'I'd say we're maybe about 40 percent done,' Luda tells Billboard about his Ludaversal.
By Rob Markman
Ludacris attends MAGNUM Live Large project at Highline Ballroom on April 4, 2011 in New York City.
Photo: Dave Kotinsky/ Getty Images
<P>Are you ready for another Ludacris album? It's been two years since 'Cris dropped his last album, <i>Battle of the Sexes,</i> and the Atlanta MC estimates that his next one will hit stores this spring. "I get the beats together and I put out my ideas, so I'd say we're maybe about 40 percent done," the rapper told Billboard of his upcoming eighth LP, <i>Ludaversal,</i> which he anticipates will be out around May with a first single dropping in March. Luda, who dropped his 1.21 Gigawatts mixtape in November, also revealed one big-time guest on the LP. "Usher is one person that I've already worked with," he said. "In terms of other artists, you can say that there's going to be a lot of surprises on here." <center></center> The pair already have a few collaborations under their belt. Who can forget Usher's inescapable smash "Yeah!" from his 2004 <i>Confessions</i> album? The two also hooked up on Lil Jon's "Lovers and Friends" in the same year and then again two years ago on Usher's "She Don't Know." As far as what the two have cooked up for <i>Ludaversal,</i> fans will just have to wait and see. Throughout his career, Luda has shown a ton of versatility. An undeniable hitmaker, at times the nimble-tongued lyricist has been comical (2001's "Area Codes" and 2004's "Number One Spot") and in other instances delivered healthy amounts of substance (2006's "Runaway Love" and 2008's "Do the Right Thing"). For <i>Ludaversal,</i> he will get a little personal. "It's been a minute since I've been away from music, and there is just so much to talk about," he said. "So [the album] is mostly about my personal life, my travels, my experiences, rumors, gossip — you know, everything coming together in one." <i>What are your expectations for Ludacris' new album? Tell us in the comments!</i></p>
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First single from Trent Reznor/ Atticus Ross soundtrack is Karen O cover of Led Zeppelin song.
By Gil Kaufman
Rooney Mara in "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"
Photo: Giles Keyte/Columbia Pictures
<P>You kind of can't go wrong when the soundtrack you've put together for one of the most eagerly anticipated literary adaptations in years kicks off Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O's take on Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song." </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:693384" width="240" height="211"></div><p> Fans heard the throbbing industrial take on the rock classic cooked up by former Nine Inch Nails mastermind and O when a trailer for the David Fincher-directed "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" leaked back in May. And on Thursday, Oscar-winning industrial-rocker-turned-film composer Reznor and musical partner Atticus Ross unveiled the full track list for their "Tattoo" score album. The follow-up to their award-winning "The Social Network" score was a labor of love, according to a post Reznor put up on the NIN site on Thursday announcing the disc. "For the last fourteen months Atticus and I have been hard at work on David Fincher's 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,' " he wrote about the American version of the tale of pierced and punished hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) and her muckraking journalist compatriot Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig). "We laughed, we cried, we lost our minds and in the process made some of the most beautiful and disturbing music of our careers. The result is a sprawling three-hour opus." The album will be released on iTunes on December 9 in two versions. Right now, you can download the Karen O song on iTunes when you pre-order the 39-track album. That download purchase will also give you a link to the eight-minute "Dragon Tattoo" trailer, for which Reznor and Ross created a unique score. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:674399" width="240" height="211"></div><p> But, if you visit the NIN online store, Reznor is offering the soundtrack in a variety of forms, from a free six-track sampler to a deluxe 3,000-piece limited-edition signed $300 package with your choice of MP3 formats; the full album on six pieces of 180 gram vinyl; a deluxe book package with a metal cover; an exclusive custom 8 GB metal razor blade USB drive pendant containing the full album; and a fold-out poster. The full album score track list is as follows: <br> <b>»</b> "Immigrant Song" (Led Zeppelin cover) [ft. Karen O]<br> <b>»</b> "She Reminds Me of You"<br> <b>»</b> "People Lie All the Time"<br> <b>»</b> "Pinned and Mounted"<br> <b>»</b> "Perihelion"<br> <b>»</b> "What If We Could?"<br> <b>»</b> "With the Flies"<br> <b>»</b> "Hidden in Snow"<br> <b>»</b> "A Thousand Details"<br> <b>»</b> "One Particular Moment"<br> <b>»</b> "I Can't Take It Anymore"<br> <b>»</b> "How Brittle the Bones"<br> <b>»</b> "Please Take Your Hand Away"<br> <b>»</b> "Cut Into Pieces"<br> <b>»</b> "The Splinter"<br> <b>»</b> "An Itch"<br> <b>»</b> "Hypomania"<br> <b>»</b> "Under the Midnight Sun"<br> <b>»</b> "Aphelion"<br> <b>»</b> "You're Here"<br> <b>»</b> "The Same as the Others"<br> <b>»</b> "A Pause for Reflection"<br> <b>»</b> "While Waiting"<br> <b>»</b> "The Seconds Drag"<br> <b>»</b> "Later Into the Night"<br> <b>»</b> "Parallel Timeline With Alternate Outcome"<br> <b>»</b> "Another Way of Caring"<br> <b>»</b> "A Viable Construct"<br> <b>»</b> "Revealed in the Thaw"<br> <b>»</b> "Millennia"<br> <b>»</b> "We Could Wait Forever"<br> <b>»</b> "Oraculum"<br> <b>»</b> "Great Bird of Prey"<br> <b>»</b> "The Heretics"<br> <b>»</b> "A Pair of Doves"<br> <b>»</b> "Infiltrator"<br> <b>»</b> "The Sound of Forgetting"<br> <b>»</b> "Of Secrets"<br> <b>»</b> "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" (Bryan Ferry cover) <b>Check out everything we've got on "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.</b></p>
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Award season just got started this month, but there has already been plenty of excitement for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They've graced red carpets, mingled with friends at events, and appeared on stage during shows and we're taking a look at it all. Check out Brad's big Palm Springs International Film Festival win, Angelina's gorgeous Golden Globes gown, and more in this look at the couple's amazing award season run so far!
'I'd say we're maybe about 40 percent done,' Luda tells Billboard about his Ludaversal.
By Rob Markman
Ludacris attends MAGNUM Live Large project at Highline Ballroom on April 4, 2011 in New York City.
Photo: Dave Kotinsky/ Getty Images
<P>Are you ready for another Ludacris album? It's been two years since 'Cris dropped his last album, <i>Battle of the Sexes,</i> and the Atlanta MC estimates that his next one will hit stores this spring. "I get the beats together and I put out my ideas, so I'd say we're maybe about 40 percent done," the rapper told Billboard of his upcoming eighth LP, <i>Ludaversal,</i> which he anticipates will be out around May with a first single dropping in March. Luda, who dropped his 1.21 Gigawatts mixtape in November, also revealed one big-time guest on the LP. "Usher is one person that I've already worked with," he said. "In terms of other artists, you can say that there's going to be a lot of surprises on here." <center></center> The pair already have a few collaborations under their belt. Who can forget Usher's inescapable smash "Yeah!" from his 2004 <i>Confessions</i> album? The two also hooked up on Lil Jon's "Lovers and Friends" in the same year and then again two years ago on Usher's "She Don't Know." As far as what the two have cooked up for <i>Ludaversal,</i> fans will just have to wait and see. Throughout his career, Luda has shown a ton of versatility. An undeniable hitmaker, at times the nimble-tongued lyricist has been comical (2001's "Area Codes" and 2004's "Number One Spot") and in other instances delivered healthy amounts of substance (2006's "Runaway Love" and 2008's "Do the Right Thing"). For <i>Ludaversal,</i> he will get a little personal. "It's been a minute since I've been away from music, and there is just so much to talk about," he said. "So [the album] is mostly about my personal life, my travels, my experiences, rumors, gossip — you know, everything coming together in one." <i>What are your expectations for Ludacris' new album? Tell us in the comments!</i></p>
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Go see Captain America this weekend! Support our Colin!

I went to the premiere on Tuesday and it was the coolest thing ever. First, the movie is AMAZING and Chris Evans is a superstar. Second, there were so many damn people there it was insane. I have been to movie premieres in New York before and they were nothing like this. I mean, they closed down Hollywood Boulevard. I would've taken photos to show you, but the invite said to leave phones in the car. But here's a photo of me in my cool Captain America 3D glasses:
(Sit down, stop jumping around, it's an awesome picture, I know. And the quality is amazing. It's not grainy or reddish... it's perfect.) (No, it's not.)
(And you can totally see the Captain America logo on the side of the glasses.) (No, you can't.)
Anyway, Captain America is pulling a strong 71% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes right now so GO SEE IT! IT'S FANTASTIC!
Mumford & Sons, Justin Bieber, Rick Ross also prepping new material.
By Gil Kaufman
Photo: Getty Images / MTV News
<P>The past 12 months have seen the release of monster albums from Adele, Lady Gaga, Drake, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj. But the next 12 are promising to bring even more music from several of those artists, plus new albums from Mumford & Sons, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Linkin Park, Paramore, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Maroon 5 and Green Day. It's a bumper crop of major albums from some of rock, pop and hip-hop's biggest stars, who are returning from long breaks, hoping to follow up smash debuts or just trying to keep their momentum going. While release dates are always subject to change, here are some of the most anticipated releases of 2012. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:717202" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <big><B>Pop</B>:</big><br> Ironically, the status of new albums from the artists whose next moves everyone is most curious about are the ones most in the air. <B>Rihanna</B> tends to deliver a new album every 12 or 13 months, which means that she <I>may</I> have another disc in stores at the end of next year once the just-released <I>Talk That Talk</I> has run its course. On the other hand, <B>Lady Gaga</B> has already begun talking about her follow-up to this year's <I>Born This Way.</I> Gaga recently told MTV News that she's already started writing songs and "all the concepts are beginning to flourish and take place." She didn't give a potential release date, only promising, "I'll put it out when it's done." <B>Katy Perry</B> hasn't publicly spoken about what will come after 2010's smash <I>Teenage Dream,</I> but it's possible she could start work on new material in 2012 as well. We know for sure that Justin Bieber is planning to show his more mature side next time around, possibly even incorporating some EDM sounds into the mix. It's been confirmed that Madonna hooked up with M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj for the single "Gimme All Your Luvin' " from her untitled forthcoming album, which will feature production from <I>Ray of Light</I> producer William Orbit. Other artists who could release fresh material in 2012: <B>No Doubt</B>, <B>Maroon 5</B>, <B>Avril Lavigne</B>, <B>Miley Cyrus</B>, <B>Christina Aguilera</B>, <B>Ke$ha</B> and Nicole Scherzinger. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:716489" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <big><B>Hip-Hop</B>:</big><br> Two titans of rap are cueing up fresh tracks for early 2012, with <B>Nicki Minaj</B> likely to get out of the gate first with her sophomore album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, due out on Valentine's Day. The disc will include first single "Roman in Moscow," which sees the Best New Artist Grammy nominee getting into the character of her alter ego, Roman Zolanski. After the delay of God Forgives, I Don't due to a pair of seizures he suffered in October, Rick Ross is expected to come back strong as well. The Bawse has taken his convalescent time to work on a new track with Jay-Z. Speaking of Jigga, fans may get a new record from him as well, considering he told MTV News he was cooking up fresh tracks way back when he first played us songs from his Kanye West collaborative album, <I>Watch the Throne.</I> In fact, Jay-Z said you might get solo albums from both men as well as the second Throne release. Other artists that should have albums hitting stores in 2012: <B>Nas</B>, <B>Frank Ocean</B>, <B>Slaughterhouse</B>, <B>Wiz Khalifa</B>, <B>the G.O.O.D. Music compilation</B>, <B>T.I.</B>, <B>Big Sean</B>, <B>50 Cent</B>, <B>Ludacris</B>, <B>Big K.R.I.T.</B>, <B>Meek Mill</B> and potentially two discs from <B>Lil Wayne</B>, <I>I Am Not a Human Being II</I> and <I>Rebirth II.</I> <big><B>Rock</B>:</big><br> Some of rock's biggest guns are reloading for 2012, among them Green Day, who debuted some new tracks at a benefit show in August. The title of the follow-up to 2009's <I>21st Century Breakdown</I> hasn't been announced yet, but some of the early songs slated for possible inclusion are "Nuclear Family," "Carpe Diem" and "Sweet 16." U2 have reportedly been cooking up a number of potential new albums, logging sessions with Danger Mouse and working with French producer/DJ David Guetta, RedOne and will.i.am on a disc of dance-oriented tunes. Prog rock revivalists Muse should also have some new material for us, with bassist Chris Wolstenholme promising in a recent interview that the sound on their sixth album will be "radically different" from 2009's <I>The Resistance.</I> We may get something from <B>Linkin Park</B>, who are prepping the follow-up to 2010's <I>A Thousand Suns,</I> and Mumford & Sons. It's been two years since the British folk rock revivalists dropped their still strong-selling debut, <I>Sigh No More,</I> and they began giving fans a taste of some new material in the fall when they unveiled the majestic song "Ghosts." After a rough year, Paramore have finally put the drama behind them and they're super-psyched to record an album free of tension and inter-band awkwardness. So far, they've already unwrapped the bouncy "Renegade" and "Hello Cold World," which bode well for their fourth full-length studio album. Other rock acts slated to release new albums: the reunited <B>Soundgarden</B>, <B>Foster the People</B>, <B>Neon Trees</B>, <B>Sleigh Bells</B>, <B>Silversun Pickups</B>, <B>Bruce Springsteen</B> and <B>All-American Rejects</B>. <I>Which 2012 albums are you most excited about? Which ones did we miss? Let us know in comments below.</I></p>
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