Nick Cannon praises wife Mariah Carey

Los Angeles - Nick Cannon paid tribute to his "hero" Mariah Carey at the BET Honours Awards on Saturday.

The couple made their first public appearance since the presenter's recent hospitalisation and the America's Got Talent host thanked his spouse for nursing him through his illness as he handed her the Entertainer Award at the ceremony, which took place at Washington's Warner Theatre.

Holding the couple's eight-month-old son Moroccan, he said: "When times are hard, you guys don't see her at 3 o'clock in the morning, getting up in the middle of the night, fixing me soup when my kidneys ain't acting right. Mariah Carey does that.

"It is truly, truly a blessing to be here tonight, and I am humbled and in awe of everyone's presence, but mostly my hero right there. What most people don't get the opportunity to experience is the true woman; the virtuous person who is my angel."

Musical tribute

Accepting the award, Mariah praised Nick's "incredible" recovery from mild kidney failure.

She said: "To my incredible husband who [has been] out of the hospital two days - look at him all strong and healthy and big and too buff for the tux - it's incredible."

She also jokingly explained the absence of Moroccan's twin sister Monroe.

She said: "And Miss Monroe Cannon's backstage, darling. We were both sewn into our dresses, so she couldn't make it out."

Mariah also received a musical tribute at the ceremony, with Patti LaBelle giving a rendition of her song Hero and Kelly Rowland teaming up with rapper Raekwon to sing Fantasy, and the singer later thanked them for the performances.

She tweeted on Sunday: "@KELLYROWLAND Dear Kelly, thank you so much for the a+++mazing tribute at the BET honours last night. I can't wait for your fans to see how great you were. You've no idea how much I appreciate you. x0x0

"@Raekwon Much love, respect & thanks to you for coming out at the BET honours. Wu forever. RIP O.D.B. God bless, LYM, Mariah.

"@MsPattiPatti Dear Godmother, I was in tears from the moment you stepped on the stage last night. Thank you for being you, an icon for the entire world to treasure. Love forever, MC.(sic)"

Also honoured at the ceremony, which will be televised on February 13, were Stevie Wonder for musical arts, director Spike Lee for media, poet Maya Angelou for literary arts, track and field coach Beverly Kearney for education and the Tuskegee airmen for service.