THE BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” 2015 WILL BRING THE BIGGEST NAMES IN HIP HOP TO THE BIGGEST STAGE IN HIP HOP
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T.I., FETTY WAP, RICH HOMIE QUAN, DEJ LOAF, KID INK, YOUNG DRO, DJ MUSTARD, DJ PREMIER AND MORE CONFIRMED TO PERFORM
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LEGENDARY RAPPER, PRODUCER AND AUTHOR
SCARFACE WILL RECEIVE THE 2015 “I AM HIP HOP” AWARD
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#HIPHOPAWARDS

NEW YORK, NY – September 23, 2015 – For the last decade, the BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” has remained the most prominent hip hop culture showcase on television.  This year will be no different as Uncle Snoop returns as host and TI, Fetty Wap, Rich Homie Quan, Dej Loaf, Kid Ink, Young Dro, DJ Mustard, DJ Premier as confirmed performers for this year’s BET “HIP HOP AWARDS”.

The “I Am Hip Hop” Award, recognizing legends in hip hop music, returns to honor legendary rapper Scarface. Scarface is undoubtedly one of the most prolific rappers of all time. Hailing from Houston, TX he sharpened his skills growing up listening to Public Enemy and NWA, groups that not only peaked his lyrical delivery but his social consciousness. In 1991, he recorded and released his first big hit, “Mind Playing Tricks On Me,” with the Geto Boys; a song in which Rolling Stone rated as the #5 Best Hip Hop Song ever to be recorded. Scarface went on to deliver twelve stellar and critically acclaimed solo albums with the most recent, Deeply Rooted, debuting in the Top 10 of Soundscan’s Top Albums Sales chart (#8), Top 10 on four Billboard Charts (#2 Rap, #3 Indie, #3 R&B/Hip Hop, #8 Digital) and Top 20 on The Billboard 200 (#11). Scarface recently penned and released his memoirs, Diary of a Madman earlier this year.

Previous “I Am Hip Hop” Award honorees include Doug E. Fresh (2014), MC Lyte (2013), Rakim (2012), LL Cool J (2011), Salt-N-Pepa (2010), Ice Cube (2009), Russell Simmons (2008), KRS-One (2007) and Grandmaster Flash (2006).

Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment will serve as Executive Producer of The BET Hip Hop Awards along with Stephen G. Hill, BET’s President of Programming, Connie Orlando, BET’s Senior Vice President of Music and Specials and Lynne Harris Taylor, BET’s Vice President of Specials.

Taping of the awards show will take place at Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta, GA on Friday, October 9, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. ET and will premiere on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

BET.com/HipHopAwards is the official site for the BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” 2015 where fans can visit to get up-to-date info on this year's show and take a look back on past BET Hip Hop Awards.  In the coming weeks, BET.com will launch a series of interactive timelines, exclusive video content, games and quizzes leading up to the show.

BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” is fresh, legendary and, as always, a memorable night that you don’t want to miss!

Join the conversation on social media by logging on to BET’s multiple social media platforms:
• On BET.com: http://www.bet.com/shows/hip-hop-awards.html
• On Twitter by using hashtag: #HipHopAwards; follow us @HipHopAwards and @BET
• On Facebook by liking the fan page at facebook.com/HipHopAwards

*Note:  BET “Hip Hop Awards” is a private event and tickets are not available for purchase to the public. Talent tickets are reserved for BET “Hip Hop Awards” show talent and nominees.

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ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT BET “HIP HOP AWARDS”:
BET “Hip Hop Awards” is an annual celebration that pays homage to a culture that changed the world while highlighting the best in hip hop music.  Year after year, BET Networks delivers the best in hip-hop for an unforgettable night of performances, cyphers and tributes honoring hip-hop legends that have and continue to make hip-hop culture a global force.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins.  For more than a decade, Collins, the company’s CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment.  Formerly Executive Producer/EVP of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the GRAMMY Awards, BET Honors, The UNCF Evening of Stars and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins currently Exec. Produces “The Real Husbands of Hollywood,” (now going into its 4th hit season) alongside industry Icons Stan Lathan and Ralph Farquhar; and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince, Mariah Carey and many more.

ABOUT SNOOP DOGG AKA UNCLE SNOOP:
An entertainment icon and with more than 20 years in the business, Snoop continues to pave the way in the hip-hop industry, serving as a mentor to many new and established artists. Snoop stands at the forefront of popular culture with award-winning and multi-platinum albums and songs, critically acclaimed films and television shows, lifestyle products, philanthropic efforts and tech and digital ventures, including his YouTube original series “GGN News,” and his best-selling app, Snoopify. Snoop defines hip-hop history. He’s set records with his seminal album Doggystyle, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 800,000 copies in the first week. Throughout his career, Snoop’s produced chart-topping hits including “Gin & Juice,” “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?),” “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang,” “Next Episode,” “Beautiful,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” “Signs,” “Sensual Seduction” and “I Wanna Rock.”  BUSH, Snoop’s latest album via Columbia Records and executive produced by Pharrell Williams, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Chart, marking Snoop’s sixth chart topping hit. Snoop’s non-profit work in the community is commendable, as he established the Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL) in 2005 to give children between the ages of five and 13 the opportunity to participate in youth football and cheer. SYFL teaches them the values of teamwork, good sportsmanship, discipline, and academics.

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