Since her hospitalisation earlier this year – as well as her family being granted control of her estate – the 26-year-old is on the road to recovery and is “excited” to open the 2008 awards.

“MTV has long played an important role in my career. How can I not be there to kick off their 25th VMAs?” she told People magazine.

“I’m excited to open the entire show, to say hi to my fans and to be nominated.”

The singer has been nominated 16 times for an astronaut-shaped VMA but has never been successful.

However, she has another shot at glory this year with nominations in the best female video, best pop video and video of the year categories, all for her hit Piece of Me.

MTV Networks’ music president Van Toffler commented: “Britney has done everything from perform with a snake, lock lips with Madonna and prove that what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas.

“I can’t wait to see what she does to kick off this year’s show.”

I must say I’m glad she’s not performing. The time will be right when it is. Still, it’s good to see Britney getting herself out there. No doubt all eyes will be on her come Sunday’s show. {Source}

Your thoughts?

R&B star Ciara strips down (all the way down) in the October issue of VIBE magazine, which she features in to promote her new LP ‘Fantasy Ride’. Say what you want about it (and no doubt people will), but she looks g-o-o-d! 

Because of some backstage machinations, Ne-Yo is a little bit richer.

The R&B star has scored a nice payday for being dumped from R. Kelly’s road show last year. A Los Angeles judge has ordered Kelly’s promoter to pony up $700,320 to the “Because of You” Grammy winner.

Ne-Yo went to court in December, alleging he was bounced from the Double Up tour because his opening set was getting better reaction from fans and critics than Kelly’s. The bill also featured Keyshia Cole and J. Holiday.

Superior Court Judge Malcolm Mackey made his default judgment after Georgia-based Rowe Entertainment refused to respond to the lawsuit filed by Ne-Yo under his real name, Shaffer Smith.

Per his suit, Ne-Yo was supposed to earn $785,000 on the 25-date jaunt, but the 25-year-old performer was canned by Rowe after the second show on Nov. 15 and only received a fraction of the contracted amount.

At the time, the promoter blamed the dismissal on Ne-Yo’s camp for not completing the proper paperwork. {Source}

Good to see justice served…

“As far as Foxy or Teairra Marì, these are people that I have given chances to. It’s understandable that they would be upset, but you got to look at it from my point of view as well. I gave Teairra Marì the same shot I gave Rihanna. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

“You know that stuff is going to happen, eventually it’s going to happen. What I’m happy about is, that no matter what people say, no one has ever said that I am dishonest or that I have taken one dime from them . . . I’ve never cheated anyone out of a dime. No one’s ever said that, right?” {Source}

Kudos to Jay for not getting messy with his response. I guess he does have a point…