BET, Beloved… We Need to Talk...

Last night, due to an alarming drought of quality television, I did something unprecedented for my spirit:
I cut on BET.

Yes.
BET.
The awards, specifically.

 I spent the evening oscillating between secondhand embarrassment, anthropological fascination, and the occasional “Oh okay, that was cute.”Let’s go step by step, because the night was… a journey.

I missed the first 20 minutes.. Apparently the Jennifer sang. I’m sure it was a noble attempt wrapped in pitch and prayer. Jennifer Hudson is a beautiful woman with a voice that parts spiritual dimensions, but that DreamGirls song has reached its expiration date.
She looked lovely though. I honor that. Best New Artist without an album? Even she knew that required a raised eyebrow.

Mo’Nique has always had my respect, even when her wardrobe choices feel like strategic sabotage She’s funny, she’s bold, and she will always commit to an outfit whether the outfit commits back or not.The red dress? A triumph. The white pantsuit? Approved. The overall styling? Let’s call it a creative experiment with mixed results

T.I. walked out looking like someone who limits himself to one almond a day.
I wanted to hand him a plate.Still handsome. Still gifted.
But the man is one sandwich away from vanishing into thin air.

Ne-Yo still looks like a sophisticated catfish.
This is not slander — this is observation.

Fabolous… something in the aura feels slightly misaligned.
Nothing criminal. Just… spiritually tilted.

I like Beyoncé Unapologetically. The performance was cute. The wardrobe? Looked like she was dressed by a renaissance metalworker and a Las Vegas illusions designer. But she delivered, per usual. Kelly held her own, and Beyoncé genuinely seemed proud of her. Solange on the split screen confused me on a narrative level, but okay.

P. Diddy + Keyshia + Lil Kim = My First Cackle of the Night

Why were they on stage together? Why didn’t they rehearse the choreography? Why did it feel like two mannequins and a rotating coat? Questions with no earthly answers.

Kim, however, wore a bra, which is already progress.
One victory at a time

Robin Thicke, A Handsome Man Who Chose the Wrong Song. I expected excellence. He delivered… effort. And I respect the effort, even as I delete the memory. Still fine though.

Teleprompters and Struggle Reading — A Tradition, Apparently
BET, hear me with love and urgency:You cannot give complex sentences to folks who are still at war with subject-verb agreement.This is not judgment. This is literacy-based risk management. Next year, consider cue cards. Or emojis. lol 

Quick Observations from a Fully Present Mind

1. Chris — the 80s have ascended. Let them rest.

2. Lauren London — stunning.

3. Reggie Bush — handsome but needs diction coaching.

4. Ashanti — and her sister must share a tailor.

5. Lil Wayne — spiritually needs disinfectant; daughter adorable.

6. Henry Simmons — listen… that man is blessed.

7. Patti’s dress — a choice made boldly.

8. If the teleprompter has more words than you can emotionally carry, improvise.

9. The pre-nominee videos? Try again.

10. More performances than awards — on brand
    
    
    

T-Pain and the “Prep” Look I enjoy him.He is talented. And he is also my comedic muse for reasons I cannot articulate without sounding unkind. That outfit was a sociological experiment.

 50 Cent: Technical Difficulties & Tony Yayo’s Questionable Proximity

I didn’t see the performance.I did hear Tony Yayo was posted up beside him with a level of closeness that raises questions only HR can answer. Some men do not need to shave.
This is one of them.

Diana Ross Tribute
 Diana looked lovely — 63 and flourishing.
Erykah came in like a sonic cleansing.
But Stevie’s jacket… somebody styled him with humor in their heart.

My mother never let me have Diana’s hair and honestly?
She was right

The Gerald Levert Tribute — Beautiful Voices, Wrong Songs They sang beautifully, but none of it felt like Gerald. It felt like Sunday service with a cameo from mild confusion. Patti’s dress still concerns me spiritually. 

James Brown Tribute 
Solid...Slightly winded performers, but solid.
Ciara reminded us she’s a dancer first.....A singer… eventually 

Conclusion: This Is Why I Watch MTV

BET has heart — I’ll give them that.
But the execution feels like a dress rehearsal nobody rehearsed.

Still, it gave me content… and clarity… and at least three moments where I clutched my chest and asked, “Why are we like this?”

Culture is culture.
And sometimes culture is chaos.