Idolator

It's a maddeningly brief announcement, but today's Variety reports that MTV is close to finalizing Rapping With The Stars, a Dancing With The Stars-ish new competition in which rappers and famous people perform together. Rapping will feature "teams squaring off in range of rap-oriented musical challenges. A hip-hop world panel will judge."

We're intrigued, if only because we want to see what kind of celebs MTV will tap for this: Will they go the way of VH1—the network responsible for lower IQs, pestilence and three out of five cases of hoof-and-mouth disease—and hire formerly famous child stars and pop-culture punchlines? Or will they go with TRL types like Zach Braff or LL Lohan? It's hard to imagine anyone but the most completely out-of-touch stars trying to show off their rap skills on live TV. Either way, we look forward to seeing Leeza and Jeezy, together at last.

MTV rapping with pros, celebs [Variety]