bet
On Friday night (June 28), The BET Experience Concert Series returned to the West Coast. L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena hosted a bevy of superstars, including Cardi B, Gunna, Sexxy Red, and Davido. With The BET Awards kicking off Sunday night (June 30), the iconic Black network aimed to leave an indelible impression on concert-goers and skeptics, considering this was the first BET Experience in four years.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
After burgeoning singer Jordan Ward brought the R&B vibes to open up the nearly six-hour long marathon, Sexxy Red cranked the intensity with a category-five caliber performance. With a SexxyRed4President.com plastered on the big screen, Big Sexxy strolled onto the stage with “Bow Bow Bow” reverberating through the speakers. She, along with her ravenous fanbase, taunted the men in the crowd as they howled “F— My Baby Daddy” in unison, giving Sexxy the extra jolt of confidence she needed.
Trending on Billboard
Sexxy raced through her newest project, In Sexxy We Trust, ripping through B-sides like “Fake Jammin” and “Boss Me Up.” Her performance peaked when she captivated the crowd during a four-song stretch of “Rich Baby Daddy,” “Skee Yee,” “Get It Sexyy,” and her breakout record “Pound Town.” Littered with catchy ad-libs and eye-popping twerks, Sexxy’s performance proves why she’s one of the hottest female rappers today.
It was Davido’s turn shortly after, and his mission was clear: Take everyone to The Motherland. The Afrobeats superstar shifted the raucous energy with a jazzy live band and his crew of break dancers. The triumphant production was the catalyst in bringing Davido’s set to life as he skated through his biggest hits like “If,” “Fall,” “Risky,” and “Unavailable.” He also veered into some of his features, most notably Chris Brown’s “Sensational,” which added more flare to his high-octane set.
Up next to bat was Gunna. Fresh off The Bittersweet Tour, he showed little rust. Opening his set with “one of wun,” Gunna, sporting a bejeweled jean jacket and shorts, was dialed in, looking to woo fans with cuts from his latest album. Though he spoon-fed songs like “whatsapp” and “prada dem,” he shifted into the deep cuts, tapping Leon Bridges to join him for a performance of “clear my rain.” Gunna didn’t stop there, as he tagged in IDK for their new collaboration, “TiFFANY,” before delving back into his vintage hits. He satiated the hunger pangs of his day-one supporters, revisiting songs like “Dollaz on My Head” and “Top Off.” He also peppered his set with songs for the ladies, rapping “Banking on Me” and “P Power,” to much of their delight.
As he commanded the crowd, Gunna leaned on his cheat code to seal the deal. “Drip Too Hard,” “Pushin P,” and the YSL heater “Hot” sans Young Thug perked everyone’s ears and revved up Gunna as he pressed the right buttons during those prime moments. To punctuate his performance, Gunna wrapped things up with his newly-minted classic, “fukumean,” before setting the stage for the night’s final performer, Cardi B.
Appearing at nearly midnight, Cardi brought a laundry bag of hits and humor to the L.A. crowd. Donning a custom-made football jersey emblazoned with the No. 11, the Bronx bombshell used Friday night’s performance to show us what a potential Cardi Tour would like. The “Cardi Party” was fun. Her signature wit and grit shined through as she sprinted with avidity through her 2018 opus, Invasion of Privacy. Though the project remains her lone gold star on the album front, it still holds, as proven by the roars on songs like “Get Up 10” and “Bartier Cardi.”
Though Cardi’s headlining set was under 40 minutes, she applied pressure once she wrangled in her features. Arguably one of the best feature artists of all time, Cardi went inside a time chamber and revisited verses from G-Eazy’s “No Limit,” Blueface’s “Thotiana,” GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2” and more. And when Cardi wasn’t enjoying her hellacious features run, she ran up the scoreboard with her solo hits with “I Like It,” “Up,” and the steamy “WAP,” which found her spilling water on herself. Though she joked about being winded and needing a quick breather, she pushed through and stamped her New York swagger on the West Coast by closing out her set with “Bodak Yellow.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: MICHAEL TRAN / Getty
Byron Allen is expressing his interest in buying BET again to Paramount, this time raising his bid to $3.5 billion.
According to Variety, on Wednesday (Dec. 20), the media mogul Byron Allen emailed the senior executives of Paramount Global to voice his interest in acquiring the BET Media Group. The media group comprises the BET cable network, VH1, streaming service BET+, and BET Media Studios. The bid submitted on behalf of the Allen Media Group is $3.5 billion, a substantial increase from Allen’s previous bid of $2.7 billion in March.
“You are pursuing an inside sale at a below-market price with management that will not yield the highest price for the stockholders,” the email reportedly read. “We believe it would be an egregious breach of fiduciary duty by the Paramount Global management team and board of directors if BET is sold for anything less than the highest price, particularly, in order to provide a sweetheart deal to an insider at the expense of public shareholders.” Representatives at both Paramount Global and the Allen Media Group declined to comment when contacted by the press.
Allen already has competition in this latest bid, as word has it that Chinh Chu, a former Blackstone executive and head of CC Partners along with BET CEO Scott Mills have submitted their own reported bids of $2 billion. When Paramount Global first floated the prospect of BET being for sale in March, other interested parties included Sean “Diddy” Combs, Shaquille O’Neal, 50 Cent, and Tyler Perry. Paramount halted that process in August, stating that “a sale wouldn’t result in any meaningful deleveraging of its balance sheet.”
Byron Allen has made his media group a formidable independent player in the media industry, with 28 broadcast stations affiliated with the Big Four networks of ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox as well as ownership of The Weather Channel in addition to 11 other cable networks. News of the offer surfaced as word broke out that the CEO of Paramount Global met with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to begin talks about the two media giants merging. The news sent shockwaves throughout the public, as it would mark another major consolidation in the last three years.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bennett Raglin/BET / Getty
After a weekend of having Black journalists pull CVS-length receipts on him and his management, agents, and publicists—Lenny Kravitz clarified his statements to Esquire magazine that seemed to imply that he was snubbed by Black media.
In the original comments, the rocker said, “To this day, I have not been invited to a BET thing or a Source Awards thing,” Kravitz adds, “And it’s like, here is a Black artist who has reintroduced many Black art forms, who has broken down barriers—just like those that came before me broke down. That is positive. And they don’t have anything to say about it?”
The comments incensed Black journalists, including BET’s Entertainment Director Yesha Callahan, who noted that she had reached out to Kravitz’s team as recently as mid-October only to be ignored. Callahan’s post has since been deleted.
But, others co-signed the experience.
According to theGrio, Kravitz sent a statement exclusively to them which clarifies his remarks, writing, in part, “The comment I made was not about ‘black media’ or the ‘black community.’” the 59-year-old rocker said. “I was specifically referring to black award shows in particular. My comment was meant to express a concern about ensuring that black artists are being recognized for their work in what is now being called “non-traditional” black music, which it is not.”
He added, “Rock and roll is the music we were instrumental in creating and is a part of our history. We must retain our heritage and celebrate that together. BET and countless others have paved the way for this type of recognition. I hope that by sharing my concern a spotlight will be shone on this issue. Love and peace.“
BET has not specifically addressed the comments. However, Callahan shared that the company recently created a video package highlighting Black non-traditional artists.
Social media users are split about the comments. While some believe that Kravitz and others have not gotten their “flowers” from Black media—insiders and others recognize the power dynamics at play including the fact that Black journalists are often snubbed on red carpets and their media requests are often rejected by the non-Black representatives of some of their faves.
One thing is for sure, if BET invites Kravitz to this year’s awards show… He better show up.
Kravitz’s 12th studio album, Blue Electric Light, will be released March 15, 2024.
SZA, Usher and Summer Walker are the top nominees for the 2023 Soul Train Awards, with nine nods each. The show will tape from a new, for now undisclosed location in Los Angeles, with BET promising: “This year’s show will reimagine the traditional award show ceremony into a soulful party in Hollywood.” The show will premiere on Sunday, Nov. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and BET Her.
21 Savage follows the three nominations co-leaders with eight nods. Coco Jones and Victoria Monét are tied at six nods each, followed by Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Janelle Monáe and October London with four nods each.
SZA’s SOS, which is considered a lock to receive a Grammy nomination for album of the next week, is nominated in that category here. In addition, SZA is the only artist with two song of the year nominees here, “Kill Bill” and “Snooze.”
“Good Good” by Usher, Walker and 21 Savage is the only collaboration up for song of the year. It’s one of two collabs vying for video of the year, along with “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” by PinkPantheress & Ice Spice. Both of those collabs are also nominated for – and presumably are the front-runners for – best collaboration.
Most of the nominees are young and still on-the-rise, but there are also some legends in the mix. Ronald Isley (age 82) and the Isley Brothers are vying for the certified soul award. Shirley Caesar (age 85) is up for the best gospel/inspirational award. And the Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award, which has been presented every year since 2009, was named in honor of the legendary songwriting duo which was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.
Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, will oversee the annual show and executive produce for BET with Jamal Noisette, VP, specials & music programming. Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, will serve as executive producer, along with Jesse Collins Entertainment’s Jeannae Rouzan–Clay and Dionne Harmon.
“Soul, R&B, and hip hop continue to top the charts and drive culture forward,” Orlando said in a statement. “This year, we are taking inspiration from these genres to innovate and disrupt the award show format while celebrating the legacy of Soul Train. We are proud of this year’s list of esteemed nominees and look to deliver an unforgettable night of soul with our new location, performances, and show moments.”
Here’s the complete list of nominees for 2023 Soul Train Awards:
Album of the year
The Age of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe
Age/Sex/Location, Ari Lennox
Clear 2: Soft Life EP, Summer Walker
Girls Night Out (Extended), Babyface
I Told Them…, Burna Boy
Jaguar II, Victoria Monét
SOS, SZA
What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe), Coco Jones
Song of the year
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Favorite Song,” Toosii
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Snooze,” SZA
Video of the year
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress & Ice Spice
“Boyfriend,” Usher
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Special,” Lizzo
Best R&B/soul female artist
Ari Lennox
Beyoncé
Coco Jones
H.E.R.
Janelle Monáe
Summer Walker
SZA
Victoria Monét
Best R&B/soul male artist
6lack
Babyface
Brent Faiyaz
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Eric Bellinger
October London
Usher
Best group
Dvsn
Flo
Jagged Edge
Kool & The Gang
Maverick City Music
Phony Ppl
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
Tank and The Bangas
Wanmor
Best collaboration
“America Has a Problem” (Remix), Beyoncé Feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress & Ice Spice
“Creepin’ (Remix),” Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, Diddy Feat. 21 Savage
“Fly Girl,” Flo feat. Missy Elliott
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage
“Special,” Lizzo feat. SZA
“To Summer, From Cole (Audio Hug),” Summer Walker, J. Cole
Best new artist
Ambré
Ayra Starr
Coco Jones
Doechii
Flo
Fridayy
Tyla
Wanmor
Certified soul award
Anthony Hamilton
Ashanti
Ciara
Eric Bellinger
Monica
PJ Morton
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
T-Pain
Usher
The Ashford and Simpson songwriter’s award
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Favorite Song,” Toosii
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage
“Snooze,” SZA
Best dance performance
“Better Thangs,” Ciara Feat. Summer Walker
“Boyfriend,” Usher
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“How We Roll,” Ciara & Chris Brown
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Snooze,” SZA
“Summer Too Hot,” Chris Brown
“Under the Influence,” Chris Brown
Best gospel/inspirational award
“All of the Glory,” Shirley Caesar
“All Things,” Kirk Franklin
“Came Too Far,” Fridayy Feat. Maverick City Music & My Mom
“Cry,” Koryn Hawthorne
“Feel Alright (Blessed),” Erica Campbell
“God Problems,” Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine
“The Journey,” H.E.R.
“Try Love,” Kirk Franklin
HipHopWired Featured Video
Paramount Global, the powerful conglomerate that oversees several major media networks, has decided to end its auction of a majority stake in one of its most notable properties. BET is no longer on the block, which reportedly caused Paramount to suffer a hit to its stock price.
According to a report from Deadline, shares for Paramount Global dropped 2 percent on Thursday (August 17) following news from yesterday that the company is no longer looking to sell a majority stake in BET, which stands for Black Entertainment Television.
More from Deadline:
A source familiar with the discussions told Deadline that Paramount informed bidders for a stake in BET that the process had been halted because the company concluded it wouldn’t create enough value or result in a meaningful reduction of debt. The company has been looking for opportunities to streamline, and just last week announced the sale of book publishing unit Simon & Schuster to KKR for $1.62 billion.
Among the rumored players vying to purchase the BET stake, Tyler Perry, who has a deal with the network, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Byron Allen were all considered frontrunners for the purchase. What this means for BET going forward isn’t known, nor can it be confirmed that further efforts for the sale won’t resurface.
—
Photo: SOPA Images / Getty
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
After at least five months of deliberations, Paramount Global has decided against selling a majority stake in its BET Media Group, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The move to take down the “for sale” sign for the unit — which includes the BET channel, streamer BET+ as well as VH1 and BET Studios — follows publicly expressed interest from the likes of moguls Tyler Perry, Byron Allen, Sean “Diddy” Combs and others in acquiring a majority interest. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported Paramount’s decision to end the bidding process for BET.
Perry is already in business with Paramount via a multiyear content partnership struck in 2019, while Allen has been aiming to expand his TV station empire that counts The Weather Channel and Combs has a TV presence with his Revolt network.
During Paramount’s latest earnings call, on Aug. 7, CEO Bob Bakish was asked about the status of the potential sale and didn’t address BET by name, but replied: “We’re always looking for ways to maximize shareholder value. And as we said before, that might involve divesting, acquiring or potentially partnering on assets all of which we’ve done. But other than that, I’m not going to comment on anything specifically.”
The company has owned BET since 2000, when the Sumner Redstone-led firm then named Viacom snapped up Black Entertainment Television for $2.3 billion in stock and $570 million in debt. At the time, the BET channel was carried in 62.4 million households domestically.
For the past several years, Paramount has been looking to slim down its collection of assets in order to scale up in streaming and burnish its core entertainment portfolio (Paramount Pictures as well as CBS, Showtime, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET and streamers Paramount+ and Pluto TV). That effort has boosted Paramount+ to about 61 million subscribers globally, but the streaming division still isn’t profitable, tallying $424 million in losses in the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the company struck a $1.62 billion deal with private equity giant KKR to sell off major book publisher Simon & Schuster. That sale (a yearslong effort after its first attempt was blocked by a judge over antitrust concerns) followed Paramount selling tech site CNET for $500 million in 2020, CBS’ New York BlackRock headquarters building for $760 million and CBS’ Studio City lot for $1.85 billion in 2021.
Paramount, with its large collection of linear channels, has been subject to headwinds in the industry amid the march of cord-cutting as consumers look beyond pay-TV packages to subscription streaming offerings. In the last quarter alone, more than 1.7 million subscribers were shed by the major pay-TV and cable companies (including Comcast, Charter and DirecTV), per a tally from Leichtman Research.
Affiliate and subscription revenue at Paramount’s TV Media unit was off 2 percent in its most recent quarter, the company disclosed Aug. 7, noting that the decline was “primarily reflecting the impact from subscriber declines, partially offset by pricing increases.”
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Comedian Kevin Hart is officially bringing back BET‘s Comic View, and the event is taking place at the Resorts World in Las Vegas.
“I’m thrilled to partner with BET for the return of ‘Comic View’ as part of Hartbeat Weekend making this can’t-miss celebration of comedy, music and culture,” the comedy giant (uh…so to speak) said, according to Hip Hop DX. “Having hosted ‘Comic View’ in the past, I understand first-hand the incredible platform this franchise offers for comedians to showcase their talents on a national stage and I’m excited to continue that tradition in Las Vegas.”
The reboot will be hosted by Mike Epps and will feature veteran stand-up comedians like Bresha Webb, Tommy Davidson, and Taccara Williams. Wild N’Out‘s D.C. Young Fly will also be hitting the stage.
Oh—and T.I. is going to be there. It’s time for all of us to see how funny (or not funny) the “Trap Musik” originator really is.
From Hip Hop DX:
The news of T.I.’s foray into comedy first broke in early 2022 when footage circulated online showing the Grand Hustle general putting his mic skills to the test at a comedy club. In the two-minute clip, Tip stands on stage and delivers a stand-up routine touching on infidelity.
“If you ever get into the area of cheating, that’s no man’s land,” the Atlanta rapper — who has been married to his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris for 12 years — joked. “Can you be in a committed relationship and still have a friend from the opposite sex? Now, if you fucking, it don’t count!”
Welp, it appears we’ll be finding out soon if the “What You Know” rapper has a future in stand-up comedy, or whether he should be exiting stage left expeditiously.
So, what do y’all think? Are you excited about the return of Comic View? Do you think Tip is going to bring the laughs, or nah?
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
Sherrese Clarke Soares‘ HarbourView Equity Partners and Diddy‘s Revolt are among the bidders finalizing second-round offers to acquire a majority stake in BET Media Group from Paramount Global, according to two sources with knowledge of the talks.
Jesse Collins Entertainment, which produced the Grammys and this year’s SuperBowl halftime performance by Rihanna, is also mulling joining HarbourView and Revolt’s joint offer for the package of networks that includes VH1, said one of the sources, who requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the talks.
Paramount Global is reportedly exploring selling a majority stake in BET Media Group, which includes BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET International, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios and VH1, for as much as $3 billion, as it looks to offload assets like book publisher Simon & Shuster and preschool service Noggin to focus on its streaming business.
Sources say other bidders submitting second-round offers for BET Media Group include Tyler Perry and Byron Allen. Paramount is reportedly looking to finalize deals this fall.
A spokesperson for BET declined to comment for this story.
Soares, whose private equity firm owns rights to songs by regional Mexican trio Eslabon Armado, Luis Fonsi and Florida Georgia Line, confirmed during a red-carpet interview with Billboard at the BET Awards that HarbourView has an active bid for the media group.
“We are here because of how much we support the brand and how excited we are about the opportunity around the brand itself,” Soares said, declining to share further details.
A former Morgan Stanley managing director, Soares founded HarbourView in 2021, initially to acquire publishing and music recording rights — an investment strategy she helped develop as CEO and co-founder of Tempo Music. More recently, Soares has guided HarbourView’s investments in media companies, aiming to build out a distribution network for content soundtracked by artists in its catalog.
In March, HarbourView led a $90 million investment in a minority stake in MACRO, a film, television and branding company founded by Charles D. King, whose projects include Judas and the Black Messiah. Directed by Shaka King, Judas made history in 2021 as the first-ever film with an all-Black production team to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
“Our interest is to be fuel to the entertainment and media segment,” Soares told Billboard at the BET Awards, referencing HarbourView’s investments in catalogs and MACRO. Regarding the results of the bids for BET, Soares said, “We’ll let the cards fall where they may.”
The Impact Atlanta is back. BET+ announced on Tuesday (June 27) that the popular docuseries in partnership with eOne and Quality Films will be returning for a second season. The eight-episode series highlights Atlanta’s most influential young creatives and influencers as they give viewers a look into their lives, featuring important events, conversations, and moments […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bennett Raglin / Getty / The Breakfast Club
Get ready BET and VH1 viewers, Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy, aka The Breakfast Club, are coming.
Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, the famous New York morning show, is coming to BET. The Hollywood Reporter reports the Paramount Global-owned cable outlet and iHeart Media are partnering to “air a daily broadcast of the syndicated Breakfast Club radio show, hosted by Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy.”
BET & Its Sister Network VH1 Will Air A One-Hour Edition of The Show At 9 AM ET on Weekdays Starting April 17.
In a statement, BET CEO and President Scott Mills said, “We’re thrilled to partner with iHeartMedia to bring The Breakfast Club and their unique brand of entertainment and cultural commentary to our audiences.”
He continues, “We recognize the show’s influence and popularity, and we are confident that the partnership will be meaningful to our viewers and to our partners. Hosts Charlamagne and DJ Envy are longtime members of the BET and Paramount family, so we couldn’t be more excited to welcome The Breakfast Club home to BET.”
“What began as a daily morning radio show over a decade ago in New York City has now become a cultural beacon across America. This new partnership with BET will expand the radio show’s reach to millions more watching on this iconic television network,” ohn Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises at iHeartMedia, added.
The Breakfast Club’s Arrival On BET Marks The First Time The Network Will Have Daily Programming Since 106 & Park Ended In 2014.
“BET has been the home of so many cultural institutions, like Rap City and 106 & Park, that have shaped a generation,” Charlamagne Tha God said. “Those shows laid the foundation for The Breakfast Club to stand on and grow into the cultural institution that we have become. We look forward to carrying on the tradition.”
Co-Host DJ Envy added, “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to showcase The Breakfast Club on BET. I love what the new BET is doing!”
This development is interesting. The Breakfast Club used to air on Sean Diddy Comb’s REVOLT Network. Interestingly enough, Combs is one of the names on a short list that includes Tyler Perry and Byron Allen, who want to purchase a majority stake in the company after reports surface that Paramount Global is exploring a sale.
Congrats to the world’s most dangerous morning show.
—
Photo: Bennett Raglin / Getty