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Exclusive: BET Experience organizers announce 2016 details

Kendrick Lamar performs at 2015's BET Experience in June.

Kendrick Lamar performs at 2015’s BET Experience in June.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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BET and Anschutz Entertainment Group have announced early details for the 2016 BET Experience.

The multi-day festival built around the network’s annual award show will return to L.A. Live on June 23-26, a representative for the festival told The Times. Deposits for VIP packages, which range in perks but include tickets to most shows as well as the award show, are also now being accepted through the festival’s site.

The announcement comes just more than a month after its third edition.

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More than 150,000 attended this year’s festival, a 36% increase over last year, according to festival organizers, with Nicki Minaj, Kevin Hart, Kendrick Lamar, Miguel, the Roots, Snoop Dogg and a partially reunited N.W.A headlining shows at Staples Center and the nearby Club Nokia.

Launched in 2012 to expand the audience for the network’s highly rated awards show and offer other programming for R&B and hip-hop fans, the BET Experience is an ambitious celebration of black music.

Concerts, late-night shows, seminars, celebrity panels, fashion shows and a sprawling expo are among the offerings. The event was expanded to four days this year.

BET and Anschutz Entertainment Group have renewed their deal to continue the festival through 2018.

For more music news follow me on Twitter: @gerrickkennedy

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