MTV News |
- Lady Gaga's VMA-Nominated 'Poker Face' Video Almost Went To The Dogs
- Rick Ross Calls Triple C's Album 'Incredible'
- Janet Jackson Will Do Michael 'Justice' At The VMAs, Fans Say
- Kanye West's VMA-Nominated 'Love Lockdown' -- The Video You Almost Didn't See
- Beyonce Vs. Lady Gaga: Celebs Pick Their VMA Favorites
- Jay-Z Says <i>Blueprint 3</i> Showcases Kanye West's 'Growth' As A Producer
- Ellen DeGeneres Joins 'American Idol' As New Judge
- Diddy Prepares Visitors For The VMAs In New York
- VMA Rehearsals Stop Traffic In New York
- Russell Brand 'Wants Love' This Year At The VMAs
| Lady Gaga's VMA-Nominated 'Poker Face' Video Almost Went To The Dogs Posted: 10 Sep 2009 03:51 AM PDT A pair of Great Danes nearly upstaged the Video of the Year nominee, in Behind the Lens.
You would think the biggest challenge director Ray Kay faced on the set of the "Poker Face" video would be reining in Lady Gaga's extravagant costume requests. But actually, that honor went to a pair of truly unruly Great Danes. No matter how many times Kay and his crew attempted to shoot the opening scene of the video — in which a spandex-clad Gaga emerges from a pool and removes a mirror-encrusted mask — the two dogs wouldn't cooperate, not even when their trainers got involved. And needless to say, it nearly derailed the entire video.
"Never work with animals or children, that's the age-old Hollywood rule, and it's true. Things just don't go according to plan when you work with them, and that was true in our situation here. Those dogs just wouldn't sit still, and they wouldn't do what we wanted them to do," Kay told MTV News. "So there were two dog trainers on each side of the shot, trying to hold the dogs down in the position they were supposed to be in, but they just kept getting up or looking in the wrong direction. ... So, actually, we never got the shot in-camera the way it's shown in the video. We had to combine different takes of the dogs to get the shot the way it was in the video." But it was worth it in the end. The image of a dripping-wet Gaga flanked by a the pair of Great Danes has become an iconic one, and the "Poker Face" video — which is nominated for Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards — has succeeded in turning Gaga into an international sensation. And that, Kay said, was the goal from the very beginning. "When we shot the video, she was definitely not the star that she is today. ... She was a very edgy artist, and there was a chance she could've been seen as being too edgy for the public," he said. "So what me and the record label wanted to do was take the uniqueness of Lady Gaga and combine it with a glossy, commercial expression and create a Gaga World. That was my task. I brought in the glossiness. ... When you watch that video, it's a great blend of what I usually do and what she does. It's a blend of Italian Vogue fashion edge and hip-hop glossiness." And in keeping with that glam theme, originally, Kay had intended to shoot the "Poker Face" video on a beach in Ibiza, with Gaga emerging from the surf "sort of like Halle Berry in [the 2002 James Bond film] 'Die Another Day.' " At the last minute, that plan was scrapped, which left the director scrambling to find a suitable location. They finally found a Malibu mansion, and, over the course of one very long day, they made magic. Of course, if you ask Kay — who's worked with Beyoncé and the Backstreet Boys — that magic had more to do with Gaga than anything else. "That video is so much Gaga. She was the one who made the video so unique. I was just trying to help her create that world," he said. "So many people think artists are just products of the record industry or there are people behind them that create looks for them. But she's the best example of anyone I've ever seen of someone who really created their own style and really is that personae. She is amazing." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards air live this Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET, but New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long! Stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Rick Ross Calls Triple C's Album 'Incredible' Posted: 10 Sep 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'I'm gonna just put the caviar on top of the cracker,' the Bawse says of his role in their debut, in Mixtape Daily.
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive "Shades in all shades, these made of rhodium." Rick Ross was all too happy to show off his new jewelry to us recently, a pitch-black Jesus piece. "It's actually rhodium," he explained. "If you know about precious metals, rhodium is supposed to be the most precious of all metals, including gold. So on and so forth. [Wearing it] is just sending a positive message. I'm toning it down a little bit, just for the day. It's showing love to the most high and showing everybody what direction I'm going in."
Ross says hitting the road with Triple C's and Masspike Miles is business, but they are all having a ball. "You can't forget to enjoy your life. You only have but so long — you might as well get in and go hard. Turn your own situation into paradise." Triple C's release their debut album Custom Cars & Cycles in late October. "I'm so strict when it comes to albums and the music and the quality of music," Ross said of the LP. "The myths I hear about Dr. Dre, I try to implement that into what we are doing. I just want our music to always sound better. The way we recorded the records, it turned out incredible. A lot of groups haven't been successful ... the problems come when no other superstars emerge. So I made sure we stayed away from that. When everybody absorbs where we coming from, Torch, he's gonna be the future of New York City. Gunplay, he's got one of the rawest unorthodox flows in the game. Young Breed, he's the streets — he's gonna give you some of the wittiest bars. And me, I'm gonna just put the caviar on top of the cracker." The whole collective just dropped Maybach Music Part III: White Sand. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Janet Jackson Will Do Michael 'Justice' At The VMAs, Fans Say Posted: 09 Sep 2009 07:39 AM PDT Janet's MJ tribute will open Sunday's show, which airs live at 9 p.m.
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will feature a number of huge performances from the likes of Jay-Z, Green Day, Beyoncé and others, but perhaps the highest-profile act on Sunday night's show will be Janet Jackson's tribute to her brother Michael. Though the details about the tribute remain closely guarded, fans have already built up expectations for the bit that will open this year's awards.
"I think it's really fitting, and obviously she'll do him justice," said Katie Smith from the U.K. Her traveling companion, Jen Birch, agreed. "It's a bold move. He was just so good, but if anyone can do it she can," she said. "It's going to be special. Everyone will be really happy that she's doing it," Jordan Kearny said. The fans agree that the performance will clearly be out of a special kind of enthusiasm and will come from the heart. "She's the best candidate, because she was probably one of the people who knew him the best," Jennifer Kaufman said. Lana Matthews of Michigan agreed: "I think it comes out of a place of passion and love for him. She's obviously not doing it to sell a record or anything. A lot of tributes have been done for Michael so far, and I haven't quite gotten it, and I think the creativity that ran through his veins runs through hers. It's probably hard for her to do, but it's probably something important for her to go through." As for what form the tribute might take, Birch thinks the show should get a little sentimental. " 'Man in the Mirror' could be interesting," she said. As many other fans suggested, she wants to see other collaborators join Janet onstage. "I want to see Kanye West or Beyoncé do a duet. I'm sure Kanye West could dance like Michael Jackson." "I'd like to see some young artists who were inspired by him," Michael Washington suggested. "Maybe Ne-Yo or Chris Brown." Lana Matthews had another wish: "I think Michael Jackson was an all-around entertainer, and I think Britney Spears is an all-around entertainer. There's nothing she can't do. It'd be nice to see the artists lose themselves and become him for a few minutes." No matter what happens on Sunday's show, it's clear that there is a tremendous amount of anticipation surrounding this year's Video Music Awards and for Janet's appearance in particular. "The VMAs are one of the biggest events of the whole year," Alex Kearny said. "There's no better place to give him a tribute." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards air live this Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET, but New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long! Stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Kanye West's VMA-Nominated 'Love Lockdown' -- The Video You Almost Didn't See Posted: 09 Sep 2009 12:32 AM PDT We give you the details of the making of Video of the Year nominee 'Love Lockdown,' in Behind the Lens.
If you think Kanye West's sleek, stylized video for "Love Lockdown" is great, you should see the other version of the clip. It's even better. That's according to director Simon Henwood, who created the "Lockdown" video — which is up for three awards at this Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year — with West last year in Los Angeles. Seems they shot so much footage, they had enough for a second clip — only Kanye didn't want to use it, for reasons apparent to only him.
"We actually shot an incredible amount of performance with him — he looked amazing in it, I thought, absolutely stunning — but he didn't want any of it in the video. There's almost another whole video we could've got," Henwood told MTV News. "But we just went for that very sparse performance element, which was right in the end. But from the point of view of editing it and all the other options, it was quite a shame we didn't get to use some of the other stuff. It was him performing the song with the tribal dancers, and the girls ... it was so compelling — some of the best footage of him I've ever seen — but it didn't make the cut." Instead, West opted to keep things simple, drawing inspiration from the terrifying minimalism of Patrick Bateman's apartment in the 2000 film "American Psycho." And Henwood — who had spent much of the previous year working with West as the designer on his Glow in the Dark tour — knew better than to ask why. Instead, he set to work on making Kanye's vision a reality. "He just referenced ['American Psycho'] as a style for the apartment in the video and so, over three days, we started building the set. In a lot of ways, it seemed natural, because I had been to both of his houses, I kind of knew what his personal style was like," Henwood said. "He's very stylish ... both the places are very beautiful, so I wanted to create a set that mimicked that. It had to be a place, an environment, where he felt comfortable in, so he could be in that contemplative mood." Henwood then interspersed the scenes of West in his apartment with vibrant, visceral dance sequences he shot with a cast of tribal dancers. The visuals sync perfectly with the song's pounding, primal drum line, but, as it turned out, they were actually based on an idea the two had shared more than a year earlier, when West was still promoting his 2007 Graduation album. "When we first talked about working together, we played around with a lot of ideas for lots of different videos on Graduation, including this particular tribal idea, which was originally supposed to be used in a video for 'Champion,' " Henwood explained. "But it kind of naturally evolved between us. And he's very ... he micromanages things, he's very inspiring to work with. He's always focused on the idea, even it it's constantly changing." And that state of flux is something Henwood as grown to know pretty well. And not just from working with West on the Glow in the Dark tour, either. Seems that, while the director and his crew were busy editing the "Lockdown" video, West was still busy recording it ... or, more specifically, re-recording it, a move that led to some pretty tense moments in the edit bay. "When I was editing, I knew he was still working on the mix of the song, and we had about three or four days to finish it. And on the final day, Kanye was in the studio. I knew one of the people who was working on the album, and he told me that the video was on the screen in the recording studio. So when we were sending over versions of the edit, he was still working on the song, using the visuals almost as an inspiration for the song," Henwood explained. "But it got to the point where we had about an hour until the video had to go to the post house, so it could meet all the deadlines. And at that point, Kanye gave me a quick call and said, 'I've just got a new version of the vocals that I want to send over.' So we were just like, 'What are we going to do?' So we just dropped the new track onto the edit and it synced up better. He'd obviously been looking at the video, and he re-recorded his vocals and synced them better. And that's why he's a genius." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards air live this Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET, but New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long! Stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Beyonce Vs. Lady Gaga: Celebs Pick Their VMA Favorites Posted: 09 Sep 2009 12:32 AM PDT Perez Hilton, Ashlee Simpson and others predict who will be Sunday's big winner.
It's going to be an epic face-off come Sunday, when pop's new disco princess, Lady Gaga, squares off against pop's reigning R&B diva, Beyoncé, at the 2009 Video Music Awards. And with nine nominations each, these ladies certainly have enough chances to usurp the other's throne. We have to wait a few more days to see who will emerge victorious, but celebrities of all sorts are weighing in on whether the lady behind "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" or "Poker Face" will rack up more Moonmen.
Aubrey O'Day placed her bets on the Queen B. "My preference is Beyoncé," she told MTV News. Meanwhile, Gaga's number one fan and friend, gossip blogger Perez Hilton, seems pretty sure she will beat Beyoncé, or at least make a bigger splash onstage at Radio City Music Hall. "I think without a doubt Gaga's going to be the big star of the night," he said. But VMA house-bandmember Wale thinks experience will give B an edge over Gaga. "I think the queen might get her this time," he said. "[Gaga's] a newbie still." Colbie Caillat is definitely on team Beyoncé too. "I think that Beyoncé is just an amazing artist," she said. Ashlee Simpson is rooting for the "Poker Face" singer, noting, "I gotta say, Lady Gaga's videos are pretty badass." As Perez pointed out, it ain't over until the fat lady sings. "Neither one of them has it in the bag," he said. We'd like to offer a more positive spin on that sentiment: Who's to say they can't both be winners? The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards air live this Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET, but New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long! Stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Jay-Z Says <i>Blueprint 3</i> Showcases Kanye West's 'Growth' As A Producer Posted: 09 Sep 2009 05:23 AM PDT 'On the first Blueprint, he was a new producer, so he was just putting in the beats and moving out the way,' Jay tells the AP.
Jay-Z performed in Chicago on Tuesday night to promote his new album, The Blueprint 3, and delved into a new freestyle praising native son Kanye West while also firing off a lyrical salvo at friend-turned-foe R. Kelly. Jay then reminded fans of his ties to Chi greats like President Obama and talk-show host Oprah Winfrey before comparing himself to Bulls legend Michael Jordan. "The blueprint that 'Ye followed/ Too hard a pill for R. Kelly to swallow," Jay rapped. "But I helped your other man/ Now the whole world gotta listen to Chicago/ Obama, O. Winfrey, ask them about me/ They'll tell you the boy's windy/ That boy Hov so cold/ That when you come to my shows, it's like it just snowed 10 feet/ I got my hat broke off/ I report to the ghetto, I'm the black Brokaw/ No, I'm the rap 2-3/ So any championships must go through me." Last month, Jay-Z brought Winfrey to Brooklyn, where the media mogul interviewed the rapper for her magazine and talk show. A few days after their discussion, Winfrey doted over Jay-Z on her friend Gayle King's radio show. She remarked how good the rapper smelled and called Jay her new best friend. In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday (September 9), it was Jay-Z who was full of praise as he talked up West. The producer manned the boards for the majority of The Blueprint 3, including the first two singles: "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," which he co-produced with No ID, and "Run This Town," featuring West and Rihanna. Eight years ago, with the original Blueprint album, West was only a rising producer until he landed the lead track on that project, "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)." Jay-Z said he's taken notice as West has evolved from upstart to superproducer. The outspoken younger artist was more of a quite protégé during the recording of 2001's The Blueprint. Now, however, Jay said being in the studio with West is more of a collaborative effort, particularly on this latest project. "The most interesting thing in the studio was Kanye, because of Kanye's growth," he explained. "You got to figure on the first Blueprint, he was a new producer, so he was just putting in the beats and moving out the way. On this one, he had an opinion about how the songs should sound, and it was just great energy that we had in the studio." Related Artists |
| Ellen DeGeneres Joins 'American Idol' As New Judge Posted: 09 Sep 2009 06:20 AM PDT Announcement comes after Paula Abdul's abrupt exit from the show last month.
Following Paula Abdul's abrupt exit from "American Idol" after eight seasons as a judge, Fox announced Wednesday (September 9) that Ellen DeGeneres would take over Abdul's seat on the judging panel. "I'm thrilled to be the new judge on 'American Idol,' " DeGeneres said in a press release. "I've watched since the beginning, and I've always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I'll save from not having to text in my vote." DeGeneres isn't a stranger to the talent competition, having co-hosted the "Idol Gives Back" charity special with Ryan Seacrest in 2007. The Emmy-winning talk-show host will get a new perspective on things, sitting alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi as a judge. "I could not be more excited to have Ellen join the 'American Idol' family," creator and executive producer Simon Fuller said in the press release. "Ellen has been a fan of the show for many years, and her love of music and understanding of the American public will bring a unique human touch to our judging panel. I can't wait for this next season to begin." "Idol" has been pulling big names in to the show since Abdul announced her exit last month. Katy Perry, Joe Jonas, Avril Lavigne, Mary J. Blige, Shania Twain and other artists have been announced as guest judges for the audition rounds. It's unclear whether DeGeneres will jump in for the remaining auditions or join the show during Hollywood Week. Since Abdul left the show, she has announced a hosting gig for "VH1 Divas" on September 17 and a guest-starring role on Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva." She also has said she's considering a talk show. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos |
| Diddy Prepares Visitors For The VMAs In New York Posted: 09 Sep 2009 05:27 AM PDT 'This is New York. I would just not speak or smile at anybody ... I would just keep focused,' the Bad Boy boss says.
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards are back in New York, if you haven't heard. And that means serious business, according to Diddy. The consummate New Yorker advised visitors this weekend that they should focus on the festivities at hand, which include plenty of parties and, of course, the big show on Sunday. Kitschy tourist plans will have to wait until the next trip, it seems.
"This is New York. I would just not speak or smile at anybody," he told MTV News, removing his sunglasses and laughing. "I would just keep focused. The way we walk around. We don't speak to each other. We don't look up. All that getting off the plane like, 'Hey, how you doing?' — don't do that here." The hustle of the Big Apple, however, shouldn't be confused with grumpy residents, Diddy said. "This is New York, people," he said. "But have a good time." One of the nominees expected to have the most fun at the VMAs is Kanye West. The MC leads all rappers with nods in four categories, including Best Rap Video. West will face off in each category against Eminem, creating a matchup between two of the hip-hop community's biggest icons. Diddy has a pretty good ear when it comes to music and said this year he had to give the nod to 'Ye over Eminem, despite the Detroit superstar's career achievements. The Bad Boy Records CEO said the 12 months belonged to Kanye. He emphasized, though, that his pick takes nothing away from the return of Slim Shady, who released his first album in five years this past May. "I think Kanye had more of an impact — that's just real sports talk," Diddy said. "That's not taking nothing away from anybody else." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards air live this Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET, but New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long! Stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more. Related Videos Related Artists |
| VMA Rehearsals Stop Traffic In New York Posted: 09 Sep 2009 06:02 AM PDT But which artist was the rehearsal for? You'll find out on Sunday night!
NEW YORK — The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards have promised to take over New York City, and the invasion seems to be well under way! Last night at around 8:30 p.m., a group of dancers shut down a couple of lanes of 6th Avenue traffic as they rehearsed for Sunday night's big awards show. In addition to the impromptu choreography, a fake New York City taxi rolled up to the curb so that a couple dancers could practice their moves on the hood.
After five or six run-throughs, a girl was added to the mix. She stood in front and pantomimed singing into an invisible microphone before climbing onto the roof and whipping her hair around. The stand-in led passersby to believe that this was a test run for either Taylor Swift or Lady Gaga — Beyoncé is also confirmed to perform Sunday night. It didn't take long for tourists to gather and snap pictures. Many focused their attention on the lead female stand-in, mistaking her for an A-list singer. But some photographers clicked stills of the male backup dancers instead. Traffic on 6th Avenue slowed to a snail's pace as curious cabbies, delivery men and drivers rubbernecked the same way they would if there was a car accident on the side of the road. A double-decker bus full of tourists erupted with cheers as it drove by. After practicing a dozen times for about 75 minutes, the dancers and the prop cab disappeared. And just as quickly as this impromptu rehearsal began, it was over. ... Related Videos |
| Russell Brand 'Wants Love' This Year At The VMAs Posted: 09 Sep 2009 05:27 AM PDT From filming another promo with Britney Spears to the New York location, the British comedian is excited for this year's show.
Russell Brand is looking to mix things up for his second go at hosting the MTV Video Music Awards. During his inaugural gig last year, the British comedian ripped on the Jonas Brothers and their purity rings, made many a reference to his own nether regions and trained his biting wit on the likes of Madonna and George W. Bush. 2009 will be a different story.
"I don't think Russell's looking this year to say, 'How can I be even more controversial?' " explained VMA executive producer Jesse Ignjatovic. "He wants to come out and celebrate with the audience. I don't think he's looking to shock or upset people. He believes in love! He wants love!" One person he has a lot of love for is Britney Spears, with whom he collaborated once again for some VMA promos. In 2008, the pair hung out in a warehouse, as an elephant stood behind them and Russell whispered to Brit, "Ooh, you smell nice!" This year, their hectic schedules prevented them from actually getting in the same room together, but they nonetheless managed to pull off a wacky promo in which the voices in their heads merge as they fret over the impressions they made on each other in 2008. "They really wanted to do something together," Ignjatovic explained. "She loves Russell. They found a way — being that they weren't even in the same city — and just thinking, 'How can we do something together even though our schedules are so crazy that we can't be in the same place to do it?' That concept is Russell's brilliance. He came up with a way to be in a promo with Britney and also to further his desires of being with Britney. So he killed two birds with one stone." Another coup for Brand is the fact that the VMAs have touched down in the New York after taking place last year in Los Angeles, as the comedian is a huge fan of the Big Apple. "He's really thrilled that it's in New York," Ignjatovic said. "He has a lot of fans in this city. He couldn't be more excited." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards air live this Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET, but New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long! Stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 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