The Best and Worst of the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards

The best and worst moments of the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards. From Beyonce’s performance to Solange’s acceptance speech, here are the moments that had us talking.

The Best

This year’s Soul Train Awards were packed with great performances and touching speeches. Unfortunately, the show was also marred by some technical difficulties. Let’s take a look at the best and worst moments of the evening.

Best New Artist – Anderson .Paak

This was a close one, but in the end, Anderson .Paak just barely edged out Solange for the title of Best New Artist. It was a tough call, but ultimately we felt that Anderson .Paak’s unique blend of R&B, hip-hop, and funk was just too irresistible to ignore. Congratulations, Anderson .Paak!

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist – Maxwell

Maxwell was born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 23, 1973. His mother was a professional singer, and his father was a House Music DJ. Maxwell’s musical talents were evident from an early age – he started playing the keyboard when he was just three years old. He went on to study music at the Manhattan School of Music, where he graduated with a degree in Jazz Studies.

Maxwell’s debut album, Urban Hang Suite, was released in 1996 and received critical acclaim. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard R&B charts and earned Maxwell three Grammy nominations. He followed up with another successful album, Embrya, in 1998. In 2001, Maxwell released his third album, Now, which featured the hit single “This Woman’s Work.”

In 2009, Maxwell made a comeback with his fourth album, BLACKsummers’night. The album won two Grammy Awards and received widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike. Maxwell followed up with another critically acclaimed album, king + queen of Hearts (2010), before taking a break from recording music.

Maxwell made his return to the music scene in 2016 with the release of blackSUMMERS’night. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and became Maxwell’s fifth consecutive number one R&B album. blackSUMMERS’night also won two Grammy Awards, making Maxwell only the second artist (after Stevie Wonder) to win multiple Grammys for Best R&B Album.

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist – Beyoncé

It was hard to choose just one Bey moment from the past year. We could have gone with her game-changing Lemonade visual album, her jaw-dropping BET Awards performance or that time she shut down the VMAs with a megamix of her greatest hits. But in the end, we had to give props to Queen Bey for taking home the trophy for Best R&B/Soul Female Artist at the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards.

The Worst

2016 was a great year for music, but unfortunately, the Soul Train Music Awards did not reflect that. This year’s awards were filled with cringe-worthy moments, bad performances, and overall just a complete mess. Let’s take a look at some of the worst moments of the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards.

Worst Dressed – Lil Kim

Lil Kim chose a very revealing dress for her red carpet appearance at the 2016 Soul Train Awards. The black, lace gown featured a plunging neckline and a high slit, which showed off her toned legs. While she looked great in the risky ensemble, it didn’t quite fit the occasion.

Most Underrated Artist – Solange

The Worst: Most Underrated Artist – Solange

In a year when Beyoncé stole the show (and the album of the year award) at the Soul Train Music Awards, it was her little sister Solange who deserved to walk away with the prize for most underrated artist. With a string of acclaimed albums and EPs to her name, Solange has quietly built a reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative R&B artists working today. Her 2016 album A Seat at the Table was a tour de force, featuring some of the best songwriting and production of her career. It’s a shame that she didn’t get more recognition for it at this year’s awards.

Biggest Snub – Rihanna

Rihanna was nominated for four awards at the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards, but she went home empty handed. The biggest snub of the night was definitely Rihanna, who lost out in all four of her nominations.