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Singer-songwriter Usher was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards held on June 30, 2024. Producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis presented the award to him while also playing a video that showed a montage of the singer's career. Apart from that, the video also featured artists like Kevin Hart, Janelle Monáe, Toni Braxton, L.A. Reid, Jennifer Hudson, and Jermaine Dupri praising Usher.
However, it was Usher's speech after receiving the honor that has been going viral on social media. Fans have been praising him for the gratitude he expressed toward his ex-wife, Tameka Foster. In his speech, the singer said, "I'm trying, Tameka," before adding that he was turning over a new leaf.
The Geppetto singer and Tameka have two sons together, Usher "Cinco" V and Naviyd Ely. The singer also has another son named Sire Castrello and a daughter, Sovereign Bo, with his wife, Jennifer Goicoechea.
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The Scary Movie 5 star's family was present at the event and he thanked them all, including his wife, Jennifer, and their children, as well as his mother. He said that it was "100 percent all about my children" and family.
"It's all about y'all. It is 100 percent all about my children and making certain that you understand that your dreams can come true if you are truly committed to it. If you're dedicated to something and you find passion and you stay committed to it, this could potentially be you," he added.
When Usher and Tameka began dating, their relationship was under great scrutiny, as fans were vocal about the former couple's eight-year age gap. The two met when Tameka worked as the singer's stylist and got married in 2007, only to get divorced in 2009. However, they were unable to decide anything about the custody of their two sons. According to several reports from 2023, Usher was granted primary custody of the two kids.
Tameka Foster has since gained recognition for her work as a fashion stylist and has collaborated with many well-known faces throughout her career. She was also featured in the VH1 reality documentary show, Atlanta Exes.
Usher's words were muted during the broadcast for language: Speech and other details explained
The singer's family attended the 2024 BET Awards with him on June 30, 2024. The singer, who is from Dallas, Texas, was seen wearing a white blazer and a dress shirt with jeans, black boots, and sunglasses.
A video montage of Usher's career was also played before he was called to the stage. Artists like Summer Walker and Coco Jones also performed Usher's hit tracks after the video.
When he appeared on stage, the singer addressed his family, including his father, who left after the singer was born. He said that he was "trying to make sense" of the name given to him by a man who could never love him. He added that one needed to "have a forgiving heart to understand" the hardships that a Black man in America faced.
"You have to have a forgiving heart to understand the true pitfalls and harships of a Black man in America, and my father, he was a product of that. This is the year of the father. This is the year of the father. Stand up for your daughters and sons and lead. They say success has a million fathers," the singer said.
Since the speech featured several expletives, most of it had to be censored for the viewers watching the BET Awards at home. The speech was mostly muted while Usher spoke about his father.
However, expressing joy about the honor, the singer concluded his speech, wondering if it was "too early to receive" the lifetime achievement honor.
"This life achievement award. I don't know, man, is it too early to receive it? Cause I'm still runnin' and gunnin' like I did when I was 8 years old," the singer said.
The singer also said that it was important for anyone to be open to forgiveness and said that he is one of the people who forgave "a man who never showed up ever." The singer noted that forgiving anyone "makes us human."
The singer's ninth album, Coming Home, was released in February 2024. The project managed to reach the second spot on the US Billboard 200.
