The love may be below but OutKast is clearly on top of the NAACP Image Award nominations list.
The love may be below but OutKast is clearly on top of the NAACP Image Award nominations list.
• Complete list of NAACP Image Award nominations
• News: OutKast still shakin' in 2004
• News: OutKast top Grammy noms
The hip-hop duo racked up a leading six nominations for their album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, including dueling nods for Outstanding Song and Music Video with "Hey Ya" and "The Way You Move" nominated in both categories.
The double-disc release has earned nothing but kudos for the Atlanta rappers since it bowed last fall, including six Grammys nominations; finishing 2003 on top of the charts; becoming the fifth best-selling release of the year; and maintaining its stranglehold on the number one spot in 2004.
Hot on OutKast's trail is fellow Grammy nomination topper Beyoncé Knowles, who collected five Image nominations, including Outstanding Female Artist, Song and Video for Crazy in Love.
She was followed by R&B legend and recovering stroke victim Luther Vandross (news), with four bids--Outstanding Male Artist, Song, Album and Video--for Dance with My Father.
Elsewhere, the accolades were heaped upon Bernie Mac (news) and his Fox family laffer, which was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series. Mac received bookend nods, one for his TV work and another for his supporting role in the feature Head of State, while his sitcom costars were also recognized, including Kellita Smith (news) for Outstanding Actress, Jeremy Suarez for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Camille Winbush and Dee Dee Davis in the Supporting Actress category.
The Bernie Mac Show will compete against Girlfriends (UPN), Half & Half (UPN), My Wife and Kids (ABC) and Whoopi (NBC) for the comedy prize. On the serious side, 24 (Fox), Boston Public (Fox), CSI: Miami (CBS), Soul Food (Showtime) and The Wire (HBO) will face off for the title Outstanding Drama Series.
Notable TV-land nominee Soul Food, Showtime's adaptation of the 1997 family drama, racked up a leading seven nominations for the cable series and its cast.
Meanwhile, leading movie man Denzel Washington (news) (Out of Time), a perennial favorite, shares the Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture category with Cuba Gooding (news) Jr. (Radio), Laurence Fishburne (news) (The Matrix Revolutions), Samuel L. Jackson (news) (S.W.A.T.) and Will Smith (news) (Bad Boys II).
Gabrielle Union (news) will look to bring it on for her lead actress role in Deliver Us from Eva and supporting role in Bad Boys II. She'll compete for Outstanding Lead Actress against Knowles (The Fighting Temptations), Halle Berry (news) (Gothika), Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) and Queen Latifah (Bringing Down the House).
Union, Knowles and Castle-Hughes all stand to see their flicks rewarded at the shindig in the Outstanding Motion Picture category. Joining their movies in top flick category are Bad Boys II and Bend It Like Beckham.
The Image Awards, honoring film, TV, music and books that promote "positive images of people of color," are scheduled to be presented March 11 in Los Angeles.
Here's a quick look at the top categories for the 35th Annual NAACP Image Awards:
FILM
Outstanding Motion Picture:
Bad Boys II
Bend It Like Beckham
Deliver Us From Eva
The Fighting Temptations
Whale Rider
Outstanding Actor:
Cuba Gooding, Jr., Radio
Denzel Washington, Out of Time
Laurence Fishburne, The Matrix Revolutions
Samuel L. Jackson, S.W.A.T
Will Smith, Bad Boys II
Outstanding Actress:
Beyonc Knowles, The Fighting Temptations
Gabrielle Union, Deliver Us From Eva
Halle Berry, Gothika
Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale Rider
Queen Latifah, Bringing Down the House
TV
Outstanding Comedy Series:
The Bernie Mac Show (Fox)
Girlfriends (UPN)
Half & Half (UPN)
My Wife and Kids (ABC)
Whoopi (NBC)
Outstanding Drama Series:
24 (Fox)
Boston Public (Fox)
CSI: Miami (CBS)
Soul Food (Showtime)
The Wire (HBO)
MUSIC
Outstanding Male Artist:
Gerald Levert (news)
Luther Vandross
Mos Def
Musiq
Seal
Outstanding Female Artist:
Alicia Keys (news)
Aretha Franklin (news)
Beyonc
Heather Headley (news)
Mary J. Blige (news)
Outstanding Album:
Chocolate Factory, R. Kelly
Dance with My Father, Luther Vandross
The Diary of Alicia Keys, Alicia Keys
Love & Life, Mary J. Blige
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, OutKast
