| Black Eyed Peas Were 'Still Passionate' For <i>The Beginning</i> Posted: 30 Nov 2010 03:52 AM PST 'For every ending is a new beginning,' will.i.am says of the band's new album.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash 
The Black Eyed Peas
Photo: Steve Granitz/ Getty Images The last album the Black Eyed Peas released was called The E.N.D., but the album didn't signify the end for the band, instead it launched the band into a whole new era where they embraced futuristic club jams and became chart-topping sensations. On Tuesday (November 30), the group is hoping to rekindle that magic with their latest release, The Beginning. "Because the last record was The E.N.D. [and] for every ending is a new beginning that's why it's The Energy Never Dies, " will.i.am told MTV News on the red carpet of the AMAs earlier this month. "We're still showing you the energy, so let's call it The Beginning." Just like their last, the Peas wanted this album to express the world around them, Will explained. "The E.N.D. was a zeitgeist of the time, articulating that it's the end of the era," he continued. "We're still passionate about music, so The Beginning [is] utilizing all the technologies, doing new things. Stuff like that, that's The Beginning." Apl.de.ap said the group — which was just announced as next year's Super Bowl halftime act — also looked at their competitors for inspiration. "Also going out, we try and check out the scene, the city and be inspired by other producers or other DJs, what kind of stuff they're playing," he explained. "So that's how we keep fresh." Leading lady Fergie explained how easy it was to record while on the road. "I mean you have to realize this album was made on tour," she said. "Basically these guys have hotel rooms with studios in them. Now technology has allowed us to make albums in hotel rooms. They'd leave their doors open, and I'd walk in [and just start singing]." And even though they've been around the block a few times, Taboo said it's important for them to feel like this really is still The Beginning for BEP. "[We have to] stay hungry and keep wanting to push the envelope," he said. "Don't be comfortable and settle. Will says once you start slacking off, there's someone that's hungrier than you. You have to stay hungry." What's your favorite Black Eyed Peas song? Talk about it in the comments. |
| Bono Calls 'Spider-Man' Musical 'Pop-Up, Pop-Art Opera' Posted: 30 Nov 2010 03:52 AM PST U2's The Edge describes Broadway's 'Turn Off the Dark' as 'something that hasn't been done before.'
By Rick Marshall 
Bono
Photo: MTV News The budget-busting Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" made its long-awaited debut last weekend to preview audiences, and though Peter Parker's bow was marred by production miscues and a laundry list of problems, one issue that audiences didn't seem to have a problem with was the music. According to U2 bandmates Bono and The Edge, who composed the production's score, that's because comic books and rock and roll music are a natural fit. "There's always been a thing with punk rock bands and comics," Bono told MTV News during an interview last week. "It's always been there. Even the Ramones, who are also from Queens [New York] like Peter Parker and Mary Jane, they covered the theme to Spider-Man." "It goes through all, not just rock and roll culture, it's in modern art," he continued. "You see it in Roy Lichtenstein's work, all the pop artists' work; they all sample from comics." Featuring high-flying stunts and a multitude of moving set pieces that put the audience in the middle of the action when Spider-Man battles Green Goblin, Carnage and the rest of the show's villains, "Turn Off the Dark" is treading new ground. In fact, the ambitious uses to which director Julie Taymor has put the project's record-breaking budget have effectively distanced it from its peers — and caused some confusion when it comes time to describe the show. "It's like a graphic novel, but a three-dimensional one," Bono ventured. "I'm calling it a pop-up, pop-art opera, because I'm pretentious. Julie's calling it what?" "I think she's calling it a rock-and-roll circus drama," The Edge answered. "We don't really know what to call it, because there are so many aspects to it," he explained. "A great night out. I think that's what it is." The Edge acknowledged a similar difficulty in comparing "Turn Off the Dark" with anything that came before it. "It is elements of rock and roll, it's elements of circus, it's elements of opera, of musical theater," he said. "It is so many different things, and when we started the process, we promised we'd do something that hasn't been done before. And really, we, I think, have managed to do that." Check out everything we've got on "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos |
| DJ Drama, Don Cannon Publicly End Beef For Mixtape Posted: 30 Nov 2010 03:52 AM PST Former Aphilliates tell Mixtape Daily about burying the hatchet for Young Chris' The Re-Introduction.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Rahman Dukes and James "FLX" Smith 
DJ Drama and Don Cannon
Photo: MTV News Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables
Mixtape: The Re-Introduction Headliner: Young Chris Co-Headliners: DJ Drama and Don Cannon Essential Info: Business partners fight, but brothers unite. That's the case between DJ Drama and Don Cannon. The two unceremoniously parted ways a few years ago and went their separate ways, signaling the end to the Aphilliates crew that dominated the mixtape game with their jointly hosted "Gangsta Grillz" project. Drama continued to do his thing with the "GG" brand, helming projects by Gucci Mane, among others. And Cannon made a name for himself on the underground scene, championing acts such as The Cool Kids. The two friends buried the hatchet recently and rejoined forces on fellow Philly native Young Chris' The Re-Introduction mixtape. "Dram called my phone and was like, 'Let's go sit down,' " Cannon told MTV News. "We sit down, and before you even know it, we didn't even have to explain it to each other. We were like, 'Let's get it together. You got your thing going on. I got my thing going on.' "You know when you get into an argument, and you got to explain what's going on? We past that. We're here. The reintroduction. We're here for Chris, Philly, and this is a good platform for people to see what people can do when they come together and knock things out." Although the two Clark University grads publicly reunited for Young Chris' mixtape, the pair said they were back on good terms long before the project. "I remember last year when the situation happened on the radio with Jeezy and Gucci [squashing their beef]," Drama said. "And a lot of people were hitting my Twitter and said, 'Now that they've resolved their issue, when will we see you and Cannon together? That's what we really wanna see.' " Other Notables
» Don Cannon Presents Short Dawg - Southern Flame Spitta, Vol. 4
» Superstar Jay - I Am Mixtapes 68 (hosted by Lil' Kim)
» DJ Scream & DJ MLK - Saks Fifth (Black Friday Edition)
» Lil B - Red Flame (Evil Edition)
» The Empire & Rocko - Rocko Dinero For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| 30 Seconds To Mars Unveil Epic 'Hurricane' Video Posted: 29 Nov 2010 03:33 AM PST Clip mixes fetish looks with cinema-worthy stunts, but no Kanye West cameo.
By Gil Kaufman 
30 Seconds to Mars' Jared Leto in "Hurricane"
Photo: EMI Jared Leto never goes halfway. That's why the epic video for 30 Seconds to Mars' new single "Hurricane" sometimes feels like a summer blockbuster squished down into a 13-minute box. Part "Eyes Wide Shut" fetish flick, part action movie and all a bit confusing, the video that director Bartholomew Cubbins (a.k.a. Leto) has been promising will be "very sexual," violent and a "surrealistic nightmare dream-fantasy" is all those things and more. Plus a lot of things we can't even really get into here. Premiering on MTV.com on Monday (November 29), the mini-movie is broken into chapters, beginning with movie-style titles announcing "Hurricane," then the subtitles "this is not reality" and "this is a dream." As Chapter 1, "Birth," unfolds, ominous lighting flashes over New York City at night as drummer Shannon Leto speeds through its streets on a motorcycle. A shirtless Jared Leto is awakened in his apartment by a knock on the door only to find nobody there and a stack of Polaroid surveillance photos of him lying in bed (shirtless, of course). A creepy gimp wearing a black suit and leather mask and toting a sledgehammer bursts into the room, sending Leto flying out of a 40-story window to the street below. The gimp is right behind him and danger lurks all around as guitarist Tomo Milicevic encounters a woman in black leather bunny fetish gear being led around a subway station by another leather-masked baddie. Milicevic dispatches the dude with a gut punch and makes out with the fetish queen, yanking a key on a red rope out of his mouth after their hookup. Chapter 2, "Life," begins with Shannon crashing his bike to avoid running over a woman lying prone in the street, even as his brother dresses up a lingerie-wearing beauty in a leather eye-mask and horse's bit. The beautiful stranger stabs Shannon in the gut unexpectedly, yet he's fine enough to toss the key in slow motion into the street. And then, believe it or not, that's when things get really weird. A rabbi, a priest and an imam show up and toss their respective holy books into a bonfire in an alley (also in slow motion, natch), and Leto jogs by a building where he finds the key hanging out of a door. Cue quick-cut scenes of a silver knife, a cockroach, a woman spitting into another woman's mouth, a buxom beauty in a steampunk gas mask, some back licking, booty smacking and handcuff play, not to mention yet another black-barred image with the words "Censored Sisyphus Corporation" over them, and you have the perfect setup for Leto walking through rows of caskets draped in the American flag as the sledgehammer dude clocks him in the face. Leto falls into his own coffin and is nailed in it before the camera cuts to a pair of topless women in fishnet stockings guarding a door and striking provocative poses as an unseen hand takes the lid off a plate containing, yes, a silver vibrator. Ominous music begins to play while a procession of death-mask-wearing marchers bearing torches make their way through Central Park, where Shannon meets up with his assailant, kisses her and is promptly shackled to a park bench. Dude, how could you fall for that again? Surrounded by guys in creepy bunny and bird masks, he uses the key to unshackle himself and beat them up, while brother Jared is freaking out inside the casket and uses his red key to set himself free. He drops down into the street amid a stream of other unmentionable fetish clips while Tomo uses his red key to unlock a book with a secret message in it that we never get to see. Which brings us to Chapter 3, "Death," opening with children scrawling in an alley with sidewalk chalk and Jared realizing his torso is covered with cryptic tattoos. He doesn't seem to mind, as he's busy hooking up with a beauty in lingerie. Censored scene, more fetish play, Shannon making out with his girl again, Jared taking the masked gimp to the cleaners in a slo-mo fistfight, a strobe-light recap of the whole thing, and somehow 13 minutes have passed by in a daze. When he teased the clip at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Madrid earlier this month, Leto said the point was to weave three separate narratives together -- the members of 30STM each battling their personal demons and unlocking secret fantasies -- in between all that sex and blood and book-burning. But, alas, given how busy 30STM and Kanye West both are at the moment, the Yeezy cameo didn't come together for this cut of the film. Maybe next time. What do you think of the "Hurricane" video? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'The Buried Life' Guys Say They're Down For A Third Season Posted: 29 Nov 2010 08:25 AM PST 'We always have things on the list that we want to cross off,' castmember Ben Nemtin explains.
By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Rya Backer 
The cast of "The Buried Life"
Photo: Angela Weiss/ Getty Images The gang behind MTV's "The Buried Life" isn't likely to leave behind a lengthy list of regrets when they kick the bucket, and for the season-two finale, the boys kicked off one of their biggest episodes ever: an hour-long opus packed with gutsy attempts at making a million bucks. Ben Nemtin, Dave Lingwood and Duncan Penn recently kicked back on the MTV Newsroom couch to chat about the finale and said the inspiration for the episode came from one of the most popular wishes that people across the board want to fulfill: becoming a multimillionaire. "Everywhere we go, we ask the question: 'What do you want to do before you die?' And it's amazing how often we get an answer that has something to do with money and specifically like, 'I wanna make millions of dollars,' " Duncan explained. "We really wanted to see how far we could get at making a million dollars. We tried everything [and] pulled off some amazing, amazing things. We're really excited about this episode; that's why we made it an hour long. We also get to help someone in a way that we've never been able to help someone. It's a good one. It's probably one of our best." For Ben, his jumbo-size Las Vegas gamble tops his list of season two's best moments. "My personal highlight is a moment that happens in the finale. The [episode goal] is to make a million dollars, and we do the biggest roulette spin in Vegas' history. It's probably one of the most nerve-racking ... I don't even know how to explain it, but it was a feeling that I don't think I've never felt before, right before that spin," he recalled. As viewers saw Monday night (November 29), the guys each chose a different path toward pumping up their bank accounts, armed with $25,000 of seed money each. Ben hit Vegas, Duncan ventured to Wall Street to team up with investment expert Jim Cramer, and Dave went into the apparel game, cranking out zippered onesies for adults. Duncan explained that his personal interest in business drew him to the moneymaking address. "I studied business in school, and so I decided what I wanted to do was go to Wall Street and team up with somebody, kind of a guru in the game and see how far I could get, how much money I could make in sort of a short period of time doing, like, really, really risky plays," he said. The boys can now strike a line through "starring in the second season of their hit TV series" on their "Buried Life" list. They're definitely game for a third go-around, but even if their adventures aren't broadcast to the world, the fellas say they'll continue to whittle down their list on their own. "We always have things on the list that we want to cross off. We started this in a garage in Canada four years ago and were doing it three years before MTV," Ben said. "For us, we want to keep doing this as long as we can, so there's always gonna be things that we're trying to cross off. I mean, 'go to space' is on the list." Duncan agreed: "We're still surviving this season, but I think we'd be up for a third season." What did you think of the season-two finale of "The Buried Life"? Let us know in the comments! |
| Spider-Man Shares 'Lots Of Similarities' With U2's Bono, The Edge Posted: 29 Nov 2010 08:50 AM PST 'Turn Off the Dark' musical began previews on Broadway this weekend.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by James Montgomery 
Bono
Photo: ShowBizIreland/ Getty Images After multiple delays, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" arrived on the Great White Way Sunday night amid a series of technical snafus that marred the much-hyped musical, which officially opens on January 11. With a reported budget in excess of $65 million and original music by U2's Bono and The Edge, "Spider-Man" has become the most costly production in Broadway history and had already been delayed due to technical difficulties. On opening night, the musical had to be stopped five times, according to multiple reports, as the crew struggled to pull-off stunt work that had actors suspended in harnesses high in the air. Granted, previews are meant for working out the kinks, but this kind of debut is rather fitting. After all, Peter Parker is a work-in-progress, a character forever trying to reconcile his regular-guy mindset with the abilities and responsibilities of a superhero. The show's creators, too, share much in common with the web-slinging wonderboy. "There are lots of similarities," Bono told MTV News earlier this month. "He grew up in Queens. We grew up on the north side of Dublin — fairly humble origins. He falls in love with the girl next door. I married the girl next door. He starts to put on a silly costume ... yes," he trailed off with a sly smile. The comparisons don't end there. As The Edge explained it, whether you're an arena-packing rock star or a science nerd bitten by a radioactive spider, you still have to deal with everyday life. "[H]e's a superhero; he can do loads of stuff, but when he comes home, he's put back in his place," the guitarist said. "There's nothing that he does out in the world that means anything when he's with his loved ones." Hearing this, Bono happily declared he's got more in common with one of Spider-Man's archenemies than the Spidey himself. "I think Peter Parker's more The Edge," he said. "I'm more the Green Goblin." Said Edge, "You just want to be careful, because you know who wins that fight." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Soulja Boy Tell'em 'Got Back On My Production' For <i>DeAndre Way</i> Posted: 29 Nov 2010 01:18 AM PST 'Pretty Boy Swag' MC returns to 'Rapfix Live' this Thursday.
By Steven Roberts 
Soulja Boy Tell'em
Photo: MTV News Arguably one of the most-polarizing figures in current hip-hop, Soulja Boy Tell'em has both die-hard fans and his share of critics who like to point out his preference for party over substance in his music. But the "Pretty Boy Swag" MC promises that his third studio album, The DeAndre Way, due out Tuesday, will show how much he has learned over the years, possibly pleasing fans and haters alike. "I've just been watching a lot of rappers, learning, taking notes," Soulja told MTV News on the video set for the album's third single, "Speakers Going Hammer." "I've really been in the studio working on my production as producer, because I was rapping and jumping on so many different songs that I forgot that I produced the #1 song in the world. I really just sat and got back on my production. I worked on my lyrics and really I just made a good album, and I'm ready for my fans to hear it." And if you want him to explain more about how his music has matured, you can ask him yourself this Thursday, when he makes his second appearance on MTV News' "RapFix Live." One artist who has helped Soulja evolve was his "Mean Mug" collaborator 50 Cent. Both were featured on the November cover of XXL, where they expressed their mutual admiration for each other. Soulja Boy said they faced common adversities, and 50 said if he could be any other artist it would be Soulja. On his video set, Soulja also talked about why he loves the opportunity to sit back, listen and learn from Fif. "When I talk to dudes like 50 Cent, when we working on songs or other business outside of the music industry, there's always things that you can learn," he told MTV News. "You always think that you know it all, but you don't. When I'm around 50, he just likes to ramble. He can go on and talk. He can talk and talk and talk. And it's so good for me, because I just listen and I soak it all up. And I take it and I put my own twist on it." Soulja's "Rapfix Live" interview will stream live online at 4 p.m. on Thursday. Tweet your burning questions for the "Crank Dat" rapper to @mtvnews (include the hashtag #rapfixlive so that we can track your questions). If you'd rather show your face on the Internet, record your question on video, upload it to Your.MTV.com and include "Soulja Boy Tell 'em" in the title of the clip. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Faith Evans Gets Three Years' Probation In DUI Case Posted: 29 Nov 2010 05:34 AM PST Singer also had to pay a $300 fine plus penalties after pleading no contest.
By Mawuse Ziegbe 
Faith Evans
Photo: Tiffany Rose/ WireImage Faith Evans has settled her DUI drama. The singer was sentenced Monday (November 29) to three years of probation after pleading no contest to one misdemeanor count of reckless driving involving alcohol stemming from an August DUI bust, Los Angeles City Attorney's Office spokesperson Frank Mateljan told MTV News. Evans must also pay a $300 fine plus penalties, complete a three-month alcohol program and cannot drive "with any measurable amount of alcohol in her system" while she's on probation. Evans was arrested in August for suspicion of drunken driving at a checkpoint in Marina Del Rey, California. The "Love Like This" songstress took to her Twitter after the incident to assure fans that she was doing well and that a visual for her single was coming down the pike. "Hi Faithfuls...I am on the set of my new video for my single 'Gone Already.' I'm sure by now most of you heard that I was detained on suspicion of a DUI," the "Burnin' Up" songstress tweeted days after the arrest. "After completing a full day of wardrobe prep I was stopped at a random checkpoint. I'm fine and well, and thank you for your prayers, kind words and concerns. I can't wait for you all to see my new video & look forward to hearing from u guys...Fizzy." The incident follows the "You Gets No Love" singer's 2004 arrest alongside her husband in Atlanta on drug-possession charges. Evans sidestepped time behind bars by entering a pretrial drug-abuse intervention program and referenced the experience in her 2005 single "Again." Related Artists |
| Natalie Portman Still Feels 'Aftershocks' Of 'Black Swan' Posted: 29 Nov 2010 05:34 AM PST 'It was the first thing I've ever done that was this physically demanding on top of an emotionally demanding part,' she tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz 
Natalie Portman in "Black Swan"
Photo: Fox Searchlight For as beautiful and ethereal as the world of ballet appears to be, whether via live performance or in movies, Darren Aronofsky and Natalie Portman have gone to great lengths to shatter that pristine exterior in their new film, "Black Swan," which arrives in theaters Friday. When MTV News caught up with Portman, we asked her what she went through in order to get into her character's dark and disturbing world. "It was really extreme," Portman said of her physical commitment to the role. "And 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," she said. "And it's great. I mean, 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.' " Portman also said that, although she and Aronofsky first discussed the project nearly a decade ago, she needed more age and experience to tap into certain aspects of her character. "For me, it's really about someone going from a position, an artistry where you're trying to please other people, to a position where you're finding pleasure yourself," she said. "And Vincent [Cassel]'s character, though it seems that he's sort of puppeteering this character, he is really guiding her towards becoming an artist and is really teaching her how to find her own pleasure and make a true expression of herself, that it's about her." The 29-year-old went on to say that she related to her character finally realizing that it's not her job to make others happy. "It's about breaking out of a system where you're easily replaceable by the next girl who looks like you. And I feel like my 20s were about that, and probably into my future, I'm sure it'll continue being that way," Portman said. "But the older you get, the less you care about what other people think and the more you just want to be your true self and express your true self." 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 |
| How Did 30 Seconds To Mars Pull Off Ambitious 'Hurricane' Video? Posted: 29 Nov 2010 03:33 AM PST Jared Leto labored day and night to finish eventual 13-minute-plus short film.
By James Montgomery 
30 Seconds to Mars' Jared Leto in "Hurricane"
Photo: EMI In early November, following his band's performance of "Hurricane" with Kanye West at the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards and months of adjective-filled hyperbole about the single's accompanying video, Jared Leto finally unveiled 30 Seconds to Mars' "Hurricane" clip on Monday (November 29). OK, "short film." The singer decided to provide the sneak peek during an impromptu (though well-catered) screening for a handful of folks — including MTV News — in his bedroom at the ME Hotel in Madrid. It was very late at night (or very early in the morning, depending on how you choose to look at these sort of things), and Leto was extremely clear about the fact that this was still "a very rough cut" of the video, playing the thing on a MacBook Pro and pausing every few frames to explain where a CG effect would be inserted or how the sound design would be shaped. But despite those facts (or, maybe, because of them), everyone left that bedroom thinking the exact same thing: "How the heck is Jared going to pull this off?" You couldn't blame them, because just weeks later, the final, 13-minute version debuted on MTV.com, and it did, indeed, contain a number of impressive CGI effects of the type you might see in a Hollywood superhero summer movie, not to mention enough NC-17-rated material to make "Eyes Wide Shut" look like "Love & Other Drugs" by comparison. At the time, not only was "Hurricane" clocking in at around 20 minutes, it was sort of insane, too: a nightmarish rumination on sex and violence and secret fetishes that not only featured plenty of fight scenes (and nudity), but didn't shy away from politically loaded imagery. Among the ones that made the cut was one in which a rabbi, priest and imam are seen tossing their holy prayer books onto a blazing pyre in a dank alley and another in which Leto battled a leather-masked foe in a courtyard littered with American-flag-draped coffins. (Spoiler alert, someone you know ends up in one of those coffins.) Part snuff film, part BBC World report, it was, in short, filled with the kind of stuff that makes censors cringe, in an era where that's increasingly difficult to do. Following some cuts, the finished product contains a number of scenes seemingly too-hot-to-handle, which are dispatched with a big black "censored" bar. Though given the copious nudity, S&M play, barely there fetish gear and one quick-cut image of a woman spitting into another's mouth, you kind of have to wonder what was so deviant that it couldn't make the cut among all these dark fantasies? Add in the fact that Leto was attempting to weave three separate narratives -- the members of 30STM each battling their personal demons and unlocking secret fantasies — in between all that sex and blood and book-burning, and you have the makings of a major undertaking. Considering that, according to his label, the video was due to premiere at the end of the month, Leto was then cutting the thing full-time, in the midst of a world tour, with the help of a team of editors that traveled with him everywhere he went. It seemed that, in just about every conceivable manner, "Hurricane" was a monster, an ode to not only Leto's ego, but his unyielding ambition and utterly unmatched enthusiasm, which, in theory, made it not unlike everything he's ever attempted with 30 Seconds to Mars. But everyone who saw it that night in Madrid knew differently. "Hurricane" may very well have been Leto going too far, pushing too hard. It seemed practically destined to remain forever unfinished. But, like the song's guest rapper West, Leto is a hard man to deter, and he clearly got his way, delivering a 13-minute mind-bender that involves secret keys that unlock dark fears, treachery, seduction, submission, an unexplained cockroach cameo, a silver sexual aid on a platter and enough creepy masks to make Slipknot shudder. Somehow, by Monday, Leto had wrangled all those dark thoughts and visions into one dizzying whole and brought "Hurricane" home for its premiere. It would have been hard to find many people in the room that night who would have put money on "Hurricane" coming ashore in such record time. Well, except Leto. He knew. What did you think of the "Hurricane" video? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Artists |
| T.I.'s New Single 'Castle Walls' Hits The Net Posted: 29 Nov 2010 12:49 AM PST Lyrics describe downside of fame, with vocals by Christina Aguilera.
By Jayson Rodriguez 
T.I.
Photo: Brad Barket/Getty Images T.I. has achieved an extraordinary amount of success in his career, including Billboard chart toppers and hit movies. He's also suffered several setbacks, like his current predicament of being an inmate in federal prison. The mix of highs and lows is nothing new to the talented but troubled MC. In a new track that surfaced online on Monday (November 29) called "Castle Walls" and featuring Christina Aguilera, the rapper reveals that despite his achievements, there's an undercurrent of darkness shadowing his life. "See with the Phantoms and Ferraris in the driveway/ But you see it came in exchange of a sane man's sanity," he raps over the Alex da Kid-produced number. "Your vision jaded by the Grammys on the mantlepiece/ Just switch your camera lenses, you will see the agony." Aguilera provides a moving chorus to the track as she sings, "If I should tumble, if I should fall/ Would anyone hear me, screaming behind these castle walls?" Earlier this month, Alex da Kid (Eminem, B.o.B) told MTV News the track would be T.I.'s next single. "I love it," he said of the number. "I think it's amazing. It's my sound, just kind of an evolution of that. I think it'll cater to a lot of different people." The track will be featured on T.I.'s forthcoming album No Mercy, set to arrive December 7. The album was previously slated to be titled King Uncaged, but the Atlanta MC changed the name after he was arrested in Los Angeles last month on drug charges and sentenced to 11 months in prison. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Bella Thorne Poised To 'Shake It Up' On Disney Channel Posted: 29 Nov 2010 02:15 AM PST Actress, dubbed 'the new Miley Cyrus,' wears out her dancing shoes.
By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Matt Elias 
Bella Thorne
Photo: MTV News Following in the footsteps of Miley and Selena, there's a new starlet poised for Disney-backed stardom: Bella Thorne, star of "Shake It Up." Thorne is the newest young Hollywood starlet to helm her own show on the network, and many are saying she's got the chops that will launch her into the entertainment stratosphere, just like her "Hannah Montana" predecessor. MTV News caught up with the budding household name, who broke down the premise behind "Shake It Up" and chatted about what it's like being the latest face on the Disney roster. " 'Shake It Up' is about two best friends, CeCe Jones and Rocky Blue, and they want to live their dreams as professional dancers on a TV show called 'Shake It Up Chicago,' " Thorne explained. "Basically, it's about following your dreams and their journeys and school and friends and everything else." Thorne, who scored the part after auditioning last fall, said she had to go through a slew of meetings before winning the role. She also sacrificed a beloved item in her wardrobe hoofing it for the part. "I have these new ballet flats — they're ruined," Thorne complained good-naturedly. "Yup, they're completely ruined from all the dancing we went through." Like her character, Thorne is tasked with busting moves for her dream job. However, despite landing such a rigorously dance-centric gig, she was a newcomer to mastering choreography on a professional level. "I've only been dancing since I got 'Shake It Up,' " she revealed. "I mean, I've been dancing all my life, but I never did any classes or anything like that. So [I learned] just watching shows and freestyling." For Thorne, picking up a few new steps here and there isn't a problem, since she's carved a place for herself as part of the Disney family — an entertainment powerhouse she's proud to call home. "It feels amazing," she gushed. "You can't really describe the feeling, because I'm so happy and blessed to be here, and the rest of our talented cast have worked so hard on 'Shake It Up.' And we all put all of our heart and soul into every episode, and we just hope that people like it just as much as we do." Are you a fan of Disney star Bella Thorne? Let us know in the comments! |
| 'Harry Potter' Composer Takes Us Inside 'Deathly Hallows' Score Posted: 29 Nov 2010 03:49 AM PST 'That's quite a challenge to know that every single note that you write will be heard,' Alexandre Desplat tells MTV News of global 'Potter' audience.
By Kara Warner 
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
Photo: Warner Bros. With "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" continuing to rake in major box-office cash, the fan appetite for all things Potter has yet to be satisfied. Here at MTV News, we're doing our part to serve the public's Potter thirst by getting fans as close to the action as possible. First with juicy interviews and fun videos, and now with a few behind-the-scenes features that highlight the nuts and bolts of Potter filmmaking. In this latest installment, we turn our attention toward what is heard, not seen: the film's score, created by celebrated and highly sought-after composer Alexandre Desplat. When MTV News caught up with the very busy man (in the past five years, he has composed scores for at least four films per year, including "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox," to name a few), we talked about incorporating John Williams' very distinct theme into his own work and how the fantastical elements in the world of Potter allowed the introduction of new, unique instruments. MTV: With so many projects on your plate, when do you sleep? Alexandre Desplat: Well, because I was expecting your phone call, I was on the edge of actually taking a five-minute nap, because it's been a long day and I don't sleep much, honestly. It's a crazy life because I've always dreamed of being a film composer. I've never dreamed of being a concert composer or an opera composer; I wanted to work for movies, and now I have all these incredible projects coming towards me. ... And all these films, of course, they collide because they're late or they're early, and so I have no life. I just work 18 hours a day, every day. And I don't go on holidays. And so, I guess I will die young. [Laughs.] MTV: In jumping on a "Harry Potter" film, which has had several different composers over the course of seven films, how do you go about incorporating John Williams' very distinct theme, while still making it your own? Desplat: My education as a film composer, you can't not — if you like the orchestra like I do, if you are a symphonist like I am — you can't not listen to John Williams' work. So I knew, of course, his work on the "Harry Potter" films, on the early films that he did, and when it came to the theme, which is the old theme, it became just a conversation to have with the director where and how we could use it. And actually, there was not so many opportunities, just because this movie is different from the previous ones. It's not in Hogwarts anymore. It's not in the school, and they're now young adults. And the only moments where we could use it was when we wanted to refer to their childhood and to this loss of innocence, which is actually the main theme of this film. These three young adults are losing childhood, and they're moving forward to dangers and adulthood. So we've just very carefully used it here and there; not much, sadly. And actually, when I was thinking about the score and anticipating what I had to do, I was playing with this theme, because I really love it and I was happy to be able to arrange it differently. MTV: In taking on a film like "Harry Potter" and its fantasy elements, does that enable you to bring in new musical sounds or sounds that you might not use normally? Do you have a favorite kind of unique instrument that you were able to bring in that you might not normally bring into a film score? Desplat: Yes, there are two things that we tried to bring. It is a way of using a lot of strings, sometimes doubling the string orchestra, on top of the first one, with different lines or adding more weight to some lines. Some pieces are really literally handwritten by string players, on top, all together. Of course we use the brass and the percussion and all that. It doesn't make the sound louder, but deeper and more string-oriented. The other thing is a few elements here and there. I played some jazzy flute in a piece I wrote, and one of the percussion players, he plays this new instrument that was invented a few years ago, which is kind of in-between a steel drum and a -- what could I compare it to? -- and a gamelan that you play with your hands or with mallets. You can hear it in the "Lovegood" piece and it's also blending instruments, which I like to do, that you hear there in the score. MTV: How many musicians did you work with on this undertaking? Desplat: The London Symphony, which was at the peak of 105, I think. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios. MTV: How was this experience different from the films you've done in the past? Desplat: It was different because it was "Harry Potter," and "Harry Potter" is a global experience. It's not just a movie that your friends will see or just the French people will see or just the Brits will see. No, it's a global thing, and that's quite a challenge to know that every single note that you write will be heard. Even though I always try to make sure that my first listeners, who are actually the players and musicians who are going to perform, I want them to be challenged. I want them to respect what I write, so it's for them that I write before anything. Actors, of course, have been tailored to musically, and with the director. It's with them that I want to have this exchange, this musical bonding. So it's a big challenge to achieve, and again, it's number seven of the franchise, so it was a big thing for me. 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 |
| Swizz Beatz, Diddy-Dirty Money Get Their 'Ass On The Floor' Posted: 29 Nov 2010 01:31 AM PST Swizzy drops Monster Monday track days after previewing new Haute Living cuts on Ustream.
By Mawuse Ziegbe 
Swizz Beatz
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage Following in the tradition of fellow production star Kanye West, Swizz Beatz has conjured up Monster Mondays to dole out free joints on the Web featuring some of his celebrity pals. His latest offering, "Ass on the Floor," corrals Diddy-Dirty Money into the mix for a slickly atmospheric dance-floor-filler. Reinvigorating the rapid-fire drums made famous by Major Lazer's 2009 party must-have "Pon De Floor," Swizzy adds the spacey sheen of synth chords as the Dirty Money ladies croon about drowning their sorrows over a frustratingly volatile relationship. "You're the love of my life/ But you hurt my heart twice/ Now I'm drunker than a motherf----- / Trying to find my way back to your heart you motherf-----," Kalenna sings. Production duties aside, Swizzy plays hypeman, commanding the lovelorn souls to forget the drama and "get ya ass on the floor/ Them haters can't tell you nothing!" The track's amped-up rhythm is somewhat at odds with the melancholy lyrics, as Diddy also laments potent heartbreak in his verse. "That love's gon' get ya, motherf----- / Smoke weed, listening to Sade/ I left my pain in Paris/ Why can't you see sh-- my way?" Diddy spits. The vibe of the song definitely stays on track with the naked emotion the Bad Boy mogul promised on the trio's long-delayed effort, Last Train to Paris. "One of the things we're trying to represent is emotion," Diddy told MTV News last year. "Not being afraid to show emotion on record. A lot of records out right now — no disrespect to them, but they're all surface. It's about what people have or a dance. All our records are gonna be about love, feelings and emotion. Last Train to Paris is a love story and the most vulnerable album I've ever been involved in. It's raw emotion — you get a feeling, a vibe." In addition to his Monster Mondays series, Swizzy has been staying busy in the studio and recently previewed some joints from his upcoming Haute Living album on Ustream. Tracks included a thumping midtempo banger featuring Chris Brown, and another song boasting the breathy vocals of his new wife Alicia Keys. What do you think of Swizz Beatz and Dirty Money's "Ass on the Floor"? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Rihanna, Chris Brown Tweet About 2009 Assault Posted: 28 Nov 2010 11:36 PM PST 'People won't stop asking about it!' Rihanna complains on Twitter.
By Jayson Rodriguez 
Rihanna and Chris Brown in 2008
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images Chris Brown and Rihanna have moved on from their rocky relationship, and the two singers took to Twitter over the weekend to urge their fans and the media to get onboard. The messages started when a fan of Rihanna's asked the singer to avoid speaking about her relationship with Brown, which ended in February 2009 after Brown assaulted Rihanna on the eve of the Grammy Awards. Rihanna was more than open to responding to the inquiry. "AGREED! People won't stop asking about it! It's f---in' annoying! Nobody wants to relive that, but some ppl can't respect that!" she wrote. "I get it," Rihanna continued in her next message. "They wanna raise awareness to young girls! But it ends up just making me look bitter, pitiful, spiteful and angry!" Since Brown and Rihanna's altercation, which left her battered and bruised and him on probation and sentenced to 180 days of community labor, which he's already completed, the two have been ordered to stay away from each other by a California judge. They've each sat down in various interviews to discuss the night in question, with Brown visiting Larry King and MTV News' Sway Calloway, and Rihanna opening up to Diane Sawyer. Each, however, has moved on. Rihanna is dating baseball player Matt Kemp and Brown has regained his pop culture footing following a heartfelt Michael Jackson tribute during the BET Awards. Brown also sent a message to his and Rihanna's fans on Twitter asking that "Team Breezy" and the "Rihanna Navy" make nice with each other. "Y'all starting to sound extremely childish! #teambreezy and #rihannanavy It's pointless," he wrote. "Love team breezy & thank you rihannanavy for supporting ya girl." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Says <i>Born This Way</i> Will Be 'Greatest Album Of This Decade' Posted: 29 Nov 2010 08:57 AM PST Singer also says there may be up to 20 new songs on the new album.
By James Dinh 
Lady Gaga
Photo: Paul Morigi/ WireImage It has been months since Lady Gaga first started hyping her forthcoming album, Born This Way, and the pop visionary recently raised the stakes. During a Monster Ball tour performance in Poland on Friday, the always bold singer promised fans that she'd deliver "the greatest album of this decade," with possibly up to 20 new tracks. She also revealed that Born This Way doesn't follow current trends. "I promise you, I'll never let you down. And not for nothing: The album's finished and it's f---ing really good," Gaga tearfully told the audience, who simultaneous held up signs that read "Born This Way" backward. "So whatever this is, whatever you just did for all of us ... I promise to give you the greatest album of this decade, just for you." The singer, who is prepping a promotional campaign for the album, also touched base on what sounds like a possible dig at her pop competitors, saying, "The funny thing is that some people have reduced freedom to a brand. They think that it's trendy now to be free. They think it's trendy to be excited about your identity. When in truth, there is nothing trendy about Born This Way." Describing the new album as "a spirit" and "this connection that we all share," the pop star confessed that her new music "is something so much deeper than a wig or lipstick or an outfit, or a f---ing meat dress. ... Born This Way is about what keeps us up at night and what makes us afraid." Gaga isn't the only who has been talking up the new material, as everyone from the singer's manager, Akon, Elton John and Monster Ball opening act Semi Precious Weapons have also gushed about the album. While the songstress told the crowd that the LP will consist of mostly "f---ing sledge-hammering dance," she's still unsure of the length of Born This Way, but plans to give fans as much music as possible. "I'm still deciding, the album could be longer than you would imagine ... I'm not sure," she said. "I can't decide, really, because I think that times are different, you know. It used to be kind of a faux pas to put out too much music on your album, but I feel like you guys deserve all of the records I do, 'cause I work hard on them. So who knows, you might get, like, 20 new Gaga songs." Do you think Gaga's new album will live up to her promise? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| James Franco, Anne Hathaway To Host The Oscars Posted: 29 Nov 2010 09:49 AM PST Actors will take the stage together on February 27, the Academy announces.
By Eric Ditzian 
James Franco and Anne Hathaway
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ Jim Spellman/ FilmMagic/ WireImage In an unexpected Oscar turn two years ago, Anne Hathaway joined host Hugh Jackman onstage for a parody of "Frost/Nixon." And James Franco's entire career, from starring in "General Hospital" to appearing as a pillow-humping version of himself in "30 Rock," can be filed under the category of "What will that dude do next?" Well, as unexpected as it may be, next up for both Franco and Hathaway is co-hosting the 83rd Annual Academy Awards next year. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Monday (November 29), hours after rumors of the actors' involvement surfaced. Beyond his hosting gig, Franco figures to play a prominent part in the ceremony. The 32-year-old is considered a lock for a best-actor nomination for his turn as a trapped hiker in "127 Hours," the Danny Boyle-directed drama that's also expected to nab a Best Picture nod. Hathaway, 28, meanwhile, remains a long-shot in the best-actress category for "Love & Other Drugs," a film that received mixed reviews and reeled in just $14 million over the extended Thanksgiving holiday. Hiring Franco and Hathaway as hosts certainly mark a strategic turn by the Academy, which has long been accused of being out-of-touch with the young pop-culture mainstream. A quick scan of the last two decades of Oscar history shows that not one host has even been as young as in his or her 30s when emceeing the show. Most recently, 64-year-old Steve Martin and 51-year-old Alec Baldwin assumed hosting duties, notching the show's best ratings in five years. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Nicki Minaj, Russell Brand, Others Remember Leslie Nielsen Posted: 29 Nov 2010 12:20 AM PST Ryan Seacrest, Tony Hawk and Slash also take to Twitter to remember the late 'Naked Gun' star.
By James Dinh 
Leslie Nielsen
Photo: Lisa Lake/ WireImage News of Leslie Nielsen's death has sparked sadness and sorrow throughout Hollywood as stars have come forward to pay their final respects. The longtime comedian and actor passed away on Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 84 after being treated for pneumonia. (For photos of the late funnyman throughout his career, click here.) Nicki Minaj may be known to most as a rapper, but the Young Money star has always had a knack for the craft of acting, so it wasn't a surprise that she expressed sympathy for the Canadian-born actor's death, tweeting, "R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen ~ one of the funniest and amazing actors of all time." Fellow comedian Russell Brand remembered the late funnyman with a pun using the actor's iconic line from his 1980 disaster spoof "Airplane!" tweeting, "RIP. Leslie Nielsen. Shirley, he will be missed." Swapping out jokes for affection, "The L Word" actress Marlee Matlin wrote, "A lovely man and acquaintance passed away today - Leslie Nielsen. What a lovely, funny, talented man. He will be missed. RIP." "Sad to hear about Leslie Nielsen passing," "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest said on his Twitter account. "To this day 'Airplane' is still one of my favorite comedies ever." Skateboard superstar Tony Hawk was grateful for the humor provided onscreen by the actor, saying, "Goodbye, Leslie Nielsen. Thank you for all the laughter. Please pay him proper respect and don't call him Shirley." Film critic Roger Ebert kept it simple, writing, "Leslie Nielsen, RIP," and posting four film clips, including his screen test for "Ben Hur." And guitarist Slash confessed that "The Naked Gun" star would be dearly missed, tweeting, "RIP Leslie Nielson, one of my all time favorite comedians. U my friend, will be missed big time. Wow, what a loss. Iii|: (," adding, "& don't call me Shirley." What are your favorite Leslie Nielsen roles? Tell us in the comments below. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Dee Snider Relives Glory Days In 'Rock Of Ages' Posted: 28 Nov 2010 11:43 PM PST Twisted Sister frontman joins cast of hit Broadway show: 'Imagine an actual Tyrannosaurus on the set of "Jurassic Park." '
By Kyle Anderson 
Dee Snider
Photo: MTV News During his mid-1980s peak, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider was perhaps the definitive hair-metal superstar. He had the pipes (a killer wail), the clothes (a combination of speed-metal denim and glam-rock gender-bending), the hair (a wild blonde mane) and the songs (the signature smashes "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock"). Unlike many of his contemporaries, he's not attempting to relive his past glories, even though they're still playing out in front of him six days a week. Snider joined the cast of the hit Broadway show "Rock of Ages" about a month ago, and his limited run as bar owner Dennis Dupree has been both thrilling and bizarre. "The entire situation is completely surreal," Snider explained to MTV News while sitting in his dressing room before a performance. "Imagine an actual Tyrannosaurus on the set of 'Jurassic Park.' They've got an actual '80s guy in a show about the '80s. I know the people who sing those songs were a little uncomfortable the first few nights." The cast quickly got over the jitters of having a legend among them, and everybody quickly settled in. It was the culmination of a long journey for Snider, who has been coveting a slot onstage for a while. "I would love to tell you that somebody knocked on the door and said, 'We want you!' " Snider admitted. "But the truth is: I was invited to the premiere of the off-Broadway production, where I saw my two songs in the show, and I turned to my wife and said, 'I want to do that. I could play Dennis Dupree.' So I let it be known, and it took two years to get asked out on that date." As the perpetually stoned tavern owner Dupree, Snider delivers eight killer performances a week. Though two of his signature hits are included in the show, Snider doesn't sing during either "We're Not Gonna Take It" or "I Wanna Rock." "Those songs are the two big moments of any Twisted Sister show, so it's weird that I'm not singing them," Snider explained. "I'm worried that when I go to perform those songs live in a concert setting, I'm just going to stand there and wait for my castmembers to sing them." Though he's had plenty of experience onstage, the Broadway universe is new to Snider. He got some advice from contemporary and fellow Broadway star Sebastian Bach (of '80s shredders Skid Row), but there was one thing he had to learn on the fly: "The biggest difference between a concert situation and a theater situation is that you can't curse out the audience," Snider revealed. "I'm used to addressing situations. If something is going on in the house that I don't like at a concert, or if the audience is not energized or enthusiastic — or if they're particularly energized and enthusiastic — I will stop a song just to comment on what's going on. I quickly realized that was unacceptable on Broadway. I just have to stay in character and stay in the show." Snider is open to doing more shows once his run in "Rock of Ages" is up, though he said the schedule would probably keep him to limited runs. Plus, he's not sure any other show would nail the poignancy "Rock of Ages" has for him. "While it's a comedy, it's frighteningly accurate," Snider said of the show. "Especially when it comes to frontmen, and how the rest of the band regards them as complete a--holes. And I sit there and feel shame. I was a pompous ass. But I feel better now." Have you seen Dee Snider's performance in "Rock of Ages"? Give us your review in the comments below. Related Artists |
| 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows' At The Box Office: How High Will It Go? Posted: 28 Nov 2010 10:56 PM PST 'This has a very real shot at hitting $1 billion worldwide,' says Boxoffice.com editor Phil Contrino.
By Eric Ditzian 
Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1"
Photo: Warner Bros. After opening to $102.7 million in ticket sales the weekend before Thanksgiving 2005, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" swept through to the post-holiday weekend and picked up another $54.7 million — just a 47-percent drop from its opening numbers. Five years later, in a return to a November release, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" succeeded in notching the franchise's highest 10-day launch ever. But that hefty total (an estimated $220.4 million domestically) is less impressive considering the latest boy wizard flick is only the third-largest installment in terms of actual attendance, according to Box Office Mojo. Still, it would be enormously impressive if "Deathly Hallows, Part 1" could sustain that 10-day head start and become the highest-grossing movie in the series. Unfortunately, many observers believe that just isn't going to happen. "I don't think 'Deathly Hallows' will be the top-grossing 'Potter' film, or even the second biggest, despite the higher ticket prices," Gitesh Pandya of Box Office Guru said, noting the film's 61 percent drop from its opening weekend. "It's running 9 percent ahead of 'Goblet of Fire' over the same release span and its lead is shrinking." At an $895 million worldwide total, "Goblet of Fire" stands as the fourth-highest-grossing film in the series, well behind "Sorcerer's Stone" with $974.7 million (#8 on the all-time list). "Deathly Hallows, Part 1" should have little trouble eclipsing that "Goblet of Fire" sum, and some box-office experts even suggest it could zip past "Sorcerer's Stone" to become the first franchise installment to break the $1 billion mark. "This has a very real shot at hitting $1 billion worldwide since it already has more than $600 million in the bank," Phil Contrino, editor of Boxoffice.com, said. "I could see it breaking into the top five all-time worldwide earners." While opinions differ on where "Deathly Hallows, Part 1" will end up, one thing is certain: Warner Bros. is awfully happy about the film's performance. And when you add in home video and merchandise sales, the financial picture gets even rosier. It'll be rosier still come next year when "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" arrives — quite possibly with an inflated 3-D ticket price. " 'Part 2' will certainly out-gross 'Part 1' and has a chance of becoming the top-grossing 'Potter' in the eight-film series," Pandya said. "New fans aren't joining the party, but the base is large enough to keep the series going." Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
