BET Networks Announces the "BET HIP HOP AWARDS '11" Nominees Network Premiere, October 11, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.*

NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BET's hit music countdown show, 106 & PARK, announced today the exciting list of nominees for the Networks' sixth annual BET HIP HOP AWARDS.  During the live taping, rappers Busta Rhymes, Big K.R.I.T. and Meek Mill joined host Terrence and Rocsi as the two revealed the names of this year's top runners. Rapper Lil Wayne leads the pack of contenders with a record-breaking 18 nominations, followed by Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa tied with 9 nods each and Rick Ross with 8 nods.  Maybach Music newcomer, Meek Mill, also announced his inclusion in the highly anticipated cypher segments of the show.  Actor and comedian Mike Epps added to the excitement and confirmed his return as third time host. Hip hop's main event will return to the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta on Saturday, October 1 with the Network premiere on Tuesday, October 11 at 8:00 p.m.*

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Lil Wayne has had an extraordinary year and now has 18 record-breaking BET HIP HOP AWARDS nominations to prove it. Chosen from an illustrious academy of music and entertainment executives, media and influencers, he's been nominated for Best Hip Hop Video, Reese's Perfect Combo Award (Best Collab), Best Live Performer, Lyricist of the Year, MVP of the Year, Track of the Year, Made-You-Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style), Best Club Banger, Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse, Hustler of the Year and two consecutive nominations for Verizon People's Champ Award (Viewers' Choice) with videos "Look At Me Now" and "6 Foot 7 Foot."

Celebrating the biggest names in the game, newcomers on the scene, and shining a light on the community, the BET HIP HOP AWARDS '11 is ready to salute the best of the best in hip hop culture.  

For more on the BET HIP HOP AWARDS '11, please visit: www.bet.com/hiphopawards.

This year, BET once again teams up with Cossette Productions, the famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards® and the record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast. Stephen G. Hill, BET President, Music and Programming, along with Lynne Harris Taylor, BET Vice President of Specials, are executive producers of the telecast.

Tickets for the BET HIP HOP AWARDS '11 are by invite only and not available for purchase.

*All times are ET/PT.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), 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 98 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 Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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SOURCE BET Networks