Buzziest Moments From The 2011 Video Music Awards

The MTV Video Music Awards is one of the few award shows where wacky antics are expected and encouraged. This year was no exception. Among the standout moments: Beyonce's baby bump rub, Justin Bieber's appearance with his pet snake and a Lady Gaga-Britney Spears kiss, with Gaga dressed as a man.

To present Spears with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, Lady Gaga dressed as her drag king alter-ego Jo Calderone. When Spears walked on stage, the two shared a polite smooch. A few minutes later, Gaga tried to recreate Spears' infamous 2003 Madonna liplock, but Spears pulled away saying she had already done that. Gaga looked disappointed.

Singer Selena Gomez, who helped host the pre-show, had one of the most anticipated interviews with her own boyfriend, Justin Bieber. As she tried to interview him, Bieber (who sported specs) tried to throw her off by holding a small snake in his hand (which he said is named "Johnson"). After she was done asking questions, he sweetly kissed her on the cheek.

As for weird outfits, Nicki Minaj set the bar, sporting a Japanese Kawaii raver-meets-Hannibal Lecter look, with a geometric metal armored dress and graffiti face mask. She also had a creepy accessory: A monster doll.

Chris Brown delivered a memorable performance, during which he covered the 1993 Wu-Tang Clan classic "Protect Ya Neck," as well as Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." He was then elevated high above the crowd on a wire and did back-flips and splits in the air.

Another weird moment occurred when Gaga (still in drag) went to accept "Best Female Video." She was presented with the award by the Jersey Shore ladies and actress Cloris Leachman. Gaga inexplicably put the 85-year-old Leachman in a headlock before giving her speech.

But the night belonged to Beyoncé, who had announced her pregnancy on the red carpet. During the middle of the show, she belted out "Love On Top." At the end of the performance, she rubbed her belly as her usually-serious husband, rapper Jay-Z, jumped out of his chair and cheered in the audience with Kanye West.

Katy Perry took home Video of the Year for "Firework" and donned what looked like a giant cheese square on her head to accept the award. Paired with Lady Gaga's 2010 meat dress, Perry's get-up might've made a nice appetizer tray.

Hilary Duff Is Pregnant With First Child!

Hilary Duff's first wedding anniversary is extra sweet: she and Mike Comrie announced they are expecting a baby!

"This weekend, Mike and I are celebrating our one year anniversary! In memory of the special day, we decided to post some of our favorite pictures from our wedding!" she wrote on her official website Sunday.

"I can't believe it has already been a year. Time really flies when you're having fun! We also want to share the exciting news that baby makes three! We are extremely happy and ready to start this new chapter of our lives. Thanks to everyone for the continued love and support throughout the years!"

Duff, 23, wed pro hockey player Comrie, 30, on August 14, 2010 in an intimate sunset ceremony at a $29 million estate near the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif.

"We both love kids and we're really excited," Duff told Us Weekly Wednesday at the Kendra Scott jewelry event in L.A., just days before sharing her pregnancy news with the world. "It was a big deal for us because we had a year to be married."

Jennifer Lopez And Marc Anthony Split

Jenny's back on the singles block.

After seven years of marriage, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have separated, their rep tells Us Weekly exclusively.

"We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision. We have come to amicable conclusion on all matters," they said in a statement. "It is a painful time for all involved, and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time."

The couple are parents to three-year-old twins Max and Emme.

Crooner Anthony, 42, was conspicuously absent at Saturday's star-packed BAFTA Brits to Watch bash in L.A., where wife Lopez, 40, met Prince William and Duchess Kate with mom Guadalupe as her date.

Friends for years, Lopez and Anthony dated briefly in the 1990s. They stepped out again as a couple in early 2004, shortly after Lopez's broken engagement from Ben Affleck, and in the midst of Anthony's divorce from first wife, former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres. They wed at a quiet home wedding in June 2004.

Just last year, they renewed their wedding vows for their sixth anniversary at their Hidden Hills, Calif. estate June 5. "We realized the bets in Vegas [on whether we'd make it] stopped at five years," Anthony joked to Us at the time. (The duo also renewed their vows in 2008, and playfully dirty-danced together at Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood bash in April 2010.)

And as recently as January, singer, actress and American Idol judge Lopez gushed on the Ellen DeGeneres Show about being a parent with Anthony. "As soon as I had the babies, I thought to myself, 'I want to do this a thousand more times...I love this. This is life."

Anthony and first wife Torres share sons Cristin, 10, and Ryan, 7. Lopez (who famously dated Sean Combs in addition to Affleck), had been married twice before: to restauranteur Ojani Noa (they split in 1998) and former backup dancer Cris Judd, to whom she was married from 2001 to 2003.

Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' jacket sells for $1.8 million at auction

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" jacket sold for $1.8 million at this weekend's Julien's auction in Beverly Hills, California.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: One of Jackson's crystal-covered gloves sells for $330,000, 10 times the estimate
• A bidder pays $1.8 million for the red and black jacket that he made famous in "Thriller"
• Other items auctioned this weekend were from Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra and Elvis
• The cape that the Beatles' Ringo Starr wore in "Help!" sold for $37,500

(Aladdin Blog) -- In an auction featuring memorabilia from the Beatles, Madonna and Elvis Presley, it was Michael Jackson who proved to be king.

The red and black jacket, winged shoulders and all, that the late pop star wore during his zombie-ridden "Thriller" video fetched a $1.8 million bid at this weekend's Julien's auction in Beverly Hills, California, according to the auctioneer's website.

The winning price was exponentially above the estimated bid of $200,000 to $400,000. Part of the proceeds will go toward the Shambala Preserve where Jackson's two Bengal tigers, Thriller and Sabu, have been living the past five years.

The jacket had been given to Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush, the singer's longtime costume designers, to use as a reference for concert performances of the "Thriller" song. It includes an inscription to them on the jacket's lining, and the sleeve is signed, "Love Michael Jackson."

Its sale came exactly two years after the then 50-year-old Jackson was killed by a surgical anesthetic called Propofol, which a Los Angeles coroner ruled killed the singer in combination with several sedatives found in his blood.

The jacket wasn't the only piece of history from the late King of Pop that was part of the auction. The signature fedora Jackson wore during his Bad Tour was sold for $16,250, a handwritten note to friend Elizabeth Taylor went for $5,625 and a signed pillowcase fetched $3,584. And a bidder paid out $330,000 -- more than 10 times what Julien's had expected to get -- for one of the famous, shiny, crystal-covered gloves that Jackson wore during the 1980s.

"Michael Jackson has an unbelievable fan base," Darren Julien, the auction house's president, told CNN earlier this month.

Other pieces of history, from other members of music royalty, were also featured at the auction. While gold records and instruments were common items, others were more practical -- like Frank Sinatra's boots (selling for $2,500) and his 1986 Jaguar car ($19,000). as well as the U.S. Army-issued sewing kit of Elvis Presley's that went for $1,536.

The King of Pop's closest competition at the auction was the Beatles, which had a number of items for sale. A signed postcard from Liverpool's finest sold for $5,504 and Paul McCartney's bass guitar fetched $14,080. But oft-diminished drummer Ringo may have gotten the last laugh, with the cape he wore in the movie "Help!" selling for $37,500 -- about five times the estimate.

Source: CNN Entertainment

Gaga Goes Bald & Beautiful For "Hair" Performance

Lady Gaga is known for her colorful collection of wild wigs, but for a recent performance on Britain's "The Paul O'Grady Show"--ironically of her Born This Way track "Hair"--she went hairless, startling fans by sporting a boldly bald new look. Perhaps after rocking every outrageous hair style and color imaginable since her hair-raising rise to fame in 2008, Gaga felt there was nothing left to do that could shock her fanbase except wearing no hair
at all.

And the stunt worked. The spectacle of seeing a glam icon so associated with crazy hairdos belting out "I'm as free as my hair" while appearing totally hair-free was a shocker, and it wasn't long before "Bald Gaga" was a top trending topic on Twitter.

Well, Gaga wasn't entirely hair-free for her pre-taped "O'Grady" performance: Her piano was blanketed in synthetic hair, and from the neck down she was swathed in a dress that appeared to be fashioned out of turquoise Muppet follicles. And about halfway through her song, she reached for a matching blue pageboy wig, which was sitting atop her piano, and positioned it on her bare head.

While concerned fans feared that Gaga had pulled a Britney and shaved her scalp on a whim, a closer look at her "O'Grady" footage indicates she just wore a bald skullcap on the show. (Calls to Gaga's record label were not returned at press time.) But only her hairdresser knows for sure.

What do you think of Lady Gaga's bare new look?

Lady Gaga's sister makes red carpet debut

Lady Gaga's 10-inch platform shoes, spiked bustier, and turquoise wig weren't the only things that got the Web talking this week when she arrived at the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America Awards (CFDA) in New York to pick up her style-icon honor. The woman in black who escorted her across the red carpet also sparked a buzz.

The woman's name is Natali Germanotta, and she is Lady Gaga's 19-year-old sister. Natali bears a strong resemblance to the sibling six years her senior. Dressed in a simple pants suit, gold necklace, bustier, and black lipstick, Natali looks like Lady Gaga without the rock star costumes and hair.

Natali has been photographed at other Gaga events. She was in the front row when Lady Gaga performed on "Today" last year. And she even has a cameo in the epic Lady Gaga and Beyonce video "Telephone." In the video, when Lady Gaga enters the jail holding cell, she stands directly beside then-17-year-old Natali, who is wearing dark shades and big '80s hair.

Months after the "Telephone" video debuted, Gaga made news when attending Natali's high school graduation.

Based on the activity on her @germmonster318 Twitter page, Natali seems to live a regular life. She tweets about college. She's a first-year fashion design student at Parsons design school in New York. Her profile picture is from a flick with her boyfriend. In her 99 tweets to date, she comments about college, missing her girls from high school, and going to Pinkberry with her mom, and sometimes she sends love to her world-famous sister.

The night Gaga entered the Grammys in an egg, Natali sent her support. "My little fetus in the egg is gonna kill it tonight," she tweeted. She later added, "Couldn't ask for a better person for me to call my sister and best friend," she wrote. "@ladygaga- stefi, I love you with all my heart an I am so proud of you. X."

In January, Natali revealed her favorite Gaga song, a mellow '80s dance track called "So Happy I Could Die" from "The Fame Monster." Lady Gaga's fans love Natali, too. They send her messages about Gaga. When Natali tweeted that she needed more followers, Perez Hilton responded and helped spread the word.

That's Really Week is definitely impressed by the sisterhood between these ladies. And there's more good music news this week. Aerosmith announced that its returning to the studio to record its first album in 10 years. Ludacris made a surprise appearance during Jason Aldean's performance on the CMT Awards. Gwen Stefani fans weren't so happy, though, to hear that she would no longer pursue her solo career. And lastly, Flo Rida was charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.

Get more details on these stories in the links below. Flo Rida tried to talk his way out of the citation, and we have an excerpt of the hilarious quote. Be sure to check back next week for another news roundup.

Eminem Audi A6 Avant Video Is Not An Advertisement, Audi Spokesperson Says

A U.S. spokesperson for Audi has responded to the lawsuit filed in Hamburg Regional Court in Germany this week by Eight Mile Style LLC, Eminem's publishing company. The German automobile manufacturer is being sued for using an unauthorized sample of Eminem's Academy Award-winning song "Lose Yourself" from his film "8 Mile."

The Audi spokesperson told Yahoo! Music that the video that has sparked the debate is not a commercial. "The video referred to is not an advertisement," he said via email. "Also, this does not involve Audi of America. The video was not shown here in the U.S." The spokesperson added that due to the legal nature of the matter, he could not comment further.

In the European spot for the 2012 Audi A6 Avant, a professionally-dressed man drives the luxury vehicle through a city as the memorable guitar rift and snare taps from "Lose Yourself" play in the background.

The song choice and the video concept have also drawn comparisons to a 2011 Super Bowl advertisement Eminem made for Chrysler.

"We believe Audi not only used 'Lose Yourself' to sell their product without permission, but their spot actually feels inspired by elements of Chrysler's commercial campaign," a spokesperson for Eight Mile Style told Billboard.

In Eminem's advertisement for the Chrysler 200, a faceless driver tours Detroit, showing both the rundown and flourishing parts of the city. The marquee on the town's landmark Fox Theater reads, "Keep Detroit Beautiful," a reference to Eminem's 2009 song "Beautiful." The rapper is revealed as the driver of the car.

The 2012 Audi A6 clip is a more pristine version of the Chrysler 200 spot.

According to Billboard, Chrysler had not announced any plans to also file a suit against Audi.

Eminem wasn't the only pop star involved in a conflict this week. His "Love The Way You Lie" duet partner Rihanna received flack for her violent new video, "Man Down." But otherwise, other A-list musicians had a more positive week. Lady Gaga sold more than one million copies of her "Born This Way" album. Pink and her husband, Carey Hart, welcomed the birth of their baby girl. And Kanye West paid respects to the late iconic poet Gil Scott Herron by performing at his funeral.

Find additional details on these stories in the links below. Be sure to check back next week for more of the best music news. See you then.

Rihanna Receives Online Backlash After Following Chris Brown On Twitter

Rihanna/Chris BrownComposed by AccessHollywood.comAccess Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Rihanna added ex-boyfriend Chris Brown to the list of people she follows on Twitter on Friday, and shortly thereafter, Brown added Rihanna to his list in return - a move that had the "S&M" singer's fans instantly concerned.

"LOUD era is over... @chrisbrown is in the game again... Welcome back RATED R era ):," Rihanna fan iStan4Rihanna_ Tweeted on Friday.

The 23-year-old Barbados-born beauty had been prohibited from having contact with her R&B star ex until recently, when a judge lifted the restraining order against Brown.

However, Riri was quick to fight back against her fans' online hints that the estranged pair may reunite.

"Its [expletive] twitter, not the alter!" she Tweeted on Saturday. "Calm down."

"Ive wanted @rihanna to tweet me all my life, shes my idol, and she tweetd me somethng bad ):" iStan4Rihanna Tweeted in response.

After a flurry of messages defending the concerned Twitter user, Rihanna was quick to apologize to the disappointed fan, as well as to her legions of followers whom she fondly refers to as her "Navy."

"babygirl I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt or offend u!... Just needed to make it clear to the Navy! I still Stan for u xoxo," she Tweeted, using a portion of the Twitter user's name -- "Stan" -- in place of "stand."

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Rihanna recently revealed that she felt she didn't seek enough help from a therapist after finding herself the victim of domestic violence in 2009 at the hands of then-boyfriend Brown.

"I don't think I saw her enough," she told Rolling Stone magazine's April 14 issue, regarding the therapist she said she visited just one time following the incident. "I was like, 'You can't help me. I have to understand myself first.' A lot of it was talking out my story in my head, pretending it was somebody else. I started to judge it for what it really was, instead of being biased by my heart."

'Dougie' rapper M-Bone slain in Calif. drive-by

AP – In this photo taken Oct.,1, 2010, M-Bone of Cali Swag District performs during rehearsals for the BET

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – M-Bone of the rap group Cali Swag District, which scored a hit last year with the song "Teach Me How to Dougie," was killed in a weekend drive-by shooting as he sat in a car outside a liquor store, police said Monday.

The 22-year-old Inglewood man, whose real name is Mante Ray Talbert, was sitting in the driver's seat of his car shortly after 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

"Another car pulled alongside, gunshots were fired, and the victim was struck twice in the head," Lt. James Madia said. A man sitting in the passenger seat of Talbert's car was not injured, Lt. Gabriel Garcia said.

Talbert was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Lt. Steve Overly said the motive for the attack was under investigation. Several theories have been put forward on social media sites and detectives were following up on some of those to see if they were credible, he said.

Talbert was "the victim of a random act of violence," Cali Swag District's publicist Greg Miller said in a statement.

"He was a hardworking, passionate artist and dancer that will be deeply missed," Miller said.

Witnesses gave varying descriptions of the fleeing car, Madia said.

Bandmate C-Smoove tweeted Monday that his life changed drastically in the blink of an eye, and added "rip mbone."

"He was the life of the group," C-Smoove told KABC-TV as he wiped away tears with his shirt. "He made us laugh, he was the energy."

Dozens of friends, fans and family members gathered outside the liquor store Monday evening and held a vigil for Talbert.

Cali Swag District's hit "Teach Me How to Dougie" is based on the "Dougie" dance, which first appeared in Texas and is noted for its leaning stances, shoulder and arm movements.

The dance was not only performed in dance clubs and the streets but by celebrities as well, from Wolf Blitzer to Washington Wizards star John Wall; even first lady Michelle Obama recently performed the dance as part of her "Let's Move" initiative.

"Teach Me How to Dougie" spent several months in the top 10 of Billboard's hot rap songs. The group also performed the dance on several television shows.

(This version CORRECTS that Talbert was not alone in the car when shot.)

Tupac's Next Posthumous Release: A Screenplay

Tupac Shakur was many things in his short lifetime: rapper, actor, poet, dancer... and apparently a screenwriter. A screenplay written by Shakur called Live 2 Tell has been given the quick green light by NStar Studios after sitting on a shelf for the past 16 years. The title may make it sound like Tupac wrote a Madonna biopic, but Live 2 Tell is the story of "a teenage drug lord and his efforts to leave a life of crime," according to Variety. Sounds thematically similar to films like Juice and Above the Rim that Tupac had once starred. Shakur reportedly wrote the screenplay while he was locked up for 11 months at New York's Clinton Correctional Facility in 1995.

Tupac's mother Afeni Shakur will serve as an executive producer on the film alongside Tupac: Resurrection director Preston Holmes and Hustle and Flow producer Dwight Williams. It's still unclear how a Tupac screenplay could just be laying around for a decade and a half without anyone taking charge, but we guess the important thing is that it's at least being made now. Holmes reportedly had been trying to acquire the screenplay ever since Tupac was working on it in prison. Producers estimate the film will have an $11 million budget and begin production in the first quarter of 2012.

[Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage.com]

Bieber raises thousands for water charity to mark 17th birthday

Justin Bieber is appealing to his fans to donate money to charity to mark his 17th birthday on Tuesday.

Bieber raises thousands for water charity to mark 17th birthday

The Baby hitmaker is forgoing gifts from his devoted fanbase in a bid to raise cash for Charity: Water, a non-profit organisation bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

In a post on his fundraising page, he writes, "I have had an incredible year and it is all due to the fans helping me live my dream. So this year, I really want my birthday to be all about helping others. Instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking friends, family and fans to consider donating $17 for my 17th birthday to help make a change.

"Did you know that about 4,500 kids die each day from waterborne disease? By building clean water projects for villages that need them, we can prevent this! 100% of all donations go directly to building clean water projects in developing countries with charity: water, and we'll be able to see photos and GPS of the projects we helped build! I want to make my birthday matter this year - let's make it so more kids can grow up to have a 17th birthday like me. Join me to make a change.

"I'm really so grateful for my family, friends and fans - and I believe we can do something big to help bring clean water to people in need. Even if you don't have $17 to give I just ask you to go out in your community and try and make a positive difference. Even the smallest act of kindness can go a long way."

Bieber set his fundraising target at £11,333 - and had already smashed his aim by Monday night.

Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" Premieres Exclusively on Vevo

Lady Gaga fans, prepare to have the misty veil of mundanity ripped off of your Monday: The video for Gaga's hit single, "Born This Way," will be premiering exclusively on Vevo at 11 a.m. EST today.

The video will be available at Vevo.com, Vevo Mobile (apps for Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch) and Vevo on YouTube.

Gaga has already been crowned the queen of iTunes, as “Born This Way” is the fastest-selling single ever to grace Apple’s iTunes store worldwide.

The song pulled in more than 1 million downloads in five days and hit the number one spot on iTunes in 23 countries, according to Apple.

Judging by those numbers, the premiere of the accompanying video could produce comparable results, perhaps even helping Gaga wrest away the crown from the pop princeling himself, Justin Bieber, when it comes to YouTube and Vevo views.

Gaga still sits at number two on the most-viewed videos of all time list on YouTube and Vevo.

Reggae star Buju Banton faces life in US prison

AP – FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2003 file photo, Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton poses at the Source Hip-Hop …

By JENNIFER KAY, Associated Press Jennifer Kay, Associated Press – Sun Feb 13, 7:38 pm ET

MIAMI – Grammy-winning singer Buju Banton checked out some cocaine, put some on his finger and tasted it — all of it caught on law enforcement video inside a Florida warehouse. Now he has another chance to explain why.

His second trial is scheduled to begin Monday, just a day after his 2010 album "Before the Dawn" won the Grammy award for best reggae album. The trial comes five months after a previous jury hung on federal drug trafficking charges that could put him in prison for life.

Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, claims he was entrapped by a confidential informant and got in over his head while trying to impress the man, who implied he could help Banton's music career. The U.S. government says Banton conspired with two associates to buy a shipment of cocaine from an undercover officer.

The two other men pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with investigators. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled next month.

Banton, 37, was arrested in December 2009 at his Miami-area home.

He remained in custody until November, when another Jamaican singer, Stephen Marley, reggae legend Bob Marley's son, posted his South Florida home as bond. Banton has been on house arrest except for a Miami concert last month to raise money for legal expenses.

Federal prosecutors initially charged Banton with drug conspiracy and gun charges, and in November added two more drug-related charges.

"Buju is not guilty. The number of charges doesn't change that," Banton's attorney, David Markus, said in an e-mail. "The prosecution wasn't happy with the first trial, so now it is trying to throw as many charges against the wall in the hopes something sticks."

Markus has argued the singer, who rose from the slums of Kingston to massive success in the 1990s, was a victim of entrapment by an informant who's been paid $3.3 million for working with law enforcement over several years.

During his first trial, the Rastafarian singer, his long dreadlocks tied in a braid, testifed that he talked a lot about cocaine with the informant, Alexander Johnson. But he said he was only trying to impress the man, who claimed to have music industry connections. He said he had no interest in buying or selling drugs.

"I talk too much, but I am not a drug dealer," Banton said on the stand.

In excerpts from their recorded conversations from July 2009 through December 2009 that were played for the jury, the husky-voiced singer told Johnson that he financed drug deals and that he wanted to sell drugs in Europe, buy drugs from the Caribbean and South America, and use Johnson's boat to transport drugs. The men met on a trans-Atlantic flight at the end of Banton's European tour for his album "Rasta Got Soul."

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Preston argued Banton's conversations with the informant put the conspiracy into motion. Banton testified that he never wanted nor expected Johnson to set up a cocaine deal, despite what he said in the recordings.

Johnson testified that he surprised Banton with cocaine at an undercover police warehouse in Sarasota on Dec. 8, 2009. Surveillance video shows Banton tasting the drugs.

The singer was not present two days later when his two associates, Ian Thomas and James Mack, were caught on video trying to buy the drugs at the warehouse.

His Grammy-winning album's 10 songs were recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, before his arrest. The singer worked with producers and engineers over the phone from jail to finish the album before its September release.

In an e-mail from his manager last week, Banton thanked his fans for their support and celebrated his fifth Grammy nomination.

"'Before The Dawn' is a prophetic album and if it happens to win I am grateful," Banton said. "If it doesn't, I still say thanks for the appreciation and the recognition because music is an art form that cannot be denied by any living soul. Music is my life."

In Jamaica, some fans have theorized Banton was framed by the U.S. government or gay activists who have protested violent, homophobic lyrics from early in Banton's career as a brash dancehall singer. Shows in several U.S. cities were canceled on his 2009 tour because of the protests.

Banton jabbed at his detractors during his Jan. 16 performance in Miami, referencing one of his controversial songs and the messiah of his Rastafarian faith.

He said: "Why they want to see Buju Banton cry? Is it because I said 'Boom Bye Bye'? Is it because I say Selassie I? Is it because I'm black and not shy?"

Bruno Mars Cuts Deal to Clear Cocaine Conviction

Super hot R & B sensation Bruno Mars is said to be trying to cut a deal on pending cocaine possession charges ahead of this years Grammys, as he is nominated for 7 awards and would love to attend without the shadow of scandal hanging over his head.

The talented singing sensation is due to appear in a Las Vegas court room this week where sources say he will plead guilty to the charge that he was in possession of cocaine at the Hard Rock Cafe last year. It is believed that as he is a first time offender he will be able to pay a fine and be placed on probation rather than face any jail time. If he manages to stay out of trouble for a year, all records of the conviction would be wiped from his official record (not that it matter because the whole world followed the story)

The 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans' creator, taken into custody last September after he was caught with the narcotics in a bathroom stall at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, entered a plea deal with Nevada's Clark County District Attorney's Office. According to TMZ, the D.A. has agreed to a "deferred adjudication"--if Mars steers clear of trouble for 12 months and performs 200 hours of community service, the conviction will be dropped.

As part of the deal, orchestrated by attorney Blair Berk along with prosecutors, the seven-time Grammy nominee will undergo private counseling in addition to performing community service. The felony will be officially dismissed at the close of the 12 months.

Next month, Bruno will team with B.o.B. and Janelle Monáe to perform a collaborative set at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, airing live on Feb. 13 at 8PM on CBS

Kanye West's 'Imma Let You Finish' Britney Tweets Divide Fans

Maybe it was a bad idea for Kanye West to make light of the Taylor Swift incident in a comical note he sent to Britney Spears Friday via Twitter.

Last Tuesday, Spears released a new song "Hold It Against Me," and it immediately reached No. 1 on iTunes. Ironically, West and Jay-Z dropped a new track, "H.A.M.," the same day, and it came in at No. 2.

West's acknowledgment of Spears' chart victory sparked a wave of reaction from both West and Spears fans. "Yo Britney, I'm really happy for you and I'mma let you be #1, but me and Jay-Z single is one of the best songs of all time! LOL," the controversial rapper wrote on his Twitter page.

Many West fans found humor in the message. "I LOLed at the 'I'm happy for you' you tweeted at Britney," Imoh "Im0h" Dexter Emah said to West via Twitter. "Nice to know you can make fun of yourself."

While Twitter was flooded with comments from fans who understood the joke, many took offense. Numerous profanity-filled tweets condemned West for again attacking a female pop singer.

"Did u ever really think u could touch Britney in sales?" Andrew "thekingofpop" Quintal wrote. "Go back 2 the dumpster u came from."

West's Spears tweet was later deleted from his page, likely due to the backlash. He explained himself in a subsequent post.

"I thought LOL signified a joke," West replied on Friday. "I didn't get the 2011 LOL doesn't signify a joke anymore memo ... LOL or something else I guess."

Fortunately, camp Spears made an effort to diffuse the situation. "Thanks for ‘letting' us be #1. Much appreciated ... " Spears' manager Adam Leber wrote on the "Toxic" singer's Twitter page.

West is a media genius. He knew this joke would prompt such an outcry. The Swift reference may have been in poor taste, but it was funny. Any good comedian will tell you that you never sacrifice a good joke for potential backlash. It comes with the territory.

Kanye, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Pharrell's Multi-Million-Dollar Homes

If you had a $14 million budget for a real estate purchase, how would you spend it? If you live a hip-hop lifestyle, you might first consider how rap luminaries Pharrell Williams, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West have spent their riches.

This week's photos of Williams' Miami high-rise prompted Curbed National to do a wrap-up of some of the year's news making hip-hop cribs.

IT PAYS TO BE A N.E.R.D. Considering N.E.R.D. frontman Pharrell Williams is known for his colorful Ice Cream brand outfits, it makes sense that his Miami penthouse also has a playful decor. He has a painting of "Family Guy" character Stewie, as well as oversized cartoon figures and a Perspective chair (which he designed) with human-like legs, toes, and all. But these are just the accessories. The massive $14 million abode, photographed by Todd Selby, has an arrowhead-shaped pool, spiral staircase, and view of the coastal shore. It is definitely fit for the head of an entity called the Billionaire Boys Club. (See more pictures at The Selby.)

KANYE'S BEAUTIFUL FANTASY COMES TRUE Kanye West also displayed cartoon elements in the decorations of a Hollywood apartment he put up for sale last spring for $4 million, New York Magazine reported. The room photographed is lined with Jetsons art, and, like the futuristic cartoon, is heavy on the remote-controlled features. But West did not let the designers finish the place without adorning the dining room ceiling with a depiction of himself as an angel.

WHEN DIDDY'S NOT ON THE LAST TRAIN TO PARIS Sean "Diddy" Combs opted for a sleeker and more serious feel for a lounging area of his newest New York City property. Designed by Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, the clean, modern look relied on neutral colors -- silver, smoke, cream, and glass -- mirrored tables and vases.

LIL WAYNE'S YOUNG MONEY GOES A LONG WAY Surprisingly, animated hip-hop superstar Lil Wayne has the most conservative design for his home. Like Diddy, Wayne used a light palette in one of the rooms. One of the most striking features of the $14 million home located in La Gorce Island, Miami Beach is a wall lined with floor-to-ceiling windows. Click here to see more photos in Business Insider.

AN APARTMENT FOR THE COMMON MAN If you live in Chicago and aspire to live like a rapper but don't quite have the budget, you might one day be able to rent one of Common's high-rise apartments. One of the Coldwell Banker listings, a two-bedroom, 1,200 square foot home, was recently available for rent for $2,200 per month. That's a good deal, considering that it comes with granite countertops in the kitchen, stainless steel appliances, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a view of a museum.

Rihanna Genuinely Happier With Matt Kemp

Rihanna is the poster girl for bouncing back. It's been 20 months since her heated verbal exchange with former beau Chris Brown turned violent, and she is already preparing the release of her second post-incident album, "Loud." Romantically, she is blissfully happy in a relationship with her Los Angeles Dodgers boyfriend Matt Kemp.

Rihanna is genuinely giddy this time around, she reveals in a cover story in the December 2010 issue of Marie Claire UK. Access Hollywood reported that she told the magazine, "I feel like I smile for real this time. The smiles come from inside, and it exudes in everything I do. People feel my energy is different. When I smile they can tell that it's pure bliss and not just a cover up."

The "Only Girl (In The World)" singer said she knew when her tumultuous relationship with Brown had come to an end.

"One day, I remember I was in New York at the Trump Hotel and I woke up and I just knew I was over it," she said.

But Rihanna believes the altercation happened for a reason. "God has a crazy way of working, and sometimes when stuff happens you feel like, 'What did I do to deserve this? Why was it backfiring on me?'" she said, according to an Us magazine report. "But, I needed that wake-up call in my life. I needed a turning point, and that's what God was giving to me. All [of] this terrible stuff they say to you, it breaks you down."

Brown, on the other hand, has also experienced his own turning point. Since the felony assault, his career has plummeted until recently. His introspective ballad "Deuces" reached No. 1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was recently remixed with guest vocals from hip-hop elite Kanye West, T.I., Andre 3000, and Drake.

Brown is feeling better these days, he told Access Hollywood. "Everything [is] good, I'm definitely - me personally and mentally - I'm a great guy now," he said. "Definitely just a person who's promoting positivity all the time, so that's just me," he said.

Brown added that he is also working on recording music. "The new album is called ‘F.A.M.E.': Forgiving All My Enemies. Basically, just being able to witness my success, failure and success again," he said. "Being able to see me going from my best times to my worst times and being able to overcome it and growing [in]to a man, as I was doing it."

Last Saturday, Celine Dion gave birth to twin boys, but fans were saddened to learn that Dion actually lost a third child during her pregnancy with multiples. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon shared their good news, that they were expecting a baby this spring. And Billy Ray Cyrus and wife Tish filed for divorce.

There's been so much baby and couple news over the last few weeks. Let's cross our fingers that next week will yield a good-old fashioned rock star feud. See you then.

Jessica Simpson Admits She Often Think About Suicide

JESSICA Simpson admits she often wants to “surrender and give up”.

The singer/actress and TV host talked to USA Today about her love life, self-esteem and the endless scrutiny surrounding her weight.

“Many times I wanted to surrender and give up,” she said.

“But I have a calling in my life. And if I have to go through that scrutiny, I will.

“I went through a really hard time a couple years back with people just harping on the pressure of how to look perfect, obviously using me and my weight. It was a tabloid frenzy.

“I feel like people are constantly curious as to how much I weigh or what I look like or what I wear…There’s no way you’re not going to be affected by the ugly things people say about you. It’s very hurtful. It definitely brings up a lot of your own insecurities. It takes a great family and wonderful friends—and love definitely helps, too—to get through it.”

Simpson — who started dating NFL football player Eric Johnson in June — recently admitted she’s an emotional eater.

“When I’m sad, I want to eat, but when I’m happy, I don’t really think about it,” she said.

“When I’m hungry I’ll eat. When I’m not hungry, I won’t.

“I’m not that much of a calorie counter, but I do think about it. I’m from Texas, so I love everything fried. I’ll give myself a cheat day every week.

“I believe it’s important to not say, ‘I can’t have this’. I think there’s ways to do things in moderation … you definitely have to eat things you love.”

Fashion Faceoff: Khloe vs. Kim

We all know the Kardashian clan likes to share everything from their colorful opinions to waxing tips with each other, but they're generally pretty territorial when it comes to their clothes. So to see Kim and Khloe both sporting the same Bebe bandage dress within days of each other comes as a bit of a shock. This fashion battle pits sister against sister ... and you know those Kardashian girls fight dirty!

Khloe Kardashian in Hollywood, September 21, 2010. Michael Buckner/Getty Images Kim Kardashian in Los Angeles, September 24, 2010. Maciel-WL/X17online.com

Mrs. Khloe Kardashian Odom was first spotted wearing the form-fitting frock on September 21 at the AXE Music "One Night Only" Concert Series in Hollywood. The 5'10" reality star accessorized with classic bumps, a slim clutch, and long, loose locks.

We all know the Kardashian clan likes to share everything from their colorful opinions to waxing tips with each other, but they're generally pretty territorial when it comes to their clothes. So to see Kim and Khloe both sporting the same Bebe bandage dress within days of each other comes as a bit of a shock. This fashion battle pits sister against sister ... and you know those Kardashian girls fight dirty!

Khloe Kardashian in Hollywood, September 21, 2010. Michael Buckner/Getty Images Kim Kardashian in Los Angeles, September 24, 2010. Maciel-WL/X17online.com

Mrs. Khloe Kardashian Odom was first spotted wearing the form-fitting frock on September 21 at the AXE Music "One Night Only" Concert Series in Hollywood. The 5'10" reality star accessorized with classic bumps, a slim clutch, and long, loose locks.

Just three days later, her big sister Kim -- who's all of 5'2" -- wore a matching bandage mini with a subtly different color scheme. Kim paired her dress with leopard-print peep-toe heels and a black clutch.

OK, the dress is from the Kardashian by Bebe collection, so that explains why Kim would be willing to be seen out in the same frock as Khloe in the same week. The dark gray flatters Khloe's figure -- and she looks cute -- but Kim seriously fills the dress out in all the right places, so for me, she's the clear winner.

Just three days later, her big sister Kim -- who's all of 5'2" -- wore a matching bandage mini with a subtly different color scheme. Kim paired her dress with leopard-print peep-toe heels and a black clutch.

OK, the dress is from the Kardashian by Bebe collection, so that explains why Kim would be willing to be seen out in the same frock as Khloe in the same week. The dark gray flatters Khloe's figure -- and she looks cute -- but Kim seriously fills the dress out in all the right places, so for me, she's the clear winner.

Rapper T.I., wife arrested on drug charges

AP – FILE - Rapper T.I. whose real name is Clifford Harris speaks to reporters outside the Richard B. Russell …

LOS ANGELES – Rapper T.I. and wife Tameka Cottle were arrested late Wednesday night on drug charges after police smelled alleged marijuana coming from their car, authorities said.

The arrests for possession of a controlled substance occurred on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood during a traffic stop, Los Angeles sheriff's deputy Mark Pope told The Associated Press.

"Deputies smelled a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle," the department said. "A narcotics investigation ensued" that resulted in the arrests.

The department's media office said it didn't yet have details on which specific drug the possession charge concerned.

The arrests reflect that last week of socialite Paris Hilton, whose is being investigated for felony cocaine possession after a motorcycle officer smelled pot wafting from her car.

The Atlanta-based T.I., 29, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., and Cottle, a 36-year-old singer with the group Xscape, were booked at the West Hollywood sheriff's station and bail was set at $10,000 each.

Pope said at 4 a.m. PDT Thursday that he didn't know if they were still being held.

T.I., who has a key role in the current top box office movie "Takers," served seven months in an Arkansas federal prison and three months in a Georgia halfway house on federal weapons charges and was released in March.

TMZ reports that T.I. is on probation stemming from the prison term.

Since then, things have been looking up for the Grammy winner.

The father of five married Cottle in late July. "Takers," a shoot 'em up about an armored truck robbery that goes bad, was released in late August, and a new album, "King Uncaged," is due later this month.