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| Kanye West, Young Jeezy And More Go-To Guest Artists Of 2008 (Who Aren't Lil Wayne Or T-Pain) Posted: 31 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Ludacris, Ne-Yo and Jay-Z also improved songs with their notable cameos.
We know that Lil Wayne and T-Pain are the top-two guest appearances in the game either way you rank them. In 2008, the two worked with just about everybody, from T.I. to Fall Out Boy. Bankable! Having T-Wayne on your record practically guaranteed you big airplay on at least one radio format. Who else put it down this year? Glad you asked. We ranked our top cameo performers of 2008 not named T-Pain or Weezy. 1. Kanye West Best Cameo: His work on Young Jeezy's "Put On" was amazing. On the song, 'Ye went from talking about the pain of losing his mom to needing at least one of the Simmons sisters to help soothe him. Yet we have to go with his verse on T.I.'s "Swagger Like Us": blissful confidence wrapped around melodic wordplay. As a sidebar, don't sleep on his verses from Jamie Foxx's "Digital Girl." 2. Young Jeezy Best Cameo: Usher's "Love in This Club" was the biggest song he hopped on, giving the Snowman some great crossover, mainstream exposure, but we'll go with Young on Shawty Lo's "Dey Know" remix. You had us at "hello." "I'm in my cool whip, insides Jell-O/ Hop up out that pretty mutha----a, like, 'Helllllll-ohhhh!' " 3. Ludacris Best Cameo: 'Cris rips the meat off the bone every time he sinks his teeth into a record. The beloved blabbermouth has more styles and metaphors than entire rap crews. This is a tough one, considering how much we love his threat to Samuel L. Jackson on T.I.'s "Top of the World." But we'll go with T-Pain's "Chopped N Screwed" — vintage 'Cris lyrics with an animated style. 4. Jay-Z Best Cameo: His name alone on your track makes it an event. His stint on T.I.'s "Swagger Like Us" had us singing, but the bars he just snuck in on DJ Khaled's "Go Hard" remix are so mean. Did you hear the reference to Heath Ledger? And let's not forget his cautionary line about Andy Griffith's alias: "Number-one rule if ya ass get caught/ Don't chatterbox to the Matlock." 5. Fabolous Best Cameo: "Addicted," of course. Fab and Ryan Leslie made a dope tandem on that track and on Slim's "Good Lovin." Let's not forget that Loso also shined on songs that paid homage to his hardcore roots, such as the remixes of Red Cafe's "Paper Touchin" and Maino's "Hi Hater." 6. Rihanna Best Cameo: Uh, this one is as easy. The absolute standout was "Live Your Life," one of T.I.'s biggest records ever. Rih Rih's word to the wise is a mantra to live by: "So keep on gettin' ya paper/ And keep on climbin'/ Look in the mirror/ And keep on shinin'/ Till the game end, till the clock stop/ We gonna post up on the top spot." 7. Ne-Yo Best Cameo: He helps more rappers in a bind than Murray Richman. Just ask the Game ("Camera Phone") and Jadakiss ("By My Side"), who connected with the talented songwriter in 2008 to turn what would have been album cuts into radio-friendly hits. But unequivocally, Ne-Yo's biggest guest turn was on Plies' "Bust It Baby (Pt. 2)." His nimble crooning smoothed out the goon's rough edges and inched Plies closer toward mainstream stardom. 8. Ron Browz Best Cameo: "Eeeeeether boooy" laced Busta Rhymes' "Arab Money" with his Auto-Tune-enhanced vocals and then upped the Vocoder a notch on Jim Jones' "Pop Champagne." He might not be T-Pain yet, but Harlem's newest heatmaker is two-for-two and recently inked a deal with Universal Motown for a solo project. 9. Jim Jones Best Cameo: Jones has a way of making every song he jumps on uniquely his, so when he latched onto Kid Cudi's "Day 'N' Nite," well, the gruff Dipset honcho murdered the Cleveland newcomer on his own ish. Dark, unrelenting and woozy, it's classic Capo. 10. Akon Best Cameo: 'Kon kept his top-40 rep in tune on Kardinal Offishall's "Dangerous," but the Senegalese singer certified his 'hood cred when he belted out the hook on DJ Khaled's posse cut "Out Here Grinding." He balances out a lineup of thugs with his elastic vocals wailing over the Runners' rumbling synths. Watch for the hook on this one. |
| Jay-Z Raps On DJ Khaled's 'Go Hard' Remix -- Check Out A Clip Here! Posted: 30 Dec 2008 12:15 AM PST Rap was a holiday present for Khaled: 'I got the verse on Christmas Eve!'
Shawn "Santa" Carter — a.k.a. Jay-Z — had a serious holiday gift for DJ Khaled: Jay-Z recently gave the lovably mouthy radio personality/ record exec/ artist/ all-around hype man some raps for a remix of his "Go Hard." "I got the verse on Christmas Eve!" Khaled said excitedly on Monday night about Jay's new rhymes on his song. "Christmas Eve! What a huge Christmas gift!"
The original "Go Hard" is featured on Khaled's We Global LP. T-Pain sings the hook and Kanye West commands the verses. On the remix, Jay-Z spits a possibly controversial line about late actor Heath Ledger: "On dark nights it's just like I see better/ On Dark Knights I'm like Heath Ledger/ Even if I overdose on drugs, muthaf---as can't kill my buzz." Later, he namechecks Mr. West: "I'mma go harder than 'Ye go/ And 'Ye go hard, that's bay [baby] bro." "I had that [original] 'Go Hard' record and I told [Jay-Z's A&R rep] Lenny 'S.' Santiago that I would love to get Jay on there," Khaled said of a conversation that took place months ago, before We Global was released. "I always said to myself, 'It never hurts to ask.' " The Miami DJ played the song for Santiago, who then sent it to Jay. "I made sure I told Lenny the truth: that it's a dream to work with Jay and I'm fan of his music. I kept telling him we will make more history," Khaled offered. "So time passed, I never really knew if he was going to do it, so I let the song go and kept it moving. In my head I said, 'We will work together one day.' I always knew hard work pays off. I wanted this bad!" Months went by without a peep from Hov until last week, when Khaled got the Jay verse. "Jay-Z is like a jedi!" Khaled exclaimed. "He just knows when to make his moves and when to do something. And Jay-Z felt like I deserved the verse. I really appreciated that they believe in me! "We the best!" Khaled continued. " 'Go Hard' is so good!" Jay-Z also has another "Go Hard" record on the radio: "Brooklyn Go Hard." It's the lead cut from the Notorious soundtrack, due January 13. Related Artists |
| T.I.'s 'Swagger Like Us' Collabo And More Top Underground Songs Of 2008 Posted: 30 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Big Boi, Shawty Lo and Joe Budden also make the list.
"No one on the corner got swagger like these four guys." Lil Wayne was correct; it was an event, a milestone — Weezy, Jay-Z, Kanye West and T.I. on "Swagger Like Us." The record brought together a cross section of cities on wax and four out of the top-10 MCs in the game. "No one on the corner got swagger like us." Hell yeah, M.I.A. — the track's producer Kanye West used her voice as a secret weapon, another musical firearm to go along with that sumo-heavy bass and marching-band drum line. It arrived out of nowhere (leaked several weeks before its strategically planned debut) and immediately became an anthem for sports teams and anybody in the club. The record also became a favorite of some MCs to freestyle on, trying to prove they too belonged on the all-star track. "Swagger" might have been our Hip-Hop Song of the Year (an honor that went to Lil Wayne's "A Milli" instead) if the vision for the record were fully realized — there was no video and not even a proper live performance with all four of its stars. Still, it makes the top spot on our list of Underground Joints of '08 ("Swagger" was released as a single on iTunes prior to coming out on T.I.'s Paper Trail.) Here's a list of seven other songs you may have slept on but definitely need to have in heavy rotation. Eight Essential Underground Joints of '08 1. T.I. and Jay-Z (featuring Lil Wayne and Kanye West) - "Swagger Like Us" Honorable Mentions »Gucci Mane (featuring Yo Gotti and Yung Ralph) - "Bricks" |
| 'American Idol': The Best Of 2008, By Jim Cantiello Posted: 30 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST On the eve of the new season, we take a look back at our favorite 'American Idol' videos of 2008.
The seventh season of "American Idol" will be remembered for lots of things: for allowing contestants to play instruments, for featuring the music of the Beatles, for the nail-biting David vs. David finale, and then there was that whole "Paula Accidentally Critiques a Performance Before She Actually Saw It" debacle. But around the MTV News office, this season will be remembered as the year where we went "all in" with our coverage. With live blogs, 60-second recaps, breaking-news updates, exclusive music performances, in-depth home visits and "Idol" fanatic roundtables, MTV News had a blast dissecting every nanosecond of the pop-culture phenomenon. And without further ado, here are some of our favorite "Idol" videos produced in 2008.
"I'm Not Here to Make Friends": Jim's "Idol" Audition Video Diary Having a correspondent or a news producer audition for "American Idol" was an idea that was thrown around the office for years, and each time it came up we hit the same road block: Fox wouldn't let our cameras inside the actual audition arena. But 2008 was the year when we threw caution to the wind and set out to tell our story anyway. And boy, was I glad I got to take part! This was honestly the most fun I've ever had on a news shoot. Everyone was super-nice and willing to do just about anything to get on camera. Plus, any shoot that gives me the excuse to utter the reality-TV cliché "I'm not here to make friends" is aces in my book. "I Wouldn't Be Surprised If The Other One Wins": Simon Cowell on the "Idol" Finale Red Carpet The "American Idol" finale red carpet is always a clusterf--- of epic proportions. Unless you're "Access Hollywood" or E!, you're not scoring an interview with any of the judges or current contestants. Instead, you're stuck fighting CBS Radio and Cat Fancy magazine for a couple of minutes with previous "Idol" also-rans who are plugging their independently released new single and/or memoir and/or perfume. So imagine our delight when King Cowell stopped to talk into our microphone and drop this bomb! Even though Simon said during the finale performance show that David Archuleta had picked a better first single, he told us in this clip that he was having second thoughts about his endorsement and had been too hard on David Cook. (He echoed this sentiment live on the air just a few hours later, before Cook took home the "Idol" crown.) MTV News heard it first! Josiah Performs a New Song: "Angels Undercover" Even though Josiah Leming didn't make it to the top 24, we were obsessed with his heartbreaking backstory and undeniable talent. Apparently, so were the folks at Warner Bros. Records, who signed the singer/songwriter to a recording contract the first chance they got. The night Josiah signed with them, he wrote this gut-wrenching song called "Angels Undercover," which he played for us in May while we sat in during his recording sessions. The label reps told us this track wouldn't be on his debut album. But we like to think our emotional response (as well as the rave reviews from MTV.com users) prompted Josiah to release the Angels Undercover EP last fall. Does "Paulagate" Prove That "Idol" Is Rigged? Often, the best part about "American Idol" is the Internet commentary that surrounds it, so for our "Idol Roundtable" this year, we booked the four "Idol" bloggers whose sites we visit the most during "Idol" season. This particular segment, where we discuss the controversy surrounding PaulaGate, was my favorite, if only because I found myself in the rare position of being the least cynical person in the room. Forbidden Fruit or Brilliant Inspiration? Sure, we were stretching when we claimed that the 1980 disco-schlock musical "The Apple" was the inspiration for "American Idol." But that doesn't change the fact that "Idol" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, who choreographed the hilariously bad flick almost 30 years ago, keeps the credit hidden from his résumé. We're onto you, Lythgoe! (Random side note: Lythgoe stepped down from "American Idol" as soon as its seventh season wrapped in order to focus on his other hit reality competition show, "So You Think You Can Dance.") In 2007, we produced a "Love Letter to 'Idol,' " where we listed all the reasons we are obsessed with the show and why we were so happy the new season was about to start. But after the '07 season unfolded in a depressingly underwhelming manner (Haley Scarnato? J.Lo as a singing coach?! Sanjaya??), we felt it was necessary to give the object of our affection some tough love. Sadly, the 2008 season was still a bit of a drag (Neil Diamond night? Really?) But all hope's not lost. Of the four suggestions we gave in our ultimatum, "Idol" seems to be heeding our advice, revamping the show in 2009 with a new judge (which will give Simon a reason to step up his game), a new audition process (less freaks, more backstories for the top 36), and the promise that they're going to feature the best talent yet. But don't they say that every year? This was the first of our many shoots with the "Idol" castoff. It was just days after his "Idol" rejection episode aired, and we raced down to Tennessee to catch up with the young troubadour, who was back living at his folks' place. The stories we wrote and produced about Josiah always scored well with our audience — in some cases, a Josiah Leming story snagged more page views than one about David Cook or David Archuleta — which goes to show that you don't even have to make it to the semifinals in order to win a sizeable fanbase. At one point in this interview, Josiah told us, "[I'm] definitely trying to live down the whole 'homeless' kid livin' in his car who cries a lot." Ironically, his record label plans on playing that up in a huge way in 2009, when Leming's full-length debut album is released alongside a feature documentary all about the singer's home life. David Archuleta: Where Did He Come From? "American Idol" is a lot like a political campaign, and the contestant's high school is a lot like their campaign headquarters. We loved catching up with David Archuleta's current classmates, but it was our chat with his childhood vocal coach that really opened our eyes. After our interview, he played us a brilliant demo of "Imagine" that Archie recorded when he was only 12 years old, half a decade before he pulled that song out of his back pocket on TV and floored all of us — the viewers, the judges, the other contestants — with one of the best performances in "Idol" history! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| DMX Pleads Guilty To Multiple Charges In Arizona Posted: 30 Dec 2008 12:56 AM PST The rapper pleads guilty to various charges dating back to April of this year.
DMX's legal woes in Arizona finally came to a close Tuesday morning (December 30), as the rapper entered into an agreement that will allow a number of charges to be dropped against him. In return, the former Ruff Ryders star (known legally as Earl Simmons) formally pleaded guilty to four lesser counts on cases of animal cruelty, drug possession and theft. He's scheduled to be sentenced in Maricopa County Superior Court on January 30. According to ABC 15 in Arizona, one of the charges dropped against DMX was ID theft. In April of this year, the rapper gave a phony name and contact information to a health-clinic worker after being treated at the facility for a sickness. The price tag for his overnight stay was $7,500, but the rapper skirted out of his payment and was later arrested in July for evading the bill. He was also arrested numerous times in the state throughout 2008 — in May, police nabbed DMX on animal cruelty and drug charges stemming from a raid of his Phoenix home. That same month he was taken into custody by authorities for speeding and, earlier this month, a warrant was issued in the state for his arrest after missing a scheduled court date. X has also had several run-ins with the law in Florida this past year as well — in August, the rapper reached a plea deal there in his drug-possession case. A $5,000 reward was offered for DMX's arrest early this month when Maricopa County officials issued yet another warrant against the rapper for missing court. X was found in Miami at music producer Scott Storch's home and later extradited to Arizona. DMX's public defender in his Arizona cases told MTV News at the time his client had entered a rehab facility in early December. The MC's legal representatives had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment at press time. Related Artists |
| Tic Tac, Trapp Star, DJ Z-Tripp And Other Names Bristol Palin Did Not Choose For Her Baby Posted: 30 Dec 2008 09:31 AM PST Ya know, Tripp is cool but just not bizarre enough!
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| E-40 Comments On Denver Club Shooting Posted: 30 Dec 2008 09:47 AM PST 'E-40 and [his] camp are unable to control the poor and tragic choices that other adults choose to make,' rapper's manager says.
Bay Area rapper E-40 is emphatically denying any involvement or affiliation with the shooting incident that occurred outside a Denver nightclub following his performance over the weekend. 40 and his manager, Chaz Hayes, issued a statement to MTV News on Monday night stating the rapper's innocence. "E-40 and [his] management want to state unequivocally that E-40 and his camp were uninvolved in the unfortunate incident at Club Vinyl in Denver on Dec. 27, 2008," the message read. "Neither E-40 nor anyone traveling with him was in the venue at the time. In fact, E-40 had concluded his performance and [had] been back in the hotel room." According to multiple reports, five people were wounded on the night in question, when an unidentified gunman fired shots into a crowd as patrons were leaving the venue. 9 News in Denver reported that the shooting occurred at approximately 2 a.m. with close to 100 concertgoers outside the premises. One of the victims is believed to be listed in critical condition. A witness to the shootings told the Rocky Mountain News that bouts of violence and police presence are common at Club Vinyl. At least six incidents have been reported to authorities in the last six months stemming from activity at Club Vinyl. Although the normally low-key rapper's name is now linked to the unfortunate events in Denver, as of press time, E-40 has not been questioned by police. His management said there were no signs during his time in Colorado that would have forecast this tragic turn of events. "During his time at the venue, and in fact during the trip to Denver as a whole, [E-40] encountered nothing but love and gave nothing but love back," Hayes said in an e-mail. "E-40 had a crowd-pleasing and peaceful show. While he certainly regrets that this incident took place, E-40 and [his] camp are unable to control the poor and tragic choices that other adults choose to make." Related Artists |
| Mychal Bell Of 'Jena 6' Accidentally Shoots Himself Posted: 30 Dec 2008 08:08 AM PST Bell was reportedly cleaning a firearm when it discharged accidentally.
Mychal Bell, one of the "Jena 6" whose case brought national attention to racial tensions in the small Louisiana town two years ago, accidentally shot himself in the shoulder Monday evening, according to CNN. Bell was cleaning a gun and the firearm discharged unexpectedly, his lawyer said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Monroe, Louisiana, where he was treated. Bell's lawyer, Carol Powell-Lexing, told CNN her client underwent surgery on Monday night. At press time Bell was unable to speak, CNN reported, but authorities said the injury was not life threatening. Bell has not been charged with any crime. In 2006, Bell, along with five other African-American classmates, were facing felony assault charges after an incident in which he and several others beat a white student for allegedly using a racial epithet. The fight was prompted after a noose was discovered hanging from a tree on school grounds, a gesture which created outrage in the community. Three white Jena High students placed the noose in the tree, it was later learned; the shade of the tree was traditionally off-limits to blacks in the past. In September 2007, over 15,000 activists — including Mos Def and UGK's Bun B — descended on Jena to lend support to Bell and his classmates. Many believed the charges against the "Jena 6," as they were dubbed, were too excessive. Nelly, Nick Cannon and Jay-Z were among those who spoke out against what were thought to be racially-tinged claims. Bell eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges. He served a few months at a juvenile detention center and then relocated to the town of Monroe, approximately 70 miles north of Jena. Related Artists |
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