A number of the largest names in music got here collectively to have fun a few of Usher Raymond‘s best hits on Sunday.
Infantile Gambino, Keke Palmer, Chloe Bailey, Teyana Taylor and extra carried out a musical tribute to the R&B crooner as he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2024 BET Awards in Los Angeles.
Producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis launched a video retrospective that includes trade friends praising Usher’s profession, earlier than Gambino serenaded the dwell viewers with the artist’s 2002 single ‘U Don’t Must Name’ earlier than Palmer transitioned to ‘You Make Me Wanna…’
The tribute additionally featured a medley of hits like ‘Good Good’, ‘There Goes My Child’ and ‘Confessions Half II’ from artists like Summer time Walker, Coco Jones and Marsha Ambrosius.
After taking within the present entrance row, Usher accepted the award with a heartfelt speech. “Getting right here has positively not been straightforward however it has been price it,” he started.
Infantile Gambino and Keke Palmer carry out onstage through the 2024 BET Awards on June 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Photographs)
“This Life Achievement Award… I don’t know, man. Is it too early for me to obtain it? As a result of I’m nonetheless operating and gunning and I nonetheless love this shit like I did once I was 8 years previous. However I wish to thank each one of many performers tonight who paid tribute.”
Usher added, “We was going again to moments that a few of y’all may not even know, once I was dropping my pants. So these moments that change into legacy are all about expression and simply having enjoyable and discovering the connection and the spark. After I first began, I had a special concept about what I believed life was gonna be. I began off as an artist in a gaggle in Chatanooga, Tennessee, and my identify was Cha-Cha. And I actually was trying to find some identification and I used to be doing that particularly as a result of I used to be attempting to make sense of this identify that was given to me … {that a} man gave me that didn’t stick round as a result of he didn’t love me. Or a minimum of that was my notion of it as a result of I needed to dwell lengthy sufficient to grasp that you must have a forgiving coronary heart with a purpose to perceive the true pitfalls and hardships of a Black man in America. And my father, he was a product of that. He made numerous selections, he made numerous decisions. And the one which in all probability harm and assist me on the similar time was to remain away, however that’s a part of the rationale why I say that is the 12 months of the daddy, the place all of the fathers gotta get up for his or her sons, their daughters and be the person that they have to be for them.”
The Coming House artist thanked his father figures as he was surrounded by “my village” onstage. “These are the boys who motivated me, who communicate to me, who’ve spoken to me,” Usher mentioned.
Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét carry out onstage through the 2024 BET Awards on June 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Photographs)
He additionally imparted some knowledge to his personal kids, whom he hugged earlier than stepping onstage.
“Nevertheless it’s all about y’all,” mentioned Usher. “It’s one hundred pc all about my kids and ensuring that you simply perceive that your desires can come true when you’re really dedicated to it. Should you’re devoted to one thing and you discover ardour and also you keep dedicated to it, this might probably be you. This could possibly be your second — not on this stage, as a result of I’m the one one which’s gonna have this one. However you could possibly have a second like this too.
Usher thanked his “pretty spouse” Jennifer Goicoechea. “Thanks a lot for being my finest pal,” he mentioned. “Thanks a lot for supporting me and inspiring me. For each one who has been a part of shopping for an album or both coming to a present or both supporting me, I completely wouldn’t have been ready to do that with out you.”