The Soul Train Awards is an annual American award show which honours the best in Black music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of Soul Train, the program from which it takes its name, and features musical performances by various R&B and hip-hop music recording artists interspersed throughout the ceremonies.
The Soul Train Awards voting body includes active professionals in the fields of radio programming and music retail and management and recording artists with records that have charted in designated music trade publications in the year prior to proceedings.
The 2012 Soul Train Awards took place on 8 November 2012 and were filmed for broadcast on BET worldwide. They aired in the USA on BET and Centric on Sunday 25 November, 2012.
The 2012 Soul Train Awards originally aired in South Africa on TopTV's BET channel on Saturday 16 March 2013, at 22h00.
The 2012 Soul Train Awards aired on SABC1 on Saturday 31 August 2013, at 20h00. The special was an hour long.
About the Awards
The awards were first launched in 1987 and tribute the best in black entertainment and music in the categories of R&B, soul, rap, jazz, and gospel.
They've happened annually since 1987, except for in 2008, when they were postponed for various reasons, including the Hollywood writers strike which resulted in the derailing of various shows and ceremonies.
It is produced by the makers of Soul Train, the program from which it takes its name, and features musical performances by various R&B and Soul recording artists interspersed throughout the ceremonies.
The special traditionally used to air in either February, March or April, but now airs the last weekend of November (in most years, Thanksgiving weekend).
The Soul Train Awards voting body includes active professionals in the fields of radio programming and music retail and management and recording artists with records that have charted in designated music trade publications in the year prior to proceedings.
Past hosts for the show include such R&B luminaries as Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Will Smith, Vanessa Williams, Gladys Knight and Cedric the Entertainer.
The Soul Train Award trophy has featured an African ceremonial mask since its 1987 introduction.