7 Finest Moments From the 2025 BET Awards You Did not See on Tv

When she wasn’t dazzling viewers together with her futuristic dwell debut of her new “Lengthy Time” single, Teyana Taylor was having fun with a flirty evening in town together with her new beau, Aaron Pierre. The Mufasa actor, who can be set to star in Teyana’s forthcoming Escape Room visible album, wrapped his arms round his girl as the 2 took within the evening’s different stellar performances.

Although the cameras picked up a little bit of their infectious rapport early within the present, Doechii and Keke Palmer, each nominees final evening (June 9), have been simply essentially the most entertaining celeb pairing of the evening. There was a much less buzzy environment within the room this 12 months, however these two women singing together with the whole thing of every of their respective beings greater than made up for it.

As a matter of truth, Keke ought to solid Doechii within the subsequent One in all Them Days film, now {that a} sequel is confirmed!

Whereas Ciara was introducing Teyana Taylor’s efficiency, Taraji P. Henson sat 20 toes within the air, clutching a fiery bouquet of faux roses. The flowers have been on hearth all through Ciara’s whole speech, and the flames lasted till the final phrase of the monologue she delivered as the primary factor of Taylor’s set. Unsurprisingly, Henson dealt with her time up there like a champ; perhaps she took notes from GloRilla’s hanging from the ceiling throughout her Undertaking 2025 Consciousness speech eventually 12 months’s awards.

Although he’s nonetheless in the course of what’s already one of many greatest hip-hop excursions in historical past, Kendrick Lamar discovered his manner again to his hometown of L.A. to select up 5 new trophies. Lamar was not introduced as a performer or presenter, and his attendance was unconfirmed even to these on the pink carpet, which he opted out of. Furthermore, most individuals weren’t anticipating to see him or SZA as a consequence of their Grand Nationwide tour schedule.

Nonetheless, when Keke Palmer introduced the winner for album of the 12 months, and Kendrick sauntered from his seat to the stage — the Peacock Theater viewers leapt to its toes. Each neck within the room craned to search out the very best angle to the Okay.Dot, simply giving the Compton MC the evening’s most fervent acknowledgment of a non-Final Icon Award winner. Notably, when the digicam picked up slightly little bit of SZA, a number of individuals within the crowd yelled one excited confusion — she skipped out on accepting her feminine R&B/pop artist award earlier within the evening.

Throughout her acceptance speech for greatest feminine hip-hop artist, Doechii shortly shifted her consideration from her very first BET Award to the extreme LA protests in opposition to ICE taking place blocks away from the Peacock Theatre.

“I do wanna tackle what’s taking place proper now outdoors of the constructing,” she stated. “There are ruthless assaults which are creating worry and chaos in our communities within the title of regulation and order. Trump is utilizing army drive to cease a protest. And I would like y’all to think about what sort of authorities it seems to be when each time we train our democratic proper to protest, the army is deployed in opposition to us. What sort of presidency is that?”

Whereas the applause could have sounded sturdy at residence, the vitality within the room was a bit extra prickly. A few third of the room gave the Grammy-winning rapper a standing ovation, one other third shifted of their seats wanting visibly uncomfortable, whereas the remaining third stored their reactions impartial. Contemplating the proximity of the unrest, the viewers’s muted response was pretty eyebrow-raising — however perhaps the room was nonetheless coming down from its 106 & Park-fueled excessive.

Whereas Ashanti, Mýa, Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Keyshia Cole, T.I. and Bow Wow shut down the stage with a sprawling tribute to 106 & Park, almost 100 viewers members have been barred from entry to their seats throughout the opener. Although the delayed seating was seemingly a matter of manufacturing protocol, the unlucky expertise didn’t discriminate.

It wasn’t simply seat-fillers and non-celebrity attendees left having fun with the efficiency from outdoors the membership; Proud Household actress Kyla Pratt was amongst these getting crushed by the more and more pissed off crowd. Additionally, streamer and Billboard cowl star Kai Cenat and his crew shoved their manner by means of the gang, documenting the entire ordeal dwell on stream.

Jamie Foxx’s tribute — which featured Stevie Marvel, Babyface, Ludacris, T-Ache, Doug E. Recent and Tank honoring his performing, stand-up and music careers — was simply the most effective of the Final Icon Award recipients.

Whereas Tank’s Jamie-as-Ray-Charles tribute was as humorous because it was spectacular, it was Jennifer Hudson’s shock look for “Gold Digger” that introduced each individual within the room to their toes. Much like her show-stopping “Purple Rain” cowl in reminiscence of Prince on the 2016 BET Awards, Hudson entered the stage wailing for the rafters, the mixed energy of her presence and voice sending the gang into overdrive. Tons of shock company popped out final evening, however none have been capable of take to command the room like JHud did.