Last night, the BET Awards 2025 celebrated its 25th anniversary, and baby — the culture was alive, breathing, and dressed to the nines. Held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and hosted by none other than Kevin Hart, this year’s ceremony was a beautiful chaos of nostalgia, new heat, and pure Black excellence.
Kevin Hart Set the Tone
Kevin Hart opened the night with jokes that landed right in the group chat. He playfully teased celebrity twerk sessions, post-show antics, and even gospel legend Kirk Franklin, reminding us why he's one of the few comedians who can handle a live room full of icons.
Who Took Home The Gold?
The awards were stacked, but Kendrick Lamar came to collect. Here's the tea on the night’s biggest winners:
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Kendrick Lamar won five major awards including:
- Album of the Year – GNX
- Best Male Hip Hop Artist
- Video of the Year – “Not Like Us”
- Best Collaboration (with SZA) – “Luther”
- Video Director of the Year (with Dave Free)
- SZA took home Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
- Chris Brown snagged Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
- Doechii was crowned Best Female Hip Hop Artist
- Leon Thomas is your official Best New Artist
- GloRilla, Kirk Franklin, and Maverick City Music won for their gospel hit “Rain Down on Me”
- Blue Ivy Carter (yes, that Blue Ivy) won the YoungStars Award
- And the BET Her Award went to Summer Walker
Other big winners? Denzel Washington and Cynthia Erivo dominated in acting, and Angel Reese and Jalen Hurts won Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year. Period.
The Stage Was On Fire
Let’s talk performances because the BET stage was not just lit — it was legendary.
- The 25th anniversary tribute to 106 & Park was straight out of a time capsule. We got throwback magic from Ashanti, Keyshia Cole, Bow Wow, B2K, T.I., Amerie, Jim Jones, and Mýa — a whole Y2K moment.
- Mariah Carey debuted “Type Dangerous” with a live band and Anderson .Paak on drums. Diva behavior.
- Leon Thomas gave full rockstar energy with “Mutt”
- Lil Wayne did a Carter trilogy live, including “A Milli” — the crowd lost it
- Playboi Carti shook things up with “Like Weezy” and “Rather Lie”
- Teyana Taylor was introduced by Taraji P. Henson and gave us a whole cinematic performance of “Long Time”
- GloRilla showed range performing “Let Her Cook” then surprising us with Keyshia Cole for a duet of “Love”
- Ledisi gave us vocals and soul with “BLKWMN”
- Andra Day and Brittney Spencer honored legends Roberta Flack and Angie Stone
- Kirk Franklin closed the house down with gospel royalty including Tamar Braxton and Muni Long
Legends Honored
This year’s Ultimate Icon Awards went to four major trailblazers:
- Jamie Foxx
- Mariah Carey
- Snoop Dogg
- Kirk Franklin
All of them gave speeches that made us laugh, cry, and rewind. Snoop’s medley with Charlie Wilson, Warren G, and Kurupt felt like a backyard BBQ with the West Coast legends themselves.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 BET Awards weren’t just a show — they were a cultural reset. From Kendrick sweeping the night to a throwback that healed our inner teens, it was the perfect blend of tribute and turn-up. This was about legacy, impact, and the future of Black music and entertainment.
Black culture doesn’t just participate — we set the tone. And last night? We owned it.
Want a fashion recap next? Or should we talk about who really won the red carpet? Let me know 💋
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