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Game On -- Lil' Wayne Leads the Roster of Hip Hop All-Stars with a Record-Breaking 12 Nominations, as the BET Hip Hop Awards Returns to "Hotlanta"
Russell Simmons to be Honored with the "I Am Hip Hop" Icon Award
Network Premiere, October 23, 2008 at 8pm* Hosted by Katt Williams
New York, NY (BlackNews.com) - BET Networks today announced the outstanding list of nominees for the annual BET HIP HOP AWARDS. Leading the pack is the "Lollipop man" Lil' Wayne with an astounding 12 nominations, followed by Kanye West with 8 nods and Jay Z with 6 nods. There is no comparison. This years' BET HIP HOP AWARDS will be the preeminent hip-hop event of the season! Hosted by the one and only Katt Williams, the awards will tape on Saturday, October 18 at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center and premiere on the network on Thursday, October 23 at 8:00 p.m.*
Lil' Wayne has had an extraordinary year and now has 12 record-breaking BET HIP HOP AWARDS nominations to prove it. Chosen from an illustrious group of music and entertainment executives, he's been nominated for Lyricist of the Year, MVP of the Year, Hustler of the Year, CD of the Year, Best Hip Hop Video, Best Live Performer, Best Collaboration, Best Ringtone, Alltel Wireless People's Champ and two consecutive nominations for Track of the Year with his hits "A Milli" and "Lollipop".
This year, BET Networks will also honor Russell Simmons with the I AM HIP HOP Icon Award. The I AM HIP HOP Icon Award is presented by BET Networks to an individual who, during their lifetime, has made notable contributions of outstanding significance to the hip hop community. Simmons, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, has influenced music, fashion, television, film and has been dedicated to giving back and shedding light on issues that are normally neglected within the hip hop community and beyond. Last year, Simmons was named one of the "Top 25 Most Influential People of the Past 20 Years," by USA TODAY. As the founder of DefJam Records and a hip-hop pioneer, he's brought hip hop culture to the American mainstream and for these reasons BET celebrates his life and highlights his achievements.
The "BET HIP HOP AWARDS" returns with its Hot 16 challenge (www.bet.com/hot16), a partnership with BET.com, uber-producer Jermaine Dupri and MySpace in which users will enter an online rap battle for a chance to win a VIP trip for four (4) to the 2008 BET HIP HOP AWARDS and an in-studio session with Dupri. Online viewers have until Monday, September 15 to vote for their favorite entries and help determine the five (5) finalists. The finalists' videos will then be posted on BET.com on Wednesday, September 17 for users to vote for their favorite before Wednesday, September 24, with Jermaine Dupri determining the grand prize winner. The Alltel Wireless Peoples Champ voting will start on BET.com and BET Mobile Friday, September 19th -- users can pick their favorite artist and video! For all BET HIP HOP AWARDS information, log on to www.bet.com/hiphopawards
This year, BET once again teams up with Cossette Productions, the famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards® and the seven record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast. Stephen G. Hill, BET Executive Vice President, Music and Programming, along with Lynne Harris-Taylor, BET Vice President of Specials, are executive producers of the telecast.
*All times ET/PT
Following are the nominees and categories for the 2008 BET HIP HOP AWARDS:
2008 BET HIP HOP AWARDS NOMINEES
Best Hip Hop Video
David Banner f/ Chris Brown and Yung Joc - Get Like Me
Common - I Want You
DJ Khaled f/ Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross - I'm So Hood (The Remix)
Lil' Wayne f/ Static - Lollipop
Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
Kanye West f/ T-Pain - Good Life
Best Hip Hop Collabo
David Banner f/ Chris Brown and Yung Joc - Get Like Me
DJ Khaled f/ Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross - I'm So Hood (The Remix)
Flo Rida f/ T-Pain - Low
Plies f/ Ne-Yo - Bust It Baby Pt. 2
Kanye West f/ T-Pain - Good Life
Best Live Performer
Busta Rhymes
Jay-Z
Lil' Wayne
T.I.
Kanye West
Lyricist of the Year
Jay-Z
Lil' Wayne
Nas
T.I.
Kanye West
Video Director of the Year
Gil Green
R. Malcolm Jones
Rage
Chris Robinson
Hype Williams
Producer of the Year
Akon
Bangladesh
David Banner
J.R. Rotem
The Runners
MVP of the Year
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
Lil' Wayne
T.I.
Kanye West
Track of the Year
A Milli - Lil' Wayne produced by Bangladesh
Dey Know - Shawty Lo produced by Balis Beatz
Good Life - Kanye West f/ T-Pain produced by Kanye West and DJ Toomp
Lollipop - Lil' Wayne f/ Static produced by Jim Jonsin & Deezle
Roc Boys (And the Winner Is) - Jay-Z produced by Sean Combs & The Hitmen
CD of the Year
Jay-Z - American Gangster
Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool"
Nas - Untitled
Kanye West - Graduation
Rookie of the Year
Ace Hood
Flo Rida
Maino
Rocko
Shawty Lo
DJ of the Year
DJ Drama
DJ Felli Fel
DJ Khaled
DJ Tony Neal
DJ Greg Street
Hustler of the Year
50 Cent
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
Lil' Wayne
P. Diddy
Alltel Wireless People's Champ Nominees
Lil' Wayne - A Milli
Lupe Fiasco f/ Matthew Santos - Superstar
Plies f/ Ne-Yo - Bust It Baby Pt. 2
Rick Ross f/ Nelly and Avery Storm - Here I Am
Young Jeezy f/ Kanye West - Put On
Yung Berg f/ Casha - The Business
Hottest Hip Hop Ringtone of the Year
Flo Rida f/ T-Pain - Low
Lil' Wayne f/ Static - Lollipop
Plies f/ Ne-Yo - Bust It Baby Pt. 2
Rocko - Umma Do Me
Yung Berg f/ Casha - The Business
Best UK Hip Hop Act
Chipmunk
Dizzee Rascal
Ghetto
Giggs
Skepta
Wiley
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 87 million households according to Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
CONTACT:
Tracy McGraw
212-205-3013
tracy.mcgraw@bet.net
Marcy Polanco
212-975-3327
marcy.polanco@bet.net
Voncella McIntosh
310-481-3732
voncella.mcintosh@bet.net
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