The BET pre-show, hosted by Terrence J and an oftentimes quiet Cassie, was a lengthy two hours, switching between a long string of concert performances and traditional on-camera interviews. It would be easy to fill that time with a vast array of exciting up-and-coming performers, since that’s what the show is essentially billed as. Yet, the performances actually amounted to back-to-back-to-back showcases for on-the-rise Black men like Diddy’s son King Combs and Drake collaborator BlocBoy JB (who did not convince the 6ix God to join him). It often seemed the only way women performers could get on stage was if they were ready to don some black athleisure and join one of the male rappers as a nameless backup dancer.