BET honored controversial influencer Kevin Samuels during the in memoriam segment for the network’s awards ceremony on Sunday. The decision was met with backlash by fans on social media who have been critical of Samuels.
“BET putting Roe v. Wade and Kevin Samuels in an ‘in memoriam’ segment was the idea of someone who is extremely online and needs to touch grass,” one user wrote on Twitter.
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Other users pointed to the absence of Lil Nas X at the BET Awards.
“Lil nas x wasn’t nominated at the BET awards but Kevin Samuels was honored. Lol,” another user wrote.
Nas has voiced his frustration with being left off on social media and in a diss track aimed at the network titled, “Late to Da Party.” The song features YoungBoy Never Broke Again.
“My relationship with BET has been painful and strained for quite some time. It didn’t start with this year’s nominations like most people might think,” Nas told Rolling Stone in a statement. “They did let me perform on their show last year, but only after [I gave] assurances that I was not a satanist or devil worshiper, and that my performance would be appropriate for their audience.”
Some users defended Samuels’ inclusion, citing his efforts to help out the Black community.
“It really blows my mind the hypocrisy in our own culture,” one supporter of Samuels wrote. “People really have a problem with the #BETawards2022 including Kevin Samuels in the memoriam. He was a black man trying to help our people! Y’all act like he was a terrorist or something. Sad.”
Samuels passed away after experiencing chest pains at age 56 on May 5, 2022.
Check out more responses to Samuels’ inclusion at the BET Awards below.