BET Awards 2025 best and worst moments, from Mariah Carey song debut to Jamie Foxx's tears
The 2025 BET Awards brought out the biggest musicians, actors and athletes to celebrate Culture's Biggest Night on a grand stage that stood in stark contrast to the besieged Los Angeles outside its doors.
Some of the 25th anniversary highlights included high-profile appearances by the likes of Mariah Carey, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dog, Lil' Kim, Lil Wayne and the "106 & Park" hosts. But not every moment of the Kevin Hart-hosted evening was a hit with viewers.
"Queen of rap" Lil' Kim divided social media when she joined Honey Bxby to perform during the preshow. Afterward, during his opening monologue, host Kevin Hart took aim at two formerly lauded hip-hop icons who were notably not in attendance: Sean "Diddy" Combs and Ye.
Read on for the highs and lows of the evening.
BET Awards winners list: Every winner of the night, including Doechii
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Jamie Foxx vows to make good on second chance in emotional speech
Jamie Foxx, one of the night's Ultimate Icon Award recipients, got emotional during his tribute and speech. His daughters Corinne Foxx and Anelise Bishop, and Foxx's sister Deidra, teared up as he took the stage and thanked God for his second chance at life, following his near-death medical emergency in 2023.
"At a certain point, I'm going to stop crying, but I'm not going to stop yet," Foxx said.
Music legend Stevie Wonder introduced Foxx's award and corresponding musical tribute, cracking multiple jokes about being blind and Foxx's Oscar-winning turn as fellow blind musician Ray Charles in "Ray." Babyface, Ludacris, Tank, Jennifer Hudson, T-Pain, Doug E. Fresh and Teddy Riley took to the stage to perform some of Foxx's biggest hits.
Jamie Foxx cries: Actor expresses gratitude for health, credits daughters for recovery
Mariah Carey debuts 'Type Dangerous,' teases 2005's 'It's Like That'
Any time Mariah Carey is on stage is something to celebrate – and there was a surprise cameo by Rakim, to boot. She promoted her upcoming album with her first live performance of "Type Dangerous" before she returned to the stage later to officially accept the Ultimate Icon Award.
After the "Queen of Christmas" – precariously balancing on some sky-high Louboutins – delicately made her way down a set of shallow steps with a backup dancer, she shed her coat and glimmered center stage in her strappy gold minidress. Keeping her movement minimal, Carey let her voice do all the gymnastics. In a treat to the audience, Carey closed out with her 2005 hit "It's Like That."
Out of breath Lil' Kim, Ying Yang Twins struggle through preshow performances
With the BET Awards celebrating 25 years of iconic moments, the network used the preshow stage to highlight some of the hip-hop OGs with the Ying Yang Twins and Lil' Kim sharing the stage with up-and-comer Honey Bxby. But while some fans were glad to see their returns, others criticized the artists for their out-of-breath performances.
The Ying Yang Twins rapped a medley of their greatest hits, including "Wait," "Get Low" and "Say I Yi Yi," while Lil' Kim popped up for a verse on "Left Eye."
Kevin Hart's BET Awards opening monologue joked about Diddy, Ye
As Combs' criminal trial enters its sixth week, Hart alluded to the music mogul as he joked about why the award show was happening on a Monday night. Hart called for "no afterparties" on a work night and said those are were things get "slippery, at them god damn afterparties."
After dropping the reference to Combs' propensity for baby oil, Hart added, "We're learning a lot about people, ain't we?" The "Ride Along" star also snuck in a jab at Ye – formerly Kanye West – when he pretended to receive a text from the rapper. "Yep, he says he's out front. He's waiting for somebody to invite him in. Hey, don't do it."
"We all saw the movie 'Sinners'; don't let his ass in here so he could bite somebody, so he can bite Playboi Carti again, OK?" Hart went on. "Nobody let Kanye in, no! Not tonight!"
Hart's joke possibly alluded to the since-disproved theory that Ye and his wife Bianca Censori were turned away at the Grammys earlier this year.
B2K, Bow Wow, Amerie headline '106 & Park' tribute
BET's music video countdown show "106 & Park" was also honored for its 25th anniversary at the awards ceremony with previous hosts from Free to Terrence J taking the stage to introduce a slew of performers who made their bones on the early aughts program.
The crowd cheered and sang along as the stars took the stage: Ashanti, Jim Jones, Amerie, Keyshia Cole, Mya, T.I., B2K and Bow Wow with Jermaine Dupri.
Ashanti took fans back with "Foolish" and "Rock Wit U," Keyshia Cole crooned "I Should Have Cheated," Amerie and Mya kept the energy high with "1 Thing" and "Case of the Ex," and B2K got the audience screaming for "Bump Bump Bump" (also invoking Diddy, who was featured on the original song, which R. Kelly wrote).
Jim Jones kicked off the high-energy hip-hop from the segment with "We Fly High (Ballin')," T.I. dropped "Bring Em Out" and "What You Know" and Bow Wow rapped "Like You" and brought out Dupri for "Fresh Azimiz."
Snoop Dogg returns to the stage after Trump inauguration backlash
Snoop Dogg accepted his newly minted status as a BET Ultimate Icon with an eight-minute medley that brought out the greatest hits from his 30-year career.
Joined by a group of backup dancers, the Southern California-born rapper started with songs like "Drop It Like It's Hot," "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" and "The Next Episode," brought out Charlie Wilson midway through for a rendition of the Gap Band's "Outstanding" and closed out with some help from Warren G and Kurupt for "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)."
But some social media users weren't so eager to see Snoop on their screens. In recent months, the 53-year-old rapper and businessman has faced backlash for performing at the Jan. 17 Crypto Ball in Washington, D.C., celebrating President Donald Trump's inauguration. In May, he took on his critics directly when he released his album "Iz It a Crime" and accused people of "playing with my reputation."
Contributing: Anika Reed, USA TODAY
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