Azealia Banks, Dev Hynes Criticize BET Awards
Azealia Banks and Dev Hynes, two of the most fascinating, outspoken, talented black musicians working today, took to Twitter today with some harsh words for the BET Awards. Nominations for this year’s ceremony came out this morning, and Banks is up for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, but she called the awards “bogus” and said she figures it’s a foregone conclusion that Nicki Minaj will win. Last year Minaj tied Missy Elliott’s record of five wins in the category and became the first to win for five consecutive years. “The female rap award at the bet awards goes to nicki every year, it’s not even a real award anymore lol it’s a bit of a running joke,” Banks tweeted this morning. She added, “They should just nominate nicki five times with five different wigs on and pick the best picture lol,” before joking about backing over Minaj with her car. Check out Banks’ tweets below.
I really hate getting nominated for @bet awards. They're so bogus.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) May 18, 2015
The female rap award at the bet awards goes to nicki every year, it's not even a real award anymore lol it's a bit of a running joke.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) May 18, 2015
They should just nominate nicki five times with five different wigs on and pick the best picture lol
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) May 18, 2015
*hears barbz buzzing in the distance* *rolls up car windows* *sound of little barb heads slamming into glass* *unconscious barbs on floor*
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) May 18, 2015
*turns up random nicki Minaj verse* *puts car in reverse* *backs up over barbs* *blood splatters* *puts car in drive and takes off*
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) May 18, 2015
3,2,1 all the urban media sites gonna run a headline saying I'm throwing shots. Black media is so stupid and pointless. What a shitty cycle.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) May 18, 2015
Meanwhile, noted genre chameleon Hynes thinks the nominations represent too narrow a selection of black performers.
Why isn't BET awards just called the "Mainstream Rap/RnB/Pop with black people" awards?
— Devonté Hynes (@devhynes) May 18, 2015
@devhynes Guess it's too long a name lol
— Devonté Hynes (@devhynes) May 18, 2015
Lol my point is we are more than just "rappers" and "RnB" singers. Where's Ambrose Akinmusire's award? https://t.co/kin5xXswtq
— Devonté Hynes (@devhynes) May 18, 2015
In BET’s defense, you can make a strong case that Minaj deserved to win all those awards, and the nominations are pretty representative of the music BET covers the other 364 days a year. Still, I think we can all agree it would be nice to see a wider variety of artists getting some shine.