Nigerian afropop and highlife star, Yemi Alade has revealed that she was blacklisted after calling out Black Entertainment Network, BET Award organizers eight years ago.
It may be recalled that in 2015, organizers of the event had fixed the African category hours before the main event and had ordered that winning artists from Africa should be handed over their Awards backstage.
Yemi Alade who was one of the African nominees expressed her displeasure via her Instagram account. She opined that what the event organizers did was shameful and a mockery to the African artistes.
The ‘Tumbum’ singer wrote; “By the way… AFRICA IS NOT A COUNTRY.!!! ..IT IS WRONG TO NOMINATE HUGE AFRICAN STARS AND PUBLICLY TRY TO HUMILIATE AFRICA.WHY ON EARTH IS THE AFRICAN CATEGORY OF THE AWARDS HELD HOURS BEFORE THE “MAIN EVENT? IF AFRICAN ARTISTS ARE NOT WORTHY IN YOUR SIGHT.
“PLS BY ALL MEANS CANCEL,DELETE,OMMIT THE “BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT (AFRICA) CATEGORY OUT OF THIS GLORIFIED AWARD. THIS IS WRONG! !! WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG.”
In a tweet after the 2023 BET Awards, the songstress said that she was the main reason BET started giving African acts their awards during the main show instead of backstage.
However, a fan with username @jefe_says disagreed with her and gave the credit to Afrobeats superstar, Wizkid.
He tweeted; “Let me rephrase “Thank You Wizkid for fighting for African artistes to be respected.”
If Wiz didn’t reject BET backstage award that year, it would’ve still been happening”
Let me rephrase "Thank You Wizkid for fighting for African artistes to be respected."
If Wiz didn't reject BET backstage award that year, it would've still been happening
— Jèfé Juan José (@Jefe_says) June 27, 2023
Na ment? pic.twitter.com/ebV5rHBGHJ
— YEMIDRAGDMAFIA🦁🐯 (@yemidragDmafia) June 27, 2023
But in her reaction, she said that she would not allow history to be rewritten.
Yemi Alade wrote; “No matter how you want rewrite the past, YOU SIMPLY CANNOT! Selective omittion is still false information. I was blacklisted and still am for saying the truth… I’m not gifting you with silence today, try tmrw.”
No matter how you want rewrite the past, YOU SIMPLY CANNOT!Selective omittion is still false information.
I was blacklisted and still am for saying the truth…
I'm not gifting you with silence today,try tmrw. https://t.co/KrsWwGWAVS— ✊🏾 yemialade (@yemialadee) June 28, 2023