MTV News |
- Rihanna's <I>Rated R</I> Is 'So Great,' Producer Says
- 50 Cent On Fabolous: 'We're Cool'
- Chris Brown On Rihanna Altercation: 'I'm Learning From My Mistakes'
- Tokio Hotel On Success: 'You Want It In Every Country'
- Rihanna, Chris Brown Singles Dropping Within Same 24 Hours: Coincidence?
- Adam Lambert's 'Time For Miracles': A Fiery Video For A Classic Power Ballad
- Is Shyne's Deportation To Belize Imminent?
- Chris Brown Talks Oprah, Jay-Z In Hot 97 Interview
- Chris Brown Fans React To His New Single, 'Crawl'
- 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Dancers Call Him 'The Greatest'
| Rihanna's <I>Rated R</I> Is 'So Great,' Producer Says Posted: 22 Oct 2009 03:52 AM PDT 'I think she's a pop icon, so her music should reflect that,' Chuck Harmony says.
When Rihanna released "Russian Roulette," the lead single from Rated R on Tuesday, a lot of people were surprised that it wasn't some empowering club banger. And although reactions are mixed when it comes to the haunting song about an abusive relationship, Chuck Harmony, who produced it with Ne-Yo, insists that the track and the album are a reflection of Rihanna's growth as an artist.
Harmony told MTV News that no matter how you feel about the track, the album will prove that Rihanna is the Madonna of her generation. "I sat through mix sessions and I heard some of the songs on the record. It fits in well," he said of "Russian Roulette." The song is a bit darker than some of Rihanna's past singles, but Harmony said that isn't indicative of the rest of the album. "I think Rihanna has captured what her old fans are used to, as well as the growth of an artist. 'Russian Roulette,' to me, is a shining example of her growth and her artistic expression," he said. " 'Russian Roulette' is definitely taking her to another level. I think she's a pop icon, so her music should reflect that." Harmony added that he still can't believe his track was picked to kick off her comeback, because there was just too much great material to pick from. "I was actually shocked I got the first single 'cause the album is so great," he said. Although Harmony is one of Rihanna's colleagues, he says he's just as interested as anyone in how the singer is marketing herself, including the single's provocative cover art. "It fits in with the song," he said of the photo. "The way it's unfolding is so genius. Like, 'The wait is ova' [message on her site]. I was waiting too. I wanted to see the cover, I wanted to hear the song. It's one of those records where you just don't know. It's not a faith record. It's one of those thought-provoking records." Related Photos |
| 50 Cent On Fabolous: 'We're Cool' Posted: 22 Oct 2009 03:52 AM PDT Fif says there's no beef between the two and gives us new mixtape details, in Mixtape Daily.
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive 50 Cent insists that despite publicly expressing "disappointment" in Fabolous recently over Twitter comments, the two have no problems.
"Yeah, we're cool," 50 said recently on the set of his video for "Baby By Me." "Fab particularly is an artist I've interacted with twice. He's [opened] two international runs [for the G-Unit]. It wasn't specifically to try and help him broaden his international presence, but it obviously it would help for him to be there and be in front of the audience internationally and put his best foot forward first. Give a good show and people become Fabolous fans at that point." Via his Twitter, Fab questioned 50's motives for having former mic rivals like the Lox and the Diplomats perform at his Thisis50 Festival that took place earlier this month. In the wake of his comments, Fab insisted that he was not dissing Fif. "He reached to tell me he didn't mean it in that derogatory way," 50 confirmed. "People misinterpret what you type in the text. I've misinterpreted what people were trying to send to me, sending me messages before as well. Before we utilize devices we use to communicate with each other intimately on Twitter and other Web sites, you can forget you're making a public statement. You can feel you're having barbershop talk or just saying your personal take on something, and it's a public statement and people start to resent you for it. "He kind of felt a little backlash on it," 50 added about Fab. "People responded negatively to it because they were like, 'Finally [these artists are performing together]' and he's going, 'Wasn't I a part of dividing New York City?' I wasn't a part of dividing New York City. New York City wasn't accepting me initially." 50's Before I Self Destruct LP arrives on November 23, but the G-Unit General said he might drop another mixtape before then. "I have a tape I didn't put out yet," he said. "It's called The 50th Law. I've been sitting on it. I'm gonna put it out soon. I've been so wrapped up in the presentation for this actual album, I hadn't released it." Related Videos |
| Chris Brown On Rihanna Altercation: 'I'm Learning From My Mistakes' Posted: 21 Oct 2009 03:06 AM PDT Singer speaks with Angie Martinez on New York's Hot 97.
Chris Brown sported a bow tie for his appearance with Angie Martinez on New York's Hot 97 on Wednesday (October 21) just like he did during his interview with Larry King last month, but the singer wasn't nearly as choked up. The Martinez interview was only his second media appearance since he pleaded guilty for his involvement in a physical altercation with Rihanna in June. His first, with King shortly after his sentencing, revealed Brown was not ready to speak openly about the ordeal as he deflected a majority of the CNN host's questions. With Martinez, the singer was more relaxed, though the radio personality was just as pressing as King.
"There's no way to start this without being awkward," Martinez said, before asking Brown how people should feel about the singer. "Honestly, with me, it's not a thing about how you should feel," he explained. "Just be human. Because at the end of the day, I'm human. Of course you're gonna have your thoughts and opinions. I'm not gonna say they're wrong. But at the end of the day, it's not right to judge someone. People make mistakes all the time. I'm learning from my mistakes everyday and I regret it every second." Brown spent just over an hour on Hot 97 as he addressed a number of topics, from the bruised photos of Rihanna to the people who reached out to him in the wake of the incident, and what advice he'd give young couples in serious relationships. He surprised Martinez when he revealed Will Smith was one of the people who reached out to him in the aftermath of the altercation. Brown said Smith offered advice, and said the gesture came when he needed it most. "As a young black man myself, I need older black male role models to step in and kind of mold me — not people bashing me, 'cause that's not how you learn from mistakes," he said. Brown didn't directly address what occurred between him in Rihanna in the car. Martinez pressed and asked the singer if he was also injured as a result. He denied that he was, but like in his CNN interview, Brown said he didn't want to speak in detail for the sake of Rihanna's privacy and his. He was remorseful throughout, however. The Hot 97 jock asked Brown what advice he'd give to a troubled couple in a situation where anger was mismanaged. Brown said he'd tell them to take a look at what he's gone through. "I would say, point blank, definitely learn from my mistakes," he urged. "Learn from what you saw Chris Brown's take on it was. If you're young, everything isn't as serious as it amounts to. I feel like people wanna grow up so fast and be adults. Just live your life and be you. If it's physical, take some classes. Counseling is great. It doesn't mean you're crazy, you're just working on you." Go here for domestic-violence resources, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse. Related Artists |
| Tokio Hotel On Success: 'You Want It In Every Country' Posted: 22 Oct 2009 03:52 AM PDT 'Who knows what will happen next?' Tom Kaulitz says of band's attempt at a Stateside takeover.
You would think Tokio Hotel would be getting a little tired of living life directly underneath the spotlight, of being mobbed by fans wherever they go, of having zero privacy and even less freedom. You'd be wrong, of course. In fact, they want more of it — all of it — which is why, after years of dominating Europe, they've set their sights on conquering America too. "The first time we were here, we just went out on the street, and it was great. We were like, 'Oh, that's a nice place to hang out. Nobody knows us,' " Tokio Hotel frontman Bill Kaulitz said. "But, you know, success is kind of a drug. You want it in every country. So it was really important for us to come over and play the first shows."
Those first shows happened last year, when the band landed here in the States to promote their English-language debut, Scream. The shows were sold-out, and the crowds were rabid, but still, for the most part, the guys were able to wander the streets freely, drawing only the occasional confused look from passersby. But now, on their second go-round, with their second English album (the just-released Humanoid) all of that is starting to change. For the better. "It's easier than Europe [to walk around on the streets], but it depends what you're doing. When you come for some interviews, and no one knows that, then it's fine," Bill explained. "If you have a show or something, then our fans are at the hotel, and some photographers. And it feels good, but we want more." So it's looking more and more like it's goodbye privacy here in America too — which is just fine for the guys in Tokio Hotel. Like they said, success is a drug, and they're addicted. It's not a stretch to say that someday they want to be the biggest band on the planet — because, really, privacy is overrated. "Maybe someday; it's changing," Bill's brother Tom laughed. "It's not like we can go out and nobody knows us anymore. Who knows what will happen next?" Related Videos Related Photos |
| Rihanna, Chris Brown Singles Dropping Within Same 24 Hours: Coincidence? Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:23 AM PDT Source close to Brown calls timing 'purely coincidence.'
Chris Brown is under a court order that requires him to stay from former girlfriend Rihanna. And while that order — one part of his sentence for an assault on Rihanna in February on the eve of the Grammy Awards — means that Brown has to keep a certain physical distance from his ex, there's nothing to say that he can't be professionally close to her. That reality made for a strange situation on Tuesday, when Rihanna released her first new single since the incident, "Russian Roulette," just hours before Brown announced the dates of his "Fan Appreciation" tour. Then, approximately 24 hours later, Brown dropped the second single from his upcoming Graffiti album, "Crawl." Given the situation between the two since the altercation, the close proximity of their big career re-boot moves was curious to say the least. While Brown's label had no official comment on the timing of the activity from the former couple, a source close to the Brown camp denied that it was anything but "purely coincidental." Given that both artists are releasing fourth-quarter albums and are on similar album/ tour/ recording cycles — both released their debuts in 2005 and a follow-up in 2007 — the source said the overlap was not planned at all. "We don't have a copy of what [Rihanna's label] Def Jam is rolling out any more than they have one of ours." Rihanna's single seems to obliquely reference the incident, with edgy graphics featuring the singer wrapped in barbed wire, a blood-dripping song title and her initial in gleaming-blade silver, not to mention the sounds of guns cocking and being fired and foreboding lyrics about a seemingly violent relationship. While neither artist has commented on what their songs are about, Rihanna producer Chuck Harmony said people were bound to infer that the song is a commentary on the assault and her break with Brown. "Because that's the newest situation," he said. "It's just a natural reaction for people to associate 'cause she's been so tight-lipped." At press time, a spokesperson for Rihanna had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment. Meanwhile, after posting pictures of himself in ninja gear on Tuesday, Brown rolled out the ballad "Crawl" on Wednesday, and the second salvo from Graffiti also appeared to be a reaction to the end of the couple's relationship, albeit a softer-edged one. The melancholy song features the lines: "Everybody see it's you/ well, I never want to lose that view/ Everybody says we're through/ I hope you haven't said it, too." Tresa Sanders, a veteran music-business publicist who has worked with artists including Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, and Common, said her first thought when seeing that Rihanna and Brown were crossing musical paths was that it was a coincidence. "I've worked inside at labels and outside of them and there are a lot of times when you really don't know what the other labels are doing or when other records are coming out or what their marketing plan is," she said. "Really, when you are in the middle of a plan and you've already set it up, there's nothing you can do but go for it." Sanders, who has not worked with either act, said Rihanna's team appears to have been working on the set-up for her Rated R album for many months, pointing to the singer's cameo on the Jay-Z song "Run This Town" as the first glimpse of her look and sound for the next go-round. "That performance is so in line with what she's doing now," she said. "If it was me, it would just be business as usual. I wouldn't do anything out of the ordinary that was not already in the plan. There's no reason to switch up the game because they're both successful artists and when you're a big artist like that, your album tends to come out in the fourth quarter. That's Music Industry 101." With both artists actively tweeting and teasing information about their new albums over the past few weeks, it's not like their plans are a mystery. And while it's not likely that they're trying to coordinate their professional relationship amid the ashes of their personal one, it seems like their public lives are going to keep intersecting for the foreseeable future. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Adam Lambert's 'Time For Miracles': A Fiery Video For A Classic Power Ballad Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:02 AM PDT Lambert's song, from '2012,' has all the time-tested power-ballad ingredients.
Every so often — OK, quite often — Hollywood decides to makes a movie about stuff blowing up. In this case, it's the apocalyptic "2012," which is about the extinction of humanity in general. Somewhat understandably, this is a rather bleak subject to tackle — the end of the world isn't exactly heartwarming — so the producers know they somehow need to inject some sunshine into the flick, something to leave audiences feeling better as they exit the theater. A logical solution is, of course, a power ballad. The power ballad, of course, is perhaps the most humanizing of all tunes: With swelling strings and crashing chords, they are practically designed to evoke emotion, to tug at the heartstrings and cause tears to flow. Their lyrics — which are usually about the triumphs of love in the face of overwhelming odds — are just icing on the cake, a little extra bit of sweet sadness dolloped on to really drive the point home.
The classic example here is, of course, Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," from 1998's "Armageddon." It had absolutely nothing to do with the movie or a pending apocalypse, but was very much about love conquering all, which is why it resonated so well, and why it continues to be a karaoke favorite to this day. But now there's a new contender to that throne: Adam Lambert's "Time for Miracles," the ballad tapped by the producers of "2012." Written by the tandem team of Alain Johannes (who also plays in Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures) and the late Natasha Shneider, it's a song that's tailor-made to Lambert's strengths: a completely classic ballad, and a showcase for his big, booming vocals and otherworldly range, the stuff he won audiences over with on "American Idol." He's apparently moving away from this sound on his debut album, and one could be forgiven for wondering why, because he positively owns it here. It's a big stage for him — the lead single from a big-budget Hollywood flick — to be sure, and he's more than up for the task. And that carries over to the video, which has lots of flames and destruction, with Lambert serving as the omniscient everyman ... the human who wanders through it all, weary but determined to survive, because he has to. Of course, given that this is a ballad, he also serenades us all from the roof of a skyscraper because, well, what better place to sing a power ballad? It's a time-tested formula, and I'm happy to say that "Time for Miracles" gets it all right. I'd put it alongside not just "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," but, as my colleague, MTV News' "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello pointed out, Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory" and Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," too. This is hallowed ground we're talking about here. Disaster is a tough thing to take, but when it's accompanied with the right chaser, it goes down surprisingly smoothly. Related Artists |
| Is Shyne's Deportation To Belize Imminent? Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:48 PM PDT Immigration officials detained the rapper immediately after his release from prison.
Shyne's deportation appears imminent, according to a conversation Hot 97's Angie Martinez recently had with the detained rapper off-air. The Belize-born former Bad Boy recording artist has been held in custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since completing his prison sentence on October 6 for his role in the infamous 1999 Club New York shooting also involving Diddy and his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez. Shyne served nearly nine years of a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to first-degree assault among other charges in 2001. Immigration officials detained the rapper, and members of his camp told MTV News at the time that Shyne's immigration status was being evaluated. Speculation about whether the rapper would be deported swirled; Shyne has been in a federal facility for weeks now in Buffalo, New York, awaiting his fate. Hot 97 news director Miss Info reported Martinez's conversation with Shyne's on her Web site. Martinez said that Shyne believes he'll be relocated soon to Belize, where he will then continue to fight for a pardon from New York's Governor David Paterson. It remains unclear exactly why Shyne is being detained and ultimately deported as of press time. A spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told MTV News on Wednesday (October 21) that Shyne was still in custody, but would not release details pending his case. "We would never discuss any individual or group of individuals, if we had a deportation operation under way for security reasons," Michael Gilhooly said. Gilhooly confirmed a Shyne is being held in custody for violation of an immigration law, but he would not identify which law. In the past, Governor Paterson stepped in to stop a deportation attempt on rap veteran Slick Rick by pardoning the England-born star. However, the "Children's Story" MC had been free for a number of years before officials attempted to deport him. Shyne's case differs in that the rapper was immediately detained following completion of his jail sentence. Although the matter at hand seems to be whether a non-born resident can continue to live in this country after having committed a violent crime, immigration laws are difficult to grasp. 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. Shyne's father resides in Belize, but his mother currently lives in the States. The rapper was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and often represented the borough in many of his songs. He reportedly is attempting to return to a living situation with his mother and grandmother. Shyne has retained noted Harvard professor Charles Ogletree to assist him in his fight against immigration. An inquiry made by MTV News to a publicist and lawyer for Shyne has not been returned as of press time. Related Artists |
| Chris Brown Talks Oprah, Jay-Z In Hot 97 Interview Posted: 21 Oct 2009 03:57 AM PDT 'I don't got anything against homie,' Brown says of Hov.
Chris Brown and Oprah Winfrey went back and forth earlier this year commenting on the singer's altercation with Rihanna. Oprah used her popular show to educate viewers about domestic violence, and in the process warned her viewers that most abusers repeat their actions. Brown took the remark as a slight against him. He charged Winfrey with being one-sided in her sympathy toward Rihanna. Winfrey shot back at Brown, telling the singer he should get the help he needs. In an interview with Angie Martinez on New York's Hot 97 on Wednesday (October 21), Brown clarified his statement. The singer said he had hoped Winfrey would have reached out to both him and Rihanna. "At the time, when I think I needed a helping hand, for her to reach out to me and talk to Rihanna and say this is wrong and this is right, or whatever the case may be," he told Martinez during the radio appearance. "Not even to be on the show; just make it about helping. Because at the end of the day I thought we had that type of relationship where it could be like that." Brown cited Will Smith and Diddy as examples, saying that both men reached out to him and offered to help, although neither let him off the hook. "As a young black man myself, I need older black male role models to step in and kind of mold me. Not people bashing me, 'cause that's not how you learn from mistakes," he said. During Brown's embattled seclusion, rumor spread that he was scheduled to appear at the BET Awards in June to pay tribute to Michael Jackson. But after Brown failed to appear, speculation began that Jay-Z, an ally of Rihanna's, helped orchestrate an attempt to block Brown from the proceedings — an assertion Jay has denied. "That's the silliest rumor I ever heard," Jay-Z told British radio host Tim Westwood in July. "You know me, right? I was sitting back and watching all them suckas [comment]. You don't comment on rumors. I was sitting back watching them. 'Look at them. That's so silly.' First, let me categorically deny that. If I have a problem with Chris Brown, I got a problem with Chris Brown. I don't agree with what he did and that's that." Brown reiterated Jay-Z's claim about personal differences. "I don't know and don't think it was him," Brown said. "I don't got anything against homie." At the moment, Brown is forbidden from communicating with his former girlfriend Rihanna. He admitted it's been difficult having to lose the friendship with the "Umbrella" singer. He also said he understands if some of her friends aren't too pleased with Brown these days. "I don't think I'm on their 'get back [with him]' list," he said. Related Artists |
| Chris Brown Fans React To His New Single, 'Crawl' Posted: 21 Oct 2009 03:27 AM PDT Fans reaction is generally positive to song from Brown's forthcoming Graffiti LP.
NEW YORK — Since his first single, "I Can Transform Ya," is an upbeat Swizz Beatz-produced track, it's not surprising that Chris Brown is slowing things down for his second single, "Crawl." The song, which marks the next single off his forthcoming album, Graffiti, got a mostly positive reaction from fans in Times Square. Many agreed that Brown has the capability to craft a catchy tune that people can relate to. "I like Chris Brown. I've always liked everything that he's come out with and his songs are always catchy. This is no different," Kaylee Peters said.
Another fan already could imagine listening to the track, which finds the singer pleading reconciliation with a lover, with friends. "It's something that I imagine putting on in the car when I'm driving with my friends, something we can all sing along to and really have a good time with." Alicia Lyons said. "I think what he's saying is, it takes time to do everything. You crawl, you walk, then you run and jump," Michel'le Baynard added. But while many fans like the track, not all were happy to hear more mellow sounds from Brown. "It's too slow-paced," Jeff Epstein said. "He usually does better when he has good beats, like more hip-hop dance songs, and that one was just too slow for him. I don't know. It's just not really his genre." And of course, fans are already speculating that the song is about Brown's former flame Rihanna. "It kind of does seem like he's talking about Rihanna," Juan Trujillo said. "I thought he was [on parole] or something for hitting her, but hey, love comes around, right?" Related Artists |
| 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Dancers Call Him 'The Greatest' Posted: 21 Oct 2009 03:27 AM PDT 'Michael is one of the most amazing improvisational artists I've ever seen in my life,' one dancer says.
On October 27 at 8:30 p.m, just hours before "Michael Jackson's This Is It" opens in theaters, MTV will air a live red-carpet special from the documentary's gala premiere at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. As guests arrive and stop to chat about the impact of MJ on their own lives, we'll also be bringing you exclusive interviews with the director, choreographer, musicians and dancers who were rehearsing with Jackson during his final days. "As a dancer, Michael is one of the most amazing improvisational artists I've ever seen in my life," said Misha Hamilton, a backup dancer for MJ's planned London comeback concerts. "He has his vocabulary of movement, but it seems like he's never done the same exact set of things twice."
That sentiment was backed up by Devin Jamieson, a self-described farm boy from Saskatchewan who was selected to be a backup dancer and who counts himself lucky to have seen an inside look at Jackson's meticulous commitment to putting on a stage show like no other. "We got to see the greatest," he explained. "And not only did we get to see him perform, but we got to see the building blocks, we got to see the process behind it and his work ethic. Being led by MJ was so solidifying, to know that you're going to be a part of the best thing the world has ever seen." As huge a star as Jackson was, however, the performers were struck by his humble nature. "He didn't make a big entourage entrance," Jamieson said. "He wasn't the big superstar that entered the room and was demanding attention or anything." The dancers are all accomplished artists in their own right, but performing alongside Jackson and taking in his knowledge of techniques like popping, locking and boogaloo changed their conception of what was possible on stage. "Dancing with Michael Jackson, I learned dancing over again," said Dutch-born Timor Steffens. "He is one with the music. If you see him on camera, you think, 'Damn, how does he do that?' If he's next to you performing and you see how he does every move, it's just amazing." And it was during performances, Hamilton made clear, that Jackson was truly in his element. "You could tell he was just itching to get up and dance," he said of watching MJ during rehearsal downtime. "You could tell he was home [when] he was back on stage." Don't miss "Michael Jackson's This Is It" Premiere Special, airing on MTV and VH1 on Tuesday, October 27 at 8:30 p.m. ET! "Michael Jackson's This Is It" opens in a limited engagement on October 27 and wide on October 28. Check out everything we've got on "Michael Jackson's This Is It." Related Videos Related Artists |
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