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Nicki Minaj’s Swagger And Skills Make Her A Prime ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010’ Candidate

Fans decide our ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010′ — vote now! The winner will be revealed on July 25. By Shaheem Reid Nicki Minaj Photo: Johnny Nunez/ Getty Images “Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010” Candidate: Nicki Minaj Nicki Minaj is in the running for MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010” because of her massive attack — not her single of the same name , which came out earlier this year and has a big-budgeted video full of eye candy. Minaj’s appeal is about more than one song, more than one type of flow, more than one genre of music, even more than one gender. Her charisma and versatility have made her today’s face of female rap, but her appeal is universal. The Young Money MC has an army of female supporters she calls her “Harajuku Barbies” that are enthralled with her style and persona. The guys love her audacity and precision on the mic as well as her beauty. From Southside Queens to Down South in Atlanta, the New York native credits grinding down-bottom with helping to make her one of the most versatile MCs in the game right now. “[Lil] Wayne liked me,” Minaj told MTV’s “Sucker Free” backstage in Boston earlier this year. “He saw me on [“The Come Up”] DVD and he wanted a female for Young Money. I moved to Atlanta, me and Gucci [Mane] started working crazy. People started thinking I was a Down South girl. I feel more diverse because I did that — because I’m not a rapper that just stayed in Jamaica, Queens. It was a great thing. “Sometimes people see the glitz and the glamour. That’s why they envy you,” she added. “They don’t see three, four, five years ago. They don’t see when I was selling my mixtape for two dollars on Jamaica Avenue [in Queens]. They don’t see when I couldn’t get New York DJs — I lived in New York my whole life — to even play a song. At the end of the day, it’s all about hard work. You clearly see that hard work; that’s all it takes. If you really want it, direct your energy on positive sh– and it will happen.” She’s laced dozens of guest spots along preeminent spitters such as Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Ludacris, Jadakiss, and of course her Young Family members, and just like her skills on the mic, Nick’s work ethic can’t be questioned. She’s a fashion icon, a sex symbol, she appeals to men and women and she has a huge fan base. The only thing she’s lacking at this point is a debut LP. “I am still hungry,” Minaj, who says her main goal this summer is to sit in the studio and complete that album, said with a smile. “I’m not hungry in monetary way, I’m hungry like I wanna feel what its like to have 10 albums under my belt. I think when you’re a perfectionist — when you are an artist, you want to be great at your craft — sometimes it’s not about money. I feel like I’m still a new artist, I still gotta prove myself, I still have to prove myself to me that I can do this. The features are great — I thank all the artists that gave time, the opportunity to feature with them. But I’m Nicki Minaj, I’m capable of doing what they do. I just wanna get out here and prove it. The album is coming soon. Its something I can’t date. I’m not rushing it. The album will come when it’s ready, in its natural time.” Nicki and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010” — and the winner will be decided by you! Cast your vote for the “Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010” right here! The top five will be revealed beginning on July 19, and the winner will be announced on the “Sucker Free Summit” July 25! Related Artists Nicki Minaj

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Nicki Minaj’s Swagger And Skills Make Her A Prime ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010’ Candidate

Broken Social Scene Talk ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World’ Soundtrack

The Canadian indie-rock group was tapped to write songs for comic book flick’s fictional band Crash and the Boys. By Matt Harper Michael Cera in “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” Photo: Universal Pictures Broken Social Scene kicked off the summer by releasing their 4th studio album, the heavily anticipated Forgiveness Rock Record. But that’s not all the Canadian indie rock band has coming. While recording Forgiveness, they were also in Toronto, quietly working on music for “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” director Edgar Wright’s love letter to all things geeky. “I’m not allowed to say … I’m not allowed to tell you that it’s really f—ing fun,” frontman Kevin Drew joked when he and bandmate Charles Spearin stopped by the MTV News offices last month. Although the bandmembers were mostly tight-lipped about details surrounding their experience with Wright, we now know that Broken Social Scene created the music — the soundtrack’s official track listing was released this week — for one of the flick’s fictional onscreen bands, Crash and the Boys. For the uninitiated, the “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novels number five volumes, with a sixth (and final) book to be released on July 20. The stories center on a loveable Canadian slacker in his early-20s who falls in love with Ramona Flowers, a mysterious American recently relocated to Toronto. Scott wants to date Ramona but quickly learns that in order to do so — he’ll have to confront the ghosts of her past relationships by doing battle with her seven evil exes. Scott (played by Michael Cera) may be unemployed in the series, but like any good 20-something slacker he dabbles in music, playing bass in the band Sex Bob-Omb. And this is where Broken Social Scene collides with the comic book world. When the movie’s director and music supervisor Nigel Godrich first approached BSS, they assumed it was to ask the band to score the comic book flick. They were surprised to learn that Godrich actually wanted them to create a catalog for one of three bands that appear in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” “They chose Metric and ourselves to do music for the ‘bands’ that are represented in the film,” Drew told us in May of Wright and Godrich, a longtime Radiohead producer. “We were given the task to write four-second songs, so how the f— is that going to be anything like Broken Social Scene,” Drew laughed. Apparently, Godrich was impressed. He asked Drew and bandmate Brendan Canning to contribute to the film’s score too. “We never really told anyone about this, we just told our family and friends — but [Godrich] invited us to London,” Drew revealed at the time. “He’s putting together the whole soundtrack, so he’s been picking a lot of the bands he’s been playing with and musicians, and he asked us, which we were really honored [about].” As Drew pointed out, BSS weren’t the only group tapped to write music for the cinematic bands: Beck crafted songs for Sex Bob-Omb, while fellow Canadian rockers Metric recorded a tune for Scott Pilgrim’s rival band, Clash at Demonhead. (You can hear the track on Metric’s Facebook fan page.) Check out everything we’ve got on “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” For breaking comic book movie news, columns and more — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Photos ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World’ Related Artists Broken Social Scene

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Broken Social Scene Talk ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World’ Soundtrack

Game Opens Up About Reuniting With Dr. Dre For The R.E.D. Album

‘Dre’s a friend to me, so it was just, ‘Let’s go get it in,’ ‘ Game tells the AP. By Mawuse Ziegbe The Game Photo: Gallo Images/ Getty Images Although Dr. Dre is one of the biggest producers in the world, Game said that reuniting with The Chronic legend was just a matter of a phone call. The Cali MC said he and Dre started working together again on his upcoming The R.E.D. Album after the influential producer simply dialed him up. “Dre just called me one day, and he was like, ‘You wanna work?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah,’ and he’s like, ‘Come down.’ I’m like, ‘Cool, see you in 30,’ ” Game told The Associated Press. “That was it. Game and Dre back together again.” Dre and Game collaborated on the MC’s debut, The Documentary, when Game first joined the producer’s Aftermath label. Although Game told MTV News that he titled his follow-up, Doctor’s Advocate, to pay homage to and show his support for Dre , the Compton MC worked with a range of producers on his sophomore album. The MC also maintained that he didn’t miss working with the Doc on the 2008 album, LAX. Game said collaborating with Dre was a huge motivating factor in putting together his latest project. “The motivation is number one, and foremost is always my children and second just being back with Dre,” Game said. The MC, who is renowned for his infamous rivalry with fellow Dre prot

Diddy Set To Guest On ‘Entourage’

The Bad Boy mogul plays himself on HBO show. Lenny Kravitz and Mark Wahlberg also make cameos in episode, airing in August. By Mawuse Ziegbe Diddy Photo: Getty Images For its seventh season, HBO’s “Entourage” is enlisting a superstar who’s known for rolling with his own mega-entourage. Diddy will make a guest appearance on the series’ upcoming season, which kicks off June 27. The show’s creator, Doug Ellin, told EW.com that Diddy will appear as himself alongside “Entourage” executive producer Mark Wahlberg in an episode set to air in August. “Turtle [Jerry Ferrara] is starting a business, and he’s trying to get them to invest in it,” Ellin explained. “He’s going to a lot of people about this investment.” Diddy tweeted the news on Thursday and included a link to a story posted on AOL’s TheBoombox.com . Rocker Lenny Kravitz will also make a cameo in the star-packed episode. “Ari’s trying to trade favors,” Ellin revealed to EW.com of the plotline that finds Jeremy Piven’s hard-driving agent wheeling and dealing as usual. “He’s got to get Lenny to do a movie so someone else will do something for him.” Diddy won’t be the first hip-hop artist to show up on “Entourage”: Bow Wow played an up-and-coming comedian, 50 Cent taunted Turtle in a guest spot as a cocky driver and Snoop also did his thing on the HBO hit; the West Coast MC played himself. Wahlberg recently told MTV News the new season could be the setup for a much buzzed-about “Entourage” movie. “I am more focused on making that movie than my own films,” Wahlberg said. “I just think we can make a great movie. I think people always wanted [it] and have complained that the episodes are too short — they’ve always wanted more. I think we’re going to do it,” he said. “We just have to end strong, and this season is, by far, the best season so far.” Both Diddy and Kravitz have been making power moves in Hollywood. Kravitz gave a touching portrayal as a male nurse in the Oscar-winning drama “Precious” , and Diddy’s scene-stealing turn in this month’s “Get Him to the Greek” won raves from co-star Jonah Hill. Are you excited for a new season of “Entourage”? Which other rappers would you like to see make a cameo? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Diddy

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Diddy Set To Guest On ‘Entourage’

Drake Never Considered Changing Thank Me Later Release Date

‘If they got the music already, let’s let them listen to it,’ the Toronto MC recalls telling label after leak. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway Drake Photo: MTV News Back in April, Drake revealed June 15 would be the release date for his much-anticipated debut, Thank Me Later. But when his album leaked well before its expected delivery, the Toronto rapper was adamant that the album rollout plan remain unchanged. “They tried to force me into a situation — I’m not sure if it was the label — [but] somebody tried to force me into a situation and drop the album June 9,” Drake told MTV News earlier this week. “I really was like, ‘June 9 isn’t enough time to let them digest all the leaked music. If they got the music already, let’s let them listen to it. Let’s give them that two weeks to ride around to it and talk to their friends about it.’ ‘Cause that way when they show up to the store, there’s no pressure — you know what you’re buying. You’re just going to support an artist you love and music you believe in.” His strategy seemed to have paid off. Hundreds of fans lined up outside of a Best Buy store in Manhattan to meet the rapper, who showed up to greet them and sign their copies of Thank Me Later. “I got here at 3 in the morning,” Natalia Morales, the first female fan to meet Drake, told MTV News. “I’m ecstatic right now. I’m still shaking!” For his part, Drake is returning the “thank you” for all the adoration he’s received this week from fans, especially the die-hards who camped out overnight to buy his LP. “I have more than confidence in them,” he explained. “I have a relationship with them, I understand. I don’t ever for a second doubt them.” What do you think about Drake wanting fans to have time to enjoy his album once it leaked? Let us know in the comments! Don’t miss the “Drake: Better Than Good Enough” documentary , airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Drake We’re Thankful For Drake This Week! Related Photos Drake Takes Manhattan! Drake’s Style: From A To Drizzy Related Artists Drake

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Drake Never Considered Changing Thank Me Later Release Date

M.I.A. Calls Reaction To ‘Born Free’ Video ‘Interesting’

People react more to ‘tomato ketchup and fake blood’ than to clips of real violence, M.I.A. points out. By James Montgomery, with reporting by Akshay Bhansali M.I.A. Photo: MTV News In the days following its release in April, practically everyone weighed in on M.I.A.’s “Born Free” video , calling it everything from “unflinchingly, unapologetically real” to “exploitive and hollow.” It was polarizing, to be sure, but that was sort of the point: “Born Free” was clearly designed to elicit a response. But through it all, M.I.A. herself kept quiet about the video. Until Monday, when MTV News sat down with her to talk about a host of topics, including her new album, ///Y/ (due July 13), and the maelstrom of controversy created by “Born Free.” To hear her tell it, the reaction to the video wasn’t as much hurtful as it was fascinating. “It was just interesting at the time, for me, to see how the Internet works. Because I tweeted [a video purportedly showing the execution of Tamil separatists in Sri Lanka] a couple months before, and nobody really gave a sh–,” M.I.A. said. “And when there’s tomato ketchup and fake blood, people are like, ‘Oh my God, this is shocking!’ And it’s like, ‘It’s ketchup!’ [So] I think it’s interesting how we react to fiction and how we react to realism on the Internet.” Though her critics may have slammed the “Born Free” video, M.I.A. said that in the two months since it was released, the clip has only become more important. In fact, with its scenes of violence against ethnic minorities (in the video’s case, redheads) and its dark, paranoid tone, one might argue that it’s downright prescient. “Thinking about ‘Born Free,’ what, a month on, is interesting because, last week, I guess in [Texas,] they shot the Mexican kid,” she said, referring to the 15-year-old shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent earlier this month. “Or, think about the boat that went into [Gaza] with all the activists. … Since the video came out, there’s been events. “Or even yesterday, the story about the president being able to shut the Internet down with one button, the ‘kill switch,’ or whatever, which is all really interesting,” she added, talking about a bill being proposed that would allow the U.S. government greater control in the face of a major cyber-attack. (Bill co-sponsor Sen. Joseph Lieberman has said the term “kill switch” is an exaggeration.) “This is not some weird, crazy conspiracy theory, this is mainstream media,” M.I.A. argued. “I wish I was talking about way more underground theories, but [I’m] not, this is just me digesting what I see in the mainstream.” Has a video or song ever opened your eyes about real-world events? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Artists M.I.A.

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M.I.A. Calls Reaction To ‘Born Free’ Video ‘Interesting’

Taylor Swift Talks Nashville Flood Benefit With Miley Cyrus

‘Nashville is really being rebuilt, and everybody’s been so wonderful,’ Swift tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Taylor Swift Photo: MTV News On Tuesday night (June 22), Taylor Swift will be one of the many Nashville superstars on hand for Nashville Rising: A Benefit Concert for Flood Recovery . The singer, who lives in the area, will join the night’s hosts, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill , as they raise money to help the area devastated by floods earlier this spring. Swift said she and her band weren’t immune to the destruction. “The flood definitely affected all of Nashville. You know, for me, the fact that there were members of my band that lost their homes really affected me, because those are my friends,” she told MTV News. “Those are the people I call up as soon as we get home. The fact that it affected my band, that’s the most directly it affected me.” While some of her bandmates have struggled to get their feet back on the ground, Swift said, “Thankfully, my home wasn’t damaged, but seeing people that I’ve known for years trying to figure out where they’re going to stay, it was really painful to watch. Nashville is really being rebuilt, and everybody’s been so wonderful.” Swift, who donated $500,000 to help the area back in May, will be joined by fellow teen queen Miley Cyrus , who had her big Can’t Be Tamed coming-out party Monday night, as well as country stars like Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes, Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride. The show is set to take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Funds will go to the Community Foundation, which provides philanthropic services in Middle Tennessee. Share your well-wishes for the victims of the Nashville flood in the comments, and tell us how you’ve helped. Related Artists Taylor Swift Miley Cyrus

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Taylor Swift Talks Nashville Flood Benefit With Miley Cyrus

Dead Prez ‘Go In’ On New Gangsta Grillz Tape, DJ Drama Says

‘It’s some heat on there, man,’ Dram tells Mixtape Daily of Revolutionary but Gangsta Grillz. By Shaheem Reid Dead Prez i> Revolutionary but Gangsta Grillz cover Photo: Gangsta Grillz Don’t Sleep: Necessary Notables Headliners : Dead Prez and DJ Drama Mixtape : Revolutionary but Gangsta Grillz Essential Info : The red, black and green forever! M-1 and Stic.Man of Dead Prez are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their classic debut, Let’s Get Free, with a new mixtape in conjunction with DJ Drama. The street CD — which came out Tuesday (June 22) — also gives a nod to another classic of theirs, 2004’s Revolutionary but Gangsta. “The Dead Prez tape is called Revolutionary but Gangsta Grillz, ” Drama said Saturday in Atlanta, backstage at Birthday Bash 15. “I jumped on it. I remember when Dead Prez first came out. I did an interview with them, [during the] old ‘Soul in the Hole,’ Loud Records day. It’s a way for me to get in and do projects that people might not expect, but it’s still quality music. I take my brand where I want to. Dead Prez is definitely deserving of a Gangsta Grillz. It’s a good balance. “The guys go in on a lot of records,” Drama added. “The hits as well as some obscure joints. They had to go in on ‘Over.’ Drake borrowed the style; they took it right back. They did their thing. They went in on Gucci’s ‘Wasted.’ You’ll be surprised about that. They went in on a couple of instrumentals. It’s some heat on there, man.” Of course, the Drake track Dram refers to is the song “Far From Ova,” which is already on the Net. Last month, for Mother’s Day, Prez also released “The Beauty Within,” which uses the beat and reworks the hook from B.o.B’s “Nothin’ on You.” Other Heat This Week

Miley Cyrus’ MTV Live-Stream Show: The Good Girl Grows Up

During six-song set in L.A., singer speaks her mind and performs ‘Who Owns My Heart’ for the first time. By James Montgomery Miley Cyrus performs at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on Monday Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images Her new album is available now. She has a brash new attitude to go along with it. And both of those things were on display Monday night (June 21), as Miley Cyrus took to the House of Blues in Los Angeles for a live-streaming concert called, appropriately enough, “Miley Cyrus: Live in L.A.” Her six-song set — streamed on MTV.com — showcased songs from her just-released Can’t Be Tamed and gave the 17-year-old Cyrus a chance to get a bit rebellious, speaking her mind on a host of topics (including abusive relationships and gay rights), prowling the stage with purpose and even working a profanity or two into the mix. She kicked things off with the title track from Tamed, a strutting, steamy thing that saw her spitting lyrics, tossing her hair, popping her hips and even re-enacting the faux kiss she shared with a female dancer earlier this month on “Britain’s Got Talent” (though, perhaps in the spirit of equal opportunity, she also shared a fake smooch with a male dancer). But it wasn’t all sass. At song’s end, Cyrus showed off her pipes a bit too, extending a “knoooooow” to glorious lengths. That was followed by another Tamed track, “Who Owns My Heart” (which Cyrus introduced by telling the rapt audience that it was the first time she’d ever performed the track live), which galloped along on a shuffling beat and was given added punch thanks to the addition of a live band. There was some heavy panting from Cyrus and a big-time chorus — “Who owns my heart/ Is it love, or is it art?” — that had the crowd shouting along. Loudly. She changed things up a bit with “Liberty Walk,” a song she co-wrote and dedicated to “women who are stuck in abusive relationships … to empower them.” The song — which features a stomping beat and even a bit of rapping from MC — also gave her the chance to slip a couple of “sh–s” by the censors too … much to the delight of the audience. Up next was her cover of Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” which featured some genuinely windswept guitar work, but not Poison main man Bret Michaels (the two performed the tune together last week on “Good Morning America” ) though she did dedicate the song to him and urged the audience to “pray” for his continued health (she also said the song was her mom’s favorite). “Rose” was followed by the anthemic “Robot,” which saw the reappearance of her backup dancers, and then the MTV.com live stream ended with “Heart Beats for Love,” a power-packed ballad that Cyrus introduced by saying that she wrote it “mostly for my gay fans,” adding that she abhorred the fact that, “We have people on this earth who hate someone for loving another.” She then launched herself into the song, eyes closed, making a pair of peace signs with her hands, and by the time the tune had reached its crescendo, everyone in the audience was doing the same, showing (much like everything else on this night) not just the power and confidence of Cyrus’ new songs, but the sway she holds over her fans too. Sway she’s apparently decided to use for good. And, really, that speaks a lot louder than some fake girl-on-girl action any day of the week. What did you think of Miley’s six-song set? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Miley Cyrus Can’t Be Tamed World Album Premiere Live Related Photos The Evolution Of: Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus’ MTV Live-Stream Show Related Artists Miley Cyrus

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Miley Cyrus’ MTV Live-Stream Show: The Good Girl Grows Up

‘American Idol’ Singers Say Lee DeWyze, Tim Urban Will Have Most Groupies On Tour

‘Idol’ tourmates also told MTV News who’s the messiest of the bunch. By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Matt Elias Casey James and Siobhan Magnus Photo: MTV News By the time the “American Idol” finale rolled around on May 25, Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox had spent over four months living in Los Angeles and performing at the Nokia Theatre. In that time, the finalists and the rest of the aspiring singers got to know each other in a sort of reality show commune: living in the same hotel, rehearsing together, hanging out. They became a big family in many ways, and now they’re about to embark on a giant road trip as the “American Idol” tour kicks off on July 1 outside Detroit. And as this season’s contestants get set to travel the country — playing over 50 dates from coast to coast — they already know what to expect when it comes to the important aspects of a live tour: who’s going to be the messiest and who will have the most groupies. Not that they all agree. Casey James is convinced Aaron Kelly will have the most fans screaming his name. “He’s a chick magnet,” James told MTV News. Yet Kelly has a feeling Tim Urban will be the most groupie-centric “Idol”er. And who does Urban believe will be surrounded by the most screaming tweens? Put that question to the floppy-haired crooner-next-door and all he’ll offer is a sheepish, “Uhhhhh …” But who is the ultimate groupie-getter? The singers’ opinions are largely split between Urban and champ DeWyze. Ask DeWyze, though, and he’ll simply declare, “We’re all pretty different.” That may be true when it comes to their talents onstage, but many of them share one thing in common: They’re incredibly messy. Whose hotel room will be the most cluttered? Who will turn the tour bus into a garbage-strewn battleground? According to the singers, Bowersox is sloppy, Didi Benami is slovenly, Siobhan Magnus is untidy and Andrew Garcia is grubby. But, once again, DeWyze takes the crown, tagged as the messiest by no fewer than five of his cohorts. For his part, however, DeWyze is convinced another former “Idol” hopeful is the most unkempt. “Andrew Garcia!” he declared. “I’m gonna say that right now!” Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos American Idol Season Nine Cast Glam Up For Tour ‘American Idol’ Season-Nine Performances

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‘American Idol’ Singers Say Lee DeWyze, Tim Urban Will Have Most Groupies On Tour