Soul legend Al Green is to receive a lifetime achievement prize at an award ceremony honouring black artists.
The Let's Stay Together star is to given the honour at the Black Entertainment TV (BET) awards in Los Angeles on June 24th while R 'n' B singer T-Pain is the most nominated artist, featuring in five categories.
The Buy U A Drank performer dominates the best collaboration category, featuring on three of the nominated tracks, namely Kanye West's Good Life, Flo Rida's Low and Chris Brown's Kiss Kiss.
His partnership with Brown is also up for the viewers' choice award while the video for Good Life is up against songs from Ashanti, Mary J Blige, Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys and UGF featuring Outkast.
According to BET executive vice president Stephen Hill, T-Pain "is everywhere".
"He's got five nominations, none of them for his own work," he was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.
"He's had a great year; he's introduced a new element," he added, in reference to T-Pain's trademark synthesised vocals.
The success of British singer Estelle's American Boy, which features a rapped cameo from West, looks to have translated across the Atlantic, with the 1980 star nominated in the best new artist category, alongside Flo Rida, Chrisette Michelle, The Dream and Soulja Boy.
West himself is nominated in three categories, include the best male hip-hop artist listing, in which he faces stiff competition from mentor Jay- and protege Common, as well as Lil Wayne and Snoop.
"Besides being the best black awards show that we have, also being one of the best awards show period, their ratings are through the roof," said Nelly, who like Mariah Carey and Blige, is set to perform on the night.
"They're tuning in - black, white, Japanese, Chinese - you got it, they're tuning in, which says a lot."
16/05/2008 10:47:01
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