October 29 is a notorious day in the history of American finance. In 1929, the stock market crashed on what became known as "Black Tuesday" and sent the United States spiraling into the Great Depression, which not only ended the boom of the 1920s but kept Americans struggling through the 1930s. Only the shift in international relations, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and the manufacturing boom that came out of World War II helped the country out of it. Though the country has faced economic downturns since then (including right now), nothing has ever compared to the sort of devastation that was brought on by the Crash of '29.

That being said, October 29 doesn't have to be a downer. On this day in 1998, John Glenn returned to space 36 years after he became the first man to explore the stars. In 1948, boxer Sandy Saddler out-punched Willie Pep (largely considered to be the greatest featherweight of all time) in their first of three fights at Madison Square Garden. And a handful of excellent people celebrate birthdays on October 29, including "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson, actress Gabrielle Union, alternative icon Winona Ryder, Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard, voice actor Dan Castellaneta (also known as Homer Simpson) and former pro wrestler "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. But the birthday that we're actually celebrating today is that of Ryan Anderson, who turns 25 today. He's a legendary pitcher for the Accu-Rite Red Sox, guard for Somethin' Serious and a regulator at East Hartford Middle School. And he's also my brother. I'm not sure what he's been cranking in his Cadillac recently, but I've always considered Lloyd Banks' "I'm So Fly" to be his theme song.

By Kathleen Newman-Bremang

Green Day are back with a bold new LP, and we've got the rundown on 21st Century Breakdown, which Billie Joe Armstrong told us is a result of their effort to "evolve naturally."

On Mixtape Daily, we've got an update from Southside's own Lloyd Banks on his latest mixtape and his upcoming LP.

"Star Trek" cruised its way to box-office dominance this weekend, but if you were one of the millions of moviegoers who checked out the latest "Trek" installment, you may have missed a few things. Don't fret, we've got the inside scoop on Kirk and Spock's workout regimen and other behind-the-scenes tidbits.

Can't wait to see Samuel L. Jackson as comic book icon Nick Fury in "Iron Man 2"? Head over to the Splash Page blog for photos of Jackson on the set of Jon Favreau's sequel.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt may not want to dish on the big-screen adaptation of Adam Davies' novel "The Frog King," but our Movies Blog dug deep to bring you some details on whether or not the film will ever make it to theaters.

By Danielle Beavers

Almost anyone who's heard of 50 Cent would assume he is the epitome of a player. After Monday's experience with G-Unit, a few of our female interns now know just how big of one he truly is.

As a News intern, I sometimes get to sit in and watch how interviews are conducted. When word spread that 50 and G-Unit were on their way over for a sitdown with Tim Kash, a bunch of us jumped at the opportunity to help out. What ensued was both entertaining and slightly uncomfortable.

This in from MTV News producer Joseph Patel, who’s currently on assignment in Africa with 50 Cent. That’s right: Africa. The rest of us are either at our NY desks, in LA traffic, or otherwise chained to the Tri-State area. (We hate you, Joseph.) Here's his report on just one of the incredible moments MTV News has captured in South Africa this week:

It's a crazy thing, my job.

Yesterday, super-production manager Phoenix Higgins, super-camera guy Nick Neofitidis, and I flew 18 hours from NYC to Johannesburg, for an assignment documenting 50 Cent and G-Unit's tour of South Africa and Tanzania.

This isn't JUST a tour. 50 is here to see and learn about the region and continent in a way that perhaps he didn't appreciate the last time he was here, in 2004. This morning, for example, we rushed to Hector Pieterson Memorial museum in Soweto to meet up with 50 and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, who was giving 50 a lesson on Apartheid and its effect on South Africa. Mandela's grandson is the spitting image of a young Nelson, and has a lot of his grandfather's austere diplomacy -- except he's young enough to know who 50 and Jay-Z are. After the tour, guided by Mandela's grandson, 50 gave out 20 dollar bills to the local kids before his car got mobbed and his manager made him speed away.

The picture above is a shot of the younger Mandela and 50, mobbed by some local Soweto kids outside the old Mandela family home. Everyone here knows who 50 Cent is, and is in a state of suspended disbelief that he is in their country.

We were on our way to the Apartheid Museum, at the entrance, in fact, when we were told by 50's tour manger that we had to turn around and head straight for Madiba's house.

(Find out who Madiba really is, after the jump...) Read more...

Super-shooter Akshay Bhansali reports from the set of G-Unit's "Like the Way She Do It," the first video for their upcoming album, T.O.S. (Terminate On Sight):

While most of you enjoyed your sleepy Sunday, Tim "TKO" Kash and I trucked out to Brooklyn to join 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo on set. While the back-and-forth between G-Unit and exiled member Young Buck is the latest hip-hop playground spat to make news -- Buck released a dis track over the weekend, in case you thought 50 was wrong -- his absence at the shoot hung in the air amid wafting clouds of...other stuff.

Check back with MTVNews.com for more on G-Unit's T.O.S. (Terminate On Sight), and the ongoing feud with Buck. And see lots more pics from the video shoot right here.

Yesterday when we posted a clip here about how Fiddy's tired of his G-Unit crew living it up at his house, we got a boatload of comments. But most of you weren't concerned about whether or not Lloyd and Tony Yayo were going to get expelled from the mansion. Instead, everybody was chiming in on Fiddy's new svelte figure: from ultra-buff to 185 pounds soaking wet.

ChrisW: "He looks sick, face looks small compare to a couple of years ago. What's up with dat?"

SBI Baby: "Fif look coked up!"

ms.3000: "Fiddy looks like he got something bad (look @ his face). Whats up wit that?"

CAREBEAR: "50 LOOKS SICK."

Tracie J.: "WTF? I think those rumors of Fifty using may be true. Man he has lost a helluva lot of weight quickly, look at his face and not acting himself at all."

Brandi: "What's really goin on with you, 50? You really do look like you can use some sleep. Or somethin. I mean damn, you look like you lost a good 25lbs. G-Unit, Let that man sleep. Damn!"

And our personal fave:

Div: "50 needs a damn cheeseburger!"

So is Fif sick as a dog? On the Gwyneth Paltrow diet? What?

All your answers can be found here.

50 Cent and G-Unit swung by the 29th-floor HQ of MTV News last night to talk about their upcoming album. But while they were spilling all about their new music, Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks started to tell our hip-hop mastermind Shaheem Reid about how Fiddy's lifestyle has changed. Like, the man isn't all that happy anymore that his friends are tearing it up in his house when all he wants is to get to bed at 10pm. We're not kidding you -- this goes on for a whole minute. Fiddy threatens to sell his Connecticut mansion just to get some peace -- he wants "a regular house where regular people can live."

The clip is priceless.

More from the crew on their new tracks, the new album title, and their recent split with Young Buck will be rolling out at MTVNews.com over the coming week.