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| Cam'ron Knows The Value Of A College Education -- For Other People Posted: 17 Apr 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'You gotta have a college degree if you want to work for us,' says MC, who claims he never finished high school but went to junior college.
Cam'ron isn't a stranger to bending a rule or two, hence his album title Crime Pays. "The reason I named it Crime Pays ... I'm not sitting around boasting or anything, but there's a way to get around everything in the system," he rationalized recently. "My favorite instance in particular, with me — I went to college and didn't graduate from high school. I got to college and my coach brought the GED to my room like, 'Here, you graduated, congratulations.' Even though it's a junior college ... I never took my SATs coming out of high school. I was playing basketball and this junior college wanted me to come down and play basketball. When I got there, my GED was sitting on the bed waiting for me. I never took a test or anything." Navarro College's current athletic director, Warrick Montgomery, dismissed the rapper's claims. "He played basketball. I was here at that time ... I was not the athletic director," Montgomery explained. "I would strongly tell you that that probably didn't happen. I don't know how it could happen. Our coaches don't have access to a complete GED. Like I said, I was not involved, but I would strongly think that didn't happen." Cam's basketball career ended abruptly due to a hamstring injury, so he went back to New York and got back into rapping. Millions of albums and a legendary crew named the Diplomats later, he now employs people as well as crafts songs. "To work for me and DukeDaGod — you gotta have a college degree if you want to work for us," he said. "Neither one of us has a college degree. Well, he does, but I don't have a high school diploma. So what's the irony of that? And if you work for us, we're not hiring you unless you have a degree. And you have to take a drug test. But we don't have a degree and we smoke weed — it's irony." Crime Pays lands in stores on May 12. |
| Asher Roth Didn't Want To Limit Debut To Strictly Hip-Hop Posted: 17 Apr 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'Genres are really starting to blend and it's becoming confusing,' he says of Asleep in the Bread Aisle.
Asher Roth had his pick of the litter while he was putting together his debut album, Asleep in the Bread Aisle. The upstart rapper roped in collaborations with heavyweights like Gnarls Barkley's Cee-Lo and Busta Rhymes, as well as newcomers Keri Hilson and Chester French's D.A. Wallach, among others. But the one thing the 23-year-old Pennsylvania native strived for the most on his project was musical diversity. "It goes to show where we are in our music phase, where genres are really starting to blend and it's becoming confusing," Roth told MTV News recently before performing back in his hometown. "So to me, it was very important to kind of showcase that — showcase the fact that over the last 23 years of my life, I have not been just listening to hip-hop." On "Just Like Em," which addresses Roth's endless comparisons to Eminem, Wallach rides shotgun. Rookie producer Oren Yoel mans the board on several cuts from Bread Aisle, including "Em" and underground single "Lark on My Go Kart." Yoel's production on "Just Like Em" is long on woozy bass lines and brass, creating a relaxed boom-bap vibe. Roth — born in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, before relocating to Atlanta to record his mixtape The Greenhouse Effect with Atlanta-by-Philly transplant Don Cannon — said he was a fan of the Philadelphia sound, particularly the Soulquarians. "The Roots, bringing in Cody Chestnut and stuff, they even have instrumentation," Roth said of the Philly group. "That's something that's important to me as well." The rapper's album is due Monday, and even with his search for diverse musical sounds, Roth has his hip-hop promotional plug in place too, just in case. "Asleep in the Bread Aisle, and this is almost cliché to say, it essentially is a motion picture," Roth said. "Every song is very visual. Every song you can close your eyes and be like, 'OK, he's in the club with Patrón and pineapple going up to totally dance with this girl and gets denied.' You can see that, and you can hear it. "To me, that's perfect," he continued. "I didn't want all these huge names [on my project]. I didn't want any co-signs and the matter of 'This kid's the next thing.' And everything happened very naturally, and I wouldn't have it any other way." Related Videos Related Photos |
| Did Matt Giraud Deserve To Be Saved On 'American Idol'? Posted: 16 Apr 2009 12:19 AM PDT We asked fans if the judges made the right call.
For the first time, "American Idol" judges gave themselves a do-over this year: a one-shot chance to save a potential winner from being tossed from the show too early. They'd held on tightly to the save for weeks, repeatedly telling contestants they were not worthy of a second chance. And then, Wednesday night, they finally used it — on Matt Giraud. Was the mild-mannered Justin Timberlake-esque singer from Kalamazoo, Michigan, an unlikely candidate to get the second chance? We asked some "Idol" fans in Times Square on Thursday morning (April 16) if they thought Giraud deserved the lifeline.
"I'm a Matt Giraud fan, and I was really excited when he was saved last night," said Amanda Vankyn, 15. "I really thought he should have been. ... We like Matt because he's, like, different, and he's not the same person every time." Heather Hoffman, 18, said she thought it was "awesome ... 'cause he's good. The judges made the right decision." Her friend, Courtney Bell, 17, added, "Because he can play the piano, he can do everything. He's kind of new-school but with a vibe that's really good." A number of the fans compared the dueling piano player with the manicured scruff and keening falsetto to Timberlake, and all agreed that Giraud deserved to be saved. Well, almost all. The one dissenting opinion came from Paige Leonard, 22, who said, "I don't think it was really right. I thought his performance the other night was terrible. He was off-key. I don't think the piano saves him just because he plays the piano. I thought it was awful." In fact, Paige predicted that Giraud will probably just turn around and get eliminated next week, when two contestants have to go home. "He was definitely the worst by far," she said. "He'll probably do it again." Opinions were mixed on the "Idol" forums as well, with fan Jam_Giraud writing, "I've got mixed emotions about Matt being saved. I felt glad when the judges saved him ... he truly deserves it. On the other hand, I don't know what impact he'll get out of it. I really wanted [him to] make it on his own but he didn't ... maybe coming from the wild card has been a factor to his popularity." Garpods22 took the opposite opinion, saying, "Hey, he deserved it and just because he was kind of saved twice doesn't mean anything except the judges see his talent and just want America to realize what true talent he has." In another forum about the save option, the majority of the opinion appeared to fall in Giraud's favor, though some predicted that if Giraud isn't one of the two who go home next week, the fans of whoever does will "resent him forever." What do you think? Did Matt deserve to be saved? Related Videos Related Photos |
| Katy Perry Explains Her Link To Kelly Clarkson's New Album Posted: 15 Apr 2009 11:59 PM PDT Perry co-wrote a pair of tracks on the 'American Idol' champ's new LP.
We've already spoken to Katy Perry about her relationships with Rihanna, Josh Groban and Zooey Deschanel, but what we haven't discussed is her link to Kelly Clarkson. Perry co-wrote two songs on Clarkson's All I Ever Wanted album: her new single "I Do Not Hook Up" and "Long Shot." Perry wrote "Hook Up" with new "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi and producer Greg Wells and "Long Shot" with noted songwriter/producer Glen Ballard and Relient-K frontman Matt Thiessen. So how did a pair of her songs end up on Clarkson's album? "Kara and I and one of my producers, Greg Wells — when I was writing for this record that took five years and [encompassed] all these songs — we got together in a studio and we wrote a song for my record called 'I Do Not Hook Up,' but it didn't make it on my record," Perry said. "Just because there were so many different songs and there were only 12 slots allotted for the record, so ... it was kind of one of those songs that was just, like, still there. And Kelly Clarkson heard it. I guess she liked it, and she recorded it — and another song too." So does Perry harbor any hard feelings toward Clarkson for snatching the songs away from her? Not exactly. Seems things have worked out pretty well for all parties involved. "I'm so excited," Perry laughed, pumping her fist. "House in Malibu! Thank you, Kelly!" Related Videos Related Artists |
| Susan Boyle Reminds Newfound Fans That Anything Is Possible Posted: 16 Apr 2009 04:33 AM PDT 'Ordinary people are capable of extraordinary accomplishments,' one commenter says of 'Britain's Got Talent' contestant.
When this week began, the world didn't know Susan Boyle's name. Now, the "Britain's Got Talent" contestant is a viral-video sensation and even appeared via satellite on CBS' "Early Show" on Thursday morning (April 16). So what is it that fascinates us about this woman, who was written off because of her appearance and proved everyone wrong with her angelic voice? We went straight to you, the MTV News readers, and around the Web to see what people are saying about the Scottish songstress.
The general consensus on MTVNews.com is that Boyle gives us a sense of hope. Commenter Madmax48 explained: "In this time of financial disaster and fear, she reminds us that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary accomplishments." Jacost4 furthered this point, writing, "The popularity of Susan Boyle's performance brings to light a yearning in all of us for what's real and beautiful. This woman has nothing but pure, raw talent. It's the many big-name divas who rely on hype, not Susan Boyle." And TatRose exclaimed: "In today's world, we sometimes need a reminder that no matter who we are, we can never give up on our dreams." User Crabby put it in the most political terms, writing, "She is the best example of a stimulus package: She can make you dream and then dare to take the risk. I hope she gets kissed a million times, collects 20 more cats and makes millions." Others were moved by Boyle's unexpected talent. "I'm not going to lie: I got a little teary-eyed when I watched her performance," CoryMidgarden wrote.
Texgal5 noticed Boyle's strength up on the stage: "This gal had the entire room cheering at her, and she didn't choke up." Boyle's audition video on the "Britain's Got Talent" site was flooded with comments about the unlikely singing sensation. One commenter was surprised to enjoy a musical genre he had previously written off. "I've never liked opera-type music, but Susan, you are fantastic," Dalelyons1 wrote. "It actually sent shivers up my spine. Well done." Tetons33 praised Boyle for being unique: "What a pure breath of fresh air. Your beautiful voice is so moving and inspiring that I can't stop listening to you sing." So what do you think of Boyle? Has she won you over like so many others? Let us know! Related Photos |
| 'Twilight' Star Cam Gigandet Is A First-Time Dad Posted: 16 Apr 2009 01:59 AM PDT Actor's girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl on Tuesday.
Cam Gigandet's girlfriend, Dominique Geisendorff, gave birth to a baby girl on Tuesday. "There is no name yet," an insider told In Touch Weekly. "She is perfectly healthy, everyone is doing fine!" This is first child for the "Twilight" star and his girlfriend. A rep for Gigandet had not responded to MTV News' request for a comment at press time. "Marriage is definitely in their future," Cam's dad has said about the couple's future together, according to Just Jared. "They won't get married before the baby is born, but Dom will be our daughter-in-law sooner or later. We all love her so much." According to E! Online, Gigandet and Geisendorff broke it off in 2007 when the actor went off to film "Twilight," but they got back together when he was done shooting the flick. Back in 2008, when asked about his relationship status, Gigandet was unsure how to answer the question. "Oh, I dunno," he told E! about whether or not he was single, adding just what it would take to get him to settle down: "You know, it's a hard question. It all kind of changes. I dunno, someone perfect!" He originally won the hearts of girls when he starred on "The O.C." in 2005. In 2008, Gigandet won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight for his work in "Never Back Down." Recently he was cast alongside "Gossip Girl" star Leighton Meester in "The Roommate." Gigandet won't be returning for "New Moon" since his character, James, was killed in "Twilight." The 2009 MTV Movie Awards are coming May 31, live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California, at 9 p.m. ET. And this time, you're in charge of picking the nominees. Head over to the Movie Awards site and vote now. |
| Jack White Has Yet Another New Band, The Dead Weather Posted: 16 Apr 2009 03:43 AM PDT 'I don't like to sit still for long,' the busy frontman says.
Jack White doesn't understand all the fuss surrounding the Dead Weather, his latest bit of extracurricular activity. To him, this is just the way things are done. "I don't know, I mean, I've been in bands a lot. When the White Stripes started, I was already in three bands and, uh, I don't like to sit still for long. It doesn't do anybody any good ... it's just ... if it's not working, it's time to move on," White told MTV News on Wednesday. "Or even if it is working, it's time to move on to something else and see what else you can make work. I think the easy way out is to find one thing that works and just bludgeon it to death and do it over and over again ... I can't live like that, I can't work like that. It's not inspiring to me. I have to move forward even if that means moving sideways, you know?"
And Dead Weather are perhaps the most logical sideways move White could've made. Comprised of his Raconteur mate "Little Jack" Lawrence, Racs touring member Dean Ferita and Kills frontwoman (and Raconteurs' touring partner) Alison Mosshart, the Weather were put together on the quick and have made an album — Horehound, due June 9 — that sounds exactly like you'd expect a White/Mosshart collaboration to sound: fast, loose and, most of all, dark. "We started off as just one day at the end of the Raconteurs and Kills tour that we had to work on something together. The three of us were going to do a 7-inch [record], but Dean was staying at my house too, and he sort of wandered in while we were recording and we ended up writing songs together and that turned into an album — turned into a band," White explained. "We recorded at Third Man Studios that I designed ... I Just built an entire studio out of an old candy factory. I was trying out different acoustical techniques, various panels. A lot of secret things ... it's the reason the record sounds the way it does." Most certainly, Horehound is the most, well, noir thing White has ever played on: full of scuzzed-out guitars, bleak, windswept organs and muffled, smothered feedback. There's plenty of mentions of sun-bleached bones, whiskey and bullets, plus a fair amount of sweaty, smutty sex. It sounds claustrophobic, angry, bloody and downright horny, all of which begs the question: Just what was going on down in Third Man Studios? "I don't know, it just seemed like this was what was coming out of all of us. Maybe we were just really tired at the end of touring. I had a slipped disc in my neck, I was in therapy for months from that after that tour," White smiled. "I lost my voice, [Alison's] voice was scratchy when we first started. Just on and on. I don't know, we kept pushing and pushing to see what else could happen." White says the plan is to take the Dead Weather on the road this summer, but after that, who knows? Pretty much everyone involved has other things on his or her plate — White especially — so the future is rather cloudy. Then again, given how he operates, White wouldn't have things any other way. "There's a lot of ways to do it. You can choose to go through the mill and do everything that everybody else does and just do it, because that's what everybody else does, because that's what you're supposed to do — go do some Internet live sessions, some MySpace page, etc., etc., etc. — but that's not how I work," he said. "If you sit down and write on paper, 'OK, you do this, you do that and this is the kind of band we're going to be and it's going to look like this and sound like this,' I mean, forget it, man. That premeditated stuff doesn't work very much." Related Artists |
| Kings Of Leon: From Tennessee To The Cover Of <i>Rolling Stone</i> Posted: 16 Apr 2009 12:59 AM PDT 'You dream about that when you start a band,' frontman Caleb Followill says of RS cover.
To say it's been a rather gigantic eight months for the Kings of Leon would be a disservice to the term "gigantic." In September, they released their fourth album, Only by the Night, which defied pretty much everyone's expectations. The LP hit big, making them stars not just in the U.K. and Europe (where they've enjoyed a rabid fanbase since the release of their debut, Youth and Young Manhood was released in '03), but here in the U.S. as well.
Based on the strength of rock-radio staple "Sex on Fire," the Kings landed a spot on "Saturday Night Live," a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden and a headlining gig at this summer's Lollapalooza. Oh, and they'll kick off their first Stateside arena tour Saturday in Boston. And while all that is well and good, by their own admission, the Kings are most amazed by something that happened this week: They landed their first Rolling Stone cover. "It's the cover of Rolling Stone, man. You dream about that when you start a band. It's, like, the greatest thing," frontman Caleb Followill said. "It's definitely one of those things ... that I'm pretty sure it will sink in down the road a little bit, and we'll be like, 'Holy sh--, what happened?' I mean, I still have a Rolling Stone magazine that says 'Kings of Leon' on the front of it. And to me, that was like the pinnacle." And while they're definitely enjoying the ride, no one in the band is taking any of this for granted. After all, they've worked long and hard to get that coveted RS cover — just don't ask them to explain how any of this happened. "I don't know what made this album bigger than the rest. I think it was a series of events, between 'Saturday Night Live' and headlining Glastonbury," drummer Nathan Followill said. "Glastonbury was big, because it was us, Jay-Z and, I don't know, Coldplay or Oasis or one of those bands. And I think that kind of got America's attention, like, 'Holy sh--, these guys are headlining the same festival that Jay-Z is?' Between that and 'SNL' and [playing] the Garden and 'Sex on Fire' being the first song that really has ever done sh-- for us on the radio, I think this was the record that America was finally like, 'All right, now we finally get it.' " It's a rather inexact science, to be sure. But it's happened for the Kings of Leon. After all, for too long, they've been ignored by American audiences. Now, they' can't even go to the supermarket without being mobbed — or at least recognized by someone outside of their immediate family. "It's a relief, for sure, because you want to be accepted in your home. Obviously, the U.K. and Europe have a lot to do with the Kings of Leon still being around. If it was based on America, record sales and airplay, we probably wouldn't have got to make a third record, let alone a fourth record," Nathan laughed. "But it does feel good to get recognized in the grocery store by somebody other than your mom or you fiancée. We're stoked." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Plies Hopes To Take 'Plenty Money' From The Streets To The Charts Posted: 16 Apr 2009 02:24 AM PDT 'I can honestly say that song is the biggest street song in my career,' he tells MTV News.
People are buying into Plies' next single "Plenty Money," and the Florida MC is paying attention. "I can honestly say that song is the biggest street song in my career," he told us last week of the banger from his third LP, Da Realist. "In my opinion, I've had a sh--load of successful street records, whether it be 'I Am the Club' or 'Goons Lurking,' 'I'm the Man.' I've had my share of big street records. I've been a part of big street records as well, but it's nothing compared to this 'Plenty Money.' " The bragging is unabashed on the song. In one verse, he raps, "Wonder why I bought the Bentley when I had the Maserati?/ What I paid for the goon chain? 140 [thousand]." But does the Fort Myers, Florida, native feel any guilt about releasing such a decadent anthem during a worldwide recession? "You need to feel like [you have plenty of money], bruh," Plies rationalized. "Regardless of how bad it is, you need to feel better, man. The people that ain't got no money now, it was the same people who didn't have money four years ago. Now it's justifiable not to have money. In terms of the street perspective, it isn't as much money circulating in the streets as it once was. But in terms of our [national] economy, the recession was a scapegoat for corporate America, who can file bankruptcy now and re-create a whole 'nother company, debt-free. The people who are struggling now been struggling. Anytime you can create music and give hope, anytime you can make a person feel good ... that record makes you feel good whether you hear it at 10 in the morning or 3 in the morning in the club. It makes you feel good. "The first time I saw that record work, that sh-- scared the f--- out of me," he continued. "It was probably a couple of thousand people there. Sold out. I didn't do that record first, I did that record third or fourth on my set. I came out to 'Me and My Goons.' That mutha----a is almost equivalent to 'Plenty Money,' but "Plenty Money,' anytime they hear the first two seconds of that mutha----a, it's a problem." "Plenty Money" also marks what its author is calling a milestone in his career: It's a street record with a chance to do some damage on the charts. What makes it even sweeter is that he doesn't have an R&B feature on the song. "I played it on the bus [when I first made it] for my staff and told them, 'This is the record right here,' " he recalled. "I didn't know it was gonna be on this level, but I felt good about the record. That's the record, bruh, that you can't hide from. Probably one of the biggest elements missing from me is that piece of the puzzle that takes me right into my fourth project. From a radio standpoint, I have had the pleasure of having two #1's, three top-five records. How can you get tired of hearing what works? But I think this record completes the puzzle I needed — a street record that's all of me — and now it will bring in my world that only knows 'Bust It Baby,' 'Shawty,' 'Want It, Need It.' This is the piece I've been missing that'll take me into my fourth project." Plies shot the video (funded from money out of his pocket) during Super Bowl weekend, and it should be out any day now. "I had a whole week full of events. I tried to sneak the video in before my car show. I had a 'Plenty Money' car and bike show," he described. "The show got so crazy, it was like 10,000 or 15,000 people. The police was gonna shut it down. They called me, put the fire marshal on the phone and told me that I had to get there within 45 minutes or they was gonna shut it down. I had to stop the video and go and perform before they shut it down." Plies' fourth album is still untitled but should be out sometime in late summer, early fall. Related Artists |
| Jennifer Hudson Returns To 'American Idol' Stage Posted: 16 Apr 2009 08:52 AM PDT Singer performs her new single, 'If This Isn't Love.'
Introduced as the only "American Idol" finalist to win an Oscar, Jennifer Hudson returned to the "Idol" stage Wednesday night for the first time to perform her new single, "If This Isn't Love." In a brief clip introducing her performance, viewers got to see the wide-eyed Chicago native in her first audition for the show, rocking a blow-out 'do, a slinky black dress and the 1000-watt smile that helped land her on the show the first time. " 'Idol' was actually one of my tests for myself," Hudson said in a pre-taped interview segment. "I said, 'If I can get through "Idol," that means that I'm cut out for this industry.' "
Ironically, Hudson needed a wild-card bid from the judges to make it to the finals and then she got ignominiously booted well before the finale, winding up in seventh place during the third season. That injustice is part of the reason the judges decided to implement a one-time-only save this season, which, coincidentally, they busted out less than 30 minutes after her performance, saving Matt Giraud from the "Idol" also-ran pile. The clip before her performance again praised the singer for being the only "Idol" winner to snag an Oscar (for her role in "Dreamgirls"), and mentioned her hit self-titled debut album, with a nod to her first Grammy win in February for Best R&B Album. "Accepting the Grammy was so overwhelming for me," she said in the taped interview. "That is what I've waited for, worked for since I was 7 years old." Wearing a long black jacket, glittery black top, black leggings and stiletto boots, Hudson walked slowly onto the bare stage, singing the ballad amid a swirl of small rotating spotlights, with a projection of the song's sensual black-and-white video behind her on the big screen.
Rising from a breathy lower register to her signature soaring power range over the tick-tock tempo of the backing track, Hudson stood still behind the microphone for most of the song, getting more animated as it went on. The performance, taped several weeks ago, slowly picked up steam, with Hudson gripping the microphone stand at one point and belting out "So if you've got real love put your hands up," while raising her arms above her head. Hitting a roof-raising crescendo, she wailed the refrain "If this isn't love/ Dreamin'/ Crazy/ If this isn't love tell me what it is," as the lights caught the thick diamond-encrusted ring on her right hand. Hudson smiled sweetly as the performance ended, and host Ryan Seacrest walked out to give her a hug, welcoming her back to the program. "So good to be back," she said. "An Oscar, a Grammy, what else is left?" Seacrest asked. "I don't know," Hudson smiled. "I guess coming back here and singing." Though no mention was made of the difficult time the singer has had since the October murders of her mother, brother and nephew in Chicago, Seacrest asked Hudson about her recent engagement to "I Love New York 2" contestant David "Punk" Otunga, inquiring when the wedding will be. "It's a secret, I can't tell nobody," Hudson demurred. After Seacrest asked her to whisper it in his ear, she leaned in and joked quietly, "Ryan, they'll hear it if I tell you." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
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