Usher was honored with the lifetime achievement award Sunday evening on the 2024 BET Awards with an all-star tribute efficiency, adopted by a speech heavy on self-reflection that emphasised forgiveness and fatherhood.
Legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis got here out onstage to current the tribute, which began with a video exhibiting a montage of his profession, which started in his early teenagers and included an energetic efficiency on the Tremendous Bowl earlier this yr. The video featured reward from the likes of Kevin Hart, Toni Braxton, L.A. Reid, Jermaine Dupri, Janelle Monáe and Jennifer Hudson.
Following the video, Infantile Gambino — the alter ego of Donald Glover — kicked off a efficiency tribute with a slowed-down rendition of “U Don’t Have to Call.” Keke Palmer then joined him onstage because the music picked up the tempo. Palmer then segued into “You Make Me Wanna…”
Summer season Walker adopted Palmer, performing “Good Good,” which she is featured on alongside Usher and 21 Savage. Coco Jones then gave her rendition of “There Goes My Baby,” getting up shut and private with many within the viewers, together with Usher himself.
Marsha Ambrosius sang “Superstar,” Chlöe hit the stage with “Good Kisser,” Tinashe lined “Nice & Slow,” Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét carried out a risque model of “Bad Girl,” and Latto introduced the vitality for “Yeah!”
In the course of the tribute, the cameras incessantly minimize to Usher, who was seen smiling and clapping alongside, and seemed to be having fun with every of the performances.
After the efficiency, Jam and Lewis introduced out L.A. Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who spoke about how they blew him away at his first audition at age 14.
Usher then took the stage, carrying sun shades, a white jacket and denims, the place he seemed to be overcome with emotion earlier than giving his remarks.
“Getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it,” he stated, earlier than noting that “I like to talk and I have a way with words” and hadn’t written ready remarks as a result of he “wanted this to be present, in this moment” (his speech ran for almost quarter-hour).
“This life achievement award, I don’t know, man, is it too early to receive it?” he quipped. “‘Cause I’m still runnin’ and gunnin’ like I did when I was 8 years old.”
In the meantime, a superb portion of Usher’s speech was bleeped out, presumably because of language, however a lot of what could possibly be heard discovered Usher reflecting on his household and being a dad.
He talked about his father — Usher Raymond III — leaving his household when he was a child. “I was trying to make sense of this name a man gave me that didn’t stick around because he didn’t love me,” he stated, taking off his glasses so the viewers might actually see his expression. “You have to have a forgiving heart to understand the true pitfalls and hardships of a Black man in America. and my father, he was a product of that.” He urged different fathers to be current in their very own children’ lives. “This is the year of the father. Stand up for your daughters and sons and lead. They say success has a million fathers,” he stated.
He additionally addressed his ex-wife, Tameka Foster. “I’m trying, Tameka,” he stated, pointing to the that means behind his music “Good Good” and noting he was “turning a new leaf.” He point out as position fashions different former {couples} who get alongside for the sake of the youngsters, together with Swizz Beatz and his ex-wife and present spouse, Alicia Keys.
He additionally spoke extra about forgiveness. “We’ve got to be willing to forgive. We’ve got to be willing to be open,” he stated. “I’m telling you, you’re standing before a man who had to forgive a man who never showed up ever. And look what I made with it. Look what I was able to ‘usher’ in. But that’s what’s real. That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us women and men.”
Usher introduced a number of relations to the 2024 BET Awards, together with his spouse, Jennifer Goicoechea Raymond, mother Jonnetta Patton, sons Naviyd Raymond and Usher “Cinco” Raymond V and brother J. Lack.
Earlier within the evening, Usher received the award for finest R&B/hip-hop artist on the BET Awards.
Taraji P. Henson hosted the present, which aired dwell on BET from Downtown Los Angeles.
See a listing of 2024 BET Awards winners.
Justin Hagey contributed to this report.
