Tyla was the first winner named at Sunday’s 2024 BET Awards held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles in the category for Best International Act.
‘This is very heavy, guys,’ the Water singer, 22, said as she accepted the honors. ‘Guys, I did not prepare anything but I just want to say thank you so much to my tigers, my family, my team.’
The South Africa-born singer, who donned a black Versace gown and an estimated $230,000 in Jared Atelier jewelry to Sunday’s show, wrapped up in saying she’s ‘going to be performing soon.’
Tyla, whose other hit singles include Truth or Dare, Art and Jump, was subsequently named Best New Artist, besting fellow nominees 41, 4Batz, Ayra Starr, Bossman Dlow, Fridayy, October London and Sexyy Red.
‘Oh, my gosh, this is crazy,’ she said in her acceptance speech. ‘Firstly, I love Sexyy Red. Oh, my gosh. I love her so much, but yeah, this is just such a gift to be here.
‘I just want to dedicate this one to Africa, you know. I want to dedicate this one to all of the African superstars before me that didn’t get these opportunities that I’m getting. Yeah, it’s just amazing – Africa to the world!’
Usher was named the Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, besting fellow nominees including Brent Faiyaz, Bryson Tiller, Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Drake, Fridayy and October London.
Usher, 45, said in his acceptance speech that he was ‘really happy to be able to be in this category.’
‘Obviously tonight is a celebration of many things being able to be recognized for this life achievement award that’s coming,’ Usher said. ‘I’m really happy to still be a part of the fight, you know what I’m saying.’
In his speech, Usher, who is father to four children, used his platform to emphasize the importance of fatherhood.
‘To fathers tonight at home or in this audience, I would like you to stand up,’ Usher said. ‘Far too often, we get to this moment on we are able to say to our mothers, “Look mom, I made it.” We don’t get chance to say enough “Dad, I did it.”
‘So this one is for all the men out there being generals to their sons and motivation for our future Black leaders, young men. Thank you guys so much for this honor.’
Usher was lauded by producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to kick off the segment in which he received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
‘When looking to define this man’s accomplishments, we need to look no further than his name,’ Jam said. ‘Through his divine gifts, he has ushered in a decades-long perfect union of R& B and pop music. There are not many artists that can combine poetic lyricism, chest-bumping rhythms and soulfulness so effortlessly.
‘I remember back in the day when he dropped his first album at just 15-years-old, it was undeniable that we were about to witness the evolution of someone very special.’
Said Lewis: ‘Throughout his career, every time that he comes in, he just keeps growing and growing and getting better and better.
‘His vocal range, his ability is just phenomenal. His professionalism brought me back from a sunken place – I was in a deep depression in terms of creativity, and then when I got to meet this guy and work with him, he pulled me back to the other side.’
Usher was then honored with an extended musical tribute featuring a number of hits performed by different artists.
Famed music industry execs Babyface and LA Reid also took the stage to honor Usher on his big evening, praising his talents over more than three decades in the business.
In his acceptance speech, which was choppy due to technical difficulties, Usher said that ‘getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it.
‘When I first started, I had a different idea about what I thought life was going to be. I started off as an artist in a group in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and my name was Cha Cha,’ he said.
He referenced his late father Usher Raymond III in his speech, saying, ‘I really was searching for some identity and I was doing that specifically because I was trying to make sense of this name are the man gave me but didn’t stick around because he didn’t love me.
‘Or at least that was my perception of it because I had to live long enough in order to understand that you have to have a forgiving heart in order to understand the true pitfalls and hardships of a Black man in America.
‘And my father, he was a product of that. He made a lot of decisions. He made a lot of choices. The one that probably hurt and helped me at the same time was to stay away.’
The feted artist continued: ‘That’s part of the reason why I say this is the year of the father were all the fathers have got to stand up for their sons and daughters and be the man that they need to be for them.’
In his speech, Usher stressed forgiveness as a critical trait for people to possess, saying, ‘You’ve got to be willing to forgive – got to be willing to be open.
‘I’m telling you, you’re standing before a man who had to forgive a man who never showed up ever. And look what I made with it. Look what I was able to usher in in. That’s what’s real. That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us men and women … I thank you all.’
Past recipients of the BET Lifetime Achievement Award honors include Busta Rhymes, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Lionel Richie, as well as the late Whitney Houston and Prince.
The honor is the latest in what’s been a busy year for the eight-time Grammy winner, as he headlined the Super Bowl halftime show earlier this year, and is slated to embark on a 24-city U.S. tour titled Past Present Future in August.
Killer Mike, 49, pulled off an upset in capturing Album of the Year for his record Michael edged fellow nominees including Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2, Drake’s For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition), Usher’s Coming Home, Chris Brown’s 11:11.
‘I am moved and compelled to say this in this moment,’ the Atlanta native said in his speech. ‘A lot of people are going to say, “Who was he? Who is he? Why did he get it?” I am a representation of one of the finest things God has ever made and that is one-half of the Black family.
‘Black men and women, I am you. Whether you’re young, whether you’re old, whether you like me, whether you don’t like me, I am absolutely you. And this win is absolutely ours!’
Killer Mike referenced his arrest in February at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, days after it was revealed he won’t be facing any charges in connection with the incident, which involved a security guard.
‘Technically I was not supposed to be here: I was put in handcuffs and I was marched out of this building,’ Killer Mike said. ‘But I want to tell you, look at God because I’m back, baby – I’m back and I’m winning.’
SZA, 34, won the honors for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, prevailing in a group of honorees including Beyoncé, Coco Jones, Doja Cat, H.E.R., Muni Long, Victoria Monét and Tyla. SZA was not on hand to accept the award, as she was playing the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday.
Victoria Monét brought her mother L’Tanya Chestang-Cubit onstage as she won the BET Her award for her track On My Mama.
‘It’s such an honor to receive this award, especially the BET Her award because I’m so proud to be a Black woman – and this is the lady I put it on – this is my mama,’ Monét, 35, said. ‘I’m so happy to be here and I know, I just want to say that we really need each other. We need to support each other.
‘We need to collaborate with the happy face. So anybody in this room that is a Black female artist, I would love to collaborate and make the anthem that’s going to break the Internet together. I know we need that.’
Regina King, 53, was named the winner of the Best Actress award, as she was nominated against Angela Bassett, Ayo Edebiri, Coco Jones, Danielle Brooks, Fantasia, Halle Bailey and Issa Rae. The Oscar-winning If Beale Street Could Talk star was not on hand to accept the honors.
The award show’s theme this year was Standing on Culture, with Taraji P. Henson returning as the host, and Grammy-winning singer Usher being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Drake led all artists in nominations with seven, including Album of the Year, Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Best Male Hip Hop Artist.
Nicki Minaj got six nominations including for Album of the Year for her Pink Friday 2 release, while Beyonce was up for five honors, including for best female R&B/pop artist as well as two Cowboy Carter tracks – Texas Hold ’Em and 16 Carriages.
J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA and Victoria Monét also have five nominations each.
Beyonce and Jay-Z’s eldest daughter Blue Ivy Carter, 11, is also nominated for the Youngstars Award.
Will Smith, 55, debuted a new, original song titled You Can Make It at the award show.
‘From his start as a rapper to The Fresh Prince to being a box office king as one of the Bad Boys, Will Smith is truly a global icon, and we are honored to welcome him back to grace the BET Awards stage,’ Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET, said in a statement prior to the ceremony.
‘We look forward to Will adding to yet another defining night for the culture that is not to be missed.’
Last year’s ceremony saw Latto named Best Female Hip Hop Artist while rap icon Busta Rhymes was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Beyoncé’s Break My Soul was named the winner of the BET Her award and she also won the Viewer’s Choice Award for Break My Soul.
