Leona Lewis 'Could Probably Go Up Against Nicki Minaj' In Rap Battle

Posted 8/1/12 12:17 pm EST by in leona-lewis, nicki minaj

Leona Lewis

By Elizabeth Lancaster (@lizzydl)

The game for lady MCs in 2012 has come a long way. With the emergence of talent such as Iggy Azelea and Kreayshawn on top of the household names like Nicki Minaj, there are plenty of great things happening for female stars in the rap world. Now, there is one more name to add to the list, and it’s not someone we would have guessed.

During a live stream talking about her new album, British pop sensation Leona Lewis revealed, "On my new album I will be rapping. I've discovered my voice for rapping." What now?

As if that news wasn’t enough, she took it even farther saying her “London-style MCing” was as good as the queen of all female rappers. ''I could probably go up against Nicki Minaj now. I'm actually that good, so I'm coming for you Nicki!" Well, we don’t think anyone will be taking this too lightly after she willingly suggests a comparison like that. We wonder what Ms. Minaj will have to say about this challenge.

Leona recently previewed some of her favorite tracks from the new album, and the fan favorite appeared to be the single “Come Alive.” The singer has high hopes for her album, explaining, "This album is going to be more open because I've got to work with people I've bonded with."

If bonding with her colleagues is what Lewis needed to break out in rhymes, more power to her. Lewis’ new album, Glassheart comes out on October 15, and we cannot wait to hear her premiere her raps!

What do you think about Leona Lewis as a rapper? Let us know in the comments below.

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Lady Gaga's Caught Up In A Twitter Lovefest With US Olympic Gymnast

Posted 8/1/12 11:07 am EST by in Lady Gaga, olympics, Tweet Beat

Lady Gaga has been on a brief break from her "Born This Way Ball," having concluded the Australian leg of the tour on July 8 in Perth before storming Europe beginning August 14 in Sofia, Bulgaria. So what's she been up to? Well, we know she filmed a small part in director Robert Rodriguez's "Machete Kills," but lately it seems she's been busying herself the way many of us have – by watching the Olympics.

Yesterday, she revealed on Twitter that the Games are making her emotional, saying, "The Olympics is the best ever. But I went through a whole pack of tissues last night. Watching hard working athletes achieve their dreams."

She seems to have a particular affinity for women's gymnastics, cheering on Team USA with some encouraging words: "Those girls are tearing the floor up for the USA! #Olympics." She continued, "Woohoo! Gold for the ladies! Just want to squeeze them! So much talent and beauty. Did u seem all holding hands? There's no 'I' in team."

One of the members of the home team, 16-year-old McKayla Maroney, caught wind of Gaga's support and fangirl-ed out a little bit, responding to Mother Monster, "Thanks for watching @ladygaga!! <3 This team loves you & your music!! I also heard you were a gymnast??"

The pop diva seemed as excited by the back-and-forth as the teenage athlete.

"@mckaylamaroney tweeted at me! Why didn't anybody tell me!!! DEAD. You were brilliant give all the girls a kiss for me," Gaga tweeted this morning (August 1), continuing, "And no I did gymnastics for like a weeks and then dropped out for ballet!"

For her part, the talented Maroney thinks Gaga still has a shot. "Aww I will<3 Oh very cool!! Your so amazing I bet you still have a shot at gymnastics! 2016 maybe," she responded.

And so our two favorite national pastimes – celebrities and sports – collided spectacularly, and in the spirit of the Olympic games it was nothing but love!

Are you watching the Olympics? Let us know in the comments below!

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Go Team! Michael Phelps Wins 19th Olympic Medal, Now Most Decorated Olympian Ever

Posted 7/31/12 5:04 pm EST by in Michael Phelps, olympics

Olympics

USA! USA! USA!

Michael Phelps won his 19th Olympic medal Tuesday (July 31), taking home gold in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle. With that win, he becomes the most decorated Olympian ever. Phelps now has 15 gold, two silver and two bronze medals earned at four different Olympics.

Earlier in the day, Phelps won the silver in an extremely close 200-meter butterfly race that saw him come in second to South Africa's Chad le Clos, a 20-year-old who counts Phelps as his hero. Phelps didn't hide his disappointed with the outcome of the 200-meter butterfly, his signature race, cradling his face in his hands after coming in second. Had he taken home the gold, he would have won the event at three consecutive Olympics, which itself would have been another record.

With that silver medal, Phelps tied Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who took home 18 medals from 1956 to 1964. Little more than an hour later, he eclipsed the achievement with his 19th prize.

The audience at London's Aquatic Centre gave Phelps the standing ovation he deserved for such a history-making achievement! Congrats, Michael!

Related:
>> U.S. Olympic Swim Team Enter The 'Call Me Maybe' Fray With Viral Video Parody
>> Olympics 2012 Athletes Reveal The Songs That Get Them Pumped
>> Michael Phelps Catching Up On 'Breaking Bad' At Olympic Village

Are you watching the Olympics? Let us know who you are rooting for in the comments below!

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'Boys' Spoof 'Girls' In Hilarious Viral Video Parody Trailer

Posted 7/31/12 3:20 pm EST by in comedy, Television

Lena Dunham

By Zachary Swickey

They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and Judd Apatow is feeling the love, tweeting his seal of approval for a new parody video spoofing HBO’s hit comedy “Girls,” which he produces.

“Boys” is a new fake trailer lampooning the Emmy-nominated series that stars Lena Dunham (who is also show creator) and focuses on a group of twenty-something friends as they make their way through life in the Big Apple. The hilarious clip does a fantastic job of satirizing the show’s sex talk and instances of co-dependency.

Playing off the allegations of nepotism the show has weathered, "Boys" even touts such big name second generation stars as the (faux!) sons of Pat Benatar and Daniel Craig – yes, Craig Craig.

Check it out:

The actual source of their inspiration, “Girls,” has been a hit for HBO. Dunham created the show following the success of her indie hit “Tiny Furniture,” which was a semi-autobiographical film about her moving back into her parents’ loft following college. Dunham directed “Furniture” at the spry age of 24 on a budget of only $50,000.

Apatow was a fan of the flick and now look at Dunham – she’s got a cozy half-million dollar pad in NYC’s Brooklyn Heights.

Check out the "Girls of 'Girls'" below!

Read More...

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Big Time Rush's Kendall Schmidt's New Tattoo Explained (Exclusive Photos)

Posted 7/31/12 2:35 pm EST by in boy bands

When Big Time Rush’s Kendall Schmidt headed to a tattoo parlor last weekend, he knew exactly what he wanted and why he wanted it.

The boy bander got inked with a sugar skull tattoo, and MTV News has not only the exclusive photos, but also an exclusive breakdown of why Kendall got that particular image inked on his upper arm. According to Kendall, it represents Mexico’s annual All Soul’s Day, which falls on November 2. Coincidentally, that also happens to be his birthday.

>> Big Time Rush Declare Themselves 'Best Boy Band Of All Time'

The personal and original design, which Kendall handpicked himself, also includes wheat and sunflowers to represent his Kansas upbringing. Additionally, the tat has the number 111 inscribed in it. Why, you might be wondering? Well, that's his lucky number. The tattoo also includes a guitar and guitar pick as an homage to his love for music.

>> One Direction, Big Time Rush Talk Joint Tour

Kendall is currently on the road with Big Time Rush, so fans can catch a glimpse of the new tat for themselves. In addition to the tour, the guys also recently released their single, “Windows Down.”

Check out Kendall's new ink below!

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John Mayer Walks Through the Seasons In New Clip For 'Queen Of California'

Posted 7/31/12 1:55 pm EST by in Music, Video

John Mayer

By Cristina Recino

John Mayer walks us westward in "Queen of California," the second music video from his fifth studio album, Born and Raised. The clip has the same laidback feel as the video for the album's lead single, "Shadow Days."

In "Queen," Mayer takes us through various landscapes, including the snow-capped Rocky Mountains and the hustle and bustle of New York City. That is until he finally meets up with his band on the set of the music video for the song. Mayer worked with director Sam Jones in capturing the feel of the video. It’s a "relieving breath of fresh air," Mayer told NPR of the song. It’s about "being able to have a hopeful vibe about something again."

Watch:

Born and Raised debuted atop the album charts in late-May. The folky rocker was forced to cancel his tour supporting the album this spring after a serious throat condition he's been dealing with returned.

Related:
>> Is Jennifer Aniston Dodging Questions About John Mayer’s 'Shadow Days'?
>> Is John Mayer's 'Shadow Days' About Jennifer Aniston?
>> Taylor Swift And John Mayer's Awkward L.A. Run-In
>> John Mayer Calls Out Taylor Swift For 'Humiliating' Him In 'Dear John'

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Muse Reveals Album Artwork For The 2nd Law

Posted 7/31/12 12:55 pm EST by in muse

By Zachary Swickey

British rockers Muse have slowly but surely been teasing us with bits of information about their upcoming effort The 2nd Law, and the trio has now finally revealed the peculiar album artwork for the release.

No, that’s not the eye of a needle being threaded, rather it’s an image that was taken from the Human Connectome Project, which literally shows the pathways of the human brain. The five-year project built a “network map” of that human brain and its connectivity to the human body, which will help with research into disorders on autism, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.

It's undeniably a rather striking image and one that is only possible to capture thanks to our modern day technology. Check it out:

Fans have likely been hearing plenty of Muse lately as the band’s new track “Survival” was chosen as the official song of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"It's a huge honor to have the track chosen as such a major part of the London 2012 Olympic Games. I wrote it with the Games in mind as it expresses a sense of conviction and determination to win,” frontman Matthew Bellamy said on the band's website.

The 2nd Law, which will mark Muse’s sixth studio release, was partly inspired by dubstep mastermind Skrillex. When the band caught a live performance from the DJ, they were blown away by what they saw.

''We went to see Skrillex in Camden around October. We went, 'F**k, it's so heavy', loved it,” drummer Dominic Howard told NME. ''It was like a full metal gig, they had the circles of death, people were moshing, I hadn't seen a reaction like that to electronic music before. We took inspiration and came up with 'Unsustainable.'"

Bellamy was equally enthusiastic about what he witnessed, saying, ''The mosh pit has moved from guitars and gone towards the laptop, so with that song we're trying to see if we can challenge the laptop.”

''We created something that was dubsteppy but we wanted to see if we could do it with real instruments," Bellamy continued. "We wanted to ask, 'Can rock bands compete with what these guys are doing?’”

The 2nd Law hits stores worldwide September 17.

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Katy Perry Ties Pal Rihanna's Record On The Pop Songs Chart As Both Celebrate Multiple VMA Nods

Posted 7/31/12 12:08 pm EST by in Katy Perry, Rihanna, VMAs

Katy Perry

By: Elizabeth Lancaster (@lizzydl)

It’s a big day in the music world, especially for two of pop's biggest diva superstars!

The 2012 MTV Video Music Award nominations are out and they bring real-life friends Katy Perry and Rihanna together in the Best Female Video and Video of the Year categories. Perry is celebrating another Rihanna-affiliated achievement this morning as well: Her hit "Wide Awake" rises to #1 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart, tying her with Ri's record.

As Perry's latest smash moves from second place to the pole position – "Awake" is sitting pretty at #3 on the Hot 100 as well – she and Rihanna now have an amazing, record-setting nine pop chart-toppers apiece. They are followed by Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Pink, who each have seven #1s on the Pop Songs chart, and Beyonce and Mariah Carey, who have six chart leaders.

Looks like Katy and Rihanna have plenty to celebrate this morning! Rihanna and Drake lead the overall VMA nominations with five nods each, and Perry is close behind with four.

Related:
>> 2012 VMA Battles: Chris Brown Vs. Drake And More!
>> 2012 MTV Video Music Awards: The Nominations Are In!
>> One Direction Hope To 'Make A Moment' At VMAs

Check out the nominated videos for "Wide Awake" and "We Found Love" after the jump! Read More...

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Yellowcard Returns With 'Here I Am Alive' (Listen)

Posted 7/30/12 5:06 pm EST by in Music

Yellowcard

Our buddies over at MTV Buzworthy always get the best song premieres!

Today (July 30), Buzzworthy debuted the first single from pop-punk act Yellowcard's forthcoming eighth studio album, Southern Air, which hits stores August 14 on Hopeless Records. The song, "Here I Am Alive," is all about looking back. Fifteen years after their 1997 debut, the guys are now veterans of the scene and are in full-on reflection mode.

Southern Air is the band's second, following 2011's When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, album since returning to music after a two-year hiatus. Now that they are back, they are on a roll, and lead singer Ryan Key wants to keep it going. "We got back from tour, and we were still so excited about doing this," Key tells Buzzworthy. "We wanted to keep the ball rolling."

When you've been in the business as long as Yellowcard, you inevitably make some friends … and sometimes they come along for the ride and hit the studio with you. "Here I am Alive" was co-written by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and features vocals from We Are The In Crowd's Taylor Jardine.

So how did it turn out? Pretty fantastically if you ask us. But why take our word for it. Listen below:

For more, visit MTV Buzzworthy.

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Hardwell, NERVO and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Debut New Music At Tomorrowland Festival

Posted 7/30/12 4:28 pm EST by in dance

By Akshay Bhansali

Saturday wasn’t just about Swedish House Mafia and Skrillex at Tomorrowland Festival. Porter Robinson smashed Paul van Dyk’s stage.

Pendulum and Goldie brought the hard bass to Star Warz’ frenzy. And not enough can be said of Laidback Luke’s staggering cast at Super You & Me – Zedd, Sunnery & Ryan, Swanky Tunes and Congorock were among the performers. Oh, and Luke, Chuckie and Martin Solveig did a joint set ... as Superman, Spiderman and Batman, which was rather awesome.

Some of our favorite people at the fest used TL to road-test new material – a particular treat for the fans. Our buddy Hardwell, dropped one of the biggest bombs of the weekend, a bashing, booming remix of "Spaceman" by Headhunterz (also a performer at Q Dance Stage Saturday). Also, brothers Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and sister’s Liv & Mim NERVO took time out to list off a few songs you're going to want to remember! Check out the video below.

"We have a special version of the Tomorrowland anthem, and a couple of really cool collaborations," Dimitri revealed before his set at Main Stage. "We have one with Laidback Luke. One with Moguai. One with Wolfpack. Another one with Yves V. And one with Coone and Lil Jon. We finally got the vocal version ready!"

NERVO fans have much to look forward to from Liv & Mim.

"We ended our set with ‘Reason,'" Mim said. “We of course played our current single, 'You’re Gonna Love Again.' We played, 'Army,' which is coming out soon."

"It will come out!" Liv exclaimed regarding the much-awaited song.

"It’s all about the scheduling I’m told," Mim said.

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