On Thursday, BET network announced that they would be celebrating the life and legacy of the late Nipsey Hussle at the 2019 BET Awards. The rapper and visionary will receive this year's Humanitarian Award in recognition of his philanthropic efforts, activism, and overall commitment to empowering his community. In addition to his artistic work, the rapper garnered a reputation for promoting the development of underprivileged areas through financial literacy, real estate, and violence prevention, during his time on Earth.
Connie Orlando, Executive Vice-President, and Head of Programming at BET, commented on the choice of recipient, saying: "as a prolific artist and leader, Nipsey Hussle was zealous about driving change for the betterment of his community, empowering and employing those in need and being an influential and highly respected leader. His passing was a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry and to the culture. We will continue to remember his advocacy and be inspired by the groundwork he set forth and his dire commitment to social change." She went on to elaborate "we are forever grateful, humbled and honored to have experienced his presence and we are invested in doing our part to ensure that the marathon will indeed continue. It is an immense honor for us to recognize him with this year’s Humanitarian Award."
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As well as the award presentation, the show will include a Nipsey tribute performance by YG, John Legend, and DJ Khaled, the latter of which enlisted the rapper for his Father of Asahd track "Higher." The Awards will be hosted by Regina Hall, and will air live 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 23 on Viacom networks in the U.S.: BET, BET HER, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, VH1, and Logo.