Rakim Receives BET's 'I AM HIP HOP ICON' Award Tonight, 9/29

Rakim's intricately intellectual lyrics draw their force from his worldly experience, inner faith and progressive contemplation.  His liquid and seemingly effortless delivery – often imitated but still unrivaled – from a fire fueled by a deep understanding of not just Hip-Hop, but also the Jazz and R&B influences that have surrounded his family since his youth.  His recordings – including the all-time classics Paid In Full, Follow the Leader and The 18th Letter - have sold in the multi-millions worldwide.  Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV and a host of others consistently refer to Paid in Full as "the greatest Hip-Hop album of all time" – a claim that often repeated in audience polls.  In the history of the Hip-Hop, few artists have had as great an impact on the development and progression of the art forms lyrical style as Rakim Allah.   

Previous "I AM HIP HOP ICON" recipients include Grandmaster Flash (2006); KRS-One (2007); Russell Simmons (2008); Ice Cube (2009); Salt N Pepa (2010) and LL Cool J (2011).

Maybach Music's Rick Ross (Def Jam), and Meek Mill (Warner Bros. Records); G.O.O.D. Music's 2 Chainz (Def Jam); and Taylor Gang's Wiz Khalifa (Atlantic) are the first artists confirmed to perform on this year's BET HIP HOP AWARDS.

BET.com/HipHopAwards is the official site for the BET HIP HOP AWARDS 2012 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.com will also give away BET Hip Hop Awards tickets exclusively to BET.com registered users and loyal readers of the BET newsletter. To become a BET.com member and register for our BET Newsletter log on to http://www.bet.com/register.html.

BET's inaugural HIP HOP AWARDS APP is available now for iPhone and Android. It provides a detailed history of the show since its inception in 2006 - hundreds of artists, past winners, cyphers, acceptance speeches and more. "The Lineup" allows app users to predict the order of this year's show performer and a real-time Tweet map shows you what the country and your favorite artists are saying about the show. And for the first time ever, one award – the Best Hip Hop Online Site – will be determined solely by app users.

Join the conversation on social media by logging on to BET's multiple social media platforms:

On Twitter by using hashtag: #HipHopAwards; and following us @HipHopAwards and @BET
On Facebook by liking the fan page at facebook.com/HipHopAwards

Stephen G. Hill, BET's President of Music Programming and Specials, Lynne Harris Taylor, BET's Vice President of Specials, will serve as Executive Producers for the BET Hip Hop Awards, along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

Official sponsors of The BET HIP HOP AWARDS include Sprite, Verizon, Reese's, Ubisoft/Hip Hop Dance Experience, Dodge Dart, NBCU/'Man with the Iron Fist'.

*All times ET/PT

About RAKIM 
In the history of the Hip-Hop, few artists have had as great an impact on the development and progression of the art forms lyrical style as Rakim Allah.  Universally referenced as one of the Masters of the Microphone and an influence and inspiration to his peers and followers alike, Rakim first exploded onto the scene with the release of iconic Eric B. is President in 1986 with longtime collaborator Eric B.  The single marked a turning point in the Rap world – raising the bar for future emcees and revolutionizing the way rhymes are delivered to this day.  No serious discussion of the music's greatest performers is held without a deferential accounting of his achievements, and no serious rap artist grips a microphone without channeling some of his legend.

Rakim's uncanny innovation was the focal point of the critically acclaimed recreation of Bob Marley's Concrete Jungle and has helped propel movie soundtracks such as Juice, Brown Sugar, the Rugrats, American Psycho and 8 Mile to Best Seller status.  His role model status has led world famous brands such as Reebok, The Coca Cola Company, LVMH, Ecko and Sean Jean to choose him as spokesperson.

Now nearing twenty-five years at the top of Hip-Hop's Greatest list, the Long Island, NY native not only continues to record for himself, but also works with young artists signed to his own record imprint, Ra Records.  With recent tributes in 2012 such as being named the #1 Lyricist of All Time by The Source magazine, receiving the coveted BET Lifetime Achievement Award and being nominated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, two original music projects, his first feature film role and sold-out international tours keeping the world's eye on the one many call The GOD EmCee, Rakim Allah continues to lead where others just follow.

About Jesse Collins Entertainment
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service film and television Production Company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins.  Over the past decade, Collins, The company's CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television's most memorable moments in the music entertainment arena.  Formerly Executive Producer/Executive Vice President of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced award winning television programming including the Grammy Awards, the BET Awards, BET Honors and BET's Rip the Runway and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Kid Rock, Lil Wayne and many more.

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), 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 operates in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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