MTV News |
- Blink-182 Cancel Show Due To DJ AM's Death
- Chris Brown Says He Does Remember Rihanna Assault
- Q-Tip Finally Putting Out His <i>Kamaal The Abstract</i> 'Fusion' Album
- Jay-Z Looks At <i>Blueprint 3</i> Leak As 'A Preview'
- Lady Gaga And Michael Bolton Join Forces On 'Murder My Heart'
- Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz Says There Will 'Never' Be Another Beatles
- DJ AM Death Reportedly Not Suicide
- Drake And Trey Songz Get Somber In 'Successful' Video
- The Inside Scoop On The VMA's 'West Side Story' Theme
| Blink-182 Cancel Show Due To DJ AM's Death Posted: 31 Aug 2009 03:51 AM PDT Openers Weezer, Taking Back Sunday and Chester French will perform as scheduled.
After struggling through their concert in Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday night in the wake of their friend and collaborator DJ AM's death, Blink-182 have canceled their Monday-night show in upstate New York. "Due to circumstances surrounding the unfortunate and untimely passing of our dear friend Adam 'DJ AM' Goldstein, blink-182 will not be playing tonight in Saratoga, NY at SPAC. Performances by Weezer, Taking Back Sunday and Chester French will take place as planned along with some special surprises. We thank all of our fans for their support in this tough time," reads a post on the band's official Web site headlined "Regarding tonight in Saratoga, NY."
Blink's next scheduled show is Wednesday in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The band paid tearful tribute to AM during Saturday's show. "This night is really hard for us onstage," bassist Mark Hoppus said to the crowd, according to YouTube footage of the show. "We lost a dear friend yesterday. His name was Adam Goldstein. You probably know him as DJ AM. He was an innovator and a genius and he loved music more than anything else. Above all he was a very dear friend." He then requested a moment of silence from the crowd and asked for the arena lights to be dimmed as they sought to honor AM. The band then dedicated the song "Down" to Goldstein's memory. As guitarist Tom DeLonge began to sing the first verse, tears reportedly could be seen rolling down the bandmembers' faces. Shortly before Saturday's show, Barker — who had collaborated with AM in the group TRV$DJAM and peformed as the house band at the 2008 VMAs — tweeted a tribute to AM. "Don't know how i am gonna play 2night but i am for AM. My brother is gone.i love u and miss u, i'll never forget all the good times we had. ... "I'll never forget everything we've been thru and every time i play the drums i'll think of you. U were an amazing friend/DJ/human being. ... "Rest In Peace my brother, this really f---s me up." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Chris Brown Says He Does Remember Rihanna Assault Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:31 AM PDT 'I just misspoke,' Brown says in statement about 'Larry King' interview clip.
In the first clip to emerge from Chris Brown's interview with Larry King, the singer told the CNN host that he didn't remember the February assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna. But on Monday (August 31), Brown released a statement saying he knows full well what happened that night. "There have been reports on the Internet that I didn't remember what happened that night with Rihanna," Brown's statement reads. "I want to try and set things straight. "That 30 seconds of the interview they used of me was taken from a one-hour interview during which that same question was asked something like four or five times — and when you look at the entire interview, you will see it is not representative of what I said. "The first four times — or however many times it was — I gave the same answer, which was that I didn't think it was appropriate for me to talk about what happened that night. I said it was not right for me and it really wasn't fair to Rihanna. The fifth time — or whatever it was — I just misspoke. I was asked, 'Do you remember doing it?' and I said, 'No.' "Of course I remember what happened. Several times during the interview, my mother said that I came to her right afterwards and told her everything. But it was and still is a blur. And yes, I still can't believe it happened because it is not me or who I am, nor is what happened like anything I have ever done before. "As I have said several times previously, I am ashamed of and sorry for what happened that night and I wish I could relive that moment and change things, but I can't. I take full responsibility for my actions. What I have to do now is to prove to the world that this was an isolated incident and that is not who I am, and I intend to do so by my behavior now and in the future." Brown's full interview with King is set to air Wednesday night. Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault in June and was sentenced to five years' probation and 180 days of community labor service last week. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Q-Tip Finally Putting Out His <i>Kamaal The Abstract</i> 'Fusion' Album Posted: 01 Sep 2009 03:50 AM PDT Tip's new LP, which drops this month, has been in the works since 1999, in Mixtape Daily.
Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Independent Album: Kamaal the Abstract Headliner: Q-Tip Songs We Can't Stop Playing: "Blue Girl," "Feelin' " and "Damn You're Cool" Essential Info: A decade later, and Q-Tip finally gets to put his album out. On September 15, Kamaal the Abstract officially sees the light of day.
"In 1999, I just came out of putting out the song 'Vivrant Thing' and 'Breathe and Stop' off the Amplified album. Clive Davis signed me to Arista," Tip told us last week. "I'm a student of the game. I know what Clive did. He put out an album with Miles Davis called Bitches Brew in the '70s. It's considered to be the first fusion album of its kind. I said to Clive, 'I want to do the hip-hop album that's kind of like fusion in that way.' He co-signed it. In 1999, I started putting it together." Before Tip could get the LP out, Davis got fired from his post. Tip had the option of going with the legendary mogul to J Records, but his old managers, Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen, convinced him to stay at Arista because L.A. Reid was taking the post. "He heard it, he dug it," Tip said of Reid. "We passed it out to press. L.A. was like, 'I need a single.' So we went in and started working on a single. I went in, worked on some songs. Played it for him. He kinda didn't say anything." Tip said Reid just sat there smoking a cigar trying to gather his thoughts while the new material was being played. Unable to come to an agreement on a single, Tip left the label. He said he feels somewhat vindicated to see that Andre 3000 became successful years later using a similar idea to Kamaal the Abstract with The Love Below. "To see the success of that, it made me feel like, 'Damn, I might have been a little too early, but at least I know I wasn't wrong, because dude did it and rocked with it and it was great.' " The first single from the album is "Barely in Love." "It's an uptempo song basically speaking about two people who ain't got no business falling in love," Tip said. "The power overtakes you, and you do it anyway. The other [single], 'Even If It Is So,' it's a song about somebody I knew, or know. She was really smart and articulate. She danced. She was a stripper. She had a kid, and she was dating this dude. He was stepping out on her. A little shorty from around my way. I would always talk to her and give her words of encouragement. So I wrote the song about her. I produced both songs. Actually, I produced all the songs on the album." Kamaal the Abstract track list, according to Q-Tip's Camp: » "Feelin' " Other Heat This Week » Trick Daddy - The Product 7 |
| Jay-Z Looks At <i>Blueprint 3</i> Leak As 'A Preview' Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:14 AM PDT 'I may be the most bootlegged artist in history,' Hov tells MTV News.
Jay-Z's forthcoming album, The Blueprint 3, unsurprisingly leaked before its release, and we've got a profile. It was only a matter of time. Last week a number of tracks from Jay-Z's upcoming The Blueprint 3 leaked online, including his collaboration with Rookie of the Year Drake on "Off That." Now, Hov has to deal with his entire album being on the Web: The Blueprint 3 popped up on blogs this morning around the time Jay-Z appeared at a press conference announcing his 9/11 tribute concert.
"I may be the most bootlegged artist in history," he told MTV News shortly after his album leaked. "It's a preview. I'm excited for people to hear the album. I'm very proud of the work I've done, so enjoy it." The album is as diverse as any project he's put together when it comes to collaborations. Australian musician Luke Steele of pop duo Empire of the Sun appears on the opener, "What We Talkin' About." The cut features the lyrics Jay spit earlier this summer during his Las Vegas show that target the Game and his former business partner, Dame Dash. The Mr. Hudson-assisted "Young Forever," a pensive track on which Jay puts his career in perspective, closes the album. After threatening to retire for years, the Brooklyn wordsmith sounds like he's about to kick-start another run of yearly output. "Bye-byes aren't for legends/ I'm forever young, my name shall survive," he raps. And in between, The Blueprint ranges from the familiar — "Run This Town" and "D.O.A" — to the more experimental. "Hate," produced by and featuring Kanye West, is syrupy slow — in sound and flow — as Jay and his protégé take aim at detractors. "Hoover, Hova/ Both are American gangsters/ You choose who's colder/ Rappers getting nasty in the booth, but I'm grosser/ I can't even stomach myself, ulcer," Jay raps over West's syncopated sounds. On "Empire State of Mind," Jay writes his name alongside Frank Sinatra and Robert De Niro as one of New York's favorite sons. Joined by Alicia Keys, the Roc Nation CEO takes listeners for a ride in the back of the Maybach, detailing his rise from the Marcy Projects to his SoHo Penthouse. "I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can/ You know I bleed blue/ But I'm not a crip, though," he raps, before Keys croons, "I'm from Neeeeww Yooooork/ These streets will make you feel brand-new/ Bright lights will inspire you." "Already Home" is that triumphant, soulful magnum opus that hearkens back to its oldest brother's "Heart of the City." Jay makes fun of his critics and rapper detractors alike. "Only time they exciting is when they mentioning Shawn," Jigga raps. "... Don't they know that I'm on?/ Don't they know it's foolish to try and kill me with songs?/ ... I opened the door for them, what else can I do?/ These n---as want me to walk for them." Guest star Kid Cudi's hook is almost equally as absorbing as it is off-key: "They want me to fall, fall from the top," the Kid from Cleveland sings. "They want me to drop/ They want to stop/ They want me to go, I'm already gone/ The sh-- that I'm on/ I'm already home." Producer Kanye West comes with a track that has his signature Midwest bounce, draped in violins, piano and bass. "N---as is mad/ Oh, they call me a camel, but I mastered the drought," Jay comes back later. "What the f---, I'm an animal/ Half man, half mammal/ My sign is Sag/ This is just what I planned to do." Later, on "A Star Is Born" with J. Cole, Jay gives brief snapshots and memories of some of the most tremendous rap stars of the past 15 years. "T.I. literally wanted to shoot up the charts," he raps. "What up Jeezy, what it do?/ That reminds me of us back in '92/ Outkast landed, Three Thou was ill/ Like a male version of Lauryn Hill/ Mobb Deep shook it, but Prodigy took it, a little too far/ Can't f--- with Brooklyn." All day, fans were weighing in on the new record on Twitter and Facebook. Jay kept it cool despite his material leaking out 10 days before the official release day. The iconic MC, though, had reason to relax: He has his own indicator to let him know whether reactions to his music are good or bad. "My pager is actually ringing right now, so people are probably calling me and telling me they pretty much like it," he explained. "I can tell by the way my pager rings if a song is good or not. It's really going crazy right now." Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga And Michael Bolton Join Forces On 'Murder My Heart' Posted: 30 Aug 2009 10:54 PM PDT 'Her energy was so high and her focus excited me,' Bolton tells a London newspaper.
Having already conquered the Billboard albums chart, the fashion world and Israel's obscenity laws, Lady Gaga has reportedly set her sights on dominating the buttoned-up world of adult contemporary. She's written songs with none other than Michael Bolton. In an interview with London's Metro newspaper, the 56-year-old Bolton — best known for his (formerly} flowing locks and husky takes on songs like "When a Man Loves a Woman" and "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" — said he has been working with Gaga on his upcoming album, One World One Love. The collaboration actually happened before Gaga went supernova — and it was apparently all her idea. "I was taking a break from production when my manager and the label tag-teamed me on the phone about writing with a young artist named Lady Gaga who I had never heard of — but they were raving about," Bolton told the paper. "They said that she was a huge fan of mine and wanted to write with me. No one I knew had heard of her ... but less than a minute into 'Just Dance,' I thought, 'This CD is gonna be huge!' " So Bolton agreed to work with Gaga, and when the two finally met, he was taken by her energy and commitment ... and realized right away that she was destined for greatness. "When I met her in the studio later that night, I realized she was not only about to have a big hit record, but Gaga was a superstar about to launch. ... Her energy was so high and her focus excited me," Bolton continued. "She reminded me of a young Madonna, with more exuberance and emphasis on the art rather than the marketing." The Metro article does not mention the name of the song or songs that Gaga and Bolton collaborated on, but over the weekend, a track called "Murder My Heart" leaked, and apparently it's the fruit of the duo's labor (it's definitely Bolton, and we think we hear Gaga on the backing track). Attempting to verify that fact, MTV News reached out to reps for both artists, but at press time, we had yet to receive a response. According to Bolton's Web site, One World One Love is due September 21. Related Artists |
| Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz Says There Will 'Never' Be Another Beatles Posted: 01 Sep 2009 03:50 AM PDT 'They made such a huge impact on pop culture,' he says in anticipation of the September 9 release of 'The Beatles: Rock Band.'
On September 9, "The Beatles: Rock Band" will hit stores around the world, thrilling not just gamers, but hard-core Fab Four fans too. And one guy who fits into both of those categories pretty nicely is Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz (though, to be honest, he prefers video games of the 8-bit variety). Don't let the tattoos fool you — he's been a die-hard Beatles fan for as long as he can remember.
"I remember listening to 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand,' and I didn't know it was a Beatles song at all; I just liked the song a lot when I was a little dude," he told MTV News. "I missed out on it in my teen years, when I was really too 'punk rock' to be listening to the Beatles ... and got into it later. 'Happiness Is a Warm Gun' is probably my favorite Beatles song ever." And though, musically, the work of Lennon and McCartney (and Harrison and Starr too) has always inspired him, what most amazes him about the Beatles is just how massive they were — and how massive they continue to be. "Obviously, that's one of those bands that will never be around again. There will never be a band like that, where all four guys could be frontmen," he said. "A thing that [Fall Out Boy lead singer] Patrick [Stump] said to me — that I totally agree with — is that there are a few artists, like the Beatles, Elvis, Michael Jackson and now Kanye West, I think, where you're forced to react to them. Love them or hate them, they made such a huge impact on pop culture that you're forced to have a reaction." For more on "The Beatles: Rock Band" check out Multiplayer.MTV.com. Related Photos Related Artists |
| DJ AM Death Reportedly Not Suicide Posted: 31 Aug 2009 06:14 AM PDT Law enforcement sources believe AM died of accidental overdose.
Despite reports that DJ AM (born Adam Goldstein) might have been depressed over a recent breakup with model Hayley Wood before his death on Friday, law enforcement sources believe the celebrity DJ's death was an accidental drug overdose, not suicide. Citing unnamed police sources, TMZ reported that recovering addict AM had developed a dependency on Xanax and a number of other anti-anxiety drugs after the fiery plane crash he and Blink-182's Travis Barker survived last year. Both men were seriously injured in the accident, which took four lives and resulted in Barker and AM receiving a number of painful skin grafts to treat the second- and third-degree burns they suffered.
TMZ reported that AM had developed a serious anxiety about flying, something he had to do frequently for his many DJ jobs all over the country. The site, citing unnamed sources, said AM's doctors prescribed Xanax and other anti-anxiety medications to relieve the fear of flying, but that those drugs helped trigger a "recent" relapse, noting that AM was not abusing the drugs for very long before his death. Among those weighing in on what might have killed AM was addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky, the host of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab." Pinsky told The Associated Press that he believes the pain medications AM was taking to treat the injuries he sustained in last year's plane crash in South Carolina might have led him to relapse after more than 11 years of sobriety. "It very slowly and subtly reawakens addiction," Pinsky said of pain medication. "I'm not saying it was inappropriately prescribed; I'm saying he didn't know the risks." AM, 36, was found dead in his Soho apartment in New York on Friday evening, reportedly with a crack pipe and prescription pills nearby. Like a number of friends who expressed grief over AM's death over the weekend — including musical partner Travis Barker, ex-girlfriend Mandy Moore and a host of fellow DJs — Pinsky said he was upset by the loss of someone he considered a "very close" friend. The doctor said AM had been a model for people going through addiction and praised him for his selflessness in helping others get clean. "He [sponsored] other people, and in his words, [would] go to the mat supporting people on their recovery," Pinsky said. "He was someone I referred people to to learn about recovery." On Saturday, the New York medical examiner's offices said the results of an autopsy were inconclusive, and further toxicology and tissue tests were necessary to determine a cause of death. Those tests will take several weeks to complete. TMZ reported that its sources said the evidence in the case strongly indicates that the cause of death will be a combination of crack cocaine and the anxiety drugs. AM was set to star in an MTV special in October called "Gone Too Far," in which he stages interventions with other people battling addictions and discusses his own struggle with drugs; the network has not yet announced its plans for the show. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drake And Trey Songz Get Somber In 'Successful' Video Posted: 31 Aug 2009 03:19 AM PDT Clip might not be what you expect from two hot, young talents.
If this is a celebration, someone forgot to tell Drake and Trey Songz. When two hot, young talents collaborate on a song and it's called "Successful," well, you pretty much know what to expect: big, coated beats, slinky, treated vocals, and plenty of ephemera (cars, clothes, cash, clubs, chicks, etc.). There's a formula to these things, after all.
But here's the thing: "Successful" — which features prominently on Drake's breakout So Far Gone mixtape and Songz Ready album (which hits stores Tuesday) — is delightfully devoid of any of that stuff. This is a lean, dark, downright ominous song, full of eerie strings, cracking snares and bottomless white noise (the production is courtesy of Noah "40" Shebib) and lyrics that poke holes through the premise that riches equal happiness. Drake displays a depth some might not expect, rapping about meaningless sex, empty excess and the bizarre solitude that comes with success. On the hook, Songz is so cold he's near frozen, crooning about the money and cars and clothes, all while conveying an unspoken emptiness. It's chilling — deeply, artfully and sadly so. And in keeping with that theme, everyone looks positively somber in the video too. It's moody, noirish, full of bleak cityscapes, empty hotel rooms and darkened urban streets. The message is clear, and rather shockingly so: Be careful what you wish for. Drake and Songz have the world at their feet. But if "Successful" cautions one thing, it's this: Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Related Artists |
| The Inside Scoop On The VMA's 'West Side Story' Theme Posted: 31 Aug 2009 02:37 AM PDT Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ne-Yo, host Russell Brand collaborated on 'Tonight' for Video Music Awards promos.
After spending two years out West, the Video Music Awards will return to their New York City roots on September 13 at 9 p.m. To celebrate that homecoming, and to reconnect with the town's urban and artistic DNA, show organizers dreamed up a contemporary riff on the iconic Broadway musical, "West Side Story."
" 'West Side Story' is the language of New York in musical form," VMA executive producer Jesse Ignjatovic explained. For an ambitious series of promos, MTV gathered together "Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ne-Yo, Cobra Starship, Leighton Meester and host Russell Brand for a cheeky take on the '50s-era musical's iconic song, "Tonight." " 'West Side Story' is an oft-imitated classic," explained on-air promos chief Kevin Mackall, whose team spearheaded the effort. "We wanted to push the look and feel of the campaign, along with the music and lyrics, to a place that MTV could own." (Check out the VMA "West Side Story" promos right here!) Ignjatovic said, "I thought, 'Wow, wouldn't it be brilliant to take these five archetypes in the musical — the star-crossed lovers, the rival gangs, the sister character — and use them as our talent and rethink it and make it about that big, pivotal song." In "West Side Story," Ignjatovic continued, "['Tonight'] is about the night of the knife fight, and it's building, building, building to that moment. You can use it in the exact same way with the VMA night. It's building, building, building to that night." "Tonight, tonight, I know it's impolite," sings Brand in the video, holding up a Moonman statue, "but I'll swap these for sexual rewards!"
In addition to Brand, there's Cobra Starship frontman Gabe Saporta and Meester crooning in a subway station, Ne-Yo staging an impromptu dance session in a graffiti-covered alley, Perry doing some late-night gardening on a rooftop and Swift riding through Times Square in a yellow taxi. Pulling off such an extravagant promo campaign was no easy feat. They had to secure rights to the music, then enlist the talents of Tony-winning lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda ("In the Heights") for a month-long writing spate. With the finished song in hand, MTV pitched the idea to the stars. "They loved it," Ignjatovic said. "I think you can see when you see the campaign, they really embraced it." "The artists were all fantastic to work with and they all really delivered," Mackall said. "Watching each artist embrace their respective roles was the most rewarding part of the production." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will take place September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Additional celebrity presenters and performers will be announced in the coming weeks. To be the first to find out the inside scoop, follow the Inside MTV Twitter account at Twitter.com/InsideMTV. Related Videos
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from MTV News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar