(Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

+ 50 Cent finally decided to start tweeting and, man, did he go off, taking shots at Fat Joe, his own grandmother and flirting with Michelle Obama. (@50Cent)

+ John Mayer was so enraged by a critical Huffington Post article about his ex, Jennifer Aniston, that he… blogged about it! (Idolator)

+ After Courtney Love tweeted some passive-aggressive (mostly aggressive) birthday wishes to her daughter, Frances Bean, Frances herself responded, also over Twitter, “I hope you find your soul.” Burn! (TheFabLife)

+ Ke$ha celebrated the end of her and Rihanna’s “Last Girl On Earth Tour” in Chicago. (JustJared)

+ Beyonce and Jay-Z have taken their never-ending-vacation act from Italy to St. Tropez. (ThatGrapeJuice)

(Credit: Social Trust)

It’s always pretty exciting when a production team decides to step out from behind the mixing board and flex their artistic muscle under their own name. Whether it’s N.E.R.D. or, more recently, Far East Movement, the results are typically both surprising and expertly produced.

Which brings us to The Midi Mafia. After crafting hits for Justin Bieber, 50 Cent and Jennifer Lopez, this duo, made up of Brooklyn-born Bruce Waynne and Canadian Dirty Swift, has struck out on their own, releasing their debut EP, Vegas Lights.

Like their production work, Vegas Lights leans heavy on party-starting anthems. But, in a sign of changing with the times, Midi Mafia’s evolved past their R&B-heavy past work, instead crafting a grip of thunderous dance-pop tracks.

While Vegas Lights tracks like “Blinded By The Lights” and “Phamous” will certainly make any wallflower blossom into a party animal, Midi Mafia’s hottest track is “Lucky,” featuring Internet sensation Dave Days, and it’s a club banger that will be featured on tonight’s episode of “Jersey Shore.”

Listen to Midi Mafia’s dance track, “Lucky” below, plus check out their “Phamous” video featuring “Fantasy Factory”’s Chanel and their “2 Piece (So Cosmo)” video. And be sure to listen for “Lucky” on tonight’s episode of “Jersey Shore.” Vegas Lights is out now.

(Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

+ Lady Gaga will become the first celebrity to ever have her wax statue featured in all 10 Madame Tussauds museums. (MonstersAndCritics)

+ If seeing Lady Gaga made of wax isn’t your thing, you can always gaze at Lady Gaga as a man! (Style.MTV.com)

+ Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have apparently split up. Find out all the why’s and how’s. (MTV News)

+ Check out pics of Hilary Duff on her honeymoon. (JustJared)

+ Some people think Nicki Minaj is the next Lauryn Hill, and Nicki Minaj agrees! (ThatGrapeJuice)

+ A manicure tribute to Pee Wee Herman? Sure! Why not? (TheDailyNail)

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+ Jay-Z will be opening the Australian leg of U2’s 360 Tour. (Spinner)

+ Katy Perry didn’t just perform an epic set on “The Late Show With David Letterman” last night; she also chatted with the talk show host about Russell Brand and church — two subjects with TONS in common! (NeonLimelight)

+ After coming under fire from the likes of Bill O’Reilly, Kim Kardashian has come out in defense of her photo shoot with Justin Bieber. (MTV News)

+ Not only is Rihanna putting the finishing touches on a new album, she will reportedly release a new single, “Only Girl,” at the end of the month. (ThatGrapeJuice)

+ Billy Joel will allegedly be one of the artists whose catalog is featured on an episode of “Glee” this season. (AccessHollywood)

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+ Katy Perry says the inspirational dance-anthem, “Firework,” is her personal fave on her new album, Teenage Dream. (MTV News)

+ Check out pics of Taylor Swift hanging backstage with Paramore and New Found Glory in Nashville. (Idolator)

+ “The Situation” has had a better summer, fiscally speaking, than Michael Cera, Barack Obama and nine other big name celebs. (Buzzfeed)

+ Miley Cyrus‘ upcoming film, “LOL,” will feature the singer engaging in sex, drugs and bad language (the holy trinity!). (TheFabLife)

+ Britney Spears as a Japanese Manga character? Sure! Why not? (JustJared)

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+ Joe Jonas celebrated his 21st birthday on stage Sunday. His brothers Jonas presented him with a cake while the band rocked Hershey, Pennsylvania. (MTV News)

+ Kanye West spent most of Sunday Tweeting about songs that he loves. Check out the playlist, which surprisingly includes some Bieber! (Sound Of The City)

+ Speaking of Justin Bieber, he joined Drake onstage at the Indiana State Fair, much to the delight of people at the Indiana State Fair. (ThatGrapeJuice)

+ Madonna celebrated her 52nd birthday with daughter Lourdes in London. (JustJared)

+ Tila Tequila had a pretty rough weekend at the Insane Clown Posse’s Gathering of the Juggalos. (TheFabLife)

(Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

+ Rumor has it that Lady Gaga is working with David Bowie on her new album. (Idolator)

+ Bummed you missed Lollapolooza? Or just want to relive the experience? MTV News has got you covered with this great video wrap-up. (MTV News)

+ The “American Idol” judges rumor mill keeps on turning. Newest name in the hat? Shania Twain. (TMZ)

+ Justin Bieber will reportedly return to “CSI” to film more episodes. (PopEater)

+ Jay-Z rocked Radio City Music Hall last night for the Nike World Basketball Festival. (ThatGrapeJuice)

(Credit: James Merritt/Getty Images)

+ Lady Gaga told Ryan Seacrest that she might release two albums in 2011. (ThatGrapeJuice)

+ For Kanye West, Twitter is taking the place of conventional interviews. (MTV News)

+  Check out footage of Christina Aguilera covering Etta James’ classic “Something’s Got A Hold On Me,” from her upcoming film, “Burlesque.” (Idolator)

+ Justin Bieber is donating some of the proceeds from an upcoming show to Nashville flood relief. (Just Jared Jr.)

+ Taylor Swift has recorded a nice little “thank you” video message for her fans. (LimeLife)

(Credit: Brian Appio/MTV)

Meet the new Amber Pacific. Despite being in existence for most of the last decade, this Seattle-based pop-punk band has gone through some pretty significant personnel changes over the last few years, most notably in the form of vocalist Matt Young.

The band didn’t lose its voice for long though, as Young was replaced with Jesse Cottam, who has fit nicely into the frontman role. With this new blood the band recorded and released a new album, Virtues, picking up right where the original lineup left off.

Whether it’s the absolutely raucous rave up of “Anthem For The Young At Heart” or the pure pop of “The Girl Who Destroys,” Amber Pacific make hook-filled pop-punk for the broken-hearted of the mosh pit.

Virtues is out now and you can check out music from the album (and the new lineup) at Amber Pacific’s MySpace. In the meantime, get familiar with their older material in the form of their ‘07 clip for “Fall Back Into My Life.”

+ Rihanna has some funny things to say about being in charge of Katy Perry’s bachelorette party. (ThatGrapeJuice)

+ Check out Taylor Swift’s artwork for, “Mine,” the first single off her upcoming album, Speak Now. (Idolator)

+ “American Idol” is now three judges short. Not only is Simon Cowell gone, but it looks like Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi will follow him out the door. (MTV News)

+ Speaking of “Idol,” Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler are the latest rumored replacements for the show’s judges table. (JustJared)

+ Justin Timberlake is designing a limited edition William Rast collection for Target. (HollywoodLife)

+ Katy Perry answered fan-submitted questions on YouTube and opened up about Britney Spears, Natalie Portman, her wedding nails and much, much more. (MTV News)

+ Check out more Katy Perry “Teenage Dream” promo pics here. (HuffingtonPost)

+ Rihanna is looking to make a splash in Hollywood, joining the cast of the upcoming action film “Battleship.” (Movieline)

+ Selena Gomez got through an interview of “Lopez Tonight” without her voice, using hand signals and her iPad. (Idolator)

+ The guys from “Glee” will cohost the 2010 Teen Choice Awards with Katy Perry in August. (JustJared)

+ Might Wyclef Jean be the next president of Haiti? (PopEater)

Watch Wyclef’s “If I Was President” video below.

(Eric Ford / On Location News)

+ Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan make out in Rihanna and Eminem’s new video, “Love The Way You Lie,” and here are the pictures to PROVE it! The video is apparently premiering later this week.  (Radar Online)

+ Nick Jonas sent Lucie Jones the best kind of pizza: a heart-shaped pie. Awww! (Best Week Ever)

+ Here’s more on the Britney Spears episode of “Glee,” set to air September 28. Brittany (Heather Morris) is going to do a Britney song! WE KNEW IT! (MTV News)

+ Here’s why Justin Bieber was wearing a prison jumpsuit. (And it wasn’t because he visited Lindsay Lohan in jail. (Contact Music)

+ On her next album, Demi Lovato promises not to, well, pull a Miley. (E! Online)

+ It’s all fun and games until a pigeon craps in your mouth. Unfortunately Kings Of Leon learned this the hard way. (NME)

+ Demi Lovato claims her next album with have more of an R&B feel. (MTV News)

+ La Roux performed “Bulletproof” for the ladies on “The View.” (Idolator)

+ The RIAA has named Britney Spears the best-selling female artist of the 2000s. (JustJared)

+ Katy Perry is hosting a live chat today at 4:30/3:30c, where she’ll be debuting her Teenage Dream album artwork. (PopEater)

+ The Backstreet Boys have some advice for Justin Bieber. (TheFabLife)

+ On Saturday, Missouri Lady Gaga fans protested a planned protest of her show by the Westboro Baptist Church. (MTV News)

+ Go behind the scenes of Madonna’s shoot for Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall/Winter collection. (Idolator)

+ Ashley Greene and Miley Cyrus held a puppy playdate over the weekend for their two canines. (JustJaredJr)

+ Diplo has opened up to the press about his disappointment in how M.I.A.’s latest album turned out. (TheFabLife)

+ Charice Pempengco underwent skin-lightening and Botox for her upcoming role on “Glee.” We kinda wish she hadn’t! Check out Charice looking adorable in the Buzzworthy interview below. (PopEater)

(Credit: Adam Elmakias)

Post-hard core can bring out the screaming hair-puller in most of us, so it’s great to see a post-HC band like Pierce The Veil, who knows how to have fun with the dark side of music.

Formerly known as Before Today, Pierce The Veil has made two albums of cathartic, highly technical heavy rock. On its recently released Selfish Machines, the group mixes the glam and gloom of My Chemical Romance with the prog-rock fireworks of Dillinger Escape Plan and Coheed And Cambria.

On stage, however, (PTV are road warriors, touring with the likes of Mayday Parade and Devil Wears Prada), the band mixes in contemporary pop classics into its songs, as anyone who has witnessed its takes on Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” and Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love” can attest.

Check out Pierce The Veil’s video for the 2007 single “Chemical Kids And Mechanical Brides,” off the album A Flair For The Dramatic. You can listen to a stream of Selfish Machines and check out all their Warped Tour dates at their MySpace page.

+ Justin Bieber will star in an “8-Mile”-style biopic of his own life. The film will track his rise from Canadian obscurity to ownership of the entire universe. (Hollywood Life)

+ Expect a lot of hipsters in Katy Perry’s next music video. The singer tweeted that the cast of her upcoming clip resembles a Vice Magazine photo shoot. (@KatyPerry)

+ Joe Jonas will be making a guest appearance on the new Betty White TV Land sitcom “Hot In Cleveland.” (E! Online)

+ Speaking of the Jonas Brothers, they, along with Demi Lovato, will be opening the U.S. Open tennis tournament with a concert on August 28. (DigitalSpy)

+ Muse bass player Chris Wolstenholme has compared being on the soundtrack to “Twilight” to selling one’s soul. (MTV News)

+ An all-Britney episode of “Glee” is in the works! It’s still unconfirmed whether Britney herself will appear on the show. But HOW AWESOME would a Britney/ Brittany dance off be? Or a Britney/ Brittnay/ Santana remake of “3″? OMG. THANK YOU, Ryan Murphy! THANK YOU, universe! (Pink Is The New Blog)

+ Lil Wayne had a visitor in jail: Kanye West! (MTV UK)

+ You might wanna sit down before reading this. LeAnn Rimes is taking a break from Twitter. (US Magazine)

+ The 1 million things you need to know about Katy Perry and Russell Brand’s upcoming wedding. (Gawker)

+ Katy Perry’s potential maid-of-honor-to-be, Rihanna, had to cancel more shows. Oof. (VH1 News)

+ Is Justin Bieber REALLY SERIOUSLY going to collaborate with one of the Real Housewives of Dirty Jersey’s daughters? (Fab Life)

+ Lady Gaga opened the latest leg of her never-ending Monster’s Ball tour in Montreal last night. It went on for more than two hours and featured the new song “You And I.” (MTV News)

+ Take a look back at Chris Brown’s showstopping Michael Jackson tribute at the BET Awards. (Idolator)

+ Check out shots from Britney Spears‘ ad campaign for Candie’s. (JustJared)

+ Courtney Love played a totally normal, not at all awkward, Hole show in Washington, D.C. (TheFabLife)

+ Ke$ha’s ideal guy is funny, fat and bearded. (ImNotObsessed)

+ Justin Bieber’s Hartford, Connecticut, tour kickoff involved scaling walls, karate, acapella singing, acoustic guitar serenades and appearances from Usher and Sean Kingston. (MTV News)

+ Meet the fan who is single-handedly trying to keep Christina Aguilera on the charts by buying 250 copies of Bionic. (Idolator)

+ Someone may have had Rihanna, Lady Gaga or even Kelly Rowland in mind when they designed these “sadistic,” elaborate bras. NSFW. (Refinery29)

+ Miranda Cosgrove was spotted out rocking a vintage, bedazzled or bejeweled Rolling Stones T-shirt. (JustJaredJr)

+ Mariah Carey is being sued for $30,000 in unpaid veterinarian bills. Don’t forget about us, the pets, Mimi! Or the bills. (PopEater)

+ If you thought you heard Miley Cyrus rapping on her new song, “Liberty Walk,” think again. According to Cyrus, it’s “spoken, rhythmic singing…I’ve got no swag.” (MTV News)

+ Carrie Underwood will marry hockey player Mike Fisher on July 10th. (JustJared)

+ Jay-Z is being sued by a private jet company who claim Hova owes them for hours spent privately flying the friendly skies. Who among us hasn’t forgotten to pay the private jet company from time to time!? (TheFabLife)

+ Jerry Seinfeld has got some major issues with Lady Gaga over the use of his New York Mets luxury box and the bird-flipping which ensued there. (Idolator)

+ Speaking of Gaga, she wore some really big boots while walking around Heathrow airport and then fell down. (TMZ)