Jamie Foxx honored with BET Ultimate Icon Award 2025 marked a night of major celebration at the 2025 BET Awards, broadcast live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. With Kevin Hart serving as host, the ceremony paid tribute to Black excellence in music, film, television, and sports, highlighting standout talent such as Kendrick Lamar and spotlighting the significant milestone of the event’s 25th anniversary.
The evening began with anticipation as Kendrick Lamar led all nominees with ten nods, including Album of the Year for “GNX,” as well as recognitions for Video of the Year, Viewer’s Choice, and Best Collaboration. In close contention were Doechii, Drake, Future, and GloRilla, each securing six nominations, while Metro Boomin tallied five, and both SZA and The Weeknd received four nominations. This impressive lineup underscored the continued influence of artists who have shaped the year’s sound and cultural narrative.
Spotlight on Legendary Achievements
The BET Ultimate Icon Award, a highlight of the show’s 25th anniversary, celebrated influential figures whose lasting impact has transformed entertainment and advocacy. This year, Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg, and Kirk Franklin were each recognized for their transformative work in music and widespread community influence. Jamie Foxx’s moment in the spotlight was especially poignant, given his longstanding contributions as an entertainer and a force for positive change in the industry.
Celebrating in front of an energized audience, Foxx’s acknowledgement stood beside music and entertainment legends such as Snoop Dogg, Kirk Franklin, and Mariah Carey, reinforcing the significance of the Ultimate Icon recognition at the 2025 BET Awards. The historic occasion, set in vibrant Los Angeles, gathered many notable personalities, including Will Smith, Zendaya, Denzel Washington, and Sterling K. Brown, all present to honor Black culture’s depth and diversity.
Major Nominations and Competitive Fields
The battle for Album of the Year put Kendrick Lamar’s “GNX” in competition with Chris Brown’s “11:11 (Deluxe),” Doechii’s “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” Beyoncé‘s “Cowboy Carter,” and several others, including GloRilla, The Weeknd, Drake with PartyNextDoor, and the team of Future and Metro Boomin. These selections reflected the creative diversity dominating the charts in 2025.
In film, the race for Best Movie featured industry standouts like “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” “Luther: Never Too Much,” and the much-anticipated “Mufasa: The Lion King,” as well as “One of Them Days,” “Rebel Ridge,” “The Piano Lesson,” and “The Six Triple Eight.” This broad array made for an unpredictable and exciting competition among filmmakers and actors such as Aldis Hodge, Joey Bada$$, Colman Domingo, Aaron Pierre, Anthony Mackie, Sterling K. Brown, Will Smith, and Jamie Foxx himself.
Winners and Complete List of Honorees
The night unfolded with a mix of established legends and rising talents capturing top honors across genres. Below is the comprehensive list of winners and nominees that shaped the 2025 BET Awards:
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
11:11 (Deluxe) — Chris Brown
Alligator Bites Never Heal — Doechii
Cowboy Carter — Beyoncé
Glorious — GloRilla
GNX — Kendrick Lamar
Hurry Up Tomorrow — The Weeknd
Some Sexy Songs 4 U — Drake and PartyNextDoor
We Don’t Trust You — Future and Metro Boomin
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
3AM in Tokeyo — Key Glock
A Bar Song (Tipsy) — Shaboozey
After Hours — Kehlani
Denial Is a River — Doechii
Family Matters — Drake
Not Like Us — Kendrick Lamar
Timeless — The Weeknd featuring Playboi Carti
Type Shit — Future and Metro Boomin featuring Travis Scott and Playboi Carti
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
Residuals — Chris Brown
Denial Is a River — Doechii
Nokia — Drake
Like That — Future and Metro Boomin featuring Kendrick Lamar
TGIF — GloRilla
Not Like Us — Kendrick Lamar
Luther — Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA
Brokey — Latto
BEST COLLABORATION
30 for 30 — SZA featuring Kendrick Lamar
Alter Ego — Doechii featuring JT
Are You Even Real — Teddy Swims featuring Giveon
Beckham — Dee Billz featuring Kyle Richh, Kai Swervo and KJ Swervo
Bless — Lil Wayne, Wheezy and Young Thug
Like That — Future and Metro Boomin featuring Kendrick Lamar
Luther — Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA
Sticky — Tyler, the Creator featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne
Timeless — The Weeknd featuring Playboi Carti
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Bruno Mars
Chris Brown
Drake
Fridayy
Leon Thomas III
Teddy Swims
The Weeknd
Usher
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Ari Lennox
Ayra Starr
Coco Jones
Kehlani
Muni Long
Summer Walker
SZA
Victoria Monét
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
[WINNER] — Doechii
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Rapsody
Sexyy Red
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
BigXthaPlug
Bossman Dlow
Burna Boy
Drake
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Key Glock
Lil Wayne
Tyler, the Creator
BEST NEW ARTIST
41
Ayra Starr
BigXthaPlug
Bossman Dlow
Dee Billz
Leon Thomas III
October London
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
BEST GROUP
41
Common and Pete Rock
Drake and PartyNextDoor
Flo
Future and Metro Boomin
Jacquees and Dej Loaf
Larry June, 2 Chainz and the Alchemist
Maverick City Music
BET HER AWARD
Beautiful People — Mary J. Blige
Blackbiird — Beyoncé
Bloom — Doechii
Defying Gravity — Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
Heart of a Woman — Summer Walker
Hold On — Tems
In My Bag — Flo and GloRilla
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Anderson .Paak
B Pace Productions and Jacquees
Benny Boom
Cactus Jack
Cole Bennett
Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar
Dave Meyers
Foggieraw
Tyler, the Creator
BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
A God (There Is) — Common and Pete Rock Feat. Jennifer Hudson
Amen — Pastor Mike Jr.
Better Days — Fridayy
Church Doors — Yolanda Adams Feat. Sir The Baptist and Donald Lawrence (Terry Hunter Remix)
Constant — Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, Chandler Moore and Anthony Gargiula
Deserve to Win — Tamela Mann
Faith — Rapsody
Rain Down on Me — Glorilla Feat. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
Any Gabrielly (Brazil)
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Bashy (United Kingdom)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Ezra Collective (United Kingdom)
Joé Dwèt Filé (France)
Mc Luanna (Brazil)
Rema (Nigeria)
Sdm (France)
Tyla (South Africa)
Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)
BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
Abigail Chams (Tanzania)
Ajuliacosta (Brazil)
Amabbi (Brazil)
Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)
Dr Yaro (France)
Kwn (United Kingdom)
Maglera Doe Boy (South Africa)
Merveille (France)
Odeal (United Kingdom)
Shallipopi (Nigeria)
Txc (South Africa)
BEST MOVIE
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Luther: Never Too Much
Mufasa: The Lion King
One of Them Days
Rebel Ridge
The Piano Lesson
The Six Triple Eight
BEST ACTOR
Aaron Pierre
Aldis Hodge
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Denzel Washington
Jamie Foxx
Joey Bada$$
Kevin Hart
Sterling K. Brown
Will Smith
BEST ACTRESS
Andra Day
Angela Bassett
Coco Jones
Cynthia Erivo
Keke Palmer
Kerry Washington
Quinta Brunson
Viola Davis
Zendaya
YOUNG STARS AWARD
Akira Akbar
Blue Ivy Carter
Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth
Heiress Harris
Melody Hurd
Thaddeus J. Mixson
Tyrik Johnson
Vanvan
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
A’ja Wilson
Angel Reese
Claressa Shields
Coco Gauff
Dawn Staley
Flau’jae Johnson
JuJu Watkins
Sha’Carri Richardson
Simone Biles
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Aaron Judge
Anthony Edwards
Deion Sanders
Jalen Hurts
Jayson Tatum
LeBron James
Saquon Barkley
Stephen Curry
A Night to Remember and What Lies Ahead
The 2025 BET Awards marked a new chapter in celebrating both legendary accomplishments and the next generation of influencers in music, film, and beyond. By honoring talents such as Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, and Kirk Franklin, the ceremony highlighted not only individual achievements but also the collective progress in Black entertainment. As the BET Awards continues its annual tradition, anticipation remains high for what next year may bring—setting the stage for even more breakout moments for luminaries such as Kendrick Lamar, Doechii, Chris Brown, and many more rising stars across the entertainment landscape.
