And. The Nominees Are...

Billboard Stages Its First R &B /Hip -Hop Music Awards Presentation

This year's Billboard/BET R &B/ (Def SouVIDJMG) OutKast (LaFace/Arista) Billboard, BET, Hip -Hop Conference culminates with the magazine's inaugural BEST R &B/HIP -HOP ALBUMS R&B /Hip-Hop music awards show. ARTIST R. Kelly (Jive) The Aug. 30 event, presented in Heineken Join For Musiq Soulchild (Def Soul /IDJMG) association with Heineken, will be Sade (Epic) staged at the New York Hilton. Shaggy (MCA) Awards will be given out in 17 Second Annual BEST RAP ALBUM categories, with the nominees as Rule 3:36, Ja Rule (Murder follows. Inc. /Def Jam/IDJMG) Stankonia, OutKast (LaFace /Arista) K &B /Nip -Hop Cothdb Hotshot, Shaggy (MCA) BEST R &B /HIP-HOP ALBUM Tha Last Meal, Snoop Dogg (No TP- 2.com, R. Kelly (Jive/Zomba) Limit/Priority) BY GAIL MITCHELL feature performances by Warner ries are Rockwilder (Janet Jackson), Aijustwanaseing (I Just Want To Bros.' artist , BlackgroundNir- Kawan "KP" Prather (), Dru Sing), Musiq Soulchild (Def BEST R &B/ HIP -HOP SINGLE, LOS ANGELES -The second annu- gin's Tank, Loud/Columbia's Tha Liks, Hill's Nokio (DMX) and Nottz (Busta SouVIDJMG) SALES al BillboarcBET R &B/Hip -Hop Confer- Goodvibe /Barak/JCOR's Mystic, and Rhymes). Lovers Rock, Sade (Epic) "Missing You," Case (Def ence gets under way once again at the Epic act Ruff Endz. The roster of pre- Hotshot, Shaggy (MCA) Soul/IDJMG) New York Hilton, Aug. 28-30. But, this senters includes Tank, Mystic, Pro- SONGS AND SURVIVING "Could It Be," Jaheim (Divine year, something new has been added. fessor Griff and Jaheim, as well as The five remaining panels will BEST R &B /HIP-HOP SINGLE Mill/Wamer Bros.) In addition to Billboard hosting its first - recently signed TVT act Naughty By address an array of subjects, rang- "Missing You," Case (Def Soul/ "All For You," Janet (Virgin) ever R&B/hip -hop awards show, Amer- Nature, Koch Records' RZA, Salt -N- ing from retail to publishing: IDJMG) "Stutter," Joe (Jive) ican Urban Radio Networks will be on "Put It On Me," Ja Rule Featuring R hand to cover the awards festivities for "I think I have something to say. I'm looking forward to seeing the other Lil' Mo & Vita (Murder Inc. /Def BEST &B/ HIP -HOP SINGLE, a two -hour syndicated program. In panelists and seeing what they have to say. I'm one of those artists that Jam/IDJMG) AIRPLAY addition to behind-the -scenes corn - have had longevity. A lot of times, you only find that with artists or "Promise," Jagged Edge (So So "Put It On Me," Ja Rule Featuring mentary, the program will present artist country artists. The shelf -life of some people is two or three years. I've Def/Columbia) Ul' Mo & Vita (Murder Inc. /Def interviews and highlights from the actu- been here since '86, and I was a DJ in high school. I also can speak to "Stutter," Joe Featuring Mystikal Jam/IDJMG) al ceremony. the now, because I have an album coming out Sept. 11. I hope to present (Jive) "Promise," Jagged Edge (So So The AURN special is slated for in my own unique way." -Professor Griff Def/Columbia) broadcast via the nationally syndi- BEST R &B/HIP -HOP ARTIST "Love," Musiq Soulchild (Def cated USA Music Magazine and Jay -Z (Roc- A- Fella/Def Jam/IDJMG) SouVIDJMG) SuperJam Survey radio programs on Pepa's Cheryl "Salt" James and Dee R. Kelly (Jive) "Danger (Been So Long)," Mystikal Sept. 14 -15. Among the major out- Dee "DJ Spinderella LaToya" Roper, Musiq Soulchild (Def Soul/IDJMG) (Jive) lets on board are New York's WWRL, the legendary Bootsy Collins, J OutKast (LaFace /Arista) Los Angeles' KJLH, Chicago's W'AZ, Records artists Jimmy Cozier and BEST RAP SINGLE, SALES 's WDAS, Dallas' KRNB, Product G &B, RCA artist Dante, TVT BEST R &B /HIP -HOP ARTIST, "What Would You Do ?," City High Detroit's WGPR, Houston's KMJQ, group Ul' Jon & The East Side Boyz, MALE (Booga Basement/Interscope) Cleveland's WZAK, New Orleans' and Elektra/Roc -A -Fella artist Rell. Ja Rule (Murder Inc. /Def Jam/ "Bow Wow (That's My Name)," UI' WYLD, Washington, D.C.'s WHUR, Honoring the genres' best songs, per- IDJMG) Bow Wow (So So Def/Columbia) Kansas City, MO.'s KPRS and Pitts- formers and producers, awards will Jay -Z (LaFace /Arista) "My Baby," Ul' Romeo (Soulja/No burgh's WAMO. be handed out in 17 categories (see R. Kelly (Jive) Limit/Priority) accompanying sidebar). Musiq Soulchild (Def Soul /IDJMG) "Ms. Jackson," OutKast AWARDS -SHOW ATTRACTIONS The awards show will cap off three (LaFace /Arista) Presented in association with days of showcases and panels. One BEST R &B /HIP -HOP ARTIST, Heineken, the awards ceremony will of the panel highlights of this year's FEMALE BEST SONGWRITER conference is the Thursday afternoon (Motown) session "The Black Music Industry: Sade (Epic) Chad Hugo Then & Now," where old- and new- "Behind the Song": Publishing Jill Scott (Hidden Beach/Epic) R. Kelly school artists share their viewpoints and label A&R executives will present (Elektra/EEG) on the current state of the industry. a no- holds -barred discussion of what The panel boasts such participants happens behind the scenes in terms BEST R &B /HIP -HOP ARTIST, DUO BEST PRODUCER as Bootsy Collins, Public Enemy's of licensing, demos, international OR GROUP Mike City Professor Griff and newcomers Mys- publishing rights and other issues. 112 (Bad Boy/Arista) Jermaine Dupri tic and Rell. Moderating this panel is Kris Fite, Destiny's Child (Columbia) The Neptunes Another conference highlight president of Classic Music Publishing. Jagged Edge (So So Def/Columbia) Timbaland promises to be Wednesday's "Pro- Joining her will be ASCAP VP of cre- OutKast (LaFace /Arista) ducers' Panel." During this session, ative affairs, film & TV, special proj- BEST MAJOR LABEL the next generation of up -and- ects, membership group Jeanie BEST NEW R &B/HIP -HOP ARTIST Arista coming producers will talk about this Weems; Universal VP of creative Jaheim (Divine MilVWarner Bros.) Columbia Records Group very competitive aspect of the music urban affairs, East Coast, LaRonda Lil' Bow Wow (So So Def/Columbia) Island Def Jam Music Group business. Slated to share their sto- Sutton; songwriter Shamora Crawford Musiq Soulchild (Def SouVIDJMG) Jive of Ground Breaking Music (Sony/ATV Tank (Blackground) INDEPENDENT LABEL "Music has always been my first love and, even more than that, my sav- Music Publishing) and Winkler Law BEST R -HOP SINGLES Koch ing grace. So I gotta tell you, it feels good to be recognized for doing Firm principal Maury Winkler, whose BEST &B /HIP Loud something I love. Billboard was the first to write about me, and now clients include Mos Def, Nelly and the ARTIST Tommy Boy they're the first to give me an award. Looking forward to sharing my Ghet- St. Lunatics, Cedric The Entertainer Jagged Edge (So So Def/Columbia) TVT to Love with everyone on the 30th." -Jaheim and Easy Mo Bee. R. Kelly (Jive) Continued on page B -12

B-2 BILLBOARD SPOTLIGHT BILLBOARD SEPTEMBER 1, 2001 www.americanradiohistory.com