Every year, the National Council on the Arts, the advisory committee for the NEA, picks a number of recipients for the National Medal Of Arts, the highest honor that the US government grants to artist and arts patrons. Every year, the president hands out those medals in a gala ceremony. Last year’s honorees included Bruce Springsteen. On Monday, for his last ceremony in office, Joe Biden handed out the honor to 39 recipients, including pioneering rap figures Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah, as well as the late Tejano star Selena Quintanilla.

In a press release, the National Endowment Of The Arts lists off all the recipients of the most recent recipients of the National Medal Of Arts — two years’ worth of honorees. The list also includes Norteño star Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez, ukulele master Herbert I. Ohta, and the Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum, as well as Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Ken Burns, Idina Menzel, and Eva Longoria.

On Twitter, Missy Elliott says that she’s “Crying Tears of JOY!” She also congratulates Queen Latifah. Latifah previously inducted Elliott into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2019 and into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year.

I am HUMBLY GRATEFUL! Crying Tears of JOY! Thinking of the days I wasn’t so strong but through FAITH & PRAYER I kept going..I’m SO THANKFUL@POTUS & CONGRATULATIONS to the other amazing ppl who was blessed with this honor https://t.co/F86ksfZZsM

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) October 22, 2024

And a BiG CONGRATS to my sis @IAMQUEENLATIFAH who deserve all the bouquets she also was honored today! Thank you for kicking down doors QUEEN for me & those after you #NationalMedalsofArts @FLOTUS
The entire committee pic.twitter.com/HlyJgbIAtp

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) October 22, 2024

Today, President Biden presented the 2022 and 2023 National Medals of Arts and the 2022 and 2023 National Humanities Medals – awarding 39 extraordinary individuals and organizations with two of our nation’s highest honors. pic.twitter.com/S2d9Z3oa28

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 22, 2024

Today, President Biden presented the 2022 and 2023 National Medals of Arts and the 2022 and 2023 National Humanities Medals – awarding 39 extraordinary individuals and organizations with two of our nation’s highest honors. pic.twitter.com/S2d9Z3oa28

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 22, 2024