Kanye West performs at the BET Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. MATT SAYLES/Invision/AP
Jay-Z, West, Beyonce and Chris Brown were the big winners in Sunday’s televised "BET Awards 2012" which featured Kanye West declaring his love for reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
West made his declaration during the opening number of the annual awards show, according to hollywoodreporter.com.
"And I'll admit, I had fell in love with Kim / Around the same time she had fell in love with him / Well that's cool, baby girl, do ya thang / Lucky I ain't had Jay drop him from the team," he rapped.
West followed up his put-down of Kardashian's husband Kris Humphries and group performance with his G.O.O.D. Music crew Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz with his own free-style rap, ending by dropping the microphone and walking off the stage while the camera panned to Kardashian in the audience giving him a standing ovation, reported the website.
Kardashian is involved in an acrimonious divorce with her husband of 72 days NBA player Humphries.
Jay-Z and West received the award for Best Group for “The Throne” and Video of the Year for "Otis."
Beyonce took home awards for Best Female R&B Artist and, with Alan Ferguson, Video Director of the Year.
Chris Brown was named Best Male R&B singer, performed on the star-studded show and, for the third consecutive year, took home the Fandemonium Award.
Nicki Minaj, who also performed, was named Best Female Hip Hop Artist for the third year in a row. Performer Big Sean was named best new artist, Yolanda Adams received the Best Gospel Artist Award and Best Collaboration went to Wale featuring Miguel for "Lotus Flower Bomb."
Kevin Hart, star of “Think Like a Man” was named Best actor.
The show also featured tributes to the late Whitney Houston featuring Mariah Carey, Monica, Chaka Khan, Brandy and Houston's mother Cissy and older brother Gary among others.
Cissy Houston brought the audience and performers to tears as she sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in tribute to her late daughter.
In honor of the late Donna Summer, Chante Moore performed a tribute and Valerie Ashford of Ashford & Simpson sang "Ain't Nothing but the Real Thing" in tribute to her late husband, Nick Ashford, according to hollywoodreporter.com.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly. Tyler Perry, Tyrese and Faith Evans were among those paying tribute to the band.
The Rev. Al Sharpton received the Humanitarian Award from BET Networks chairman Debra L. Lee for bringing awareness to Trayvon Martin, 17, who was shot to death earlier this year by a neighborhood watchman.
Boy Band Minldess Behavior won the Coca-Cola viewers choice.
Catch Kanye West's lyrics of love for Kim Kardashian at 3:55 in this video.
