I enjoyed the 2005 BET Awards. It was fun, entertaining, and full of intentional (and unintentional) surprises.
Here are my thoughts on this year's show:
-BET pulled an MTV Video Music Awards-like opening stunt by somehow reuniting The Fugees on national TV for the first time in years. Unfortunately, the performance wasn't as good as it could've been. It was nice to see the three of them together again. Frankly, I was happy to see that Pras hadn't disappeared off the face of the Earth. Lauryn Hill looked a little off during the performance and didn't sound all that good. However, I was amazed that she was able to perform for the 10+ minutes that she did without freaking out as she did in recent performances. Just when you think things might be okay for her, she backs out of the show's closing performance, one that was hyped by the announcer a few times as one "you will not forget." I guess that's true...we won't forget it because there was nothing to forget.
-I enjoyed Will & Jada as hosts. I liked how both of them weren't shy about poking fun at themselves. They looked they enjoyed hosting and they always looked comfortable. Their entrance, an homage to the classic Eddie Murphy comedy Coming To America, was great, right down to them walking on money instead of rose petals. I also liked their reunions with castmates from their past (Jada with the ladies of the film Set It Off, Will with most of the cast of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air). All in all, they did a very nice job. I bet Will will be receiving some calls to host another awards show (the Oscars, perhaps?) in the future.
-The moment of the night clearly belonged to Terrence Howard. The look on his face as Beyoncé did a lapdance for him during Destiny's Child's performance of "Cater 2 U" was great. I could imagine his thoughts: "Oh my God! I'm the luckiest man in America!"
-Even though Missy lip-synched her performance of "Lose Control," it was an incredibly high-energy performance. I want that juke remix of "Lose Control" on my computer right now.
-The Game put in a pretty nice mostly solo performance. There were no disses of 50 Cent or G-Unit to be found, no random shouts of "G-U-Not!" or anything like that. The violins were a nice touch as was Mary J. Blige appearing to sing part of her "Hate It Or Love It" remix.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dee
I found the BET awards to be coming alone. It was finally not ghetto ass hell. Will and Jada did and excellent job hosting the show. It was no Mo'nique. But all in all an excellent job.
The show could have had a little more "real singing" acts. Destiny's Child showed why they are the best selling female group of all time. Their actual singing was very well harmonized, fresh and showed each member's vocal talent. Who can't forget the lap dance..
Omarion's act was very sorry. He should have gone to a club if he wanted to dance. Ciarra wasn't impressive at all but we all know her vocals aren't the best.
2 - Divante
Alicia Keys accepting her award for Best Female R&B Artist was my highlight.
It is about time the BET judging panel recognised her as not only an incredible artist/performer,but also as an individual deserving BET Awards.
She has been nominated so many times but "lossed-out" the same number of times.
Congratulations girl!!!!!!
3 - COOKIE
I REALLY ENJOYED THE 2005 BET AWARDS. MY HAT GOES OFF TO FANTASIA. SHE BLEW. AND TINA MARIE I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO LOOSE IT, BUT SHE PULLED IT OFF. WE ALL KNOW SHE LOVED THAT MAN.
4 - Eric Olsen
thanks Ster, very well done and timely!
5 - Silas Kain
For the first time in recent weeks, Tom Cruise made a public appearance that was actually restrained. It's funny that it was, at all places, at the BET Awards.
He probably had to restrain himself from all the fine men that were at the Awards. I'm sure many were asking if he was on the 'down low' backstage.
6 - Serena
I think the awards were actually good this year. Like a previous poster said they weren't "as ghetto." I was praying it there wouldn't be a Source Awards type brawl there.
7 - Jennifer Dacius
I think BET Awards 2005 was the best ever. Will & Jada and the rest of team did a great Job. The people were nice and enjoying themselves. The most memorable part of the night for me was when Will shared a story about one trip he did in Africa and said how the people view us as The Impossible...It really convinced me that we need to be examples to one another not hating one each other (in success). Everything was great!! I had a good time watching from the Start to the End. Thanks BET :o)
8 - mya
I thought the performance were great except for O...it sucked.
I also found it not so good because many of the winners were not even there?
9 - lauren
did anyone think Mariah Carey was going to fall over during her song? I think she is awesome.. i am not use what happened last night.
10 - Earl
Thanks for mentioning the disapperance of Lauryn Hill. I thought I was hearing things are going crazy because she was suppose to perform but did not. Not sure if Will or Jada were instructed not to say anything but why didn't someone make a reference. Also, If Lauryn performed would Stevie have been able to sing Happy B-Day BET at the end???
11 - Al
I thought Stevie Wonder was absolutely fabulous!! The whole audience stood up as soon as he started dancing! And the song was great. It's a shame the single didn't make the top 40, like it deserved. He's not just a legend, he's now.
12 - kevin
mariah did her thing last night. especially considering shes been singing so much at all of these awards shows. even though her voice wasnt at it's best, she still sounded off the hook
13 - Rdizzal
the show was great overall, i was sad that lauryn was not performing at the end, what the hell is going on? anywho i did not like the fact that BET is behind on being up to date with songs and records, people who's songs were hot like 2 years ago WON? still not understanding that one? ALSO, where were the people who did win, no one showed up for the awards..... i was glad to see them show more celebrities in the audience....compared to last year.....was this show really live? i thought i heard it was previously recorded? well wonder what it will be like next year? will and jada did GREAT very tasteful and classy.....
14 - Larry Holmes
What type of sunglasses was Mike Jones wearing during the BET awards 2005? What type of sunglasses was Paul Wall wearing also?
15 - Dan S.
Mariah's voice was rough (probably from so many TV performances-I hope!)and she seemed to be in a hurry to finish the performance and leave...she wasn't even interviewed on the post-show or any of the "entertainment news" programs. I hope nothing's wrong "behind the scenes"!
16 - Brian
Mairah did sound a little off last night but i think her voice is just tired or something she still sounded awesome though and i liked the way she performed the song, very classy. I think even though she was having a bad performance she still sounded better than half of the singers out there. She showed why she is one of the biggest artists in history not because she was at her best but becuase she pulled through.
17 - niyshay
I think that this was the the bes BET Awards Show out of all of them. I was not to fond of the way lauryn hill sang she sounded a hot mess. My favorite part of the show was to see terrence howars face when beyonce gave him that lap dance. i wonder how jay z felt
18 - Howdy
I cant believe Alicia Keys won Best R&B female. That song is 2years old???????
That award should have went to Mariah Carey, she was robbed!
19 - Lee S.
I don't know what's wrong with you people, but Mariah sounded fine. She added in some higher notes and a little of gospel at the end during the climax; this might have thrown some people off, but I considered it to be perfect. Humm, maybe it was performance anxiety from having to please too many people like you.
Lee
20 - tay
giving to much credit to beyonce's lapdance. Anyone could do that. Will Smith did it.
21 - Rdizzal
lee s, miriah WAS sick, you have a bad ear....anyone could hear that she was not at her best, of course we all know she can sing she was just sick.....
22 - momo
sorry but mariah was just georgous, she don't use high notes or something like that to give us emotions. she was classy, beautiful.
she was perfect even if her voice was not at her best.
23 - fethi
i'm sorry guys but try to sing the song We belong together it' very difficult song i think she did something special and nice, she really strong this song because it's very quick the lyrics like a rap song,
so she was very nice...
24 - fgdsgs
gucci shades
25 - Queen MJ
Great BET Awards commentary HERE from DaveyD.com...
Somethings to Ponder-Random Observations About the BET Awards in LA
by Davey D
So the BET Awards came through LA this week and put everything on tilt for the 3 days all the festivities and parties were in place. There’s so much to cover and so much to say that it’s hard to know where to began…
I guess we should start with what down last night at the show itself. After being holed up in the Radio Room for two days where every major celebrity/rap star swung through no one had any idea that Wyclef Jean, Pras and Lauryn Hill were in the building. It was one of the best kept secrets to come along in a long time. Needless to say when they hit the stage to open up the show everyone was stunned. The Fugees were back.
Now I will have to admit Lauryn who had just made headlines a couple of weeks before for exuding bizarre behavior at a concert wasn’t exactly on point when it came to hitting all her notes for classic gems like ‘Killing me Softly’, but who cares? It’s been a while, she’s been through a lot-so she gets a pass. I was just glad to see her back on stage trying to work it out. Whatever internal drama she’s had or is going through we hope, pray and encourage her to keep keeping on…
The bottom line is Hip Hop needs the Fugees. Their return to the fold may send an even stronger message to folks that it’s possible to move forward, heal old wounds and create brighter tomorrows... Speaking of which, word around town is that EPMD is about to get back together… I didn’t know they were apart, but hey I’m all about Unity in the Community…
This leads me to my next subject. The man they call Game. He did a good set last night. He obviously knows what needs to be done when you have a big posse and you wanna bring them all on stage. You don’t have them stand around grabbing mics and looking all sloppy. You line them up, get them synchronized, have them all wear the same shirts and put them to work. In this case it was good to see all the Black Wall Street cats doing a little two step routine on stage and if I heard it correctly even harmonizing. Rappers take note that’s how it should be done-no one on stage unless they are an active part of the show. Also him and his son rocking ‘Hate It or Love It’ with Mary J Blige was a good look.
I didn’t hear any G-Unit disses which was good. I’m glad he had some sense to tone it down especially since he was all about it at the Laugh Factory a couple of days earlier.
For those who don’t know, Chocolate Sundays is a big time thing in LA at this comedy spot. Game was in the building with his whole BWS posse. The host gave him his dap for being one of the many celebrities in the building and Game decided to be a part of the show and offered up a few G-Unit jokes. I couldn’t make out the first one, but the second crack was something about Olivia getting Tony Yayo pregnant. Maybe his timing was off or something 'cause the joke kinda fell flat for me…but the cats wearing those new G-Unot shirts thought it was funny and let out a few hearty laughs. I’ll give it to Game cause he did walk around the place and was cool with folks and showed the peeps some love.. I just wish the G-Unit beef would disappear…
Later that evening Game had a run in of sorts with another guy known for beefs-Mr. Suge Knight. Record executive Steve Stoute had a big time shin dig at the Sunset Room. Everybody who was anybody was there. The event went off without a hitch until the end when people were leaving. Now here’s where things get a little fuzzy because I didn’t see the actual incident and there are a few versions to the story.
The popular one that’s been circulating by people who claim to have seen it says. Game was with a couple of his cats when he and Suge crossed paths, a couple of things were said and the next thing you know one of the cats with Suge starts swinging on Game. Game does a few head bops to avoid getting hit, cats from both camps stand their ground ready for action and then some of Game’s BWS posse wisely pluck him from the scene before it gets too crazy. No one got hit, there was no bloodshed, no gunplay or nothing like that. I'm not quite sure why there was even a problem but it had everyone buzzing.
Moving along, major props go out to everybody’s favorite rapper Mike Jones. I got a chance to chop it up with dude yesterday and he’s really humble for a cat that has the whole world saying his name and knowing his phone number. When we talked he explained that he is really grateful for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon him. He was very passionate when he explained how it was his late grandmother who encouraged him to keep his head up and strive forward at a time when he was getting frustrated and ready to give up. In fact it was her who asked the 64 thousand dollar question-‘Who is Mike Jones?’ He noted that she never got a chance to see him blow up to the level that he’s at now, hence he dedicated his album to her and let the world know that she was his inspiration.
Mike Jones has made it a point to follow through on his grandmother’s philosophy of reaching out and helping others less fortunate. He talked about how important it is for all of us to open doors for those coming behind us and to be willing to take a chance on someone who is up and coming. He noted that’s what he’s doing with his company Ice Age Entertainment and he wants others to do the same. The days of not having much and struggling to get on have not escaped Mr. Jones even though he was the man of the hour.
Finally Mike Jones, explained the real reason for behind him saying his real phone number in many of his songs. Apparently, when he started creating a buzz for himself in his native Houston, there were a number of shady characters who went around trying to pass themselves off as Mike Jones and get booked for shows. So to protect himself and not have any middle men who could mislead folks, he started shouting out his phone number in all of his songs. That practice carried over to this day. If you call his number (281) 330-8004, you just might get him.
Props go out to the Youngbloodz who I also got to spend some time with. I asked them about their new song ‘Presidential’ and why they changed the name. The original title was called ‘George Bush’ and basically as they explain it, it means living a lavish lifestyle… However, to avoid any Outkast vs. Rosa Parks situations, the label pushed to change the name and leave GW alone. The YBz noted that they have invested their money wisely with the purchase of a new restaurant in Atlanta being the most noteworthy. They said it’s a combination Cuban and Soul Food. None of the guys are Cuban, but they like to be diverse and their Uncle runs the joint.
I ran into the one and only Flava Flav who said he’s working on a brand new movie called the Fight Pitt. I can’t remember all the details, but he said he was going to be playing the best friend of a fighter. He said all he needed was one chance to get his shine on and the Reality Shows he's been in have opened a lot of doors. He also noted that the romance between him and Brigette Neilson is dead. He humorously stated ‘That’s a dead horse’ and he started singing a little song re-emphasizing the point.
Chingy is also starring in a new movie. Sadly I can’t recall the name of it and sadly Chingy couldn’t remember the character he played. I know, I know, we’re both sad for that but he will be in a movie so watch out Hollywood. Hip Hop is taking over. Speaking of which, some enterprising cat needs to set up something to take advantage of all the Hip Hop talent making their way onto the big screen. We need to have our own Hollywood complete with an acting academy, screenwriting workshops and infrastructure, but that’s another story…
Some other notes regarding the BET Awards… Props to Will and Jada for doing a good job and hopefully giving those of us in Hip Hop a glimpse of what a loving, caring fun relationship could and should be about. Forget the dysfunctional scenarios we experience when watching Nick and Jessica or Britney and Kevin. I’d rather see Will and Jada do their thing…
Speaking of dysfunctions or in this case DISS-function…Was it me or did anyone else notice that Beyonce and company thanked everyone but her dad Mathew Knowles. They thanked their management TINA Knowles. Beyonce must be going through it after she has long shared with the world the love and admiration for her dad only to see him screw things up and start making sexual advances to one of her back up dancers…Hopefully they work it out…I’m not gonna front I really enjoyed the lap dance routine.
Did anyone know that DMC was adopted? I know I didn’t. He sat down and chopped it up with long time rapper and current radio personality the Poetess, yesterday and explained that he found out he was adopted 5 years ago. How this came about was he was working on a book. I think it was an autobiography and he went and asked his parents to talk about what it was like for them when he came into the world. He wanted to know their feelings, the mood and other important details. Obviously they weren’t able to fill in the blanks so they sat down and told him what the real deal was…That’s mad crazy to find out half way through your life, your folks aren’t your folks… Talk about earth shattering. It may also explain some of the changes that DMC was going through a few years ago which seem to coincide with the time he got the news..
Today he seems a bit philosophical and at ease. He explained that it was good he got adopted because had he not had the loving parents who took him in, he would not have lived in Hollis, met DJ Run and go onto to make Hip Hop history. Oh yeah one other thing we should note DMC also found out he’s Dominican. If you’re in the LA area Poeteess will be dropping that interview in a few weeks on her Sunday morning ‘Real Talk Show’ (100.3 KKBT).
I went to a few hot parties including a heavily attended joint hosted by Ciara and an equally packed party hosted by Free of 106 and Park. The parties were off the chain, but I never saw the hosts. The word was that all the top starts and ‘important’ people showed up to Jermaine Dupris party at the Skybar on Sunset. I know when I went over to drop some folks off at the Standard which is over in that area, the streets were closed off in both directions. I guess the police wanted to make sure that all of JD’s A-list guest could leave and not attract a mob. Although I must say the hotel lobby was pretty packed with folks trying to get a glimpse of the stars..
Speaking of Stars…be sure to see two movies. The first is Rize which focuses on the Krump and Clown dancing which have been existing in LA’s hoods for the past 10 years. The documentary which was put together by Dave LaChappel brings to the forefront an important understanding the types of conditions and environments that gave birth to music and dance expressions we can liken to Hip Hop. Many of the clown and krump dancers like Tommy The Clown, Lil C, Tight eyes, Dragon, Ms Prissy and others were all over the place making their presence felt. They performed at a few venues and left people awestruck…Simply put that movie is the Truth. Also they had great box office returns, making almost 2 million for a movie shown in only 300 theaters. That means many of the shows were damn near sold out.
The other flick to catch is ‘Hustle and Flow’, I missed the special BET screening, but folks were buzzing about that flick..
AnyNuff said
We out for now…Peace