Fat Joe to Host This Year’s BET Hip Hop Awards

Fat Joe is hedging his BET

The 52-year-old rapper, whose real name is Joseph Antonio Cartagena, will host this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards, slated for October 4 at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta.

Fat Joe

“This will be the BIGGEST award show in history,” Fat Joe tells Billboard. “It’s truly an honor to host and produce the BET Hip Hop Awards, and I can’t thank Connie [Orlando] and the entire BET family enough for this opportunity. We’re going to celebrate music, culture, and entertainment, honor the biggest and brightest stars in the world and make this an unforgettable night full of laughs and surprises. Always remember that yesterday’s host is not today’s host.”

“Fat Joe is hip-hop royalty. He has represented the art form and the Bronx, the birthplace of hip-hop, throughout his outstanding musical career. He is a treasured friend of the network, and we’ve loved seeing and supporting his evolution to becoming the superstar he is today,” adds Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy at BET. “We can’t wait to watch him take the stage with his vivacious energy, standing together with today’s hottest and beloved hip-hop stars.”

In August, Joe announced his one-man stand-up show, which will highlight his life and career. The show is set to debut in New York City this fall. Dave Chappelle will start the show with a special introduction, while Chris Robinson serves as the show’s director. Magic Lemonade and Roc Nation are co-producing the event. His autobiography will also drop Nov. 15.

As for the BET Hip Hop Awards, the event will be taped on Sept. 30, and premieres on air Tuesday, October 4, at 9:00 pm ET/PT on BET.

Fat Joe Earns His First-Ever Soul Train Music Award Nominations

Fat Joe has some new Soul to celebrate…

The 46-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper has earned his first-ever Soul Train Music Award nominations.

Fat Joe

Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Antonio Cartagena, is nominated in the Best Collaboration category for his single “All the Way Up,” featuring Remy Ma, French Montana and Infared.

Fat Joe’s second nomination comes in the Rhythm & Bars Award category, which was formerly known as the Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year, for the infectious track, which has been certified platinum.

But Fat Joe isn’t the only Latino nominee…

Maxwell, who was named Best New Artist at the Soul Train Music Awards nearly 20 years ago, has picked up a nod in the Best R&B/Soul Male Artist.

The 43-year-old half-Puerto Rican R&B singer, a five-time STMA winner, last picked up the Best R&B/Soul Male Artist award in 2009.

Meanwhile, Mariah Carey picked up a nod in The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award category for co-writing the single, “Don’t,” performed by Bryson Tiller.

Erykah Badu will return as host for the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards, landing at Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena next month.

2016 hip-hop MVP Drake leads the pack with 12 nominations, including a pair of nods for the Video of the Year Award for his viral smash “Hotline Bling” and his guest spot on Rihanna‘s earworm “Work.” Beyonce follows with eight nominations for her work on the visual album Lemonade.

Filming for the Soul Train Music Awards will take place on November 6 before it airs on Centric and BET at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 27.

Here’s the full list of nominees:

Best New Artist
Anderson .Paak
Andra Day
Bryson Tiller
Chance The Rapper
Ro James
Tory Lanez

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton
Bryson Tiller
Maxwell
The Weeknd
Usher

Centric Certified Award
After 7
Anderson .Paak
Bilal
Lalah Hathaway
Musiq Soulchild

Video Of The Year

Beyoncé – Formation
Beyoncé – Sorry
Drake – Hotline Bling
Kanye West – Fade
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work

Best Gospel/ Inspirational Song
Donnie Mcclurkin – I Need You
Hezekiah Walker – Better
Kirk Franklin – 123 Victory
Tamela Mann – God Provides
Travis Greene – Made A Way

Album/Mixtape of the Year
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Bryson Tiller – T R A P S O U L
Dj Khaled – Major Key
Drake – Views
Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo
Rihanna – Anti

Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year)
Chance The Rapper Ft. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz – No Problem
Dj Khaled Ft. Drake – For Free
Drake – Controlla
Drake Ft. Wizkid & Kyla – One Dance
Fat Joe & Remy Ma Ft. French Montana & Infared – All The Way Up

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist

Alicia Keys
Beyoncé
Fantasia
Jill Scott
Rihanna

Song of the Year
Adele – Hello
Beyoncé – Formation
Bryson Tiller – Don’t
Drake – Controlla
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work

The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award
Hello – Written By: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, Gregory Allen Kurstin (Adele)
Rise Up – Written By: Andra Day, Jennifer Decilveo (Andra Day)
Formation – Written By: Michael L. Williams Ii, Beyoncé Knowles, Khalif Brown, Aaquil Brown, Asheton Hogan, (Beyoncé)
Don’t – Written By: Johntá M. Austin, Mariah Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Tavoris Javon Hollins, Isom Brandon Stewart, Bryson Dejuan Tiller (Bryson Tiller)
Needed Me – Written By: Nicholas Valentino Audino, Rachel Derrus, Adam King Feeney, Robyn R. Fenty, Brittany Talia Hazzard, Charles Hinshaw Jr., Lewis Beresford Hughes, Dijon Isaiah Mcfarlane, Khaled Rohaim, Te Whiti Te Rangitepaia Mataa Warbick (Rihanna)

Best Dance Performance
Beyoncé – Formation
Drake – Hotline Bling
Kanye West (Dance Performance Ft. Teyana Taylor) – Fade
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work
Usher Ft. Young Thug – No Limit

Best Collaboration 
Beyoncé Ft. Kendrick Lamar – Freedom
Chance The Rapper Ft. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz – No Problem
Dj Khaled Ft. Drake – For Free
Fat Joe & Remy Ma Ft. French Montana & Infared – All The Way Up
Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work