Janet Jackson makes emotional appearance at BETs

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-29 17:01

"We all know none of us in this room wouldn't be here for Michael Jackson," said Lil Wayne, as he picked up his award for best male hip-hop star.

Backstage, Ciara recounted talking on the phone with her idol and her regrets that she never got to meet him. As she talked, she started to cry. "He meant so much to me," she said through tears.

While Jackson's incredible influence stretched across genres, races and cultures, he had a unique place in the world of black entertainment. His influence is arguably most visible in urban music, seen in stars like Usher who mimic his dance moves, to Ne-Yo, whose music is marked by its Jackson-isms. But that influence went beyond music: Jackson was black America's biggest star, who broke racial barriers that allowed for so many other superstars to follow.

"Michael Jackson was so important to our world, to our country, to this network," said BET Chairwoman Debra L. Lee. "Michael was truly a musical deity."

New Edition, the 1980s teen sensations who were considered that generation's Jackson 5 with their own version of bubble-gum soul, ran through several of the Jackson 5's greatest hits, from "I Want You Back" to "ABC," mirroring their idols right down to the group's original choreography.

And Eddie Levert of the classic R&B group the O'Jays talked about how much he'd miss Jackson — even as his group was honored with a lifetime achievement award.

Jackson connections were inescapable: Even the building where the ceremony took place, the Shrine Auditorium, was where Jackson's hair and scalp were burned during the filming of a Pepsi commercial in 1984. It was also the location for several of his Grammy and American Music Award performances.

The night ended when Janet Jackson — in her first public appearance since her brother's shocking death — emerged and elicited the most emotion as she vowed his memory would live forever.

"On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support," she said. "We miss him so much, thank you so much."

Afterward, Ne-Yo and Foxx performed a somber version of the Jackson 5 classic "I'll Be There," as photos of Jackson flashed across the screen.

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