Cardi B revealed she is expecting her second child during a show-stealing performance at the BET Awards, where she was among the winners alongside her WAP co-star Megan Thee Stallion.
The annual ceremony – which celebrates the achievements of black performers across entertainment and sport – returned for an in-person event in Los Angeles following last year’s virtual affair.
Actress Taraji P Henson was on hosting duties at the Microsoft Theatre, which welcomed an audience of fully vaccinated fans.
On a night organisers said would celebrate black women, Megan Thee Stallion won best female hip hop artist, the viewer’s choice award for her remix of Savage featuring Beyonce and video and collaboration of the year for WAP, her X-rated hit with Cardi B.
As well as winning two prizes, Cardi B stunned fans by announcing she was expecting her second child while on stage with husband Offset and his rap group Migos.
The New York-born star, 28, wore a bedazzled sheer bodysuit and showed off her growing baby bump before confirming the news on social media with a topless portrait.
Cardi B and Offset are already parents to two-year-old daughter Kulture.
OMG!!!!!! @iamcardib breaking some MAJOR news! Pregnant and slaying 🤩#BETAwards #CulturesBiggestNight pic.twitter.com/CCF5P8h8rt
— #BETAwards (@BETAwards) June 28, 2021
While accepting the award for best female hip hop artist, Grammy-winner Megan Thee Stallion became emotional and thanked her mother Holly Thomas, who died in March 2019 from a brain tumour.
“She can’t be here with me today,” the rapper said. “But I still think about her every day and she is the reason why I keep going.”
After forgetting to thank Cardi B during her WAP acceptance speech, Megan Thee Stallion paid tribute during her next visit to the stage and said: “I really forgot to say thank you Cardi for even putting me on WAP because it makes me feel so good to be acknowledged by one of my peers, who I think so highly of.
“I think so highly of all the women who was nominated in this category. Everybody knows I’m a girls’ girl.”
As well as winning a gong for WAP, Megan Thee Stallion performed another of her provocative hits at the ceremony, delivering an energetic rendition of Thot Shit.
R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan won album of the year for Heaux Tales and took to the stage with her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer but was now in remission.
Sullivan said: “This award is bigger than me, it’s for all the women, all the black women that are amazing and strong, that have inspired me all of my life.”
Singer Giveon was named best new artist, Lil Baby best male hip hop artist and Silk Sonic, the R&B duo composed of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, won best group.
The United States vs. Billie Holiday star Andra Day won best actress and SZA took home the BET Her Award for hit single Good Days.
Lil Nas X – who arrived at the ceremony in typically flamboyant fashion by wearing a blue and white dress – received a standing ovation for his performance of Montero (Call Me By Your Name).
The superstar rapper, 22, took to the ancient Egyptian-themed stage while dressed in a pharaoh-inspired outfit.
Award-winning rapper and actress Queen Latifah fought back tears as she was honoured with BET’s lifetime achievement award.
The star, a pioneering figure in hip hop, watched on as a video of her career highlights – including Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy wins, as well as an Oscar nomination – was played.
Stood next to her father on stage and carrying a picture of her late mother, Queen Latifah, 51, praised the impact of Black Entertainment Television and said: “Be black. Black is beautiful. I’ve always celebrated the woman because I was raised by a strong black woman and raised by a father who loves women.
“We can’t live without each other. I wanted to celebrate us because I know together we stand stronger than when we tear each other apart, and I’ve seen enough of that.”
Producer Swizz Beatz curated a performance to honour the late rapper DMX, who died in April aged 50.
The tribute featured performances of his songs by Busta Rhymes, Method Man and Griselda.
