‘World of Jenks’ star hopes young people invest in themselves by voting in 2012. By Andrew Jenks Andrew Jenks Photo: MTV News DES MOINES, Iowa — Today, Iowans will vote in the first primary (well, caucus, actually) that could set the 2012 presidential race in all sorts of directions. Some candidates may drop out (sorry, Michele Bachmann), others may become front-runners (welcome to the big leagues, Rick Santorum). I don’t know what to expect — nobody does — which is kind of what makes Iowa amazing. But amid the building energy, I’m also kind of let down. Last night, someone looked at me as I watched a few candidates campaigning around town (it was hard not to run into a candidate in the state’s capital this week) and said, “You realize there’s 3 million of us. Only 120,000 vote. That’s 4 percent.” Damn. All of a sudden, I was feeling kind of hopeless. I spoke with one twentysomething and asked, “You going to vote tomorrow night?” He laughed: “There’s a repeat of ‘Glee’ on.” Wow, really? A “Glee” rerun trumps participating in one of the truly unique democratic processes our country offers? But I am no glass-half-empty guy — I hope today, more than anything, isn’t just a day when I get to see what it looks like when someone my age goes into a caucus for the first time. When they lock the doors at 7 p.m., not a minute later. When I follow a decided voter as he/she finds out who wins. Or when I follow an undecided voter as they hear each person make a case for their candidate and then make a final decision before the caucuses close at 9 p.m. More than anything, I hope to see that people my age actually care. It makes sense that we don’t trust the system, but we are hopeful about our future. So rather than relying on everyone else to decide the rest of our life, we might as well start investing in ourselves. Plus, you can always catch “Glee” on iTunes. MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage , and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail. Related Videos Barnstorming The Iowa Caucus With Andrew Jenks
Follow all the action live as MTV News brings you minute-by-minute updates. By Gil Kaufman Voters register their votes in the Iowa Caucus Photo: Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images It all comes down to this. Tonight Iowans will cast their votes for the Republican candidate of choice. Who will the barrage of ads, baby kissing and stumping pay off for? Will it be the business-like Mitt Romney, the surging Ron Paul, the dark horse Rick Santorum, the veteran politico Newt Gingrich or trailing Michele Bachmann? MTV News is on the ground in Iowa and will be covering the caucus and live-blogging all the details. Keep refreshing for up-to-the-minute political drama here! 7:16 A sophomore at Drake speaking on behalf of Rep. Paul makes it clear he’s speaking for himself, not the ROTC, of which he is a member. He has to raise his voice a bit to be heard over a crying baby in his arms. “If you want someone who can beat Obama you need someone who is the opposite of Obama.” 7:15 Nobody stands up for John Huntsman, the former Obama administration ambassador to China who basically threw in the towel on Iowa to concentrate on next week’s contest in New Hampshire. 7:13 There are more than 200 people in the room, which has a parquet floor and almost as much space devoted to the media as voters. 7:11 “He created 11 million jobs during his time in Congress,” the Gingrich speaker says. 7:08 The speaker calls for a representative to speak on behalf of Rep. Bachmann… Nothing. So it’s on to the person speaking on behalf of Newt Gingrich. He apologizes for his lack of eye contact, but he’s reading a letter from former Speaker Gingrich. 7:04 We just said the Pledge of Allegiance and now an organizer is sending around the “Money Bags” to help fill the precinct’s coffers. 6:55 Caucus goers are rushing into an auditorium in Olmstead Hall. They have to hurry because the doors close promptly at 7! 6:51 We just arrived on the campus of Drake University for the on-campus caucus meeting. Related Videos Barnstorming The Iowa Caucus With Andrew Jenks
Teens and 20-somethings at ‘Rock the Caucus’ talk to MTV News about the GOP hopefuls in Iowa on Tuesday. By Gil Kaufman, with reporting by Joel Hanek Ron Paul speaks during a “Rock the Caucus” event at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — How important is the youth vote to the Republican party? So important that on Tuesday morning (January 3), two of the leading candidates in tonight’s crucial Iowa caucus took time out from their vacuum-packed schedules to address a throng of pumped-up teens at a “Rock the Caucus” event in the gymnasium of Valley High School in West Des Moines. Although Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann is polling in the single digits and widely expected to have a poor showing at the first-in-the-nation caucus, GOP contenders Ron Paul and former Senator Rick Santorum were close to neck-and-neck for the second-place spot in final polling on Monday. As MTV News found as we headed to Iowa for our Power of 12 campaign, all three caught the attention of voters who are eager to step up for their man/woman. Thomas Deacon, 21, woke up before 7 a.m. to drive from Lawrence, Kansas, with two of his friends and hold up Ron Paul signs by the side of a busy road on Tuesday morning alongside Kansas City, Missouri, native Elizabeth Bronaugh, 22. “We’re just trying to get awareness about Ron Paul … and people are pretty receptive to it,” said David Megli, 22, who was interrupted by motorists driving by and honking their horns in support. Megli, wearing a knit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wool hat to ward off the cold, was a registered libertarian in 2008, but said he switched to the GOP for this election cycle. And, like his friends, he didn’t realize you had to be a student to attend the event, so he was stuck outside and was not able to hear Paul speak. Bronaugh said all four in her group backed libertarian Paul in the 2008 election because they appreciate his stance on civil liberties and small government. And though he’s the oldest candidate in the race at 76, Deacon said there’s a very good reason that Paul has gotten the attention of young voters. “He recognizes that if we’re doing personal activities that don’t harm other people, why should we be punished for that?” said Deacon, alluding to Paul’s position on the legalization of drugs and the nearly trillion-dollar cost of the 35-year-plus War on Drugs. Paul’s stances on state’s rights, avoiding a military conflict in Iran, smaller government and fewer taxes also appeal to the new generation of voters, Deacon said. “When Obama got elected, a lot of young people supported him because we thought we were going to get change,” Deacon said when asked about some of Paul’s more controversial policies regarding the elimination of the Dept. of Education and his call for an end to the student loan program.”But for the most part it’s been the same … you haven’t seen a lot of change,” he added, noting that he actually supported Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2008. “Obama seemed like an OK guy and I was excited about the change he was going to bring. There was a real upswell of energy. But I think he really wasted that.” This time, Bronaugh said, Paul is the one who has the same amount of energy and enthusiasm from young voters, but she believes he will follow through on his promises. Inside the gym, the candidates did their job, with Santorum giving a shout-out to the school’s mascot (“go Tigers!”) and Paul mentioning that his followers had recently given former “American Idol” Kelly Clarkson a sales bump. Valley student Allie Brown, 17, said she thought it was really cool that the candidates took time out from their final day of campaigning to visit the school. Brown was interested in Bachmann’s pledge to lower the price of gasoline through more oil exploration, an issue that’s obviously a big one for teen drivers. “I’m leaning toward Michele Bachmann because I think she’s really personable and sincerely cares about the things she’s talking about,” she said while standing in the school gym and sporting her “Rock the Caucus” T-shirt. Paul supporter Sulejman Malic, 17, was just blown away by the amount of press coverage at his school, and friend Pallavi Aurora, also 17, said the high-energy spirit of the event was getting her psyched up to vote— for the first time — later in the day for former Massachusetts governor and leading candidate Mitt Romney . MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage , and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail. Related Videos Barnstorming The Iowa Caucus With Andrew Jenks
‘I ain’t got nothing against none of them, nobody,’ rapper tells MTV News of the label. By Rob Markman Rick Ross and Pill Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage Pill has caused quite the stir. Last week, after the Atlanta rapper took to Twitter to vent about his label situation , speculation began to swirl that P-I-Double L was dropped from the Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Warner Bros. distributed-label. But seeing as Pill was never technically signed to MMG, that isn’t necessarily the case. “I never signed any paperwork with Ross. It was just my deal was over at Warner already,” Pill revealed to MTV News Tuesday. According to the “Trap Goin’ Ham” MC, he was signed to Asylum/Warner Bros. Records at the end of 2009, a year before Ross brought his MMG label over to Warner Music Group. Pill says he is unaware of any conversations that Warner and Ross ever had concerning his career, but started receiving calls from Rozay around this time last year. The calls turned into collaborations — many of which ended up on Self Made Vol. 1 , Ross’ MMG label compilation album. It was alluded that Pill was officially a part of Rozay’s roster, along with Wale, Meek Mill and a host of other artists, but that wasn’t the case, the rapper says. During his December 28 Twitter rant, Pill, who made a name for himself with independently released singles like “Ok Denn,” criticized Warner, charging that they didn’t give him the proper push on radio and television. “I bet u can name you favorite artist and the turn on the tv and see the video and hear it on the radio. It’s not rocket science,” he wrote. Pill was particularly disappointed that “Pac Man,” his single from Self Made Vol.1 didn’t get a push, even after noted rappers 2 Chainz, Yo Gotti and Meek Mill were added to the song’s remix. “To have all that set in stone, I thought it would’ve been pushed a little bit harder, went a little bit further, but it didn’t,” he said. Maybach did include Pill on a number of label-driven initiatives, he admits. He was on the October 2011 XXL magazine group cover, appeared on “RapFix Live” with MMG in May 2011 and took part in the pre-taped crew cypher during BET’s Hip Hop Awards but was noticeably absent when Ross, Wale and Meek Mill performed during the actual ceremony. “I never really went on tour with them; I never really did anything with them,” Pill said. “The only time I performed on tour with them is when it stopped in Atlanta. They still showed love to a n—a when it was time to go to Vegas, or Cali, you know, whatever the label had put together for us to be on as a whole.” Currently the rapper’s lawyers are attempting to dissolve the Warner contract, and as for MMG, Pill insists he harbors no ill will and is grateful for the exposure that Ross has given him — even though he doesn’t remember the last time he and the Bawse spoke. “I ain’t got nothing against none of them, nobody. It’s just the situation don’t work,” Pill said matter-of-factly. “It’s cool with us, I don’t got nothing against Ross either. It’s just I don’t talk to him. “I ain’t really got too much to say to somebody that ain’t got too much to say to me. I’m not a brownnose, I ain’t a punk ass n—a and I’m not finna go trying to chase behind somebody that ain’t sayin’ nothing to me.” Related Artists Rick Ross
Skillz will also swing through to perform his ‘2011 Rap-Up’ on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com. By Rob Markman Fabolous and Sway on “RapFix Live” in September, 2010 Photo: Jonathan Goldner / MTV News It’s 2012 and “RapFix Live” returns to kick off the new year with Brooklyn’s own Fabolous on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. “RapFix Live” closed out 2011 by crowning Machine Gun Kelly our Hottest Breakthrough MC of the year as voted by fans. Fab also ended the year in grand fashion when he released his murderous mixtape There Is No Competition III: Death Comes in 3s on Christmas Day. It was his mixtape grind with DJ Clue that made Fabolous a rap force to be reckoned with in the late 1990s, but Loso has continually grown throughout his career and is one of hip-hop’s most successful and celebrated MCs. Not only does Loso remain one of the game’s rawest rappers, he is also one of its biggest hitmakers thanks to singles like 2003’s “Can’t Let You Go,” 2007’s “Make Me Better” and “Throw It in the Bag” from his last album, Loso’s Way . With TINC III once again cementing his position in the streets, Fab is back in the studio working on his next solo LP, Loso’s Way 2 . ” Loso’s Way 2 is a work-in-process. I put a lot in my mixtapes, but I definitely put a lot into my albums as well,” Fab told MTV News in December, referencing the DJ Drama-helmed TINC III and the upcoming album. “I know a lot of people like mixtape Fab, and albums, to me, you’re speaking to a broader audience sometimes. I take that at hand. I guess everybody doesn’t see that.” Loso has also seen his private life come under the microscope now that his son’s mother, Emily Bustamante, is a star on VH1’s juicy reality show “Love & Hip Hop.” Fab, however, isn’t a fan. “It’s just not my cup of tea,” Fabolous told New York radio host Angie Martinez on her Hot 97 show earlier this month. “It’s one side of what’s going on. I don’t bash it, but I’m not really in support of it, either. I don’t think it depicts me the way I am. It just depicts a one-sided version of what’s going on.” Fab won’t be the only guest this week on “RapFix Live.” Every year since 2002, Virginia MC Skillz drops a lyrical year in review — it has become an annual hip-hop tradition. On Wednesday, the “Are You That Somebody” lyricist will perform his “2011 Rap-Up.” Brooklyn MC Maino has also started a yearly tradition of his own. Three years ago, the “Hi Hater” rapper released “2009 Predictions.” Last year he looked into his crystal ball and dropped “2011 Predictions,” in which he successfully guessed that Lindsay Lohan would have relapsing bouts with alcohol, the Throne would sell over a million records, and Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would go another year without fighting in what would be the most anticipated boxing match in years. Catch Fabolous and Skillz on “RapFix Live” Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com, and be sure to join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #RapFixLive. And send your questions for Fabolous to @MTVRapFiX ! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ With Fabolous Related Artists Fabolous Maino
Pop star has plenty to keep her busy, between her music and budding acting career. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry Photo: Getty Images Katy Perry is kicking off 2012 a single girl. Over the holiday weekend, news broke that Russell Brand had filed for divorce after a year of marriage with the pop star. And while Perry has remained low-key since the split, she is amping up for what is sure to be another busy year. Perry hasn’t been spotted in public since Friday’s breakup announcement, but she did make some non-relationship-related headlines Tuesday (January 3) when a demo version of the Jessie James track “Bullet” hit the Net; Perry co-wrote the sassy track for the singer’s 2009 album. The singer has two shows later this month — one scheduled for January 19 in Jakarta, Indonesia, and another January 22 in the Philippines — as part of her California Dreams Tour. Come February, Perry is set to appear at the Grammys, where she is up for two awards, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Firework.” It’s been nearly two years since Perry’s megahit Teenage Dream album dropped. While no word has come down about new music from the star, when MTV News spoke to producer Tricky Stewart , he hinted that Perry was working on a new release of some older material, including a track called “Dressing Up.” “Katy and I went into [the studio] just to address some issues with records that we had done in the past that didn’t end up going on Teenage Dream, ” he told MTV News about the top-secret project. “So we are in the process of just listening and freshening up things and getting ready for something special she has going on.” Perry hasn’t announced plans to tackle any more acting roles, but in 2011, she made fans laugh on the big screen as the voice of Smurfette in “The Smurfs” and as the host of “Saturday Night Live” in December, teasing a possible second career in film and TV. Since the split made headlines, Perry has not addressed the divorce . However, Brand said in a statement, “Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I will always adore her and I know we’ll remain friends.” Related Photos Lovebirds: Katy Perry And Russell Brand Related Artists Katy Perry
Demo for the Jessie James tune hits the Net shortly after Russell Brand files for divorce from Perry. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry and Russell Brand Photo: Eric Ryan/ Getty Images Katy Perry and Russell Brand have been keeping low profiles since Friday’s divorce announcement, but on a brand-new song that just hit the Net, Perry sings about falling for the wrong guy. The song, which Perry co-wrote, is actually a demo version of the Jessie James track “Bullet.” While the song has many country music flourishes thanks to twangy guitars, the lyrics — minus references to cowboy boots and country accents — work for Perry. She opens with the lines: “My mama warned me about boys like you/ It’s the reason I wear these high-heeled boots/ And let me give you a little piece of advice/ My papa packs heat and he won’t think twice.” And the song’s big chorus is signature Perry. On the sing-along refrain, Perry belts out, “I’m a bullet and I’m headed/ Straight for your heart/ Be careful what you start/ I’m a bullet and I’m headed/ Straight for your heart/ It’s gonna leave a mark.” Although the song eventually landed on James’ 2009 self-titled debut, the timing of the leak coincides with the news of Perry’s split from comedian Brand after a little more than a year. Brand was spotted in his native England on Saturday, one day after the news broke of their breakup, while Perry, who has yet to speak about the split, is slated to perform at two concerts this month: one on January 19 in Jakarta, Indonesia, and another on January 22 in Manila, in the Philippines. When MTV News spoke to some experts about Perry and Brand’s breakup , they noted that the divorce didn’t come as a surprise to them. “From the get-go, I thought they were a sort of odd, mismatched pair,” David Caplan, a celebrity news editor who has worked at publications including People and Star, told us. “She’s so glamorous, pop and sexy, and he is diametrically not like that. He’s a nice and funny guy, and from my encounters with her, I found her to be funny, have a sarcastic edge and a blast, but they weren’t a match. Plus, she’s more of a partier than he now, so their lifestyles were at odds.” What do you think of Katy and Russell’s decision to divorce? Tell us what you think on our Facebook page. Related Photos Lovebirds: Katy Perry And Russell Brand Related Artists Katy Perry
Despite low budgets, each film has made more than $80 million in the U.S. By Kevin P. Sullivan, with additional reporting by Eric Ditzian A scene from “Paranormal Activity 3” Photo: Paramount Pictures After the third installment made just under $108 million in the U.S. alone, few could really doubt that a “Paranormal Activity 4” would be here just in time for Halloween 2012. The found-footage series has become Paramount’s yearly sure-thing, since the low-budget thrillers each has earned more than $80 million domestically. “Paranormal Activity 3” played a key role in securing Paramount’s spot as the top-earning studio of 2011, so when the studio casually unveiled plans for the next installment during their victory-lap press release, it almost went unnoticed. ShockTillYouDrop.com was among the first to catch the mention of “Paranormal 4” in the press release which read: “In 2012, Paramount’s release slate highlights include ‘World War Z,’ a zombie thriller starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster, ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation,’ the next installment in the global franchise starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Channing Tatum, a new chapter in the ‘Paranormal Activity’ franchise, and ‘The Dictator,’ starring Sacha Baron Cohen and directed by Larry Charles, the team behind ‘Borat.'” “Paranormal 3,” directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, took the series into the past, looking at what could be considered the series’ origins story. While the story explained why the demon had such a liking for the sisters, Katie and Kristi, it left many of the questions from the modern-day “Paranormal 2” unanswered. As for whether Joost and Schulman would return for a second round of directing, the team told MTV News they were open to it. “I had a blast. I’d do it again,” Schulman said. Joost joked that they’d take the series even further into the past. “We have some ideas. It’s going to be just drawings — calligraphy and watercolors. And set in the 1800s.” Are you going to see “Paranormal Activity 4” this year? Let us know in the comments! For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
Pop star debuts ‘Happy New Year,’ a swaggerfied slow jam featuring Jaden Smith. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber Photo: George Pimentel / WireImage Justin Bieber isn’t new to creating holiday songs using his new-millennium, R&B swagger, as evidenced on his Christmas album, Under The Mistletoe . And this weekend, he gave New Year’s a try. The singer tweeted a New Year’s-themed track, “Happy New Year,” which features his pal Jaden Smith rapping. The slow jam is certainly swaggerfied but also reflective, featuring lyrics that both play up the singer’s pop-star image and look ahead to a more hopeful year. “I’m gonna make your cheeks red when I kiss your neck/Girl I’m never leavin’ ’cause you are the best baby,” he sings. “I wanna give you everything/Never feel ’cause girl you’re coming home with me.” In a spoken breakdown, he says, “2012 is the year to be better, stronger and closer to the people around you. So grab someone special, and just, you know.” Smith also shows some bad-boy personality and proves that rapping runs in the Smith DNA. He raps, ” ‘Cause 2012 is the year of the love/And we gon’ start it off/We can get a plane today and get a car toma’/We don’t do it small at all/No girl tell me what I gotta to do/I can be the beat that you rockin’ to/I can do anything, nothing is impossible, especially with you girl/And I never need a new girl/This love is true girl/Aye welcome to the crew girl.” Not only was Bieber gracing fans with new tracks over the weekend, but he also took the stage during “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2012” in Times Square, not far from where his lady love Selena Gomez was hosting “NYE in NYC 2012.” The twosome later partied together at Glass House, E! News reports. A source says, “He…danced with Selena, showing off, picking her up and swinging her around like it was ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ ” Bieber recently debuted another track “Be Alright,” during his holiday special, “Justin Bieber: Home For The Holidays.” He’s expected to drop his new album, Believe , later this year. What do you think of Bieber’s New Year’s track? Sound off in the comments below! Related Videos Best Artists Of 2011 Debate MTV First: Justin Bieber Related Photos Justin Bieber Takes Over The Bodies Of Other Teen Idols Best Artists Of 2011 Related Artists Justin Bieber
