Will.I.Am Says Black Eyed Peas 'Are Never Breaking Up'

It's hard to remember it now, but there was a time BF (Before Fergie) for the Black Eyed Peas. If leader Will.I.Am has his way, though, there will never be an AF (After Fergie) , despite her international success as a solo star.

Will was forced to clarify this point over the weekend, when rumors surfaced that the Peas were breaking up and that Fergie was headed for permanent solo status. "Don't believe gossip about Fergie leaving the group (we are never breaking up) it's all lies!!!" Will tweeted on Saturday. The comment was in response to claims to Radar Online by an unnamed source that there were tensions between Fergie and Will and that the band's female singer was eager to settle down and start a family with her husband, actor Josh Duhamel.

Speaking to Sirius XM radio on Saturday at Los Angeles' Electric Daisy Carnival, Will told the Area station, "She called me today. I talked to her today, I was like, 'So, Fergie is it true that you're leaving?' She was like, 'You're a f---ing idiot!' I was like, 'You know I'm just jokin' with you, pulling your leg.' We ain't going anywhere. It's a family. People are reading into our vacation [schedules]."

After two hip-hop based records, BEP added Fergie to their lineup in 2001, in time for their breakthrough album, Elephunk, which featured the hit "Where Is the Love?" Though they had marginal success before, since hooking up with Fergie, the group has had a non-stop parade of international successes, including "Don't Phunk With My Heart," "My Humps," "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling."

While Fergie tasted huge solo success on her own with The Dutchess in 2006, Will has become an in-demand producer, working, recording with and remixing everyone from Rihanna and Usher to U2, John Legend, Mariah Carey and the late Michael Jackson.

2010 BET Awards Belong To Chris Brown, Alicia Keys And Prince

Chris Brown, Alicia Keys and Eminem shined the brightest among the star-filled Shrine Auditorium on Sunday night (June 27), wowing the audience at the 2010 BET Awards in Los Angeles.

Brown put out a sizzling tribute to Michael Jackson, just days after the one-year anniversary of the pop icon's death, with a medley that included "Remember the Time" and "Billie Jean." The embattled R&B star's take on "Man in the Mirror" was measured and emotional, tugging at the hearts of many as Brown broke down during the song's refrain.

The singer was decked out in full MJ gear, from the bandaged fingers to the high-waisted pants. As he struggled to finish the lyrics to the song, the audience assisted him, completing the lyrics he could not as he dropped and rose from his knees.

Alicia Keys was just as stirring, performing her own solo set and contributing to the tribute to Prince, who was honored with a lifetime-achievement award. Patti LaBelle and Janelle Monae also joined Keys to pay homage to the Purple One. Keys, replete with her newly public baby bump, sang "Adore" and shocked those in attendance when she crawled atop her piano to finish out the sexy number.

Eminem also performed twice, taking the stage with B.o.B for the "Airplanes" remix and his own "Not Afraid."

Drake was among the night's big winners, as he and Young Money cohort Nicki Minaj took home trophies for Best Hip-Hop Artist, male and female, respectively. The Lil Wayne protégés both shouted out their imprisoned CEO and later took part in crowd-pleasing performances.

Drake brought out Young Jeezy, after he ran through his own "Fireworks" and "Over," and the pair debuted the remix to the Snowman's latest, "Lose My Mind."

Young Money's leading lady was at the center of two performances: Ludacris' show-ending set and Diddy's Dirty Money showcase. Minaj was as colorful as ever, and the femcee was sexy in an outfit as tight as her razor-sharp rhymes. The Queens rapper shouted out her fellow female rhyme-slingers, helping to dial down the back-and-forth between her and Lil Kim.

Justin Timberlake Introduces His Group FreeSol And Their Mixtape

Fire Starter: Free Sol

We usually like to put our Fire Starter out a little later in the week, but this is a special edition. We have Justin Timberlake giving a major co-sign to a new mixtape. You've seen JT present artists from his burgeoning Tennman Records, such as Esmee Denters and Matt Morris. Next up under the Grammy winner's wing are FreeSol, a group from his hometown of Memphis that fuses rock, hip-hop and a little R&B.

"They're rock stars," Justin said of the group at February's William Rast fashion show in New York, where they also performed. "It's nice to work them organically and not feel like, 'Hey, you gotta listen to this band!' I'm trying to find cool ways to implement them into the culture of what it is we already do."

"It's like a school, it's like a classroom," frontman Free said earlier this year of working with Timberlake. "He's a genius. A lot of people think he's [just] that dude from 'NSYNC, but really, he's a baby Quincy [Jones]. We learn a lot."

Along with Free, the group consists of Premo D'Anger on keys and bass, "Kickman" Teddy on the drums and guitarist Elliott Ives. The collective has already recorded more than 100 songs for their debut album — some of them with Timberlake — and they just dropped their mixtape, RockNRolla, with DJ Benzi.

"The mixtape was an idea to paint a picture of what we're trying to do," Free said. "A lot of people, whenever they describe us, they say 'rock/rap.' So immediately you may think of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Linkin Park, something you've heard before. I think that what we do is something extremely different, original. I think the mixtape was an idea to kind of create the picture of what we're trying to do. We took a lot of older [songs], whether it be AC/DC or Smashing Pumpkins, and make them our own. Live bands, live musicians. We approached the mixtape concept through the eyes of a band."

"I got a call from Free saying, 'Let's do this mixtape,' " Ives recalled. " 'Can you take some samples of some rock stuff that you're a fan of and dice them up? Make some beats and let's make some songs. We're gonna call it RockNRolla.' "

Ne-Yo Expecting A Child

It appears that life is imitating art for singer/songwriter Ne-Yo. The R&B gentleman, who guested on 50 Cent's 2009 hit "Baby by Me," recently confirmed that he and his girlfriend, Monyetta Shaw, are expecting a child together.

"I am 30, and I do have my first child on the way, and I'm very, very, very excited about that," the hitmaker told Ebony magazine. The star also revealed that the new addition to his family is due in January. "It's a New Year's baby," the singer told the magazine.

The dad-to-be said he doesn't know the baby's gender yet because the little one was curled up in the womb during the first ultrasound, apparently making it hard to determine the sex. The star jokingly called out his unborn child, saying the baby was "stubborn." However, the child appears to be taking after his or her mother, because, the singer added, "They didn't get that one from me."

A rep for Ne-Yo also confirmed to MTV News that the star is expecting.

While this is the singer's first baby, this is not the star's first brush with fatherhood. Ne-Yo's former girlfriend reportedly gave birth to a child, Chimere, who the star once claimed as his own until he later learned he was not the boy's biological father. Ne-Yo and his ex were reportedly in litigation over the matter. "I'm not allowed to talk about it, and I'm not allowed to see [Chimere]," Ne-Yo told USA Today in 2008.

However, the star did seem very open to the idea of raising children and told the paper, "I've been thinking a lot about kids lately." He even revealed that he wanted "a girl and a boy" and appeared ready to assume the role of a protective dad. "When the first guy comes to my door asking for my daughter, I might end up going to jail," Ne-Yo said. "I just don't know how I'll handle that."

The impending pitter-patter of little feet is not the only thing the singer has on his plate; the star is also preparing to drop his latest album, Libra Scale. The star told Ebony, "I'm just in a really good place right now."

Eminem Honors Dr. Dre At ASCAP Awards Ceremony

It's been over a decade since his last solo album, but when Dr. Dre was honored with ASCAP's Founders Award Friday night, it was a reminder to everyone that the doctor is still one of hip-hop's biggest pioneers in the game today.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers held it's 23rd annual Rhythm and Soul Music Awards last night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, where some of music's biggest names were recognized for their contributions to music.

The biggest award of the night was handed to Dr. Dre for his achievements in the music industry and for inspiring and influencing his fellow music makers. The ASCAP association put together a presentation package that played across the big screens, highlighting some of Dre's greatest quotes. One moment that had the audience cheering was Dre's stab at critics, saying, "You can't critique my sh-- unless you have done half of the stuff I have accomplished."

Shortly after the piece ended, DJ Kid Capri took the stage to perform a set of songs chronicling Dr. Dre's career that included early hits such as "Keep Their Heads Ringin'," "Let Me Ride," and "Gin and Juice" as well as more recent Dre productions such as "In Da Club," "Family Affair," and "Rich Girl."

Eminem made a rare, surprise appearance to present the award to Dr. Dre, whom he thanked for believing in him. "It would have been a lot easier for Dre to dismiss me like most people did," Eminem stated. "But he didn't. He stepped up to the challenge because he saw something in me. ... He changed the face of music and he changed my life."

Dre then took the stage to accept the award, pausing during his speech as he fought back tears. "I'm living an incredible life," he said. "Making a living doing what I love and having people love it. I can't even explain what that feels like."

Dre went on to pay respects to his mother, who became pregnant with him at the age of 15. "She was always told by family, friends and neighbors or whatever, she was going to ruin her life and mine," he said.

He also thanked his wife, whom he described as his in-house A&R and playfully promised her he was going to give her "something real special for this tonight." Closing out his speech, he thanked Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M Records, for being with him through his ups and downs, and last but certainly not least, his fans.

Jay Rock Goes From 'Hood 'Hardhead' To 'Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010' Candidate

"Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" Candidate: Jay Rock

Even if you never saw Jay Rock or didn't know about his street credentials, one listen to records like "All My Life in the Ghetto" with Lil Wayne and Will.I.Am or freestyles like "Anti Social" and you can tell that the Watts, California, native's rhymes are 'hood-validated.

The husky roar in his baritone, the vivid narratives and the pain in his flow all give Rock one of the most captivating young voices in hip-hop. His candidacy for "Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" comes with a collective thumbs-up from the streets.

"Starting out in Watts, I can say I really had a love for music," Rock said of his early musical inspirations. "I always had a love for music. When I was 6, 7 years old, I was raised on all the old-school stuff. My momma used to play oldies in the house. That's all my momma used to play around the house was oldies. But when I stepped outside my project unit, that's when I listened to the Dres, Scarfaces, DJ Twists, Mausberg. I was brought up on that. I fell in love with rhyming when I turned 13. I was in junior high. I got into it, but I wasn't serious. It was just for fun."

Rock didn't care too much about cultivating his skills; he was too busy chasing paper.

"I was doing what I do, being a hardhead in the streets. I didn't even know one of my big homies was in the music game," Rock explained. "I heard he was looking for me. I thought it was to chastise me for some stuff I did being a hardhead. But the whole time, he wanted to get me in the studio. He heard one of my tapes, a song I was on. I used to be ducking and dodging. Shout-out to Top Dawg, he snatched me out the streets and said, 'I'mma make something happen. You don't need to be out in the streets doing that dumb stuff.' "

Rock started putting out mixtapes in 2006 and has been signed to the Warner Music Group for the past three years, waiting to release his debut, Follow Me Home.

Eminem Does 'Top 10,' Jay-Z Talks LeBron James On 'David Letterman'

Eminem and Jay-Z will appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman" tonight (June 25), and in addition to performing on the rooftop together, the two rappers also talk with the cranky host.

In preview clips released online, Em is seen participating in Letterman's famous "Top 10" segment and Jay sits down on the couch to chat with Letterman.

Letterman and the Brooklyn MC discussed Cleveland Cavaliers star (and Jay-Z pal) LeBron James' impending free agency and the arrival of Mikhail Prokhorov, the New Jersey Nets' new Russian billionaire majority owner.

"The tall guy," Hov joked, referring to Prokhorov.

"You're a guy," Letterman then told the rapper. "I'm a guy. Now, if LeBron James wants to be a guy, he will stay where he is and not cut the heart out of that city by leaving Cleveland. You wouldn't do that, would you? Cleveland is in desperate decline. And one of the glimmering hopes they have —"

"How's your ratings in Cleveland?," Jay interrupted to laughs.

Jay, who holds a minority stake in the Nets, admitted if he found himself in a similar situation, he could concede to Letterman's point.

Only three of Eminem's Top 10 items about advice for kids had been previewed at press time, including jokes about "Toy Story 3," illegal downloading, and a dig at BP in the wake of the Gulf leak.

"Don't get mixed up with drugs, gangs or oil executives," the Detroit MC deadpanned.

The two rappers taped their appearance earlier in the week in New York. Initially, they requested to perform on top of the famed Ed Sullivan Theater marquee, but officials for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg declined to grant a permit.

The pair were able to skirt the issue, however, by taking the show to the rooftop of the building and away from the streets where officials had concerns over public safety.

Eminem and Jay-Z's joint appearance was a part of promotion for their stadium concert series this September in New York and Detroit; two additional shows were announced on Thursday.

Where Were You When Michael Jackson Died? Drake, Game Remember

The death of Michael Jackson a year ago today touched millions of people, including hip-hop stars who, like so many of us, grew up with his music. And like so many of us, they remember exactly where they were when reports of Jackson's death first came in.

Game, like many fans, was suspicious when he first heard that Jackson had passed away. "I was at the crib, didn't believe it," Game said. "[The news] came through in a text message and people are always pulling pranks on text messages. So I immediately turned on the news and they were saying he went into cardiac arrest."

Drake was more incredulous than suspicious. "When he passed, I was in Toronto. I remember, I saw my mom that night," he said. "It was weird. It was somebody that you just don't picture not being here. It's Mike, you know?"

Jackson's untimely passing was doubly shocking because it occurred as he was just weeks away from beginning his sold-out This Is It run of concerts at London's O2 Arena.

"He looked like in A-1 shape and to hear that news, it was definitely devastating," Flo Rida said.

"He literally gave his life to entertainment. He couldn't live a normal life because of that," said rising MC J. Cole, referring to the intense fame the star grappled with for most of his life. "That's how much he loved to do this."

With the indelible impact he left on music and pop culture, for many stars Jackson remains the final word when it comes to showstopping entertainment. As ATL's B.o.B said, "His spirit and his music are so strong that he's very much alive, still."

Nipsey Hussle Reps L.A. New Class As 'Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010' Candidate

"Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" Candidate: Nipsey Hussle

Yeah, he's living up to his name. Nipsey Hussle is hustling, building his brand across the board. He has a deal for his own shoe with Pony, just finished a film with Vivica A. Fox and another one with Ving Rhames, he opened a clothing store in his native Los Angeles, appears on the new "Def Jam Rapstar" video game, has a tour coming and still has more mixtapes and a debut album on deck for October.

"My album, it ain't got no wrinkles in it," Nip said recently in New York about his debut, South Central State of Mind. "From the sonic quality of it, every verse, every hook, to the features, to the production. Ain't no excuses for the album."

Nipsey's candidacy for "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" comes from his grind in the streets. Last year, he dropped a trilogy of mixtapes called Bullets Ain't Got No Names, which introduced him and immediately captivated fans. His work in the 'hood garnered him co-signs by the likes of Snoop Dogg and the Game, both of whom he toured with. Drake also appeared on the potent Hussle underground smash "Killer." The momentum has made Nip one of the leaders of the new wave of West Coast MCs, also including Fashawn and Jay Rock.

"Nipsey, he brings the real to the table," said Rock, who will be teaming up with Nip for a duet mixtape called Red and Blue Make Green. "He brings that struggle. He's telling you his story. Nipsey is bringing a story as a whole package, as well as he's bringing real music. Reality rap."

"You gonna be hard-pressed to come to L.A. and not hear a car playing Jay Rock music, playing Nipsey Hussle right now," Nip said. "It's gonna be almost impossible. They say it starts in your backyard. I feel we putting forth that legwork. We really took our city without the traditional outlet, the Dr. Dre, the Snoop Dogg, the Death Row. That's not to take anything from them, but we wasn't really waiting. We kinda like stood on our own foundation of hard work. That's the brand that the new breed of West Coast artists gonna bring to the table. Self-made. Off the top!"

Besides the authenticity of his music, Nip's appeal lies in his laid-back delivery. You look at him or hear his music and you see your homie from around the way.

Nip knows that all the love in the streets is eventually going to have to translate in his official releases. He just dropped the single "Feelin' Myself (I'm So Fresh)" with Lloyd and has South Central State of Mind in cook-up mode right now. J.R. Rotem, Scott Storch, Houston's Mr. Lee, Grammy winners Play-N-Skillz, Terrence Martin and Nip's live band, 1500 or Nothin', produced on the album thus far. Trey Songz and Sean Kingston are among the guest performers.

"Regardless of people's opinion about it, the dominant culture in L.A. is gang-banging," Nipsey, a Crip, said about "Blue Laces," a song from his LP. "Us being young dudes in our 20s, we not the cause of that. We was born into this culture. We reacted to it from the perspective of survival. I feel like that record, 'Blue Laces,' speaks on the realness of that culture. We not the cause of this. This is what led us into that mentality."

Nip said South Central State of Mind speaks to young Angelinos.

"I'm kinda revolving around that concept on a lot of records on that album," he said. "On the state of mind in growing up in L.A. Whether you from Compton, Watts, Long Beach, the east side, west side, it's a state of mind that's way more powerful than an individual. I might feel a certain way personally, but this is what it is.

"I might feel like one of my dudes is a Blood, one of my dudes is from Hoover. So me, personally, this is my homeboy and I got love for him," he added. "But I'm from the 60s, and it's a politic that goes with that. I just feel like I revolved around that concept, the cause of this mind state. I want to impact the culture with the project and raise the consciousness of the people that's being affected by this. And bring a human element to what this is about and stop people from looking at us like we just mindless killers and we glorifying this type of life. We really striving for change from within. We ain't gonna go Hollywood with it and get a record deal and start blasting where we come from, but at the same time, we do wanna see change. It's a lot of general concepts that revolve around that theme."

Rick Ross Says Michael Jackson Was 'One Of One'

Rick Ross says the impact Michael Jackson left on pop culture is immeasurable. Like many people around the globe, the Bawse is reflecting on Jackson's life and legacy with the one-year anniversary of his untimely death on Friday.

"My second album, Trilla, was named after Michael Jackson's Thriller album, which I feel is the number-one album in the history of musical life form," Ross told MTV's "Sucker Free" this past weekend in Atlanta at the Philips Arena during the Birthday Bash 15 concert. "Shout-out to Quincy Jones; send your boy a beat! Just to see [Michael's] story, him as a kid, his siblings. That was a story I felt that any black family growing up could relate to. To see the heights that he took it to at such a young age. He set so many trends. Of course he had a great voice. Of course the ladies loved him. They needed oxygen machines at his shows. People were fainting a lot of times. We don't speak enough on him being a fashion icon. His shades, the [Ray-Ban] Wings, those are the shades I wear to this day. He also became famous for the glove, the jacket, the socks, the penny loafers, the flooding pants. He was a fly dude. He impacted music and mankind in a special way. He's one of one. It'll never come again."

Ross' peers, such as Bun B, Ludacris and Busta Rhymes, have also talked to MTV News about Jackson this week. Rhymes insisted that Jackson's King of Pop nickname deserves an upgrade.

"It ain't even just the 'King of Pop' no more," Bus said. "I think we gon' bury that and we gon' give you the new attribute that goes along with your greatness, as the 'King of Music.' "

Justin Bieber Fans Rave About Hartford Tour Kickoff

HARTFORD, Connecticut — On Wednesday night, swarms of teenage girls took over the XL Center in Hartford to check out Justin Bieber as he kicked off his first headlining tour, in support of his album My World 2.0. During the show, Bieber dazzled the crowd with fan favorites like "Baby," "Somebody to Love" and "One Time," but it seems the moment Bieber fans loved most was when he flew over the audience in a heart-shaped cage.

"I thought it was really cool when he came out in the heart," Kiera told MTV News as she was leaving the show. "It was, and he was, in the audience. That was pretty cool." Devin added, "I liked when he flew around in that heart thing."

The chance to get so close to their idol proved to be a highlight of the night.

With most of the glowing reviews from Bieber fans running the gamut from "great" to "amazing" to "loved it," even his older fans, like girls about four or five years older than the apparent median age of 14, caught Bieber Fever. Megan confessed, "I know I'm not supposed to be in love with someone that young, but I am."

Kristen added, "Well tonight's show was really fun, and seeing Justin Bieber in real person and [hearing him sing] was amazing."

Erin admitted that Bieber's family-friendly antics made the show even more enjoyable. "I thought it was really fun and it was really great for kids," she said. "I really enjoyed it. I kind of came in [like], 'OK, I'm not gonna enjoy it.' But I really had a lot of fun. It was a fun concert."

Bieber later tweeted that he really owed his successful first show to his fans. "When u have the support of the greatest fans in the world. U just end up smiling. Thanks," he wrote. "2nite was just...well...i was scared. Didn't want to let anyone down but the energy and the fans were incredible. Cant wait to do this again!"

Will Roscoe Dash's Party Anthems Earn Him 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010' Title?

"Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" Candidate: Roscoe Dash

Over the weekend at Atlanta's Birthday Bash, Roscoe Dash performed in front of 20,000 hometown fans. The crowd at Philips Arena is one of the realest you can perform for; if they're not feeling you, your time onstage could seem like an eternity. But backstage before his set, Dash was on straight chill mode.

"This my first [Birthday Bash]. I'm finnin' to put on for my city," he said, looking at everyone from behind a pair of shades. "I try not to think about it too much so I won't get nervous. I'm just gonna go in here and give it my all, give them a good show."

Dash had every right to be confident, because his song "All the Way Turnt Up" is not just one of the most popular songs in the city, but in all of hip-hop. The record by itself could have qualified Dash to be a candidate for "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010." "Turnt Up" built instant excitement in the clubs with an undeniable bass-laden track and lyrics tailor-made to sing along to, not to mention Roscoe's off-key but melodic sing-songy flow.

"Its amazing, man," Roscoe said of his success. "I've been doing music my whole life. So for me to find a way to finally get my foot in the door, and give these people me as a person, rather than just an artist, I'm enjoying it."

"Turnt Up" was so popular, Soulja Boy agreed to appear on the album version of the record, while lauded MCs such as Ludacris and Lupe Fiasco freestyled on the track. In the past few weeks, Dash has evaded the tag of one-hit wonder with another certified banger, "Show Out."

The second single from Dash's Ready Set Go! debut (due July 20) basically follows the same formula as "Turnt Up," and the results are similar too. Cam'ron and Rick Ross have already made unofficial remixes, while DJs have made it a favorite in clubs and on radio.

"I just go in," Dash said about setting up a string of party anthems. "I just do me. I never wake up and go to the studio and say, 'I'mma make an album song or a mixtape song.' I just go in and just do me."

But breaking through requires more than just a couple of hits. You have to have a deeper impact when it's all said and done. Roscoe said he already knows what he has to do to cause an earthquake in the game.

"Hard work and dedication, same thing that got me here," he assessed. "I gotta keep doing it, man, and not let it break me down. This industry has its ups and down. It'll take a toll on you. It's about moving forward."

Roscoe and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News' "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" — and the winner will be decided by you!

Cast your vote for the "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" right here! The top five will be revealed beginning July 19, and the winner will be announced on the "Sucker Free Summit" July 25!

Drake's Thank Me Later Nears Half A Mil In Billboard Debut

Though he failed to join mentor Lil Wayne in the one milli club in his first week on the charts, there's no shame in Drake's game, as the Canadian rapper's debut studio album, Thank Me Later will easily hit #1 on the Billboard 200 with sales of nearly 447,000.

That total was good enough to earn Drizzy the third-best chart debut of 2010 (behind Lady Antebellum and Sade). He bested the week's other newcomers, veteran rock act Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, whose blues-inflected Mojo was far behind at #2 with 125,000, and fellow Canadian Sarah McLachlan, who returns to the charts with Laws of Illusion, hitting #3 with 94,000 in sales. The fourth slot is taken up by Now 34, which sold 88,000, meaning Drake sold more than the rest of the top five combined, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

There were no other debuts in the top 10, which undergoes a bit of shuffling: Jack Johnson's To the Sea (#5, 68,000), the "Twilight Saga: Eclipse" soundtrack (#6, 55,000, down 63 percent), Justin Bieber's My World 2.0 (#7, 47,000), Lady Antebellum's Need You Now (#8, 40,000), Christina Aguilera's Bionic (#9, 40,000, down 64 percent in week two) and Glee: The Music — Journey to Regionals (#10, 39,000), which plummeted by 75 percent from last week's #1 showing.

Further down the line, tattooed Jersey rockers the Gaslight Anthem notch their best-ever chart debut with American Slang, which lit it up at #16 on sales of 27,000. The first new disc in 20 years from reunited new-wave spud rockers Devo, Something for Everybody, debuts at #30 (14,000).

The solo debut from Gym Class Heroes frontman Travie McCoy takes a hard tumble in week two, as Lazarus sinks 42 slots to #67 as sales dropped off by 57 percent to 7,000. The new album from Swedish pop singer Robyn, Body Talk Pt. 1, slides into the top 100 at #97 (5,000).

In case you doubted whether he still had it, Eminem rockets to the #2 position on this week's iTunes album charts after only one day on shelves. Slim Shady's Recovery nearly bested Drake's Thank Me Later, which managed to hold onto the #1 slot, according to charts provided by iTunes, which does not release sales figures.

The one-two finish by the rappers pushes last week's iTunes #1 album, Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals, down to #4, as another newcomer, McLachlan's Laws of Illusion, slipped in at #3. Johnson's To the Sea slipped one to #5, while Petty's Mojo debuted at #6, and the rankings were filled out by the "Twilight" soundtrack, B.o.B.'s B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, Glee: The Music, Vol. 3: Showstoppers and Gaslight Anthem's Slang, which debuted at #10.

On the iTunes singles chart, things were mostly unchanged, as Katy Perry held on at #1 with "California Gurls," followed by the same suspects as last week: B.o.B. with "Airplanes," Usher with "OMG," Travie McCoy with "Billionaire" and Eminem's "Not Afraid." Climbing up to #6 was Mike Posner's "Not Afraid," followed by Ke$ha with "Your Love Is My Drug," 3OH!3's "My First Kiss," the Black Eyed Peas' "Rock That Body" and Drake's "Find Your Love" at #10.

Look for things to get blown out next week, as Eminem's Recovery vies for the top with Miley Cyrus' Can't Be Tamed. Also in stores are new albums from Ozzy Osbourne, the Roots, Sia, Macy Gray, Cyndi Lauper, the Chemical Brothers and Keith Sweat.

Ludacris, Busta Rhymes Weigh In On Michael Jackson's Legacy

Michael Jackson's impact on pop culture is still being felt a year after the mega-star's death. Sequined jackets and jaunty fedoras have made a comeback and a grown man can't bust out a falsetto without invoking MJ's signature swagger. Can you even count how many times you've heard "Thriller" in the past year?

And while many may try, for some fans, no one will ever be able to replace the Gloved One. Jackson's influence on the hip-hop community is highly regarded, and rappers Ludacris and Busta Rhymes told MTV News they're still feeling his loss.

"I know there's a lot of people that ... may have been influenced by him and you may see certain things in music and dances. But at the end of the day, he's untouchable," Ludacris said of Jackson's legacy. "I feel like the best way to pay homage and to preserve his legacy is to let him stand alone and continue to be the star that we remember him as."

Busta said that calling Jackson the "King of Pop" is no longer fitting and offered up a new title for the pioneering artist.

"It ain't even just the King of Pop no more. I think we gon' bury that and we gon' give you the new attribute that goes along with your greatness, as the 'King of Music,' " Busta said.

Whether Busta's suggested upgrade becomes a part of the popular vernacular remains to be seen, the late entertainer's legacy certainly seems to be making the case for a name change. Everything from a King of Pop-inspired video game to a museum dedicated to his game-changing career is in the works. Plus, Jackson's estate has been raking it in over the last 12 months, generating $1 billion since his death.

Bussa Bus had a heartfelt sentiment to share with fans touched by MJ's life and art.

"We miss you," he said. "May you forever rest peacefully."

Eminem's Recovery Vs. Relapse: Experts Weigh In

With the release of Recovery earlier this week, Eminem is back in the spotlight after delivering his second album in just more than a year. The projects, Recovery and 2009's Relapse, bookend the rapper's return from a five-year, drug-addled hiatus.

The two albums, however, couldn't be more different. Although both chronicle his dependency, each does so in different ways. Relapse was made as Em was flushing the drugs out of his system, while the new offering was made during his focus on sobriety. Also, Relapse's satirical first single, "We Made You," was rife with stale pop-culture references and no introspection.

"My expectations for Relapse were very low, 'cause this is a man coming back, basically, from hell," Keith Murphy, Vibe senior editor, told MTV News. "If you really wanna go into it, drugs have always been a part of rock-and-roll folklore. It's always been a part of that from Marvin Gaye to Jimi Hendrix to David Bowie. But those guys kind of seemed to always be able to rebound from their excesses and put out incredible work and work that seemed like their head was on their shoulders. Relapse, you got the sense that he had no business recording that album, and not because it was a bad album — there was some good songs on there — but you could just see that struggle of someone trying to figure it out and someone that was actually afraid to rap sincerely about what he went through."

Dr. Dre helmed the majority of the project, and on standouts like "Beautiful" and "Deja Vu," Eminem vividly articulates his dark descent. The project, though, was made in the aftermath of Eminem's divorce, the murder of his close friend Proof and the rapper nearly overdosing. The emotional turmoil Eminem was facing, perhaps, made it difficult for him to focus. In particular, the rapper didn't appear to pay tribute to Proof on any of the songs.

That may be why the rapper himself called his last album "ehh" on Recovery's lead single, "Not Afraid."

Looking for inspiration, Eminem reached out to a slew of new collaborators for Recovery, only using Dr. Dre's production on a handful of tracks.

"He was not as forthcoming with his unhappiness with Relapse at that moment," Noah Callahan-Bever, Complex editor in chief, said about Eminem, who graced the magazine's December/January cover. "I think he was still forming his own opinion and sitting with it and dissecting it in hindsight himself. But it was clear he understood that he had more to say and he hadn't articulated it all. So, for me, my personal expectation was that he would create this thing that would be to Relapse what 'The Dark Knight' was to 'Batman Begins.' That was the beginning and a loose thought, and then he's gonna fully polish it.

"To me, that's so indicative of where his head was at that he hadn't sorted out how he felt about all this stuff that transpired during his downtime," Callahan-Bever added of the differences between the two sets and the lack of a Proof tribute on the former. The Complex editor even suggested that Recovery rivals the best of Eminem's work, putting the collection nearly on par with The Eminem Show.

Murphy said, lyrically, the new album is what fans were expecting from Relapse, although, musically, the project falls short of the Dre-produced set.

Freelance writer and frequent Village Voice contributor Chris Weingarten said the rapper is simply back to doing what he does best: delivering rhymes on a superior technical level. And despite appearances by Pink and Rihanna, Weingarten said the album feels hushed and minimalist.

"He's rapping again," Weingarten said. "He's a beast again. It may not be the hottest album. The choruses are still a little corny, but he's rapping like he was in the '90s, when he was doing ridiculous punch-line rap on Rawkus [Records] stuff. He's back to being a crazy wordsmith. He's being very clear and focused, and it shows."

Nicki Minaj's Swagger And Skills Make Her A Prime 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010' Candidate

Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" Candidate: Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj is in the running for MTV News' "Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" because of her massive attack — not her single of the same name, which came out earlier this year and has a big-budgeted video full of eye candy. Minaj's appeal is about more than one song, more than one type of flow, more than one genre of music, even more than one gender. Her charisma and versatility have made her today's face of female rap, but her appeal is universal.

The Young Money MC has an army of female supporters she calls her "Harajuku Barbies" that are enthralled with her style and persona. The guys love her audacity and precision on the mic as well as her beauty.

From Southside Queens to Down South in Atlanta, the New York native credits grinding down-bottom with helping to make her one of the most versatile MCs in the game right now.

"[Lil] Wayne liked me," Minaj told MTV's "Sucker Free" backstage in Boston earlier this year. "He saw me on ['The Come Up'] DVD and he wanted a female for Young Money. I moved to Atlanta, me and Gucci [Mane] started working crazy. People started thinking I was a Down South girl. I feel more diverse because I did that — because I'm not a rapper that just stayed in Jamaica, Queens. It was a great thing.

"Sometimes people see the glitz and the glamour. That's why they envy you," she added. "They don't see three, four, five years ago. They don't see when I was selling my mixtape for $2 on Jamaica Avenue [in Queens]. They don't see when I couldn't get New York DJs — I lived in New York my whole life — to even play a song. At the end of the day, it's all about hard work. You clearly see that hard work; that's all it takes. If you really want it, direct your energy on positive sh-- and it will happen."

She's notched dozens of guest spots along pre-eminent spitters such as Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Ludacris, Jadakiss and, of course, her Young Family members, and just like her skills on the mic, Nick's work ethic can't be questioned. She's a fashion icon, a sex symbol, she appeals to men and women and she has a huge fanbase. The only thing she's lacking at this point is a debut LP.

"I am still hungry," Minaj, who says her main goal this summer is to sit in the studio and complete that album, said with a smile. "I'm not hungry in monetary way; I'm hungry like I wanna feel what it's like to have 10 albums under my belt. I think when you're a perfectionist — when you are an artist, you want to be great at your craft — sometimes it's not about money. I feel like I'm still a new artist, I still gotta prove myself, I still have to prove myself to me that I can do this. The features are great — I thank all the artists that gave time, the opportunity to feature with them. But I'm Nicki Minaj, I'm capable of doing what they do. I just wanna get out here and prove it. The album is coming soon. It's something I can't date. I'm not rushing it. The album will come when it's ready, in its natural time."

Nicki and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News' "Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" — and the winner will be decided by you!

Cast your vote for the "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" right here! The top five will be revealed beginning on July 19, and the winner will be announced on the "Sucker Free Summit" July 25!

Snoop Dogg Does A Song About True Blood

Check Out One Of Hip Hop's Rising Stars Kurty Durty. He Has Been Making A lot of Noise In The Industry.



Snoop has collab with greats like, Willie Nelson for a new sound, such as counrty , indulged his sweet tooth with Katy Perry while wearing a candy suit in "California Gurls," rapped about "MILF Weed" on Showtime's "Weeds" and playing a gangsta back from the grave in 2001's "Bones." When Snoop Dogg likes something, no matter the genre or medium, he goes all in with it .

In that he created the song "Oh Sookie," a new rhyme in which the Doggfather pays homage to the mind-reading, sex-addicted, shape-shifting, bloodsucking and howling residents of Bon Temps, Louisiana, from HBO's vampire series "True Blood."

In the video for the tune unleashed on HBO.com on Thursday , Snoop aims to make the love triangle between vampires Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bill (Stephen Moyer) and mind-scanner Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) a square by offering up his best sexual seduction come-ons while rocking a five-finger "Sookie" ring.

The DoggFather gave respect to the show in 2009 song "Gangsta Love" ("It's like True Blood, I sink my teeth in/ I gotta have it, the LB raised me"). He shook it up more with the hook , "We'll do it in the daytime/ Bill won't know a thing." His lyrics show that he he has watched the show , he doesn't just make a move on Sookie; he's also down to party with her bestie, Tara, making a reference to her dearly departed boyfriend with the couplet, "Bring your best friend, Tara/ I got some real Eggs for her to eat."

The video for the song opens with Snoop — who later rocks a giant platinum "Sookie" chain — pulling into Bon Temps in his newly tricked-out Snoopmobile, complete with a "Tru Pimp" license plate and cloves of garlic hanging from the rearview mirror. Wearing a red, pinstriped suit, he urges Sookie to come close because, unlike so many of the creatures in the swampy town, stating he is the dog that don't bite

The song was a suprise to most people, as well as his fans, Snoop Dogg is the best . "Bill ain't for real, he ain't true blood/ Snoop is a G, I smoke true bud/ Wanna be a vampire, gotta listen up/ I hit you with the glamour," he raps while hanging outside Merlotte's in a pimp fur and later showing off his own TB product, apackage of "True Nutz."

Jay-Z's Surprise Outdoor 'David Letterman' Performance Canceled

Check Out One Of Hip Hop's Rising Stars Kurty Durty. He Has Been Making A lot of Noise In The Industry.

Jay-Z apparently had a big surprise in store for unsuspecting crowds milling about Midtown Manhattan on Monday : a little concert on the top of the Ed Sullivan Theater's marquee, which would air on "The Late Show With David Letterman."However, the event was nixed once details about the show, which was supposed to remain under wraps, leaked to the public .A spokesperson for New York's Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting released a statement saying that the decision to pull the plug on the event stemmed from news of the secret show being leaked .

"There was discussion of a concert, and ultimately it was decided there would be no permit," said Julianne Cho, associate commissioner, Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting in a statement e-mailed to MTV News . "Many permits are granted on the condition that the event is not made public beforehand for capacity and security reasons," the statement continued. "This event was made public."At press time, reps for Jay-Z had not responded to MTV News' request for comment, and the status of his "Letterman" appearance was unclear.The decision to cancel Hov's concert also comes days after fans swarmed downtown New York's South Street Seaport to catch a free show from hip-hop sensation Drake .

The New York Post reported on Friday (June 18) that the event organizers had to fork over $100,000 beforehand to cover the expected overtime costs for New York City workers and police dispatched to handle the show.Outdoor performances are nothing new for Letterman: Last year Paul McCartney took to the Ed Sullivan Theater's legendary marquee for his appearance on the show.Jay-z is considered one of Hip Hop greatest. He's love foe the game is recognizable. The media spoiled the concert for the fans, which always happens. I'm tired of them leaking evrything, we can't enjoy the music anymore. Dr Dre has experienced the same thing as Jay-z and it ruins it for fans

Eminem's 'Passion Is Back' On Recovery, DJ Khalil Says

Check Out One Of Hip Hop's Rising Stars Kurty Durty. He Has Been Making A lot of Noise In The Industry.

Relapse can be considered as "Eminem's" return to the music industry after a 5 year vacation , when the rapper descended into a deep drug dependency and suffered from writer's block during his darkest days . The project was rife with heavier fare about his personal demons and a fixation on serial killers, as he returned to his Slim Shady persona to spark creativity. (He recently said he put Slim Shady to bed momentarily for Recovery.)

Now, a year after Relapse, the MC has made much of a change . Eminem released Recovery on Monday (June 21), a project that represented a departure of sorts for the rapper . Eminem collab with a list of super producers (Just Blaze, DJ Khalil, Jim Jonsin, etc.) for Eminems first time in his career he collabs with (Pink, Rihanna), and rather than lead with a satirical first single, the first single off the album was "Not Afraid."

We heard it from those who knows Eminem. He is all the way back .

"He's back. He really brought it," DJ Khalil, who helmed the most songs on the project , told MTV News. "Every song that he played me, it just seemed like he had so much to say since Relapse, and Relapse is just a moment in time for him, and now it's just a different moment. Every record is where you're at at that particular time. With him, I feel like he wanted to really express himself and really get out whatever feelings he had. He talks about being sober, and he's been sober for over a year now, so he talked about that. He's gone through a transformation. And I was at Staples Center, and I saw him perform last week at Activision's E3 concert. I had goose bumps. He came out to 'Won't Back Down,' and I thought, 'Oh my God.' It was powerful. It just seemed like his passion and everything is back."

Khalil had worked for Dr.Dre a long time and was recuited to produce on Recovery — he didn't have to change the way he worked .

"There was no direction," Khalil said. "He's a fan. Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg and Em both called me, they said they'd been following me since the Slaughterhouse records, the Clipse/Kanye record and all the stuff that I've down with Kobe. They were into my production, and it's different than everybody else's, because it's dense. There's a lot of music going on. Even with 'Won't Back Down,' he told me the track was beating him down. He had to scream to be able to rap over that track. They just wanted what I do.

"When I talked to them, they said I was a big part of the direction for the record," the producer continued. "And for Eminem to say that, that's amazing. That's like the biggest compliment you can get."

Rick Ross Talks Supreme Team Changing Name To Dream Team

Check Out One Of Hip Hop's Rising Stars Kurty Durty. He Has Been Making A lot of Noise In The Industry.

ATLANTA — The Diddy- creation of artist called "The Supreme Team" was around shortly : No, the clique featuring Diddy, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Red Café and DJ Khaled haven't called it quits, but they changed the name of the group .

Diddy announced the change of the group on his Twitter page .

" There was another gropu that owned the name, so to avoid any legal action we changed it to the DREAM TEAM."

Rick Ross elaborated on the change over the weekend during the Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash concert in Atlanta .

" Irv Gotti and his crew have been repping The Supreme Team for a minute now ," he explained. "We were caught up in the moment; it just fit the situation so good . We kinda just did our crew thing and ran with it. The name got hot in the streets. I think it was only right, us being entrepreneurs coming from the same place, representing the same game, being brothers.

"I think that was the right thing to do was represent them brothers while Gotti's crew is cooking their product up," he added. "So now it's all about the Dream Team."

Of course, the universe knows the original Dream Team was the 1992 gold-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team that featured Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and others. That squad became known as the most dominant collection of players to ever touch the court.

"I felt like the 'Dream Team' was even more appropriate," Ross continued. "I felt that was the greatest team ever put together. They assembled the greatest players from each market on the same team and they went and took on the world. They conquered the world! Shout out to the Dream Team and the Supreme Team ."