Jumat, 28 Mei 2010

MTV News

MTV News

Lil Wayne's 'Get A Life' Video -- Check Out A Preview!

Posted: 28 May 2010 03:52 AM PDT

The ¡Mayday!-starring clip, plus three other brand-new ones, to premiere during MTV Jams' Lil Tunechi Weekend.
By Shaheem Reid


Lil Wayne
Photo: Young Money/Cash Money

Lil Tunechi Weekend: 'Get A Life'

We get back to partying and rebellious rock and roll on Lil Wayne's "Get a Life" clip. All this week, we've been previewing Wayne videos — "Da Da Da," the Nicki Minaj-featuring "Knockout" and "Runnin'." — that are set to get their debuts on MTV Jams and MTV 2 during the Memorial Day holiday. On Friday (May 28), the preview concluded with Weezy and the versatile band ¡Mayday! rocking on "Get a Life."

Like the clip for "Da Da Da," "Get a Life" was filmed on the roof of the Marlin Hotel, and it features an inspired performance by the Birdman Jr. and his crew of instrumentalists. Back in February, ¡Mayday! bandmember Plex spoke to MTV News about shooting with Wayne.

"It was a whole mess of people," he said of the sets for "Da Da Da" and "Get a Life," which were filmed back-to-back in Miami during Super Bowl weekend. Those were just two of nine Wayne shot in less than 72 hours. "I didn't notice who was there, but I saw Shane [Mosley] because I'm a big fan. Then, you know, the whole Cash Money/ Young Money clique was there. A few NFL players were there. It was crazy."

"I'm just tryna get my own," Wayne sings, dressed in a red ¡Mayday! T-shirt. "I'm up early in the mornin', gettin it by all means/ Gotta get this dough!"

The balance of the fruit of their collective labor, a full-length "Da Da Da," premiered Friday (May 28) on Jams and MTV2.

"[The video] was set up like a reality show," Plex said of "Da Da Da." "They followed us out of the tour bus, up the stairs and then we jumped on the stage and started playing. It was fun, man. They was trying to re-create, spin off of 'The Streets Have No Name' by U2 — the one where they were performing on the rooftop and people start gathering around. [Wayne's video] was doing something parallel to that on the rooftop of the Marlin. They had helicopter shots and all."

Which of the four new Wayne videos are you most excited to see this weekend? Let us know in the comments!

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'Sex And The City 2' Stars Pick Their Favorite Boyfriends Of All Time

Posted: 28 May 2010 03:52 AM PDT

Some of their obscure choices might surprise even hard-core 'SATC' fans.
By Jocelyn Vena


Kristin Davis and Sarah Jessica Parker in "Sex and the City 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Over the years, there have been many memorable men in the lives of the four women on "Sex and the City." There have been husbands and bad first dates, heartbreakers and one-night stands — and then there are the men who left an impression on the four women who play Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.

Cynthia Nixon said now-husband Steve is her choice for Miranda's best boyfriend of all time. "Of course, David Eigenberg is the favorite boyfriend," she told MTV News. "But perhaps because he's my husband, he doesn't count." Her next favorite is a fan favorite. "So I would say Dr. Robert. I would say Blair Underwood."

For Kristin Davis, who plays the slightly prudish Charlotte, her top contender had to be Hollywood playboy Wylie Ford, who showed up in season two to bring her along for one fast-paced ride. "Brian Van Holt," she said, picking the "Cougar Town" actor as her fave. "Do I have to say why?"

Leave it to Kim Cattrall to have the wildest choice for her top "SATC" boy toy. We'll just let her explain. "Bobby Cannavale [in season three]. I thought he was great. I think he's a good actor, and he was so much fun to play with, and he was up for it," she dished. "We did the 'funky sp---' episode together, which is a tough one, because it could have gone terribly wrong."

While Aidan and Mr. Big are the fans' favorites for Carrie's men, Sarah Jessica Parker opted for politician Bill Kelley from season three. "John Slattery," she said without missing a beat.

Who is your favorite "SATC" boyfriend? Tell us in the comments!

It's "Sex and the City 2" Week at MTV News! Check out everything we've got on the film!

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Hayley Williams' Twitpic Account Hacked

Posted: 28 May 2010 05:37 AM PDT

Topless picture of Paramore singer was posted to her Twitter on Thursday.
By Gil Kaufman


Hayley Williams
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

Paramore's Hayley Williams is the latest star to have stolen compromising photos posted on the Internet without her permission.

The topless twitpic of the redheaded singer staring into the camera was posted on Thursday and sent to Williams' more than 600,000 followers before getting removed. But at that point, it was too late, as the photo made its way to a gossip sites all across the Net within hours.

The bummed-out frontwoman reacted to the hack on Thursday night, tweeting, "Well ... my night just changed drastically. Got hacked."

Williams recently shot the video for B.o.B.'s "Airplanes," one of MTV News' candidates for summer jam of 2010. Paramore head out on the road for the Honda Civic Tour (along with Tegan and Sara, New Found Glory and Kadawatha) beginning July 23 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

She joins a long list of female celebrities who've had their private photos leaked onto the web, including Ashley Greene, Vanessa Hudgens, Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox (which were actually fake photos) and Cassie.

At press time, Williams had not made any further comments on the incident, and a spokesperson for Paramore's label could not be reached for comment.

Celebrities aren't the only ones vulnerable to digital drama. Go to MTV's AThinLine.org to learn what you can do to protect yourself.

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3OH!3 And Ke$ha's 'First Kiss': The Summer Jam Of 2010?

Posted: 28 May 2010 03:52 AM PDT

If it's not the song of the summer, it's still a bona fide party starter.
By Kyle Anderson


3OH!3 and Ke$ha's 'First Kiss'
Photo: Photo Finish Records

In one corner, we have Denver post-electro duo 3OH!3, whose chant-along choruses have made them favorites of hard-partyers everywhere. In the opposite corner stands Ke$ha, a star whose debut album Animal continues to wreck the Billboard charts on the back of killer singles like "Tik Tok" and the recently released "Your Love Is My Drug."

With so much melody and dance-friendly music packed into one song, their collaboration would have to be the winner of the 2010 Summer Songs Sweepstakes, right?

It's quite possible. The three already collaborated on a hit ("Blah Blah Blah," which appeared on Ke$ha's album), and their latest hookup is another chant-along jam called "First Kiss," which celebrates the thrill of the titular rite of passage on the strength of a pulse-pounding beat and a chorus you can shout along to (not unlike Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend," a summer-jam contender in 2007).

Of course, the summer-friendly lyrical content doesn't hurt. "That's a really summery topic," said Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly. "Everybody has a memory of having a first kiss under a boardwalk or something."

For Ke$ha, it's all about having a good time — another very summer-centric sentiment. "It's just fun," she told MTV News. "The song is fun, and those guys [in 3OH!3] are fun."

With all that positive energy already folded into the song, "First Kiss" should be an automatic winner for the title of Official Summer Jam of 2010, right? It's a strong entry, but it also faces stiff competition from similarly excellent tunes by Lady Gaga, B.o.B, Usher and Katy Perry. Still, even if "First Kiss" doesn't emerge as the song that sticks with us through the season's beach parties and barbecues, 3OH!3 and Ke$ha can be confident they crafted yet another pitch-perfect party starter.

Vote for the summer jam of 2010 in the MTV Newsroom now, and stay tuned for more on the hottest songs of the season.

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'Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time': Boys Town, By Kurt Loder

Posted: 27 May 2010 05:53 AM PDT

Jake Gyllenhaal, swashbuckler


Jake Gyllenhaal
Photo: MTV News

Okay, Jake Gyllenhaal's sudden, suntanned muscularity suggests Malibu Beach more than it does ancient Persia; and one wonders if ancient Persians said things like "Watch your back" and "I need a drink." Still, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" seems (I'm guessing) like a pretty great Arabian-adventure movie for kids. It's made in the classic Disney style: no sex, no swearing, and lots of action with very little blood. So if you know a kid — of the male persuasion, ideally — you might want to take him to see it. You might also want to wait at a bar while he does so.

The movie is based on a long-evolving video game created by Jordan Mechner, who came up with the story for the film, too. It's the sort of story whose hazy details could only be ignored by a kid waiting impatiently for the next eruption of swordplay, rope-swinging and bad-guy noggin-conking. Gyllenhaal plays Dastan, a commoner who was adopted as an urchin, for reasons we can hurry right past here, by the good King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup), who raised the boy along with his two sons, Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) and Tus (Richard Coyle). Also lurking about is the lads' uncle, Nizam (Ben Kingsley, wearing enough eye shadow to put him in danger of drawing harem duty).

As the tale gets underway, Nizam brings news that the holy city of Alamut (the names in this picture might have been concocted from random grabs of Scrabble tiles) is supplying weapons to Persia's enemies. The now-grown Dastan is heroically helpful in storming Alamut's battlements, and once inside draws the attention of the resident Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton). After some preliminary squabbling (the traditional prelude to a chaste Disney kiss), she eventually informs him that Alamut is the repository of "the beating heart of all life — the sandglass of the gods." You'd never guess it from the outside.

The sandglass turns out to be located in the handle of a golden dagger, of which Dastan, for some typically hazy reason, is in possession. Pressing a button on this magical artifact summons a fiery wind that allows the dagger's wielder to go back one minute in time and undo whatever terrible things may need to be undone. Such a thing soon ensues: King Sharaman dons a robe that someone has given him as a gift and ... it kills him. (The haze thickens.) Dastan is quickly fingered as the malefactor and must flee into the desert with Tamina.

Out among the dunes they encounter a character named Sheik Amar (Alfred Molina), who presides over a desert settlement where he stages ostrich races "every Tuesday and Thursday." (As you always suspected of ostrich races, they're fixed.) When the duplicitous Amar learns that there's a reward out for Dastan's capture, the prince and his princess are forced to flee again, this time under cover of an ostrich stampede, which I must say is something to see.

Dastan now rashly decides that the time is right to return home to attend the funeral of his father, and to try to determine who is responsible for his death. (Men with an overabundance of eye shadow are of course always prime suspects.) Various trials must be endured along the way — a trudge through the Valley of the Slaves, an onslaught of black-clad, whip-flicking Hassassins (the hashish-stoked killers of legend, but here — this being a Disney film — apparently drug-free). In the end, Dastan and Tamina make it back to his native castle and ... so forth and so on.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer really knows his way around this sort of great big money-stuffed movie, and here he delivers everything you might expect. The action is excitingly staged (some of the wild roof-leaping suggests that the urban acrobatics of parkour were devised far earlier than we'd thought), although the CGI varies from beautiful (the hilltop city of Alamut) to whatever (that fiery wind). There are some funny touches, too — Molina in particular seems to be having a ball. Most amusing, though, is the fact that, in the grand tradition of Hollywood movies about long-ago foreigners, all the main parts are played by Brits — except for that of Gyllenhaal, of course, who nevertheless affects a British accent in solidarity with his fellow Persians.

Despite his tanned buffness, however, Gyllenhaal is a little too laid-back for serious swashbuckling; and Arterton, a good actress in other pictures, here falls back on her basic gorgeousness, occasionally inflected with a curious lip twitch that she really ought to have looked at. But then if you feel that acting quality is a serious concern, you're not the target audience for this hard-charging fantasy epic. Fortunately, the bar's right down the street.

Check out everything we've got on "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Kourtney Kardashian Says She Was The 'Accident Queen' On 'When I Was 17'

Posted: 28 May 2010 03:52 AM PDT

'I was always terrified driving in the car with her,' Kourtney's friend admits.
By MTV News staff


Kourtney Kardashian
Photo: MTV News

Admittedly, Kourtney Kardashian had yet to learn the rules of the open road back when she was a teenager. The oldest of the Kardashian sisters talks all about her not-so-great driving skills on "When I Was 17," airing Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV.

Looking back on it, she said of all her sisters, she had to work the hardest to become a safe driver. "I was definitely known as the accident queen in my family," she says on the show, which also features Travie McCoy and "American Idol" winner Kris Allen this week. Kourtney's sister Khloé was already featured on the show earlier this season when she talked about her "shady kid" past.

Kourtney's mom, Kris Jenner, confirms on the show that "Kourtney Kardashian is the world's worst driver." Her pal Samantha also makes an appearance in the episode, adding, "She ran a ton of red lights. I was always terrified driving in the car with her."

The "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and "Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami" star recalls one memorable accident. "When I was 17, I remember I was driving down the street, and the car in front of me stopped short, and I stopped really fast and I hit the car," she says. "I thought it was their fault, like I didn't know accident rules. So I was like, 'How dare you stop short even though I was driving like an inch behind you!' "

"When I Was 17" — this week featuring Kourtney Kardashian, Kris Allen and Travie McCoy — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV.

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'Prince Of Persia' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know

Posted: 28 May 2010 03:52 AM PDT

Before getting in the sand with Jake Gyllenhaal, study up on the video game-turned-movie.
By Eric Ditzian


Jake Gyllenhaal in 'Prince of Persia'
Photo: Walt Disney

Back in October 1989, the first "Prince of Persia" game swept onto Apple computers. Two decades and more than a dozen video game titles across countless platforms later, the first big-screen adaptation of the series is hitting theaters.

Your hero is Jake Gyllenhaal, with his windswept hair, his prominently displayed abs and his penchant for all manner of crazy stunts. Gyllenhaal plays Dastan, a pauper-turned-heir to an ancient throne, who finds himself in possession of one wicked cool gadget: a dagger that is like a really, really old version of Marty McFly's DeLorean, in that it can thrust its user back in time (albeit not very far).

Thus, your film is called "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," and it arrived Friday (May 28). You don't need your own time-traveling weapon to catch up on everything there is to know about the action/adventure flick. That's because MTV News is here with another cheat sheet, pulling together everything — videos, interviews, photos and more — you'll need to be up to speed before heading to the cinema.

Reconstructing the Ancient World
Producer extraordinaire Jerry Bruckheimer was pushing forward with development of the project in 2007 — with an eye toward a summer 2009 release — when the writers' strike hit. But shooting didn't actually begin until the summer of '08, and eventually the movie was pushed back to its current date on the calendar. Before then, of course, Gyllenhaal came aboard in his starring role (the actor's first action-hero turn) and was shortly joined by Alfred Molina, Ben Kingsley and Gemma Arterton.

In August of '08, we got our first (shirtless) look at Gyllenhaal as Dastan. Nine months would pass before the first official glimpse of "Persia" arrived, as Bruckheimer debuted the film's first footage. A few months later, a poster popped up online. This time, Gyllenhaal had put on a shirt but gained two swords and a whole lot of funky, gold-bedecked armor. More production photos appeared shortly thereafter.

"I can say right now, this will reinvent the video game adaptation," Gyllenhaal told us. "This will finally pull off and does finally pull off what everybody hopes that video game adaptations would."

The Desert Comes to Life
October brought us the movie's first trailer, showing us the production's epic scope, some CGI-assisted time travel and loads of sword-clanging battle scenes. And, of course, there was a whole lot of flirty banter between Gyllenhaal and his onscreen love interest, Arterton. We started to understand why director Mike Newell told MTV News that Gyllenhaal was a "thinking woman's action hero."

Super Bowl Sunday delivered the flick's TV spot (more swords, more CGI sand), and a month later, the second trailer dropped (yet more sand, yet more swords). And then MTV News debuted our own take on "Persia," a Lego-inspired remix of the trailer.

We Are 'Persia'
As the release of "Persia" approached, the cast and crew started doing the publicity rounds. In mid-May at the Los Angeles red-carpet premiere, Gyllenhaal revealed the reasons behind taking the role, his first as an action hero after years populating fare more directed at the art-house set.

"I've seen a lot of my peers starting to not take themselves so seriously and make really fun, big films, and I was itching to try my hand at it," he told us. "I think maybe as I've gotten a little bit older, I feel like I don't want to take myself so seriously anymore. I think before, as much as those movies mean to me, and they continue to mean to me, it's time to have a little fun too."

Arterton, meanwhile, has become a blockbuster vet, what with "Persia" and "Clash of the Titans." "I mean, guys are always playing soldiers and warriors, [but] there's not many roles for women like it," she told us. "I really threw myself into it and did a lot of my own stunts, which I'm really, really proud of. I always sort of saw myself as a bit of a stunt girl anyway. I'm quite reckless."

Might she have a chance to be reckless again in ancient Persia? The film is undoubtedly set up as a franchise. Now the box-office receipts just have to make one financially feasible.

"If there was an opportunity and people did respond to it, then of course," Gyllenhaal said about a sequel. "I love this world. Whenever you finish a movie, you're always like, 'Aw, we could have done this or could've done that.' And given the opportunity to do it even better than we've done it would be awesome."

Check out everything we've got on "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Lil Wayne's 'Da Da Da' Video Premieres -- Watch It Now!

Posted: 28 May 2010 09:00 AM PDT

Weezy puts on an impromptu rooftop performance in the just-released clip.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Lil Wayne in 'Da Da Da' music video
Photo: Cash Money Records

Lil Wayne has been on his rock-star steez for sometime now, but in his clip for "Da Da Da," the New Orleans rapper really embraces the lifestyle, as he and ¡Mayday! deliver an impromptu show atop the Marlin Hotel in Miami.

In the video, the Cash Money Records superstar takes a page out of U2's and Limp Bizkit's handbook with a crowd-rousing performance on a rooftop. Weezy rocks out with his band while unsuspecting Miami dwellers below discover the Rebirth star singing and quickly begin gathering on the corner to watch.

Earlier this week, MTV News previewed the clip before Lil Tunechi Weekend, when MTV Jams and MTV2 will play four brand-new videos from Lil Wayne. The "Da Da Da" video was shot back in February during Super Bowl weekend in Miami, when the rapper also shot clips for "Knockout" with Nicki Minaj, "Runnin' " with Shanell and "Get a Life."

David Rousseau directed the video; the Florida-based Rousseau has also helmed clips by Lil Jon and Pitbull, along with Young Money's "Roger That." The Cuban director oversaw all four videos Wayne shot during that weekend, a process that was necessary with the rapper's impending jail sentence.

Rosseau spoke to MTV News at the time. "This is our deadline. This is a hard deadline.," he said of Wayne's prison time hanging over their heads. "It was basically a 'Mission: Impossible' [scenario]: This is your mission if you choose to accept it. Everybody is onboard, because everybody knows what's at stake. Unlike T.I. and some of these other guys that's disappeared while they were in, the point is to keep Wayne [visible] on TV and everything for whatever time he's in. There was a plan in action. Slim and Baby really could foresee that. He's at the height of his career. You can't let that momentum slip."

What do you think about Lil Wayne's "Da Da Da" video? Let us know in the comments!

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Eminem's <i>Recovery</i> Track List Revealed: Lil Wayne, Rihanna Guest

Posted: 27 May 2010 02:19 AM PDT

Pink also appears on album, due June 22.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Eminem's <i>Recovery</i>
Photo: Interscope

First, Eminem opened up his circle of producers to include Just Blaze, Jim Jonsin and Mobb Deep's Havoc on his June 22 album, Recovery. Now, the album's track list has arrived via RapRadar.com, and it finds Slim Shady collaborating with a cadre of artists he's never worked with before in his career.

Pink, Rihanna and Kobe, a singer who appeared on Fabolous' last album, highlight the list of guests on Recovery, Em's follow-up to last year's Relapse Lil Wayne is the only other guest who appears on the album. The two lyricists collaborated previously on Wayne's rock-leaning project Rebirth, but they've never traded rhymes with each other on the same song; on "Drop the World," Wayne sings for the most part aided by Auto-Tune, and Eminem delivers a rap verse at the end of the number.

The lead single from Recovery, "Not Afraid," premiered a month ago and quickly established that Eminem was back. The track debuted at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, making the rapper one of only a handful of artists to achieve the feat.

The cover artwork for Recovery debuted earlier this week on the rapper's website.

MTV News' request to Interscope Records to confirm the track list has not been returned as of press time.

Recovery track list, according to RapRadar.com:

1. "Cold Wind Blows"
2. "Talkin' 2 Myself" (featuring Kobe)
3. "On Fire"
4. "Won't Back Down" (featuring Pink)
5. "W.T.P."
6. "Going Through Changes"
7. "Not Afraid"
8. "Seduction"
9. "No Love" (featuring Lil Wayne)
10. "Space Bound"
11. "Cinderella Man"
12. "25 to Life"
13. "So Bad"
14. "Almost Famous"
15. "Love the Way You Lie" (featuring Rihanna)
16. "You're Never Over"

Are you excited to hear Eminem's new album? Let us know in the comments!

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T.I. Explains Inspiration Behind <i>F--- A Mixtape</i> Title

Posted: 27 May 2010 08:19 AM PDT

Tip tells Mixtape Daily that the controversial name is 'in no way a direct shot to a DJ.'
By Shaheem Reid


T.I.
Photo: Atlantic

The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive

T.I. said he isn't dissing mixtape DJs or making a disparaging statement about the mixtape circuit by naming his new street project F--- a Mixtape. Rather, the King of the South said, he's actually going up against people who tried to discourage him from making a mixtape at this point in his multiplatinum, Grammy-winning career.

"F--- a mixtape" was a common response T.I. got when he started telling people that he was, in fact, going to drop a mixtape before he put out his King Uncaged LP, due in August. Some felt Tip should just focus on the album, while others thought he should do a film. Nah. Tip wanted to give back to the streets.

"There's so many songs I have recorded [for King Uncaged]," he told Mixtape Daily earlier this week in NYC. "I already have 60, 70 songs. A lot of these songs are period pieces that speak volumes to what's going on right now. If I hold onto them next year or the year after, they'll be dated, because my life will be in another direction. If I'm not gonna put it on the album — and they all can't make the album — then they might as well have another platform to present it to the world. Me, myself, personally, I feel that although I haven't done mixtapes, it's not 'cause I can't. It's 'cause I have so many other pressing issues that are on my plate, I have chose to work on that.

"F--- a Mixtape, that's in no way a direct shot to a DJ. 'Cause for other people, [a mixtape] works wonders. It do what it's supposed to do," he added. "For me, I do what I need to do. That's a common knowledge around the industry. I got enough music to go around. I can drop a song a day three or five years straight and still be cool. But F--- a Mixtape, it got the response it was supposed to get. It got people thinking, it got people talking, and it generated a demand."

F--- a Mixtape is co-hosted by DJ Drama and DJ MLK and features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Mike Bigga, Young Jeezy, MacBoney and Tip's cousin Rich Kid Rashad. Jamie Foxx appears on the tape's intro, and Lil Duval and Kevin Hart do skits and interludes. Meanwhile, Swizz Beatz, Lil C, Smash Factory and DJ Toomp are among the producers. F--- a Mixtape drops Thursday night (May 27) via LiveMixtapes.com.

F--- a Mixtape's track list, according to DJ Drama:

1. "Intro" (Jamie Foxx)
2. "Welcome Back to the Trap" (produced by Smash Factory)
3. "Spazz Out" (produced by Swizz Beatz)
4. "Whatcha Saying Tip" (produced by Chuck Diesel)
5. "Yeah" (featuring Lil Wayne and produced by Lil C)
6. "Yeah Ya Know" (produced by DJ Toomp and Lil C)
7. "Once Upon a Time"
8. "Here We Go Again" (produced by Timbaland)
9. "Get Yo Girl (featuring Rich Kid Rashad and produced by Jim Jonsin)
10. "Like So" (produced by Lil C)
11. "Gettin' Paid" (produced by Track Slayers)
12. "F--- a Mixtape N---a!!!" (Lil Duval)
13. "Really Livin' Like That" (produced by DJ Toomp)
14. "Whether You Like It or Not" (produced by Amadeus)
15. "Shooting Range" (Jamie Foxx)
16. "No Competition" (featuring Young Jeezy and produced by Black Mob)
17. "Bi--- Who" (featuring MacBoney and produced by Lil C)
18. "Ready Set Go" (featuring Mike Bigga and produced by No I.D.)
19. "F--- a Mixtape" (Kevin Hart)
20. "Outro"
21. "Celebration" (produced by J-Rock)
Bonus track: "Got Your Back" (featuring Keri Hilson and produced by DJ Toomp)

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc.

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Alicia Keys And Swizz Beatz Engaged And Expecting

Posted: 27 May 2010 06:50 AM PDT

Rep says the couple will be 'married in a private ceremony later this year.'
By Katie Byrne


Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz confirmed late Thursday (May 27) they are engaged and expecting their first child together.

The musicians "are expecting a baby and are engaged to be married in a private ceremony later this year," reps for the couple said.

Keys and Swizz Beatz (real name: Kasseem Dean) have had a musical partnership for years, collaborating on Keys' albums and, last year, on Whitney Houston's comeback single "Million Dollar Bill." Swizz spoke with MTV News in July about collaborating with his now-fiancée on Houston's album.

"At the time, I was working on some stuff with Alicia," Swizz said. "I was like, 'We need to bring Whitney back. We need to do some stuff to support Whitney.' Then Alicia was like, 'I love Whitney, she's an icon. I would love to be a part of that.' I started vibing on different things. I didn't want to come with anything that would make her sound too old or too young. That's when I got the vibe to do something that had, like, a disco feel, but still with the hard drums on it — still musical but moving. I wanted to do something that was instant when it came on. Then I played the idea for Alicia to make sure I wasn't bugging out. 'Am I going too far with this?' She was like, 'Nah. That can be a big smash.' "

It will be the first marriage and child for Keys, while Swizz was previously married to singer Mashonda and has two sons, Kasseem Jr. and Prince, from previous relationships.

A couple of years ago, when Swizz announced his divorce, rumors swirled that Keys was behind the breakup. The producer denied those reports when MTV News spoke to him in June 2008. "Everybody can have their fun right now talking that dumb sh-- about my divorce and all that," he said. "I'mma give them something to talk about. People get divorced every f---in' day. They need to worry about more serious things."

Share your well wishes with the newly engaged couple in the comments!

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'American Idol' In 60 Seconds: Lee Wins The 'Season Of The Girl'

Posted: 27 May 2010 07:33 AM PDT

Joe Cocker, Paula Abdul and other random guests can't distract from a lackluster season nine.
By Jim Cantiello

"American Idol" wrapped up "The Season of the Girl" by handing the "Idol" crown to a boy. Season nine really was as inept as we all thought.

Sorry Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox, but Wednesday night's two-hour finale was really all about Simon Cowell. With the exception of David Cook and Adam Lambert, most of the past "Idol" favorites showed up — even ones Simon supposedly hates — to say goodbye to the guy who helped make them moderately successful. (Some crackpot audition rejects also performed with Dane Cook. It was supposed to make Simon squirm, and he did ... along with the rest of America.) Then Paula Abdul returned to the "Idol" stage in a bizarre appearance that can only be described as part roast, part intervention.

"Idol" producers booked lots of special guest stars from the '70s and '80s to duet with the top 12: Alice Cooper, Chicago, Joe Cocker, Daryl Hall and John Oates, the Bee Gees. It was one Charo away from being an episode of "The Love Boat."

Producers also double-dipped into the '90s Relics bin by inviting Alanis Morissette to duet with Crystal on a G-rated "You Oughta Know" and Christina Aguilera to perform with the top six girls for six seconds before booting them from the stage so she could sing her new 18-minute-long ballad.

The only contemporary artists were previous Idols. A very fierce Carrie Underwood served up "Undo It" and Kris Allen rocked his new single, "Yo, Seacrest, Your Microphone Is on During My Performance and That's Annoying." Kris was also on hand to give Lee and Crystal their new custom-designed Ford Fiestas. Interesting side note: The Ford Fiesta is a fraction of the cost of the cars Kris and Adam won last year. Even the sponsors realized this season sucked.

The night's biggest surprise was Casey James and Bret Michaels' duet. I'm still not sure what was more shocking: the fact that Bret Michaels was onstage even though he's still recovering from a life-threatening brain hemorrhage, or the fact that Casey James was one of the best performers of the night.

After Janet Jackson showed off a short, slicked-back 'do and General Larry Platt and William Hung showed off a lack of shame, Seacrest announced the winner the way Maury reveals paternity tests.

Lee DeWyze, you ARE the father.

Do you agree with the results? Do you think a girl can ever win "Idol" again? What was your favorite moment of the two-hour finale? Leave a comment below, and for more "Idol" insanity, follow me @jambajim.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Drake Calls Jay-Z Collaboration, 'Light Up,' A 'Life Lesson'

Posted: 27 May 2010 06:50 AM PDT

'Jay not only gave me a great verse, but a life lesson,' the Toronto MC says of Jay's contribution.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Drake
Photo: Matt Harper/ MTV News

Drake gave careful consideration to where on the track list each song would fall on his forthcoming Thank Me Later, from the introspective "Fireworks," now the album opener, to the rumbling "Over," which he described as a "turning point" on the album.

"We took a trip to Jamaica, where I did a lot of work for my album," Drake told MTV News about "Over" in March. "There was this calm before the storm, and 'Over' represented the storm to me. It's the moment. I wanted to emerge at first from this album and just let people know 'This is how I'm coming out in the public eye. I'm ready for anything.' "

The second turning point, though, according to the Toronto MC, is "Light Up," his recently leaked collaboration with Jay-Z. On that track, produced by Tone Mason and Noah "40" Shebib, the Brooklyn MC schools Drizzy on life at the top of the game. While the middle section of Thank Me Later is heavy on blockbuster collabos, including features by Nicki Minaj, T.I. Swizz Beatz, The-Dream and Young Jeezy, "Light Up" kicks off the concluding portion of the album.

" 'Light Up' really came from, Jay had a busy year, obviously, with The Blueprint 3 and the success of that and the tour," Drake told MTV News about how the 'tune came to be. "So we didn't do it in the same room. But me and Jay have a lot of great conversations, man. So it would never just be like, 'I'm gonna send you something, and we're not gonna talk about it, and you send it back.' We really talked about it.

"And Jay's joint on the album is so important on the album, because it's another turning point. Whereas 'Over' is a turning point for me, 'Light Up' ... Jay, really, I think it's one of my favorite Jay verses. Jay not only gave me a great verse, but a life lesson. And I think he's gonna give everybody a life lesson just about this business. It's incredible."

What do you think of Drake collaborating with Jay-Z? Let us know in the comments!

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Lil Wayne Hosts Mixtape From Prison -- Check Out A Preview!

Posted: 27 May 2010 03:51 AM PDT

Weezy calls DJ Scoob Doo in this preview from Fetti Holmes Part 2.
By Shaheem Reid


"Fetti Holmes 2" mixtape cover
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

Lil Wayne says that while in prison, he's picking up New York City slang. The MC called in to DJ Scoob Doo and told him all about it.

"Man, 'son,' kid,' 'word up,' 'word to my mutha,' Weezy laughs on the call. The footage of the phone call appears in the upcoming Fetti Holmes Part 2, mixtape, a preview of which you can watch right here. "I'm 'son,' 'kid,' 'word to my mutha,' 'Yo, what's good B?'"

When Scoob asks him how he's doing, Wayne nonchalantly replies, "Ain't nothing, man. I'm just sitting back waiting for the day to come."

The conversation shifts to the upcoming Scoob-directed video for Weezy's "Steady Mobbin.' "

"Man, I know that sh-- look good. It's stupid?" Wayne says.

"Yeah, I put that 'Single' video out," Scoob responds.

"That sh-- hard," Wayne answers with excitement. "Everybody's calling me. I talk about that sh--. Once a day somebody's gotta say something about the muthaf---in' 'Single' video. I forgot we did that. I was like, 'I don't even remember even doing that." (Considering how many videos Wayne filmed before heading to prison, that's not surprising.)

You'll be hearing a lot more of Wayne calling in from Rikers Island. The mixtape is a joint effort between Scoob and DJ Drama and Weezy participates via phone-call interludes. New music from Drake and the Birdman also appears on the project.

The Birdman pays homage to Wayne on "Jr. Doing Time/ Bigger Than Life." Those records will also appear on Baby's upcoming album, The Godfather, and DVD.

"Nobody in America or the world has that," Scoob says of Birdman's new material.

Scoob recently released an excerpt from his forthcoming "Nino Brown Story 3" DVD (due next month), where Weezy talked about his recent legal troubles.

"I'm coolin'. Ya feel me? I'll be home soon," Wayne says in the video that shows Scoob talking to him on speakerphone. "If you worryin', don't worry too much, but keep worryin'. If you ain't worried, then something's wrong. But you know, it's Nino Brown, I got the penthouse suite up here in Rikers, man. I got my feet up. Ya smell me? My team is still holding it down, man. They keepin' the flood open. I already know how it go.

"Ain't too much, I got in a little trouble and whatnot, you feel me?" Wayne continued "Yeah, they tried to bang me with that. ... But I can't live without my music, Scoob. You know how it is, man. I needed my music. It's all good. I had to take my little slip-up. I ain't trippin'. Players f--- up."

In a separate interview last week, Young Money's Tyga said that Wayne is doing as well as can be expected in prison

"It was crazy to see him in there in that type of situation, but he's doing good," Tyga said of a recent visit to see Wayne. "He's holding his head up. He was basically just talking about his whole experience in there, everything that's going on. He knew everything about everything in there, so I was just basically listening to what he had to say."

Fetti Holmes Part 2 is available from Hotnewhiphop.com and DatPiff.com.

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50 Cent Isn't So Skinny Anymore

Posted: 27 May 2010 03:23 AM PDT

Photos emerge of the G-Unit chief clearly recovering from weight loss.
By MTV News staff


50 Cent before regaining weight
Photo: G-Unit

50 Cent has been muscular for years, so fans were stunned when photos of the G-Unit chief looking shockingly skinny hit the Internet on Wednesday.

The text accompanying the photos, which appear in the new Us Magazine and on ThisIs50.com, say that the rapper slimmed down to 160 pounds (from 214) for "Things Fall Apart," a movie he penned himself and stars in, about a cancer-stricken football player.

He said he achieved the dramatic weight loss via a liquid diet and a daily regimen that included three-hour treadmill sessions.

The articles noted that 50 has been putting his weight back on in anticipation of his tour kicking off Friday, and on Thursday (May 27), a photo showing that appeared in South Carolina's a photo of a not-as-skinny Fif appeared in South Carolina's Aiken Standard. 50 visited the area to research his background for "50's Roots," an installment of VH1's "Rock Docs."

He appears the picture of good health in the photo, taken Wednesday, with a smile to boot.

The MC is apparently taking his bulking up seriously, ordering a "cheeseburger all the way" and French fries in a restaurant where he stopped for lunch, according to the paper. "He was a real gentleman," the manager said.

G-Unit's Tony Yayo told MTV News earlier this month that he admires his boss' resolve when it comes to acting.

"50 doesn't party, he doesn't drink. For his new film, the guy was, like, 130 pounds," Yayo said. "He was running from the airport to the hotel. And I was like, 'Man, he has the three D's: desire, determination and [direction].' "

Were you shocked by 50 Cent's weight loss? Let us know in the comments!

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Simon Cowell's Top Five 'American Idol' Moments

Posted: 26 May 2010 10:17 PM PDT

We look back at the judge's meanest, funniest and most truthful comments.
By Eric Ditzian


Simon Cowell
Photo: M. Caulfield/American Idol 2008

While the ostensible point of Wednesday night's "American Idol" finale was to decide the fates of Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox, the evening's spotlight returned again and again to Simon Cowell. Before the acerbic yet somehow lovable British judge left to jumpstart another Fox show, "Idol" celebrated his nine seasons of work with video segments, comedic bits and an appearance by former judge — and frequent Cowell sparring partner — Paula Abdul.

We're gonna miss the guy, with his ludicrously unbuttoned dress shirts and surly witticisms. It's an open question whether the show can survive without him, especially coming off a season that almost everyone can agree was lackluster at best and soul-crushing at worst. We worry about what "Idol" will be like without Cowell there to speak the truth in that inimitable style of his.

As Simon Cowell leaves us behind — not to return until late in 2011 with "The X Factor" — MTV News took a look back at the most memorable moments from his "Idol" tenure.

The Kiss: For years, Cowell and Abdul's half-flirty, half-cruel, entirely entertaining relationship was the most riveting element of the show. Good singers and horrible singers came and went, but there was always Cowell and Abdul alternating between acting like a bickering married couple or elementary-school-aged siblings. In season two, they filmed a skit that hilariously brought everything out into the open: They'd been carrying on a secret affair the entire time. And to prove it, they shared a sloppy kiss over a dinner of champagne and whipped cream. No matter that it turned out to be Simon's dream (or nightmare).

The Bush Baby: Cowell's judging style has always toed the line between scathing and inappropriate. The audition phase of the contest always brings out Simon's prickly side, and during season six, he ended up going too far with his insults when he ripped contestant Kenneth Swale (a.k.a. Kenneth Briggs).

"You look a little odd, your dancing is terrible, the singing was horrendous, and you look like one of those creatures that live in the jungle with the massive eyes," Cowell told him. "What are they called? Bush babies."

Not cool, Simon, not cool.

"You're sick," Abdul told him.

The Teletubbies Attack and the Sweetheart Swipe: "Idol" contestants go insult-for-insult with Cowell at their own peril. Shoot, even Ryan Seacrest has courted danger when he went after the Brit judge. Simon abuses people for a living — the guy knows what he's doing. But one night on season six, both a contestant and Seacrest came out on the winning end of a battle with Cowell.

It all got started when Cowell told Chris Sligh, "I kinda felt I was at some weird student gig."

One of his finer insults this wasn't, and he followed it up by condescendingly calling Seacrest "sweetheart."

"Don't call me sweetheart," Ryan responded. "We don't have that kind of relationship. I don't want that kind of relationship."

Perhaps feeling emboldened, Sligh then pulled out an insult that referenced two of Cowell's more embarrassing career achievements. "I guess my only question is, like, obviously audiences think that this kind of music is very popular right now," he said. "And what I have to say right now is just because I don't sing Il Divo or Teletubbies doesn't mean I'm not a good singer."

The Bigger Stage: When in doubt, Cowell resorts to insults about a contestant's appearance. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's just plain mean. One night in season five, it was both. After Mandisa Hundley delivered a killer take on Alicia Keys' "Fallin'," Cowell waited until the singer had left the audition room to zing her.

"Do we have a bigger stage this year?" he asked.

"She's like Frenchie," Abdul added, referencing the season-two plus-size singer.

"Forget Frenchie, she's like France," Simon quipped.

And All Those Other Insults: Who are we kidding? It's impossible to choose just five moments from this guy's "Idol" career. There are simply too many deliciously vicious insults. Here are a few of our favs.

To season three's Ashley Thomas: "What that reminded me of when I was sitting here was, like, instead of being on the stage of 'American Idol,' you're at a local rodeo, you'd just been crowned the prom queen, and it was like the song before you lasso a bull."

To season five's Bucky Covington: ''I've got to talk about this Jessica Simpson hairstyle. I mean, seriously, that has got to go!''

To season five's Bobby Bennett: "If you hear a scream from a hotel room in Las Vegas, that's where Barry Manilow's watching this show. ... Horror films entertain me. You know, it's a different kind of entertainment."

To season six's Haley Scarnato: "Can I tell you the problem? Do you know what I said to Paula halfway through the song? I don't know your name."

To season seven's Ashley Lawing: "I'm going to steal your dog."

To season seven's Kristy Lee Cook: "You sounded like Dolly Parton on helium."

Share your favorite Simon Cowell insults in the comments below.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Gary Coleman Hospitalized In Critical Condition

Posted: 27 May 2010 04:07 AM PDT

The 42-year-old former child actor suffered a head injury during a fall.
By Kelley L. Carter


Gary Coleman
Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Gary Coleman has undergone emergency surgery and is in critical condition in a Utah hospital, CNN reports.

The 42-year-old former child actor was taken to the hospital after suffering a head injury during a fall. The actor's brother-in-law told TMZ that Coleman is listed in critical condition, saying he was taken from his home in Utah to the hospital around 12:50 p.m. Wednesday.

TMZ also reported that Coleman had what was thought to be a seizure while doing a TV interview in February for "The Insider." At the time, sources on set told the website that Dr. Drew was with the actor as part of a panel and helped Coleman until paramedics showed up on the scene. The site also reported that Coleman was hospitalized in January for what might have been a seizure.

Coleman's manager told E! News that "we're just getting bits and pieces right now, so there's really nothing to report. If there's anything to announce, we'll let you know."

Coleman, who first became famous for playing Arnold Drummond on the TV series "Diff'rent Strokes," also has a congenital kidney disease and receives frequent dialysis. Coleman had heart surgery last fall that became complicated by pneumonia, his attorney Randy Kester told The Associated Press.

The AP also reports that Coleman has lived in Utah since 2005, when he moved there to star in a comic film called "Church Ball," which is based on the basketball leagues formed by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Coleman and his wife, Shannon Price, met on the set of the film and married in 2007.

Share your well wishes with Coleman and his family in the comments.

'American Idol' Winner Lee DeWyze's Friends: 'This Is Only The Beginning'

Posted: 27 May 2010 02:03 AM PDT

Many tears were shed on Wednesday night when the results were read.
By Gil Kaufman


Photo: Getty Images

It was only fitting that Brian Friedopfer and a big group of Lee DeWyze's friends gathered at the Glenview, Illinois, karaoke bar Potato Creek Johnny's on Wednesday night to watch the finale of "American Idol."

After all, it was the place Lee and his pals went on an almost-weekly basis to try out their favorite rock tunes. But as his friend stood on the edge of victory after years of slogging his gear around the Chicago area playing gigs in pursuit of his rock and roll fantasy, Friedopfer said the two-hour finale felt like an eternity. "Man, it felt like eight hours," he said on Thursday morning (May 27). "Once it got to where they were standing onstage and Ryan was about to read the result, me and his close friends were holding onto each other, and we were on our toes, our hearts going a million miles a minute."

As Ryan Seacrest took his usual heart-stopping pause before reading the name aloud, Friedopfer said he was confident Lee's name was written on the host's card. But once the words actually came out, it finally felt real — and it was time to celebrate.

"We were jumping up and down, tears running down our faces and everyone in the bar gave us a hug," he said.

Hours later, around 4 a.m., Lee finally called Brian and told him, "Brian, I just won 'American Idol.' "

"I was like, 'I know you just won, I watched you!' " Friedopfer recalled. "And then, he just said, 'I love you guys so much and am so grateful for everything you've done.' He said he had to wake up in two hours to do some more interviews, but he just wanted to tell us he loved us and was grateful. That's how he is, he's an amazing guy."

Another karaoke pal, Kirstin Schlueter, 27, was there as well, and she said that when DeWyze's name was read, it felt like everyone blacked out for a few seconds, as the news sank in.

"It was just a lot of emotion," said Schlueter, who met Lee at Johnny's two years ago. "We just started sobbing, and it was so loud in there we couldn't even hear him performing the final song because we were so hysterical." Both friends said they were a bit nervous when at the top of Wednesday night's show, Seacrest said that going into the final night of the competition, the finalists were separated by a mere two percent. But Schlueter brushed it off, saying, "Ah, Lee never loses anything. He would fight to the death if he has to."

For now, she's just waiting for a phone call from her former karaoke partner. "I'm just waiting for him to say, 'Guess what I did?' and I can say, 'I know, I watched you buddy!' It's so weird to see him on TV and think, 'He used to sit in the passenger seat of my car.' I just can't wait to give him a big hug and tell him how proud I am."

Another confidant who had no doubt Lee would emerge victorious was Amy Silverman, Lee's former high school teacher and close friend, who was in the audience on Tuesday and Wednesday night to cheer him on. "I wasn't nervous at all," she said on Thursday. "I never had a doubt. I was talking to Lee the night before, and he felt the same way he felt probably every Tuesday this whole time, but times 1,000: 'There's nothing you can do. You can't worry about anything other than getting some sleep and being there again on Wednesday.' "

She said he was excited about his chance to perform with Joe Cocker and Chicago, and before the results were read, he looked over at Silverman and another of his close friends and gave them a wave. When Seacrest finally dropped the news, Silverman said she had her eyes closed and she just lost it, weeping tears of joy. "We caught up with him afterwards, and he hugged me and held me and just said, 'Oh, my God.' He was speechless, just couldn't talk. We met up with him and his family at the afterparty later, and he just kept shaking his head and saying, 'Oh, my God ... this is so cool!' I don't think it'll set in for a bit."

Once the shock had worn off, Friedopfer said he recalled sitting in a bar a little less than a year ago and telling DeWyze he was going to win the competition. "I've been confident the whole time," he said. "Now we're here and he's won. I knew it had to be him. It's the only thing that made sense. This is only the beginning."

Were you expecting Lee to win "Idol"? Let us know in the comments!

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Emma Roberts Joins 'Scream 4' Cast

Posted: 27 May 2010 03:13 AM PDT

'Nancy Drew' actress joins Hayden Panettiere and Rory Culkin in horror sequel.
By Ryan J. Downey


Emma Roberts
Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS/ AFP/ Getty Images

New residents of Woodsboro keep piling up: Emma Roberts has been cast in "Scream 4."

"I'm so excited to be part of this groundbreaking franchise," Roberts told Entertainment Weekly. "It's the perfect opportunity for me to do something completely different than I've ever done before."

Director/producer Wes Craven had this to say about the "Nancy Drew" actress: "Emma's talent, beauty and range will add immensely to the sophistication, intensity and fun of the 'Scream' franchise as it returns to the screen once more."

It's unclear who Roberts will be playing, although it's widely assumed she'll be Jill Prescott, cousin to Neve Campbell's protagonist, Sidney. (EW has reported that sources tell them this, as well.)

Julia Roberts' niece joins Hayden Panettiere (TV's "Heroes") and Rory Culkin, who will take over the franchise from series regulars Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, all also set to appear. Roberts and Culkin previously worked together in 2008's "Lymelife."

Writer Kevin Williamson has kept plot points under wraps. Speculation is running rampant as to who will survive the latest installment of the pop-culture-referencing horror series that famously killed off the first film's biggest star, Drew Barrymore, in the opening sequence.

"Scream" (1996), "Scream 2" (1997) and "Scream 3" (2000) were all directed by horror master Craven ("A Nightmare on Elm Street") based on characters created by Williamson, who wrote the first two films. Williamson created TV's "Dawson's Creek" and heads up the CW's "Vampire Diaries."

The "Scream" movies take place in the fictitious town of Woodsboro, where teens are stalked by killers with various motivations related to Sidney's family — all while wearing the ghost-faced mask based on Edvard Munch's famous painting "The Scream." Filled with meta references to classic horror flicks, the movies deftly blended humor and angst with genuine frights.

Check out everything we've got on "Scream 4."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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The Next 'Twilight': The Search Continues At BookExpo America

Posted: 27 May 2010 02:19 AM PDT

We pick five books that could live up to the hype to be your next book addiction.
By Brian Jacks and Sabrina Rojas Weiss


"Vampire Academy: Shadow Kiss"
Photo: Penguin Books

Mega-successful books series like "Twilight" and "Harry Potter" don't come around every day. The flowery tales of Edward and Bella and the fantastical adventures of Harry and his schoolmates have entrenched themselves in the hearts of loyal followers, leaving room for little else. But the June 5 release of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" spin-off novella "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner" marks the end of an era. That's why the publishers, authors and booksellers at BookExpo America this week were eager to tout their upcoming releases as the next big thing.

MTV News scoured the trade show and soaked in the hype. Check back at our Hollywood Crush blog for reviews of many of these titles when they're available. But in the meantime, here are five buzzed-about books whose mythical creatures and evil dystopias seem the most promising. Many of them are already being prepped for the big screen too.

"I Am Number Four"

What It's About: A group of young aliens land on Earth after their own planet is destroyed, secretly integrating themselves into society where they slowly learn they're developing powers. When those responsible for blowing up their planet track them down and begin killing them in sequential order, our hero John Smith (otherwise known as Number Four) vows to dish vengeance on the bad guys, all while juggling a hot and heavy love triangle involving his fellow extraterrestrial Sarah (Number Six) and a human girl.

What Could Make It the Next "Twilight": The book by "Pitacus Lore" (the pseudonym of James Frey and Jobie Hughes) doesn't hit shelves until August 17, but that didn't stop Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay and the creators of "Smallville" from teaming up to produce a big-budget film that's set for a 2011 release. Alex Pettyfer of "Beastly" and Dianna Agron from "Glee" are among the stars already attached. That alone could help the book shoot to the top of the pile, but at its heart the title is about one young man and his quest discover himself, get the girl and take down the enemy.

"The Passage"

What It's About: A government weapons project goes awry, turning much of the population into blood-sucking vampires. The book follows the story of Amy, a young survivor who remains mostly unaffected by the virus and may be the key to saving the human race. Interestingly, the tale shifts between two time periods, jumping 100 years into the future, when Amy is still alive (cue spooky music).

What Could Make It the Next "Twilight": Author Justin Cronin developed his book, which come out on June 8, while listening to his 13-year-old daughter obsess over Stephenie Meyer. Like the "Twilight" series, the story revolves around a special girl. Director Ridley Scott ("Gladiator," "Blade Runner") apparently agrees and has optioned the book to develop into a feature film.

"The Hunger Games"

What It's About: In a oppressive country called Panem, every year, two children from each of 12 districts are sent to compete in a televised arena battle to the death. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen has the advantage of archery skills and something-more-than-friendship with fellow District 12 tribute Peeta.

What Could Make It the Next "Twilight": Suzanne Collins' trilogy (third book, "Mockingjay," is out August 24) has created a fierce, selfless heroine, a tragic love triangle and a frightening dystopian future that's captured adults and teens alike. There aren't any vampires in sight, but fans' enthusiasm for these books is growing mighty feverish. Lionsgate is slated to begin filming a movie adaptation in early 2011.

"Vampire Academy"

What It's About: Imagine Hogwarts, but more deadly and with sexy vampires instead of wussy wizards. "Vampire Academy" follows the adventures of Rose Hathaway, a half-vampire student of the boarding school who is training to become her best friend's bodyguard. Though she's often battling evil vampires, the series is not without a heaping of romance here and there.

What Could Make It the Next "Twilight": When we covered the "Vampire Academy" books last year, we called Richelle Mead's series the "perfect antidote" to frustrations over Bella often playing the victim. In this series, we get a strong female character who's more liable to kick someone else's ass on her own, rather than relying on any strapping hunks to do it for her. And as of today, the latest book in the franchise, "Spirit Bound," has hit #1 on the best-seller charts.

"Beautiful Darkness" and "Beautiful Creatures"

What It's About: The series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the book is told from the point-of-view of a high school student in the deep South who meets the girl of his dreams (literally). A tale of good versus evil, we follow the couple as the girl must choose between the dark side and the light side of her magical powers before her 16th birthday. "Beautiful Darkness" is out on October 12.

What Could Make It the Next "Twilight": Like "Twilight," teenage angst is mixed with Gothic charm, dark secrets and choices to be made. The book is heavy on the romance aspect as it follows two young lovers and the feverous attempt by the boy to sway his girlfriend to the more righteous path.

Head over to HollywoodCrush.MTV.com for more book reviews, author interviews and the latest news on movies and TV shows based on your favorite page-turners.

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