Despite the unconscionable runtime and the understandably solemn energy given the anti-ICE protests, as well as the passing of Sly Stone, the 2025 BET Awards tried their best to properly commemorate its 25th anniversary at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre on June 9.
To celebrate, BET put together a terrific lineup of performers, including newcomers (Leon Thomas, Ravyn Lenae, Elmiene), industry veterans (Ledisi, Mýa, T.I.) and Ultimate Icon honorees Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx and Kirk Franklin.
The night’s most-nominated artist, Kendrick Lamar (10) took home five new trophies, including album of the year for GNX, best male hip-hop artist and video director of the year alongside Dave Free. His Grand National tour co-headliner, SZA, won best female R&B/pop artist, while several notable acts took home their first BET Awards. Shortly after shredding his way through “Mutt,” Leon Thomas was named best new artist; GloRilla used her Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award acceptance speech to quip that this victory was her first after 13 previous nominations. Of course, the Songbird Supreme knocked the air out of the room for a split second before she revealed that her Ultimate Icon Award is the first BET Award of her 35-year career.
Outside of music, 2025 Tonys host Cynthia Erivo won best actress thanks to her work in Wicked, and Denzel Washington, whose Othello was entirely passed over for Tony recognition, took home best actor. Blue Ivy Carter, who’s still popping out every night of her mom’s blockbuster Cowboy Carter Tour, won the YoungStars Award, marking the third BET Award of her young career.
Viewers at home were treated to a nearly five-hour show (including the red carpet pre-show), but even that kind of runtime cannot capture everything that’s going on. Here are the seven best 2025 BET Awards Moments you may not have seen on television.
When she wasn’t dazzling viewers with her futuristic live debut of her new “Long Time” single, Teyana Taylor was enjoying a flirty night on the town with her new beau, Aaron Pierre. The Mufasa actor, who is also set to star in Teyana’s forthcoming Escape Room visual album, wrapped his arms around his lady as the two took in the night’s other stellar performances.
Though the cameras picked up a bit of their infectious rapport early in the show, Doechii and Keke Palmer, both nominees last night (June 9), were easily the most entertaining celeb pairing of the night. There was a less buzzy atmosphere in the room this year, but those two ladies singing along with the entirety of each of their respective beings more than made up for it.
As a matter of fact, Keke should cast Doechii in the next One of Them Days movie, now that a sequel is confirmed!
While Ciara was introducing Teyana Taylor’s performance, Taraji P. Henson sat 20 feet in the air, clutching a fiery bouquet of fake roses. The flowers were on fire throughout Ciara’s entire speech, and the flames lasted until the very last word of the monologue she delivered as the first element of Taylor’s set. Unsurprisingly, Henson handled her time up there like a champ; maybe she took notes from GloRilla’s hanging from the ceiling during her Project 2025 Awareness speech at last year’s awards.
Though he’s still in the middle of what’s already one of the biggest hip-hop tours in history, Kendrick Lamar found his way back to his hometown of L.A. to pick up five new trophies. Lamar was not announced as a performer or presenter, and his attendance was unconfirmed even to those on the red carpet, which he opted out of. Moreover, most people weren’t expecting to see him or SZA due to their Grand National tour schedule.
Nonetheless, when Keke Palmer announced the winner for album of the year, and Kendrick sauntered from his seat to the stage — the Peacock Theater audience leapt to its feet. Every neck in the room craned to find the best possible angle to the K.Dot, easily giving the Compton MC the night’s most fervent acknowledgment of a non-Ultimate Icon Award winner. Notably, when the camera picked up a little bit of SZA, several people in the crowd yelled one excited confusion — she skipped out on accepting her female R&B/pop artist award earlier in the night.
During her acceptance speech for best female hip-hop artist, Doechii quickly shifted her attention from her very first BET Award to the intense LA protests against ICE happening blocks away from the Peacock Theatre.
“I do wanna address what’s happening right now outside of the building,” she said. “There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order. Trump is using military force to stop a protest. And I want y’all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?”
While the applause may have sounded robust at home, the energy in the room was a bit more prickly. About a third of the room gave the Grammy-winning rapper a standing ovation, another third shifted in their seats looking visibly uncomfortable, while the remaining third kept their reactions neutral. Considering the proximity of the unrest, the audience’s muted response was fairly eyebrow-raising — but maybe the room was still coming down from its 106 & Park-fueled high.
While Ashanti, Mýa, Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Keyshia Cole, T.I. and Bow Wow shut down the stage with a sprawling tribute to 106 & Park, nearly a hundred audience members were barred from entry to their seats during the opener. Though the delayed seating was likely a matter of production protocol, the unfortunate experience didn’t discriminate.
It wasn’t just seat-fillers and non-celebrity attendees left enjoying the performance from outside the club; Proud Family actress Kyla Pratt was among those getting crushed by the increasingly frustrated crowd. Also, streamer and Billboard cover star Kai Cenat and his crew shoved their way through the crowd, documenting the whole ordeal live on stream.
Jamie Foxx’s tribute — which featured Stevie Wonder, Babyface, Ludacris, T-Pain, Doug E. Fresh and Tank honoring his acting, stand-up and music careers — was easily the best of the Ultimate Icon Award recipients.
While Tank’s Jamie-as-Ray-Charles tribute was as funny as it was impressive, it was Jennifer Hudson’s surprise appearance for “Gold Digger” that brought every person in the room to their feet. Similar to her show-stopping “Purple Rain” cover in memory of Prince at the 2016 BET Awards, Hudson entered the stage wailing for the rafters, the combined power of her presence and voice sending the crowd into overdrive. Tons of surprise guests popped out last night, but none were able to take to command the room like JHud did.