MTV News |
- 'Lost' Finale Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
- Diddy Says Nicki Minaj Is 'One Of The Great Ones'
- Lil' Cease 'Upset' By Lack Of Progress In Notorious B.I.G. Murder Investigation
- Paramore, 3OH!3, Slash And Others Try To Explain 'Lost' — Hilariously
- 'Eclipse' Star Nikki Reed Says RPattz Has 'Best Heart' In New 'Bookazine'
- Man Acquitted In Dolla's Shooting Death
- The-Dream Explains 'Make Up Bag,' Featuring T.I.
- 'Lost' Finale Is Bound To Disappoint 'Some Fans,' Jorge Garcia Says
- Rick Ross Calls 'Super High' Video A 'Pivotal Point' In His Career
- Suge Knight Is '100 Percent' Innocent, Lawyer Says
- Drake Reps Houston 'Till The Day I Die' On Away From Home Tour
- Bono's Back Surgery Postpones U2 Tour
- Lil Wayne Is 'Holding His Head Up' In Prison, Tyga Says
- 'MacGruber' Stars Ryan Phillippe, Kristen Wiig Talk Awkward Sex Scenes
- 'Lost' Fanatic Mark Hoppus Shares How He Got Hooked
- Drake Calls <i>Thank Me Later</i> Release A 'Crucial Moment'
- Cam'ron Explains Why He Set Up Shop In Atlanta
- 'Shrek Forever After': The Reviews Are In!
- Lil' Cease Says Reunion With Lil Kim, Junior M.A.F.I.A. 'Needs To Happen'
- Slash Promises Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, Solo Songs On Tour
| 'Lost' Finale Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Posted: 21 May 2010 05:08 AM PDT 'Lost' star Michael Emerson and MTV News try to make sense of mysterious plot before series finale on Sunday.
"Lost" is not simply about a plane crashing on a mysterious island. It cannot be classified as pure science fiction or jungle adventure or any other number of genres. There are numerous philosophical issues at the core of "Lost," but distilling the series into one idea isn't just a daunting task — it's a virtually impossible one. But that won't stop Michael Emerson, who plays the eerie Benjamin Linus on the hit series, from trying. "On the surface, 'Lost' seems to be a universal survival adventure," Emerson told MTV News. "But as it goes along, it becomes revealed to be much more than that: a science-fiction and time-travel drama; an allegory of sin and redemption and past lives and hope for the future. "It's a lot," he ultimately conceded. We'll try to clarify his explanation with some additional details. The series debuted in 2004 with a simple premise: Oceanic Flight 815 crashes on a tropical island with a handful of passengers miraculously surviving the accident. But this is no ordinary island: In addition to the expected wild boar and exotic birds, there are polar bears, an indigenous group called the Others and an ancient monster made out of black smoke. Our heroes are tasked with facing down these forces, while struggling to survive and find a way off the island. But when a lucky few finally manage to escape, it becomes apparent that these men and women were never supposed to leave. They were always destined to carry out a higher purpose in this jungle of mystery. As the show progressed and the mysteries deepened, "Lost" kept itself grounded through a compelling cast of characters: Jack, a heroic doctor with an obsessive need to fix everything; Kate, a fugitive with nowhere left to run; Sawyer, a conman hiding the heart of a hero; Hurley, an overweight multimillionaire with an unlucky curse; Sayid, an Iraqi torturer looking to put the past behind him; Jin and Sun Kwon, a married couple with trust issues; Claire, a pregnant woman unsure about becoming a mother; and Locke, a paraplegic whose spine is healed by the island, leading him to believe that he and his fellow survivors were always meant to be here — an assertion that Jack initially rejects. But Jack began to view the island from Locke's perspective once it was revealed that the enigmatic Jacob brought the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 to the island — the skeptical Jack included — in an effort to find his successor as the island's ruler. Before he could finalize his replacement, Jacob was murdered by Ben, the disenfranchised former leader of the Others who felt neglected by Jacob. Ben carried out the deed at the request of the vicious smoke monster, which is actually Jacob's brother and eternal nemesis posing as a deceased John Locke. With Jacob dead, the monster simply needed to kill his brother's remaining candidates, which would allow him to finally leave the island and explore the outside world. In addition to the already-dead Locke, the monster succeeded in killing half of these candidates: Sun, Jin and Sayid. A ghostly Jacob was able to reach out to the rest of candidates to warn them of what was at stake: If the smoke monster is allowed to leave the island, the outside world would succumb to his might. Furthermore, the monster should be prevented at any cost from gaining access to a sacred light at the heart of the island. In order to protect this light, one of Jacob's candidates needed to volunteer to take up the mantle as guardian of the island. Jack volunteered for the position and was given instructions on where to find the light before the monster could get to it. But the monster currently has his sights set on something else: Desmond Hume, a tragic hero with a unique relationship to the space-time continuum as a result of exposure to electromagnetic energy — an energy that permeates the island's all-important light. With Desmond's help, the monster believes, not only can he leave the island, but he can destroy it too. The rub is that Desmond's whereabouts are unknown. Last seen trapped in a well, he's apparently escaped since then. Desmond's ability to destroy the island might have something to do with his knowledge of a sideways universe where Oceanic Flight 815 never crashed and landed safely in Los Angeles. He is one of few people in this sideways universe who remembers his time on the island, something that he's hoping to fix. As the finale looms, Desmond's mission to awaken our heroes' sideways selves remains a mysterious factor in the show's endgame. Indeed, there are countless characters, organizations and enigmatic entities that could have a huge impact on how "Lost" concludes. With so many questions still dangling unanswered, there's really only one certainty at this point: On Sunday night, this confounding, occasionally frustrating and enormously entertaining journey will finally reach its end. How do you hope "Lost" will end on Sunday? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Diddy Says Nicki Minaj Is 'One Of The Great Ones' Posted: 21 May 2010 02:36 AM PDT 'Nicki is up there. Her story has just begun,' the mogul says of managing the Young Money MC.
Diddy is expanding his empire. The mogul recently announced the opening of a management firm that he'll oversee in addition to his existing business holdings, which include a restaurant, clothing line and, of course, Bad Boy Records. Rick Ross was the first to ink with Diddy, describing the knowledge Diddy has as "priceless." And now, Nicki Minaj is finalizing the paperwork that will allow the Last Train to Paris superstar to guide her career. The Young Money femcee has already been in the studio with Diddy, and he's been singing her praises. "Nicki Minaj, she's definitely one of the great ones," Diddy told MTV News while promoting "Get Him to the Greek," speaking publicly for the first time about his new signee. "She has a long way to go, but you know how we recognized LeBron [James] was a great one, Tiger [Woods] was a great one, and Kobe [Bryant] was a great one? Nicki is up there. Her story has just begun." So far, Nicki Minaj has released only one single, the Sean Garrett-assisted "Massive Attack," which boasts a Hype Williams-directed video. But she's been prominently featured on a slew of other artist's records, including Ludacris' "My Chick Bad," Robin Thicke's "Shakin' It 4 Daddy" and Mariah Carey's "Up Out My Face." In February, the Queens lyricist spoke with MTV News and said she's in no rush to release her yet-untitled debut. "With the album, just like with my mixtape, I never like to rush it," Minaj explained. "With the album, I think it's more important that people get accustomed to seeing a female rapper again. Before I drop an album, people need to come out and see. People don't even know what a female rapper does. We're so not used to seeing it. "It's nonexistent in categories. We don't get nominated. I need to work [the people] up to accepting a female rapper again and accepting my style and all of that — then the album will come. Honestly, I'd love to put an album out this year, but I don't believe in rushing things either. We'll see." Do you think Diddy will do a good job of managing artists like Nicki Minaj? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Lil' Cease 'Upset' By Lack Of Progress In Notorious B.I.G. Murder Investigation Posted: 21 May 2010 09:49 AM PDT Biggie and 2Pac 'were two of the most influential figures in hip-hop, and you're not finding these people's murderers?' Junior M.A.F.I.A. member fumes.
One week ago, seven days before what would have been the Notorious B.I.G.'s 38th birthday (May 21), former Los Angeles police officer David Mack, who many allege helped orchestrate the hit that killed one of hip-hop's most beloved MCs, was released from prison. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons' records, Mack became a free man on May 14. Mack was known for his ties to Death Row Records and the Bloods gang; a detective investigating the Biggie murder case also discovered Mack owned a car similar to the one used on the hit against the Brooklyn MC, though police did not follow the lead. Many friends, family members and fans of Biggie are still flabbergasted at what they believe is a lack of effort in seeking justice for the slain rap superstar. "I'm definitely upset about it," Lil' Cease told MTV News this week. "I think it's something they should look into, especially when you see all these other things going on and you see how they pursue other cases. It just seems like when it came to Biggie, it was, 'Oh, another rapper, another hoodlum, another gangster is dead.' Same thing with 2Pac. These were two of the most influential figures in hip-hop, and you're not finding these people's murderers? Or not even making a real attempt to? It upsets you, 'cause they're treating them like nobodies but they had a big influence in the game and people look up to them. No matter what they rap about or what they'd been through, they were still human beings at the time." A Los Angeles Police Department representative told MTV News the case is still ongoing, but a spokesperson had no comment on the investigation. Retired LAPD detective Russell Poole told MTV News in March that he continues to believe that Mack, other rogue officers including Rafael Perez, and former Death Row Records head Suge Knight conspired together to kill the Notorious B.I.G. Poole said the 2005 mistrial due to police withholding evidence (the same judge later declared another mistrial, accusing Biggie's family of failing to disclose information they obtained) and subsequent shelving of the trial has made it increasingly difficult for the murderer to be found. At press time, the case still has yet to receive a new date. "Unless somebody on the inside fingers Suge Knight and these officers that I believe are involved, it's gonna be very, very hard for them to actually proceed with a criminal court case, from a logical standpoint," Poole told MTV News. "The fact of the matter is, the evidence was there. I've had less evidence on cases where I've sent people to prison for the rest of their lives. This case had a lot of evidence to it. Start with the officers that were working off-duty for Death Row Records, they were getting paid well. That occupation, working for Death Row Records, superseded them working for LAPD as sworn, honest, police officers. And nobody has really put any emphasis on that, and that's the real story. Nobody ever investigated those officers way back then, when they were working for corrupt gangsters that were on parole and were armed. Nobody has done any real in depth investigation on that." Poole said it was an unwritten rule that police were not allowed to work in other capacities, such as the roles many secured within Death Row's organization. Mack and Perez, who has since changed his name to Ray Lopez, were later convicted and sentenced to prison for crimes unrelated to the Notorious B.I.G. shooting. Both men are now free after serving out their times.A third man, Amir Muhammad, who Poole and others alleged was the shooter, has never been questioned by police. Knight was recently arrested by police in California and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, but the former mogul (his company, Death Row Records, was auctioned off) has never been connected by police to the Biggie case. On Friday (May 21), more than 13 years since his killing, Biggie's birthday is still being celebrated. His Junior M.A.F.I.A. cohort Lil' Cease spoke to MTV News this week and explained how he thought Big would recognize his birthday this year if he were alive. "Today, he'd probably just be with the family," Cease said. "We had our experience on the road: performing, doing shows, big parties. He definitely would have had a big party. A celebrity affair. But he also would have done something private with the M.A.F.I.A., close friends, wife. He kept it together with everybody he dealt with, and I'm sure they would have all came out and shown their love for Big and kept everything else under the carpet, whatever it was. Big had that type of heart, that everyone would wanna come out and show their love and spend that day with him." What are some of your favorite Biggie memories? Let us know in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Paramore, 3OH!3, Slash And Others Try To Explain 'Lost' — Hilariously Posted: 20 May 2010 11:26 PM PDT Rock stars attempt to summarize the inscrutable show before the finale.
This weekend, "Lost" fans will be gathered around their television sets to dissect all of the clues and evaluate the final scenes of the twisty, puzzle-filled show, whose finale airs Sunday at 9 p.m. But there may be a few of you out there who haven't been as invested in the series' six seasons and infinite possibilities and haven't had time to catch up with the 118 episodes that preceded Sunday's finale. Luckily, we reached out to some of the biggest "Lost" fans (and non-fans) in the rock world to help out. We asked everybody a simple question: "Can you explain what 'Lost' is about?" As fans of the program are aware, that's a pretty loaded inquiry. Still, most everybody was game. "It's about people on an island," Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams offered. "They're on the island, and they get off the island, but they're still on it. And they go back on, and someday they'll be happy, whether they're on it or not." But the question confused some. For example, 3OH3's Nathaniel Motte got "Lost" confused with another iconic television series. "It's pretty funny," he said. "They all date each other and go to this coffee shop called the Central Perk." (For anybody confused, that's "Friends.") (Read Blink-182 frontman Mark Hoppus' own words about his conversion to "Lost" fandom.) For others, the very idea of explaining "Lost" reduced people to little more than gutteral noises and exclamations. Such was the case with Stone Sour and Slipknot member Corey Taylor. "There's a guy, and there's this thing, and what happens is this BLUH!" he said. Still, perhaps the most direct explanation of the show came from an unlikely source. When asked what "Lost" was about, former Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash admitted that he had never watched any of it. But when asked to hazard a guess, he replied, "Something's not where it should be." That, quite frankly, might be the best response we've heard. Can you summarize "Lost" in a single sentence? Try it out in the comments. We're celebrating the long-awaited conclusion of "Lost" all this week at MTV News! We'll be bringing you exclusive interviews, insightful commentary and, in true "Lost" fashion, maybe even a surprise or two. Head over to the MTV Movies Blog, where our "Lost" Awards continue all this week, and make sure to tune in on Sunday night for our series finale live blog! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Eclipse' Star Nikki Reed Says RPattz Has 'Best Heart' In New 'Bookazine' Posted: 21 May 2010 03:32 AM PDT Us Weekly's 'bookazine' out May 28; watch video from Taylor Lautner's Rolling Stone cover shoot!
With "Eclipse" more than a month from hitting theaters, Twilighters have been clamoring for clues about what to expect from the third installment in the vampire saga. While those details may be scarce, a new "bookazine" from the editors of Us Weekly promises some behind-the-scenes scoop guaranteed to please Twi-Hards. In "The Sexy Stars of Twilight: Eclipse," on newsstands May 28, some of the "Eclipse" castmembers opened up about what it was like on the movie's set. The special issue also includes tons of pictures and posters, as well as factoids about the cast and the production. For instance, cast newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard, who takes over as vampire Victoria, admitted she was initially concerned about joining the already close-knit cast, but found them incredibly welcoming. "It was something I deeply considered and discussed with many people, because it is a very big deal," Howard says in the book. To her relief, she discovered "Rob [Pattinson] and Taylor [Lautner] are such great guys. I love those boys! And Kristen [Stewart] was like, 'Where's your baby? I want to meet him.' " But rather than KStew, it seems Nikki Reed turned out to be the on-set babysitter. "She's like a second mom!" Howard remarks. "The other day [my baby] said, 'I miss Nikki.' I was like, 'Honey, I miss Nikki too!' " "We're such a close family," Kellan Lutz added. Reed also dished about what it's really like to chill with her co-stars. "OK, P-Fatch [Peter Facinelli] is definitely the jokester and prankster. And he's very much a father figure — safe and comforting," Reed said. "Jackson [Rathbone] is the most artsy, creative and, I think, the most talented. Liz Reaser is the most well-read. Kellan and Ashley are very similar: They're both very driven people, and they both like to go out a lot. A lot of the partying happens around them. [Pattinson] has the best heart." Are you eager to get more "Eclipse" trivia from the upcoming bookazine? Let us know in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Man Acquitted In Dolla's Shooting Death Posted: 21 May 2010 06:15 AM PDT Lawyer for Aubrey Louis Berry argued that his client shot the Atlanta rapper in self-defense.
A Los Angeles jury has acquitted Aubrey Louis Berry of killing up-and-coming Atlanta rapper Dolla during a shooting last year at a crowded L.A. mall, The Associated Press reports. Deputy District Attorney and prosecutor Bobby Grace's contention that Berry killed Dolla (real name: Roderick Anthony Burton II) as an act of vengeance was rejected by jurors. Upon the reading of the verdict, Berry hugged his attorney while Burton's mother, Dayne Robinson, reportedly sobbed: "Oh, please, somebody help me." The 21-year-old Dolla was shot and killed last May at the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles during an assault in broad daylight. Berry was subsequently arrested in connection with the shooting and has remained in prison since. Berry's attorney, Howard K. Price, made the argument that the shooting was committed in self-defense, a claim disputed by Dolla's family. "There are three victims in this case, none of which is Aubrey Berry," the Burton family's spokesperson Dennis Byron said in a statement on May 22, 2009. "His claim of self-defense is very colorful, but the fact is that he traveled from Atlanta with a loaded firearm for which he didn't possess a carry permit for in the state of California and then he assassinates Mr. Burton and attempts to shoot his cousin Will and his friend DJ Shabazz." Price argued that Berry felt threatened by Dolla over a previous incident at an Atlanta nightclub. "If somebody has a reasonable perception that he is in danger of bodily injury or death, he has a right to defend himself," Price told MTV News last year. "He felt his life was in danger because of the previous altercation and what this guy [Burton] is reputed to be, which is [a member of] the Crips [street gang]." |
| The-Dream Explains 'Make Up Bag,' Featuring T.I. Posted: 21 May 2010 03:19 AM PDT Hitmaker's latest single is from forthcoming LP, Love King.
When guys are in the doghouse with their girlfriends or wives, there are two ways to get themselves out: saying they're sorry, which will likely keep them in the doghouse a bit longer — or showing that they're sorry. The-Dream's latest single, "Make Up Bag," embraces the latter strategy. "The song itself originated from just trying to find a great make-up gift," The-Dream explained to MTV News from the Los Angeles set for the song's video. "Some people like cards, some girls like yachts and whatnot. But this particular girl that I'm talking about just likes bags — that's her thing, and that's what this song is about. I know everybody is saying, 'Well, I don't got five stacks for a make-up bag.' Well, maybe that's not actually what your girl likes anyway. It may be something else. It's just about trying to find what they like. And if you got a real good girl she's not gonna let you spend $5,000 on a bag anyway." The track, written by The-Dream and produced by his frequent collaborator Christopher "Tricky" Stewart," is slated to be the second single from the singer's forthcoming Love King, due this summer. Fellow Atlanta native T.I. guests on the song, his first high-profile collaboration since the rapper's release from federal prison and a halfway house earlier this year. The two artists have been locked down in the studio as of late; The-Dream told MTV News last month that he will appear on T.I.'s next album. He described T.I. as being in the zone, when he discussed his slew of new material. "Tip is in a zone, man," he said. "He's in one of those things. But me just being a lyric guy, what makes songs, I think, hits is when it comes from the heart and you really are saying something you mean. And you can feel it through the passion." Next up, The-Dream will ready the clip for "Make Up Bag" and prepare for the release of his project, which he's hinted could be his last solo LP. "It's the last album, period," he said in March. "I really would like it to be the last one if I could — in a perfect world. "In the back of my mind, I'm thinking [how] a fighter fights," The-Dream continued. "You don't retire on top. [Michael] Jordan didn't retire on top. I'm not saying I'm the best [like him], but I'm the best at what I can do. And I can stop now and say, 'This album is pretty good.' " Are you excited to hear The-Dream's new album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Lost' Finale Is Bound To Disappoint 'Some Fans,' Jorge Garcia Says Posted: 21 May 2010 02:46 AM PDT 'We're basically just crossing our fingers that the majority will be satisfied,' he tells MTV News.
For six years, "Lost" viewers have watched unlucky millionaire Hugo "Hurley" Reyes transform from lovable-but-terrified plane-crash survivor to an unlikely leader of men. The progression of Hurley's character wasn't just a pleasant surprise for the show's fans; it was also a treat for Jorge Garcia, the 37-year-old actor who's been a mainstay on the soon-to-conclude series since the very first episode. "It's been cool," Garcia told MTV News when asked to describe his character's arc from the pilot episode to "The End," the title of the final "Lost" episode, which airs Sunday. "The more subtle ways he ends up finding moments to show leadership qualities or save the day by hitting someone with a van, it worked out kind of well. It's kind of like you don't know when you're starting out, but you kind of see it. If you just go through a plane crash, you might need to get your bearings a little bit. Then you start figuring it out, stretching your legs and seeing what's what. He was always big on the advancement of the group more than anything. He didn't want to stick out or do anything weird. He's kind of like the cheerleader, in a way." With the series finale looming, Garcia still hasn't fully realized that his days on "Lost" are over. "It hasn't really hit me yet," he admitted. "There have been little things where it's like, 'Hey, that's kind of sad.' Reading the last script had a little thing to it. Doing this event in Los Angeles where ['Lost' composer Michael Giacchino] was conducting the orchestra had a little bit to it. But I haven't really felt it. Either that or I'm being very stoic about it. I thought it was going to be a huger thing for me. Maybe when I finally get on that plane and I'm officially moved from Hawaii, it'll hit me." Garcia's final day of shooting wasn't terribly emotional, mostly because it was such a physically grueling experience. "That particular day was a very long day, and it was just exhausting in the end," he said. "It was kind of like a lot of work. It was a physically demanding scene. At the end of it, I was like, 'Whew, I am ready for bed, but I'll stick around and watch them shoot the last shot of the whole series. OK, now I'm going to bed.' " With only two days remaining before the finale airs, Garcia said he still doesn't know exactly how the show is going to end. "There's one thing I still don't know in the finale," he said. "It's one small piece in the finale that was only given to the actors in that scene, and I was not one of those actors." But based on what he does know, Garcia said he and the entire "Lost" team are aware that some fans will walk away feeling disappointed. "With a show like this and fans like this, we know — and we already got a taste of it with the 'Across the Sea' episode — we know there are going to be some fans who are like, 'What the eff?' We're basically just crossing our fingers that the majority will be satisfied with how the story goes and will be vocal about it so that we hear both sides!" If nothing else, Garcia can identify one person who's happy with how "Lost" ends. "It was very satisfying," he said of his experience. What are you hoping is resolved in the "Lost" finale? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Rick Ross Calls 'Super High' Video A 'Pivotal Point' In His Career Posted: 20 May 2010 11:52 PM PDT 'It was a much bigger video than I have done previously,' he tells MTV News.
When hip-hop fans sit back and watch his videos, Rick Ross wants to give them the same chills he got as a youngster when he saw new clips from Eazy-E and Big Daddy Kane. The Bawse released his new video for "Super High" on Sunday, and in the climatic scene, he gets to have an Arthur Fonzarelli moment: wearing a leather jacket and sitting on a fly motorcycle with an even flyer check on his arm. "It's a real pivotal point," Ross said about the video, in which he and leading lady Stacey Dash get to chill under the sun on a mountaintop. "Just for me to be sitting on a Harley Davidson. ... It was a much bigger video than I have done previously. ... Just to be sitting on the mountaintop, my arm around Stacey Dash. I'm burning in between takes. [Director] F. Gary Gray is in a helicopter flying above me, and the pilot is the same pilot that is flying the chopper through the tunnel in 'The Italian Job.' That's F. Gary's partner. We met, and he did it as love. "I'm just sitting there thinking of all this, it just gets deep," he added about the surreal moment. "It just lets me know my mind is very powerful. It's very powerful as long as I stay focused. I can keep getting creative and raise the bar." Ross said to get the ageless Dash to appear in his clip was just a matter of pressing send. "She is most definitely a beautiful young lady," he said. "She's also a class act. She was so youthful, vibing, having a good time. So I take my hat off to her. I wanted to do something different, so I put an actress into it. Someone who I was a fan of, someone I wanted to meet. I threw a name at [F. Gary], he texted the number real quick." What did you think of Ross' epic video? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Suge Knight Is '100 Percent' Innocent, Lawyer Says Posted: 21 May 2010 04:25 AM PDT Death Row Records founder was arrested earlier this week for assault with a deadly weapon.
Suge Knight's lawyer claims the Death Row founder is "100 percent" innocent after his client was arrested earlier this week for assault with a deadly weapon. According to attorney Marc Brumer, Knight was in the Los Angeles area to take a business meeting, and the man who reported the incident made a false claim against the hip-hop mogul. "There was never a gun found," Brumer told CNN on Friday (May 21) in a telephone interview. "[Knight] was very cooperative, answered all the questions police had, and we just feel that he shouldn't have been arrested." Knight was taken into custody after police were told that he drew a firearm against an unidentified man. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman confirmed the arrest to MTV News and said Knight was charged with a felony count and also a misdemeanor for driving with a suspended license. Knight's bail was set at $65,000, and Brumer said his client posted bond and has since been released. Police told MTV News on Thursday that there is an "ongoing investigation" regarding the case. Brumer suggested that Knight is not the type to carry a gun, despite his checkered criminal past; Knight was sentenced to nine years in prison in 1996 for violating his probation after striking a parking-lot attendant. Knight's attorney said jealousy was at the center of the false accusation against his client. He also said Knight is trying to regain his footing in the entertainment world. Last year, the Death Row Records assets were sold to a Canadian company in an auction after Knight declared bankruptcy. "He's working with new artists, starting a record label, looking into sports-management companies," Brumer said. "A reality show on his life is also a possibility. "He's really an icon in the music industry and really looked up to in the African-American community," he continued. "He's a bright man. He wouldn't carry a gun on him. That's not him." |
| Drake Reps Houston 'Till The Day I Die' On Away From Home Tour Posted: 21 May 2010 01:05 AM PDT The Toronto MC brings out H-Town rap luminaries Bun B, Lil Keke, Trae Tha Truth and others.
HOUSTON — Drake did the Texas two-step this week, bringing his Away From Home Tour to Dallas on Wednesday, and the next day, to Houston, where he closed out his initial run of U.S. dates. The 23-year-old Toronto MC's show was highly anticipated in H-Town, a city Drake gave props to on "November 18th," off the Chopped N Screwed version of his So Far Gone mixtape. He opened Thursday night's show at Houston's Verizon Wireless Theater with his club banger "Over," whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Drizzy told his fans that "only three things matter at this time: Number one, I'm Drizzy Drake. Two, I'm part of the hottest team in the game right now — Young Money/ Cash Money. Finally, I rep H-Town till the day I die." The Grammy-nominated artist showed his respect for his hosts with a performance of the aforementioned "November 18th," which true Houstonians know was inspired by the Screwed Up Clique's late-90s posse cut "June 18." One of the Clique's original members, Lil Keke, was on hand to deliver his verse from the ensemble track. And the city's rap scene was amply represented at the concert: In addition to Keke, Drake brought out Houston luminaries Z-Ro, Trae Tha Truth and the Underground King himself, the timeless Bun B. Cash Money's Birdman, who has made appearances on several dates of the tour, came through for "Money to Blow," and then performed the Big Tymers hit "Still Fly." The theater seemed to shake to the rafters as the excited crowd began reciting lyrics — "Gator boots with the pimped-out Gucci shoes." The stage was then turned over to Young Money members Gudda Gudda and Lil Twist, who came out to assist on "Bed Rock." The show continued with the lovemaking theme on "A Night Off," which saw Drake bring out a microphone whose stand was covered in female undergarments. The ladies went berserk, throwing bras and panties at the dynamic MC, a practice that has become a ritual at every Away From Home show. In an interview Drake gave to CNN, he said he was attempting to make it into the "Guinness Book of World Records" for the most bras thrown at a performer during a single show. When Drake chose a 27-year-old Houston fan to join him onstage, he warned her that anything could happen, including licking, sucking or kissing. No one seemed to be left disappointed at this show. And while he may not have been given the key to the city, Drake proved he already has the town on lock. Are you planning to see Drake in Concert now that he's added more dates to his tour? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Bono's Back Surgery Postpones U2 Tour Posted: 21 May 2010 03:19 AM PDT New leg of the 360 Tour was set to kick off in Salt Lake City on June 3.
U2 frontman Bono has undergone emergency back surgery at a hospital in Germany, a manager for the group said. Due to the hospitalization, the first date of their tour has been postponed. The 50-year-old singer, whose real name is Paul Hewson, was injured while preparing for the group's tour. According to a statement on U2's website, Bono is being treated by neurosurgeon Dr. Joerg Tonn and Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt. "Bono will spend the next few days there, before returning home to recuperate,'' the statement read. "Once his condition has been assessed further, a statement will be made regarding the impact on forthcoming tour dates.'' Paul McGuinness, the band's manager, said in an MP3 posted on the website on Friday (May 21) that because of the injury, U2's 360 Tour stop on June 3 in Salt Lake City has been postponed. After that date, the band was scheduled to play in Anaheim, California, on June 6 and 7, followed by Denver on June 12 and Oakland, California, on June 16. There's no word whether other dates have been canceled. Bono had recently told The Associated Press that sales of the group's latest album, No Line on the Horizon, have been somewhat soft, which made for U2's lowest-selling CD in more than a decade. The band also has said that the massive tour has yet to break even due to the enormous production costs of setting up and designing the 170-ton, $40 million stage. "We hope to get things resolved as soon as possible," McGuinness said. Send your well-wishes to Bono in the comments. Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne Is 'Holding His Head Up' In Prison, Tyga Says Posted: 21 May 2010 08:48 AM PDT 'It was crazy to see him in there in that type of situation,' Young Money rapper tells MTV News of recent visit.
Young Money's Tyga recently caught up with Lil Wayne in jail and revealed that the multiplatinum superstar is doing well as he rides out his one-year prison sentence at Rikers Island in New York. "It was crazy to see him in there in that type of situation, but he's doing good," Tyga told MTV News on Tuesday. "He's holding his head up." Tyga caught up with the Young Money boss a few weeks ago. "He was basically just talking about his whole experience in there, everything that's going on," Tyga said. Weezy, who's known for his superhuman work ethic and prolific musical output, is apparently focusing his energy on the new surroundings. "He knew everything about everything in there, so I was just basically listening to what he had to say." Even though Lil Wayne keeps a blog that he occasionally updates and a Twitter page that is now maintained by his protégé Lil Twist, the hip-hop megastar isn't too concerned about keeping up with the outside world. "He really didn't want to talk about anything really on the outside going on," Tyga said. Tyga visited Wayne solo, but he said the Young Money and Cash Money family strives to get face time with Weezy whenever possible. "We all go at separate times ... because he only gets a certain amount of visits." While Tyga's visit was just to show love to a good friend, he wasn't able to slip into the facility incognito. "I'm just going there ... just getting ready, like, to see him ... and then it's, like, all these girls taking pictures with me, all these mamas up there," Tyga laughed. "That was crazy, though, but he's doing good." What would you talk to Lil Wayne about if you had some one-on-one time? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'MacGruber' Stars Ryan Phillippe, Kristen Wiig Talk Awkward Sex Scenes Posted: 21 May 2010 01:45 AM PDT Intimate moments with Will Forte are 'very sweaty and goal-oriented,' Wiig says.
"MacGruber" is raw. Throats are gruesomely ripped out; F-bombs are dropped like the characters need them to breathe; and there's some raunchy sex. It's not the sort of thing you might see on the recurring "Saturday Night Live" sketches that spawned this big-screen comedy. Just ask co-star Ryan Phillippe, who had to insert a celery stick up his bum for a scene (really, you don't want to know the backstory right now). That's some R-rated funkiness, right there. And there was no body double on set to let him off the hook. "I don't know how in detail we need to get about that," he laughed. "But I clenched. That's all you need to know. There was no insertion. I am still a virgin back there. "The first time I read it, I thought, 'How tied to this are they?' " he continued. "It was a carrot at the time. By the time we shot it, which was near the end of the film, I think intentionally — because they thought I might back out if they sprung it on me too early — but I had seen so much insanity after the three weeks leading up to my scene that it seemed tame. I had to chip in." Co-star Kristen Wiig chipped in as well with a wacky, intense love sesh between her Vicki St. Elmo and Will Forte's MacGruber. How does Forte stack up as an onscreen lover? "Loud, aggressive, very sweaty and goal-oriented," she joked. Traumatic, she could have added. "I remember walking out of the house in a bathrobe, just covered in sweat, mostly not mine," she recalled. "And I think they had cupcakes or something, and I was like, 'I can't! I can't eat those right now!' " Check out everything we've got on "MacGruber." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 'Lost' Fanatic Mark Hoppus Shares How He Got Hooked Posted: 21 May 2010 09:43 AM PDT The Blink-182 frontman watched five seasons in a row while on tour last year.
With the series finale of "Lost" only a few days away, anticipation for the show's end has reached a fever pitch. Fans all across the Internet and all over the world are speculating how the series might end and discussing what the six seasons have meant to them — including Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus. We asked him to explain what the show has meant to him and what he thinks may go down during the finale, which airs this Sunday, May 23. I was a non-believer for a few years. After casually watching the first season, I fell off the show. Each week, everyone would come into the studio, excitedly talking about the latest episode from the night before. I laughed and asked them if it had been the episode where they ALMOST get off the island. Or if Gilligan made a cameo. Everyone looked at me and shook their heads. Then this past summer, on the North American Blink-182 tour, at the insistence of most of the crew, I re-watched the series from the first episode through the end of season five. In a matter of days. I couldn't stop. With the exception of soundcheck and showtime, I spent every waking minute watching show after show, into the small hours of the morning. The pivotal moment for me was when Locke walked. I had to know and understand his role and place on the island. He has been and continues to be the show's most compelling character. And now there's one final episode. Locke vs. Jack? Smoke Monster vs. Desmond Hume? Hurley vs. the Lottery Numbers? What the hell is going to happen? And more importantly, why was MY name not in the list of candidates?!?! How did you get hooked on the show? Share your own "Lost" memories in the comments below. We're celebrating the long-awaited conclusion of "Lost" all this week at MTV News! We'll be bringing you exclusive interviews, insightful commentary and, in true "Lost" fashion, maybe even a surprise or two. Head over to the MTV Movies Blog, where our "Lost" Awards continue all this week, and make sure to tune in on Sunday night for our series finale live blog! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drake Calls <i>Thank Me Later</i> Release A 'Crucial Moment' Posted: 21 May 2010 12:57 AM PDT 'It actually feels like my last album, not my first,' he tells Billboard.
The pressure is on for Drake to deliver on his highly anticipated debut album, Thank Me Later. And the Toronto MC is well aware of the expectations. In the May 29 issue of Billboard, Drake said it feels like he's working on his final album, rather than dipping his toe into the pool for the first time. "I know I have a lot of growing up to do, but I guess, unfortunately, people won't judge me as if this is my first album or my first year in the game," Drake said of the album, due June 15. "This is a crucial moment for me. It actually feels like my last album, not my first. I'll be working hard to make sure you remember it. I'll be in your city, performing all the songs, and hopefully looking at you in your eyes and let you know it's real out here, man. I'm ready." Recently, Drake announced he is extending his Away From Home Tour, which will feature an international leg in July with stops in Norway and the U.K. Earlier this week, the Thank Me Later track list was revealed; T.I. and Young Jeezy will join Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and The-Dream on the collection. Drake has long insisted that, despite the buzz surrounding his rising star, he wants his first album to be "relatable," much in the same manner that made his breakout mixtape, So Far Gone, a fan favorite. "At the end of the day, one of the biggest things I've been toying with on Thank Me Later is that it's kind of hard for me to come out and be like, 'I'm still the underdog,' " Drake told MTV News last year. "I can't rap about the same things [as I did] on So Far Gone, so it's just really trying to tell the greatest story that's never been told, which is the story of a rapper's come-up, and tell it without being corny or over-bragging or sounding like, 'Feel sorry for me.' It's going to be a very interesting record, because I'm really going to have to dig deep and tell stories that people can relate to. But it's kind of hard, because my life is at a very different place now." Are you going to get Drake's Thank Me Later when it comes out? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Cam'ron Explains Why He Set Up Shop In Atlanta Posted: 21 May 2010 01:15 AM PDT 'We're trying to just get a different vibe,' he says of recording in ATL for a few months.
ATLANTA -- Harlem rap king Cam'ron has enough bread to set up shop anywhere. He's had ties to Florida and he's heavy in the Midwest. Now, Killa has packed his bags and headed down South. Cam has temporarily relocated to Atlanta to record his next few projects. "We got a bunch of stuff going on," Cam explained recently. "I got my solo album to do. We got 'Killa Season 2' soundtrack. 'Cousin Bang, the Movie' soundtrack. To keep it 100, down South, they got a lot of hot beats with no samples. We're trying to just get a different vibe. I did four of my albums in New York, one in Chicago, one in L.A. But I never did an album recording in Atlanta. So me and Vado came down here to get a different vibe. We're gonna be down here for a few months recording and working." Killa has already started his next mixtape, a collaboration with DJ Holiday. Cam and Vado also just released their Boss of All Bosses tape with DJ Drama. The set features the new Vado single "Speakin Tongues." "I don't know what nobody thought," Cam told Mixtape Daily of the song. "It's me. This is what I do for a living. But shout to Vado. It's his record. He got the beat and all that. I was like, 'Nah, we gotta put that out immediately.' "Let me break it down: We're the U.N. That's the name of the team," Cam described. "The U.N. is 'Us Now.' We got an album coming out in August that's gonna be stupid. Vado's solo joint, look towards December [for that one]. But I want everybody to be focused on that U.N. album, 'cause when that comes out, it's gonna be bananas. Stupid. This August. ['Speakin Tongues'], this is the first single off of it." "The song is about partying, living the Harlem life. Ballin'," Vado added. "You already know." What do you think Cam's Atlanta music will sound like? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Shrek Forever After': The Reviews Are In! Posted: 21 May 2010 12:18 AM PDT Some critics find the fourth film in the franchise refreshing; others say it's full of 'contrived mania.'
The summer-movie season is a bastion of review-proof franchise flicks. First "Iron Man 2," and soon "Toy Story 3" and "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" — all these films and more were essentially guaranteed mega-box-office openings as soon as they got a green light. Of course, that hasn't stopped critics from weighing in with opinions, positive and negative. Such is the case with "Shrek Forever After," the fourth and final installment of the green-ogre franchise. Hype it or slam it, the 3-D animated kids' movie might well pass the $100 million threshold during its opening weekend (which kicked off on Friday, May 21). Nonetheless, parents and their little ones want to know the bottom line: Does "Forever After" live up to the bar set by the previous installments? Absolutely, argues Michael O'Sullivan in The Washington Post. "Believe it or not, there's life in the old boy yet," he wrote. "After a disappointing third outing, this 'Shrek' brings the cycle of fairy-tale-themed films to a fine finish." The story finds Shrek in an "It's a Wonderful Life"-style alternate reality in which he was never born, and thus has no friends or family, no enduring connections, no source of happiness. It's a sort of series reboot for "Shrek," and not everyone is convinced the narrative switcheroo breathes new life into the franchise. "Though 'Shrek Forever After' has some clever lines — notably more than in the third movie — the pop-culture references and joyous spirit have been replaced by spurts of slapstick and contrived mania," said Claudia Puig of USA Today. Opinions, no doubt, are split on "Shrek." But what everyone can agree on is that it looks visually stunning. "One of the nicest surprises of 'Forever After' is the near perfect marriage it achieves between the animation artistry, which is exceptional here, and the 3-D technology," Betsy Sharkey wrote in the Los Angeles Times. "Don't get me wrong, the effects are snazzy enough, and all sorts of things race off the screen. But they don't out-dazzle everything else, which is how it should be in my book, though some may wish for more wow." So, how do stars Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas fair? Quite well, according to Mary Elizabeth Williams on Salon.com. "While Shrek himself, once again deftly voiced by the better-heard-and-not-seen Mike Myers, wrestles angst with aplomb, it's Fiona (Cameron Diaz) who emerges as the true hero of this installment," she wrote. "Diaz, a vastly underrated actress, has a natural affinity for the complexity of Fiona and gives her character both a warm maternal spark and a flinty protective shell. ... Bringing up the comic relief rear are Antonio Banderas as a now pampered, out-of-shape Puss in Boots and Eddie Murphy as the perpetually slow on the uptake Donkey, amazed that he's a dragon's babydaddy in an alternative reality." The final word goes to Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald: "The movie is big-hearted and peppered with juicy throwaway bits: I liked the way the Gingerbread Man had to turn around one of the Three Blind Mice, who was cheering in the wrong direction, or the line by the ogre cook (Craig Robinson) about the need for a chimichanga stand on the battlefield, because everyone's going to be starving after waging war. 'Shrek Forever After' isn't essential, but it's breezy and likable and doesn't overstay its welcome — the first summer movie thus far to deliver on its promise to put on a good show." Check out everything we've got on "Shrek Forever After." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Lil' Cease Says Reunion With Lil Kim, Junior M.A.F.I.A. 'Needs To Happen' Posted: 20 May 2010 10:54 PM PDT 'I know Big would want us all eating together in one room,' Cease tells MTV News.
One of music's all-time great lyrical masters, Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace would have been 38 years old on Friday (May 21) had he lived. Biggie has been gone 13 years, but everyone who loved him still celebrates his memory. Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Cease told MTV News that he wants to make Biggie look down smiling by setting up a major reconciliation. "If I could give Big a gift for his 38th birthday, it would be to bring the family together," Cease said. "Just to see all the people he had around him in one room together: Me, Kim, D-Roc, Gutter, the whole M.A.F.I.A. Those people, it wasn't business with us — it was friends. I didn't write rhymes. I'm sure [Biggie] didn't put me in the group because I had talent. He said, 'I wanna make sure you good for the rest of your life. I'mma build you your own lane. You take it from there.' He did that for me and nine other people in the group. "He also did that for the people that surrounded us, the friends like [Lance] 'Un' Rivera. A lot of us are here because of what Biggie built. At the end of the day, no matter what [gripes M.A.F.I.A. members may have], if everybody say they love Big like they say they would love him, I know [a reunion] is something he would want. I know something that's [probably] bothering him is that everybody is separated." The Junior M.A.F.I.A. imploded a little more than five years ago, when Lil' Cease and M.A.F.I.A. member Banger were forced to testify in Lil' Kim's infamous perjury case. In the aftermath, Kim publicly disassociated herself from her onetime close friends. There have been dis records, lawsuits and obviously the Queen Bee's nearly 10-month incarceration. Still, Cease says he wants to continue to try and come back together. "We're working on it," the Brooklyn-born Cease continued. "That's something I would definitely want to do. I tried it for a year. Especially for Kim — I reached out for years. Everybody else is kinda in sync: I speak to Roc, Nino, D, [Money] L, everybody else is still kinda connected. The only one I wasn't connected [with] was Kim. "I been swallowed my pride. Because as a family, when you know somebody for so long, you go through things. I didn't think our situation would go this long and this far. As you get older, you start to appreciate that family value. It's hard to try and do that in this day and age, when you this age. It takes a lot to build that kind of loyalty and trust. As days went by, I thought, 'This is something Big would want.' I hear it every day. I'm in the neighborhood and I'm outside. When they see Kim, they think of Big. When they see me, they think of Big. When they see D-Roc, they think of Big, and we're all separated. I know Big would want us all eating together in one room. I'mma do my best to make that happen." Cease-A-Leo insisted that despite his long estrangement from Kim, he still has love for her and is optimistic that they can at least talk to start the healing process. "We're still talking to the same people," he explained. "I guess people are starting to come around now and they are trying to make it happen. I speak to some of her close friends that I'm still close friends with and we working on it. It's about that time," he added about mending the divide between him and Kim. "It's something that needs to happen. I don't want no drama, especially with somebody I came up with. These are the things I think about." Do you think it's about time Junior M.A.F.I.A. reunited? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Slash Promises Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, Solo Songs On Tour Posted: 21 May 2010 12:46 AM PDT 'I'm really excited, because we've got a great backing band and a great frontman,' Slash says of Myles Kennedy.
Considering how long he has been around and the sort of people he has hung out with and places he has been, you would think there wouldn't be a whole lot that would throw off Slash. But when it came time to plan a tour in support of his recently released self-titled solo album, he was a little perplexed. After all, he couldn't recruit all of the top-shelf talent who provided vocals on Slash (including Kid Rock, Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie, Chris Cornell, Adam Levine and Dave Grohl). Luckily, he took a chance that paid off. "I auditioned a lot of singers for Velvet Revolver and a lot for this new tour," Slash told MTV News of the jaunt, which kicks off Friday night (May 21) in Walker, Minnesota. "I had one song left on the album and didn't have a singer for it, so I called Myles Kennedy out of the blue. He sent back this amazing vocal for a song called 'Starlight.' " Kennedy, who was previously the singer for the Creed fallout band Alter Bridge, immediately clicked with the veteran guitarist. Naturally, that led to the birth of their touring together. "I don't know if I coerced him into doing the tour or if he really wanted to do it, but he was onboard," Slash joked. "I'm really excited, because we've got a great backing band and a great frontman." Though he stuck mostly to a bellowing baritone with Alter Bridge, Kennedy's singing with Slash is "much bluesier," according to the guitarist. That's good, because he'll have to tackle a wide variety of styles. "It's a pretty killer set list," said Slash, who has done time in a number of different bands, all of which will be represented on the tour. "We do five to six songs off the new record. And we do a handful of Guns N' Roses songs, a lot of which I haven't played since '93. And we do a few Velvet Revolver songs and a couple of Snakepit songs. It's a really energetic and vibrant set." Will you check out Slash's new tour? Let us know in the comments! |
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