Many of the biggest names in music assembled at Sunday’s BET Awards for a diverse series of moving tributes to Prince, two months after the music legend’s untimely death.
Please remember On May 23, just one day after Madonna and Stevie Wonder honored Prince at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, the BET Awards tweeted a promo for its own upcoming Prince tribute.
Rather than attempt to honor Prince’s memory with a single tribute, the BET Awards allotted for several performances throughout the night, beginning with Erykah Badu and the Roots’ rendition of “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker.” The team-up was introduced by an emotional Dave Chappelle, who rocked a purple pocket square in memory of his idol.
This was followed by a haunting performance of “The Beautiful Ones,” with Bilal taking control of the microphone. Bilal was literally on the floor by the end of the minute-long tribute:
Great rendition of #Prince's #TheBeautifulOnes by @Bilal at the #BETAwards 😎💜 pic.twitter.com/GVGvDDx6DA
— SERPAN99 (@serpan99) June 27, 2016
The ceremony’s second hour featured an energetic duet of “Take Me With You,” courtesy of Stevie Wonder — who’s basically on a Prince appreciation tour at this point — and Tori Kelly:
.@ToriKelly and Stevie Wonder paying homage to #Prince #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/JD1YqTr28M
— REVOLT (@revolttv) June 27, 2016
Next, Jennifer Hudson took the stage for a powerful rendition of “Purple Rain,” inspiring a theater-wide sing-along of the iconic jam:
Only one person for the job @IAMJHUD !!! 😩😩😩🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤 #PurpleRain #BETawards @BETAwards pic.twitter.com/uYYaFSpC9d
— REVOLT (@revolttv) June 27, 2016
Maxwell kicked off the 10 o’clock hour with back-to-back performances of his own “Lake By the Ocean” and Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”:
Lake By the Ocean 🌊 @_MAXWELL_ #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/PJTXXdh8KY
— REVOLT (@revolttv) June 27, 2016
Shortly before the clock struck 11 (eastern), Janelle Monáe sauntered onto the stage, dancing her way through a medley of Prince’s hits, including “Kiss”:
Relive @janellemonae’s amazing #PrinceTribute at the #BETAwards. 💜https://t.co/h1X3IfBLgQ
— The Goods by Vox (@thegoods) June 27, 2016
And the night of Prince tributes came to a close with a high-energy performance from Sheila E., which included — as expected — some killer drum work:
Sheila E. knocked it out of the park with her #Prince tribute. We love and miss you ☔️☔️☔️ #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/bvW1pL2kS6
— REVOLT (@revolttv) June 27, 2016
