There are some things that we don’t understand about our intern Rya. To wit: how is it possible that someone obsessed with “Gossip Girl” can also be a Blockhead? Yes, that’s right — our “GG” expert is also a huge fan of New Kids on the Block, which explains why she woke up at the crack of dawn this morning:

This morning, Manhattan’s renowned Rockefeller Center became Block-efeller center — a strip of city blocks packed with grown women who came from all ends of the Earth to witness an event a decade-and-a-half in the making: the triumphant return of the hottest pop group of yesteryear, New Kids on the Block. A month after an older, sleeker incarnation of the five men from Boston was unveiled, another curtain dropped – this time, a banner with the band’s new logo. The band performed a medley of their greatest hits and their newest cut as a part of the “Today” Summer Concert Series.

Naturally, yours truly was on the scene. I was there for the very same reason many other women were in the audience: to see a band that they were far too young to see in concert during their heyday. Quite frankly, I felt all too much like my four-year-old self as I scrambled for a better view (or for that matter, any view), got pushed around my much older fans wearing NKOTB shirts (some threadbare, presumably from being worn in heavy rotation two decades ago), yearned for face time with Joey, and sang along far too loudly to songs I didn’t realize I still knew by heart… Read more…

Bawwwssssse! Rick Ross is one of the coolest dudes you’re gonna meet, period.

He swung through HQ for another one of them MTV News exclusive interviews. (While I was talking to Rick, Sway was downstairs chopping it up with the Game. Now that’s one heavyweight afternoon at 1515.) On the way out, we showed him the “Hottest MCs In The Game” promos, which he enjoyed. Said he hopes he makes the cut this time.

Big ups to the biggest boss, his manager Gucci Poochie, and super PR man Gabe — excuse me, “Hollywood Gabe” the homie…

Yesterday I got the chance to sit down with one of my favorite musicians on the planet, Conor Oberst.

The setting was a Mexican restaurant in the East Village, about halfway between his house and mine — though admittedly it was a pretty obvious location choice. You see, earlier this year, Mexico was the place where the nomadic Oberst holed up with a bunch of pals to work on his first solo album in many years, a self-titled release due out August 5th. And yes, he sees a big difference between a solo record and a Bright Eyes record, something he explained in our nearly hour-long conversation.

Conor was in great spirits, and in addition to the new album — which is more spare and stripped down than last year’s terrific Cassadaga — we also talked about California (he likes it, I don’t), relationships (not his forte), his aversion to hospitals, and, of course, politics. O, as you might have heard, is a big supporter of O.

So check back with MTVNews.com in the coming weeks for all that — plus a track-by-track rundown of the entire album…

This in from Sway, who just sat down with the Game here at MTV HQ:

The Game is back and appears to be extremely focused. I enjoyed talking with him — it wasn’t really an interview, but more like two homies bringing each other up to date on life.

No matter what adversities the Game is facing in life (thoughts of suicide, beef, jail), he has always managed to create great music. Judging from the songs I’ve heard already and the song concepts and featured artists L.A.X. has to offer, it seems that he’s on his way to another quality project.

Talking about the bigger picture, the Game also said that, in this day and era, it’s impossible for anybody not to be political. So to answer your question: the man endorses Obama.

For more on the Game and the seriously anticipated L.A.X., check back with MTVNews.com.

What’s good enough for Madonna and Jay-Z must be good enough for 50 Cent, right?

Wrong! $150 mill is walking-around money for the G-Unit general, which is why we weren’t that surprised when reports surfaced late Wednesday that 50 was getting ready to sign a $300 million deal with News Corp’s MySpace that would cover all his Unit-related activities.

Being the skeptics that we are, we tried to contact MySpace (no reply), 50’s current label Interscope (no reply), and a source at G-Unit Records (no comment) about this alleged ten-year deal that would reportedly include: shifting all G-Unit artists and operations to a new G-Unit label under the MySpace banner, marketing and selling all touring under a new News Corp. company, the acquisition of 50’s site, and a new production studio for all his film and TV projects.

Oh, and according to Media Takeout’s exclusive, half the deal will be for stock, which would make 50 “one of the largest shareholders of News Corp.” Whoa! Holy crap!

Unlike our friends at Idolator, we’re not trying to say Media Takeout got this wrong, like, say, the Nate Dogg story they had to apologize for. We’re just going to hold out until 50 calls us himself to come check out his new office next to Uncle Rupe’s joint.

Steve Novick is a 4′9″ populist with no time for Big Money, a hook for a hand, and a beer named for his hook hand. And in this charming campaign ad, he happily opens a brew for a pal…using his hook! Oh wait, did we mention that half of all of indie rock is backing the man’s Senate run?

Politics cannot get better than this!

Novick is a Democrat running for Senate from Oregon. His supporters include R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard, Krist Novoselic, Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, Corin Tucker, the Decemberists‘ Colin Meloy, and Rufus Wainwright. Barack Obama clearly isn’t the only candidate with major star power behind his campaign.

“We think people are looking for something a little different,” the self-identified progressive told Politico. “And I’m little, and I’m different.”

Where did this guy come from??

Right now he’s polling neck-to-neck with fellow Dem Jeff Merkley, who has the support of more establishment members of the party in next week’s primary. The winner will face off against Republican Sen. Gordon Smith. If Novick wins the primary, Pearl Jam will play four east coast shows and donate the proceeds to Steve’s campaign.

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…

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.”

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…

I love “Low Down Lo-Retta Brown,” aka Ms. Erykah Badu. I’m not putting any gas on it when I say she’s phenomenal in concert — and she proved it again on Friday, at Radio City Music Hall with the Roots.

I say Badu’s the R&B equivalent of Nas, Mary J. being our Jay-Z. Whereas Mary capitalizes on being a legend — with an album and tour every two years, media blitz, endorsements, the full shebang — Badu reminds me of Nas, dropping projects sorta when she wants. (I think she needs to drop more music more frequently, but that’s for a whole ‘nother blog post.) Ms. Bad Bad Badu could care less about the accolades of the mainstream or the dollars that are associated with parlaying your stardom into business ventures. Also like Nas, she is just so profoundly lyrical. Her songs are way more than just “ooh baby, make love to me.” Erykah has jewels for days.

“What if there were no n*****s, just master teachers?” she sang on Friday during “Master Teacher.” “Hip-hop is bigger than religion, bigger than the government,” she would profess earlier in the midst of singing “The Healer.” Highlights from the show for me were “Me” and “Solider” (my two favorite joints from her latest album, New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)), “Tyrone,” and, of course, “Bag Lady.”

And at the end of the night, Badu brought out two surprise guests. I’m thinking Talib and Mos Def, maybe Common and Kanye — nope. She brought out two regular people, so regular I can’t even remember their names. They were fans of hers, a couple from Cincinnati. After telling everyone how great E. was, the man laid it on really thick and professed his love to his woman: “Being without you is like looking in the sky and sun not shining…We need to go ‘head and do this thing.”

Who wrote that, Tyler Perry or Wingo from Jagged Edge? Lucky for the man, love is blind. The lady never did say yes, but she took the ring and they kissed. When Erykah came back on the mic, she joked the guy pinched her ass on the sly.

Anyone out there catch the show? Are you feelin’ New Amerykah?