Babyface and SZA to Be Awarded at 2024 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards
Legendary singer, songwriter and producer Babyface and alt-R&B star SZA will receive their flowers at the 2024 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards.
The private ceremony, hosted by BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill and Vice President of Creative Catherine Brewton, will take place in Los Angeles on Sept. 5.
Babyface will be honored with the BMI Icon Award. The 12-time Grammy winner will be recognized for “his impressive career, marked by a formidable catalog of hit songs that have transcended generations and connected with audiences around the globe.”
Babyface will join past recipients James Brown, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, Janet Jackson, and Patti LaBelle, among others.
SZA, who has the longest-running No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart, will receive the BMI Champion Award.
The New Jersey native will be celebrated for “her dedication and efforts in fostering the next generation of music creators.” Previous recipients include Khalid, Inflo, and Mark Ronson, among others.
“We’re excited to honor the legendary Babyface with the BMI Icon Award in celebration of his incredible talent and gift of prolific songwriting which has influenced decades of hits amongst all genres,” says Brewton.
Brewton continues, “We’ll also recognize the exceptional industry-shifting career of SZA, who challenges conventions and has a unique vibe that continues to transform and inspire a new feel of R&B that we have grown to love. It will be a phenomenal night of music celebrating BMI’s award-winning songwriters, producers, and music publishers that we’re so fortunate to represent.”
Babyface will receive the Icon Award three months after being presented with the Legacy Award at Apollo Theater’s Spring Benefit.
“I am humbled to receive the inaugural Legacy Award,” said Babyface. “For nearly a century, the theater has been a constant symbol of excellence in Black entertainment. So for The Apollo to honor my legacy feels nothing short of amazing.”
Before accepting his award, Babyface was inducted into The Apollo’s Walk of Fame, joining previous inductees such as Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, and Mary J. Blige.
Babyface’s last album, Girls Night Out, was released in 2022. The collaborative set included features from Ari Lennox (“Liquor“), Coco Jones (“Simple“), Ella Mai (“Keeps On Fallin’“), Kehlani (“Seamless“), Muni Long, Queen Naija (“Game Over“), Tink and more.
Girls Night Out was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 65th Grammy Awards and was featured on Rated R&B’s Best R&B Albums of 2022 list.
“Signifying as a direct descendent of his work on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, Girls Night Out maintains the match made in harmonic heaven,” wrote Danielle Brissett.
Following Girls Night Out, Babyface released the standalone single “As a Matter of Fact,” which spent five weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart.
Babyface isn’t the only one who released an album in 2022. SZA’s dropped her sophomore album, SOS, on Dec. 10, 2022.
The record-breaking album, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, won Best Progressive R&B Album at the 65th Grammy Awards.
At the same ceremony, SZA won Best R&B Song for her Babyface and Leon Thomas-produced hit “Snooze.”
The song reached No. 1 on mainstream top 40 radio, urban radio, as well as Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart.
She also won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Ghost In The Machine” featuring Phoebe Bridgers.
Further, SOS included SZA’s other hit single, “Kill Bill,” which reached No. 1 on the Hot 100. It marked her first chart-topper on the coveted singles chart.
On Feb. 22, SZA officially released “Saturn” after previewing the song during a commercial that aired during the 66th Grammy Awards.
In June, SZA was honored with the Hal David Starlight Award at the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala in New York. She was the second Black woman to receive the award, following Alicia Keys, who was honored in 2005.