Romeo Santos and Enrique Iglesias swept the Billboard Latin Music Awards, but Jennifer Lopez may have stolen the show.
Santos, the U.S. singer known as the "King of Bachata," took home 10 awards Thursday night, including Artist of the Year, Solo, while Spanish artist Iglesias won nine, including Latin Pop Song Artist of the Year. The biggest standing ovation, however, went to Lopez, who performed a tribute to Selena, backed by the band of the young Mexican singer who was killed in 1995.
Colombian reggaeton artist J. Balvin was another big winner with three trophies, including Artist of the Year, at the annual event in the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Fla.
The awards for Santos also included Top Latin Album of the Year and Tropical Album of the Year, New for his "Formula, Vol. 2." Santos, who set a record for the most Billboard Latin Music Award nominations in a year, with 21 entries in 16 categories, thanked God, his fans and fellow singer Marc Anthony, who accompanies him in the song "Yo También."
"I had the opportunity, the grand privilege to record with a man I admire so much, Marc. Thank you for giving me that privilege," he told Anthony, who opened the three-hour show.
Iglesias, who was also a big winner at the Latin Grammy awards in November, thanked the many fans who kept his megahit "Bailando" at the No. 1 on the Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart for a record 41 weeks.
Mayweather may pay Knight's bail
Former rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight could soon be out of custody, but it all depends on if his friend Floyd Mayweather Jr. is victorious Saturday in his history-making match against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas. Matthew Fletcher, Knight's attorney, said that if Mayweather wins the bout, he expects the boxer to cover his client's $10 million bail. "They're good friends," Fletcher said. "That's one of his wealthiest friends." A lawyer from Mayweather's camp reached out to Fletcher several weeks ago and asked about the specifics of bailing Knight out, the attorney said. Knight pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder and attempted murder for allegedly plowing his truck into two men in Compton earlier this year.
Canceled: Britney Spears has canceled several dates of her "Piece of Me" concert residency in Las Vegas after slipping and injuring her foot onstage. The 33-year-old singer was performing her set Wednesday night at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino when, after a brief jump, she landed hard on her left ankle and twisted it. Dates for rescheduling of the missed concerts have not been announced.
