Getty Ferg performs onstage at the STAPLES Center Concert Sponsored by SPRITE during the 2018 BET Experience on June 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
The 2018 BET Awards air tonight, on multiple channels – LOGO, VH1, MTV, TV Land, MTV2, BET Her, and, of course, the BET network. Jamie Foxx is this year’s host and Anita Baker is picking up the Lifetime Achievement Award, so it’s sure to be a show full of big moments. For those who want to watch the show online, read below for the BET Awards 2018 live stream options.
If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch the BET Awards live on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
Philo TV: BET, MTV, VH1 and TV Land are included in Philo’s main bundle, which is the cheapest among all streaming services if you plan on keeping it long-term. Not only that, but you can sign up for a free trial without having to enter any billing information. You’ll get two days for free right off the bat, then if you enter your billing information after that, you will get an additional five more days free. After signing up, you can watch the show live on your computer via the Philo website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Philo app.
Additionally, if you can’t watch live, Philo also allows you to DVR programs and watch them up to 30 days later. And even if you forget to DVR something, Philo also comes with a 72-hour rewind feature, which allows you to replay any show or event that has aired in the last 72 hours.
Sling TV: BET and VH1 are included in either the “Sling Blue” package or the “Sling Orange” Plus “Lifestyle Extra” bundle. As for TV Land and MTV, they are included in either the “Sling Orange” plus “Comedy Extra” bundle or the “Sling Blue” plus “Comedy Extra” bundle. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of either, and you can then watch the show live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
If you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on.
For those hoping to watch the celebrity arrivals on the BET Awards red carpet online tonight, the red carpet pre-show will air on the official BET website, as well as YouTube, according to Bustle. The red carpet should begin around 6 p.m. ET, as it does on television. For those with cable, the 2018 BET Awards Pre-Show airs from 6 – 8 p.m. ET on the BET network, as well as on the BET HER channel.
Airing directly after the awards show, which runs from 8 – 11 p.m. ET, is the 2018 BET Awards: The After Party Live Show. This will run from 11 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET on BET, VH1, and BET HER.
This is Jamie Foxx’s second time hosting the awards show. He previously hosted the big event in 2009, just days after the death of legend Michael Jackson. When talking about Jackson’s impact on the awards back then, Foxx recalled to Billboard, “That was a tough time because we’re rehearsing and then a couple of days before, Michael Jackson, who is the biggest musical influence in the world [passed away]. So we didn’t know at the time, but I was like, “OK, if we’re going to do a Michael Jackson tribute, just put it on me. I’ll take whatever it is [we do], but I think we should do it in a fun way.” When you look back on it, [I don’t want] it to be dreary. BET was the only entity to actually do a tribute, so it was a unique time. I remember the managers and people were like, “What are we going to do now?” Like man, we still got to celebrate the music!”
Recently, XXXTentacion was fatally shot, so there’s always the chance of a tribute to him at the awards this year.