The 2024 BET Awards on Sunday night (June 30) had something for everyone, including Will Smith’s gospel rap return to music, host Taraji P. Henson channeling Kendrick Lamar’s Juneteenth Pop Out concert look during a “Not Like Us” parody, as well as Ice Spice putting the censors into overdrive with her runs through “Phat Butt” and “Think U the Shit (Fart).”
Sexyy Red also served up a two-fer with “U My Everything” and “Get It Sexyy,” as did Latto (“Sunday Service,” “Big Mama”), while GloRilla proved she deserves to be on the big stage with a medley featuring “Yeah Glo!,” followed by “TGIF,” and a team up with her current tourmate Megan Thee Stallion on “Wanna Be.”
Meg made her own mark with a show-opening treat for her Hotties, continuing her rebirth theme by popping out of an egg in a bikini to perform “Hiss,” “Boa” and “Where Them Girls At?” There were also nods to country courtesy of Tanner Adell (“Buckle Bunny,” “Cowboy Broke My Heart”) and Shaboozey, who was joined by J-Kwon for his breakout Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
The night also featured a lifetime achievement award honor for Usher, whose hit records were performed by Childish Gambino, Coco Jones, Keke Palmer, Summer Walker and Marsha Ambrosius, as well as Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét and Latto. In addition to a medley from Lauryn Hill and son YG Marley, one of the night’s most talked-about bits was when Smith debuted his new inspirational song, “You Can Make It,” with help from the Sunday Service Choir, Kirk Franklin and Chandler Moore from a stage rung in fire.
Watch, or rewatch, all of the 2024 BET Awards performances below.
