MTV News |
- Nicki Minaj Reflects On Road To Success In 'My Time Now' Sneak Peek
- Rihanna Says AMA Performance Will Be 'A Challenge'
- Far East Movement Thank Fans For 'Like A G6' Success
- Pusha T Says Cryptic 'So Appalled' Verse Is 'Self-Explanatory'
- 'Deathly Hallows' Midnight Screenings Cast $24 Million Spell On Fans
- Carmelo Anthony Says He Couldn't Do Anything Without Education
- 'Glee' To Cover Florence And The Machine's 'Dog Days Are Over'
- La Roux Singer Can't Hear Her Voice On Kanye West's 'All Of The Lights'
- Taio Cruz 'Realistic' About AMA Chances Against Ke$ha, Justin Bieber
- Tom Felton Laments Draco's Kiss-Free 'Deathly Hallows'
- Justin Bieber, Lil Twist Will Leak Mixtape Track 'Real Soon'
- Avril Lavigne Experimenting With Hip-Hop, Alex Da Kid Reveals
- Keri Hilson Is Feeling Like A '10' In 'Pretty Girl Rock' Video
- 'Harry Potter' Fans Weigh In On Harry And Hermione Topless Kiss
- Will La Roux's Elly Jackson Be On Dr. Dre's <i>Detox</i>?
- Arcade Fire, Spike Jonze Steal Youth In 'The Suburbs' Video
- Jay-Z Talks Tupac, Beyonce During Charlie Rose Interview
- John Forte To Chart His Spectacular Rise And Fall In Memoir
- 'Glee' Guest Darren Criss Hits #1 With 'Teenage Dream'
| Nicki Minaj Reflects On Road To Success In 'My Time Now' Sneak Peek Posted: 19 Nov 2010 05:10 AM PST Documentary airs Sunday, November 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.
As Nicki Minaj heads further into the spotlight, MTV News is taking you behind the scenes of the MC's increasingly hectic life.
The documentary "My Time Now" follows the rap diva while she records her debut LP, Pink Friday, and shows fans rarely seen sides of the hard-edged hip-hop vixen as she reflects on her challenging past and faces her future as a potential hip-hop icon. The film will premiere Sunday, November 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, and fans can also check out the project on all of the MTV platforms, with exclusive previews on MTVNews.com and RapFix.MTV.com in the days leading up to the flick's debut. On Friday (November 19), MTV's "The Seven" hooked Minaj's Barbie army up with an exclusive look at the doc. In the scene, the Young Money lyricist reflects on her long journey to the top and recalls getting fired from five waitressing jobs and gigs as a customer-service rep and an office manager. "I've been led down a lot of dead-end roads," the hip-hop star says candidly, while footage of Minaj on the set of her "Right Thru Me" video plays. But she maintains that she held fast to her dream and told doubters that they will see big things from the Queens native. Over the course of the hour-long doc — filmed over three months — the spitter will also be seen buying her mother a spankin'-new house, sounding off on music-industry politics and gearing up for her performance of "Check It Out" with will.i.am during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show. Viewers will also gain insight into Minaj's personal life, when cameras follow the MC on an emotional trip back to Trinidad and watch her reconnect with family she hasn't seen in seven years but who have been following the "Your Love" lyricist's rise to the top. The pink wigs and alter egos are gone as Minaj treats her family to shopping trips, braves throngs of screaming fans, remembers beloved kin she had to leave behind and recalls life as a young girl on the island with storybook ideas of the American dream. "I am amazed at what I've seen in this film," Nicki Minaj said in a statement. "For the first time people will see Onika. That's all I've ever wanted. To inspire. To encourage. To replace doubt and fear with fearlessness and hope. MTV and the incredible film crew behind this documentary has made a very special dream come true. This film is my heart & soul. The visual component to Pink Friday. My fans are the most incredible humans on this planet. Words could never translate my gratitude. Thank you for standing by me. It's our time now." Are you looking forward to getting behind the scenes of Nicki's life? Let us know in the comments! Don't miss the documentary "Nicki Minaj: My Time Now," premiering Sunday, November 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Rihanna Says AMA Performance Will Be 'A Challenge' Posted: 19 Nov 2010 02:36 AM PST 'We're actually opening up the show, which is a lot of pressure,' she tells MTV News about performing on Sunday.
Rihanna is set to prove she's the only girl in the world when she takes the stage at the American Music Awards on Sunday. The Loud singer will be the show's opening act and says that despite some recent big awards-show performances, à la this month's MTV Europe Music Awards, this one will be even more epic.
"We're actually performing at the AMAs. We're actually opening up the show, which is a lot of pressure," she told MTV News about the performance. "But I love a challenge and I can't wait." Rihanna hinted to us that she might be singing the Loud track "Cheers (Drink to That)," but didn't confirm the selection. She did, however, admit to being nervous about all of the airtime she's been given. "They gave me nine minutes to do whatever I want and I can't wait," she shared. "That's a long time on an awards show, but it's going to be exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to do it. I really can't." The executives behind the AMAs are equally thrilled about Rih's upcoming performance. "We could not be more excited to officially announce one of pop music's biggest stars to open the celebration at the AMAs," AMA producer Larry Klein said in a statement. "Be sure to tune in so you don't miss this surely memorable moment." In addition to being the show's opener, Rihanna is also nominated for Favorite Female Artist along with Alicia Keys and Sade. Other big performers include Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, the Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block and Christina Aguilera, who'll perform a number from her upcoming movie, "Burlesque." Whose AMA performance are you most excited to see? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Far East Movement Thank Fans For 'Like A G6' Success Posted: 19 Nov 2010 05:29 AM PST MTV News informs the Los Angeles band that their hit single has achieved double-platinum status.
Far East Movement must be feeling pretty fly right about now. Not only has their club anthem "Like a G6" conquered the Billboard Hot 100 once again, but the song has also reached double-platinum status. MTV News caught up with the electro-rap group, and they thanked fans for their hugely successful debut single.
"Whoa. We just found out on MTV News that we hit double-platinum on 'Like a G6,' " Kev Nish told MTV News. "Thank you. We're grateful to that. That means a lot of people across America are feeling fly and like a G6 and getting slizzard, so thank you guys." Back in September, the quartet spoke to MTV News about the inspiration behind their breakthrough single. "A G6 is not a Gatorade flavor. It's not a car, convertible, four-door. It's not a watch," Nish explained. "But Drake, Drake talks about having G4 pilots on deck, so we said, 'What's flyer than a G4?' Of course, it would be a G6." After the band recorded the party anthem, which features the Cataracs and Dev, they immediately went on tour. Without having time in between, FM put the track on a mixtape and uploaded it online. Little did they know that "G6" would spawn legions of fans online. "We came back about three months later, and on YouTube, we had, like, a million hits, so it seems like the people were speaking," Prohgress said. Far East Movement got started in 2003, but it wasn't until this year that they released their major-label debut, Free Wired. The LP was released October 12 and features a slew of collaborations with Snoop, Lil Jon and One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder. Have you downloaded "Like a G6" yet? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Pusha T Says Cryptic 'So Appalled' Verse Is 'Self-Explanatory' Posted: 19 Nov 2010 06:03 AM PST Clipse MC opens up about apparent reference to incarcerated ex-manager on Kanye West track, on 'RapFix Live.'
Pusha T has been getting plenty of mainstream recognition lately thanks to his G.O.O.D. Music co-sign and standout guest appearances on Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
When the younger half of Virginia rhyme duo the Clipse dropped by "Rap Fix Live" on Thursday, he opened up about trips to Hawaii to craft "Runaway" with 'Ye, but he also talked about brother and rhyme partner Malice as well as his incarcerated former manager. "Everybody knows that we've been through the wringer as far as the whole music and the whole street situation," Pusha said. "Our family, our management, our friends. I lost five of my closest friends in '09; like 30 years, 15 years [in prison] or better. A lot of what you see me doing right now is just so that none of that goes in vain, [like], I'mma show y'all that this is not in vain." Pusha's onetime manager Anthony "Geezy" Gonzalez was charged in 2009 with leading a $10 million drug-trafficking ring and sentenced to 32 years in prison. Asked whether a lyric from West's "So Appalled" ("I speak of gospel, hostile/ Tony doing time for what he did to nostrils") referred to Gonzalez, Pusha, who has typically been guarded about his ex-manager in the press, would only say, "That's self-explanatory." According to Pusha, it was the instrumental for "So Appalled" that inspired him to deliver such a spirited verse. "It's Kanye, the beat brings the ghost out of you," he said. The Virginia MC gave an update about Malice, who he said has been busy preparing for the release of his memoir, "Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind, and Naked," with a provocative series of vlogs that include excerpts from the book. "People always say the dichotomy of the Clipse is, I'm the more brash one and Malice is the more introspective one, and [those are] the roles we play in the group," Pusha explained. "But when you take Malice out of the group and you sit him down and he talks to you, well, writing to you in this book, it's not rhyming, it's just these are his words, these are his thoughts, these are his experiences. I think people are going to be blown away by this guy's mind." What do you think of Pusha's verse on "So Appalled"? Share your reviews in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Deathly Hallows' Midnight Screenings Cast $24 Million Spell On Fans Posted: 19 Nov 2010 03:56 AM PST Latest 'Harry Potter' film scores third-biggest midnight opening in history, behind two 'Twilight' films.
Like a fine wine, "Harry Potter" only gets better with age — at least when it comes to midnight debuts. The seventh film in the boy-wizard franchise, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" conjured up $24 million domestically from early Friday morning (November 19) screenings, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. In so doing, the film outstripped last year's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which nabbed $22.2 million from midnight showings, to land the #3 spot on the all-time list for midnight debuts.
The only movies ahead of it belong to another cinematic series that has captivated teens: "The Twilight Saga." Last summer's "Eclipse" ranks first with a whopping $30 million from its midnight showings, and 2009's "New Moon" is a close second with $26.3 million. While "Deathly Hallows - Part 1" didn't exactly suck the life out of its vampire competition in the midnight-screenings department, the film is well on its way to a magical box-office run. Hollywood.com box-office prognosticator Paul Dergarabedian is forecasting an opening weekend well north of $100 million, which would make it only the second "Potter" film to achieve that feat (2005's "Goblet of Fire" tallied $102.7 million in its opening frame). Other analysts are estimating that it could earn as much as $130 million, solidifying it a spot in the top-five opening weekends in history. So will "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" eventually beat out the franchise-topping $317 million domestic gross of the first film in the series, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"? Largely positive reviews certainly won't hurt it. And neither will the fact that it is "Part 1" of the epic saga's finale and should draw repeat viewings from fans who aren't quite ready to say goodbye. Of course, any records "Part 1" does set will likely be broken when "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" hits theaters in July. Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Carmelo Anthony Says He Couldn't Do Anything Without Education Posted: 19 Nov 2010 07:15 AM PST 'I had to take care of school, and then everything else just fell in place,' NBA phenom reminds kids at Get Schooled event.
Carmelo Anthony's mesmerizing moves on the court wouldn't be possible without one key factor — and it's not just putting in extra work at practice. "Without education, I couldn't really do nothing," Anthony told MTV News at a Get Schooled event at Denver's George Washington High School, which was also attended by Ludacris, indie MC Saigon and 'Melo's wife La La Vazquez. "Without my grades, I couldn't really play ball, I couldn't really hang out. I had to take care of school, and then everything else just fell in place."
The Denver Nuggets forward insisted that anybody who wants to score success should use a strong educational background as their jumping-off point. "Education should be first in everybody's agenda. I think high school and just education gets you prepared for the real world," 'Melo maintained. As challenging as homework may be, the megastar baller said making a mark outside of the classroom is a lot harder. "All the subjects that you think is hard right now in high school, trust me, it gets harder out there in the real world," he explained. "So this is where it starts, this is the stepping-stone." Anthony said he enjoyed his face time with the high-schoolers at the event and dreamed big about taking the project to the next level. "I think Get Schooled probably, for me, is one of the best programs that I've been involved in — and I'm not just saying that because I'm on here," Anthony said. "Just for the simple fact that we get a chance to hear from young kids what's going on in their mind and their life and what can they do to better their education. "I wish that we could just do it on a much bigger scale. Hopefully we can just grow the tour to 20 cities next time," he continued. "And not just have us come out there and talk, but actually showing the statistics and the videos, just everything that goes along with it." Stay tuned to MTV News for more information about how you can get the president to speak at your commencement celebration at the end of this school year. Get Schooled is a national program aimed at increasing high school and college graduation rates and promoting the importance of education, developed by Viacom in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Related Artists |
| 'Glee' To Cover Florence And The Machine's 'Dog Days Are Over' Posted: 19 Nov 2010 03:56 AM PST 'We're thrilled she's finally broken through, and now we at 'Glee' get to be a part of it,' music supervisor PJ Bloom tells MTV News.
With "Glee" fanatics still raving about this week's episode — particularly guest star Gwyneth Paltrow — it might be hard to look ahead to next week. But thanks to a run-in with "Glee" music supervisor PJ Bloom at Thursday night's Hollywood Music in Media Awards — during which Bloom was nominated for his music supervision on "Eat Pray Love" — MTV News got a few tidbits about what to expect on next week's episode with another superstar guest: Carol Burnett. "[Burnett] plays Sue [Sylvester]'s mom," Bloom said. "It's going to be fun. One of the best things we've been able to do with 'Glee' is the exploitation of the show tunes. We do our pop songs, we do our classic songs, but what we've been able to do with American musicals has been fantastic. And I think this is an under-explored area of pop culture. It's stuff that the kids care about, clearly, because they've responded so incredibly to the musicals we've done. What we've been able to do for schools, musicals in schools have been great." So does that mean next week's ep will be chock-full of show tunes? "This next episode with Sue and Carol Burnett is going to explore quite a bit of that, which is fantastic," he said. Another bit of information Bloom let slip was a certain pop song the cast will be performing on an upcoming episode, which came up during a discussion about whether Bloom had a hand in using Florence and the Machine's "Dog Days Are Over" in trailer for "Eat Pray Love." He didn't, but he did reveal that the titian-tressed VMA performer will make her mark on "Glee" very soon. "She is amazing," Bloom said of frontwoman Florence Welch. "We're thrilled she's finally broken through, and now we at 'Glee' get to be a part of it. ... We're doing 'Dog Days,' " Bloom revealed. "It's going to be amazing. Florence is fantastic. I think it's exciting that the United States gets to experience an artist like Florence and the Machine." Are you excited that "Dog Days" will be on "Glee"? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos |
| La Roux Singer Can't Hear Her Voice On Kanye West's 'All Of The Lights' Posted: 19 Nov 2010 12:02 AM PST 'It's not the kind of thing where you can pick it out ... but apparently it's there!' Elly Jackson laughs to MTV News.
If you listen closely, you just might hear La Roux's leading lady, Elly Jackson, on Kanye West's massive My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy track "All of the Lights." And if you do hear her voice on there, you might want to give her a call because, frankly, she can't hear it herself.
"I came to New York, and I did a couple of days in the studio with him," she told MTV News. "He got me to layer up all these vocals with other people, and he just basically wanted to use his favorite vocalists from around the world to create this really unique vocal texture on his record, but it's not the kind of thing where you can pick it out. I don't have a verse or anything. I can't actually hear my voice on it," she laughed. "But apparently it's there!" There are quite a few artists on the track — including Rihanna, Alicia Keys, John Legend, The-Dream, Fergie, Kid Cudi, Elton John (on piano), Ryan Leslie, Charlie Wilson and Tony Williams — and Jackson made sure to get a little something out of Kanye for her vocal duties. "He had been kind of trying to get in touch with us over three months, I think over the summer. And well, obviously, we'd got his calls and stuff, but it was a bit difficult to get our schedules to meet up, so it just took awhile for us to do anything," she recalled. "And then he said, 'I'd really love you to sing.' He was like, 'Straight up, I want you to sing on the record.' "And I was like, 'Well, we'd love for you to do a remix to 'In for the Kill.' It's great. It gets us on different radio and it gets us to a different audience, which is a great thing for any artist," she said, describing it as a "scratching-each-other's-back type of situation, which was really nice." Can you hear Elly on "All of the Lights"? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Taio Cruz 'Realistic' About AMA Chances Against Ke$ha, Justin Bieber Posted: 19 Nov 2010 02:11 AM PST 'Dynamite' singer calls American Music Awards Breakthrough Artist nomination a 'great honor.'
Taio Cruz had a "Dynamite" 2010, and he's topping it off with an American Music Awards nomination. Cruz is up for the T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist award, and as much as he would love the chance to take home the prize, he knows he has some major competition in B.o.B, Justin Bieber, Jason Derülo, Ke$ha, Lady Antebellum, Travie McCoy and Mike Posner.
"I mean, I'm realistic," he told MTV News about his chances. "Ke$ha's in there. I mean, she's massive — not physically or anything — and Justin Bieber is also massive. Also not physically. But yeah, I think there's definitely stiff competition from those two, but I'm definitely happy to be nominated. That in itself is the great honor, just because it means you've been recognized for your music." Cruz also opened up about the day he learned he was nominated. "It was crazy, because I was actually [announcing] the nominations with Demi [Lovato]," he said. "And then she was kind of standing next to me, and then my name popped into my ear, and I was like, 'Cool!' ... So I was a bit shocked, but very, very pleasantly surprised." Cruz is also capping off 2010 with a new single: the Kylie Minogue duet "Higher." "I wrote 'Higher' for [Minogue], and she ... had another song on the album called 'Higher' or some other reason why it didn't go onto her record," he said. "But as things turn out, she's here now on 'Higher' as a duet, and it's amazing. She's such a sweetheart and an amazing professional. She's just incredible." Who do you think will take home the Breakthrough Artist AMA? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Tom Felton Laments Draco's Kiss-Free 'Deathly Hallows' Posted: 19 Nov 2010 01:04 AM PST Draco Malfoy left out of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' love-fest.
It seems like all the kids in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" are getting some love and affection. Fleur and Bill finally get hitched. Hermione and Ron continue their courtship. Even Harry gets to play some kissy face, albeit as part of Ron's Horcrux-infused hallucination. And then there's Draco Malfoy. The conflicted young wizard doesn't so much as get a chance to flirt, seeing as how he's tied up at Malfoy Manor, plotting with Lord Voldemort to conquer the world. And according to Tom Felton, who plays Draco, that just isn't fair.
"Draco doesn't get any sort of female attention! What's that about? It is a little upsetting," he said, laughing, in a recent interview with MTV News. "While the other teenagers are flirting and doing all sorts, Draco seems to be far too busy on some dark, evil mission." Felton should take heart that despite his lack of onscreen loving, he's got oodles of fans who swoon over his every move. Hollywood Crush has not only selected him as this week's Hump Day Hottie, but also pegged him as the franchise's sexiest actor. Ever the modest fellow, Felton laughed at the "completely untrue and unfathomable" idea that he's a hotter commodity than Robert Pattinson. Nonetheless, Felton is undoubtedly picking up Draco's girl-getting slack — a fact the Brit actor finds appropriate. "I think it's quite suited," he said. "If Draco is lost in a love, that could have taken him away from the task at hand." Who do you think is the hottest "Harry Potter" star? Sound off in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Justin Bieber, Lil Twist Will Leak Mixtape Track 'Real Soon' Posted: 18 Nov 2010 11:41 PM PST Young Money MC says his project with Bieber may even become an EP.
Justin Bieber has already received the seal of approval of Kanye West, Ludacris and Drake. And he impressed many with a video in which he raps over Vado and Cam'ron's "Speaking in Tungs" last month. Now Bieber is taking the next step to proving his crossover potential: working on a mixtape with of Young Money rapper and fellow teen Lil Twist.
"Me and Justin are working on this mixtape," Twist confirmed to MTV News. "We probably gonna title it Best of Both Worlds, [or] Best of Young Rap, Best of Young Pop. We got a few records done. The recent record that was talked about was 'Billionaire.' We did 'Billionaire' by Travie McCoy and Bruno Mars. We gonna get ready to leak that out. We're gonna leak something real soon." Any further details about when more music from the twosome might drop is still very TBD. "I don't have the date on the mixtape yet, because we're still working hard on it," the MC explained. "We're trying to get new beats, because now, like, some of the beats [that we've used] are old. ... So we're gonna get new beats and go back in and try and make an EP." The idea of the two working on some music together was really an idea Bieber came up with, Twist explained. "Me and Justin, we actually met through a mutual friend and after that we got real cool actually," he recalled. "[We] started working in the studio, sending stuff through the Mac book and everything. And then he was like, 'Yo, bro, we should do a mixtape. Let's go.' We just started then." Related Artists |
| Avril Lavigne Experimenting With Hip-Hop, Alex Da Kid Reveals Posted: 19 Nov 2010 02:03 AM PST 'It's a mixture of pop/rock and what I do,' producer says of new album.
When Avril Lavigne splashed onto the scene eight years ago, the punk princess fueled her angsty, rebellious image with a pop-rock sound that had fans hooked. On her new album, the singer is ready to push her musical boundaries by mixing her signature sound with hip-hop elements, according to producer Alex Da Kid. "It's a mixture of pop/rock and what I do," the "Love the Way You Lie" hitmaker told Rap-Up TV. "We've got some things that are hip-hop leaning, and we've got some things that are more pop/rock leaning, so it's what we both do just kind of combined into one thing." The British producer explained that the songstress had her label reach out to him after hearing B.o.B and Hayley Williams' mega-hit "Airplanes." As hinted in the letter Lavigne posted on her website to her fans this past week, Alex suggested that the singer has experienced some hardships with her record label when it comes to the release of the yet-to-be-titled album. "I'm not sure what's going on with the album, just because she's been working on this album for a long time," he said. "So I think there's a lot of stuff going on politically and behind the scenes. "I really liked working with her," he added. "She's really cool and down to earth. It was a good experience." He recalled their drunk studio sessions, but kept tight-lipped about other track details, saying, "We're working it all out, so it's probably too early to talk about it." While he might not know exactly when the LP will drop, Alex knows all too well about fans' pleas for new Avril Lavigne material. "Her fans hit me up on Twitter every day about 'When's the album coming out?' 'When's the single coming out?' so I know there's a big demand for it," he said. "Hopefully, it'll be out soon, and we'll see what happens." Are you excited for Avril's new album? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Artists |
| Keri Hilson Is Feeling Like A '10' In 'Pretty Girl Rock' Video Posted: 19 Nov 2010 01:51 AM PST Singer plays dress-up, portraying Janet Jackson, TLC, Diana Ross and more in new Joseph Kahn clip.
It takes more than a dollop of self-confidence to hang the chorus of your song on the bordering-on-obnoxious slogan for an '80s shampoo commercial. But when Keri Hilson sings, "Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful," on her latest track, "Pretty Girl Rock," she wants the ladies to sing along.
Co-written by Ne-Yo (who gave fed-up women everywhere Beyoncé's massive kiss-off "Irreplaceable"), the relentlessly upbeat number is no less than an anthem. MTV News visited the "Pretty Girl" video set last month and Keri talked about why every girl should feel like a "10" and paying homage in the new clip to stars of the screen and song. "I think that this record could have a special place or could live in the hearts of those who are different and those who people call 'imperfect' or you know, just have a lot of insecurities," Hilson explained. "Everyone's dealing with them. Everyone has insecurities and imperfections, and it's all about embracing those things and understanding that through your differences, you are beautiful." With a hand from veteran visuals director Joseph Kahn ("Love the Way You Lie"), the Georgia girl tips her hat to a constellation of stars, past and present, from early 20th-century sirens Dorothy Dandridge and Josephine Baker to "Rhythm Nation"-era Janet Jackson and girl group TLC. "In this video, I do nine changes, and it's almost like I have to slip in and out of multiple personalities because I'm doing, what, 10 different eras, from the '20s straight up until 2010, which is me," Keri told us between shooting scenes. The songstress paused every now and then to fluff the shock of curls on her dome, a wig that, along with her blue sequined mini-dress, mile-long eyelashes and a generous dusting of gold glitter made her a dead ringer for '70s disco diva Donna Summer. Hilson also does convincing turns as '50s screen queen Doris Day and the legendary Diana Ross. Keri called the video her "way of paying homage to groundbreaking women, strong women who were fearless and so bold and so confident that they made women feel that way. ... And I hope to do the same." While MTV generation fans will probably be most amped for the frames in which Keri (as T-Boz) and two dancers (as Chilli and the late Left Eye) don silk pajamas for a stunning re-creation of TLC's "Creep," Hilson said she was hard-pressed to pick a favorite among the eras she samples, jumping around between the '70s, '80 and '90s. Then she settled on one period: the Keri Hilson scenes, for which she does stripped-down casual in a white tee and jeans. " 'Cause I get to show the world the purpose behind the song and it's a lot more meaningful," Hilson said of the "2010" sequences. "I'm not really playing a character or an era. I get to show, you know, kind of the emotion and the intent behind the record, as myself." Keri's sophomore album, the follow-up to In a Perfect World, is titled No Boys Allowed and drops December 21. What's your favorite era in the "Pretty Girl Rock" video? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Harry Potter' Fans Weigh In On Harry And Hermione Topless Kiss Posted: 18 Nov 2010 10:02 PM PST 'They're totally topless and it's really creepy,' one uncomfortable fan says after midnight 'Deathly Hallows' screening.
"Awkward," "creepy," "disturbing." Those were among the words "Harry Potter" fans used to describe the rather unexpected and altogether hallucinatory kiss between Harry and Hermione in "Deathly Hallows."
Streaming out of a midnight screening with lightning-bolt scars drawn on their foreheads and clutching wands, "Potter"-ites were still reeling from that onscreen smooch. "They're totally topless and it's really creepy," Emma Larson told MTV News. That sentiment is not far from how Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger, was feeling when she found out exactly what was in store for her scripted kiss. "It was only the day before that they said, 'Oh, by the way, we hope it's all right, but we want you to be topless, and we're going to cover you in silver paint,' " the actress told us earlier this week. "It was awkward enough as it was without the silver paint and the strapless bra, but whatever. It works." Others also agreed that it works. Itamar Lilienthal certainly did, calling the lip-locking "very erotic." Admitted Dustin Atlas, "I was a little jealous." Some, however, were not digging the twist, which had Harry and Hermione swapping spit as part of their friend's jealous hallucination. "It was a little awkward," Jane Howe said. "It was not a natural kiss, and they were naked, which added a whole other aspect to it." "It actually made me more uncomfortable," Chris McMahon said. Many fans were simply unprepared to see Hermione showing affection to anyone other than Ron. But for some, the kiss was a chance to see, at long last, Harry and Hermione together, at least for a few seconds. "That was pretty intense," said Hillary Brens. "I think a lot of fans wanting that relationship to happen — they finally got it." Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Will La Roux's Elly Jackson Be On Dr. Dre's <i>Detox</i>? Posted: 19 Nov 2010 12:59 AM PST 'We'll have to talk about that at a later junction,' singer tells MTV News.
British dance outfit La Roux are having quite a moment, and it seems to be recognized by the hip-hop community. The group's ginger-haired, fashionista lead singer, Elly Jackson, not only appears as one of the many, many A-listers on Kanye West's "All Of The Lights," she's also rumored to be appearing on Dr. Dre's long-simmering album, Detox. Reports online say La Roux's leading lady may appear on the Compton MC's album, so when MTV News got a hold of her Friday (November 19), we asked her to clear up the rumors herself.
She laughed, saying, "I don't know. I don't think ... No, I don't know. We'll have to talk about that at a later junction. We'll see." While she may not have revealed details regarding the Dre rumors, she did add, "I think my facial expressions say more than my words. Nothing's physically come out of my mouth, so it's fine." When pressed, Jackson played it cool, but was willing to give very vague insight into what the two of them could be working on together. "If I was to do anything with Dr. Dre, let's just say that I didn't necessarily do anything with him, that he might have done something with me," she said. "But not anything new." Two songs have already leaked from Detox, neither featuring La Roux. "Kush" features Snoop Dogg and Akon and is rumored to be the album's first single, complete with a video reportedly being directed by Joseph Kahn. The second leaked track is Dre's collabo with Eminem, "I Need a Doctor." Who would you like to hear on Dr. Dre's new album? Tell us in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Arcade Fire, Spike Jonze Steal Youth In 'The Suburbs' Video Posted: 19 Nov 2010 12:16 AM PST Canadian indie rockers' clip is a somber comment on adulthood.
Back in April, a rep for Spike Jonze told MTV News that the director had traveled to Austin, Texas, to shoot "a short film, which is a collaboration with Arcade Fire." Aside from a few stray details — Jonze was apparently casting "late-teen actors" for the project, which was said to be about "friends growing apart" — little else was known about the film. In the following months, no new information emerged about it, which meant that by the time the band released their sweeping album The Suburbs, pretty much everyone had forgotten about the Jonze film. Or at least figured it would never see the light of day.
Seven months later, all of that changed. On Thursday (November 18), with a single tweet, the Arcade Fire unveiled the video, a stirring, somber, near six-minute short film for their album's title track. And yes, it was worth the wait. "The Suburbs" does, in fact, star a group of late-teen actors (and the Arcade Fire's Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, in a quick cameo as rifle-toting sheriffs), and yes, they do grow apart. But it's the kind of video that cannot be ingested in one sitting, or summed up in a single sentence. Under the ever-encroaching shadow of some phantom military force (which recalls M.I.A.'s "Born Free" clip), a group of teens is transformed, from skinny-limbed, free-spirited suburb haunters into, literally, the walking dead, sad-eyed ghosts in baggy clothes. And they do so in sublimely subtle — and sublimely sad — ways: glances, gestures, gasps. The video is, in a lot of ways, a very apt metaphor for adulthood. The jack-booted military men may very well be mortgage lenders, politicians, collection agents. They invade and crush and steal away your youth, and you are powerless to stop them. This is the way life works, after all ... from the suburbs to the cubicle to the grave, over the course of about 75.6 years. When viewed literally, there's a political bend to the clip, too: commentary on colonialism and rapidly disappearing civil liberties and the very real issue of post-traumatic stress disorder, all things that — in one way or the other — are also invading our suburban enclaves, shattering the fragile peace we work so hard to protect with our gated neighborhoods and home security systems. The message, ultimately, is clear: We all grow apart, in ways big and small, and we all die in some way, both inside and out. There is nothing we can do to prevent those things from happening. It may not be the most uplifting message, but it's definitely the most impactful. Get busy living, or get busy dying. Either way, you end up in the exact same spot. What do you think of Arcade Fire's video for "The Suburbs"? Share your reviews in the comments. Related Artists |
| Jay-Z Talks Tupac, Beyonce During Charlie Rose Interview Posted: 19 Nov 2010 09:13 AM PST Rapper chides veteran talk-show host for mispronouncing Tupac's name.
BROOKLYN, New York — Jay-Z's new book, "Decoded," may be about translating the lyrics in his songs, but when the iconic MC sat down with talk-show host Charlie Rose, he promised to "decode" everything. Rose interviewed the rapper on Thursday before an audience at the Brooklyn Museum for a future episode of his PBS program, and the pair touched on much more than music. With Beyoncé, his mother and other family members seated in the front row, Jay-Z held court on an array of topics, including Tupac Shakur, his arrest for stabbing a record executive and his drug-dealing past. "Did you ever do the drugs?" Rose asked the Roc Nation boss. "Crack cocaine," Jay responded, drawing laughs from the audience. "C'mon, man. That's hard-core, man. Maybe a little weed. A Ballantine Ale. Or a Guinness Stout." "Decoded," Jay-Z's first book, is part memoir and part deconstruction of his lyrics, which have helped to garner more #1 albums than any solo artist in history. Sporting a gray blazer, black v-neck sweater, dark denim jeans and designer kicks, Jay-Z was casual and charismatic throughout the evening. When Rose mispronounced Tupac's name, the rapper humorously chided the talk-show host. "If it was Tupac," Jay said, pronouncing it "two-pack" and pausing to let the laughter build up, "it would be spelled with a 'k' and not a 'c' at the end. You're not the first to say it wrong, but hopefully, after tonight, you'll be the last." The veteran journalist redeemed himself when he leaned over to give Jay-Z a fist pound, signifying that he had learned his lesson. Rose probed further into the "Run This Town" star's life, at one point asking about his arrest in the stabbing of former Biggie confidant Lance "Un" Rivera. "He was stabbed, but he went home without taking an aspirin," Jay responded, defusing the headlines of the past. "He was fine. Don't feel bad for him." As the conversation neared its end, Rose brought up the guarded rapper's marriage to singer Beyoncé. He pointed to a clip of the two from the video for "Me and My Girlfriend," but Jay chimed in before Rose could ask his question. "I don't know how I let her wear that Boston hat," Jay-Z said. "She took the B a little too far. That's what I thought of. "How did I get out of that," he joked, after Rose was flustered and forgot his question. As of press time, the broadcast date for the episode of "Charlie Rose" featuring Jay-Z had not been announced. Related Videos Related Artists |
| John Forte To Chart His Spectacular Rise And Fall In Memoir Posted: 19 Nov 2010 12:02 AM PST Onetime Fugees producer/MC tells MixtapeDaily book will 'revisit what it was like to be on top of the world and [then] buried beneath the world.'
Cornerstone Credentials: John Forte No disrespect to Jay-Z or Trick Daddy, but if there's a rapper who really needs to put pen to pad to write a book about his life, it's John Forte.
In the years leading up to his music industry success, the former Fugees affiliate lived a charmed life, overcoming an impoverished childhood and going on to enjoy the privilege and opportunities that came with an elite private school education. That all came to a crashing halt, however, when in 2000 he was arrested at an airport after authorities discovered he was carrying $1.4 million worth of cocaine in a briefcase. He began serving a 14-year sentence in 2001, but the term was commuted when outgoing President George W. Bush pardoned him in 2008. Now Forte plans to open up about the dark period in his life. "It's a pretty uncomfortable thing for me to do," Forte recently told Mixtape Daily about his forthcoming book, to be published by Simon & Schuster. "In order for me to tell this story the right way and to do it justice, I have to relive this moment. Yes, it's cathartic, but also to have this discipline to sit still and to revisit what it was like to be on top of the world and be buried beneath the world." Since being released from prison, Forte has mostly set music aside. While he's still working on material, he decided he had to learn how to exist as a free man before returning to the scene that once made him, as he put it, a "vampire." "I think there was an expectation for me to come home and for me to cash in on the credibility factor," Forte explained. "I was real. I was thorough. I did this. That wasn't impressive to me. I went on a journey. I felt like I went all around the world, even though I was sitting still. I got to a pretty comfortable place in my headspace and my spirituality — that was still removed from society. So I had to come home and make sure I was still in tune with what was happening here." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Artists |
| 'Glee' Guest Darren Criss Hits #1 With 'Teenage Dream' Posted: 18 Nov 2010 11:48 PM PST Katy Perry loves rendition, the first 'Glee' single to top digital sales chart.
Don't pinch yourself, because this isn't a dream: With 214,000 tracks sold, "Glee" guest star Darren Criss has scored a #1 hit with his rendition of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," which debuted at the top of the digital sales chart this week — the first "Glee" single to do so, according to a joint statement from Fox and Columbia Records.
The tune debuted during "Glee's" November 9 episode, "Never Been Kissed," in which Criss made his first appearance as an openly gay teen from rival glee club the Dalton Academy Warblers. Criss is accompanied on the track by the Tufts University Beelzebubs, who also did the arrangement. Criss is humble about the track's success, giving credit to great collaborators and good timing. "There's a couple of things that stack up in my favor, preceding any shenanigans I may or may not be adding to it," Criss told MTV News. "First of all, it's a great song ... between Dr. Luke, Ben Levin, Bonnie McKee, Max Martin, Katy Perry — those are all pretty strong pop writers. A lot of props go to the Beelzebubs from Tufts University, who arranged the killer arrangement. And the song was attached to a new character that a lot of people had a lot of speculation about. I'm just the lucky guy that got to be sprinkled on top." Perry, however, couldn't sing Criss' praise more loudly, telling Access Hollywood, "He's amazing! I love when any of my songs are remixed or interpreted differently. I just I love that. I really welcome a creative mind to anything." The singer had previously tweeted, "Oh...My...Gosh... this just brought a sweet tear to my eye! Teenage Dream on GLEE makes my heart go WEEEEE!" Criss said the feeling is mutual. "She's been really sweet. Katy makes my heart 'go weeeee.' It's a great tune. I really lucked out that I got to sing that song. I mean, you've gotta sing what they give you." Do you like Criss' version of "Teenage Dream"? Tell us in the comments below! Related Artists |
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