Jamie Foxx Tearfully Thanks God for a Second Chance at BET Awards
The BET Awards are always packed with emotion, music, and moments that feel bigger than the trophies being handed out. But this year, it was Jamie Foxx who delivered the speech that had everyone holding their breath.
As he accepted the Ultimate Icon Award at the 2025 BET Awards on Monday night, Foxx got emotional, reflecting on the health scare that nearly ended his life. Standing in front of a packed crowd at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Foxx started by thanking the audience and acknowledging the deep love and support he felt, not just from the people in the room, but from fans and the wider community who stuck by him over the past year.
“I cannot even begin to express the love that I feel from everybody out there,” he said. “I gotta be honest, when I saw the In Memoriam, I was like, man, it could have been me.”
Back in April 2023, Foxx was rushed to the hospital with what was, at the time, only referred to as a "medical complication." No one outside his close circle knew exactly what had happened, and for six months, he was completely off the radar.
Only later, in his Netflix special Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…, did he open up about suffering a brain bleed that led to a stroke.
Foxx called his recovery a second chance from God and vowed to make it count.
“I don’t know why I went through what I went through,” he said on stage. “But I know my second chance - I’m not gonna turn that down.”
The speech wasn’t polished, and it wasn’t meant to be. Foxx was visibly holding back tears as he described how close he came to not being here at all. He said he prayed hard during his darkest moments.
“I told him [God], I said, man, just give me one more crack at this,” he said. “For whatever reason you put this on me, I promise I’m gonna do right. And I’m gonna do right in front of y’all.”
Foxx then pivoted to something deeper, gratitude not just for being alive, but for who stood by him. He pointed out that when he filmed his comedy special, it wasn’t in some random venue; it was in front of a Black audience, something he deliberately chose.
“Black people were the ones that said, ‘Man, we got you,’” he said. “Not to say that white people can’t pray too—I know that sounds weird—but y’all know what I’m saying. You guys held me down.”
He paused, letting the moment settle in.
“I don’t want to make this whole speech about that,” he added, “but you can’t go through something like that and not testify.”
Foxx also made sure to thank his daughters, Corinne and Anelise, for being there through the toughest days of his recovery.
“They made sure I was here,” he said. “They made sure I got back.”
"Jamie Foxx gets emotional speaking about his recent stroke."
What followed was a pointed comment about what awards matter. Foxx has been in Hollywood long enough to have won an Oscar, and yet, he made it clear that the BET award meant more to him.
“I say this all the time—thank you to Black people and the Black award, because this is what really counts,” he said. “A lot of people think the Oscars is the biggest thing, and we got to quit thinking like that. And that’s coming from a person who won an Oscar. I was nominated twice. But the Icon Award is the most important award because it comes from us.”
"Jamie Foxx thanks the Black community for the Ultimate Icon award"
Foxx didn’t sugarcoat anything. He didn’t wrap his words in some inspirational quote or turn them into a polished Hollywood story.
He simply spoke about what it feels like to almost lose your life, to realize who shows up when things get hard, and to stand in front of a crowd again, this time with a new perspective.
The night may have featured many standout moments, but Foxx’s return to the spotlight and the honesty he brought with him left a mark that went well beyond show business.
