Beyond the harvest of laurels and
concerts at the 2013 Black Entertainment Television Awards in Los
Angeles, USA, stakeholders in the global entertainment industry have a
lot to learn from the event, writes AKEEM LASISI, who was there
Scores of superstars virtually
transformed Los Angeles into a planet of concerts over the weekend when
the prestigious Black Entertainment Television Awards took place in the
American city amid festivities. Winners in various categories,
including Nigeria’s Ice Prince, who won an award in the Best
International Act –Africa category, are the primary beneficiaries of the
panorama established in 2001 by BET Network to “celebrate African
Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other
fields of entertainment.”
But lovers of good music, ranging from
the secular to sacred, savoured top-rated performances in an ambiance
that is comprehensively ready for such an elite fiesta.
Congratulating the organisers of the
event, thanking the audience and promising to do more, American pop
star, Beyonce, gave a stunning performance at the expansive Staples
Centre on Friday.
Oozing elegance, crooning with panache
and dancing with an incredible energy, she thrilled the audience
endlessly to a rehash of her hit-songs in a manner that evoked nostalgic
feelings.
The choreography that propelled the
singer’s show was also phenomenal. This, coupled with her usually
rapacious costume, which changed almost with the speed at which a
chameleon changes its colour, further enshrined her in the hall of fame
of quintessential show women. No wonder, the audience rewarded her with
wild dancing and endless hooting that inspired her to sing more.
Beyonce said she was happy to be back on
stage in Los Angeles and re-assured her fans that the duty of a
musician is to make the people feel good.
While several other artistes performed
all through the awards, the next big treat came on Saturday night when
Snoop Dogg led other celebrities, such as Kendrick Lamar, Miguel and
Schoolboy Q, in action. Unless you wanted Dogg to break into two – or
more – you would not expect him to go into the kind of acrobatics that
defined the acts of Beyonce and some of the other performers. Apart from
the fact that Dogg harbours arresting acrobatics in his voice, he also
demonstrated a good measure of theatrics in his own way of dancing.
Also, some female dancers occasionally
enlivened the performance when they danced seductively round Dogg.
Besides, the symphony between his performances and those of Lamar and
others was positively felt by the audience. Dogg, indeed, demonstrated a
remarkable sense of responsibility during the awards, as the same
artiste that participated in the mentoring aspect of the festival,
teaching aspiring artistes how to make it in the industry, was back on
stage on Sunday when he performed alongside never-say-die Chirlie
Wilson, winner of Lifetime Achievement Award.
And it is this type of fervour that the
likes of Mike Epps, Janelle Monae, Erykhan Badu, The Roots and Friends,
Nelly, MC Lyte, Too Short, Kirk Franklin, Chris Brown, R Kelly, New
Edition and the Jacksons demonstrated while the festival lasted. In
front of microphones and on instruments, the sense of professionalism
they exhibited was phenomenal.
In the BET Awards slogan and tradition,
anything can happen. But nothing happened by chance over the weekend.
The system was quite ready to contain any unusual occurrence.
From the number of stars on queue to
perform, new songs, films and the typical American ‘swag’ that travelled
from mouth to mouth, you could not miss the fact that the BET Awards
event is a huge festival of fun, what with the exhibition and sales of
all kinds of food that came in dramatic packages.
In one of the food sheds, the otherwise
thorny, conical body of a pineapple became a novel jug from which guys
sipped creamy fluids with tempting ease. This would remind one of how
Badagry people, in Lagos State, also cleverly twist the fate of virgin
coconut shells, when they just open its top and turn it into a jug of a
native drink. At the BET arena, even anything could so much happen that
the corn, chicken, turkey, pork, salt and pepper you used to know would,
in now unfamiliar forms, beckon at you from equally new pots.
Yet, the observant soul would resist
getting totally carried away by the fanfare. It is a difficult task to
remain your passionate or impassionate journalist here, really. The rate
at which music blasted and the stages rumbled beneath the artistes’
vocal chords, which constantly jammed with the audience’s roars, could
easily ensnare the reporter, who could get carried away by the
spectacle.
But dotting the canvas of the festive
sky, which, being summer, radiated a sun with sometimes overzealous
rays, was the message that after all said and done, entertainment is a
serious business. There is the message that entertainment, as the BET
rolled out, does not happen by chance; and it does not exist in a
vacuum. It is a product of well-thought-out plans and synergy, with
almost every other segment of the influential society.
For instance, enlightened and genuine
corporate support is key. Apart from the fact that the various
businesses and other organisations that support the BET Awards responded
as due in the course of planning, the zeal that they demonstrated
during the festival, pampering guests and audience in general with a
taste of their products – the beverages companies endlessly competed
for the participants’ tummies – contributed to its success.
Next is the issue of security. As
expansive as the awards programmes were, and as widespread and
sophisticated as the venues were, there were security men and women –
police and civil – manning every point. They were warm and civil in
their approach but they were, at the same time, proactive, precise and
firm. The result is not just that there were no ugly incidents, the
participants felt secure, while the organisers were also able to achieve
their goals. This is a factor that organisers of similar events in
Nigeria have to bear in mind, in terms of the need to cultivate security
well ahead of the time of their programmes.
And what is BET Awards without the
infrastructural largesse that the American culture offers it? With the
existence of magnificent venues, such as the L.A Live, Staples Centre
and Nokia Centre, it seemed that the task of the organisers of the event
had been done.
The imposing theatres/auditoriums/halls
are not just ready to swallow any audience, no matter how huge. They are
connecting structures that make mobility easy and interesting, even if
at times intriguing. This is complemented by the fact that they stand
in proximity to big hotels that include Marriot Hotel, to which the BET
Awards conveniently spread their tentacles.
The Staples Centre will particularly
tickle any lover of quality concerts. In terms of size, it can swallow
the zeal of an inexperienced artiste, to the point that he or she may
collapse at the sight of the number of the sea-like audience that yelled
practically with all parts of their bodies. But once the performer is
sure of himself, the Staples Centre is eager to give his talent new
wings and boost his creativity with a compelling technology, as
especially exemplified by the surreal lighting system it commands.
Originally a multipurpose sports arena
and home of major basket ball teams that include Los Angeles Lakers,
Staples Center has 18,118 capacity that was really stressed by the BET
crowds. The likes of Beyonce and Dogg enjoyed these facilities at the
BET carnival and their tested musical endowments arguably never remained
the same. It is such a synthetic preparedness that apparently buoyed
BET Networks Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Debra Lee, to, on
Friday evening, promised to deliver a world class panorama to celebrate
music, film and other aspects of art and life.
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