New York-based writer, publicist, and activist April Silver says she continues to get feedback about a piece she wrote in response to this performance by Lil’ Wayne and Drake at the BET Awards 2009. Director Byron Hurt also responded, and wrote the following to BET’s Debra Lee on June 29:

“Sunday night’s BET Awards show was a disgrace. It’s sad and unfortunate that your network, owned by Viacom, continues to crank out mediocrity and perpetuate negative stereotypes of black men, women, and children. Although you likely received high ratings for the awards show, there is no honor in reinforcing the status quo’s opinion of black people. Your tribute to Michael Jackson and the overall show had its great moments, however, BET failed to deliver a solid, quality show. Rather than “raising the bar” and presenting African-Americans as a creative, proud, dignified people, BET lowered the bar for the entire world to see. The BET Awards drew a huge audience to watch a tribute to Michael Jackson, but left millions of viewers feeling disappointed, embarrassed, and reduced to classic stereotypes.

“During the most blatantly sexist performances of the night, the executives at BET failed to act and display intelligence, courage, and leadership. Show executives watched, approved, and applauded as artists Lil’ Wayne, Drake, and Cash Money brought young, under-aged girls onto the stage to dance and serve as window dressing while they performed ‘Every Girl,’ a song that reduces girls and women to sex objects. In a culture where one out of four girls and women are either raped or sexually assaulted – and where manipulative men routinely traffic vulnerable women into the sex industry – it is not okay that BET allowed this to happen. BET owes its entire audience – particularly girls and women around the world – an apology for its failure to intervene. BET should also take immediate steps to ensure that this kind of sexist performance does not happen again. Sunday night’s show epitomizes why so many black people worldwide are fed up with BET and feel strongly that your network inaccurately represents black men and women.”

# # #

“Last night, live at the BET Awards in Los Angeles, a room full of head-bobbing, consenting adults bounced to Drake and Lil Wayne’s back-to-back performances of the hit songs “Best I Ever Had” and “Every Girl.” I watched, underwhelmed. I wanted more “Michael” in what was supposed to be this award-show-turned-Michael-Jackson-tribute. I watched, ever puzzled by the Lil Wayne phenomena that has captivated the music industry. I watched, wondering when the set was going to end.

“Then the little girls came onstage…literally the little girls. “Are those children?” I asked out loud, in disbelief. Then the camera panned the audience. Everyone was still head-bobbing as the little Black girls huddled around these superstars.

“‘Are those little girls on stage…for this song?!?!‘ I, still in disbelief, lost breath and forced myself to exhale. ‘Why are these little girls featured on this performance? Is somebody going to stop this?’ Again, the show was live, though for a nano-second, I was hoping that a hunched-over stage manager would bust through from back stage to scoop up the children, rescuing them from harm’s way…from being associated from this song. But instead, what those girls witnessed from the stage was hundreds and hundreds of adults (mostly Black people) staring back at them, co-signing the performance. These girls, who all appeared to be pre-teens, were having their 15 minutes of glam on one of the biggest nights in televised Black entertainment history, with two of pop culture’s biggest stars at the moment, with millions of people watching. They must have been bubbling with girlish excitement, shimmering like princesses all night. Pure irony: one of them wore a red ballerina tutu for the special occasion. And we applauded them.

“But did no one care that Lil Wayne’s song Every Girl is about grown men and their sexual escapades with women? Did the meaning and intent of the song matter to anyone, this song whose hook and other lyrics required a re-write in order to get air play? ‘I wish I could love every girl in the world.‘ That’s the radio-friendly version of ‘I wish I could f–k every girl in the world.‘ But Lil Wayne’s BET performance was the clean edit of the song. Perhaps he (and the show producers) thought that there was nothing wrong in featuring the children in the clean version. Perhaps we were supposed to see the whole bit as cute and innocent. Absolutely not. There’s no other way to cut it: in presenting little girls in a performance of a song that is about sex, group sex, and more sex, BET and Lil Wayne set the stage for child pornography. It doesn’t matter what version of the song was played, much like a man who batters women is still an abusive man, even if uses flowery phrases while battering.

“In the song, Lil Wayne mentions superstar Miley Cyrus, but Cyrus gets a pass on this lyrical sex escapade because, as he acknowledges, she is a minor. Huh? Why, then, is he comfortable with featuring four minors, these four little Black girls, in the show? How deep exactly is this inability of some men to respect women, and how deep is Lil Wayne’s disregard for the safety of little girls?

“I’m told that one of the girls is Lil Wayne’s daughter. That doesn’t matter. In fact that makes it worse. Last night we were reminded that there are few safe spaces for our little girls to be children; that some of us are willing to trade their innocence for a good head nod. BET and Lil Wayne are beneath low because, in effect, they have given premium assurance to these and other little girls that their best value, their shining moment, their gifts to display to the world, all lie within a context that says they are fuckable.

“The programming at BET has been heavily criticized by artists, concerned citizens, college students, parent groups, social justice organizations, media reform activists, and many others for over a decade now. Their programming seems hell bent on broadcasting the worst pathologies in the Black community. Some have joined the anti-BET movement by simply tuning out. Others have been more pro-active. National letter-writing campaigns and other activities designed to shame and/or pressure the network into improving its programming have been in play for some time now. Boycotts have been called as well. Two years ago, for example, the network found itself in the line of fire as it planned to air the very controversial series “Hot Ghetto Mess.” Advertisers, such as State Farm Insurance and Home Depot, responded to pressure and requested that their ads be disassociated with the series (though, their ads could be placed in other programming slots). None of this has made a difference. In fact, it seems to have emboldened the network, for it is now expanding. In the fall, BET is due to launch another channel.

“As a social entrepreneur and activist, my entire life/work has been dedicated to standing up for what’s right, especially within the culture of hip hop. When identifying what cancerous elements exist within the Black community, many fellow activists agree with Chuck D (of Public Enemy), and even Aaron McGruder (of The Boondocks), when they targeted BET as one of those elements. That said, I didn’t think that we would ever have to take the network to task for what amounts to child pornography.

“But millions of Black people are not offended by the network and welcome anything BET has to offer, no matter how much it continues to unravel the fabric of our community. Imagine, if you will, BET as a human being and the viewers as the community. You would have to imagine BET as a drug dealer, with his swag on…perhaps outside standing atop a truck, the community crowded beneath him. Imagine him throwing nicely wrapped gifts into the crowed, or giving away turkeys at Thanksgiving. Or maybe it’s Mother’s Day and he buys dinner and teddy bears to all the single moms and grandmothers around the way. Despite his best efforts and despite the approval of his fans, he is still a drug dealer, pimping death to the masses.

“Proverbs is full of sacred text that teaches us that there will always be fools amongst us. Some of them will be highly paid, protected, and given world-wide platforms to show off what they do best. And these fools (be they performers, corporate executives, or others), will have fans and loyal supporters, and a place to call home, like a BET.

“But as long as there will be fools amongst us, there will also be wise ones – a small group of people concerned about the long term health and well being of the community. This small group will often go unheard and they will be outmatched. They will struggle over which problem to address first: the child pornographer, the batterer, the pimp, the prostitute, the thief, the slumlord, or the system that enables it all. They will get tired and their defense will pale in comparison to the almost crushing offense. And they will be betrayed from within. Historically and universally, this is what happens in the struggle for what is right. But eventually, with continued pressure, something will shift. A radical new thinking will emerge, and the fools will lose their stronghold.

“The sure expectation of victory, however, can not be understated. It is a concrete ingredient in the struggle against the death that is being paraded in our community…as necessary as letter writing campaigns, economic boycotts, symbolic and actual protests, and other pressure-oriented activities. It is indeed possible to bring more life into our community.

Copyright 2009, by April R. Silver. Silver is a social entrepreneur, activist and writer/editor. She is also founder of the communications agency AKILA WORKSONGS, Inc. Her first book is the critically acclaimed anthology “BE A FATHER TO YOUR CHILD: REAL TALK FROM BLACK MEN ON FAMILY, LOVE AND FATHERHOOD.” Contact Info: silver@aprilsilver.com or www.aprilsilver.com.

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BET responded July 3 in a statement to AllHipHop.com:

“BET Networks deeply regrets the performance by Young Money at the BET AWARDS ‘09 (featuring Lil Wayne, Drake, Gudda Gudda and Mack Maine). Elements of the performance were unplanned and should not have happened.”

BET also said it found viewers’ opinions, like Hurt’s and Silver’s, useful. “We have edited Young Money’s performance for all BET Awards ‘09 encore presentations,” a representative said.

BET Awards 2009

Now that’s what I call soul … Beyonce will be performing alongside soulful singers Al Green, Maxwell, and CeCe Winans at the 15th annual Essence Music Festival. The ceremony, which takes place July 3-5 in New Orleans, is also known for its inspirational emphasis on black empowerment, and will feature additional appearances from John Legend, Ne-Yo, and En Vogue. There will also be a gospel tribute to legendary pastor and well-known entrepreneur TD Jakes.

Lil Wayne and rock music a good idea? … That will be for you to judge, as the rap phenom has announced his release of a rock album, tentatively scheduled to drop on April 7. Miami producers Infamous and Drew Correa are expected to be working with Weezy for most of the songs, and his latest song “Prom Queen” will be released via MySpace. Wayne has told Billboard in the past that he learned how to play guitar. Really?

Kanye’s got somethin’ to say to Fiddy’s beef … By complimenting him? West says that he is a big fan of 50 Cent, and is disappointed (at most) at the “iconic” NY rapper’s rambunctious wordplay. We reported on 50’s diss last week, and because of West’s reaction, I am fully convinced that these MCs have officially wrung the towel dry on rap feuds. Face it, 2Pac and Biggie were clearly better at it.

RIP Billy P. … Legendary southern rockers Lynard Skynard have lost pianist Billy Powell Wednesday night at his home near Jacksonville, FL. The band are canceling upcoming shows and have directed fans for more updates through their Web site. Powell, who survived a fatal plane crash with his band mates in 1977, was 56.

Doubt no longer … After weeks of rumors and hints, Gwen Stefani and the dudes from No Doubt have officially announced that they are reuniting with a summer tour, with Paramore as their “Special Guests,” if they can call them that. While most fans think of the pop-punkers as noobs to the scene, some No Doubt diehards aren’t afraid to say that the kids will probably garner more sales than Gwen and company. Tickets to be on sale soon.

I’ll give you something ridiculous to ponder over … Katy Perry and celibacy? Well, at least that what she says. After a surprisingly short-lived relationship with Gym Class Heroes’ frontman Travis McCoy, the pseudo girl-kisser says that the only lip-locking this year will be with her cat, Kitty Purry (clever one). When MTV asked about her breakup with Travie, she took the opportunity to talk about her tour instead. Looks like homeboy got the short end of the stick this time around.

50 beefs it up … 50 Cent is giving Weezy and West a verbal run for their money, hitting them with disses on interviews and live performances. While promoting his new album Before I Self Destruct, 50 called into a radio station, dissing Lil’ Wayne as a “junkie” and calling Kanye’s latest an “R&B album.” Cough, publicity feud, cough.

Let’s talk about a real rapper … Actor Joaquin Phoenix is “embarking on a new path as a rapper,” as part of a documentary whipped up by Casey Affleck. The film will be focused on Phoenix’s new career, along with another actor and friend who, too, have decided to drop their day jobs for a more…street credible one? The album, according to Billboard, will be produced by Sean Combs.

No, really, where’s the real music? … In other, more substantial music news, Metallica, Run-DMC, and Jeff Beck are a few musicians who will be inducted into the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other notable artists include Fifties R&B vocal group Little Anthony and Sixties soul singer Bobby Womack. Run-DMC will be performing at the April 4th ceremony for the first time since Jam Master Jay’s death seven years ago.

Who’s performing at the Grammys? No surprise here… As if the ‘08 hype wasn’t enough for them, the headlining acts for this year’s Grammy Awards include the Jonas Brothers, Lil’ Wayne, Coldplay, and Kenny Chesney. The ceremony, which has been bitterly dissed in the past in Kanye-esque fashion, will be airing live from Los Angeles on CBS February 8th.

Speaking of which, West in the nude, anyone?… In an effort to pull another empty publicity stunt, Kanye wants to decrease his fan base by posing naked but only after working out for two months. West says in a Vibe interview that having less fans provides more “freedom,” and by revealing his all, he will be breaking “every rule and mentality of hip-hop, of black culture, of American culture.” Just like every (sampled) hit you’ve had, Kanye?

Your iTunes gift cards may be worth more, maybe… Apple Inc. has announced that most songs available on iTunes will go for 69 cents a track, 30 cents cheaper than years past. But the new price comes with more than one catch: songs that are deemed “popular” will be marked up for $1.29, while other songs will be bundled with exclusives and videos, resulted in a hiked price overall. Hmm, your mind games aren’t fooling us, Mr. Jobs (we still send you our best).

Something smells a little Phishy… After an accidental leakage through concert promoter Live Nation, popular jam band Phish have confirmed that they are reuniting for a summer tour, their first in five years. The tour starts June 4 at Wantagh, NY, and ends June 21 at East Troy, WI. Tickets go on sale to the public January 30 at 10 a.m. ET.

Akon Did It! He admits…. Rapper Akon pleaded guilty to harrassment when he threw a fan off the stage during a concert in upstate New York last year. The incident, which was caught on tape and posted on YouTube, occurred after the fan, Anthony Smith, threw an object on the stage. The singer shook hands with Anthony and his parents after entering his plea. But don’t expect any jailtime for Akon—he’s covered after doing 65 hours of community service and paying a $250 fine.

A Lawsuit for Weezy F. Baby… Lil Wayne is facing a lawsuit that accuses him of copyright infrigement for his song “I Feel Like Dying.” The song samples Karma Ann Swanepoel’s “Once,” but the federal suit says that his record label, Cash Money, failed to negotiate a license to use the song. Weezy’s lawyers have asked for an extension to turn over documents requested by Urband & Lazer Music Publishing.

Live Nation in Trouble, By Black Sabbath…. Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is suing Live Nation for selling merchandise with the band’s logo after their contract expired. The concert ticket company is accused of selling over 100 items with the band’s “likeness, name and logo.” Iommi is asking for three times the amount of the sales and the halt of Black Sabbath product sales.

Leaker of Chinese Democracy Pleads Guilty… The blogger who leaked nine out of the 14 songs from Guns n’ Roses’  long-awaited album has admitted to posting the songs on his Web site Antiquiet. Kevin Cogill, who initially pleaded not guilty to federal copyright violation, agreed to changing his plea after requesting probation only. Still, Cogill might face a year in prison, probation, and a fine.

Weezy and Chris Martin’s Crew Lead The Nominations… For the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, that is. The nominees were announced through a live concert this year, with performances by John Mayer, Christina Aguilera, and the Foo Fighters. Lil Wayne picked up eight nods while Coldplay has seven. Other leaders in the pack are Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Ne-Yo, all who tied for six. The ceremony airs February 9 live on CBS.

Bonnaroo Has Announced Dates… The glorious Manchester, TN music and arts festival will be held June 11-14, 2009, and in attempt to absorb some of those recession woes, you can pay for your tickets in installments! The tickets, which range between $209.50 and $249.50 (depends on when you get ‘em), can be paid $50 for each installment. Lame incentive, but worth a try.

Serj Tankian and a Musical?… Yep, you read it right. The System of a Down frontman will be collaborating with writer and Spring Awakening lyricist Steve Sater for a new musical titled “Prometheus Bound,” which will be based on the Greek myth Prometheus. They also say it’s a “rock musical.” Hmm, seems fitting (I guess?).

Add Fleetwood Mac to the List of Comebacks… The rock band have announced their first tour in five years that will begin in March 1, 2009 in Pittsburgh. Tickets for the “Unleashed Tour” will be on sale December 15. Though there hasn’t been word on a new album yet, member Lindsey Buckingham says that they may return to the studio after the tour is over.

Notorious B.I.G. Makes a Comeback of His Own… Well, sort of. The soundtrack to his upcoming biopic “Notorious” has been revealed, showcasing a variety of expected artists like Jay-Z, Jadakiss, and Faith Evans, while also featuring others like Santogold, movie score composer Danny Elfman, and Biggie’s own son (with baby mama Faith Evans), CJ Wallace. The biopic and album are due in January 2009.

BarackStar he is, and the DJs say so. If you’re still partying over the new Prez-Elect, you might want to check here for some Baracked-out cuts to jam to: Q-Tip, Nas, and Daft Punk, to name a few.

Deftones bassist is in a coma. Chi Cheng of the longtime metal band Deftones was involved in a car accident Monday and is in serious but stable condition at a hospital in San Jose, CA. Lead singer Chino Moreno blogged about it here.

Britney and the circus? Sounds about right. The pop tart has revealed her upcoming album cover and tracklist for her sixth studio release, Circus. I know album artwork is almost bust nowadays, but dang Brit, bootlegs look better than that!

Lupe Fiasco is retiring, um okay? The Chi-town emcee says he’s “tired of rapping.” Way to leave us hanging Mr. Superstar. His last album, LUPE.N.D., will be released as a three-disc finale set sometime next year.

FOB’s trying to redeem themselves? Fall Out Boy, everyone’s love-’em-hate-’em cookie-cut band, is trying to recruit a local, unsigned band to open for them for each date of their upcoming tour. The “small venue” tour started this week and will feature songs from their upcoming album, Folie A Deux.

And Lil’ Wayne died again, among other things. That not-so-funny VMA host is in trouble, Ginuwine (or should I say, Ginu-FINE) is back, and lastly, if you want to be in a world tour within the confines of your living room, choose here.

MTV’s done it again. Or should we say (oops) Britney did it again? Redeeming herself from last year’s embarrassing opening act, pop veteran Spears shocked this year’s MTV Video Music Awards as the stunning singer swept all three of her nominated categories, including Video of the Year.

Beyond Spears’ shocking cleanup, the VMAs lived up to its hype with hot performances throughout the show, including a showstopper from Kanye West.

Rihanna dazzled the crowd with a creepy-yet-sexy rendition of her latest, “Disturbia.” She appeared again with T.I. premiering the rappers latest single “Live Your Life,” a melodic duet bound to be overplayed by teeny boppers and rap heads alike.

Pop-punkers Paramore performed a raw, gritty version of their hit “Misery Business.” They seemed to be recording from a different location, but later burst out of the screen and into the VMA stage halfway through their performance.

Pink wreaked havoc on her set as she broke glass and sang her heart out about her ex-hubby in her latest single “So What.”

Lil Wayne also rocked the house shirtless—and almost pantless—as the rapper sagged and danced away without missing a beat to “A Milli.”

And yes, even the Jonas Brothers had my heart racing as they showcased both an acoustic and electric performance in the middle of the New York stage set at Paramount Studios.

To top it all off was Kanye West’s epic return to the VMAs. If you were hiding under a rock, Kanye had bitterly vowed not to return to the VMAs last year. Needless to say, the man couldn’t resist the limelight and ended the ceremony with a debut single “Love Lockdown.” The new song unearthed yet another talent of West’s: singing. That’s right, Kanye sang, and might I add that he held every note quite gracefully and passionately.

Though the night was full of exciting performances and surprises, I was left disappointed for a couple of reasons:

1) Tokio Hotel won Best New Artist. What an all-time low for this category. Granted, this year didn’t have the best of nominees, but at least the others have hints of originality. These “winners,” are nothing short of a imported German scene band, and that’s a compliment. Who wants guyliner and dreadlocked dudes in the same band anyway?

2) What is also barely worth mentioning is the overrated host Russell Brand. The comedian failed to impress me. Not even the slightest of chuckles. From cheesy political jokes (you’re British, not American) to overdone sexual punchlines, the guy was a bust. Sorry MTV, but this incoherent Jack Sparrow wannabe left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. English tea, anyone?

A couple of things to remember for next year’s VMAs: (1) MTV is MTV and sadly, scene bands are praised. (2) Use my DVR to skip over potential crap ramblings from the next overhyped mystery host.