Missy Elliot, Luther V and 50 Cent pick up AMA trophies
Last night saw the American Music Awards take place at the the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The show was shown live on ABC and had reigning pop princess Britney Spears doing the opening number with her latest single 'Me against the Music'. Other performances includes Ashanti with a rain soaked version of her latest 'Rain on me' and Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken doing a duet of 'Jesus is Love'
The night's big winners were 50 Cent and R&B legend Luther Vandross, both taking two R&B each and understandingly absence to accept his awards was Luther who is still recovering from a major stroke he suffered in April, his mother accepted on his behalf. Other notable winners were Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake and the late Aaliyah
Here are the winners of the 31st annual American Music Awards:
Pop/Rock
Favorite Male Artist: Kid Rock
Favorite Female Artist: Jennifer Lopez
Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Fleetwood Mac
Favorite Album: Justin Timberlake, JustifiedSoul/R&B
Favorite Male Artist: Luther Vandross
Favorite Female Artist: Aaliyah
Favorite Band, Duo or Group: The Isley Brothers
Favorite Album: Luther Vandross, Dance With My FatherRap/Hip-Hop
Favorite Male Artist: 50 Cent
Favorite Female Artist: Missy Elliott
Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz
Favorite Album: 50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin'Alternative Music
Favorite Artist: Linkin ParkAdult Contemporary
Favorite Artist: Celine DionLatin
Favorite Artist: Ricky MartinCountry
Favorite Male Artist: Tim McGraw
Favorite Female Artist: Faith Hill
Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Alabama
Favorite Album: Toby Keith, UnleashedContemporary Inspirational
Favorite Artist: Steven Curtis ChapmanFans' Choice
Clay AikenMichael Jackson International Artist of the Year
MadonnaCoca-Cola New Music Award
The Bomb Squad (New York)
- Source: vh1.com
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Britney Spears gets her own 'Star'
Pop diva (if you can call her that nowadays) Britney Spears has really come into her own as she was honors this week with her very own 'star' on Hollywood's now infamous Walk of Fame. The 21 year old singer was thrilled to receive such an honor saying that it's a dream she's had every since she was a little girl and to see it come true is amazing.
Some 2000 plus fans were on hand to see Ms Spears dressed in blue jeans and pink shirt and jacket to match accept her star and in her acceptance speech said she was speechless but was glad that her fans were there with her and thanked all them for coming out and supporting her in her special moment. Her new CD In the Zone hits record shelves tomorrow.
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Chic drummer Tony Thompson is dead at 48
It's not been a kind year for R&B musicians and singers. We've seen the legendary Barry White, Robert Palmer and Skip Scarborough pass away this year and now just last week, Chic drummer Tony Thompson. Tony who played on hits for Chic, the Power Station and
Diana Ross died last Wednesday (November 12), just three days shy of his 49th
birthday. He had battled renal cell cancer and had undergone surgery earlier on this year in an effort to combat the disease. He is survived by his wife Patrice and their two children.
Thompson was born in New York City November 15, 1954 and first got noticed while playing with LaBelle in the mid-70's, which led him to join Nile Rogers adn Bernard Edwards and the rest of the group called Chic. He enjoyed his first major success here that included Top Five albums and a Number One hit with "Le Freak" in 1978.
Following his success with Chic, word got out that he was one of the best in his field and he got a call to work with Diana Ross on her 1980's album Diana, as well as David Bowie's 1983's Let's Dance and Madonna on her 1984's album Like A Virgin to name a few. He later joined the late Robert Palmer and Duran Duran's John and Andy Taylor in forming the Power Station, who scored Top 10 hits with "Some Like
It Hot" and "Get It On (Bang A Gong)."
Thompson apparently died without health insurance, and his family is stuck with huge medical bills. If Anyone wishes to make a tax-deductible donation they can do so at tonythompsonfund.com, or at nilerodgers.com. A benefit concert will be held on December 16 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles. The lineup should be announced soon.
Source: mobo.com
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Mary J Blige speaks out about todays so called Queens and Princesses
She is considered by many royalty in the annuls of urban music, and during a recent interview with the BBC, Mary J. Blige let some of her subjects have it. Actually, in a round-about way, she let herself have it as well.
She told reporters that artists who have royal titles right out the box have done nothing to earn the titles and therefore don't deserve them.
"People disrespect everyone now-a-days, they don't even give them a chance to breathe. They're like 'I'm the princess of hip-hop soul.' It's like, 'how did that happen?'
Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan are the real Queens, Blige went on to say.
"The bottom line is, if you asked me years ago, 'who's Aretha Franklin?,' then I would tell you she's the Queen of Soul. I'm Mary J Blige - hip-hop soul is what defines what my music is. The queen of it is just being that I'm a leader. I would never take from Chaka or Aretha, or disrespect what they are or their legacy. But now, it's all about all these little people behind them, saying little subliminal things, and it's disrespectful. I don't feel that we have to do that to get ahead."
Source: smooth101.com