ATLANTA, USA (AP) – Jailed rapper TI wasn’t able to attend the BET Hip-Hop Awards but still won two trophies Saturday.
The rapper, who is locked up in an Arkansas penitentiary on a federal weapons conviction, won the best collaboration award with Rhianna for the song Live Your Life and the album of the year award for Paper Trail. His fiancee Tameka ‘Tiny’ Cottle accepted his awards at the ceremony in Atlanta and read a letter by the rapper.
“Although I’m not there with you all, I’m there in spirit,” Cottle read. “My road to redemption is almost over. … Thanks for the support.”
Jay-Z was honoured as the MVP of the Year, while Drake took home Rookie of the Year, and Ice Cube received the I Am Hip-Hop icon award.
Ice Cube said he was humbled by the award, and he believes his career as filmmaker could earn him more honours in the future. He helped launched the gangsta rap genre with the group NWA, and he starred in Barbershop and Friday, which he also co-wrote.
“When you get recognised by your peers for a life of work, you got to be humbled,” the rap veteran said. “I’m honoured by this. I have 20 more years of work left in me. I hope (BET) is ready to give out two of these awards.”
Rapper Busta Rhymes presented the award for DJ of the Year to DJ AM, the celebrity spinner who died of an accidental drug overdose in August.
Kanye West, meanwhile, couldn’t hijack the stage, because the rapper was a no-show. West had been expected to attend the fourth annual awards show. He fell under scrutiny for interrupting Taylor Swift’s award-winning moment at last month’s MTV Video Music Awards.
Jay-Z took the stage with Young Jeezy to perform Real as It Gets and rap group Goodie Mob performed its 1995 song Cell Therapy.
The award show will air on October 27.
Source: JamaicaObserver
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