Tierra Whack Archives – CULTURE MIX

October 5, 2021

Tyler, the Creator at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta on October 1, 2021 (Photo by Leon Bennett/2021 BET Hip Hop Awards/Getty Images)

The following is a press release from BET:

The 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards brought the hottest names in Hip Hop back to Atlanta, for the annual taping. Comedy supergroup 85 South (Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly, and Chico Bean) hosted this year’s awards from The Cobb Energy Centre which premiered on Tuesday, October 5 on BET, BET Her, MTV2 and VH1. Watch an encore airing of the award show Tuesday, October 7 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion ruled the night by jointly snagging three wins each including Song of the Year, Best Hip Hop Video and Best Collaboration for their smash hit “WAP.” [Editor’s note: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion did not attend the ceremony.] Tyler, The Creator took home two wins for Hip Hop Album of the Year and Best Live Performer in addition to his Rock the Bells Cultural Influence Award presented by LL Cool J. Jay Z scored double wins in the Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse and Impact Track [cagtegories] for his Nipsey Hussle collaboration “What It Feels Like.” Newcomer Yung Bleu was crowned Best New Hip Hop Artist while rap sensation Saweetie took home Hustler of the Year. Music icon Missy Elliott was voted Video Director of the Year and Lyricist of the Year went to J. Cole. UK rapper Little Simz took home the Best International Flow award.

Young Thug kicked off the night with an explosive performance of “Tick Tock” followed by Gunna with “Too Easy” before coming together with their hit collaboration “Ski.” Hot new rapper Bia performed her smash single “Whole Lotta Money,” then brought out Atlanta icon Lil Jon for “Bia Bia” to close it out. Baby Keem made his award show debut with “Family Ties.” Hip Hop sensation Latto brought the house down with a sparkling, high energy performance of “SoufSide” and new song “Big Energy” while Tobe Nwigwe made it a family affair with Fat and Nell on their song “Fye Fye.” Isaiah Rashad performed alongside Doechii and Kal Banx for “Wat U Sed” before ending the set with his solo single “From the Garden.” The hotly anticipated cyphers were hosted by DJ Hed and featured a bevy of emcees dropping hot sixteens including Grip, D Smoke, Smino, Tierra Whack, Rico Nasty, Sleepy Hallow, Erica Banks, Fivio Foreign, Toosii, Lakeyah, Kidd Kenn and Symba. Presenters for the evening included a trio of Hip Hop powerhouses Trina, Remy Ma, and Rapsody. “I Am Hip Hop Award” recipient Nelly closed out the show with a performance of his greatest hits including “Country Grammar,” “Hot In Herre,” “Air Force Ones,” “Dilemma,” “Grillz” with an appearance by Paul Wall and more.

The following is the complete list of nominees and winners of the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards:

*=winner

HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR

A GANGSTA’S PAIN MONEYBAGG YO

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST TYLER, THE CREATOR*

CULTURE III MIGOS

GOOD NEWS MEGAN THEE STALLION

KHALED KHALED DJ KHALED

SAVAGE MODE II 21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN

THE OFF-SEASON J. COLE

SONG OF THE YEAR

BACK IN BLOOD PRODUCED BY YC (POOH SHIESTY FEAT. LIL DURK)

LATE AT NIGHT PRODUCED BY MUSTARD (RODDY RICCH)

LAUGH NOW CRY LATER. PRODUCED BY G. RY, CARDOGOTWINGS, ROGET CHAHAYED & YUNG EXCLUSIVE (DRAKE FEAT. LIL DURK)

UP PRODUCED BY YUNG DZA, SEAN ISLAND, DJ SWANQO (CARDI B)

WAP PRODUCED BY AYO & KEYZ (CARDI B FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLION)*

WHOLE LOTTA MONEY (REMIX) PRODUCED BY LONDON JAE, BEATGODZ, TEE ROMANO (BIA FEAT. NICKI MINAJ)

HIP HOP ARTIST OF THE YEAR

CARDI B

DRAKE

J. COLE

LIL BABY*

MEGAN THEE STALLION

TYLER, THE CREATOR

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO

CARDI B UP

CARDI B FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLION WAP*

CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG GO CRAZY

DRAKE FEAT. LIL DURK LAUGH NOW CRY LATER

LIL NAS X MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)

SAWEETIE FEAT. DOJA CAT BEST FRIEND

BEST NEW HIP HOP ARTIST

BLXST

COI LERAY

DON TOLIVER

MORRAY

POOH SHIESTY

YUNG BLEU*

BEST COLLABORATION

21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN FEAT. DRAKE MR. RIGHT NOW

BIA FEAT. NICKI MINAJ WHOLE LOTTA MONEY (REMIX)

CARDI B FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLION WAP*

DJ KHALED FEAT. LIL BABY & LIL DURK EVERY CHANCE I GET

DRAKE FEAT. LIL DURK LAUGH NOW CRY LATER

POOH SHIESTY FEAT. LIL DURK BACK IN BLOOD

BEST DUO OR GROUP

21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN

CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG

CITY GIRLS

FUTURE & LIL UZI VERT

LIL BABY & LIL DURK*

MIGOS

BEST LIVE PERFORMER

BUSTA RHYMES

CARDI B

DABABY

DOJA CAT

MEGAN THEE STALLION

TYLER, THE CREATOR*

LYRICIST OF THE YEAR

BENNY THE BUTCHER

DRAKE

J. COLE*

LIL BABY

MEGAN THEE STALLION

NAS

BEST INTERNATIONAL FLOW

LADIPOE (NIGERIA)

NASTY C (SOUTH AFRICA)

XAMÃ (BRAZIL)

LAYLOW (FRANCE)

GAZO (FRANCE)

LITTLE SIMZ (UK)*

DAVE (UK)

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

COLE BENNETT

COLIN TILLEY

DAVE MEYERS

DIRECTOR X

HYPE WILLIAMS

MISSY ELLIOTT*

DJ OF THE YEAR

CHASE B

D NICE

DJ CASSIDY

DJ DRAMA

DJ ENVY

DJ JAZZY JEFF

DJ SCHEME*

KAYTRANADA

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

DJ KHALED

HIT-BOY*

METRO BOOMIN

MUSTARD

THE ALCHEMIST

TYLER, THE CREATOR

HUSTLER OF THE YEAR

CARDI B

DRAKE

LIL BABY

MEGAN THEE STALLION

SAWEETIE*

YUNG BLEU

BEST HIP HOP PLATFORM

COMPLEX

GENIUS*

HIP HOP DX

HOT NEW HIPHOP

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

THE SHADE ROOM

WORLDSTAR HIPHOP

XXL

SWEET 16: BEST FEATURED VERSE

CARDI B TYPE SHIT (MIGOS FEAT. CARDI B)

DRAKE HAVIN’ OUR WAY (MIGOS FEAT. DRAKE)

JAY-Z WHAT IT FEELS LIKE (NIPSEY HUSSLE FEAT. JAY-Z)*

LIL DURK BACK IN BLOOD (POOH SHIESTY FT. LIL DURK)

MEGAN THE STALLION ON ME (REMIX) (LIL BABY FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION)

RODDY RICCH LEMONADE (REMIX) (INTERNET MONEY FEAT. DON TOLIVER & RODDY RICCH)

IMPACT TRACK

BLACK THOUGHT THOUGHT VS EVERYBODY

LIL NAS X MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)

LIL BABY & KIRK FRANKLIN WE WIN

MEEK MILL FEAT. LIL DURK PAIN AWAY

NIPSEY HUSSLE FEAT. JAY-Z WHAT IT FEELS LIKE*

RAPSODY 12 PROBLEMS

Relive the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards digital red carpet livestream powered by Bulldog DM, at https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1lDGLLvMqpbGm.

For more information about the BET Hip Hop Awards, including the digital red carpet livestream powered by Bulldog DM, the latest news and updates, visit bet.com/hiphopawards and follow the conversation @BETAwards

Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy will oversee the annual show, with Jamal Noisette, VP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy serving as Co-Executive Producer for BET. Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, to serve as Executive Producer of the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards along with Jesse Collins Entertainment’s Jeannae Rouzan–Clay and Dionne Harmon.

July 31, 2020

by Carla Hay

“Black Is King”

Directed by Beyoncé, Kwasi Fordjour, Emmanuel Adjei, Blitz Bazawule, Pierre Debusschere, Jenn Nkiru, Ibra Ake, Dikayl Rimmasch and Jake Nava

Culture Representation: This visual album of Beyoncé’s original songs for the 2019 “The Lion King: The Gift” soundtrack features a predominantly black cast (with a few white people, Asians and Latinos) primarily representing life in Africa in a musical format.

Culture Clash: Many of the songs’ lyrics and the movie’s narration are about pushing back against fear, bigotry and self-doubt.

Culture Audience: Beyoncé fans are the obvious target audience for this movie, but “Black Is King” should also appeal to people who like to see visually stunning musical numbers set to contemporary R&B music.

Beyoncé (center) in “Black Is King” (Photo courtesy of Disney+/Parkwood Entertainment)

People already know that Beyoncé is capable of making a collection of memorable an impactful music videos, so it’s not too much a surprise that she has done it again with “Black Is King,” a visually intoxicating and emotionally empowering movie that celebrates self-confidence and Afro-centric culture.

Whereas Beyoncé’s visual collection for her critically acclaimed 2016 album “Lemonade” was her feminist response to issues going on in her personal life at the time, “Black Is King” is more of a rousing anthem directed at generations of people, especially those whose ethnic roots are in Africa. There are no conversations in “Black Is King,” but the messages are loud and clear.

Because “Black Is King” is a visual representation of Beyoncé’s 2019 soundtrack album “The Lion King: The Gift,” the songs themselves (and some of the music videos) were made available a year before the full “Black Is King” movie was released. But seeing all of these songs together as musical numbers in “Black Is King” puts the soundtrack in a whole new light.

“Black Is King” is not a traditional movie, since there is no real plot. Rather, it’s an atmospheric journey of eye-catching sights, sounds and philosophical thoughts. The choreography? Spectacular. The hair and makeup? Gorgeous. The costumes? Unforgettable.

Folajomi “FJ” Akinmurele portrays Beyoncé’s fictional son Little Simba throughout “Black Is King.” At the end of the film, this dedication appears on screen: “Dedicated to my son Sir Carter. And to all our sons and daughters, the sun and the moon bow for you. You are the keys to the kingdom.”

The movie has narration that includes lines from the 2019 “The Lion King” movie, which had Beyoncé as the voice of warrior lioness Nala. But the most intriguing narration comes from a script whose credited writers are Beyoncé, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Clover Hope and Andrew Morrow, featuring poetry by Warsan Shire.

James Earl Jones provides the opening voice narration as he intones in “Balance (Mufasa Interlude)”: “Everything that you see exists together in a delicate balance. You need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling creatures to the leaping antelope. We are all connected in the circle of life.”

Beyoncé also voices several messages of Afro-centric pride, including “Black is the color of my true love’s skin” and “Let black be synonymous with glory” and “Black is king. We were beauty before they knew what beauty was.”

There are also calls of empowerment, such as “Life is a set of choices. Lead or be led astray. Follow your light or lose it.” And she also speaks about the importance of representation: “To live without reflection for so long might make you wonder if you even truly exist.”

It wouldn’t be a Beyoncé visual album without cameos. They include members of her immediate family: husband Jay-Z (real name: Shawn Carter); their children Blue Ivy, Sir and Rumi; and Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles Lawson. “Brown Skin Girl,” with Saint Jhn and Wizkid featuring Blue Ivy Carter, celebrates inner and outer beauty and includes visual appearances by Naomi Campbell, Lupita Nyong’o and Kelly Rowland, who is one of the original members of Destiny’s Child with Beyoncé. Jay-Z, Knowles Lawson and Rowland can also be seen in “Mood 4 Eva.”

And several artists on the audio soundtrack can be seen in “Black Is King,” including Jessie Reyez (“Scar)”; Nija, Busiswa, Yemi Alade, Tierra Whack and Moonchild Sanelly (“My Power” ); Shatta Wale (“Already”); Tiwa Savage and Mr Eazi (“Keys to the Kingdom”); and Salatiel and Pharrell Williams (“Water”). Meanwhile, Beyoncé hands over the spotlight to Lord Afrixana, Yemi Alade and Mr Eazi, who perform “Don’t Jealous Me.”

Noticeably absent from “Black Is King” are Kendrick Lamar, Major Lazer and Childish Gambino (also known as Donald Glover, the voice of adult Simba in 2019’s “The Lion King”), who are featured artists on the audio soundtrack’s songs but don’t make visual appearances in the “Black Is King” movie. Lamar can be heard on the duet track “Nile,” while Major Lazer is featured on “Already.” Childish Gambino/Glover is a featured artist on “Mood 4 Eva.”

Speaking of “Mood 4 Eva,” it’s one of the highlights of “Black Is King” and it has explosion of beauty that’s both raw and luxurious. (And there’s also a scene of Beyoncé and Jay-Z holding hands that’s reminiscent of their famous 2018 “Apeshit” video that was filmed in the Louvre Museum.) “Don’t Jealous Me,” another standout segment, conjures up African tribal imageries that includes giant yellow python around the neck of certain people, including Beyoncé. “Water” is pure glam, with Beyoncé in outfits ranging from a stunning magenta gown to flared ’70s-styled denim with Rapunzel-length hair.

Although “The Lion King” takes place in Africa, and “Black Is King” is very Afro-centric, “Black Is King” was actually filmed around the world: Africa, New York, Los Angeles, London and Belgium. However, the movie prominently several African actors in the story segments, including Folajomi Akinmurele, Connie Chiume, Nyaniso Ntsikelelo Dzedze, Nandi Madida, Warren Masemola, Sibusiso Mbeje, Fumi Odede, Stephen Ojo and Mary Twala.

Not everyone likes Beyoncé’s music. Not everyone likes the 2019 movie version of “The Lion King.” However, “Black Is King” is a perfect example of why Beyoncé is a superb entertainer who’s a major influence on pop culture while speaking out on issues that are important to her.

Disney+ premiered “Black Is King” in July 31, 2020.

Tag: Tierra Whack

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