De La Soul appears in...
One Block Radius

California-based hip-hop trio One Block Radius mixes old and new school styles on their soon-to-be-released self-titled album for Mercury/Island Def Jam. By combining pop, r&b, and hip-hop sounds, OBR seems set to open a lot of ears that might have missed its 2005 debut, Long Story Short (Avatar). “Every single style of music is represented in what we’re doing,” affirms Marty James, who founded the group five…
BMI & Los Angeles Times Announce 2nd Annual ‘How I Wrote The Song’ Panel
Marquee Lineup Includes Rodney Jerkins, Chris Daughtry, Mos Def, Ben Moody, Polow Da Don, Anthony Hamilton and Brian Howes BMI will pair with the Los Angeles Times to present the second annual “How I Wrote the Song” panel Saturday, February 9, from 1p.m. until 3p.m., at the Key Club…
Kinks Frontman Ray Davies Takes Top Honor at BMI London Awards
BMI saluted the top European songwriters, composers and publishers at its 2006 London Awards, staged Oct. 3 in the Ballroom of London's Dorchester Hotel. In addition to honoring the past year's most-played songs on U.S. radio and television, the gala dinner and awards ceremony also recognized Kinks frontman and legendary songwriter Ray Davies (PRS) as a BMI Icon for his "enduring influence on generations of music makers."…
The Black Eyed Peas Break the Mold

Originally two break-dancers named Will.i.am and apl.de.ap who decided to form a group, the Black Eyed Peas is without a doubt one of the biggest success stories in hip-hop, if not all of contemporary music. Once called Atban Klann (an acronym for A Tribe Beyond a Nation), the group that became BEP has always been a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic conglomeration of Los Angeles hipsters with an eye toward social relevance and…
The Black Eyed Peas Break the Mold

Originally two break-dancers named Will.i.am and apl.de.ap who decided to form a group, the Black Eyed Peas is without a doubt one of the biggest success stories in hip-hop, if not all of contemporary music. Once called Atban Klann (an acronym for A Tribe Beyond a Nation), the group that became BEP has always been a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic conglomeration of Los Angeles hipsters with an eye toward…
Fans Still Going Ape for Gorillaz

Just when music lovers thought they had seen it all, Gorillaz surfaced in year 2000 and redefined the art of pop high conceptualism. The multimedia brainchild of Blur frontman Damon Albarn and comic illustrator Jamie Hewlett (“Tank Girl”), Gorillaz billed themselves as the first “virtual hip-hop group.” Translated, that meant Gorillaz was a recording group in the truest sense of the phrase. Not…
BMI Writers Take Home Majority of This Year’s Grammys
Some of BMI's biggest songwriters and artists were among the top winners at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, held February 8 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Mariah Carey Alison Krauss Adding…
It’s Eight Grammy Nods for Mariah, Kanye and Legend
BMI superstars Mariah Carey, Kanye West and John Legend led the list of nominees for the 48th Annual Grammy Awards with eight nods each when contenders were announced at a star-studded press conference held December 8 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Their three-way tie pushed the total number of BMI-nominated songwriters and artists to an astounding 70% in the general fields.
Mos Def: Most Definitely A Two-Pronged Talent

Acclaimed for his compelling hip-hop recordings, film performances and stage work, rapper/actor Mos Def apparently won't be satisfied until he has won an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy and a Tony. Indeed, though he only emerged recently from the streets of his native Brooklyn, Mos Def has already demonstrated the style, integrity and relentless drive of a true artist. His irrepressible creativity can be attributed to…
Black Eyed Peas

Call it "Pea-Funk." Hailing from suburban Los Angeles, Black Eyed Peas loom as one of rap's most innovative acts. On their 1998 debut CD, Behind the Front, the trio managed to convey toughness without ever stooping to pointless "gangsta" histrionics. On their recently released sophomore album, Bridging the Gaps, the Los Angeles rappers hone their house-rocking grooves to the cutting point. Featuring guest appearances by Fugees mastermind…
