Key Takeaways:
– Donald Glover criticizes the annual BET Awards for not recognizing his full potential as an artist.
– Despite several nominations, Glover has only received one BET Award during his two-decade-long career.
– Glover compares himself to Sam Smith, a non-Black artist, who also has one BET Award.
– Sam Smith, who won Best New Artist at the 2015 BET Awards, had not expected to win, furthering controversy about non-Black artists winning BET Awards.
Donald Glover Exposes BET Awards’ Lack of Recognition
At the recent 2024 BET Awards, multi-talented artist Childish Gambino, known offstage as Donald Glover, publicly called out the ceremony for undervaluing his potential and achievements. Glover, like many artists, works diligently for recognition. Yet, he highlighted a surprising fact: his number of BET Awards equaled those of English singer Sam Smith, a non-Black artist.
Taking the stage to present the album of the year award, Glover seized the opportunity to voice his discontent. He shared his belief that his contributions deserve far more acknowledgement through BET awards than he has so far received.
Flipping the Script: Comparisons and Ironies
Despite his impressive track record, including seven BET nominations and one win for Video of the Year awarded for the 2019 hit ‘This Is America,’ the actor-singer believes he is yet to realize his full potential in the eyes of the BET Awards committee. Glover, who has more Grammys than Will Smith, expressed his astonishment over having the same number of BET awards as Sam Smith.
Glover humorously suggested he could go to great lengths to earn more recognition. He’s even ready to reenact scenes from ‘Baby Boy’ with Jonathan Majors if that’s what it takes.
Controversy Surrounding the 15th BET Awards
The comparison with Sam Smith sparks a debate around the 15th BET Awards, where Smith won the Best New Artist award. Both the audience and Smith themselves expressed surprise at the win given that the BET primarily celebrates Black entertainers and other minority performers.
The award presenter, Anthony Anderson, joked that Smith didn’t attend the ceremony because he didn’t think he would win due to his race. However, Smith’s win led some artists, like Rae Sremmurd, to question their faith in the fairness of such award ceremonies.
Non-Black Artists at the BET Awards
While Sam Smith’s win raised eyebrows, they’re not the only non-Black artist to receive a BET nomination. Over the years, artists like Adele, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, and Sandra Bullock have also been nominated in various categories. Up till now, Smith remains the only Caucasian artist to have won a BET Award.
Despite the controversy, many believe Smith deserved the award because of his talent, not his race. This argument raises interesting questions about the selection criteria and the diversity embraced by award shows like BET.
Closing Remarks
As an accomplished actor and singer, Donald Glover’s criticism of the BET awards illuminates challenges faced by artists, irrespective of their achievements. His call for greater recognition reiterates the frustration many Black artists experience at award shows. The conversation sparked by Glover’s comments provides an opportunity for institutions like BET to evaluate their recognition practices and foster an inclusive environment for all talented performers.
