Nicki Minaj wilds out in a second hilarious promo for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on CBS. The blonde diva raps and shakes her booty as Grammy host LL Cool J beatboxes, but when he can’t keep up, she tells him to “pause.”

Nicki will debut “Roman Holiday,” a new song off her sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, at Sunday’s show, where she is nominated four times.

Taylor Swift and LL Cool J let loose in a promo for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. The hip-hop pioneer, who will host this year’s show, kicks things off before the country sweetheart joins in with her own sound effects. It’s not long before their beatboxing session erupts into laughter. Expect more unexpected pairings like this when the Grammys air live on February 12.

Hip-hop all-stars Nicki Minaj and LL Cool J team up to promote the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. “You know this is really exciting for me because like I’ve been listening to you since I was a baby,” a blonde Nicki tells the hip-hop icon, who will host this year’s show. “I love you less now,” he quips back.

Nicki, who is nominated for four Grammys, will hit the stage on music’s biggest night, airing live on February 12.

A hip-hop icon will take over hosting duties for the Grammys. LL Cool J has been announced as host for the 54th annual ceremony next month.

The two-time Grammy winner will preside over the telecast on February 12 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE. It marks the first time in seven years that the Grammys will have an official host.

“I’m thrilled to be part of Music’s Biggest Night,” said LL Cool J. “I will always have fond memories of my first Grammy Awards and to now be hosting the Grammy show, in the company of so many other incredible artists, is a dream come true. Great performances and great music—it’s gonna be a great night!”

LL is no stranger to the Grammys. He has hosted “The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night” since 2008, but this will be his first time hosting the actual ceremony. He follows past hosts Queen Latifah, Jon Stewart, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, and Rosie O’Donnell, among others.

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will air live from Los Angeles with performances from Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, and Taylor Swift.

Lupe Fiasco, Common, and LL Cool J joined Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, and rapper Scorpio for a special performance of “The Message” at Wednesday’s Grammy nominations special. The seminal recording by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five was newly inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame.

“It’s the quintessential classic hip-hop record—from the beat to the rhymes to the concept to the consciousness that’s in the record to the reality, it’s like a window into the world,” said Lupe. “That’s what it was back then and you can play the record now and it’s still relevant.”

Rick Ross, who was scheduled to perform, was noticeably absent. However, Nicki Minaj got in on the action when LL passed her the mic in the audience.

[MWP]

The flame has gone out. LL Cool J reflects on what used to be on the emotional “No More,” produced by hitmaking duo Rico Love and Jim Jonsin. The hip-hop trailblazer recalls pastimes with his girl on the rock-tinged mid-tempo, while Ne-Yo senses them drifting apart. “It’s like you don’t know me and I don’t know you no more,” he sings on the hook. Can they put back the pieces of their damaged relationship?

The ESSENCE Music Festival went down in July in New Orleans, but professional footage of the show has recently become available online. If you weren’t at the Louisiana Superdome, catch Janet Jackson’s much-talked-about headlining set, from her 1989 hit “Rhythm Nation” to last year’s ballad “Nothing.” Trey Songz and LL Cool J provided eye candy for the ladies. The 25-year-old heartthrob made his female admirers sweat with his slow jams, while the original ladies man licked it up with “Doin’ It” and “Rock the Bells.”

The G.O.A.T. pays homage to the King of Pop by reinterpreting his classic, “Billie Jean.”

“After hearing the tragic news of Michael Jackson’s death, the lyrics for the ‘Billie Jean’ remix came to me in a dream,” LL Cool J told Billboard.com. “Michael was one of my childhood idols and has always been a great inspiration to me.”

LL Cool J – “Billie Jean Dream”

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey attended the 2009 Film Independent’s Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday. Mariah’s new film Precious (formerly Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire) has been generating lots of positive buzz in Hollywood.

Suge Knight and J.D.

The odd couple, Suge Knight and Jermaine Dupri, exchanged numbers at the Pop Watch launch at MAGIC in Las Vegas on Wednesday.