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Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj Tapped For Japan Aid Compilation LP

U2 and Bon Jovi will also be featured on digital-only album from Universal Music. By James Dinh Justin Bieber Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage Some of pop music’s biggest artists, including Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, are lending their tunes for a good cause. On Monday (March 21), it was announced that Universal Music is rushing out a digital-only compilation album to raise awareness and funds for those affected by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. While the lineup and track list have yet to be finalized, other chart-toppers expected to be featured on the release include U2 and Bon Jovi. Lady Gaga may also appear on the album. Proceeds from sales will go to the Japanese Red Cross. “We are doing it only digitally because it is faster, and this will be a worldwide release. The plan is to have it available later this week,” a spokesperson for Universal Music said. In order to maximize proceeds, the record label plans to find more acts willing to waive royalties that would have come from having their tracks appear on the compilation. Universal Music is not the only music-industry player reaching to support Japan disaster relief. Most recently, the Black Eyed Peas announced that the music video for their tune “Just Can’t Get Enough” would be used to promote awareness and funds for victims of the tragic event. The clip, which was shot in Japan one week before the earthquake and tsunami hit, finds the BEP bandmates traveling throughout Toyko. Earlier this month, Lady Gaga designed a special prayer bracelet with all proceeds going to relief efforts. In just two days, the pop singer and her legion of little monsters raised more than $250,000. For more information on what you can do to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan head to MTV Act , or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Related Artists Justin Bieber Rihanna Nicki Minaj

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Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj Tapped For Japan Aid Compilation LP

New ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ Trailer: Five Key Scenes

The new preview gives us a few clues about Jack’s journey to the Fountain of Youth. By Eric Ditzian Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow Photo: Disney We’ve just crossed the two-month mark; there’s now a mere 59 days until “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” shoves off and into theaters. What’s more, there’s now a brand-new trailer for Johnny Depp’s seafaring 3-D adventure flick, giving us important pieces of plot info and raising all new questions about what we’re going to see when the movie debuts. As we continue to count down the days until that premiere, let’s take a look at the new trailer’s five key moments. Looks Like They Took a Wrong Turn We’ve already seen a variation of this scene — Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow walking under some kind of stone archway on an island — but in the new trailer, we see the camera push forward a little, giving us a peek at what’s on the other side: a ship perched on a cliff high above the water line. How’d it get there? Well, as we see throughout the new footage, the laws of physics get twisted in all sorts of funky ways. Just as compelling a question as what the ship is doing up there is: Whose ship is it? Speaking of ships, the Black Pearl is back in the mix, though this time it seems to be in the hands of nefarious Blackbeard (Ian McShane). And as Captain Barbossa explains, Blackbeard has made some unconventional improvements to the craft. “The rigging had come to life. Our own ship turned against us,” he tells Jack as we see shots of ropes whipping around like tentacles and plucking up pirates. What sort of dark magic does Blackbeard wield? A confusing one, no doubt, because after Sparrow gets caught up in the ship’s new powers, he blurts out, “Captain, I wish to report a mutiny. I can name fingers and point names!” We’ve seen plenty of mermaids floating through previous “Pirates” footage, but the new trailer gives us the most information yet about how these creatures fit into the storyline. Turns out, a mermaid is needed to locate the fountain of youth — that mythical place everyone in “On Stranger Tides” is trying to find. That explains why, as in earlier footage, we see a shot of a mermaid trapped in a seriously large fish tank. Captivity, however, can kill a mermaid. Given that under his tattoos and dreadlocks, Sparrow is a very moral guy, we suspect Jack might go from capturing a mermaid to setting one free. From the very first official “On Stranger Tides” photos , we’ve seen Jack being dragged into Old Royal Naval College by King George II’s guards and offered the job of finding the fountain of youth. But the captain isn’t one take to orders. How does he slip away from King George’s men? A clue seems to arrive in the form of Jack wearing a musty old wig and a bright red robe, just like a British judge: nothing like a clever disguise to help a pirate escape. As we mentioned, Jack’s quest for the fountain brings him into contact with lands in which the laws of physics don’t entirely apply. Early in the new trailer, for instance, a drop of water seems to fall upwards, hitting Jack’s hands as it goes. Here we see our hero in a sort of cave that has a roof of water. How exactly does something like happen? And, furthermore, how is he pulled up into the water as if by reverse gravity? We likely won’t get the full answer until the movie arrives on May 20. Check out everything we’ve got on ” Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos Top Five Scenes In The New ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ Trailer

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New ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ Trailer: Five Key Scenes

Kelly Clarkson ‘Will Sing Her Butt Off’ On New Record, Songwriter Says

‘When it comes out, the fans will be happy … it’ll be good times,’ Claude Kelly says. By Jocelyn Vena Kelly Clarkson Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage While fans may have to wait until September to hear Kelly Clarkson ‘s new album , songwriter Claude Kelly is revealing some details about what fans will hear once the album drops. He recently worked on the album with Clarkson, and while he’s not completely sure which tracks will make the final cut, he said that Clarkson will be back bigger and better than ever. “I’m not surprised ’cause the music industry is full of unexpected things,” he said of the delay. “I will say that I’d be willing to bet that the reason it was pushed back was not for anything as horrible or earth-shattering as people think — it’s probably [just] a better setup.” Describing the current pop scene as “congested,” Claude Kelly thinks that a slightly delayed release will work in Clarkson’s favor. “They want to make sure that the arena is clean for Kelly Clarkson’s return, ’cause when she comes back, she always comes back pretty big,” he said. “They want to make sure when her first single comes out, there’s nothing out there that’s competing with it. I don’t know for sure, but Kelly always does it big, so when it comes out, the fans will be happy and she’ll sing her butt off and it’ll be good times.” Kelly and Clarkson have been working on some fun up-tempo tracks for the album. “The songs I did write for her were in true Kelly Clarkson form, singer records that showcase her voice, but also show her edge and her attitude and her personality,” he explained. “[It’s] always up-tempo for me when it comes to Kelly. I like to hear her in kick-butt mode. She has an edge to her voice that you want to hear her sing high and get in your face.” Over the weekend, Clarkson debuted a ballad titled “Why Don’t You Try” at Muhammad Ali’s 17th Annual Celebrity Fight Night in Arizona and it definitely displayed big voice. The track is a cover of songwriter Eric Hutchinson’s 2009 tune. Related Artists Kelly Clarkson

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Kelly Clarkson ‘Will Sing Her Butt Off’ On New Record, Songwriter Says

Kelly Clarkson ‘Will Sing Her Butt Off’ On New Record, Songwriter Says

‘When it comes out, the fans will be happy … it’ll be good times,’ Claude Kelly says. By Jocelyn Vena Kelly Clarkson Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage While fans may have to wait until September to hear Kelly Clarkson ‘s new album , songwriter Claude Kelly is revealing some details about what fans will hear once the album drops. He recently worked on the album with Clarkson, and while he’s not completely sure which tracks will make the final cut, he said that Clarkson will be back bigger and better than ever. “I’m not surprised ’cause the music industry is full of unexpected things,” he said of the delay. “I will say that I’d be willing to bet that the reason it was pushed back was not for anything as horrible or earth-shattering as people think — it’s probably [just] a better setup.” Describing the current pop scene as “congested,” Claude Kelly thinks that a slightly delayed release will work in Clarkson’s favor. “They want to make sure that the arena is clean for Kelly Clarkson’s return, ’cause when she comes back, she always comes back pretty big,” he said. “They want to make sure when her first single comes out, there’s nothing out there that’s competing with it. I don’t know for sure, but Kelly always does it big, so when it comes out, the fans will be happy and she’ll sing her butt off and it’ll be good times.” Kelly and Clarkson have been working on some fun up-tempo tracks for the album. “The songs I did write for her were in true Kelly Clarkson form, singer records that showcase her voice, but also show her edge and her attitude and her personality,” he explained. “[It’s] always up-tempo for me when it comes to Kelly. I like to hear her in kick-butt mode. She has an edge to her voice that you want to hear her sing high and get in your face.” Over the weekend, Clarkson debuted a ballad titled “Why Don’t You Try” at Muhammad Ali’s 17th Annual Celebrity Fight Night in Arizona and it definitely displayed big voice. The track is a cover of songwriter Eric Hutchinson’s 2009 tune. Related Artists Kelly Clarkson

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Kelly Clarkson ‘Will Sing Her Butt Off’ On New Record, Songwriter Says

No Justin Bieber-Centric ‘Glee’ Episode Planned

‘Those [tributes] are reserved for artists with big catalogs,’ co-creator Ryan Murphy explains. By Mawuse Ziegbe Justin Bieber Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage Bad news for Beliebers: A Justin Bieber “Glee” tribute episode isn’t happening anytime soon. After rumors began to swirl that Bieber Fever was slated to sweep McKinley High, Ryan Murphy, the co-creator of the Fox hit cleared up the role of the teen star’s music in an upcoming episode. Murphy maintained that unlike other superstars whose repertories have been “Glee” overhauls — like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Madonna — Bieber’s current list of hits isn’t long enough to sustain an entire hour of New Directions-helmed numbers. “Those [tributes] are reserved for artists with big catalogs,” he told Entertainment Weekly . However, this season of “Glee” won’t be completely Bieber-free: “Bieber comes up in episode 13 as a small plot point. Sam [Chord Overstreet] sings a JB song to win Quinn’s [Dianna Agron] approval.” Murphy has recently been giving up more details about some of the storylines and smash hits set to turn up on “Glee.” Gwyneth Paltrow will return to reprise her role as feisty substitute teacher Holly Holliday for a two-episode arc that includes dating “Glee” club leader Will Schuester. The hit show will also take a chance on Gaga’s soon-to-be released single “Born This Way,” which will serve as inspiration for an episode airing in either March or April. “I love that that song is [an] anthem,” Murphy explained of giving the track major “Glee” love. “This show is by nature optimistic and I think a character like Karofsky could turn to booze or pills or alcohol and kill themselves or do something dark. But I also love Max and I love that character and I sorta want that character to have a happy ending. So I don’t really know what that’s going to be, but I do know we’re going to do a whole episode that’s about that song.” Are you bummed there is no Justin Bieber “Glee” episode? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Musical ‘Glee-Caps’ Of Season Two Related Artists Justin Bieber

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No Justin Bieber-Centric ‘Glee’ Episode Planned

Justin Bieber’s ‘Ride’ Leaks Online

The previously unheard tune appeared on the Internet Wednesday. By James Dinh Justin Bieber Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage Despite his young and tender age, it should be painfully apparent that Justin Bieber is quite the ladies’ man. So it comes as no surprise that the pop star took to the studio to confess his love-stricken teenage emotions through his music. In the latest of his odes to women comes the previously unheard track called “Ride,” which surfaced on the Internet Wednesday (December 22). Over a beat that sounds similar to old-school video game sound effects, Bieber serenades his adorer, confessing that he’d go above and beyond to spend time with her. “We could go anywhere, to the moon and through the air/ We could go to the movies or the mall, baby I don’t care/ Yeah this is true, wanna be with you/ And I just wanna ride with you,” he sings. No word on whether the sugary tune is old or a possible submission for Bieber’s next project. However, the tune sounds like it might be a demo for a female vocalist as the pop singer ends the first verse with the line: “I could be your queen but you could be my boo.” “Ride” isn’t the only new Bieber song to have surfaced online recently as Justin’s club-ready “Latin Girl” also leaked just a few weeks ago. In addition to the tracks, Biebs has also been in and out of the recording studio with some familiar faces working on his next album, which is tentatively set to drop late next year. While it’s not clear whether Diddy will make an appearance on the Canadian heartthrob’s next project, one act the singer is confirmed to have worked with is Rascal Flatts . The country trio’s lead singer, Gary LeVox, spoke about the Bieber collabo in a recent interview with country radio station WSIX. “[Justin] asked us to do a duet with him on his next record,” he said. “It’s actually a really good song! The kid is really talented. He plays five or six different instruments really well.” Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Justin Bieber’s ‘Ride’ Leaks Online

Drake Is Living Life Right Now: A VMA Cheat Sheet

The Toronto MC exceeded the hype, working his relentless grind from mixtape acclaim to chart-topping fame in an unforgettable year. By Shaheem Reid Drake Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage Wack rappers, your worst fears have been realized: Drake is on top and he’s not letting up. This time last year, the VMA-nominated Canadian juggernaut known as Drizzy was topping the charts and basking in the glow generated by a string of highly touted guest appearances and his certified-instant-classic mixtape So Far Gone. As ’09 drew to a close, love for Drake from fans only intensified. The 23-year-old repped for his family on the We Are Young Money album, while verses on Timbaland’s “Say Something,” and his own “Forever” — let’s not even get started again about the power-packed lineup on that record

Justin Bieber Activity Drives Three Percent Of Twitter Traffic

‘Racks of servers are dedicated to him,’ says Dustin Curtis, designer who works for Twitter. By Gil Kaufman Justin Bieber Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage There are any number of ways to measure just how deeply Justin Bieber has impacted American society: from platinum record sales to sold-out shows packed with screaming fans to the popularity of the singer’s signature brush-down bowl haircut. But on Tuesday, a designer at Twitter put Bieb’s influence in a thoroughly modern context. “At any moment, Justin Bieber uses 3 percent of our infrastructure. Racks of servers are dedicated to him,” tweeted Dustin Curtis, a designer who works at the micro-blogging service. That tidbit should come as no surprise, since Bieber — slated to perform at Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards — has more than 5 million followers and is an almost daily trending topic on the 140-character-limit service. He also noted that there are three things that reliably drive traffic at Twitter: “(a) bashing airlines, (b) bashing Comic Sans, (c) Justin Bieber.” Tech blog Gizmodo reported that Curtis confirmed his tweet was no joke and that he got that information directly from another Twitter employee. The blog noted that even though Bieber is often a trending topic, given the fact that Twitter has 180 million unique visitors a month, his 3 percent land grab is still pretty impressive. Curtis later tweeted that “most of the popular users on Twitter have dedicated servers for their accounts,” which The Hollywood Reporter took to mean that stars such as Ashton Kutcher, Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian, each with more than four million followers, likely have their own racks as well. The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News’ VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday. Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Justin Bieber Activity Drives Three Percent Of Twitter Traffic

Kanye West, Justin Bieber Fans Split On ‘Runaway Love’ Remix

Remix featuring Raekwon has some pop and hip-hop purists on the fence. By Peter de Saint Phalle Justin Bieber Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage Kanye West forced fanbases to collide on Monday, when he released his Justin Bieber “Runaway Love” remix , featuring Raekwon. What began as a mere social-networking brainstorm, not only utilizes the contemporary pop-chart topping talents of both West and the Beebs, but also features some of Raekwon’s vintage verses from “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F— Wit.” So how do loyal fans react when a teen pop sensation, a master producer-turned-rapper and a hip-hop legend combine forces? For the answers, we’ve looked across different blog sites and MTVNews.com to see fan comments and reactions to the new record. While the remix seemed acceptable to most listeners, others thought the blend of Bieber with the two MCs went together like oil and water. McShanful wrote on the hip-hop blog 2dopeboyz.com : “I thought this turned out pretty dope. But judging by the comments, this remix is a fail because Wu-Tang fans don’t want to hear JB on a classic beat. And JB fans don’t know or even care who Raekwon is, nor do they appreciate this classic beat. Nice try, ‘Ye.” Readers on both pop and hip-hop websites couldn’t see the benefit of including Bieber’s song in the collaboration, stating that the current prince of bubble gum discredited the rappers’ integrity. “I’m a hard-core fan of Kanye’s earlier music, but now I honestly think he will do anything if it gives him some fraction of publicity or money,” Leni wrote on JustJared.com . “Justin Bieber? I mean really?” Legacye wrote on on PerezHilton.com : “Oh … dear … lord. That was awful. Kanye’s part of the track sounded fine, but Justin’s music is just TOO tweeny-pop to fit in well with adult R and B. 1/5 from me.” And though Bieber’s collaboration with Ludacris on “Baby” has been a huge hit with his followers, some were less than pleased by this much less pop-flavored track. “OMG !! That is just horrible,” KT wrote on on Popeater.com . “Justin is the only good thing on the song, but you have to sit thru that no talent thug mumbling and talking his way thru the verses before Justin sprinkles his magic on the song. PLEASE Justin don’t team up with these no talent thug rappers because your management says so. All it shows is how much talent you have and how little talent the rappers have. No wonder they all want a piece of Justin’s genius. YAYYY JUSTIN!!” But there were also many positive comments about the new musical frontiers embarked upon by the unlikely trio. “The song actually wasn’t that bad, and as much as I hate to say it, Bieber sounded a little like Michael Jackson,” Ericarbo436 wrote on MTVNews.com. “A young youth, rockin’ the gold tooth!” B

‘Mission: Impossible IV’ Still Moving Forward With Tom Cruise

Paramount is ‘excited’ about star, despite the underwhelming performance of ‘Knight and Day.’ By Eric Ditzian Tom Cruise Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage Paramount and Tom Cruise chose to accept another “Mission: Impossible” in February , and despite a slew of questions surrounding the project, both the studio and its leading man remain committed to one another. “We absolutely are excited about having Tom Cruise star in this movie,” Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore told The Hollywood Reporter. Yet the fact that Paramount even had to go on record in support of Cruise highlights the issues surrounding “Mission: Impossible IV” four years after the last installment in the franchise. Last month, Cruise’s action comedy, “Knight and Day,” opened to an underwhelming $20.1 million box office haul, and Paramount is reportedly keeping a watchful eye on the overseas numbers to see if the actor can sustain his appeal to foreign audiences. “It all depends on whether Tom Cruise brings in foreign bucks,” an executive not involved with the film told THR. For the moment, preproduction on “M:I 4” continues. Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”) is reportedly onboard to direct, with J.J. Abrams producing, and Paramount is said to be expecting a final script within weeks. Shooting would reportedly begin by the end of the year with a theatrical release planned during 2011’s holiday season. The studio is targeting a budget of around $140 million, significantly less than the $165 million budget of “M:I 3,” and Cruise is not expected to receive a $20 million payday, as he had not long ago. “Everybody will do their best to make it work,” said a Cruise rep about the star’s “M:I 4″ payday. And then there’s the ongoing talk about just what Cruise’s role in the movie will be. There is a long-standing rumor that his Ethan Hunt character might not even be the face of the franchise for the new film, but that he’d hand off the reigns to a younger actor or even an ensemble. ” ‘Mission: Impossible’ is a brand,” an unnamed former studio chief said. “It didn’t have anything to do with Tom Cruise in the beginning.” Do you think Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt should be the main character in “M:I 4”? Share your thoughts in the comments. Check out everything we’ve got on “Mission: Impossible IV.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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‘Mission: Impossible IV’ Still Moving Forward With Tom Cruise