Kamis, 02 Juli 2009

MTV News

MTV News


Game On 50 Cent Beef: 'I Did A Lot Of Dumb Things'

Posted: 02 Jul 2009 03:51 AM PDT

Plus: Killer Mike says nobody's bringing hardcore back because he's been keeping it street all along, in Mixtape Daily.
By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Jayson Rodriguez


The Game
Photo: MTV News

The Overdose: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive

Your boys are back at it. Hiatus is done. Today we had to put Firestarter on the back burner to bring you this testimonial from none other than the Game. Big Hurricane sat down with us in the lab where he's recording his R.E.D. Album. And, in addition to speaking about the project, he wanted to tell us and the entire world that there's no more 50 Cent beef. He's said it before, no doubt, but this time the Compton rhyme beast says he's dead serious — unless he changes his mind. Game compared his beef with Fif and the G-Unit to an airplane. (Is that private or commercial? Just kidding.)

"I just got off that plane," Game said of the well-documented rift. "I didn't even get my baggage out the baggage claim."

The MC says he wants to "apologize to 50 as a man." He also wants to apologize to the fans, Dr. Dre, Eminem and the head of Interscope, Jimmy Iovine.

"Jimmy always says, 'Man, I told you guys not to break up the Beatles,' " Game said. "He says he told John Lennon the same thing a long time ago. But I was young, man. I was dumb. I did a lot of dumb things. I felt me and 50 clashed. I'm not gonna dis 50. I'm not gonna go back on the plane. He had his side, I had my side. I did what I felt was necessary for me and my career to have longevity and survive in hip-hop and music to be around when I'm Quincy Jones' age — not just be Quincy Jones' age, but be a Quincy Jones. Now, four albums in, I can honestly say from Banks to Buck to Dre to Yayo to whoever, if it would have kept going, endless paper. Millions of albums sold — because we were great together. Me and 50's chemistry was like how Method Man was to Redman when they get in. You know when Method Man gets with Redman, it's going down."

True, the Unit, when they were a five-man squad (that's with Game and Buck), were absolutely unstoppable. We're still rocking that All Eyez on Us G-Unit Radio Part 5 mixtape.

"It is what KRS-One was with Scott La Rock," Game added, describing his time with 50. "When you take Ralph Tresvant from New Edition and Bobby Brown goes this way, you might get a Bell Biv DeVoe, but you won't get no 'Candy Girl.' You won't get no 'Mr. Telephone Man.' You ain't gonna get no 'Hate It or Love It,' you won't get 'How We Do.' As a family, we had it. If we never [broke] up, I think Detox would have been out and we all would have been selling millions from Banks to Buck, Tony Yayo. I'm gonna apologize for my role."

Just a few weeks ago, 50 told us he has no desire to entertain the Game. Maybe Dre or Iovine can get these guys together again?

The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground

50 Cent says he wants to bring hardcore rap back to the forefront, and we know the sentiments Jay-Z expressed in "D.O.A." Killer Mike says he's not impressed. He's been keeping it street.

"I don't wanna hear none of that bullsh-- from none of the n---as," Mike said. "I dropped I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II last year. If you wanna hear hardcore hip-hop, go to the store, go get I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II. You can listen from the first Biggie sample to the last song on the album, 'Good-Bye,' it's hardcore hip-hop. I don't wanna hear that bullsh--, these n---as who got millions of dollars talking about bringing sh-- back. They ain't bringing sh-- back. It's here — you looking at it.

"Buy me," he continued. "When that Killer Mike drops, hardcore hip-hop will be back for the second, third time. You know, the same guy that said 'rap is dead' three years before Nas said it. I'm here. F--- with me. Jay dropped 'D.O.A.' and everybody went crazy. And I love Jay. A week before that, I dropped 'Man Up.' Go listen to that song and go listen to 'D.O.A.' "

Killer Kill, who recently struck a partnership with T.I. and Grand Hustle Entertainment, is dropping a compilation of all the ATL underground MCs this summer.

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Michael Jackson Memorials Will Not Take Place At Neverland

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 01:53 AM PDT

Jackson family says updated public memorial plans will be announced shortly.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Michael Jackson
Photo: Sony

LOS ANGELES — Memorial services for Michael Jackson will not be taking place at the Neverland Valley Ranch, according to the late singer's family.

A statement released Wednesday afternoon (July 1) on behalf of the Jackson family clarified previous, unconfirmed information on the matter, which had been reported by multiple outlets.

"Contrary to previous news reports, the Jackson family is officially stating that there will be no public or private viewing at Neverland," the statement reads. "Plans are underway regarding a public memorial for Michael Jackson, and we will announce those plans shortly."

Earlier accounts had stated a public memorial would be held on Friday for the King of Pop at his former residence, the Neverland Valley Ranch, with a private memorial taking place two days later. Neverland was purchased by Jackson in 1988, and the sprawling property that was once home to a zoo and an amusement park remains forever associated with Michael Jackson.

There were a number of concerns, however, from various California officials about logistics, including dealing with the number of cars on the small, winding roads surrounding the compound in the city of Los Olivos. The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday that the family ran into trouble obtaining a permit to bury Jackson on private grounds, despite Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reportedly volunteering to cut through any bureaucratic clutter that could slow down the process.

But officials in Santa Barbara County were not able to process the request in more timely fashion.

"It's nobody's fault. Everybody in Santa Barbara feels bad about it," a Times source said.

Speculation is now swirling about where the public memorial will now be held.

According to UsMagazine.com, a source with knowledge of the proceedings said the public memorial may be moved to downtown Los Angeles at the Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers.

There also is speculation that a private memorial may still take place at Neverland, but plans for a burial were unresolved at press time.

As of Wednesday afternoon, William Boyer, a spokesperson for Santa Barbara Country, said he has not heard from the family about further plans, the Times reported.

For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Eminem's 'Beautiful' Video Leaks

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 05:06 AM PDT

Clip features MC at various Detroit landmarks.
By Shaheem Reid


Eminem in "Beautiful"
Photo: Shady Records

That's the last you're going to see of Tiger Stadium — Eminem filmed a portion of his new video "Beautiful" at the historic ballpark. Slim Shady performs a part of the record at the stadium as some little-leaguers look on, in a clip that leaked on the Internet Wednesday (July 1). The clip also shows images of Em walking around his hometown of Detroit and includes shots of landmarks like the Michigan Central Train Station and the Packard Motor Car Company.

Em recently told RapRadar.com he wanted to pay homage to some of his hometown landmarks.

"Tiger Stadium is being torn down, and the train station is supposed to be demolished too. This video is one of the last times anybody outside of Detroit is going to see them," Em said. "I wrote 'Beautiful' when I was really down, during a difficult time struggling with my addiction. It's a reminder to keep your head up, and to see who you really are despite what you may be going through. Now that I've gotten through the toughest part, I see how the song relates to Detroit, and it feels even more powerful to me."

Em recently called into his Shade 45 satellite radio station and said that he was working on Relapse 2. Although he had enough material to release a LP now, he wanted to work on new material. The MC also said he would be headlining the Voodoo Festival, beginning October 30 in New Orleans.

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Drake: 'I Plan To Work With Lil Wayne For The Rest Of My Career'

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 04:39 AM PDT

'My loyalty lays with Wayne,' heavily courted MC says.
By Shaheem Reid


Drake
Photo: MTV News

Drake stayed down and stayed loyal: No more is he the hottest free agent in music, Drizzy's recording contract is done! He has artistic freedom and big backing.

"To go independent is — like I said in a prior interview — it's a funny term," Drake told MTV News on Tuesday, addressing the deal that finds his albums being released on Wayne's independent Young Money label (which is affiliated with Cash Money Records) and being distributed by the major Universal Republic. "Because it's almost impossible to go fully independent. This was basically like the closest thing I could get to my own independence, to sort of continuing to be that guy to the fans that, you know, is trying to prove something — trying to prove that it can be done. So with that being said, I signed directly to Cortez Bryant and Gee Roberson, my two managers, and their company Inspire. It's a joint venture with Young Money, so that's the deal. I know there's been a lot of stuff on the Internet about different entities, but that's the people involved in the main record deal. And then it's distributed through Universal, so it's great, man. You know, if we can sell some records I think it could be a pretty legendary situation."

Although Drake decided to stay with his managers (who also manage Lil Wayne), he said he loved the courting process.

"Well, the whole thing with me was, I met some great people along the way. [Warner Music's] Lyor Cohen is such a special man to me, even though I am signed where I am signed at. You know, [Interscope head] Jimmy Iovine, same thing, a great person that taught me a lot in a very short period of time. But my loyalty lays with Wayne. For him to be able to benefit from the situation and for us to be able to brand Young Money, this is the route that I went.

"I plan to work with Wayne for the rest of my career so I think it's a smart career move," he added. "You know, everybody else [on Young Money] will hopefully work out the situations, get the right people on the album. I think it was important for me to show him that I believed in him as much as he believed in me. Because a lot of months he stuck his neck out there for me, you know with the VMAs, and then 'Ransom,' and all the songs that we put out. And the things he would say in interviews, he really put himself out there for me. So I think it was only just and fair to show him that I feel the same way."

Drake, Wayne, Young Jeezy and Soulja Boy are scheduled to start their America's Most Wanted Music Festival on July 27. One thing not in Drake's favor is his health: He tore his ACL playing basketball and is moving around with a cane. During the BET Awards, he had to lean against a stool while performing. He's hoping to be able to maneuver through his injury enough to not miss any tour dates.

"Well, I got a couple weeks of rehab ahead of me," he said. "Right now the knee is, it's slipping, so I would not be able to perform right now. But I'm going to be in the studio and in rehab."

Drake is hoping to release his official debut LP, Thank Me Later, this year. He said he just finished recording with Pharrell Williams.

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Kevin Jonas Gets Engaged

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 03:52 AM PDT

'It still feels like a dream,' Jonas' fiancée Danielle Deleasa says.
By Jocelyn Vena


Kevin Jonas
Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/ Getty Images

One Jonas brother down, two to go. It's official: Kevin Jonas is engaged. The eldest Jonas brother proposed to his long time girlfriend, Danielle Deleasa, on Wednesday (July 1) and confirmed the news to People.

He showed up to her New Jersey doorstep Wednesday morning, got down on one knee and asked his girlfriend of two years to marry him. "She said yes, yes, yes, like 500 times super fast in a row," Jonas told the magazine. The pair have yet to set a wedding date.

Jonas, 21, and Deleasa, a 22-year-old former hairdresser from New Jersey, met in 2007 while their families were vacationing in the Bahamas. At the time the band was still up-and-coming and she admits that she didn't even know who the Jonas Brothers were. Kevin pursued Deleasa after he spotted her on the beach. "It still feels like a dream," she told People about the engagement.

"It was tough performing last night, knowing that I was going to ask the biggest question in my life to the most amazing girl in the world," Kevin said. He arrived from Toronto on an overnight flight to ask her to marry him.

On "Larry King Live" last month, King asked Kevin if he had any plans to marry his current girlfriend, and he replied,"We'll see. She's an amazing girl," but wouldn't elaborate any further.

Kevin's little brothers, Joe and Nick, took to Twitter to congratulate Kevin and their future sister-in-law. "Congrats big brother.....Dani welcome to the family," they wrote. "We can't wait to have you join us on the road! Love Joe and Nick."

Kevin's parents, Kevin Sr. and Denise, released a statement about the engagement saying they are thrilled by the news. "Our hearts are filled with joy today and we are happy to share with you that our son Kevin has asked Danielle for her hand in marriage.

"Her answer was yes, and it is such a blessing that she will be joining our family. Kevin and Danielle have not yet set a date. Family is very dear to us, and we hope we have raised Kevin to be a wonderful man and husband. Please join us in our family's celebration and in congratulating Kevin and Danielle. Thank you for all of your support."

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Paramore Say 'No Animals Were Harmed In The Making Of This Record'

Posted: 02 Jul 2009 03:51 AM PDT

'It looks awesome,' frontwoman Hayley Williams says of new cover art.
By James Montgomery


Paramore
Photo: MTV News

By now, you've probably seen the cover of Paramore's upcoming Brand New Eyes album (and if you haven't, well, here), which very artfully depicts a freshly dissected butterfly.

It's a pretty striking (and strikingly pretty) image, so, on the same day we spoke to Paramore about the title of their new record, we decided to ask them to tell us the story behind that butterfly too. Turns out — like pretty much everything on Eyes — there's a personal connection.

"The cover is actually a butterfly I found in my driveway one day, and it was huge and really gorgeous and we clipped its wings off and pinned its body and its wings up to the fence in my backyard," frontwoman Hayley Williams said. "I've had [it] forever in this box in my mom's house. And we all liked the idea of ripping the wings off a butterfly, because it's in the lyrics of 'Brick By Boring Brick.' "

Of course, that begs the question: Did they rip the wings off the thing while it was still fluttering?

"It was already dead," Williams said.

"No animals were harmed in the making of this record," bassist Jeremy Davis laughed.

Of course, the image of the butterfly only extends the implicit message on this album, one born out of intense inter-band struggles and battles with self-doubt: that divided, nothing — not love, relationships or a band — can survive; but united, anything is possible.

"I really feel like the theme of the whole record is really self-explanatory. I don't think anyone is going to have a problem understanding exactly what we're talking about, or relating our situation to them," Williams said. "Even if they're not in a band [that's] touring and traveling. That's why the image works ... it's a really cool representation of those themes. It looks awesome."

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Nick Cannon: Mariah Carey's Not Dissing Eminem In 'Obsessed'

Posted: 30 Jun 2009 11:41 PM PDT

Song is not retaliation for 'Bagpipes From Baghdad,' Carey's husband says.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash


Tim Kash and Nick Cannon
Photo: MTV News

Despite the fact that Mariah Carey, dressed in drag, sort of resembles Eminem in her new video for "Obsessed," husband Nick Cannon isn't sure why people would think that Carey is dissing Eminem in the track.

"I don't know. Honestly, I don't think so," Cannon told MTV News when asked if the song is about the rapper, who seemingly took a jab at Carey in his song, "Bagpipes From Baghdad."

"I don't think that she would take her time," Cannon said. "My wife doesn't beef. She's Mariah Carey. She's not beefin', she's a vegetarian."

Cannon said that the song — which will be included on Carey's album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, due this fall — was more inspired by a certain Lindsay Lohan flick than by a need to retaliate against Em.

"People keep saying ['Obsessed'] was directed at certain people," Cannon said. "To be completely honest, she did the record 'cause she's a huge fan of this movie 'Mean Girls,' and there's a line in the movie where one of the girls is like, 'Why are you so obsessed with me?' She says that at the beginning of the song, and that's where the concept came from. But you know, art imitates life."

Cannon has his own theory about just who he'd like the song to be about, and it's not Eminem.

"I always say I thought the record was about me, 'cause I'm obsessed with my wife," he said. "But if somebody's out there and you feel like you might have been obsessed, then the record's about you."

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Britney Spears' New 'Radar' Video Leaks

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 08:52 AM PDT

Fourth Circus clip features sexy polo player but no dancing.
By Jocelyn Vena


Britney Spears (file)
Photo: Getty Images

The video for Britney Spears' latest single, "Radar," has leaked to the Internet. The video for the fourth single from Circus isn't as high octane as other recent clips, but she tries to make up for it by sharing screen time with a sexy polo player.

The new video was shot at the Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara, California, at the end of May, according to the New York Post. In it, Britney visits her wealthy boyfriend at his mansion, attends a polo match and has an elicit affair with a shaggy-haired polo player.

Though she does wear her signature belly-baring tops in the video, Spears doesn't display any of her signature dance moves. Instead she opts for lots of glamour shots — of herself and of a magnificent polo pony — as she sings about the hot guy on her radar. In the end, Britney picks the polo player over the rich boyfriend, and the two run away to the beach together, hand in hand.

"Radar," which was also included on Blackout, follows Circus' more upbeat dance tracks "Circus," "Womanizer" and "If U Seek Amy." The video was directed by Dave Meyers, who has worked with Spears on her videos for "Lucky," "Outrageous" and the celebrity-filled "Boys."

Back in May, Britney tweeted about working on the video, saying, "Dave Meyers is directing my Radar video — it's going to be sick!"

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Promoter Describes Michael Jackson's Final Moments

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 02:43 AM PDT

'I was sitting in a chair right outside the operating room ... they were trying to resuscitate him and save him,' Randy Phillips recalls.
By Gil Kaufman


Randy Phillips and Michael Jackson in London in March 2009
Photo: MJ Kim/ Getty Images

It is not yet known what caused Michael Jackson's death, but according to the promoter of the London shows the singer was gearing up for, the 50-year-old self-proclaimed King of Pop was in good health before his sudden death on Thursday (June 25) and massive efforts were made to save his life.

Speaking to England's Sky News, AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips said he was at the hospital last week when Jackson was rushed in after suffering cardiac arrest. He said he got a call from the singer's manager, Frank DiLeo, Thursday morning in which DiLeo implored him to go to the Beverly Hills-area mansion the singer was renting because paramedics had been called when Jackson stopped breathing. "As I was approaching the house the ... the ambulance was just coming out of the gates," he said.

"They brought him in on a stretcher and they put him into the emergency room," Phillips said. "I was sitting in a chair right outside the ... operating room, and there was tons of activity, and they were trying to resuscitate him and save him and working really hard, the doctors, nurses, everybody ... I sat there ... it seemed, honestly, it seemed like an eternity. But it took about an hour, an hour and a half before the nurse came out and told Frank (DiLeo) and I that there was no hope."

Phillips described his emotions as "just shock" when he was given the news. "Having been with him the night before and watching him engaged and really kicking into the whole thing ... I guess first the kids, they were around the corner in a room and who was going to tell them? That was the first thing that hit my mind. And then the fact that we've all lost this incredible talent."

Phillips said it was Jackson's cardiologist, Conrad Murray — whom police have interviewed at least twice since the singer's passing — who broke the news to Jackson's three young children that their father had died. A spokesperson for Phillips did not return requests for further comment from the AEG boss at press time.

"I stood at the doorway when they went in and they told them and just the look of fear in their faces ... it was hard," Phillips said. "I'll think about that the rest of my life. But they seem to be doing really well now." Phillips said he had tried to dissuade Jackson from hiring Murray as his personal doctor because of the costs involved, but that the strong-willed singer insisted on having Murray on staff throughout the rehearsals and the run of English shows, saying he had been his personal physician for more than three years.

"Michael told me, 'You don't understand. My body is the machine that fuels this business and I need personal care and I want a doctor 24/7 like President Obama would have and this is my doctor,' " Phillips explained. A nurse told The Associated Press that Jackson had repeatedly begged her for a powerful anesthetic used only by trained medical professionals in a clinical setting to treat his chronic insomnia, but that she had refused. Attorneys for Murray have denied that the doctor injected Jackson with any of the strong pain medications he is said to have been taking prior to his death.

Less than 12 hours before, at the end of a long day of rehearsals in Los Angeles in advance of the planned July 13 kickoff of the AEG-promoted This Is It 50-show run at the O2 Arena in London, Phillips said Jackson gave him a big hug and whispered, "Now I know I can do this." He also denied reports that Jackson was too frail to perform, hinting that AEG may soon release some footage from rehearsals that will refute those notions.

A lawyer representing Murray said the doctor found the singer unconscious but with a weak pulse, and spent more than 25 minutes trying to revive Jackson, but did not call 911 for 30 minutes because there was not a landline in Jackson's room and the doctor did not know the address of the rented Los Angeles mansion Jackson was staying in.

Transcripts of the 911 calls have led some to question whether Murray could have done a better job administering CPR to Jackson. The caller in the tapes is heard saying that Murray was performing the life-saving technique on a bed, not on a hard surface such as a floor, which the dispatcher suggested and which medical professionals recommend. A lawyer for Murray has explained that Jackson was lying on a very firm bed and that the doctor braced the singer's back with his hand while administering chest compressions with his other hand. Murray's car was towed from the mansion as evidence on the day of Jackson's death by police, but officials have said that the doctor is not a suspect in the case.

For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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Michael Jackson Shatters <i>Billboard</i> Records

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 06:27 AM PDT

Jackson's music dominates the Top Pop Catalog, Digital Albums, Digital Songs and Top Comprehensive Albums charts.
By James Montgomery


Michael Jackson's <i>Thriller</i>
Photo: Anthony Verde/ Time Life Pictures/ Getty Images

Given the news all week of his posthumous sales surge, it comes as no surprise that Michael Jackson is officially the King of Pop charts again.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, Michael Jackson albums and Jackson-related compilations hold the top nine positions on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog chart, all posting remarkable jumps in sales in the days following the singer's death. (SoundScan tracks sales through the close of business on Sunday.)

Jackson himself holds a record eight of the top 10 spots, while a Jackson 5 compilation also landed in the upper tier of the chart. His Number Ones greatest hits package leads the pack at #1, selling more than 108,000 copies, a staggering 2,340 percent sales increase. The Essential Michael Jackson and Thriller follow at #2 and #3, selling more than 102,000 and 101,000 copies, respectively.

His breakthrough Off the Wall album is at #4, selling more than 33,000 copies nearly 30 years after it was initially released. The Jackson 5's Ultimate Collection is next at #5, with sales of more than 18,000 copies. His 1987 Bad album returns at #6 (17,000 sold); Dangerous is at #7 (14,000); HIStory — Volume 1 is at #8 (12,000); and the 2004 Jackson box set, The Ultimate Collection, lands at #9 (11,000).

The lone non-Jackson album in the top 10 is a reissue of the "Woodstock" movie soundtrack, which sold 8,000 copies to snag the #10 spot.

All in all, Jackson's solo albums sold more than 415,000 copies this past week, according to SoundScan, an amazing number, considering his titles sold a combined 10,000 copies in the week prior to his death. The one-week total is also nearly 40 percent more than what his catalog had sold in all of 2009.

Of the 415,000 albums sold, 58 percent were digital downloads, which means Jackson has set another record: He's the first artist to hold six of the top 10 slots on the Digital Albums chart, including the top four spots. He also holds a staggering 25 songs on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart, smashing a record set by David Cook last year.

Early SoundScan reports have the Black Eyed Peas' The E.N.D. claiming the top spot on next week's Billboard's Top 200, with sales of more than 88,000 copies. If that figure holds true, this week marks the first time that a catalog album has sold more copies than the album that sits at #1 on the Top 200.

Catalog albums — defined by Billboard as being albums that are more than 18 months old and have fallen below position 100 on the Billboard Top 200 chart — are ineligible to appear on the Top 200 albums chart. They can chart on the all-encompassing Top Comprehensive Albums list, where, once again, Jackson is on top, holding the top three positions on the chart, followed by The E.N.D. at #4.

For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

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