Usher dominates, Drake goes home empty-handed, and Tyla shines at 2024 BET Awards

Usher takes center stage with dual wins, while Drake faces disappointment and Tyla's breakthrough year is recognized.

The 2024 BET Awards on Sunday largely went as anticipated, with the ceremony held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and hosted by Taraji P. Henson for the third consecutive year.

Usher emerged as the night's biggest winner, securing the award for best male R&B/pop artist for the fifth time and receiving a lifetime achievement award. 

This dual recognition capped off a stellar year for Usher, who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show and achieved a major crossover hit with "Good Good," a collaboration with Summer Walker and 21 Savage. The song spent 28 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, a feat matched by only seven of his 53 career Hot 100 hits.

SZA continued her winning streak, clinching the award for best female R&B/pop artist for the second year in a row. She is the first artist to win this category back-to-back since Beyoncé's six-year run from 2014 to 2019.

SZA's hit "Saturn" kept her in the spotlight, even though she hasn’t released a new album since "SOS" in December 2022.

Tyla’s win for best international act was widely expected. The South African singer has had a breakthrough year, with her hit "Water" peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January and winning the inaugural Grammy Award for best African music performance in February.

However, the night wasn't without its surprises. Despite leading the nominations with seven, Drake went home empty-handed, continuing a tough year for the artist who also lost a diss-track battle to Kendrick Lamar. 

Other notable snubs included Sexyy Red, 21 Savage, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion, who collectively received 17 nominations but walked away without any wins.

One of the night's slight surprises was Tyla winning best new artist over Sexyy Red, who had five nominations. 

Tyla is only the third non-U.S. winner in this category, following in the footsteps of Nicki Minaj and Sam Smith. However, Tyla's Grammy win earlier this year makes her ineligible for next year's best new artist Grammy nod.

In contrast, Beyoncé's win for the viewer’s choice award with "Texas Hold ’Em" was no surprise. She extended her record with a fifth win in this category. Although she didn’t perform, artists featured on her "Cowboy Carter" album, Shaboozey and Tanner Adell, took the stage, adding to the night's vibrant performances.