Latin Grammys to Miami Beach: Adios

By Stephen M. Silverman

08/21/2001 at 03:24 PM EDT

Ricky Martin, Julio Iglesias and Gloria Estefan may live there, but Miami will not be hosting the Sept. 11 Latin Grammy music awards, organizers of the event announced on Monday. At issue were concerns over the safety of participants, specifically supposed threats and proposed protests by Cuban exiles against artists from the communist-ruled island. Instead, the Latin Grammys will be held in the same venue that housed them last year, the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles. "I can't put our visitors at risk," Michael Greene, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, told Reuters. Nearly one million Cuban Americans live in Florida, most of them in the Miami area. They have not been silent in their opposition to Cuban President Fidel Castro. Cuban artists who are among Grammy nominees include Omara Portuondo and Isaac Delgado, although it reportedly remained unclear whether of not they -- or any other Cuban artist -- had actually planned to attend the event. Meanwhile, Monday night in Miami, the hip-hop duo OutKast (named best group artists of the year) and newcomer Nelly (best new artist of the year and best album for his CD "Country Grammar") pulled down the prizes at the Source Hip-Hop Music Awards. Eminem won video of the year for "Stan," a ditty about a demented fan driven over the edge by his hero's lack of response. The show will air on UPN on Aug. 28.