The 2025 BET Awards, on June 9, saw Kendrick Lamar make history, walking away as the biggest winner of the night.
Lamar, who entered the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live with 10 nominations, left the event with five prestigious awards.
His victories included Album of the Year for “GNX”, Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration for “Luther” (with SZA), Video of the Year for “Not Like Us,” and Video Director of the Year alongside Dave Free.
The night was filled with excitement and applause as some of the biggest names in music were honoured for their outstanding work.
Lamar, undoubtedly the night’s star, cemented his place at the top of the music industry.
In addition to Lamar’s success, other major winners included “SZA”, who claimed Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, and Chris Brown, who took home Best Male R&B/Pop Artist.
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar’s collaboration with SZA on “Luther” also earned them Best Collaboration.
Other notable winners included Leon Thomas, who was named Best New Artist, and GloRilla, whose song “Rain Down on Me” won the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award.
The full list of winners spans across various categories, from international acts to actors and sports personalities, celebrating excellence in music, film, and sports.
Highlights include Ayra Starr’s win for Best International Act, Blue Ivy Carter’s Young Stars Award, and Jalen Hurts’ Sportsman of the Year Award.
Here’s a rundown of the winners:
Album of the Year
WINNER: GNX — Kendrick Lamar
Best Female R&B/Pop Artiste
WINNER: SZA
Best Male R&B/Pop Artiste
WINNER: Chris Brown
Best Group
WINNER: Future & Metro Boomin
Best Collaboration
WINNER: “Luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Best Female Hip Hop Artiste
WINNER: Doechii
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar
Video of the Year
WINNER: “Not Like Us” — Kendrick Lamar
Video Director of the Year
WINNER: Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Best New Artist
WINNER: Leon Thomas
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
WINNER: “Rain Down on Me” — GloRilla feat. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music
Viewer’s Choice Award
WINNER: “Residuals” — Chris Brown
Best International Act
WINNER: Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
BET Her
WINNER: “Heart of a Woman” — Summer Walker
Best Movie
WINNER: Luther: Never Too Much
Best Actor
WINNER: Denzel Washington
Best Actress
WINNER: Cynthia Erivo
Young Stars Award
WINNER: Blue Ivy Carter
Sportswoman of the Year Award
WINNER: Angel Reese
Sportsman of the Year
WINNER: Jalen Hurts
