The 2023 BET Awards took place in Los Angeles on Sunday and garnered significant attention, but not everyone in the Hip-Hop community was impressed. On Thursday, Da Lench Mob rapper J Dee expressed his thoughts on Instagram, where he voiced his frustration towards Tyler Perry and the BET Awards. He criticized the network’s exclusion of West Coast rap pioneers from the special Hip-Hop 50 segment.
Hip-Hop group Da Lench Mob (Rappers Shorty aka Jerome Muhammad; T-Bone; J-Dee) appear in a portrait taken on October 23, 1992 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira)
In a passionate post, J-Dee emphasized his discontent with the BET Awards, stating, “F*** THE BET AWARDS YOU N****z STILL ON THAT BULLSHYT,” accompanying his message with a poignant cartoon of Biggie and 2Pac standing next to a tombstone marked with the words “Hip-Hop” on the front. He also called for action, saying, “SO NOW WE SET TRIPPN ON BET OUT WEST. YOU BANNED FROM LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA UNTIL I START SEEING SOME WEST COAST RAP VETERANS GET THE PROPS WE MFN DESERVE. “F****BET @tylerperry YOU FOUL AS F*** FOR THAT. NO MC REN NO ICE CUBE NO ALONZO WILLIAMS NO ONE WHO PAVED THE WAY OUT WEST 40 YEARS AGO.”
Hip-Hop group ‘Da Lench Mob’ Group member J-Dee
J-Dee’s statement received widespread support in the comment section, with one individual from the East Coast chiming in, “I’m from the East Coast & I didn’t really understand how they did that. You celebrate 50 years of Hip-Hop with no mention of the West Coast pioneers. No real mention of the Southern pioneers. & even when they spoke on the East Coast, it was scattered about. They basically celebrated 50 years of Hip Hop with all the new artists. Man, you only saw Too $hort. He was sitting in the audience watching the show. S*** crazy! SMH.”
The award ceremony did feature appearances by OGs such as Big Daddy Kane, Warren G, E-40, Trina, Trick Daddy, Uncle Luke, Redman, Erick Sermon, Keith Murray, and MC Lyte. However, newer rappers like GloRilla, Chief Keef, and Ice Spice also hit the stage to participate in the festivities.
Da Lench Mob, originally comprised of Shorty, T-Bone, J-Dee, Maulkie, and Ice Cube, made their debut on Cube’s 1990 solo album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. With Ice Cube as its executive producer, Da Lench Mob released its first album, Guerillas in tha Mist, in 1992. The following year, J-Dee faced legal troubles, being arrested and charged with murder. He received a 29-year prison sentence and was finally released on parole in 2021 after serving 25 years.
It is evident that J-Dee’s concerns resonate with many who feel the West Coast pioneers were not adequately recognized during the 2023 BET Awards.
