Tems won the Gospel/Inspirational category of the 2024 BET Awards, much to the surprise of many.
It was a wonder how Nigerian singer, Tems won the award over gospel heavyweights like Kirk Franklin, CeCe Winans and Maverick City.
This sparked an uproar from Netizens including Media personality, Solomon Buchi who said it was worrying.
Also, Buchi mentioned that her song, “Me & U,” could have been awarded, Inspirational music, not gospel, as they are two different categories.
“It’s worrying that Tems won the BET Gospel/Inspirational Category of the year.
“She edged out Maverick City Music, Cece Winas, Kirk Franklin, and others.
“Gospel music is not inspirational music. Gospel music is believer edifying, Jesus glorifying, and God praising.
“Mentioning God in a song doesn’t make it gospel. The metrics for gospel music should be stringent.
Buchi said categorizing gospel music and inspirational music together wasn’t a mishap; it’s an intentional attempt to undermine the power of the gospel.
“Any skilled musician can write inspirational music, but that isn’t the gospel. Stop liberalizing the gospel.
“This explains why I’m skeptical about award shows for gospel ministers.
In addition, he said the system is flawed, and spiritual impact cannot be measured by human systems.
“Write songs, sing to the glory of God, and God will reward you. Human award systems are corrupt. It’s mostly a popularity contest.”
Tems Explains The Lyrics Of Her Song
The 2024 BET awards event was held on Sunday at the Peacock Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.
Although the lyrics of her winning song, “Me & U,” do not entirely fit the conventional gospel mould, Tems has explained that the music reflects her relationship with God and the transformation she experienced in her journey.
According to Tems, the song was initially written in 2021 but was officially released on 5 October 2023.
Also Read: Tems Wins Best Gospel/Inspirational Prize At 2024 BET Awards
The 29-year-old singer has had an impressive career, previously winning BET awards for Best International Act and Best Collaboration in 2022 for her work on Wizkid’s “Essence.”
Also, she won the Best Collaboration award in 2023 for her song “Wait for U,” which she co-wrote with Drake and Future and received the same prize at the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2022.
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