The 21st annual BET Awards were a celebration of hip-hop and R&B excellence with no shortage of must-see moments. Here's a recap of some of our favorites from the live broadcast, from Los Angeles' Microsoft Theater on June 27, 2021!
Cardi B's Baby Bump
The Bronx hitmaker joined Migos to drop her verse on "Type Shit" from the trio's new album Culture III. But it was her belly-baring bodysuit that really got people talking - and she soon confirmed that she and husband Offset (one third of Migos, of course) are expecting their second child together!
READ MORE: Cardi B's Biggest Tracks (So Far)
Megan Thee Stallion's Big Night
Having taken home a trio of Grammy Awards earlier this year, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, it looked like the BET Awards would be big for Hot Girl Meg, who led the pack with seven nominations in total. Ultimately, she took home four trophies: "WAP," her head-turning collab with Cardi, was deemed Video of the Year and Best Collaboration, while Meg herself took it home for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and a Viewer's Choice Award for the "Savage" video. She also lit up the stage with a performance of her newest track, "Thot Shit."
Silk Sonic Supreme
We are dying to know when Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak will drop a full Silk Sonic album off the strength of this summer's chart-topping "Leave the Door Open." But they did offer a chill-inducing version of that track - and off the strength of that jam alone, they even picked up a BET Award for Best Group!
Ladies First
For a night dominated by killer female acts like Cardi, Megan and H.E.R., it was great to see Queen Latifah, one of the original hip-hop trailblazers, get her flowers in the form of a Lifetime Acheivement Award. Lil Kim, Monie Love, Rapsody and MC Lyte joined forces to cover her standout songs "Ladies First" and "U.N.I.T.Y." - and the Queen herself delivered a powerful speech honoring her friends, collaborators and everyone that's stepped up to the mic after her.
Party Up (Up in Here)
Of all the many, many legends we said goodbye to in 2020 and 2021, DMX's was one of the most painful and unexpected. But the night's final performance offered an excuse to shout through the tears thanks to a star-studded medley of his biggest hits. Friends, collaborators and fans like Swizz Beatz, Busta Rhymes, Method Man The LOX and actor Michael K. Williams performed some of X's biggest hits, with the late, great rapper's own voice finishing the tribute with the emotional "The Prayer IV."
READ MORE: DMX Dead At 50