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2007 OKP Music Award Winners, Kweli & Jean Get In The Mood, Lupe’s Ice Cold, 2003 Rap Up, ?uesto X JB in Philly.

• You helped pick the nominees, then you voted for your favorites, and now… here are the winners of the 2007 Okayplayer Music Awards. Common came out on top winning 4 awards including Album of the Year and MVP of the Year - Hip Hop. Amy Winehouse came away on top with MVP, Rookie, and Album of the Year - R&B/Soul and also ran off with the “The Crazier Than A Fish With Titties Award.” (We had to do it but thank you for a great album and tons of entertainment this year!) We could sit here all day and list all the winners and runner-ups but why don’t you just click the link. Shout out to everyone nominated, we are huge fans.

• Last night, Jean Grae and Talib Kweli turned it out at the Blacksmith “In the Mood” party at Midway in NYC. These two dynamos brought a ton of energy to the stage, gettin’ the booties shaking, hands waving, and heads nodding. Word on the street is that this event will become a mainstay in the Blacksmith repertoire, so if you missed it this time, don’t make the same mistake twice! We ran into Kweli a bunch this week. First at his show Tuesday, then DJ Bev Bond’s bday on Wednesday, and last night. He wanted to know what prize he won for taking home Hip Hop Album Of The Year. Scroll up, son! Kwe and Jean would like to remind you that every year is the year of the Blacksmith. BIG things popping for 2008 with that crew.

• Lupe’s The Cool is on FIRE! (errr) It’s been reported that the joint is already expected to out perform Food & Liquor’s first week, bringing in an estimated 150-160k in sales. Daaamn Lupe! If you still haven’t hit up the record store for the album, and need a little more motivation, click here to watch the superstar rock Chicago’s House of Blues with his new band, compliments of AOL. These next kids must have been good this year as they get a chance to play CRS (Child Rebel Soldiers, aka Kanye, Pharrell & Lupe) in this unofficial video for “Us Placers.” Thank you Santa (and Va$htie)! We promise, no more bad “cool” jokes in 2008. Cold as ice!

• The Countdown to this year’s Rap Up from Skillz continues backward to 2003. Listen to the “Rap Up ‘03″ in Real Audio. There is one more left, the original 2002 “Rap Up” over Common and the Neptune’s “Come Close.” Check back next week for that and soon thereafter for the biggest event in Rap Up history.

• This Christmas eve Little Brother is <a href=”http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=1512274&mesg_id=1512274&page=
“>taking over XM Satellite Radio’s Subsoniq (XM ch.43, Direct TV 831). Listen and hear Pooh and Phonte play some of the worst hip-hop and r&b songs known to man (oooh goodie!) and talk smack about life on the road. Be forewarned, there may be some Santa talk as well.

• NYC, get your tix to see Cody ChestnuTT this Saturday. Cody will be at the Paul Robeson theater in Fort Greene, a very special space, for <a href=”http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=3&topic_id=163208&mesg_id=163208&page=
“>two shows in one night! Even if you can’t shake the Cody song “Bitch, I’m Broke” from your life’s soundtrack right now, this is a deal at only 15 bones. See you there?

• Philly, Saturday night boogie down with DJ ?uesto and DJ Mike Nyce at Fluid for a James Brown tribute. Get on that good foot!

-okpdan