TopTV’s marketing department made contact with Teargas, offering them the opportunity to attend the awards ceremony in LA on 26 June. Says Elouise Kelly, vice president of marketing: “We are in the business of entertainment and the BET Awards is one of the most highly anticipated events in terms of the awards calendar.” She adds: “It is our pleasure to be sending Teargas to the BET Awards in LA, where they’ll get the opportunity to meet and greet some of the world’s best known and most loved celebrities. Who knows, perhaps they’ll end up doing a collaboration with RiRi, Nicki or Young B.”

Teargas is made up of three like-minded men namely Ntokozo “K.O” Mdluli from Pit Ritief in Mpumalanga as well as brothers Ezee “Ma-E” and Bantu “Ntukza” Habane from Soweto.

They all met at the Vaal Tri-Angle Technikon in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng where they became best friends due to their common interests in hip hop. Although the group officially came to being in 2004, prior to that, the guys were mostly making moves in the underground hip hop circuit.

Inspired by the country’s political past where police used Teargas to dispense protesting crowds in South Africa’s townships, the threesome opted to call themselves Teargas, where they see their music as a tool to disperse socio-economic ills like crime, HIV/Aids and poverty, among others.

The group’s first album in 2005 proved to be an instant hit. The video for their single Chance earned them respect and accolades among peers in the industry and was listed in the 2007 South African Music Awards. They were also nominated in four categories in the 7th annual Metro FM Awards and took three of them.

They were again nominated in the 9th annual Metro FM Music Awards, walking away with the award for Best Group, as well the Best Rap Category Award in the 15th annual MTN South African Music Awards in 2009.

The 2011 BET Awards nomination is Teargas’ first international nomination and the group is more than excited at being recognized among giants like Angelique Kidjo, 2Face and D’Banj, D-Black and Fally Ipupa. Of the trip and nomination, the guys commented: “We’re going to carry SA’s hopes with pride and we’re very proud to be sponsored by TopTV for this trip. We’re hoping that this trip will lead to and build a bigger relationship with TopTV and the South African music industry going forward.”

TopTV viewers can tune into the BET Awards 2011 on 3 July at 20:00 and for an encore again on 9 July at the same time. Teargas will also make an appearance on BET’s 106 &ampamp Park in an interview with Nick Cannon from the red carpet of the live event, this will be screened on 30 June in the 106 &ampamp Park pre-show of the BET Awards 2011 - only on TopTV, channel 190.