The 2023 BET Awards celebrated the past, present and future of Black music and culture Sunday night (June 25) live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. Despite people’s uncertainty leading into the evening, such as the lack of a host due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, the annual awards show returned for a 23rd year with some pleasantly unexpected, emotional and overall proud moments.

Quavo and Offset came together for a surprise tribute to Takeoff, marking their first performance since their Migos group member was fatally shot at age 28 last November. Teyana Taylor picked up a video call from her mother Nikki and, to the “Gonna Love Me” singer’s surprise, ended up accepting the video director of the year award right then and there. Culture’s Biggest Night held a global celebration that spotlighted African and Jamaican culture. And Coco Jones and Busta Rhymes made sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the room (or at home) when they accepted the best new artist and lifetime achievement awards, respectively, while Kid Capri made sure everyone was up off their feet while reliving hip-hop’s various eras in its 50-year history.

Additionally, there were a couple of standout moments from the 15 non-televised awards: Beyoncé’s Renaissance and SZA’s SOS tied for album of the year, while Chris Brown and Usher tied for best male R&B/pop artist. Find all of the winners here, and check out the nine biggest moments from the 2023 BET Awards below.