All of the Best Performances from the 2017 BET Awards

At its 16th annual taping, the 2017 BET Awards did not disappoint with a night of music and entertainment from some of the world’s top performers.

The 16th annual BET Awards happened last night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California and it did not disappoint. The star studded awards show, which aims to honor the achievements of African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year, showcased some of the best televised performances in recent memory. Here are a few of our favorites:

The performance of the show’s host, Leslie Jones, might have gotten overlooked if it wasn’t so spot on. Jones was on fire, providing zingers and enough restraint to keep the long ceremony moving swiftly, with choice lines about why anyone would want a Lil Yachty (as opposed to a bigger one), giving advice to her 90s self, and asking We The Best Music’s DJ Khaled and R&B up-and-comer Khalid to –please–differentiate their names.

 

Bruno Mars

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As per ushe, Bruno Mars delivered a masterful performance. Singing his way through his most recent single “Perm,” Mars donned a throwback baseball jersey. Dressed in matching jersey, his band may have stolen the show as they hit every note while simultaneously making their way through some impressive choreography.

Tamar Braxton

Toni Braxton’s little sister Tamar turned heads with an emotionally charged version of her song “My Man.” Her performance was noteworthy as it did not involve any backing vocal tracks, relying solely on Tamar’s own tenor.

SZA

Complex favorite and Top Dawg Entertainment’s Sza began her performance with some microphone issues but in a fortunate turn of events, managed to emerge victorious, belting out passionate versions of songs “Love Galore” and “The Weekend,” both off her latest record, Crtl.

Future and Kendrick

The collaborations were in full effect last night as DJ Khaled teamed up with Lil Wayne, Quavo and Chance the Rapper on a live take of his summer anthem, “I’m the One.” While the song usually features a guest cameo from Justin Bieber, Khaled made sure to take the pressure off his missing cohort by carrying his son Asahd on stage wearing oversized headphones (presumably, to protect his young ears.)

Big Sean

Big Sean kept it 100 with a three song medley of tracks from his album I Decided. It wasn’t flashy but showcased how Big Sean doesn’t need big fanfare to captivate an audience, as his scaled down performance hit exactly the right notes.

Xscape

90s quartet Xscape played into the show’s nostalgia factor with renditions of their classics “Understanding,” “Who Can I Run To,” and “Just Kickin’ It.”

New Edition

Recipients of the 2017 Life Achievement Award, New Edition had a weird performance, with the cast of their biopic BET’S New Edition Story, beginning their slot by karaoking the group’s songs at them. Luckily, the real band eventually stepped up for a medley, including their hits “Mr. Telephone Man,” “If it Isn’t Love,” and “Can’t You Stand the Rain.”

Migos

 And what party in 2017 is complete without a little Migos? The trio blessed the stage by closing out the BET Awards with versions of their tracks  “Congratulations,” “T-Shirt,” and “Bad and Boujee.”

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