US rap star TI took three awards at the inaugural BET Hip Hop Awards, held in Atlanta at the weekend. The rapper, nominated for eight awards, won those for Best CD and Best Hip Hop Video as well as receiving an MVP Of The Year honour, whatever that is. Oh, okay, I just looked it up on Wikipedia. MVP is short for Most Valuable Player and it seems to mostly relate to sport. Anyway, TI clearly felt that his wins were significant in terms of bigging up southern US rap, saying: "You can't hate on hard work and talent. This awards show will show people a lot about where I come from."
Grandmaster Flash was also honoured at the ceremony with the I Am Hip Hop Icon Award, which he was quite pleased about. Accepting his award, he told the audience: "To get an award for my technological ability means a whole lot more than anything else I've accomplished in my life."
UK rapper Sway got the award for Best UK act, as voted for by MTV Base viewers and BBC 1Xtra listeners - but you knew that was going to happen, of course, because we already reported on it.