Watch These BET Performances

The 2025 BET Awards premiered live on Monday, June 9 at 8 p.m. ET. The star-studded 25th anniversary of “Culture’s Biggest Night” was hosted by Kevin Hart.

The night is a big one for Kendrick Lamar, who led the pack in nominations with an impressive ten. Behind him, GloRilla, Future, Drake and Docehii were all nominated for six awards each. Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg and Kirk Franklin were also all honored with BET’s Ultimate Icon Award.

One of the best parts of the show was the performances. Even the carpet had performances by Ying Yang Twins, Lil’ Kim, Mario and more. During the show, Lil Wayne, GloRilla, Teyana Taylor, Playboi Carti, and Leon Thomas graced the stage to perform.

Ashanti Leads a 106 & Park Celebration

Ashanti took the stage for the first performance in a celebration of the 25th anniversary of 106 & Park. The singer performed a medley of “Happy,” “Rock wit U (Awww Baby),” and “Foolish.” The over 20-minute tribute featured many other musicians, including Amerie, Keyshia Cole, Mya, T.I., B2K and Bow Wow.

The segment was pure nostalgia, especially for those who are missing their 106 & Park days. Some performances were stronger than others, but since each performance is very short, it never gives you a second to check out. The production is high, and just how many numbers were put on is impressive in its own right. Taken all together, it all really works.

Mariah Carey Unveils New Song with Anderson .Paak

DJ D-Nice started the performance by playing some of Mariah Carey’s biggest hits, including “Dreamlover,” “Honey, “Obsessed” and “Heartbreaker.” The icon then appeared to debut the live version of her new single “Type Dangerous.” Anderson .Paak joined on drums and rapper Rakim, whose song “Eric B. Is President” is interpolated on the single, also joined on stage. Carey sounds great, but there is something low-energy about her performance.

Lil Wayne Performs “Welcome to Tha Carter” and “A Milli”

Lil Wayne proved that he’s still got it with two songs. The rapper started with a new song, “Welcome to Tha Carter” off of his most recent Tha Carter 6, surrounded by a gospel choir. He then transitioned into his 2008 classic “A Milli” from Tha Carter III. Lil Wayne delivered a high-energy performance, especially after transitioning to the second song, which was pure fun.

GloRilla and Keyshia Cole Turn Up The Heat

GloRilla took the stage to perform “Let Her Cook.” It is an excellent number, complete with impressive tap dancing and pyrotechnics. GloRilla was joined by Keyshia Cole to debut “Typa,” a new song that samples Cole’s classic “Love.”

Jamie Foxx Receives a Star-Studded Tribute

Craig Robinson emceed a medley of some of Jamie Foxx’s biggest hits, performed by Teddy Riley, Babyface, Ludacris, Jennifer Hudson and Tank. This is such a great performance. Ludacris and Hudson especially shine. Even Foxx himself in the audience is stunned by Hudson’s rendition of “I Got a Woman.” Foxx got emotional before T-Pain, Dougie Fresh and Teddy Riley appeared to play “Blame It.” If you are going to watch one performance of the night, this is certainly a contender.

Teyana Taylor Returns from Retirement

While Teyana Taylor announced she was retiring from music in 2020, she took the stage to sing “Fire Girl” and “Long Time!” It is a dramatic performance that starts with Taylor clad in white high above the stage, holding flaming roses. She later emerges in a futuristic scene complete with robotic dancers. There is a lot happening in this performance, but the visuals are incredibly cool. It is slick with a really high production value.

Elmiene Brings the Audience to ‘Tears’

Elmiene sang ‘Crystal Tears.’ The emerging British singer brought a lot of heart and emotion to the performance. It isn’t as big as some of the other performances of the night, but it doesn’t need to be, and it isn’t trying to be.

Ledisi Performs “BLKWMN”

Tyler Perry introduced the performance before Ledisi emerged to deliver a powerful yet understated performance. It is a gorgeous song that is punctuated by projected visuals of Black Women. Ledisi also sounds amazing during the song.

Quincy Jones Honored With The “Secret Garden!”

Miles Canton, Luke James and Lucky Daye Give sing “Secret Garden” as a tribute to Quincy Jones. It is very nice and they sound great, but it feels short. There have been other tributes to Quincy Jones at award shows this year (notably the Grammys), and this one feels small in comparison.

Leon Thomas Performs “Mutt”

Leon Thomas takes the stage looking like a rock star to sing the slow jam “Mutt.” The performance is smooth and sexy before getting a little more rock and roll. It likely won’t be the standout of the night, but it is a delightful performance that has the audience dancing in their seats.

Andra Day Sings the In Memoriam

In a tribute to Roberta Flack, Andra Day performed “Killing Me Softly” for the In Memoriam segment. She sounds absolutely amazing, and it is very emotional.

Snoop Dogg Makes a Medley

Snoop Dogg accepted the Ultimate Icon Award before performing some of his greatest hits, including “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang!” and “The Next Episode.” He closed out the performance with Warren G and Kurupt for “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None).” The performance was good, but it received some backlash on social media as the rapper recently performed for Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Brittney Spencer Gives an Emotional Tribute to Angie Stone

Brittney Spencer sang “No More Rain” as a beautiful tribute to Angie Stone. It is a lovely performance made by Spencer’s vocals. While it is a rather short performance, it is a very sweet one.

Playboi Carti Brings the Energy Up With “Like Weezy” and “Rather Lie”

Playboi Carti took the stage to sing his hits “Like Weezy” and “Rather Lie.” It is, at times, a little hard to listen to on YouTube due to the platform’s bleeping of expletives, but it is still a very energetic and fun performance.

Kirk Franklin Closes the Show

Kirk Franklin performed a medley of gospel hits, including “Silver and Gold,” “Do It Again” and “Stomp.” He was joined by Tamar Braxton, Jamal Roberts and Muni Long. This performance is a must-watch even for non-gospel fans. It’s a powerhouse number with amazing vocals and infectious energy. From the unique take on a “gospel choir” to the church visuals, this performance is deeply fresh. It had the audience dancing in the aisles, and for good reason. If you are going to watch one performance of the night, make it this one.