MTV News |
- Rihanna 'Loves, Loves, Loves' Young Jeezy's Verse On 'Hard'
- Lady Gaga Launches Her Next Phase With Eye-Grabbing 'Bad Romance' Video
- Rihanna Album Preview: <i>Rated R</i> Is Her 'Mini-Movie'
- Wale Finally Releases Debut Album, <i>Attention Deficit</i>
- 30 Seconds To Mars' <i>This Is War</i> Preview: A Huge, Open Expanse
- Lil Wayne's <i>Rebirth</i> Due Out December 15
- Watch Robin Thicke And Jay-Z Make Magic On 'Meiple (Me I Play)'
- Rihanna 'Knows' Chris Brown Will Get 'Something Positive From This Experience'
- Lady Gaga Fans React To 'Bad Romance' Video
- 'Styl'D' Crew Set To Make Over Ashley Tisdale, Soulja Boy Tell'em, Others
| Rihanna 'Loves, Loves, Loves' Young Jeezy's Verse On 'Hard' Posted: 11 Nov 2009 03:50 AM PST Plus, Clipse talk about incarceration of their manager, in Mixtape Daily.
Celebrity Favorites "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" When somebody is as consistent as Young Jeezy, it's tough to say he's in a zone. That's just him. The Snowman brings it repeatedly. ("Bag Music" is kinda sick too, by the way.) Singer Rihanna praised his work on her new record "Hard." "When I first heard the song, I was in Paris," Rihanna said earlier this week of the track, which was written by The-Dream and produced by Tricky Stewart. "Dream and Tricky, they flew out and played me the record. They played me a few [songs], but this one stuck out to me. It had such an arrogance to it, which is so far from who I am ... which is part of why I wanted to do it. It was fun. It was bragging. A lot of attitude. Young Jeezy was the perfect person for the topic of the song. Just the vibe of the song. I love, love, love his verse. He added so much more to the record."
Streets Is Talking: News And Notes From The Underground "If the good die young, then the greats go to jail," Pusha T raps on the Clipse's new single, "Doorman." The duo have been reflecting on the incarceration of their manager and friend, Anthony "Geezy" Gonzalez. Last month, Geezy struck a plea deal for one federal drug conspiracy charge as well as one firearm charge. As much as it hurts to not have their friend with them, the Clipse said they have to go on with their lives and careers. "The show don't stop, we know what we gotta do," Malice, who tweeted, "We luv u GZ!" in the wake of Geezy's court outcome, said. "So we're out here doing it. The situation has been hard as well as heartbreaking. But I got the faith everything is gonna work out for the best. I believe everything happens for a reason. We still take care of our fam. We never leave our fam behind." "Geezy's good," Pusha insisted. "Yeah, he's alright," Malice concurred. "Everybody is good. It's Geezy, it's a few more too," Pusha detailed. "Y'all just know Geezy, but everybody is our brother." "Every time we talk to them, nobody is hanging their head. Ain't no crybabies. We got real soldiers in the family. Everything is gonna work out alright." According to The Virginian-Pilot, Geezy is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11. The Clipse release their next LP, Till the Casket Drops, on December 8. Guests include Yo Gotti — not Drake — on "Showin' Out." Fabolous also appears on a remix of "Kinda Like a Big Deal." (Kanye West appeared on the original.) For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Launches Her Next Phase With Eye-Grabbing 'Bad Romance' Video Posted: 09 Nov 2009 10:50 PM PST Francis Lawrence-directed clip is eye-catching and conceptual.
The wait is over! On Tuesday (November 10), after 24 hours spent frantically refreshing LadyGaga.com for its scheduled Monday premiere, fans were finally treated to the premiere of Gaga's much-discussed "Bad Romance" video. And needless to say, it was worth the wait. Directed by Francis Lawrence — who's helmed clips for the likes of Britney, Justin, Gwen and Shakira, not to mention the post-apocalyptic Will Smith vehicle "I Am Legend" — and featuring countless costume changes (and one unearthly pair of Alexander McQueen heels), partial nudity, and choreography that runs the gamut from spooky to sexy, "Bad Romance" is very much an event, the kind of video you just don't see very often anymore — and that goes double for the anticipation surrounding it.
"Romance" was supposed to premiere Monday on Gaga.com, and (we can attest) the influx of traffic ground the site to a halt. A brief snippet of the clip — which premiered on a German TV show — became a YouTube sensation, Perez Hilton wrote about it, people Googled it like crazy ... "Bad Romance" was a hit even before it debuted, a testament to Gaga's global popularity and the power of her unique brand of art-pop. So what's so great about this video? Well, of course there's the costuming and the choreography, the sly nods to Anubis Airlines from "True Blood" (check the coffins Gaga and Co. emerge from), but aside from that, there are the scenes where we get to see the real Gaga: stripped of her makeup (and her clothes), she sings directly to the camera, a single tear trickling down her face. It's a disarming moment, a glimpse at the woman shed of her outer layers ... a Gaga we rarely get to see. There's also the plot of the video, which — and perhaps I'm reading too much into this — appears to be hugely symbolic. The clip opens with Gaga surrounded by the characters from her previous videos (her sunglasses, the diamond-encrusted head pieces, Lava, the Great Dane let's call it the Fame version of herself. That Gaga is quickly kidnapped, poisoned with vodka (shout out to the folks at Nemiroff!) and transformed into something new: the super-sexy, somewhat spooky Fame Monster version, which we'll see on her upcoming tour and hear on the updated version of her album, The Fame Monster, which hits stores on November 23. The message is clear: the old Gaga is over, here's the brand-new Gaga: the one who seems to delight in pushing the boundaries and exploring all manner of sexual proclivities. While Gaga herself didn't reveal much about the video's concept when she spoke with MTV News last week, she did say that the razor-blade glasses were intended to project a "tough female spirit," and she raved about Lawrence: "I knew he could execute the video in a way that I could give him all my weirdest, most psychotic ideas, but it would come across to and be relevant to the public." It's a testament to her brilliance as an artist that Gaga is using the "Bad Romance" video as the jump-off point for the next leg of her career. These days, it seems like pop stars all too rarely put this much thought into their vision and their products. Wherever she goes from here, we can look back on this clip as the moment where it all changed. Perhaps that's a tad by hyperbolic, but you can't blame me for getting caught up in the moment: They don't make 'em like this anymore, and I'm not just talking about the video. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Rihanna Album Preview: <i>Rated R</i> Is Her 'Mini-Movie' Posted: 10 Nov 2009 04:45 AM PST 'It's really honest,' singer says of her 'vulnerable' new LP.
NEW YORK — Rihanna has broken her silence regarding Chris Brown's February assault against her in a recent series of interviews, and the singer told MTV News that her album will have a mix of songs detailing the "roller coaster" of emotions she's experienced in the past nine months. "It's my mini-movie," Rihanna said about her forthcoming album. "It's really honest, at times vulnerable, but it came from really, really deep in here [points to heart]. I just feel like I had to call it Rated R, 'cause it's my movie." MTV News previewed the album on Tuesday (November 10) and Rihanna's description is certainly accurate.
After the intro, Rated R kick starts with "Wait Your Turn" and the Young Jeezy-assisted "Hard." The material matches the artwork that's been released for the project so far, with Rihanna posturing as the bad chick. "Tougher than a lion/ Ain't no need in trying/ I live where the sky ends, yup, you know this," Rihanna sings in a near-rap flow on "Hard." "Never lying, truth telling/ That Rihanna reign just won't let up/ The hottest bitch in heels right here." In what will probably be referred to by fans as the "Chris Brown song," Rihanna reveals a softer side of herself on the ballad "Stupid In Love." "I still love you, but I can't do this/ I may be dumb but I'm not stupid," she sings on the Ne-Yo-penned record. "Stupid In Love" recounts a story of distrust over lies, raging emotions, and lamenting a lost love. "The dunce cap is off/ You don't realize what you lost 'til I'm gone/ I was the one," Rihanna croons. The pulsating "Russian Roulette" follows, but it's the next series of selections — "Rock Star," "Firebomb," and "Rude Boy" — that fit the Rihanna archetype of big, bombastic tracks that flaunt her sex appeal. "Rock Star" features former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash. With its mix of drum kicks and guitar licks, Rihanna revels in her rebellion. "I got my middle finger up/ I don't really give a f---." "G4L" is another posture record (the acronym is short for "gangster for life"), while "Te Amo" is the Barbados singer's paean to her international audience. The album once again turns somber, with the Will.i.am-assisted "Photographs," where Rihanna laments over a lost relationship. "It shoulda been me and you/ now all I got is these photographs," she sings. "The Last Song" is just that, after the Justin Timberlake-helmed "Cold Case Love." "Love" begins with a sparse melody and gradually builds through each verse before it crescendos with a full production flourish. Rihanna recently performed material from the album for the first time during a surprise appearance on Jay-Z's tour in Los Angeles this past weekend. The "Umbrella" star spoke to MTV News about the appearance and said she was both nervous and excited to get back to music. She said Rated R, set for a November 23 release, will be the beginning of a "new era." "There are a lot of butterflies, a lot of excitement," Rihanna said about her return to music. "I'm anxious. Like, I can't wait. But you're always nervous, because you're about to go do something big. It's a new thing, a new era. But I'm not scared. I'm just really excited. I just can't wait to start." Track list for Rated R, according to Def Jam: 1. "Mad House" |
| Wale Finally Releases Debut Album, <i>Attention Deficit</i> Posted: 11 Nov 2009 03:50 AM PST But fans on Twitter complain record isn't available at local retailers.
Tuesday marked the release of Wale's debut album, Attention Deficit, and the D.C. MC has built enough of a Twitter following that he's been able to stand toe-to-toe with the release of the "Call of Duty" video game and the Twilight sequel, "New Moon", in terms of trending topics. Wale has over 100,000 followers with whom he regularly engages. Every day millions of Twitter users tweet about a variety of topics from sports to music to current events. But every now and then, enough users jump behind a certain topic to cause it to trend, otherwise known as Trending Topics. Mixed amongst those topics Tuesday — and ranked above them in many instances — was #attentiondeficit.
Despite Wale's popularity on Twitter, his album's release has confronted some obstacles. Fans have been tweeting that their local retailers don't have the album in stock. But in terms of record sales, Wale told MTV News that the first week's numbers aren't everything. "It's about the music and the message. It's about the impact. It's not even about the first-week numbers, it's about the impact. The fact that Twitter is going crazy about people not being able to find it — it means a lot." Wale appreciates all the support he's receiving and said the album is like a child to him. He remembers creating many of the songs on the album when he had a 9-to-5 job, before he had a record deal. He said that his label would try to meet fan demand soon. "I appreciate y'all supporting it. We're restocking it very soon. We're tearing it up on iTunes right now, and I appreciate it. It's not going to stop off one week. We're going to tour, we're going to keep doing it and we're going to push this thing all the way to the limit." |
| 30 Seconds To Mars' <i>This Is War</i> Preview: A Huge, Open Expanse Posted: 11 Nov 2009 03:50 AM PST Band's new LP is massive and shiny, but also cold and empty, in Bigger Than the Sound.
Here is the best way I can describe 30 Seconds To Mars' This Is War, an album born out of rather intense struggles and big ideas, one loaded with icy synths and screaming falcons, epic chorales and windswept sonic expanses (and the occasional Tibetan Monk): Listening to it is like being inside a gigantic silver weather balloon, one ascending into the upper reaches of the stratosphere. It is massive and shiny and beautiful, but also cold and empty. That's not meant to be a slight — actually the opposite. War is a shimmering epic of an album, to be certain, but as is often the case when big rock bands strive to go even bigger with their sound (the most obvious example I can think of here is Angels & Airwaves), they often create these kinds of shiny balloons: big, lustrous things filled with oddly chilly space. In 30 Seconds to Mars' case, they up the empty by coating every song in icy, mercury-slick synthesizers. Sure, there's the occasional guitar line lifted from the U2 songbook, too (the Edge is quickly becoming the patron saint of these kinds of projects, it would seem), but War is, on the whole, a very icy listen, which seems odd considering that more than half its tracks also feature group vocals, a sundry of chants and "Whoa-Oh-Oh"s and "Fight! Fight! Fight!"s recorded at various fan-only "summits" the band held around the globe. It's an idea that would seem to invigorate the album, instilled it with a beating heart and pumping blood — but, strangely, it doesn't. For all the humans and emotions involved in its creation, War remains an alien-feeling thing, like its veins are filled with liquid nitrogen. And it's quite possible bandleader Jared Leto wanted the album to feel this way. After all, he went to hell and back to get it made — staring down a $30 million lawsuit from Virgin Records, shouldering the load (and the majority of the recording expenses) himself. One can imagine that there were stretches where he felt totally, completely alone in his struggle, like he was living life in lunar solitude. And that's what comes across in the album. A feeling of isolation is certainly present in War's finest moments — the bleak, ominous "Hurricane," on which Leto screams "Where is your God?" and asks the listener "Do you really love me?" or "Alibi," which starts with a somber piano line and builds on a constantly twisting guitar helix or, most notably, "Stranger in a Strange Land," a dark, sadistic song that stretches to seven minutes, pulses along on churning beats and chiming tubular bells, and features Leto breathing "Enemy of mine/ I'll f--- you like the devil." On "100 Suns," he proclaims "I believe in nothing/ Not the earth and not the stars," while on "Search and Destroy" he rasps "Found my faith/ Living in sin/ I'm not Jesus/ Neither are you my friend." So yeah, it sounds like Leto was going through some things, which is why talking about This Is War's empty feeling is more of a compliment than a slight. Working alongside noted space-maker Flood (U2, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins), Leto has created a sonic void to match the songs' lyrics — which makes the feel of album even more admirable, especially if you like challenging, fearless art. And that's really what War is — a conceptual piece, a great open expanse where Leto can bury his deepest secrets, can scream his fears into the void. That he's chosen to include his massive fanbase in his isolation was bold, brave, potentially crazy and potentially disastrous (there's a lot riding on this album, after all). You can debate that point endlessly, but here's one you can't: it's also an incredibly human thing to do. Because we're all alone, even if we don't realize it just yet — it's our most unifying trait, really. Which is what makes This Is War a rather brilliant, bracing listen. It's the soundtrack to cold, empty hearts, to the lunar landscapes inside us all. Is it the work of a sadist? A genius? A lonely man? Possibly all of the above. If only all big rock albums had this much nerve. Questions? Concerns? BTTS@MTVStaff.com |
| Lil Wayne's <i>Rebirth</i> Due Out December 15 Posted: 10 Nov 2009 06:14 AM PST After several delays, Universal gives official release date for long-awaited rock album.
The wait is ova. No, not that one. After months of delays and rescheduled street dates, Lil Wayne's new album, Rebirth, finally has an official release date. According to Billboard.com, the disc long rumored to be Wayne's "rock" album will drop on December 15. The album will come on the heels of his just-released No Ceilings mixtape. And while there has been some confusion about just how much actual rocking Wayne will do on it— he does appear on the new Weezer album — the rapper recently told Billboard that he does indeed bang his head on Rebirth.
"Yes, the album is still rock," he said. "I play guitar on 80 percent of the songs, and there's a lot of rock influences and rock beats. I also have Travis Barker on the album. But I don't want people to think I'm trying to do something I can't do. Don't think you're going to put on the album and hear me screaming and singing. "When I said I was doing a rock album, it was about doing a freedom thing," he continued. "This album isn't hip-hop. When I do my Carter albums, I know I've got to rap, I know I've got to spit. I know the words I've got to say and the subjects I've got to talk about. I also know the things I shouldn't say, the things I shouldn't talk about. There's none of those limits on this album. I say what I want, how I want. That's what this album is: a freedom album." Wayne has suggested that he might release Rebirth and the Young Money crew album as a double disc. Because a few of the songs from Wayne's album have leaked online during the past few months, he said he went back to the lab to cook up some new songs to throw off fans who thought they knew what he was up to. "I had to add new cuts, because a lot of things leaked, making people think they had an idea of what I was doing with Rebirth and what it would sound like," he said. "And I hated that, because I never want anybody to think they know what I'm doing until I present it. So what I did was make it totally different. I flipped it." In addition to protégé Drake, the album is slated to include guest spots from members of Fall Out Boy and Lenny Kravitz. It's unknown if Rebirth will be the last full-length album Wayne will release before he is scheduled to go to prison in New York for at least eight months after pleading guilty to a felony charge of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. A spokesperson for Wayne did not return requests for comment at press time for confirmation that the Young Money album, We Are Young Money, will be packaged with Rebirth. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Watch Robin Thicke And Jay-Z Make Magic On 'Meiple (Me I Play)' Posted: 10 Nov 2009 05:07 AM PST R&B singer releases video footage of himself in the studio with Jay-Z.
In new footage featuring Robin Thicke and Jay-Z in the studio for on Thicke's track, "Meiplé (Me I Play)," the two are seen working out the perfect way for Jay to deliver his line: "Black Brigitte Bardot, Beyoncé."
Jay raps about Saint Tropez, champagne and beautiful women in the track, which is set to appear on Thicke's upcoming Sex Therapy album. In the footage, Thicke is at the boards, producing the track, as he and Jay decide Hov needs to double his voice on "Beyoncé" for a dreamier effect. "When you say it like that, you can see how beautiful she is when she walks in the room," Thicke tells Jay. The two share high fives as everyone in the room seems to agree that they finally got it just right. The track debuted on New York's Hot 97 on Friday. Afterwards, Jay and Thicke address the camera. "Great day's work — we did what we're supposed to do," Jay says. "We brought our lunch pails. They were Louis [Vuitton] lunch pails, but it was a lunch pail none the less. And we got in there, we did our work. We got our ebony and ivory on." Recently, Thicke spoke to MTV News about the collaboration and said he still couldn't believe he got the Hottest MC in the Game to join him on a track. "Working with Jay-Z [came about because] he came by the studio, and he heard the album. He was very excited," he said. "[It's] kind of like a De La Soul kind of song, but he was really excited about it. To work with him was a dream come true. It was one of the best days of my life." Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rihanna 'Knows' Chris Brown Will Get 'Something Positive From This Experience' Posted: 10 Nov 2009 09:57 AM PST 'The best way that we can both win is if we come out learning from it,' she tells MTV News.
NEW YORK — Rihanna has been forthcoming and revealing during interviews when discussing Chris Brown and the aftermath of his assault on her earlier this year. She has emphasized her desire that the assault be a learning experience for her fans and young women in particular. Rihanna told MTV News that she also hoped Brown could take something away from the situation.
"I know that he's going to take away something positive about this entire experience," Rihanna told Sway on Monday. "It was a life-changing experience for both of us. The best way that we can both win is if we come out learning from it and sharing with others, so they don't have to go through it like we did." The singer was very candid during her sit-down with Diane Sawyer, as she confirmed the information contained in the police report from that night. She said Brown bit, punched and choked her to the point where she had trouble breathing. She also revealed that Brown had pushed her against a wall in the past. Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women and a victim of domestic violence herself, told MTV News by revealing details of her assault, Rihanna is actually creating a dialogue about the incident that can become a teachable moment, in addition to helping her move on. "She is really taking personal responsibility for this and sharing her response in a way that allows her to live the way she wants to: free of fear, in safety and in a way that can help others to be safe," O'Neill explained. Although Brown has been more reserved when discussing the specifics of that night, he too has said he wants to use his experience to help others. "It's like, 'How do we get past it? How do you, Chris' — talking to myself — 'how do you go from point A to point B,' " he told MTV News correspondent Sway during "Chris Brown: The Interview," which aired Friday. "How do you learn from your mistakes, turn it into a positive and help other people with the situation, and at the end of the day become the person that you want to be?" Brown has declined to go into detail on more than one occasion, saying he believes for his and Rihanna's privacy that it wouldn't be fair to speak about the incident. Brown issued a statement to MTV News before Rihanna's full interview with Sawyer aired, reiterating his belief that the night should remain private. The singer, however, remained supportive of his former girlfriend's decision to speak openly on the assault. "While I respect Rihanna's right to discuss the specific events of February 8, I maintain my position that all of the details should remain a private matter between us," he said in the statement. "I do appreciate her support and wish her the best. I am extremely sorry for what I did, and I accept accountability for my actions. At this point, I am taking the proper steps to learn about me and grow from my mistakes. I only hope that others in similar situations can learn from our experience as well. Abuse of any kind is always wrong. The rest I leave it to God." Go here for domestic-violence resources, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Fans React To 'Bad Romance' Video Posted: 10 Nov 2009 05:49 AM PST 'I love how her costumes are all crazy, but that's just how she is,' one fan says.
After a week of anticipation, Lady Gaga's new music video, "Bad Romance," finally premiered on the singer's official Web site. MTV News ventured outside the office and into streets of Times Square to see what people thought of the latest visual extravaganza from the pop singer. One fan, Kerrianne De'Alessandro, took notice of the detailed glam and fashion of the video. "I loved her outfits again — her hair and her nails were so cool. They had, like, lace on them," she said.
And whether it's the singer's high-end fashion or her eccentric dance moves, many enjoyed the video for being different and essentially a representation of who she is. "I love how her costumes are all crazy, but that's just how she is," Linh Dedalto said. Taking place in a white bathhouse, "Bad Romance" showcases Gaga's quirky dancing and knack for eye-popping visuals. Unfortunately, not all were in awe of the singer's unique taste. "I don't know if she was a reptile or a stalk of celery or something, but there was something strange going on there." Amanda Drury joked. Whitney Fauntleroy told MTV News that the video reminded her of a mix between Marilyn Manson and Britney Spears and that she "couldn't really follow it." Fauntleroy's Spears comparison might not be far off, as the video was directed by Britney collaborator Francis Lawrence — the mastermind behind clips for "I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Circus." "I thought it was a little bit confusing at times but overall it was pretty good," Malora Pollack said. "Bad Romance" is the lead single off of the singer's upcoming Fame Monster re-release. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Styl'D' Crew Set To Make Over Ashley Tisdale, Soulja Boy Tell'em, Others Posted: 10 Nov 2009 03:47 AM PST The show promises style and a whole lot of drama in upcoming episodes.
The crew on "Styl'D" have already had their way with Kim Kardashian, and they'll also be making over the Veronicas, Ashley Tisdale, Soulja Boy Tell'em and Sean Kingston. Plus, they promise to bring a lot of their own behind-the-scenes drama to the table. For instance, some of their favorite moments come from stylist Janna, who fell in the pool, got attacked by a dog and threw up, all in one season. And she insists that that's only the beginning. "Drama — there's gonna be tears," she explained, adding that there's also going to be some "hooking up."
Gary reiterated that the drama is bound to go down when you have a group of young stylists trying to prove they deserve the spot in the junior assistant program at the Margaret Maldonado Agency. "You're gonna see a lot of drama," he said. "You're gonna see amazing, amazing hot celebrities and you're gonna see really good fashion." Speaking of hot celebrities, Gary added that his favorite styling moment came via the Veronicas. "I would have to say the funnest for me was the Veronicas, because they can wear anything," he explained. "And they're amazing and so cute and little and fun and forward and inspiring and great." Although there's prime opportunity for some crossover action with the girls from "The City" and "The Hills," the crew insists it's not gonna happen. However, they would love to see one of the stars stop by. "I'd love to work with Whitney Port though," Brett revealed. "[She's] totally [the best]." |
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