2010 ‘BET Hip-Hop Awards’: The Best & Worst Moments
by Journey Ade Posted Oct 13th 2010 10:49AM
People on stage for no reason? Check. Audio problems? Yup. Must be the ‘BET Hip-Hop Awards.’ From the random inclusions of MC Hammer and Antoine Dodson to the mixed bag of performances from artists, the 2010 awards had the usual quota of highlights and low points. Here’s how theBVX sees the wins and fails of this year’s program.
Everything started well enough when The Source caught up with celebs and attendees before the festivities kicked off. However, it was only a matter of time until the moment of truth.
**WINS**
Cypher Sounds
Truth be told, most of the time we’ll take the rhyme cyphers over 90 percent of the content on the awards. It’s not a coincidence that there are more than a few people who tune in only for that portion of the broadcast. With five mostly knock-out rounds made up of three or more MCs each, they’re worth the price of admission alone. Yeah, there were some flop-tastic moments sprinkled in there (father-son session) and non-written rhymes were essentially nonexistent. Still, if you’re one of those “hip-hop is dead” folks, there were enough dope lines, different styles and passionate flows to smack some sense into you.
J. Cole Letting ‘Em Know
Aight, it helps that ‘Who Dat?’ knocks. That aside, credit Cole for having a clear delivery, breath control and putting on a good set for dolo. Each of those elements sound like they should a given until you see how a lot of other MCs rock sloppily. It’s not just the new crop of rappers either, as some of your favorite veterans still don’t know what they’re doing up there. Funny how a lot of the audience didn’t seem to be responding to “Who Dat?” or “Blow Up,” though.
Big Boi’s Turntablists
At a time when even your mom swears she can spin, you can’t help but notice how real DJs don’t get enough shine. Look past the fact that Big Boi was Bagger Vance from the knees down. Three DJs cutting on actual tables is always a plus. The only thing “off” — if you can even call it that — was the shout out to DJ AM at the end. No disrespect to AM at all, but did everyone forget that Roc Raida passed away around the same time he did? Just saying.
Salt & Pepa Retrospective
BET’s been on the right track lately with specials like “My Mic Sounds Nice” and getting news programming back up on their channel. With an intro from Mo’Nique, Salt, Pepa, and Spinderella were honored for decades of work in rap. Nice to see the media showing love to more than just one female MC at a time. That “Salt, Pepa & Tabasco” project Martin Lawrence was talking about sounded like fire too.
Rest In Power: Pac & Guru
Jamaican flag victim Shock G got the Digital Underground tribute to Tupac going when he hit the piano for a rendition of “I Get Around.” Earlier in the program, though, BET sorta made up for their perceived snub of Guru at the last awards show. DJ Premier, who was also spinning instrumentals for the rhymes cyphers, hit the stage accompanied by “three generations of Gang Starr” to pay respect to a fallen legend.
Dipset Reunion
Was the performance great? Not really. Forgive all the standing around on stage for the simple fact that Dipset is even up there standing together at all. However you feel about this squad, hip-hop is a better place with them back to making music again. Too bad you could barely hear their verses half the time.
Mike Epps As Ring Leader
Epps can be real hit or miss when it comes to the funny, but he held down the hosting duties fairly well and provided some genuine chuckle-worthy segments. Swipes at Eddie Long (“the Bishop is checking [Souljah Boy] out with binoculars”), groupie bloggers like Kat Stacks, and breaking out the shiney suit dance all helped to keep things moving. As for borrowing his girl’s jeans to try out for that third New Boyz member position… well…
Antoine Dodson Still Running To Tell That (To Anyone Who’ll Listen)
Yeah, it’s barely straddling the line between win and fail, but he’ll get a pass for what started the whole craze in the first place: coming to the aid of his sis. Strangely, his appearance may be a combined fail for BET and win for curiosities. Not content to just soak up his fifteen minutes of fame, Dodson recently told The Root that he plans to cash in his roll-over time and flip it into a world tour crusading for women. Honorable, but easy on comparing yourself to actual singers, Antoine.
**FAILS**
Souljah Boy Sagging While Swaying
It’s always good to see an artist get up without fifty dudes behind them screaming over the track, but pull your pants up, son. You wouldn’t want to trip and fall to your death, or get caught up in a gun fight over your belt line, would you? Boom. TheBVX just saved your life.
Stephen Hill’s Lack of Professionalism
Granted, Hill’s war of words with Waka Flocka Flame was more in the aftermath of the show, though it still stands as a poor reflection on the program and BET as a whole . It’s bad enough when rappers are e-beefing as much as actually putting out music, but now we have major network execs getting into it too? Hill’s record must be dropping soon. Must be.
Waka Flocka Flame’s “Performance”
Speaking of Flocka… Okay, we all know you’re a mastermind who’s able to convincingly pretend that he’s stupid, but are you pretending to be an MC too? Spending a large chunk of your set time dragging Baby on stage and giving pounds to audience members, instead of actually, you know, reciting your lyrics has us thinking your fail outweighs Stephen Hill’s. You know that part of a performance is actually performing, right?
The D, The I, The D, The D, Why?.. It’s Diddyyyy… Again
Was Diddy secretly nominated for an award that we didn’t know about? Nah? Hmm, strange, ’cause he was up there about as much as Mike Epps. During the opening with Rick Ross, escorting Nicki Minaj on stage when she picked up an award, and completing the hat trick by showing up again during Ross’s “Best Club Banger” acceptance. Maybe that Suge Knight guy was on to something…
B.o.B. – “Don’t Let Me Fall”
Dude can definitely rhyme (and do the best John Legend singing impression we’ve ever heard), but there’s a clear dichotomy between how he spits on mixtapes and freestyles, versus the songs getting burn on the radio. Diversity in hip-hop is a great thing. Saccharine pop songs like “Don’t Let Me Fall”? Not so much. Hopefully, B.o.B. starts showcasing his talents more often without the formulaic approach.
Cali Swag District’s Lesson Plan
First, the name alone already starts you off in the minus column. Never mind BET’s pointless RIP skit for the word “movement,” some of ya’ll must have missed the urgent PSA for the term “swagger.” Name change time, and while you’re at it, work on that whole jacking other people’s… ahem, *swag* thing.
Mike Epps’ Roll Bounce
Making your entrance with a gang of eye candy candidates on roller skates is cool and all, we just think it could’ve been better with a little help from Lauren London and T.I. to complete that ATL feel. What’s that? T.I.’s a little pre-occupied right now, you say? Aight, scratch that.
Curtains
Keeping an audience of millions engaged for 2-3 hours isn’t exactly easy. While it helps to maintain a steady flow through out the night, how you open and close the show can make a big impact too. Having major artists treat your show like a red-headed latchkey stepkid is one thing, flaking out on your own production with an ending that uneventful just comes off as half-assed. Exactly how much was left on the cutting room floor? The real ending must have been axed while BET was trying to remove all that terrible filler that made it through. Yup, that has to be it.
To catch the above and more for yourself, check out the videos here…http://www.thebvx.com/2010/10/13/2010-bet-hip-hop-awards-the-best-and-worst-moments/
