MTV News |
- 50 Cent Takes Us Through His Catalog, Album By Album
- Lil Wayne And Royce Da 5'9" Duke It Out On New Mixtape
- Beyonce And Lady Gaga's 'Video Phone' Clip: A Brightly Colored Fantasy Set To Life
- 'American Idol' Winner Kris Allen Made Writing A Priority On His Debut
- Britney Spears Fought For 'Oops! ... I Did It Again' Red Catsuit
- Rihanna Joined By Jay-Z, Young Jeezy Live In London
- Ken Ober: A Remembrance, By Kurt Loder
- Britney Spears Wanted '(You Drive Me) Crazy' Video To Take Her 'To The Next Level'
- Ken Ober Remembered By Adam Sandler, Denis Leary, More
- Beyonce And Lady Gaga's 'Video Phone': Check Out A Preview!
| 50 Cent Takes Us Through His Catalog, Album By Album Posted: 17 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST The New York MC details the creative journey that led him to Before I Self Destruct.
50 Cent first decided to make the Before I Self Destruct album about three years ago. Coming off the heels of 2005's mega-seller The Massacre, Fif wanted to keep slaying 'em with another assault on the streets. However, a creative surge hit him early in the process, and he decided to bench Destruct in order to make the collaboration-heavy Curtis. In the interim, a few tracks intended for Destruct hit the Internet and mixtapes, and the full album was recorded and scrapped twice before he finally settled on the current incarnation, in stores Tuesday (November 17). "Well, this record is almost a prequel to Get Rich or Die Tryin'," 50 said of the album's feel. "The content is coming from situations I've experienced prior to when I created Get Rich or Die Tryin'. What I realized translated most through my material is the aggression, and the people miss it because the other artists don't come from the same type of background or lifestyle. They don't want that from those artists. You know, what they would knock me for is if I sung on a record — 'Oh, 50 is singing on a record' — they get upset when I use the melody. I've been encouraged to use more melody because I'm an international touring artist and I'm watching the music break language barriers, and all they can follow is melody when you go out there at different points. So I brought it, I came back, and I did different things creatively and they kind of resent me for what they love Drake for. It's interesting."
Love him or hate him, you can't deny that 50's had one of the most interesting careers of any MC of the last decade. He's hit extreme highs with album sales and participated in intense rap beefs. Here, 50 took us on a express trip down memory lane and gave us the inside track on all four of his solo LPs. Get Rich or Die Tryin' "Largest debuting hip-hop album. [The guy on the cover], oh, he's crazy. I mean, so much was going on at this point when I was writing this record. I had war chants like 'Many Men' ... 'P.I.M.P.,' I was exposed to that lifestyle — I actually gave confirmation on Before I Self Destruct with 'Stretch' where I kinda explained where I was exposed to that on that record: 'Like a pimp, me I was in the passenger seat.' So I wrote the things, why these things were relevant to me, from this album onto the latest CD. You know I only recorded with Em and Dre for six days on this album? You can do a lot in six days, man!" The Massacre "[In] 2005 I was about 15 pounds heavier. I had to draw my muscles on. I got fat while I was doing the tour. And, umm ... I overwrote this album. Yeah. It's 22 cuts, the maximum playing time on a single CD. Technically it's a double-disc. You know, I had so much going on creatively at that point that I also wrote the hit music that was on Game's effort, you know, doing this project." Curtis "This right here is my artist album — Curtis, album three. I had to name this album Curtis. My grandfather's Curtis Sr., his first born is Curtis Jr., I'm his first grandchild, I'm Curtis James Jackson III. And that's why my third album is titled Curtis. I attempted to make this album human. That was my outline for what the record should be. I wrote 'Straight to the Bank,' I put laughter in the record — that was one of three records. I wrote what I felt what was representation of joy. I wrote 'I Still Kill' featuring Akon. 'I Still Kill' had the aggression, anger. 'Ayo Technology' was love, sex. I put a lot of different things into this album, and I found a new place musically collaborating with all the talented artists on this project. What's interesting is I came up with the concept before Before I Self Destruct and wrote four demo tracks before I decided to go with Curtis because I knew Before I Self Destruct would impact harder behind this." Before I Self Destruct "Finally, album four, Before I Self Destruct — I'm deeming this classic here. I didn't overwrite it. It's got 15 cuts, 16 is the bonus with R. Kelly, 'Could Have Been You.' I pick and choose my moments on this actual record. I finally found a balance of what I feel like a great album is — and this is representation of it right here. I knew what my singles were before we even got started. I came into it and said, 'This is going to work, I'm going to do "Baby by Me" and then I'm going to explain what happens when that doesn't work, when a relationship doesn't work. And then I'm going to go here, get it hot.' And people don't understand the transition and difference between Curtis and Before I Self Destruct. " ... 'I Get It In' leaked out and I had to have Dre mix it. You know, the record was out and I wanted it to sound as best as possible. But we still weren't prepared to launch the actual album, so we never actually shot the music video for that. I said, 'I'll make something better,' and I went back in the studio and I created 'Baby by Me' and 'Do You Think About Me,' which was written before all of that. And 'Hold Me Down' was one of my favorite joints on an actual album. So this one, I'm proud of this record. I hope everyone gets it and enjoys it, however they get it." Related Videos |
| Lil Wayne And Royce Da 5'9" Duke It Out On New Mixtape Posted: 17 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST Plus: DJ Kay Slay enlists Cam'ron, Jim Jones, Beanie Sigel, 50 Cent and more for his tape, in Mixtape Daily.
Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Mixtape: Best Rapper Alive? Headliners: Lil Wayne and Royce Da 5'9" Co-Stars: DJ Trackstar and the Smoking Section We Can't Stop Playing: The "D.O.A." freestyles; the "Ignant Sh--" freestyles
Essential Info: This is just a mixtape you put on and forget about the fast-forward button. This is one of those gem mixtapes, because you know there's a guarantee that lyrics will be as sharp as a Peyton Manning pass. DJ Trackstar plays Butch Lewis, promoting a dream rhyme fight between Weezy F. Baby and the Nickel Nine. Trackstar took beats that Lil Wayne and Royce Da 5'9" rapped over separately on mixtapes and on proper albums and mixed a tape to make it sound like the two were battling for an entire CD. He even has a score card with the track list. Obviously, there is no way to judge a battle between the two, because these verses weren't recorded for that purpose, but it's dope nonetheless listening to the two abuse each track worse than Manny Pacquiao dismantled Miguel Cotto in the ring Saturday night. We know Wayne composes his bars in his head and doesn't write anything down. Royce recently stopped by the 1515 headquarters and told us how he attacks his rhymes. "I got a lot of different methods," said Royce, who released the LP Street Hop late last month. "Right now in my career, I don't have a particular go-to method. It's all different ways I do it. Everything starts with the music. I gotta have the actual beats. I come up with concepts sometimes without hearing any music, but I can listen to a beat and say, 'This concept that I have in my mind matches this beat.' I might sit on a concept for years. I got a song called 'Taxi Driver,' and I had the concept, but I had to wait on the right beat. I got a Mario Winans beat, and I had to make it mesh. It starts with the beat, then concept, then the flow, then the words. The words are the easiest part. "I prefer to have everything mapped out," he added about going into the studio. "I'm a technician when I write. I prefer to have everything mapped out. I like to go in there with all the tools already, then it's an easier day for me." Mixtape: Blockstars 2 Headliner: DJ Kay Slay Co-Stars: Cam'ron, Jim Jones, Beanie Sigel, 50 Cent, Maino and Mike Beck We Can't Stop Playing: Sheek Louch's "Everyday"; "Warm It Up" by Styles P; "Self Destruction 2010" by various artists Essential Info: We listen to the Drama Hour on Hot 97, but there's nothing like throwing on a Kay Slay mixtape and hearing the Drama King start to yell. You don't know if he's gonna call somebody out or shout somebody out, but for damn sure, Kay is going to let you know you are listening to his tape. It's all good. Right about now, Kay is in full burn mode. He's starting to warm it up for his next LP, More Than Just a DJ, which hits January 20. Salute to all the DJs out there expanding your brand and making it happen. You guys continue to drive the culture. Other Heat This Week » Rakim - Seventh Seal (independent album) For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Beyonce And Lady Gaga's 'Video Phone' Clip: A Brightly Colored Fantasy Set To Life Posted: 17 Nov 2009 09:02 AM PST Hype Williams-helmed clip premiered on MTV.com at midnight.
When one imagines a collaboration between Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Hype Williams, the mind reels with visions of outlandish costumes, hip-displacing dance moves, DayGlo flames, fish-eye lenses ... the list goes on and on. Thus, it's a little surprising that the just-released clip for Beyoncé's "Video Phone" has nary a flame or fish-eye shot (there are, of course, plenty of outlandish costumes). However, don't make the mistake of thinking this video is by any means straightforward — it's plenty WTF!
Opening with a tracking shot that pays homage to Quentin Tarantino's 1992 flick "Reservoir Dogs" (and features Beyoncé wearing a Zorro mask) and closing with her firing an assault rifle while seated atop a motorcycle, it's a decidedly weird trip, a cartoonish fantasy brought to life. There's an extended sequence where Beyoncé dresses up as '50s pinup Bettie Page, and other parts where she handles more firearms than a Guns & Ammo editor. There are eyeball-popping colors and head-spinning edits, too. But weirdest of all is Gaga's cameo — mostly because it's shockingly normal. She's not wearing some gravity-defying outfit or hairstyle: She sings a verse, fires a sidearm and then works her way through a chair-dance routine with B (which, it should be noted, is pretty great). And then she disappears. (Gaga said last month that she told Beyoncé, "I don't want to show up in some frickin' hair bow and be fashion Gaga in your video.' I said, 'I want to do you,' " which offers some explanation.) It's definitely not the Gaga we're used to seeing, but her appearance isn't exactly run-of-the-mill, either. And neither is this video, for that matter. Especially not when you're watching Beyoncé snap her gum and shake her hips and grope an AK-47 while the screen pops from electric green to Kool-Aid red. If only all videos were this "normal" ... Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Winner Kris Allen Made Writing A Priority On His Debut Posted: 17 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST 'Singing a whole bunch of other people's songs — that's not who I am,' he says of writing or co-writing most of his tracks.
Kris Allen is an "American Idol" of many firsts. He's the first married "Idol" winner. He's the first "short" dude (his words) who's taken home the grand prize. He's the first champ to leave the dreaded coronation song off his album. And he's the first "Idol" winner to get a song he wrote before his time on "Idol" onto his post-"Idol" CD. The song "Red Guitar" is already a legend among his fans. The autobiographical ditty was written for his wife long before he became a breakout star on the TV juggernaut. And for Kris, convincing his record label to let him write on his self-titled major-label debut — in stores this very moment — was a top priority. Lucky for him, the suits were onboard with the idea from the minute Seacrest handed him that silly "Idol" trophy.
"[Writing] was the idea all along," Allen told MTV News. "I'm not a general pop artist, and I don't think that I would get away with that. Singing a whole bunch of other people's songs — that's not who I am." Turns out the Arkansas native isn't a natural born collaborator either. As a former indie troubadour, it took Kris a little time before he mustered up the confidence to work effectively with the A-list songwriting talent Jive Records and 19 Recordings hooked him up with. "[I finally had] a realization that [songwriters] want input, and they were there for me. And for me, it was gonna be on my album, so it had to be good, you know?" Kris confessed. It wasn't until the end of the American Idols Live! Tour, in September, that Allen felt he finally "manned up" about his songwriting sessions with others. Kris eventually grew close to several of his cohorts and learned to appreciate their unique strengths. Of Lindy Robbins (who co-wrote a quarter of the CD), Kris said, "She was kinda like a mom almost. I feel like she could feel what I was thinking, so she would always hone it in. ... She's really sweet." But it was fellow dude rockers Jon Foreman (from Switchfoot) and the Fray's Joe King who Allen said he learned the most from. "As an artist, I feel like I can relate to them. And obviously, Jon Foreman's lyrics are outta this world," Allen gushed. Foreman and King's efforts resulted in the inspiring anthem "Lifetime" and the jumpy, George Harrison-inspired "Alright With Me," respectively. Allen was already close to one songwriter, his hometown pal and current bandmate Cale Mills, who helped pen the soulful "Is It Over" along with Kris and industry heavyweight Mike Elizondo. In fact, the rocker was so thrilled with the results, he even dropped "From the Ashes" — a track19/Jive hyped to journalists over the summer in an early album preview — to make room for his buddy's tune. "It's not that I didn't like ['From the Ashes']. For me, I liked 'Is It Over' [more], and it was either/or," Allen said. Fans who pre-ordered the album on iTunes will get to hear the driving "From the Ashes" anyway. Kris' songwriting identity also got in the way of accepting some of the non-Allen compositions included on the final track list. He was thrilled with the Script's two offerings, the lead single "Live Like We're Dying" and the bouncy "Written All Over My Face," but "The Truth," written by Toby Gad and Train's Pat Monahan, was a grower for Allen. "I thought it was really good, [but] for me, it was just stubbornness and wanting to write everything." Ditching the "jaunty piano" featured on the demo he first heard helped him warm up to the track too. In the end, Kris is thrilled with the result and is eager for everyone to hear it, even if the perfectionist wished he had a little more time to tweak a few things. If given the chance to put in a few more weeks of work, Kris knows exactly how he'd spend the time. "Write more songs, dude. ... Yeah, I would keep writing," Allen said with a smile. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists |
| Britney Spears Fought For 'Oops! ... I Did It Again' Red Catsuit Posted: 17 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST 'I was told that Britney hired this guy that worked with Michael Jackson,' director Nigel Dick recalls of costume switch.
Britney Spears had everyone buzzing after releasing several sexy videos from her debut album, including the pop-tart clips for " ... Baby One More Time" and "(You Drive Me) Crazy." So when Britney released the first video from her second album for "Oops! ... I Did It Again," she decided not to mess with a good thing and once again worked with frequent collaborator Nigel Dick, who this time reinvented Spears as a sexy, otherworldly vixen.
" 'Oops!... I Did It Again' was the first single from her second album, so there's definitely the sense that this is Britney's second album," Dick told MTV News about the expectations surrounding the video's release in 2000. Like the concepts for her earlier videos, Britney also had a very clear idea of what she wanted for the now iconic "Oops!" clip. "This whole idea was my idea," she told MTV in 2000. "I was like, 'I want to be on Mars, dancing on Mars.' " But it seems that the pitch she gave Dick at the time was even more specific than just dancing on Mars. " 'I want to be in a red jumpsuit. I want to have a really cute spaceman, but there can't be any rockets,' " Dick said, recalling Spears' request for the now-unforgettable red-latex catsuit. "There was another catsuit, actually, which was fantastic, which I loved, and the night before, I was told that Britney hired this guy that worked with Michael Jackson," the director said. "And so we're going to use that catsuit. So that's the catsuit." Spears revealed that there was a bit of a freak accident on the set. "There was a camera, and there was an overhead shot, and they were filming me and the camera fell," she said. "And it kind of knocked me out, and there was drama ... but it was fine." Another key part of the song, when Britney starts talking about "Titanic," posed a bit of a problem for Dick, but it wasn't one Spears felt she needed to deal with. "There's a bit about the Titanic in the middle, and I was like, 'What are we going to do about that?' " he recalled, laughing. "And she says, 'Don't worry. You'll sort it out.' " In 2000, Spears talked about why the video needed to be effects-heavy. "It's really futuristic. It's going to be the first video that I've done to have a lot of special effects," she said. "I think it's more mature. It's edgier. It's funkier. It's fun." With the release of Britney Spears: The Singles Collection, MTV News is looking back on the pop star's career through interviews with video directors, music-industry insiders and Spears herself, as she reflects on some of her greatest hits. Keep coming back for all things Britney, and let us know your favorite Brit songs, videos, memories and more in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Rihanna Joined By Jay-Z, Young Jeezy Live In London Posted: 16 Nov 2009 02:05 AM PST Concert, which featured new Rated R tunes, was broadcast online.
Rihanna kicked off the promotion for her upcoming Rated R album on Monday (November 16) with a concert from London that featured loads of swagger, tons of flash and a pair of high-profile guests. Broadcast online to a global audience, thanks to Nokia, the show marked one of the first times Rihanna had performed songs from R (which hits stores November 23) before a live audience, and she was clearly emboldened by the high stakes, strutting across the stage — which was decorated with busted TV sets and a mannequin or three — vamping for the camera and powering her way through a hit-packed set.
Of course, the songs from her new album got top billing: As the house lights dimmed (and the crowd chanted "Ri-hanna! Ri-hanna!"), the speakers crackled to life with a pre-recorded message: "Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you who are easily frightened, we suggest you turn around right now. For those of you who can take it, we say: Welcome to the mad house," and the band launched into "Mad House," the intro track from Rated R. With an invitation of "Come on in," the house lights dimmed, and Rihanna appeared — lace mask covering her eyes, hair dramatically swooping, left arm gloved — and began stalking the stage as the herky-jerky rhythm of "Wait Your Turn" blasted from the speakers. She ad-libbed a bit (at one point singing, "I'm such a f---ing lady"), then, as a wheeling guitar solo blared, she pranced over to a waiting throne, crossed her legs seductively, and went headlong into current single "Russian Roulette." The band worked the tune into a moody masterpiece, starting with just the spare sound of a chamber cocking, working in icy synthesizers and a stabbing, "Psycho"-style piano line. Rihanna emerged from her throne, reaching out to the crowd and pawing at her chest as she hit the chorus ("You can see my heart beating ... "). She then ascended a platform behind the stage and, silhouetted by a large video screen, brought her hand to her head — fingers mimicking a gun — and pulled the trigger as the stage went dark. As the crowd cheered wildly, Rihanna took a tour through her earlier hits: a bubbly, club-ified version of "Don't Stop the Music" (which saw her getting frisky with one particularly lucky mannequin); a somber, pretty version of "Take a Bow"; and a gothy take on "Disturbia," slowed down to let the creepy synth lines wash across the stage. She spit the opening lines of Rated R's "Hard," then welcomed Young Jeezy onstage so he could finish things off. As the song ended, her band performed a medley of "S.O.S." and "Unfaithful" (the perfect time for a costume change!), and Rihanna emerged in a black leotard and began singing her verse from T.I.'s "Live Your Life," which morphed into her verses on Jay-Z's "Run This Town," and Hov himself appeared onstage, launched into his verses, and sent the crowd into overdrive. That, of course, led right into "Umbrella," with Jay rapping his intro then ceding the spotlight back to Rihanna, who belted the song out while Jay urged her to "Take 'em higher!" The song crescendoed, the audience — some of whom had brought actual umbrellas for the occasion — cheering wildly, and Rihanna once again climbed to the top of the platform, thanking her fans around the world for tuning in. She cracked a confident smile, waved goodbye and strode offstage as the final chords of "Umbrella" echoed throughout the building. The message was clear: As she sang just a few seconds earlier, "I'll be here forever." And the countdown to Rated R had officially began. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Ken Ober: A Remembrance, By Kurt Loder Posted: 16 Nov 2009 03:23 AM PST Comedian/ show host passed away early this week.
"Remote Control," in all its fearless goofiness, was a game show so far ahead of its time that TV land still hasn't caught up with it. It was packed with soon-to-be-famous wild-card performers — the wonderfully demented Denis Leary, "Stud Boy" Adam Sandler, and gravelly sidekick Colin Quinn. And Ken Ober, who died earlier this week of undisclosed causes, presided over their elaborate shenanigans — often just this side of out-of-control — with cheery aplomb. As Ken guided contestants through brilliant question categories like "Dead or Canadian?" and "Beat the Bishop," you could feel a new comedy form being invented by guys who had little in the way of dignity or better prospects to lose. What a time it was.
Ken was a wonderfully warm and grounded guy — the iconic success he achieved with "Remote Control" never seemed to go to his head. (Then again, if "Remote Control" went to your head, your head would have to be a very troubled place.) I stopped by to see him one time in Los Angeles, after the show had run its course, in a little bungalow he was renting up in the hills. He'd moved to Hollywood in search of better prospects himself, and he apparently had considerable success. He also flew back to New York in 2001, for a big MTV 20th-anniversary party at which his old show, of course, loomed large. He was as cheery and upbeat as ever, and it was really good to see him in such high spirits. But "Remote Control" was a once-in-a-lifetime score, and I hope he was proud of what he and his buddies achieved. The show is long gone from the airwaves, but who knows, maybe it'll be brought back one day. Can there be any more timeless a pop-culture classic? It's terribly sad, and very hard to process, that Ken himself is suddenly gone for good. Related Videos |
| Britney Spears Wanted '(You Drive Me) Crazy' Video To Take Her 'To The Next Level' Posted: 16 Nov 2009 03:23 AM PST Director Nigel Dick says the big hurdle was getting Adrian Grenier to appear.
After Britney Spears established herself as a pop-star Lolita in her video for "... Baby One More Time," the singer slowed things down a bit with her single "Sometimes." But she didn't leave her dancing shoes off for long. In the kitschy "(You Drive Me) Crazy," Britney showed the world that she's not just a sexy schoolgirl; she can be a sexy waitress too! "Actually, the concept of the video is all my idea," Spears told MTV in 1999, adding that she thought the choreography would be "big." "It would be cool to be in a club, and we're dorky waitresses, and we break out and start dancing." In an interview in 1998, Spears explained that she thought "Crazy" was an extension of her breakout hit, "... Baby One More Time," which makes sense, since both were written and produced by Max Martin.
"It's an uptempo [song]," she said. "Kinda like '... Baby One More Time,' same feel a little. A bit of rock in it." Nigel Dick, who also directed "... Baby One More Time," said that although it was extremely easy to work with Spears on the video, it wasn't as easy to convince Adrian Grenier to make an appearance in it. Since the song was on the soundtrack to "Drive Me Crazy," Grenier and co-star Melissa Joan Hart were supposed to be featured in the clip as well. "The big issue is that Adrian Grenier did not want to be in the video," the director told MTV News. "So, I was given instructions to ring him up and make sure he appeared in the video. I said, 'You know what, Adrian, I just think it would be great for your career, and Britney's a great girl and she's fun to work with.' Eventually he came around." Given that Grenier and Hart mostly just stand around and look cute in the video as Brit and company dance around them, it's unclear how much it did for their careers. But Spears clearly hoped that the large scale and quality of the dance production would give her a boost. "I honestly think this video will hopefully take me to the next level," she said in 1999. Dick fondly recalled working with the singer on the clip, but added a little-known piece of trivia about the video. "That 'crazy' sign is still there. It was still hiding behind something," he said. "Britney came to the set completely rehearsed. Certainly whenever I worked with her, she had an extraordinary work ethic, which I was always impressed by." With the release of Britney Spears: The Singles Collection, MTV News is looking back on the pop star's career through interviews with video directors, music-industry insiders and Spears herself, as she reflects on some of her greatest hits. Keep coming back for all things Britney, and let us know your favorite Brit songs, videos, memories and more in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Ken Ober Remembered By Adam Sandler, Denis Leary, More Posted: 16 Nov 2009 05:55 AM PST Former 'Remote Control' host passed away earlier this week.
As the news spread on Monday (November 16) of "Remote Control" host Ken Ober's death, his friends, colleagues and former coworkers began paying tribute to his career and his memory. "Remote Control" helped to launch the careers of Adam Sandler and Denis Leary, and they were among the first to send statements to MTV News. "Ken Ober was one of the sharpest, quickest, sweetest guys I ever met," Sandler said. "He was always a great friend and I will miss him very much."
Leary echoed those sentiments in his statement. "Kenny Ober was and always will be the quickest wit in the room," he wrote. "He was fall-down funny from the moment he was born — a smart, fast and hilarious human being who made many of us, including myself, laugh until we cried. As the star and host of 'Remote Control,' he was a welcoming ringmaster who helped to kickstart the careers of numerous talents, including Adam Sandler, Colin Quinn and myself. He will be remembered always by each of his friends not only for his massive talent but for his true, deep and enduring friendship." In an excerpt from his remembrance of Ober, MTV News' Kurt Loder wrote: "Ken was a wonderfully warm and grounded guy — the iconic success he achieved with 'Remote Control' never seemed to go to his head. I stopped by to see him one time in Los Angeles, after the show had run its course, in a little bungalow he was renting up in the hills. He'd moved to Hollywood in search of better prospects himself, and he apparently had considerable success. He also flew back to New York in 2001, for a big MTV 20th-anniversary party at which his old show, of course, loomed large. He was as cheery and upbeat as ever, and it was really good to see him in such high spirits. "But 'Remote Control' was a once-in-a-lifetime score, and I hope he was proud of what he and his buddies achieved. The show is long gone from the airwaves, but who knows? Maybe it'll be brought back one day. Can there be any more timeless a pop-culture classic? It's terribly sad, and very hard to process, that Ken himself is suddenly gone for good." MTV Networks President Van Toffler said on Monday: "Ken was a great guy. His personality really brought 'Remote Control' to life, as well as a new style of programming for MTV. We were really flying by the seat of of our pants then, and Ken was the reason it worked." Related Videos |
| Beyonce And Lady Gaga's 'Video Phone': Check Out A Preview! Posted: 15 Nov 2009 11:50 PM PST We give you a peek at 30 seconds of the video before it premieres tonight on MTV.com.
It's been a great season for high-profile video premieres. Last week saw the unveiling of Lady Gaga's hyper-kinetic clip for her new single "Bad Romance," the new video for the Chris Brown ballad "Crawl" and the unleashing of Rihanna's cinematic tour-de-force for "Russian Roulette." This week sees another new video, a much-talked-about collaboration between arguably the two biggest divas in all of pop music right now. Lady Gaga and Beyoncé will pull the curtain back on their new Hype Williams-directed tag-team clip "Video Phone" at midnight tonight, but there is already a 30-second teaser worming its way around the Internet.
In the short clip first posted on our Buzzworthy blog, Beyoncé is seen walking down some sort of alley flanked by four men in black suits. B herself is dressed in a sexy one-piece leotard and a Zorro mask. The shot recalls the opening credits of the 1992 Quentin Tarantino film "Reservoir Dogs," which featured actors Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn, Eddie Bunker and Lawrence Tierney walking in slow motion. Not much of the song is revealed and Gaga herself is absent from the clip. In another still from the video (also posted at Buzzworthy), Beyoncé and Gaga are seated in matching poses against a white background and wearing matching white outfits. The only difference? Beyoncé is wearing red shoes, while Gaga's are yellow. "Video Phone" will premiere tonight at midnight on MTV.com. Related Artists |
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