Online Reporter
Los Angeles was ablaze with laughter, music and heartfelt tributes as the 2025 BET Awards took centre stage yesterday.
Hosted by the multi-talented Kevin Hart, the evening encapsulated the spirit of celebration intertwined with poignant reflections, particularly as it honoured icons like Jamie Foxx.
Kicking off the night with his signature blend of humour and edge, Hart wasted no time making the audience chuckle with his monologue.
He cheekily addressed famous figures such as Kanye West, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Cardi B,among others.
A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Ultimate Icon Honour to Foxx.
The 57-year-old star received the award in an emotional moment that highlighted his remarkable journey and recently regained health after a near-fatal stroke in April 2023.
As Foxx accepted the award, he delivered a heartfelt speech.
Fighting tears, he shared his near-death experience and how it transformed his perspective on life: “I cannot even begin to express the love that I feel from everybody out there.
Man, we used to take this thing for granted, that God is good.”
The night also featured performances that paid tribute to Foxx’s legendary contributions, with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Ludacris joining forces to cover his favourite track, “Unpredictable”, while Tank and Jennifer Hudson transitioned into Foxx’s Oscar era with a stirring rendition of “Night Time Is the Right Time”.
Hudson further captivated the audience with a snippet of Foxx’s classic collaboration on Kanye West’s “Gold Digger,” followed by a performance from Doug E. Fresh, Teddy Riley and T-Pain who covered his hit “Blame It”.
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar took home the award for Album of the Year for “GNX”, beating out Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Drake and adding to the impressive string of accolades for the LA rapper.
His award was presented to him by actor Keke Palmer.
During his acceptance speech, he acknowledged that he hasn’t often attended the BET Awards but he said that it’s always been important to him.
“I ain’t been here in a long time. BET always makes sure that they represent the culture right and always put me in the midst of the cycle of what we represent, and that’s real, true down to Earth music that people can feel. So I always give my heart to BET.”
Lamar also walked away with Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year for the viral smash “Not Like Us”, Best Collaboration alongside SZA for their soul-shaking track “Luther” and shared Video Director of the Year honours with creative partner Dave Free. — iolnews.com
