LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. performing right organization Broadcast Music, Inc. saluted the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the most-performed R&B, rap and hip-hop songs last night at its annual Urban Awards. BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Catherine Brewton, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta, hosted the ceremony along with Ray J at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

BMI presented the BMI President’s Award to will.i.am in recognition of The Black Eyed Peas co-founder’s work as an artist, producer, and humanitarian. The honor is bestowed on an individual who has distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry.

Lil Wayne took home his second consecutive Urban Songwriter of the Year award by writing six of the past year’s most-performed songs in BMI’s urban repertoire. “Boom Boom Pow”earned Urban Song of the Year. Co-written by will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo, The Black Eyed Peas’ smash was published by Cherry River Music Co., Jeepney Music, Inc., Tab Magnetic Publishing and will.i.am music, inc. EMI Music Publishing claimed the Urban Publisher of the Year crown, and BMI Urban Producer of the Year went to Polow Da Don.

The BMI/SunTrust #1 Show was held before the ceremony, honoring songwriters behind #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Rap Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts.

Sponsors of the 2010 BMI Urban Awards included SunTrust, Coke, Hennessy/Moet, Smart Water and TW Steel Watches.

Handout video footage will be available via request or by visiting www.image.net. To access footage, log on to www.image.net; click “register”; fill in the registration form; check the “events” section; and use referral code “8730.”

High-resolution photos will be available at 9 a.m. EDT on September 11. Visit www.bmi.com/press. Password: bmimedia; username: songwriter.

Visit BMI on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmi and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/broadcastmusicinc.

Broadcast Music, Inc.^® (BMI) is an American performing right organization that represents more than 475,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 6.5 million works. BMI has represented the most popular and beloved music from around the world for 70 years. The U.S. corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.