Recently, Ray J found himself on the Red Carpet at the BET Awards, and as you can imagine, things got a bit awkward. During a Red Carpet interview with Bow Wow, the R&B star decided it would be appropriate to tell the folks at home that he is wearing nude underwear.

Journalist Philip Lewis couldn’t help but tell the BET Awards on X that security needed to be called on Ray J immediately.

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Ray J Had An Eventful BET Awards

During the actual ceremony, Ray J caught some jokes from Druski, who was doing a bit of crowd work. Druski decided to take aim at Ray J’s heart condition, which the singer previously said was a death sentence. He said he had just five months to live, and Druski played off that, asking why the man was still alive and in the flesh.

“Why’d you lie to us, man? I thought you was gon’ be dead…” Druski said. “Ray J, you know that’s wrong, man. You lied to all of us!”

It made for a humorous moment, although not everyone found it super amusing. Ultimately, Druski’s entire act was hit or miss throughout the evening, with some feeling as though he is better suited to skits than hosting.

As for Ray J, he continues to take all of this in stride, which is certainly honorable. He is someone who marches to the beat of his own drum, and that won’t change, anytime soon.

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“Please don’t pick on that girl,” she expressed, as caught by Livebitez on Instagram. “I am very big against Internet bullying. Unless my fans have to… But if somebody’s not bothering me, and I feel like she’s not bothering me, I don’t want to be the reason why somebody gets on the Internet and has a bad day or gets depressed or feels bad or feels like the world is against them. Because I really went through that before.”

“All these b***hes, blogs was against me…” the Bronx star continued. “I do like teaching b***hes a lesson… But after a while, I’ll kill you and then I feel bad that I killed you and buried you… You really f***ed with me, so I had to do that. But yes, I’m not going to stop performing the show… If somebody don’t f**k with me, I don’t want to keep f***ing with them, ’cause it gives bullying. And I’m really not a bully unless I have to… My fans gon’ be like ‘Cardi, stop.’ […] I don’t want to ever over-do it… I want to keep being blessed… If she ever see me, I know it’s gon’ be on sight. I know the b***h gon’ want to fight me… I’m with everything.”

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Cardi B & BIA Beef

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For those unaware, Cardi B’s BIA beef began when fans compared their aesthetics and styles, which both artists did not take super kindly to online. Following subliminal shots, they openly engaged in social media warfare via diss tracks, relationship allegations, and a lot more drama.

As for BIA’s responses to Cardi B, she jumps in to defend herself whenever she feels slighted. For example, she called out Cardi’s partner Stefon Diggs’ other relationships after Cardi performed “Pretty & Petty” on tour.

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He took to Twitter to send a since-deleted message to the comedian for this occurrence. “This n***a Druski weird for that Sax stunt,” the Top Dawg Entertainment singer’s manager wrote, as caught by Kurrco on Twitter. A lot of folks responded critically, bringing up the previous warnings and, unsurprisingly, using matters like the Drake battle against him.

As for the “girl, get up” duo’s reaction to the saxophone, they mostly just joked about it and energetically toyed with the saxophone player from a distance. Maybe they didn’t hear that part about the speeches, as SZA thought he was just doing a saxophone solo.

Either way, it ended up being more of a controversy than it probably should’ve been after Punch’s comments. We’ll see if there’s another chapter here or if this is where things stop.

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TDE At The BET Awards

Elsewhere, TDE-adjacent artists won big at the BET Awards this year, but not to particularly lauded results. Former label signee Kendrick Lamar took home Best Male Hip-Hop Artist despite not dropping since 2024’s GNX, which many fans took issue with. His cultural impact post-Drizzy beef continues to linger, but fans felt other artists like the ICEMAN himself or AOTY winners Clipse deserved it more. K.Dot also took home Best Collaboration for “Chains & Whips” with Pusha T and Malice.

As for Druski’s hosting of the 2026 BET Awards, folks are talking about some other skits and gags. For example, he did a Jay-Z impression at one point of the show, although it hasn’t led to the same debate the saxophone cut-offs did.

Other 2026 BET Awards highlights include a wide-spanning Lauryn Hill tribute, a standing ovation for Yung Miami, big performances from Cardi B and more, and Janet Jackson giving Teyana Taylor the Icon Of The Year honor. We’ll see if Punch has anything else to say about the event.

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Meanwhile, her highly publicized relationship with Diddy was placed under scrutiny following the charges that were brought against him. Following his conviction on transportation charges, the scrutiny continued to follow Yung Miami. This led to doubts about whether or not she could truly make a musical comeback.

Clearly, Miami has proven the naysayers wrong. Her new song “Spend Dat” continues to climb the Billboard charts, and it has fans clamoring for more. In fact, Yung Miami’s peers are cheering for her the hardest, as evidenced by her recent appearance at the BET Awards.

Yung Miami was presenting the BET HER Award, which eventually went to Doechii and SZA. As soon as Miami walked out onto the stage, the crowd began chanting the lyrics to “Spend Dat,” all while giving the artist a standing ovation.

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Yung Miami Completes Her Comeback

It was a special moment for an artist who some were counting out. Overall, it just goes to show that one big song can change the narrative, regardless of what has happened in the past.

Yung Miami seemed to appreciate the ovation and soaked in the moment. It was certainly nice to see, and we’re sure this will put a battery in her back to continue making new music.

Fans are waiting for that next single, and it’s likely coming soon. Although for now, “Spend Dat” remains a song of the summer contender.

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Lupe hopped on KoalaTea Reacts’ livestream on YouTube on Saturday (June 27) to debate with the content creator about how Koala is always talking about him. When Koala compared that dynamic to Fiasco speaking on Lamar, the Chicago rapper said he isn’t talking about Kendrick, as he wasn’t present during the livestream. But the two continued to debate, which led to more conversation about the Compton lyricist.

In a clip caught by mumu1626364656 on Twitter, Lupe Fiasco acknowledged how many fans today just want to hear him talk about Kendrick Lamar given his past comments about him. “This is beyond your control,” he told Koala, and Lupe feels like it’s beyond his own control at this point. “They’re not going to give a f**k about anything else that we said.”

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Lupe Fiasco’s Kendrick Lamar Comments

“I find it crazy that you can’t even say that you think that you are a better rapper than Kendrick Lamar,” Fiasco expressed. He tried to make his main point over the years concerning K.Dot clear: Lupe thinks Kendrick is a better artist, album-maker, song-maker, has a better team, and better production… But “when it comes down to lyricism, when it comes down to these lyrics and bar for bar for bar, no. Everything else? For sure,” Lupe remarked.

StanademiksTV on Twitter shared another clip of the conversation with KoalaTea Reacts in which Fiasco says there are “hundreds” of unsigned rappers that are better lyricists than Kendrick.

Fans Debate

Lupe Fiasco’s “critical” comments about Kendrick Lamar are mostly just a competitive and earnest defense of Lupe’s lyrical abilities in comparison to Kendrick. It’s as much of a media-led endeavor as it is on Lupe’s own behalf, as folks keep asking about it, bringing it up, and trying to get him in more hot water. They claim he might be jealous of Lamar’s success and the praise he receives, but it seems like his issue is more with the overzealous defenses of Kendrick in lyricism conversations more than anything.

Some folks want to see a battle, and we’ll see if that ever happens. But for the most part, as fans continue to debate this topic, it’s more of a self-eating snake than Fiasco actively instigating for the sake of hating. At the end of the day, it’s all about the bars for him.

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In addition to this award, Taylor won for Best Actress, Best Video Director, and the Fashion Vanguard Award. However, it was the Icon of the Year award that certainly got the vast majority of the attention, and for good reason.

It was an award that showcased just how much she has accomplished over the past year. From a new album to her work on One Battle After Another, Taylor has made it clear that she is one of the best artists of this generation.

That said, the BET Awards decided to surprise her with an introduction from none other than Janet Jackson. Taylor was taken by surprise and immediately started tearing up as Jackson introduced the award.

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Janet Jackson shows Up For Teyana Taylor

Janet Jackson doesn’t just pop out for no reason. It takes a very special artist or person to get her to show up to an event. That said, Teyana Taylor has left a lasting impression on the legendary pop singer.

While some on social media were quick to debate whether or not Teyana Taylor is an icon, others were also quick to give her her flowers. Ultimately, Taylor has been everywhere over the past year. She was nominated at the Oscars and even won a Golden Globe.

With this Icon award and three extra BET Awards to her name, no one can say that Taylor hasn’t achieved greatness over these last 365 days.

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There was also a live Coulda Been Records audition, which certainly got some laughs here and there. At one point during the evening, Druski was upstaged by Keke Palmer, who declared that she should have been the host.

Perhaps Druski’s best moment from last night was when he delivered a Jay-Z impression. With Ice Cube presenting on stage, Druski went up and delivered some lines while throwing up the Roc. As soon as he started speaking, the crowd immediately caught on to the bit, as he was doing his best Hov voice.

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Druski Parodies Jay-Z

Ice Cube seemed amused by the ordeal, although there is no doubt that it was a bit awkward at the same time. Of course, that was the point.

Jay-Z is a bit of an easy target right now, as he is the most active he’s been in years. Just last month, we saw Jay perform at the Roots Picnic. Later this year, he will be performing in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris. This is all in celebration of his albums Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint.

This fall, an eight-part docuseries called Jay-Z In 8 will air on HBO Max. It will feature interviews between Hov and Rick Rubin. Some believe that all of this is part of a rollout for an album that could be released sometime this year.

Whether or not Jay-Z was a fan of Druski’s impression, still remains to be seen.

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Last night, Lamar was nominated in various categories at the BET Awards. One of those categories was Best Male Hip-Hop Artist. Despite not dropping new music over the past year, his presence was still felt. He made enough of an impact to be nominated next to Don Toliver, Drake, A$AP Rocky, Baby Keem, DaBaby, BigXthaPlug, and even J. Cole.

Given what’s taken place in 2026, some fans figured either Drake or J. Cole would take home the win. In the end, once again, it was Kendrick Lamar who got the W.

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Kendrick Lamar Wins Again

This has not gone over well on social media, where many pointed out that Lamar hasn’t dropped anything since 2024’s GNX. When it comes to the Best Male Hip-Hop Artist category at the BET Awards, cultural impact is typically the criterion for a win. However, some on rap Twitter feel as though that shouldn’t be the case, especially when ICEMAN is the biggest hip-hop album in the world right now.

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The Internet Reacts

Below, you can find some of the reactions to Lamar’s win. Ultimately, rap Twitter can be a pretty negative place where narratives seem to thrive. Ever since Drake pointed out Lamar’s ability to win Grammys at will, there has been a tendency to hate on K. Dot whenever he wins something. This is yet another example of this.

If you want to see a full list of the winners from last night’s BET Awards, you can do so right here.

The post Kendrick Lamar Wins Best Male Hip-Hop Artist At The BET Awards, And Some Fans Are Confused appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The award was presented towards the end of the show, which means Hill’s speech was the last thing some viewers heard before sign-off. As you will hear, it was an impeccable speech in which the legendary artist spoke about unity. She spoke about how everyone must embrace their differences and love each other.

Furthermore, she paid homage to her kids, who have stood by her through everything. It was a phenomenal moment that showcased just how legendary Lauryn Hill truly is.

“I do this because I love y’all. You know?” Hill said. “I do this because I want you to have everything that I experienced.”

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Ms. Lauryn Hill Accepts Living Legend Icon Award

“Thank you all the legends and all the greats who paved the road for all of us. Let’s celebrate each other. Let’s honor each other,” Hill said. “Let’s respect each other. If nobody else shows us respect, let’s respect each other. If nobody else loves us, let’s love on each other. And you know what’s gonna happen? They gonna start loving us. Yeah. They already do, first of all. But we’re gonna show them how we wanna be loved.”

Before her speech, artists like Nas, Common, Queen Latifah, Doja Cat, SZA, and Doechii all got together for a large-scale medley, encompassing some of Hill’s biggest hits. For instance, SZA and Doechii performed “Ready Or Not” while Nas and Doja Cat performed “If I Ruled The World.”

From the medley to Ms. Lauryn Hill’s speech and performance, there is no doubt that this was a celebration of greatness. Artists like Teyana Taylor and executives like Sylvia Rhone were also given major honors last night.

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The post Ms. Lauryn Hill Delivers Empowering Speech After Being Honored by Nas, Doja Cat, Common, & More At The BET Awards appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The lineup includes deep cuts like the “Miro” 7, returning for the first time since 2008, and the “True Blue” 3, back after a decade away. There’s also room for something new, with Free The Youth making its Jordan Brand debut on the rarely seen Air Jordan 16.

Add in a playful comic-inspired Jordan 4 timed to Comic-Con, and July ends up being one of the more well rounded months of the year. Here’s every Air Jordan releasing this July:

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Air Jordan 4 GS “Sweet Beet”

The Air Jordan 4 GS “Sweet Beet” kicks off on July 2nd with a kid focused release. Deep berry leather covers the mudguard and side panels throughout.

A brighter pink mesh fills in the netting, laces, and support wings. Black denim wraps the collar and tongue, adding a different texture than usual. Blue and red eyelets sit near the collar and forefoot for added contrast.

A Jumpman in the same berry tone appears on each heel. The midsole stays sail colored, with black and pink detailing on the outsole below. This release sticks to grade school, preschool, and toddler sizing only.

Air Jordan 7 “Miro”

The Air Jordan 7 “Miro” returns on July 10th, marking its first retro since 2008. The colorway pulls from Joan Miro’s Barcelona sculpture, Dona i Ocell.

White leather forms the base, paired with black nubuck across the mudguard and eyestays. Abstract shapes in red, blue, green, and yellow scatter across the panels. That colorful detailing nods to the Olympic rings and Miró’s playful, primary-toned style.

A gold “9” sits on the heel, honoring Michael Jordan’s number from the 1992 Dream Team run. Multi-colored laces and pull tabs carry the Olympic theme further up the shoe. A translucent outsole adds gold tinting along with more Miro-inspired graphics underneath.

Air Jordan 41 “Metallic Silver”

The Air Jordan 41 “Metallic Silver” arrives July 16th as Michael Jordan’s newest signature shoe. A woven upper and the collar give the shoe a locked-in, sock-like feel.

White covers most of the build, with black and metallic silver detailing on the heel. A small infrared 23 accent shows up near the collar for added contrast.

Inside, the shoe runs on Cushlon 3.0 foam, paired with ZoomX cushioning up front. A full-length Zoom Air Strobel assembly handles cushioning through the heel. The outsole stays translucent, letting some of that internal tech show through.

Air Jordan 16 x Free The Youth

The Free The Youth x Air Jordan 16 drops on July 17th and it marks the Ghanaian collective’s first Jordan Brand collaboration. It also gives the rarely revisited Air Jordan 16 one of its biggest moments in years.

Metallic silver leather wraps the toe box, side panels, and removable shroud. Underneath, black leather and mesh hide multicolored detailing tied to Ghana’s flag. Two interchangeable shrouds come with the release, giving the shoe two distinct looks.

One stays silver to match the upper, while the other features Tawny Eagle artwork. That eagle represents strength and freedom as Ghana’s national bird. Green accents hit the heel and tongue, alongside the Free The Youth logo throughout.

Air Jordan 3 OG “True Blue”

The Air Jordan 3 OG “True Blue” returns July 18th, marking its first wide release in a decade. This colorway dates back to 1988, one of four original Air Jordan 3 makeups.

It also broke from the usual Chicago Bulls colors that defined early Jordans. White leather covers most of the upper, paired with cement grey elephant print at the toe and heel. True Blue accents show up across the eyelet panel, sockliner, and midsole.

That same shade returns to the Nike Air branding on the heel. Fire red detailing hits the tongue Jumpman for added contrast. The shoe also brings back the original MJ face box packaging from 1988.

Air Jordan 4 “Birds of Paradise”

The women’s Air Jordan 4 “Birds of Paradise” lands July 23rd, named after the tropical flower. Coconut milk leather covers most of the upper, paired with a suede mudguard.

That neutral base sets up brighter colors lower on the shoe. The outsole mixes mango and muslin tones in a semi-translucent finish. A deep purple section wraps around the toe and heel for contrast.

Metallic gold Jumpman logos sit on each heel, adding a small premium touch. Suede also shows up on the toe, tongue label, and heel tab. Packaging for the release carries the same floral theme through painted illustrations on the box.

Air Jordan 4 “Comic”

The Air Jordan 4 “Comic” closes out July on the 25th, dropping during San Diego Comic-Con. It draws inspiration from Michael Jordan’s 1985 comic-themed “Dunk” T-shirt.

Off-white leather covers most of the upper, paired with a grey suede mudguard. The top wing eyelets take on a jagged, pink “Pow” shape instead of standard cutouts. A gradient mesh panel shifts from orange to pink across the netting.

A pink Jumpman with “Flight” lettering sits below it on the tongue. At the heel, Nike Air branding gets a comic-panel look with dotted shading. The midsole stays cream and pink, finishing off the comic book theme throughout.

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