Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ took home Best Video With a Message early Sunday night. By Eric Ditzian Lady Gaga Photo: Getty Images Lady Gaga — trailblazer in yet another pop culture realm! The singer’s “Born This Way” won the first-ever Moonman for Best Video With a Message at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday evening. “I’m really proud of the ‘Born This Way’ video, and for it to be nominated is an absolute honor,” Gaga earlier told MTV News. The winner of the Best Video With a Message award, devoted to videos where music and social activism unite with positive messages that delve into some of the biggest issues of the day, was announced during the black carpet Pre-Show — just one of a handful of early awards. Adele won big, taking home three professional awards. She bested Gaga, Katy Perry and Kanye West to win Best Art Direction for “Rolling in the Deep.” The Brit chanteuse’s video also took Editing (over ‘Ye and 30 Seconds to Mars) and Cinematography (over Beyonc
Brown’s ‘Look at Me Now,’ featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, is up for two Video Music Awards. By Jocelyn Vena Joe Jonas performs at the Lifebeat concert Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/ Getty Images Joe Jonas is set to present at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards , and he has a very specific job to do when the show goes live Sunday night (August 28) from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles: He’ll be supporting his “See No More” pal Chris Brown . “I’m gonna be introducing Chris Brown, his performance , which is going to be a lot of fun,” Jonas told MTV News at Saturday night’s Lifebeat concert , less than 24 hours until show time. “And to be able to work with Chris and see him perform, I love watching him play.” Years before the two would work together on Jonas’ Fast Life single, Brown made his star-making VMA debut four years ago, lighting up the show in sparkling Las Vegas. “I remember his VMA performance couple years back,” Jonas said. “It was unreal: Him dancing on the tables. [It] should be exciting to see him play again.” While fans went crazy for his 2007 performance, Brown is set to up the ante this year. Choreographers Rich and Tone recently dished to us that Brown plans to go hard when he takes the stage. “You’re definitely gonna see Chris Brown in a 1,000 percent mode,” Rich said. “Of course, everybody knows he can sing, he has great music, and aside from that, you’re going to see that he’s an amazing dancer.” In addition to performing, Brown is up for two Moonmen for Best Hip-Hop and Best Collaboration for his eye-catching Colin Tilley-directed “Look at Me Now” video, featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. 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 Videos 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Performers Related Artists Joe Jonas Chris Brown
An energetic Weezy is backed by a full band as he runs through his set for Sunday night. By Rob Markman Lil Wayne rehearses for the 2011 VMAs Photo: John Shearer / Wireimage.com LOS ANGELES — Fans were promised a rock-star-like Lil Wayne VMA performance , and judging from his stage rehearsal Saturday (August 27) at the Nokia Theatre, Weezy F. will deliver for Sunday’s big show. “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,” Weezy’s musical director Gil Smith told MTV News. “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.” Backed by a full band, the Cash Money Billionaire ran through his set, which included a heavy-metal take on one of his songs. The energetic MC bounced around the stage as he worked out the particulars, perfecting his set. After the awards show, Wayne’s C4 will be released at midnight on iTunes and other digital retailers before the physical CD version is dropped Tuesday. “The MTV Video Music Awards are one of the most watched and respected shows in the industry,” Ronald “Slim” Williams, CEO of Cash Money Records, said in a statement. “Wayne is one of the most respected and prolific artists in the industry. By pairing the release of Tha Carter IV with the VMAs, it will certainly add to the overall anticipation and excitement for fans everywhere for what will surely be an unforgettable evening.” 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 Videos 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Performers Related Artists Lil Wayne
‘She probably gonna kill it,’ Chiddy Bang’s Xaphoon Jones predicts. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Adele in her video for “Rolling in the Deep” Photo: Columbia LOS ANGELES — Chiddy Bang won’t be performing at this year’s big show, but the hip-hop breakout duo got a chance to warm things up alongside Swizz Beatz at the Taco Bell Feed the Beat MTV2 VMA concert on Friday at the Music Box. And when asked which act they were most excited to see at Sunday’s Video Music Awards , both group members agreed that Adele tops the list. “Man, we saw Adele at the Brit Awards in the U.K., which is like the British Grammy Awards, and she just made everyone weep with her strong vocals,” the group’s MC, Chiddy, told MTV News’ Sway. The other half of Chiddy, producer Xaphoon Jones, also recalled the February awards show, which featured performances by Tinie Tempah, Cee Lo Green, Rihanna and Adele, who sang “Someone Like You,” the second single from her wildly successful 21 album. “Adele just came out there with just a piano, and she was just making obese, grown British men just cry. It was unbelievable,” Jones said, before speculating on what the British singer might do at the VMAs. “She probably gonna kill it again.” The “Rolling in the Deep” singer’s spirited stage show has provided some unique inspiration for Chiddy Bang. “That’s something I aspire to down the road,” Xaphoon joked, “I just want to make British dudes cry, pretty much.” 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 MTV Video Music Awards Performers Related Artists Chiddy Bang Adele
‘Two of the best-dressed men in the business, what more can you ask for?’ Ne-Yo teases to MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Ne-Yo and Pitbull rehearse for the 2011 VMAs Photo: John Shearer/Wireimage.com Ne-Yo is set to take the stage this Sunday at the 2011 Video Music Awards , but he’s not going it alone. He’ll be up there to assist his pal Pitbull on their hit “Give Me Everything.” Ne-Yo spoke to MTV News at the Nokia Theatre, where the show is set to go live tomorrow night, and he couldn’t hide his excitement about getting to take the VMA stage. The video for the song, which also features Nayer and Afrojack, is also up for Best Pop Video and Best Collaboration. “This is my first time performing at the VMAs, so this is going to be big,” he pledged. “This was the show where, before I made it, where I was like, ‘When I make it, yeah, I definitely got to do that one.’ ” He continued, “And I’m here. I’m happy. I’m definitely beyond happy. I’m gonna maintain; very ecstatic to be here.” So, what should fans expect? “We have some backup dancers: one or two or 60,” Ne-Yo teased. “And two of the best-dressed men in the business, what more can you ask for?” While Pitbull and Ne-Yo are certain to make the Nokia their own party central, they’re not the only big names on the roster of VMA performers. Lady Gaga, Adele, Bruno Mars, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown and Young the Giant are all set to take the stage as well. 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 Video Music Awards: The People’s Voice 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes Related Photos 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Performers 2011 Video Music Award Nominees Related Artists Ne-Yo Pitbull
Take a look at the nitty-gritty details of transforming a hotel lobby into an intergalactic fantasia. By Gil Kaufman Crew members assemble the 2011 VMA black carpet Photo: MTV News LOS ANGELES — It takes an army to build the massive set for the 2011 VMAs . And over the course of the last week, that tireless militia has been working around the clock to transform the lobby of the J.W. Marriott hotel in downtown Los Angeles into the intergalactic fantasia that will greet stars on Sunday night. The production has taken over just about every corner of the lobby, with lighting designers hanging a series of shimmering white curtains laced with more than 300 twinkly lights over a space that was previously a couch-filled lounging area. They’ve also laid down more than 12,000 square feet of black carpet throughout the lobby, covering the nearly 18,000 square feet of real estate the hotel has ceded to the production. Watch the black-carpet live stream to see the action as it unfolds! The first thing fans will see when they tune in to the VMA pre-show is the space-age “portal” celebs will be stepping through, a series of four undulating white shapes, the tallest of which is more than 16 feet high. That will eventually lead them to a 100 -foot long, glittering paparazzi plaza, where the night’s biggest names will face a sea of flashes. That space will be blazed by 1,700 silver-tipped incandescent bulbs that will light up the A-listers for their close-ups. VMA pre-show production designer Scott Storey promised that viewers at home would not see the same old “step-and-repeat” space they always get at the average awards show, and he wasn’t kidding. His vision of eight rib-cage-like towers that will “hug” the talent loom large, their wavy forms broken up by more than 40 pop-art-esque angular “pow” signs for this year’s awards show. The production crew also ensured that the whole thing would look fabulous by laying sheets of black plastic over more than 300 windows and doors on the front and back of the hotel. 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 Live Video From The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Red Carpet Related Photos 2011 Video Music Award Nominees
REO beat was passed up by Kanye West, Nas and Drake before ending up on VMA performer’s album, in Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman Lil Wayne Photo: MTV Behind the Beats: Ramon “REO” Owens As an up-and-coming producer, having Kanye West, Nas and Drake pass up on your beats can be dejecting, but Ramon “REO” Owens proves that persistence pays. After crafting a beat nearly three years ago, the 30-year-old finally got his instrumental placed on Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV as the deluxe bonus track “Mirror,” featuring Bruno Mars. “Kanye heard it, Drake heard it, and it already had the Bruno [hook],” he said. “Basically, Nas had it for a while, and it just ended up in the hands of Wayne and he loved it.” With the help of Atlantic Records A&R Mike Caren, REO, who producers in tandem with his group the Soundkillers, was able to get his beat in the hands of some heavy-hitters. Originally, his goal was to land placement on ‘Ye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy but had to settle for Tha Carter IV instead. REO said his placement boiled down to one thing: luck. “It’s to the point that they record so many songs over the time period that they’re making the album, so you just hope to God that your song resonates with everybody that has to yes it,” he told Mixtape Daily. While many online reports are crediting Bruno Mars’ production outfit the Smeezingtons with production on the track, REO insists that by the time Tha Carter IV is released at midnight after the VMAs — where Wayne will also perform — and the CD’s liner notes revealed he will be properly credited as the producer and the Smeezingtons as writers on the song. Though REO was informed that his song had made the album, he didn’t believe it until C4 leaked Wednesday, and he still doesn’t quite believe it. “I’m still kinda paranoid until I pick up that damn CD myself,” he said. On the aptly titled track, Wayne gets reflective. The sample-free instrumental features an eerie wail in the background and a smothered kick- and snare-drum pattern. Its appeal isn’t in its intricacy, but rather in its driving emotion. “I had to listen to it a few times because I’ve just been hearing my beat for so many years, and I was like, ‘Yo, this guy got off on that sh–,’ ” he said of Wayne’s performance. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . 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 MTV News Extended Play: Lil Wayne 2011 VMAs: Behind The Scenes 2011 VMA Performer Playlist: Lil Wayne Related Artists Lil Wayne
Stephen Moyer and director Matthew Parkhill recall the eerie occurrences on the film’s Puerto Rico set. By Josh Wigler Stephen Moyer in “The Caller” Photo: Samuel Goldwyn Films There are probably are stranger, scarier things in the universe than a mystery woman from the past who can cross the space-time continuum to obsessively call your home telephone for hours and days and weeks on end. But the idea is plenty creepy as the premise of “The Caller,” director Matthew Parkhill’s indie thriller starring “Twilight” villainess Rachelle Lefevre and “True Blood” vamp Stephen Moyer. In “The Caller,” Puerto Rico resident Mary Kee (Lefevre) moves into a new home following a nasty separation from her abusive husband (“Eureka’s” Ed Quinn), only to find an even more harrowing nemesis in Rose (Lorna Raver), an unhinged and disgruntled woman living in the late 1970s. Rose somehow has the ability to call Mary’s new phone number some 30 years into the future, a seemingly impossible sci-fi feat that leaves our protagonist skeptical, frustrated and frightened in turns. When Mary’s patience for Rose’s hysteria wears thin, she learns the hard lesson that scorning a deranged woman who lives in the past can be hazardous for your health. Though it boasts a sinister plot, it was actually the behind-the-scenes mysteries that raised the hair on the backs of the “Caller” cast and crew’s necks throughout the film’s 23-day shoot. “Sometimes a shoot will take on its own energy,” Moyer, who plays Mary’s love interest and resident time-travel expert John Guidi, told MTV News. “Every day, something was happening. Things were breaking, film missing, scratches on necks … it just became this regular occurrence. Even after I left the shoot, me and Matthew and Rachelle would speak regularly, and there would be bits and pieces happening on a regular basis: phone calls coming in from people, literally prank phone calls. It was an odd, odd thing.” Parkhill said that screenwriter Sergio Casci was convinced there was a “curse of ‘The Caller.’ ” But the director doesn’t much believe in curses himself, though even he admitted to “weird” and “unsettling” occurrences. “We dressed Mary’s living room with these old National Geographic magazines, and one of them fell open to this page where there were three corpses hanging in this old room, that were identical to the three corpses hanging in our pantry,” said Parkhill, referring to a trio of bodies that play a pivotal role in the horror film. “Then when we were shooting in a supermarket, we moved one of the supermarket shelves and there was an old bottle of perfume that had cracked which was labeled ‘Rose,’ which is [the name of the film’s villain].” In the end, none of these eerie events was powerful enough to derail production on “The Caller,” which opens in limited release on Friday (August 26). But that doesn’t mean that the alleged curse of “The Caller” doesn’t still rear its head from time to time. The press junket held in San Juan earlier this week just so happened to coincide with the presence of Hurricane Irene in Puerto Rico, a threat that is now storming its way up the East Coast. As a result of the storm, certain parts of Puerto Rico — including the hotel that housed the “Caller” cast and crew for the week — were left almost entirely without power for multiple days. “It feels particularly fitting that we’re in the middle of a hurricane,” Moyer told MTV with a grin. “There’s no power. Last night, after we all left the bar, we had to go back to [our rooms] with flashlights. It’s literally pitch black in the hotel. You’ve just watched a horror film, which is pretty scary, and you’re going into your room with a flashlight and you can’t see anything. I think all of us went through some moments last night thinking, ‘This is it. My time is up! Somebody’s going to jump out of the cupboard!’ ” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Caller.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
‘He’s pulling out all his tricks on this one,’ chorographers Rich and Tone say of Breezy’s Sunday-night performance. By Rob Markman Chris Brown at the 2007 VMAs Photo: Getty Images Chris Brown stole the show in Las Vegas with his table-hopping performance at the 2007 VMAs, and he’s been a tough act to follow ever since. But now he faces an even bigger challenge: topping himself. As they prepare Breezy’s moves for the 2011 VMAs , veteran chorographers Rich and Tone are confident he’ll pull it off on Sunday night. “You’re definitely gonna see Chris Brown; in a 1000 percent mode,” said Rich of CB’s plans. “Of course everybody knows he can sing, he has great music, and aside from that, you’re going to see that he’s an amazing dancer.” It’s still anyone’s guess which of song (or songs) the pragmatic dance machine will perform, but his latest album F.A.M.E. has produced a number of hits, including “Deuces,” the Michael Jackson-inspired “She Ain’t You” and his Best Collaboration-nominated single “Look at Me Now” with Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. Any one of those aforementioned tracks is an option, or he could do a medley that includes multiple chart-toppers. Rich and Tone, who choreographed this year’s routine as well Chris’ 2007 stage show, remained tight-lipped about what Breezy’s stage will look like, but the veteran dancers are impressed with what they’ve seen in rehearsals so far. “We’ve been working with Chris for many years; I’ve never seen him this way on this performance ever,” Tone teased. “He’s pulling out all his tricks on this one. He’s definitely gonna show you something fresh and new; something he has never done before.” But can Chris Brown top ’07’s display where he sang his single “Wall to Wall” while hoping table-to-table, incorporating the audience into his now classic routine? “It’s hard top yourself, but that’s the goal that we’re trying to hit,” Tone said. “So, yes, it’s a yes to that question, we are trying to top the 2007 performance.” 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 Chris Brown
Collaborator/ tour opener says Brit’s ‘catchy’ catalog is perfect for Sunday’s tribute. By Kelley L. Carter, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi Britney Spears performs at the 2001 VMAs Photo: Getty Images Fans are eagerly anticipating the Britney Spears tribute at Sunday’s Video Music Awards — and you can count Sabi among those die-hards. Spears’ Femme Fatale Tour opening act and “(Drop Dead) Beautiful” collaborator said it’s definitely fitting that Spears will be feted at the awards show. “I think it’s awesome,” the singer/songwriter told MTV News. “I personally have been able to watch firsthand how she’s worked her butt off. She’s been in the game for a minute. She’s an icon. It’s well overdue.” Go behind the scenes as Britney films her 2011 VMA promo. So what Spears songs would Sabi like to see in the tribute? Her picks: “I’m Slave 4 U,” “Toxic” and Brit’s breakout hit, ” … Baby One More Time.” “She has so many catchy, great records,” she added. As for Spears herself, she told MTV News that her favorite VMA memory was that infamous lip-lock with Madonna back in 2003. “My greatest experience — probably being with Madonna,” she told MTV News. “The kiss was amazing. … Being onstage with someone of that caliber is just iconic.” Spears is up for two Moonmen at the 2011 VMAs, including Best Pop Video and Best Choreography. Sabi will get her first taste of the VMAs when she performs the dance hit “You Make Me Feel … ” with Cobra Starship during the VMA Pre-Show . “I always say this: Like, someone needs to pinch me,” Sabi said of performing as part of the show. “Just know that the guys and the one girl, we’ve all performed a bunch of times with each other and just know that this is going to be different than anything I’ve ever done.” 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 Britney Spears: VMA Blast From The Past Related Artists Britney Spears
Breaking Sports Video
