The 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards took place last night. As the tradition continued, hip-hop’s most prominent stars added a few more trophies to their shelves. Some of the biggest names in the world of rap and hip-hop music were honored. Trina received her flowers, taking home the “I Am Hip Hop” honor. This is in celebration of her two-decades-long career, which has spawned several Billboard Hot 100 hit singles and acclaimed albums since her 1998 debut. Another deserving artist is Kendrick Lamar. It’s no doubt that he released one of the best albums of the year. His work on “The Big Steppers” resulted in him scooping six awards. Lamar won Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Lyricist of the Year, Best Live Performer, and Best Hip Hop Video.
Nominees & Performances
Among the show’s top nominees were Drake, with 14 nominations; Kanye, with 10; and Kendrick Lamar, with nine. At the ceremony, however, Lamar came out on top with six wins, followed by Drake, who earned trophies for best collaboration and tied with himself for best-featured verse.
The show’s performances included a star-studded Loud Records tribute featuring Wu-Tang Clan, Dead Prez, Lil Kim, and Fat Joe. Yung Miami and NORE were amongst the winners, both taking home the award for Best Hip Hop Platform. Drink Champs were awarded Best Hip Hop Platform, DJ Drama-DJ of the Year, and GloRilla (Best Breakout Artist).
Moments
1. GloRilla winning Best Breakout Artist
GloRilla, a 23-year-old Memphis artist, won Best Breakout Artist. The star, signed under YoGotti, had the viral hit song of the summer. She currently sits at the number one spot on the Billboard and Apple Music charts thanks to her “Tomorrow 2” track featuring Cardi B. As she forges her way into the current crosshairs of female rap, GloRilla has managed to remain humble and grateful through it all.
“Yall, Im crying. I want to thank God. I want to thank my team, my mama, Yo Gotti, the biggest CEO. I don’t know what to say! Lets goooo!”
— GloRilla -Acceptance Speech
Baby Keem, Fivio Foreign, Doechii, Blxst, Saucy Santana, and Nardo Wick were the others nominated in this category.
2. Pusha T & No Malice (Clipse) reunion performance
Pusha T and his brother, No Malice, blessed the viewers with a Clipse reunion performance. The Virginia Beach rap duo Clipse reunited for a special performance of their 2002 debut single, “Grindin.” This is just over 20 years after its release. Pusha first took the stage to perform a plethora of tracks from his recent album It’s Almost Dry, including “Diet Coke” and “Just So You Remember.” He performed before inviting No Malice on stage for a surprise reunion. As Pusha T concluded his final track with fitting lyrics — “Just so you remember who you’re dealing with” — onlookers heard the opening bars of the Pharell-produced hit “Grindin,” and No Malice made his appearance.
3. Loud Records Tribute
Remy Ma, David Banner, Lil’ Flip, Mobb Deep’s Havoc, Dead Prez, M.O.P., Project Pat, and Three 6 Mafia also performed in a tribute to Steve Rifkind’s influential label, Loud Records. The segment honored the 30th anniversary of the label that signed Wu-Tang Clan to their groundbreaking contract and released multiple foundational records.
4. DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic Performance
Some legendary artists, including Busta Rhymes, Ice Cube, Jadakiss, Method Man, 51, Raekwon, 52, Redman, Remy Ma, 42, RZA, 53, and Styles P, participated in DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic performance.
The awards show was filmed last week at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta and aired on October 4th. Share your views on your favorite moments. Follow MEFeater on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more updates.
