Drake pushed the release date for his third album Nothing Was The Same just a few days to September 24, but he followed that announcement with the official cover art for his LP, just so we know it's real. Naturally, fans have had a lot to say about the new artwork, which some proclaimed was pure "greatness."

The VMA nominee unveiled the cover via Instagram on Wednesday featuring an image of baby Drake with a mini afro and a second side profile of a fully matured Aubrey. Placed next to it each other, the images find Drake staring at himself, and likely symbolize him taking glimpses at the past and the future.

The graphics are courtesy of painter and illustrator Kadir Nelson, who, according to Complex, has crafted projects for artists like Michael Jackson, publications like Sports Illustrated and even for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Postal Service. Not to mention that he's penned best-selling books about famous figures that include Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reaction to the cover was immediate across social media. The image of baby Drake was "liked" by over 223, 000 fans on Instagram, while fully grow Aubrey was "liked" by more than 215, 000 fans with almost 4,000 comments. The rapper's tweet pegging Nelson to the cover art was retweeted nearly 2,500 times.

@RobynIsMyGal couldn't hide his enthusiasm, declaring that "Drake's New Album cover is just greatness predicted!" and @jimmyyadig agreed that it is a win, adding, "Drake's album cover for Nothing was the Same is dope and fits ...

Crazed stalkers, true love, parties and topless models. The competition for the Best Male Video award at Sunday night's 2013 MTV Video Music Awards is full of drama, and, yes, boobs.

From Robin Thicke's summer-smashing "Blurred Lines" and Justin Timberlake's cinematic "Mirrors" to Kendrick Lamar's slow-motion bottle-smasher "Swimming Pools (Drank)," Ed Sheeran's creepy doppelganger clip for "Lego House" and Bruno Mars' house party in "Locked Out of Heaven," the men are going hard this year.

While you await the winner, here's a list of our six favorite things from the nominees:

"Blurred Lines" Was Originally Even Sexier
The original version of the most talked-about video of the summer was sexy, but not that sexy. Robin Thicke thought he had a pretty cool promo for his career-best smash, but director Diane Martel knew they could do better. "I wrote the idea as a nude video and refused to do the job when they said they didn't want a nude version, that no one would see it," Martel told MTV News about the triple-nominated clip. "A week went by and they begged me to do it and said I could do a nude version, if I also did them a favor and did a dressed version. I like both versions now. I think Robin likes both too, we all do."

Sheeran Called In His "Harry Potter" Marker For "Lego House"
For years, people have been telling Sheeran that "Potter" star Rupert Grint looks exactly like him. So, looking for an opportunity to mess with all the people who've told him that over ...

Sue Sylvester isn't typically one to dole out praise, but the character's real-life alter ego took to Twitter to compliment the moving tribute episode written for co-star Cory Monteith, who died on July 13 at the age of 31.

"Just read Cory Monteith memorial episode. Most beautiful thing. Thank you, @MrRPMurphy @BFalchuk Ian Brennan," Jane Lynch tweeted Wednesday.

The actress told E! News that filming on the episode would likely begin Friday, and that it would no doubt be a struggle saying goodbye to Monteith and his character, Finn Hudson.

"It's gonna be awful," she said. "It's gonna be terrible. It has to be done but it's gonna be awful."

Although Fox president Kevin Reilly originally said the episode would "deal directly with drug addiction and with the circumstances surrounding Cory's death," showrunner Murphy later told Deadline in an interview that Finn's death would not be drug-related.

"There were a lot of things that we had to decide — how are we going to deal with his death? At one point, we were going to have his character die after an accidental drug overdose — that was something we had considered. But we have decided that we're not going to have him pass from that," Murphy said. "Basically, what we're doing in the episode is we are not telling you yet, or maybe not at all, how that character died. The idea being, how somebody died is interesting and maybe morbid, but we say very early on in the episode, 'This episode is about a celebration of ...

Sue Sylvester isn't typically one to dole out praise, but the character's real-life alter ego took to Twitter to compliment the moving tribute episode written for co-star Cory Monteith, who died on July 13 at the age of 31.

"Just read Cory Monteith memorial episode. Most beautiful thing. Thank you, @MrRPMurphy @BFalchuk Ian Brennan," Jane Lynch tweeted Wednesday.

The actress told E! News that filming on the episode would likely begin Friday, and that it would no doubt be a struggle saying goodbye to Monteith and his character, Finn Hudson.

"It's gonna be awful," she said. "It's gonna be terrible. It has to be done but it's gonna be awful."

Although Fox president Kevin Reilly originally said the episode would "deal directly with drug addiction and with the circumstances surrounding Cory's death," showrunner Murphy later told Deadline in an interview that Finn's death would not be drug-related.

"There were a lot of things that we had to decide — how are we going to deal with his death? At one point, we were going to have his character die after an accidental drug overdose — that was something we had considered. But we have decided that we're not going to have him pass from that," Murphy said. "Basically, what we're doing in the episode is we are not telling you yet, or maybe not at all, how that character died. The idea being, how somebody died is interesting and maybe morbid, but we say very early on in the episode, 'This episode is about a celebration of ...

It's ironic that a group named Flatbush Zombies are helping to breathe life into Brooklyn's hip-hop scene. Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice and Erick Arc Elliott began to make a name for themselves last year after their video for the wildly dark "Thug Waffle" spread across the Internet.

Now they the trio represents a new and diverse generation of BK MCs that include the likes Troy Ave, eXquire and Dyme-A-Duzin. Before MTV takes the 2013 Video Music Awards to the Barclays Center on Sunday, August 25, we hit the streets of Brooklyn to soak up some culture from the borough's emerging hip-hop talent. Every day this week, we'll spotlight a brand-new artist for our Brooklyn Hip-Hop Week, and the Zombies are next up.

They couldn't be more excited. "I feel made pompous when I tell people that it's the best place on earth. It's the most cultured, there is no place like this, there really isn't," Darko told MTV News.

Where I'm From
"Brooklyn; possibly means everything to me. I learned everything I need to learn from this place. From the streets to the people, words can't even describe how I love this place." — Meechy Darko "Flatbush has every culture — Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Trini, Jews." — Zombie Juice

The Brooklyn Influencers
"Mos Def, to me, his first album is the most influential hip-hop album to me." — Erick Arc Elliott

"[Fabolous'] embodiment to me is swagger; he got the tracks for the bitches... That's a core Brooklyn rapper, he can rap his ass off and he has the total ...

It's ironic that a group named Flatbush Zombies are helping to breathe life into Brooklyn's hip-hop scene. Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice and Erick Arc Elliott began to make a name for themselves last year after their video for the wildly dark "Thug Waffle" spread across the Internet.

Now they the trio represents a new and diverse generation of BK MCs that include the likes Troy Ave, eXquire and Dyme-A-Duzin. Before MTV takes the 2013 Video Music Awards to the Barclays Center on Sunday, August 25, we hit the streets of Brooklyn to soak up some culture from the borough's emerging hip-hop talent. Every day this week, we'll spotlight a brand-new artist for our Brooklyn Hip-Hop Week, and the Zombies are next up.

They couldn't be more excited. "I feel made pompous when I tell people that it's the best place on earth. It's the most cultured, there is no place like this, there really isn't," Darko told MTV News.

Where I'm From
"Brooklyn; possibly means everything to me. I learned everything I need to learn from this place. From the streets to the people, words can't even describe how I love this place." — Meechy Darko "Flatbush has every culture — Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Trini, Jews." — Zombie Juice

The Brooklyn Influencers
"Mos Def, to me, his first album is the most influential hip-hop album to me." — Erick Arc Elliott

"[Fabolous'] embodiment to me is swagger; he got the tracks for the bitches... That's a core Brooklyn rapper, he can rap his ass off and he has the total ...

From the puppet strings in *NSync's "Bye Bye Bye" to the Backstreet Boys' synchronous pelvic thrusts, a boy band wasn't a boy band without killer choreography. But in their upcoming 3-D documentary, One Direction are cutting the strings off that tradition and letting loose.

The fivesome just released a brand new clip for the film, which finally hits theaters August 30, just five days after they make an appearance at the 2013 Video Music Awards, where they are up for the coveted Moonman for Best Song of the Summer for "Best Song Ever."

The guys recently told MTV News the Morgan Spurlock-directed documentary will show "a bit more" about them, and the new sneak peek proves that. It takes fans inside a day of 1D rehearsals -- and not a gram of blood, sweat or tears is shed.

In fact, the guys don't seem to be getting much of anything done. Harry -- shirtless, of course -- gallops around aimlessly in a beanie, Liam teaches his bandmates the art of the Dinosaur dance move -- not to be confused with the more feminine Chicken -- and Niall keeps doing some sort of weird thing with his arm.

In essence, it's 1D being 1D. And it's met by both frustration and amusement from their choreographer. "They hate dancing with a passion," he said. "It really takes it to a whole sort of different level."

But "different," according to Louis, is exactly what they strive for.

"Right from the start, we were always very vocal we couldn't do the boy-band stereotypes ...

When it comes to pampering guests at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, we go all out. From a plush red carpet to arrive on to a big basket of gifts, celebrities like One Direction, Lady Gaga and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will get a special treatment. And with one simple tweet, you can get in on the action too.

To win the same goodies the stars are getting, watch our All Access live stream and tweet @MTVNews with music video suggestions for us to play. You're the VJ during our 24-hour live stream, from Wednesday through Saturday. Just make sure your video requests are VMA-nominated (check here for the whole list). Use the hashtag #VMAallaccess, and you are in the running for a gift bag.

(Don't forget to read the rules here!)

Since the VMAs are in the great borough of Brooklyn this year, all the items in the gift bag are BK-themed. You'll get official Brooklyn Nets apparel, H. Fox & Co. chocolate flavor syrup, Ovenly bar snacks and a certificate to indoor cycling studio SoulCycle, all of which call Brooklyn home. From shoes to skincare to salty snacks, we have you covered. Now start tweeting!

Here's the complete list of stuff:
» Ballasox Shoes
» Ending Addiction for Good (Mastel) book
» Blue-Glue Bikini
» Brooklyn Nets apparel item
» H Fox & Co chocolate syrup
» Harvest Snaps snacks
» Hello Breath Spray
» Invitation Consultants notecards
» Junk Food Clothing Yo MTV Rocks t-shirt
» Coty Killer Queen- Katy Perry fragrance
» Koehler showerhead
» KSH Couture pocket square
» Logitech Color Collection Eye Candy Color ...