Winners in the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards

The 2004 MTV Video Music Awards went on as scheduled last Aug. 29 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, where it was held for the first time. We did not get it live this year but the show was available on the Net and hopefully we will be able to get a better view of the ongoings when the event finally plays on the local MTV Channel.

This will be on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 1:30 p.m. Repeats are scheduled on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 8:30 p.m. and on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. MTV promises the works. There will be three segments. This includes the VMA pre-show, which I believe will include the unique red carpet arrivals. Some guests came by yacht! The main show is where they dish out the awards and the post-show is party time for the winners.

Hey Ya! by Outkast and 99 Problems by Jay-Z, who I believe are two of the most critically acclaimed hip hop acts in pop music history, were the evening’s big winners. Jay-Z led this year’s VMA nominations with six nods for 99 Problems from The Black Album and was expected to bag the lion’s share of the awards. But Outkast, which had been on quite a roll these past months, was not to be outdone. The result was a tie with Jay-Z and Outkast getting four Moonman trophies each.

Meanwhile, No Doubt’s It’s My Life lorded it over the groups with two wins, while Usher’s Yeah! also made good showing with two trophies of its own. Among the females, the only lucky one was Beyonce with her Naughty Girl winning the Best Female Video Award. Then there was also Tony Hawk’s Underground which became the first winner for Best Soundtrack from a Videogame. This is a new category that was added only this year. Happiest of them all though was probably Linkin Park. The rock group bagged the Viewers’ Choice Award for their animé video for Breaking the Habit. Nothing beats being chosen by the fans themselves.

There was no host for the proceedings, but it was still smooth sailing for the show. As usual, the big pop stars whether nominated or not, came to perform, present or be seen. Jennifer Lopez, who made her first official appearance on the red carpet with husband Marc Anthony, opened the show by introducing Usher who did Confessions Part One and Yeah! with Lil Jon and Ludacris. The others who performed were Jessica Simpson who was with husband Nick Lachey, Kanye West with Chaka Khan, Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera with Nelly, Terror Squad featuring Fat Joe with Ying Yang Twins, Petey Pablo, The Polyphonic Spree, Jet, Hoobastank, Yellowcard and the legendary Stevie Wonder whose new album I can’t wait to get hold of.

As for the presenters, there were Will Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, Paris Hilton, Shakira, P. Diddy, Ashlee Simpson, Naomi Campbell, Marilyn Manson, Hilary Duff, Queen Latifah, Mary Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Beastie Boys, Mandy Moore, Missy Elliot and many more.

Here is the list of winners.

Best Video: Hey Ya! by Outkast

Male Video: Yeah by Usher

Female Video: Naughty Girl by Beyonce

Group Video: It’s My Life by No Doubt

Rap Video; 99 Problems by Jay-Z.

R&B Video: If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys

Hip Hop Video: Hey Ya! by Outkast

Dance Video: Yeah by Usher

Rock Video; Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet

Pop Video: It’s My Life by No Doubt

New Artist in a Video: Maroon 5 This Love

MTV2 Award: Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard

Breakthrough Video: Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

Direction: Mark Romanek 99 Problems by Jay-Z

Choreography: Fatima Robinson Hey Mama by Black Eyed Peas

Special Effects: Elad Offer and Chris Eckardt/Money Shots Hey Ya! by Outkast

Art Direction: Eric Beauchamp Hey Ya! by Outkast

Editing: Robert Duffy 99 Problems by Jay-Z

Cinematography: Joaquin Baca-Asay 99 Problems by Jay-Z

I end this piece on a sad note: Laura Branigan, the pop singer/ songwriter behind the hits Self-Control, How Am I Supposed to Live Without You, The Power of Love, Solitaire, Spanish Eddy and Gloria, which was revived locally during the last election campaign, died in her sleep last Thursday, Aug. 26, of brain aneurysm in her home in East Quogue, New York. Branigan, who also acted in the movies, on TV and the stage was 47 years old.