LA, July 25: Rap diva Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott on Thursday topped a diverse list of nominees for the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, nabbing eight nods for her music video "Work It."
Pop star Justin Timberlake ranked second with seven nominations, including five for his music video for "Cry Me A River" and two for "Rock Your Body, " while country music icon Johnny Cash garnered six nominations for his music video "Hurt."
The 20th annual MTV Video Music Awards show will be broadcast live from New York City's Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, August 28, and will feature performances by Christina Aguilera and Coldplay.
Other performers will soon be announced for the show that will be hosted by comedian Chris Rock.
"Each and every year we try to put together the most diverse, most exciting, and most unexpected awards show anyone has ever seen," said Van Toffler, president of MTV & MTV2.
MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. .
"The fact the top nominees are Missy, Justin, and the legendary Johnny Cash, further solidifies the VMAs as the biggest cultural and musical train wreck on the tube -- and I mean that in a good way," he said.
About 500 viewers and individuals representing record labels, music journalists and video producers, selected the nominees for awards categories encompassing genres ranging from rap, dance and R&B to rock.
"I am overwhelmed by this great honor. I thank you all for thinking of me," said Cash. "It's been 48 years since I cut my first record and it's nice that people are still digging them up," he said.
Vying for best video of the year was rapper 50 Cent, Eminem, Cash, Timberlake and Elliott.
Singer-songwriter John Mayer, Cash, 50 Cent, Eminem and Timberlake were all vying for best male video.
Teen rocker Avril Lavigne, hip-hop singer Beyonce, Aguilera, pop diva/actress Jennifer Lopez and Elliott were competing for best female video.
Bureau Report
