Don't let the peaceful balloons, bikes, breezy white lofts, and artsy split-screen cinematography fool you. Kid Cudi's new video, "Make Her Say," has an underlying message of big butts and threesomes.

Kanye and Common are featured on both the track and in the video, and Common classes up the joint a bit where Kanye references Jamie Foxx and Asher Roth and ponders banging an entire sorority. Stay classy, 'Yeezy. Still, the video's balloons and washed-out greys and the track's monotonous, hypnotic chorus (courtesy of Lady Gaga) kinda make me forget that the song's freak-nasty and instead make me wanna have a picnic in the park. You did that, Kid Cudi.

Watch Kid Cudi's brand-new video, "Make Her Say."

Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say" produced by Kanye West, was originally called "I Poke Her Face." And it's about... poking... someone in the face... with... um, a finger... You know! Like when you innocently want to just... annoy someone!

Kid Cudi edited the title down to a more standards-friendly "Make Her Say," and turned out a video complete with breezy, kid-friendly balloons and bikes. But since Kanye's involved, the video probably won't stay kid-friendly for long.

An acoustic Gaga's on that sample, A-Trak scratches, and Common gets a verse too. The full-length video's coming on Monday exclusively on MTV.com, but for now, watch this preview of Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say" video.

Asher Roth, your new video "Be By Myself" is so great that I wrote you a letter by hand, mailed it and then transcribed it here from memory. Please write back ASAP so we can become best friends.

Dear Asher Roth,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for "Be By Myself," the new video that you have just now released, featuring his soulfulness Cee-Lo Green on the hook. To be greeted first thing on a three Advil morning by such sultry, grooving wonders as your beats, and then by the painted bikini ladies dancing along with them, was an unexpected joy. Next time you see your co-stars (the aforementioned paint-dripping swimsuit models) please pass on my most enthusiastic compliments. As the great artist Shakira once put it, they "make a man wanna speak Spanish."

Furthermore, your video's director, John Christopher Pina (Kanye West's "Champion," Common's "The Game"), has elevated their talents to new heights with his visionary camera work. His use of supersaturated colors and overlapping images -- simultaneously retro and next-level futuristic -- does stunning justice to your mellow but funk-a-fied new jam, my friend.

And finally we come to you, emerging rap artist Asher Roth of Morrisville, Pennsylvania. This is the third single from your debut album, Asleep In The Bread Aisle, and once again you have outdone yourself. Laying that lazy new-school swagger of yours over a deeply vintage loop was a very good idea. Tricking it out with a little Cee-Lo soul was an even better one. Your batting average is astounding, Asher Roth. The only downside to "Be By Myself" that I can think of is that, with a single this sweet, ain't nobody gonna leave you alone. OK, talk to you later Asher Roth.

Sincerely,
Daniel From Buzzworthy

If you wanna add a P.S., be my guest, but I recommend that you skip the chit-chat and get to watchin' that video with a quickness.

+ Lindsay Lohan continues to be the picture of misery as she goes through a tumultuous breakup with DJ Samantha Ronson. Can't this girl just go on vacation somewhere far, far away for a long, long time? (Socialite Life)

+ Just announced! The Jonas Brothers will join NBC's Today concert series on June 19th.  Are you going??? (Teen Hollywood 411)

+ On the JaBra tip, this shocking revelation by Camp Rock star Alyson Stoner:  The Jonas Brothers word hard! (MTV News)

+ Man, we love us some Katy Perry but she sure can pick out some UGGGGLY pant suits! (Just Jared)

+ And in the completely unsaturated men's fragrance market, we have Common releasing a new scent with Diesel that he will tour the country to support.  Could it be worse than Diddy's Unforgivable? (NME)

+ MTV's documentary Britney: For The Record came out on DVD yesterday and with it, a few bonus scenes of the Britster -- including this one that touched us like a table of finger food backstage at her Circus Tour VIP pre-party. (Pink Is The New Blog)

+ Rihanna's on the cover of Vibe magazine this month to accompany a pretty telling interview with Chris Brown quoted back from 2007. Kinda creeps us out... (Vibe)

We recently put together a playlist over here called "Be The Change." It includes videos from Daughtry, Common, Green Day, Will.I.Am and other artists who are doing their part to join Barack Obama in moving the country forward. What a terrible oversight it was not to include Flo Rida.

Have you seen the original "You Spin Me Round" video? Have you ever even seen a photo of Dead Or Alive, the band responsible for it? Oh my holy Lord, how times have changed.

Shot in what appears to be a Sears portrait studio, "You Spin Me Round" is basically a walking, talking Yellow Pages ad for a pirate law firm. Dudes in unthinkable hairstyles and business suits (with the exception of the crimped leading she-man in the eye patch and the kimono) pose with their elbows on each others' shoulders and their grins set to "win." It's downright unbelievable.

Any practical artist would have trashed the video at first glance and started over. Not Flo Rida. He's a humanitarian with a vision for the future. While preserving certain visual cues, such as a shimmering disco ball and a variation on the eye-patch called "sunglasses," Flo Rida ushers in an era of accountability (err... sorta) by trading out the suits for shortie-shorts on fly girls. He replaces the law firm / maypole sequence with a glossy black turntable slathered in chicks. As for the vampire fingernails... well he just completely ditches them. Wise.

Thanks Flo Rida! Thanks for making America great again! Watch Flo Rida's update below and the original after the jump!

Read more...

Pop Quizz: Does the Nabil Elderkin (Common, John Legend) -directed video for Kanye West's "Welcome To Heartbreak," featuring Kid Cudi, remind you more of something awesome (e.g. going to the circus, like where Britney's the ringleader) or going to the dentist, which is sucky and painful? I vote circus!

If I were to tell you that I got the backstage goods on a recent release by a major artist, inspired by traveling abroad, California's scenic Highway 1, and Radiohead -- a release that was tentatively titled Invincible Summer -- would you ever guess that I was talking about the latest from levelheaded Chicago alt-hop genius Common? Come on...

On the latest installment of Buzzworthy's "The 5," Common introduces Universal Mind Control, a record designed to reach people in France, Spain, Birmingham, LA, and all points in between. "A global album," as he calls it. Produced by The Neptunes and Mr. DJ, Common's also confident that this is an album "that's gonna be very important to your life." Get in deep as the philosophizing MC walks you through Universal Mind Control.

Much as I fully embrace old-school "Respiration"-era Common, and boho/ Bob Dylan/ not-afraid-to-love-out-loud "Come Close" Common, and socially conscious/pensive "Drivin' Me Wild" Common and all the Commons in between, it's nice to see the dude dish out a hot-ass, swagger-centric booty-dropper, like the Neptunes-produced "Universal Mind Control."

Unless you have a fear of robots (that's Pharrell, by the way, who you'll also see in Fall Out Boy's "I Don't Care" video) watch the new video, directed (somewhat obviously, no?), by the legendary Hype Williams -- which is exactly why the video will remind you a bit of Lloyd's "Girls Around the World" clip and Kanye's "Stronger."

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.

You saw our "Best Female Video" nominee rundown. Now check out some of our favorite of the many videos vying for a "Best Male Video" VMA nom. Then hurry up and vote for the video you think should be nominated! You've only got until 11am ET tomorrow to vote, so get crackalackin'! And watch FNMTV this Friday to see who the final nominees are.

+ Snoop Dogg, "Sensual Seduction" -- '80s cable access, ladies dressed like Apollonia, and Snoop in his pimpinest gear yet! We're still working on a way to work "I'm not gonna rush the stroke" into our daily vernacular.

+ Chris Brown, "Forever" -- It's like he's just showing off at this point, but we're still watching what he can do with his feet.

+ Jesse McCartney, "Leavin'" -- Lil J's all growed up and sounds so sexy singing about G5 that we don't even care about the massive carbon footprint that thing's "leavin'" behind.

+ T-Pain, "Bartender" -- The reason T kept getting all those buy-backs.

+ Albert Hammond Jr., "GFC" -- You're hot, I'm dizzy.

+ Kanye West, "The Good Life," -- Sigh. Kanye back before he was Angry Kanye.

+ Lupe Fiasco, "Superstar" -- That Matthew Santos hook still haunts.

+ Common, "Drivin' Me Wild" -- The sleeper hit of the pack. And Common in a white tux = extra eye-candy appeal.

+ Mika, "Love Today" -- Freddie Mercury lives!

+ Guru, "State of Clarity" -- Hip-hop and cartoon cats! This totally makes up for MC Skat Cat.

+ DJ Khaled, "I'm So Hood (Remix)" -- DJ Khaled yells at us... and we sorta like it.

+ O'Neal McKnight, "Check Your Coat" -- To the DeLorean!

+ Mark Ronson featuring Lily Allen, "Oh My God" -- The obsession continues.

+ Lil Wayne, "A Milli (Live)" -- Ultimate stuntin' = Weezy pulls out this be-all-end-all FNMTV performance the same day he passes the mil mark on the charts. Genius!

More VMAs here.