The 2021 BET Awards opened last night (June 27) under the theme “Year of the Black Woman” in front of a live, vaccinated audience at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Empire star Taraji P. Henson served as the ceremony’s host, giving encouragement and upliftment for all Black women.
“Look at us. Look around the room. Look at this power. The grace, the class, the edges — we are everything, honey. Celebrating Black women isn’t a fad or a trend. It’s a forever mood,” Henson said. “And there is more than enough room for all of us to thrive. ‘Cause can’t nobody be me like me, and can’t nobody be you like you.”
This year’s ceremony featured the largest number of performances in the show’s history. Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin kicked things off with “We Win.” Cardi B shook the world announcing her pregnancy with Offset after her collaborations with Migos’s “Straightenin” and “Type Shit.” H.E.R. descended from the heavens playing the drums and an electric guitar while performing “We Made It.” Lil Nas X ended his fiery, iconic performance of “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” by kissing with one of his backup dancers. He also served looks with two gender-fluid outfits at the red carpet: a Rococo-inspired gown with side panniers and historical prints and a ‘70s flare suit with floral embroidery.