The upcoming presidential election was a big topic of conversation at Sunday’s show. After Childish Gambino presented Killer Mike with the Album of the Year award for “Michael,” the rapper used his acceptance speech to talk about his arrest and voting at the Grammys.
“I shouldn’t have been here. I was handcuffed and escorted out of the building. But I want to tell you: Look to God. Because I’m back, baby. I’m back and I’m winning,” he said in his speech. Killer Mike was arrested at the Grammys earlier this year for a physical altercation that he said was caused by an “overzealous” security guard; he was not charged in the incident.
“They’ll tell you it matters who we vote for,” he continued in his speech. “And it matters who we vote for on the big stage. That’s important, but even more important is that you know who your city council is, who your district attorney is.”
Megan Thee Stallion opened the show by hatching from an egg – a metaphor for her new musical rebirth – before diving into an energetic medley of her new singles “Hiss” and “Boa.”
“BET, Where my girls at?” she said, calling out to the crowd, including Victoria Monét and Coco Jones, before launching into “Where Them Girls At” – a song that has become an instant fan favorite since the release of her third studio album, “Megan,” on Friday.
The show, which airs live from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, will be hosted for the third time by Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson. Her opening monologue was a performance in which Henson rapped “It’s about us,” in a loose parody of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” The diss track became Lamar’s fourth No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 this year – and was released amid his recently reignited, once-dormant feud with Drake.
“No beef here tonight,” she joked. “Can we say plant-based?”
The first award of the evening, for the best international performance, was presented by actor Colman Domingo. It went to Tyla, the South African Amapiano superstar from Johannesburg.
“This is very hard, guys,” she joked about the significance of the award. “Thank you BET for always pushing the culture forward.”
Later that night, she took home the award for best new artist. “This is crazy,” she said. “I just want to dedicate this award to Africa. I want to dedicate it to all the African superstars before me who didn’t get the opportunities that I get now.”
Monét, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist earlier this year, made her BET debut performing “On My Mama.” She wore a varsity jacket that matched her background dancers — who soon left the stage and stopped the song. Monét walked to the back of the stage and revealed a white blazer, signaling a change. Canadian producer and rapper Kaytranada appeared and moments later, Monét returned to the stage in a white suit and performed her latest single, “Alright” — and then changed costumes again mid-song, revealing a two-piece set and performing in front of a rain-soaked stage. It was a full set in a few minutes — and set the bar high for everyone else.
Usher, who will take home the lifetime achievement award later Sunday, was named best male R&B/pop artist.
“I’m really glad to still be part of the fight,” he said in his acceptance speech. “Damn, I sound old,” he joked before changing the subject to acknowledge all the fathers in the room. “Far too often we get to this point and we can say to our mothers, ‘Look, Mom, I did it. We don’t get a chance to say, ‘Enough, Dad, I did it.'”
Sexyy Red then took the stage and performed her soft bedroom ballad “U My Everything” before moving to another stage and changing costumes – she ventured into “Get It Sexyy” in front of an LED screen depicting the White House and dancers dressed as Secret Service agents.
The show took a tone shift when VanVan and Heiress Harris, two child rappers, performed their empowerment anthem “Be You” in a schoolroom. Harris is the daughter of rapper TI and singer Tiny Harris.
Country music artist Tanner Adell brought her “Buckle Bunny” and new song “Cowboy Break My Heart.” GloRilla appeared from above and descended to join her dancers for “Yeah Glo!” and “Wanna Be”—the latter of which featured a surprise appearance from Megan Thee Stallion. Shaboozey brought country with “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” one of AP’s picks for song of the summer. His track features an interpolation of J-Kwon’s “Tipsy,” so it was only natural that the rapper made a surprise appearance—an unexpected and rewarding cross-genre collaboration.
Drake is the leading nominee, which includes a nomination for album of the year for his eighth studio album, For All the Dogs. One of the awards he’s nominated for is for the music video for “First Person Shooter,” his collaboration with J. Cole that may have been a catalyst for his recent feud with rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Nicki Minaj follows with six nominations, including Album of the Year for her highly anticipated release “Pink Friday 2.” Two of her nominations are for her song with Ice Spice, “Barbie World,” part of the blockbuster “Barbie” soundtrack.
Usher is being honored a year after Busta Rhymes took home the lifetime achievement award at last year’s ceremony and Sean “Diddy” Combs the year before. The R&B superstar is an eight-time Grammy winner who recently wrapped up a two-year Las Vegas residency with “Usher: My Way” at Park MGM. He released his first solo album in eight years in February and is scheduled to kick off a 24-city U.S. tour called “Past Present Future” in August.
