2008 Pittsburgh Hip Hop Awards Winners List and News Article

THE 2ND ANNUAL PITTSBURGH HIP HOP AWARDS
PITTSBURGH VOTED FOR THE BEST IN 33 CATEGORIES

By Staff Writer Ashley G. Woodson
For Brotha Ash Productions
Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Once again the Pittsburgh Hip Hop Awards were phenomenal and historical. Before we talk about the actual event, we need to go back to the Pre-Hip Hop Awards event which was held at Club DeJaVu in the Strip District. The artist really came out and shined this night and had the crowd hyped. Hip Hop Phenomenon "JOE BEATZ" from the H.I. L.L. ripped the stage apart and then B-FLAMES did his thing and a few others performed that evening. There was the Pre-Hip Hop Awards event which GQ from WAMO 106.7FM was on the 1's and 2's, then there was the main event at the Hilton Hotel where DJ Schizo held it down on the wheels of steel and finally their was the "After Party" which was held at Club Krobar in the Strip District where DJ BLAKK STEEL aka "Money Well Spent" from WAMO 106.7FM was on the 1's and 2's. Brotha Ash Productions was there to cover all three events because that's how we do it. YOU KNOW!!! Throughout the whole weekend, I was not feeling well at all, but I couldn't miss the biggest event of the year. Now I'm going to concentrate on getting better since it's over.

Now let's move on to the main event: The 2nd Annual Pittsburgh Hip Hop Awards. Everyone came out to celebrate and honor Hip Hop artist, models, journalist and so much more. Comedian Chris "The Crowd Pleaser" started the show off and had the audience laughing while DJ Schizo was on the 1's and 2's doing what he does best.

The host was Paradise Gray of X-Clan and One Hood and we could not have done it without Dwayne Muhammad of 360 Entertainment. You could tell that they wanted to keep it "412" because they brought in Sam Sneed (Pittsburgh Hip Hop Legend). There were so many record labels from different cities in the building that were definitely paying attention to the artist. The good thing about this awards show and the process of being nominated was that you could only vote once verses being able to vote over and over again. Each vote was solely by the public to ensure the winners were legit.

Wiz Khalifa took home "Best Male of the Year" and Owey grabbed "Best New Artist/Group of the Year". Brotha Ash Productions won for the "Best Web Site of the Year" and we are very proud that the public voted for us. There were no losers because their were 33 categories this year and everyone got a chance to get their shine on. The show was long, but everyone was able to represent and that is the way 360 Entertainment wanted it. Stay tuned for next year's award show because it's only going to get bigger and better.

This event was so positive, groundbreaking and historical that it had everyone hyped. Check out what some people had to say about the awards show this year.

Dwayne Muhammad & Paradise Gray

Paradise: WE DID IT AGAIN - OH NO!!! We need to celebrate these young people and their great accomplishments. Everyday we see see the negative things going on TV, but we understand who our people are. We celebrate their blackness and we got their backs.

Darnell Drewery and Reverend Cornell Jones

Cornell: I think it's a blessing. It's a chance for our talent to be all over the place and across the world. We have to get cats to start working together. Darnell: I thinks it's positive thing and it encourages the brothas and sistas that's doing their thing in the industry and keep it real

Peachie (Wiz Khalifa's Hip Hop Mother)

I'm so excited about the 2nd Annual Pittsburgh Hip Hop Awards. The participation is going to be so awesome and I'm excited about the new artist and of course I'm excited about my son "Wiz Khalifa" who is nominated in 5 categories. I hope he wins them all.

Chris McNeal from Attic Records

It's a positive energy to Pittsburgh and it's a real good look for the city.

Kent Bey

I think it brings a lot of positive opportunities for the artist in the region. That is also something that the Royal Tribe Music Company is also about. We support Dwayne Muhammad and 360 Entertainment 100%

Sole Vibe (Mario)

It's really important. It's not too many cities that have real talent like this that can put on an award show like this and have it be credible. In five years, I think the major cities will definitely be checking on Pittsburgh artist to be apart their labels.

Cynik Lethal

It's a sense of unity. It's brings all of these local artist together and puts them in the same room where as we might encounter each other at all. We will all at some point start doing collaborations and working together.

GQ FROM WAMO 106.7FM

Hopefully it will definitely put us on the map. We have a lot of out of town people in the building and we are definitely doing our own thing.

Eddie Barnz

Happy to be here and basically they have everybody down there. It's letting everyone know that we
can do something positive. It will help R&B, Hip Hop artist and everyone.

ALSO CHECK OUT THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ON THE LYNN HAYES-FREELAND SHOW
WITH DWAYNE MUHAMMAD & PARADISE GRAY PART1 & PART2
SOME PHOTOS USED ON THE LYNN HAYES-FREELAND SHOW
OF THE 2008 PITTSBURGH HIP HOP AWARDS
ARE COURTESY OF BROTHA ASH PRODUCTIONS