MTV News |
- Katy Perry Lives The 'Teenage Dream': A VMA Cheat Sheet!
- Chris Brown, Tyga Planning <i>Fan Of A Fan</i> Tour
- Weezer's 'Memories' Video: Watch Exclusive On-Set Footage!
- The Situation Hasn't Met 'Dancing With The Stars' Partner
- 50 Cent Gives Up Twitter To Work On Album
- Paris Hilton Tweets About Rumors After Cocaine Bust
- Bruno Mars Is '100 Percent' Done With Debut LP
- DJ Khaled Says An Eminem Collabo Would 'Rip The Streets Apart'
- 'My Soul To Take' Uses 3-D 'Subtly,' Wes Craven Says
- Audrina Patridge's 'Dancing With The Stars' Partner 'Pumps' Her Up
- 'Catfish' Filmmakers Respond To 'Is It Real?' Debate
- Justin Bieber Joined By Miley Cyrus, Usher At New York Show
- Eminem Takes Us To Detroit For 1999 Interview
- 30 Seconds To Mars Plot 'Crazy' Entrance For 2010 VMAs
- Katy Perry, Russell Brand Hookup Detailed On 'VMAs: Revealed'
- Eminem And Jay-Z Concerts: Comparing The Ballparks
- Nicki Minaj Says Lil Wayne Had An 'Epiphany' In Prison
- Katy Perry's <I>Teenage Dream</I> Ends Eminem's Chart Run
- Soulja Boy Tell'em Plans 'Teenage Millionaire' Book
- Nas Gets 'Nasty' On 'Last Real, Part 2'
| Katy Perry Lives The 'Teenage Dream': A VMA Cheat Sheet! Posted: 02 Sep 2010 03:50 AM PDT Twice-nominated pop star owns the summer of 2010 with just-released album.
Katy Perry kissed a girl and liked it back in 2008, but since then, she's proven that she's more than just a pop singer who dresses like a pinup and makes kooky little tunes. Perry has established herself as a woman to be reckoned with, and she has two chances to take home a Moonman at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, airing live September 12 at 9 p.m.
Shortly after performing the opening number at the 2009 VMAs — and publicly flirting with her now-fiancé and the show's host Russell Brand — Perry set herself up to become one of the biggest pop stars on 2010 thanks to catchy tunes, sexy wardrobe choices and her fun, colorful personality. After taking the stage at Radio City Music Hall last year, Perry went on to host the MTV Europe Music Awards, perhaps taking some hosting cues from Brand. After she took her act to Europe, the "Waking up in Vegas" singer found out she had been nominated for a Grammy (spoiler alert: she didn't win). Perry and Brand celebrated their love by getting engaged in India on New Year's Eve. Perry then sat down at the judges' table on "American Idol," where she helped pick up some of Paula Abdul's slack. She later admitted she would "ditch her career" for a permanent spot on the show. Soon, 2010 would prove to be the year of Katy Perry. She was cast in the "Smurfs" flick, got slimed at the Kids' Choice Awards, topped Maxim's Hot 100 and began her reign as pop's ruling princess when she took the stage at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards and the world became obsessed with her "California Gurls." Fans became equally obsessed with the VMA-nominated video for the track, which not only has Perry wearing a whipped-cream bra, but also hanging out naked in a cotton-candy cloud, all in the name of defeating evil Snoop Dogg. The "California Gurls" video would help make the summer of 2010 the summer of Katy Perry, complete with a mini-beef with Lady Gaga over her use of religious imagery in her "Alejandro" video. Once a preacher's daughter, always a preacher's daughter. Nonetheless, her song reached the top of the charts and set up Teenage Dream to dismiss all sophomore-slump fears and debut atop the Billboard 200. But not before she hosted the Teen Choice Awards with some help from the guys of "Glee," released a sexy clip for "Teenage Dream" and was nominated for Best Pop Video and Best Female Video at the VMAs. It certainly seems like she's living a teenage dream. The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, 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 in general categories, including Best New Artist, from now through September 12. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Chris Brown, Tyga Planning <i>Fan Of A Fan</i> Tour Posted: 02 Sep 2010 03:50 AM PDT Tyga explains success of 'Deuces' to Mixtape Daily: 'The people chose the record.'
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive Chris Brown is in the #1 film in the country, "Takers," and now that he's done with Hollywood (for now), he's going back to the lab. "Me, I'm definitely writing on other people's projects. A lot of in-house stuff," Brown said recently in L.A. "I got a lot of artists coming out. The single 'Deuces' features one of my artists K-Mac and Tyga [from Young Money]. I'm pushing forward. The movie's out, so I'mma have fun."
"Deuces" is in the top 30 of Billboard's Hot 100 charts and #1 on urban radio. The record's success is simply due to fan support. It's part of Brown and Tyga's Fan of a Fan mixtape and skyrocketed once the video hit virally and on MTV Jams. "That was actually Chris' idea," Tyga told us about putting out a visual for the song. "I thought the record was dope. I thought it was dope for us to do that video. He got to explain his situation. It connects to his fans. His fans miss that from him. "I think the people chose the record," Tyga added. "We put the mixtape out, and we asked them: What record do you like the most? They was like, 'Deuces.' It was always coming up. It was growing on YouTube as well, like 100,000 views a day on YouTube. It was his idea to shoot the video. My homie Colin Tilly, he's done all my videos. He's done everything. All my mixtape stuff to the bigger stuff I'm doing now. He got it right. It's what people wanna see, what they wanna hear." Despite the overwhelming success of Fan of a Fan, Tyga said he and Chris aren't planning an official LP, but they are hitting the road together. "I don't think you wanna drown people too much," Tyga said about making a full album with Brown. "We've been doing a lot of stuff, though. He's on my album. We're actually working on a tour right now. A Fan of Fan Tour at the end of the year. It'll be dope." Tyga has an album coming out soon; it doesn't have a release date yet. But his next mixtape, Well Done, will hit within the next couple of weeks. It's going to be a Gangsta Grillz edition. "I feel like I had to deal with [DJ] Drama. He reminded of Wayne, when he did Dedication with him," Tyga explained. "[Wayne] was going in on every beat. All the mixtapes I've been dropping, they're close to albums. They're more songs. They have more content. This one, I wanted to rap on everybody's beat and murder every beat that's out. It's fun to do that. It's easy. I can knock that out real fast. I think Drama is dope when you wanna link up and murder beats like that." Some of the tracks Tyga is pilfering are Soulja Boy's "Pretty Boy Swag" and Nicki Minaj's "Your Love." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Weezer's 'Memories' Video: Watch Exclusive On-Set Footage! Posted: 02 Sep 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'Jackass' guys guest-star in the nostalgic clip.
It's somewhat fitting that Weezer recruited the "Jackass" guys to guest-star in their upcoming "Memories" video. After all, it's very much a song about looking back on the good ol' days — back when Audioslave was still Rage and, strangely enough, Johnny Knoxville and company used to run almost exclusively with Rivers Cuomo's crew.
"Yeah, Weezer and 'Jackass,' in a way, we go back a long way, since before any of us were successful," Cuomo told MTV News on the set of the video. "[In] '91, '92, we were hanging out together in Hollywood, Johnny Knoxville was known as 'PJ' back then, and I remember playing basketball with him a lot back then. He was like this good-looking, aspiring-actor guy, but for some reason, he was super sweet and nice to me, which I thought was interesting. He had nice manners." "I used to play tennis with Johnny Knoxville," Weezer drummer Pat Wilson added. "He nicknamed me 'the Albatross' because I had the long wingspan. I would always get to the ball. He wasn't very good." Luckily, there was no basketball — or tennis — being played last month in Sun Valley, California, where Weezer and the "Jackass" guys got together to film the "Memories" clip. But there was a whole lot of skateboarding (and screwing around), as Knoxville, Ryan Dunn, Chris Pontius, Wee-Man, Steve-O and the rest of the maniacs gave it their all: skating in an empty pool, wiping out, nearly killing themselves and — in one key scene — actually subbing for the guys in Weezer during a performance of the song. Filmed by "Jackass" vet Jeff Tremaine (on what appear to be Super 8 cameras), the video has a lo-fi, reckless vibe, recalling the old skate videos where Knoxville and his cohorts first rose to fame. It was all pretty amazing, to be honest. And now, thanks to the good folks at Weezer's brand-new home, Epitaph Records, you can check out some behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the "Memories" video, right now. It's fairly high-impact, so make sure you're wearing your helmet. Safety first, after all. Does the behind-the-scenes footage have you amped for the "Memories" video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| The Situation Hasn't Met 'Dancing With The Stars' Partner Posted: 01 Sep 2010 03:47 AM PDT 'We might try to implement the fist-pumping for the first episode,' Karina Smirnoff tells MTV News.
While most of the other couples are already prepping for the upcoming season of "Dancing With the Stars," there are two dancers who have yet to even meet. Karina Smirnoff and "Jersey Shore" star Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino haven't even spoken to each other yet, but Smirnoff is sure they will have a lot to catch up on when he does eventually make it to rehearsals sometime later this month. "I'm excited and nervous and I have all these weird emotions, but I'm mostly excited," Smirnoff told MTV News on Wednesday (September 1). "I think were literally the only couple who will only have about five days to get ready for the premiere on national television. Everyone else is going to have three and half weeks. We're gonna have maybe five days, so that part I'm very nervous about. I know I have to be very clever in the choreography, because five days is just not enough. Even if you're a professional dancer, it would be really, really tough to get ready. So we might try to implement the fist-pumping for the first episode." Smirnoff joked that she thinks that the Situation's only dancing experience is in Seaside Heights nightclubs, so she knows it's going to take some creative solutions on her end to make him look like a professional dancer. "Once I meet him for the first time, whenever he's here, that would be literally the first time I see him [and] I speak to him [and] I have any kind of contact with him, so leading up to that, I will try to create, like, variations, little pieces of choreography," she explained. "It's trial and error." And if fans think Sorrentino will just be showing up shirtless week after week, Smirnoff is hoping they can show a new side of the TV star. "I was thinking, again, it's all about seeing where his mind is. If that was up to me, we all know Mike as Mike 'The Situation' from 'Jersey Shore,' so I think it'd be nice to still have Mike as Mike that we know, but also show some more insight into him wearing a tuxedo, wearing something we've never seen. I hope we're able to give different sides of Mike. "He looks like he's in great physical shape, and that's a plus and a minus," she said. "I don't know if Michael is ready, but he's going to be stretched out to his limits, physically speaking." Will you be rooting for the Situation on "Dancing With the Stars"? Let us know in the comments! Don't miss "Jersey Shore" every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Photos |
| 50 Cent Gives Up Twitter To Work On Album Posted: 01 Sep 2010 06:57 AM PDT MC says he won't tweet until September 6 to work on The Return of the Heartless Monster.
50 Cent's Twitter followers are going to have to find other ways to amuse themselves this weekend. The MC says he's giving up tweeting to pen his next effort, The Return of the Heartless Monster. "Ok ladies and [gentlemen] I'm writing my new album. I will not be on twitter again till Sept 6," Fif wrote Wednesday (September 1). "This album will be a classic," added the MC, who announced the album title on Twitter. 50 has been putting in work on his new material. Swizz Beatz recently told MTV News that he has been in the studio with the G-Unit boss, after 50 reportedly shelved much of the dance-music-friendly sound he originally envisioned for his upcoming music. While the arrival of Kanye West and his multifaceted musings on the micro-blogging website has sparked major fanfare from fans and the media, 50's missives have ramped up in both frequency and ridiculousness over the past few weeks. Some days, Fif has been introspective and candid, sharing the inner-workings of his subconscious with followers. "Just woke up I had a dream I put stars On my head like baby [of Cash Money]. then I was at church they told me take my hat off I said I just wanta pray lol," 50 typed Sunday. "That'$ crazy why wa$ baby on my mind. oh I wa$ looking at old xxl magazine$ la$t night. anyway$hout out to baby I know that [hurt]." Other times, the Queens MC has added his voice to the public discourse about the state of the economy, and even doled out advice to our increasingly embattled president. "Obamas ratings are down cause he didn't include pimpin and hoein in stimulus package. Good hoes would boost male moral and fix the recession," 50 asserted Saturday. The "Baby by Me" rapper later added, "Sh-- I should run america. first thing I'd do is cut my taxes then tell yal chill the f--- out ima get to the rest of the problems. You know me and george bush was born on the same day july6. Speaking of birthdays everybody on twitter should send me just 1 dollar cool?" The Before I Self Destruct rapper has even mused about his tough childhood. "My aunt sylvia didnt like me growin up cause she was the baby till I came," 50 also wrote Saturday. "We had roaches so she put roach spray in a bowl and kill my dog." Of course, it wouldn't be 50's Twitter page if he didn't take a swipe at the competition. "I just looked at kanye page what the f--- kind a spaced out tweets are those," the MC typed earlier in the day. "F--- that I aint never looking at that sh-- again." Although 50 has built an empire on his super-tough persona, the MC has conceded that his words may be a wee bit harsh for his Twitter fans. "Look man I'm sorry I've been cursing," 50 said. "But f--- that sh-- I gotta express myself, bitch." Will you miss 50 on Twitter? What are you looking forward to on his next album? Chat in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Paris Hilton Tweets About Rumors After Cocaine Bust Posted: 01 Sep 2010 04:39 AM PDT 'I know the truth,' the reality starlet writes.
Paris Hilton appears to be learning that not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas — especially when you're a globe-trotting, high-profile heiress. On Friday, the reality starlet was arrested for cocaine possession after the SUV she was riding in was pulled over when a cop smelled the strong aroma of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Police allegedly discovered 0.8 grams of cocaine in Hilton's purse, and on Monday, she was charged with felony cocaine possession. Now Hilton, who served a 23-day sentence in 2007 stemming from a 2006 DUI charge, is staring down a possible sentence of up to four years in prison and is due in court October 27. Hilton took to Twitter early Wednesday (September 1) to refute recent whispers about her. "These rumors going around are so ridiculous, untrue and cruel," Hilton wrote. "I'm not going to even pay attention to them, because I know the truth." Hilton didn't elaborate on which rumors she claims are false, but headlines detailing her situation paint a grim picture. According to reports, her boyfriend, Cy Waits, who was behind the wheel when police stopped the pair and was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, has lost his nightclub job. In addition, a spokesperson for Wynn Resorts Limited confirmed to The Associated Press that Hilton has been banned from the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore resorts. Hilton has denied that the purse containing the cocaine belonged to her, and her attorney, David Chesnoff, has insisted the amount allegedly found is "negligible, the purse it was found in wasn't hers and Paris was illegally searched." A source close to Hilton told Radar Online that because the socialite was removed from the scene and searched at the nearby Wynn Las Vegas resort, the assertion that she was searched illegally may hold merit. "Cops discovered the cocaine inside the security offices where Paris was taken," the source said. "Because Paris was taken away from the scene where the car was pulled over, this could potentially be an illegal search of a person. ... Las Vegas Metro didn't follow standard procedures when Paris was arrested, and her lawyer will be talking to the D.A. about this." What do you think about the rumors surrounding Paris' arrest? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Related Photos |
| Bruno Mars Is '100 Percent' Done With Debut LP Posted: 01 Sep 2010 06:57 AM PDT The B.o.B, Travie McCoy collaborator won't reveal his Doo-Wops & Hooligans guest stars.
Bruno Mars is a busy man these days. The upstart singer/producer has been promoting his EP, It's Better If You Don't Understand, writing and producing hits for others (Cee-Lo's "F--- You") and hitting the stage left and right with collaborators like B.o.B and Travie McCoy.
The Hawaii-born Mars also found time to finish his forthcoming debut album, tentatively titled Doo-Wops & Hooligans. The project is "100 percent" done, the "Nothin' on You" singer told MTV News, adding that the set is influenced by his live performances. "Every time we go into the studio we got to think about, 'OK, we're gonna perform this song.' We think, 'How are we gonna keep these people's attention?' " he explained. "So throughout the whole song, it never stops. It keeps moving. And we always flip up our show. Whenever we do our shows, you might not hear the album version. You'll get the live version." The singer's freshman album has no release day as of press time, and he's not revealing much in terms of details. He gave only a small hint regarding one of the guests on the project: "They have dreads. "I got Whoopi Goldberg on my album, y'all," he said, joking. Although the singer is enjoying his recent success, earlier this year he remarked how long his rise to the top has actually been. "The journey wasn't short at all — it was trial and error and trial and error," he said. "It was just back and forth, man. But once 'Nothin' on You' blew up, I had these songs in my back pocket, and the label thought it'd be a good time to give people a little taste of what they're gonna get with the album. The EP came together real nice; you're gonna get a nice effect of what's in store." Are you looking forward to Bruno's solo music? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| DJ Khaled Says An Eminem Collabo Would 'Rip The Streets Apart' Posted: 01 Sep 2010 05:26 AM PDT 'Let's make history,' the Miami super-DJ reaches out to Slim Shady for We the Best Forever. 'I got the beat right now.'
DJ Khaled is in the production stage of his upcoming LP, We the Best Forever. He has beats cooking every night in the We the Best studio in Miami. But while most of the people he wants on this project already have solid relationships with the mogul DJ, there is one MC he's never met — nor done a song with — and he needs him to be a part of the movement.
"The list goes on and on," Khaled said after rattling off some of the names of his past collaborators, including Kanye West, Jay-Z, the Birdman, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Akon. "This album I'm working with them boys again. It's gonna get bigger and bigger. The collaboration I want to make happen and the people want to make happen is a DJ Khaled/ Eminem collaboration. I know if I get with Eminem and put him on one of my anthems ... 'cause I make these anthems. I got something so special in my drive that for Eminem on there." He added that if Em doesn't want to team up off the strength of Khaled's track record alone, then he should do it for hip-hop. "We're doing it for hip-hop. We doing this for hip-hop," Khaled told MTV News emphatically. 'I'm a big fan of his. I don't have a way to contact him. I don't know how I can sit down and play him some music; whatever I gotta do. Eminem, I got love. I wanna make this crazy record with you. Let's make history. Let's rip the streets apart. I got the idea already [that] I wanna do with Slim Shady. I got the beat right now, so crazy, the concept. It's something the people are gonna love too. If I get Slim Shady on this joint, I'mma tear up the streets. "The album is called We The Best Forever. There's only certain people who could be on this album," he said. "It's time, I think I deserve it. The streets deserve it. When [Eminem] meets me personally, he's gonna see this energy. He's gonna understand why these anthems come out like that. I'm gonna sit with him, and we gonna vibe. I know what he's gonna do: He's gonna go crazy!" Khaled recently signed a recording deal with his good friends Birdman and Slim, the CEOs of Cash Money Records. "I'm so excited about life, making music, excited to put my album out on Cash Money. I've always been excited to make music and make these hits. This album is coming out crazy already and I'm excited. All my albums, me personally, I feel they're super-big and classic. Every year I have one big record that's huge, anthemic." Should Eminem jump on the Miami don's next album? Tell us what you think in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'My Soul To Take' Uses 3-D 'Subtly,' Wes Craven Says Posted: 01 Sep 2010 06:19 AM PDT 'You can experience it the way you experience the rest of your life in 3-D,' writer/director tells MTV News.
Buzz has steadily been building around Wes Craven's upcoming horror thriller "My Soul to Take." The film, which opens October 8, marks the first writer/director efforts from the beloved genre filmmaker since his segment in 2006's "Paris je t'aime."
When MTV News caught up with Craven during a brief-yet-miraculous window of downtime recently — he's currently in the middle of shooting "Scream 4" — he revealed his unique inspiration for "My Soul to Take," why it's more than "Stand by Me" with a knife, and how his use of post-production 3-D conversion differs from the way in which other films have used it. MTV: It's been a while since you've written and directed a film. How did that come about? Wes Craven: I guess it was just the happy circumstance of having a conversation with [executive producer] Andrew Rona, who at that time was running Rogue Pictures, and him saying, "Got any ideas? I'd love to do another picture with you," and I had just had an idea, and so I pitched him over coffee, and he gave me a green light for the script, and off we went. MTV: How and when did the inspiration for the story strike you? Craven: I know exactly when it came; I have no idea what inspired it. Sometimes I have these strange thoughts I'm almost embarrassed to say I have, but I was thinking about what it would be like to be a man — maybe it was because I was afraid I was enjoying too much happiness in my life — but I was thinking what it would be like to be a man who is leading a normal life at the time a series of serial killings taking place in the area where he and his wife live. ... He discovers in his workshop a hiding place. He stumbles upon the tools of a serial killer that fit the description on TV that the police had captured in a security-camera recording, and he realizes that he is the killer and had a hidden personality. It sort of began there. MTV: It seems like the trailer does a great job of setting up the story without spoiling anything. Craven: It's a great trailer. We were very happy. I kept saying it's kind of "Stand by Me" with a knife. It's not really a grisly gore-fest in any way. It's as much a family story and coming-of-age story as anything else, but it does have murders in it and it does take place among 16-year-olds, so it does fall into that genre. But I really tried to reinvent that genre by doing something that had a humanistic story to it and kind of a psychological and even spiritual story to it, so depending on how you look at it, it's either a story about personality or about souls. MTV: The cast is relatively unknown and young. What do you enjoy about working with younger, lesser-known actors? Craven: The truth of the matter is that, at that age, there are very few actors who are seasoned or well-known. Some of these actors had worked, or at least one had worked in Disney films. These were all of their first starring roles. I really enjoy working with young kids. They have great spirit and energy and are just kind of beautiful to watch and direct. I guess if I could have, I would have worked with really experienced actors so I wouldn't have had to be kind of a schoolteacher too, but they gave great performances. I'm delighted with the way they delivered onscreen. MTV: When you say schoolteacher, do you mean telling them to be quiet and get to work? Craven: It's more just teaching them the technical stuff of acting, hitting your marks, finding your light and saying things so they're pronounced enough so people can understand what you're saying. Most teenagers kind of mumble and say things too fast for most people to understand. It's just the minor things like that, but it's actually a pleasure to be helping pass on the craft a bit. ... I directed Johnny Depp in his first film ["A Nightmare on Elm Street"], and I look back and say, "Wow, I'm really happy to be part of that gift to the world that he is." MTV: Is this a standalone film, or is there potential for sequels? Craven: I would say that I certainly did not design it to be that, but it does have an element to it that actually could make it as easily a franchise as the "Scream" franchise, where you have different killers in each film. The central character, I think, would be very interesting to follow through a few more films, but it depends on how the film does. MTV: What can you say about the 3-D conversion? Craven: It was not shot in 3-D, but the studio offered to do that, and I thought it would be interesting to explore — not as the gimmicky 3-D of some films, but to use it as a natural enhancement. You can experience it the way you experience the rest of your life in 3-D. ... For a narrative film, rather than spears coming at you in your face in the theater, [we used it] subtly to warp reality for a character that has schizophrenia or some of the kids when they're going through their extreme events, breaking those forward from the screen rather than keeping them at the screen or behind the screen and yet doing them in a subtle way so the audience won't be aware we're doing it. We're able to manipulate the mind in a way we weren't able to before. I'm quite fascinated by it. We might be one of the first films to treat it that way. ... It's not a film that puts it in your face. You'll be aware, but in general, it's using it very, very subtly. ... It's been a very interesting education for me. From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars. Check out everything we've got on "My Soul to Take." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Audrina Patridge's 'Dancing With The Stars' Partner 'Pumps' Her Up Posted: 01 Sep 2010 01:44 AM PDT Former 'Hills' star says Tony Dovolani is 'such a great teacher.'
Now that we know the season 11 "Dancing with the Stars" cast and the celeb/pro-dancer pairings, we're left wondering about partner chemistry and what dances the pairs will roll out when the show premieres September 20.
When MTV News caught up with Audrina Patridge between a flurry of photo shoots, wardrobe fittings and rehearsals recently, she said she's having a great time so far, particularly working with her dance pro, Tony Dovolani. "He is amazing," she said. "He's such a great teacher. He's very professional, and we have a lot of fun together. It's really fun. I look forward to going to rehearsal every day." Patridge added that dancing with a partner might spoil her for all other forms of dance. "I almost like dancing with a partner better, because they're leading you and you have someone next to you, so it pumps you up to dance and move to their movements," she explained. "I love it." The former "Hills" star said she hasn't yet mastered a particular step — since they've only had a few days of rehearsals — but she's having fun learning so many new things. "[During our first rehearsal] I learned so many different things," she said. "It was really just getting to know my way of learning; I'm a visual learner." One movement she said she's going to have to practice is spotting, a technique dancers use to focus their turns and keep from getting dizzy. "I practiced doing all the pique turns, [but] I need to practice spotting, because I get a little dizzy," Patridge admitted. "Those are probably the most challenging for me right now: spotting and spinning without getting dizzy." Will you be rooting for Audrina on "Dancing With the Stars"? Let us know in the comments! |
| 'Catfish' Filmmakers Respond To 'Is It Real?' Debate Posted: 01 Sep 2010 06:57 AM PDT 'We're not that creative,' Ariel Schulman laughs to MTV News.
After making a splash at Sundance at the beginning of this year — both for being a hit with audiences and for stirring up a little controversy regarding the is-it-real-or-fake discussion that divided critics — "Catfish" is on its way to theaters September 17. The heavily hyped indie documentary revolves around NYC-based photographer Nev Schulman and the series of curious events that occur when he begins an online friendship with an 8-year-old girl and a romantic relationship with her older sister. When MTV News caught up with the film's two first-time directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, they discussed what prompted them to begin filming to begin with, their subsequent decisions to keep the cameras rolling no matter what and their reactions to the "it's a fake" controversy. MTV: Without revealing the big twist, what is this film about? Henry Joost: It's a true story about an experience we had. The main character is Ariel's younger brother who works with us, who got into a Facebook relationship that took a turn for the unexpected, and we were there to capture it. Ariel Schulman: People are surprised we started filming as early as we did, but truth is, we've been filming each other for years, and we're always prepared. ... I've got this brother who is just very charismatic and gets into a lot of trouble and gets himself into situations, and if I'm not filming him, I usually regret it. Joost: We've been doing it since high school. We're those annoying guys: "Come on, you don't have to film this. It's not interesting." Schulman: So [Nev] gets involved with this 8-year-old girl who's a painter. She's obsessed with his photos, he's a ballet photographer in New York, he's a dance junkie. He's a straight dance junkie, which is a good situation to be in. ... I was already filming him, because I'm always filming him. ... I thought, "This looks like a friendship and sort of business relationship," because she starts painting and selling the paintings based on his photos, and they split the proceeds. ... It develops, and he meets her older sister, and they start to fall in love, and we're like, "Oh, that sounds like a longer short film about Internet romance, and it will end when they meet," and that's just the first act of the movie, and it takes a pretty severe 90-degree turn from there. Joost: We had no idea where it was headed. It was this soap opera unfolding in our office. ... It was engrossing. Ariel started filming it, and he's been wanting to make a movie about his brother, because separate from the movie, his brother is incredible, a real-life character and always attracting drama and people. He's a really charismatic person, and he has no filter, and he just wades into things. MTV: You mentioned that things take a serious turn. Were there moments when Nev wanted you guys to stop rolling? Joost: He had to be talked into it [at times]. Schulman: It was his life in front of the lens, and it gets pretty hairy. We have a couple arguments, and that's in the movie. There were times when I didn't want to go through with it, [Nev] didn't want to go through with it, [Joost] didn't want to go through with it. ... The tables turned, and ... Joost: Ultimately, it became Nev's journey to find out the truth. He ended up convincing us to keep going at different points; each of us sort of chicken out at different points. MTV: What do you think of the controversy, people claiming it's all fake? Joost: It is a documentary in that it's something that actually happened and we filmed it and none of it is staged or fake. To us, we had no idea people were going to have that reaction until Sundance, and after the first screening, ["Super Size Me" director/star] Morgan Spurlock went up to somebody on our team and went, "That is the best fake documentary I've ever seen," and we were like, "Really?" Because how do you react to that in our shoes? ... It's kind of strange, because to us, there's no debate; that's what happened. I think what people are reacting to a lot is, the film is edited. We can't put out a 250-hour movie, so we're making decisions and streamlining the narrative and presenting what we feel is the clearest representation of what happened, but it's real, and there's nothing disingenuous about it. Schulman: It gives us too much credit, though. If this were fake, then it would be ... Joost: Yeah, we would be so much smarter than we actually are. Schulman: Yeah, we're not that creative. Joost: It would be amazing if we had faked it. I don't know how we would have done it, but ... Schulman: And my brother would be the best actor since Marlon Brando. From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Justin Bieber Joined By Miley Cyrus, Usher At New York Show Posted: 01 Sep 2010 06:12 AM PDT Footage for his upcoming 3-D movie was shot at Madison Square Garden concert.
Right up until Justin Bieber took the stage at New York's Madison Square Garden, it was an almost typical stop on the My World Tour, complete with hype man and opening sets from Jessica Jarrell and Sean Kingston, who stepped up his game and brought out Iyaz.
But once Bieber, who was using his New York stop to film the concert footage for his 3-D movie, hit the stage, it was on, and the crowd's screams reached a deafening pitch. Dressed in his white and purple tour regalia, he kicked off the show with "Love Me," complete with karate-friendly dance moves. Any signs that Bieber had fallen ill only two days before weren't remotely evident. He turned his swag on for "Bigger" and for the cameras filming the show for his upcoming film. "What's up, New York City? Welcome to my world. We are gonna have a lot of fun tonight. I got a lot of surprises in store for you guys!" he told the crowd before going straight into the fan favorite "U Smile," the next single he's expected to release. The catch: He was joined by Boyz II Men for the Motown-flavored track. "Boyz II Men sing it," he told the legendary R&B act before exchanging high fives. "These people are the ones who made me want to start singing." And then the group performed their tune "On Bended Knee," which they dedicated to Bieber's mom. Bieber reclaimed the show with his song "Runaway Love," with no Kanye West or Raekwon in sight. "New York City, are you ready to have some fun? I'm filming good. We're shooting the movie," he told the crowd before getting into his heart cage and flying over the audience for "Never Let You Go" and "Favorite Girl," all while playing the guitar. "You know, I guess I was right. There are a lot of people in here!" he proclaimed before bringing a girl onto the stage for "One Less Lonely Girl." Bieber was then ready to bring out the big guns. Usher would be the next special guest of the night, setting the party off during Bieber's rendition of "Somebody to Love," giving the pop sensation a big hug before leaving the stage. But Usher was only the first of the super superstars. Teen queen and 3-D movie vet Miley Cyrus then joined Bieber onstage as he slowed things down a bit for "Overboard." "I got to tell you something," Bieber said. "My motto to live by, there's gonna be times in your life when people tell you you can't do something. This is what I tell 'em: 'Never Say Never.' " And as rumored, Jaden Smith took the stage to rap his heart out to one very excited crowd during the track. Left alone again, during "Up" Bieber flew over the stage in a cage and every girl went nuts. And after the crowd was reminded to make some noise, Bieber showed his fans how much he loves them by singing "One Time" followed by "That Should Be Me." "It's gonna get crazy in here! You ready to get crazy?" he asked the crowd, which pretty much had been getting crazy all night. Then Sean Kingston hit the stage with Biebs for their collabo, "Eenie Meenie." Soon the crowd was instructed to light up the room by waving their cell phones while Bieber sang "Down to Earth," during which he played a white baby-grand piano. Blowing kisses to the crowd, he departed the stage before his encore. "I heard you screaming, so I thought I'd come back out here. I want to thank everyone. Madison Square Garden is a big deal for me ... and I'm really blessed," he said. "So I want to say thank you! Anyways, let's do another song!" He closed out the night with his megahit "Baby" and was joined by Ludacris and lots of fireworks. The MSG show proved that when Bieber asks you to show up for his massively fun 3-D movie taping, you show up. What was your favorite part of Justin's MSG concert? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Eminem Takes Us To Detroit For 1999 Interview Posted: 01 Sep 2010 01:54 AM PDT Em will return to his hometown Thursday with Jay-Z for the Home and Home Tour.
Eminem's career has always been intertwined with the city of Detroit, and that was never more evident than during a 1999 interview with MTV News' Kurt Loder. "Represent Detroit," a driver shouted off camera after honking his horn to get the rapper's attention. "A'ight, dawg," Em responded with a wide smile across his face.
Now Em will return to his hometown, with Jay-Z in tow, for he first of two shows at Comerica Park for the rappers' Home and Home Tour. During that 1999 interview, the then-budding superstar recounted his upbringing in the Motor City, from his home being shot at to numerous robberies and relocations. At that stage in his career, Em admitted that he wasn't physically in Detroit as much as he used to be or wanted to be. "I got up out of the city," he explained, saying he moved to the suburbs. "I'm not really here that much. Between New York and L.A., I'm not really here. But I have somewhere to go when I am here." Eminem withdrew from the game for a while, while dealing with his drug-dependency issues, and his return to the public eye coincided with Detroit's economic decline. The rapper spoke out about the city's conditions during television appearances, most notably when he visited Jimmy Kimmel and brought a number of blue-collar workers from Detroit with him to the L.A. studio. He paid homage to Detroit on his last album with "Beautiful," filming the video in and around the city. "Tiger Stadium is being torn down, and the train station is supposed to be demolished too. This video is one of the last times anybody outside of Detroit is going to see them," Em said about the treatment. "I wrote 'Beautiful' when I was really down, during a difficult time struggling with my addiction. It's a reminder to keep your head up and to see who you really are despite what you may be going through. Now that I've gotten through the toughest part, I see how the song relates to Detroit, and it feels even more powerful to me." What do you think of Eminem's connection with Detroit? Let us know in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| 30 Seconds To Mars Plot 'Crazy' Entrance For 2010 VMAs Posted: 01 Sep 2010 05:26 AM PDT Jared Leto likens it to 'open-heart surgery on the dance floor.'
You would probably think — based on, well, practically everything — that Jared Leto is not the kind of guy who likes to play things close to the vest (or studded leather jacket, or whatever). And in most instances, you'd be right. But not when it comes to 30 Seconds to Mars' arrival at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. Because while he's certainly got big plans, he's not about to reveal them just yet.
"We have an entrance plan that has never, ever been done before in the history of the VMAs," Leto told MTV News on Tuesday. "Basically, it's like 'Seinfeld' but not ... it's like open-heart surgery on the dance floor, it's like taking your eyeballs out and putting them in the opposite sockets. It's going to be crazy." That sounds, uh, interesting. And while we suspect he's kidding, Leto and his 30 Seconds to Mars mates definitely have something in the works for the big show, which airs Sunday, September 12, live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. After all, 30 Seconds to Mars are nominated for four awards, including Best Rock Video and Video of the Year for their epic "Kings and Queens" clip. And so, somewhat appropriately, their grand entrance will probably be inspired by that video. Though, again, Leto isn't about to give away any secrets. "It could, quite possibly, pay homage to the 'Kings and Queens' video," he said. "We may be arriving in a way that encourages treating your planet in a better way. ... We will hopefully be arriving in style, and [be doing] something different and fun and something I believe is appropriate." So, bikes? Maybe. Though nothing is set in stone just yet ... there are still backroom deals to be made and palms to be greased. Both of which, as luck would have it, are 30STM specialties. "We are plotting and planning the arrival of 30 Seconds to Mars, and hopefully, we will be appearing in a very special way, but we haven't got the final approval [yet]," Leto smiled. "We only do behind-the-scenes campaigning. We're into bribery and things like that." The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, 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 Best New Artist through September 12. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Katy Perry, Russell Brand Hookup Detailed On 'VMAs: Revealed' Posted: 01 Sep 2010 01:51 AM PDT Stars' relationship is broken down on MTV VMA special, airing Saturday at 11 a.m.
Lots of craziness went down onstage at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Rappers like Lil Mama and Kanye West couldn't resist bum-rushing the stage, Janet Jackson and Madonna contributed to an icon-heavy tribute to the late, great Michael Jackson, and when Lady Gaga wasn't dashing in and out of elaborate getups, she was writhing onstage drizzled with blood. Unbeknownst to viewers, the backstage madness rivaled the antics that made the big show. Indeed, so much ridiculousness went down that MTV had to dish in "The VMAs: Revealed - Presented by New 5 React Gum," an insider's look at the festivities that premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. The show also turned out to be the backdrop for one of pop culture's most high-profile pairings: Katy Perry and Russell Brand. The duo are engaged and are rumored to be hitting the altar later this year. As "Revealed" shows, hitting the VMAs last year became a fortuitous turn for both stars. Both Brand and Perry returned to the VMAs in '09 after making an impression on viewers — and each other — the year before. They got each other's attention in passing as rookies in 2008 — she was a first-time performer, he was making his hosting debut — but the next year they realized they had more in common than just sharing the marquee at the VMAs. "I really appreciate his sense of humor. It's real dark, it's real wrong and it's really funny," Perry says in the episode about her hubby-to-be. Brand, whose grand entrance at the 2009 event was heralded by Perry belting Queen's "We Will Rock You" accompanied by Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, admits that he has a way with words when it comes to his pop-star love. "It seems like I can say whatever I want and sort of get away with it," Brand cheekily observes. To find out how Perry and Brand went from ripping the VMA stage to barreling down the road toward holy matrimony, catch "The VMAs: Revealed - Presented by New 5 React Gum" Saturday at 11 a.m. The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, 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 in general categories, including Best New Artist, from now through September 12. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Eminem And Jay-Z Concerts: Comparing The Ballparks Posted: 01 Sep 2010 01:19 AM PDT How do Detroit's Comerica Park and New York's Yankee Stadium measure up?
On Thursday night, Eminem and Jay-Z will kick off their Home and Home concert series with a pair of shows at Detroit's Comerica Park. Since he's representing the home team, Em will headline both Comerica concerts, and when the series switches to New York's Yankee Stadium on September 12-13, Jay will get top billing. Though we could spend endless hours discussing the two men who made these shows possible, it makes equally as much sense to take a look at the stadiums they'll be playing in since, like Em and Jay themselves, they're both icons of their respective cities. The similarities don't stop there: Both Comerica and Yankee Stadium replaced beloved venues that played host to Major League Baseball for decades (the old Tiger Stadium — then called Navin Field — opened in 1912, and Yankee Stadium took its bow in 1923, as "The House That Ruth Built"). Both were designed by the Kansas City, Missouri, architecture firm Populous. Both have since played host to a World Series and an All-Star Game. And both go to great lengths to pay homage to their respective cities' heritage and heroes. But those things are all mostly superficial. Because when you get down to the stats, Comerica and Yankee Stadium are about as different as two icons could be — sort of like Eminem and Jay-Z, when you think about it. So with Home and Home about to begin, here's a look at the two places where Em and Jay will reign supreme: Comerica Park First Opened: April 11, 2000 (the Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 5-2) Price Tag: $300 million Capacity: 41,782 Dimensions: Left field, 345 feet; left-center, 370 feet; center field, 420 feet; right center, 365 feet; right field, 330 feet Signature Food Item: A coney dog from Leo's (inside the stadium) or Lafayette Coney Island (outside). Also, since the Tigers are owned by Mike Ilitch — founder of Little Caesars — there is an abundance of pizza on hand too. Key Features: Comerica is certainly the only pro stadium in America to feature not only a carousel, but a Ferris wheel too. There's also a massive beer hall, a water feature in center field that synchronizes music to spraying fountains (it's officially called "Liquid Fireworks"), a series of six epic sculptures that pay tribute to Tigers greats Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, Willie Horton, Al Kaline and Hal Newhouser (legendary broadcaster Ernie Harwell is also memorialized with a statue), and, perhaps most notably, eight heroic statues of actual Tigers strategically placed throughout the ballpark. Previous Concert Experience: The Dave Matthews Band were the first act to play Comerica in the summer of 2000. And since then, big names like the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, KISS and Aerosmith have all done the same. Eminem actually played a concert at Comerica in 2005, too, as part of his Anger Management Tour. Yankee Stadium First Opened: April 2, 2009 (a team workout day for fans); first regular-season game was April 16, 2009 (the Yankees lost to the Cleveland Indians 10-2) Price Tag: Somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.5 billion, though some estimates go as high as $2.3 billion. Capacity: 52,325 (including standing room) Dimensions: Left field, 318 feet; left center, 399 feet; center field, 408 feet; right center, 385 feet; right field, 314 feet Signature Food Item: A steak sandwich from Lobel's (if you can stand the wait), fried pickles from Brother Jimmy's. There's lots to eat here, though, strangely, most of the pizza is terrible. Key Features: Aside from the beyond-expensive tickets for seats in the so-called "Legend's Suite," probably the grandiose limestone exterior, which matches the exterior of the old Yankee Stadium, or the iconic frieze that lines the upper deck, just like it did during the Babe Ruth days. There's also the iconic Monument Park in center field, which honors previous Yankees greats, and the massive Great Hall, which does the same. What can we say? The Yankees are big on tradition. Previous Concert Experience: None. The September 12 Home and Home show will be the first show played at the new Yankee Stadium. Share your thoughts about the ballparks in the comments below! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Nicki Minaj Says Lil Wayne Had An 'Epiphany' In Prison Posted: 31 Aug 2010 10:58 PM PDT 'His stuff is only going to get better,' Young Money princess says.
Nicki Minaj has a lot to be excited about these days. Not only is the Young Money MC gearing up for the release of her debut album in November, she's also featured on a new track with Jay-Z and Kanye West and celebrated a Twitter marriage (and divorce) with Drake. But while the animated rapper remains busy, she is also anticipating Lil Wayne's release from prison. In a recent radio interview, Minaj spoke about her mentor and why she feels the need to make Pink Friday a success. "Can you only imagine what he's been holding and what's building up in that brain?" Minaj asked Greg Street of Atlanta radio station V-103. "I'm afraid for anybody ... any of his competition when he gets out, because I just feel like it's going to be monumental. He's in a great state. When I speak to him, he sounds like he has some sort of clear understanding of everything now, almost like he's had some weird sort of epiphany since he's been there, so I'm sure his stuff is only going to get better." When Lil Wayne left for prison, Minaj realized just how much he meant to his rap crew. "He didn't deserve to go in the first place, and it's kind of crazy how much of a void it's been without him," she said. "We didn't realize Wayne is really the glue that holds Young Money and Cash Money together, I feel. I'm just very, very thankful that he's finally coming home." The 25-year-old MC is ready for the whole Young Money crew to take over the rap game. "We're just really, really hard workers, and you know what? At some point, I would hope the hard work pays off, at least on my end," she said. "It's definitely already paid off for Wayne and for Drake, so I want to thank everybody for supporting Young Money, period." So what happens if the New York native falters with her debut album? "They won't look to sign other female rappers if the project doesn't do well, because they're going to say, 'Well, her buzz was so crazy, and if she couldn't do it, then no one can do it,' and I don't want that to happen. So I'm doing this as well for all the girls." The Young Money darling is staying positive as she hopes to pave the way for the females to come in the rap game. "I hope it will open doors for all girls everywhere who ever wanted to pick up a mic and rap and who have been kind of afraid to do it," she said. "For a long time in my life, I was afraid to be a solo female rapper, because everyone told me, 'It doesn't work. It's not going to happen. Record companies are never going to invest in you just to get it. Just be part of a group.' " Nonetheless, Minaj values her pre-album success, saying, "Even as far as I've come now is already a testament in my mind, so I hope the female rappers understand how big it is for our culture that the album does well." Do you think Nicki can match the success of her Young Money peers? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Katy Perry's <I>Teenage Dream</I> Ends Eminem's Chart Run Posted: 31 Aug 2010 10:58 PM PDT Fantasia's Back to Me lands at #2, pushing Em's Recovery to #3 on Billboard 200 albums chart.
All good things must come to an end and it looks like Katy Perry might be the one to stop Eminem's record-setting run at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart. As expected, Perry's Teenage Dream will block Eminem from lodging his eighth week at #1 on next week's Billboard chart by selling 192,000 copies of her second official major label album, or more than four times as many as her first disc, One of the Boys, sold (47,000) in its first week two years ago. According to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, Perry isn't the only one who bested Eminem. Former "American Idol" winner Fantasia bounces back from a dark personal period that included a recent suicide attempt by landing at #2 with Back to Me on sales of 117,000, which pushes Em's Recovery down to its lowest chart position to date, #3, on sales of 98,000.
There are some other newcomers in the top 10, though, including Usher, whose Versus mini-album comes in at #4 (46,000), followed by country rock act Little Big Town's The Reason Why (42,000), the Randy Rogers Band's Burning the Day (#8, 29,000) and hard rockers the Devil Wears Prada, whose Zombie EP sneaks in at #10 thanks to just under 25,000 units shifted. The rest of the top 10: Kem, Intimacy (#6, 30,000); Justin Bieber, My World 2.0 (#7, 29,000); and Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs, God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise (#9, 28,000). After a nice run in the top 10 for three weeks, the Arcade Fire's Suburbs falls nine spots to #16 (21,000) as they pass the 250,000 mark, while Usher's five-month-old Raymond v. Raymond disc has a nice resurgence thanks to his new deluxe edition with seven new songs and a remix, surging up 12 spots to #19 as sales pick up by 57 percent to 20,000. Beloved indie folkie Sufjan Stevens has a strong showing at #27 with All Delighted People (15,000), as do college rock faves Ra Ra Riot, whose Orchard lands at #36 (10,000). Though his single "Cooler Than Me" has lit up the charts all summer, Mike Posner's major label debut, 31 Minutes to Takeoff, has slid steadily down the chart since its debut two weeks ago, falling another 26 spots to #72 as sales dip to less than 6,000. The news is the same on the iTunes singles and albums charts as Perry took over the pole position on both with the album and the title track single. Em hangs in at #2 on the album tally, followed by the Rogers Band, Fantasia, Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More, Usher's Versus, Stevens, Never Shout Never's Harmony, LaMontagne, and the Devil Wears Prada. Though iTunes does not divulge sales data, it was a good week for Perry, as her single led a group that was relatively unchanged from the week before, with Taio Cruz at #2 with "Dynamite," followed by Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are," Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie," Enrique Iglesias' fist-pumping anthem "I Like It," Usher's "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love," Nelly's "Just a Dream," B.o.B's "Magic," Ke$ha's "Take It Off" and newcomer Kid Cudi with the Kanye collabo "Erase Me." Perry should be able to retain her perch next week, as the new faces in the crowd include the latest from Disturbed, the Goo Goo Dolls, Fabolous, Papa Roach and Lyfe Jennings. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Soulja Boy Tell'em Plans 'Teenage Millionaire' Book Posted: 31 Aug 2010 11:32 PM PDT Covering his experiences in the music industry, book will be released in conjunction with Soulja Boy's album The DeAndre Way.
Soulja Boy Tell'em has mastered the Internet and proven successful in the music industry, and now the "Pretty Boy Swag" rapper is set to try his hand at book publishing. The rapper plans to release a book called "Teenage Millionaire" in conjunction with his next album, The DeAndre Way, scheduled for release next month.
Soulja Boy told MTV News during his recent appearance on "RapFix Live," that his tome will be about his navigation through the music business. "It talks about me making my first million dollars at 17 years old," Soulja Boy explained. "I talk about how my life changed. It talks about the music industry, everything I learned about the music industry — how I got into the music industry with my mind set, all the ins and outs that I go through. All the chapters break down my beliefs and what steps and methods I took to get in this position. I just go and break [them] down into detail. I just want all my fans to read it when my album drops and have a good read and feel where I'm coming from." SB is currently enjoying the success of "Pretty Boy Swag," which rests at #12 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The rapper is in Los Angeles this week to shoot the video for one of his next singles, "Blowing Kisses." In July, Soulja Boy told MTV News that "Speakers Going Hammer" would be his next single. "Basically, it's all about the sound of the music," he said about the Boi-1da-produced 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." Related Artists |
| Nas Gets 'Nasty' On 'Last Real, Part 2' Posted: 01 Sep 2010 01:11 AM PDT 'I was feeling the vibe of the streets and sewers,' Queens MC tells MTV News of Internet burner that leaked as 'Power, Paper & Pu---.'
Don't call it a comeback. The Internet was set abuzz over the weekend, when a new Nas track, "Power, Paper & Pu---," was leaked from DJ Green Lantern's latest mixtape, Invasion Radio 2K10. The stellar freestyle features the Queensbridge MC in rare form. In recent years, fans and critics alike have mulled the direction of the rapper's artistic output. Some even argued that Nasty Nas had gone on hiatus. But to hear God's Son tell it, he's still the same MC who gave the game Illmatic. "[Nasty Nas] never left," Nas confirmed to MTV News via e-mail. "I recorded the song in my hometown of New York City. I was feeling the vibe of the streets and sewers, [which] helped me get in that zone." On Monday night, Funkmaster Flex aired the track on New York's Hot 97 and then posted the CD-quality version on his site under the Internet-approved title "Last Real, Part 2." Rap Radar, one of the first sites to circulate the original track, later posted the newest version. "Wait, is it '94 again? Ha!" Rap Radar's Brian Miller joked when we asked about his reaction to the new material. "Nas sounds confident and arrogant. The lyrics are almost nostalgic." The cut reunites Nas with longtime collaborator Salaam Remi and samples Herb Alpert's 1979 jazz hit "Rise." In his verse, Esco channels his '90s-era delivery and spits the kind of gritty bars that first made him famous. "Cars with police radars/ On highways bopping/ Bullpen therapy/ Cell-block dodging/ Pissy stairways/ Miss them days, not when/ They shut down stores when I'm shopping," Nas raps over the trumpet-laden track. "Used to be pop-locking, train-hopping/ Face covered in stocking/ Six-pack Bud-drinking gambler/ F--- them cameras/ In front of the man, sing the hustla's mantra/ Hands are luck/ More hits than Gamble and Huff." He later wraps up: "I'm at the Waldorf/ Van Cleef under the sleeve/ Save the small talk/ I feel alive/ New Porsches/ Jordan's No. 5/ I already said, 'I'm the last real n---a alive.' " Nas explained that he had been a fan of Alpert's record — the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 smash "Hypnotize" also samples it — and asked Salaam to take it and concoct something special. "Salaam and I are always working together," Nas said. "I loved the song and asked Salaam to cook it up." The pair linked up to record the track at New York's Manhattan Center. "It was just an idea he had," Remi told us. "But that's a process we always go through. Really, it's all about the vibe of what we're trying to go for. Nas will throw ideas at me and I'll bounce them right back. We try not to overthink it and let the music speak for itself." The classic sample is a step in the right direction for Nas, as the MC has at times come under criticism for the beats he chooses. "For years, fans have said Nas' Achilles heel has been his beat selection. But I'm optimistic," Miller said. "Nas has always sounded good over Remi's production, remember 'Made You Look'?" "Realistically, it's nothing that's ever foreign," Remi added of their creative process. "We always work together. We work when nobody is thinking that we are. It's not even working — we just do what we do. It's always going." Despite his recent marital and legal troubles, "Power, Paper & Pu---" projects a reinvigorated Nas ready to reclaim his position among today's best. "We're slowly seeing the return of the Nas we all know and love," Miller declared. "He was on Tim Westwood's [radio] show a few weeks back and said that he was going to return to that style of rap. He gave us a small sample on the last verse of 'Strong Will Continue' with Damian Marley. His last solo LPs really didn't hold up, so he can only get better from here. He has a lot to talk about, from being divorced to his child-support case. I think the best is yet to come." In fact, Salaam revealed that fans should be on the lookout for more Nas songs in the near future. "It can be firing at any moment," Remi said. "It's just about when it's time to let it loose, and he's about to unleash another flurry of music through the multiple projects he has coming out." What do you think of Nas reviving his golden-era flow? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
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