In the afterglow of Sunday’s BET Awards, Chris Rock was among the many who saluted Druski on a job well done as the first-time host.
The Atlanta comedian even shared a text from Rock on his Instagram Stories, in which the one-time BET Awards host gushed over the social media star’s performance.
“Hey incredible. Best host ever. You officially retired me. Hats off your (sic) the best,” Rock’s message read, according to Complex. The actor and comedian, who has previously hosted everything from the MTV Video Music Awards to the Oscars, also hosted the BET Awards in 2014.
Druski already reset the record for the youngest host in the show’s history on Sunday, surpassing Kevin Hart, who hosted the 2011 show at age 31. But to officially take the mantle of best host ever, particularly for the BET Awards themselves, is high praise.
Since 2001, the BET Awards have been hosted by a who’s who of Black celebrities, with a few of them hosting more than once. Mo’Nique and Taraji P. Henson are the only individuals to host the show on three separate occasions: Mo’Nique in 2003, 2004 and 2007 and Henson in 2021, 2022 and 2024. Others who have hosted on multiple occasions include Hart (2011, 2025) and Jamie Foxx (2010, 2018). Even Will and Jada Pinkett Smith hosted the 2005 ceremony, and Samuel L. Jackson hosted in 2012.
Ironically, Sam Jack’s night as host was the only time the BET Awards didn’t take place in June.
Does Druski top Henson flipping Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” in 2024? Or Hall giving us a glimpse of her childhood in D.C. in 2019? Or Mo’Nique’s iconic parody of Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love?” How about Foxx having to keep it all together during the emotional first public gathering since the death of Michael Jackson in 2009? It remains to be seen.
While the official ratings for the show have yet to be released, preliminary reports indicate it picked up more viewers than the 2025 telecast. Druski kept the night’s energy constant. As the format shifted more toward performances and tributes, staples of the BET Awards, Druski interjected with his brand of humor, showcasing that his viral skits translate well to a live audience, even when Keke Palmer proved that she’ll likely be a BET Awards host one day.
The question for Druski now becomes, does he join the pantheon of multi-time BET Awards show hosts? Even during controversial moments in the telecast, such as the infamous horns from “Boyz N The Hood” used for the “wrap it up” music, cooler heads seemed to prevail. Although Druski was blamed for the saxophone playing during SZA and Doechii’s acceptance speech for their BET Her Award-winning track “girl, get up,” it turns out the production managers were trying to keep the show running on time.
According to TMZ, Druski wasn’t near the stage when the saxophones started playing as he was backstage changing clothes, preparing for another segment. So, maybe Rock has a point. Memorable hosting duties mean you’ve kept people engaged long after the show wrapped and Druski has been a topic of discussion for days now.
He will likely be back on center stage at the BET Awards one day, but for now, he’s already won in the eyes of awards-show hosting veterans.
