MTV News |
| Justin Timberlake Talks Next LP, What's On His iPod Posted: 25 Mar 2009 02:01 AM PDT Timberlake shows a rock bent, listening to Kings of Leon, Black Keys, Radiohead.
Although Justin Timberlake is "not working" on any new music for himself these days, he has been hitting the studio to work with other artists like Ciara and T.I. "Right now, I like the idea that things can just kind of pop up and if they feel right I can do them," Timberlake told Entertainment Weekly. "Committing to my own sort of project, that's like, 'OK, let me block out two years of my life and do it.' " He noted, as he has in the past, that he'll know when he's ready to get back in the studio to work on his own material. "I was heavily fulfilled with the last one and I always have this thing with myself that if I can't sleep because I need to do it, then I'm gonna do it," he said. "But if I'm not losing sleep over it, then ..." Timberlake even shared his eclectic taste in music, which could suggest that we might see more of a rock influence on his next album. "I mean, I listen to everything," he said. "I've been going back and forth between Kings of Leon's latest album and the Black Keys. I really love their Attack and Release. I thought that was a really great record." And, for fans wondering what Timberlake's go-to album is, he revealed it's one particular Radiohead album. "And of course Radiohead," he continued. "It's a constant. I enjoy In Rainbows in the morning. You throw it on in the iPod dock and get ready to leave the house and go on about your day. That album seems to put me in a pretty decent mood." Of course, when he's not rocking in the studio, Timberlake is executive-producing a new MTV show, "The Phone," which premieres next month. Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Check Out Our 'American Idol' Motown Week Live Blog! Posted: 25 Mar 2009 05:03 AM PDT Check out 'Idol' expert Jim Cantiello's minute-by-minute recap of the show.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| 'American Idol' Motown Week: Who's Got The Edge? Posted: 25 Mar 2009 04:50 AM PDT Lil Rounds and Danny Gokey could soar, according to MJ Santilli of MJsBigBlog.com.
There's a reason "American Idol" has country-themed shows, pop nights, singer/songwriter visits and even mentors from the world of Broadway: The best way to judge who might survive in the unpredictable music world is to test their range in every way possible. Last week, the Grand Ole Opry did in Alexis Grace, who might have kept on chugging had she made it through to this week's challenge: the classic songs of Motown. The question is, who will soar singing the songs of Smokey, Diana and Marvin on Wednesday night (March 25), and who will be sent packing on Thursday? Here are our predictions for what tonight's show might bring, with some additional expert opinion from the founder of one of the most popular "Idol" blogs, MJ Santilli of MJsBigBlog.com: Scott MacIntyre - The piano man has gotten mixed reviews for his ivory tickling so far — Paula Abdul urged him to step out from behind the keys, Simon Cowell told him it was just fine to stay put — but his penchant for sappy, middle-of-the-road ballads might give him a bit of trouble this week. "He's probably going to pick a ballad, and he'll sound exactly the same way he did two weeks ago," Santilli predicted. "And I think he'll get through again because he's got that adult-contemporary niche." Lil Rounds - We don't want to say Motown night will be a cakewalk for the spunky singer with the giant voice, but, well, it should be. "This is hers to lose," MJ said. "This is right in her wheelhouse. There are so many good songs for her to choose from that would fit her vocal style. She should be able to knock it out of the park." Anoop Desai - 'Noop Dogg has had a good run of it, and he made a nice rebound last week with "Always on My Mind." His goofy R&B-lover persona seems like a good fit for Motown week, though he could suffer in comparison to stronger personalities. Santilli said that since his audition, Desai has built a strong, loyal fanbase that has given him an advantage through some iffy performances. "He's on the brink now," she said. "If he continues to pick good songs, he could pick up some new fans. It could be a fantastic week for him if he picks [the right] song." Michael Sarver - Though Texas roughneck Sarver has proven to have a remarkably soft, sensitive touch, his spot in the bottom three last week might be a harbinger of things to come. "He likes to sing soul, but he's so similar to other contestants who are better than him and more popular," MJ said. "The only thing that can save him is if he picks a really good song and sings it well." Danny Gokey - Like Rounds, Gokey should be in his sweet spot with the Motown catalog. His mixture of blue-eyed soul with a gospel edge could be a high point. "He sang a Motown song for his audition ['I Heard It Through the Grapevine'] and he did a good job. He and Lil should sail through this week." Megan Joy - The tattooed single mom has been great at injecting her quirky, chirpy vocals and hippie-shake dancing into a variety of settings so far, but this could be the stage where her shaky voice comes up short against the stronger competitors. "I think she's going to have a hard time," MJ said. "People compare her to Amy Winehouse, but I don't think she's very soulful. She has an interesting vocal style, but doesn't know how to interpret [songs]. I think she'll struggle this week." Matt Giraud - Matt stumbled out of the gate, but has been gaining steam ever since and with a good song choice this week he could set up a serious run at the title. "I think he has the most commercial sound out of all of them," MJ said. "I could hear him on the radio. He's beginning to develop a fanbase, and Motown could be the breakout week for him." Allison Iraheta - The teenage phenom with the voice of a 45-year-old soul veteran has proven pretty flexible so far — though she did take a trip to the bottom three last week. Like Desai, a good song choice could keep her in the running. "Ugh. Between her and Megan I don't know who will go first," MJ said. "I would love to see her last a few weeks longer, but she probably doesn't know the genre and this might not be one she's comfortable with." Kris Allen - He's got the looks, the piano chops and a renewed interest from Simon, but Allen's soft edge could make him seem a bit out of his league among some of the more powerful singers. "He has shown some potential and had some really bright moments, but I don't think the charisma is there yet," MJ said. "If he picks a ballad this week ... people respond to him singing ballads ... but on the other hand, that could be a trap for him. He's on the brink of maybe being a dark horse, but he's been really inconsistent." Adam Lambert - Who knows what Lambert will pull out this week? Perhaps a township jive version of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine"? A hair-metal take on "My Girl"? Either way, the audience — and most of the judging panel — seem to love him. Consider him through to next week. "What's fun about Adam is that I have no idea what he's going to do next," said MJ. "It could either be spectacular or another 'WTF?' moment. I'm looking forward to it, whatever it is." 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Robert Pattinson Smells Bad, 'New Moon' Crew Members Say Posted: 25 Mar 2009 08:39 AM PDT 'Twilight' star 'never showers, and it drives people on the set crazy,' unidentified staffer says.
Despite the assumed notion by many "Twilight" fans that Robert Pattinson is perfect, reports from the set of "New Moon" prove that even the dreamiest guys have their flaws. E! News is citing an unidentified source "who works very closely" with the actor on the Vancouver set of "New Moon" as saying that RPattz is stinking up the production — and we're not talking about his acting skills.
"He stinks. I mean, it's awful. He never showers, and it drives people on the set crazy," the source said about Pattinson's personal hygiene. "He completely reeks," an unidentified crew member added. This news should come as quite the shocker to many of RPattz's fans, like Ashley Tisdale, who recently revealed her crush on the dreamy Brit. Although she hasn't read the books, she has seen the films and admitted to MTV News, "I'm a big fan of Robert Pattinson's." She isn't the only famous face who may find the news disappointing. Ryan Reynolds, who stars in "Adventureland" with Kristen Stewart, also owned up to having a man crush on the actor."I love 'Twilight,' " he said. "Oh my God, are you kidding me? Robert Pattinson in a word: dreamy. ... Look, I'm not gay — but I'm thinking about it." Interestingly, when Kellan Lutz recently talked to Ryan Seacrest about Robert Pattinson's charms, he left the sense of scent off the list. "His accent and his crazy hairdo get the girls swooning," he said, adding, "Rob's kind of shy, and he does this thing — when he's really shy or when someone asks him something, he lowers his head down, and the girls love it!" For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Akon Addresses Suge Knight's Alleged Involvement In Employee's Robbery Posted: 25 Mar 2009 05:57 AM PDT TMZ reports that people affiliated with Knight invaded the home of producer Detail early Wednesday.
NEW YORK — On Wednesday morning (March 25), TMZ reported that people allegedly affiliated with Suge Knight robbed producer Detail, one of Akon's employees. The Grammy winner was surprised to hear of the events when he arrived in NYC on Wednesday. "I just got in from overseas to do this U.N. [show], and all this news hit me at one time," 'Kon said. "He's actually a producer I signed recently. Even [Detail], I couldn't get in contact with him to get the full story. I'm trying to find out the story from him before I can put it out on record." In February, Akon's manager was arrested for knocking Knight out at a party. Akon said he hasn't been "cleared" to speak on that incident and that he and Knight had no prior beef. "All I know, we always had peaceful conversations," 'Kon said of Suge. "I'm trying to figure out why it's escalating to this extent. We never had no problems. All I can do is the right thing. Everything always works itself out." A rep for the Los Angeles Police Department told MTV News that around 2:30 a.m., four to five men invaded the Van Nuys home of up-and-coming producer Detail (real name: Noel Fisher). They used physical force to ransack the home and take everything from computers to jewelry to recording equipment. Police say no guns were used, but the victims told officers that the assailants threatened to pull weapons out if they did not cooperate. The police also say Knight's possible involvement was being investigated. Akon was at the U.N. with producer/composer Peter Buffet. The two have a philanthropic Web site called IsThereSomethingICanDo.com and are promoting awareness about human trafficking. The two were set to debut a collaboration called "Blood Into Gold." "The concept is how people take blood and turn it into gold," Akon said. The performers are working in conjunction with YourCause.com. Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Joel And Benji Madden Fight To Make Clean Water More Accessible Posted: 25 Mar 2009 05:28 AM PDT 'Water is the most important thing that any of us could have to survive and live,' Joel says of the Tap Project.
Benji and Joel Madden's entire worldview was changed last year, when they traveled to a tiny village in the Central African Republic. One of the poorest countries in the entire world, surrounded by war-racked nations on all sides, it is all but isolated from the rest of the world. There, water is not an amenity. It is a luxury. "It's a small country, surrounded by all these countries in conflict. It's almost like a microcosm of everything that [Africa] is dealing with, and one in five kids over there are dying before the age of 5. And a third of the people have no access to clean water," Joel said. "For countries like America or the U.K., we're not used to the idea that you can't have water at your access, but there ... are literally people getting water out of a hole in the ground and using it for everything from washing to drinking. And water is the most important thing that any of us could have to survive and live."
So after they returned, the Good Charlotte duo contacted UNICEF and began working as spokespeople for the Tap Project, a charity started in 2007 in New York when restaurants asked patrons to donate $1 for a glass of tap water they would usually enjoy free, with all funds going to UNICEF's efforts to bring clean water to millions of children in places like the Central African Republic. The project worked so well that more than 2,000 restaurants have agreed to take part — and given that this is World Water Week, the Maddens sat down with MTV News to raise awareness about the lack of clean and accessible water around the globe. "Almost a billion people worldwide don't have clean or safe drinking water; 425 million of those people are children, and 25,000 kids every day die from preventable causes and 4,200 of that is from not having clean drinking water every single day," Joel explained. "World Water Week is happening now, so we want people to go to restaurants and donate a dollar or two or three to the Tap Project. Or you can just go to TapProject.org and donate online." "It's a rough thing to think of, but the encouraging news is that with the Tap Project, this can be dramatically affected. We believe it should be zero," his brother Benji added. "With the Tap Project, $1 provides drinking water for a child for 40 days or 40 kids for one day. Think about what a difference a dollar makes. It's pretty encouraging." Or, to put it another way: "It blows your mind and you think, one day without Starbucks, or instead of voting for someone on 'American idol,' donate to TapProject.org," Joel said. "Cut one little simple thing out that costs a couple bucks and ... go to the Web site, and give a dollar or two. It really can — and will — make a difference." Head to Think.MTV.com to find a community where you, your friends and your favorite celebrities can get informed, get heard and take action on the issues that matter to you most. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Rihanna's Law,' Spurred By Photo Leak, Aims To Prevent Victim Exploitation Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:52 AM PDT Victims-rights movement gaining support following leaked photo of battered singer.
Spurred by the outrage over the leaked photo of a battered Rihanna following her alleged beating at the hands of boyfriend Chris Brown, a movement is taking root in Los Angeles to pass a so-called "Rihanna's Law" against releasing photos or information that exploits victims of crimes. The Los Angeles Times reports that support for the law has been gaining traction ever since the Los Angeles Police Department announced that it was investigating the leak and possible sale of photos of Rihanna with a bruised and battered face to the Web site TMZ after those images had been entered into evidence. TMZ has claimed it obtained the photo legally but has not said how it came into possession of the image.
Among the groups reportedly supporting the creation of the law is STOParazzi, the self-proclaimed Celebrity Rights Advocacy Group that has also weighed in on the airport scuffle that recently resulted in Kanye West being hit with three misdemeanor charges. "We can no longer tolerate the leaking of private information when an interest turns into stalking," STOParazzi president Terry Ahern told the paper. Ahern said he thinks Rihanna's Law would deter employees of law-enforcement agencies from releasing photos or information that exploits crime victims. The nonstop coverage of the Rihanna/Brown case has brought up a number of issues regarding the privacy of alleged victims of domestic violence, including the decision by almost all major news outlets to divulge the identity of the victim — which is not typically done in domestic-violence cases — as well as the wide distribution of the disturbing image of the "Umbrella" singer. The current laws covering the leaking of such crime photos or videos, posted on the STOParazzi Web site, have no provision for prosecuting outlets that publish those images as long as no one can prove money was exchanged for them. The proposed law suggests that "if a private crime photo is distributed, the receipt of money for that act is irrelevant and does not diminish the detrimental effect such public distribution of private crime photos could have on the victim, the case itself, other victims of similar crimes, etc. Just because the person who leaked it may have done it, for example, because they were disgruntled or vindictive or even, perhaps, to help the defense, and not for money, per se, should not make it legal." A spokesperson for the LAPD could not be reached for comment about the proposed law at press time. Brown, 19, has been charged with two felony counts — assault and making criminal threats — in the case and is due back in court on April 6 for his arraignment, at which time he could enter a plea. Go here for domestic-violence resources, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gucci Mane: Atlanta's Next Mainstream Star? Posted: 25 Mar 2009 12:32 AM PDT DJ Drama says the MC is 'on fire' all over the country.
Atlanta's Radric "Gucci Mane" Davis may not be a household name, but chances are he soon will be. Almost four years after he released his debut, Trap House, Gucci is more popular than he's even been, and his star is rising. Gucci has a catalog of songs that have been tearing up the streets for months. "Bricks," "Photo Shoot," "Shirt Off" and "Stoopid" and the "Make the Trap Say Aye" remix are just some of the titles. Some call him the hottest in the 'hood right now. "What makes me the hottest MC right now is that I got that flavor," Gucci said on the Atlanta video set of OJ Da Juiceman's "Make the Trap Say Aye" remix, with a grin that showed off a bottom row of teeth covered in gold. "It ain't all about your swag. I got them spices. I'm seasoning it real well for these folk." "I can't say he hasn't been hot for quite some time and he hasn't had a cult following," mixtape king DJ Drama testified. He linked up with Gucci for the popular street CD The Movie last year. "He's just somebody that the 'hood could relate to. He's on fire in Georgia, he's on fire in the Midwest. Detroit. Cincinnati or Columbus, Ohio. Pittsburgh. It's different areas where the guy is crazy and [his music] is starting to bubble everywhere. Last year Gucci was the man of the mixtapes. If it was 50 [Cent] one year, then [Young] Jeezy one year and Wayne one year, it was Gucci last year. He was on the cover of every single tape. That's when I know that's the person that every market is paying attention to." "He's the voice box for the average trapper," said DJ Holiday, who's working with Gucci on a new mixtape. "The average dude trying to get his money right, he motivates you to go get your money." Radio legend Greg Street managed Gucci almost five years ago and says his former artist is poised to blow if he handles his business correctly.
"He's grown up a lot since that time," Street said. "He's grown into that character that the streets accepted a long time ago. Some people are gonna get mad when I say this, but Gucci Mane is the 2009 version of Master P, but not as aggressive. P was coming straight at you, straight-up hard. Gucci's not marketing himself to be a big music mogul like Master P did. "Gucci hasn't really been exposed to know-how to get with different people at retail or people at MTV and BET," Street added. "He's like Master P without the No Limit Soldiers or the executive knowledge that P [has]. But it really hasn't been nobody like [Gucci] in a long time that's ghetto, 'hood and gutta. He's almost in a lane by himself. The people that love him, love him. You see how people are hating on Soulja Boy or other artists from the South that are not your [lyrical guys] such as Jay-Z or Nas or Rakim. They don't hate on Gucci like that." The Bouldercrest native's approach to success hasn't been your conventional round-by-round road to victory. He's not a spitter, but he does have very simple, catchy choruses and tracks to keep the club bouncing. The Gucc has been able to gather instrumentals from some of the finest producers in the A in his cauldron. "A big part of my success has been having them banging beats," Gucci admitted. "Shout out to Fat Boy, Zaytoven, Nitti, Drumma Boy, Shawty Redd." And, oh yeah, Gucci has a style of his own on the mic. "We've seen, the past couple of years, some of the most popular artists haven't been the most lyrical, but it's how they say it," said DJ Drama, who features Gucci multiple times on his upcoming Gangsta Grillz II album. "That's one of the reasons. Then his songs: He makes great songs." He makes a lot of them, too. Gucci went to jail for a probation violation for more than six months, and he still put so much material out, some of his fans didn't even realize he was gone. "I been many places where people was screaming, 'Free Gucci,' and there would always be somebody to turn around and say, 'Word, he's in jail?' " Drama said. "It ain't like he's been in jail for 10 years," Street said. "He was only gone six or seven months. Gucci did a lot of records with a lot of people before going to jail when he wasn't real hot. Those records come to the surface when he was gone and helped him out now. Yola had a record with him, Polow had the record he did with him. Gorilla Zoe had records. He had all those mixtape records holding him down." While he was gone, Gucci grew. His status in the streets is at its zenith. Holiday says as far as the streets are concerned, Gucci is as big to them as any of A-Town's other platinum rap acts. "He hasn't reached the point where you know how that one artist takes that one good look and gets him over the hump?" Holiday said. "When they're accepted on MTV and VH1 and all the tabloids and magazines? But he's just as big as any of those stars who sell millions of records. He's just as big as any of them for his crowd, the street crowd." Selling records has never been a Gucci Mane hallmark. In fact, he's given away more music than he's sold in a career doing mixtapes. Even his official albums are marketed independently. Still, the music tastemakers in his hometown feel that the prospect of mainstream fame isn't farfetched, especially if he stays focused. "I have never seen that man more focused in my life," Holiday attested. "I've been knowing him three or four years. He calls me at 10 in the morning like, 'Let's go to the studio, I got stuff I want to get off my mind.' He wants to reach different people. He'll be like, 'Let's do a song for the girls today. Let's do a song about jewelry. Let's do a song where we stuntin'. Let me tell you what happened to me while I was in jail.' He'll record four songs in an hour." Gucci's next album will be out in the coming months, with another mixtape scheduled to drop within the next two weeks. Related Videos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Bun B Offers Advice To 'Next Big Things' Like Kid Cudi, B.o.B Posted: 25 Mar 2009 12:45 AM PDT 'I see big things for these dudes ... but they've just got to learn to be careful about it all,' UGK rapper says.
Bun B has been in the game for a minute now. He's been hot, and he's been, well, not (or, as he puts it, "I've been the next big thing like three or four times now"). He's seen unknowns become superstars and can't-miss kids fall completely off the map. So when MTV News caught up with him down in Austin, Texas, at South by Southwest — where he was promoting the final UGK album, 4 Ever — we figured he'd be just the guy to ask about the current crop of up-and-coming MCs, including Kid Cudi, who made headlines last week by announcing he would retire after the release of his debut album this summer. If anyone could set the record straight (and perhaps give Cudi some career advice), it would be Bun, who's been doing this for nearly 20 years now.
"I can understand a kid like that, who came into the game — he's from Ohio, a small-town kid like myself — and within a matter of months, he went from being a person where, you know, like, 'That kid's got some pretty good talent,' to, 'Oh, my God, this is the next thing,' " Bun told us. "That could be pretty overwhelming for a kid that probably just wants to make good music. People are making him into a brand instantaneously, and that's a lot of pressure to put on an individual. So I can completely understand someone being like, 'You know what? I thought I was just going to be able to make music. This is turning into something wholly different.' "One piece of advice I would give Cudi is to make sure he gets what he wants out of the situation, because there's gonna be a lot of people who make sure they get what they want out of the situation," he continued. "You gotta really know what it is you want before you step in. This game has a million directions it can pull you into, so if you come into it with no direction, then there's no telling where you'll end up. So you gotta make sure you come in with some kind of plan — just an outline, dude." And Bun isn't just talking to Cudi here. He's trying to talk to a whole bunch of "young, talented" cats like Asher Roth, B.o.B and Charles Hamilton, whom Bun said could all be capable of great things, so long as they learn not to believe the hype and take charge of their careers. "The reality is, these magazines and media outlets have to sit back and designate something and bring people's attention towards something, so being labeled 'the next big thing' or winning best new artist, you know, you've gotta be careful," he said. "Because once you take somebody who's probably humble within themselves and be like, 'You know what, you're the next big thing,' sometimes that alters their perception of themselves, their perception of the direction they need to go down, or even hinder their path. Or sometimes it propels it. This whole game is a Catch-22, man. "And once you get in this game, you get in really deep, and you think you can do this or that, but next thing you know, your single gets serviced, and you get added to 700 stations in a week," he continued. "And next thing you know, you're a phenomenon. You're not just a person or an artist, you're a phenomenon. I see big things for these dudes, you know, Cudi and all them, but they've just got to learn to be careful about it all." Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Nick Jonas May Be Off The Market ... Again Posted: 25 Mar 2009 12:32 AM PDT Heartthrob is now reportedly dating Disney singer Jordan Pruitt.
First there was Miley Cyrus. Then Selena Gomez. Now, it seems 16-year-old Nick Jonas has found a new lady friend in 17-year-old Disney singer, Jordan Pruitt. According to online reports, Nick and Jordan were hanging out a lot on the set of Nick's new TV show, "JONAS." The pair met a while back when Jordan was the opening act on one of JoBros' tours. Recently, though, their friendship has reportedly taken a romantic turn, as the two have started dating. When "JONAS" finished shooting recently, Jordan attended the wrap party for the show.
"They are very cute together, and Jordan made many stops to Nick's trailer during the filming of the show. They began dating two months ago and Nick is constantly sending her text messages," a source tells BettyConfidential.com. "They have quite a cute young relationship, not too serious, and she gets along great with Joe and Kevin. They have been friends for years, so it is a very comfortable relationship." (Check out photos of Jordan Pruitt on the "Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Experience" red carpet.) The source added that Jordan and Nick's budding relationship had nothing to do with his breakup with Gomez. "Definitely not! Nick and Selena ended as great friends." Earlier this month, Emma Roberts talked about Nick's storied dating history, noting that it changed the way she felt about him. "I used to have a crush on Nick, but he's kind of making his rounds in Hollywood," she told TeenVogue.com. "And I don't know if I like that." Related Photos 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