Killer Mike returned to the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles in triumphant fashion on Sunday (June 30) as he won Album of the Year at the 2024 BET Awards.
The Peacock Theatre is the same venue where the Run The Jewels rapper was arrested during the Grammy Awards earlier this year, shortly after he won three Grammys.
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After Mike took to the stage to claim his trophy, for his 2023 album MICHAEL, he delivered an impassioned speech that referenced his prior arrest.
“Technically, I was not supposed to be here,” he said. “I was put in handcuffs and I was marched out of this building. But I wanna tell you, look at God because I’m back, baby. I’m back.”
He added: “I wanna tell Black people that it’s because of BET I’m back, not ’cause of no white person. A Black man runs this business, a Black company puts this show on, and they got my Black ass back in here. Thank you.”
“I’m moved and compelled to say this in this moment, a lot of people gonna say, ‘Who was he? Why did he get it?’” Mike continued. “I am a representation of one of the finest things God has ever made. And that’s one-half of the Black family.
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“Black men and women, I am you. Whether you’re young, whether you’re old, whether you like me, whether you don’t like me, I am absolutely you, and this win is absolutely ours.”
The Atlanta native concluded his speech by urging the Black community to vote in the presidential election later this year: “They’re gonna tell you who we vote for is important and it is. Who we vote for on the big stage is important.
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“But it’s more important that you know who your city council person is, who your prosecutor is. And if you don’t like the people who are running, run your Black ass to the polls and run yourself.”
Killer Mike also revealed in an Instagram post that he was initially not allowed inside the theater due to his arrest at the Grammys.
“It’s humbling to be nominated for @betawards Album of the Year and not allowed in the building because it’s taking place at the same place as the Grammy’s,” he wrote. “It’s equally humbling for @BET and @AEGpresents to go out of their way and right this wrong so I can attend.
“Thank you to all those involved and no matter the outcome I’ve got something coming tonight.”
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A complete list of BET Awards winners can be found below.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
• Chris Brown — 11:11
• Gunna — A Gift & A Curse
• 21 Savage — American Dream
• Usher — Coming Home
• Drake — For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition)
• Victoria Monét, Jaguar II
• Killer Mike — Michael [WINNER]
• Nicki Minaj — Pink Friday 2
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST:
• 21 Savage
• Burna Boy
• Drake
• Future
• Gunna
• J. Cole
• Kendrick Lamar [WINNER]
• Lil Wayne
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST:
• Cardi B
• Doja Cat
• GloRilla
• Ice Spice
• Latto
• Megan Thee Stallion
• Nicki Minaj [WINNER]
• Sexyy Red
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST:
• Brent Faiyaz
• Bryson Tiller
• Burna Boy
• Chris Brown
• Drake
• Fridayy
• October London
• Usher [WINNER]
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST:
• Beyoncé
• Coco Jones
• Doja Cat
• H.E.R.
• Muni Long
• SZA [WINNER]
• Tyla
• Victoria Monét
BEST GROUP:
• Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign [WINNER]
• 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
• 41
• Blxst & Bino Rideaux
• City Girls
• Flo
• Maverick City Music
• Wanmor
Best New Artist
• 41
• 4Batz
• Ayra Starr
• Bossman Dlow
• Fridayy
• October London
• Sexyy Red
• Tyla [WINNER]
BEST COLLABORATION:
• Lil Durk feat. J. Cole — “All My Life” [WINNER]
• Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar — “America Has a Problem (Remix)”
• Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice — “Barbie World”
• Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion — “Bongos”
• Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid & Playboi Carti — “Carnival”
• Lola Brooke feat. Latto & Yung Miami — “Don’t Play With It (Remix)”
• Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Uzi Vert — “Everybody”
• Usher feat. Summer Walker & 21 Savage — “Good Good”
• Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA — “Rich Baby Daddy”
VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
• Doja Cat — “Agora Hills”
• Lil Durk feat. J. Cole — “All My Life”
• Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice — “Barbie World”
• Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion — “Bongos”
• Drake feat. J. Cole — “First Person Shooter”
• Usher feat. Summer Walker & 21 Savage — “Good Good”
• Victoria Monét — “On My Mama” [WINNER]
• Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA — “Rich Baby Daddy”
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR:
• Benny Boom
• Child.
• Cole Bennett [WINNER]
• Dave Meyers
• Janelle Monáe & Alan Ferguson
• Offset
• Tems
• Tyler, The Creator
BET HER:
• Beyoncé — “16 Carriages”
• Nicki Minaj feat. Tasha Cobbs Leonard — “Blessings”
• Ayra Starr — “Commas”
• Flo feat. Missy Elliott — “Fly Girl”
• Megan Thee Stallion — “Hiss”
• Victoria Monét — “On My Mama” [WINNER]
• SZA — “Saturn”
• GloRilla — “Yeah Glo!”
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT:
• Asake (Africa)
• Aya Nakamura (France)
• Ayra Starr (Africa)
• Bk’ (Brazil)
• Cleo Sol (UK)
• Focalistic (Africa)
• Karol Conká (Brazil)
• Raye (UK)
• Tiakola (France)
• Tyla (Africa) [WINNER]
VIEWER’S CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
• Bellah (UK)
• Cristale (UK)
• Duquesa (Brazil)
• Holly G (France)
• Jungeli (France)
• Makhadzi (Africa) [WINNER]
• Oruam (Brazil)
• Seyi Vibez (Africa)
• Tyler Icu (Africa)
DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD:
• Shirley Caesar — “Award All of the Glory”
• Kirk Franklin — “All Things”
• Halle Bailey — “Angel”
• CeCe Winans — “Come Jesus Come”
• Erica Campbell — “Do You Believe in Love?”
• Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore — “God Problems”
• Tems — “Me & U” [WINNER]
• Kirk Franklin — “Try Love”
BEST MOVIE:
• American Fiction
• Bob Marley: One Love [WINNER]
• Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
• The Book of Clarence
• The Color Purple
• The Equalizer 3
• The Little Mermaid
BEST ACTOR:
• Anthony Mackie
• Colman Domingo
• Damson Idris
• Denzel Washington [WINNER]
• Donald Glover
• Idris Elba
• Jeffrey Wright
• Lakeith Stanfield
BEST ACTRESS:
• Angela Bassett
• Ayo Edebiri
• Coco Jones
• Danielle Brooks
• Fantasia
• Halle Bailey
• Issa Rae
• Regina King [WINNER]
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD:
• Anthony Edwards
• Gervonta Davis
• Jalen Brunson [WINNER]
• Jalen Hurts
• Kyrie Irving
• LeBron James
• Patrick Mahomes
• Stephen Curry
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD:
• A’ja Wilson
• Angel Reese [WINNER]
• Coco Gauff
• Flau’jae Johnson
• Juju Watkins
• Naomi Osaka
• Sha’Carri Richardson
• Simone Biles
YOUNGSTARS AWARD:
• Akira Akbar
• Blue Ivy Carter [WINNER]
• Demi Singleton
• Heiress Diana Harris
• Jabria McCullum
• Jalyn Hall
• Leah Jeffries
• Van Van
