We hung out with Kidz in the Hall today at the famous J & R Music World downtown and talked about their new album. The In Crowd drops today, and the guys used the sales skills they learned playing used car salesmen in their video for “Driving Down the Block” to help move units.

Naledge and Double-O talked about how their academic background played a part in the conception of their album (the two met at UPenn). And, of course, they talked about their new tracks, whose lyrics range from politics to the art of hip-hop and the power of addiction. We’ll be bringing you news on their collabos with Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes and Estelle in the days to come.

I’ve seen these guys go from being an mtvU Freshmen Five artist to doing “My Block: Chicago.” Now they’re on “TRL”! But these guys never forget their roots, whether they’re talking early 90’s hip-hop or reminiscing about meeting Barack Obama in their friend’s living room back when he was running for State Senate in Illinois…

This in from MTV News cameraman and producer Todd Brown, who spent last night at the party for finale of the third season of “The Hills”:

The party was held at a multi-million dollar mansion high up in Beverly Hills, far above Los Angeles. In order to get to the top of the hill, we had to load in to vans and drive up a steep and windy mountain road. Most of the “Hills” cast were there — as well as Usher, The All-American Rejects, Tyga, Jessie McCartney, and Schwayze, to name a few. Surprisingly, and probably because of some underplayed and hardly-ever-mentioned beef with Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt did not show.

In addition to the stars, there were hundreds of cocktail dress-wearing young fans, there for the chance to see their favorite semi-reality stars up close. After walking the red carpet, the “Hills” cast mingled with the fans and took pictures — and then they all watched the show together on a huge, 30-foot outdoor screen.

The entire event was shot with more than 7 different camera crews, including the Goodyear blimp(!), and aired live on MTV and MTV.com.

For more on “The Hills,” head to the Remote Control blog. And you can check out more photos from the party here.

As Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign heads to a seemingly inevitable, tragic conclusion, the talk is turning away from bitter name-calling and toward the fun part: making up! What’s it going to take to bring these two crazy kids together?

On Friday, Barack Obama broached the subject in Oregon: “Historically, after a campaign is done and you want to unify the party, particularly when you’ve had a strong opponent, you want to make sure you’re putting that opponent in a strong position so that they can work to win an election in November. So, obviously, I would want to have a broad range of discussions with Senator Clinton about how I could make her feel good about the process and have her on the team moving forward.”

But what does that mean exactly? Paying off the substantial debt she accrued on the campaign trail? Offering up the VP slot, or some other high-profile cabinet position? Some are even speculating that Clinton wants to become Governor of New York. Regardless of the specific offer, how can Obama make her “feel good” without ticking off his own supporters, who are, shall we say, displeased with Team Clinton these days?

While every pundit has a theory, no one actually knows what will be discussed in a closed-door conversation between the two sparring partners. But one thing is for certain: You don’t come within half a percentage point of your party’s nomination for the presidency without some serious bargaining power. And Hillary doesn’t seem the type to fade away (that’s putting it lightly).

So what’s it going to be, Senators…?

OK, this disturbs us.

In a press release that leads with “A tree isn’t the only thing growing in Brooklyn!,” our fine network has announced that the next season of that godfather of reality series, “The Real World,” will begin filming this summer…in Brooklyn. In Brooklyn!!

While the last season was in Hollywood, the 21st season returns to New York, where the series began — although, you know, it technically began in Soho. Back when Soho was industrial and Chanel-free, and back when the very concept of being able to film strangers’ daily lives was mind-bending. This was also back in the days of Brenda and Brandon on “90210”…so it was a hell of a long time ago (as is painfully clear in the clip above: first episode ever!).

Now, we’re not part of the exalted team that actually decides high-power things like “programming,” but we’d place a $200 million bet that, as massive as Brooklyn is, this show’s specifically hitting the hipster haven that is Williamsburg. W’burg, the bell tolls for you! Oh, how many local indie-rock shows will be completely ruined by the filming of…twelve full-hour episodes??

Yesterday, MTV News ran a story asking why there has been so little in the way of high-profile relief efforts to Myanmar in the wake of the devastating cyclone. With an estimated 100,000 dead and more than a million displaced, why aren’t we seeing celebrities rallying to the cause?

Well, the good people at Not On Our Watch, a non-profit dedicated towards ending mass atrocities around the world, read our story and emailed us some info. It turns out that the group — founded in part by George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle — has given half a million dollars to Save the Children for emergency relief work in Myanmar (Burma). (That’s twice the amount we initially reported.)

One of the key and incredibly tragic problems in bringing aid to the country has been their military government: the junta has delayed desperately needed food and supplies from being distributed to those who are in dire need. Aid workers from numerous international relief groups are still waiting for permission to enter the country, and supplies that have made it across the border have often been seized. Save the Children is one of the few agencies already at work inside the country.

Not On Our Watch has given $250,000 to Save the Children up front, and will match every additional dollar given to the aid group up to $250,000.

Here’s hoping this inspires plenty of people to help make a difference.

Today, as voters scramble to the polls in West Virginia and Nebraska, our Chose or Lose Street Teamers in those states are on the ground, blogging their little hearts out.

But beyond the general excitement of the primaries in this overheated, seemingly neverending campaign (well, at least we’ll have a Democratic nominee soon), the Street Team is bringing a more personal side to the process. From Nebraska, we’ve got an insider’s peek at the US Senate campaign of Scott Kleeb — a young candidate (above) whose fate will be decided today, and who just happens to be married to Street Teamer Jane Fleming Kleeb.

And for more on today’s primaries, check out Griffin McElroy’s reports from West Virginia.

The Tony Award nominations were announced this morning, and the two strongest contenders for Best New Musical feature songs you may actually find on your iPod.

“In the Heights,” with its Latin- and hip-hop-infused score written by 28-year-old Lin-Manuel Miranda, led the pack with 13 nominations. “Passing Strange,” a coming-of-age tale told through rock & roll, was co-written by Stew — formerly of LA-based pop rock band The Negro Problem — earning Stew four of the production’s seven nods.

One of the (many) great things about “Passing Strange” is that it features real rock & roll, not some “theaterized” derivative played by a handful of Broadway hires. It’s Stew’s band onstage, and watching an authentic, soulful frontman take you through this two-hour story is enough to make the musical-haters out there reconsider.

MTV News spoke to Stew recently about why, despite the occasional “Rent” or “Hair,” it’s taken so long for the music you hear in clubs or bars to make it into the theater:

“My fifteen-year-old would love to be able to go to the theater and know that when she walks in there’s going to be some music that corresponds to what she hears at home on her iPod,” he told us. “She would love that.”

But he acknowledged that jamming on pop rock tunes in a club with your band is a very different ballgame than the years-long process of creating a two-hour musical story.

“It’s like going to war!” he said of writing a musical. “Rock is easy compared to the theater.”

Another installment on “Gossip Girl” from Rya, MTV News intern and former Upper East Sider:

Hi, guys. So, it’s our second-to-last meeting. I feel like it’s the last night of sleep-away camp, you know? I just want to stay up all night, and write on everybody’s pillows, make out with the boy I had my eye on all summer (OK, that part never actually happened), and just revel in this really good, safe place. I don’t want the morning to come, because in the morning (that’s a metaphor for next Monday), it’ll all be over (as in this season of “GG”). Anyway!

I guess we need to talk about last night’s episode, even though it was about as exciting as that song Lincoln Hawk (or whatever the name of Rufus’s band was) played at that Rolling Stone 90’s party. Let me just get that part out of the way right now, actually:

Lily, your young and wild days were spent photographing Hootie and the Blowfish Lite? Rufus’s band (and the decade-old photo of him, which looked curiously like Pete Yorn) wasn’t even ironically good/redeeming, and I’d rather be caught with a Kenny G cassette than anything of the Lincoln Hawk persuasion. That’s the song that got you to re-evaluate your life with Bart Bass? Have you zero standards, Lil’?? And Rufus, I think I speak on behalf of the entire universe when I say WE GET IT. You are WITH IT. You can play more than three chords! Now put down that guitar, and find a new blonde to obsess over — preferably one whose daughter isn’t going all the way with your son.

But now for the weird stuff. Because for every handful of things on the show that are accurate, there are about 10 zillion more that are mostly wrong. My UES insider’s rundown, after the jump. Read more…

The boys of Foxboro Hot Tubs (aka You Know Who) are touring all May, and you can only get tickets day of at the venue box office. $20, two tickets per person. End of story. Live Nation this is not!

You’ll be treated to some loud garage rock, and who knows what else? Maybe midway through the show, they’ll toss you some American Idiot fan faves — or split off into some other alter-ego band that plays reggaeton. So much is possible.

We’d also like to take a moment and point out that the band is hitting up one of the coolest venues you will ever set foot into: New Orleans’ One Eyed Jack’s. It’s like a dinner theater-style bordello, red velvet and all, where folks like Liars have played. And it’s waaaaaay too small a joint for a band like, say, Green Day…

The dates for you, after the jump. Read more…

Last month, Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland was sentenced to serve 192 hours (8 days) behind bars, following his arrest in November on a misdemeanor driving under the influence. Yesterday morning, just before 9am, Weiland reported to the Van Nuys, California lockup to begin serving his time.

By 7pm, he was a free man.

Weiland served just 10 of those 192 hours. Of those 10 hours, according to his prison records, he spent a total of 14 minutes in a prison cell. Weiland, who has struggled with substance abuse off-and-on for years [Ed: Understatement!], had until May 28th to serve out his sentence; Stone Temple Pilots’ reunion tour kicks off May 17th in Columbus, Ohio.

On November 21st, Weiland, who recently split with Velvet Revolver on very sour terms, was involved in a non-injury collision on an LA highway. The cops who were investigating the scene reported that he “exhibited signs of impairment,” and he was arrested. This was his second DUI arrest.

In addition to jail time, Weiland was also ordered to complete an 18-month alcohol program and pay almost $2,000 in fines. He has also been put on a four-year summary probation period.

We’ll just have to see how his recent troubles are going to affect the STP dates –- and his solo double-album with producer Steve Albini.