BET Awards 2025: Songs That Dominated the BET Awards and Defined an Era
The BET Awards have always been about more than who walks away with a trophy—it’s about who owns the moment. And some songs? They don’t just live in your head. They take over the stage, the charts, the group chat, and the timeline at the same d*mn time.
Over the past 25 years, a handful of records have done more than just win—they’ve defined their era. These tracks filled the arena with screams, got the entire front row on their feet, and rewrote the cultural blueprint.
Here are 10 songs that dominated the BET Awards stage and reshaped the culture while doing it.
“Crazy in Love” – Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z (2003)
Why it hit: Beyoncé’s official solo breakout. A horn loop, a walk that changed pop star entrances forever, and Jay-Z as the hype man/lover all rolled into one.
The BET moment: Her debut performance of the track at the 2003 show solidified her as that girl. The heels? High. The wind machine? Maxed out. The impact? Still felt today.
“Jesus Walks” – Kanye West (2004)
Why it hit: A gospel-fueled anthem that made Jesus cool in mainstream rap. It was rebellious, radical, and self-aware before that was trendy.
The BET moment: His performance—complete with a church choir, fiery sermon energy, and Ye in full preacher mode—turned the song into a spiritual spectacle.
“A Milli” – Lil Wayne (2008)
Why it hit: One beat, no hook, all bars. It was a freestyle turned anthem, and Wayne was in peak mixtape monster mode.
The BET moment: Lil Wayne performed it shirtless, high-energy, and fully unhinged—ushering in his Best Male Hip Hop Artist era and reminding everyone why he was the best rapper alive at the time.
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“Super Bass” – Nicki Minaj (2011)
Why it hit: The song that turned Nicki into a crossover star. Bubbly, Barbie, and bar-heavy.
The BET moment: Though Nicki didn’t perform it the year it won, she swept the category and became a 7-time consecutive Best Female Hip Hop Artist winner—this song was her gateway to total domination.
“Alright” – Kendrick Lamar (2015)
Why it hit: A modern-day protest anthem cloaked in jazz, funk, and fire. “We gon’ be alright” became a rallying cry in Ferguson and beyond.
The BET moment: Kendrick’s 2015 performance featured upside-down flags, a chain-link fence, and revolutionary rage wrapped in poetry. It wasn’t just music—it was movement.
“Bodak Yellow” – Cardi B (2018)
Why it hit: Unapologetic, loud, and New York to the core, Cardi flipped a Kodak Black flow into a No. 1 hit—and made history doing it.
The BET moment: Cardi won Best Female Hip Hop Artist and gave a performance that felt like a Bronx block party had landed on live TV. She let the world know: this wasn’t a fluke.
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“Savage (Remix)” – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé (2020)
Why it hit: TikTok viral + Houston royalty = unstoppable.
The BET moment: In the middle of the pandemic, Megan’s “Girls in the Hood”/“Savage” medley gave fans a high-budget performance filmed in a Mad Max–style desert set. It was Black Girl Power—pandemic-proof.
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Lil Nas X (2021)
Why it hit: A bold, queer, high-art take on fame, religion, and identity. Controversial and impossible to ignore.
The BET moment: His Egyptian-themed performance ended in a same-sex kiss that ignited praise, backlash, and an entirely new wave of conversation about representation.
“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét (2024)
Why it hit: A blend of Southern bounce, Black affirmation, and a hook that feels like a daily mantra.
The BET moment: Her 2024 performance was pure elegance and nostalgia. Step team choreography, porch swing staging, and vocals for real. It became an instant performance-of-the-night contender—and proved R&B is alive, well, and winning.
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Tyla, Gunna & Skillibeng Made Us "Jump" With Their Performance! – (2024)
Why it hit: The new single with Gunna and Skillibeng not only made us jump, it shook the world.
The BET moment: Tyla's perfectly choreographed set helped her win Best New Artist and Best International Act. It was more than a performance—it was a shift.
These songs didn’t just win awards—they shifted sound, style, and what Black music could look like on the biggest stage in the culture. Every time that beat dropped on the BET stage, a new standard was set.Watch the BET Awards 2025 on June 9th at 8 PM on BET.
