stanhotton

stanhotton

An a cappella girl group covers Usher's hit for Nationals in next week's episode.
By Aly Semigran

Usher
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

During this week's episode of "Glee", the gang from New Directions took a big risk when they decided they would compete in Nationals by singing their own original songs. Well, the stakes just got a little higher.

MTV News has an exclusive first listen to one of the rival groups who will go up against the McKinley High glee club in New York City during next Tuesday's (May 24) big season two finale. In the upcoming episode, an all-female a cappella group sings Usher's 2004 club and radio smash "Yeah!," which may have the Nationals judges saying just that.

Singers replace synthesizers for the four-note melody that repeats throughout the song, and lead vocalists RaVaughn Brown and Missi Hale match the high energy that Usher, Lil Jon and Ludacris brought to the track.

Granted, a few things have been tweaked in the version for the tween-friendly show, including the length (the original is over four minutes long, while the "Glee" version comes in at three and a half minutes) and the tune's instructions to "Take that and rewind it back ... got the rhythm make ya booty go."

Also, instead of Ludacris' verse, "We want a lady in the street/ And a freak in the bed," one girl sings, "You know you want a kiss on the lips, old red." The line, "Ludacris fill cups like double D's" has also been cut from the song.

But, it's not all PG. At one point in the girls' rendition of the track, they page homage to Lil Jon's crunk hit "Get Low," singing, "From the windows to the walls" and even Mystikal's booty-happy single "Shake Ya Ass," when they urge, "Show me whatcha' workin' with."

At the 2005 Grammy Awards, the power trio of Usher, Lil Jon and Ludacris won the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Yeah!" But, will the song bring the same sort of fortune to this girl group at Nationals? Or will the glory all belong to New Directions this time? Gleeks will still have to wait a few more days to find out.

The "Glee" season finale airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. on Fox, while "Glee": The Music, Volume 6, including the three new original songs "Light Up the World," "Pretending" and "As Long as You're There," will be available on Monday.

What do you think of this a cappella group's version of "Yeah!"? Let us know in the comments section below!

Related Artists

Usher

Marika Dominczyk Marisa Coughlan Marisa Miller Marisa Tomei

stanhotton

MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Saddest Celebrity Breakups

Related Artists

Natassia Malthe Nelly Furtado Nichole Robinson Nicky Hilton

stanhotton

'I think way more people smoke weed than the media likes to acknowledge,' actor tells MTV News.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Seth Rogen
Photo: MTV News

"That dude gave me the greatest gift I've had in the last five years," Kevin Smith told MTV News earlier this year about his "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" star Seth Rogen.

Smith wasn't talking about some meaningful postproduction keepsake — say, the bubble-blowing ring ex-porn star Traci Lords uses for unclean purposes in the movie — but rather a joint Rogen and the filmmaker shared on the last day of shooting in 2008. "We sat back, watched some footage and sat there smoking," Smith explained. "And I loved who I was."

Smith is now a gleeful proponent of weed, which he credits with spurring the most creatively productive years of his career, and Rogen is happy, as he put it recently to MTV News, to take credit for Smith "being stoned all the time."

"I either get people started smoking weed or I put them out of business smoking weed," Rogen added with a laugh while promoting "50/50," a comedy about a young guy with cancer in which the actor and co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt's characters get high for suspect medicinal purposes. "I'm either your first or last."

While Smith credits pot as a sort of mind-expanding artistic gateway, Rogen says he lights up to ease the drudgery of the creative process. "I smoke a lot of weed when I write, generally speaking," he told us. "I don't know if it helps me write. It makes me not mind that I'm writing. And I don't know if it makes me work better, but it makes me not care that I'm working. Who wants to work? But if you're stoned, it doesn't seem like work."

To help you work better, to make you forget you're actually working, to just have a good ol' time — why and when people get blazed may differ. But Rogen is convinced that no matter how it goes down, it's most certainly going down (and up in smoke).

"I think a lot of people smoke weed," he said. "I think way more people smoke weed than the media likes to acknowledge. Maybe it's just the people I'm around, but I don't think so. Pretty much everyone that I know smokes weed sometimes — with the exception of my parents."

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

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

Rozonda Thomas Saira Mohan Salma Hayek Samaire Armstrong

stanhotton

Clip, filmed in London, has drawn the ire of British politicians.
By James Montgomery

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick on the set of her "Criminal" video shoot
Photo: Eagle Eyes / Splash News

Britney Spears is packing heat in her new "Criminal" video, and that's landed her in hot water with U.K. politicians.

Earlier this month, Spears filmed scenes for the video in and around London, including one in which she flees a building in the borough of Hackney while clutching a pistol. And for a community still scarred from the August riots that spread across the nation, that crossed a line.

Britney Spears responds to the "Criminal" video controversy.

"I think she should apologize and make a sizeable donation to a Hackney charity that deals with young people, in compensation for the rudeness and damage that she's done to our community," borough Councilor Ian Rathbone told the ITV news program "London Tonight."

"It is only a music video, but it's images like this, with pop stars glamorizing gangs, which means that some young people ... get drawn in," Hackney's Member of Parliament, Diane Abbott, added. "Britney should really know better."

Even more concerning was the fact that, according to the Hackney Council, which okayed the video shoot, there was no mention of a gun being used in the "Criminal" production. If there had been, the Council says, Spears and co. most certainly would not have been allowed to film in the borough's recently restored Stoke Newington Town Hall.

"In this case we did not agree that a replica gun could be used at Stoke Newington Town Hall and we are disappointed," the Council said in a statement to "London Tonight." "We will be raising this matter with the production company."

Spears announced that "Criminal" would be her next single backstage at the Video Music Awards, and she has been promoting it with the release of artwork and a new remix album over the past few weeks.

A spokesperson for the singer could not be reached for comment on the "Criminal" controversy by press time.

Related Artists

Britney Spears

Milla Jovovich Minka Kelly Minki van der Westhuizen Miranda Kerr

stanhotton

MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Pop Stars At The Airport!

Related Artists

Susan Ward Susie Castillo T.A.T.u. Talisa Soto

stanhotton

Well, the epic news that the entire world has been waiting for on bated breath has finally, finally happened?bizarre hair loss treatment enthusiast and tongue-dangling bassist for KISS, Gene Simmons, has finally tied the knot with his lady love, soft-core porn and reality TV actress Shannon Tweed.� Billboard reports that the two fame whorish gargoyles [...]

Yamila Diaz Yvonne Strzechowski Zhang Ziyi Zoe Saldana

stanhotton

Gone Too Soon

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Director: Bill Dicicco
Album: Dangerous

Fergie Foxy Brown Freida Pinto FSU Cowgirls

stanhotton

Womanizer

Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
Director: Joseph Kahn
Album: Circus

Mary Elizabeth Winstead Megan Ewing Megan Fox Melania Trump

stanhotton

Ego

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson, Sheryl Murakami
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition]

Cheryl Burke China Chow Chloë Sevigny Christina Aguilera

stanhotton

Gone Too Soon

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Director: Bill Dicicco
Album: Dangerous

Piper Perabo Poppy Montgomery Portia de Rossi Rachael Leigh Cook

stanhotton

OMG

Artist: Usher
Label: LaFace Records, JLG
Director: Anthony Mandler
Album: Raymond V. Raymond

Keira Knightley Kelly Brook Kelly Carlson Kelly Clarkson

stanhotton

Singer says her collaboration with Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj made a 'supergroup of three hot, strong women.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias

Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News

Earlier this week, Britney Spears, Ke$ha and Nicki Minaj dropped their femme-fatale-friendly remix of the Spears club track "Till the World Ends." The already fun song got super-charged thanks to Minaj's cutting verses and Ke$ha's recognizable vocals.

"I'm a massive fan of both the ladies I share the track with," K told MTV News on Wednesday at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "I wrote 'TTWE' for Britney with [producers] Dr. Luke and Max [Martin] and she killed it and I loved it, but I just thought a supergroup of three hot, strong women could just take over the airwaves."

Ke$ha went on to give props to both the ladies. "I'm such a massive fan of Britney and I'm such a massive supporter of Nicki and a fan, and chicks sometimes don't team up. I don't know why, but I'm, like, huge on the girl power, so I just wanted to make a power girl track take over."  

The remix quickly won praise from fans who seem to think the new features step up the song's game. "You know, with the three of us, I wasn't necessarily surprised [people like it] because I'm such a massive fan of Nicki Minaj and obviously with Britney I'm a fan of it, [taking] myself out of the equation," she said. "I'm just happy people like it."  

So did Ke$ha (who once sang backup for Spears) feel any pressure writing a song for Britney? "There was no pressure. Writing for somebody else is really fun 'cause I consider myself a songwriter first and foremost," she explained. "So it was so much fun to put my brain in the sexy Britney Spears brain and express myself almost as if I were possessed by her."

Related Artists

Jennifer Scholle Jennifer Sky Jenny McCarthy Jessica Alba

stanhotton

Lil Wayne 'jumped on it,' Raymond v. Raymond writer tells Mixtape Daily.
By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Rob Markman

Rico Love
Photo: TTLL

Behind the Beats: Rico Love

If more people read the credits behind some of R&B's biggest hits, Rico Love should be a household name. Born Richard Preston Butler Jr., the former Florida A&M University student is now one of the music industry's most-sought-after singer/songwriters.

After writing hits for Usher ("There Goes My Baby"), Beyoncé ("Sweet Dreams") and Diddy-Dirty Money ("Hello Good Morning"), to name a few, one of Rico's biggest hits to date is Kelly Rowland's "Motivation."

"It came about in a truly organic way," Rico told Mixtape Daily of the Jim Jonsin-produced "Motivation." "We had this meeting in New York: myself and Sylvia [Rhone] and Kelly. And they just were saying, 'We need to find that single; we need that big single.' Everybody was asking for an uptempo, actually.

"I flew down to Miami the next day, and that Tuesday, we got back in the studio, and Jim started playing these chords, and then coming up with these little sounds — the signature sounds that Jim comes up with. I just told him to lay it like a skeleton idea, and I jumped in the booth, and I started with the verse, and I kind of sang my way all the way through the record."

Rowland, formerly of Destiny's Child, was in the studio while Rico was laying down the reference track and made her regard for the song known immediately. "Kelly was there and watched the whole process," Rico recalled. "As soon as I finished singing the demo, usually an artist wants to live with it or listen to it for a little while. She just said, 'I want to cut it right now.' So she jumped in the booth, and we cut the record."

"Motivation" became the lead single for Rowland's third album, Here I Am, which was released in April. The song, which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, features a verse from Lil Wayne.

"Lil Wayne got out of jail a few days later, and as soon as he got out of jail, [Rowland] went to see him, and he jumped on it," Rico explained. "It was the most organized situation ever. It was nothing contrived about it."

There's been nothing manufactured about Rico's accomplishments either. Starting his musical career as a rapper, he has signed former Roc-a-Fella rapper Young Chris to his Universal/Motown-distributed Division 1 label.

After leaving Florida A&M to pursue music, Rico caught the attention of Usher, and penned songs for the R&B singer, including "Throwback." Other artists soon benefitted from his songwriting, including T.I., Pleasure P and Mario. Rico takes pride in being versatile with his talents, preferring not to make specific songs intended for specific artists only.

"Sometimes, when you keep an artist in mind, you'll limit yourself," Rico explained. "You won't go a place that they probably would go because you're thinking, "Nah, she wouldn't say this," or "He wouldn't do this," or "He wouldn't say this," and "This melody is out of the way for them."

"When I get a chance to just get into the studio and just write music and just produce music and sit at the piano and tell a guy where I want to hear the chords and create the progressions and just freely make music, it's a lot more fun."

Lately, Rico has been back in the studio with Usher. In 2007, he was signed to the singer's former US Records via J Records. But his debut album was never released, and he and Usher went their separate ways.

But as Rico become a songwriting force, the two eventually started working together again. The first song they recorded was the Grammy-winning "There Goes My Baby" from 2010's Raymond v. Raymond. Now, Rico is working on Usher's forthcoming album and embracing the pressure of surpassing its predecessor's platinum sales and critical success.

"I feel like this is what separates the boys from the men," Rico said of working with Usher. "This week, we been creating records together. We had two mics, two headphones set up in the booth, and we just sit there and vibe out.

"These first few days have been amazing. We got four records cut so far that sound super amazing. I'm super excited about it. I'm just anxious for the world to hear it."

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

Related Videos

Mixtape Daily: Rico Love, Gunplay

Related Artists

Lauren German LeAnn Rimes Leeann Tweeden Leelee Sobieski

stanhotton

Gone Too Soon

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Director: Bill Dicicco
Album: Dangerous

Freida Pinto FSU Cowgirls Gabrielle Union Garcelle Beauvais

stanhotton

Hold My Hand

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Columbia Records/SMG
Album: Michael

Marisa Coughlan Marisa Miller Marisa Tomei Marla Sokoloff

stanhotton

'Me and my gay best friend just danced until 8 a.m.,' Ke$ha tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena

Audrina Patridge
Photo: MTV News

It's prom season, and that means high schoolers across this great land will be renting tuxes, buying fancy dresses and negotiating the details of their curfews with parents. So, before you take your pictures and get in your limos, we asked some Hollywood A-listers to recall their fondest prom memories.

"I had a great prom," Ne-Yo told MTV News. "I didn't get to go with who I wanted to go with. I got my second choice, but my second choice turned out to be the one I was supposed to be there with, so it turned out good."

Ke$ha, never one to say no to a party, had the best night of all her friends. "I went to prom with my gay best friend, and let me tell you, I had way more fun than anybody else at a prom with their boyfriends," she recalled. "Everybody else was, like, crying and drama and breaking up, and me and my gay best friend just danced until 8 a.m."

"Hellcats" star Aly Michalka doesn't have a favorite prom memory — because she never went to prom. "I was homeschooled, so I don't even think we had a fake prom," she lamented. "Like, maybe we had a home-school prom and I wasn't invited?"

While everything always seems to be in peril on "The Vampire Diaries," star Nina Dobrev had a less tumultuous night: "Having everyone get together and such a final celebration [is what I remember]."

Romeo went big for his prom. "My senior prom, I remember I pulled up in my red Ferrari. I was feeling like James Bond," he said. "And it was one of the best nights of my life."

"My favorite prom memory was probably going shopping for a dress, and our boyfriends at the time dressed up as 'Dumb & Dumber,' " Audrina Patridge laughed. "And so we were like, 'We can't dress up dorky ... we have to look good.' "

Roots drummer ?uestlove made a big decision on the night of his prom: "June 2, 1989, was my very last haircut; prom haircut, totally butchered my hair. He butchered my hair, and I vowed never again to ever get in a barber chair, so I grew that Afro on my prom night."

Adam Lambert said his prom date was a 10, so he definitely had a fun night. "I had a great prom. I had an awesome time," he said. "I went with one of my best friends in high school. Her name was Lauren, and she was really hot. She wore a really hot red dress, so I felt like I had arm candy."

Share your prom memories in the comments below!

Related Videos

When I Was 17 (Season 2) | Ep. 18 | Best Of Prom

Related Artists

Summer Glau Sunny Mabrey Susan Ward Susie Castillo

stanhotton

Ke$ha Exclusive Photos | MTV Style

Related Artists

Ke$ha

Ashley Olsen Ashley Scott Ashley Tappin Ashley Tisdale

stanhotton

During band's rehearsal break for Sunday's Movie Awards, we put Foos to the test.
By Ryan J. Downey, with reporting by Jim Cantiello

The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl
Photo: MTV News

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — Hard rock, heavy metal, hardcore and punk have long gone hand-in-hand with evil wizards, magic, vampires and werewolves. And with a collective sub-cultural pedigree that includes stints in the Germs, No Use for a Name, Sunny Day Real Estate, Scream and some band called Nirvana, you'd think the Foo Fighters — set to perform at Sunday's Movie Awards — would know their "Potter" from their Zeppelin. Certainly they can recognize a "wand" reference and pinpoint its origin?

Right? Before we put MTV News' magically crafted trivia to the band, it seemed safe to assume the Foos would accurately distinguish between the words of Harry Potter, a "Twilight" character and Led Zeppelin. But was their underground nerd cred blown to shreds? Read on — and click the video! — to see how the Foo Fighters fared when we caught up with them on the Universal Studios lot, shortly after they finished rehearsing their Movie Awards performance.

Our own Jim Cantiello played dungeon master as Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear were given a series of semi-famous lines and asked whether they originated with "Harry Potter," the "Twilight Saga" or the lyrics of hard-rock pioneers Led Zeppelin.

Here's a sampling of a few of those one-liners:

» "The elder wand, the most powerful wand ever made."

» "Why don't you let me be yours ever truly? Can I make your garden grow?"

» "You're lying, Dolores! You mustn't tell lies!"

Can you guess whether the lines above came from the "Potter" flicks, "Twilight" or Robert Plant?

Watch as the Foos try their best to do exactly that. Then tune in to the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday to catch the Foo Fighters rock the stage with their new single, "Walk."

Will wizards, vampires or dream thieves steal the 2011 MTV Movie Awards? Find out June 5, when the 20th annual show airs live at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Tune in at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT that night for the "America's Best Dance Crew" finale and Movie Awards pre-show, loaded with live action from the red carpet, exclusive movie clips and a special edition of "After Hours."

Related Videos

Get Ready For The 2011 MTV Movie Awards!

Related Photos

2011 Movie Awards: Behind The Scenes

Related Artists

Charlize Theron Chelsea Handler Cheryl Burke China Chow

stanhotton

Ke$ha, Chris Brown Heat Up The Us Hot Hollywood Party

Related Artists

Ke$ha

Cinthia Moura Claudette Ortiz Coco Lee Connie Nielsen

stanhotton

MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Celebs At Sports Games!

Related Artists

Daniella Alonso Danneel Harris Deanna Russo Denise Richards

stanhotton

Find out what happened backstage at the 2011 MTV VMAs.
By Kara Warner, with additional reporting by Matt Elias and Jim Cantiello

Beyoncé
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

For all the unforgettable moments that occurred onstage during the VMAs on Sunday night, there were just as many equally amazing happenings that went down behind-the-scenes. Thanks to our VIP connections, MTV News had access to everything that happened before, after and during the live broadcast. Therefore, in no particular order, we are proud to present five moments you didn't get to see:

Gaga's Gentlemanly Behavior Leaves Celebs Starstruck
As is her M.O., Lady Gaga's presence at the VMAs was a highlight in and of itself, and every celeb who encountered her had a wide-eyed story to tell of his/her encounter. Particularly Foo Fighter Dave Grohl's first introduction to Gaga as her alter ego Jo Calderone.

"I got to meet her for the first time tonight [as Jo Calderone]," Grohl said of meeting Gaga when he went to say hello to Queen guitarist Brian May, who performed with her during the show. "I was like, 'Brian May, what's up!' and she was right next to him and I said, 'Hi, I'm Dave,' and she goes 'I know who the f--- you are!' Yeah, it was rad."

We spotted Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and more hanging out backstage!

Another Gaga-centric highlight occurred during one of the commercial breaks, when Gaga as the confident ladies' man Jo Calderone (or Gago, as Twitter users tagged him last night) took a cigarette from behind his ear, lit it and smoothly passed it to Adele.

'Jersey Shore' Stars Make Friends Everywhere They Go
As part of the MTV family, the stars of "Jersey Shore" have become welcome additions to any and all of our awards shows. We witnessed the ladies of Seaside Heights — JWoww, Snooki and Deena — palling around with new BFF, none other than "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens. Later on we spotted them crossing paths with Jared Leto, which produced the following exchange: JWoww to Jared Leto: "Wow. I'm a huge fan! 'The Kill' is my favorite!" Leto: "Thank you so much!" Snooki, once they had passed the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman: "Aah?" To which Jenni replied, "That was Jared Leto. Don't you know who Jared Leto is?!"

Tyler, The Creator's Accidental Stage Dive Sends Him Into Unlikely Arms
Immediately following their win for Best New Artist, the many members of Odd Future and their assorted entourage were trying to shuffle off the circular stage, when suddenly there was a loud noise and everyone in the audience in the right section gasped. It was clear from the commotion that a member from Future had fallen off the stage. When the dust finally settled, we saw two unexpected heroes holding frontman Tyler, the Creator up: Kanye West and Kid Cudi.

Go behind-the-scenes with Wiz Khalifa, Kreayshawn and more at the VMA Pre-Show!

"It was really hard, but [the tears] came out when I fell offstage into Kanye's arms," Tyler half-joked as he processed the emotions surrounding his win and his almost fall.

Jay Z And Beyoncé Celebrate Baby News
Arguably the newsiest moment of the evening occurred when Beyoncé announced that she was pregnant, with a not-so-subtle rubbing of her belly at the end of her performance. Immediately following the big moment, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were enveloped backstage by ecstatic well-wishers including Kanye West, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. One of the sweeter of those moments was when Jay stepped outside Beyoncé's dressing room, to allow her some time with her female friends to gush and squeal over the news. The proud and sweet smile on his face when he did so made for our favorite VMA warm fuzzy moment.

BONUS: VMA Recap With MTV News' Jim Cantiello MTV News correspondent Jim Cantiello does many things well, but his 60-second recaps of important events in pop culture are a must-watch. Check out Cantiello's super-speedy recap that includes analysis of Gaga as Calderone, what gets a hard-to-impress Justin Bieber to applaud VMA performers and Beyoncé's big announcement.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.

Related Videos

VMA 2011: Backstage Interviews

Related Photos

Related Artists

Eva Longoria Eva Mendes Evangeline Lilly Eve

stanhotton

Ke$ha On The Set Of Her Video For 'Take It Off'

Related Artists

Ke$ha

Mischa Barton Missi Pyle Missy Peregrym Molly Sims

stanhotton

"Michael Jackson's This Is It"

Related Artists

Michael Jackson

Kasey Chambers Kat Von D Kate Beckinsale Kate Bosworth

stanhotton

2011 Billboard Music Awards

Related Artists

Christina Milian Christina Ricci Chyler Leigh Ciara

stanhotton

Beat It

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic Records
Director: Bob Giraldi
Album: Thriller [Bonus Tracks]

Kirsten Dunst Krista Allen Kristanna Loken Kristen Bell

stanhotton

Beyoncé's pregnancy and Lady Gaga's over-the-top fashion just a few of the Twitter Trends.
By Eric Ditzian

Beyoncé set the record for the most mentions on Twitter per second with 8,868
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Lady Gaga tweeted about her Little Monsters. Kim Kardashian tweeted about Beyoncé's baby-bump secret. Those Twitter updates and millions more made the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards the most tweeted-about awards show ever.

In total, the VMA Pre-Show and main show drove 10 million tweets, according to newly released numbers for the social-networking site.

That awards-show record was just one that the VMAs shattered. Beyoncé set the record for the most mentions on Twitter per second with 8,868, helping make the show the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers. Pre-show viewership also set a record, and MTV Digital saw its highest VMA day ever on Sunday with show content attracting 2 million unique visitors, an increase of 33 percent year over year.

Twitter helped make it all happen. As the black-carpet pre-show kicked off inside the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles, the trend #whatwillgagawear lit up the social-networking site and became one of the longest running of the night. During the show itself, over half of the worldwide Twitter Trends were connected to the VMAs — and at times they took over eight or nine of the top 10 trends. The trends also included shout-outs to Justin Bieber and Joe Jonas, and the two simple statements, #DemiYouAreBeautiful and BEYONCE IS PREGNANT.

All that attention had an added benefit for the pregnant pop star: Her song "Love on Top" leapt into the iTunes top five after she performed it onstage at the Nokia and revealed her baby bump to the world.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.

Related Videos

Related Photos

Related Artists

Beyoncé

Vanessa Minnillo Vanessa Simmons Veronica Kay Veronika Vaeková

stanhotton

'I think way more people smoke weed than the media likes to acknowledge,' actor tells MTV News.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Seth Rogen
Photo: MTV News

"That dude gave me the greatest gift I've had in the last five years," Kevin Smith told MTV News earlier this year about his "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" star Seth Rogen.

Smith wasn't talking about some meaningful postproduction keepsake — say, the bubble-blowing ring ex-porn star Traci Lords uses for unclean purposes in the movie — but rather a joint Rogen and the filmmaker shared on the last day of shooting in 2008. "We sat back, watched some footage and sat there smoking," Smith explained. "And I loved who I was."

Smith is now a gleeful proponent of weed, which he credits with spurring the most creatively productive years of his career, and Rogen is happy, as he put it recently to MTV News, to take credit for Smith "being stoned all the time."

"I either get people started smoking weed or I put them out of business smoking weed," Rogen added with a laugh while promoting "50/50," a comedy about a young guy with cancer in which the actor and co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt's characters get high for suspect medicinal purposes. "I'm either your first or last."

While Smith credits pot as a sort of mind-expanding artistic gateway, Rogen says he lights up to ease the drudgery of the creative process. "I smoke a lot of weed when I write, generally speaking," he told us. "I don't know if it helps me write. It makes me not mind that I'm writing. And I don't know if it makes me work better, but it makes me not care that I'm working. Who wants to work? But if you're stoned, it doesn't seem like work."

To help you work better, to make you forget you're actually working, to just have a good ol' time — why and when people get blazed may differ. But Rogen is convinced that no matter how it goes down, it's most certainly going down (and up in smoke).

"I think a lot of people smoke weed," he said. "I think way more people smoke weed than the media likes to acknowledge. Maybe it's just the people I'm around, but I don't think so. Pretty much everyone that I know smokes weed sometimes — with the exception of my parents."

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

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

Tami Donaldson Tamie Sheffield Tara Conner Tara Reed

stanhotton

Beat It

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic Records
Director: Bob Giraldi
Album: Thriller [Bonus Tracks]

Monica Potter Monika Kramlik Moon Bloodgood Mýa

stanhotton

Beyonce's Big Night At The 2011 VMAs

Related Artists

Beyoncé

Julia Stiles Julianne Hough Julie Benz Julie Berry

stanhotton

'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Trailer Frames

Related Artists

Michael Jackson

Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell

stanhotton

The Way You Make Me Feel

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic

Penélope Cruz Pink Piper Perabo Poppy Montgomery

stanhotton

Chris Brown And Usher Perform In Jamaica

Related Artists

Jolene Blalock Jordana Brewster Josie Maran Joss Stone

stanhotton

The platinum songwriter and producer talks about his work with Kelly Rowland and Good friend Usher.

Photo: Triple C's

Related Artists

Christina Aguilera Christina Applegate Christina DaRe Christina Milian

stanhotton

West unveils womenswear collection before star-packed crowd, including Lindsay Lohan, Jared Leto and Ciara.
By James Montgomery

Kanye West at his Paris Fashion Week debut
Photo: Antonio de Moraes Barros/ WireImage

Kanye West made his Paris Fashion Week debut Saturday night (October 1), launching a womenswear line with a high-profile show that was sexy, swaggering and, of course, incredibly stylish.

Before an audience that included fashion heavyweights like Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour, designer Alexander Wang and photographer Terry Richardson -- not to mention celebs like Lindsay Lohan, Jared Leto and Ciara -- West paraded a host of different looks, from daringly cut dresses and color-block pants to body-hugging tracksuits and high-end hoodies.

West draped his models in flowing fabrics, leather and fur, propped them up on beaded stilettos and even gave each a matching "Yeezi" nameplate chain to wear on the catwalk. And for an artist to whom subtlety is often a foreign concept, West displayed an unerring attention to the tiny details, as evidenced by the collection's artfully beaded ensembles, knitted tops and even fur-covered backpacks -- all of which had the crowd murmuring with approval.

For a more detailed account of all the looks, check out the MTV Style blog, which was in attendance and kept a running diary of West's fashion debut.

Though it was his first-ever showing, West's bow was also one of the most-hyped events of Paris' annual fashion week, with bloggers hyping stories that he had spent 14,000 pounds on fabric and trimmings at London haberdasheries and speculating that his show would feature only the models he mentioned in his song "Christian Dior Denim Flow." The actual location for the show was kept a closely guarded secret, with invitations being mailed the day before the event, a move that only further added to the frenzy.

And given the buildup, it seemed only natural (and, in keeping with Fashion Week tradition) for West to start his show some 45 minutes after the supposed 9:30 p.m. start time. But that didn't seem to bother those lucky enough to gain entry into Paris' Lycee Henri IV (a posh secondary school taken over by West's team for the event), who chatted beneath soft purple lighting while waiting for the first models to walk.

At show's end, West emerged to applause, wearing a simple white T-shirt, black pants and a pair of Jordans. After taking his bow, he posed for photos backstage with his models, and speculation began that his collection (which doesn't yet have a name) might actually be called Yeezi, as the nameplates seemed to hint.

For complete coverage of Kanye West's Paris Fashion Week debut, check out the MTV Style Blog.

Related Photos

Kanye West Debuts 'Dw' Line At Paris Fashion Week

Related Artists

Kanye West

Laura Harring Laura Prepon Lauren Bush Lauren Conrad

stanhotton

'Twilight' soundtrack, due November 8, also will feature Christina Perri and Theophilus London.
By Jocelyn Vena

Bruno Mars
Photo: Shirlaine Forrest/ Getty Images

The indie angst of past "Twilight" scores has given way to doo-wop sadness on "It Will Rain," the lead single Bruno Mars dropped Tuesday (September 27). The full "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" soundtrack will hit the streets November 8.

In a previous interview, Mars promised "It Will Rain" would be "dark," and he didn't lie. The track — co-written and co-produced by Mars' team, the Smeezingtons — is signature Mars: Sweeping and romantic, it focuses on the power of true love and the emotional pain of heartbreak. The pain of the track is reminiscent of his smash "Grenade."

" 'Cause there'll be no more sunlight, if I lose you, baby," he sings on the emotional chorus. "There'll be no clear skies, if I lose you, baby/ Just let the clouds, my eyes will do the same if you walk away/ Every day, it will rain."

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" opens in theaters November 18. "After seeing the movie, I thought that it would be a perfect fit," Mars said of the song. "The 'Twilight' movies for me [are] a love story. But it's a dark love story," he added. "And I think the best way to describe the song is: It's the darker side of love. I think that pretty much sums it up."

On Monday, a full track list dropped, revealing which other artists made the final cut for the November release. Christina Perri, Theophilus London and Aqualung & Lucy Schwartz are a few of the artists who will be featured. The track list also reveals that Iron & Wine's song "Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Wedding Version)" will be played during the long-awaited wedding.

The full track list for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" soundtrack:

» The Joy Formidable, "Endtapes"
» Angus & Julia Stone, "Love Will Take You"
» Bruno Mars, "It Will Rain"
» Sleeping at Last, "Turning Page"
» The Features, "From Now On"
» Christina Perri, "A Thousand Years"
» Theophilus London, "Neighbors"
» The Belle Brigade, "I Didn't Mean It"
» Noisettes, "Sister Rosetta (2011 Version)"
» Cider Sky, "Northern Lights"
» Iron & Wine, "Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Wedding Version)"
» Imperial Mammoth, "Requiem on Water"
» Aqualung & Lucy Schwartz, "Cold"
» Mia Maestro, "Llovera"
» Carter Burwell, "Love Death Rebirth"

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

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

Related Photos

Twilight: Breaking Dawn

Related Artists

Bruno Mars

Yamila Diaz Yvonne Strzechowski Zhang Ziyi Zoe Saldana

stanhotton

'I haven't seen the films,' frontwoman Ritzy Bryan confesses, despite landing lead-off track on 'Breaking Dawn' soundtrack.
By James Montgomery

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

There are some bands prepared for the increased attention that a spot on a "Twilight" soundtrack brings. And then there are bands like voluminous rockers the Joy Formidable who, despite snagging the opening slot on the upcoming "Breaking Dawn" soundtrack, remain blissfully unaware of everything to come. Or, really, everything about the "Twilight" series, for that matter.

"I can't say I've ever read one. I haven't seen the films either, but I have heard the soundtracks, and I was familiar with some of the songs, you know, Metric and the Black Keys," frontwoman Ritzy Bryan told MTV News. "So I was more aware of the musical side of 'Twilight' than I was the books or the movies. Actually, I know very little [about the books]. I know they're about vampires, and I know they've connected very much with an audience ... so they're obviously much enjoyed by a lot of people."

And yet, despite all that, their contribution to the "Breaking Dawn" soundtrack — a ringing, downright desperate song called "Endtapes" that will be the album's lead-off track — fits seamlessly; mostly because, as Bryan explained, it is very much about the themes that remain central to the "Twilight" series.

"The song was written at the same time as our album, and because of that, it has a lot of the tone and the feel of the album. And those songs, there's a lot of turbulence going on, and it definitely chronicles a year that was very turbulent on one hand, but you know, it's me trying to push for that hope and that sense of optimism," she said. "It's a song that captures that spirit. It's a song about the frustration of not being able to have closure on a difficult situation."

And given that, unlike fellow "Breaking Dawn" artist Christina Perri, she's basically oblivious to the entire "Twilight" phenomenon, Bryan has no idea where "Endtapes" will be used in the upcoming "Breaking Dawn" film ... shoot, she's not even sure she and her bandmates will get invited to the premiere. That doesn't mean they wouldn't go, of course.

"I don't know anything about that! If we get an invite, I wouldn't mind going to the cinema. I haven't been to the cinema for such a long time," she laughed. "We've been perpetually on the road for about a year and a half, and we watch lots and lots of DVDs in our van, but a trip to the cinema would be wonderful. I would have to do some laundry, but that would be fine!"

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

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

Abbie Cornish Adriana Lima Adrianne Curry Adrianne Palicki

stanhotton

'Footloose' actress tells MTV News she emulates Reese Witherspoon.
By Kara Warner

Julianne Hough
Photo: Denise Truscello/ WireImage

Julianne Hough's résumé is so chock-full of accomplishments, it doesn't seem possible that one person could pack so much into 23 short years on the planet. In other words, unless you've been living under a rock, you've seen or heard the petite, talented entertainment dynamo on TV, the big screen or radio.

If you're a "Dancing With the Stars" fan, you know Hough from the fancy footwork she demonstrated as a professional dancer for four seasons, two of which she won with partners Helio Castroneves (in season four) and Apolo Ohno (in season five). If you're a country music fan, you might have noticed the Utah native being named the Top New Female Vocalist and Top New Artist at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2009.

Most recently, Hough has been dipping her toes into the world of movie acting. Her first big role was in 2010's "Burlesque" alongside Cher and Christina Aguilera, followed by a starring role in this fall's highly anticipated reboot of "Footloose."

Perhaps it's now easy to see why Hough has been named "Most Likely to be a Triple Threat" in MTV Movies' New Class. She can do it all, and by the look and sound of it, she's just getting started with an eventful career.

MTV News recently caught up with the superstar-in-the-making to see how she's juggling all her different career paths and what it means to be named to our New Class.

"Obviously, it never gets old. Every day, I am shocked and surprised and so excited that anybody would want to put me in any kind of list or category as up-and-comers," she admitted. "That's the dream. I've always wanted to do this and to be recognized for something that you always want, but it's so hard to even think you can achieve. It's pretty crazy; it's surreal. Thank you!"

With regard to whether she prefers being categorized as a dancer, actress or singer, Hough said she just wants to entertain, and is taking her cue from the multitalented stars of Hollywood's Golden Age.

"The actors and entertainers from early on — the '20s and '30s and '40s — they did everything: They were singers, they were actors, they were just entertainers. And people ask me, ... 'What do you like more, if you had to choose?' And I'm like, 'I don't want to choose!' I love all of them, and each fulfills something different inside of me."

When pressed to pick an actress' career she hopes to emulate, Hough revealed she has her eyes on another recognizable blonde's ambitions.

"Reese Witherspoon: As a young actress, she was so dramatic and did these really great roles, and then definitely moved up to be America's sweetheart, so I definitely watch her career and try to make some decisions like she has."

Look out for Hough as sassy free spirit Ariel Moore in "Footloose" and in the star-studded "Rock of Ages" next summer. The triple threat said her sophomore album will be out in the near future or "when it's really ready."

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.

Related Videos

Sunny Mabrey Susan Ward Susie Castillo T.A.T.u.

stanhotton

'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.

Isla Fisher Ivana Bozilovic Ivanka Trump Izabella Miko

stanhotton

The Way You Make Me Feel

Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic

Cheryl Burke China Chow Chloë Sevigny Christina Aguilera

stanhotton

Song will appear on Iglesias' reissue album Euphoria Reloaded.
By Jocelyn Vena

Enrique Iglesias
Photo: ML Layton/ Getty Images

Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez are getting muy caliente on their new track "Mouth 2 Mouth." The two take their passion to the dance floor with the DJ Frank E-produced track. The song is all about desire as both Iglesias and Lopez trade sultry lines over shiny synths and pumping beats.

The passion on the swirling party track never subsides. "She called me up late at night/ We called an innocent crime/ She's such a good waste of time/ But in the back of my mind/ You know you're all I'm thinking of," Iglesias sings on the track.

"I can't catch a single breath, baby/ Help me now, help me now," the duo sings on the chorus. "Hurry up it's killing me the way I need your mouth to mouth, mouth to mouth." They go on to sing, "I swear you make me feel alive/ I swear you bring me back to life."

Lopez's lyrics evoke the guilt of wanting someone so intensely. "Kills me to let him inside/ Feels like the wrong kind of right/ He falls asleep by my side/ But in the back of my mind/ You know you're all I'm thinking of."

The song will appear on Iglesias' reissue album Euphoria Reloaded. The original Euphoria dropped in the summer of 2010, spawning hits like "I Like It," "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" and "Dirty Dancer." It is collabo-friendly thanks to contributions from the likes of Akon, Usher, Nicole Scherzinger, Ludacris and Pitbull and spawned a comeback for the singer thanks to its dance tracks produced by buzzy producers like RedOne and Fernando Garibay, who are both closely associated with Lady Gaga.

"This is the album I always wanted to make," Iglesias told MTV News last year about Euphoria. "I grew up in Miami speaking Spanglish. I'm so excited about this album. You see so much Hispanic influence everywhere. I wanted to combine both of them."

"The album's cool. It's very eclectic. Every single song is completely different," he added.

Euphoria Reloaded drops in November and promises more sexiness from the Spanish-American pop star. The first single off the deluxe release is the Pitbull-assisted feel-good single "I Like How It Feels," complete with whistle solo and all.

Related Artists

Selita Ebanks Shakara Ledard Shakira Shana Hiatt

stanhotton

Sweet Dreams

Artist: Beyoncé
Label: Columbia, Music World Music
Director: Adria Petty
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce

Padma Lakshmi Paige Butcher Pamela Anderson Paris Hilton

stanhotton

85-year-old show-tune and jazz singer Tony Bennett proved that we can achieve greatness at any age this week by landing his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard 200 countdown with his latest album, Star-Studded Duets II. With a little help from his recent duet with Amy Winehouse and another one with Lady�Gaga, Bennett successfully [...]

Evangeline Lilly Eve Fergie Foxy Brown