Anais Gutierrez
On Sunday night, entertainers in music and acting and athletes were honored at the 2017 BET Awards. The event was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and it had it all great performances, candid speeches and incredible moments.
Kicking off the night
The annual event marked the end of the annual BET experience, which took place from June 22-25. The award show is currently in its 17th year.
Celebrities hit the red carpet in style when the show coverage started at 6 pm. Then the event started and this year was hosted by ‘Saturday Nigh Live’ star Leslie Jones.
Bruno Mars kicked off the 2017 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles with a rousing performance filled with electrifying dance moves at the annual show that celebrates mass achievement in black entertainment and sports.
Bruno and his “Hooligans” danced it out in their fun-filled choreographed performance. The pop star was nominated for 5 categories and went home with two, best male R&B and Pop Artist.
Other performers slated to perform include Big Sean, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, DJ Khaled, and Future. A$AP Rocky, French Montana, Gucci Mane, SZA, Swae Lee and Khalid also performed.
A candid moment was delivered by Solange Knowles. Solange, who had one of the last year’s most critically acclaimed albums with “A Seat at the Table,” won the Centric Award and called Sunday “the best birthday ever.”
Solange turned 31 on Saturday and is nominated for video of the year at the performance-packed ceremony.
“My armpits are sweating so much right now,” said Solange, who also thanked BET for showing her “queens” like Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Erykah Badu and others during her teenage years.
Solange held a moment of silence onstage later on, and the show also honored some of the minorities who died at the hands of police officers, including Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, Eric Garner and others.
Philanthropic work
At just 24 years old, Chance the Rapper is already being honored for his contribution to society. The Chicago native became the youngest ever to receive the BET Humanitarian Award when he was honored during the show Sunday night.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama made a cameo to present the award to the rapper.
“With these passionate efforts, Chance is showing our young people that they matter. That they have something inside of them that is worthy to be expressed. They have so much to contribute to their communities and to our country,” she said in a pre-recorded video.
On stage, Chance said that God was “putting this enormous pressure on me to see how I would react.”
The rapper ran through a list of topics he intended to talk about — including the Chicago school system and justice for people incarcerated on minor drug charges — before saying he wants to focus on being a better father and have a bigger influence outside of his community.
“I’m a good man and I’m going to become a better man,” he said.
Source: Footwear News
