MTV News |
- 'VH1 Divas' Ushers In A New Class With Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson
- Fabolous And Ryan Leslie Talk About Their Supergroup With Ne-Yo
- Experts Weigh In On Kanye West's Post-VMA Career Recovery
- Avril Lavigne Confirms Split With Sum 41's Deryck Whibley
- Kelly Clarkson To Put Ryan Tedder Drama To Bed On Upcoming Tour
- Will T.I. Make Hottest MCs List From Behind Bars?
- Madonna's Single 'Revolver,' With Lil Wayne, Hits Web
- Kermit The Frog Insists He's Not Dating Lady Gaga
- Should Kanye West Lie Low After Taylor Swift VMA Incident?
| 'VH1 Divas' Ushers In A New Class With Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson Posted: 17 Sep 2009 08:53 AM PDT Jennifer Hudson, Leona Lewis and Jordin Sparks also bring down the house during the first 'Divas' event in four years.
Four years after the TV special last aired, "VH1 Divas" returned to the airwaves with Paula Abdul assuming host duties and a slew of fierce performances by Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Leona Lewis and Jordin Sparks. Making a return to prime time more than a month after leaving "American Idol," Abdul began her emcee gig with a dance routine set to her vintage hits. Starting with "Cold Hearted," she segued into a performance of "Opposites Attract" with MC Skat Kat -- familiar to anyone who remembers the 1989 music video — dancing and singing on a screen behind her. From there, Abdul hit "Straight Up" and "Forever Your Girl," ending the medley as her backup dancer picked her up and lifted her toward the ceiling.
"I'm Paula Abdul — and this is not 'American Idol!' " she said to begin her opening remarks. The first hour of "Divas" showcased solo performances by the artists, while the second half mostly featured duets between new and older generations. Cyrus was the final solo act to appear, and in a video played before her song, she said, "My diva demands? I just want Frosted Flakes!" Upping the energy factor in the room, Cyrus rocked out "Party in the USA" as she danced in a short black skirt alongside dancers in top hats and sleeveless tux shirts. Sheryl Crow joined Cyrus onstage for "If It Makes You Happy" as the show began to wrap up. The two looked like nothing if not mother and daughter. Earlier in the first hour, Kelly Clarkson started out by busting into a slow-building version of "Already Gone" that had the "Idol" winner standing in an emerald gown and raising her hands to the roof as she nailed her high notes. Clarkson and Melissa Etheridge then closed the show with a hard-rocking take on "Bring Me Some Water." After giving birth to a son in August, Jennifer Hudson, wearing skintight leather pants, kicked off the evening's diva displays with "Spotlight," a soul-soaked cut from her 2008 album of the same name. J-Hud got to sing with the night's only male artist — Stevie Wonder, playing the piano with his signature smile on display — as the duo traded off lyrics on Stevie's "All in Love Is Fair." Jordin Sparks had more than a dozen backup dancers grinding behind her while the 19-year-old strutted to and fro across the stage during "S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)," from Battlefield. She had only one partner for her second performance, country singer Martina McBride, and together they took on McBride's chart-topper "A Broken Wing." Adele pulled off a virtuosic version of "Hometown Glory" that drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd at the Howard Gilman Opera House at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz had earlier declared September 17 "VH1 Divas Celebration Day in Brooklyn, USA." Adele appeared again with a guitar-strumming India.Arie for a reggae-flecked rendition of "Video." Leona Lewis sang "Happy," then returned after the commercial break to sing "True Colors" with the song's 1986 originator, Cyndi Lauper. The women held hands as they shared the final lines. Paula's funniest moment of the night came when she danced her way onstage in a short blond wig, playfully imitating Ellen DeGeneres, who replaced her as a judge on "Idol." "Why you all staring at me? Can't a girl try out a new job?" Abdul said while lounging on a talk-show-style couch. "All kidding aside, nothing but love, Ellen. I wish you the best of luck and congratulations on the new gig! And you got to call me if you have any Simon [Cowell] problems, because I know him best." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Fabolous And Ryan Leslie Talk About Their Supergroup With Ne-Yo Posted: 18 Sep 2009 03:52 AM PDT Plus: Play N Skillz are hunting for new talent for their G4 Muzik label, in Mixtape Daily.
Do we really have to run down Play N Skill'z history for you again? We put you up on those fellas awhile back when we hit Dallas. The two-time Grammy winners aren't just doing music (Bun B, Nipsey Hussle, Ray J and a few others who'll you'll hear about soon are on their plate), they are making business moves. "We wanna formally announce our new deal with the big brother Steve Rifkind and Gaby Acevedo," Play said. "Play N Skillz G4 Muzik, just did a nice situation over there with SRC/Universal." "Play N Skillz have been trendsetters for a long time," SRC founder and chariman Steve Rifkind SRC in a statement. "The music that they make is incredible, and their innate knack for finding great talent is very impressive." The guys are definitely looking for local talent in their hometown of Dallas but are open to signing groups from all over. "Were trying to take it more of a mainstream situation than concentrate on a regional situation," Play explained. His brother Skillz added: "We're just going to do it so big. The first act is Dallas: His name is Inertia." Next Wave of Flav On Inertia: "The Dallas music has exploded in the last couple of months. It got crazier with Duro and everybody. With him, it's a little different. It's not dance; it's not 'D-Town Boogie.' It's more Flo Rida meets Ludacris meets Twista. We're trying to go that direction with Inertia and our new situation. His show, the homie is dead-on energy. I'm talking about Busta Rhymes energy. That's lacking today. That's one of the things that drew us to him." - Play "Inertia is just a phenomenal artist to lead off with." - Skillz. On Nelly: "We been in with Nelly the last couple of months. We been working with the big bro very tough, and his new album is out the box. He has a record with Akon called 'Angel Eyes.' He just killed it." - Play On T-Pain: "His new album is crazy. I thought Play was crazy. The whole studio was jumping off." - Skillz. "T-Pain is something different. We went in the studio, he had spotlights in there, porn everywhere, and all his cars parked outside: a Phantom, Ferrari and a hearse with a coffin that came out with speakers." - Play Five-Star Stellar Hits » Chamillionaire - "Ridin' " Hottest Streak Thus Far From 2007 to now, they've won two Grammy Awards. The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground Remember way back when we told you about a potential super duo made up of Fabolous and Ne-Yo? Well, it looks like the two have still been talking about making that project happen and bringing in a third member: Ryan Leslie.
"We're talking about a triple-team collaboration that's really gonna hurt the game," Leslie told us recently in New York. "Your boy Fab, the boy Ne-Yo and yours truly on the board. It's really gonna put a hurting on everybody." "This guy is a creative genius," Fab said of Leslie. "I told y'all we was working." Loso and Leslie said the trio are open to collaborating with others on the project. "The table is open," Leslie said. "If you're bringing something to the table, you can break bread." "You just gotta bring some good food to the table," Fab co-signed. "It's about conceptualizing," Ryan added about how the LP will shape up. "It's not gonna be a project that's thrown together. It's gonna be a real roundtable, and we're gonna talk about really putting something in the atmosphere that contributes something that's never been done before." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Experts Weigh In On Kanye West's Post-VMA Career Recovery Posted: 17 Sep 2009 03:02 AM PDT What can the rapper do to recover from the Taylor Swift incident?
Kanye West has made a habit of brash moves that some might consider career suicide, from radically changing up his musical style, to chasing avant-garde fashion and daring to buck rap's strict macho code. But could one of his most conventional acts of rebellion — Sunday's dis of Taylor Swift at the VMAs — turn out to be the left turn that does irreparable damage to his career? It's not the first time 'Ye has bum-rushed an awards show and spouted off about a perceived slight, but the fact that he interrupted the acceptance speech by a beloved, squeaky-clean 19-year-old singer savoring her first moment in the VMA spotlight has led to a firestorm of criticism for the rapper. For his part, West has called Swift to apologize, posted two different rambling apologies on his blog (both since removed) and gone on the new Jay Leno talk show to offer a teary explanation for his actions. But we decided to ask the experts: Will Kanye ever be able to make amends to the public for this incident? (Head over to Off the Dome for our hip-hop team's opinions on the matter.) "Kanye's taking a lot of heat and what he did was bad and disrespectful, but let's keep it in perspective," said public-relations expert Howard Bragman, author of "Where's My Fifteen Minutes?" Bragman, who consulted for Isaiah Washington after the actor was accused of using a gay slur against former "Grey's Anatomy" co-star T.R. Knight, said there are three ingredients to a successful career rehab: "One is an apology, which he's done like 17 times. Two is sincerity, and three is time. No matter how much you want this to go away, it doesn't mean it is going to go away right away." If West, as promised on Leno, goes away for a while and removes himself from the public eye, Bragman predicted the public will forget and move on to the next scandal. "The hardest thing is getting clients to shut the f--- up," Bragman said. Emil Wilbekin, former editor-in-chief of Vibe and Giant magazines and current managing editor of Essence.com, had a slightly different suggestion for how West could move on from the incident. "What Kanye did was actually kind of a good PR move that a lot of celebrities could take notes from," Wilbekin said. "He came forward on Jay Leno and was really, really honest and showed his real emotions and finally said he had a problem. The public will always be more forgiving if people come out and admit their problems. Then they become a real person." That's not to suggest that the climb back will be easy, though. Wilbekin said the reaction to West's exploits — which have drawn fire from everyone from President Barack Obama and former President Jimmy Carter to Kelly Clarkson and Donald Trump — was so extreme because "he basically ruined Taylor Swift's joyous moment. It was a huge honor for her, and he ruined her moment. Killing someone's joy, particularly someone who is so innocent, is never a good look." If West had rushed someone else, say, Eminem, Wilbekin said the blowback would likely not have been as harsh. Though Kanye has ranted about everything from George Bush not caring about black people to saying he's the next Elvis, those outbursts were about him. "Those were his business," Wilbekin said. "This was none of his business." Wilbekin also suggested a simple three-step plan for West to save face and get back in the good graces of his audience and the world at large. Step one is to seek some professional help in the form of therapy to deal with the issues he has said he's still struggling with following his mother's unexpected death in 2007. "I think that is the biggest issue in this whole situation, that he's never properly dealt with the loss of his mom or emotions over her death and what caused her death," he said. The second, and most intriguing, step Wilbekin suggested was that 'Ye should produce a song for Swift and appear in the accompanying video. "That could help make amends and would be a great way for him to smooth over the situation," he suggested. "Apologies are one thing, actions are another." The step would also pave the way for the third element, which Wilbekin said is rectifying the situation with the country music world, a huge, powerful segment of the music-buying public that will definitely be looking for retribution for the embarrassment of Swift. Though a planned tour with Lady Gaga in the fall still appears to be on, despite a suggestion on Leno that he would be taking some time off, Wilbekin said West should "definitely take some time to be reflective and sit down for a minute. Music fans are very forgiving, I think he can overcome this, but the answer is he needs to take time, get out of the scene, not be everywhere with Amber Rose, not be in every video and heal himself. "He'll work through this," Wilbekin predicted. "He's a great talent and with Whitney Houston's problems and Michael Jackson's death, the black music industry cannot afford to lose Kanye West." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards may have wrapped, but the party is far from over. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes updates, party reports and much more. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Avril Lavigne Confirms Split With Sum 41's Deryck Whibley Posted: 17 Sep 2009 07:22 AM PDT 'Deryck and I are separating and moving forward on a positive note,' singer writes on her MySpace page.
After more than three years of marriage, Avril Lavigne and her husband, Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, are separating, according to a message posted late Thursday (September 17) on Lavigne's MySpace page. "Deryck and I have been together for six-and-a-half years. We have been friends since I was 17, started dating when I was 19, and married when I was 21. I am grateful for our time together, and I am grateful and blessed for our remaining friendship," the message reads. "I admire Deryck and have a great amount of respect for him. He is the most amazing person I know and I love him with all my heart. Deryck and I are separating and moving forward on a positive note." Lavigne concluded the message by thanking her family, friends and fans for their support. The message (which was titled "Moving forward on a positive note") confirmed speculation that had run rampant in recent months that the couple's marriage was on the rocks. Earlier on Thursday, Us Weekly ran a story that cited a source as saying Lavigne had "dumped" Whibley and forced him to move out of their Bel Air, California, mansion, adding that "divorce papers will be filed any day now." Lavigne and Whibley were married in July 2006 in a non-denominational ceremony held at a private estate in Montecito, California, and their partnership quickly extended into the field of music, as Whibley played on and produced parts of Lavigne's last album, 2007's The Best Damn Thing, and was reportedly working with her on the follow-up to that record. Related Artists |
| Kelly Clarkson To Put Ryan Tedder Drama To Bed On Upcoming Tour Posted: 18 Sep 2009 09:05 AM PDT 'VH1 Divas' performer plans to do a 'diva-esque' take on 'Already Gone' to differentiate it from Beyoncé's 'Halo.'
NEW YORK — Kelly Clarkson is looking to put all this Ryan Tedder drama behind her. For the uninitiated, much was made earlier this summer when people noticed the similarities between Clarkson's "Already Gone" and Beyoncé's "Halo," similarities that seemed more than coincidental, considering both songs were written by the same guy: OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. So many people began to talk about it that eventually Clarkson weighed in, saying she had no idea about Beyoncé's song when she was recording hers, but that, when she heard it -- and noted how similar it was to hers -- she immediately called Tedder and asked him, "Why would you do that?"
Tedder responded, calling Clarkson's claims "hurtful and absurd," and then, both artists' respective camps must have clamped on the muzzles, because we haven't heard a peep from either one since. So when MTV News caught up with Clarkson on the "VH1 Divas" red carpet, we asked her if she had settled her differences with Tedder or if she would advise her fellow "American Idol" alumni against working with him in the future as a result of the controversy. "Oh no. I have a lot of songs that I've done with Ryan, and they all sound very different. It's just, unfortunately, in that situation, they sound exactly the same," she laughed. "But our melodies are different. Beyoncé and my melodies are different [on the songs]." Clarkson did say that she'll be performing a different version of "Already Gone" on her upcoming tour, which launches October 2 in Connecticut, but that she made the change because she wanted to try a new, appropriately diva-fied spin on the tune. "Unfortunately, it comes out where a lot of songs sound similar and, I don't know, I want to sound a little authentic, so we changed it," she said. "It's a little acoustic, and then it breaks out into this big, beautiful, diva-esque thing." And the new version of "Gone" won't be the only change on her tour. She's also throwing a new cover or two into the mix, one of which is sure to delight her (many) indie admirers. "I'm going to do a Black Keys song this time out," she said. "I don't want to give away which one, though. It's a soulful, bluesy one, which is all their songs, really." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Will T.I. Make Hottest MCs List From Behind Bars? Posted: 17 Sep 2009 01:37 AM PDT Prior to his yearlong jail sentence, Tip released the commercially and critically hailed Paper Trail.
T.I.'s Hottest MCs in the Game prospects this year are probably the most interesting and perplexing yet.
Tip has everything it takes to be #1, without question. (To see what it takes to make the list, check out our Hottest MCs criteria.) The King of the South's words land with precision. Paper Trail was one of the most anticipated albums of 2008 by fans and critics and delivered on expectations. As advertised, T.I. made one of the best works of his career and surpassed just about all his peers in sales and accolades. "Live Your Life" and "Dead and Gone" were career-milestone big, and his buzz and impact were off the charts. Tip's fame isn't limited to his musical endeavors. During his Paper Trail run, he won the admiration and hearts of TV viewers on his MTV series "Road to Redemption," dealing with his own troubles with the law and taking some kids under his wing to inspire them to follow a righteous life path. So what could possibly keep Tip off of the Hottest MCs list? Well, the same issue that relegated him to the bottom of the list last year: lack of activity. Due to his yearlong jail sentence, Tip hasn't been heard from since May. Yeah, records like "Swing Ya Rag" still get play in the club, along with the new track "Don't Forget," but is that enough? We will find out soon. The MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust is due to reconvene shortly.
Who do you think is the Hottest MC in the Game? Don't forget to vote from now through September 21 to have your voice heard. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Madonna's Single 'Revolver,' With Lil Wayne, Hits Web Posted: 17 Sep 2009 02:15 AM PDT Song is featured on greatest-hits compilation Celebration, due September 29.
Madonna's single with Lil Wayne, "Revolver," has finally landed in its full form. In the past several months, variations of the Celebration song leaked, but now the official version is out. "My love's a revolver," Madonna sings on the sugary ditty. "My sex is a killer/ Do you wanna die happy?" Guest-verse sniper Weezy F. Baby comes in later and gives himself loads of big-ups when it comes to the women. "Bang/ The shooting name is Wayne," he raps. "The victim didn't complain, she just screamed, 'Shoot again'/ I gave her extra rounds/ My barrel twist around/ I am Mr. Shoot 'Em Down/ I leave hearts on the ground." This "revolver" shouldn't be confused with Lil Wayne's Cool & Dre-produced "Hot Revolver," which leaked from the Rebirth recording sessions. "Revolver" appears on Madonna's upcoming greatest-hits collection Celebration, which is due September 29. The project includes some of her most memorable smashes, including "Justify My Love," "Borderline," "Lucky Star" and "Papa Don't Preach." A video for the compilation's title track premiered in the iTunes music store at the beginning of the month. It is directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who helped shepherd her back to respectability with his hyperkinetic 1998 video for "Ray of Light," and features cameos by Madge's boyfriend (model/DJ Jesus Luz) and daughter (Lourdes, who makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance toward the end). Related Artists |
| Kermit The Frog Insists He's Not Dating Lady Gaga Posted: 16 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT 'Miss Piggy got a little jealous,' Kermit says of his VMA date with Gaga.
We've seen some unusual pairings on the VMA red carpet over the years, but none were quite as unusual as seeing a Victorian-clad Lady Gaga stepping out with none other than Kermit the Frog. But Kermit doesn't want anyone to get the wrong idea: He's still with Miss Piggy and not dating Lady Gaga.
"Well, I wouldn't really call it a 'date' — at least not if I don't want to end up as a coat for Miss Piggy. Y'see, I just gave Lady Gaga a ride to the VMAs, and when Lady Gaga left her credentials in the limo, I had to bring them to her," he explained to People magazine. "Of course, after Lady Gaga and I were seen on the red carpet together, well ... Miss Piggy got a little jealous. But I definitely did get a ride home — in the trunk!" Kermit wants everyone to know that the ride he gave to Gaga has not ended his decades-long relationship with Miss Piggy, despite her sometimes jealous nature. "Miss Piggy and I have not called it quits, and that's because we do not have that kind of relationship," he said. "We are colleagues and close friends. Sometimes too close. Waaaay too close. We still work together all the time." Not even the kiss he and Gaga shared on the red carpet could break up Piggy and Kermit. "As far as kissing Lady Gaga goes, she is a very good kisser, but it was not a romantic kiss. It was a kiss for good luck," he said. "Kissing a frog is good luck for the person giving the kiss — but bad luck for the frog if his pig finds out." Although Kermit had the distinct honor of being by Gaga's side, there was another blonde in attendance he wouldn't have minded spending some time with. "Taylor Swift. After years of working with Miss Piggy, I've gotten really good at not letting anyone else grab the mic," he explained. "I didn't see Kanye after the incident, but I would have told him to do what he's been doing: apologize. It's not that easy being wrong, but if you own up to your mistake, you'll almost always be forgiven. There are exceptions, but I won't mention her by name." The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards might have wrapped, but the party is far from over. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes updates, party reports and much more. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Should Kanye West Lie Low After Taylor Swift VMA Incident? Posted: 17 Sep 2009 12:50 AM PDT We debate what 'Ye should do next, in Off the Dome.
Whether what you've done is good or bad, when you've had not one, but two presidents of the United States speak about you in one week, you've had an iconic moment. For Kanye West, this week has seen his name in headlines from the most mainstream of media outlets to little-known blogs. Interrupting Taylor Swift's moment at this year's MTV Video Music Awards has earned West more than a few cross words. The backlash has been heavy from celebrities and fans alike. West hasn't made any excuses and has apologized several times — but now we wonder: What comes next?
During his appearance on "The Jay Leno Show," West hinted that he may need some time outside of the spotlight. That break may not be coming anytime soon, though, as he has a tour scheduled with Lady Gaga kicking off in November. He also has a very high-profile video for the song "Forever" with Drake, Lil Wayne and Eminem coming soon. Then there's a record you may have heard of, called "Run This Town" — Kanye is going to be around for a while, like it or not. But speaking for myself and fellow MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust member Rahman Dukes, we feel that staying active may be West's best rehabilitation. Whether you love him or think he's arrogant, there is no denying that hip-hop and the entire music industry is better off with him in action. The guy makes classics. And before his emotional outburst at the VMAs, Kanye had one of the largest and most diverse fanbases in music. He thrilled Madison Square Garden when he came out as a surprise guest during Jay-Z's Answer the Call concert. So perhaps he does need to lay off of interviews and public appearances for a while, but Kanye cannot let his musical momentum slow down at all. He has to stay active and remind people why they fell in love with him despite his reputation: the genius music. Related Videos Related Artists |
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