The Latest: Kendrick Lamar wins lyricist of the year

ATLANTA (AP) - The Latest on the 11th annual BET Hip-Hop Awards near Atlanta (all times local):

7:45 p.m.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar took home Lyricist of the Year at the 11th annual BET Hip-Hop Awards.

After claiming his award, Lamar continued to praise Snoop Dogg - recipient of the "I Am Hip Hop" award on Saturday night at the Cobb Energy Performing Centre near Atlanta. The rapper also told the crowd music is one of the best ways to bring people together, and thanked BET for putting together the show.

Fat Joe and Remy Ma won Track of the Year award for their song "All the Way Up." The Hustler of the Year honor went to DJ Khaled, and Best New Hip-Hop Artist was earned by Chance the Rapper, who was not in attendance.

Rapper Desiigner closed out the show with "Timmy Turner."

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7:15 p.m.

Rapper T.I. and several others offered passionate statements against police brutality of African-Americans at the 11th annual BET Hip-Hop Awards.

Wearing all black, T.I. performed his politically charged song "We Will Not" as a stage full of people sporting the same dark attire held up "Black Lives Matter" signs at the Cobb Energy Performing Centre near Atlanta. The rapper said he was motivated to write the song after hearing about a series of deaths of unarmed black people who were shot by police including Sandra Bland and Philando Castile.

Rapper Big K.R.I.T. and Lecrae, a Christian rapper, expressed their thoughts on the matter through their own poems and radio host Sway Calloway stood alongside Khaled and said "we're at war." Actor Shameik Moore encouraged people to cast their vote.

T.I. said at the end of his performance that blacks should unite adding that "they can't kill us all."

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This version of The Latest corrects the title of the song performed by T.I.

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6:15 p.m.

Snoop Dogg, the ultra-smooth West Coast rapper, received the "I Am Hip Hop" award at the 11th annual BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar introduced Snoop Dogg in front of a packed crowd at the Cobb Energy Performing Centre near Atlanta. Lamar said Snoop Dogg "paved a way into many hearts" with his authentic rap flow and infectious persona.

When Snoop Dogg accepted his award, he said he felt misunderstood at the beginning of his career and made feel-good music for listeners.

Snoop Dogg broke through under the guidance of hit maker Dr. Dre, releasing his 1993 debut album "Doggystyle," which featured the songs "Gin and Juice" and "What's My Name?" He went on to produce a number of hits from "Drop It Like It's Hot," ''Beautiful" and "Sensual Seduction."

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5 p.m.

Rapper Gucci Mane, recently released from prison, was the first to hit the stage at the 11th annual BET Hip-Hop Awards.

Gucci Mane performed four songs, kicking his set off with "First Day Out" and "First Day Out Tha Feds" during the performance at the Cobb Energy Performing Centre near Atlanta. The rapper was released in late May from a Federal Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana.

He served a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated assault for attacking a fan at an Atlanta nightclub. That sentence ran concurrently with a 39-month federal sentence he was given in 2014 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

First-time host DJ Khaled followed with "Holy Key" with soul singer Betty Wright and a choir dressed in gold. The show will air on BET on Oct. 4.

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3:15 a.m.

Snoop Dogg hosted the BET Hip-Hop Awards for three straight years.

Now, the ultra-smooth West Coast rapper will be honored with the "I Am Hip Hop" award during BET's 11th annual award show Saturday. The event will be videotaped at the Cobb Energy Performing Centre near Atlanta. The show will air on BET on Oct. 4.

DJ Khaled will host the awards with performances by T.I., Gucci Mane, Young Thug and Desiigner.

Snoop Dogg broke through under the guidance of hit maker Dr. Dre, releasing his 1993 debut album "Doggystyle," which featured the songs "Gin and Juice" and "What's My Name?"

For the third straight year, rapper Drake dominated the nominees with 14 nominations. There are 18 categories in total. Other nominees include Future, Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre.