Kevin Hart brings the laughs and Jamie Foxx receives special honour at the 2025 BET Awards

Los Angeles was ablaze with laughter, music and heartfelt tributes as the 2025 BET Awards took centre stage on Tuesday, June 9.

Hosted by the the multi-talented Kevin Hart, the evening encapsulated the spirit of celebration intertwined with poignant reflections, particularly as it honoured icons like Jamie Foxx.

Kicking off the night with his signature blend of humour and edge, Hart wasted no time making the audience chuckle with his monologue. 

He cheekily addressed famous figures such as Kanye West, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Cardi B while playfully saying, “Take your a**es home after this; that's why I did this on a Monday. People gotta go to work tomorrow.” 

A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Ultimate Icon Honour to Jamie Foxx.

The 57-year-old star received the award in an emotional moment that highlighted his remarkable journey and recently regained health after a near-fatal stroke in April 2023. 

As Foxx accepted the award, he delivered a heartfelt speech.

Fighting tears, he shared his near-death experience and how it transformed his perspective on life: “I cannot even begin to express the love that I feel from everybody out there. Man, we used to take this thing for granted, that God is good.” 

The night also featured performances that paid tribute to Foxx’s legendary contributions, with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Ludacris joining forces to cover his favourite track, “Unpredictable”, while Tank and Jennifer Hudson transitioned into Foxx’s Oscar era with a stirring rendition of "Night Time Is the Right Time".

Hudson further captivated the audience with a snippet of Foxx's classic collaboration on Kanye West’s “Gold Digger," followed by a performance from Doug E. Fresh, Teddy Riley and T-Pain who covered his hit "Blame It".

Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar took home the award for Album of the Year for "GNX", beating out Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Drake and adding to the impressive string of accolades for the LA rapper.  

His award was presented to him by actor Keke Palmer.

During his acceptance speech, he acknowledged that he hasn’t often attended the BET Awards but he said that it’s always been important to him.

“I ain’t been here in a long time. BET always makes sure that they represent the culture right and always put me in the midst of the cycle of what we represent, and that’s real, true down to Earth music that people can feel. So I always give my heart to BET."

Lamar also walked away with Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year for the viral smash “Not Like Us”, Best Collaboration alongside SZA for their soul-shaking track “Luther" and shared Video Director of the Year honours with creative partner Dave Free.

On the R&B side, SZA took home Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Chris Brown snagged Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, while Future & Metro Boomin earned Best Group.

Doechii continued her genre-bending rise with a win for Best Female Hip Hop Artist and The BET Her award went to Summer Walker for "Heart of a Woman".

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the awards.

The awards celebrate not just music, but also excellence in film, television and sports, solidifying the event's status as a cornerstone of Black artistry.

Full list of winners:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist – SZA

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist – Chris Brown

Best Group – Future & Metro Boomin

Best Collaboration – “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Best Male Hip Hop Artist – Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist – Doechii

Video of the Year – “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar

Video Director of the Year – Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar

Best New Artist – Leon Thomas

Album of the Year – "GNX" – Kendrick Lamar

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award – “Rain Down on Me” – GloRilla featuring Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music

Best Actress – Cynthia Erivo

Best Actor – Denzel Washington

Best Movie – "Luther: Never Too Much"

Young Stars Award – Blue Ivy Carter

Sportswoman of the Year – Angel Reese (Basketball)

Sportsman of the Year – Jalen Hurts (Football)

BET Her Award – “Heart of a Woman” – Summer Walker