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Jay-Z, Kanye West, Beyonce and Chris Brown were among the big winners at the 2012 BET Awards, each taking home two nods Sunday night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Jay-Z and West — aka The Throne — were given the first award of the night, best group, presented after a performance by West.
PHOTOS: BET Awards Arrivals, Performances
“I’m bad at losing, and I’m bad at winning,” West said in his acceptance speech. “I’m already saying the wrong thing. I wish Jay-Z was here to say something politically correct for me.”
Jay-Z then suddenly appeared from backstage (he later explained he had gotten held up by “L.A. traffic,” causing him to miss performing with West).
“We worked really hard on this album,” Jay-Z said. “We didn’t take anything for granted. We didn’t rely on our name. … We’re going to just keep making the best stuff ever.”
Meanwhile, Jay-Z and West beat out the former’s wife, Beyonce, for video of the year.
Of the couple, who welcomed a baby girl in January, presenter Jamie Foxx joked that “there’s gonna be an argument at the crib, trying to see who’s the hottest in the household.”
STORY: Mariah Carey, Cissy Houston, Brandy Pay Tribute to Whitney Houston at BET Awards
In accepting the video of the year award for “Otis,” Jay-Z also had fun with West, interrupting the latter as he was trying to give his acceptance speech. (West famously interrupted Tayor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to declare his belief that Beyonce should have won the award for best female video.)
“Excuse me, Kanye, I’m gonna let you continue, but ….” Jay-Z joked. West laughed at the jab, as did Beyonce from her front-row seat in the audience.
Beyonce also took home two awards, incuding best female R&B artist. She gave a shoutout to fellow female singers in her acceptance speech.
“I fell in love with music by listening to R&B, and it’s at the core of who I am,” she said. “I want to thank BET for giving R&B a home and also the talented women before me, Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige, and I dedicate this to Whitney Houston, my angel.”
Beyonce and Alan Ferguson also won the video director of the year award.
STORY: Kanye West Declares Love for Kim Kardashian in Opening Number at BET Awards
Chris Brown won best male R&B singer and also performed during the show, but he made no mention of the recent altercation with fellow hip-hop star Drake at a New York club that left at least eight people, including NBA star Tony Parker, injured.
Brown also took home the Fandemonium Award for a third consecutive year.
Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj, who performed during the show, was named best female hip-hop artist for the third year in a row.
“I don’t take it for granted,” she said in accepting the award. “Thank you BET for keeping this category alive and appreciating all the female rappers for doing their thing — past, present and future.”
Big Sean, who performed during the show, was named best new artist, while Yolanda Adams won for best gospel artist.
Best collaboration went to Wale featuring Miguel for “Lotus Flower Bomb.”
Meanwhile, Think Like a Man star Kevin Hart was named best actor.
“First of all I knew I would win,” Hart quipped in accepting his award. “I was a shoo-in, much better than [fellow nominees] Denzel [Washington] and Don Cheadle, a little better than Idris [Elba].”
Hart then turned serious, thanking his fans and saying the honor was “unexpected.”
During the show, Houston was remembered with a tribute that featured Mariah Carey, Brandy, Monica, Chaka Khan and Houston’s mother Cissy and Gary, among others.
Chante Moore peformed a tribute to the late Donna Summer, while Valerie Ashford sang “Ain’t Nothing but the Real Thing” in honor of her late husband, Nick Ashford.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, whose hits include “Happy Feelin’s,” “Lady of Magic,” “Travelin’ Man,” “Feel That You’re Feeling,” “Joy and Pain” and “Look in Your Eyes.” Tyler Perry, Tyrese and Faith Evans were among those taking part in the tribute to the band.
Meanwhiel, the Rev. Al Sharpton was presented with the Humanitarian Award by BET Networks chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee for his work in bringing awareness to Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old who was fatally shot earlier this year by a neighborhood watchman.
The Coca-Cola viewers choice award went to boy band Mindless Behavior, who beat out the likes of Beyonce, Brown, Jay-Z and West, Drake and Wale.
Watch performances from Sunday night’s show below.
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