MTV News |
- Katy Perry Says She Followed Her 'Gut' On <i>Teenage Dream</i>
- Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Video Mixes 'The Spiritual And The Sexual,' Religion Professor Says
- Lil' Kim Vs. Nicki Minaj: Missy Elliott, Trina, More Weigh In
- Kissing Miley Cyrus For Her New Video Was 'Weird,' Kevin Zegers Says
- Kid Cudi Arrested
- Diddy On Lil' Kim/ Nicki Minaj Flap: 'It Ain't No Beef'
- Chace Crawford Charged With Misdemeanor Pot Possession In Texas
- 'Stretch Armstrong' Writer 'Gets' Taylor Lautner Obsession
- Jay-Z Remix Of M.I.A.'s 'XXXO' Hits The Net
- Angelina Jolie Confirmed To Play Cleopatra In Historical Biopic
- Drake To Star In 'Gears of War 3'
- Juvenile 'Drop That Thang' Video Premieres -- Watch It Here!
- Jackson Rathbone Says 'Airbender' Training Came In Handy For 'Eclipse'
- Diddy Doesn't Want To Talk About B.I.G.'s Murder Anymore
- Weezer Debut 'Unofficial' World Cup Song, 'Represent'
- Lady Gaga Wants To Offend With 'Alejandro,' Experts Say
| Katy Perry Says She Followed Her 'Gut' On <i>Teenage Dream</i> Posted: 11 Jun 2010 01:51 AM PDT 'I was telling the record executives, 'Listen don't tell me when it's over,' Perry tells MTV News of recording her album.
Katy Perry's upcoming Teenage Dream album isn't exactly the follow-up to her breakthrough One of the Boys — it's more like a continuation. The fact is Perry has never really been out of the spotlight long enough for it to be anything else. "I don't really feel like I'm back, I feel like I never really went away, because things were kind of continuing," Perry told MTV News. "I just got off tour last year, and I started the record in October!"
Of course, the album has gotten a roaring ramp-up from its lead single, "California Gurls," which Perry performed at the MTV Movie Awardslast weekend andtopped the Billboard singles chart this week (the song's videowill premiere on MTV on Tuesday). And though Perry has been front-and-center on the pop stage for more than two years now, things have changed a great deal for her: Her every move is documented and her relationship with comedian Russell Brand has been the subject of much media speculation. While she freely admitted that all of these things are true, there's one thing that hasn't changed: the way she goes about making music. "In the very beginning [of this album], I was telling the record executives, 'Listen, don't tell me when it's over, don't tell me when to turn it in, don't tell me when we're out of money. I'll let you know when my gut says 'Go.' Because I've always followed my intuition, and that's worked for me," Perry said. "I'm not going to overthink that, because it's always worked for me." In listening to her instincts, Perry was able to squeeze two more tracks onto Dream, a pair of tunes she singles out as highlights of the album, due in August. "Halfway through the record, I was telling them, 'I've got a lot of jewels, but I don't really have that crown. I really don't have that full-blown presentation,' " Perry said. "So I wanted to go in with [producers] Stargate, and I finished off a couple of songs, one called 'Fireworks,' which is probably my favorite song off the record, something I'm most proud of. And then a song called 'Peacock,' which is like the world's biggest innuendo." What do you think of the first single off Katy's album, "California Gurls"? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Video Mixes 'The Spiritual And The Sexual,' Religion Professor Says Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:41 AM PDT Professor Josef Sorett says Gaga's themes have long tradition in pop music.
Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" video is so rife with religious imagery that you practically need a Ph.D. to understand it all. And luckily enough, we found somebody with one: Josef Sorett, a professor of religion and African-American studies at Columbia University. With everyone from director Steven Klein and Gaga's fans to Perez Hilton and Katy Perry weighing in on the clip's use of religious (mostly Catholic) images, we decided to ask Sorett for a scholar's opinion on the "Alejandro" video, to find out just what, exactly, all those crosses and rosary beads mean.
"To me, this video is very much about the wedding of the spiritual and the sexual, which, to be quite honest, has been a longstanding theme in popular music, whether it be someone like Madonna or, you know, Marvin Gaye," Sorett told MTV News. "But there's also a tradition of this — using the notions of love or loss to explain the relationship between humanity and divinity — in the Catholic church that goes back much further, obviously." Sorett pointed to a key scene at the beginning of the "Alejandro" video, in which Gaga, holding a bejeweled heart on a pillow, leads a funeral procession, as an example of this, pointing out both the divine and the human symbolism of it all. "You have her holding the Sacred Heart, the bleeding heart of God for humanity, and at the same time, the funeral also reminds me of Eva Perón's funeral procession, which was attended by millions," he said. "So you have the symbol of God's sacrifice, but also the love and attachment of the funeral, and, for the Alejandro character, whomever he is." There are other much-discussed moments — Gaga's latex nun's habit, the scene in which she ingests rosary beads — that are loaded with the same symbolism. But Sorett said Gaga and Klein's melding of the spiritual and the sexual is also recognizable in less obvious touches, too. "Ever her dancers, who, on one hand, seem to have this monastic feel to them, seem to be playing on desire, too. She plays with the ideals of gender, and, in several scenes, she's put in these positions on a bed that wedge prayer with sex," he said. "When she wears the nun's habit, she blends images that we associate with spirituality with subcultures within sexual worlds. And when she ingests the rosary beads, we think of consumption, the divine consuming us, or vice versa, Holy Communion." All of that is very astute, indeed. But there was another reason we sought out Sorett: Since he teaches about the intersection of religion and popular culture, we wondered, did he find the "Alejandro" video to be shocking? Or, perhaps more importantly, calculated? "On one hand it's controversial, and it always will be. Even look back to Kanye West, posing on the cover of Rolling Stone with the crown of thorns. In certain sectors, that still provokes," he said. "But when I talk about this kind of stuff with my students, they tend to have a more cynical response ... you know, 'How much of this is the artist trying to create controversy?' Especially these days. It seems that the provocative has become the commonplace." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lil' Kim Vs. Nicki Minaj: Missy Elliott, Trina, More Weigh In Posted: 11 Jun 2010 02:14 AM PDT 'There's barely any female artists as is -- we don't need this!' Trina says; Rah Digga and Diamond also comment.
Lil' Kim's recent harsh comments about up-and-coming femcee Nicki Minaj are nothing new when it comes to hip-hop. The Queen Bee has lashed out against the Young Money Barbie onstage and in interviews, accusing the Lil Wayne protégé of jacking Kim's style without giving proper respect. From Jay-Z and Nas' years-long iciness to 50 Cent's sharp-edged comments about well, everybody, verbal jabs off and on wax are arguably as much of an element of hip-hop as DJing or breaking. While nearly every high-profile MC has been embroiled in some kind of drama with another rapper, the situation can be more complicated when it involves female hip-hop artists, who have to contend with the relative lack of female colleagues in the game and the pressures of an image-driven industry in addition to delivering lyrical heat. Some of hip-hop's ladies insist that when it comes to Kim and Nicki's recent flap, solidarity should trump ego for women on the mic. "That's crazy. I really don't get it. I don't see where all this is coming from," Miami's Trina told MTV News via e-mail this week about Kim's comments. "[We're] all ladies. Can't we just make music and get our paper and keep it moving?! We all respect Kim. She opened the doors for us females. It's all good — everybody's eating, what's the issue?" Trina also pointed to the dearth of high-profile women in hip-hop as a reason for Kim to fall back with the criticism. "This makes us all look bad. There's barely any female artists as is — we don't need this!" Veteran MC Rah Digga also maintained that for women in hip-hop, trading jabs isn't in anyone's best interests. "My advice to Kim is just make her music," Digga told MTV News. "My advice to everybody is just do you: Make your music, don't pay attention to what's going on around you, just do what you do best and let the fans blog it out." Like Trina and Digga, multiplatinum rapper and producer Missy Elliott has been in the game for years, and she believes there's room for both Nicki's and Kim's outsize talents. "I like Nicki Minaj's music. I think she's hot!!" Missy relayed to MTV News via e-mail, adding, "I've been a fan of Lil Kim from the beginning and always will be. Kim is a rap icon!"
Of course, respect is key, and Southern star Diamond, who burst on the scene with Crime Mob before going solo, maintains that it's important to acknowledge the old guard when first starting out. "I just feel like people that have paved the way for you, you have to show them some type of homage or some type of respect, to a certain extent," Diamond told MTV News. "That doesn't mean that you have to go around and carry [their] bags. At some certain point you just have to kinda acknowledge the people that paved the way for making things possible for you. I favor Eve more than everybody, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna shout out Kim in an interview or Foxy [Brown] — I might like something that she did — or Da Brat or Missy. Those women paved the way for us, so it would be kinda weird not to show them some type of attention or expression, just to let them know, 'Hey, I appreciate what you've done for me.' " The small number of female MCs in the game makes unity even more important, several femcees stressed. Trina said she experienced difficulties when she was first breaking in. "It's a male-dominated game, so the bulk of attention is focused on them," she said. "As a female you are constantly fighting to prove yourself and stay fighting to hold your spot amongst these dudes." Diamond takes the situation a step further by comparing it to sexual politics in any work environment. "It's [the same as] anything in society: You can be having a 9-to-5 and you can have a boss that's over you that's a male, and you can be doing better than what he's supposed to do and you could get recognition from his boss and he might feel intimidated a certain kind of way," she said. "Men are just so caught up in being dominating, being a man, wearing the pants and just being in control. For a woman to come in and do the same thing that a man has done or that a man is doing, that's when it becomes little problems here and there." In fact, many female MCs such as Trina, Rah Digga, Kim and Minaj have aligned with male stars like Trick Daddy, Busta Rhymes, Notorious B.I.G. and Lil Wayne when they first hit the scene (Elliott's long association with Timbaland was more of a partnership; Lauryn Hill broke in with the Fugees). Yet not all female MCs have found their gender to be a problem when proving themselves in the game. Digga found that her talent eased her experience when she was first making her mark in hip-hop. "I traveled the Lyricist Lounge circuit real heavy [before she received mainstream success], so I always was critically acclaimed for being an MC. So I think once I got with Busta Rhymes it was like, 'OK, now we get to hear her live and direct on an album.' I already had the rapport of being a strong MC from the beginning. Once I got with the crew I was just basically able to stand out and shine. It was a real good experience for me." And while there has been a dearth of female MCs in recent years, Diamond — who was part of Ludacris' de facto ladies anthem "My Chick Bad (Remix)" with Trina and Eve — is excited about a resurgence. "The fact that females in hip-hop are coming back is good, because a lot of the times men speak for women and men can't really cover every subject and topic that a woman would speak on. I feel like, for some reason, people feel like [there] only has to be one female. Everybody has their own lane. Just like there's different dudes for us to choose between and different genres of music it should be the same for female MCs." Kim and Nicki's flap isn't the first time two talented stars have taken the spotlight for reasons other than their music, and it certainly won't be the last. Yet while female MCs have always had different pressures than their male counterparts, Digga thinks there is a straightforward way to equalize the playing field. "I think the best way to command respect is to make music." What do you think of the Lil' Kim/Nicki Minaj flap? Let us know in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Kissing Miley Cyrus For Her New Video Was 'Weird,' Kevin Zegers Says Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:38 AM PDT 'Big Big Bang' kiss was 'stranger than it normally would be' because Liam Hemsworth and Zegers' girlfriend were on the set, actor reveals.
This week, stills from Miley Cyrus' latest video — for her song "Big Big Bang" made their way online. In the photos, she's seen cavorting around downtown Los Angeles with actor Kevin Zegers. But Zegers says that having to kiss Cyrus for the video wasn't as fun as it sounds. "Liam [Hemsworth] was there, and he seems like a very, very nice man, and my girlfriend, who actually works with Miley, was also there, so it was actually a lot stranger than it normally would be sort of making out with somebody on set," Zegers told MTV News. "Normally they don't really know the people in your life, but Miley knows my girlfriend quite well actually, and I got to meet Liam. These things are very weird." Zegers says that the video, most of which is a dream that his character has, is going to have some action scenes. "[My character is] a parking attendant and he sees Miley's character drive by and he sort of goes into a dream sequence, which is a majority of the video," he revealed. "And then something dramatic happens at the end. It's not all the making out, but there's a car accident at the end. So there were a lot of stunts." For the clip, Zegers rocks a neck tattoo that he jokes was probably an effort to make him appear "more badass." But if fans are expecting the video to show a bawdy side of Cyrus, he says that isn't the case at all. "She's ... just a beautiful young woman sort of roaming around. "It's definitely not raunchy in any way," he explained, adding that the real-life Cyrus is just as clean-cut. "She's very polite and well-raised, which is a rarity for someone in her position. I think she's a total sweetheart." What do you think of a Kevin Zegers and Miley Cyrus onscreen romance? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Posted: 11 Jun 2010 08:20 AM PDT MC charged with felony criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance in New York on Friday.
Kanye West protégé Kid Cudi was arrested on Friday (June 11) in New York and charged with felony criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance after authorities were called to respond to a disturbance involving the rapper and an unidentified woman. A spokesman for the New York Police Department confirmed to MTV News that Cudi was arrested in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood on Friday. The spokesman, however, declined to provide additional information regarding the controlled substance found on the rapper. At press time, Cudi was awaiting arraignment by a judge and bail had yet to be set, police said; the rapper's management had not responded to MTV News' request for comment. This is not the first time the upstart artist has had a run-in with the law. Late last year, the Cleveland native was arrested by cops in Los Angeles after a magazine shoot when residents complained about looters in the area. Cudi was held at gunpoint by police, who pressed the rapper and his entourage down to the ground in an effort to secure the premises. The "Day 'N' Nite" star was later released in a case of mistaken identity. Just one month prior to the L.A. incident, Kid Cudi escaped being charged with a crime when a fan the rapper punched at a concert declined to press charges. The concert was in Vancouver and Cudi grew upset after a wallet was thrown in his direction onstage. Cudi caught the wallet and tossed the item back into the crowd. The young man, Michael Sharpe, caught the wallet then threw it back to the stage since it didn't belong to him. The rapper became agitated, perceiving Sharpe's act as a dis and began to pummel the fan. Sharpe, though, insisted it was a mistake and told TMZ he would not pursue any legal action against the rapper. I'm not upset," Sharpe explained. "I'm not going to be that person. I just want to meet him and be like, 'I'm the guy you punched.' I'm not going to press charges." Related Artists |
| Diddy On Lil' Kim/ Nicki Minaj Flap: 'It Ain't No Beef' Posted: 11 Jun 2010 07:06 AM PDT 'I love Lil' Kim,' the mogul tells the BBC, adding, 'Nicki never did anything to her. '
Lil' Kim may not be feeling Diddy or Nicki Minaj, who Diddy is reportedly managing, but the rapper and hip-hop exec says he's still cool with the Queen Bee. Kim's recent outbursts about the Young Money Barbie and the Bad Boy mogul have been grabbing headlines, but Diddy isn't letting the star's words get to him, saying he still has mad love for Kim. "I want to say I love Lil' Kim, man," Diddy told the BBC's Tim Westwood on Friday (June 11). "I'm sorry that she's mad. I never would have thought that by me working with another artist that she would take it the wrong way. But if she's taking it the wrong way, it ain't meant like that. Nicki never did anything to her." Kim has sounded off about Minaj in a variety of outlets, including a recent interview posted on ThisIs50.com. "For the last year, she's been subliminally taking shots at me, subliminally taking shots at the other girls in the industry. I mean, come on, we read that interview where she said, 'Oh, being that the other rap chicks in the game ain't got sh-- to do right now, when I'm by the pool, they can feed me grapes,' I remember that sh--," Kim told the website. "The last thing she did that was very subliminal, 'Oh, did I kill the Queen?' and Puffy is sitting right next to her vibing with that bullsh--. Come on, we ain't stupid. It's obvious that she likes my music and that she's trying to mimic what I'm doing, she's subliminally busting shots." Kim also talked about her feelings to Philadelphia radio personality Kendra G. "All females that come in the game, we all need to stick together, and I always try my best to embrace them. But what happens is when you come into the game and realize that I'm not going away and my fans are still here and they can't just step over me. They can't just step on me and then they're kinda like, they get upset and then they don't want to be my friend anymore and I think that's really childish, you know what I'm saying? It's stupid because all I ask for is to be respected — pay homage at the end of the day." While Diddy maintained his love and respect for Kim, he went on to defend Minaj, insisting that the Queens hitmaker has shown the Queen Bee nothing but respect. "She ain't trying to swagger-jack or say nothing negative about her. I just think that Kim needs to just understand that Nicki as a whole has always been respectful of her and Nicki's not trying to be her," Diddy said. "I ain't gonna make no apologies for working with Nicki Minaj. [She is] somebody that's never said anything negative about Kim and just really has always, in my eyes, has paid homage to Kim. She's a different MC. They don't even talk about the same thing. If you're like a connoisseur of MCs and you a specialist — like what Kim has talked about and what Nicki talks about — they don't talk about the same things." The mogul also suggested that Kim's vocal attacks on the "Massive Attack" rapper are a ploy to build buzz as she prepares to drop a new project. "Kim is gonna be a MC and MCs when they coming back out a lot of times they like to talk crazy and do what they do, " he said. "At the end of the day, everybody respects Lil' Kim for being the Queen Bee." Diddy may be cooking up some heat in the lab with Nicki Minaj, but despite their budding professional relationship, the hip-hop Bad Boy continues to maintain his support for both MCs. "We riding with Nicki and we still riding with Kim," he said. "We love and respect the days and the history that we've had with Lil' Kim. It ain't no beef." Related Artists |
| Chace Crawford Charged With Misdemeanor Pot Possession In Texas Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:41 AM PDT 'Gossip Girl' star charged in connection with last week's arrest.
After being arrested last week in Texas, Chace Crawford was charged on Friday (June 11) with one misdemeanor charge of possessing less than two ounces of marijuana, MTV News has confirmed. A representative of the Plano police department confirmed to MTV News that the "Gossip Girl" star has been charged in connection with the arrest. He and his friend reportedly drove a car with one unlit joint. If convicted, Crawford could face up to six months behind bars. At press time, reps for the actor had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment. Ironically, Crawford plays a drug dealer in the forthcoming film "Twelve," based on Nick McDonell's novel (see a new trailer for "Twelve" right here). The indie flick, in which 50 Cent co-stars, has Crawford playing White Mike, a teenage dropout whose mother has just died and who is selling drugs to his ex-classmates on Manhattan's Upper East Side. In a conversation earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, director Joel Schumacher explained to MTV News why the young actor was perfect for the part. "Chace is very intelligent, comes from a really fine family," he said. "There's an old soul in him somewhere. He could play the grieving really well. There are a few scenes of anger. He was just right for the part, and the camera loves him. He does a lot with very little, and that's the essence of a good actor." |
| 'Stretch Armstrong' Writer 'Gets' Taylor Lautner Obsession Posted: 11 Jun 2010 03:38 AM PDT 'That is one good-looking man,' Nicholas Stoller tells MTV News of 'Eclipse' star.
Although he's currently best known for playing hunky werewolf Jacob Black in "The Twilight Saga," Taylor Lautner is about to stretch his acting chops significantly with an all-new action franchise. "Stretch Armstrong," based on the action figure property from Hasbro, follows a special agent who suddenly finds himself with the superpower ability to extend his body beyond normal human limitations.
"Get Him to the Greek" writer and director Nicholas Stoller is currently writing the superhero film's screenplay, but he admitted to MTV News that he has found himself a bit distracted lately. Distracted by what, you ask? None other than Lautner himself! "I had my first meeting with him, and let me tell you: That dude is handsome," Stoller confessed. "That is one good-looking man. Like, he is — I get it. I get it!" Pressed for further details on his first impressions of Lautner, Stoller said he hasn't met anyone else in Hollywood who can attract a crowd quite like the "Twilight" sensation does. "At this point in my career, obviously you spend a lot of time with celebrities," he said. "I've never seen more people approach someone [famous]. So many people come up to him, every age and a lot of French people." Stoller also admitted that while he hasn't seen Lautner without his shirt on, he certainly wouldn't mind getting a firsthand look at the actor's shirtless physique. "I'm not even going to do the whole 'I'm not gay' type of thing," Stoller laughed. "Anyone, it doesn't matter who you are, would want to see that!" Are you excited to see Taylor as Stretch Armstrong? Or will he always be Jacob Black to you? Share your thoughts in the comments! For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Artists |
| Jay-Z Remix Of M.I.A.'s 'XXXO' Hits The Net Posted: 11 Jun 2010 08:45 AM PDT Jay raps about metrosexuals and machine guns over first single from M.I.A.'s upcoming album.
It's been a fairly quiet week for M.I.A. — no feuds with New York Times journalists, nary a "Google is a puppet of the CIA" conspiracy theory floated. But all that changed on Friday (June 11), when a Jay-Z-ified remix of her first single, "XXXO" hit the Net. The a glossy, electro-stomping reworking of M.I.A.'s original track features a brand-new verse from Jay himself, in which he proclaims, "This is not my politically correct flow." He then proceeds to spit some great lines about metrosexuals and machine guns. There's no word on who did the actual production work for the track, and by press time, M.I.A.'s label, Interscope, had not responded to MTV News' request for comment. The "XXXO" remix isn't the first time Jay and M.I.A. have collaborated together. The duo — along with Kanye West, Lil Wayne and T.I. — famously tore up the stage at the 2009 Grammy Awards with their version of "Swagga Like Us," a performance that was made even more remarkable by the fact that M.I.A. was nine-months pregnant with her first son, Ikhyd. According to reports, M.I.A. will film a video for "XXXO" — the official first single off her album /\/\/\Y/\ — with iconic hip-hop director Hype Williams. The album is due to hit stores on July 13. In the past two months, M.I.A. has stepped up her rather unorthodox promotion strategy for the album, releasing a controversial video for the song "Born Free", feuding with Lady Gaga and taking Times reporter Lynn Hirschberg to task for a less-than-flattering cover story. Share your reviews of the Jay-Z remix of M.I.A.'s "XXXO" in the comments below. Related Artists |
| Angelina Jolie Confirmed To Play Cleopatra In Historical Biopic Posted: 11 Jun 2010 04:41 AM PDT Oscar-winning megastar will play ancient Egyptian queen in iconic role, Us Weekly reports.
Comparisons between superstar Angelina Jolie and ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra might seem hyperbolic, but they'll soon be literal: After speculation about Jolie's possible casting as Cleopatra lit up the Net on Thursday, Us Weekly reported Friday (June 11) that the actress will indeed portray Cleopatra on the big screen. Jolie will appear in an upcoming historical biopic based on the soon-to-be-published "Queen of the Nile, Cleopatra: A Life," publisher Little, Brown confirmed to UsMagazine.com. On Thursday, it was reported that movie producer Scott Rudin, who has been behind hit films like "Julie & Julia," "No Country for Old Men" and "Doubt," obtained the rights to the tome. Little, Brown publisher Michael Pietsch said Jolie's regal nature was one of the main reasons she was cast. "Angelina Jolie radiates grace and power, exactly the qualities that [author] Stacy Schiff finds in her biography of the most intriguing ruler who ever lived," Pietsch told Us. In an interview with the New York Daily News, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Schiff echoed Pietsch's sentiments, saying, "I think she'd be perfect for it, and I can see a possible Oscar in her future." Hollywood has already brought Cleopatra's story to the silver screen several times. The most well-known flick about the legendary ruler is the 1963 epic "Cleopatra," which starred real-life couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Taylor took on the title role opposite Burton as her lover and Roman politico Mark Antony. This summer, fans can catch Jolie in the spy thriller "Salt," set to hit theaters in July. Do you think Angelina will make a good Cleopatra? Share your thoughts in the comments! For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Drake To Star In 'Gears of War 3' Posted: 11 Jun 2010 09:39 AM PDT Grammy-nominated rapper to play alien-battling soldier in Microsoft's popular shooter franchise.
In the world of video games, a little star power always helps. Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios are apparently pushing that celebrity angle for "Gears of War 3," as they've tapped Drake, the Grammy-nominated artist behind the current hit "Find Your Love," to play one of the game's main characters, Jace Stratton. "When Epic came to me with the role, I couldn't pass it up," the actor-turned-rapper said in a press release. "They've created an amazing character in Jace, and I'm looking forward to my tour in Delta Squad." Jace Stratton only appeared briefly in "Gears of War 2," and in that game the character was voiced by Nolan North. But the character has played a much more prominent role in the "Gears of War" comic book series. Stratton is one of the four playable characters in "Gears of War 3," which comes out in 2011, so Drake will get plenty of screen time. Epic Games executive producer Rod Fergusson said in the release that timing was everything when it came to deciding that Drake, whose debut album "Thank Me Later" comes out Tuesday, was right for the part. "[Drake's EP] 'So Far Gone' had just been released, and Drake's combination of heart and grit was just what we were looking for. Rather than search for somebody who sounded like him, it was clear that we should approach him directly ... fortunately he turned out to be a huge fan." "Gears of War 3" completes the story of Marcus Fenix and his battle against the Locust on the planet of Sera. For the first time in the franchise, the game will support four-player cooperative play throughout the main campaign, in addition to a range of new multiplayer modes and features. MTV News will get its first hands-on with the game during E3 next week, so be sure to check out MTV Multiplayer, which will also have all the latest gaming news and impressions from the show floor. Related Artists |
| Juvenile 'Drop That Thang' Video Premieres -- Watch It Here! Posted: 10 Jun 2010 11:33 PM PDT The New Orleans rapper shows he still has love for the curvy beauties in new black-and-white clip.
Juvenile premiered his video for "Drop That Thang" on MTV.com on Friday (June 11), and the New Orleans rapper shows he's back to appreciating the plentiful curves of women. "Throw that thang this away, drop that, drop that thang," a smiling Juvenile raps over the synthesized sounds.
Directed by Daryn DeLuco, the clip is a crisp visual in black-and-white and finds Juvie joined by a slew of beauties. As the rapper gives a solo performance in a club, he's flanked by a number of buxom, dancing women, all moving to his "drop that thang" chorus. The track is reminiscent of one of Juvenile's biggest hits, "Back That Azz Up," from his seminal major-label debut, 400 Degreez. "Drop That Thang" is the lead offering from his latest album, Beast Mode, which is set for a July 6 release. The album follows Juvenile's last set, 2009's Cocky & Confident. In addition to his solo material, Juvie has been in discussions to reunite with the Hot Boys — the Cash Money Records supergroup consisting of him, Lil Wayne, B.G. and Young Turk. Negotiations have slowed the process, however, and for now it seems a reunion is stalled. Wayne's ongoing incarceration certainly hasn't helped matters. B.G. talked about the Hot Boys with MTV News late last year and lamented the sheer number of obstacles. "I know Wayne's got to face the music with his situation with the system," B.G. said in November. "But we got time. We got a whole bunch of time to put the album together. We record quick. We already got songs done. But I look at it like, if we record from now until whoever gets sentenced or however it go, we still wouldn't be able to put the album out until [Wayne] comes home. When shorty comes home, I know he'll wanna record a whole 'nother album. So you might have a double Hot Boys CD. You never know. I don't know how it will work out." What do you think about Juvenile's new video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Jackson Rathbone Says 'Airbender' Training Came In Handy For 'Eclipse' Posted: 10 Jun 2010 11:49 PM PDT 'I consider myself fairly well-trained -- for film, at least,' 'Twilight' co-star says.
When "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" comes out June 30, fans will see a much "darker, more animalistic" side of their beloved vampires and werewolves, according to co-star Jackson Rathbone. And since he is, actually, only human, Rathbone is grateful that he had a slight advantage in preparing for Jasper's battle scenes: his role in "The Last Airbender," which opens July 2. "Well 'The Last Airbender' and 'Eclipse' are both action-heavy films, and I play characters [who are] a lot of the wars and a lot of the fight scenes," Rathbone told MTV News. "So, I did two months of kung-fu training for 'The Last Airbender' and then that actually parlayed really well going into 'Eclipse,' so I had all the background training."
But just because he had to get his kung-fu on for "Airbender," didn't mean he rested on his laurels once he got to the "Eclipse" set. "And then I did more fight training in 'Eclipse,' so I consider myself fairly well-trained — for film, at least. Don't come up to me on the street and try and fight me!" Rathbone is happy that Jasper has a much more complex role in the third film than he did in "Twilight" and "Eclipse." "I play this very quiet kind of solitary character," he explained. "He's very dark and withdrawn, and now with 'Eclipse,' we get to see why. We get to go back into Jasper's backstory, who he used to be his old life and why he's afraid of himself around Bella. You get to see him warm up to Bella in this third film." 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 Photos |
| Diddy Doesn't Want To Talk About B.I.G.'s Murder Anymore Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:07 PM PDT 'It was in the past, and I've talked about it so much,' hip-hop mogul says on 'Nightline.'
Diddy appeared on ABC News' "Nightline" on Thursday night and spoke to Martin Bashir about his Last Train to Paris album, his role in the movie "Get Him to the Greek" and his various other business ventures. But what Bashir really wanted the Bad Boy Records CEO to discuss was the murders of the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. And though Diddy did talk about Biggie's last day at a Paris press conference on Thursday, he told Bashir that he had talked about that topic enough in the past. "I decided that it was something that I just wasn't really gonna be talking about anymore," Diddy told the probing host about Biggie's death. "It was in the past, and I've talked about it so much. I love him, I miss him, and he's one of my best friends. It was a tragic loss." Bashir, who has a reputation for aggressive questioning (particularly in his Michael Jackson interview in 2003), continued to ask the superstar if he had any information on the two deaths that rocked the hip-hop world over a decade ago. "No, No idea." Diddy said. "I feel the loss of my friend. ... I feel the loss of Tupac." Later in the interview, Bashir discussed the birthday bash Diddy threw for his son early this year that was featured on an episode of MTV's "My Super Sweet 16." The mogul defended his decision to give his son a Maybach car valued at over $400,000. In regards to fatherhood, Diddy called it both his greatest joy and his biggest challenge. "I definitely enjoy the responsibility of fatherhood," explained the father of six. "It's probably one of the things I can honestly say I'm not the most successful at. I feel that my kids deserve more personal time from me. " What did you think about Diddy's interview? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Weezer Debut 'Unofficial' World Cup Song, 'Represent' Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:22 PM PDT Song is Rivers Cuomo's latest ode to soccer.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup is officially under way, and even though the U.S. Men's team doesn't take the field until Saturday's showdown with England, Weezer have already released the "unofficial" theme song for the Stars and Stripes, a song called "Represent." Penned by avowed soccer nut Rivers Cuomo, the band debuted the song on their A.P.E. Radio station on Friday (June 11) at 12pm ET. All muscled-up power-chords, pounding drums and delightfully over-the-top keyboards, "Represent" is positively begging to be included in a sports montage of some sorts (wait — it already has!), and features Cuomo belting out lines like "I didn't get in this position just by happenstance/ I work my bones beyond my limit just to have half a chance," and "That is how you play the game! It matters than you can take the pain!" He also calls himself "the Wizard" at one point. "Represent" will be available as a free download on iTunes in the U.S. for one week, starting at midnight Friday. Cuomo, who is pals with U.S. Men's team member Landon Donovan, also wrote a song for the team during the 2006 World Cup, a tune he originally called "Our Time Will Come" (but would eventually be retitled "My Day Is Coming" when it surfaced on his 2008 album Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo). He also has attended several World Cup matches, and famously made a video for the song "Lover in the Snow," which featured him training for — and scoring a goal in — Mia Hamm's Celebrity Soccer Challenge. What do you think of Weezer's unofficial World Cup anthem? What do you think of the other World Cup songs? Let us know in the comments below — and don't miss MTV News' World Cup of Rock! Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Wants To Offend With 'Alejandro,' Experts Say Posted: 10 Jun 2010 11:21 PM PDT 'Gaga would probably be disappointed if no one was offended,' says EW's Simon Vozick-Levinson.
While the religious imagery in Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" video has gotten a mixed reaction from fans, many in the music industry are anything but surprised by the images in her dark, moody clip for the track.
Much like Madonna did in "Like a Prayer," Gaga co-opts Catholic symbols, dressing like a nun while performing sexy dance routines and ingesting rosary beads in the video, angering some members of the church. And several music journalists see it as a move calculated to cause a stir. "I think it's funny there's obviously a lot of religious imagery," Entertainment Weekly correspondent Simon Vozick-Levinson told MTV News about the clip. "Gaga wants to offend people. She's a provocateur. Gaga would probably be disappointed if no one was offended by her latest video. She's doing that stuff for a reason." But it may not be provocative enough to grab as much attention as the incredibly colorful, decadent video Gaga made with Beyoncé for "Telephone." "For Gaga, it felt muted. The risks that she was taking, the taboos that she was breaking, were easier targets, so I think it's tough when you're an artist like Gaga," Vozick-Levinson explained. "It's a little bit been there, done that." And it's easy to say that the woman who has been there and done that for decades now, Madonna, is heavily paid homage to in the Steven Klein-directed video. New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica noted that it also looks like Gaga is making a play for the Queen of Pop's throne. "I think she's claiming that territory," Caramanica said. "I'm sure she'd say she loves Madonna ... but I also think she's saying, 'This is mine.' And also, like, 'I'm murdering you with my own style. I've learned this. I know how to do this ... And look how flawlessly I do it.' " Caramanica agreed that Gaga's attempt to create controversy with the religious imagery was a bit obvious, but that's not the point. "It almost doesn't matter if it's lazy; even the worst provocation is going to succeed," he said. "She got what she wanted: People are mad about the video. I'm sure she wanted that. ... She's doing that to participate in that almost meta-narrative." Keep sharing your reactions to Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" in the comments below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
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