Kim Kardashian predicts Katy Perry will win Video of the Year at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT. By Kara Warner Bruno Mars Photo: MTV All of the categories for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards are competitive, but none more so than the eclectic group vying for Sunday night’s biggest prize: Video of the Year. The 2011 nominees for Video of the Year are: Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Related Videos 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes VMA 2011: Video of the Year Nominees Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees Related Artists Bruno Mars Beastie Boys Adele Katy Perry
‘We are going to try and raise alot of money this year for charity!’ teen pop star tweets about next project. By Terri Schwartz Justin Bieber Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images Beliebers have more to look forward to this holiday season than just chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Justin Bieber announced Thursday (August 25) on Twitter that he’ll be releasing his first Christmas album later this year. “So it’s true…been in the studio doing something special for christmas. we are going to try and raise alot of money this year for charity!” the 17-year-old Canadian pop star tweeted . This will be Bieber’s second studio album, since his first release, My World, was technically an EP. Barring the release of Never Say Never — The Remixes, which featured the new single “Never Say Never,” this will be the first new music Bieber has released in more than a year. He didn’t share whether he will be collaborating with any other artists on his holiday record or when fans can expect it to hit stores. Bieber is no stranger to using his musical talents for charitable causes. In 2010, he took part in “We Are the World 25” alongside Miley Cryus, Kanye West and Lil Wayne. Bieber has supported charities like Give Back Hollywood, Jumpstart and Children’s Miracle Network in the past, though he did not specify which charity he would be donating the proceeds of his Christmas album to in his tweet. The “Baby” crooner isn’t the only artist to announce a Christmas album recently. Zooey Deschanel shared the news over Twitter earlier this month that her band She & Him will be releasing their first holiday album — and third album overall — later this year. In addition, Bieber’s fellow Canadian Michael Bubl
We look back at the 2.3 million Bieber, Jared Leto and garbage-bag-dress tweets sent during last year’s show. By Kara Klenk Lady Gaga at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com With outrageous moments, surprise performances and meat-clad pop stars, the Video Music Awards undoubtedly leave many Twitterers nursing thumb cramps on Monday morning. As the tweeting community continues to grow exponentially each year, the VMAs drive even more activity and trends. Last year, the second in which we used the VMA Twitter Tracker, there were approximately 2.3 million VMA-related tweets sent during the East and West Coast broadcasts. Looking back at what people were the big trends were that night provides a pretty accurate picture of the big show’s onstage spectacles. On average, Lady Gaga was the subject of 9,200 tweets per minute (which, for Gaga, was probably a barely noticeable bump). Her meat-purse holder, Cher, was also popular that night as the subject of 7,100 tweets per minute. She was followed by Eminem, with 5,000 tweets per minute, and Rihanna, who had 4,700 tweets per minute. Here are a few other interesting stats from 2010 VMAs trending topics. Maybe they’ll give us hints about what people will be talking about during this Sunday’s show. 30 : Number of VMA-related topics trended from 8-11 p.m. ET. This doesn’t even include topics that blew up after the show like meat dress, BornThisWay, and Lady Gaga Wins. 21 : Number of these 30 topics that trended for an average of just 20 minutes (including white carpet, Drizzy Drake, #ifbiebermetgaga), a testament to the short attention span window on Twitter. 5 : Number of topics that were a celebrity’s misspelled name (Nicki Manaj, Chelsey Handler, Justin Beibers). Poor Nicki also trended as Niki Minaj, never as her correct name. 7 : Number of trends regarding Lady Gaga, the most of any celeb. Bieber came in second as the subject of five. 5 : Number of topics involving celeb fashion, including Varsity Jacket, Garbage Bag Dress, Lady Gaga’s Shoes. 120 : Number of minutes Jared Leto trended, the longest of any trend that evening. Go, Echelon! The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Videos VMA 2010: Twitter Trends Related Photos Related Artists 30 Seconds To Mars Lady Gaga
‘Within that 20 to 30 seconds, somebody hopped in my car and drove off,’ Best New Artist nominee reveals. By Kara Warner Big Sean Photo: MTV News Rising star and Best New Artist VMA nominee Big Sean might be riding high these days, but in the new episode of “When I Was 17,” airing Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV, the G.O.O.D. Music MC reveals a not-so-starry moment from his teens. “When I was 17, I got a brand-new 2005 Chevy Impala. I was one of the only people with a new car so I was definitely enjoying it, having fun,” Sean recalled. “One day outside my house, you know sometimes when you’re blocked in, you have to move cars out the driveway and move them back in? I was just trying to hurry up and do it, so I left my car running, hopped out my and car hopped into another car to pull it into the driveway,” he explained. “Within that 20 to 30 seconds, somebody hopped in my car and drove off. I’m like ‘Mom! Mom! Mom! Somebody stole my car!’ I was thinking, ‘Damn, I f—-d up.’ ” The Detroit native said that he and his mother called the police, but due to the number of carjackings in the area, their request wasn’t considered a high priority. “I had a tracking device on my car,” Sean said. “And we still couldn’t find my car.” One 2005 Chevy Impala aside, the “Finally Famous” lyricist hasn’t experienced the loss of any other prized possessions. For now he is focused on his music, and his first-ever VMA nomination. “Man, I was hype as hell,” Sean told MTV News upon learning of his nomination for Best New Artist . “I called my mom at like midnight. I was in Charlotte [North Carolina] the night when I found out, and I called my mom and I woke her up,” he revealed. “I’m excited. Hopefully, it’s gonna be a good night.” “When I Was 17” — this week featuring VMA nominees Big Sean, Tyler, the Creator, and Kreayshawn — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Artists Big Sean
Timbaland and singers Dev and Iyaz will also appear on the 15-song set, which drops on September 20. By James Dinh Demi Lovato Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage Demi Lovato wasn’t kidding when she teased some star-studded collaborations for her comeback album Unbroken. On Tuesday, the Disney star revealed on her website that her upcoming set (due September 20) will include musical pairings with Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Jason Der
R&B artist Syl Johnson alleges Watch the Throne track samples his ‘Different Strokes’ without permission By Alvin Blanco Jay-Z and Kanye West Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage Def Jam’s lawyers are about to get busier. According to a post on “archival record label” and publisher the Numero Uno Group ‘s blog, acclaimed R&B/soul singer Syl Johnson is considering a lawsuit against the Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West) for an uncleared sample of one of his songs on their album Watch the Throne. A sample of Johnson’s 1967 song “Different Strokes,” which appears on the track “The Joy,” was allegedly never properly cleared. “Two decades and several lawsuits later, Syl Johnson is a veteran of copyright infringement cases, and has done very well for himself clearing samples from his fertile catalog (we’re glad to say we’ve helped him with a few) for use in numerous tracks,” reads part of the post. “He’s been amply paid, as he is quick to boast in his concerts, by acts like Wu-Tang Clan, Kid Rock, and Michael Jackson. Other performers … have not been so respectful.” The post, titled “Syl Johnson vs Kanye West/Jay-Z,” goes on to say that the Numero Uno Group reached out to Def Jam’s business department about clearing “The Joy” after Syl Johnson had gotten wind of the song. Last year, the Pete Rock-produced tune (Kanye West is credited as producer along with Mike Dean and Mike Bhaskar) was part of the G.O.O.D. Fridays series of leaks. Although originally intended to be included on West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy , the sample was unable to be cleared in time to make the album (though an agreement was apparently reached for its use). Negotiations stalled due to the fact that the song was not actually being sold. However, “The Joy” recently reappeared as a bonus cut on the deluxe edition of Watch the Throne. The Numero Uno Group points out that in the credits for Watch the Throne, they are erroneously identified as the publishers of Syl Johnson’s “Different Strokes.” “Wondering why we weren’t consulted on this new use, and baffled why we appear in the credits, for which we never asked, we contacted the sample clearance house,” continued the post. “Even they cannot get a response from their own clients. Island Def Jam seems to think that Syl doesn’t have any fight left in him. We’re betting otherwise.” Since the song appears on an album that is being sold — Watch the Throne has already gone gold, selling more than 600,000 units to date — Johnson is expected to be properly compensated for the use of his song, whether via a lawsuit or some sort of settlement. Messages to Def Jam representatives for comment were not returned as this story went to press. Related Videos Welcome To Jay-Z And Kanye West’s ‘Watch The Throne’ Week Related Artists Kanye West Jay-Z
‘I think they’ve helped us tremendously,’ actor tells MTV News of hip-hop community’s support of 1983 movie. By Rob Markman Al Pacino Photo: MTV News LOS ANGELES — Hard to believe, but when Brian De Palma’s “Scarface” was released in 1983, it wasn’t the beloved cult classic it is now. Critics panned the underworld drama in which actor Al Pacino played Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who went from dishwasher to cocaine drug lord. Today, the film lives in infamy with its ultra-violent-yet-indelible scenes and quotable one-liners like “Say hello to my little friend.” Most of the appreciation and film’s support has come from rappers, a fact not lost on Pacino. “The hip-hop people and the rappers got together and they made a video and they talked about the movie. I don’t think anybody’s ever talked about it as articulately and clearly. I understood it better having heard them talk about it,” Pacino told MTV News on the red carpet for a party celebrating the Blu-ray release for “Scarface” on Tuesday night. “I mean, they really get it and they understand it, and that’s a great thing. They’ve been very supportive all these years. I think they’ve helped us tremendously.” The documentary Pacino referred to is 2003’s “Scarface: Origins of a Hip-Hop Classic.” In it, rappers like Diddy, Nas and Snoop Dogg analyze the movie’s impact. The 71-year-old actor likens rap’s affinity for his film with his appreciation for the 1932 original version of “Scarface.” “When I saw it for the first time — and I don’t mean mine, I mean Paul Muni’s from [the] 1930s — I had that feeling about it too,” he said. “Anything when the hero is just reaching for something.” Ultimately, Pacino believes the appeal of his character lies in his desire to make something out of nothing — a mantra rappers have been preaching since the 1980s. “Man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for? That’s a great expression, and I think that’s Tony Montana,” Pacino poetically explained. “Reaching for something he can’t get but he keeps going. There is an element of hope in it, believe it or not.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Scarface.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
‘Knowing Wayne, he might just stroll across the stage on a skateboard,’ Gil Smith laughs to MTV News. By Rob Markman Lil Wayne Photo: MTV Forget “How to Love,” Lil Wayne sure knows how to seize a moment. On Sunday, Weezy will hit up the VMAs in hopes of scoring a Moonman for his “6 Foot 7 Foot” video. He’ll also grace the stage for a performance , and then about an hour after the big show wraps, the Young Money CEO will release his highly anticipated Tha Carter IV album at midnight . Big night, indeed. As for rocking the VMA stage, with such an extensive catalog, Lil Tunechi could go for any number of songs. Will he croon out “How to Love,” or invite Drake onstage for their recently released C4 single “She Will” ? Maybe Wayne will do a medley that includes Rick Ross for a performance of “John” and DJ Khaled for “I’m On One.” There are so many possibilities. Weezy’s musical director Gil Smith wouldn’t confirm any specific details, but he hinted to MTV News that the multifaceted rapper might pull any combination of tricks from his sleeve. “We’ve been brainstorming and taking from things that we put together on the road, so I think they can just expect a new and improved Wayne, a different Wayne,” Smith said. “You know, he always comes different: one day he’s a rock star, one day he’s a skater; he’s singing R&B. I think we can expect a little bit of everything in this performance.” Smith, who has been touring with Wayne since 2008, helps the “A Milli” MC realize his tour dreams and heads the live band on the I Am Still Music Tour . But one thing he hasn’t helped Wayne with is his skills on the skateboard. This past Sunday, the rapper took a spill while skating and had to get nine stitches. He isn’t shying away from the half-pipe, however. “Thx to u all for the concern but pls know that I will eventually take even harder falls if I wanna get better,” he tweeted a day after the accident. So maybe Wayne will dust himself off and kick-push his way across the VMA stage. “You know what? He just might. Knowing Wayne, he might just stroll across the stage on a skateboard,” Smith said with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he did it.” What do you hope Wayne performs at Sunday’s VMAs? Share your wish list in the comments! The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Videos 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees Related Artists Lil Wayne
‘It was necessary, because these are the things that happen in real life,’ director Chris Robinson tells MTV News. By Rob Markman Lil Wayne Photo: MTV News The lyrics of Lil Wayne’s ballad “How to Love” are probably best described as romantically tragic, but after Weezy premiered the video online Wednesday, the song took on a more dire meaning. The Chris Robinson-directed clip tells the story of an abused mother, who unintentionally leads her daughter to relive her own vicious cycle. “I have a daughter, Wayne has a daughter, and he really wanted to tell the story,” Robinson told MTV News. “We were talking about statistics of abuse in our community. We were talking about really telling this story for every young woman in the world.” The video follows the life of a mother, who is beaten by her boyfriend while her baby daughter watches. As the little girl grows older, she visits her father in prison, and then as a preteen, she is molested by one of her mother’s lovers. From there, the young lady, played by model/actress Chanta Patton, grows up to become a stripper and eventual prostitute who contracts HIV. The cautionary clip is heavy in its message and not necessarily easy to watch. It wasn’t easy to film, either; Robinson talked about the difficulty of filming the molestation scene, where we see the young girl wearing pigtails trying to fight off her adult attacker. “That was a harsh scene; it was difficult for us to shoot,” the director said. “It was necessary, because these are the things that happen in real life. And you can see the trajectory of where that took her.” The video in some ways is reminiscent of TLC’s 1995 video for “Waterfalls,” in which the song drives a narrative with a deep message. Weezy’s performance shots are almost an afterthought. “Speaking to Wayne, his performance — actually seeing him — was secondary to him,” Robinson explained. “He really wanted to communicate what his thought was, what he really felt when he wrote these lyrics, and that was the priority for us.” In fact, it was the rapper’s lyrics that drove the story home. Key scenes fell in sync with Tunechi’s rhymes. “For me, I think Wayne’s performance, we really showed him when he said these poignant lines, things that really connected,” the director explained. “The concept is more a narrative. It’s a story about two paths in someone’s life and how one small choice that you make can affect your whole life.” Lil Wayne, who hits the stage as a performer at Sunday’s VMAs , will drop Tha Carter IV at midnight after the big show. The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year’s highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com . Related Artists Lil Wayne
Watch the Throne stays at #1, despite 59 percent drop in sales. By Aly Semigran Jay-Z and Kanye West Photo: Getty Images After an impressive debut week on the Billboard 200 chart, Kanye West and Jay-Z ‘s collaborative effort Watch the Throne, will once again sit at the top. Adding to the 436,000 copies they sold last week, the hip-hop dynamos moved another 177,000 this week, bringing their current total to 613,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures. While the Throne won’t get bragging rights to 2011’s biggest first-week seller on the Billboard charts (that honor still belongs to Lady Gaga), they successfully beat Coldplay’s Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends record for one-week sales on iTunes. And needless to say, they’ve claimed the #1 spot on iTunes once again. Though the second week of Watch the Throne saw a 59 percent drop in sales, it was enough to hold off chart newcomers. None of the week’s debuts saw six-digit sales, and only two will crack the top 10: Life at Best from country’s Eli Young Band at #6 (35,000) and the latest “Twilight” soundtrack favorite Blue October , Any Man in America at #8 (27,000). Other notable newcomers include rockers Breaking Benjamin ‘s Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin at #22 (14,000) and actor Jeff Bridges ‘ self-titled record, which places at #25 (13,000). The rest of this week’s top 10: Adele ‘s 21, (#2, 80,000), Now That’s What I Call Music 39 (#3, 63,000), Luke Bryan ‘s Tailgates & Tanlines (#4, 53,000), Jason Aldean ‘s My Kinda Party (#5, 37,000), Eric Church ‘s Chief (#7, 31,000), Beyonc
