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Lady Gaga's 'Edge Of Glory': A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 12:52 AM PDT

In her newest video, Gaga pays homage to classic clips of the 1980s.
By James Montgomery


Lady Gaga
Photo: Getty Images

The first thing that strikes you about Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" video is the fact that it's steeped in the rich, gauzy traditions of classic pop clips and noticeably missing any of the allegories, agendas or, uh, afterbirth of her previous work.

Simply put, "Edge" is an homage to an entire genre of videos that has since gone by the wayside — namely, the eternally soft-focused, ethereal mini-movies of the 1980s, (mostly) pop productions that reimagined cityscapes as dream-like fantasy worlds, where the just-wet streets shone like mirrors, the manholes frothed with steam and no piece of fabric was left un-billowed. These were decidedly big-budget, unapologetically Hollywood things, shot on studio backlots, glowing with million-dollar lighting budgets and given extra grandeur thanks to sweeping, soaring crane shots. They made no attempt to portray reality as anything of the sort — because, much like the songs they accompanied, there was rebellion in that fantasy — or of hiding their excesses. And, not surprisingly, as the decade came to a close, and earnestness began to reign supreme, they slowly disappeared (surely, their big budgets didn't help their fate either).

But with her new clip, Gaga resurrects the epic videos of the '80s once again. And, seemingly, all at once. There truly are too many nods to the classics to list individually, and really, that's beside the point. With "The Edge of Glory," LG is paying tribute not to individual artists, but to an entire genre. Still, there are some whose influence stands above the rest, and we've combined them into one handy cheat sheet. Of course, in keeping with her tradition, not all of them come from the 1980s. Because if there's anything Lady Gaga has proven, it's that she refuses to be fenced in. Here's our list:

Bonnie Tyler: Welsh-born belter whose better-known videos (like "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero") practically set the standard for the fantastical pop videos of the 1980s. Soft focus, arching crane shots, achingly staged lighting — they're all there, and they're all on display in "Edge of Glory" too.

Blondie, "Rapture": One of the earliest examples of the ethereal '80s (it was released in 1981), the video follows Debbie Harry on a dream-like traipse through the streets of New York City, complete with guest appearances by Fab Five Freddy and a shuffling Uncle Sam (to name just a few). It makes no sense, because it's not supposed to.

Cyndi Lauper: Gaga's good friend and, along with Madonna, perhaps the premier '80s video star, Lauper's classics — be they the good-natured rebellion of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" or the moody, arty "True Colors" — both seem like spiritual successors to "Edge."

"Fame": Epochal tale of performing-arts students living and loving in NYC during the early '80s, it's spirit and style have long influenced Gaga's work. With its dance moves and dreamy, freedom-in-the-streets scenes, "Edge" is perhaps the best example of that.

"Flashdance": Prototypical "girl finds escape in dance" film from 1983, it stars Jennifer Beals as a steelworker/dancer who dreams of a better life. Not only are the same sentiments echoed in "Edge," but Gaga pays tribute to the film's most memorable scene — where Beals reclines in a chair and is doused in water — by striking a similar pose outside her apartment building.

George Michael: Before he became known for his various, uh, exploits, Michael was the biggest British pop star of the 1980s, and as such, he churned out some appropriately huge music videos. Two of his biggest — "Father Figure" and "Careless Whisper" — seem to have influenced Gaga with their gauzy, steamy portrayals of late-night life in the big city and, in the case of "Whisper," that balls-out sax wailing.

Michael Jackson: You can't write anything about videos from the 1980s without mentioning MJ, who took the art form to rarely duplicated heights. Usually, his clips were fantastical things, but occasionally, he also got gritty, and it's those moments (videos like "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Billie Jean") that seem to have stuck in Gaga's mind.

"Newsies": The 1992 Disney musical is most notable for its initial "flop" status and its subsequent rebirth as a cult classic. It tells the story of newsboys on strike in New York City, and in classic scenes like Christian Bale's performance of the song "Santa Fe," it takes that struggle to the twisting fire escapes of the city. Sort of like "Edge of Glory," really.

"Rent": Broadway retelling of Puccini's "La bohème," set in the Lower East Side in the early 1990s. As some have noted, Lady Gaga seems to be paying tribute to the choreography of one particular number ("Out Tonight") as she dances on the fire escape.

"West Side Story": One of the best-loved Broadway musicals of all time, "Story" was remade as a film in 1961 and went on to win a whopping 10 Oscars, including Best Picture. As you can expect, there are plenty of street scenes and fire escapes in both the film and the stage show, but perhaps the most famous is "Tonight," where the story's star-crossed lovers profess their love for one another high above the city. Sure, Maria never tears off her Versace silk, but you seemingly cannot film a scene on a fire escape without recalling this classic, and, in "Edge," there's certainly a lot of the former.

Did we miss any influences? Let us know in the comments below!

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50 Cent Clears Up Twitter Label Drama

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 03:36 AM PDT

Fif also reveals that he is on Dr. Dre's next single, 'The Psycho.'
By Rob Markman


50 Cent
Photo: Michael Tran/ FilmMagic

50 Cent went into renegade mode Thursday, blasting his label on Twitter and releasing his new single "Outlaw" independently of Interscope. Don't get it twisted, however: The G-Unit General isn't just acting off of emotion. This is all part of his plan to light a fire under the label in preparation of his fifth, yet-untitled album. (50 confirmed to MTV News that this is not the Black Magic album he had announced in 2010.)

On April 18, Fif announced via Twitter that he was going to be dropping a single from his new album, but never did. When MTV News caught up with him a few days later on the L.A. set of Nicole Scherzinger's "Right There" video, 50 backtracked, saying that instead, he opted to work in conjunction with Interscope on the release.

"So I had the record I was ready to launch, and we sat down and everybody talked," Fif told MTV News in an interview Friday (June 17). "What happens is, there are a lot of people involved in my actual launch, because its three parties; it's Shady, then you got Aftermath, then you got Interscope, and then you got me on my end. So by the time we got to go sit down with [Interscope chairman] Jimmy [Iovine], we talked a little bit, and then I ended up having to go see Dre, because we had the little issue, the confusion about the Twitter stuff."

The "Twitter stuff" the Southside Jamaica, Queens, rapper is referencing is when he charged on the social-networking site that Dre and Jimmy Iovine were "mad" because Fif announced that he was developing his own brand of high-end headphones to rival the Good Doctor's Beats by Dre.

"We sat down, we cleared that up, me and Dre, and then we said, 'Let's just get back to the music and do what we do,' " Curtis said before revealing his and Dre's next move. "Immediately after, we wrote a song together called 'The Psycho'; it's Dre's next single."

After making peace with his partners, it was 50's intention to release his own single with his label's support and have a record that would impact radio so he could perform at Hot 97's annual Summer Jam concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. There was no single and, subsequently, no 50 Cent at the show, which took place June 5. "Why would I be going to Summer Jam to perform a bunch of feature songs?" the rapper asked rhetorically. "That's not for me. I rather not be there than to go through that."

Things took a turn Thursday when the MC tweeted: "Ok I tried to be cool with my record company. I went to the meeting talk to everyone and sh-- feels like there moving in slow motion," adding that he wouldn't drop an album in 2011 unless Interscope got "on the same page." Then he premiered his new song "Outlaw" later that evening in an effort to cause excitement for his upcoming LP, which will be his last on Interscope.

Though he is visibly concerned about how the rollout of his album is being handled, Fif wants to be clear about where he places the blame. "It's not necessarily Dre or Jimmy; it's more the guys that they pass the responsibilities onto. It takes longer for people, because they'll be like, 'OK, we're gonna do this and we're gonna do that,' and the building will start having those conversations, but they're not actually moving at that point."

What do you think of 50 Cent's label drama? How about the new song "Outlaw"? Let us know in the comments!

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Britney Spears' Tour 'A Real Buzz' For Openers Nervo

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 01:33 AM PDT

'The nerves are gone now, and I just want to own it more,' Nervo's Liv tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


Britney Spears
Photo: Jeremy Cowart/ WireImage

The Femme Fatale Tour kicked off Thursday night to rave reviews, with critics giving Britney Spears props for her over-the-top stage show. The show is all about the ladies, thanks to opening slots from Nervo, Jessie and the Boy Toys, as well as Nicki Minaj, with Spears acting as the show's head mistress.

MTV News caught up with Liv from the DJ act Nervo on Friday (June 17), nearly 24 hours after their first warm-up gig for Ms. Spears.

"I've got to say, it was a real buzz for us to open the show; that's the selfish highlight," she told MTV News. "We were honored to be there. I thought the crowd got our house music."

Liv had the pleasure of finally seeing Spears in concert for the first time and couldn't help but rave about her. "I thought she was brilliant. It was my first time seeing Nicki, as well, and she was brilliant," she said. "I love 'Slave 4 U.' I was really happy she was playing her oldies."

When fans first heard that Spears and Minaj would be touring together, no one knew how the two would mesh. But, as it turns out, Liv said they work just perfectly. "They're both very strong women. Britney was the same old Britney we love," she said. "They complemented each other."

In fact, there's a real sense of camaraderie on the road. "The nerves are gone now, and I just want to own it more," she said. "It really does [feel like girl power]. It's very exciting. We're all girls. This business is crazy, and it's fun we can all be in it together.

"It really is a machine. We've done RV tours before with club DJs, and this is so far and beyond from the RV tours," she said. "The catering is insane; three-course meals, three times a day. I've never seen what it takes to be a part of one of these pop shows, and it takes so much work. It's full on. It's great. It's amazing that she can take it all in stride all these years later."

Will you be checking out Britney's latest tour? Let us know in the comments!

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'Green Lantern' Special-Effects Wiz Took 'Artistic License'

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 04:11 AM PDT

Ryan Reynolds, director Martin Campbell and designer Neville Page explain creatures' creation to MTV News.
By Kara Warner


Ryan Reynolds in "Green Lantern"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Nowadays, it seems moviegoers don't see anything that isn't at least partially CGI-enhanced — especially when talking about summer blockbusters and comic book movies. Not that we're complaining. A movie like "Green Lantern," which opened Friday (June 17), wouldn't be possible without a heavy assist from computer-graphics specialists and visual-effects teams.

When MTV News caught up with the film's star, Ryan Reynolds, director Martin Campbell and creature designer Neville Page at the premiere this week, we asked them about the challenges involved in acting and working with so many non-existing environments.

"I had pretty strong visual cues to work with," Reynolds said. He explained that he was mostly working with actual people, actors who wore green-screen suits and were later replaced or enhanced with CGI in postproduction.

Campbell said that although a lot of the time the actors were playing off "tennis balls on C-stands," they all learned to work from nothing. "You're sitting in a blue cave for god knows how long, and after a while, it's fine," he said. "You sort of adjust to it, you get used to it like anything else, it becomes the norm.

Regarding the specifics of the film's visual and CG-related feats, Page admitted that the alien characters, Tomar-Re and Kilowog (voiced by Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clarke Duncan), proved to be particularly difficult.

"As soon as I saw the comic book design of it ... I thought, 'How are we gonna get a chicken guy to work realistically next to Ryan Reynolds and not have people laugh?' " Page said of designing Tomar-Re.

"Kilowog was a similar character," he added. "Obviously, we're mindful — very mindful — of the fanbase and their expectation of what they are hoping to see," he explained, mentioning details like body-part proportions and skin texture. "But at the same time, you have to take artistic license to bring these things to true, CG, cinematic life," he said.

Check out everything we've got on "Green Lantern."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Tracy Morgan Meets With LGBT Teens After Anti-Gay Remarks

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 04:01 AM PDT

'It was an apology from one human to another,' one resident at NYC center tells MTV News of meeting the '30 Rock' star.
By John Mitchell


Tracy Morgan meets with LGBT teens
Photo: GLAAD

Earlier this month "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan offended many with homophobic remarks he made during a stand-up show in Nashville. The comedian has since made several public apologies and announced this week that he had partnered with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in its efforts to combat anti-gay bullying.

On Friday (June 17), in his first major project with GLAAD, Morgan met with youth from the Ali Forney Center in New York City, the nation's largest organization serving homeless LGBT youth. The actor also met with Elke Kennedy, whose 20-year-old son Sean was killed in 2007 in an anti-gay hate crime.

"Initially, he seemed very nervous, I think he seemed kind of frightened when he got there," Carl Siciliano, the head of the Ali Forney Center, told MTV News after the meeting with Morgan. "I don't think he knew what to expect from us." Siciliano said Morgan was "very apologetic" and 'just wanted to make it really clear that he was there to apologize, that he hadn't meant to do this, that he was hurt by what he had done. He was repeatedly apologetic."

At the center, Morgan spoke openly with the young residents, including Jayden, who was rejected by her family when she came out of the closet. "It was an apology from one human to another and I really appreciated that," Jayden told us.

"Today, Tracy saw firsthand the toll that homophobia and anti-gay violence can take on a person's life," GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said in a statement. "By meeting with LGBT teens left homeless because of who they are, we hope that Tracy has come to understand that so-called 'jokes' about gay youth are not just irresponsible, they are damaging."

The actor also spoke with Kennedy, an LGBT activist who travels around the country speaking out against anti-gay violence and rhetoric as part of Sean's Last Wish, an organization she founded in her son's memory. According to Kennedy, Morgan was so moved by Sean's story that he got choked up, saying, "You know, that should never happen. That's why my comments, the ones I made, are not going to be made again."

Kennedy said she believed Morgan was truly sorry for the comments he made, which included alluding to killing his own son if he grew up to be homosexual. "I feel like he made a commitment during this meeting to make a difference," she told MTV News. "He said that he was going to use his talent as a comedian to be an advocate for the LGBT community."

During the meeting, Morgan announced that he'll return to Tennessee on June 21 to apologize to those he offended during his stand-up act. While in Nashville, he also plans to meet with the Tennessee Equality Project and local advocates. What do you think of Tracy Morgan's efforts? Tell us in the comments.

Frank Ocean's 'Novacane' Video: One-Night Stands And Pandas

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:37 AM PDT

Odd Future crooner's eerie clip hit the Web on Thursday.
By Steven Roberts


Frank Ocean
Photo: MTV News

Since the release of his mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra this past February, Frank Ocean has gone from a relatively unknown songwriter to the Internet's best-kept secret, and now he may be poised to be music's next big thing. But with Ocean choosing to do very little press, his appearance in Tyler, the Creator's "She" video may be one of the only times many people have seen the Odd Future crooner besides a handful of press photos.

That all changed Thursday: The video for Ocean's "Novacane," one of Nostalgia's many standout cuts, just hit the Web. The Nabil Elderkin-directed clip features Ocean in what looks like a dimly lit hotel suite. With each exhale of a joint, Ocean is surrounded by ghostly incarnations of beautiful women, tigers and pandas. At one point, Ocean smears what appears to be novocaine — or Procaine, for those out there with dentist parents — on his solemn-looking face.

The song is the first single from the Def Jam re-release of Ocean's album. A track list for the re-release of the album has yet to appear, but the free version featured a variety of samples, from Coldplay's "Strawberry Swing" to the Eagles' "Hotel California," which may be difficult to clear. When MTV News caught up with Ocean at the Coachella festival in April, even he joked that he was skeptical whether they'd be cleared.

"The Eagles sample has no chance in hell of being cleared," Ocean said. "Coldplay sample, possibly. I hear 'possibly' from people who say they know. MGMT, those guys seem chill. I heard they heard the record and they liked it a lot, so hopefully that can go some way.

"Hopefully the sh-- gets worked out. We might pull a Hail Mary and clear the Eagles' record. They might want all of the publishing for the whole album, though, which can't happen," Ocean added.

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Selena Gomez Vows 'No More Nutella' After Hospital Trip

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 12:41 AM PDT

'I just need to take better care of myself,' she tells MTV News.
By Christina Garibaldi


Selena Gomez
Photo: MTV News

Selena Gomez seems to have made a full recovery from her recent hospitalization for food poisoning and exhaustion.

The young star has made several public appearances since the news broke, but it was on Thursday, when Gomez appeared on the "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning" radio show, that we learned what may have been the culprit behind her illness: junk food. "I do eat. The problem is, I don't eat right," Gomez said. "I love everything that's possibly not good for me."

On Friday (June 17), MTV News caught up with Gomez as she promoted her new flick "Monte Carlo," and while she assured us that she "feels much better," she's not completely ready to rid herself of unhealthy food just yet.

"Well, not ever again; I am still 18," Gomez said when asked if she would not be eating any more junk food. "But I just need to take better care of myself."

Yet, there is one food Gomez has decided to eliminate from her diet: Nutella.

"No more Nutella, Leighton," Gomez laughed to "Monte Carlo" co-star Leighton Meester. The two, who play stepsisters in the movie, spent two months overseas in France and Monte Carlo and seemed to have developed a strong liking for the hazelnut spread.

"I know, I'm to blame for that," Meester said of getting Gomez hooked. "On the whole movie, we had Nutella with everything — Nutella with fruit, Nutella with everything."

What were some of their favorite Nutella treats? "We had toast, Nutella and bananas every day on set," Gomez said.

"[We had it] like five times a day," Meester added.

"Monte Carlo" hits theaters July 1 and stars Gomez as a teenager vacationing in Paris, where she is mistaken for a British heiress. The movie also features Meester and "Glee" star Cory Monteith.

Next up for Gomez, she will be hitting the road next month for her first headlining summer tour alongside Allstar Weekend and newcomer Christina Grimmie.

Check out everything we've got on "Monte Carlo."

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

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'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows' Trailer: An Expert Analysis

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 11:25 PM PDT

MTV News breaks down the final film's final trailer.
By Eric Ditzian and Josh Wigler


Daniel Radcliffe in the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" trailer
Photo: Warner Bros.

The final "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" trailer has arrived, and after we wiped a stray tear from our eye, we dove into a bit of expert commentary — because the new footage is nothing short of epic!

Hit play on the embedded video as we walk through some of the key moments in the trailer, then read on for a deeper exploration of the last "Potter" trailer before "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" hits theaters July 15.

Watch Out, Mrs. Potter
Right off the bat, we greet Harry's mom, Lily Potter, just moments before she and her husband are going to die by Voldemort's hand. This is a very critical scene in "Potter" mythology. We've seen flashbacks and memories of Harry's childhood before, but it does seem "Part 2" is going to give us a full showing of what happened to Harry as very young boy. It's sure to be a grisly moment. It's a difficult scene to read, and it's likely to be even more taxing to watch. This brief glimpse of Lily hints the new movie will not shy away from J.K. Rowling's most grueling material. Everything has led to this.

Quidditch Is No More
There have been so many gargantuan action set pieces across the franchise, but this scene of the Quidditch field burning to the ground gives us a very clear picture of where the series is headed: from wizards and witches flying around on broomsticks to that venue for the game being destroyed. It's all a result of the Battle of Hogwarts, the grand and terrifying throw-down near the film's conclusion.

Snape, You Rascal
What to think about Severus Snape? He's been a good guy and a Dumbledore-killing villain. In this scene, he most certainly is not in everyone's good graces. Harry's got a lot of anger to direct at Snape, seeing as he killed the boy wizard's mentor. Here he finally gets to confront Snape — the first time since "Half-Blood Prince" that these two have come face to face. But give Snape some time. Without spoiling anything for those who have not read the book, Snape has some interesting things to share and a new side of himself to show off.

Welcome Back, Gary
This is one of the single most important scenes in the entire series. Harry is about to go off into the forest for a battle with Voldemort, and he's greeted by the ghosts of pals' past, thanks to the powers of the Resurrection Stone. One of them is Gary Oldman's Sirius Black. Daniel Radcliffe has told MTV News on many occasions that this scene was the one he was dreading most. Did he have the chops to pull it off? But when it came time to shoot the scene, the actor behind Harry was relieved to have a legend like Oldman supporting him.

It All Ends, Epically
Overall, it's hard not to note how epic the trailer is. You have warriors jumping and landing on one knee — that most badass of acrobatic big-screen landings. You have thousands of spells, like arrows out of "Braveheart," soaring toward an embattled castle. You have dragons breathing fire and loads of people dying. It's amazing to see how much is being revealed in the trailer. Yet at the same time, so much is still to come. There's so much in store that it would be impossible to spoil everything. If you think this trailer is too filled with spoilers, you're wrong! There's a lot more that could be shown. And that's proof the final film has absolutely everything you could want as a "Potter" fan.

Who is the best "Harry Potter" character of all time? The "Harry Potter" World Cup will finally find out! Voting begins Monday over on the MTV Movies Blog, but you can get the debate started now on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup.

Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."

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

Tupac 40th Birthday Bash Draws Rick Ross, Erykah Badu

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 12:59 AM PDT

'Afeni Shakur she was loving the song,' Meek Mill tells MTV News after performing 'Tupac Back' with Ross.
By Rob Markman


Meek Mill and Rick Ross perform at Tupac's 40th birthday party
Photo: Dennis Byron

Tupac's spirit lived on Thursday night at the Atlanta Symphony Hall, as family, friends and fans celebrated him on what would have been the late rapper/actor's 40th birthday.

Rick Ross, Erykah Badu, Bun B, 8Ball & MJG and comedian Mike Epps all attended the event, raising money for the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, which helps students develop their skills in the creative arts. The crowd stood and applauded when Epps, host of the event, presented 'Pac's mother, Afeni, with a $10,000 donation, The Associated Press reported.

Ross then took the stage with his new Maybach Music signee Meek Mill to perform their homage-paying single "Tupac Back." Not only did the crowd approve but Meek told MTV News he noticed the reaction of one special partygoer in particular.

"I was just representing for Tupac and we performed it out here in front of his mom. His mom was loving it; Afeni Shakur she was loving the song," he said backstage after the show.

Mill admitted that he expected to draw some criticism for comparing himself to the revered Shakur on "Tupac Back," but said he first found inspiration to rap in Shakur's rebellious attitude. "I knew it was going to be a lot of talk behind it, people sayin', like, me thinkin' I'm Tupac or whatever, but we represent the same thing," the Philly rapper said. " 'Pac, he don't care what he say, he gonna give you rawness, and that's what I always felt. That's the biggest message he gave to me: always give out rawness and the things you want to say, say it."

The party was held a day after AllHipHop.com obtained a letter from Dexter Isaac claiming to be involved in the 1994 robbery and shooting of Shakur at Quad Studios in Manhattan. 'Pac, who was shot five times in that incident, survived, but began serving a prison sentence for a sexual assault charge in February 1995.

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot in Las Vegas and died in the hospital six days later.

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Britney Spears Kicks Off 'Flashiest' Tour Yet

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 07:13 AM PDT

The Femme Fatale launched her tour in Sacramento, California, and is getting raves from music critics.
By Jocelyn Vena


Britney Spears
Photo: Max Morse/Getty Images

On Thursday night, Britney Spears declared herself a Femme Fatale, launching her tour in Sacramento, California. Having already garnered praise from critics who attended her dress rehearsal, Spears got more rave reviews from music journalists who attended the kick-off show.

In addition to the glitzy costumes and high production value, Spears flaunted her stage chops, sashaying to songs like "Hold It Against Me" and "Big Fat Bass," as well as old-school jams like "Toxic" and "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know."

Describing it as "her flashiest, fastest moving, and most entertaining production yet," Rollingstone.com said that while tour-opener Nicki Minaj brought her signature sass, "The night belonged to Britney: She managed to prove that she's still progressing as a showgirl. Not only that, she's doing it better than even die-hard defenders would've predicted."

The Sacramento Bee explained that while "Spears performed like a pro throughout the show, hitting all her marks, she had shown hesitancy in her movements — natural for the first stop on a tour. But that hesitancy vanished when she put on the denim. She seemed at ease."

The best review of all may have come from Spears herself, who enthusiastically took to Twitter to thank her fans: "Can't sleep. WAY too much Adrenaline right now. Sacramento was on fire tonight. You ready San Jose? Cause I am!!!!"

Once she wraps her San José, California, tour stop on Friday night (June 17), Spears will take her show to Los Angeles on Monday. The U.S. tour dates wrap up on August 25 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Femme Fatale Tour then heads to Europe in September for two more months before closing on November 9 in Portugal.

Share your reviews of Britney's first tour stop in the comments!

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'Green Lantern': The Reviews Are In!

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 10:08 PM PDT

Ryan Reynolds' superhero flick couldn't harness the good will of critics.
By Eric Ditzian


Ryan Reynolds in "Green Lantern"
Photo: Warner Bros.

"Green Lantern" was in out of development since the 1990s when Warner Bros. scooped it up and finally brought the comic book adaptation to the big screen. And the studio seems to have found the right superhero formula. Despite tepid reviews, the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick nabbed $3.3 million during midnight screenings on Thursday and is looking at an opening weekend total of as much as $70 million.

While that's not quite "Iron Man" territory ($98.6 million in 2008), it's impressive nonetheless, especially when you note how strongly critics have hit back against "Green Lantern." The film, it must be said, is unapologetically wacky. Reynolds' Hal Jordan is a cocksure test pilot who becomes a universe-protecting hero, thanks to the gift of a power ring that harnesses willpower. And oh, there are many problems out there in space, with a smoke monster-style villain feeding on fear and destroying planets. On Earth meanwhile, Jordan is not only struggling to nab his favorite gal (Blake Lively) but also fighting off a scientist (Peter Sarsgaard) infected with the villain's fear-nourishing DNA.

Unsurprisingly, reviewers haven't embraced all this comic-book goofiness. They've dinged the film for having an uneven tone as it bounces from Earth-bound rom-com to space-based action flick. Yet others have admired the film's creative visuals and strong performances. Before you head to the multiplex this weekend, take a deep dive into the "Green Lantern" reviews.

The Story
"So there are these aliens, you see, who have divided the universe into 3,000 or so sectors and have chosen one being from each planet — someone absolutely fearless — to wear a green ring that brings superpowers and helps the group maintain peace and order. On Earth, that person is Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a hot-shot fighter-jet pilot who is given his ring by a dying alien who crash-lands on our planet. The ring comes with a lantern that is used to charge it when its batteries run low. The lantern kind of resembles a funky bong, and if you were to make use of one before seeing Green Lantern, the film would be a lot more fun." — Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

The Performances
"[The movie] finds space for Ryan Reynolds to be funny and charming, Peter Sarsgaard to be completely insane, Mark Strong to be iconic and for Blake Lively to be beautiful and, at times, interesting. ... At the very center of this picture, more so than the weird assortment of aliens or skin-tight CG suits, is Ryan Reynolds' ambitious performance. He is debonair but also vulnerable. And knows how to milk a joke. He sells the CG suit and even that absurd domino mask. He's great in the action scenes, ring-slinging clever green constructs that never fail to impress." — Jordan Hoffman, UGO.com

The Visuals
" 'Green Lantern' looks like a big cartoon, but it's a really cool cartoon. What can you do when all the environments and most of the main characters are CGI? It's bright, sharp and detailed (well, it won't be bright if you see the 3D version). ... The willpower constructs are intricate and clever. That's really the victory of creative screenwriting, to say 'instead of just green energy blasts, what temporary devices could we use to have this guy beat that guy?' Even constructs as simple as swords are meaningful as an homage to the classical duel." — Fred Topel, Screen Junkies

Earth vs. the Universe
" 'Green Lantern' 's biggest problem, never completely overcome, is that there is a serious tonal shift between the devil-may-care Hal Jordan of the opening sections and the dead serious savior of the universe of the finale. The film tries to bridge that gap with unnecessary characters and extraneous plotting, including tedious sections involving other Lanterns, who tend to look like refugees from 'Star Wars' ' Mos Eisley Cantina, but it is to no avail." — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

The Final Word
" 'Green Lantern' is the third comic book movie to come out in what already feels like a long summer movie season, and the third to credit no fewer than four screenwriters ('X-Men: First Class' actually had five). It also suffers the worst from a lot of good intentions and cross-purposes in getting yet another superhero franchise off the ground, chasing character arcs and mythology like a dog after a car, with about as much likelihood of success. With wild space alien characters and a ring that harnesses the power of will, Green Lantern demands more faith from its audience than the 60s-grooving 'X-Men' or the comparatively straightforward 'Thor.' Remarkably it does get you to believe in a interstellar corps of peace-keepers, but gets hopelessly tangled in something far more mundane — that common superhero movie ambition to do too much at once." — Katey Rich, Cinema Blend

Check out everything we've got on "Green Lantern."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Mannie Fresh Urges Mystikal To Put Out Free Tracks

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 11:45 PM PDT

'Your fans miss you,' producer tells his 'Uh Oh' collaborator, in Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ade Mangum


Mannie Fresh
Photo: MTV News

Behind the Beats: Mannie Fresh

Fans haven't heard much from Mystikal since his release from prison in 2010 after serving six years on sexual battery and extortion charges. There was, of course, his feature on Lloyd's "Set Me Free," and a leaked song called "Uh Oh," featuring Jazelle and produced by Mannie Fresh. The slow, seductive "Uh Oh" was proved that despite being locked up, the New Orleans rapper hadn't lost his touch on the mic. And Fresh and Mystikal clearly have good chemistry. In fact, a 2010 viral clip of the former No Limit MC freestyling while the former Cash Money producer plays beats has racked up over half a million hits on YouTube.

MTV News recently caught up with Fresh at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and talked to the producer about his work with Mystikal.

"The amount of hits on that is nuts, because we were just sitting in the car vibing," Fresh said of the viral video. "I was just going through beats, and he was rapping on it, and I'm trying to convince him [that] I think that would be his mixtape."

As the two continue to work together, Fresh is urging Mystikal to continue to put out free music and worry about selling an album later. Mannie thinks the rapper should build off of all the positive comments that the viral clip received and give the people what they want.

"I think we should go through the songs that everybody liked, put that out as free music then do the album," he said. "I am pushing for that."

Ultimately, Mannie is just looking out for the base that Mystikal has built starting with his 1996 debut album, Mind of Mystikal. "Every song that he picked, I'm like, ''Hey, just put it out there,' " Fresh recalled. "Your fans miss you."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Britney Spears' 'I Wanna Go' Premieres Next Wednesday

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 09:29 AM PDT

Chris Marrs Piliero-directed clip will meet deadline for 2011 VMA consideration.
By Jocelyn Vena


Britney Spears
Photo: Max Morse/Getty Images

Britney Spears is ready to unleash her "I Wanna Go" music video. The Chris Marrs Piliero-directed clip will hit the Web on Wednesday at 6 a.m. ET. This is the third single off Spears' Femme Fatale, following up "Hold It Against Me" and "Till the World Ends."

This date is particularly important as it means that Spears just makes the June 24 deadline for the video to qualify for a 2011 Video Music Award. The video was shot late last month in the Los Angeles area. Little else is known about the actual concept for the clip, but given the song's lyrical content, it seems that dancing will be featured.

Piliero recently worked with Ke$ha on her cheeky "Blow" video. He's also worked with indie acts like the Black Keys and pop rockers like Yellowcard. On Thursday, he gave fans an update on the video via Twitter. "Hey Brit fans ... whenever I get deep into a project, I tend to not do much tweeting, so let's do a quick catch up ... finished editing the 'I Wanna Go' music video ... love it ... met up with @britneyspears ... we watched it together ... she loved it ...," he wrote. "Stoked ..."

Produced by Max Martin and Shellback, "I Wanna Go" is a funky dance track about going out, letting loose and having a great time, regardless of the consequences. On the song, Spears coos, "Lately I've been stuck imaginin'/ What I wanna do and what I really think, time to blow out/ Be a little inappropriate 'cause I know that everybody's/ Thinkin' it when the lights out/ Shame on me/ To need release/ Un-uncontrollably."

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Rebecca Black Yanks 'Friday' Vid From YouTube

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 07:33 AM PDT

'We can confirm that we submitted a Take Down Notice to YouTube,' singer's rep confirms to TMZ.
By Rob Markman


Rebecca Black
Photo: Getty/ Jason LaVeris

While 9-to-5ers everywhere are shouting TGIF!, YouTube sensation Rebecca Black is crying foul. After rising to notoriety off the back of her oft-viewed-yet-constantly criticized "Friday" music video, Black went on to surpass the likes of Lady Gaga in YouTube views, when back in April she saw her "Friday" clip overtake "Born This Way." Now, the 13-year-old has pulled her video from the site that made her so famous.

The dispute is actually with the teen's label, Ark Music. "We can confirm that we submitted a Take Down Notice to YouTube as a result of the dispute we have with Ark Music regarding the 'Friday' video," Black's rep told TMZ. Earlier this week, Ark, which produced and wrote "Friday," charged fans $2.99 to watch the clip on YouTube. But the move didn't go over well with the polarizing pop star. Team Black has threatened legal action against the label, claiming that the company is exploiting RB's image and her viral hit. This week hasn't been all bad for Black, however. She scored a cameo role in Katy Perry's clip for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" which premiered on Monday. In the vid, the youngster gives a nerdy-looking Perry a makeover, creating the look that she needs to be able to kick it with the cool kids.

When Rebecca Black sat down with MTV News in March, she was still getting used to being a celeb. "I still question myself: 'Is this real? When am I gonna wake up?' " Black said.

Now, she not only has to get used to the stardom but the business end as well. Maybe it can wait till Monday.

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U2, Bon Jovi Cake Up On <i>Forbes</i> Highest-Paid Musicians List

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:52 AM PDT

Gaga comes in at #4 with $168 mil for the year, while Bieber is the youngest artist on the list.
By Rob Markman


U2's Bono
Photo: Harry Herd/ Getty Images

Forbes released their 2011 World's Highest-Paid Musicians List on Wednesday, and apparently it still pays to be a veteran rocker — and it pays handsomely. U2 topped the list, raking in more than $195 million after their two-year 360 Tour grossed around $700 million, leapfrogging the Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour as the richest run of all time.

Bon Jovi can't be too upset at snagging the list's runner-up spot. The group caked up $125 million in the last year. In a recent interview with Forbes, Jon Bon Jovi recalled the band's early, more humble and less lucrative days jamming in a New Jersey basement with vintage posters on the wall illuminated by candles. "I'm thinking maybe this is an issue, maybe I just don't like them," he said. "Until I realized that all the oxygen was sucked out of the room by the candles ... So I blew out the candles, cranked up the amplifiers and said, 'We're going to be a rock band. If you believe in what I'm telling you, we can be the Rolling Stones."

You'd think that Bon Jovi gave a similar speech to Lady Gaga with all the bank that she acquired this year. Coming behind Elton John ($204 million), who landed at #3, Gaga earned $168 million in the past year and would've made more had she been more frugal with the costs of her stage show — then again she's been known to spare little expense when it comes to pleasing her fans.

Paul McCartney, 68, was the oldest artist to make the list, clocking $66 mil, while 17-year-old Justin Bieber was the youngest to make the list with $53 million. Jay-Z and Beyoncé were the only couple to make the list. In fact, for the first time since being married, Hov earned more than his wife, taking home $37 million, while B earned $35 mil. All of the calculated earnings are based off pretax income earned from May 2010 to May 2011, before agents and managers take their cuts, according to Forbes.com.

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