Hip-Hop Awards Show Ends Abruptly

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) â€” UPN will broadcast a rap music awards show next week even though the glittery hip-hop celebration was cut short by a bottle-throwing brawl. <br><br>Only three performances and

Thursday, August 24th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) â€” UPN will broadcast a rap music awards show next week even though the glittery hip-hop celebration was cut short by a bottle-throwing brawl.

Only three performances and a handful of awards were announced before The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 2000 was shut down by fights. Some witnesses said some involved members of various rap groups, although police could not immediately confirm that.

``This is not a reflection of what hip-hop is really all about,'' rapper Coolio said. ``Hip-hop is really about all the people coming together.''

The show, sponsored by The Source magazine, mingled rap stars such as Grammy Award-winner Dr. Dre with mainstream celebrities. About 2,500 people were inside Pasadena Civic Auditorium, including U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, basketball star Shaquille O'Neal and boxing promoter Don King.

There were no arrests and no injuries, police said.

UPN said it will broadcast the show on Aug. 29 as scheduled. New scenes will be taped to include awards that were not presented, said Patti McTeague, a network spokeswoman.

``It's an undertaking that we're willing to make,'' she said.

UPN broadcast the show for the first time last year, and it produced the highest ratings the network had ever drawn for a Friday night.

``The Source does not condone violence of any kind and over the years has worked hard to dispel negative images associated with hip-hop,'' the magazine's founder and publisher, David Mays, said in a statement.

Dr. Dre was the big winner at the awards show, garnering honors for solo artist of the year, album of the year (``Dr. Dre 2001'') and producer of the year (with Mel-Man). Dr. Dre and Ice Cube received lifetime achievement awards.