BET Awards 2025: Big Wins and Even Bigger Performances!
This year’s BET Awards pulled out all the stops for its 25th anniversary, transforming the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles into a glittering shrine of Black excellence on Monday night.
With Kevin Hart steering the ship as host for the second time, cracking jokes and dodging unscripted chaos, the night delivered a mix of nostalgia, bold new energy from old-time favorites, impactful speeches, and high-energy performances.
Kendrick Lamar emerged as the king of the evening, taking home the Album of the Year award for GNX and sharing the Best Collaboration award with SZA for their hit “Luther.” Without many even realizing that he was there until he took the stage, Lamar’s speech was poetic and pointed, nodding to community, legacy, and his hometown of LA. The rapper also received awards for Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year and Video Director of the Year.
SZA added more trophies to her collection, winning Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, while rising star Doechii won her first BET award for Best Female Hip Hop Artist, officially shedding any “up next” labels. Billboard’s Woman of the Year gave a powerful speech addressing the explosive ICE raid protests that were happening right outside the award show’s doors.
Mariah Carey, who was one of this year’s recipients for the Ultimate Icon Award, gave fans a glitter-drenched gift with the live debut of her sultry new single, “Type Dangerous.”
Snoop Dogg also picked up an Ultimate Icon Award and delivered a performance packed with throwback West Coast fire like “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” and Kirk Franklin closed the show with a gospel performance that turned the theater into Sunday service, complete with Muni Long and Tamar Braxton adding their vocals.
Fresh off Friday’s Tha Carter VI drop, Lil Wayne also performed two of his hit songs, including “A Mili,” which the crowd rapped word for word. But he wasn’t the only one that lit up the stage after releasing new music. Teyana Taylor gave a dazzling look into what we can expect from her upcoming visual album, Escape Room. She even recruited Taraji P. Henson for the moment.
One of the biggest moments of the night was the tribute to Jaime Foxx and his speech when accepting his Ultimate Icon Award. Jennifer Hudson, Tank, and Babyface took the audience on a trip down memory lane to honor all the different phases of Foxx’s life and career.
Returning to the BET stage for the first time after suffering from a near-fatal stroke in 2023, Foxx received a standing ovation before launching into a heartfelt speech about gratitude and the power of second chances.
“I wouldn’t be standing here without prayer, family and faith,” said Foxx, his voice cracking as he acknowledged the support he received from the Black community during his recovery. The moment was both triumphant and tender, while serving as a reminder of his immense talent and the strength behind his comeback. His two daughters and sister watched proudly and tearfully as he accepted his award.
Another standout moment came with the nostalgic tribute to 106&Park, BET’s iconic music countdown show that defined an era. Former hosts, including Free and Terrance J, reunited with artists like Bow Wow, Jim Jones, Ashanti, B2K, and Amerie performing throwback tributes.
The 2025 BET Awards didn’t just celebrate winners, but culture, history and legacy. Cheers to the next 25 years of BET!
