Queen Latifah was "extremely moved" to be given the lifetime achievement prize at the 2021 BET Awards

She said: "I'm so extremely moved, I don't even know what to say. Let me just say that I want to thank God, because God designed this whole thing to be this way.

"There is no way that I could have had the parents that I was born to, my father, my mother, who instilled so much in me.

"My family, I love you. My siblings, my best friends who ride or die with me. Whether my face is on the dirt or flying in the sky, they know me and they are there for me...

"I want to thank BET for creating an outlet for beautiful Blackness to thrive, to shine.

"When we couldn't get played on the radio and other places, we couldn't get our videos played in other places, there was BET, that allowed us to be in our fullness and to shine to this night right now, right here.

"Bless everybody that graced the stage tonight and everyone in the audience for all your support... Be Black. Black is beautiful."

Elsewhere, Megan Thee Stallion won best female hip hop artist, best collaboration and video of the year for 'WAP' with Cardi B, and the viewer's choice prize for 'Savage (Remix)' with Beyonce.

Meanwhile, the likes of Andra Day (best actress), Chadwick Boseman (best

actor) and Lil Baby (best male hip hop artist) were all recognised, and Sza's hit 'Good Days' claimed the BET Her Award.

And late rap legend DMX was honoured following his death earlier this year, with Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Swizz Beatz and Michael K. Williams delivering a special tribute performance.

The theme for the ceremony - which was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles with a live audience there for the first time since the pandemic began - was 'Year of the Black Woman'.

Taraji P. Henson said at the start of the night: "Celebrating Black women isn't a fad or a trend it's a forever mood.

"There is more than enough room for all of us to thrive, because can't nobody be like me and can't nobody be you like you."

Album of the Year

'Heaux Tales' - Jazmine Sullivan

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist

H.E.R.

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

Chris Brown

Best Group

Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak and Silk Sonic

Best Collaboration

'WAP' - Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

Lil Baby

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Megan Thee Stallion

Video of the Year

'WAP' - Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion

Video Director of the Year

Bruno Mars & Florence Dechard

Best New Artist

Giveon

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award 'Strong God' - Kirk Franklin

BET Her Award

'Good Days' - Sza

Best International Act

Burna Boy, Nigeria

Viewer's Choice Award

'Savage (Remix)' - Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyonce

Best Movie

'Judas and the Black Messiah'

Best Actress

Andra Day

Best Actor

Chadwick Boseman

Youngstars Award

Marsai Martin

Viewer's Choice: Best New International ACt Bree Runway, United Kingdom