Rabu, 02 Desember 2009

MTV News

MTV News


Adam Lambert Says His Fans Sometimes Go 'Too Far, But I Love It'

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 03:52 AM PST

'I'm an intense person, so I think I need intense fans,' the 'American Idol' runner-up tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello


Adam Lambert
Photo: MTV News

Adam Lambert has really devoted fans, and that's perfectly fine by him. The "American Idol" runner-up isn't at all weirded out by the attention his devotees lavish on him everywhere he goes these days.

"They're amazing," Lambert told MTV News. "I've seen it go too far, but I love it."

Lambert added that he loves seeing his fans show up to concerts dressed as him and excited to see him live. "Yeah, it's passionate," he said. "It's great to have something you believe in that much. I'm an intense person, so I think I need intense fans."

The singer, who released his major-label debut, For Your Entertainment, this past week, said he first realized his fans' devotion during the "American Idol" tour. "On the Idols Live! Tour this summer, I saw women — mostly women, but some guys, some kids — they'd come dressed up, and I love that," he said. "I think it's so cool they are that excited."

Lambert called all the attention "the ultimate compliment."

"They are so passionate and so dedicated, and I totally, totally owe them everything so far," he said. "There's been some amazing stuff these fans have done."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Related Videos

'Hills' Star Kristin Cavallari Had To Warn Dad About Her Girl Kiss

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 09:28 AM PST

'I had to call my dad and say, 'Dad, sorry — this is going to be your least favorite episode,' ' star says.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi


Kristin Cavallari
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — Kristin Cavallari came back to reality TV with a bang. In her first few seconds back on MTV in her "Hills" debut, the former "Laguna Beach" star almost immediately got into a cat fight. As the season progressed, she put the moves on two of the show's leading men, Brody Jenner and Justin Bobby, resulting in spats with both Jenner's girlfriend Jayde Nicole and Justin's ex Audrina Patridge.

"Gosh, top moment ... I think I had a couple," Cavallari told MTV News at "The Hills" finale on Tuesday (December1). "I think my biggest thing was the first episode where I really came in with a bang and it was like, 'All right, clearly I'm back.' "

But Cavallari doesn't seem to regret any of those romantic entanglements. Instead, it's her now-infamous girl kiss that she kind of wished didn't happen. "I think that sort of my I-wish-I-didn't moment was when I made out with Stacie in Vegas," she explained. "That was one episode I had to call my dad and say, 'Dad, sorry — this is going to be your least favorite episode.' "

It was a moment that not only surprised the audience at home, but also her father. "He said, 'Great.' He was like, 'Oh, great,' and then when he called me — sometimes he'll call me after every episode just to talk about it — he didn't say one word about the episode. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing ... it's probably a bad thing," she laughed.

Related Photos

Lil Wayne And Nivea Welcome A Baby Boy, Rep Confirms

Posted: 01 Dec 2009 03:46 AM PST

Baby's name is Neal, according to Mack Maine.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Lil Wayne
Photo: Samir Hussein/ Getty Images

The Carter household is getting crowded.

Lil Wayne welcomed another child into his brood — his second this year and fourth overall — when singer Nivea delivered a baby boy on Monday. A source at the rapper's recording home, Universal/Motown, confirmed the birth to MTV News on Tuesday (December 1).

Wayne's Young Money cohort Mack Maine first broke the news about the birth on Monday via Twitter when he sent a message to his followers while on the way to the hospital.

"I'm currently at da hospital!!! Few minutes away from havin anutha nephew," he wrote. "Uncle Mack ya heard me ... LUV!!!!!"

Approximately an hour later, he announced the birth of Neal Carter.

"Thank god!!! Baby Neal was born healthy to Nivea Nash and Dwayne Carter!!!! Thanx 4 all the blessings n support!!!! Love ya heard me!!!"

In October, Wayne confirmed Nivea was expecting his child after rumors swirled that the pair had reunited. In an interview with a British radio station, the Cash Money star responded in the affirmative when asked about having two women pregnant at the same time, the other being actress Lauren London, who gave birth to Wayne's son on September 9. Wayne then added he would be having another boy.

"[I'll have] three sons," he said.

It's unclear if Nivea, who was previously married to The-Dream, and Lil Wayne are currently together. The pair dated briefly before she hooked up with The-Dream. MTV News' calls and e-mails to Nivea's camp had not been returned at press time.

The rapper welcomed his first son into the world last year, in 2008, when he announced the news during his acceptance speech at the 2008 BET Hip-Hop Awards. His lone daughter, Reginae Carter, 10, was born to the rapper's ex-wife, Toya Carter.

Related Artists

RZA Inspired By A Red Hot Chili Pepper To Make Music For Free

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 03:52 AM PST

Thanks to guitarist John Frusciante, the Wu-Tang mastermind tells Mixtape Daily he's 'past' worrying about profit or critics.
By Shaheem Reid


RZA
Photo: MTV News

Celebrity Favorites

Beats by RZA for free? What's the catch? The super-producer has come a long way from charging 20 G's a session.

"Musically, I got a friend of mine that's given me a big musical lesson," RZA explained to us recently in NYC. "His name is John Frusciante from the [Red Hot] Chili Peppers. He said to me that he doesn't make music no more for profit or people. Those that like it, love it or don't love it — he doesn't worry about the critics. He has enough financial security that he doesn't have to never sell music again. I don't have the same security, because I got so many family members. I'm never gonna be rich enough."

Still, with money coming from Hollywood, books and other ventures, the rap legend is letting the music flow freely, making dozens of records in 2009 just for his own enjoyment.

"I go to [Frusciante's] house a lot and make music with him," RZA said. "We just make music. I've made 100 songs this year, and probably nobody won't hear them but us who made it. It feels good, yo. It feels good to do it with no strings attached. Not having to worry about if somebody is gonna criticize it, if it's gonna sell. I'm past that. That's a great place to be. I did a project recently with Damon Dash, the BlakRoc project with the Black Keys. He said, 'RZA, if you in town, come by the studio and hang out. I got a few guys that like you. Maybe y'all can do some music together.' I went through, we had a good vibe, did a little smoking. We just did music. It's coming out. I don't know who got paid, who did what. I got nothing. It's nothing for me. It's an expression of art. It feels good to do it that way. That's how we started out."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

'City' Star Whitney Port Is 'Taking The Positive' From Season Finale

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 09:11 AM PST

Aspiring designer cites 'goofing off' with BFF Roxy as her favorite moments of the past season.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi


Whitney Port
Photo: Nick Neofiditis/ MTV News

NEW YORK — Whitney Port has grown a lot over the past season of "The City." She changed jobs, picked up a new roommate and made strides toward getting her clothing line off the ground. Out of all the bad dates, sketchy boyfriends and frienemies, the moments that stand out to the star most are the ones she spent with bestie and co-worker Roxy.

"I think I had a couple best moments," she told MTV News at "The City" season-finale special on Tuesday (December 1). "I think our most fun moments were just Roxy and I goofing off, like the cake fight and the dancing to Beyoncé. I think that when we were really ourselves, that's the most fun for us."

In the finale, Whitney got a taste of how cutthroat the fashion industry can be in a meeting with famed New York department store Bergdorf Goodman. It was then that she knew it wasn't going to be easy to launch her clothing line, but she knows it's all about growth.

"I think my lowest point was probably in the finale," she said. "I think it was really tough, obviously, to show my first collection ever to Bergdorf's, and I got a bunch of criticism. Whether it was constructive or not, it was hard for me to take, because those clothes are my babies, basically. So it was hard, but I think with all these experiences, it's all about learning and taking the positive from it."

Related Photos

The 2010 Grammy Nominees Revealed ... Possibly

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 03:52 AM PST

Once again, we take a stab at who will be going home with golden phonographs in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery


Beyoncé
Photo: Paul Warner/ WireImage

It's not exactly breaking news to fans of Bigger Than the Sound (hi, Mom!) that I fancy myself quite the prognosticator, particularly when it comes to awards shows. This is partially because I consider myself an expert on these kinds of things, but also because I have a huge gambling problem.

In previous years, I've tried my hand at picking the winners of the MTV Video Music Awards and predicting the Grammy nominees, with varying degrees of success (who among us can forget my triumphant 3-for-8 turn at the 2008 VMAs? Or, conversely, my dismal 2-for-2,000 run at the 2009 Grammys?) And so, buoyed by my successes — and fueled by my failures — I've decided to continue the tradition with this year's Grammy noms, which will be announced Wednesday night (December 2) at 9 p.m. in a live telecast/concert on CBS.

Will it be another big year for yours truly? Who knows — but it will certainly be different. For the first time in years, the Recording Academy (the nebulous brain trust that runs the show) has changed things up a bit, moving the Grammy telecast from the last Sunday in January to the first Sunday in February, a decision which led to a shortening of the eligibility period — to be nominated for a 2010 Grammy, an album must have been released between September 30, 2008, and August 31, 2009, which means albums by heavy hitters like Jay-Z or Mariah Carey are out of the running for this year's show. And, in a move of sheer brutality, they've decided to eliminate the polka category altogether, which means I'm out at least one surefire punch line this year.

And yet, despite all that, I've decided to press on. In an admitted attempt at saving myself from total humiliation, I've only decided to tackle the so-called "Big Four" (Record, Album and Song of the Year, plus Best New Artist) categories — and really, who cares who wins Best Historical Album? So here, for your wagering pleasure, are my predictions for the 2010 Grammy nominees.

Record of the Year

This is the Grammy for song of the year (in olden tymes, songs used to be called "records") and, in keeping with that sepia-tinged spirit, Academy voters gave it to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' "Please Read the Letter" at last year's show. But this year, things could be different. The predictions:

» Beyoncé, "Halo"
» The Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling"
» Green Day, "21 Guns"
» The Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody"
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face"

See, a decidedly hip field. An interesting side note here is that, according to the Los Angeles Times' Pop & Hiss blog, Beyoncé's label apparently decided to push "Halo" over the more ubiquitous "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" in this category, which is why I have it as the nom. Also, don't discount something from Grammy faves like Taylor Swift or U2 (or even Pink) to take the place of the Kings or Green Day. Oh, and Jay-Z's "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" is eligible here (it was released in June), which makes it a sneaky pick too.

Album of the Year

This one is given to the actual album of the year. Plant and Krauss won this category last year too, and in the previous year, Herbie Hancock knocked off Kanye West's Graduation. So really, anything can happen here. Both West's 808s & Heartbreak and Beyoncé's I Am ... Sasha Fierce missed the eligibility period for last year's awards, which all but makes them shoo-ins for this year's show. Anyway, my picks are:

» Beyoncé, I Am ... Sasha Fierce
» Taylor Swift, Fearless
» Alain Toussaint, The Bright Mississippi
» Kanye West, 808s & Heartbreak
» U2, No Line on the Horizon

So, two (semi) sure things in Bey and Yeezy (plus a third in Toussaint's album of early jazz standards) and really, who knows what else? I could easily see Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown sneaking in here, or even Lady Gaga's The Fame (too big to ignore), and don't forget Whitney Houston's I Look to You, which was released on the very last day of Grammy eligibility and seems tailor-made for a nomination or two.

Song of the Year

This one is given to the composer, not the performer. At last year's Grammys, Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" won, besting the likes of Adele, Estelle and Jason Mraz. The previous year, Amy Winehouse won, so Academy voters have a bit of the Anglo fever when it comes to this category. So, my picks:

» Lily Allen, "Not Fair"
» Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"
» Whitney Houston, "I Look to You" (or "Million Dollar Bill")
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me"
» Kanye West, "Heartless"

There are probably about a million songs I'm forgetting here — Pink's "Sober," Green Day's "21 Guns," anything from Lady Gaga — so I wouldn't be surprised if I go one-for-the-entire-category ("Single Ladies" is a mortal lock). And wouldn't it be great if Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" or "I Do Not Hook Up" managed to score a nom?

Best New Artist

Last year's winner? Adele. The previous two? Amy Winehouse and Carrie Underwood. The Academy loves the ladies here, but since we already know Lady Gaga was ruled ineligible for the award, it leaves the field wide open. So, with a blindfold and a dartboard, here's who I've selected:

» Diane Birch
» Zac Brown Band
» Kid Cudi
» MGMT
» Owl City

I don't know much about Diane Birch, but I do know that she's plenty soulful and pretty (thanks, official bio!), so let's just pencil her in for a nomination. The Zac Brown Band are this year's Nashville entry. MGMT give the Academy some of that sweet, sweet credibility. I'm not actually sure if Cudi is technically eligible here, but if he's not, you can just slide Wale into his spot. Owl City is the wild card here, and it wouldn't be difficult to see him replaced by someone like, say, the Silversun Pickups. But as is the case with all things Grammy — and, really, wagering — who knows?

Questions? Predictions of your own? Hit me at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

Robert Pattinson On Fame: 'I'm Pretty Much Exactly The Same'

Posted: 01 Dec 2009 12:07 AM PST

'New Moon' star also contemplates a fight with Taylor Lautner and separating on- and offscreen romance.
By Larry Carroll, with reporting by Jeff Cornell


Robert Pattinson
Photo: James Devaney/ Getty Images

As we enter December, "New Moon" is still riding high at the box office. And although it's a few weeks until Christmas, that doesn't mean "Twilight" fans aren't already dreaming of finding RPattz under their tree.

Well, we're always willing to start the party a bit early. Today, we present the final installment of an MTV Radio interview with Robert Pattinson, following up on his thoughts about romance and Taylor Lautner's transformation. Read on for candy-cane-flavored as Spunk Ransom talks fame, fighting Lautner and the danger of romancing a leading lady.

MTV: How are you dealing with the franchise's explosion into a full-blown phenomenon?

Robert Pattinson: I guess it's inevitable that you become more comfortable. You still fight against some things, but there's nothing really scary about it. I like all the people I work with. I generally have very few disagreements about the script or anything when we're doing it, especially on "New Moon." It just seemed so relaxed and easy. I mean, I've been on three different sets since January 14th. I've had, like, three days off. [So when people ask me,] "Has your life changed?" I don't know. I'm still on set. I'm going to be on set all next year as well. As for [running] errands and things, I don't know what that really is like, because I haven't had a sustained period of time where I've been off. ... I still feel like I'm pretty much exactly the same, which is maybe not a good thing.

MTV: Tell us about what was going through your mind during the pivotal scene where you break up with Bella.

Pattinson: It's strange, but something weird about it [is that I was helped by] people's anticipation of the movie and fans' idea of what Bella and Edward's relationship is, what it represents to them. Playing a scene where you're breaking up the ideal relationship, I felt a lot of the weight behind that, and also it took away your fear of melodrama as well. It felt seismic, if that's the right word, even when we were doing it. It was very much like [shooting the Italy] scene at the end [of the movie]. You can really feel the audience watching as you're doing it.

MTV: What personality traits do you share with Edward?

Pattinson: I guess stubbornness, in some ways about some things. He's pretty self-righteous too. And I guess I get quite obsessive about things — possessive as well, I think.

MTV: What are you obsessive about?

Pattinson: Well, I do have very, very specific ideas about how I want to do my work and how I want to be perceived — to the point of ridiculousness, sometimes. I don't listen to anyone else. That's why I don't have a publicist or anything. I can't stand it if someone is trying to tell me to do something, which is maybe a mistake sometimes. But I like being meticulous, and it's quite difficult as an actor to have that much control.

MTV: And how does the "Twilight" saga fit into that meticulousness?

Pattinson: Well, that's a good thing about the "Twilight" series. It does give you a lot more control over tiddly little things, which I want to have. I'm a control freak about it.

MTV: In a no-holds-barred fight between yourself and Taylor Lautner, who wins?

Pattinson: I don't know. I did hear the other day that Taylor had agreed to an interview where the interviewer was going to fight him. I don't think I'd ever agree to that. Also, looking at Taylor's martial-arts videos from when he was, like, 9, I wouldn't really want to do anything [to make him angry]. Maybe if I had some kind of weapon. But if Edward and Jacob [fought], I think it's actually a fact that Edward would win — I think, if I read the books correctly. So I guess I could hold onto that for my ego.

MTV: Love plays such a major role in these films, and so many fans want what happens onscreen to happen in real life. How do you separate what happens in movies from real life with women you're casted opposite?

Pattinson: You've always got to remember that you're being paid and that there's a lot of connotations that come with that. I think that's one of the major separations. Yeah, I think so.

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

Related Videos Related Photos

Eminem Talks Michael Jackson, Addiction, 'Different' New Songs

Posted: 01 Dec 2009 12:17 AM PST

'That's exactly what used to happen to me,' he says of stories of the late Michael Jackson's alleged pill addiction.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Eminem
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

Eminem made his triumphant return earlier this year with Relapse, but has yet to rest on his laurels, putting all of his energy into the soon-to-be-released follow-up, Relapse 2.

In the December/January issue of Complex magazine, the iconic rapper looks back on the splash his comeback created, from the buzz he's built for the Relapse sequel to, more seriously, comparisons to Michael Jackson's ills.

Em, in a moment of reflection, opened up about his battle with addiction, comparing it to Jackson's struggle with pills — although he cautioned it's hard to decipher what reports about the Gloved One were true, much like his own life.

"Oh, 100 percent," Em said when asked about parallels between Jackson's demise and his own hard times. "When you read things about Michael Jackson it's hard to decipher what the f--- is true, but there's the story of how he woke up at whatever time and he needed something to go back to sleep because he has this or that and it didn't work — that's exactly what used to happen to me," Em continued. "I would take a couple of pills and I would be up an hour later and I'd want more.

"It's one of the pitfalls of fame," he added. "I could just say, 'Yo, I need this and this and this,' and they're going to give me whatever I want."

Since Eminem has been sober for the past 20 months, he's said his addiction has been channeled away from drugs into things like jogging (hence the weight loss) and studio time (hence the quick follow-up album). Just Blaze is helping Slim Shady out on Relapse 2, Dr. Dre recently joined Em in the lab to work on new material.

He's aiming to make a better-rounded album with the Relapse sequel, he explained.

"When I finished Relapse, I had a whole album of material that didn't make it that I wasn't ready to throw away, so that was going to be Relapse 2," Em offered. "But then I got with Dre in Hawaii and started recording more, and now the new material has knocked out all the old songs. But yeah, the new material is definitely different.

"Making Relapse, I was still working the drugs out of my system, so there was a lot of ... just jokey sh--," he explained. "It was a lot of punch line-y, funny, shock value — kind of going back to The Slim Shady LP. And that was cool, but I've kind of flipped the page. Now I'm going for songs instead of one-liners. I don't want to make sh-- that you hear once and then the joke's over — I want to make records that you could play a hundred times, a thousand times."

Related Artists

'Jersey Shore' Castmember Defends Show Against Detractors

Posted: 01 Dec 2009 04:02 AM PST

President of Italian-American organization has said MTV show is offensive.
By Gil Kaufman


The "Jersey Shore" cast
Photo: Scott Gries/ Picture Group

When Andre DiMino saw the promos for MTV's new reality show, "Jersey Shore," which promises to offer a peek into the lives of the "hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos," he said he was offended.

"MTV is using very pejorative terms, 'Guido' and 'Guidette,' to promote a program and as a corporation that is not correct," said DiMino, national president of New Jersey-based UNICO, which describes itself as the largest Italian-American service organization in the U.S. The series, which premieres Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT, focuses on a group of young Italian-American men and women living on the shore: "sometimes surprising, often hilarious and usually over-the-top personalities as they juggle work, love, nightlife, friendship and the drama that ensues" — behavior DiMino said is offensive and stereotype-promoting.

In light of DiMino's concerns about the show, MTV released a statement, which reads: " 'Jersey Shore' is a reality series that follows eight young adults spending their summer at the beach. The show continues MTV's history of documenting various subcultures, rites of passage of young people, and the ways they self-identify. The Italian-American cast takes pride in their ethnicity. We understand that this show is not intended for every audience and depicts just one aspect of youth culture."

Mike Sorrentio, 27, is one of the castmembers of the show, and the Staten Island, New York, native said he doesn't see anything objectionable in it.

"The show didn't even come out yet and people didn't just see a bunch of kids having fun," said Sorrentio, an assistant manager at a gym. "It's just how we have fun on the East Coast. I'm sure when Mr. DiMino was young he went to beach clubs in the summer."

Sorrentio said he doesn't see the stereotypes DiMino said the show purportedly depicts. "I just happen to be 100 percent Italian, I happen to be in very good shape and my hair happens to be spiky," he said of DiMino's objection to promos that promise to show young people who "keep their hair high, their muscles juiced and their fists pumping all summer long!"

"It's not necessarily a stereotype; it's just how it is," Sorrentio said. "In New York and New Jersey, that just happens to be the style." Sorrentio said his family has not objected to his participation in the show and are excited for the debut. "It's just watching a bunch of young kids interact with the cameras. Is there a dictionary definition of how Italian-Americans should be portrayed? I know I didn't hold back and I'm not too worried about what people think. When I look in the mirror, I feel good."

UNICO, which has raised objections in the past to other shows it said used stereotypes in depicting Italian-Americans, such as "The Sopranos" and "Growing Up Gotti," has called for "Jersey Shore" not to air.

"Since I came out with this, I've received hundreds of e-mails from Italian-Americans, and even people who are not Italian-American, some Jewish Americans, who are disgusted," said DiMino, who decried what he called decades of depictions of Italian-Americans as "either Mafiosos, buffoons, bimbos or bums" on TV and in movies. "No ethnic group should be treated this way. Just because these young people refer to each other this way [as 'Guidos'] doesn't make it proper."

Despite the protest, Sorrentio said he's not bothered by the controversy. "People like to point the finger," he said. "I had an awesome time on the show ... I had an awesome experience and I'm not really worried about anybody."

How do you feel about "Jersey Shore?" Are you offended by the terms "Guidos and Guidettes"? Tell us what you think below ...

Exclusive: R. Kelly Talks About The Making Of <i>Untitled</i>

Posted: 01 Dec 2009 02:48 AM PST

'It all came off,' he says of album's collaborations with Tyrese, Robin Thicke and The-Dream.
By Shaheem Reid


R. Kelly
Photo: MTV News

CHICAGO — Today R. Kelly dropped his first album in two years, Untitled, and he's still coming with those eyebrow-raising lyrics.

"See I'm a player so man, I ain't trying to take her on no dates/ But much like Patron man, I'm just trying to take it straight," he sings on the album's last track, "Pregnant." "Until I met this girl in the club with a unbelievable booty/ Sweetest girl in the world to me, and on top of that she's a cutie/ If I had a girl, she'd be the one to bare my child."

Tyrese, Robin Thicke and The-Dream are all featured on the song.

"The track came to me from Tyrese, my little brother," Kelly said. "Immediately I loved it so much, I went into the studio right away and I put the track up. [I] began to write, 'Girl, you make me wanna get you pregnant.' It felt good immediately. I wanted to send the hook back to him. I knew he'd love the hook. But I said, 'Nah, let me do a verse.' I start hearing the verse. I said, 'I'm gonna do the hook and verse.' "

Kells had a self-imposed 20-minute time limit to write and record his part for the record, and said he finished in just about 22 minutes. He then e-mailed Tyrese, who was in a separate studio, what he'd just done.

"They was in the studio snappin'! I think Chris Brown was in the studio," he continued. "I heard them snapping on the phone. Tyrese said, 'Hey cuz, write your cuz a verse.' We started laughing. I was kinda hating because I thought I wrote his verse better than I wrote mine — but it's all good. That's my boy. I sent it to him, he did his verse. I started saying, 'Man, I can make this the new "Secret Garden."' I wrote a verse for Robin Thicke, sent it to him — he loved it, did it. Dream is a hell of a writer, so I didn't want to even get into writing Dream's verse. I wanted Dream to be Dream. Got [the track] to Tyrese, Tyrese got it to Dream. It all came off."

Another track, "I Love the DJ," goes the pop route, and over thumping bass Kells finds himself smitten with a female record-spinner. "Be My #2" takes it back to the disco era, with R. telling his side chick to play her position because she could never take wifey's place. "Religious" is a vintage Kelly ballad about the greatness in a relationship.

"It's talking about a man who's complementing his girl in such a street way. Such a street way," he explained.

"Kinda like the R. in R&B, you'se a big deal/ Because of you girl, I repent and change my thuggish ways/ Got a n---a waking up extra early on Sunday/And you're always praying for me/ That's why I say, there's something religious about you," he continues on the chorus. "There's something church about you."

"The man doesn't necessarily go to church, but he's got a girl that goes to church and she cleans the house and she does things that his mother would do," Kelly said about the song's theme. "His mother was so religious she went to church all the time. This girl has got this man to having second thoughts about running the streets. She's got him thinking. His pastor didn't do it. The people that love him, that want him out of these streets, didn't do it for him — but this girl has got him thinking about coming out of the streets, stopping the violence, the gang-banging, other things he's doing. This girl reads the Bible, she goes to church on Sunday, sometimes on Wednesday. She's really got love for God and she's hanging in there with him trying to pray him on in. It's starting to touch him and give him second thoughts. 'Maybe I ought to go on and go this way.' "

Kelly is currently on his Ladies Make Some Noise Tour. "I feel that thousands of people that are before me agree with me," he said of the audiences at his shows. "It's wonderful to be out on tour right now."

Related Artists

Tidak ada komentar: