Published on June 28th, 2021 | by Crystal Willis

Queen Latifah Honored With Lifetime Achievement and Cardi B Reveals Baby Bump at BET Awards

MEGAN THEE STALLION, CARDI B, H.E.R., JAZMINE SULLIVAN, SILK SONIC, LIL BABY, CHADWICK BOSEMAN, ANDRA DAY, AND “JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH” TAKE TOP HONORS AT THE “BET AWARDS” 2021

ANDRA DAY, SILK SONIC, CARDI B, CITY GIRLS, DABABY, DJ KHALED, H.E.R., JAZMINE SULLIVAN, KIRK FRANKLIN, LIL BABY, LIL DURK, LIL NAS X, MEGAN THEE STALLION, MIGOS, MONEYBAGG YO, RAPSODY, RODDY RICCH, TYLER THE CREATOR AND MORE DELIVERED EXPLOSIVE, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PERFORMANCES

BET honored an incredible and inspiring lineup of artists, entertainers and cultural icons across more than 20 categories at The “BET AWARDS” 2021. The iconic show, hosted by Academy Award^®-nominated and Golden Globe^®-winning actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist Taraji P. Henson, aired live at 8 pm ET/PT on BET on Sunday, June 27, 2021 with a fully vaccinated audience. This year’s extraordinary show highlighted the absolute best in entertainment and culture with stunning performances and appearances by the biggest names across television, film, and music.

“The BET AWARDS have yet again proven to be culture’s biggest night,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET. “From the amazing talent, extraordinary creativity, and performances, and our incredible live vaccinated audience, the energy of the night was unmatched and delivered some of the most buzzworthy moments of 2021! Throughout any circumstance, whether it be virtual, live, or whatever comes next, BET will continue to elevate the standard of awards shows.”

The “BET AWARDS,” which has become synonymous with powerful Black artistry and social commentary, continues to spotlight and celebrate the artists and creators of tomorrow, making the ceremony one of the most news-provoking and talked-about broadcasts year after year.

This year’s awards were proclaimed as the “Year of the Black Woman” to celebrate and honor their immense impact on the culture. The ceremony was an unforgettable celebration of Black culture, love, joy, and pride.

Queen Latifah was honored with this year’s Lifetime Achievement BET Award, in recognition of her prolific career over the past 30 years, in which she remained one of the most versatile creatives of the time. Following an inspirational tribute from Rapsody & Monie Love, performing “Ladies First,” and Lil Kim & MC Lyte, performing “U.N.I.T.Y.,” she received a standing ovation as she accepted the well-deserved award.

DJ Khaled lit up the stage with a jam-packed performance of his new songs, ”Every Chance I Get” and “I Did It,” with an all-star line-up including Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Megan Thee Stallion, H.E.R. and DaBaby. 

The legendary DMX was remembered with a mesmerizing tribute curated by Swizz Beatz featuring performances from Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Swizz Beatz, Griselda, Lil Buck and Jon, The Lox and a special appearance by Michael K. Williams. The powerful tribute included iconic hits such as “Slipping,” “Where the Hood At?,” “Party Up,” “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” and more.

Migos set the stage on fire with their performances of “Straightenin,” and “Type Shit” with Cardi B who gave the audience a mic-drop worthy performance and exclusive pregnancy reveal.

The night was filled with touching moments, such as when Darnella Frazier was honored with the Shine a Light award for courageously capturing video of the murder of George Floyd, sparking further awareness of systemic racial inequalities, police brutality and efforts for meaningful change. The Shine A Light Award recognizes exceptional resilience, ingenuity and creativity in the face of adversity.

In addition to all of these must-see moments, the complete list of winners for The “BET AWARDS” 2021 can be found below:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan

BEST COLLABORATION

Cardi B Feat. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST

H.E.R.

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST

Chris Brown

BEST NEW ARTIST

Giveon

BEST GROUP

Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic

VIEWER’S CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT

Bree Runway (UK)

VIEWER’S CHOICE

Megan Thee Stallion Ft. Beyoncé “Savage Remix”

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST

Megan Thee Stallion

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST

Lil Baby

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD

Kirk Franklin – “Strong God”

BET HER AWARD

SZA – “Good Days”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Cardi B Feat. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Bruno Mars and Florent Déchard

BEST MOVIE

Judas and the Black Messiah

BEST ACTRESS

Andra Day

BEST ACTOR

Chadwick Boseman

YOUNGSTARS AWARD

Marsai Martin

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Naomi Osaka

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

LeBron James

Tags: BET, BET Awards, BET Awards 2021, Black culture, Cardi B, Celebrities, Connie Orlando, Dj Khaled, Megan Thee Stallion, Migos, Queen Latifah, Taraji P. Henson

About the Author

Crystal Willis Crystal Willis is an Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Entertainment Publicist and CEO of The Omni Firm. She is also a Transformational Life Coach and Founder of The Crysalis. Her personal story has been seen by millions of people on media outlets like Marie Claire Magazine, PBS, Blaze TV, Daily Signal and more.

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