Jumat, 30 September 2011

MTV News

MTV News


'X Factor' Auditions Wrap Up With Teen Rapper Brian Bradley

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:57 AM PDT

Teenagers ruled final audition episode before Boot Camp.
By Adam Graham


L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell on "The X Factor"
Photo: FOX

Fox's "The X Factor" wrapped up its audition rounds Thursday (September 29), sending its final batch of singers — including more than a few teenage contestants — to its version of Hollywood Week, known as Boot Camp.

First up was Brian Bradley, who definitely had the X factor, if the X factor is massive self-confidence.

The 14-year-old pint-size Brooklyn rapper stepped in front of the "X Factor" judges with the ego of a 10-times-platinum superstar. He said the reason he hadn't yet been signed to a record deal was "politics, man," and then picked a mock beef with Simon Cowell that led to him performing his original song, "Stop Looking at My Mom." With its old-school boom-bap and instantly catchy hook, "Stop Looking at My Mom" came on as strong as Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" did the first time you heard it, and the judges were instantly sold. Four "yes" votes later, Bradley was headed to Boot Camp.

Bradley mixed brash overconfidence (he said his contemporaries were Jay-Z and Kanye West, and claimed in five years he'd be "better than Jay-Z") with an endearing teenage innocence. After he was passed through, he said his plans to celebrate involved going home and jumping up and down on his bed.

Bradley had so much confidence he could afford to let Jazzlyn Little borrow some. The 16-year-old was so meek onstage in front of the judges that it looked like if there were a hole for her to climb into, she would have happily disappeared from view. But when she sang Mary J. Blige's "I'm Going Down," the shyness melted away, and she gave one of the most powerful auditions we've seen on the show thus far. L.A. Reid praised her "superstar voice," and Paula Abdul dubbed her "a little brilliant gem." Of course she's headed to Boot Camp, where her biggest obstacle will be belief in herself.

The teenage parade continued with 17-year-old Cari Fletcher, a classically trained vocalist whom Cowell dubbed "boring" after her version of Heart's "Alone," though he decided to let her through anyhow; and Ausem, a duo made up of two 15-year-olds, Austin and Emily. The pair performed Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts" and the judges had much more confidence in Austin than they did Emily, but since they were a package deal, it was all or nothing. After much debate, Nicole Scherzinger gave them the "yes" they needed to advance in the competition, though it came with much reservation, and Emily already seemed nervous about meeting the challenge ahead.

Viewers were also briefly introduced to 14-year-old Nick Dean, a Justin Bieber type who earned passing marks from the judges for his original song "Walk Away"; the Brewer Boys, a brother duo made up of 13-year-old and 17-year-old siblings; Paige Elizabeth Ogle, an 18-year-old whose animated version of Lady Gaga's "Yoü and I" earned her what Cowell called his "easiest yes so far"; and Emily Michalak, who at 12 just barely met the show's age requirement but passed through to Boot Camp anyhow.

While they hogged the spotlight, Thursday's episode wasn't all about teenagers. High marks were also earned by Kelly Warner, a 22-year-old hairdresser at a nursing home whose bubbly disposition and sturdy vocal chops made up for her choice of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," one of the most overdone songs in the singing-show genre. Liliana Rose Andreano, a 26-year-old office worker who looked a bit like Olive Oyl, overcame her atypical pop-star looks and was called "magical" by Abdul after her winning version of "You Are My Sunshine." If "The X Factor" doesn't quite work out for Brennin Hunt, the 26-year-old already has the soap-star good looks to get cast on any number of daytime dramas as the brooding singer-next-door. And Tora Woloshin, a 21-year-old student who looked like Nicki Minaj by way of Amy Winehouse, was already feeling like a star during her version of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."

With auditions wrapped, "The X Factor" Boot Camp begins next week, where the pool of contestants will eventually be narrowed to 32 and split into four categories: Boys, Girls, Over 30 and Groups. Each judge will be assigned to coach one of the groups, and singers will be picked off until eventually we get down to one singer who has that elusive X factor.

What did you think of Thursday's episode of "The X Factor"? Let us know in the comments!

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Seth Rogen Says '50/50' Head-Shaving Scene Was Improvised

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:53 AM PDT

'My heart was beating hard,' Joseph Gordon-Levitt tells MTV News.
By Amy Wilkinson


Joseph Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen in "50/50"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

If the Summit Entertainment marketing machine has done its job, you've probably seen the eye-catching movie posters for the studio's latest release "50/50." The goofy one-sheet depicts a memorable scene from the film in which Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cancer-stricken Adam shaves his head, while a dubious Adam (played by Seth Rogen) looks on.

It's one of the movie's many lighthearted moments, adding levity to what could otherwise be a downer drama. But according to the film's stars, the take wasn't as carefree as it may have looked.

"My heart was beating hard, because we only had one take because you can't shave your head twice. It doesn't work," Gordon-Levitt said at the "50/50" premiere earlier this week in New York. "Normally, you can always do it over again when you're making movies. You get a take two. But we only got take one, and it worked."

Apparently, Gordon-Levitt had another reason to be nervous about the scene — it wasn't scripted. According to producer and co-star Rogen, the two just played it by ear.

"We only had one shot at it," Rogen recalled. "It was the first day of filming, and we improvised the whole thing, which is not wise when it's something you have one take for, but it turned out funny. It went exactly how you see it in the movie, which was pretty good, I think."

You can judge Gordon-Levitt's razor skills for yourself: "50/50," co-starring Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston, opened Friday (September 30).

Check out everything we've got on "50/50."

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

Mac Miller Breaks Down 'Frick Park Market' Video

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:53 AM PDT

'It was a like a garden of girls and black light,' Mac Miller tells MTV News of his latest clip.
By Rob Markman


Mac Miller in his "Frick Park Market" video
Photo: Rostrum Records

Making sandwiches while rapping isn't as simple as you may think, but in his "Frick Park Market" video, Mac Miller makes it all look so easy.

Filmed on location at his favorite Pittsburgh deli, Miller jumped behind the counter and got to work. Before we see Mac, however, we see his filthy-looking, gloveless hands putting together a turkey and cheese sandwich.

"My hands aren't really that dirty; that's just the lighting," Mac insisted when he broke down the video for MTV News.

It's not only his sandwich-making and lyricism the rapper puts on display. Mac also dresses up as his nerdy alter ego, Cam Rellum. Suited up in a blond Afro wig, blue tux and black-framed spectacles, the rapping version of Mac is impressed with his character portrayal. "I look so f---in' awesome in that '70s porno tuxedo, powder-blue," the self-appraising Miller said jokingly.

Miller also shines the light on his Most Dope crew. Jimmy drinks syrupy slushee mix straight from the Frick Park Market's fountain, and TreeJay falls asleep atop the deli's cash register. Looks like a good time, right?

The party really gets started when Miller finds a secret door that leads to an alternate reality where models (painted in DayGlo paint) dance with furry animals under a black light.

"The concept of that, it was like a garden of girls and black light," Mac explained. "All these girls looked so sweet and trippy," he remarked before revealing his original vision for the video's models. "My idea was to put all the girls in onesie bathing suits and make them look like synchronized swimmers and put caps on 'em, but we just made 'em look trippy."

The video ends with Mac and friends rolling to Blue Slide Park, the neighborhood playground that he named his upcoming debut album after. "We all rolled up in costumes and kinda took over. These little kids were on the slide and we really just kinda bullied them off the slide and sent gigantic furries down the slide," he said while laughing. "The parents were looking at me like, 'Who is this?' "

Mac Miller, duh!

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Adele's 'Someone Like You' Video: Queen Of Pain

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:57 AM PDT

Second clip from 21 perfectly captures song's somber feel.
By James Montgomery


Adele in her video for "Someone Like You"
Photo: XL Recordings

Never mind the fact that, in person, Adele is so bubbly she's practically effervescent. When it comes to her albums, Adele is pain personified. Alone and adrift, brokenhearted and bitter — these are emotions we all feel, but rarely do we have the courage to express them like Adele does.

And nowhere on her 21 album is that more apparent than "Someone Like You," the stirring, somber closer in which Adele goes to visit a former love (with high hopes of a reconciliation), only to discover he has not only moved on with his life, but is in a much better place. And though she's heartbroken, she puts on a brave face, stubbornly proclaiming she'll find someone just like him, even if she knows that she never will. And that conclusion makes you ache not only because it's so daunting, but because it's so real. We've all felt that way, tried to trick ourselves into thinking that any other outcome was possible. In Adele's music, much like life, there are no happy endings.

"Someone Like You" was a natural choice for the next single from 21, and on Thursday (September 29), Adele premiered the video for the song — an equally somber affair that matches not only the song's emotional wallop, but its straightforward, downright crushing simplicity.

Shot in Paris, in the very early hours of the morning, it is little more than Adele wandering the deserted streets of the city, gazing longingly at the Seine, very nearly breaking into tears. Director Jake Nava made the smart decision to shoot it in arty, smudgy black-and-white, which only adds to the clip's desolate, haunted feel. In a lot of ways, as she drifts along, Adele is little more than a ghost, haunting the streets, destined to remain invisible to all, especially the one she wants to notice.

It's a lot like how everyone feels after heartbreak, and that's what makes the "Someone Like You" video so powerful. There are no special effects, no camera tricks or elaborate choreography, because those are quick fixes. Life doesn't operate that way, especially when the bottom falls out and we are all alone. Our days are endless, our hearts black, our skies are gray. And when it gets to that point, all we have is our pain, majestically, beautifully so. Thankfully, we also have Adele, and that sonorous, sorrowful voice of hers. Long live the Queen of Pain.

What did you think of Adele's new video? Share your reviews in the comments.

T.I. Once Again A Free Man

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:03 AM PDT

Tip was just released from an Atlanta halfway house, his lawyer confirms to MTV News.
By Rob Markman


T.I.
Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/ Getty Images

T.I. was released from a halfway house in Atlanta on Thursday (September 29) and has completed an 11-month sentence stemming from his 2010 arrest for drug possession, the rapper's attorney confirmed to MTV News.

"I'm excited our family is back together," T.I.'s wife, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, told MTV News in a statement. "Tip definitely completes us."

"He's out, he's good," T.I.'s manager and Grand Hustle partner, Jason Geter, told The Associated Press.

Tip's legal drama began with his 2007 arrest and eventual sentence on felony weapons charges. The Trap Muzik rapper was sentenced to one year and one day in prison in 2009; he completed nine months of his bid but was arrested again in October 2010 while driving in Los Angeles. The L.A. County district attorney's office declined to file drug charges against T.I. after finding narcotics in his vehicle, but the multiplatinum spitter violated his federal probation and was sentenced to serve 11 months in prison in October 2010.

According to the AP, T.I. will now have to serve one year of federal probation, but barring any infractions, there will be no more prison time.

It has been speculated that T.I. would make an appearance at the 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards, which are being taped in Atlanta on Saturday. When T.I. was arrested in 2007, it was just hours before that year's BET ceremony.

T.I.'s buddy DJ Drama couldn't confirm whether the King of the South would attend the festivities, but he did express his excitement about Tip's return to the studio. "Me and Tip have been friends, working together for almost a decade now, so we know what we gotta do," he said. "It's really time to get to work and get to the music."

T.I.'s record company, Atlantic Records, had no comment concerning the rapper's release.

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Michael Jackson's Bodyguard And Chef Testify

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:48 AM PDT

Both describe Dr. Conrad Murray as panicked on the day of MJ's death.
By Kara Warner


Michael Jackson's bodyguard Alberto Alvarez testifies in court on September 29
Photo: Getty Images

The third day of testimony in the manslaughter trial against former Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray once again featured former members of Jackson's staff, bodyguard Alberto Alvarez and chef Kai Chase.

Alvarez took the stand first Thursday (September 29) to describe his arrival on the scene. He claimed when he entered the room, he saw Murray performing chest compressions on Jackson with one hand, and that when Murray heard Alvarez enter, he made the frantic request for Alvarez to remove several vials of propofol -- the potent anesthetic that was part of the official cause of Jackson's death -- from the room before he called for an ambulance.

Jackson's former personal chef was next to testify. After going through a list of the food items she prepared regularly for MJ and his children, mostly healthy meals like granola with almond milk and juice blends, Chase revealed that on the day of Jackson's death, she was in the middle of preparing his lunch when a worried and panic-stricken Murray burst into the kitchen and shouted for her to "get help, get [son] Prince and get security." Chase said she "did as she was told" and went into the den to alert Prince and that she did her best to keep the children calm.

Testimony is set to resume again Friday at 8:45 a.m. PT. Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and administering the dose of propofol that caused Jackson's death and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if found guilty.

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Justin Bieber And Cody Simpson 'Support Each Other'

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:19 AM PDT

'It's definitely not something that should be seen as a rivalry,' 14-year-old Australian singer tells MTV News.
By Christina Garibaldi


Cody Simpson
Photo: MTV News

If you don't know who Cody Simpson is yet, you will soon find out. The 14-year-old Australian teenage heartthrob recently released his second EP, Coast to Coast, which is currently #12 on the Billboard 200 chart, and is hard at work gearing up for his debut album, which is set to hit stores next year.

Simpson, who credits Justin Timberlake and Jack Johnson as his musical inspirations, was living his life as a normal teenager until he was discovered on YouTube back in 2009.

"I grew up in a very relaxed lifestyle." Simpson told MTV News. "Music was something that I've been involved in since I was 7 or 8 years old, when I started playing guitar. I listened to a lot of country music. I went into a school talent show with my friend and we did a Jason Mraz cover of "I'm Yours," and we posted it online. It was my first performance on a stage and I put it up, and then I was like excited when I hit 200 views and then I put another video and it went up to 2,000, to 20,000, to 200,000 to 20 million."

If his story sounds a little bit familiar, that's because teen sensation Justin Bieber was discovered the same way. Now, if you're a young male singing star, there will automatically be some comparisons to Bieber, but Simpson assures us, these two are very different.

"Well, we both grew up in very different lifestyles. I mean, he was in Canada playing hockey and listening to R&B music," Simpson said. "I grew up on the beach down in Australia listening to totally different styles of music."

Simpson, who recently signed with Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, is a big fan of the teen star and insists there is no animosity between the two.

"I'm a big fan of Justin's. We support each other a lot. He was talking to me yesterday about the songs he liked off my EP." Simpson said. "People feel like its competition, but it's really like friendly and family. It's definitely not something that should be seen as a rivalry."

And that seems to be true. Bieber recently tweeted, "shoutout to @ddlovato @codysimpson @mindlessbhavior 4 all their albums coming out this week. our generation is doing it big. #sharethewealth." Simpson seemed to appreciate the love from Bieber, because he replied with, "@justinbieber mate I appreciate the shoutout. heard you liked Good As It Gets. thanks for that. #CoastToCoast."

So could we possibly see a collaboration between the two? "We haven't got plans set in stone yet to do that," Simpson said "But I'm sure something will happen in the future. You'll have to wait till 2012. Next year, it's not that long."

What do you think of Cody Simpson? Let us know in the comments below!

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Lady Gaga And Cher's 'The Greatest Thing' Is 'Timeless'

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 11:45 PM PDT

'It's an event,' co-writer/producer RedOne tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner


Lady Gaga and Cher
Photo: WireImage

While we anxiously await the release of Lady Gaga and Cher's duet, "The Greatest Thing" — which, according to Cher's Twitter, is supposed to drop in roughly two days — we can while away the hours with a few insider details about the song from co-writer/producer RedOne.

When MTV News caught up with the mega-producer recently, we did our best to get an early listen of the track, but no dice. Instead, we asked him to tell us specifically what kind of song "The Greatest Thing" is and whether we'll want to dance to it or sing along — or both.

"I think it's timeless. The beautiful thing about this song is, it's very uplifting, very uplifting. It's emotional, but it has dance on it, and it has a dance vibe on it," he explained. "It's just a timeless song. You can play it with the guitar, the piano, with whatever instrument you want. You can sing it a cappella, you know what I mean, it's that kind of song.

"I'm very excited about that song," Red added. "And it's an event. Cher and Lady Gaga: How big can it get?"

RedOne said Cher and Gaga were ecstatic with the finished product, and he couldn't be happier to have helped connect the two stars.

"Everybody loved it," he said. "Gaga on it, Cher, two big icons. [They are] part of music history. So it happened. I'm very happy to be a part of this."

What are you expecting from "The Greatest Thing"? Let us know in the comments!

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Glasses Malone Refuses To Rely On Cash Money

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:36 AM PDT

'I ain't just trying to take advantage of somebody just because they hot right now,' MC says on 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman


Glasses Malone
Photo: MTV News

As an artist on Cash Money Records, Glasses Malone has access to some major hitmakers. But the California MC is not quick to take advantage of his multiplatinum labelmates. Instead, Glasses — who just dropped his solo debut album, Beach Cruiser, in August — said he would rather build organic collaborations.

"I have access to everybody. Just to me, our topics be so different," Glasses told MTV News' Sway Calloway during his visit to "RapFix Live" on Wednesday. "Me and Birdman got a lot of songs, me and Wayne got a lot of songs, me and Mack 10 have a lot of songs because our content are more relatable. Drake is really successful, and as an artist, it seems every artist wants to get with somebody that's successful, but I don't look at hip-hop like that.

"I ain't just trying to take advantage of somebody just because they hot right now," he continued. "I want to make great music, I want to make great songs, and right now, me and Drake's subject matter is so far apart: His subject matters tend to deal with more relationships, his success and dealing with his fame in the music industry."

Glasses, on the other hand, makes music that addresses the issues on the California streets where he was raised. On Beach Cruiser, he recruited the likes of Rick Ross, Jay Rock and Nipsey Hussle, instead of more-certified hitmakers such as Drake and Nicki Minaj.

Malone refuses to get caught up in gossip. When he first emerged on the rap scene, it was Game who gave him the co-sign, but eventually their deal soured. Malone made it clear on "RapFix Live" that he harbors no ill will toward the Compton MC.

"I don't think it's much of a rivalry; I think everybody painted it like that," Glasses said. "It could never be a rivalry: Dude put me in position, him and [his brother] Fase put me in position to be where I am today," he explained. "I don't got nothing to say bad about that dude or nothing about that situation because without them ... I'd still be slinging PCP on 117th."

Who would you like to hear Glasses collaborate with? Tell us in the comments below!

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Christina Aguilera Calls 'Moves Like Jagger' 'So Unique'

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 11:10 PM PDT

'The first time I heard the song, I loved it,' she tells MTV News of Maroon 5 track, which has spent four weeks at #1.
By James Montgomery


Christina Aguilera
Photo: NBC.com

Back in July, on the set of the "Moves Like Jagger" video, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine made a compelling argument for the song to be crowned the Song of Summer, stating, rather matter-of-factly, "There's not even any other songs being released this summer."

Turns out he was wrong. Not only were there other songs released during summer 2011 (we checked), but, as it turns out, "Jagger" may end up being the Song of Fall too.

For the fourth week, the song — which also features Christina Aguilera — sits atop the Billboard Hot 100, besting the likes of Adele, Lady Gaga and Eminem. And it shows no signs of vacating the #1 spot anytime soon. Maroon 5 even released a rap remix with up-and-coming MC Mac Miller online earlier today. And while the success of "Jagger" is certainly impressive, it's equally amazing to learn that it's the first chart-topper for Aguilera in 10 years (her last being 2001's "Lady Marmalade").

So understandably, Aguilera is thrilled. Then again, as she told MTV News in a statement Thursday (September 29), she knew "Jagger" was destined for greatness from the moment it was first played for her.

"The first time I heard the song, I loved it," she said. "The song has elements from the '60s and '70s, yet is so current and unique."

Aguilera shows up in the Jonas Åkerlund-directed "Jagger" video, and she'll return to judging duties on the second season of "The Voice" too. Buoyed by the success of her team-up with Maroon 5, she's already at work on a new album — the follow-up to 2010's Bionic — reportedly due next summer.

Are you a fan of "Moves Like Jagger"? Let us know in the comments!

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'Avengers' Team Is 'The Definition Of Family'

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:32 AM PDT

'Everybody is just an arm of the octopus,' Robert Downey Jr., tells Entertainment Weekly.
By Kara Warner


Avengers on the cover of Entertainment Weekly
Photo: Entertainment Weekly

For the most dedicated "Avengers" fans who've been paying attention to every story printed, photo leaked or fan video uploaded to YouTube, it's safe to say that nearly everything we know about the Joss Whedon-helmed superhero epic is pretty awesome.

Entertainment Weekly has assembled the star-studded cast on the cover of this week's issue, along with an accompanying cover story that offers yet another excitement-inducing glimpse into the makings of what could be next year's biggest movie.

Whedon told the mag that he fully understands the amount of pressure he's under to deliver but that he has to allow himself room for error. "Every day I make some boneheaded mistake and I go, 'Really? Wow. So no learning curve, huh?' There is a weird element of: They handed me one of the biggest movies of all time, and I'm making it up as I go." As far as the A-listers in the cast go, there have been learning curves on their end as well, like Mark Ruffalo feeling anxious about taking over the Hulk from predecessor Edward Norton.

"Norton and I are friends, and he was like, 'You've gotta do it, buddy.' He basically bequeathed it to me," Ruffalo said. "It was very cool and very generous of him."

Meanwhile, Robert Downey Jr. revealed that he had to come to terms with the "sharing is caring" aspect of the ensemble film, versus pushing for his Tony Stark to be the centerpiece like in his "Iron Man" movies. "I said [to Whedon], 'I don't know what you're thinking, but Tony needs to drive this thing.' He was like, 'OK, let's try that.' We tried it, and it didn't work," Downey said. "Because this is a different sort of thing. Everybody is just an arm of the octopus."

That "octopus" — i.e. the ensemble cast that consists of Ruffalo's Incredible Hulk, Downey's Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Chris Evans' Captain America, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye and Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow — has become one big happy family, according to all parties involved.

"Joss describes it as the definition of family," Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said. "These are people who have no business being together, but they are thrust together and need to make the best of it."

Check out everything we've got on "The Avengers."

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

Lady Gaga Has Three Heads In New Fashion Film

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:44 AM PDT

Mother Monster collaborates with Thierry Mugler for latest visual art piece that debuted at Paris Fashion Week.
By Jocelyn Vena


Lady Gaga (file)
Photo: BuzzFoto

Lady Gaga and her pal, Thierry Mugler designer Nicola Formichetti, hit Paris Fashion Week once again, dropping a new film during the Mugler women's wear show on Wednesday.

As MTV News previously reported, Gaga and Formichetti teamed up with directors Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for the project. On Thursday (September 29), fans not in Paris for Fashion Week got to see a special edit of the film when it premiered online.

The video, which mixes Mugler runway show footage with clips from the new Gaga film, offers another take on Mother Monster's ever-evolving persona. It opens on a close-up of Gaga's face, her teeth diamond-encrusted, as she says, "Sometimes, my heart sometimes feels so black ... and other days my heart feels like rainbows."

She flips her multicolored hair, saying, "I am Paris. We are Paris." In the next scene, a three-headed Gaga dances while a haunting track plays in the background. The image is reminiscent of the one that appeared on the cover of V magazine earlier this year. (As for the runway show, the clothes seen in the video are futuristic in style, in mostly muted tones.)

The directors, Inez and Vinoodh, worked with Gaga on her "Yoü and I" fashion films and, so far, three have featured some of her alter egos, including the nymph, the bride and Yüyi the mermaid. More "Yoü and I" films are expected to premiere, but when and where remains a mystery.

Gaga and Mugler have collaborated before: Besides the fact that designer Formichetti is her stylist, he has also debuted some of her brand-new music at his shows. In January, she premiered a remix of her Born This Way track "Scheiße" at a Mugler fashion show. Two months later, in March, Gaga not only walked the runway at a show, she debuted her song "Government Hooker"

The pop star is already back at work on her next album. Late Wednesday, she tweeted, "Almost #14MillionMonsters!! Thank you for making Born This Way really matter, this has been a crazy memorable year! Writing music today."

Share your thoughts on Gaga's new film in the comments section!

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Lil Wayne Channels Jimi Hendrix For New Vibe Cover

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:43 AM PDT

'Music isn't about competition no more. All the gangster rappers are happy,' Wayne tells magazine.
By Rob Markman


Lil Wayne on the October/November 2011 cover of <i>Vibe</i>
Photo: VIBE

Lil Wayne is himself a music icon, but on the cover of Vibe magazine's October/November issue, the YMCMB superstar channels the spirit of another. Sporting a regal red and gold-accented coat, similar to one that Jimi Hendrix famously wore, Weezy capped off his outfit with a black fedora and black sunglasses, finding inspiration in the legendary guitarist. In his interview, Wayne opened up about competition in rap, his feud with Jay-Z and Drake's success, and of course, MTV News got the exclusive scoop.

"There's no competition [with any artists]. Music isn't about competition no more. All the gangster rappers are happy, all the skateboard rappers are happy, all the white rappers are happy. ... Everybody just happy to do music these days," Weezy said in an exclusive magazine excerpt obtained by MTV News. "There are no problems. That sh-- died a long time ago with them old-ass rappers. We are just making music, making money and having fun — feeding our families. Competition is for the old guys."

The quote is a bit contradictory considering Wayne threw a shot at Jay-Z on "I'm Good," a song off of his latest album, Tha Carter IV. The two have quietly been feuding for some time now, throwing subliminal darts in each other's direction, never actually acknowledging each other by name. When asked if he expected any backlash from the dis, Wayne stood confident.

"Well, I'm a man. I believe as a man, you should know that. Every man should know the repercussions and consequences behind whatever they do before they do it. And of course, I know there won't be any repercussions behind what I did," the rapper told Vibe.

Hip-hop beefs are a very small part of Wayne's dynamic. Vibe editor in chief Jermaine Hall said that the Young Money boss is more than just a rapper, citing his 2010 rock-inspired Rebirth album and his acoustic hit "How to Love" as examples of Tunechi's reach. It was his diversity and modern-day rock swag that led the magazine to use Hendrix as a muse.

"He was very into the Jimi Hendrix concept," Hall said of the shoot, which took place in Miami in early August. "I didn't know how far Wayne was willing to take it. But it just so happens that Jimi is also one of his idols and actually one of the people that influenced him to pick up a guitar and try to learn how to play. So he was 100 percent onboard with the concept."

In the issue, which also features Chris Rock, J. Cole and a story on Tupac's Hollywood impact, Vibe also got Weezy to open up about Drake's success. Is his competitive spirit fueled by Drizzy's accomplishments? Not in the least bit. "I don't look at it like that. Drake is my artist. If he wasn't my artist, then yeah, maybe," he said of their relationship. "But that's my artist. He's not [just] a friend. We're more than friends. It's business. It would be impossible for it to be a competition. I mean, I'm the guy's boss."

Weezy also gets political talking about his feelings on the riots that rocked London this past August. "All you could do is pray for the people that were dealing with the situation and hope for the best. As far as them blaming hip-hop, you can blame Jesus for things, so you can't really fault anybody for blaming someone or something. All you can do is hope for the best," he said in response to those who blamed rap for the political upheaval.

"Wayne is the type of artist ... obviously he's a rock star, he's loved in the 'hood, he's touching so many pockets around this country right now," Hall said of his latest cover subject. "It's what allows him to come out first week and do [almost a million]. He's not just dealing with one audience anymore."

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J. Cole Expected To Hit #1 With <i>Cole World</i>

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:32 PM PDT

Rapper is poised to sell 250,000 in first week of his debut's release.
By Rob Markman


J. Cole
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage

In a week's time, J. Cole jumped from hip-hop's bench to the starting lineup when he released his debut Cole World: The Sideline Story, and now Billboard is reporting that the Roc Nation MC is poised to have the #1 record on the Billboard 200 albums chart next week. Early estimations have Cole pushing as many as 250,000 copies in his first week, and the Jay-Z protégé has taken to Twitter to express his appreciation.

"Yall sold out so many stores today. iTunes it for now, stores will re-up tomorrow. We on pace. Much Love," he wrote on Tuesday, and then, "Cole World. Best fans in the Whole World" on Wednesday.

Melodic singles like "Work Out" and "Can't Get Enough," with Trey Songz, for sure put Cole in the consciousness of casual rap fans, but it seems that much of the North Carolina lyricist's appeal is in his introspective album cuts. "Dollar and a Dream III," "Sideline Story" and the cautionary "Lost Ones" provide lyrical depth to Cole's debut opus.

Regardless of which individual songs fans prefer, it is clear that the album is an overall hit. For Cole, actually getting the album in stores after a series of delays since he was signed in 2009 is an accomplishment in itself. "Even talking about it right now, I'm getting a little emotional because I can remember going to get so many albums and just the fact that mines is one of those," Cole told MTV2's Sucker Free about his album release. "To me, that'll be the real incredible feeling, like all the things I've been through will finally be worth it because we made it to that."

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Jason Derulo Is Single And Looking For His 'It Girl'

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:42 PM PDT

Singer denies rumors that he's dating season six 'American Idol' winner Jordin Sparks.
By Christina Garibaldi


Jason Derulo
Photo: MTV News

Jason Derülo is certainly having a week to remember. On Tuesday, he released his sophomore album, Future History, his second single "It Girl" is currently #15 on the iTunes charts and he's been hitting the gossip columns with news that he is dating season six "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks. The two young singers were spotted in West Hollywood after a night of celebrating Derülo's 22nd birthday and instantly the rumors started swirling.

So are they or aren't they? Well, we sat down with the R&B star to find out if he currently has his "It Girl."

"I don't," Derülo said. "I'm single. I'm looking for that special one." So he's single and ready to mingle? "Yes, absolutely," he said.

Well, ladies, it looks like you still might have a chance, and lucky for all you fans, we asked Derülo what you need to do to win over his heart.

"My 'It Girl' is somebody who is selfless, somebody who's not thinking about herself all the time, but just caring about what others need," Derülo revealed. "I think that's really sexy ... and somebody who likes to have a good time. I'm kinda crazy. It would be nice to have somebody who's kind of into that."

And if you're fortunate enough to become Derülo's number-one girl, he already has your first date planned out.

"I think the most beautiful thing to me would be breakfast on the beach as we watch the sunrise, because the sunrise is very beautiful and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day."

Do you think Jason and Jordin would make a good couple? Let us know in the comments below!

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Justin Bieber Shoots Christmas-Themed 'Mistletoe' Video

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 08:18 AM PDT

Teen star also announces Christmas album's release date.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber on the set of his Christmas album video shoot
Photo: Justin Bieber/Twitter

Start decorating your Christmas tree! The holidays are coming early this year for Beliebers everywhere. On Wednesday, Justin Bieber tweeted updates about his music video for the lead single off his holiday-themed album, which drops in November.

Bieber and his team kept fans up-to-date about what was going down on set. "Video shoot today for Christmas album. #mistletoe," he wrote, before confirming the name of the track and a release date for the album. "On the set of #mistletoe. Christmas is coming early this year. #nov1st."

The shoot wasn't kept under wraps, and Bieber didn't mind the crowds that gathered to watch him celebrate the holidays a few months early. He also tweeted a photo of himself with Santa Claus and wrote, "doing the #dougie with santa. #real. haha. #mistletoe."

It seems everyone involved with the shoot is pretty stoked about it. "Getting incredible reports from the @justinbieber #mistletoe video ... seems like this is going to be a big song and a big video. #superstar," Scooter Braun tweeted, with director Alfredo Flores adding, "4am and we're still out here putting in work! This video is going to be magical! @justinbieber is killin it! #mistletoe."

While the album title hasn't been confirmed, online retailers like Amazon are already pre-selling the album with the tentative title Under the Mistletoe and a November 1 release date.

In addition to confirmed duets with the Band Perry and Boyz II Men, as well as rumored collabos with Taylor Swift and Sean Kingston, Bieber confirmed that his mentor Usher will also appear on the album.

"Just finished a late nt in the studio for the Christmas album ... it is OFFICIAL ... my big bro @UsherRaymondIV is on the album with me! #EPIC," he tweeted. "This duet with me and @USHERRAYMONDIV for #christmas is CRAZY!!!"

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Ashton Kutcher Gets Heat From CBS, Dodges Affair Rumors

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:31 AM PDT

Kutcher and Demi Moore's marriage is reportedly on the rocks.
By Jocelyn Vena


Ashton Kutcher on "Two and a Half Men"
Photo: CBS

Ashton Kutcher is already stirring up trouble at his new network. As the new star of "Two and a Half Men," Kutcher reportedly angered CBS when he allegedly promoted Foursquare, Flipboard, Hipmunk, GroupMe and Chegg on Monday's episode, using stickers with those companies' names on his character Walden Schmidt's laptop

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kutcher holds investment stakes in each of those properties and used his time on the show to promote the sites for free. The network reportedly wanted compensation for the airtime, though they are now downplaying the report.

"This was not part of any advertising transaction with CBS," a network rep tells E! News. "Our policy is to disclose such financial interests in a credit at the end of the broadcast."

The news comes as Kutcher and his wife, Demi Moore, are rumored to be having marital problems. Fox News reported that Kutcher and Moore have been spending time apart and that on Wednesday, the same day the news of the split broke, security was called to the couple's home. Kutcher allegedly had an affair with a woman, who is reportedly trying to sell a story about the relationship.

While the pair has not directly commented on the rumors of a split, they have danced around them on Twitter. Late Wednesday night, perhaps as a reaction to all the gossip surrounding his personal life, Kutcher tweeted a link to the Public Enemy track "Don't Believe the Hype."

Meanwhile, Moore, still using the handle Mrs. Kutcher, had everyone speculating that she was ominously commenting on a split days ago in a flurry of tweets. One reads, "I see through you ...," and includes a photo of her laying in bed with her eyes closed.

Days before that, Moore tweeted, "When we are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself & study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger. — Epictetus."

B.o.B Reveals Album Title, <i>Strange Clouds</i>

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:25 AM PDT

The follow-up to his breakout The Adventures of Bobby Ray is tentatively due in 'early spring.'
By James Montgomery


B.o.B
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

B.o.B teamed up with Lil Wayne on the brand-new "Strange Clouds," and apparently he liked the result so much he's decided to name his album after it.

During an interview with Atlanta radio station V-103, B.o.B confirmed that the follow-up to his massive The Adventures of Bobby Ray album would, in fact, be called Strange Clouds. The singer spoke about the lead-off single, saying it just seemed like the logical choice to launch the next phase of his career.

" 'Strange Clouds' ... is the first single off my sophomore album, [which is] actually titled Strange Clouds," he told V-103. "Wayne actually got on it pretty quick. It was a quick turnaround. We were kind of debating on it, man, but we just felt like this is the song that should go first. I feel really strong about it and I like to take my time with music.

"When you do a song with somebody, it's basically like you're starting a business with that person ... it creates a lot of opportunities," he continued. "I'm glad that he blessed me with a verse, man, and it's the first single off my album, so I'm excited about it."

B.o.B added that Strange Clouds would hit stores in "early spring," adding that, "I want it to be sooner!"

Earlier this year, he told MTV News that fans should expect "some surprises" on the new disc and subsequently called it "a real special project." And though the title track features Weezy, producer Jim Jonsin recently let it be known that folks expecting a sequel to The Adventures of Bobby Ray — and the sundry of features it, uh, featured — might be disappointed, because Strange Clouds is very much a B.o.B project.

"What Bob wanted to do was go into the lab himself and spend his time creating what he wanted his album to have, the direction he wanted," Jonsin told MTV News. "So we're waiting on him to come back with that house that he's built so we can go ahead and put all the fixtures in and try to help with it."

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Emma Watson, 'Perks' Co-Stars Do 'New Class' Boogie In Exclusive First Look

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:19 AM PDT

'I was waiting for this story, for this script, for this moment, for these people to do it with me,' Watson says of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower.'
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Emma Watson
Photo: Nick Harvey/ WireImage

The post-"Harry Potter" education of Emma Watson began, in a way, at Brown University. Searching for her first film after completing the boy-wizard franchise, the Ivy League actress found some unlikely career advisors in the form of her fellow college students, who told her that she simply had to sign up for "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," an adaptation of Stephen Chbosky's seminal novel.

"Honestly, I had never read the book before, but a lot of my friends at Brown were hugely into it, and when I told them I had this script, they were crazy excited," Watson told MTV News.

And just that like, through the pop-culture schooling of her peers, she'd found a flick to carry her away from Hogwarts and toward a Hollywood second act. It's fitting, then, that with "Perks" on her résumé, we've selected Watson as a member of MTV News' New Class — actors and actresses about to graduate toward greatness. The 21-year-old finds herself in good company on the movie, whose cast contains so many soon-to-break-big talents that we selected a bunch of her co-stars as her New Class cohorts.

We've dubbed Watson "Most Likely to Win an Oscar." Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries") is our Next Style Icon. Logan Lerman ("Percy Jackson & the Olympians" and the upcoming "Three Musketeers") is Most Likely to Make You Swoon, and Ezra Miller (Sundance eye-opener "Another Happy Day" and Cannes selectee "We Need to Talk About Kevin") is Most Likely to Win an Independent Spirit Award. Together they're bringing a beloved teen novel to the screen. And when we visited the film's Pittsburgh set earlier this year, all four of them were well aware of the expectations surrounding the project and professed themselves lucky to be involved.

"I feel incredible about it. I feel like I've been waiting for 'Perks,' " Watson said. "I was waiting for this story, for this script, for this moment, for these people to do it with me. I'm so glad I didn't do anything that I didn't care about."

Watson plays Sam, a high school senior who, along with Miller's Patrick, introduces Lerman's freshman Charlie to a world of sex, drugs and awkward adolescence. "I definitely tapped into some awkward childhood memories for this movie," Lerman explained. "It's been a year and a half since I first signed on to the project, so to be out here making it is a pretty big deal for me. It's cool to be working with this great cast of young actors."

Dobrev, on a break from "Vampire Diaries," echoed those sentiments. "Every hiatus, my goal is to try something different, and this is a small part in a great, fun indie that has a great script," she said of playing Charlie's sister. "It's been fun to meet such great new people. Everyone really gets along and is really friendly and fun."

Their subject matter, it should be said, is not all fun or funny. When when we showed up on set the stars were filming a raucous school-dance sequence set to "Come on Eileen," but "Perks" takes on potentially controversial material about suicide, drug use and sexuality. These may be divisive topics to some, but ask any teen and he or she will say it's all part of their world.

"I don't think there will be one teenager who will watch this and not have one story or one moment that they don't deeply feel they can relate to," Watson said.

For more on all the up-and-comers who make up MTV's New Class, go to TheNewClass.MTV.com.

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

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Kamis, 29 September 2011

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MTV News


Coldplay, Rihanna, Evanescence Lead Fall Albums

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:53 AM PDT

Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and Nickelback also on tap for new albums.
By Gil Kaufman


Rihanna
Photo: Tabatha Fireman/ WireImage

There's a very good reason why so many big albums come out in the last quarter of the year: In the run-up to the holidays, lots of kids, moms, dads and grandparents truck down to the local megamart looking for good stocking stuffers.

And this year's bumper crop cuts across all genres and classifications, including fall albums from Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson, Evanescence, Feist, Wilco, Drake, Nickelback, Rihanna, J. Cole, Mastodon, Joe Jonas, Mary J. Blige, Rick Ross, Nas, Florence and the Machine, and "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery. Here's a breakdown by genre of the ones to watch for (with release dates subject to change):

Pop
We've been hearing about Kelly Clarkson's Stronger (October 24) for more than a year now. The original "American Idol" winner brings the drama in and out of the studio, as each of her recent albums seems to come wrapped in some fresh controversy. Determined to get her vision out, Clarkson survived a series of leaks earlier this year and made a solid chart debut with her tell-off first single, "Mr. Know It All." With a bit of urban bounce, some country, pop and a dash of soul, Clarkson's fifth LP promises to be one of the season's highlights.

Rihanna has been releasing albums at a torrid pace, with one every year since 2005 except for 2008. Her follow-up to 2010's Loud is reportedly due later this year, and a new Calvin Harris-produced single, "We Found Love," is due to hit radio on October 11.

All-grown-up Joe Jonas will drop his solo debut, the dance-inflected Fast Life, on October 11, "X Factor" judge Nicole Scherzinger is expected to finally release her long-delayed solo album Killer Love on November 15, and new albums are also due from soul man Mayer Hawthorne (How Do You Do, October 11) and adorable indie duo She & Him (the holiday-themed A Very She & Him Christmas, October 25).

Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am is also reportedly prepping a solo effort for November, and this year's "Idol" winner, country teen Scotty McCreery, will unleash his debut, Clear as Day (October 4), as will runner-up Lauren Alaina and former "Idol" second-placer Adam Lambert, whose as-yet-untitled second effort is due in November. In addition, former Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump will drop his solo debut, Soul Punk (October 18), and the end of the year may also see the release of the frequently pushed first album from ex-FOB bassist/lyricist Pete Wentz's new dance act, Black Cards.

Hip-Hop
The next few months will see big albums from the Bawse and the Apprentice, as Rick Ross returns with God Forgives, I Don't in November, his fifth album and follow-up to hit Teflon Don. Before that, Drake will fire it up for the second time with Take Care (October 24), which features guest spots from Ross, Weezy and the Weeknd and songs including the drunk-dial tale "Marvin's Room" and "Headlines."

Young Jeezy's long-gestating Thug Motivation 103 is due in October, reportedly complete with more positive messages on tunes like "Shake Life" and "Never Be the Same." Also look for new music from Common, Wale, Nas and Yelawolf.

R&B
Seventeen years after the breakthrough original, Mary J. Blige will offer My Life II (November 21), with production by Kanye West and Swizz Beatz and a cameo verse from her rap alter ego, Brooklyn, on the tune "Midnight Drive."

Also, R&B vet Monica plans a comeback with New Life and English singer Taio Cruz is planning to be back in November with an as-yet-untitled second collection of sure-to-be smashes produced by the likes of Dr. Luke, David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia. Look for new music from Jason Derülo and hook mistress Dev as well.

Rock and More
Former pop-punk icons Blink-182 have already kicked off the season for guitar slingers with their reunion disc, Neighborhoods, but that's just the appetizer to Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto, which, in addition to a cryptic title, will feature a cameo from Rihanna.

Evanescence will storm back with a self-titled album of gothic rockers, their first in five years, including the first single "What You Want." One of the most unusual discs on tap is an album-length collaboration between punk icon Lou Reed and Metallica entitled Lulu (November 1), which is sure to crunch way more bones than Canadian singer Feist's more sedate Metals.

Flame-haired Florence Welch has promised that the second album from her band, Florence + the Machine, will be tougher and feature more heavy guitars and beats, which is guaranteed on the new one from Nickelback, Here and Now (November 11).

If that's not enough for you, country superstar Miranda Lambert is setting up her fourth album, Four the Record (November 1), Icelandic conundrum Björk will drop Biophilia (October 11) and French house duo Justice will spin out Audio, Video, Disco (October 25). What fall albums are you most excited about? Let us know in comments below!

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Watch The Throne Designer Talks Fashion, Kanye West, Jay-Z

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:41 AM PDT

Riccardo Tisci talks about his love of hip-hop and working with rap titans the Throne.


Photo: Jeff Kravitz

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'X Factor': J. Mark Inman And More Oddballs Shine

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:05 AM PDT

Country cuties Makenna and Brock take a more traditional route to Boot Camp.
By Adam Graham


Paula Abdul
Photo: Fox

"The X Factor" threw viewers a few curveballs on Wednesday night's (September 28) episode. Having been weaned on years of gag auditions from "American Idol," we've been trained to pick out the phony contestants from the contenders.

Or so we thought. But J. Mark Inman -- a 31-year-old philosophy student who compared his life to "the algorithm for pi" -- threw a wrench into that system with his bizarro take on Radiohead's "Creep."

What does our expert think of "X Factor" so far? Find out!

Backed by a stuttering electronic track he made himself, Inman -- who looks exactly like the kind of person who would compare his life to the algorithm for pi -- seemed as out of place as Mark Zuckerberg at a karaoke bar but had a magnetic, inexplicable confidence about him. As he took on "Creep," he shuffled across the stage with his mock Usher moves and somehow, his subdued, off-kilter take on the alt-rock classic simply worked. Said L.A. Reid: "It sounded so bad, but felt so good." Inman was sent through to the next round, and he seemed as shocked as anyone.

Josh Krajcik, a self-described "burrito slinger" from Columbus, Ohio, also looked far from your typical pop singer, with his scruffy beard, laundry-day attire and long, greasy hair. But when he sang a deeply soulful version of Etta James' "At Last," the 30-year-old took the judges by surprise and was passed through to the next round. "You need to give the slinging-burritos job to somebody else," Reid informed him.

Meanwhile, producers initially presented 14-year-old Drew Ryniewicz as a bubbly Justin Bieber obsessive (she gazes at pictures of him in her bedroom and knows that his favorite colors are purple and red) and nothing more. But when she sang a down-tempo, piano-driven version of Bieber's "Baby" that brought out an undercurrent of sadness and longing in the song, she won over even Reid, who has helped mold Bieber's career. "You are special," Reid told her, while Paula Abdul called Ryniewicz "commendable, original, daring and bold." We'll see her again in Boot Camp.

And sure, Skyelor Anderson seemed odd enough; as he said himself, "You don't find a lot of young black teenagers that sing country music." But the 16-year-old Mississippi native showed real tenacity, singing a cappella when his backing track unexpectedly dropped out on him. The judges loved his resourcefulness and his Southern manners and sent him through. As Anderson himself said, Git-R-Done!

Among the more traditional contestants introduced on Wednesday's show were Makenna and Brock, a 22- and 18-year-old singing duo with a secret (he has a crush on her, she doesn't know it -- well, until she watched him admit it on national television, that is); Arin Ray, a 15-year-old whose "Ain't No Sunshine" earned him four "yes" votes from the judges; 4Shore, a quartet whose version of Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" had even songwriter Reid on his feet; Elaine Gibbs, a 53-year-old grandmother who took the judges to church with her gospelized "You've Got a Friend"; Tiger Budbill, a 42-year-old wedding DJ who might have the best name in the competition so far; Phillip Lomax, a 21-year-old self-described "hipster" with a 1,000-watt smile; and 17-year-old Francesca Duncan, whose version of Mariah Carey's "Hero" earned her unanimous passing grades from the judges.

The night's biggest drama came from 19-year-old Tiah Tolliver, a deli clerk who auditioned with Shontelle's "Impossible." Simon Cowell and Reid let her through, but when Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger both passed, citing problems with her key, Cowell reacted by throwing a minor hissy fit and tossing his pen from his hands. Before she was dismissed, Reid convinced her to sing one more song, and Tolliver's "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" was good enough that Scherzinger gave her a pass, allowing her through to the next round and making Cowell happy. And on this show, that may be the most important thing of all.

What did you think of Wednesday's "X Factor"? Let us know in the comments!

Anne Hathaway's Catwoman Isn't First Controversial Costume

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:32 AM PDT

We look back at other divisive getups, including George Clooney's Batman and Adrianne Palicki's Wonder Woman.
By Kara Warner


Anne Hathaway on the set of "Dark Knight Rises"
Photo: PhamousFotos/ Splash News

Nothing causes a storm of online controversy like the first big reveal of an updated superhero costume — particularly when said costume is on a glamorous Hollywood starlet.

Case in point: the paparazzi photo snapped on the Los Angeles set of "The Dark Knight Rises" that features a catsuit-clad Anne Hathaway in between scenes. The firestorm around the photo, as well as the detailed analysis that followed, reminded us of some other costumes that received the same obsessive treatment.

MTV News reached out to Caleb Goellner, senior editor at Comics Alliance, for his thoughts on past lightning-rod getups.

Halle Berry's Catwoman
All things considered, Hathaway's costume has nothing on Halle Berry's barely there, frequently mocked ensemble from 2004's much-maligned "Catwoman," which went on to win four Razzies for Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Director and Worst Screenplay.

"If somebody would've asked me, 'Hey, you think it'd be feasible to fight crime wearing nothing but a few handfuls of random belts from a TJ Maxx after-Thanksgiving sale bargain bin circa 1984?' In, like, 2003, I might've said, 'Maybe,' " Goellner admitted. "I confess to not being open-minded enough for that response in a post-'Catwoman' world, though."

Adrianne Palicki's Wonder Woman
There is a decent argument to be made that the violent reactions to the costume worn briefly by Adrianne Palicki were a large part of the reason David E. Kelley's TV series failed to get picked up. Also, from what we know about the pilot, it was not good.

"Palicki's costume seems like it was scrutinized more for its choice of materials than its cut," Goellner said. "Nobody really agrees on what Wonder Woman is/should be, but fans seemed united in their cries for a TV costume with a less vinyl-y sheen."

George Clooney and Val Kilmer's Batmen
When Warner Bros. hired Joel Schumacher to direct "Batman Forever" and then "Batman & Robin," they wanted him to make the films less Tim Burton-style dark and more family-friendly. The result? Nipples were inexplicably added to the Batsuits worn by Val Kilmer and George Clooney.

"In a world where rubber costumes often feature fake abs, adding nipples to a crime fighting suit is pretty logical," Goellner said, tongue firmly in cheek. "The problem fans had with this outfit stemmed purely from the fact that, in the comics, Bruce Wayne has trained his nipples to go into sleep mode while fighting crime, diverting calories to other parts of his body as needed. This continuity error, however minor, really distracted from Joel Schumacher's otherwise completely authentic filmmaking choices."

Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern
The debate about CGI is ongoing: How much is too much? How much is too little? Shouldn't we expect all superhero-themed movies to be computer-generated spectacles? When the first photo of Ryan Reynolds as a green-suited Hal Jordan appeared, there were accusations of ruin and overuse of Photoshop.

Said Goellner: "Green Lantern's organic look had some feeling like he was more of a Slim Goodbody stand-in than a proper space cop. Others, who accepted the rationality of the costume as a manifestation of alien technology, were still bummed by its lack of depth and overall painted-on look. Everyone else was too busy hoping for a cosmic 'Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place' reunion to notice."

X-Men Suit Up in Black Leather
For those who grew up with their crime-fighting mutants sporting the classic blue-and-yellow suits as seen on the pages of the Marvel comic, as well as the animated cartoon, the all-black ensembles worn by the cast in Bryan Singer's 2000 hit ruffled many a fanboy's feathers back in the day — so much so that Singer added an homage to the fans via Cyclops' cheeky line: "What would you prefer, yellow spandex?"

"Given the X-Men's history of trying out new uniforms in the comics, fans weren't supremely bothered by X-Men's low-key combat suits," Goellner said. "Then again, the state of the superhero film was so abysmal in 2000 that fans were open to anything that was more 'Blade' than 'Batman & Robin.' It also probably would've been a bad idea to put Hugh Jackman in a mask, when everyone knows the real star of the 'X' franchise has been his dreamy peepers."

Bonus: Barbara Eden's Jeannie
Back in 1965, nothing caused more controversy on network television than Barbara Eden's scandalous costume on "I Dream of Jeannie" — so scandalous that network execs made the costume designers add extra inches to the waistline so Eden's belly button wouldn't be exposed.

Goellner's final word: "Her costume is a delight, but everybody knows that real genies are blue, have goatees and kind of talk like that guy who starred in 'Hook.' "

Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises."

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

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Styles P Breaks Down The Meaning Of 'MC'

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:57 AM PDT

'It's my job to say something,' rapper tells 'RapFix Live' of his responsibility as 'Master of Ceremonies.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Styles P
Photo: MTV News

Styles P takes the title of MC very seriously. On his upcoming album Master of Ceremonies, the Ghost expands the acronym to exemplify what it means to be a rapper of the highest caliber. The LOX rhyme spitter broke it all down with Sway on Wednesday's "RapFix Live."

"I named it Master of Ceremonies because I'm an MC and I felt like I'm gonna bring something to the table that a lot of people forgot about — a lost art," Styles told Sway of his album, which drops October 4.

In the beginning, it was the DJ who was the star in hip-hop. During the early house parties and park jams, the MC's main function was to toast to the DJ using witty and rhyming wordplay. As hip-hop evolved, it was the MC or the rapper who emerged as the musical star. For Styles P, his MC influences included Rakim, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane and the seldom-celebrated New Jersey rapper Chill Rob G. So when it came time for him to grab the mic, Styles took the title very seriously.

"It's my job to say something. At the end of the day, I have to say something," Peniro said, citing rap's current lyrical deficiency as motivation for his first solo album in four years.

The Yonkers lyricist even joked that after announcing his Master of Ceremonies album title on Twitter, one fan thought he was down with the Illuminati — a powerful, cult-like sect that conspiracy theorists accuse artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West of being involved with. "I laughed, but I was sad at the same time," Styles said, "because to them, a master of ceremonies sounded like some Illuminati term and I was like, 'Nah I'm an MC.' Do your history — this is where we come from."

Styles, who is a self-described "fan of lyrics," invited other MCs to be a part of his album. Not only do Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes appear on Master of Ceremonies' lead single "Harsh," other well-regarded spitters like Jadakiss, Sheek Louch and Lloyd Banks are represented as well.

"In hip-hop, I think a lot of us forgot about MC and what MCing is," he said. Luckily Styles P is about to give us a reminder.

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Michael Jackson Doctor Left 'Panicked' Voicemail After Death

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 05:14 AM PDT

In addition to assistant's testimony, bodyguard claims MJ's kids were in the room when he died.
By Gil Kaufman, with additional reporting by Kara Warner


Dr. Conrad Murray
Photo: Pool/ Getty Images

Day two of testimony in the manslaughter trial of former Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray featured more damning revelations from MJ's personal assistant and head of security, as well as employees of AEG Live, the firm that was promoting the singer's 50-show This Is It attempted comeback tour.

Among the revelations Wednesday (September 28), an attorney for AEG Live, Kathy Jorrie, described the contract she wrote up between AEG, Murray and Jackson. The document specified that Murray was to be paid a $150,000-a-month retainer, even when This Is It was on hiatus, and that the cardiologist requested a CPR machine for Jackson during the run of the shows in London.

As for why he needed a machine used for resuscitation, TMZ reported that Murray claimed he didn't want to take chances given MJ's age (50) and the strenuous nature of the show. Jorrie also said that in a conversation with Murray on June 24, 2009 — the day before Jackson's death — the doctor said he'd seen his client perform and that he appeared to be in "perfect" health.

She also confirmed that the contract — drafted 10 days before Jackson's death — had never been signed by any of the parties and that it contained revisions requested by Murray, including retroactive pay dating back to May 2009 through March 2010 and a clause exempting him from refunding any of his monthly retainer if Jackson changed his mind or canceled the tour.

In an effort to lay out the timeline of events on the day of Jackson's death, prosecutors called the pop icon's personal assistant, Michael Amir Williams, who discussed a panicked voicemail he received from Murray. After watching an "amazing" rehearsal the night before, Williams said he picked up an urgent voicemail from Murray the next day at 12:13 p.m. asking him to call back right away to discuss a "bad reaction" MJ had.

When Williams arrived at Jackson's rented Beverly Hills estate, the first thing he saw was his boss on a gurney and a "frantic-looking Murray, who, after Jackson was pronounced dead, confided to Williams that there was some "cream Michael wouldn't want the world to know about" at the house. Williams drove Murray back to the mansion to retrieve the "cream," and after checking with Jackson's head of security, they let the doctor back into the house.

AEG Live co-CEO Paul Gongaware was back on the stand again Wednesday, testifying that Murray had initially asked for the exorbitant sum of $5 million per year to take care of Jackson. When the singer insisted that he wanted Murray to take care of him, he instructed Gongaware to call back and offer $150,000 a month.

The final witness to testify Wednesday was Jackson's head of security, Faheem Muhammad, who described arriving on the scene to see Murray frantically trying to resuscitate the fallen pop star, while two of Jackson's children, Paris and Prince, looked on. Muhammad said Jackson appeared to be dead when he arrived and that when he noticed the children in the room, he took them downstairs. Muhammad added that he heard Murray asking if anyone knew CPR, which prompted fellow bodyguard Alberto Alvarez to try to help.

On Tuesday, the opening day of the trial, in addition to disturbing photos of Jackson and a voicemail in which the singer's speech was slurred and garbled, the jury heard from longtime friend and choreographer Kenny Ortega, who said he could tell something was not right with Jackson.

Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and administering the fatal dose of the surgical anesthetic propofol that caused Jackson's death and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if found guilty.

Defense attorney Ed Chernoff told the jury Tuesday that Jackson caused his own death by swallowing eight 2-milligram pills of the anti-anxiety drug Lorazepam, as well as injecting himself with a dose of propofol that instantly killed him. Testimony in the trial continues Thursday.

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Chris Brown Set To Go 'Undercover' With J. Cole

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:30 AM PDT

'I think the ladies gonna like this one,' DJ Drama teases MTV News about collabo from his October album.
By Rob Markman


Chris Brown
Photo: Getty Images

J. Cole is riding high this week after the release of his debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story. Aside from the inevitable euphoria that comes with dropping one's first album, relative newcomer Cole also got a chance to work with Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and Trey Songz on the project. But fans shouldn't expect the high-profile collaborations to stop there thanks to DJ Drama.

On October 11, the Atlanta DJ will drop his latest album, Third Power, on which he paired Cole with Chris Brown for a track titled "Undercover."

"We were searching for tracks for Chris," Drama explained to MTV News about how he and producer V12 the Hitman came up with the song. "We got something, Chris went in. I thought about it for a minute: Who hasn't he worked with, who hasn't he been on a record with?"

That meant excluding heavy hitters like Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Kanye West and Swizz Beatz, who are among CB's army of previous collaborators. Drama eventually thought to link Brown with Roc Nation's rookie rapper Cole, and although the pair appeared together on little-known British rapper Chipmunk's "Champion (Remix)," Drama's "Undercover" will mark the first time Cole and Breezy co-headline a song.

"J. Cole has definitely been doing his thing," Drama added. "That's another guy that I have a lot of respect for and am excited for what he's been accomplishing, so we made that allegiance right there; plus, you got some bars from Breezy."

Brown already has a dedicated female fanbase and Cole — thanks to songs like his R&B-tinged "Can't Get Enough" and a feature on Miguel's hit "All I Want Is You" — is becoming a heartthrob himself. Whatever the case, Drama is pretty sure the song will win women over. "I think the ladies gonna like this one," he said.

Are you excited to hear a Chris Brown/ J. Cole collabo? Tell us in the comments!

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'Glee'-Cap: Kurt Embraces His Inner Unicorn

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:20 AM PDT

But does he really have to face off against boyfriend Blaine for the lead in the play?
By Jim Cantiello


Chris Colfer in "Glee"
Photo: FOX

"Glee" was back to its identity-crisis ways Tuesday, switching up ages, story lines and emotions in the latest episode, "I Am Unicorn." But why talk about it when we can sing about it? To the musical "Glee"-cap!

I wish "Glee" made up its mind
They change the rules and it's unkind
Ryan Murphy first told the press that Blaine's older
But now he is a year behind

It's hard to keep my bearings straight
And oh, how it makes my heart ache
Kurt and Blaine were gonna move to New York together
But now they'll have to wait

F--- you, "Glee," this makes no sense
You're messing with my Klaine and I'm incensed
Now they're rivals for the lead in the play
If only Kurt can tone down the gay

No way!

Screw you, "Glee," why hurt your fans?
I need a Ph.D. in bullsh-- to understand
The show can't be fantasy
While also grounded in harsh reality
That means a battle over custody
Doesn't appeal to me

Just sayin'

Another chorus has begun
Sugar's dad supplies the funds
Don't get too attached, you know what'll happen
By November she'll be gone
[cough] Charice [cough]

We are Gleeks, we see it all!
You can't pull a fast one between spring and fall
Last year Bieste talked gender themes
Now she's laughing at Kurt for being a queen — puh-leaze!

Damn you, "Glee," in the end you're right
The big music numbers shined oh so bright
Rachel singing with her estranged mom
Holy crap, look at his arms!

Kurt's audition's full of charm
And so plucky!
He's a bendable son of a gun
Blaine's so lucky!

I get it, "Glee" writers, you need conflict
Just make it consistent and I'll give a sh--
One last request: Make Shelby go away

Entitled Gleek!

What did you think of the latest "Glee"? Let us know in the comments below — no singing required!

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Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett Music Video Debuts Monday

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 02:12 AM PDT

'Lady Is a Tramp' clip is the second from Duets II, following 'Body and Soul' with the late Amy Winehouse.
By Jocelyn Vena


Lady Gaga
Photo: Getty Images

Tony Bennett just scored his first #1 album with Duets II, and now the legend is ready to drop another video from the collabo project.

On Monday, his video for "The Lady Is a Tramp" — with a blue-haired Lady Gaga by his side — will hit the Web. On the track, Gaga gets a little feisty with the 85-year-old. "I hate California, it's crowded and damp," the New York-native Gaga sings, before Bennett chimes in giggling, "That's why the lady is a tramp."

"My favorite is that Lady Gaga," Bennett gushed to MTV News at the Video Music Awards, where Gaga spent the night in character as her male alter ego, Jo Calderone. "She's the biggest. I'll tell you, I never met anyone with more talent than that lady."

Earlier this month, Bennett's "Body and Soul" video with the late Amy Winehouse debuted. The duo were filmed recording the song together, and the Gaga video will most likely follow suit. Other Duets II collaborations include John Mayer, Carrie Underwood and Mariah Carey, among others.

Riding high on his new wave of success — including first-week sales of 179,000 copies — Bennett said his career has always been incredibly cyclical. "I'm 85; I just want to tell you, it's a very strange situation," he said. "I always worked live, and ever since 1950, wherever I've played internationally I've been sold out all these years. It's amazing. So the public's been on my side all the time."

What are you expecting from Gaga and Bennett's video? Let us know in the comments!

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Lil Wayne's Success 'Gratifying' For Mystikal

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:46 AM PDT

'Wayne was a student in my dojo before,' Mystikal tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by James "FLX" Smith


Lil Wayne
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

Celebrity Favorites: Mystikal
Since Mystikal's been gone, a lot has changed on hip-hop's playing field. In 2004, when Mystikal was locked up on sexual battery and extortion charges, Jay-Z was fresh off his "retirement," Kanye West was just beginning his rookie year in rap and Lil Wayne was getting set to drop the first album in his now-famed Tha Carter series.

Now, Kanye and Jay are the Throne and both enjoy veteran rap status, and Lil Wayne is sitting on top of the world. Mystikal recalls his fellow New Orleans rapper's come-up and can't help but feel a bit responsible for the growth.

"Wayne was a student in my dojo before. I was a sensei before. I had big inspiration on him," Mystikal said of the younger Weezy. "It's gratifying to see him reach the heights that he reached with his hustle. So I'm proud of him."

Mystikal, who turned 41 last week, has a catalog of rap classics. Songs like "Shake Ya Ass" and "Danger" helped shine hip-hop's light on his native New Orleans and the artists who hail from the Louisiana city. Still, the Tarantula isn't content with his past hits. He has recently been in the studio with producer Mannie Fresh, cooking up a new batch of material.

So how will this new Mystikal fit into hip-hop's current landscape?

"Just another option, just give them another option," Mystikal told Mixtape Daily of what he hopes to offer to rap fans. "All the marquee artists are who they are; I don't have to say no names. [The fans] just ready for more options, they ready for some other big cards to play. Trust me!"

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

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Joe Jonas, Lil Wayne Hook Up For 'Just In Love' Remix

Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:36 PM PDT

The JoBro announces via Twitter that track is 'coming to you on 10/3.'
By Jocelyn Vena


Joe Jonas
Photo: Getty Images

With only a few weeks left until Joe Jonas drops his debut solo album, Fast Life, he's got a last-minute surprise for his fans.

The singer announced on Twitter that Lil Wayne will appear on a remix of his single "Just in Love," set to drop on Monday. "BIG NEWS! #JustInLove Remix with Me and @LilTunechi (LIL WAYNE) coming to you on 10/3 on @OnAirWithRyan. Can't wait for you to hear it!" he wrote.

Seacrest jokingly tweeted back, "U have ur leopard jeggings yet?"

Back in July, when Jonas was still working on the album, he said he was excited about the chance to get some features and remixes together before the album's October 11 release date. "The album's not packaged and sent out yet, so if anybody out there wants to do a song, I'm a free agent," he told MTV News.

Jonas dropped the official version of "Just in Love" earlier this month. The dance track came complete with a sexy video, with Jonas frolicking around Paris with a beautiful French model.

While fans will have to wait to hear the song, the magazine reports that Weezy raps lines like: "We makin' love like animals/ 'Planet of the Apes.' "

"He just jumped on the record, and it's just super awesome to see that somebody like him would wanna support me," Jonas told Billboard about the soon-to-be-released remix . "It means the world to me, and I love his rap; it's so dope. Somebody like Lil Wayne, who owns the market and who is a power-maker in his genre, supporting me is really exciting."

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Rihanna: The Greatest Star, The Worst Nicknames

Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:09 PM PDT

We try to come up with a nickname befitting Rihanna's superstar status, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery


Rihanna
Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage

I realize this is probably not important, what with all the horrible stuff going on in the world, but Rihanna totally needs a good nickname.

More specifically, she deserves a good nickname, one befitting her status as a true pop&B icon. To wit, she has scored a staggering 10 #1's on the Billboard Hot 100 — making her the youngest ever to achieve such a feat — including four in 2010 alone. She has released six albums since 2005 (her next is due in November), which have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. She has won four Grammy awards, is the official ambassador of Barbados (where she ranks somewhere between Doug E. Fresh and rum on the nation's "greatest exports" scale), has signed lucrative endorsement deals with everyone from Gucci to Vita Coco, makes really great, slightly controversial music videos, takes amazing meet-and-greet photos, commands a huge fanbase she affectionately refers to as her Navy and is a true pioneer of the hair arts.

And yet, the best moniker we have been able to come up with for her seems to be "RiRi." Or maybe "The Bajan Beauty," which sounds like something Bob Barker would've come up with while hosting the 1978 Miss Universe pageant. Clearly, this needs to change.

After all, Madonna is the "Queen of Pop." Lady Gaga is "Mother Monster." Mariah Carey is "Mimi." Rihanna has earned the right to be mentioned in the same sentence as all three, yet she often isn't. And I can think of no other reason beside the fact that she does not have a truly great nickname. Sure, I guess you could call her "The Princess of the Roc," but really, that was Teairra Mari's handle first (and everyone seems to be rushing to transfer it over to Willow Smith), and in a lot of ways, it just seems lacking. Rihanna demands something new, something descriptive, something that manages to capture everything that makes her so sensational: her youth, her heritage, her effervescence. Also, on a selfish note, I am desperately looking for new ways to refer to her in stories. My job is hard sometimes.

Of course, coming up with suitable sobriquets is actually a lot tougher than you'd imagine. An honorary title must not only fit like a glove — could Aretha Franklin really be anything but the Queen of Soul? — but it must be earned. Elvis didn't become the King, overnight, after all. Yet I can think of no current star in need of a nickname more than Rihanna (is it any wonder that she once sang "What's my name?"). And since no one else seems to be stepping up, I've created a list of potential choices — nicknames befitting of a true star. Of course, if you've got one, let me know in the comments below. Like I said, nicknaming is hard work.

The 21st Century Girl: Works on two levels: One, it plays up the fact that Rihanna is basically the face of 21st-century pop: a multi-national, genre-bending, tech-crunching (have you seen her Twitter account?) superstar. Two, it is a play on that old T.Rex song, and T.Rex are awesome — just like Rihanna. Who cares if Willow Smith has a song by that name too? Rihanna is the 21st Century Girl.

The Admiral: Since she is the commanding officer of the Rihanna Navy. The only downside? David Robinson seemingly locked this one up back in 1986.

The Bajan Baroness, or the Baroness: If all the other royalty nicknames are taken (shoot, even Fergie is the Dutchess), well, then let's dub Rihanna the Baroness. Not only does it sound cool, but there's a certain badass swagger to it. I'm sure no one remembers the old G.I. Joe character at this point anyway.

The Caribbean Queen: You know, because Barbados is located in the Caribbean. And because Rihanna is a queen. Also brings to mind Billy Ocean, which is always a good thing.

The Divine Miss R: This one might piss off Bette Midler fans. Also, it seems sort of old-fashioned to refer to Rihanna as "Miss." Still, I think there's something to this one. It sort of captures her "respect the bitch" essence.

Lil' Sis, or Sis: Because she really seems like everyone's kid sister (and because Kid Sister was already taken). Fun, flirty and just a little bit fierce, just like Rihanna.

The Only Girl: A nod to one of her biggest hits, also the fact that she really is the only girl in the pop game worth caring about. In a pinch, could be shortened to "The One."

The Pride of Barbados: It's the national flower of her homeland. Also, people there are proud of her. Its scientific name is caesalpinia pulcherrima, so maybe also "'Pini"?

The Saint Michael Siren: Gives props to the Bajan parish where she was born and also pays tribute to her voice. Of course, also sort of paints her as a seductive bird woman who lured sailors to their death.

Which Rihanna nickname is your favorite? Or can you do better? Let us know in the comments!

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Tony Bennett Scores First #1 On <i>Billboard</i> 200

Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:09 PM PDT

Demi Lovato's Unbroken debuts at #4.
By Gil Kaufman


Tony Bennett
Photo: Getty Images

It only took him 60 years, but ageless crooner Tony Bennett will finally snag his first #1 debut on the Billboard album charts next week when his star-studded Duets II album wins the crown.

The disc, which features songs recorded with Lady Gaga and late British R&B diva Amy Winehouse, sold 179,000 copies in its first week, which was good enough to push last week's top seller — Lady Antebellum's Own the Night — down to #2, as sales trailed off by 64 percent to 125,000.

Leading the list of other debuts in the top 10 was Demi Lovato, who hit #4 with Unbroken (96,000), followed by Needtobreathe's Reckoning (#6, 49,000), Mindless Behavior's #1 Girl (#7, 36,000) Gavin DeGraw's Sweeter (#8, 34,000) and the soundtrack to Pearl Jam Twenty (#10, 27,000).

The rest of the top 10: Adele, 21 (#3, 117,000); Lil Wayne, Tha Carter IV (#5, 84,000); and Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne (#9, 31,000).

Just outside the top 10, teen singer Cody Simpson's Coast to Coast EP landed at #12 (24,000), hard rockers Thrice hit #18 with Major/Minor (20,000) and Tori Amos came in at #24 with her latest, Night of Hunters (18,000). Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger's multi-culti super group, SuperHeavy, debuted at #26 with their self-titled debut (18,000), while Staind took a major 23-slot tumble to #28 as their self-titled album shed 68 percent of its first-week business on sales of 15,000.

Bennett couldn't quite pull off the double-play on the iTunes album chart, where Lovato was #1, followed by Adele and Needtobreathe. Bennett was in at #4, ahead of Lady Antebellum, Wayne, DeGraw, the soundtrack to the movie "Drive," pre-orders for Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto and Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More.

Maroon 5 continued their hot summer run with "Moves Like Jagger," which held on to the top spot on the iTunes singles chart, beating out Adele's "Someone Like You," Foster the People 's "Pumped Up Kicks," LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts" and LMFAO again with "Sexy and I Know It." Rihanna's "We Found Love" helped round out the chart at #7, in front of David Guetta's "Without You," Rihanna's "Cheers (Drink to That)" and Lady Gaga's "Yoü and I."

Look for debuts next week from J. Cole, Blink-182, Jason Derülo, Wilco, Mastodon and reissues from Nirvana and Pink Floyd.

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Justin Bieber Drops 'How To Love' Acoustic Remix

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:39 AM PDT

Lil Wayne cover arrives ahead of Biebs' forthcoming Christmas album.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

First, it was Demi Lovato, and now, Justin Bieber is jumping on the Lil Wayne "How to Love" bandwagon. On Wednesday (September 28), the singer dropped his acoustic version of the ballad.

According to a tweet, from Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, Bieber, in addition to producing the track, played all the instruments on it as well. Braun also shared that there's more new music coming out from Bieber, tweeting, "He has some more remixes coming too. right @seankingston."

About a minute and a half into the track, Bieber even shows off his rapping skills when he spits, "I just want to take my time/ I just want to my thing/ Maybe we press rewind/ Maybe I buy that ring/ We could grow old together/ Just share our souls together/ Find how to love, kiss and hug/ How to roll together/ I just need you by my side/ Maybe we could be all right/ I just want to hold you right/ We can go into the night/ You're the one I need."

This week, Bieber heads to South America for a string of dates on the next leg of his My World Tour, and he had this message for all the Bieliebers out there: "U know what ... I LOVE MY FANS!! and yeah i know there r haterz but u cant stop us from living our dream. hard work and this team. #wegohard."

In related news, Bieber tweeted out the date "#nov1st," perhaps a hint as to when his highly anticipated Christmas album will drop. The album, which will feature confirmed track "Falalalala" with Boyz II Men, is also rumored to contain collaborations with Sean Kingston and Taylor Swift, as well as a super-secret collaboration with "1 of the most #Legendary performers ever," according to a tweet from Braun.

Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman said, "[Bieber] thought we'd be perfect for it. And we went in and locked in."

Share your thoughts on Bieber's version of "How to Love" in the comments below!

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Kristen Stewart Dons 'Snow White' Armor In New Photos

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:18 AM PDT

Pics show Stewart filming battle scene on beach in Wales.
By Jocelyn Vena


Kristen Stewart as "Snow White"
Photo: Universal

Kristen Stewart looks like she's ready for battle. Some photos of the "Twilight" star on the set of "Snow White and the Huntsman" have hit the Internet. In them, Stewart is wearing her previously teased armor as she films scenes at Marloes Sands Beach in Pembrokeshire Wales, U.K., this week.

Photos on Screenrant.com show the actress riding a white horse alongside a group of extras dressed as medieval soldiers. They are riding through the water for what appears to be some sort of battle scene.

In some on-set candids, the ponytail-sporting actress laughs and walks around the set of the Rupert Sanders-directed flick. Stewart recently debuted her longer locks for the film at London Fashion Week. No signs of co-stars Charlize Theron (the Evil Queen), Chris Hemsworth (the Huntsman) or Sam Claflin (Prince Charming) in the new photos. The film is expected to open June 1, 2012.

"It's not a little girl sitting by a well with little tweety birds telling her what to do and where to go," Stewart told MTV News of her character. "[The costume] makes you feel kind of strong occasionally, sometimes, but I kind of feel tiny, my pinhead sticks out of these enormous things."

Her tough look has even been approved by that other "Snow White" movie director, Tarsem, who recently gushed over her battle-ready look. "She's gorgeous," he told MTV News. "She's great."

The film centers around the struggle between Snow White and the Evil Queen, who, jealous of Snow White's beauty, wants to destroy her. The catch is that Snow White has been training with the Huntsman, who has been ordered to kill her. And in true fairy-tale form, Prince Charming is enamored with Snow White.

"This, as a fable, she sort of just starts off as a bad person, so it was important to understand [why she is the way she is]," Theron explained about her character. "A lot of her circumstances will kind of bleed into her actions. ... She's a serial killer; I'm pretty much preparing to play a serial killer."

Check out everything we've got on "Snow White and the Huntsman."

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

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Josh Hutcherson Is 'Most Likely To Play A Superhero' In Our New Class

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:27 AM PDT

Actor talks about his breakthrough year and the 'Hunger Games' audition process.
By Kara Warner


Josh Hutcherson
Photo: Donato Sardella/ Getty Images

If you're not yet familiar with Josh Hutcherson, you're about to be.

The talented 18-year-old has been a working actor for half his life, quietly paying his dues with roles on television and in films, earning Hollywood street cred in films like "Kicking and Screaming," "Bridge to Terabithia" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Then last year, Hutcherson suddenly evolved from dependable sweet-faced child actor to formidable future leading man with his buzzed-about performance in the award-season darling "The Kids Are All Right." That career momentum kicked into future-superstar gear when Hutcherson landed the highly coveted role of Peeta Mellark in the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' best-selling "Hunger Games."

All things considered, it's a no-brainer that Hutcherson made our New Class list as the "Actor Most Likely to Play a Superhero." MTV News caught up with him recently to talk about the honor, his very busy year and, of course, "The Hunger Games."

MTV News: You've experienced the whole award and recognition thing before, but how does it feel to be named to our New Class?

Josh Hutcherson: It's very nice, especially to be considered with the group I'm in here with, all peers of mine I admire very much. I've been an actor for a long time, so to finally get some recognition from some people that I think are really cool is pretty nice.

MTV: It seems like this past year has been a whirlwind. Take us through all the projects you're juggling at the moment.

Hutcherson: It's been crazy. I shot "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" the end of last year and the beginning of this year, then I went into a little short film I shot in Cuba with Benicio Del Toro ["7 Dias en La Habana"], which was really fun, and then this summer the whole time I spent shooting "The Hunger Games," which was an amazing experience. Very exciting, and I can't wait for that to come out.

MTV: Is there someone in the business whose career you'd like to emulate?

Hutcherson: I have a few people. I've always been a big Jake Gyllenhaal fan. I like how he goes from doing a bigger studio movie to a more independent film. I am a huge Christian Bale fan; I think he's incredible and can play any role and kill it. And I'm also a die-hard Ryan Gosling fan, so those are my guys I'd like to be like.

MTV: Do you make a conscious effort to go from smaller, independent films as well as big studio films?

Hutcherson: Yeah. It's all about balance; everything in life is about balance, in my opinion. You have to do the big studio movies to keep people caring about you in a way, and also for me, I've been really fortunate. I haven't done any big studio movies that suck. They've all been good material and that's the most important thing for my career, to choose the right material and to choose the characters that I care about and stories I want to tell, so that's kind of how I've gone about my career since I was 9, more or less.

MTV: So let's talk briefly about "The Hunger Games" and that crazy audition process.

Hutcherson: For the audition process, I came in the first time and read a few scenes for [director] Gary Ross and [author] Suzanne Collins and some of the other producers involved. Then maybe about a week or so, maybe two weeks later, I came in and did a screen test with [co-star] Jennifer [Lawrence], where I actually read the scenes with her so they could see how the chemistry worked. Both of them felt really great, but as an actor, you just pick apart every single thing that you do, so for me, I was on pins and needles waiting to find out. And then when I finally found out, my jaw hit the floor. I was so excited.

For more on all the up-and-comers who make up MTV's New Class, go to TheNewClass.MTV.com.

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

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Leona Lewis Delays Album Release To 2012

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:04 AM PDT

'I'm feeling so inspired right now and have decided to continue recording,' singer says of Glassheart.
By Jocelyn Vena


Leona Lewis
Photo: Getty Images

Leona Lewis fans will have to wait to hear what the singer has in store for them on her album Glassheart. The British pop chanteuse has taken to her Facebook page to announce that the album is now expected to drop next year, instead of November as originally planned.

"Just wanted to update everyone on the album!" she wrote. "I'm feeling so inspired right now and have decided to continue recording! I have a collection of songs that I'm so in love with and I [know] there's more to be born so it means the album will come early next year x."

Despite the delay, she did tease fans with a single, "Collide," earlier this year. The song, written and produced by Autumn Rowe and produced by Sandy Vee, garnered attention when Swedish DJ Avicii claimed it was plagiarized from his 2010 track "Penguin." Avicii was eventually given co-writing credits on the track, NME.com reports.

A video for the song dropped this past summer and featured Lewis getting flirty on the beach. The dance-flavored track was something of a departure for Lewis, who made a name for herself with big ballads and mid-tempo hits like "Better in Time" and "Bleeding Love."

She's reportedly been in the studio with a number of A-listers including Chuck Harmony, Claude Kelly, Ryan Tedder, Fraser T. Smith, Dallas Austin, Rico Love, Naughty Boy and Ne-Yo. The album is a follow-up to 2009's Echo, which spawned hits like "Happy" when it dropped.

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Michael Jackson 'Wasn't Right,' Choreographer Testifies

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:55 AM PDT

Kenny Ortega takes stand in doctor Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial.
By Gil Kaufman


Kenny Ortega testifies during Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial on Tuesday
Photo: Pool/Getty Images

After dramatic opening statements from prosecutors and the defense, the manslaughter trial of former Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray began Tuesday with gripping testimony from Jackson's friend and former choreographer, "This is It" documentary director Kenny Ortega.

"My friend wasn't right. ... There was something going on that was deeply troubling me," Ortega said of Jackson's demeanor on June 19, a week before the singer's death. Ortega testified that although Jackson was "very excited" about his upcoming 50-date "This is It" series of comeback shows at London's O2 Arena, the pop icon seemed ill in the days before his passing, missing numerous rehearsals from mid- to late June 2009.

According to TMZ, Ortega said Jackson left rehearsals early on the 19th, after seemingly not eating anything all day, which prompted the director to send an email to Randy Phillips, the CEO of AEG Live, the show's promoter. "There is no one taking responsibility, caring for him on a daily basis," Ortega wrote. "I was feeding him, wrapping him in blankets ... and calling his doctor."

Ortega described Jackson as "incoherent" and said he confronted Murray during an emergency meeting at the singer's home June 20, during which the doctor became upset that the choreographer would not let Jackson rehearse and accused him of trying to act like a doctor. Ortega also said he thought Jackson was abusing drugs and that just four days after appearing so sick, the "Thriller" singer was back at rehearsals June 23 full of energy and ready to work.

AEG co-CEO Paul Gongaware later testified that it was Jackson's idea to extend his string of 10 sold-out shows with an additional 21 gigs to bring the total to 31 in order to beat longtime rival Prince's record of 21 sold-out gigs at the O2. He also said that even after selling out all 50 shows, there was a list of 250,000 people waiting for tickets.

And while Gongaware described Jackson as seeming a little "off" and speaking in slurred speech when he first met him in the early stages of rehearsal, longtime friend and fitness trainer Lou Ferrigno said he saw no signs of physical distress during workouts a couple weeks before the singer died.

The former "Hulk" star said that two weeks before Jackson's passing, he watched as the pop icon trained for an hour at his rented Beverly Hills mansion, doing cardio on a treadmill, working with light weights and doing core exercises. Ferrigno described Jackson's energy level as very good, but did note that his friend complained of having trouble sleeping.

Earlier in the day, prosecutors showed a previously unseen, graphic image of the 50-year-old Jackson's body on a hospital gurney and claimed in opening statements that they planned to show that Murray repeatedly acted with gross negligence and incompetence in administering a drug cocktail to Jackson.

Murray, who was working on a $150,000-a-month retainer, faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if found guilty.

Defense attorney Ed Chernoff countered by telling the jury that Jackson caused his own death by swallowing eight 2-milligram pills of the anti-anxiety drug Lorazepam, as well as injecting himself with a dose of the surgical anesthetic propofol that instantly killed him. Testimony in the trial continues Wednesday (September 28).

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'American Idol' Finalist James Durbin Dropping LP Same Day As Daughtry

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:44 AM PDT

Durbin's debut, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, will hit on November 21.
By Gil Kaufman


James Durbin
Photo: FOX

Though he was most often compared to "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert last year during his rebel-yelling run to a #4 finish, classic rock lover James Durbin will end up being measured against another head-banging "Idol" finisher when his debut drops in November.

Durbin will release his debut, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, on November 21 on Wind-Up Records (home to Evanescence, among others). That just happens to be the same day that season-five fourth-place finisher said he will serve up his band's third album, Break the Spell.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Durbin's debut was produced by veteran hard-rock helmer Howard Benson, who has worked with My Chemical Romance and, yes, Daughtry.

While Daughtry's sound leans toward gritty, swelling arena rock, during his time season 10 Durbin was an unabashed fan of old-school metal, a genre he vowed to revive if given a chance.

Shortly after his elimination, Durbin told MTV News that he wanted to work with Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, reunite with guitar legend Zakk Wylde and bring out his "secret weapon," his best friend from home who is a shredding guitar player. Given the chance, he said what he wanted most was to re-create the sound of his favorite record, the 1983 debut from late Black Sabbath metal screamer and solo star Ronnie James Dio, Holy Diver.

"I'm gonna keep it real my post 'Idol' career. I'm not gonna pretend to be somebody else on the show and then do something completely different with my career," Durbin promised. "I know who I am, I know what I wanna do, and I know where my fans are. And I know what they want."

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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