The 2025 BET Awards will certainly be one to remember as the network celebrated “25 Years of Culture’s Biggest Night”! The ceremony was hosted by Kevin Hart with hip-hop legend MC Lyte also known as “The Voice” moderating the show. With many exciting moments including the 106 & Park reunion or surprise presenters Kai Cenat and Druski, nothing was more thrilling for DFW natives than seeing two of our biggest superstars be honored for their contribution to entertainment.
Jamie Foxx – Ultimate Icon Award
Hometown: Terrell, TX,
Foxx attended Terrell High School, where he received top grades, played basketball and football as quarterback, and had an ambition to play for the Dallas Cowboys. He was the first player in the school’s history to pass for more than 1,000 yards. He also sang in a band called Leather and Lace.
Source: Hollywood Walk of Fame
Jamie, whose real name is Eric Marlon Bishop, got his start in 1991 when he won the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition. This led to an audition for the popular, yet controversial, comedy show ‘In Living Color’. He went on to have his own series, ‘The Jamie Foxx Show’, starred in major movies like ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ and ‘Django Unchained’, produced four certified RIAA platinum albums, and more!
He has always been inspired by his two sisters from South Dallas, Deidra and younger sister Deondra who passed away at 36 in 2020. She was the first to receive the the Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s highest honor, the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award.
Deidra was at the award show to support him alongside his two daughters Corinne Foxx and Anelise Bishop. Jamie credits Anelise for helping balance his vitals during his medical scare after she snuck into his hospital room to play the guitar.
104 Nominations and 64 Awards including:
- Academy Award: Best Actor- Ray
- Golden Globe Award: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Ray
- Grammy Award: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals “Blame It” with T-Pain, 9 Nominations
- American Music Awards: Favorite R&B/Soul Male Artist
- Critics Choice Awards: 2005 Best Actor- Ray, 2021 Best Voice Actor in an Animated Movie- Soul
- NAACP Image Awards: 2006 & 2009 Outstanding Male Artist
Kirk Franklin Ultimate Icon Award
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX.
Franklin was adopted at age 4 by a distant relative, Gertrude and grew up to attend Oscar Dean Wyatt High School. He spoke with People magazine and shared, “She was 64. She was a widow and did the best she could when I was young. She got on government aid and would find money to pay for my piano lessons,” he says. “But by 12 or 13 I felt abandoned by her because I could tell I became more of an irritant. I wanted to date and go out and I always felt like I was inconveniencing her. It just added to the feeling of displacement.”
Kirk channeled that energy into his passion and continued his walk with God that led him to being one of the biggest Gospel artists of all time. He also takes pride in being a husband to his wife of almost 30 years Tammy Collins, and father to daughters Carrington, Kennedy and son Caziah.
Source: People Magazine
Kirk Franklins Accolades
- Grammy Awards: 20 wins, including for Best Gospel Album and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.
- Dove Awards: 16 wins, recognized for his contributions to Christian music.
- Stellar Awards: 39 wins, highlighting his impact within the gospel music community.
- Other Awards: American Music Award, Soul Train Award, NAACP Image Awards, and BET Awards.
- Recognition: Dubbed “Reigning King of Urban Gospel” by Variety and inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
- Billboard Success: His music consistently tops Billboard’s Gospel and Christian charts, making him one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time.
- Black Music Icon Award: He was also honored with the Black Music Icon Award at the Recording Academy Honors in 2025.
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1. Jamie Foxx Tribute
Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds teamed up with Ludacris to cover the honoree’s 2005 track “Unpredictable” before Tank took the stage to transition into Foxx’s “Oscar era” with a performance with Jennifer Hudson for a performance of Ray Charles’ 1958 classic “Night Time Is the Right Time (To Be with the One You Love) and Kanye West’s 2005 track “Gold Digger.”
Doug E. Fresh, Teddy Riley and T-Pain then covered his 2008 hit “Blame It.”
Source: People Magazine
2. Jamie Foxx Spech
Whose cutting onions! Everyone, including Foxx’s daughters, were emotional watching his speech upon winning the Ultimate Icon award.
During his address shared, “I said whatever reason you put this on me, I promise I’mma do right. I’mma do right in front of y’all, because I know a lot of times, when we get on we forget about where we come from.”
3. Kirk Franklin Speech
Many may not know Kirk Franklin’s story, but he used the moment to remind the audience that he isn’t perfect and there were a lot of times that didn’t ‘make sense.’
“The only time I felt love was when I sat behind the piano and wrote songs to Jesus. People loved my songs and the more I wrote, the more people listened. Thank you to all of you that still listen. Thank you to every group, singer, musician that’s been the microphone to my pain.”
4. Kirk Franklin Silver & Gold
Kirk Franklin took us to church during the finale of the BET Awards, opening up his set with Silver & Gold from his debut album Kirk Franklin and the Family.
The album was recorded live on July 25, 1992 at Grace Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fort Worth, Texas and produced by Rodney Frazier and Arthur Dye.
It went on to be #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums and #6 on Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums, and is known as one of the best-selling gospel albums of all time.
5. Kirk Brings Out Stars For Gospel Medley
Tamar Braxton, Muni Long, and 2025 American Idol winner Jamal Roberts
Franklin also performed “Stomp,” featuring Salt from Salt-N-Pepa, and had comedian D.C. Young Fly join him on stage serving as a pastor before performing a mind-blowing remix of “Revolution.”
