MTV News |
| Posted: 09 Mar 2009 10:49 PM PDT
Chris Brown's manager is reportedly the woman whose text message to the R&B singer triggered the alleged altercation between him and girlfriend Rihanna, according to TMZ. The gossip Web site is reporting that a source identified Tina Davis, 39, as the one who sent Brown a late-night message the night before the Grammy Awards. Davis has guided Brown's career since his debut. There had been speculation in the past that Davis and Brown were romantically linked (though it has never been confirmed), and the police report indicated that the text came "from a woman who Brown had a previous sexual relationship with." An MTV News request for comment has not been answered by Davis as of press time. A spokeswoman with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office would not confirm whether Davis sent the text, telling MTV News, "Brown has not been arraigned yet, so we will not be commenting on the matter." Last month, before a police report provided more details, TMZ reported that a text message was at the center of Brown and Rihanna's alleged fight. Some media outlets reported that singer Keshia Chante was the one who sent a text about "hooking up later," as TMZ reported the message said. Chante's manager, however, denied that her client was the sender. Just last week, new information emerged regarding the matter as police documents were made available. In a police statement, Rihanna told officers she found a three-page text message on Brown's phone from a woman he was involved with in the past, who is now believed to be Davis. Brown allegedly became enraged at Rihanna after she discovered the message. After allegedly attempting to kick her out of his car and pushing her face against the window, he then allegedly began pummeling and biting her. Tony Knight, a representative for Brown, had no comment when contacted by MTV News. Brown recently appeared in court, but he didn't enter a plea on the two felony charges. The singer — who reportedly has reconciled with Rihanna — is due back in court April 6 to be arraigned on two felony counts of assault and making criminal threats stemming from the February 8 incident. Go here for domestic-violence resources, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse. Related Artists |
| U2 Take Cues From Kanye West, Jay-Z Posted: 10 Mar 2009 04:52 AM PDT Bono says Jay 'just zones in on the text and he hangs onto the text, the word.'
It takes an iconic band like U2 to know there's always something new to learn. They might have inspired a whole generation of kids to start garage bands, but U2 are still being inspired by this generation's megastars, and they owe all these new lessons to hip-hop. Kanye West said he was inspired by watching U2 perform and seeing the crowd's reaction. When writing "Graduation," he kept that response in mind, using fewer lyrics to make more of an impact so people could follow along. So has the band learned anything from West?
"Respect for the text, seriously, because we're musical [and] we come out of improvisations, and that's how we write songs," Bono told MTV News. "The melodies come out of those improvisations, and then eventually, I try to put into words what the music is telling me." Learning from West is easy because he has what the rockers call "the whole equation." "I think with Kanye, his understanding of what music, about what fashion, about what politics is — they are all each other," Bono explained. "Understanding the whole equation is understanding where your song sits in the world. Kanye knows where it sits." The guys learned about lyrics and melodies from another hip-hop superstar: Jay-Z. "This is similar for Jay-Z. He just zones in on the text and he hangs onto the text, the words. That's his life," Bono said. "I learned that my melodies — because they were more operatic — my melodies were spoiling my chances to use a certain vocabulary." The guys have also worked with Black Eyed Peas mastermind Will.I.Am, whom Bono called "a very important voice ... someone to watch." "He's amazing, 'cause he sits at the Pro Tools and punches buttons for an hour," bassist Adam Clayton explained about the rapper's work ethic. "And at the end of the hour, you've got something that sounds great." For Clayton, the most important lesson is also the simplest one: "It's all about the bass," he joked. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Top 13 Cheat Sheet Posted: 09 Mar 2009 11:13 PM PDT Here's a refresher before the season-eight finals kick off Tuesday night.
It's hard to believe that this "American Idol" season started just two months ago. But, after endless audition rounds and weeks of eliminations, we've finally arrived to the first night of the big show. The first-ever top 13 contenders take the stage Tuesday night (March 10) in Hollywood to perform the songs of Michael Jackson, with special guests Kelly Clarkson and Kanye West dropping by during Wednesday night's elimination show. With one of the most diverse casts in the show's history, we thought it was worth taking a trip down memory lane to refresh you on their backstories. Adam Lambert Hometown: Los Angeles Why You Remember Him: The musical-theater-meets-rock belter impressed judges with his vocal range and swagger during auditions. He's partial to black leather, lots of accessories and sticking his tongue out when hitting the Axl Rose-like high notes. Trivia: Not surprisingly, Lambert loves Michael Jackson, late Queen singer Freddie Mercury and gender-bending rocker David Bowie, as well as Madonna, Pink and Katy Perry. The formally trained singer got started when he was 10 and also dabbles in acting. Lil Rounds Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee Why You Remember Her: The spunky married mother of three, who works as a customer-service representative and lost her home in a tornado, blew the judges away from day one when she sang Stevie Wonder's "All I Do" during the audition round. She hasn't stumbled once since and seems poised to be one of the top finishers. Trivia: Rounds, who started singing when she was 3 years old, cites Alicia Keys as one of her favorite singers, but judge Randy Jackson has praised her Fantasia-meets-Mary J. Blige style. She recently said in an interview that she's not intimidated by the fact that the male finalists outnumber the ladies eight-to-five this year. Danny Gokey Hometown: Milwaukee Why You Remember Him: Aside from his butter-smooth blue-eyed-soul voice and friendly stage demeanor, producers focused in early on the tragic story of Gokey's wife, Sophia, who died just weeks before his first audition. Along with Rounds and Lambert, Gokey is an early favorite to win the competition. Trivia: Gokey is a music teacher in a church in Milwaukee and the founder and president of the children's charity Sophia's Heart Foundation, a nonprofit he set up in his late wife's name. Alexis Grace Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee Why You Remember Her: The spunky blonde with pink highlights and a rich, soulful voice won over the judges with her version of Aretha Franklin's "Dr. Feelgood." Trivia: She's the daughter of Randy Middleton, who used to play bass for R&B singer Ann Peebles. Alexis first auditioned when she was 16 and again when she was 19, finally making it this year. She's a member of the Memphis Music Foundation's Memphis Music Resource Center, which provides educational programs for area musicians. Kris Allen Hometown: Conway, Arkansas Why You Remember Him: Allen broke the cardinal "never cover Michael Jackson" rule by singing "Man in the Mirror" during the second elimination week. The judges were mixed on it, but he got voted through anyway. Trivia: The married Kelly Clarkson-loving singer is working on a college degree in business at the University of Central Arkansas. Allison Iraheta Hometown: Los Angeles Why You Remember Her: This year's youngest contestant, the flame-haired spark plug blasted her way into the finals with a powerful cover of Heart's "Alone." Trivia: Iraheta came in first place on the Telemundo reality show "Quinceañera" when she was 15 for her cover of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and won $50,000 in prizes. She also appeared on Disney's Superstar Kidz 2 CD. Scott MacIntyre Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona Why You Remember Him: The show's first visually impaired contestant impressed the judges with his passionate singing and piano playing, which he's promised more of in the finals. Trivia: MacIntyre is the picture of an overachiever. In addition to playing the piano, guitar and drums and being a computer programmer, he's a Fulbright Scholar who graduated from Arizona State University summa cum laude at 19 and has released five independent CDs. Megan Joy Corkrey Hometown: Sandy, Utah Why You Remember Her: Two words: "The Corkrey." Despite her too-cute, signature hip-swiveling dance, the tattooed, runway-ready mom didn't make it through to the finals until the wild-card round. But the judges have consistently given her props for her quirky, "relevant" style, with comparisons to Adele, Amy Winehouse and Duffy. Trivia: The single mom is a font designer whose dream is to sing a Björk song on the show. Among the images on her ink sleeve: a castle with a night sky above it and roses growing up the side and a stained-glass window with a king and queen behind it, as well as a fairy godmother, a wizard and a prince, which represents her 2-year-old son, Ryder. Jorge Nuñez Hometown: Cidra, Puerto Rico Why You Remember Him: He got his chance to compete for the title by singing in both English and Spanish during his audition and wept when judges put him through to the top 13. Trivia: In addition to English and Spanish, Nuñez is fluent in French and has put his pursuit of a comparative literature degree in his senior year on hold to compete on the show. After judges first told him to lose the accent, then bring it back, he's said he's hoping to sing in both Spanish and English in the finals. Jasmine Murray Hometown: Starkville, Mississippi Why You Remember Her: Another of this year's youngest finalists started off with promise but only made it into the top 13 when judges brought her back in the wild-card round. She's proven to be a tough competitor with a seasoned R&B diva's voice, though judges have faulted her for coming off as too "old." Trivia: She's still a high school student at the Mississippi School of the Arts and won the 2007 Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen pageant. She also sang at the Miss America pageant in 2007. Michael Sarver Hometown: Jasper, Texas Why You Remember Him: The humble married father of two is a roughneck on an oil rig in Texas who has sailed through the audition and Hollywood rounds thanks to his smooth voice, charming smile and winning personality. Trivia: Sarver, who plays piano, drums and guitar, is a music minister in his local church and hopes to sing R&B and soul if he makes it through to the top spot. Also, like several contestants, he loves Michael Jackson and, um, Celine Dion. Anoop Desai Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina Why You Remember Him: One of this year's most charismatic, endearing finalists, 'Noop Dogg moved smoothly through Hollywood Week. He only made it to the big show when the judges decided to add an unprecedented 13th contestant during the wild-card round after his energetic performance of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative." Trivia: Desai is working on his master's degree at the University of North Carolina after getting a political science and American studies undergraduate degree from UNC. The former member of the UNC a capella group Clef Hangers made national news last week when he gave a shout-out to former UNC student-body president Eve Carson, who was murdered last year. Matt Giraud Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan Why You Remember Him: The Justin Timberlake-esque Giraud killed it with his take on Gavin DeGraw's "I Don't Want to Be" at his audition, then blew it with a Coldplay cover only to get back in the game last week in the wild-card round with his soulful take on "Who's Lovin' You?" Trivia: The dueling piano player's nickname is "White Chocolate," which was also the name of his Hollywood Week group. He used to play keyboards and sing in the Kalamazoo-based cover band Drop 35. 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 |
| T.I. Says Feud With Shawty Lo Wasn't A Beef Posted: 09 Mar 2009 10:34 PM PDT 'If I don't mean you no harm, we can't be beefin',' Tip explains.
On Friday night in Atlanta, T.I. put his beef with rapper Shawty Lo to bed, inviting his former rival onstage during a performance of "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)" at Tip's Club Crucial.
On Monday night in the Bronx, after he finished speaking to kids at a Boys & Girls Club, T.I. finally broke his silence about why he decided to end the feud. "See, I'm a grown man. These situations are not that major for me, you know? It's always more blown up in the media than it is in my mind. That's nothing to me. I never even considered it to be a big deal to begin with. So, something like that, I just didn't do it for publicity," Tip told MTV News. "I'm not doing it for the purposes of taking pictures, and for people online to talk about it and people on TV to talk about it. As a man, I don't mean anybody no harm, I wish everybody the best, I ain't never been a hater, I congratulate success, and I move on and keep doing what I'm doing." And to hear him tell it, the whole beef between him and Shawty — which started with the pair trading verbal jabs but quickly escalated into a brawl between the rappers' cliques at the Dirty Awards late last year — wasn't even legit ... it was the product of the overzealous media and some self-righteous bloggers. Which is why he had no problem putting it behind him. "That word 'beef' is used too loosely, to me. 'Beef' is kind of like 'swag.' People just throwin' that word around," T.I. said. "To me, man, if I don't mean you no harm, we can't be beefin'. If I see you, and I don't attack you, it ain't no beef, and vice versa. Everything else is just entertainment to me." Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Comes To iPhone In Two Big Ways Posted: 10 Mar 2009 08:47 AM PDT In addition to an app with exclusive videos, iPhone and iPod Touch will soon get a new 'Idol' game.
If you're an "American Idol" fan, the people behind the show hope you've got an iPhone. You're going to need it. MTV News got a look at one new "Idol" iPhone application on Monday, along with news of something that sounds even cooler: a new "Idol" video game that will be coming to Apple's phone (and iPod Touch) in April. This $1.99 app, which appeared on the iTunes store Monday night as an exclusive to the iPhone and iPod Touch, turns the iPhone into a portable "American Idol" tracker. It shows headshots of season eight's final 13 contestants. Every week, the rankings will change to reflect who is still in the competition. Better, though, is the fact that you can predict the final rankings, call out the winners and have your prediction marked with a date and time — just so you can prove you prognosticated perfectly. So, yes, you can show people that you picked Michael Sarver before anyone else to be the winner.
The application will also provide access to exclusive three-minute video clips from each of the remaining contestants. We were shown one of these confessional-style clips from Scott MacIntyre, who talked about how he originally misheard the announcement that there would be 13 final contestants (instead of the usual top 12) for this season. He thought they had said "30" and was wondering why he had worked so hard. By the end of the season, the creators of the app expect to have about 78 exclusive videos viewable only through the program. So, you can track "American Idol" and get exclusive looks at it through an iPhone, but what about being an "American Idol"? Get ready for the April "American Idol" iPhone game. Through the years there have been batches of "Idol" video games, including a karaoke series from Konami and, more recently, mobile games from EA. This new iPhone game will put the player in the role of aspiring contestant. The "Idol" iPhone game will include live-action footage of 15 other contestants, all played by unknown actors, a rep for the project told MTV News. Players have to make that all-important decision about which songs to sing, as well as taking other strategic steps on the way to becoming the next American Idol. As for the singing, players won't be crooning at all. Instead, they'll need to tilt the iPhone in different directions to match the rhythm of the competition's music. It's a tilt version of the kind of pattern-matching that players of "Rock Band' or "Guitar Hero" use to rock out in those games. Clips of the judges' commentary have been culled from the show and will be used to critique each performance. Get ready for Simon Cowell's harshest barbs to be directed right at you. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. For more on iPhone gaming and any and all "American Idol" crossovers, check out our video game blog. |
| Posted: 10 Mar 2009 09:30 AM PDT
What "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus suffered when her relationship with Nick Jonas ended is not the only heart ailment she's talking about these days. In her new book, "Miles to Go," the teen star is telling her fans all about another kind of heart condition she suffers from: tachycardia. The non-life-threatening condition makes Miley's heart rhythm exceed the range of a normal resting heart rate, reports "The Insider." "The type of tachycardia I have isn't dangerous. It won't hurt me, but it does bother me," the 16-year-old wrote in her autobiography. "There is never a time onstage when I'm not thinking about my heart."
Miley also thinks about her heart when she talks about her former flame, Nick Jonas, whom she called "Prince Charming" in the book. When she stopped by "The View" on Monday, he was once again the subject of conversation. "It was great and it was fun, but I was really young," she said of the relationship. "I live in a very mature world. ... We're just so busy. Unlike most 12-year-olds or 13-year-olds, we're, like, 'Oh yeah, I can't hang out with you today 'cause I gotta go to work. ... I'm in Germany doing a concert.' And so that got hard." Although their love may have soured, she still holds a place for the young Jonas in her heart. "I still love him with everything in me," she said. "I think he is the greatest. I get asked all the time who's my favorite Jonas. Nick's my favorite Jonas. I'm happy with our friendship." Another relationship that Miley addressed in the book is the one she shares with her father, country singer and "Hannah Montana" co-star Billy Ray Cyrus. "The media has said some stuff about my dad and me being too close and too cuddly for a father and a daughter," she wrote, reports The Stamford Times. "For me and my dad, it's not weird at all." |
| Carrie Underwood Covers Motley Crue For 'American Idol' Farewell Theme Posted: 10 Mar 2009 06:35 AM PDT 'Idol' alum's version of 'Home Sweet Home' to play for departing contestants.
Carrie Underwood may have won "American Idol," and America's hearts, with her country twang, but the singer tapped into her rock side to record the show's new farewell theme. In keeping with the recent "home" theme of the tunes played as contestants are eliminated from "Idol," Underwood recently tracked a countrified cover of Mötley Crüe's bittersweet ballad "Home Sweet Home," which will make its debut on Wednesday night (March 11) when this season's first finalist is sent home. The song will be available as a digital single exclusively on iTunes through March 16, after which it will be released on other online music retail sites. According to Underwood's official site, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of the United States. "I've always loved this song," Underwood said in a statement. "And besides being very fitting for 'Idol,' to me, the title is also very fitting with animal rescue and finding animals their own homes."
Season-four winner Underwood joins a few other "Idol" alumni in providing the season's farewell theme, including Daughtry, whose "Home" played as season-six singers took their final bow. Ruben Studdard's cover of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home" did the honors last year, and Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" turned into a huge digital hit in 2006, when it was picked as the season walk-off tune. In other "Idol" news, for the first time this year, viewers will be able to get some exclusive coverage of the show sent directly to their iPhone and iPod Touch screens. The show's producers have hooked up with iTunes to offer "confessional" style videos of the final 13, as well as pictures, news, bios and behind-the-scenes content for a one-time $1.99 charge. While the package does not include actual performance video — those can be bought separately with a one-click jump to the iTunes page — the new application will update weekly for the whole season, with 78 original videos between now and the finale. The app will also let fans play judge by predicting the order of the contestants' departure and tracking their time on the show. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists |
| Chris Brown, Rihanna Reportedly Working On New Music Posted: 09 Mar 2009 03:19 AM PDT As media swarms in the wake of alleged altercation, the singers are trying to focus on recording.
Even as the court case against him moves forward, Chris Brown is reportedly working on new material for his follow-up to 2007's Exclusive. Rihanna, who was allegedly assaulted by the singer on February 8, is also said to be recording music for the follow-up to her 2007 smash, Good Girl Gone Bad. The artists are tending to their professional responsibilities as their personal lives have become tabloid fodder thanks to the felony assault and criminal threats charges lodged against Brown on Thursday in connection with the alleged February 8 altercation that left Rihanna with bruises, contusions and bite marks on her arms, legs and face. Both artists are attempting to focus on their musical efforts at a time when they are facing intense scrutiny over the alleged assault, with potential fallout, especially for Brown, that could seriously impact his career prospects. One of the producers reportedly working with Rihanna on her next album, Adonis Shropshire (Mariah Carey, Usher, Beyoncé), who has produced songs on both of Brown's previous albums, told HipHollywood.com that Rihanna is "doing OK ... I mean, of course [with] the situation, she's all right." Shropshire said the sessions so far have been relatively light for Rihanna. "You have to remember, she's still a kid," he said of the 21-year-old singer. "With anybody in the world that goes through something, you have to bring yourself out of it. So I guess her refuge is her music, of course, as it should be. ... Of course, there's still remnants of whatever from time to time ... But she's definitely trying to move forward. ... She's really just easing back into it, just a couple of ideas here and there over the last couple of weeks. It's coming out good." As for how the music is sounding, Shropshire said it's going in the "same direction" as Good Girl, which spawned a series of hits, including "Umbrella," "Don't Stop the Music," "Rehab" and "Disturbia." "[It's] just an evolution of what she already is, you know: super-poppy," he said, noting that the singer is trying not to let the alleged altercation affect her studio time. "She always brings her best efforts every time she steps into the stage or the studio. [Her next album will] eclipse what she's done before, so it's going to be hot." Island Def Jam head L.A. Reid told MTV News shortly before news of the alleged altercation broke that he is "loaded" with music for Rihanna's next album. Spokespeople for Rihanna and Shropshire could not be reached for comment at press time. An unnamed source close to Brown told People magazine that the singer, who has lost some lucrative endorsement deals and seen some of his songs banned from a handful of radio stations in the wake of the allegations, is "trying to keep his career moving forward," noting that Brown spent the two nights before his court appearance on Thursday at the Glenwood Place recording studio in Burbank, California, recording new tracks. Brown, who reportedly reunited with Rihanna recently, was charged with two felony counts on Thursday, assault and making criminal threats; he faces more than four years in prison if convicted on both counts. Brown has not pleaded to the charges yet, but is expected to do so at his next court date on April 6. A spokesperson for Brown did not return requests for comment on his musical projects. Despite the controversy surrounding him, Brown has reportedly been working hard on tracks for his third album, reportedly due out later this year and titled Graffiti, in studios in Florida and California over the past few weeks. His MySpace page recently promoted his nominations at the upcoming Nickelodeon March 28 Kids' Choice Awards, urging fans to vote for him. Brown is competing in one category, favorite song, with Rihanna, who is nominated for "Don't Stop the Music." With the two felony charges hanging over him, a possible trial and potential prison time, it remains to be seen if the album will come out as scheduled this year, even if, as reported, Brown can secure a plea deal that would help him avoid prison time in the case. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Pussycat Dolls Call Danity Kane Split 'A Sad Thing' Posted: 09 Mar 2009 04:52 AM PDT 'We wish them each their own success,' PCD's Ashley Roberts tells MTV News.
Like the rest of us, the Pussycat Dolls watched in amazement last year as Danity Kane disintegrated on "Making the Band." Unlike the rest of us, though, they had a different perspective on things: They knew DK personally.
So when MTV News spoke to the Dolls backstage at the kickoff of Britney Spears' Circus tour, we decided to ask them about the breakup of Danity Kane, the fallout after that split and the pressures of keeping a girl group together. "We are sisters," PCD's Ashley Roberts said. "And there's moments where no matter who you are, you're going through personal things, as well as things in your career, and so sometimes your head's not in the right place or you're emotional about something, and we have times where we're going through stuff, as every human being does, but we try to not take it personally and to communicate. And about Danity Kane, it's a sad thing that they did fall apart. We had been on tour with them, with Christina [Aguilera in 2007, on her Back to Basics tour], and we got to know each one of them, and we wish them each their own success. I know Dawn [Richard] and Aundrea [Fimbres] are getting together, and so power to them." So while PCD are saddened by Danity Kane's split, they can also understand why it happened. After all, being an all-girl group is tough, especially one that operates almost exclusively under the spotlight. After all, they've been doing it for nearly four years now. But they've learned how to make it work, thanks to some advice from some fairly high-profile friends. "You know, a couple of years ago, we were hanging out with U2, and I made friends with the Edge, and I talked to him like, 'Wow, you guys get along so well, and you're so successful,' and one of the things he sad was that envy is evil, and to make sure you understand your place in the group and understand that everyone has their own spot in the group. It fits like a puzzle," Doll Jessica Sutta said. "We've managed to have a lot of respect for each other, because we've built a sisterhood, and we love each other, and we know that when we're onstage, each one is as important as the next. You know? Nicole is our lead singer, we support her as she supports us ... we make it work." "Touring is not easy," PCD's Kimberly Wyatt added. "Being in a girl group is not easy. But it's all about being passionate, and we all grew up believing in dreams that were bigger than us, and we served a bigger purpose in life. And I believe that we are together for a reason: to tell a story. We're not only girls in little clothes that get onstage and sing amazing songs and dance our butts off, we have a purpose in life. We have a lot of younger fans that look up to us, and we take our roles very seriously, and we do our best to spread our positivity and love to everyone." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Jadakiss, Green Lantern Bury Their Beef: <i>Mixtape Monday</i> Posted: 09 Mar 2009 04:52 AM PDT Plus: Red Cafe heats up the streets and has his way with Anita Baker.
Artist: Jadakiss Representing: Y.O. Mixtape: Kiss My A--: The Champ Is Here Pt. 2 411: Before we do anything, let's send a massive, unified R.I.P. to the Notorious B.I.G. The rap legend was assassinated 12 years ago today. We'll always love you, Big. This week was supposed to see the release of Jadakiss' The Last Kiss album, and since that project has been pushed back until April 7, your boy couldn't leave you without any stimulants. He has a mixtape out, so pucker up — Jadakiss is going to tell you to kiss his ass and there's just no escaping that. Although he had to change his official album's title to The Last Kiss, the Yonkers monster mouth used his original title idea for his latest mixtape, the sequel to his classic 2004 mixtape with Big Mike and Green Lantern, The Champ Is Here. "Green is impeccable with blending and mixing, taking a cappella of a record that had a previous track to the next level," Kiss said of reteaming for Kiss My A--: The Champ Is Here Pt. 2. "A lot of DJs just want a couple of freestyles [when you make mixtapes]. Green wants some freestyles, a cappellas. He wants to do his thing and he wants some drops or whatever," Jada continued. "And he presents you with records. When you're working with him, you know what you're getting, and he's bringing some things to the table. He's really in there working. He's making it like a real album. He's gonna master it. It was definitely a good thing getting back with him." To the dismay of fans — not to mention the two gentlemen involved themselves — Kiss and Green had a serious falling out on the heels of making the first Champ, one of the all--time great street CDs (no gas here, it was that damn good. A phone conversation between the two popped up on a street DVD. They were discussing Jada's then brewing battle with 50 Cent. In the aftermath of the footage going public, Green stepped down as Eminem's DJ. Lantern has since gone on to spin at shows for the likes of Nas and Jay-Z. In fact, it was during an American Gangster tour stop in NYC that Kiss appeared onstage as Jay's special guest, but the Yonkers ripper and the Evil Genius had no synergy onstage. Kiss wanted to rock one of his hits, but Green only had "It's All About the Benjamins." "I reached out to Green," Jada said of how the two came to put this current mixtape together. "He kept 100. He came to Y.O. by himself. We sat at a restaurant and just kicked it. Ventilated. He said what he wanted to say, got off his chest how the whole thing went down." As for the concert, Jada explained, "A lot of people thought it might have been some funny money, but one of the things we talked about at the table, he was like, 'Don't think I was doing you greasy.' He didn't have none of my music in his replay. I can't get mad at that. It's a Hov show. Hov made him put 'The Benjamins' in there. I just didn't want to perform 'The Benjamins.' " Now on the same page, the two are already plotting to drop another Kiss My A-- CD. And if you're wondering why this current Kiss My A-- CD is a little shorter than expected, Jada said he's just looking out for his official release in April. The potency of the first Champ Is Here mixtape hurt sales of his official The Kiss of Death album. "That's why I had to make this one tight, but not too much a full-length album, because [fans] will just sit with that and not want to get your album. ... Interscope spent a lot of money on that Champ Is Here [and it ended up hurting The Kiss of Death]. They made a lot of copies and put it in every region in the world. It was good and bad. That's why I went light. But we got volume two of the Kiss My Ass. I got more music I'm gonna let go in a couple days for you." Jada said after his album drops in April, fans can expect a D-Block compilation followed by a LOX album at the end of the year. Joints To Check For » "Child Abuse." "That's a beat that Swizz used before," Jada explained. "I heard a lot of people that rocked over it. [Lloyd] Banks rocked to it. Ransom, Stack Bundles — rest in peace — before he passed, he ripped something on there. I said, 'This is a beat for MCs. I wanna get on that, let them know I got my ear to the streets.' 'Child Abuse'! Just some lyrical fun, smackin' the track around." » "Hard Times" featuring Barrington Levy. "That should be on the LP," Jada said. "I don't know. It's in the batch. It rings off in the club and I get a good look from all the yardies. They love the boy Kiss, respect. Barrington is raw. They call him 'The Mayor' over there [in Jamaica]. He's a real dude. ... He's making real music. He's trying hard to get me [to do the video] over there in Jamaica. I might pay for a video — shoot half over there, shoot half in Jamaica. It was a good look. I never did a reggae joint, and I did it with Barrington. I'm supposed to be hooking up with Beenie Man too this week while he's in town." » "The People" featuring Styles P. "We were just spazzin' on the Common beat," Jada explained. "I'm a big fan of Common. You probably wouldn't know, since we're [such] different artists, but Common's a spitter since back in the day. He gets it in with anybody, any type of song. I was big fan of that single when he dropped it, 'The People.' The cadence is crazy. Green had thrown SP on there in the middle of the track. I said, 'That ain't gonna work, Green. You can't just chop them verses up like that. You gotta let the whole thing rock, then let P come after that.' It came out tremendous." Don't Sleep: Other Notable Selections This Week » DJ Scream and DJ Smallz - The Peace Treaty 'Hood's Heavy Rotation: Bubbling Below The Radar » Ghostface Killah - "A Message From Ghostface" The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground From the 'hood to Hollywood, it's moooooo-vin! Red Cafe has volumes of songs dropping this year. First and foremost is a favorite of the Mixtape Monday fam, "Hottest in the Hood." "The streets is talking about this record everywhere," said Red, who boasts in the song that he's the person most on fire in the street. "It's a cocky statement on the record — you gotta own up to it. It's important that my 'hood and my city is embracing the record. I'm on every countdown [on New York radio]. The record has only been out for [a few] weeks. It's spreading dramatically. I'm ready to go." Red also leaked a song called "Very Special" that samples Anita Baker. "That record is such a classic record, you don't really wanna touch it unless you gonna do justice to it. 'Rapture'! I approached it to do it justice, to make the people love it again. They already loved it." Red's debut, Shakedown, should be dropping within the next few months. Young Jeezy, Fabolous, T-Pain, Jadakiss and Fat Joe all have guest appearances. "There's going to be at least 10 records of just me on there as well," the Brooklyn native promised, dispelling any notion that his album will have a compilation feel. Red is also going to be featured heavily on Akon's next album, Koncrete scheduled to drop at the end of the year, and Fabolous' Street Fam, due this fall. Not to be outdone, Red and DJ Envy will have their second co-op LP out this summer. "The Shakedown album is honesty," Cafe promised. "You gonna get honesty on that album." For other artists featured in Mixtape Monday, check out Mixtape Mondays Headlines. 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