# BET Awards 2016

The 16th BET Awards were held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on June 26, 2016. The ceremony celebrated mass achievements in black entertainment and honored music, sports, television, and motion pictures released between April 1, 2015 and March 30, 2016. The nominees were announced on Friday, May 20, 2016, with Drake leading the pack with 9 nominations, while Beyoncé and Rihanna both followed behind with 6. Beyoncé ended up winning the most awards with 5, including Video of the Year.
Beyoncé opened the show with a performance of "Freedom" with Kendrick Lamar. The act featured the 50+ foot long pool that is included in her set during The Formation World Tour, where she and her backup dancers perform the choreography barefoot. Another highlight from the show was the speech from actor and activist Jesse Williams, who spoke on topics such as racism and police brutality during his acceptance speech for the Humanitarian Award. However, the most anticipated moments of the night were the multiple tributes to Prince, who died in April 2016. Seven different performances paying homage to him were spread throughout the evening.
The awards ceremony was broadcast for the first time as a simulcast across 12 Viacom Media Networks properties. Outside of BET Networks operated channels BET & Centric, the show aired on the music based platforms of MTV & MTV2 and VH1 & VH1 Classic, Nickelodeon (first hour), Nick at Nite (final two hours), and TeenNick as well as general entertainment platforms of Comedy Central, Logo and Spike.

## Performances

| Artist(s) | Song(s) |
| Beyoncé Kendrick Lamar | "Freedom" |
| Bibi Bourelly | "Riot" |
| Desiigner | "Panda" |
| Erykah Badu The Roots Bilal | "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" "The Beautiful Ones" (Tribute to Prince) |
| Fat Joe Remy Ma French Montana | "All The Way Up" |
| Alicia Keys | "In Common" |
| Stevie Wonder Jennifer Hudson Tori Kelly | "Take Me With U" "Purple Rain" (Tribute to Prince) |
| Chloe x Halle | "Drop" |
| Bryson Tiller | "Exchange "Don't" |
| Maxwell | "Lake by the Ocean" "Nothing Compares 2 U"" (Tribute to Prince) |
| Future | "Wicked" |
| Anderson Paak | "Come Down" |
| Janelle Monáe | "Delirious" "Kiss" "Pop Life" "I Would Die 4 U" (Tribute to Prince) |
| Usher Young Thug | "No Limit" |
| Sheila E. with: Lynn Mabry Liv Warfield Elisa Fiorillo Jerome Benton Mayte Garcia | Finale Medley: "Housequake" "Erotic City" "U Got the Look" "A Love Bizarre" "The Glamorous Life" "America" "Baby I'm a Star" (Tribute to Prince) |

## Nominations and Winners

The following is a list of winners and nominees. The nominations were announced on May 20, 2016.
| Video of the Year | Video Director of the Year |
| Beyoncé – Formation Bryson Tiller - "Don't" Drake – "Hotline Bling" Kendrick Lamar – "Alright" Rihanna featuring Drake – "Work" | Benny Boom Chris Brown Colin Tilley Director X Hype Williams |
| Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award | Centric Award |
| Beyoncé – Formation Bryson Tiller – "Don't" Chris Brown – "Back to Sleep" Drake – "Hotline Bling" Future featuring Drake – "Where Ya At" Rihanna featuring Drake – "Work" | Andra Day – "Rise Up" Beyoncé – Formation K. Michelle – "Not a Little Bit" The Internet – "Under Control" Rihanna – "Bitch Better Have My Money" |
| Best Female R&B/Pop Artist | Best Male R&B/Pop Artist |
| Adele Andra Day Beyoncé K. Michelle Rihanna | Bryson Tiller Chris Brown Jeremih The Weeknd Tyrese Gibson |
| Best Female Hip Hop Artist | Best Male Hip Hop Artist |
| Dej Loaf Lil' Kim Missy Elliott Nicki Minaj Remy Ma | Drake Fetty Wap Future J. Cole Kanye West Kendrick Lamar |
| Best Group | Best Collaboration |
| 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Drake & Future Puff Daddy & The Family Rae Sremmurd The Internet | Big Sean featuring Chris Brown & Ty Dolla Sign – "Play No Games" Big Sean featuring Kanye West & John Legend – "One Man Can Change the World" Future featuring Drake – "Where Ya At" Nicki Minaj featuring Beyoncé – "Feeling Myself" Rihanna featuring Drake – "Work" |
| Best New Artist | Best Gospel Artist |
| Alessia Cara Andra Day Bryson Tiller Kehlani Tory Lanez | Anthony Brown & Group Therapy Erica Atkins-Campbell Kirk Franklin Lecrae Tamela Mann Tasha Cobbs |
| Best Actress | Best Actor |
| Gabrielle Union Kerry Washington Taraji P. Henson Tracee Ellis Ross Viola Davis | Anthony Anderson Courtney B. Vance Idris Elba Michael B. Jordan O'Shea Jackson Jr. |
| YoungStars Award | Best Movie |
| Amandla Stenberg Quvenzhané Wallis Silentó Willow Smith Yara Shahidi | Beasts of No Nation Concussion Creed Dope Straight Outta Compton |
| Sportswoman of the Year | Sportsman of the Year |
| Cheyenne Woods Gabrielle Douglas Serena Williams Skylar Diggins Venus Williams | Cam Newton Kobe Bryant LeBron James Odell Beckham Jr. Stephen Curry |
| Best International Act: Africa | Best International Act: UK |
| AKA Black Coffee Cassper Nyovest Diamond Platnumz MzVee Serge Beynaud Wizkid Yemi Alade | Kano Krept and Konan Lianne La Havas Skepta Stormzy |
| Viewer's Choice Best New International Act | FANdemonium Award |
| Falz (Nigeria) Emtee (South Africa) MHD (France) Section Boyz (UK) Tkay Maidza (Australia) WSTRN (UK) | Beyoncé Rihanna Drake Bryson Tiller Ruth B |

## Special awards

* Lifetime Achievement Award - Samuel L. Jackson
* Humanitarian Award - Jesse Williams

## Controversy

Jesse Williams's humanitarian award speech was the subject of backlash from some Grey's Anatomy fans. The show's fans made a Change.org petition. The petition says that Williams "spewed a racist, hate speech against law enforcement and white people at the BET Awards." Fans also wanted him to get fired from the series. On the morning of July 5, 2016, where the petition garnered 7,000 signatures, Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes responded to the petition by saying on Twitter in a tweet, "Um, people? Boo don't need a petition. #shondalandrules." However, the petition continued to see an increase in signatures.