While P. Diddy, The Game, Usher, Chris Brown, Mario Winans and Boyz II Men recorded Michael Jackson tribute song, Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z choose to remember the late singer on-stage when 2009 BET Awards is kicked off on June 28. Joining them to pay tribute to Michael at the event are other performers which include Ne-Yo and The-Dream.

Beyonce and the other BET musical acts actually have rehearsed their songs for weeks, but they are willing to change the numbers in a bid to honor Michael. “To change it up in three days is something that’s not easy but they’re all willing and looking forward to it,” the awards’ producer Stephen Hill told Associated Press. “There’s a direct line from Ne-Yo to Michael Jackson. There’s a direct line from Beyonce to Michael Jackson. There’s a direct line from Jay-Z to Michael Jackson. I think they’ll want to pay tribute in their own way.”

Beside those singers, other musicians such as Usher and Justin Timberlake who didn’t plan to attend the gala ceremony, are rushing their way to Los Angeles to join their fellow celebs for this tribute. “We’re adding on. We’re trying to do the numbers we had already planned and we’re trying to add on, so it may be a longer show than we anticipated,” Debra L. Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive of Black Entertainment Television (BET) promised.

“This is going to be the first gathering of people who really cared for and were influenced by him since his death. It’s a tall order for us but we have every intention of paying respect to Michael Jackson,” Stephen commented. Then, Debra added, “There’s no artist that’s going to want to get up there and talk about themselves. They’re going to want to talk about Michael. We want to give out the awards, we want them to have their moment but it’s going to be more geared toward Michael Jackson.”

This year’s BET Awards, which nominations list includes Lil Wayne and T.I., will be conducted at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles starting from 8 P.M. EST/PST with Jamie Foxx as its host. Beside Beyonce, Jay-Z, The-Dream and Ne-Yo, MAXWELL is also lined up to sing at the bash. After the event is wrapped, an after-party will be held and hosted by Queen Latifah.

As the crowd filtered into the Wachovia Center tonight to see Beyoncé Knowles, the arena was filled with the songs of Michael Jackson.

One after another – “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Thriller” – they paid tribute to the singer, who died Thursday and who left a profound mark on Knowles’ career. Halfway through the show, she made the debt explicit.

“If you know anything about me, you know that the reason I’m here is because of Michael Jackson,” she said. “He taught me just about everything I know.”

Her confident stage persona cracked for just an instant, and her voice caught ever so slightly as she said, “He was my hero.”

Knowles followed with a version of Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It,” coaxing those in the audience to raise their voices along with hers. As the song neared its peak, she built one vocal run on top of another, climaxing by singing, “Thank you, Michael” – words that echoed back at her from the back rows.

Knowles has never been shy about acknowledging Jackson’s influence. In 2006, while presenting him with a World Music Award, she said: “If it wasn’t for Michael Jackson, I would never have ever performed. He’s made such an impact on my life and every performer’s life.”

Last year, as part of her “Sasha Fierce” alter ego, she began sporting a titanium “roboglove” on one hand, emulating — consciously or not — Jackson’s rhinestone-studded glove.

Jackson, a consummate singer and dancer who shifted identities with every new album, exploited the then-nascent medium of music videos to blur the line between art and endorsement; his videos were commercials, and his famed 1984 Pepsi commercial doubled as promotion for his music.

Knowles has taken the full-court-press media strategy to greater lengths, in the process signing a deal with the same soda company as her idol.

Last night, Nia Evans, 15, of Wilmington, wore a homemade T-shirt that read, “Michael Jackson will live forever.”

“Michael Jackson was hip-hop and I love him and he’s gone,” she said while waiting in line with her mother.

“He was the icon of the old decades,” she said, casting a glance at her mother, “and Beyoncé is the icon of this decade.”

apper comes out for a little “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) in the middle of ‘Crazy in Love.’

*Beyonce opened her Sunday concert at Madison Square Garden with her smash hit “Crazy in Love” and stunned fans when she was joined by her husband Jay-Z. [Scroll down to watch.]

The crowd went nuts as Jay-Z simply walked on stage to sing a verse from his song “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me),” which began playing midway through “Crazy in Love.”

The husband/wife appearance marked the first time they have performed together during Beyonce’s I Am … Tour, despite Brooklyn native Jay-Z accompanying his wife to Canada and Europe over the last few months for her concerts.

We have added 4 new videos of Beyonce live performing, Ego, Say my name, Ave Maria, and Diva. Click the photos below to view the videos.

Enjoy!

Ego

Say my Name

Diva

Ave Maria