The 18th annual BET Hip Hop Awards is slated to air next Tuesday (Oct. 10) at 9 p.m. ET/PT. With Fat Joe returning as host, the event is set to showcase star-studded performances and a highly anticipated honors ceremony.
LL Cool J will present Swizz Beatz and Timbaland with the Rock The Bells Cultural Influence Award. Per BET, the superproducers will be lauded for their “impressive cultural contributions, talents, and unbound creativity that has cemented them as two of the most innovative forces in music and popular culture.”
Additionally, the “Doin’ It” rapper and Rakim will grace Marley Marl with the I Am Hip Hop Award. The Queens legend’s legacy includes pioneering work with Juice Crew and seminal influence on acts such as Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, DJ Premier, and Pete Rock.
In September, Offset, DaBaby, GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Fivio Foreign were announced as performers. Furthermore, a 30th-anniversary tribute to Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def is slated to take place with appearances from Bow Wow and Da Brat.
In addition to being honorees, Swizz and Timbaland will also curate the event’s annual cypher. It’s expected to be deejayed by E Feezy and Runna. Bun B, Lola Brooke, Cassidy, Scar Lip, Symba, Maiya The Don, and That Mexican OT are among those on the participant list.
Connie Orlando, BET’s EVP of specials, music programming, and music strategy, shared, “This year’s BET Hip Hop Awards will mark the culmination of our yearlong celebration of hip hop’s storied creation and the art form’s sonic and cultural expansion.”
Regarding the show, she continued, “We are honored by this year’s roster of nominees as they continue to carry the creativity and diversity of hip hop into the future. We congratulate each nominee on their accomplishments as they take hip hop artistry to new heights.”
As for nominations, 21 Savage and Cardi B lead with 12 nods each. Notably, the pair is closely followed by Drake with nine.