BET Awards 2012 Winners: Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kanye West, Chris Brown Win Big

The 2012 BET Awards was held last night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The 11^th annual event was taped live and hosted by Hollywood veteran Samuel L. Jackson.

Jay-Z, Kanye West, Beyonce and Chris Brown were the biggest winners, taking home two awards each, according to the cable network's official website, bet.com.

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Hip-hop duo Jay-Z and West, who call themselves "The Throne", were given the first award of the night for Best Group, after West opened the ceremony with his performance.

"I'm bad at losing, and I'm bad at winning," West said in his acceptance speech, according to Hollywood Reporter. "I'm already saying the wrong thing. I wish Jay-Z was here to say something politically correct for me". West's date for the night was current girlfriend Kim Kardashian.

Jay-Z appeared onstage and gave this acceptance speech: "We worked really hard on this album," Jay-Z said. "We didn't take anything for granted. We didn't rely on our name. ... We're going to just keep making the best stuff ever."

Jay-Z and West's second win beat out the former's wife, Beyonce, for the Video of the Year Award. Actor Jamie Foxx who presented the award joked "there's gonna be an argument at the crib, trying to see who's the hottest in the household."

Beyonce's two awards include Best Female R&B artist. She mentioned other female singers in her acceptance speech.

"I fell in love with music by listening to R&B, and it's at the core of who I am," she said. "I want to thank BET for giving R&B a home and also the talented women before me, Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige, and I dedicate this to Whitney Houston, my angel."

Beyonce's second win was for the Video Director of the Year award.

The live onstage performances by A-list stars ranged from dance music by Chris Brown, a ballad by Usher and tributes to the late Donna Summer, Ashford Simpson and Whitney Houston.

The tribute to Houston was opened by Mariah Carey, who did not perform; singers Brandy, Monica, Houston's mother Cissy and her brother Gary and ended with Chaka Khan singing Whitney's remake of Khan's "I'm Every Woman".

Chante Moore performed a tribute to the late Donna Summer and Valerie Ashford sang "Ain't Nothing but the Real Thing" in honor of her late husband, Nick Ashford.

Usher delivered a live performance of his number 1 hit "Climax" while Chris Brown performed "Don't Wake Me Up" and "Turn Up The Music".

Chris Brown won the Best Male R&B Singer award and remained backstage for the entire event. Brown made no mention of the recent altercation with fellow hip-hop star Drake at a New York club that left at least eight people, including NBA star Tony Parker, injured.

Visit www.bet.com for the complete list of winners and to see videos of the best performances.