BMI Celebrates Urban Music at 2003 Awards Ceremony
BMI saluted the top R&B, rap and hip-hop songwriters, producers and publishers at its 2003 Urban Awards, staged last night (8/5) at Club Tropigala at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resorts & Towers in Miami. The black-tie ceremony was hosted by BMI President and CEO Frances W. Preston, with Executive Vice President Del Bryant and Assistant Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton. Top honors went to Murder Inc. President Irv Gotti, who earned his second Urban Songwriter of the Year award; the #1 smash "Hot in Herre" was named Song of the Year, and EMI Music Publishing took home its third consecutive Urban Publisher of the Year trophy. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo from famed production duo, The Neptunes, were named BMI Urban Producers of the Year.
 Irv Gotti |  Pharrell Williams |  Chad Hugo |
A special highlight of the gala evening featured a salute to soul music legend Isaac Hayes, who was honored as a BMI ICON for his enduring influence on generations of music makers. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was honored during the dinner with an all-star musical tribute that featured stellar performances by BMI artists Bilal, Floetry, and Anthony Hamilton, among others. From the instantly recognizable beats of the "Theme From Shaft," to the Sam and Dave classic hit "Hold On! I'm Comin'," the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer and singer continues to impact music and is widely sampled by some of today's biggest rap, hip-hop, and R&B artists.
 Isaac Hayes |  Bilal |  Floetry |
The BMI Urban Songwriter of the Year trophy went to rap mogul Irv Gotti, who placed nine titles on the most performed list. Songs earning him the crown included the Ja Rule hits "Always On Time" (feat. Ashanti), "Down 4 U" (feat. Vita, Ashanti, and Charli Baltimore), "Down A** Chick" (feat. Charli Baltimore) and "Livin' It Up" (feat. Case), as well as "Rainy Dayz" (Mary J. Blige feat. Ja Rule), "What's Luv?" (Fat Joe feat. Ja Rule and Ashanti), and "Baby," "Foolish," and "Happy," all recorded by Murder Inc. artist Ashanti. This is the second Urban Songwriter of the Year award for Gotti; he shared the spotlight last year with five others. Gotti was also named BMI's Pop Songwriter of the Year at the May 14 ceremony in Los Angeles, bringing his total BMI Awards to 19.
 Anthony Hamilton |  Ja Rule |  Charli Baltimore |
In addition to Gotti, several other writers earned multiple awards including Ja Rule with six; Pharrell Williams with four; and Charli Baltimore, Jeff I. Bass, Cam'Ron, Eminem and Mario Winans, who each placed two songs on the most performed list.
Song of the Year "Hot in Herre," co-written by BMI songwriters Charles L. Brown and Pharrell Williams, and published by Ascent Music, Inc., EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Nouveau Music Company, Swing T Publishing and Waters of Nazareth Publishing, spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The infectious number one hit was last summer's party anthem and is still heating up at radio and on the dance floor as well.
 Jeff I. Bass |  Cam'Ron |  Eminem |
Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams, better known as The Neptunes, were feted as Producers of the Year with a performance from multi-platinum artist (and fellow Top 10 Songwriter/Producer) R. Kelly. The hit-making production and songwriting team has collaborated with the A-list in urban music, from Snoop Dogg to Busta Rhymes to Justin Timberlake, with titles including "Beautiful," "Pass the Courvoisier Part II," and "Rock Your Body." Rounding out the BMI Top 10 Urban Producers list were Songwriter of the Year Irv Gotti, rapper Eminem, Big Tymers' Mannie Fresh, Cash Money's Jazze Pha, Trackmasters' Poke, producer Cory Rooney and Hitmen Production's Mario Winans.
 Mario Winans |  Charles L. Brown |  R. Kelly |
EMI Music Publishing picked up its third consecutive Urban Publisher of the Year award by placing 11 songs on the most performed list, including Song of the Year, "Hot in Herre." This is the thirteenth top BMI Publisher honor awarded to EMI since 1989 in all genres of music. Other multiple award-winning publishers included Ensign Music Corporation (10), D J Irv Publishing (9), Universal Music Publishing (8), Slavery Music (6), Waters of Nazareth Publishing (4), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (3), and Careers-BMG Music/Zomba Songs, Eight Mile Style Music, Inky Sisi Music, Janice Combs Music, Killa Cam Music, Marsky Music, Songs of DreamWorks, SPZ Music, Inc., and Taking Care of Business Music (2).
In addition to the song, publisher and producer awards, music trade magazine Billboard announced the names of the BMI-affiliated writers who had #1 songs on the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Rap Tracks charts during the past year. Among the winners were Producer of the Year Pharrell Williams, who placed two songs on the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, and the #1 hit "Dilemma," which reached the peak position on both Billboardcharts. The BMI Urban Awards 2003 is the kick-off event to the 4th Annual Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Conference and Awards, taking place in Miami Beach August 6-8.
Below is the complete list of 2003 BMI Urban Awards winners:
ADDICTIVE
William Lee Nichols
Rakim
Bill-Lee Music
Eighteenth Letter Music
Lehsem Songs
Music In Three
Songs of DreamWorks
Truth Hurts feat. Rakim
Aftermath/Interscope
ALWAYS ON TIME
Irv Gotti
Ja Rule
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Slavery Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Ja Rule feat. Ashanti
Murder Inc./Def Jam Records
BABY
Michael Dean
Irv Gotti
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Still N The Water Publishing
Ashanti
Murder Inc./Def Jam Records
BUTTERFLIES
Marsha Ambrosius
SPZ Music Inc.
Michael Jackson
Epic Records
CARAMEL
Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis
Leonard Hubbard
Ahmir Thompson
Tarik Trotter
Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc.
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Te Bass Music, Inc.
City High feat. Eve
Booga Basement/Interscope Records
CLEANIN' OUT MY CLOSET
Jeff I. Bass
Eminem
Eight Mile Style Music
Eminem
Web/Aftermath/Interscope Records
DILEMMA
Kenneth Gamble
Walter "Bunny" Sigler
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland
Fo Reel Records
DOWN 4 U
Charli Baltimore
Irv Gotti
Ja Rule
Larry Troutman
Roger Troutman
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Inky Sisi Music
Saja Music Company
Slavery Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Undeas Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Irv Gotti presents The Inc.
Murder Inc./Def Jam Records
DOWN A** CHICK
Charli Baltimore
Irv Gotti
Ja Rule
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Inky Sisi Music
Slavery Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Un Rivera Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Ja Rule feat. Charli Baltimore
Murder Inc./Def Jam Records
FEELS GOOD (DON'T WORRY 'BOUT A THING)
Nastacia Cherice Kendall
Nazz-E-Aten Publishing
Songs of DreamWorks
Naughty by Nature feat. 3LW
TVT Records
FOOLISH
Irv Gotti
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Ashanti
Murder Inc./Def Jam Records
GANGSTA LOVIN'
Jonah Ellis
Lonnie Simmons
Alisa Yarbrough
Taking Care of Business Music
Eve feat. Alicia Keys
Ruff Ryders Records
HALFCRAZY
Francis Lai (SACEM)
EMI-Unart Catalog, Inc.
Musiq
Def Soul Records
HAPPY
Raymond James Calhoun
Irv Gotti
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Taking Care of Business Music
Ashanti
Murder Inc./Def Jam Records
HEY MA
Cam'Ron
Killa Cam Music
Cam'Ron feat. Juelz Santana,
Freekey Zekey and Toya
Roc A Fella/Def Jam Records
HOT IN HERRE
Charles L. Brown
Pharrell Williams
Ascent Music, Inc.
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Nouveau Music Company
Swing T Publishing
Waters Of Nazareth Publishing
Nelly
Fo Reel Records
I LOVE YOU
Faith Evans
Isaac Hayes
Jennifer Lopez
Mario Winans
Chyna Baby Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Incense Productions, Inc.
Janice Combs Music
Marsky Music
Nuyorican Publishing
Universal-Duchess Music Corporation
Faith Evans
Bad Boy/Arista Records
I NEED A GIRL (PART ONE)
Eric "Coptic" Matlock
Coptic Soundsations Publishing
P. Diddy feat. Usher & Loon
Bad Boy/Arista Records
I NEED A GIRL (PART TWO)
Adonis Shropshire
Mario Winans
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Harmony Smurf Music Publishing
Janice Combs Music
Marsky Music
P. Diddy & Ginuwine feat. Loon,
Mario Winans & Tammy Ruggeri
Bad Boy/Arista Records
JUST A FRIEND 2002
Harold Spencer Lilly, Jr.
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Uncle Bobby Music
Mario
J Records
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
Leonard Caston
Anita Porée
Frank Edward Wilson
Stone Diamond Music Corporation
Mr. Cheeks
Universal Records
LIVIN' IT UP
Irv Gotti
Leon Haywood
Ja Rule
Frederick Knight
Lil' Rob
6 Mo Shots Music
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Irving Music
Slavery Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Two Knight Publishing Co.
Ja Rule feat. Case
Murder Inc./Def Jam Records
MOVE B***H
Craig "KL" Lawson
Block Off Broad Publishing
Ludacris feat. Mystikal and The Infamous 2.0
Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam
NOTHIN'
N.O.R.E.
Pharrell Williams
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Suite Twelve O Two Music
Waters Of Nazareth Publishing
N.O.R.E.
Def Jam Records
NOTHING IN THIS WORLD
Avant
Steve Huff
Grindtime Publishing
Pay Town Publishing
Tuff Huff Music
Zomba Songs Inc.
Keke Wyatt feat. Avant
MCA Records
OH BOY
Cam'Ron
Norman Whitfield
Killa Cam Music
May Twelfth Music
Universal-Duchess Music Corporation
Cam'Ron feat. Juelz Santana
Roc A Fella/Def Jam Records
PO' FOLKS
Kenneth "Prophet" Anthony
William "Skinny" Hughes
Vito "Big V" Tisdale
Nappy Roots Publishing LLC
Nappy Roots feat. Anthony Hamilton
Atlantic Records
RAINY DAYZ
Irv Gotti
Ja Rule
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Slavery Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Mary J. Blige feat. Ja Rule
MCA Records
SATURDAY (OOH! OOH!)
Pat "Sleepy" Brown
Ray Murray
Rico Wade
Organized Noize Music
Ludacris feat. Sleepy Brown
Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam
STILL FLY
Mannie Fresh
Bryan "Baby" Williams
Money Mack Music
Big Tymers
Cash Money/Universal Records
U DON'T HAVE TO CALL
Pharrell Williams
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Waters Of Nazareth Publishing
Usher
Arista Records
WHAT ABOUT US?
Fred Jerkins
Rodney Jerkins
Nora Payne
Kenisha Pratt
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Ensign Music Corporation
Fred Jerkins Publishing
Generation 3rd Music
Rodney Jerkins Productions, Inc.
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Ttarp Music Publishing Company
Brandy
Atlantic Records
WHAT'S LUV?
Irv Gotti
Ja Rule
Graham Lyle (PRS)
D J Irv Publishing
Ensign Music Corporation
Slavery Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Fat Joe feat. Ashanti
Terror Squad Records
WITHOUT ME
Jeff I. Bass
Kevin "DJ Head" Bell
Eminem
Trevor Horn (PRS)
Eight Mile Style Music
Nuez Music
Reach Global Songs
SPZ Music Inc.
Eminem
Web/Aftermath/Interscope Records
YOUNG'N (HOLLA BACK)
Pharrell Williams
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Waters Of Nazareth Publishing
Fabolous
Desert Storm/Elektra
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