Killer Mike took home one of the biggest awards of the night at this year’s BET Awards.
The Grammy-winner’s album “MICHAEL” won Album of the Year on Sunday in Los Angeles. He beat out Chris Brown (“11:11”), Gunna (“A Gift & a Curse”), 21 Savage (“American Dream”), Usher (“Coming Home”), Drake (“For All the Dogs”), Victoria Monét (“Jaguar II”), and Nicki Minaj (“Pink Friday 2”).
Killer Mike was among eight impressive albums in the running. Fans wondered if another album might also win, as Beyoncé and SZA both won Album of the Year in 2023.
In his speech, Killer Mike thanked his fellow Black artists, saying, “Thank you for seeing me, Black people. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for honoring me in this way.” He also thanked his wife Shana, their four children, and his manager.
His win comes just days after he was cleared of charges from his Grammy night arrest. In February, he was led out of the ceremony in handcuffs after winning Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Album for “MICHAEL.” He explained the arrest was due to confusion about which door his team should enter and expressed confidence he would be cleared of all wrongdoing.