Top Performances At The 22nd BET Awards 2022

Some of the most well-known performers in the hip-hop, R&B, and gospel genres attended the 2022 BET Awards in Los Angeles at the Microsoft Theater.
The 2022 BET Awards were a spectacle to behold, with Sean “Diddy” Combs directing a massive set for his lifetime achievement award performance and young artists like Jack Harlow, Latto, and Ella Mai bringing out household legends.

Hits medley by Diddy
Diddy clicked the rewind button and took fans on a trip down memory lane in honour of receiving his lifetime achievement award. When he invited Jodeci and Mary J. Blige to perform “Come and Talk to Me” and “I’m Goin’ Down,” respectively, he made a detour and accentuated his run to Andre Harrell’s Uptown Records. When Diddy took the stage with his 1990s anthem “Victory,” following the R&B medley, he began the Bad Boy era of his career. Instead of slowing down, Diddy joined Shyne on stage to perform his hit song “Bad Boyz.” When he recorded “All About the Benjamins” with The Lox and Lil Kim, coupled with “I Need You,” he continued to cruise during his golden era of singles.

Even though Busta Rhymes energetically rapped “Pass the Courvoisier” after Kim faltered over her rhymes, he discreetly switched the drink to Ciroc. Diddy aired a moving video from his deceased longterm partner Kim Porter to debut his Hot 100 No. 1 hit “I’ll Be Missing You” after Bryson Tiller appeared in a cameo for the song “Gotta Move On.” Puff wrapped out the show with a subtle nod to Porter and Biggie alongside Maverick City Music, Faith Evans, and others.
The night’s performances are ranked by Billboard below.

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo
With an electrifying rendition of her Hot 100 hit “About Damn Time,” the effervescent pop superstar opened the 2022 BET Awards. Lizzo blasted in a blustering performance of her top five hit with her flute in tow, accompanied by a legion of curvy dancers decked up in glittering gold attire. In addition to serving up good looks, a good mindset, and a nod to body acceptance, Lizzo’s commanding performance got the crowd in the mood to party.

“Poison” and “First Class” by Jack Harlow
Harlow let loose “Poison” while perched atop a washing machine. When Lil Wayne made an appearance as his guest verse on the set, which had been dressed up to look like a fake house party, Harlow immediately won admirers. Then, Harlow unveiled “First Class,” his Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
With the attendees singing the Fergie-sampled hook, Harlow unlocked his BET Moment when he called on Brandy to rap her “First Class” freestyle alongside the Louisville slugger. The onstage peace treaty was a scene-stealing moment for Harlow, who sparked conversation earlier in the evening for his support of Lil Nas X with his red-carpet attire.

“It’s Givin” and “Big Energy” by Latto
When she performed “It’s Givin” and “Big Energy,” Latto maintained her impressive performance streak on the awards circuit. The iconic Mariah Carey and Young Dirty Bastard were joined by Latto for a nostalgia trip with a combination of “Big Energy” and Carey’s smash song “Fantasy” after she showed off her boss mindset on the former. Carey’s lovely vocals shone and lit up the stage.

“Kingdom” and “Melodies From Heaven,” by Kirk Franklin and Maverick City Music
The songwriting worship ensemble Maverick City led the audience to church during the performance while dressed in black Mav City hoodies. Franklin joined the celebrations and captivated the audience with his high-octane intensity and passionate remarks after beginning behind the piano. Great move by BET to include Gospel and show some support for the genre in a sector that is typically dominated by R&B and hip-hop.

Doechii, “Crazy” and “Persuasive”
The newest member of TDE entered the BET Awards arena with assurance. Although her “Persuasive” performance was entertaining, “Crazy” ended up coming out on top. Doechii lost her hair after “Persuasive,” but her frantic energy helped her piece together a powerful performance that should give Top Dawg confidence in her live performance abilities.

“Surprise” and “Treat Me” by Chloe Bailey
It’s difficult to follow Puff’s Bad Boy medley, nevertheless Chloe Bailey did a great job of it. Performing on the BET Awards stage with her brand-new single “Surprise,” Bailey didn’t think twice to display her sensual dancing moves and sexy appeal as she pulled out a man wearing a blindfold for a free dance. She ended her 2 sets song with “Treat Me” after the sultry presentation.

“How,” “DFMU,” “Keeps on Fallin’,” and Ella Mai
Ella Mai, a prior performer on the BET Awards Amplify Stage, graced the main stage this year with a plethora of records. Though she had a slow start on “DFMU,” things suddenly turned around when Mai and Babyface’s Tevin Campbell-inspired tune “Keeps on Fallin'” added colour to her performance. Mai didn’t stop there; she also managed to entice Roddy Ricch to offer her another surprise with their upbeat collaboration “How.”

“The Highs & the Lows,” by Chance the Rapper
As part of the celebration, Chance the Rapper invited his lyrical teammate Joey Bada$$ to sing “The Highs & the Lows,” continuing his trend of moving performances. Chance displayed exceptional innovation by purposefully displaying the song’s lyrics onscreen for viewers, ensuring that they kept up with the MCs and didn’t miss a beat. Chance, who returned to the BET Awards after a three-year absence, had a strong performance during the lyrical exchange.

“Time Machine” and “Hrs and Hrs” by Muni Long
Long wore a pink feathered skirt that was long enough to serve as its own red-carpet entrance, making it likely one of the top outfits in terms of performance. She teased the audience with her most recent song, “Time Machine,” before launching into her sensual smash, “Hrs and Hrs.” Long’s delicate voice did not let her down, and the song’s catchy hook even drew some audience participation.

Giveon, “Heartbreak Anniversary,” “For Tonight” and “Lie Again”
Giveon recovered well when he turned to his debut album Give or Take, despite having technical issues while singing “Heartbreak Anniversary.” While performing “For Tonight” and “Lie Again” at the end of the event, the vocalist regained his composure.

“Peru,” FireBoy DML
Africa savoured its moment even longer as EMPIRE’s lauded rookie FireBoy DML served up “Peru” after Tems accepted the award for best collaboration on behalf of Wizkid’s “Essence (Remix)” When he yelled out his own country during his captivating performance, FireBoy did a respectable job of portraying the genre.