New Edition Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award at 2017 BET Awards

Late '70s and '80s R&B group awarded big honor

By Meg Swertlow Jun 26, 2017 3:27 AMTags

New Edition took home a big prize, the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the 2017 BET Awards tonight. The group, which is comprised of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Ronnie DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant, Ricky Bell, hit the stage to accept the honor and to perform at the award show, hosted by Saturday Night Live's Leslie Jones live from Los Angeles' Microsoft Theater.

The men were introduced by the cast of Girls Trip (Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah).

While accepting the award, several of the group's members made remarks. During the speeches, Brown, New Edition's most famous member, said to the crowd, "I didn't know how much our fans were going to stick with us the way our fans have stuck with us for the last 35 years...I know I've been through some s--t. Thank you for sticking with me."

The honor included a rousing tribute by the cast of the BET mini-series The New Edition Story, whom the music men joined on stage for an epic performance.

The R&B group, which formed in 1978 and came to prominence in the '80s with hits like "Candy Girl" and "Cool It Now, also performed a medley of their hits.

photos
BET Awards 2017 Red Carpet
Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET

Previously, Jesse Collins, the executive producer of BET's miniseries The New Edition Story, said, "New Edition's music is woven into the fabric of our culture."

Chance the Rapper was the recipient of the Humanitarian Award at the award show that is currently in its 17th year.

Presenters include Yara Shahidi, Cardi B, Issa Rae, Jamie Foxx, La La AnthonyRobin Thede, Trevor Noah, Demetrius Shipp Jr. and Cari Champion.

The show's other performers include Big Sean, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, DJ Khaled, Future, Lil' Wayne, Migos, Post Malone, Trey Songz, Tamar Braxton and Roman Gianarthur.

Earlier this week, it was announced that A$AP Rocky, French Montana, Gucci Mane, SZA, Swae Lee and Khalid would also be performing.