The super producer, who will take part in Converse Takeover’s Band of Ballers this Saturday in his hometown of Atlanta, says his So So Def team is ready to take on all challengers.

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Featuring rare photographs as well as live footage, Search and Destroy provides a spectacular insiders look at one of the most influential bands of all time.

92YTribeca is screening the documentary next Friday at 7 and 9pm.

Recently, the media has drawn their attention to Roc Nation’s first signed artist J. Cole and Young Money’s Drake.

Courtney Love isn’t always the easiest celebrity to like, but at the same time, I don’t really think she always gets a fair shake, either.

From Madonna to Michael Jackson to Bettie Page, we give you a rundown of the influences on Xtina’s new clip.
By James Montgomery

Christina Aguilera in her video for “Not Myself Tonight”

Photo: RCA

Christina Aguilera’s jaw-dropping “Not Myself Tonight” sees the pop star getting back to her “Dirrty” roots, but that’s not the only thing about it that seems nostalgic.

See, in addition to all the bondage, barely there outfits and heavy breathing on display in the clip, there’s a whole lot of it that also reminds us of some of the greatest videos of yesteryear (or, you know, last year). There’s a familiar feel to “Tonight,” which is just part of why watching it is such a blast (those barely there outfits are another). So in order to maximize your enjoyment, we’ve complied this handy pop-culture cheat sheet, a sort of scorecard of the many influences that flash before your eyes. Oh, and we’ve alphabetized it for your perusing ease.

Here’s what you may have missed in Christina Aguilera’s “Not Myself Tonight”:

“Bad Romance”: Epic, white-washed Lady Gaga video. From Christina’s cat-like crawl across the floor to her red lingerie, there’s a whole lot of “Not Myself Tonight” that’s reminiscent of “Bad Romance” though, for brevity’s sake, let’s just focus on the black pair of Carrera shades she wears at the beginning of the video. Gaga can be seen rocking an identical pair in “Romance,” although hers are white.

Dewan-Tatum, Jenna: Actress/wife of “G.I. Joe” star Channing Tatum (the two met on the set of 2006’s “Step Up”) makes a cameo in “Tonight” as Aguilera’s bound-at-the-wrists S&M slave. This scene also appeared in the director’s cut of “Step Up,” which is, like, really weird.

“Dip It Low”: Sex-sational 2004 video by Christina Milian. In the clip, Milian rolls around in — and then covers herself with — what appears to be black oil. In “Tonight,” Aguilera douses herself in the same black liquid, though this appears to be black milk. Perhaps it’s a nod to the Detroit rapper/producer of the same name? Probably not.

“Express Yourself”: Iconic 1989 Madonna video helmed by David Fincher. More than anything, it appears to be the primary influence on Aguilera’s clip, from the monocle Xtina wears to the Fritz Lang-ian sets. Other similarities? In “Express Yourself,” Madonna crawls across the floor and laps milk out of a bowl, just like Christina. Both clips feature “dancing in the rain” sequences and gratuitous guy-on-girl groping. Not like we’re complaining about that last one, to be honest.

“Freedom! ‘90″: Supermodel-packed George Michael video also directed by Fincher. When Christina torches her closet in “Tonight,” it appears to be a direct homage to Michael’s video, though we’re fairly certain when Fincher set fire to Michael’s iconic leather jacket (which was also hanging in a closet) there was some sort of deeper meaning intended.

Hair: Filamentous cells containing keratin that grow from follicles in the dermis (not the Broadway play, though, come to think of it, that works too). In “Tonight,” Christina’s many hairstyles recall style icons like Bettie Page, Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani and Gaga. Also, her blown-and-bedazzled ‘do reminds us of a similar style she rocked in the “Lady Marmalade” video.

Jackson, Michael: Late, great King of Pop. One could argue that basically everything in the “Tonight” video is an homage to MJ’s greatness, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out the crotch-grab-apalooza that Xtina and her dancers engage in at one point. Tributes take many forms, it would appear.

“Like A Prayer”: Legendarily controversial Madonna clip. There’s no burning crosses or black Jesus in “Tonight,” but the church in which Christina and her cohorts cavort does seem rather familiar now, doesn’t it?

Voldo: Spindly, S&M-themed character from the “Soul Calibur” video games. When Aguilera stuffs a studded ball-gag in her mouth in the “Tonight” video, she bears an eerie resemblance to Voldo, right down to the barely there outfit. Though, we suspect that probably wasn’t what she was going for.

Did we miss anything in the “Not Myself Tonight” video? Let us know in the comments below!

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‘I try to think outside the box but not go too far with it,’ Hav says of new track.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Eminem

Photo: Michael Caulfield/ WireImage

In a departure from his previous albums, the bulk of Eminem’s forthcoming Recovery (due June 22) is being made by other producers. Just Blaze was announced as a major contributor last year, and in recent weeks Jim Jonsin (Beyoncé, Lil Wayne), Boi-1da (Drake), DJ Khalil (Clipse, Drake) were confirmed. Dr. Dre, of course, will handle some production duties as well.

On Thursday, Emimen revealed one more name, telling Shade 45 morning show host Angela Yee that Mobb Deep’s Havoc also made the cut. The announcement was news to Hav, who was still waiting on confirmation.

“I honestly didn’t think I was gonna make the project, but when I heard I did, I was definitely happy about it,” Havoc told MTV News.

Eminem has been a longtime fan of Mobb Deep, and Hav has been trying to land a beat on a project with the Detroit lyricist for just as long. He told MTV News that he provided Slim Shady with a dark number featuring an interesting sample loop, which he wouldn’t reveal just yet.

“When it came to him, it’s like, I really didn’t want to give him a track that he was already kind of familiar with rhyming to,” Havoc said. “I just wanted to do me and doing me consists of doing all kinds of different styles than what they associate me with, which is dark-sounding. The track that I did for him, it’s dark and at the same time it can go across the board as far as the content in the sample and what it’s saying. I try to think outside the box but not go too far with it. I think I met myself somewhere in the middle, and I hit him with a track and it worked.”

Since releasing last year’s The Hidden Files, the New York producer is in between projects at the moment as he awaits the released of incarcerated Mobb Deep partner Prodigy.

What do you think about Eminem working with the Mobb Deep producer? Let us know in the comments!

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‘We speak a few times a week,’ Cam says.
By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Rahman Dukes

Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage

There’s nothing official yet, but Diplomat fans can get ready to rejoice: Cam’ron says that he and Jim Jones are now in constant conversation and that a deal is being put together for a new Dip Set LP.

“Realistically, we working out business,” Cam’ron told website Nowwut.com today. “Me and Jim are speaking. I don’t want people to think me and Jim aren’t speaking,” Cam’ron said. “We speak a few times a week. Right now, we talking out the business. The deal is on the table. But until the business gets situated, it’s [Cam's group], the U.N.; me and [protégé] Vado. We not about to stop. All the bosses meet at the roundtable. To be honest, we missed out on a lot of money on the Diplomat thing the first time. I’m not moving on nothing Diplomat until the business gets done. But it’s close to getting done. Right now I don’t want to mislead nobody and say it’s not U.N. right now.”

On Monday, Cam sat down with DJ Green Lantern, but the rapper dodged questions about a Dipset reunion, divulging only, “Me and Vado are putting out four albums this year … I’m with the U.N. right now, Green. It’s me and Vado, we doing the U.N. I’m focused though.”

The Dips first told radio personality Miss Info of their reunion, at least, news that the pair were getting back to friendly terms, earlier this month.

“It’s 2010, and this is something I gotta get off my chest,” Jones told Info. “You’ve known us from back when we didn’t have what we have now, so you remember, that above all, me and Cam, we still brothers. And we’re building on getting back on track. But first, I apologize for being a rude brother, for saying things publicly without first trying to handle them privately. I apologize for not leading by example because what I didn’t realize at the time, I was venting but it wasn’t all about me. There were other people whose dreams were also part of this movement. So, by not leading by example, they were left stranded too. The way I handled our business issues was with emotion, and it got totally f—ed up. That’s what selfishness does.”

“There’s nothing really Diplomats-related to show you yet,” Cam told Info. “We all have our own obligations right now, our own projects. I have this Boss of All Bosses Pt. 2.5 mixtape with Vado and DJ Drama dropping soon. But yes, me and Jim have been speaking, we’re working out the mechanics of this, and looking at our options right now. If it makes sense, it can happen.”

Are you excited about the possibility of a Dipset reunion? Tell us in the comments!

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Ian Hamrick adds, ‘M.I.A. was a sweetheart.’
By James Montgomery

Ian Hamrick in M.I.A.’s video for “Born Free”

Photo: Interscope

Toward the end of M.I.A.’s incendiary “Born Free” video, there’s a horrifying slow-motion scene in which 12-year-old Ian Hamrick — one of the redheaded “minorities” rounded up by armed police officers — is shot in the head, then collapses to the ground as blood spurts from the wound.

Not surprisingly, Hamrick’s parents weren’t too excited when he was first cast in the video (his dad is a retired cop), but he persisted and eventually they allowed him to take part. And for the young actor, it was actually an opportunity to make a powerful statement. Because, as he revealed to TMZ, he’s pretty deep for a 12-year-old.

“I think she was trying to show violence to end violence,” Hamrick told the site Thursday. “The video is definitely not for kids — I haven’t even seen the full video myself — but for all the adults and people in different countries who are doing that in real life … doing the genocides to whatever: Italians, Africans, wherever it’s from, it’s still genocide. So it’s showing violence to end violence.”

Hamrick also told TMZ that he had met with the production team behind “Born Free” before signing on for the video, and was well aware of the grisly storyline. He also wants it to be known that “M.I.A. was a sweetheart.”

In the meantime, debate continues to rage over the content of the video, which, while not entirely “banned” from YouTube, has been carefully hidden by YouTube’s staff after enough viewers flagged the clip for objectionable content. A report on Wired.com cites a spokesperson for the site as saying that, while YouTube didn’t pull the video, it did place it behind an age-restriction click through, rendering it impossible to find unless you already know the URL.

What do you think of M.I.A.’s “Born Free” video? Be warned: it’s extremely violent.

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Trio also predict who will win Saturday’s big fight: Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather or ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley.
By Shaheem Reid

DJ Drama, Jadakiss and DJ Green Lantern

Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — One of hip-hop’s lyrical heavyweights is placing his bets on the motormouthed boxing champ. Jadakiss predicts that Floyd “Money” Mayweather is going to beat “Sugar” Shane Mosley in their much anticipated boxing match Saturday night in Las Vegas.

To commemorate the big night, Jada his release the third installment of his heralded Champ Is Here mixtape series with Green Lantern and another underground great, DJ Drama. The trio are calling Champ Is Here, Part 3 a “Gangsta Grillz Invasion” because it is a joint venture between Drama’s “Gangsta Grillz” and Lantern’s “Invasion” tapes.

Mixtape Daily caught up with the three this week at the Church Street Boxing Gym in lower Manhattan. Along with talking about the mixtape, the trio predicted who’s going to win on Saturday.

“I’m ‘Money May’ to the death,” Jada said, sitting on a stool in the boxing ring.

“I’m rocking with gun rule, man: ‘Money’ Mayweather in 12,” Drama added.

Lantern wasn’t so sure. “Listen, I’m leaning toward Mayweather, but I gotta leave that open — for the surprise. Did you see when [Mosley wouldn't let go of Mayweather's] hands [at the press conference]? He couldn’t let go. Something’s going on. As a corner man, I gotta leave something open for surprise. So I’m not putting money out on this, at all.”

“I say shout to Shane’s coach though,” Drama said, referring to Naazim Richardson.

“He go hard,” ‘Kiss agreed. “[Shane's] whole staff is hard, they’re humble. I respect what they’re doing. I just think Floyd is going to win. Everybody looks at Floyd [because of] how much trash-talking he does, but he’s a hard worker. He don’t drink, he don’t party. He works out. He has fun working out and trash-talking. He never lost. I gotta ride out with him. He’s a friend of mine. I believe in him.”

Well, in preparation for the fight, Champ Is Here, Part 3 will hit the Internet Saturday — but you can get a preview of the music right here on MTV News later today!

Don’t miss Mixtape Daily’s preview of Champ Is Here, Part 3 later today!

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Another bloodthirsty cast, CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” also takes honors at the ceremony on May 13.
By Terri Schwartz

Justin Bieber

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/ Getty Images

There weren’t many surprises when it comes to gossip blog Hollywood Life’s announcement of who made the cut for their 12th annual Young Hollywood Awards. Few things are hotter right now than “Twilight,” Justin Bieber, Disney stars or any combination of the three.

So it certainly wasn’t a shocker to learn that Bieber — who’s enjoyed an extraordinarily fast ride to fame over the past year — is the recipient of the Young Hollywood Newcomer of the Year award.

But the Canadian phenom couldn’t best the competition when it came to the Artist of the Year award. That honor went to another wildly popular teen: 17-year-old JoBro Nick Jonas, who nabbed the win, thanks to his solo debut with Nick Jonas and the Administration.

Also making the list were two young “Twilight” stars — but, surprisingly, not the pair fans might have expected. KStew and RPattz took home no prizes, but Nikki Reed was named Superstar in the Making, while Ashley Greene is the Young Hollywood Style Icon. Another vampire ensemble did make the cut, though, with the cast of the popular CW series “The Vampire Diaries” being named Cast to Watch.

Miley Cyrus’ boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth, got a nod on the list for Breakthrough of the Year, after co-starring with Cyrus in “The Last Song.” Hemsworth has a couple of films in the pipeline, including “The Throwback” and 2011’s “Arabian Nights.” The rising actor also boasts the prestigious honor of being one of Hollywood Crush’s Hump Day Hotties.

The show will be held on May 13 in Los Angeles. Other notable winners included Whitney Cummings (Comedian of the Year), Chad Ochocinco (Athlete of the Year), Nina Dobrev (Young Hollywood Making Their Mark) and “90210’s” Jessica Stroup (Young Hollywood Sparkling Performance).

Were you surprised at any of the winners? Let us know in the comments!

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