JUST a week after “Black Panther” made a pretty haul at the MTV Movie and TV Awards, the superhero film was honored again at the BET Awards. But the night rightly belonged to legendary singer Anita Baker, who was honored at the BET Awards with impressive performances that nearly brought the eight-time Grammy winner to tears.
Baker earned the Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Rapper Meek Mill, who was released from prison in April, also captivated the audience with his performance: He rapped the song “Stay Woke” on a stage transformed into a street corner, featuring hustlers, children and police officers.
Meek Mill also made a statement by wearing a hoodie featuring the face of XXXTentacion, the 20-year-old rapper-singer who died after being shot last week.
“We can’t get used to these types of things. We’re too used to young people getting killed,” host Jamie Foxx said when speaking about XXXTentacion later in the show.
The Oscar winner told the audience to “try to sneak a message in” their music.
Snoop Dogg celebrated 25 years in music, performing the classic songs “What’s My Name” and “Next Episode.” The rapper also performed songs from his recently released gospel album this year, wearing a choir robe on a stage that looked like a church.
Childish Gambino, whose song and music video “This Is America” tackles racism and gun violence and became a viral hit last month, gave a short, impromptu performance of the song when Foxx brought him onstage.
Foxx kicked off the show rejoicing in the uber success of “Black Panther,” namedropping the records the film has broken and even pulling Michael B. Jordan onstage.
“We don’t need a president right now because we got our king,” Foxx said of T’Challa. “(Director) Ryan Coogler gave us our king.”
The film went on to win best movie.
SZA, who was the most nominated woman at this year’s Grammys, won best new artist and said she’s “never won anything in front of other people.”
“Girls Trip” star and comedian Tiffany Haddish, who gave her speech in a taped video after winning best actress, also said encouraging words.
“You can achieve anything you want in life,” she said.
DJ Khaled, who was the leading nominee with six, won the first award of the night—best collaboration—for “Wild Thoughts” with Rihanna and Bryson Tiller. He was holding his son on his hip onstage and also used his speech to highlight young people.
Migos won best group and gave a fun performance.
Nicki Minaj crawled on the floor a bit during her performance of two songs, and she later joined YG, 2 Chainz and Big Sean for “Big Bank.” Janelle Monae went from rapping to singing for top-notch performances of “Django Jane” and “I Like That,” and Miguel, in a white suit, was smooth as he sang the songs “Come Through and Chill” and “Sky Walker.”
The BET Awards normally hands its Humanitarian Award to one person, but six individuals received the honor Sunday. Dubbed “Humanitarian Heroes,” the network gave awards to James Shaw Jr., who wrestled an assault-style rifle away from a gunman in a Tennessee Waffle House in April; Anthony Borges, the 15-year-old student who was shot five times and is credited with saving the lives of at least 20 other students during the February massacre in Florida; Mamoudou Gassama, who scaled an apartment building to save a child dangling from a balcony last month in Paris; Naomi Wadler, the 11-year-old who gave a memorable and influential speech at March for Our Lives; Justin Blackman, the only student to walk out of his high school in North Carolina during the nationwide student walkout to protest gun violence in March; and journalist and activist Shaun King. (AP)