Flashing lights and a red carpet adorned the entrance of the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater, where popular producer and influencer DJ Khaled hosted the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards.
The award show garnered attention this year when Eminem’s four-and-a-half minute lyrical solo morphed into a politically-charged freestyle, criticizing President Donald Trump.
“That’s an awfully hot coffee pot / Should I drop it on Donald Trump? Probably not / But that’s all I got ’til I come up with a solid plot.”
This year also marked the first time the BETs weren’t held in Atlanta. A few miles north from campus, in South Beach’s iconic Fillmore venue, celebrities filled the venue to watch the event.
DJ Khaled displayed his Miami pride by frequently shouting to the crowd, “Miami-Dade 305!”
The spotlight shined on Miami once again when Miami’s own Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell won the lifetime achievement award. Uncle Luke rose to fame as manager of the controversial music group 2 Live Crew.
“Thirty-five years in this business, and ain’t nobody ever honor me for s—,” Campbell said in his acceptance speech. “We got kicked off the stage, they said we wasn’t hip-hop.”
He concluded his speech by namedropping Miami’s biggest stars, including host DJ Khaled and Rick Ross.
The annual event features new artists that have gained national recognition, and this year included South Florida native Ski Mask the Slump God from Broward County, Detroit’s Tee Grizzly and Atlanta’s 6lack.
Migos performed “Too Hotty,” Playboi Carti rapped “Magnolia” and Cardi B spat out her hard-hitting anthem, “Bodak Yellow.”
The rising female rapper Cardi B also won five awards, and cemented star Kendrick Lamar won four awards, including “Album of the Year” for “DAMN.”
Photo courtesy Flickr user Phil Monger.