Last night the BET Hip Hop Awards show aired, which took place live on October 3rd in Atlanta, Georgia. It was hosted by rapper Fat Joe, also known as Joseph Cartagena, and was not a show to miss. This awards show was in honor of hip hop’s 50th anniversary and is best described as explosive with incredible performances from artists like DJ Drama, Sexyy Red, Gorilla, and others.
The show started hot with a performance from DaBaby singing one of his hit songs “SHAKE SUMN.” To match the song DaBaby and his background dancers were all dressed as less dressed versions of firefighters. Sexyy Red came out to join him and the crowd was eating it up. Sexyy Red later came back out to perform her hits “Pound Town, Shake Yo Dreads,” and “SkeeYee.” The crowd was once again obsessed with her every move, especially since she started her performance in the crowd.
SHEESH! Now that’s how you get a room to back that azz up and shake sumn 🔥 @DaBabyDaBaby @SexyyRed314_ @manniefresh @juviethegreat #HipHopAwards #BET #HipHop50 pic.twitter.com/JbFbhYpeQj
— BET (@BET) October 11, 2023
Throughout the evening DJs and producers were honored and highlighted, the host Fat Joe saying, “There wouldn’t be no Snoop Dog without Dr. Dre.” DJ D-Nice and Kid Capri hit the stage next performing top hits. It looked as though they were having a blast, showing what true music is all about. DJ Spinderella also took the stage, and then it was time for the next award.
The nominees for “Best Breakthrough Artist” were Armani White, Central Cee, Doechii, Finess2tymes, Ice Spice, Kaliii, Lola Brooke, and Sexyy Red. After recently winning the MTV “Best New Artist” award, Ice Spice is now also the winner of the BET “Best Breakthrough Artist.” She has made a name for herself in the music world and is definitely one of the artists to keep your eyes on. GloRilla, 24, performed next and it was not one to be missed. Her set looked like a version of High School Musical and she sang her hits “Pop It,” and “Cha Cha Cha” with Fivio Foreign. The crowd was on their feet and the energy looked like it was felt by everyone. That energy was later brought back when the City Girls performed “Face Down” in all-black
leather getups.
BIG GLO was hitting that Cha Cha Cha 💃🏽🔥 @GloTheofficial @FivioForeign got this shit rocking!!!!#HipHopAwards #BET pic.twitter.com/LdTea5uR9l
— BET (@BET) October 11, 2023
Fat Joe returned to the stage to announce the “Rock the Bells Cultural Influence Award.” He said, “It was a tough time when the world shut down, and you know Swizz Beatz and Timbaland came together with their verses. They had six million people racing to their phones to hear hit after hit, they damn near broke the internet. That’s how you change the game, that’s how you shake the culture.” The winners of the award were producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland who gave killer performances with their team of lyricists. Team Swizz Beatz went first opening with Foggieraw, Symba, Cassidy, and closing out with Scar Lip. Then team Timbaland was up with a female roster including Lola Brooke, Lady London, Gloss Up, and Bun B closing with a verse over Ludacris’ “The Potion.”
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland gave a beautiful speech about DJ Marley Marl and tribute videos were included when announcing the next award. They said, “His body of work is truly a trip through classic records that birthed a golden era. Please welcome BET ‘I Am Hip Hop Award’ recipient Marley Mal. Mal accepted the award with a meaningful speech about his past and where he came from. Talking about how being the first hip-hop DJ to rock live on the radio and bringing sampling to hip-hop changed his life. The entire crowd stood giving him the applause he deserved.
Rapper Rakim who received the “I Am Hip Hop Award” back in 2012 performed several of his hit songs like “Eric B. Is President” and “Paid in Full.” LL Cool J, a rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor also performed his hits “Jingling Baby” and “Mama Said Knock You Out.” These were in tribute to the recent recipient Marley Marl.
Legends honoring legends 🔥🔥!
What an incredible tribute by @djjazzyjeff215 @OfficialRakim @llcoolj 🙌🏾 #HipHopAwards pic.twitter.com/35HZqpzwm0
— BET (@BET) October 11, 2023
A huge 30th-anniversary tribute to the So So Def Recordings was presented last night when artists Jermaine Dupri, Nelly, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Da Brat, Bow Wow, Bone Crusher, Chingy, Dem Franchize Boyz, and Tyrese put on a hype performance. The audience was on their feet dancing and singing along the entire time.
WELCOME TO ATLANTA WHERE THE PLAYAS PLAY!
30 years of So So Def is insane!! Let's go back into time! 🔥 @jermainedupri @smoss @sosobrat#HipHopAwards pic.twitter.com/zuefUJgPCg
— BET (@BET) October 11, 2023
The final award that was presented live at the show was the “Best International Flow” with the nominees being AKA (South Africa), Black Sherif (Ghana), Central Cee (UK), Gazo (France), J Hus (UK), K. O (South Africa), Major RD (Brazil), Ninho (France), Tasha and Tracie (Brazil), and Sampa the Great (Zambia). Black Sherif won and it was touching to see him accept the award. He said, “I saw this in my sleep every night, I started masking music four years ago in a small city in Ghana called Konongo, and there was no way nobody was going to convince me that I would be here, that my music wasn’t going global. Thank you so much BET, thank you to God, thank you to my mom, thank you to my dad, and thank you to my team.”
The final excitement of the night was when mixtapes were celebrated. This happened by DJ Drama and he brought on Fabulous, T.I. Jeezy, and Lil Jon, to rock out to singles like “Rubber Band Man,” and “Get Ya Mind Right.”
🎧🔥 Closing out the night the right way! @DJDrama performs some of his Gangsta Grillz classics with @myfabolouslife, @Tip, @Jeezy, and @LilJon at the #HipHopAwards pic.twitter.com/8lDCVREGX9
— BET (@BET) October 11, 2023
