Since 2001, the BET Awards have shone a light on African Americans in music, film, and art.
This year was no different, with a host of stars — from up-and-comers (Solange Knowles, Chance the Rapper, Migos) to established stars (Trey Songz, Mary J. Blige, New Edition) — gracing the BET stage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Sunday night.
Among Sunday's winners, two Global Citizen Festival artists built on their impressive 2016 BET showings: the inimitable Beyoncé, who won five, and the supercharged Kendrick Lamar, who took home the award for Best Male Hip Hop Artist.
Beyoncé won not only for her singing (Best Female R&B/Pop Artist), but also for her directing (Video Director of the Year for the song, "Sorry"). Although the singer was not able to attend the awards show, she delegated Chloe and Halle Bailey to accept the Coca Cola Viewers' Choice award on her behalf.
"Thank you BET for this award and your tremendous support of Lemonade," Beyoncé's message said. "This has been a journey of love, of celebrating our culture, honoring the past, and approaching the present and future with hope and resolve."
Another artist who has partnered with Global Citizen, French Montana, played his hit "Unforgettable" at the BET Awards, performing alongside Rae Sremmurd's Swae Lee and a collection of young dancers. Earlier this year French worked with Global Citizen and Mama Hope to donate funds to the Suubi Health Center, a rural medical facility, in Eastern Uganda. His donation inspired singer The Weeknd to also get involved.
And of course the show was filled with many other artists, including Bruno Mars, Mary J. Blige, Migos, DJ Khaled, and Chance the Rapper.
Other notable awards included Chance the Rapper's Humanitarian Award. Chance, who also won Best New Artist, has made waves for his work with Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Himself a Chicago native, he recently donated $1M to CPS to help bridge the public school system's funding gap of $215M. He has also worked with Chicago's homeless population and organized a popular Teens in the Park festival several years back.
Other highlights of the BET Awards included:
Bruno Mars falling asleep:
Solange Knowles' first BET Award:
Yara Shahidi's speech honoring slain black teen Tamir Rice:
And, of course, DJ Khaled's child, Asahd:
Forever obsessed with @DJKhaled and bb @AsahdKhaled ❤️ #BETAwardspic.twitter.com/IHROyzigXC
— MTV (@MTV) June 26, 2017