BET Hip-Hop Awards 2020 Winners

10.28.20

Aired October 27th, 2020

BET had their main awards show over the summer, but last night, we dedicate the night to hip-hop. What better to celebrate than our favorite music and artists whom have helped us get through this crazy year. Of course the event was virtual. There were a few small gatherings of artists in a room to accept their awards and congratulate their friends. Others did interviews on their own to access their awards. Nonetheless, everyone still showed out too entertain, including performances build off-site from artists like Mulatto and Gucci Mane.

Here is a list of the winners, and For The Soule’s reactions.

Hip Hop Artist of the Year

DaBaby
Drake
Future
Lil Baby
Megan Thee Stallion
Roddy Ricch

The year is the year of the female hip-hop artist. I think this is a huge reason why Megan Thee Stallion is at the top. Megan has still yet to put out an album. She put out her nine-track EP that her label begged her to wait on - it was not good. Her verses and features do not disappoint, because there is a bar of energy that needs to be matched. Meg has had an incredible year in music, a horrible year in friendships, and does she deserve this? Yes. Does DaBaby, Lil Baby and Roddy Ricch deserve this more? A thousand percent. DaBaby and Lil Baby each put out new albums plus deluxe versions, with tons of features. Roddy’s end of ‘19 album was remarkable, with a new one on the way. I think DaBaby holds onto old hip-hop, and Lil Baby is today’s hip-hop, so I’d crown one of these two, for hip-hop artist of the year.

Best Hip Hop Video

DaBaby, “Bop”
DaBaby feat. Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar”
Drake, “Toosie Slide”
Future f/ Drake, “Life Is Good”
Lil Baby, “The Bigger Picture”
Roddy Ricch, “The Box”

I do think, again that DaBaby gets gipped here, but all are great options. DaBaby’s Bop video was iconic. Everyone has been doing the Bop dance for well over a year, daily. The energy and community in this video was radiant, and he even brought back the Jabbawockeez to stardom. However, Future and Drake’s video was cool. We saw them act as regular people trying to go to the studio, we saw them work as trash men, we saw them act as directors, and we saw them act as famous artists who do not want to listen to others giving them direction about their own music video. There was a lot of storytelling and dialogue to this music video. I think that is what gets a video more plays and engagements, as viewers learn a bit more about the artist and their personality. Of course with these two, it is going to be hard to top the interest level. Well deserved.

Song of the Year

“Bop” (DaBaby) Produced by JetsonMade & Starboy
“Life Is Good” (Future f/ Drake) Produced by Ambezza, D. Hill & OZ
“Rockstar” (DaBaby f/ Roddy Ricch) Produced by SethinTheKitchen
“Savage” (Remix) (Megan Thee Stallion f/ Beyoncé) Produced by J. White Did It
“The Box” (Roddy Ricch) Produced by 30 Roc & DatBoiSqueeze
“Toosie Slide (Drake)” Produced by OZ

I agree with this option full heartedly. The Box has been the anthem down to the intro beat since the day it came out. There are memes about this song. You cannot beat this. Hands down, song of the year. Congrats, Roddy.

Hip Hop Album of the Year

DaBaby, Blame It On Baby
DaBaby, Kirk
Future, High Off Life
Lil Baby, My Turn
Megan Thee Stallion, Suga
Roddy Ricch, Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial

Again, yes! DaBaby with two nominations, well deserved. Lil Baby’s My Turn, excellent. Suga? Delete this. (I do not have much to say about Future. His album of the year would have to have fifteen features on an eleven track album) Roddy Ricch’s Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial is the hip-hop album of the year. From cover to cover, every single track is a hit. There are no skips on this project. There is fast Roddy, slow Roddy, he takes us from his past in the streets to his love life, and everywhere in between. This album is everything that a “great album” requires. The only liable option here.

Best Collaboration

DaBaby f/ Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar”
Future f/ Drake, “Life Is Good”
Jack Harlow f/ Tory Lanez, DaBaby & Lil Wayne, “Whats Poppin” (Remix)
Megan Thee Stallion f/ Beyoncé, “Savage” (Remix)
Megan Thee Stallion f/ Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $Ign, “Hot Girl Summer”
Mustard f/ Roddy Ricch, “Ballin'”

Megan Thee Stallion of course is on here with multiple nominations. She makes anthems with features. I do not think we catch her on the best album list anytime soon, but she belongs here, heavy. The only female artist who could beat Nicki Minaj, and Beyoncé, and that is exactly what happened here. Hot Girl Summer feels a bit late, and Savage just has a stronger message. I loved the What’s Poppin’ Remix, but I do not think it was as sing-a-long-able as the original, and everyone is just all about the ladies right now.

Best Duo/Group

Chris Brown and Young Thug
City Girls
EarthGang
JackBoys
Migos
Run The Jewels

Oh this is interesting. Collaboration albums have been hot, and C Breezy and Thugger just took Best Group away from the City Girls with their Slime & B album. The album was dope, and voting wise, I might put my vote here, or with Run The Jewels, because that project was fantastic. The Migos are a dying breed, I am not sure anyone quite understands who the JackBoys are, or they do not care if it is not Travis Scott on every bar, and the EarthGang guys just are not there yet. City Girls are attempting to make their comeback to stardom as JT is home from prison, and Miami is comfortable with being a mother. They have received some backlash on a lot of their verses lately, not being up to par to some, but there will always be haters. I hope the girl gang that has been empowering each other brings these ladies on board with them now that they are ready for their second chance at the top. Either way, Slime & B is a project to check out, for sure.

Best New Hip Hop Artist

Flo Milli
Jack Harlow
Mulatto
NLE Choppa
Pop Smoke
Rod Wave

I love a Pop Smoke win. This is so well deserved, and though it has been almost a year, I am sick. He would have been doing live performances at every and every one of these shows. There would be so much more new music, and so many more nominees. Mulatto girl, you are here. But this one was for Pop.

Best Live Performer

Big Sean
DaBaby
Drake
Megan Thee Stallion
Roddy Ricch
Travis Scott

I mean, if you like mosh pits and head banging and breaking your bones.

Lyricist of the Year

Big Sean
DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Megan Thee Stallion
Rapsody

I cannot say how proud I am of everyone who voted this way. This is absolutely the only way to go. You could vote for J. Cole, you probably did if you are reading this. But Rapsody is a student of the game. She has been through it all, she has studied, listened, and been a part of this industry for many years. Her lyrical ability, her talent, her perseverance, is incredible. I am happy to just see her name here, I am ecstatic to see her win. T.I. and the 95 South guys congratulated her with her well deserved award win, it was such a great moment.

Video Director of the Year

Cactus Jack & White Trash Tyler
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Director X
Teyana "Spike Tee" Taylor

Teyana Taylor directing for herself has got to be the ultimate flex of 2020. Especially when being pregnant and giving birth in such close quarters. I do not think there is anything that this women cannot do. From singing, dancing, performing, directing, being a fashion goddess, beautiful with any look or hairdo, being an amazing mother and wife, she has got it all. Cole Bennett, you are incredible, but this is the year of the female.

DJ of the Year

Chase B
D-Nice
DJ Drama
DJ Envy
DJ Khaled
Mustard

I would always vote for Mustard, but all of these guys have one hell of a year. DJ D-Nice held the ‘Club Quarantine’ live stream event for nine hours straight, and if this is not the kind of energy you are bringing when literally the world is watching, you just are not doing it right. D-Nice takes it for getting us through this crappy year.

Producer of the Year

9th Wonder
DJ Khaled
Hit-Boy
JetsonMade
Mike Will Made-It
Mustard

Another amazing group of producers, but besides being the year of the ladies, Hit-Boy might have had the best year out of everyone. Hit-Boy has been nominated for awards since 2013. He won Best Rap Song for N*** In Paris this year, and was nominated for Producer of the Year the following year. He has hits with everyone from Kanye West, Jay-Z, to Eminem, Lil Wayne, Big Sean and others. Though today, he expands his catalog to get involved with the new generation of hip-hop. Evolving your work to keep up with the times, while maintaining your skills and identity is remarkable, and Hit-Boy takes that all the way.

Hustler of the Year

Cardi B
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
Megan Thee Stallion
Rick Ross
Travis Scott

Yeah, it has to be Megan. I would love to give it to Cardi, with all she has done for women in hip-hop, and in politics this year, but even she will admit, prior to WAP, she was off her game for a number of months. Megan has stood strong no matter what cards she has dealt, she played them to her best of her ability, and she has not stopped collaborating with other artists, while still getting her homework done. Meg has been through a ton this year, and the past few years prior. The girl is focused.

Best Hip Hop Platform

Complex
HipHopDX
HotNewHipHop
The Breakfast Club
The Joe Budden Podcast
The Shade Room
XXL

This is such a cool category. We need more categories like this. Who is giving these artists a platform to speak? Who is giving them their flowers when they need them? Or in this case, putting them in their place when they need to be. The Joe Budden Podcast is probably the smallest platform of any of them. However, Joe is undoubtedly the most reliable source in the hip-hop space. A man of the industry himself. He has been through the highs and the lows of the industry, but in the end, he is talented and he knows his stuff. Who could forget when he left Everyday Struggle after fighting with the Migos? Now, he has his own show, to talk about his opinions on the music, the culture, and everything in between. People look to Joe for his endorsements and advice, and others listen. I am so happy for this category, and the way the votes turned out.

Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse

Beyoncé, “Savage” (Remix) (Megan Thee Stallion f/ Beyoncé)
Bia, “Best on Earth” (Russ f/ Bia)
Cardi B, “Writing on the Wall” (French Montana f/ Post Malone, Cardi B & Rvssian)
Future, “Roses” (Remix) (SAINt JHN f/ Future)
Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar” (DaBaby f/ Roddy Ricch)
Travis Scott, “Hot” (Remix) (Young Thug f/ Gunna & Travis Scott)

Let’s be honest, who is going to be Beyoncé is anything, ever? These other songs are great, but who stands a chance?

Impact Track

Anderson .Paak & Jay Rock, “Lockdown”
DaBaby f/ Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar” (BLM Remix)
J. Cole, “Snow on tha Bluff”
Lil Baby, “The Bigger Picture”
Rapsody f/ PJ Morton, “Afeni”
Wale f/ Kelly Price, “Sue Me”

The Impact Track of the year has never been so important as it is today. DaBaby and Roddy Ricch made a powerful statement with their BLM Remix to Rockstar, which they actually performed at an aware show earlier this year. Throwing J. Cole on here is a bit weird to me, this song got some serious backlash, for the lack of impact and knowledge he has had on what is going on in the world. Lil Baby has got to win this with The Bigger Picture. The song, the lyrics, and the visuals are so strong and powerful. Not only do they send a positive message, but the song is a good song, overall. This track topped charts for weeks, and should remain high for the remainder of 2020.

Best International Flow

Meryl (France)
Kaaris (France)
Nasty C (South Africa)
Khaligraph Jones (Kenya)
Stormzy (U.K.)
Ms Banks (U.K.)
Djonga (Brazil)

I definitely think Stormzy deserves the win here. An International flow getting serious looks over here in the United States, that is what we are looking for here, and Stormzy takes the cake.