From the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, the broadcast opened with Tisha and Tichina dressed as rappers singing hip hop music. They sang and danced to What About Your Friends and You’re My Best Friend, Where My Girls At when they were done Tichina kept going and Tisha had to get her to stop.
The first performers were Bell Biv DeVoe and they came to shut it down with their performance of Do Me Baby and Poison. The audience went crazy.
Tisha and Tichina came back dressed in evening gowns to welcome everyone to the 2018 Soul Train Awards.
Tika Sumpter was the first presenter and congratulated all the political candidates for the big wins during the midterm and Idris Alba for being named Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine. Tika then awarded Ledisi the 2018 Certified Award. Ledisi dedicated the award to Nina Simone and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Ledisi said, “They taught me that it was alright to be unapologetically Black.”
Tisha and Tichina performed sitcom-like videos spoofs with Al B. Sure before the Best New Artist Award. The 2018 Soul Train Award went to Daniel Caesar. He couldn’t be there to receive it.
- Jacquees was next and performed You
- John B. performed Someone to Love and They Don’t Know
- Donell Jones performed Where I Wanna Be and U Know What’s Up
- Kelly Price came to sing and was introduced by a group of new artists performing a jazz rap set with Erykah Badu on the keyboards
SZA introduced the Legend Award in honor of Erykah Badu. The four-time Grammy Award-winning, singer-songwriter, artist, director, producer, holistic healer, activist, and mother Erykah Badu came to the stage pushing boundaries as she always does. She wore a mouthpiece, a tall hat, and a cape. The first word out of her mouth was “Shit!”
She thanked her mother for always telling her she was the best. She thanked the Soul Train Awards family. She said both of her grandmothers are 92 years old and said, “This is for you.”
After her acceptance speech, Badu went straight into her performance of Green Eyes, I Want You, Tyrone and Other Side Of The Game.
Koryn Hawthorne took the 2018 Soul Train Awards to church! She performed Won’t He Do It.
Best Album Mix Tape of the Year Award was next. The 2018 Soul Train Award went to HER. She was not there to receive the award.
Stevie J. introduced the award honoring his wife. The 2018 Lady of Soul Award was presented to multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and record producer Faith Evans.
Stevie presented her with the award himself. Faith said, “Thank you, husband.” She said she’s not good at giving speeches, but she thanked her mother and her 85 years old grandmother, both in the audience.
She thanked Biggie Smalls, Al B. Sure and P Diddy and sent condolences to his family for the passing of Kim. She also thanked Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Family.
As soon as Faith finished her speech she immediately performed Soon As I Get Home, You Used To Love Me, Carl Thomas joined her for Can’t Believe, You Gets No Love, Love Like This Before. Faith was fabulous!
Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold came back to end the show with a Soul Train dance line in the audience to Rock Steady and closed with the tradition of “Love, Peace, and Soul.”
Until next year!
Tanya Hart
Follow me on Twitter at @TanyaHollywood