BET has responded to Lil Nas X‘s upset about being snubbed for its 2022 awards, explaining that no one at the awards body was on the voting panel.
The Grammy award-nominated rapper expressed dismay at receiving “an outstanding zero nominations again”, marking a two-year run without a nod at the awards which recognises the work of African Americans in the entertainment industry.
A BET spokesperson has now issued the following statement to Deadline: “We love Lil Nas X. He was nominated for a Best New Artist BET Award in 2020, and we proudly showcased his extraordinary talent and creativity on the show twice: he performed “Old Town Road” with Billy Ray Cyrus at BET Awards 2019 and his BET Awards 2021 performance was a highlight of our show. No one cheered louder that night than BET.
Unfortunately, this year, he was not nominated by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of an esteemed group of nearly 500 entertainment professionals in the fields of music, television, film, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, influencers, and creative arts. No one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy.
Lil Nas X reacts to being shut out from the 2022 BET Award nominations. pic.twitter.com/yTlQYZR4jX
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 1, 2022
The statement concluded: “At BET, we are passionate advocates for the wonderful diversity that exists within our community. We are committed to using all of our platforms to provide visibility and inclusion for all of the many intersections of the Black community.
Source: People
In other news – Somizi on his beef with Khanyi Mbau
Mzansi media personality Somizi Mhlongo revealed why he was so angry at his friend, actress Khanyi Mbau on the latest episode of his reality show on Wednesday 8 June.
Somizi Mhlongo booked a flight to Cape Town for actress Khanyi Mbau because she was going through a lot and he didn’t want her to spend New Year’s Eve alone. Learn more
