A new BET Awards ceremony was held tonight in Los Angeles, leaving a clear loser: Drake was competing with seven nominations and left empty-handed. Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, who opened the ceremony after Normani cancelled due to an injury, were also unlucky.
Megan opening up the BET Awards with Hiss, BOA, and Where them girls at 🐍🥚🥚 #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/P7kP3BkaCM
— Ian🎰👠🎉🎉 (@Ian7_77) July 1, 2024
The winner of the night – if one is to be named – was Usher, who not only received the lifetime achievement award, but also won the Best Male R&B/Pop Artist category for the fifth time. This year, Usher performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, but he only came to the BET Awards to collect his awards.
Beyoncé won the so-called “viewer’s choice award” for “Texas Hold ‘Em,” but she did not appear at the gala to promote “Cowboy Carter.” Instead, two artists who collaborated on the album, Shaboozey and Tanner Adell, performed. The former in particular had the big hit of his life thanks to the success of “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Killer Mike was one of the surprises of the night, winning the award for Record of the Year for the disappointing ‘MICHAEL’. Other artists who have won awards include SZA and Nicki Minaj.
Although Will Smith was a surprise when he returned to the stage to perform his new single, ‘You Can Make It’, alongside the Sunday Service choir. Other performers at the BET Awards included Ms. Lauryn Hill, who sang with her son, YG Marley; Ice Spice, Tyla and the tribute to Usher by Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét, Coco Jones, Chlöe and Keke Palmer, among others.