The BMI Social Star contest returns for the fifth year as part of the 2016 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards on Sept. 1 in Atlanta, GA. The annual contest, which aims to find the songwriter with the most engaged social media audience, culminates with the Social Star Award presentation during the ceremony.
Fans are now able to vote for their favorite social star across BMI’s Instagram and Twitter accounts. The songwriters nominated for this year’s competition are hip-hop recording artist Joey Bada$$, rapper/comedian Lil Dicky and rapper/producer Logic. Of the three contenders, the songwriter with the most Instagram likes and use of their specialized Twitter hashtag will claim the BMI Social Star Award. Previous winners have included Mac Miller, Machine Gun Kelly, Zendaya and SoMo. Voting closes Sunday Aug. 28. Click here for more information on voting and the contestants.
For the first time in its 15-year history, the 2016 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards will take place in Atlanta, GA and honor multiple Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Toni Braxton. She will be presented with the BMI President’s Award in recognition of her distinguished career and substantial influence on popular music over last 25 years. The event will be held at The Woodruff Arts Center’s Symphony Hall and hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton.
The private event will also salute the songwriters, producers and publishers of the past year’s most-performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs in the United States from BMI’s repertoire of more than 10.5 million musical works. The BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter, Producer and Publisher of the Year will be named during the ceremony.
THE 2016 BMI SOCIAL STAR NOMINEES:
JOEY BADA$$: Since releasing his critically acclaimed debut mixtape, 1999, in 2012, Joey Bada$$ has become a mainstay in the hip-hop community because of his “authentic, unique and versatile sound,” according to iHeartRadio. In 2015, Joey released his debut studio album, B4.DA.$$, which Consequence of Sound thought showcased “skill and drive,” and the Brooklyn native as a “serious prospect” in the rap game. He has been featured in Vogue, Rolling Stone, Forbes and many other mainstream publications as well as international ad campaigns for Adidas and Calvin Klein, and can also be seen in this season’s hit show Mr. Robot on the USA Network. Coming up this fall, Joey Bada$$ will support SchoolBoy Q on select dates across the country beginning September 2016. #VoteJoeyBadass
LIL DICKY: As a non-traditional rapper, Lil Dicky has found an audience using a mix of comedy, lyrical ingenuity and self-deprecation that produces entertaining, yet relatable content. His debut album, Professional Rapper, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 200 and No. 1 on both the comedy and rap charts. Since being dubbed “the Jerry Seinfeld of Rap” by Newsweek, Lil Dicky is the only independent artist to have over 15 music videos with 1M+ views. #VoteLilDicky
LOGIC: After scoring a Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 chart with 2015’s Under Pressure, Logic is breaking free from the pack. His sophomore album, The Incredible True Story, comes with a sci-fi concept that is described as an “audio cinematic experience” set in the year 2115. Of his latest effort, HipHopDX praised the lyricist for his ability “to remain faithful to all the boundless elements that made him a star—his storytelling prowess, pristine lyricism, and spellbinding instrumentals.” #VoteLogic
To join the conversation, use hashtag #BMIRnBHipHopAwards.
For more information on the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards and BMI’s Social Star, please visit bmi.com/genres/rb_hiphop.
