Awards

10 Jun 2025

Usher Wonders ‘How the Hell’ Kevin Hart Wore His Red Past Present Future Tour Jacket at 2025 BET Awards

Usher was sitting at home watching the 2025 BET Awards Monday night (June 9) when he recognized host Kevin Hart‘s fuzzy red coat.

Ahead of Teyana Taylor‘s television debut performance of her new single “Long Time,” Hart strutted down the aisle of Peacock Theater at L.A. Live wearing Usher’s signature jacket from his most recent Past Present Future Tour, as evidenced by the label on the inside that had Usher’s name crossed out and Hart’s name written in red marker. He even tried pulling one of Usher’s notorious tour stunts by feeding cherries to different women in the audience, from Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold to Kerry Washington — but to no avail.

“You’ll get it, you’ll get it bad, if you don’t get your Black ass away from us!” Campbell and Arnold clapped back at him to the tune of Usher’s 2001 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “U Got It Bad.”

Usher posted a TikTok video Tuesday morning (June 10) of him watching Hart impersonate him. “How the hell he get my jacket?” he asked in disbelief. According to Vogue and British GQ, Usher’s coat is a custom red Ferrari faux fur coat designed by Rocco Iannone, creative director of Ferrari. “It’s a showstopper,” Usher told the former publication. “You know red is a hot, fiery color, right? It’s fun, I just let it speak to what it makes them feel.”

Trending on Billboard

Unlike Hart, Usher has successfully fed many famous women cherries at his tour stops and other performances, including Rubi Rose, Summer Walker, Tiny and Sabrina Carpenter, the lattermost of whom the iconic R&B singer apologized to her father after Carpenter received a disapproving text from him.

See Usher’s hilarious reaction to Hart’s BET Awards stint below.

10 Jun 2025

Jessica Pratt, Fontaines D.C., Shaboozey and More Win Big at 2025 Libera Awards: Full Winners List

Jessica Pratt, Fontaines D.C., MJ Lenderman and MF DOOM were multiple winners at the 2025 Libera Awards, which honored the best in independent music. This 14th annual awards ceremony took place on Monday, June 9 at the historic Gotham Hall in New York City.

Pratt’s Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer) won three awards – record of the year, best singer-songwriter record and best folk record.

Trending on Billboard

MF DOOM (Rhymesayers Entertainment) also won three awards – MM..FOOD (20th Anniversary Edition) won best reissue and creative packaging. “One Beer (Madlib Remix)” won best remix.

Fontaines D.C. (XL Recordings) won two awards – best rock record for Romance and music video of the year for “Starburster.”

MJ Lenderman (ANTI-) also won two awards – breakthrough artist and best American roots record for Manning Fireworks.

Shaboozey, whose “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, received an Impact Award for his album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (American Dogwood/EMPIRE). Shaboozey was nominated for best new artist at the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2 and new artist of the year at the Country Music Association Awards on Nov. 20.

The Libera Awards Presented by Merlin – the official name of the awards – kick off the Indie Week conference, which will run from Tuesday (June 10) through Thursday, June 12 at the InterContinental New York Times Square.

The show was hosted by Delisa Shannon, Billboard’s director of shortform content, and featured performances from American music trailblazer Swamp Dogg (Oh Boy Records), genre-bending singer-songwriter serpentwithfeet (Secretly Canadian), punk-rockers Ekko Astral (Topshelf Records) and Latin pop phenomenon Reyna Tropical (Psychic Hotline).

The nominations were announced on Wednesday (March 19) by FIM (The Foundation for Independent Music) and A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.).

Dr. Richard James Bergess, MBE, was honored with a special award celebrating his 10 years as president & CEO of A2IM “The 2025 Libera Awards were a powerful reminder of what makes our community extraordinary,” Burgess said in a statement. “We honored not only remarkable music and artistry, but the spirit and purpose that define the independent sector. These nominees and winners embody the innovation, determination, and authenticity that push our industry forward. Congratulations to all who continue to shape the future of music on their own terms.”

A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of over 600 independently-owned American music labels.

Here’s a complete list of nominees for the 2025 Libera Awards Presented by Merlin, with winners marked.

Record of the Year

WINNER: Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)

Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)

MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks (ANTI-)

Mk.gee – “Rockman” (R&R Digital)

Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood (ANTI-)

Breakthrough Artist

Jessica Pratt (Mexican Summer)

Magdalena Bay (Mom+Pop)

Mannequin Pussy (Epitaph)

WINNER: MJ Lenderman (ANTI-)

Mk.gee (R&R Digital)

Shaboozey (American Dogwood/EMPIRE)

Music Video of the Year

Caravan Palace – “Mirrors” (Le Plan Recordings)

WINNER: Fontaines D.C. – “Starburster” (XL Recordings)

Justice – “Neverender (starring Tame Impala)” (Because Music)

Porter Robinson – “Cheerleader” (Mom+Pop)

Waxahatchee feat. MJ Lenderman – “Right Back to It” (ANTI-)

Yaeji – “booboo” (XL Recordings)

Best Reissue

Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock: The Album (Tommy Boy Records)

American Football – American Football LP1 (25th Anniversary Edition) (Polyvinyl Record Co.)

Cocteau Twins & Harold Budd – The Moon and the Melodies (4AD)

John Cale – Paris 1919 (Deluxe Edition) (Domino Recording Company)

WINNER: MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20th Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)

Ray Charles – Crying Time (Tangerine Records)

Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso (10 Year Anniversary Edition) (Psychic Hotline)

Best Remix

Fcukers – “Bon Bon (Confidence Man Remix)” (Technicolour/Ninja Tune)

Kelela – RAVE:N, The Remixes (Warp Records)

WINNER: MF DOOM – “One Beer (Madlib Remix)” (Rhymesayers Entertainment)

Shygirl – “mr useless – MK remix” (Because Music)

Slowdive – “kisses (grouper remix)” (Dead Oceans)

Best Alternative Rock Record

Being Dead – EELS (Bayonet Records)

Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More (4AD)

WINNER: Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)

Nada Surf – Moon Mirror (New West Records)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God (Play It Again Sam)

Best American Roots Record

Dave Alvin + Jimmie Dale Gilmore – TexiCali (Yep Roc Records)

Fantastic Negrito – Son of a Broken Man (Storefront Records)

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland (Acony Records)

Joe Ely – Driven to Drive (Rack ’Em Records)

WINNER: MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks (ANTI-)

Swamp Dogg – Blackgrass (Oh Boy Records)

Best Blues Record

Cedric Burnside – Hill Country Love (Provogue Records)

Little Feat – Sam’s Place (Hot Tomato Records)

WINNER: Ruthie Foster – Mileage (Sun Records)

Shemekia Copeland – Blame It on Eve (Alligator Records)

The Taj Mahal Sextet – Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa (Lightning Rod Records)

 Best Classical Record

Ensemble Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem (harmonia mundi)

II Divo – XX: 20th Anniversary Album (Il Divo Music)

Isabelle Faust – Britten: Violin Concerto and Chamber Works (harmonia mundi)

Ju-Ping Song – Monad (Starkland)

WINNER: Kelly Moran – Moves in the Field (Warp Records)

Marc-André Hamelin, Nathalie Forget, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Gustavo Gimeno – Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie (harmonia mundi)

Michael Torke – Bloom (Ecstatic Records)

Best Country Record

Corb Lund – El Viejo (New West Records)

Fancy Hagood – American Spirit (Fancy Hagood Enterprises)

Johnny Blue Skies – Passage du Desir (High Top Mountain Records)

Shaboozey – Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (American Dogwood/EMPIRE)

WINNER: Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood (ANTI-)

Zach Top – Cold Beer & Country Music (Leo33)

Best Dance Record

A.G. Cook – “Britpop” (New Alias)

WINNER: Fcukers – Baggy$$ (Technicolour / Ninja Tune)

Peggy Gou – I Hear You (XL Recordings)

Shygirl – Club Shy (Because Music)

SOPHIE – SOPHIE (Future Classic)

Best Electronic Record

WINNER: Caribou – Honey (Merge Records)

Floating Points – Cascade (Ninja Tune)

Flying Lotus – Spirit Box (Warp Records)

Jamie xx – In Waves (Young)

Justice – Hyperdrama (Because Music)

Photay – Windswept (Mexican Summer)

Best Folk Record

Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future (4AD)

Aoife O’Donovan – All My Friends (Yep Roc Records)

Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free (Jagjaguwar)

WINNER: Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)

Madi Diaz – Weird Faith (ANTI-)

Best Global Record

Altin Gun – “Vallahi Yok” (ATO Records)

Asake – Lungu Boy (YBNL Nation/EMPIRE)

BALTHVS – Harvest (Mixto Records)

Glass Beams – Mahal (Ninja Tune)

Hermanos Gutiérrez – Sonido Cósmico (Easy Eye Sound)

Manu Chao – Viva Tu (Because Music)

WINNER: Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice (Matador Records)

Best Heavy Record

Chelsea Wolfe – She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She (Loma Vista Recordings)

High On Fire – Cometh the Storm (MNRK Music Group)

WINNER: METZ – Up on Gravity Hill (Sub Pop Records)

Scene Queen – Hot Singles in Your Area (Hopeless Records)

Speed – “Only One Mode” (FLATSPOT)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record

BigXthaPlug – Take Care (UnitedMasters)

Cash Cobain – PLAY CASH COBAIN (Giant Music)

Common & Pete Rock – The Auditorium Vol. 1 (Loma Vista Recordings)

Denzel Curry – King of the Mischievous South (Loma Vista Recordings)

E L U C I D – REVELATOR (Fat Possum Records)

WINNER: Shygirl – “Immaculate” (feat. Saweetie) (Because Music)

Best Jazz Record

BADBADNOTGOOD – Mid Spiral (XL Recordings)

Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching (Partisan Records)

CO-WINNER: Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement (Young)

Lakecia Benjamin – Phoenix Reimagined (Live) (Ropeadope Records)

Morgan Guerin – Tales of the Facade (Candid Records)

CO-WINNER: Nala Sinephro – Endlessness (Warp Records)

Nubya Garcia – Odyssey (Concord Jazz)

Best Latin Record

Angélica Garcia – Gemelo (Partisan Records)

Buscabulla – “11:11” (Domino Recording Company)

Chicano Batman – “Era Primavera” (ATO Records)

Dayme Arocena – Alkemi (Brownswood Recordings)

Gaby Moreno and La Lom – “Alma Florecida” (Cosmica Artists)

Girl Ultra – blush (Big Dada/Ninja Tune)

WINNER: Reyna Tropical – Malegría (Psychic Hotline)

Best Outlier Record

Chanel Beads – Your Day Will Come (Jagjaguwar)

Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – Quiet in a World Full of Noise (Merge Records)

Hakushi Hasegawa – Mahōgakkō (Brainfeeder)

Helado Negro – PHASOR (4AD)

CO-WINNER: Khruangbin – A LA SALA (Dead Oceans)

Moor Mother – The Great Bailout (ANTI-)

CO-WINNER: SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING (Saddle Creek)

urika’s bedroom – Big Smile, Black Mire (True Panther)

Best Pop Record

Kate Nash – 9 Sad Symphonies (Kill Rock Stars)

Kesha – “Joyride” (Kesha Records)

WINNER: Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk (Mom+Pop)

Sofie Royer – Young-Girl Forever (Stones Throw Records)

SOPHIE – SOPHIE (Future Classic)

Suki Waterhouse – Memoir of a Sparklemuffin (Sub Pop Records)

Best Punk Record

A Place to Bury Strangers – Synthesizer (Dedstrange)

Chubby And the Gang – And Then There Was… (FLATSPOT)

Ekko Astral – pink balloons (Topshelf Records)

Laura Jane Grace – Hole in My Head (Polyvinyl Record Co.)

WINNER: Pissed Jeans – Half Divorced (Sub Pop Records)

SPRINTS – Letter to Self (City Slang)

Best R&B Record

Erika de Casier – Still (4AD)

Fana Hues – Moth (Bright Antenna Records)

WINNER: Mavis Staples – “Worthy” (ANTI-)

NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge) – Why Lawd? (Stones Throw Records)

serpentwithfeet – GRIP (Secretly Canadian)

Yaya Bey – Ten Fold (Big Dada/Ninja Tune)

Best Rock Record

WINNER: Fontaines D.C. – Romance (XL Recordings)

IDLES – TANGK (Partisan Records)

Jack White – No Name (Third Man Records)

Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven (Epitaph)

The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know (Captured Tracks)

The Linda Lindas – No Obligation (Epitaph)

Best Singer-Songwriter Record

Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future (4AD)

Christian Lee Hutson – Paradise Pop. 10 (ANTI-)

Faye Webster – Underdressed at the Symphony (Secretly Canadian)

WINNER: Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)

Katie Gavin – “As Good as It Gets” (Saddest Factory Records)

Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat (Partisan Records/Chrysalis Records)

Best Soul/Funk Record

Angela Muñoz – Descanso (Stones Throw Records)

Neal Francis – “Back It Up” (ATO Records)

The Dip – Love Direction (Dualtone)

WINNER: Thee Sacred Souls – Got a Story to Tell (Daptone Records)

Thee Sinseers – Sinseerly Yours (Colemine Records)

Best Spiritual Record

Brother John – Brother John & The GFT Collective (The Blues Preachers/The Orchard)

Flock – Flock II (Strut)

Lauren Daigle – “Then I Will (from Boenhoffer)” (Centricity Music)

Lecrae – “Die for the Party” (Reach Records)

WINNER: The Harlem Gospel Travelers – Rhapsody (Colemine Records)

The Nelons – Loving You (Daywind Records)

Best Sync Usage

Cigarettes After Sex – “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby” (It Ends With Us) (Partisan Records)

WINNER: De La Soul – “Say No Go” (Civil War) (A.O.I./Chrysalis/Reservoir)

Jamie xx & The Avalanches – “All You Children” (Apple) (Young)

Spoon – “The Way We Get By” (A Real Pain Trailer) (Matador Records)

Waxahatchee feat. MJ Lenderman – “Right Back to It” (Tracker S1 E6) (ANTI-)

Label of the Year (15+ Employees)

ANTI- Records

Dead Oceans

Mom+Pop

Ninja Tune

WINNER: Partisan Records

Stones Throw Records

Sub Pop Records

Warp Records

Label of the Year (6-14 Employees)

Captured Tracks

City Slang

Fat Possum

Light in the Attic

WINNER: Mexican Summer

Secret City Records

Label of the Year (5 Or Fewer Employees)

Bayonet Records

Daptone Records

Oh Boy Records

Psychic Hotline

Topshelf Records

WINNER: True Panther

Distributor of the Year

FUGA

IDOL

WINNER: Redeye

Secretly Distribution

Symphonic Distribution

The Orchard

Independent Champion

WINNER: Bandcamp

Infinite Catalog

Marauder

Qobuz

The Bloom Effect

Publisher of the Year

Beggars Music

Downtown Music Publishing

Reservoir

Secret City Publishing

WINNER: Warp Publishing

Marketing Genius

WINNER: IDLES – TANGK (Partisan Records)

Khruangbin – A LA SALA (Dead Oceans)

MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20 Year Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)

MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks (ANTI-)

Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood (ANTI-)

Self-Released Record of the Year

Cheekface – It’s Sorted (Cheekface)

Fancy Hagood – American Spirit (Fancy Hagood Enterprises)

Los Campesinos! – All Hell (Heart Swells)

Orla Gartland – Everybody Needs a Hero (New Friends Music)

WINNER: RAYE – “Genesis.” (Human Re Sources)

TV Girl & George Clanton – Fauxllennium (Blissful Serenity Industries, LLC)

Creative Packaging

Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Volume II (Expanded Edition) (Warp Records)

Khruangbin – A LA SALA (Dead Oceans)

Mac DeMarco – Salad Days 10 Year Anniversary Edition (Captured Tracks)

WINNER: MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20 Year Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)

The Go Betweens – G Stands for Go-Betweens: Volume 3 (Domino Recording Company)

Various Artists – Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 8 (Sub Pop Records)

Impact Award

WINNER: Shaboozey – Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (American Dogwood/EMPIRE)

10 Jun 2025

Chris Colfer Celebrates Former ‘Glee’ Love Interest Darren Criss Winning a Tony: ‘So Proud of You’

Klaine forever. Following Darren Criss‘ historic Tony Award win over the weekend, Chris Colfer shared a sweet message of congratulations on Instagram Monday (June 9), writing that he’s “so proud” of his former onscreen love interest.

Posting a photo of himself and his Glee costar holding up the statuette — both men smiling wide into the camera — Colfer wrote, “DARREN WON A TONY!!!”

Trending on Billboard

“And then he left it with me completely unattended!” the Golden Globe winner continued, also sharing a solo photo of himself holding the prize while Criss was nowhere to be found. “Congratulations my friend! I’m so proud of you and can’t think of a more deserving person!”

The ex-Warbler won best performance by an actor in a musical at the Tonys on Sunday (June 8), becoming the first actor of Asian descent to triumph in the category. Criss took home the prize for his performance in Broadway’s Maybe Happy Ending, which was the top winner at this year’s ceremony with six awards total, including best musical.

The win comes a full decade and a half after Criss made his debut as Blaine Anderson in the second season of Ryan Murphy’s beloved musical dramedy series. His character had an epic on-off romance with Colfer’s Kurt Hummel that would last until Glee ended in 2015.

In real life, Criss is married to Mia Swier, with whom he shares two kids. During his acceptance speech Sunday night, the actor praised his partner for taking, “a massive swing on allowing me to do this … to make this logistically possible, and for bearing the brunt of raising two tiny friends under three, so that I could raise a singing robot at the Belasco Theatre eight times a week.”

The American Crime Story star is just the latest Glee alum to take home a Tony. Jonathan Groff won best actor in a musical in 2024 for his performance in Merrily We Roll Along, while Alex Newell, Ali Stroker and Jenna Ushkowitz have also all previously earned hardware.

10 Jun 2025

Conan O’Brien, Ryan Murphy and More to Be Inducted Into Television Academy Hall of Fame

Don Mischer, whose credits include the legendary program where Michael Jackson first unveiled the moonwalk, is being honored posthumously.

Conan O’Brien

Conan O’Brien at Featured Session “Claiming the Future of Entertainment” at Austin Convention Center on March 11, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Andy Wenstrand

Music and variety programming are well-represented on the list of six 2025 honorees set to join the Television Academy Hall of Fame. The inductees are talk show host Conan O’Brien, prolific composer Mike Post, producers Ryan Murphy and Don Mischer (who died on April 11), and actors Henry Winkler and Viola Davis.

The 27th Hall of Fame ceremony will be held during the Televerse Festival on Aug. 16.

The Hall of Fame honors persons who have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television over a lifetime career or via singular achievements. The 2025 Hall of Fame honorees join more than 150 individuals previously inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1984. (The ceremony is not quite annual; this is the first induction class since 2022.)

“These trailblazing performers, creators and producers have left an indelible mark on our industry. Their groundbreaking work has shaped and elevated the television landscape in profound ways,” said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy. “We are honored to welcome these legends into the Hall of Fame and to recognize their exceptional contributions to the evolution of television.”

“All six honorees have elevated the art of storytelling and have had an extraordinary influence on television culture and history,” said Rick Rosen, chair of the Hall of Fame selection committee. “Their transformative leadership and innovative work have made a lasting impact on the medium, and the Television Academy is proud to honor their legacy.”

Televerse is an immersive festival experience for industry insiders and fans of television from Aug. 14-16 at the JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE. Attendees can register here to receive news and information when sessions are announced. The Hall of Fame will be separately ticketed and will be open to Academy members and the public for purchase.

Here are capsules on each of the six 2025 honorees:

10 Jun 2025

7 Best Moments From the 2025 BET Awards You Didn’t See on Television

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.

10 Jun 2025

Kirk Franklin Receives Ultimate Icon Award, Performs Medley of Hits to Close 2025 BET Awards

Kirk Franklin closed the 2025 BET Awards by performing a medley of hits featuring Tamar Braxton, Muni Long, Jamal Roberts and Salt from Salt-N-Pepa after he received an Ultimate Icon Award.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“I never felt the love of a mother or a father,” he said during his acceptance speech when talking about being adopted. “The only time I felt love was when I sat behind the piano and wrote songs to Jesus. People loved my songs and the more I wrote, the more people listened. Thank you to all of you that still listen. Thank you to every group, singer, musician that’s been the microphone to my pain.”

He then went on to say that even though he makes gospel music that the masses have come to enjoy, that still doesn’t make him more than human. “I am not perfect,” he told the crowd. “I fail, I sin, I am not a perfect Christian, I’m not a perfect husband, and we all know I’m not a perfect father. I’m not even a perfect artist because I can’t even sing, which makes this award even more amazing, because what I really do don’t make sense and if you’re listening to this that’s when you know it’s God when it don’t make sense.”

Trending on Billboard

Franklin then shut things down by performing some of his popular songs like “Stomp,” “Silver & Gold,” and “Melodies From Heaven,” with D.C. Young Fly serving as a pastor delivering a sermon right before Franklin and his army of performers went into an energized remix of “Revolution.”

Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey and Jamie Foxx also received Ultimate Icon Awards at Monday night’s show.

10 Jun 2025

Best Performances From the 2025 BET Awards, Ranked

From Lil Wayne and Playboi Carti to Kirk Franklin, the stars showed up in a big way during Culture’s Biggest Night.

Kirk Franklin performs onstage during the 2025 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Kirk Franklin performs onstage during the 2025 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 9, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

On Monday night (June 9), the BET Awards 2025 made its way back to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the BET Awards brought together an all-star cast of names. Extending from the worlds of Black music and entertainment, a bevy of superstar talent were all under one roof to commemorate the enduring legacy of BET and it’s venerable awards show.

Names such as Kendrick Lamar, Tyler Perry and Lil Wayne strutted their way to the festive event, making this year’s ceremony arguably one of the best showings in recent years. To bring everything together, BET unified some of the biggest heroes across hip-hop, R&B, and gospel, when they enlisted Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey and Kirk Franklin for the Ultimate Icon Awards. Not only did the musical heavyweights receive their honors and flowers, but they proved why they remain one-of-a-kind showstoppers with their sizzling performances. Though Foxx didn’t showcase his vocal prowess, his speech satiated the crowd’s hunger, as he had everyone in a vise grip emotionally when he recalled the dark moments of his stroke recovery.

“You can’t go through something like that and not testify,” Foxx said during his rousing speech. “A career that I could only thank God for.”

The icons weren’t the only ones to leave it all out there; younger superstars like GloRilla and Playboi Carti left indelible marks during “Culture’s Biggest Night,” with their stage presence and innate creativity.

Below, Billboard ranked the night’s best performances, including highlights from Teyana Taylor, Snoop Dogg, Leon Thomas, Mariah Carey and more.

10 Jun 2025

Kendrick Lamar, SZA & Chris Brown Set Records at 2025 BET Awards

Kendrick Lamar was the top winner at the 2025 BET Awards, which aired live on BET from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday (June 9). Kevin Hart hosted the show for the second time.

Lamar won five awards – album of the year for GNX, best collaboration for “Luther” with SZA, best male hip hop artist (for a record-extending eighth time), video of the year for “Not Like Us” and video director of the year in tandem with Dave Free.

Lamar had won album of the year seven years ago for DAMN. Lamar and Beyoncé are the only artists to win twice in that category, which was introduced in 2017. Bey won for Lemonade and Renaissance.

Trending on Billboard

GNX, which is a leading Grammy candidate for album of the year in 2026, beat three albums that won Grammys in February – Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter (album of the year and best country album), Chris Brown’s 11:11 Deluxe (best R&B album) and Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal (best rap album).

SZA and Chris Brown each won two awards. SZA won best female R&B/pop artist for the third year in a row as well as the aforementioned award for best collaboration. SZA is just the third artist to win best female R&B/pop artist three or more times. Beyoncé leads with 10 wins in the category. Alicia Keys also won three times.

Brown won best male R&B/pop artist for a record-extending eighth time. In addition, his “Residuals” won the Viewer’s Choice Award. It’s Brown’s fourth win in that category, a total equaled or surpassed only by Beyoncé with five wins and Lil Wayne also with four wins.

Luther Vandross was remembered by fans in two categories: Not only did “Luther” win best collaboration, but the documentary Luther: Never Too Much won best movie. This is the second year in a row that a film about a music legend has won in that category. Bob Marley: One Love won last year.

Doechii won best female hip hop artist. It was her first BET Award. She proceeded to give an impassioned speech in support of protesters outside the venue protesting ICE crackdowns.

Leon Thomas won best new artist. He’s the first male artist to win in the category since Giveon four years ago. Thomas won a Grammy in 2024 for co-writing SZA’s “Snooze,” which was voted best R&B song. As a result, he will probably not be eligible to compete for best new artist at the 2026 Grammys. Thomas also performed his hit “Mutt” on the show.

GloRilla’s “Rain Down on Me” (featuring Kirk Franklin and Maverick City Music) won the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award. It’s the record-extending eighth win in the category for Franklin, the second for Maverick City Music and the first for GloRilla.

Future & Metro Boomin took best group. It’s the third year in a row that a collaboration of two solo stars has won that award. The last groups to win were Migos and Silk Sonic.

Summer Walker’s “Heart of a Woman” won the BET Her award. The song reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart in December 2024.

Blue Ivy Carter won the Young Stars Award for the second year in a row. BET rules allow multiple wins in this category. Marsai Martin won five times. Yara Shahidi and Keke Palmer also won it twice.

Denzel Washington won best actor for a record-extending fifth time. Cynthia Erivo won best actress for the first time.

Basketball star Angel Reese won sportswoman of the year for the third year in a row. Football star Jalen Hurts won sportsman of the year for the second time in three years.

Drake was shut out, despite going into the ceremony with six nods. The Weeknd was also shut out. He went 0-4.

There were special tributes to three legendary artists who died in the past year – Quincy Jones, Roberta Flack and Angie Stone. Luke James, Miles Caton and Lucky Daye performed Jones’ 1990 hit “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite).” Andra Day sang Flack’s 1973 classic “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” Brittney Spencer sang Stone’s 1999 hit “No More Rain (In This Cloud).” The multiple In Memoriam segments included Cissy Houston, James Earl Jones, Tito Jackson, Roy Ayers, Frankie Beverly and poet Nikki Giovanni.

As previously announced, Kirk Franklin, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg and Jamie Foxx were named BET Ultimate Icons. Astonishingly, it’s Carey’s first BET Award.

Connie Orlando — evp of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET — served as the executive producer for BET Awards 2025, with Jamal Noisette, svp of tentpoles and music community engagement, for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment was the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.

09 Jun 2025

Snoop Dogg Shouts Out Dr. Dre & Calls Wife Shante Broadus His ‘Rock’ While Accepting Ultimate Icon at the 2025 BET Awards

At Monday’s (June 9) 2025 BET Awards, Snoop Dogg stood at the mountaintop while accepting the Ultimate Icon Award with his wife and Dr. Dre at his side while looking out into a room of some of the biggest names in R&B and hip-hop.

Coming toward the end of the show, Dre kicked off the Snoop tribute by giving a speech that both praised his frequent collaborator — whom he called “one of the most prolific artists in hip-hop” — and lovingly joked at his expense. “Every time I turn on the TV, he’s trying to sell something,” the producer quipped as Snoop laughed in the audience.

When he got onstage to accept the prize, Snoop squeezed in a retaliatory dig at Dre, thanking him in jest “for allowing me the opportunity to ghostwrite for you on ‘Deep Cover’ and ‘Nuthin’ But a G Thang’” — references to some of the duo’s earliest collaborations.

Trending on Billboard

Most of the rest of Snoop’s speech — for which he was joined onstage by wife Shante Broadus, to whom he’s been married since 1997 — struck a more serious tone. Shouting out his teachers, all of the “MCs I battled along the way,” his family at Death Row Records and former groupmates Warren G and the late Nate Dogg, Snoop also praised his children and 10 grandchildren — “my greatest inspiration,” as he called them — as well as his “beautiful wife.”

“This is why I’m so rock solid,” he said, referring to Broadus. “This is why I’m able to deal with all the things I’m able to deal with — when I’ve got God in my life and I’ve got a queen in my life. She’s always been my everything.”

Before switching gears to perform some of his most iconic songs, the rapper ended his remarks by sharing his ideas of what the title of Icon means to him. “The work speaks for you,” he told the crowd gathered at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. “Hip-hop, it gave me a voice. It gave me a purpose. It gave me a way out and a way in … Being an icon, it ain’t about fame. It’s about legacy. It’s about what you build, what you leave behind and who you lift up along the way.”

Snoop was one of four artists presented with an Ultimate Icon Award on Monday night. Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx and Kirk Franklin — each of whom the Doggfather personally shouted out during his speech — also took home the same honor, making for emotional moments throughout the four-hour ceremony.

After a quick commercial break, Snoop sealed his Ultimate Icon status by delivering a high-energy medley of his hits, including “Unsung Heroes,” Billboard Hot 100 topper “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang.” A few familiar faces also joined him, his backup dancers and his accompanying orchestra on stage, with Charlie Wilson helping to perform The Gap Band’s “Outstanding,” and Warren G and Kurupt assisting in closing out the medley with “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None).”

The BET Awards were hosted this year by Kevin Hart and honored some of 2025’s biggest feats in pop culture. Kendrick Lamar — who took home album of the year for GNX along with four other prizes — was the top nominee, earning 10 nods.

The presentation of Ultimate Icon to Snoop follows more than 30 years of climbing his way up the hip-hop ranks, notching 45 entries on the Hot 100 and three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 in the process. He’s also paved the way as a media personality and as the now-owner of his first label home, Death Row Records, which he acquired in 2022.

Snoop’s latest album, Iz It a Crime?, dropped May 15.

09 Jun 2025

Andra Day Honors Roberta Flack With Beautiful Rendition of ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ at 2025 BET Awards

Andra Day honored Roberta Flack with a beautiful tribute performance of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” at the 2025 BET Awards on Monday night (June 9).

Accompanied by a small string section and a few backup singers, Day’s lilting vocals echoed throughout the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live for her affecting cover. “Andra Day singing a Roberta Flack tribute? Ohhhh BET played NO games this year,” one person wrote on X, while someone else insisted to “put it in my veins!!!!”

“Killing Me Softly With His Song” became Flack’s second No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 and won record of the year and best pop vocal performance, female at the 1974 Grammy Awards. The Fugees included their own rendition of “Killing Me Softly” on their 1996 album The Score, and the hit single won a Grammy in 1997 for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal while the parent album won the award for best rap album.

Trending on Billboard

The legendary singer and pianist died in February, and according to a statement from her spokesperson, she “died peacefully surrounded by her family.”

The “in memoriam” tribute also featured former Isley Brothers member Chris Jasper, The Notorious B.I.G.’s mother Voletta Wallace, hip-hop journalist and filmmaker Sacha Jenkins, Kool & the Gang hype man Michael Sumler, Tony! Toni! Toné! founding member D’Wayne Wiggins, The Spinners lead singer John Edwards and more.

Earlier in the evening, Lucky Daye, Luke James and Miles Caton from Sinners performed “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)” during the Quincy Jones tribute.