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Jay Electronica Forges His Own Path As ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Candidate

Fans decide our ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010’ — vote now! The winner will be revealed on July 25. By Jayson Rodriguez Jay Electronica Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images “Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010” Candidate: Jay Electronica Jay Electronica isn’t like most other artists, let alone rappers. The New Orleans MC marches to his own self-produced beat. Whether it’s live-tweeting the birth of his and Erykah Badu’s child or practically disrobing in concert to give his fans as much of himself as possible, he’s among the most unique stars to come along in some time. With the release of “Exhibit C” last year and “The Ghost of Christopher Wallace” earlier this year, Jay Elect’s buzz has never been bigger. But unlike most wordsmiths, he is in no rush to capitalize on the attention from fans and the music industry alike; he already has a scarce discography, with his best-known work being the mixtape Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge). “For the past few years, I been working on my own pace,” he told MTV News. “And not necessarily out of stubbornness, just out of — I been doing this for so long and trying to accomplish the thing for so long, that I finally found being my own self and working on my own time and being the most natural is the thing that yields the most results for me. Of course, I’d like to be able to tell you, ‘[My debut is] coming next week, two weeks from now,’ because we have projects. Me and Just Blaze have gangs of songs. Me and Nas speak on a regular basis; we’re working on music together. There’s a lot of things going on. But I don’t necessary have a calendar marked when things are coming, because I just kind of want to let it keep going the way it’s going, which has led me to this point.” Jay Electronica has the attention of Diddy, who rode shotgun on the rapper’s “The Ghost of Christopher Wallace,” and, of course, Just Blaze, who will helm the majority of Act III, his official debut. In addition to working on his solo effort, Jay Elect has his hand in more projects than President Obama. According to the nomadic rapper, projects with Nas , Lupe Fiasco and Mos Def are on the way. Whenever he gets around to his own material, though, the plan is to put out a sequel to his well-received mixtape — he rapped over music looped from the film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” on the set — and then his debut, which will be the third part of the trilogy. “It’s still Act II. It’s coming,” he promised. ” Act III , the official album, which ‘Exhibit A’ and ‘Exhibit C’ are a part of [as well as] ‘Dear Moleskin.’ You know, it’s coming real soon.” Jay and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MC 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 July 19, and the winner will be announced on the “Sucker Free Summit” July 25! Related Videos Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010

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Jay Electronica Forges His Own Path As ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Candidate

J. Cole Builds On Jay-Z Co-Sign To Be ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Candidate

Fans decide our ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010’ — vote now! The winner will be revealed on July 25. By Jayson Rodriguez J. Cole Photo: Roc Nation “Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010” Candidate: J. Cole J. Cole might be rolling with Roc Nation, but the North Carolina rhyme-spitter will be carrying the torch all by himself on his still-untitled solo album, due later this year. For his debut, Cole said he doesn’t expect to have any features, and the collection has been produced entirely by himself and veteran beatsmith No I.D. “I might get a last-second Jay-Z appearance. We’ll see,” Cole told MTV News over the weekend, hinting that his Roc Nation label head could join him on a song. A collaboration with the Brooklyn icon would be fitting, considering his prot

‘Spider-Man’ Hopeful Josh Hutcherson Says Role Would Be ‘An Honor’

‘The ones with Tobey Maguire came out when I was 10 years old,’ he says of growing up on Spidey flicks. By Kara Warner Josh Hutcherson Photo: Michael Tran/ Getty Images Josh Hutcherson may still be a relative unknown in Hollywood, but he began making headlines recently when his name surfaced one of a handful of actors still in the running to play the title role in Columbia Pictures’ “Spider-Man” reboot . MTV News caught up with “The Kids Are Alright” co-star, and asked for some scoop on the Spidey audition process. “You can’t prepare for that and it’s so big,” Hutcherson said. “To be on a list with some of the people I’m being considered with is an honor. These actors are so good. It’s such a big movie. I grew up watching the original — the ones with Tobey Maguire came out when I was 10 years old — so it would be an honor. It’s just really cool to be considered for that.” Hutcherson couldn’t give up any more details, but he did reveal that he’d been put on the studio’s official audition tape, along with a host of other hopefuls. “They put so many people on tape, like, everybody I know is auditioning for it and going out for it,” he said. “They’re just trying to figure out exactly what they want.” Other actors rumored to be vying for the Peter Parker role include Jamie Bell, Andrew Garfield and Frank Dillane. Beyond “Kids,” Hutcherson’s feature film credits include 2009’s “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant,” director Jon Favreau’s “Zathura” and “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” with Brendan Fraser. He’ll soon be seen in this fall’s “Red Dawn” remake with co-star Chris Hemsworth. Who do you think should take on the Spidey role? Share your casting ideas in the comments! For breaking comic book movie news, columns and more — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Photos Men Who Could Play Spider-Man

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‘Spider-Man’ Hopeful Josh Hutcherson Says Role Would Be ‘An Honor’

Curren$y Becomes ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Contender With Help From Dame Dash

MC is poised to make his major-label debut on the re-launched Roc-A-Fella. By Jayson Rodriguez Curren$y Photo: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam “Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010” Candidate: Curren$y The Hot Spitta’s been pursuing happiness longer than most on the “Hottest Breakthrough” list. A few years ago, Lil Wayne introduced Curren$y to the world with their rumbling collaboration “Where Tha Cash At,” also featuring Remy Ma. But the New Orleans native hasn’t truly had a moment until recently. His deal with Young Money was severed due to creative differences, and he released two indie projects in the meantime. Now, though, Curren$y is aligned with Damon Dash’s DD172 studio and the hip-hop mogul’s partnership with Creative Control, a cutting-edge visual content company. The result is his forthcoming Pilot Talk. It’s not only his major-label debut but also the first effort from the re-launched Roc-A-Fella Records under Dash and Def Jam. “I call it opposite world,” Curren$y told MTV News about his deferred dreams. “That’s what I’ve named it. I’ve been doing this for a minute, and I’ve grown accustomed to things just not really panning out. But I still have a good time, so it don’t really matter. But this time, I keep waiting. “To know that [Dash] wasn’t trying to be involved in music — he reached out to do the Black Roc project to do a verse and both got so cool and knew that was it,” he continued. “I been to a million meetings, and that really wasn’t a meeting. We just kicked it. Might as well get money at the same time.” Since joining forces with Dash, Curren$y has helped recruit Mos Def and Jay Electronica into the fold, as the three plan have been collaborate on a project together. And as the de facto leader of the DD172 movement, the warbly-voiced MC has helped Wiz Khalifa and Big K.R.I.T. raise their profile by trading woozy verses with them on their mixtape projects. They all share a similar vibe, featuring laid-back production and music that’s perfect to listen to in candy-painted rides. According to Curren$y, their sound is the foundation for their current rise. “The music is progressive, and people are receptive to it, because [most other] music sounds the same,” he said. “Everything sounds the same. Really, they’re doing us a favor by staying like that. People want to be relevant so bad that once they see somebody win, they do exactly what that person did and they stop doing what they do. Except for us. So continue to do that. We think it’s awesome.” Curren$y and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MC 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 July 19, and the winner will be announced on the “Sucker Free Summit” July 25! Related Videos Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010 Related Artists Curren$y

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Curren$y Becomes ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Contender With Help From Dame Dash

Nicki Minaj Denies Lip-Synching At BET Awards

‘U could hear me in the auditorium but apparently not in TV land,’ she tweets. By Mawuse Ziegbe Nicki Minaj Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images Nicki Minaj was one of the biggest winners at Sunday night’s BET Awards , taking home Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and Best New Artist and scoring a collective trophy with Young Money for Best Group. The saucy upstart has made a name for herself with her rollicking flow , but fans were buzzing about what didn’t come out of her mouth at the show, accusing the rap diva of lip-synching through her performances. Minaj took to Twitter on Monday (June 28) to dispel rumors that she didn’t bring all her skills to the stage. “U could hear me in the auditorium but apparently not in TV land,” she tweeted . The star also added that technical difficulties were at play. “Shout out to the sound guy.” However, the “Massive Attack” rapper assured fans that the sound issues will be cleared up when the network rebroadcasts the show. “They say it’ll b fixed wen it re-airs. :/” Overall, it was a busy night for Minaj. After winning Best Female Hip-Hop Artist (a trophy she scored solely on the strength of her mixtapes and work with Young Money, since the star has not yet dropped a major-label debut) and calling for “positive energy” among women in hip-hop, the MC popped up in two different performances. She emerged from a cloud of smoke in a skintight catsuit and spit her rapid-fire verse for the remix of “Hello, Good Morning” during Diddy-Dirty Money’s performance. She also helped close out the show, performing her collabo with Ludacris, “My Chick Bad,” with M

Big Sean Keeps ‘Grinding’ As A ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Candidate

Fans decide our ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010′ — vote now! The winner will be revealed on July 25. By Shaheem Reid Big Sean Photo: G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam “Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010” Candidate: Big Sean Big Sean’s new Olympicks-produced single is called “What U Doin’ (Bullsh—in’),” but the Detroit MC’s heat index is on the rise because he isn’t a BS artist. “The misconception is thinking we just started,” Sean said about himself and some of his fellow “Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010” candidates such as Wiz Khalifa, Nipsey Hussle and Pill. “People been grinding for years trying to get their first look. That’s the biggest misconception. It’s not overnight for real.” Signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label , Sean said he picked up a few jewels by watching his labelmate Kid Cudi, who was in a similar situation last year. Cudi had buzz off mixtapes and hip-hop blogs but eventually had to deliver hit singles and an acclaimed debut album. “You just learn, man,” Sean said. “You can make it as big as you wanna make it. You gotta grind hard. You get the look, now it’s time to shine. “Trying to break through, that’s it,” he added of his main goal. “You just gotta get that look. People have to start listening, people have to be drawn to you somehow.” Sean has come a long way since his fateful encounter with Kanye at a Detroit radio station in 2005. West liked that Sean had witty punch lines but also told his own story. He was a kid from the D who went to work, sometimes struggled to come up with gas money and loved hip-hop. He wasn’t trying to be anything he wasn’t. Since then, Sean dropped his Finally Famous mixtape in 2007 and broke ground in his career with UKnowBigSean last year. He’s been sprinkling several unrelated songs throughout cyberspace, alongside the likes of fellow upstarts Chip the Ripper, Wale, Mike Posner, his G.O.O.D. Music family members (West, Common, Cudi, Consequence) and the undeniable breakthrough act of 2009: Drake. “The mixtape circuit and the whole online circuit is more important than anything,” Sean said. “More important than air, than all of that. It’s all love. That’s crazy. The mixtape plays the most important role as far as artists like me, new artists getting heard. We may not be able to get on the radio, we may not be able to do that, but we can touch everybody through the Internet and through these mixtapes.” His LP is named after his first mixtape, Finally Famous. “The debut album coming out his year,” Sean added. “Its executive-produced by Kanye and L.A. Reid. G.O.O.D. Music/ Def Jam. We got Pharrell on there, Kanye, the G.O.O.D. Music fam. A couple of other surprises. Me and Drake collabbed. It’s gonna be something to remember. I hope people get a chance to listen. Finally Famous. It’s not because somebody just got on and I’m finally famous. It has deeper meaning to that. It’s a story.” Sean’s debut will be coming this fall, tentatively scheduled to drop around the same time as the next LPs by Kanye West and Kid Cudi. His newest mixtape will come out later this year, and it’s called B.I.G. Underground bangers that have come out recently, “Supa Dupa Lemonade” and “High Rise,” will be included, along with brand-new material. Sean and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MC 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 July 19, and the winner will be announced on the “Sucker Free Summit” July 25! Related Videos Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010

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Big Sean Keeps ‘Grinding’ As A ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Candidate

Jay Rock Goes From ‘Hood ‘Hardhead’ To ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Candidate

Fans decide our ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010’ — vote now! The winner will be revealed on July 25. By Shaheem Reid Jay Rock Photo: Warner Bros. “Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010” Candidate: Jay Rock Even if you never saw Jay Rock or didn’t know about his street credentials, one listen to records like “All My Life in the Ghetto” with Lil Wayne and Will.I.Am or freestyles like “Anti Social” and you can tell that the Watts, California, native’s rhymes are ‘hood-validated. The husky roar in his baritone, the vivid narratives and the pain in his flow all give Rock one of the most captivating young voices in hip-hop. His candidacy for “Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010” comes with a collective thumbs-up from the streets. “Starting out in Watts, I can say I really had a love for music,” Rock said of his early musical inspirations. “I always had a love for music. When I was 6, 7 years old, I was raised on all the old-school stuff. My momma used to play oldies in the house. That’s all my momma used to play around the house was oldies. But when I stepped outside my project unit, that’s when I listened to the Dres, Scarfaces, DJ Twists, Mausberg. I was brought up on that. I fell in love with rhyming when I turned 13. I was in junior high. I got into it, but I wasn’t serious. It was just for fun.” Rock didn’t care too much about cultivating his skills; he was too busy chasing paper. “I was doing what I do, being a hardhead in the streets. I didn’t even know one of my big homies was in the music game,” Rock explained. “I heard he was looking for me. I thought it was to chastise me for some stuff I did being a hardhead. But the whole time, he wanted to get me in the studio. He heard one of my tapes, a song I was on. I used to be ducking and dodging. Shout-out to Top Dawg, he snatched me out the streets and said, ‘I’mma make something happen. You don’t need to be out in the streets doing that dumb stuff.’ ” Rock started putting out mixtapes in 2006 and has been signed to the Warner Music Group for the past three years, waiting to release his debut, Follow Me Home. “We still pushing,” Rock said about being patient. “We ain’t giving up on nothing. We been through worst situations than this on the street level. Look where we at right now? We on MTV. We gotta keep pushing.” Rock became a fixture on the hip-hop blogs back in 2008 when the video for “All My Life in the Ghetto” dropped, featuring none other than Lil Wayne. His momentum has carried into this year with his appearance as part of XXL magazine’s Freshmen 10 . The follow-up mixtape From Hood Tales to the Cover of XXL came in the spring. “I been around negativity all my life,” Rock said. “To do something positive, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s crazy how people are listening to my music. I ain’t never expect. … I’m from Watts, out the projects. I’m blessed. Real talk.” Jay and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MC 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 July 19, and the winner will be announced on the “Sucker Free Summit” July 25! Related Videos Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010

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Jay Rock Goes From ‘Hood ‘Hardhead’ To ‘Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010’ Candidate

Will Roscoe Dash’s Party Anthems Earn Him ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010’ Title?

Fans decide our ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010′ — vote now! The winner will be revealed July 25. By Shaheem Reid Roscoe Dash Photo: MTV News “Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010” Candidate: Roscoe Dash Over the weekend at Atlanta’s Birthday Bash , Roscoe Dash performed in front of 20,000 hometown fans. The crowd at Philips Arena is one of the realest you can perform for; if they’re not feeling you, your time onstage could seem like an eternity. But backstage before his set, Dash was on straight chill mode. “This my first [Birthday Bash]. I’m finnin’ to put on for my city,” he said, looking at everyone from behind a pair of shades. “I try not to think about it too much so I won’t get nervous. I’m just gonna go in here and give it my all, give them a good show.” Dash had every right to be confident, because his song “All the Way Turnt Up” is not just one of the most popular songs in the city, but in all of hip-hop. The record by itself could have qualified Dash to be a candidate for “Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010.” “Turnt Up” built instant excitement in the clubs with an undeniable bass-laden track and lyrics tailor-made to sing along to, not to mention Roscoe’s off-key but melodic sing-songy flow. “Its amazing, man,” Roscoe said of his success. “I’ve been doing music my whole life. So for me to find a way to finally get my foot in the door, and give these people me as a person, rather than just an artist, I’m enjoying it.” “Turnt Up” was so popular, Soulja Boy agreed to appear on the album version of the record, while lauded MCs such as Ludacris and Lupe Fiasco freestyled on the track. In the past few weeks, Dash has evaded the tag of one-hit wonder with another certified banger, “Show Out.” The second single from Dash’s Ready Set Go! debut (due July 20) basically follows the same formula as “Turnt Up,” and the results are similar too. Cam’ron and Rick Ross have already made unofficial remixes, while DJs have made it a favorite in clubs and on radio. “I just go in,” Dash said about setting up a string of party anthems. “I just do me. I never wake up and go to the studio and say, ‘I’mma make an album song or a mixtape song.’ I just go in and just do me.” But breaking through requires more than just a couple of hits. You have to have a deeper impact when it’s all said and done. Roscoe said he already knows what he has to do to cause an earthquake in the game. “Hard work and dedication, same thing that got me here,” he assessed. “I gotta keep doing it, man, and not let it break me down. This industry has its ups and down. It’ll take a toll on you. It’s about moving forward.” Roscoe and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MC 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 July 19, and the winner will be announced on the “Sucker Free Summit” July 25!

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Will Roscoe Dash’s Party Anthems Earn Him ‘Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010’ Title?

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

Who Wants to Date Justin Bieber?

Over the last few weeks, Justin Bieber has jokingly come on to Kim Kardashian , Cheryl Cole and Megan Fox . But what kind of girl is the singer actually in the market for? Read closely, ladies, as Bieber revealed the traits that give him love fever in a recent interview. “She needs to have a nice personality, a good sense of humour, nice eyes and a brain,” he said. “What’s the point of having a nice looking girlfriend if you can’t talk to her? You want to be able to sit down to dinner and be with someone who you can have a proper conversation with.” Sorry, Kim. That takes you out of the running. Are you a naturally beautiful, funny girl with nice eyes and a high IQ? Call Justin Bieber today! Added Justin: “I don’t like girls who wear lots of make-up and you can’t see their face. Some girls are beautiful but insecure and look much better without the make-up, but decide to put loads on.” Once again: very sorry, Kim. Once Bieber has found a gal he wants to pursue, how does he work his game? The star shared: “At first I won’t let her know – you’ve got to pace yourself. Then, maybe by the end of the conversation, I’d ask her something like, ‘Do you have a phone number that I could reach you at?’ That’s usually how it goes.” That sure beats the typical THG pick-up line: You show us yours, and we’ll show you our… Robert Pattinson photos .

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Who Wants to Date Justin Bieber?