Andra Day among early winners at the 2021 BET Awards

Andra Day was among the early winners at the 2021 BET Awards.

The annual ceremony – which celebrates the achievements of black performers across entertainment and sport – returned for an in-person ceremony in Los Angeles following last year’s virtual affair.

The crowd was made up of fully vaccinated fans.

Actress Taraji P Henson was on hosting duties at the Microsoft Theatre while stars set to take the stage included DaBaby, Roddy Ricch and Tyler, The Creator.

Day, an Oscar nominee for her leading role in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, won best actress at the BET Awards, the first prize of the night.

She won ahead of Angela Bassett, Issa Rae, Jurnee Smollett, Viola Davis and Zendaya.

“I am so excited to be here with humans,” Henson said in her introduction to the show. She  told the audience the ceremony was “celebrating the year of the black woman”.

Gospel singer Kirk Franklin opened the show alongside Lil Baby with a performance of their song We Win.

Cardi B delighted fans by revealing she is expecting her second child with husband Offset during their BET performance.

The chart-topping hip hop star, 28, took to the stage with Offset’s rap group Migos and showed off her growing baby bump.

The couple are already parents to two-year-old daughter Kulture.

Following the performance, Cardi B shared a topless portrait on social media, showing her chest and bump painted white.

She captioned the post “#2!” and added a love heart emoji.

Ahead of the ceremony, Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby were the top nominees, with seven nods each.

Cardi B and Drake scored five nominations each while Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars, Chloe X Halle, and Chris Brown all had four.

Producer Swizz Beatz is curating a tribute to DMX, the revered rapper who died in April at age 50.

Queen Latifah will receive the lifetime achievement award.