Rihanna, Cardi B., Lil Nas X, City Girls and Mary J. Blige took centerstage at the 2019 BET Awards, which publicized live Sunday night from Los Angeles. Host Regina Hallkicked off the entertainment industry’s most-entertaining award’s show with an ode to Washington D.C.’s own Go Go Music, as the band E.U. performed lasting gathering hit “Da Butt.” E.U. frontman Sugar Bear made that big stage with King for a blingtastic, red and black extravaganza.
Starting there on the awards ceremony swung forward and backward among excitement and social activity going from a vivacious wedding-dressed performance by Lizzo to an award granted to DC donor (Candice Payne) who moved 122 homeless people into hotels during the 2019 polar vortex.
Highlights of the night included queen of hip hop soul Mary J. Blige’s receipt of an exceptional honor that was committed by Rihanna: the BET Lifetime Achievement Award. In the wake of tolerating the statue, Blige rushed off stage, changed garments and returned to sing an aggregation of her classics, including “My Life,” “You Remind Me” and “I’m Going Down.”
Blige’s performance took watchers of a particular age through a world of fond memories, to when Blige’s sultry and cheeky interpretation of music changed the American cultural scene until the end of time. Technique Man and Lil Kim additionally joined Blige in front of an audience to play out a bunch of group satisfying hits. Truth be told, for “I’m Going Down,” Blige didn’t have to sing at all in light of the fact that the group did.
“Although I am a leader, a queen, a living legend, although I’m all these things I’m a servant as well and I’m here to serve. Being a servant is not always glamorous or popular but it’s the job and the assignment that I was given. In order to be in authority, I had to learn how to come under authority. When the glory is placed on me, I give it back to God. This journey has always been bigger than me.”
Other outstanding parts of the night incorporated a live performance by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, who brought a whole “Old Town Road” line dance vibe to the BET Awards. (It truly was a joy watching stars like Rihanna and Cardi B celebrate Lil Nas X.) Black-ish actress and Little executive producer Marsai Martin took home best young talent, snagging her BET award in a crowded and talented field. The best gospel album went to Snoop Dogg featuring Rance Allan, “Blessing Me Again.”
A short list of extra victors incorporate BlacKkKlansman for best best picture. Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy won best album. The BET Awards also honored the “exonerated five”, who once were known as “the Central Park Five” and are the subject of the much-discussed, Ava Duvernay-directed Netflix film When They See Us. And best international act went to Burna Boy, originally from Nigeria. The 2019 Coca Cola Viewers Choice award went to Ella Mai for “Trip.”
Hall brought a light touch to the festival with brilliant outfit changes and a bunch of genuine jokes that poked, for instance, at reality of improvement in the place where she grew up while likewise featuring the way of life of DC. Hall said she planned her work with the awards to be an ode of sorts to DC culture and her jokes certainly reflected that – from discussion on Marion Berry to bringing Taraji P. Henson (who is from DC) up on stage to dance.