West top winner at BET Awards
By RYAN PEARSON Associated Press Writer , Associated Press
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Gladys Knight accepts the BET Lifetime Achievement Award during the 5th annual BET Awards on Tuesday, June 28, 2005, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Producer-rapper Kanye West was the big winner at Tuesday night's BET Awards, earning trophies for male hip-hop artist and video of the year for his "Jesus Walks."
But like seven other honorees, West didn't show up to accept his awards, leaving the night largely focused on a series of extravagant musical performances instead of acceptance speeches.
West's discovery, piano man John Legend, picked up his trophy for new artist and performed "Ordinary People" and "My Cherie Amour" with Stevie Wonder, who later showed off his dance moves while singing his new single, "So What The Fuss."
Soul diva Alicia Keys hoisted her award for female R&B artist toward the audience and declared: "This is for all my people who are really trying to dream big dreams."
"Let's do it," she said. "Let's think big. Let's think beyond what these people are trying to hold us down to. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, musicians."
She also said backstage she was working on an "MTV Unplugged" live album to be released in October.
Others who did show included soon-to-disband Destiny's Child, named best group, and 19-year-old Atlanta singer Ciara, the leading nominee who won for her dance collaboration with Missy Elliott on "1, 2 Step."
The show kicked off with a surprise reunion of The Fugees, who haven't recorded an album together since 1996's "The Score" and haven't even been on speaking terms in recent years.
"If you want another Fugee album, let me see your hands in the air right now," Wyclef Jean said after climbing into the crowd. The group performed "Ready Or Not" and put a reggae twist on "Fu-Gee-La."
Lauryn Hill, who had largely dropped out of public view since her 2002 live album, sounded weak at first, saying at one point, "We got a little overzealous in rehearsal." Her voice returned in time for a rendition of "Killing Me Softly With His Song."
Backstage, third member Pras said the group was in the studio and hoped to release an album next year. The Fugees split after "egos got real big," he said, adding that there were "a lot of wounds ... getting healed right now."
Hosts Mr. and Mrs. Smith - that's Will and Jada Pinkett - laid down the rules for the night's show at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. They arrived on-stage in a horse-drawn carriage with spinning custom rims; Smith said they wanted to make the BET Awards on par with shows like "the Emmys, the Oscars, the Grammys, the Tonys."
"The white ones," Pinkett Smith added.
The first rule, according to Smith: "You don't need to come up here with all 15 people that you came with." "There is a three homeboy limit tonight, period," his wife added.
Also, "No bright suits and no gold goblets," Jada Pinkett Smith said. "This is not the pimp of the year awards." And finally, "Do not thank God if you can't show or perform your work in church."
Performers included Destiny's Child, Missy Elliott, The Game and Mary J. Blige. The Game carried his young son on stage and changed the lyrics to his song, "Hate It Or Love It," saying, "Got BET on the grill of my low-rider."
The women of Destiny's Child wore slinky brown dresses in their performance and pulled Nelly, Terence Howard and NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson onstage for a trio of lap dances.
Jamie Foxx won the award for best actor, and though he wasn't on stage he had recorded an audio message to presenter Tom Cruise, saying: "I'm jumping up and down on the couch right now in my room."
Denzel Washington's wife Pauletta accepted an award honoring the couple's charitable endeavors, and Keys presented R&B and gospel legend Gladys Knight with a lifetime achievement trophy.
"Every record that you bought and every concert ticket that you paid for has allowed me to be in this spot today," said Knight, who wore a pink jacket with feathery flourishes on the sleeves.
Knight then performed three songs including the tune that got her and the Pips their first Grammy, "Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)."
Winners of the fifth annual awards show were decided by a panel of executives from entertainment companies, record labels and the media, except the viewers' choice award in which fans voted online for their favorite video.
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On the Net:
http://www.bet.com/betawards.htm
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Wednesday, June 29th 2005 at 11:26AM
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