The 2023 BET Awards was an absolute whirlwind of surprises, with unexpected moments like Lil Scrappy and Diamond dropping hints of their newfound romance, Quavo being annoyed with a persistent reporter right after paying tribute to the late Takeoff, and Sexyy Red igniting the audience as she performed “Pound Town” right in front of gospel legend Dr. Bobby Jones. It was pure chaos and pure entertainment all at once! More inside…
JT hurling her phone at her boyfriend Lil Uzi Vert’s head wasn’t the only crazy thing that went down Sunday night!
Love connections, fiery outbursts, and unexpected performances took center stage at the wild 2023 BET Awards, where Lil Scrappy and Diamond hinted at their budding relationship, Quavo clashed with a persistent reporter, and Sexyy Red brought the heat with an impromptu show that left gospel singer Bobby Jones speechless. And that’s just some of what went down.
First things first, it appears rappers Lil Scrappy and Crime Mob’s Diamond are spinning the block.
Lil Scrappy and Diamond sent social media into a frenzy as they made a grand entrance together on the pink carpet of the 2023 BET Awards. The streets are buzzing with rumors of a rekindled romance between the “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” stars, sparked during their time on The Millenium Tour.
However, things took a messy turn when Scrappy’s estranged wife, Bambi, discovered incriminating text messages between him and Diamond, discussing plans to meet up after the shows. To make matters worse, Bambi claims that Scrappy was even talking about her to Diamond.
After months of speculation and rumors, Scrappy finally came clean to his close friends. He confessed that Bambi had indeed filed for divorce, and shockingly, he had been engaging in secret text exchanges and flirting with Diamond, all while still being married.
Looks like it’s official now.
Diamond and Scrappy dated in the early 2010s. It’s reported Diamond called it quits with Scrappy and later started dating rapper Soulja Boy. In 2014, she told Power 105’s “The Breakfast Club” that she and Scrappy used to get into physical altercations while they were together, which Scrappy denied.
Back at the BET Awards…
Migos rappers Quavo and Offset reunited for their first performance together since the passing of their bandmate and relative, Takeoff last November.
The crowd at the BET Awards went wild when Takeoff’s verse from “Hotel Lobby” blasted through the speakers, setting the stage on fire before Quavo and Offset rocked the house with their iconic banger, “Bad and Boujee.”
After their performance, Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier caught up with the rappers to ask them about their performance. Watch the awkward interview below:
It seems the interview annoyed Quavo, so he shared the clip on his Instagram with the caption, “Manz Really Asked How Did We Do It [straight face emoji] #RocketPower”
He clearly wasn’t feeling Kevin.
In the audience…
Sexyy Red giving a “Pound Town” performance in the audience at the #BETAwards @SexyyRed314_ pic.twitter.com/4ie3vSUCxH
— Rap Alert (@rapalert6) June 26, 2023
While the 2023 BET Awards showcased a lineup of rap’s hottest new it-girls, including Doechii, GloRilla, Ice Spice, and Latto, one rising star was left off the recognition list. But that didn’t deter her from making her presence known.
Sexyy Red, the sensation behind the steamy tracks “Born By The River” and “Pound Town,” wasn’t originally scheduled to perform at the BET Awards. However, she didn’t let that stop her. When her hit song “Pound Town” started playing over the PA system, she seized the moment and delivered her own impromptu performance right in the midst of the crowd.
Watch gospel legend Dr. Bobby Jones watch the “Pound Town” show below:
Dr. Bobby Jones hearing “My coochie pink, my booty whole brown!” Has given me great joy! pic.twitter.com/tzJ49W44C1
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) June 26, 2023
Lordt.
A pregnant Chrisean Rock was in the mix. Noticeably missing was her problematic boyfriend and child’s father, Blueface:
And for those who said Sexyy Red made the awards show “ghetto,” she responded:
“I had so much fun man iont kno how to act lol & to the ones that said I made it ghetto… thank you,” she wrote on Instagram.
Fans noticed rapper Moneybagg Yo and his girlfriend Ari Fletcher were in attendance…but not with one another:
The “Impact: Atlanta” star hit the carpet solo.
And so did her man:
Inside…
Moneybagg was spotted sitting beside Angela Simmons and her boo, Yo Gotti. Interesting.
Also…
Before the show, Moneybagg hit the stage alongside rapper G Herbo, who is the father of Ari’s son, Lil Scrappy and TV personality Terrence J.
During the show…
Patti LaBelle took the stage at the BET Awards to pay homage to her late friend, the iconic Tina Turner. With a soul-stirring rendition of Turner’s classic hit “The Best,” LaBelle aimed to capture the essence of the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Dressed in a dazzling fringe minidress reminiscent of Tina’s signature style, Patti unleashed her powerhouse vocals, belting out the song’s lyrics with her trademark passion. However, amidst her performance, she faced an unexpected blunder. Struggling to keep up with the teleprompter that guided her through the song, Patti stumbled singing the lyrics.
“I can’t see the words and I don’t know. I’m tryin’, y’all!,” she said during her Tina Turner tribute.
At one point during the tribute, Patti humorously called out, “Where are my background singers?” harkening back to her infamous performance of “This Christmas” at the 1996 National Tree Lighting Ceremony when her cue cards were disarrayed, causing a moment of confusion.
Despite the blunders, Patti’s unwavering spirit and commitment to delivering a memorable tribute to her friend shone through. Check it out below:
Patti LaBelle says she can’t see the words #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/DGu6SksytF
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 26, 2023
Lordt.
Afterwards, the legendary singer revealed she wasn’t feeling well:
During the BET Awards festivities, Sukihana shared a photo of herself sitting on rapper NLE Choppa’s lap with the caption, “Jeffrey Dahmer ain’t got sh*t on me the way I eat a black n*gga out [blue heart emoji]”
Fans were quick to call Suki out about the caption following her situation with rapper YK Osiris, who kissed her in the mouth (twice) without her permission.
The “Love & Hip Hop: Miami” star reacted to the backlash, “First of all the caption is one of my bars in slut me out,” referring to the song “Slut Me Out” that she’s on with Choppa and Sexyy Red.
Thoughts?
The 2023 BET Awards pink carpet turned out to be a major flop fashion wise, leaving the majority of the internet scratching their heads in confusion as they struggled to recognize most of the attendees. Swipe through our pink carpet flicks to see for yourself below!
Photos: Getty Images for BET
