The most anticipatesd Hip-hop event of the year is the 2006 Philippine Hip-hop music Awards. There are 13 major categories awaiting winners such as Rookie of the Year, Hip-hop Independent Artists of the Year, Best R&B Artist, Best Single, Best Album, Best Rap Artist and Best Group to name a few.

The awards will be held at The Premier THX Cinema in Makati City on March 4, 2006. Events starts at 6pm onwards. Aside from the main awarding ceremony and special performances by leading hip-hop artists, the event is jampacked with events such as beatboxing, graffiti, MCs, lowriders, bikini babes and several giveaways.

Opening Acts include Stick Figgas, Turbulence Productions, Los Indios Bravos, Nimbuss, Audible MCs, Ginn, Slik N Sly Kane, The Tuesday Troop & more surprise acts.

Artists set to be at the awards are Gloc 9, Greyhoundz, Pikaso, Mike Swift, Young Pic, Mobbstar/Dice & K9, RP, Dcoy, Lil Aikee, Mista Blaze, 7 Shots of Wisdom, Krazykyle, Anna Fegi, DJ Mike of Akafellas and more surprise guests and presentors.

Gloc 9, Rap Artist of the Year winner for last year's 1st Philippine Hip-hop Music Awards, is nominated again in the same category along with other nominees Pikaso, Jhego, R2D and Aikee.

The categories and nominations are submitted by the various major record labels in the Philippines in order to keep the Hip-Hop Awards as credible as possible. In most categories, an artist or group must have an album distributed out in the Philippine market to be a credible nominee. However, the award-giving body did come out with the independent artist(s) of the year award to give props to those struggling artist(s) who have not been signed yet.

Here are this year's nominees:

1. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Nimbus 9 (NY To PI)
- Aikee (Kahit Bata Pa Ko)


2. HIP-HOP INDEPENDENT ARTIST(S) OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Turbulence Productions
- Audible MCs
- 3yo Dorobo
- Kamandag Ng Marikina
- Crazy As Pinoy
- Stick Figgas
- Kaponan Ni Batute
- Ill-pride


3. CLUB DJ OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- DJ Shorty
- DJ Jam Masta
- DJ Scratchmark
- DJ Sir Scratch
- DJ Kimozave
- DJ Ace
- DJ Badboy Jeff
- DJ Mars
- DJ Jon Herrera


4. VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- My Love: Mocha
- Tignan Mo: Pikaso
- Kahit Bata Pa Ko: Aikee
- You Make Me Sing: Jasmine Trias
- Shake: Mobbstarr (Dice & K9)
- Reach For The Stars: Francis M. & Pikaso


5. REGGAE ARTIST(S) OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Brownman Revival
- Jr Kilat
- Peace Pipes
- Boy 2 Quizon


6. ALBUM PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- B-Roc (The B-Sides Album)
- Francis M. (Rappublic Vol.2)
- Dice (Mobbstarr)
- Gloc9 (Amir)
- DJ Bell (Bridge)
- Pikaso (Portrait of a Masterpiece)


7. R&B GROUP OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- 6th Day
- South Border
- U-Turn
- Akafellas
- 604

8. MALE R&B ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Jay R
- Jerome John Hughes


9. FEMALE R&B ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Mocha
- Karylle
- Jasmine Trias
- Sheree


10. GROUP OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Ghost 13
- Kamandag Ng Marikina
- Konigs
- Salbakuta
- Mobbstarr
- 3Yo Dorobo


11. ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Rappublic Vol.2
- Amir
- Aikee: Ang Bawat Bata
- Bridge
- Noypi: Jhego
- Ako Si...: Gloc9
- Pang Romansa Espesyal: Salbakuta


12. SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Nominees:
- Tignan Mo - Pikas0
- My Love - Mocha
- Ang Bawat Bata - Aikee
- Say U Love Me - Krazykyle
- Reach For The Stars - Francis M. & Pikaso
- Shake - Mobbstarr
- H20 - Kamandag Ng Marikina
- Doon Lang- 3Yo Dorobo Featuring Sisa

13. RAP ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Gloc 9
- Pikaso
- Jhego
- R2D
- Aikee


People can also vote online for their favorite artists and songs by visiting http://www.empireentertainment.tk and filling up the form.
Tickets are available at the gate and at Odyssey Record outlets or call 719-3925 for more details.