Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette Hip-hop legend Mele Mel, left, of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and Pittsburgh disc jockey Sly Jock, right, receive applause during the Pittsburgh Hip-Hop Awards last night at the Hilton Pittsburgh, Downtown. Click photo for larger image.

Awards shows tend to be stuffy affairs with conservative dress, boring speeches, lots of down time and everyone in their seats.

But when you have new school, old school, b-boys, beatboxes and legendary MCs in the house, it can't be anything but a party.

That's what the stylish people got last night at the first Pittsburgh Hip-Hop Awards at the Hilton Pittsburgh.

The awards presentations were set to start at 7 p.m., but by about 10, not a single award had been given, but the stage was rockin' with one performance after another by the likes of Tuffy Tuff, Da Sinate, The Suspects, DJ Nick Nice, the Caution Crew, Duece Poppi and the guest of honor, Mele Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Mele Mel made an appropriately grand entrance with a cadre of female hostesses pulling off his lime green vest to reveal his bulging pecs. Then, the new inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame brought the house down with the song that made him famous, "The Message."

He had everyone singing along, including best male artist and lyricist Wiz Khalifa.

"I've known that song forever," Khalifa said. "It's one of the first songs I knew all the words to. That was history in the making."

Although Mele Mel and co-host Paradise the Architect, a pair of New York hip-hop pioneers, may have been representin' the "212," they knew this night was about the "412." Mele Mel told the packed house of rappers, friends and fans: "If New York can do it, Pittsburgh can do it. If LA can do it, Pittsburgh can do it. If St. Louis can do it," he said with a laugh, "Pittsburgh can do it!"

Along with the winners of the online voting, the awards paid tribute to Pittsburgh pioneers, including Sly Jock, Stan Tha Man, Paradise, Tuffy Tuff, Mel-Man and Nick Nice.

Nice told the crowd, "You don't last as long as we do by hatin'. Spread the love."

Here are the winners:

Male artist: Wiz Khalifa.
Female artist: Baby Sis.
Duo or group: The Govament.
Producer: E-Rock.
Lyricists of the Year: Wiz Khalifa.
Mover and Shaker Award: Meanstreet Ent.
Mix-tape Solo: Joe Beast.
Mix-tape Group: Matt Dillinger -- Assault Series.
Best Hip-Hop Record Store: 720.
Best Hip-Hop Clothing Store: Timebomb.
Best Hip-Hop Video: Dat Deal DVD.
Best B-boy: Ambition.
Best Graffiti Artist: Mook.
Best Inspirational Artist: Scribe.
Recording Studio: I.D. Labs.
Club DJ: Schizo.
Radio Personality: J Kruz.
Best Hip-Hop Web Site: Cravedemboyz.com.
Concert/Party Promoter: Fab 5 Ent.
Best Athlete (pro): Charlie Batch.
Best Athlete (college): Darrell Revis.
Best Athlete (high school): Dejuan Blair.