Op-Ed: BET Suspends Soul Train and Hip-Hop Awards, and Somehow Y’all Find That Funny?

The moment the news broke that BET was suspending both the Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip-Hop Awards, some folks on social media had jokes. Laughs. Even applause. And honestly? That reaction was deeply disappointing.

Because here’s the reality: these aren’t just award shows. These are cultural milestones. They’re platforms built to showcase Black talent—from the legends of R&B and soul to the lyrical poets of hip-hop. But beyond the star power, these events power jobs. From the stage crew to set designers, camera operators, writers, producers, stylists, makeup artists, publicists, event coordinators, and the marketing professionals that push campaigns through Black-owned outlets—these shows feed families.

When BET hosts a major event, it’s not just entertainment. It’s economic empowerment. Yet some are quick to write it off because they “don’t like the music anymore” or think “BET sold out.”

Let’s get one thing clear: when Bob Johnson sold BET to Viacom back in 2001 for $2.3 billion, he didn’t betray the culture—he built generational wealth from nothing. That’s what entrepreneurs do. Especially Black entrepreneurs who face uphill battles from Day 1. He didn’t leave BET in shambles. In fact, even under Viacom, BET remained Black-run and continued to highlight Black stories. Sure, programming changed. But its cultural heart stayed intact.

Now though, the BET of today is barely hanging on.

BET+, the streaming platform meant to be a digital safe space for Black storytelling, is reportedly struggling to survive. Insiders suggest it could be folded into Paramount+ as the parent company consolidates assets under its newly approved Skydance-Paramount merger.

And speaking of Paramount, let’s talk about that $16 million payment to Donald Trump. That money was reportedly part of a settlement for a lawsuit related to a 60 Minutes interview. But here’s the kicker: this payout happened while the FCC was actively reviewing the Skydance merger deal. Former CBS anchor Dan Rather called it a “sell-out to extortion.” Others fear it sets a terrifying precedent for press freedom. Hundreds of creatives, including directors like Spike Lee and writers from the WGA, signed a letter denouncing the move as a betrayal of journalism and free speech.

So when you look at the BET Awards going silent, BET+ on life support, and a parent company caught in political crossfire with Trump—you have to ask: Is our media being compromised?

Now is not the time to mock our platforms or distance ourselves from Black institutions. It’s the time to rally behind them. While school boards try to rewrite our history and states ban books about us, we need our stages, our microphones, and our screens. Everything can’t be a punchline. Some of it deserves our protection.

So ask yourself again: why are we laughing when they cut the mic on us?