Nominations for the 2022 BET Awards have arrived and fans are upset a White rapper is included.
Jack Harlow is a Best Male Hip Hop Artist nominee, along with Drake, Future, J. Cole, Ye, Kendrick Lamar and Lil Baby. As with any list of nominations or awards, a large group of supporters will feel slighted by the lack of acknowledgment of their favorite talents. However, the argument for Lil Nas X being nominated for just one Black Entertainment Television award over Harlow is interesting.
I was happy with Doja finally being in a hip hop category, but Lil Nas X didn't get ONE nomination?? And Jack Harlow got one when his biggest song was with Lil Nas X?? 🤔
— Bobby Foster (@_bobbyfoster) June 1, 2022
“Jack Harlow got [a nomination] when his biggest song was with Lil Nas X??” Bobby Foster tweeted.
Harlow recently received his first solo No. 1 single with the Fergie-sampled “First Class” in April, but his first No. 1 Billboard song was on Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby” in October 2021. Atlanta music mogul Dallas Austin threw a surprise party for Lil Nas X to celebrate the star’s latest No. 1 record, where he also continued to raise HIV awareness with a focus on the Black queer community.
Lil Nas X tweeted and deleted his response to the news.
“Thank you BET Awards,” he posted. “An outstanding zero nominations again. Black excellence!”
A user responded and asked what he’s released to be nominated, and not to use the fact he’s gay as an excuse because “nobody care no more.”
“IDK maybe 3 of the biggest songs of last year and a critically-acclaimed album sunnytee__ I feel like that should’ve helped me a bit,” he tweeted.
Harlow hasn’t publicly acknowledged the nomination on either his Twitter or Instagram, as he’s been busy promoting his music video for “Churchill Downs” featuring Drake.
Harlow isn’t the first White artist nominated for a BET Award who has caused some social media backlash. In 2010, Justin Bieber was nominated for Best New Artist. He was unable to make the awards show because he was on tour, but he did send a message out on Twitter.
“I do wish I was there, too, because I am honored to just be nominated,” he tweeted. “Just goes to show that music is COLOR BLIND!! It is the universal language, and good music brings us all together … the way it should be.”
Doja Cat led all artists with six nominations, while Ari Lennox and Drake are tied for second with four nominations.
