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BMI Urban Awards kickstart MTV weekend
09/08/2007 2:00 AM, AP
The MTV Video Music Awards aren't until Sunday, but hip-hop stars started accepting trophies Friday night.
Sean "Diddy" Combs, T.I., Three 6 Mafia and a slew of hip-hop producers gathered at the New York New York hotel for the BMI Urban Awards, which honor the songwriters and music makers behind the year's biggest hits.
The performing rights organization also paid tribute to Run-DMC's Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons for his contributions to popular music.
"I'm lucky to be in the game," the rap pioneer said, adding that he was "shocked" to learn he would be joining Al Green, Isaac Hayes and James Brown as the recipient of BMI's Icon Award.
Simmons and Run-DMC "had a permanent influence on generations of music-makers," said BMI chief executive Del Bryant, who compared Simmons to Mick Jagger, James Brown and Mohammed Ali.
"He is the man for all time," he said. "Run-DMC never crossed over. Popular music crossed over to them."
"The legacy we left behind was unity," Simmons said before the show, flanked by his family — co-stars on his MTV reality show, "Run's House."
"Run-DMC was about 70 percent unity and 30 percent talent. What kept us together was our respect for each other."
Combs, a producer of Simmons' reality show, said the rapper changed his life.
"You gave birth to a whole culture, a whole generation," he said. "We bow down to you."
Simmons joined rappers Lil Jon and Lil Wayne to perform Run-DMC's 1986 breakthrough hit "Walk This Way."
The awards presentation, held in the hotel's Cirque du Soleil Zumanity theater, opened with a taste of the avant-garde circus. Scantily clad contortionist nymphs bent and balanced on the edge of a tub that looked like an oversized martini glass.
But the night was really about honoring the people behind the year's best-selling music. Producer Sean Garrett, who has worked with Britney Spears, Usher, Whitney Houston and Mary J. Blige, earned producer of the year and song of the year honors.
"I'm here to enjoy music and bring a great sense of love to it," he said on the red carpet before the show.
Other producers honored were Polow Da Don, Jazze Pha, Rodney Jerkins, will.i.am, Lil Jon and T-Pain, who was also recognized for his top-selling ringtone, "I'm N Luv (Wit a Stripper)."
Comedians Chris Rock and Chris Tucker were among the guests at the show. But several expected stars failed to arrive, including Rihanna, Snoop Dogg and producer of the year honorees Kanye West and Pharrell Williams.
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