Music News & Videos

Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

With the Oscars in the rearview mirror, you may think that the awards season is officially over. But there is one last show that needs to be dealt with, and that is the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. The show, hosted by "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" star Kevin James, airs on Sunday, March 27 at 8 p.m. on Nickelodeon. (Of course, the MTV Movie Awards are just around the corner, so don't put away your black tie just yet.) This year's KCAs will celebrate such kid-friendly stars as the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove, Selena Gomez and SpongeBob Squarepants. The show will also feature performances from Rihanna and Justin Bieber, the latter of whom showed up at Nickelodeon's upfront presentation in New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday (March 11). He signed a handful of autographs for fans and hung out with "iCarly" star Cosgrove.

He wasn't the only star out meeting the people on Thursday, as Beyoncé attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new New Jersey Nets arena in Brooklyn with husband Jay-Z (who is a partial owner of the team) and Kelly Clarkson made her way to Johannesburg, South Africa, to talk to the press there. Click here for these photos as well as the complete "Spotted!" archive, which features nearly 400 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Diddy, Jessica Simpson and Ryan Seacrest!

Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

With the Oscars in the rearview mirror, you may think that the awards season is officially over. But there is one last show that needs to be dealt with, and that is the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. The show, hosted by "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" star Kevin James, airs on Sunday, March 27 at 8 p.m. on Nickelodeon. (Of course, the MTV Movie Awards are just around the corner, so don't put away your black tie just yet.) This year's KCAs will celebrate such kid-friendly stars as the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove, Selena Gomez and SpongeBob Squarepants. The show will also feature performances from Rihanna and Justin Bieber, the latter of whom showed up at Nickelodeon's upfront presentation in New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday (March 11). He signed a handful of autographs for fans and hung out with "iCarly" star Cosgrove.

He wasn't the only star out meeting the people on Thursday, as Beyoncé attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new New Jersey Nets arena in Brooklyn with husband Jay-Z (who is a partial owner of the team) and Kelly Clarkson made her way to Johannesburg, South Africa, to talk to the press there. Click here for these photos as well as the complete "Spotted!" archive, which features nearly 400 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Diddy, Jessica Simpson and Ryan Seacrest!

It's Friday, which means there will be a whole new slate of films hitting your local cinema. This weekend includes the Matt Damon action thriller "The Green Zone," the relationship comedy "She's Out of My League" and "Mother," the latest film from Bong Joon-ho, the Korean director of indie hits "The Host" and "Memories of Murder." But the flick grabbing the most headlines is "Remember Me," the first major role for "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson since he became America's most beloved undead blood sucker. The film also features "Lost" star Emilie de Ravin (finally doing something other than searching for her baby) as the object of Pattinson's affection and Chris Cooper as de Ravin's controlling father (he doesn't want her associating with the brooding, free-thinking Pattinson).

Like any trip to the local multiplex, "Remember Me" requires some appropriate music to get you into the mood. Memory is clearly a big deal among musicians, as there are dozens of songs that deal with remembering. Of course, there are some cornerstones, like Sarah McLachlan's immortal graduation and TV finale song "I Will Remember You" and the incarceration-can't-keep-me-down T.I. track "Remember Me." Plenty of these songs deal directly with relationships, like Jeff Buckley's "Forget Her," Poison's "I Won't Forget You" and Carrie Underwood's "Don't Forget to Remember Me." And in case you need a little more rage before going to see a Pattinson movie, there's always Slipknot's "Before I Forget" or Armor for Sleep's "Remember to Feel Real."

Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" kicks things off, as it's a breezy, funky latter-day MJ track that is dedicated to carrying relationship memories with you. Also, it's a fantastically epic clip featuring cameos from Eddie Murphy, supermodel Iman and basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson (among others).

We did not see that coming. After a pretty good run last week predicting which "American Idol" contestants would be eliminated, MTV's "Idol" brain trust got thrown for a loop on Thursday night (March 11) when all logic was tossed aside and America saved two of the wounded lambs while sacrificing two arguably strong contestants who might have surprised us in the Top 12.

After going 4-for-4 last week, I got blanked three times, incorrectly predicting that Paige "Smile" Miles would go down hard, along with old-before-her-time teen Katie Stevens. Instead, we saw Lilly Scott and Katelyn Epperly sent to the showers, a prospect I did not see coming.

On the boys' side, I also got blindsided by nervous nelly teen Aaron Kelly getting a trip to the Top 12 over possible darkhorse (and equally panicky) Alex Lambert, who seemed poised for a slow-burn rise through the finals. The tossing of Todrick Hall, however, was no surprise.

"American Idol in 60 Seconds" chief Jim Cantiello (who was 2-for-4 last week) also went 1-for-4, losing his shirt on Stevens, Miles and Kelly but correctly predicting Hall.

Then there was MJ's Big Blog founder MJ Santilli, who got totally blanked, going 0-for-4 after tagging Miles and Kelly and making bold forecasts about the imminent demise of judges' fave Lee Dewyze and Texas singer Lacey Brown.

A rough week all around.

After two weeks, the standings so far:
Gil Kaufman: 5-of-8
Jim Cantiello: 3-of-8
MJ Santilli: 2-of-8

Come back next week to see which finalists will be the first to go home and to see whether or not I can continue to reign supreme.

How did you do this week picking "Idol" eliminations? Who would you have sent home? Leave your comments below and let us know!

This week, 311 celebrated their fans and their music during a three day festival called 311 Day. We sent two 311 superfans to give us the diehard's perspective about the show, the crowds and the vibe of the greatest 72 hours in 311 history.

By Lauren Black

True to tradition, 311 Day 2010 was yet another epic concert experience. There truly might not be words adequate to describe the incredible energy of the band and the fans feeding off each other, as well as the beauty of 311's music. Outside the venue, excited fans chanted "Three! One! One! Three! One! One!" The excitement was palpable.

From the second 311 took the stage to the very final bow after the show, the energy in the building was amazing. When SA Martinez predicted that on a scale of one to 10, this show would be a 20, he was not overshooting. Fans danced and stayed on their feet rocking out for just over five hours (a total of 60 songs were brought out — a true marathon) as 311 continued to surprise the crowd. In addition to all the hits, they sprinkled rare and older gems into the mix, and there were also unbelievable showcases for each band member's particular talent. The stage setup was amazing, with drummer Chad Sexton's drum kit on a 360 degree rotating riser and huge HD screens playing the simultaneous webcast footage.

The guys running the soundboard were on point and each member of 311 shined on his own, yet the cohesion was absolutely impeccable. Without a doubt, it was the most amazing show I have ever seen in my life (and I have seen a lot of great 311 shows, so that is saying a lot). It warmed my heart to hear Nick talk about fan appreciation and thank us for our support over the years. I hope they realize how much we love them and the music they create. Many friendships and great things have come from 311 Days and 311's music in general. 311 fans are the best group of people in the world, and I absolutely love everyone I have met through my 311-related travels.

This 311 Day was better than what could have ever been imagined. They will have a hard time topping this in 2012, and I am already looking forward to it! On Friday (March 12), the Wailers are playing a show to round out the festivities. It's going to be a wonderful end to the 311 Day experience. See you at the pool party!

This week, 311 celebrate their fans and their music during a three day festival called 311 Day. We sent two 311 superfans to give us the diehard's perspective about the show, the crowds and the vibe of the greatest 72 hours in 311 history..

By Dave Kosin

Meeting 311 and talking to Nick, SA and P-Nut was the thrill of a lifetime, but even as the guys exited to take care of other 311 Day-related stuff, the surprises continued. As we walked out, Craig Mitchell with LMG Touring (the people responsible for the live 311 Day webcast) gave us a tour of what's going to make the webcast run. We got to see the control area and all the equipment, including the military-grade satellite dish that'll be used to transmit the broadcast. Then he said, "If you guys have a second, I can take you out to see the stage."

Do I have a second to see the stage? Yeah, I think I can pencil that in.

I won't go into detail about the stage so as to preserve the surprise for the day of the show, but I will say, the stage setup is ridiculous. Everyone is going to be incredibly pleased.

We also got to see a demo of the webcast. Let me just say, anyone who has doubts or fears about the reliability or quality, don't worry. It looks unbelievably good. Very smooth with amazing quality, even on the low-bandwidth option. If you're at home and you're planning to watch online, you're in for a major treat.

I have to wrap this up because I need to get out to the fan party, but I want to say again a massive thank you to 311, their management, MTV and everyone who made this possible. This was an unspeakably amazing experience for me, and I can't express enough how grateful I am for this opportunity.

More dispatches from the show will be coming later, so stay tuned.

This week, 311 celebrate their fans and their music during a three day festival called 311 Day. We sent two 311 superfans to give us the diehard's perspective about the show, the crowds and the vibe of the greatest 72 hours in 311 history.

By Lauren Black

Wow. I have been in Vegas a total of four hours, and I have already had the experience of a lifetime.

I had the opportunity to interview the band that I have loved above all others since I was in the fifth grade. I spoke with Nick, SA and P-Nut (my dog's namesake) and they were all absolutely amazing. They were very kind and thoughtful. The guys talked about how they really appreciate their fans (obviously, as we are the best) and how 311 Day is the equivalent of their Grammy Awards. 311 truly love their fans, and of course we love them right back. They are so incredible.

My co-winner Dave and I were also given a tour of the stage area (while P-Nut and Chad were doing a sound check!) as well as the area where the 311 Day webcast will be produced. It is quite the production. They showed us a preview of the HD webcast, and it looks absolutely amazing. If you can't make it to the show, you have to order the webcast. I will probably order it when I get home!

Now I'm off to the fan party at the Mirage. It's gonna be a good night, and Thursday will be even better!

This week, 311 celebrate their fans and their music during a three day festival called 311 Day. We sent two 311 superfans to give us the diehard's perspective about the show, the crowds and the vibe of the greatest 72 hours in 311 history..

By Dave Kosin

So I just got back from interviewing 311. Without a doubt, that was one of the single most awesome experiences of my life.

Lauren and I were brought into the Mandalay Bay Events Center to the backstage area. We were both a little geeked out when we realized we were doing the interviews in Nick Hexum's dressing room. The whole time, I just kept thinking "I'm in Nick's dressing room! Are you kidding me?"

After figuring out our questions and shooting a little intro, we waited for the band. While we were waiting, we heard voices in the hallway, and then all of a sudden, Tim Mahoney came walking around the corner. And then Chad Sexton. And Nick Hexum. And SA Martinez. And P-Nut (he was a little late, but it's cool, because I love him).

We made our introductions and a little small talk while the producer was setting up his gear. I had heard plenty of stories from friends who had spent time with the band about how down to earth and sociable the guys were, so any nerves I had about the interview immediately went away. They're all so easy to talk to. When Tim asked where I was from and I said Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Midstate represent!), he said, "Oh my God, I know someone from there!" Having only met these guys for 29 seconds, I felt completely at ease, like I was talking to someone I had known my whole life.

Sadly, Tim and Chad weren't able to be there for the interview because they had soundcheck-type things to do (I mean, there is a little concert coming up), so Nick, P-Nut and SA sat down with me to do my interview. As it went along, I couldn't get over how straightforward and thoughtful their answers were. You could tell they were treating me, the 25-year-old kid who made a video for a contest, the same way they would treat someone like Kurt Loder who has been doing this forever.

I was also blown away at how much appreciation the band has for their fans. I can't even count how many times they mentioned how 311 Day was meant to be a thank you to the fans and how blessed they feel to have such a strong and passionate fan base. I never got the sense that they were just saying that just to say it. They were saying it because they meant it, and that hit home for me way more than I thought it would.

You can read more about Dave's interview with 311 -- including the part where he asks Hexum about his pants -- after the jump.

After the interviews were all over, the guys came over to sign our official MTV News note cards (maybe the coolest souvenir I've ever gotten from anything in my life) and we chatted with them a bit. I decided to ask Nick a question I had been dying to ask him for more than a year: What was with the white pants?

If you're not aware, Nick chose to rock an awesome pair of white pans for nearly every 311 show last year, but nobody really knew why. He went into a whole explanation about how it had to do with lighting and the white pops better than wearing dark clothes on stage. Then he paused a few seconds and said, "Well, I'm just gonna say it: Joe Strummer wore them all the time, so I wanted to wear them."

How awesome of an answer is that?

Wednesday night's (March 10) "American Idol" kicked off with Ryan Seacrest staring into the soul of the remaining eight men. I wonder if he knew that some major shake-ups were about to go down in the boys' talent department. Hard rockers covered pop tunes, a bad singer didn't completely suck and the grand finale left one judge in tears.

Let's break this down.

Lee Dewyze
Song: "Fireflies" by Owl City
Verdict: Ow! City
It's a Christmas miracle! Lee Dewyze looked like he was having fun while performing! And he showed his creative side by turning the twee electro-pop of "Fireflies" into a frat house jam. He probably should have saved original recording's Auto-Tune, because his pitch was as off as Ryan Seacrest's pronunciation of Owl City. (Did the radio DJ really say "Al City?") Kara went so far as to say Lee's guitar-based arrangement was superior to Adam Young's Postal Service-y bleeps, but Kara was going through some heavy stuff Wednesday, so I'm not so sure we can trust her. (More on Kara in a bit.)

Alex Lambert
Song: "Trouble" by Ray LaMontagne
Verdict: Tremblin'
The charming Alex Lambert we fell in love with last week has turned back into the nervous nelly from week one. The trouble with Alex's "Trouble" wasn't his hazy voice or his marble-mouthed delivery. Both suited the song well. It's the petrified expression on his face that you usually only see on five-year-olds who've been separated from their moms at the mall. Ellen praised Alex, comparing him to a banana that continues to ripen (yep, she's still on that banana analogy) while begging him to avoid becoming a "cocky banana," which, as my co-worker Gil noted, might be the best name for a gay bar ever. Simon's got an easy fix for Lambert's stage fright: Picture Randy in a bikini. Let's all be thankful Ellen didn't suggest a "banana hammock" for Randy's imaginary swimwear.)

Tim Urban
Song: "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen
Verdict: You Don't Really Care For Music, Do You?
Tim Urban will not go away, though as disasters go, Urban's "Hallelujah" was pretty tame. He managed to not completely embarrass himself on TV for the first time, and considering the sacred song he attempted, that's worth a little credit, right? But let's be real here, folks. In a pile of D+ papers, Tim finally handed in a C. And "Idol" surely isn't graded on a curve ... until now. Ellen's hug, Simon's rave, Kara's "fantastic?" Really, guys? Sure, they were surprised to see a one-legged dog not fall on his (adorable) face, but that puppy sure as hell can't keep up with the four-legged specimens! It also feels like an insult to put Jason Castro's name anywhere near Urban's. Castro crushed this song two seasons ago. Hell, he still does — he's about to release it on his debut album.

One positive note: I admire Urban's attitude and perseverance. Even though he's been a punching bag on the show and on "Idol" blogs everywhere, he still hasn't thrown in the towel unlike some other contestants. (Achoo, Katelyn Epperly.)

Andrew Garcia
Song: "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera
Verdict: Unhappy Ending
Remember when your little cousin or nephew or sibling said a silly word like wiener" for the first time, and you cracked up at how off the cuff it was? And then the little rugrat thought to himself, "If I say wiener, people will laugh." So he kept saying it more and more, and his "wiener" stories and jokes would become more and more elaborate yet less and less appealing because really the only thing that was funny to you to begin with was how surprising it was? Well, Andrew Garcia told a really lame "wiener" joke Wednesday night. I can see the reasoning behind picking Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle" ("If people liked 'Straight Up,' they'll like an even girlier cover more!"), but watching a 24-year-old man croon, "I'm a genie in a bottle, you got to rub me the right way" was stomach-churning and, as Simon said, "desperate." Congrats are in order for sixth season semi-finalist Jared Cotter" His "Let's Get It On," dedicated to his mom and dad, is no longer the ickiest performance on "American Idol."

Casey James
Song: "You'll Think of Me" by Keith Urban (No Relation To Tim)
Verdict: Forgettable
I honestly don't remember anything about Casey's performance. My notes are "sat on stool" and "sounds like Rob Thomas." If it's my job to recap the show and even I can't recall specifics, that doesn't bode well for the casual viewer. His only hope would have been another Kara/Cougar moment to make him stick in people's minds, but the most we got was Kara mentioning something called a "Casey Train." (Apparently Amtrak does have a Casey Train. It's known for its beauty and inconsistency. Sometimes it shows up on time, other times it takes a detour to buy Funyons.)

Aaron Kelly
Song: "I'm Already There" by Lonestar
Verdict: Little Person, Big Song
Aaron Kelly's Lonestar rendition was bumpier than Lonestar's post-"I'm Already There" career. If it weren't for Allison Iraheta's dominance last season, I'd be begging "Idol" producers to raise the age minimum to 18. These young'ins are not ready for prime time. Or afternoon time. Or morning time. Or even nap time! Speaking of age, Kara pointed out that it would be impossible for a 16-year-old to relate to Lonestar's hit, but Simon called her theory "complete and utter nonsense" and thinks anyone can sing any song ever written. Let's note this exchange for the next time Simon complains about a young contestant's gloomy song choice.

Todrick Hall
Song: "Somebody to Love" by Queen
Verdict: A Royal Effort
Say what you will about Todrick (he's a dancer first and a singer second, he steals money from children, he's a diva), but you have to admit the guy gave it his all this week. Todrick aimed his slingshot at a giant and let it rip. He didn't quite conquer the beast, but he took out one of its legs handily. I loved the gospel fusion he added to the song, mostly because I could picture Jermaine Sellers sitting on his couch (in a onesie, naturally) cursing up a storm out of jealousy. In a night where most guys sat on a stool or robotically swayed their hips back and forth (Oh, Aaron), Todrick added some much-needed pizzazz to the proceedings. And when I say "pizzazz," I mean air-punching. Because Todrick does that a lot. Kara had the gall of accusing Todrick for being "too dramamtic" with the Queen classic (because Freddie Mercury was known for his subtlety?) but Simon articulated it better. "That is 'American Idol on Broadway' doing Queen." Since half of the ejected "Idol" stars end up on the Great White Way at some point in their career, how exactly is that Broadway dig an insult?

Michael Lynche
Song: "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush (though this was the Maxwell variation)
Verdict: Mike Hits The Big Time
Am I a heartless bastard for not getting swept up in Big Mike's "This Woman's Work?" (Don't answer that.) When I closed my eyes, Big Mike's ferociously emotional rendition was a season stand-out. But I didn't close my eyes for very long l because I was watching TV, and on my TV screen I saw a large man chewing the scenery in a small studio. "But Jim," you say, "you just praised Todrick for jumping around the stage and causing a commotion. Big Mike can't do the same?" Well, no. "This Woman's Work" doesn't lend itself to kicks and shimmies. The more Mike "felt" it, the more I resisted. Regardless, the judges freaked out and deemed it the moment of the season so far. (Take your harmonica and shove it, Bowersox!) The craziest thing about Big Mike's vocal abilities? His high-pitched falsetto acted like a dog whistle to Kara DioGuardi's empty womb, and the judge burst into tears — tears! — during his performance. "As a woman who doesn't have a child, I could relate to it so much," she sobbed. Whoa, DioBarren. Slow your roll. (Upon further reflection, it seems what Kara meant to say that he did such a good job telling the story of the song that even though she doesn't have kids herself, she understood all the heavy stuff he was feeling being a new father. Instead it came out as, "I have no babies and I'm sad!")

And just like that, we have a new front-runner. Do you think tonight's performances had any effect on who is going home Thursday night? What did you think of Big Mike's Kate Bush/Maxwell impression? After the cancer routine on "So You Think You Can Dance" and now Mike Lynche, is "This Woman's Work" becoming a reality show shortcut for tears? Leave a comment below and follow me on Twitter @jambajim to make sure you keep up with all my "Idol" coverage.

This week, 311 celebrate their fans and their music during a three day festival called 311 Day. We sent two 311 superfans to give us the diehard's perspective about the show, the crowds and the vibe of the greatest 72 hours in 311 history.

By Dave Kosin

So here's the thing about 311 Day: It's more than a concert, and way more than just a vacation. It's a homecoming, really. More like a family reunion.

311 fans know how tight-knit the fan community is. Whether you grew up with someone who always went to shows with you, made new friends in a pit somewhere or got involved with the 311 bulletin board, chances are when you roll into down for 311 Day, you're gonna know quite a few people.

I'll admit I was a little late to the party. I didn't really get into 311 until 2007, but once I did, I was completely hooked. I started hanging out on the bulletin board shortly thereafter, and I found myself meeting up with other BBers at shows all over the country. Then I'd make new friends on the board, then I'd meet them and repeat (and repeat and repeat).

Almost three years later, I've made dozens of great friends, all thanks to 311. Some of my closest friends in the world — I consider some of them my brothers and sisters — are fellow 311 fans. So when I arrived in Vegas on Tuesday, I thought I knew what I was in for.

Man, was I wrong.

I hadn't been in my hotel but 20 minutes before I was walking through the lobby and someone shouted, "Mookie!" This was someone I hadn't met yet, and when those moments happen, it's always just a little surreal for a second or two. These are total strangers, but where there would otherwise be awkwardness, with 311 fans you have these chance encounters and within five minutes you feel like you've known them forever.

As the day went on I met up with a bunch of my friends throughout the hotel complex we have dubbed Luxcalibur Bay. Later on, about 30 of us headed off the strip for a glorious bulletin board tradition known as Taco Tuesday. This poor restaurant didn't know what hit them. Fans were streaming in, four or five or six at a time, and each time someone new arrived, they were greeted by loud shouts, handshakes and hugs. I'll be honest: I've been to some pretty massive fan gatherings, but something about this one was just so incredible. The energy was off the charts, the love was intense and genuine.

It’s that kind of experience that makes me so happy 311 smacked me across the face and became such a big part of my life. The friendships we've all made, the memories we've created, the nicknames, the pictures — it's what makes it all worth it. People always ask me why I spend so much time and money traveling all over God's creation just to see a band.

This is why.

Kiss made a name for themselves by crafting big hard rock tunes accompanied by pyrotechnics, moon boots, face paint and a healthy dose of sexual suggestion. They then took that name and slapped it on just about any product you can think of. Founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have created a gigantic empire full of merchandise gobbled up by the Kiss Army. For any fan of Kiss, there are literally hundreds of ways to bring Kiss into your life, in the form of action figures, underwear, toothbrushes, lamps, air fresheners, condoms, credit cards and the legendary Kiss Kasket (which you can buy while you're still alive and use it as a beer cooler until you have to fill it with your corpse).

Now comes the news that Stanley and Simmons have signed a deal to produce a television show for children in Canada. According to production company E1, the half-hour comedy show will introduce the band (and the group members' individual personalities) to a new generation of Kiss Army members. "Kiss continues to be the juggernaut of licensing and merchandising, from Kiss M&M's to Kiss Dr. Pepper," Simmons said in a statement. "Kiss is a band, but also the only music brand. Continuing in our 35 year history of going where no band has gone before, we are proud to partner with E1. Like all things KISS, we intend to make this a very special show for our fans."

With a new kid-themed TV show about to go under their belts, it begs the question: Is there anything left for Simmons and Stanley to brand? Here are five things that, shockingly, don't have Kiss-themed versions (though you can bet that they'll be available soon).

The Toyota Starchild
The Japanese automaker has taken an awful lot of heat lately (which tends to happen when you build cars with breaks that don't work), but an association with Kiss could really bring them back into favored brand status. Who wouldn't want to cruise around like Paul Stanley? The Kiss Starchild has a powerful engine, extra-loud stereo system and is only available in black. Of course, somebody already built a custom Gene Simmons-themed Volkswagen, though that isn't being mass-produced, nor does it look driveable.

Kissmotherapy
The Kiss empire is so gigantic and so flush with cash that Simmons and Stanley can afford to throw a little research money into some medical science. Can you imagine if a Kiss-funded biochemical engineer cured a major disease? That would be a pretty impressive legacy for Kiss, possibly even surpassing the majesty of "Rock and Roll All Nite." Though you would have to assume that if Simmons and Stanley did get into medical research, they'd probably make Kissagra first.

Kiss Kattle
Who wouldn't want to buy a steak cut from cows approved by the God of Thunder?

Kiss TV
If Oprah can have her own cable station, why can't Kiss? The network can not only air classic concerts, episodes of "Gene Simmons' Family Jewels" and endless repeats of "Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park," but it can also launch a whole slate of new series like "Kiss Kooking with Chef Paul Stanley," a nature show hosted by Peter Criss called "Peter Criss' Jungle Cats" and a talk show lead by former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent called "Vinnie Vincent's View."

Detroit Rock City, Michigan
Though the core members of Kiss were nice Jewish boys from Queens, New York, they've been associated with Detroit, Michigan since the release of "Detroit Rock City" (from the band's 1976 masterpiece Destroyer). Since Detroit has seen better days, the band should just go ahead and buy the city, rename it and turn it back into the vital metropolis it used to be (except this time with a lot more fire breathing). If one city is too small for them, then the state of Idaho and the planet Saturn are both reasonable alternatives.

What do you think Kiss should brand next? What's your favorite piece of Kiss merchandise? Let us know in the comments!

By Cristina Ramos

Fans and friends around the world celebrated the life of the Notorious B.I.G on the anniversary of his death on Tuesday (March 9), blasting his music on speakers and pouring into parties and clubs to pay tribute. This was especially true of those Biggie's neck of the woods, which is why Biz Markie's commandeering of the decks at New York City club Greenhouse on Tuesday night for a DJ set dedicated to the fallen legend was so special and intense.

Biz entered the DJ booth at 1:15 a.m., the same time Biggie Smalls was pronounced dead after being shot on that fateful night in Los Angeles. After taking a quick moment of silence with the anxious crowd, he jumped into his set at full speed, playing Biggie classics "Player’s Anthem," "Juicy" and "Warning." A chorus began, with more and more people rapping along to Biggie's colorful lyrics with each new cut. Devoted fans in airbrushed T-shirts featuring Biggie's face weaved their way through the crowd of about 500 enthusiasts rocking their heads back and forth to beats, showing their love as if it were 1997 all over again.

Thanks to the tireless work of friend and producer Diddy, March 9 is recognized among many rap fans as the unofficial "National Hip-Hop Day." After 13 years of celebrating hip-hop's greatest of all time, the fans haven't stopped their ongoing support for B.I.G. and his legendary (albeit small) body of work. They probably won't stop any time soon, so wouldn't it be appropriate to make it an official holiday already?

How did you remember the passing of the Notorious B.I.G. on Tuesday (March 9)? Let us know in the comments!

Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

A computer store hardly seems like the ideal venue for a concert, but Apple somehow makes it work. They have hosted a number of high-profile acts at their various Apple Store locations, including both in New York City. Coldplay, the Jonas Brothers and Wyclef are just a few of the groups who have brought their sounds to iPod buyers everywhere. Daniel Merriweather added his name to that illustrious list on Tuesday (March 9) when he took the stage in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood and entertained the crowd with songs from his latest album Love & War. The album has been out in the U.K. (where the singles "Change" and "Red" both ruled the charts) a year ago, but it is just making its first appearance on these shores. It's an excellent album, full of tremendously deep and well-written tunes aided heavily by the sharp production of superstar soundsmith Mark Ronson.

He wasn't the only star out on the town, as celebs flocked to fashion shows, parties, concerts and late night television appearances in droves (especially considering the weather is finally taking a turn for the better). Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features over 400 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers, Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, Katy Perry and Lady Antebellum!

They say a well-rounded education is the key to success, and if that truly is the case, the my schooling is woefully incomplete when it comes to the subject of pop. That's why we bring you "Popology," the guide to modern radio-friendly stars as seen through the eyes of a guy who grew up on punk and metal. In case you missed the debut, check out my thoughts on Britney Spears' landmark debut.

In this week's installment, *NSYNC drop their swan song.

In 2010, Justin Timberlake is a multi-platform superstar who has succeeded in music, on television, in movies, on the golf course and everywhere else he chooses to go. But back in 2001, he was merely the likely breakout star of *NSYNC, the chart-topping, world-dominating boy band who started life out as Backstreet Boys tagalongs and ended up shattering sales records. Today, Timberlake is a pop superstar that everybody loves (even grizzled metal dudes think he'd be pretty cool to have a beer with), but that wasn't always the case. It's difficult to legitimize yourself once you've made your bones crooning prom ballads like "God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You," so how did Timberlake evolve from boy bander to dominant cultural force in less than a decade? Perhaps Celebrity has some answers.

People tend to remember the boy band era being a dominant pop force, but it really only lasted five years or so (about as long as grunge). The men of the Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, 5ive, O-Town and the like were regular guests on "TRL" and dominated airwaves, but fans tired of uber-populist sugar and moved deeper into pop sub-genres. However, *NSYNC never had to deal with any sort of backlash because they broke up just before the bottom dropped out. Timberlake's debut solo album Justified (a title he must still regret) came out in 2002 (a year after Celebrity) and he never looked back (they're like the Pixies of boy bands).

I adore Timberlake's second album FutureSex/LoveSounds and was always fine with the singles on Justified, but I've never really explored *NSYNC. I always assumed that the gap between Celebrity and Justified would be massive, but it turns out Timberlake treated his group's final original album as a test run for what would become a hugely successful solo career.

Celebrity opens with "Pop." Timberlake opens the song with a blast of frustration and a justification of his group's existence. "Sick and tired of hearing all these people talk about/ What's the deal with this pop life?/ And when is it gonna fade out?" he sings over a stew of burping bass and scratches. Sonically, Celebrity has already aged better than many of the albums put out by *NSYNC's contemporaries. "Pop" (which was justifiably a gigantic hit) then breaks into a bounce beat and a neck-snapping chorus with metal guitars and sweet harmonies.

Somewhat surprisingly, Celebrity isn't just the Timberlake show. Rather, each member of the group has a distinct personality and a memorable presence. JC Chasez's lead take on "The Game Is Over" is pretty remarkable. He is aided by a plethora of "Galaga"-era arcade sound effects, which makes the track sound simultaneously futuristic and old school.

Speaking of both futuristic and old school, the Nelly collaboration "Girlfriend" is produced by the Neptunes, and they lend the track with a bombastic bass undertone and a sexy Spanish guitar. These explorations into the worlds of hip-hop, world music and contemporary R&B could have been dangerous, but they give Celebrity an unpredictable feel. For an album that sold nearly two million copies in its first week of release, it's pretty free-wheeling.

In fact, the only times Celebrity stumbles is when they fall back into traditional boy band territory. "Tell Me, Tell Me ... Baby," produced by Max Martin, is pretty rote, especially sandwiched in between the delightfully bubbly ballad "Gone" and the progressive disco of "Up Against the Wall."

"See Right Through You" hits pretty hard, but the ballad "Selfish" comes up a little bit short. In fact, the album stumbles a bit (both "Just Don't Tell Me That" and "Something Like You" are forgettable) before ending on "Do Your Thing," an odd little tune that multi-tracks every member's voice and floats them on top of a sparse keyboard beat that morphs into top-shelf robo-soul.

Of course, Timberlake went on to become a cross-pollinating mega star, but the other men of *NSYNC have fared just as well. JC Chasez (who really should have become a bigger star) released the profoundly underrated album Schizophrenic in 2004 (it has two of the strangest and best singles of the past decade in "Some Girls (Dance With Women)" and "All Day Long I Dream About Sex"). Chasez currently makes his bones as a judge on MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew" and has written and produced tracks for a number of other artists. Joey Fatone narrowly missed winning "Dancing With the Stars" a few years back and has had several notable roles in Broadway musicals. Lance Bass wrote a best-selling autobiography called "Out of Sync," tried to go into space and also appeared both on Broadway and on "Dancing With the Stars." Finally, Chris Kirkpatrick competed on CMT's "Gone Country," did a regular voice for "The Fairly Odd Parents" and currently performs with the band Nigel's 11.

While it seems like an *NSYNC reunion is unlikely (at least for the immediate future), the quintet can feel good knowing that if they ever do want to get the band back together, they have Celebrity to lean on. While it's not nearly as accomplished and consistent as Timberlake's solo work, it's a solid piece of electro-pop that holds up relatively well. Plus, "Pop" pretty much rules.

Which *NSYNC album is your favorite? Which *NSYNC member do you prefer? Let us know in the comments!

This week, 311 celebrate their fans and their music during a three day festival called 311 Day. We sent two 311 superfans to give us the diehard's perspective about the show, the crowds and the vibe of the greatest 72 hours in 311 history. Here is the first of their dispatches.

By Lauren Black

Despite my lack of decent sleep due to extreme excitement, I am incredibly pumped up right now. As if 311 Day wasn't exciting enough, I actually get to meet my favorite band of all time! My friend Chris and I are about to board a flight from Austin, Texas to Las Vegas, Nevada. This is going to be my first time in Vegas (but not my first 311 Day — check out that picture of me and my sister Sarah, my old 311 Day buddy), and needless to say it is going to be one hell of an experience.

I have often wondered what I would say to the five men whose music has so profoundly impacted my life if I was ever given the chance to meet them. Obviously, I want to thank them for their musical creations that have impacted so many of our lives. But I also want to make sure I ask 311 the question that is on every true fan's mind: When will we see their next collaboration with Cleveland Cavaliers center and rapper Shaquille O'Neal?

311 day is like a birthday, the Fourth of July, Halloween and your religious winter holiday of choice all rolled into one. It is going to be a blast. There is a fan party tonight, and I can't wait to meet up with my friends from all over America who are coming to Vegas to celebrate this monumental event. Tomorrow, 311 will perform an epic five hour show. That's a long time to rock out, and I am in the pit, so wish me luck. On Friday (March 12), the Wailers are performing at the Wave Pool at Mandalay Bay. I'm bringing my swimsuit, and I'll see you in Vegas!

On Monday, Lil Wayne entered Rikers Island and began his sentence as an inmate. He has only been in for 48 hours, but considering how active he had been online via Twitter and Ustream, it already seems like he has been gone for much longer. Still, considering how much material he got in the can before going behind bars, there will be plenty of Wayne-related media to tide us over until he wins back his freedom (likely in October).

The fact that Wayne's incarceration and T.I.'s back-from-jail comeback single "I'm Back" happened within hours of each other got us thinking: Of all the unfortunate legal problems rappers have been in, which MC coming out of jail will have the best return?

T.I. is already off to a great start, as "I'm Back" is a hot track and his forthcoming album will be devoured by his hungry fans. We'll have to wait a while before we know how the clink affects the work of Weezy or Gucci Mane, and we're still waiting to hear what Mystikal has in store now that he has his freedom back.

Legal problems don't necessarily have to derail an artist's momentum. Though he was acquitted, R. Kelly's court battle was both lengthy and public, but his popularity was unbowed. Consider this: He had two of his greatest successes — "Ignition (Remix)" and "Trapped in the Closet" — while he was under the legal microscope. Still, not everybody has that kind of luck, as incarceration seriously hurt the momentum of stars like Lil Kim, Shyne and Foxy Brown. Since the law caught up with DMX, his career hasn't been the same either.

The poll question is this: Of all the rappers who are currently battling legal trouble, who are you most looking forward to getting back on the street? Vote in the poll below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Hollywood lost another troubled child star early Wednesday morning, as Corey Haim passed away at his home in Burbank, California. He was 38 years old. Haim made a name for himself as the star of a series of huge teen movies in the 1980s, including "Lucas," "License to Drive" and "The Lost Boys."

Perhaps Haim's most iconic performance came in 1989's "Dream a Little Dream," which also starred Piper Laurie, Jason Robards and friend and regular collaborator Corey Feldman. "Dream a Little Dream" also featured the hit single "Rock On" on its soundtrack, which was delivered by soap opera star Michael Damian and featured both Coreys in the music video. The track, originally written and released by David Essex in 1974, topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in 1989, sandwiched between Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler. The clip quickly became an MTV staple.

Haim didn't appear in any other music videos in his career (though he appears in Lou Gramm's "Lost in the Shadows" and Gerard McMann's "Cry Little Sister" — both tunes from the soundtrack to "The Lost Boys," it was only via film footage), but Haim was always a music enthusiast (he even talked about wanting to get into the music business and jammed on his wall of keyboards in this interview).

He was the subject of at least one musical tribute: Irish indie rock band the Thrills released a single called "Whatever Happened to Corey Haim?" back in 2004 (the first single from their album Let's Bottle Bohemia). The group even made a video for it.

What's your favorite Corey Haim movie? Let us know in the comments.

Tuesday night's (March 9) episode of "American Idol" did a great deal to help kill the opinion that the ninth season of the show has been the worst of its run. For the first time in this cycle, there were more great performances than not-so-great ones, lead by Crystal Bowersox's throaty, soulful, rugged take on Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" and Didi Benami's shuffling, groovy twist on Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon." Even the less-than-stellar showings from Lacey Brown, Lilly Scott and Katelyn Epperly showed promise.

Though it appears as though the competition is Bowersox's to lose, the contestant who could be the one to upend her is Siobhan Magnus, who took her quirky sensibilities and applied them to a sparse, powerful version of "The House of the Rising Sun," made famous by the Animals. The classic folk rock song took on a psychedelic twist when Animals frontman Eric Burdon took it on, and Magnus' version pushed it even further. The a cappella section was stunning and powerful, and when the accompaniment finally kicked in, there was a passion in Magnus' voice that we hadn't heard yet (possibly because she was dedicating the tune to her father, who is also a singer).

The Animals' version of "The House of the Rising Sun" is best known for the haunting guitar line, Burdon's guttural bellow and the twisting organ lines laid down by Alan Price. (That organ absolutely transforms the song from simply great to absolutely indispensable.) While "American Idol" has a tendency to resurrect songs that nobody ever wants to hear again, Magnus' revival of "The House of the Rising Sun" gets the MTV Newsroom Blog seal of approval.

Tuesday night's (March 9) "American Idol" began with an intense roll call that had each girl peeling off one by one as Ryan Seacrest announced her name. Is this "American Idol" or a video catalog for mail-order brides?

"Idol" wasted no time to get to the eight performances so why should I? Let's go!

Katie Stevens
Song: "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson
Verdict: Walk Away
Katie took the judges' advice and picked a song that young people listen to. Unfortunately, she didn't sing it well. Flat and behind the beat — like "From Justin to Kelly," it just didn't work. Katie's another one who would have been better off waiting until she was 21 before trying out for "Idol." But even after the judges slammed her for lacking life experience to pull off the soaring ballad, Stevens attempted to argue her way into the Top 12. "But the song mentions coming from a small town, and I do come from a small town!" Um, Katie, this is "American Idol," not "American Lawyer." Please accept that you sucked ... (wait for it) ... (wait for it) ... the life out of the room. (Long well-placed pause courtesy of Simon Cowell.)

Siobhan Magnus
Song: "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals
Verdict: Rising Star
Siobhan continued to bring the funky with a partially a cappella, entirely awesome "House of the Rising Sun." (She also took some makeup tips from Adrian from "The Secret Life of an American Teenager." That lip gloss is both fresh and poppin'!) The judges all gushed over Siobhan's risk — except for Simon, who didn't think she did anything different with the song. Say huh?! She replaced Eric Burdon's voice-cracking wail with a yearning croon, and played around with the melody to show off her range. Oh yeah, and she rocked the beginning completely a cappella!

But the biggest surprise was that Siobhan dedicated the song to her Brian Johnson-lookalike father Papa Magnus, of whom she said had one of the best voices she's ever heard. Whoa, why is this quirky girl tugging on my heartstrings right now? Her role on the show is to wow me with her off-kilter song choices and ridiculous high notes. She's not supposed to make me "awwww."

Lacey Brown
Song: "The Story" by Brandi Carlisle
Verdict: Bedtime Story
If Lacey's "Story" was a story, it'd be something along the lines of "Moby Dick." Technically, it was a strong offering (a first for Lacey on these live shows! Golf clap!), but it's not exactly a story I'd want to pick up over and over again. Furthermore, if flirting with the camera was a job requirement for "American Idol," Brown would win hands down. Unfortunately, it's a singing competition, and her squeaky voice still hasn't found its perfect outlet. Last week I was all about Lacey trying Yael Naim's "Toxic" cover, but "The Story" has changed my tune. Lacey Brown, if you're reading this, check out Beach House's "Used To Be" (the original seven inch mix, not the album version from Teen Dream — both are on iTunes, girl). Tap into your inner Victoria Legrand and soar on the "Idol" stage! You can do it!

Katelyn Epperly
Song: "I Feel the Earth" by Carole King
Verdict: Crapestry
Last week, Katelyn emerged as a dark horse in the competition with a stunning, sleepy "The Scientist." Something heavy must have gone down behind the scenes, because this week Epperly couldn't have looked less interested in performing. It was like she gave up after finding out Simon went on "The Tonight Show" to pimp Crystal Bowersox. "My divorced parents are no match for Crystal almost dying from diabetes. She's like Wilford Brimley. I'm just like 51 percent of the population." Her reason for acting like an emotionless robot? Katelyn was trying to be less corny after Simon complained about her over-emotive Coldplay cover. Watching it back a second time, you can totally see Katelyn consciously trying to avoid making any dramatic expressions whatsoever. Unfortunately, the limp Wurlitzer playing combined with the Lite-FM Carole King staple made her whole performance more cheesy, not less. Katelyn Epperbot, what have you done with the interesting, passionate singer I was falling in love with? Bring the old Katelyn back at once (provided she avoids elimination) and let her sing a Radiohead song! She tweeted about the band a few days ago. "Fake Plastic Trees" awaits!

Didi Benami
Song: "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac
Verdict: Rhiannot Too Shabby
Didi picked the right week to grab a guitar and attempt an untouchable Fleetwood Mac song. (Ahem, Taylor Swift.) The teary singer gave the Stevie Nicks classic a neat Tropicalia twist and nailed the vocals. I'd say she's never been better, but she's also never been that good. So let me add a little drama and emphasis to my review by saying few "Idol" singers this season have been better. To echo Simon Cowell, "She did have a wow moment — the wow moment was the whole performance." Although admit it: You totally laughed when the girl who meows for vocal warm-ups sang the lyric about the black cat. She should totally do Janet Jackson’s "Black Cat" next week. But save "Stray Cat Strut" for the finale, ya heard?

Paige Miles
Song: "Smile" written by Charlie Chaplin
Verdict: Frown. Tears. Suicide.
Forget Katelyn. What the hell happened to this girl? Why did Paige decide to sing Charlie Chaplin's song like a deaf person? (Not tone deaf, mind you. Just deaf deaf.) Paige used to be the bubbly girl who liked coloring books and singing rock songs. Now she's the token plus-size girl of "America's Next Top Model" who, about five weeks in, loses all hope after the show fails to provide her with an adequate wardrobe at a photo shoot. When the director cut to the judges' panel, I half expected Tyra, Nigel and Miss J to be there instead, asking, "Where did your spark go, sweetie?"

Crystal Bowersox
Song: "Give Me One Reason" by Tracy Chapman
Verdict: A Thousand Reasons Why I Love This Woman
Crystal Bowersox not only owned the "Idol" stage Tuesday night, she gave the down payment, signed the contract, settled the closing costs, walked off with the keys and then renovated the dang "Idol" stage Tuesday night. Crystal's "Give Me One Reason" had the swagger and professionalism of a rock veteran three times her age. I love that she's able to show us more vocal tricks with each passing week, too. At one point I said aloud, "Hi, Crystal's awesomely nasty throat growl! My name's Jim. It's a pleasure to meet you." I also dug how effortless her electric guitar riffing was, all the while admiring the giant ring she clearly stole from Lady Miss Kier from Deee-Lite's World Clique album cover. Bonus points for Crystal popping a squat on her amp during the judge's critiques. What a rock star! Based on Crystal's "Idol" trajectory thus far, Simon is a "million billion percent" correct: It's her season to lose. (Side note: Anyone else spot Katelyn Epperly looking miserable during Bowersox's show-stopper? Yo Kate, let's see some sportsmanship, mmkay?)

Lilly Scott
Song: "I Fall to Pieces" by Patsy Cline
Verdict: She Fell Alright
Lilly took her first misstep of the competition with a tortured, forced and damn near unwatchable Patsy Cline cover. Okay, to be honest, I didn't notice her vocals that much. I was too busy deciding whether her goofy earrings looked more like potholders or kitten mittens. Her judging segment got chopped considerably for time, so after Randy, Ellen and Kara all gave her concise raves, Simon was left simply saying, "You're very brave choosing that song on a night like this." I'd go further and say she's lucky she went last, because if it weren't for her pimp spot, Lilly would be in serious trouble Thursday night. With the risk of sounding like Ellen DeGeneres, I still love her, though. You just had your first free pass, Lilly. Now it's time to bring the noise and the funk back to "Idol" come the Top 12! Save the indie rocker!

What did you think of the Top Eight Girls? Is Crystal Bowersox really the one to beat this season? Who blew their Top 12 chances? Would Siobhan's performance have been as epic if we didn't know she was singing the song for her dad? And do I dare dignify Ellen and Simon's fake make-out by writing about it? Hit me up in the comments below. And make sure you follow me on Twitter @jambajim for even more "Idol" insanity.

"Well, he talks about New York in his work, and it seemed like New York was such an inspiration to him that I thought, I need to go here. Like, it's kind of necessary to experience it."

-"My Life as Liz" star Liz Lee, talking about how late rapper the Notorious B.I.G. inspired her to move from her home in Burleson, Texas to New York City (at least partially). Lee said goodbye to her hometown on Monday night's season finale episode of "My Life as Liz," and she happened to be paying tribute to Biggie Smalls on the sad anniversary of his death (her favorite song is "Juicy," by the way).

It has been quite a transition for Liz, and watching the finale from her new home was an intense experience for her. "To see all of my friends and the look on their faces when I actually left, that was surprising," she said. "It was almost like their support was tangible and visible, and it made me miss them a lot. Seeing the last episode made me kind of sad."

Though the show was an experience she definitely enjoyed, she has no problem with it being over for the time being. "I was actually kind of relieved after the season finale, 'cause you know, you work so hard for so long to have this final product, you're kind of relieved," she said. "Then there's that feeling of sadness, 'cause it's over, and it was a really fun ride. It's an amazing feeling."

Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

One of the best performances from the 2010 Grammy Awards came courtesy of Lady Antebellum. Though they didn't get very many votes in our Grammy performances goal, their stark, lovely performance of "Need You Now" was a delightfully straightforward and pretty moment amidst the theatricality of the awards that night. They've managed to have plenty of success, as their chart-topping album Need You Now sold over a million copies in less than a month. Monday night brought them to "The Late Show with David Letterman," where they performed on the show. Frontwoman Hillary Scott (no, not that Hillary Scott) and bandmates Charles Kelly and Dave Haywood made their way into the Ed Sullivan Theater in midtown Manhattan to screams of fans on the street.

They weren't the only stars making the rounds, as the Oscar hangover continued and plenty of people kept celebrating their accomplishments (and the end of the awards season). Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features over 400 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, the Jonas Brothers, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Nick Cannon, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Diddy and the Black Eyed Peas!

Well, that was anti-climactic. Despite the best efforts of some seriously dedicated followers of the ongoing "Iamamiwhoami" campaign (who tackled the codex I received last week in a creepy envelope from whomever is behind this whole thing), we're still no closer to solving the mystery of perhaps the greatest viral effort of all time.

After taking a long look at the series of animals (owl, goat, whale, bee, llama — or is it an alpaca?!?! — and a monkey) "Iamami …" assembled on a slip of paper and mailed to me, one particular devotee believed she had figured the whole thing out: If you jumbled all the animal names together, it (sorta, kinda) phonetically sounded like "Go tell all will be 11 a.m. Mon." It seemed like a decent solution, particularly since we had nothing else, so on Monday morning, everyone (myself included) headed over to "Iamami's" YouTube page and began furiously hitting refresh. Eleven o'clock came and went, and, well, nothing happened.

So we're back to square one. Clearly depressed by the lack of new developments, the commenters on YouTube have since turned their efforts to more salient topics like wild conspiracy theories and casual racism (good times!), but I haven't abandoned all hope. In an effort to keep the ball rolling (and hopefully bring this thing to a conclusion — I've decided to round up the latest batch of "Iamami" rumors, analyze them, and, in some instances, totally debunk them. Read on if you're in need of a fix.

Rumor #1: MTV Is Totally Behind This
This one is probably my fault. Immediately after I received the envelope from "Iamami," I wrote about it on the YouTube page and promised a blog would be coming any second. That raised suspicions that I was somehow trying to advance the campaign along, and that, by proxy, MTV was responsible for the whole thing. And while I cannot vouch for every single person here — it's a pretty big company, after all — I can say that I have not heard one single thing from anyone here about the campaign, nor have I sat in on a single strategy meeting. Does that mean that some guy in our IT department isn't single-handedly running this whole thing in his free time? Sure, I guess. But it doesn't seem like "Iamami" is part of our corporate strategy, at least not based on anything I know.

Rumor #2: Christina Aguilera Is Still Behind This
Despite her rep's "100 percent" denying that Christina was somehow involved, rumors that this is all an elaborate viral campaign for her new album Bionic subsist. Her fans point to the similarities in both Aguilera's and the muck-covered heroine's teeth, and link to a brand-new, vaguely creepy site, ChristinaVIP.com, which popped up just as all this "Monday at 11 a.m." stuff was picking up steam. And while I will admit that the teeth do look similar, I can say that Aguilera's reps told me that the VIP site "is not affiliated with her," and once again denied that she was involved in the campaign. So, you know, infer from that what you will.

Rumor #3: Amy Lee Is Totally Behind This
I've received emails about this. People point to a new interview the frontwoman of Evanescence gave to Spin in which she says the band's new songs feature "no organic instruments" and are very much in "a Portishead or Massive Attack direction." They also bring up the repeated use of the number six in the videos (six strawberries, six dogs, the fact that there have been six clips to date) and the fact that the letter "Y" seems to have taken on added significance in recent weeks (in the latest clip, it's visible as a branch next to six graves, and our heroine does look directly into the camera and says either "Why" or "Y"). Amy Lee's name is six letters long, and if you take "Y" and replace the sixth letter of "Iamami" with it, you get "I Am Amy." Still, the Spin article says the new Evanescence album is due in September, and it's hard to imagine any record label having the promotional budget — let alone the wherewithal — to launch a viral campaign for an album some 10 months before it's due. I'm not buying.

Rumor #4: [Insert Name Of Artist] Is Totally Behind This?
Trent Reznor? Lady Gaga? Aphex Twin? Anyone else in the entire universe? At this point, who knows?

Who do you think is behind Iamamiwhoami? Let us know in the comments!

It seems like there's nothing Hollywood won't remake, and they show no signs of stopping. Already having covered 1980s staples like "Transformers," "G.I. Joe" and "Fraggle Rock," it was only a matter of time before "The Smurfs" got the splashy multiplex treatment. Production is just beginning, but there are already some interesting casting choices. "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris has already signed on, and both Alan Cumming and George Lopez are in talks. But the one name that really jumped out at us was Katy Perry, who is apparently in discussions for a role in the film.

This is an excellent idea. As a 25-year-old woman, Perry probably grew up watching the adventures of Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Vanity and the rest in their crusade against the evil Gargamel. According to the report in Variety, the conversations between Perry and the producers are still preliminary, and there is no indication of what her specific role might be. However, it's pretty clear she would make an awesome Smurfette. Think about it: She's got the charm, the wit and — most importantly — the voice. It's got that perfect Smurfette tone.

Apparently, "The Smurfs" will be a combination of animation and live action (perhaps like "Alvin and the Chipmunks"), so it's unlikely that Perry (or any other actors) would actually have to become Smurf-ified herself. Still, the following musicians would probably make sense in the bluest movie since "Avatar."

Frankie Jonas
As the youngest Jonas brother (and the only one who hasn't yet ascended to pop stardom), the "Bonus Jonas" needs an opportunity to break out. Why not in a high-profile movie?

Pink
She spends so much time being pink that she should really experiment with blue. However, there's no obvious role for her. Was there an Angsty Smurf?

Lady Gaga
Actually, it's probably only a matter of time before she starts wearing a Smurf costume around as fashion. Still, she'd be a perfect fit as Vanity Smurf.

Justin Bieber
Because he's in just about everything else.

Lil Wayne
Unfortunately, he won't be able to do any voice recording while he is incarcerated, but Lil Wayne is a perfect fit.

Matthew Gray Gubler
Sure, he's an actor, but he has two things going for him: He has already been a chipmunk, and today is his birthday.

Should the makers of "The Smurfs" recruit Katy Perry? Let us know in the comments!

After sifting through all of the videos and arguing about the finalists into the wee hours of the night, we could only come to one solid conclusion: 311 fans are so passionate, creative and devoted to their favorite band that it seemed absurd to reward just one. That is why the winner of MTV News' 311 Day contest is actually two people.

The inventiveness of Lauren Black and Dave Kosin could not be denied, which is why they are both going to serve at MTV News' special correspondents at 311 Day. The three-day event kicks off on Wednesday (March 10) in Las Vegas, and will feature a series of parties and fan get-togethers, as well as a concert from the band that promises to be truly epic. Lauren and Dave will be putting their journalistic wiles and 311 enthusiasm to good use, filing blogs, snapping photos and hosting videos on the ground in Vegas. And of course, they'll both get the chance to sit down with the band for an interview, so if there is anything you've ever wanted to know about the band, leave your questions in the comments for Lauren and Dave to pick up.

As we pointed out yesterday, the batch of videos fans submitted was truly great. That's not just MTV News talking — the band agrees. "I watched the videos and I was totally blown away by the creativity. And that's saying something, because our fans are so creative, and so original, that it takes a whole lot to blow me away now," 311 bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills told MTV News' James Montgomery. "Bands say this all the time, but we really have the most extraordinary fans. We expect a lot from them. Being a 311 fan is a full-time job for a lot of them, and that's what's so cool."

Lauren and Dave were both so thrilled about their respective victories that they immediately recorded new videos to express their excitement and to say thanks to everybody who supported them. Check those out below, and stay tuned for updates live from 2010 311 Day in Las Vegas!

After a handful of delays that saw his incarceration derailed by dental surgery and a freak fire, Lil Wayne joined the inmate roll at Rikers Island on Monday (March 8). Though his sentence is a year behind bars, he is expected to be released some time around October, which means that he'll be gone for roughly eight months.

On the time line of a lifetime, eight months isn't all that much, but considering everything he has missed just in the past 24 hours, it's overwhelming how much he'll miss. Since yesterday, we've seen seen the premiere of a new T.I. song, new albums from Ludacris and Gorillaz on store shelves, the trailer for "Tron" on the Internet and Simon Cowell kissing his fiancé on "The Tonight Show." Considering he has already missed all of that, here are a number of cultural events that will also pass him by while he's doing time.

T.I.'s Comeback Album
It doesn't have a release date or a title yet, but there is already a new single. Considering how gigantic Tip's last album Paper Trail was, the new one promises to be one of the biggest releases of the year.

The Pavement Reunion
As Rebirth proved, Weezy loves ramshackle guitar and probably appreciates Stephen Malkmus' marble-mouthed wordiness. Though he'll only be a handful of miles away at Rikers, he'll totally miss Pavement's shows in Central Park.

A Collaboration with Justin Bieber
Considering how often Wayne has shouted out the 16-year-old singer, it's a shame that they won't get the chance to tag-team for a while. Still, at least we have a mash-up to hold us over.

"Iron Man 2"
Because everybody wants to see "Iron Man 2."

The Winner of "American Idol"
Will Andrew Garcia win the top prize or will Crystal Bowersox reign supreme? Weezy will be getting out just in time to pick up the new batch of "Idol" albums at his local Best Buy.

The New Season of "Jersey Shore"
Admit it: You really want to hear Weezy freestyle about Snooki. Now we may not get the chance. (That being said, Wayne has anywhere from one to 10,000 hours of tape in the vault, so maybe he took care of that pre-emptively.)

What other cultural events will Lil Wayne miss out on? Let us know in the comments!

As expected, T.I. took to the Internet to debut his new single, the appropriately-titled banger "I'm Back." Coming in the wake of his release from jail (and on the heels of fellow high-profile MC Lil Wayne's incarceration), "I'm Back" proves that Tip barely missed a beat while he was behind bars.

Over a powerful bounce beat care of TrackSlayerz (the latest homegrown talent from Tip's Grand Hustle label), the King of the South spits a breathless four minutes of fire, declaring "No matter what they doing, they don't do it like me." The track also shouts out to fellow MCs Wayne, Gucci Maine and Lil Boosie, all of whom are currently serving prison sentences. The track is currently available for download at T.I.'s official Web site.

During a conference call just a few hours before the song premiered, Tip talked about his upcoming album (which remains untitled for now) and hinted at the possibility of a tour once his sentence was complete and he was out of a halfway house. He also pledged that he would get right back to the business of being one of the hottest rappers in the game. "As long as there is air in my esophagus, champ, I'mma keep going," he said. "Nothing is gonna stop that. Nothing short of a 12 gauge is gonna stop me from doing what I do, champ. I just wanna say thank y'all and we gonna keep moving on."

Based on "I'm Back," do you think T.I. is just as good as he was before going to jail? What do you think of "I'm Back"? Let us know in the comments!

In 2008, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne released "Christmas on Mars," a supremely odd, seven-years-in-the-making DIY film about isolation and madness (or something). Despite the fact that the incredibly prolific Coyne managed to create two stellar albums in 2009 (Embryonic and the full-length cover of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon), he wants to keep busy. He told Billboard that he was planning his next movie, and he's really looking to get some star power this time around.

"I'm in the process of begging Justin Timberlake to be part of it," Coyne said. "If I'm lucky I'll be able to wear him down in another year." It's part of a larger push to get some big stars into the new project, which doesn't have a title but does have a much simpler scope as far as sets go. "My only goal was that I didn't have to build space station-looking sets every time I wanted to have someone say something, only because I built those sets myself every time we shot something for 'Christmas on Mars' over the seven years we took to make it," he explained. "This one is set in someone's house and in a back yard and in a slaughterhouse; all those are available to me right here, so I don't have to build everything this time."

It would be insane to speculate what might be going on in Coyne's head as far as film ideas go, though we can only hope that he wants Timberlake to play a butcher of some sort. In fact, if JT does sign on, it would be the latest in a line of steadily improving film roles for him. Here are the five best Timberlake film roles, in order of greatness.

Ronnie in "Black Snake Moan"
As the anxiety-ridden National Guardsman boyfriend of Christina Ricci's Rae, Timberlake spends the movie hunting down his missing woman. "Black Snake Moan" is barely a movie, but Timberlake sweats his way through panic attacks, beatings and intense monologues of devotion to the promiscuous Ricci.

Frankie Ballenbacher in "Alpha Dog"
In the profoundly underrated "Alpha Dog," Timberlake plays a gang member with an emo heart of gold. It's a compelling performance that drives home Timberlake's ability to change levels and tones.

Everything on "Saturday Night Live"
Considering the current state of "Saturday Night Live," they should deeply consider just offering Timberlake a gigantic contract to be a part of the cast, because he's profoundly funny. Not only is he an excellent foil for Andy Samberg in songs like "D--- in a Box" and "Motherlover," he has also killed in plenty of other sketches. Remember when he slipped in a mention that he "totally hit that" with Britney Spears in the middle of that sketch about immigrants coming to America? That was awesome.

Everything on "The All New Mickey Mouse Club"
Obviously.

Pilot Abilene in "Southland Tales"
Like "Black Snake Moan," "Southland Tales" is barely a movie, but that doesn't stop Timberlake from stealing the show. He narrates the film using quotes from the Bible and Robert Frost, drinks heavily, suffers a head injury and lip syncs the Killers' "All These Things That I've Done" while dancers do a kick line on top of some skee ball machines. (And that's probably the part of "Southland Tales" that is easiest to follow.) Timberlake's gusto and inspired weirdness would make him a perfect fit in a Wayne Coyne production — or a David Lynch film.

What's your favorite Justin Timberlake performance? Let us know in the comments!

You should be proud of yourselves, 311 fans. Last week, we asked you to make videos to put forth your case for being the special MTV News correspondent at 2010 311 Day (which launches this week) and you delivered in incredibly impressive ways. MTV News received dozens of entries, most of which were exceptionally clever, passionate, funny, envelope-pushing and entertaining. In collaboration with the 311 camp, MTV News has selected the winner of the contest. But before we make the official announcement, we wanted to get your feedback on some of the finalists.

First, there's JessAnn. She assumed a male alter-ego to interview herself, and has been a fan since '94. She's been to 35 shows in eight different states and has been to two previous 311 Days. She was planning on heading out to Las Vegas to hang around even though she forgot to get tickets. Is her "Freak Out"-fueled submission the best of the bunch?

She wasn't the only one who split her personality in two. Dan also edited himself into two different people, with one version of himself interviewing the second. During the clip, Dan showed off the customized outfit he has built for himself for 311 Day as well as his custom set of 311-related license plates. Is Dan the leader of this particular pack?

Alyssa also impressed us, not so much because of the originality of her video but more because of statistics. She's been to 60 shows in 23 different states, and last summer she saw seven shows in nine days (that was seven of the 22 she went to in 2009). But she also runs 311Tribute.com, a site the covers news about the band as well as photos, reviews, video and a healthy message board community. "I don't just love 311, I live 311 — every day," she says in her video. But is she the ultimate fan?

Lauren also had a top-notch submission. She sang a little song, bragged about her statistics (40 shows, five 311 Days) and showed off the photo she once took with Nick Hexum. But she also took 311's positive, inspirational way of life to the next level: She named her dog P-Nut, crafted a table as a tribute to the band and is in the process of crafting a 311-inspired dress for the big event this week. Does Lauren stand above the rest of the pack?

We really valued creativity, which is why we were drawn to Brett. Not only did he stage a fake phone call from MTV News in order to lay out his 311 resumé (all five 311 Days, 34 shows since '94) but also built his own MTV News microphone and interviewed a handful of people about the band and the event. Is Brett our official correspondent for 2010 311 Day?

Finally, we were impressed by Dave, who works at a TV news station in Pennsylvania and put his resources to good use, creating graphics, interviewing people he works with and generally laying out an impressive package. Will his creative presentation make him our grand-prize winner?

So those are the finalists. MTV News has selected a winner, so you'll be hearing from him or her tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the finalists (as well as the rest of the awesome clips sent in by fans) and let us know what you think of them in the comments below!

"Everybody makes mistakes. I'm pretty sure at this point, Wayne is kicking himself in the ass for the sh-- he did. But n---as is fathers, n---as is growing. With age comes wisdom, man. We'll learn and we'll get it all together. As long as we stay together, we'll be straight. This sh-- is a brotherhood. Long as we got each other, we'll be straight."

-Compton rapper the Game, commenting on the recent official incarceration of his friend and former collaborator Lil Wayne. Game (who rapped with Weezy on "My Life") isn't just bummed about Wayne going to jail — he's down about all people in the hip-hop being put behind bars. "It's f---ed up," the Game told MTV News. "I don't like it all. I don't have one good feeling about it. I'm happy Tip is coming out, but sad that Wayne and Gucci gotta go in. I don't like to see that. I like for my n---as that co-exist with me in hip-hop to win. I don't like to see [for example] Fab go to jail just as much as he don't want to see Game to jail. That sh-- is wack."

Still, the Game is hoping that perhaps these high profile stars getting jail time will create some sort of revolution in the hip-hop game. "Remember 'Fight the Power' and 'Respect Yourself'? ... We gotta get back to that. 'All in the Same Gang' — when n---as gonna do one of them? On some cool sh--. That'll be cool. We gotta figure it out."

Musicians could learn a thing or two from Aziz Ansari about marketing. The stand-up comedian, star of "Parks and Recreation" and hip-hop enthusiast has been working on a mixtape for a while with TV on the Radio member Dave Sitek (it was originally supposed to drop in February, but according to Ansari, it now comes out "whenever the f--- I want"). The tape is a product of his alter-ego Raaaaaaaandy, a more in-your-face, Dane Cook-esque version of himself (that's the character he's playing in last summer's "Funny People").

Now Raaaaaaaandy is working to hype up his work as a recording artist, and he has started on Twitter. On Monday afternoon, Ansari tweeted, "New Video: Raaaaaaaandy Declares War on @justinbieber." He included a link to the video below, in which Raaaaaaaandy accuses 16-year-old Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber of stealing his song "Baby Baby" and turning it into Bieber's current hit "Baby." Ansari then throws to a pre-recorded "reenactment" of the scene of Bieber visiting Ansari, Sitek and Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner in the studio. Bieber (played by a significantly older actor and smoking) then hears Raaaaaaaandy recording "Baby Baby" and then shooting the place up on his exit.

Ansari's tweet was thrown to Bieber's Twitter, though the singer hasn't responded yet. If he takes the bait, it could make for a truly hilarious feud. Though he would no doubt appreciate the bump from Bieber's legions of followers, he's doing pretty well on his own: Nearly 30,000 people have already watched the clip. Check it out below, though be warned: There's a bit of potty language involved.

What do you think of Raaaaaaaandy? Is it still a good character or is it tired? Who else should Ansari feud with? Let us know in the comments!