Television

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — High heels and sandy beaches usually don't mix, but at BET's Spring Bling '07 beach party, muscular men, babes in tiny bikinis and sexy shoes are a common sight.

This weekend, BET, the cable channel geared toward the black audience and known for delivering the hottest in rap and R&B music, invited thousands of college students to Palm Beach County. They'll enjoy concerts, entertainment and fun in the sun. The event kicked off Friday on Singer Island and drew young people from all parts.

BET officials estimated the first day's audience Friday at 1,438. Thousands more streamed in Saturday and Sunday.

“It took us 12 hours to get here and we've come to have fun,” said Calvin Tate, 19, who traveled with five buddies from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., for the party. “We don't drink, we don't do drugs, so our mamas let us drive all the way here for this.”

Performers including Akon, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo and others are scheduled to entertain at Spring Bling. BET is taping the event for broadcast the first week of April.

Friday afternoon, rapper MIMS took the stage and performed “This Is Why I'm Hot,” his current single that is No. 2 on Billboard Music's Hot 100. The audience waved their beach towels in the air as they bounced to the song.

“It was incredible out there. The energy is (crazy)!” said the rapper, whose name is Shawn Mims, moments after he finished. “I love the 561 (area code). This is one of the first places where they started playing my song so I have to show them love.”

And he got some love back too. The audience cheered him.

“So far the concerts have been great, said Akele Jeffers, 21, from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, who came with three girlfriends. The women, clad in colorful bikinis, fended off several hellos from men.

“Come and talk to me,” Lemuel Coleman, 20, called out to any pretty girl he spotted. “I'm here for bikinis,” he said.

Though some residents and business owners expressed concerns that Spring Bling could bring traffic and crime because of crowds, the city took safety measures.

Riviera Beach police conducted weapons checks at a traffic on the way to the beach. Spring Bling guests walked through metal detectors and were searched before they could enter the concert area. They also provided shuttles to get to and from the beach to help alleviate traffic.

“Things are going well and according to plan,” said Police Chief Clarence Williams. “It's been a very well-behaved audience.”

Williams said as of 4 p.m. no arrests had been made. There were a few “minor” parking issues that were corrected, he said.

The biggest plus on Friday was the sunny weather.

“It's just perfect out here,” said Nahida Larrieux, 24, of New York, a dancer hired for the event for some booty-shaking onstage.

Larrieux in tight jean shorts, a string bikini and white peak-toe heels, collected catcalls and glances as she walked. While most of her attire was perfect for the beach, her shoes were not.

“It's kind of hard to walk in the sand with heels,” she said, slipping them off.