Britney Spears Gives to the Needy as Hit-Boy Gives Details on Her New Album

Vegas is in her future, but for the moment, Britney Spears is still in L.A. -- where the ever-present paparazzi recently spotted her demonstrating compassion for the less fortunate.

Showbiz Spy reports that Spears gave money to a homeless man (or, as their report puts it, she "apparently gave a shabby-looking guy $100") after hearing him ask for help while she was taking a trip to the drugstore. It's a sweet story, but one that nearly ended in a beatdown for the beneficiary of Spears' generosity; according to Showbiz Spy, he "hoisted her in a big bear hug" after she handed over the money, causing her to "shriek in surprise" and sending the store's security guard running.

"Britney said, 'No!… No! Give this man his money back! I gave it to him!'" explained the source. "She’s often seen as a wacky diva, but most times her heart’s in the right place." All's well that ends well -- and wacky diva or no, we're just glad to be well beyond the days when photographers were busy catching Spears acting homeless rather than helping the homeless. No more barefoot gas station pit stops, y'all!

The most surprising part of this report (aside from the thought of Spears actually using an ATM instead of waving her perfectly manicured fingers at whichever member of her entourage carries her cash in a sparkly lockbox) is that Brit has any time to visit the drugstore -- as we all know, she's gearing up for her much-hyped Vegas residency, and is busy in the studio working on her next record.

Details regarding the new LP are scarce at the moment, but producer Hit-Boy opened up about his collaboration with Spears during a recent interview (embedded above). "Her people reached out to me, actually," he explained, recalling how "her managers came up to me in the hallway" and continuing, "We got some good things started. We're still just working out everything, but we definitely got a good vibe going."

It sounds like Spears might need to climb a few rungs on the diva ladder before she can really impress Hit-Boy, however. Asked who he'd really like to collaborate with, he grinned and named Beyonce, adding, "The day I see my name next to hers on a song, that's when I'll know I've arrived."