The seminar is free. Please RSVP to rsvp@bmi.com.

About John Battaglia: John Battaglia is the founder and president of Rockstar Image, an image-building and personal coaching firm for artists. He’s formerly the imaging and marketing agent for Beyonce, Usher, and Jessica Simpson.

But it seems more than likely that we’ll soon be adding Atlanta-based outfit The Clutch to that roster. Name-checked by Ciara in her hit “Like a Boy,” the five-member team — Candice Nelson, Keri Hilson, j.Que, Ezekiel Lewis, and Balewa Muhammad — has also collaborated on such well-received tunes as Mary J. Blige’s “Take Me As I Am,” Omarion’s “Ice Box” and Bobby Valentino’s “Anonymous.”

Those projects stand proudly alongside the individual members’ ever-growing client list, which includes Usher and Fantasia (j.Que), Beyoncé and Alicia Keys (Nelson), Christina Aguilera (Muhammad), Ludacris and the Pussycat Dolls (Hilson) and Pink and Luther Vandross (Lewis).

Such a wide range of genres requires that songwriting inspiration come in a variety of ways, according to Nelson, who also maintains a singing career. “Sometimes I’m inspired by something I saw or heard, and other times I try and think of things an artist might want to say prior to going in to lay down ideas. I’m inspired by people. Knowing where they’ve been, how they got where they are, where they would like to be.”

She deflects questions on how the five came together — The Clutch’s origins are, to say the least, somewhat mysterious at this point — but declares, “I can say that this is the best group of people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. I mean, I’ve met some amazing individuals, but the collective of The Clutch? Out of this world. Really, truly beautiful, talented people. I’m so glad we met.”

The Clutch’s future projects include Usher, Jennifer Hudson, the reconstituted Menudo and Hilson’s own album. Those undertakings, Nelson says, “should be a pleasant surprise for the world. Well, at least those who know and care about what we bring to entertainment. I’ll say I anticipate an increase in the number of Clutch fans out there.”

She adds, with a smile, “Any day now.”

Born in Tallahassee, Florida to Muslim parents, T-Pain — born Faheem Najm — had music in his blood. His father was a rapper he describes as “like Kurtis Blow.” By age 10, the self-described target of bullies had put aside his wooden dinosaur collectables and reworked his bedroom into a small studio. Armed with a keyboard, a beat machine and an 8-track, Faheem got to work preparing for his future.

Years later, Faheem — whose stage moniker “T-Pain” means “Tallahassee Pain” or “Teddy Pain” in homage to Teddy Pendergrass — was a fully committed recording artist. He was a member of a rap group called Nappy Headz, a clique that enjoyed moderate success with the song “Robbery.” T-Pain’s affiliation with that group would be short-lived, though, perhaps because, as he has said, he was growing tired of the walls between hip-hop and soul.

In 2004, Akon, the Senegalese singer with a hip-hop bent, released his song “Locked Up.” Shortly thereafter, an industrious T-Pain recorded a response, “F***ed Up.” The song got heavy rotation in his home state, and, naturally, the bootleg crept out of its local market. In time, the song made its way into the ears of Akon, in Atlanta. Impressed, Akon signed T-Pain to his Konvict Music imprint, and suddenly, at 19, T-Pain was a solo artist.

It wasn’t long after signing a deal — about 10 months, in fact — before T-Pain had crafted his first big solo hit, “I’m Sprung,” in 2005, which established him as a contemporary r&b artist with a stand-out vision and sound. Lyrically, “I’m Sprung” imagined a guy who didn’t mind doing dishes, neglecting his friends and ignoring other women for a newfound crush. It managed to be sappy, masculine and insanely catchy at the same time, and the song hit the Top Ten in three Billboard charts, including No. 3 on Rhythmic Top 40. Written and performed by T-Pain, the song blended a thunderous 808 beat, old soul music and the vocal manipulations of the vocoder into something unique. “I just got tired of turning on the radio and everything just sounding the same,” he has said.

He wasn’t done. The second single off his appropriately titled debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper).” Again capitalizing off the mutant-techno strains of the vocoder, the song celebrated the intense (if fleeting) infatuation men experience when going to a gentlemen’s club. Merging the same elements that made “I’m Sprung” a smash, the tune hit the Top Ten in five Billboard charts. Perhaps more lucrative, though, was its street appeal; the song became an obvious favorite in hangouts staffed by exotic dancers and the men who love them. He’d earned a loyal following. He told MTV.com, “There’s finally a song about strippers that ain’t degrading. It’s a song that’s appreciating strippers.”

Although his first big radio hits seemed to unapologetically embrace the frivolous, the 23-year-old T-Pain is actually a married, family man with an eye towards self-preservation. That’s probably why his newest effort, “Epiphany,” reflects maturation in both in a work ethic and the themes he chooses to embrace. The first single from his sophomore effort, “Buy U A Drank,” is largely self-explanatory, but then it isn’t — T-Pain isn’t crude or overtly sexual but simply flirtatious and seductive, much like his music, so seductive that “Buy U A Drank” beat out tunes by Avril Lavigne, Beyonce and even his pal Akon to become being the No. 1 ringtone on Billboard’s RingMaster’s chart for two consecutive weeks in April. But T-Pain gets serious too, with tunes including “Suicide,” about the potential pitfalls that today’s youth face.

“Having sex without condoms, driving drunk, selling drugs, all that is ‘Suicide’,” he says. “We do a lot of stupid stuff that only has one ending.”

Having relocated with his wife and daughter to Atlanta and recently spending time in London, T-Pain’s mind seems open to more possibilities. The two studios he has built in his basement are open too: He’s gearing up to work with major artists including R. Kelly, Kanye West, Usher, Chris Brown and Britney Spears. Though he’s nicknamed himself after Teddy Pendergrass, he is, in fact, an artist who is cultivating a lasting legacy of his own.

Pictured after the panel are (front row): Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Dallas Austin, Kara DioGuardi, Sean Garrett and L.A. Times’s Ann Powers; (back row): Butch Walker, BMI’s Catherine Brewton, Jeffrey Steele, John Legend and BMI’s Del Bryant

The panel was moderated by BMI Writer/Publisher Relations VP Catherine Brewton and Los Angeles Times Chief Music Critic Ann Powers. In addition to discussing their craft and answering questions about the business of songwriting, each panelist performed one of their hit songs for the enthusiastic crowd.

Jeffrey Steele, Butch Walker and Sean Garrett

BMI’s Catherine Brewton, L.A. Times’s Ann Powers and Dallas Austin

John Legend

Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy performs

Dallas Austin

Kara DioGuardi

Patrick Stump performs Fall Out Boy’s “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race”

Photos by Lester Cohen/WireImage

BMI and the Los Angeles Times will present “How I Wrote That Song,” a panel discussion with some of music’s most successful songwriters. The panel will be held Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Key Club (9039 Sunset Blvd.) in Los Angeles in celebration of Grammy Week. Tickets are $10 and are on sale now through Ticketmaster at KeyClub.com, or at the Key Club box office.

Scheduled to participate are top BMI songwriting talents including Cee-Lo (Gnarls Barkley), Dallas Austin, Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy), Sean Garrett, Kara DioGuardi, Butch Walker and Jeffrey Steele. The panel will be moderated by BMI Writer/Publisher Relations VP Catherine Brewton and Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers. Attendees can expect an inside look at the creative process, featuring performances of hit songs by each panelist and a Q&A session on the business of songwriting and music.

Panelists:

As lead singer and frontman for the breakout group Gnarls Barkley, Cee-Lo continues to bring his American hip-hop, funk, soul and r&b style to the world. He is a singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Goodie Mob before Gnarls Barkley, and has also recorded two critically acclaimed solo LPs. His successes as a songwriter and producer also include the 2005 hit “Don’t Cha” by The Pussycat Dolls, as well as tracks and guest appearances on upcoming releases from Kelis and Amerie.

At the age of 35, Grammy Award-winning hitmaker Dallas Austin is one of the most sought-after producers in the entertainment business. His creativity and innovative style have shaped the sound of today’s pop and r&b music. He has had the opportunity to work with such legendary stars as Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Usher, Pink, Shakira, Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani. In 2002, he began a foray into film serving as the executive producer and musical director of the hit Drumline, and then as a producer and composer for ATL. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame last fall, an honor he received alongside R.E.M., Jermaine Dupri and Gregg Allman.

Patrick Stump is lead vocalist and guitarist for Grammy-nominated band Fall Out Boy, an American pop-rock band from Wilmetter, Ill. Stump and band members Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley released their 2005 major label debut and third full-length album, From Under the Cork Tree, which went double platinum. Their first single, “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down,” peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached No. 1 on MTV’s TRL. The video also won the MTV2 Award at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. A 2006 “Best New Artist” Grammy nominee, Fall Out Boy’s next album, Infinity on High, is scheduled for release on Feb. 6. The lead single, “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race,” debuted at the 2006 American Music Awards.

Sean Garrett got his start after college as a mortgage broker. After the loss of his mother, he realized his heart was in music and he turned his passion of songwriting into his profession. Nicknamed “The Pen” by Jay-Z, the four-time Grammy Award nominee earned the moniker by having three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two consecutive weeks and helping to ink a majority of Destiny’s Child’s last album, Destiny Fulfilled. He’s responsible for smash singles like Chris Brown‘s “Run It,” Ciara’s “Goodies” and Usher’s “Yeah,” Garrett’s biggest composition to date. Upcoming projects slated for 2007 include works from Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and Cassidy.

Kara DioGuardi is a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur. She has had charting singles with a variety of artists, including Christina Aguilera ("Aint No Other Man"), Gwen Stefani ("Rich Girl"), Ashley Simpson ("Pieces Of Me"), Kelly Clarkson ("Walk Away"), Pussy Cat Dolls ("Beep"), Enrique Iglesias ("Escape") and Hilary Duff ("Come Clean"). Kara’s collaborators include Lil Jon, Danja, Dr. Dre, Jon Shanks, Glen Ballard, Scott Storch, Polow, Matt Serletic and will.i.am. She has new releases on albums by Katharine McPhee, Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Taylor Hicks, Nicole of Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, Daddy Yankee and Ashley Tisdale. Kara is also co-owner of Arthouse Entertainment, which was ranked the No. 7 music publishing company of 2006 by Billboard/Nielsen.

Hitmakers fill Nashville’s publishing houses, churning out the twangy sing-alongs that blanket country airwaves. Standing out in such a talented community can’t possibly be as easy as songwriter, artist and producer Jeffrey Steele makes it look. Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Gretchen Wilson, Pat Green, Trace Adkins, Tim McGraw and numerous others have all turned to Steele for a hit or two, a list that covers a virtual “who’s who” of contemporary country’s elite who have wisely come to trust the energetic songwriter with the easy, infectious grin. Steele’s own impassioned performances make him a constant favorite at songwriter festivals and his full-band gigs, where his rugged, boisterous vocals breathe new life both into songs made famous by the stars and other tunes that are patently his. The 2003 BMI Songwriter of the Year’s new album, Hell on Wheels (February 2007), showcases some of those patented Steele tunes, thrusting Jeffrey Steele the artist into a deserved spotlight.

Butch Walker is a recording artist, performer, songwriter and record producer. He formed the popular pop-rock band Marvelous 3, which spawned the hit “Freak of the Week.” Butch then began a solo career in 2000, releasing the albums Left of Self-Centered in 2002 and Letters in 2004, finishing 2005 playing over 200 live shows across both the U.S. and Japan. Several of his songs have been hits for other artists, including Bowling for Soup’s “Girl All the Bad Guys Want.” He has written and produced records for such artists as Pink, Simple Plan, Sevendust and the All-American Rejects. He also co-wrote the song “My Happy Ending” with Avril Lavigne. Walker was named Rolling Stone Producer of the Year in 2005, and having served as a judge on the reality TV series “Rock Star,” he was the producer for the new “Rockstar: Supernova” group.

About the Los Angeles Times:

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of nearly 2.2 million and about 3.3 million on Sunday. The Los Angeles Times and its media businesses and affiliates, including latimes.com, TheEnvelope.com, Times Community Newspapers, Recycler Classifieds, Hoy, and California Community News, are read by approximately 8.1 million-or 62% of all adults in the Southern California marketplace-every week.

The Los Angeles Times has been covering Southern California for over 125 years and is part of Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB), one of the country’s leading media companies with businesses in publishing, the Internet and broadcasting. Additional information about the Los Angeles Times is available at www.latimes.com/mediacenter.

Over 1,000 songwriters and artists entered the highly anticipated competition, which ran from January through early April 2006, with Bentley chosen as the winner by a panel of prominent music industry A&R executives. As the winner, Bentley will be flown to New York City to record a three-song demo Nov. 4-5 at the Demo Center's state-of-the-art recording studios. Bentley's demo will be produced by Ernie Lake, who was twice-nominated for a Grammy for his remixing and production work for artists like the Backstreet Boys, Faith Evans, Britney Spears and Cyndi Lauper, among others, and Mike "G" Guerriero, who has produced chart-topping hits on the Billboard dance charts.

The top prize also includes round-trip airfare for up to four people from anywhere in the continental U.S. and a three-night hotel stay. DiscMakers, the leading CD manufacturer for the independent musician, will also provide Bentley with 1,000 finished demo CDs.

A native of Oklahoma, daRome Bentley is quickly emerging as one of Atlanta's soul music scene-makers. He began singing in church, and later performed as an opening act for r&b hitmakers K-Ci & JoJo, Next and Joe. With influences such as Marvin Gaye and Kenny Lattimore, Bentley has also competed in songwriting competitions with the Georgia Music Industry Association (where he was a finalist) and the International Songwriting Competition. He has also performed as part of Atlanta's Atlantis Music Conference. The buzz on the talented urban artist continues to grow, with a much-rumored record deal on the near horizon.

The Demo Center is a full-service music production company that specializes in cutting-edge demos and artist development. The company works with all major labels, including J, Atlantic, Jive and Warner Bros., Billboard magazine, and artists such as Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston, Pink, Jessica Simpson, and many others.

Sonicbids.com is at the forefront of creating electronic press kits (EPKs), and is becoming one of the fastest-growing music communities on the web, trusted by over 70,000 artists and over 6,000 festivals, music conferences and clubs from over 100 countries. It aspires to be the common "language" that people who make music and people who promote music use to connect and transact with one another.]]> 2006-10-26T05:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334966 Babyface, Bee Gees, The, Boyz II Men, Braxton, Toni, Brown, Chris, Bryant, Del, Carey, Mariah, Charles, Ray, Clapton, Eric, Cool & Dre, Foxx, Jamie, Game, The, Garrett, Sean, Jackson, Michael, Jazze Pha, Jerkins, Rodney, Kelly, R., Lil Jon, Mr. Collipark, Pink, Pretty Ricky, Trick Daddy, Usher1, West, Kanye, Williams, Pharrell, Urban, BMI Urban Awards

	BMI Urban Awards Photo Slideshow
	BMI Urban Awards Song List
	Billboard No. 1s

Mariah Carey took home two of the night's top honors, including Song of the Year for her smash "We Belong Together" and Songwriter of the Year, which she shared with Miami-based producers Bigg D and Jim Jonsin. A highlight of the gala event was a special presentation to prolific songwriting and production team Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid, who were named BMI Icons for their "enduring influence on generations of music makers."

Mariah Carey	Babyface	L.A. Reid

Other big winners included rapper Kanye West, who earned the Producer of the Year title for the second consecutive year; Warner/Chappell Music Group, named Urban Publisher of the Year; and Jazze Pha's "1, 2 Step," which nabbed the BMI Urban Ringtone Award. Executives from music trade magazine Billboard were also on hand to give out No. 1 Awards to the BMI songs that reached the top spot on its urban music charts.

Bigg D	Jim Jonsin

Song of the Year "We Belong Together," which Carey co-wrote, ruled the top of multiple charts for months after its release in 2005, relaunching the five-octave singer's career back into superstardom. BMI writers Darnell Bristol, Sid "Uncle Jamz" Johnson, Patrick Moten, Sandra Sully, Bobby Womack and BMI Icon Babyface were also recognized with the Urban Awards' top song prize, as were the song's publishers - ABKCO, Ballads by Design, Hip Chic Music, Mister Johnson's Jams Music, Rye Songs, Songs of Universal, Sony/ATV and Warner-Tamerlane.

Kanye West	Jazze Pha

As the best-selling female performer of the 1990s, Carey stood apart by composing all her own material, and was twice before named Songwriter of the Year (1993 and 1999). She takes the top songwriter prize for the third time this year by placing three of her own hits on the most-performed list - "Don't Forget About Us," "Shake It Off" and "We Belong Together" - all from last year's comeback release, The Emancipation of Mimi. Carey, who also wrote 1992's Pop Song of the Year, "Love Takes Time," has a total of 23 BMI Awards and 15 "Million-Air" songs that have had one million or more broadcast performances.

Sharing the Urban Songwriter of the Year spotlight were producers Bigg D and Jim Jonsin, who also had three songs on the most-played list with the co-writes "Let's Go" by Trick Daddy (featuring Lil Jon & Twista), and Pretty Ricky's "Grind With Me" and "Your Body." Formerly known as the Unusual Suspects, this Dirty South production duo has been cranking out the hits, LPs, soundtracks and re-mixes for such heavy-hitters as Trick Daddy, Pretty Ricky, Trina, Jacki-O, Cee-Lo and Pitbull since 2000.

Multiple Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producers Babyface and L.A. Reid then took the stage to accept their BMI Icon honors. As co-founders of LaFace, the record label they started in 1989, the longtime writing partners are responsible for launching the careers of such multi-platinum artists as Toni Braxton, TLC, Usher and Pink. With a vast catalog of hits recorded by such A-listers as Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton, Boyz II Men, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Outkast, Dido, Ciara, Jay-Z and Songwriter of the Year Mariah Carey, songs penned by Babyface and L.A. have accumulated more than 40 million airplays on American radio and television.

In addition to his behind-the-scenes talent, Babyface has enjoyed his own success as a recording artist, with 11 albums that have produced more than 15 Top 10 hits. He has been named BMI Songwriter of the Year a record seven times (90, 91, 92, 95, 96, 97, 98), more than any other pop writer in the history of the company. They add to the more than 50 BMI Awards displayed on his trophy shelf, which now features his first Urban Award and his third Song of the Year Crystal received tonight as co-writer of "We Belong Together." His other Song of the Year awards include Toni Braxton's "Breathe Again" (1995) and Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You" (1996). This year's top song win ties him with the Bee Gees as writer of the most Pop Songs of the Year.

With his exceptional ability to spot and develop new talent, L.A. Reid is currently Chairman of the Island Def Jam Music Group. He also served as President & CEO of Arista Records from 2000 to 2004, and is president of his own publishing company, Hitco Music, which tonight earned a pair of BMI Urban Awards for the Chris Brown smash "Run It!" and Fantasia's No. 1 hit "Truth Is." The 18-time BMI Award-winning hitmaker, who in 1990 shared the Pop Songwriter of the Year spotlight with fellow BMI Icon Babyface, most recently guided the release of Mariah Carey's Mimi CD, the mega-selling album that spawned this year's Song of the Year.

BMI Producer of the Year honors went to Kanye West for the second year in a row for logging the most producer credits on charting songs. The BMI Top Urban Producers list also included Mr. Collipark, Pharrell Williams, Lil Jon, R. Kelly, Sean Garrett, Jazze Pha, Cool & Dre, Rodney Jerkins, and Songwriters of the Year Bigg D and Jim Jonsin.

Top producers Sean Garrett, Lil Jon and Andre "Dre" Lyon also made the list of double winners, picking up two BMI Urban Awards apiece, as did The Game and Pretty Ricky members Marcus "Pleasure" Cooper, Corey "Slick'Em" Mathis, Diamond "Baby Blue" Smith, Joseph "Blue" Smith and Spectacular Smith.

Warner/Chappell Music Group was named BMI Urban Publisher of the Year by scoring the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs (through its companies Unichappell Music, Inc. and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.). This is the twelfth BMI Publisher Crystal for Warner/Chappell, which boasted eight songs on the most-performed list, including Song of the Year "We Belong Together" and Ringtone Award winner "1, 2 Step."

Other publishers recognized for multiple award-winning songs were Black Boy Hatchet Music, Dade Co. Project Music, Inc., Dimensional Songs of the Knoll, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Ensign Music LLC, Hitco Music, Jimi Mac Music/OG Music, Rye Songs, Songs of TVT, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Universal Music Publishing (Irving Music/Songs of Universal, Inc.) and Zomba Songs.

"1, 2 Step," written by BMI Top 10 Urban Producer Jazze Pha and published by Bubba Gee Music, Noontime Tunes and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., received the BMI Urban Ringtone Award for tallying the most downloads during the award period. The Ciara hit was also named BMI's very first Internet Song of the Year at the 2006 Pop Awards.

In addition to the BMI performance awards, Billboard recognized the BMI-affiliated writers whose songs reached No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Rap Tracks, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Hot 100 charts during the past year. Kanye West's "Gold Digger," featuring Jamie Foxx and writing credits by Renald Richard and the late Ray Charles, topped all four charts.]]> 2006-08-30T05:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334935 Artists, Brandy, Collective Soul, Hoffer, Matt, Usher1, Musical Styles, Rock Matt Hoffer, star of the CBS musical reality show Rock Star: Supernova.

For those with rock star dreams, "The Star In You: Seven Keys to Creating a Star Mindset, Building a Star Image and Living a Star's Life" will present concepts that every songwriter and artist must know in order to make their strongest impression and increase their chances for success. Topics to be discussed include:

*How to build up your natural star qualities
*How to have rock star motivation every day
*How to make your strongest impression
*How to create your own unique style
*How to have your live performance blow people away
*How to attract the right team around you
*How to form a game plan to make your dreams a reality
*The three biggest mistakes that most emerging artists make

Instructor John Battaglia is Founder and President of Rockstar Image, an image-building and personal coaching firm for artists. His client list includes such talent as Usher, Beyoncé, Collective Soul, Jessica Simpson, Brandy, Eve and others.

Special guest Matt Hoffer spent his college years at the University of Illinois playing ice hockey, gigging around town in bands, and finally graduating with a degree in finance. After years of post-collegiate work as a real estate broker, Matt decided to make the jump from white-collar corporate guy to indie-rock musician. Playing with such noted musicians as Nir Z (session drummer for John Mayer, Genesis, Jason Mraz) elevated his songs to a new level and drew the attention of CBS execs, who cast him on Rock Star: Supernova. Although he didn't make the show's final rounds, Matt is back and ready to bring his own music to America.

At the conclusion of the seminar, Hoffer will perform a short musical set.]]> 2006-08-08T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334848 Artists, Babyface, Berry, Chuck, Boyz II Men, Braxton, Toni, Brown, James, Bryant, Del, Carey, Mariah, Clapton, Eric, Diddley, Bo, Gap Band, The, Green, Al, Hayes, Isaac, Jackson, Michael, Little Richard, Reid, Antonio 'LA', Usher1, Musical Styles, Urban "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid will be honored as BMI Icons at the performing right organization's 6th Annual Urban Awards. The invitation-only gala, which will also recognize the past year's most performed BMI urban songs, is set for Aug. 30 at Roseland Ballroom in New York City, coinciding with the MTV Video Music Awards being held Aug. 31.

Babyface	L.A. Reid

The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." The LaFace Records co-founders, who will be saluted with an all-star musical tribute during the ceremony, join an elite group that includes James Brown, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, and last year's honorees, the Gap Band.

With more than a dozen Grammys between them, including the Producer of the Year crown they shared in 1993, seven-time BMI Songwriter of the Year Babyface and Island Def Jam Chairman L.A. Reid are responsible for launching the careers of such multi-platinum artists as Toni Braxton, TLC, Usher and Pink under their successful LaFace label. The list of stars that the hitmaking pair has worked with - both together and individually - is unparalleled and includes Mariah Carey, Madonna, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Dido, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Outkast, Ciara, Jay-Z, and countless others.

Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Atlanta Writer/Publisher VP Catherine Brewton, the 6th Annual BMI Urban Awards will recognize the songwriters, publishers and producers of the top BMI urban songs played on American radio and television. An Urban Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and Producer of the Year will be named during the ceremony. In addition, the writers of the songs that reached the No. 1 spots on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop and Hot Rap Tracks charts will also be honored.

WE BELONG TOGETHER
Darnell Bristol
Mariah Carey
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Sid "Uncle Jamz" Johnson
Patrick L. Moten
Sandra Sully
Bobby Womack
ABKCO Music, Inc.
Ballads By Design Publishing
Hip Chic Music
Mister Johnson's Jams Music
Rye Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Mariah Carey
Island Records

YOU AND ME
Jude Cole
Jason Wade
Dimensional Songs of the Knoll
G-Chills Music
Jude Cole Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Lifehouse
Geffen Records