Cardi B stole the show early on at the 2021 BET Awards by revealing she is pregnant and expecting her second child with Offsest.
The 28-year-old singer took to the stage with a surprise performance of Migos’ hit song Type S**t in a bejeweled and sparkling bodysuit, which had a cutout revealing her baby bump.
She also took to her Instagram with a photo of her body cast, revealing she’s expecting her second child.
Show-stealer: Cardi B stole the show early on at the 2021 BET Awards by revealing she is pregnant and expecting her second child with Offsest
Instagram: She also took to her Instagram with a photo of her body cast, revealing she’s expecting her second child.
‘#2!’ she said in her Instagram caption, while tagging her husband Offset.
The reveal dominated the conversation online, and at the show itself, with Marsai Martin even commenting on the bump.
Host Taraji P. Henson added, ‘Let’s go back to Cardi B and Offset giving us life, literally. They are really about that — even got there baby performing. It filled out a W2 and everything.’
Revealed: The reveal dominated the conversation online, and at the show itself, with Marsai Martin even commenting on the bump
Conversation: Host Taraji P. Henson added, ‘Let’s go back to Cardi B and Offset giving us life, literally. They are really about that — even got there baby performing. It filled out a W2 and everything’
Cardi B and Offset met in early 2017, with the couple tying the knot in secret in September 2017, a month before their public proposal in late October 2017.
The rapper gave birth to their first child Kulture Kiari Cephus in July 2018, though the couple did briefly split in December 2018 before reconciling shortly thereafter.
Cardi B has kept a low profile over the past few months, making the pregnancy reveal all the more surprising, though it’s unclear when her second child may be due.
Migos’ performance began when they took to the stage in gas masks to perform their new hit song Straightenin.
They then broke into Type S**t when they were joined by Cardi B in a sparkling bejeweled body suit… which accentuated her baby bump.
The awards show got started with a rousing performance from Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin, which brought the house down at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Straightenin: Migos’ performance began when they took to the stage in gas masks to perform their new hit song Straightenin
Host Taraji P. Henson said she was, ‘so excited to be here with humans,’ before thanking Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin.
‘Tonight you’re gonna get 100% of our full blackness,’ Henson said, adding the show is celebrating, ‘the year of the black woman.’
She added that she wanted ‘all my queens’ in the front row, handing out roses to Issa Rae, Zendaya, Senator Maxine Waters and more.
Excited: Host Taraji P. Henson said she was, ‘so excited to be here with humans,’ before thanking Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin
She added that she’s going to come out dressed as some of her favorite Black women throughout the night.
She then introduced the first award of the night, the nominees for Best Actress, which was won by Andra Day for her performance in The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
‘I really did not expect it. Not like I didn’t expect this at all, like I really didn’t expect this, but thank you so much to my family at bet for supporting me way before this, since performing on the new talent stage in 2015, thank you so much and thank you to my family, to my costars, another wonderful amazing black woman who believed n me and put her all into me, to Tom Jones, to my cast, to Tyler, Ms. Lawrence, Evan. I’m missing some people, wonderful black men who actually funded our film and allowed it to see the light of day, thank you so much for supporting us and please let us continue that trend, thank you mama thank you,’ Day said in her rousing speech.
First winner: She then introduced the first award of the night, the nominees for Best Actress, which was won by Andra Day for her performance in The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Marsai Martin took to the stage, commenting on Cardi B’s baby bump before presenting the award for Best Group, which was won by Silk Sonic, comprised of Anderson Paak and Bruno Mars.
‘BET, this means the world to us, thank you so much. That’s all I’ve got to say,’ Paak said briefly.
Bruno Mars added, I want to thank the boss, our good friend Jesse Collins, everybody here at BET, thank you for the continued support, the Atlantic family, our families watching at home. Thank you all so much.’
Means the world: ‘BET, this means the world to us, thank you so much. That’s all I’ve got to say,’ Paak
H.E.R. took to the stage to perform before Jill Scott, Michelle Buteau, Michelle Mitchenor and Ryan Michelle Bathé presented the Best New Artist award, won by Giveon, who wasn’t in attendance to accept the award.
Moneybagg Yo took to the stage to perform his hit song Time Today before DaBaby performed Ball If I Want To during the telecast.
Lauren London took to the stage to honor Darnella Frazier, the teenager who recorded the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May.
‘Tonight, we’d like to shine a light on the brave and transformative heroics of Darnella Frazier. This young woman who captured a moment in history that reflects our brutal past, helping to forge a way forward,’ she said.
‘With only her cell phone in hand she recorded 9 minutes and 29 seconds of social injustice highlighting the murder of George Floyd. Sometimes in life, it just takes one person to prove that we play a large part in getting the accountability we deserve,’ she said.
‘She didn’t set out to change the world, she set out to do what was right. Most recently, her courageous actions were rewarded with an honorary Pulitzer Prize. Unfortunately, Darnella could not attend tonight. But we felt it important to acknowledge her contributions to social justice,’ she concluded.
Chloe Bailey of Chloe x Halley presented the Best Female R&B Pop Artist award, which was won by H.E.R.
‘I wasn’t expecting this, I’m still on a high from the performance. I spent my edges out already. Put myself together. I’m so grateful for this award but I’m even more grateful for the stage,’ H.E.R. said.
‘But I just want you guys to know how important this stage is, how important it is for us to recognize each other and to celebrate each other,’ she added.
She also mentioned that R&B music and soul music is the ‘foundation of country music,’ adding without Black music, there would be not a lot of the other genres out there.
Megan Thee Stallion took to the stage next to perform her hit song Thot S**t, before she won the Best Music Video Award for Wap, taking to the stage to accept the award, though Cardi B declined to accept the award.
‘First of all, they told me you have 2 minutes to put on your dress after that performance to get out here. And I said how did they know it’s going to be me? Whatever. Oh, my god. I just want to say thank you to everybody who supported Wap all across the world,’ she began.
‘They were in front of the White House singing wap. Okay, everybody’s got their wap. I really want to thank B.E.T., I want to thank the hotties, all the beautiful women that are right here in these front rows. Black women, we are the culture. Within the culture and in the future we are still going to be the culture. So shout out to us,’ she said.
Jennifer Hudson took to the stage to honor Aretha Franklin, who she portrays in the upcoming biopic Respect, which hits theaters nationwide August 13.
‘What a privilege and an honor it was to create this tribute to Ms. Franklin’s extraordinary life and legacy in our upcoming film, Respect,’ Hudson began.
‘The entire cast and crew showed up every day with purpose and the passion knowing the significance of this film and what a joy and blessing it was to be able to tell her incredible story — from a young girl singing in her father’s church, to becoming an international superstar,’ she added.
‘I made it my mission to give my everything to tell her story right, and to make her proud. I’m extremely honored to have had this opportunity to celebrate and honor the queen, of soul, Ms. Aretha Franklin,’ she concluded.
Host Taraji P. Henson also saluted tennis star Naomi Osaka, who made headlines for pulling out of the French Open to protect her mental health, before Tyler the Creator took the stage for a unique performance.