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The BET Awards were created to celebrate minorities in the entertainment business, and many of those honored took the opportunity to celebrate the first black Presidential nominee. Alicia Keys accepted her Best Female R&B Artist award saying, “”I want to dedicate this award to the end of the word can’t. That word is dead, we don’t know that word. Obama, y’all.”

Kanye West received his second Best Male Hip-Hop artist award, and shared another with rapper-producer T-Pain. T-Pain came into the evening with 5 nominations, the most of any artist.

My favorite highlight of the night? Al Green took home the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, surprising the audience saying, “You’ve been so faithful, I should at least let you see my eyes.”

The 75-year-old singer took off his sunglasses before launching into his biggest hit, “Let’s Stay Together.”

Click the continue reading link to check out the full list of winners, and click any of the photos to view the entire gallery of 49 photos from the BET Awards 2008 show.

Featured in the Gallery: Fergie, Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole, Alicia Keys, En Vogue, Queen Latifah, Quincy Jones, SWV, Niecy Nash, Kanye West, Nelly, Ashanti, LL Cool J, Usher, Lil’ Wayne, Flo Rida, Sean Combs, Lauren London, Rihanna Maxwell, Jermaine Dupri, T-Pain, Al Green, John Legend, Lil’ Kim and Ludacris.

The BET Awards were created to celebrate minorities in the
entertainment business, and it accomplished that last night — with
many of those honored celebrating the present and potential future
accomplishments of the first black Presidential nominee. Alicia Keys
accepted her Best Female R&B Artist award saying, “”I want to
dedicate this award to the end of the word can’t. That word is dead, we
don’t know that word. Obama, y’all.”

Kanye West received his second Best Male Hip-Hop artist award, and
shared another with rapper-producer T-Pain. T-Pain came into the
evening with 5 nominations, the most of any artist.

My favorite highlight of the night? Al Green took home the BET Lifetime
Achievement Award, surprising the audience saying, “You’ve been so
faithful, I should at least let you see my eyes.”

The 75-year-old singer took off his sunglasses before launching into his biggest hit, “Let’s Stay Together.”WINNERS:Female R&B artist: Alicia KeysMale R&B artist: Chris BrownGroup: UGKGospel artist: Marvin SappFemale hip-hop artist: Missy ElliottMale hip-hop artist: Kanye WestNew artist: The-DreamCollaboration: Kanye West f/T-Pain, “Good Life”Video director: Erykah Badu and Mr. RobotoVideo of the Year: UGK f/Outkast, “International Player’s Anthem (I Choose You)”Actress: Halle BerryActor: Denzel WashingtonFemale athlete: Candace ParkerMale athlete: Kobe BryantBET J Award: Raheem DeVaughnViewers’ choice: Lil Wayne, “Lollipop”Lifetime Achievement Award: Al GreenHumanitarian Award: Quincy JonesClick any of the photos to view the entire gallery of 49 photos from the BET Awards 2008 show.Featured in the Gallery: Fergie, Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole, Alicia Keys, En Vogue, Queen Latifah, Quincy Jones, SWV, Niecy Nash, Kanye West, Nelly, Ashanti, LL Cool J, Usher, Lil’ Wayne, Flo Rida, Sean Combs, Lauren London, Rihanna Maxwell, Jermaine Dupri, T-Pain, Al Green, John Legend, Lil’ Kim and Ludacris.