Fat Joe Tried To Get Will Smith To Perform At 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards
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Fat Joe attempted to get Will Smith to perform at the 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards. Joe spoke with PEOPLE and revealed some of his regrets in executive producing this year’s show. Terror Squad’s leader explained how he tried to get Will on stage but failed. He envisioned getting Smith to perform as a part of the show’s homage to the genre’s 50th anniversary. However, due to scheduling conflicts, the Fresh Prince had to decline.
“You know who I didn’t successfully get was Will Smith,” he said. “I was really trying to get Will Smith to come out and do ‘Summer Time’. He’s filming Bad Boys… But we tried. We try to pull off a miracle if we can. We try to pull a cloud out of the sky.”
But Joe was adamant that the show was still going to be one for the books. The “Lean Back” rapper also mentioned that his outfits would be something fans can look forward to. “It’s going to be sick,” he continued. “Overall, it’s a dream come true for me. It’s the second year I’m doing the Hip-Hop Awards, but I always think back to being in junior high and doing the talent shows and then Apollo Theater Amateur Night, and it all leads to this. And so it’s an honor for me.”
“I’m competing with the women now. The guys aren’t bringing their A-game anymore,” he says with a laugh. “So I’m getting super fly. I get to change eight times [during the show]. I’m all about my fashion.”
Elsewhere in the show, LL Cool J will present the “Rock The Bells Cultural Influence Award” to Timbaland and Swizz Beatz for their cultural contributions. Additionally, the Queens native is set to take the stage with Rakim, performing a tribute to Marley Marl as the superproducer receives the 2023 I Am Hip-Hop Award.
“This year’s BET Hip-Hop Awards will mark the culmination of our year-long celebration of Hip-Hop’s storied creation and the art form’s sonic and cultural expansion,” Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy for BET, expressed. “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.”
The 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards will air on Tuesday (Oct. 10) at 9 PM EST on BET.
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