From: www.businesswire.com

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. music rights organization BMI saluted the world's premier R&B, rap and hip-hop songwriters, producers and publishers tonight at its annual Urban Awards. BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Catherine Brewton, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta, hosted the ceremony at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, New York City.

Hip-hop titans T-Pain and Lil Wayne shared the prestigious Songwriter of the Year prize, as trendsetters Polow Da Don and Kanye West both earned Producer of the Year titles. Song of the Year honors went to Jordin Sparks' "No Air," written by Erik Griggs, while Universal Music Publishing Group garnered yet another Publisher of the Year crown.

The capstone of the night's festivities was the presentation of the BMI Icon Award to George Clinton, whose achievements were celebrated with an all-star musical tribute, featuring performances by Cee-Lo Green, who delivered "One Nation Under a Groove"; Parliament/Funkadelic's Bootsy Collins, who performed "Atomic Dog"; Janelle Monáe who performed "Flashlight"; and Dallas Austin, Big Gipp and Outkast's Big Boi, whose medley of "(Not Just) Knee Deep," "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)" and "Up for the Down Store" was the jaw-dropping conclusion.

Sponsors of the 2009 BMI Urban Awards were Coca-Cola, who sponsored the BMI and Coca-Cola #1 Show, and official spirits sponsor Hennessy Black, who provided the evening's complimentary cocktails.

Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI) is an American performing right organization that represents more than 400,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 6.5 million works. BMI reported $905 million for its 2009 fiscal year in performing right collections. BMI has represented the most popular and beloved music from around the world for 70 years. The U.S. corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.