Soundcheck: Stars Go Big At BET Awards
posted in: Music News • Urban
When the 2011 BET Awards hit Los Angeles, it was a whirlwind weekend of parties, performances and puzzling moments. The festivities began Thursday night with Def Jam hosting a star-studded party at LA’s Rolling Stone Lounge at Hollywood & Highland. Fans clammored outside to catch a peak of their favorite artists coming down the red carpet before entering the packed venue. Inside, stars like Busta Rhymes, DJ Khaled and Ne-Yo partied ’til the wee hours, sipping Ciroq cocktails and enjoying the scene.
Sunday’s performances started off a little rocky to say the least. Rick Ross opened the show with a medley of his current hits, starting off with his eerily contagious “Aston Martin Music” featuring Ciara. Problem was, Ciara was not in the building, and Ross awkwardly waited while her hook played over the speaker until his rap verse was on. Equally confusing was the fact that Drake, who was in the house, did not perform his hook either, leaving lots of dead stage time while his part played as well. He was joined by Lil Wayne and Ace Hood to perform their (kinda old) hit, “Hustle Hard”. The hard-bodied Ace was no match for Ross, who decided his belly needed to breathe by the last song, shocking unsuspecting fans in the front row with his less than tight frame.
Chris Brown took home the first award of the night for Best Male R&B Artist, and ultimately took the title of Video Of The Year and Best Collaboration for “Look At Me Now” featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. Brown quickly accepted the statue, thanking fans and admitting that “public speaking isn’t my strong suit.” Good choice, Chris.
His performance was a dance-heavy medley of hits that started off a bit confusing with Brown in an oddly-shaped, oversized suit that seemed like a prop that never served its purpose. After a wardrobe switch, he heated up the dance floor and proved why despite his attitude, he’s still a top-notch entertainer.
Willow and Jayden Smith shared the honor of winning the Young Entertainer Award, with the siblings sharing the excitement of their first award onstage together, with proud parents Will and Jada beaming in the audience.
The best performance of the night came from Jill Scott, who looked ravishing in red during her speakeasy-themed performance of “Rolling Hills” that looked more like a perfect scene out of a Broadway play than an awards show slot.
Other standout performances came from Kelly Rowland, who gave a steamy rendition of “Motivation” sans Weezy, debuting some dance moves we forgot she had. Beyoncé performed via satellite from Glastonbury, England, belting out “Best Thing I Never Had” and “End Of Time” live from the famed festival. Alicia Keys premiered her post-baby bod during her medley which included classic hits like “A Woman’s Worth” and “Fallin'” and featured a guest appearance by Bruno Mars.
Cee Lo Green kicked off the night’s tribute to Patti LaBelle, this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, in the weirdest outfit I’ve ever seen on television. Marsha Ambrosius and Shirley Caesar also took the stage to honor the legendary singer. Snoop Dogg and Warren G also paid tribute that night, honoring their fallen friend, Nate Dogg, with a revival of “Regulate.”
Noticeably missing from the building was Rihanna, who was nominated in several categories. In one of the night’s more confusing moments, the Viewer’s Choice Award winner was announced first as Chris Brown, then Rihanna, then Drake, who came up to accept the award, saying “This is awkward.” He proceeded to thank RiRi for the opportunity and then said, “Over your ex so your girl’s at my next show” and walked off the stage. Was that a dig at Chris? Was the whole thing a scripted set-up? Adding even more question marks to the equation was the fact had BET announced post-show that the actual winner was indeed, Chris Brown.
Overall, the show was less than stellar. The disjointed script, weird performances, and plenty of “what just happened?” moments, made me long for some new faces on the hip hop scene.