The 2021 BET Awards took place on Sunday night and was hosted by Taraji P. Henson. The 21st ceremony featured a live audience as it honored varying talent across music, television, film, and sports at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, H.E.R., Chadwick Boseman, and LeBron James were among the night’s winners, while DMX and Queen Latifah received special tributes.
Queen Latifah received the Lifetime Achievement Award. After Rapsody, Lil’ Kim, and MC Lyte paid tribute to her, performing her songs; “Ladies First” and “U.N.I.T.Y.,” the actress and rapper accepted the award with her father, Lancelot Owens, Sr., while holding a photo of her late mother, Rita Owens.
“I’m so extremely moved, I don’t even know what to say,” Latifah said, choking up. “Let me just say that I want to thank God because God designed this whole thing to be this way. There is no way that I could have had the parents that I was born to, my father, my mother, who instilled so much in me. My family, I love you. My siblings, my best friends who ride or die with me. Whether my face is on the dirt or flying in the sky, they know me and they are there for me.”
She continued, “I want to thank BET for creating an outlet for beautiful Blackness to thrive, to shine. When we couldn’t get played on the radio and other places, we couldn’t get our videos played in other places, there was BET, that allowed us to be in our fullness and to shine to this night right now, right here… Be Black. Black is beautiful.”
DMX, who died in April, was honored at the 2021 BET Awards in a special tribute featuring; Busta Rhymes,Method Man, and Swizz Beatz, who performed the late rapper’s songs. The tribute included new tracks from the artist’s posthumous album, Exodus.
Full List Of The 2021 BET Awards Winners
Album of the Year
“Heaux Tales” Jazmine Sullivan — Winner
“Ungodly Hour” — Chloe x Halle
“King’s Disease” — Nas
“Good News” — Megan Thee Stallion
“Blame it on Baby” — DaBaby
“After Hours” — The Weeknd
Best Female R&B / Pop Artist
H.E.R. — Winner
Beyoncé
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
Summer Walker
Sza
Best Male R&B / Pop Artist
Chris Brown — Winner
6LACK
Anderson .Paak
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd
Best Group
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak and Silk Sonic — Winner
21 Savage & Metro Boomin
Chloe X Halle
Chris Brown & Young Thug
City Girls
Migos
Best Collaboration
“WAP” Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion — Winner
“Rockstar” — DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch
“Popstar” — DJ Khaled ft. Drake
“What’s Poppin (Remix)” — Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne
“Cry Baby” — Megan Thee Stallion ft. DaBaby
“For the Night” — Pop Smoke ft. Lil Baby and DaBaby
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
Lil Baby — Winner
DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Megan Thee Stallion — Winner
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat
Latto
Saweetie
Video of the Year
“WAP” Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion — Winner
“Up” — Cardi B
“Do It” — Chloe x Halle
“Go Crazy” — Chris Brown and Young Thug
“Laugh Now Cry Later” — Drake ft. Lil Durk
“Leave the Door Open” — Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak and Silk Sonic
Video Director of the Year
Bruno Mars & Florent Déchard — Winner
Benny Boom
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Hype Williams
Best New Artist
Giveon — Winner
Coi Leray
Flo Milli
Jack Harlow
Latto
Pooh Shiesty
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel / Inspirational Award
“Strong God” — Kirk Franklin
“In Jesus Name” — Bebe Winans
“Never Lost” — Cece Winans
“Hold Us Together” — H.E.R.
“Thank You For It All” — Marvin Sapp
“Touch From You” — Tamela Mann
BET Her Award
“Good Days” Sza — Winner
“So Done” — Alicia Keys ft. Khalid
“Baby Mama” — Brandy ft. Chance the Rapper
“Anti Queen” — Bri Steves
“Baby Girl” — Chloe x Halle
“Rooted” — Ciara ft. Ester Dean
Best International Act
Burna Boy, Nigeria — Winner
Aya Nakamura — France
Diamond Platnumz — Tanzania
Emicida — Brazil
Headie One — United Kingdom
Wizkid — Nigeria
Young T & Bugsey — United Kingdom
Youssopha — France
Viewer’s Choice Award
“Savage (Remix)” Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé – Winner
“WAP” – Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion
“Go Crazy” – Chris Brown & Young Thug
“Rockstar” – DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch
“Popstar” – DJ Khaled ft. Drake
“Laugh Now Cry Later” – Drake ft. Lil Durk
“The Bigger Picture” – Lil Baby
“Leave the Door Open” – Silk Sonic
Best Movie
“Judas and the Black Messiah” — Winner
“Coming 2 America”
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
“One Night in Miami”
“Soul”
“The United States Vs. Billie Holiday”
Best Actress
Andra Day — Winner
Angela Bassett
Issa Rae
Jurnee Smollett
Viola Davis
Zendaya
Best Actor
Chadwick Boseman — Winner
Aldis Hodge
Damson Idris
Daniel Kaluuya
Eddie Murphy
Lakeith Stanfield
Youngstars Award
Marsai Martin — Winner
Alex R. Hibbert
Ethan Hutchison
Lonnie Chavis
Michael Epps
Storm Reid
Sportswoman of the Year Award
Naomi Osaka — Winner
A’ja Wilson
Candace Parker
Claressa Shields
Serena Williams
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Sportsman of the Year Award
Lebron James — Winner
Kyrie Irving
Patrick Mahomes
Russell Westbrook
Russell Wilson
Stephen Curry
Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act
Bree Runway, United Kingdom — Winner
Arlo Parks — United Kingdom
Bramsito — France
Elaine — South Africa
MC Dricka — Brazil
Ronisia — France
Tems — Nigeria