Vintage StarTracks: A Look Back at the First-Ever BET Awards in 2001

Alexandra SchonfeldMon, June 29, 2026 at 2:21 PM UTC

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Destiny's Child.Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

As the curtain closes on another year of the BET Awards, what better time to look back at the first-ever ceremony 26 years ago?

From Destiny Child taking home the award for Best Female Group months after dropping their iconic Survivor album to Gwen Stefani hitting the stage with Eve to perform their song "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" the June 2001 ceremony in Las Vegas was chock-full of memorable moments.

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Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer

Steve Harvey and Cedric "The Entertainer."Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage

Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer served as hosts for the June 19, 2001 ceremony in Las Vegas.

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Ludacris and Shaquille O'Neal

Ludacris and Shaquille O'Neal.Credit: Caulfield/WireImage

When Ludacris and Shaquille O'Neal took the stage, the rapper needed a little help to see eye to eye with the basketball legend.

03 of 10

Eve and Gwen Stefani

Eve and Gwen Stefani.Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage

Eve, who won the award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, and Gwen Stefani performed their song "Let Me Blow Ya Mind." In 2025, Eve told Billboardthat the song was still her "favorite record to perform."

"I did not want anyone else," she said of Stefani's collaboration. "I felt it had to be her because I could hear her voice on it.”

04 of 10

Whitney Houston

Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston and Bobbi Kristina Brown.Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage

Whitney Houston was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award by Mary J. Blige (left) and Babyface. She was joined onstage by her mother Cissy Houston and young daughter Bobbi Kristina whom she called "the love of my life."

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Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera.Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Christina Aguilera walked the red carpet in a low back gown before she hit the stage to pay tribute to the Lifetime Achievement honoree with a performance of Houston's song "Run to You."

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Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg.Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Snoop Dogg, who nabbed three nominations that first year, hit the carpet with a glass of bubbly.

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Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child.Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé and Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child won the award for Best Female Group months after their album Survivor was released.

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Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles.Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Beyoncé's younger sister Solange Knowles was also at the Las Vegas ceremony wearing early aughts camouflage low-rise pants.

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Bow Wow

Bow Wow.Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Bow Wow — then know as Lil' Bow Wow — won the Viewers' Choice prize at the inaugural ceremony. The rapper, who was a teen at the time, had the pull the mic stand down while giving his acceptance speech.

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OutKast

Andre 3000 and Big Boi of OutKast.Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

OutKast's Andre 3000 and Big Boi took home the award for both Best Male Group as well as Video of the Year for their song "Ms. Jackson."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”