MTV News |
- Travis Porter Are Top-Five Finalists For 'Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010'!
- JWoww Didn't Always 'Fit In,' On 'When I Was 17'
- Malice Says Pusha T's Solo Project Due Before Next Clipse Album
- Bun B Says 'Sucker Free Summit' Verse of the Year Nominees 'Create Pictures'
- Katy Perry Wears Only Cotton Candy On <i>Teenage Dream</i> Cover
- Eminem And Rihanna Get Fiery On 'Love The Way You Lie' Video Set
- Justin Bieber Fans Cry, Collide During L.A. Tour Stop
- T.I. Says He Lost Some Of His 'Positive Focus' During Prison Stint
- Drake, Bun B, Talib Kweli Co-Sign 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010' Finalist J. Cole
- Foxy Brown Arrested After Dispute With Neighbor
- J. Cole 'Honored' To Be A 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010' Finalist
- American Idols Live! Shows Best Of Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox
- Nicki Minaj's 'Your Love' Video -- Watch It Here!
- Josiah Leming Returns, Reinvigorated, With <i>Come On Kid</i>
- Rick Ross Reveals Hype Williams Will Direct 'Live Fast, Die Young' Video
- Kaskade And Dragonette Vocalist Team Up For 'Fire In Your New Shoes'
- Comic-Con 2010 Preview: 'Green Lantern,' 'Harry Potter' And More
- J. Cole Is A Top-Five Finalist For 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010'!
- Ke$ha Strips Down And Glitters Up In 'Take It Off' Video
- Rick Ross 'Teflon Don' Moniker Criticized By Mobster's Family
| Travis Porter Are Top-Five Finalists For 'Hottest Breakthrough MCs Of 2010'! Posted: 22 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT Winner will be revealed on MTV2's 'Sucker Free Summit' Sunday at noon.
It is here: As promised, the top-five vote-getters in our poll for "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" will be revealed this week. These are the artists you guys voted for over the past month, and we can't express enough how overwhelmed we were by your participation in this project. More than 200,000 votes came in, and they were tallied as of midnight Friday. Keep in mind, the unveiling of the names this week are the top five, but in no particular order. The winner of the "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010," as voted on by the MTV News audience, will be revealed Sunday (July 25) at noon on the "Sucker Free Summit." Chosen Ones: Travis Porter Rising in the Ranks: Travis Porter have that underground mass appeal. They have their own thing. The love that has been keeping the unsigned Atlanta threesome thriving over the past couple of years is that they turn wherever they are into a huge party. Porter have tapped into the youthful exuberance of their fanbase with off-key melodies and rhymes about sex and partying. You couple that with a stage show that leaves fans needing hits from an oxygen machine, and you have three of the most sought-after free agents in hip-hop right now.
The Porter Boys (Quez, Ali and Strap) have been heating it up Down South the past couple of years with mixtapes and short films. In '09, they almost had their first mainstream hit, by guest-starring on an early version of Roscoe Dash's "All the Way Turnt Up." As the song spread from the clubs to the radio to YouTube and other websites, all the way to ESPN and "The Jim Rome Show," fans of the anthem were confused. They thought it was Travis Porter (who also use a sing-songy flow) featuring Dash instead of the other way around. Eventually, Dash took Porter off the record before it hit big nationally. While Roscoe parlayed the song's breakout into a recording deal with Interscope, Porter kept building on their own and released "Go Shorty Go," which kept their buzz high among the Travis cult following, a.k.a. the "Differenter Gang." Their core fans have made Travis one of the most popular groups on Twitter. The group put out the mixtape Proud to Be a Problem this summer but have yet to sign a recording contract. They're in no rush. They enjoy recording their debut with no outside input, and they're living off show money, performing several times a week. Early Insight: "You may say, 'I'm dropping a mixtape on June 7th,' and your mixtape comes out June 7th," Quez said about his trio's obviously keen self-promoting. "We say, 'OK, our mixtape comes out June 7th. We're going to drop a movie before that, and then after, we're going to drop five videos, and then we're going to do a countdown before it comes out.' " Blistering Ballistics: "She say 'Quez, I love you,' oh really!/ Well I'm not lookin' for all that/ And I hope that you feel me/ Because I got a girl at home/ She find out, she'll kill me/ So when we out in public, don't come near me/ You feel me ... but girl, I hope that you understand that I cannot be your man/ See you in the club, girl I ain't gonna flex/ When the song come on, I ain't gonna dance/ And we ain't gonna buy no wedding ring, shawty/ You my outside lady, you my second string." Forecast: Travis Porter will break through — it's just a matter of when and where. The free agents are going over offers from several major companies, but rather than cash a check from some bigwig exec, they might just decide to do it like they've been doing it: on their own. MTV News will be rolling out the top-five candidates for "Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" all week — with the winner being revealed on MTV2's "Sucker Free Summit" on Sunday at noon! Related Videos |
| JWoww Didn't Always 'Fit In,' On 'When I Was 17' Posted: 22 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'Me, at 17, was not the most popular,' the 'Jersey Shore' star recalls of her high school days.
JWoww bonded instantly with her roommates when she moved into the house in Seaside Heights on the "Jersey Shore," but the girl also known as Jenni Farley didn't always have the most luck making friends. Back in the day, JWoww was just looking for a way out of high school. "Me, at 17, was not the most popular. It was weird in my high school. I didn't really fit in any clique," she says in this Saturday's episode of "When I Was 17," which also features her "Jersey Shore" castmates the Situation and Pauly D. "I kind of bounced around. I really didn't fit in. I wasn't comfortable there."
JWoww eventually hatched a plan to work really hard and finish school early. "I was just like, 'I got to leave early. I got to do what I can to start my life,' " she recalled. "I only had two classes left in my senior year, so I doubled up in 11th grade and left school a year early. High school just wasn't for me. I just couldn't wait to get out." When JWoww wasn't plotting her post-high school life, however, she was busy trying to strike out at her local bowling alley. "When I was 17, my best fried Trina got me into bowling," she explained about her hobby. "It was just something to do. You weren't old enough to go out and drink and have a good time. I was actually really good." "When I Was 17" — this week featuring JWoww, Pauly D and the Situation — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. Related Photos |
| Malice Says Pusha T's Solo Project Due Before Next Clipse Album Posted: 22 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'We're gonna let Push do his thing right now,' he tells Mixtape Daily.
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive It's time to complete our trilogy. We started with the story of how the Clipse and/or Pusha T solo project might be on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label. On Wednesday, the Clipse's main producer, Pharrell Williams, told us he fully stands behind his onetime Star Trak signees aligning with 'Ye. Now, the older member of the duo, Malice, said he can't really speak on any deals with Kanye, but he did say that another group album is on hold until baby bro gets his solo project off.
"The next Clipse [album], we're gonna let Push do his thing right now," Malice said. "I'mma be there to support him. Of course, you're gonna get verses from me. I can't say right now, but it's coming." Malice is concentrating on being an author and filmmaker. He has a book and movie coming called "Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind and Naked" and a reality show as well. "It's my journey on getting this book out and the [video] blogs we be shooting, which you can check out on MaliceOfTheClipse.com," he said of the show. "The book is entitled 'Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind and Naked,' " Mal continued. "What I'm doing is, I'm showing you the things that the Clipse have been through in the record industry, things that have been going on with my family, things between me, Pharrell, my brother. Giving y'all a real in-depth look behind the scenes. I'm sure it's something everybody wanna know about, and it's good for anybody who's aspiring to be in this profession. It's crazy." Malice said he's encouraged by his peers, such as 50 Cent, Styles P and the RZA, who have all been able to come out with literary projects. "It's definitely inspirational to see them guys put out a book," Malice said. "I'm trying to follow in those footsteps. The music industry, you have to do some of everything and get into other channels. It's a lot of different avenues to get into. We're just trying to explore them all, as well as Play Cloths, the solo projects and Re-Up Gang records, Re-Up Gang films. We're just trying to put a cap on everything." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Bun B Says 'Sucker Free Summit' Verse of the Year Nominees 'Create Pictures' Posted: 22 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT With Eminem, Drake, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj among MCs vying for title, UGK legend breaks down what makes a fiery 16.
A true MC's weight is measured by his or her lyrical acumen, and the candidates for Verse of the Year during MTV2's "2010 Sucker Free Summit" are among the best wordsmiths in the game.
The nominee list is made up of veterans Eminem ("Forever") and Lil Wayne ("Roger That"); former "Hottest MC" title-holders such as Kanye West ("Run This Town"); ruling rap star Rick Ross ("Angels (Remix)"); and new jacks Drake ("Forever") and Nicki Minaj ("My Chick Bad"). But every great verse, no matter how different in style, shares similar traits, according to UGK legend Bun B, who's featured this year as a "Sucker Free Summit" panelist. The veteran Texas rap star is no stranger to top-shelf verses, from the gems he's crafted himself to the one he got to hear first riding shotgun on songs with Jay-Z. Here, he breaks down the science behind what makes a 16-bar recitation Verse of the Year-worthy. "To me, when you gonna put a hot verse together, you gotta make sure you have good content, you got to really be talking about something," Bun told MTV News. "You got to have metaphors, which [means] you can create pictures for someone if they don't understand what you're talking about, specifically; that you can relate it to something else so maybe they understand," he explained. "You got to have confidence, feeling like you the best MC. You got to have that. And all of these things come together so you have a great verse." "Sucker Free Summit" Verse of the Year Nominees: Tune in to MTV2's "Sucker Free Summit" on Sunday at noon to find out who wins! |
| Katy Perry Wears Only Cotton Candy On <i>Teenage Dream</i> Cover Posted: 21 Jul 2010 04:27 AM PDT 'It even smells like cotton candy!' she reveals during a live chat with fans.
If the video for Katy Perry's "California Gurls" left you wanting more, then wait until you see the cover for her new album Teenage Dream. During a Ustream live chat Wednesday (July 21), the singer unveiled the cover of the project: a Will Cotton painting of Perry lying nude on a cotton-candy cloud. She also spoke about touring and her next video and even revealed that the album artwork will have the sweet scent of cotton candy. Perry, who was joined by Cotton for the chat, unveiled the cover — which she had not even seen yet herself. "Oh my God, what will my mother think?" she exclaimed about the painting, which took six and a half weeks to create. "It's so gorgeous. I'm so excited. I'm nervous. I'm shaking a bit. This will be my first piece of real art. "I have decided for this to be just the album cover — no print, no nothing, no 'Katy Perry,' " she added. "Hopefully they know it's me by the actual picture." What makes Perry's cover even more fun is that the album booklet will have a cotton-candy scent. "When you purchase the CD physically, you just get a Katy Perry by Will Cotton. We went through every detail — it even smells like cotton candy!" she said. "It actually stinks." And if fans enjoy the recent Perry and Cotton collaboration, then they'll be pleased to know that the two are likely collaborating on the singer's upcoming tour, which will begin next spring. "Of course, I'm going to be touring the balls off the album. I'll be doing a lot of shows this fall and the wintertime." Fans have even more to look forward on Friday, when the 12-song track list for Teenage Dream will be revealed. The pop star mentioned that some of her favorite tracks on the LP include "Firework" and "Peacock," which she says is "a great representation of my f---ed-up humor." Perry also took some time to speak about the video for her next single, "Teenage Dream," which she predicted will be released in the first week of August. "It's going to be beautiful and will be so different than the Candyfornia video, which is fantastic, but I love going from one extreme to the other," she told fans. Last month, the video director for "California Gurls" spoke to MTV News about his vision for the clip. "The lyrics were so literal, that when I pitched it, I said, 'Look, I want to do something that's a metaphor for what the song's about,' and I guess it was something different from what the other directors were pitching her," Mathew Cullen told MTV News. What do you think of Katy Perry's album cover? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Eminem And Rihanna Get Fiery On 'Love The Way You Lie' Video Set Posted: 21 Jul 2010 01:29 AM PDT Photos from the shoot show Rihanna performing in front of a burning house.
The first photographs from the set of Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie" video have surfaced, and from the looks of things, the clip is shaping up to be a hot one. In the series of pics, Rihanna — who sings the hook on the track — is seen performing in front of a burning house, her hair just as red as the flames that leap from the windows and turn the white picket fence an ominous shade of black. According to On Location News, which snapped the photos, Eminem "was later seen ... performing together with Rihanna in front of the burning house." The video, shot in Los Angeles, is being directed by Joseph Kahn, who, if his Twitter account is to be believed, was handed the project at the last minute: "Got off a call. Emergency music video. Gonna write and turn in a treatment in three hours to shoot ASAP." Guess it turned out OK. And while on set Wednesday (July 21), Kahn took to Twitter once again, this time to express his frustration with the photographers who were taking pictures of the video shoot. "Paparazzi, stop trying to ruin my shots," he wrote. "Thank you." Earlier in the day, rumors began swirling that the "Love the Way You Lie" video would also feature cameos from Megan Fox and "Lost" actor Dominic Monaghan, with a source telling E! Online that the two would be shooting "some rather steamy sequences." So far, no photos of either actor on the set of the video have surfaced. MTV News attempted to contact Kahn's spokesperson for comment on the video, but did not receive a reply. How do you think the video is shaping up so far? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Justin Bieber Fans Cry, Collide During L.A. Tour Stop Posted: 20 Jul 2010 10:41 PM PDT 'We're all running into each other, bumping each other in the head on accident,' one fan tells MTV News at the Nokia Theatre.
A gaggle of Justin Bieber fans descended on the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to see their pop idol in concert. It was the latest stop on the Biebs' My World Tour, which kicked off earlier this summer in Hartford, Connecticut. And judging by the response after the show, Bieber definitely delivered.
One L.A. fan described the concert experience as "the best day of my life," and that seemed to be the general consensus from the crowd. "It was amazing," a tween fan raved to MTV News once the show ended. "I've been to, like, every Justin Bieber show in Los Angeles and this was probably my favorite." Yet another fan revealed that the vibe inside the Nokia was so intense that fans kept bumping into one another. "We were so excited we could barely stand next to each other," she said. "We're all bumping into each other. We're all running into each other, bumping each other in the head on accident. It's everything [that makes me love him]. You know he has that perfect hair. He has that little hair swoop." A teen Bieber fan had a confession: "I thought I would never cry. I cried on this concert." It seems Justin's performing the ballad "Down to Earth" inspired serious tears. In fact, the song has become something of a fan favorite on the My World Tour, with one admirer saying she loved "when he got up and he was floating on the heart. It was really hot." By the end of the concert, though, it was clear that many fans couldn't pin down exactly what it was about Bieber that had made them swoon most. "His smile. His hair — the way he flips it. His eyes. The way he sings, the way he dances," one fan gushed. "He's captivating. He's a performer. He's all of the world." Will you buy tickets to see Bieber in concert this summer? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| T.I. Says He Lost Some Of His 'Positive Focus' During Prison Stint Posted: 20 Jul 2010 11:29 PM PDT 'Being in that environment and having those daily surroundings, it's going to affect you,' Tip tells Complex magazine.
Almost immediately after he finished a jail bid for gun charges in March, T.I. set out to reclaim his status as a hip-hop king — hitting the mixtape circuit and huddling in the studio with Lady Gaga and Swizz Beatz. But that doesn't mean jail wasn't a serious setback. "It did make me worse in a sense. ... Putting me in prison took me off [a positive] path a little bit, and now I'm working to get back on that path — or at least back on the path to the extent that I was before I went in," T.I. told Complex magazine. Before heading to jail, T.I. was serving part of his sentence by counseling at-risk kids and notched over 200 speaking engagements warning young people about violence on the MTV show "Road to Redemption." T.I., who is on the cover of the magazine's August/September issue, says that the jail atmosphere definitely took its toll. "I lost a little bit of my positive focus during that period of incarceration. Being in that environment and having those daily surroundings, it's going to affect you." One result was that he actually tuned out when it came to music. "I didn't listen much to records when I was in there. Music is what I do every day. That made me more homesick than anything," he said. Instead, T.I. logged lots of TV hours to pass the time. "I watched series like 'Sons of Anarchy.' I'm a fan. It's another form of 'The Sopranos' to me. I watched football and ESPN." But, the most popular show on the cellblock — "True Blood" — held no appeal for him. "I couldn't really [watch it]. They got into that sh-- heavy," T.I. said. "The whole prison damn near shut down. Everybody left off the yard, like, ' "True Blood" coming on!' They went crazy for it — there's a bunch of sex in it, so they were tuning in for that." T.I.'s King Uncaged drops in September. Which collaboration are you looking forward to hearing on T.I.'s next album? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Drake, Bun B, Talib Kweli Co-Sign 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010' Finalist J. Cole Posted: 21 Jul 2010 04:28 AM PDT 'J. Cole's really trying to draw people into his world,' Drizzy says of the Fayetteville, North Carolina, MC. 'I respect that a lot.'
When J. Cole made his New York City debut at S.O.B.'s in March, the North Carolina MC was greeted not only with a warm response from a sell-out crowd, he received an endorsement from one of the most respected lyricists in the game. After Talib Kweli joined the rising rapper onstage for a rendition of the hit "Get By" — Cole revamps Kweli's song on his acclaimed '09 mixtape The Warm Up — the Brooklyn MC dubbed the young star "the future of hip-hop." That's just an example of the type of love the Fayetteville rapper and top-five finalist for the title of "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" has been getting from hip-hop's best and brightest. After turning heads with The Come Up tape, Cole became the first artist to sign to the Jay-Z-helmed Roc Nation, jumping on a track from Hov's The Blueprint 3, a landmark feat for a rookie MC.
Another hip-hop O.G. who's been impressed by Cole is Bun B, who said he's anticipating the upstart lyricist's first LP. "I'm really curious to see what his debut is gonna sound like because he's making some real strong music right now," Bun B recently told MTV News. "[His single] 'Who Dat' is really killing it and the boy can write." Although the rapper has yet to drop a major-label album, Bun observed that the MC already has intense fan support on his side. "If you go to a J. Cole show ... he's got a real strong connection. The J. Cole shows are sold-out, everybody in there singing all the lyrics to every song," Bun said. "When you got that, you good." In addition to getting respect from hip-hop's elder statesmen, Cole is inspiring his peers as well. Fellow breakout MC Drake said he's feeling the Southern lyricist's thoughtful flow. "I really, really, really like J. Cole. His rhyme structures, the concepts, there's a little bit of pain in his raps. It's music, man. It's deep music," Drake told MTV News. The Toronto MC added that he can relate to the way Cole strives to create inventive hip-hop. "It's a kid who is trying to draw you into his world and I think that's what it takes in rap right now. You can't just be the generic, [like,] 'Oh, I rap great,' but have nothing to say. J. Cole's really trying to draw people into his world and I respect that a lot because that's my goal, period." MTV News will be rolling out the top-five candidates for "Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" all week — with the winner being revealed on MTV2's "Sucker Free Summit" on Sunday at noon! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Foxy Brown Arrested After Dispute With Neighbor Posted: 21 Jul 2010 05:54 AM PDT Neighbor has a restraining order against New York MC, who has been released on $50,000 bail.
Looks like Foxy Brown is back in trouble again. The Brooklyn rapper was taken into custody after 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday (July 21) for allegedly violating a protective order, according to TMZ. The 31-year-old MC had another dustup with her neighbor, who has a restraining order against Brown, according to the New York Post. Neighbors reportedly were forced to step in and hold Brown (real name: Inga Marchand) back before any physical contact between the two occurred. Brown has a history of legal run-ins. In 1997, she spat on two hotel employees in North Carolina when they informed her they didn't have an iron; she missed a court appearance and turned herself in after a warrant was issued. She was ordered to do 80 hours of community service. Back in 2004, she attacked two manicurists after a dispute over a $20 bill that she refused to pay; she earned three years of probation and had to take anger-management classes. She also was sentenced to one year in jail in 2007 for violating her probation from the altercation with the nail techs; she was given 76 days in solitary confinement after having a physical altercation with another prisoner. The Post says Brown has been released on $50,000 bail in this latest incident. Her manager, Chaz Williams, denied the charges. Related Artists |
| J. Cole 'Honored' To Be A 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010' Finalist Posted: 21 Jul 2010 03:49 AM PDT 'I think I had a fabulous year, and I wanna thank all y'all for the support,' Jay-Z protégé tells MTV News.
He's a Roc rep, so it would be easy for J. Cole to hold his head too high based on the success of Jay-Z, Kanye West and other Roc-A-Fella alumni. But the North Carolina MC is a Southern gentleman, and as the very first artist on Hov's Roc Nation label, he's appreciative of every accolade he has received so far in his young career. Currently, he's riding high as a top-five finalist for MTV News' "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010."
"I'm honored to be even nominated up against such stiff competition, and in the end, we'll see who prevails," Cole told MTV News, grinning sheepishly. "No, I'm playing. Shout-out to everybody. I think I had a fabulous year, and I wanna thank all y'all for the support. I was on Jay's album; that was a blessing. I put out The Warm Up; that was a blessing that's still working out for me till this day. Somebody new is finding out about that mixtape every day. And we got the album coming out sounding real special. Real classic, dare I say. And hopefully, you'll feel the same way." Cole broke onto the scene with his first mixtape, The Come Up, but it wasn't until Jay-Z heard "Lights Please," a number from The Warm Up mixtape, that the St. John's University alum inked his record deal. After that, he made more noise through a series of scene-stealing guest appearances. Now, Cole is hard at work on his still-untitled debut album, set for an October release and featuring production work by No ID. MTV News will be rolling out the top-five candidates for "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" all week — with the winner being revealed on MTV2's "Sucker Free Summit" on Sunday at noon! Related Videos Related Artists |
| American Idols Live! Shows Best Of Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:12 AM PDT Casey James, Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens also sound better on Newark, New Jersey stage than they ever did on TV.
NEWARK, New Jersey — Fans of all ages donned their finest homemade puff-paint T-shirts for the American Idols Live! tour stop at the Prudential Center on Tuesday night. And judging from the excitement in the healthily populated arena, they did not leave disappointed. Without a TV-friendly two-minute time limit for songs (and without a panel of judges ready to lay into them for any missteps), many of the season-nine performers were well-served by the live setting, particularly winner Lee DeWyze, who smiled more in his five-song set than he did in his entire run on "American Idol."
Also-rans like Didi Benami and Andrew Garcia each delivered sets that reminded the crowd why they emerged as faves during Hollywood Week. In particular, Garcia's take on Paula Abdul's "Straight Up," now with added funked-up fuzzy synths, suggested he may have made it farther had he brought that energy and ear for arrangement to more of his "Idol" performances. The most-improved award goes to the youngest performers, high school student Aaron Kelly and recent grad Katie Stevens. If a Nashville scout saw the way Kelly owned the stage during uptempo country hits by Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts — and the crowd's warm reception to him — he or she would be insane not to scoop him up and groom him to be a Justin Bieber for the NASCAR crowd. Meanwhile, Stevens took her "Idol" persona (wear the clothes of a middle-aged secretary, sing like an untrained teen with self-esteem issues) and completely flipped it on its head. She's now dressing her age (in a fun, flirty dress and killer knee-high boots) and singing like a seasoned veteran. Demi Lovato might regret clearing "Here We Go Again" for Katie, because it will never sound this good live again. For some singers, the "Idol" tour is a shot at redemption. Heartthrob Tim Urban boldly tackled the Goo Goo Dolls' "Better Days," the song that got him eliminated on the show, and then followed it up with an earnest "Viva la Vida." It was a surprisingly serious set from a guy whose greatest asset is his smile and charming personality. When Urban finally did show off his pearly whites, the little girls in Newark shrieked loud enough for folks at the Jersey Shore to hear. Here's hoping it didn't interrupt Snooki from important business. Speaking of shrieks, Siobhan Magnus delivered her signature wail at the end of "Paint It Black." While the audience appreciated the energy she brought to that Rolling Stones classic and No Doubt's "Spiderwebs," Muse's "Stockholm Syndrome" flew over the heads of the young ticketholders. It was a bit like watching a Tim Burton character stuck in a Ron Howard movie. Michael Lynche (a.k.a. Big Mike) kicked off the second half of the show with a smooth, mellow R&B set that relied heavily on his falsetto. (He was, after all, performing songs by Kate Bush and India.Arie.) But it was an uptempo Justin Timberlake track, "My Love," that proved to be the most entertaining, if only for his out-of-left-field rap. (Don't worry, T.I., Big Mike ain't stealing your job anytime soon.) Casey James, often stiff and awkward on "Idol," had one of the more effortless sets of the night. His impressive guitar work on the Black Keys' "I Got Mine" and the Rolling Stones' "It's All Over Now" made many forget they were watching an "Idol" concert. Season-nine runner-up Crystal Bowersox kept that energy going with a showstopping set that further proved that the dreadlocked singer is more than just your everyday coffeehouse troubadour. If MamaSox can connect this deeply and emotionally with karaoke staples by 4 Non Blondes, Janis Joplin and Melissa Etheridge, (not to mention a chill-inducing "Up on the Mountain" reprise), it's downright scary to imagine how well she'll perform her own self-penned music. We're in for a hell of a debut album this fall, folks. As much love as Crystal received, there was no question whom the audience was there to see. "Idol" champ Lee DeWyze's entrance caused near hysteria from his New Jersey fans, and not just because his pants' zipper was accidentally down. (Whoops!) The winner appeared to be positively giddy as he darted back and forth from one side of the stage to the other. The singer rarely stopped moving while putting his laid-back, gruff spin on '70s lite-FM staples "Rocket Man," "Hallelujah" and "Treat Her Like a Lady," showing off a looseness rarely seen on "Idol." Like Crystal, Lee gave the impression that his talents would be better displayed by performing originals. On the other hand, then we'd be deprived of a massive audience sing-along of Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody." Much has been said (often snarkily) about the latest crop of "Idol" finalists, and while the live concert might not turn haters into slobbering fan-girls, it may leave them pleasantly surprised. Have you been to this year's American Idols Live! tour? Share your experiences in the comments. |
| Nicki Minaj's 'Your Love' Video -- Watch It Here! Posted: 21 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT The Young Money MC dons geisha gear and fights to the death, à la female assassins in 'Kill Bill' in new clip.
Maybe Nicki Minaj — whose alter ego is named Roman Zolanski — should consider yet another nickname: Onika Thurman perhaps? Because the theatrical MC does her best impersonation of Uma Thurman's Bride from "Kill Bill" in her new "Your Love" video, which premiered Wednesday (July 21) on MTV. "We wanted to have geisha themes, samurai themes, stuff like that," Minaj told MTV News from the Los Angeles set. "I wanted to tell a love story. It's just kinda liking a guy, where he's not really for you to like — the forbidden fruit — and me and this other girl happen to like him and we go to war."
In the clip, actor Michael Jai White serves as the Young Money MC's sensei and love interest. Decked out in geisha gear, Nicki raps while White teaches a martial arts class. She's soon swooning over her instructor. Another student, however, also has feelings for the teacher and observes Nicki's smitten ways. The two women exchange words that escalate into all-out battle, à la the Bride and Lucy Liu's Cottonmouth character, leaving one gasping for life as White discovers the body. The "Your Love" clip was directed by Lil X and follows the Queens rapper's first visual, "Massive Attack," which was helmed by Hype Williams. The song is also the second single from Minaj's yet-untitled debut, slated to arrive November 23. (The rapper tweeted the date to her followers earlier this month.) Currently, Nicki Minaj is also enjoying top-five status as a finalist vying for MTV's "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010." She's earned plenty of fans with her over-the-top delivery and facial tics during her rhymes. "Nicki Minaj runs hip-hop," M.I.A. said recently. "She works hard, and that's what it is. She's focused, and that's good. She's got really good work ethic." What do you think of Nicki Minaj's "Your Love" video? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Josiah Leming Returns, Reinvigorated, With <i>Come On Kid</i> Posted: 21 Jul 2010 03:26 AM PDT 'I know I've still got a lot to prove, but I'm ready,' the 'American Idol' castoff says of his debut, due September 14.
Josiah Leming knows you've probably forgotten about him. After all, there was a time not that long ago when he had forgotten about himself too. "Absolutely, people have forgotten me, and rightfully so. I haven't given them too much to think about," he laughed. "I basically disappeared for a while. I had let the momentum drop. I hadn't been writing. I was stubborn, and I was not prepared to fully dedicate myself to this. I had completely lost touch. And then, three little words popped into my head." Those words were "Come On Kid," a mantra he kept repeating to himself as he fought to rediscover the spark that had made him a standout on "American Idol" back in 2008 (despite not even making the top 24) and earned him an unheard-of contract with Warner Bros. Records soon after. Eventually, the phrase drove him to ditch his two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, disconnect from all the distractions — both external and internal — that had kept him from finishing his Warner full-length, and, as he puts it, "re-center himself." And for all of those reasons, there was really nothing else Leming could call his debut, which will finally see the light of day September 14. It's an album that showcases not only his skills as a singer/songwriter (which were pretty apparent early on), but his newfound sense of maturity too. And that, really, was the key all along. "A lot of people that get off 'Idol' and jump into a contract don't think there's any more development to be done, since there's a fanbase now. And I was definitely like that," he said. "I was a little cocky, I wanted it all right away, and [Warner] realized they needed to develop me. They told me that I needed to keep writing, that I needed to be ready mentally, and that there was really no choice but to wait until I was ready. "But I kept writing songs that I liked, and the label liked them, too, but they just didn't feel like there was a single for radio, so they didn't want to put an album out," he continued. "And I was getting more and more frustrated, because, really, I wasn't ready to do the work. Like I've always done, I wanted to run. When I was young, I ran away from home. After 'Idol' didn't work out, I ran from that. And I wanted to run from this. But, luckily, I didn't." Leming said he had an awakening last summer, after his mother died following a lengthy battle with cancer. He realized he had no other options, that making music was his dream, and he was about to blow a tremendous opportunity. Inspired, he parted ways with his previous management team, got back to writing and told the label that he was finally ready to work. "I just realized that I was meant to do this, there was no other plan," he said. "So I sat down and figured out how I was going to make this work." And the end result is, finally, Come On Kid. While its release should be triumph enough, the newly invigorated Leming is hitting the road hard to promote it, playing new songs and still aiming for the stars, despite the fact that most folks have forgotten his name. His new mission, he said, is to change that. "I like being the man down, and I know I've still got a lot to prove, but I'm ready," he said. "The dream is still there, and I've still got the same lofty and unrealistic goals. Why wouldn't I? I'm a 21-year-old kid." Are you rooting for Josiah Leming to make it big? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Rick Ross Reveals Hype Williams Will Direct 'Live Fast, Die Young' Video Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:47 AM PDT A day after Teflon Don drops, Ross is already back in the studio making new music.
On Tuesday, Rick Ross celebrated the release of his Teflon Don album with an in-store signing at a Best Buy in Miami and, late, late into the night, a monster bash at the King of Diamonds strip club. The Bawse arrived in style, landing in the parking lot in a helicopter while friends, such as DJ Khaled, waited with his Maybach Music Group artists, including Masspike Miles. When the new-era Rick the Ruler was in New York earlier this week at MTV's offices, he said he was already recording new material.
"I think this go-round was a lot different," he said about the process of Teflon Don. "I isolated myself from the nonsense and really focused on the music. It's like my vision was so clear. Just two weeks ago, I was in the studio, and I did seven records that could potentially be more potent than the Albert Anastasia music was. I'm just getting better. The more I go into my craft, the better I get. I'm listening to the choruses I'm writing, the things I'm trying. Maybe it might be because I own four studios now. That might be it. I just got in the studio, with the Olympicks, Lex Luger, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. I feel I had so much more to say." While Ross didn't exactly reveal where these new songs would land, he hinted that they might find their way on the new Triple C's LP Color, Cut & Clarity. "You see, I got my brothers Triple C's with me. Expect some new music real soon," he said. Ross hasn't lost focus of his current album, however. He and Kanye West are shooting a video for the single "Live Fast, Die Young" soon. Originally, Ross floated the idea of Spike Lee directing, but he informed us that they have settled on another great. "Yeah, the homie Yeezy, we decided on Hype Williams. Hype Williams will direct 'Live Fast, Die Young," he revealed. "Hit me up on Twitter @rickyrozay, and the reason I say that, I tweeted a picture of me and the homie Spike Lee. He came to my birthday party. I was brainstorming, like, 'We need that different vibe.' I tweeted a picture with me and the homie Spike. Ultimately, Hype will direct it. But look for Spike to do a Rozay video. I'mma be the first since [Public Enemy's] 'Fight the Power' and the other great [videos he directed back in the day]." Are you looking forward to new music from Rick Ross? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Kaskade And Dragonette Vocalist Team Up For 'Fire In Your New Shoes' Posted: 21 Jul 2010 02:16 AM PDT 'I wanted somebody who was on the pop-electro sound already,' Kaskade says of choosing Martina Sorbara as his collaborator.
Earlier this year, progressive house-music producer Ryan Raddon — known to his fans around the world as Kaskade — found himself body-checking pop-music goliaths when his album Dynasty debuted at #5 on the iTunes album download charts, knocking Justin Bieber out of the top 10 that week. The album spent three consecutive weeks in the top 10, an indicator of popular music's current appetite for faster beats per minute as well as a credit to Kaskade's own skills.
And while Dynasty features a mainstream dance collaboration with Dutch music titan Tiësto, fans of Kaskade will be pleased to know that for his first music video off the record, he's tackling one of the album's less progressive-house-sounding gems. The song "Fire In Your New Shoes" is an atypically guitar-heavy Kaskade joint featuring the vocals of Martina Sorbara of the Canadian electro-pop group Dragonette. Sorbara shows a softer side in the song ... until she explodes on the track's chorus. "While I light a fire in your new shoes/ If you should smile, look so surprised/ While I light a fire in your new shoes/ Look out that your soles don't burn to the floor," Sorbara sings. When MTV News recently caught up with Kaskade, he explained just how their collaboration came about. "I had a song that was very guitar-driven and I wanted somebody who was on the pop-electro sound already," Kascade recalled. "Even though this is different than what Dragonette does, it's kind of leaning towards that world. So I just sent her the song. She sent me a rough of the chorus and I was like, 'This is brilliant! It's amazing! Finish it!' "The song is very fashion-oriented," he continued. "So [in the video], Dragonette, Martina, is singing about fashion. It's like this whirlwind of clothing: it's being ripped off of her and going in reverse and fast forward. It's craziness." The brunette Sorbara is featured in the clip in an array of smoke and confetti-filled shots, decked out in red lipstick and slipping in and out of a tutu, among other forms of apparel, with Kaskade playing a smaller role. "I play the part of the chic downtown photographer taking pictures of her. She's got a lot more work. I got the cameo part where I just show up and act cool, so that's easy," he offered. The video for "Fire In Your New Shoes" is set to premiere online Friday. Kaskade plans to shoot his next video for "Don't Stop Dancing," a collaboration with Swiss house artist EDX and featuring frequent vocal collaborator Haley Gibby, sometime in the next month. Related Artists |
| Comic-Con 2010 Preview: 'Green Lantern,' 'Harry Potter' And More Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:00 AM PDT Seth Rogen, casts of 'Thor' and 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' expected to give talks and sneak peeks.
Fluff the fur on your Wookiee costume. Put the final touches on that homemade Wonder Woman outfit and make sure your Batman suit isn't that embarrassing one with the nipples on it. That mecca of pop-culture geekery known as San Diego Comic-Con is once again upon us. The festival kicks off with a preview on Wednesday evening (July 21), followed by four-straight days of sneak-peek looks at celebs, movies, comics, games and much more. MTV News will be right in the thick of the madness, bringing you daily live-streams from the Con. Get ready for heady chats with Seth Rogen ("The Green Hornet") and Robert Rodriguez ("Machete") on Thursday; the casts of "Tron: Legacy" and "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" on Friday; and lots of surprise appearances on Saturday. Of course, we'll also be bringing you fresh scoops from the convention — the latest news on some of the most anticipated Hollywood films. Here are some of the movies we can't wait to check out: "Green Lantern": Saturday at 11:45 a.m. PT
"Tron: Legacy": Thursday at 11:15 a.m. PT "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows": Saturday at 11:45 a.m. PT "Thor" & "Captain America: The First Avenger" Saturday at 6 p.m. PT
"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World": Thursday at 6 p.m. PT MTV News and MySpace are live at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con! From Seth Rogen to Michael Cera to Anna Kendrick, we're talking to some of the world's biggest stars during three daily live streams. So tune in to MTV.com at 3 p.m. ET/ noon PT on Thursday and Friday, and 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT on Saturday to watch the fun unfold. And don't forget to check in all week for exclusive interviews, movie clips and much more! Related Videos Related Photos |
| J. Cole Is A Top-Five Finalist For 'Hottest Breakthrough MC Of 2010'! Posted: 21 Jul 2010 03:50 AM PDT Winner will be revealed on MTV2's 'Sucker Free Summit' Sunday at noon.
It is here: As promised, the top-five vote-getters in our poll for "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" will be revealed this week. These are the artists you guys voted for over the past month, and we can't express enough how overwhelmed we were by your participation in this project. More than 200,000 votes came in, and they were tallied as of midnight Friday. Keep in mind, the unveiling of the names this week are the top five, but in no particular order. The winner of the "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010," as voted on by the MTV News audience, will be revealed Sunday (July 25) at noon on the "Sucker Free Summit."
Chosen One: J. Cole Rising in the Ranks: Jermaine Cole was focused, then lost it, and now his vision is as lucid as ever. The 25-year-old rapper was no ordinary jock in high school, back in his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Just like fans applaud him when he performs concerts, J. was highly acclaimed by his high school teachers for his academia. Pretty soon, the students began to love him as well. He cut his teeth in freestyle ciphers at football games. Rather than accepting a scholarship locally, he wanted to kill two birds with one stone: go to the media mecca of New York City to pursue music while gaining higher education at the esteemed St. John's University. But the allure of the bright lights and all the other trappings of the big city put J. in a chokehold. His first two years in school, he partied and chased girls, but he finally snapped out of his haze his junior year, graduating magna cum laude. Cole gained the following he has now by showing off his ever-evolving lyricism with the mixtapes The Come Up and The Warm Up. In between those projects, Cole signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation. Like Kanye West, Cole was first introduced to Jay as a producer, but Hov quickly discovered J.'s blue-chip verbal acumen. Cole got the ultimate co-sign, appearing on Jigga's "A Star Is Born" from Blueprint 3 last year. Now with "Who Dat" rising as the first look from his still-untitled debut LP, the fans are looking at Cole as one to crack the mainstream hard any minute. Early Insight: "Anything I do, whether it's a freestyle I drop or [a song], man, I feel like I got a lot to prove — not just to people, but to myself," Cole said. "I've been wanting this a long time. I didn't want to just get a deal. I didn't want to just put out an album. I want to be here for a long time. I've got big goals and big dreams, even beyond where I'm at right now." Blistering Ballistics: "The mind state of a winner/ When you thinkin' bout summertime/ I'm thinkin' 'bout the winter/ When you thinkin' 'bout breakfast/ I'm heatin' up my dinner/ I was plottin' this moment back when y'all was ridin' spinners/ Now I'm a menace/ God as my witness, with this pen I'm insane, yup/ Hungry like the n---a who ain't got the taste of fame yet/ Cloud told me, 'Ain't you Roc? Well, where the f--- yo chain at?' " — from Cole's "Who Dat" Forecast: Cole hasn't hit the home run smash out of the park yet, but he's laying the all-too-essential groundwork to establish himself as not just at the top of his weight class as far as lyricism goes, but his live shows have displayed his potential to be one of the great performers in the coming years. Win, lose or draw with his album, Cole is banking on himself. He says there will be no features on his debut, because he has too much to say. MTV News will be rolling out the top-five candidates for "Hottest Breakthrough MCs of 2010" all week — with the winner being revealed on MTV2's "Sucker Free Summit" on Sunday at noon! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Ke$ha Strips Down And Glitters Up In 'Take It Off' Video Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:14 AM PDT Singer says getting naked in the new clip is all about being 'raw and real.'
Ke$ha recently told MTV News that during downtime on tour with Rihanna, the pop princesses "have slumber parties and pillow fights and ... talk about boys, naked." And it sounds like that stripped-down sensibility has carried over to her upcoming "Take It Off" video.
"It's my favorite video, I think, ever, that I've done because I get to get really dirty in glitter sand, and we all get naked because we're just, like, taking it all off," she said. But the "Take It Off" clip isn't just about taking off your clothes and rolling in glitter. "It's also about taking off your inhibitions and being raw and real," Ke$ha said. "And then we start tearing each other apart into pieces, and we're all made out of glittery magic dust ... star dust." OK, so maybe it is mostly about getting naked. Either way, Ke$ha says the video is still her favorite. Not even the recent clip of Israeli soldiers dancing to her hit "Tik Tok" or the May 2 episode of "The Simpsons" that used the song in its opening sequence could top it. And yet those were pretty cool. "It's amazing ... I love it," she sad. "Having Israeli soldiers dancing to 'Tik Tok' and landing the opening of 'The Simpsons' ... [they're] dreams. It's been a pretty good year." Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rick Ross 'Teflon Don' Moniker Criticized By Mobster's Family Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:27 AM PDT 'My grandfather paid his dues for that nickname,' Carmine Agnello says of the late John Gotti.
After scoring several acquittals throughout the '80s, reputed New York mobster John Gotti was nicknamed the "Teflon Don" because of his apparent inability to get convicted. Decades later, Miami MC Rick Ross has adopted the moniker for the title of his latest album; however, a member of Gotti's family is not happy with the use of the late mob boss' handle. "He should have asked for permission," Gotti's grandson Carmine Agnello told the New York Daily News. "A stand-up, respectable guy would come and ask, 'If I could use the nickname.' " Agnello also implied that lifting the mob boss' moniker was an unoriginal choice on Ross' part. "I think he's a great artist, but you can't just start calling yourself that to sell records," Agnello said. "He wants to go for that whole image, but hey, be yourself." Agnello added, "My grandfather paid his dues for that nickname. That was my grandfather's life." Agnello also took a dig at Ross' controversial pre-rap career as a prison guard and said, "Only in America can you go from being a corrections officer to calling yourself Teflon Don." A rep for Ross did not respond to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Although the moniker is often associated with the headline-making mob honcho, Ross said the title has personal significance. "A lot of people don't know Teflon Don was my original rap name," Ross told MTV News in January. "So it's coming back around full-circle." While Agnello has taken issue with Ross' adoption of the Teflon Don title, it's not the first time the Miami MC has woven notorious gangster references into his hip-hop persona. Ross recently released the mixtape The Albert Anastasia EP, the title of which is a nod to another New York mobster. Ross was also reportedly sued by the infamous drug pusher Ricky Ross for trademark infringement. Regardless of the accusations being lobbed the MC's way, Ross has said that he's trying to top his previous work with his latest effort. "Myself, I try to get better and better with every rhyme I make — every rhyme I bring to the table, I want to make sure it's more potent than the last," Ross said. "I'm setting this album, Teflon Don, to be the album of my career." Do you think Ross should have asked permission to use the Teflon Don name? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists |
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