Usher receives Lifetime Achievement Award at BET Awards.
Usher gets honored for his legendary career as the R&B great received the Lifetime Achievement Award at BET Awards 2024. The single gave an emotional speech at the ceremony that took place at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
“Getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it,” Usher said. “I didn’t write anything because I wanted this moment to be exactly what it was: present. In this moment, how I am feeling, and the appreciation that I have for each and every person that have anything to do with this moment tonight, as well as the 30-plus-year career that I’m celebrating. This Lifetime Achievement Award, I don’t know, man. Is it too early for me to receive it? Because I’m still running and gunning and I still love it like I did when I was 8 years old.” From there, he reflected on his journey to finding an identity.”
“I was trying to make sense of this name that a man gave me but didn’t stick around because he didn’t love me,” he continued. “Or at least that was my perception of it because I had to live long enough in order to understand that you have to have a forgiving heart in order to understand the true pitfalls and hardships of a Black man in America. My father was a product of that. He made a lot of decisions. He made a lot of choices, and one that probably hurt and helped me at the same time was to stay away. That’s part of the reason why I say this is the year of the father, where all the fathers have got to stand up for their sons and daughters and be the man that they need to be for them.”
The show also featured a medley of performances as a tribute to Usher. The performances includes acts like Childish Gambino, Tinashe, Keke Palmer, Summer Walker, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monet, Latto, Chloe and more. Earlier this year, Usher performed at the NFL Super Bowl halftime show.
VIDEO:
Usher Raymond Tribute
Introduction: Jimmy Jam & Terry LewisUsher Career Montage
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Music Medley featuring: Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Summer Walker, Coco Jones, Marsha Ambrosius, Chloe, Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét & Latto
2024 BET Awards#BETAwards pic.twitter.com/P74GVH2NVm
— 3030 (@jose3030) July 1, 2024
Usher receives BET’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/QGC1OqRr2P
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) July 1, 2024
“Blessed to be here with my family, blessed to have this lifetime achievement award, blessed to continue to put out music.” – @Usher
He lists more blessings, discusses his favorite deep cut from ‘Confessions’ & more with Billboard at the #BETAwards. pic.twitter.com/kCC5Gcb6Qg
— billboard (@billboard) July 1, 2024