MTV News |
| Jay-Z Kept Grammy-Nominated <i>American Gangster</i> Under Wraps Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:04 AM PST 'Nobody knew what was going on,' producer Sean C. says of recording the Best Rap Album nominee.
Being asked to help record an album by a major icon on the hush tip would seem like the kind of pressure that doesn't foster someone's best work. But for Sean C. and LV of Diddy's revamped Hitmen production team, the secrecy behind making Jay-Z's Grammy-nominated American Gangster actually led to some of the pair's best work. "It was kind of fun, the whole secret sh--," Sean told MTV News last week. "At that time, we didn't even have time to tell people." Jay-Z's "comeback" album, as it was billed by critics who weren't sold on Kingdom Come, was put together in typical fashion by the rapper — quickly. Once Jay-Z starts recording, he can finish an album in less than a month's time. "Making that album was one of the best music experiences I ever had," Sean said. "Just the momentum and the vibe was dope. What added to it was that nobody knew what was going on. Just us all in two studios, Daddy's House and Roc the Mic, going back and forth. We'd do beats and send them to him. And it was just this secrecy thing going on. We'd go record shopping, get sh--, bring it back, loop sh-- up, chop sh-- up. He'd walk in the room while we're doing something and would be like, 'Oh, sh--, I need that now.' "Everybody at that time was on fire," he added. "I can't explain it much. It was definitely a zone. It was like everything we put in the machine came out crazy." The production pair were largely credited with laying the foundation for American Gangster's sound. The '70s-soul vibe matched perfectly with the retro-gangster concept Jay-Z used as a blueprint for the album. The project was most notable for being praised as a return to form for the onetime Def Jam CEO and president. When Jay-Z came out of retirement, he was serving as the head of the label he recorded on and oversaw the careers of other artists such as Rihanna, Ne-Yo and Fabolous. The cushy corporate gig may have influenced the rapper's turn to a more mature posture — too much, according to some experts. "I think after Kingdom Come, Jay was at the least-favorable moment of his career," XXL magazine Editor at Large Bonsu Thompson said. "He was rapping like an executive. And people still wanted Jay-Z the Brooklyn hustler. That's what the beauty of American Gangster was. He actually got back to his roots. Number one, everybody loves a comeback. You get that with the Oscars [all the time]. So if Jay-Z, knowing that he was a little bit out of favor with the kids, and for him to come back and really give his core and the young'uns some really good music, I take my hat off to the [Grammy board] for giving him [the nod]. Because it was a very nutritious album." Sean C. and LV helped ensure the health of the album by producing six songs of the LP's 16 tracks, including "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is ... )" and "Party Life." Diddy and the Hitmen were eventually credited as associate executive producers of American Gangster. That was fitting, because the moment Jay-Z heard the tracks they created, "What he heard in his mind is exactly what he heard in those speakers," Sean C. said. The Hitmen's framework helped kick-start a "friendly competition" among the producers hoping to make the cut, Hov said. "No ID was in the corner, [DJ] Toomp was there, and then people were coming by and I was playing the album," Jay-Z told MTV News in November 2007 of the recording environment. "[Jermaine Dupri] was there with his headphones and all his machines trying to make a beat. And at one point, I looked over at him and was like, 'You cool with this?' I already respected him as a great producer, but that moment right there, to make the track that he made ('Fallin' ') in that type of environment was very difficult, to be honest with you. Because it was like a party. But it wasn't a party for the sake of dancing. It was a party to get the vibe. It was purposely done. It's like a friendly competition." Although a camaraderie was built between the producers, LV said he still kept it cool about the proceedings — even when other people started to spill their guts about the potential project. He recalled a studio session when a colleague broached the subject, not knowing LV's heavy involvement. "I was around another producer, and he was playing me some sh--, we were just vibing," he recalled. "And he was like, 'Yo, I'm about to submit this to Jay. You know, he's about to work on an album.' I was like, 'Word?' And he played it and was like, 'I'm about to give him this sh--.' And I just like there like, 'Yeah, OK, go ahead.' He was trying to put me on. That was funny." Will Lil Wayne grab all the gramophones? Is Katy Perry going to tell her girl rivals to kiss off? Can Coldplay march off with a win? MTV News is all over the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, so stay tuned for interviews, analysis and more before, during and after the big night, Sunday, February 8. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Diddy Says 'DJs Ain't DJs No More': <i>Mixtape Monday</i> Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:04 AM PST Plus: Busta Rhymes talks Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II; OJ Da Juiceman teams with Gucci Mane for tape.
Artist: OJ Da Juiceman Representing: ATL Mixtape: The Otha Side of the Trap 411: Don't confuse him with Orenthal James Simpson — that O.J. is in jail. The new OJ is Da Juiceman. Otis Williams Jr. is the new cat from Atlanta you need to look out for (he's been called Da Juiceman since he was 6). "The Otha Side of the Trap is coming from me being a street artist venturing out in the rap game, giving the ears and peers listening to my music a taste of OJ Da Juiceman, a taste of my music from the street game to the rap game." The Juice has been rapping for 10 years and has 15 street CDs under his belt. "I always had a name for myself being in the street," he said. "By the buzz now being in the rap game, everybody is still talking. It's a beautiful thing. I'm just gonna keep working." The Juice's indie album is out now, and he's in the studio recording another LP for Asylum to be released sometime in late spring. Between then, he'll put out two mixtapes. Joints To Check For » "I'm Getting Money." "That record is about a street cat coming up in the game," OJ said. "His whole focus is getting money from standing on the corner to selling clothes to selling CDs to doing whatever it takes to get money." » "Make Tha Trap Say Aye" (featuring Gucci Mane). "It's more on the street level," Juice said. "When you make the streets scream, everybody knows you. The song features Gucci Mane. Me and Gucci been friends since we was little. We're gonna continue to be friends. He'll be home soon. I talked to him about a week ago. He's doing good. He's straight." » "Bouldercrest." "Bouldercrest is the 'hood I came up in," OJ said. "The east side of Atlanta, GA. It's a street name. I'm repping it to the fullest. That's about it." Don't Sleep: Other Notable Selections This Week » DJ Dolla Sign - The Auto-Toons 'Hood's Heavy Rotation: Bubbling Below The Radar » DJ Sus One (featuring Maino, Red Cafe and Uncle Murder) - "Who Shot Ya '09" The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground Diddy doesn't like the game right now. Not Game the rapper — the rap game. He's going to experiment heavily on his new LP and thinks his peers should get onboard with his thinking. "Right now, I'm working on my record, and it'll be out in the end of summer," he told us recently in NYC. "It's feeling good. It's different. I'm creating a new sound. It doesn't sound like anybody else's stuff out there. With that comes a risk. I'm excited about the risk. I do have a beef a little bit with the game right now. I think hip-hop has lost its risk-taking quality. Everybody goes to the comfort zone. It doesn't have that risk anymore. You're not like, 'What is that?' when you hear that record anymore." Mr. Combs said the record-spinners are as much to blame as the people making the music. "People have figured out the formula when they make records for radio, and DJs ain't DJs no more," he declared. "DJs don't break records no more. DJs don't play album cuts. DJs play what is going to move the crowd. DJs, they don't expose you to the newness. That was the DJs' thing. Hip-hop is in a recession also. It's not dead, it's definitely way better than where it was at, as far as with 'Ye, T.I. and with Jeezy. It's so much great stuff out there, the responsibility has to come with the DJs. I'm about to call the DJs out. 'Cause they are the future, and they gotta step it up. I can't keep turning on the radio no matter where I'm at and can't tell who's who. "DJs used to have a style," Puff continued. "The hottest DJ in the game right now is Q-Tip. That right there is a DJ playing, taking you on a mind-travelling experience. Playing something and you're like, 'What's that?' " ... Busta Rhymes told MTV News that the Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II campaign has finally started. Last week, Raekwon the Chef dropped "Criminology '09," and Mr. Rhymes said more music is coming soon — so is the album. "I saw that purple casing of the cassette," Busta remembered about the day he bought the first Only Built 4 Cuban Linx LP in 1995."I ain't never seen that before." Cuban Linx has been heralded by fans and critics as one of the greatest contributions to the hip-hop catalog — not only because of RZA's cinematic soundscape, but because of the descriptive lyrical play between Rae and Ghostface Killah. "I went in the car and played that," Busta continued of the purple tape. "I got to the intro, and I couldn't get pass the intro, because in the intro, it sounded like they were sniffing coke. I was like this sh-- is crazy, because this ain't cool. In the traditional fashion of hip-hop or just [in society], we looked at somebody like if you sniffed coke, you're a fiend. But they was so gangsta." Rae and Ghost's opus was heralded as a musical page out of "Scarface," in which they showed the consequences of dealing with drugs. "I was like, 'This sh-- is so movie, before I even get to the first song,; " Busta thought back excitedly. "I was like, 'This is something I wish was mine.' " Rhymes said executive-producing Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II is an opportunity he's waited for his entire life. "The opportunity presented itself overseas," he explained about how the new LP started. "I forget what country it was in, but me and Rae was backstage I think Mobb Deep was there. Rae, I was like, 'Yo, man, I respect Immobilarity and R.A.G.U. and all them other albums, but why won't you ever go back and do another Cuban Linx?' He said, 'You think we should do it?' I was like, 'You have to do it! You owe it to so many people, B. You owe it to us. I don't care what you feel, what you think, what you say. Whatever I need to do to facilitate that, let's just start, see where it goes.' " Bus and Rae went back to New York and started recording. Busta got the beats together, and Rae went in hard with his armory of rhymes. "He was touching them beats like an unbelievable seven-star general of live-wire MCing," Bus said. "At the time, I was at Aftermath. We had put together enough songs. And when Dre heard it, he was like, 'Here.' Dre gave him five beats. RZA came to the table and started giving him the traditional classic, grainy foundation of Wu-Tang sound. J Dilla, I had that relationship. Got some joints from Ma Dukes. Hit him off with joints. [Rae] had a collection of bangers and started to sew it all together." Although Linx II doesn't have a release date yet, Bus said it will give the "seventh-seal stamp on hip-hop" when it does drop. For other artists featured in Mixtape Monday, check out Mixtape Mondays Headlines. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Do The Jonas Brothers Have A Chance At The Grammys? Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:04 AM PST These experts say the JoBros could definitely take home the Best New Artist trophy Sunday.
When Grammy night rolls around on Sunday, the Jonas Brothers will find themselves thrust into the mainstream-music spotlight. For the most part, the Jonas Brothers have been recognized as the kings of the teen-pop world, with girls throwing themselves at the three brothers from New Jersey. They sing catchy pop music about falling in love, unrequited love and broken hearts. They are the stuff that teen dreams are made of. Now, with a Best New Artist nomination for their 2008 album, A Little Bit Longer, can the guys win and prove to everyone they are more than just pop fluff? Some experts think they have a really good shot.
"I think that in another year, the Jonas Brothers probably would be considered too fluffy, but this year I think Adele and Duffy, who are both British singer/songwriters [and] kind of interchangeable — though very talented — girls," Entertainment Weekly staff writer Leah Greenblatt told MTV News. "They could really kind of steal it out from under those two because they're both kind of the front-runners, and they'll probably split the vote." This is an argument that Todd Martens also made in a Los Angeles Times blog post, but he is quick to point out that although they may seem fluffy on the surface, there is more to these boys. "The JoBros should not be taken lightly," Martens wrote. "Despite their Disney connections and participation in 'Camp Rock' shenanigans, Disney has done a good of job of positioning the boys as the real deal. Additionally, the JoBros have managed to keep one foot in the teen-pop world, while still getting big-boy gigs such as performing on the MTV Video Music Awards, not to mention the Grammys." One thing Grammy watchers should also realize is that the Jonas Brothers have been around the block a few times now: A Little Bit Longer is the band's third release. "Strictly speaking, they're not very new," Greenblatt said. "They're very young, but they're not the newest in that category." "If anything hurts them, it's the fact that they were also superstars in 2007 and should have been nominated for this award last year," Martens wrote. Plus, giving awards to artists who have been marketed to teens isn't new. "Christina Aguilera was considered 'teen' and 'pop' and kind of, like, maybe temporary," Greenblatt said. "It's gone to Lauryn Hill. It's gone to Milli Vanilli. It can be a curse, actually. It's really sort of buried some new bands, but it also kind of gives you ... a huge sales push usually because you kind of get to be like [makes an exploding sound]." Not that the guys need help exploding onto the scene more than they already have with movie and TV projects in the works. And no matter what happens on the big night, the guys are just happy to be nominated. "When you start in a band as an artist you say, 'One day, I'll be nominated for a Grammy.' It happened, and we're just so honored," Nick Jonas told MTV News. "As young guys, we know that this is a privilege, and we do appreciate that. We're grateful." Will Lil Wayne grab all the gramophones? Is Katy Perry going to tell her girl rivals to kiss off? Can Coldplay march off with a win? MTV News is all over the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, so stay tuned for interviews, analysis and more before, during and after the big night, Sunday, February 8. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Bruce Springsteen Leads Halftime Party At Super Bowl Posted: 01 Feb 2009 06:01 AM PST The Boss raises the roof with 'Born to Run,' 'Glory Days' and more.
James Harrison's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown may have got the crowd at Tampa, Florida's Raymond James Stadium buzzing, but Bruce Springsteen really put things over the top. The Boss' much-hyped halftime show at Super Bowl XLIII more than lived up to the advance billing, with the ageless one (seriously, how does a 59-year-old man move like that?!?!) was part preacher, part gunslinger and all showman.
Backed by his airtight E Street Band, Springsteen strode onstage to thunderous cheers, tossed his guitar to a waiting tech, then launched into a fire-and-brimstone speech that had everyone in the stadium losing their collective minds. "For the next 12 minutes, we're going to bring the righteous power of the E Street Band into your home!" Springsteen shouted before climbing atop a piano. "Is there anybody alive out there? Is there anybody alive out there?!?" And hell yes, there was. Springsteen ripped into "10th Avenue Freezeout," bending backward over his microphone stand, pyro and giant video screens firing behind him. He slapped hands with fans in front of the stage and then slid across the stage — directly into a wayward cameraman — and cracked a smile. That led right into his classic "Born to Run," which sent the crowd into even further hysterics, and then, backed by a full gospel choir (as he was at the "We Are One" concert last month), he performed a brief segment of "Working on a Dream," the title track of his just-released album. Then, stretching his 12 minutes to the max, Bruce and the Band flew into "Glory Days," clearly reveling in the moment but aware of the time constraints. "I think it's quittin' time, Steve," Springsteen laughed to guitarist Steve Van Zandt. Steve argued a bit, but then a referee came out and jokingly flagged the band for delay-of-game penalty. "Steve, what time is it?" Bruce asked. "It's Boss time!" Van Zandt shouted. And then, to huge applause, they wrapped up the set, and took a much-deserved bow. "I'm going to Disneyland!" Springsteen shouted before leaving the stage. Of course, he looked like he'd rather suit up for the second half of the big game. Maybe next year ... (Head here for MTV News' exclusive interview with Bruce Springsteen last week!) Related Artists |
| Jennifer Hudson Soars With National Anthem At Super Bowl Posted: 01 Feb 2009 03:53 AM PST 'American Idol' vet stuns with first public appearance since tragic family murders last fall.
In her first public appearance since the tragic murders of her mother, brother and nephew in October, Oscar winner and "American Idol" vet Jennifer Hudson gave a stunning performance of the national anthem before the Super Bowl on Sunday (February 1).
Stepping onto a small blue platform, Hudson took a deep breath and leaned easily into the microphone, letting loose her signature crystalline vocals on the country's anthem, bringing the song a dreamy quality that rivaled one of the other great renditions of the anthem at the big game: Whitney Houston's legendary soul shakedown in 1991 during the first Gulf War. Confident and immaculately turned out in a dark blue military style jacket, long white top and black leggings, Hudson gave a performance for the ages, easily hitting the song's notoriously tricky melody and nailing a pair of long notes at the end that sent shivers through the TV. Pouring her heart into the music on the year's largest TV stage, Hudson instantly set a new standard. Before Hudson took the stage, Faith Hill performed "America the Beautiful" accompanied by a gospel choir. Stretching the tempo out to give the song a more soulful, gospel feel, the country star wowed the crowd as the choir rose to crescendo behind her. Amping up the good spirits, the crew of the US Airways flight 1549, which made a safe emergency landing in New York's Hudson River last month, came out for a moment in the spotlight. Hudson had been in virtual seclusion since the murders, but began a tentative step back into the spotlight last week when she began filming the long-delayed video for her single, "If This Isn't Love." The Super Bowl slot is the lead-up to her appearance at the Grammy Awards on February 8, where she is nominated for four awards for her self-titled debut. Will Lil Wayne grab all the gramophones? Is Katy Perry going to tell her girl rivals to kiss off? Can Coldplay march off with a win? MTV News is all over the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, so stay tuned for interviews, analysis and more before, during and after the big night, Sunday, February 8. Related Artists |
| Dawn Richard's Non-Danity Kane Project: Writing Songs For Bad Boy's Cassie Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:04 AM PST 'She's doing some great things. I think people are going to be very impressed with her sound,' singer says of work with Cassie.
Although Dawn Richard may not know exactly where her career is going to go in the wake of Danity Kane's apparent split, she is working hard and working with other artists to hone her craft. So, until she is given the green light to book her own studio time, she'll be writing songs for Bad Boy Entertainment's Cassie.
"She's doing some great things. I think people are going to be very impressed with her sound. It's very club-driven but [with] a lot more soul in it," Richard told MTV News. "She's improved so much. I think, all around, it's going to be a new groove for Cassie. And I'm proud to be a part of it." Richard admits that "Puff is on some 007 lockdown" so she can't say too much about the project, but added, "He's trying me on some things [on the album]. You never know with Puff. You'll be singing the whole thing and the song comes out and it's another girl. I can't say anything definitely, but I like being in this situation right now." She may have this project to keep her busy for now, but Richard admits that everything is very up in the air for her. "Our lives are on hold right now," she said, adding, "It's not like I want to be hustling like this. If you've seen thousands of people singing your songs, I don't want to be hustling. I'm doing it 'cause I have to. The only choice is to move forward." And with that, she remains very optimistic about the future. "The sky's the limit. That's a lot right now. I really want to start singing again. I just want the fans not to feel discouraged just 'cause we're not together, still support [us]," she said. "I never wanted our fans to have to pick. I just [hope] Danity Kane fans stay Danity Kane fans. You get mixed up in it. I'm not gonna lie. I feel like if you're honest, you can fix it and move on." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Coldplay's <i>Viva La Vida</i> Risk Pays Off With Grammy Nods Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:04 AM PST Stepping way out of their comfort zone earned them big sales and an Album of the Year nomination.
Coldplay's Album of the Year Grammy-nominated Viva la Vida, or Death and All His Friends is fairly remarkable. And not just because it was the most commercially successful rock album released in 2008 (it sold more than 2.2 million copies here in the U.S.), or because it topped the charts in something like 17 countries worldwide. Though, in today's doom-and-gloom industry, those stats are rather noteworthy.
No, what makes Viva such a remarkable accomplishment is that it's probably the most successful reinvention of a colossally huge rock band this decade. Green Day had nowhere to go but up before they rebooted things with American Idiot, so the risk wasn't there. Coldplay had everything to lose with their fourth album, but they went ahead with it anyway. After the relatively underwhelming response to 2005's X&Y — which only sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, to give you an idea of the scope within which Coldplay operate — they made a very conscious decision to put themselves under the musical knife. Putting their faith in producer Brian Eno (who, truth be told, played synths on X&Y), they embarked on a journey that took them to churches in Argentina and Spain, stripped their sonic largesse down to simple acoustics and explored territories previously unmined. That meant using everything from tiny tack pianos — which they built themselves — to frontman Chris Martin's newfound lower register. "One of the main things we tried to focus on with this record is changing vocal identities, because Chris has a very recognizable voice," drummer Will Champion told MTV News in June. "Just the idea that you can totally change the sound of a song and the sound of a band just by treating the vocals a different way ... that [idea] really interested us." "I think everything we're trying to do at the moment is about not starting again so much as breaking down what we've built up before, and trying to build something different and hopefully better, or worse in a good way," Martin added. "The longer you go on as a band, the harder it is to surprise yourself. So, there are moments on this record that are surprises, even to us. And those are our favorite moments, to be honest." It was gutsy to take away everything that had made Coldplay, well, Coldplay. Coupled with the band's newfound fascination with the French Revolution (demonstrated by the Eugène Delacroix painting on the cover of Viva and the band's rag-tag military costumes), it seemed like an experiment destined to fail. Yet, as a credit to the band's growth as musicians, and to Eno's sure-handed skills, Viva la Vida was anything but. It packs just as big a punch sonically as it did commercially. From the quiet, icy burbles of opener "Life in Technicolor" or "Chinese Sleep Chant" to the effervescent wallop of hit singles "Viva la Vida" and "Violet Hill," Viva is an album that captures the massive and the minimal, a bi-polar swirl of a listen that reveals everything and nothing at the same time. This is Coldplay at top volume, working on all cylinders. It's the album they were born to make. (That said, it's still no A Rush of Blood to the Head.) And that's a sentiment shared not just by the fans, but by many a fickle rock critic. Viva found its way onto most best-of-2008 lists, and it heads into this Sunday's Grammy Awards as a frontrunner. All-in-all, Coldplay earned seven nominations, more than anyone else not named Lil Wayne. One would think they'll probably take home their fair share of Golden Gramophones, and while they'll no doubt be grateful, there's probably going to be another emotion coursing through their veins: relief. After all, they took the risk. Now it's time to reap the rewards. Will Lil Wayne grab all the gramophones? Is Katy Perry going to tell her girl rivals to kiss off? Can Coldplay march off with a win? MTV News is all over the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, so stay tuned for interviews, analysis and more before, during and after the big night, Sunday, February 8. Related Videos Related Artists |
| You are subscribed to email updates from MTV News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Inbox too full?  Subscribe to the feed version of MTV News in a feed reader. | |
| If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: MTV News, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar