Rapper receives honor for second consecutive year
ASCAP has crowned Lil Baby 2022 Songwriter of the Year for the second consecutive year. The announcement was made during the organization’s 35th Annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, taking place on their socials through June 24th. Celebrating the songwriters and publishers behind this year’s biggest hits in hip-hop, R&B and gospel, ASCAP’s prestigious Rhythm & Soul Music Awards return in a virtual format, with posts and original videos spotlighting each winner over four days. Fans all over the world can participate by tuning in to @ASCAPUrban on Instagram and @ASCAP on Instagram & Twitter, and using the hashtag #ASCAPAwards.
Rapper Lil Baby has continued his meteoric rise to success. The prolific, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and artist had a hand in penning several chart-topping hits including “Every Chance I Get,” “Girls Want Girls,” “On Me,” “Rags2Riches 2” and “Wants and Needs.” Fans have been eagerly awaiting the solo follow-up to his four-time certified platinum sophomore album My Turn, which is slated to arrive this summer.
The R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap Song of the Year award is presented to ASCAP songwriters Orville “Buggs Can Can” Hall and Phillip Triggerman Price AKA The Showboys, Dion “Devious” Norman, Trè Samuels and Dave Welcome for their work on “Go Crazy,” performed by Chris Brown and Young Thug. The hit song broke the record for the most weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, and dominated both pop and hip-hop radio.
The Gospel Song of the Year goes to co-writers Johntá Austin and Jeremy “TryBishop” Hicks for “Speak to Me,” performed by Koryn Hawthorne. “Speak to Me” scored Hawthorne her second #1 single on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart.
Sony Music Publishing scored their third win in an extremely successful year, earning the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Publisher of the Year award, following their ASCAP Awards for Pop Music Publisher of the Year and Latin Music Publisher of the Year.
On June 24th at 3 pm ET, the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards wrap up with “Deconstructed: Ashanti Breaks Down Her Hits,” a special ASCAP Experience conversation featuring multiplatinum singer and songwriter Ashanti. She will speak with Vibe Editor-in-Chief Datwon Thomas about the 20-year anniversary of her history-making debut album, Ashanti, and delve into the creation of some of her all-time greatest hits. In addition to the Grammy she won for the album, Ashanti has won numerous Billboard and American Music Awards and is a Guinness World Record holder. The event will be broadcast from ASCAP’s YouTube channel.
Other expected highlights this week include videos from award winners Felisha King Harvey, Brian Warfield and production duo Blaq Tuxedo (Darius and Dominique Logan), breaking down their winning songs in a special Rhythm & Soul Awards edition of ASCAP Urban’s “Deconstructed” series.
