- What's up y'all, I'm still backstage here.
It is going down at the BET Awards 2022.
How important was it to have that performance
in the times that we're in at the BET Awards?
- Well, you know what?
We are a part of the black community.
We are everything.
We never leave anyone out.
BET is a part of us. - Yes.
- BET is a part of how I grew up.
And I believe that if we can all just look
past all those things that were brought to us
through colonization and see the love and the appreciation
and the talent - Right, yes.
that exists within all of us,
then we can rock because
minority will always become majority
through love and support.
- It feel good to like finally, you know
get my foot through the door.
Like I put in a lot of hard work.
- Oh no, you kicked the door, in baby.
- Yeah.
- For us, I feel like we now are fitting to the spaces
that we were living in.
You know, so weird to hear that
but now we get to exist and to be present to be alive.
- And to be present. - Definitely.
- Yes, I love it.
- You know, right now in this moment, um, I have to say
that as an LGBTQ person of color,
it's wonderful to be seen.
It's wonderful to be here in a space where
we have not always been seen.
None of us are free till we're all free. Right?
We have work to do. - Mm-hmm.
- We're here, we're queer.
Get used to it and get over it.
- Get used to it. We're not going anywhere.
- Because we have work to do together.
- I've watched this show since I was a little girl,
And to actually be a part of this show means so much,
just getting everyone together
all the performances, they put so much into this show.
It's just amazing.
- How do you guys feel about being here tonight?
Culture's biggest night.
- I'm so excited, I've wanted to come here my whole life.
I watched the performances.
I mean, I'm at home, I watched the whole show, so
I'm just happy to watch it as a show.
- It feels like a family reunion, for real.
- Yes, yes. Yes.
P Diddy with the lifetime achievement award.
What does that mean for culture?
- It's like the center of culture, I mean like
you make a film about Diddy
it say a lot about America,
you know, so it's, he's like a lot of focal points
in like pivotal moments in America.
- In America. Yes. - It's amazing.
- You know, the culture is all that I am.
And so this is, you know, when you go out into the world
there's so much that does not belong to you, but this does.
- I have been watching BET since I was a kid.
And um I'm just really honored to be here
with so many amazing artists and they be nominated
with so many amazing artists and to win. Um, I feel free.
- It's it's winning season. It is winning season.
- It is winning sea-, it's feeling like that, girl.
- You know what I'm saying?
Like step into it.
Tonight, who are you excited to see?
- I was excited to see Lizzo.
- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
- You know? Cause she's so vibrant
and she just contributes so much to the culture.
So I was really excited to see her.
- Yes.
Who are you looking forward to seeing outside of Diddy?
- Uh, Mary J I'm looking forward to seeing Mary J
if she's here,
I know Diddy and Mary J you know, came up together.
So I know she gotta be in the house, if he's in the house.
- Look who's here, it is an icon. I'm here with an icon.
Miss Debbie Allen, how are you?
- I'm so happy to see you, Miss Jamie.
- Same here. Are you enjoying yourself?
- I am. The show is fantastic.
I love the celebration of ourselves.
I love the messaging going out right now.
The people in the world here in America need to
hear something uplifting with all that's going on
and where better does it start than in our community.
- In our community.
All right, guys, that is it.
The BET Awards 2022, culture's biggest night.
And I think we did it. We did the darn thing.
Did you guys see that performance from Diddy?
Oh my goodness.
I felt like I was back in the nineties, you know
looking at all my favorite groups I was living.
Okay. I hope you guys had a good time.
It's been an amazing night.
Thank you for kicking it with me backstage
on culture's biggest night. I'm Tammy Roman.
This was the BET awards 2022.
See you next time.
(upbeat music)