MTV News |
- How Did Drake Blow Up So Fast?
- Kristen Stewart Says 'The Love Triangle Is Real' In 'Eclipse'
- 50 Cent And Floyd Mayweather Talk New Albums, Fake Rappers
- Chris Paul Recalls Having The 'X-Factor' On 'When I Was 17'
- Dr. Dre's 'Under Pressure,' Featuring Jay-Z, Leaks Online
- Drake Explains His Comments About Rihanna
- Bret Michaels To Perform With Miley Cyrus On 'Good Morning America'
- Katy Perry Was 'Really Excited' To Get Naked In 'California Gurls' Video
- Kristen Stewart 'Not Worried' About Her Next Career Move
- Harrison Ford And Calista Flockhart Get Married
- Tupac Shakur Was 'Fearless,' Mike Tyson Says
- Katy Perry Loved Defeating Snoop Dogg's Gummi Bears In 'California Gurls' Video
- T-Pain Says He Won't Release His New Album Until Music Sales Pick Up
- Christina Aguilera: What Should Her Next Move Be?
- Hanson Say Their Show With Drake Was 'Canceled Just In Time'
- Birdman, Lil Wayne And Tyga Rep Their Hometowns In 'Loyalty' Video
- Robert Pattinson Won't Let 'Fear' Influence His Career Choices
- Gummi Bears In Katy Perry's 'California Gurls' Are Misrepresented, Manufacturer Says
- Drake Recalls Visiting Lil Wayne In Prison
- Tupac And Biggie Probably Celebrated Birthdays Together, Lil' Cease Says
| How Did Drake Blow Up So Fast? Posted: 17 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT 'He's doing things that we don't expect one person to do,' one expert says of his rapid rise to hip-hop superstardom.
Seemingly overnight, Drake has joined the ranks of Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem and Lil Wayne as the major players in hip-hop's landscape. But how exactly did a former child actor from Canada become rap's new big thing?
Yes, he raps and sings, offering a new artistic wrinkle compared to MCs who only rhyme. But beyond being able to carry a tune and his lyrical agility, it's the candor and introspection that underlines Drake's words that enables him to connect with fans on a deeper level. "I think he's a true artist, honestly, to the purest definition," XXL magazine's Bonsu Thompson told MTV News. "But he's also young. I think his biggest strength, to me, is with his pen, I think he rhymes like someone 10 years his senior. Not only does he have an interesting perspective on life and where he's at in life, he also has an interesting perspective on women, and he's able to cater to them. "It's all a learning process. This guy is young. He's still learning his way," Thompson continued, emphasizing the Toronto rapper's youth contrasted with his maturity level. "[On Thank Me Later] he's exorcising these demons with these women from his past but also apologizing for women in the future. And I think that's a very mature stance, like, 'I've done some bad things, I've done my loves wrong, and I'm actually probably gonna do these groupies a little wrong too tomorrow, so let me apologize for now.' Call it foul, call it life, but it's also a very mature place to be that aware of where you are at in life." Drake's ability to articulate these experiences powered his breakout mixtape, 2009's So Far Gone, a moody collection of songs that reveals the story of a young man's ascent into adulthood. Growing pains, women trouble and uncertainty are the emotions captured on the set. It was a rare piece of art, as he and producer Noah "40" Shebib sampled from familiar rap tracks and obscure hipster sounds to create a pop sheen that was digestible for the masses. It was clearly inspired by Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak, but rather than use Auto-Tune, Drake kept it personal with his unmasked singing voice. The combination of his abilities — rapper, singer, songwriter, composer — left many questioning how to classify the young upstart. "He's doing things that we don't expect one person to do," New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica explained. "So we start looking for reasons, like, 'What does that mean, exactly? Are we projecting things on him? Is he actually not embodying any of those things because he's embodying all of those things?' But I think he's actually representing a new generation of people who don't see the boundaries that older generations do. It's not weird for him to do all those things. And I think given his experiences in his childhood, he's used to doing a bunch of different things at the same time and basically playing a lot of roles at the same time. So given that, I don't think it's unusual that he's been able to pull it off." With the arrival of his debut, Thank Me Later, Drake is continuing the narrative he introduced on his mixtape. Only now, his experiences are amplified by fame and maintaining his sense of self in a world of excess that's largely new to him. Drake has cunningly straddled multiple fences — between rapper and singer, underground rapper and pop star — but for all his earnestness, it's primarily his raw talent and gift for catchy vocal rifts that has helped him ascend from "on the come-up" to "next to blow up." "I don't see how you could not see him as special," Vibe editor Jermaine Hall said. "I'm gonna put the rapping aside. I don't think anyone is gonna argue that the kid can rhyme. He has great punch lines. But taking the rhymes aside, the dude sings for real. He's not play-singing. He's taking singing lessons. He sings incredible melodies. "He has that down pat, to a science," Hall continued. "That's a hell of a talent." What do you think makes Drake special? Let us know in the comments below! Don't miss the "Drake: Better Than Good Enough" documentary, airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Kristen Stewart Says 'The Love Triangle Is Real' In 'Eclipse' Posted: 17 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT 'It took a while for her to know herself well enough to make a decision,' Stewart tells MTV News of Bella.
We all know that Bella chooses Edward, but in "Eclipse," Jacob has a shot for, like, a hot minute at maybe stealing the would-be vampire away from her true love. Kristen Stewart said that's one of the things she loves about the film: Bella, now on the brink of making a major life decision, is finally empowered enough to feel like Jacob could be the guy for her. "I feel like she goes through so many traumatic events, and when she gets to the end of them, she feels a little bit more righteous than she did before," she told MTV News. "A little bit more knowing and sort of like, 'I've lived. Take my word for it. I know what I want.' And nobody ever puts any stock in what she's saying."
Instead, Stewart said, "Bella's just sort of the dumb young girl who doesn't know what it's like to be a vampire, and it's not about that for her. This whole vampire thing is going to be hard, but she's a strong girl and she can make sacrifices. "What I like about 'Eclipse' is that ... she really, actually looks at someone else, and it shatters her ideals," Stewart added. So what does that mean for Bella, Edward and Jacob? "The love triangle is real," Stewart said. "In ['Eclipse'], she is just older and a little bit more [wise]. Now you really believe her. It took awhile for her to know herself well enough to make a decision." We'll be live at the L.A. premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" on Thursday, June 24. Tune in to Movies.MTV.com at 9:30 ET (8:30 Central) for our red-carpet webcast, and watch us chat with Robert, Kristen, Taylor and all your favorite stars. And don't forget to submit your burning 'Eclipse' questions! 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 |
| 50 Cent And Floyd Mayweather Talk New Albums, Fake Rappers Posted: 17 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT Fif tells Mixtape Daily that he might scrap his Black Magic album for a new concept.
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive For the original concept of his Black Magic album, 50 Cent said he was inspired by dance music while touring overseas. Now that he's in the U.S., on the Invitation Tour, the G-Unit team captain said he has a whole other muse for a completely different album.
"I started working on it," 50 said last week in Los Angeles. "I been working on writing to a concept for Black Magic. ... I recorded 19 songs. Then when I got back to the U.S., I started writing to a different concept. I spoke to Em. He called me when I was starting in Detroit." Before Fif could go more in-depth about his upcoming album, his friend, Floyd Mayweather — who sat in on the interview as well — announced he has an LP as well. "We're doing a compilation album," Money Mayweather said. The boxing champ said he'll be highlighting various artists on the project. "We'll probably launch it in the heat of the next bout," Fif said. "It'll probably be the biggest fight in the history of the sport." Of course, 50 was referring to the long-delayed Mayweather/ Manny Pacquiao title bout. Floyd wants Pacquiao to take Olympic-style drug testing, and Manny has resisted thus far. Back to the music: Fif and Mayweather agree that a lot of the hip-hop out right now has taken a softer turn. "It'll just make room for you to impact when [the hardcore] comes back," 50 assessed. "No one told the world to enjoy that [softer] music temporarily. I think a big portion of why people didn't want to hear the aggressive content is because the people conveying them were lying." "You got rappers in today's time, they get a small advance from their record label, get a bunch of tattoos, a few piercings on their face, go to jail for 10 or 20 days, [then] they killers," Mayweather weighed in. "Next time out, they rock stars. I think rap is crazy, but it's still very creative." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc. |
| Chris Paul Recalls Having The 'X-Factor' On 'When I Was 17' Posted: 17 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT New Orleans Hornets star and his high school friends called their crew the X-Factor and even had hoodies made.
Seven years before he made his third NBA All-Star team, five years before he played for the U.S. in the Olympics, and three years before he won the NBA's Rookie of the Year Award, Chris Paul was just a 17-year-old high school kid who enjoyed hanging out with his friends as much as shooting hoops. OK, maybe not as much — Paul was named North Carolina's Mr. Basketball during his senior year, after all. But as we learn in the upcoming episode of MTV's "When I Was 17," the New Orleans Hornets point guard has as many memories of chilling with his pals as he does about raining 3's over their heads.
And not all of those memories come off looking so cool years later. Case in point: the crew he and his friends created. "We had a little crew called the X-Factor," Paul revealed. The group was comprised mostly of football players, with the 6-foot-tall Paul contributing his fast feet, if not bulk. "We felt like we needed something to set ourselves apart, so we had jackets made," he said. "Then going down the sleeve it said 'X-Factor.' " The sweatshirts were white with mint-green graphics. There were hand-drawn, comic book-style musclemen placed here and there, a photo silkscreened on the back and a quote from Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Paul and his boys thought they were pretty cool. Paul's brother CJ was less than impressed. "I just remember Chris came home, had a hoodie that said 'X-Factor' on it," CJ laughed. "I thought they were very lame." But to this day, Paul remains proud of his crew and their gear. "There's always going to be haters," he said. "But I think they were more envious, because whatever they were a part of would never be bigger and better than the X-Factor." "When I Was 17" — this week featuring Chris Paul, Pitbull and Vanessa Minnillo — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. Related Videos |
| Dr. Dre's 'Under Pressure,' Featuring Jay-Z, Leaks Online Posted: 16 Jun 2010 04:46 AM PDT Unfinished Detox track has no chorus and isn't mixed or mastered.
Dr. Dre asked Jay-Z to "come holler," and Jay delivered. The pair recorded the Detox song "Under Pressure" months ago, and an unfinished version leaked online Wednesday (June 16). The song isn't mixed or mastered and has no chorus, but it offers more than an inkling of where the two legends are headed. "The long-awaited Detox, bitch," Dre starts the song. "But maybe I don't wanna stop/ Maybe I don't wanna quit/ Maybe I like ho's/ Maybe I don't want a wife/ Maybe I'm psycho/ Maybe we need to breathe some life in this sh--/ Maybe we are the life of this sh--." The chorus is conspicuously absent, then Hov comes in for the second verse. "Dre, I think I need my sponsor," he says. "Trying to grow, but I just can't seem ta/ Having trouble cleaning up like FEMA/ All these little haters got me back with the nina/ Got me bringing guns to work, Gilbert Arenas." In the track, Hov says he's addicted to the finer things, like drop-top coupes, watches and bowlegged girls from the projects. "I'm in this party/ I'm up to no good/ And I should be ducking these clubs, Tiger Woods." "I smoke, I drink, I'm supposed to stop but I can't," Dre says to end the record. "N---as don't ask why/ I'm high ... I'm a weed head and I'mma treat every day like the weekend." "Under Pressure" isn't the only Detox song to leak. An unfinished track featuring T.I. and Nas was bootlegged last year, as was a song with R. Kelly and 50 Cent that turned into Before I Self Destruct's "Could've Been You." Outside of Detox, Dre has been working with Eminem, of course, and the Game on his new LP The R.E.D. Album. What do you think of "Under Pressure" so far? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Drake Explains His Comments About Rihanna Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:17 AM PDT Young Money MC says his comments about Rihanna were 'in no way negative.'
By being candid both in life and in rhyme, Drake is discovering that his brand of raw honesty can come at a cost. In a profile in Sunday's New York Times, the Toronto MC said he was "a pawn" to pop diva Rihanna. Now, his revealing remarks about their long-rumored fling are making headlines.
Drake, however, said his intent wasn't to offend the "Umbrella" star. "That's a moment that I've been eager, sort of, to explain," he told MTV News. "I feel like when people write about it or try to take an excerpt from me describing it, it's gonna sound negative. And in no way was it negative. I'm at one of the greatest places in my life — I'm on top of the world. I'm extremely confident, so it's very rare that anybody, let alone a woman that I like, makes me feel nervous or makes me feel small. "She's just such an overwhelming and incredible person," Drake continued. "And such a talented person and someone that I was like, 'I can't believe I'm here talking to this individual,' that she just gave me that feeling like when I was 17 years old trying to take Nikki Ramos, this girl from Toronto, out on a date and she never wanted to go with me. She never would go; she would have a million excuses why she couldn't talk to me. That's how [Rihanna] made me feel, she made me feel small; she made me feel nervous. It just put me back to the Acura in Toronto, feeling like Aubrey Graham, not Drake." The two stars caused quite a stir last year when New York City tabloids reported the pair were spotted getting cozy at an upscale Manhattan bowling alley. Drake denied the talk, appearing on local radio station Hot 97 to say he and Rihanna were just friends. But on his debut, Thank Me Later, he addresses the topic on opening track "Fireworks," clearing the air and looking back on the moment — and what could have been. "I could tell it wasn't love/ I just thought you f---ed with me/ Who could have predicted/ Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me," Drake spits in the second verse. "Damn, I kept my wits about me, luckily/ What happened between us that night it always seems to trouble me/ Now all of a sudden, these gossip rags want to cover me/ And you making it seem like it happened that way because of me." Still, in spite of his lyrics, Drake isn't one to kiss and tell. When asked what it was like to plant one on Rihanna, the rapper was coy. "I don't know what you're talking about," he smiled and looked away. Do you think Drake and Rihanna would have made a good couple? Let us know in the comments below! Don't miss the "Drake: Better Than Good Enough" documentary, airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Bret Michaels To Perform With Miley Cyrus On 'Good Morning America' Posted: 16 Jun 2010 05:33 AM PDT Poison frontman will join teen queen in a performance of 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' on Friday.
Bret Michaels will join teen queen Miley Cyrus for a duet on ABC's "Good Morning America." The performance airs live on Friday as part of the show's summer concert series. The pair will team up for a rendition of the Poison frontman's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," which Cyrus covers on her new album, Can't Be Tamed. It will be the first time that the rocker and the Disney princess have performed the classic power ballad onstage. Cyrus will also rock solo, singing some of her hits. For Michaels, the morning-show spot follows a string of high-profile appearances since being sidelined by a brain hemorrhage. The singer seemed to bounce back quickly, winning "Celebrity Apprentice" and heading back on tour. Cyrus is also hitting the concert circuit in time for the release of Tamed on June 21. On Monday, the pop star will fete her album's arrival with a show set to be streamed worldwide across several MTV Networks Music and Logo Group websites. Viewers around the globe can watch the Can't Be Tamed World Premiere Live concert on more than 30 websites, including Miley.MTV.com, Miley.VH1.com, Miley.LogoTV.com and Miley.CMT.com. Fans in nearly 160 countries will have access to the live stream, scheduled to kick off at about 10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT. "I'm so excited to perform my new music live in concert on the night of my album release," Cyrus said in a statement. "Thanks to MTV Networks, my fans from all around the world have the opportunity to be a part of it and experience it with me." Miley's admirers will also be able to party along to her hits the next day when five of her songs become available for download in the "Rock Band" music store. Fans can purchase songs like the title track "Can't Be Tamed" and "See You Again," then rock out to the tunes on the popular video game. Are you looking forward to Miley and Bret's "Good Morning America" performance? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Katy Perry Was 'Really Excited' To Get Naked In 'California Gurls' Video Posted: 16 Jun 2010 01:11 AM PDT 'It was really fun to do,' Perry says of baring all in new video.
Katy Perry rocks some eye-catching confectionary costumes in her "California Gurls" video, but it's what she isn't wearing that has fans talking. When Perry isn't sporting edible bikinis in Candyfornia, she's floating atop a cloud formation made entirely of cotton candy — wearing nothing more than a pastel-colored wig and a smile. "The cotton-candy clouds! I am a little bit naked," Perry admitted. "I was naked. And, hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!" she laughed to MTV News when she sat down to take us through the video, frame by frame.
Although Perry said the nudity didn't make her overwhelmingly anxious, the video's director did maintain an intimate atmosphere on set while shooting those scenes. "It was really fun to do," Perry revealed. "We had to do like a closed set because we didn't want anyone seeing anything. You weren't allowed unless you were a girl or you're gay; I think that's probably like the standard for all girlfriends. Anyways, I was really excited to do something like this and really nervous. But it turned out [OK]." When Perry isn't in her birthday suit for "California Gurls," she's wearing a variety of sweet looks, from bedazzled Daisy Dukes to a bra fashioned from cupcakes and another that dispensed whipped cream. "These whipped-cream [boobs] were in the music video because that was my only ammo," explained Perry, whose album Teenage Dream is due August 24. "It was really intense with all that whipped cream coming from my back through my assets." What's your favorite Katy Perry look in the "California Gurls" video? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Kristen Stewart 'Not Worried' About Her Next Career Move Posted: 16 Jun 2010 04:51 AM PDT 'I really just choose things instinctually,' the 'Eclipse' star tells MTV News.
Kristen Stewart has it pretty good these days. She's the female lead in one of the most successful movie franchises of all time. She's managed to continue to do work in smaller films. And she pretty much has her pick of any film she'd like to do next. But the "Eclipse" star said all she's focused on next in her career is not having to really focus on anything.
"I feel less [career pressure] because I'm in such a stellar position," she told MTV News. "I feel really indulgent, like I feel it's really cool to be able to say, 'I don't know [what I'm doing] for the next couple years.' I'm gonna focus on being an actor. Like, I want to make movies and stuff." Stewart does have some projects lined up, including the "Breaking Dawn" flicks and "On the Road," but she's not worried about her otherwise-clear docket. "I want to do other stuff, but right now, it's really cool just being like, 'I don't know what I'm going to do next year, but this year I'm doing this.' I'm doing 'On the Road' and 'Breaking Dawn,' and that's all that I know that I'm doing." Stewart's next big career choices will be made the way all her other decisions are: from her gut. "I'm not good at planning out my career," she said. "But if I was, I'd probably feel pressure, but because I don't and I really just choose things instinctually, I'm not worried about it." We'll be live at the L.A. premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" on Thursday, June 24. Tune in to Movies.MTV.com at 9:30 ET (8:30 Central) for our red-carpet webcast, and watch us chat with Robert, Kristen, Taylor and all your favorite stars. And don't forget to submit your burning 'Eclipse' questions! 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 |
| Harrison Ford And Calista Flockhart Get Married Posted: 16 Jun 2010 07:02 AM PDT 'Indiana Jones' star and 'Ally McBeal' actress tie the knot in New Mexico on Tuesday.
Indiana Jones is officially off the market. Harrison Ford and actress Calista Flockhart got married on Tuesday after dating for eight years. A rep for Flockhart confirmed to Us Weekly that the Hollywood duo got hitched in Sante Fe, New Mexico, where Ford is currently filming "Cowboys and Aliens." Us reports that the wedding took place at the Governor's Mansion in New Mexico and that Governor Bill Richardson presided over the nuptials. According to People magazine, the pair got engaged over Valentine's Day weekend last year. The couple are raising a son together and met at the 2002 Golden Globes. Perhaps a lavish honeymoon is on the way as the pair made headlines earlier this year as one of the top-earning couples in entertainment, as estimated by Forbes magazine. Although Jay-Z and Beyoncé were the power lovebirds who raked in the most cash from 2008 to 2009 with $122 million, Ford and Flockhart took the #2 spot on the money mag's list with $69 million. Earlier this year, Ford also gave his thoughts about the next possible installment in the "Indiana Jones" franchise. The Hollywood titan told MTV News that he would like to explore Indy's personal life a bit more in an upcoming flick. "I think it would be interesting to deepen the relationship between he and his son [Mutt, played by Shia LaBeouf] and play on that relationship," said Ford. "It's full of opportunity. The series is full of opportunity." The star also commented on how married life for Jones might fit into an Indy storyline. "I think [scenes with a married Indy and Marion] would be nice grace notes," Ford said. "We'll see what we come up with." Now that Ford is hitched like his adventurous alter ego Jones, he might have some fodder for another movie. Share your well-wishes with the newlyweds in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Tupac Shakur Was 'Fearless,' Mike Tyson Says Posted: 16 Jun 2010 03:33 AM PDT 'It was obvious he was a genius, he was a prodigy,' former heavyweight recalls on what would have been 'Pac's 39th birthday.
The last time Mike Tyson saw Tupac Shakur, it was September 7, 1996. 'Pac, who had struck up a friendship with Tyson in the early 1990s, came to Las Vegas like thousands of others to watch "Iron Mike" clean the clock of fellow pugilist Bruce Seldon. That night, Tyson won the World Boxing Association's heavyweight championship title via first-round TKO. After the bout, Mike, 'Pac and Suge Knight headed to the locker room to celebrate. No one knew that prizefight night would also mark one of the greatest tragedies in hip-hop: Tupac was shot as he left the Tyson/Seldon matchup; he died from his injuries a few days later, on September 13.
" 'Pac was just a ball of energy," Tyson recalled of his friend, when MTV News called him up on Wednesday (June 16). The most prolific MC ever, 'Pac would have celebrated his 39th birthday Wednesday. Instead, the hip-hop community honors Shakur's life and legacy. Tyson remembered him as an individual who was unique, to say the least. The former heavyweight partied with the icon, but the two men also shared some insightful private conversations. "He was incredible. You knew he was a special person when he's in your presence," Tyson said on the phone from Las Vegas. "If you had any consciousness of the reality we live in, you could feel his energy. You knew he was a special individual." Mike described their talks as, "purely emotionally intimate talking; expression of feeling. He was very prolific in expressing himself. He had a lot of hostility. I think it was just misguided and misdirected. It was obvious he was a genius, he was a prodigy. Whoa! He was just amazing as far as his energy was concerned. He was explosive — like a black panther ready to pounce." In the ring, Tyson exhibited 'Pac-like qualities himself. He intimidated the competition, but the people loved him. He was a warrior, the fiercest gladiator the sport has ever seen. "He looked very destructive. He came across as a world beater," Tyson said. "As far as his music was concerned, his presence and his energy ... the word I'm looking for is fearless. He came across as fearless. When you come across somebody that's fearless, you're a little bit in awe. You're like. 'Whoa!' He's ready to blow, too, at any moment; very volatile. He's very focused. He can go from one second to the next and get very focused." Tyson and Tupac met during a turning point in both their careers. Iron Mike was the biggest and baddest draw in boxing, but also a year removed from having lost his heavyweight championship. 'Pac was still affiliated with Digital Underground and about a year from landing the star-making role that would launch him: the intriguing, if insane, Bishop in 1992's crime saga "Juice." "Magic Johnson had a party at the Palladium in Los Angeles," Iron Mike said, jogging his memory. "What year was this? No, I wasn't champion, it was '91. I just fought [Donovan 'Razor'] Ruddock ... I believe I came outside. I was talking to the people running the door. They were friends of mine. They wouldn't let these guys in, Tupac and them. I said, 'Man, let these guys in. You remember how it was with us.' "So they let him in. 'Pac had said, 'Hold up for one minute,' and he brought back 200 more people. He had a gang of people with him. They said, 'Listen, you can't go through the front, you have to go through the back.' Next thing I knew, it was over. I hear somebody on the mic — he took the mic. Him and his guys got the mic somehow and started rapping. The whole crowd started going crazy. They loved him. The guys from Digital Underground introduced him to me. They said, 'This is Tupac.' I met him, he was very young. He was very happy, vivacious. He just had energy. He was wild, an amazing individual." More than three years would pass before Tyson and Tupac crossed paths again. In 1995, 'Pac visited the champ at the Plainfield Correctional Facility, in Plainfield, Indiana, where Tyson was serving his sentence for a rape conviction (a crime for which Tyson still maintains his innocence). "The next time I saw [Tupac] I didn't even know who he was," Tyson said. "I knew he was '2Pac.' But his mother had wrote me a letter in prison ... I remembered that night. He came to prison to see me. We spoke. He was so much more confident than when I had met him the other time, probably a year or two prior to that. He had gone from being shy guy to very strong-willed and confident and independent. He was tremendously feeling himself. He had so much confidence. He was bursting off the air. "He came to the prison. He was standing on the table, started talking. All the people in the prison started going crazy. I said, 'Sit. Sit down. Sit, brother, sit,' " Tyson recalled. "The white prisoners, the guards, everybody went crazy in this redneck prison. They went nuts when he came in there. I didn't know he was [famous] like that. I didn't know he was like that! I thought he was some young brother. But when he came in, I didn't know people was feeling him like that too. I was like, 'Yo man. Chill, brother.' He was wilding, sweating, talking, being very gregarious. He was prolific. He was talking, having a ball. ... He was very territorial. He was an interesting guy. He was different than any other rapper I had ever met from a philosophical perspective." Tyson said all of the prisoners were trying to talk to 'Pac and snap pictures with him. But the champ was concerned that all the hoopla might get him thrown out of the facility, which had happened before when other celebs had visited the boxing legend. "I didn't know Tupac was that big then, because I was inside," Tyson explained. "That's when they had that [East Coast vs. West Coast] beef stuff [with Bad Boy]. I didn't know Tupac was who he was. I had no idea." Share your memories of Tupac in the comments. Related Artists |
| Katy Perry Loved Defeating Snoop Dogg's Gummi Bears In 'California Gurls' Video Posted: 16 Jun 2010 06:36 AM PDT 'Snoop Dogg looks so awesome being the Wizard of Oz, kind of,' Perry says of her co-star.
In her "California Gurls" video, Katy Perry and her Gurls must defeat the evil Sugar Daddy (Snoop Dogg) and end his tyrannical reign over Candyfornia. But it's not an easy thing to do, especially since he's flanked by an army of Gummi Bears.
When Perry spoke to MTV News about the video, she said that even though Snoop plays the bad guy, she loved getting the chance to work with the legendary MC. "OK, first off, Snoop Dogg looks so awesome being the Wizard of Oz, kind of, behind the music video," she said. "He wants to keep all of the girls entrapped in his Candyfornia. He's, like, the ruler, and I am the hero. ... Snoop was amazing to work with." Perry also loved playing opposite the Gummi Bear army. "One of the parts that just came up was the Gummi Bears giving the middle finger," she said, while watching the video. "What's funny about Gummi Bears is that they don't have fingers so they just [have] their paw thing. We still had to blur it out. I thought it was really cute, and I like that the Gummi Bears are really evil." But the Gummis were nothing in the face of Perry's amazing frosting-cannon bra. "These whipped-cream [boobs] were in the music video because that was my only ammo," she said. "I had to slay those Gummi Bears that were very evil. I had to show them who was boss in Candyfornia: the Gurls. The California Gurls, of course." Will you ever look at Gummi Bears or whipped cream the same after seeing this video? Talk about it in the comments. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| T-Pain Says He Won't Release His New Album Until Music Sales Pick Up Posted: 16 Jun 2010 06:36 AM PDT 'Ain't nobody selling records unless you Susan Boyle,' T-Pain tells MTV News.
There was a time in recent pop-culture history when T-Pain and his Vocoder were virtually inescapable. You couldn't turn on the radio, watch a hilarious viral video or tune into an awards show without getting an earful of T-Pain and his computerized twang.
But in 2010, with album sales still sluggish, T-Pain said he's not putting out any new music until the tide turns. "I got the mastered version of my album in my car right now. But I'm not bringing my album out until these artists start selling records again, 'cause ain't nobody selling records unless you Susan Boyle," T-Pain told MTV News. Even though his website is promoting his forthcoming effort RevolveR, the collabo king insisted he's going to fall back until album sales pick up. "I'm not doing nothing. I'm not bringing out no album, not dropping no more new singles until people start selling records again, and that's the approach I think everybody should take unless you Susan Boyle or Miley Cyrus." Pain said that, these days, artists who are not running things on the pop tip don't really have a chance. "It ain't really nothing else you can do. Any hip-hop artists, anybody coming from the South, we ain't doin' it," T-Pain said. "Until everybody show and prove, I ain't droppin' no album." While he's holding back on his solo work, Pain is still collaborating and told MTV News about creating the track "My Own Step" with ATL's Roscoe Dash for the soundtrack to the dance flick "Step Up 3-D." "The song was for somebody else at first, and then they was asking ... [T-Pain's label] Nappy Boy: 'Do we have some songs for the "Step Up 3-D" movie?' " said Pain, who sent songs featuring artists such as Sophia Fresh, Tay Dizm and One Chance. "They was like, 'You got some stuff with you on it?' I was like, 'Yeah, here go a song right here.' They came up to me like, 'Roscoe Dash got on.' I was like, 'Yes! We got him!' " T-Pain said, adding, "I've been trying to do a song with Roscoe Dash for a long time." Pain, who's no stranger to hitmaking, said he was looking forward to working with the "Show Out" rapper, because he thought Dash brought something fresh to the game. "I've been living in Atlanta for, like, two and a half years ... and I listen to the radio a lot, and they play all Atlanta. When Roscoe Dash's song came on the radio, I was like, 'Oh, thank you,' " Pain said. "It was just a relief. It was just something new." Are you bummed that T-Pain is waiting to release new music? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Christina Aguilera: What Should Her Next Move Be? Posted: 16 Jun 2010 03:33 AM PDT After soft first-week sales for Bionic, experts weigh in.
Between the unexpectedly soft first-week sales for her comeback album, Bionic, constant criticism from Perez Hilton and a barrage of Lady Gaga comparisons, it hasn't been an easy few weeks for Christina Aguilera. While the negative press is nothing new (remember the public outcry over her explicit "Dirrty" video?), the less-than-stellar album sales, controversy over her sexed-up "Not Myself Tonight" video and the recent postponement of her tour are not adding up well. So what should she do next? We decided to pose the question to some experts, all of whom seem to agree that Aguilera has bucketloads of talent — but also has her work cut out for her. "She's still under 30, she still has a fantastic voice, but I think her time has passed. I don't know if it's because she went away for a while, or because she tried to do something different with this project, but it feels a little crass and calculated," Entertainment Weekly music critic Leah Greenblatt said. "From her choice of collaborators [The-Dream, Polow Da Don, Le Tigre] to her first single, it doesn't feel fully organic. What's missing so much with her this time out is that, while she can still sing the crap out of her songs, you don't get a sense of vulnerability, or even really know who she is." "She just seems a little confused, and that's not like her, and it's not what we want from her," Julianne Shepherd, executive editor of The Fader magazine, added. "The image she's been projecting, she just doesn't seem comfortable doing it. She's always done vamping, but now it's like 'I'm wearing these insane PVC outfits and singing to this music that I don't relate to.' No matter what she says, I don't see her sitting around listening to old trance records." Both agreed that Aguilera should essentially do her — focus on putting out the kind of songs that showcase her strengths — and stop chasing her competitors. "I think honestly, she's trying to be a little too Gaga, and it's not working for her," Shepherd said. "She's such a talented singer that she doesn't need to do what everyone else is doing. It just seems too forced and too in the mold of the Gagas and the Rihannas of the world." "She's very much into the concept of 'the future' on this album, but the first single doesn't sound like the future: It sounds like a song they'd play in a spin class, circa 1998," Greenblatt said. "When you look at the other girls on the pop charts, it doesn't feel fresh. It's not compelling enough to pull herself away from the field. If you look at something like Katy Perry's 'California Gurls,' it's a retro song, but it's fun. There's a heaviness to the Christina album. She may say she's having fun, but you don't believe her." Both Greenblatt and Shepherd singled out the M.I.A. collaboration "Elastic Love" as a potential game-changer, a song that perhaps best sums up whatever it was Aguilera was hoping to achieve on Bionic, and one that might reinvigorate a public that's grown tired of more of the same old pop. And both added that Christina should get back to basics (the title of her last album, as it happens), or maybe line up a new collaboration or two. "She's got to re-calibrate her image, like do a fun video that treats sexuality as a garnish, not the entire meal," Greenblatt said. "If she reins herself in and releases the right single, things might be OK. There are plenty of artists who hit it big with the second, third single, and she's definitely big enough for that to happen here. People want her to succeed, she just needs to give us an iteration of herself that people like." "I think that, maybe if she steps back a bit, tries to ease our of where she's going, and trusts herself more, she will probably be OK. I think it's just a bump in the road," Shepherd added. "Or maybe she should collaborate with all of Young Money. That would probably work too." What do you think Christina Aguilera's next move should be? Let us know in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Hanson Say Their Show With Drake Was 'Canceled Just In Time' Posted: 16 Jun 2010 01:54 AM PDT 'With that many people, it got out of hand,' Zac Hanson says of the scheduled NYC concert.
Not since a Justin Bieber show has there been such a pre-concert riot. On Tuesday night, when Drake and Hanson were scheduled to play a free show in New York, the crowd got a bit too overzealous for security, prompting the concert to be canceled. "It was still a big show; there was just no music involved, and instead of throwing out the rock sign, it was more of a 'let's throw chairs and some potted plants and anything else we can get our hands on,' " Zac Hanson told MTV News on Wednesday (June 16). "It was unexpected. There wasn't enough security and organization, and everyone was just so surprised by the turnout, and with that many people, it got out of hand. They canceled it just in time, I think."
Taylor Hanson said the artists still wanted to put on the show, but the NYPD decided it was too dangerous to even try. "I will say simply that, since last night happened, it's been all over the place, and there's been all kinds of different comments," he said. "And I know that Drake's people, [concert organizer] Paper magazine, everyone in our camp totally wanted it to happen. And it really came down to the city going, 'Hey, this is not safe.' " The guys said they have yet to catch up with Drake since it all went down. "Everybody has been a little bit shocked at the fact that things went down last night the way they did," Taylor said. "We've already thrown it out there that we should get the Drake/Hanson combination happening with more [preparation]." Were you surprised that the Drake and Hanson show was canceled? Let us know in the comments. Don't miss the "Drake: Better Than Good Enough" documentary, airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Artists |
| Birdman, Lil Wayne And Tyga Rep Their Hometowns In 'Loyalty' Video Posted: 16 Jun 2010 03:01 AM PDT Drake and Mack Maine also make cameos in new clip.
The Birdman premiered his latest video, for "Loyalty," on MTV.com, and in the clip, the Cash Money Records co-CEO kicks his boastful rhymes alongside Lil Wayne and Tyga. The video is the first offering from Birdman's next album, Bigger Than Life, tentatively scheduled for fall release. In the clip, the three rappers appear in front of digitized backdrops featuring Tyga's native Los Angeles and Birdman and Wayne's New Orleans along with their adopted city, Miami.
"I got the tax on the bubble/ The money in the Hummer," Birdman rhymes. "We shined every summer/ So we swagged out/ Gucci down/ Louis down/ Put it down/ Uptown." Young Money familia Drake and Mack Maine also make cameos in the clip. The video was filmed during Wayne's feverish pre-prison shooting schedule, when he shot clips for his own projects, as well as for Young Money, Drake and Birdman. Bigger Than Life is slated to feature collaborations with Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Bun B and Drake, in addition to Wayne and Tyga. The set is the follow-up to 2009's Pricele$$, which spawned his breakout "Money to Blow," featuring Lil Wayne and Drake. In addition to prepping his album, Birdman is also putting the final touches on a mixtape titled The Godfather; a DVD project of the same name is in the works with DJ Scoob Doo. "The Godfather" DVD, similar to Lil Wayne's "Nino Brown Story" series, will showcase behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Birdman's album and his day-to-day presence operating Cash Money Records. What do you think about Birdman's new video? Let us know in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Robert Pattinson Won't Let 'Fear' Influence His Career Choices Posted: 16 Jun 2010 08:53 AM PDT 'Eclipse' star says, for him, wanting to play a part is the key to doing it well.
Robert Pattinson has not shied away from admitting how close he came to quitting show business, fed up with endless auditions and persistent unemployment.
"Literally the day before I auditioned [for 'Twilight'], I was going to quit acting 'cause I never got any jobs," Pattinson said last fall. "So I guess that's not really quitting, when you're not really getting any jobs. It's just surrendering to fate." Fate, so it seemed, had other plans for the British heartthrob, who went on not only to become the smoldering vampire at the center of the "Twilight" franchise but an executive producer on "Remember Me" and the upcoming co-star of A-listers like Uma Thurman and Reese Witherspoon. But the lessons of those early struggles continue to stay with Pattinson and inform his decision-making process to this day. "Professionally, as soon as you start thinking about the choices you're making in terms of the future, in terms of your career, you start doing it out of fear," he told MTV News. "If you're doing it for your career, just choosing jobs because you want to have a job after that, you're not actually choosing jobs because you want to do the job." And actually wanting to do the job is of primary importance to Pattinson. It always has been, whether he was struggling to land auditions or had his pick of coveted parts. "Acting is one of the only jobs where the point is to try and at least attempt to doing something which you care about more than anything else and then that's the only way it will be any good," he said. What other roles do you want to see RPattz take on when "Twilight" is done? Share your ideas in the comments. We'll be live at the L.A. premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" on Thursday, June 24. Tune in to Movies.MTV.com at 9:30 ET (8:30 Central) for our red-carpet webcast, and watch us chat with Robert, Kristen, Taylor and all your favorite stars. And don't forget to submit your burning 'Eclipse' questions! 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 |
| Gummi Bears In Katy Perry's 'California Gurls' Are Misrepresented, Manufacturer Says Posted: 16 Jun 2010 03:01 AM PDT 'Trolli Gummi Bears would never be that rude,' company rep tells MTV News.
Katy Perry's new video for her summer jam "California Gurls" has viewers reminiscing not only about the childhood board game (and admitted Perry favorite) Candy Land, but the tinkling sing-song of neighborhood ice cream trucks and cupcakes and all kinds of summery, sugary treats. However, despite the video's cheery feel, it does feature two otherwise friendly-looking, oversized Gummi Bears greeting Perry not with hugs and a hello, but with a rude hand gesture: The offending bear in question apparently gives the singer the finger.
Perry told MTV News that she likes to inject her own "naughty twist" into her work, but seeing that the rude gesture in question seems like unnatural behavior for Gummi Bears, we consulted well-known manufacturers Trolli and Haribo for comment on the bears in Perry's vid. "Those are definitely not Trolli Gummi Bears in the video because Trolli Gummi Bears would never be that rude," John Leonardo, senior brand manager of Farley's and Sathers (which owns Trolli), told MTV in a statement. "Trolli bears would extend their chubby little arms and give Katy a big old bear hug and whisper, 'Everything is going to be alright.' " Haribo had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. The Trolli bears certainly sound more affectionate than the ones features in "California Gurls" — and if Perry films a candy-themed follow-up video, she'll know where to turn for some traditional Gummi love. What do you think of the Gummi Bears' behavior in Katy Perry's "California Gurls"? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drake Recalls Visiting Lil Wayne In Prison Posted: 16 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT 'There's a whole world moving out there that he hasn't seen for so long,' Drizzy tells MTV News.
When Drake visited Lil Wayne last week in Rikers Island, it was an experience like no other. "It was just not the country club," Drake told MTV News on Tuesday, the day his debut album, Thank Me Later, was released. "It wasn't his Miami condo. It wasn't Atlanta. It wasn't Tree Sound Studios, all the places I'm used to seeing him. It wasn't Club Liv in Miami. It wasn't any of them."
Drake has tried to wrap his head around Wayne's situation in prison. It's been difficult, but he did grasp some jewels from their visit. "He kept looking to the window," Drizzy described. "He'd look up at the window almost like he's looking right through it. It's frosted, so you can't see out. I was like, 'Why does he keep staring through the window? There's nothing out there.' To him, there's a whole world moving out there that he hasn't seen for so long. He was just like, he told me something I never thought I'd hear him say, which was, 'You're the ultimate artist. You're better than me. You don't have the tattoos, you don't cause any trouble. People like you.' He was like, basically, 'Look at me and look at you.' "He was like, 'Man, listen. You know what I think you're about to do? You're about to do 2 million,' " Drake recalled, echoing Wayne's sentiments from last week's "Nino Brown Story, Pt. 3" preview. " 'You're about to do 2 million the first week.' " Drake thought back to a conversation they previously had, when the Toronto native wanted to get a tattoo; Weezy advised against it. " 'Whatever, man, whatever you do, do not get no tattoos never in your life,' " Drake recalled Wayne telling him. " 'They gonna think you got it because you came around me.' He said the same thing to me [during the Rikers visit]: 'Don't change yourself, please. You got it. I've never met a young dude that has it figured out, but you got it. Don't mess it up. Just be you. Sing! Rap! Be you. Don't stop smiling.' That's what he said." What do you think about Drake and Wayne's relationship? Let us know in the comments below! Don't miss the "Drake: Better Than Good Enough" documentary, airing Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Tupac And Biggie Probably Celebrated Birthdays Together, Lil' Cease Says Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:58 AM PDT 'Their birthdays was real close to each other,' Junior M.A.F.I.A. member tells MTV News.
Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G.'s relationship had its obvious downs (especially being at the forefront of that whole "my coast is better than yours" thing that hip-hop was obsessed with in the '90s), but the homies-turned-rivals had some good times too.
Junior M.A.F.I.A. member and Big associate Lil' Cease said the pair probably got some birthday bashes in before their friendship went south. "I'm sure him and Big celebrated," Lil' Cease told MTV News on what would have been Tupac's 39th birthday Wednesday (June 16). "Their birthdays was real close to each other too." Indeed, it's possible the icons popped some bottles together: 'Pac's birthday was June 16 and Biggie's was May 21. Cease said that, regardless of the occasion, Big and 'Pac would break bread whenever they got the chance. "Whenever 'Pac wasn't doing anything in New York, him and Big, they'll travel. Big went out to 'Pac's crib, and Big went and did stuff out with 'Pac in Cali [or] when 'Pac was in D.C." Cease has spent the years since B.I.G.'s death upholding the Brooklyn lyricist's legacy, but he said his camp continues to show love for 'Pac on his birthday as well. "We still celebrate that too. We may not celebrate to the level we'll celebrate for Big, you know, 'cause that's for his family and his peoples to celebrate. But, you know, we toast it up and we salute him. He's definitely a soldier in the game, and he's one of the best to ever do it as well. We show that love no matter what people think," Lil' Cease said. "Just 'cause [there] was drama, I mean, you can't have beef with a dead man." Share your memories of Tupac and Biggie in the comments below. Related Artists |
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