Dear Beyonce: Why We Love You Till The End Of Time

These days, Beyoncé is breaking down her personal "fourth wall," letting fans into her life more and more, after living as a pop-star enigma for more than a decade.

She recently re-launched her website, began tweeting, started a personal Tumblr account and even Skyped with a contest winner this week after her "End of Time" remix competition.

Somewhere in there, Blue Ivy's mama found the time to handwrite letters to several famous people and post them on her site. She shared her warm, fuzzy feelings for some key figures, including First Lady Michelle Obama, the late New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and R&B star Sade . In honor of that, I decided to turn this week's Above the Buzz into a letter to Beyoncé, in the key of B, of course.

Dear Beyoncé,
First off, I just want to say "Hey Girl!" You're truly an inspiration to girls everywhere. You represent ladies in a great way, what with your girl power anthems and messages of female independence.

And it seems these days, in spite of how busy you are, you're focused on heading back to school. Education is a really awesome message to spread to all the young women out there. Stay in school kids, right, B?

Next, I just want to let you know that I am still into 4. It's a pretty great album to just leave on repeat while I'm at work or just living life. I mean, those are some jams on there. And, not to quote you or anything, but you shared with Sade that her music helps you get through times, good and bad — well, back at you.

Also, you've been rocking some awesome street style recently. Those "cat" flats you donned a few weeks back have me dreaming of kitschy, animal-themed couture every night. I can only imagine the kind of crazy looks you are planning for the string of shows you have lined up next month in Atlantic City. I assume my tickets are in the mail?

Anyway, I don't want to take up too much of your time. I know you're busy being a mom and working on new music and probably prepping for your show and all, but if you and Jay-Z can make the time, I think I can pencil you guys in for dinner or whatever. I'm cool with wherever you guys pick. You know me, pretty easy-going and all. Alright then, talk to you later.

Your girl,
Jocelyn

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'N---as In Paris' Producer Hit-Boy Has Plans To Rap

Behind the Beats: Hit-Boy
Here's a challenge: place all of Chauncey "Hit-Boy" Hollis' beats in a single playlist, take a listen and try to find some common threads. Besides the name in the production credits, there aren't too many sonic similarities in Hit-Boy's celebrated productions.

"That's been my whole thing ever since I started producing," Hit-Boy told Mixtape Daily of his musical diversity. "I look up to Scott Storch, like when he came out he was doing Beyoncé, he was doing Chris Brown, he was doing Fat Joe. None of his music sounded alike, but it just sounded like the highest echelon of that genre, and that's what I want to do."

The kinetic bleeps and bloops of the Throne's "N---as in Paris" prompted Jay-Z and Kanye West to record an inescapable rap anthem, while the track for Kelly Rowland's "Lay It On Me" was composed of all the summery sounds that make any pop record enjoyable. The beat for Rihanna's island-inspired "Watch n' Learn" perfectly complements her West Indian roots, the bassy "Come on a Cone" gave Nicki Minaj the rap cred she so eagerly sought on Roman Reloaded, and Kanye West's "Way Too Cold" simply sounds like nothing we've ever heard. Earlier this week, Hit-Boy added another twist with "Goldie," A$AP Rocky's screwed-inspired single.

Hip-hop greats like Dr. Dre, DJ Premier and the Neptunes all have a signature sound, but in his young career, Hit-Boy looks to avoid predictability. "If I'm making a pop record, I want it to sound like a [producer] who only does pop records. If I'm doing a trap beat, I want it to sound like somebody who only does trap music," the G.O.O.D. Music producer explained. "I just want it to sound like the highest quality of whatever genre I'm producing."

A producer's sonic success can be a gift and a curse, for example after "N---as in Paris" hit #1 on Billboard's Rap Songs chart, of course other artists came out of the woodwork looking for Hit-Boy to make a similar-sounding track. "Yeah, I get that, but I kinda like try to stay away from it, I just really want to make good music," he said.

That good music can come in the form of the beat or as a rap. "A lot of people don't know but I rap, so I got some stuff coming out. Just be on the lookout for that," he said. "In the next couple of months I'm gonna be dropping some stuff." Will that stuff be included on Kanye's upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album? "We'll see," Hit-Boy answered sheepishly.

What's your favorite Hit-Boy beat? Tell us in the comments!

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Whitney Houston 'Prepared' Monica For Her Life In Music

Monica and the late Whitney Houston shared a special bond. Not only did the fallen pop icon influence Monica, she also mentored her from a very young age.

"Losing somebody that you idolize is one thing, but losing a friend is another thing," Monica told MTV News during an April 10 interview. "I look back over many, many years of my life, and Whitney wasn't the type of person that would call and ask if I was OK; she would actually fly to me. She would come looking for me, she would sit with me.

"She prepared me and always reminded me to never lose sight of who I was, and I think she could be a testament to that because of what she experienced," she continued. "It's hard on a daily basis, especially when I'm thinking about her."

It's been almost three months since Houston passed away after accidentally drowning in a bathtub in her Los Angeles hotel room. While the wounds are still fresh, Monica marches on. The 31-year-old singer just dropped her seventh solo album, New Life, and has been singing Houston's songs since the very beginning of her career.

In March, Monica partnered with Brandy in Atlanta, and together they sang touching Whitney covers. It was far from the first time they paid homage to her. "I guess I get through the tributes for Nippy because I knew how much she enjoyed them," Monica explained. "I didn't just start doing tributes to her: I was signed at 11 years old singing 'The Greatest Love of All.' "

While on the road with Trey Songz during his 2010 Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour, Monica would honor her idol every night, and Houston was alive to see it. "I would put on a gown and do a full-out salute to her from top to bottom and sing," she said. "She got a kick out of that."

Though Whitney's death has been difficult for Monica, the spirited singer takes comfort in knowing that her friend and teacher left a legacy that will transcend generations. "I really appreciate the fact that for almost three decades she gave us music that will last," she said. "My grandchildren will know exactly who she is; my great-grandchildren will know exactly who Whitney Houston is."

Share your favorite Whitney Houston memory in the comments below.

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Megan Fox Joins Long Line Of Sizzling Moms-To-Be

If there's one thing almost all people love to rally around and obsess over, it's a pregnant woman. The "awww" factor along with the whole "miracle of creating life" thing are a powerful combination. The level of interest skyrockets when the pregnant lady in question is a celebrity, particularly if she is consistently named as one of the most beautiful people in the world.

When the happy news broke Monday that "Transformers" beauty Megan Fox is expecting her first child, we got to thinking first about how adorable the baby will be, thanks to some killer genes from Fox and father Brian Austin Green, and then about all the other beautiful pregnant ladies we've seen over the years. Here are five other very hot mamas-to-be:

Heidi Klum
The fact that Klum is a supermodel is kind of unfair to begin with; the woman always looks gorgeous, including all four times she's been pregnant. Klum's happy family includes Leni, Henry, Johan and Lou Sulola Samuel.

Halle Berry
This beautiful Oscar winner made her pregnancy look easy. After Berry announced her happy news toward the end of the first trimester, she was photographed a lot but always looked wonderful, perpetually bathed in that pregnancy glow. Berry's daughter, Nahla Ariela Aubry (Nahla means "honeybee" in Arabic), arrived March 18, 2008.

Jessica Alba
No matter what role she's playing, Alba has always managed to add extra sizzle to her scenes. It was no surprise that she continued to stop traffic during both her pregnancies, which included showing off her rockin' bod, pregnant belly and all, in bikinis. Alba and husband Cash Warren welcomed Honor Marie in June 2008 and Haven Garner on August 16, 2011.

Angelina Jolie
As we've mentioned before, much ado is made over pregnant celebrities, but never more so than when it was announced that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were expecting, first with daughter Shiloh and then with twins Vivienne and Knox. Whenever Jolie appeared in public during her pregnancies, she caused an even bigger paparazzi frenzy than normal. The very genetically gifted Jolie-Pitt clan also includes adopted children Maddox, Pax and Zahara.

Beyoncé
It's hard to believe that more fuss would be made over a pregnant celebrity than was made over Angelina Jolie, but when Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z decided to announce that they were expecting at our very own VMAs last year, it set the entertainment world on fire. The notoriously private couple managed to stay out of the public eye as much as possible, but Ms. Bey looked especially gorgeous during those nine months before Blue Ivy's arrival. And she reportedly insisted on wearing heels the whole time!

Who did we miss? Let us know which celeb mom you think looked the best!

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Slaughterhouse Release Snippet Of 'Hammer Dance' Video

The Slaughterhouse boys--Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9'', Crooked I and Joell Ortiz--are gearing up to drop their latest album welcome to: Our House via Shady Records and they're getting into the swing of things with their new video for the LP's first single "Hammer Dance." Check out a 30 second snippet of the clip above and tune into MTV Jams and MTV2 on Sunday 4/22 for the official premiere. 

In March, MTV News caught up with Slaughterhouse on the "Hammer Dance" video set in Austin, Texas where they explained their vision behind the clip and gave an update on their forthcoming album. "I think it's just a day in the life of Slaughterhouse, a lot of energy," Crooked said, of the video. "We're gonna give fans a chance to shine, and I think when it's done, you'll see how authentic it is. When we roll into town, we jell with people, no matter where they are, who they are, what part of the world they're from. We're just average dudes trying to do extraordinary things."

An official release date has not been set for welcome to: Our House, but they confirm that the LP is close to finish. "[We're] still working out minor tweaks, [but] it's way more done than people know," Royce said. "Marshall is actually mixing right now. He's actually mixed the entire album, and that wasn't even the original plan, so we're super excited about that. He's just taking songs to another level."

Tags hammer dance, hammer dance video, Slaughterhouse

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The Wanted Sink Their Teeth Into 'Chasing The Sun' Video

The Wanted Sink Their Teeth Into 'Chasing The Sun' Video - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV Apr 24 2012 8:36 PM EDT var daapiUrl = 'http://daapiak.flux.com/2.0/00001/json/'+MTVN.conf.flux4.ucid+'/feeds/content/?q=mgid:uma:content:mtv.com:1683818';$j.getJSON(daapiUrl, function(data) {$j('.header .stats .views').append(numberWithCommas(data.NumberOfViews));});function numberWithCommas(x) {return x.toString().replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g, ",");}The Wanted Sink Their Teeth Into 'Chasing The Sun' VideoBritish boy band premieres latest music video during 'MTV First: The Wanted.'By Kara Warner (@karawarner)

Lucky us! MTV News has been spending a lot of time with über-popular boy band the Wanted recently, including following them around all day Tuesday (April 24) for the release of their self-titled U.S. EP, and with "MTV First: The Wanted," during which the guys premiered the much-anticipated video for their second U.S. single, "Chasing the Sun".

The clip opens with the fivesome together, standing on a rooftop before going out for the evening. We soon see them traveling through the streets of Los Angeles to a nightclub. There are quick cuts to each of the guys in different parts of the city, looking suave and smoldery, with different girls clinging to them at various points in the video. After each one of these interactions, the boys are left with curious tattoos in the shape of a sunburst on their hands and arms. These scenes are intercut with shots of the band on a rooftop singing the chorus of the track, and it seems as though the group is literally chasing the sun.

Toward the end of the video, the band approaches a gated door, at which point Tom Parker flashes his sun tattoo to a bouncer, who lets him pass into the sunlight, which turns out to be another exclusive club of some sort where each of the boys reunite with the ladies from earlier in the video. All of a sudden, the ladies flash vampire teeth mid-makeout and bite into the necks of each of the boys. Not to worry, though, because the final shot of the video shows all five members walking into the sun, away from the mysterious club — alive.

"Our song 'Chasing the Sun' is basically about the party that keeps on going," member Jay McGuiness told us when we visited the set recently. The video was helmed by Director X, the third video collaboration between the director and the band, who previously worked on the video for their smash single "Glad You Came."

"You always want to do better than your last song, and we've set a really high standard with 'Glad You Came' already," McGuiness said. "But I think we know now from the singles we've got in our pocket, there's no way we're going anywhere. We're here to stay, and our songs are going to get better and better. I'm just bragging right now so hard."

What do you think of the "Chasing the Sun" video? Share your reviews in the comments below!

The Wanted's "Chasing the Sun" music videoPhoto: Universal Music Group

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Justin Bieber Writes Song About Paternity Scandal

Justin Bieber isn't leaving behind last year's paternity scandal until he shares his two cents on the allegation — musically, at least.

Just a day after his Twitter jab at 20-year-old Mariah Yeater, the pop superstar held a listening session for his new album, Believe, and revealed that the paternity case is just one of many subject matters he covered on the project.

According to the BBC, Bieber said his inspirations included "that girl — Mariah Yeater — who said she was going to have my baby," adding: "I wrote about that situation."

When asked to choose his favorite song on the June 19 release, Bieber struggled to answer. "Every song has a piece of me; it's hard to pick," he said. "I wrote almost all of them or co-wrote them."

Yeater definitely played a big part in Bieber's 2011. The California woman kept the singer at the top of the headlines when she alleged he was the father of her then-3-month-old child.

Bieber's baby-mama-drama track is just one of 40 songs he's recorded for the LP, which also reportedly features collaborations with Taylor Swift, Ludacris and Kanye West.

In another interview during his promotional blitz, the singer dished details about his duet with Drake, even revealing the title of the star-studded track. "The song's called 'Right Here' and it's a smash!" he told Capital FM. "People are gonna love it. It just rides so smoothly."

Two acts Beliebers won't see on the album are One Direction and the Wanted, as the star denied rumors of hitting the studio with the teen heartthrobs.

What do you think Justin's album is going to sound like? Share your thoughts below!

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The Wanted Have 'Perfect' Songs For Justin Bieber, Chris Brown

With the Wanted already poised to become internationally acclaimed superstars, it makes sense that they would consider pooling their popularity to make music with some equally potent musical forces, like, say, Justin Bieber and Chris Brown.

When the band stopped by Tuesday for "MTV First: The Wanted," Sway brought up the band's onetime tourmate and asked the boys what they thought of the "Boyfriend" singer.

"He was really nice. A really, really nice guy," Tom Parker said with sincerity, adding that the band and Bieber became so friendly during their joint tour that the Biebs started joking around and ended up playfully smacking bandmate Siva Kaneswaran in a rather — ahem — uncomfortable place.

The natural follow-up to that question was whether the fivesome would consider collaborating with Bieber or if they'd discussed music during the tour. The guys all agreed that a collaboration would be fun and even admitted to having a song in mind for them to work on.

"We talked about it, and we have a song that we think he'd sound great on," Jay McGuiness teased.

"We've talked to Chris Brown as well, which would be really good," Kaneswaran revealed. "We talked to Chris actually at 'The Voice,' and he said he was down as well."

"It's all up for discussion," Parker added, as the rest of the guys chimed in: "You never know."

"We have got a song we think would be perfect," Max George said of Brown.

Fingers crossed we can get those guys all in a studio together to crank out their next chart-topper!

Stick with MTV News as we roll out more from our exclusive interview with the Wanted! And don't forget to vote for them in our Battle of the Boy Bands. Voting is now open and runs until noon ET on Thursday, April 26. Winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite band made the cut, make sure you keep voting. Spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag #BBB and like us on Facebook for updates!

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The Wanted Want Your Vote In Battle Of The Boy Bands

Our Battle of the Boy Bands kicks off Monday, and while we imagine you will spend the entirety of your weekend weighing the pros and cons of your fave groups, MTV News reached out to some of the contenders so they could tell you why they deserve your vote.

But before we hear from the Wanted, we wanted to take a look at some hard facts. Hey, this is basically an election, so we need to know where they stand on the issues!

Highest Chart Achievement
While "Glad You Came" peaked at #3 on the Hot 100, they went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart earlier this month.

Standout Video
Partying on the beach? Hanging with hot girls? Dancing and having a good time? The band's "Glad You Came" video is a snapshot into the five Brits' favorite things to do. (Next up, they will explore similar themes in their "Chasing the Sun" video.)

Defining Tune
Cheeky, dance-floor-ready and full of euphemisms (really think about it, guys), "Glad You Came" introduced America to the British fivesome. It seems we Americans are pretty glad they came.

Debut Album
While they have yet to drop their self-titled U.S. EP (it's out Tuesday), the guys did release their first album, The Wanted, abroad in October 2010, and it peaked at #4 in the U.K.

Biggest Competition
They are currently trying to fend off One Direction in a race for the hearts of American girls. It's the Sophie's Choice of boy-band brawls.

So why do the guys think you should vote for them? Their answer might surprise you!

"We think you should vote for us because everything that we've ever been nominated for that goes to public vote, we've never won," Max George pleaded.

"And also, you should vote for us because we are the worst-looking boy band of all time," Nathan Sykes added.

The guys even weighed in on their favorite boy bands of all time. Siva Kaneswaran said, "My favorite boy band of all time is the Backstreet Boys. I have to say Backstreet Boys, because they showed me the reason for being lonely."

"My favorite boy band of all time has to be the Jonas Brothers," George chimed in. "Have you seen 'Camp Rock'? Sick film."

Voting in round one of MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands begins Monday, April 23, at 7 a.m. ET and runs until noon ET on Thursday, April 26. Winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite band made the cut, make sure you keep voting. Spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag #BBB and like us on Facebook for updates!

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Mini Kanye Struts In Unofficial 'Way Too Cold' Video

Sometimes there's no reason to wait for the real thing. We have no idea if Kanye West is planning on shooting an official video for his Kim-Kardashian-crush note "Way Too Cold" (originally titled "Theraflu").

In the meantime, director Ashley Smith has jumped into the breach, posting an unofficial clip for the song on his Vimeo page on Thursday that, well, just kills it. The can't-look-away video stars a ridiculously cute half-pint reportedly named Caleb as Kanye and the kid is a star. As he struts the streets with his leggy blond companion (holding her hand at first, awwww), mini 'Ye rips the song's lyrics — yes, even the four- and five-letter ones — in a video that is the viral opposite of one of West's typically high-concept, arty pieces.

His swagger is unmistakable as he moves through Manhattan past some of Yeezy's favorite luxury New York outlets while his companion shakes it for him. All the while, Caleb keeps it cool behind some shades and a mini leather jacket, aping the lyrics by throwing up the Roc to prove his allegiance.

And, then, for reasons known only to Smith, actors wearing Donald Trump, Condoleezza Rice, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Sarah Palin masks pop up, posing menacingly on the street, that is when they're not grinding on each other. How ridiculous is the kid? At one point he pulls off a flawless split, his hand triumphantly up in the air, before breaking into a coughing fit as Theraflu pours out into a measuring cup.

The good news is that Smith might have plenty more material to choose from, since DJ Khaled recently told MTV News that he and Kanye have plenty more tracks cooking.

"Me and Kanye West went back in the lab and we made another record and got some features on there too," Khaled said, without revealing too much about the next tune. "I can't really talk about it, so expect another monstrous earthquake to hit the streets."

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'Dancing With The Stars': Gladys Knight Exits With Class

On Tuesday night, it came down to the youngest and the oldest castmembers on the "Dancing With the Stars" elimination show.

Before the final verdict was made, Disney star Roshon Fegan and soul legend Gladys Knight duked it out dancing the jive for the judges, and both impressed with their varying styles.

The final decision was up to the judges and based on the jive performances of the bottom two contenders. Carrie Ann Inaba was the lone judge who voted to save Knight and her partner, Tristan MacManus. Fegan and his professional partner, Chelsie Hightower, lived to dance another round.

During Monday night's Motown-themed show, Knight danced the rumba, and the judges thought her routine was passionate and said her star quality was undeniable. That said, they noted that her performance could have been a bit steamier and said that she lost it a bit at the end. "You're not the best dancer, but I'll tell you what you are ... Gladys, you are the most charismatic dancer, I'm telling you. It is so appealing," head judge Len Goodman told her. "It's just easy like Sunday morning!"

Knight's scores were at the bottom of the leaderboard Monday night.

"I am so just amazed at this journey. It's been absolutely extraordinary. I learned so many things ... I'm just overjoyed," Knight said after learning she'd be going home. She later said of the remaining castmembers, "They are already stepping up way, way, way beyond anything that's ever been on this show. And I love them all. I wish them Godspeed and I wish them the best."

The remaining seven couples will return to dance again next Monday.

Who's your favorite "DWTS" dance couple? Tell us in the comments.

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Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis Are 'Deluded Losers' In 'The Campaign'

For the past few years, Jay Roach, the director of the "Austin Powers" series, has alternated between making comedies and true-life political films for HBO. His latest effort, "The Campaign," combines those two very different genres.

In "The Campaign," which hits theaters on August 10 Will Ferrell plays a popular incumbent North Carolina congressman who suffers a scandal and faces a political opponent for the first time in year, played by Zach Galifianakis.

We spoke with Roach for our Summer Movie Preview and learned just how ridiculous politics can be and what it's like to have Ferrell and Galifianakis on set together.

MTV: You've been switching between political films and comedies recently. What's it like to combine the two?

Jay Roach: That's been an enjoyable part of this one. I've been working on some more serious films at HBO, but Will and Zach and Adam McKay came up with this idea and asked me to get involved about two guys running against each other for a congressional seat and mentioned that it would mostly be about how the win-at-all-costs approach to politics these days could be taken to an absurd degree. It might be funny. I pictured those two guys, Zach and Will. I've worked with both of them briefly on other films, and the idea of those two going up against each other in a super, super negative campaigning situation made me laugh. It would be a chance to delve back into some of the political issues but in a very comedic format.

MTV: Do you find politics funny?

Roach: It's funny, but it's painful. It's painful that it does get absurd. There's definitely humor, but when you're doing it about real-life situations, it makes me anxious. It's uncomfortable. I spent a fair amount of time to put people back into uncomfortable situations that they, in a certain way, wish to avoid because they already happened. I'm trying not to let them forget about them. It's a painful thing to ask the audience to go through. It's a little therapeutic in a different way to laugh through it, as opposed to cry through, because I found myself crying through the other stories. This one, I'm laughing.

MTV: Did doing those political films before help you make this political comedy?

Roach: It did help that I had a little bit of a background and had done a little bit of research. I'm still very naïve about politics. Through the research for those films, I was able to familiarize myself with how campaigns work, especially how spin doctors work, how campaign consultants work. Jason Sudeikis and Dylan McDermott play the respective spit doctors for Will Ferrell's and Zach Galifianakis' characters. Seeing how those dynamics work does at least create a plausible version of that that could be funny.

MTV: How far removed from reality are the politics of "The Campaign"?

Roach: In a certain way, you want to say it's far removed, but if the current campaign is any indication, it's not that far. While we were shooting, we would sometimes come to the set having seen a debate the night before and "Oh my God, reality is trumping us. We better step it up." I do think politics have become kind of a circus anyway. We were just a contrived circus, as opposed to the real one. Because it's Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, and they are determined to smear each other to destruction, we use that premise some of the campaign ads and campaign stunts pretty far.

MTV: What was it like having two great comedians in the leads?

Roach: They're incredible. I had a great time with both of them. Each is an excellent improviser and a great designer of character. When I heard they might want to work together, I don't know where that goes wrong. Those two guys, who are both very, very good at playing somewhat deluded losers, going against each other with the conviction that they both deserve to be winners, that to me always sounds fun. They compensate for any of their deficiencies by just turning up the conviction that they are super capable. In the case of story, they turn up their antagonism toward each other. In some of the debate scenes, we just let them run and kind of go at each other, using their own improv skills and fantastic stuff came out of it.

MTV: Were they as funny off-camera?

Roach: I would also do stuff off-camera with them. In a debate, I had not decided who the background actors should be cheering for, usually you predetermine that. I just said to the actors off-camera, "Whoever they like best, that's who they're going to cheer for." They started wooing the crowd between takes, offering them bribes and special drinks if they would be on their side. Zach started sharing his little portable fan that he would use to cool off in the New Orleans heat. Will started passing out trays of water. It was hilarious watching them. Then they turned on each other and started insulting each other to try disparage the other and turn their audiences away from them. It was just a funny trick. They riffed so much that I just kept doing it.

Check out everything we've got on "The Campaign."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Taylor Swift To Play Joni Mitchell?

It turns out voicing Audrey in "The Lorax" and playing a shallow, high school cheerleader in "Valentine's Day" were just the opening roles in Taylor Swift's budding acting career. The Grammy-winning artist is linked to the role of Joni Mitchell in the film adaptation of Sheila Weller's book "Girls Like Us," Variety reports.

The biography maps the lives of three of the most influential female musicians in America: Carole King, Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell. In an attempt to capture the life of women in the 1970s, Weller tells these artists' three unique stories. King is the daughter of a middle-class New York family, living in one of the city's outer boroughs. Simon is the product of Manhattan's intellectual elite. Mitchell's grandparents were Canadian farmers.

When MTV News spoke to Swift in March, she told us acting has always "fascinated" her. The role of Mitchell sounds like a part she would want to take on.

"I love the idea that you can tell a story in that way," the singer gushed. "I've been reading scripts for about five years. In my free time, that's all I do is read scripts."

But she isn't in a rush to choose just any role. "I just want to make decisions really carefully. I think, with movies, it's really important that you have to love something so much that you cannot think about anything else," she continued. "If you're going to become someone else, that's a huge deal. That's a huge commitment, and I would want to have the time and the ability and the love for something and the love for a character to where I could really make that commitment to it."

Swift would certainly have some of the background knowledge it takes to play Mitchell, being a musician herself. While Sony Pictures has not made Swift an official offer, other actresses have already auditioned — including Alison Pill ("Midnight in Paris") — for the role of King. Variety also reported that Katie Jacobs, executive producer of "House," is directing the script penned by John Sayles, and Lorenzo di Bonaventura is set to produce. The biopic is still waiting to be green-lit, but the tentative start of production is later this year.

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Hi-Yo White, Away! Jack White Scoring 'The Lone Ranger'

Jack White has always kept very busy, no matter what creative muscles he may be flexing or with which band — be it the White Stripes, the Raconteurs or the Dead Weather. In addition to the release of his first proper solo album, Blunderbuss, on Tuesday (April 24), Disney announced that White will make his first foray into the world of film scoring by writing, producing and performing the soundtrack for "The Lone Ranger."

For those who might be unfamiliar with the upcoming film starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer and directed by Gore Verbinski ("Rango" and "Pirates of the Caribbean"), the big-screen retelling of the classic TV series is spinning the traditional tale on its head. The Ranger's trusty Native American sidekick Tonto (Depp) will be the main character in the film, with the Lone Ranger (Hammer) taking the backseat this time around.

Depp has previously told MTV News that he has "interesting" plans for the character and is eager for audiences to see Tonto and the Lone Ranger in a whole new light. "I like the character. I think I have interesting plans for the character, and I think the film itself could be entertaining and very funny," he said. "But also I like the idea of having the opportunity to make fun of the idea of the Indian as a sidekick — which has always been [the case] throughout the history of Hollywood. The Native American has always been a second-class, third-class, fourth-class citizen, and I don't see Tonto that way at all. So it's an opportunity for me to salute Native Americans."

With Depp's and White's versatility at play in this production, audiences are definitely in for a unique moviegoing experience when "The Lone Ranger" hits theaters May 31, 2013.

Check out everything we've got on "The Lone Ranger."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Zac Efron Reveals Best Music For Setting The Mood

In a discussion of the finer aspects of the recently released romantic drama "The Lucky One" with stars Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling, one of the most entertaining subjects to come up revolved around prolific romance author Nicholas Sparks, author of the novel upon which the film is based. Specifically, we wondered whether Efron and Schilling had ever experienced any Sparks-like fantasy romance scenarios in real life.

"I'm sure I've said some of those lines," Efron admitted to MTV News. "They're probably worse — not as good as the ones [Sparks has] written, but they were excellent in the moment."

"I'm sure they were great," Schilling offered. "I'm sure they worked in the moment."

"I feel like they were good," Efron said with a smile.

"It's about the right moment," Schilling added, referring to the fact that there's a perfect time and place for romantic gestures. "There have been a few sweeping gestures [in my life] but what means the most to me are the little things from the heart. There have been a few notes and well-timed flowers that mean more than anything else."

"Every once in a while when you look into each other's eyes and that music starts playing, I love that," Efron joked, which prompted us to ask a follow-up question about which song you should play when trying to set the mood.

"That's a good question. What would be your song that you would play?" Schilling asked Efron. "I have no answer."

"Phil Collins," Efron deadpanned, which sent his co-star into a fit of giggles.

"That's great!" she said, laughing. "That's a good blanket artist. It's a great answer."

"I think so," Efron said.

We can just picture it now, Efron and a very lucky lady about to lock lips with Collins' classics "In the Air Tonight" or "Against All Odds" playing in the background.

Check out everything we've got on "The Lucky One."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Wiz Khalifa To Crash 'RapFix Live' Pittsburgh Party

There's going to be a Pittsburgh party on Wednesday's "RapFix Live." Mac Miller isn't the only Pittsburgh rapper making his return to the red couch on Wednesday, as Wiz Khalifa will also be sitting with host Sway Calloway to talk about his latest and greatest.

It's perfect timing too. On Monday, Khalifa released "Work Hard, Play Hard," the first single from his sophomore album O.N.I.F.C. (Only N---a in First Class). The catchy track, which was crafted by Stargate and Benny Blanco, finds Young Khalifa flaunting his success in the face of less fortunate haters.

Wiz is coming off the heels of his critically acclaimed Taylor Allderdice mixtape. He's prepping O.N.I.F.C. for an August 28 release, and if that wasn't enough, Mr. Khalifa and fiancée Amber Rose are planning a wedding. (It was during a March 2011 episode of "RapFix Live" where the lovebirds gave their first interview.) The Taylor Gang captain is also about to hit the road with Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Chevy Woods on the Under the Influence of Music tour, so there is plenty to talk about.

"It means everything, Mac's my little homey. It's good for his fans; it's good for everybody who've been wanting to see us do what we do together," Wiz told MTV News about the tour, which kicks off July 26 in Cincinnati, Ohio. "Chevy's my guy. I grew up with him so I know he's gonna bring a lot of crazy energy. Kendrick and Schoolboy got a bunch of fans on their own and people that they're gonna entertain as well, so I think it's just gonna bring a lot of different worlds together as well as create some new energy that hasn't been done before."

That's not all "RapFix Live" has to offer, as California spitter Casey Veggies will also be coming through. Trust us, you don't want to miss this!

Catch Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller and Casey Veggies on "RapFix Live" Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com, and be sure to join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #RapFixLive. Send your questions for the artists @MTVRapFix!

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'The Lucky One': The Reviews Are In!

In the film adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel "The Lucky One," Zac Efron plays Logan, a Marine who returns from Iraq in search of the woman he believes was his good luck charm overseas. He finds her (Beth, played by Taylor Schilling) and learns she runs a dog kennel with her son Ben and grandmother Ellie. Despite Beth's reservations, Ellie hires Logan to help with the work around the kennel, and Ellie ends up warming to the soldier.

Overall, critics are not impressed with the Scott Hicks-directed movie, but their reviews are mixed. Some claim that the acting is bland and the storyline is the typical "boy-meets-girl" Sparks experience, while others believe the romance is "well-constructed" given the source material. Either way, the film is sure to appeal to the author's fans and should fare well with romance lovers at this weekend's box office.

The Story
"The Sparks-styled romance has almost become its own movie genre — predictable, pure of heart, sentimental and never straying from the boy-meets-girl basics, or the surface, for that matter — and in that 'The Lucky One' delivers." — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

The Romance
"The central love story is well-constructed for what it is; it offers the requisite amount of fantasy with just a miniscule dollop of realism." — James Berardinelli, Reelviews

"Their love scenes, like every other element of Hicks' film, are lighted in a way that gives everything an impossibly warm, romantic glow. You can roll your eyes, or you can give in." — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press

Zac Efron
"Efron does fill out the hunky-guy uniform nicely. He's no longer the scrawny teen from 'High School Musical.' But despite his promise in smaller movies like 'Me and Orson Welles,' here he's all flat affect, taking bottled-up angst to an extreme where you never actually see it. He's perfectly likable but never riveting, dropping the ball on the chance to portray the complicated psychology of a war veteran. Apart from one early scene in which he flinches at a video-game shooting, you never have the sense he's dealing with combat repercussions." — Sara Stewart, New York Post

The Final Word
"Part of the experience of a Nicholas Sparks movie is encountering revelations and reversals in the plot that challenge your sense of the preposterous. That's how destiny works: unlikely incidents pile up [and] good intentions go awry ... If realism is what you're after, you'll do better at 'The Three Stooges.' 'The Lucky One' is where you will find death, redemption and kisses in the rain." — A. O. Scott, New York Times

Check out everything we've got on "The Lucky One."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Rihanna Preps Fancy Footwork For 'Where Have You Been' Video

Rihanna has never been known as a dancer, but she's ready to step her game up for her upcoming "Where Have You Been" video. In an almost three-minute-long behind-the-scenes montage clip that surfaced on Thursday, the megastar takes her Navy to the dance studio, where she's seen practicing a routine for the upcoming clip alongside a crew of dancers.

Rocking some appropriate rehearsal attire and simple sneaks, Ri turns to the camera at one point to admit that a dance routine was necessary for the hard dance track's video, saying, "I was never going to shoot this video if I couldn't do choreography, 'cause it would be pretty pointless. It would be disappointing."

As with the foot skills she performed in clips like "Rude Boy" and old-school joint "If It's Lovin' That You Want," choreographer Hi-Hat helped keep Rihanna's moves in line with the singer's comfort and style, while still showing off the most choreography we've ever seen her do.

As one of the world's biggest pop stars, the recent Billboard Music Awards nominee also revealed that devoting time to performance skills for videos is rare. "My schedule has always been so busy, it never really allowed for us to spend time rehearsing and making up dance moves," she said.

Just last week, Rihanna took to her Facebook to tease a dazzling black-and-white shot from the clip, where she's seen exposing her midriff and kneeling before forest-like scenery. No word on when the video will be released, but with a recently announced musical guest gig on "Saturday Night Live," "Where Have You Been" is likely to be one of the singer's performance sets on the May 5 show. This will mark her third appearance on the late-night sketch comedy show, which will be hosted by New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

What do you think of Rihanna's fancy footwork? Sound off below.

Original Source

Olivia Munn A 'Voyeur' On The 'Magic Mike' Set

There's so much man meat in the "Magic Mike" trailer that it's easy to forget that there are actual ladies in the June film.

Sure, "Mike" stars Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer and Joe Manganiello — we know, you need a second to catch your breath — but the Steven Soderbergh-directed flick also boasts some talented ladies, including Olivia Munn.

When MTV News caught up with the actress — who was being honored by Us Weekly as a "sexy tomboy" at the mag's Hot Hollywood event — she opened up about being around all those guys and loving each and every minute of it.

"I think on set, with all these guys, I'm not a sexy tomboy; I'm not a tomboy; I'm not anything," she said. "I'm just a voyeur, watching them."

She then recalled hitting the set long before her call time just to gawk at the studs. "I'm on set when I'm not even working for, like, four hours, but I heard they're dancing and they're going to be naked, so I'm gonna be here early watching. So that's what I am on set: more the voyeur watching."

As for all the smooth moves, she shared that the film's star — Magic Mike himself, Channing Tatum — might be the smoothest. "He's truly, truly talented, and he's so fun to watch, and it's so sexy as well," she said. "And then the person I was really impressed with was Matt Bomer, 'cause I didn't know he could dance. He's got this juicy butt. Like, I just want to make wishes on it, it's so beautiful."

Check out everything we've got on "Magic Mike."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

Original Source

Tiesto's <i> Club Life - Volume Two Miami</i> A Tribute To City He Loves

When EDM icon Tiësto drops a new album, it isn't just a new collection of songs. It's nothing short of a highly anticipated event in dance music, and Club Life - Volume Two Miami lives up to that description.

While the first installment of his Club Life series was a nod to Las Vegas, with Volume Two — released Tuesday (April 24) — Tiësto salutes the city that's had his back since day one.

"Literally the first place I came to in America was Miami, and since then I've always been in love with the city," Tiësto revealed to MTV News recently. "They've always been very supportive of my music. Like, even in the beginning of 2002, when the whole of America was not really into dance music, Miami had already embraced my music here and played it in all the stores."

Indeed, Tiësto has, over the years, seen Miami absorb EDM into its very fabric. Each week, the biggest names in dance music play Miami nightclubs, and Ultra Music Festival had around 165,000 people pass through its gates this year. It's fair to say, Miami is a dance music town.

"Miami is such an amazing city," Tiësto said. "The people. The restaurants. The clubs. The festival. It's the best city in America for dance music.

"I'm so happy that I've seen the whole change, because I never really expected it to happen," Tiësto confessed. "Five years ago, I was like, 'You know what? America will never be conquered for dance music.' And now we finally are here and it's amazing to be part of it."

And so it should make sense that an album of the Miami namesake reflects some of the most impressive EDM efforts assembled on one disc. Tiësto partners with Wolfgang Gartner and Luciana on the banging "We Own the Night" and simply stuns with "Make Some Noise," a collaboration with Swanky Tunes and Ben McInerney of New Navy.

Stellar remixes stand out in Tiësto's take on Gotye's smash hit "Somebody That I Used to Know" and the Naked and Famous' "Young Blood," a collaboration with fellow Bred, Holland native, Hardwell. The widely successful "Maximal Crazy" is among three Tiësto originals served up on CLV2, and it appears he still has plans for "Chasing Summers."

"Very catchy melody," Tiësto relished. "At first I was like, 'It's a great opener track,' but then the reactions from people were so great. So I think I have to put a vocal on it later on."

What do you think of Club Life - Volume Two Miami? Leave your comment below!

Original Source

Blake Lively, Taylor Kitsch Are 'Savages' In Oliver Stone's Latest

When Oliver Stone releases a film, you'd better sit up and take notice. Whether he's tackling the Vietnam War (as he did in a trilogy of films: "Platoon," "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Heaven & Earth"), presidential scandals (another trilogy: "JFK," "Nixon" and "W.") or pulpy genre violence ("Natural Born Killers," "U-Turn"), you can be sure he'll give an audience member something to chew on. So when Stone signs on to direct some of the hottest young actors in Hollywood (Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson) in a tale of sex, drugs and violence, yeah, we're interested.

MTV News caught up with Stone to talk about his first legitimate summer release, "Savages" (set for a July 6 release), his distaste for most summer popcorn films and his upcoming gargantuan take on nothing less than the history of the United States.

MTV: The release date of "Savages" was shifted quite a bit. It's now being released in the middle of a very competitive summer. Were you happy with that decision?

Oliver Stone: I've never done a summer movie, believe it or not. Except for "Natural Born Killers," but that was August, late summer. This is my first time out there in the big leagues. So I'm excited in a way.

MTV: Do you think "Savages" will play well for that younger summer audience?

Stone: I think it plays well. I don't know that it would play completely to the "Hunger Games" crowd because we have a different kind of sexuality and the take on violence is real for us. It's fun and exciting. It's a wild ride. You don't know what's going to happen. I think the unpredictability is what makes it work.

MTV: Can you give me a sense of the relationship at the heart of the story between the characters played by Blake, Taylor and Aaron.

Stone: They are all friends and they believe in free love, and they happen to be growing some grass. One of them [Johnson] is doing good around the world. The other one [Kitsch] is an Afghanistan and Iraq veteran who's his best buddy from school; they have a partnership. The girl [Lively] is from Laguna. They met on the beach, basically.

MTV: It sounds like just about every hot young actor was in the running for these roles.

Stone: I met with every pot dealer I could. [Laughs] For the girl, I had to meet a few of the younger newcomers because I did not know who they were. I saw [Blake's] work and I was very impressed with "[The Private Live of] Pippa Lee." And she was very strong in "The Town." I think people that know her from "Gossip Girl" will be surprised. She is beautiful and she is sexy. She is hot. That's what a lot of fans would say about her.

MTV: Has "Savages" received a rating yet?

Stone: We got a hard R. It's an intense movie but it's a different style than "Natural Born Killers." It has a lush look. It has some of that sun-drenched romanticism that I like. It's not just action, it is also romantic.

MTV: "Savages" will be surrounded by some big summer blockbusters. You've managed to avoid tentpole movies, though you did almost direct a "Mission: Impossible" at one point.

Stone: Well, we tried to make a "Mission" at that time, which was ahead of its time in terms of the story. I looked at it as a vehicle that was supersmart. [But] they could never pick a script. With "Mission: Impossible," you have to hit these beats all the time.

MTV: It sounds like it's not a regret for you.

Stone: It's all steroids now. I mean "Iron Man 2" is unwatchable, as is "Transformers 2." It's not my kind of moviemaking. "Savages" is a different kind of movie. It's realistic and at the same time it has a bit of that summer pop feel.

MTV: What's the status of your TV series, "The Untold History of the United States"?

Stone: That one's a bitch. It's a bitch in my butt.

MTV: It will begin airing on Showtime in November?

Stone: Yeah, we will make that for sure, but there are so many factors and fact checking. It's a lot of work. It's 21 hours and each hour has to work like a movie. I'm dealing with an important issue to me. That's a legacy for me. Something that matters. It may not matter to most people, but it does matter to me. This is a perception of our time that is completely different from what we're hearing in magazines and in our newspapers. We deal with all types of things, such as the nature of the atomic bomb, why was it used, why it should not have been used. It's all kinds of stuff. Reagan's legacy, our national security state, we go after all of it.

MTV: Do you narrate it?

Stone: Yes, I narrate it as well.

Check out Oliver Stone's "Savages" in theaters July 6, and "The Untold History of the United States" on Showtime in November.

It's Summer Movie Preview Week, and MTV News will be bringing you exclusive interviews, clips and photos for the most anticipated summer movies. Get ready to gorge on inside looks at "The Avengers," Robert Pattinson's "Bel Ami," Kristen Stewart's "Snow White," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and more!

Original Source

112 Merged Hip-Hop And R&B -- But Are They The Best Boy Band?

Who would've thought our Battle of the Boy Bands could get so ugly? The BB free-for-all is already in full swing, as the respective fanbases vote for their favorites and sling mud at the competition. Not that 112 are the least bit worried. Slim, Q, Daron and Mike got their start on Diddy's Bad Boy Records and have been besting boy bands since their 1996 self-titled debut.

Oh, you aren't convinced 112 have what it takes to beat out the best of all time? Just check the stats! We thought Diddy told y'all that they won't stop — eh, eh, eh, eh!

Highest Chart Achievement
By the time One-One-Deuce dropped Part III in 2001, they'd long proven their dominance in the world of R&B, but it was "Peaches & Cream" that would establish them as a formidable pop act. The naughty dance hit became their most popular track after it peaked at #4 on the Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

Standout Video
Before "TRL," it was 112 who were bringing the party to Times Square. The Atlanta quartet rode in an open-top hummer and danced the night away in their 1996 "Only You" remix video. To top things off, Slim and company not only brought the Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy along for the ride, they also introduced the world to Ma$e. Which other boy band can boast that?

Defining Tune
Making crowds dance was damn-near a prerequisite for any artist signed to Diddy's Bad Boy label, and 112 had quite a few party-starters in their catalog. Still, it was the group's 1997 ballad "Cupid" that gave them ultimate staying power. The acoustic love song more than showed off the quartet's vocal chops and, more importantly, made young girls everywhere swoon.

Debut Album
112's self-titled debut came at the perfect time. The band capitalized off Diddy's penchant for producing perfect R&B/hip-hop mash-ups and their double-platinum first LP not only featured the Notorious B.I.G., but Ma$e and Mr. Cheeks as well. Thanks to Puff's vision, 112 were able to capture the street audience that the clean-cut Boyz II Men could not in a post-Jodeci era.

Biggest Competition
If 112 hope to make any strides in the Battle of the Boy Bands, they have to get past 'NSYNC in a possible second-round matchup. Not that Diddy's foursome should be overlooking LFO, but Justin Timberlake and company will be especially tough to overtake.

Now Slim is humble enough to admit that if it isn't 112, his favorite boy band is New Edition, but be clear: He wants your vote.

"First of all, 112 brought a lot to the game," Slim pointed out to MTV News. "When we first came in, we were in the biggest music movement signed to Bad Boy with P. Diddy. With that, we were probably the first group to bring hip-hop and R&B together."

Voting in round one of MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands is now open and runs until noon ET on Thursday, April 26. Winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite band made the cut, make sure you keep voting. Spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag #BBB and like us on Facebook for updates!

Vote for your favorite band, discuss and share on Facebook and Twitter in the MTV Battle of the Boy Bands interactive bracket!

Original Source

President Obama Slow Jams The News on 'Jimmy Fallon'

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has been struggling to connect with the kids, but President Obama seems to be having no problem. In his latest bid to win over the youth vote, the commander-in-chief dropped by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Tuesday night and joined the estimable list of guests who have slow jammed the news on the show.

"I want to slow jam the news, and I'm not the only one," Fallon told his audience as the on-stage curtain parted and a smiling Obama strutted out purposefully to wild applause. "I'm President Barack Obama and I, too, want to slow jam the news," the slow-jammer-in-chief said as house band the Roots broke into a few funky bars of "Hail to the Chief."

Looking into the camera while the Roots laid down a silky groove, Obama said, "On July 1st of this year the interest rates on Stafford student loans, the same loans that many of you use to help pay for college are set to double. And that means some hard-working students will be paying about $1,000 extra just to get their education. So I've called on Congress to prevent this from happening. What we've said is simple: now is not the time to make school more expensive for our young people."

The camera then swung to Fallon, in the foreground, as he rumbled, "Ohhh yeahhh, you should listen to the president!"

"Or as I like to call him, the Preezy of the United Steezy," Fallon said without cracking a smile. "Things are heating up inside Congress' chambers behind all those closed doors, so the president made a few discreet calls across the aisle, he said, 'Hey, let's get together on this one. Without an affordable Stafford loan, where can a student turn? The Pell Grant is a beautiful thing, but with college getting more expensive, is it enough by itself to satisfy all your collegiate needs? Oh Pell no!"

Obama also managed to keep a straight face throughout the bit, even as Roots rapper Black Thought tossed out Kim and Kanye and Tim Tebow jokes and Fallon referred to him as the "Barackness Monster." The president later sat down just hours after giving a speech earlier in the day on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where the show aired from on Tuesday night. He joked about being nervous appearing on the late night talker and lamented that he was "surrounded" by women in his rental property (the White House) and that sometimes they pick on him and First Dog, Bo. "We go to the man cave, turn on Sports Center, have a couple beers," Obama explained of what he and Bo do to get away sometimes. He also gave a shout out to the Comedy Central show "Key and Peele," praising a bit where the actor who plays Obama has an "anger translator."

Asked about the secret service prostitution scandal in Columbia, Obama admitted he was "pretty mad" at the "couple of knuckleheads" that detracted from the great work his security detail does on a daily basis. And, sadly, he told viewer "Bobo" that he would not be legalizing marijuana. Going all in on appealing to the wireless generation, Obama answered a question from one viewer about why his parents should vote for the president over Romney by dictating it as a tweet. He also said he's met Romney and that he seems like a good family man, but, alas, "we are not friends."

After discussing his more embarrassing moment as the leader of the free world (accidentally walking out of a meeting with some human rights activists before any of the speakers had taken the stage and having to turn around and walk back in), he got down to the very serious issue of student loan interest rates that are about to double unless Congress acts. "The single most important investment young people can make remains a college education," he said, noting that he and First Lady Michelle Obama didn't finish paying off their student loans until eight years ago.

With the exception of a tune from the Dave Matthews Band, Fallon spent the entire show speaking to the president. It's unclear, though, if Obama's slow jam will end up on the comedy album Fallon is releasing on June 12, Blow Your Pants Off, which is slated to feature bits from Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Paul McCartney and Justin Timberlake.

Original Source

The Wanted: A Whirlwind Day With The Boy Band

NEW YORK — The Wanted happen to be one of the biggest boy bands in the world at the moment. On Tuesday (April 24), the British fivesome released their self-titled U.S. EP with the kind of fanfare only a boy band could pull off as they took over the island of Manhattan for a whirlwind release-day press tour.

MTV News was on hand for every minute of it, from sunrise to sunset, capturing the excitement as the boys made their way across the Big Apple to promote the album. We first met up with the guys at 5 a.m. at their hotel to make our way over to "Today." But, we weren't the only ones who greeted the guys there: Fans had waited all night outside the hotel to catch a glimpse of the Wanted.

Despite the early hour, the guys obliged, signing autographs and smiling for photos with their devotees. Then they hopped into their car and made their way across town to "Today."

So, how do they manage to keep their spirits up at the top of a long day like that? "We prepared for this show this morning by having cups of tea and Cheerios, good for the heart," Siva Kaneswaran told me before they took the stage to perform. "Basically, just psych each other, gaze into each other's eyes and get excited, and that's what gets us through the day."

From there, it was all about greeting even more fans, who had followed the guys from the studio back to their hotel, where the guys regrouped for a bit before more press and appearances. It's the fans though who make the grueling press tour worth all the work, even if they find sneaky ways to show the guys their love.

Recalling a mid-day fan encounter during their downtime, Tom Parker said some fans must have sneaked into the hotel, probably through the front door. "They were following us around. Some girl came up and said, 'Is it too early to buy you a drink yet?' " The answer was "yes" — they did have a full day of press ahead of them!

After their very short break, we were back in the car heading to the Empire State Building, where the guys got their photos taken and did several more interviews to hype up their release.

Their final stop today will be their "MTV First," during which they will premiere their video for "Chasing the Sun," sit down with Sway Calloway to chat about their album and the video, and answer fans' questions.

Well, Sway, I warmed them up for you. I just hope I didn't tire them out.

The Wanted are taking over the Big Apple! Stick with MTV News for updates and exclusive behind-the-scenes photos all day. We'll tag along with the guys on stops like the "Today" show and the Empire State Building before "MTV First: The Wanted" kicks off at 7:53 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com. Be sure to tune in for the premiere of the "Chasing the Sun" video and a 30-minute interview with the band!

Original Source

Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar Bring Worlds Together On Tour

Wiz Khalifa is excited to embark on a summer tour with Mac Miller — or is he? MTV News caught up with the Rolling Papers MC on the set of Maroon 5's "Payphone" video shoot in Los Angeles, where he talked about the upcoming Under the Influence of Music Tour.

"Mac's my man," Wiz said, before he jokingly backtracked. "Actually, I really don't like him like that. That's why I usually try to stay away from him. There's no way I could avoid him for too much longer, so they made me go on tour with him."

Khalifa and Miller both hail from Pittsburgh, and are both signed to local independent label Rostrum Records. Despite the duo's close proximity, the two MCs don't have a ton of collaborations under their belts. The pair hooked up on "Keep Floatin'," a track off of Mac's 2011 mixtape Best Day Ever, and on 2009's "Cruise Control." Next up is the Under the Influence of Music Tour, which kicks off July 26 in Cincinnati. "It means everything, Mac's my little homey. It's good for his fans; it's good for everybody who've been wanting to see us do what we do together," Wiz said.

TDE's Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Taylor Gang's Chevy Woods are also on the bill. "Chevy's my guy. I grew up with him so I know he's gonna bring a lot of crazy energy," Khalifa promised. "Kendrick and Schoolboy got a bunch of fans on their own and people that they're gonna entertain as well, so I think it's just gonna bring a lot of different worlds together as well as create some new energy that hasn't been done before."

Kendrick, who spoke with MTV News earlier this week, says he is pumped for the upcoming run. "Man, I'm anticipating a whole bunch of energy. They gonna let me down if I don't get the energy," he said. "I gotta get a whole bunch of wild motherf---ers who just wanna party and hear good music."

Tickets will ceremoniously go on sale on the stoner holiday of April 20 (Friday) at 4:20 p.m. on Ticketmaster and LiveNation.

Will you be attending the Under the Influence of Music Tour? Tell us in the comments!

Original Source

'A Voice' In Nicki Minaj's Head Told Her To Quit Twitter

As of Friday afternoon (April 20), Nicki Minaj has been absent from Twitter for five days, keeping the Barbz on a sharp lookout for her return.

Minaj deactivated the account in a fit of frustration on Sunday, but during her current press run in the U.K., she admits that she's still pondering if or when she will get back on the social media site. In an interview with Graham Norton, Nicki explained that one of the many personalities in her head — we're assuming it wasn't Roman this time — told her to quit Twitter.

"A voice in my head told me to delete my Twitter and that's what I did," she said, adding, "I had 11 million followers and I hope they will wait for me."

Norton specifically asked when she planned to get back on her timeline, but she wouldn't confirm anything, telling him, "I don't know yet, I'm thinking about it. I miss my Barbz, please bear with me."

Nicki disappeared from Twitter over the weekend after getting into a spat with one of her fan sites, NickiDaily, which she took issue with for posting leaked music from her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded album. "Like seriously, it's but so much a person can take. Good f---ing bye," she wrote before signing off indefinitely.

The leak was Nicki's breaking point, but it's very possible that she was also getting fed up with some of the feedback she's been receiving since she dropped Roman Reloaded.

For now, Barbz shouldn't be too worried about Nicki being permanently absent from Twitter. She will be able to reactivate her account even after several weeks of inactivity, and thanks to her verified status, no one will be allowed to inherit her @NickiMinaj handle without the permission of Twitter employees.

Do you think Nicki should reactivate her Twitter account? Tell us in the comments!

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Beyonce Named <i>People</i>'s Most Beautiful Woman

Beyoncé truly is the Queen B. She has been voted People's World's Most Beautiful Woman in the magazine's latest issue, which celebrates all things beautiful. And these days she says the thing that makes her feel most beautiful is her baby girl, Blue Ivy.

"I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt because I've given birth," Beyoncé told the magazine. "I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth."

Beyoncé continues to gush about her baby girl, saying, "She's just the cutest thing," adding that she makes up songs to sing just to Blue Ivy. When asked which of her parents the baby resembles more, B responded, "She looks like Blue. She's her own person."

While Beyoncé is focused on her "love" of changing diapers these days, she is prepping to get back to work. But she seems to feel her greatest achievement is baby Blue. "The best thing about having a daughter is having a true legacy," she explained. "The word 'love' means something completely different now."

Beyoncé is slated to perform in Atlantic City over Memorial Day weekend and is rumored to be working on new music for a follow-up to 2011's 4.

This is the ninth time the pop singer has made the issue, which hits newsstands Friday. The list also includes Angelina Jolie; Jennifer Lawrence; Adele; newly pregnant Megan Fox; "Snow White and the Huntsman" villain Charlize Theron; the Snow White of "Mirror Mirror," Lily Collins; "Mad Men" vixen Christina Hendricks; Michelle Williams and Kate Middleton.

Guys who made the cut in the Most Beautiful issue include the Sexiest Man Alive himself, Bradley Cooper, David Beckham, Blake Shelton and Ashton Kutcher. In 2011, "American Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez was crowned People's Most Beautiful Woman.

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Justin Bieber And Selena Gomez 'Not Engaged,' Rep Says

The celebrity relationship rumor mill has churned out another juicy one today (April 20) with reports that teen sweethearts Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are taking their romance to the next level and shopping for engagement rings.

As expected, the rumor is just that. Bieber's manager Scooter Braun told Us Weekly that the reports are "complete bulls---" and that the Biebs' entire management team was very entertained by the fictional report. He said they were all "laughing" at the speculation.

CLICK FOR PHOTOS OF THE HOT, STYLISH COUPLE

So where did the rumor get started? Via a gossip item in the Chicago Sun-Times, which claimed that "several people close to the superstar couple" told the newspaper that they're convinced an engagement announcement is in the very near future.

The story went on to say that Bieber, 18, and Gomez, 19, were spotted at a couple major jewelry stores eyeing pricey diamond rings.

The lovebirds have been dating for nearly a year and, despite the public scrutiny of their relationship, are a normal teenage couple who share a similar "dating philosophy," according to Gomez. For Bieber, that philosophy includes honesty and patience.

"I don't know if I'm even the best boyfriend," Bieber recently admitted to MTV News during an interview on the set of the music video shoot for his latest single, "Boyfriend." "But I can give a few suggestions. I think being honest and patient, because girls can be tough sometimes, so you just got to be patient. That's two. Forgive, and have fun, because it's about having fun. Last one? Be faithful."

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