After not being nominated for the BET Awards earlier this month, famous singer and rapper Lil Nas X called out the network in a now deleted tweet saying, “thank you bet awards. An outstanding zero nominations again. Black excellence!”
The BET Awards, an American award show created by the Black Entertainment Television that celebrates African American’s outstanding work in various fields of entertainment, replied to Lil Nas X saying that the network “love[s] Lil Nas X,” and went on to say that its voting staff consists of “nearly 500 entertainment professionals.” They also noted that “no one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy.”
Lil Nas X has multiple Grammy nominations and wins, but strangely not even one of BET’s voting academy nominated him for an award. His response on Twitter was, “this is my point exactly how can i get acknowledged by the most acclaimed award show in the world and then not even just 1 nomination from my own people? is that not crazy?”
Although Lil Nas X has been nominated for BET Awards, performed at the ceremony, and even won two BET Hip-Hop Awards in the past, he has had a troublesome relationship with BET for over a year. Lil Nas X said BET was hesitant when booking him for the performance last year, and they had to confirm with his team that he was not a “satanist or devil worshiper.” Certain network producers were upset about the kiss he shared with a male dancer at the end of his performance.
To Lil Nas X, receiving zero nominations from BET Awards feels like being rejected by his black peers in a mostly white led industry. He is clearly disappointed, saying “I just feel like Black gay ppl have to fight to be seen in this world and even when we make it to the top, mfs try to pretend we are invisible.” He also noted “the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community,” which may have been the reason he was not nominated.
In the past, various black artists have also protested award organizations for disregarding them. Frank Ocean, famous American singer and songwriter, refused to submit his album Blonde because “[The Recording Academy] just doesn’t seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down.” Drake withdrew two of his nominations for his extremely popular album, Certified Lover Boy, because of complications he has had with the Grammys.
Sources:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656283799987x900552368636861400/Lil%20Nas%20X%20calls%20out%20the%20BET%20Awards%20in%20his%20new%20single.%20He%20has%20a%20point%20_%20NPR.pdf
https://variety.com/2022/music/news/jack-harlow-bet-awards-lil-nas-x-snub-1235303704/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lil-nas-x-bet-awards-1371612/
The BET Awards, an American award show created by the Black Entertainment Television that celebrates African American’s outstanding work in various fields of entertainment, replied to Lil Nas X saying that the network “love[s] Lil Nas X,” and went on to say that its voting staff consists of “nearly 500 entertainment professionals.” They also noted that “no one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy.”
Lil Nas X has multiple Grammy nominations and wins, but strangely not even one of BET’s voting academy nominated him for an award. His response on Twitter was, “this is my point exactly how can i get acknowledged by the most acclaimed award show in the world and then not even just 1 nomination from my own people? is that not crazy?”
Although Lil Nas X has been nominated for BET Awards, performed at the ceremony, and even won two BET Hip-Hop Awards in the past, he has had a troublesome relationship with BET for over a year. Lil Nas X said BET was hesitant when booking him for the performance last year, and they had to confirm with his team that he was not a “satanist or devil worshiper.” Certain network producers were upset about the kiss he shared with a male dancer at the end of his performance.
To Lil Nas X, receiving zero nominations from BET Awards feels like being rejected by his black peers in a mostly white led industry. He is clearly disappointed, saying “I just feel like Black gay ppl have to fight to be seen in this world and even when we make it to the top, mfs try to pretend we are invisible.” He also noted “the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community,” which may have been the reason he was not nominated.
In the past, various black artists have also protested award organizations for disregarding them. Frank Ocean, famous American singer and songwriter, refused to submit his album Blonde because “[The Recording Academy] just doesn’t seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down.” Drake withdrew two of his nominations for his extremely popular album, Certified Lover Boy, because of complications he has had with the Grammys.
Sources:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656283799987x900552368636861400/Lil%20Nas%20X%20calls%20out%20the%20BET%20Awards%20in%20his%20new%20single.%20He%20has%20a%20point%20_%20NPR.pdf
https://variety.com/2022/music/news/jack-harlow-bet-awards-lil-nas-x-snub-1235303704/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lil-nas-x-bet-awards-1371612/
