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| 50 Cent, Dr. Dre Revamp <i>Before I Self Destruct</i> Posted: 05 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT G-Unit leader shelves most of his existing music in favor of the Doc's fresh beats.
NEW YORK — OK, now the lane is clear for 50 Cent to do his thing. Fif has delayed his Before I Self Destruct LP a few times over the past year, but now, with Eminem's Relapse project in the can, G-Unit's human epicenter has been able to get more of Dr. Dre's attention and beats.
Last week, while in New York promoting his "Blood in the Sand" video game and taking a break from shooting his next film, "Twelve," Fif explained his refocusing on the album. "I just got back from Detroit — prior to me starting 'Twelve' — [with] Em and Dre finishing up the record," he said. "It's clear for me now, creatively, 'cause we got Em completed. His album is mixed and mastered and ready to be presented to the public." 50 said going back in with Dre caused him to shelf most of his existing material in favor of working on new music. "It's about 30 percent of what I had when I felt like I was finished," he explained. "The production, Dre made a lot more of the music that's on the actual album now. I rewrote some concepts." Fif said he changed his tune about some of his songs because they sat so long. "To me, sometimes it would sound like I'm absolutely out my mind if I played you the music," he said, implying that he put some potential hit records on the back burner. "But it gets dated. I've been playing it for myself for so long, I'm no longer as excited as I was when I wrote it for the first time." 50 has not yet announced a new release date for Before I Self Destruct. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Kris Allen Almost Missed His 'American Idol' Audition Posted: 05 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'It's a miracle we even got there,' says Cale Mills, who tried out along with Allen and his brother.
Kris Allen's pals will tell you they always thought he was destined to be on (and win) "American Idol." But despite making it to the top four and gaining a head of steam after Simon Cowell initially told him his personality was too low-key to take home the season-eight crown, the truth is, Allen's lucky he's on the show at all. See, back in June, Allen, 23, told his pal Cale Mills that he was planning to try out for the show. The first problem was that Allen couldn't make the nearby audition in St. Louis because of his impending wedding, so he decided to aim for the Louisville, Kentucky, audition in July instead. The night before the audition, Mills packed into a car with Allen, his older brother Daniel Allen, a pair of guitars and some pillows, and the trio began an all-night, 12-hour journey from Conway, Arkansas, to Louisville. As Kris and Daniel snoozed, Mills, 25, did most of the driving to Freedom Hall, where nearly 15,000 wannabes had already started lining up the night before.
"It's a miracle we even got there, because we didn't have a clue where we were going and, at the last second, we pulled off an exit by accident, and we were getting ready to ask for directions when we looked up and saw the line of people," said Mills, who often plays guitar and sings alongside Allen at gigs in their hometown. "We got out, changed and tried to freshen up a bit, and I can't remember the moment when we realized the time had changed. We forgot that it was an hour ahead there, so we got there and when we walked in the doors, they said they weren't taking any more auditions." After waltzing past the huge line of people waiting to get in, the trio stood in a nearly deserted registration room as the staff folded up chairs and closed things down. "Daniel is a talker, so he went up and told them how we came all the way from Conway and we had our guitars and I don't know if they were messing with us or what, but after saying we were too late, they laughed and let us sign up," Mills said. Looking at the daunting, half-mile-long line of singers who had now begun shuffling into the arena, Daniel Allen said there was no way the guys were going to walk to the end again, so Mills said the elder Allen somehow convinced the gruff bodyguard near the front of the line to let them in early using some concocted story about how their guitars could not stand being out in the sun all day. Because they got one of the last tickets available, the three singers spent the next 11 hours camped out waiting for their auditions, which didn't take place until after 7 that night. "On top of that, Kris was sick throughout the day, and he was the one that really had a chance, so that was frustrating for him and us, because, man, we just wanted them to hear him at his best," said Mills, who will be in the audience Tuesday night (May 5) when Allen takes on rock night. "He was doing a lot of resting and probably didn't warm up or sing until 6 p.m. that night, when he started singing Donny Hathaway's 'A Song for You,' which he sang in the audition [shown on TV]." Mills went first, singing Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved," followed by Kris and then Daniel. "In my mind, he wasn't in top shape, but when you're that good, even when you're not at the top you will still be better than nearly everyone there," he said. Mills was dismissed as the Allen brothers were asked to sing again. The elder Allen ended up making it through several rounds, washing out just before getting a chance to sing for the judges and his little bro — well, the rest is history. "Kris was pumped up about it. He felt like he probably could have done better, but he called his parents and told them about it, and his mom got us a hotel room for the night," Mills recalled, noting that even though he didn't make it, he did get his moment to shine on the Louisville audition episode, where he swears you can see him walking off in silhouette if you look really closely. 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 |
| No Doubt Aim To Get Pregnant -- Musically -- On Tour This Summer Posted: 05 May 2009 04:52 AM PDT 'It is like having a baby, in a way,' Gwen Stefani says of songwriting process.
The No Doubt reunion tour is finally on. With a pair of high-energy shows — Saturday at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and a Sunday night headlining slot at the Bamboozle Festival — the O.C. hitmakers officially returned to the road. Though their summer tour with Paramore doesn't kick off until May 16 in Fresno, California, the guys (and gal) are already getting their tour legs back. Since they're bringing their families on the road with them this time around, that means getting used to doing things a little bit differently.
"I think we're gonna sleep a lot less than we ever have," Gwen Stefani joked. "Normally, you sleep the whole day, which was my favorite part about touring, but that's a thing of the past. We get to see a lot more of the country, though, [because] we're actually leaving the hotel room." "We have a bet about the nannies. Who can score the most nannies within the band?" drummer Adrian Young added. "We haven't started it yet, but I'll make some predictions when we're off camera." And though there's going to be babies and nannies galore this summer, ND swear they're not using the tour solely as family time. No, this jaunt is also about reconnecting with their fans and their music. The end goal, they say, is to get inspired to write a new album. "These are all steps in the process of making the record," bassist Tony Kanal said. "That's what this tour is. And it's kind of cool, because it's nontraditional. Usually, you make a record, and you go on the road. And there's something sort of challenging and exciting about the fact that we're doing it a little bit differently this time around. And, of course, when we do something, we can't really do it small, so here we are doing 55 huge shows, but I think it's going to lead into us making a great record, and I really honestly believe that. Once we reconnect onstage and reconnect with all the people who have supported us, I think it's going to inspire us to make an amazing record." So even though they've already got plenty of babies in tow, No Doubt plan to get positively pregnant this summer — with songs, at least. "I think it's really super-rewarding to write music," Stefani said. "For me, personally, it's the magic of the whole thing. It's something you don't have control over. Every time that I've ever written a song, it's always a miracle. I go, 'Wait, how did I write that?' ... And I think that's the journey we're on right now, is to figure out how to do it again. And I do that every time, and I know that, but it's this whole writer's block, frustrating and tortured process. But the reward of that — especially if it's a hit, and you know it right away when you write it if it's going to be — there's kind of nothing like that, because you're creating something. It is like having a baby, in a way, because it's something that's there permanently, that you created and comes through you and ... I think that's what we're all aiming towards." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Eminem Admits He 'Almost Died' From Drug Overdose Posted: 03 May 2009 11:15 PM PDT MC says Relapse LP is first time he's recorded sober in 'seven years.'
Eminem almost died. The iconic MC tells Vibe magazine in its forthcoming issue that during a relapse, he overdosed on pills he acquired from an "acquaintance" and almost became one of music's greatest casualties. "My doctor told me those mysterious new pills were methadone, which is used to wean heroin addicts off dope," he told the mag in its forthcoming "Real Rap" issue. "Had I known it was methadone, I probably wouldn't have taken it. But as bad as I was back then, I can't even say 100 percent for sure. My doctor told me the amount of methadone I'd taken was equivalent to shooting up four bags of heroin. Even when they told me I almost died, it didn't click." Em admitted to the publication that he was an addict and through his uncontrolled dependence, he began to identify with his mother, with whom he's had several public battles over the last decade. "It's no secret I had a drug problem," he said. "If I was to give you a number of Vicodin I would actually take in a day? Anywhere between 10 to 20. Valium, Ambien, the numbers got so high I don't even know what I was taking." After suffering a knee injury that required surgery, he was not prescribed painkillers, which led him to search his house for drugs he'd hidden. "I started looking around my house to see if I had a stash box of Vicodin," he said. "I'm ransacking my house, finally find something in the basement, in a little napkin, seven and a half Vicodin — the big extra-strength ones — and a few Valium." He relapsed, and soon admitted he was an addict. "It never once hit me that drug addiction runs in my family," he said. "Now that I understand that I'm an addict, I definitely have compassion for my mother. I get it." Eminem told the magazine that he's been sober for a year, and that making his forthcoming LP, Relapse, due May 19 — from which "Old Time's Sake," a new song featuring Dr. Dre, leaked on Monday (May 4) — "I wanted to make an overall statement — I'm back. It was a slow process. You gotta remember I hadn't recorded a song sober in seven years. So it took me awhile to even feel like I could record a song sober ... I don't know the last time I shot a video sober, without drinking or taking anything. It's been years. "I almost feel like a little kid again with rap," he continued. "I wanna play around with different flows. If I don't feel like it's what I'm fully capable of, if there's one weak line, I wanna change it. Rap was my drug. It used to get me high and then it stopped getting me high. Then I had to resort to other things to make me feel that. Now rap's getting me high again." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Busta Rhymes Gives Away Mixtape Before Dropping His 'B.O.M.B.' Posted: 05 May 2009 04:52 AM PDT Plus: Chester French get physical with Jacques Jams, Vol. 1: Endurance, in Mixtape Daily.
It's official, people. Mixtape Daily is here. That's right, daily. Mixtape Monday had a phenomenal run. For over six years, the weekly segment became an institution. Every week, it was your one-stop shop for everything related to the streets. But we promised you bigger and better things in 2009, and we're men of our word. We're going to keep bringing you all the exclusives and insight you've come to expect. We're just expanding and refocusing. Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Mixtape: I Bullsh-- You Not Starring: Busta Rhymes and DJ Scratch Key Collaborations: "Foreign Currency" (featuring Maino), "Death Wish" (featuring Raekwon) and "Director's Cut" (featuring Uncle Murda) Essential Info: Busta Rhymes is on a European promo tour pushing his May 19 release B.O.M.B. In the meantime, the mixtape I Bullsh-- You Not is available for free download online. "This is happening in its own organic, natural way — the way I'm used to it happening for me," Busta said of the love he's getting from the streets and the charts. "The music is sparking something in the people that they completely open their arms and embrace willingly. It ain't nothing you gotta force-feed or beat people in the head. They rocking with it because it's genuine hot sh--." Mixtape: Jacques Jams, Vol. 1: Endurance Starring: Chester French and DJ Clinton Sparks Key Collaborations: "Cîroc Star" (featuring Diddy and Jadakiss), "Campus Kingpin" (featuring Pusha T) and "I'm So Tall" (featuring Talib Kweli and Mickey Factz) Essential Info: "We're just trying to create a movement around endurance and eventually stamina as well," French's D.A. Wallach said of their mixtape's crazy name. "We want people to get their game up. We're not talking about music. We're nerds. We live in the studio and live on a bus and do shows. ... When we say 'game,' we're talking about basketball, soccer, backgammon. We're talking about things that involve physical endurance. ... I do know how to play spades. Yes." The group — signed to the Neptunes' Star Trak label — just put out their Interscope debut, Love the Future, with a host of your favorites, including Skateboard P. and N.O.R.E. the two worked on beats for a couple of weeks and let Mr. Sparks act as their liaison with all these big-name artists. The tape bridged the gap between their core rock/pop fans and all their hip-hop supporters. Listening to the project, though, the duo, who both graduated from Harvard, put together the project to play like a audio movie and tell the abbreviated story of their lives (being "athletes" at college to getting signed, moving to L.A. and getting caught up in that scene). Other Heat This Week » Sinister Shan Presents - World's Greatest DJ Awards |
| Ciara Talks Steamy 'Love Sex Magic' Video With Justin Timberlake Posted: 05 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'I had to lick his ear and do all that fun stuff,' singer says of track from Fantasy Ride.
NEW YORK — As if Justin Timberlake weren't already one of the luckiest guys in the world, he had to "suffer" through grueling take after take during Ciara's steamy video shoot for "Love Sex Magic." "Let me tell you — it's so funny, I have to say this," Ciara said to MTV News over the weekend. "I had to lick his ear and do all that fun stuff and bite it. And he had a moment where he was kind of licking on my neck. We were both going back and forth. We were really just freestyling. And Miss Diane [Martel, the director] wanted something edgy, and we all wanted to find a cool way to do it. And that just felt right.
"It was really funny because you would have moments where she would go, 'What we're gonna do now is the licking and the kissing on the neck and we're gonna do this take, then cut. OK, we need one more take of that,' " Ciara continued. "And so it's licking on the neck, again, then his biting on my neck, again. It was really funny." The fellas might not exactly be cracking up at JT's misfortune, but Ciara said the entire experience of working with Timberlake was by far one of the best of her young career. Timberlake, who is featured on the song, also co-produced "Love Sex Magic" — from her Fantasy Ride LP, out Tuesday (May 5) — and had a hand in writing the number. Ciara said she rarely has a chance to actually venture into the studio to collaborate with artists; usually, the opportunity for a guest to contribute arises after she's recorded a song. "I actually went into the studio to make the record from scratch, or he had the record there for me, but us being together was a very rare case I've had over the years," she explained. "It was really, really fun. He's very passionate about the work and down to earth. His attitude is just amazing. "I was very excited about sprinkling that flavor on the album, because this record is about sharing the many sides of me and I wanted to make sure there was something for everybody on it and that record is another reflection of where I'm at [right now]." Related Videos |
| On 'The Hills,' Brody's Playmate Girlfriend Comes After Audrina Posted: 04 May 2009 07:34 AM PDT Plus: Heidi confronts Stacie the bartender.
What happens in Hawaii doesn't stay in Hawaii. Or, as Lauren Conrad put it in the opening moments of "The Hills" on Monday night (May 4), "It's not fun when vacation baggage follows you home." Oh, LC. Reality-show superstar. Fashion designer. Wordplay enthusiast. Is there anything you can't do? LC was referring to the Audrina-vs.-Jayde showdown that was brewing over Brody Jenner. Apparently, ever since returning from Hawaii, Jayde's been giving Brody a hard time for "sleeping in the same room" as Audrina. Can you blame her? Actually, Audrina does blame her and tells Lauren that Brody gave her the old "Jayde and I are off and on a lot" speech before hooking up with her in paradise. Classic move, Brody. I bet you also pulled the "Let's listen to some John Mayer" and "Jayde just doesn't understand me the way you do" maneuvers too.
We get to see Jayde's jealousy in the flesh later, when Audrina had the nerve to show up to Frankie's barbecue. Thanks to some fancy editing, it looked as though Audrina blew a kiss at Brody, but for all we know, she could have been flirting with a caterer or a sound guy or a Billy Bass wall ornament. In any case, Brody's divided attention was too much for Jayde's friend Jo, who got all up in Audrina's face. (I'm impressed that Jo could tell Audrina and Jayde apart. To me, all girls with brown hair, white teeth and blank stares look alike.) Brody stepped in and reminded the girls that the conversation should only be between Audrina and Jayde — and the cameras. In a nutshell, the confrontation went like this. Jayde: "Why did you put the moves on my man?" The drunken Playboy Playmate was too much for Audrina to handle, so she clocked out the first chance she got. That's when Brody — gasp! — hugged her goodbye. Jayde reacted by shouting and then drowning her insecurities in alcohol, to which Brody snapped, "Keep swiggin' that Jäger." Nothing says true love like wishing alcohol poisoning upon your mate. But no Playmate with a penchant for binge drinking is going to keep Audrina away from her Brody. Dismissing Jayde's BBQ throwdown to a silly bout of heavy drinking, Audrina decides to catch up with the Brody posse at My House, another L.A. drinkery. If Jayde were sloppy drunk at a house party, there's no reason why she shouldn't be just as aggressively wasted in a bar, right? (Slaps forehead.) Jayde was even more belligerent this time. "What the hell is Audrina doing here?" Um, Jayde? This ain't Playboy. Audrina's more of a marquee name than you in "Hills" territory. If anything, she should be asking you what you're doing on her show! But I digress ... Jayde and her even-angrier friend Jo get back in Audrina's face. Audrina holds her own and calls Jayde "insecure," but thanks to the blaring music and the subtitles, all I took in from the fight was "blah blah blah Jäger!" Meanwhile, Brody does what any man would do: He sits with his head in his hands and pretends that he's not loving every second of a bunch of hot chicks fighting over him. Eventually, Audrina takes the hint and hightails it. That doesn't stop Jayde from slurring physical threats and acting like an out-of-control teen on the "Sally Jessy Raphael Show." (Where's that boot-camp dude when you need him?) For those of you keeping score at home, that's Brody's girlfriend: 1; Brody's girl friend (with benefits): 0. In the obligatory post-crazy-night brunch scene, Audrina (dressed like Duckie from "Pretty in Pink") recounts the insanity. Lauren continues her sound-bite streak with this nugget: "Playmates bring the drama! What is it with the Playmates?" LC tells Audrina that she needs to back down because Brody has talked about Jayde being "THE ONE," but Audrina stays in Duckie mode. "I think it's the wrong girl. That girl is crazy." She is crazy, Audrina — crazy with jealousy. Jayde wasn't the only suspicious mind in Hollywood. Heidi intercepted a text from Stacie the Bartender asking Spencer if he were going to H.Wood that night. A less crazy person would just approach their partner and go, "Hey, WTF is this about?!" But Heidi knows how to make good television, so she decided to delete the text, hire her hair and makeup team to gussy her up and then have a girl's night out at H.Wood to see if Spencer and Stacie were having a secret Patrón-soaked rendezvous. You know where this is going ... Heidi and the Blondes arrive, and three seconds later, Stacie and the Brunettes enter. Stephanie Pratt is especially riled up, using the words "malicious," "deliberate" and "skankily" to describe Stacie's text intentions. And before long, the hair extensions were dripping with passive-aggressive sarcasm. Heidi: "Where's Spencer?" Ultimately, Stacie left Heidi with some words of wisdom. "There's always going to be another Stacie," meaning "once a cheater, always a cheater." I guess she could also mean, "There's always going to be a sleazy bartender who turns to goo every time Def Leppard plays on the sound system." But I'm 99 percent sure she was talking about Spencer being a cheater. The Stacie/Spencer drama was perfect fodder for therapy. Yep, despite the fact that we all know Heidi and Spencer got married and just got back from honeymooning/ avoiding the swine flu in Mexico, "Hills" producers are stuck with a dull "will they survive therapy?!" subplot. The only thing interesting is Dr. Jordana Mansbacher's always-changing hair. In the first scene, she's a fiery redhead with pale makeup straight out of "Twilight." Later, she's back to her original blond. An innocent question: Would you trust a therapist who changes their look more than 50 Cent changes album-release dates? Finally, Spencer — in a solo therapy session — agrees that he needs to "lay low" and stay out of the bar scene in order to build up Heidi's trust before he decides to flirt and/or possibly hook up with an easy target again. But what will Brody do? Lauren Conrad took him out to lunch to smack some sense into him. When he blames Audrina for their Hawaiian escapade, Lauren quickly squashes the accusation. "Did Audrina tell you that night that she had a crush on you?" Snap. When he says he's not apologizing to Audrina, Lauren goes for the jugular. "Sometimes we sacrifice friendships for the ones we love. Wouldn't be the first time." SNAP! Yep, Lauren Conrad compared Brody Jenner to Heidi Montag. Here's hoping Brody doesn't decide to start a music career. Related Videos |
| David Archuleta Expresses Sympathy For Death Of David Cook's Brother Posted: 04 May 2009 01:46 AM PDT 'My heart really goes out to them,' Cook's former 'American Idol' rival says.
David Archuleta is sending his love and sympathies to David Cook after news broke that the 2008 "American Idol" winner's older brother, Adam, died of cancer over the weekend. "It really struck me when I heard about the news of Cook's brother," Archuleta said in a statement. "I know they had been struggling with it for a while, so my heart really goes out to them." Adam, 37, had been battling brain cancer for over a decade, and Cook often paid tribute to his brother on the show. In his statement, Archuleta continued, "It's so admirable the way he's handling it, though, and it's amazing to see him there as an example for millions of other people who have also been affected the same way he and his family have. I'll be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers, and hope the Cook family stays strong." On Sunday at the 12th annual Race for Hope 5K run in Washington, D.C., where Cook served as grand marshal just a day after his brother died, Cook told the crowd, "I actually lost my brother yesterday to a brain tumor, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now. I lost one today, but I gained 9,000, and I will be here every year that they will have me." "Idol" judge Paula Abdul told People that Adam Cook was part of the show's "extended family," saying he "supported his brother wholeheartedly, even through his own fight. My heart goes out not only to David, but his family as well." Fellow judge Simon Cowell also had kind words for the family, telling the magazine, "I was incredibly saddened to hear the news. I met Adam Cook a few times at 'American Idol.' He was an incredible guy, and right now my thoughts are with David and his family." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists |
| 'Gossip Girl' Star Leighton Meester Won't Choose Between Acting, Music Posted: 03 May 2009 11:10 PM PDT 'I feel like it goes hand in hand,' actress/singer says of her dual careers.
Leighton Meester might be the queen bee on "Gossip Girl," but she's just getting her start when it comes to the music industry. The actress/singer, who will release her debut album later this year on Universal, took some time out from shooting Cobra Starship's "Good Girls" music video to talk about the positive reviews she's getting for the leaked song "Birthday." "I was working with really cool people on it. ... It's a really fun, great song," she said. "I am very happy with the reactions, and I love it, but there's a lot of other stuff that I'm really happy with that is not being leaked at the moment but will come out later on this year that I'm really stoked about."
Those songs are ones the TV star has been working on for quite some time. "I've been in L.A. for about a month now just working pretty steadily in the studio, and then last year, I was doing the same thing around this time," she said. "And before that, I was in my apartment, so it's a really professional big deal for me making real music." Meester says some of her influences are Madonna, Whitney Houston and Cyndi Lauper, who she's looked up to for a long time. "When I was 3, [I would sing into the] hair brush — and when I was 20 [too]," the 23-year-old laughed. "It's a dream come true. This is crazy and awesome." Meester doesn't feel any pressure to choose between acting and singing. "I don't know if I can really choose a favorite of what I want to do more or what I love more, 'cause I feel like I always felt I can do both," she said. "I feel like it goes hand in hand. Singing really is acting. In a lot of ways, it's much more personal. I love music, and being able to work on that is amazing." |
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