The 2025 BET Awards had its fair share of viral moments, surprise guests, and big wins. But the part that really hit different? The tribute to Jamie Foxx. That wasn’t just a highlight—it was the moment.
A soulful, star-studded celebration of an artist who’s given us decades of music, movies, and unforgettable comedy. From the performers to the speech to the tears in the audience, it was a masterclass in how to honor a living legend.
It all started with the tease: “a special guest” would be on hand to present the Ultimate Icon Award to Foxx. And when Stevie Wonder walked on stage? The crowd lost it. That surprise alone was enough to cement this moment in BET Awards history.
“Jamie, look at me!” Stevie joked with warmth before turning serious. “I remember seeing you the first time at a club, playing piano and singing, but I knew from the moment I heard you sing that you had so much more.” It was friendship. It was reverence. It was real.
Then came the music.
Babyface and Ludacris kicked things off with a smooth performance of Unpredictable, a nod to Jamie’s 2005 smash hit that still hits like it dropped last week. Then came Tank, who took us back to Ray with a powerhouse rendition of Night Time Is the Right Time—a beautiful homage to the film that earned Foxx his Oscar.
Congratulations to the multi-hyphenate Jamie Foxx on receiving the Ultimate Icon Award at the #BETAwards2025! 👏🏾 Watch the full tribute performance:
— MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) June 10, 2025
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But it didn’t stop there.
Jennifer Hudson lit up the stage with her take on Gold Digger. Foxx’s sample on that song helped make it a 10-week No. 1.
And just when you thought the party couldn’t get any better, T-Pain and Doug E. Fresh closed it out with a turn-up performance of Blame It. Jamie was on his feet, smiling, dancing, living, exactly how we all want to see our legends celebrated.
But what made the night unforgettable was Jamie’s speech.
As he stood on stage, looking at his daughters Corinne and Anelise—both teary-eyed—Foxx opened up about the 2023 health scare that nearly took his life. “When I saw that ‘In Memoriam,’ I was like, man, it could have been me,” he said. “I don’t know why I went through what I went through. But I know my second chance—I’m not gonna turn [it] down.”
Jamie Foxx gave an emotional speech after receiving the Ultimate Icon Award at the #BETAwards, saying being honored by his community means more than the Oscars ever could. 🖤🎤
— MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) June 10, 2025
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The crowd was with him every step of the way. “You can’t go through something like that and not testify,” Jamie said, his voice full of gratitude and resolve. “I told Him, I said, man, bro. Just give me one more crack at this. And I promised, for whatever reason you put this on me, I promise I’m gonna do right.”
He didn’t just thank the doctors or his family (though he did that too). He took a moment to speak directly to us, Black people. “This is what really counts,” he said. “A lot of people think the Oscars is the biggest thing, and we got to quit thinking like that… The Icon Award is the most important award because it comes from us.”
Jamie Foxx is the Ultimate Icon because he embodies what the culture looks like when it’s talented, tenacious, and timeless. He’s been making us laugh since In Living Color, making us cry since Ray, and making us dance since Blame It. And on this night, he reminded everyone exactly why we love him—and why he’s still got more to give.
BET, you got this one right. That tribute? Legendary.
