B.o.B And Prodigy To Hold Down 'RapFix Live'

Plus, log on to MTV.com Wednesday at 4 p.m. to get an exclusive look at the latest videos from DJ Khaled and Nas.
By Rob Markman

B.o.B
Photo: MTV News

You may want to grab an umbrella for this week's "RapFix Live," because there will be some strange clouds in the forecast when B.o.B hits MTV News' weekly hip-hop talk show.

On Tuesday (May 1), Bobby Ray released his sophomore LP, Strange Clouds, and on Wednesday, he will appear on "RFL" to talk about his journey thus far. "This next album is like a culmination of everything combined, and I feel like that's really why I'm so excited about it and eager to put it out because I'm just ready to get back on the court with it," B.o.B told MTV News of his second album months before it dropped.

It was the Lil Wayne-assisted title track that served as the first single from Strange Clouds, but before he released his Adventures of Bobby Ray follow-up, Bob dropped another single, the sing-songy "So Good." The catchy love song has already cracked the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album, which was released on T.I.'s Grand Hustle record label, features not only Tip, but also Chris Brown, Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.

Bobby Ray isn't the only rap star who will be holding court on "RapFix" this week: Mobb Deep's Prodigy will be making his way to the red couch to give Sway the latest Mobb updates and to debut his brand-new single live on the show.

Things got a little rocky for Mobb Deep after reports of a rift between the group surfaced thanks to some pretty harsh tweets sent from Havoc's account. All the drama has since been cleared up; the troubling tweets were sent after Hav lost his phone at a gas station and a prankster gained access to his social-networking passwords. Rather than run from the drama, Prodigy said he plans to use the negative publicity to his advantage. So, with a new project in the works, the H.N.I.C. is ready to take the next step in his infamous career.

If that isn't enough, host Sway will take you behind the scenes on two major hip-hop videos. First, we have an exclusive sneak peek of DJ Khaled's "Take It to the Head" video featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown. Then we will also roll out clips detailing the making of Nas' latest video "The Don." You're not going to want to miss this.

Catch B.o.B, Prodigy and DJ Khaled on "RapFix Live" on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com, and be sure to join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #RapFixLive. Send your questions for the artists @MTVRapFix!

Related Artists

• Prodigy of Mobb Deep
• Mobb Deep
• B.o.B

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Miley Cyrus or Demi Lovato: The Next X Factor Judge?!?

With Britney Spears already on board, might Simon Cowell be giving up all notions of The X Factor as a singing competition?

It's hard not to think the producer is simply aiming to rake in the ratings, considering the latest name reportedly on the table to join season two as a judge: Miley Cyrus.

Simply put, “there have been talks with Miley,” an X Factor insider tells Celebuzz, a rumor backed up by E! News.

Both outlets also report that Fergie, Avril Lavigne and Demi Lovato are in the running to join Cowell, Spears and L.A. Reid on the panel. A decision will need to come within a month or so, in order for auditions to begin and The X Factor to premiere season two in September.

What do you think of Miley Cyrus as a judge? Would she be a good choice?

UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter now claims Lovato is the one to beat and is in "final negotiations" for the gig.

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Hot Weather's Return Brings Ozone Warnings

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Friend: Police note blind activist's escape legal

BEIJING (AP) ? Since blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng was being held under illegal house arrest, his only offense in escaping may have been to embarrass his captors ? vengeful local officials bent on punishing him for exposing forced abortions.

Even police in Beijing seem to tacitly acknowledge this, with a Chen supporter saying Tuesday that officers have noted in recent days that the activist broke no laws in his surprising escape through the security cordon surrounding his farmhouse in eastern China.

Activists say Chen was delivered into the protection of U.S. diplomats in Beijing late last week, and that American and Chinese officials are deliberating his fate in hopes of resolving the situation before the arrival of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday for high-level talks.

Bob Fu of the Texas-based group ChinaAid, citing a source close to both governments, said they are discussing a deal to secure American asylum for Chen. However, Chen's supporters have said he does not want to leave the country. The U.S. State Department has repeatedly refused to comment on the case.

In the days since Chen reached the presumed custody of U.S. diplomats, security forces and officials have detained several of his supporters for questioning, including Beijing-based activist and Chen's friend, Hu Jia.

However, Hu said that the two police officers who questioned him in Beijing acknowledged that Chen, as well as two other activists who helped him flee his home in eastern China, did not act illegally.

"They are all free citizens," Hu quoting the police officers as saying. "For them to come to Beijing and so on, there is nothing illegal about it. They are free to do so. They did not do anything wrong, they have no legal trouble. We just want to understand the situation and verify it."

Hu also said that he understood from meeting with Chen after the escape that Chen did not wish to flee to the U.S.

Beijing police had no immediate response to a faxed request for comment.

The police acknowledgment is an indication that Chen's troubles with the authorities have primarily been about revenge by local leaders, who had seemed especially bitter and personal in their mistreatment of Chen.

Even after he served four years in prison on charges his supporters say were fabricated, local officials kept him and his wife confined at home since his release in September 2010. They did so despite lacking any legal basis, prevented outsiders from visiting the family and occasionally beat him and his wife up.

Burly men patrolling the village and stationed on a main road leading into the community have beaten up would-be visitors to Chen's house, thrown stones at reporters and threatened diplomats.

In trying to resolve Chen's current plight, Beijing could lay the blame on local officials as a way to save face. In a similar fashion, when a village in southern China protesting against land seizures drove their local leaders out late last year, higher level authorities resolved the dispute by blaming village leaders they said had acted corruptly.

But the central government has never shown much inclination to stop the authorities in Shandong province's Linyi city, which oversees Chen's village of Dongshigu. The Chinese government has a long history of ignoring its own laws.

"The fact is that the Chinese central government of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao passively or actively condoned, if not outright encouraged local government officials and security forces in Shandong to victimize Chen Guangcheng and his family for years," said Human Rights Watch researcher Phelim Kine.

"The unlawful confinement and abuse endured by Chen Guangcheng and his family and now his subsequent escape only heightens justifiable domestic and international concerns about the state of rule of law in China," Kine said in emailed comments.

Chen angered local authorities after documenting forced late-term abortions and sterilizations and other abuses in his rural community, but he was sentenced for allegedly instigating an unrelated attack on government offices and organizing a group of people to disrupt traffic.

Chen's documentation and the international media attention it drew at the time had prompted the National Population and Family Planning Commission to investigate. The agency validated Chen's claims and said in late 2005 that some Linyi officials had been punished, with some of them removed from their posts and others detained.

However, once Chen started getting in trouble with the local officials during the ensuing year, the national agency looked the other way.

"We have no information about Mr. Chen Guangcheng," agency spokesman Hao Hongcai said in July 2006. "This issue now belongs to the local authorities."

In a video apparently shot last week after his escape, Chen also urged Premier Wen Jiabao to punish the local authorities, saying people were not clear if the violations were the acts of local officials or ordered by the central government.

"I think you should give people a clear answer in the near future," Chen said. "If we start an investigation and tell the truth to the people, the result is obvious. If you continue to ignore it, what will people think?"

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Quick Advice From One Handyman To Another ... - Energy Efficiency

Talk to a realtor to learn which home improvements increase the resale value of a home. They know the housing market well and what people look for in a home.

Use your outdoor space. You can turn your backyard into an extension of the house. Take advantage of your outdoor living space by having friends over for a barbecue, or just relaxing.

New appliances can improve the kitchen, adding value to your home. No matter what, changing out appliances will improve your home.

A well-made and contemporary front door can lead to an increase in the value of your property. It is possible to freshen the appearance of your entry door by purchasing one of the many styles of knob and lock combinations available on the market.

If you feel you need to spruce up your living room, add a bold print to give it some style and personality. Add zebra or leopard print accessories to a living room, such as chair cushions, area rugs, decorative pillows, or wall art.

If you?re like most house shoppers, one of the first things you need to know to determine if the house will work for you is how many bathrooms there are. How many bathrooms there are in a house can have a dramatic effect on its value. Having a spare bath or two will enhance the value of your home.

Before beginning any home improvement project, find the locations of your gas shut-off. You want to be extremely cautious during this process. Starting a fire or causing an injury during your project is undesirable.

Look for low areas on your property, you want to place close attention near where the house foundation is located. Consider adding some compacted soil to these areas so your home isn?t damanged from erosion. Water can, over time, destroy your foundation and even ruin the wooden areas of your home.

You can add some flare to your book case by putting some wall paper there. Choose a vibrant graphic design. Place the wallpaper behind your bookcase, then you will see the design as you stack books. Doing this can take your bookcase from an item in your room to the focal point.

An easy home improvement job is installing a new mailbox. A newer, cleaner mailbox adds curb appeal and makes your home appear more modern. Make sure you adhere to all city regulations when erecting your new mailbox. This should only take a couple of hours, making for a quick project.

Get a motion activated light for your front porch to help you keep your energy costs low, while keeping your yard safely lit. You can turn on the lights yourself or adjust how sensitive it is.

Try a landscaping project to bring a new look to your home and your yard. Planting everything from flowers to a hedge will not only improve your appreciation for your home but also your neighbors?. Adding proper landscape to your yard greatly increases first impressions and goes a long way in increasing the value of your home.

A coat rack mounted on your wall is a nice way to display necklaces and other jewelry. Perhaps you should not hang your most valuable jewelery. Having your nicer jewelry out on display can be aesthetically pleasing and keep the pieces from becoming tangled. Keep the few pieces of jewelry that you wear more often in front and close at hand.

Many times older homes have carpet throughout, and it can be worn, stained and outdated after years of use. Wood floors can last significantly longer than carpeting, and have a timeless look about them.

This causes the bristles to bend and erode more quickly. It should always be hung up so bristles will work great by staying straight. In addition, hang mops in such a way that they can dry thoroughly so that mildew does not form.

Richie Vee, the site?s editor, is the Chief Engineer of one of the largest Platinum LEED buildings in NYC. His extensive engineering experience helps guide consumers through home improvement projects for the average homeowner. Using home solar energy and roofing repair ideas to save them money.

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LG Has a Cloud Service Coming Too. Everyone Please Stop This Ugh Sigh Puke [Cloud]

LG's new cloud service, sadistically named LG Cloud, will be going into beta tomorrow, May 1. Like all of these manufacturer cloud services, it's extraneous and unnecessary and silly. More »

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Rihanna Reveals 'Boob' Envy In 'MTV First: Battleship'

Pop-star-turned-actress and her 'Battleship' co-stars premiere exclusive clip tonight at 7:56 p.m. on MTV, followed by a 30-minute interview on MTV.com.
By Josh Horowitz

Rihanna
Photo: Rihanna's Facebook

If there is a downside to what I do (talk to very talented, beautiful people), it's that sometimes you're sitting in between Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgård and you realize, wow, I must look like Golem next to them. But let's not harp on my insecurities. Let's instead focus on that genetically blessed quartet who star in the new film "Battleship," opening May 18. I'm pleased to report that they're a great bunch and absurdly entertaining to talk to.

You can catch my full interview with the gang on MTV.com following the premiere of an exclusive action scene from the film during "MTV First: Battleship" tonight beginning at 7:56 p.m. on MTV. Having already seen "Battleship," I can tell you this clip really captures the mayhem in this blockbuster.

Anyway, what did I learn in my chat with this group? Well, no matter how freakishly gorgeous you might be, the grass is always greener on the other side. Rihanna revealed she'd like Brooklyn's boobs (her words, not mine), and Brooklyn retorted that she's envious of Rihanna's um ... well, her ass. As I said at the time, this was the best debate ever.

Movies don't come much bigger than "Battleship." Clearly if you have a "Transformers" itch for spectacle, this is the summer for you. But if there's a side story worth talking about amid the 'splosions, clearly it's Rihanna. I spent a good portion of the sit-down with the cast talking to the pop-star-turned-actor and was duly impressed. Humble, self-effacing and quick to joke, count me in the Rihanna fan club from here on out. She's got the right attitude and knows she has plenty to prove as she makes the move into acting ("Battleship" is her debut).

And if you're not rooting for Taylor Kitsch, you are hereby my enemy. "John Carter" took a lot of knocks (most undeserved in my opinion), but this guy takes his gigs seriously (even if the films don't look all that serious) from a distance.

I know what you're thinking. They're all gorgeous and awesome? Annoying, right?

Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgård, Rihanna and Brooklyn Decker will hit MTV's airwaves Monday, April 30, at 7:56 p.m. ET to premiere the exclusive clip, after which they will stick around for a meaty 30 minutes of Q&A on MTV.com.

Check out everything we've got on "Battleship."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Photos

• Rihanna's Vacation In Hawaii

Related Artists

• Rihanna

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