Doechii Addresses the Los Angeles Protests During Her BET Awards Acceptance Speech

Doechii used her platform in a major way at last night’s BET Awards.

After stunning on the red carpet in a Miu Miu set and cascading braids, the rapper won the first award of the evening, for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist. At the mic, she took the time to acknowledge the current protests against the ICE immigration raids in Los Angeles.

She started off her speech by thanking BET and shouting out her fellow nominees, which included GloRilla, Cardi B, Doja Cat, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Sexyy Red, and Rapsody, before turning the spotlight elsewhere. “As much as I’m honored by this award,” she said, “I do want to address what’s happening right now outside of the building.” (The BET Awards took place at L.A.’s Peacock Theater).

“There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order,” she continued. “Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. And I want y’all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?”

She ended the speech by reflecting on using her platform. “I feel it’s my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people: for Black people, for Latino people, for Trans people, for the people in Gaza.”

Read her full speech below:

Hi, everybody. First of all, thank you so much BET. This is my first BET Award, so this means a lot to me. I grew up watching this. I just want to acknowledge all of the girls in my category that work so hard. They’re extremely talented and very, very creative. You ladies are amazing. So thank you BET for honoring me with this. But as much as I’m honored by this award, I do want to address what’s happening right now outside of the building. There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order. Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. And I want y’all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that? People are being swept up and torn from their families and I feel it’s my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people: for Black people, for Latino people, for Trans people, for the people in Gaza. We all deserve to live in hope and not in fear, and I hope we stand together, my brothers and my sisters, against hate and we protest against it. Thank you, BET.

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