Katy Perry, Pitbull, Britney Spears Battle For Summer Jam Crown

Here's our look at early contenders for 2011's Song of the Summer.
By James Montgomery


Katy Perry in her "Last Friday Night" video
Photo: Capitol Records

Well, school's out and summer is officially here, which means it's time to handicap the race for Summer Jam 2011 — the annual sweepstakes of sweaty, sex-drenched (and, this year, sax-heavy) songs that turns our nation's finest beaches and waterfront drinking establishments into an all-out battle for summer-soundtrack superiority.

Last year, it was Katy Perry who emerged victorious, thanks to "California Gurls," her slinky ode to daisy dukes and melting popsicles, and she's back to defend her crown this summer with "Last Friday Night." But she'll face considerable competition from a host of big-name stars — Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj and Adele — each of whom are looking to take home the title. And even if she manages to outgun them, will Perry have enough left in the tank to takedown the suddenly sizzling Pitbull or the unstoppable LMFAO? We'll just have to wait and see.

And with the action just getting under way, here's our up-to-the minute standings in the Song of the Summer Sweepstakes. If there's a song we've missed, you can let us know about it via Twitter, using the hashtag #mtvsos, or in the comments below. So without further ado, let's slather on some sunscreen and get to the jams!

1. Katy Perry, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)": She dominated the summer of 2010 with "California Gurls," and now Perry is out to make it two in a row with the ebullient "T.G.I.F.," the 183rd single from her Teenage Dream album. It currently sits at #4 on Billboard's Hot 100, and it seems like it's only a matter of time before it makes the leap to #1. Call it manifest destiny.

2. Pitbull (featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer), "Give Me Everything": Perhaps the only man standing between Perry and her second-straight Song of the Summer crown is the suddenly ubiquitous Pitbull, whose "Give Me Everything" just went to #1 on the Hot 100. It's from his well-received, club-approved Planet Pit album, and its success only validates the fact that the Miami rapper may finally be having his moment.

3. LMFAO (featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock), "Party Rock Anthem": Aptly titled hit from America's leading purveyors of sublimely stoopid odes to inebriation, "Party Rock Anthem" is basically the spiritual sequel to all of LMFAO's earlier jams (like "I'm in Miami, Bitch" and "Get Crazy," the theme from MTV's "Jersey Shore") only, you know, times one thousand. Could this be the jam that finally puts them over the top?

4. Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass": Ms. Minaj's ode to the guys with the booming systems (and she's not necessarily talking about the ones in their cars), it's breezy, sexy and unspeakably catchy — which means it's a mortal lock to be the soundtrack to a million wet T-shirt contests, only, you know, the ones featuring dudes.

5. Maroon 5 (featuring Christina Aguilera), "Moves Like Jagger": Riding high off the success of NBC's "The Voice," this jam from one-half of the judging panel debuted on the Hot 100 at #8 and seems like it could be poised to go all the way to #1. As a bonus, it's basically about guys who dance like Mick Jagger, and, really, what summertime girl doesn't want someone like that? Also, whistling!

6. Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" (featuring Bruno Mars), "Lighters": Unexpectedly bright single from Em and Royce's decidedly dark Hell: The Sequel EP, it may not seem like a logical Summer Jam, but when you hear the hook (courtesy of Bruno Mars, a guy who knows a thing or two about summertime smashes) and consider the tremendous fanbase Mr. Mathers possesses, you know this one's a contender.

7. Britney Spears, "I Wanna Go": On one hand, it's yet another club-ready jam from Ms. Spears. On the other, it's not as good as "Till the World Ends." Still, with her just-launched tour and a near-constant presence on pop radio, you can bet Britney's not going away anytime soon.

8. Enrique Iglesias (featuring Usher and Lil Wayne), "Dirty Dancer": Iglesias' "I Like It" was a sneaky runner-up to "California Gurls" in the Summer Jam 2010 sweepstakes, and "Dirty Dancer" follows a similarly clubby path. Add hard-working guest appearances from Usher and Wayne — both of whom know a thing or 13 about making hits — and "Dancer" could end up shocking the world this summer.

9. Jason Derülo, "Don't Wanna Go Home": It opens with Derülo aping the "Day-O" chant from "The Banana Boat Song," rolls on a sample of "Show Me Love" and is basically about one never-ending party. Yeah, we wouldn't bet against this one either.

10. Adele, "Rolling in the Deep": Unstoppable lead single from Adele's equally unstoppable 21 album, "Deep" has been with us for a minute now, yet there's the very real feeling that more and more people are discovering it every day. She's already conquered the Billboard charts, but now, could Adele conquer the summer too?

11. Lady Gaga, "The Edge of Glory": Not the most conventional choice, but given the fact that, A) It features a wailing sax solo from the late Clarence Clemons (which, when considered alongside the wailing "T.G.I.F." saxophone majesty, seems to suggest we're currently living in "the summer of sax") and B) It's from Lady Gaga. We wouldn't be surprised to see it take the Summer Jam crown.

12. David Guetta (featuring Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida), "Where Them Girls At": French DJ David Guetta continues his bid to take over the entire universe with this walloping, galloping party starter. Throw in cameos by Flo and Nicki, and you've got all the makings of a certified smash. Equally important, it takes the work out of actually inquiring about the location of females, which makes your summer approximately 75 percent easier already.

13. DJ Khaled (featuring Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne), "I'm On One": A sun-drenched ode to excess in just about every conceivable way, it's a song that sounds best when blasting out of a high-end system. It's got the superstar pedigree and the shelf life (check the ever-growing list of remixes), so who's to say Khaled can't also take home the Summer Jam crown?

14. Chris Brown, "She Ain't You": Built around a sample of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature," it's a smoove, supple jam, equally suited for those late-night make-out sessions and those hazy, lazy days of tanning. A true multipurpose Summer Jam indeed.

15. Foster the People, "Pumped Up Kicks": Ultra-catchy tune from the Los Angeles-based rock outfit, it's easy and breezy enough to be considered a dark-horse contender, so long as folks don't pay attention to the lyrics, which are dark indeed (it's about a kid and a gun, in case you hadn't noticed). Then again, when it comes to Summer Jams, no one actually listens to the lyrics, do they?

What did we miss? Share your Summer Jam picks in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666723/katy-perry-britney-spears-song-of-summer.jhtml

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Janet Jackson Thrills Fans With Greatest Hits, Michael Tribute At Radio City

Singer covered songs ranging from classic 'Pleasure Principle' to 2008's 'Feedback' at New York show.
By Vaughn Schoonmaker


Janet Jackson (file)
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — Often imitated, never duplicated, Janet Jackson's outbursts of meticulous choreography, sassy exclamations and smoldering gazes into the audience kept them on their feet for the entire two-hour set of her greatest hits at Radio City Music Hall. Monday night marked the last of three sold-out shows at the historic venue on her monumental Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour.

Up-and-coming boy band Mindless Behavior opened the show with songs including "#1 Girl," "Future" and their debut single, "My Girl." With their Usher-esque dance moves and shouts like "Where the ladies at?" the boys brought the tween girls out of hiding, judging by the shrill screams escaping various corner of the music hall.

At 9:00 sharp, the lights went down and Janet's fans were on the edge of their seats, watching music videos for "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Rhythm Nation" projected on big screens across the venue. A small shadow drifted toward center stage, and when the colorful lights came up, Jackson, wrapped in a shoulder-padded catsuit, complete with slick short hair, blasted into "The Pleasure Principle," dancing as hard and intensely choreographed as she did when the song first came out in the 1980s.

With barely a spare second between songs, Janet dazzled her way through her biggest hits, including "Miss You Much," "All for You" and "Nasty," and more recent hits like 2008's "Feedback."

Videos displayed during Jackson's costume changes included vintage clips from "Diff'rent Strokes," a funny scene from "Poetic Justice" where Jackson slyly rejects the advances of Tupac Shakur's character, and a rather heavy scene, as Jackson's character in "Why Did I Get Married" destroys her husband's house with a golf club, screaming hysterically.

Considering the tough couple of years the Jackson family has faced, the dark moments in the video seemed fitting, and everyone was beside themselves with bittersweet joy when Michael Jackson's face popped up on the big screen and she performed their hit single "Scream."

Janet emerged for her encore in a tight white one-piece disco suit, and performed "Diamonds," "Make Me" and "Together Again," which appeared to be the biggest hit of the evening. As Jackson graciously bowed out, her straight face transitioned into a smirk, suggesting that despite the hard times she has experienced recently, we can expect to see this singing and dancing pop legend shine far into the future.

"Its amazing!" Janet fan Elena Mercantini gleamed afterward. "It's like she's still 20 years old!"

"She's hot, she's amazing and she's still got it after all these years" added Alison Klinger of Long Island. "Best concert I've ever been to!"

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660385/janet-jackson-radio-city-concert.jhtml

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Justin Bieber 'Rooting For Drake' At BET Awards

But pop star stays mum on what he has in store for fans during Sunday's show, airing live on BET at 8 p.m. ET.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images

Justin Bieber isn't nominated in any of the categories at this Sunday's 2011 BET Awards, but that isn't stopping the teen superstar from making an appearance. With so many of his pals up for prizes at the show, it's anyone's guess what the Biebs might do come awards day, and he's keeping it a surprise.

"You never know. I will never tell you, ever, even if there was a fire right now," the singer joked to MTV News on Thursday at a New York City event for his fragrance, Someday. "I wouldn't tell you. I can't tell you [or I'd] have to kill you."

Usher, Chris Brown, Drake, former crush Beyoncé and Kanye West are among the performers nominated this year and they're also pals of Bieber's. And while he's excited for all of them, Justin said he's rooting hardest for his countryman. "I'm rooting for Drake," he said of his fellow Canadian. "Drake is my homey."

Brown has six nods, Lil Wayne has five, and Kanye West, Drake and Rihanna each have four. The Video of the Year category has a surprising mix of contenders, including Willow Smith for "Whip My Hair," Marsha Ambrosius' "Far Away," B.o.B's "Airplanes," Brown's "Look at Me Now," Hilson's "Pretty Girl Rock" and West's "Runaway."

In addition to the big-name nominees, among the A-list performers slated to take the stage at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium are Beyoncé, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, Drake and Brown. Nicki Minaj and Bruno Mars have also been added to the show's lineup.

The 2011 BET Awards, hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, air live on Sunday, June 26, at 8 p.m. ET on BET.

What do you think Bieber will do at the awards show? Tell us in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666381/justin-bieber-drake-bet-awards.jhtml

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Janet Jackson Thrills Fans With Greatest Hits, Michael Tribute At Radio City

Singer covered songs ranging from classic 'Pleasure Principle' to 2008's 'Feedback' at New York show.
By Vaughn Schoonmaker


Janet Jackson (file)
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — Often imitated, never duplicated, Janet Jackson's outbursts of meticulous choreography, sassy exclamations and smoldering gazes into the audience kept them on their feet for the entire two-hour set of her greatest hits at Radio City Music Hall. Monday night marked the last of three sold-out shows at the historic venue on her monumental Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour.

Up-and-coming boy band Mindless Behavior opened the show with songs including "#1 Girl," "Future" and their debut single, "My Girl." With their Usher-esque dance moves and shouts like "Where the ladies at?" the boys brought the tween girls out of hiding, judging by the shrill screams escaping various corner of the music hall.

At 9:00 sharp, the lights went down and Janet's fans were on the edge of their seats, watching music videos for "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Rhythm Nation" projected on big screens across the venue. A small shadow drifted toward center stage, and when the colorful lights came up, Jackson, wrapped in a shoulder-padded catsuit, complete with slick short hair, blasted into "The Pleasure Principle," dancing as hard and intensely choreographed as she did when the song first came out in the 1980s.

With barely a spare second between songs, Janet dazzled her way through her biggest hits, including "Miss You Much," "All for You" and "Nasty," and more recent hits like 2008's "Feedback."

Videos displayed during Jackson's costume changes included vintage clips from "Diff'rent Strokes," a funny scene from "Poetic Justice" where Jackson slyly rejects the advances of Tupac Shakur's character, and a rather heavy scene, as Jackson's character in "Why Did I Get Married" destroys her husband's house with a golf club, screaming hysterically.

Considering the tough couple of years the Jackson family has faced, the dark moments in the video seemed fitting, and everyone was beside themselves with bittersweet joy when Michael Jackson's face popped up on the big screen and she performed their hit single "Scream."

Janet emerged for her encore in a tight white one-piece disco suit, and performed "Diamonds," "Make Me" and "Together Again," which appeared to be the biggest hit of the evening. As Jackson graciously bowed out, her straight face transitioned into a smirk, suggesting that despite the hard times she has experienced recently, we can expect to see this singing and dancing pop legend shine far into the future.

"Its amazing!" Janet fan Elena Mercantini gleamed afterward. "It's like she's still 20 years old!"

"She's hot, she's amazing and she's still got it after all these years" added Alison Klinger of Long Island. "Best concert I've ever been to!"

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660385/janet-jackson-radio-city-concert.jhtml

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Britney Spears' 'I Wanna Go' Director Breaks Down Cheeky Clip

Chris Marrs Piliero explains the video's 'Half Baked' and 'Terminator' homages, but what about those elusive seashells?
By Kara Warner


Britney Spears in her "I Wanna Go" music video
Photo: Jive

Britney Spears' video for "I Wanna Go" — a dream-sequence-y, pop-culture-reference-packed tongue-in-cheek attack on the paparazzi — is so fun, it's quickly becoming one of our favorites. And because we can't get enough of it, MTV News sought out the vid's creative mastermind, director Chris Marrs Piliero (who also directed Ke$ha's "Blow"), to explain it to us, frame by frame.

"This opening scene poked fun at the ridiculous rumors that surround Britney," Piliero said of the clip's opening press conference, during which Britney tells off a room of reporters. "That is our homage to 'Half Baked.' I was really stoked that we were able to include that little parody homage in the video and that Guillermo Diaz, who is the guy [in the scene] giving the thumbs up, is from the movie."

After strutting out of the press conference and squeezing the butt of an autograph-seeking fan (played by one of her dancers), Spears strolls down the street, passing by a baby in a stroller who whistles at her.

"We were actually going to have three babies," Piliero revealed. "But the other two were just crying and crying. and I was like, 'F--- it, get 'em outta there.' And the one baby, he ruled and was supercute, so we went with him."

Spears' next saucy move is to flash a bunch of guys on the street: a young boy, his dad, a male driver getting a ticket and the cop writing it.

"That little kid was awesome," Piliero said of the young redheaded boy. "If you look closely, he's actually squeezing his juice box all over this shirt. The cop is another one of Britney's dancers. You might recognize him from the 'Hold It Against Me' video, he had blue hair."

Next up, Spears encounters a paparazzo on the street and grabs his camera and throws it to the ground.

"That was a very genuine performance from Britney," Piliero said of the scene. "I felt like she was letting out her inner emotion toward paparazzi. It was also really cold. I think she just went for it."

Cut to Spears on top of a taxi, microphone in hand with a long cord, which she uses to take out the various photographers who have surrounded her.

"A lot of people think this was inspired by 'Kill Bill,' because I'm a huge Quentin Tarantino fan. I would totally own up to that if it was true," he admitted. "But I actually intended for her to always having her performance with the microphone [throughout the video] for her performance setup, so I thought that was a good way to tie it all together and I didn't want to give her a real weapon."

But Piliero was making an intentional pop-culture reference with the wording on the movie theater marquee in the background of the scene that reads "Crossroads 2: Cross Harder." "I've always thought that 'Die Hard 2: Die Harder' is one of the most ridiculously awesome titles for a sequel," he said. "And I needed to put something in the marquee, and I thought it would be a really fun Easter egg for fans."

Now something odd happens with the paparazzi who've been hit by Spears' microphone weapon — they are revealed to be robots or androids. "I love pop culture and this whole video is kind of a dream sequence," Piliero said. "I think it's natural to have fantasies and dreams with stuff inspired by pop culture, so that's why the robot guys kind of have a 'Terminator'-ish feel."

Before the "Terminator" 'bots can move in on Spears, Diaz drives up in a sports car and whisks her away, where he celebrates by pouring a carton of milk all over himself.

"Guillermo kills it in the scene with the milk, he's hilarious," Piliero enthused. "And I love Britney's reaction there; both her reactions where she's laughing are so good. A lot of people ask about the milk and what the deal with it is, a lot of people have theories too. I don't need to say what the point is, because I love hearing what people say, so I'll leave it at that. Same goes with the seashells too."

Cut to the final scene, where we realize that it was all a dream. Spears is at the press conference, shaken out of a daze when Guillermo steps in and tells the reporters, "No more questions," then hands Spears a handful of those seashells that Piliero won't explain. He looks back at the camera at the last moment and we see his eyes are robot red, an obvious nod to Michael Jackson's zombie-green eyes in the last shot of "Thriller."

" 'Thriller' is one of my favorite music videos ever," Piliero said. "I remember watching it when I was 5, that was what inspired me to become a music video director so I wanted to pay homage to it."

What do you think the milk and the seashells signify in "I Wanna Go"? Share your theories in the comments below.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666645/britney-spears-i-wanna-go-music-video.jhtml

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Rapper Flavor Flav On Being The "Flyest Grandpa" & Having More Kids

You may know him as Flavor Flav, member of the groundbreaking rap group Public Enemy and reality TV star, but to a few special people in the world, he's known simply as "Grandaddy."

Yes, Flavor Flav is a grandfather -- "the flyest grandpa you could have!" And not only is the 52-year-old star excited about the recent release of his new book, Flavor Flav: The Icon, The Memoir, he's also looking forward to having more children!

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Source: http://celebritybabyscoop.com/2011/07/01/rapper-flavor-flav-on-being-the-flyest-grandpa-having-more-kids

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Tia Mowry & Cory Hardrict Welcome Son Cree Taylor Hardrict

Tia Mowry & Cory Hardrict Welcome Son Cree Taylor Hardrict

Actress Tia Mowry and her husband Cory Hardrict welcomed a healthy baby boy on Tuesday in Los Angeles. Baby Cree Taylor Hardrict weighed in at [...]

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