We are seeing the BET Awards as a family, right?
The annual awards ceremony, which is always done well in terms of artists and tributes, this year Lil Wayne will honor the late Kobe Bryant, while Wayne Brady will honor the late Little Richard, he is back again, giving us much needed a break. of the traumatic news cycle.
This year’s anchor, Amanda Seales, told ESSENCE earlier this week that her goal is to get our minds out of the news cycle and cultivate black joy for just a couple of hours.
“For any comedian, hosting the BET Awards is an award we seek. So being offered that opportunity is something I don’t take lightly at all, ”she said. “And to be able to do it during this time, in particular, is a considerable honor that I don’t take lightly.”
And Seales said he knows how difficult it has been between the total failure of the United States to curb the spread of COVID-19 and deal with systemic racism in all facets of society.
“I was just on a roller coaster,” the Unsafe Star admitted. “An hour, it’s like Oh this good is happening nowOr you see a funny meme, and then the next hour, you hear another story of someone who has to deal with some form of discrimination, oppression, police brutality, whatever. “
The BET Awards hope to honor black resistance at this year’s ceremony. Beyoncé will be honored with the Humanitarian Award for her BeyGOOD and #IDIDMYPART mobile testing initiatives, while D-Nice and the creators of the battles of Verzuz, Timbaland, and Swizz Beatz are among those named Shine A Light. honorees, who recognizes those who have been creative during this difficult time.
There will also be performances by Meg Thee Stallion, Chloe x Halle, Summer Walker, DaBaby, Roddy Rich, Usher, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, and John Legend, along with gospel artists such as Karen Clark Sheard and her daughter, Kierra.
Due to the focus of the awards on the times, Seales said during his opening monologue that he “will go outside” to give a “nuanced” comedy performance. “It’s not like I’m talking about the audience. I don’t have an audience I’m roasting, “he added. “We are also in a ridiculous serious but necessary time and I cannot address that either.”
But don’t worry, Seales said. Although there will be no live audience, do not expect what she usually gives on her Instagram account.
“I’m going to be in a studio space and it’s going to be silly and it’s going to be creative like everything else I associate with,” he bragged. “You can be sure that I will not be on my sofa. It won’t be my Instagram story … it won’t be that kind of party. “
“I’m definitely not trying to get Black Twitter to come for me. That is definitely not a goal by any stretch of the imagination, ”added Seales.
The 20th annual BET Awards airs Sunday at 8pm ET / PT.
