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BET Awards turn into love fest
As Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Jamie Foxx, and Chris Brown share top honors with two awards each, Foxx and Fantasia steal the show with an extended lip lock.
BET held its annual awards ceremony last night, and the event featured a who's who of black artists both past and present, from Harry Belafonte and Chaka Khan to Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Jamie Foxx, and Chris Brown.
Jay-Z and Beyonce at the BET Awards.
While Belafonte, 79, accepted a humanitarian award and Khan, 53, nabbed a lifetime achievement honor, Blige, West, Foxx, and Brown were the big winners of the night, tallying two awards each.
But it was Foxx who had the audience buzzing after he engaged in an extended lip lock with former American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino in the midst of their steamy duet on "DJ Play a Love Song."
"I didn't expect it to be that intense, but I didn't mind it either," Foxx joked backstage, according to MTV News.
Blige's "Be Without You" and West's "Gold Digger" featuring Foxx shared the prize for video of the year. Blige also grabbed best female R&B artist honors, while West and Foxx also won for best collaboration on "Gold Digger."
Brown took home viewer's choice, for his "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)," as well as best new artist.
To celebrate her lifetime achievement award, Chaka Khan was joined onstage for a five-song medley performance by Stevie Wonder, Prince, India.Arie, and Yolanda Adams. Busta Rhymes also performed at the event and was joined onstage by Eminem, who has kept a low profile in recent months as he's endured the death of his longtime friend and D12 comember Proof as well as a second divorce from wife Kim Mathers.
Prince at the BET Awards.
Prince performed twice during the event, closing the telecast with his song "3121," and grabbed the male R&B artist award.
"This was unexpected; I appreciate it nonetheless," he said.
Belafonte accepted his humanitarian award with his usual historical perspective.
"This award doesn't just touch vanity," he said. "It is a validation of what I stand for, what Paul Robeson stood for. It's a validation of what W.E.B. Dubois stood for, what Malcolm X and Dr. King stood for."
The award winners were decided by a panel of executives from entertainment companies, record labels, and the media, except the Viewers' Choice award, which fans voted for online. The event was hosted by actor Damon Wayans.
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