Liz,
Last night BET hosted its 10th Annual Awards Show! ::applause and confetti::
……
OK. Let’s be real. *side-eye*
I have to be honest up front and admit that I DID NOT watch the entire thing and mostly just caught some the performances on youtube. My favorite was the Prince Tribute. So, really I just loooove looking at Prince and that Patti Labelle kicked off her shoes (it looked like walking was a STRUGGLE) and of course Janelle Monae held it down. Oh AND Esperanza Spalding?! I see you, BET.
Chris Brown’s Michael Jackson Tribute was also nothing to frown at.
I’ve watched it several times now and C-Breezy most definitely held it down. I don’t think there is any young artist out there who could have done it better. He channeled Michael. I was very impressed. He has some serious talent.
All that said, instead of being moved by his emotional display at the end of the performance, I found myself rolling my eyes. The BET Awards was one of his first opportunities to perform in a long time on a nationally televised stage. And let’s not forget that BET did not let him do a tribute for Michael Jackson last year. Brown has had a difficult year since his gross display of domestic violence and maybe those tears were an expression of everything he’s been through while trying to resurrect his image.
But, I think this is what makes me uncomfortable. What is he really sorry for? Is he sorry for what he did to Rihanna? Is he sorry that young boys and girls across America saw what he did and can interpret it in a number of scary and twisted ways? So many people are quick to forgive him, saying he paid his dues, but from what I can tell, Chris has been far more concerned with getting back his career than claiming ownership of his actions. I just think there needs to be a little more talk about WHY what he did was wrong, and not just an effort to brush it under the rug as if it never happened. I understand he is a young man and to be honest, I think it shows in the ways that he has handled this situation.
Nonetheless, he is a great artist and performer. Part of me is rooting for him, but I think a bigger part of me still questions his sincerity.
Alas, it is quite the contentious issue. What do you think, readers?
P.S. RIP Michael Jackson. No one can do it like you.