The feel good party of the year kicked off with the “Soul Train Awards Red Carpet Special,” with hosts Tank covering the Main Stage, Letoya Luckett on the Correspondent Stage, and Novi Brown (“Tyler Perry’s Sistas”) in the Walmart Lounge. The pre-show featured performances and appearances by Baby Tate, DIXSON, J. Holiday, FLO, and Vedo.

The “Soul Train Awards” 2022 performances began with R&B singer-songwriter Muni Long singing a soulful rendition of “Plot Twist,” featuring an on-stage reenactment of the single that included notable attendees Erica Ash, Skyh Black, DC Young Fly, and Paige Hurd, followed by her hit single, “Hrs and Hrs.” Host Deon Cole then paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Migos rapper, Takeoff. Next, the audience was treated to a dazzling performance by songstress Ari Lennox, as she performed her current single, “Waste My Time.” R&B singer-songwriter and producer Tank and multi-platinum singer-songwriter J. Valentine took to the stage and had the audience swooning with a sultry performance of their single “Slow.” This year’s incredible lineup also featured rising R&B singer and actress Coco Jones and Florida-raised singer Q, who both delivered stirring performances from the BET Amplified stage, sponsored by Verizon. With introductions from singer-songwriter Lucky Daye and platinum-selling R&B vocalist Queen Naija, Coco Jones and Q impressed the audience with renditions of “ICU” and “Today,” respectively.

R&B songwriter and vocal powerhouse Chanté Moore wowed the audience with her sophisticated renditions of her classic hits “Love’s Taken Over,” “It’s Alright,” and fan-favorite “Chante’s Got A Man.” California native SiR emerged from the audience during his set to serenade Ari Lennox during his performance of his melodic new single “Nothing Even Matters,” which samples D’Angelo’s “Send It On.” This year’s highly anticipated Soul Cypher, presented by Walmart, was hosted by producer and sound provider D-Nice. The cypher featured memorable lyricism from Muni Long, Durand Bernarr, Alex Vaughn, and Tasha Cobbs Leonard. 

Trailblazing 90’s R&B supergroup Xscape was crowned Lady of Soul at this year’s Awards, sponsored by Walmart. The award was presented to them by their legendary producer and So So Def Recordings founder Jermaine Dupri, who spoke fondly about knowing the group was destined for stardom when he first met them. Xscape embodied elegance as they graced the stage, accepting the award amid a cheering audience. The group took us on a nostalgic journey of some of their biggest hits, including “My Little Secret,” “Who Can I Run To?,” ''Tonight,” and fan-favorite “Just Kickin It” with surprise guest Jermaine Dupri, to which the audience bumped, grooved, and sang along word for word. Xscape ended their performance with their powerful ballad, “Understanding.”

Iconic funk brand Morris Day & The Time closed out the night with the Legend Award, presented to them by JB Smoove. After reflecting on the group’s success, and their days collaborating with Prince, Morris Day & The Time accepted the award and expressed profound gratitude. The group then brought their signature blend of funk and soul to the stage, performing a medley of their classic hits including “Cool,” “777,” “Jungle Love,” and closing out with crowd favorite “Bird,” keeping the audience on their feet dancing until the last note. Additional presenters for the evening included Mark Tallman and Michelle Mitchenor from BET+ original series First Wives Club.