BET’s ‘106 & Park’ Turns 20: Looking Back at the 10 Most Memorable Moments
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, music video countdown shows were the hottest thing on TV. Kids would rush home from school to watch Total Request Live and 106 & Park and get to see their favorite artists perform and give interviews. 106 & Park, BET’s answer to MTV‘s TRL, premiered on September 11, 2000, and its impact has been strongly felt in pop culture throughout the last two decades.
August Alsina throws shade at Keshia Chanté
August Alsina most recently made headlines as Jada Pinkett Smith’s “entanglement” partner, but when his music career was just getting started, he made a splash on 106 & Park. When Keshia Chanté asked him about his longtime beef with Trey Songz, Alsina chided her for “going against the grain” and ignoring his request “not to ask me that sh*t.”
Rocsi and Terrence J announce the passing of Michael Jackson
Everyone remembers where they were when they learned about Michael Jackson’s death, and Rocsi and Terrence J had to break the news to the live studio audience in June of 2009. They were just as shocked and heartbroken as the hosts were, and it became a moment of collective grieving and remembrance of the King of Pop.
Michelle Williams takes a tumble with Destiny’s Child
It was the fall heard ’round the world. Destiny’s Child appeared on 106 & Park many times throughout the early 2000s, but it was their 2004 performance of “Soldier” that everyone always remembers. As the trio walked out on stage, Michelle Williams’ high heel got stuck on her pants and she fell down hard. You can even hear the “thud” in the edited version of the performance that pans to the crowd during her fall.
Bow Wow and Tyra Banks lock lips
The romantic tension between Bow Wow and Tyra Banks has boiled over on-screen more than once. Banks kissed the young rapper and actor on her talk show back in the day, and the two kissed again on 106 & Park in 2013. Bow Wow was clearly left flustered.
Lil Wayne kisses Birdman
It seems like 106 & Park was a kiss-happy place. Hip hop is a notoriously homophobic genre, so any implication of same-sex romance has historically been met with ridicule. Lil Wayne threw those conceptions out the window when he appeared on 106 & Park with Cash Money Records exec Birdman in 2006. The two had kissed on camera a few years before, and did it again on live TV. According to former Hot Boy member Turk, it was a common thing Birdman did with all his close friends.
Aaliyah’s last interview
In 2001, Aaliyah was R&B’s hottest young diva and the name on everyone’s lips. She stopped by 106 & Park to discuss her self-titled album and more. It would become her last interview ever: the singer died four days later after filming her “Rock The Boat” video in the Bahamas.
Lil Kim calls out Rocsi
106 & Park hosts often found themselves in hot water with guests on live TV. When Lil Kim stopped by in 2012, Rocsi hinted at a question regarding her beef with Nicki Minaj. Kim quickly shut Rocsi down and hyped up the crowd as a distraction.
Michelle Obama’s historic visit
Never before has a sitting president or First Lady appeared on a pop culture show like 106 & Park, but that all changed in 2013 when First Lady Michelle Obama stopped by to talk about education, tell stories, and discuss her husband’s initiatives.
Kanye West and 50 Cent have a friendly competition
In 2007, Kanye West and 50 Cent were some of the biggest rappers on the scene; West was gearing up to release his highly anticipated album Graduation, and 50 Cent was about to release his album Curtis. To create some friendly competition, West bumped up his album release date to the same day as 50 Cent as a way to see who could “win” by raking in more sales. Graduation sold nearly 1 million units in its first week.
Rocsi’s beef with Terrence J
Rosci and Terrence J had great chemistry throughout their 6 years co-hosting 106 & Park, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have their fair share of friction. The most obvious incident was when Terrence J asked Rocsi insensitive questions on air, such as “Why can’t you have a body more like Ciara’s?” Rocsi walked off the set that day, and the two hosted the show separately with various guest co-hosts until Terrence J had Mario read Rocsi a handwritten apology.
