MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE 2008 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS

I finally got my butt off the couch after three entertaining hours of the MTV VMAs spectacular. I didn't let my embarrassing outcome of going 0 for 4 on my predictions ruin the show because quite frankly all the nominees had a good chance of winning on any given night. Who would have expected Tokio Hotel to beat out stars like Miley Cirus and Jordin Sparks for "Best New Artist" and that Britney Spears would walk away with three moonmen including "Video of the Year"?

As expected, MTV drastically over-hyped Britney's "opening act" that lasted about 30 seconds, but it was clearly her night to shine from start to finish. I thought host Russell Brand's over-the-top jokes were pretty foul and listening to his repulsive voice for two hours (not to mention his despicable image) was rather torturous. It was the 25th anniversary of the VMAs and MTV could have at least invested more money into a host that embodied the significance of the show. Nevertheless, the performances were great as expected.

The ones that were held in the back lot of Paramount Studios stood out the most because it was as if each performance was a music video in the making. The new smaller stage with performances in and out of commercials was a nice addition and DJ AM and Travis Barker definitely held it down. The smaller venue this year surprisingly ended being a prime choice. Probably the most anticipated performance of the night, Kanye West closed the show by unveiling his first single titled "Love Lockdown" (footage below) off his upcoming fourth studio album.

On his personal blog, Kanye announced that it is his "favorite song to date" and the crowd reaction to the track was obviously positive. The structure and lyrics of the song are composed very well, but to me the joint just doesn't match right with Yeezy. Kanye's a rapper and he wasn't necessarily spitting hot rhymes, but after all, he is a pop star now. I guess we're going to have to wait and see what exactly is KW's direction for this project. Overall, the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards were fantastic showcase of charisma, talent, and accomplishments. Till next year, it's back to the grind. For the entire list of winners and more recap fun, visit the official VMAs webiste here.


Related posts:
LIL WAYNE BLOG #4 STRAIGHT FROM THE VMAS
MY PREDICTIONS AND PREDICAMENTS FOR THE 2008 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS: THE HIP-HOP EDITION