MTV News |
- Paramore Say They'll 'Definitely' Release New Music In 2011
- Britney Spears' 'Hold It Against Me': More Details Emerge
- Paramore Fans Call MTV News' 'Last Word' Sit-Down 'Epic'
- Wiz Khalifa 'Black And Yellow' Remix Video Hits The Net
- Paramore's Ups And Downs: A Timeline
- Are Miley Cyrus And Nick Jonas Recording A Duet Album?
- Snooki Says Her New Boyfriend Isn't A 'Jersey Shore' 'Fame Whore'
- Paramore's 'Last Word': Watch The Entire Interview Now!
- Michael Jackson's Home Contained A Dozen Bottles Of Propofol
- Nas' Child, Spousal Support To Kelis Slashed In Half
- Are Kanye And Jay-Z Delivering <i>Watch The Throne</i> Too Soon?
- Notorious B.I.G. Murder Investigation 'Reinvigorated'
- 'Knocked Up' Spin-Off News Surprised Seth Rogen
- Robert Pattinson Gets 'Cosmopolis' Well-Wishes From Colin Farrell
- Britney Spears Has A History Of Song Leaks
- Lady Gaga Impresses Audience At Vegas Trade Show
- 'Country Strong' Star Garrett Hedlund Ponders A Music Career
- '30 Rock' Star Jane Krakowski Is Pregnant
| Paramore Say They'll 'Definitely' Release New Music In 2011 Posted: 07 Jan 2011 03:35 AM PST Band is working on new material without Josh and Zac Farro; watch their entire 'Last Word' interview now!
FRANKLIN, Tennessee — There really wasn't much left to say. After Paramore's "Last Word" interview, they had already discussed their reactions and responses to the Farro brothers' "Exit Statement," plus revealed how the inner-workings of Hayley Williams' and Josh Farro's relationship made their way onto the band's Brand New Eyes album. So now, the only thing still left on the table was their inevitable return — and, as you can probably expect, this was the topic they had been waiting to weigh in on the entire time.
Because, really, Paramore have already begun to put the Farros behind them, with a tour of South America scheduled for next month and a batch of demos in the hopper. And, as they told us, fans are going to be hearing new material from them a lot sooner than they probably realize. "We will definitely release songs [in 2011]," Williams said. "Who knows if a full album will come out of it? But obviously we'd love that. It would be fun. We definitely want to put stuff out for our fans to party with us." And those new songs are already shaping up to be unlike anything the band has done before, which is inevitable, really. "The thing is, we're going to be different. We lost two really big parts of this band, so it's going to be different, but we're still Paramore. We've all written together before, so it's not like we're losing our style. We're not going to become an R&B/soul/funk band," guitarist Taylor York laughed. "We're more excited than ever. And we're not going to put out something that's not good. Next year, when we say we're taking time off, it means we're writing until we have something that's great. And we're not going to stop until it's great. Of course, Josh and Zac were a really big part of the band, so people are going to miss them — it's natural — but, we're here now." And though they're moving on, Paramore will be the first ones to admit that, when they take the stage again, things are going to feel a little different. They'll be doing it without two of their founding members, only one of whom Williams mentioned, of course. "I'm really going to miss Zac [Farro] a whole lot. Zac is one of my favorite drummers in the world, [and] he has been since I was 13 years old. That's really going to suck. But I don't want him to ever not be happy. And, if he stayed, for me to turn around and see him not happy, that would suck worse than not seeing him at all. That will be the hardest part to get used to," she said. "I mean, yes, Josh Freese [who will man the kit on their South American jaunt, is an] incredible drummer. I think he's the best guy we could've gotten to come do this tour with us, but no one will ever replace Zac in my heart. Zac is one of my favorite people. "And you know what? Yeah, it will suck, but I think that now that we are so unified that the three of us know exactly what we're doing, we want to be here so bad, and I think that's going to feel really good, to know that we're not dragging anyone around, we're not making anyone do anything they don't want to do. That's going to be exciting," she continued. "And I guess I don't have any regrets about it. I just feel like, 'Let's just start this new chapter already,' because it can only be great. We're not going to let ourselves not be great." Watch Paramore's "Last Word" interview now. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Britney Spears' 'Hold It Against Me': More Details Emerge Posted: 07 Jan 2011 01:35 AM PST Single will premiere at midnight Tuesday.
Want to know what time you'll be able to hear Britney Spears' final cut of "Hold It Against Me"? Well, according to a press release from her label, Jive Records, the song will hit radio and iTunes at midnight ET on Tuesday, days after a demo version of the club tune leaked online. The song will remain an iTunes exclusive purchase for a week, until January 18. "Hold It Against Me," produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin, is the lead single from Brit's highly anticipated, yet-untitled March release. "Heard an early demo of my new single leaked. If u think that's good, wait til you hear the real one Tuesday," the pop star tweeted. "With her vocals on that, it's going to be an undeniable, surefire hit," Perez Hilton told MTV News about the demo, which features vocals from songwriter Bonnie McKee. "I loved it. My own critique is that the demo sounds a little too much like Ke$ha. I hope that the finished song feels like a Britney song. Besides that, it's still to me a hit song." Luke admitted that the track that has everyone talking already will really have fans hyped once the final version drops. "That version of hold it against me is really really old," he shared. "It don't sound like that anymore... it's WAY better." The "Hold It Against Me" leak is the latest in a long history of leaked Britney songs. In the past, other Spears lead singles like "Womanizer" (off 2008's Circus) and "Gimme More" (off 2007's Blackout) also hit the Net early, only gaining the singer more buzz for those releases. What are you expecting from Brit's new single? Let us know in the comments! |
| Paramore Fans Call MTV News' 'Last Word' Sit-Down 'Epic' Posted: 07 Jan 2011 06:42 AM PST 'It [shows] how much we mean to Paramore,' one fan says of candid live stream interview with the band.
After the Farro brothers' abrupt departure from Paramore, the remaining members candidly opened up about the collective's past, present and future during .
And after weeks of largely being in the dark about the true nature of the split because of competing statements from both sides, fans were glad the interview finally answered several lingering questions. "Finished watching #last word... such an epic way to address to fans that they're as strong as ever," Paramore fan Tiinytots tweeted. Rafazam tweeted to @mtvnews, "Thank u so much for that show, it [shows] how much we mean to Paramore." ChannieMitch wrote, "They did good. proves why i love them and strengthened my faith in them as a band." While the presentation definitely rallied and inspired many fans, it also gave Paramore followers greater insight into how the band has been handling the drama. As FantasyFenix wrote, "Its so heart breaking watching the @mtvnews interview with @paramore and it looks like @yelyahwilliams is almost crying." StfuStephh said, "I absolutely LOVE Zac and Josh, but it seems as if they're trying to make Hayley out to be a horrible person." For some, the interview — which touched on everything from the Farros' allegations that the band is a soulless "manufactured" production doctored by industry bigwigs to rumors the group is splitting up for good — left no stone unturned. "Thanks for the interview 'Paramore: The Last Word,' " Vickyy b tweeted. "That guy asked them everything I wanna know," referring to MTV News resident rock expert James Montgomery. Callummmmmmmmmm also approved of the interviewers, giving a shout-out to Montgomery and MTV Newsroom editor Kyle Anderson. "So thankful this was done, really helped alot!" he wrote. "Much love for MTV ... presenting it <3" Ultimately, the presentation made it clear that despite the shake-up, Paramore still has fans' best interest at heart. As Kjo3490, "The main thing I got out of #lastword is how much @yelyehwilliams @itstayloryall and @schzimmydeanie care about there fans." What did you think of Paramore's interview? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Wiz Khalifa 'Black And Yellow' Remix Video Hits The Net Posted: 07 Jan 2011 05:40 AM PST Snoop Dogg, T-Pain and Juicy J throw on the Pittsburgh upstart's hometown colors for laid-back 'G-mix' clip.
Wiz Khalifa has a warning in the new video for his "Black and Yellow" remix: Caution! The Pittsburgh rapper premiered the video online on Friday (January 7), and rap stars Snoop Dogg, T-Pain and Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J all turn up for Wiz's "G-mix" visual.
Directed by Bill Paladino and shot in Los Angeles, the visual features plenty of police-style caution tape (Get it? Black and yellow?) as the green-thumb lyricist spits choice rhymes about baked goods and such. "Never treat you wrong, to each his own," Snoop, sporting a black-and-yellow varsity jacket embossed with a giant "S," raps on the breezy number. "Snoop and Wiz, the new Cheech and Chong/ We up in smoke, making street schemes/ Smoking sticky green, having sweet dreams." "Black and yellow, ahh, black and yellow/ See me now they treating me like I'm somebody special," Wiz follows Snoop on his verse. "Smoking on that good, know it's me soon as they smell it/ You can chill/ I'm the one who get it, not the one who sell it/ I grind every day, I'm balling/ I can't help it/ N---as on that bullsh--, my pockets full of Celtics." The pair recently re-teamed for "That Good," which arrived online last week; the track is the first offering from the duo's forthcoming movie. The "Black and Yellow" remix clip is set to premiere on MTV this Sunday and on MTV Jams as a "Jam of the Week" and will also appear on MTV2's "Sucker Free" at 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday. What do you think of the new "Black and Yellow" video? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Paramore's Ups And Downs: A Timeline Posted: 07 Jan 2011 03:12 AM PST First taste of possible drama came when the group canceled a European tour back in 2008.
The rock world received jarring news just before the end of 2010 when band co-founders (and brothers) Josh and Zac Farro announced they were leaving Paramore behind. Since then, the brothers issued a scathing statement about why they exited the group, and the remaining three members — singer Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis and guitarist Taylor York — sat down for an extra-long interview with MTV News to lay out their side of the story and react to the Farros' statements. (You can watch that entire conversation as "Paramore: "Last Word" right now.)
But how did the band get to the point of breaking up? There has always been upheaval with the lineup (no fewer than eight people have been a part of the band since its inception), but the first taste of possible drama came when the group abruptly canceled a European tour at the beginning of 2008, citing "a lot of internal issues." Rumors flew about what those particular issues were (there was even speculation that Williams was pregnant), but the band remained closely guarded as to why they specifically backed out of the tour. It appeared as though the time off did them some good, as they managed to finish 2008 strong, touring the United States and playing the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. When it finally came time to record a new album, the group addressed many of their internal issues head-on in the songs that make up Brand New Eyes, their most mature release to date. The group admitted that many of the songs on the album directly dealt with the turmoil they had experienced the year prior. "There's a lot of calling out and pointing the finger, but then it starts to change," Williams said at the time of Brand New Eyes' release. "We've gone through these things, we've worked out most of our issues, and it's much more positive and hopeful." Their star continued to rise, though Williams began to experience success outside of the realm of Paramore. Just before the release of Brand New Eyes, her first ever solo track, "Teenagers," appeared on the soundtrack to the horror movie "Jennifer's Body." And in early 2010, "Airplanes," a collaboration with Atlanta rapper B.o.B from his album The Adventures of Bobby Ray, became a gigantic hit. Still, the band kept on trucking, headlining sold-out concerts all around the world and producing eye-popping videos for the singles from Brand New Eyes. As their tour wound down in December, the group was ready to move on to the next project. "We're doing a tour of South America, and then we're taking time off to write a new record," York told MTV News. "We're at the end of this record, and it's bittersweet." A few days later, rumors started to swirl that the Farros would be exiting, which led to both the band's statement and the Farros' reaction. The remaining members of Paramore have committed to continuing on as a unit, and no matter what the future holds, they are already experts in handling upheaval. What did you think of "Paramore: "Last Word"? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Are Miley Cyrus And Nick Jonas Recording A Duet Album? Posted: 07 Jan 2011 03:45 AM PST Cyrus producer Shakur Green reportedly tweets that the exes are working on a joint LP.
In 2009, Nick Jonas and Miley Cyrus released the breakup ballad "Before the Storm." The track, which was recorded after the two had split and right before they briefly reconciled, was featured on the Jonas Brothers album Lines, Vines and Trying Times. Now, it seems that the duo might be trying to make that magic happen again. Music producer Shakur Green, who worked with Cyrus on her Time of Our Lives EP, tweeted that he's heading into the studio to work with the teen stars. "Returning to the studio w/ Miley Cyrus & Nick Jonas on 1/14," he wrote in tweets posted on the AnythingDisney blog, which gained access to the producer's protected Twitter account. "Can't release any additional information about the project other then it's going to be one of the top albums of 2011," he added. "We're only recording 7-10 records. She has other producers she working with besides myself!" Although he kept the details somewhat scarce, he did reveal one major piece to the puzzle: "I will share this info: It's going to be a double disk duet album!" A rep for the stars hadn't responded to MTV News' request for comment by press time. Cyrus did join the boys onstage for one show in June 2009 to play "Before the Storm." At the time, when MTV News caught up with Nick, he expressed how much he really loved the song. " 'Before the Storm' is probably one of my favorite songs on the record," Nick said. "I think it's probably one of my favorite songs because it has a great story to it. It's a duet with Miley, which is great." What do you think about Miley and Nick possibly teaming up for a whole album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Snooki Says Her New Boyfriend Isn't A 'Jersey Shore' 'Fame Whore' Posted: 06 Jan 2011 11:31 PM PST As she filmed new season, 'he didn't like the cameras,' star admits.
Anyone who tuned into Thursday night's action- and f-bomb-packed premiere of the new season of "Jersey Shore" could see that those crazy kids will be providing their fans with plenty of outrageous moments equal to — and perhaps exceeding — the limits set in the first two seasons.
When MTV News caught up with the one and only Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi recently, she assured us that major drama will go down. But on a lighter, warm and fuzzy note, Polizzi also revealed that during the cast's crazy antics in Seaside Heights, the pint-sized dynamo met her new boyfriend. "I did meet my boyfriend right now on the new season. I met him in Jersey a couple times at the club," she explained. "He didn't really like the cameras, so I thought he was a weirdo: He just wouldn't talk to me; he would just stare at me, so I was like, 'What's wrong with this kid?' " She added that his reluctance to appear on the show made her like him even more. "I found out after we were filming he didn't like the cameras, he wasn't comfortable, so I was like, 'Oh, that's a good thing. He's not a fame whore, and I don't want to date any of those guys,' " she said. "So I started hanging out with him, and we had a good time together, so we just started dating." Speaking of fame whores, Snooki said now that the cast has become very recognizable, they have to be careful about who they meet. "We actually had a lot of people trying to get into our house, hang out with us," Polizzi said. "I was like, 'I know why you're trying to hang out with us, so don't even try." She also revealed that newcomer Deena had a harder time sussing out the disingenuous types, which viewers will see later in the season. Don't miss "Jersey Shore," airing Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos |
| Paramore's 'Last Word': Watch The Entire Interview Now! Posted: 07 Jan 2011 01:53 AM PST In an exclusive interview with MTV News, Paramore discuss their future after the departure of two members.
FRANKLIN, Tennessee — On December 30, MTV News traveled to Paramore's hometown of Franklin, Tennessee, to conduct the band's first — and only — interview about the departure of founding members Josh and Zac Farro.
It was a far-reaching, in-depth chat, covering topics like faith, friendship and the very future of the band itself. The discussion was frank, open and even a little eye opening, and no topic — including frontwoman Hayley Williams' relationship with Josh Farro and the status of Paramore's deal with Atlantic Records — was off limits. And as proof of that, we're presenting the entire interview to you now, complete with a full transcript. Take a seat, because it's a doozy. MTV: Well guys, thank you, obviously, for inviting us in today. This is a tremendous opportunity I think and a really cool thing to do, so I wanted to talk first of all ... I found out about this on Tuesday, and the message I got from the label, from the management was: "We want to do this before the end of the year." I think I can assume why, but I'd like to hear you guys sort of articulate: Why was it important for you to address this issue before the end of 2010? Hayley Williams: There's been a lot of things said online, especially in the past week, and it sucks ... it sucks to read it, and it also sucks to know that responding isn't really going to help, online, because things travel so terribly on the Internet. So we really wanted the opportunity to show our fans that we're OK, you know? The three of us are still here, we're not going anywhere. A lot of kids are still asking if the band is breaking up, and that just goes to show how broken the communication online can be when rumors start traveling. So this is our way of showing that there's a future and we're stoked for it. MTV: Have you ever tried to be sarcastic in an e-mail and they're like, "Why are you yelling at me?" Williams: Yeah! It never works! MTV: I guess before we talk about the respective statements I wanted to [address] the timeline. ... The timeline of this is a little odd. I completely missed this first fake blog post thing. From what I understand, you guys had nothing to do with this fake blog post. This took you completely by surprise. Williams: We, I mean, I haven't even read the whole fake blog post. I saw bits of it. Jeremy Davis: Me neither. I looked for it too. People were like, "What are you talking about?" I didn't even get to read the whole thing. I never could find the rest of it. Williams: It was really weird timing though. When I got an e-mail about it, I was like, "What is happening?" You know? ... The fans that are really close to us thought, at least, thought they noticed things for a while now, and so with all the speculation, I guess we had to expect that someone would do something like that eventually, but the timing was weird, and that's why we wanted to clear stuff up. MTV: So the issue of the two respective statements: Yours was posted first, then Josh was sort of upset by that. So did [the Farros] come to you and say, "We're going to announce this at so and so date?" How did you guys sort of go first? Williams: With the statement? MTV: Yeah. Because of the blog post, it sort of came out? Davis: That was the problem, because then everyone online starts wanting to know immediately, and you know how fast things spread online. An hour online is like three days. And it flies all over the world. And it was important to us to clear things up with people ... you can't have a fake statement going around. I mean, obviously it does, and people are going to believe whatever they believe, but we wanted to post something that showed the fans "Hello" and clear it up and something before Christmastime, too. It's all really strange timing. Taylor York: And that was the thing ... Josh and Zac told us a couple months ago, so we communicated that we really wanted them to write something to the fans themselves. And that's the thing is the [fake] blog really threw things off, because people started talking, and so they totally had the chance, but we just needed to clear things up before things got out of hand. So that's kind of how that whole mess started: It wasn't anyone trying to beat anyone. MTV: So you were sort of waiting for them? Williams: Yes. Originally, we wanted them to make the statement, and we gave them a chance, and then everything happened online. It was terrible timing, especially being around Christmas. You don't want to be like, "Merry Christmas, the band is over!" It sucked for us to watch out fans freak out online, especially the ones that are on our website, because those are the ones that are so ... every single day posting stuff and contributing, and that's not a way you want to pay back your fans, especially around Christmastime. MTV: You guys said in your statement that their decision to leave didn't really shock you. So I'm interested ... when did you start having conversations with [the Farros] when they said they wanted to leave? Williams: We didn't really have any conversations about it before they told us, "We've decided this." At least, I didn't have that conversation with them. I was not shocked that they wanted to leave, but kind of was surprised at how they were telling us, more or less. The way it was so far in advance to when they would actually be done. We've noticed they weren't happy, and that sucks. It sucks to be in a family or in a marriage where you see someone that's either hurting or just not having fun ... I don't know, it sucked. I shouldn't say we weren't shocked, because it's always going to be a shock, it's always gonna suck, but I guess we felt it coming for a long time. MTV: Having seen you guys for a couple of years and watching how you react, both on-camera and off, it's very easy to look at every interview we've done with the five of you guys ... the way they sort of were in interviews, Josh in particular. So, like you said before, I think people can sort of notice things that maybe weren't there and was there ... I'm just kind of curious, when you said this didn't really surprise you, that you felt it coming, was there a moment where they said, "This is it?" ... Was it when Brand New Eyes came out? One of the tours for it? Davis: It wasn't very long ago. It's not like we've known forever. I mean, it was literally a couple of months before it all happened. It was all still new to us as well. But, we could tell. ... The thing is, even in posts and stuff, kids talk about them not being happy, and it shows. ... When you're not happy, it shows. And it was just really good for us to finally, that's why that blog post really hit us hard, because we were going through all this, and we wanted to get it out to our fans, and our fans had found all that, and everyone started freaking out about it. So we had known for a couple months, but just didn't know when to post it, and then that blog ended up screwing it all up. So it makes everything really difficult. MTV: I know the schematics are a pain to go through again, but you said [for] a couple of months, you knew they were going to leave. Was it difficult then to carry on and sort of pretend — red carpets — that everything was cool? York: Absolutely. We always talk about how our band is like a marriage, and it's really hard to move forward as a group when there are people that aren't into it. They're not excited, they don't want to be there. So to know it to that level that they didn't want to be there was really tough. And knowing what was happening, and even in interviews being positive when maybe we didn't feel positive, it was really hard. I think, in a way, it was kind of special because we knew when our last show was, and we were able to prepare, and I think that was cool. It was cool for us to know, but it was very difficult. MTV: Last night I watched a lot of that footage from the show in Orlando, my hometown, but it didn't look like it was a dire thing. Everyone seemed, onstage at least, to be having a good time. Davis: That was the goal, really. To make sure everyone had a blast, and remembered, even if they weren't happy at the time, we all enjoy and love playing together and all that stuff, and we wanted to make a celebration out of our last performance. Williams: And that's another reason we didn't announce it sooner: We didn't want fans to feel like they were coming to a funeral. Like, "Well, this is their last show, so I'm gonna go and mourn for an hour and a half." That wouldn't be fun for anybody, and it wouldn't be fun for us. I think the way we did it was the right way for us, with our fans and the relationship we have with them. We put a lot on the line, and we tell our fans pretty much everything, but this was something that, it was like, we wanted to wait until the end of the year and we're done because we want to enjoy every second that we can. MTV: What happened after the show? Williams: It was really anti-climactic, honestly. I think I expected it to either end in tears or be a big celebration kind of party thing. And it was neither of those. It was just, you know, you walk offstage, I went and warmed down, the guys went and put their stuff away, and that was it. We went back to the hotel and got ready to come home. MTV: And I know that in their statement, they sort of left it nebulous, [and now] Zac sort of has this new project. Did they say what they were going to do next? Did they want to keep doing music, just different music? Williams: No. Davis: They pretty much said their heart wasn't in it anymore, and you know what? Good for them. I would rather them go and be where they're supposed to be, where they can be happy all the time. I think that's what I would want anyone to do. But as much time as we spent, how much good things we've had together and worked together and everything, it's been good. I'd rather see them be happy somewhere, you know? MTV: Taking all that and segueing into their statement, I'm assuming this caught you by surprise, and probably was sort of hurtful. Where did you first read about it, hear about it? What was your initial reaction? Williams: I think I heard it from — I don't know who I heard [from] ... probably one of these guys. I don't know if I got a phone call or an e-mail, but I woke up to it, basically, and that sucked, and I was not happy. I mean, yeah, it hurts, because what we were told was that they weren't happy, they didn't want to do this, and you can't be mad at someone for not feeling something. And if they don't want to be in the band, then that's a simple answer. But then when it really became about all these other things that I was very surprised and kind of felt led on almost. We've been doing this for six, seven years now. I don't think any of this has been in vain, for any of us. We've loved every second that we've spent onstage, all the meet and greets, the things we've gotten to do with our fans; that's the stuff we've built, we've worked really hard for, and I don't think anyone should discredit it. MTV: Taylor, how did you take it because you've known [the Farros] for a long time. Just judging on dynamics, you were sort of the link between you two and them. So how did you take it? York: It was a drag. I mean, like I said earlier, we were expecting a statement from them, so once we released our statement, we all knew they would probably release something. So I think we were all kind of bracing ourselves. Breakups are hard, and there's a lot of feelings, so we kind of, I think in a way we expected there to be something weird, and, yeah, it was really hard to read, just because it seemed like a lot of the stuff was pretty irrelevant to what happened. I think that was the weird thing, 'cause it just didn't seem really necessary. But, we're working through it, and it is what it is, and you can't really let it get to you, because, I don't know, it's life. Davis: It was pretty confusing because the way it was expressed to us from them was they weren't happy and they wanted to move on and do something else. And there was this peace between us. And then reading [their statement] was totally something different. And, like Hayley said, ... it was hard reading it, because the whole time, I was thinking about all our fans we worked so hard for, and all the confusion and that stuff. And it's all a bunch of silliness. And, you know what? If they don't want to be here and do the band stuff, then good luck with whatever they want to do, but they decided to leave and they weren't happy so I can't really say anything other than that. MTV: Those are very diplomatic responses. I'm assuming, had we caught you on the day when this first happened, it might have been different. Williams: Well yeah, I don't really know what you're talking about [laughing]. I don't get angry. Yeah, of course you feel every single type of emotion possible when something like that happens with someone that either was or is very close to you, you just feel everything all at once. I've never felt so just. ... I couldn't even figure out how I felt. But after realizing, like Taylor said, that it just was kind of going to happen this way, you've just got to know that what's important is the three of us are still here, and that we want to do this, and that's the positive part about this. MTV: Obviously, part of the reason we're here is to talk about what's next, but I would be remiss if we don't go through this statement, and again, if there's things you don't want to talk about ... Williams: It's fine. MTV: We printed out copies and underlined several things. The strangest part of this thing is that they signed off by saying, "The intention of this statement is not to belittle or disgrace the band. We are still hoping to work out a friendly way to leave our part of Paramore and the band, including Hayley." ... All it does is belittle the band. Secondly, have they met up with you? Have you spoken to them since the statement? Williams: No, we haven't talked. I don't even know what would be said, you know? I think I'm trying so hard to focus on the future, and they kind of opted out of that, so I'm happy here. I don't know if there's anything to be said. MTV: Fair enough. So we'll just go through these [points]. First and foremost is [to Hayley], you're the one that sort of bears the brunt of it. Williams: I know. MTV: [But] there are parts where each of you [are mentioned]. First of all, can you talk about when this band first started, and just talk about your parents and managers, and [their claim] this was a solo band. How much of that [is true]? Because over the years people have said that Hayley is the only person in the band signed to Atlantic. Is that true? Williams: Yeah, well, when I was 14, I was offered a contract, but my heart wasn't to be a solo artist, my heart was to be in a band. Since I can remember, being a kid, I've always just wanted to be in a band. I didn't even want to be the singer, I wanted to be the drummer so I could be behind everything, you know? And that's what I fought for, and that's what we've made it, and that's why it seemed so irrelevant that everything was being pointed out and stated. We've always been honest about it. I've talked on LiveJournal to fans about the history of Paramore, the story of our band, tried to make it a more personal thing, where it's not just hearsay and all this stuff that fans have to thumb through online. We've been honest about it, and we are a band, and, to me, it doesn't matter if there's a name on a contract. I hate business; it's the last thing I ever want to talk about. So when that was brought up in the blog, I just felt like, man, fans shouldn't care or need to hear about this stuff, because all that does is get in the way of music. MTV: And it's interesting to bring up the point, 'cause there's obviously money, but when we were here a year ago, you [to Taylor] were talking about buying a house or something and you were 19 years old, so technically everyone is doing OK in this setup. But the question is: If we were to somehow to go to the Atlantic offices, pull out the contract, whose name is on the contract? Williams: You would see my name. And the reason that it's like that is because I was offered one. But it just sucks so bad that fans would have to focus on that, even for a second. Because this has never been about me. I've hated anybody or anything that has ever made this about me. That's why I've worn shirts that say "Paramore is a band," time and time again; that's why we've written the songs we have; that's why you see the name "Paramore" on our album covers. York: That's why the three of us are here talking to you. Davis: And even if you go to the label, you'd technically have to pull out that [contract] to see [Hayley's name on it], because otherwise, it's Paramore stuff all over the walls, with all of us on it. And that's how it's been this entire time: We've all been fighting for the same thing. And with the fans, all the same way, so it's silly to think that. MTV: There's a paragraph here that talks about going to L.A. for a showcase and basically your manager was like, "Be in the lobby at this time!" and then you guys didn't show up. Williams: I didn't hear this part. Huh? Wait. What would happen? MTV: [Reading from the Farros' statement] "We traveled to L.A. a few weeks ago for a showcase and it was a nightmare. Hayley's manager would tell the band to be in the lobby of the hotel at a certain time but he and Hayley wouldn't show for hours. We found out that they had been meeting with record label executives all morning without us, which was totally weird because this wasn't simply a solo artist, but a band. The band was in the dark the whole time." Williams: Oh my. OK, so first of all, that wasn't my manager. Davis: And even if it was in the beginning, but we've been touring for, how long now? Williams: But that's the part of the story that could be so easily be misconstrued, because, as I said, I was offered a contract, and my whole mission as a 14-year-old person who was being courted by these people was to turn them away from me and let them see what we were doing as a band. There's been a lot of people who have tried to use us — in the beginning — for their own good, and we've been lucky enough to get out of that each and every time and make it once again about us so I didn't even know that part was in there, and I think that's so irrelevant, because I barely even remember that. Davis: And, by the way, Hayley being two hours late is usually around correct anyway. MTV: Every time we would talk while you were writing this record, time and time again you would say, "Josh wrote this amazing guitar part, and I wrote these lyrics," so it wasn't just you like, "I did this!" Williams: I couldn't do that with a straight face. I can't. First of all, I can't take myself seriously at all, in the least. But yeah, it's just embarrassing when people brag about themselves. I definitely can't be that kind of person. I don't know, I just can't. MTV: The second part [of the statement] is the idea of signing to the label, and these various machinations of "You're signed to Atlantic, but you're Fueled by Ramen." A lot of these things have been covered in the past. We wrote articles three years ago about 360 deals, stuff like that. But it all sort of culminates in this statement. "In reality, something that started off as natural, somehow morphed into a manufactured product of a major label, riding the coattails of Hayley's dreams." So how does it feel? Honestly, this is a band that is on Atlantic records, so it is a major-label rock band. About this record, we wrote that it was the best major-label rock record of 2009. So what is your reaction to this thing, "it is a manufactured product of a major label"? Williams: Well, I don't get how it could've started natural if we were ... if it was all about me anyway, it wouldn't have started natural if it was all about me anyway. ... But we're not a manufactured band. We've dealt with that rumor for a long time, and that's because of the rumors of FBR and Atlantic's relationship. We've always talked about that, and I think it was a few months ago, right after the Honda Civic Tour, that I addressed this exact topic on our LiveJournal, saying, "When we started, I again fought that this would be a band thing, and I fought for something that we could really work hard and start from the ground." That's the kind of music that I love, and that's the kind of music we've all shared interest in since day one, and we wanted to be that kind of band. We wanted to be those kind of people that work for whatever they're going to get. We didn't know it would turn into this. Thank God it did, because we got to experience so many cool things, but we got very lucky that Fueled By Ramen and Atlantic were already working with other bands together, before we ever signed. So, our first record was not on Atlantic, it was on Fueled by Ramen, and then when we started to pick up interest, Atlantic began once again to be interested in us. MTV: And there are mentions of dating and ... Williams: [laughing] What? I never dated anyone! MTV: Did you not read this statement? The interesting part was when we first started to meet you and interview you was when Brand New Eyes was being made, and the thing you said time and time again was, "This is the record that sort of saved the band, to the brink and back, we really fought each other to make this record." And the [Farros'] statement is basically, "Hayley claimed that this reunited us as a band and made us grow closer when in reality, we were all growing further apart." So there are obviously two different viewpoints. Davis: If he can speak for the half of us, that's not really fair either. York: I think, in all fairness, I think we, at the time, we all did believe that's what it was, absolutely. We had the best time of our band's career when we were making that record, and things change. I think we all believed that, and we were wrong. And that's just how life is: We made a statement that we believed in, and it didn't turn out the way we thought it would. MTV: We've said several times that Brand New Eyes is a great record. At the time, the record was about addressing "nameless naysayers and faceless detractors," "the people at large." Going back and listening to it [now], there are an alarming number of songs that can specifically be interpreted as being about Josh Farro. "Careful," "Ignorance," "Playing God," maybe "Misguided Ghosts." Were you essentially then writing about this conflict that he talked about in his statement? Were you writing songs about the conflict between you two? Williams: I would say that a large majority of those songs, yes, have to do with the relationship that we had, and then we had to mend. And it was really hard, because we were all friends, and then going through a breakup, and going through any kind of tension as a band, really affected all the lyrics, even if they weren't about just Josh and I or just me and Taylor. Everything we were going through had an overall effect on the tone of what I was saying, but there are a lot of specifics that I pulled from my experience with just feeling like my face was underneath a boot all the time. I think that the point of the album was never to point out those things, but hopefully to encourage people that feel that way. Because I felt so alone in that fight that I would never want, especially another young woman, to feel that way, because I know there are a lot of girls I've talked to, fans, go through the same thing in relationships and families, and it just sucks to feel kind of victimized in a way that you don't want to feel petty, so every level of it really sucks. MTV: It only adds a new level to the record. There's a lot of things in here. They mention in their statement that there's a lyric in "Careful": "The truth never set me free so I did it myself," which they sort of see as you [denouncing] a Bible scripture. Can you talk about that lyric in particular, because it's gotten a lot of attention? York: Well, I'll talk about that. When Hayley first came to us with those lyrics, we had a massive talk about it, because they voiced their concern. And the first thing Hayley said was, "Well, I get that, but honestly my intention is for it to say, 'Your truth really set me free.' I just didn't change it, but that's what I really mean." She wasn't saying "truth" as in what we believe in: She was saying "truth" as in what other people want you to believe, what they see as truth. It was never about what they are saying it's about. It's about other people forcing their beliefs on you, and if you don't meet their requirements, then you're doing a bad job. So, that was really misconstrued. MTV: But there are other mentions here. There's, in "Ignorance," "It's not a war. No, it's not a Rapture." A biblical reference, "Playing God," a lot of that in there. Did you guys have a disagreement in faith? 'Cause they mentioned faith — God a lot — with their reasoning to [leave the band]. Was that part of your disagreement, issues of faith? Because they also mentioned that you two in particular [to Williams and Davis] started making choices that they disagree with. Davis: All right! Williams: Right on! [laughs] I was surprised, honestly. I mean, yeah, we've had discussions about it, and it's not like I never knew that they thought I believed something different. But I was surprised by the extent of it, because I so clearly believe in the same thing as I have since — oh, I don't know — since I made the decision to believe what I believe in. And the difference is, in what I'm learning, I think it's a great thing about faith is that each person is who they are and you can't change that no matter what you try to do. You are who you are, and faith can be yours, you know? I'm not saying that it adapts so you make your own rules the whole time, but I believe in what I believe in so strongly, but it might not look like what someone else believes in. Just because I'm a Christian doesn't mean that I have to pray at the same time as someone else every day. MTV: You live with your faith, and your faith lives within you. It's this thing where it's malleable and such, but were there arguments about faith? Williams: I don't really remember. Davis: Most of our record was about friendship, and I felt like that's kind of a weird line where people ... where it can be thought of as a faith thing. It all was a friendship thing. All of us started out really young and started growing up, and you go through a lot of changes, and being on the road and away from the family and [the band] is your new family. It all gets really tough. And when anybody changes, it's hard to really look [at it]. I'm changing, it's like, "Is that a bad thing? Is that a good thing?" That is what the record's about. That's how we came up with the title. You have to look at your friends with a brand new set of eyes. Williams: Yeah, and the references I would say to spiritual warfare and anything spiritual at all are probably just because it is a big part of me, so for me to talk about something metaphorically or use an analogy, it's very easy for me to use faith 'cause, to me, it's so applicable to almost every single thing that I go through in my life. For me to say, "It's not a war, it's not a Rapture" is like saying, "It's not the end of the world. It's not everyone being wiped off the face of the earth and all these insane things happening. This is just life." MTV: Right, there are no horsemen. But you mentioned growing up and changing, and it must be very difficult for you in particular to have to answer for decisions that you made when you were 13 or 14 years old. And it's the thing that has always been with this band in a way. Would you agree with that? Williams: Yeah. I definitely wouldn't want any 14-year-old to be held accountable at 22 years old for whatever decisions they made. But I think that, first of all, I had a great family that looked out for me, and I think that I had a good head on my shoulders because of them and because of the friends that I had to help me make good decisions, 'cause I don't think I can see one thing that's gone wrong since I was 14. It's been a breeze, and it's been so much fun, and yeah, there's hard times, but I think I'd be going through that if I worked at Burger King. No matter what, if I was in college. The difference is people wouldn't be looking at it or care about any blogs I posted about it. MTV: It's interesting that we are in this basement where you guys shot the "Playing God" video. At the time — you talked about in an interview — about [the video] closing the book on Brand New Eyes. When you made this video, had the Farros told you they were going to leave? And was that odd to make the video then? Williams: It didn't feel like any other video shoot. Well, it did and it didn't. It didn't feel any different in the sense that the friendships that were the weakest were still the weakest. We got along the same way. But ... it felt way too similar to the things that were going on. It was definitely creepy. But I had a lot of fun on it. I definitely think that it was personal in a way that it was so easy to relate to that we just didn't feel like working at all. MTV: About moving forward, Taylor, you in particular, we've talked off-camera, and you've always said, "Oh, this awards show. I don't really do awards shows. I'm not really an awards-show type of guy." You're kind of like an "indie" guy. You're someone who shares a faith with the Farros and also has known them for a long time, so, why did you then decide to stick around? York: I think, in all fairness to the Farros, they started at a really young age too, we all did, and I think there's always been times where all of us might have a bad day and been like, "I don't want to be in this band." So, of course, I've had those days. But today, I still love what I'm doing, and I think it was hard for me because, yeah, they're really dear to me, and so it was weird watching them go. But I still want to do this, and I couldn't let their decisions affect my heart and my passions. And the fact that the three of us still want to do this and make music, who knows if the three of us will ever get this chance again, so we're going to take advantage of it. MTV: The tour starts shows in February. Are you going to be playing leads now? Has this been discussed? York: I think. Yeah, there's been a lot of talk of that, about like, yeah, I'm really playing drums and guitar [laughing]. Everyone's like, "You're taking Josh's spot," and, in a way, this is also a business, and I think when any business downsizes, you don't just take over someone's title: Everyone's title changes to fit the mold. So there are some things that I am going to have to do that Josh did, some parts, but at the same time, I have no intentions of being the new Josh, taking over his parts. That's not really what I want to do. So, yeah, I'll be doing some lead stuff, but I love what I get to do, and I still intend on doing that. MTV: Jeremy, obviously you've been with the band for a long time. Was there any doubt ever whether you were going to continue on with this? Davis: No, there was no question about it. I've quit jobs before, and I'm like, "Hey man, I'm out. Sorry, it's not my thing," and I'll leave, and I'll never hear from them again, because they want to continue their job. And this has been our heart and passion, and anyone can tell that. Our fans end up crashing websites because [they're] so hardcore, and it's been every bit of our passion to have those fans and keep those fans and work for those fans, and make 'em feel like family anytime — whether we're getting off a plane and it's been 23 hours and no sleep, no matter what the time is — they've been our passion and our heart. So, no, it's never been close to an option for me. It really sucks because I feel like our family on the road, it really sucks to lose a part [of it], or feel like you're losing a part. Like I said in the beginning, I'd rather they be happy somewhere else. That's gonna make everyone else happy. And, you know what? If they're happier somewhere else, we might be happier this way. Who knows? So we'll see. Things change, and you kinda gotta just go with it. MTV: You have a couple of months until the shows, so I'm assuming you're going to have to start auditioning people. How do you plan on filling two positions? Williams: We have fill-ins for the South American tour. We're going to have Justin York, Taylor's brother, who has filled in with us before and is also in Relient K, which is very exciting for him. So he's going to help us out on guitar, and they're gonna work out who does leads, not leads. And Josh Freese on the drums. No big deal at all, just one of our favorite drummers. York: But, to clarify, this is for one tour, so ... MTV: [laughing] Josh Freese is not joining Paramore? York: No. We haven't even started tackling what it's going to look like with new members. We have one more tour planned, and so we already know how we're going to get through it, and then we'll tackle what's next. MTV: How will it feel to take the stage with these "hired guns," as they call it? A different band? Will you miss something? Williams: I really am going to miss Zac a whole lot. Zac is one of my favorite drummers in the world, and he has been since he was 13 years old. That's really going to suck. But I don't want him to ever not be happy. And ... if he stayed, and for me to turn around and not see him happy, that would suck worse than not seeing him at all. I think that will be the hardest part to get used to. I mean, yes, Josh Freese, incredible drummer. I think he's the best guy we could've gotten to come do this tour with us, but no one will ever replace Zac in my heart. Zac is one of my favorite people. And you know what? Yeah, it will suck, but I think that now that we are so unified that the three of us know exactly what we're doing, we want to be here so bad, and I think that's going to feel really good, to know that we're not dragging anyone around, we're not making anyone do anything they don't want to do, that's going to be exciting. And I guess I don't have any regrets about it. I just feel like, "Let's just start this new chapter already," because it can only be great. We're not going to let ourselves not be great. We're gonna make it good. MTV: On [Twitter] there's a lot about Yahtzee playing, but there's also one tweet about a new demo that Taylor wrote? So is this the first demo that you have brought to these two? York: Yeah. We're just getting started and putting out our feelers. This is the very beginning, and so we wanted to get it started, and so that's the first thing. Williams: It's good. He's too humble to say it's good, but I'll say it for him: It's awesome. I'm really excited. Me and Taylor have written together since we were kids, so I guess I still feel like a kid right now. But since we were little kids and I have no doubt in my mind, he's a great writer, and I'm excited. MTV: You did an interview saying you were gonna take some time off and work on a record. Is there any way we're going to see a Paramore record [in 2011]? Do you think that's even in the realm of possibility? Williams: We will definitely release songs next year. Who knows if a full album will come out of it, but obviously we'd love that. It would be fun. We definitely want to put stuff out for our fans to party with us, but who knows when that will be? Hopefully, sooner rather than later. MTV: If you look at any [Paramore] stories [on MTVNews.com], [the comments] are two-thirds [in favor of] you guys. But there's definitely one-third who are fans of Josh, fans of Zac, and are maybe afraid that this band will be different or they've maybe just given up on the band. For the ones who are afraid of "What does this mean for the band?" "I really like the stuff that Josh wrote," what can you say to them? York: Well, the thing is: We're going to be different. We lost two really big parts of this band, so it's going to be different. But we're still Paramore. We've all written together before, so it's not like we're losing our style. We're not going to become an R&B-soul-funk band ... We're more excited than ever, and we're not going to put out something that's not good. Next year, when we say we're taking time off, it means we're writing until we have something that's great. And we're not going to stop until it's great. So yeah, things are gonna be different. I think it's kinda cool to see. It's gonna be good. I don't think it's a negative thing. But of course, Josh and Zac were a really big part of the band, so people are going to miss them and it's natural. But, we're here now, and here we go. MTV: [The split with the Farros] is done now, the year's over, but what did each of you guys take from this experience and how do you view Josh and Zac? Williams: I'm trying not to view anyone at all, except for people that are close to me, because if you listen to one opinion that's out there, then you listen to all of them. I guess I'm just learning that you can't prove to anyone who you are, you just have to be it. You can't make someone think anything about you, because they're just going to think what they want. I guess we're just going to do it really right this time ... it's going to be fun to kind of just not have to think about what someone's thinking about me. I know that, for me personally, I'm just gonna feel — and I don't even mean this in a negative way to Josh and Zac — but I'm definitely starting to feel a lot more free about myself, and I think maybe that's just me growing up. But the people I have around me, Taylor and Jeremy, I feel very supported and loved as a person, and that's a rare thing in this world. Davis: What did I take from this whole thing? I don't know. I know that Taylor was saying that growing up we learn a lot, and I definitely learned that I'm gonna be the person that I'm gonna be, no matter what anyone else thinks. I'm just really glad to see that almost all of our fans [stuck] with us, and they see the fact that we're here saying that, "Listen, we're still here for you guys," and they're 10 times as supportive back. I'm just glad that they feel [that way], 'cause I was really worried about all our fans and stuff. We spent so much time working on growing, like being friends with them and talking with them online and making sure everything we do is for them, even in writing records: "Let's have parts where they can sing back! Interact with the crowd!" It's always been about that, and I feel like our fans are, since they're growing up with us, not all are the same age, but I feel like they're learning with us. And it's really cool to feel that. And honestly, all their support has been good too because we've been a group for so long, so it's a lot on our minds as well, so it's been really good to have the support from them all. And yeah, you gotta move forward. I'm excited about it. It could be something great. I know that it's gonna be so nice with all of us just being the way we are together and everything. It's just so good — very positive. York: I think in life there are always trying experiences, and this is one that I think has really challenged all of us to grow up a lot. It's been really testing handling the situation with as much respect as we can, and trying to dignify people and not slander anyone. We've grown up a lot through this, and every time you go through something like this, you have the option to just act out of emotion, and do things you might regret, or you can try to do honestly the right thing, and I think that's what we've been trying to do. And so, I don't know, just things change and we've been doing our best to do handle it well, to finish this season well. And yeah, we're excited, and I think we've just learned a lot about relationships and communication, so we're going to do things a lot different now, and we're all just incredibly excited for the future. MTV: You mentioned "doing things different this time." Is that in terms of communication? Writing? How will you do things differently? What did you mean by that? York: Obviously we're humans, so we're not perfect ... we mess up. So I think the best way to move forward is to look at your mistakes and your victories and learn from them. Avoid things and focus on other things. We've had problems with communication, and that's honestly the biggest thing. Even a lot of this ... a lot of things have been misconstrued, things we haven't ever talked about, things we're kind of hearing for the first time or that we assumed but are actually seeing it in writing or something. But communication is huge, and even things with songwriting and pretty much everything, I think we're just trying things that we've never tried, things we never have the freedom [to try], just things we've never talked about. I think that's gonna effect a lot of different areas. MTV: Going forward, there has to be some part of you that wants to prove these people [wrong] — to prove Josh and Zac wrong, that you want to make something that is lasting and powerful, and [have] the final word on it. Is there a part of you inside that wants to do that: to prove these people who jumped off the ship, who've written the band off, wrong? Williams: I think if there wasn't any part of us that wanted to react, then we would be perfect, and that would suck, quite frankly. You want to react, you want to say things back, and counter every point that's made, but what's the point? What's the purpose of that? It's just gonna never stop. It would never end if we dealt with it that way, and to me, that would be so unfair to our online community we've built and our fans have built. We're not trying to create some drama for everyone to talk about, because that takes the focus away from what it should be, which is our music and something positive we're building and still want to build onto. I mean, yeah, I would love to just throw punches and be pissed and angry and say things that I would just regret five minutes later. MTV: Perhaps the final word will be whatever you guys make [next]. The ultimate triumph, the ultimate vindication, is making another record that is killer, you know? Williams: Well, first, making a record at all would be a triumph. I think that's a triumph any time a band gets to make another album. I was surprised we made it to three albums, and I was stoked. But yeah, it being a great record will be our way of sort of saying, "No one can take this away from us, no matter what." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson's Home Contained A Dozen Bottles Of Propofol Posted: 07 Jan 2011 05:12 AM PST An L.A. County Coroner's Office investigator testifies during Dr. Conrad Murray's preliminary hearing that a litany of drugs were found at the residence.
The role of propofol has loomed large in Michael Jackson's sudden 2009 death, and according to an investigator, copious amounts of the surgical anesthetic were found in the superstar's home. During the latest round of testimony at the preliminary manslaughter hearing for Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, on Friday (January 7), an investigator for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office testified that a dozen bottles of propofol were discovered in Jackson's home, according to TMZ. One of the two bottles found in the singer's bedroom was empty, and investigators also found a slew of at least 10 other types of medication, including lorazepam, hydrocodone and lidocaine. The mother of one of Murray's children, Nicole Alvarez, also testified and said the doctor sent several packages to her home from April to June 2009. While the packages' contents were not revealed in court, TMZ has reported that the parcels contained propofol and were sent from Murray's Las Vegas pharmacy. Another one of Murray's girlfriends, Sade Anding, gave notable testimony. Anding said she received a five-minute phone call from Murray around 12:30 p.m., during which he abruptly stopped talking after exchanging brief small talk. Anding said she heard "coughing and voices," and the line sounded as if he had placed the phone in his pocket. However, according to phone records, the only time Murray called Anding that day was at 11:51 a.m., which would have meant that Murray waited about 25 minutes to call 911 once he recognized Jackson needed emergency assistance. Murray has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter, and his lawyers are reportedly planning to claim Jackson killed himself by self-administering a lethal dose of propofol. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Nas' Child, Spousal Support To Kelis Slashed In Half Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:01 AM PST Rapper is now obligated to fork over $25,000 a month to his ex-wife.
Nas is kicking off 2011 with some thicker pockets. According to TMZ, the Queens rapper's spousal and child support payments to ex-wife Kelis have been reduced by half. The MC is required to pay the "Milkshake" songstress $20,000 in spousal support and just over $5,000 in child support every month. The MC reportedly convinced the judge that the soft economy has hurt his ability to pull in cash. Nas was previously ordered in December 2009 to hand over $51,000 for monthly child and spousal payments — a total of over $600,000 a year. The figure was bumped up from a court-mandated amount of $40,000 per month in July 2009 after they announced their split in April of that year. The Distant Relatives MC has had trouble paying his ex-wife in a timely fashion in the past and once faced a civil contempt charge after owing over $350,000 in back support. In addition to having more spending money at his disposal, Nas has said he's ready to release more solo material after dedicating his time to his joint hip-hop and reggae project with Damian Marley, Distant Relatives. "I been so caught up into me and [Damian's] thing that I started to get used to it," Esco recently told MTV News. "Like, I didn't want to do the solo thing for a while. Me and D have just been doing our thing, reaching millions of people, but it's that time." Nas also dished that fans can expect a brand-new persona on his new material, as he plans to flex his creative skills on his forthcoming project. "Sometimes, you can approach a record and can think, 'I got to take care of this person and I got to take care of that person,' but you really got to take care of you," he said. "I look at Michael Jackson, and before he passed away, I can only imagine the pressure he had to live up to for the next moonwalk," he continued. "And the reality is, physically, he wasn't able to live up to that. I would have loved to see him come up with the next level, without even dancing, just using his creativity. It's all about evolving and that's what I want to do: evolve." Related Artists |
| Are Kanye And Jay-Z Delivering <i>Watch The Throne</i> Too Soon? Posted: 07 Jan 2011 02:45 AM PST Critics weigh in on whether 'Ye risks fans gorging on product while they're still feasting on acclaimed Dark Twisted Fantasy.
Kanye West should be basking in the critical acclaim of his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album. He scored a number of year-end accolades for the project, including recognition from us here at MTV News.
But a mere two months after the LP's November release, the rapper's already in promotional mode for his next project, Watch the Throne, a joint effort with Jay-Z. How did everything happen so fast? Jay-Z, of course, has been a prolific MC, having released six consecutive #1 albums, from 1998's Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life to 2003's The Black Album. And after a self-imposed exile, Kanye has proved to be just as productive as his mentor, including West's three-month-long G.O.O.D. Fridays series, during which he released a new single each week. Back in October, during a lengthy sit-down, West casually told MTV News' Sway that the Watch the Throne EP had evolved into a full-length album. "We putting out a whole album now," he said. "We had done five [songs] so far, but then a few of them kind of were out there, and I put them on my album. Sorry, Jay. But we got some more, and we're going to the South of France at the end of the month to just record new ideas. But we'll probably be done with the album in a day." According to 'Ye, Jay-Z only has to write 10 verses (a hint?: the album will only be 10 songs), and West is collaborating with a bevy of producers, so his load will be substantially reduced as well. Another question, however, is whether fans will flock to the project so soon after snapping up West's extravagant solo release. The early answer seems to be a resounding yes. "I think it's smart because I imagine the two albums will be very different sonically, so it won't be a case where one overshadows the other," Complex senior editor Toshitaka Kondo told MTV News. "Also, when an artist is hot, their fans can't get enough as long as the output is good. Young Money has had five or six different releases, including the Young Money album and projects from Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Drake in the last 13 months, and I can't see how it's hurt any of them. I can't see the sales of this album necessarily cannibalizing the sales from Kanye's [last album] anyway. It'd be one thing if they were dropping within a few weeks of each other, but given how fast people consume music these days, six months is plenty of time." Perhaps, though, instead of debating whether it's too soon to put out the album, the more poignant thing to consider is this: arguably the two biggest stars in hip-hop want to make an album together! "All artists need to find a way to combat falling record sales and meet fans' desire for constant gratification — a new album from two of hip-hop's biggest stars isn't going to hurt,"the Amplifier's Caryn Ganz said. "It could even renew interest in Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and encourage people to revisit it," she said. "All the recent collaborations between these two have been very strong, like 'Run This Town' and 'Monster,' and Kanye seems to bring out a fascinating artiness in Jay. They just have to be careful that they don't push it too far in an artsy, esoteric direction and lose their whole street base. But the timing doesn't seem strange to me at all — strike while Kanye's still making headlines for the right reasons, rather than wrong." Do you think it's too soon for Kanye and Jay to drop their Watch the Throne? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Notorious B.I.G. Murder Investigation 'Reinvigorated' Posted: 07 Jan 2011 01:36 AM PST New information has rebooted still-unsolved killing of Bad Boy rapper, sources say.
It's been 13 years since the unsolved murder of legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G. (born Christopher Wallace). Despite several theories about who gunned down the 24-year-old Bad Boy rapper in his prime outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on the night of March 9, 1997, police have never arrested a suspect in the case or announced a credible triggerman in the murder that shocked the hip-hop world. But now, according to CNN, investigators are back on the cold case thanks to the formation of a task force made up of members of the Los Angeles Police Department, the L.A. County District Attorney's Office and the FBI. An anonymous law enforcement source close to the investigation told CNN that the case was "reinvigorated" several months ago thanks to some new information. For now, though, that information is not being revealed because it is part of the ongoing investigation by the local and national task forces. A spokesperson for the L.A. County District Attorney's office declined to comment on the CNN report. Police have long known that a lone gunman in a Chevy Impala pulled up alongside the Suburban that was carrying Biggie and opened fire, striking the rapper, who was sitting in the passenger seat. The shooter was described by witnesses as being an African-American male wearing a suit and bowtie. The murder reignited rumors that it was tied to an alleged East Coast/ West Coast beef between New York's Bad Boy Entertainment, led by Sean "Diddy" Combs, and the West Coast-based Death Row Records, then headed by oft-arrested CEO Marion "Suge" Knight. It was a tragic bookend to the murder six months earlier of Death Row's Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas in a crime that is also still unsolved. Retired Los Angeles Police Detective Russell Poole worked on the Wallace case and he told CNN he believes that Death Row's Knight was behind the killing; Knight was behind bars on a probation violation at the time. "Suge Knight ordered the hit," Poole said, fingering Death Row security chief Reggie Wright Jr. as the man who arranged the hit. Wright Jr. told CNN he had nothing to do with the murder, and Knight has repeatedly said the same. Poole said he retired from the force early because he felt like his investigation was being hampered by some fellow LAPD officers who worked off-duty for Death Row. "I think I was getting too close to the truth," Poole said. "I think they feared that the truth would be a scandal." One of the men Poole believed was involved was former LAPD officer David Mack, who was sent to prison in 1997 for robbing a bank. According to Poole, Mack owned the same type of car driven by the gunman and a friend of the ex-officer's resembled a police sketch of the shooter. Mack's attorney dismissed the claims when they first surfaced nearly a decade ago; Mack was released from federal prison on May 14, 2010. A representative for Wallace's mother, Voletta, who has been adamant about finding her son's killer, declined to comment on the investigation. Her attorney told CNN that a re-filing of a wrongful death suit against the LAPD was put on hold in April after Los Angeles police said turning over evidence would interfere with their re-launched investigation. Do you think the Notorious B.I.G.'s murder will ever be solved? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Knocked Up' Spin-Off News Surprised Seth Rogen Posted: 07 Jan 2011 02:40 AM PST 'I just read about it just like everybody else,' original star tells MTV News. 'I was like, 'Oh man, it looks like it's really happening.' '
Much like "16 and Pregnant" gave birth to "Teen Mom," it seemed as though if Judd Apatow were ever to return to the world of "Knocked Up," his hit 2007 comedy, the writer/director would continue the story with more about Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl's characters and the child they had together. But that's not what's happening — not least of all because of the messy public backbiting between Apatow and Heigl over her character, Alison. Instead, Apatow is pushing forward with an extension of that world featuring Alison's sister, Debbie (Leslie Mann), and brother-in-law, Pete (Paul Rudd). The film will apparently tell a story separate from the one told in "Knocked Up," a story that simply focuses on Debbie and Pete's troubled marriage.
Still, the question remains: Will Heigl or Rogen pop up at any point in the new film? MTV News put that very question to Rogen when we caught up with him while he was promoting "Green Hornet." "I don't know," he admitted. Rogen went on to explain that he had some knowledge that Apatow was working on "Knocked Up"-related material, but didn't know if a project was locked in or if there's a part in the script for him. "[Judd] mentioned it to me off-handedly a year ago, and then I just read about it just like everybody else," Rogen explained. "I was like, 'Oh man, it looks like it's really happening.' "So, I don't know," he added. "I'm going to call him today and see what the deal is." Check out everything we've got on "Knocked Up." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Robert Pattinson Gets 'Cosmopolis' Well-Wishes From Colin Farrell Posted: 07 Jan 2011 01:28 AM PST Farrell, who was in talks for the role, wishes 'Breaking Dawn' star 'all the luck in the world' with his first post-'Twilight' movie.
Earlier this week, Robert Pattinson fans rejoiced at the news that their "Twilight" hunk will continue to appear on the big screen after "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" is released in 2012. Pattinson's first post-"Twilight" movie will be "Cosmopolis," an adaptation of the novel by Don DeLillo, to be directed by David Cronenberg.
Pattinson will play "financial wunderkind" Eric Packer, who risks his entire fortune to bet against Japan's yen on a tumultuous day. The character's chancy move puts him in mortal danger. The flick is said to be "a drama that is a study of capitalism in a slightly futuristic metropolis." While fans are happy about Pattinson's new project, the role initially went out to Colin Farrell. MTV News caught up with Farrell recently while he promoted his upcoming drama "The Way Back," a film set during World War II about a group of prisoners who escape the Siberian Gulag and must walk over 4,000 miles to freedom. Farrell said he didn't end up doing "Cosmopolis" due to timing and scheduling issues "for everyone involved." "Myself and David [Cronenberg], we had good conversations between he and I," Farrell said. "I would love to work with him at some stage, I really would. I really wanted to do that [film]." And what does he think of Pattinson replacing him? "It's a wonderful script. I wish him all the luck in the world with it," he said. Are you excited to see Pattinson in "Cosmopolis"? Tell us in the comments below! Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
| Britney Spears Has A History Of Song Leaks Posted: 07 Jan 2011 12:16 AM PST The 'Hold It Against Me' demo making the rounds certainly isn't Brit's first leaked track!
On Thursday, a demo version of Britney Spears' new single, "Hold It Against Me," hit the Web. The track, which is set for official release on Tuesday, isn't the first Britney song to leak before the singer was ready to share it for public consumption. Brit made headlines last year, when a leaked demo of her version of Gaga's "Telephone" was made public. Producer Rodney Jerkins confirmed that the song was real, but that it was never intended for anyone outside of Brit's camp to hear. That same year, previously unreleased songs like "When I Say So," "Mad Love" and "Am I a Sinner" also hit the Web. In 2008, around the release of her comeback album Circus, snippets of the song's lead single, "Womanizer," were leaked by Nashville radio station 107.5 FM The River. The station quickly removed the audio from its website, but it was too late, and the song had already made its way around the Internet. Multiple Circus tracks also got some attention earlier than the singer had intended. "Circus" and "If You Seek Amy," both of which would later become singles off the album, hit blogs weeks prior to the album's December 2008 release. In August 2007, weeks before it was officially released, Blackout's lead single, "Gimme More," found its way online. Other songs recorded around that time also leaked, including "Everybody," "Your...," "What You Sippin' On" and "Cold as Fire." Does hearing Britney Spears' leaked tracks make you less likely to buy them later, or more excited for their official release? Sound off in the comments. Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Impresses Audience At Vegas Trade Show Posted: 07 Jan 2011 08:24 AM PST 'It was interesting because she was chill; she was doing her thing,' one insider says of Gaga's appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show.
When Lady Gaga visited the Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday to unveil her latest creation with Polaroid, one insider said the megastar — who was appearing at CES for the second consecutive year — unsurprisingly acted like a consummate professional.
"The vibe was perfectly chill. We were supposed to go live at 3:30, but she didn't come out until 4:05. She pulled an Axl Rose," joked Victor Borachuk, director of the Ustream webcast that covered the event. "There was a huge crowd. Everyone was waiting and waiting and waiting. Nobody really got upset that she was late. Everybody sat patiently and waited, which was interesting." Gaga, who was on hand to introduce new Polaroid sunglasses that come equipped with cameras imbedded in the lenses, was all business, Borachuk furthered. Despite a lounge area backstage, the singer generally kept to herself before and after her public appearance. "It was interesting because she was chill; she was doing her thing," he explained. "It wasn't diva-ish. She was very laid back." Aside from the lack of diva antics, Borachuk said he was most surprised by how much Gaga actually knew about the product and that didn't treat it like some vanity project. "She was actually into the technology. I remember thinking, 'Lady Gaga's into the Polaroid cameras,' " he recalled. "Backstage it was cool. There was a full bar, but she was in her room the whole time until like five minutes before she went out. When she was done, she peaced out. It was a cool event. Last year I heard she didn't make that big of an appearance, but this year she showed up and did her thing." Gaga herself admitted in a sit-down about the event that she wanted to make sure that the products she put out with the company fit in perfectly with her Little Monsters' lifestyles. "It's been a really long and exciting and grueling and inspiring process with Polaroid, and we've really done everything we can to improve the instant camera to make it new and make it compatible with digital era," she explained. "I wanted to create products that I knew they would love to use." What do you think of Gaga's new Polaroid gadget? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Country Strong' Star Garrett Hedlund Ponders A Music Career Posted: 07 Jan 2011 02:32 AM PST 'We'll see what happens, but no plans for any solo album,' the actor tells MTV News.
In "Country Strong," which opened Friday (January 7), Garrett Hedlund's talent as both a singer and a guitarist are on display. In the movie he plays Nashville songwriter Beau Hutton. But just because Hedlund can play guitar and sing, he isn't going to release his own solo album anytime soon.
"It's funny, I was in Nashville yesterday and the day before, and I was hanging with Dierks Bentley there, and he was saying, 'You gotta come out on the tour and sing one here and there.' That's always a fun possibility," he told MTV News. "We'll see what happens, but no plans for any solo album." If he did ever want to release music, he's got quite an impressive résumé for it. "I had so many great people helping me for six months," he recalled of preparing for his role. "This great guy Neal Casal, who's a wonderful singer/songwriter. He was the lead guitarist for Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. So just one day you can't play the guitar and the next day you got the guy who was playing lead guitar on 'Come Pick Me Up.' " But Hedlund doesn't only credit Casal for his new talent; he's got a few others to thank. "Out in Nashville, we had a wonderful producer Frank Liddell and engineer Luke Wooten that we just spent day after day after day just hashing out these songs, and there was a lot of sweat put in." The actor notes that in addition to some key teachers, he also had a sort of music education growing up in Minnesota. "I mean, country, it was the only thing we listened to on the farm with the one radio station," Hedlund recalled about his childhood. "You try to veer from it and you go to rock and then to rap, and then country on this film kind of pulled me back home." Check out everything we've got on "Country Strong." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| '30 Rock' Star Jane Krakowski Is Pregnant Posted: 07 Jan 2011 01:53 AM PST Engaged actress expecting her first child with fiancé Robert Godley.
It looks like the crew at "TGS" will have to baby-proof the set: "30 Rock" star Jane Krakowski is expecting her first child with her fiancé, clothing designer Robert Godley. Krakowski, who plays the kooky, ego-driven starlet Jenna Maroney on NBC's Emmy-winning hit, was spotted romping around a Caribbean beach Thursday with a swelling baby bump poking out from her black swimsuit. "Both soon-to-be first-time parents could not be happier," the actress' rep told Us Weekly. The baby news comes almost a year after the couple announced their engagement, which followed a courtship longer than a year. In addition to prepping for the impending arrival, the duo still have to hammer out the details of their wedding. Krakowski admitted this summer that the two hadn't even started crafting their nuptials yet. "We're blissfully engaged, but we have not planned one ounce of our wedding yet. I think we're waiting for that moment where we check out someplace and say, 'Yes, this is it!' " she told Us in June. "I think because I've been working so much, we haven't had time to look around at what exactly we want to do." As Krakowski embraces her new role as a mother, fans can continue to catch the Tony-winning actress vamp it up as the self-absorbed, fame-hungry Maroney opposite fellow "30 Rock" stars Tina Fey and Tracey Morgan. However, viewers will have to stay up a little later, as the show, currently in its fifth season and renewed for a sixth, will now air at 10 p.m. on Thursday nights. Share your congratulations for the couple below! |
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