The collaborations of Sheila E. and Prince often produced inspired art. So on Sunday night, when Sheila E. paid tribute to the late musician and her close friend, she delivered nothing less.
In its headline on Sheila E.'s tribute, BET called her performance of a medley of Prince songs "EPIC." Sheila E., whose full name is Sheila Escovedo, had spent decades performing with him and after performing solo for years joined Prince's band for his Purple Rain tour.
She told Access Hollywood in an interview after the performance that she picked songs they had performed together and that she and the musicians who performed with her want to go on tour.
Prince died in April of an accidental overdose of opioid fetanyl.
Related: Highlights from the BET Awards: Epic Prince Tributes and More
Sheila E. was joined on stage for the tribute by Prince's ex-wife, Mayte Garcia. She danced onstage in the high-energy show that finished on an emotional note as Sheila E. held a guitar to the sky and everyone onstage pointed upward as white lights shined on them, an ending that brought Sheila E to tears.
Tributes were sprinkled throughout out the show by a list of performers, including Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson and Janelle Monáe.
