The BET Awards celebrated not only its 20th anniversary, but also the increased focus currently on the black community and culture Sunday.
The show kicked off with teen gospel singer Keedron Bryant, 12, offering a powerful performance of his viral hit, “I Just Wanna Live.”
It then segued into Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy performing an updated rendition of their classic 1989 hit, “Fight The Power,” with Nas, Black Thought, Rapsody and more artists joining.
The theme of Sunday’s show — “Our Culture Can’t Be Canceled — comes at a time of cultural unrest over racial injustice in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Host Amanda Seales, a comic and actress on “Insecure,” referenced the show’s virtual production due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re getting real in touch with being real inside,” Seales quipped.
Given current events, she said, the show had to as well.
“We deserve a break,” Seales said. “And when I say ‘we,’ I mean all us black folks, watching the kneeling, the gratuitous Kente cloth, the ‘I take responsibility’ speeches and saying to ourselves, ‘Wow. Y’all goofy.'”
Seales paid tribute to classic BET programming, with skits that included her pretending to perform on the network’s famed “BET Comicview” stand up series.
The first performance of the night was presented by rapper Roddy Ricch, followed by singer John Legend.
Nicholas Johnson, Princeton University’s first black valedictorian in its 274-year history, also made a brief appearance.
Megan Thee Stallion received the evening’s first award, best female hip hop artist, and accepted the honor in a pre-recorded speech from quarantine.
The BET Awards announced last week that Beyoncé would be honored with their prestigious Humanitarian Award at Sunday’s 20th annual show.
The superstar singer and actress was chosen in recognition of her BeyGOOD initiative, through which she has established several scholarship and philanthropic foundations.
Most recently, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Beyoncé teamed up with her mother, Tina Knowles Lawson, for the #IDIDMYPART mobile testing initiative, supporting Houston communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Beyoncé also donated to support organizations on the ground that are working to meet the physical and mental health needs of those most vulnerable.
Album of the Year
“Cuz I Love You,” Lizzo
“Fever,” Megan Thee Stallion
“Homecoming: The Live Album,” Beyoncé
“I Used to Know Her,” H.E.R.
“Kirk, “DaBaby
“Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial,” Roddy Ricch *WINNER
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé
H.E.R.
Jhene Aiko
Kehlani
Lizzo *WINNER
Summer Walker
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Anderson .Paak
Chris Brown *WINNER
Jacquees
Khalid
The Weeknd
Usher
Best Group
Chloe x Halle
City Girls
EarthGang
Griselda
JACKBOYS
Migos *WINNER
Best Collaboration
Chris Brown Ft. Drake, “No Guidance” *WINNER
DJ Khaled ft. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend, “Higher”
Future ft. Drake, “Life Is Good”
H.E.R. ft. YG, “Slide”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign, “Hot Girl Summer”
Wale ft. Jeremih, “On Chill”
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
DaBaby *WINNER
Drake
Future
Lil Baby
Roddy Ricch
Travis Scott
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Doja Cat
Lizzo
Megan Thee Stallion *WINNER
Nicki Minaj
Saweetie
Video of the Year
Chris Brown Ft. Drake, “No Guidance”
DaBaby, “Bop”
DJ Khaled ft. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend, “Higher” *WINNER
Doja Cat, “Say So”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign, “Hot Girl Summer”
Roddy Ricch, “The Box”
Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom
Cole Bennett
Dave Meyers
Director X
Eif Rivera
Teyana “Spike Tee” Taylor *WINNER
Best New Artist
DaniLeigh
Lil Nas X
Pop Smoke
Roddy Ricch *WINNER
Summer Walker
YBN Cordae
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational
Fred Hammond, “Alright”
John P. Kee ft. Zacardi Cortez, “I Made It Out”
Kanye West, “Follow God”
Kirk Franklin, “Just for Me” *WINNER
PJ Morton ft. Le’Andria Johnson & Mary Mary, “All In His Pain”
The Clark Sisters, “Victory”
Best Movie
“Bad Boys for Life”
“Dolemite Is My Name”
“Harriet”
“Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé”
“Just Mercy”
“Queen & Slim” *WINNER
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Cynthia Erivo
Issa Rae *WINNER
Regina King
Tracee Ellis Ross
Zendaya
Best Actor
Billy Porter
Eddie Murphy
Forest Whitaker
Jamie Foxx
Michael B. Jordan *WINNER
Omari Hardwick
Young Stars Award
Alex Hibbert
Asante Blackk
Jahi Di’Allo Winston
Marsai Martin *WINNER
Miles Brown
Storm Reid
Sportswoman of the Year
Ajeé Wilson
Claressa Shields
Coco Gauff
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Simone Biles *WINNER
Sportsman of the Year
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Kawhi Leonard
LeBron James *WINNER
Odell Beckham Jr.
Patrick Mahomes II
Stephen Curry
BET HER Award
Alicia Keys, “Underdog”
Beyoncé ft. Blue Ivy, WizKid & Saint Jhn, “Brown Skin Girl” *WINNER
Ciara ft. Lupita Nyong’o, Ester Dean, City Girls & La La, “Melanin”
Layton Greene, “I Choose”
Lizzo ft. Missy Elliott, “Tempo”
Rapsody ft. PJ Morgan, “Afeni”
Viewer’s Choice Award
Chris Brown Ft. Drake, “No Guidance”
DaBaby, “Bop”
Future ft. Drake, “Life Is Good”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Nicki Minaj, “Hot Girl Summer” *WINNER
Roddy Ricch, “The Box”
The Weeknd, “Heartless”
Best International Act
Burna Boy (Nigeria) *WINNER
Innoss’B (DRC)
Sho Madjozi (South Africa)
Dave (U.K.)
Stormzy (U.K.)
Ninho (France)
S.Pri Noir (France)
Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act
Rema (Nigeria)
SHA SHA (Zimbabwe) *WINNER
Celeste (U.K.)
Young T & Bugsey (U.K.)
Hatik (France)
Stacy (France)
