Dispatch from the BMI Urban Awards
September 15th, 2009 by Ben Westhoff in Music news
'HEY MAN, SMELL MY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD': George Clinton (right) with BMI CEO Del Bryant
Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) functions much like its competitor ASCAP, collecting royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers from radio and other outlets. But unlike ASCAP, which is owned by its songwriters and publishers, BMI is owned by broadcasters, the same people they license for royalties.
Shady, right? Still, it’s been ahead of the curve when it comes to representing black musicians, and today its artists include the majority of top-selling hip hop artists. The weirdness of these dynamics were on full display at BMI’s Urban Awards show September 10 in New York. Held at Lincoln Center’s jazz hall, the evening’s co-host was BMI CEO Del Bryant, whose tightly-buttoned suit, weird tan and strained attempts at street banter routinely caused a huge room of cocktailed-up rappers, producers and music industry types (one of whom was rocking a Gumby haircut) to fall into awkward silences.
Still, it was a pretty good party, as would be any event featuring George Clinton stalking the red carpet in a full-length white coat, pink tie and a Carlton Fisk-era White Sox cap. There to be honored with a lifetime achievement award, he was asked by People magazine how much thought he’d given to his outfit (“None!”) and who he looked up to in the music industry (“Him!” he said, pointing at a blue-mohawked Sly Stone, standing nearby). Clinton imparted to us that he has a house in Atlanta, and splits his time between here and Tallahassee, Florida.
Otherwise Atlanta was predictably well-represented; presenter Keri Hilson was salivated upon by Bryant, while Polow Da Don shared the co-producer of the year award with Kanye West. (Song of the year somehow went to “No Air.”) The Clinton tribute performance was led off by Cee-Lo, who wore a sparkly-silver jacket and covered “One Nation Under A Groove.” Janelle Monae hit the stage shortly thereafter in a black tux to “Flashlight,” doing her show-stopping “dancing robot trying to do the Human,” in the words of the Village Voice’s Rob Harvilla.
Headliners Gipp, Big Boi and Dallas Austin ran through a medley of Clinton faves, Austin looking particularly ecstatic with his keytar and rainbow boa around his neck. The place exploded, and for a moment it was easy to forget the corrupt and self-sabotaging nature of the music business.
(Photo courtesy Ben Westhoff)
September 16th, 2009 at 5:04 am
Very thoughtfull post on achievements. It should be very much helpfull
Thanks,
Karim – Positive thinking