"I Was Happy, But I Was Not Free": Watch Jay-Z's Mom Deliver Moving Speech About Coming Out

Jay-Z's mother Gloria Carter recently received a "Special Recognition" award during this year's GLAAD Media Awards for her appearance on the rapper's 4:44 track "Smile."

WATCH: Jay-Z Talks About The Moment His Mother Came Out To Him

Upon receiving the award Carter offered a moving speech where she discussed coming out to her son and falling in love with her partner.

"Here I am. I'm loving, I'm respectful, I'm productive, and I'm a human being who has a right to love who I love," she said. "So everybody, just smile, be free."

Carter made an appearance on Jay-Z's "Smile," which is an ode to her coming out. She closes out the end of the song with a poem.

When the Brooklyn rapper made an appearance on David Letterman's Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, he talked about his mother coming out to him.

According to Jay, his mother told him she was gay and in love with her partner just eight months ago.

Of the moment, Jay said:

"I mean, I really cried. That’s a real story. I cried because I was so happy for her that she was free."

The rapper then said he recorded "Smile" a day later.