MTV News |
- Why Isn't Eminem In The Hottest MCs Top 10?
- Drake Wants <i>Thank Me Later</i> To Be Relatable
- Fat Joe On A Quest To Make The 'Best Record In Hip-Hop History'
- Eminem's <i>Relapse 2</i> Will Be More 'Emotionally Driven'
- 'Hills' Stars Laugh Off Spencer Pratt's New Cowboy Style
- Exclusive: Watch Death Cab For Cutie's 'Meet Me On The Equinox' Video
- Whitney Port Doesn't Regret Showing Love Life On 'The City'
- Mat Kearney Gets A Boost From 'Vampire Diaries,' 'Grey's Anatomy'
- Ne-Yo Says He Tried To Add 'Hotness' To 50 Cent's 'Baby By Me'
- After Shyne's Release, What's Next?
| Why Isn't Eminem In The Hottest MCs Top 10? Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:54 AM PDT Eminem's 'Hottest' Absence Explained
MTV News' Hottest MCs in the Game list was rolled out over the past week, and from the jump, one topic has garnered much of the attention. First, we would like to thank all of you who logged on and got involved. You voted, left thousands of comments, and continue to engage in the conversation with tremendous passion. We respect your opinions and appreciate your participation. The Hottest MCs in the Game list is created entirely by the Hip-Hop Brain Trust, a group of ten passionate, informed, opinionated people who rank, discuss and debate artists' heat in a precise moment. With this list, it's all about the now. And right now, the most discussed topic is Eminem's absence from the Top 10. While he didn't qualify in previous years due to a lack of musical activity, he released Relapse, his first full album of new material in five years, in May. And Slim Shady's fans have told us that the omission of the legendary MC from the 2009 list was a major misstep. So how was the list determined? The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game list is based on an MC's achievements of the moment, not an entire career. The criteria are based on a combination of mic skills, buzz, commercial success (sales and airplay), business ventures, Web presence, and impact. Each member of the Brain Trust compiles his or her list based on those criteria. The fan list is factored as an eleventh. Each ranked artist is then awarded a number (number ten is worth one point, and so on). Those eleven lists and their respective values are combined to form a final list, which is then discussed and debated at the Roundtable. Eminem's ranking was one of the most discussed topics at the Roundtable. His hotly anticipated return to hip-hop after a long absence drove first week sales of over 600,000 - the highest first-week of the year so far. He granted a handful of select interviews here and abroad, and was part of a massive moment with Sacha Baron Cohen at the MTV Movie Awards. But then Em repaired to the lab where he spent the summer crafting Relapse 2. From June to September, Em all-but took himself out of the public eye, while other MCs generated week-to-week heat with mixtapes, guest appearances, performances and Web activity. He returned in September with comedic moments and a win at the VMAs, then dropped a verse on Drake's "Forever" (also featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne). The song's move into heavy rotation came subsequent to our roundtable vote. In between, he kept his profile low. Eminem is one of the best ever on the mic. His track record is undeniable. The Hottest list deals with right now, though. If the Brain Trust had compiled the Hottest list back in May, there's no doubt Eminem would have made the Top 10. In the end, The Hottest MCs in the Game is representative of the opinion of the members of the Brain Trust - you have every right to disagree. That's what the Hottest MCs is all about: engaging in a thought-provoking, informed, fervent dialogue about the music and culture we all love, hip-hop. What do you think of 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! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drake Wants <i>Thank Me Later</i> To Be Relatable Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT 'It's kind of hard for me to come out and be like, 'I'm still the underdog,' ' Drizzy tells Mixtape Daily.
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive Another mixtape? Actually rapping a verse on a song with Jay-Z? Drake says he's just trying to please the fans, and those two things have been big requests by the people. The first thing on his checklist, though, is making sure the tone of his debut LP, Thank Me Later, is real. "At the end of the day, one of the biggest things I've been toying with on Thank Me Later is that it's kind of hard for me to come out and be like, 'I'm still the underdog,' " Drake told Mixtape Daily. "I can't rap about the same things [as I did] on So Far Gone, so it's just really trying to tell the greatest story that's never been told, which is the story of a rapper's come-up, and tell it without being corny or over bragging or sounding like, 'Feel sorry for me.' It's going to be a very interesting record because I'm really going to have to dig deep and tell stories that people can relate to. But it's kind of hard, because my life is at a very different place now.
"I'm excited for next year, and I got some great records coming out with people too," the #3 Hottest MC in the Game added. "I got little projects on the horizon that I'm doing just for the people, to give people the free music that I've been known to give. I'm just going to keep up with being Drake. That's it." By "free music," does Drake mean he'll be doing another mixtape? "Yep, definitely a possibility," he said with a chuckle. "I'm working every day, and I know the requests. I get all the requests like, 'Oh, we can't wait to hear you and Jay spit together, and we need another mixtape.' I mean, I listen to the people, and there's just consistent requests that come my way almost every day or every other day. With that said, sometimes you have to listen to them and give them what they want. So, that's my goal.' For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Fat Joe On A Quest To Make The 'Best Record In Hip-Hop History' Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT 'I'm after the undeniable,' says Joe, who just dropped J.O.S.E. 2 this week.
NEW YORK — Before he retires — which won't be anytime soon — Fat Joe has one big goal. "My job is to make a record that is gonna stop the world from spinning," he said. "If you really wanna know what Fat Joe is after, Fat Joe is trying to make the ultimate best record in hip-hop history that will stop Earth from rotating. I wanna make something that's gonna make the biggest nonbeliever on the planet Earth say, 'Oh, my God. What's up with this dude?' I'm after the undeniable."
On Tuesday, Fat Joe released his ninth solo LP, J.O.S.E. 2. We caught up with the veteran as he drove in his old neighborhood in the Bronx on the way to Trinity Avenue. "I couldn't sleep last night," he said. "You gotta understand, I do this from the heart. With me, it's all about making great music. Just to know my fans, who have been my fans forever, get to hear the new Fat Joe for me, it gets me real excited. ... I wanna make the people think, 'This music is crazy. This album is crazy.' I'm just like a little kid, like I just started." Joe said every time he puts out an LP, he wants to make sure he is in New York. "I gotta be in New York for that," he said. "If you're anywhere else, you're crazy. This is my biggest market, this is my home. I gotta celebrate with my people here at the end of the day." Joe is looking forward to all his fans — and definitely the ones in his hometown — to embrace J.O.S.E. 2 like they have with some of his hometown peers' work. "Fabolous' album was crazy. Jay-Z's album was crazy. Even Maino dropped, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes — it made me feel great," he said. "I'm glad people finally dropping hot albums. That's the best part about it: Everybody is consistent with their work. I'm really proud f my work. I'm really, really proud of my album. I can't wait for a fan who hasn't heard it." |
| Eminem's <i>Relapse 2</i> Will Be More 'Emotionally Driven' Posted: 06 Oct 2009 11:27 PM PDT 'The last record I made, I think I was concentrating more on spitting,' Em says of Relapse.
If Relapse marked the return of Slim Shady and his outrageous rhymes, then the sequel is shaping up to be Marshall Mathers' turn back in the spotlight. In an interview on his Shade 45 satellite-radio station Tuesday night, Eminem explained the concept behind the forthcoming Relapse 2. "[The album] is gonna be a lot different than people expect," Eminem told DJ Tony Touch. "As far as the contrast from the last album to this one, I got a couple of tracks with [D12's] Mr. Porter, two tracks with him so far. Four, possibly five with Just Blaze. The overall basis of this record, I went back to songs that are more emotionally driven. The last record I made, I think I was concentrating more on spitting. On this album, I feel like there's some of that, but I went back to songs with [feelings] to them as opposed to just rap records." During the recording of Relapse, Eminem admitted he suffered from writer's block at times, and to return to form, he revisited his earlier style of rhyme that helped him earn his alter ego. Songs like "Insane" and "Underground" showcased his rapid-fire flow and outrageous lines. "Dre, I'm down here, under the ground, dig me up/ Broken tibias, fibias, yeah, fix me up," he rapped on "Underground." "I had to get it all out of my system," Em said of the lyrical urgency behind Relapse. "I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it again." Once the Detroit MC broke free from his struggles with the pen, he went on to record three albums' worth of material. He and his camp decided to whittle the songs down to two projects. In April, the rapper announced that Relapse 2 was done before the first one even arrived. He said during the mixing process, new tracks might be added. Recently, he's raised his profile with a guest verse on Drake's "Forever," also featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne. His standout turn on the track increased anticipation for his next album. On "Forever," Eminem hearkened back to the "8 Mile" style that endeared him to fans with his personal tales. The focus on polishing the second album, though, has consumed Eminem so much that he's only made scattered appearances since Relapse debuted in May. Once Relapse 2 arrives, tentatively later this year, Eminem said he'll decide then whether to go on tour. "During the process of me getting sober and starting to record again like I used to, I got so excited about making music again that I wanted to concentrate [just] on that," he said. "I started recording so many records that we thought about putting out two albums. Then that became my motivation. I wanted to stay grinding and keep making music. But the time I got engulfed in [Relapse 2], it just kind of worked out this way, where I wanted to fall back from live performances for right now and concentrate on making the best music I could make. After this record comes out, we'll see what happens from there." Related Artists |
| 'Hills' Stars Laugh Off Spencer Pratt's New Cowboy Style Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT 'It's really fun to make fun of him lately,' sister Stephanie Pratt says.
Heidi Montag expressed concern for husband Spencer Pratt's new cowboy hat in the trailer for the new "Hills" episodes. He's been seen all over Los Angeles rocking the hat, and he seems pretty comfortable in the Western gear — but his friends don't quite get it. Kristin Cavallari just sort of laughed the fashion statement off in her devil-may-care style. And former bro Brody Jenner can't quite figure out what Spencer is up to now that he's in his wild, wild West phase of life.
"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 told MTV News. "I've heard a lot of things, but I haven't been able to see it myself." Little sister Stephanie Pratt thinks the whole cowboy look is just odd. "It's really fun to make fun of him lately. ... I go over to their house, and I'm like, 'Spencer, stop going through Heidi's clothes.' It's really fun," she said. "He says the cowboy hat is, like, a gift from Dad and blah blah blah, but he's, like, getting really scary." It seems Spencer is the only one who doesn't see what the big deal is. "Well, it was because my new father-in-law gave it to me, and he gave it to me with such a serious speech connected to it [about] how much it truly meant to him and his life and everything," Pratt explained. "For me, it wasn't really more a fashion statement — it was more something for my father-in-law." To check out Spencer's cowboy style, tune in to "The Hills" every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Exclusive: Watch Death Cab For Cutie's 'Meet Me On The Equinox' Video Posted: 07 Oct 2009 05:03 AM PDT Clip for the first 'New Moon' single features light, shadow and plenty of shirtless Robert Pattinson.
Death Cab for Cutie are very pale. And from the Pacific Northwest. That's seemingly where the similarities between them and Edward Cullen or Bella Swan (or anyone else in the "Twilight" series) end. So when it was announced back in August that their "Meet Me on the Equinox" had been tapped as the first single from the "New Moon" soundtrack, you could almost feel the collective "huh?!?" that arose from Stephenie Meyer's loyal subjects. Death Cab just weren't a "Twilight" band, no matter how translucent Ben Gibbard is. Of course, all the hand-wringing was premature. Because, as it turns out, Death Cab really are a "Twilight" band (and not just because bassist Nick Harmer has been to Forks, Washington, a bunch of times). They just haven't read any of the books ... or seen any of the films. No, their connection to the series is purely sentimental. Much like Meyer's books, Death Cab are, at their very core, about the ins and outs of love and loss, of the lights and darks of the heart.
And "Equinox" is a perfect primer to Death Cab's entire oeuvre. It's about the unspoken truth of love (and life): that, as Gibbard sings, "Everything ends," and how, despite that fact, we still push onward, we sacrifice, we give of ourselves ... and ultimately, we end up alone. Or dead. Or both. It's a pretty beautiful concept when you think about it. Of course, it's also an incredibly depressing one. Gibbard gives a nod to that duality by using the metaphor of the equinox, a celestial phenomenon that occurs when the Earth's axis is perfectly aligned with the sun, causing day and night to be exactly the same length. And the video, directed by the team known as Walter Robot (who did DCFC's excellent "Grapevine Fires" video), does it by using the interplay between light and darkness. The clip is a moody time warp, full of shadows that alternately grow and shrink, of sunlight that fills windows, then disappears behind corners. The message — again, like Gibbard says — is that, while time is relative, the end result is the same: Everything ends. It's as dark and dreary as Forks at midnight, an arty clip about love and death and weighty topics like that. But let's not get too deep here — there's also plenty of shots of shirtless Robert Pattinson, not to mention enough "New Moon" footage to quicken the pulse of even the most moribund of Twilighters. Everything may, in fact, end, but the image of Pattinson's chiseled abs? Well, that's forever. Take that to your grave. And beyond. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Whitney Port Doesn't Regret Showing Love Life On 'The City' Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT 'I think it was a really big learning experience for me,' she says of dating Jay Lyon on camera.
Jay Lyon and Whitney Port had a whirlwind romance on "The City" last time around. With new episodes already being aired, Port says she wouldn't change a thing, despite admitting that having a serious relationship on the show wasn't the best idea in the world. "I really don't have any regrets," she told MTV News. "I think it was a really big learning experience for me. I didn't really realize or think about how crazy getting in a deep relationship on camera was going to be and what the outcome was and how it was going to affect me."
But she said that, like so many choices made in front of the cameras, it's all hindsight. And now that she's had some time to digest the decision, she's learned a great deal from it. "At first I was really upset that I allowed that to happen, and at the same time you kind of have to go with the flow with those kinds of things," she explained. Now she's interested in just dating around for a bit, but of course, she couldn't reveal what will happen to her on the show — for instance, whether she'll fall in love. "It's all about timing. And it all played out fine," she said of the previous relationship. "I mean, I say that I probably wouldn't want to have such a serious relationship on camera again, but ... you never say never." At the end of the day, Port isn't ready to settle on one type of guy just yet. "I'm just trying to, like, get my feel for different kinds of guys and see what I like and what I can work with," she said. "It's been fun." To see what happens next in Whitney's love life, tune in to "The City" every Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Mat Kearney Gets A Boost From 'Vampire Diaries,' 'Grey's Anatomy' Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT An 'Army Wives' promo could determine the TV favorite's next single.
You might not know his face yet, but if you've turned on a television at any point in the past three years, there's a good chance you've heard a Mat Kearney song. His dreamy, heartfelt rock is the go-to choice for shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "One Tree Hill" and "The Closer." In fact, even Lauren Conrad has been known to stare longingly into space while Mat's tunes blare on "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills."
But it's "Grey's Anatomy" that has been the most consistent Kearney supporter since his Columbia debut hit stores in 2006. And Mat couldn't be happier, even if the show's use of his songs is occasionally ... odd. "I'm watching ['Grey's Anatomy'], and there's this big logging-accident operation," the singer/songwriter recalled. "And then my song ['Crashing Down'] comes in! I was like, OK, 'Crashing Down,' I get it. The log crashed down into their stomach, they had to remove it. Very literal use of my song. Like, really? That's how you see my song?" "The Vampire Diaries" viewers recently caught Kearney's latest single, "Closer to Love," and when it comes time to pick the second single from his newest album, City of Black & White, Kearney is torn between going with his gut or piggybacking another TV opportunity. "I don't know what the next [single's] gonna be. That's the source of many meetings. The first song [on the album] is called 'All I Have.' And it started with this lyric: 'Here we go at it three years later.' And it felt like a great lyric to start my album off. ... So that could be a [single], and there's another song called 'Here We Go' that I love," Kearney said, before adding with a shrug, "And there was another song called 'Lifeline' that was used in some sort of TV thing." (That "TV thing" refers to Lifetime Television's promo campaign for their hit series "Army Wives.") Kearney admits he's new to the TV game. "I'm starting to watch TV. I'm traveling and I'm on a bus, so you can't always control when and where and what you're watching, so I've gotten into certain shows." Kearney's current fave? "Friday Night Lights." "I freaking love that show! I'm way behind, though. Everybody knows what's going on, but I'm on season one. And 'Dexter'! I'm going into season two, and I saw him holding a baby [in a billboard for the fourth season]. That bums me out. I don't wanna know that! But it's cool. It's how I live my life." Lately, Kearney is living life on the road in a nationwide tour that just rocked a sold-out show in New York. "It feels like, in some ways, we've been on tour for four years, but it's only been a week. And we have, like, 30 more shows, so I'm very excited," Kearney said. "This is a very big tour for me." Now if he only had the time to catch up on "Dexter." Related Videos |
| Ne-Yo Says He Tried To Add 'Hotness' To 50 Cent's 'Baby By Me' Posted: 07 Oct 2009 01:26 AM PDT Before I Self Destruct track will have an alternate version with vocals by JoVan Dais.
One more for Ne-Yo's impressive résumé. The singer/songwriter can add 50 Cent to his list of superstar collaborators after singing the hook on his new single, "Baby by Me." "He reached out," Ne-Yo told MTV News. "I always say he did the majority of the heavy lifting. [The song] was pretty much done by the time he sent it to me. He said, 'I just need you to put something on it.' He gave it to me, I wrote my part, sent it back and the rest is history."
Ne-Yo says he was surprised that 50 asked him to be on the song, because it sounded great already. "When he first sent me the joint, I was like, 'You don't need me for this,' " the singer said. "I thought the beat was hot, what he was talking about was hot. I just tried to add to the hotness." 50 Cent says Ne-Yo and R. Kelly are the only other artists on the album, and that there is an alternate version of "Baby by Me" with up-and-coming singer JoVan Dais. "The album version of the song was the one where you don't even know the singer," 50 told DJ Whoo Kid over the weekend on Sirius Satellite Radio. "I did the reference in the studio. It's a little more visual. Ne-Yo lightened it up a little bit and made it ready for radio. It works. I gotta sift through and see what I'm gonna put on the album. The Ne-Yo record is a stronger radio version." "Baby by Me" is the latest single from 50's Before I Self Destruct, which lands in stores November 17. Related Artists |
| After Shyne's Release, What's Next? Posted: 07 Oct 2009 03:45 AM PDT It's unclear whether rapper will be deported to his native Belize or under probation in the U.S.
Shyne's expected release date from prison came and went Tuesday as the rapper remained in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in New York. Word of his delayed release surprised many and caused a stir about his whereabouts as conflicted reports were filed by media outlets. "Shyne is currently in federal custody while his future immigration status is determined," a Shyne rep told MTV News in an e-mail message. An I.C.E. spokesman then told the New York's Daily News on Wednesday (October 7) that Shyne was being detained for violation of U.S. immigration law. No further explanation was given, however. Although the former Bad Boy rapper repped Brooklyn on his tracks, Shyne was actually born in Belize, where his father is prime minister. It's unknown as of press time if the rapper's mother is a U.S. citizen. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Web site, a child born outside the country to a parent of American citizenship can become a citizen, but the circumstances around the law vary depending on birthday. "Whether someone born outside the United States to a U.S. citizen parent or parents is a U.S. citizen depends on the law in effect when the person was born," the information reads. At question in this matter, it seems, is whether the MC can be deported back to his native country as a result of his violent crime. Rap legend Slick Rick faced a similar quandary when Department of Homeland Security officials nabbed the Bronx lyricist in 2002 after a cruise-ship gig and attempted to deport him back to England, where he was born. The difference in the two rappers' cases, though, was that Rick was released from prison and led a productive life for years that saw him put out an album, serve as a landlord and stay on the right side of the law after his debt to society was paid. Shyne's recent activity was just as peaceful if not very productive, due to his circumstances. The rapper was sentenced to prison in 2001 following a conviction on first-degree assault, among other lesser charges. And there was no indication he was anything but a model prisoner, as he was on track to be released this week, his mandatory release date of October 6. In the case of Slick Rick, New York Governor David Paterson stepped in to help by pardoning the rapper's crime, thus eradicating his criminal record. Without the mark against him, the "Children's Story" star was free to walk. High-profile stars such as Will Smith and Chris Rock also helped petition in his favor. Shyne's jail stint might have come to an end, but he was still on the hook for post-release supervision. In August, a judge ruled that the rapper would have to serve two years of probation, essentially. Previously, the rapper was set to be released from prison and free to return to his life with no strings attached. Since word of Shyne's federal detainment, there has been speculation that the rapper will be deported by the end of the week and his family has been notified. Oscar Michelen, a lawyer representing Shyne, wouldn't confirm the information, only telling MTV News "[I] don't know where that came from or if it's true." Related Artists |
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