Alicia Keys wowed viewers with her performance during the 2020 BET Awards on June 28. The singer looked stunning as she sang “Perfect Way To Die” during the awards ceremony, which took place virtually amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Alicia just released the song earlier this month as a way to speak out against racial injustice in America following the killing of George Floyd and other innocent Black men and women in America. Her performance ended with the names of some of these people written on the ground at Alicia’s feet.
The 2020 BET Awards, which were hosted by Amanda Seales, looked a bit different than the show in years’ past, as the artists and guests appeared from their homes instead of in-person. Other performers included Megan Thee Stallion, Usher, Lil Wayne, Jennifer Hudson, Kane Brown and many more. In addition to performances, the usual awards were also given out, with stars like Drake, Cardi B and more scoring nominations. Beyonce was given one of the night’s biggest honors, the Humanitarian Awards.
Alicia is, of course, no stranger to the BET Awards. She’s won SEVEN awards in years’ past, including Best New Artist in 2002, as well as Best Female R&B Artist in 2005, 2008 and 2010. At the 2020 show, she’s nominated for the BET Her Award for her song, “Underdog.” In the category, she’s up against Beyonce ft. Blue Ivy, WizKid and Saint Jhn for “Brown Skin Girl,” Ciara ft. Lupita Nyong’o, Ester Dean, City Girls and La La for “Melanin,” Layton Greene for “I Choose,” Lizzo ft. Missy Elliott for “Tempo” and Rapsody ft. PJ Morgan for “Afeni.”
Earlier this year, just weeks before the coronavirus hit the United States, Alicia hosted the Grammy Awards for the second year in a row. Hours before the show, news broke that Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter crash, and Alicia changed her show opening to include a tribute to the late basketball star. The BET Awards also included a tribute to Kobe, whose daughter, Gianna Bryant, also died in the horrific crash.