Los Angeles, June 26, 2007 – At the 2007 BET Awards, old school – Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle – met new school – Ciara, Amerie, Chris Brown. And some attendees were right smack in the middle, career-wise – Don Cheadle, Queen Latifah, Eve, Chandra Wilson.

The red carpet arrivals at the Shrine Auditorium seemed endless, starting at 1 P.M. and going until 5 P.M. The long lead time was probably necessary to repair melted makeup – the weather was boiling, as in past years. 50 Cent didn’t have much of an entourage with him, but Mo’Nique, who hosted, couldn’t make it down the carpet without a posse of ten surrounding her. Although Diana Ross is a diva, the large group trailing her was just her family, there to see her honored with a lifetime achievement award.

Beyonce Knowles returned from Europe in time for the BET Awards, and she looked great and showed it off, arriving in a metallic Dolce & Gabbana dress, and changing outfits several times during the evening. Beyonce stopped on the red carpet to catch up with her Destiny’s Child band mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. 50 Cent was also a social butterfly, greeting Al Sharpton and others on his way into the venue.