Parties You Will Never Get Into

If the guest list was any indication, all roads led to Steve Rifkind’s plush cribs after the 2008 Black Entertainment Television (BET) Award ceremonies last June 24. Rifkind, founder of Loud Records, teamed up with James Cruz of SRC to whip up the after party, held in honor of BET’s Executive Vice President for Music Programming, Stephen Hill.

Rifkind’s mansion is seated atop the high ledges of Mulholland Drive. Just for the event, he turned his basement into a virtual club, a DJ on the deck coaxing droves into the dancefloor. Revelers lounged on chairs by the poolside, which featured a well-stocked bar and heating lamps aplenty. Guests sipped on vodka.

Aside from guest-of-honor Hill, partygoers included musical dignitaries Diddy, Jermaine Dupri, Quincy Jones, Nelly, and Queen Latifah. New chart-toppers Flo Rida and Lil Wayne were also in attendance, schmoozing with older favorites like Ashanti, Lil Kim, and Destiny’s Child Michelle Williams. Ryan Philippe also showed up, and so did fellow actors Taraji Henson and Sanaa Lathan. Fergie was also in the same house with Weezy, Andre Harrell, Big Boi, Debra Lee, Melissa Ford, A.J. Calloway, Pretty Ricky, Wale, Slim Thug, Jill Marie Jones, QD3, Golden Brooks, David Banner, Play n Skillz, J Holiday, Jimmy Henchman and Lisa Raye.

Down the valley, Interscope held its own with a celebration honoring Midi Mafia. Held at Hollywood’s hip Cabana Club, the after party was hosted by Polow Da Don and Soulja Boy among others. Keri Hilson flaunted her set of pipes for the party, to go with DJ J-Nice and Greg Street’s choice cuts.

Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium was a party in itself. As the site of the 2008 BET Awards, the auditorium saw eye-popping musical performances, beginning with Usher and proceeding with Rihanna, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole, Nelly, Marvin Sapp and T-Pain. Erstwhile girl bands En Vogue, SWV and TLC even surprised the audience with their reunion numbers with Alicia Keys.

BET Awards culminated with Kanye West clinching awards for best male hip-hop artist and the best collaboration for “Good Life” with T-Pain. Brown stepped up to receive the best male R&B artist trophy; Keys was his female counterpart. Missy Elliott was awarded best female hip-hop artist while The Dream took home the Best New Artist award.