For Culture, For the People BET!

This evening is giving the culture all the thrills we have been missing for nearly 1 ½ years due to the world pandemic. Black Hollywood came to play and show out with their fashions from actress Zendaya rocking vintage Versace to Grammy award winning singer H.E.R. wearing an Amani blazer and sheer bottoms. The R&B songstress, took home the win tonight for Best Female Artist,

“Excited about the audience being there and performing for the culture. I was nervous about playing the drums in the sky but it was fun and a bit different for me but you know I like doing things that is a bit off and different for the vibe. I’m excited for this win tonight and that people still rock with my music and love me for me. My latest album is out now, and I hope that everyone like it and likes the vibe that it brings. With every album I like to go harder and but still give you raw emotions and feels.”

The night has been filled with surprises starting with the big pregnancy announcement and reveal by Hip-Hop artist Cardi B during her performance on the stage with Migos and the big win for Best Actress win of the evening for Andra Day for her role in, Billie Holiday vs USA she says,

“Winning tonight was huge for me, while I love winning all the other awards, it just means a lot more coming from my people. This film allowed me to step out of my element and portray the truth about someone I really admired. Billie was certainly and icon of her time and for music artists like myself, is widely regarded as one of the greats. Telling her story was definitely an honor for me.”

Other wins for the evening included Megan The Stallion for Best Female Artist and Best Video of The Year in which she shared with Cardi B for their song; WAP, “I’m always in shock every time I win an award. It means so much because I work so hard. People think its easy but I’m an artist, I design clothes and I’m a girlfriend. Its hard work ya’ll. But these moments make it all worth it.”

The pandemic brought us great artist collaborations including the supergroup; SilkSonic with Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak who took home the win for Best Group, “This was just genius and its what music has been missing. We wanted to bring that old school Temptations meets Jodeci groove back to R&B. The response has been epic and great as our first single, “Leave The Door Open” not only charted but created a musical wave that people have been yearning for,” says Bruno Mars.

One of our former cover girls Saweetie shares her experience at the BET Awards and new music coming, “We outside so it’s a whole vibe right now. It’s amazing because I use to watch the show every year with my cousins and now, I’m here dolled up walking the red carpet styled and looking fly. I have new music coming this summer just in time for Cancer season, that people can turn up too and rock out.”

One of the biggest collaborations and performances of the evening came from Gospel superstar Kirk Franklin and Hip-Hop artist Lil Baby who opened up the show, Franklin says;

“I’m grateful for each opportunity to talk about my Lord and Savior in every genre I can but I want to be a door for younger gospel artist to be able to get their music heard and streamed worldwide. Gospel music is one of the foundations of people of color, it has been our go to in good times and bad. Any of the collaborations that I’m apart of has to be good for the culture. It shows the longevity of the genre I hope people will see that gospel is viable. I’m glad for gospel music to be seen in this light in all genres. When we try to impress people who aren’t familiar with what gospel music stands for that’s when we fail.”

Afro Beats has been crossing the seas and introducing us to amazing talent that been giving us great music to dance and sing too, the winner of Best International Act Burna Boy said, “Its good and I’m excited for this win. The afrobeats movement is a great one. I have high hopes for the movement that it will continue. As for as I’m concerned the crossover has been reversed it has been about learning and growing and pain. I’m not successful because I recognize that its bigger than me and that I have a responsibility to make sure that others who want to follow in my footsteps know the work it takes and can see me leading the way.”

The cast of Tyler Perry’s Sistas from BET were in attendance, “Its been a dream come true to be apart of the BET Family. To be here among our peers and witness history as the world starts to open up after an unforeseen worldwide monster attacked each us all in some way or another. I just feels good and we are happy to be here.”

One of the most anticipated performances of the night was the tribute to the late great DMX, the members of the Ruff Riders said, “Losing X was not only unexpected, but it was a tragic world loss for music and hip-hop. He meant so much to his family, to us and the world and we can never replace him. This tribute is something we feel we would never have to do because he should be here. His is missed and we wish he could have received his flowers in person. He would have wanted to be remembered as a man of God and knowing that God was good. He wanted to be known for speaking of God through his music.”