MTV News |
- Katy Perry Says She Wrote 'California Gurls' Out Of Jealousy
- Scoop DeVille Is Crafting A 'Futuristic' Sound That's All His Own
- 'Jersey Shore' At The Beachcomber Bar: Owner Talks Snooki And Sushi
- 'Piranha 3D' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
- 'Nanny McPhee Returns' Star Used Snail Mail To Woo A-Listers
- 'The Switch' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
- 'The Switch': Fluid Situation, By Kurt Loder
- 'Camp Rock 2' Star Demi Lovato Dishes On 18th Birthday Plans
- Drake And Lil Wayne's 'Miss Me' Video Premieres
- Exclusive: Raekwon Talks Finished Justin Bieber Remix With Kanye West
- Chelsea Handler: Four Things To Know About 2010 VMA Host
- Soulja Boy Tell'em Calls Justin Bieber's YouTube Game 'Crazy'
- Drake Confirms November 5 Lil Wayne Homecoming Concert
- MTV And Get Schooled Host 'Waiting for 'Superman' ' Screening
- Britney Spears May Cover 'Me Against The Music' On 'Glee'
- Wyclef Jean Excluded From Haiti Presidential Candidates List
- Soulja Boy Says Kanye West Complimented His 'Dope-Ass Bars'
- Miranda Kerr And Orlando Bloom Expecting A Baby
- Eminem Talks Retirement, 'Rapping At 50'
- Chelsea Handler Reveals Her Plans As VMA Host
| Katy Perry Says She Wrote 'California Gurls' Out Of Jealousy Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'I thought it would be perfect timing for a California anthem,' she says of her response to 'Empire State of Mind.'
"California Gurls" came out of a very simple place: as a response to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' massive hit "Empire State of Mind." While "Empire" was incredibly New York, with a sweeping chorus and plenty of Big Apple references, Perry's ode to her home state was glossy and shiny and featured Cali MC Snoop Dogg. Perry said the song is just what California needed. "[California girls] are different," she said about Teenage Dream's debut single. "That's why there needed to be a song about them. I felt like there's something in the water. Like, you know the boys always dream about maybe dating a California girl, just because we've got the sun shining through 365 days a year."
According to the song, Cali not only has the sun, it also has palm trees, sun-kissed skin and girls so hot they will well melt your Popsicle. That is pretty scalding! Perry's intent was to conjure up sexy images about her beloved state. "When I came up with the idea of 'California Gurls,' it was because I was a little bit jealous of all the love that was given to the East Coast, and I thought for sure Tupac was rolling in his grave, and the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson was totally upset ... like, 'What is up with that?' " she said. Perry took it upon herself to do them proud. "I thought it would be perfect timing for a California anthem, and especially one from a female perspective, because there's never really ever been a female perspective about California," she said. "And everyone wondered about our little state." Don't get Perry wrong: She means no disrespect to her East Coast counterparts. "I love New York girls," she clarified. "I think they're hot, and I think they have a lot of attitude, but I'm telling you: When it comes wintertime, they're all gonna be singing 'California Gurls.' " Do you think "California Gurls" was a fitting response to "Empire State of Mind"? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Scoop DeVille Is Crafting A 'Futuristic' Sound That's All His Own Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'People are like, 'What did you sample?' I'm like, 'Uriah Heep,' ' Scoop says of mining rock collection for rap bangers.
Behind the Beats: Scoop DeVille Frost is such a veteran, he's an O.G. among O.G.s. Dr. Dre used to be his DJ back in the '80s. And when Frost (originally known as Kid Frost) pioneered in 1992 with his Hispanic Causing Panic debut, his son, little Scoop DeVille was only 2 years old. In 2009, Scoop broke through himself by producing Snoop Dogg's blockbuster "I Wanna Rock." Everyone from Jay-Z to Ludacris eventually jumped on the track in various official and unofficial remixes. Then he gave Fat Joe two bangers in "(Ha Ha) Slow Down" and "No Problems," and laced N.O.R.E. with the Flavor Flav-inspired "Nutcracker."
"I don't see Scoop as a real young producer really," Frost said, sitting next to his son in Scoop's Los Angeles studio. "I see him more as an old soul that's been in it for a long, long time. People are just barely finally discovering his sound, but man, he's been harboring a fresh, fresh sound in him for a long time. It's finally starting to sail now. It's finally starting to leave port and people are starting to jump on it." Scoop gives props to his pops for keeping music around him that would later influence his career. "That's all I was around man," Scoop says. "I was fortunate to not have that gang life and I got to be around the music and school. So I got to learn all of the hip-hop history and I got to meet a lot of these people who were hip-hop celebrities. Like the Eazy-E's, Ice T, and Snoop and Dre and it's like the list goes on, man. From people who were on the scene ... everybody, there's numerous people. I mean my music, just my hard drive and my brain is crazy: I have like classic rock. There's a crazy record, it's not just hip-hop, it's like [other genres] because that's what made hip-hop too" "I never really played that much rap in my house," Frost smiled. Instead, Scoop, who also rhymes, picked up most of his hip-hop away from home. "I got to learn my own stuff to a point where I was writing my own lyrics and recording my own songs," Scoop explained. "I would go back to a lot of old stuff. Lots of old-school records, '70s funk, reggae, I mean, there's so many, the Doors, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Marley, all that. Led Zeppelin, Beatles — that [sound] was a big influence on me, just the way that their music sounds so monstrous. I would love to take that and incorporate that in hip-hop. So now I got records with Xzibit that got crazy rock samples in them and people are like, 'What did you sample?' I'm like, 'Uriah Heep. You don't even know what that is.' That's hard rock heavy metal back in the day, 60's. And you know psychedelic, all that stuff. I love all kinds of music." Next Wave of Flav: On 50 Cent: "I haven't done anything with 50 yet. We just met. I worked with [Shady Records A&R] Riggs {Morales]. I was trying to get on Em's project a while back. We got a lot of things in the works with them. We try to keep it cool with everybody. It's definitely a new sound what we're trying to do. I wanna have everybody involved at all angles. It's good to see everybody come around. I definitely played them a few records. They're not looking for anything like I've been doing. They're looking for something real different. The records I'm playing for them are different, futuristic." On Busta Rhymes: "I got a few records on this new album. When that comes out, it's going to take the beat stuff to a whole 'nother level. This record he has coming out, we did three joints for it. Oh my God, the sh-- I gave Bus is ridiculous. I've met cats like David Banner and Swizz Beatz. They all got records on the album but they all say, 'You got the craziest record on the album.' " On the Clipse: "That was amazing. When we were in the lab, we were going beat for beat. They were picking everything. It came to a point where they were like, 'You're 10 for 10.' There was like 15, 16 beats and they were like, 'We're taking all these beats.' That was dope because they get beats from Pharrell. That's the number-one producer to me. Just to get that response from them and their management. That was a dope experience. They were a big inspiration for me making beats in high school." On Raekwon the Chef: "Rae's a real cool cat. We were in the lab until 3 in the morning listening to beats. He took records for a new Wu record, he took records for him and Ghost. He's gonna put me in contact with Ghost. Rae is cool. I have a lot of records for him, a lot of real grimy records." Hottest Streak Thus Far? For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| 'Jersey Shore' At The Beachcomber Bar: Owner Talks Snooki And Sushi Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'People come in every day looking for the cast,' Michael Carbone tells MTV News.
Though early episodes of the second season of "Jersey Shore" have shown Snooki, the Situation and their pals getting to know the hotspots in Miami Beach, the reality show will eventually follow them north, back to the familiar boardwalk of Seaside Heights, New Jersey. In fact, the cast is already there, taping episodes and taking the town by storm. They've become, in the words of T-shirt shop owner Danny Merk, "like the Beatles." One guy who has a front-row seat for the madness is Michael Carbone, who owns the Beachcomber Bar & Grill on the boardwalk. "We get a visit almost every day from the 'Jersey Shore' cast. They seem to come here and like the food," he told MTV News. "They're very healthy eaters."
Among their favorite eats are sushi and the buffalo chicken salad. And, as the stars chow down, customers flock in simply to watch them chew. Such is the odd life of a reality-TV star. The Beachcomber was also the scene of one of the first season's most notorious incidents, when Snooki got punched by a drunken wacko. "The famous Snooki punch, it happened right here," Carbone said. "It happened on a Tuesday night. Something beyond our control. We had a customer that was cut off and flagged. He just kind of snuck in there and was trying to steal a drink. Snooki was the only one telling him, 'Hey, cut it out.' I guess he hit her without realizing what he did." The occasional misconduct aside, Carbone said he and other Seaside business owners have welcomed the cast back to the boardwalk. "Business is up. It's helping our economy out," he explained. "People come in every day looking for the cast. We're hoping the show runs for years and years to come." Don't miss "Jersey Shore" every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos |
| 'Piranha 3D' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT Dive into the campy horror flick with these fun facts!
In a year when 3-D has seemed to take over the multiplex — you almost can't walk past the candy counter without dodging flying spacemen, fire-breathing dragons or Johnny Depp in a wacky top hat — "Piranha 3D" might win the award for most outrageous flick of them all. It might simply be the bloodiest and raunchiest film ever to be presented in three dimensions. It was actually a running debate among the cast, when we visited the Lake Havasu, Arizona, set in June 2009, whether the movie showcased more blood or more boobs. No definitive answer was ever reached.
Directed by horror maven Alexandre Aja ("The Hills Have Eyes"), the movie is the most high-tech installment of the "Piranha" horror/comedy franchise, a series spearheaded in 1978 by producer and schlock guru Roger Corman and then helmed by James Cameron in 1981. This time, the movie takes place during spring break, when thousands of hormone-addled college students descend on a sun-drenched resort spot just as an earthquake unleashes a swarm of prehistoric piranhas with a taste for blood. And boobs. Unlike those unfortunate spring breakers, MTV News is not unprepared for these nasty fishies. We've been tracking the production for years and now present a blood-soaked (though still family-friendly version of our big-screen cheat sheets: everything you need to know about "Piranha 3D." Before Disaster Strikes "It's going to be unique because it's going to be completely in 3-D," Aja told MTV News at Comic-Con in 2008. "I think people don't realize the effect of all the elements coming out from the screen at you. It's very traumatic." The film was supposed to go into production that same year but was eventually delayed because of weather and location concerns, as well as the general difficulties of shooting a 3-D film set on the waterfront. "There's so many problems that we're going to have to solve," Aja told us early in 2009. "After doing a movie with mirrors where it was kind of like a nightmare to avoid all the reflections, making a movie in 3-D underwater and on the water is going to be the biggest challenge." But the production delays did not damper the filmmakers' enthusiasm about the project. "We realized that, with the advent of 3-D, that we thought we could make the ultimate 'Jaws' for this generation," producer Mark Canton ("300") told us in early May '09. "It's a multi-invasion. You have the invasion of youth expecting to have that wild spring break, and then you have the invasion of this prehistoric, rather unpleasant species." By that point, the cast was in place: Elisabeth Shue as a local sheriff, Jerry O'Connell as an adult-entertainment producer, Jessica Szohr as a college student, Christopher Lloyd as a scientist and Richard Dreyfuss, returning to the water decades after his starring turn in "Jaws." Production kicked off days after our chat with Canton. Boobies and Blood "This movie is probably going to win the record of most dead people — and most blood and most nakedness and most everything," co-star Kelly Brook added. The shoot wrapped up at the end of the summer, and it wasn't without its perils. "I get claustrophobic, so when we were in a boat, I was kind of halfway under water at one point and it was like a really small little cage," Szohr told us. "I was freaking out, actually. I was like, 'I can't breathe! I can't get out of here!' " Before the summer-movie season kicked off in earnest, Aja gave MTV News a call to assure us that as bloody and breast-filled as we thought his movie was going to be, we had no idea what he had planned. "There's going to be 3-D double-D boobs!" he laughed. "I want to know exactly how many different girls' boobs are in the movie. I think it's a lot. I think blood-wise, I have to get the final number, but we are beyond anything you can even imagine." Don't Go in the Water A couple of months later, a few more clips popped up online, once again showcasing a ton of flesh and blood, a lovely boat ride that turns into a bikini-filled horror show, Shue going for an unexpected midnight swim and Szohr getting freaked out that "there's something in the water!" Indeed there is, Jessica. Indeed there is. "It's a fun horror movie," Scheer told us recently. "The same way when you saw 'Jaws,' and you were like, 'Oh, this is fun.' Lately a lot of horror is like, 'I'm going to cut your toe off with this razor blade.' This is going back to the date, fun horror movie." Check out everything we've got on "Piranha 3D." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 'Nanny McPhee Returns' Star Used Snail Mail To Woo A-Listers Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'I always send the script with a nice letter,' Emma Thompson says of casting Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor.
Despite her less than comely appearance, the magic-wielding Nanny McPhee delighted audiences enough in 2005 for her to make a second trip to theaters in this week's "Nanny McPhee Returns." When MTV News caught up with the film's star and screenwriter, Emma Thompson, she told us that taking on dual roles is "hugely satisfying." She also had no complaints about the hours spent in the makeup chair, calling them a reward for having spent a "few years writing the story."
The story is kid-centric and full of fantasy-like surprises — piglets that perform a synchronized swimming routine in a pond, a baby elephant and goat that spend a night in children's beds — and boasts appearances by esteemed actors Ralph Fiennes and Ewan McGregor. When we asked Thompson how she managed to snag the two busy men for the film, the Oscar-winner said it all came down to a simple exchange of favors. "Well, you know, just one or two quite simple sexual favors, and that was it," Thompson joked. "Not much [effort was required], really. Not bad, they were very generous," she laughed, adding, "I should be so lucky, quite frankly." The real story is that Thompson used good old-fashioned snail mail. "I always send the script with a nice letter, 'Look, you know, if you fancy it, would you?' And they both said yes immediately," Thompson explained. "I'm very grateful to them because they're both wonderful." Thompson also dished about how both she and Fiennes had appeared in at least one "Harry Potter" film, a feat that seemed to have been accomplished by every working actor in the U.K. Thompson plays kooky sometimes-psychic Professor Trelawney. "Absolutely everyone in equity has been in it," she joked of the franchise's lengthy cast list. "Including all my family, practically, my sister just finished. I don't know what the name of her character is; she's got a major role in this last one." Check out everything we've got on "Nanny McPhee Returns." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| 'The Switch' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT Don't get mixed up: Check out all our fun facts about the Jennifer Aniston/ Jason Bateman romantic comedy.
In case you've missed all the talk of bodily fluids and "basting" around MTV News this week, we've been gearing up for Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman's new romantic comedy, "The Switch," which opened Friday (August 20).
In brief, the story revolves around BFFs Wally (Bateman) and Kassie (Aniston). One day, Kassie informs Wally that she's ready to have a baby via a sperm donor, and Wally is surprised, to say the least. Kassie moves on with her plan, enlists a donor whom she dubs "the Viking," played by Patrick Wilson, and Wally manages to crash the scene and mess up the donation and ends up replacing it with his own. Kassie moves away to have the baby, and no one figures out the switch until many years later. We've been following the film from its humble beginnings, cast additions, title changes, trailers, etc. Here is everything you need to know about "The Switch"! The Aniston/Bateman team-up was initially announced as "The Baster" in February 2009, a title that raised a few eyebrows. When our Hollywood Crush caught up with screenwriter Allan Loeb to discuss the film just two weeks later, the studio's marketing department had already set the wheels in motion to change the title. "As a movie title, it doesn't seem to be as exciting to the powers that be that are going to have to market it," Loeb explained to MTV News. "So the title will change. "I can tell you that the movie is wonderful," he added. "I am very proud of it and very happy with it. ... Fans of Jason Bateman and Jennifer are going to be very happy and very excited to see their performances in this picture." Loeb went on to compare the Aniston/Bateman chemistry in the film to that of "When Harry Met Sally." "The chemistry between them isn't as much they're going to rip each others' clothes off and you want to see them go to town on each other. It's much more 'Harry Met Sally,' " Loeb explained. "It's much more fun. It's a lot of good banter, if I do say so myself, as I wrote it. But it's a lot of good banter, and it's real shorthand between them." Earlier this year, the first trailer debuted, along with the film's new title. Hollywood Crush awarded points to the studio's marketing team for not revealing the entire plot of the film, as trailers sometimes do. After the trailer and new title dropped, news about the film was almost nil for several months. A couple of weeks ago, a new clip was released, and at that point, it was time for us to attend the film's press day, during which we learned a lot about the "basting" process and a bonus fact from Aniston: she's "obsessed" with MTV's own "Warren the Ape." Last but most certainly not least, MTV News attended the Hollywood premiere, where we posed a very important question to the cast: Which fluid is the sexiest to donate — sperm or blood? Check out everything we've got on "The Switch." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
| 'The Switch': Fluid Situation, By Kurt Loder Posted: 19 Aug 2010 03:48 AM PDT Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman and the search for a kid in a cup
"The Switch" is set in that fantasy Manhattan, familiar from Woody Allen movies, in which everyone seems to be a highly compensated white professional and all ethnic coloration has been drained away. The movie wants us to care about these people's problems — which include things like imaginary medical maladies — but many viewers may wish that such trifling complaints were the only ones they had. Jennifer Aniston plays Kassie Larson, a top TV producer who's facing 40 and desperate to have a child. Jason Bateman is Wally Mars, a stock trader who was once Kassie's boyfriend but is now simply her best pal — although of course he still secretly pines for her love. Kassie has never found the right guy to have a family with, so she's decided to go the artificial-insemination route. She's found the ideal donor in a guy named Roland (Patrick Wilson), who's both a hearty jock and an assistant professor of feminist theory at Columbia University. Obviously Mr. Right, at least for purposes of impregnation. Do women desirous of offspring actually throw "I'm Getting Pregnant" parties at which their chosen sperm donor arrives bearing baby juice in a plastic cup? Kassie does. Unfortunately, Wally is among the many friends in attendance, and he gets drunk, stumbles into the bathroom, finds Roland's cup, accidentally spills its contents, and then — using a magazine photo of Diane Sawyer for stimulation — brings forth his own seminal contribution, which he leaves to be passed off as Roland's. Wally is so drunk that the next day he doesn't remember doing this. Two weeks later, Kassie announces she's pregnant. She relocates to Minnesota to raise the child she'll soon be having. Seven years later she returns to New York with her little boy, Sebastian (Thomas Robinson). She reconnects with Wally — who's still in the dark about what he did at the party that night, and doesn't realize Sebastian is his son — but also with Roland, who quickly develops a romantic interest in her. And so forth. Romantic comedies aren't often an arena for violence, but this one's different — the movie's script continually manhandles its characters into situations of brazen implausibility. The picture does have some funny moments, mostly provided by Jeff Goldblum, as Wally's distracted boss (Goldblum always seems to have another, more interesting conversation going on in his head while he's delivering his character's lines); and by Juliette Lewis, who enlivens a few scenes with her blowsy, wisecracking energy. ("I've had orgasms that last longer than his relationships.") And Robinson is unusually engaging as little Sebastian — he's a cute kid with a surprisingly wry intelligence. It's too bad that Bateman, so expert at underplaying comic characters, has a character here that's so thinly conceived it can't bear much underplaying. Wally — who exhibits none of the sharkish élan we might expect of someone in his line of work — is a downbeat lump, and after a while, as he fails over and over again (and ever more unconvincingly) to break the news that he's the father of Kassie's son, we understand why he might seem a poor romantic choice for any woman. This leaves a charisma deficit that would have to be filled by Aniston. She's an appealing comic actress, but after 17 years of making feature films, she's still handicapped by the mild effect of the TV star she once was. Will she ever really surprise us, or excite us? Or will we always just be friends? Check out everything we've got on "The Switch." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
| 'Camp Rock 2' Star Demi Lovato Dishes On 18th Birthday Plans Posted: 20 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT Jonas Brothers say they got tourmate what every girl wants: 'a NASA space shuttle.'
Happy Birthday, Demi Lovato! The "Camp Rock 2" star turned 18 on Friday (August 20) and she admits she has no idea what to wish for. But she does know exactly how she wants to spend it. "I'm turning 18, yeah. I would love to ... I don't know! I would love to just have fun with my friends," she told MTV News at the New York premiere this week of "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam," where co-star Joe Jonas showed off his own 21st birthday present.
"I don't get to see my friends a lot, so a lot of my friends are coming out [to visit]," said Lovato, who'll be performing in the New York area this weekend. "My family flew out. I'm just having a good time with them." So what does she want now that she's legal? "I have everything I could possibly want," she told us. "Everyone's asking me, 'What do you want for you birthday?' I'm like, 'I don't know! Handbags?' Like, I have everything I could want. I'm just thankful." Well, it turns out her pals, the Jonas Brothers, already know what they're getting for her. "It's Demi's birthday in a couple days, like two days," Nick said. "I'm gonna get her... I can't say 'cause I do have the gift. We have it. We have it somewhere." "She's in hearing distance," Kevin warned of keeping the gift under wraps before Joe let the cat out of the bag. "[We got her a] NASA space shuttle. Fine!" What would you give Demi for her 18th birthday? Share your ideas in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Drake And Lil Wayne's 'Miss Me' Video Premieres Posted: 19 Aug 2010 05:05 AM PDT The now-incarcerated Weezy appears projected on a wall throughout the clip.
Drake's "Miss Me" video featuring Lil Wayne debuted Thursday night (August 19) on MTV. The clip starts with a man in a hood standing in an alley. He's lighting up a Molotov cocktail and throwing it at the wall. The music starts, and we see Drake performing against a white backdrop, but the shot is wide and reveals a black setting as well.
The action cuts to a sexy woman dancing in a room alone, and later we see Drake in that same room, sitting on the floor as the woman shakes it for him. "Miss Me" has heavy performance scenes throughout Drizzy's verse, and then we see a TV set in the alley. Lil Wayne appears on the wall in the alley rapping, and he again is shown on the wall in the room where Drake and the girl are, like a projection. The Birdman and most of Wayne and Drake's Young Money family appear in the video as well. As the video comes to a close, it's revealed that Drake was the man in the hood at the beginning of the clip. "Miss Me" was directed by Anthony Mandler, who has helmed all of Drake's Thank Me Later videos. " 'Miss Me,' it was something I was so excited to do," Drake said recently on the set of another Mandler clip, for "Fancy." "It was something not a lot of people expected me to do, especially with Wayne being in the situation he's in. We did it as a team, held Wayne down. All the Young Money big dawgs came down — the men of Young Money — to show the muscle, to show we still in full effect. It's a great piece. It's darker than the feel of the song. It's got very much like a youth-in-revolt, rebellious feel to it. I wanted to be aggressive, man. That was my chance to flex my little 'We did it. We're still here. Young Money is still in demand.' And to deliver a message that I feel very strong about. I'm not trying to be the best in the world. I don't think that's possible. There's always somebody better than you. I just hope they miss me, man. So this is it. 'Miss Me.' " The next video Drake and Mandler will shoot is for "Show Me a Good Time." What did you think of the "Miss Me" video? Does it make you miss Lil Wayne? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Exclusive: Raekwon Talks Finished Justin Bieber Remix With Kanye West Posted: 19 Aug 2010 06:38 AM PDT 'I definitely didn't give him anything that I thought was too hot to be spoken on by a 16-year-old,' Rae tells MTV News.
Kanye West's Twitter spawned one of the most talked-about (and unexpected) musical collaborations in years — and the song was only finished Wednesday.
West and Justin Bieber started talking on Twitter a few days ago about making a remix of the Biebs' "Runaway Love." 'Ye suggested Raekwon get involved, and the next day, the Chef and the Louis Vuitton Don were in New York's Electric Lady Studios knocking out verses. "Kanye was just being Kanye," Rae told MTV News about the session. "He was definitely excited. The energy in the room was already speaking for itself. It was time to get up and have fun on the track together. We was drinking, laughing, being normal cats. At the same time, we had a houseful of celebrities in the house as well. [Kanye] was moving through the facility checking out the studios he had. He had three studios in there. "You had Akon in the building. Mos Def was just chillin'. Mos is a good friend of 'Ye's," Rae added. "You had Charlie Wilson, the legendary cat from the Gap Band. Chris Rock walked in. These are guys that really respect who 'Ye is. 'Ye's energy is cool. He's a normal cat. A normal Chicago/world cat. Very mature. Having a great time." Rae said his followers on Twitter alerted him that Kanye and JB were talking on their pages about collaborating and had brought his name up. He didn't hesitate to let them know he wanted in. "This is a conversation that extended from the Twitter thing," the Staten Island general explained. "Kanye was having a conversation with Justin over the Twitter. They came up with this great idea to have me involved. I was told to check it out and see what they talking about. They was right. They was saying, 'This is something Kanye and Justin want to do.' So automatically, first thing I do is hit them back and say I'm with it. Definitely, it created a movement. A lot of people want to see what could be the outcome to this remix. It's definitely a hot remix." For the past year, most of Rae's accolades have been coming via his raw street music, most exemplified by 2009's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II LP. Obviously, Rae didn't go into the "Pyrex Vision" or "Surgical Gloves" zone with his rhymes for Bieber's fanbase. "All I did was ride the beat and listen to what he was singing to," Chef said of his rhymes on the "Runaway Love" remix. "I can go basic when I want to. I can go rated R, I can go rated PG. I definitely didn't give him anything that I thought was too hot to be spoken on by a 16-year-old. I know how to read beats, and listening to the record, I just complemented. At the end of my 16 [bars], when you do hear Justin coming, it fits and it's a great sound. I didn't go crazy. One thing people gotta recognize about me, I'm the Chef. I know how to make spicy food, I know how to make food that ain't spicy. I made something that fit the criteria. "Me and Kanye are just here to sprinkle a little bit more love on this man's success and all our success," he added. Rae didn't exactly have Bieber Fever before this collabo, but he respects the teen's work. Chef said he recognized Bieber's star quality and potential when he saw him perform last year. The MC hasn't heard an entire Justin album yet, but his kids are big fans. The "Runaway Love" remix has also sparked the opportunity for more Raekwon/ Kanye West collaborations. "We sat down and we talked about it, we talked about doing things in the future. This is just the beginning," the Wu-Tang co-founder revealed. "This is something that was supposed to happen a long time ago. He started throwing on them tracks, ideas started coming to my head. I was like, 'If this cat produces a Rae and Ghost record, what could come out of it?' Every album, he evolves. He's always doing the extra, or absurd, the abnormal, but it sounds crazy." On Tuesday, Rae released his Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II: Gold Edition on iTunes. The set includes new songs, remixes and music videos. The project helps commemorate the 15th anniversary of his classic first Linx. Are you excited to hear the "Runaway Love" remix? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Chelsea Handler: Four Things To Know About 2010 VMA Host Posted: 18 Aug 2010 10:16 PM PDT Comedian has written two New York Times best-sellers and has an affinity for rappers.
For the nearly 1 million viewers who tune in to watch "Chelsea Lately" every night on E!, host Chelsea Handler is the equivalent of a catty best girlfriend whose barbed opinions on celebrities are like a copy of Us Weekly come to life, only way, way funnier. Since she started hosting the half-hour show in 2007 as a relative unknown, Handler has grown to become one of the most in-demand female comedians on the stand-up circuit, launched a successful career as a humor author and, most importantly, landed the gig as host of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, making her the first XX-chromosome holder to get the gig in 15 years.
But what do you need to know about Handler before tuning in? She really, really likes rappers: Handler has made no secret of her infatuation with rappers, batting her eyes and indulging in long hugs and flirty conversations with everyone from Snoop Dogg to Fat Joe, Pharrell and the most consistent object of her affections, T.I. The King of the South paid a visit to Handler just before he went away to prison for a year on weapons charges in 2009, during which she apparently came through on her promise to send him adult reading material. After he was sprung, she asked him about his time behind bars in June when he made a return visit. She also recently replaced the usual gaggle of comedians on her nightly roundtable with a trio of rappers that included Rick Ross, Lil Jon and Big Boi. She sells tons of books: Two of Handler's three books have hit the #1 slot on the New York Times Best Seller list, including 2008's essay collection "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" as well as this year's "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang." Her salacious 2005 memoir, "My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands," was on the best-seller list for 80 weeks. She's appeared alongside "Hangover" star Ken Jeong in a TV show: Handler was part of the ensemble cast of the short-lived Oxygen reality comedy series "Girls Behaving Badly," which also featured Jeong. She was a correspondent for the first run of Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" and has appeared since 2007 on the Web series "In the Motherhood," which also stars her real-life pal, Jenny McCarthy. Justin Bieber totally tried to score a date with her: Despite a 20-year age difference, a then-15-year-old Bieber got very comfy with Handler when he appeared on her show in 2009, just as his career was beginning to take off. In addition to a series of sly winks, Bieber gave the host some advice on how to flirt, and they bonded about getting B-12 shots in the butt. "I think you're a lot cooler than they are," Bieber said when asked if he'd rather be hanging with friends such as Usher and Justin Timberlake. "You seem like a really sweet boy — don't let this town ruin you," she said. "So, tonight at 7?" he responded with a smile. Handler will work the mic at this year's Video Music Awards, which air live from Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET. This is the first time the L.A.-based star will host the event, where celebs like Lady Gaga, Eminem, Drake, Usher and Katy Perry are up for Moonmen. Among the performers set to hit the stage are Kanye West, B.o.B, Florence and the Machine and her former flirt buddy, Bieber. The talk-show diva is the latest in a long list of comics to handle hosting duties at the VMAs. In 1985, Eddie Murphy took the cameras backstage at Radio City Music Hall and surprised guests with an impromptu visit to the ladies' room. Arsenio Hall presided over the festivities four years in a row, armed with a collection of DayGlo suits and a quick wit that sparked the requisite barking chorus from the crowd. Fellow late-night comic Jimmy Fallon kicked off his 2002 hosting duties with an amped-up musical number. Chris Rock helped MTV turn 20 in 2003, delivering a memorable opening monologue that rivaled the infamous Madonna/ Britney Spears/ Christina Aguilera smooch. Potty-mouthed Brit Russell Brand flexed his skills on two different coasts, hosting in Hollywood in 2008 and returning the next year to helm the 2009 VMAs' New York City homecoming. The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for the winners from now through September 12. Related Photos |
| Soulja Boy Tell'em Calls Justin Bieber's YouTube Game 'Crazy' Posted: 19 Aug 2010 08:17 AM PDT 'For him to be younger than me and have that amount of people tune in to him,' he says on 'RapFix Live.'
Does Soulja Boy Tell'em have to watch his back online? Justin Bieber has taken SB's digital playbook (YouTube, Twitter, etc.) and used it to catapult him to success. But when the two Twitter rivals — SB has more than 2 million followers to Bieber's gang of more than 4 million — connected to shoot a Nickelodeon movie earlier this year, they discovered they were actually fans of each other's work.
"He told me how he liked my songs and stuff like that," Soulja Boy revealed during "RapFix Live" on Thursday (August 19). "And I was really going off the stuff I saw on YouTube," he told host Sway of the Biebs. "His YouTube views was up there, and for me coming off of YouTube, that's crazy ... for him to be younger than me and have that amount of people tune in to him." But while SB didn't make any plans, at least on-air, to collaborate with Bieber, he did accept an offer to record together from last week's "RapFix Live" guest, Lloyd Banks. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old rapper is putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming album, The DeAndre Way, which is set for a fall release. His tentative next single is the Boi-1da-helmed "Speakers Going Hammer." "Basically, it's all about the sound of the music," SB told MTV News last month about the track. "I got bars on this one. First verse, second verse, all bars — another anthem, as far as the hook. The hook is catchy. The video is gonna match the song perfect. And it's another hit. Who do you follow on Twitter: Soulja Boy, Justin Bieber or both? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Drake Confirms November 5 Lil Wayne Homecoming Concert Posted: 19 Aug 2010 08:48 AM PDT Drizzy also pleads with Wiz Khalifa to join him on Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour during Ustream broadcast.
Drake is doing it big right now. The Toronto MC's debut album, Thank Me Later, is platinum, he's about to headline his upcoming Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour and he's just notched 1 million Twitter followers. With that type of success, there's probably very little that is out of the lyricist's reach. But Drake revealed that there is one thing he wants that he hasn't been able to secure yet: snagging Wiz Khalifa as his tourmate.
"I had a little bit of a fan moment, I tried to get this third cat on my tour," Drizzy told more than 30,000 fans who logged on to check him out live on Ustream on Thursday (August 19). The broadcast came on the heels of the premiere of his "Miss Me" video with Lil Wayne. Apparently, Drake was keeping his plan to add another act to his tour on the low. "You know we was trying to get Wiz on the tour," he said, simultaneously informing listeners and his team who were hanging out in the room and clearly didn't know what he was referring to. The MC then addressed his fans once again: "Hopefully, the Light Dreams [and] Nightmares Tour, depending on what city we go to, it'll be Clipse, Bun B and Wiz Khalifa. That's what I'm hoping. I don't know, maybe I spoke too soon." Clipse were already confirmed to join the Young Money MC on the road, along with Houston O.G. Bun B, when the tour kicks off on September 20 in Miami. The chart-topping singer and rapper asked the "Hottest Breakthrough MC" directly about possibly joining the fall tour. "If Wiz by any chance watches this, you gotta make some calls for me and make this happen," Drake said. "We got that young energy right now, we need to go out here and kill these people." In addition to making his plea for a more Taylor Gang-friendly Light Dreams tour lineup, the MC said he really wants to work with producer 9th Wonder on the follow-up to Thank Me Later. "9th, can we start this next album please?" Drake asked. "Because I know you in the studio," he added, urging the North Carolina artist to work on his sophomore effort, which Drizzy hopes to release by next year. The rapper also revealed that he initially wanted the ex-Little Brother beatsmith to contribute to Later, but wasn't able to make it happen. "I'd greatly appreciate it if we could get some work done because I know last time we weren't able to do that." While his touring and production rosters are still up in the air, Drake said he could confirm to fans that one particular event is a definite: a homecoming concert for Lil Wayne. "November 5, the Welcome Home Weezy concert," Drake said. Although he didn't reveal the location, Drizzy assured fans they wouldn't want to miss it. "That's gonna be crazy," Drizzy smiled. "I told you I got you. I would never just Ustream and talk about nothing." Do you think Drake and Wiz Khalifa should tour together? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| MTV And Get Schooled Host 'Waiting for 'Superman' ' Screening Posted: 19 Aug 2010 06:38 AM PDT Students sound off to MTV News' Sway about school-themed doc by 'An Inconvenient Truth' director.
CHICAGO — The American education system is failing a large segment of the population. Need proof? The current generation of students will be less literate than the one before it, according to a new documentary. MTV teamed up with the Get Schooled campaign to host a screening this week in Chicago of "Waiting for 'Superman.' " The upcoming doc from award-winning director Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth") explores the flaws crippling some of America's schools.
Members of various Chicago youth groups were invited to the private screening and MTV News' Sway Calloway moderated a post-screening talk. In the film, Davis gets into the reasons why many students face not only illiteracy issues but grim futures. Get Schooled is a national organization dedicated to promoting the importance of education and achieving goals like working with schools to increase high school and college graduation rates. The groupmembers in attendance, many of whom said they could relate to the troubling educational experiences depicted in the doc, expressed gratitude that someone was finally tackling the topic onscreen. "I thought the film was really great. It showed the problems in education are big but there are little steps that we can take to start addressing it," said Royal, a student from the City Year organization. Many of the students echoed that sentiment, saying starting small could make a difference. "Right now, I have to start out small," Jasmine said. "Helping my little sister and brother ... by being a positive mentor for them and getting them in the proper mindset, like, 'She came from [public schools], she's doing it, we can do it too.' " A public high school dropout, Jasmine fought through the system and now attends college. She insisted that helping her younger siblings is her first step toward helping in a small-scale way. Another startling statistic revealed in the film is that a child who doesn't finish high school will earn less and be eight times more likely to go to prison. It's a claim that will no doubt spark more discussion, even heated debate, when the film gets its limited release on Sept 24. Whether you're a student, graduate, sibling or parent, "Waiting for 'Superman,' " will probably strike a nerve. For filmmaker Davis, the best outcome would be to get the country moving toward a solution, even if it is only one small step at a time. Do you think the American education system needs fixing? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. |
| Britney Spears May Cover 'Me Against The Music' On 'Glee' Posted: 19 Aug 2010 07:28 AM PDT Pop star tweeted a photo showing her and castmember Heather Morris sporting looks from Madonna duet video.
It appears viewers may get a taste of Madonna in Britney Spears' "Glee" episode. Spears, who has been sending out updates from the set of the Fox megahit, tweeted a picture of herself in a scene reminiscent of her Madonna collaboration, "Me Against the Music." In the picture, Spears faces "Glee" castmember Heather Morris, who is decked out in a suit and blue shirt similar to the gender-bending look the superstar singer sports in the 2003 video. Instead of reprising her original look, though, Spears appears to be taking on Madonna's role, donning an all-white outfit reminiscent of Madge's look in the clip. The singer accompanied the picture with a Twitter missive referencing the lyrics from the uptempo track: "All my GLEEKERS in the crowd, Grab a partner take it down." In addition to possibly revamping "Me Against the Music," the upcoming Britney tribute episode will feature the smash hit that started it all. Jenna Ushkowitz confirmed to MTV News earlier this month that Lea Michele will perform a version of " ... Baby One More Time." Ushkowitz also revealed that fans may see a match-up between the "Circus" superstar and the show's in-house Brittany. "Some old Britney, some new Britney, some Brittany of our Brittany from the glee club. So it should be funny," Ushkowitz said. "We're really excited. I love Britney Spears." Madonna didn't participate in the making of her "Glee" tribute episode but Spears appears to be having fun on the set. "We love GLEE! Its GLEEKERIFIC!!!" Spears tweeted on Thursday (August 19). The singer also tweeted about her first day of filming on Wednesday and sent out another picture. "What's up GLEEKS? Having so much fun on set!!" Spears typed. "Can't wait for you guys to see the episode!" What songs do you hope will turn up in the Britney Spears "Glee" episode? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Wyclef Jean Excluded From Haiti Presidential Candidates List Posted: 19 Aug 2010 07:55 AM PDT 'He is not on the list,' an electoral official told Reuters on Thursday.
Wyclef Jean's Haitian Presidential run might be cut short. According to Reuters, Jean is not on the list of approved candidates who were found to have satisfied legal requirements to run in the country's November 28 presidential election. Since the rapper announced his bid for office on "Larry King Live" earlier this month, his plans have been met largely with enthusiasm from the country's residents, but he has been challenged on one key presidential requirement: residency. "He is not on the list as I speak," an electoral official told Reuters, citing legal requirements that Jean does not meet as the reason for his exclusion. However, the official would not reveal which specific requirements the singer has failed to meet. Wyclef, who left Haiti with his family to live in New York at the age of 9, said on CNN that he was running because he felt he had been "drafted by the population," in the wake of the country's devastating January earthquake. "After January 12 ... being out here with my wife and picking up dead bodies from the ground, I felt that because of the youth of Haiti and the population, that this is not even Wyclef saying that 'I want to be the president of Haiti.' I feel like I'm being drafted by the population right now to give them a different face, a different voice," the singer explained. Wyclef has acknowledged his lack of political experience, but also argued that his position as a political outsider would work to his advantage. "What qualifies me to be president of Haiti, when I look at the past 200 years, with what our people have suffered, Wolf — political instability, coup after coup d'état — I feel that me running, it brings a neutral situation, meaning that Wyclef Jean can sit with any political party and have a conversation. I'm coming in neutral," he said. Wyclef has not yet responded to the latest news, but posted the following to his Twitter account on Thursday (August 19): "NEWS:::: I am speaking on Larry King tonight about the elections in Haiti, Tune in." Do you think Wyclef should be allowed to participate in Haiti's presidential elections? Tell us in the comments. Related Artists |
| Soulja Boy Says Kanye West Complimented His 'Dope-Ass Bars' Posted: 19 Aug 2010 05:53 AM PDT SB has also found a fan in Gucci Mane, he tells MTV News' Sway during 'RapFix Live.'
Soulja Boy Tell'em is one smart kid. The rapper/producer was asked by Kanye West to supply beats, and while SB had 'Ye's attention, he decided to slip him a couple of his own tracks to see if the "Power" rapper would comment on his improved skills.
"Recently, this single that I got on my album that ain't out yet, I had recorded it and I had sent it to Kanye," Soujla Boy told Sway during "RapFix Live" on Thursday (August 19). " 'Cause he asked me to send him some beats, and I just wanted to see what he thought abut it. So I sent him two songs. One of them was like on an R&B vibe; I was still spitting, though, but I was singing on the hook. And then one of them was just straight rapping. I sent them to him, and he typed back on e-mail, 'Those were some dope-ass bars. I like your verse on it.' That made me feel good." The "Pretty Boy Swag" star has been on a mission to up his lyricism on his next project, The DeAndre Way, after being criticized for simple rhymes on his first two albums, both of which were huge commercial successes. Earlier this year, SB told MTV News that West was a fan of his work. He also told Sway on Thursday that, in addition to Yeezy, Gucci Mane has become a supporter of the Twitter king's abilities. "I been in the studio with Gucci, we did a song — me, him and Pharrell — and I spit a verse, and he told me I killed it," Soulja said. "Any time I get a compliment from somebody, that makes me want to step up my game and get better with my music." What do you think about Soulja Boy Tell'em's improved flow? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Miranda Kerr And Orlando Bloom Expecting A Baby Posted: 19 Aug 2010 05:05 AM PDT Victoria's Secret model and 'Lord of the Rings' star got married last month.
Newlyweds Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom have swiftly headed into the next chapter of their domestic bliss: Kerr confirmed that the couple are expecting their first child. "Yes, I am pregnant. Four months along," Kerr told Spanish Vogue, according to People. The Victoria's Secret model said it was initially difficult to keep news of the pregnancy quiet. "I remember on one occasion in the early days [of my pregnancy] when it was still too soon to say anything, and I had a dreadful time at one job." The pair confirmed their engagement in June and tied the knot just last month. Kerr announced the nuptials when she nixed an appearance at Australian department store David Jones to join Bloom at the altar. "David Jones very graciously released me during this period so we could celebrate an intimate ceremony and honeymoon together," Kerr said in the statement. "I'm very much a part of the David Jones Family and I am very committed to my role. I am enormously grateful to David Jones to have been given this time to enjoy such a special moment in my life." The couple began dating in 2007 but didn't hit the scene publicly until April 2008. "We were friends for a while, and then it just developed into a little more," Kerr told Hello! magazine in September 2008. Kerr told Page Six magazine in the same year that she expected to abandon her globe-trotting career in favor of a more low-key, family-oriented lifestyle. "I've always wanted kids, so ... someday ... eventually, yes, it will happen," she said. "My ideal situation would be to live on a farm in a solar-powered house with a hammock and a vegetable patch. When this is all over, that's where I'll be." Share your well-wishes for the couple in the comments! |
| Eminem Talks Retirement, 'Rapping At 50' Posted: 19 Aug 2010 01:38 AM PDT 'Honestly, I don't know how much longer I have in this game,' Em tells Vibe.
After more than a decade in the business, Eminem remains a hip-hop heavyweight, one who can still sell records as if it were the pre-Internet era. So it's hard to imagine what the music scene would be like if he wasn't around. Aside from remembering his "8 Mile" co-star Brittany Murphy in Vibe's 15th-anniversary "Juice" issue, Em also opens up about his inevitable retirement from the rap game. "Honestly, I don't know how much longer I have in this game," the 37-year-old MC told Vibe. "I'm always going to love hip-hop. But how much longer am I going to still do it? I couldn't give you an answer. But the day that this is not better than the last will probably be the day I stop." Despite his love for the game, the Detroit native said that even if he were to continue to get in the studio, he doubts he would release the music as a middle-aged MC. "I do love it so much. But even if I was rapping at 50, I don't know if I would put it out. I know it always makes me feel better to lay things to tape, and — 'lay the tape.' See, I'm old school," he said. In the August/September issue, Em also proves he can be his own worst critic, calling some of his previous material "mediocre." But he said that it's the fans who will ultimately decide his hip-hop fate. "The fans might say the sh-- is garbage. You don't how long people are going to want you around ... Realistically, if I don't rap, what the f--- am I going to do? It's too late to just be unfamous right now at this point," he admitted. Slim Shady is probably right about it being too late for him to fade into obscurity, but by the looks of things he probably has no reason to worry about losing his fanbase. His latest effort, Recovery, is smashing the competition and it sits atop next week's Billboard albums chart with sales of 133,000 pushing it past the 2.1 million mark in just eight weeks. How do you think the rap game would hold up without Eminem? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Chelsea Handler Reveals Her Plans As VMA Host Posted: 19 Aug 2010 03:27 AM PDT 'I'll be myself — that I can promise,' she says on Ryan Seacrest's radio show.
While Chelsea Handler will no doubt employ her outrageous late-night shtick as host of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, that doesn't mean she's not going to play nice. On Thursday (August 19), the comedian talked to Ryan Seacrest on his radio show about why she's pumped about her hosting gig and her plans to reunite Kanye West and Taylor Swift.
"I'm pretty excited, because it's such a big hip-hop and rap year, and I just love having those guys on my show, and they have the best senses of humor anyway," she said. "I'm hoping we can do some really fun stuff with these A-holes. I want to go and film some ridiculous stuff and see if Kanye, if we can do something with Kanye, because I always talk about Kanye, so he seems like he'd be in on the fun. We just had our first couple of meetings the last couple of weeks, and then we'll figure out a plan. I'll be myself — that I can promise." But Handler doesn't just want to engage Mr. West in some VMA fun; she's also eyeing Taylor Swift. "I'd like to get them together is what I'd like to get, because you've never really seen them together since then," she said of the music superstars. "They were supposed to be on 'SNL,' but then that didn't end up happening. I don't know. We'll try and think of something clever to do with them, because that would be really fun. Everyone loves Taylor Swift, and Kanye's ... Kanye." A reunion between the rapper and country songstress would make for a highlight after West's stage invasion during Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video last year. Since the onstage fiasco, Swift has poked fun at the incident and accepted the rapper's "very sincere" apology. Kanye is set to perform at this year's ceremony, and Taylor is nominated for Best Female Video ("Fifteen"). Would you like to see a Kanye and Taylor reunion at this year's VMAs? Share your thoughts below! The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for the winners from now through September 12. Related Photos |
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