BMI FETES UMPG, BRAXTON

L.A. Reid and BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill present the BMI President’s Award to Toni Braxton
at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards.

Universal Music Publishing Group was named Publisher of the Year, and Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” took Song of the Year honors at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards held Thursday at The Woodruff Arts Center’s Symphony Hall in Atlanta.

UMPG had 18 tracks in the top 35 best-performing R&B/Hip-Hop songs in the U.S. from BMI’s repertoire. Among the titles were “Bitch Better Have My Money,” “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey),” “See You Again,” “Where Ya At” and “White Iverson.” “See You Again” honors went to five publishing entities: Artist 101 Publishing Group; Charlie Puth Music Publishing; UPG Music Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.; and Wiz Khalifa Publishing.

Leland “Metro Boomin” Wayne was named Producer of the Year.

Toni Braxton was feted with the BMI President’s Award in recognition of her impact on popular music over her 25-year career. A Braxton tribute featured performances from Donald Lawrence & Company (“You Mean the World to Me”), Yolanda Adams (“Un-Break My Heart”), Braxton’s sisters Towanda, Traci and Trina (“Breathe Again”), and Ledisi (“Seven Whole Days”).

After L.A. Reid introduced Braxton, she sang “He Wasn’t Man Enough” with her sisters on backing vocals.

DJ Khaled, Kent Jones, Rich Homie Quan and Rae Sremmurd also performed at the ceremony, which Chris Tucker hosted along with BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations in Atlanta Catherine Brewton.

Head here for a complete list of winners.