MTV News |
- 50 Cent Says Eminem's Success Is 'Something To Work To'
- Shakira's <i>She Wolf</i>: Global Pop For The Wolf Inside Us All
- Gucci Mane Speaks Out From Jail: 'I Will Get Through This'
- Eminem's Music Helps Wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. Get Angry
- How Britney Spears' 'Stronger' Video Made Her A Diva
- Lady Gaga Paid Tribute To Beyonce In 'Video Phone' Clip
- Alicia Keys May Have Collaborated With Drake For New Album
- Adam Lambert Talks About 'Not Alienating' Fans With His Sexuality
- Maino, Saigon, Hell Rell To Remember Mike Beck With Benefit Show
- Justin Bieber Says <i>My World</i> Is 'Not Just About Love'
| 50 Cent Says Eminem's Success Is 'Something To Work To' Posted: 18 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST 'This is what keeps me down to Earth and working,' Fif says of his 'Psycho' collaborator.
50 Cent says "Psycho," from his new Before I Self Destruct album, is totally different from "Patiently Waiting," even though the tracks feature the same collaborator, more or less. "Well, 'Patiently Waiting' I perform with Eminem. On ['Psycho'], off of Before I Self Destruct, is 50 Cent and Slim Shady," he explained. "He has an alter ego, and he has a comfort with doing things [that] are the craziest things possible. That's when the chainsaw comes out. He starts going nuts on you. I wanted him to be able to go to that space, so I worked the chorus and he heard the chorus and he's like, 'Yo, I like that.' I actually recorded ['Psycho'] in Las Vegas. Dre produced the track, we had a bunch of producers out there, and I went and laid the first verse. [Em] came and he heard it and he was like, 'Yo, I'm ready.' Wrote his verse, laid it. And then he started the next verse without me, I was like, 'Whoa, I really only wanted one verse. I was going to rap again on the third.' And then he just came in on that, so we went back and forth on the last piece. That song is crazy. That collaboration, we just got such a good energy around each other that we can be creative around each other."
Fif said that the three-headed monster of himself, Em and Dr. Dre get along so well because they have "a chain of command." "I listen to Em, Em absolutely listens to Dre, and that keeps us together," he said. "The opportunity that Dre offered Em is what Em did for me. There's no confusion with where we stand or how we function. They're both not easy to just do things. I'm the easiest one to work with because ... I'm more active. It's just their achievements and where they're at in their career. I'm the baby, I'm the smallest one. How 'bout that? Isn't that scary?" 50 already knows the answer to that question. "Yeah!" he continued. "Because when they go away, I'm the biggest one in hip-hop, and I'm the smallest one in my circle, in my camp. This is what keeps me down to Earth and working, because I feel like there's room for growth. You got artists around you that do 23 million records on [The] Marshall Mathers LP before you come out. Yeah, I had the largest debuting hip-hop album, but it ain't the largest album. And [for Eminem] to generate twice the interest? Says that there's something to work to." Related Videos Related Photos |
| Shakira's <i>She Wolf</i>: Global Pop For The Wolf Inside Us All Posted: 18 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST For all the craziness surrounding it, Shakira's latest is a straightforward, oddly personal record, in Bigger Than the Sound.
Conventional wisdom states that you shouldn't review a record after it's already been in stores for more than a month (overseas, anyway), but when the record in question has been described as "endearingly bonkers" and "fantastically strange" and leads with an Italian-disco-indebted first single that features the word "lycanthropy," well, sometimes you have to ignore conventional wisdom and just go for it. So, yes, this is my take on Shakira's She Wolf (which hits stores here in the U.S. next week with a surplus of bonus tracks), a slinky, sexy, spirited pop/disco bonbon that's all hips and lips and handclaps, with the occasional cowbell or clarinet (or mouth trumpet/ electro urchin/ Matt Damon shout-out) sprinkled in for good measure. It's every bit as good as the reviews advertised, and roughly 50 percent more batsh-- crazy than I ever could have imagined. So, yes, this is a great pop record, certainly one of the year's finest (right up there with Lily Allen's It's Not Me, It's You and Kelly Clarkson's All I Ever Wanted), and, yes, hearing Shakira bleat lines like "I gotta say, California is a place that I respect" or "I hope the French fleas eat you both alive" is endlessly entertaining. But what I really enjoyed most about She Wolf is that, for all the ephemera buzzing in/on/around it, it's really a pretty straightforward, oddly personal record — a fascinating, funky, fun one at that. Because, at its core, She Wolf is simply Shakira's attempt at making an electro-pop record. And the songs presented here are her versions of dance music: mutated, genre- (and era-) hopping, poly-national tunes, written by a Colombian pop star who's fluent in English, Portuguese and Italian, tinkered with by a globe-spanning squad of producers (the Neptunes, Timbaland, Wyclef, John Hill, Amanda Ghost, etc.). It's music that couldn't have existed in any other era — a very 21st-century, global thing — made by a woman whose career wouldn't have been possible at any other time in history. Which is how we end up with songs like "She Wolf" — the batty first single that slinks along on an Italo-disco line (it was written by Hill and Sam Endicott from the Bravery) and features Shakira howling at the moon (and comparing herself to a coffee machine) — and "Long Time," which is buoyed by a Roma-esque clarinet breakdown. It certainly explains songs like "Good Stuff," electronic genie music that transforms into "La Isla Bonita" in the chorus, or the excellent "Men in This Town," a tune that starts in California but finishes up as a disco tune on Jupiter (it's also where Shakira openly pines for Matt Damon, for the record). So, basically, it's not a stretch to call She Wolf Shakira's most personal album. This is dance music, as she hears it in her head, with no filters added. And that goes doubly for the lyrics, which are riddled with guilt ("Did It Again") and spite (the biting "Mon Amour," which closes with her singing/speaking, "Passengers with destination to hell, we are ready to board now") and — most of all — lust ("Long Time," "Why Wait," "Spy"). These are imperfect emotions, and she's unashamed to be feeling them. In fact, this is probably her confessional. Of course, that's all nerdy music-journo crap. The real power of She Wolf lies in its ability to pack dance floors. Of the 10 songs on the record — the U.S. version comes with six additional tracks, three of which are reworked versions of songs already on the album, two of which are live tracks and one of which features Lil Wayne — only one ("Gypsy") isn't an immediate, rousing hip-shaker, which makes it one of the most party-ready, blissed-out listens of the year. This is impressive, undeniable stuff: deeply personal pop for everyone. There's a she-wolf (or, perhaps a wolf-man) inside us all, and this is the soundtrack to his/her Saturday night. Or, as Shakira puts it: "Awoooooooooo!" Totally. Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Gucci Mane Speaks Out From Jail: 'I Will Get Through This' Posted: 17 Nov 2009 05:16 AM PST 'I am remaining positive,' Gucci says in a statement to XXL magazine.
Gucci Mane spoke out for the first time Tuesday (November 17) since being sent back to jail last week. Through a statement sent to XXLMag.com, Gucci said he is prepared to face the music. "I have accepted full responsibility for my actions, and I am ready to deal with what is in front of me right now," Gucci's statement read. "Thankfully, my label is still moving forward with my album release, so I will have plenty to look forward to when I get out. I am remaining positive and want my fans to know that I am grateful for their loyalty and continued support. I will get through this." Last week, Gucci was sentenced to 12 months in jail for a probation violation. He failed to serve hundreds of hours of community service and attend classes for anger management and drug and alcohol abuse. Gucci also disregarded court orders to obtain permission for his travel. His lawyer and the courts say the rapper will serve no more than six months. During his sentencing, Gucci faced two and a half years, but the judge was lenient. "First of the year, he could be out," Gucci's lawyer Dwight L. Thomas explained to MTV News last week. "It all depends on his conduct and how he conducts himself while he's there. We're working on other avenues that might entitle him to be released early. If nothing happens at all, he'll do six months. But if we're able to do some of the things we're exploring, we may get this thing down to two months." "You can't hold down a man like Gucci for long," Shawty Lo told Mixtape Daily about his friend's sentence. "His situation is unfortunate, but he'll be back on top in a few." Related Artists |
| Eminem's Music Helps Wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. Get Angry Posted: 18 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST Plus: Chamillionaire's February album features a Pimp C-produced track, in Mixtape Daily.
Celebrity Favorites You have to know the name "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. In the '80s, he rose to fame in the World Wrestling Federation as one of the greatest villains ever, flaunting his riches so openly, his stunting makes the Birdman looks shy. Two decades later, the DiBiase name is back atop the wrestling game. DiBiase's son, Ted Jr., is part of the WWE's top faction of bad guys, the Legacy (along with third-generation former champ Randy Orton and the son of Dusty Rhodes, Cody). On Sunday, the Legacy led their team into the Survivor Series — against Miami's own MVP, Kofi Kingston, Mark Henry and others — in an old-school elimination match.
In December, young DiBiase stars in "The Marine 2," the sequel to the 2005 John Cena-starring flick. DiBiase isn't taking over Cena's role; he's a whole new soldier. We all know Cena is hip-hop's number-one representative in the WWE locker room, but what do the other guys listen to? "It depends on if Big Show has his iPod dock or Chris Jericho [has his dock]," DiBiase said. "If it's Chris Jericho, then it'll be Ozzy [Osborne]. It's all rock and roll. Then Big Show, he's got some old country, Hank Williams Jr. It varies." DiBiase himself is more into pop and hip-hop. "I'm a fan of all music," he said. "I'm not just saying that. I like the pop music that comes out. I live in Mississippi, so I do like the country music. I'm a big fan of the Kings of Leon. I really dig their music. I work out to Eminem and stuff. He gets me going in the gym. He's got some good lyrics, and he gets me a little pissed off. That's what I need to push some weights sometime." The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From the Underground Chamillionaire said he'll address the haters one last time on his new single, "Good Morning." "This is probably my last tribute to them," Cham told us earlier this week, via phone from Houston. "For now on, man, I'mma think positive and focus on my grind, and I'm not gonna worry about y'all no more. The song, the feeling of it, makes you wanna get outta bed and go get some money." Cham revealed that he didn't spend too much money on the clip. Just like most of his peers in the industry, the dollars are simply not there for high-budget videos anymore. "You still gotta find a way to become creative," he said. "[Director Don Tyler] found a way to add the graphics in there and be creative. [The video] is basically showing me going through what people do in a week's time, in a morning. It's almost an exaggerated look at somebody living an entertainer's life. I wake up, I got a closet with nothing but the best shoes, I got two women in the bed, the baddest car. I'm shooting a commercial, I'm shooting a club scene in a video. I do a talk show. I do everything you can accomplish in a week's time, in a day. [The video] is subliminally saying, 'We're not worried about what haters are saying.' " Koopa's next LP, Venom, is dropping in February. The album has been held up for more than a year, but he's gone in the lab and recorded fresh material. "Pretty much everything is new," he said. "I got a record produced by Pimp C, featuring Pimp C. It's one of the last Pimp C songs his wife gave me. I'm putting that one out with the album. Everything is different, because the direction of the album started changing. "I have a lot of fans that want me to put out some real raw material," he continued, describing how the LP's content switched up. "We're kinda outcasts sometimes in Texas. We got Z-Ro and Slim Thug, we just do our thing. We don't follow no trends. We don't really care about singles. We just worry about putting out jammin' albums. As I started moving along, I got a couple big records, and the label started paying more attention. Now they care. They're opening up budgets. So it started coming to a point where I didn't want to mix a lot of material that I think is really raw with stuff that's not. I had to find a good blend between commercial and street." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| How Britney Spears' 'Stronger' Video Made Her A Diva Posted: 18 Nov 2009 03:52 AM PST Video found singer moving from teen pop star to femme fatale.
Up until the release of "Stronger," Britney Spears had not yet truly made the leap from teen pop star to femme fatale. Most — if not all — of her videos were glossy, pastel-colored romps about falling in and out of love. It wasn't until she worked with Joseph Kahn on "Stronger," from her 2000 Oops! ... I Did It Again LP, that Spears began to emerge as a darker, more dangerous version of sexy. "For 'Stronger,' she said, 'I would like to dance in a chair and drive in a car and break up with [my] boyfriend,' " Kahn told MTV News. " 'Those are your three elements.' And then, as a director, you go, 'OK, well, how do I make that cool?'
"I think this video is interesting because it's got a very sophisticated, adult look to it," Kahn (who has helmed dozens of music videos, including Brit's "Womanizer" and Chris Brown's "Crawl") continued. "It's definitely a departure from the sort of candy-colored videos she was doing before, so I always thought this was the transition between Britney the teenage pop star and Britney the sort of diva she became." Kahn ended up taking those elements and creating a semi-futuristic world in which Spears walks into a club, breaks up with her cheating boyfriend and triumphantly walks in the rain, knowing her life is better off without him. But it was the pivotal dance sequences with the metal chair that defined the aesthetic for the video. "She pitched it to me as an original concept by herself, but the first thing that came to my mind when I thought of the chair sequence, in terms of how it applies to music videos, was Janet Jackson's 'Pleasure Principle' — the iconic chair sequence in that." Kahn recalled. Like Jackson, Spears wasn't afraid to get sexy in the clip, even if her handlers were a bit nervous that she was going too far. "There's a shot here where I'm tracking with her, and her legs are spread, and Larry [Rudolph], the manager, was like, 'Don't do that.' " Kahn said. "And she was like, 'Yes, definitely do that.' " Oddly enough, one aspect of the video that Kahn was insistent upon was Spears' eye shadow. "One of the big things I wanted to do here, that I was just obsessed with ... I know it sounds really strange, but I wanted her to have gray eye shadow," he said. "And I think it looks really good. I remember when I was looking at the close-ups, Britney goes, 'You're really obsessed with this gray eye shadow!' and I go, 'Yes, absolutely.' But if you look at it, it just makes her eyes pop like crazy." 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 |
| Lady Gaga Paid Tribute To Beyonce In 'Video Phone' Clip Posted: 17 Nov 2009 09:55 AM PST Gaga says she tried to dress up like her co-star for the video.
Monday night was the premiere of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's sexy, Hype Williams-directed "Video Phone" video, featuring the two pop stars dancing and posing pin-up style with massive toy guns and matching leotards. The clip is charged with energy, and the cynics out there might wonder if putting two sizzling divas in a room together created any kind of rivalry. But Gaga says there was no such thing.
"What I was excited about is with B, I had no ego," Gaga told MTV News about the collaboration. "Neither of us had an ego. It wasn't about competition. It was about, like, 'Man let's give the world what they want. Let's do a real girl-power collaboration where we support one other.' " For the Day-Glo-tinged video, Gaga ditched her typical avant-garde look and styled herself more like Beyoncé. "I said, 'I want to do you in your video, and I want to tribute you. I want to dress up like you,' " she recalled telling her co-star. "And Hype Williams ... was so excited. He was like, 'Gaga I want no makeup on your face.' It was really stripped down — real Beyoncé hair, and we wore the same outfit in the video, and I [paid tribute to] her." Gaga, whose own gothic-pop aesthetic has grown more elaborate as her popularity has risen, said she wanted to honor B for creating her own style. "I wanted to [work with her] because this was an era for her in her career where she defined herself aesthetically," she said. "And that should be applauded that a woman did that. She's so great at what she does." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Alicia Keys May Have Collaborated With Drake For New Album Posted: 17 Nov 2009 01:21 AM PST Longtime Keys producer Kerry 'Krucial' Brothers tweets about 'new AK and Drake' track.
After so successfully collaborating with Jay-Z on "Empire State of Mind," it looks like Alicia Keys may have worked with another rapper on her own album. Producer Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, who has worked closely with the singer on all four of Keys' previous albums, recently spilled the beans about a track with Drake that may be featured on the singer's forthcoming studio album, The Element of Freedom (due out December 15). "If you have something to say... U should say it right now," the producer tweeted on Sunday. "Wow this new AK and Drake is fire! I love my job." In a recent interview with Billboard.com, Keys spoke about her reluctance to team up with other artists. "Honestly, there's not a lot of collaborations because I like it like that," she told the site. "I prefer it to be really just the journey of music and you can really get inside what I'm talking about and saying and that kind of thing." While the singer likes the focus to be solely on her own message, she did hint at two exceptions to the rule. "But, there are two collaborations that are coming because now I have a bit more time," Keys told Billboard. "Sadly, I'm unable to say what it would be right now, but it will be two of the most exciting collaborations of my career yet. It's going to be fly." In a recent interview with MTV News, Keys talked about the sound fans can expect from her latest effort. "You can expect to really be into a zone," she said. "I think you can expect the unexpected, 'cause there's going to be things that you're going to be like, 'Wow, is that her? Is that her?' And I love that about it. You can definitely expect to see major growth, but you're going to fall in love with this album." Earlier this month, a rep for the singer confirmed that Jay-Z and Keys had recorded "Empire State of Mind Part 2," which will be featured on The Element of Freedom. A video for the singer's second single, "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart." premiered Monday on BET's "106 & Park." The clip finds Keys playing an "X-Men"-esque superhero whose powers leave her unable to touch the man she loves. Related Artists |
| Adam Lambert Talks About 'Not Alienating' Fans With His Sexuality Posted: 16 Nov 2009 11:12 PM PST Out editor writes sharp letter to singer's management after being told not to make him seem 'too gay.'
With the release of his debut album, For Your Entertainment, slated for next week, Adam Lambert is everywhere these days. But one place he hasn't been before is on the cover of Out magazine, the country's leading gay publication. Wearing a tuxedo and a quizzical look, Lambert posed for the "Out 100" issue alongside comedian Wanda Sykes, gay icon Cyndi Lauper, former Army lieutenant and "Don't ask, don't tell" opponent Daniel Choi, and "Chicago" director Rob Marshall. One misconception Lambert dealt with early in the interview was the suspicion from some gay fans that he dropped not-so-subtle, winking hints about his sexuality on "American Idol" before officially coming out of the closet after the program ended. "There was never any deliberate, like, 'I'm going to hint now...' because I was never in the closet," he said. "The funny thing about dealing with all that was ... [Long pause.] When those pictures came out online, I got freaked out. I was like, 'Great, that's gonna f--- things up.' 'Cause I just figured, you know, this is a national television program and people are conservative in our country, aside from L.A. and New York and a couple of other places." Lambert said he decided early on that he was not going to make his sexuality a factor on the show, because to him it was about entertaining the audience. But he knew that some fans might be upset by his decision. "It's a hard thing that everybody's gonna have their opinion about," he said. "Some people in the gay community might look at it like, 'You really should've owned that. You didn't hide it, but you didn't admit it and that's weak.' My whole point is, I'm not trying to lead the f---ing way for the civil-rights movement that we're in right now. I just happen to be a gay man — and I'm not ashamed of that at all." Lambert lauded the Fox publicity team for how they handled the leak of pictures of him making out with an ex-boyfriend and explained that he told the show's spokesperson he was not ashamed of the photos and didn't feel like he had to deny (or confirm) anything. " 'I don't want to seem like I'm ashamed of it. Because that's not me,' " he said he told her. " 'That's just not how I am. But at the same time, I really want this opportunity and I want to stay on the show as long as possible. So, I kinda have to come up with a compromise.' And [the publicist] was like, 'Well, is it a big deal to you?' And I'm like, 'No.' And she's like, 'Well, then let's not make a big deal out of it.' And that's what we did. ... And I'm glad that I handled it that way, because I think that had I immediately said the words and labeled myself — you know, said 'I am gay' — I think that it would've been more about that, initially, than anything else." Among other topics, Lambert discussed his shock at finding that many of his fans are not feeling his collaborator and kindred spirit Lady Gaga: "A lot of my core fans — people that went to the 'Idol' concerts, and I glance at the messages boards once in a while — there is a surprising amount of them that don't like her." He also discussed how his desire to just stay on "American Idol" from week to week drove him to adopt a chameleon-like persona. "This week I'm not going to have any rocker style. I'm going to do Motown. I'm not going to wear any makeup, and I'm going to do my cleaned-up classic retro look," he explained of his strategy. "And people were like, 'Wow!' And I'm like, 'To me it's not really that different. I'm just wearing a suit. I just brushed my hair.' " He was surprised when his efforts to change it up each week were met with support from the show's producers, who allowed him to be himself, realizing that the chatter was good for ratings. He also talked about how the goofy Ford videos the "Idol" contestants dreaded were actually good practice for when he filmed his "Time for Miracles" clip, what kind of boys he's into and the loss of anonymity that comes with suddenly being a famous pop star. Lambert admitted that the tremendous pressure he feels to succeed has already gotten to him a couple of times, but said his decade-plus of experience in musical theater and living in Los Angeles has perhaps made him more prepared than other contestants. "When you're in the city of entertainment, and you open your eyes and you meet people and you hear stories and you have friends that have been through this and that, going onto a show like 'Idol,' you get it, going into it," he said. In response to a question about Lambert's handlers telling the magazine not to make their client seem "too gay," the singer said there is something to that idea in crafting his image. "I think the whole magic of this moment is that I'm not alienating anybody," he said. "I'm not trying to anyway. I want as many people to feel like they can like the music. I don't want to edit myself to the point where I feel like I don't have integrity. ... It's almost like being a political figure. It's like a balancing act." For the issue, Out editor in chief Aaron Hicklin wrote an open letter to Lambert airing some grievances with how the singer, and his managers, are handling the spotlight. "I like you, I really do," Hicklin wrote. "Although I'd never watched 'American Idol,' I became a fan this year thanks to your unapologetic flamboyance and sexual swagger. It was refreshing to see someone playing by his own rules among so many cookie-cutters." Hicklin said he thought Lambert's second-place finish was a win for those who saw it as a test of America's growing tolerance. "That's why we're proud to have you in this year's Out 100, along with all the other men and women who don't believe their sexuality should be a barrier to success," he added. "It's unfortunate, therefore, that your record label and management don't share the same view. We're curious whether you know that we made cover offers for you before 'American Idol' was even halfway through its run. Apparently, Out was too gay, even for you. There was the issue of what it would do to your record sales, we were told. Imagine! A gay musician on the cover of a gay magazine. What might the parents think! It's only because this cover is a group shot that includes a straight woman that your team would allow you to be photographed at all — albeit with the caveat that we must avoid making you look 'too gay.' " A spokesperson for Lambert's management had not returned requests for comment at press time. Hicklin went on to lament that while the Out interview was "gracious and frank," he was disheartened by Lambert's decision to do a photo shoot with Details magazine that had him groping a naked woman. "You're a pioneer, an out gay pop idol at the start of his career," Hicklin wrote. "Someone has to be first, and we're all counting on you not to mess this up. You have to find your own path and then others can follow. We just hope it's a path that's honest and true and that you choose to surround yourself with people who celebrate your individuality." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Maino, Saigon, Hell Rell To Remember Mike Beck With Benefit Show Posted: 17 Nov 2009 02:16 AM PST 'Mike Beck was a good friend of mine,' Maino says of young rapper who was killed last month.
Next week, a number of New York rappers will hold a benefit concert in the aftermath of the death of up-and-coming rapper Mike Beck, who was gunned down on October 30 in Brooklyn, New York. Former Diplomats member Hell Rell, Grafh, Littles, Saigon, Maino, Papoose and Webstar are just a few of the people who plan to come out and support their fallen soldier, with proceeds going to Beck's young son. "Mike Beck was a good friend of mine outside of music," Maino said. "It's sad because it's hard making the transition from the streets to the music industry, so this could have been me five years ago when I didn't have a deal. When I was coming up I fought the same demons trying to convert from one lifestyle, which was my street upbringing, to the next, that being entertainment ... living right and steering clear of the streets, roadblocks and downfalls."
The show, which takes place Monday at the Imperial nightclub in New York City, will be hosted by radio DJ Kay Slay and Fuse TV personality Dee Vasquez. Prior to the lineup of artists slated to perform in Beck's honor, a number of speakers are expected to address the ongoing violence that continues to plague the community. "I felt doing this show was the least I could do for a friend," said Maino who alongside club promoter Littles organized the event, told MTV News in a statement. "I'm raising money to send his 10-year-old son to college. What's the point in me making it out of the same web he was fatally trapped in if I can't give back? This is what real people are supposed to do: give back. "I met Mike Beck for the first time when he performed at the 2006 [Urban] DVD Awards, an event I put together," said Maino. "Mike reached out to me on many other occasions through many good friends, but timing didn't allow us to build the friendship I know he built with some of my closest friends. Once I heard the news, me, Maino and a friend of ours agreed it was a must. We had to do something for his son." Rapper Saigon echoed the same sentiments: "I'm just doing whatever I can to support a fallen comrade. He was a good brother. Anything to help support his family, I'm all for it. R.I.P. to the homie." Beck was a member of the Fat Joe-associated K.A.R. (Kill All Rats) group and an aspiring rapper who was well known in New York's underground circuit. News of his death sent shockwaves throughout the industry. "Rest in peace. He was a real dude, Mike Beck," rapper Noreaga said via Twitter. "I did records for him n he ate in my crib, n drank too. F---ed up my weekend. R.I.P. Rest in peace Mike Beck, our running challenge is now dedicated to his memory." Fat Joe also remembered his friend on Twitter, simply writing, "R.I.P. Mike Beck!!!!!" After a five-year stint in upstate New York's Coxsackie Correctional Facility, where he met Maino, Beck pursued a career in hip-hop on the advice of then-manager Bill Blass, who died shortly after Beck's release. The young rapper aligned himself with K.A.R., most notably rapper Pistol Pete, who, along with Fat Joe, released the independent street album K.A.R., which featured appearances by Jadakiss, DJ Khaled, Sheek Louch and more. This summer MTV caught up with Beck, who came out to support Maino on the set of his video for "A Million Bucks," where the Brooklynite expounded on his sound. "We doing music. At the end of the day, people gotta recognize what we doing and respect what we doing. 'Cause we doing music," he said. "We ain't just doing the battle stuff. We doing respectable stuff. Music, it brings emotion. It brings feeling. So they gotta respect what we doing." Related Artists |
| Justin Bieber Says <i>My World</i> Is 'Not Just About Love' Posted: 17 Nov 2009 01:04 AM PST 'There's a lot of stuff about real life and stuff that I've gone through,' he tells MTV News of just-released debut.
It's isn't every day that a 15-year-old kid from a small town in Canada has Usher and Justin Timberlake battling for the chance to make him a pop star. By now, everyone knows that kid's name: Justin Bieber. The pop newcomer dropped his debut album, My World, on Tuesday (November 17) after Usher scooped him up and gave him a record deal.
Although Bieber likes singing about girls, he isn't afraid to broach deeper subjects on the album. "There's a lot of stuff that's not just about love. There's songs that teens can relate to, as far as parents not being together and divorce," he told MTV News. "And just stuff that happens in everyday life. There's a lot of [artists] my age, [and] their whole album [is], 'Everything is perfect.' " Bieber noted that his life before fame wasn't quite so glamorous, and he wants to make sure that is captured on the album. "Real life isn't perfect, so my album kind of portrays that," he said. "You just have to make the best of what you have." His singles, "One Time," "Love Me" and "One Less Lonely Girl," have focused on the ups and downs of puppy love. "It's basically about my world and what I want in my world kind of thing. ... There's a lot of different songs about girls. Yeah, a lot about girls," he laughed. "But there's a lot of stuff about real life and stuff that I've gone through — just stuff [that] teens in general can relate to." Related Videos Related Artists |
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