7 Most Memorable Performances From The Show

The 2025 BET Awards are creeping up, and we’re already reminiscing on the iconic performances that had us glued to the TV, screaming, crying, and LIVING for every second! From Chris Brown pouring his heart out following the King of Pop’s passing to Diddy’s Bad Boy takeover, these moments are etched in BET Awards history. Let’s get into the performances that still got us shook!

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Chris Brown’s Emotional MJ Tribute (2010 BET Awards)

Whew, Chris Brown had us in our feelings with that Michael Jackson tribute! Breezy hit the stage back in 2010, still navigating THAT media storm from the incident with Rihanna the year prior. But he was NOT playing when it came to honoring his idol. He did his big one, performing ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Man in the Mirror’, and then broke down in tears mid-performance. Y’all, when Breezy couldn’t hold it together, we were right there crying with him. A moment!

The Bad Boy Family Reunion (2015 BET Awards)

When Diddy pulled up with a large number of Bad Boy artists for the label’s 20th anniversary in 2015, it was quite the PARTY! Lil’ Kim, Mase, Jadakiss, Faith Evans, and more shut it DOWN with a ‘90s throwback medley that had us wanting to go back and stream their entire catalog! And can we add that Faith’s vocals remain untouched?! Whew. Now, despite Diddy’s current legal trouble, one can’t deny that the music mogul knows talent when he sees it, which was evident on that BET stage.

Fugees Reunion Had Us Shook (2005 BET Awards)

Roomies, when Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras reunited at the 2005 BET Awards after almost a DECADE apart, Black culture was thriving, y’all! Their ‘Killing Me Softly’ and ‘Ready or Not’ performance was pure nostalgia, with Ms. Hill’s vocals serving. The fans were losing it, so much that it sparked speculations on a potential tour. While that never came to fruition, fans, including us, are glad we have this special performance to hold onto. See the performance HERE.

Destiny’s Child’s Final Slay (2005)

Speaking of Bey. Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams had us GAGGED at the 2005 BET Awards with one of their last televised performances as Destiny’s Child. ‘Cater 2 U’ was thee performance of the night. Those harmonies, that choreography, and how they had Nelly, Magic Johnson, and Terrence Howard up on that stage… it was giving sexy without doing too much. The performance also reminded us why DC will forever be THAT girl group.

Rick James & Teena Marie’s Soulful Duet (2004)

Rick James and Teena Marie set the stage ABLAZE at the 2004 BET Awards, just weeks before Rick’s unfortunate passing in Los Angeles. Their ‘Fire and Desire’ performance was straight soul, with chemistry so fiery, the audience was doing double-takes. And let’s not forget Rick’s iconic backstage clapback that same night when a woman backstage mistook him for another celebrity, chile. “Never mind who you thought I was, I’m Rick James, b****!” he clapped back.

Whitney Houston’s Lifetime Achievement Performance (2001)

When Whitney Houston stepped up for her Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001, Nippy didn’t just perform; she owned that stage (see here). At the very first BET Awards, she blessed us with a medley of hits like ‘I Have Nothing’ and ‘I Will Always Love You.’ The standing ovation went on FOREVER, and we’re still not over how effortlessly Whitney could SANG. But she didn’t just give an iconic performance; she also gave an iconic speech that lives rent-free in many people’s heads to this day.

Honorable Mention: Ciara And Chris Brown (2008)

Whew! How can we not include THIS performance of CiCi and Breezy back in 2008? After serving up choreography and vocals with a solo performance at the 2008 BET Awards, Chris was joined by Ciara for a dance break to ‘Take You Down’ that had us all shook!