The BET Awards Honored 50 Years Of Hip-Hop — With No Host Or Script

Busta Rhymes has been due a lifetime achievement award for a while now. Busta is truly a visionary and hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves for his avant garde approach to rap at all until now (I’m looking at you, VMAs). And you can tell these flowers mean so much to him. I was surprised that he teared up initially, then I remembered how often our rap pioneers and icons don’t get the credit they deserve. I’m happy he’s getting his flowers while he’s still able to smell them. Definitely one of the highlights of the show.

Not Busta saying “long story short” and then proceeding to give a 30 minute speech. — Taryn

Why has Busta Rhymes been on stage for an hour? — Taryn

TRUTH IS I’M TIRED. OPTIONS ARE FEW. — Erin

So, Ice Spice following Fat Joe & co. was ... unexpected, but geographically, it makes sense. Three songs was a bit too much, but if you like it, I love it, I guess. Was so happy to see Kali on the Amplified stage! “Area Codes” has been doing numbers on the clock app, and the song transcends generations, actually. I randomly blurt out “Got a white boy on my roster / he be feeding me pasta and lobster” at least once a day. Excited to see where Kali’s rap career goes.

Damn, remember Fyre Fest — or what was supposed to be Fyre Fest. I haven’t seen Ja Rule since that debacle. But everyone is on their feet. But where is Lil’ Mo? That’s my girl! — Erin

If Ja Rule and Fat Joe performed “What’s Luv?” that would be very pleasing to me … – Ruth

Not me being excited to see Ja Rule! I’m not gonna lie, it honestly wouldn’t be a hip-hop 50th tribute without him. He really had the radio on lock for a hot minute (until, you know, the 50 Cent of it all). Love that he stopped scamming people and decided to rest a little more on his laurels. — Taryn

I was so excited when it was announced that Patti LaBelle was doing the tribute to Tina Turner. Well, it quickly took a turn for the worse when I could hear the background singer over her. And then she was stumbling over her words. My word. I’m surprised she took it in stride without that teleprompter. They shoulda had Angela Bassett get up there for all this. — Erin

“I’m trying, y’all!” —Patti LaBelle trying her damnedest to tribute Tina Turner.

This felt like when she sang at the 1996 White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony and was looking for her background singers. Because of how much I love that video, I was low-key getting my life. But then I remembered this was supposed to be THE Tina Turner tribute because it was Patti LaBelle signing it and on BET.

They did Tina dirty and I don’t like that. I know there have been sound issues all night, but damn! It’s almost as if there were no sound checks at all with all these blatant hiccups. Ms. Turner, I am so sorry. You deserved better. — Taryn

Christ on Earth. What is going ON?! Exactly that, Taryn! I couldn’t tell if the audio was tripping again, or if a background singer was doing too much. But I’m in disbelief. It makes me wonder if she was a last-minute selection for the tribute, or like you said, Taryn, there was maybe one rehearsal. And the way Patti just exited the stage and said, “Bye, y’all!” I need a meme or GIF of that. — Ruth

As a Georgian, I am having a ball during this segment. T.I. and Jeezy on the same stage? A treat. Fun fact: Although Jeezy claims ATL, he has some roots in my hometown. His music video for "Where I'm From" was shot in Macon. — Ruth

Let me tell you. I love me some Jeezy. Love. Love. I love Master P’s energy. He running around the stage like it is 1998. Love it. — Erin

Listen. I was raised in the Midwest, but I’ve always been a child of Southern rap. This portion right here was it for me. Every performance, a bop. The only thing that would’ve made it even better is if we got OutKast up there. — Taryn

All hail the queen of the South. — Erin

Period. And I hate the FCC for preventing us from getting the explicit version of “Nann N***a.” — Taryn

IT’S GIVING BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST! It’s giving boss bitch! I was very pleased to see Latto shouting out the other rap girlies — Flo Milli, Maiya the Don, Doechii, all of whom I adore — and I love this for her. The shoe moment with her sister Brooklyn Nicole was absolutely adorable. Imagine being so excited that you literally fall out of them “bottega heels in the club” that you rapped about. I love it.

To see Quavo and Offset sharing a stage after reportedly falling out following Takeoff’s death? I don’t know what strings had to be pulled, but this is so major. Migos were the soundtrack to my childhood. They paved the way for a new generation of Georgia rap, and I’m so happy to see them performing again. I know it isn’t the same without Takeoff (and it will never be), but I really hope they can mend fences one day. — Ruth

Oh wowww! This honestly fills my heart to see Offset and Quavo back onstage together for the first time since not only Takeoff’s death but since Migos split. This moment is so important and a true tribute to Takeoff. The image of Take in the middle of these two brothers bonded by what they’ve been able to create together is amazing. More of this, please. R.I.P. Takeoff. — Taryn

I love Migos. I’m so glad Quavo and Offset came together for this performance. I love them. They have so many gym bops. What a huge moment — Erin

Teyana Taylor won Video Director of the Year — and got a FaceTime call from her mom as she went up to accept the award. This might be a BET Awards first and I’m living for it. Her mom was the best for calling her from the stage, especially because Teyana has been in her BAG with the visuals. Too bad we couldn’t hear a word she said though. Only at the BET Awards would they let that happen, lol. — Taryn

The sound problems on this call were almost as bad as the sound on the pre-show. But so, so glad Teyana "Spike Tey" Taylor got the award for Video Director of the Year. She's done a lot of great work with artists recently. — Erin

That mic is AWN! Coco has really worked so hard for this moment. I’m tearing up! — Ruth

And I love this song! — Erin

Shoutout to Warren G, Yo-Yo and Tyga, who all just performed in the blink of an eye. I almost wish they woulda ordered these in a timeline. ‘Cause I have whiplash. — Erin

The West Coast loves them some Tyga, and I’m gonna let them have it. — Taryn

Tyga’s “Rack City” gives me very specific adolescent flashbacks. That song was everywhere: dances, parties, sweet sixteens. You name it. — Ruth

Another super viral song! I love me some Latto, so I’m happy to see her perform. I’d watch her open an envelope, to be honest. — Erin

This subtle Shawty Lo tribute is everything this performance needed. I’m also happy she didn’t bust out of a plastic bag because that trend gives me anxiety. – Taryn

Latto is my problematic fave, admittedly, and I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this performance, from the set design to the visuals and costuming. Now, I will say, though, many online allege that she was lip syncing — or trying to make it look like she wasn’t. Quite frankly, there likely are backing tracks or pre-recorded tracks at these award shows. Personally, I was just having a good time screaming “PUT IT ON DA FLOOR!” at my television screen. — Ruth

Coco Jones has had a JOURNEY, and thankfully for all of us, she kept pushing. Love the success streak that she’s on right now and this win is so well deserved. — Taryn

She has come SUCH a long way from her “Let It Shine” days. (If you know, you know.) So glad BET is giving Coco her flowers, whereas the Mickey Mouse house didn’t. Hindsight is 20/20! — Ruth

I’m LOVING this tribute to Biz. Singing along with the TV and everything. I can tell BET is about to do hip-hop right with this tribute. — Taryn

I have a fun memory at a party deejayed by Biz Markie. He was the DJ at The Root's inaugural ball for President Barack Obama. My mom and I had a ball that night. — Erin

D-Nice raps? Where I been at lol. A little hip-hop history for me. I just knew him as a DJ. Dope to know he had a whole rap career in the '80s. — Taryn

Yeah, I had NO idea. I’m so used to him being behind the turntables. Man, remember how crucial he was to our entertainment in the early days of the pandemic? Whew. — Erin

THE VOICE IS ON THE MIC! MC Lyte has been the voice of the BET Awards for years, so it’s so good to see her onstage doing the damn thing. — Taryn

Yes, she’s always behind the scenes doing her thing so it’s great to see her take the stage. — Erin

Makes my heart so happy. Haven’t seen her o- screen since her “Half and Half” days on UPN! — Ruth

What’s wild is that she has a whole TV show! “Partners in Crime” on the streaming service allBlk. — Erin

I love how "Just Wanna Rock" has, like, five words but Uzi manages to make a whole production out of it. I dig it as an opener, especially as a new school joint going straight into Sugar Hill Gang’s performance. — Taryn

I just wanna rock, AH! Very Philly, very Gen Z. I think Culture Shifter Sean Bankhead choreographed Lil Uzi Vert’s opening performance, per his Instagram. We love to see it. — Ruth

Tonight is just going to be me being like, “Oh, that’s who does that TikTok song!” — Erin

The 2023 BET Awards is having some absolutely horrific sound issues at its pre-show special. It sounds like a static-y mess as performers hop on the stage before the awards ceremony begins at 8 p.m. ET. JW Velly, the artist behind the viral TikTok song “Pretty Girls Walk,” performed to a crowd outside the Microsoft Center seemingly without a hitch to the audience, who cheered her on. But at home, several HuffPost reporters – who were watching through livestreams and on the BET Network itself — were struggling to understand anything. Unclear what exactly is happening — but at one point the sound completely went out.

(Pictured: Mr. 106 & Park himself, Bow Wow.)