As you may have heard by now…the “BET Awards 2024” went off without a hitch on Sunday night, but there was one significant blip in the broadcast that didn’t go unnoticed by many. As Usher accepted the network’s ‘Lifetime Achievement Award,’ parts of his passionate and heartfelt 12-minute speech were inaudible to viewers at home. Understandably, this was pissed off and confused a lot of viewers.

BET issued an apology on Monday (July 1, 2024), via Billboard, explaining that technical difficulties caused the breaches in Usher’s speech. A spokesperson for the company issued the following apology to Usher, on behalf of BET:

“Due to an audio malfunction during the LIVE telecast, portions of his speech were inadvertently muted. … Celebrating global icon USHER on our stage with a star-studded tribute and having him accept his award with a heartfelt speech was an honor,” the rep added, noting that the star’s uninterrupted speech is now available to watch on BET platforms. “We extend our sincere apologies to USHER as we couldn’t be more grateful for his participation in Culture’s Biggest Night.”

The awards ceremony is re-airing at 8p.m. Monday (July 1, 2024), and the uninterrupted speech is now available…check it out below…

Approximately four minutes of Usher’s acceptance speech were blocked out during the broadcast. The technical difficulties occurred just after he thanked Terry Lewis, Babyface, L.A. Reid, and Jimmy Jam for being his mentors and inspiration. It was during this moment that the word “f–k” was censored, but strangely, a subsequent “s–t” was not. Following that, the sound dropped out completely, cutting in and out for the next four minutes, causing speculation about the content of Usher’s speech.

However, a Billboard reporter who was present at the awards show confirmed that Usher didn’t heavily swear and his remarks didn’t contain any salacious subject matter. According to the reporter, Usher’s speech was all about his children and the message of pursuing dreams with dedication and passion. Usher expressed the following:

“It is 100% all about my children and making certain that you understand that your dreams can come true if you truly committed, if you are committed to it, if you’re dedicated to something and you find passion and you stay committed to it, this could potentially be you,” Usher stated once the sound was finally restored. “This could be your moment.”

BET’s apology and Usher’s speech have sparked conversations about the importance of technical precision during live broadcasts and the impact it can have on artists and viewers. But thankfully, the network has taken responsibility and made the full speech available for fans to watch.

It’s unfortunate that such a memorable moment for Usher was screwed up by technical difficulties. Nonetheless, his powerful message about chasing dreams and inspiring others remains intact. Let’s hope that future award shows prioritize flawless execution, ensuring that artists’ voices are heard loud and clear. And big up’s to BET for owning up to their mistake.