Hip-Hop tuned in last night to see what all the fuss was about after the gossip spread this past week. Some of the rumors circulating included MMG and CTE’s brawl and 50 cent and Fat Joe finally sharing a stage together after years of rap beef.  It just wouldn’t be hip-hop if there wasn’t some chest caving, weed smoking, shit talking and lord praising all in one room. The awards were held in Atlanta, Georgia, which was fitting considering how the south has dominated the charts for the past few years.  And even so, the BET network decided  to showcase emcees that made noise independently this year while celebrating the legacy of mogul Chris Lighty. If anything, the 2012 BET Awards was the year of the underdog.

The award ceremony was a perfect setup for Lamar’s solo debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, as it will be released on Itunes in just a couple weeks. With all his incredible work this year with his mixtape Section 80, he was crowned Best Lyricist and performed his new songs “Recipe” and  “Drank”.

The most heartfelt performance of them all was the tribute to Chris Lighty, who committed suicide just two months back. It included artists who were apart of the Violator imprint he helped built from the ground up.  A Tribe Called Quest opened up the crowd with “Award Tour”. Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes gave the most compelling performances, signaling the crowd to put their Ls up in remembrance of Lighty. Fat Joe and 50 cent performed “Lean Back” and “I Get Money” respectively, sharing the stage together in honor of their mutual friend. Missy Elliot returned from her absence igniting the crowd to her 2001 hit , “Get Your Freak On”.  Subsequently, a more seasoned group of artists showed the newer school how to really rock a crowd.

The true glory of the night belonged to Kendrick’s promising career, however his Best Lyricist award was overshadowed by the cloud of rap feuds circling the MMG, G-Unit, and CTE. All in all, rap game ain’t that messed up. Make sure to download, good kid, m.A.A.d city on October  22nd, or pre-order it here.

The post K DOT WINS BEST LYRICIST, WHILE HIP-HOP CELEBRATES LIGHTY’S LEGACY AT THE BET AWARDS appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.