Overview

• The ceremony at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater marked the BET Awards’ 25th anniversary and was hosted by Kevin Hart.
• Carey was one of four Ultimate Icon Award recipients—her first BET trophy—alongside Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Snoop Dogg.
• She skipped the red carpet and shimmered onstage in a metallic gold mini dress beneath a white coat to open her set.
• Rakim joined Carey during her performance, which interpolated his 1986 single “Eric B. Is President” into her latest track.
• In accepting the award, she urged fans to embrace self-belief, telling them to "be a diva, be a boss" and be iconic in their own right.