The 2023 BET Awards celebrated 50 years of hip-hop with tributes to the genre\u2019s earliest voices, late legends, and new talent during a show packed with spectacular performances that consistently felt like a party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sunday\u2019s biggest surprise came when Quavo and Offset, the surviving members of Migos, performed \u201cBad and Boujee\u201d in front of an image of Takeoff, who died in a shooting last December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBET, do it for Take,\u201d the duo shouted near the beginning of their set, as their backdrop switched from the image of a space shuttle to one of Takeoff pointing in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout the show, whether it was Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., Biz Markie or Pop Smoke, performers and emcee Kid Capri paid homage to late hip-hop stars, often by quickly highlighting a taste of their best-known hits. In a show where few awards were given, Capri and BET kept the emphasis on the music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Busta Rhymes took home the night\u2019s biggest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, handed to him by Swizz Beatz. The 12-time Grammy Award nominated rapper, producer, and pioneering hip-hop figure is widely regarded as one of the great MCs, with seven Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits to his name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Diddy, Janet Jackson, Chuck D, Missy Elliot, Pharrell Williams, and Mariah Carey recorded a video tribute to Rhymes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlright, Imma wear it on my sleeve. I do wanna cry,\u201d Rhymes started his speech, as his eyes started to water. He talked about his six children, being kicked out from his hip-hop group Leaders of the New School, and learning how to rebuild by going into studios, sharing a cigar with whoever was in the studio, and \u201cquickly whipping up a 16 bar verse. \u2026 By default, I pioneered the feature,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of greatness from out people in our culture is by default. Because it\u2019s just a magic we have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An energetic tribute to Rhymes followed \u2014 the MC teamed up with Spliff Star for \u201cAnte Up Remix\u201d, \u201cScenario,\u201d \u201cLook At Me Now\u201d, \u201cI Know What You Want\u201d, before a long list of A-listers jumped in: Scar Lip with \u201cThis Is New York\u201d, Coi Leray with \u201cPlayers,\u201d BIA with \u201cBeach Ball,\u201d among them. Halfway through the performance, Rhymes shifted gears to celebrate dancehall alongside Dexta Daps \u201cShabba Madda Pot,\u201d Spice, \u201cSo Mi Like It,\u201d Skillibeng, \u201cWhap Whap\u201d, and CuttyRanks\u2019 \u201cA Who Seh Me Dun (Wait Deh Man).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout the show, old school hip-hop heroes and modern stars mixed it up onstage, performing tracks celebrating rap\u2019s most influential cities and innovation. For Miami, Trick Daddy and Trina rocked through \u201cNann\u201d and Uncle Luke took on \u201cI Wanna Rock (Doo Doo Brown).\u201d For Atlanta, Jeezy ripped through \u201cThey Know\u201d, T.I. hit \u201c24\u2019s,\u201d and Master P did \u201cNo Limit Soldiers\u201d into \u201cMake \u2019Em Say Ugh.\u201d And for hip-hop\u2019s reggae influence, Jamaica\u2019s Doug E. Fresh and Lil \u2019Vicious did an acapella version of \u201cFreaks,\u201d Mad Lion performed \u201cTake It Easy,\u201d and PATRA nailed \u201cRomantic Call.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Capri spun some of Tupac\u2019s \u201cHail Marry\u201d to tease a crash course on West Coast rap: Warren G\u2019s \u201cRegulate,\u201d Yo-Yo\u2019s \u201cYou Can\u2019t Play With My Yo-Yo,\u201d Tyga\u2019s \u201cRack City\u201d, and E-40\u2019s \u201cTell Me When To Go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An ode to trap started with Capri spinning the late Pop Smoke\u2019s \u201cDior\u201d, before Chief Keef nailed \u201cFaneto\u201d and Ying Yang Twins did \u201cWait (The Whisper Song.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n