How else is Rick Ross supposed to set off a big-time television performance? After wheeling an all-black Maybach onstage, Rozay and company launched into a medley of their street hits at Sunday's BET Awards.
First, it was Wale with all his D.C. swagger hopping out of the vehicle to "Bag of Money," MMG's T-Pain-assisted single. Wale, who won with "Lotus Flower Bomb" earlier in the evening for Best Collaboration, proved he had more than enough star power to command the stage on his own.
When his verse ended, Ross emerged in a black leather vest, black glasses and full grizzly beard, spitting, "My chick bad looking like a bag of money," then prompting the rest of the crew to join.
The wild and unpredictable Gunplay mean-mugged in front of the Maybach, and French Montana pranced around in the background while Ross and Wale held center stage with their pyro show in the background.
Rozay transitioned from "Bag of Money" into the much grittier "So Sophisticated" from his upcoming God Forgives, I Don't LP. After a short rendition, Meek Mill jumped out to the tune of "Black Magic" from the crew's Self Made Vol. 2 LP. "Could you knock that ho, could you blame that bitch/ 'Cause she wanna roll with a real n---a like me that's gonna slang that di--," the Philadelphia MC spit unapologetically, leaving the censors to clean up the mess.
On a stage where R&B, gospel and hip-hop were all honored on the same night, Rozay, Wale, Meek and company gave rap fans something to cheer for — an uncompromised, raw rap show.