BET Awards 2018: Top 5 Moments You Missed During The Show

Jamie Foxx promised a night of celebration on Sunday when he took the stage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles to host the 2018 BET Awards, and the comedian kept his word. The event was filled with powerful messages and hilarious moments while honoring talented African Americans and other minorities in the entertainment industry.

Check out the top five moments you may have missed during the 2018 BET Awards.

1. Jamie Foxx’s Opening Monologue

The host provided several impromptu moments throughout the night, and while some were awkward, a majority were more significant moments that may have flown under the radar. Foxx managed to get the crowd excited by praising the success of “Black Panther” through song and presenting one of the stars of the movie, Michael B. Jordan, with a stuffed black panther. The comedian then took a moment to call the actor on stage to recite what he felt was one of the most powerful lines from the movie: “Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from the ships, because they knew death was better than bondage.”

The statement received a standing ovation from the crowd and kicked off the beginning of an eventful night.

2. J. Cole’s Surprise Performance

Fans of BET know, the network announced the artists scheduled to perform on Sunday night included Nicki Minaj, Migos, Janelle Monáe, Ella Mai and H.E.R., so it was quite a surprise when J.Cole was seen on stage and began performing his song, “Friends.” The song, which touched on several issues affecting the black community featured children, who were focused on meditating before spontaneously launching into a dance routine.

3. Meek Mill’s Performance

When Meek Mill took the stage on Sunday night, he didn’t just hype the crowd up by reciting a few bars about superficial items. Instead, he shared a powerful message, urging Americans to pay attention to what’s going on around them. The Philadelphia rapper took the stage wearing a black sweatshirt displaying the faces of XXXTentacion and Jimmy Wopo, who were both murdered last week, to perform his new song “Stay Woke.” The song discussed social issues, including police brutality, while the performance featured the murder of a young man and several prisoners behind bars.

4. Oprah Vs. Mo’nique

While the night was dedicated to honoring the achievements of those in the music industry, Foxx took a moment to try to settle the feud between Oprah and Mo’nique. In 2009, Mo’nique starred in the film “Precious” and took home an Oscar for her performance. The two women were friends at the time, and Mo’nique even thanked the famous talk show host in her acceptance speech. The relationship went south when Oprah informed Mo’nique she wanted to interview her brother Gerald, who molested the actress, and asked Mo’nique to appear alongside him. Although the actress declined the offer, she gave Oprah permission to interview him. What Mo’nique didn’t know was that her parents were also being featured in the interview, which was something she would have never approved and felt betrayed by the host.

At the 2018 BET Awards, Foxx attempted to address the issue but didn’t seem to make the situation better seeing as the ladies weren’t in the audience. “There’s a lot of beefs...I am talking about Mo’Nique and Oprah. How did that happen? How was they beefin’? ‘Cause we love them. We know Oprah tried to fix it. Come on Mo’Nique,” he said.

“We love Oprah and we're scared of Mo’Nique,” he added.

5. Anita Baker’s Acceptance Speech

Before the legendary singer took the stage to be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, the audience watched spectacular performances from Yolanda Adams who performed Baker’s hit “You Bring Me Joy” while Marsha Ambrosius belted out, “Caught Up in The Rapture” and Ledisi sang, “Sweet Love.” However, the real treat was when Baker accepted the award and asked her fellow artists to support one another in their crafts and keep music alive.

“I would ask that the music be allowed to play, that singers are allowed to sing, and rappers are allowed to rap, and poets are allowed to rhyme,” she said.