Will.I.AM Creates Award Show for DJs

The art of DJing has always been a key element in hip-hop and Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am has created an awards show to pay respect to those putting it down on the Ones and Twos. On Jan. 30, the eve of the Grammy Awards, Will.I.Am will launch The Data Awards to honor the work of club DJs.

"There's a lot of things going on in music nowadays; record stores falling, the internet ... One of the most important factors in this is that the DJs and artists are still very much alive," Will.I.Am said at a recent press conference. "During Grammy week we are celebrating and honoring the DJ by announcing the Data Awards and giving them the top awards. We're starting off small with four awards: Best DJ, Best DJ Solo/Group, Best Remix and Best Original Track. I'm really excited about that."

The Data Awards will be part of a week of fundraising events put together by Will.I.Am. Also scheduled is an art exhibition titled Who Killed The Music?

The proceeds from the sale of the artwork will be contributed to the Grammy Foundation and Will's 'I AM' scholarship fund for cash-strapped students.