In the history of rock and roll, few bands have had worse luck than Aerosmith. Throughout their nearly four decade career, they've battled drug issues, marketplace apathy, illness and in-fighting. They were forced to cancel a tour this year because of an injury to frontman Steven Tyler, who recently decided that he would leave the band behind for a while to pursue a solo career. Guitarist and longtime Tyler collaborator Joe Perry (who has a solo album of his own) took to his Twitter to announce that while the band isn't breaking up, they are searching for a new singer while Tyler is off on his own. "Aerosmith is positively looking for a new singer to work with. You just can't take 40 years of experience and throw it in the bin," Perry tweeted. "[The] band is playing hotter than ever and our songs need to be played live. Don't despair: Aerosmith is not splitting up. Promise that's the last you'll hear from me on the subject 'till we gear up again."

Perry didn't drop any hints about who might temporarily dance in Tyler's bellbottoms, but luckily, MTV News has come up with a handful of suggestions that the Aerosmith boys might want to consider. It all depends on what they're looking for. Do they want to tap into a younger market? Maybe they should try to court junior R&B star Justin Bieber. Would they prefer somebody they've worked with before? Send offers to Katy Perry or Kid Rock. But honestly, do they have any better option than to dangle the job in front of Adam Lambert?

Click here for the rest of the suggestions for Steven Tyler's replacement in Aerosmith, including Taylor Swift, Eminem and Pink!

As the week comes to a close here in the MTV Newsroom, we're left with a handful of questions before we slide out the door and into the weekend. Is it too late to start training for the New York Marathon? (Answer: Yes, as it's Sunday.) Is this weekend when we roll the clocks back? (Yes, so enjoy an extra hour of sleep before running the marathon.) What's going to be the most popular costume for Halloween? (We've already seen more Sookie Stackhouses than we care to count.) But most importantly: What might you have missed this week here on the Newsroom blog? Lucky for you,
we have whole cornucopia of answers ready and waiting for your clicking pleasure.

» The World Series kicked off this week, with the Phillies and the Yankees each taking a game in the Bronx. We still think the Yankees have the better playlist, but the Phils do have the power of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck."

» "Michael Jackson's This Is It" premiered this week, and Adam Lambert and Paula Abdul celebrated at MTV's red carpet premiere.

» Speaking of Lambert, he revealed the cover for his album For Your Entertainment this week, which caused Jim Cantiello to go a little bit insane and insert himself into some crazy "American Idol" album covers.

» The next day, the craziness continued.

» And obviously, with any good bout of madness, there are always outtakes and deleted scenes.

» Speaking of album covers, Rihanna unveiled hers as well. The people weighed in, but what do you think?

» Justin Bieber dropped a new single this week, and it really made us want to put on a sweater.
Read more...

By Steven Roberts

The BET Awards aired last night, and there were plenty of memorable moments. Jay-Z and Young Jeezy opened the show with a performance of "As Real as it Gets," Hov took home the MVP of the Year Award and Ice Cube was honored with the "I Am Hip-Hop" lifetime achievement award for "knockin' n----s out the box, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly." There were also performances from Snoop, Gucci Mane — excuse me, GUCCI! — and the recently-reunited Goodie Mob.

But the main segments everyone is talking about this morning are the three cyphers that took place during the show, most notably the cypher featuring Mos Def, Black Thought of the Roots and Eminem. Half of the MTV Newsroom is still debating who came the hardest.

Mos Def started off the cypher introducing the three MCs and proclaiming that since they were in his hometown, "I gotta do this for Brooklyn." The Mighty Mos proceeded to shout out various blocks in the borough in his freestyle. Black Thought represented for Philly and completely blacked out. And Eminem brought up the rear and completely murdered it. Slim Shady blended the pill-popping, inane pop culture references and amazing lyrical talent that everyone was expecting from Rehab.

There were also plenty of stand-outs from the first two cyphers. The first saw Nicki Minaj switch up her cadence between her regular high-pitched voice to an even squeakier animated one, while Joe Budden brought the same lyrical prowess that has made him such a polarizing figure. The second was a blend of teachers and students: Old-schooler KRS-One introduced newcomers Wale, Nipsey Hussle and Tunisian MC Gsan, each of whom threw down like veterans.

What do you think? Did Eminem steal the cypher or should the lyrical crown be given to Black Thought or Mos Def? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

We're already a handful of days into October, which means that Halloween is only a few weeks away. Musically, it's one of the best times of the year, because the songs surrounding the holiday tend to be either fantastically campy novelty tunes or genuinely scary hard rock and metal tunes. MTV Music's Halloween playlist covers both ends of that spectrum, from Marilyn Manson's "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" to Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" to My Chemical Romance's "The Black Parade" to Ray Parker, Jr.'s "Ghostbusters." Each of these songs — along with "Monster Mash" and anything by a band fronted by Glenn Danzig — would make any Halloween playlist extra spooky.

But the one genre in the heaviest rotation this month should always be horrorcore, the short-lived, much-maligned gangsta rap subgenre that didn't last very long and produced very few memorable records. Tha Flatlinerz made one underrated album that was forever undone by a goofy video, Natas rarely got people outside of Detroit to listen and Eminem has only dabbled in it since the very early years (though his "3 A.M." is vintage horrorcore). But the best and brightest horrorcore career went to a supergroup called Gravediggaz, which brought together Prince Paul, RZA, Too Poetic and Frukwan. Their debut album, 1994's 6 Feet Deep, is an incredible concept album full of spooky beats and freaky imagery. The Prince Paul-produced "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" brings together a handful of great samples into a swirling, thumping stew that is just as scary as it is banging — something the Insane Clown Posse (and the rest of those dopey groups on their label) have never managed to accomplish.

Rappers testing their mettle in the sports world isn't new (remember Master P's brief attempt to break into the NBA with the Hornets?), but DMX's sojourn into the world of athletics might be the most intense yet. X will head to Alabama in December to step into a cage for a mixed martial arts fight. His opponent is a guy named Eric Martinez, a member of X's management team who actually has one professional MMA win under his belt.

X has never fought before, though he's no stranger to the UFC, as Chuck Liddell, the organization's most high-profile champion during its rise, used a DMX song as his entrance music for many of his biggest fights. As more and more former NFL players turn to the fight game (1982 Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker just signed a fight contract), rappers won't be far behind. Here are the five other MCs who should learn a little jiu-jitsu and step into the cage.

Juelz Santana
The former Dipset member participated in BET's "The Iron Ring," a reality show that combined hip-hop and MMA. Though his team didn't come out on top in the end, Santana showed a nose for the game and has deceptive size that could help him master a little kickboxing.
Entrance Song: "Mic Check," because this is pay-per-view!

It's not enough for LeBron James to be a former NBA MVP and a five-time All-Star for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Having already gotten a lock on dominating the world of basketball (though he's still searching for that elusive championship), he has now moved onto the movie and music world. "More Than a Game," which premiered in New York last night, tells the story of James' legendary high school career and the coach who lead the squad to a national high school championship in the days before LeBron was a hoops icon. The film is accompanied by a massive soundtrack that features tunes from Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and a quartet of performers who have created one of the most buzzed-about singles of the year. The remix of Drake's "Forever" also welcomes verses from Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Eminem. The result is a killer mix of styles, and we have James (at least in part) to thank.

The big debate in the Newsroom for the past few weeks has been about who has the sickest verse on "Forever." Did Drake steal the show from the veterans or is it Kanye's game to win? According to James, everybody delivered big, but in the end it was Slim Shady who took it home. "Eminem really finished it off," James told MTV News. "The last person on that track had to finish it off perfectly, and he did that." Never one to leave a teammate behind, James also praised West's punchlines and the work turned in by Drake and Wayne.

But for LeBron, it all comes back to Jay-Z, who James refers to as his "big brother" (he was also wearing a Roc-A-Fella chain during the interview). "Jay-Z is the best," he said. "11 number one albums, more than Elvis. Who else could beat that?"

Having spent my entire professional career interviewing famous people (save for those few months where I wrote about bespoke suits and bathtubs shaped like slingback heels), I don't really get starstruck. There are a handful of people around whom I squeal like a teenage girl (as anybody who has been in the room with me while Rob Zombie is present can attest), but I generally don't get blown away by fame.

But when it comes to raw, physical abilities, it becomes a whole different ball game. I'll start hyperventilating over even the most minor athletes. I shook late Boston Celtic Reggie Lewis' hand once and count is as one of the great moments of my life. My brother met former Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd at a bar a few years ago and I got really jealous. I once went to an industry party solely because I was told Kevin Garnett would be there. The point is, I'm blown away by sports figures, so when I was called upon today to sit down with His Royal Highness LeBron James, the King of Everything, I had to take a few deep breaths.

I sat down with King James (along with film director Kris Belman) to talk about "More Than a Game," the documentary about his high school basketball team. We also went over the movie's killer soundtrack, which features tunes from Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z and T.I., as well as the killer remix of Drake's "Forever" that features verses from Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Eminem. He also revealed who his pick is for the "Hottest MCs" list, who he thinks had the best verse on "Forever" and how he rates new teammate Shaquille O'Neal as an MC — all of which will be appearing all over MTV News over the next few days.

But stupidly, here's the first thing I thought when I shook James' hand: "Man, this guy is tall." I've been around basketball players all my life, but I've obviously never been around the best in the game. It is incredible that James is so unbelievably fast considering his size. The other thing I noticed? His tattoos are great. The dude really carries his ink well.

So the sum total of observations I was able to make during my interview? LeBron James is tall and has tattoos. Insight! But hey, at least I got a great photo (I'm on the bottom), so nobody can say I was never in the presence of royalty.

"Having worked with him so many times, the thing people don't realize is that he's a fantastic actor. He actually stays in character on set. So when he's Tony Romo, he's Tony Romo the whole time. If he's Bret Michaels, he talks like Bret Michaels. He learned it from ['8 Mile' director] Curtis Hanson. He's a method actor, like Daniel Day Lewis."

-"We Made You" director Joseph Hahn discussing the acting prowess of Marshall Mathers. Hahn, who also directed Eminem's "Without Me" (which won Video of the Year in 2002), said that the rapper wasn't sure he'd be able to pull the concept off simply because he rhymes too fast on the track. Like "Without Me," the video was mostly improvised over two days on the set. "I'm confident in his improvisational ability to come up with a million things on set, which he always does," Kahn told MTV News. Slim Shady is competing for four Moonmen this Sunday at the Video Music Awards (including Video of the Year, Best Male Video, Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Special Effects) and he'll also be appearing on the show. His most intriguing match-up comes in the Best Hip-Hop Video category, where Em will square off against Jay-Z, Flo Rida, Asher Roth and Kanye West.

The MTV Video Music Awards are just a few short days away, and though there is all sorts of buzz surrounding the performances, the parties and the New York-centric stunts that will be happening all this week into Sunday's broadcast, it's important to remember that the reason the biggest stars in music will gather in Radio City Music Hall is to see who wins the coveted Moonman in each of the 15 categories. We'll be taking a look at each of the top categories, continuing today with the Best Hip-Hop Video award. The nominees are Asher Roth's "I Love College," Eminem's "We Made You," Flo Rida's "Right Round," Jay-Z's "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" and Kanye West's "Love Lockdown."

The history of the Best Hip-Hop Video category is a little unusual, as it tends to err on the side of more far-reaching, esoteric tracks rather than club bangers or Jeep tracks. Past winners include Lil Wayne ("Lollipop," 2008), Missy Elliott ("Work It," 2003; "Lose Control," 2005) and Outkast ("Ms. Jackson," 2001). This year's nominees once again show the breadth of material addressed in this category. It features two relative newcomers and a trio of veterans in what could be the most interesting race on Sunday night.

Asher Roth (and his mustache) will be competing for his first ever Moonman this year. While he's still relatively new on the scene, Flo Rida already has two nominations under his belt (he was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Male Video last year for "Low," losing to Lil Wayne and Chris Brown).

Sadly, Roth and Flo are working uphill against the three titans also in this category. Over his career, Kanye West has become a VMA staple, closing last year's show with a stirring rendition of the song whose video is nominated at this year's show and tallying 11 total nominations since he first broke out a few years ago. West has two wins: He picked up Best Male Video for "Jesus Walks" in 2005 and his "Good Life" clip won Best Special Effects at last year's show.

Since he was first nominated for a Moonman in 1999, Jay-Z has picked up 16 nominations with an astonishing nine wins. His big year was in 2004, when "99 Problems" won four awards, and he has taken home the Best Hip-Hop Video award twice in the past. You can probably count him as a frontrunner for the 2010 awards as well, as "Run This Town" is a pretty amazing clip.

Finally, there's Eminem, who in the past decade has become a cornerstone icon at the VMAs. He's delivered some of the most memorable performances in the show's history (remember the army of Mathers' in 2000?) and has been the recipient of nine total Moonmen in his career (including two nods for Best Hip-Hop).

The general debate appears to be between Eminem and Kanye West, but at the end of the day it seems like this award is Jay-Z's to lose.

Later this month, "The Simpsons" will jump into its 21st season with yet another entry in the fantastic "Treehouse of Horror" franchise. To celebrate the upcoming milestone and to pay respects to some great hip-hop icons, Format and Moxy Creative have teamed up to produce a series of limited-edition posters that depict 10 famous rappers "Simpsonized." The results are pretty great. As you can see in the posse shot below, some real heavy hitters are represented: Biggie Smalls, Tupac, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Flavor Flav, Andre 3000, Eminem, Eazy-E and Fat Joe have all been converted into cartoon versions of their former selves.

In addition to the posse poster, each MC gets his own individual poster, complete with a customized "O" in the "No Homer" logo (a clever play on the hip-hop catchphrase "No homo"). Kanye gets the shriveled heart from the 808s & Heartbreak cover, while Flav gets a giant clock and Slim Shady gets a pill.

Though "The Simpsons" has featured dozens of guest stars from the music world during its long run, very few rappers have actually shown up on the show (50 Cent famously made a cameo a few years back). While these posters aren't endorsed by the show, let's hope it's a catalyst for getting a few more hot lyricists actually animated and into the program. Knowing what his real world counterpart is capable of, can you imagine what cartoon Weezy would do? Make it happen, Al Jean!