Jamie Foxx's Emotional BET Award Moment: A Tearful Tribute to God and Family
Jamie Foxx Gets Emotional as He Accepts Ultimate Icon Award, Thanks God for "One More Crack" at Life
Last night's BET Awards was a star-studded affair, but none of the performers got more emotional than Jamie Foxx, 57, who broke down in tears while accepting the prestigious Ultimate Icon Award. The Oscar-winning actor was visibly shaken as he took to the stage, surrounded by his loved ones and industry peers.
"I gotta be honest with you," Foxx began his speech, his voice trembling with emotion. "When I saw the in memoriam segment... that could have been me." A cutaway shot showed his daughters, Corrine, 31, and Anelise, 16, fighting back tears as their father struggled to hold it together.
Foxx revealed that he was overcome with emotion thinking about how close he had come to losing his life. "I don't know why I went through what I went through," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "But I do know this: my second chance... I'm not gonna turn down."
The actor then shared a heart-wrenching story of his near-fatal brain bleed that led to a stroke. He told the audience that during his recovery, he had a conversation with his higher power, promising to make the most of his time on earth.
"I said, 'Man, bro, just give me one more crack at this... I promise,'" Foxx recounted, his voice filled with emotion. "Whatever reason you put this on me, I promise Ima do right."
Foxx then broke out in song, using his legendary impression of Ray Charles to sing a few lines from the classic hit "I Got A Woman." The audience was wowed by his performance, but Foxx wasn't done yet.
"I want to thank my team for standing by me through thick and thin," he said, his voice still shaking. "And I want to thank Black people... this is what really counts. The Icon Award is the most important award because it comes from us."
Foxx then turned his attention to his family, thanking his sister Deirdre for taking care of him during his darkest hour. He also praised his daughters for their unwavering support.
"My beautiful daughter Corrine," he said, beaming with pride. "You've always taken the backseat to everything... but when you needed to drive it, you drove."
Foxx's youngest daughter, Anelise Estelle, was also in attendance, and her father couldn't stop raving about her talents. "My baby with the big hair," he said with a chuckle. "She hides under that hair because she's got something special... I realized God was in that guitar."
Foxx's emotional speech came to an end as he concluded with his signature call-and-response: "God is good, and all the time." The audience responded in kind, chanting "All the time" back at him.
The 75-year-old Stevie Wonder presented Foxx with the award, but it was clear that this was a moment that would go down in history. Jamie Foxx's emotional acceptance speech will be remembered for years to come as one of the most heartfelt moments in BET Awards history.
