Snoop Dogg, Drake, B.o.B, Lex Luger, Universal Music Publishing & More Honored at BMI Urban Awards
Dr. Dre, Warren G, Nas, Bootsy Collins, Wiz Khalifa, Too $hort, Game and others rally to celebrate Snoop Dogg’s career
Urban music’s top creators shared the stage tonight 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.
The 2011 ceremony featured high-wattage star power and broke BMI records. The incomparable Snoop Dogg was honored as a BMI Icon. With seven songs among the most-performed, 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.
Only 20 years 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 scored 13 songs among the year’s most-performed and claimed the BMI Urban Publisher of the Year crystal.
A stacked live musical tribute paid homage to Snoop Dogg. Wiz Khalifa kicked off the tribute with “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang”; The Lady of Rage followed with “Deep Cover”; Too $hort delivered “Gin & Juice”; Warren G, Kurupt and Daz Dillinger came together for “Ain’t No Fun”; Game performed “Murder was the Case”; Charlie Wilson delivered “Beautiful”; Akon followed with “Sexual Seduction”; Nas and Kurupt wowed with “Next Episode”; and lastly, Aftermath’s Dr. Dre offered a heartfelt speech before Snoop Dogg himself joined Bootsy Collins and Charlie Wilson on stage 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 a list of past honorees that includes George Clinton, The Jacksons, James Brown, Isaac Hayes, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, The Bee Gees, Willie Nelson and Carlos Santana, to name but a few.
BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Catherine Brewton, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta, hosted the 2011 BMI Urban Awards. A full list of winners is below.
2011 BMI Urban Music Awards
BMI Icon
SNOOP DOGG
Urban Songwriter of the Year
DRAKE
“Bedrock”
“Find Your Love”
“I Invented Sex”
“Money To Blow”
“Over”
“Say Something”
“Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)”
Urban Song of the Year
“NOTHIN’ ON YOU”
B.o.B
Ham Squad Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars
Urban Publisher of the Year
UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP
“Airplanes”
“Bedrock”
“Bottoms Up”
“Deuces”
“Hot Tottie”
“How Low”
“Love the Way You Lie”
“My Chick Bad”
“Not Afraid”
“Nothin’ On You”
“Papers”
“Sex Therapy”
“Your Love”
Urban Producer of the Year
LEXUS “LEX LUGER” LEWIS
Top Urban Producers
POLOW DA DON
DANIEL “KANE BEATZ” JOHNSON
R. KELLY
KANYE WEST
Award-Winning Songs
AIRPLANES
Alex Da Kid
B.o.B
Ham Squad Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams
Rebelrock/Grand Hustle/Atlantic
BEDROCK
Jasper Cameron
Drake (SOCAN)
Daniel “Kane Beatz” Johnson
Lil Wayne
Lloyd
Nicki Minaj
Tyga
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Goldie’s Playhouse Publishing
Harajuku Barbie Music
Live Write LLC
Money Mack Music
Pretty Girls and Big Love Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Tygaman Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Young Money Publishing, Inc.
Young Money featuring Lloyd
Young Money/Cash Money/Univ Mo
BITTERSWEET
Claude Kelly
Studio Beast Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Fantasia
J/RMG
BOTTOMS UP
Daniel “Kane Beatz” Johnson
Edrick Miles
Nicki Minaj
Tony “Chef Tone” Scales
Trey Songz
April’s Boy Music LLC
Chef Huxtable Music Publishing
E. Miles Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Harajuku Barbie Music
Money Mack Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj
Song Book/Atlantic
DEUCES
Chris Brown
Kevin McCall
Tyga
Culture Beyond Ur Experience Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Kmacnificent
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Tygaman Music
Chris Brown featuring Tyga and Kevin McCall
Jive/JLG
EVERYTHING TO ME
Fritz Baskett
Clarence McDonald
VIP Rosebud Music
Monica
J/RMG
FIND YOUR LOVE
Jeff Bhasker
Drake (SOCAN)
Kanye West
Ernest “No I.D.” Wilson
Chrysalis Songs
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Live Write LLC
No I.D. Music Publishing
Please Gimme My Publishing, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Way Above Music
Drake
Aspire/Young Money/Cash Money
GANGSTA LUV
Snoop Dogg
My Own Chit Publishing
Snoop Dogg featuring The Dream
Doggystyle/Priority/Capitol
HEY DADDY (DADDY’S HOME)
Plies
First and Gold Publishing
Usher featuring Plies
LaFace/JLG
HOT TOTTIE
Paul “Hollywood Hot Sauce” Dawson
Ester Dean
Polow Da Don
Dat Damn Dean Music
God Can’t Lie Publishing
My Diet Starts Tomorrow, Inc.
peermusic III, Ltd.
Songs of 2412
Songs of Universal, Inc.
U Can’t Teach Bein’ The Shhh, Inc.
Usher featuring Jay-Z
LaFace/JLG
HOW LOW
Chuck D
Eric “Vietnam” Sadler
Hank Shocklee
Tyler “T-Minus” Williams (SOCAN)
Brother Bagz Publishing
Reach Global Songs
Shocklee Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Terrordome Music Publishing LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Your Mother’s Music Inc.
Ludacris
DTP/Def Jam/IDJMG
I AM
Ester Dean
Dat Damn Dean Music
peermusic III, Ltd.
Songs of 2412
Mary J. Blige
Matriarch/Geffen/Interscope
I INVENTED SEX
Drake (SOCAN)
L.O.S. DA MYSTRO
Tony “Chef Tone” Scales
Trey Songz
April’s Boy Music LLC
Chef Huxtable Music Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Live Write LLC
Sony/ATV Melody
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Trey Songz featuring Drake
Song Book/Atlantic
JUST A DREAM
David Ryan Harris
Jim Jonsin
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Jimipub Music
Peace Pourage Music
Nelly
Derrty/Universal/Motown
LIKE A G6
Jae “j-Splif” Choung
James “Prohgress” Roh
Fmonyourdial Publishing
Hunnypot Happenings
Far East Movement
Cherrytree/Interscope
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE
Alex Da Kid
Eminem
Skylar Grey
Hotel Bravo Music
M Shop Publishing
Shroom Shady Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Universal Music-Z Songs
Eminem featuring Rihanna
Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
MONEY TO BLOW
Drake (SOCAN)
Lil Wayne
Bryan “Baby” Williams
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Live Write LLC
Money Mack Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Young Money Publishing, Inc.
Birdman featuring Lil Wayne & Drake
Cash Money/Universal
MY CHICK BAD
Nicki Minaj
Harajuku Barbie Music
Money Mack Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Ludacris featuring Nicki Minaj
DTP/Def Jam/IDJMG
NEIGHBORS KNOW MY NAME
Troy Taylor
Trey Songz
April’s Boy Music LLC
Downtown DMP Songs
No Quincydence Music Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Trey Songz
Song Book/Atlantic
NOT AFRAID
Eminem
Shroom Shady Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Eminem
Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
NOTHIN’ ON YOU
B.o.B
Ham Squad Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars
Rebelrock/Grand Hustle/Atlantic
OMG
will.i.am
BMG Sapphire Songs
i.am.composing llc
Usher featuring will.i.am
LaFace/JLG
OVER
Nick Brongers (SOCAN)
Drake (SOCAN)
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Live Write LLC
Stellar Songs Ltd.
Drake
Young Money/Cash Money/Univ Mo
PAPERS
Xavier “Zaytoven” Dotson
Sean Garrett
Gorilla Zoe
Gorilla Zoe Music LLC
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Team S Dot Publishing
Ultra Empire Music
Zaytoven Publishing
Usher
LaFace/JLG
RUDE BOY
Ester Dean
Makeba Riddick
Rihanna
Rob Swire (PRS)
Annarhi Music LLC
Chrysalis Songs
Dat Damn Dean Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Janice Combs Music
peermusic III, Ltd.
Songs of 2412
Yoga Flames Publishing
Rihanna
SRP/Def Jam/IDJMG
SAY AAH
Ronald “Young Yonny” Ferebee, Jr.
Tony “Chef Tone” Scales
Trey Songz
April’s Boy Music LLC
Chef Huxtable Music Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Tenyor Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Trey Songz featuring Fabolous
Song Book/Atlantic
SAY SOMETHING
Drake (SOCAN)
Jerome Harmon
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Jerome Harmon Productions
Live Write LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Timbaland featuring Drake
Mosley/Blackground/Interscope
SEX THERAPY
Paul “Hollywood Hot Sauce” Dawson
Ester Dean
Polow Da Don
Dat Damn Dean Music
God Can’t Lie Publishing
My Diet Starts Tomorrow, Inc.
peermusic III, Ltd.
Songs of 2412
Songs of Universal, Inc.
U Can’t Teach Bein’ The Shhh, Inc.
Robin Thicke
Star Trak/Interscope
SOLDIER OF LOVE
Paul Denman (PRS)
Andrew Hale (PRS)
Stuart Matthewman (PRS)
Sade (PRS)
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Sade
Epic
TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE
Cahron “Jayare” Childs
Corey “Smoove” Fowler
Chanti “Yung” Glee
Runway Star
Runway Star Music Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Cali Swag District
Capitol
THERE GOES MY BABY
Jim Jonsin
Danny Morris
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Hypnotic Beats Inc.
Jimipub Music
Rebel Made Music
Usher
LaFace/JLG
TIE ME DOWN
BenJ
Legacy
100 Records Music
Primary Wave Brian
Rule Blind Publishing
New Boyz featuring Ray J
Asylum/Warner Bros.
TRY SLEEPING WITH A BROKEN HEART
Jeff Bhasker
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Way Above Music
Alicia Keys
MBK/J/RMG
UN-THINKABLE (I’M READY)
Drake (SOCAN)
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Live Write LLC
Alicia Keys
MBK/J/RMG
YOUR LOVE
David Freeman (PRS)
Joe Hughes (PRS)
Nicki Minaj
Andrew “Pop” Wansel
Harajuku Barbie Music
Money Mack Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.
Nicki Minaj
Young Money/Cash Money/Univ Mo
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