Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) will present the BMI President’s Award to will.i.am during the organization’s annual Urban Awards ceremony Friday, September 10. The invitation-only event will be staged at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood to salute the creators and publishers of the most-performed Urban songs of the previous year.
BMI President & CEO Del Bryant will share hosting duties with Catherine Brewton, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta. The ceremony will also recognize Urban Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year.
The BMI President’s Award is presented on unique occasions recognizing an individual who has distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry. This honor celebrates will.i.am’s work has an artist, producer, and humanitarian. A tribute fueled by live performances will pay homage to his career. Will.i.am joins an elite list of previous President’s Award honorees including Juanes, Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson and Brian Wilson.
A songwriter, producer, and entertainer, will.i.am is also a leading activist, humanitarian, and entrepreneur. The seven-time Grammy winner has earned numerous BMI Pop, Urban, and London Awards, mirroring his cross-genre, cross-continental appeal. The founding member of the Black Eyed Peas has co-written hits including the group’s “Boom Boom Pow,” “Don’t Phunk with My Heart,” “Where Is the Love,” “I Gotta Feeling,” “My Humps,” and “Let’s Get Started”; Fergie’s solo smashes “Fergalicious,” “Glamorous,” and “Clumsy”; Estelle’s “American Boy”; Usher’s “OMG,” which he wrote and produced; and more. He earned a Latin Grammy for his production work with Sergio Mendes, while in addition to the Black Eyed Peas and Usher, he has also produced for John Legend, Carlos Santana, U2, Estelle, Flo Rida, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and more. Via his Peapod Foundation, will.i.am unifies the world through music and common interest, addressing issues affecting children, including housing, starvation, healthcare, education, poverty and music and artistic education.
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 licenses businesses that use music and distributes licensing fees as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents. BMI reported $905 million for its 2009 fiscal year in performing right collections.
