Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx & More to Receive Ultimate Icon Honors at BET Awards 2025.
BET announced today that entertainment legends Mariah Carey, the best-selling female artist of all time, Jamie Foxx, the Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA-winning entertainer, Kirk Franklin, gospel superstar and 20-time Grammy Award winner, and Snoop Dogg, the iconic rapper, producer, and entrepreneur will all be honored with the BET Ultimate Icon Award, celebrating their decades of groundbreaking contributions to music, entertainment, advocacy, and community impact. Hosted by Kevin Hart, Culture’s Biggest Night, “BET Awards” 2025, will air LIVE on Monday, June 9, at 8 PM ET/PT on BET.
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).
As previously announced, Lil Wayne, Teyana Taylor, GloRilla, Playboi Carti, and Leon Thomas will perform at “BET Awards” 2025.
Kendrick Lamar leads “BET Awards” 2025 nominations with ten, Doechii, Drake, Future and GloRilla are tied with six nominations, Metro Boomin earned five nominations, and SZA and The Weeknd are tied with four nominations each.
BET also previously announced that it will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the legendary music video countdown show 106 & Park with a must-see tribute. Beloved former hosts AJ Calloway, Free Marie Wright, Julissa Bermudez, Keshia Chanté, Rocsi Diaz, and Terrence J will reunite on stage for a nostalgic celebration. The tribute will feature timeline-shattering performances from previous host and Mr. 106 & Park, Bow Wow, Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Mya, T.I., and more, bringing back the culture-defining energy, music, and moments of the history-making franchise.
About Mariah Carey
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. Mariah is also an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, numerous American Music Awards, three Guinness World Record titles, both Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” and “Icon” awards, the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium,” the Ivor Novello Award for “PRS for Music Special International Award,” and BMI’s “Icon Award” for her outstanding achievements in songwriting, to name a few.
Carey’s cultural impact has transcended the music industry to leave an indelible imprint upon the world at large. In 2009, Carey was recognized with the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival for her critically acclaimed role in Lee Daniels’ “Precious.” A Congressional Award recipient, Carey has selflessly donated her time and energy to a range of philanthropic causes near to her heart, including Save the Music, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, World Hunger Relief, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, among many others. A tremendous supporter of children’s charities, both domestic and international, Carey founded Camp Mariah in partnership with the Fresh Air Fund, a retreat for inner city children to explore career development. In 2020, Mariah’s riveting memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey was recognized as a New York Times #1 bestseller upon release.
About Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx is an award-winning actor, singer, and comedian.
Foxx most recently starred in Back in Action opposite Cameron Diaz and the film has reached top 10 most popular of all time for Netflix. Additionally, his highly anticipated Netflix special, What Had Happened Was… debuted on the platform on December 10, 2024, to #1.
Foxx currently executive produces and hosts Beat Shazam on Fox alongside his daughter, Corinne Foxx who serves as co-host and deejay. Expanding his relationship with Fox – he recently announced an overall partnership with Fox Entertainment Studios to produce scripted and unscripted TV projects through his production company, Foxxhole Productions with his producing partner, Datari Turner. He executive produces Alert: Missing Persons Unit, and We Are Family with hosts, Anthony Anderson & his mother, Doris.
Foxx and Datari produced an unprecedented two-part documentary film event celebrating the groundbreaking Black artists of Hollywood called Number One on the Call Sheet which debuted on Apple TV+ on March 28, 2025. They additionally recently produced a riveting documentary about the life of music legend, Luther Vandross, that just premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival called Luther: Never Too Much for Sony Music Entertainment.
He also appeared in The Burial (nominated for a NAACP Image Award) opposite Tommy Lee Jones which premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival and is now streaming globally on Prime Video. He recently lent his voice to the raucous comedy, Strays for Universal opposite Will Ferrell which played in theaters August 2023. In 2021, he voiced the lead role of the Oscar-winning animated film, Soul for Disney/ Pixar.
Jamie executive produced and starred in several Netflix projects, including They Cloned Tyrone, for which he was nominated for both a Gotham Award and NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance, and Day Shift, opposite Dave Franco.
In December 2021, Foxx reprised his fan favorite role of ‘Electro’ in Spider-Man: No Way Home which made $1.9B at the global box office. In 2020, Foxx won “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” at the NAACP Image Awards and received a SAG Award nomination for “Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role” for his riveting performance in Just Mercy for Warner Bros.
Additionally, Foxx’s memoir, Act Like You Got Some Sense, is currently available everywhere books are sold.
About Kirk Franklin
Music Icon, Innovator, and 20-Time GRAMMY® Award Winner 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 and 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.
In October 2023, Franklin released his latest solo album, Father’s Day (Fo Yo Soul/RCA), which has received widespread critical and commercial acclaim. The album’s #1 hit single, “All Things,” earned Franklin his 20th GRAMMY Award at the 2024 GRAMMYs, where it won Best Gospel Performance/Song. This milestone cements Franklin’s status as the most decorated artist in Gospel Music history. Franklin’s influence extends far beyond the recording studio. He recently headlined The Reunion Tour 2.0, following its highly successful debut in 2023. This year’s tour featured a star-studded lineup of Gospel icons, including Yolanda Adams, Fred Hammond, The Clark Sisters, and Marvin Sapp, with special guest Kierra Sheard-Kelly.
Beyond the accolades and chart-topping success, Franklin is passionate about making Gospel Music accessible to new audiences. He works tirelessly to ensure the genre reaches greater heights through collaborations with renowned artists such as Mariah Carey, Khalid, Lil Baby, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Michael Jackson, and Wyclef Jean. These ground-breaking partnerships have expanded Gospel’s influence, bringing its message of hope and redemption to diverse listeners worldwide. Franklin is equally committed to uplifting communities and nurturing the next generation of artists. Through his Camp Lotus, he provides aspiring musicians and singers with mentorship and resources to pursue their dreams. He also supports charitable organizations like Compassion International and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, using his platform to advocate for causes close to his heart.
In March 2023, Franklin made history by becoming the first artist to achieve 100 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Gospel Songwriters chart—a groundbreaking milestone on any Billboard songwriters’ chart. His SiriusXM channel, Kirk Franklin’s Praise, continues to bring Gospel Music to millions of listeners, while his ventures into film and television further amplify his creative vision. Franklin has executive-produced acclaimed projects like BET’s “Kingdom Business” and Lifetime’s “Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas” and “The Night Before Christmas.” In 2023, Franklin co-hosted TVOne’s dating show “The One” alongside his wife, Tammy Franklin, offering a fresh take on love and relationships.
Through his artistry, innovation, and dedication to community, Kirk Franklin remains a trailblazer whose impact transcends music. He continues to inspire millions around the world, using his platform to share a message of faith, love, and perseverance.
About Snoop Dogg
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, he was recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. That same year, Snoop and his Death Row Pictures production company entered a multi-year deal with NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios.
With an incredible life story tailor made for a film treatment, Universal is currently in development on Snoop’s biopic directed by award winner Allen Hughes (“Menace II Society,” “Dead Presidents,” “The Book of Eli”). The untitled film will be written by Joe Robert Cole (“Black Panther”) and produced by Snoop, Hughes, Brian Grazer and Sara Ramaker. The film will be the first release from Death Row Pictures, the film and TV offshoot of legendary Death Row Records, which Snoop acquired in 2022 and was the home to many of his most iconic albums, including 1994’s “Doggystyle.”
Snoop was a breakout star on NBC’s coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He served as one of NBC’s hosts and was seen throughout the Games attending various competitions, visiting with athletes and their friends and families, and exploring city landmarks.
In February 2024, Snoop and Dr. Dre launched their premium spirits company with the award-winning canned cocktail, Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop and released their premium smooth, modern gin, Still G.I.N. By Dre and Snoop. They collaborated on Snoop’s 2024 album, “Missionary,” which marked the first time Dre had produced a Snoop album since his 1993 debut, Doggystyle.
In addition, Snoop teamed with Happi Co. to create his own dessert, Dr. Bombay Ice Cream. The ice cream comes in seven flavors, including Syrupy Waffle Sundaze and Rollin’ in the Dough, and is available at Walmart and all grocery retail stores around the country.
As a philanthropist, Snoop launched the Snoop Youth Football League 17 years ago that has since seen more than 40 kids make it to the NFL. As part of the SYFL, Snoop Special Stars ensures that kids with any physical, mental or developmental disabilities also participate.
Snoop has long been an entrepreneur with endeavors in tech, entertainment, lifestyle, global consumer brands and cannabis industries.
