Hip Hop Awards 2022: A Look Back at Some of the Most Memorable Cyphers Ever
The BET Hip Hop Awards 2022 are slowly approaching and it's slated to be the biggest nights in hip hop, celebrating the hottest names in the industry and paying homage to the best in hip hop culture. Ahead of the year’s show, which is set to make its return to Atlanta, GA, we’re looking back at some of the most memorable moments, performances, and more, including some of the hottest BET cyphers where artists go bar for bar on the backdrop of some of rap’s most iconic instrumentals. Former NBA star Iman Shumpert displayed his off-court flow and the artists of G.O.O.D. MUSIC gave one of the most unified performances to date, dripped out in clean-cut black suits. Check out these show-stopping moments, and don’t forget to tune into the Hip Hop Awards airing Tuesday, October 4, at 9 PM ET/PT on BET.
G.O.O.D. MUSIC (Kanye West, Pusha T, Big Sean, Cyhi The Prynce & Common)
G.O.O.D. MUSIC collective featuring then signees Big Sean, Cyhi The Prynce, Common, and current label bosses Kanye West and Pusha T gave an explosive performance during their BET Cypher appearance at the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards with sounds provided by DJ Premiere. Everyone wore matching black suits as they delivered punchline after punchline, with Mr. West doubling back for seconds.
Pusha’s verse celebrated his mainstream breakthrough, rapping “8 years later, your mans on fire” while Big Sean and CyHi Da Prince boasted about women and fashion.
The Real Husbands of Hollywood Cypher (Chocolate Droppa aka Kevin Hart, Nelly, Nick Cannon, J.B Smoove, Duane Martin & Boris Kodjoe)
The cast from BET’s “The Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Kevin Hart, Nelly, Nick Cannon, J.B Smoove, Duane Martin, and actor Boris Kodjoe had fans in tears after delivering a laugh-out-loud performance for their cypher at the 2013 Hip Hop Awards. The throwback moment included a special appearance from Hart’s rap persona Chocolate Droppa and actor Boris even shot a couple of bars in French for our international viewers.
Cypher Freestyle 2013 (Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad)
The West Coast emcees representing The Top Dawg Entertainment gave one of the most memorable cyphers at the 2013 ceremony over the instrumental for Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones, Pt. II.” Each emcee, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, and Jay Rock effortlessly cooked up their individually unique rap skills as now former TDE signee Kendrick Lamar called out his opponents who dared to challenge him.
Alpha Female Cypher (Brandy, Erykah Badu, Teyana Taylor & H.E.R.)
Brandy, Erykah Badu, Teyana Taylor, and H.E.R. represented for the women in the Ladies First Cypher at the show-stopping 2020 Hip Hop Awards, kicking empowering freestyles over the Vocal Bible’s hit 1994 “I Wanna Be Down.” Harlem’s own Teyana’s set the scene, letting listeners know, “The tone is what I set it/If you want it come and get it, don’t forget it.”
H.E.R. paid homage to her Filipina heritage and Breonna Taylor while Badu stepped away from her turntable to kick a few rhymes, cutting straight to the point with her introduction, “Look, I’m about to go in, I’m about to get inside these bitches head like a sew-in.” Brandy closed us the best way she can, sharing her thoughts on Black womanhood: “Black females we gonna flourish in these conditions/Born to front lines, not in your kitchen/I’m on a mission.”
Contemporary Cypher (IDK, Travis Thompson, Kash Doll, Iman Shumpert & King Los)
IDK, Travis Thompson, Kash Doll, Iman Shumpert & King Los came out with a point to prove when they took on the instrumental from Meek Mill’s “Going Bad” featuring Drake from the Philly rapper’s album Championships. Former NBA player Iman showed that his skills are not just on the court, and industry veteran King Los proved his skills have gotten even sharper over the years.
Watch the Hip Hop Awards on Tuesday, October 4, at 9 PM ET/PT on BET
