions as an artist and advocate for our community." "Beyond his vocal talent and stage presence, Usher has empowered thousands of under-resourced youth to pursue their dreams through college readiness programs, financial literacy, and career planning," he continued. Johnson added: “His dedication to creating positive change in the world has touched countless lives, redefining the boundaries of creativity and compassion." “Usher stands as a distinguished multihyphenate performer, consistently setting new standards for Black Excellence,” BET president and CEO Scott Mills said in his own statement. “With a career spanning over three decades, Usher has earned his place as one of the foremost performers of our era and a beacon for social change in our community. It is a profound honor to recognize his extraordinary impact and lasting legacy.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Prior to the ceremony, Usher picked up two Image Awards, one for outstanding male artist and outstanding soul/R&B song for “Good Good,” his song featuring Summer Walker and 21 Savage. During the event, the musician took home the coveted entertainer of the year award, where he was up against Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer. Usher gained renewed attention this year from his Super Bowl 2024 performance, where he pulled out all the stops for his career-spanning, 13-minute Las Vegas-inspired performance. Recent winners of the President’s Award include Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Rihanna.