On Sunday, Travis Scott and Morgan Wallen were controversially re-elected on the Billboard Music Awards stage. Mary J. Blige was recognized for her musical excellence.
Wallen took part in his first major awards ceremony after he was captured on camera using a racial slur more than a decade ago. Wallen, a country star, sat with his four-piece band. He performed “Don’t Think Jesus” and “Wasted On You,” both singles from his hit project “Dangerous: The Double Album.”
Soon after his performance, Pusha T presented Wallen with the top country artist award.
“I want to thank God and my fans. Wallen acknowledged that he had the best damn fans and thanked his mother for being his date to the show. Wallen also thanked Billboard for inviting his mother. He didn’t mention the incident last year, in which the music industry rebuked the disgraced singer.
He continued, “Thank you to your little boy.” “You inspire me every single day.”
Scott performed his first televised show since the massive crowd surge that killed 10 people and left thousands injured at Houston’s Astroworld Festival in November 2013. Scott performed “Mafia”, his single, in an icy, polar-themed performance with heavily censored lyrics.
Mary J. Blige was awarded the Icon Award for her contribution to music. Janet Jackson presented the award to the singer, who is known as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. Sean “Diddy” Combs was escorted onto the stage and acted as host.
After receiving the honor, Blige stated that she is in a “dream moment” She talked about how it was not an easy task to become an icon during her stellar career.
She said, “I’ve been on the journey for a while, one that didn’t always look like you see me now. One that was filled with a lot of heartache and pain.” “But God helped my channel those emotions and experiences in my music, which was where I began in music,” she said.
Blige was recognized through a video montage that featured appearances by Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, and Queen Latifah. Past award winners include Prince, Steve Wonder and Mariah Carey.
Blige said that she was “ghetto fantastic” and is still so. Her Dr. Dre-produced single, “Family Affair”, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2001. She also had four No. The Billboard 200 ranked the Billboard 1 albums. “So ghetto, so fabulous that people were threatened by it.” Everyone wants to be ghetto-famous.”
Maxwell paid tribute to Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller” during a performance celebrating the 40th anniversary of King of Pop’s 1982 album. The singer wore dazzling black gloves and a jacket as he took to the stage before performing “The Lady in My Life”, a heartfelt song.
Combs presented Tamika Mallory with the Revolt Black Excellence Award. Combs praised Mallory’s work as an organizer for the Women’s March 2017 and as a supporter of Black Lives Matter.
Combs stated, “You fight for our front lines, and it is up to us just to pay so much respect towards you, queen,” before calling her “fearless.”
Mallory almost wept after listening to Combs’ kind remarks. Mallory then brought up Saturday’s massacre in Buffalo, New York that left 10 people dead.
After the attack on the supermarket, the white gunman was charged with murder. This was a hate crime according to police since most of the victims were Black.
Mallory stated that while they had arrested the murderer, they didn’t arrest the hate. They haven’t taken away the pain and the harm. If you don’t do anything right now, you’re doing nothing by not speaking up. I ask you tonight: Get involved, fight for justice.”
Drake won the top male artist, rap artist and rap album award for “Certified Lover Boy” earlier in the night. He also won the top male artist, rap male artist, rap artist and rap album awards.
Six awards were won during a non-televised ceremony by Kanye West and Olivia Rodrigo. Rodrigo won the award for the best new artist.
Ye was a star in faith-based categories again. Ye-won top Christian artist the first time and claimed top gospel artist, gospel song the third year. He was also awarded the top gospel album.
The Kid LAROI was a first-time recipient, winning awards for “Stay” featuring Justin Bieber. This song’s win count at the Billboard Music Awards rose to 26.
Doja Cat won four awards. For the second year in a row, Doja Cat won top R&B artist and R&B Female artist.
Taylor Swift, who holds the record for most ever award shows won 29 with four wins and won four awards. Bad Bunny won two awards, while R&B duo Silk Sonic (comprised of Bruno Mars, Anderson. Paak and Anderson. Paak) won their first-ever award for the top R&B song, “Leave the Door Open.”
Amariyanna Copeny was nervous after she received the Changemaker Award. It was for her community work in the Flint water crisis, which began in 2014. Copeny, now 14, burst into laughter when she read the teleprompter.
Copeny stated that she doesn’t do the work to earn accolades or clout. She continued, “I do it because of the Flint children who are still being poisoned from the water.” Teyana Taylor presented her with the award.
Becky G released “Esquemas” Friday. She performed “Baile Con Mi Ex”, as well as her hit song “MAMIII,” which topped Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs charts. Ed Sheeran performed a remote performance while on tour in Northern Ireland.
Miranda Lambert, Meghan Stallion, and Silk Sonic, Grammy Award darlings, were just a few of the other acts that took to the stage.
