Lady Gaga also posted a YouTube clip today showcasing a brand new “ARTPOP Invention” — a fiber-optic wig that lights up. In a faux-English accent, Gaga explains that the wig (conceived as a combination of Disney princess meets raver style) was handmade by Frederic Aspiras for Haus of Gaga. It’s made from “real human hair, and the finest fiber-optics in existence.”

SAMPLED is a column that examines the skeletal production of a contemporary Rap/R&B/Hip-Hop or Pop song. From what song did the loop, sample, or chopped up vocal providing the backbone for a new interpretation originate? This week, the sample is taken from Willie Hutch’s 1969 song “That’s What I Call Lovin’.”

Mariah Carey and No Doubt performed at the 2012 NFL Kick-Off Concert in Rockefeller Center in New York City last night, to commemorate the first game of the season. In what was effectively a comeback performance for all involved, the two performances couldn’t have been more different. While No Doubt’s performance sounded good, looked good, and kept the energy up, Mariah’s performance sounded terrible, looked like a mess, and was ultimately frustrating to watch.

The stars of popular music will certainly be out in full force tomorrow, as can be seen in the snapshots BuzzFeed took of the VMA celebrity seating charts. We’re veritable social butterflies here at Pop Hunter, so we decided to give these seating charts a gander, and provide some cordial icebreakers for any potentially awkward pairings.

It was recently announced that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky would be the first performance of the night at the MTV Video Music Awards tomorrow, and in advance of the event, a recording of the remix they’ll be performing has hit the Internet. This performance could introduce a wider audience to A$AP Rocky. Is the world ready for a trill infusion?

Scooter Braun, the young entrepreneur who plucked a ripe Justin Bieber from the YouTube vines, has added another promising artist to his roster. Scooter Braun’s Schoolboy Records already has deals with Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, Matt Toka, and Asher Roth, and his head count is about to get a bit more diverse, with “Gangnam Style” K-Pop juggernaut Psy signing on.

On Sunday, Kanye West went on a Twitter rampage, looking to initiate a dialogue about the usage of the words “bitch” and “nigga” in lyrics. In the name of curiosity, we did a little digging to find out exactly how often Kanye will appear on a song where either he or another musician use either of the words he has called into question.

Here are 31 GIFs of our favourite diva being equal parts fun and fierce. Can you think of a better way to celebrate Beyoncé’s 31st birthday? I mean, we did it for Kanye’s 35th birthday, so it just felt right. Thank you Internet, and happy birthday Bey!

Lil Wayne’s Dedication 4 mixtape finally arrived yesterday, and the verse getting the most attention isn’t even uttered by Weezy himself. A couplet from Wayne’s Young Money cohort Nicki Minaj (in a freestyle overtop of the beat from Kanye West’s “Mercy”) has shocked the hip-hop world, and injected some politics into Weezy’s mixtape.

At the end of each month, Pop Hunter highlights the best songs that were released. Consider it your cheat sheet for year-end lists. This month, we feature Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, MNDR, Ellie Goulding, and Kid Cudi.