BET Responds To 'Unfortunate' Awards Show Violence
ATLANTA -- What was meant to be a day of hip-hop celebration turned ugly after violence erupted backstage at the taping for the 2012 BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.
According to reports and accounts given to MTV News, it appears that members of Rick Ross' and Young Jeezy's respective camps got into a scuffle backstage in the Atlanta Civic Center, where the show was being pre-taped. There are also accounts of a separate incident between members of 50 Cent's G-Unit crew and Ross' Maybach Music squad. Various witnesses claim that shots were fired in the parking lot outside, but police told TMZ.com that it doesn't appear that that is the case. While details remain unclear, BET released a statement about the incident.
"BET Networks works very hard to bring the best in entertainment to the city of Atlanta. For the past 7 years BET has celebrated the true art form of Hip Hop. Due to some misjudgment of select attendees, it is unfortunate that certain incidents took place," the statement read, not identifying any parties said to be involved in the incident. "BET Networks does not condone any type of violence. Local authorities are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible."
The network still plans to air the show on Tuesday, October 9.
In a video posted on hip-hop site Worldstar.com, MMG MC Gunplay can be seen in a fight with an unidentified man, before he is pepper sprayed.
New York DJ Funkmaster Flex, among others, took to Twitter Saturday night to give an account of the incident. "Jeezy and Rick Ross just had words backstage!! Pushing and shoving," Flex wrote. "Shots fired in parking lot!!! Gunman arrested!!!"
