Mike Epps Slated As Host For This Year’s BET Hip Hop Awards

Actor and comedian Mike Epps (@THEREALMIKEEPPS) will once again host this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards  festivities from the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta on Saturday, September 29, 2012 with the network premiere on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 8:00 pm*.

The BET Hip Hop Awards Voting Academy is comprised of a select assembly of music and entertainment executives, media and industry influencers.  Celebrating the biggest names in the game, newcomers on the scene, and shining a light on the community, the BET Hip Hop Awards is ready to salute the very best in hip hop culture.  Leading the pack of A-list talent this year is Kanye West with 17 Nominations for Best Hip Hop Video; Reese’s Perfect Combo Award; Best Live Performer; Lyricist of the Year; Video Director of the Year; Producer of the Year; MVP of the Year; Track of the Year; Made-You-Look Award; Hustler of the Year; Impact Track; and 2 nominations for People’s Champ Award Powered by Verizon for “Otis” and “Mercy” and 2 nominations Best Club Banger for “Ni**as in Paris” and “Mercy.”

“This year as there’s a vibrant, young energy in music that our BET Hip Hop Awards show is poised to capture both in dynamic cyphers and thrilling on-stage performances.  The excitement will be coming to you at the speed of light!” stated Stephen G. Hill, President of Specials and Programming, BET Networks.  “On another note, you can expect an all-star tribute to our friend Chris Lighty from those artists who loved him and worked with him…when it came to Chris, it was ‘love’ and ‘work’ in that order. This show, from front to back, is going to be special.”

Following is the Full List of BET Hip Hop Awards ’12 Nominees and Categories:

Best Hip Hop Video

2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie

A$AP Rocky – Goldie

Drake f/ Lil Wayne – HYFR

Wale f/ Miguel – Lotus Flower Bomb

Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy

Reese’s Perfect Combo Award (Best Collabo)

2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie

Drake f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga – The Motto (Remix)

J. Cole f/ Missy Elliott – Nobody’s Perfect

Wale f/ Miguel – Lotus Flower Bomb

Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy

Best Live Performer

A$AP Rocky

Drake

J. Cole

The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West)

Kanye West

Lyricist of the Year

J. Cole

Jay-Z

Kendrick Lamar

Nas

Kanye West

Video Director of the Year

A$AP Rocky & Sam Lecca

Benny Boom

Chris Robinson

Hype Williams

Kanye West

Producer of the Year

Hit-Boy

J. Cole

J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League

No I.D.

Kanye West

MVP of the Year

2 Chainz

J. Cole

Jay-Z

Rick Ross

Kanye West

Track of the Year

Cashin’ Out – Produced by DJ Spinz (Ca$h Out)

Ima Boss – Produced by Jahlil Beats (Meek Mill f/ Rick Ross)

Ni**as in Paris – Produced by Kanye West, Hit-Boy and Mike Dean (The Throne – Jay-Z & Kanye West)

No Lie – Produced by Mike Will Made-It and Co-Produced by Marz (2 Chainz f/ Drake)

The Motto (Remix) – Produced by T-Minus (Drake f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga)

CD of the Year

Common – The Dreamer, The Believer

Drake – Take Care

J. Cole – Cole World: The Sideline Story

The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) – Watch The Throne

Young Jeezy – TM: 103 Hustlerz Ambition

DJ of the Year

DJ Drama

DJ Enuff

DJ Envy

DJ Funkmaster Flex

DJ Khaled

Rookie of the Year

2 Chainz

A$AP Rocky

Ca$h Out

Future

Meek Mill

 Made-You-Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style)

2 Chainz

A$AP Rocky

Big Sean

Nicki Minaj

Kanye West

Best Club Banger

Ca$h Out – Cashin’ Out (Produced by DJ Spinz)

Drake f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga – The Motto (Remix) (Produced by T-Minus)

Future – Same Damn Time (Produced by Sonny Digital)

The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) – Ni**as in Paris (Produced by Kanye West, Hit-Boy & Mike Dean)

Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz  – Mercy (Produced by Lifted with additional production by Kanye West)

Best Mixtape

A$AP Rocky – LiveLoveA$AP

Joey BadA$$ – 1999

Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 2

Rick Ross – Rich Forever

Wiz Khalifa – Taylor Allderdice

Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse

2 Chainz – Mercy (Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz)

Diddy – Same Damn Time Remix (Future f/ Diddy & Ludacris)

Drake – Stay Schemin’ (Rick Ross f/ Drake & French Montana)

Ludacris – Same Damn Time Remix (Future f/ Diddy & Ludacris)

T.I. – Magic Remix (Future f/ T.I.)

Hustler of the Year

2 Chainz

Jay-Z

Lil Wayne

Rick Ross

Kanye West

Impact Track

Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free) – Lupe Fiasco

Bitch Bad – Lupe Fiasco

Daughters – Nas

Murder to Excellence – The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West)

People’s Champ Award Presented by Verizon

2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie

Driicky Graham – Snapbacks & Tattoos

Meek Mill f/ Rick Ross – Ima Boss

The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) f/ Otis Redding – Otis

Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz – Mercy

Best Hip Hop Online Site

2DopeBoyz.com

AllHipHop.com

Complex.com

HipHopDX.com

NahRight.com

RapRadar.com

WorldStarHipHop.com

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