By Steven J. Horowitz

According To The Daily) Usher, Victoria Monét and Tyla were just a few of the big winners at the 2024 BET Awards, which took place in Los Angeles tonight at the Peacock Theatre.

Taraji P. Henson hosted the four-hour show, which featured a parade of performances from Lauryn Hill, Will Smith, Megan Thee Stallion, Ice Spice, Childish Gambino, GloRilla and many, many more.

Of the standout moments of the night, the tribute to Usher in honor of his Lifetime Achievement Award victory was a centerpiece. Usher, who received an introduction from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, watched as a parade of artists paid tribute to his career.

Childish Gambino, who had just presented the award for album of the year to Killer Mike for “Michael,” set off the Usher tribute with a stripped-down rendition of “U Don’t Have to Call” and was joined by Keke Palmer, who took over mic duties for her own version of “U Make Me Wanna.” Summer Walker popped out for a verse from her Usher collaboration “Good Good,” while Coco Jones serenaded the man of the hour for “There Goes My Baby.” Marsha Ambrosius was up next for “Confessions,” while Chlöe handled “Good Kisser” and Tinashe performed “Nice & Slow.” Victoria Monét, who performed previously in the night, reemerged with Teyana Taylor for “Bad Girl,” referencing Beyoncé’s performance with Usher of the same song, while Latto closed out the medley with a take on Ludacris’ verse on “Yeah!” After the performance, L.A. Reid and Babyface, who signed Usher as co-founders of his label LaFace Records, presented the award to Usher. “Getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it,” he said. “This life achievement award, I don’t know man. Is it too early for me to receive it? Because I’m still running and gunning and still love this shit like I was eight years old.” But things turned quickly strange for Usher, who admitted he didn’t write any words in preparation but loved to talk. He began cursing a bit, and about halfway through his substantial acceptance the broadcast cut out the majority of what he was saying. As he stood on stage and thanked those behind him, including Jermaine Dupri, it was dead air as he finished up the speech. What was confusing was that previous presenters and performers had cursed quite a lot, though they weren’t censored in the same way. Lauryn Hill had a strong night with her closing performance, touring songs from various eras of her career. She began with the title track from her groundbreaking debut album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” as well as “Lost Ones,” and brought out her son YG Marley for “Survival” — with a verse from Ms. Hill — and the viral hit “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.” Her fellow Fugees member Wyclef Jean, who came out to perform with Hill at YG Marley’s Coachella sets earlier this year, ran through “Fu-Gee-La” to close it out. Elsewhere, Megan Thee Stallion made her first appearance at the BET Awards in three years in opening the show, emerging from an egg in a reference to the album artwork for her freshly released third studio project “Megan.” The rapper ripped through the “Hiss,” flanked by four male backup dancers as plumes of flames shot up behind her, and as a substantial crew of dancers joined her, she performed “Boa” and “Where Them Girls At.”

Check out the complete list of winners below:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist

Beyoncé
Muni Long
Coco Jones
Doja Cat
H.E.R.
SZA
Tyla
Victoria Monét

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

Brent Faiyaz
Bryson Tiller
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Drake
Fridayy
October London
Usher

Best Group

Y$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
41
Blxst & Bino Rideaux
City Girls
Flo
Maverick City Music
Wanmor

Best Collaboration

Lil’ Durk ft. J.Cole – All My Life
Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar – America Has A Problem (Remix)
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (with Aqua) – Barbie World
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – Bongos
Y$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign ft. Rich the Kid, and Playboi Carti – Carnival
Lola Brooke ft. Latto & Yung Miami – Don’t Play With It (Remix)
Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Uzi Vert – Everybody
Usher, Summer Walker, & 21 Savage – Good Good
Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA – Rich Baby Daddy

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Doja Cat
GloRilla
Cardi B
Ice Spice
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Sexyy Red

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

21 Savage
Burna Boy
Drake
Future
Gunna
J. Cole

Best New Artist

41
4Batz
Ayra Starr
Bossman DLow
Fridayy
October London
Sexyy Red
Tyla

Album of the Year

Chris Brown – 11:11
Gunna – A Gift & A Curse
21 Savage – American Dream
Usher – Coming Home
Drake – For All The Dogs (Scary Hours Edition)
Victoria Monét – Jaguar II
Killer Mike – Michael
Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday 2
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
Shirley Caesar – All Of The Glory
Kirk Franklin – All Things
Halle Bailey – Angel
Cece Winans – Come Jesus Come
Erica Campbell – Do You Believe In Love?
Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine, & Chandler Moore – God Problems
Tems – Me & U
Kirk Franklin – Try Love

Best Actor

Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Damson Idris
Denzel Washington
Donald Glover
Idris Elba
Jeffrey Wright
Lakeith Stanfield

Best Actress

Angela Bassett
Ayo Edebiri
Coco Jones
Danielle Brooks
Fantasia
Halle Bailey
Issa Rae