London, Apr 1: U.S. music rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) honored the songwriters and publishers of Latin music's most-performed songs on U.S. radio and television at the 19th annual BMI Latin Music Awards on Saturday night at the Encore in Las Vegas.
American/Cuban rapper Armando Christian Perez, alias Pitbull, received the BMI President's Award in recognition of his influence on the entire music industry.
As the 2012 recipient, Pitbull joins an elite list of past honorees that includes Juanes, Kike Santander, Taylor Swift, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, and Willie Nelson. To celebrate, Pitbull treated attendees to a dynamic performance.
Pitbull returned to the stage to share the BMI Latin Songwriter of the Year win with Juan Luis Morena Luna “Wisin,” Llandel Veguilla Malav? “Yandel” and Espinoza Paz.
The four honorees reflect the diversity of modern Latin music, from Pitbull's chart-topping hip-hop and Wisin & Yandel's edgy reggaeton, to Espinoza Paz's soulful Regional Mexican compositions.
“Ni?a De Mi Coraz?n” earned BMI Latin Song of the Year for songwriter Horacio Palencia and Ferca Global Publishing. “Ni?a De Mi Coraz?n” was recorded by La Arrolladora Banda El Lim?n.
The event was hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Delia Orjuela, BMI Vice President, Latin Music.
BMI represents Latin songwriters based in the U.S. and around the globe through reciprocal agreements with sister performing right organizations in the songwriters' home countries.
