O Music Awards To Celebrate Online Creativity -- Vote Now!

Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and their die-hard fans are up for awards at April 28 event.
By MTV News staff


O Music Awards
Photo: MTV

The typical awards show is packed with performances, celebrity appearances, red-carpet arrivals and, at some point, the presentations of the night's biggest prize, usually just before the credits roll.

The O Music Awards? Not so much. The first-ever edition of MTV Networks' latest awards extravaganza will take everything you know about awards galas, throw it in a blender, mash it up with an obscure black-and-white cartoon from the 1940s, add a Kanye West beat under it and maybe some adorable LOLcats and a snippet of "Friday" on top, post it on Twitter and watch it go mega-viral.

Instead of just honoring the singers, songwriters, directors and producers who make our favorite digital-music products, the O Music Awards will dig deeper in such categories as Innovative Music Video, Fan Army FTW, Funniest Music Short, Innovative Artist, Must Follow Artist on Twitter, NSFW Music Video, Most Viral Dance, Best Independent Music Blog, Best Animal Performance, Best Performance Series and more to dig up the people behind your favorite online music and videos, professional, amateur or just plain awesome.

Voting has now begun on the O Music Awards website, and like the best viral memes, it will be simple, social and transparent, with fans encouraged to vote via social media through a mobile voting wap site. You can follow the top vote-getters in the categories on a real-time leaderboard in the run-up to the April 28 event. Performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

And unlike those other awards shows, the night's biggest trophy might be handed out before the broadcast, during it or even after, to keep the conversation going.

"There will be an event, but it won't be a traditional awards show with a host, audience and a bunch of celebrities," promised Shannon Connolly, vice president of music strategy for the MTV Music Group. "It will embody what the O Awards celebrates, which is being very interactive. We'll have live performances, mash-ups, collaborations and it will be a Web event that will take place not just on MTV Music Group sites."

Lady Gaga and Odd Future's Tyler the Creator lead with three nominations each, followed by Kanye West, the Flaming Lips and Nicki Minaj with two nominations apiece. Additional nominated artists include Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Justin Bieber, Lil B, Wiz Khalifa, Robyn, OK Go, Katy Perry and iamwhoiam. Notable nominees include Antoine Dodson/ Gregory Brothers (Funniest Music Short), the Lonely Island (Funniest Music Short), Funny or Die (Funniest Music Short), 50 Cent, Rebecca Black and Bert (Favorite Animated GIF), the Hype Machine (Best Music Discovery Service), Pandora (Best Music Discovery Service), Tiny Desk Concerts (Best Performance Series), Gorilla vs. Bear (Best Independent Music Blog) and Marshall Jones (Best Music Hack).

Fans will definitely be front and center, with an entire category devoted to the Best Fan Cover, the most rabid online fan following (which will pit 30 Seconds to Mars' Echelon against the Beliebers, Katy Perry's Bandaids, Gaga's Little Monsters and the followers of My Chemical Romance, Nicki Minaj, Tokio Hotel, Wiz Khalifa, Rain and Rihanna). There are also nods to the Best Fan Forum, Best Music Hack and Best Animal Performance.

The Innovative Artist race is a tight one as well, including such nominees as the Flaming Lips, iamwhoiam, Kanye, Gaga, Lil B, Radiohead and Tyler the Creator. You'll have to choose between the Dougie, the Pony, Lil B's Cooking Dance and the "Whip My Hair" boogie in the Most Viral Dance category.

In keeping with recent digital-music innovations from MTV Networks like MTV Hive and the Music Meter, Connolly said it was apparent that the time was right to create an awards show that moved at the speed of the Net. "Music consumption has never been greater, and it's hugely important to our audience," she said. "We felt like the time was right to look at the convergence of technology and music fans and the YouTube celebrities who've created this new ecosystem where music is exploding."

Voting starts today for the O Music Awards. Make your voice heard!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661417/o-music-awards.jhtml

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Superman' Star Michael Shannon Calls Zod Casting 'Ridiculous

'It just came out of nowhere,' actor said of getting the role.
By Eric Ditzian


Michael Shannon
Photo: Slaven Vlasic/ Getty Images

When we met Henry Cavill at WonderCon recently, the actor couldn't quite wrap his head around the idea, even months after being tapped for the job, that he'll be donning Superman's cape and becoming the Man of Steel for a new generation.

Michael Shannon, by contrast, was only officially announced as General Zod — the villainous alien who'll face off against Superman in Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel" — on Sunday.

Yet he too is having a hard time comprehending the fact that he's now a part of the franchise.

"This 'Superman' thing is ridiculous. It just came out of nowhere," Shannon said in his first public comments about the casting, delivered during an appearance at RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "I was talking to my agent ... she's like, 'How about 'Superman'? I'm like, 'What?' The idea that I would ever be in 'Superman'! I'm like, 'Are you serious?' "

It was true: Director Zack Snyder wanted Shannon, who nabbed an Oscar nod for "Revolutionary Road" but is perhaps best known for his turn on HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," for the role of Zod (a part previously played by Terence Stamp in "Superman" and "Superman II"). So Shannon headed out to meet Snyder.

"[H]e's seriously sitting there and he's telling me, 'You can't read the script, so I'm just gonna tell you what happens.' And he spent a half hour telling me every scene in this movie," Shannon said, adding with a laugh, "he's at his home in Pasadena and I'm looking out — there's the Rose Bowl, there's little hummingbirds flying around. I'm like, 'I'm on acid!' "

Snyder eventually decided Shannon was the right guy for the part, but the director had to convince the higher-ups at WB. They ended up bringing him in to read with Cavill. "They said, 'You have to come back because we want to see if you and Superman have chemistry,' " Shannon explained.

A month after that first meeting, Shannon said, the part was his. And what does he think of Cavill as Superman? "I think this guy will be all right," Shannon said.

Check out everything we've got on "Superman: Man of Steel."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661793/michael-shannon-general-zod-superman.jhtml

Desiree Dymond Diane Kruger Dido Diora Baird Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain Donna Feldman Drea de Matteo Drew Barrymore Ehrinn Cummings Elena Lyons Elisabeth Röhm Elisha Cuthbert Eliza Dushku Emilie de Ravin

Fabolous Unveils New Mixtape Title: The S.O.U.L. Tape

Plus: Wednesday's 'RapFix Live' guest Waka Flocka Flame drops new tape featuring Gucci Mane, in Mixtape Daily.
By Alvin Blanco, with additional reporting by Rahman Dukes


Fabolous
Photo: Jonathan Leibson/ WireImage

Don't Sleep: Other Notables

Mixtape: The S.O.U.L. Tape

Starring: Fabolous

Essential Info: Fabolous has always had a knack for boosting R&B songs with his slick verses. Check the discography: Jamie Foxx's "She Got Her Own," Lil Mo's "Superwoman, Part II," Trey Songz's "Say Aah" — the list goes on. So the Bed-Stuy rapper new mixtape inspired by soul music — The S.O.U.L. Tape — is long overdue.

Fab revealed the mixtape's title and cover art on Monday. According to one of his Twitter posts, The S.O.U.L. Tape will be out April 21,

Fabolous' last mixtape was 2010's There Is No Competition 2, which spawned his Ryan Leslie-produced hit "You Be Killin' Em." The S.O.U.L. Tape was originally slated for a February release, and its title was chosen via a makeshift Twitter poll. "I did the poll to get people interactive with it and see what names they would come up with," Fab told XXLMag.com in late January. "I'm doing it over all old soul-sampled beats, so I wanted to keep the word 'soul' within the title. A lot of people picked Soul Survivor or really attached it to There Is No Competition because they are already familiar with that and that's one of the mixtape monikers for me. But I wanted to keep it separate from There Is No Competition, even though that name is winning [in the poll]. I might actually go with the third option which is The S.O.U.L. Tape."

During NBA All-Star Weekend, Ne-Yo told MTV News that he and Fabolous were working on a joint hip-hop and R&B project in the mold of R. Kelly's and Jay-Z's Best of Both Worlds album.

Fabolous' next proper album, Loso's Way 2, is due later this year.

Mixtape: Benjamin Flocka

Starring: Waka Flocka Flame with DJ Love Dinero and DJ Teknik

Essential Info: Waka Flocka isn't letting his partner-in-rhyme Gucci Mane's trouble with the law slow down his hustle. The Atlanta trap rapper drops a mixtape jam-packed with local rap clientele (Tity Boi, Rocko), his Brick Squad Monopoly team (Wooh Da Kid, Frenchie, YG Hootie, P Smurf and Bo Deal) and, of course, Gucci. Waka's new video for "Grove St. Party," a bonus cut on the mixtape, was last week's MTV Jam of the Week.

Make sure to tune in to MTV News' "RapFix Live" on Wednesday at 4 p.m. as Waka sits down with Sway to answer your questions.

Other Heat This Week
» The Empire - Southern Slang 24
» Fabolous - Coco Loso 3
» Young Jeezy and Yo Gotti - Cocaine Cowboys
» Big Mike - R&B Jumpoff 2K11
» Meek Mill - I'm Mike Vickin' It
» Superstar Jay - I Am Mixtapes 81 (hosted by Waka Flocka Flame)

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661809/fabolous-soul-tape.jhtml

Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich Amber Heard Amber Valletta America Ferrera Amerie Amy Cobb Amy Smart Ana Beatriz Barros Ana Hickmann Ana Ivanovi Ana Paula Lemes Ananda Lewis Angela Marcello

Lindsay Lohan Scores Gotti Role?

She?s been desperate to revive her acting career, and earlier today Lindsay Lohan was at a press conference for the new biopic ?Gotti: Three Generations.?

During the event, LiLo was rumored to having landed the role of Victoria Gotti after supposedly beating out contenders Blake Lively and Sienna Miller.

Of the film, producer Marc Fiore told press, "This is not a movie; this is part of American history. We have the exclusive story for first time ever told by John Gotti Junior and his family."

Fiore also noted, "Lindsay is a terrific actress. Nothing has been finalized, but we are definitely in talks."

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/lindsay-lohan/lindsay-lohan-scores-gotti-role-496935

Avril Lavigne Bali Rodriguez Bar Refaeli Beyoncé Bianca Kajlich Bijou Phillips Blake Lively Blu Cantrell Bonnie Jill Laflin Bridget Moynahan Britney Spears Brittany Daniel Brittany Lee Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow

'Dancing With The Stars' Recap: Chelsea Kane Waltzes To The Top

The Disney star and partner Mark Ballas scored higher than front-runners Hines Ward and Ralph Macchio.
By Kelley L. Carter


Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas on "Dancing With the Stars"
Photo: ABC

One of the youngest celebs on the dance floor, Disney star Chelsea Kane, and her partner, Mark Ballas, took it to the top on Monday night's "Dancing With the Stars" telecast.

The hit ABC show had the dancers performing either the paso doble, waltz or Viennese waltz in front of a 46-piece orchestra.

"We supersized our band," said co-host Brooke Burke.

Kane and Ballas earned the top scores for their Viennese waltz, knocking favorites Hines Ward and Kym Johnson and Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff down to a tie for second place.

"Mark, you are a marvelous teacher and a great choreographer. Chelsea, you are a fantastic dancer. So why is it, every time I see you, there's something I don't like?!" shouted head judge Len Goodman.

Still, he was impressed, giving Kane and Ballas an 8. Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli each gave the pair 9's, for a total of 26. "Technically speaking," Tonioli said, "it was the best of the night."

Here's how the others fared:

Ward and Johnson: The football star's paso doble was considered energetic and right on. "You were in the zone!" Inaba said. Goodman couldn't mask how impressed he was with Hines, who said he's never listened to classical music before. "You're really doing great," Goodman told him. Score: 25.

Macchio and Smirnoff: The judges raved about their dance lines and ability to tell a story through song. "I believe you," Inaba told the "Karate Kid" star. "When you do it, I was swept in; I was carried through the story." Score: 25.

Chris Jericho and Cheryl Burke: Inaba and Tonioli thought their paso doble was majestic. Goodman, not so much. "Watch out for this guy!" Inaba said. Score: 23.

Petra Nemcova and Dmitry Chaplin: Inaba thought their patriotic paso doble was absolutely gorgeous. Score: 23.

Romeo and Chelsie Hightower: The other young couple in the bunch (Romeo is 21) impressed the judges, but their score still placed them somewhere in the middle of the pack. "Focused, powerful, action-packed — and six-packed, as well!" chirped Bruno. Score: 23.

Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: After last week's fall, Alley was determined to make this performance a sharp one. She said she was fighting through hip pain but wanted to impress with her waltz. Yet, as she was performing a swirling movement, her shoe came off. In spite of the mishap, the judges once again were impressed with her ability to pick up and keep on moving. "I thought you did amazingly well," Tonioli said. Score: 22.

Sugar Ray Leonard and Anna Trebunskaya: The boxer and his partner danced the Viennese waltz, and the judges found him to be wildly entertaining. "I don't think I've ever smiled that much," Inaba said. "I absolutely fell in love with that dance and both of you." Tonioli added: "It had a wonderful cartoonish charm." Score: 21.

Kendra Wilkinson and Louis Van Amstel, meanwhile, were criticized for not quite nailing elegance in their Viennese waltz. "Elegance is not so different than sexy," Inaba said. "Don't be afraid of elegance. ...You're a beautiful dancer. You need to have more confidence." Score: 18.

Who do you think should go home on this week's "Dancing With the Stars"? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661772/chelsea-kane-dancing-with-the-stars-recap.jhtml

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Tom And Katie Take Suri To Science World

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes took their ever fashionable daughter Suri to Science World in Vancouver yesterday. Katie?s was spotted out for lunch the day before with Tom?s daughter, Isabella. The trio got the VIP treatment at the venue where … Continue reading

Source: http://www.imnotobsessed.com/2011/02/10/tom-and-katie-take-suri-to-science-world/

Hilarie Burton Hilary Duff Hilary Swank Isla Fisher Ivana Bozilovic Ivanka Trump Izabella Miko Izabella Scorupco Jaime King Jaime Pressly Jamie Chung Jamie Gunns Jamie Lynn Sigler Janet Jackson January Jones

'Superman' Star Henry Cavill Talks 'Pressure' Of Iconic Role

'The question is whether you allow yourself to be affected by it,' he tells MTV News.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Henry Cavill at WonderCon 2011
Photo: James Lacsina

Henry Cavill didn't know quite what he was about to encounter. The mild-mannered Brit, who'd been cast as Superman in the Warner Bros. reboot of the franchise in January, found himself at WonderCon on an April day in San Francisco, about to meet the fans that may make or break the success of the upcoming film. Was he ready to stand in front of the frothing masses and stake his claim to pop culture history?

"Let's hope so," he told MTV News with a nervous laugh. "I better do a good job."

He's certainly had a long time to prepare. Cavill was cast as the Man of Steel years ago for director McG's planned adaptation. But after that project fell apart, Bryan Singer recast the role and delivered 2006's underwhelming, "Superman Returns."

For Cavill, with the passage of time came a new understanding of what it means to portray the most iconic superhero on the planet. "As much as I wanted it at a younger age, you get to a certain point where you go, 'OK, I'm ready for most things now.' Back then, you believe you're ready for it," he said. "But as soon as it happens, you think that it's a little heavy. I'm glad it's happening now as opposed to any other time."

"There's always pressure," he added. "The question is whether you allow yourself to be affected by it. Ultimately, it's a destructive force if you're going, 'Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,' and you're panicking. [I] just go do my job and hope everyone likes it."

So far, most everyone does. As Cavill looked down at the WonderCon floor he couldn't quite comprehend that he's become a major celebrity in his own right, telling us that if walked out among the fans "probably not much" would happen "at this stage." Considering the reaction that a dude in a Wookiee costume can get, we have a feeling Cavill would have caused a near riot. The fact that he doesn't get that yet is what makes the guy truly endearing.

Getting the call that he'd won the job, Cavill told us, was an "absolutely surreal" moment. "I got the phone call, then ran round the house screaming for 20 minutes, then sat down and thought, 'Wow, I'm Superman. That's insane,' " he continued. "It took me a good long time to get used to the idea. I'm still not used to it. I think until I actually physically don the cape and I'm on set, will it sink in."

Check out everything we've got on "Superman: Man of Steel."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661766/henry-cavill-superman-wondercon.jhtml

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Travis Barker Wanted 'Best DJ In The World' To Replace DJ AM On Tour

And the Beastie Boys' Mix Master Mike fit the bill: 'I always loved what he was about,' Barker tells MTV News.
By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Travis Barker
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images

Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Rick Ross may be getting the lion's share of the publicity on the I Am Still Music Tour, but venue after venue, Travis Barker has been rocking the stages too. Hip-hop's favorite drummer just released his long-awaited solo debut, Give the Drummer Some, last month, and he's brought a friend along on tour to help keep his album cuts fresh.

The Blink-182 drummer enlisted the Beastie Boys' DJ, Mix Master Mike, for his set. For Barker, his choice in DJ was all about finding a worthy successor to his friend and collaborator, Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein, who died of a drug overdose in 2009.

"After playing with AM so long and after he left, it was like I had to find the best DJ in the world," Barker told MTV News. "And one that I grew up on that I loved that I had something in common with. And I grew up on the Beasties. I always loved Mike's DJing. I always loved what he was about and everything, so it was a good matchup, man."

Barker's new album is a mix of rock and hip-hop, featuring contributions from acts like Lupe Fiasco, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes and Cypress Hill. "Can a Drummer Get Some?" — featuring tourmates Wayne and Ross along with Swizz Beatz and the Game — is the lead single, and Barker is deciding what the next release will be.

"It's probably going to be 'Knockin,' " Barker said. "Right now, 'Saturday Night' off the album is living on rock stations, which is kind of cool. And 'Can a Drummer Get Some?' is living on the hip-hop stations. There's a new remix coming. Wayne actually has a new verse on 'Can a Drummer Get Some?,' and there's an additional Swizz verse and a remix video that's going to drop that's just bananas, stupid."

What do you think of Barker's solo album? Share your reviews in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661754/travis-barker-dj-am-mix-master-mike.jhtml

FSU Cowgirls Gabrielle Union Garcelle Beauvais Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon Gina Philips Gisele Bündchen Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez Grace Park Gretha Cavazzoni Gwen Stefani

Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Hits Web

Femme Fatale's second single was penned by Ke$ha.
By Jocelyn Vena


Photo: Jive

Britney Spears' new single, "Till the World Ends," sounds poised to be a club smash. The Ke$ha-written, Dr. Luke/Max Martin-produced track was posted by Perez Hilton on Thursday afternoon (March 3), after speculation earlier in the day that the song would hit radio next week.

"Till the World Ends" is a swirling, "beat the beat" track, ready for late nights spent "dancing till the world ends" as she sings on the fast-paced party jam. "This kitten got your tongue tied in knots I see/ Spit it out 'cause I'm dying for company," a confident Spears purrs.

As the song slows for a moment — during a break before she moves her way to the chorus — she sings, "I can't take it take it take no more/ Never felt like felt like this before/ Come on get me get me on the floor/ DJ, what you what you waiting for?" she teases.

The beat chugs in the background as synths play with Spears' sex-kitten delivery of lines like "Watch me move/ When I lose, when I lose it hard/ Get you off with a touch/ Dancing in the dark.

"See the sunlight/ We ain't stopping/ Keep on dancing till the world ends/ If you feel it/ Let it happen/ Keep on dancing till the world ends," she sings as the song breaks down, fading out for a brief moment (revealing her signature breathiness), and then coming back in as she repeats those final lines again to close the song.

Ke$ha recently dished about the track to Spin.com, noting that it is about the power of an artist performing a great gig. "That song is me imagining her and any female musician touring the world," she said. "You know, when you go out, and you're having an amazing, magical night and you don't want to go to sleep and you want it to last until the world ends."

"Till the World Ends" is the second single from Femme Fatale, set to drop March 29. Its lead single, "Hold It Against Me," was an equally club-friendly jam by Luke and Martin, who are overseeing production on the album.

Give your review of "Till the World Ends" in the comments below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1659161/britney-spears-till-the-world-ends.jhtml

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