Lilian Blankson, Director of Programming and Production at BET International has responded to the backlash from Africans following the 2015 BET Awards.
Mrs Blankson who was recounting events from this year’s BET Awards and reminiscing about the journey of the awards since she worked on the first one some 15 years ago, sent a number of tweets to address the concerns of many Africans, including myself.
In a series of tweets, the manager of WondaBoy who featured Sarkodie on his Then & Now song two years ago urged African artists who have been honoured on the platform before to speak the truth than remain silent as a few others others misinform the majority.
In a series of tweets, the manager of WondaBoy who featured Sarkodie on his Then & Now song two years ago urged African artists who have been honoured on the platform before to speak the truth than remain silent as a few others others misinform the majority.
For instance, if only 5 or 6 out of 19 categories make the air, are the other categories announced by BET Domestic along with the international categories? She also said performances sell award shows and make ratings, not the categories. So will the ‘international acts’ ever get the chance to perform on the award stage, since they are even segregated during the award pre-events such as the BET Experience?
Anyway Here Are Some Of Her Tweets After The Cut....
Anyway Here Are Some Of Her Tweets After The Cut....
“BET will always signify Black Star Power… Africa, if we want to be featured prominently, we need to know the facts and be very practical.
First of all, tell the truth and stop tweeting lies and mistruths. There has never been a backstage presentation of any award. Pre recorded.
We need to work hard and get our music on the radio here in the US. How do ppl respect ur brand when u r not on the radio?
Make ur music more internationally appealing… Think of ways 2 get all audiences invested. Oliver Twist is a great example. Universal story.
Folks worked so so hard to provide a platform for Africa on the network. We won’t get there overnight. And misinformation won’t help.
BET domestic does not and has never aired African music so to have a category is a major deal. Let’s prove and show them our worth not anger.
The artists who have been honored – why haven’t you cleared the air and told the truth abt what happened! Why the silence???
Out of 19 categories, only 4 or 5 make air. This is standard in Award Shows. If the US artists are not outraged and complaining, why are we?
Performances sell Awards shows & make ratings, not the categories. Lets step up our game & get our music so big they can no longer ignore it.
If you choose to fly down and watch the show and not do press who exactly do you think is affected or missing out? Think about it.
Let’s try and keep our category and know the facts. It does nothing to the network to tale it away – but it sends us back several steps.
Finally, let’s be a little humble. No one owes us anything. Like everything else, we have to work our way to the top so we can stay there.
Nothing has ever come easy to us Africans. But anything worth having will not be a cake walk. Started from the bottom, but we here.”
“Nothing has ever come easy to us Africans. But anything worth having will not be a cake walk. Started from the bottom, but we here.”
Lilian N. Blankson was in charge of producing special productions such as BET’s 25th Anniversary, The BET Awards Show, Celebration of Gospel, Rip The Runway, Comedy Awards, Walk of Fame, Spring Bling, and the Hip Hop Awards for the BET network.
Lilian also produced and directed the first African Cypher on BET that featured Sarkodie and also helped in the execution of the BET International act category.
First of all, tell the truth and stop tweeting lies and mistruths. There has never been a backstage presentation of any award. Pre recorded.
We need to work hard and get our music on the radio here in the US. How do ppl respect ur brand when u r not on the radio?
Make ur music more internationally appealing… Think of ways 2 get all audiences invested. Oliver Twist is a great example. Universal story.
Folks worked so so hard to provide a platform for Africa on the network. We won’t get there overnight. And misinformation won’t help.
BET domestic does not and has never aired African music so to have a category is a major deal. Let’s prove and show them our worth not anger.
The artists who have been honored – why haven’t you cleared the air and told the truth abt what happened! Why the silence???
Out of 19 categories, only 4 or 5 make air. This is standard in Award Shows. If the US artists are not outraged and complaining, why are we?
Performances sell Awards shows & make ratings, not the categories. Lets step up our game & get our music so big they can no longer ignore it.
If you choose to fly down and watch the show and not do press who exactly do you think is affected or missing out? Think about it.
Let’s try and keep our category and know the facts. It does nothing to the network to tale it away – but it sends us back several steps.
Finally, let’s be a little humble. No one owes us anything. Like everything else, we have to work our way to the top so we can stay there.
Nothing has ever come easy to us Africans. But anything worth having will not be a cake walk. Started from the bottom, but we here.”
“Nothing has ever come easy to us Africans. But anything worth having will not be a cake walk. Started from the bottom, but we here.”
Lilian N. Blankson was in charge of producing special productions such as BET’s 25th Anniversary, The BET Awards Show, Celebration of Gospel, Rip The Runway, Comedy Awards, Walk of Fame, Spring Bling, and the Hip Hop Awards for the BET network.
Lilian also produced and directed the first African Cypher on BET that featured Sarkodie and also helped in the execution of the BET International act category.
Lilian Blankson authored the book “Rain, Love, Poetry and Portraits” in 2010. She is also the chief executive officer of Princess Entertainment and productions, a company that specializes in African entertainment. She currently manages Wonda Boy.
At the end of it all, Lilian is saying, BET is not for Africans and also, BET does not really care about us. so we need to look at the treatment we get which is not about to change, and advise ourselves.
“Let us not kid ourselves, BET is not a charity ; it’s a business entity and the fact that they come to us annually with this African Act category means, they are either making profit from us today or have a well put together plans to make profit from us in the long run.
So it is up to us to bargain well and not allow ourselves to be subjected to this unending contempt. This is business for them, and it should mean the same or even more to us.
Let’s learn to speak out .. as our people say, if you don’t speak out about your own hair cut, you end up badly shaved.”
So it is up to us to bargain well and not allow ourselves to be subjected to this unending contempt. This is business for them, and it should mean the same or even more to us.
Let’s learn to speak out .. as our people say, if you don’t speak out about your own hair cut, you end up badly shaved.”
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