The BET Hip-Hop Awards are a far cry from what they was once. Over the previous couple of years, curiosity in what was once some of the anticipated occasions on the hip-hop calendar has dwindled. This comes right down to a number of points, primarily with BET as an establishment now not being in contact with fashionable hip-hop past what’s well-liked at this time. Because the present’s presentation continues to alter, issues have gone away that must return. Followers view the present extra negatively because of many unneeded modifications over time. Listed below are 5 issues that the BET Hip-Hop Awards are lacking that might enhance the standard of the once-culturally important occasion in the event that they have been carried out when the subsequent one occurs in 2025.
1. Convey Again The Cyphers
Yearly, the BET Hip-Hop Awards used to play host to a sequence of cyphers. They featured completely different teams of rappers aiming to outdo one another of their freestyle verses. A few of the largest names within the recreation appeared in these cyphers, typically to advertise current work or remind followers how good they’re. The primary-ever cypher on the 2006 occasion featured Lupe Fiasco and Kinds P. On the time, the 2 lately launched their debut and sophomore efforts, respectively. The 2011 iteration of the present featured Eminem introducing the higher hip-hop world to Slaughterhouse. They’d signed to Shady Information and have been constructing buzz as a bunch on-line for years forward of their debut album, Welcome To Our Home.
In 2010, the G.O.O.D. Music roster of Kanye West, Large Sean, Pusha T, CyHi The Prynce, and Widespread delivered verses shortly earlier than the discharge of West’s opus, My Lovely Darkish Twisted Fantasy. The exhibiting helped put CyHi on the map and solidified Large Sean as a rapper to look out for in 2011. The 12 months prior, Yasiin Bey, Black Thought, and Eminem rhymed collectively. It was a pleasant clashing of the titans that followers virtually by no means get to expertise anymore. Prime Dawg Leisure’s roster got here collectively in 2013 for a efficiency that famously noticed Kendrick Lamar hearth pictures at Drake lengthy earlier than their feud dominated headlines. And who may neglect when Eminem returned solo in 2017 to ship a scathing takedown of then-president Donald Trump in a winding four-and-a-half minute verse?
Since these late-2000s and early-2010s glory days, the cyphers have had diminishing returns. The greats now not come out to indicate out. The results of this alteration culminated in BET fully eliminating the cyphers in 2024, ending a practice that existed for seventeen years. Asking superstars to signal on in 2025 could also be a troublesome request. The preferred names round not often freestyle nowadays as is. However, the cyphers do nonetheless must return. Ideally with rappers who’re extra in-demand than those that populated them in the previous couple of years. Names like those within the Griselda camp or legends reclaiming their spots within the recreation like Widespread and LL Cool J, two MCs who made main comebacks in 2024, could possibly be enjoyable to see subsequent 12 months.
2. Improved Promoting
I didn’t know the BET Hip-Hop Awards have been airing on the night time of Tuesday, October 15, till over midway by means of the present. Nor did individuals I do know. The one cause I discovered the present was on that night time is due to a Twitter publish criticizing the dearth of cyphers. In earlier years, the BET Hip-Hop Awards (and the all-encompassing BET Awards earlier in the summertime) made certain that followers knew when and the place the occasion was happening.
There was little promoting for the 2024 occasion. Going into what’s often one of many community’s largest scores boons of the 12 months with out substantial promotion will virtually definitely be mirrored of their viewership this 12 months. It’s arduous to construct curiosity in a present with out advertising the present as closely as doable. Subsequent 12 months, some extent of emphasis needs to be on promoting. There is no such thing as a different annual hip-hop award present as important because the BET Hip-Hop Awards. It ought to really feel like that each single 12 months.
3. Extra (At the moment) Related Performers
In 2023, Fats Joe hosted the BET Hip-Hop Awards. In 2024, he got here again to do it once more. Joe, for higher or for worse, is a legendary determine in New York Metropolis’s hip-hop scene. In a vacuum, having him host the present is just not a foul factor. He isn’t essentially musically related anymore. However he’s a daily attendee of various occasions all year long and nonetheless clearly loves hip-hop. Nevertheless, giving him the chance to carry out “Make It Rain,” a single from 2006, at a present in 2024, is inexplicable.
Doubly so for the Soulja Boy and Roscoe Sprint joint efficiency that came about later within the night time. Whereas enjoyable, Sprint was well-liked over a decade in the past. Nowadays, Soulja Boy is extra recognized for his antics than his music. “All The Means Turnt Up” remains to be an amazing track. It’s nonetheless a damning indictment on the state of the present when the efficiency of a track from 2010 is a spotlight of the night time over a few of the newer acts that confirmed up (Bossman Dlow and GloRilla, for instance). The BET Hip-Hop Awards could now not have the cache to persuade modern superstars to carry out. However a lot of the helpful TV time must be used to highlight effervescent acts. Not individuals who haven’t been on the general public’s thoughts in over a decade.
4. Nominate Non-Mainstream Acts For Awards
The BET Hip-Hop Awards are the one main televised hip-hop award present in the USA. As such, the awards must be extra reflective of every part taking place in hip-hop. There’s nothing inherently flawed with mainstream acts being on the nominees listing. Fashionable acts ought to all the time be acknowledged. And all issues thought of, Kendrick Lamar was greater than worthy of the eight awards he took house. Nevertheless, hip-hop is healthiest when each mainstream and acts who usually are not within the mainstream obtain acknowledgment on huge levels. The underground and “center floor” are the strongest they’ve been in years. Furthermore, it could have been good to see mainstays like Roc Marciano, Blu, and Vince Staples, or youthful rappers like MAVI and Rae Khalil, be nominated for his or her work. There are huge issues taking place exterior of the mainstraeam in the meanwhile.
5. Return To A Bigger Venue
The 2024 BET Hip-Hop Awards emanated from Drai’s Nightclub. Drai’s Nightclub is a venue in The Cromwell Las Vegas, a luxurious resort in Paradise, Nevada. They need to by no means return there. Presentation is every part, and regardless of the performers’ finest efforts, the occasion nonetheless felt small. It felt extra like a Friday night time in a metropolis than a program set to be considered by between 800,000 and 1,000,000 viewers (2023’s present drew 953,000 the night time it aired).
The stage itself was remarkably restricted. Regardless of each digicam reduce suggesting in any other case, the group was so poorly mic’d that it typically felt like they have been apathetic. The newest Grammy Awards came about on the Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles. Whereas the BET Hip-Hop Awards usually are not practically as well-liked because the Grammys, they need to be above internet hosting them in such a clumsy venue. They should return to a bigger venue in 2025, one which makes the present really feel vital. The vibes in Drai’s Nightclub weren’t befitting of an awards present that’s practically 20 years into its run.
About The Creator
Devin Morton is an intern at HotNewHipHop from Queens, New York. He began with HNHH in July 2024. He has a ardour for all issues hip-hop, in addition to a information of sports activities (particularly basketball), popular culture, and present occasions.
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