Jackson remembered at BET Awards

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LOS ANGELES, June 29 (UPI) -- Michael Jackson's contributions to U.S. black entertainment and culture are deep and lasting, attendees at the BET Awards in Los Angeles said.

The awards show, held Sunday night at the Shrine Auditorium, served mainly as a tribute to the singer and dancer, who died at 50 last week, as father Joe Jackson and sister Janet Jackson led a parade of entertainers who each remembered Michael Jackson's career and told what he meant to them, People.com reported.

Show host Jamie Foxx entered wearing a red leather "Billie Jean" jacket and said: "No need to be sad. We want to celebrate this black man. We gonna go through all of Michael Jackson."

R&B female artist of the year Beyonce also paid tribute to Jackson, dedicating her award to him, while actor Marlon Wayans said: "The Jacksons had a profound effect on my family. If it wasn't for the Jacksons there would be no Wayans. Thank you."

Father Joe Jackson told CNN outside on the auditorium on the red carpet: "I wish the world had recognized him when he was living. Right now, he's bigger than ever. But I wish he was here to see all this, to hear all this."