Should it be or should it not be a controversy? That is the question.
This year, the BET awards have had mixed reviews. A lot of people hated last year’s BET MJ tribute because first off it was unorganized. But this year:
This year also had the biggest MJ tribute by Chris Brown, which brought his reputation back.
Now, should this really be a controversy?
I’m going to say this. In today’s generation, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, is a generation that has opened their minds. “Free Your Mind” comes to mind by En Vogue when I think of this generation. This generation is color blind. So, for people like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez to be nominated at a BET award is nothing to the generation that feels we are all equal and united within the human race. That is reality. It is a great dream, and a great way to think about the world. Many little black girls love Justin Bieber just as much as the little white girls. And so, it has become a part of the black nation to listen to all kinds of music instead of just the “stereotypical” black music, like rap, hip-hop, and R&B.
What is disturbing is that, like I said in older entries about Network channels, check under the movie and television sections, is that the Network “leaders” can’t seem to read their own channels. Why do I say this? It’s because BET is BLACK Entertainment…and you see white people being nominated? Not that I have anything against it, but stick to your Network title so you won’t confuse people. It’s like MTV who doesn’t air music, Cartoon Network who is now airing Live actions and no variety cartoons, and Disney not showing anything Disney-related like Mickey Mouse.
Another reason they should consider nominating black people is because naturally black people are not that popular in the nation we live in. Black people need some exposure. As “equal” as we want to be, naturally the nation’s majority is white, and naturally white people don’t like everything “black”. Lady Gaga over En Vogue…Taylor Swift over Corinne Bailey Ray… Paramore over FeFe Dopson….truly, it is the blond, blue eyes that seems to top the charts much more frequently this year than any other look….so yes, it would be nice for some blacks to be nominated…
However, truly it’s all in one’s perception of “black”. Is this Network about showing people what black people are doing today? Yes, this is Black Entertainment, but it all goes back to what blacks are being entertained by, right? So what do they like nowadays? As people actually begin to “equalize” the “majority” begins to dominate. Why? Because naturally, everyone begins to take ideas from each other, and the “white” race’s ideas are the majority. They own a large amount of businesses, and have serious financial power in the US. Maybe…just maybe blacks aren’t being entertained by other blacks…maybe they are more entertained by Bieber…
Or is this Network about SHOWING only black entertainment? Meaning black people who are contributing to the Entertainment industry? If this is the case….they messed up the BET awards AGAIN.
It also goes back to the title “Black”. Do they mean you have to be of the “ethnicity” or the culture? There is a distinct difference. The African American classify themselves as “black”. Anybody who had ancestors that came from Africa would be considered black. Of course, there are white people who were born in Africa, and move to the US. I’m not sure if they would be classified as African American or black…but they wouldn’t be classified as “black”, so… though blacks come in all shades…Well, anyone of darker skin. We’ll put it like that.
But as far as the culture goes, anyone can be raised in a culture of people and look nothing like them. Though I am of African decent, I was born and raised in America, therefore, without my intention, my culture is American. However, African American is a culture, and it is not as exclusive as a “color”. Many people can be born and raised in the African American culture, having been exposed to African rooted music, styles, language, and other forms of entertainment. With that being said, BET could be expressing how our culture is influencing the world. Though Bieber and Eminem are white, they have taken into styles that were generally “black-dominated” and made it their own.
Whether that is a good thing or bad thing is up to the reader.
Some people say it’s bad because now “white people” will take over everything, and “blacks” will dominate nothing. Some people are not as exclusive, and feel that it’s good because it shows just how much African Americans influence the Entertainment industry. I mean, without black people (and good looks), Justin Bieber would not be this famous. Literally, his music is nothing special.
But see, that’s the only problem I have with BET. They are just throwing up any artist who is famous. But Justin Bieber…it’s obvious he only got famous for his looks. His music is nothing special, and without that cute “baby doll” face, he would not be as popular as he is. His music is…crap, plain and simple. Lyrics are cheesy, weak, and unoriginal. His whole genre is generic, and kind of another Usher tune. I might as well listen to other artists. And no fan, not one, can tell me why Justin Bieber is so special without bringing up his looks….I mean, this is quite a superficial generation. What are we teaching our kids America?
But that’s my thoughts on this issue. I praise Chris Brown for having the courage to face that crowd and make a tribute to Michael Jackson. Quite brave of him.
Surprised I didn’t see Beyonce or Jay-Z.
I really think BET awards should cancel. It’s just another Grammys. If white people can be at both, then BET awards is just another Grammys. The whole point of BET is to promote black people…I would hope so. Maybe the goals of the network has changed. But if that’s the case, get rid of it, and stick to the Grammys.
Generation Next 
It shouldn’t really matter at all ! Talent is talent and if it’s there then it will be recognized in some way. There are some terrific African American artists out there at the moment just as there are some terrible ones as well. At the end of the day however it comes down to the tastes of those out there buying the music. Unfortunately some A&R reps couldn’t spot talent if it were pinned on the the tail of an ass as a sign ! ‘nough said on the matter !
AP
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LOL It really shouldn’t matter, but it really boils down to the goals of the Network. Otherwise it will confuse it’s viewers and no longer should be called “Black Entertainment”. I THOUGHT the BET awards’ goal was to honor black people’s achievements. Maybe it’s not. Actually to be honest, white and black people have different tastes. What’s funny to white people is not always funny to black people, though that is changing. So the black people who don’t get recognized at the Grammys, which is often unless you are Beyonce, really won’t get recognized at the BET awards either.
But talent is talent…though I don’t think JB has much of it. And then Sandra Bullock won an award, but Tyler Perry’s movie ‘Why Did I Get Married Too’ got no recognition. But maybe black people didn’t think it was good. So it all depends on the goals of the Network, and the people watching it. But should the title change is the question?
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Then again, I have to admit….a lot of black artists are crap nowadays…
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generationext
The goals of a network is to make money anything beyond that to them is simply an added bonus. Ad revenues drives their bottom line and that’s it ! I mean they could dress up Clay Aiken in black face to appeal to a demographic merely to get viewers and that’s simply what drives a network. BET lost its direction the moment the program provider was bought by Viacom .
BET has become stale and vapid !
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yea BET is nothing today. It’s just a waste of space on television today. Alot of people said they quit watching it.
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Black Entertainment much like entertainment in general is all about tastes. And the vast majority of it out there at present has no creativity or originality . And it has crossed all demographics in terms of the content out there and by the purveyors as well.
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generationnext
On a good day it’s mere regurgitated crap and never mind that the co-hosts on the show , their mastery of the English language leaves a lot to be desired. And we wonder why it is that the NAACP says ……… ” a mind is a terrible thing to waste ” ? That’s because we’re feeding the kids who consume and watch the channel a bunch of crap ! Rarely is there anything informative to watch on the channel .
Alan ………..
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I’ve noticed that the NAACP and Farrakhan come waaay after something bad happens…
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The NAACP much like Farrakhan of the NOI , Jackson with his Rainbow Coalition and Sharpton are parasites who feast off the carcass of a story merely to capture the glare of the public spotlight. They’ve done nothing concerning the advancement of minorities in this country over the last decade. And as for many of them using Mandela to identify with. Where the hell were they when he was imprisoned in Robben Island ? About the only person taking up his cause was the tennis player Arthur Ashe .
Most African Americans I doubt could tell you the capital of the country much less the salient parts of Mandela’s struggle much as in the same way they try and identify with King or the struggles of Malcolm X.
My own ancestry is one of English and Caribbean heritage having been born in the UK raised in Jamaica and lived in various parts of Europe but now residing here in the US.
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Yes, most African Americans barely know when slavery ended in the United States, or when the Civil Rights’ movement ended. And that group of people so-called trying to keep their “status” in the world by encouraging the stories told for years seem to be doing the least to improve the urban cities.
Just a year ago, a boy in Chicago, where I live was beat and killed to death by other boys. They tried to have a community meeting, and where was Farrakhan and the NAACP? They came AFTER the meeting, the funeral. It was sickening.
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Organizations such as NOI and NAACP are merely self serving as they no longer are a voice for this generation or those who they claim that they represent. Membership has fallen for the NAACP hence the reason you now see them being active in terms of a recruitment drive. As for Jackson , eloquent as he may well be when was the last time this man had something of merit to say ?
He screwed up when he was critical of Obama and then used a racial epithet to describe the incoming President. What a complete moron and an as_hole he is ! He should’ve learned a thing or two from his mentor MLK much as in the same way Andrew Young should’ve done another blithering idiot who gives the African American race a bad name !
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yes, and when racial terminology is used towards blacks, he wants to get angry and say it’s bad for “anyone to use it” but he turns around and uses it himself. Jackson needs to retire. There needs to be a new face in the organization, who doesn’t show up at the last minute.
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As if Jackson and Sharpton have never used the terms in private ? That dumb ass chose to denigrate the Jews and thought nothing of it. He’s just as dumb as I’ve always thought him to be ! His whole persona is be front and center when there’s camera or news man present. It’s the same with Al Sharpton !
Eloquence cannot hide stupidity !
Why do you think Don King is the way he is ? He says what he wants and does as he pleases . He may come across as an angry ni_ga’ but he’s a rich angry _igga who can tell people to go f_ck themselves and there’s not much that they can do about it .
Alan ………..
Alan …………….
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