‘New year, new money. That’s that,’ Tip tells MTV News. By Rob Markman, with reporting by FLX T.I. Photo: Chris McKay/ Getty Images T.I. has a lot to celebrate this New Year’s Eve. This time last year, the King of the South was locked up, serving an 11-month sentence for a probation violation, but since his September release Tip has been on a tear, dropping a ton of new music and landing a reality show with his wife, Tiny , on VH1. Tip has some big plans for ringing in the new year, even though he tries to downplay things. “For New Year’s I’m gonna be waitin’ on F— da City Up to drop. We got a party poppin’ off down here in Atlanta, 200 Peachtree. We gonna turn up and it’s basically that,” he told MTV News nonchalantly. “Between the party and the mixtape, that’s all I got going. New year, new money. That’s that.” Tip has been dropping viral teasers for F— da City Up for about a week; the latest one, which dropped on Tuesday, shows T.I. in the studio with Dr. Dre . “Dre was here. He sent for me, and of course I answered. We really just turned up more than anything else. It was about creating chemistry,” T.I. told MTV News while in Atlanta preparing for the release of the tape. On New Year’s Eve, T.I. and his Grand Hustle fam will host a party in the Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree in downtown Atlanta from 9 p.m. ET to 3:00 a.m. Sounds like fun.
‘New year, new money. That’s that,’ Tip tells MTV News. By Rob Markman, with reporting by FLX T.I. Photo: Chris McKay/ Getty Images T.I. has a lot to celebrate this New Year’s Eve. This time last year, the King of the South was locked up, serving an 11-month sentence for a probation violation, but since his September release Tip has been on a tear, dropping a ton of new music and landing a reality show with his wife, Tiny , on VH1. Tip has some big plans for ringing in the new year, even though he tries to downplay things. “For New Year’s I’m gonna be waitin’ on F— da City Up to drop. We got a party poppin’ off down here in Atlanta, 200 Peachtree. We gonna turn up and it’s basically that,” he told MTV News nonchalantly. “Between the party and the mixtape, that’s all I got going. New year, new money. That’s that.” Tip has been dropping viral teasers for F— da City Up for about a week; the latest one, which dropped on Tuesday, shows T.I. in the studio with Dr. Dre . “Dre was here. He sent for me, and of course I answered. We really just turned up more than anything else. It was about creating chemistry,” T.I. told MTV News while in Atlanta preparing for the release of the tape. On New Year’s Eve, T.I. and his Grand Hustle fam will host a party in the Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree in downtown Atlanta from 9 p.m. ET to 3:00 a.m. Sounds like fun.
Both celebs were photographed without their wedding bands this week. By Kara Warner Katy Perry and Russell Brand in Los Angeles on December 3 Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images Katy Perry and Russell Brand have both been spotted in public sans wedding bands recently, and while there has been no official word regarding a separation of any sort, nothing sets the Internet rumor mill spinning like a high-profile married couple stepping out with naked ring fingers. Perry was first spotted without her ring around Christmas, but she was splashing around in the ocean and could have chosen not to wear the ring for fear of losing it, not to make a statement about her relationship status. A wedding-ring-free Brand was snapped by photographers walking around London on Thursday (December 29), further fueling rumors of marital trouble that have been swirling, which both Brand and Perry addressed recently. “There are always rumors, aren’t there? In the end, you have to just not engage with Internet technology, which is difficult because a lot of the nude women websites I quite enjoy,” Brand joked to Ellen DeGeneres about breakup rumors during his visit to her talk show. “I’ve treated the whole Internet now like it’s a wicked little liar. Yeah. I am really happily married,” he added. “I’m married to Katy. Perpetually, until death do us part was the pledge.” Perry took to Twitter in November to brush off earlier rumblings. “First I’m pregnant & then I’m divorced. What am I ‘All My Children’?! #ericakane #pshhh #ifihadadollarforeverytime …,” she tweeted . The pop princess and cheeky British comedian have been married since October 2010 . Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Katy Perry Related Artists Katy Perry Russell Brand
From ‘Harry Potter’ to ‘Drive,’ MTV News mourns — and praises — the year’s best fictional deaths. By Kevin P. Sullivan Fred Weasley die in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” Photo: Warner Bros It is traditional at the end of the year to look back on those we have lost in Hollywood. Usually this means a poignant montage of actors, actresses and crew members during the Academy Awards, but it should also be noted that plenty of fictional passings occurred in 2011 as well. They may have been memorable, sad, thrilling or even funny, but each movie death meant something, and if we were to look back on the characters that passed away this year, these are the five that would get the biggest applause. It should noted that this article contains nothing but spoilers. Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon in “X-Men: First Class”) All it took was a coin through the skull to remind us why Kevin Bacon should be in more movies. His character, Sebastian Shaw, lived large and in style, choosing a submarine as his method of world travel and double-breasted suits as his villainous costume. When Magneto finally met up with him to serve up some revenge extra cold, Shaw ate it in one of the most memorable scenes of 2011 . Fred Weasley (James Phelps in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2”) Many characters didn’t live to see the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, but none hurt as much as the demise of one half of the ginger-haired duo. George may have lost an ear in Part 1, but he lost a twin brother during the series finale, and we were there with him. At the very least, we can all remember the fun times we had together and rest assured that there is still one genetically identical person walking Diagon Alley. Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow in “Contagion”) The look of terror on Paltrow’s face from the trailer may rank among some of the year’s most horrifying movie images. Beth Emhoff’s death early in the film starts the chain reaction that sets the film’s wheels in motion, but none of the millions of the deaths caused by the virus are shown with as much intimacy. She may have been patient zero, but she’ll always be #1 in our hearts. Shannon (Bryan Cranston in “Drive”) Bryan Cranston’s Shannon didn’t have much time to accept his fate, and neither did we. Before we knew it, Bernie Rose (played by Albert Brooks) had declared it “over.” Even the toughest of moviegoers had to flinch at the sight of the razor blade cutting through the neighborly mechanic’s arm. Shannon added both comic relief and charm to a movie that benefitted so greatly because of it. Planet Earth in “The Tree of Life” and “Melancholia” The character we’re all closest with bit the dust not once but twice this year at the movies. It’s never an easy thing, watching the planet you’ve grown up on destroyed, just ask Princess Leia. But never has the destruction of our home world been shown with as much stunning cinematography as it was in mouth of these art house hits. Stick with MTV News as we count down the Best of 2011 , including the top Artists , Songs , Live Performances and EDM Artists of the year. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos Best Movie Demises Of 2011
Fab rounds out his There Is No Competition mixtape series with third installment, in Mixtape Daily . By Rob Markman Fabolous Photo: MTV News Main Pick Headliners : Fabolous and DJ Drama Representing : Brooklyn, New York Mixtape : There Is No Competition III: Death Comes in 3’s Real Spit : Funeral Fab takes no days off — not even Christmas. On Sunday while many were celebrating the holidays with family, Fabolous decided to gift-wrap his latest mixtape and release it online as a free download. There Is No Competition III: Death Comes in 3’s is the third installment of the popular series that Fab and DJ Drama started in 2008. “The theme of There Is No Competition III, it has the subtitle Death Comes in 3’s, which plays along in the trilogy of this tape,” Fab told Mixtape Daily . The death-themed tape doesn’t disappoint. On “Black City,” Fabolous dons appropriate mourning attire and rides Tyga’s “Rack City” beat to take shots at his rap competitors. The killing spree continues on the Lloyd Banks-assisted “Get Down or Lay Down” when F-A-B-O spits, “Money over bitches, dirt on top of bitch, n—as/ Put you in ya place, it happens to be a ditch, n—a.” The Street Fam general calls upon more rap comrades on “B.E.T,” which features Styles P and Jadakiss, and then again on “Unf—witable” with Red Caf
Mother Monster was named Mayor Bloomberg’s special guest for the annual celebration. By James Montgomery Lady Gaga Photo: Joe Scarnici/ WireImage Back in May, ahead of the release of her Born This Way album, Lady Gaga described her hometown of New York City as her “husband,” and now, she’s been tapped to help her spouse ring in the New Year in the most traditional of ways: by dropping the ball in Times Square. Yes, according to The New York Post, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has named Gaga as his special guest at the City’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration, where she’ll ceremoniously push a Waterford Crystal button at 11:59 p.m., officially beginning the famed crystal ball’s descent over the raucous Times Square crowd. Shortly after the official announcement was made, Gaga took to her Twitter account to express her excitement, writing “I’m so looking forward to … dropping the Ball with Mayor Bloomberg! What an honor as a New Yorker!” Each year, Bloomberg chooses a guest to drop the ball and help usher in the New Year … though, to date, Gaga is his most, uh, unique pick: previous honorary button-mashers have included Bill and Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, Muhammad Ali and Rudy Giuliani. Of course, dropping the Times Square Ball — which this year is bedazzled with 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and carries the theme of “Let There Be Friendship” — isn’t Gaga’s only New Year’s Eve gig. She’ll also perform at two NYE celebrations: the 40th annual “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and, of course, the Japanese program “Kohaku Uta Gassen.” MTV will also be throwing a New Year’s Eve party of its own: “NYE in NYC 2010,” a performance-packed special featuring Demi Lovato, Mac Miller, Selena Gomez, J. Cole, Jason Der
MTV News counts down the most gripping, action-packed moments from ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Breaking Dawn,’ ‘Dragon Tattoo’ and more. By MTV News staff Daniel Radcliffe in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” Photo: Warner Bros Rare is the moviegoing experience after which you leave the theater having loved each and every frame that flashed onscreen. Even when talking about our 10 favorite films of the year , we didn’t love everything about them, just most everything. More often than not, however, a film’s success and sustainability can be attributed to a few brilliantly crafted key scenes or sequences. They are the moments that make us ooh and aah, laugh out loud, cringe or cover our eyes. In the spirit of the movie moments that have stuck with us and will continue to do so, here’s our list of the 10 best scenes from 2011’s new releases. SPOILERS ahead. 10. Ryan Gosling’s Airbrushed Abs Reveal, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” Let’s face it, ladies have been mooning away over Ryan Gosling since his star-making turn in “The Notebook.” And although the Hollywood heartthrob always looks good onscreen, we hadn’t seen him cash in on the whole dreamboat card until this year’s hit romantic comedy “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” When he removes his fancy dress shirt to reveal a ridiculously chiseled and tanned torso, he really does look Photoshopped, in the best way possible. — Kara Warner 9. The Hour-Long Fight, “13 Assassins” Takashi Miike’s play-out in two parts: one hour of build-up and one hour of bloody chaos. In an attempt to kill a corrupt ruler in feudal Japan, 13 samurai set the most violent version of a “Home Alone” house to trap the target and his entourage of 200 bodyguards. The result lasts an hour and engages you the entire time. — Kevin Sullivan 8. Bridge Fight in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” The latest, possibly greatest “Apes” movie was already one of the excellent surprises of the 2011 movie season even before the film reached its climax high atop the Golden Gate Bridge. The brillz apes take on the feckless cops in a fight scene that’s tense, cinematically creative and just beautiful to behold. Even more impressive than the throw-down itself is that director Rupert Wyatt manages to slip some genuine character drama into the mix without slowing down the action: Caesar, the ringleader of the simian uprising, goes from reluctant warrior to cold-blooded revolutionary when he finally realizes humans don’t give a hoot about his damn dirty kind. — Eric Ditzian 7. The Final Tap-Out, “Warrior” Sure, there are a few clich
‘My New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking … it’s a very dirty, filthy habit,’ Travie McCoy tells us. By Jocelyn Vena 50 Cent Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images Wondering what some of the biggest names in the music industry are resolving to do come 2012? Well, wonder no more. MTV News asked some of those folks just that, and they are dishing on what their New Year’s resolutions are for the next 12 months. “Ah man, so many. So many new things to work on myself. I just got to be conscious, more conscious of myself,” 50 Cent explained. “And try and be a better judge of character with others.” Gym Class Heroes frontman Travie McCoy seems to be taking a page from Fiddy’s handbook and looking to better himself in the new year. “My New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking … it’s a very dirty, filthy habit,” he said. “But not [only] is it my New Year’s resolution to quit, but it’s also my New Year’s resolution to get my friends to quit as well.” Common opened up about the philosophical goal he hopes to achieve in the coming year. “I haven’t thought deeply on it, but I would say I just want to be great at everything I do,” he said. “Greatness.” Some celebrities are planning to look inward in the new year, and others, it seems, want to physically broaden their horizons. Jill Scott said, “I’d like to visit Europe more often next year.” Meanwhile, Evanescence ‘s Amy Lee wants to travel in order to meet more of her devoted fans. “We’re gonna make it a goal to just go to all those countries where we have fans going, ‘Hey come to my country. You’ve never been here.’ That’s sort of our goal for next year is to go everywhere and tour all the places we’ve never been and see the world,” she said. “Have some fun.” Before making those resolutions a reality, many celebrities will be out and about on New Year’s Eve looking to break loose at a number of big New Year’s parties . And MTV will also be getting in on the fun during “NYE in NYC 2012,” which will feature Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Mac Miller and more. The show airs live at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday from Times Square, where the famous ball drops. Related Artists 50 Cent Common
Perez Hilton reports that January 24 episode includes a ‘Beat It’ and ‘Billie Jean’ mash-up. By Jocelyn Vena Darren Criss, Damian McGinty, Chord Overstreet, Mark Salling, Cory Monteith and Harry Shum Jr. perform on “Glee” Photo: Adam Rose / FOX “Glee” has already dedicated entire episodes to Madonna , Britney Spears and Lady Gaga , and come 2012, it’s the King of Pop’s turn. A rumored set list for the January 24 “Glee” Michael Jackson tribute episode has hit the Web, and it features some of the late singer’s greatest hits. Perez Hilton reports that 14 tracks have made the final cut, although the list has yet to be confirmed by anyone connected with the show. The set list (along with who will perform the track) reportedly includes “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ ” (Blaine), “Bad” (the New Directions and the Warblers), “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” (Finn and Rachel), “Smooth Criminal” (Santana and Sebastian), “Never Can Say Goodbye” (Quinn), “In the Closet” (Brittany and Santana), “We Are the World” (the New Directions and the Warblers), “Black and White” (Puck), “Ghost”/”Monster” (New Directions), “Beat It”/”Billie Jean” (Warblers), “The Way You Make Me Feel” (Kurt) and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (Artie). This is hardly the first time the show has paid homage to Jackson. Back in 2010, the New Directions performed his track “Thriller,” complete with zombie garb, during an episode that aired after the Super Bowl. The show has also previously covered “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” and “Man in the Mirror.” Back in 2010, the cast of the hit Fox show had only imagined what it would be like to have an entire episode dedicated to Jackson . “I would love to do a Michael Jackson episode,” Amber Riley told MTV News at the time. “You know, it’s so many [songs that I love], but my favorite song by him is ‘Human Nature.’ I love that song.” While Riley seemed psyched about the opportunity, castmate Jenna Ushkowitz found the possibility a little more daunting. “That’s a scary, scary episode to do,” she said. “[But] that would be absolutely amazing.” Are you happy with the rumored set list? What’s missing? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Photos Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos Related Artists Michael Jackson
‘Don’t be the first one on the dance floor,’ Zac Efron tells MTV News. By Christina Garibaldi Zac Efron Photo: MTV News New Year’s Eve is a night of celebration with family and friends, but it can also be one of the most-stressful nights of the year. Tough questions must be answered about what to do and what to wear in order to have a memorable end to the year. Well, we at MTV News can’t give you those answers, but with help from the stars of this year’s box office hit “New Year’s Eve,” we can tell you what not to do in order to avoid disaster as you ring in 2012. “[Don’t] plan an important evening,” Jessica Biel told us at the New York City premiere of “New Year’s Eve.” “Don’t do that, because it’s too much pressure. If you’re planning on having the best night of the year, you will have the worst night of the year. Do nothing, and then see what happens.” And it seems like co-star Abigail Breslin agrees that you can’t plan to have the perfect night. “[Don’t] put too much pressure on it; just let things happen, kind of like fate,” Breslin said. “Just let things go how they’re meant to go.” Director Garry Marshall has some advice for all those girls who are waiting for their New Year’s kiss: “Don’t wear a lot of lipstick, because with a little luck, they’re gonna kiss you, and you may kiss more than one guy!” Marshall said, laughing. If your plans entail heading out on the town, make sure you take Zac Efron’s advice before you bust out those dance moves. “Don’t be the first one on the dance floor — wait,” Efron said. “Let two people get out there, and then go get a circle going, then get it going, pop it out, Michael Jackson moves.” Still haven’t figured out your New Year’s plans? Check out MTV’s “NYE in NYC 2012” airing live at 11 p.m. ET/PT (10 Central) Saturday from Times Square. The event will be hosted by Demi Lovato and Tyler Posey with performances by Mac Miller, Selena Gomez, J. Cole and Jason Der
