MTV News |
- Lady Gaga Keeps MTV News' Top 25 Songs Of 2010 Rolling
- 'Black Swan' Director Pulling For Best Kiss MTV Movie Award
- Audrina Patridge Recalls Embarrassing Skip Day On 'When I Was 17'
- 'Black Swan' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
- Keri Hilson Insists 'Way You Love Me' Video Is No Stunt
- Kirsten Dunst Meets Missing Woman's Family For 'All Good Things'
- Soulja Boy Recalls Meeting Dr. Dre, Dubs Himself 'Lil' Dre'
- Eminem Producer Alex Da Kid Is 'Confident' In His Grammy Chances
- Britney Spears To Release Next Album In March
- Grammy Hits And Misses: Ke$ha Shut Out, Bruno Mars Cleans Up
- Soulja Boy Says He's Glad 50 Cent's Got His Back
- Q-Tip 'Not In Support' Of Tribe Called Quest Documentary
- Lil Wayne's 'Nino Brown, Pt. 3' Will Be 'So Much Greater'
- Justin Bieber Shocked, Then Stoked About Grammy Noms
- Rick Ross Kicks Off MTV News' Top 25 Songs Of 2010
- Nicki Minaj's Femcee Handbook Has Shades Of Lauryn Hill
- Kurtis Blow Busted For Marijuana At Airport
- 'Glee' Star Lea Michele Celebrates Grammy Nominations
- La Roux Marvel At Having Kim Kardashian And Snooki As Fans
- Drake To Host 2011 Juno Awards
| Lady Gaga Keeps MTV News' Top 25 Songs Of 2010 Rolling Posted: 03 Dec 2010 03:52 AM PST Kanye West, Rihanna and more clock in for 17 through 11.
On Thursday, MTV News began our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010, revealing our picks for 25 through 18. On Friday (December 3), we're unveiling 17 through 11, a list that includes heavy-hitters like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and B.o.B. And if seeing those kinds of names outside the top 10 shocks you, well, you're not alone. But in a year with so many really great songs, some tough decisions had to be made — and MTV News staffers were the ones making the calls. Over the past month, we asked them to come up with their own lists of their 25 favorite songs of 2010; they didn't have to be singles and, really, they didn't even have to be released in 2010. We were looking for any song that made an impact this year, be it commercially, culturally or critically. When we finally received all the lists, we had proof of just what a year it was: More than 300 different songs from some 200 artists were chosen, and it was up to a select few to tabulate the results and create a top 25. Using a point system — the #1 song on each list received 25 points, the #25 song received 1 point — we spent the next few weeks whittling down the lists. Finally, after some frantic addition (math was never our strong suit) and some rather spirited debate, we had our list — and we feel it's a great one, full of songs by artists both big and small, yet all impactful in some way. It wasn't easy, but we got it done. This week, we'll roll out 25 through 11, and then on Monday, we'll begin to unveil our top 10. Oh, and we're interested in seeing your lists too. Feel free to add them in the comments below. But now, without further ado, let's look back on the year that was, by continuing our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010: 17. Rihanna, "Rude Boy" A straight-up sex jam from the formerly demure Ms. Fenty, "Rude Boy" was the third single from the Rated R album, but unlike most everything else on the disc, it's not a morbid, morose affair. Rather, it's full of swirling synths and rushing handclaps, jerking along on a dancehall lilt and RiRi's newfound ragga swagger. Straying from the drama that had enveloped her life during the recording of the album, "Rude Boy" is Rihanna looking for love — or, more specifically, a man to give that love to her. And on this night, it may be you. Can you get it up? Is you big enough? No pressure or anything. 16. Lady Gaga, "Alejandro" It's perhaps the most, uh, oddball track in Lady Gaga's increasingly odd arsenal — in that it sounds like Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" (or an Ace of Base B-side) — so it should come as no surprise to anyone that she decided to release it as a single, complete with a nine-minute video in which she swallows a rosary and pouts like Marlene Dietrich. Sure, Katy Perry might not have liked it all that much, but the rest of us marveled at Gaga's bravado, not only to transform a breezy ode to summertime love into a curio from the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, but to carry such a retro-leaning song all the way to the upper reaches of the Hot 100. There truly isn't anything she can't do. 15. Rihanna, "Only Girl (In the World)" By the time she released Loud, Rihanna was telling anyone who would listen that she was done being dire and just wanted to have some fun. And, well, there were few songs released this year as flat-out fun as "Only Girl," a bubbly slice of club pop with — arguably — 2010's best chorus, a super-charged, positively life-affirming thing that somehow sounded best when it was shouted very loudly from the middle of a packed dance floor. Or in the shower. The greatest pop songs work no matter where you hear them, and "Only Girl (In the World)" is most definitely a great pop song. 14. B.o.B (featuring Bruno Mars), "Nothin' on You" The first of B.o.B's two heart-on-his-sleeve hits, "Nothin' on You" is a sweet, almost hokey love letter to the girls that rock both his — and crooner/producer Bruno Mars' — world, and it's notable not only for its downright viral level of catchiness (seriously, listen to it and see how long it takes you to start singing "Na-na-na-nothin' on you, babe!"), but because it introduced the world to two of the year's biggest breakout stars. They'll travel far and wide, but B.o.B and Bruno will always come back home to you. Shout-out to girls who pay their taxes! 13. Kanye West (featuring Bon Iver, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj and Rick Ross), "Monster" The year's most appropriately titled track, "Monster" is a menacing, maniacal posse cut, growling along on a beastly backbeat (courtesy of King Kanye) and downright angry verses from Ross (who proudly proclaims himself to be a "fat mother----er"), Jay (who raps about Sasquatch and whines that he doesn't get enough loooove), West (who would like to put your lady parts in a sarcophagus) and, most notably, Nicki (who more than stands up to her heavyweight competition; she K.O.'s them all). If most of 'Ye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is an exploration of his madcap life, "Monster" is a look deep inside his own psyche. More terrifyingly, it's his snarling superego. 12. B.o.B (featuring Hayley Williams), "Airplanes" Like Kanye, B.o.B isn't afraid to point out the fact that everything in the fabulous life isn't necessarily all that fabulous, that no matter how many ringtones you sell or how many people you surround yourself with, you're still going to be unhappy and, ultimately, alone. So instead you spend your nights wishing on airplanes and holding your phone in your lap, hoping against hope, thinking about how that job as a sandwich artist wasn't really all that bad, in retrospect. And then in the morning, you get up and do it all over again. Because you have to. Swoony and somber, "Airplanes" is proof that even rappers can get emo. Do people even use that word anymore? 11. Katy Perry, "Teenage Dream" The beauty of "Teenage Dream" is its simplicity: It is a song about being helplessly, head-over-heels in love and nothing more. It doesn't matter that, at the time of this writing, Katy Perry is 26 years old, or that she's happily married to a famous British comedian; you still believe her when she's singing it (it probably has something to do with the way she hits the chorus: "You! Make! Me!"). Shoot, as "Glee" proved, you don't even have to be a girl to record a convincing version of the song. "Teenage Dream" proves that, when it comes to matters of the heart, it's always best to keep it simple — truthfully, swooningly so. MTV News' Top 25 Songs of 2010 countdown continues Monday, when we roll out our top 10 picks. So make sure to keep checking back to see what song we've named #1, and don't forget to share your picks with us in the comments below! |
| 'Black Swan' Director Pulling For Best Kiss MTV Movie Award Posted: 03 Dec 2010 03:52 AM PST Darren Aronofsky tells MTV News he wants 'to see Mila [Kunis] and Natalie [Portman] kiss again' at awards show.
Darren Aronofsky's psychological ballet fantasy "Black Swan" is so full of metaphors, arresting imagery and memorable performances by stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, one would think filmgoers and critics would come away with endless topics to discuss. And yet, that hasn't been the case, as much of the publicity blitz has zeroed in on the movie's sex scenes and the actresses awkwardly rehashing filming details. Regardless, one "sexy" aspect director Aronofsky was more than willing to address is his potential nomination and win for Best Kiss at next year's MTV Movie Awards.
"Do you think we're going to win the MTV Best Kiss?" he asked MTV News when we caught up with him recently to discuss the film. "Is that what you're going for?" we countered. "Absolutely," he said. "Only to see Mila and Natalie kiss again. "But, the thing that bothers me most about MTV," he continued, "is that we didn't even get nominated for Best Fight of the year for 'The Wrestler.'... The Necro Butcher versus Randy 'The Ram'? I mean, how could we not get nominated?" he complained, affably. "We had a staple gun and a fork. I mean, is there a thing about rated-R violence? Are they trying to stay away?" Honestly, we couldn't answer that question — only that we know "Twilight" cleaned up in most categories — but we did promise Aronofsky we would do our best to make sure "Black Swan" gets some attention for Best Kiss. Back to his much-buzzed-about film, which opens Friday (December 3), we asked Aronofsky if the heightened sexuality in the film is derived from the research he did on the world of ballet. "Well, there is a lot of sexuality," Aronofsky said. "It's a very sexy thing: It's bodies moving through space in skimpy clothes. There's an erotic element to it," he explained. "People in the ballet world might be up in arms, but it almost — if you think about what people in the 1800s were allowed to see as far as sexuality, and then they would go and see a form of a tutu and men in tights with codpieces — it was a form of pornography, I think, for rich people back in the day. "But also, the film is about a girl trapped in a woman's body," Aronofsky continued. "A woman-child trying to burst out, and, of course, what a girl to a woman is her sexuality, so it was about Natalie's sexuality bursting out." What do you think of all the "sexy" talk surrounding "Black Swan"? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "Black Swan." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Audrina Patridge Recalls Embarrassing Skip Day On 'When I Was 17' Posted: 03 Dec 2010 03:52 AM PST 'It was probably one of the last times I ever ditched,' 'Hills' star says.
Audrina Patridge always came off as one of the resident good girls during her time on "The Hills," and as it turns out, when she was a teenager, she was pretty much a good girl too — except for that one time she tried to skip school.
"One day, my friends and I decided to ditch school and go to the beach, and I wrote a fake note: 'Please excuse Audrina Patridge. She wasn't feeling well today. Any questions, call,' " Patridge said on the new episode of "When I Was 17" airing this weekend, which also features "America's Next Top Model" judge Miss J and Cee Lo Green. "So I just ditched school and I went [to the beach], and our counselor at the time called my mom and asked where I was, and so she covered for me." While it may have seemed nice for her mom to cover for her, it turns out there was a very memorable lesson to be learned. "She told them that I was really, really sick and that I was throwing up, and she did it to embarrass me, because when they called me into the office the next day, I had to sit there in front of all of them and tell them that I was throwing up and that I had diarrhea and I had to stick to her story," the "Dancing With the Stars" alum recalled. "It was probably one of the last times I ever ditched — first and last." Her pal Beau admitted that the punishment probably fit the crime. "Even though Audrina did good in school, she had her, like, adventurous side," he explained. "Her mom covered for her, but she still got what was coming to her. It was probably pretty embarrassing for her." "When I Was 17" — this week featuring Patridge, Miss J and Cee Lo — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. Related Videos |
| 'Black Swan' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Posted: 03 Dec 2010 03:52 AM PST We've been keeping up with the choreography of this ballet thriller from the start.
Long before Darren Aronofsky resurrected Mickey Rourke's career inside the ropes of a wrestling ring, the director hit upon the idea to spin a big-screen tale about a love affair between a ballet dancer and a wrestler. "What was amazing to me was how similar the performers in both of these worlds are," he explained to MTV News. "They both make incredible use of their bodies to express themselves. They're both performers."
But Aronofsky soon realized that incorporating these two disparate athletic worlds was simply too much story for one single movie. He ended up dropping the ballet idea and making "The Wrestler," a film that nabbed two Oscar nominations. Two years later, he's picked up the ballet again for "Black Swan," the Natalie Portman-starring drama about a dancer in a highly competitive New York company. It's expected to garner even more Oscar nods. "I've always considered the two films companion pieces," Aronofsky said. "They are really connected, and people will see the connections." Long before we checked out "Black Swan" earlier this week, we've been connecting the dots. With the film getting a limited release Friday (December 3), here's everything you need to know about this awards-season darling. Training for the Dance "Like the way we kind of knew that Mickey Rourke was going to be in 'The Wrestler' and we were able to construct the material for him, Natalie had been attached to the film for eight or nine years; so when we were thinking about it, we were thinking about Natalie," Aronofsky told us. "First and foremost, we just wanted to make the character work and make sense of the character. Then Natalie, through her own work, was able to get to a place where she was able to play it." By November, the rest of the cast began to come together: Mila Kunis as Portman's rival and Winona Ryder as a dancer past her prime. Vincent Cassel eventually came aboard as the company's intense director and Barbara Hershey as Portman's overbearing mother. About That Sex Scene ... Yet it was explicit enough for Kunis to ban her father from watching the scene in question. "[My dad] was like, 'I don't think I should see the movie,' " she told us. "I was like, 'See the movie. There's going to be a point; get up and leave.' " That scene, it turned out, wasn't the only sexually explicit one in the film. There's also a masturbation scene, in which Portman is caught by her mother. "So disgusting," Portman said of shooting the scene. "It was akin to the experience of watching the movie with my parents sitting next to me, let me tell you." Raising the Curtain "We were on set together in tutus, emaciated and tired," Portman told us at the red-carpet premiere this week. And the intensity of the experience continued to affect them, even after they were able to ditch their diets and eat like normal human beings. "I definitely felt both physical and mental aftershocks from the experience, because it was the first thing I've ever done that was this physically demanding on top of an emotionally demanding part," Portman explained in an earlier interview. "The kind of discipline that it demands also puts you in that space for the acting part. But yeah, it affects you in ways. I'll probably figure out how it affected me in, like, five years. I'll look back and go, 'Oh, that's why I did that and that and that.' " Check out everything we've got on "Black Swan." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Keri Hilson Insists 'Way You Love Me' Video Is No Stunt Posted: 03 Dec 2010 05:37 AM PST 'I'm a freak, it's no surprise,' the singer says in defense of her sexy new clip.
Keri Hilson doesn't want to cuddle. In the brand-new video for her head-banging, rock-tinged "The Way You Love Me," Hilson, strapped into a leather bikini, bypasses the R&B book of double entendres as she delivers a jaw-dropping chorus, exhorting her man to "F--- me, f--- me." Directed by veteran choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson, with a look from Rick Ross, the clip set the Net ablaze after it premiered on a hip-hop site earlier this week. Platinum-blond Keri gyrates, thrusts, licks and gets (way) low as she laces the song with enough saucy language and expletives to make your favorite rapper blush. Singer JoJo, Dawn Richard of Diddy-Dirty Money and Faith Evans team up with Hilson in the clip, rounding out her black-clad crew of female assassins. Now, her detractors are crying foul online, accusing the singer of swerving into a racy lane just for page views and album sales. In a live-stream interview on Thursday with a visibly embarrassed Perez Hilton Keri addressed the bubbling controversy. "You know what? If you put it in context with my album, my album is called No Boys Allowed but really it means no bullsh-- allowed. In this album, I was screaming in a room — just like I was screaming in the song — I was screaming in a room with all my girlfriends, yelling all the sh-- we really say." Keri said the sentiment reflected in the song is exactly what her girls are apt to shout behind closed doors: "I don't want to make love tonight. Just f--- me, please!" She added, "I'm a freak, it's no surprise. I've been a freak on other songs ... and other videos." But Perez, echoing what some of Hilson's critics have argued since the provocative clip dropped on WorldStarHipHop.com, asked Keri point-blank whether the steamy visual is a "calculated move" intended to stir up talk and ahead of her December 21 sophomore LP. "Everything I wrote about is from that perspective: How do we really feel and think about certain things?" Keri insisted. "You don't have to use sexuality to feel powerful," Perez countered. The singer, who is performing at the "VH1 Divas" concert on Sunday, went on to explain that whether it's "Pretty Girl Rock" or "The Way You Love Me," her lyrics are meant to reflect a woman's many moods and shifting desires. "Perez, I don't want to be held and caressed every night. ... I'm talking about one man in the relationship. I'm not talking about being a slut and a whore," she said, before conceding, "It is racy." Regardless of Internet chatter, Hilson said creative freedom will always win out. "I can't allow other people or the media to dictate what I can and can't do." While she made no apologies for the NSFW video, she did say a clean version of the song is the one included on her album. What do you think of Keri's "The Way You Love Me" video? Sound off in the comments! Related Artists |
| Kirsten Dunst Meets Missing Woman's Family For 'All Good Things' Posted: 03 Dec 2010 03:52 AM PST 'I think they're so relieved that the story is being told,' actress says.
When an actor takes on a role based on a real person or event, one of the best ways for them to get into the head of the person they're playing is to meet with them or someone close to them. In the case of Kirsten Dunst's preparation for the upcoming thriller "All Good Things" (which is based on real events), however, her in-person meeting with her character's family was more difficult than enlightening: The woman she plays, Kathleen Durst, disappeared in 1982 and hasn't been found.
"I met Kathie Durst's brother, and I guess what would have been her niece," Dunst told MTV News recently during a press day for "All Good Things." "We went over to their house. It was really nice, but it was difficult, because I'm playing someone who was so dear to them that went missing. I just listened, basically," she explained. "I think that, for them, it's still difficult to talk about. I'm not going to probe with questions. That's a really intimate environment, and I was invited to their home," Dunst continued. She went on to say that what stayed with her long after the meeting was the family's continued love for Kathie. Dunst also came away with a sense of sympathy for the woman, who fell in love with a charming, yet troubled man from a very powerful family. "I can see how when someone falls in love with someone who can take you away financially, is very wealthy, sometimes you lose touch with your family and what's really going on," she said. Regarding how the family is dealing with a big-screen adaptation of their loved one's tragic tale, Dunst said she believes they feel a sense of relief. "It seems difficult for them to know that this man who did this to her, his family, no one helped or did anything, and [Kathie's family] didn't have the means to help find her," she said. "So, I think they're so relieved that the story is being told and brought to light." And despite the ominous, slightly creepy tone of the film — due in large part to Ryan Gosling's chilling portrayal as Kathie's scarred, bottled-up husband — Dunst said the discomfort is worth it. "I think that the performances are really strong, and I think that because it's a true story and it's so shocking. It's just unbelievable and frightening, but also you get this love story," she explained. "A lot of things are happening in this film, and it's still an unsolved mystery, and I think that always makes everything so much more believable." "All Good Things" opens in New York on Friday, and Los Angeles and additional cities December 10. Check out everything we've got on "All Good Things." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Soulja Boy Recalls Meeting Dr. Dre, Dubs Himself 'Lil' Dre' Posted: 02 Dec 2010 05:53 AM PST 'I was in shock at what he was saying,' young MC tells Sway during 'RapFix Live.'
Along with 50 Cent, another hip-hop heavyweight may be taking Soulja Boy Tell'em under his wing. During his interview on "RapFix Live" on Thursday (December 2), the 20-year-old rapper talked about meeting Dr. Dre for the first time briefly before one of his concerts.
"Everybody knows Dre," Soulja Boy said of meeting the West Coast icon. "I was in shock at what he was saying. It was just like, I couldn't believe that he was there." Apparently, Dre was so unassuming that he caught the young MC off-guard. "My CEO, Jimmy Iovine, had came in the room before he did, and he was like, 'What's up, Soulja Boy?' and we was talking," Soulja recalled. "And Dre just walked in, like, 'Soulja!' And I was like, 'Oh, is that Dr. Dre?' And [my boys] were like, 'Why you ain't take your shades off?' I was caught up in the moment, what he was saying, how he appreciate what I do and I'm doing my thang. "Just him telling me that, just meant so much," Soulja continued. "I was in a point of shock, you feel me?" And like for many other rappers, Dre has been a point of inspiration, but leave it to SB to take the superproducer's legacy one step further. "Dr. Dre is a legend. I've been listening to him since I was in diapers," Soulja said. "I know my mama been listening to him. Everybody knows that he did so much for hip-hop and ... you know, I'm lil' Dre!" While that title is debatable, the two may work together on Dre's premium line of headphones, Beats by Dre. "During the 'Speakers Going Hammer' [video], the beats are all through that video and the 'Speakers Going Hammer' song is gon' be in his next commercial," Soulja said. "That was love. He was like, 'I like that song. Put that in the commercial.' Soon, maybe you'll see some Soulja Boy/ Dr. Dre headphones or something like that." Until then, the rapper's been busy dreaming up fresh ideas. "I've been thinking about what I could bring. Like, I ain't want to do just like the headphones," Soulja shared. "I wanted to do something new to it." Would you check out Soulja Boy's headphones? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Eminem Producer Alex Da Kid Is 'Confident' In His Grammy Chances Posted: 02 Dec 2010 07:10 AM PST Two of his songs — Em's 'Love the Way You Lie' and B.o.B's 'Airplanes' — are facing off for Record of the Year.
Producer Alex Da Kid has had quite the year, collaborating with Eminem and Rihanna on the chart-topping "Love the Way You Lie" as well as B.o.B and Hayley Williams on the equally anthemic "Airplanes." Now that the 2011 Grammy nominations have been announced, Alex has racked up a few nods, and his two biggest hits will even duke it out for Record of the Year.
MTV News caught up with Alex via phone Thursday (December 2), and he said he was extremely excited about the recognition but wasn't surprised: He knew these songs would put him on the map from day one. "I remember sitting in the studio with Em and being like, 'I'm writing my Grammy speech right now,' " Alex recalled. "He hates all that stuff, and he hates it when I say stuff like that, but I really believed in it from the start." Alex's first major song was B.o.B's "Airplanes," which he said paved the way for his second Grammy-nominated song, "Love the Way You Lie." Eminem — who received 10 nominations himself — is featured on "Airplanes Pt. II," and Alex said their relationship grew from there. The rookie producer faces stiff competition in the Record of the Year category — where he faces off against Cee Lo's "F--- You," Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" and Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" — but Alex remains confident about his chances. "I mean, I think they're pretty good," he told MTV News of his pair of tracks. "I'm a confident person, and they're my favorite songs out of the category we're in, but you never know." Do you think Alex has a good shot come Grammy night? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Britney Spears To Release Next Album In March Posted: 02 Dec 2010 03:27 AM PST 'I'm almost done with my new album and it will be coming out this March,' she tweets.
Britney Spears tweeted Thursday (December 2) that her next album will drop in March. The singer, who has been working with a number of producers, including Dr. Luke and Max Martin, shared with her fans that she is "in love" with the yet-untitled project. "I'm almost done with my new album and it will be coming out this March," she wrote. "I AM IN L-O-V-E WITH IT!" She also thanked fans for sending birthday wishes; the singer turned 29 on Thursday. "My fans mean the world to me & waking up to all of your wishes really made me smile, so here's something that I hope will make you smile... ," she wrote. "Just wanted to thank all of you for the amazing birthday wishes you guys have been sending all day." The singer also sarcastically responded to recent reports that her beau, Jason Trawick, has abused her. "Ok, off on a romantic weekend with Jason for my birthday. xoxo Brit," she tweeted. "PS - Star Magazine, Radar Online, Jason Alexander and the rest of you liars, Ya'll can kiss my lily white southern Louisiana a**!" While no additional details about the album, which is a follow-up to her 2008 release "She's such an icon, I don't want to let anyone down," Dr. Luke recently said about working with Spears. "But most importantly, I want to make good music. ... I'm excited to be co-executive producing with Max Martin, the person who kind of invented Britney, and to make good music. And she's such an amazing vehicle to getting that music out to a lot of people in every country." What are you expecting from Brit's next album? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Grammy Hits And Misses: Ke$ha Shut Out, Bruno Mars Cleans Up Posted: 02 Dec 2010 12:28 AM PST Big Boi and Alicia Keys are also left out, but Florence and the Machine and Ray LaMontagne get some much-deserved love.
What would the annual Grammy nominations announcement be without the next-day quarterbacking and bellyaching about who got dissed and who got just the right amount of Academy love? While this year's batch of contenders is mostly devoid of the WTF factor of past nomination seasons, when veteran acts such as Steely Dan, Robert Plant and Herbie Hancock sucked most of the air out of the room, there were still plenty of surprises, omissions and flat-out questionable choices to go around.
The one most people were buzzing about Thursday (December 2) was the blank delivered to Ke$ha, who earned a grand total of zero nominations for her debut, Animal, despite launching several hits and earning a major spot in the pop-culture universe in 2010. The snub was even more noticeable because one of her producers, Dr. Luke, was nominated in the producer category and four of the eight songs that earned him that spot were from Ke$ha's debut. We spoke to Entertainment Weekly music critic Leah Greenblatt about that oversight and many others in this year's nominations. She said the Ke$ha situation was surprising, especially considering the love that the similarly poptastic Katy Perry got for Teenage Dream, which has sold well but, like Animal, was not critically adored upon release. "But I think it's really cool to see Florence [and the Machine] get that nomination [for Best New Artist], and I think it's awesome that Esperanza Spalding also got nominated [in that category]," she said of the little-known jazz singer who likely sent many people to Google on Wednesday night. Greenblatt was also excited that raspy-voiced singer Ray LaMontagne snagged a spot in the Song of the Year category for "Beg Steal or Borrow" and another in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category. "As fogie-ish as the Grammys are, it seems like this year they went more towards a Teen Choice Awards direction with a noticeably younger group of nominees," she said, wondering if it was a conscious decision to try and make the show hipper or if it's a signal of the changing demographic of Grammy voters. "And I think Bruno Mars deserves all of his nominations," she added about the singer/songwriter/producer who scored seven nods. "He only had one hit, but he really shaped popular music this year with the songs he did for Travie McCoy, B.o.B and Cee Lo. He brought so much musicality to R&B and pop. He's making music and playing instruments and he's insanely melodic. He's not just jacking samples." As for how Eminem ended up with the most nominations at 10, she chalked it up to the "Sandra Bullock factor," speculating that Grammy voters might have just thought it was Marshall Mathers' time to shine again. "He's not universally liked for his sparkling personality, but it seems like it's his time," she said of the rapper, who had the year's best-selling album with Recovery and stormed back with some of the most melodic, accessible music of his decade-plus career. "It almost seemed like he was deemed safe enough for the Grammys this year ... and the album is so incredibly commercial. It's as safe as Eminem gets." As for who got left off, Greenblatt said she was surprised at the lack of "American Idol" names on the list, with season-eight winner Kris Allen getting shut out and that season's runner-up, Adam Lambert, only getting a bid for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Whataya Want From Me." And for a song that was one of the best-selling singles of the year, it was surprising that Train's "Hey, Soul Sister," Grammy bait if there ever was, managed only one nod for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals — for a live version of the tune. There were other glaring omissions to be sure: no love for rappers Rick Ross and Big Boi, just a pair of nominations for last year's big winners Kings of Leon, a shutout for Lady Gaga's smash "Bad Romance" in the Record and Song of the Year categories (it did show up in Best Female Pop Vocal Performance) as well as for B.o.B and Hayley Williams' mega-hit "Airplanes," which scored only a Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals acknowledgment. Greenblatt was also disappointed that Alicia Keys' The Element of Freedom got blanked, despite the handfuls of Grammys the singer has taken home in the past. And considering its major impact on the pop-culture landscape, "Glee" only got noticed in the Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media category and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for "Don't Stop Believin'," which Greenblatt said may have had something to do with the fact that the songs on the show are covers and not original compositions. In the end, though, she said this year's Grammys were mostly devoid of the giant head-smacking omissions and inclusions of past years and with the strong recognition to a new generation of singers, another potential sign that the show might be inching in a new direction. Which artists or albums do you think got too much (or not enough love) this year? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Soulja Boy Says He's Glad 50 Cent's Got His Back Posted: 02 Dec 2010 05:53 AM PST Fif has defended the young MC, and '50 don't mess with no rappers,' Soulja says on 'RapFix Live.'
Hip-pop hitmaker Soulja Boy and gritty G-Unit boss 50 Cent may be hip-hop's newest odd couple, but the 20-year-old rapper is glad the Queens MC is in his corner — regardless of what critics may say.
During a return appearance on MTV News' "RapFix Live" on Thursday (December 2), the "Speakers Going Hammer" star talked about his relationship with Fif, saying he's amped the Before I Self Destruct lyricist has stuck up for him when his hip-hop cred was questioned. "To have 50 have my back, that's definitely exciting, it's an achievement. 50 don't mess with no rappers," Soulja said. "When I came out, there [was] a lot of people that was hating on me [and] felt like I wasn't real to the game — don't hate the player, hate the game — 50 shed light on me and he came to my defense." Soulja talked about taking the brunt of much hip-hop hate for churning out infectious, dance floor-friendly hits that became popular with everyone from all-American teens to Hollywood heavyweights. "Eminem's daughter doing my ['Crank That'] dance, that's just amazing. Just like when I seen Beyoncé doing it, just like when I seen Samuel L Jackson doing it," he recalled. "I was just like, 'Wow, all these people liking what I'm doing, so why hate on me?' That's all I felt." Soulja also revealed the advice Fif hooked him up with for both dealing with hate and side-stepping any wrong turns on the road to superstardom. "He just wants me to do my thang," SB said. "Me being 20 years old, he just always gives me advice and tips so I won't make the same mistakes he made when he was young. Ain't really no other older rapper did that, except for my homie Gucci [Mane]. But me and him being from Atlanta, being from the South, we got more in common than me and 50, so for 50 to come out and do that ... that's real big." What do you think about 50 Cent's advice for Soulja Boy? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Q-Tip 'Not In Support' Of Tribe Called Quest Documentary Posted: 02 Dec 2010 04:18 AM PST MC tweets, 'Filmmaker should respect the band to the point of honoring the few requests' made about the doc.
A Tribe Called Quest's game-changing legacy is slated to hit the big screen in the forthcoming documentary "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest," which has been picked up for Sundance. A trailer for the flick recently hit the Web, and Tribe acolytes have voiced their excitement on the project's Facebook page. However, there is one key detractor whose concerns could potentially derail anticipation for the film and diminish its credibility: Tribe frontman Q-Tip. On Thursday (December 2), the Queens MC blasted the film via his Twitter account. "I am not in support of the a tribe called quest documentary," he wrote. The "Electric Relaxation" lyricist explained his gripes stem from creative differences between the hip-hop crew and the team behind the doc. "The filmmaker shld respect the band enough to honor our request regarding the film," Q-Tip wrote. "The filmmaker should respect the band to the point of honoring the few requests that's was made abt the piece." A spokesperson for Rival Films, the production company behind the project, was not available when MTV News reached out for comment. Actor Michael Rapaport ("Bamboozled") directed the film, which, according to the flick's website, revolves around the group's reunion for the 2008 Rock the Bells Tour. The impact and influence of the collective is explored by fellow hip-hop luminaries like Native Tongues members Busta Rhymes and De La Soul and rap superstars like Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. Despite Q-Tip's issues with the film, it appears to have been made not only with the band's cooperation, but all members of the original Tribe lineup — Phife, Ali Shaheed and Jarobi — figure prominently in the project. The film will premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in January. Are you looking forward to the Tribe documentary? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne's 'Nino Brown, Pt. 3' Will Be 'So Much Greater' Posted: 02 Dec 2010 01:35 AM PST Director DJ Scoob Doo tells MTV News third installment in DVD series is being expanded to capture Wayne's life post-prison.
Lil Wayne has kept a low profile since emerging from prison last month, quietly recording again and showing up at a handful of sporting events. But the Cash Money superstar has been very productive: He's "93 percent done" with his next project, Tha Carter IV, according to Lil Wayne insider DJ Scoob Doo. Scoob has been with Wayne every step of the way since his release — from New York to Las Vegas and Miami — capturing the moments for "The Nino Brown Story, Pt. 3," the ongoing DVD series that documents life behind the scenes for the martian MC.
The DVD was scheduled for release earlier this year, but Scoob decided to pull back and wait until Wayne was free. The project is expected to see the light of day once Wayne's LP is finished. "I was planning to put that out while Wayne was away, that was the traditional outlook of it," Scoob told MTV News. "But Wayne didn't see the 'I'm Single' video. That's like my partner in crime with this, so to [have] put it out without him seeing [the video], it proves everything — he knows that was a good product. But it's kinda like putting an album out without him listening to it." The rapper and his videographer recently sat down and watched all of the clips Scoob shot, which subsequently made their way onto the Net while Weezy served out his sentence. The batch included "I'm Single," "We Be Steady Mobbin' " and the "Pop Dat" videos. The last one, "Pop Dat," brought home the importance of the project for Wayne. The clip features footage of the Birdman going to visit him on Rikers Island, fans holding up "Free Weezy" signs and more. As a result, "The Nino Brown Story, Pt. 3" has swelled to a larger production, set to encompass material that follows Wayne in the period leading up to his imprisonment right through his post-prison return to the stage during a surprise performance with Drake. "It's telling a story, and the story is so much greater now," Scoob explained. "It's kinda like you're trying to make a TV show episode off of a major motion picture. You can't do it, you can't do it. You can do it, but it's gonna have to be continued. So, right now, it's like we on 'Nino Brown, 17,' if you will, just to put in perspective of how much video footage we have. How much content we have, how much on a different space we are professional-wise, working together-wise." What do you want to see on the next "Nino Brown" DVD? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Justin Bieber Shocked, Then Stoked About Grammy Noms Posted: 02 Dec 2010 07:15 AM PST Best New Artist nominee's My World 2.0 up for 2011 best pop award.
Though he was a bit tongue-tied when host LL Cool J asked him to react to his Grammy nomination for Best New Artist on Wednesday night during the "Grammy Nominations Concert Live!" special, Justin Bieber got his thoughts together a short time later and had a lot more to say about the honor. "Just went to bed and thought I was nominated for 1 #grammy and was already freakin out ... then @scooterbraun [Bieber's manager] just called me ... 2 nominations!!," the 16-year-old star tweeted from London. And as the news of his first-ever Grammy noms sunk in, Bieber couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "What!?!? what?!?!!? 2!! #Heck yes!! Love everyone. Never say never!!!," he wrote, adding, "Win or lose ... this is #crazy!! the Grammys!!! #Holy crap!!!" Those reactions were a bit more enthusiastic than the ones he gave on-air with host LL. During a brief back-and-forth on the show after Paramore's Hayley Williams announced the nominees for Best New Artist, Bieber seemed stunned and was at a loss for words when the rapper asked him how it felt. "Wow. It feels amazing. I can't believe I'm in this position. I want to thank all my fans, everybody. I want to thank ... the board. I don't know what to say," Bieber stammered. The teen idol has some pretty stiff competition in the new-artist category, including rapper Drake, buzz bands Florence & the Machine and Mumford & Sons and a dark-horse candidate, jazz singer Esperanza Spalding. There aren't any slouches in the other category Bieber snagged a nomination in, either. His My World 2.0 will face off in the race for Best Pop Vocal Album against releases from Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Susan Boyle and John Mayer. Bieber performed his hit "Favorite Girl" on the Grammy concert special and later posted a video with a more-enthusiastic reaction to his double nomination. "Hey everyone, it's 3 in the morning over here in London, and LL Cool J just told me I'm a Grammy-nominated artist," Bieber says in the clip, sitting calmly on a stool in a green-screen studio. "I was a little nervous, shell-shocked. I didn't really get to show you guys how I really feel," he admits, before jumping out of his seat and shouting, "Yes! Yes! I am a Grammy-nominated artist! Never say never! Never say never!" as he spins in circles, pumps his fists and spikes his baseball hat on the ground. The Best New Artist nod must have been especially sweet for JB, since just this January at the 2010 Grammy Awards, he and Ke$ha presented the statue in that category, and he said he was looking forward to possibly being on the stage again in 2011. Who do you think will win the Grammy for Best New Artist? Tell us your prediction in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rick Ross Kicks Off MTV News' Top 25 Songs Of 2010 Posted: 02 Dec 2010 03:52 AM PST We unveil our favorite tracks of the year, starting with 25 through 18.
In 2010, we fell in love with guys named Alejandro and Gurls from California. We learned how to Dougie and Blow Money Fast, shouted F--- You and Oh My God, wished on Airplanes in the night sky, Loved the Way You Lie and got Fancy. We marveled at the Power one man possessed and pined openly for the Only Girl (In the World). In short, we lived vicariously through music — and 2010 was a heck of a year to do so. But in a year with so many genuinely great songs, what was the greatest? It's a tough question to answer, but we decided to give it a try. Over the past month, we asked the MTV News staff to come up with their own list of their 25 favorite songs of 2010; they didn't have to be singles and, really, they didn't even have to be released in 2010. We were looking for any song that made an impact this year, be it commercially, culturally or critically. When we finally received all the lists, we had proof of just what a year it was: Our staffers ended up picking more than 300 different songs from some 200 artists, and it was up to a select few to tabulate the results and create a top 25. Using a point system — the #1 song on each list received 25 points, the #25 song received 1 point — we spent the next few weeks whittling down the lists. Finally, after some frantic addition (math was never our strong suit) and some rather spirited debate, we had our list — and we feel it's a great one, full of songs by artists both big and small, yet all impactful in some way. It wasn't easy, but we got it done. This week, we'll roll out numbers 25-11, and then on Monday, we'll begin to unveil our top 10. Oh, and we're interested in seeing your lists too. Feel free to add them in the comments below. But now, without further ado, let's look back on the year that was, by kicking off our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010. 25. Rick Ross (featuring Ne-Yo), "Super High" The debut single from Ross' Teflon Don album, "Super High" dropped in May and dazzled everyone with its mix of style (check Ne-Yo's glossy, flossy chorus) and swagger (Ross boasts about besting foes "by margins larger than Fran Tarkenton" and insists that "only fly bitches ride with the Boss"). Produced by DJ Clark Kent, it glides by swatches of both N.W.A and silky '70s R&B act Enchantment, which sort of makes it a pretty apt metaphor for Ross himself, when you think about it. 24. Swedish House Mafia, "One (Your Name)" It recalls, alternately, a blender, a rubber band, a Simon, a motorcycle and something from the "Mortal Kombat" soundtrack (and that's just in the crowd-uniting intro). But, really, "One" is the year's best club anthem, a seamless mixture of stray sounds, house stomp and monster rave hooks that packed dance floors from Iowa to Ibiza (and the Jersey Shore too). Throw in hints of acoustic guitar, piano and, uh, Pharrell Williams, and you've got a track that's practically bursting its britches, but it's a credit to the trio of Swedish stars that produced it that "One" remains slipstream-tight. Chances are, when Rihanna, Usher and Chris Brown made their respective forays into dance music, this was the track that inspired them to do so. 23. LCD Soundsystem, "I Can Change" A woozy mixture of bloopy electronics and, well, naked insecurity, "I Can Change" is, on the surface, just a come-down track from a night of excess and elation. But what makes it great is what makes all of James Murphy's songs so great: the fact that, beneath it all, there beats a very human heart, a desperate, pleading one that needs love no matter what. Lie to him, build him up and then tear him down, Murphy doesn't care, so long as he's coming home with you tonight. "It's good in the dark," he sings, but he's also smart enough to cover what happens in the light too. The end result may not be pretty, but, hey, at least he's honest. 22. Yeasayer, "O.N.E." What happens when one of Brooklyn's brightest bands decides: "Screw this, let's make a pop record?" "O.N.E.," of course. A sumptuous, supple and sublimely silly tune — on an album, Odd Blood, that's full of them — "O.N.E." worms along on undulating synth lines, funky fretwork and a downright sexxxy falsetto yelp, and somewhere along the way, it also manages to transform itself into the picture-perfect pop song, for the 22nd century and beyond. All of which is a rather bookish way of saying Britney, Katy and Gaga wish they could pull something like this off. 21. Robyn, "Hang With Me" Robyn's best songs are always her most bittersweet, and "Hang With Me" is no exception. A rather fragile, heartbreaking exploration of those first tentative steps into (or out of) love, it's also a starry, synthy super-ballad, an electro-pop wonder that just keeps chiming along until the chorus hits, the joy overloads and everything is right with the world. Robyn cautions us not to fall "recklessly, headlessly" in love with her, but when she makes songs as good as "Hang With Me," it's sort of difficult not to. 20. The National, "Bloodbuzz Ohio" White-collar angst from blue-collar barflies, "Bloodbuzz" is the sound of all that is terrifying and unyielding in adulthood, a weary warbler practically bowed under with the unspoken regrets of anyone who's ever been up against the wall or in too deep. Matt Berninger is at his boozy, woozy best, mumbling the year's most perfectly crushing line — "I still owe money to the money I owe" — while the guitars fret beneath him and the water continues to rise. There's no stopping the inevitable, after all. 19. Alicia Keys, "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" A simmering, downright serpentine track that pulses on little more than a barebones back track, noirish piano chords and — above all else — Keys' breathless, deft vocals, "Un-Thinkable" is the rare example of a megastar stripping it all away and just being brave. And it packs the kind of wallop no amount of studio trickery could muster as a result. Keys is laying it all on the line here, and she's doing it because she deserves it. Or at least she thinks she does. And that caveat is the key: She's the rare talent who's also willing to admit that she has doubts, which makes her — and this song — all the more impactful. 18. Chris Brown, "Deuces" Unapologetic, brash and, sure, even cocky, "Deuces" is Chris Brown's "FU" to the world, and truth be told, he's at his absolute best when he's angry. In theory, the song is little more than a supremely swaggering kiss-off to a nagging ex, but when he sings, "I'm movin' on to something better," you can't help but think that's also addressing everyone who's vilified him over the past 18 months — and that's probably the point. He knows you're mad, but so what? MTV News' Top 25 Songs of 2010 countdown continues Friday, when we reveal 17 through 11 on our list. The top 10 begins rolling out Monday, so make sure to keep checking back to see what song we've named #1. And don't forget to share your picks in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Nicki Minaj's Femcee Handbook Has Shades Of Lauryn Hill Posted: 02 Dec 2010 02:23 AM PST With 375,000 sold, Pink Friday is the highest-selling hip-hop female debut since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998.
Nicki Minaj came out of the gate sprinting last week. Her debut LP, Pink Friday, racked up sales of 375,000 copies, making it the highest-selling first album from a female hip-hop act since Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill back in 1998 (which sold 423,000). It's almost appropriate that Minaj should share that distinction with Ms. Hill, because while they're definitely very different stylistically, they're actually very much cut from the same cloth. "At one time, you had to sell a few kilos to be considered a credible rapper," Minaj says in the December 9 issue of Rolling Stone. "But now, it's like Drake and I are embracing the fact that we went to school, we love acting, we love theater, and that's OK — and it's especially good for the black community to know that's OK, that's embraced." When Lauryn Hill skyrocketed to fame with the Fugees in the mid-'90s, and then later on her own, she was very much in the same lane as Minaj. Perhaps more artsy, more earthy, more organic and less glammed-up, but still, at the core, a lyricist who earned respect from the hip-hop community by showing and proving as a hip-hop act first and foremost before becoming a celebrated pop star. Lauryn Hill sang a great deal on her debut LP. On Pink Friday, Minaj sings a bit as well. Lauryn acted in the film "Sister Act 2" in 1993, before the Fugees were a household name. Minaj attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she studied drama, and has indicated many times that she thought she'd grow up to be an actress, not a rapper. But their similarities come into full view when you examine how both artists embrace their female power in a male-dominated industry. At the time of Lauryn's ascension, she was the counterpoint to the hyper-sexual Lil' Kims and Foxy Browns of the hip-hop world — artists who were selling their sexuality just as much as their music. Minaj entered the music industry doing much of the same, but in the past year, has noticeably turned away from an overtly sexual image. She also has moved away from being one of Lil Wayne's underlings and carved her own identity, much like Hill did with bandmate Wyclef Jean. "I have the same power as these boys," Minaj says in the Rolling Stone profile. "I have the same magic carpet. There's nothing different between me and them except they have a twig and berries, and I don't. I no longer feel lesser than. I don't want my girls to feel that way. "I want them to feel that, even if you have a 9-to-5, if you grow up to be vice president of the company, you should earn the same thing the male vice president earned. You should demand the same thing." What artists would you compare to Nicki Minaj? Share your ideas in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Kurtis Blow Busted For Marijuana At Airport Posted: 02 Dec 2010 02:33 AM PST Rap pioneer was caught with the drug after a pat-down at Los Angeles International Airport.
Legendary MC Kurtis Blow just caught a tough break: The rapper was busted with marijuana at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday (December 2). The rap pioneer was caught with a small amount of weed as he went through a security screening around 5:45 a.m., according to E! News. After a body scan uncovered "an anomaly" in his clothing, the MC was subjected to a pat-down, which revealed a bag of pot. The Harlem spitter, who was born Kurtis Walker, had less than an ounce of the drug, so he was slapped with a misdemeanor citation and the weed was confiscated. Since kicking off his career in the '70s, Blow has been lauded as a hip-hop pioneer, with a slew of firsts under his belt. He is credited with becoming the first rapper to release a major-label album, and his signature 1980 single, "The Breaks," became the first hip-hop song to be certified gold. He is also credited as the first to head out on a national and international hip-hop tour while the culture was still in its infancy as a mainstream force. While hip-hop artists hawk everything from sneakers to beer these days, Blow was the first rapper to sign an endorsement deal. Aside from helping to push hip-hop from a local New York City movement to a global phenomenon, Blow's legacy as a rap game-changer endures. Contemporary hip-hop stars still turn to his catalog for inspiration. Case in point: His track "If I Rule the World" was covered by Queens MC Nas. With his music career behind him, Blow has since turned to religion, helming services at his Hip Hop Church in Harlem. |
| 'Glee' Star Lea Michele Celebrates Grammy Nominations Posted: 02 Dec 2010 12:16 AM PST The show's cast is up for soundtrack and pop group awards.
Week after week, the "Glee" cast has been delivering catchy covers of songs that people already love, so it's not surprising that in addition to big sales and ratings numbers, they're starting to receive music industry accolades as well. And on Wednesday night, they managed to snag two Grammy nominations, not just for the obvious category — Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media — but also for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for their cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."
"That's so cool!" star Lea Michele (Rachel) said of the kudos. But she almost missed the news of their nods, since she was traveling to New York to attend the Billboard Women in Music Awards on Thursday (December 2). "I had to turn my phone off last night when we were taking of to come to New York, so up until the last minute I was texting my castmembers like, 'What's going on?' " she told MTV News on the red carpet of the Billboard event, where she was honored as a Triple Threat. "And then when I landed, I had, like, four from all of them like, 'We got nominated!' " Funny enough, they are up against Train's "Hey, Soul Sister" and Paramore's "The Only Exception," both of which have been reimagined on "Glee." (Also nominated in the category are Maroon 5 for "Misery" and Sade for "Babyfather.") And though the soundtrack nod is nothing to sneeze at, Michele has a soft spot for the Journey cover that was featured in the show's season-one finale. "I'm so happy, especially that it's for 'Don't Stop Believin',' which is for the whole cast, so that we all get to go," she said. "That's just awesome." Which "Glee" cover do you think deserved a Grammy nomination? Talk about it in the comments. Related Videos Related Photos |
| La Roux Marvel At Having Kim Kardashian And Snooki As Fans Posted: 02 Dec 2010 12:51 AM PST 'I've never seen 'Jersey Shore' ... apparently it's quite a big deal,' frontwoman Elly Jackson laughs.
La Roux had quite the 2010, thanks to the smash success of their track "Bulletproof," which brought the dance group loads of new fans — including starlets and soldiers.
"A few months ago, someone sent me a tweet that Kim Kardashian — and I only just found out who the Kardashians were — and they said she just tweeted, 'This time I'll be bulletproof.' And she's got this bullet bracelet on, and they said she tweeted that, and I was like, 'Now that's really weird,' " La Roux frontwoman Elly Jackson told MTV News. "The fact that it reaches people like that — which, when we were writing it in a living room in South London, we didn't think it'd be reaching multimillionaires in L.A. — it doesn't compute with me. So it is what it is. It has a universal quality." It seems that Kardashian isn't the only reality star with a love for La Roux: "Jersey Shore" star Snooki was spotted at a La Roux gig in New York last month. "I've never seen 'Jersey Shore' ... apparently it's quite a big deal!" Jackson laughed. "Bulletproof" and another La Roux hit, "In for the Kill," have also become anthems for those fighting the good fight. "I think it's like we were saying before about 'In for the Kill,' it's one of those things you can take it to mean anything. I heard that amongst troops in Iraq, it was a really big song for them, obviously, because it's like 'Bulletproof' ... a great anthem for them. "But did I ever think anyone would take that song and make it mean that for them? No I didn't!" Jackson continued. "And I think that's one of the great things about it, is that people can listen to it and hear 'This time, baby, I'll be bulletproof' and they can apply it to anything." What do you think about the universal appeal of La Roux's music? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Drake To Host 2011 Juno Awards Posted: 02 Dec 2010 01:18 AM PST Toronto MC will return to his hometown to helm the Canadian music awards show.
Chances are good that if you check out an awards show in 2011, it will be hard to escape Drake. The Young Money MC already has four nominations for the 53rd annual Grammy Awards under his belt, and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences just announced he'll be hosting the 2011 Juno Awards. "I am beyond honored to be hosting this monumental Juno Awards in the greatest city on Earth," Drizzy said in a statement. "I want to bring a youthful energy to the show and encourage people to be excited about what Canadian music has to offer. See you all at the show." "Drake has made incredible strides on the national and international music scene in the past year and exemplifies the next generation of Canadian artists. We're thrilled to have him host the 2011 Juno Awards in his hometown of Toronto," added Melanie Berry, president and CEO of CARAS and the Juno Awards. "People are still buzzing over his performance last year on the Juno Awards, and we can't wait to see what's in store this time around!" The Toronto native is no stranger to the Junos, having scored four nominations and two trophies. The Thank Me Later lyricist also hit the stage alongside fellow Canadian pop export Justin Bieber at last year's awards. However, Drizzy won't know if he'll have to pull double duty as both a host and award contender until February 1, when the 2011 nominations are announced. The show, which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the awards, will air live on CTV on Sunday, March 27. News of the hosting gig comes around the same time as the announcement of Drizzy's four Grammy nods. The singer/MC is up for Best New Artist, Best Rap Album for Thank Me Later, Best Rap Solo Performance for "Over" and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Fancy" with T.I. and Swizz Beatz. What do you think about Drake hosting the 2011 Juno Awards? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
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