The 25th annual BET Awards lit up the Peacock Theater on June 9 with unforgettable moments– from nostalgia-packed throwbacks to social justice speeches that hit hard.

Hosted by Kevin Hart, the night fused star power with culture-defining performances and tributes. Here are some of the memorable moments from the night.

Ashanti Opens Up The Show

Ashanti kicked off the evening with an electrifying performance of the medly of “Happy”, “Rock wit U” and “Foolish” while being surrounded by dancers who were in all-black outfits. The opening performance was continued by more artists such as T.I, Bow Wow, Amerie, Kiesha Cole and many more artists as a celebration in honour of the 25th anniversary of the 106 & Park show– a American hip-hop and R&B music video show which featured popular hip-hop, R&B, dancehall music and more music videos. Shortly after the performance, there was an announcement that a spinoff called 106 & Sports is in the works and would be coming soon.

Doechii raises about the ICE raids

Despite the BET Awards being a night to celebrate excellence, they did take place under heavy circumstances as they unfolded amid the protests take place in Los Angeles as a result of the city-wide immigration raids and the current U.S president, Donald Trump, deploying troops to step in and stop the unrest. As Doechii accepted her award for Best Female Hip Hop Artist, she used her acceptance speech to take a stand and stand with the communities being impacted and displaced.

“There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order. Trump is using military forces to stop the protests. People are being swept up and torn from their families and I feel like it’s my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people”, she said.

Jamies Foxx’s emotional acceptance speech

Jamie Foxx was honoured with the Ultimate Icon Award this year and his acceptance speech tugged at everyone’s heartstringsand had everyone’s eyes tear up just a little bit. The award-winning actor and comedian expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude for the support he gets from the Black community and reflected on how grateful he is to have gotten a second chance after his health scare in 2023. “I gotta be honest, when I saw the Memoriam, I was like ‘man, that could’ve been me’. I don’t know why I went through what I went through but I know my second chance and I’m not going to turn it down”.

The actor continued to express his love for his Black audience and the BET network for all the love that he gets from them.

Mariah Carey wins her first-ever BET Award

With over 3 decades in the music industry and 25 years of the existence of BET Awards, Mariah Carey was finally honoured with her first-ever BET Award. As she accepted her BET Ultimate Icon Award, she spoke about how she has never won a BET Award before.

“I mean, if you’e going to give me one, you might as well start with the Ultimate Icon Award”, she said jokingly on stage before she expressed how incredible it felt to be honoured alongside icons such as Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg, and Kirk Franklin and shared some pearls of wisdom. “I just want to encourage everyone out there to believe in yourself, love and respect yourself, be a diva, be anything you want but be iconic while you’re doing it”, she said.

Kirk Franklin Closes The Show

After accepting his BET Ultimate Icon Award, Kirk Franklin took to the stage to deliver an electrifying performance alongside Tamar Braxton, Muni Long and other guest artists. He ended the performance with a mic drop before having a playful and light-hearted debate with host, Kevin Hart, about who was taller between the two of them.

Whether it was Ultimate Icon honours, surprise reunions, or politically charged acceptance speeches, this year’s show was a full-blown celebration of Black excellence and Black voices. As the curtains closed on this anniversary edition, the BET Awards proved once again that celebrating entertainment means honouring the stories, the struggle, and the strength behind the art.

Full List of Winners

Album of the Year: GNX by Kendrick Lamar

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist: SZA

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist: Chris Brown

Best Group: Future & Metro Boomin

Best Collaboration: Luther” by Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Doechii

Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Kendrick Lamar

Video of the Year: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

Video Director of the Year: Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar

Best New Artist: Leon Thomas Dr. Bobby Jones

Best Gospel/Inspirational Award: “Rain Down on Me” by GloRilla feat. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music

Viewer’s Choice Award: “Residuals” by Chris Brown

Best International Act: Ajulicosta (Brazil)

BET Her: “Heart of a Woman” by Summer Walker

Best Movie: Luther: Never Too Much

Best Actor: Denzel Washington

Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo

Young Stars Award: Blue Ivy Carter

Sportswoman of the Year Award: Angel Reese

Sportsman of the Year: Jalen Hurts