Pharrell Williams , 41, won big at the 2014 BET Awards. He was honored in several different categories but took home two awards during last night’s ceremony.
According to NY Daily News , following an uplifting and entertaining performance of “Come Get It Bae”, during which, Pharrell was joined on stage by none other than Missy Elliot herself, Williams would accept the BET award for Best Male R & B/Pop Artist and Video of the Year, for his song “Happy”. The opening performance seemed to set the tone for an entertaining show.
During his emotional acceptance speech, Pharrell was quoted as saying:
Listen, I don’t know what else to say because this is so shocking to me.
As reported by Just Jared , Pharrell Williams was nominated for four different award including: Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Best Collaboration for “Blurred Lines,” the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award for “Happy,” and Video of the Year for “Happy.
Chris Rock, who hosted the awards ceremony, opened the show by quipping:
Welcome to the BET Awards, the black World Cup!
He went on to roast industry heavyweights such as Jay Z for his elevator fight with Solange Knowles, and Dr. Dre. He also chose to poke fun at the Donald Sterling controversy by joking:
Now let me get this straight: An 83-year-old white man doesn’t like black people. Is that news? First of all, a black man couldn’t look him in the eye until he was 45. The first black person he even met he got for Christmas.
The show also featured performances by Usher, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Hudson, Igy Azalea, and Lil Wayne. A duet with Jay Z and Beyonce was performed via satellite feed from their concert in Miami.
Lionel Richie ended up taking home the Lifetime Achievement Award after John Legend and Ledisi paid him tribute. During his acceptance speech, Lionel would say, “Soul is a feeling, not a color,” before taking to the stage to sing some of his best-selling hits. After his performance of “Easy” and “All Night Long”, Richie was met with a standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd.
Other award winners included tennis star Serena Williams and Kevin Durant for their leadership roles in the world of sports.
See footage and highlights from last night’s 2014 BET Awards below:
[Image credit: Us Magazine/Billboard]