BET Networks Heads Back to Atlanta for the Fifth Annual HIP HOP AWARDS 2010 and the Nominees are in...

The Elements Will Ignite As Comedian Mike Epps Returns to Host Hip Hop's Most Exciting Night At the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta on Saturday, October 2 and Premieres on BET Tuesday, October 12 at 8:00 p.m.*

Legendary Rapper Jay Z Receives The Highest Number of Nominations in The BET HIP HOP AWARDS History With 10 Nods Across Eight Categories

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 -- The fifth annual BET HIP HOP AWARDS '10 returns and the chemistry will be explosive. Celebrating the biggest names in the game, newcomers on the scene, and shining a light on the community, THE BET HIP HOP AWARDS '10 is ready to salute the best of the best in hip hop culture. Back for a second round of show stopping tributes and fiery performances; host, actor and comedian Mike Epps is ready to lead hip hop's main event from the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta on Saturday, October 2 with the network premiere on Tuesday, October 12th at 8:00 p.m.*

Voted on by an academy of music industry insiders and media members, the BET HIP HOP AWARDS '10 nominations are in. Released yesterday on BET.com and announced on 106 & PARK, hip hop heavy weight, Jay Z leads the 2010 nominations list with 10 nominations and breaks the BET HIP HOP AWARDS record for highest number of nominations in the history of the five year old awards show. This year, Young Money's Drake follows behind with eight nominations, and Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj tie with seven nominations each. For the complete BET HIP HOP AWARDS '10 nominees list and categories please visit www.bet.com/hiphopawards.

Now that the nominees are in, viewers will also have an opportunity to be a part of the action by visiting www.bet.com/hiphopawards to learn about two exciting BET HIP HOP AWARDS '10 interactive elements:

Verizon People's Champ Award: an award presented in the show; determined by online & mobile voters.

DefJam Rapstar presents BET.com Hot 16: a competition where aspiring rappers can upload their rhymes (16 bars) to a beat provided by producers Cool & Dre for a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to the BET HIP HOP AWARDS '10.

*For official contest rules and deadlines please visit www.bet.com/hiphopawards

This year, BET once again teams up with Cossette Productions, the famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards� and the record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast. Stephen G. Hill, BET President, Music and Programming, along with Lynne Harris-Taylor, BET Vice President of Specials, are executive producers of the telecast.

Tickets for THE BET HIP HOP AWARDS '10 are by invite only and not available for purchase.

*All times ET/PT

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.