When many gathered to attend the 2023 BET Awards, one thing was evident — there wasn’t a host.

Instead, entertainers approached the stage to introduce artists performing at the ceremony. Many, including Muni Long, acknowledged that this year’s show did not have writers and used only a teleprompter for the night due to the WGA strike.

As REVOLT previously mentioned, Hollywood writers have closed their laptops and begun striking for better wages in the entertainment industry. Before the walkout, the writers’ representation and a trade association for the Hollywood studios attempted a high-stakes negotiation. However, according to NBC News, WGA called for a strike when the parties couldn’t agree. Last night (June 25), Long spoke about the walkout just before she introduced Atlanta rapper Kali onstage to perform. “I must take a moment to acknowledge and stand in solidarity with the artists who make us laugh, cry, and most importantly, think — our Writers Guild of America family,” Long said.

She continued, “Writers are, in many instances, the glue to the execution of artistry and storytelling. Our ability to extract emotion from performers helping them to articulate their voices and vision to the world, is irreplaceable. The protection of the writer is crucial. We simply must protect our intellectual property.” Long isn’t the first artist to speak on the current situation in Hollywood. On May 3, Snoop Dogg stood in solidarity with the writers as he questioned wages in his line of work. “[Artists] need to figure it out the same way,” he said. “The writers are striking because [of] streaming. They can’t get paid. Because when it’s on the platform, it’s not like in the box office. I don’t understand how the f**k you get paid off of that s**t.”

Snoop continued, “Somebody explain to me how you can get a billion streams and not get a million dollars? That’s the main gripe with a lot of us artists is that we do major numbers, but it don’t add up to the money. Like where the f**k is the money?”