Inside Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip Hop Power Players Event Honoring Lil Wayne, Nas, Ice Spice & More

On Tuesday evening (Aug. 8), hundreds of R&B and hip-hop executives gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate one another — and honor 50 incredible years of hip-hop. 

As the red carpet started to jam with guests eager to get the night started, those already inside Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event were treated to a warm up set from DJ Jadaboo and passed food courtesy of Fixins Soul Kitchen.

“I’m so excited to see Lil Wayne,” said one attendee. Meanwhile, fellow cover star Nas was getting comfortable in a private booth as Ice Spice did the same one table down.

Soon, Billboard‘s chief brand office Dana Droppo kicked things off with a stellar introduction. She not only set the tone for the evening, but also introduced Billboard executive director, R&B/Hip-Hop, Gail Mitchell. “Gail is the first person to big up her team and the first to fight for coverage that she believes in,” said Droppo. “Thank for you being a tireless champion of this music and of music journalism.”

Mitchell then took the stage (fittingly dressed in gold to honor hip-hop’s 50th) and spoke about how 50 years ago, the very genre being celebrated tonight was dismissed as a fad. She then gave a special shout out to Quality Control CEO Pierre Thomas, winner of Billboard‘s first-ever peer-voted R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players’ Choice Award, before welcoming Antonio “L.A.” Reid to the stage, who presented Larry Jackson with his Executive of the Year Trophy.

From Jackson’s impassioned speech — during which he read a letter from Clive Davis to Billboard written in 1997 — to Lil Wayne revealing his post-party plans, below are the best moments from the special night.