5 Top Moments Of The 2023 BET Awards

Dubbed “Culture’s Biggest Night,” the BET Awards show took place at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. From the new-school generation of performances, wins, honorary achievements, and continuing the birthday celebration of hip-hop, this year’s award show had a lot of great moments worth celebrating despite not traditionally having a host and without writers in place. MC Lyte and DJ Kid Capri anchored the show by cueing performances and announcing what was to come next throughout the event. Here are the top five moments from the show:

This was a long-overdue win. Coco Jones has been a shining star within the entertainment industry. From her earliest days on Disney Channel, the star has always proven that she was a talent. After being called on stage, Coco tearfully walks up to accept her award. “For all of my Black girls, we do have to fight a little harder to get what we deserve, but don’t stop fighting”, she says passionately. “Even when it doesn’t make sense and you’re not sure how you’re gonna get out of these circumstances, keep pushing because we are deserving of great things.” Coco also performed her smash RnB hit “ICU” later in the evening and baby! The mic was ON!

Quavo and Offset reunite in a performance of their smash hit “Bad n Boujee”. It took many of us by surprise to see them perform together again, especially after reports of the two fighting backstage during the Grammy’s and months of being at odds. The two members performed on stage with a spotlight in between the both of them, signifying a spot for their slain member, Takeoff. The ‘triplet flow’ was a dire reminder of their impact and contribution to Hip-Hop, specifically trap, and was indeed a special moment from last night’s award show. Settling their issues was a huge relief for all fans, hip-hop critics, and OGs within the music space. Hearing Bad n Boujee was a cultural reset! It took all of us back!

This past month, we’ve lost a Rock n Roll trailblazer, Tina Turner. What better way to honor her legacy? Through a tribute performance of course! Patti LaBelle kicked off a performance and…she admittedly forgot the lyrics. “What if I can’t see the words, I don’t know” she sings over the beat of Tina’s smash hit “Simply The Best”. “I’m trying, y’all!” she says right after. Many users took to Twitter to express their concerns about the performance and wondered if “technical difficulties” got in the way. It was revealed by an audience member, that they were blocking the teleprompter that Patti was reading from during her performance, resulting in her slip up. Despite the mishap, Patti is still one of the greats! The choir also came out and showed out!

We can’t talk about hip-hop without acknowledging its infamous “Dance Era.” Back-to-back hits and performances from Kidd n Play and their “Kidd n Play Kickstep,” Cali Swag District’s “Teach How To Dougie,” 69 Boyz’s “Tootsee Roll “Crank Dat” by Soulja Boy, and F.L.Y. (Fast Life Yungstaz) “Swag Surfin’.” The ceremony took us through the five-year decade of hip-hop, and this was the most enjoyable for fans and viewers. BET knew what they were doing by reserving this part of the Hip-Hop celebration for last. I was hitting the Crank Dat in my living room.

Also, Are we ready to admit that Soulja Boy is indeed an icon in his own right? He knows it, and I think it’s about time we seriously backed him on this.

The rap mogul scored big by winning the most prestigious award from the network. “Imma wear it on my sleeve, I do want to cry,” the rapper says as he bursts into tears accepting his award. There was nobody else deserving of this award here tonight. After 25 years in the industry, it was about time that we’ve given Busta his proper flowers. His fast rap ability and his scenic music videos paved the way and left a mark on the Hip-Hop genre. This is a creative visionary ahead of his time, and we’ve witnessed why he won this award during his lifetime performance. From Hip-Hop to dancehall, and sharing the stage with the newer generation during his set, Busta Rhymes is the exemplary OG.