bet awards
The 2024 BET Awards on June 30 drew more than 3 million viewers, according to Nielsen figures. The show, which was simulcast live across 10 Paramount networks, was up 10% in impressions compared to last year. It stands as the No. 1 awards show on cable of the first half of 2024.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
A total of 4.3 million viewers watched BET Awards content on premiere night, delivering a viewership increase of 10%. (That figure combines a live red-carpet show, the main telecast and an encore airing of the main telecast.)
The 2024 BET Awards scored its highest viewership with audiences in the prized 18-49 demographic in five years. It was the No. 1 show on all of TV for the day; the No. 1 cable awards show of the first half of 2024 among all audiences (18-49); and the No. 1 most social program across all of TV with 82% growth year-over-year and 10.5 million social interactions.
Trending on Billboard
BET calls the show “the most-watched culture and entertainment event on all of TV by Black audiences 18-49.” That careful wording is meant to exclude sports programming.
BET also calls the show “the most-watched Black event in America” and “the largest Black gathering for culture, entertainment, and empowerment in the country.”
The 2024 BET Awards included at least two notable firsts.
This year, the BET Awards put Black country artists at center stage for the first time. Tanner Adell performed her songs “Buckle Bunny” and “Cowboy” on the BET Amplified stage. The red-hot Shaboozey performed “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” joined by J-Kwon, whose 2004 smash “Tipsy” is interpolated in Shaboozey’s smash. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” jumps to No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 and holds at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs for the fourth nonconsecutive week.
In a statement, BET said “this groundbreaking inclusion of country music highlighted Black music’s rich history, diversity, and landscape” and that the show “celebrated the fullness of Black music.”
Also, Will Smith performed on the BET Awards stage for the first time, unveiling his new song “You Can Make It” alongside Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, and the Sunday Service Choir. Smith had co-hosted the show in 2005 with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, but had not previously performed on the show. This was Smith’s first awards-show performance since he was barred from Academy Awards events for 10 years in 2022 following a headline-grabbing and image-damaging incident involving Chris Rock. This is a reminder that for many Black performers seeking to mount a comeback, the surest route is through Black audiences, who will often tend to be more sympathetic.
The importance of showing up to the polls in this chaotic election year was stressed throughout the show. The show included a segment in which third-time host Taraji P. Henson conversed with Vice President Kamala Harris about the importance of voting. In his acceptance speech for album of the year, Killer Mike stressed not only the importance of voting but also getting politically involved locally year-round.
Connie Orlando, EVP of specials, music programming & music strategy, served as the executive producer for the annual show, with Jamal Noisette, SVP of tentpoles & music community engagement, for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Jerritt Clark / Getty
Lee Daniels and Lena Waithe were among the attendees at the renowned event held in Los Angeles at the end of Black Music Month.
Last Friday (June 28), the Beverly Hills Hilton in Los Angeles, California, was the site of the Innovators and Leaders Awards Brunch, held by the esteemed Culture Creators Foundation. The non-profit group’s premier event was a fundraiser brunch for its mission of being a platform to recognize and salute those making significant contributions to the culture, business and entertainment industries. It was marked by the appearance of some notable figures such as director Lee Daniels and producer and director Lena Waithe, who were on hand to present awards. BET was a main sponsor of the event along with Möet Hennessy, Lexus and Rap Snacks.
Source: Jerritt Clark / Getty
Journalist and NAACP Image Award nominee Gia Peppers served as the host of the expansive event, which began with “The Collective Conversation,” a talk between rapper and actor Joey Bada$$ and political strategist Quentin James about the ways that the community can be more politically informed and engaged with emphasis placed on voting and advocating for more diversity and increases in Black employment. After a performance by Roc Nation’s remarkable R&B band, Infinity Song, actress and singer Teyana Taylor was surprised by Waithe who presented her with the Innovator of the Year Award, providing a heartwarming moment for all attending.
Source: Jerritt Clark / Getty
A similar moment occurred as CAA agent and board member Lorrie Bartlett was honored with the ICON Award by her longtime friend Daniels on stage. “I have had an incredible run and I feel so proud and lucky when I think about all I have accomplished thus far. Here’s the truth: more often than not, you have to make your own luck. The pathway to success is not the same for everybody,” Bartlett said to the audience. Other guests at the brunch included former honoree L.A. Reid, Andra Day, Regina King, Omarion, Debra Lee, YK Osiris, Alex Isley, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Pretty Vee, Trevor Jackson, Elijah Blake, Estelle, Cory Hardrict, designer Karl Kani, Flau’Jae, Jasper Hagen and Jessica Betts.
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Tanner Adell made her BET Awards debut Sunday (June 30), and she invited Billboard along for the ride.
The country singer, featured on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, gave us a behind-the-scenes look at her BET Awards glam. Fans can shop Adell’s beauty picks via talkshoplive starting Wednesday (July 3).
Her red-carpet glam included NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, La Mer Moisturizing Cream, Fenty Beauty Mini Pro Filt’r Retouch Setting Powder, Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer, Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder, Pat McGrath Labs Mothership x Eyeshadow Palette, One/Size Point Made 24-Hour Gel Eyeliner Pencil, M.A.C’s Cork Lip Pencil Liner and blush from Haus Labs by Lady Gaga.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
For her hair, Adell used Fenty Hair 5-in-1 Heat Protectant Styler, a Dyson Airwrap and the T3 Body Waver Professional Curling and Styling Iron.
Trending on Billboard
Adell described the full look — an off-the shoulder Bach Mai dress and cowboy hat and heels with her hair in two braids — as Western meets whimsy.
“I love fantasy,” explained Adell. “I love playing games with fairies and all the sparkles and glitter [and] rhinestones. I would say [this look is] ‘Western whimsical.’ The dress is the whimsical, the braids and the hat are the Western.”
“The braids are such a cowgirl staple,” she added.
The “Buckle Bunny” singer made history as the first Black female country artist to perform at the BET Awards, which marked her first performance on a televised awards show.
“That’s an honor. It’s a really big deal for me,” she shared while getting glammed up for the show. “It’s crazy to go from watching the BET [Awards] to being on them.”
Adell performed her vial hit “Buckle Bunny” at the 2024 BET Awards and a new song, “Cowboy Break My Heart.”
Watch the video above to shop beauty picks from Adell’s BET Awards glam.
Muni Long teamed up with Mariah Carey for the remix of her latest hit, “Made for Me,” and she chatted with Billboard on the BET Awards red carpet on Sunday (June 30) about the collaboration. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Mariah’s an icon and every chance […]
Usher got his flowers at the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday, June 30, receiving their lifetime achievement award. The award has been presented in all but one year since the show started in 2001. (There was no recipient in 2020, the year the COVID-19 pandemic nearly brought awards shows to a standstill.)
Whitney Houston was the inaugural BET lifetime achievement award winner in 2001. She was just 37 at the time, rather young for an award of this nature, but, as it turned out, it’s a good thing she got it when she did. She died unexpectedly in 2012.
Eight winners of the BET lifetime achievement award have also received Kennedy Center Honors, arguably the top “lifetime achievement award” given to entertainers. Those double winners are Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Al Green, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah.
Trending on Billboard
Most, but not all, of the BET lifetime achievement awards have also won Grammy Awards in competition. The BET honored six acts who, for whatever reason, have yet to win a competitive Grammy. They are Diana Ross, The O’Jays, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Charlie Wilson, New Edition and Busta Rhymes.
The BET’s 2006 lifetime achievement award went to actor Samuel L. Jackson. That was the year Prince died, and the show had five separate segments honoring the music legend. A lifetime achievement award to another music star would have easily been overshadowed by all the love shown to Prince, so the show pivoted and honored an actor instead. (Prince had received BET’s lifetime achievement award in 2010.)
Other BET lifetime achievement award honorees, not already mentioned in this story, are The Isley Brothers, Chaka Khan, Patti La Belle, Anita Baker, Mary J. Blige and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Looking at that roster of past honorees, you may wonder “who’s left to receive this award in future”? Quite a few people, as it turns out. Here’s a list of 25 leading candidates for lifetime achievement awards at the BET Awards. All are still living. (The BET has yet to present a lifetime achievement award posthumously.) All have been active for 20 years or more.
The list includes legends whose careers date back to the late 1950s or early 1960s, such as Jerry Butler, Dionne Warwick and Stevie Wonder, as well as a few stars who broke through in the early 2000s – Alicia Keys, T.I. and Kanye West/Ye.
Of these 25 leading candidates for lifetime achievement awards at the BET Awards, who would you most like to see get the honor?
Though the BET Awards largely went off without a hitch on Sunday night (June 30), there was one blip in the broadcast. As Usher accepted the network’s lifetime achievement award, parts of his passionate, 12-minute speech were inaudible to viewers at home. BET issued an apology to the eight-time Grammy winner on Monday (July 1), […]
Plus photos of Ari Lennox, Ice Spice, Latto & more.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Christopher Polk / Getty
Kendrick Lamar and Killer Mike were among the winners at the 2024 BET Awards while Usher took the stage in a standout moment.
On Sunday night (June 30), the 2024 BET Awards took place in front of a packed house at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The night, hosted by actress Taraji P. Henson, was a star-studded affair that saw some of the biggest Black personalities in entertainment take home awards. R&B superstar Usher being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award was the key highlight of the four-hour show, which also saw him take home the award for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist.
[embedded content]
Usher took the stage to receive the award after a medley performance of his greatest hits from artists including Childish Gambino, Summer Walker, Keke Palmer, Victoria Monét, and Teyana Taylor with Latto closing it out with her version of Ludacris’ verse on “Yeah!”. L.A. Reid and Babyface presented the award to Usher, who began his speech by saying: Getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it. This life achievement award, I don’t know man. Is it too early for me to receive it? Because I’m still running and gunning and still love this s—t like I was eight years old.”
Kendrick Lamar took home the award for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, beating out Drake as his “Not Like Us” song served as the opening of the show as Henson rapped an interpretation dressed as the Compton artist was on his “Pop Out” concert. Nicki Minaj secured the award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, and Killah Mike got the major award of the night by winning Album of The Year for his recent release, Michael. The Atlanta rapper stirred the crowd with his acceptance speech.
[embedded content]
The rest of the evening also featured energizing performances from Megan Thee Stallion, who appeared at the BET Awards for the first time in three years while Victoria Monét thrilled the crowd with her set featuring her hit “On My Mama” and her new single “Alright”. The new wave of women rappers also took the stage, with GloRilla descending from the roof in a parachute to kick her set off. Sexxy Red also performed a medley of her hits, while Ice Spice gave the audience a preview of her upcoming Y2K album with a quick set.
Mickey Guyton pulled up to the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday (June 30), and the country singer stopped to chat with Billboard‘s Carl Lamarre while walking down the red carpet in a pair of Andrea Wazen strappy heels. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news After moving from Texas […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Usher Raymond has been in show business for three decades and has achieved several high marks in a career worthy of continual celebration. The Atlanta by way of Tennessee native accepted the BET Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday (June 30) but much of his speech was muted due to some profanity and X wasn’t having it.
Usher was treated to an extensive series of tribute performances from the likes of Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Coco Jones, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét, Chlöe, Tinashe, Summer Walker, Marsha Ambrosius, and Latto at the 2024 BET Awards in Los Angeles, Calif.
Of course, there have been mixed reviews of the tribute performances but kudos to the performers for rocking the stage under that sort of pressure in front of one of the world’s best live entertainers.
When it was time to accept the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, Usher, full of his usual radiant charm, wowed the audience with a confident and comical speech that started normally as Ursher allowed “The A” to come out at the tail end of the speech.
“I don’t know, man, is it too early for me to receive it? Because I’m still running and gunning and I still love this sh*t like I did when I was eight years old,” Usher said in an earlier portion of his speech.
Later in the speech in which he honors Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Babyface, and L.A. Reid, he said, “[to] the men who motivated me, who speak to me, who have spoken to me, who have been solid no matter how f*cked up it may have been…sorry, I’m cursing to let you know how I really feel.”
A TikTok user recorded the speech, which can be seen below and we do urge caution and there is profanity present. Keep scrolling to see reactions to the speech from X.
—
Photo: Getty