Jay-Z lead nominees for MTV Movie Awards

Tuesday, July 27th 2004, 1:08 pm

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ The MTV Video Music Awards are all about scene-stealing stunts, so it was fitting Tuesday when the network announced that stars will approach this year's red carpet on luxury yachts.

Oh yeah _ Jay-Z's jarring video for ``99 Problems,'' which depicts his own murder, had a leading six nominations. Beyonce (``Naughty Girl,'' ``Me, Myself and I''), No Doubt (``It's My Life'') and OutKast (Hey Ya) had five nominations each.

Hip-hop stars Missy Elliott and Usher braved the heat and humidity to announce nominations at the luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel. The awards will be handed out Aug. 29 at the bayfront AmericanAirlines Arena.

``The awards show here is going to be hot. I mean literally hot,'' joked Elliott, who was wearing camouflage hat and shorts and a black T-shirt in the 90-degree heat.

Performers will include Jessica Simpson and newcomer Kanye West, as well as Usher. ``I've got a few ideas up my sleeve,'' Usher said. ``Miami will be the light of life that night.''

Organizers touted the fact that many of music's biggest stars will be pulling up to the arena in luxury yachts as part of their red-carpet entrance. Usher, wearing a white T-shirt beneath a long-sleeved shirt, jeans and orange-and-yellow neon shoes, was already bragging about his boat.

``There's going to be a lot of muscle out there. So I'm going to have to have a sexy one,'' he said.

The awards spectacle is much anticipated in Miami. City officials and event planners are organizing private parties for the preening VIPs expected to flock to sunny South Florida, filling hotels, restaurants and nightclubs.

It's the awards' 21st year, but the first time it will be held outside Los Angeles or New York.