Some have seen the discontent I expressed about the most recent BET Awards. But I am not the only one who was concerned, as hundreds of thousands of viewers were highly disappointed. I am not angry at BET; but I do think that their ultimate blessing may have been their greatest curse.
You see, a large number of black folks over the age of 22 don't watch BET anymore. They figure that the show is the domain of their teenage children, and many adults don't pay very much attention to what their children are doing (which is unfortunate). The problem is that the death of Michael Jackson was that unique moment during which old and young converged to celebrate the life of a performer whose career spanned five decades.
The awards show was "financial crunk juice" for BET, who saw their viewership rise to over 10 million viewers for one night. Advertising money was flowing like Grey Goose at a house party. The problem was that many African Americans who don't normally watch BET were absolutely livid over what they saw.
While the night featured a large number of questionable moments, the personal kicker for me was watching Lil Wayne and Drake end the show with a blockbuster performance of a song with the chorus "I wish I could 'bleep' every girl in the world." Not only did they end the show with this song, they also had a large number of underage girls dancing on stage as they performed.
That is when I had to personally draw the line. I respect creative expression, but as a father of 3 girls, I had just been pushed over the edge.
Imagine your 12 year old daughter hearing this song and listening to it over and over again. She has then psychologically internalized her role as a sex object. She has also learned to idolize the men performing the song and to accept egregious male behavior that ultimately puts her health at risk. As a black woman, she has then been initiated into her role as one of the many black women across America with shocking HIV infection rates.
Lil Wayne and Drake felt the heat and Drake took the step of responding publicly to the criticism. I found the transcript below of Drake's interview with Complex Magazine to be interesting. I want you to hear his side of the story so that I am not accused of unfairly attacking rappers (I was disappointed by the fact that Oprah didn't let gangster rappers speak during her town hall meeting on hip hop a couple of years ago). I am not angry with Drake, Lil Wayne or BET: But the truth is that if we don't talk about this, our community is in serious trouble.
Drake's comments are below:
Complex: There were rumors of a $4 million bonus...
Drake: [Laughs] Where is it? Tell me where it is, I'll go pick it up right now. I got some money. I got a little money. I'll be alright for a couple months. Complex: Damn, that's horrible. At the BET Awards this past Sunday, everyone was shocked to see you sitting on a stool. Did you ever think to yourself, Maybe I shouldn't perform?
Drake: That, actually-to be honest-was a terrible idea that I'll never do to myself again. [Laughs] But I was being pressed from different areas to perform, and I think what really happened at the BET Awards is with the passing of Mike, the climate really changed, as far as the award show goes. I don't think it called for us to perform "Every Girl" and "Always Strapped," and I think it was an award show filled with tributes and music and these genuine heartfelt speeches. And to sort of climax out of a very tongue-in-cheek point, and then people misconstruing Wayne's daughters and her friends coming out on stage...
Complex: Yeah, it really was an awkward moment.
Drake: Yeah, it was just timed very poorly and it definitely wasn't planned like that, but with that being said, it is what is. I believe in Wayne and myself and it's nothing we can't bounce back from. To anyone who was offended, my personal apologies, it wasn't intended to offend anybody.
Complex: Watching it at home, the BET Awards seemed to be a mess. Did it seem that way in person?
Drake: Well, I can only speak for my portion of it. I had asked for something very specific for my performance and none of those were met, as far as production value, so...
Complex: That's BET for you...
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Distinguished Scholar with the Barbara Jordan Institute for Policy Research at The University of Texas Southern. He is also the author of "Black American Money", to be released on July 15, 2009. For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered directly to your email inbox, please click here.
Comments: (54)
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By: Li Wright on 7/03/2009 12:23PM
So, the fault was the producers of the Show? I'm convinced that the producers should stop any rapper or black performer/white performer who comes to the show with droopy pants. Just turn them away. Can't come to the show. Those juvenile clothing styles are so passe'.
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By: FaithSoulSistah on 7/03/2009 1:43PM
I stopped watching BET long ago. BET is a complete and utter disgrace. It is pure TRASH. I didn't watch the show even with the MJ tribute. Somehow I knew it would still be trash and I see I was right.
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By: jena on 7/05/2009 6:37PM
I stopped too however I did watch the MJ tribute. I was pretty disappointed myself. That lil wayne/drake and the baby girls dancing was the worst Just sad. And then to have the ceo or whatever she is condone is far worse
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By: cant b stopped on 7/03/2009 3:01PM
rumers been soring that chis brown was suppose to perform but jayz and beyonce said they was not performing on the same stage as him is that true anybody?
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By: triciagirl on 7/03/2009 5:16PM
I heard that Jay Z and Al sharpton shut it down, and that one of the companies doing commercials did too.
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By: Dee on 7/06/2009 10:01AM
They need to leave that boy alone. So Jay-Z and Al Sharpton never made mistakes? Why are they drawing this out so far??? Are going to do this until the boy is 50? Get over it!!!! Oh my gosh. Somebody needs to get a life. It would be nice if Jay would say, look, I know that that was YOUR situation, but, I don't agree with it but, you do you and I do me. That was taking it too far, especially when nobody else is jocking chris that way. That boy (Chris) has many days in the future to look past and say, "Dag, if I could change that situation, I would." Some people seem to be so unforgiving.
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By: ad Delhomme on 7/03/2009 3:29PM
It was bad taste for me,black performers need to excel on everything they do ,like Mj and Tina Turner have always given it all on stage,that why i don't buy rap music they all sucks ,and bad taste.Drake go back to Canada Please, and tale Lil Wayne and jaz-y with you.We need a new generation Of Micheal Jackson with talent.
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By: Duhaun on 8/01/2009 4:33AM
People kill me always putting down the hip hop culture like its some unloved red headed step child. It's true a portion of the music is horrid with no message. But,nonsense gets played because of the politics of the industry. It's some talented well educated brothers that happen to "rap" and have a positive message and a genuine light to there music. So don't stereotype a whole genre of music if your to pompous to subjectively listen to it as a whole. Maybe instead of looking for entertainers to raise are kids through their actions positive or other wise we should strengthen our homes.
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By: swanflightconst on 7/03/2009 4:13PM
I am the proud father of four sons,two daughters,eightgrandchildren,and I was shocked by the un-inhibited display of hedonism relished by our "so-called black performers".Is money that important,is it important? What are we saying to our future generations? I do not permit disrespect to occur in my family,nor do I allow it from others.Shame on them! It seems that we gotta be seen, to be real,a waste! With all of the so-called dollars they be making,where is the land, the production, the building of the future of their assets,in essence;hedonistic lifestyle;my pleasure at the expense of all else....
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By: Bob on 7/03/2009 5:20PM
BET is no entertainment for me. The so called music of snarling rap stars offers no musical rewards at all. There is no melody that one would ever bother to notate on paper; just a lot of abusive words, spoken, not sung, often with no rhythm; only assertions of power over women; no interesting or even apparent harmonic accompaniment, just a boring, jolting, bass beat and really irritating, synthetic hand clapping (as if they didn't have the talent to even clap hands properly) and no good feelings...just aggression. Then there is the rapper style; jewelery into overload, baseball hats sideways over the ears, pants not quite fallen off, insane tattoos and bridgework.
After 50 years of listening to our only indiginous American art form: Art Tatum, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus (OK, he snarled a bit too, but musically, a genius), Oscar Peterson, Ornette Coleman, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Cecil Taylor and many actual MUSICIANS who created MUSIC with interesting and enjoyable melodic and harmonic content; I think BET is denegrating black music by ignoring what great creativity has been accomplished, in favor of gangsterized pop trends.
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