P. Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Nelly, JaRule and MOP w/Crazy Town to Perform At "The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 2001" Airing Tuesday, August 28 - 8:00-10:00 p.m., ET/PT - on UPN

Business Wire, July 23, 2001

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--July 23, 2001

Superstar LL Cool J to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award;

2001 Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis to Receive The Source Sports

Athlete of the Year Award

P. Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Nelly, JaRule and MOP w/Crazy Town have been slated to perform at "The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 2001" airing TUESDAY, AUGUST 28 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET/PT) on UPN.

The two-hour special will tape Monday, August 20 before an audience of invited guests at the historic Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami. The program's host and additional celebrity performers and presenters will be announced shortly.

During the ceremony, The Source will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to hip-hop legend LL Cool J, who in his 16-year career, has become hip-hop's biggest international star. With six platinum albums (three of which are double platinum), six movies and a successful sitcom under his belt, LL Cool J has broken down many barriers. In addition to his entertainment career, in 1992 LL founded Camp Cool J to benefit underprivileged youth. He was also honored with the title of Chief Kwasi Achi-Brou in Grand Bassan on the Ivory Coast of Africa, where he helped to set up a local hospital.

The Source Sports Athlete of the Year Award will be presented to the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Lewis who, amidst adversity, stayed focused and disciplined enough to lead his team to victory in the Super Bowl Championship and become its MVP. Lewis was the 1996 first-round pick for newly charted Baltimore Ravens and that year was named USA Today Rookie of the Year. He continues to lead his team in tackles. The Source is honoring Ray Lewis for his tenacity, his unshakeable spirit, and his triumphant season.

Additional festivities surrounding The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 2001 include The Hip-Hop Image Awards dinner to benefit The Source Youth Foundation, which is also implementing a series of youth leadership seminars and employment development opportunities in Miami-Dade County to positively leverage the power and influence of hip-hop.

This year The Source Youth Foundation will present the Hip-Hop Image Awards to recognize and spotlight for the worldwide community those leaders in the Hip-Hop industry who, through their actions and their achievements, represent a powerful, positive image for Hip-Hop. An artist, a record label, an athlete, a radio producer and a fashion designer - all to be announced soon - will be honored for their leadership, character and philanthropic efforts that uplift youth in their own communities. The dinner will be held August 19 at the Tropigala at the FountainBleu Hilton and will feature exclusive celebrity performances and appearances. All proceeds from the Hip-Hop Image Awards will benefit The Source Youth Foundation.

"The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards: 2001" is a production of The Source Entertainment in conjunction with Bruno White Productions. David Mays, Ray Scott and John Davies are the executive producers.