The 2015 BET Awards took place in Los Angeles earlier tonight.
The event showcased a mixture of funny and serious moments, with Diddy stealing headlines for falling into a hole on the stage mid-performance.
BET Awards co-host Anthony Anderson sparked laughter from the crowd when he dressed as Sam Smith, who won best new artist but didn’t attend the awards show.
“Sam Smith isn’t here tonight because he’s white and he didn’t think he would win at the BET Awards,” Anderson said. “He didn’t think he could win. But we showed him that we love him, too.”
Kendrick Lamar opened the show on a more serious note, performing To Pimp A Butterfly cut ‘Alright’ on top of a police car with an American flag waving in the background. Lamar later took home the award for best male hip-hop artist. “This is for Compton, this is for Watts,” Lamar said.
Janelle Monae and Jidenna continued on a serious note with a performance of their single ‘Classic Man’. The pair wore large “I’m a Classic Man” signs around their necks, referencing the historic “I Am a Man” civil rights era protest signs.
Smokey Robinson received the Lifetime Achievement Award, performing a medley of his hits and earning a standing ovation from the audience. Robin Thicke, Ne-Yo and singer Tori Kelly led tributes to Robinson.
The inaugural Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual Award was presented to Janet Jackson. She was honoured with a special dance performance from Tinashe, Ciara and Jason Derulo.
Check the full list of winners and watch some of the best performances below.
Kendrick Lamar
Janelle Monáe & Jidenna
Chris Brown, Tyga & Omarion
The Weeknd & Alicia Keys
Meek Mill, Nicki Minaj, and Chris Brown
Bad Boy Reunion
Smokey Robinson Tribute
Big Sean
The cast of Empire
Patti LaBelle, K. Michelle and Tamar Braxton
Janet Jackson Tribute
Fetty Wap
BEST ACTOR
Anthony Anderson
Idris Elba
Jussie Smollet
Kevin Hart
Terrence Howard – WINNER
BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ARTIST
Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
Eddy Kenzo (Uganda) – WINNER
Mzvee (Ghana)
George The Poet (London)
Mic Lowry (Liverpool)
Novelist (London)
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT: UK
FKA Twigs
Fuse ODG
Lethal Bizzle
Little Simz
Mnek
Stormzy – WINNER
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT: AFRICA
AKA (South Africa)
Stonebwoy (Ghana) – WINNER
Sarkodie (Ghana)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Sauti Sol (Kenya)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
The Soil (South Africa)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Beyoncé – WINNER
Ciara
Janelle Monaé
Jhené Aiko
K. Michelle
Rihanna
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
August Alsina
Chris Brown – WINNER
John Legend
The Weeknd
Trey Songz
Usher
BEST GROUP
A$AP Mob
Jodeci
Migos
Rae Sremmurd – WINNER
Rich Gang
Young Money
BEST COLLABORATION
August Alsina featuring Nicki Minaj “No Love (Remix)”
Big Sean featuring E-40 “IDFWU”
Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne & Tyga “Loyal”
Chris Brown featuring Usher & Rick Ross “New Flame”
Common & John Legend “Glory” – WINNER
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk”
BEST MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Big Sean
Common
Drake
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar – WINNER
Wale
BEST FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Azealia Banks
DeJ Loaf
Iggy Azalea
Nicki Minaj – WINNER
Tink
Trina
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé “7/11” – WINNER
Big Sean featuring E-40 “IDFWU”
Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne & Tyga “Loyal”
Chris Brown featuring Usher & Rick Ross “New Flame”
Common & John Legend “Glory”
Nicki Minaj “Anaconda”
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Benny Boom
Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Todd Tourso – WINNER
Chris Robinson
Fatima Robinson
Hype Williams
BEST NEW ARTIST
Bobby Shmurda
DeJ Loaf
Fetty Wap
Rae Sremmurd
Sam Smith – WINNER
Tinashe
BEST GOSPEL ARTIST
Deitrick Haddon
Erica Campbell
Fred Hammond
Lecrae – WINNER
Mali Music
Michelle Williams
COCA-COLA VIEWERS’ CHOICE AWARD
Beyoncé “7/11”
DeJ Loaf “Try Me”
Kendrick Lamar “i”
Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown “Only” – WINNER
Rae Sremmurd featuring Nicki Minaj & Young Thug “Throw Sum Mo”
The Weeknd “Earned It”
CENTRIC AWARD
Avery Sunshine “Call My Name”
Jazmine Sullivan featuring Meek Mill “Dumb”
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk”
Sam Smith featuring Mary J. Blige “Stay With Me”
The Weeknd “Earned It” – WINNER
