R&B/Hip-Hop
Here Are All the Performances From the 2022 BET Awards: Watch
Black art, culture, and pride were all on brilliant display Sunday night (June 26) at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater, where the 2022 BET Awards were held. Celebrating African American contributions to entertainment across film, TV, and music, the show made sure of two things: that several attendees were honored with prestigious awards, and that viewers were treated to an all-star lineup of show-stopping performances. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Kicking off with a glittering opening performance from Lizzo — who came armed with her signature flute and fleet of backup dancers as she performed her Billboard Hot 100 top five hit “About Damn Time” — the BET stage featured numerous main performers and even some surprise guest artists. Latto brough...
Giveon Discusses Debut Album ‘Give or Take’ at 2022 BET Awards
Giveon was all smiles on the 2022 BET Awards red carpet, just two days following the release of his long-awaited debut studio album, Give or Take. The album is a deeply personal 15-track offering, featuring production from Bo-1da, Jahaan Sweet and Sevyn Thomas, among others. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The 27-year-old vocalist says he can finally breathe now that the album is out, but he’s still waiting patiently for fan reactions. “It hasn’t been out long enough for people to really get the exact story because something like this album, it’s gonna take a couple listens for you to really feel it,” he tells Billboard. Give or Take centers on conversations between Giveon and his mother, who was also featured on his 2020 project T...
All the 2022 BET Awards Performances Ranked
The 2022 BET Awards took place in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 26) at the Microsoft Theater, and brought out some of the most prominent artists across the hip-hop, R&B, and Gospel spaces. From Sean “Diddy” Combs anchoring a mega-set for his lifetime achievement award performance to the young stars such as Jack Harlow, Latto, and Ella Mai bringing out household legends, the 2022 BET Awards were an event to behold. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Billboard ranked the performances of the night below. Check it out. 12. FireBoy DML, “Peru” After Tems accepted the award for best collaboration on behalf of Wizkid’s “Essence (Remix),” Africa enjoyed its moment even longer when EMPIRE’s heralded rookie FireBoy DML dished out “Peru.” FireBoy did a com...
Giveon Performs Medley at 2022 BET Awards, Jokes About BET ‘Sabotaging’ His Mic After Technical Issues
Giveon closed out the 2022 BET Awards with a laid-back performance of some of his fan favorites at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 26) — and rolled with some unexpected technical issues. Sporting a black studded button-down, white pants and black boots, the Long Beach native performed soft and shortened versions of his Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit “Heartbreak Anniversary,” “For Tonight” and “Lie Again” with a live band. The singer seemed to have technical difficulties while singing though, forcing him to awkwardly switch microphones before singing the latter song. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Following the performance, he jokingly tweeted, “Not @BET sabotaging my mic,” along with six cry-laughing emojis. He also ...
Silk Sonic, Kendrick Lamar & More Record-Setters at 2022 BET Awards
Silk Sonic, Kendrick Lamar and Tems were the top winners at the 2022 BET Awards, which were presented Sunday (June 26) at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Each won two awards. Silk Sonic took album of the year for An Evening With Silk Sonic and best group for the second year in a row. In addition, the duo’s Anderson .Paak was named video director of the year. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Lamar won best male hip-hop artist for a record fifth time. He had shared the record for most wins in the category with Drake with four wins each. Lamar also took video of the year for “Family Ties,” a collab with his cousin, Baby Keem. Tems took best international act and also best collaboration for Wizkid’s “Essence” on which she was featured (along ...
Jack Harlow Brings Out Brandy, Lil Wayne & DJ Drama for 2022 BET Awards Performance
After showing his support for Lil Nas X on the 2022 BET Awards red carpet, Jack Harlow continued to surprise the crowd for his performance at the awards show held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Sunday (June 26). In what looked like a kickback in a makeshift basement, Harlow sported an all black outfit with a silver chain as he began his set with “Poison.” DJ Drama provided the sounds for the set as the Louisville rapper delivered his verse on the Come Home the Kids Miss You album cut. Lil Wayne then stepped in to deliver his featured verse on the track. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Transitioning into his second and final song of the evening, “First Class” — which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart back in April — Harlow...
How the BET Awards Are Responding to Lil Nas X, Celebrating Diddy & Leaning ‘Into the Music’
It’ll be “Culture’s Biggest Night.” That’s what BET Networks is promising when the 2022 BET Awards air live Sunday (June 26) at 8 p.m. EST. And with host Taraji P. Henson presiding over a performance lineup that boasts a newly added Lil Wayne joining Lizzo, Jack Harlow, Latto, Muni Long, Roddy Ricch and many others, the promise sounds more like a guarantee. And that’s not even counting the artists who will be paying tribute to this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, Sean “Diddy” Combs: Mary J. Blige, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Faith Evans and Bryson Tiller, among others. “This year we said, ‘Let’s really lean into the music,’” says BET CEO Scott Mills. “And it’s going to be great.” The awards show is not without controversy, however. Earlier this month, Lil Nas X slammed the BET Awards aft...
Nipsey Hussle Murder Trial Marked by Witnesses’ Reluctance to Testify
A judge issued a warrant Thursday for an eyewitness to the shooting death of rapper Nipsey Hussle for failing to appear to testify at the trial of the man charged in the slaying, and in his absence a police detective testified on the reluctance of witnesses that has marked the case. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Evan “Rimpau” MacKenzie, a close friend of Hussle’s who was a pallbearer at his funeral and was standing next to him when he was shot, has repeatedly ignored subpoenas ordering him to appear and testify for the prosecution, resulting in Judge H. Clay Jacke II issuing a bench warrant with $500,000 bail. “Mr. Mackenzie, did he express a reluctance to testify?” Aaron Jansen, attorney for defendant Eric Holder, asked Los...
Lil Nas X Takes Direct Aim at BET in ‘Late to Da Party’ Feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again: Stream Now
Lil Nas X‘s new single “Late to Da Party” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again has arrived — and he’s taking direct aim at BET. After weeks of the rapper sharing his displeasure with the network after he received zero nominations for Sunday’s BET Awards, the song both starts and ends with the chant “F— BET (yeah), f— BET (yeah), f— BET (yeah, yeah).” The track dropped first thing Friday (June 24), following a slew of Lil Nas X’s punchy promos, which included jokes and insults aimed at BET. “LATE TO DA PARTY OUT TONIGHT!” the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper captioned a Star Wars-themed parody video the morning of release day. The video text opens with an explicit message for BET, then continues in yellow text on black background, a la the films: “NBA YOUNGBOY is on house arres...
RIP Lead Singles: Why Hip-Hop Titans Are Dropping Full Albums All at Once
Future’s “Wait For U” has quickly become one of the year’s biggest hits, as the Drake– and Tems-featuring R&B track logs another frame in this week’s Hot 100 top five. And an integral part of the song’s success — like many other recent hits in the genre — is that fans helped choose it. I Never Liked You marked Future’s eighth No. 1 project on the Billboard 200, bowing with 222,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending May 5, according to Luminate – the biggest week for any 2022 album at that point and the biggest first-week number for any Future solo album. During the same week that I Never Liked You debuted at No. 1, “Wait For U” raced to the top of the Hot 100 as the clear focus track from the album. [embedded content] Yet the song, which sits at No. 3...
Beyonce Drops ‘Break My Soul’ Early, Fans Are Buzzing
Queen Bey is back, and the BeyHive is buzzing! Beyonce’s forthcoming album Renaissance is expected to drop July 29, that much we know, thanks to cryptic messages posted to the superstar singer’s website and socials. The first single lifted from it is “Break My Soul,” which fans were expecting to drop at midnight. Beyonce is one for surprises and “Break My Soul” dropped early, at about 10pm ET Monday. On it, Big Freedia can be heard chanting, “Release your anger, release your mind.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Renaissance is the followup to 2016’s LP Lemonade, Beyonce’s sixth straight leader on the Billboard 200 chart. Based on folks close to the recording, the new LP has elements of country and the dance-floor, the latter conf...
Big Freedia Talks ‘Surreal’ Collaboration With Beyonce on ‘Break My Soul’
No one is more excited about Beyonce’s new single than Big Freedia. As the guest vocalist on “Break My Soul,” the New Orleans bounce artist has good reason. Queen Bey’s Renaissance era begins with “Break My Soul,” which dropped late Monday night (June 20), and, in true Beyonce fashion, came as a big, early surprise. At the moment of release, Big Freedia was feeling the love, and tripping out a touch. Soon after, she turned to social media to give a shout out to her collaborator. “It feels surreal to be on the track with the Queen Beyonce,” Freedia writes. “Once again I’m so honored to be apart of this special moment. I’m forever grateful lord.” After a smattering of emojis, she pleaded, “someone please catch me.” It’s not Freedia’s first experience of this kind. She made a notable con...
