As underground hip-hop in New Orleans continues to grow, it’s time to celebrate the artists and their music with the NOLA Underground Hip-Hop Awards, taking place Tuesday, October 19 from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Howlin’ Wolf. Winners in some categories will be chosen by panelists from the local hip-hop and media community (disclaimer: OffBeat is represented), while other categories will be determined by online public vote, including an open vote for the big prize, NOLA Artist of the Year.
The awards will be hosted by Shiny Green along with DJ Rqaway on turntables, and will feature live performances by many of the nominees, with a closing performance by native buzz-artist Jay Electronica. Special tributes will be given to two of local hip-hop’s deceased leaders: Soulja Slim and Bionik Brown, as well as the incarcerated rapper Mac. In addition, lifetime achievement awards will be given to some of New Orleans most prominent hip-hop DJs: the Psychoward DJs, Ice Mike, Wild Wayne, DJ Ro, and DJ Jubilee.
Event organizer/Traffic Boutique owner Lawrence Parker (who, under his alias CrackTracks, is up for the Producer of the Year award for his work crafting beats for Aquaforce, Kashflow, and others under his Supreme Street banner) said about his motivation for putting on the awards, “[New Orleans underground hip-hop] hasn’t been getting the light shined on it like it is supposed to. I see a lot of artists, I see how hard they work. I wanted to reach back and show the guys who have been putting in the work that I have respect for them and what they have being doing the last year or so.”
Presale tickets are available for $15. More details at nolaundergroundhiphopawards.blogspot.com.
The full list of nominees are as follows:
HOTTEST FEMALE ARTIST
Allie Baby
Bzy Bee
Ms. Tee
Na’Tee
TheSeKondElement
HOTTEST MALE ARTIST
Dappa
Dee-1
Impulss
Lyrikill
Nesby Phips
Truth Universal
HOTTEST GROUP
Aquaforce
Tha Cartel
I.C.U
TheSupremeTeam
TNC Boys
Tygah Woods
HOTTEST NEW ARTIST
A. Levy
KashFlow
Lil Dee
Lyriqs
Rico Got’em
Tacaloc
LYRICIST OF THE YEAR
Caligula
Impulss
K. Gates
Lyrikill
Lyriqs
Na’Tee
TheSeKondElement
The Show
Slangston Hughes
HUSTLER OF THE YEAR
Ben Brubaker
CurtStar
CrackTracks/Lawrence Parker
Holly Hobbs
“OnPoint” El Williams
Sess 4-5
Slangston Hughes
HOTTEST DJ OF THE YEAR
Black N Mild
DJ Chicken
DJ Def D
DJ RQAway
Tony Skratchere
Mike Swift
HOTTEST PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
CrackTracks
The Hut
N.O. Bricks
Prospek
Quest
S-80
HOTTEST BLOG OF THE YEAR
HOTTEST MIXTAPE OF THE YEAR
CrackTracks, Motivation 504
Dee-1, I Hope They Hear Me
Lil Dee, The Spokesman Vol. 1
Na’Tee, Guess Who’s Comin To Dinner
Nesby Phips, The B Side
The Show, D.O.B. (.zip)
HOTTEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR
K. Gates, The Shaikback
Impulss, Marie Laveaux’s Hustle
Monsta Beatz, Monstaz On Mars
The SeKondElement, The Kommencement
Truth Universal, Guerilla Business
Lyrikill, Heart & Sole
NOLA ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Caesar Parkway
Dee-1
Impulss
K. Gates
KashFlow
Lyrikill
Na’Tee
The SekondElement
The Show
Truth Universal
HOTTEST COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Caesar Parkway feat. Na’Tee — “Bite Ya”
Impulss feat. Nesby Phips — “Fly Talk”
Kashflow feat. Supreme Team — “Supreme Street”
Lil Dee feat. Snipe — “Never Let Go”
Mike Swift feat. 9th Ward Gucci & Na’Tee — “Back It Up”
Quest feat. PhatWord — “Dope”
Rico Got’em feat. Blair Taylor — “Can’t Hold Me Down”
TheSekondElement feat. Lyrikill — “Dead Or Alive”
Sess 4-5 feat. Ms. Tee — “Stingy”
Suave feat. Lyrikill & Caligula — “Don’t Sell Your Soul”
Tacaloc feat. TonToe, Na’Tee, Kendra Williams — “One Thing”
HOTTEST VIDEOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
B. Mike
Big Chance
Craig “Craigo” Carter
Film Junkies
Kevin Davis
Leagaux
Rome Julian
TNC Films
HOTTEST SONG OF THE YEAR
10 Finger Orchestra — “You Wanna Be Like Me”
A. Levy — “NOLA”
AquaForce — “Who the Fuck Are You”
J. Dubble — “1,2,3,4”
KashFlow — “Big City Dreams”
Lyriqs — “Amazing Dae”
Truth Universal — “The GrassRoots Campaign”
Tygah Woods — “Fuck Yeah”
Y. Luck — “Walkin’ Thru New Orleans”
HOTTEST BOUNCE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Big Freedia
Gotti Boy Chris
Magnolia Shorty
Monsta Wit Da Fade
Sissy Nobby
HOTTEST BOUNCE SONG OF THE YEAR
Big Freedia — “Rock Around The Clock”
Crowd Mova Krystal — “6th Ward Dumaine”
Kourtney Heart feat. Magnolia Shorty — “My Boy”
Magnolia Shorty — “Smoking Gun”
Monsta Wit Da Fade — “Hut Hut”
Sissy Nobby — “Beat It Out the Frame”
You can vote for the public-choice categories right here:
