Whitney Houston's last interview - Access Hollywood

Nicki Minaj hates on M.I.A. - Amy Grindhouse

JWOWW threw a birthday party - Fabulous Buzz

Loving Leighton Meester's shoes - I'm Not Obsessed

Jennifer Anistony isn't knocked up - Babyrazzi

Bobby Brown is persona non grata to the Houston family - Celebrity Smack

Rihanna wins this battle - Starpulse

Check out The Hunger Games soundtrack - Hollywire

Kim Richards admits the obvious - Celebrity Cafe

Cougar Town review - TV Fanatic

Kim Kardashian recycles - Reality TV Magazine

Image courtesy WENN.com

Lil' Kim is getting her hate on again. The rapper totally dissed hip hop star Nicki Minaj, whose extremely controversial Grammy performance turned heads for all the wrong reasons.

Lil' Kim appeared on Watch What Happens Live, and all any of the viewers wanted to know was what she thought of Minaj's bizarre exorcism on the Grammys Sunday night.

Watch Nicki Minaj on the Grammys >>

"What did you think of the performance of a certain hip hop artist who kind of rips off your style, if you don't mind me saying?" she was asked.

"I'm sorry, who? It just slipped past me. I don't know with that one," Lil' Kim replied.

"I'm pretty sure I feel the same way everybody else feels right about now… If you have to make a song called 'Stupid Hoe,' you must be a stupid ho."

Watch Lil' Kim slam Nicki Minaj on Watch What Happens Live:

Dayum. Where's the hate coming from? Lil' Kim has had a beef with Nicki Minaj from the start, accusing the singer of stealing everything from her look to her act.

Minaj fired back in the song Lil' Kim hates so much, rapping, "I get it crackin' like a bad back; B***h talking she the queen when she's lookin' like a lab rat."

Your move, Minaj.

Image courtesy Jeffrey Clark Grossman/ WENN.com

Read on for more Nicki Minaj

Catholic League wants an apology for Nicki Minaj Grammy performance

Nicki Minaj's diva demands would make Mariah Carey proud

Nicki Minaj and Barbie team up for charity

Steal her style!

Nicki Minaj has rocked some pretty crazy hairstyles over the years, but we recently spotted the sexy singer rocking a sophisticated and fun straight 'do that we love. Want to steal her look? You're in luck!

Hairstylist: Terrence Davidson

Inspiration: Davidson wanted to add some lift and volume to Minaj's pin-straight locks, so he used ONE styling tools to give her locks a boost.

Get the look:

1. Start with damp hair and mist strands with a thermal-protecting anti-breakage spray, like Davines MELU Shield.
2. Next, dry each section with a natural bristle brush, angling the blow dryer down towards the floor. Davidson recommends using the ONE Epic Nano Pro Dryer -- choose the negative ion setting to help smooth out the hair shaft.
3. Once you've completely dried your hair, set the front pieces in large pin curls while you style the rest of the hair.
4. Next, use a straightener with negative ionic output -- like the ONE Slim Epic Flat Iron -- to lock in moisture and eliminate static and frizz.
5. Take small sections and pass the straightener through the hair until you achieve your desired level of straightness.
6. Apply a root-boosting hairspray to the roots to help add body and shine and dry the front sections to lift hair at the roots .
7. Pass the straightener through the hair once more to smooth and finish.

More celebrity hairstyles

Celeb Hairstyle of the Week: Emma Stone
Get the look: Carrie Underwood's Academy of Country Music Awards hairstyle
Get the look: Ginnifer Goodwin's pretty pixie style

Photo credit: Mr. Blue/WENN.com

Sunday is a day that will live in infamy for the self-proclaimed Barbz — or fans of the "Pink Barbie" Nicki Minaj: She deleted her Twitter account!

Say what? It all started when a Minaj fan site, NickiDaily.com, leaked some unreleased tracks from her album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. She was a little upset, to put it mildly.

"And that’s exactly why I’m paying the barbz DUST right now! And deleting my twitter," she wrote. "Smdh – don’t cry 4 me Argentina.

"Like seriously, it’s but so much a person can take. Good f*****g bye."

Now, Minaj's Twitter account has a big "closed" sign on it -- and fans are freaking out. "When nicki minaj deletes her twitter and you feel like you have nothing to look forward to anymore... #NickiComeBack," one fan wrote.

Others weren't so upset.

"So Tupac did a hologram performance & Nicki Minaj deleted her twitter," another user tweeted. "We are moving in the right direction for the rebirth of Hip Hop."

Minaj has also faced increasing criticism over the past couple of weeks for comments she made about her father, saying she "wanted to kill" him for being abusive when she was a child.

"My father was abusive. We were afraid for [my mother's] life because whenever he would have a real bad outburst, he would threaten to kill her," she told ABC's Nightline last week. "I wanted to kill him. I wished he was dead."

However, she claims that she doesn't care what people think about her, even if deleting her Twitter shows something different.

"When a man is 'bossed up,' he is taking control, he’s getting money, he’s in control of his settings every time and there’s no synonym for it in the female world outside of bitch," she said of being a strong woman in hip-hop.

Will she be back to Twitter? Probably. Other celebrities like Alec Baldwin and James Franco took a break from Twitter before coming back. It's all likely a scheme to increase interest in her new album — and show who's in charge.

Image courtesy Jlnphotography/WENN.com

Bobby Brown pleads not guilty - Access Hollywood

Check out Angelina Jolie's engagement ring - Betty Confidential

Nicki Minaj deleted her Twitter - Starpulse

Tupac lives - Hollywire

Sinead O'Connor is back on stage - I'm Not Obsessed

Paz Vega's kid looks like Halle Berry - Babyrazzi

Justin Timberlake is branching out - Celebrity Cafe

Drew Barrymore is adorable - Celebrity Smack

Heidi Klum is taking it all off - Fabulous Buzz

Kendall Jenner is still way underage, guys - Gossip Juice

Gossip Girl review - TV Fanatic

The Voice recap - Reality TV Magazine

Image courtesy WENN.com

Nicki Minaj pulled out of Sunday’s Hot 97 Summer Jam, because Lil Wayne told her to.

TMZ is reporting that Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg made disrespectful comments about Nicki Minaj’s new song “Starships” onstage. Lil Wayne decided to pull her from the show at the last minute, and Minaj agreed.

“The singer stands by her boss's decision to axe her performance,” sources told TMZ.

Monday, Rosenberg stood by his comment, telling TMZ the song is “wacky and corny.” He did, however, say it was nothing personal against Minaj.

Singer Lauryn Hill sent out a statement via twitter Monday in support of Minaj’s decision to not play the show.

“I don't have details on exactly what transpired between the station and the artists,” Hill said, “but I do support artists standing by their beliefs, and walking with integrity.”

Hill said the rumor is she was schedule to play the show, but that was never the case. But she does feel like it is evidence of a larger issue.

“We have to find a better way to commercially exploit music, while giving artists their proper respect,” Hill continued. “This cannot be done while taking their contributions for granted, or trying to control the scope of their growth and power through threats and fear tactics.”

Minaj has already reportedly decided not to play next year’s Hot 97 concert.

“When she heard the radio station wanted her to come back next year... she said that would NEVER happen,” a source close to Minaj told TMZ.

They go on to say that Minaj made the decision because she does not want to be around disrespectful people. Lil Wayne has not commented on his decision to pull Minaj from the show, but Minaj was rumored to be making an appearance on Hot 97 on Monday night.

Image courtesy Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

After talking to DJ Funkmaster Flex for more than an hour to explain her reasons for pulling out of the station's Summer Jam, Nicki Minaj took to the mic again to express her displeasure with NYC's Hot 97.

The Queens rapper told rival station Power 105.1 today that comments made before her scheduled appearance by Flex's colleague, Peter Rosenberg, were "in bad taste."

Before a festival performance on Sunday, Rosenberg slammed the singer's song, "Starships," telling concert-goers: "I know there's some chicks here waiting to sing 'Starships' later. I'm not talking to y'all right now … F*** that bull****. I'm here to talk about real hip-hop s***."

Lil Wayne, who heads up Minaj's Young Money Entertainment label, caught wind of the comment. He took to Twitter, saying none of his artists would be performing at the annual concert series.

Minaj let her own S-bombs fly this a.m.

"I don't gotta show anyone s***… I'm going to show you by what I don't do," Minaj said, when asked about "why" she backed out of the scheduled headliner. "What I don't do is perform in a place that people don't respect me."

Flex isn't budging, either. He told Minaj he stands by Rosenberg, saying, "It is his opinion and what hip-hop is built on is opinion."

The artist's response: Don't like me? Don't book me.

Flex had this much to say about his talk with Minaj which, at best, sounds like a half-hearted resolution: "Me and this girl been on the phone arguing for an hour," he said before playing the interview with Minaj in its entirety, as she requested. "I'm trying to figure out if we're better. We are."

Image courtesy of FayesVision/WENN.com

It's hard out here for anyone associated with Madge's MDNA tour.

In a crazy, mixed-up world of celebrity riders where Iggy Pop demands brown M&M's® be removed and Nicki Minaj must have 12 room temp and 12 iced water bottles within arm's length, Madonna's 200-person crew takes the cake.

"Madonna has probably the longest list of requirements of any of the world’s music stars," a source told the U.K's The Daily Star. "She expects things to be just right or it puts her off her stage show."

First, we'll start with the "longest list of requirements" part.

The Material Girl's circle of associates is the size of 10 -- count 'em 10 -- Duggar families.

In Touch reports this mega-crew of attendants includes 30 bodyguards, chefs to be at Madge's every beck and call food-wise, a yoga instructor ,  and an on-site dry cleaner.

To the part about the 53-year-old pop queen demanding everything be "just right," not only does she expect that her dressing room swathed in a "special fabric" be equipped with 20 international phone lines, but the flowers adorning the room must be trimmed to "precisely 6 inches."

No hydrangeas! We all know that the beautiful flower that is Madonna wilts when exposed to hydrangeas. Or, at the very least, openly displays her distaste for them after a well-meaning fan offers the plant as a gift.

Madonna must have light-pink roses and lilies.

The super-demands transcend the dressing room.

The insider who probably doesn't want to be a Madge insider, also went on to say that all furniture is removed from her hotel digs so she can be surrounded by cherished pieces brought in from her actual home. That way, the hotel really is a home away from home.

So how does Lady Gaga, the pop-star Madge keeps accusing of plagiarizing her great works, compare?

Well, Gaga says "no" to sweaty or smelly cheese, insisting that it be served on ice and not be of the stanky variety, and the meat-dress-wearing star demands a "whole roasted chicken" be at her disposal in the dressing room -- along with a wide array of sodas to quench her thirst.

Photo credit: WENN.com

Nicki Minaj now has something in common with Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, Peter Dinklage and Jennifer Lopez: They've all lent their voices to the upcoming installment of the popular animated series Ice Age!

Minaj is set to voice Steffie, a girly woolly mammoth, in Ice Age: Continental Drift — and SheKnows has the first look at the character. So what's this sure-to-be adorable animated feature about?

"Scrat's nutty pursuit of the cursed acorn, which he's been after since the dawn of time, has world-changing consequences — a continental cataclysm that triggers the greatest adventure of all for Manny , Diego and Sid . In the wake of these upheavals, Sid reunites with his cantankerous Granny , and the herd encounters a ragtag menagerie of seafaring pirates determined to stop them from returning home," FOX told SheKnows.

Download Nicki Minaj as Steffie for your Facebook cover photo! >>

Love. It. We adored the other three films in the series and we're sure this one won't disappoint — especially with such an eclectic cast. It's not uncommon for musicians to evolve into the acting world, but Minaj actually has experience with the art form: She attended the prestigious LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts in New York City.

Yep that's the Fame high school.

"It made it feel very natural and very comfortable to just jump back into what I was doing in the beginning with acting, in being very animated and being very crazy and using your voice as if a person can’t see you," she told Flicks and Bits of going back to acting. "The voice, it’s so incredible because a person shouldn’t even have to see you to know what you face looks like, kinda — or what your face is doing. It’s kind of an exercise because I do it in rap, you know?"

She'll join Drake in the film: The "Take Care" rapper also plays a woolly mammoth named Ethan.

Get more fun downloads from Ice Age: Continental Drift >>

"I remember with my first audition, I walked across the studio lot and there Drake was," Minaj remembered of getting the part. "He had already gotten the gig and I was telling him how much I hated him. He was like, 'What, what? I didn’t even have to audition. They just gave me the role,' he was completely rubbing it in my face. And so I asked him, 'What are you?' And he was like, 'A mammoth.' So I was cracking up, laughing at him — I’m like, 'Definitely if I’m in the movie, I’m gonna a cute little spicy thing.' And of course I’m a mammoth."

Hilarious! We're sure both of their characters will have lots of swag — we wouldn't expect anything else.

Ice Age: Continental Drift will hit theaters on July 13.

Images courtesy FOX and Will Alexander/WENN.com

More Friday fashion fun

Friday's Fashion Fails: Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato
Friday's Fashion Fails: Paris Hilton and Rihanna
Friday's Fashion Fails: Dianna Agron and Jennifer Aniston

Photo credits: WENN.com/Allpix Press, B. Dowling/WENN.com

What’s it like to be a teenage wooly mammoth? Annoying, of course! Peaches has reached puberty and can’t help but argue with her overprotective dad, Manny , especially when he doesn’t want her spending time with hot teen mammoth, Ethan . Just after dad and daughter have a fight, the giant landmass beneath their four feet begins to rapidly break apart, separating Manny from Peaches and her mother, Ellie . Manny vows to get back to his wife and daughter, no matter what it takes.

Little does Manny know that it's the nutty squirrel Scrat who's actually the one causing all the continental crackups. In his endless quest for the biggest and best acorn, he falls deep into the earth, triggering earthquakes that cause the giant landmass to break into pieces. Who knew a such a little critter could change the entire planet?

Luckily for Manny, he’s not entirely alone. Diego, the saber-toothed tiger , Sid, the sloth , and Sid’s toothless granny , are all stuck on his floating hunk of ice when they crash into an ice-ship captained by primate-pirate Gut . Captain Gut’s right-hand feline is a Siberian tiger named Shira , who may be looking for a new life.

Sparks fly between Shira and Diego, but not so much for teen pachyderms Peaches and Ethan. When Peaches wants to be part of Ethan’s cool crowd that includes stuck-up Steffie , they talk her into ditching her best friend Louis , a mole hog. Discovering that Ethan is shallow, Peaches learns a lesson about the importance of true friendship.

The best part of Ice Age 4 is the “siren” sequence, lovingly borrowed from Homer’s Odyssey. When Manny and his clan are lost at sea, they begin to have hallucinations of their loved ones calling to them. Granny sees a hunky sloth who resembles Fabio calling out to her.

Overall, the images in the film are playful and clever, and the dialogue plays to both kids and adults, especially when one younger animal asks mammoth-mom Ellie, “When you drink water from your trunk, does it taste like boogers?” 

Bottom line: This movie in 3D will delight kids with its fast and furious animation, depicting a skewed but skittering ice age that includes warm, bubbly characters who discover the importance of family.

Photo credits: 20th Century Fox

Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what's a tweet worth? If it comes from Lady Gaga -- a lot more than that. With more than 27 million Twitter followers, Gaga's reach virtually spans across the space-time continuum. It's no surprise then that Gwen Stefani got the message when Gaga took to Twitter to talk up No Doubt's new single, "Settle Down." Gwen responded in kind with words of gratitude, and a sweet tweetfest ensued. If these ladies can share the love on Twitter, why can't they share the stage? With their matching platinum 'dos and rock-star 'tudes, these twisted sisters of song would surely put on one helluva good show.

Left image courtesy of Ryan/WENN.com, Right image courtesy of WENN.com

Justin Bieber and One Direction

Brit boy band One Direction says it would be "cool" to work with Justin Bieber. The Biebs says he's up for a collab -- all the boys have to do is call. Aww, each is waiting for the other to fess up to their feelings. We played that game once, too... in middle school. We think it's time for these heartthrobs to man up and put their legions of loyal fans out of their misery by syncing up for a song or two. Then the only issue would be finding a venue large enough to hold every tween and teen girl in the free world.

Left image courtesy of Mr Blue/WENN.com, Right image courtesy of Judy Eddy/WENN.com

Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry

Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry both routinely wield rainbow-toned wigs and outrageous outfits. Both stars found success with otherworldly hit songs -- Nicki with "Starships," and Katy with "E.T." And both women come off just a little cray cray, but totally likable. How has this collaboration not happened yet?! OK, so technically they did perform together at VH1's Divas Salute to the Troops event. But that taste only made us crave a Nicki/Katy original. We're envisioning a fun, hip-hop-laced pop hit in the fashion of Katy's "California Gurls" featuring Snoop Dogg. Regardless of what type of song the two create though, one thing is for sure -- it would hands-down have the most colorful music video put together to date... a true teenage dream drawn in highlighter hues.

Left image courtesy of Flashpoint/WENN.com, Right image courtesy of WENN.com

50 Cent and Frank Ocean

Kanye West's protégé Frank Ocean threw the hip-hop industry for a loop when he announced his first love was a man. Now, rough-and-tumble rapper 50 Cent has come forward to say that those who have a beef with Frank over his sexual orientation are haters... and idiots. Granted, he also slips in his two cents about the announcement being tied to marketing for Ocean's new album, Channel Orange. So here's our idea. Fitty and Frankie should lay down a mind-numbingly catchy track like "Novacane" that has tinges of Fitty's trademark toughness. Then they can time the debut of the collab to coincide with the release of the G-Unit rapper's next album. In the wake of the mom riot over his recent autism tweet, Fitty could use all the good press he can get.

Image courtesy of Daniel Deme/WENN.com

Track 1 — "Windows Down" by Big Time Rush

Summery sentiment: Everybody knows that I want ya/If you want me baby show me/Roll the windows down/Let your hair flow/Let it all go tonight

Enjoy while: Cruising in a Jeep with the top down .

Track 2 — "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen

Summery sentiment: Your stare was holdin'/Ripped jeans, skin was showin'/Hot night, wind was blowin'/Where you think you're going, baby?

Enjoy while: Getting ready for girls' night out with your besties .

Track 3 — "5-1-5-0" by Dierks Bentley

Summery sentiment: I gotta get your number girl/I gotta call you up/I gotta get you ridin' shotgun in my truck/This little bit of you I've got, it ain't good enough/Yeah, you got me all messed up

Enjoy while: Partying in a field... mud wrestling and four wheeler racing optional.

Track 4 — "Where Have You Been" by Rihanna

Summery sentiment: I've been everywhere, man/Looking for someone/Someone who can please me/Love me all night long

Enjoy while: Dancing at the club, where it will undoubtedly be on heavy rotation allll summer long.

Rihanna talks collaboration with Chris Brown >>

Track 5 — "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men

Summery sentiment: Well tell her I miss our little talks/Soon it will be over and buried with our past/We used to play outside when we were young/And full of life and full of love

Enjoy while: Reminiscing about your first summer fling .

Track 6 — "Starships" by Nicki Minaj

Summery sentiment: I'm on the floor, floor/I love to dance/So give me more, more, 'til I can't stand/Get on the floor, floor/Like it's your last chance/If you want more, more/Then here I am

Enjoy while: Looking fly and feeling flirty at a pool party.

Exclusive first look at Nicki Minaj in Ice Age: Continental Drift >>

Track 7 — "How We Do " by Rita Ora

Summery sentiment: We got that sweet, hot loving/Dancing in the dark/Out in the streets we're running/Shut down every bar

Enjoy while: At a backyard party, complete with red Solo cups and tons of people you didn't invite and/or don't know.

Track 8 — "Young and Wild and Free" by Snoop Dogg ft. Wiz Khalifa

Summery sentiment: We're just having fun/We don't care who sees/So what we go out?/That's how it's supposed to be/Living young and wild and free

Enjoy while: Chillin' on the beach with your buddies .

Wiz Khalifa's $2.3 million copyright infringement suit >>

Track 9 — "Pontoon" by Little Big Town

Summery sentiment: On the pontoon/Making waves and catching rays up on the roof/Jumpin' off the back, don't act like you don't want to/Party in slow motion/Out here in the open/Mmmm... motorboatin'

Enjoy while: Loungin' on a pontoon... if boatless, grab an inner tube and head to the nearest body of water.

Track 10 — "The Best Song Everrr" by Wallpaper

Summery sentiment: Best friends, you are my f**king best friends/Seriously, it's like the best night ever/This song, I'm really feelin' this song/This song, f**king best song everrr

Enjoy while: Tossing back an adult beverage or two ... it may be the only way to make sense of these lyrics, which we're pretty sure were written in drunkanese.

Image courtesy of C.M.Wiggins/WENN.com

The dynamic duo behind celebrity fashion favorite Naven shares their styling secrets with SheKnows.

Cut-outs, Animal
Prints and Neon

From Katy Perry to Nicki Minaj, the daring pieces from twin designers Alexis and Kym McClay are quickly becoming a favorite with celebrity trendsetters.

"We’ve always been driven towards women who represent something bold," the ladies behind the Naven label told SheKnows.

Seen here: Halston Sage in Naven's Cut-Out Dress and Kristin Cavallari in The Party Dress

Celebrity style

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria and Carly Rae Jepsen are just a few other famous faces seen in their designs. But who haven’t they hooked up with that they’d love to get their clothes on?

"Blake Lively," the twins said in unison. "She’s definitely our style icon. We’re hoping we’ll see our styles in a few episodes [of Gossip Girl] this season."

With their flirty cut-out dresses, bright colored blazers and on trend two-toned pieces, we definitely could see our favorite Upper East Siders rocking these looks.

The business of fashion

Kym and Alexis look like they could be right out of the show as well. The stylish sisters have lived all over the globe, from L.A. to London, and know what’s hot in the world of fashion.

"I’ve always been really into fashion," Kym told SheKnows. "I kind of started my own sewing factory in high school."

Alexis runs the business side of things, but they both do so much more than production. The sisters are also the faces of the line.

"We just did our bathing suit shoot in Cabo San Lucas," they said. "At the end of working really hard, it’s fun to just let go and do the fun stuff."

Working together

And the best part… is getting to do all of this with your BFF.

"We’re always together," said the twins. "We’re best friends. We live together, hang out together, we’re inseparable."

Alexis and Kym’s dos and don’ts

So how similar are the twins' tastes? Find out in our Fashion Quiz!

Jacket

Forever 21, $40

Pants

Forever 21, $25

Necklace

Stell + Dot, $79

More celebrity fashion

Spice Girls' Olympics closing ceremony fashion: The glitter, glam and those cabs!
Celebrity stylist June Ambrose shares her tips
Soak up Kate Bosworth's beachy look for summer

Photo credits: FayesVision/WENN.com , Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Move over, Mariah Carey: It's about to get crowded at the American Idol judge's table. The iconic singer – already confirmed to judge the new season of the FOX talent competition — will reportedly share the table with three other judges. We already heard that the likely contender for slot No. 2 is Nicki Minaj.

"I'm not sure the deal is completely done yet, but yes, she is definitely doing it," an insider told US Weekly on Monday. "A few more slight things to sign off on but it is happening."

As for the other two? The Hollywood Reporter cited sources over the weekend saying that FremantleMedia is looking to round out the judges with a Latin star and a country singer. Enrique Iglesias, ironically now on tour with just-departed Idol judge Jennifer Lopez, is the likely contender for the Latin star position. The country slot is rumored to be Keith Urban.

We can get behind these two as judges: Both are super-talented, plus it'll be nice to stare at Iglesias for a couple of hours each week.

This whole thing is so confusing, though: First, Adam Lambert was rumored to be in consideration for the job, then everyone from Aretha Franklin to Nick Jonas was named. Our names were even mentioned as possible contenders. OK, not really -- but we wouldn't be surprised at this point. Can they just hurry up and make the announcement already? We need to decide if American Idol will finally be worth watching again.

Probably not, but we can dream.

Image courtesy Dominic Chan/ WENN.com

Mariah Carey is reportedly furious over the possibility of Nicki Minaj on American Idol. According to the New York Daily News, Carey wants to be the only female on the American Idol judging panel and was quick to let Idol producers know she does not support Minaj being on the show.

Now Enrique Iglesias is supposedly joining American Idol >>

The rumor mill went into overdrive yesterday when Nicki Minaj tweeted she had a major announcement to her fans.

"Ok barbs, getting another x-ray. When I get back, I'll have a surprise for u. *kisses u, hugs u*"

E! Online speculated that Minaj's big reveal would be her official announcement as an American Idol judge. While it turns out her big reveal was not related to American Idol, media outlets still believe Nicki MInaj is on the short list to be on the Idol panel.

Nicki Minaj is bringing her "Super Bass" to American Idol >>

When Mariah Carey received word she might be working with Nicki Minaj, she slammed the phone down on American Idol producers mid-conversation, according to TMZ. Sources told TMZ that Mariah Carey insists she be the only woman on the Idol panel.

Even so, Us Weekly reports American Idol is extremely close to finalizing a deal with Nicki Minaj. Their sources say contracts are in the final stages.

"I'm not sure the deal is completely done yet, but yes, she is definitely doing it." The source continued, "A few more things to sign off on but its happening."

Photo courtesy of David Bodrick / DMBJ / WENN.com

Despite all the rumors, American Idol is still without a third judge. When Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler decided to leave earlier this summer, the show's possibilities were wide open. They added Mariah Carey to one of the spots, and even though different people have been named in the negotiation, at least one spot is still open.

TMZ is now reporting that the show pursued Katy Perry for the part, which ended up being a part she really didn’t want.

"Idol pursued Perry relentlessly for weeks, eager to get her to sign on the dotted line," a source told TMZ. "According to our sources, they started the offer at $18 million, but threw even more cash on the table... $20 million for a one-year contract."

$20 million may seem like too much money to turn down, but it sounds like the money isn't what Perry was looking for. The sources told TMZ that she felt it just wasn't the right move for her career, which means money probably wasn't an issue even from the beginning.

Mariah Carey can't be happy with the news, since her contract is reportedly worth less than $20 million.

Another singer who is reportedly waiting for the call from American Idol is Alanis Morissette.

"I live to mentor, so my heart is much more open to the idea of that than even 10 years ago when I, perhaps, wasn't in a position to be able to offer much advice, solicited or otherwise," Morissette told Rolling Stone. "But I love watching people and just getting really curious about what they want and what they need and what their goals are, and then I can support them. I would do it formally, for sure."

Rolling Stone is also reporting that Nicki Minaj is "100 percent confirmed" for a role, which would leave judge Randy Jackson without a spot.

"There's also been talk that original judge Randy Jackson will move to a 'mentoring' role, leaving one more spot open," said Rolling Stone. "Rumors continue to swirl about who might take that spot, with names like Nick Jonas and Kanye West getting thrown into the ring."

No announcements have been made in regards to Minaj or any other additions to the show yet.

Photo courtesy Robert Wallace/ WENN.com

Country singer Keith Urban has reportedly accepted a job as a new judge on American Idol.

"Sources have confirmed exclusively to The Country Vibe that Keith Urban has accepted an offer from American Idol to sit at the judges table next to Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and a rumored fourth judge that will likely not be Randy Jackson for the upcoming season of the show," TheCountryVibe.com reported.

The site continues by saying that The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that the fourth seat could likely be filled by Enrique Iglesias.

But for this seat, the show reportedly wanted someone from the country world, and the two front-runners were Keith Urban and Brad Paisley.

"Although no firm figures have been published about Nicki Minaj's salary, we hear it is somewhere in the neighborhood of $8.5 million, a far cry from the $18 million Mariah Carey is reportedly making to sit at the judge's table," said The Country Vibe.

The site said that Paisley was looking for a figure similar to Minaj's, but he could not reach a deal with the show.

"When a deal could not be reached, he decided to pass," said the website. "Sources tell us Keith will be making $3 million as a judge on season 12 on American Idol."

According to USA Today, Urban confirmed to an Australian radio station he was in talks with the show.

Urban may also bring more star power to the show. He's married to actress Nicole Kidman, and since they have two children together, there is a good chance she'll be around the show often.

Nicki Minaj has not been officially announced as a new judge, but if all the rumors are true, the new season's lineup will be Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban and Enrique Iglesias. Not only would that bring a massive amount of talent to the judging table, but it would also bring the variety American Idol is looking for.

Photo courtesy Nikki Nelson / WENN.com

On Sept. 2, rap fans — Democrats and Republicans alike — were all very confused after it looked like Nicki Minaj was promoting presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

"On Lil Wayne's new mix tape, Dedication 4, released Sunday... Minaj unfurled the line, 'I'm a Republican voting for Mitt Romney, you lazy [expletive] is [expletive] up the economy,'" according to Clinton Yates with the Washington Post.

MTV's Talib Kweli responded to fan confusion over the comment:

"Just heard a dude on Hot97 say he won't let his daughter listen to Nicki Minaj cuz she endorses Romney. Really? That's what it took? lol," Kweli tweeted, according to MTV. "I doubt Nicki seriously supports Romney. Her lyrics ain't political. She just wants y'all to talk about her & she winning cuz it's working!"

One person who was also confused, and maybe a little skeptical, was President Obama, who just happens to be Romney's opponent in this election. President Obama appeared on WPYO-FM in Orlando, Florida, Monday morning and tried to make sense of it all.

When the station mentioned the rap, Obama responded with "I'm not sure that's actually what happened," according to ABC News.

"I think she had a song on there — a little rap that said that," he continued. "But she likes to play different characters, so I don't know what's going on there."

Turns out, he was right. Today, the singer sent the POTUS a message on Twitter.

“Ha! Thank you for understanding my creative humor & sarcasm Mr. President, the smart ones always do... *sends love & support*@BarackObama," she tweeted, in response to the radio show.

Minaj has not responded to requests to clarify a little more, but the tweet may have said it all. President Obama didn't seem too worried though. He clarified that he and his wife Michelle don't fret too much over what celebrities think of him.

"The truth is when it comes to music and movies, etc. Michelle and I just focus on who's good," said Obama. "Look, I love Clint Eastwood movies, man."

Photo courtesy of FayesVision/WENN.com