Warning: Performing at the 2009 Soul Train Awards can be hazardous to your marriage.
It takes a lot to upstage both Beyoncé and the ghost of Michael Jackson, but Toni Braxton managed to do just that, when her show-opening performance of "Yesterday" ended with her tongue squarely in the throat of duet partner Trey Songz.
The sealed-with-a-kiss performance sent a ripple of shock through the audience, not least of all because Braxton's hubby of eight years, Keri Lewis, had a front-row seat for the makeshift game of tonsil hockey. Within days (the awards taped on Nov. 3), the duo was dunzo.
Braxton wasted no time in denying that the smooch contributed to the disintegration of her marriage, telling Wendy Williams afterward that it was part of the choreography and that she had warned Lewis beforehand.
You can judge for yourself when the ceremony finally airs Sunday on BET. As for the actual winners...
It was pretty much business as usual for the Soul Train Awards: Jackson picked up yet another posthumous award, for Entertainer of the Year no less, while the unstoppable Beyoncé took home a leading three trophies.
Here's the complete list of winners for the 2009 Soul Train Awards:
• Entertainer of the Year: Michael Jackson
• Best New Artist: Keri Hilson
• Best R&B/Soul Artist, Female: Beyoncé
• Best R&B/Soul Artist, Male: Maxwell
• Song of the Year: "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyoncé
• Album of the Year: I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé
• Record of the Year: "Blame It," Jamie Foxx feat. T-Pain
• Best Reggae Artist: Sean Paul
• Centric Award, Soul Approved/Underground: Maysa
• Gospel Performance: "God in Me," Mary Mary featuring Kierra "KiKi" Sheard
• Collaboration: "Knock You Down," Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo
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Check out who dared to bare in our 2009 Wackiest Red Carpet Looks gallery.