Anita Baker, Humanitarian Heroes To Be Honored At BET Awards

This Sunday’s BET Awards may bring back some of the classic performances the show has been missing in past year. It certainly can’t hurt that Anita Baker is among this year’s honorees. The Detroit native, who performed for the first time this year on the Fantastic Voyage (after years of Tom’s begging) will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award during what she says will be her farewell year.

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sO Much 2 CELEBRATE with you #2018. 60th Bday in 25 days… Farewell Concert Series, beginning in March… We’ll paint pictures together 2 last a Lifetime… “Let’s Party!” #OneLastTimeabxo damn… “Where does the time go?! pic.twitter.com/dMQpRgmTLY

— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) January 1, 2018

“Anita Baker is a legendary R&B singer whose soulful voice takes control of any room she’s in,” BET said in a statement. “Baker’s music resonated with audiences of all ages and races alike. With her extensive body of work, which spans decades, Baker continues to be one of the most legendary artists of all time.”

BET will also honor one of our own – writer Shaun King, whose columns speaking truth to power are among the most popular on this site. Also to be honored for their heroism or humanitarian work are Waffle House hero James Shaw, Jr., Parkland student survivor Anthony Borges, anti-gun violence activists Naomi Wadler and Justin Blackmon and Mamoudou Gassama, who saved a baby in France by climbing from balcony to balcony of an apartment building earning him the name Spiderman. He also got his French citizenship expedited and a job with the fire brigade.

James Shaw Jr., Anthony Borges, Naomi Wadler, @ShaunKing, @M_GassamaOff and @JustinIBlackman have done such heroic and painstaking work to make a change! #BETAwards https://t.co/75qAjf0gyV pic.twitter.com/q4fCF7kqHy

— BET (@BET) June 21, 2018