Since its inception in 2001,the annual BET Awards special has generated higher ratings with African-

American viewers than any other awards telecast, including the Grammys, Soul

Train Awards, NAACP Image Awards and MTV Video Music Awards.  This year for

the first time, the show has its own soundtrack album, as more than a dozen of

the biggest hits of the past year from today's hottest hip-hop and R&B stars

are featured on BET AWARDS*04 Nominees (Hip-O/UTV/UMe).  The compilation CD is

set for release on Tuesday, June 29 to music retail stores, the same day as

the premiere BET Awards telecast at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

   The star-studded BET Awards special will be hosted by actress/comedian

Mo'Nique, and features performances from Outkast, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z and

others also heard on the new album.  Producers of the new collection are

Stephen Hill, BET Senior Vice President for Music Programming and Talent;

Erika Irish, BET Vice President for Business Development; and Ron Weisner of

Ron Weisner Entertainment.

    BET AWARDS*04 Nominees includes three massive #1 smashes: "The Way You

Move" (#1 pop/#1 rap/#2 R&B) from Outkast featuring Sleepy Brown and "Crazy In

Love" (#1 pop/#1 R&B) from Beyonce featuring Jay-Z are both Video of the Year

and Best Collaboration nominees, plus "Stand Up" (#1 pop/#1 R&B/#1 rap) from

Ludacris.  A more vintage R&B #1 is the 1975 bonus track, "Fight The Power,"

from The Isley Brothers, winners of the 2004 BET Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Top 10 R&B/Top 10 rap/Top 20 pop are G-Unit's "Stunt 101," Kanye West's

"Through The Wire," and Sean Paul's "Like Glue."  Two other Top 10 pop/Top 10

R&B hits are R. Kelly's "Ignition (Remix)" (#2 pop/#2 R&B) and vocal group

Jagged Edge's "Walked Outta Heaven" (also #2 R&B).  Musiq lays down "Whoknows"

(Top 30 R&B).  Also heard from the Dirty South that produced Outkast is the

King of Crunk, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring the Ying Yang Twins,

with "Get Low."

    Three major soul divas are also heard: Mary J. Blige with "Love At 1st

Sight" (Top 30 pop/Top 10 R&B), Missy Elliott with "I'm Really Hot" (Top 20

rap/Top 30 R&B) and Janet Jackson with "I Want You" (Top 20 R&B).  Classic

soul singer Luther Vandross contributes the Top 40 pop/Top 30 R&B "Dance With

My Father" while new neo-soul star Anthony Hamilton offers "Comin' From Where

I'm From."

    Vandross, Hamilton and Kelly are nominated for Best Male R&B Artist;

Beyonce, Blige and Jackson for Best Female.  Hamilton and West are nominated

for Best New Artist.  West, Ludacris and Jay-Z are Best Male Hip Hop Artist

nominees, and Elliott is among the female nominees in that genre.  G-Unit,

Jagged Edge, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, and OutKast are among those

nominated for Best Group.

BET