9 Best Moments From the 2023 BET Awards

Kid Capri chronicled hip-hop’s 50-year history throughout the awards show in various chapters, starting off with ’80s New York with performances by The Sugarhill Gang, MC Lyte, DJ D-Nice and Big Daddy Kane and traveling through the West Coast (Warren G, Yo-Yo, Tyga, E-40), Miami (Trick Daddy & Trina, Uncle Luke) and Atlanta (Jeezy, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Master P) before ending on ’00s New York (Fat Joe & Remy Ma, Fabolous, Styles P and Ja Rule). With classic graffiti-covered brick walls serving as a consistent backdrop and touching tributes to fallen stars like Tupac and Pop Smoke, Capri’s cross-country musical journey was fun to follow along whether fans were witnessing live or watching at home.

Coco Jones was in tears holding up the award for best new artist, and it was a full-circle BET moment for the “ICU” singer. “I remember when I did 106 & Park with y’all when I was 16 in them tight little gray skinny jeans and my sneakers. It’s been a long journey. Thank you guys for rocking with me the whole time,” she reflected. “And for my Black girls, we do have to fight a little harder to get what we deserve. But don’t stop fighting. Even when it doesn’t make sense and you’re not sure how you’re going to get out of those circumstances, keep pushing because we are deserving of great things, y’all. And I’m going to continue to give y’all my everything.”

While Teyana “Spike Tey” Taylor was physically unable to accept her video director of the year award, her mother Nikki Taylor had a clever work-around. “I’m sorry, this is a little off-script, but this is her night, I’m going to let her have her night, I’m calling her right now. Sorry, BET!” Nikki announced before grabbing her cellphone and video-chatting her daughter from the stage. Teyana was too stunned to speak when her mother flipped the camera toward the live audience, but she was even more shook when her mom informed her that she’s taking home another BET Award for video director of the year, which she also won in 2020. Even though the quality of the Wi-Fi wasn’t best, it didn’t take away from Teyana’s gratitude as the most important words that could be heard were “Thank you.”

Davido might not be the first Afrobeats artist to perform on the main stage of the BET Awards, but his larger-than-life presence Sunday night ensured that the continent’s biggest acts are worthy of dominating the U.S.’ most-viewed stages. Fresh off his Timeless album release, he brought Lagos to Los Angeles with his performance of “Feel” and his summer anthem “Unavailable,” featuring Musa Keys. As one of the biggest Afrobeats acts in the world, Davido reminded American audiences that celebrations of Black music must be global.

About an hour into the show, no one expected Quavo and Offset to come together for their first performance since Takeoff‘s untimely death last November to honor “The Rocket.” A floor-to-ceiling projection of a rocket appeared on the screen as the two remaining members of Migos gathered around a solo spotlight while performing “Hotel Lobby” from Quavo and Takeoff’s 2022 joint project Only Built For Infinity Links. “Do it for Take!” they shouted, watching the animated rocket launch into the sky that left behind a larger-than-life image of their lost member. Quavo and Offset then performed their three-week Hot 100 No. 1 “Bad and Boujee,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert for the ultimate sing-a-long moment, turning the real-life and TV audiences’ mood from somber to celebratory. Everyone in the Microsoft Theater was standing throughout their entire performance, demonstrating that the BET Awards will always keep producing history-making moments like this.

For the evening’s most unexpected performance, which wasn’t available during the awards show’s broadcast, Sexxy Red got up out of her seat at the sound of her Billboard Hot 100 hit “Pound Town” with Tay Keith. The audience immediately around her cheered her on as she waved around stacks of cash in both hands, and a pregnant Chrisean Rock started twerking on her for what would be the most action the aisle had seen.

Busta Rhymes couldn’t hold back the tears from streaming down his face when he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from Swizz Beatz and Marlon Wayans. “Alright, so, I’mma wear it on my sleeve. I do wanna cry,” he said, which was met with astounding applause that got the waterworks going. Busta wiped his face with a towel before proceeding with the rest of his speech, where he opened up about his parallel struggles of being a solo rapper and a father and explained how he “pioneered the feature.” Watch his entire acceptance speech below.

Reggae and dancehall’s indelible impact on hip-hop wasn’t overlooked this evening, as Kid Capri dedicated a Jamaican portion of performances during the show that featured Mad Lion (“Take It Easy”) and Patra (“Romantic Call”). But the backup dancers waving the green, yellow and black Jamaican flag wasn’t the only visual representation in the house. During his tribute performance, Busta Rhymes projected images of DJ Kool Herc on the screen and reminded the audience that hip-hop’s founding father was “a bloodclot Jamaican. Make sure you know that! And Jamaica’s in my blood, so as much as we’re going to rep hip-hop tonight, we’re going to represent this dancehall culture,” he said before Dexta Daps came up on stage to perform “Shabba Madda Pot.” Speakers in the Rastafarian colors of green, yellow and red appeared on screen before Busta also brought up Spice (“So Mi Like It”), Skillibeng (“Whap Whap”) and Cutty Ranks (“A Who Seh Me Dun (Wait Deh Man).”

The show’s celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary couldn’t have ended on a better note than F.L.Y. (Fast Life Yungstaz) leading the entire Microsoft Theater to their 2009 debut single “Swag Surfin’.” It soundtracked and captured the Black joy in the room, sending everybody home remembering (or reminding those watching from home) why they fell in love with the genre in the first place.