BET Awards 2012 winners
Blue Ivy Carter just got a bunch of shiny new toys to play with.
The BET Awards took place in Los Angeles on Sunday, and big winners included Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, and, of course, Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce.
The show kicked off with a Kanye-induced bang as the rapper, decked in all-white, joined 2 Chainz and eventual Best New Artist winner Big Sean to perform their runaway rap hit “Mercy,” which Music Mix can verify has been blaring from 90% of car stereos in Brooklyn all summer. West (who brought Kim Kardashian as his date to the awards) also ran through “Theraflu,” the cut that outed the couple in the first place.
That performance segued to host Samuel L. Jackson coming out with Red Hook Summer director Spike Lee to deliver a parody version of the Jay and Kanye single “N—-s in Paris”.
Other performances at the event came from the likes of Usher, Nicki Minaj and 2 Chainz, Melanie Fiona, D’angelo(!), Rick Ross and his on-fire Maybach Music Group, and Chris Brown.
BET Awards 2012.
She has devoted just as much of her time in the past year to preparing and delivering her first child, Blue Ivy, as she has to her career.
And it has clearly paid off for Beyonce Knowles, who proved she hasn’t lost any star power as she scooped up the Best Female R&B Artist gong at this evening’s 2012 BET Awards.
Knowles beamed as she took to the stage in a lime green slashed dress to collect her star-shaped trophy.
She was also acknowledged for Video Director of the Year and had been seated in the audience throughout the evening next to her showbiz pals including Kim Kardashian and sister Solange.
Kanye West kicked off the show with his G.O.O.D Music group members.
The ever-changing group whose current acts include Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz took to the stage in front of a star studded crowd to perform their tune titled Mercy.
But of course, West was the star of the show despite being joined by his fellow Getting Out Our Dreams band mates, later spilling out his track Way Too Cold and collecting Best Group gong with his The Throne partner Jay-Z.
As they accepted the accolade, Kanye made a joke referring to his Taylor Swift controversy at the 2009 MTV VMAs, where he interrupted her speech to say Beyonce should have scooped up the Best Female Video award.
This time he joked that he never says the right thing in these situations and that only music partner Jay-Z could say something politically correct.
Jay-Z said: “Thank you. We really worked hard on this album. We didn’t rely on our name. We appreciate everybody, the tour, from here to Europe. We’re just going to keep making the best stuff ever.”
The gags didn’t end there though as Jay-Z joked later on as they collected the award for Video Of The Year.
He quipped: “Kanye, I’m going to let you continue but…”
One of the most anticipated performances of the night came from the returning 90′s soul sensation D’Angelo, who more than lived up to the moment with a surprisingly strong performance that ranked among the evening’s finest. After a sultry rendition of his biggest hit – “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” he led his band through a rollicking, funk-intensive workout that invoked memories of Prince and James Brown at their onstage best (according to Billboard, it’s a new song called “Sugar Daddy”). For someone who hadn’t performed live on TV for more than a decade, D’Angelo looks at the peak of his powers and more than ready for his long-awaited comeback.
Beyonce, who dedicated her Best Female R&B Artist award to Whitney Houston, didn’t seem too upset to lose Video of the Year to the Throne, as Jay-Z and West continued their onstage bro-fest, with Jay even jokingly referencing West’s infamous mike-snatch from Taylor Swift.
The most emotional moment of the evening came with a tribute to Whitney Houston, who died in February at age 48. After a surprise introduction from a tearful Mariah Carey, Monica nailed an uplifting rendition of “I Love the Lord” before Brandy kicked it into party mode with “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Then Houston’s brother, Gary, performed, and eventually gave up the spotlight to his mother – Cissy Houston. The soul and gospel singer soared through with a heartfelt version of “Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” and tears could be seen flowing throughout the audience. The camera caught Beyonce’s tear-streaked face and even a very weepy Soulja Boy. Chaka Khan turned it into a celebration with “I’m Every Woman,” ending to a standing ovation.
With this genuinely moving remembrance of Whitney Houston on the very network that was in many ways her television home, there was a sense of finality. As the next generation of stars and emerging artists sets new standards in black culture, the spirit and tradition of enduring icons like Houston will be with us forever.