MTV News |
- Drake On Dating: 'I Like Older Women, Period'
- Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West Go To War In 'Run This Town' Video
- Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am Remixes LMFAO For Pepsi Ad
- Omarion Parts Ways With Young Money
- Pete Wentz Declares Jay-Z The Hottest MC In The Game
- Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Miley's Teen Choice Pole Dance
- The J To Z Of Jay-Z: The Making Of A Hip-Hop Heavyweight
- 'Twilight' Author Stephenie Meyer's Favorite Bands Like Her Too
| Drake On Dating: 'I Like Older Women, Period' Posted: 21 Aug 2009 03:50 AM PDT 'I never end up dating ... women that are my age,' MC says.
Drake may be young, but the Toronto rapper's lyrics can be mature beyond his years. In the remix to Fabolous' "Put It in the Bag," his verse was actually inspired by a previous relationship he had with an older woman. "I used to talk to this woman that was 35-plus," Drake laughed. "I'm a mature individual."
At the time, he was a barely 20-year-old upstart MC. Aside from simply enjoying dating a more experienced woman, Drake said he was drawn to her perspective — she framed the world much differently than he did at the time. "It was kind of, like, what she saw in me," the 22-year-old explained. "I say in the song, 'She just wants that feeling back, I make her feel young again.' We were doing things young people do, like just going swimming late at night. Just chilling, drinking, like kicking it, talking. But it was so intriguing for me. The appeal was obvious. I think I can also maybe even say I felt guilty to the fact that it was a bit of a story to tell, that's why I was doing it. But I like older women, period. I never end up dating — seriously — women that are my age." The Lil Wayne protégé went on to add that more often than not he finds himself in relationships with women pushing 30. "Maybe it's the way I carry myself," he said. As for that particular older woman? "When I hear that song now on the radio, I just laugh," Drake said. "I wonder if she ever hears it. I lost contact with her." Related Videos |
| Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West Go To War In 'Run This Town' Video Posted: 20 Aug 2009 08:53 AM PDT Clip is for first official single from Jay's long-awaited Blueprint 3 LP.
In the future (after the apocalypse, I'm assuming), leather-clad gangs will battle for supremacy on the rubble-strewn streets of New York City. They will carry torches (perhaps the sun has been blotted out?) and scowl a lot. There also will be a whole lot of overturned/ burned-out vehicles, as is to be expected in any post-apocalyptic scenario. The future, it turns out, is vaguely reminiscent of "300," or maybe "The Warriors," or both. That, in a nutshell, is the basic scenario of "Run This Town," the much-anticipated video that brings together three of the hugest names in the music industry — Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West — and casts them as warlords in a 23rd-century turf war.
Anyway, here's what you need to know about "Run This Town": It's three of the decade's biggest artists, appearing on one of the year's most talked-about songs, promoting the hugest rap album in recent memory (Jay's The Blueprint 3, due September 11). It really doesn't matter what they're doing in the video — their combined wattage is that powerful. So credit director Anthony Mandler — who also helmed Jay's VMA-nominated "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" clip — for changing things up. Jay and Kanye have never gotten this gritty, and Rihanna hasn't looked this dark and menacing since her "Disturbia" clip (which, incidentally, was also directed by Mandler). The "Town" video is super-stylish; Mandler's visuals create a war-torn world that's dank and dangerous. "I wanted something that didn't fit into 'this is New York, this is a building or a street [you know],' " Mandler told MTV News on Wednesday. "I wanted it to feel more ancient. I wanted it to feel more European, but on American soil. I didn't want it to have a framework, like, 'Oh, we're riding in New York.' " As for the song, Jay went out of his way to proclaim that "D.O.A." wasn't meant for iTunes or the radio, which explains why "Run This Town" is being referred to as "the official first single" from Blueprint 3: It's aimed at digital retailers and radio programmers, a certified smash right out of the gate (and though, like "D.O.A.," it's also produced by West and No I.D., it's less knotty and more accessible). And it fits perfectly with Mandler's vision, too: The menacing, marching drum beats recall nothing if not the dark and deadly streets of tomorrow (and today, for that matter). Given that "Run This Town" is, by its very definition, a star-driven vehicle, you couldn't blame everyone involved if they mailed it in and coasted by on name and reputation alone. But no one does that here ... not Mandler, not Jay, Rihanna or Kanye (though, strangely, he is noticeably absent for most of the clip's first three minutes). If all superstars worked this hard, the world would be a better place ... until it's destroyed by the apocalypse, that is. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am Remixes LMFAO For Pepsi Ad Posted: 21 Aug 2009 03:50 AM PDT 'I'm doing this campaign inspiring other producers to go out and remix this LMFAO song,' Will explains.
Will.I.Am has a special place in his heart for several things: the duo LMFAO, Pepsi, Michael Jackson and even Brian Austin Green from "90210." When the Black Eyed Peas mastermind explains it, the mishmash of names isn't quite as odd as it might seem. Will was approached to work on a new Pepsi campaign to inspire other producers and artists to remix songs. So Will decided that if he were going to remix any song for the campaign, he'd choose a track by LMFAO, who are signed to Will's label.
"We got our start in Los Angeles," he told MTV News of the beginning of the Black Eyed Peas. "Our first demo was recorded in three people's houses — one was Brian Austin Green from '90210,' the second was Ben More [from Blood of Abraham] ... and another person who allowed us [to record] was Redfoo from LMFAO, and with that demo, we got a record deal." Will added that he's known Redfoo since seventh grade and even tried to score a record deal from Red's dad, Berry Gordy, when he was a freshman in high school. "To make a long story short, here we are in 2009, and I'm doing this campaign inspiring other producers to go out and remix this LMFAO song," he said. "Berry Gordy is his pops, and Berry Gordy birthed Michael Jackson['s career]." And the relationships go even deeper than that. "Michael Jackson did Pepsi," he said. "And I worked with Mike. BEP did a Pepsi campaign — just full-circle. It's kind of mind-blowing. And it's kind of dope." |
| Omarion Parts Ways With Young Money Posted: 20 Aug 2009 03:04 AM PDT 'Business is business,' O tweeted about asking to be released from Lil Wayne's label.
Omarion's stint on Lil Wayne's Young Money Records was almost as short as a Usain Bolt 100-meter dash. Last week, Lil Wayne introduced the fan-favorite performer during a California stop of Young Money Presents: The America's Most Wanted Music Festival. Wayne said Omarion was on his burgeoning label — which also includes Drake, Nicki Minaj and Tyga — and the singer seemed excited to be down with the crew. He even moonwalked to Michael Jackson music onstage. On Wednesday, a record called "I Get It In" featuring Wayne and O hit the Net, and the machine seemed to be rolling smoothly. The euphoria hit the breaks abruptly, however. Later that night, Wayne's trusted crew member Mack Maine hit Twitter and wrote that O was off the label and the song with Wayne was a leak and not official. Mack did wish Omarion good luck. Rumors swirled that the star of hit singles such as "Ice Box" and "Touch" had been dropped because he leaked his song with Wayne. The former B2K member countered that rumor on Thursday (August 20), clarifying the matter on Twitter. "I didn't get dropped," he tweeted. "I wish Wayne and all of [Young Money] good luck for their future. There are no hard feelings, business is business." Omarion's rep said the singer was unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, Cash Money and Young Money reps were traveling to a Denver tour date and were unable to be reached at press time. O's good friend Bow Wow was just signed to Cash Money earlier this week. The pair released a joint LP, Face Off, together in 2007. Related Artists |
| Pete Wentz Declares Jay-Z The Hottest MC In The Game Posted: 20 Aug 2009 02:06 AM PDT Fall Out Boy bassist thinks the verses on 'Run This Town' should clinch Hov the title.
Who is the Hottest MC in the Game? The MTV News Brain Trust will declare their verdict in October, but in the meantime, the hip-hop community has been in full-on debate mode on the Internet. We're not sure if Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz has cast his vote in our online poll, but during a recent interview, Pete did have some strong opinions about who should make the list. The first person he talked about was a young man for Toronto with whom everyone has become enamored lately.
"I like Drake because he came outta nowhere," Wentz said. "This guy went from one minute on 'Degrassi' and hanging with Travis McCoy [who said], 'This Drake dude is gonna be huge,' to ... I don't know, he's huge. And not on a record label, and labels have to pay him $1 billion to sign him because he has, like, a #1 hit. "I like Kanye because he's always changing it up," Wentz added of his other faves. "And Wayne for that as well." While he thinks all of those guys are worthy contenders in his book, Wentz said one guy is his clear front-runner for the top of the 2009 list. "I would say that the title [of 'Hottest MC'] goes to Jay for 'Run This Town.' His verses on that are worth it alone. It's insane," he said. "It pretty much explains how everything went down. Best rapper alive to 'rewrite history without a pen.' I would give it Jay." Wentz, without a shadow of doubt, is highly anticipating Jay's next, already-assumed-classic album, The Blueprint 3, which comes out on September 11. "That cover is gnarly, dude," Wentz described excitedly. "It's like the U2 of hip-hop, dude. "I'm gonna put myself way out on a limb," he joked, "but I think it's gonna be awesome." Who do you think is the Hottest MC in the Game? Don't forget to vote from now through September 21 to have your voice heard. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Miley's Teen Choice Pole Dance Posted: 20 Aug 2009 02:53 AM PDT 'I just think that Miley loves entertaining people,' singer's dad says.
After Miley Cyrus performed her new single "Party in the U.S.A." at the Teen Choice Awards on August 10 — while dancing around what appeared to be a stripper pole — the singer garnered criticism about the performance, not least from Disney, the company that airs "Hannah Montana" and releases her recordings. But her dad, Billy Ray, is coming to the defense of his 16-year-old daughter and the performance that had everyone talking. "You know what? I just think that Miley loves entertaining people," Billy Ray told Access Hollywood. "She loves singing [and] songwriting."
He added that he tells his kids to do what they think is right, no matter what other people might have to say about their decisions. "I always tell her to love what you're doing and stay focused for the love of the art and not worry so much about opinion," he said. Billy Ray also spoke to UsMagazine.com about the performance, noting that he isn't there to inhibit his kids' creative and artistic expressions. "I give my kids a lot of freedom to make the art they wanna make, and make it in their own voice," he said. "I think it's important." In the days after the show, Disney issued a statement about the performance, noting that what the "Hannah Montana" star did onstage there had nothing to do with the network. "Disney Channel won't be commenting on that performance, although parents can rest assured that all content presented on the Disney Channel is age-appropriate for our audience — kids 6-14 — and consistent with what our brand values are." Related Artists |
| The J To Z Of Jay-Z: The Making Of A Hip-Hop Heavyweight Posted: 20 Aug 2009 02:27 AM PDT We look back over Jay's storied career before he completes his Blueprint trilogy in September.
The storied career of perhaps the greatest rapper of all time kicked into yet another gear Thursday (August 20) when Jay-Z's video for "Run This Town" premiered on MTV. The Brooklyn lyricist is readying his 11th solo album — and the final in the Blueprint trilogy — for release September 11. MTV News will be presenting "The J to Z of Jay-Z," a retrospective of the rapper's career, leading up to the release of The Blueprint 3, featuring archived video clips from some of his finest moments and interviews.
It all started for Jay-Z, professionally, when he aligned himself with veteran rapper Jaz-O. Soon, the quick-witted MC was learning the music business from the inside. However, he was still unable to land a recording deal of his own. So Hov partnered with Dame Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke to launch Roc-A-Fella Records. The trio hit big with Jay-Z's debut, Reasonable Doubt. The classic collection established the rapper as a rising star. He solidified his lyrical reputation on the follow-up, In My Lifetime. With the passing of rap titans Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., hip-hop was devoid of a reigning king — until Jay-Z delivered his third album, Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life. He'd always been inspired by Biggie, whom he attended school with, and now the Marcy Project rhyme-spitter ascended to occupy his fallen friend's King of New York crown. "[When] someone like Biggie comes out the neighborhood," Jay-Z told MTV News in August 1998, "you look at that like, 'I could do that.' That's where B.I.G., that's where Christopher is from, [the guy] who used to [hang] in front of the yellow store all day long. It's just the inspiration and the drive to know that if you strive, things could happen and you can come up out of here, Brooklyn, [or any other] tough neighborhoods." Mainstream success soon followed for Jay-Z. He performed at the 1999 Video Music Awards, doing double duty when DMX was a no-show at the event. Ever the businessman, Jay-Z and his partners introduced a flurry of projects toward the end of the '90s, from clothing line Rocawear to wrapping Hov's first album trilogy with the release of Vol. 3 ... The Life & Times of S. Carter. The new millennium saw Jay-Z revisit the contextual themes of his debut, with his classic The Blueprint, released on September 11, 2001, just hours after the tragic terror attacks occurred in New York. "Still chasing the elusive Reasonable Doubt," he told us with a smile. "[The Blueprint] is definitely up there, but I feel that all the time. It ain't for me to say — it's for the people to say." While most New Yorkers were bonding in the aftermath of 9/11, two of the Big Apple's best were engulfed in a nasty feud. Jay-Z prodded Nas on Blueprint's "Takeover," a scathing dis effort largely targeted at Mobb Deep. Nas responded with brutal gusto on "Ether." The two lyrical wizards shocked many in the hip-hop community by engaging in vicious character attacks in rhyme. Jay-Z abandoned the battle after his mother suggested he went too far on "Super Ugly." The dis was criticized by the public at large and left Hov wounded for the first time in his career. Bruised but not damaged, Jay-Z swiftly began work on The Black Album, which he announced would be his final solo rap album. He quickly won over fans again with the project. The album was praised from the booming "PSA" to the melancholy "Allure." It was evident Jay-Z was going out on top. But what would a charismatic young man with a Ph.D. in street economics do with his free time once he quit rap? Jay-Z turned the tides on the record companies that wouldn't sign him as he became the first rapper to head a major label when he was appointed the president of Def Jam in December 2004. The deal cemented Hov as a power player. He also retained ownership of Roc-A-Fella after he, Dash and Biggs were bought out by Island Def Jam Music Group. Under Jay-Z's leadership, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, and Kanye West transformed from notable talents to international superstars. The rapper turned executive kept busy in other ways too. He and Nas buried their longstanding feud. Jay-Z then signed the Queens poet to Def Jam. The move was orchestrated behind the scenes but brought public during New York radio station Power 105's annual Powerhouse concert. "It's bigger than both of us," Jay-Z later said during an interview he and Nas did with MTV News' Sway. "It's not really about us. I mean, it is, but it really isn't. It's more about the culture, about showing people another way, because [the battle] we staged was something that stopped the world. Now everyone emulates the battle. 'If I do that, I can get attention drawn to me.' Now everyone is emulating the end result. So now we have to show them another way." Still, despite all the accomplishments Jay-Z racked up in his suit and tie, it didn't compete with the feeling he received as an artist. So in September 2006, Hov announced his return to hip-hop. He left the corporate suite and went back into the recording both. The result was Kingdom Come, which debuted at #1 and scored Jay-Z the highest first-week sales in his career. The past three years, without question, have been better for hip-hop with Jay-Z's return. He followed Kingdom Come with American Gangster (featuring his and Nas' first official collaboration), an album inspired in part by the Denzel Washington movie of the same name. Jay-Z also married longtime girlfriend Beyoncé. Then he announced he'd be completing the Blueprint trilogy that began in 2001 with The Blueprint 3, a project that will be released through Jay-Z's Roc Nation partnership with concert-promotion giant Live Nation. Jay-Z continues to make moves, make history and make the game better with his presence. Does he run the town? It would be hard to argue against him. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Twilight' Author Stephenie Meyer's Favorite Bands Like Her Too Posted: 20 Aug 2009 02:40 AM PDT 'I checked it out ... It was great!' White Rabbits drummer Matt Clark says of 'Twilight.'
"Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer recently took to her blog to update fans about what's been shaking so far during her summer: lots of reading, a bit of movie watching, and a ton of music listening. In her blog post, she gave love to a bunch of indie bands, and in subsequent conversations with MTV News, the bands gave the love right back to her. "I really should have known about Meese a while ago, but thanks to a mislabeled CD mix, I didn't realize Meese was responsible for one of my favorite songs until I went to their concert," Meyer explained. "And then I was glad that I already loved them, because the guys in Meese are possibly the nicest people in the world."
Guitarist Nate Meese was already a huge "Twilight" fan before meeting Meyer at their show in Phoenix this July. He'd picked up the first book at his record label before catching a plane to Denver, and got hooked at 40,000 feet. "It was one of those things where you finish it in 48 hours," he told MTV News. "When we met her backstage I gave her a CD, like, 'Yeah, check out my band, let me know what you think.' I never thought I'd hear back." But she did get in touch with Nate, and they've been corresponding back and forth about writing, books and the bands they both love — including groups that appeared on the "Twilight" movie soundtrack. "She's a huge music fan," he said. "She really likes Muse, I really like Muse." Other bands Meyer cited include Animal Collective, Silversun Pickups and the Dead Weather. The guys in White Rabbits — whose album, It's Frightening, Meyer very much digs — have never met the author, but drummer Matt Clark considers himself a fan, if only because his girlfriend convinced him to watch the movie. "She'd just read the book and said, 'You have to watch this movie with me,' " Clark explained to MTV News. "Typically it's not my thing, but I checked it out because she asked. It was great!" By that point, he was already well aware of the ability of the "Twilight" to bring lesser-known bands to wider attention. "The soundtrack is a huge Billboard hit, which is really rare nowadays," he said. Nate Meese has seen the movie a bunch of times, though like many a Twilighter out there, he prefers the books to the movie. That being said, he has no problem whatsoever if the band one day makes it onto a "Twilight" franchise soundtrack. Still, that prospect has not come up in conversations with Meyer. "We haven't talked about it at all, but it would be incredible!" he said. Related Photos Related Artists |
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