For nearly two decades, the BET Hip-Hop Awards have served as a yearly benchmark for the culture, celebrating lyricism, production, performance, and the hustle. In August 2025, BET confirmed the show is being suspended on linear TV while it’s “reimagined,” sparking debate about what comes next.
BET’s CEO Scott Mills said in an interview (reported across multiple outlets) that the BET Hip-Hop Awards and the Soul Train Awards are suspended “for BET linear” as the network evaluates how these franchises should live in today’s media environment, potentially moving to streaming or another platform. Crucially, Mills emphasized they aren’t gone, but paused while the format is rethought. Reactions poured in from artists like Fat Joe and Jadakiss, who called the move a loss for the culture.
Context matters: industry headlines have tied these changes to broader shifts, corporate restructuring, and a pivot in how audiences consume live specials. Outlets summarizing the Billboard remarks noted July layoffs at BET and continuing exploration of where legacy franchises best fit.
The BET Hip-Hop Awards launched in 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta with Katt Williams as host, quickly becoming a staple alongside the main BET Awards. From the jump, it positioned Hip-Hop’s creators, MCs, DJs, producers, and directors as center stage.
If the show has a fingerprint, it’s the cyphers, pre-recorded freestyle sessions that consistently trend and spark debates about pen game and presence. Early cyphers were anchored by DJ Premier and boom-bap minimalism, giving shine to a wide range of MCs. Standout moments include the 2009 sessions featuring Eminem, Mos Def, and Black Thought; the 2010 G.O.O.D. Music cypher with Pusha T, Big Sean, CyHi, Common, and Kanye; and TDE’s 2013 run, where Kendrick Lamar fired off a now-famous barb aimed at Drake. Even playful twists (like Kevin Hart’s “Chocolate Droppa” vs. Lil Wayne in 2016) became viral television.
Across the years, categories such as Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Lyricist of the Year, Best Collaboration, Producer of the Year, DJ of the Year, Best Live Performer, and Video Director of the Year captured the breadth of Hip-Hop’s ecosystem.
2023 (taped in Atlanta) belonged to Kendrick Lamar, who led with four wins, Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, Lyricist of the Year, Best Live Performer, and Video Director of the Year (with Dave Free). Fat Joe hosted, and cyphers/performances again dominated the conversation.
2024 spotlighted a familiar name again, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” took Impact Track honors among a competitive field that included Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, and more. (Full 2024 nominees spanned Artist, Album, Video, Collaboration, and more.)
Notable Moments You Can’t Leave Out
2016: Lil Wayne vs. Chocolate Droppa gives the cypher a comedic battle wrinkle, proving the format’s flexibility.
2009: Early cyphers with DJ Premier, and one clip featuring Eminem, Mos Def, and Black Thought, cement the segment’s prestige.
2010: G.O.O.D. Music cypher becomes a format classic; DJ Premier credited with stewarding cypher sound.
2013: Kendrick Lamar’s cypher reference to Drake (hot on the heels of “Control”) ranks among the most replayed BETHH moments ever.
Multiple outlets stress the awards are “suspended”, not cancelled forever. Mills’ phrasing suggests a platform shift or format refresh rather than a burial. Think fewer ad-breaks and more shareable segments, tighter runtimes, interactive voting, and streaming-native production, all ways to keep the cypher energy and marquee categories while fitting 2025’s attention economy.
Fat Joe and Jadakiss called the suspension “a form of gentrification,” arguing that deprioritizing dedicated Black-music award shows removes valuable oxygen from the ecosystem. Their take captured the ambient worry: if the industry won’t platform Hip-Hop on its own terms, who will?
What to Watch Next
- Where it lands: Expect experiments on BET+ or partner streamers/social platforms, preserving the cyphers, categories, and tent-pole performances with a shorter, snackable format. (That’s consistent with Mills’ “reimagine” messaging.)
- Spin-offs and specials: BET has a track record of reviving legacy IP in new forms; don’t be surprised if cyphers return as standalone series or quarterly specials built for digital.
- The culture won’t wait: Other award brands and platforms may scoop up cypher-style programming. The demand for lyric-forward moments is evergreen.
