Check out this audiotape of President Barack Obama calling Kanye West a “jackass” for hijacking Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech during the VMAs.

The audio was recorded just before Obama went on camera to do an interview with CNBC. Before the interview began, Obama — referring to Kanye’s antics on stage — said “I thought that was really inappropriate,” then adding, “He’s a jackass.”

After making the remarks, Obama said “Where’s the pool?” Presumably, he was worried the joke would go wide. He noted the last time that happened, he got burned for killing a fly.

Obama said, “Cut the President some slack.”

Kanye West

Dear Kanye,

What happened to you as a child?? Did you not get hugged enough?? Something must have happened to make you this way and I think we’re all just curious as to what would make a grown man go on national television and make a talented artist, let alone teenager, feel like shit. I mean, I’ve seen you do some pretty shitty things, but you just keep amazing me with your tactless, asshole ways. It’s absolutely fascinating how much I don’t like you. I like everyone. I even like my asshole ex that cheated on me over you…which is pretty odd since I don’t even personally know you. The best part of this evening is that you weren’t even up for THIS award and yet you still have a problem with the outcome. Is winning a moon man that much of a life goal?? You can have mine if it will shut you up. Is it that important, really??

I was actually nominated in the same category that Taylor won and I was excited for her…so why can’t you be?? I’m not even mad at you for being an asshole…I just pity you because you’re a sad human being.

On a side note, Beyonce has always been a class act and proved again tonight that she still is. Go TEXAS!!

Taylor Swift, you outsell him ….that’s why he’s bitter. You know I love your work! Keep it up girl!

KC

In the future, leather-clad gangs will battle for supremacy on the rubble-strewn streets of New York City. They will carry torches and scowl a lot. There also will be a whole lot of overturned, burned-out vehicles, as is to be expected in any post-apocalyptic scenario. The future, it turns out, is vaguely reminiscent of “300,” or maybe “The Warriors,” or both.

That, in a nutshell, is the basic scenario of “Run This Town,” the much-anticipated video that brings together three of the hugest names in the music industry — Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West — and casts them as warlords in a 23rd-century turf war.

Anyway, here’s what you need to know about “Run This Town”: It’s three of the decade’s biggest artists, appearing on one of the year’s most talked-about songs, promoting the hugest rap album in recent memory (Jay’s The Blueprint 3, due September 11). It really doesn’t matter what they’re doing in the video — their combined wattage is that powerful.

So credit to director Anthony Mandler — who also helmed Jay’s VMA-nominated “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” clip — for changing things up. Jay and Kanye have never gotten this gritty, and Rihanna hasn’t looked this dark and menacing since her “Disturbia” clip (which, incidentally, was also directed by Mandler). The “Town” video is super-stylish; Mandler’s visuals create a war-torn world that’s dank and dangerous.

Given that “Run This Town” is, by its very definition, a star-driven vehicle, you couldn’t blame everyone involved if they mailed it in and coasted by on name and reputation alone. But no one does that here … not Mandler, not Jay, Rihanna or Kanye (though, strangely, he is noticeably absent for most of the clip’s first three minutes). If all superstars worked this hard, the world would be a better place … until it’s destroyed by the apocalypse, that is.

We already knew that Rihanna and Kanye West appear on “Run This Town,” the second single from Jay-Z’s upcoming The Blueprint 3. And judging by the entire track listing Jigga released on his Web site on Tuesday, he’s going to have plenty of help on the 15 tracks of the eagerly anticipated sequel, which drops on September 11.

The long-in-the-works opus will kick off with “What We Talkin’ About,” a collaboration with eccentric singer Luke Steele of the Australian new-wave act Empire of the Sun. That’s followed by the songs “Thank You” and the album’s first single, “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune).”

Next up is “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys, “Real As It Gets” with Young Jeezy, “On to the Next One” with Swizz Beatz and “Off That” with currently laid-up Lil Wayne protégé Drake. Though vets like Pharrell (”So Ambitious”) and ‘Ye (”Hate”) also make appearances, Jay has plenty of other fresh talent on tap, from Kid Cudi (”Already Home”) to Mr Hudson (”Young Forever”) and rapper J. Cole (”A Star Is Born”).

Jay, who will be among the performers at the 2009 Video Music Awards on September 13, also goes it alone on a couple of other tracks, “Venus Vs. Mars” and “Reminder.”

The track listing does not reveal one of the most intriguing collaborations that was rumored to appear on the album, a hook-up with psychedelic rockers MGMT, but they could still be sampled on one of the songs.

When it comes to his music videos, Jay-Z has logged some pretty serious frequent-flier miles.

The Brooklyn wordsmith ventured up north to Toronto for the “Big Pimpin’ ” video and even trekked overseas to Monaco for his “Show Me What You Got” clip. So where could he go for his next video, “Run This Town,” featuring Kanye West and Rihanna?

Back in time, maybe? Queens, New York? In fact, both!

In a 30-second preview of “Run This Town”, we see an angry, torch-wielded mob surrounding the trio in a post-apocalyptic setting that looks like a scene right out of “Mad Max.”

Anthony Mandler, who directed the video for Jay’s first single “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune),” is the man behind the camera and brings his cinematic touch to the clip. The visuals are unlike anything we’ve come to expect from Jay-Z in the past. From “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is …)” to I Just Wanna Luv U (Give It 2 Me)”, Jay has mastered being the life of the party. But “Run This Town,” with its action sequences and cast of extras is new territory for the MC.

The video was shot in Queens, New York recently and pictures of Jay, Kanye and Rihanna on the set leaked onto the Internet last week, revealing the artists clad in all black. Sources told MTV News at the time that more than 80 extras were on set at the historic Fort Totten Park, a preserved Civil War fortress.

In the preview, a number of extras can be seen, also clad in black and acting unruly while bearing torches.

The video premieres Thursday on MTV — and don’t miss Jay’s performance at the VMAs on September 13!