The music mogul was joined by Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige and more for his performance.
The '90s and '00s came back to rock the 2022 BET Awards stage on Sunday night! Iconic musicians such as Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes and more came together for a throwback performance that had the entire audience on its feet, singing along. And it was all to honor Sean "Diddy" Combs!
The prolific producer put together the uber-nostalgic tribute as a retrospective of his musical legacy as a producer and artist which led to his accepting the night's Lifetime Achievement Award.
The massive star-studded performance began with Jodeci taking the stage, where they were then joined by Blige who took center stage, before Diddy himself came out. The man of the hour performed with Shyne, before an appearance from Lil' Kim. Busta came out next as the number transitioned into a bigger production, complete with backup dancers.
Things got surprisingly emotional as Diddy dedicated the number to his late girlfriend Kim Porter, who appeared in an emotional home video montage, as Diddy was joined by Faith Evans and Maverick City Music to close out the medley on an emotionally transcendent note.
Diddy went on to accept his award, which honors industry giants who have not only significantly shaped culture through their extensive careers, but who have also been transformative leaders that consistently inspire generations by setting a true standard of excellence. Past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include industry legends such as Whitney Houston, Prince, Queen Latifah, Anita Baker, Mary J. Blige, Samuel L. Jackson, Lionel Richie and New Edition.
The moment is one host Taraji P. Henson told ET she was looking forward to, citing Diddy's impact on the Black culture as a media mogul.
"Diddy means so much to the culture -- I mean, you can't talk about hip-hop, you can't talk about fashion, you can't even talk about alcohol without his name coming up," she noted. "[He's an] iconic, legendary star to so many careers and he should be celebrated. We should give him his flowers while he's still alive to receive them. It's about time."
Meanwhile, after years of working in fashion, liquor and television, the Bad Boy Entertainment founder recently announced that he was making his grand return to music by starting an R&B-focused music label, Love Records, with the backing of the classic label Motown.
Diddy, who is managed by SAL&CO where he is represented by Wassim "Sal" Slaiby, also signed a one-time album deal with Motown Records. The album will be released under the Love Records imprint and drop in the summer.
"Music has always been my first love, Love Records is the next chapter, is about getting back to the love and making the best music of my life," the prolific producer said in a statement. "For the label, I'm focused on creating timeless R&B music with the next generation of artists and producers. Motown is the perfect partner for my album and I’m excited to add to its legacy."
For more on this year's BET Awards, check out the links below. See the complete winners list here!
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