LOS ANGELES (Black Entertainment Television) - Unveiled on popular video countdown show 106 & PARK, BET announced the addition of some of music's leading lights to the sizzling performance lineup for
BET AWARDS '04 airing live at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Tuesday, June 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Songbird Alicia Keys, rapper Ludacris and hot new producer/rapper Kanye West join music superstars Janet Jackson, Usher, Outkast and The Isley Brothers, who are also slated to burn up the stage with red-hot performances.
Other new additions to the lineup include hip hop crew 50 Cent and the G Unit, and gospel music sensation Smokie Norful. Celebrities confirmed to appear or present awards include Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, Steve Harvey, Gabrielle Union, Boris Kodjoe, Raven, Dorien Wilson, Twista and Humanitarian Award recipient Danny Glover.
Recognizing the biggest and the best in film, music and sports personalities, topping the list of nominees for BET AWARDS '04 is R&B's hottest leading lady Beyonce, Dirty South luminaries Outkast and Lil Jon, R&B superstar Usher, hip-hop kingpin Jay-Z and newcomer Kanye West. Reprising her role as the first-ever female host of the BET AWARDS telecast is Mo'Nique, star of the UPN Network's The Parkers.
BET will begin building the anticipation leading up to the nation's top Awards show among African American viewers with an array of spectacular BET AWARDS '04-related programming. It all starts with I WANNA THANK MY MOMMA: BET AWARDS Nomination Special on Tuesday, June 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET where viewers can get a sneak peak at BET AWARDS '04 and the featured honorees. BET will highlight the artists who are nominated and get predictions from the street on who will take home the hardware, while a special award show edition of HOW I'M LIVING features a look at some of the homes of nominated artists and show participants.
A special 106 & PARK Pre-Awards show on Monday, June 28 at 6 p.m. ET/PT will feature videos from the top contenders among 14 categories. Then, go behind the scenes of the hottest awards show in the nation on June 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT as Access Granted: Behind The Scenes of the Awards Show gives viewers an insider's look at the ins-and-outs of putting together BET's biggest night of the year.
The 106 & PARK: Live from the Red Carpet pre-show presentation hosted by AJ and Free from 6 - 8 p.m. ET/PT*, captures the sizzling fashions and arrival excitement of Hollywood's glamour set. The scene then shifts inside to the Kodak Theatre for the highly-anticipated three-hour "live" awards telecast at its new time of 8 p.m. ET/PT* when BET salutes 16 categories across the music, sports and entertainment spectrum.
A BET NIGHTLY NEWS Special: Live from BET AWARDS '04 wraps up the night with a post-show look at the festivities at 11 p.m. ET/PT.
In addition, BET viewers can cast their votes for their favorite performer in the BET.com Viewer's Choice poll at https://www.bet.com, which has received more than 100,000 votes to date and takes place in "real-time" during the course of the telecast. Viewers can tune in to the ceremony to see if their chosen performer won the Viewer's Choice award, and also check out other interactive features.
BET will televise an encore presentation of the BET AWARDS '04 on Tuesday, July 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
