While the crowd erupted in laughter, the truth behind Glover’s joke exposes the cracks of the BET Awards lacking to celebrate different variations of Black excellence. Lenny Kravitz made similar complaints recently when he said he felt like he was “not celebrated” by Black award shows in his career. Lil Nas X has also spoken out about his beef with the BET Awards. There is something to be said about which Black artists BET chooses to revere and why. So Glover’s feelings are valid. From his Grammy award-winning single “This Is America” to his creation of the FX series Atlanta (for which he won two Emmys), Glover has produced culturally relevant projects that deserve more recognition from Black organizations like the BET Awards. He has the stamp of approval from the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, Emmys, Grammys and more. When it comes to being accepted by the Black-led organizations, however, his work is not as acknowledged. That said, since Glover has gotten the love from white institutions that many Black artists do not get, it’s understandable that a space like the BET Awards has chosen to awards other creatives who don’t typically get that validation.
