Sony Corporation announced Tuesday (August 5) that it will buy out Bertelsmann's 50 percent ownership in Sony BMG for $1.2 billion, giving the Japanese electronics and entertainment company complete ownership of an extensive roster of artists (including Alicia Keys and many others) and record labels like Arista, Jive and Epic.

The newly dubbed Sony Music Entertainment Inc. will be owned by Sony Corp. of America, while Bertelsmann will control portions of Sony BMG's European music catalog. The split marks the end of a four-year venture made in August 2004.

Seems like those long-standing rumors about Kanye West and fiancee Alexis Phifer splitting up are true, according to "a source close to the couple" who spoke with Usmagazine.com.

The source told the site that "Kanye is possessed by the tour and everything going on and just couldn't keep it going. They are still friends and have broken up and gotten back together before, so it could work out."

A rep for West had no comment, said the site.

Sources close to West had previously told Us that he would tie the knot with Phifer to honor his late mother Donda’s wish that they make their relationship official.

So as those of you under the legal drinking age are well aware, Miley Cyrus and her bud Mandy have posted a response to Madonna's "4 Minutes" video. And not only are the kids talking 'bout it, but it looks as if Madge herself may have been watching.

But something happened on the way to the party: While the Material Dance Queen was having a good time feeling relevant with today's youth, her album leaked. Well, most of it. And she is so going to kill somebody. Lola, get in your room and take the Malawian kid with you! I'm gonna eat a carb!!

Or something like that. Anyway, we're here in New York, faaaaaar away from her 46-bedroom LA cottage, so we're safe -- until her army of publicists finds us. But here at MTV News (well, at least at Newsroom), we can't help but give these tracks a listen. I mean, the ten Madonna fans who still haven't found the leak online (big chunks of all the album's completed songs) need someone to tell them about it. So, here's our free-associative track-by-track, after the jump. Read more...

Viva los emos!!

After weeks of harassment and violence, Mexican emo kids can rest a little easier -- their heroes have come to the rescue.

When My Chemical Romance took the stage in Mexico City (this past Saturday at Zero Fest), Gerard Way spoke to the crowd:

“I want to say something today before we continue. Recently we’ve been hearing a lot of stuff about some violence here in your country having to do with kids who want to wear black t-shirts...or some kind of bulls--- stuff like that. We don’t want to see any f---ing violence! We came here for one reason, and that’s to be at the f---ing rock show!”

MTV News was on the scene reporting on the recent rash of emo bashings. Our producer's experience talking to local emo kids after the jump. Plus, more pics of MCR at ZeroFest... Read more...

WOW.

We were getting crazy text messages last night from an eyewitness at the N.E.R.D. video shoot for their single, "Everyone Nose," saying that all hell had broken loose on the set.

The video, which was being shot in New York's Flatiron District, apparently got shut down at around 9pm when two people were rushed to the hospital after being slashed on their arms. It's unclear who slashed whom - and with what - but our eyewitness says that two extras got into an altercation on the set, which resulted in the two injuries.

The video not only featured the three primary guys in N.E.R.D. - Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, and their childhood friend, Shay - but also Lindsay Lohan, who, we were told (again, via txt), left as soon as the dust-up occurred. Oh and since the song alludes to a certain narcotic typically ingested via one's nostrils, there was also a guy in a giant nose costume with a big white smear hanging out on set.

So good to see Lindsay staying out of trouble.

We'll certainly have more on this story as soon as we get more details...

[UPDATE: Turns out production went on, but with a scaled-down crew. Pictures of the coke nose, designed by famed artist, KAWS, can be found here at the BBC blog.]

[UPDATE 2: More info up now at mtvnews.com]

Here's the video. This is F-R-E-S-H.
That cable-access show host looks familiar. Hmmm...