A tearful Janet Jackson made her first public appearance since her brothers death last night as she joined a host of stars honouring the King of Pop. The singer struggled to speak as she thanked people for their support at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards in Los Angeles. 'To you Michael is an icon, she said. 'To us, Michael is family and he will forever live in all of our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support. We miss him so much, thank you so much. Janets appearance drew an emotional response from the audience. At the end of her speech, the celebrity crowd rose to its feet. After a standing ovation, during which many stars wiped away tears, host Jamie Foxx and singer Ne-Yo sang Jacksons Ill Be There to the backdrop of photos of the late pop icon. Michaels father Joe also attended the star-studded event. He sat in the front row at the Shrine Auditorium as a succession of singers and actors paid tribute to his son and celebrated the musical legacy he left behind. The award show organisers decided to make the the event a celebration of the 50-year-olds life and music after the announcement of his death on Thursday. 'When we heard that he had passed, we knew we had to revamp this years show and make it special for him, BETs chief executive Debra Lee said. Foxx got the show off to a fitting start. With a Jackson 5 medley pumping through the auditorium, the actor moonwalked on stage wearing a Jacksonesque red jacket and white glove. Addressing the celebrity guests, Foxx said: 'No need to be sad. We want to celebrate this black man. 'We gonna go through all of Michael Jackson. And celebrate the music they did. Most of the acts incorporated classic Jackson tunes into their performance in a night when award winners had no chance of stealing the show from the absent main attraction. In between musical tributes, guests were invited to share their memories and thoughts of Jackson. - Daily Mail Sean 'Diddy Combs said the singer 'knocked down barriers for black artists like himself. 'Love you Mike, he added. Other stars who paid tribute to the late singer included basketball star LeBron James and Ne-Yo. The R&B star said of Jackson: 'Hes the man who made it possible for me to be on the stage. I love you and I miss you. Jacksons father said that he thought that his son would have approved of the tribute. - Daily Mail