Justo’s Mixtape Awards, David Banner Honor Steve Rifkind

Steve Rifkind, who heads up SRC Records, was honored yesterday (Dec. 6) by the 10th Annual Mixtape Awards for his lifetime achievements in the music industry as an executive. The luncheon was held in Harlem, New York at Ginger’s restaurant and boasted attendance by such rap luminaries as Irv Gotti of The Inc., David Banner, […]

Steve

Rifkind, who heads up SRC Records, was honored yesterday (Dec. 6) by the 10th

Annual Mixtape Awards for his lifetime achievements in the music industry as an

executive. The

luncheon was held in Harlem, New York at Ginger’s restaurant and boasted attendance

by such rap luminaries as Irv Gotti of The Inc., David Banner, representatives

for Akon and others.

The event was a pre-Mixtape Awards luncheon with an intimate group of insiders,

well-wishers and friends of the music mogul. "Regardless

of any difference me and Steve ever had, I don’t think that I would be the type

of person or the type of star that I am without Steve. A lot of people didn’t

believe in the South," David Banner told AllHipHop.com. Banner

was Rifkind’s first signee to SRC. "Its

easy to jump on the South now, but Steve was 100% behind me, because nobody believed

in him. With him coming from the Loud [Records] situation, we both had something

to prove," Banner said. A

representative for singer Akon echoed similar sentiment stating that Rifkind took

a chance with the little-known Senegalese-born crooner.Rifkind’s

Loud Records broke popular acts like Mobb Deep, Big Pun and Wu Tang Clan in the

90’s before folding in 2002. He

would go on to found Street Records Corporation [SRC], which houses David Banner,

Akon and Remy Ma. Rifkind

stated that the honor had a particular distinction for him, coming from the Justo

Faison-founded Mixtape Awards."It

means a lot. Justo was a really good friend," Rifkind stated. "SRC is

really close to the mixtape community."

Justo Faison was tragically killed in a car crash in May of 2005 while traveling

on the road in Richmond, Virginia. During

a speech to attendees, Rifkind alluded to a business arrangement with Irv Gotti,

but refused to disclose any details later. "We’re

working on some things and that’s all I can say."Tonight

(Dec. 7), The 10th Annual Justo Mixtape Awards will be held at the Apollo Theater

in Harlem. The

awards are hosted by DJ pioneer Red Alert and Rifkind will be officially given

the Mixtape Top Executive and Lifetime Achievement Award in front of the entire

audience. For

the 2006 awards, nominees include DJ Green Lantern, Clinton Sparks, Camilio and

DJ Drama, The Game, Chamillionaire, Young Jeezy, Young Buck and Papoose.