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The BET Awards 2018 have barely distributed trophies with such big stars as Cardi B, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, but the show included top performances by emerging vocalist HER, rapper Meek Mill and gospel artist Yolanda Adams, who paid tribute to Anita Baker and almost brought her to tears.
Baker, an eight-time Grammy winner who dominated the R & B charts from the early '80s to the mid-'90s, won the Lifetime Achievement Award Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
This 60-year-old woman used her speech to encourage the artists in the room to keep the music alive.
"I ask that music be allowed to play, that singers have the right to sing, that rappers have the right to rap, and that poets can rhyme," said Baker, who was also honored by Jamie Foxx, Ledisi and Marsha Ambrosius.
HER, whose real name is Gabi Wilson, was impressive singing the hit R & B "Focus", played the electric guitar like a rock star and sang sweetly during the sweet song "Best Part" where she was joined by Daniel Caesar .
Meek Mill, released from jail in April, hit the song "Stay Woke" on a scene turned into a street corner, with prostitutes, children and police. A mother screams while her child is shot during the powerful performance, and an officer lays an American flag on the body.
Meek Mill also made a statement by wearing a hoodie with the face of XXXTentacion, the 20-year-old rapper-singer who died after being shot last week.
"We can not get used to these things, we're too used to young people being killed," Foxx said of XXXTentacion later in the show.
The winner of the Oscar told the public "to try to get a message" in their music.
"We have to understand something," he said.
Snoop Dogg celebrated his 25 years of music performing the classic songs "What's My Name" and "Next Episode". The rapper also played songs from his recently released gospel album, wearing a choir dress on a church-like stage.
Childish Gambino, whose song and video "This Is America" tackles racism and gun violence and became a viral success last month, gave a short and impromptu rendition of the song when Foxx took it brought on stage.
"Everyone begged me to make a joke about this song.I said that this song should not be joking," Foxx said.
Foxx launched the show by celebrating the huge success of "Black Panther", naming the records that the film broke and even drew Michael B. Jordan on stage to recite a line of the film.
"We do not need a president right now because we have our king," said Foxx about T & # 39; Challa. "(Director) Ryan Coogler gave us our king."
Foxx entered the arena with a stuffed black panther – with a gold chain around his neck – which he stretched to Jordan. The film won the best movie.
"The film talks about our experiences as African-Americans and also captures the experiences of being African," said Coogler. "It was all about tapping into the voice that tells us to be proud of who we are."
At the end of his speech, he told the audience to visit Africa and learn about the history of the continent.
SZA, who was the most Grammy nominated woman this year, won the Best New Artist and said that she "has never won anything in front of other people. . "
She dedicated the prize to those "lost in the world" by saying: "Follow your passion … believe in yourself".
After the show, BET announced that Kendrick Lamar had won the best album for "DAMN." And best male hip-hop artist. Beyonce was voted Best Pop / R & B Artist, while Bruno Mars was named Best Pop / R & B Artist.
"Girls Trip" star and comedian Tiffany Haddish, who won the best actress and gave her speech in a recorded video, also said encouraging words.
"You can achieve anything you want in life," she said.
DJ Khaled was the principal nominee with six and won first prize of the night – best collaboration – for "Wild Thoughts" with Rihanna and Bryson Tiller. He was holding his son on his hip on stage and also used his speech to highlight the youngsters.
"You are all leaders and you are all kings and queens – the future," he said.
Migos won the best group and gave a fun performance that even allowed Adams to recite the lyrics. J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, Janelle Monae, Miguel, YG, 2 Chainz and Big Sean also played.
The BET awards normally award their humanitarian prize to one person, but six people received the honorary award on Sunday. Nicknamed "Humanitarian Heroes," the network awarded awards to James Shaw Jr., who fought a rifle-style assault away from a shooter in a Tennessee Waffle House in April; Anthony Borges, the 15-year-old student who was shot five times and saved the lives of at least 20 other students during the February massacre in Florida; Mamoudou Gassama, who climbed a building to save a child who was hanging from a balcony last month in Paris; Naomi Wadler, an 11-year-old girl who gave a memorable and influential speech in March for Our Lives; Justin Blackman, the only student out of high school in North Carolina during the nationwide student strike to protest gun violence in March; and the journalist and activist Shaun King.
Debra Lee, who stepped down as BET President and CEO last month after 32 years in the network, won the Ultimate Icon Award.
"The power of black culture is unparalleled, it's beautiful, it's amazing, it's all, it's us," she said.
She ended her speech by quoting former US President Barack Obama, the "Our Commander in Chief", who was highly applauded.
"And, that's Debra Lee," she said dropping her imaginary microphone.
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