Janet Jackson Rarely appears on TV, but when she unexpectedly stepped out in her top hat and tuxedo outfit to present her friend Mary J. Blige with the Icon Award for Lifetime Achievement at the sunday show Billboard Music Awards 2022, she was greeted with a standing ovation.

Ms. Jackson was on hand to present Blige with the Billboard Icon Award, which she herself won in 2018. It was suspicious that it took Jackson so long to get the award, but at least MJB received his. “Mary J. Blige represents the truth,” Jackson said according to Entertainment Weekly. “Her work has always comforted us because she sings to me, she sings to you.” Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, HER and others sent in videos acknowledging the undisputed queen of hip-hop soul even though they couldn’t be there in person.

jackson continued, citing some of Blige’s most iconic songs: “Mary J. Blige represents truth. Her work has always comforted us because she sings to me, she sings to you. I remember, but I’m not going to cry, because even though sometimes it feels like it’s raining every day, I don’t have any drama anymore. I’m fine with my life, my life, my life, my life. In the Sun, Mary made a commitment to her fans to always be herself, that’s true love.” However, when Blige came out to do her own address, she returned Jackson’s affection, telling him “Speaking of icons, you were always one of our biggest inspirations growing up.”

Despite Jackson and Blige stealing the show at this year’s Billboard Music Awards without even singing, the three-hour telecast featured plenty of top artists, including Silk Sonic, Megan Thee Stallion, Ed Sheeran, Dan + Shay , Machine Gun Kelly, Miranda Lambert and Elle King, Florence + the Machine, Latto, Becky G, Maxwell to name a few.

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