BET J becomes the first network to bring the worlds of music and virtual reality together for an exclusive celebration as revealed Wednesday. Leading the networks inaugural list of nominees are R&B stars Erykah Badu and Alicia Keys who will each compete for at least three awards including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. Slated to air Tues. Nov. 25 at 8:30 pm ET, the BET J Virtual Awards will be hosted by Hollywood actress Nia Long and comedian Chris Spencer. Featuring performances from Washington, DC, New York and Atlanta hot spots, the BET J Virutal Awards will pay homage to today’s music newcomers and veterans, as well as to other celebrities making unprecedented moves in film. BET J will also give viewers an opportunity to showcase their own musical talent by performing their own rendition of one of five nominated songs in the special user-generated “My Time Online” category. Running Nov. 5 – Nov. 12, viewers can log onto 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. 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
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