Thought it was impossible to love Ed Sheeran more? Wait until you watch his performance at Philly Jam last night. The adorable songwriter stopped for a brief interview before starting his set, and showed off love for Philadelphia by revealing a “Fresh Prince” tattoo. As the closing act for the show, the British performer also put up with a few jokes about celebrating America’s freedom from his home country.

Beginning his set with “Don’t,” it became apparent that The Roots were going to add incredible depth to Sheeran’s acoustic jams. Ed himself added an extra dig to the already scathing break-up song by singing a line from Chris Brown‘s “Loyal” toward the end. Ouch!

From there he performed the moving “Lego House” and then opted to do a cover. “Since we’re here on the 4th of July I thought I’d do a cover of an American tune,” Sheeran said, before breaking into the Anthony Hamilton’s R&B classic “Comin’ From Where I’m From.”

But after playing a song that most of the crowd probably didn’t know, Ed knew it was time for one that everyone knew the words to—that’d be his breakout single “A Team.” He played the song acoustic, with only his guitar for accompaniment, and the crowd felt the weight of the song’s message.

In the middle of the track, Ed asked that everyone hold up a lighter, cell phone or other flashing light becuase he wanted to see “a sea of ...

Ariana Grande cut her time in New York short to spend time with her family in Florida for the 4th of July. Her grandfather has been ill, and he has been her number one priority lately. On Wednesday, she graced the famed TRL studio for “Total Ariana Live” to perform “Problem” and premiere “Break Free,” and earlier in the week she taped performances of “Problem” and “The Way” for Macy’s 4th Of July Spectacular 2014, but she put music stuff on hold to be with her grandpa.

“NY I’m sorry you saw less of me this trip. off to the g-parents in FL. they need me & now I gotta be there. love u & thank u for understanding,” Ari tweeted on Thursday.

Arianators took to Twitter to send Ari and her grandpa some love, which she returned. “thank u for the prayers,” she tweeted. “my loves u are so powerful… u are in my heart.”

During her visit, she’s been making sure her grandfather’s comfortable.

Ari has also given fans some perspective on what a cool guy her grandfather is.

Ari, we’re sending good thoughts out to you, your grandfather and your family.

Althea Legaspi

Nicki Minaj was in top form at Philly Jam last night. Decked out in a gold fringed tank and some high-waisted black pants, she blazed from high-energy hits like “Super Bass” into her brand new heartbreaking ballad “Pills N Potions.” With The Roots as a backing band, Minaj’s new song got the full gospel treatment—especially from her talented backup singers.

But it wouldn’t be a Nicki show without some rap, especially given the straight hip-hop direction her latest releases have been going in. So she performed a medley of her new song with Soulja Boy (who sadly didn’t show up) “Yass B—–” into “Did It On Em” and finished out the trio of songs with “Beez In The Trap.” Since she was using a backing track for this section, watching The Roots bob onstage to Nicki’s live rapping was another highlight of the performance.

When it got to the section of “Beez In The Trap” that shouts out Philly, Nicki stopped the song dead. “It’s New York PHILLY!,” she emphasized to cheers. “This has always been one of my favorite places to be, since before my first album dropped. Everybody knows that. Happy birthday America, today we’re free from everybody that tried to hold us back last year.”

She skillfully tied the concept of personal freedom into the larger celebration of America’s independence, and obviously, it was the moment to break into her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded the Re-Up track “Freedom” and finally, “Moment ...

We get it, sometimes it’s easier to stay home than head out to a festival on a day like today.

But thanks to technology, you can watch Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, The Roots and more perform at Philly Jam via our Livestream. So grab your hamburger, sit back, and get ready for some first class entertainment.

Nicki has been dropping new songs and information about her forthcoming album The Pink Print right and left, so who knows what she’ll be up to. Ed Sheeran is just off the release of his sophomore album X too, so we can expect a lot of brand new songs from him as well.

Click on the video below via VH1 to begin watching.

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

There’s not really much to add to this thing of Internet tomfoolery that’s going to make it any better. This video was made by an organization called “World Wide Interweb” which kind of says it all.

There are goats bleat-singing this great nation’s National Anthem. Because what’s more American than a bunch of farm animals being slapdashed together for no good reason other than to make us giggle? Maybe if there was a bald eagle involved?

But otherwise, we’re at a bit of a loss.

Just drink it in you guys. It’s what our forefathers would’ve wanted.

‘MURICA, you guys. ‘MURICA. Goat bless America forever and ever.

Alicia Lutes

Too much exuberance for one person. Follow her on Twitter @alicialutes.

So. The New York Times is reporting that young Americans (read: you and me) are far less patriotic than our elders, and that American patriotism over the last several decades has been in decline.

But that shouldn’t really be all that surprising to anyone.

In a 2012 inquiry from American National Election Study (A.N.E.S.), the overall feeling of “hell yeah, America!” one gets when viewing the ol’ stars and bars on display was found to be very high across all age groups — no surprise, Americans love being from America — about 79 percent, with 95 percent of the participants in the study agreeing that they at least like, if not love, America.

The real difference can be seen once you break it down generationally. According to the Times, “81 percent of the Silent Generation (those who are 69 to 86 years old in 2014) love America while only 58 percent of millennials (18 to 33 years old) feel the same.” Additionally, “78 percent of the older generation consider their American identity to be extremely important. … [But] only 45 percent of young adults define themselves this way.”

Older Americans in our parents and grandparents’ generations are highly devoted to symbols of our freedom and democracy, like the flag and what it represents. But Old Glory just doesn’t do it for us younger folk, as we’re more into actionable properties of what it means to be an American, like equality and opportunity for all.

Considering how both those things are currently in ...

It may not be very patriotic of us to give a nod to our OG rulers the Brits on Independence Day, but dammit when a new teaser trailer for the eighth season of “Doctor Who” rolls out, regardless of the who/what/where/when/why/how, you pay attention.

It’s The Doctor, you guys! Time and space are irrelevant when his TARDIS wheezes ’round our way.

The Peter Capaldi-fronted new iteration of the universe’s most ubiquitous alien is set to hit television screens on August 23rd, and this teaser — along with that other one — leave us with little more than questions.

Is that Davros (creator of the Doctor’s arch-enemy, the Daleks) talking to the Doctor? Why can he see into the Doctor’s soul? Is his so-called beauty really debilitated by hatred? Isn’t that what the 50th anniversary was supposed to squash? And why is the Doctor’s right heart smaller than his left — or are we merely seeing things?

Just like the TARDIS, sometimes questions are bigger on the inside. Ooo-Wee-ooo!

Alicia Lutes

Too much exuberance for one person. Follow her on Twitter @alicialutes.

The siblings of Echosmith have been blazing across America, bringing their own brand of synthy, catchy indie pop to the ears of fans on the Warped Tour.

This teenage family act is on the cusp of hitting the big time—don’t let their youth fool you. Sure, their oldest brother Jamie is barely of drinking age, and the youngest, Graham is 15 so he can’t even drive… but that hasn’t stopped them from getting major label attention.

We recently named them as one of our 2014 MTV Artists to Watch, and you can read their full story here.

Now, the group have begun their second stint on the Warped Tour, and what better time to let them take over MTV’s Instagram account and give us a taste of life on the road?

“Cool Kids,” their biggest single so far, just broke through the Top 40 and Echosmith show no signs of slowing down. Here’s a peek into a typical day for the group.

Like the cool kids they are, the group remains unfazed by their success.

Or maybe they just need a little more coffee before they hit the stage? Touring is exhausting, after all. This photo reveals a little-known fact about Warped Tour—it involves a lot of parking lots.

Work hard, play harder. There’s plenty of time to get a ride in before they hit the stage.

Sure, Warped Tour is tons of fun for fans, but let’s not forget the artists need a little time for goofing off too. What’s the deal ...

Hey, you guys: Megan Fox joined a social media network and did a thing!

Now, typically speaking, most posts about celebrity Instagram photos — particularly of the inaugural selfie and/or make-up free variety — elicit a bevy of posts with hilarious overstatements. “Oh, look at her flawless skin!” “How brave!” “No makeup, no problem because goregeousness!” You know, that sort of stuff.

But Megan Fox’s inaugural Instagram selfie is just that: an Instagram selfie wherein the person taking the photo may or may not be lying about what is going on in the photo. Because despite her claims, it sort of looks like she’s got a bit of eyeliner on. Maybe some mascara and lip gloss.

Though who knows: she could just be that naturally gifted in the eye features department. I mean, we don’t know her and filters can sometimes be truly magical. #Sutro. Plus, the fact that she’s wearing a robe sure does encourage the idea that she #wokeuplikethis.

Either way it doesn’t really matter does it? Although it is sorta less-than-cool to try and tout yourself as make-up free when you’re not to your impressionable young girl fans because beauty standards are already unrealistic in 2014 — because it’s just a photo of a famous person doing that thing that so many other folks her age, younger, and older do. And if she’s really not wearing make-up, good for her and her skin because, you know, skin doesn’t really love make-up all the time anyway.

So take ...

It’s hard to come by a mashup this good. These hand drawings (how 90s!) of the cast of “Family Guy” transported to the world of Westeros—a.k.a. “Game of Thrones”—are practically perfect.

Stewie as King of the Brats Joffrey Baratheon, Quagmire as Theon Greyjoy/Reek, Meg as Hodor, and Brian as the Ghost to Chris’ Jon Snow? It’s so on-the-nose in the best way—the whole project deserves an e-round of applause.

One complaint: would Peter really be a Stark? Honestly, he could also easily have been Ser Dontos or Patchface. Also, what about Brian as Varys? Is crossing species allowed? Brian can already talk, and if humans can warg into animals who’s to say he can’t warg into a human, you know?

Take a peek:

Eric La Sorda

So artist Eric La Sorda clearly has a knack for this, but he also missed a few. Who would be the Khaleesi of Quahog? What about Arya? Sansa? The Hound? Let us know your picks in the comments.

Alicia Lutes

Too much exuberance for one person. Follow her on Twitter @alicialutes.