BMI artists shined at this year’s awards, with winners including Gnarls Barkley, Best Group; Ne-Yo, Best Male R&B; Kirk Franklin, Best Gospel Artist; Birdman & Lil’Wayne’s "Stuntin' Like My Daddy," Viewers Choice Award.

The late Gerald Levert won in the BETJ Cool Like That category. One of the highlights of the evening was the all-star performance of “Wind Beneath My Wings” performed by his father, Eddie Levert, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle and Yolanda Adams.

Hosted by actress/comedian Mo'Nique, the BET Awards also bestowed the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award to legendary songstress Diana Ross, and the Humanitarian Award to award-winning actor and activist Don Cheadle.

But don't confuse quickness with spotty quality. The 15 tracks on Gerald's World are emotionally charged, sincerely felt compositions that let the performer shine. Dripping with soul, tracks like the opening "Soul Mate," "Made To Love Ya" and "Got Love" are guaranteed to spice up any party. Levert, whose fans remember that he has a bloodline to the floodlights through his father Eddie, an original member of O'Jays, have seen Gerald avoid becoming trapped by his early influences. With each successive recording, Levert's own voice becomes stronger, and his ability to absorb old school and modern day influences is unparalleled.

Now in his mid-30s, Levert already has a lengthy resume in the recording industry. Two hits jumped off his first disk, Private Line, his debut album that was released a decade ago. The follow-up recording, Groove On (which included "I'd Give Anything," a hit single produced by David Foster) and Father & Son, a project filled with love for and with his dad, secured Gerald's position in the business.

Levert's consistent success has also paid off in terms of artistic control. Along with Merlin Bobb, Gerald Levert is listed as an executive producer on Gerald's World. Letting an artist produce himself can be dangerous, but Levert and Bobb avoid the common pitfall of over-focusing on the lead vocalist. Gerald's assured performances are bathed in an evolving set of lush yet detailed textures that highlight both the lead and background singers. The result is an album that should play well on both the street corner and the couch.

If you're one of his fans who likes to stay current with the work of Gerald Levert, it makes sense to check out Gerald's World in short order. If the past is any indication, chances are he's already working on his next release. Blessed with talent and determination, Gerald Levert is poised to remain at the top of the charts for years to come.

With an impressive list of clients that includes Babyface, Gerald Levert, Brandy and Dave Hollister, writer/producer Mike City was poised to make a major career move. City, who produced a pair of certified gold tracks for Dave Hollister ("One Woman Man and "Keep On Lovin' Me"), sealed the deal when he signed with a new record label, Soulife Entertainment.

With City's vision, the Charlotte, NC-based company, run by Grammy-winning producer Mark Sparks and his partner Chris Dawley, hopes to make a return to the roots of r&b and soul music carved out by artists like Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and Joe Tex.

Mike City will be wearing multiple hats at Soulife, working as a writer, producer, arranger and artist. In addition to the Hollister tracks, City's credits include production on "I Wish," a song he wrote for Badboy Records artist Carl Thomas. "I Wish," the platinum single that topped the charts in December of 2000, just a few months before the success of the Dave Hollister recordings, was an afterthought, according to City, who notes: "When I came up with the song, the album was over. They had to open it back up to put the song in."

Based on the heat of his recent track record, producers - especially those at Soulife Entertainment - will most likely be holding slots for Mike City tracks open for quite some time.

Fans looking to check out the current state of his artistic imagination need look no further than G," Levert's new release on the eastwest/Elektra label. Classic R&B feels and masterful storytelling permeate this 14-track recording. Focusing on detail is a critical part of Levert's songwriting process. "There's only so many stories; you have to really focus and try to give something a new twist, or that personal touch," says the artist, who co-wrote all of the material. The skills of writing and production partners Darrell "Delite" Allamby and Edwin "Tony" Nicholas are also prominently featured on G.

Though he's only 33, Gerald Levert's position in the soul pantheon has already been firmly established. Private Line, his debut solo album, was released in 1991. A pair of number one R&B hits off this recording, and the platinum follow-up album, Groove On - which included the David Foster produced hit single "I'd Give Anything" - led to a number of projects, including the deeply felt Father & Son album, recorded with his dad. This recording cemented a family tie that turned musical very early in Gerald's life. His earliest memories include mental snapshots of his father wowing audiences with steps and singing.

Wringing passion from his soulful baritone came naturally, but Gerald found that putting over a song took a bit of study. "I used to sing these passionate songs and get down on the floor and all that, to let the audience know I was working it," he recalls. "And then I'd watch my dad go out and just sing the song, feeling, it, and get three times the reaction I did. He had the wisdom. I'm at the time in my life where I understand."

G is ripe fruit for his loyal fan base, but the ever-moving Gerald Levert has created the work and turned his mind to the future. Plans for the next decade or so? "Peace of mind," he says. "I always wish that for everybody."