Lizzo thanked Beyonce for "everything [she has] done for black culture" as she accepted her Best Female R&B/Pop Artist accolade at the BET Awards.
The ceremony was held virtually on Sunday night (28.06.20) due to the coronavirus pandemic, so the 32-year-old singer recorded a video message from her home, in which she praised the 38-year-old star – who won the Humanitarian and BET HER prizes on the night – and admitted she has felt like a winner the past three years as well.
She said: "Thank you so much BET, and thank you to all the wonderfully-talented, beautiful black women I share this category with.
"Beyonce, thank you for everything you have done for black culture.
"Three years ago, I sat in the audience and I didn’t win anything. But I still went home and felt like a winner.
"Last year, I performed on the main stage. I didn’t win anything, and I still felt like a winner.
"I will always feel like a winner, because as long as you’re winning in life that’s the only trophy you need.
"So we’re all winners, ladies. Let’s keep bigging up the culture, because that’s what this has been about and will always be about."
She also wrote on Instagram: "I don’t believe in being the ‘best of’ in a category of superior talent. I only believe in being the best me. Thank you @betawards for including my story in your celebration of our culture. I am beyond humbled and can’t wait to drop more of my genre-flipping feel good music lol! Trust me… it’s on the way (sic)
Megan Thee Stallion triumphed in the Best Female Hip-Hop Artist category, and she admitted it felt "so crazy" recording an acceptance speech from home.
She said: "I’ll probably record this video 10 ten times, it feels so crazy doing this from my house.
"But thank you BET, I cannot believe I’ve won.
"Thank you to my team, thank you to Houston, thank you mumma, thank you God.
"I used to watch the BET Awards all the time thinking, ‘One day, that’s gonna be me going up there accepting my awards,’ and now it is. So, thank y’all so much."
Other big winners on the night included Roddy Ricch, for Best New Artist and Album of the Year.
Chris Brown won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Best Collaboration for his tune ‘No Guidance’ with Drake, who had led nominations with six nods.
Public Enemy opened the event – which was hosted by Amanda Seales – with their 1989 hip hop classic ‘Fight the Power’, and they added new lyrics to the tune to include mentions to recent events, with the help of Nas, Rapsody, YG, the Roots’ Black Thought and Questlove.
The song was also accompanied by footage from Black Lives Matter protests.
What’s more, the video for DJ Khaled’s ‘Higher’ featuring the late Nipsey Hussle – who died in March 2019 aged 33 – and John Legend triumphed in the Video of the Year category.
BET Awards 2020 winners list:
Video of the Year: DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend, ‘Higher’
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist: Lizzo
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist: Chris Brown
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Megan Thee Stallion
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: DaBaby
Best New Artist: Roddy Ricch
Best Group: Migos
Best Collaboration: Chris Brown featuring Drake, ‘No Guidance’
Album of the Year: Roddy Ricch, ‘Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial’
Humanitarian Award: Beyoncé
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award: Kirk Franklin, ‘Just for Me’
Best Actress: Issa Rae
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan
Best Movie: ‘Queen & Slim’
Youngstars Award: Marsai Martin
Sportswoman of the Year: Simone Biles
Sportsman of the Year: LeBron James
BET HER Award: Beyoncé featuring Blue Ivy Carter, Wizkid and Saint JHN, ‘Brown Skin Girl’
Video Director of the Year: Teyana Taylor
Best International Act: Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act: Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)