With the tagline, “Too Big To Be Canceled,” the 2020 BET Awards were still held this year, with a virtual production with no audience members. Presenter and winners were at home, and the performances were pre-tapped. Honestly, this was the best thing that has happened to the BET Awards, and maybe awards season in general. Instead of being bogged down in awkward on-stage banter, we got straight to the point to see who the winners were. Instead of technical difficulties, artists got to show off a complete vision for a performance that wasn’t limited to a small stage.

I really enjoyed every single performance and they are all worth watching. These performances below really showed off the unique offerings the BET gave us during this unconventional time.

I love how BET showcased different types of music that they usually don’t cover. They are black people in all genres of music, and black people did invent gospel and country music, so it was great to see that highlighted.

Chloe X Halle have been killing it with their quarantine performances. They have been giving high production value to their performances for months. It was great to see them sing two songs and even dance with their duplicates!

2020 is Megan’s year. While she has been out for some time, since the release of Suga Megan has shown she is a force to be reckoned with. She definitely wins the awards for how to best incorporate face masks into a performance; the Mad Max vibes are perfect for this dystopian like world we live in. I also love that that the “Savage” TikTok dance made it into the performance.

I’m not crying, you’re crying! This was so powerful and I definitely teared up in the end with the dialogue from the child.

I love this whole ethereal, laid back vibe. Summer has been getting a lot of flack this year for not having the best live performances and being too reserved in person, but I think this intimate set really showcased her voice.