Rapper in celeb MTV awards line-up

Wiz Khalifa

Arts writer

MTV has revealed that rapper Wiz Khalifa will perform his new single Work Hard, Play Hard for the first time on television at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards.

The single is the debut track from the upcoming August release of Khalifa’s second studio album, O.N.I.F.C. African viewers can tune into the awards on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) on Monday at 9pm.

Russell Brand will host the awards at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California on Sunday.

Adam Sandler, Emma Watson, Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller are the latest Hollywood stars confirmed to hand out golden popcorn awards at this year’s ceremony.

They join presenters Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg.

With roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wiz Khalifa began rapping in the third grade and started recording his own music at the age of 14.

That early enthusiasm for his craft led to Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, his first of many acclaimed mixtapes.

In 2010, Khalifa made the transition from independent artist to signed performer when in collaboration with Rostrum Records, he joined Atlantic Records.

At his new label home, he began his rise to the top of the music charts in 2011 with the release of his three-time platinum single Black and Yellow off his first studio album, Rolling Papers.

The awards ceremony will put the spotlight on the most diverse roster of nominated films in years for the show.

Featuring a broad array of movies that resonated with the MTV audience this year, the nominees include both blockbusters and critically acclaimed films like Drive, Like Crazy, The Descendants, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and My Week with Marilyn.

MTV fans hold the Power of the Popcorn awards in their hands with online voting open at www.mtvbase.com until Saturday. As always, voting for “Movie of the Year” will remain open throughout the event on Sunday.

l For more information, see www.mtvbase.com