Urban music’s top creators shared the stage Saturday night at BMI’s Urban Awards at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. The annual event celebrates the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the past year’s most-performed r&b, rap and hip-hop songs in the BMI repertoire.
Snoop Dogg was honored as a BMI Icon. Drake accepted his first BMI Urban Songwriter of the Year crown. At 22, B.o.B became the youngest songwriter ever to win BMI Urban Song of the Year thanks to his “Nothin’ on You,” featuring Bruno Mars.
20-year-old Lexus “Lex Luger” Lewis carved out his own place in BMI history, becoming the youngest ever to be named BMI Urban Producer of the Year. In addition to Luger, BMI honored Top Producers Polow Da Don, Daniel “Kane Beatz” Johnson, R. Kelly and Kanye West.
Universal Music Publishing Group claimed the BMI Urban Publisher of the Year crystal.
A live musical tribute featuring Warren G, Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Too $hort, Game, The Lady of Rage, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Akon, and more paid homage to Snoop Dogg. Lastly, Dr. Dre offered a heartfelt speech before Snoop Dogg himself joined Bootsy Collins and Charlie Wilson to deliver “What’s My Name?” as the towering finale.
BMI honors songwriters who have had a “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers” as Icons. Snoop Dogg joins past honorees George Clinton, The Jacksons, James Brown, Isaac Hayes, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Willie Nelson, and more.
BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Catherine Brewton, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta, hosted the 2011 BMI Urban Awards. For a full list of winners, visit www.bmi.com/urban.
