Jennifer Lopez heaped praised on "idol" Janet Jackson as she picked up the ICON Award at the Billboard Music Awards.
The 48-year-old star performed at the ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday night (20.05.18), where she spoke about Janet being honoured for her services to music with the prestigious gong – which she herself was the recipient in 2014 – and how the star’s 1986 music video for ‘Pleasure Principle’ inspired her to take up dance.
Speaking on the red carpet at the star-studded bash, Jennifer said: "I probably started dancing because of her video ‘Pleasure Principle’.
"It was one of my favourite videos ever, still is.
"And I’m just excited for her.
"She deserves everything she gets.
"She is such a musical icon from an iconic musical family and she deserves everything she’s getting."
Not only did Janet – who has son Eissa, 16 months, with estranged husband Wissam Al Mana – pick up the accolade, but she also completed her first televised performance in nine years and as a mother.
The ‘Together Again’ hitmaker became the first black woman to receive the ICON Award, which Bruno Mars pointed out in introduction.
He said: "The name ‘Jackson’ represents artistic genius and iconic performance.
"The Jacksons are music royalty and the first family of entertainment. She is an activist. She’s a humanitarian. She’s a powerful woman."
Whilst the ‘On The Floor’ singer made her debut performance of her new song ‘Dinero’, which features Cardi B and DJ Khaled.
Jennifer said she knew straight away she wanted the former ‘Love & Hip Hop’ star to lay down a rap on the track.
She said: "At that time, ‘Bodak Yellow’ had just come out, but I just, I don’t know, she’s from the Bronx, she’s Dominican, I just, I felt like it was the right vibe, and I don’t know, I just felt like she would kill it, and she did."
Jennifer Lopez praises Icon Award winner Janet Jackson
