New York, NY - (April 16, 2013) - Following a legacy of great hosts, BET Networks has announced that actor and comedian Chris Tucker will host the BET Awards 2013 on Sunday, June 30, 2013 at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA. Tucker, who commanded Hollywood's attention as the highest paid actor during his blockbuster Rush Hour film series, once again is taking Hollywood by storm with his recent role in the Oscar-nominated film, Silver Linings Playbook.  
We cannot wait for Chris to set fire to the BET Awards stage with his unique brand of mayhem," said Stephen Hill, President of Music Programming and Specials.  "We've been chasing him for years and we couldn't be happier that he is hosting the show in this special year: the year we embark on the three–day long BET Experience."
I am honored to be asked to host this year's BET Awards.  I'm looking forward to being part of a really great show," says Chris Tucker.
For 12 years, BET has drawn music's biggest talent to be part of the biggest night in music; the BET Awards.  This year, the activity and excitement expands with the first ever BET EXPERIENCE AT LA. LIVE!  This three-day festival filled with comedy, gospel and soulful music concerts, seminars, film screenings, "106 & PARK" tapings and so much more will build anticipation for the finest BET Awards show yet.  Airing live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 30, 2013 at 8 PM* ET, the show will continue to honor the success of various artists and celebrities in the areas of music, acting and sports, as well as feature thrilling all-star performances and presentations.
GRAMMY® Award winner and international superstar, Beyoncé, will kick off her "Mrs. Carter" North American tour at the BET Experience at L.A. Live on Friday, June 28. VIP Packages for Beyoncé's concert as well as the BET AWARDS are still available, visit BETExperience.com to purchase your tickets.
The BET Experience weekend concert series will feature some of the most electric performers in entertainment, including musical artists, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, J. Cole, Miguel and ScHoolboy Q.  There will also be a special performance by iconic recording artists The Jacksons, along with R. Kelly, New Edition, Erykah Badu, The Roots & Friends and a gospel showcase with headliner Kirk Franklin at the Club Nokia.  Most recently added to the slate of performances; one of the original "Kings of Comedy," Cedric the Entertainer, who will host "Cedric the Entertainer & Friends," a comedy show showcasing some of today's top comedians.
Tickets for the BET Experience and BET Awards are on sale now at www.betexperience.com and www.axs.com/betexperience. For more information and a list of other activities and performances during the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE visit www.betexperience.com.
BET.com/BETAwards is the official site for the BET Awards 13 and in May, the full microsite will launch with all of this year's nominees, including voting for the Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award. In June, the critically acclaimed BET AWARDS App for iPhone and Android will return with several new features, thirteen years of show performances and history and an all-new voting experience for the Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award.
Join the conversation on social media by following BET's multiple social media platforms, dedicated to the BET Awards:
Follow us on Twitter & Instagram : @BETAwards, Use hashtag: #BETAwards
On Facebook: facebook.com/TheBETAwards
On Tumblr: betawards.tumblr.com
*All times are ET/PT
About BET Experience at L.A. LIVE:
The BET Experience at L.A. Live is an exciting weekend consisting of concerts from A-list talent at STAPLES Center, Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE and Club Nokia, the BET Film Festival, fan festival, live tapings of "106 & Park," The BET GRAMMY® Museum exhibit, Music Matter stage, BET Revealed seminars and the BET Awards.  For the first time ever, tickets to the BET Awards show are available to the public through VIP ticket packages.  For more information and to purchase tickets to the events, visit www.BETExperience.com.

About BET Awards:
The BET AWARDS is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company.  The BET AWARDS franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year.  It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.
About Jesse Collins Entertainment:
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service film and television production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins.  Over the past decade, Collins, the company's CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television's most memorable moments in the music entertainment arena.  Formerly Executive Producer/Executive Vice President of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced award winning television programming including the "Real Husbands of Hollywood," GRAMMY Awards, the BET Awards, BET Honors and BET's Rip the Runway and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Kid Rock, Lil Wayne and many more.
About BET Networks:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
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