Iggy Azalea gives classy acceptance speech after beating Eminem at the AMAs

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Iggy Azalea appeared emotional and grateful as she picked up her award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the American Music Awards ceremony in Los Angeles Sunday night.

The 24-year-old rapper's New Classic beat out Drake's Nothing Was the Same and Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP 2 for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album.

"This award is the first award I've ever won in my entire life," the Australian recording artist said after she took the stage with her mentor T.I. by her side. "It means so much to me that it is for Best Hip-Hop because that is what inspired me to move to America and pursue my dreams, and it is what helped me when I was a teenager to escape, and to get through my life to better times. And it just means so much that I can stand here against Eminem and Drake, and come out with this. It's amazing and thank you so much to T.I . for believing in me and to all of my fans. I appreciate it so much. Thank you so much."

Azalea led the field going into the AMAs with six nominations. She also won for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist.

Her victory occurred just days after "Vegas," a new song featuring Eminem singing about how he wants to sexually abuse her, was leaked on the Internet. She responded to the lyrics with a series of tweets.

im bored of the old men threatening young women as entertainment trend and much more interested in the young women getting $ trend. zzzz

— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) November 20, 2014

its especially akward because my 14 year old brother is the biggest eminem fan and now the artist he admired says he wants to rape me. nice!

— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) November 20, 2014