Los Premios MTV gala honors best Latin pop, rock

California: Mexican pop diva Paulina Rubio and Puerto Rican reggaeton duo Wisin and Yandel got the first awards at the eighth annual Los Premios MTV awards in Los Angeles. "So early, I wasn`t expecting this," she said, clutching her best soloist award, a "lengua," as the lurid pink tongue statuettes are called. "I want to thank my fans who have been voting day and night for `Causa y efecto.` I`m the cause — you are the effect."

Wisin and Yandel won best video for "Abusadora," at the celebration of the best of the year`s pop, rock and reggaeton from Latin America at Universal City`s Gibson Amphitheater. Host Nelly Furtado opened the show Thursday with "Manos al Aire," a song from her Spanish-language album "Mi Plan." Then things got a little crazy. First the Canadian-Portuguese singer challenged her co-host, Calle 13`s Rene Perez, also known as "Residente," to throw down a few lines. She rapped while two male body builders in tiny Speedos gyrated next to her. Perez called the governor of Puerto Rico a nasty name that`s not printable in Spanish or English in a comment about unemployment, public employee layoffs and Boriquen independence. He used his T-shirts to make more subtle political points. One said, "Chavez for best pop artist" in Spanish, possibly a reference to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He also wore a Mercedes Sosa T-shirt, in honor of the Argentine singer-songwriter who died Oct. 4. The show featured a live duet from Rubio and Cobra Starship lead singer Gabe Saporta. Music was also rebroadcast from the three regional awards shows in Mexico City, Bogota and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz and hip-shaking crossover star Shakira performed in Bogota. Australian synthpop group The Veronicas and Mexican rock band Panda, which won a "lengua" for best group, played from Mexico City. "We weren`t expecting this," Panda singer Jose Madero said. "With the explosion of reggaeton, we thought the winner would be, I don`t know, Calle 13." Best pop artist went to Mexican trio Reik, while alt-psychedelic band Zoe won the award for best rock artist. Bureau Report