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Janelle Monáe started off the BET Awards with a bang — and it wasn't just her jaw-dropping ensemble that garnered attention. Although, they certainly slayed the carpet in their dominatrix-style dress.
The singer shut down the red carpet in a black Roberto Cavalli dress comprised of a leather harness with a giant rose decal that was attached to a velvet bodice. The midsection was fastened to a sheer, flowing skirt, which she layered over a matching G-string thong. Platform heels peeked out from underneath the gown, and they accessorized with silver drop earrings and matching bangles.
For glam, Janelle opted for a dewy, natural look, complete with a subtle cat eye. Her hair was bleached blonde and stacked into a curly tower with a black string woven throughout.
The singer and actress was the first presenter of the night. When she stepped onto the stage, she had a message for the Supreme Court — who overturned Roe V. Wade, the 1973 case legalizing abortion nationwide — on Friday. "Fuck you, Supreme Court," she said while holding up her middle finger.
"I'd like to give a special, special shoutout to Black women, to Black queer artists, to Black nonbinary artists," they continued. "These artists making art on our own terms, owning our truths and expressing ourselves freely and unapologetically in a world that tries to control and police our bodies, my body, and our decisions, my decision."
She concluded, "Fuck you, Supreme Court. I know we are celebrating us right now, as we should — we absolutely deserve to celebrate especially now. We must celebrate our art by protecting our right and our truths."
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