BET Awards are only 20 years old, a milestone that the ceremony will reach with this weekend's ceremony. A celebration of Black music and culture, the BET Awards has become a steady ratings draw (No.
1 in cable for the night), a prestigious honor for entertainers, and a space where major stars can shine alongside acts beloved to Black audiences who might be lesser known in the mainstream.
Unlike the Grammys or Emmys, the BET Awards is one of few ceremonies for achievement where Black entertainers, athletes, actors, and cultural influencers need not worry they'd be overlooked because of the makeup of the voting body; at the BET Awards, people within the culture decide who is most fit to receive one.