Sunday’s VMA Pre-Show also ranked as the best on record. By Kara Warner Photo: MTV/Getty Images Thanks to unforgettable performances , a baby announcement and a lady superstar in full drag, among other major highlights, the 2011 MTV VMAs grabbed the biggest audience in the network’s history. In addition to bringing in a record-breaking 12.4 million total viewers, Sunday night’s VMAs now rank as the #1 cable telecast of the year among viewers ages 12 to 34, and the #1 non-sports cable telecast of 2011 with total viewers. “Anything can happen during the VMAs,” Video of the Year winner Katy Perry told MTV news. “It’s definitely just the funnest awards show of the whole gamut, of all the award shows. The VMAs are like a f—ing monkey out of hell award show,” she laughed. “You just want to watch a spectacle, you want to watch what goes down and I think so many different sparks fly creatively.” On Sunday evening, amid a slew of eye-popping performances, Beyonc
From backstage pics to minute-by-minute scoop on VMA trending topics, we want you in on the conversation Sunday night! By Kara Klenk Jim Cantiello and the Twitter Tracker Photo: MTV News The 2010 VMAs famously sparked more than 2 million tweets. But with Sunday’s show set to kick off live with an opening set from Lady Gaga , plenty of superstar performances by nominees like Lil Wayne and Beyonc
From backstage pics to minute-by-minute scoop on VMA trending topics, we want you in on the conversation Sunday night! By Kara Klenk Jim Cantiello and the Twitter Tracker Photo: MTV News The 2010 VMAs famously sparked more than 2 million tweets. But with Sunday’s show set to kick off live with an opening set from Lady Gaga , plenty of superstar performances by nominees like Lil Wayne and Beyonc
‘That’s a question for Wayne more than me,’ Drizzy tells MTV News of apparent jabs on ‘I’m Good.’ By Rob Markman Drake Photo: MTV News LOS ANGELES — If there is a Lil Wayne / Jay-Z beef brewing, Drake isn’t indulging. Although he is featured on Weezy’s “It’s Good” — the leaked Carter IV track that finds Lil Tunechi throwing a subliminal shot in Hov’s direction — Drizzy downplayed any involvement. “I just got a beat and did a verse over it,” Drake told MTV News from the red carpet for the BMI Urban Awards n L.A. on Friday before he accepted the award for Songwriter of the Year. “Whatever any other individual has to say, you have to ask the man himself. I just did what I know how to do. I just got on a record. I heard the beat, did a verse and heard the final product.” On the song, VMA Nominee Wayne raps, “Talkin’ ’bout Baby money? I got your Baby money/ Kidnap yo’ bitch, get that how-much-you-love-your-lady money.” To the casual listener, the line doesn’t sound like much, but fanatics can connect the lyric directly to Jay-Z’s jab on the Throne’s “H.A.M.” It all started in 2009 when Cash Money CEO Bryan “Baby” Williams objected to Jay-Z topping MTV News’ Hottest MCs list for that year. “I don’t think he the number one MC, in no kinda way,” Baby said, casting the first stone. “Wayne is the best, he do the most and he make the most money. I don’t think no n—a in the business make more money than us.” It took a few years, but Hov returned fire at the top of this year when he and Kanye leaked their first Watch the Throne track , claiming not only that Birdman and Wayne weren’t seeing Jay-Z-caliber bucks, but that financially, they couldn’t even compare to his wife, Beyonc
‘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
Gaga tells MTV News about the ideas behind Sunday’s big show opener. By Christina Garibaldi Lady Gaga Photo: MTV Lady Gaga has graced many an awards show stage in the past two years, and this Sunday will mark her second performance at the MTV Video Music Awards . But there’s one significant difference this year: Gaga’s opening the show . Hoping, as always, to keep us guessing, she’s has been tight-lipped so far about her highly anticipated appearance, but she did tell MTV News about the rather high-minded inspiration behind it. “Right now, I’m obsessed with the archetypes of our psychology and all the different people we can become or have become in the past,” Gaga said. “Our potential for the future and how do we in our minds sort of compartmentalize our different personalities. So that’s something that I’m fascinated with right now. It’s almost as if I’m reviewing my life as a play.” So how does all that come into play when coming up with a memorable VMA performance? “My approach to music and performance is not just about what happens on the stage,” Gaga said. “My whole life is a performance, and it’s about pushing the boundaries of pop culture and for myself, deciding where the stage begins and ends, not allowing anyone else telling me when or how I can perform. I can perform when I choose.” Balloons? Blood? Jo Calderone? See what Gaga fans are hoping her VMA performance will include. Gaga is confident that she will deliver what her Little Monsters want on Sunday night, since the creative idea for her set came to her just as fast as the idea behind her bloody 2009 VMA “Paparazzi” performance . “It came as quickly as the last one did,” Gaga said. “Any good performance flows out easily. If I have to think about it too much, something is wrong.” The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards http://www.mtv.comwill 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 Lady Gaga
Avril Lavigne cameos in montage of celebrations off- and onstage. By James Dinh Rihanna Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images Summer is coming to a close, but it looks like Rihanna is going to keep the party going for a little longer. On Friday (August 26), the pop force debuted the video for her celebratory tune “Cheers (Drink to That),” a behind-the-scenes concert montage with brief cameo appearances by Avril Lavigne , Jay-Z and Kanye West . Chanting fans kick off the almost-five minute clip, which cuts between candid footage of the songstress backstage before and after her shows, and enjoying the festivities during her recent trip to Barbados. Rocking some denim blue shorts, a colorful cropped top and sunglasses, Rihanna also gives fans a glimpse of her performance of the tune during her Loud tour set. “Cheers (Drink to That)” samples Avril Lavigne’s yodel from her 2002 hit “I’m With You,” so it’s only appropriate that the visual includes sporadic blink-of-the-eye appearances from the pop rocker horsing around by the pool. “It was really exciting because ‘I’m With You’ is one of my favorite songs that I’ve done, I always love performing it,” Lavigne said last year of being sampled on “Cheers.” “Cheers to the freaking weekend/ I drink to that, yeah yeah/ Oh, let the Jameson sink in/ I drink to that, yeah yeah/ Don’t let the bastards get you down/ Turn it around with another round/ There’s a party at the bar everybody put your glasses up and I drink to that,” Rihanna sings, almost casually, as she’s seen toasting fans and friends onstage and in bars. Hours after the debut, Rih took to Twitter to ask fans what they thought about the clip, writing, “CHEERS… U like??? #drinktothat #RihannaNavy I love yall forever!!!!! Keep making me proud!” The Rihanna Navy has been pushing for the singer to release “Cheers (Drink to That)” since the LP’s release, and there’s no denying that the Barbados beauty also has love for the song. “I love that song [‘Cheers’]. That is one of my favorite songs on the album. It makes you feel like celebrating,” Rihanna told MTV News last year. “It gives you a great feeling inside, like you want to go out and have a drink. … People can’t wait for the weekend.” Related Artists Avril Lavigne Rihanna
The up-and-coming California band will make sure you know who they are after Sunday night’s show. By James Montgomery Young the Giant Photo: MTV News Young the Giant know you’ve probably got a few questions in the lead up to their performance on this Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards . Like, for example, who the heck are they? “Yeah,” frontman Sameer Gadhia laughed. “You might not know who we are, but we’re in Hollywood already preparing [for the show], and we’re very, very excited to play for you guys.” So, yes, while the California quintet are relative unknowns — though, chances are, you’ve heard their hits “My Body” and “Cough Syrup” on rock radio — all that will likely change following Young the Giant’s VMA performance . Which, sort of makes them this year’s version of Florence and the Machine, who rode their bombastic performance at the 2010 show to stateside success. “We’re definitely in the Florence slot,” Gadhia said. “We consider it a real honor.” But that brings us to another question: Just what will that performance entail? Well, from the sound of things, it could be one for the ages … the Mesozoic ages. “For our VMA performance, [guitarist] Jacob [Tilley] is actually at work, breeding pterodactyls, and he’s prepared for just this one event,” Gadhia smiled. “We’re going to be flying in on pterodactyls. They’re going to do an air show; they’re going to drop us in, fireworks, we’re going to have Jimi Hendrix performing, it’s going to be amazing.” Seriously. And while we suspect Gadhia was joking (especially since Tilley added “We’re not really doing any gimmicks, it’s just us doing what we do: playing live with lots of energy,”) there’s no debating the fact that their VMA performance is a very big deal for Young the Giant. And for proof, all you have to do is check their schedule, which, until very recently, included high-profile slots at the U.K.’s Reading and Leeds Festivals. “We canceled Reading and Leeds because of the VMAS,” Gadhia said. “I mean, we always watched them, ever since we were little … and we’re from Los Angeles, so we figured it would be a great opportunity. Hopefully people in the U.K. will forgive us. I know some people are already annoyed.” 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 Young The Giant
Laurieann Gibson calls opening performance an opportunity to ‘create a new understanding of music.’ By Kelley L. Carter, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi Lady Gaga Photo: Getty Images So much for giving up the goods. We really tried to get Laurieann Gibson, Lady Gaga’s creative director , to spill her guts about what Mother Monster has planned for her VMA performance on Sunday, but she’s keeping things under wraps — in the best way possible. She jokingly said a few censored (and, considering how much she’s bleeped in the embedded video, obscene) things about what viewers will see. Long story short: She’s not telling. But Gibson did say of Gaga’s opening performance, “I hope that people take the fearlessness away. The notion that you don’t have to follow what is popular and that you can constantly take the opportunity and create a new understanding of music and performing. “It could mean standing under one spotlight,” she continued. “It could mean tons of camels and belly-dancing girls. I don’t know. One is not necessarily better than the other. But it is about the artist. It’s about ‘Who’s the artist?’ So in that one moment, you have to take it and give it all you can.” Gibson is just following suit on the secrecy front: When Gaga talked to MTV News last week, she said she wants to surprise her fans at the VMAs. “I’m really very honored and excited to open the show,” Lady Gaga told MTV News. “But I won’t reveal anything; I want it to be a surprise.” From what Gaga and Gibson revealed, the performance sounds like it will be avant garde, much like her 2009 VMA set, when Gaga took the stage for a blood-soaked “Paparazzi” performance . “It will be a continuation of everything I’ve been doing, and it will be exactly what they want,” Gaga said. “I’m pretty good at knowing what my fans want me to do.” 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 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Performers Related Artists Lady Gaga
Presenter Kim Kardashian has a VMA seat, but where’s hubby Kris Humphries? By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Kim Kardashian’s seat at the 2011 Video Music Awards Photo: John Shearer/ MTV It’s that time of year again, everyone. The seating cards are being placed inside the Nokia Theatre in sunny Los Angeles as producers work to put the finishing touches on Sunday’s 2011 Video Music Awards . So what types of match-ups have they thought up this year? MTV News’ Jim Cantiello investigated and found out some tasty tidbits. “Tony Bennett: This guy is a baller, and whoever is behind him is going to have the craziest contact high,” he teased of the 85-year-old crooner, who will pay tribute to the late Amy Winehouse at Sunday’s show. So who snagged that seat? Wiz Khalifa, naturally. Kim Kardashian will also be in the house as a presenter, but Jim wondered: “Where’s her husband at? Her husband doesn’t get a seat card. You thought when you marry Kim Kardashian you’d instantly get more famous. Dude, you’re still not famous enough to get your own card at the VMAs,” Jim warned the newlywed. His advice? “#DealWithIt.” “This is going to be a very rowdy section at the VMAs Sunday night,” Jim said as he made his way through the theater. “This is the land of Odd Future. Now, there are like 100 members of Odd Future. I’m only seeing three cards. So sorry, Hodgy, you’re not invited this year.” When Jim noticed there were some potato sacks lying around, he had a thought: “Here at the VMAs, we are prepared for anything in the audience, so if Lady Gaga wants to have a potato-sack race with Lil Wayne, we got them covered.” Of course, Justin Bieber and girlfriend Selena Gomez are seated next to each other. Jim, however, knows how to make it even more adorable. “The only thing that would make this cuter is if Maru the cat was trying to get in between them,” he suggested. Perhaps the section of the room fans will be most excited to see contains two of pop’s ruling divas. “I’m in section Queen B at the VMAs,” he said. So what does that mean? Beyonc
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