Debra Lee was awarded the Ultimate Icon Award during the 2018 BET Awards. Watch her acceptance speech, plus peep flicks from her annual pre-BET Awards dinner inside...
Trailblazer @IamDebraLee accepts the well deserved Ultimate Icon BET Award from @LLCoolJ.
Ms. Lee, THANK YOU! #BETAwardspic.twitter.com/fHGBKAw7hR
— BET (@BET) June 25, 2018
Just a few weeks ago, Debra Lee stepped down as the chairman and CEO of BET Networks after 32 years at the network. She became chair(wo)man and CEO in 2005.
And since she's no longer running things at the BET headquarters, she was gifted a very special weekend during the BET Experience. To conclude all of the festivities, boss lady Lee was awarded the Ultimate Icon Icon during the 2018 BET Awards, presented by rapper LL Cool J. Peep her speech above.
Before the awards show, Debra Lee hosted her annual pre-BET Awards dinner which was held at Vibiana in L.A. And several celebs came out to celebrate and party the night away.
To honor their mom, Debra's kids Quinn and Ava Coleman praised their mother for the work she has put in at the network and in their lives over the years.
The lady of the hour also took center stage to speak to everyone in the audience about her time at BET.
Former BET Programming President Stephen Hill was in the mix to celebrate his longtime boss.
Mama Tina Lawson, Beyonce's cousin Angie Beyince, and LaLa Anthony came out to party it up together.
Anyone else dying for July 1st to come so we can see LaLa and the rest of the cast in "Power?!"
Power suit! "Empire" star/singer Serayah exuded power in an emerald green BA&SH pantsuit accessorized with a Sophia Webster crystal clutch.
Singer/first-time-mom Marsha Ambrosius had that "glow" while standing alongside her man Dez Billups.
Hey, ladies!
When brown baddies link up! Actresses Erica Ash and Garcelle Beauvais looked bomb. Garcelle's dress was created by Self Portrait.
Twinsies! Sevyn Streeter kept it elegant in a Thai Nguyen Atelier gown as she and her mother, who's aging like wine, made their way down the carpet.
Jeezy looked damn good on the carpet.
And so did "Queen Sugar" star Timon Kyle Durrett.
Have y'all been watching "Queen Sugar?!" His character just set ish all the way off!
"Code Black" star Boris Kodjoe kept it dapper in all black everything.
We see "Being Mary Jane" star Richard Brooks has a new 'do.
CNN's Angela Rye worked his feathered Alex Perry number for the shindig.
Singer Melanie Fiona popped up on the scene in a printed ensemble.
DJ D-Nice kept the party going on the 1s and 2s.
Much love to Debra Lee and her future endeavors. She's planning to do other things in media post-BET, says press release.
"....She plans to stay involved in the media industry and continue her role on corporate and non-profit boards. In addition, she also plans to continue her commitment to diversity and inclusion by advancing the rights of women and girls as well as people of color through her work with Times Up and The Recording Academy Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, to name a few.
Nice!
Photos: Getty/Splash
