Award shows are usually predictable affairs. However, when you have Taraji P. Henson running things, expect the unexpected. For the BET Awards, the actual categories and winners have always been secondary to the performances. This year’s show was no different. With highly-anticipated appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, Will Smith, Ms. Lauryn Hill and Victoria Monét, we knew there would be plenty of unforgettable moments. But like most award shows, there was also a lot of awkwardness. So, let’s get into the 2024 BET Awards with the good, the bad and the awkward of the show’s most memorable moments.
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Good: Megan Thee Stallion Starts the Party
Meg instantly got the Hot Girl party going with “Boa” from her new album, “Megan.” Surrounded by a stage full of dancers, she let everyone questioning her superstar status know exactly who she is.
Awkward: Taraji P. Henson’s Pop Out
Taraji got her “Pop Out” on rocking her version of “Not Like Us.” We applaud the effort, but maybe they should’ve let her sing instead of rap.
Good: Victoria Monét Has Arrived
In her debut on the main stage, Victoria Monét brought her viral “On My Mama” video to life, then seamlessly transitioned into her new hit, “Alright.” It was truly a star-making moment that garnered a well-deserved standing ovation.
Good: Usher Shouts Out the Dads
After winning the award for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Usher used his time to celebrate all the dads and everything they’ve done to uplift and support their families. Considering the bad rap Black fathers often receive, it was a beautiful moment.
Awkward: VP Harris Calls Taraji
While Vice President Kamala Harris’ plea for viewers to understand how high the stakes are in the upcoming presidential election was well meaning, her saying she’s “out here in these streets” was weird. No need for the pandering, we know how important this election is.
Good: The Fresh Prince Goes to Church
When Will Smith said he was bringing us new music, we didn’t know that meant he was taking us to church, but that’s exactly what happened. The Oscar winner turned his adversity into an empowering anthem featuring Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore and Sunday Service.
Good: Taraji Gets Out the Vote
After the weird bit with Vice President Harris, Taraji took time between awards to once again implore everyone to get out and vote. She reminded the community that Republicans want to take our rights away and we can’t let that happen.
Bad: Donald Glover Is Not Happy
Before he presented the award for Album of the Year, Donald Glover had some thoughts on how he doesn’t have enough BET Awards. The thing about Donald is, we can never tell if he’s serious or just doing a comedy bit, and frankly, we’re still not sure.
Good: You Can’t Stop Killer Mike
During his acceptance speech for Album of the Year, Killer Mike shouted out the people who got him back on the Peacock Theater stage after his unfortunate arrest on Grammy night. He enthusiastically celebrated Black families, then stressed the importance of also paying attention to local elections, not just major ones.
Good: Shaboozey and Tanner Adell Bring Country to BET
After Years of ignoring Black country artists, the impact of “Cowboy Carter” had the network finally acknowledging some of the talented singers who are making their mark in the genre.
Good: Ladies Night!
Show-stopping performances from Megan Thee Stallion; Latto; GloRilla; Sexyy Red; and Ice Spice showed that the new crop of female rappers is ready to take over the game. We also got amazing moments from Victoria Monét; Tanner Adell; Tyla; and the all-star tribute to Usher. It really was Ladies Night at the Peacock Theater.
Bad: Taraji Gives Out Flowers
At one point, the Oscar nominee decided to celebrate some of the stars in attendance. It started off nice enough, as she congratulated Halle Bailey on the birth of her son. Though she did mess up “The Little Mermaid” star’s name. Things quickly went downhill when she confused social media stars Jordan Howlett and Keith Lee. The whole segment felt like she was stalling for time and it turned into a disaster. We know how talented Taraji is, so this was an unfortunate mess in an otherwise fun hosting job.
Good: Usher’s Black Girl Magic Tribute
As a fun surprise, we got a roster of the most talented women in the business paying tribute to the R&B legend. After Childish Gambino opened the performance with “U Don’t Have to Call,” Keke Palmer; Chloe; Victoria Monét; Latto; Summer Walker; Coco Jones; and Teyana Taylor were among the star-studded artists who put a new spin on Usher’s biggest hits. The internet is mixed on the choice, but let’s be honest: No male performer can do Usher like Usher.
Bad: Did You Actually Need to Hear Usher?
We’d love to drop an amazing clip of Usher’s Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech, but BET decided to censor most of it after the “Nice & Slow” singer opened things up with a few curse words and warnings that he was about to get real. From there, we only caught a few words until the very end. Hopefully, someone who was in the theater will post it online for the rest of us.
Good: Lauryn Hill’s Family Legacy
There’s a reason we can’t quit Ms. Lauryn Hill. When she’s on stage, in her element, she’s a truly special performer. No one emotes and gives her all to a song the way she does. In an epic show-closing performance, she was joined by her son, YG Marley, and fellow The Fugees member, Wyclef Jean.
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