BMI Urban Awards 2004 to feature performances by Kanye West, R. Kelly, Pharrell, Sleepy Brown, Teena Marie and More

MIAMI, FL. (BMI Awards announcement) - BMI, the performing rights organization, announced the first confirmed attendees to its Urban Awards 2004, to be held Friday, Aug. 27 in the Grand Ballroom of the Fountainebleau Hilton Resorts & Towers in Miami Beach.

Multi-platinum, No1 recording artist and producer Kanye West (Roc-A-Fella Records); Organized Noize producer and solo hitmaker Sleepy Brown (Interscope); N.E.R.D/ Neptune and the one-and-only Pharrell Williams (Virgin); The Hip-Hop Violinist Miri Ben-Ari (Universal), veteran R&B superstar La DoÒa Teena Marie (Universal/Cash Money) and young soul sensation Lloyd (Def Jam/The Inc) will all perform a salute to BMI ICON honoree, the legendary soul songwriter and recording artist Rev. Al Green.

Previous ICON honorees have been Isaac Hayes, Bill Anderson, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Bo Diddley, Little Richard and the legendary songwriting trio of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland.
Renowned producer and multi-platinum R&B star R. Kelly (Jive Records) will also perform.
This year's Urban Awards comes two days before this year's MTV Video Music Awards which will take place in Miami Beach, as well.

Among the other songwriters, producers and artists confirmed to attend are multiple-platinum recording artists Juvenile, Mario Winans, Lil Jon, Ciara and Rodney Jerkins. Additional names will be released as they are confirmed.

The BMI Urban Awards will recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most-played Urban songs on US radio and television. An Urban Song of the Year, Urban Songwriter of the Year and Urban Publisher of the Year will be announced that night. In addition to the song awards, BMI will also honor the Top Urban Producers of 2003-2004 and the BMI writers whose songs hit No1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Charts.