Rabu, 30 September 2009

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Delicious hotlist


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MTV News

MTV News


Fabolous Is The #8 Hottest MC In The Game!

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

Loso's Way brings multifaceted MC to a new career peak.
By Shaheem Reid


Fabolous
Photo: MTV News/The Source

The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is on! As in 2007 and 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an MC's achievements right now, rather than an entire career. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The Brain Trust also considers buzz, impact, commercial success — sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers — and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors — and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and gets a vote at the Roundtable during the Brain Trust's debate — contribute to deciding who is the Hottest MC in the Game. We'll be announcing an MC's rank every day this week, with the full list revealed on Sunday at 10 p.m. during "P. Diddy's Starmaker"!

Flame Thrower: Fabolous

2009 Rank: 8

Previous Rankings: 2007 (not ranked); 2008 (not ranked)

Why He's Hot: Fabolous started his Loso's Way campaign by telling the world that it was "his time," and the boy from Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood lived up to his claim. Loso's Way — a concept project inspired in part by the gangster film "Carlito's Way" — became his first #1 LP on the Billboard albums chart, selling nearly 99,000 units in its first week of release. All year, we've been hearing "It's Loso, in case you didn't know, so ..." for a reason: Fab never runs out of ammo with his tireless punch lines and swag!

Right out the gate, he had big radio and club records with "Throw It in the Bag" (and its sweltering remix, "Everything, Everywhere, Everyday") and his latest, "Money Goes, Honey Stay" (He had the pull to not just get the beat and chorus for the record from Jay-Z, but he also scored a rare Hov cameo in the video). The rest of the album is bone-crunching: his unprecedented candor about his newborn son on "Stay," the playful pathos of "Last Time" and the outright audacity on the "The Way (Intro)." He didn't just play on his home field, either: Loso also came with numerous but diverse guest appearances alongside Rick Ross, The-Dream, Red Cafe, Ryan Leslie, Slim from 112, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo and Jamie Foxx.

Like a lot of our other Hottest MCs, Fab has utilized the Web — but not just to give insight on what's going on with his career, but he's also introduced his followers to Fabolous the comedian. He's a one-man Def Comedy Jam, joking on everyone from Bow Wow and T-Pain to Flo Rida. A testament to Loso's popularity, when he speaks on topics on his Twitter page (such as Lil Mama's VMA stage-crash), they become trending topics.


It's Hottest Mcs In The Game week on MTVNews.com! We'll be unveiling a new MC every day this week, and the full list during "P. Diddy's Starmaker," airing Sunday at 10 p.m. on MTV!

»10. Raekwon

»9. 50 Cent

»8. Fabolous

»7.

»6.

»5.

»4.

»3.

»2.

»1.

Co-Signer: Ludacris: "He's doing his thing. He's extremely consistent with it. He does what he does and he does it really good. He knows how to make songs. It's a lot of rappers that just rap; he's one of those individuals that can rap good and, of course, the man knows how to make good songs. You put them together, it's complete. Shout out to Fab, man. Congratulations to that man! My hat goes off to him."

Ignitable Incitement: "You definitely want recognition for what you do," Fab told MTV News on Thursday. "At the same time, even when I'm not on the list or get overlooked for certain things, I use that as motivation to come back until I've proven that, without a doubt, there's no way I shouldn't be on that list. A couple of times I felt that I was overlooked for different things. In front of you guys, I play it cool. At home, I break a couple mirrors and stuff! But everyone loves recognition for what you do. Maybe that's what you do it for, but you love when people respect it; you make music, it's an art form but the way it's received is partially what you do it for. When I'm in the studio creating music, that creation is one process that I love. Then after you create it, you go out there and you wanna see how people receive this creation."

Blistering Ballistics: "These b---hes talk sh-- out the same mouth they kiss you/ These n---as kiss ass with the same mouth that dis you/ Eww! You n---as disgust me/ And they ain't talkin' 'bout sh-- unless they discuss me/ Let's talk about how I'm killin' everything I touches/ Or how I walked in this game with no crutches/ No Diddy, no Dupri, no Dr. Dre/ No Cash Money from Baby and no Rocs from Jay/ And I'm still here!" (from "The Way (Intro)")

Hot Streak:
Albums:
Loso's Way

Selected Mixtapes:
N/A

Singles: "Throw It in the Bag" (featuring The-Dream), "Everything, Everywhere, Everyday" (featuring Ryan Leslie and Keri Hilson), "Money Goes, Honey Stay" (featuring Jay-Z), "It's My Time" (featuring Jeremih)

Street Bangers:
"Throw It in the Bag" remix, (featuring Drake), "Feel Like I'm Back"

Key Guest Appearances: Red Café's "Hottest in the Hood" remix, Lil Cease's "Talk Go Through Us" (also featuring Busta Rhymes), Ne-Yo's "She's Got Her Own" (also featuring Jamie Foxx), Slim's "Good Lovin' " (also featuring Ryan Leslie), Ryan Leslie's "Addiction" (also featuring Cassie), Lil Wayne's "You Ain't Got Nothin' " (also featuring Juelz Santana)

Meteoric Metrics (as of September 29)
Twitter Followers: 283,521
MySpace Friends: 485,231
Facebook Fans: 30,146
Loso's Way's first-week album sales: Nearly 99,000 copies; #1 debut

Business Ventures: Endorsement deal with Reebok Classic sneakers; owner of Rich Yung Clothing Line

Tours: Several dates opening for Jay-Z in spring/summer 2009

Monumental Moment: Loso's Way hitting #1 on the Billboard albums chart

What do you think of Fabolous' placement on the Hottest MCs in the Game list? Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to YourMTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV!

MTV News will be unveiling the Hottest MCs in the Game all week! We'll be announcing an MC's rank every day this week, with the full list revealed on Sunday at 10 p.m. during "P. Diddy's Starmaker"!

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Brody Jenner Thinks Heidi And Spencer Will Be 'Great Parents'

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

'A little Heidi and Spencer would be great,' the 'Hills' star says.
By Jocelyn Vena


Brody Jenner
Photo: MTV News

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are still fighting over baby plans on new episodes of "The Hills." But Spencer's former bro, Brody Jenner, thinks that once they decide to add a little Pratt to their clan, they will eventually make great parents.

"I mean, I think they're going to do whatever they want to do regardless of what I think, but I mean, a baby already? Everybody's just moving pretty fast," he told MTV News. "Maybe I'm moving really slow, I don't know. I don't think so. A little Heidi and Spencer would be great. I think they'd be great parents."

Brody and Spencer had a falling out after Heidi and LC stopped talking and Brody continued his friendship with Lauren. It seems that the pair still aren't on great terms, though their relationship has gotten a little warmer than it used to be.

"Spencer and I had a falling out, but that was quite some time ago, I'd say. I haven't really filmed with him at all ... I mean, we're not enemies. We're not really that good of friends either," he explained. "We're pretty neutral. I still talk to him occasionally. He texts me. We have a very kickback relationship now."

But Brody has heard some interesting tales about the infamous couple and is curious to see just what they are like these days.

"Every time I go to film or I'm filming with somebody else, I hear stories that Spencer's wearing cowboy hats all the time now and wearing charms, some kind of necklaces," he said. "And Heidi is splashing wands around and blessing people. I mean, with those two you never know. Every day I hear something new about them. I haven't filmed with them yet, so I'm actually curious to see what they're really like. I've heard a lot of things, but I haven't been able to see it myself."

New episodes of "The Hills" premiere Tuesday, September 29, at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.

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Chris Brown's 'I Can Transform Ya,' Featuring Lil Wayne, Hits Web

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 01:45 AM PDT

Swizz Beatz-produced track is the lead single from Brown's Graffiti album.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Chris Brown
Photo: Jason LaVeris/ FilmMagic

Chris Brown is smoother than ever on his new track, the uptempo "I Can Transform Ya," featuring Lil Wayne and produced by Swizz Beatz.

"I Can Transform Ya," previously known as "Transformer," is the first official song Brown has released since his February altercation with then-girlfriend Rihanna and also the lead single from his forthcoming album, Graffiti. He premiered the song on his Web site, MechanicalDummy.com. Shortly after the song hit the Web, it was on the radio and one of the trending topics on Twitter.

Over a frenetic Swizz beat featuring pounding drums and a synthesized guitar riff, Brown sings about introducing a young lady to the high life.

"I can transform ya, I can transform ya/ Anything you want, I got it, I can get it for you/ You my baby girl, so you know I get it for you," Brown sings on the hook, before Swizzy joins him for the latter half of the chorus. "Shoes, you got it/ Bags, you got it/ Cars, you got it/ Money, you got it/ I can transform ya, anything you want, I can get it for you."

Brown recently tweeted that he's finished recording Graffiti. Swizz Beatz spoke to MTV News about working with Brown and said the singer has "something to prove." The producer predicted a smash when he discussed "I Can Transform Ya" and said Wayne delivered one of his best verses.

"I can turn you from a human to a Carter/ Take you off the bench, turn you into a starter," Weezy raps. "Then I take you home and put you on a charter/ Then my car turns into a charter/ And we can fly to wherever you never thought of/ I take you to where it's warmer and then dress off like it's a warm-up."

"The Wayne part is just nothing to talk about," Swizz boasted. "He really showed his a-- on this one. It's probably the best feature verse since the 'It's Me [Bitches]' remix."

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Whitney Port, Olivia Palermo Still Not 'Super Best Friends' On 'The City'

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

Now that they don't work together, the frienemies just 'cross paths,' Port says.
By Jocelyn Vena


Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo
Photo: Duffy-Marie Arnoult/ Getty Images

Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo have certainly had their fair share of issues with one another. They had a girl fight or two while working together at Diane Von Furstenberg. But now that the pair are each off doing their own thing at two separate new jobs (Palermo at Elle and Port at People's Revolution), can they put the past behind them and forge a friendship?

Well, not so fast. They are on better terms, but they certainly are far from besties. "Olivia and I have crossed paths a little bit at work events," she told MTV News. "We worked together at a Longchamp event, and then we saw each other at Miami Fashion Week and so we bump into each other. But socially, we don't really hang out. No.

"Sometimes we check in with each other: How are you? What's going on? Is everything OK?" she said. "But [we're] not really super best friends."

These days, however, Port is spending her time with her old pal and newest "City" castmember Roxy Olin. "Well, Roxy is my friend from home," Whitney Port explained to MTV News of her new roommate. "We went to high school together and we were on the dance team together and we kind of lost touch once we graduated high school. But she decided to move to New York and got in touch with me and we had a little reunion."

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Flyleaf Create 'Ethereal And Industrial' Video For 'Again'

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 04:58 AM PDT

'The whole theme is that everything comes to an end,' guitarist Sameer Bhattacharya says of the clip.
By Kyle Anderson, with reporting by Matt Elias


Flyleaf's Lacey Mosely in "Again"
Photo: A&M/ Octone Records

Flyleaf are a band on the verge. Following the success of their self-titled 2005 debut (which moved 1 million copies), they are finally ready to release the follow-up, Memento Mori.

For the album's first single, the bracing rocker "Again," they teamed up with director Meiert Avis (who has helmed clips for a diverse list of artists, including Avril Lavigne, U2, Jack's Mannequin, Audioslave and Bruce Springsteen) for a video that acts as a statement of purpose for who they are and what they've been thinking about.

"The whole theme is that everything comes to an end," explained guitarist Sameer Bhattacharya, noting that their album title is a Latin phrase that loosely translates to "remember death." "But there's always hope and a bigger picture too."

The clip was shot entirely in front of a green screen, which allowed the band to perform the song while the mind-bending visuals were added later. "There are these images that start out as light and energy, and they slowly turn into these woodcuts — something real," Bhattacharya said.

The woodcuts in question are designs created by bassist Pat Seals, who also designed all the artwork for the album. "One of the videos that Meiert gave us for reference was Radiohead's 'Like Spinning Plates,' " frontwoman Lacey explained, referencing the English band's 2001 clip that featured surreal computer graphics but ended with a concrete image of conjoined twins. "It's ethereal and industrial at the same time."

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DMX, KRS-One Say They're Still The 'Heat' And The 'Fuel'

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

New York legends trade compliments on the red carpet of VH1's "Hip Hop Honors," in Mixtape Daily.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with additional reporting by Shaheem Reid and Yasmine Richard


DMX & KRS-One
Photo: Jemal Countess/WireImage

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"That's the maaaan! That's the maaaan, right there! That's the maaaan!"

The booming voice delivering the props was instantly recognizable to anyone within earshot. DMX had just arrived on the red carpet at VH1's "Hip Hop Honors" in Brooklyn last week and caught sight of KRS-One.

"Don't even start it, that's the man," the Blastmaster said back to X.

The New York icons instantly hugged and connected. It's the kind of behind-the-scenes moment that makes events like these so memorable, when legends turn into fans and exchange compliments like business cards.

"You got me through two years up north with 'The Bridge Is Over,' " the Dog told the Bronx bomber. "Real talk. Real talk. You got me through it, baby. You got me through it."

KRS-One pulled X beside him and then began talking to MTV News about this year's Hottest MCs list. Even though DMX has as many New York hits as Derek Jeter, due to recent troubles — like a three-month prison sentence for animal-cruelty, drug and fraud charges — he hasn't been active musically for a while. But the Teacher put up the case for X anyway.

"DMX, everything this brother spits is hot," KRS said. "Everything. This is the heat right here. When I stand next to MCs, this is who I wanna stand next to. This brother gets it in. And not many cats that make hit records can also get it in on the mic. It's sorta like you trade in one for the other: You make a hit, you leave the streets. You stay in the streets, you can't make a hit. This right here, [though,] is living proof. Get at me, dog."

"If I'm the heat, this is the fuel," X countered. "This is the fuel that's off the heat. It's an honor, real talk."

VH1's "Hip Hop Honors" air on October 13.

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

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Miley Cyrus And The Perfect Party (In The U.S.A.)

Posted: 30 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

If you have to talk about how hard you're partying, you're probably not doing it right, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery


Miley Cyrus in "Party In The U.S.A."
Photo: Disney

Here's the thing about "Party in the U.S.A.," Miley Cyrus' plasticized ode to, well, partying in the USA: It is exceedingly patriotic, but it is not a great party song.

This has less to do with the tune itself — which is actually pretty good, thanks to Dr. Luke's whooshing production, Cyrus' salty-yet-sweet robo-vocals and the hyper-literal lyrics (Miley listens to Jay-Z and Britney, goes to a club and likes to wear a cardigan when she's flying cross-country) — than it does with its sentiment. That's because great party songs are never actually about partying. Shoot, the best ones never even mention it. They don't have to.

This is because talking about partying is completely antithetical to actually partying.

Think of every great party you've ever been to — the ones where you wake up with a fat lip and someone's undergarments on your head. Did you ever have to convince anyone who was there that it was, in fact, a great party? Did you ever have to utter the phrase "That was fun!" Of course not. Because, if you did, it wouldn't have been a great party and you wouldn't have ended up with underwear in your hair. The great ones leave no doubt in your mind — they don't require convincing and they don't need validation.

And the same logic also applies to great party songs — they must be organic, they must be chaotic, and they must come stumbling out of the cold, slurring and sidewinding and slurping (this is basically Ol' Dirty Bastard's "Got Your Money"). They're not eager to get a party started, because they know the best parties don't just start, they happen. They're not going to try to make you dance because, well, you should just want to dance. (Otherwise, why are you even at the party?) They are full of unspoken truths, sexy subtleties. They don't want to party with you — you want to party with them.

In other words, great party songs don't give a f--- about the actual party. And as soon as you pepper the chorus of your tune with the P-word — like Miley has done — you've violated this cardinal rule. You've forced the issue, you've stated the obvious and you've made the musical equivalent of a party at your parents' house, with mom and dad manning the keg. It's sad and it's just too eager.

And using the word "Party" in the title of your song is possibly the worst violation of all, because it makes the tune — as my editor April Richardson put it — "like the guy trying to start the wave." And who wants to party with him?

(Of course, there are some exceptions: super-pumped-about-life Andrew W.K. gets a lifetime pass, because flossing his teeth is a "party" to that guy. DMX's "Party Up" gets a pass because it's not really about partying ... well, unless your idea of "partying" is robbing banks, in which case you and DMX have a lot in common, according to the video. Ween's "Your Party" is OK because David Sanborn plays on it. Black Flag's "TV Party" gets by because it's a piss-take. Notorious B.I.G.'s "Party and Bullsh--" is party-approved because it has curse words in it. Party songs are not an exact science, after all.)

While untold thousands of Miley fans might disagree with me, basically you just know a good party song as soon as you hear it — you don't have to be told you're listening to one. The writers of the great ones already know this, and it's probably a good thing that 16-year-old Miley doesn't yet. She's got lots of time to work on her party presentation.

Questions? Concerns? Thesis you've written in defense of Eddie Murphy's "Party All the Time"? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

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Lil Wayne, Drake Rock With Birdman In 'Money To Blow' Video

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 09:13 AM PDT

Clip was shot in Miami alongside Drake's 'Forever' video.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Birdman and Lil Wayne in the "Money to Blow" music video
Photo: Cash Money, Universal Motown

Birdman, Lil Wayne and Drake together on one track equals a multi-million dollar lineup. So it only makes sense that the trio talk dollars on Birdman's track, "Money to Blow," the latest single from his Pricele$$ LP, which is set for release next month.

The pricey video for the track was recently shot in Miami at the same time that the posse filmed the video for Drake's "Forever" (from the LeBron James documentary, "More Than a Game"), which also features Wayne along with Kanye West and Eminem.

In the Gil Green-directed "Money to Blow" clip — which debuted on MTV.com on Tuesday (September 29) — Drake kicks things off, rocking an all-black outfit against a milky white backdrop.

"I am on a 24-hour champagne diet/ Spilling while I'm sipping, I encourage you to try it/ I'm probably just saying that 'cause I don't have to buy it/ The club owner supplies it, boy I'm on that fly sh--," Drake says in an Auto-Tuned croon.

Drake's movements are kept to a minimum, of course; the video was shot just before he underwent surgery to repair ligaments he tore in his knee over the summer.

Birdman (a.k.a. Baby), though, does anything but stand still. The Cash Money co-CEO sways side-to-side, tossing wads of cash while standing between a pearl Lamborghini and matching Maybach.

The track first leaked online featuring just Drake and Lil Wayne, but the Drumma Boy-produced number is now firmly in Birdman's possession as he spits, "Kept stuntin', more money, burn it up."

Weezy closes out the clip in money chamber of sorts, joined by his Young Money cohorts Lil Twist and Lil Chuckee.

"Well, I get paid every 24 hours, money and the power/ Come in VIP and get a champagne shower/ I don't have to worry because everything is ours," Wayne boasts.

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Mariah Carey Insists New Songs Are Not About Nick Cannon

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 04:46 AM PDT

'If they think that, they haven't seen either one of us on an interview,' she says of her more negative new tunes.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Jim Cantiello


Mariah Carey
Photo: MTV News

Sixteen months after her last studio album debuted in the top spot on the Billboard 200, Mariah Carey returned Tuesday (September 29) with Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, her first disc since she and Nick Cannon tied the knot in the spring of 2008. Though the multiplatinum songstress seems to have found domestic bliss in her own life, her new album is filled with slow jams and poppy dance tunes about unhealthy relationships, broken hearts and infidelity.

But Mimi isn't worried that any of her fans will make the mistake of thinking these new songs reflect the current state of her love life or that her marriage might be on the rocks. "If they think that, they haven't seen either one of us on an interview," Carey told MTV News. "And I doubt that!"

Rather than reflecting this latest phase of happy coupledom, Carey said the autobiographical elements of the new album extend back to the earliest years of her life. "I'm always writing things down," she explained. "I've been doing that since I was 6 years old. [In Memoirs], I'm kind of looking at my life and going, 'That was a stupid thing to do. Let me write about it.' I remember this, 'Oh, I wrote about this, let me finish the song.' "

Co-producing much of the album with industry heavyweights Tricky and The-Dream allowed the 39-year-old Carey to return to this decades-in-the-making material. "I really enjoyed working with them because I felt like they, in a way, just by collaborating with me, allowed me the freedom to express myself in a way that I may not have felt empowered enough to do in the past," she said.

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Selasa, 29 September 2009

MTV News

MTV News


50 Cent Hangs Tough As The #9 Hottest MC In The Game

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

Despite no official album, Fif has stayed hot with mixtapes, Web presence and publicity.
By Shaheem Reid


50 Cent
Photo: Interscope/MTV News

The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is on! As in 2007 and 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an MC's achievements right now, rather than an entire career. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The Brain Trust also considers buzz, impact, commercial success — sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers — and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors — and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and gets a vote at the Roundtable during the Brain Trust's debate — contribute to deciding who is the Hottest MC in the Game. We'll be announcing an MC's rank every day this week, with the full list revealed Sunday at 10 p.m. during "P. Diddy's Starmaker"!

Flame Thrower: 50 Cent

2009 Rank: 9

Previous Rankings: 2007 (#8); 2008 (#6)

Why He's Hot: Over the past year, 50 Cent chose not to roam on one of his main predatory terrains, the Billboard charts, by continuing to hold back the release of his long-awaited Before I Self-Destruct LP. Instead, the G-Unit General began to fully realize the potential of another region in which he'd already planted his flag: the Internet.

50 Cent used his Web site, ThisIs50.com, as a source of promotion for himself and G-Unit members Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and DJ Whoo Kid. More than any other artist in hip-hop, Fif saw the Internet's potential, and in 2009, he just about perfected his vision. No other hip-hop artist has been able to capitalize off their name and accompanying Web site the way Curtis Jackson has. He pushes G-Unit mixtapes, world-premieres the crew's song downloads, promotes shows like the upcoming ThisIs50 Festival and releases viral videos such as his controversial "Flight 187," in which he showed unflattering stock footage of Jay-Z, Britney Spears and others.

ThisIs50.com, though, has come to be so much more than a vanity Web site. You can't talk about the top hip-hop blogs without mentioning ThisIs50. Fif's Web home has become one of the must-stop destinations to get your hip-hop news. The site doesn't just pick up info and video from other outlets; ThisIs50 also offers exclusive interviews and music. Artists outside of the G-Unit, such as Maino, Papoose, DJ Kay Slay, Cormega and Noreaga are also using ThisIs50 as a venue to put out music and videos.

As much as the site can be used as a valuable tool, 50 also showed the world it could act as a weapon. Fif used his Web site as a nuclear warhead in his battle with Rick Ross: ThisIs50.com's traffic reportedly doubled once the beef between 50 and Ross started to bake. In his anti-Ross campaign, Fif interviewed Tia Kemp,the mother of one of the Miami heavyweight's kids, and later released a tell-all book about her life with Ross. Adding petroleum to the fire, he released a sex tape featuring another mother of one of Ross' kids via ThisIs50 offshoot site BooBooTV.com. And we can't forget about the popular series "Pimpin' Curly," which the G-Unit General at first used to take the sting out of Ross, calling him "Curly" ("He's not straight," the Bawse rationalized of the nickname), but it became so popular that he issued several more comedic vignettes to further delve into the character.

50's dominance on the Net isn't contained to his own Web site: He's a staple on other blogs and mainstream media outlets. Almost every move he makes is a huge headline, whether it's clarifying his perceived dis toward Jay-Z on the song "Flight 187," rumors of him marrying Ciara or even the simplest activities of him coming onstage with Soulja Boy Tell'em during Young Money Presents: The America's Most Wanted Music Festival. While other artists have tried to throw block parties and park jams as a way to give back to their neighborhood, when 50 tried to do just that at the end of this past summer, not only did he make headlines across the country, he had New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg talking about him in press conferences. And you want to talk about the best interviews in the game right now? No one can deny that 50 has one of the most talked-about sound bites, saying he would "blacken Kanye West's eye" if Yeezy ever tried to Taylor Swift him.

Musically, yes, 50 has had a couple of missteps. There was an obvious disconnect between 50, Interscope and the fans with his records "Get Up" (released late last year) and "I Get It In," but on the street level, where 50 is in total control of when and how the music comes out, it was all harmony. 50 and his camp thrived underground. Even though they've collectively sold tens of millions of albums worldwide, the Unit still stayed on top of the mixtape game. Banks and Yayo have repped the G-Unit brand with incessant unofficial releases (Banks' 4-30-09 double CD and Yayo's Swine Flu series chief among them), while 50 saluted the streets with mixtapes of his own: Forever King and the War Angel LP heated up the summer with a taste of throwback homages and up-to-date urban guerrilla warfare, respectively. His sole mission on the latter was to bring hardcore hip-hop to the forefront. The Southside Queens chief seems to be in the right lane: The Dr. Dre-produced "OK, You're Right" leapt off of the mixtape to the top of the countdown on his hometown radio station, Hot 97, and the eerily entertaining video got some strong rotation. Same for records from Forever King, such as "Funny How Time Flies," on which 50 rapped over '90s R&B group Intro's classic of the same name.

In the past couple of weeks, Fif has continued to show diversity with another club-knocker, "Baby by Me" (featuring Ne-Yo) and a new book, "The 50th Law." And although he made a nice #4 rank on Forbes' list of "Hip-Hop Cash Kings," his love for his Southside Queens home hasn't diminished: He (and Bette Midler) co-sponsored the Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson Community Garden in the neighborhood, and in August, 50 spent close to half a million dollars to send 30 busloads of kids from his old neighborhood to Six Flags Great Adventures in New Jersey, and he performed for them there. Just over the weekend, 50 finally got the proper permits from New York City to sponsor a day of food, games and music for the neighborhood. The cost, according to Fif, was another half a mil.

Co-Signer: DJ Drama: "50 keeps himself in the dialogue, period," Drama said. "The mixtape game right now wouldn't be what it is if it wasn't for 50 Cent. He revolutionized it. He had one of the biggest buzzes ever in hip-hop; he keeps feeding people, he keeps putting out music. The War Angel [mixtape], from beginning to end, is classic 50 Cent. If you're a 50 Cent fan from 2003, it's hard to hate on the new mixtape. 50 Cent is in a space where he's so big and he's been so relevant and the underdog and a bad guy for so long, people try to turn a shoulder on him. But he's still that guy, he's still making great music, and when you talk about Hottest MCs in the Game, you can't have that conversation without talking about 50 Cent."

Ignitable Incitement: "I made a mistake," Fif told MTV News recently. "Early on [in my career], I said, 'They'll get the trophy, I'll get the checks.' That's because I wasn't receiving the acknowledgement based on the aggressive content I was putting out. I've been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards and still ain't got no trophies. Largest debut in hip-hop to date — they just ignored it when it was time to give the trophies out. So I just started saying, 'They can have the trophies, and I'll have the checks.' That didn't mean that I didn't have love for the actual art form. But to give a basic answer that people would understand, I would be secure with my life, I'll continue to make music, but I won't be in front of them and get recognized. I'll get a lifetime-achievement award after based on my full body of work. At that point, it'll be too much for them to ignore. The guy that's trying to get a record deal right now, he should be writing with very strong passion. Right now, he's in competition with 50 Cent, and I'm writing like I need a record deal. It's tough for him."

Blistering Ballistics: "They say I ain't lyrical, they say I ain't a miracle/ I say some hard sh--, so they say I ain't spiritual/ They act like they know God better than me/ I know 'God Allah,' he used to pump crack up the streets/ Allahu akbar, clap and run through your backyard/ Let the Mac tear half of your back off/ This is my block, my spot I adhere/ I'm a Southside n---a to the bone, get that clear." (from "Michael Jackson Freestyle")

Hot Streak
Albums: N/A

Selected Mixtapes: Forever King, The War Angel LP

Singles: "OK, You're Right," "Get Up," "Baby by Me" (featuring Ne-Yo)

Street Bangers: "I Get It In," "Flight 187," "Funny How Time Flies"

Key Guest Appearances: "Crack a Bottle" (with Eminem and Dr. Dre)

Meteoric Metrics: #4 on Forbes' list of "Hip-Hop Cash Kings"

MySpace Friends: 1.19 million

YouTube Views: 5.43 million

ThisIs50.com Stats: 512,000 unique visitors, 9 million page views, 450,000 members

Business Ventures: G-Unit Records (featuring Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, Mobb Deep); ThisIs50.com; Power men's fragrance; "The 50th Law" book (which recently made the top five of the New York Times' "Advice, how-to and miscellaneous" bestsellers list); Formula 50 Vitamin Water; co-starred in "Streets of Blood" film

Tours: Although he only played spot dates in the U.S., 50 and the G-Unit have done more than 50 overseas dates this year alone, including stops in Africa, Ireland, Switzerland, Turkey, Peru and Poland

Monumental Moment: His battle with Rick Ross

Forecast: 50 should only get hotter when he finally releases Before I Self Destruct later this year — but not before he drops another mixtape!

What do you think of 50 Cent's placement on the Hottest MCs in the Game list? Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to YourMTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV!

MTV News will be unveiling the Hottest MCs in the Game all week! We'll be announcing an MC's rank every day this week, with the full list revealed on Sunday at 10 p.m. during "P. Diddy's Starmaker"!

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Raekwon Calls Placing #10 On Hottest MCs List 'A Blessing'

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:16 AM PDT

'I knew I wasn't over,' the Wu-Tang vet says of staying at the top after years in the game.
By Shaheem Reid


Photo: Universal

Raekwon is in Paris right now, thousands of miles from the United States, so the Chef didn't learn until later Monday (September 28) that he was voted #10 on our 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game list.

"We sitting here looking at it right here while we in the studio," the Chef told MTV News. "We looking at the [user] comments, looking at the Roundtable. Y'all definitely getting it in. It feels good. It definitely feels good, word."

Rae said his time with the Wu-Tang Clan has only made him appreciate Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ... Pt. II's reception even more.

"I love it," Rae said. "I'm the Clan's biggest fan. I know what these dudes is capable of. For me to pull this project off and not have them around me every day, I knew that it was something special that these guys have that I have to figure out to put together. It feels good to know n---as is still respected in the game as being the top MCs in the game. I don't look at it as just me. I been a mutha----in' second-string n---a all my life. I never looked at the hot seat as me being there, but I believe in them n---as, and I always wanted to take my n---as to the championship. So I looked at myself as that LeBron n---a, you know?"

Besides Snoop Dogg last year, Raekwon has had the longest career of any MC to make the Hottest list. Translation: A tenured vet is still just as relevant as new cats coming into the game.

"I look at it as a blessing, man," Rae said. "I'm just saying, [the Roundtable] is giving the veteran more medals. I paid my dues in the game. I think I was taught by the best. I was one of them dudes that take rap crazy serious — how you look, how your sneakers look. So for me, I just feel like people is placing the medals on a n---a that made it home. I made it home. Rap was supposed to be over for n---as a long time ago. They say rap, your career only goes on for five years if you ain't really just that n---a. If you that n---a, it's an endless career you could make. I felt like I knew I wasn't over. I feel like respect is due. If it wasn't me, if it was the next n---a that had a similar, same kind of track record, that's still busting his hammer writing and going in still. I pay attention to every n---a. I still feel privileged that n---as still see what the god can do. All praises for that."

MTV News will be unveiling the Hottest MCs in the Game all week! We'll be announcing an MC's rank every day this week, with the full list revealed Sunday at 10 p.m. during "P. Diddy's Starmaker"!

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Paramore Return To The Room Where <i>Brand New Eyes</i> Was Born

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

'After a while it became sort of dungeon-like,' frontwoman Hayley Williams says of the studio.
By James Montgomery


Paramore
Photo: MTV News

FRANKLIN, Tennessee — With its modernized adobe façade, rose-tiled floors and leafy, wrought-iron porches, Emac Studios certainly doesn't look like a house of horrors. In fact, it basically looks like a Mexican restaurant, mostly because it used to be one until local legend/ former DC Talk mastermind TobyMac bought it a few years back and turned it into a high-end (though thoroughly conspicuous) recording studio.

But for Paramore, the place was a dungeon, a torture chamber. This is where they spent roughly a month trying — and, for the most part, spectacularly failing — to write songs for the follow-up to their Riot! album. It was where they nearly broke down, where they nearly split up and where they finally decided to put decorum aside and let the claws come out.

Needless to say, they have somewhat mixed emotions about the place, regardless of how nice the wrought-iron is.

"This room was kind of like ... sometimes it was really fun and almost a total escape, because we got to come in and play music together, and it had been a while since we had our own little space to rehearse. But after a while it became sort of dungeon-like," frontwoman Hayley Williams told MTV News. "We would take really long lunch breaks and try to get away, because a lot of stuff happened here. I brought some kind of ridiculous lyrics in for the guys to hear for the first time ever — after a whole year of me being quiet about everything I was feeling, and none of us ever stopping to hear each other out. And this was where all of that was put on the table."

"And that," bassist Jeremy Davis joked, pointing at the pane of glass that separates Emac's live room from the studio console, "[That's] the window we threw Hayley through as soon as she told us."

Of all the places Paramore showed MTV News in their hometown of Franklin — Puckett's Grocery, their local Goodwill, etc. — Emac is definitely the most personal. It was the site of so much strife ... and the place where they became the band they are today: the ones capable of making a stunning record like Brand New Eyes (which, incidentally, is in stores now).

"Most of our band talks and the counseling we had happened in this room. When [producer] Rob [Cavallo] came down to talk about what we wanted from the record and we realized we really didn't know, all those talks that happened were had here," Williams said, looking around the studio. "We had a lot of figuring and sorting out to do. Our whole mind-set on what we were doing as a band. We didn't spend a lot of time here, but so much happened here."

And while not all of what happened inside Emac's walls was good, it was all necessary. Paramore went through the fire and emerged not only a stronger band, but better friends too. And that's definitely the most important thing to come out of the place.

"We're still young, we're still growing up and changing and figuring out what we want, who we are, what we like — we're always going to butt heads, and it's a healthy way for us to deal with it: to talk about it and be open," Williams said. "We're not always confrontational — sometimes we are pretty quiet about things — and it takes us a while to bring up something, and then we'll butt heads and we'll be fine. We've learned that it's easier for us to be open about things."

"It's like therapy. They say it's good for you when you talk about it," Davis added. "I feel so much better that everyone knows what we went though and we're not hiding all this stuff that we had, because we're cool now — so why hide it?"

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Brody Jenner Says 'The Hills' Was Getting 'Soft' Before Kristin Cavallari Arrived

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

'Kristin adds such a different element,' co-star says before Tuesday night's season premiere.
By Jocelyn Vena


Brody Jenner
Photo: MTV News

Everyone on "The Hills" seems to agree that Kristin Cavallari is stirring up a lot of trouble for the new season of the show, which kicks off on Tuesday (September 29) at 10 p.m. ET. Brody Jenner, Cavallari's former flame, admits that there are no hard feelings between him and the "Laguna Beach" veteran.

In fact, he's actually kind of excited to have her hanging with him on the show. " 'The Hills' this season is completely different," he told MTV News. "It has a new feel, and I think it's fresh. Kristin adds such a different element. ... I think for a while 'The Hills' was just kind of focusing on ... I don't know, I'm going to give my personal opinion, but I think it was getting kind of soft there for a minute."

If it was getting soft, then Kristin will definitely make sure she makes life hard for everyone on the show. "It was just the same thing over and over and Justin and Audrina and yada, yada, yada, so I love to see Kristin's attitude coming into it," Jenner said. "She adds a whole new thing, and she's causing all types of drama that probably never would have happened if she wasn't involved."

Jenner, however, knows that Lauren Conrad will be missed by the fans, and he even admitted to missing her himself. But he also thinks that if fans give Kristin a chance, they'll enjoy what she brings to the table. "Keep an open mind and watch," he advised. "Get your popcorn out, get whatever you do, but it's a crazy show this year."

To see if Kristin Cavallari can fill Lauren Conrad's shoes, tune in to MTV on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of "The Hills."

Whitney Port Gets New Job, New Roommate On 'The City'

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 03:01 AM PDT

'I'm really excited for fans to see me going through the process of designing my clothing line,' Port says of new 'career-oriented' episodes.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi


Whitney Port
Photo: MTV News

In new episodes of "The City," Whitney Port is ready to start a new job, get a new roommate and show the world just how difficult it is to get her fashion line, Whitney Eve, off the ground. But she's excited to have viewers go through the process of growing up with her.

"This season is very career-oriented, which is cool because I think people are really interested to see the fashion industry in the city, seeing as though [New York City] is the fashion capital of the world," Port told MTV News.

She added that her roommate this time around is the new girl in town, Roxy Olin, a co-worker at People's Revolution. "[The show] is a lot about how we handle ourselves at work with the new characters involved. You know there's Roxy, who moved to New York from Los Angeles, and she and I are currently living together and you see how that can be strain — you know, working together, living together. There's definitely a lot that comes with that.

It seems that even Port's former work nemesis, Olivia Palermo, is finding some office drama at her new job at Elle. "We both had a career change. I'm working at People's Revolution, while also designing my line," she said. "Olivia's working at Elle and she's working alongside this girl, Erin, who's in PR, so you get to see a lot about how the work relationships are tense at times."

But it's not all about the drama. At the end of the day, Port says it's about showing fans an insider's view of her life as an aspiring clothing designer.

"I'm really excited for fans to see me going through the process of designing my clothing line. I feel like it's something I'm so passionate about that it's pretty cool that people will go through it with me and be able to learn what it takes to really produce something like this, and whether I can achieve what I set out to do or whether I fail," she explained. "It's cool they get to feel it along the way with me."

New episodes of "The City" premiere on Tuesday, September 29, at 10:30 p.m.

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Lloyd Banks Readies Double-Disc <i>V5</i> Mixtape

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

Plus: Nas talks new album and collabos, in Mixtape Daily.
By Shaheem Reid


Lloyd Banks
Photo: MTV News

The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive

Lloyd Banks is back on the mixtape scene with a full two CDs at once — V5 is coming soon.

"V5 — this is my second double-disc this year," Banks said at his squad's Forever Young Day in Queens, New York. "This one I been working on. It's already done. I've been doing a few things on the side. I just did the 'Bandana' record with Maino and a few other things. I've just been working. That's been put in the cut; I'm hoping to do a couple of videos. I've always wanted to do those [with each mixtape project], but I'll get a call like 6, 7 in the morning saying I gotta go to Africa.

"But V5 on the way — it's gonna drop any day. Thirty songs. This one is the one, man," he added. "I been working so hard."

Banks was pleased to be featured in the recent Hottest MCs fan poll and is looking to see if he'll make the official list.

"I'm gonna show you why I was even brought up on the MTV list," Banks promised. "V5 is gonna speak for itself. Thirty records — it's going down."

Also, the only feature on the new mixtape is Tony Yayo.

"I kept it to me. They putting the pressure on me. They wanna see what I'mma do next, so I'm gonna knock them over the head and then gear up for my new album," Banks said.

"After I heard his mixtape, I went back to the drawing board," Yayo offered. "The stuff I'm hearing from these dudes, we hungry. It's like we ain't got no money, no cars, no girls. I just keep doing me. Sometimes Banks give me the energy, 50 give me the energy. Young Buck is gone, Banks is gone — they don't give me no energy. But the Unit, I believe Game said, 'Yo, we broke up the Beatles.' The Beatles is still here. This is the original format right here."

The Streets Is Talking: News and Notes From the Underground

Before we peace out, a little bit more from Nas. We recently brought you info from an interview Esco did with our MTV News fam from the U.K. with our MTV News fam from the U.K. Nas said he had some apprehension about recording a new LP, and some of that nervousness had to do with the recent media scrutiny of his divorce from Kelis.

"Yeah, a little bit of that," Nas admitted. "And a little bit of I wanna do so well. I don't wanna let people down. I wanna put out something that makes sense and I definitely want to put out something that is true to me."

Nas also hinted at why he missed guest spots on albums such as The Blueprint 3 and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ... Pt. II.

"I get a lot of flak, 'cause I get a lot of people call me to be on their albums and I'm not really there in their headspace to do it and maybe they think I'm tripping out," he said. "But it's not the case — I really have to be in the right headspace. So hopefully I'll get it done and it'll come out soon."

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

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Lil Wayne Prepares New Mixtape, Celebrates Birthday Watching Brett Favre Win

Posted: 27 Sep 2009 10:18 PM PDT

'That's my favorite football player ever,' Weezy says of Favre.
By Shaheem Reid


Lil Wayne
Photo: VH1

Even rap's hardest working MC deserves a little break on his birthday, and Lil Wayne celebrated turning 27 by heading to Minnesota to seen the Vikings beat the San Francisco 49ers in a last-second nail-biter. Brett Favre threw a 32-yard touchdown pass.

Calling into DJ Drama's radio show on Hot 107.9 in Atlanta, Weezy described the first part of his day.

"I took a plane to Minnesota to see Bret Favre play," he said. "That's my favorite football player ever. He won the game with like two seconds left, of course. He did that for my birthday."

Wayne phoned in from Miami and said that he had planned on going out that night that was if "the studio don't swallow me."

Weezy's next projects will be the Young Money team album, his long-delayed solo LP Rebirth ("We have a surprise for the Rebirth," he promised, but didn't elaborate) and a new mixtape called No Ceiling.

"I got tired of sitting back," he said. "Everybody was making mixtapes. And I could rap too. Once I found myself jumping in my car putting on the radio instead of CDs, that's when I know I gotta go murder their beat."

When Drama gave Wayne props on having the hottest crew in rap right now, Weezy accepted the praise but noted his squad has love for everybody.

"I never heard a female rap like her before in my life," Wayne said of Nicki Minaj. As for Drake, he said, "Once I heard him, I knew the game was missing that."

Video of some of Wayne's birthday celebration hit the web today. He received a (reportedly) million-dollar Chopard watch and a birthday cake with diamonds wrapped around it. Stepdad Birdman was on hand and showed off his new tattoo: Wayne's birthdate on his arm, "9-27-82."

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La Roux Think Lady Gaga Comparisons Are 'Lazy'

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT

'We've taken a lot of influence from the '80s, but hopefully we've made something new out of that,' Elly Jackson says.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash


La Roux's Elly Jackson
Photo: Matt Jelonek/ Getty Images

Although they're quite popular in their native England, electropop group La Roux are still trying to make a name for themselves on this side of the pond. They are well aware that it's going to take a lot of work if they want to enjoy the same level of fame they've found in the U.K. — the level of fame that allows them to book shows as big as the Glastonbury Festival.

"You come to America and you start from scratch again — it's not like you come over here and you're the same that you are in the U.K.; you can't expect that," frontwoman Elly Jackson told MTV News. "So you come over here and you start again, and you start doing the same kind of press that you did six months ago in the U.K. You have to work it again."

But they aren't looking for overnight success and fame in any country — like many bands before them, they have been the subject of what Jackson calls "overhype."

"There's a lot of hype involved, for sure — this year has been the year of overhype. We've been overhyped ... and I think everyone gets overhyped," she explained. "People express this, like, massive fascination in something when they've heard, like, half a demo, or been to one show. And it's like, 'Hang on a minute, let's see how the year goes and then hype them.' "

And while the band wear their '80s dance-pop influences on their sleeves, they don't want you to start throwing around Lady Gaga comparisons just yet. Jackson thinks that's "really lazy."

"Obviously we knew that dance music was coming more into the pop arena, but I didn't know about acts like Lady Gaga, or Little Boots, or Ladyhawke when we were making the record, so it's not like we were aware that we were going to be part of this 'new wave,' " she said. "But it is frustrating — it is lazy — when they go, 'Oh, it's got a synth, it's '80s' ... we're not trying to deny it, but you don't want to talk about it over and over again.

"We've taken a lot of influence from the '80s," she said. "But hopefully we've made something new out of that."

Chris Brown's New Single Featuring Lil Wayne, 'Transformer,' Out Tuesday

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:38 AM PDT

Singer takes to Twitter to announce that his new song is set to drop a day early.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Chris Brown and Lil Wayne
Photo: Jason LaVeris/ FilmMagic/ Kevin Winter/ Getty Imag

Chris Brown's comeback officially begins Tuesday, when the fleet-footed singer will release his new single, "Transformer," featuring Lil Wayne.

The "Forever" superstar announced via Twitter that he was pushing the song — from his upcoming album, Graffiti — up one day from Wednesday to Tuesday.

"Change of plans," Brown wrote. "I'm going to release my single tomorrow instead of Weds. Tell everybody. I can transform ya, I can transform ya." (Representatives for Brown did not respond to MTV News' inquiry at press time regarding details of the "Transformer" premiere.)

The upbeat tune will be the first sanctioned record Brown has released since his February altercation with then-girlfriend Rihanna. Brown struck a plea deal in the assault case and was sentenced to labor service, therapy sessions and five years' probation that coincides with a stay-away order issued against him regarding contact with the "Umbrella" star. Earlier this month, Brown began serving his community service in Virginia and it was recently announced that he'd be returning to the stage next month for the first time since the incident.

During his hiatus, Brown wrote and released "Changed Man," an apologetic ode to Rihanna. Several other tracks leaked, but his label, Jive Records, said the material was old.

In addition to featuring Wayne, "Transformer" was produced by Swizz Beatz, who recently spoke to MTV News about the track.

The super producer said Brown is finishing up his project, which doesn't have a firm release date yet, and working through this challenging time. He said Brown seems poised to move forward with his life and put the past behind him.

"He's got something to prove," Swizz said. "He worked on 60, 70 songs. He's just on fire. I told him, 'Listen man, just stay focused on your music. They gonna throw shots at you. Time heals everything.' He has great support; his mother is amazing. I was really scoping out the situation — it could have been something I didn't want to be around, but I really got a great vibe. Honestly."

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Exclusive: Weezer Team Up With Lil Wayne For 'Can't Stop Partying'

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 01:01 AM PDT

'He gave it the edge I was looking for,' Rivers Cuomo says of Jermaine Dupri-produced Raditude track.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias


Rivers Cuomo
Photo: MTV News

By now, you are probably aware that on Weezer's upcoming Raditude album (a.k.a. "the one with the dog on the cover"), frontman Rivers Cuomo has decided to shake things up, working with the All-American Rejects' Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler, Butch Walker and super-producer Dr. Luke.

But the shaking didn't stop there. Perhaps taking a cue from Girl Talk or millions of amateur mash-up auteurs out there, Cuomo has recruited none other than Lil Wayne to contribute a verse to a song on the album.

"Weezer is always trying something new," Cuomo told MTV News. "Last year, we put out The Red Album. We loved that album, but this is 2009. It's time to do something totally different. So I reached out to some friends of mine in different genres: Jermaine Dupri, for example, king of R&B, I wrote a song with him called 'Can't Stop Partying.' It was a real challenge for me, taking his ideas, which are very slick, R&B party [ideas], and giving it some kind of edge, some darkness, making it work with rock, making it work with Weezer.

"Not only that, but we got Lil Wayne to come in and do a rap on it," he continued. "Any other rapper would've just done, 'Yay, we're partying! Let's drink and have fun,' but he gave it the edge I was looking for. You can hear in his voice, it sounds so dark, like he was gonna get shot or something when he walks out of the studio. So I was real happy that everyone involved got what we were going for."

While a Weezer/Weezy collabo does seem a bit odd, it's keeping in theme with Raditude's party-hearty ethos. And it's not like Wayne is new to the rock game, either. Last year, he appeared on Fall Out Boy's Folie à Deux, and then there's his much-delayed "rock" album, Rebirth, which is set to be released in December.

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