BET Awards 2025 highlights: Jamie Foxx delivers emotional speech, Doechii criticizes Trump's use of ‘military force’ to stop L.A. protests, Mariah Carey performs and more

Honoring Black excellence across the entertainment industry, the 2025 BET Awards saw several artists win big, hit the stage for noteworthy performances and give moving acceptance speeches.

Here are some highlights from this year’s celebration.

Jamie Foxx reflects on 2023 health scare, thanks his daughters for their support

Jamie Foxx. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

Jamie Foxx gave an emotional speech while accepting the Ultimate Icon Award. The actor-comedian expressed gratitude for the “second chance” he was given after suffering a brain bleed, which led to a stroke, in 2023.

“I gotta be honest, when I saw the ‘In Memoriam,’ I was like, ‘Man, that could have been me,’” Foxx told the audience. “But I don’t know why I went through what I went through, but I know my second chance, I’m not going to turn down. I’m not going to turn down. I have so much love to give. I told Him, I said, ‘Man, bro. Just give me one more crack at this. And I promise,’ I said, ‘Whatever reason you put this on me, I promise, I’mma do right.”

The Ray star went on to thank his two daughters.

“My beautiful daughter Corinne, I cannot say enough about you,” he said of his eldest. “You’ve always taken the backseat to everything, but when you needed to drive it, you drove. And you made sure I was here. And I ain’t going to turn down. And I’m not going to stop crying. At a certain point, I’m going to stop crying, but I ain’t going to stop just yet.”

Foxx then spoke of Anelise, his younger daughter.

“Anelise Estelle Fox. My baby with the big hair,” he continued. “She hides under that hair because she’s got something special. You’re so beautiful, man. When I was fighting for my life in there, I got to say this. They said, ‘We’re going to lose him because his vitals are bad.’ And I didn’t want my 14-year-old to see me like that. But Anelise overheard the conversation and she snuck into my hospital room with her guitar and said, ‘I know what my Daddy needs.’”

Doechii addresses ongoing protests against immigration crackdown in L.A.

Doechii. (Michael Tran/AFP)

While accepting the award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Doechii took the opportunity to address what was “happening right now, outside of the building.” The awards show was held at the Peacock Theater, located in downtown Los Angeles, where protesters have been demonstrating against the Trump administration’s recent immigration raids.

“There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order,” the Alligator Bites Never Heal rapper said. “[President] Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. And I want y’all to consider what kind of government it appears to be, when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us.”

The first-time BET winner urged audiences to speak up against hate.

“People are being swept up and torn from their families, and I feel it’s my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people,” she said. “For Black people, for Latino people, for trans people, for the people in Gaza. We all deserve to live in hope, and not in fear. And I hope we stand together, my brothers and my sisters, against hate and we protest against it.”

Mariah Carey glitters in gold during ‘Type Dangerous’ performance

Mariah Carey. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

Though she did not walk the red carpet, Mariah Carey hit the stage for an unforgettable performance of “Type Dangerous,” the leading single off her forthcoming 16th studio album. She then launched into her 2005, Grammy-nominated track “It’s Like That.”

Carey, who received the BET Ultimate Icon Award alongside Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx and Kirk Franklin, wore a metallic gold minidress with a structured bodice and ruffled skirt during her performance.

Leon Thomas wins Best New Artist

Leon Thomas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Leon Thomas was honored with the Best New Artist award. The 31-year-old singer-songwriter, who previously starred on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, released his second studio album Mutt in 2024.

“My grandfather always used to tell me, ‘Music is a team sport,’ and I want to thank God first and foremost for coaching my life,” Thomas said, before thanking his mother. “We’ve been in this together my entire life and I wouldn’t be here without you, mom.”

Snoop Dogg honors wife Shante during Ultimate Icon Award speech

Snoop Dogg. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

Also accepting the Ultimate Icon Award was Snoop Dogg, who took the opportunity to honor his wife, Shante Broadus, whom he married in 1997.

“Now, you see, this is why I’m so rock solid,” he said of Broadus. “This is why I’m able to deal with all the things that I’m able to deal with. I got God in my life, and I got a queen in my life, right. And no matter what, she held me down, she holds me down. She’s been there for me. She’s always been my everything.”