Lady Gaga up for 13 VMAs

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. pop star Lady Gaga was nominated for 13 MTV Video Music Awards Tuesday, the cable television network said on its Web site.

Rapper Eminem will go into the high-profile Sept. 12 prize presentation with eight nominations.

Both performers are up for the evening's top honor of Video of the Year. Lady Gaga is nominated twice for "Bad Romance" and "Telephone" with Beyonce. Eminem is nominated for "Not Afraid," Florence and the Machine for "Dog Days Are Over," 30 Seconds to Mars for "Kings and Queens" and B.o.B for "Airplanes" featuring Hayley Williams.

"I'm so honored for all the little monsters and self-professed freaks of the universe, to have more VMA nominations in a single year than any artist in MTV history. Ironically, I'm even more proud it's an unlucky number: 13," Lady Gaga said in a statement posted on MTV.com. "A long time ago, the world told me and my little monsters we would never be heard. Together we changed the rules. God put me on Earth for three reasons: to make loud music, gay videos and cause a damn raucous. Thank you, MTV!"