The Most Memorable BET Awards Moments

Baby, you truly had to be there to understand how huge it was for Usher to bring one of his biggest hits to the BET Awards stage and confirm his relationship with TLC’s Chili. It was his first performance, the ceremony’s inaugural year, and he had a U chain, a mic, and one chance to nail that handstand. And he did that. In 2024, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award as well as an all-woman tribute that received mixed reviews.

One performance that everyone can agree on was Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monet recreating Usher and Beyoncé’s “Bad Girl” moment. Two of the new generation’s best talents combined to make this one of the show’s best moments in recent years.

It’s nearly impossible to pick only one Beyoncé performance on any list because of the iconic moment she always creates, but what she did in 2006 has yet to be topped. With rumors swirling that the two had tied the knot the night before (untrue), Bey and Jay-Z took to the stage together and brought the energy that only two of the world’s greatest artists could bring. From the big B’Day era curls to the infamous silver outfit, the floor choreography, and the all-woman band, Beyoncé delivered one of the best performances in music history.

Where them old school music fans at? In 2010, El DeBarge popped up at the BET Awards looking and sounding as fine as wine. He performed a medley of his hits and had all the aunties saying, “Y’all don’t know nothing about this!”.

There is only one Janet Damita Jo Jackson, and when she pulled up at the BET Awards she, once again, put everyone on notice. The Queen of Pop brought everything and then some to the stage that night.

There have been many must-see moments at the BET Awards over the years, but Michael Jackson showing up to pay tribute to the Godfather of Soul in 2003 is the most memorable of them all.