Culture
The 2025 BET Awards: Full List of Winners & Highlights From Culture’s Biggest Night
Culture’s Biggest Night did not disappoint.
The 2025 BET Awards aired live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, June 9, with Kevin Hart returning to host a star-studded night filled with iconic moments, surprise wins, and powerful tributes. From a nostalgic nod to the 25th anniversary of 106 & Park to a set of performances honoring this year’s Ultimate Icon Award recipients, the show brought both celebration and sentiment front and center.
This year’s Ultimate Icon honors went to four undeniable legends—Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Kirk Franklin, and Jamie Foxx—each of whom received their flowers in live tributes that had the audience on their feet. Jamie’s segment included powerhouse vocals from Jennifer Hudson and Babyface, with comedic cues from Craig Robinson. The performance also featured Ludacris, T-Pain and Teddy Riley.
Meanwhile, the 106 & Park tribute was a throwback dream come true, with Ashanti, Bow Wow, Keyshia Cole, T.I., Jim Jones and Amerie lighting up the stage. It was a reminder that the era of countdowns, after-school premieres, and Roc-A-Fella chains will forever live in our hearts.
But the night wasn’t just about looking back—it was also about crowning today’s stars. Kendrick Lamar had one of the biggest wins of the night, taking home Album of the Year for GNX and Video of the Year for “Not Like Us.” He also snagged Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, continuing a dominant year on all fronts.
Doechii added another W to her breakout run, walking away with Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and recognition in Video of the Year and Best Collaboration. SZA snagged Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, while Chris Brown grabbed Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Viewer’s Choice Award for “Residuals.”
Kehlani, fresh off a standout year and a buzzed-about AMA performance, was nominated for multiple categories including Video of the Year for “After Hours,” while Coco Jones and Summer Walker also had notable nominations.
Scroll down for the full list of 2025 BET Awards winners and nominees:
2025 BET Awards – Full List of Winners & Nominees
Ultimate Icon Award Honorees
- Mariah Carey
- Jamie Foxx
- Kirk Franklin
- Snoop Dogg
Album of the Year
- $ome $exy $ongs 4 U – Drake & PARTYNEXTDOOR
- 11:11 Deluxe – Chris Brown
- Alligator Bites Never Heal – Doechii
- Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé
- Glorious – GloRilla
- GNX – Kendrick Lamar
- Hurry Up Tomorrow – The Weeknd
- We Don’t Trust You – Future & Metro Boomin
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
- Ari Lennox
- Ayra Starr
- Coco Jones
- Kehlani
- Muni Long
- Summer Walker
- SZA
- Victoria Monét
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
- Bruno Mars
- Chris Brown
- Drake
- Fridayy
- Leon Thomas
- Teddy Swims
- The Weeknd
- Usher
Best Group
- 41
- Common & Pete Rock
- Drake & PARTYNEXTDOOR
- FLO
- Future & Metro Boomin
- Jacquees & Dej Loaf
- Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist
- Maverick City Music
Best Collaboration
- “30 For 30” – SZA Feat. Kendrick Lamar
- “Alter Ego” – Doechii Feat. JT
- “Are You Even Real” – Teddy Swims Feat. Givēon
- “Beckham” – Dee Billz Feat. Kyle Richh, Kai Swervo, KJ Swervo
- “Bless” – Lil Wayne, Wheezy & Young Thug
- “Like That” – Future & Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar
- “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- “Sticky” – Tyler, The Creator Feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne
- “Timeless” – The Weeknd Feat. Playboi Carti
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
- Cardi B
- Doechii
- Doja Cat
- GloRilla
- Latto
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Nicki Minaj
- Rapsody
- Sexyy Red
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
- BigXthaPlug
- Bossman Dlow
- Burna Boy
- Drake
- Future
- Kendrick Lamar
- Key Glock
- Lil Wayne
- Tyler, The Creator
Video Of The Year
- “3AM In Tokeyo” – Key Glock
- “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
- “After Hours” – Kehlani
- “Denial Is A River” – Doechii
- “Family Matters” – Drake
- “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
- “Timeless” – The Weeknd Feat. Playboi Carti
- “Type Shit” – Future, Metro Boomin, Travis Scott & Playboi Carti
Video Director Of The Year
- Anderson .Paak
- B Pace Productions & Jacquees
- Benny Boom
- Cactus Jack
- Cole Bennett
- Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
- Dave Meyers
- Foggieraw
- Tyler, The Creator
Best New Artist
- 41
- Ayra Starr
- BigXthaPlug
- Bossman Dlow
- Dee Billz
- Leon Thomas
- October London
- Shaboozey
- Teddy Swims
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
- “A God (There Is)” – Common & Pete Rock Feat. Jennifer Hudson
- “Amen” – Pastor Mike Jr.
- “Better Days” – Fridayy
- “Church Doors” – Yolanda Adams Feat. Sir The Baptist & Donald Lawrence (Terry Hunter Remix)
- “Constant” – Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, Chandler Moore & Anthony Gargiula
- “Deserve To Win” – Tamela Mann
- “Faith” – Rapsody
- “Rain Down On Me” – GloRilla Feat. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music
Viewer’s Choice Award
- “Residuals” – Chris Brown
- “Denial Is A River” – Doechii
- “Nokia” – Drake
- “Like That” – Future & Metro Boomin Feat. Kendrick Lamar
- “TGIF” – GloRilla
- “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
- “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- “Brokey” – Latto
Rihanna has crossed 200 million RIAA singles certifications in the United States, becoming the first Black vocalist and first female artist in the organization’s 73-year history to reach the milestone. Her total now stands at 200.5 million.
Two certification updates on April 10 pushed her over the mark. “Unfaithful,” track three on her 2006 album A Girl Like Me, was certified 4x Platinum in celebration of the album’s 20th anniversary. Her 2005 single “If It’s Lovin That You Want,” the second single from her debut album Music of the Sun, also crossed the 1x Platinum threshold more than two decades after its release. Platinum status represents one million equivalent units in the United States, with the RIAA counting 150 on-demand streams as the equivalent of one digital purchase.
Among all artists, she ranks third behind Drake at 277.5 million and Morgan Wallen at 215 million.
Rihanna hasn’t released an album since Anti in 2016. Catalog staples like “Umbrella,” “We Found Love,” “Only Girl (In the World),” and “Don’t Stop the Music” continue to accumulate certifications without new music driving them. Outside of her Super Bowl halftime show in 2023 and contributions to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Smurfs soundtracks, she has released no new solo music in nearly a decade.
As previously reported by miixtapechiick.com, Rihanna was spotted in the studio at 2 a.m. earlier this year and told Harper’s Bazaar in 2025 that she had “cracked the code” on the direction for her next project.
J. Cole made his debut with the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association on Saturday night, finishing without a point in eight minutes off the bench as Nanjing lost 95-81 to the Guangzhou Loong Lions.
Cole went 0-for-5 from the field, with all five attempts coming from behind the three-point line. He finished with one rebound and one assist. Cole addressed the outing on his blog afterward, keeping it straightforward. “I got to play 8 minutes in one of the top leagues in the world, got a few good looks but wasn’t able to hit one,” he wrote. “A couple more games and maybe those shots would have started to fall! Either way I’m fulfilled and grateful! Sh*t, I feel like I dropped 20!!!”
He also explained why he only appeared in one game. “Initially I was scheduled to play in at least 3 games for the Nanjing Monkey Kings of the CBA. The work visa process took way longer than expected, so I was only able to play in one before heading back.”
Saturday’s game was Cole’s third time suiting up for a professional team. He played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and the Scarborough Shooting Stars in Canada the following year.
Rihanna was spotted in Paris last week with her daughter Rocki Irish Mayers, marking one of the baby girl’s first public outings since her birth in September 2025. A$AP Rocky was also present, spending the day with their eldest son RZA. Their youngest son Riot did not appear in photos from the outing.
Rocki was dressed in a vintage Dior green-and-black John Galliano beanie from 2002, a gray pleated Dior dress layered over jeans and sneakers. Rihanna wore a Carhartt hat, a Prada striped polo shirt, and carried her “Dracula” Dior bag. Rocky and RZA were photographed walking hand in hand nearby, with RZA in a pink-striped tee and dark shades.
Rihanna announced Rocki’s birth on Instagram on September 24, 2025, posting a photo holding her newborn alongside pink silk baby boxing gloves. “Rocki Irish Mayers Sept 13 2025,” she captioned it. During the Smurfs premiere earlier this year, she spoke about her sons’ reaction to having a little sister. “I’ve always wanted a girl,” she said. “But God knows best, right? And I love my boys.”
Rihanna and Rocky welcomed RZA in May 2022, Riot Rose in 2023, and Rocki Irish in September 2025.
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