LOS ANGELES — BMI honored the best in R&B and hip-hop at its 2024 R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, held Thursday night at the Fairmont Century Plaza. Babyface received the BMI Icon Award, while SZA made history as the first recipient of the BMI Champion Award in the event’s 24-year history. SZA also took home two more major honors: BMI’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year for her hit “Kill Bill.”
Babyface, a five-time GRAMMY® Award winner and influential music figure, was celebrated for his nearly five decades in the industry, earning 64 BMI Awards throughout his career. His tribute featured performances of his classic hits. Mac Royals performed “My My My,” Tamar Braxton delivered a passionate rendition of “Superwoman,” and Mario closed the set with “I’ll Make Love to You” and “Can We Talk.” Lil Wayne honored his longtime mentor before BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton presented Babyface with the Icon Award.
“I only know that I got here because I love music, and it was the one pure thing that I knew I could do,” Babyface said in his acceptance speech, before surprising the audience with a performance of “Whip Appeal.”
SZA, who also won Song of the Year for her chart-topping hit “Kill Bill,” was recognized with the BMI Champion Award for her contributions to songwriting and artistry. The four-time GRAMMY® winner expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’m grateful to be honored today because there are so many songwriters in here that literally made me.”
SZA’s BMI Songwriter of the Year honor was for co-writing hits including “Kill Bill,” “Nobody Gets Me,” “Shirt,” and “Snooze.” “Kill Bill” marked her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has garnered over a billion streams on Spotify.
Producer Tay Keith earned BMI’s R&B/Hip-Hop Producer of the Year for the third time, with notable works like “First Person Shooter” by Drake and J. Cole and “Meltdown” by Travis Scott and Drake. Universal Music Publishing was named Publisher of the Year for representing 21 of the year’s most-performed songs, including “Kill Bill,” “Players,” and “Snooze.”
The event, hosted by O’Neill and Brewton, also honored the top producers and songwriters behind the 35 Most-Performed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the U.S. The ceremony recognized 56 first-time winners.
