Remy Ma, Chance the Rapper Win Big at BET Awards (PHOTOS)
Chris Brown performs onstage at 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Host Leslie Jones speaks onstage at 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Mary J. Blige performs onstage at 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Insecure star Issa Rae at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Chance the Rapper at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Queen Latifah at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Star actresses Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady and Jude Demorest at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
French Montana at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Lil’ Kim backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Trey Songz backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Jamie Foxx (L) and Jason Mitchell backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Lil Mama at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Jada Pinkett Smith at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Ryan Destiny at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Remy Ma at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Claw actress Karrueche Tran at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
The Real co-host Loni Love at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Stevie Wonder backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Kiyan Carmelo Anthony (L) and La La Anthony at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
black-ish actress Yara Shahidi backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Empire star Jussie Smollett (L) and Jocqui Smollett backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Draya Michele at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Cardi B backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Yvette Nicole Brown (L) at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
DJ Khaled backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Xscape reunites: Kandi Burruss, LaTocha Scott, Tameka Harris, and Tamika Scott at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Irv Gotti, Michelle Hayden, Chet Hanks, and Matthew Noszka at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Maury Phillips/Getty Images
Gucci Mane (L) and Keyshia Ka’Oir at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Blac Chyna at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Eva Marcille (L) at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Tiffany Haddish backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Claudia Jordan at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
(L-R) Tamar Braxton and Evelyn Braxton at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Tyrese Gibson backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Salli Richardson (L) and Parker Richardson Whitfield at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
The adult cast of ‘The New Edition Story’ and the original members of New Edition backstage at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Bobby Brown (2nd L) and guests at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Saturday Night Live castmember Leslie Jones at the 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Square on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
The 2017 BET Awards was a chance for redemption, aspiration and humility for the evening’s winners.
Rapper Remy Ma redeemed herself when she beat Nicki Minaj for best female hip hop artist, ending Minaj’s 7-year reign in that category.
“I wanna thank God first and foremost,” Ma said. “You can make mistakes and come back.”
Ma, born Reminisence Smith, was convicted of intentional assault in 2008 for shooting Makeda Barnes Joseph in a dispute over $3,000. She served six years in prison before getting released in 2014.
Since her release, Ma has been busy putting out music, including a collaborative album with Fat joe titled, “Playa o Plomo.” She also put out “Shether,” a diss track that insults Minaj.
Ma previously won the award in 2005.
Kendrick Lamar took home the best male hip hop artist award, beating out J. Cole, Drake, Future, Chance the Rapper, and Big Sean.
Although Chance the Rapper missed out on winning best male hip hop artist, he was still a big winner Sunday night. The 24-year-old won best new artist and also was honored with a BET humanitarian award for his work to improve Chicago public schools.
Former first lady Michelle Obama, a fellow Chicagoan, in a pre-recorded speech, praised Chance for his work.
“Chance, you are an outstanding role model, and an inspiration to all of us who care about our next generation. Because of you, countless young people will grow up believing in themselves, fulfilling their God-given potential and then reaching back and lifting up other people along the way,” she said.
“It feels a little early to get something like this, but my God doesn’t make mistakes, and I like to think that he’s putting this enormous pressure on me to see how I react,” Chance said in his acceptance speech. “And I had plans originally to try and tell the world and everybody watching how to make it a better place. To tell everybody in this government that y’all need to let everybody out of jail for selling weed before you start making it legal for people to sell it and make capital off of it.”
He went on to criticize the Chicago public school system and the lack of convictions in police shooting cases before vowing to spend more time with loved ones.
I’m a good man, and I’m gonna become a better man,” he said.
By Ray Downs
Originally published in UPI Entertainment News.
