Last night (October 5), Tyler, the Creator took home the inaugural Cultural Influence Award at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards, as well as Hip Hop Album of the Year, in recognition of his sixth studio album, Call Me If You Get Lost.
Presented the Cultural Influence Award by LL Cool J, the “Lumberjack” rapper chose to highlight his own inspirations in a heartfelt acceptance speech, shouting out a range of artists.
“Playboi Carti has a line (in ‘R.I.P.’) where he says, ‘Bought my mama house off this mumblin shit,’ and I always get teared up when he says that,” Tyler says. “This thing that’s a hobby or a pastime, or a passion for us, a lot of people in here, that shit kept us out of trouble. And it allowed us to change our family’s lives and friends’ lives.”
“I definitely think that I’ve created my own path, but it’s people who allowed me to understand that I can do that, who laid the blueprint,” he goes on, singling out artists such as Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, André 3000, Pharrell Williams, Q-Tip, Hype Williams, and Missy Elliott (“who no one ever brings up”).
“I appreciate you guys so much for just opening the doors, and throwing the key. Not just opening the doors, but talking to young guys like me.”
“To everyone in here,” he concludes, speaking to the room at the awards show. “It’s beautiful, and everyone keep thriving. Keep doing your shit.”
Other artists that took home awards at last night’s event include Cardi B (for “WAP”, as well as the video with Megan Thee Stallion), Lil Baby, Jay-Z, Saweetie, and Little Simz. Besides a shoutout from Tyler, Missy Elliott also took home the award for Video Director of the Year.
Watch Tyler, the Creator’s BET Awards acceptance speech below.