Taraji P. Henson has been a staple in the entertainment industry for almost three decades. After rising to prominence in John Singleton’s Baby Boy in 2000, the Baltimore native appeared in films such as Hustle & Flow, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Think Like A Man, and The Color Purple. As an Academy Award-nominated actor, producer, author, and mental health advocate, her celebrated career knows no bounds. Now, she will return as the host of the 2024 BET Awards on June 30.
“I’m honored and really grateful,” she tells ESSENCE. “Clearly, I’m doing something right because they asked me again for the third time.” Henson, who recently released her new children’s book, YOU CAN BE A GOOD FRIEND (NO MATTER WHAT!), is no stranger to helming live ceremonies. Prior to her stint as the BET Awards hostess, she also led The Soul Train Music Awards, Celebration of Gospel, and the AMAs, just to name a few. Maintaining a certain balance prior to those shows have been paramount to her success on stage.
“Honestly, I just have to be loose, open and grounded,” Henson says of her preparation process. “I keep my nerves together. I’m always nervous—which is a good thing—but stay in my element and make sure I’m in a good mood. When I wake up that day, I meditate. I go outside, I drink my tea, I just get in the right headspace to be loose and fluid because it’s live and anything can happen, so I have to be ready.”
This year’s ceremony is definitely primed to be one to remember. GRAMMY Award-winning musician Usher will be honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement BET Award, while it’s performers include GloRilla, Latto, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Victoria Monét, and Will Smith. With a lineup of the industry’s most influential figures, BET is staying true to its moniker of “Culture’s Biggest Night,” by highlighting the best in Black entertainment.
The BET Awards is not only a fun and exciting moment for viewers, artists, experts, and tastemakers, but it is also an opportunity to showcase the most beautiful aspects of the Black experience. By honoring the present and future of music, creativity, and sportsmanship, this ceremony stands above the rest in many aspects. As host of the ceremony, Henson explains the bevy of emotions that she experiences while on stage. From the crowd, to the acts, to the production team, the show features the entire gamut of what Black excellence is, and can be.
“It’s just the multitude of talent that’s in the room, and it’s us,” Taraji says of the show’s impact. “It’s the culture. There are performers, visual artists, politicians, community leaders, educators—you name it, they’re there. It’s a great night for us to celebrate each other and lift each other up because a lot of times we don’t get celebrated in this way. So this is a safe space to really inspire each other.”
The 2024 BET Awards will air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 30, 2024, on BET at 8 PM ET/ PT.