August 3, 2026

About the author  ⁄ MTV News

Miley Cyrus Put ‘Fresh’ Twist On ’23,’ Says Mike Will Made It

It wasn't just her signature swag that she added to according to producer Mike Will Made It: Miley Cyrus also had a special something that ended up on his track

Mike admitted to MTV News he was initially skeptical that Miley had the right persona to appear alongside Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J on the song. "I already had Juicy J and Wiz on there, and then we were working on 'We Can't Stop,' and I had a verse on there that was already laid down, but I wanted a girl to do it," he explained about the origins of the collaboration.

"But I didn't know who I was going to do it with, and this was first day meeting Miley, and we had just knocked out 'We Can't Stop.' And then I let her hear it, and she told me she liked it," he continued. He recalled telling Miley that he had some reservations, but that didn't stop her.

"She told my engineer, 'Turn the mike on,' and she went in the booth, then she laid down the verse, and she killed it," Mike explained. "[So I] left her on there. She killed it, all swagged up."

While fans have heard a quick tease of the single, the complete song will debut August 26. Mike Will promised that the full tune won't disappoint. So, what should fans expect? "Dope. It's fresh — fresh, new," he shared.

Mike Will and Miley have established quite the musical friendship. He worked with her on her forthcoming album, Bangerz.

Miley is slated to ...

Read More →

For ‘Elysium’ Star Matt Damon, Writing Sci-Fi Is An Alien Concept

Matt Damon has had brushes with science-fiction fare in the past — 2011's "The Adjustment Bureau," based on Philip K. Dick's short story, comes to mind — but the actor is diving in, exoskeleton first, with Neill Blomkamp's out Wednesday (August 7).

Set in a future world in which the poor inhabit Earth and the rich live on a man-made colony far above, Damon plays Max, a blue-collar felon who must infiltrate the utopia in order to save his life.

A self-professed "huge" sci-fi fan, Damon cites "Blade Runner," "Star Wars" and "Alien" among his early favorites. But, as the Academy Award-winner told MTV News' Josh Horowitz, his love for the genre never translated into his own writing.

"I think I was always trying to write more something that I knew, something that was closer to me," Damon explained. "Not that this — great sci-fi does feel familiar in a way. But I was always intimidated. It's so hard to kind of come up with a full, complete concept and follow that thought exercise all the way."

Perhaps, then, that's why Damon acts in sci-fi films, letting other screenwriters tackle the difficult task of world-building. It's a talent he recognized in "Avatar" director James Cameron (Damon famously turned down the film's lead role that ultimately went to Sam Worthington) and his "Elysium" director Blomkamp.

"I remember sitting with Cameron before he made 'Avatar,' and he described the world, and he described it as though he'd been there before," Damon recalled. "It totally existed as a real place, he just needed help to ...

Read More →

Chris Brown Fans ‘In So Much Pain’ After Retirement Rumors

Chris Brown has a habit of posting provocative tweets and then erasing them. But on Wednesday (August 7), Breezy left fans worrying that his latest twit snit might mean the end of the musical road for their favorite singer.

Less than 24 hours after turning himself in for a brief jail stint
 in connection with a hit-and-run case in Los Angeles, Brown posted a pair of intriguing tweets in which he said that he planned to retire from music after the upcoming release of his X album.

But then, just as abruptly, he deleted those tweets, leaving fans wondering if he'd had a change of mind, or if the action was another part of his plan to hang up the mic.

"I'm praying for my love @chrisbrown," wrote fan Chay. "I really hate to see him in so much pain, it breaks my heart. If he retires music will NEVER be the same."

In the initial tweets, Brown wrote, "Don't worry mainstream America. After this X album, it'll probably be my last album." He followed that with a second message that suggested he's bothered by the continued fallout of his 2009 assault on former girlfriend Rihanna. "Being famous is amazing when it's for ur music and talent," he wrote. "I'm tired of being famous for a mistake I made when I was 18. I'm cool & over it!"

In place of the retirement tweets, Brown posted a link to the video "To Understand is to Perceive Patterns," which looks at the infinite number of connected natural and man-made ...

Read More →

Fat Joe’s Biggie-Inspired ‘Love Me Long Time’ Video: Look Familiar?

If Fat Joe and Future's new video for "Love Me Long Time" looks familiar, your eyes aren't playing tricks. For his new clip, the Terror Squad looked to the Notorious B.I.G. and his Junior M.A.F.I.A. for inspiration.

"I was like, 'You know what, let's just do the Biggie joint,' " Joe told MTV News right before singing the chorus to Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s 1995 hit "Get Money."

The original "Get Money" video starts off in a courtroom as B.I.G. faces trial; meanwhile, he and his fictional wife (played by rapper Charli Baltimore) are going through martial problems at home. The Eif Rivera directed "Love Me Long Time" opens in a similar manner. "The courtroom, we played it more like family and kids, and the girl was obviously cheating on me," Joe explained. "We pulled it off. I'm real happy with the video."

While the end result is a welcomed homage, Joe admits that without Future, who supplies the song's hook, the video would've went in a totally different direction. "I had another treatment, and your man Future was actually like, 'Yo, we gotta do somethin' like you the Don man, you Joey Crack,' " he said recalling the conversation between him and his latest collaborator.

Fat Joe, who will turn himself in to serve four months in prison after pleading guilty to tax charges, is thrilled that he gets to keep Biggie's legacy alive. "A lot of young kids, they don't even remember all that, so we're just bringing it back," he said proudly. "Now I'm sure they're gonna ...

Read More →

‘We’re The Millers’: The Reviews Are In!

"We're The Millers," the new (not really a) family comedy, stars Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston as the head of a phony fam that has no choice but to bond during a drug smuggling trip south of the border.

Critics, unfortunately, have not warmed up to the Millers, with many complaining that despite the affable lead actors, the movie itself doesn't pack enough laughs to cover the price of admission. Read on to see what the critics are saying about "We're the Millers."

The Story
The central character, David (Jason Sudeikis) is a drug dealer who has fallen on hard times. He's strong-armed by his boss, ostensibly a drug kingpin (played with gusto by Ed Helms) into agreeing to smuggle pot across the Mexican border. What could go wrong? Clearly, everything, which is why David opts to enlist the help of an exotic dancer (Jennifer Aniston) and two teens (Will Poulter and Emma Roberts). The hope is that, under the guide of being a family, the border crossing guards will pay the "Miller" clan scant attention. So far as plans, and movie premises go, that's certainly a sturdy enough foundation. One could make a great movie out of that set-up, though sadly "We're the Millers" isn't it. — Laremy Legel, Film.com

The Cast
The crux of the humor depends on the Sudeikis and Aniston characters bickering in a way that spells l-o-v-e, but the screenplay spells it a-g-g-r-a-v-a-t-i-o-n instead. The hoped-for big payoffs of brazen comic effrontery fall eerily flat. One features Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn (no slouches) as a square-seeming ...

Read More →

Wiz Khalifa Pulls Classics Out Of Pittsburgh Cap For NY Party

NEW YORKWiz Khalifa is still a new artist — relatively speaking, of course. The star rapper has only two major albums to his credit, but on Tuesday night, Wiz took the stage with a veteran's poise at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in New York and dug deep into his catalogue of underground hits and mixtape favorites.

Last month, Wiz, A$AP Rocky, B.o.B, Trinidad Jame$ and Joey Bada$$ set out on the second Under the Influence of Music Tour and fan tweets, Vine clips and YouTube videos show they've been thrilling audiences every step of the way. New York was no different. The party started in the parking lot as fans filed into the outdoor theater, soaking in the last hours of daylight to the tunes of B.o.B, followed by A$AP Rocky.

With the sun fully set at 9:30 p.m., Khalifa took the stage wearing a red and black gingham-style top to the pounding beat of his 2012 mixtape single "Bout Me." From there, Wiz took a swift turn, dipping a few years back as his band struck up the opening chords from his 2009 mixtape favorite "The Thrill." Wiz then ran through a string of old favorites, new hits and underground hits, dealing out tracks like "Work Hard, Play Hard," "Gang Bang" and the new Smoke Dza-assisted "Old Chanel."

About a third of the way into his set, Wiz ducked backstage as early footage of him freestyling played on the big screen. By the time the clip closed, Khalifa reemerged wearing a white t-shirt, ...

Read More →

Katy Perry’s First Listen Of <i>Prism</i> Is Kitten-Approved: Hear It Meow!

Katy Perry is three teasers in and she's finally giving fans a taste, albeit a small one, of her new single, out next Monday.

On Wednesday (August 7), she tweeted, "This one's for the kittens. It's time to make those meows #ROAR," along with her latest clip. In it, a fluffy white kitten makes her way through an apartment. She gets to a couch, where she plays with a feathery toy. After munching on it, she looks to camera and lets out a big roar.

Then, the peppy single kicks in. With its "Ooh ooh" chant and toe-tapping beat, it seems like Katy might have an anthem on her hands.

"Roar" is the lead single off Katy's October 22 album, Prism. For the track, Perry reportedly worked with her dream team including Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Bonnie McKee, who cooked up hits for her 2010 album Teenage Dream.

However, in previously released teasers, Perry has been putting her candy-coated Teenage Dream days behind her, having set a bright-blue "California Gurls" wig up in flames in one and later attending a funeral for that persona in another. At the time, she shared, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, a new beginning is a must!"

Fans are not only awaiting the full release of her new single, but to also find out what's inside the gold Prism truck that's been making its way across the United States. So far, it's stopped in cities like Kansas City, Denver, Los Angeles (where it made its debut) and Las Vegas.

What do you ...

Read More →

Usher’s Ex Seeks Custody After Son’s Near Drowning

Usher's ex-wife, Tameka Raymond, has reportedly filed legal papers seeking temporary primary custody of the couple's two children in light of an incident in which their 5-year-old son nearly drowned in a pool on Monday.

According to TMZ, Raymond claims that Usher is out of town the majority of each month and has delegated responsibility for the children to others.

In the papers, filed by Raymond on Tuesday in Fulton County, Georgia, she seeks decision-making power over the children's education, healthcare, religion and extracurricular activities. A hearing date for the custody request has not yet been set.

At press time, it appeared that Raymond V was still in the ICU
 at an Atlanta hospital after getting his hand stuck in the pool drain Monday evening. Apparently, the child dove into the pool to get a toy when he became unable to free his arm from the drain. Usher was not home at the time, but the boy's aunt and the maid attempted to save him.

The transcript of the 911 call in the case has been released, revealing that Usher's aunt, Rena Oden, was unable to free the child and that two men working on the house managed to bring him to the surface and perform CPR, which got him breathing again.

Raymond V is expected to recover, but at press time there was no update on his condition. "My son is OK, but I have no further comment at this time," Raymond told CNN on Tuesday. Usher and Tameka Raymond divorced in 2009 after two years of marriage, with Usher ...

Read More →

Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis Talk Weed And Leprechauns On ‘Yes/No’ Show

The power couple headlining the new comedy now face something even more stressful than getting chased by a powerful Mexican drug lord: being contestants on "The Yes/No Show."

In the latest installment of Josh Horowitz's rapid-fire game show, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis must answer a series of deeply personal questions with either a "yes" or a "no." From serious questions about the fine art of acting, to whether or not Sudeikis is out of his league in his impending nuptials to Olivia Wilde, to Aniston's long-awaited remarks regarding a possibly inaccurate allegation of puppy strangling, this episode of "The Yes/No Show" puts all involved on an emotional roller coaster ride.

Questions about weed and lap dances are all decidedly on-topic thanks to the film the pair star in together. In "We're the Millers," Sudeikis plays a drug dealer hired to bring marijuana back from Mexico for a hefty payday. To get back across the border, Sudeikis hires a stripper — played by Aniston — to play his wife, and an odd couple of teenagers— Emma Roberts and Will Poulter — to all pose as a wholesome family on vacation. The kooky quartet get in over their heads, however, when they find out they've stolen from a highly ticked-off drug lord.

"We're the Millers" is the latest entry in what is quickly becoming a new comedy subgenre: the Aniston/Sudeikis. The two previously appeared in 2011's "Horrible Bosses" and 2010's "The Bounty Hunter," although "Millers" unites the two for the first time as co-leads.

The quiz doesn't solely focus on dirty deeds, as ...

Read More →

‘Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters’: The Reviews Are In!

Pack your rucksack and call your friendly neighborhood satyr: We're headed back to Camp Half-Blood.

the sequel to 2010's "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," opens Wednesday and follows the titular demi-god (Logan Lerman) on his latest aquatic adventure.

Director Thor Freudenthal takes over the film franchise from previous helmer Christopher Columbus, and critics are mixed over this second outing with the son of Poseidon. Check out what they have to say about "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters."

The Story
"Following the almost $226.5 million box office of the first Percy Jackson movie, the hero (Logan Lerman) has returned to save Camp Half-Blood, the training ground for Greek demigods and employer of the teacher-centaur Chiron (Anthony Head of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' at his Watcher-ly best, replacing Pierce Brosnan). When the magical tree that protects the camp is poisoned, Percy must retrieve the Golden Fleece to heal it." — Andy Webster, New York Times

How does 'Sea of Monsters' compare to 'Lightning Thief'?
"Though part one used up many of the good monsters — like Medusa and the hydra — part two is a fleeter entertainment, free of origin-story requirements. It's also marginally better made: While Chris Columbus brought his leaden 'Sorcerer's Stone' touch to 'The Lightning Thief,' new director Thor Freudenthal ('Diary Of A Wimpy Kid') demonstrates a greater flair for CGI spectacle. Squint hard enough and it's possible to pretend you're watching a kind of YA version of 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark,' complete with a scene of the heroes tied up while the villains unwisely unleash ...

Read More →