BET awards '08 performances

The BET awards '08 took place last night and you know what? They weren't that bad! They certainly managed to step it up, all thanks in part to a bevy of cool performances. Check 'em all out after the jump!

Usher - Love in the club

As with the video to "Love in the club", Usher stays dancing to the song like he doesn't care and his heart ain't in it. The moves were precise, fresh and effortless: just what you'd expect from Usher. But his performance just didn't engage me all that much. He's still a bad ass dancer though and the dude has mad swagger on stage. Even when he's performing by numbers and going through the motions, he's still shitting on other dudes. You'd think I'd be sick of "Love in the club" by now, but I stay loving it. It's the one song I can rely on to have me act more of a fool than usual in a club or at a party.

Alicia Keys - Teenage love affair (featuring SWV, En Vogue & TLC)

Alicia's performance was cool, but nothing amazing. Seeing SMV, En Vogue and TLC was a nice lil' surprise, but it felt a bit much. Plus it didn't help that they all sounded like shit and looked like they were struggling to walk down a flight of steps. I could barely hear Coko, one of the ladies from En Vogue wasn't even singing into her microphone and T-Boz sounded more terrible than she usually does. I actually felt concerned for T-Boz. She should've stayed at home with a cup of Milo. For what the whole performance was it was cool. But I would've preferred a bangin' rendition of "Teenage love affair" backed by a live orchestra with a killer horn section and nothing else. I think the 90's R&B group tribute would've been better if it was all about the groups and not fronted by Alicia (as much as I love her). Even to have Destiny's child kick it off would've been better. At least there's some connection - plus it serves as lesson to the younger generation who perhaps didn't know who came before DC and who paved the way for them.

Chris Brown - With you / Take you down (featuring Ciara)

Chris Brown's performance was the SHAT because of my girl Ciara. When I saw her name scroll down the screen on the stage and saw her walk out with her fine ass self I was screaming like a BITCH! She just cemented why she's the baddest chick in the game when it comes to the dancing. That routine at the end with Chris was ridiculous. Only Ciara could pull that shit off. She moves so fluid and effortlessly. She made Chris Brown's performance in my opinion. I wasn't feeling any part of it until Ciara came onto the stage. I love how they shot to Rihanna. Bitch wishes she could move how Ciara does. Speaking of Rihanna and her forehead...

Rihanna - Take a bow

Damn right the bitch best ask for a round of applause, because she wouldn't get one otherwise. Vocally she was on point - there's no disputing that. But she had zero stage prescence. All she did was look like a rude girl at the end of each line and pushed the microphone stand to the side. They may as well have projected a JPEG of Rihanna's forehead whilst the song played. It would've been just as entertaining as watching Rihanna try to perform that boring ass song. You'd certainly be hard pressed to tell the difference. She could've at least done "Disturbia". At least that shit has some bounce. Or even bring on Maroon 5 and do "If I never see your face again". Maroon 5 ain't R&B enough for BET, but neither is Madonna, so who gives a f**k?!

There were several other performances at the BET awards, but I can't be bothered to post them all. I just went with the ones that caught my attention. If you wanna check those out, then hit the links below.

Keyshia Cole featuring Lil' Kim | Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West
Ne-Yo | T-Pain | Nelly featuring Jermaine Dupri, Ciara & Fergie | Lil' Wayne