BET Awards 2025: Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx and Kirk Franklin to be Honored with Ultimate Icon Award
The BET Awards 2025 will be a plethora of energy, creativity and culture as the awards show this years honors four of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.
As the awards show turns 25, the network has selected four legendary performers to receive a special recognition for their artistry, singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, rapper Snoop Dogg, actor Jamie Foxx and gospel singer Kirk Franklin are set to receive the Ultimate Icon Award at the ceremony, taking place live on Monday, June 9.
Kevin Hart will host the live event which will air from The Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. For a list of nominees, visit: BET Awards 2025 Nominations
Mariah Carey is an author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, producer, and multiple award- winning artist and songwriter. She is the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 19 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles (18 of which are self-penned) – more than any solo artist in history. With her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting, and producing talent, Carey is truly the template of the modern pop performance. The GRAMMY® Award winner recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her iconic, multi-platinum 10th album, The Emancipation of Mimi. The 7x platinum #1 album includes her hits like “Don’t Forget About Us,” “Circles,” “Say Somethin’,” “Your Girl,” and “We Belong Together.”
Jamie Foxx is an award-winning actor, singer, and comedian. Foxx most recently starred in Back in Action opposite Cameron Diaz. The film has reached top 10 most popular of all time for Netflix. Additionally, his highly anticipated Netflix special, What Had Happened Was… debuted at #1 on the platform last December. Foxx has turned his magnetic personality and unparalleled comedic instinct into a multimedia empire under his Foxxhole Productions banner with projects including Number One on the Call Sheet, a two-part documentary film event celebrating the groundbreaking Black artists of Hollywood, ALERT: Missing Persons Unit for Fox, plus unscripted projects Beat Shazam, with his daughter, Corinne Foxx, and We Are Family, with hosts Anthony Anderson and his mother, Doris.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Kirk Franklin is a 20-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist, songwriter, producer, and music icon. For over three decades, he has been a transformative force in contemporary Gospel Music, masterfully blending Gospel, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Pop to create a unique, enduring sound that resonates across generations. Known as one of the most impactful and innovative figures in modern music, Franklin continues to expand the reach of Gospel Music, redefining its place in mainstream culture.
An entertainment industry mogul, Snoop Dogg has reigned for nearly three decades as an unparalleled force, consistently raising the bar as a globally recognized innovator. Snoop is a multi-platinum rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, DJ, media personality, businessman, and icon. Over the course of his storied music career, Snoop has released 21 studio albums, sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, reached #1 countless times on Billboard charts internationally, and received 20 Grammy Award nominations. In 2025, Snoop Dogg was recognized among the 100 Most Influential People by TIME Magazine.
Previous Ultimate Icon Award recipients include Janet Jackson (2015), Deborah L. Lee (2018), and Tyler Perry (2019).