Celebrity Buzz: July 2011

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Justin Bieber Urges Fans Not To Text And Drive

Pop star joins new campaign to encourage fans to download PhoneGuard app that locks smartphone when car is in motion.
By Gil Kaufman

Justin Bieber
Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Justin Bieber likely spends way more time on private jets and international flights than behind the wheel of a car. But the teen pop sensation knows one thing about driving: You shouldn't text when you're behind the wheel. That's why Bieber, 17, has signed on to a campaign urging his fans to lay off the smartphone while they drive.

"We need to change the attitudes in our society toward texting and driving and I am making it one of my personal goals to make this happen," said Bieber in a statement released as part of his endorsement of PhoneGuard's Drive Safe software, which disables the texting, email and keyboard functions of mobile phones while a car is in motion. "Every night we perform, we have a banner that goes up that says 'Don't Text and Drive' so it really means a lot to me," he said.

Bieber has been pushing his fans to give up texting while driving since earlier this year when he made a surprise appearance on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to promote the efforts of Wellman, Texas' Brown family, who have been raising awareness about the dangers of the practice since their daughter, Alex, was killed in a texting-while-driving incident. Bieber's anti-texting campaign will provide some funds to the Remember Alex Brown Foundation charity.

The singer joins a number of other major figures who've been working to get the word out about the dangerous practice, including the Jonas Brothers, who have been outspoken advocates with Allstate's "X the Text" campaign. Others who've signed on for that effort include former "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks and "Camp Rock" star Meaghan Martin. "Glee" actress Jane Lynch has also filmed public service announcements, as her TV alter ego Sue Sylvester, on behalf of LG Mobile Phones to highlight the dangers of texting while driving.

Among the biggest names to endorse the end of the practice is Oprah Winfrey, who has been asking her followers to take the No Phone Zone Pledge since 2009, in which more than 423,000 people to date have vowed not to text while behind the wheel.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667104/justin-bieber-tells-fans-dont-text-and-drive.jhtml

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'Dark Knight Rises' Trailer Hits The Net!

Clip offers glimpse of villain Bane in action while Liam Neeson's Ra's Al Ghul resurfaces in voiceover.
By Terri Schwartz

Tom Hardy as Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises" trailer
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

In exactly one year and two days, the Dark Knight will rise for the last time under the direction of Christopher Nolan.

Fans flocking to the cinemas over the weekend to see "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" were lucky enough to catch the first teaser trailer of "The Dark Knight Rises," the final installment of Nolan's Batman trilogy. But now the official trailer has hit the Internet, teasing an apocalyptic conclusion to the beloved series.

The latest clip appropriately teases the two elements of "The Dark Knight Rises" that have fans already so riled up. First off, a voiceover by Liam Neeson's "Batman Begins" character, Ra's Al Ghul, implies the connection to the first Batman movie that moviegoers have long suspected.

"If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, then you become something else entirely," he whispers. "A legend, Mr. Wayne, a legend."

When we last saw Batman, he was going into hiding after the destruction caused by the Joker and Two-Face. But the Batman must rise, and in new footage from the trailer, it's Batman's old friend, Commissioner Gordon, who asks him to do so. "We were in this together, and then you were gone," says an incapacitated Gordon, played by Gary Oldman. "And now this evil rises. The Batman has to come back."

"This evil," the second key trailer element, seems to imply Bane, the new "Dark Knight" villain played by Tom Hardy. Several shots of Bane are mixed in with the final moments of the trailer, a follow-up to the previously released photo of the man who broke the Bat. Among these images is also the first shot of Christian Bale as Batman in "The Dark Knight Rises."

The final look in the trailer — Gotham City's skyscrapers crumbling down in a shape of the Bat symbol — hearkens back to the poster released last week. It certainly seems to imply that Gotham City might be destroyed while the Dark Knight does rise.

There are still several characters left unseen, though, including Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard in presumed there-must-be-more-to-it-than-that roles. The Neeson voiceover opens up a whole new can of worms when it comes to the theory that Cotillard is actually playing Ra's Al Ghul's daughter, Talia Al Ghul, though whether that concept comes to fruition remains to be seen.

What do you think of the first "Dark Knight" trailer? Tell us in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667415/dark-knight-rises-teaser-trailer.jhtml

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Beyonce's 4 Shoots To #1 Debut

Singer expected to move 300,000 units of her fourth album, according to Billboard.
By Jocelyn Vena

Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia

It looks like 4 is going to be #1. Beyoncé's latest effort is projected to debut at #1 on the albums chart after selling an estimated 300,000 units in its first week, according to Billboard.

Those sales would place her in the middle of the pack of fellow divas with albums out this year. Britney Spears' Femme Fatale sold 276,000 records her first week; Lady Gaga's Born This Way sold an impressive 1.1 million records, and Adele's 21 sold 352,000 records right out the gate (though it's had much more staying power than the others).

The aptly titled fourth release from B would also be her fourth #1 album debut, though the numbers will likely be below her previous first-week sales. I Am ... Sasha Fierce sold 482,000 in its first week, in 2008, and her sophomore effort, 2006's B'Day, sold 541,000 albums. Her debut solo effort, Dangerously in Love, debuted with 317,000 units sold.

Fans will go behind the scenes of the making of 4 in an MTV special, "Beyoncé: Year of 4," airing Thursday night (June 30). In the half-hour doc, Beyoncé talks about taking some time off before making the record, which features studio work from The-Dream, Kanye West and Andre 3000.

"My life was award shows and tour buses and hotels, and it kind of goes by so fast ... I couldn't even hear it anymore," she says of her whirlwind schedule. "I'm just thinking about the next shoot ... the next video ... the next tour ... I never even realized I needed a year off. And I never realized I don't know how to take a year off."

Tune in to "Beyoncé: Year of 4," airing Thursday, June 30, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and BET, and at 7:30 p.m. on VH1 and Palladia. Encore presentations follow on MTV.com, MTV Hits and MTV Jams.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666662/beyonce-4-billboard.jhtml

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Kooky Quaids Won't Be Extradited From Canada

Looks like you get to stay, Quaids!
Remember Randy and Evi Quaid? (We barely do.) They were accused of doing a whole bunch of ridiculous things like squatting in their old Santa Barbara, Calif. house and being charged with vandalism and defacing $5,000 worth of property. Then they ran to Canada in fear of [...]

Source: http://perezhilton.com/2011-07-19-randy-and-evi-quaid-will-not-be-extradited-from-canada

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Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover

Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.
By Gil Kaufman

Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox

Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."

That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.

The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.

For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.

Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610709/adam-lamberts-whole-lotta-love-story-behind-cover.jhtml

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Photos | 2009 American Music Award Nominees

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Photos | Ke$ha, Chris Brown Heat Up The Us Hot Hollywood Party

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'Harry Potter' Star Emma Watson Will Be Back Onscreen Soon

'My Week With Marilyn' and 'Perks of Being a Wallflower' are the first two post-'Potter' projects Watson lined up.
By Terri Schwartz, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Emma Watson
Photo: Jim Spellman/ WireImage

We hope Emma Watson has already digested her post-"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" brunch. Because now that she's finished the project that virtually defined a decade of her life, the actress has plenty to look forward to.

The 21-year-old starlet did just a few non-"Potter" acting roles during her time with the franchise, only separating herself from Hermione long enough to star in the 2007 BBC film "Ballet Shoes" and lend her voice to 2008's "Tales of Despereaux." Now, she has wrapped her first two post-"Potter" films and is excited for people to see her outside of a "Harry Potter" capacity.

Up first is the Michelle Williams-starring adaptation of "My Week With Marilyn," based on Laurence Olivier's assistant's account of spending time with Marilyn Monroe (Williams) while she was filming "The Prince and the Showgirl." Watson plays a character named Lucy who goes on a few dates with leading man Eddie Redmayne. It's a minor role for a small film (which is slated for release this November), but it's garnering a lot of attention because of Watson's involvement.

"I've seen a trailer for it. It looks pretty amazing," Watson told MTV News at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards. "I mean, Michelle is an incredible actress, and Eddie Redmayne is also in it, so he did a great job."

But her upcoming film that's getting the most buzz is the Summit Entertainment adaptation of Stephen Chbosky's coming-of-age novel, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." Watson plays Sam, the love interest of main character Charlie (played by Logan Lerman). It wrapped shooting several weeks ago, and Watson told us at the Movie Awards that the expectation was to turn it around and get it released quickly.

"It's so funny because I never thought I'd make another sort of high school-esque movie, and here I am in this coming-of-age, American teen [movie]," she said. "But it's very witty, and it's very funny and it's very moving, so I'm excited."

Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."

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

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Taco Bell Employee Quits In A Very Clear Manner

We have to admit — this is one of the most straight forward ways to quit we've ever seen!
We just hope he had a job lined up, because we're positive he won't be taken back after this.
A Taco Bell manager in NY was fed up with not getting any days off (we're talking [...]

Source: http://perezhilton.com/2011-07-19-taco-bell-employee-quits-in-a-very-clear-manner

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No hay más Led Zeppelin

A pesar de lo dicho ayer, Peter Mensch, manager del guitarrista Jimmy Page, se retractó totalmente en eso que la banda buscaría un reemplazo al ultragenial Robert Plant para seguir rockeando y toureándola por el mundo tras su show de 2007 en el O2 Arena de Londres por el poder de la música más sexual de la historia. No habrá más Led Zeppelin, no hay planes de que lo haya.

Mensch comentó: "Led Zeppelin se acabó. Si no los vieron en el 2007, se los perdieron. Probaron reemplazantes a Robert Plant, pero nada funcionó. Se acabó. No hay planes para continuar. Francamente, ojalá todos dejaran de hablar al respecto."

Los fans no están nada contentos, especialmente los británicos, considerando los precios delirantes de las entradas del show reunión.

¿Y a ti? ¿Qué te parece todo esto?

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1602369/.jhtml

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'Captain America' Clip: Chris Evans Is Skinny But Heroic

Evans himself presents exclusive sneak peek on MTV and MTV.com.
By Kara Warner

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in "Captain America: The First Avenger"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

On Thursday (July 14), Captain America himself, Chris Evans, presented an exclusive new clip from his highly anticipated caped crusade "Captain America: The First Avenger" on MTV and MTV.com.

The clip opens with fan-favorite actors Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci, in the roles of Colonel Chester Phillips and Dr. Abraham Erskine, walking through an Army base, watching a group of recruits in their basic-training exercises. Phillips is talking to Erskine about their new unimpressive recruit Steve Rogers (a skinny Evans, pre-super serum and superhero status), who looks to be having trouble with his jumping jacks.

"When you brought a 90-pound asthmatic onto my Army base, I let it slide. I thought, 'What the hell? Maybe he'd be useful to you like a gerbil,' " Phillips says to Erskine about Rogers, before stopping to watch him. "Look at that — he's making me cry."

Phillips points out another stronger recruit jumping alongside Evans, who boasts impressive scores in every military test they've given him. Erskine calls him a bully, but Phillips doesn't care.

"You don't win wars with niceness, Doctor; you win wars with guts," he says before tossing a grenade into the group to see how they react. All the recruits scramble away to safety, except for Rogers, who jumps on the grenade himself to protect everyone else. The grenade turns out to be a dummy.

"Is this a test?" Rogers asks his senior officers, after showcasing an early glimpse of the hero he is to become.

"He's still skinny," Phillips says, seemingly unimpressed, to a smiling Erskine.

Check out everything we've got on "Captain America: The First Avenger."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667308/captain-america-first-avenger-chris-evans-grenade-clip.jhtml

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Monday, July 18, 2011

Paramore's 'Monster' Video Premieres

Clip hints at past dramas and points to the long road ahead.
By James Montgomery

Paramore's Hayley Williams in their "Monster" video
Photo: Fueled By Ramen

Last month, Paramore roared back to life with "Monster," the first song they've released since the rather acrimonious departure of founding members Josh and Zac Farro in December.

In the track, Hayley Williams seemed to be singing about nothing but the Farros (Josh in particular) and how Paramore are pushing on without them. But if the song is about the interpersonal relationships that cause a band to fall apart (and subsequently come back together again), well, then the video — which just premiered on MTV.com — seems to be about the band itself. Or, more specifically, the band as a sort of machine, one that never stops running and seems designed to continually churn through members. In this case, it is the Monster. And it must be fed.

Or something like that. Because the "Monster" video is one gigantic Möbius strip, an unending loop that begins and ends in the exact same spot. We follow the band as they make their way through a damaged hospital (a setup that recalls the opening of "28 Days Later"), constantly tormented and threatened by the gnashing and wailing of another version of Paramore, this one trapped inside a room, trying desperately to escape. Their attempts — thrashing against walls, pounding on floorboards — cause the hospital to heave and sway and funnels Williams, guitarist Taylor York and bassist Jeremy Davis down a dark corridor, around a corner and, eventually, directly into the room where their former selves were trapped. Only now, the room is empty, except for a microphone and some instruments. As the video comes to a close, we are left to wonder if the whole scenario is about to play out once again.

It seems as if the video is hinting at the fact that bands are, by their very nature, set up to fail, that regardless of how closely knit its members are, eventually, due to distance and stress and all matters of maladies, things begin to break down and that the cycle will play itself out ad infinitum. It's not exactly the most uplifting plot, but it's certainly an honest portrayal of the inner-workings of the music machine.

Then again, perhaps I'm just reading too much into things. Maybe what we don't see is Paramore breaking the cycle, but I don't think so. After all, since the split with the Farros, Paramore have been nothing if not honest about their individual shortcomings and the pressures they faced. And, with "Monster," they seem to be taking that openness to new levels: They may have made it through one calamity, but surely, there will be another one lurking around the corner.

What did you think of Paramore's new video? Share your reviews in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667371/paramore-monster-video.jhtml

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Usher - Spotlight

Spotlight

Artist: Usher
Label: Warner Bros. Records, Asylum, Mizay Ent
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Album: The State vs. Radric Davis

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1270&vid=454171

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Audrina Patridge, Ke$ha, Adam Lambert Share Prom Memories

'Me and my gay best friend just danced until 8 a.m.,' Ke$ha tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena

Audrina Patridge
Photo: MTV News

It's prom season, and that means high schoolers across this great land will be renting tuxes, buying fancy dresses and negotiating the details of their curfews with parents. So, before you take your pictures and get in your limos, we asked some Hollywood A-listers to recall their fondest prom memories.

"I had a great prom," Ne-Yo told MTV News. "I didn't get to go with who I wanted to go with. I got my second choice, but my second choice turned out to be the one I was supposed to be there with, so it turned out good."

Ke$ha, never one to say no to a party, had the best night of all her friends. "I went to prom with my gay best friend, and let me tell you, I had way more fun than anybody else at a prom with their boyfriends," she recalled. "Everybody else was, like, crying and drama and breaking up, and me and my gay best friend just danced until 8 a.m."

"Hellcats" star Aly Michalka doesn't have a favorite prom memory — because she never went to prom. "I was homeschooled, so I don't even think we had a fake prom," she lamented. "Like, maybe we had a home-school prom and I wasn't invited?"

While everything always seems to be in peril on "The Vampire Diaries," star Nina Dobrev had a less tumultuous night: "Having everyone get together and such a final celebration [is what I remember]."

Romeo went big for his prom. "My senior prom, I remember I pulled up in my red Ferrari. I was feeling like James Bond," he said. "And it was one of the best nights of my life."

"My favorite prom memory was probably going shopping for a dress, and our boyfriends at the time dressed up as 'Dumb & Dumber,' " Audrina Patridge laughed. "And so we were like, 'We can't dress up dorky ... we have to look good.' "

Roots drummer ?uestlove made a big decision on the night of his prom: "June 2, 1989, was my very last haircut; prom haircut, totally butchered my hair. He butchered my hair, and I vowed never again to ever get in a barber chair, so I grew that Afro on my prom night."

Adam Lambert said his prom date was a 10, so he definitely had a fun night. "I had a great prom. I had an awesome time," he said. "I went with one of my best friends in high school. Her name was Lauren, and she was really hot. She wore a really hot red dress, so I felt like I had arm candy."

Share your prom memories in the comments below!

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Taylor Swift, Rihanna Dress To Impress At Billboard Awards

Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, Selena Gomez also make fashion splash on red carpet, as showgirl style rules at the Las Vegas event on Sunday night.
By Jocelyn Vena

Taylor Swift at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards
Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images

On Sunday night, some of the biggest names in the music industry hit up the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas and decided that sparkles and sequins make for the perfect additions to any red carpet get-up. Well, it is Sin City after all.

Taylor Swift always seems to bring some of that Nashville sparkle to any red carpet. She arrived at the show in a pale-hued, sequined Elie Saab gown. Nicki Minaj showed off her signature sense of style in her baby-blue, body-hugging spandex Mark Fast catsuit.

Selena Gomez turned up the style dial in a sexy, cut-out black Dolce & Gabbana gown that she paired with red strappy sandals with sparkly bow detailing. Like Gomez, Ke$ha opted for some cut-out detailing in her sparkly, slate-gray dress with tulle skirt. Rihanna looked white hot in her men's tailored Max Azria suit, which she kept sexy and feminine by not buttoning her shirt all the way.

Fergie went S&M chic in her little black bandage-type dress by Hervé Léger. Nicole Kidman also wore black. She paired a casual braid hairstyle with a long black gown and Keith Urban. British pop cutie Kyle Minogue looked funky in her little black lacey dress. Inside the show, Britney Spears sat in the audience wearing a skimpy black dress of her own, her hair in loose curls, with little-to-no accessories.

While some stars kept the color scheme low-key, Keri Hilson decided to stand out in her billowy little yellow dress paired with a turquoise-colored belt. Kelly Rowland showed off some of her best assets in a body-hugging, bright pink bandage dress.

The fellas also looked tight on the carpet. Joe Jonas wore all black with white sneakers, Ne-Yo paired his periwinkle suit with a Yankees cap and Justin Bieber wore black tuxedo pants with a gold-lamé tuxedo jacket.

Which stars' styles caught your eye at the Billboard Music Awards? Tell us in the comments.

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Beyonce's 'Best Thing I Never Had' Video Premieres

Clip for 4 single features B in a gorgeous ornate wedding dress.
By Kara Warner

Beyoncé in her "Best Thing I Never Had" music video
Photo: Columbia

Anyone who's heard the two first singles off Beyoncé's new album, 4, knows they are about as different as night and day. The same can be said for the songs' music videos: Where "Run the World (Girls)" is fierce, upbeat and explosive, "Best Thing I Never Had" is also strong, but more subdued and slow.

The clip opens with Beyoncé in an elegant dressing room or boudoir. She is scantily, but very tastefully, clad in a fancy, lacy corset/lingerie combo, complete with garters. As she begins the song — co-written by Babyface and all about telling a former lover she was the best he'd ever have and that she no longer has any feelings for him — B plays to the camera, directing her words at the former lover via the camera's lens.

From there, she moves from playing with a tiara, a veil and lots of tulle on a bed to various stages of getting dressed. Between her half-dressed and fully dressed stages, there is a quick cut to old video footage of who viewers are to believe is a young Beyoncé and her former high school flame at their prom. B and her date are dancing, she is spun away briefly, and her date cozies up to another girl on the dance floor.

Now that we know what ended that romance, we follow a confident Beyoncé in her final preparations before she walks down the aisle on her wedding day. There are shots of Bey singing at sunset atop a grassy hill in a beautiful princess gown, followed by the walk down the aisle and the exchange of vows.

This is followed by one final shot of the former lover at the prom deep in thought, with what looks to be his prom king crown sitting askew on his head. Perhaps he is re-thinking his philandering ways?

The last few scenes of "Best Thing I Never Had" are full of more shots of Beyoncé's gorgeous dress, which will likely land on a few style blogs soon, given its embroidered and jeweled details, not to mention the silk bows and ruching on the sides. We see the newlyweds celebrating at a happy and well-attended reception: groom removing bride's garter with his teeth, dancing with their younger family members.

The final shot features Beyoncé looking into the camera, with a look of total satisfaction and happiness. She then walks off confidently, probably to re-join her wedding party and new husband, and then the screen fades to black.

Share your review of the "Best Thing I Never Had" video in the comments below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666967/beyonce-best-thing-i-never-had-video.jhtml

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Blink-182's Mark Hoppus Reveals Neighborhoods Inspiration

'We're each like different neighborhoods in a city,' Blink bassist tells MTV News of his bandmates.
By James Montgomery

Mark Hoppus
Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images

Last week was a big one for Blink-182 ... and their fans. Not only did the band debut "Up All Night," their first new song in almost eight years, but they revealed the title of their much-anticipated new album, too: Neighborhoods.

Of course, while all of this was happening, Blink bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus was e-mailing MTV News, first to express his excitement about the new music, and then to reveal just how "Up All Night" went from being a rehearsal favorite to Blink's official comeback single.

And now he's at it again, this time talking about the inspiration behind the album's title. As is the case with everything involving Blink these days, it seems the Neighborhoods name owes much to the long road Blink have taken since going on indefinite hiatus back in 2005.

"As Blink-182 reformed, we came to realize that, as close as Travis [Barker], Tom [DeLonge] and I are, we are all very different people. With very different tastes. Travis just released a hip-hop album, Tom always talks about U2, Coldplay and the Police, and I listen to obscure indie rock stuff," Hoppus wrote. "We each bring a very different aesthetic, talent and sound to the band. And in the differences between our ideas, the struggle and edge of all the different directions, is where the good things happen when we write together.

"So we're each like different neighborhoods in a city. Everybody in the world thinks of something unique unto themselves when they hear the word 'Neighborhoods,' " he continued. "To some it is a big city, others a small town, others suburbia, everything. The world is wide, exciting and very different. That's what Neighborhoods means to me."

Blink-182 will return to the road alongside My Chemical Romance on the 2011 Honda Civic Tour, which kicks off August 5 in Holmdel, New Jersey. Neighborhoods is tentatively due in stores on September 27.

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blink-182

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667394/blink-182-mark-hoppus-neighborhoods.jhtml

Cate Blanchett Alexis Bledel Yasmine Bleeth Nikki Blonsky Emily Blunt

Photos | 2011 Billboard Music Awards

2011 Billboard Music Awards

Cate Blanchett Alexis Bledel Yasmine Bleeth Nikki Blonsky Emily Blunt

Britney Spears - I Wanna Go

I Wanna Go

Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive, Zomba Label Group
Director: Chris Marrs Pillero
Album: Femme Fatale

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=667190

Lauren Ambrose Mädchen Amick Gillian Anderson Pamela Anderson Julie Andrews

Mugshot Hall Of Fame

Clas-sy.
Patrick Francis Brooks was arrested and taken to the Shasta County Jail in California on charges of burglary, receiving stolen property, forgery, and violating the terms of his parole for a previous conviction.
And what's even worse is that this guy walks around the words, "F–K YOU" on his forehead! Guess we know what he [...]

Source: http://perezhilton.com/2011-07-18-mugshot-picture-of-man-with-eff-you-tattoo-on-his-face

Katie Cassidy Amy Acker Amy Adams Jane Adams Jessica Alba

Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Gets R. Kelly Treatment

Following all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, R&B singer proffers his own mix of the song.
By Jocelyn Vena

R. Kelly
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

Did R. Kelly place his vote for his pick for Song of the Summer by jumping on a new remix of Britney Spears' monster smash "Till the World Ends"? Following the all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and the song's writer, Ke$ha, this new version of the Femme Fatale single gets some love in the club from Kells.

On the new mix, after Brit sings the first verse and the chorus, Kelly comes in singing, "Slide up in this club/ This beat's got me in love/ Till I just don't care/ It's like I'm walking on air/ It's a party right here." He then goes on about partying till the world ends, his Auto-Tuned vocals dancing over the track until the song's breakdown, where he mixes his vocals with Spears'.

Toward the song's end, Kelly does some vocal runs over the song's chorus as it plays out, keeping with the integrity of the Dr. Luke-produced track.

Remixes certainly aren't new for Kels, who's reworked several of his own tracks, including "Ignition" and "Bump N' Grind," spinning new life into the songs that had already become fan favorites. He's also remixed tracks for an eclectic galaxy of stars like Whitney Houston, Usher and soul legends the Isley Brothers, to name a few.

As for Spears, several of her Femme Fatale songs have been remixed in various ways including the Bollywood "Till the World Ends and the house version of "Hold It Against Me." A Neptunes remix of "Boys" dubbed the "The Co-Ed Remix" climbed to the top of "TRL" back in 2002, and she released a remix album in 2005 called B In The Mix: The Remixes, with club-ready up versions of "Me Against the Music," "Everytime," "Toxic" and more.

"Till the World Ends" isn't the only Song of the Summer contender that's getting reworked by a male pop star. Over the weekend, much to the delight of Mother Monster herself, Nick Jonas put his own signature acoustic singer/songwriter stamp on her summer contender "The Edge of Glory."

Lady Gaga tweeted, "Swoon! Nick Jonas singing 'The Edge of Glory.' On my way to press conference in Taichung, listening to it. So dreamy! X."

Using only his acoustic guitar, Jonas played his version of the triumphant pop track to a audience of fans who seemed charmed by his rendition of the Born This Way single. "@ladygaga the pleasure is all mine," he later tweeted. "That is a beautiful song. Keep inspiring the world."

Which reworked track do you like better? Tell us in the comments!

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Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones Unveil Supergroup

Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.
By James Montgomery

Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.

To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.

According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.

Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).

The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.

It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.

Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.

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Britney Spears Hosts As Ke$ha, Jennifer Lopez, More Bring Wango Tango To L.A.

Pitbull, Matthew Morrison, Selena Gomez, Far East Movement and others filled the Staples Center on Saturday night.
By Matt Elias

Britney Spears hosts KIIS FM's Wango Tango 2011 on Saturday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — Britney Spears makes headlines at concerts, even when she's not performing. That's probably why Los Angeles radio station KIIS FM tapped the pop princess to guest-host their annual Wango Tango music festival along with Ryan Seacrest on Saturday night at the Staples Center.

The bill was a balance of pop and hip-hop, with acts like Ke$ha, Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Selena Gomez, "Glee" 's Matthew Morrison, Lupe Fiasco, T-Pain, Jason Derülo, Far East Movement, New Boyz, Cobra Starship and newcomer Cody Simpson.

Backstage, the media room went into a frenzy when Spears arrived in a red, geometric-print dress and a beaming smile. Owning her "femme fatale" moniker, Spears worked the carpet for a few moments while all of the cameras in the room were pointing at her. It was the second red carpet appearance by Brit this week, after her Beverly Hills benefit on Wednesday night for the St. Bernard Project.

Check out photos from Wango Tango 2011.

Spears' Femme Fatale collaborator Ke$ha, who was returning to the festival for the second time, said that an onstage collab between to the two would have to require one thing.

"That would have to include me finding her and attacking her," Ke$ha told MTV News, with the best intentions. "I'm planning on pouncing her."

While that never happened, at least not onstage, Ke$ha delivered on her promise of a set heavy on her glitter gun. And she assured us she knew the dos and don'ts of handling that kind of firepower.

"Do not spray yourself in the face with it," she said. "Do spray everybody else with it. That's pretty much it."

While Joe Jonas wasn't performing at the show, he took a break from recording his solo debut to catch up with almost everyone backstage.

"I didn't see Britney backstage, just said 'hello' to a couple of my friends," Jonas said. "Backstage is always [full of] people, especially having it at the Staples Center this time, I think compared to all the way out in the desert, it changes everything."

Also happy to have Wango Tango in Los Angeles were locals Far East Movement.

"Man, we grew up literally a few blocks away from here, and you can only imagine basketball games being played here," Kev Nish said. "So to come in here as performers, to be able to do our songs in this arena is a little crazy. We used to pass out CDs a few blocks [away], so we're very thankful. And the lineup is nuts, so we're extremely excited to be a part of this lineup."

Were you at Wango Tango? Share your experience in the comments below!

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Ke$ha, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez And Many More At Wango Tango 2011

Lucille Ball Anne Bancroft Elizabeth Banks Tyra Banks Christine Baranski

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Rihanna Tops Lady Gaga In Facebook Fans

Rihanna has around 40,000 more admirers than Gaga on the social-networking site.
By Gil Kaufman

Rihanna
Photo: Vallery Jean/ FilmMagic

We talk a lot around here about all the records Lady Gaga is breaking, but as of Friday (July 15), there was one title that even Gaga's ferocious Little Monsters couldn't help her win: Queen of Facebook.

Though Mother Monster has an impressive 40,575,791 Facebook fans at press time, she was just pushed down to #2 in the bid to be the most popular woman on Facebook by Rihanna, who slipped into the lead with 40,616,457 fans, or around 40,000 more Facebook admirers than Gaga.

The passing of the torch was noted by Facebook's marketing director Randi Zuckerberg, who tweeted on Thursday, "Sorry, Gaga! As of today, Rihanna has passed Lady Gaga as the #1 most popular woman on Facebook."

Of course Gaga still rules the roost on Twitter (with 11.6 million followers, she bests Rihanna, who is down at #13 in Twitter followers), where she was the first person to surpass the 10 million mark. And that's just one of the many records she's smashed on her way to the top.

She can also breathe easier now that her personal YouTube channel has been restored after going offline earlier this week thanks to a copyright-violation issues.

A YouTube spokesperson told MTV News that the takedown order was given after Gaga had accumulated an unspecified amount of copyright claims, which results in an automatic suspension of an account. The clip that appeared to trigger the suspension involved unauthorized posting of a recent performance from Japan involving the popular boy band SMAP, who appeared in a medley of Gaga tunes on a TV broadcast.

Do you "like" Rihanna or Gaga on Facebook? Let us know in the comments!

Kate Beckinsale Catherine Bell Kristen Bell Lake Bell Camilla Belle

Chuckie Will Debut Michael Jackson Remix In Miami

Official 'Hollywood Tonight' remix coming to Miami Music Week.
By Akshay Bhansali

Chuckie
Photo: Jason Ano/ One and Only Productions

Leaving the South by Southwest festival, Lavo New York and Las Vegas' Marquee in his wake, house DJ Chuckie has his sights set on the week ahead. With Miami Music Week now upon us, Chuckie plans to seize the opportunity to debut new material. Fans will be tickled to know the Dutch producer has tracks in the can with Kelly Rowland and T-Pain, but when MTV News caught up with him Friday in New York, Chuckie shared the achievement of which he's most proud.

"I did a Michael Jackson remix, which was really scary — to touch Michael Jackson vocals," Chuckie said. "I did this remix for this track 'Hollywood Tonight.' I couldn't say it for a minute: The label called me, and they said, 'You can't say nothing about this. It's kind of a secret project.' It's gonna come out anytime now."

"Hollywood Tonight" was originally produced by Teddy Riley for Jackson's posthumous Michael album, and Chuckie's mix of the song will be the sole official remix of the track.

"I will play it Miami," Chuckie revealed. "I told them this is the best week to launch the remix. So it feels really good. I'm the only one remixing that Michael Jackson track, and they are considering it a single. For me, especially, it's an honor to remix the King of Pop because he died on my birthday."

So, will the mix be a thundering Chuckie Dutch house banger or will it have a melodic progressive house feel, like his Marquee remix of Diddy-Dirty Money's "I Hate That You Love Me"? Well, according to the "Let the Bass Kick" producer, fans will be getting a healthy dose of both.

"I had to bring in the raucous," Chuckie confessed. "Yeah, I did the Chuckie flavor, but then again, I wanted to make it really musical, so I went progressive (house) on it."

Chuckie will be performing twice at Miami Music Week: at the Cr2 Records Party at Wall Lounge on Wednesday, and then headlining "No Sugar Added" at Nikki Beach on Friday.

Are you excited to hear Chuckie's remix of Michael Jackson's "Hollywood Tonight"? Let us know in the comments below!

Lucille Ball Anne Bancroft Elizabeth Banks Tyra Banks Christine Baranski

Katy Perry Closing In On Michael Jackson's #1 Singles Record

If 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)' tops Hot 100, Perry's Teenage Dream will tie MJ's mark of five #1s from a single album.
By James Montgomery

Katy Perry
Photo: John Parra/ WireImage

Katy Perry's unstoppable Teenage Dream album continues to churn out hits ... and now, it might just make history too.

If Dream's fifth single, the just-released "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", continues its climb to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 (it currently sits at #4, jumping 27 spots from last week), Perry will not only become the first female artist to ever have five #1 songs off one album, she'll be the first artist of any gender to accomplish the feat since Michael Jackson had five chart-topping singles off his Bad album in 1987 and 1988.

Perry's previous #1s from the Dream album are, of course, "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework" and "E.T." Jackson's five #1s from the Bad album are "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana."

Perry has already shattered the Hot 100 record for most consecutive weeks with a single inside the Top 10 (48, a number previously held by Swedish popmeisters Ace of Base), then kept that momentum going by spending an entire year in the chart's upper echelon. More incredibly, that streak is still active, as two of Perry's singles — "T.G.I.F." and "E.T." — sit at numbers 4 and 5, respectively.

What's more, "T.G.I.F" currently sits atop the Billboard Digital Songs chart, and may soon be her sixth single to pass the 4 million mark in digital sales, joining "E.T.," "California Gurls," "Firework," and from her One of the Boys album, "Hot N Cold" and "I Kissed a Girl." No other artist has even had four songs pass the 4 million download mark ... Perry's closest competitors in that regard are Lady Gaga and Rihanna, both of whom have had three 4 million-sellers.

What do you think of Katy Perry's chart streak? Sound off in the comments!

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Usher - OMG

OMG

Artist: Usher
Label: LaFace Records, JLG
Director: Anthony Mandler
Album: Raymond V. Raymond

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1270&vid=498588

Catherine Bell Kristen Bell Lake Bell Camilla Belle Maria Bello

Usher - There Goes My Baby

There Goes My Baby

Artist: Usher
Label: LaFace Records, JLG
Director: Anthony Mandler

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1270&vid=544989

Lucille Ball Anne Bancroft Elizabeth Banks Tyra Banks Christine Baranski

Photos | Britney Spears Brings Down The House In Las Vegas

Britney Spears Brings Down The House In Las Vegas

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Britney Spears

Source: http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1660731

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Lady Gaga? Britney Spears? Fans Pick Their 2011 Summer Jams

Katy Perry, Pitbull, Chris Brown and Adele also found support from MTV.com readers.
By James Montgomery

Lady Gaga
Photo: Getty Images

Now that school's out and folks are slathering on the sunscreen, we figured it was time to take the temperature of the annual Summer Jam Sweepstakes — the race to dominate the airwaves (and your tanning playlist) during the long, hot months of the year.

So last week, we published our initial rankings in the race for the Summer Jam crown, a list that was topped by Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," with Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" and LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" following close behind. A whole host of other big-name stars — like Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Adele, to name just a few — also made the cut, along with some dark-horse candidates (like Foster the People, Maroon 5 and David Guetta) who are determined to make this competition close.

Of course, our rankings had you talking too — in fact, the conversation in our comments section got so huge (we even heard from a Hall of Fame third baseman!) that we've decided to spotlight some of the best back-and-forth right now. What's your pick for the Song of Summer 2011? Here's what you had to say:

"This has been Katy's decade so far! She made pop music fun again." — Tuffy Luvvy

" 'Lighters' by Eminem, Royce and Bruno Mars all the way, baby! It's a long-shot, I know. I think Katy Perry will get it, but you never know." — lilbittaflava

"I like Katy, but 'I Wanna Go' from Britney sounds more like a summer song." — Aaron

"Britney Spears! 'I Wanna Go' just makes my summer great!" — Melissa Goulart

"Britney Spears all the way! 'I Wanna Go' all the way! I'm still in love with Pitbull's 'Give Me Everything,' and his album is amazing. Nicki Minaj's 'Super Bass' is sick, love it!" — RyanJaggerz

" 'The Edge of Glory' is a glorious pop anthem-masterpiece, no need for it to be crowned as a 'jam.' Adele's 'Rolling' is heart-touching, breathtaking and also a masterpiece." — Spyros Venturis

" 'Moves Like Jagger' by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera is amazing!" — SuperZonic Jbsz

"Oh I couldn't believe when I saw them, thank you so much MTV for putting them on the list ... I love them, talking about of course FOSTER THE PEOPLE YEAHHHHHHH." — hotalejandro

" 'Tonight Tonight' by Hot Chelle Rae! I could party to that every day of the summer." — WhatShouldIDo?

"You guys forgot about New Boyz ft. Chris Brown, 'Better With the Lights Off,' and Lupe Fiasco ft. Trey Songz, 'Outta My Head.' " — booklady

"All these songs have that 'I've heard it all before' sound to them. Nothing special about any of the songs on the list. A lot of the 'artists' on this list would be better off working a mop at a Waffle House. It's Kanye's fault." — Mike Schmidt

What do you think? Share your Summer Jam picks in the comments below!

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'Boyz N The Hood' A 'Coming-Of-Age Story,' John Singleton Says

'I knew Ice Cube was a movie star before he knew he was a movie star,' director tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Vanessa WhiteWolf

Ice Cube in "Boyz N The Hood" in 1991
Photo: MTV News

When John Singleton wrote and directed his 1991 film "Boyz n the Hood," there was no grandiose cinematic inspiration or abstract muse. Instead, the Los Angeles native just wrote about what he knew best.

"My biggest influence for making the film was my friends, my friends growing up, and how Los Angeles was in the '80s and '90s," Singleton told MTV News. "None of the movies that we saw growing up had anybody, any characters in them that were like us. So we were like, 'We should make a movie about what we go through, about what we see.' "

Released on July 12, 1991, "Boyz n the Hood" was nominated for two Academy Awards and is hailed as a classic 20 years later. On July 19, the film will be re-released in Blu-ray. The movie's impact doesn't seem to surprise Singleton much; he kind of always knew things would turn out this way.

"I was like, 'Wow if I can get this in a film, a little bit of what this is, that life on film, then I think I'll have something that will have a hard effect on people,' " he recalled.

The film, starring Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut and Laurence Fishburne, is set in South Central, Los Angeles, a California neighborhood notorious for gang violence. At the center of the film is Tre Styles (Gooding Jr.), who tries to balance his father's (Fishburne) life lessons with the harsh realities of the 'hood in which he lived. Then there are half-brothers Doughboy (Cube) and Ricky Baker (Chestnut), two characters who couldn't be more different. Doughboy, a stone-cold gangster, has street respect but very few prospects. His brother Ricky, however, is a young father and a star high school football player fielding sports scholarships from multiple colleges. In the end, Ricky's bright future is brought to a dark close when he's gunned down in an alleyway.

Noted for its social message, "Boyz n the Hood" also marked the acting debut of rapper Ice Cube, who has gone on to star in movies like "Friday" with comedian Chris Tucker and "Anaconda" alongside Jennifer Lopez. Cube has also written, directed and produced a number of films as well. "I knew Ice Cube was a movie star before he knew he was a movie star," Singleton said. "He just embodied that role and did a great job."

In fact, the director had a vision -- not just for Cube, but for all the members of his former group as well. "The script was originally written for all of N.W.A. The character Doughboy was always meant for Ice Cube, but the whole script was written for all of the N.W.A guys to be in it," Singleton revealed.

Unfortunately, the casting didn't go as planned, and years later, Dr. Dre expressed a bit of regret. "It's funny, because when I told Dre that later on, he said, 'Man, if you got any great ideas, you come to me again, you come to me,' " Singleton said with a chuckle.

When asked why he thought the film holds up after 20 years, John Singleton offered this: "I think people are still talking about 'Boyz n the Hood' because it's part of who they are. Even if they're not from that environment, they really identify with those characters. Ultimately, the movie is kind of like a teenage story, it's a teenage coming-of-age movie. People watch that movie and say, 'Wow, look at the journey of these characters,' and then they think about their own journey."

Check out everything we've got on "Boyz n the Hood."

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

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667367/boyz-n-the-hood-john-singleton-ice-cube.jhtml

Laura Allen Trini Alvarado Lauren Ambrose Mädchen Amick Gillian Anderson