Outkast, Jay-Z claean sweep MTV awards

Hip-hoppers Outkast and rapper Jay-Z cleaned up at the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami on Sunday.

Hip-hoppers Outkast and rapper Jay-Z cleaned up at the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami on Sunday, snagging four "Moonmen" each at the bash that for all its glitter lacked the controversy that marked last year's show.

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Outkast got top honors, grabbing the Video of the Year award.

The lavish affair at a downtown Miami arena featured high energy live performances by top pop, hip-hop and rap musicians, several of whom pressed their get-out-and-vote message ahead of the November presidential election.

But noted for its absence at the show's Miami debut was controversy of the type that featured Madonna French-kissing Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at last year's event, or Janet Jackson baring her right breast at another MTV production earlier this year.

Yet, one of the main stars here Sunday was Jay-Z, whose gritty 99 Problems clip had raised some eyebrows for showing him dying in a hail of bullets.

"I was trying to push the envelope ... and this is my reward," said Jay-Z, as he accepted the award for the best rap video.