Eminem, OutKast Tap Source

As nominations for this year's Source Hip-Hop Awards were announced Tuesday, with Eminem and OutKast leading the field with five nods apiece, the bigger news was organizers vowing to keep the 2001 ceremony fight-free.

Last year's show was cut short, when a melee involving several artists broke out during the ceremony. The year before, the awards, which honor the best in rap and hip-hop, were marred when police were forced to break up an after-party that got out of hand.

Hoping to dispel the bad press the awards got last year, Source magazine founder David Mays says he's revamping the show. He's hired the Fruit of Islam security firm to handle security and plans on reducing the number of invitees by 1,500 people. He's also moving the show from Los Angeles to Miami. Mays has also hired influential music video director Hype Williams to head the creative team, which is charged with injecting some much needed juice into the live performances.

"I think most people came to last year's show with good intentions, and if not for the actions for a very small group, we wouldn't even be talking about it," Mays tells the Associated Press.

If only that were the case. The Source Awards got such a bad rap that Def Jam founder Russell Simmons kicked off his Hip-Hop Summit in New York on the same day Source announced the nominations. The conference, organized to address the current state of Hip-Hop nation, partly came as a response to last year's disastrous ceremony, which drew criticism for reinforcing the stereotype that rap and violence go hand in hand. Mays is participating in the event.

As for the nominees, the real Slim Shady scored nods for Solo Artist of the Year, Best Album (The Marshall Mathers LP), Single ("Stan"), Video ("Stan") and Lyricist. OutKast shined with nods for Group Artist of the Year, Single (for the soulful "Ms. Jackson"), Video ("Bombs Over Baghdad") and Live Performer.

Other artists scoring multiple nods include Snoop Dogg, who snagged four nominations, and Jay-Z, who took three.

Hip-hop vet LL Cool J has been tapped as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

The awards will air on UPN on August 28.

Here's a complete rundown on this year's nominees:

ALBUM: Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP Jay-Z, The Dynasty of Roc La Familia Nelly, Country Grammar Snoop Dogg, Tha Last Meal OutKast, Stankonia MOP, Warriorz

SINGLE: Ja Rule featuring Lil' Mo, "Put It On Me" Mystikal, "Shake Ya Ass" Eminem, "Stan" OutKast, "Ms. Jackson" Nelly, "Country Grammar" Ludacris, "Southern Hospitality"

ARTIST (SOLO): Jay-Z Snoop Dogg Ja Rule Eminem Eve

ARTIST (GROUP): OutKast MOP Wu-Tang Clan Three 6 Mafia Cash Money Millionaires

NEW ARTIST: Nelly Ludacris Lil' Bow Wow Trina Shyne

PRODUCER: Neptunes Dr. Dre Rockwilder Timbaland Mannie Fresh

R&B ARTISTS: R. Kelly Jill Scott Carl Thomas Musiq Joe

LYRICIST: Eminem Jay-Z Scarface Prodigy Talib Kweli

LIVE PERFORMER: Mystikal OutKast Snoop Dogg Xzibit Trick Daddy

VIDEO: OutKast, "Bombs Over Baghdad" (director: David Myers) Eminem, "Stan" (directors: Philip Atwell & Dr. Dre) Snoop Dogg, "Snoop Dogg" (director: Chris Robinson) De La Soul featuring Redman, "Oooh" (director: Jeff Richter) Lil' Kim featuring Sisqó, "How Many Licks" (director: Francis Lawrence)