Britney wows audience with raunchy snake act
( 2001-09-08 11:46 ) (7 )

She may have gone home empty-handed but pop princess Britney certainly left the audience open-mouthed by performing a raunchy version of her new single at the MTV awards.

The 19-year-old superstar, who has promised to stay celibate until she weds, gyrated around the stage clutching a large python during the rendition of "I'm a Slave 4 U" at Thursday's star-studded ceremony.

Wearing a jungle outfit that left little to the imagination, the teen sensation made her way out of a cage with the snake wrapped round her shoulders.

"Don't you wanna dance up on me?" she asked the audience.

But while Britney may have stolen the headlines again for her provocative performance -- her seductive strip tease routine grabbed all the attention at last year's show -- her pop rival Christina Aguilera walked off with the top honor of the night.

Aguilera won best video of the year for the hit single, "Lady Marmalade" which also featured Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink and Missy Elliott.

Britney could perhaps take solace in the success of boyfriend Justin Timberlake, 20, whose band 'N Sync took four awards.