1996 Soul Train Music Awards
The 1996 Soul Train Music Awards was held on March 29, 1996, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The show honored the best in R&B, soul, rap, jazz, and gospel music from the previous year. The show was hosted by Brandy, LL Cool J and Anita Baker.
Special awards
Heritage Award for Career Achievement
- '''Patti LaBelle'''
Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year
- '''Boyz II Men'''
Winners and nominees
Winners are in bold text.R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Male
D'Angelo – Brown Sugar- * 'Michael Jackson' – HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
- * Quincy Jones – Q's Jook Joint
- * Brian McKnight – ''I Remember You''
R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Female
Mary J. Blige – My Life- * Mariah Carey – Daydream
- * Faith Evans – Faith
- * Monica – ''Miss Thang''
R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Group, Band or Duo
- TLC – CrazySexyCool
- *Jodeci – The Show, the After Party, the Hotel
- *Solo – Solo
- *''Xscape – Off the Hook''
Best R&B/Soul Single – Male
D'Angelo – "Brown Sugar"- * Michael Jackson – "You Are Not Alone"
- * Montell Jordan – "This Is How We Do It"
- * Seal – "Kiss from a Rose"
Best R&B/Soul Single – Female
Whitney Houston – "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"- * Mary J. Blige – "I'm Going Down"
- * Brandy – "Brokenhearted"
- * Monica – "Like This Like That/"Before You Walk Out Of My Life"
Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band, or Duo
TLC – "Waterfalls"- * Boyz II Men – "Water Runs Dry"
- * Groove Theory – "Tell Me"
- * Jodeci – "Love U 4 Life"
R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year
The Notorious B.I.G. – "One More Chance"- * Whitney Houston – "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"
- * Method Man – "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By"
- * TLC – "Waterfalls"
Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video
TLC – "Waterfalls"- * Coolio – "Gangsta's Paradise"
- * Dr. Dre – "Keep Their Heads Ringin'"
- * Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson – "Scream"
Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
D'AngeloBest Rap Album
2Pac – Me Against The World- * Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – E. 1999 Eternal
- * Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise
- * Method Man – ''Tical''
Best Jazz Album
Fourplay – Elixir- * Boney James – Seduction
- * Keiko Matsui – Sapphire
- * Pat Metheny Group – ''We Live Here''
Best Gospel Album
The New Life Community Choir Featuring John P. Kee – Show Up- * Yolanda Adams – More Than a Melody
- * Shirley Caesar – He Will Come
- * Kirk Franklin and the Family – ''Kirk Franklin and the Family''
Performances
- LL Cool J – "Doin' It"
- TLC
- Anita Baker
- Mary J. Blige – "Not Gon' Cry"
- The Notorious B.I.G. – "One More Chance" / "Get Money"
- Faith Evans
- Yolanda Adams – "The Battle Is the Lord's"
- Brandy – "Sittin' Up in My Room"
- Patti LaBelle Tribute:
- * Ronald Isley, Rachelle Ferrell, Peabo Bryson, Tamia – "If Only You Knew"
- Patti LaBelle – "Over the Rainbow"
Presenters
- Shemar Moore, Salt-N-Pepa and Veronica Webb - Presented Best R&B/Soul Single - Group, Band or Duo
- Tichina Arnold, Jon B. and Goodie Mob - Presented Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
- Bill Cosby - Presented Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year
- Salli Richardson, Blackstreet and Method Man - Presented Best Jazz Album
- Sinbad and Da Brat - Presented Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video
- Brian McKnight, Xscape and Monifah - Presented Best R&B/Soul Single - Male
- Dorien Wilson, CeCe Peniston and Solo - Presented Best Rap Album
- D'Angelo, Chantay Savage and Immature - Presented Best R&B/Soul Single - Female
- Tamara Taylor, Chris Kelly and Montell Jordan - Presented R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year
- Jodeci, Monica and Groove Theory - Presented Best Gospel Album
- Seal - Presented Heritage Award for Career Achievement
- Tevin Campbell, John Henton and Faith Evans - Presented Best R&B/Soul Album - Group, Band or Duo
- Robert Townsend, Jermaine Dupri and Brownstone - Presented Best R&B/Soul Album - Male
- Heavy D, Terry Ellis and Total - Presented Best R&B/Soul Album - Female