«We have to vote like our life depends on it, because it does.»<\/b>
\nBlack power, suffering and the fight for justice took center stage at the BET awards on Sunday, the first Black celebrity event in the United States since nationwide mass protests broke out this month over systemic racism.
The show, which celebrates Black excellence in music, film, sports and philanthropy, was filled with speeches, songs, images of protests and the names of dozens of Black men and women who have died at the hands of police in recent years.
Beyonce, who was given a humanitarian award by former U. S. first lady Michelle Obama for her charitable initiatives, urged the Black community to use its vote in upcoming U. S. elections to dismantle \u201cracist and unequal systems.\u201d
\u201cWe have to vote like our life depends on it, because it does,\u201d the singer said.
The awards show, broadcast live for the first time in its 20-year history on America\u2019s mainstream CBS channel, featured commercials from the likes of Coca-Cola, Ford, Nissan, P&G, L\u2019Oreal and Facebook that both celebrated the achievements of Black people and highlighted the challenges they face.
A remixed version of veteran New York rap group Public Enemy\u2019s 1989 anthem \u201cFight the Power,\u201d featuring photos of this month\u2019s street protests, opened the show, whose slogan was \u201cOur culture can\u2019t be canceled.\u201d
Da Baby\u2019s performance of \u201cRockstar\u201d began with the rapper singing while lying on the ground under the knee of a police officer, in a recreation of last month\u2019s arrest and death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that sparked the protests.
Newcomer Roddy Ricch wore a \u201cBlack Lives Matter\u201d shirt, John Legend played his ballad, \u201cWe Will Never Break,\u201d and Alicia Keys sang an emotional new song, \u201cPerfect Way to Die,\u201d about the black lives lost over the decades.
The show was a mix of pre-recorded performances and virtual appearances because of the coronavirus pandemic that shut down production of television shows in mid-March.
Awards went to Ricch\u2019s \u201cPlease Excuse Me for Being Anti-Social,\u201d which won album of the year, Megan Thee Stallion for best female hip-hop artist and Lizzo was named best female R&B\/pop artist.
Gymnast Simone Biles and basketball star LeBron James were named sportswoman and man of the year respectively. Nigerian musician Burna Boy was named best international act.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)<\/p>\n