BET J VIRTUAL AWARDS 2008

BET J VIRTUAL AWARDS 2008

http://bethiphopawards2007.blogspot.com/
http://bethiphopawards.blogspot.com/
Actress Nia Long and Funny Man Chris Spencer Join
Forces to Host BET J's First Ever VIRTUAL
AWARDS Premiering on November 25
at 8:00 P.M. ET

Virtual Awards Brings 16 Unique Nominee Categories
Honoring Today's Best In Music and Entertainment.

BET J bridges the worlds of music and virtual reality
to bring viewers its first ever awards show, the
BET J VIRTUAL AWARDS, slated to premiere on
BET J on Tuesday, November 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET,
followed by an encore online broadcast at 10:00 p.m.
ET on BET.com.

Hosted by critically-acclaimed actress Nia Long and
comedian Chris Spencer, the "virtual" broadcast will
feature red-hot performances from Washington,
DC, New York and Atlanta hotspots -- all from a
stunning, ground-breaking virtual environment!

The BET J VIRTUAL AWARDS perfectly blends the
"traditional" awards show with today's cutting edge
technology. The star-studded special will showcase an
esteemed lineup of 16 nominee categories that pay
homage and accolades to today's music newcomers
and veterans, as well as other celebrities making
unprecedented moves in film.

BET J also gives viewers an opportunity to showcase
their own musical talent by performing their own rendition
of one of the five nominated songs in the special user
generated "My Time Online" category. Beginning
Wednesday, November 5 - Wednesday, November 12,
viewers can log onto http://www.bet.com/betjvirtualawards
to upload their videos which will be judged by a celebrity
panel of judges. The winner will be presented with their
own BET J VIRTUAL AWARDS statuette and have their
acceptance speech air during the awards show.

BET J will also air programming specials leading up to the
highly-anticipated premiere of the first-ever virtual awards
show. The VIRTUAL AWARDS RED CARPET SPECIAL
hosted by Claudia Jordan and Tears Shears Beauty icon
Derek J, brings viewers behind-the-scenes awards show
footage, celebrity glam, and the red carpet hits and misses
through colorful and hilarious commentary premieres online
on Tuesday, November 25 at 5:00 p.m., followed by an
8:00 p.m. broadcast premiere. BET J's flagship SOUL
SESSIONS will also feature a special episode honoring the
VIRTUAL AWARDS nominees, and will include the
nominees' music videos in a specially-created virtual
environment to premiere on Wednesday, November 12
at 6:00 p.m.

Created by Bart Phillips and directed by Jonathan X, BET J's
first ever VIRTUAL AWARDS is executively produced by
Paxton Baker, Executive Vice President of BET J and
President & General Manager of BET Digital Networks and
BET Event Productions, and Bart Phillips, Sunseeker Media;
and produced by Tami Willis-Arasli, Vice President of BET J
Production and Junia Joseph, Sunseeker Media.

Following is a complete list of nominee categories for the
BET J VIRTUAL AWARDS show:

Album of the Year:
-- Alicia Keys, As I Am, J Records
-- Angie Stone, The Art of Love and War,
Stax / Concord Music Group
-- Erykah Badu, New Amerykah, Pt.1 (4th World War),
Universal Motown Records
-- Chaka Khan, Funk This, Burgundy Records
-- Lenny Kravitz, It's Time for a Love Revolution,
Virgin Records America
-- Raheem DeVaughn, Love Behind the Melody,
Jive Records/Zomba Label Group

Song of the Year:
-- American Boy, William Adans, Keith Harris, Josh
Lopez, Spier Caleb, Estelle Swaray, Kanye West
-- Honey, E. Badu, F. Baskett, Patrick Douthit, C.
McDonald, D. Shields
-- Just Fine, Phaton Alexander, Mary J. Blige, Terius
"The-Dream' Nash, Christopher Stewart
-- Love Revolution, Lenny Kravitz, Craig Ross
-- Teenage Love Affair, Josephine Bridges, Carl
Hampton, Alicia Keys, Harold Lilly, Tom Nixon, Jack Splash
-- Woman, Raheem DeVaughn, C Thompson

Virtual Video of the Year:
-- Common, Drivin Me Wild
-- Erykah Badu, Honey
-- Solange, I Decided
-- Robin Thicke, Magic
-- T Pain, Can't Believe It
-- Wyclef Jean, Fast Car

Soul Approved - Best New Artist:
-- Algebra, Kedar Entertainment
-- Chrisette Michele, The Island Def Jam Music Group
-- Estelle, Home School/Atlantic Records
-- Jennifer Hudson, Arista
-- Solange, Geffen/Music World Entertainment
-- Terrence Howard, Columbia Records

Jazz Artist:
-- Chris Botti, Columbia Records
-- Harry Connick Jr., Columbia Records
-- Patti Austin, Rendezvous Entertainment
-- Stanley Clarke, Roxboro Entertainment Group
-- Tony Bennett, Columbia Records
-- Wynton Marsalis, Blue Note Records

Contemporary Jazz Artist:
-- Al Jarraeu, The Concord Music Group
-- Dianne Reeves, The Blue Note Label Group
-- Herbie Hancock, The Verve Music Group
-- Kenny G, The Concord Music Group
-- George Duke, BPM Records
-- S.M.V.-Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten, S.M.V. LLC

Best Gospel Artist:
-- BeBe Winans, Koch Records
-- Mary Mary, Columbia Records
-- Israel & New Breed , Integrity Media, Inc
-- Kirk Franklin, Fo Yo Soul/Gospo Centric/ Zomba
-- Marvin Sapp, Verity Records/ Zomba Gospel
-- Trin-I-Tee 5:7, Spirit Rising Music/Music World Entertainment

Best Caribbean Artist:
-- Alison Hinds, RCG/ Black Coral/ 1720 Entertainment
-- Elephant Man, Bad Boy Records
-- Fay-Ann Lyons, VP Music
-- Machel Montano, Ruf Rex Productions LTD. / Xtatik LTD
-- Morgan Heritage, VP Music
-- Mavado, Greensleeves Records

Best Underground Artist:
-- Conya Doss, Album: Still; Song: What I'd Do; Label:
Conyadoss Music
-- Eric Roberson, Album Left ...; Song: Pretty Girl; Label:
Blue Erro Soul
-- Heston, Album: Storyteller, Song: No Way, Label:
Worldsoul Records
-- Liv Warfield, Album Embrace Me; Song: Groove DJ;
Label: B&M
-- Rahsaan Patterson, Album: Wine and Spirits; Song:
Stop Breaking My Heat; Label: Artistry Music
-- Vikter Duplaix; Album: Bold and Beautiful; Song: Make
A Baby; Label: BBE

Male Artist of the Year:
-- Common, Geffen Records
-- John Legend, G.O.O.D Music/Columbia Records
-- Lenny Kravitz, Virgin Records America
-- Raheem DeVaughn, Jive Records/Zomba label Group
-- Terrence Howard, Columbia Records
-- Wyclef Jean, Columbia Records

Female Artist of the Year:
-- Alicia Keys, J Records
-- Chrisette Michele, The Island Def Jam Music Group
-- Estelle, Home School/Atlantic Records
-- Jill Scott, Hidden Beach Recordings
-- Ledisi, The Verve Music Group
-- Janet Jackson, The Island Def Jam Music Group

Live Performer of the Year:
-- Erykah Badu
-- Gnarls Barkley
-- Mike Phillips
-- The Roots
-- Raheem DeVaughn
-- Wyclef Jean

Best Film:
-- American Gangster, Director: Ridley Scott; Producers:
Brian Grazer and Ridley Scott
-- I Am Legend, Director: Francis Lawrence, Producers:
Akiva Goldberg, David Heyman, James Lassite and Neal
H. Moritz
-- Meet the Browns, Director: Tyler Perry and Producer:
Reuben Cannon and Tyler Perry
-- The Great Debaters, Director: Denzel Washington,
Producers: Todd Black, Kate Forte, Joe Roth and
Oprah Winfrey
-- Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Malcolm D. Lee
and Producers: Charles Castaldi, Mary Parent and:
Scott Stuber

Best Actor:
-- David Man, Meet the Browns
-- Denzel Washington, The Great Debaters
-- Denzel Washington, American Gangster
-- Derek Luke, Lions for Lambs
-- Martin Lawrence, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
-- Will Smith, I Am Legend

Best Actress:
-- Angela Basset, Meet the Browns
-- Halle Berry, Things We Lost In the Fire
-- Jill Scott, Why Did I Get Married
-- Jurnee Smollett, The Great Debaters
-- Loretta Devine, This Christmas
-- Ruby Dee, American Gangsters

The Journey Award - Lifetime Achievement Recipient
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