Although the GRAMMYs understood the assignment when it came to paying tribute to the late D\u2019Angelo, BET Awards producers knew they couldn\u2019t be upstaged. For Sunday night\u2019s tribute, they tapped into the singer\u2019s deep cuts to spotlight the underrated side of his legacy in a brilliant, vibrant way.<\/p>\n
That legacy, though, starts with his children, Morocco, Imani, and Swayvo, who introduced the tribute performance set. \u201cTo the world, he was D\u2019Angelo; To us, he was just Dad,\u201d they said in a joint opening statement. \u201cOur biggest hypeman and protector. One of the things that brought our father the most joy was performing with his band, The Vanguard. So, it\u2019s only right that they\u2019re here with us along with some other special guests to honor the man that meant the world to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next voice heard was D\u2019Angelo\u2019s as a snippet from his 2012 performance of \u201cUntitled (How Does It Feel?)\u201d played on the stage, before his band, The Vanguard, kicked off the full tribute.<\/p>\n
Ari Lennox held it down with \u201cReally Love\u201d while RAYE put her flair on \u201cSpanist Joint.\u201d George Clinton put the funk and stank into \u201cChicken Grease\u201d before Durand Bernarr incorporated his suave demeanor into \u201cSh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker\u201d (which was made popular, thanks to 1999\u2019s The Best Man). BJ the Chicago Kid closed out the tribute with his soul-stirring rendition of \u201cDevil\u2019s Pie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many were confused by the lack of mainstream inclusion, with some reactions asking for his classics, but that\u2019s what other tributes were for. Although Lucky Daye, Raphael Saadiq, Anthony Hamilton, Bilal, Leon Thomas, and more held it down at the Grammys while singing \u201cLady\u201d and \u201cBrown Sugar,\u201d this tribute was clearly for fans who loved D\u2019Angelo beyond his radio classics. The BET Awards 2026 tribute was for those who value his artistry in its entirety and don\u2019t reduce him to a sex symbol\u2014a minuscule part of his legacy.<\/p>\n
Watch clips from the moving tribute below.<\/p>\n
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