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| Kris Allen, Adam Lambert 'Feel The Love' Backstage At 'Idol' Finale Posted: 20 May 2009 09:50 AM PDT 'That was the greatest experience so far,' Lambert says of final season-eight performance episode.
LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday night, during the final "American Idol" season-eight performance episode, Adam Lambert and Kris Allen bared their hearts and souls. Backstage, however, the two friends and finalists were insisting that they won't be exposing anything else. "We don't get naked together," promised Adam, answering a provocative question from the press about the fact that the two heartthrobs used to be roommates. "Sorry!" Just minutes after the duo rocked a packed house at the Nokia Theatre, however, they had little else to apologize for. "It's well-deserved," beamed judge Paula Abdul, discussing the ear-shattering applause of the night. "I'm so glad about this season."
"That was the greatest experience so far," Adam said. "Having [tens of thousands of] people — I've never performed for close to anywhere like that." Lambert was thrilled to be finishing things up only a short trip from his hometown of San Diego. "That was cool." "It's nice to feel all the love," agreed his co-finalist, Allen. Backstage, the talk mostly surrounded the duo's selected songs. "I think 'Mad World' is symbolic — it talks about people that don't feel [things are getting better]," Lambert said of his first song, which had him once again choosing the Gary Jules version over the Tears for Fears original. "And I think [Sam Cooke's] 'A Change Is Gonna Come' is also symbolic. Anybody who's been oppressed can relate to that song." "For me, I think I did my best on 'Ain't No Sunshine,' " Kris Allen said of his cover of the 1971 Bill Withers classic, "because I had already done that song [on 'Idol' previously] and I had already rehearsed it." "I think that 'Mad World' was a great opportunity to reinvent it," Adam said of his favorite song of the evening. "I changed the staging, the wardrobe. Even though it hit hard, it was still the same song. And 'A Change is Gonna Come' came as a surprise. I wouldn't have picked that for myself." Are you an "American Idol" expert? Take our ultimate "Idol" quiz to find out! Plus, 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 |
| Green Day Admire Hip-Hop Records, Especially Eminem's Posted: 20 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT Plus: The Alchemist nabs Em for title track on Chemical Warfare II, in Mixtape Daily.
Celebrity Favorites Green Day, indeed — the group from the Bay Area has made some bucks. They are the big dogs this week, with 21st Century Breakdown set to hit the top of the charts. On Tuesday night, the punk-rock trio were in New York rocking a "secret show" at Webster Hall. While they're trekking across the U.S. for their tour, guess what they'll be listening to? Hip-hop. Yup, the fellas told us they love rappers' creativity, especially Eminem — the guy who'll have the #1 album next week. "Looking at a guy like Eminem, the way he put his records out and how he goes from character to character and how a lot of hip-hop artists use different names, conceptually, I think that's really important to put into records," Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said. "I think that's why a lot of hip-hop records become so eventful. All of a sudden a character will come up. A dialogue will come up. The ambition a lot of hip-hop records have, that's something I can relate to."
The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground Another person who can appreciate Eminem is none other than consistently dope producer the Alchemist. Al has been Em's tour DJ during Shady's Relapse promo run and says Mr. Mathers has hopped on his upcoming compilation LP, Chemical Warfare II. "I ended up getting a record from Em — and a couple of other guests I didn't think I was gonna get — to make it extra special," Al said of his June 16 independent release. "I been holding my lip, hoping the record didn't leak out. But since his album is coming out, I can say yes, he's on the album." Em has a real special slot on the album, Al said. "He did the title track for the album. It's called 'Chemical Warfare,' " Al revealed. "I produced it. Plus, we were just overseas and on [Tim Westwood's U.K. radio show]. He did a freestyle, and I threw on a brand-new beat, and he spit on it, and it's allover the Net. Being in this circle is doing great things. It's motivating me too. The way he's moving is incredible. His head is on so ill, more than ever. He's just really, really focused. To see that at this point in his career, I'm like, 'F---, I gotta take my sh-- more serious.' " Fabolous, Jadakiss, Three 6 Mafia, Crooked I, Prodigy, Tha Dogg Pound, Lady of Rage, Kid Cudi and Maxwell are among the other guests on the project. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Are Paramore The New No Doubt? Posted: 20 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT Sure, they both have female lead singers, but the similarities go deeper, in Bigger Than the Sound.
I'm about to make a fairly simple comparison seem unnecessarily complex, but the situation demands it (also, that's what I do). So here it goes: Paramore are the new No Doubt. The reason I am getting complicated here is because, well, to do this any other way would be lazy, not to mention a tad bit insulting. Of course, there's one glaring similarity between both bands: the dynamic, iconic frontwoman who also doubles as the media focal point. In essence, Hayley Williams and Gwen Stefani are covered the same and contextualized the same (can't wait for Hayley's '80s-tinged solo album!), so let's get that out of the way right off the bat. Yes, they're both pretty girls with dye jobs who are showing the guys how it's done (blech) and are frequently moved to the front during photo shoots.
Let's move on, because the similarities between Paramore and No Doubt go a lot deeper than that. Both released debut albums that didn't exactly set the world on fire but hinted at things to come: No Doubt's self-titled 1992 debut was full of breezy ska-tinged pop that seemed out of step with the gnarled grunge that gripped the charts at the time. Paramore's All We Know Is Falling was packed with wailers like "Emergency" and "Pressure" — tunes that bristled not just with punky energy, but Williams' unique (read: feminine) take on love and relationships — but fans were too enamored with Pete Wentz's Sidekick pics and My Chemical Romance's theatrics to care much. In the case of both acts, things would change with the next album, for reasons not abundantly clear to anyone. Because neither No Doubt nor Paramore changed things up that drastically on their breakthrough efforts, it just seemed that the industry finally caught up with them. Tragic Kingdom was massive. It sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and put Stefani (and the relationships she sung about on songs like "Don't Speak") front and center. Riot! has only gone platinum, but the effect it had on Williams — and the relationships she wrote about on tunes like "CrushCrushCrush" — was exactly the same. And, of course, that brings up another similarity between the two bands: the specter of failed intra-band relationships (and, by logical extension, the media's hyper-focus on them). If you don't know that Stefani and ND bassist Tony Kanal dated, well, then you haven't read a single article about the group or listened to roughly one-third of their catalog. And during the frenzy that accompanied Riot!, it became quite popular to hypothesize that Williams and guitarist Josh Farro were an item, with many taking it one step further and assuming that their breakup was the reason Paramore nearly split last year. For the record, Williams nor Farro have ever commented on the rumors, but the attention remains. And here's where I take the next logical step: Having broken through to the mainstream and dealt with everything that comes with it — the whirlwind tours, the media attention, the prying into all things personal — Paramore are now steeling themselves to do it all again, putting the past behind them and applying the finishing touches to their new album ... which could quite possibly end up being their Return of Saturn. For those of you who don't remember — which is probably a lot of you — Saturn was No Doubt's follow-up to the impossible-to-follow Tragic Kingdom. Its recording process was legendarily tumultuous, with ND battling each other and their label, Interscope. Songs were recorded, scrapped and then recorded all over again. Production stopped and stalled. Stefani wrestled with doubts about her songwriting ability (hey, sounds like something Williams told us recently). The result was an album full of deeply personal ballads about failed loves and bathing in bathwater that confused a large portion of No Doubt's fans. From what we know about Paramore's still-untitled new album, the Saturn comparisons seem strangely apt. They carried the same baggage and expectations into the studio. There's been writing in fits and starts and intra-band drama, and Williams is grappling with the same doubts. And when I visited the band at Rob Cavallo's studio last month, I got the chance to hear six of the new songs, and let's just say they've slowed it down a bit on a couple of them. (Don't jump off the ledge quite yet, Paramore loyalists — there's still plenty of classic snarl to be heard too.) Will the new Paramore album be their Return of Saturn? Who knows? But the signs are pointing to "yes." Which might be why No Doubt are taking Paramore out on the road with them this summer (their tour kicked off Tuesday night in Fresno, California). Perhaps Gwen and Tony will have a nice long chat with Hayley and Josh, while the other dudes just sort of do what the other dudes in bands do. Maybe there will be an official passing of the torch. It would make sense. After all, these two bands have a history. They just might not realize it. Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com. Related Videos |
| Asher Roth On Eminem's <i>Relapse</i>: 'Bravo' Posted: 20 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'He puts it out on the table for everybody to take from and learn from,' Roth says of Em's lyrics.
It's not exactly breaking news that Asher Roth reminds a whole lot of people of Eminem, to the point where Ash included a song called "As I Em" on his debut, Asleep in the Bread Aisle. The thing was, most people were making those comparisons back when Em's return was in question. But now that he's back with Relapse, is Asher still the heir apparent to the throne? Only time will tell ... but as far as Roth is concerned, the comparisons and the hype were ridiculous to begin with. To him, Eminem is, was and always will be the icon.
"He broke down barriers and stereotypes of what the stigma of a white rapper was ... but the thing about Eminem that I just appreciated so much is that ... it's really crazy when people start to put cameras in your face and want to talk about you and your life all the time," Roth told MTV News. "And somebody of the personality type of Eminem, I'm so proud [of him] for going through so much hardship, so much craziness and so much stuff where anybody else would've just pulled the plug, [but] Eminem came out the beautiful person he is, and [he still] puts it all on the table for people. "He puts it out on the table for everybody to take from and learn from," Roth continued. "And for that, I have nothing but love and respect for somebody who can do that, and do that well." And Em has never put it all out there quite like he does on Relapse, an album full of jaw-dropping tales of drug addiction, abuse, darkness and his own mortality. And when Roth heard it, he was blown away — if not a little terrified. More proof, he says, that Em is in a league by himself. "I've heard the Relapse album and, speaking honestly, it's very aggressive and dark and it's ... it's not easy listening. But when you get down to it, it's a grower, because you sit here and you're witnessing somebody who's putting so much of himself out there, and it's just like, 'Whoa,' " he said. "You feel the depression and you feel how upset and how crazy these last few years and the whole ride has been for him. Like I said, for somebody to keep their cool — as stressful as the everyday world is — and then try to take on the responsibilities of being a public figure, and having all the hardships he's had to deal with and to have him still come out the beautiful human being he is, there's nothing else to say but 'Bravo.' " Related Videos |
| T.I. Will Spend More Than Two Months In Prison, Official Clarifies Posted: 19 May 2009 12:34 AM PDT U.S. attorney's office clears up confusion over sentence.
Though it probably spread a bit of joy among T.I.'s fans, recent reports that the rapper will only serve two months of his one year and a day prison sentence are inaccurate. When The Associated Press reported on Sunday that T.I. — due to report to the Forrest City low-security federal prison in Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 26 — had been given credit for 305 days of home detention, "so his stay at Forrest City prison will likely be only two months," the news agency may have misread the sentencing report. The story has since spread on the Internet, but according to Charysse Alexander, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, it is not accurate. According to Alexander, the rapper was indeed given credit for the 305 days of home confinement he served while awaiting trial in the case, but that has nothing to do with his prison sentence. After pleading guilty to two charges of illegally possessing firearms and of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in March in connection with his attempt in October 2007 to buy unlicensed machine guns and silencers, T.I. (real name: Clifford Harris Jr.) was ordered to serve one year and one day in federal prison. Alexander explained that, at best, according to federal sentencing guidelines, anyone who serves more than one year in prison is eligible for a 15 percent "good time" credit, which in Tip's case could shave almost 55 days off his sentence. The confusion may have stemmed from mixing the credit for home confinement with the prison sentence, which are separate terms, Alexander said. Once T.I. completes the prison term, he will still have to serve out the remainder of his home confinement, she said, which will amount to about two months. The crimes T.I. was accused of would typically have landed him in prison for five or more years, but due to the plea deal worked out with prosecutors, he was able to receive a reduced sentence provided he performed more than 1,000 hours of community service over the last year, speaking to kids about the pitfalls of drugs, crime and gangs. T.I.'s forthcoming prison sentence, of course, was the subject of MTV's recent "T.I.'s Road to Redemption" series. While MTV News was unable to reach officials at Forrest City for comment by press time, the AP quoted that facility's spokesperson as saying that T.I. will join 1,500 other inmates at the low-security prison and likely be treated like any other prisoner. "Unless there are custody or security concerns, all incoming inmates are placed in general population," R.D. Weeks reportedly told the AP. He added that each cell is double-bunked, so T.I. will have a cellmate and he will have access to the recreation yard, counseling and any of the facility's 14 religious groups. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Adam Lambert And Kris Allen Have Final 'American Idol' Showdown Posted: 19 May 2009 07:07 AM PDT Judges put the final two neck-and-neck going into Wednesday's finale.
Ryan Seacrest said it best at the top of the show: Tuesday night's (May 19) final "American Idol" performance episode was the decisive showdown between "the acoustic rocker versus the glam rocker ... Conway versus California ... the guy next door versus the guyliner." And when Adam Lambert and Kris Allen came down the center stairs, the difference couldn't have been clearer. Lambert was rocking a black leather jacket, tight black jeans, black fingerless gloves and a black shirt accented by a long silver scarf-looking necklace, while Allen went the James Dean route with a more modestly cut black leather jacket, blue jeans and a white T-shirt.
With three songs each, Lambert, 27, opened the night reprising his acclaimed cover of Tears for Fears' "Mad World." Looking comfortable on a fog-enshrouded stage that must have been familiar to him from his musical-theater days, Lambert descended a set of steps center stage in silhouette, his black trench coat cutting a dramatic figure. Adding some spooky percussion effects to the already haunting song, Lambert nailed the performance again, finding a bit more restraint this time and going for maximum emotional impact. And once more, the judges approved. "I love that you're showing your sensitive side to come out here and start this great duel," Randy Jackson enthused, awarding the singer an A-plus. Kara DioGuardi praised him again for the song that she said proved he was an "incredible artist" and changed the game for all the other singers in the competition. Paula Abdul liked the more subdued, haunting second take, but Simon Cowell thought it was a bit "over-theatrical" and complained that it reminded him of "Phantom of the Opera." (See what Jim Cantiello had to say about the night in his "American Idol" live blog.) Allen's personal pick was his breakthrough song, Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," an aching soul ballad that he performed at a grand piano. Even in the truncated "Idol" version, Allen gave the song a wide musical arc, beginning with a soft vocal accompanied only by piano, then building to a vocal and musical crescendo just a minute in and ending alone again with a sweet falsetto note.
Saying he saved some of the best for last, Kara and Randy called it one of Allen's best performances of the season. "You have a way of creating an intimate bond with everybody in the audience," Kara said. "You make us feel like you're singing it to us, and that is so hard to do." With his usual blend of honesty and smiling cruelty, Simon admitted that when Allen's name was called last week, he wasn't sure America had made the right choice, "but I absolutely take all that back now after that performance." Round two featured songs chosen by "Idol" creator Simon Fuller, who picked classic R&B singer Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" for Lambert. Wearing a gray suit with a powder-blue tie, the Los Angeles singer narrowed his eyes and mixed in some testifying gospel grit to his piercing wails, ending with a soaring note that again brought the crowd to its feet. For Randy, it was unbelievable. Kara called it his best interpretation of a song yet, thanks to his blend of the high notes and the restraint he showed to highlight the song's emotion. "That's your winning combination," she said. Paula promised that no matter what happened, he would be "iconic," and Simon praised him for being "100 percent back in the game." For Allen, Fuller picked Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." Seated on a chair, strumming his guitar, Allen gave the iconic R&B protest song a jammy, 1960s folk vibe, accompanied by funky Latin percussion and a laid-back, coffeehouse groove. Randy said the song was a perfect choice for our turbulent times and praised the vocal but feared that Allen's arrangement was a bit light for the 7,000-capacity Nokia Theatre. Kara gave props to Allen for being true to himself all along and not playing to the competition. "And I like that Simon Fuller picked a socially conscious song for you, because you're the kind of artists that can deliver that message and uplift people, make them think, make them feel and make them change," she said. Cowell loved the song but said it sounded like "three friends in their bedroom strumming along to Marvin Gaye," docking Allen for being too laid-back and not making the song his own. The night's last performance had both finalists singing this year's winner's song, "No Boundaries," co-written by DioGuardi, along with British pop singer-turned-songwriter Cathy Dennis (Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry) and former SR-71 singer Mitch Allan. Rocking acid-washed black-and-white jeans and a black bedazzled jacket, Lambert was in his comfort zone on the turgid ballad, which features typical "Idol" winner-song lines like: "Seconds, hours, so many days/ You know what you want, but how long can you wait?/ Every moment lasts forever." Soaring into the chorus about roads to nowhere, going higher and deeper, breaking rules, making it through the pain and not giving up on your dreams, Lambert rocked the diva-ready crowd pleaser as if it were written specifically for him. Randy didn't love it, saying it was a bit pitchy. And maybe she was a bit biased, but Kara said she was moved and thanked Adam for giving her a moment near the end of the season. "Adjectives can't express what you've brought to this show," Paula gushed. Mocking the song's clichéd lyrics, Simon again called Lambert one of the best, most original contestants in the show's history. "The whole idea about doing a show like this is that you hope that you can find a worldwide star," he continued. "I genuinely believe with all my heart that we have found that with you." Allen's take on the song was predictably a bit different, with a simpler, more acoustic rock-ballad arrangement. He appeared to struggle at first to keep up with the lyrics but grew stronger as the tune built momentum, showing off some of his more powerful vocal moves by the end. Acknowledging that Allen's vocals were off, Randy gave him props for how well he's done in the competition and said he thought the song fit Allen's vocal style even more than Lambert's. Kara wished that people would vote for Allen based on the entire season, while Paula called it one of the most compelling showdowns to date. Simon recalled how Allen came in with "no confidence" during his first audition and, despite his repeated disses of Allen during the season, told him he thoroughly deserved to be on the stage. The show ended with former "Idol" winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood singing this year's farewell song, Mötley Crüe's "Home Sweet Home" as a montage of the season's highlights scrolled behind her. Are you an "American Idol" expert? Take our ultimate "Idol" quiz to find out! Plus, 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 |
| 'American Idol' Finale: Tales From Inside The Nokia Theatre Posted: 19 May 2009 07:19 AM PDT We put you in the audience for a live-and-in-person look at the Kris Allen vs. Adam Lambert showdown.
LOS ANGELES — Arriving at the Nokia Theatre on Tuesday night (May 19), downtown Los Angeles was buzzing with excitement and rivalry. On one side of the street, smartly dressed folks swarmed into the theater for "American Idol." Across the way, people in Kobe jerseys filed into the Staples Center for the Lakers game. In my hand, I harnessed a ticket for the most popular TV show in the world. Inevitably, people will ask me what it's like inside the live "AI" performance show, and my answer is a simple one: church.
Everyone files into the enormous venue, speaking with great reverence for the people they'll soon see. They stand in unison, sit, then stand again moments later. As the between-commercial-breaks audience-warmer screams, "We are live in 30 seconds," everything gets so quiet that you could hear a button pop off Simon Cowell's shirt (assuming any were buttoned), and then the crowd erupts on cue as Reverend Seacrest opens the festivities by saying, "This is 'American Idol'!" Although security makes a big deal about turning over all communications devices, I watched the woman in front of me tape the whole show on her cell phone. As soon as they go to commercial break, Ryan hands his mic to the stage manager and vanishes for three minutes and 52 seconds, as do most of the judges. When a piped-in female voice gets to 20 seconds on her countdown, they all run back into position. My church metaphor fades a bit during commercial breaks, when the audience-warmer guy keeps us busy by running into the crowd with a microphone, screaming, "Where my Adam fans at?" while handing out T-shirts. Fans hang off the balconies, risking life and limb to show off signs reading "Kris Will Not Be Dissed!" or "Delaware Loves Adam!" You don't see that stuff on Sunday morning. With no empty seats to be seen and the neon glow shining down upon their faces, everyone stands at the end of each song, then sits when the judges speak. Curiously, fewer people stand with each passing song.
There are moments of true performer connection — such as when both artists sang their first songs. But as much as you can feel the electricity, you can also taste the sourness of a bad performance. When Kris' final song closed out the show, a look swept over everyone's faces as if someone had set off a stink bomb in the theater. One guy near me plugged his ears. But make no mistake: It's even more fun to be at "American Idol" than it is to watch it on TV. Women were synchronizing their "I love you Adam!" screams, everyone (even little kids) boos Simon, and my vision is still hazy from all the smoke Adam unleashed onstage. My personal favorite moment you didn't see on TV? When Randy responded to Kris' first song by making reference to the L.A. Lakers, a man in the crowd stood up. Poking his fingers at the woman he was with, he screamed, "LAKERS! GO LAKERS!" so loud that everyone turned and looked at her bright-red face. The guy had a ticket to the hottest event in the world, but was only there because his lady had talked him into crossing over to the other side of the street — now she was probably wishing she hadn't. Ah, the things we do for love. Are you an "American Idol" expert? Take our ultimate "Idol" quiz to find out! Plus, 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 |
| Whitney Port On Prom: 'I Love To Dance' Posted: 20 May 2009 04:52 AM PDT 'I had a good time that night,' the 'City' star says of her senior prom.
It's May — you know what that means. It's getting warm, the flowers are blooming and the time-honored tradition of prom is back again. So get your corsages, turn up the cheesy music and fuel the limos, because this week we're catching up with your favorite stars and helping them relive their prom memories. Whitney Port has definitely showed fans of "The Hills" and "The City" that she knows how to have a good time. So it comes as no surprise that back in high school she didn't sit out prom season.
"I went to prom my junior and senior year," the Los Angeles native told MTV News. "My junior year I went with a bunch of girls. My senior year I went with my boyfriend that I had had for, like, two years." Although she may have had fun junior year going stag with a bunch of good girlfriends, she looks back fondly on her senior prom when she went with her boyfriend. And no, he wasn't Jay from "The City." "So my senior year I went with my boyfriend, who I had been on and off with for a couple of years," she explained. "And I wore a short little gold beaded number and it was really, really fun. I had a good time that night. Those things are always fun for me, 'cause I love to dance." We'll have lots more celebrity prom stories rolling out throughout the week (and check out even more celebrity prom coverage on the MTV Buzzworthy blog)! |
| Posted: 19 May 2009 01:21 AM PDT Slain rapper worked with Akon and T-Pain and had his first record deal when he was just 12 years old.
Dolla often spoke about staying focused on his music despite life's many tragedies. He told XXL magazine last year about how his mother had to battle cancer, his younger brother died at birth and his father committed suicide; Dolla was just 5 years old when he witnessed his dad taking his own life. Fifteen years later, in 2008, the then-20-year-old Dolla was out promoting his upcoming album and new single when he spoke to satellite-radio host Angela Yee about how he wanted to get his older sister out of prison.
That tragic streak continued when Dolla was fatally shot in Los Angeles on Monday night. He was 21 years old. While the up-and-coming rapper had worked with big names like Akon and T-Pain, he had yet to have his big break. So who was Dolla? The MC, born Roderick Anthony Burton II in Atlanta, had traveled back and forth from his hometown of Atlanta to L.A. to work on music for the past decade. Da Razkalz Cru, Dolla's group with two of his cousins, signed to Elektra Records in 2000 when the MC was just 12 years old. The trio only released a single before parting ways with the company, but they did get a chance to work with Akon, who was also on his way up at the time. 'Kon and Dolla remained friends. In 2006, the duo forged a partnership between Konvict Records and Dolla's Gang Entertainment imprint. Signed to Jive Records, Dolla was slated to release his debut, Dolla & A Dream, with contributions from Chris Brown, Polow Da Don, Jazze Pha and T-Pain. Pain sang the hook on Dolla's "Who the F--- Is That" last spring, and the song became a radio hit in many markets, and its video got a lot of play on MTV Jams. "My music is universal," Dolla said in his bio on MySpace. "I can do street music or pop music. But whatever I do, I attempt to make meaningful songs with substance." Unfortunately, the young artist's dream will never be fully realized. His career and life were cut short when he was shot in the head in L.A. on Monday night. "It's a terrible tragedy," T-Pain said in a statement Tuesday (May 19). "My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends." Related Artists |
| Adam Lambert's 'A Change Is Gonna Come': The Story Behind The Cover Posted: 19 May 2009 07:26 AM PDT The soul classic was also performed at a concert for Barack Obama's inauguration.
Adam Lambert has had ample opportunity to show off his rocker edge, his crooner side and his theatrical chops this season on "American Idol." But thanks to show co-creator Simon Fuller, on Tuesday night's (May 19) final performance episode, the Los Angeles native got to dip his toes into some old-fashioned soul on a night when he was making his final bid to America. Fuller's choice of Sam Cooke's 1964 civil-rights anthem "A Change Is Gonna Come" — paired with his equally poignant pick for Kris Allen, Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" — allowed Lambert to show his more restrained side.
(See what Jim Cantiello had to say about the night in his "American Idol" live blog.) The tune, recently sung at the "We Are One" inaugural concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during President Barack Obama's inauguration weekend by Jon Bon Jovi and soul singer Bettye LaVette, was written and recorded in 1963 and released shortly after Cooke's death in late 1964. Greatly moved by the emotion in Bob Dylan's 1963 protest song "Blowin' in the Wind" and its message of change, Cooke sat down to write the tune after speaking to some sit-in demonstrators in Durham, North Carolina, following one of his concerts. It was a departure from the more mainstream ballads and dance tunes Cooke had built his reputation on ("Twistin' the Night Away," "You Send Me"). The song was inspired by the accidental drowning of Cooke's 18-month-old son in June 1963 and the disturbing-the-peace arrest of the singer and his band in October of that year for trying to check into a "whites only" motel in Shreveport, Louisiana, with the latter forming the basis for the song's moving third verse. The song, chosen in 2007 by the Library of Congress to join the National Recording Registry and voted the #12 Greatest Song of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2005, is a throwback to Cooke's gospel roots, and it features the aching final couplet alluding to his son's death: "There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long/ But now I think I'm able to carry on/ It's been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come." It was included on the last studio album released in Cooke's lifetime, Ain't That Good News, but his label didn't release it as a single, relegating it to the B-side of the more mainstream dance tune "Shake." The tune was quickly adopted as an anthem for the civil-rights struggle, though, and eventually became a minor top 40 hit. Cooke did not live to see the song enter the public consciousness, as he was killed at a Los Angeles hotel by the building's owner in December 1964. In addition to the version at the Obama inauguration, the song has been covered by hundreds of artists, including Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Seal, the Fugees, Cold War Kids and the Arcade Fire. It's been sampled by a number of rappers, including Lil Wayne, Ja Rule and Ghostface Killah. Obama also made reference to the song's refrain after winning the 2008 election, telling the crowd gathered in Chicago's Grant Park, "It's been a long time coming, but tonight, change has come to America." Are you an "American Idol" expert? Take our ultimate "Idol" quiz to find out! Plus, 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 |
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