Season 25
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.
2012 Awards
Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer and taped at Planet Hollywood Live, Las Vegas, USA on 8 November 2012, the Soul Train Awards 2012 featured unforgettable performances by music legends Stevie Wonder, Eddie Levert and Charlie Wilson, as well as contemporary artists of today channeling classic soul icons of yesterday.
Epic Records recording artist Leah Labelle brought down the house with her flawless performance of Teena Marie's Square Biz, Grammy Award-winner Fantasia embodied the Queen of Soul with her rendition of the Aretha Franklin classic Don't Play That Song For Me, while Anthony Hamilton belted Bill Withers' Lovely Day, and The Voice USA season 1 winner Marcus Canty tore up the stage with his take on Luther Vandross' Never Too Much.
Other artists and nominees taking to the stage of the Soul Train Awards 2012 included three-time nominee Miguel, performing Adorn, Ne-Yo, who wowed with his single Let Me Love You and Best R&B/Soul Female Artist nominee Keyshia Cole, who performed her single Trust and Believe.
Tyrese, who performed his Song of the Year-nominated hit Stay; 2012 Best New Artist nominee Elle Varner, who sang a remix version of her single Refill with a human beatbox; and two-time nominee John Legend, who performed his Song of the Year-nominated smash Tonight (Best you Ever Had).
Bringing southern hip-hop to the Soul Train Awards 2012 stage was two-time Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year nominee, 2 Chainz, who performed a crowd-pleasing medley of his hits Birthday Song and I'm Different, not to mention a special duet of Ghetto Dreams with Charlie Wilson.
Closing out the show was none other than the 8th Wonder of the World, Stevie Wonder, who delivered a roof-lifting medley of his hits including Superstition and Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours.
New Edition - particularly Bobby Brown - gave a tear-inducing acceptance speech during the group's much-anticipated and well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award presentation.
The sextet later returned to the stage for a very special crowd-pleasing performance of their hits Candy Girl, Telephone Man, and If It Isn't Love.
Among the guest presenters at the Soul Train Awards were long-time Academy Awards host, actor and comedian Billy Crystal, Donny and Marie Osmond, Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, Las Vegas comedic icon George Wallace, basketball legend Magic Johnson, hit-making songwriter and producer Jimmy Jam, Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham, Tamar Braxton, 2012 Best New Artist nominee Luke James and radio personality Tom Joyner.
Additional memorable moments included: Charlie Wilson showing Cedric the Entertainer how to romance a woman; Eddie Levert singing Casanova; and the super group TGT, composed of Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese.
2012 Winners
Best New Artist
Elle Varner
Emeli Sandé
J. Cole
Luke James
Robert Glasper
Centric Award
Daley
Esperanza Spalding
Gary Clark, Jr.
Leah LaBelle
Santigold
Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year
2 Chainz (featuring Drake) – "No Lie"
Wale (featuring Miguel) – "Lotus Flower Bomb"
Nas – "Daughters"
Kanye West (featuring Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz) – "Mercy"
Young Jeezy (featuring Ne-Yo) – "Leave You Alone"
Best R&B/Soul Female Artist
Beyoncé
Estelle
Keyshia Cole
Mary J. Blige
Fantasia
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Miguel
Robin Thicke
Trey Songz
Tyrese
Usher
Album of the Year
Eric Benét – The One
Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
Nas – Life Is Good
R. Kelly – Write Me Back
Usher – Looking 4 Myself
Song of the Year
Estelle – "Thank You"
John Legend (featuring Ludacris) – "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)"
Trey Songz – "Heart Attack"
Tyrese – "Stay"
Usher – "Climax"
Wale (featuring Miguel) – "Lotus Flower Bomb"
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award
Estelle – "Thank You"
John Legend (featuring Ludacris) – "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)"
Nas – "Daughters"
R. Kelly – "Share My Love"
Usher – "Climax"
Best Dance Performance
Beyoncé – "Love on Top"
Chris Brown – "Turn Up the Music"
Nicki Minaj – "Starships"
Rihanna – "Where Have You Been"
Usher – "Scream"
Best Caribbean Performance
Cover Drive – Bajan Style
Damian Marley – SuperHeavy
Jimmy Cliff – Rebirth
Matisyahu – Spark Seeker
Sean Paul – Tomahawk Technique
Best International Performance
Amy Winehouse – "Our Day Will Come"
Daley (featuring Marsha Ambrosius) – "Alone Together"
Emeli Sandé – "Next to Me"
Estelle – "Thank You"
Gotye (featuring Kimbra) – "Somebody That I Used to Know"
Rebecca Ferguson – "Nothing's Real but Love"
Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group
Chris Botti – Impressions
Kenny Garrett – Seeds from the Underground
Melody Gardot – The Absence
Robert Glasper – Black Radio (tie)
Tony Bennett – Isn't It Romantic (tie)
Best Contemporary Jazz Artist/Group
Ben Tankard – Full Tank
Brian Culbertson – Dreams
Cassandra Wilson – Another Country
Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society
Peter White – Here We Go
Lifetime Achievement Award
New Edition
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.