Tech! Award Show Each year, BLACK GIRLS ROCK! celebrants are recognized in categories including, but not limited to, "The Rock Star", "Social Humanitarian", "Who Got Next?", "Living Legend", "Shot Caller", "Trailblazer", "Motivator", "Young, Gifted & Black", "Star Power", "Icon" or "Visionary" award. The program features musical performances by female recording artists in the R&B and Soul music genres. Notable speakers have included Michelle Obama (2015) and Hillary Clinton (2016). Since its first televised ceremony on Nov 7, 2010, Black Girls Rock! has become an annually televised event on BET and BET Her. That year the ceremony was hosted by actress Nia Long and featured recognitions and musical performances by SWV, Coko, Raven-Symoné, Keke Palmer, Ruby Dee, Teresa Clarke, Marcelite J. Harris, Iyanla Vanzant, Kelly Price, VV Brown, Keyshia Cole, Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott, Ledisi, Keri Hilson, Ciara, and Missy Elliott. The 2013 show garnered over 2.7 million television viewers. Since 2015, the annual ceremony has been produced from Newark's New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The 2019 event was hosted by actress Niecy Nash on August 25, 2019 and aired on September 8, 2019 on BET. The award show has won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Variety in the Series of Special category three times (2013, 2017, 2019) and been nominated five times. Honorees 2006 Pioneer Award DJ Jazzy Joyce Icon Award MC Lyte 2007 Creative Visionary Award Missy Elliott DJ Jazzy Joyce Award DJ Diamond Cuts Corporate Award Sylvia Rhone 2008 Rock Star Award Erykah Badu Monument Award Nicole Paultre-Bell and Valerie Bell Shot Caller Award Bethann Hardison Fashionista Award June Ambrose Living Legend Award Pam Grier Social Humanitarian Award Iman Become Legendary Award April Holmes 2009 Community Service Award Dr. Mehret Mandefro Fashionista Award Naomi Campbell Who Got Next Award Janelle Monáe Jazzy Joyce DJ Award Spinderella Young, Gifted and Black Award Raven-Symoné Living Legend Award Dr. Sonia Sanchez Shot Caller Award Iyanla Vanzant Rock Star Award Queen Latifah Icon Award Mary J. Blige 2010 Young, Gifted & Black Award Raven-Symoné Visionary Award Missy Elliott Who Got Next? Award Keke Palmer Shot Caller Award Teresa Clarke Living Legend Award Ruby Dee Trailblazer Award Major General Marcelite J. Harris Motivator Award Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant 2011 Young, Black & Gifted Award Tatyana Ali Star Power Award Taraji P. Henson Shot Caller Award Laurel J. Richie Living Legend Award Shirley Caesar Icon Award Angela Davis Trailblazer Awards Imani Walker and