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| Adam Lambert: Change We Can Believe In Posted: 15 Apr 2009 03:51 AM PDT With the 'Idol' front-runner, Americans have another opportunity to lead a nontraditional candidate to victory, in Bigger Than the Sound.
I have shocking information for you: Adam Lambert might be gay. I know! I am as floored by this as you are. Sorry, I was just getting my Bill O'Reilly on for a second there. But sadly, I wasn't exaggerating. Apparently, the notion that Lambert — the musical-theater kid with the penchant for eyeliner and the flair for the dramatic — could possibly be gay is quite the jaw-dropper. I'm not exactly sure why this is, but boy, do people love talking about it. And that's a bummer. Because Lambert's sexual orientation — which, for the record, he has never commented on, because, really, why should he? — has nothing to do with his talent, and the last time I checked, it was his talent that has made him the odds-on favorite to win this season of "American Idol." I mean, it's not even close at this point. Lambert has dominated the competition like some singing, strutting hybrid of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Secretariat. If he were anyone else — say, a lantern-jawed, lacrosse-playing guy from Pueblo, Colorado (or wherever) — we wouldn't even be speculating about this. It would be like the fourth season of "Idol," when Carrie Underwood steamrolled her way through everyone, only if, in the finals, she went up against someone like John Stevens or Kevin Covais or Camille Velasco. It should be game over. Only it's not, and because of a bunch of insinuations and Internet buzzings and stuff that we probably shouldn't still be talking about in 2009, there is a very real chance Lambert might not win "American Idol." Some people will ignore the fact that he is clearly the best singer in the race because they do not agree with some (perceived) aspect of his personality, which means that someone less talented, yet more, uh, traditional — like Kris Allen or (God forbid) Danny Gokey — could steal his thunder and walk away with the crown. And this is why Adam Lambert reminds me of Barack Obama. See, in the months leading up to the election, my liberal friends (we have a cabal up here in New York City) believed that Obama would breeze to victory over John McCain. It wouldn't even be close. He had the youth vote, the people in this country were ready for change — no problem, this one's in the bag. I wasn't so confident. Sure, I wanted to believe that voters in the great expanses of this country could bring themselves to vote for the nontraditional candidate — the African-American with the weird-sounding name — but I grew up in Florida. I had been all around the South. I spent time in Ohio and West Virginia and Iowa. I once went to a wedding in Maryland. I saw the uproar the photo of Obama in his so-called "Muslim" clothes caused. I knew that when you Google "Barack Obama" and "Muslim," you got 11 million results (his name plus "birth certificate" turned up another 670,000). I wasn't sure the American people had it in them. And this is not meant to be some sort of hoity-toity, ultra-liberal missive from the enclaves of NYC (though it sort of reads like it); it was just that I didn't have faith in blue-collar workers, in the very religious, in the conspiracy theorists out there. I didn't think there was any way they'd be able to pull the lever for Obama. I thought, because of rumors and whispers, he was going to lose to an old white guy from Arizona. And I kind of feel the same way about Lambert. Of course, we all know what happened in the election. It turns out I was wrong. Somehow, Obama won in places like Pennsylvania and Florida and Colorado. People looked past the ephemera and the bullsh-- and just voted for whom they believed would be the best man for the job. And maybe they'll be able to bring themselves to do the same for Lambert. Sure, there are people out there who think homosexuality is an aberration and a sin and whatnot, but that shouldn't affect whom they vote for on "American Idol." I want to believe that we as a nation have it in us to look past all the stuff that might outrage us or fly in the face of what we believe to be traditional and vote for the weirdo, the nonconformist, the guy who may (or may not) be gay. A Lambert victory would be historic. It would bring hope to the hopeless. It would change our standing in geopolitics. Adam Lambert is Change We Can Believe In. I hope you can find it in your heart to dial for him. I mean, seriously, anyone but Gokey. Please. Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Rick Ross Gets Exotic In 'All I Really Want' Video Posted: 15 Apr 2009 04:50 AM PDT 'Medellin, Colombia — we got friends over there,' the rapper says of the setting of the new clip.
Rick Ross wanted to get a little exotic for his next video and decided a trip to South America was in order.
"Come with the boss. Medellin, Colombia — we got friends over there," Ross said about the backdrop of his latest video, "All I Really Want." "I feel like me doing my island hopping ... all the other little islands — to Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico — they beautiful spots. The Colombian women are beautiful women — that most definitely is what I wanted to capture. I wanted to capture a foreign setting, beautiful women ... just really break down some of the more simple things. I want to capture some of the simple beautiful things in the setting in the country. It's not about malls and the cars — I want to be more intimate about that person or that individual." Ross also wanted the exotic clip to live up to Snoop Dogg's "Beautiful" video, which was shot in Brazil. "Most definitely — when I saw that video, I sat back like, 'Wow, this is art!' " Rick marveled. "We finnin' to do that times five. Shout-out to Snoop Dogg and Pharrell for the inspiration." "All I Really Want" features The-Dream and was produced by Tricky Stewart. Other producers on Ross' album include DJ Toomp and the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and the LP also contains contributions from Nas, Lil Wayne (who recently teamed up with Ross for a 50 Cent dis track), Gunplay, Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke and Kanye West. Deeper Than Rap is in stores April 21. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Eminem Says 'Hip-Hop Was Going Downhill' Posted: 13 Apr 2009 11:55 PM PDT Rapper tells XXL that the genre faltered during his absence, but he feels T.I. and Lil Wayne raised the bar.
Guess who's back? Eminem appears on the cover of the latest issue of XXL magazine dressed as the Punisher — and, judging from the interview excerpts published on the magazine's Web site, Em kept up with what was going on in hip-hop during his absence. "I stayed up on the music, and obviously I watch TV and saw what was going on," he said. "And without naming any names, it just felt like hip-hop was going downhill. And it seemed like kinda fast. You know, in them three years, it was like everybody just cares about the hook and the beat; nobody really cares about substance. But with this new T.I. album, with this new Lil Wayne album of recent, it seems like things are looking a lot better now. You can appreciate Lil Wayne using different words to rhyme and actually rhyming words that you know. Or T.I., where you hear sh-- and you're like, 'Whoa, ah, I wish I would have thought of that!' You know what I mean? Or you hear all the compound-syllable rhyming and all that. It just seems like now the craft is getting cared about more." One of the driving forces inspiring Em to cultivate his craft and get his life together is the death of his best friend Proof. The charismatic D12 member has been gone for three years now and, as Em told XXL, he has just gotten to the point where he can talk about the tragedy. "Everyone felt his loss, from his kids, to his wife, to everyone," he explained. "But, for some reason, in hindsight, the way I felt was almost like it happened to just me. ... Maybe at the time I was a little bit selfish with it. I think it kind of hit me so hard. It just blindsided me. I just went into such a dark place that, with everything, the drugs, my thoughts, everything. And the more drugs I consumed — and it was all depressants I was taking — the more depressed I became, the more self-loathing I became. ... By the way, I'm just now at the point where I'm better talking about it. It took me so long to get out of that place where I couldn't even speak about it without crying or wanting to cry. ... Proof was the anchor. He was everything to D12. And not just the group — for me, personally, he was everything." Along with having to deal with the death of such a beloved confidant, Em also struggled with drug addiction. "I wasn't ready mentally. I wasn't ready to give up drugs," he explained. "I didn't really think I had a problem. Basically, I went in, and I came out. I relapsed, and I spent the next three years struggling with it. Also, at that time, I felt like I wanted to pull back, because my drug problem had got so bad. I felt like, 'Maybe if I take a break, maybe this will help.' I started to get into the producer role more. ... I can still be out-there with my music, like with the Re-Up album, but I don't have to be in the spotlight the whole time." Slim Shady is featured on two XXL covers for the June issue — one of Em with the Punisher logo tattooed on his bare chest, the other with Em in full Punisher costume. Relapse hits stores on May 19. Related Artists |
| Kris Allen Shines During Lackluster 'American Idol' Movie Night Posted: 14 Apr 2009 05:10 AM PDT Check out 'Idol' expert Jim Cantiello's minute-by-minute recap of the show.
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| Lindsay Lohan's eHarmony Spoof: The Story Behind The Video Posted: 14 Apr 2009 02:36 AM PDT 'She was really willing to go there and added her own lines,' says Mike Farah, the clip's co-producer.
By now, you've probably seen Lindsay Lohan's (rather brilliant) send-up of eHarmony's online personals, which was posted late Monday on FunnyOrDie.com. In the clip, Lohan claims she's "looking for someone who I can spend the rest of my life with — or at least my probation with" and pokes fun at her oft-covered love life, run-ins with the law, and rather prodigious partying, laughing that she's "a workaholic, a shopaholic and, according to the state of California, an alcoholic."
The clip has been viewed more than 825,000 times in less than 24 hours, making it not only a smart career move for Lohan, but a certified Internet sensation. Again, you probably already know this. But what you don't know is how the video came to be. "Lindsay had decided she wanted to do something, so she got in touch with Will Ferrell's agent, and the first call I got was last Wednesday night," Mike Farah, who co-produced the video for Funny or Die, told MTV News. "We were obviously super-excited to work with her, so we kicked around some ideas on Thursday, wrote the script Friday, shot the video on Saturday and then posted it — it was that quick. And Lindsay was a total pro." Farah said Lohan was "totally game" to tackle the rumors about her life, and that there wasn't anything she shied away from. She even ad-libbed a few lines that ended up making the final cut. "She was really willing to go there and added her own lines. The joke about 'car chases on the PCH,' the line about 'never losing her Google hits, just her underwear,' that was all her," Farah laughed. "She really thought this would be a perfect platform to take back her story, to be funny and self-deprecating. Like the saying goes: If you don't tell your own story, someone else will." And judging from the online response, fans are loving Lohan's version of her story, making the video a win for her and Funny or Die. That means the next time a celebrity is in need of some career rehab, perhaps they'll reach out to the Web site for help, and Farah is aware of that fact. "We could almost do one of these things a week. Anyone who's in the news and wants to take back their story could be reaching out to us," he laughed. "We're not going to force anything, but if it's the right idea, and the right person, who knows?" Related Artists |
| Dave Matthews Band Make 'Funny The Way It Is' Available For Free Posted: 14 Apr 2009 03:45 AM PDT 'It's a pretty song and it talks about a lot of things,' Matthews says of the tune.
Dave Matthews Band are due to rock a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd Tuesday (April 14) to kick off their summer tour, but that's just not enough. DMB have also made their new single, "Funny the Way It Is," available to download free of charge.
The song is the first single off of the band's new album, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, which hits stores on June 2. "It's a pretty song and it talks about a lot of things ... death and love and all those things ... but it also talks about the world of opposites that we are in," Matthews explained. "That's the idea behind the song — that we will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to save a kid's life and then we will drop bombs out of the sky on each other and blow a whole school of them to pieces without a thought. And that's a funny world. ... That's why it's called 'Funny the Way It Is.' " Still, don't expect to get depressed after hearing the song — in true DMB style, the melody, hook and overall feel of the song is pretty upbeat. "It is a joyful tune — that's what it's supposed to be," Matthews said. "But it's also supposed to be about the truth. So that's what we wanted to do on this record ... be honest with ourselves." Related Artists |
| Rick Ross Justifies Prison-Guard Past In New Track -- Listen Here Posted: 14 Apr 2009 06:41 AM PDT MTV News gets a sneak peek at Deeper Than Rap.
When MTV News had the chance to listen to Rick Ross' Deeper Than Rap on Monday, two things stood out to us immediately about the much-discussed track "Valley of Death": It does not feature Lil Wayne as advertised, at least not on the album, which is due out on April 21. But Ross does speak briefly on his controversial stint as a prison guard. "Keep it trilla, n---a, never had a gun and badge," he stresses, dismissing the word that he was indeed an officer of the law. "Kept a nice watch, smoking on a hundred sack/ Back in the day I sold crack for some nice kicks/ Skippin' school, I saw my friend stabbed with an ice pick/ Can't criticize n---as trying to get jobs/ Better get smart, young brother, live yours."
Later, he implies that while he was working as a corrections officer, he was also on the streets. "Only lived once and I got two kids/ And for me to feed them, I'll get two gigs," he raps. "I'll shovel sh--, I'll C.O./ So we can bow our heads and pray over the meatloaf." On "Face," Ross teams with Trina to talk about receiving oral sex while driving in traffic. "Bossy Lady," meanwhile, is more of a grown and sexy track, which features Ne-Yo on the hook. "Baby, you will shine just like I do," Ne-Yo sings. "Just like you're supposed to/ Everybody knows you're the boss' girl/ Envy of all your friends/ Moves that we're making got us on top of the world/ Baby, you're the boss' girl. ..." Rick makes a bevy of promises to his woman on the song and even spews a few satirical lines. "My kicks Brown, now I'm lookin' for Rihanna and them." "The fat Tommy Lee, I made out with, like, eight broads," the Miami kingpin jokes on "Yacht Club," a ragamuffin-inspired party record that features newest signee to the Maybach Music group, reggae artist Magazeen. Robin Thicke checks in on "Lay Back," another party jam aimed at the ladies. "If you came to get this party started, girl, just say, 'Dadadadada,' " Thicke commands. "Take off your clothes and just lay back." "Shawty laid back, so we laid up," Ross raps. "When I fade to black, we made up.../ My car's a virgin, first one to hit it." For the most part, the production on the album is cinematic, thematic and soulfully rich. The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Drumma Boy, DJ Toomp, the Inkredibles and the Runners are among the main producers. T-Pain, John Legend, Lil Wayne, Nas and Kanye West are among the guest stars. Mary J. Blige, who Ross beamed about working with, is not on the LP. Deeper Than Rap's track listing, according to Def Jam: "Mafia Music" [This story was originally published at 2:14 p.m. ET on 04.14.2009] Related Videos Related Artists |
| Adam Lambert Was Up For Lead In Spider-Man Musical Posted: 13 Apr 2009 11:31 PM PDT Casting directors say 'American Idol' contestant could have a bright future on Broadway.
It's guaranteed that if Adam Lambert wins "American Idol," he'll release at least one major-label album. But even if this year's runaway leading contender pulls a Chris Daughtry/ Jennifer Hudson and is booted before making it to the show's finale, two of Broadway's leading casting directors say he's got a great shot at finding fame on the Great White Way. In fact, before taking a detour from musical theater and glam-rock cabaret performances, Lambert was on the short list to potentially play the lead in the Broadway Spider-Man musical "Turn Off the Dark," which will feature music by U2's Bono and The Edge, according to casting director Bernie Telsey.
"We started working on 'Spider-Man' a year and a half ago, and [Lambert is] someone we know because we cast him in 'Wicked' and knew he had that kind of range," Telsey said of the San Diego-bred singer, who has 17 years of experience on the stage, including a stint in a 2004 musical version of "The Ten Commandments" opposite Val Kilmer. "I've not seen him do those styles as much as I've seen him now on 'American Idol.' And he was someone we looked after about seven months ago, but he told us then that he was already in the 'American Idol' process and not available. So he's definitely somebody that we would have auditioned, just because we know him and see him for a lot of shows. ... Let him go win, and then he can come and replace Spider-Man a year after the run. He'd be great." Though Telsey said Lambert couldn't jump into the "Spider-Man" mix even if he does win the show because of the recording contracts "Idol" winners sign, the casting director said he'd gladly consider Lambert for "a bunch of shows," especially now that he has national name recognition. Broadway has been very kind to "Idol" contestants, with a steady stream of top finishers making their way to the stage, from runner-up Clay Aiken ("Monty Python's Spamalot") to Constantine Maroulis ("Rock of Ages"), winners Fantasia ("The Color Purple") and Taylor Hicks ("Grease"), and a number of others including Diana DeGarmo, Ace Young and Frenchie Davis. Jay Binder, another veteran Broadway casting director who helped Hudson win an Academy Award by casting her in the movie version of "Dreamgirls," said many "Idol" veterans have succeeded on Broadway because they have shown the work ethic needed to perform eight shows a week and draw fans at a time when box office is down and few new major musical-theater stars are being minted. "I'm very thrilled for what could happen with this young man, because if he succeeds in this media, we have another male musical-theater star, and we need every one we can get," said Binder, who cautioned that he'd have to have Lambert come in for an audition to see what the singer's range is. "I have my fingers crossed for him climbing buildings and weaving webs some day." And rather than bearing the stigma of being on America's leading reality show (and #1 show, period), Binder and Telsey said "Idol" is closely watched by casting directors looking to spot talent. "We watch every week to see who's going to lose so we can cast them in a Broadway show," Telsey said. "Seriously, because they're talented people who just didn't have agents. ... Look at Fantasia. She blew the house down in 'Color Purple.' ... What was so wonderful about her in that show is she doesn't even sing until the end of Act 1. And the whole time you're watching, asking, 'Who is this incredible actress onstage?,' and she had never done it." Right now, Telsey said he's already going after this season's Alexis Grace for possible Broadway work, and Binder said he was looking at some "Idol" alumni for potential roles in Broadway revivals of "The Wiz" and "Dreamgirls." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. |
| What Should 'American Idol' Top Seven Sing For Movie Week? Posted: 14 Apr 2009 12:36 AM PDT We give our predictions as well as what we'd rather hear the contestants sing.
Tuesday night's (April 14) "American Idol" theme is "Songs From The Movies," with Quentin Tarantino appearing once again as guest mentor. (The movie director/ "Idol" superfan made an awesome appearance as a brutally honest guest judge in season three.) With the contestants facing a broad theme with thousands of options, we thought we'd help them navigate the songbook by offering a few suggestions. We also looked into our "Idol" crystal ball to try to predict what the contestants will sing tonight. As far as what Quentin Tarantino will do? There's no way to predict that. Adam Lambert
What We'd Like to Hear: With a dude as theatrical as Adam, we can think of about 50 different suggestions — "Heaven on Their Minds" from "Jesus Christ Superstar" or anything from "Rent" or "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." But we're starting to worry that Adam's "Idol" journey is turning into a big audition for Broadway. So, Adam, stay away from anything that was in a musical and instead introduce "Idol" to Radiohead — "Fake Plastic Trees" appeared in the movie "Clueless," so jump on that and knock it out of the park. Allison Iraheta What We'd Like to Hear: We have to agree with MJsBigBlog.com: Allison should study the Tarantino song list and slay Smith's "Baby, It's You" from "Death Proof." Holy crap, we get chills just thinking about it. Anoop Desai What We'd Like to Hear: Continuing with the "Colors" motif, we'd love to see Anoop sit on the side of the stage and passionately sing Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection." There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house! Danny Gokey What We'd Like to Hear: We liked Gokey best when he showed restraint during Grand Ole Opry week. Tap into that sensitive side, ditch the growl (and the dancing) and do a super-stripped-down take on "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from "Grease." It'll be sentimental without hitting America over the head. Kris Allen What We'd Like to Hear: On the surface, the La's "There She Goes" from the "So I Married an Axe Murderer" soundtrack is in a similar vein to a Dave Matthews tune, but the alleged ode to heroin will give the pretty boy the edge he so desperately needs to woo fans other than middle-aged gay dudes and teen girls. (Although, on second thought, is anyone else watching "Idol" these days?) Lil Rounds What We'd Like to Hear: It's time Lil Rounds reinvented herself as a pop diva. Why not take the bubbly Cardigans megahit "Lovefool" from the "Romeo + Juliet" soundtrack and inject it with some R&B flavor? Matt Giraud What We'd Like to Hear: If Matt sat behind the piano and delivered a passionate take on Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" from the "Purple Rain" soundtrack, he'd emerge as an honest-to-God contender for the "Idol" crown. Ditto for Janet Jackson's "Poetic Justice" track, "Again." What do you want to hear your favorites sing? And are there any songs you hope they absolutely positively avoid? Leave a comment below! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Plies Welcomes Brother Ronell 'Big Gates' Levatte Home From Jail Posted: 14 Apr 2009 02:05 AM PDT 'I thank everybody that continued to pray for my situation with my brother,' the rapper says.
Plies is breathing a little easier these days — his brother, Ronell "Big Gates" Levatte, has been released after three years in prison. "I thank everybody that continued to support not only me, but my situation. I thank everybody that continued to pray for my situation with my brother," Plies said on Friday, the day after Big Gates' release. Gates began his sentence in 2006 for his involvement in a shooting at a club in Gainesville, Florida.
"I had an opportunity yesterday — April 9, a day I'll never forget — I had a chance to go down to Coleman correctional facility and see him walk out," Plies said. "That meant everything to me. I haven't had a chance to enjoy an Easter with him over the course of the last three years, man. I told him I was gonna take yesterday off — let's take time to smell the roses. But he came home straight in work mode. Thank God for the opportunity, man, and everybody who prayed for the situation around the country. It means everything to me. That was a part of my life I've been missing for a few years. That was his second time in prison I told him either one of us can go down this road. We don't do each other good for me to go to prison or him to go to prison. For me to see him come home was everything to me." Plies has often talked about his brother — as well as others in the black community who have been incarcerated — in songs such as "100 Years," "Die Together" and "2nd Chance," off his current album, Da Realist. "I think it's important," he said about addressing the prison system and its inequities. "[Me and my brother] talked a long time yesterday and, like I said, it's so many more people. He gave it to me in the simplest form possible. He said, 'Behind that wall, there's more people who are suffering, struggling, disappointed, sincerely hurting.' People will never understand it unless you are a part of that system. People tell you that some people deserve to be there. I can't never say they wrong. But I do know it's a lot of people in those situations. It's a lot of pain and struggle that they go through. My new vow that I made to myself is that regardless of my situation and my fame, [rapping about the penile system] that's something that's always gonna be a part of me and my responsibility to do everything I can to make sure that those people's voices behind those walls live on. I'll always be a representation of them." Plies' next single, "Plenty Money," is due later this year, and he also plans to drop a new LP in August or September. The MC's reality show, "Goonette," is currently being shopped to various cable networks. Related Videos Related Artists |
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