MTV News |
- What Will 'The Hills' Legacy Be? Kristin And Audrina Weigh In
- Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Helps Him Contend For 'Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010'
- Doug E. Fresh Talks 'Teach Me How To Dougie,' Pharrell Collabo
- James Van Der Beek Recalls His Car's 'Slow Death' On 'When I Was 17'
- Lady Gaga's Monsters Beat The Heat For 'Dream Come True' MSG Show
- Nicki Minaj Promises Debut Album Will Drop This Year
- What Will Lindsay Lohan's Jail Time Be Like?
- Rick Ross' 'Maybach Music 3' Video To Be Directed By Erykah Badu
- American Idols Live! Tour Dates Canceled
- Lady Gaga's Grammy Snub Prompts Rule Change
- Mystikal Says He's Recruited Lil Wayne, Pharrell For New LP
- Amy Winehouse Gives Surprise Performance At Mark Ronson Gig
- Big Boi 'Tinkering' With Music For Next Outkast, Solo LPs
- 'Eclipse' Has 'Good Shot' Of Beating 'New Moon,' Studio Says
- 'Predators' Filmmakers Wanted To Be 'Inspired' By Original
- Swizz Beatz Says Musical Connection To Alicia Keys Is 'On Another Level'
- 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' Stars Dream Up More Disney Remakes At NYC Premiere
- Was Lindsay Lohan's Sentence Too Harsh?
- Justin Bieber Is Not Going To North Korea, Rep Confirms
- 'Eclipse' Star Xavier Samuel Doesn't Feel Pressured By Movie's Success
| What Will 'The Hills' Legacy Be? Kristin And Audrina Weigh In Posted: 08 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT Final episode of 'The Hills' airs Tuesday, July 13, at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.
Shortly after Lauren Conrad bid a fond farewell to "Laguna Beach," she found herself looking for love, friends and a career on "The Hills." Over the show's six seasons, LC and her pals — including Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, Lo Bosworth and even onetime frienemy Kristin Cavallari — created lots of drama, shared laughs and tears and let fans into their lives to get an intimate look at what it's like to be a 20-something in Los Angeles. But when "The Hills" wraps permanently on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on MTV, what will it most be remembered for?
"What people really responded to was how beautifully it was shot," Cavallari told MTV News. "And the cameras they use [for the show] are the best, so it looks like a movie." It looked so good that, when the show became a hit after its launch in May 2006, a number of other reality shows tried to capture that "Hills" magic. "I think they broke the mold for a lot of shows," Cavallari said. "So I think they'll be remembered as that [show]." Patridge, however, has a different theory about what the show's legacy will be. "There's been so many emotional scenes — and lots of blank stares," she laughed about the show's go-to dramatic close-up. "Lots of tears. Lots of fighting. Lots of gossip." What do you think will be the legacy of "The Hills"? Tell us in the comments! Join MTV News all week as we look back at the best of "The Hills" and celebrate the series finale with the cast on Tuesday, July 13. Related Videos |
| Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Helps Him Contend For 'Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010' Posted: 08 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT Fans decide our 'Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010' — vote now! The winner will be revealed on July 25.
"Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" Candidate: Wiz Khalifa Call him King Khalifa. "I can do what I want to do," Wiz Khalifa joked. "I haven't been watching sports, but I feel like LeBron right now." Of course, LeBron "King" James has been a coveted NBA free agent, and Wiz Khalifa has been hearing out offers as well. The Pittsburgh native said, despite the rumors, he hasn't signed with Atlantic.
"There's some things going back and forth," Wiz said Wednesday. "I'm working on the album. There's a lot of people interested in helping make this album and making it what it could possibly be. Anybody who's willing to reach out and lend whatever they can, we appreciate it. But nothing's been official, nothing for sure for sure yet. But I f--- with Atlantic. I f--- with the whole Warner Bros. Music Group, even with everything that happened with the Warner Bros. situation. They are good people over there." Wiz was signed to Warner Bros. years ago but sat on the bench and never released an album. Wiz, however, has built up arguably the strongest Internet fanbase out of the "Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" hopefuls: his army of followers, the Taylor Gang. "That's a good look. I appreciate it, man. That's what's up," he said about being a "Hottest Breakthrough" contender. "I'm just excited that people pay attention — but not only pay attention, looking for me to do well. There could be a lot of different opinions about my music and the movement that I'm doing, but everything has been positive, and everybody has been wanting me to do well. I got great fans that continue to express. And they say hard work pays off, and that's what I'm going to continue to do. "Just staying in the studio, always working, always putting out mixtapes and material for people," he added about how he's maintained a strong buzz. "Capitalizing off of whatever I do. If something does well, you have to keep going after that. You can't get comfortable right there and think, 'That's it.' Constantly working and reinventing myself. Making smart business moves. Having great fans. That's it." Wiz said his album has a title, but he's keeping it close to the vest. Khalifa — who is currently on the remix of Rick Ross' "Super High" with "Hottest Breakthrough" rival Curren$y ("Ross really just kept it G, dawg. He seen my movement and he seen Curren$y's movement") — did reveal he's looking toward the fourth quarter to drop it and that there will be more visuals from Kush & Orange Juice in the coming months. "It's coming real good," he said of his debut album. "The sound is crazy. I'm really going in and focusing when I do these records, as far as what I want to hear and what I want to come out the studio. I was comparing it the other day. We got a big gun; we gotta aim and shoot it right. Now that's what I'm doing with the album. I'm not just making a bunch of songs; I'm making the best couple of songs. I know what I wanna hear." Wiz has been working with his hometown team of producers: Dan, Sledgren, Juliano and Big Jerm of ID LABS. "I always been versatile with my music," he offered. "I try different things. Since I been grinding and working, I try to establish the fact that I do all types of music. I'mma do some cool stuff. I'mma do some radio stuff. I'mma do some underground stuff. I'mma do some club stuff. I kinda established that with my fans. I'm lucky to have this little pocket where I can make radio jams and mixtape songs as well." Wiz and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News' "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" — and the winner will be decided by you! Cast your vote for the "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" right here. The top five will be revealed beginning July 19, and the winner will be announced on the "Sucker Free Summit" July 25! Related Videos |
| Doug E. Fresh Talks 'Teach Me How To Dougie,' Pharrell Collabo Posted: 08 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'I look at it as a blessing,' he tells Mixtape Daily of the Cali Swag District dance craze.
Cornerstone Credentials: Doug E. Fresh Doug E. Fresh has been exciting the crowds since he had a curly flattop and a Bally's jacket — the man just doesn't age. Not only does he remain a relevant performer 30 years later by touring around the globe all year 'round, but his younger peers are keeping his name on the radio by putting his moniker in their songs. Lil' Wil dropped "My Dougie" — which, of course, is slang for being fresh — a couple of years ago, and in 2010, the youngsters have been all about the Cali Swag District dance anthem "Teach Me How to Dougie."
"I look at it as a blessing," Fresh said about getting props from a younger generation of artists. "It surprises me too. I was talking about it yesterday with some of my friends. Every year, it seems to be another song, another thing with the dance or something. I always say, 'Man, the Creator is preparing me for something. He's keeping the sun on me for some reason. He's keeping me aligned with that generation.' Because I genuinely love people, I love hip-hop, and I love using it as a tool to communicate and to create a better vibration. Life is short. I guess I'm lined up for a reason. I'm coming up with new music, I'm in the best shape of my life, I'm real sharp, my energy is strong. I look at it as: I'm just following the energy. That's how I sum that up." Fresh is working on a slew of projects to keep up his momentum. "My sons, they go by the name of Square Off," he said. "I enjoy helping. I have new music coming out. I'm working on some television shows. I still do a tremendous amount of concerts. I'm doing my restaurant. I got a club coming in New York. The restaurant is called Doug E. The club is called Fresh. It's a lot of different things going on. I'm developing a couple of real-estate projects. I'm looking forward to doing things with different artists. Me and Pharrell are doings some things. Teddy Riley, Timbaland, probably me and Will.I.Am. It's gonna be nice, man. It's a blessing. I'm going to bring in different people who can enhance the energy I'm coming with. I don't wanna bring in people for name recognition. I wanna get them because the energy lines up. There will probably be some new artists on the project. My sons Square Off, they're gonna be on the project." Fresh was out in the New Orleans during Fourth of July weekend for the Essence Music Festival, and he said the annual extravaganza is something he looks forward to every year. "Essence is something I always enjoy, because I love New Orleans," the vet said. "Since they brought it back to New Orleans, it's a special place to me. We been doing it since the beginning. We did it when it was in Houston, but there's nothing like New Orleans. This year, it's special. It's a good vibe out here. I'm just glad to see so many of us get together for something positive. "I think the rebuilding of the city has to start with the spirit first," Fresh added. "So the music, the vibe, the connection spiritually with the artists. Everybody out here is the main key. A lot of people are still in a lot of tough situations. My heart still goes out to the people of New Orleans. I still got a lot of love for the people who haven't made it back to New Orleans. It's a process. The first step is to spiritually line yourself up with good and doing greater things beyond yourself and helping brothers and sisters get themselves on their feet. Through us coming here, it creates jobs. It creates opportunities, and it brings money to the city. That doesn't hurt. It helps." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc. |
| James Van Der Beek Recalls His Car's 'Slow Death' On 'When I Was 17' Posted: 08 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'The car was basically a prophylactic on wheels,' he laughs on this week's episode.
Getting a car when you're a teenager is a pretty common rite of passage. And when James Van Der Beek was 17, his car certainly had him standing out from the crowd — thanks to its very poor condition. "With the money I had made doing theater, I purchased, for $800, a 1986, candy-apple-red Hyundai Excel," the former "Dawson's Creek" star recalls on this week's episode of "When I Was 17," which also features "Jersey Shore" star Snooki and N.E.R.D. frontman Pharrell Williams. Van Der Beek added that the car had "lots of miles on it."
In the beat-up car, Van Der Beek definitely wasn't earning any points with the ladies. "The car was basically a prophylactic on wheels," he laughed. "We called it the stud mobile, because to ever get any action in that car, you had to have game like nobody's business." While the car had quite a few flaws, one of its negatives turned into a positive. "It had its own anti-theft device, which was that in order to start it, you had to pump the gas vigorously and do that at least three times," he explained. "When I would turn corners, I would put my foot on the clutch, and if I didn't rev the gas ... it would stall." Eventually, Van Der Beek had to say goodbye to his beloved Excel. "The car died a slow death," he said. "And then, at one point, it got loud [and died]." "When I Was 17" — this week featuring Van Der Beek, Snooki and Pharrell Williams — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Lady Gaga's Monsters Beat The Heat For 'Dream Come True' MSG Show Posted: 06 Jul 2010 10:27 PM PDT 'Everything was about New York today,' one fan notes after Gaga's headlining debut at Madison Square Garden.
When Lady Gaga took to the stage at New York's Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, the singer said she was thankful for the chance to headline for the first time at the storied midtown venue. Her little monsters were equally thankful for the chance to see Gaga make the momentous career step in her hometown. "It's 110 degrees in New York City right now, and I'm from Montana — it is savagely hot here and I'm dying in the heat, but it was definitely worth it," Beau told MTV News as she left MSG. "She started crying in the beginning, and she was like, 'This is my teenage dream come true, and it was just really sweet.' " Ben added that while it was sweltering outside, "Lady Gaga's concert was definitely hotter than it is out here!" New York native Alex loved the show's theme. "Everything was about New York today. Shocking moment of the night was when she [lay down] up on the piano and started playing the piano with her boot." Frankie said he was spellbound by some of Gaga's infamous theatrics. "It was a nice moment to see she got very emotional," he said. "It was almost like she climbed up on the piano and on the screen they focused on her shoe, and then she started slamming her shoe on her piano, and it looked like she was going crazy on the piano for theatrics, and then she actually started playing. It was really, really cool!" Other little monsters left the show taking Gaga's message to heart: If you dream big, sometimes your dreams do come true. "She mentioned that when she was our age, she was back in the last row, which is where we were trying to get past security and get closer to the front, and we did it," Maggie admitted. "We dodged security, and basically, she gave us the inspiration that one day we can be up there, or our dreams can come true also. So, it was really inspirational." Have you been to a Lady Gaga show? Share your favorite moments in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Nicki Minaj Promises Debut Album Will Drop This Year Posted: 07 Jul 2010 01:23 AM PDT 'The album is coming along just spectacular,' she tells MTV News of yet-untitled project.
Nicki Minaj's style is full of theatrical flourishes, from her candy-colored wigs to the animated faces she makes when she spits her rhymes. But the Young Money MC said her debut will introduce audiences to the woman behind the persona. "The album is coming along just spectacular," Minaj told MTV News. "I been doing a lot of work with Swizz [Beatz], and the stuff that we been coming upon is magical. When people hear the album, they're going to get to know Onika [her birth name is Onika Maraj]. And no one knows Onika. I really didn't think I would be this excited about the songs that I'm coming up with. I'm really, really proud." The Lil Wayne protégé promised that her album would arrive before the year ends but said she's in no rush. So far, she's released the song "Massive Attack," and the rapper is currently prepping the video for "Your Love," an accidental single that landed atop the Billboard Rap Songs chart. In addition to opening up about her life, Nicki Minaj will be introducing another alter ego on the project: Roman Zolanski. But the animated femcee was hush on any details about that. "I'm gonna let the album do that," she demurred. "As of now, you'll know Nicki and you'll know Roman, my crazy alter ego Roman Zolanski. But you'll meet Onika before the year ends." What do you think about Nicki Minaj's album plans? Let us know in the comments! Nicki and 19 other up-and-coming MCs are in the running to become MTV News' "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" — and the winner will be decided by you! Cast your vote for the "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" right here. The top five will be revealed beginning July 19, and the winner will be announced on the "Sucker Free Summit" July 25! Related Photos Related Artists |
| What Will Lindsay Lohan's Jail Time Be Like? Posted: 07 Jul 2010 02:43 AM PDT Legal experts say it will be difficult but not dangerous.
Lindsay Lohan already knows what jail is like, but unlike the 84 minutes of a one-day sentence she served on her 2007 DUI conviction, this time the troubled actress is looking at a minimum of 23 days in light of the 90-day sentence imposed on her by Judge Marsha Revel on Tuesday for probation violations. A panel of legal experts contacted by MTV News said the sentence is serious business and it will be very hard on the 5-foot-5, 105-pound actress but all agreed that she won't be in any physical danger.
"It will be the same as it was with Paris [Hilton]," said New York attorney Scott Leemon, whose client list includes Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Young Jeezy and Tony Yayo. "She'll have her own private cell in segregation, and she will be protected. It won't be easy, but she won't be put in general population. They don't want the liability if someone does something to her." At the very least, Leemon predicted the jail stint — Lohan will likely only serve 25 percent of her 90-day stretch due to severe overcrowding in L.A. County jails — could help scare the troubled actress straight. "She's definitely more scared than she's ever been in her life this morning," said Leemon, who is not involved in the case but has been following it in the news. "She gets the point. The question is: What will she do about it? And did she get the point before she went to court yesterday? Hopefully this will wake her up, because she's got a rough six months ahead of her." Having a celebrity like Lohan in their jail is a bit of a nightmare for the L.A. County authorities, because protecting a high-profile prisoner from any harm is a major headache, said Stacey Richman, who knows about that particular situation considering her client, Lil Wayne, is currently in New York's Rikers Island prison doing a one-year stretch on a gun charge. "It's going to be tremendously unpleasant for her, like it is for Wayne. ... She won't enjoy this in the least," Richman said. "It's not in the interest of any state authority to let anything happen to her ... but it seems to me that she's in crisis, and this could be a good thing." The jail time is actually not the hardest part of what Lohan will face over the next six months, according to veteran attorney Benjamin Brafman, who was part of the legal team defending the late Michael Jackson in the singer's 2004 child-molestation trial and who helped keep Diddy out of jail in his 2001 Club New York gun case. "The jail part is the most humiliating part, and it interferes with her career," Brafman said. "But that will be short and over, and it will pass rather quickly. The real difficult part comes after jail, where she faces the demons that sent her to jail to begin with." Brafman also didn't think Lohan would be in any physical danger while behind bars, because the Los Angeles Police Department is used to dealing with prisoners of note who require segregation and protection. "It's not prison, but she will have to obey the rules, which will be a harsh reality." Lohan's attorney could not be reached for comment at press time. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rick Ross' 'Maybach Music 3' Video To Be Directed By Erykah Badu Posted: 07 Jul 2010 03:10 AM PDT Along with Badu's vocals, T.I. and Jadakiss are also featured on the track.
Rick Ross has enlisted Erykah Badu to helm the upcoming video for his song, "Maybach Music 3," he announced on his Twitter page.
"@fatbellybella will be directing the video #maybachmusic lll ft.@tip, @Therealkiss....#classic," Ross revealed in the tweet, shouting out T.I. and Jadakiss, who make guest appearances on "Maybach Music 3." Badu also lends her vocals to the track. This is not the first time Badu and the Bawse have collaborated. After jumping on a remix of Badu's "Window Seat," Ross confirmed to MTV News that the Dallas diva and the Miami MC were working together on a video for the track. "I had to come get the queen," Ross said about the "Window Seat" remix clip, which picks up where Badu's controversial vid leaves off. "It was only right. I was swerving through Dallas in that Porsche Panorama turbo. I had to slide up on her, scoop her up. We got back to business. We went on another caper." While Badu is spending more time behind the lens with "Maybach Music 3," Ross has been logging time in front of the camera with a slew of videos in the works. The MC told MTV News about his video plans for "Blowin' Money Fast (B.M.F.)," "MC Hammer" and the Kanye West-produced "Live Fast, Die Young," which Ross wants acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee to direct. "When I was in Hawaii, me and Kanye did a different kind of record, and it may take a different kind of director," Ross said. "I had a private get-together in Miami. Spike came out, we discussed a few things. It's one of those things [that] I call 'speaking it into existence.' I feel once I put something in my mind, I can accomplish it." Are you looking forward to the Badu-directed "Maybach Music 3" video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| American Idols Live! Tour Dates Canceled Posted: 07 Jul 2010 06:16 AM PDT Seven dates have been axed from the summer tour featuring season-nine 'Idol' contestants.
Several dates have been slashed from the American Idols Live! Tour, which kicked off just before the Fourth of July weekend with a stop in Michigan on Friday. As the season-nine contestants continue to make their way across the country, an updated tour schedule posted on the "American Idol" website shows that seven dates have been canceled. The revised concert schedule also reflects an earlier finale for the tour, wrapping now on August 31 in Indianapolis instead of on September 16 in Portland, Maine, as previously planned. Shows in cities including Buffalo, New York; Portland, Oregon; Kansas City, Missouri; and Cleveland have all been nixed. Canadian stops in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Toronto have also been cut. The tour, featuring finalists from the ninth season of the amateur talent juggernaut, highlights "Idol" champ Lee DeWyze and runner-up (and fan fave) Crystal Bowersox. A spokesperson for Live Nation confirmed the cancellations to The Associated Press but declined to explain the reason for the schedule revamp. The axed American Idols Live! Tour dates follow a rash of canceled shows by several major musical acts scheduled to hit the road this summer. The once-popular, female-fronted Lilith Fair was recently forced to scale back, cutting 10 tour dates because of poor ticket sales. Christina Aguilera postponed her tour until 2011 due to scheduling issues, as did U2, who pushed back their 360 Tour while lead singer Bono recovers from surgery. Although no official reason has been given for the new tour schedule, interest in "American Idol" appears to be on the wane. Twenty-four million viewers tuned in to see DeWyze get crowned as the season-nine victor, but that tally marked the lowest finale rating since the final episode of the show's 2002 debut season. In addition, DeWyze and Bowersox's post-"Idol" offerings have seen slow sales; the season-nine singers have fared significantly worse on the charts than the season-eight breakout stars, winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga's Grammy Snub Prompts Rule Change Posted: 07 Jul 2010 12:46 AM PDT The Recording Academy will allow previous nominees to be eligible for Best New Artist.
Lady Gaga's wildly successful entry into the music scene actually hampered her chances of scoring a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist this year because of the Recording Academy's previous eligibility guidelines. Although Gaga had a major 2009, following the chart-topping success of her debut album The Fame, her earlier nod for Best Dance Recording for "Just Dance" barred the star from being considered for Best New Artist at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. In light of the Gaga situation, the Recording Academy has announced that artists who have received previous nominations may still be eligible for the Best New Artist trophy. "If an artist/group is nominated (but does not win) for the release of a single or as a featured artist or collaborator on a compilation or other artist's album before the artist/group has released an entire album (and becomes eligible in this category for the first time), the artist/group may enter this category in the eligibility year during which his/her/their first album is released," the academy said in a statement. The academy also acknowledged that the changes reflect the fact that many artists appear as featured guests on hit singles before releasing a full-length debut. "More and more, the first release of a new artist is as a featured artist on someone else's album, or the new artist may release a single long before the release of his/her/their entire first album. By current rules, if the other artist's album or the new artist's single receives a nomination, the new artist may never have the opportunity to compete in the Best New Artist category," the statement continued. "With this change, each artist will have at least one opportunity to enter in this important and highly visible category." According to The Associated Press, academy President Neil Portnow acknowledged that the Gaga oversight was a factor in changing the eligibility requirements. "There will be some changes so that particular situation won't repeat itself," Portnow said. The changes will immediately go into effect and will be reflected in the nominations for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011. What do you think about the Grammy rule change? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Mystikal Says He's Recruited Lil Wayne, Pharrell For New LP Posted: 07 Jul 2010 05:51 AM PDT 'I kissed the floor and hugged the mic and held it so gently to me,' the Cajun MC says of first post-prison recording session.
Mystikal is back home in Louisiana and the energetic MC says he's more excited than ever. "Finally. Six years, that ain't no walk in the park," Mystikal told us over the weekend. "I had a lot of time to do a lot of growing, reflecting and thinking and stuff like that," he said, talking about the six-year sentence he served on a sexual battery and extortion charge.
But since his release from prison at the top of the year, Mystikal has wasted no time getting his career back on track. He added to his busy schedule over the Fourth of July weekend with a performance at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. "To participate in an event like this is awesome," he said. Mystikal also recently jumped on Lloyd's "Set Me Free," performed for his hometown at the Zulu Ball and in front of millions at the "VH1 Hip-Hop Honors," dedicated this year to the Dirty South. And he says he's recorded an album's worth of material. "Everything is lined up for me, it's amazing. I didn't throw pity parties for myself [while in prison]. I knew I was too blessed to be stressed and I knew I was gonna get through it. I'm still on Jive. I still have an obligation to fulfill with them guys," he said of his record label. "We gonna do it in a major way." One of the collaborators on Mystikal's upcoming LP is Pharrell Williams, who with partner Chad Hugo scored the Cajun veteran's hit "Shake Ya Ass" a decade ago — in the process elevating the Virginia duo's career to legendary heights. "I just talked to him the other day," Mystikal said of Pharell. "He says he got an armored-tank beat for me. I can't wait to hear what that sounds like." Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes have already recorded features and the Nola MC is also going to get in the lab with Mannie Fresh. Mys says once he fully launches his comeback, "a lot of rappers are gonna have to go back to the drawing board." "It wasn't no big writing sanctuary, but I was able to put some stuff together," he said about his time away. "I feel like I'm doing more writing now than I did there. Y'all about to be real proud." As for his versatile flow, Mystikal insisted he didn't have to worry about finding it again. "I ain't never lose it," he smiled. "I was rapping in that place. I was doing benefit concerts for American Cancer Society and MDA [Muscular Dystrophy Association]." Once released, the Southern MC behind hits such as "Danger" and "The Man Right Chea" said he was humbled. "I kissed the floor and hugged the mic and held it so gently to me," he recalled of getting in the studio for the first time in more than half a decade. "That was with KLC from Beats by the Pound who was on No Limit with me. He was the guy I learned how to record demos with way back when I was just starting in this game. It was a wonderful feeling." Who else would you like to hear Mystikal collaborate with? Tell us in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Amy Winehouse Gives Surprise Performance At Mark Ronson Gig Posted: 07 Jul 2010 04:16 AM PDT Singer croons 'Valerie' but flubs lyrics at London show.
Amy Winehouse surprised concertgoers in London on Tuesday night during a show with Back to Black producer Mark Ronson. The soul singer joined Ronson, who was fronting his new outfit Mark Ronson & the Business Intl, onstage for a cozy concert at the 100 Club, the BBC reports. The Grammy-winning singer hung out with Ronson throughout the latter half of the set while the producer debuted songs from his forthcoming album; however, the star only took to the mic during an encore. Winehouse belted "Valerie" from Ronson's 2007 collection of covers, Version, but apparently forgot the lyrics to the doo-wop number. Winehouse also seemed to be up to her familiar antics offstage as well. Bedecked in an extremely low-cut tank that showed off her lacy bra, with a scarf holding back her mussy bouffant, the "Rehab" singer was snapped swilling beer. The U.K.'s Daily Mail published photos of the star after the show with a packet of cigarettes stuffed in her bra. Although Winehouse appears to be easing her way back onto the stage, Ronson revealed to the U.K.'s Sun tabloid that progress on the singer's Back to Black follow-up remains slow. "Amy hasn't been working on her next record," Ronson told the paper, adding that he does plan to work with the singer on her upcoming project. "When she's got 10 songs, then we'll go down to the studio together." However, Ronson did mention that Winehouse has been recording. "We just did a song together last month for a Quincy Jones tribute album that's coming out fairly soon." Winehouse appears to be staging a full-fledged return to the spotlight. The Ronson performance follows reports that the singer plans to form a supergroup with the Roots drummer ?uestlove. Are you looking forward to Winehouse's return to music? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Big Boi 'Tinkering' With Music For Next Outkast, Solo LPs Posted: 07 Jul 2010 04:44 AM PDT 'Whether I'm on the road touring or on the bus ... just putting ideas down,' the Atlanta MC tells MTV News.
Big Boi finally delivered his long-awaited solo album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, this week. But after taking three years to deliver the LP, is it safe for fans to assume Big's next effort is just around the corner? Not exactly. The slick Atlanta MC says he's started work on a follow-up, Daddy Fat Sax, but between promoting his current collection and juggling a handful of projects — his next set, partner Andre 3000's solo disc and another Outkast album — Big Boi is juggling a lot right now or, as he put it, "tinkering."
"I got about four, five songs that I'm tinkering with right now," Big Boi told MTV News about Daddy Fat Sax, tentatively slated for a late-2011 release. "But at the same time, there's a couple of records that we picked out for the Outkast record too. So while Dre is working on his records, we're kinda, with Organized Noize, seeing what's gonna go for the 'Kast album. And at the same time, with the beats I already got, I'm just making the most out of my time, whether I'm on the road touring or just on the bus or whatever; just putting ideas down." The Georgia rapper said this album showcases his sometimes-overlooked gifts as a solo artist ("I'm a master of my craft"). Big Boi's Sir Lucious Left Foot features collaborations with T.I., Gucci Mane and Janelle Monáe, among others. Andre 3000, Lil Jon and Scott Storch provide production assistance on the set, and the Storch-produced lead single, "Shutterbugg," has been getting rave reviews. Big recently dropped the video for his sophomore single, "Follow Us." The July 6 album was a labor of love for the Outkast MC. Originally slated for release three years ago on Jive, where the duo is signed to as a group, Sir Lucious Left Foot got a new home after disagreements with his Outkast label led Big Boi to jump ship and ink a solo deal with Def Jam. "With this album right here, there was just a lot of label politics in the background that kinda fueled my fire," Big Boi said of enduring multiple delays. "You not gonna tell me what I'm doing isn't jamming. I know this is some of the best music I'm making in my whole life; I'm putting everything into it. I'm spending time away my family, my wife and my kids to record for three years and you don't respect my craft? That kind of fueled everything." What do you think of Big Boi's solo album? Give us your reviews in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Eclipse' Has 'Good Shot' Of Beating 'New Moon,' Studio Says Posted: 07 Jul 2010 01:01 AM PDT Summit Entertainment is optimistic Twilighters will spend summer weekdays in theaters.
With the six-day, holiday-weekend domestic box-office gross of "Eclipse" on the books — officially $176.4 million — the numbers conversation of the moment turned to one tricky question: Would the latest installment of the "Twilight" franchise ultimately defeat "New Moon" and its $296.6 million haul last year? Inside the halls of Summit Entertainment, executives are confident that "Eclipse" — though it fell just short of the six-day total of "New Moon" — will eventually rank as the top-grossing "Twilight" film. At least, that is, until the first part of "Breaking Dawn" drops in November 2011. "I think we have a real good shot at it after this first week," Summit's distribution head Richie Fay told MTV News. "We're not disappointed in this gross at all. It's where we expected to be, and it hopefully gets us north of 'New Moon.' " Potentially helping Summit get there is the idea that a summer release date, at a time when schools are no longer trapping Twilighters in math class, will increase weekday grosses. But it's not entirely clear that such a tactic is working out. "Eclipse" grossed over $10 million this Tuesday, according to Fay, which is roughly what "New Moon," which opened on a Friday, took in on the Monday after its opening weekend. Of course, conclusions cannot be drawn after just one day, and exact comparisons are difficult to make in general, owing to the different seasons and days of each film's release. After seven days, "New Moon" and "Eclipse" are roughly equal in terms of total box-office sales. The key will be to see how "Eclipse" fares in the next few days and how it performs in its second weekend. "New Moon" was a notoriously frontloaded release — earning 48 percent of its total gross on its opening weekend — and dropped 70 percent during its second weekend. If "Eclipse" can bump sales this week and avoid a precipitous second-weekend drop, the film will be well on its way to topping "New Moon." Yet at Summit, the focus is not so much on a race to first place as it is on a continued dedication to serving a fervid fanbase. "If we lost the audience to some degree over the weekend to barbecues and fireworks, they will probably come back," Fay said. "It's kind of like a tsunami audience. As soon as they've finished viewing 'New Moon' in the theaters, then the DVD comes out, and right after that, 'Eclipse' comes out. We're servicing that audience very nicely." 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 |
| 'Predators' Filmmakers Wanted To Be 'Inspired' By Original Posted: 07 Jul 2010 03:15 AM PDT 'We wanted ... to take that very classic creature and the dynamics,' screenwriter Robert Rodriguez says of turning to 1987 sci-fi hit.
Robert Rodriguez began reimagining a "Predators" movie more than 15 years ago. But for all of his hard work, the result was an overly ambitious script that he admits could never have been filmed at the time. The project went nowhere ... until last year. Rodriguez got word from Fox that the studio wanted to revive the sci-fi horror franchise using the writer/director's script as the jumping off point. He was excited, but at a loss as to how to approach the material all these years later.
"It's almost like there's three movies in there," Rodriguez told MTV News. "You could have split it up into three pictures. I didn't even know what to do with it, because I'd worked on it so long ago. I worked on it so long — about a year — that it was always tough to crack. I needed fresh eyes on it." Enter Nimród Antal, a rising director who's been compared to Quentin Tarantino. Antal's job was to find a filmable movie within Rodriguez's original script. "I came into a situation where there was already an existing draft, and there were a lot of elements in it I thought were fantastic," Antal told us. "What I tried to do was see how I could inject something to either elevate it or focus it. Fortunately, Robert was really receptive to the ideas. It was really an organic process. Being fans of the original film, we had an easy time because we would always go, 'Are the fans — are we — going to dig that?' " The fans were the focal point during the entire filmmaking process. Rodriguez and Antal's objective was a simple, yet lofty, one: to satisfy fans of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring original, while infusing the reboot with vitality, a wow factor that had been missing from subsequent franchise installments. "We wanted to be inspired by the first film, to take that very classic creature and the dynamics," Rodriguez said. "[Antal] had to balance that every day, at every moment — how much to make it reverential to the first film and how much just to make it." Are you looking forward to a "Predators" reboot? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "Predators." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Swizz Beatz Says Musical Connection To Alicia Keys Is 'On Another Level' Posted: 07 Jul 2010 02:12 AM PDT 'Anytime we in the studio, it's just musical genius,' the producer says of working with his fiancée.
It's business as usual for Swizz Beatz. He's been in the studio with a who's who of hip-hop and R&B: Drake, T.I., Nicki Minaj, Spragga Benz, Mary J. Blige, Gucci Mane, Diddy, Jay-Z and Trey Songz. But you have to imagine his favorite collaborator is his fiancée, Alicia Keys, who plays piano on Swizz's upcoming LP. The producer says that when he and his lady are in the lab together, it's a very free-flowing atmosphere. "Me and A.K., we just love music," Swizz told MTV News over the weekend at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, where Keys was a headlining act.
"When we in the studio, we work on a lot of things that ain't planned. We was just in the studio vibing on some stuff for her album, vibing on some stuff for my album. We might use it, we might not use it. Anytime we in the studio, it's just musical genius, minds connecting on another level, which is always cool. I got a joint [that] she played on for my album with John Legend called "I'm a Star." It's stupid. John Legend killed the joint. The album is gonna be stupid. I got so many titles. I think I'm gonna let Twitter pick the title [of the album] for me. I'm having fun with the fans, getting them involved." Swizz also spoke on working with his good friend Mary J. Blige, who also headlined at the Essence festival. "The record with me and Mary is called 'It's You,' " Swizz revealed. "And the winner is: It's you," he said, explaining the song's sentiment. "It's just a heartfelt record. It's not a bunch of screaming and yelling on it. It's something everybody can rock to. Everybody wants a winner in their life. That special person is you — you're the winner." Are you looking forward to more collaborations from Swizz and Alicia? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' Stars Dream Up More Disney Remakes At NYC Premiere Posted: 07 Jul 2010 02:48 AM PDT Nicolas Cage would like to see Jerry Bruckheimer's live-action take on 'Bambi' and 'Dumbo.'
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer's upcoming "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is not your grandmother's Disney film. Based on the classic short segment from "Fantasia" featuring a wizardly Mickey Mouse, dancing broomsticks and all other forms of magic, Bruckheimer's updated "Sorcerer" brings the famous tale into the 21st century with all of the big bada-booms we've come to expect from the man responsible for "Armageddon," "Con Air" and "Pearl Harbor." In fact, Bruckheimer's unique take on the beloved yarn has left many of the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" cast and crew wondering: If they could pick any classic Disney cartoon for Bruckheimer to put his explosive stamp on, what would it be?
"I think 'The Little Mermaid,' " leading lady Teresa Palmer told MTV News at the New York premiere of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." Palmer added that she would be up for playing the titular undersea dweller, saying: "I think I could play Ariel. I've sort of got the mermaid thing [going on]." Director Jon Turteltaub offered a very different and infinitely darker proposition. "I want to do 'Old Yeller' where the dog kills the person," he said. "It would totally be the flip. PETA would love that movie!" Nicolas Cage, who plays the titular sorcerer, eagerly pointed out that a live-action "Bambi" adaptation would be "pretty fascinating" to watch, though he said he wouldn't like to star in the film. "I don't think I'd be in that movie," he said. "I'd just like to see some deer running around in a live-action 'Bambi' movie." Cage's co-star Jay Baruchel couldn't think of a Disney cartoon that he'd like to bring the Bruck-hammer down on, so he went the old live-action route with "The Black Hole." "It's not based on an animated movie, but if only for those crazy robots, that would be it," he said. Actor Gregory Woo said he thinks "people would look at me and think I could only do 'Mulan,' but I don't think that's true." Perhaps Woo would be interested in the challenge of a live-action "Dumbo" film, Cage's other favorite possibility for a Bruckheimer-style Disney remake. "That would be pretty special," Cage said of "Dumbo" with a smile. "I don't think I could play that part. I could try, but I think it'd be a stretch." What animated Disney movie would you like to see in live action? Share your picks in the comments. Check out everything we've got on "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Was Lindsay Lohan's Sentence Too Harsh? Posted: 07 Jul 2010 01:18 AM PDT Legal experts were surprised by 90-day jail term.
With tears running down her face, Lindsay Lohan looked shocked Tuesday when Judge Marsha Revel sentenced the 24-year-old actress to 90 days in jail to be followed by 90 days in an inpatient rehab facility after hearing evidence that Lohan had missed weekly alcohol-education classes. She wasn't the only one surprised by the harshness of the sentence for the parole violation from Lohan's pair of 2007 DUI arrests. Three prominent attorneys (who are not involved in the case) contacted by MTV News said Revel was clearly trying to send a message to Lohan with her ruling. "What she's probably experiencing is a judge who, having given an opportunity that would have been given to anyone in this case and having it flaunted by not being responsive to the direction of the court, is taking action," said Stacey Richman, who defended rapper Lil Wayne in the gun case that landed him in prison for a year. "The fact that the court gave her three times what the people had asked for [prosecutors requested a 30-day sentence] is surprising, and in some cases you read that as a 'celebrity tax,' but if she's flaunted her probation not once, but three or four times, the judge has been very kind in giving her so many opportunities to stay with the program." Richman speculated that the sentence was intended to promote respect for the law and teach Lohan that if she is court-ordered to attend a program, she can't pick and choose when and how she does it. Another lawyer who has had plenty of experience defending celebrity clients, New York's Benjamin Brafman, said the sentence is clearly harsh but that there are only so many times you can test a judge's patience before they make you pay the price. "It seems to me that the court went out of its way to avoid a sentence of incarceration and it, unfortunately, did not make an impression," said Brafman, whose clients have included Diddy, Michael Jackson and New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress. "What you see here is a bigger picture that is more troubling than whether this young woman goes to jail for a couple months or not," he added. "This is a celebrity spiraling out of control, and in general, when that happens, unless serious intervention takes place, it can lead to more severe consequences than going to jail or rehab. ... This is a person who needs to understand how easy it is for her life and her talent and celebrity status to be gone in a heartbeat." After logging hundreds of hours in court working on behalf of everyone from 50 Cent, Tony Yayo and Young Buck to Busta Rhymes and Young Jeezy, attorney Scott Leemon knows that sometimes judges surprise you, but after all he's seen, even he was a bit taken aback by Revel's sentencing. "I think it was really harsh, especially in light of the fact that she was basically compliant as of yesterday's court date to be done by [July] 15th," he said of Lohan's court-mandated schedule of alcohol-education courses. In testimony on Tuesday, the co-owner of the Right On program Lohan was enrolled in said she violated the program several times by failing to attend courses and missed classes on nine different occasions. "This judge just wanted to prove a point that no one messes with her in her court. I've had clients mess up on probation, but even when the prosecution asked for only 30 days, she gave her 90 plus 90 of inpatient? Without a doubt, this decision was made by the judge [after] she felt disrespected by Lindsay, who didn't seem like she got the point." Related Photos Related Artists |
| Justin Bieber Is Not Going To North Korea, Rep Confirms Posted: 07 Jul 2010 09:20 AM PDT Bieber-related Internet hoaxes and attacks abound in recent weeks.
At this point, Justin Bieber's camp is sort of used to the Internet hoaxes — he's had syphilis, gotten pregnant and even died a few times, if you can believe what you read — but over the past week, there's been one hoax that just won't go away: his (supposed) concert stop in North Korea. It all started with an alleged contest organized by a site called Faxo.com that allowed fans to vote on which country he should visit on an upcoming leg of his My World Tour, with absolutely no restrictions. That proved advantageous for the jokesters over at the notorious 4chan message board, who encouraged folks to vote for North Korea — the communist nation where citizens are denied Internet access and the media is strictly controlled by the government. Within days, North Korea climbed the charts, and by Wednesday, when the contest ended, it had leapfrogged Israel to claim the top spot. Of course, the Internet went insane once again, and some media outlets even reported that the contest was real. But while the idea of Bieber performing for Kim Jong-il is certainly hilarious, it's not actually true. Sure, North Korea may have won the Faxo contest, but the contest was in no way sanctioned by Bieber or anyone in his camp, according to a statement e-mailed on Wednesday (July 7) to MTV News. "It was a spoof site," a spokesperson for Bieber wrote. "This is not a legitimate contest." So, sadly, the Justin Bieber North Korea concert will not come to fruition anytime soon, which the Internet attributed to something other than the contest's illegitimacy. Early Wednesday morning, more pranksters had made the most-searched term on Google Trends "Justin Bieber Hates Korea." Meanwhile, Bieber fans were subjected to yet another Internet attack. According to the BBC, hackers wrote code into the comments sections of Bieber videos on YouTube, flashing unsuspecting fans with news of the singer's death and/or redirecting them to adult websites. Google issued a statement saying the company "took swift action to fix a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability" on the video site. None of this seems to have slowed Bieber's own Internet activity, however, as the avid Twitterer continues to rally his followers around his latest singles and even deigns to respond to a rumor or two. Back in June, for instance, he wrote, "One ... I'm not dead. I had to check on this one ... but it turns out I'm alive." What is the best Bieber rumor you've heard? Share your favorites in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Eclipse' Star Xavier Samuel Doesn't Feel Pressured By Movie's Success Posted: 07 Jul 2010 12:51 AM PDT 'I don't really think about that sort of stuff,' actor admits at 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' premiere.
Xavier Samuel is on top of the world these days, thanks to the box-office success of "Eclipse," which had a very big first-week run in movie theaters over the Independence Day weekend. But if you think Samuel is feeling any of the pressures of having a blockbuster film on his résumé, you are very wrong. "I kind of don't really think about that sort of stuff," he admitted to MTV News at the New York premiere of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." "I was just kind of focused on doing a good job, but we're here tonight for 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' and also a good friend of mine, [actress] Teresa Palmer, who's a fellow Adelaiden from Australia, so I thought I'd come out and show my support. I heard it's a really cool film."
While Samuel didn't want to get too hung up on the box-office appeal of "Eclipse," he also didn't want to think about competing against his pal Palmer at this weekend's box office when "Apprentice" hits theaters. "It's something I'm not too concerned with," he explained. "You know, this is supposed to be a really great film." With the anticipation high for the last two "Twilight Saga" flicks, does Samuel feel a bit of relief knowing that none of it rides on his performance, considering Riley won't be back for the two-part "Breaking Dawn"? "I don't know if it's relief — I'd love to be a part of these stories," he said. "They're so cool. Again it's wonderful to be a part of something with such magnitude. The longer you can be a part of it, the better. But you're right: Riley does have this vicious encounter with a wolf; unless he survives that we probably [won't see him]." Then again, there is always one perfect solution for these types of situations. "Flashbacks," he said. "That'll be perfect." 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 |
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