Andra Day, H.E.R., Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and Silk Sonic were among the winners at the 2021 BET Awards, which were handed out Sunday night at a live, in-person show that felt like a return to pre-pandemic norms.
Taraji P. Henson hosted the ceremony, which this year featured the theme “Year of the Black Woman.” Last year, the BET Awards was one of the first major awards shows to take place after the start of the pandemic, though it took place virtually and remotely. This year, the BET Awards returned to the live show format and welcomed back an in-person, vaccinated audience along with a red carpet. Organizers said they would work closely with Los Angeles County to support community vaccination efforts and ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
Henson went on to recognize several Black women in the audience, including Issa Rae, Zendaya (who was wearing a purple mask) and Jazmine Sullivan, as well as “political trailblazers” including Maxine Waters. She also gave shoutouts to Stacey Abrams and Kamala Harris.
“We gonna be Black AF tonight,” she added, noting she would be coming out onstage dressed as “some of my all-time favorite women” (among them: H.E.R., whom she came out dressed as and playing multiple instruments, calling herself “S.H.E.”; Erykah Badu; and Tina Turner). She went on: “Tonight we’re also reclaiming our aesthetics, baby hairs, long blinged-out nails, yeah, we taking all that back, gold hoops, bamboo earrings. … Our Black men, we want all y’all back, because we love you, we see you, kings, and most importantly, we need you.”
During the show, Queen Latifah was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Before she took the stage to give her acceptance speech, Monie Love, Rapsody, MC Lyte and Lil’ Kim performed a tribute to Latifah, including her own hit “U.N.I.T.Y,” as the rapper-actress got emotional while watching from the audience.
Swizz Beatz oversaw a tribute to the late rapper DMX, who died in April at age 50. Busta Rhymes, Method Man and Griselda performed during the tribute, which followed the “In Memoriam” segment remembering those who died over the past year. Their medley included a rousing performance of “Party Up (Up in Here).”
The awards aim to honor “creative expression and Black excellence across music, television, film and sports” across 21 categories. Heading into the ceremony, Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby led the nominations for the 2021 BET Awards, with seven apiece.
A list of winners follows.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
AFTER HOURS – THE WEEKND
BLAME IT ON BABY – DABABY
GOOD NEWS – MEGAN THEE STALLION
HEAUX TALES – JAZMINE SULLIVAN (WINNER)
KING’S DISEASE – NAS
UNGODLY HOUR – CHLOE X HALLE
BEST COLLABORATION
CARDI B FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION – WAP (WINNER)
DABABY FT. RODDY RICCH – ROCKSTAR
DJ KHALED FT. DRAKE – POPSTAR
JACK HARLOW FT. DABABY, TORY LANEZ & LIL WAYNE – WHATS POPPIN (REMIX)
MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. DABABY – CRY BABY
POP SMOKE FT. LIL BABY & DABABY – FOR THE NIGHT
BEST FEMALE R&B / POP ARTIST
BEYONCÉ
H.E.R. (WINNER)
JAZMINE SULLIVAN
JHENÉ AIKO
SUMMER WALKER
SZA
BEST MALE R&B / POP ARTIST
6LACK
ANDERSON .PAAK
CHRIS BROWN (WINNER)
GIVEON
TANK
THE WEEKND
BEST NEW ARTIST
COI LERAY
FLO MILLI
GIVEON (WINNER)
JACK HARLOW
LATTO
POOH SHIESTY
BEST GROUP
21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN
CHLOE X HALLE
CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG
CITY GIRLS
MIGOS
SILK SONIC (WINNER)
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
CARDI B
COI LERAY
DOJA CAT
MEGAN THEE STALLION (WINNER)
LATTO
SAWEETIE
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY
DRAKE
J. COLE
JACK HARLOW
LIL BABY (WINNER)
POP SMOKE
DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
BEBE WINANS – IN JESUS NAME
CECE WINANS – NEVER LOST
H.E.R. – HOLD US TOGETHER
KIRK FRANKLIN – STRONG GOD (WINNER)
MARVIN SAPP – THANK YOU FOR IT ALL
TAMELA MANN – TOUCH FROM YOU
BET HER AWARD
ALICIA KEYS FT. KHALID – SO DONE
BRANDY FT. CHANCE THE RAPPER – BABY MAMA
BRI STEVES – ANTI QUEEN
CHLOE X HALLE – BABY GIRL
CIARA FT. ESTER DEAN – ROOTED
SZA – GOOD DAYS (WINNER)
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
AYA NAKAMURA (FRANCE)
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA) (WINNER)
DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA)
EMICIDA (BRAZIL)
HEADIE ONE (UK)
WIZKID (NIGERIA)
YOUNG T & BUGSEY (UK)
YOUSSOUPHA (FRANCE)
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
CARDI B FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION – WAP
CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG – GO CRAZY
DABABY FT. RODDY RICCH – ROCKSTAR
DJ KHALED FT. DRAKE – POPSTAR
DRAKE FT. LIL DURK – LAUGH NOW CRY LATER
LIL BABY – THE BIGGER PICTURE
MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. BEYONCÉ – SAVAGE (REMIX) (WINNER)
SILK SONIC – LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN
VIEWER’S CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
ARLO PARKS – UNITED KINGDOM
BRAMSITO – FRANCE
BREE RUNWAY – UNITED KINGDOM (WINNER)
ELAINE – SOUTH AFRICA
MC DRICKA – BRAZIL
RONISIA – FRANCE
TEMS – NIGERIA
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CARDI B – UP
CARDI B FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION – WAP (WINNER)
CHLOE X HALLE – DO IT
CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG – GO CRAZY
DRAKE FT. LIL DURK – LAUGH NOW CRY LATER
SILK SONIC – LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
BENNY BOOM
BRUNO MARS AND FLORENT DÉCHARD (WINNER)
COLE BENNETT
COLIN TILLEY
DAVE MEYERS
HYPE WILLIAMS
BEST MOVIE
COMING 2 AMERICA
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH (WINNER)
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
SOUL
THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
BEST ACTRESS
ANDRA DAY (WINNER)
ANGELA BASSETT
ISSA RAE
JURNEE SMOLLETT
VIOLA DAVIS
ZENDAYA
BEST ACTOR
ALDIS HODGE
CHADWICK BOSEMAN (WINNER)
DAMSON IDRIS
DANIEL KALUUYA
EDDIE MURPHY
LAKEITH STANFIELD
YOUNGSTARS AWARD
ALEX R. HIBBERT
ETHAN HUTCHISON
LONNIE CHAVIS
MARSAI MARTIN (WINNER)
MICHAEL EPPS
STORM REID
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
A’JA WILSON
CANDACE PARKER
CLARESSA SHIELDS
NAOMI OSAKA (WINNER)
SERENA WILLIAMS
SKYLAR DIGGINS-SMITH
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
KYRIE IRVING
LEBRON JAMES (WINNER)
PATRICK MAHOMES
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
RUSSELL WILSON
STEPHEN CURRY
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