The R&B star Pharrell Williams, the rapper Nicki Minaj and the newcomer August Alsina led the winners at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards on Sunday, which also honoured the veteran soul singer Lionel Richie.
Pharrell kicked off the show with Come Get It Bae and won two awards, including Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. Beyoncé was named Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and closed the show with a sultry performance of Partition with her husband Jay Z. The couple also won Best Collaboration for Drunk In Love.
Richie, 65, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his prolific career as part of the Motown group Commodores and as a solo artist.
“Soul is a feeling, not a colour. Talent is a God-given gift and not a category and out of the box is the magical place where true talent goes to thrive and breathe,” Richie said as he accepted the award.
The BET Awards, held in Los Angeles, celebrates black musicians, actors and athletes.
The New Orleans singer Alsina was named Best New Artist and Lil Wayne’s rap collective Young Money won Best Group. Drake won Best Male Hip Hop Artist, while Minaj was named Best Female Hip Hop Artist and took a dig at other rappers by saying: “When you hear Nicki Minaj spit, Nicki Minaj wrote it.”
The comedian Chris Rock hosted the show, throwing jokes and jibes and handing out chicken and waffles to the audience. The almost four-hour ceremony featured performances by some of the music world’s biggest names, including Usher, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne.
The show also served up 1990s nostalgia with Troop, Color Me Badd and Silk singing a medley of classic hits.
The Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave swept the film categories with Lupita Nyong'o named Best Actress and Chiwetel Ejiofor named Best Actor.
The civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams accepted the Humanitarian Award, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.