The 2021 “BET Hip Hop Awards” aired on Tuesday night (October 5) and debuted a brand-new award, the “Rock The Bells Cultural Influence Award.” The first-ever recipient was none other than the visionary Tyler, The Creator.
Presented by founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL Cool J, the award seeks to recognize a “younger, innovative, otherworldly artist that has significantly impacted the culture — while uplifting their community.”
Presenting the award, the Hip-Hop legend explained why he created “Rock The Bells;” “To elevate classic Hip-Hop with a modern approach.” He continued saying he wanted to bridge the gap between the generations and that no matter the decade, “Hip-Hop is about creativity, originality authenticity and you being yourself being who you are true to what you do.”
Expressing his pride at the first-ever recipient, LL Cool J introduced Tyler as someone who is “original, fearless” and “creative when it comes to his approach to Hip-Hop”
Paying homage to those who came before him Tyler declared: “I wouldn’t be here or upon the stage or have this silly hat or anything without the Q-Tips, the André 3000s, the Chad Hugos, the Pharrells, the Kanye Wests, the Missy Elliotts, who no one ever brings up. Busta Rhymes, the Hype Williams who just took it to this different world. I preach those names and others that I didn’t name ’cause I’m limited on time.
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“But I appreciate you so much for just opening the doors and throwing the key — not just opening the doors, but talking to young guys like me and giving me gems and things like that.” Showing some love to the “I Need Love” rapper, Tyler continued, “Even LL, the speech he gave me back there was just beautiful.”
Tyler also nabbed the Hip Hop Album of the Year award for his sixth studio album, “Call Me if You Get Lost.”
Listen to “LEMONHEAD” from “Call Me If You Get Lost” below.