Aaliyah in 2000
Photo: Dave Allocca/Getty Images

It's been nine years since Aaliyah Dana Haughton died in a plane crash and left an immense void in the hearts of her family, friends and fans.

The singer's star was still rising when her life was cut short. She released multiplatinum albums and had just started her film career, but there was always a sense that her journey would be a long one, destined for greatness.

Traces of her style and influence are apparent in contemporary artists, but her legacy is most evident in her collaborators, including Timbaland, Ginuwine and Missy Elliot.

Missy spoke with MTV News via e-mail and shared some of her favorite Aaliyah memories.

MTV: When you look around today at some of the current R&B stars, who do you see traces of Aaliyah's influence in?

Missy Elliott: I think it's hard for Aaliyah to be duplicated, because she had her own lane. But Ciara is an R&B singer who loves to dance, and Aaliyah was that same kinda artist. We knew when she dropped a record, we couldn't wait for the video. I think Aaliyah has influenced artists like a Ciara.

MTV: How do you spend a day like this, where everyone is mourning the anniversary of your friend's passing?

Elliott: I plan to spend my day the same as any other day, because there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of [Aaliyah] or watch a video or play her music. I miss her every day.

MTV: Do you know of any update on the plans for an Aaliyah movie?

Elliott: As far as a movie for Aaliyah, I've been hearing some things but don't know how true they are, and out of respect for her family, I would wait until they announce it. That way we will know it's a fact.

MTV: I'm sure you have so many memories of Aaliyah. What was it like the first time you met her?

Elliott: When me and Tim first went to work with her, we were so nervous. She was such a big star, and I was scared she was gonna be some diva, sipping on tea, with people fixing her hair and nails, and she would say, "What is this music you got! It's wack!" But when we walked in the studio, her smile made the whole room glow! She was like "Heyyyyy!" and gave us big hugs and made us feel like we were her cousins from down South. She was a very sweet spirit! Never seen her angry as long as I've known her, and in this business, that's unheard of!

MTV: What memory do you revisit most when you think about Aaliyah?

Elliott: We've had so many memorable times. My most memorable is when me, her and Tim wore outfits alike! It was burgundy Pony outfits to the awards. Mind you, Aaliyah was petite so her Pony outfit looked so cute on her, but I kept looking at mine during the awards whispering to her saying, "I feel like a big-ass pony for real!" And we laughed and laughed! Too many memories to state them all! If she was still with us, she would still be at the top. Because she always stayed pushing herself to be better.

Share your memories of Aaliyah in the comments.

• Remembering Aaliyah

• Aaliyah: A Life In Photos

• Missy Elliott
• Aaliyah

Lil' Kim
Photo: Getty Images

Lil' Kim's recent harsh comments about up-and-coming femcee Nicki Minaj are nothing new when it comes to hip-hop. The Queen Bee has lashed out against the Young Money Barbie onstage and in interviews, accusing the Lil Wayne protégé of jacking Kim's style without giving proper respect.

From Jay-Z and Nas' years-long iciness to 50 Cent's sharp-edged comments about well, everybody, verbal jabs off and on wax are arguably as much of an element of hip-hop as DJing or breaking. While nearly every high-profile MC has been embroiled in some kind of drama with another rapper, the situation can be more complicated when it involves female hip-hop artists, who have to contend with the relative lack of female colleagues in the game and the pressures of an image-driven industry in addition to delivering lyrical heat. Some of hip-hop's ladies insist that when it comes to Kim and Nicki's recent flap, solidarity should trump ego for women on the mic.

"That's crazy. I really don't get it. I don't see where all this is coming from," Miami's Trina told MTV News via e-mail this week about Kim's comments. "[We're] all ladies. Can't we just make music and get our paper and keep it moving?! We all respect Kim. She opened the doors for us females. It's all good — everybody's eating, what's the issue?" Trina also pointed to the dearth of high-profile women in hip-hop as a reason for Kim to fall back with the criticism. "This makes us all look bad. There's barely any female artists as is — we don't need this!"

Veteran MC Rah Digga also maintained that for women in hip-hop, trading jabs isn't in anyone's best interests. "My advice to Kim is just make her music," Digga told MTV News. "My advice to everybody is just do you: Make your music, don't pay attention to what's going on around you, just do what you do best and let the fans blog it out."

Like Trina and Digga, multiplatinum rapper and producer Missy Elliott has been in the game for years, and she believes there's room for both Nicki's and Kim's outsize talents. "I like Nicki Minaj's music. I think she's hot!!" Missy relayed to MTV News via e-mail, adding, "I've been a fan of Lil Kim from the beginning and always will be. Kim is a rap icon!"

Of course, respect is key, and Southern star Diamond, who burst on the scene with Crime Mob before going solo, maintains that it's important to acknowledge the old guard when first starting out.

"I just feel like people that have paved the way for you, you have to show them some type of homage or some type of respect, to a certain extent," Diamond told MTV News. "That doesn't mean that you have to go around and carry [their] bags. At some certain point you just have to kinda acknowledge the people that paved the way for making things possible for you. I favor Eve more than everybody, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna shout out Kim in an interview or Foxy [Brown] — I might like something that she did — or Da Brat or Missy. Those women paved the way for us, so it would be kinda weird not to show them some type of attention or expression, just to let them know, 'Hey, I appreciate what you've done for me.' "

The small number of female MCs in the game makes unity even more important, several femcees stressed. Trina said she experienced difficulties when she was first breaking in.

"It's a male-dominated game, so the bulk of attention is focused on them," she said. "As a female you are constantly fighting to prove yourself and stay fighting to hold your spot amongst these dudes."

Diamond takes the situation a step further by comparing it to sexual politics in any work environment. "It's [the same as] anything in society: You can be having a 9-to-5 and you can have a boss that's over you that's a male, and you can be doing better than what he's supposed to do and you could get recognition from his boss and he might feel intimidated a certain kind of way," she said. "Men are just so caught up in being dominating, being a man, wearing the pants and just being in control. For a woman to come in and do the same thing that a man has done or that a man is doing, that's when it becomes little problems here and there."

In fact, many female MCs such as Trina, Rah Digga, Kim and Minaj have aligned with male stars like Trick Daddy, Busta Rhymes, Notorious B.I.G. and Lil Wayne when they first hit the scene (Elliott's long association with Timbaland was more of a partnership; Lauryn Hill broke in with the Fugees). Yet not all female MCs have found their gender to be a problem when proving themselves in the game. Digga found that her talent eased her experience when she was first making her mark in hip-hop.

"I traveled the Lyricist Lounge circuit real heavy [before she received mainstream success], so I always was critically acclaimed for being an MC. So I think once I got with Busta Rhymes it was like, 'OK, now we get to hear her live and direct on an album.' I already had the rapport of being a strong MC from the beginning. Once I got with the crew I was just basically able to stand out and shine. It was a real good experience for me."

And while there has been a dearth of female MCs in recent years, Diamond — who was part of Ludacris' de facto ladies anthem "My Chick Bad (Remix)" with Trina and Eve — is excited about a resurgence.

"The fact that females in hip-hop are coming back is good, because a lot of the times men speak for women and men can't really cover every subject and topic that a woman would speak on. I feel like, for some reason, people feel like [there] only has to be one female. Everybody has their own lane. Just like there's different dudes for us to choose between and different genres of music it should be the same for female MCs."

Kim and Nicki's flap isn't the first time two talented stars have taken the spotlight for reasons other than their music, and it certainly won't be the last. Yet while female MCs have always had different pressures than their male counterparts, Digga thinks there is a straightforward way to equalize the playing field.

"I think the best way to command respect is to make music."

What do you think of the Lil' Kim/Nicki Minaj flap? Let us know in the comments below!

• Lil' Kim
• Nicki Minaj
• Missy Elliott
• Trina
• Rah Digga

Missy Elliot
Photo: Theo Wargo/ Getty Images

The invitation to Missy Elliott's long-delayed Block Party might be coming soon.

"All 4 U," a collaboration between Elliott and Lil Wayne, leaked to the Internet over the holiday weekend. The song is among a number of tracks in consideration for Elliott's upcoming album, Block Party, her first solo project since 2005's The Cookbook.

The syncopated track features Missy's trademark blend of rapping and singing, while Weezy delivers an X-rated verse.

"Baby, what's up with you tonight/ You wanna get busy, I can read your mind," Missy purrs seductively on the song. Elliott only contributes one verse to "All 4 U" and more than half the song features just the instrumental. A representative for the Virginia native told MTV News on Tuesday (December 29) that the song is unfinished and "still really rough."

Elliott has kept a low profile since her last album, which featured the Ciara-boosted hit "Lose Control," was released. She's appeared sparingly as a guest, including on a track by Keyshia Cole, and contributed to the soundtrack of the "Step Up 2: The Streets." As far as her own work, however, Block Party — her seventh album — has had a number of delays, most recently being pushed back from a summer 2009 release to the top of 2010.

Behind the scenes, though, the Grammy-winning producer and songwriter has kept busy. Last year, Elliott worked with the Pussycat Dolls for their single "Whatcha Think About That." The all-female collective beamed on the set of their video when they discussed working in the studio with Elliott.

"We threw down with Missy Elliott last night, and it was incredible," PCD member Kimberly Wyatt told MTV News. "For the first time in my life, I was weak in the knees. I was completely starstruck. I had butterflies."

• Missy Elliott
• Lil Wayne

Andy Samberg
Photo: Jesse Grant/ WireImage

It takes a lot of, um, guts, to name your first single "Ji-- in My Pants." But that's the plan for the unabashedly raunchy debut album from Lonely Island, the three-man musical wrecking crew led by "Saturday Night Live" It Boy Andy Samberg and his writing buddies, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer. The disc, Incredibad, is due out on February 10 and will feature some help from an impressive roster of heavy hitters, including T-Pain, Norah Jones, Jack Black, E-40, the Strokes' singer Julian Casablancas and, of course, Justin Timberlake.

With a mix of songs made famous in digital shorts on "SNL" over the years — including the Emmy-winning Timberlake collaboration "Di-- in a Box," as well as "Lazy Sunday" (co-starring Chris Parnell) and the Natalie Portman-assisted "Natalie Raps" — the album is meant to make you laugh, but Samberg said he wouldn't mind if you nod your head to it a bit too.

"We definitely wanted it to be a classic comedy album, but also one you put on more than once," Samberg told MTV News. "We've gone out of our way to make it musically pleasing. We started on a few songs that were not funny enough, for us, but they sounded pretty cool. And the bottom line for the project was, 'Is it going to be funny first and music second?' I think it's 95 percent music, and we hope people would throw it on and bump it."

The trio, who've been posting NSFW songs and videos on TheLonelyIsland.com for years, shared a home in Encino, California, over the summer and collaborated on the 14 tracks. Samberg said Universal Republic Records had been after the troupe to do an album since the "Lazy Sunday" digital short dropped on "SNL" in 2005. And, as Samberg told MTV News in 2006, the friends always did want to make an album.

"We finally had the free time to do it this summer," he said. Though some of the "SNL" songs have become instant classics, Samberg thinks there's an added value to the ones that never appeared on the show "because Jorma and Akiva aren't castmembers, and our songs normally require three dudes with very specific rap skills."

Though he was skimpy with the details, not wanting to ruin the surprise, Samberg did reveal that the album is heavy on hip-hop beats but has some of the signature new-wave goodness of songs like "Space Olympics" and the island vibes of "Ras Trent."

"Jorma makes a lot of the beats, but because we knew we had a set amount of time on this, we asked for any and all beats we could get," Samberg said. That resulted in a combination of homebrewed rhythms and professional help from reggae legends Sly & Robbie on "Ras Trent," as well as a few beats from Jurassic 5 turntable master DJ Nu-Mark and underground producer/DJ J-Zone, who has worked with everyone from Gnarls Barkley to Biz Markie and Pete Rock.

Samberg said he's particularly proud of the thump on the first single, "Ji-- in My Pants," which made its debut on the show last week with cameos from a mop-wielding Timberlake, checkout girl Jamie-Lynn Sigler and club hottie Molly Sims. "When I first heard that beat, it sounded like a Timbaland beat," Samberg said. "My first reference was a Missy Elliott club jam, and then we threw some generic Euro Brit dudes on top, because, to be honest, we don't have the chops to crush a Timbaland beat." The video, which features Taccone rapping alongside Samberg, was shot a week before the current "SNL" seasons started, and Samberg said he had "no intentions" of the Universal-funded clip making it onto the show, but once it played in dress rehearsal, the reaction demanded that it make it on air.

While Samberg admitted the three have an affinity for dirty jokes that end somewhere south of the equator, he said they tried not to make the album all locker-room humor. "I would hope that isn't our theme, but it was getting harder and harder to deny," Samberg said. "When we did 'Di-- in a Box' — and that's what most people know us for — it's an uphill battle from there."

Samberg promised that the album's T-Pain song, "I'm on a Boat," is "straight hip-hop," while the Jack Black tune, "Sax Man," finds the Tenacious D frontman singing his heart out. He also revealed that mellow torch singer Norah Jones (who appears on the tune "Dream Girl") is a "goofy girl" who loves comedy, and his normally dour buddy Casablancas shows some comedy chops that might surprise on "Boombox."

The record is also slated to feature Bay Area hip-hop legend E-40 on the song "Santana DVX," as well as the songs "Who Said We're Wack," "Punch You in the Jeans," "We Like Sportz," "Shrooms" and the "SNL" classic "Iran So Far" with Maroon 5's Adam Levine. There will also be an accompanying DVD, but Samberg said he couldn't talk about what would be on it yet because the terms are still being negotiated.

Samberg would love to take the show on the road, but for now, given his hectic schedule, that remains to be seen. "Some of us are more anxious to do it than others," he said. 

• Justin Timberlake
• T-Pain
• Timbaland
• Missy Elliott
• Norah Jones

Pussycat Dolls
Photo: MTV News

The Pussycat Dolls added a little more estrogen to their group with their new single "Whatcha Think About That." They joined forces with Missy Elliott on the track , and the foxy quintet was still buzzing with excitement about the collaboration when MTV News visited the set of their video.

"We threw down with Missy Elliott last night, and it was incredible," Kimberly Wyatt said. "For the first time in my life, I was weak in the knees. I was completely starstruck. I had butterflies."

Jessica Sutta added, "It was magical on set last night."

It's not the first time the dance troupe turned pop group has collaborated with a hip-hop artist. But in the past, the cameos have come from men like Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes. "Missy is so hot because she's the first female we've worked with on our album," Nicole Scherzinger said. "And she's taking the Pussycat Dolls to a whole other level. We love you, Missy.

"We love this song. We hope you love this song," Scherzinger added. "We got a lot of fun surprises. We're doing the Pussycat Dolls to the next power."

She also opened up about the group's new album, Doll Domination, which hits stores September 23. They worked with a slew of producers, including Timbaland, Dr. Dre and Scott Storch. "It's the PCD at its best, old-school style," she said. "[We're] keeping it real for you, so you're going to love it. In the house [we've got] all of our old friends, like Snoop Dogg, and new people. We got some good surprises for you."

But don't think the ladies are done working with Missy. They've got some big plans come early 2009. "She did tell me she wanted to go on tour with us," Wyatt revealed. "We go on tour January '09 — so, Missy, you better be there!"

• Pussycat Dolls Kick It 'Old School'

• Pussycat Dolls
• Missy Elliott

Lil Wayne and Kanye West onstage at the 2008 BET Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Are we really supposed to call them "T-Wayne"? Collaboration kings T-Pain and Lil Wayne — who have revealed plans to forge a supergroup together in the future — made a joint effort to move the crowd during last night's BET Awards in Los Angeles. Pain came out during Weezy F Baby's closing set and helped the New Orleans "Fireman" with his medley finale.

The pair started out with "Got Money" from last week's #1 album, Tha Carter III. In the midst of the mayhem, Pain showed off a T-shirt that read "T-Wayne." Weezy then went into "Lollipop," and the two shouted out the late co-star of the record, Static Major, who died in February. Pain and Wayne sent everyone home right after "A Milli," the most energetically performed number of the trio of cuts.

Of course, there were awards handed out as well. Kanye West got two big wins with Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and Best Collaboration. West brought T-Pain onstage with him for the latter, and Pain took his sweet time getting to the podium: He walked in slow motion all the way from his seat, ensuring that everyone could see his flamboyant circus-ringleader outfit, which was silver and black (with a matching top hat to boot) and had a litany of designs on it. UGK also won two awards (Best Group and Best Video, for "Int'l Players Anthem"), Lil Wayne took the Viewers Choice award, Alicia Keys nabbed Best R&B Female Artist and Chris Brown won Best R&B Male, Missy Elliott scored Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and The-Dream won Best New Artist. (Head here for a complete list of winners and nominees.) Actor/comedian D.L. Hughley was the host of the night, and Diddy and Keri Hilson hosted a live afterparty.

But as always, the highlights of the night — both good and less good — were the performances.

No doubt Usher is one of the top showmen in the game, but the famed pharaoh of performing seemed to lip-sync his way through "Love in This Club" as he opened the show. Ush did display some slick dance moves on a conveyer belt, at one point sliding through the legs of three female dancers.

Kanye West brought the audience to its feet when he joined Young Jeezy for "Put On." 'Ye went through a couple of false starts on his verse, beginning to rap "I feel like there's still n---as that still owe me checks/ I feel like there's still [women] that owe me sex" too early in the song. However, West did compensate for the errors with his undeniable presence.

Very sexy was the pairing of Chris Brown and Ciara during "Take You Down." Cici did gyrations that would make most professional strippers retire as she stood over Brown, who lay flat on the ground. The duo had the dance moves of the night when Ciara slowly fell backward from a standing position and Brown caught her with one of his feet. Only the best can do that!

Alicia Keys brought girl power — actually, grown woman power — to the stage during "Teenage Love Affair." Keys started with her hit, then transitioned into classics by top female R&B acts. SWV came out for "Weak"; En Vogue — all four members, y'all — stepped onstage for "Hold On"; and TLC came out for "Waterfalls." It's always emotional to see Chilli and T-Boz sing without Left Eye. No matter how excited you might be to see the two, there's always a sigh in the heart because the spunkiest part of the group is no longer with us.

Ne-Yo shut things down with "Closer," which was the sleeper highlight moment of the night. Ne-Yo showed off his dancing skills with a very versatile repertoire, which include frat stepping, smooth spins and some foot-gliding.

Earlier in the evening, Al Green had everyone singing "Let's Stay Together," and Keyshia Cole, Lil' Kim, Nelly, Fergie and T-Pain and friends also performed.

• Chris Brown, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, More At 2008 BET Awards

• Fergie
• Keri Hilson
• Missy Elliott
• Lil' Kim
• Diddy

Jordin Sparks performs the national anthem during the Super Bowl XLII pregame show.
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

For years now, the NFL has been bedazzling the Super Bowl with busloads of Hollywood stars and singers in an attempt to distract viewers from the fact that the game is usually a snooze-worthy blowout. But thanks to the New York Giants' historic last-minute victory Sunday night over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots, as well as an arena-rock-worthy halftime show from American icon Tom Petty, the people behind the big game finally got the mix of music and smash mouth right. (Except for the moments when it got things so, so wrong, which were also kind of great.) And so, we give you the first Super Bowl Musical Monday Morning Quarterback Report. (Also check out our take on Super Bowl movie ads — are you pumped for the next potential blockbusters?)

The Big Winners

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Classic rock has become the new standard at the big show, thanks to recent gigs by the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and last year's guitar-stroking extravaganza from Prince. And despite the suggestive beating-heart-pierced-by-Flying-V-guitar opening, laid-back Petty played his four-song halftime gig as if he were just strolling in for another night of work by the world's best bar band. No corny medleys, no hokey gimmicks, just unforgettable anthems that, frankly, by the end of the night couldn't have been more apt for both teams: "I Won't Back Down" (Giants), "Free Fallin' " (Patriots) and the nothing-but-hustle rocker "Runnin' Down a Dream" (Giants again).

Justin Timberlake: Though he mostly just got his ass kicked, the singer/actor proved his comic chops again in the hilarious Pepsi/Amazon "Magnetic Attraction" ad that mixed his slapstick abilities with a cameo from his "D--- in a Box" co-star, Andy Samberg.

Metal: As if the game needed any more aggro help, the Patriots entered to Ozzy Osbourne's iconic "Crazy Train," while the promos for Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" pulled out Danzig's dark "Mother," a Toyota ad went indie by using Fu Manchu's "Mongoose" and the ad for the big-screen adaptation of "Iron Man" pulled out Audioslave's stomping "Cochise." And as the clock ran out, Europe's "The Final Countdown" brought an end to the Patriots' dream-turned-nightmare.

Kanye West: On the cusp of the Grammys, West's "Stronger" pumped over the loudspeakers as the soon-to-be world champion Giants ran out onto the field.

Jordin Sparks: Her dad, former Giants player Phillippi Sparks, never made it to the big dance, but his daughter did him proud with a stirring rendition of the national anthem in front of her hometown fans.

Alicia Keys: The Grammy winner plugged her upcoming tour with a rousing pregame medley that included "Fallin'," "If I Ain't Got You" and "As I Am."

Madonna/Shakira: Now we get how the Material Girl is the highest-paid female singer on the planet. Her brief appearance in an ad for Sunsilk hair products reportedly brought in millions. Shakira can't complain either. Not only did she get to plug her years-old hit "Whenever, Wherever," but she played alongside Madonna and Marilyn Monroe, which isn't bad company.

Alice Cooper: We have no idea what the original shock-rocker was doing crouching on the ground with his albino snake at the end of that Bridgestone Firestone ad (maybe lying in wait for co-star Richard Simmons to jog by?), but it worked.

Arcade Fire: The Canadian band's "No Cars Go" was used as a bumper by Fox during one of those dancing-robot bits, giving them massive exposure, though not likely the kind they desire. According to Pitchfork, although Fox asked permission to use the tune, it's unclear if the band gave its consent.

Kina Grannis: The unknown singer/songwriter, who won a Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" competition and a deal with Interscope Records, was introduced on one of the world's biggest stages, singing her acoustic ballad "Message From Your Heart." The ad reportedly cost $5 million, so you better believe that they think she's got the goods.

Latch Key Kid: A close second to Grannis in terms of worldwide coming-out parties was the election-themed Coke ad scored to "Good Times" by Southern California musician Kid (real name: Gavin Heaney). The spot, featuring Democrat James Carville and Republican Bill Frist cavorting together, perfectly fit the mood of the cheery ditty about sharing good times with good friends.

The Flaming Lips: Our personal pick for the ultimate halftime band (think about it: aliens, spaceships, giant inflatable hands, dancing Santas and exploding confetti cannons!) subverted straight society for the umpteenth time when their proggy, Pink Floyd-like ode to running from lava flows, "Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung," accompanied a Ford Sync ad.

Bower: The fat guy who jump-started the car with his nipples in the Mountain Dew AMP ad? None other than Michael Bower, the guy who played Donkeylips on Nickelodeon's "Salute Your Shorts" and a budding rapper in the Eminem mode.

The Losers

Paula Abdul: The "American Idol" judge's pre-taped, lip-synced "performance" of "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," the first single from fellow judge Randy Jackson's new album, nearly rivaled the former pop star's infamous "baked potato" dance to "Vibeology" at the 1991 Video Music Awards. Save for the impressive male-dancer-assisted high kick/ split she pulled off near the end, the painfully '80s Janet Jackson rip-off tune and skinny-tie-era backup dancers made Adbul look like the Mrs. Robinson of dance pop. Judging those kids on "Idol" just got a lot harder.

Ben Roethlisberger: The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback's off-key warbling of "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" was supposed to be bad, we get it. But it was so bad, some Steelers fans might have preferred it if he entered a Superbike race instead.

Michael Jackson: At this point nobody wants to see the actual King of Pop in a TV ad, but the slimy digital reptiles doing the "Thriller" dance to promote the 25th anniversary of the singer's landmark album (oh, and SoBe Life Water too) were almost as creepy as a trip to Neverland Ranch.

LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Macy Gray and Missy Elliott: That fake-grinning, head-nodding Diet Pepsi Ad to the tune of Haddaway's club classic "What Is Love" was so cheesy that we agreed with "A Night at the Roxbury" star Chris Kattan when he yelled, "Stop it!" at the end.

"American Idol": Between Roethlisberger's lame ad and Abdul's crash-and-burn performance, not to mention bionic host Ryan Seacrest's painful "red carpet" interviews with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, the show wasn't done any favors by its host network.

• Justin, Busta, Missy, Light Up Super Bowl Ads

• Tom Petty
• Justin Timberlake
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Kanye West
• Jordin Sparks

Justin Timberlake in Pepsi's "Magnetic Attraction" commercial
Photo: Pepsi

More than 93 million people watched last year's Super Bowl, and with this year's contest only a few days away, will it be the game itself or the ads that get viewers talking the most? "People who aren't even sports fans watch the Super Bowl, just to watch the commercials," Derek Jeter, shortstop for the New York Yankees, said in a press video hyping the ads.

With that in mind, 26 brands have gone all out this year to provide star-packed ads involving celebs like Jeter, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Shakira, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J. The stars are making appearances via their images and/or music, most of them for Pepsi.

"PepsiCo is the second-biggest advertiser in the Super Bowl this year," after Anheuser-Busch, USA Today advertising reporter Theresa Howard said. "Pepsi-Cola alone, they've got two minutes of ad time. When you've got a big product, you want to be on the biggest stage."

With that in mind, here's a sneak peek of some clips — which run during the Super Bowl at a rate of $2.7 million per 30 seconds — hoping to make a splash.

Pepsi Stuff

For a promotion that promises $1 billion in prizes in conjunction with Amazon, Justin Timberlake puts himself through the ringer, as he's pulled — literally — through New York in a spot called "Magnetic Attraction." "This is a sort of crazy, ridiculous, awesome ride, full of stunts and painful activity," Timberlake said in the press video. "I'm running into buildings, flying up buildings, going through the Hudson River, almost running into cars, taking car doors out, everything you can think of. It's kind of fun but also scary at the same time." The scariest part, besides the damage done to Timberlake's crotch by a mailbox pole? He passes by the window of his biggest fan — a guy in a Britney-esque wig.

Diet Pepsi Max

Everyone's falling asleep at an awards show — even LL, Busta, Missy and Macy Gray, who are up for song of the year. "I have no energy, I'm exhausted, I'm fading quickly," LL Cool J explained. "But then I have a sip of Diet Pepsi Max, and I have a burst of energy that takes me to another level." That level involves bopping their heads to Haddaway's "What Is Love," "Night at the Roxbury"-style. "It makes us think we're in the club," Missy Elliott said. "Drinking it gets you hyped." "It's straight comedy," Busta said. "We had a ball doing it."

Gatorade G2

Derek Jeter walks around the SoHo neighborhood of New York's Manhattan borough, and it grows as green as a baseball field everywhere he steps, to demonstrate how hydrated he is by the low-calorie, off-field drink. "To be honest, when it airs, I'll probably go in the bathroom," Jeter said in the press video. "I'm kind of afraid to see people's reactions."

VitaminWater

Shaquille O'Neal — despite weighing 321 pounds — becomes a jockey in the energy-water ad, in which racing competitor Gatorade is called "Old Man Gator" by the race announcer. Shaq actually rides the horse, though a few shots use effects.

Mountain Dew Amp Energy

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also becomes a jockey of sorts — but instead of a horse, he's got a camel. And who is riding who isn't exactly clear.

SoBe Life Water

All we can tell you about the under-wraps spot for SoBe, which is rumored to have some "thrilling" music that's been licensed for the first time ever for a TV ad, is that it will feature Naomi Campbell and 30 dancing lizards. The music is "top secret," a rep for the company teased. The most the company would tell MTV News is what is available in a commercial "prequel," in which one of the lizards tries to explain to his parents how he'll be appearing in the ad, but "naked."

Bridgestone Tires

Alice Cooper, Richard Simmons and an albino snake — what is it with the reptiles this year? For two 30-second commercials (one between the first and second quarter, the other in the third quarter), Bridgestone (the sponsor for the halftime show) employs nearly 30 animals. The first features woodland creatures, while the second has the stars and the snake.

Audi

In the first quarter, Audi makes viewers an offer they can't refuse — via a "Godfather"-themed spot for the R8 sports car featuring Alex Rocco, a star from the first movie. The full-minute version will only air once, with a 30-second version to air the following day.

Under Armour

Athletes like the Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano run for the new cross-trainer Prototype.

Doritos

It's a battle of the bands called "Crash the Super Bowl," in which unsigned/unknown artists Nivla, Kina Grannis and Landon Austin get a shot at a commercial and a recording contract. Will.I.Am was among the judges for the preliminary rounds.

GoDaddy.com

It's an ad for another ad. Danica Patrick exposes herself on the Web site, which people in this ad flock to go see. No word if it deserves a parental-advisory warning, but there were concerns over the some of the language used in early versions.

Sunsilk

You can bet that Marilyn Monroe did not actually use Sunsilk, but here she is, along with Madonna and Shakira, shaking their iconic 'dos. Sunsilk's spot, to air in the fourth quarter, depends on file footage of the three women for its "Life Can't Wait" campaign, which is set to roll out in 15 countries.

Planters

Paris Hilton might have her movie "The Hottie and the Nottie" out soon, but Planters has its own take on what a "nottie" looks like — uni-brow included — for the second half. Strangely enough, men left and right can't help but fall for her when she walks by. "Planters is going through a product evolution," Howard said. "They're trying to expand being known as just peanuts. They're trying to be a new brand."

Ice Breakers Ice Cubes

Some like it hot. Carmen Electra likes it cold.

Victoria's Secret

In a spot set to appear between the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter, supermodel Adriana Lima will appear dressed in black lingerie and holding a football. The company hasn't released previews of the ad, which is said to be "all about the games men and women play."

Bud Light

Is sports nut Will Ferrell going to show up in character in a Super Bowl commercial? His character in the upcoming film "Semi-Pro," Jackie Moon — the player/owner/coach of losing basketball team the Flint Tropics — is rumored to be making a guest appearance in at least one ad. Now that's pregame buzz.

• Justin, Busta, Missy, Light Up Super Bowl Ads

• Justin Timberlake
• Busta Rhymes
• Missy Elliott
• Madonna
• Shakira

Missy Elliott
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

The next time you see Missy Elliott, she's going to be in 3-D. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Walt Disney Studios is creating a stereoscopic 3-D video for Missy that combines the tunes "Ching-a-Ling" and "Shake Your Pom Pom." The songs will appear on the February 5 soundtrack to the dance sequel "Step Up 2: The Streets" and might resurface on the rapper's yet-untitled new LP, due in May. The video will premiere on "TRL" on Monday. ...

A New York judge denied Foxy Brown's request to get out of jail early so she can go to California for an ear examination and for a repair of her electronic ear implant. According to The Associated Press, the Manhattan district attorney's office reported on Monday that State Supreme Court Justice Melissa Jackson will not allow Brown, 29, to go to Los Angeles for the treatment, which prosecutors argued she could get just as easily in New York, where she is being held for violating her probation. ...

Styles P, Ray J and Large Professor have huddled together with AZ to help the hip-hop lyricist with his new album — it's Undeniable. The disc is due February 19. ...

Former "American Idol" finalist Clay Aiken, who has faced questions about his sexuality since entering the spotlight more than four years ago, recently told New York magazine that not only is he sick of answering questions about his preferences, he's tired of thinking about something that he simply doesn't have time for. Aiken told the magazine that his social life is "nonexistent, really I'm not a nighttime person." While he's in New York performing in the Broadway production of "Monty Python's Spamalot," he does not plan on dating anyone and is not involved with anyone. "Heck, no," he said, adding that his only companions are "my dogs." Not only that, but Aiken, 29, claims that he's never had a romantic relationship, unless you count the girls he took to dances in high school. "I just don't have an interest in ... any of that at all. I have got too much on my plate," he told the magazine. "I'd rather focus on one thing and do that when I can devote time to it, and right now, I just don't have any desire." ...

The Arctic Monkeys scored a record seven nominations for this year's NME Awards, including nods for Best Album, Best Live Band, Best Album Artwork, Best Video, Best Track and Best British Band, for which they'll be competing against Babyshambles, the Cribs, Klaxons and Muse. The news was more mixed for Amy Winehouse, who is up for Best Solo Artist, but also Worst Dressed and Villain of the Year, where she'll get stiff competition from U.S. President George Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The awards will be handed out in London on February 28. Radiohead are in the running for Best Album, and the Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters, the Killers, Kings of Leon and My Chemical Romance are up for Best International Band. My Chem also picked up a nomination for Worst Band, where they will compete with Fall Out Boy, 30 Seconds to Mars and Panic at the Disco. ...

Peter Bjorn and John made a big splash in '07, but bandmember Peter Morén has actually been hammering away at an album of his own for many years, and it's finally good to go. The Last Tycoon, the Swede's first solo outing, is more low-key and acoustic than PB&J's Writer's Block release, and is due April 8. The album incorporates vibraphones, strings, synthesizers, a musical saw, drum machines and more. ... Andrew McMahon (Jack's Mannequin, Something Corporate) is the subject of a new documentary narrated by Tommy Lee. "Dear Jack," due later this year, revolves around the singer/pianist's recent battle with leukemia. "Andrew is such a hero, and I jumped at the opportunity to help tell this incredible story," Lee — who played drums for the first Jack's Mannequin album, Everything in Transit — said in a statement. Check out the trailer right here. ... Almost five years after the release of his major-label debut, Chariot, which featured the hit "I Don't Want to Be," Gavin DeGraw will finally release his more rock-leaning self-titled follow-up this spring, according to Billboard. The first single is "In Love With a Girl." ...

You know whose fault all this illegal music-file downloading is? Your Internet service provider, that's who! At least according to longtime U2 manager Paul McGuinness, who laid the blame on ISPs in a fiery speech Monday at the annual MIDEM international music conference in France. According to the Los Angeles Times, McGuinness' keynote address targeted ISPs as both the primary culprits and potential healers of the worldwide record industry's ongoing ills. "I think the failure of ISPs to engage in the fight against piracy, to date, has been the single biggest failure in the digital music market," he said. "They are the gatekeepers with the technical means to make a far greater impact on mass copyright violation than the tens of thousands of lawsuits taken out against individual file-sharers." McGuinness added that he thinks the prosecution of music fans for illegally downloading music is "counterintuitive," even if there is an "educational and propaganda" effect to them, then issued a challenge to ISPs to do the right thing, suggesting legislation might be required if they don't. McGuinness also had harsh words for record companies who don't treat artists fairly and said U2 have always been one of those bands who "understood that it would be pathetic to be good at the music and bad at the business and [has] always been prepared to invest in their own future. ... We were never interested in joining that long, humiliating list of miserable artists who made lousy deals, got exploited and ended up broke and with no control over how their life's work was used, and no say in how their names and likenesses were bought and sold."

1.28.08

Joel Madden needs to see a shrink — in an upcoming episode of the new Starz comedy "Head Case," that is. The Good Charlotte frontman and new dad will appear on the February 13 episode of the show, which revolves around a judgmental psychotherapist (Alexendra Wentworth) who sees celebrity clients when she isn't out shopping. If you're already psyched for the show, go to Amazon.com's Unbox section to check out the original short-form episodes that launched it. ...

Thank your lucky stars — the Grammy Awards ceremony will go on this year as planned, according to an interim agreement announced Monday (January 28), The Associated Press reports. While the Grammy telecast was still good to go following last week's announcement that the striking Writers Guild of America would not protest it, the interim agreement means content for the show will be written under a WGA contract. "In the interest of advancing our goal of achieving a fair contract, the [WGA West] Board felt that this decision should be made on behalf our brothers and sisters in the American Federation of Musicians and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists," WGA West President Patric Verrone reportedly said in a statement. "Having our talented writers on the team further ensures the highest level of creativity and innovation, something our audience has come to expect every year," Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow reportedly said in a statement of his own. ...

Miley Cyrus' Saturday show in New Orleans had a bit of a hiccup when the singer otherwise known as Hannah Montana announced that she wasn't feeling well and left the stage, according to a video posted on TMZ.com. Cyrus returned to finish her set, albeit in a seat, and dad Billy Ray sang with her. ...

Rivers Cuomo, Adam Sandler, Tony Hawk, baseball player Nomar Garciaparra and Andy Samberg kicking around a soccer ball together on a Saturday afternoon? According to ESPN.com, that was the scene over the weekend when the celebs took the field at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, for Garciaparra and wife/ ex-soccer pro Mia Hamm's charity Celebrity Soccer Challenge. Cuomo scored his team's first goal, and he later reportedly said, "It was a dream come true. Passing with [the L.A. Galaxy's] Landon Donovan and going against Mia Hamm — it's just unreal. I was terrified, but I was so excited that the excitement overcame the terror." Milo Ventimiglia, Elisabeth Shue, Seth Meyers and others also participated in the event, the proceeds of which went to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. ...

Jim Jones is reissuing his Harlem's American Gangster mixtape, hosted by Dame Dash and featuring the Byrd Gang crew, February 19. Fans are already familiar with the tape, which was previously available in limited form, but it has since been remixed, remastered and bolstered with new tracks, including "Rockefeller Laws." "Some people do soundtracks to the movies about Harlem," he said in a statement. "We do soundtracks to the streets of Harlem, which made us who we are today." His new studio LP will drop in the summer. ...

Modest Mouse and the National have something special to jot down on their calendars: opening dates for R.E.M. The tour will launch after the release of Michael Stipe and the gang's April 1 album, Accelerate. The cities are as follows: Vancouver, British Columbia (May 23); Los Angeles (May 29); Berkeley, California (May 31); Morrison, Colorado (June 3); Chicago (June 6); Toronto (June 8); Raleigh, North Carolina (June 10); Columbia, Maryland (June 11); Mansfield, Massachusetts (June 13); Wantagh, New York (June 14); Philadelphia (June 18); New York (June 19); and Atlanta (June 21). ... Hot Chip, Spank Rock, Peaches and others are liberally reworking classic tracks by the Pharcyde, Masta Ace, Tone Loc and others for a new collection, Delicious Reimagined, due early this year. Raunchy electro-clash singer Peaches — who has collaborated with everyone from Pink to Iggy Pop — remixed Loc's "Wild Thing" almost 20 years after the song originally came out, adding her own new vocals along the way. ...

Hayden Panettiere spoke about the warrant for her arrest — which she was slapped with in the fall after confronting Japanese fishermen to protest the hunting of dolphins — at a related demonstration in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. According to The Washington Post, the "Heroes" actress and Save the Whales Again! Campaign spokeswoman told a crowd, "I was wearing a wetsuit and shoes. I was like, if I'm going to jail, I ain't going to jail in a bikini." ... peta2 has a few new friends you might know: MTV News' own John Norris, as well as the stars of "Rob & Big." Norris stars in a new online video for the youth animal-rights organization that explains why he went vegan, while Rob Dyrdek and Chris "Big Black" Boykin appear in an ad with their dog, Meaty, along with the statement "Have the Balls to Spay or Neuter Your Dog." ...

Black Lips have drooled out an exclusive iTunes Live Session EP that the so-called "flower punk" band recorded over the summer in San Francisco. The Lips are also in the running for Yahoo's User's Choice program, the winner of which will play a performance in the company's studio in Santa Monica, California. And they've also lined up a run that will start February 4 in Seattle and end March 22 in Atlanta. ... The second half of Thrice's four-disc concept album will be in stores in the spring. The Alchemy Index, Vols. III & IV: Earth & Air, is scheduled for release April 15. ... From Autumn to Ashes drummer Jeff Gretz recently suffered two broken bones in his foot and will be forced to sit out the band's tour for the next few months. Flood of Red's Graham Griffith will fill in for Getz for most of the tour's remaining stops. ...

New Kids on the Block fans are going to have to keep "Hangin' Tough" — despite reports over the weekend, the old-school boy band is not planning to stage a comeback. While the once-hugely popular teen heartthrobs' Web site has apparently relaunched, bandmember Danny Wood wrote on his MySpace page on Monday morning, "I wanted to address the rumors of the NKOTB Reunion Tour. There has been no talk of this and you are getting it from the source directly. ... You can't believe everything you read." Still, he added, "Never say never!" Let's keep our hopes up.

• Missy Elliott
• Foxy Brown
• Styles P
• Clay Aiken
• Arcade Fire

The Clipse
Photo: Jive

The Clipse couldn't be any happier: Malice and Pusha T's deal with Sony Music is done, they told MTV News. Sony exec Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua — who co-manages Kanye West and Lil Wayne — spearheaded the deal, under which the Clipse inked a home for their Re-Up Gang Records. "I heard Hip wanted to be down; the next thing I know he's in Houston with half my management team," Pusha T said. "Then next thing [I know,] half my management team is in New York with Rick Rubin. It was working just like that." The first music to come out of the deal will be the Re-Up Gang's next, yet-untitled LP, after which a full Clipse album will follow. "For the Re-Up [album], we're slated to get in [the studio] with Danjahandz, Timbaland, of course [Pharrell]. Dame Grease gave me some incredible records. He's the truth. [A] couple of other guys [are also onboard]. That's how we're trying to go in with it. We're keeping it funky." ...

April Margera — Bam's mother — testified in her brother-in-law Vincent "Don Vito" Margera's sexual-assault trial on Friday (October 26), portraying him as a harmless, bumbling man, the Rocky Mountain News reports. Supporting claims made by the defense on Friday that Vincent Margera's signature arm movement might have been mistaken for breast fondling, she said he often swings his hands to the side in front of the person who is standing next to him at family gatherings or with fans — and is more apt to do so if cameras are present — but that she has never seen him fondle anyone. April Margera also said her brother-in-law "walks like a Cro-Magnon," lacks vision in one eye, has other physical ailments and mumbles his words. His defense argued Friday that the fact that Margera plays an outrageous, sometimes profane character on TV shouldn't be used against him. Three teens testified in the assault trial earlier this week, saying they had all saw Margera touching girls inappropriately at his autograph signing at a Colorado mall in August 2006. ...

Ciara celebrated her 22nd birthday on Thursday night in New York at Nikki Beach Midtown with a toast in her honor. The Atlanta singer was joined by Missy Elliott — they both hit the dance floor to bust some moves before taking off for the VIP section upstairs. Ciara revealed to People at the event that "great friend" 50 Cent gave her a b-day gift, but she didn't say what it was. "For some reason, with this friend, everybody turns everything into something else!" she remarked. ... Dolly Parton must be rubbing off on Jessica Simpson — first Simpson signed on for "Blonde Ambition," a new movie inspired by Parton's classic comedy "Nine to Five," and now she's packed up and moved to the actress' native state of Tennessee to work on her new, yet-untitled album. Simpson, who has moved to Nashville, previously expressed interest in working on a country album to MTV News way back in July 2005. ...

Jay-Z was hit with a lawsuit on Friday by a woman who claims she was fired from his 40/40 Club in New York because she was pregnant, according to TMZ. Folake Ogundiran claims in the suit, which was filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, that she was discriminated against because her "gestational status" would be "inconsistent" with the club's image, which encourages "young, fashionable, unattached and sexy" salespeople. The ex-employee says that when she told her bosses that she was pregnant, a supervisor replied the business couldn't be run "like this," and that Ogundiran shouldn't bother showing up for work the next day. Ogundiran argues she was subsequently barred from entering the workplace and denied unemployment benefits. She is seeking unspecified damages. ...

Tap into Kid Rock's iPod and you might find ... the Foo Fighters? Apparently so — the Rock N Roll Jesus recently told MTV Europe he's a fan of Dave Grohl and his gang. "We played together in L.A. a few weeks back, oh, it was great," he said. "I love Dave Grohl — he's a silly guy." But Grohl isn't the only one Rock loves — he's a big fan of Jesus too, which is why he named his new album the way he did, he told Spin for its November issue, which streets Tuesday. "I think Jesus' name needs to be put back out there. I was actually talking to Reverend Run about this, and he said, 'If God could actually talk, I think he'd say, "They kicked me out of school. They don't want me in the public school system anymore." ' I'm gonna stick Jesus' name back out there in any way I can, 'cause I love Jesus." ...

Just in case you haven't heard enough Britney Spears news lately, brace yourself for more dirt: Her mother, Lynne Spears, is writing a memoir about raising her daughters. The book, "Pop Culture Mom: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World," will be released around Mother's Day, according to the publisher. ...

While it's not as cool as this guitar, Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman's custom-edition ax is still pretty sweet. It's got keyhole inlays on the fretboard, Troh's signature embossed on the head and, according to the man himself, is a "great guitar for playing live" — we're sold! Manufactured by Washburn, Trohman's guitar is available in both white and black, and retails for $419.90. To pre-order one of your own, check out EmpireoftheRepublic.com. ...

Amy Winehouse's husband saved her life — at least that's what she told German magazine Stern in a recent interview regarding her hospitalization in early August. "I really thought I was on the way out," she said of the incident. "My husband Blake [Fielder-Civil] saved me. He brought me to the hospital. Often I don't know what I do. Then the next day the memory returns. Then I'm engulfed in shame." Winehouse also said in the interview — which she reportedly gave after her arrest in Norway for possession of marijuana on October 18 — that she has taken medication for depression. "Since I was 16, I felt that a black cloud hangs over me. Since then I have taken pills for depression." She added, however, "But they slowed me down. I believe there are lots of people who have these mood changes. I just have this good luck to have found this outlet in my music. I believe I live through pain. If you suffer for something, it means to me that it is not unimportant." ...

Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Sheryl Crow and others performed for a cause on Thursday night at the Black Ball, a Keep a Child Alive-sponsored ceremony that in part honored Bono for contributing to efforts to further AIDS awareness and prevention in Africa, according to RollingStone.com. Jay-Z, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Clive Davis, David Bowie and others attended the event, which was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. Keys played a handful of songs, including duets with Stefani — for a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" — Crow ("I Shall Believe") and Bono, with whom she gave a rendition of their 2005 collaboration, "Don't Give Up." ...

Due to the wildfires in Southern California, Velvet Revolver postponed a headlining show that was scheduled to take place Friday night at the outdoor Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine. The band opted to postpone the show because of poor air quality in the area and to avoid stressing emergency-services personnel who are already spread thin by the fires, according to a spokesperson. The rescheduled gig with openers Alice in Chains will take place December 12 at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City. ... Legendary punks the Sex Pistols played a warm-up gig Thursday night at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California, in advance of their upcoming British reunion tour. Reuters reports that the rare hourlong club gig — a private affair in front of 500 sweaty fans that was the first gig by the band in four years — featured all their best-known tunes, including "Anarchy in the U.K." and "God Save the Queen." Notoriously testy singer John Lydon, 51, was a bit rusty, forgetting the words to "Holidays in the Sun, " complaining about the heat, taking a bathroom break toward the end of the set and threatening a "coward" fan who tossed a drink that struck him in the face. ...

Omarion and Bow Wow have bumped their collaborative joint, Face Off, and will release it on December 11 instead of the week prior, Billboard.com reports. Select editions will come with a DVD containing music videos from the singers' previous LPs, behind-the-scenes clips and more. ... Ryan Cabrera is going indie. The 25-year-old Texas pop singer will release his upcoming album on his own label, according to a spokesperson. "The sound of the new record I think will open a lot of eyes and ears, and definitely be a surprise to fans and anybody who hasn't heard my music," he said in a statement. "I wanted to take my time with this record and really make a diverse entire album, as opposed to just a single or two ... I want a ride, a journey, I want the record to be able to be played all the way through. So many things have changed in my life, and the music is heading along with it." ...

New Spock Zachary Quinto may have recently told MTV News that the original "Star Trek" castmembers would "make themselves available if this generation wants that" for the J.J. Abrams reboot, but apparently that doesn't include William Shatner. While original Spock Leonard Nimoy will have a cameo in the flick, the original Captain Kirk won't appear in it, according to Shatner. "I couldn't believe it. I'm not in the movie at all," he told The Associated Press on Friday. "Leonard, God bless his heart, is in, but not me. ... It obviously is a decision not to make use of the popularity I have to ensure the movie has good box-office [success]. It didn't seem to be a wise business decision." Abrams had previously said Shatner would have a part in the film, but according to Shatner, nothing came of the meetings they had together. ...

David Bowie, meet SpongeBob SquarePants. The rock legend will guest star in the animated character's new TV movie, "Atlantis SquarePantis," which premieres November 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon. The rock legend voices the king of Atlantis, the fittingly named Lord Royal Highness. ... U2: good Samaritans — and tax cheats? According to a new AP report, the group's music-publishing company paid most of the millions it made last year to five unidentified "employees" that are suspected to be the bandmembers and their manager. U2 Ltd. made more than $30 million last year, and $25.8 million of it went to said "employees." The band has also been criticized for moving its corporate offices from Ireland to the Netherlands, where music royalties are barely taxed. ... Capitol/EMI is planning a super-sweet 40th birthday for Pink Floyd — the label is tying together all the classic-rock band's albums in the form of a giant limited-edition package. The box was designed by Floyd's longtime collaborator Storm Thorgerson, and a fabric poster he made is also included. ...

A judge has ruled that a photograph owned by Elton John that was seized last month from an art exhibition is not indecent. BBC News reports that the image of two naked young girls taken by famed American photographer Nan Goldin was deemed indecent by standards applied in 2001 by the Crown Prosecution Service, but that those standards have shifted since then. The exhibition of 148 photos owned by John was supposed to run until January 20 but was closed after nine days at the singer's request in light of the controversy. ...

Former "Laguna Beach" star Jason Wahler entered Washington state jail on Friday, TMZ reports. He had been ordered to be behind bars for 30 days on a fourth-degree assault charge and a charge of a minor exhibiting signs of intoxication stemming from an April incident in Seattle. ... Orlando Bloom won't be charged with hit-and-run or drunk driving in connection with his car crash earlier this month. Los Angeles officials say the actor, who hit a car as he was being chased by paparazzi, was not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. ...

Contrary to those who criticized Al Gore's Al Gore's Live Earth concerts, the event met its goal of reduced carbon emissions, the organization said in a press release issued Thursday. "Live Earth's maiden event met its goal in restraining carbon emissions to 19,708 metric tons, while of the 97 metric tons of waste collected, 81 percent was diverted from landfills via recycling and composting efforts. The results confirm the efficacy of Live Earth's 'Green Guidelines' ... which offer practical advice for organizers of future large-scale events, whether musical concerts, cultural gatherings or sports competitions."

10.25.07

Another Akon concert disaster: The R&B singer's planned Thursday (October 25) gig at Atlanta's Emory University was canceled after several people, including his drummer, were injured while setting up for the show, TMZ reports. The left side of the concert stage reportedly collapsed after a canopy fell while crews were setting up lights. At least one student was also reportedly injured in the incident, which spurred campus police to cordon off the area as fire trucks and ambulances responded. ...

Owen Wilson's first interview since his suicide attempt in August will be posted online at midnight on Friday as part of MySpace.com's Artist on Artist series, according to USA Today. Wilson reportedly chatted Thursday with his friend Wes Anderson, who has directed the actor in all his films, including the recently released "The Darjeeling Limited." It's not yet known if the interview will deal with Wilson's personal struggles. ...

Jennifer Lopez hasn't officially announced her reported pregnancy yet, but her ex-boyfriend Diddy is already dishing his best wishes to the singer. "She's going to make a great mother," he told UsMagazine.com. "She is one of the most caring people I've ever met. When I went out with her, I saw that quality." Diddy did not tell UsMagazine.com whether he knew for sure that Lopez is expecting, but according to the outlet, she is almost five months pregnant. Previous reports indicated that she is expecting twins with husband Marc Anthony. "I'm extremely happy for her, and I will be sending some expensive god-daddy presents to her baby," Diddy said. ...

Could twins also be in Christina Aguilera's future? According to the New York Daily News, the singer is expecting two children. Aguilera has been very hush-hush about her reported pregnancy, although Paris Hilton might have taken the wind out of her sails by blabbing about the news during VMA weekend. ...

While Britney Spears is due in court Friday for another hearing in her child-custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline, attention turned on Thursday (October 25) to her other case: a car crash on August 6 that resulted in two driving-related misdemeanors. Spears' lawyer Michael Flanagan entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of the singer, who was not required to show up at the courtroom in Van Nuys, California. According to The Associated Press, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Susan Speer ruled that Spears no longer has to face a hit-and-run charge in the crash, as she has already compensated Kim Robard-Rifkin, who owns the Mercedes-Benz that the singer hit in a parking lot. (People reports the amount was approximately $1,000.) But the charge of driving without a license was not dismissed, and Speer scheduled a pretrial hearing for November 26. Flanagan told AP outside the courthouse that Assistant City Attorney Michael Amerian had offered the singer a plea deal relating to that charge, but that the deal would involve 12 months' probation. But Flanagan said that wouldn't be necessary, since Spears recently obtained a valid California driver's license. "She got a license, she has insurance, has always had insurance. The question is: Is probation really necessary?" he asked. Flanagan added that Spears had a license in Louisiana, and he also contended that she didn't have a valid California one because a camera wasn't available at the Department of Motor Vehicles when she tried to apply for a license prior to the August accident. Spears may also face fines, People reports. ...

Just weeks after Nas announced the controversial title of his December 11 album, rapper/poet Saul Williams has announced that he's given his own upcoming LP a name that is likely to cause a stir. In a post on the album's Web page, Williams said, "It is my greatest honor to present to you The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, my new album produced by Trent Reznor and mixed by Alan Moulder," who has also worked with the Smashing Pumpkins and Reznor's Nine Inch Nails. He elaborated on the concept of the album — the title of which is clearly a play on David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars — in the post, saying, "Most people aren't aware of the world of art and commerce, where exploitation strips each artist down to 'nigger.' Each label, like 'apartheid,' multiplies us by our divide and whips us 'til we conform to lesser figures ... the only way to choose is to jump ship from old truths and trust dolphins as we swim through changing ways." The track list for the album — which is coming out November 1 in digital form on the Inevitable Web site — includes "Black History Month," "Tr(n)igger" and "NiggyTardust." Perhaps taking a tip from Radiohead, the site lets fan choose to pay $5 for the album — or nothing at all. For five bucks, customers can get either 83MB (high quality) or 128MB (very high quality) MP3 files. A third $5 option is also available, in the Free Lossless Audio Codec format, which is similar to MP3 but doesn't lose quality in the compression process — that version has CD quality (395MB) but isn't playable on iTunes or Windows Media. The free option provides an 83MB zip file that contains lower-quality, DRM-free MP3s of the songs. ...

A third teen teen testified in Vincent "Don Vito" Margera's Colorado trial on two counts of sexual assault, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Trey Hughes, 15, said he was sitting near Margera, uncle of Bam Margera, at his autograph signing at a Colorado mall in August 2006 when Vincent Margera saw the man grab at girls who asked for their photos to be taken with him. "I saw Vito grabbing girls in inappropriate places," he said. "He would touch their boobs. I saw him grab their butts." Hughes added that he saw Margera sticking out his tongue and wagging it around, "pretending like he was licking them." On Tuesday, two other teens testified in the trial. Fourteen-year-old Mina Darnell said, like Hughes, that she saw Margera grabbing at girls at the signing. "When a girl came up to get a picture, I saw him grab their boob or their butt," Darnell said Tuesday. "I wasn't focused on it the whole time, but [it happened to] at least one-quarter to one-half of all the girls who were there." She also said that after girls had their picture taken with Vincent Margera, they would say, "He just touched me!," as they were leaving. She said she did not get an autograph herself from Margera. A 15-year-old boy also testified Tuesday, saying he was shocked when he saw Margera allegedly put a sticker on his friend's breast. ...

Did Lil Wayne skimp on his bling? A New Orleans jewelry store claims in a recently filed lawsuit that the hometown rapper (real name: Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) purchased a $138,000 diamond ring and $32,000 gold-and-diamond necklace — but that the Cash Money Records president failed to come up with all the cash money for the items, according to The Miami Herald. Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry claims Wayne owes $146,000 on the $170,000 purchase, which he allegedly made over the telephone with the store's owner, Jack Sutton, on October 6, 2006. Sutton says he and Wayne agreed to a monthly installment plan for the payments, but that when he deposited the second check, a $24,000 payment, he discovered that a stop payment had been placed on it. The jewelry-store owner claims he has reached out to Wayne to no avail, and that he is surprised because, as he told the Herald, the rapper is "one of my best customers. He spent a lot of money with me. I thought we have a really good relationship. I don't know what happened, unless it's a misunderstanding. ... I've been doing business with him for at least 10 years. He's always been wonderful with paying me." Wayne's entertainment attorney in California, Ron Sweeney, also spoke with the Herald, saying ''This is clearly a misunderstanding. If, in fact, the allegations are true, then it will be resolved. My client is very responsible." ...

Hey Harry Potter fans, got 41 grand in your piggy bank? That's how much an anonymous private bidder threw down for a copy of the hardback first edition of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" — which was subsequently retitled "Sorcerer's Stone" for its U.S. publish — that was autographed by the author as "Joanne Rowling." The bidder paid $40,326 at Christie's auction house in London, but believe it or not, that actually isn't the highest amount a copy of that 1997 edition has gone for — a copy inscribed with a Rowling personal dedication went for more than $50,000 in May at Christie's. About 500 copies were pressed for the novel's initial run. ... So much for Paris Hilton's philanthropic efforts — People reports that the children's charity that had organized the heiress' trip to Rwanda has postponed the trek due to restructuring. "Paris has been a loyal and gracious supporter of Playing for Good but the foundation has to regrettably reschedule this trip," the organization said in a statement on Thursday, according to People. "Playing for Good would like to thank Ms. Hilton for her generosity and her continued support of this initiative and is looking forward to rescheduling the trip with her at a later time." ...

Coheed and Cambria's logo has been creating something of a situation at the University of Kansas this week. After a number of dorm windows were shot out, a set of seemingly cryptic symbols were found spray-painted throughout the campus with the date "10/23/07" underneath them. The symbols were Coheed's logo, and the date referred to the release of the band's latest LP, No World for Tomorrow. Rumors spread across the campus that another shooting was being planned, and campus police were swamped with phone calls and questions about potential impending violence. ...

Metallica's forthcoming yet-untitled LP could be in stores as early as February, drummer Lars Ulrich revealed in a recent interview with The San Francisco Examiner. He also explained the metal band's decision to work with Rick Rubin rather than longtime producer Bob Rock. "For our own sanity, our own creative survival, we needed to work with a different set of circumstances and dynamics," he said. "So we've been stripped of our defense mechanisms, and it's been very invigorating to be challenged again. Rick's taken everything we've known about making records and completely turned it upside down." He said that the songs for the new LP are different from those on the band's previous offering, St. Anger. "Well, most of the intros are four to five minutes. I don't know — Metallica and short songs just don't go that well together. But whereas St. Anger was an exercise in over-pummeling the listener, these new songs echo some of our stuff from the '80s — long, epic journeys through different musical landscapes, heavier, but a lot more melodic." ...

Disturbed have entered a Chicago studio to begin recording their fourth album, the yet-untitled follow-up to 2005's Ten Thousand Fists. The band will be producing the effort itself and hopes to have it ready in time for a spring release. According to a statement from frontman David Draiman, the disc "seems to have taken on a darker character than the previous albums. It's more furiously paced and complex." ... The track list for Mudvayne's forthcoming compilation LP, By the People, for the People, has been revealed. The disc will boast 16 tracks, including a live version of "Dig"; demo versions of "Happy," "All That You Are" and "Silenced"; and an acoustic version of "Forget to Remember." Look for the album to hit stores November 27. ...

The Dave Matthews Band will play two free shows for Army football at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, on November 14 and 15. Robert Randolph & the Family Band will open the shows, which the cadets won (beating out Navy, Air Force and 100 other colleges) as part of the World's Loudest Pep Rally contest, sponsored by AT&T. ... Long-off-the-radar "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken is getting into the holiday spirit with an upcoming Christmas in the Heartland tour. Before hitting the road, he'll perform at the Neil Sedaka: 50 Years of Hits show on Friday in New York — the event will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. After that, Aiken will hit the rink November 6 in Las Vegas for a guest spot at the Capital One Holiday Celebration on Ice, which features a host of champion skaters and will air on NBC on Christmas Day. His tour launches on November 26 in Wichita, Kansas, and stops in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Minnesota before winding up at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana, on December 22. And of course in January, he joins the Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning show "Monty Python's Spamalot," playing one of the leads, Sir Robin. ...

With one racy music-video appearance under her belt and her pipes warmed up from singing in the Beatles-themed "Across the Universe," actress Evan Rachel Wood is reportedly close to signing a deal with Interscope Records for her debut album. Entertainment Weekly reports that Wood — whose boyfriend, Marilyn Manson, is signed to Interscope — is in negotiations with the label, with a possible announcement of a deal just weeks away. ... Prince's Purple Rain tops Vanity Fair's list of the 10 best movie soundtracks of all time. Next on the magazine's list is the soundtrack to "A Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles, and ones for the reggae classic "The Harder They Come," "Pulp Fiction," "The Graduate," "Superfly," "Trainspotting," "Saturday Night Fever," "American Graffiti" and "The Big Chill." ... Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson's divorce was finalized in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, AP reports. Details of the former couple's custody arrangement over their 3-year-old son, Ryder, were not disclosed, nor were the terms of their property division. ...

It seems the Blood Brothers are calling it quits. While there hasn't been an official announcement yet, the band's management says the group is going on hiatus and will reconvene in the not-so-distant future to decide its fate. Meanwhile, a source close to the band tells MTV News that the Brothers have, indeed, split up, but did not offer an explanation for the band's demise. ... Cave In frontman Stephen Brodsky has announced the formation of a new side project, a power-pop outfit called Pet Genius. The act reunites Brodsky with former Cave In drummer John-Robert Conners, as well as bassist Johnny Northup, who played with Brodsky in Octave Museum. Pet Genius' debut hit stores Tuesday and features 11 tracks, including "The Visiting Dynamiter," "Emit Fo Deeps Eht Esare" and "Trash Heap Swing." ...

Though they won't be in attendance, the Flaming Lips are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their bold sonic experiment Zaireeka — a set of four CDs meant to be played simultaneously — with a series of in-store "performances" of the magnum opus. The first of the anniversary parties took place Monday at Seattle's Crocodile Cafe, and more will follow on Sunday at Size Records in their hometown of Oklahoma City, Tuesday at Dallas' Good Records, November 2 at Criminal Records in Atlanta and November 6 at Luna Music in Indianapolis. In addition to a costume contest, the festivities include a "virtual" appearance by singer Wayne Coyne via DVD in which he'll explain how the album works. ... Pete Doherty has been freed of a court drug-treatment order after a judge said she had received advice from experts, BBC News reports. The troubled Babyshambles frontman appeared in court on Wednesday for a review of the order, for which he had six months left to serve, but the judge said he had already been supervised over 18 months and that she was convinced the plan for the musician to stay drug-free was going to be followed. ...

Our long international nightmare is over: Both Ace of Base and "Barbie Girl" band Aqua have announced reunion tours. Swedish pop tarts Base have scheduled a series of gigs in November and December in Russia and Eastern Europe, while Danish one-hit wonders Aqua announced recently that they will be playing shows this year in conjunction with a greatest-hits album. ... For the first time in more than three decades, pioneering funk rockers Sly and the Family Stone will perform a live show, in New York on December 7 at the B.B. King Blues Club.

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