WASHINGTON D.C --

Alicia Keys and Tyra Banks are among several African Americans being honored for their achievements at the BET Honors, which premieres tonight (Friday, February 22) on the network.

The event will be hosted by an all star cast including such notables as Cedric “The Entertainer,” Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Gladys Knight, Wyclef Jean, Jill Scott, Brian McKnight, Ne-Yo, Raheem DeVaughn, Blair Underwood, Danny Glover, Kerry Washington, Idris Elba, Hill Harper and Vivica A. Fox.

Friday’s broadcast will show the inaugural celebration of the BET Honors, which was held on January 12 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.

The show recognizes African American luminaries across a range of achievements.

Joining honorees Keys and Banks are Janice Bryant Howroyd (the chairman, chief executive officer and founder of ACT*1, a temporary services agency), Richard Parsons (Chairman of the Board of Time Warner), The Honorable Maxine Waters (who is serving her ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives) and Dr. Cornel West (a Princeton university professor in the center for African American studies).

The broadcast will feature Wyclef Jean performing “The Sweetest Girl,” and “Bad Mama Jama.”

Gladys Knight will also be seen performing songs “The Need to Be” and “(Just My) Imagination.”

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