On instagram and as part of the conversation, BET International responded to the deepening backlash that this year’s International Act (Africa & UK) Awards were once again given to the winners backstage (see below)—by saying, the awards were not given backstage.
Interestingly, BET is just being technical and I wrote in my previous article that, “By back stage, it includes the shady pre-event recording which features African Acts each year.“
Giving out the International Act (Africa & UK) Awards in a near empty auditorium, many hours before the main event— is ‘BACKSTAGE in this discussion’. All we are saying is, these awards should also be part of the main event—therefore even if you decide to give it out on the plane, it wouldn’t be part of the main event and that would be disrespectful (classified as back stage, perhaps, they want us to say off stage).
What is the point in making these artistes fly for about 8-14 hours to LA, just to give them their awards separately, as though they have some contagious disease.
If genuinely BET is unable to give all the awards including that of the International Act (Africa & UK) on the main stage because of time constraints, then why don’t they run a rota on which awards get to be on the main stage and which does not?
So that eventually, we will also be awarded on the mainstage per the rota—and then they can try to award Nicki Minaj or Kanye West during this their pre-event empty auditorium recording that they seem so proud of and do not want us to call it backstage…
Then they will get a punch in their face from Kanye and Nicki…
Cheeky!
So far, UK based Ghanaian artiste-Fuse ODG and Nigeria’s Wizkid have lashed out at BET for their unending disrespect to the acts who fall within their International category (Africa & UK). Nigeria’s rising musician-Yemi Alade also slammed BET for this but she cowardly deleted her messages later…
READ ALSO: Open Letter To BET Awards | Why Do You Keep Messing With Us?
Many award shows do this. No one has time to sit in front of their TV’s to watch each and every single person receive an award, give a speech and then take their time in walking off the stage. It’s unfortunate African acts and U.K acts (except Sam Smith because they must have forgotten he’s not American and would have been allowed to walk on that stage if he thought he’d win and had shown up), get treated that way but think about this. The only way an African/U.K act gets to walk on any award show stage is if they are recognized world wide and not just in Africa. They’d have to have their music being played on every radio station out here. Do the math. It’s sad but true.
till youve said it all i dont know why people dont get this. The award is too long as it is, this is done at the grammys and other award shows. If you want to be awarded at the main stage then push and strive to become and international artist. Essentially it is an American show for American artists. They do what they can to promote these artists when they are nominated. Unfortunately advertisers need relevant artists on the tv screen. Its a business at the end of the day and no one is forcing the artists to show up they can choose not to…