Usher won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday, but his speech was so heavily edited that viewers watching at home weren’t able to make out what the “Confessions Part II” singer was saying. BET has since apologized for what a spokesperson called an “audio malfunction.”
“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 spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter. “Due to an audio malfunction during the live telecast, portions of his speech were inadvertently muted. We extend our sincere apologies to Usher as we couldn’t be more grateful for his participation in culture’s biggest night. Fans can catch his full uninterrupted speech across BET platforms and tonight’s encore on BET.”
As for the contents of his roughly 13-minute speech, Usher talked a lot about forgiveness.
“We’ve got to be willing to forgive. We’ve got to be willing to be open,” he said. “I’m telling you, you’re standing before a man who had to forgive a man who never showed up ever. And look what I made with it. Look what I was able to ‘usher’ in. But that’s what’s real. That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us women and men.” Let’s see if he forgives BET.
You can watch the full (uncensored) speech below.