BET Awards: Lil Wayne pays musical tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant

Musician Lil Wayne paid tribute to Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant with a performance of his 2009 track "Kobe Bryant" at the BET Awards Sunday night.

The awards were handed out virtually due to the COVID-19 epidemic, with Lil Wayne performing the number following In Memorium segment which featured Bryant. 

Bryant, 41, died in a January helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, one of the passengers.

The Bryant song featured footage of the legendary NBA star performing on the court.

"This is Black power status/ Two fingers for the Mambacita/ I'm screamin' Black Mamba matters," Lil Wayne sang.

"My heart goes out to Vanessa and the whole Black Mamba family" Wayne added to the song, speaking to Bryant's wife, Vanessa. He ended with, "Rest in power/ Let's hope for peace/ Black lives matter, facts." 

The video began with Bryant speaking in voiceover saying, "I want to be the best, that's why I play the game."

Lil Wayne walked off the stage to end the tribute, leaving Bryant to have the last word. The tribute ended with Bryant saying farewell in his uniform to Lakers fans: "Mamba out." 

The BET Awards tweeted out the video, saying "RIP Kobe."