From Will Smith to Ice Spice and Sexyy Crimson, Billboard ranks the entire performances from an action-packed 2024 BET Awards.
The 2024 BET Awards delivered on the “tradition’s largest night time.” Taraji P. Henson performed host for the present and kicked issues off impersonating Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” efficiency at his Pop Out live performance on Juneteenth.
Reside from Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater on Sunday night (June 30), a flexible vary of legends to rising stars hit the stage.
From Will Smith’s return to the general public eye with a gospel anthem to Sexyy Crimson campaigning for a presidential nomination and Megan Thee Stallion’s rebirth opening the present, the BET Awards performances provided slightly one thing for everyone.
Different artists performing all through the action-packed award present embrace Shaboozey, Latto, Ice Spice, Victoria Monet, Tinashe, Ms. Lauryn Hill alongside her son YG Marley, GloRilla and extra.
Normani was additionally purported to be performing Sunday night time to proceed constructing on the success of her new DOPAMINE album, however the Fifth Concord album revealed she was pressured to cancel her set after struggling an harm throughout rehearsals.
It was a celebratory night time for loads of dignitaries throughout Black music. Usher was the person of the hour whereas being honored along with his lifetime achievement award. He even took residence some extra {hardware} with a victory in one of the best male R&B/pop artist class.
Killer Mike delivered essentially the most boisterous and memorable speech of the whole present when the Atlanta rapper’s poignant 2023 LP Michael received album of the yr.
Billboard ranks the entire performances that befell contained in the Microsoft Theater. Discover the entire winners on the 2024 BET Awards right here.
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Tanner Adell: “Buckle Bunny” & “Cowboy Broke My Coronary heart”
Tanner Adell could have loads of possibilities to depart her mark on the nation music scene. Sadly, Adell’s efficiency comes off as extra of a promotional advert for Nissan, as she steps out of the SUV to kickstart every part.
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Heiress Harris: “Be You”
T.I. and Tiny’s daughter Heiress Harris represented for the children whereas preaching a message of individuality to others throughout the U.S. The eight yr previous had the BET Awards stage changed into a classroom for the efficiency. Harris and VanVan energetically bounced across the stage hoping to see others simply be themselves. “Simply be you, taking part in tag cus I’m it,” Harris sings whereas surrounded by different college students.
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Ice Spice: “Phat Butt” & “Assume U the Shit (Fart)”
Ice Spice working by means of her fuel station stage set in a pair of white furry boots might sound eccentric, however that’s simply one other day on Fordham Highway within the Bronx. The “Deli” rapper carried out her extra experimental album opener “Phat Butt” and twerked throughout the stage, which led to the Y2K fuel station going up in flames, earlier than main into “Assume U the Shit (Fart).”
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Sexyy Crimson: “U My All the things” & “Get It Sexyy”
It’s Sexyy Crimson’s world and we’re simply residing in it. Huge Sexyy kicked off her “U My All the things” efficiency trying like a ’70s soul singer geared up together with her frilled cherry-red costume. The Sexyy Crimson for President marketing campaign continued on the BET Awards for her “Get It Sexyy” anthem, as she turned the stage into the White Home together with her dancers doubling as safety guards. One factor’s for positive, Sexyy’s set was rather more invigorating than something from final week’s Presidential debate.
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Latto: “Sunday Service” & “Huge Mama”
Latto’s one other artist whose efficiency craft is almost unrecognizable in contrast to a couple years in the past, and that’s meant as a praise to how far she’s are available in a comparatively brief period of time. The “Huge Vitality” rapper teased followers with a poignant unreleased observe the place Latto will get candid about her unbreakable bond together with her sister, Brooklyn, who was sitting entrance row.
She took the Microsoft Theater to “Sunday Service” and delivered the horny reside debut of her new “Huge Mama” single in leopard-print shorts and an identical crop prime.
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Will Smith: “You Can Make It”
Will Smith’s revenge tour is right here. The “Miami” rapper-actor made his first main award present look because the notorious 2022 Chris Rock slap on the Oscars. Smith unleashed the reside debut of the inspirational gospel-themed “You Can Make It” with some assist from the Sunday Service Choir, Kirk Franklin and Chandler Moore. “Dance in your darkest moments,” Will proclaims from contained in the ring of fireside.
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GloRilla: Medley
Huge Glo got here in at No. 6 on our inaugural Hottest Feminine Rappers listing, and if GloRilla’s successful streak stays, she ought to positively discover her manner inside the highest 5 and presumably prime three by the top of the yr.
The Memphis rhymer parachutes in with the “Yeah Glo!” thumping beat fills the venue. She moved into her new “TGIF” single earlier than shocking followers whereas reuniting together with her tour mate Megan Thee Stallion, who took the vitality to a different degree with their “Wanna Be” collaboration efficiency. The observe was slotted in at No. 25 on the newest Scorching 100 chart.
It’s refreshing to see how a lot enjoyable Huge Glo and Meg have with one another on stage and the chemistry they’ve constructed exterior the studio is obvious. Thee Stallion regarded like a proud sister when lending her approval to GloRilla’s improved twerking.
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Shaboozey & J-Kwon: “A Bar Tune (Tipsy)”
J-Kwon delivered one of many extra memorable moments from the award present when he rose from behind the bar of Shaboozey’s honkey tonk set in his St. Louis Cardinals cap to carry out a mesh of “Tipsy” combined with the nation singer’s “A Bar Tune (Tipsy).
The 2004 anthem turned 20 earlier this yr and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Scorching 100 in April 2004. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Tune (Tipsy)” interpolates J-Kwon’s counting stream and it’s stunning to see the generations influencing one another and them having the ability to come collectively for the tradition on nights like this.
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Megan Thee Stallion: Medley
Megan Thee Stallion is making 2024 a banner yr. Rolling off the momentum of her Megan album arriving on Friday (June 28), the Houston Hottie set the tone for the night time with an lively efficiency. She continued her “rebirth” theme bursting out of an egg scantily clad.
Meg has come a great distance as a performer in terms of stage presence and breath management. The 29-year-old rumbled by means of her No. 1 hit “Hiss,” “Boa” and delivered the reside debut of her newest anthem “The place Them Women at?” There was loads of twerking concerned together with her dancers and he or she even gave a shout-out to Victoria Monét and Coco Jones within the viewers to cap off a strong begin to the night time.
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Usher Tribute Medley
Forward of being honored with the lifetime achievement award, a phalanx of artists paid homage to Usher by performing a few of the basic information from his Corridor-of-Fame profession spanning 4 completely different many years. Infantile Gambino set the tribute bar excessive with “U Don’t Need to Name” and Keke Palmer tipped the cap to Usher’s throwback custom of stripping all through his performances.
Coco Jones, Summer season Walker and Marsha Ambrosius all lined anthems from the R&B luminary. Tinashe’s “Nasty” momentum acquired flipped into My Approach basic “Good & Gradual” and Usher cherished each minute of seeing his profession proper earlier than his eyes.
Nevertheless, Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét might have stole the present with their gymnastic acrobatics recreating Beyoncé’s iconic efficiency when teaming up for “Dangerous Lady.” Latto closed down the epic set together with her dishevelled outfit and XL chain for “Yeah!” sans Lil Jon and Ludacris.
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Tyla That includes Gunna & Skillibeng: “Soar”
With greatest new artist and nest worldwide act wins in her back-pocket, Tyla’s “Soar” efficiency was the icing on the cake to a milestone night time in her burgeoning profession. What seemed to be a tiger in a cage was really a number of dancers contorted like mounted puzzle items to make up the whole jungle predator. Tyla rappelled down on a swing for a sultry efficiency that additionally paid homage to her South African tradition. Gunna and Skillibeng popped out for clean assists too.
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Victoria Monét: “On My Mama” & “Alright”
Victoria Monét is at residence when she’s on stage. She introduced the school/highschool vibes for BET’s video of the year-winning “On My Mama,” because the singer and her dancers had been draped in “My Mama Tribe” varsity jackets. Monét expertly blends the tomboy aesthetic with being a queen. The 2000s affect was heavy with the dishevelled denims and array of headbands and bandanas on stage. Nonetheless, the outsized match couldn’t throw VM’s dance routine off.
Kaytranada made a shock look and Monét confirmed off her versatility as an artist with their “Alright” collab. She will get further factors for rapidly turning into the Michael Jackson “Clean Felony”-inspired white swimsuit after which ditching it to gyrate within the manufactured rain.
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Lauryn Hill & YG Marley: Medley
Lauryn Hill and her son YG Marley closed out the 2024 BET Awards in type. Ms. Lauryn Hill took followers again to her acclaimed 1998 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill with the album’s title observe and fan-favorite “Misplaced Ones.”
Her son, YG Marley, joined the celebration along with his highly effective “Survival” observe, which Hill added a politically-charged verse to on the top — just like what she did throughout the duo’s look on Fallon in Could. As Ethiopian symbolism rotated all through the visuals and Marley wrapped up “Reward Jah within the Moonlight,” they saved one of the best shock for final with Hill’s Fugees working mate Wyclef Jean taking the stage to carry out their 1995 “Fu-Gee-La” observe. Hip-hop is alive and properly.