The BET Awards 2024 aired on Sunday, June 30, giving a spotlight to some of the most celebrated Black artists of the year — and highlighting some musical legends that made a huge impact on Black pop culture.
This year’s BET Awards garnered significant attention due to the impact of the historic writers’ strike of 2023, which had arguably affected the previous year’s event. Actress and repeat host Taraji P. Henson, a supporter of the strike, skipped last year’s show in solidarity, adding to the anticipation of her return this year.
Some winners include Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Regina King, and Nicki Minaj. This year Usher was nominated and presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades-long career and impact on the culture. But an award show wouldn’t be complete without the viewer-chosen, unofficial category that causes chatter on social media: meme-worthy moments.
Here are five of the wildest meme-worthy moments of the BET Awards that had the internet talking.
1. Usher’s Lifetime Achievement Award Speech
Usher gave an 8-minute speech, but viewers at home didn’t hear much of it because it was censored. Some BET Award attendees recorded Usher’s speech and uploaded it to X, sparking some users to express disappointment that so much of it was cut from the official broadcast.
2. Will Smith’s performance
Will Smith performed his new single “You Can Make It” featuring Kirk Franklin and Sunday Choir. Surrounded by a ring of flames, Smith’s performance was quite literally fire. This isn’t the first time Smith has performed at an award show recently. At the end of last year, Smith and long time friend DJ Jazzy Jeff performed together at the Grammy’s to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
3. Taraji P. Henson’s Parody of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”
Taraji P. Henson’s opening performance “It’s About Us” was a light-hearted, yet lyrically inclined, parody of the Kendrick Lamar diss track. In true Henson fashion, she “popped out” and set the tone for the night — gold grill and all!
4. The Usher Tribute (All 16-minutes of it!)
This female-heavy tribute was filled with emerging artists and OGs who have already left their mark putting their own twist on some of Usher’s most noteworthy songs. The artists that graced the stage were Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Summer Walker, Coco Jones, Marsha Ambrosius, Chlöe, Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monet, and Latto.
Donald Glover’s comments about not getting an award
One thing for sure, two things for certain, Donald Glover a.k.a Childish Gambino is going to say what’s on his mind — and make you laugh.