The 2021 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards brought together the urban music community on ASCAP’s socials for a virtual celebration of the music that helped us through a year like no other. The songwriters of last year’s biggest R&B, hip-hop and gospel hits gave us a peek behind the curtain with exclusive acceptance videos, photos and other surprises, all shot in the homes and studios where they make their music magic every day.

We kicked off the three-day celebration by honoring music heroes Swizz Beatz, Timbaland & D-Nice with the ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award, followed by an uplifting discussion about how they developed Verzuz & Club Quarantine to empower the community during the pandemic; the trio answered questions submitted by the ASCAP Experience community, too. The exclusive goodies continued on day 2, when Songwriter of the Year Lil Baby treated us to a performance of his anthem “The Bigger Picture.” Both events were presented in partnership with YouTube.

Other highlights included a video interview with LeToya Luckett (a winner for "Playing Games"); an in memoriam segment celebrating the life and legacy of DMX; and a tour of the SoSo Def studio led by megaproducer Jermaine Dupri (a winner for "Come Thru" and "Slide"). 

We closed out this year’s Awards by dancing in our home offices to a special Club Quarantine afterparty, hosted by D-Nice on Instagram Live @dnice. It was the best possible way to end an uncommonly inspiring ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards week.