Sierra Leonean rapper Drizilik, known as Benjamin Menelik George, made a remarkable appearance as an international guest at the 2023 BET Awards. This prestigious event, held on Sunday, June 25, in Los Angeles, celebrates exceptional performances in music, TV, film, and sports. Furthermore, the ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and was broadcasted by BET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Drizilik's captivating voice and lyrical talent have taken the music industry by storm, infusing our ears with fresh energy. Within a remarkably short span, he has established himself as one of the prominent mainstream artists in Sierra Leone and Africa.
His breakout debut single, "Pop Collar," released in late 2015, swiftly became a street anthem in Freetown, gaining widespread popularity on radio and in clubs. Since then, Drizilik has consistently raised the bar with his music releases, positioning himself as one of the pioneering young musicians in West Africa and solidifying his status as one of Sierra Leone's most beloved artists. His exceptional achievements have earned him numerous accolades, including a nomination for the "Listeners Choice" category at the 2021 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), further validating his success and expanding his global recognition.
In 2021, Drizilik achieved a significant breakthrough by venturing beyond Sierra Leone to further his music career in Nigeria. Through collaborations with Markmuday and Jooel, he featured in the hit song "PROBLEM" by Mastekraft, which gained immense popularity, even finding its way to the Big Brother Naija house during their Saturday night party and landing on numerous playlists across Africa.
The remarkable ascent of this talented musical sensation owes much to the efforts of his publicist, Vickie Remoe. Their professional collaboration exemplifies how a combination of exceptional music and effective publicity can effortlessly propel a talented musician to stardom. Remoe played a vital role in facilitating Drizilik's participation in the prestigious BET Awards ceremony, expressing optimism that the next time he attends, he will be a contender for an award.
Reflecting on the events that led to Drizilik's invitation to this auspicious event, Remoe shares a brief anecdote. She says, "Let me tell a short story about how this happened. Six years ago, I received an email from a Sierra Leonean-American woman in the US. She had just graduated from college and expressed admiration for my work, offering to work for me remotely. I requested her CV and portfolio, discovering her experience in PR and Digital Communications.
"So, I hired her part-time, and she provided virtual support for various clients. After a couple of years, she mentioned her desire to pursue a Master's degree and asked if I could write her a recommendation letter. Of course, I did! She got into graduate school, completed her studies, and started working. A couple of years later, where did she end up? BET!
"Naturally, as soon as I began working with Drizilik, I reached out to her, saying we needed to get Drizilik on BET. She responded affirmatively, telling me to contact her whenever he was in the US. That moment arrived in February this year. I contacted her, but sadly, she was out of town, and despite our efforts in New York, we couldn't secure the hoped-for interview with BET. However, she casually mentioned that we should plan to be in LA in June. I replied that we would be there. I had completely forgotten about the BET Awards, but you know who hadn't forgotten? Drizilik! He said, 'June is here, I want to go to BET.' So, I looked up the message and made the call. I contacted