The nation's top African-American stars flocked to the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium for the taping of "25 Strong: The BET Silver Anniversary Special."

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BET's first video host Donnie Simpson, Alicia Keys, Steve Harvey, Diddy, Usher, Queen Latifah, Arsenio Hall, Whitney Houston, Serena Williams and MC Hammer were just a few of the speakers paying tribune to what DJ Quirk called "the little network that could," Billboard.com reported Friday.

Earth, Wind & Fire, LL Cool J, New Edition, Mary J. Blige and Method Man, R. Kelly, Keys and Nelly were among the performers taped Wednesday night for broadcast on BET Tuesday.

The celebration included a retrospective of how things have changed in 25 years of Black Entertainment Television and a farewell salute to retiring BET founder and Chairman Robert L. Johnson, Billboard said.