Usher accepted the lifetime achievement award on the 2024 BET Awards — even when the celebrity mused it could be a bit early.

The Grammy winner stayed on his ft as a parade of artists carried out his hits — Infantile Gambino kicked it off with U Do not Need to Name, joined by Keke Palmer, who took the lead on You Make Me Wanna…. Coco Jones appeared within the viewers for a sultry rendition of There Goes My Child, serenading Usher and his spouse, Jenn Goicoechea.

Summer season Walker hit the stage for Good Good, Tinashe did Good & Sluggish, Marsha Ambrosius tackled Famous person and Chlöe carried out Good Kisser. Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monet teamed up for Unhealthy Woman, mirroring Usher and Beyonce’s choreography from their efficiency of the tune. Latto introduced the vitality for Yeah!. In some methods, the homage underscored the ladies that carried a lot of the night time, dominating the performances.

After introductions by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam, Usher accepted the award from music government L.A. Reid.

‘I am nonetheless working and gunning’

“Getting right here has positively not been straightforward, but it surely has been value it,” Usher started his prolonged speech, reflecting on his profession, which has spanned over three many years. He questioned the timing, saying, “I am nonetheless working and gunning and I nonetheless love this [expletive] like I did once I was eight years previous,” he mentioned.

A lot of his speech could not be heard to audiences at dwelling as a result of it was censored.

“I forgive each one that had something to say detrimental about me as a result of it solely motivated me to be who I’m,” he mentioned at one level.

Earlier within the night time, Will Smith stood in a circle of fireside — joined by Fridayy and the gospel choir Sunday Service — to make the dwell debut of his newest single, You Can Make It.

“I do not know who wants this proper now,” Smith opened his set. “However I’m right here to inform you, you may make it.”

Halfway by way of, Kirk Franklin joined, after which the 2 rapped collectively. “No one will get a simple experience,” Smith, who’s within the midst of his comeback from slapping Chris Rock on the Oscars two years in the past, advised the room. “There may be knowledge in that fireside. Dance in your darkest moments.”

Killer Mike feedback on his Grammy arrest

The forthcoming presidential election was an enormous matter of dialog all through the present. After Infantile Gambino introduced Killer Mike with the album of the yr award for Michael, the rapper used his acceptance speech to deal with his Grammys arrest and voting.

“Technically, I used to be not speculated to be right here. I used to be put in handcuffs, and I used to be marched out of this constructing. However I need to inform you, have a look at God. ‘Trigger I am again, child. I am again and I am profitable,” he mentioned in his speech. Killer Mike was arrested on the Grammys earlier this yr over a bodily altercation he mentioned was attributable to an “overzealous” safety guard; he was not charged over the incident.

“They going to inform you who we vote for is vital,” he continued his speech, “And it’s who we vote for on the large stage. It is vital, but it surely’s extra vital you already know who your metropolis council individual is, who your prosecutor is.”

Megan Thee Stallion opened the present by rising from an egg — a metaphor for her new musical rebirth — earlier than diving into with an brisk medley of her new singles Hiss and Boa.

“BET, The place my women at?” she mentioned, shouting out Monet and Jones within the crowd earlier than launching into The place Them Ladies At — a monitor that is been a right away fan favorite since Friday’s launch of her third studio album, Megan.

Taraji P. Henson hosted the present on the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Her opening monologue was a efficiency, with Henson rapping It is about us, in a free parody of Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us, which he launched within the midst of his reignited feud with Drake.

“No beef in right here tonight,” she joked, “Can we are saying plant-based?”

Tyla wins finest worldwide act

Tyla, the Johannesburg , South African amapiano celebrity, received two honours on the present, beginning with finest worldwide act.

Later within the night time, she’d take dwelling the award for finest new artist. “That is loopy,” she mentioned. “I simply need to dedicate this one to Africa.”

Monet, who earlier this yr received the Grammy for finest new artist, made her BET debut and set a excessive bar for performances, condensing a full set into a couple of minutes with three costume modifications and a pair of songs, On My Mama and Alright.

Then Sexyy Crimson took the stage, performing her clean bed room ballad U My The whole lot earlier than transferring to a different stage and a dressing up change — tackling Get It Sexyy in entrance of an LED display screen depicting the White Home and dancers dressed just like the Secret Service.

The present took a tonal shift when VanVan and Heiress Harris, two baby rappers, carried out their empowerment anthem Be You in a lecture room set. Harris is the daughter of rapper T.I. and singer Tiny Harris.

Finest feminine R&B/pop artist went to SZA and finest actress to Regina King, each of whom weren’t in attendance; the BET HER award went to Monet for On My Mama. She introduced her mom as much as settle for it.

Nation musician Tanner Adell introduced her Buckle Bunny and her new tune, Cowboy Break My Coronary heart. GloRilla emerged from above, descending to affix her dancers for Yeah Glo! and Wanna Be — the latter of which noticed a shock look from Megan Thee Stallion. Shaboozey stored the nation coming with A Bar Tune (Tipsy) and was joined by rapper J-Kwon, who seems on the monitor, creating an surprising collaboration throughout genres.

Lauryn Hill closed the night time, starting with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill going into Misplaced Ones, earlier than introducing her son YG Marley for his reggae tracks Survival and Reward Jah In The Moonlight. Wyclef Jean appeared, and the trio — in entrance of a full-band — carried out Fugees’ Fu-Gee-La. Pras, the third member of Fugees, was not current. The rapper, who was accused in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies spanning two presidencies, was convicted in April.