Usher BET Awards Speech Reflects on Family, Fatherhood & Forgiveness

Usher was honored with the lifetime achievement award Sunday night time on the 2024 BET Awards with an all-star tribute efficiency, adopted by a speech heavy on self-reflection that emphasised forgiveness and fatherhood.

Legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis got here onstage to current the tribute, which began with a video exhibiting a montage of Usher’s profession, which started in his early teenagers and included an lively efficiency on the Tremendous Bowl earlier this yr. The video featured reward from the likes of Kevin Hart, Toni Braxton, L.A. Reid, Jermaine Dupri, Janelle Monáe and Jennifer Hudson.

Following the video, Infantile Gambino — the alter ego of Donald Glover — kicked off a efficiency tribute with a slowed-down rendition of “U Don’t Should Name.” Keke Palmer then joined him onstage because the track picked up the tempo. Palmer then segued into “You Make Me Wanna….”

Summer time Walker adopted Palmer, performing “Good Good,” iin which she is featured alongside Usher and 21 Savage. Coco Jones then gave her rendition of “There Goes My Child,” getting up shut and private with many within the viewers, together with Usher himself.

Marsha Ambrosius sang “Celebrity,” Chlöe hit the stage with “Good Kisser,” Tinashe lined “Good & Gradual,” Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét carried out a risque model of “Dangerous Lady” and Latto introduced the power for “Yeah!”

Through the tribute, the cameras continuously minimize to Usher, who was seen smiling and clapping alongside, and seemed to be having fun with every of the performances.

After the efficiency, Jam and Lewis introduced out L.A. Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who spoke about how they blew him away at his first audition at age 14. 

Usher then took the stage, carrying sun shades, a white jacket and denims, the place he seemed to be overcome with emotion earlier than giving his remarks.

“Getting right here has positively not been simple, nevertheless it has been value it,” he stated, earlier than noting that “I like to speak and I’ve a means with phrases” and hadn’t written ready remarks as a result of he “wished this to be current, on this second” (his speech ran for practically quarter-hour).

“This life achievement award, I don’t know, man, is it too early to obtain it?” he quipped. “‘Trigger I’m nonetheless runnin’ and gunnin’ like I did after I was 8 years previous.”

In the meantime, portion of Usher’s speech was bleeped out, presumably as a result of language, however a lot of what may very well be heard discovered Usher reflecting on his household and being a dad.

He talked about his father — Usher Raymond III — leaving his household when he was a child. “I used to be making an attempt to make sense of this title a person gave me that didn’t stick round as a result of he didn’t love me,” he stated, taking off his glasses so the viewers may actually see his expression. “You must have a forgiving coronary heart to grasp the true pitfalls and hardships of a Black man in America. And my father, he was a product of that.” He urged different fathers to be current in their very own youngsters’ lives. “That is the yr of the daddy. Rise up on your daughters and sons and lead. They are saying success has one million fathers,” he stated.

He additionally addressed his ex-wife, Tameka Foster. “I’m making an attempt, Tameka,” he stated, pointing to the that means behind his track “Good Good” and noting he was “turning a brand new leaf.” He talked about as function fashions different former {couples} who get alongside for the sake of the children, together with Swizz Beatz and his ex-wife and present spouse, Alicia Keys.

He additionally spoke extra about forgiveness. “We’ve obtained to be keen to forgive. We’ve obtained to be keen to be open,” he stated. “I’m telling you, you’re standing earlier than a person who needed to forgive a person who by no means confirmed up ever. And look what I made with it. Look what I used to be in a position to ‘usher’ in. However that’s what’s actual. That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us men and women.”

Usher introduced a number of members of the family to the 2024 BET Awards, together with his spouse, Jennifer Goicoechea Raymond, mother Jonnetta Patton, sons Naviyd Raymond and Usher “Cinco” Raymond V and brother J. Lack.

Earlier within the night time, Usher gained the award for finest R&B/hip-hop artist on the BET Awards.

Taraji P. Henson hosted the present, which aired dwell on BET from Downtown Los Angeles.

See an inventory of 2024 BET Awards winners.

Justin Hagey contributed to this report.