Rihanna (file)
Photo: Chris Gordon/Getty Images

Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx all showed up for Jay-Z's concert Sunday night in Los Angeles, but what really got the fans hyped was Rihanna's appearance onstage.

The singer, who is gearing up to release her album Rated R on November 23, took the stage at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion to sing her part in "Run This Town." Wearing black-and-silver leggings, sunglasses, ankle boots, fingerless black gloves and an asymmetrical jacket, Rihanna danced around the stage and flashed a big smile as Jay rapped, according to video posted on her fan site, RihannaDaily.com.

Hov seemed excited to share the stage with the singer, who just days before, in an interview with Diane Sawyer, opened up about the night that Chris Brown assaulted her. At the end of the song, Rihanna gave Jay a big hug, smiled, and blew kisses and waved to her fans. "Los Angeles, make some noise!" she called out.

"RiRi, you ready?" Jay asked, and Rihanna went into the call of her new single "Hard": "A-yeah-yeah-yeah." The singer seemed comfortable and confident as she performed the track live for the first time.

Rihanna will perform her entire new album at a concert in London on November 16 that will be webcast live around the world.

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Jay-Z performs at the Yankees victory parade in New York on Friday
Photo: WNBC-TV

"Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York!" Jay-Z took hip-hop to the World Series earlier this month, and on Friday (November 6) he took it to the teams' World Series victory parade. Not only did Hov ride one of the floats with Yankee star Alex Rodriguez during the parade down the Canyon of Heroes, he closed out the ceremony at City Hall for the Bronx Bombers.

After giving out keys to the city to the entire Yankee organization — including team captain Derek Jeter — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a "special treat."

"His song has become one of the newest anthems of the Yankees," Bloomberg told the audience. "Please welcome a great Yankee fan and a great New Yorker: Jay-Z."

Of course, the anthem Bloomberg was referring to was "Empire State of Mind," which Jay and Alicia Keys performed at Yankee Stadium just before game 2 of the Series. (A new version of the song will appear on Keys' forthcoming LP, Element of Freedom.

The crowd stood on its feet as Jay — who performed the song at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin the night before — came out. Keys was not in attendance, so singer Bridget Kelly joined him, as she did in Berlin.

"I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here, I can make it anywhere/ Yeah, they love me everywhere," Jay, wearing a navy-blue Yankees jacket, rapped.

Superstar third baseman Alex Rodriguez danced hard to the song, throwing his hand up in the air. Meanwhile, Yankee outfielder Johnny Damon captured the moment with his flipcam while pitcher Andy Pettitte clapped.

"Came here for school, graduated to the high life/ Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight," Jay continued. "MDMA got you feelin' like a champion/ The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien."

As Kelly sang the last notes of the record — "Big lights will inspire you/ Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York" — Yankees C.C. Sabathia, Jorge Posada, Joba Chamberlain and Nick Swisher came from the their seats to shower Jay with handshakes and hugs.

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Jay-Z rides with members of the New York Yankees in their victory parade in New York on Friday
Photo: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images

"They were doing some weird hand sign in the form of a triangle" — beloved New York radio personality Craig Carton apparently is not hip to the famed Jay-Z Roc-A-Fella hand signal.

Carton was one of the hosts of CBS' broadcast of the World Series-winning New York Yankees' victory parade down Manhattan's Canyon of Heroes. Huge Yankee fan Jay-Z actually showed his team pride by getting on the float with one of the team's franchise players, Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez. Throughout the Bronx Bombers' World Series run, Hov has been vocal and active with his love of his favorite Major League team.

Jay was slated to perform "Empire State of Mind" with Alicia Keys during the opening game of the World Series last week, but due to inclement weather the duo did not perform until game 2.

"First of all, the new [Yankee] Stadium — it's the Yankees and it's game one of the World Series," Jay told MTV News of his performance. "I'm beyond excited about it, and on top of that, it's a New York record. It's a record that pays homage to New York [and which was also performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards]. The timing of that couldn't be better."

Hov was also elated that his songs such as "Empire State of Mind" and "Run This Town" have been played during the different Yankee player's at bats during home games.

"Jeter plays 'Empire State' every time he's at bat. A-Rod does 'Already Home' and 'Reminder,' " Jay continued. "[Robinson] Cano does 'Run This Town.' It's like the Jay-Z compilation at the stadium. It's beautiful, incredible, beyond explanation. Just the whole fact, being in Yankee Stadium, really interacting, knowing the players. I grew up a fan of he Yankees — Reggie Jackson, Mickey Rivers, Chris Chambliss, God bless [the late] Thurman Munson, all these guys. To be there and interact with all these guys [the current Yankee team], they're throwing the Roc sign up — it's fantastic."

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Miley Cyrus
Photo: James Devaney/WireImage

In her hit single "Party in the U.S.A.," Miley Cyrus famously claims that a Jay-Z song saved her life (or at least made her taxi ride from LAX bearable). But which one of Hov's hits is she singing about?

Turns out, she doesn't know. Because she's never actually heard a Jay-Z song.

That's what we learned in a new interview posted on Cyrus' MileyWorld Web site, in which the singer — who, it should be noted, is dressed like Pocahontas (it was backstage, before her Halloween concert in Louisville, Kentucky) — was asked by a reporter which Jay-Z tune inspired the line in "Party." And, well, let's just say she answered his question honestly.

"I don't know, I didn't write the song, so I have no idea," she said. "Honestly, I picked that song because I needed something to go with my clothing line. I didn't write it [and] I didn't expect it to be popular, originally. It was just something that I wanted to do and I needed some songs and it turned out for the best."

She's correct, she didn't write "Party" (a songwriting team of Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and Jessica Cornish did), but surely — as the rather dumbfounded reporter asked in his follow-up — she can agree with the song's sentiment. She's got to be a Jay-Z fan, right?

"I've never heard a Jay-Z song. I don't listen to pop music," Cyrus answered. "['Party in the U.S.A.'] is not even my style of music. I'm really blessed for it to have done as well as it has. Totally blessed. God has definitely put me in an amazing position with amazing people."

Undoubtedly reeling from the magnitude of that claim, the reporter decided to shift gears, jokingly asking Cyrus if she has any plans to cover her father's massive 1992 hit "Achy Breaky Heart." But Miley wasn't ready to let the Jay-Z thing drop.

"No, no thank you," she said. "That's like covering a Jay-Z song. That's not going to happen."

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Beyoncé accepts an award at the EMAs
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ Getty Images

Bowler caps, bow ties, corsets, crystals, "boobie thingies" — no, these are not the remnants of last weekend's Halloween rave but rather the accoutrements returning host Katy Perry flounced around in at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards. Together with the theme "Katy Kat Club," the Sally Bowles-inspired garb was only appropriate as the 16th annual EMAs returned to its inaugural location of Berlin, just days before the 20th anniversary of when the Berlin wall came tumbling down.

Jay-Z, Beyoncé, U2, Tokio Hotel, Leona Lewis, David Hasselhoff, Juliette Lewis, Shakira, the Jonas Brothers and Tokio Hotel were just some of the stars that turned up on the red carpet to commence the largest awards show in MTV Europe's history. A staggering 17,000 audience members congregated at Berlin's O2 Arena and Brandenburg Gate, while an estimated 2 billion people tuned in from home.

It was a night contrasted by both the old and new, bad jokes on the German language and crackling political overtones. Veteran act Green Day opened up the show with a blistering two-song performance that had lead singer Billie Joe pogoing his way through the crowd and ending in shooting flames and fireworks as "Minority" slowed to its last four-note chord. (Proving why the group was once synonymous with teenage angst, Joe later returned to the stage after winning for Best Rock with these wise words: "Great that we got the best co-- band — I mean, rock band. Pardon my German.")

A slithering and glittering Katy Perry then took the stage, bellowing out "Herzlich wilkommen meine damen und herren!" and performed a raw-vocal medley that included the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" and Lady Gaga's "Poker Face." Curiously, Perry then ribbed Lady Gaga later during the show when she emerged from a set design involving a giant ruby-red shoe. "They say that if a guy has big shoes, then he has ... the funny thing is, I think this belongs to Lady Gaga!"

The first award of the night went to U2 for Best Live Act. Taking the stage, Bono introduced the Edge, who in an emotional speech expressed how the recording of "One" in Berlin — inspired by Germany's then-recent reunification and symbol as the new Europe — "brought the band together." More East/West references abounded. Upon winning the award for Best Urban, Jay-Z, donning sunglasses and a black leather jacket, succinctly said, "The will come a day when the only walls that come down are just music," then said something about the Jonas Brothers.

Both Lady Gaga (Best New Act) and Eminem (Best Male) accepted their awards remotely through televised acceptance speeches.

	EMA 2009 Show Highlights

And what is an awards show in Germany without the Hoff? Clad in a dazzling chrome silver dinner jacket, David Hasselhoff returned the country's seemingly undying love for him by flashing his select knowledge of the native language. "Yo! Twenty years! Alles klar! I am not responsible for the wall falling down," the former "Baywatch" actor announced with an apparent slur. "Wie gehts? Alles klar! Gut!"

But it was three-time winner Beyoncé (Best Song, "Halo"; Best Female; Best Video, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)") who had the best line of the night. Having performed earlier in a silken red set straight out of a Daphne du Maurier novel, the visibly weary singer simply said upon receiving her final award: "There is one person I want to thank, and that is Jay — for putting a ring on it!" then shot her fist into the air to loud cheers. "You go, B!" Katy Perry shouted from the sidelines.

Despite other spirited performances from Jay-Z, Shakira and overwhelmingly popular local androgynoids Tokio Hotel, the true stage spectacle of the night came from Leona Lewis. What started off as a rather standard rendition of "Happy," set against a starry background, experienced a jaw-dropping special effect as a green vortex whirred around the singer then dramatically vanished into glittering stardust.

In the much-publicized highlight of the evening, Dublin rockers U2 performed a free 20-minute set in front of the historic Brandenburg Gate for the rabid 10,000 fans who had secured a spot online. Shot several hours earlier and beamed into the arena, the concert moved the audience even remotely as the giant pillars were emblazoned with the words "One Love" and "Freedom." "Happy birthday, Berlin!" frontman Bono crowed during a performance of "One," his voice both soaring and sage.

U2 returned to the big screen to close out the show, this time with Jay-Z freestyling over a performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Jay-Z rapped in the lyrics from Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up." The gates behind them lit up in the holiday colors of green and red, like an early present. Bono leaned in to hold to Jay-Z's hand as the duo raised them up triumphantly in the air.

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Jay-Z
Photo: Larry Busacca/ Getty Images

Mere hours after Jay-Z rocked the MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin, he announced the North American dates for his 2010 BP3 Tour via a press release from promoter Live Nation. The tour will begin on February 22 in Houston, with more dates to be announced soon.

Young Jeezy is scheduled to open all dates on the tour, tickets for which go on sale beginning November 13.

	Jay-Z's September 11th Benefit Show

The first leg of the tour is still under way, with dates in Fresno, California (Saturday), Los Angeles (Sunday), Austin, Texas (Tuesday) and Champaign, Illinois (November 12).

The second leg will make stops in Dallas; New Orleans; Atlanta; Greensboro, North Carolina; Washington, D.C.; Boston; Pittsburgh; St. Louis; Indianapolis; Denver; Los Angeles; and more, according to the press release. Additional day of show and on-sale information will be announced shortly for stops in East Rutherford, New Jersey; Uniondale, New York; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and Detroit.

Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday through Citi's Private Pass Program, and will also have access to VIP Ticket Packages.

Jay-Z's 2010 North American tour dates, according to Live Nation:
» — 2/22 Houston @ Toyota Center
» — 2/23 Dallas @ American Airlines Center
» — 2/25 New Orleans @ New Orleans Arena
» — 2/27 Atlanta @ Philips Arena
» — 2/28 Greensboro, North Carolina @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex
» — 3/3 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
» — 3/7 Norfolk, Virginia @ Scope Arena
» — 3/11 Boston @ TD Garden
» — 3/16 Pittsburgh @ Mellon Arena
» — 3/19 St. Louis @ Scottrade Center
» — 3/20 Indianapolis @ Conseco Fieldhouse
» — 3/22 Denver @ Pepsi Center
» — 3/24 San Jose, California @ HP Pavilion
» — 3/26 Los Angeles @ Staples Center

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Jay-Z performs at the EMAs in Berlin on Thursday
Photo: Dave M. Benett/ Getty Images

Jay-Z flew across the Atlantic to perform in Berlin at MTV's Europe Music Awards on Thursday night (November 5) and brought New York City with him. In a hard-charging performance, the rapper stood in front of a cityscape and busted out "Empire State of Mind."

He must have taken a few cues from his Video Music Award performance this September at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall, where he also used scenes from New York as his backdrop. This time in Germany, backed by a live band, Jay took his hometown pride rather seriously: Wearing all black and sunglasses, he rocked the room with his ode to New York as the city skyline swirled behind him.

	Jay-Z Performs At The EMAs

Alicia Keys didn't make the trip, but stepping in to sing her vocals on the track was Bridget Kelly, one of Jay's backup singers who has replaced Keys before in live performances.

Before taking the stage to perform, Jay nabbed the Best Urban award, beating out T.I., Kanye West, Eminem and Ciara. Stepping up to the podium to accept the award, Jay said, "I thank you for this award. I look forward to the day — because it's called the Best Urban Artist — I look forward to the day when all those walls come down and it's just music. I go in the studio just like the Jonas Brothers, just like Green Day, and we all just make music. We are all just artists at the end of the day."

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Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
Photo: Jim McIsaac/ Getty Images

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys couldn't contain their enthusiasm for New York to one song, so the pair have decided to team up again for a sequel to their hometown anthem. Keys will include "Empire State of Mind Part 2" on December's The Element of Freedom. The sequel will feature a new verse from Jay, a rep for Keys confirmed to MTV News.

The first version of the song was featured on Jay's Blueprint 3 album, and the duo performed the track at the Video Music Awards and before game two of the World Series.

Keys said she felt honored that Jay asked her to be on the track. "Obviously, I'm very grateful to him for reaching out to me and for that type of ability to represent my hometown, like, that was crazy," she told MTV News. "So we went to the studio. I went to the studio, and ... I fell in love from the jump."

The Hype Williams-directed video for "Empire State of Mind" debuted last week, and Keys described it as a masterpiece. "The way it's put together, it is so New York. You totally get it and understand it. It's artistic. It's hard. It's beautiful. It's, like, everything," she said. "And definitely getting to be in the middle of Times Square on my piano [with] Jay, representing our home city, is a triumph. It was unbelievable."

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Dame Dash
Photo: MTV News

Dame Dash just laughs off stories about how he is supposedly in dire straits financially. He gets so much of a kick out of it that he doesn't rush to defend himself against the rumors. These days, Dame is back where he started, making music independently along with brokering art and producing television.

Dash has a complex in lower Manhattan, DD172, where he has two music studios and an art gallery, and also publishes a magazine and maintains CreativeControl.tv. Mos Def has dubbed the building the "24/7 karate school" because of all of the artists that come through and work together, including Mos, the Black Keys, Jay Electronica, Jim Jones, the RZA, Raekwon the Chef and producer Ski (Reasonable Doubt) to name a few.

Dash says everyone is welcome, just as long as no one brings negativity.

"I'm not teaching violence. No beef! None of that. I don't have beef with nobody."

Dash's name has popped up in headlines dealing with Beanie Sigel's recent lash-out against Jay-Z. During some recent interviews, Beans accused Dash of shady business dealings when the two were putting out the State Property PRO-Keds sneakers.

"Him and the licensee who licensed Rocawear went behind my back and obtained the license to the company that was licensing PRO-Keds and stopped making the State Property PRO-Keds," Beans said on Philadelphia radio station Power 99. "It was all geared towards Roc-A-Wear."

Dame said he did not want to address any specifics regarding Sigel, but did say he did not want any beef.

"I love Jay, I love Beans — what's the reason for beef?" Dash responded. "That's stupid. What's the reason for beef? People die, people don't feel good — I want people to laugh. What's up, y'all?"

Dame was shocked to hear Beanie on the radio.

"I was surprised. I was hurt for him, more or less, because I know that ain't him," Dash said. "But I don't want to speak on that. Whatever [Beanie's] going through where he's got to do that ... I could understand where he may look at things and feel that way. I can see that. He's probably got a lot of people around him and nobody to really tell him what's going on. It was a different environment for Roc-A-Fella back then. I feel bad for those cats. I love those cats. I hate that they struggle. I hate it. I hate to see anybody struggle. I don't embrace that. I'm not one of those dudes that get happy when I hear something bad about somebody I had a bond with. I really loved those dudes. You see Ski down there, I knew Ski for 20 years. That's my man. Sometimes people have different agendas for why they don't wanna be my friend. But at the end of the day, I'm always there for them."

On November 27, Dash releases the first album from his BlakRoc label — the next LP from the Black Keys, which will also be called BlakRoc. The album features Jim Jones, the RZA, Raekwon the Chef, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Billy Danze and Pharoahe Monch.

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Beanie Sigel and Jay-Z
Photo: Getty Images

Beanie Sigel says he's still not getting the reply from Jay-Z that he wants. On Tuesday, the Broad Street Bully appeared on Philadelphia radio station Power 99 as a surprise guest during 50 Cent's interview. The two hinted that Beanie and the G-Unit would be aligning sometime in the future. More overt, however, was the suggestion that Beans would be calling Jay out in public more often.

"He is a crumb. I'm gonna put my foot on his neck until he responds," Beans said as the segment came to a wrap. Beans added that he's ready for a lyrical tangle with his once-close clique member and that he would relish a retort from Jiggaman for the "What You Talkin About (Average Cat)" song.

"Please make a record," Beans yelled on-air. "A week's been out, dog. I'm not taking nothing from Jay as an artist. He ain't no walk in the park as an artist. All I'm saying is I don't gotta jog to keep up to him."

During the interview, Beanie also addressed Jay's recent comments that he did a lot for Sigel, who Jay noted had a record deal and a record label and drove two Bentleys at one point. Sigel said that the label and the cars were earned and that Jay didn't give him anything.

"I think he has good intentions, Jay, but he's using a traditional business corporate model," 50 said calmly. "I think the only place he really went wrong was when he said 'La Familia,' like 'we family.' "

50 added that a few years back, he wanted to offer Beanie at least $800,000 to come to the G-Unit upon his release from prison but that Jay had blocked the deal.

"I said it makes sense right now, I could sell this right now, I could get him out and go right away with the actual music," 50 recalled about the deal that never materialized.

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