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.

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.

Kanye West and how Twitter's changed how we communicate

Kanye West's Twitter stream shows how the site has changed communication.

(Mashable) -- If you needed any more proof that Twitter has transformed how we absorb information and communicate, look no further than Kanye West.

[On Sunday], the superstar rapper let loose a barrage of 70+ tweets, starting with a declaration of his love for Twitter and ending with an apology to Taylor Swift.

His apology refers to last year's VMA incident, where West rushed onto the stage and interrupted Swift's acceptance speech for best female music video. The incident has since turned into anInternet meme.

More importantly, the 33-year-old rapper was vilified by music fans, the media and even President Obama.

Yes, the rapper apologized on national TV and on his blog, but he has never been able to shake off the 2009 VMA incident, and if his Twitter is any indication, there are a lot of people that (understandably) won't let him live it down.

For whatever reason though, Kanye West decided [Sunday] to make his case, and he used his brand new Twitter account to do it.

Whether you think his "stream of consciousness" is the rambling of a broken man or his most heartfelt attempt yet to put the incident behind him, you can't help but appreciate the rawness of each tweet. There is no filter or middle man between his thoughts and the rest of the world.

I won't repost all of his tweets (check out his Twitter stream if you want the whole thing), but I do want to highlight a few of the tweets that encapsulate the raw nature of Sunday's barrage of tweets:

- "Had to let employees go... for the first time I felt the impact of my brash actions ... I felt the recession from an ownership side"

- "How deep is the scar... I bled hard.. cancelled tour with the number one pop star in the world ... closed the doors of my clothing office"

- "That's when you realize perception is reality. I've been straying from this subject on twitter but I have to give it to you guys raw now."

- "If you google Asshole my face may very well pop up"

- "I'm the guy who at one point could perform the Justin Timberlake on stage and everyone would be sooo happy that I was there"

- "When I woke up from the crazy nightmare I looked in the mirror and said GROW UP KANYE ... I take the responsibility for my actions"

- "These tweets have no manager, no publicist , no grammar checking... this is raw"

- "It starts with this..."

- "I'm sorry Taylor."

A few months ago, we would never have heard something like this from Kanye West. That's because his publicity team would never have let him say these things.

Then he got a Twitter account, giving him an opportunity to talk to his fans and to the rest of the world directly, without anybody to say "no."

Social media has changed the way we communicate. Information has never traveled faster. It has created frank and transparent conversations. It has given people a chance to directly express their thoughts to the rest of the world in a mater of seconds.

For years we've chronicled the amazing impact Twitter has had on our world here on Mashable.

In 2008, a Berkeley grad student used Twitter to tell his friends he was arrested in Egypt, leading to a mobilization effort that got him out of jail. Last year, Twitter rose to prominence for its role in theIran Election crisis. Earlier this year, Twitter showed us the devastation in Haiti in a way that has never been possible.

These are just a few examples of what Twitter has done. While Kanye West's tweets don't come close to the level of importance these events carried, his raw line of communication is another shining example of just how Twitter has changed our lives. Information has been set free.

Rare Video Footage Surfaces Of Kanye West Rapping With Late Mother Donda West

A rare video clip titled "Like Son, Like Mother" has surfaced of Kanye West and his late mother Dr. Donda West, sitting and reminiscing about one of his old rap songs.

In the clip from 2003, Kanye's disposition is completely opposite of his larger-than-life hip-hop persona. Instead, as his mother speaks, he clings on to her every word, like an eager, unassuming student.

Donda, who died in November 2007 from complications during a plastic surgery procedure, is reminding her son about one of her favorite songs from his archives.

"You know the one I always used to try to get you to do, Kanye, and you never did it?" she says, unable to recall the name of the song. But she could remember some of the lyrics, so she begins to rap them:

"I walked through the halls of the school/ And it's cool to be known for my rapping ability/But what about those who ain't got it like me?"

She can't remember all the lyrics, and hums through some of the song. Her demonstration helps Kanye remember the words.

"That's a good rhyme, right?" Kanye says, blushing.

"I said, 'Kanye keep on doing it'," Donda replies. "'That's a million dollars. Remember everything you would do I would say, 'That's a million dollars?'"

Kanye picks up the song from the top, as Donda raps alongside him, more like a fellow MC in a cipher than a former chairwoman of Chicago State University's English department.

The clip makes it more evident why Kanye has written so many endearing lyrics about his mother. For his 2005 sophomore album, Late Registration, he featured the song "Hey Mama," an ode to Donda for taking care of him, never putting a boyfriend before him, and for supporting his decision to pursue his career in music.

During his feature on Young Jeezy's "Put On," Kanye raps, "I lost the only girl in the world that know me best."

For his forthcoming album, Kanye has another track for Donda, "Mama's Boyfriends." On this one, a jealous 5-year-old Kanye wrecks havoc whenever Donda brings a boyfriend around.

The "Like Son, Like Mother" video captures their bond, her support and influence, and his humble gratitude for her interest.

It's a genuine parent/child moment that transcends the music.

Kanye West performs for Facebook, joins Twitter

(Sod-a-Blog)

NEW YORK — With the release of a new album approaching, Kanye (KAHN'-yay) West is making sure he's up to date with the social networking sites.

He joined Twitter on Wednesday, one day after going to the offices of Facebook, in Palo Alto, Calif., to preview some of his new material.

Videos of him rapping a cappella while standing on a conference table have been posted on YouTube. On his website afterward, West posted a letter to Facebook, thanking the staff for their support: "Your energy was a gift so electric, so genuine, that it really helped me give my best."

An e-mail request for comment from Facebook was not immediately returned.

West's new as-of-yet untitled album is expected to be released Sept. 14.

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