Jason Derulo, South Florida's answer to Chris Brown, has enjoyed an impressive rise after spending his formative years here. The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, which air September 12, include two nominations for the strap-bearded young fella: Best Male Video for "In My Head" and Best New Artist. "I'm not really worried about it at all. I'm really honored that I was
nominated. If somebody wants to put me in that category -- it's amazing.
To come where I came from to be nominated is really special in its own
right," he told MTV. "I already feel like a winner. The fact that I can
share my music and the world will listen is enough." It'll have to be enough. Somehow, he is not competing with any of Lady GaGa's unprecedented 13 nominations, but neither of his nominations is a sure-fire win. Find out why below.
Derulo's competition for Best Male Video is pretty stiff: Eminem flies like a superhero in "Not Afraid," Usher has the benefit of some hidden marionette strings and lasers in "OMG," Drake's "Find Your Love" is like a scene out of a Jamaican gangster flick, and B.o.B's "Airplanes"
utilizes a lot of projection videos and Paramore's Hayley Williams. All
four are slick, sophisticated productions that make the screen they're
playing on look like it's made out of money.
That said, something about Derulo's "In My Head" feels a lot more real.
If the award is really for the performer as opposed to the director,
having a little dance-off in a convenience store parking lot and just
owning it could get him some consideration. Realistically, Eminem's past MTV favoritism and
Drake just being at the center of the game right now make them the only guys realistically in the running here.
Unfortunately, the Best New Artist competition is even more slanted away from Jason Derulo, even if he's got Hey Monday's vote. Young Money rapper Nicki Minaj and Broken Bells (so that hipsters
watch?) are on the list, but Middle America is gonna stick with what
they know best. Justin Bieber's meteoric trajectory as a singer as a funny dude, a lesbian, and now a champion of MTV programming makes him the guy to beat. Smart (or stupid?) money is also on Ke$ha in this category. We don't know why she's popular, but there's no denying that she is. Or just think about it as "In My Head" vs "Tik Tok" vs "Baby."
