While Sunday’s 2022 Billboard Music Awards were a roaring success for artists like Drake, Kanye West, Olivia Rodrigo and Mary J. Blige, the ratings were terrible and host Sean “Diddy” Combs was widely panned.
In addition to drawing backlash for “uncanceling” country singer Morgan Wallen and rapper Travis Scott, Diddy has also come under fire for using his platform as host and executive producer of the show to plug his own products and music.
The show began on a high note with a mashup performance of Diddy’s new track “Gotta Move On” and his 1997 hit with the late The Notorious B.I.G., “Mo Money, Mo Problems.” The performance was in praised on social media and featured Teyana Taylor, Bryson Tiller, and Jack Harlow.
A Master of Rap and entrepreneur mogul who still reigns Supreme! He
"called all the shots" by keeping it ? since winning his first #BBMAs2022 award 25 years ago. Here's to the legend,the one and only…@Diddy #BillboardMusicAwards #BBMAs @TMZ pic.twitter.com/sObT1ydAVm— hoopstah (@hooperstarium) May 16, 2022
Related Story: Billboard Music Awards 2022: Winners List From Mary J. Blige to Megan Thee Stallion
But things quickly went downhill after that.
In a long, rambling monologue, Diddy declared that he was “not even a human being” anymore and had actually “frequency” status now. He also called himself “The Black Thunder,” “The Chocolate Boy Wonder,” and “The Frequency Elevator” throughout the opening.
He used the monologue to promote his new music, his son, his brand of Cîroc vodka, and a number of other other business ventures.
Diddy’s self-promotion hardly went unnoticed, quickly igniting a social media storm.
Twitter user @ItsBrandonBoyd wrote: “Dude always makes it about himself. Why did we have to see him lotion his hands on live television? #JustSaying! He & his butler Frank, can exit the stage.”
#BBMAs: Keeping it all the way ?, I can really do w/o #Diddy as the host of the #BillboardMusicAwards or any awards show. Dude always makes it about himself. Why did we have to see him lotion his hands on live television? #JustSaying! He & his butler Frank, can exit the stage.
— Brandon Boyd (@ItsBrandonBoyd) May 16, 2022
@BalserErica added: “Am I watching the Billboard Music Awards or Diddy’s Ted Talk? Shut up already. ”
Am I watching the Billboard Music Awards or Diddys Ted Talk? Shut up already. #BillboardMusicAwards #diddy
— Erica Balser Kinder (@BalserErica) May 16, 2022
While @WilliamSDeaver tweeted: “Well, that was the most pretentious opening speech to an Awards show I’ve heard in a LONG time.”
Well, that was the most pretentious opening speech to an Awards show I've heard in a LONG time. #Diddy #BillboardMusicAwards
— William S Deaver (@WilliamSDeaver) May 16, 2022
By the time the awards show was over, some Twitter users crowned Diddy “the worst host ever.”
@BBMAs @Diddy is the worst host ever, I actually had to turn the channel
— Cody Scoggins (@Mrcodycee) May 16, 2022
Diddy was a terrible host https://t.co/drk2qMpGge
— ? ?Genghis Kellz (@KMJeezy) May 16, 2022
Adding to the disastrous night, the show turned out to be the worst rated Billboard Music Awards in history, drawing just 2.11 million viewers across its three-hour broadcast on NBC and an average 0.5 rating in the advertiser coveted 18-49 demo. Those numbers were even worse that last year’s lows.
Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
