B2K's 'Bump Bump Bump' performance at BET Awards has Diddy, R. Kelly connections
Show Caption
Hide Caption
SZA, Kendrick Lamar win big at 2025 BET Awards
Kendrick Lamar won Album of the Year for his critically acclaimed GNX LP and Mariah Carey performed her hit song 'It's Like That' at the BET Awards.
Cover Media
Sunday night's BET Awards hit heavy on the nostalgia, bringing back hip-hop and R&B stars from the early aughts to revive a sound not quite like any other.
To honor the "TRL"-style music video countdown show "106 & Park," a slate of big-name performers took the stage for a 20-minute beat-pounding medley.
Amid mini-sets from Ashanti and Keyshia Cole, boy band B2K treated the audience to a rendition of their 2002 club anthem "Bump Bump Bump." Complete with synchronized dance moves and all white 'fits, the four-man music group leaned heavily into their classic boy band appeal.
Jamie Foxx cries in BET Awards speech about health, credits daughters with recovery
Eagle-eyed fans were quick to tease out a more sordid history of the track. "Bump Bump Bump" was originally released with a feature from Sean "Diddy" Combs, who is currently on trial for federal sex crimes. Combs' influence on hip-hop, especially in the early 2000s, was so far-reaching that it's hard to hit shuffle without running into one of his projects.
The group is composed of J-Boog, Raz-B, Omarion and Lil' Fizz, who, rather than play an audio recording of Combs' part, rapped it in his place.
The story goes deeper, though. The track was also originally written by R. Kelly, who, like Combs, faced sex trafficking and racketeering charges, and is now serving time in prison after being convicted on all counts. Several high-profile rappers also remixed the song, including 50 Cent and Jay-Z.
Blue Ivy Carter reclaims her title, wins BET YoungStars Award once again amid Beyoncé tour
50 Cent is a longtime rival of Combs and has been making an internet mockery of his ongoing legal challenges. Jay-Z was looped in with Combs in a recent lawsuit that accused both rappers for rape, though the case has since been dropped, with Jay-Z denying all wrongdoing and filing a countersuit against his former accuser.
As Combs, once a kingmaker in the genre, faces a reputation forever sullied, B2K's performance is a preview of how difficult it may be to avoid his art.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Diddy doubles down on defamation lawsuit over alleged sex assault videos, seeks $100M
Sean "Diddy" Combs is escalating his legal battle against one of his accusers and the news outlet that helped publicize his claims. Combs, who sued Courtney Burgess in January for $50 million on allegations of defamation, amended his complaint against the man in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Aug. 11, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. Burgess' attorney, Ariel Mitchell, and news broadcaster NewsNation are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. The Grammy-winning rapper is now seeking additional compensation, no less than $100 million in damages, for the harm caused by Burgess' "outlandish claims," which Combs' attorneys allege culminated in a "media frenzy" against the embattled hip-hop mogul. "People who heard and believed defendants' lies have accused Mr. Combs, on social media that is consumed by hundreds of millions of viewers each and every day, of being a debauched 'monster' and a pedophile," the lawsuit states. "The unrelenting tide of negative publicity and threatening social media posts resulting from defendants' lies have caused and will continue to cause Mr. Combs severe reputational harm." USA TODAY has reached out to Mitchell for comment. In an October 2024 interview aired by NewsNation, Burgess and Mitchell alleged that the man, who reportedly at one point testified in front of a grand jury for Combs' federal criminal case, possessed several videos purportedly showing Combs sexually assaulting minors, including celebrities, at his "freak off" sex parties. At the time of his original lawsuit in January, Combs, who was awaiting trial in his landmark sex crimes case, sought $50 million in damages for Burgess and Mitchell's claims. The disgraced music mogul said the pair's remarks about "freak off" footage had the potential to "poison the minds" of people who might serve on Combs' jury. Diddy takes legal action: Rap mogul files $50M defamation lawsuit over alleged sex assault videos Combs was arrested in September 2024 on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. In July, the rapper was found guilty on two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted of the remaining offenses. The rapper, who remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, was denied bail on Aug. 4 after his legal team requested he be released on a $50 million bond. Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
Black America Web
6 hours ago
- Black America Web
Tina Knowles Effortlessy Ethers Beyoncé Haters With Throwback Video—‘She Chose To Rely On Her Talent'
When it comes to Ms. Tina Knowles, she does not play about her family, and her recent Instagram post is making fans give her a round of applause. 'If she has helped you stay relevant or to get your name in the press . I'm very happy she could help you. You're welcome!' wrote Mama Tina. Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic / Getty Alongside a TikTok video compilation featuring throwback videos of Beyoncé, the family matriarch set the record straight on her daughter not building her career on the backs of others and being far from a hater. The protective matriarch let people know that she sees the shade directed towards her superstar seed and is not above clocking it. 'As a Kid with big dreams , She made a commitment to work hard! Polish her craft,, take vocal lessons, dance lessons, sacrifice, focus , train, and mind her own damn business and does not mess with anybody. She sticks close to her family. She never gossiped or put anybody else down, to make herself feel better,' Mama Tina wrote. 'She never wasted her time on being jealous, she was taught very early on that her time and energy could be better used to focus on herself , to practice and perfect her craft. So she complimented others. and remained humble.' She continued, 'She was inspired and respectful and paid homage to those great artists that came before her. She gave back to her community. She has never used someone else's name to get publicity or attention for herself. No one lives rent free in her head because she is obsessed with them or jealous of them. She has also NEVER constantly , criticized others looks , talent, and character. Has never lied on , or started false rumors about others , has never started one sided beefs with anyone, to get her name on mainstream media outlets or be relevant or in the current news. She chose to rely on her talent and hard work and her own name. But if she has helped you stay relevant or to get your name in the press . I'm very happy she could help you. You're welcome! God bless You.' She finished her dragging by thanking those who've shown love to Bey and letting the hit dogs who may decide to holler know that they're waiting for their responses saying, 'But if the shoe fits, I'm sure we will be hearing from you.' After closing out yet another successful show as one of the style and design minds behind the iconic onstage looks of Mrs. Knowles-Carter, Mama Tina clearly had time to clock the scalding hot tea of Beyoncé haters worldwide. And ya know what? Go off, mama! It's not the first time that she's stepped into her Instagram captions to snatch a wig or two, as she's often come to the defense of her bonus daughter Kelly, son-in-law Jay-Z, and her baby girl Solange. She's also said that Beyoncé has got on her case in the past about addressing the haters, but it's clear that Mama Tina is not letting anything slide. Mama Tina's Instagram feed is not only a place for setting the record straight as she also often uses her platform to show love. During the Cowboy Carter tour she took time to post herself with several of the celebrities who came out to support Bey, including SWV. She revealed that the group were like surrogate big sisters to the original Destiny's Child members and that the sistas with voices took them under their wing and paved the way for them. So special! The post Tina Knowles Effortlessy Ethers Beyoncé Haters With Throwback Video—'She Chose To Rely On Her Talent' appeared first on Bossip. SEE ALSO Tina Knowles Effortlessy Ethers Beyoncé Haters With Throwback Video—'She Chose To Rely On Her Talent' was originally published on
Elle
9 hours ago
- Elle
Beyoncé's Limited-Edition Denim Collection Is Here—and It's Selling Fast
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. There's never been a better time to be part of the Beyhive. In the last three years, Beyoncé released Renaissance and Cowboy Carter, took both projects on sold-out world tours (one of which was turned into a movie), performed a star-studded NFL halftime show, won her first (and long-overdue) Grammy for Album of the Year, and reunited Destiny's Child. Now, the star has dropped a must-have denim collaboration with none other than Levi's. Last week, the duo unveiled the final pieces of their year-long partnership: The Denim Cowboy, a 90-second film starring Beyoncé (duh) and Timothy Olyphant (oh!), and a limited-edition denim collection (obviously). The seven-piece collection features lace-up details, bandana-patterned rhinestones, and Western embroidery on trucker jackets and jeans. In the video, Beyoncé wears the new 501 Curve silhouette, designed to accommodate real bodies while maintaining the iconic straight leg that the style is known for. Finally—this is my favorite part—each piece is capped off with a custom Beyoncé x Levi's leather patch, so everyone knows you got your hands on a piece of history. 'The campaign represents a new level and scale of collaboration that has put women at the center of the narrative, and has set in motion a new, iconic chapter in Levi's history that continues to reaffirm the brand's place at the center of culture,' said Levi's global CMO Kenny Mitchell in the press release. In case you missed it, Beyoncé fronted three other campaign videos throughout the year— Launderette, Pool Hall, and Refrigerator—all of which were inspired by Levi's advertisements from the 1980s and 1990s. The Denim Cowboy is set to an exclusive rendition of 'Levii's Jeans,' a Cowboy Carter track featuring Post Malone. So far, Bey has followed a pattern. She debuted Act I: Renaissance in 2022 and took it on tour in 2023. Act II: Cowboy Carter came out in 2024 and toured in 2025. If this schedule continues, we can expect Act III next year (my fingers are crossed for rock-and-roll) and a subsequent tour in 2027. You can practically feel the anxiety in the Ticketmaster queue already. The Beyoncé x Levi's denim collection is available now online and at Levi's stores. Get yours before it inevitably sells out, below. Why Trust ELLE Every product featured on is independently researched, tested, or editor-approved. We only recommend products that we stand behind, and the merchandise featured on our site is always driven by editorial and product testing standards, not by affiliate deals or advertising relationships. Any content created in partnership with advertisers is marked as such.
