Lil Wayne Wins Four Billboard Music Awards

Lil Wayne was the big hip-hop winner at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, which aired live on ABC from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday night (May 20).

Weezy earned a total of four Awards, including Top Male Artist, Top Rap Artist and Top Rap Album for his Tha Carter IV. The fourth Award came for Top R&B Song for his featured guest appearance on Kelly Rowland’s seductive track, “Motivation.”

But Weezy wasn’t the only member of the YMCMB family to earn a Billboard Music Award. Young Money princess Nicki Minaj won an Award in the Top Streaming Song category for her smash hit, “Super Bass.”

Wiz Khalifa got the nod for Top New Artist, a light moment coming when Award presenter Miley Cyrus reminding him to thank his fiancé, Amber Rose.

The night also included Cee-Lo Green and his Goodie Mob partners—all wearing white Adidas tracksuits—taking the stage and performing the Beastie Boys classic “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)” as a tribue to fallen Beastie’s member Adam “MCA” Yauch, who died after a three-year bout with cancer on May 4.

The 2012 show also included a tribute to Whitney Houston.

Although Weezy was hip-hop’s big winner, singer Adele was the overall top Award getter. She scored a whopping 12 Awards, including Top Artist and Top Billboard 200 Album. Pop group LMFAO took home six awards.

Billboard determined its winners by chart performance and social and streaming activity of the artists during an eligibility period of March 1, 2011 through February 29, 2012.—Jakinder Singh