+ Exciting news about Madonna that has nothing to do with adoption and nannies! The Queen of Pop will be teaming up with none other than Paul Oakenfold for the U.K. and European legs of her "Sticky & Sweet" tour, as well as some new tracks on her September 2009 greatest hits album that will consist of "cutting edge sounds combined with classic Madonna."

+ Cher is finally speaking out about her daughter Chastity Bono's decision to transition from female to male. She seems to be pretty cool about the whole thing. OMG my mom would ground me for at LEAST three weeks. (Star Magazine)

+ After Whitney Houston turned down the part, rapper Eve has signed up for a two-episode story arc on the upcoming FOX series GLEE as a high school choir director. (EW.com)

+ Ooh! A new video from Ciara f. Missy Elliott where Ciara turns a construction site into a catwalk? We'll take two. (Rap-Up)

+ Geography is HARD y'all!  Britney Spears slipped up and said "What's up, London?!"at the only concert she did in the U.K. 200 miles outside of London (the show was in Manchester). Let's just say the fans were not amused. (CelebWarship)

+ Meanwhile, back in an Arkansas prison, T.I.'s got a rill RILL bad case of the squirts. (Bossip)

+ The Grammy's are coming! The Grammy's are coming! Lil Wayne's leading the pack with 8 nominations, Coldplay's close behind with (lucky number!) 7, Ne-Yo's got six, newcomer/Missy Elliott protege Jazmine Sullivan's up there with 5, and our beloved Jo Bros could take home Best New Artist. OMJ!! (MTV News)

+ Sadly, not everyone seems to be getting the recognition they deserve. Katy Perry (whose "I Kissed A Girl" was, arguably, the biggest song of '08) got shafted -- and we didn't like it. Perry received a Best Female Pop Vocals nod but won't be up for Best Record, Album or Song of the Year, or -- more importantly -- Best New Artist. Sigh. (Grammy)

+ Meanwhile, our friendzies at BWE have broken down the Album of the Year nominees into five simple categories. Our fave? Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand, a.k.a. "The Album That No One Has Heard Of Or Possesses Any Evidence That It Actually Exists, But Holy Sh*t, We Have To Let It Win." (Best Week Ever)

+ International superstar Kanye West to put aside his music career and become a lowly fashion intern instead. (NYT, via Gawker)

+ Also? When Kanye's done playing fashionista, he won't be going back to rapping. "Hip-hop is over for me," 'Ye says. "I now want to be grouped [alongside] the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles. And I'm not going to get there by doing just another rap album full of samples." (ContactMusic)

+ A photog is suing total non-couple Chris Brown and Rihanna for allegedly roughing him up -- and stealing his $3K camera. (Scandalist)

+ Diddy's never been one for subtlety, a fact made clear by the name of the Bad Boy mogul's newest fragrance: I Am King. (Remote Control)

+ Is teen queen Miley Cyrus seriously filing for legal emancipation (i.e. divorcing her parents) so she can (continue to?) date 20-year-old underwear models and run away with all her cash money? Eh, probably not. (PopCrunch)

+ Country singer Carrie Underwood is sorry she led the world to believe that Jessica Simpson's beau (and Underwood's ex) Tony Romo still has her on speed dial. "I would never mean to say anything to hurt anybody or stir up anything, because I'm just not about drama ... at all," said the American Idol winner, who then reinforced her point by privately apologizing to Jess publicly asking for Jess' forgiveness in the current issue of Elle.

+ Who knew that The Hills gals were also Halloween queens?! Check out Lauren Conrad's tribute to 1920's glam, plus admire Audrina Patridge's ability to show her true colors. (Remote Control)

+ Sultry come-hither stare? Check. Flowy white negligee? Check. Perfectly wind-blown hair? Check. Britney Spears, looking smokin' H-A-W-T on the cover of her new album, Circus? Checkmate. (Newsroom)

+ And speaking of Britney's new look, you won't want to miss these pics of the singer on Halloween. (Just Jared)

+ Like Fat Joe before him, Barack Obama thinks brothers should "pull up their pants." And, presumably, do the rock-away. (MTV News)

+ And, in sadder news, Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, died today at the age of 86. Obama, who recently suspended his campaign to spend time at her bedside, issued a joint statement with his sister calling Dunham "the cornerstone of our family." (Reuters)

+ Actress Jennifer Hudson joined 100 celebrity friends (like Oprah, Missy Elliott and Fantasia) and family members in mourning for her mother, brother and nephew at a private memorial service in Chicago this morning. (E! Online)

+ Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard got stung by a scorpion twice ... and lived to tell about it. (Spinner)

+ Meanwhile, despite what those crazy Brits (and Perez Hilton) would have you believe, rapper Lil Wayne was not involved in a crazy gang-related gunfight last weekend. In fact the rapper's alive and well. And, apparently, bitching about how music these days is soooo uninspired. (NME)

It's not easy to compete with Madonna and Justin ripping each other's bodies apart -- literally -- on their quest to save us all (from what, though, I'm not sure) in "4 Minutes" -- which came in at #2 on today's TRL Top Collaborations countdown -- or Madonna and Britney almost-but-not-quite making out in "Me Against the Music," which made a respectable #5. But four scantily clad ladies dressed like a tramped-n-revamped version of Cirque du Sluttay -- plus Missy Elliott -- managed to edge out Madge, Brit and Justin and make history too.

Mya, Christina Aguilera -- lookin' like the bride of Frankenstein's trashier step sister, Lil' Kim -- looking surprisingly more sophisticated than usual -- and Pink, looking like the hottest ringleader evar stole the show away from the Moulin Rouge!, the movie, in 2001 when their remake of "Lady Marmalade" (LaBelle originally recorded it back in 1974) became the second song in chart history to hit number one without being released as a commercial single.

But less boring history, more grunting, gyrating, and singing about brothels.

Watch "Lady Marmalade," and check out the rest of TRL's top video collabos here.

What kinda world would we be living in if Soulja Boy (Tell 'em) beat out Slim Shady on TRL's all-time greatest hip-hop hits countdown? No world I'd wanna live in, that's fa show. The way I see it? Soulja Boy's lucky to have even made it onto the shortlist of the show's best-ever hip-hop videos. But the question remains... WHERE THE HULL IS LIL WAYNE? (BTW, mazel tov on that baby boy, Weezy!) I demand a recount! Damien? Get on that!

Anyway, Eminem's "Lose Yourself" found its way to #1 on today's countdown, Jay-Z's classic swagger track, "Big Pimpin'" locked up #2, Outkast's "Hey Ya" -- the song that inserted "Shake it like a Polaroid picture" into the pop culture lexicon for forevskies -- and Missy Elliott's mesmerizing "Get Ur Freak On" video made #8.

Watch the highlights below, check out the rest of TRL's greatest hip-hop videos here, and don't miss some very special out-of-studio experiences on tomorrow's show, at 3:30pm ET.

Plus:
+TRL's top girl power videos: Miley Cyrus trumps Destiny's Child!
+Beyonce and Ludacris will perform onTRL finale on Sunday, November 16!

++ WATCH MORE VIDEOS AFTER THE JUMPOFF! ++

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The Pussycat Dolls are keeping it swingin' in their latest video, "Whatcha Think About That." In typical PD style, the girls' overly synthesized vocals take second billing to their trademark, clothing-optional mode of dress and patented writhing-on-the-floor dance moves. And as always, the attention to detail is nothing short of remarkable. From the flattering, burlesque house lighting to the frilly, black-and-white corsets (Think Jenna Jameson meets Pirates of the Caribbean), it's all very "yo ho ho" glam -- with an emphasis on the latter two syllables.

Best of all, Missy Elliott's here to shake things up with another smooth-as-silk rap verse. And unlike in Danity Kane's "Bad Girls" video -- where Missy materializes just in time to dutifully recite her lines -- the larger-than-life rapper is utilized here to optimal effect, taking control of the intro, chorus and outro and abstaining only from the precarious, dominatrix-style perch/swing.

So start off your week with a double dose of Missy by catching the latest videos from the Pussycat Dolls and (a pre-downsized) Danity Kane. Then let us know which girl group you think deserves the "Best Music Video Co-Starring Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott" award. (FYI, we like the Dolls' video better, but prefer the vocal stylings of DK for the simple reason that their song sounds less like a lesson in robotics and more like actual singing.)

+ Is Miley Cyrus really going out with a super-hot, much older male underwear model?? And is he really Taylor Swift's former beau? Or is this all just one big ploy to make Nick Jonas jealous? If so, we can think of at least seven things wrong with that. (LAT)

+ After working it with Missy Elliott, the Pussycat Dolls learn how to put their thang down, flip it AND reverse it. (MTV)

+ Jack White describes what it was like to "Bond" with Alicia Keys. (Rolling Stone)

+ Amy Winehouse exposes her husband's ding dong, gives whole new meaning to the term "overshare." (The Sun - UK)

+ Avril Lavigne releases her new clothing line. You'll know it's hers because of its unique punk rebelliousness! And because it has her face plastered all over it. (ONTD)

+ Frances Bean (a.k.a. daughter of Kurt Cobain/Courtney Love) throws herself a Super Suicide 16 party. Yay? (Scandalist)

+ LL Cool J is all about the hip-hop in Exit 13. Not surprising, considering he totally represents Queens. (MTV)

Some people will do anything for their 15 minutes of fame. (See: Who Wants To Marry A Millionaire? and the entire cast of Shot at Love 2). But for every attention-starved D-lister who's only in it for the tabloid validation (we're looking at you, Kim Kardashian!) there's a talented newcomer who's less interested in being "super, super famous" than she is on establishing herself as an artist.

Of course, when you're as talented as Jazmine Sullivan, superstardom inevitably comes with the territory. And though she's not above sneaking into Stevie Wonder's grandson's birthday party to help jumpstart her career, Jazmine says she's all about "want[ing] people to respect me."

Check out this exclusive video interview and hear what Missy Elliott's protege has to say about finding mainstream success with her hit single, "Need U Bad." Then watch the video, and download the reggae-infused track that's given Jazmine her first taste of unsolicited fame.

There are like 18 brillion videos eligible for a spot on the Video of the Year nominee leaderboard, and I sure as shoot ain't got time to talk you through each of them. Do that on your own time and your own dime, okay? But since this is such a maje category, here's a look at 20 standouts. Vote now! You only gots a few more hours, and after that, you've only got regret.

Oh, and don't miss this Friday's installation (like that? it sounds like a work of art) of FNMTV to see who the final nominees are.

+ 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake, "Ayo Technology" -- A glossy, Bond-meets-Bourne video that looks really cool but, I think, is basically about switching cell providers or something.

+ Ashlee Simpson, "Outta My Head" -- Surrealism and Santogold songwriting! Sweet!

+ Alicia Keys, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" -- Serious. Bawl. Sesh.

+ Boys Like Girls, "Thunder" -- I so did not go to high school or high school parties with guys this hot.

+ Common, "Drivin' Me Wild" -- You dressed up Lily Allen as an astronaut because you are awesome, and you look extra hot in a white tux because you are extra hot.

+ Erykah Badu, "Honey" -- Viva la mom and pop y la homage!

+ Foo Fighters, "Long Road to Ruin" -- Ohhhhhhhh Dave Grohl. When oh when oh when will you finally realize we're meant to be together? Oh wait, sorry. This is supposed to be about the video, right? Right. That rules too. (I LOVE YOU, DAVE!!!!!)

+ Ingrid Michaelson, "The Way I Am" -- Weren't scared of clowns before? You are now.

+ Jonas Brothers, "Burnin' Up" -- The JBs get all action-adventure on us. (And after chasing them around for two days, their video's starting to feel less like satire, more verite.)

+ Last Shadow Puppets, "The Age of the Understatement" -- Cold! Grey! Soviet!

+ Missy Elliott, "Ching-A-Ling" -- 3D's cool, but now my heady hurty.

+ No Age, "Eraser" -- Heady, confusing, beautiful.

+ N.E.R.D., "Everyone Nose" -- Livin' la video Lohan! (But remember... this is not a song "about" cocaine ... it's about... people... who do cocaine.)

+ Panic At the Disco, "Nine In the Afternoon -- Crazy 'staches, papier-mâché fishies, dudes in those olde-tymey onesies.

+ Paramore, "crushcrushcrush" -- Something is seriously wrong with the world if these guys (and girl) don't get nominated. I will blame you.

+ Phantom Planet, "Do the Panic" -- California... wait... did we make a wrong turn back there?

+ Pussycat Dolls, "When I Grow Up" -- Boobies! Groupies! Groupie boobies!

+ Tally Hall, "Good Day" -- Adorkable!

+ Vanessa Hudgens, "Sneakernight" -- Mama needs a new pairah shoes!

+ Weezer, "Pork and Beans" -- UhDUH.

More VMAs here.

Luckily the walls didn't completely cave in when the Jonas Brothers performed live last week on FNMTV. In fact, they left the stage tidy and completely intact for this week's live performance by Toronto indie-rock upstart Tokyo Police Club, who'll perform "Graves."

And while you won't see any members of Slipknot swinging a bat around the stage (sorry maggots!), here's who's on tap -- and the brand-new videos they're unwrapping -- on the next installment of FNMTV:

Tomorrow night's FNMTV artist appearances and video premieres:

Bow Wow - "Marco Polo" (featuring Soulja Boy)

Chromeo - "Momma's Boy

Danity Kane - "Bad Girl" (featuring Missy Elliott)

Plus, Pink ('sup girl!?) takes the prestigious hot seat, Pete Wentz has agreed to come back and host the show again (he had to be lured away from his hackysack -- photos below, and check out the Abe Lincoln beard on Chromeo's P-Thugg! ), and we'll reveal the final VMA nominees for Best Female Video and Best Male Video. And once the show ends, we'll open up the nominee floodgates for Best Pop Video and Best Hip-Hop Video right after the show.

It. Goes. Down... tomorrow, Friday, July 25 at 8pm ET.

Until then, watch last week's video premieres, and check out exclusive behind-the-scenes photos of Danity Kane, Tokyo Police Club, Bow Wow, Chromeo, Pink, and Pete, taken backstage on the FNMTV set.

+ More FNMTV photos after the jump...

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