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The 16 Greatest BET Awards Performances of All Time

By YPB Team

From unforgettable tributes to career-defining solo sets, these are the moments that stopped time on the BET stage — legends and rising stars who owned the night. Which performance earns the crown?

  1. Chris Brown 2010 — ranked #11
    Chris Brown 2010
    A breathtaking Michael Jackson tribute one year after MJ's death — moonwalks, flips, and raw emotion in a show-stopping set.
    1000pts
  2. Beyoncé 2007 — ranked #22
    Beyoncé 2007
    Her iconic 'Get Me Bodied' set backed by an all-female band, widely called one of the greatest BET performances ever.
    999pts
  3. Destiny's Child 2005 — ranked #33
    Destiny's Child 2005
    One of the group's final performances together before disbanding, performing 'Cater 2 U' in an intimate, stunning send-off.
    594pts
  4. Mary J. Blige 2008 — ranked #44
    Mary J. Blige 2008
    The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul delivered one of her most emotionally resonant BET sets, voice and presence on full display.
    585pts
  5. Beyoncé 2003 — ranked #55
    Beyoncé 2003
    Her explosive solo debut performing 'Crazy In Love,' announcing a superstar in the making.
    585pts
  6. Rihanna 2006 — ranked #66
    Rihanna 2006
    A star-making performance during her breakout year, cementing her as one of pop and R&B's most exciting new forces.
    454pts
  7. Beyoncé Jay-Z 2006 — ranked #77
    Beyoncé Jay-Z 2006
    A magnetic joint performance of 'Deja Vu' with Jay-Z, electric chemistry on the BET stage.
    454pts
  8. James Brown 2003 — ranked #88
    James Brown 2003
    The Godfather of Soul delivered a legendary performance alongside a surprise cameo from Michael Jackson.
    454pts
  9. Nicki Minaj 2010 — ranked #99
    Nicki Minaj 2010
    An explosive debut BET performance during the rise of rap's most dominant female voice in years.
    454pts
  10. Whitney Houston 2001 — ranked #1010
    Whitney Houston 2001
    An emotionally raw Lifetime Achievement performance marking Whitney's triumphant return to the stage.
    374pts
  11. The Fugees 2005 — ranked #1111
    The Fugees 2005
    A surprise reunion after nearly a decade apart, reminding the world why Lauryn Hill, Wyclef, and Pras are legends.
    374pts
  12. Usher Beyoncé 2004 — ranked #1212
    Usher Beyoncé 2004
    A sizzling duet performance of 'Bad Girl' between two of R&B's biggest stars at their commercial peak.
    374pts
  13. Prince Tribute 2016 — ranked #1313
    Prince Tribute 2016
    Stevie Wonder, Maxwell, Sheila E., and Charlie Wilson united for a tearful, soaring tribute to the late Prince.
    374pts
  14. Kendrick Lamar 2013 — ranked #1414
    Kendrick Lamar 2013
    A commanding performance that announced Kendrick as rap's new standard-bearer, raw and precise in equal measure.
    374pts
  15. Cardi B 2018 — ranked #1515
    Cardi B 2018
    A triumphant post-Invasion of Privacy performance that sealed her status as the biggest female rapper on the planet.
    175pts
  16. Lil Wayne 2008 — ranked #1616
    Lil Wayne 2008
    At the absolute peak of his powers, Wayne delivered a ferocious set that reminded everyone why he was the best rapper alive.
    0pts
R&B602000s147hip-hop85music844performances150legends378

Comments 1

Five of the sixteen nights here are hers, from the 2003 Crazy in Love debut to Destiny's Child in 2005, so she mostly runs against herself: https://youpick.best/articles/beyonce-ranked-many-ways

YP
ypb-teamAug 21
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