SZA, Kendrick Lamar win big at 2025 BET Awards
Kendrick Lamar won Album of the Year for his critically acclaimed GNX LP and Mariah Carey performed her hit song ‘It’s Like That’ at the BET Awards.
Cover Media
BET has reportedly suspended the Soul Train and Hip-Hop Awards, two of its annual music awards shows.
“So for BET linear, we have suspended the Soul Train and Hip-Hop award shows,” BET CEO Scott Mills said in an interview with Billboard published on Aug. 5.
According to the outlet, Mills added, “We have a team that’s actively thinking about where those award shows might best live as the media climate continues to evolve. They aren’t gone.”
BET declined to comment to USA TODAY.
What are the BET Soul Train Awards?
The Soul Train Awards is an annual music awards show.
“Soul Train” program creator Don Cornelius established the awards show in 1987 to recognize achievements in Black music, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
The awards show originally aired for syndication on various cable networks, but moved to BET by the mid-2000s, according to IMDb.
The Soul Train Awards most recently aired in November 2023. That year, it was hosted by Keke Palmer and attended by stars like Janelle Monáe, T-Pain, and Coco Jones. BET skipped the ceremony in 2024.
What are the BET Hip-Hop Awards?
The BET Hip-Hop Awards, which began airing in 2006, is an annual ceremony showcasing hip hop artists, performers and producers.
The show most recently aired on Oct. 5, 2024 and was hosted by Fat Joe.
According to BET, the Hip Hop Awards “celebrates the best in Hip Hop from the past year.”
In 2024, awards were given in 17 categories. Winners were chosen by a “prestigious voting academy of industry experts,” according to the network.
‘Such a shame’: Internet reacts to reported suspension of BET Soul Train, Hip Hop Awards
Many on social media said they weren’t surprised by the shows’ cancellations, especially because of changing viewership habits and changes in the industry.
“Might be good to stop & move with intention on how to champion Black art especially since big names don’t show up anymore,” one person said on X.
Another said, “Amidst BET canceling the Soul Train Awards and the Hip Hop Awards, I agree it’s because we no longer have SUPERSTARS.”
Others expressed disappointment.
“Cancelling soul train awards whilst R&B is having a commercial resurgence is such a shame,” one user said.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.Â