Photo: Getty Images
Leon Thomas took the stage at the 2025 BET Awards on Monday (June 9) night for the first time.
The standout performed 2024 hit, "MUTT," asking the audience, "What's the rush?" as he grooved across the stage in an all-black fit. Thomas played guitar while serenading the crowd, who were on their feet, swaying along to the catchy beat.
In addition to delivering an unforgettable performance, Thomas won the award for Best New Artist, thanking God, his mother, and his team during his acceptance speech.
Before the show, the GRAMMY-winning artist told BET Networks that the success of the single was such a "beautiful thing" for him.
"There's a lot of responsibility that comes with the success I'm handling at the moment, but a lot of it was written already 'cause these are things I've been working towards for a very long time."
Thomas dropped "MUTT" last August, just one month before releasing his sophomore album of the same name. The record features tracks like "FAR FETCHED," "SOONER OR LATER," and "HOW FAST," to name only a few.
The Brooklyn-born rapper recently announced that he would be embarking on a MUTTS DON'T HEEL World Tour with several stops across North America, Europe, and Australia.
The tour will kick off in Dallas, Texas, on October 30 and conclude in Perth, Western Austrian, on April 19, 2026. Ambrè is slated to join Thomas on the North American leg of the highly-anticipated tour. Tickets for MUTTS DON'T HEEL will go on sale this Friday (June 13) at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Watch Thomas thrive during culture's biggest night below, and listen to MUTT on iHeartRadio!