MTV News |
- Oscar Preview: Can 'King's Speech' Be Dethroned?
- Lady Gaga Confirms There Are Two 'Born This Way' Videos
- The 'American Idol' Top 24, Twitterized
- Nelly Opens Up About Sister's Death On 'Behind The Music'
- 'Drive Angry' Stars Discuss Film's Most Outrageous Moments
- NBA All-Stars LeBron James, Dwight Howard, More Talk Hoops, Hip-Hop
- Jennifer Lopez Latest Celeb To Enlist Fan Feedback On The Net
- Rhymefest Explains How Hip-Hop Career Helps Him In Politics
- Adele's <i>21</i> Set To Debut At #1
- Lil' Kim To Appear On 'RapFix Live' Next Week
- 'Drive Angry': The Reviews Are In!
- 'Glee' Original Songs Slated For March Episode Hit The Net
- Lenny Kravitz Hints At Collaboration With Drake, Swizz Beatz
- Patrick Stump Says <i>Truant Wave</i> EP Isn't <i>Take This To Your Grave, Part II</i>
- 50 Cent's 'Things Fall Apart' Premieres In Miami Next Week
- 'Hall Pass': The Reviews Are In!
- New 'Never Say Never' Clip Shows Justin Bieber Singing With Fan
- Eminem Overtakes Lady Gaga As Facebook's Most 'Liked' Living Artist
- Ne-Yo And Fabolous Working On <i>Best Of Both Worlds</i> LP
- Ke$ha Enlists James Van Der Beek For 'Blow' Video
| Oscar Preview: Can 'King's Speech' Be Dethroned? Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:53 AM PST The period drama seems poised to take the Best Picture crown once promised to 'The Social Network.'
If the 83rd Academy Awards had been held a month ago, shortly after the critics groups had doled out their prizes and the final glasses of champagne had been drained at the Golden Globes, "The Social Network" would almost certainly have nabbed Oscar's Best Picture statue. After all, David Fincher's film about the salacious founding of Facebook hardly encountered a critics group it didn't woo and win over, before going on to earn four Globes, including Best Motion Picture - Drama. What could possibly stand between "Social Network" and the Academy's top honor?
As it turns out, another month. And another biopic, this one telling a story that begins some 80 years ago and resembling a far more traditional Oscar film than Fincher's exploration of youth and digital beauty. "The King's Speech" bounced back from its Globe defeats (it nabbed just one of seven nominations, with Colin Firth taking top dramatic actor) and secured important wins from the Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild. So much for creating a big tent with the inclusion of 10 Best Picture nominees. Like last year, we find ourselves watching a two-horse race that, at this point, might not be all that close. Kudos to "Toy Story 3," "Winter's Bone" and "Inception," but their nominations are kind of the equivalent of pity invites to a kid's birthday party: Sure, the birthday boy was forced to request the pleasure of your company, but he's not going to pretend you're anything more than a seat-filler. Our man Oscar holds the most exclusive birthday party in Hollywood, and its voters like it that way. What's interesting this year is the nature of the two-horse race. In 2010, it came down to a decision between a populist fave in "Avatar" that made a gazillion dollars at the box office and a critics' darling in "The Hurt Locker" that maybe six people saw in the theater. Both "Social Network" and "King's Speech," meanwhile, have almost identical box-office grosses and high-90s ratings at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator. The difference between the two is that "King's Speech" is the kind of film that could have been an Oscar nominee a decade ago — or a half-century ago — whereas "Social Network," in everything from story line to subtext to soundtrack, is directly plugged into 2011. That's not to suggest "King's Speech" is some musty relic of yesteryear, nor that contemporary relevancy is a requirement for Oscar glory. The key, rather, is that the best film should win. And if you ask us, the finest film of the year is "Social Network." But as in so many years past — from how "Gladiator" bested "Traffic" to the way "Shakespeare in Love" beat out, well, geez, take your pick! — the best film of the year doesn't always receive that Oscar honor. We can talk about momentum, we can indentify vital precursor wins, we can cite all manner of historical facts and we can lament fuddy-duddy voters. None of it seems to matter. On Sunday night, it appears, a very good film but hardly the year's best will win Best Picture. Let's offer our early congratulations to "The King's Speech." Which Oscar contender should take Best Picture? Share your pick in the comments! Will it be a regal evening for "The King's Speech"? Can "The Social Network" dial up Oscar gold? Don't miss MTV News' "2011 Oscars Live" at 6 p.m. Sunday, February 27, when we'll be chatting with your favorite Hollywood stars live from the red carpet on MTVNews.com, and stick with us all Oscar night for winners, interviews, photos and more! For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Lady Gaga Confirms There Are Two 'Born This Way' Videos Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:31 PM PST Proceeds from 'stripped-down' clip and song will go to 'anti-bully charity,' she tells Gayle King.
Lady Gaga sat down with Oprah Winfrey's bestie, Gayle King, to discuss her forthcoming Nick Knight-directed videos for her chart-topping single "Born This Way," from her May album of the same name. "I do have some exciting news about the new single. I've been so excited about [the fans'] reaction and seeing the fans be so excited during the show every time we play 'Born This Way,' it's been really amazing," she told King. "I've made two music videos for the song." Gaga then went on to confirm that portions of the proceeds from the sale of the "stripped-down" version of the song, which will get its own video (further details about that clip were not known at press time), will go to charity. "So there's one that's coming out on Monday," she explained. "But then I'm actually putting together another video, which is a more stripped-down version of the song that will be released on iTunes and also released as an audio file. A portion of the money raised selling the song is actually going to go towards an anti-bully charity." Mum has been the word on what the videos will actually be like. Though Gaga, in a recent radio interview, noted that the visual is about "the birth of a new race within the race of humanity. The birth of a new race that doesn't bear any prejudices. I think the most important thing is that I continue to grow, and I knew when I put [out] 'BTW' it would be a transitional moment, because it doesn't sound like [my previous singles]." What are you expecting from the "Born This Way" videos? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| The 'American Idol' Top 24, Twitterized Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:40 PM PST We break down the season 10 hopefuls, in 140 characters or less.
On Thursday night, "American Idol" revealed the remainder of the season 10 Top 24, a collection of singer/songwriters, balladeers, scatters, divas, perky teens and belters that will compete to become the heir to Lee DeWyze's throne (perhaps he's not the best example, but let's move on).
Unlike previous seasons, this year's crop of contenders is long on talent, short on sob stories — Chris Medina's exit made sure of that. And while it's probably too early to say this, we could be looking at the most-gifted field of singers in "Idol" history (or at least since the epochal third season). So it would probably benefit you to get to know the field before the cruel cut-downs begin. And since we know you're busy, we've decided to condense each contestant into a quick, 140-character bio, each ready to be cut-and-pasted into your very own Twitter feed. For your perusing pleasure, here's our take on the "American Idol" top 24 — Twitterized. Because how else can you tell your Brett Loewensterns from your Clint Jun Gamboas? Ashthon Jones: Big hair, bigger voice. Bears uncanny resemblance to young Beyoncé. Likes roller skating. Creative spelling of first name. Brett Loewenstern: Bigger hair, even bigger collection of accessories. Is vaguely New Age-y. Also vaguely reminds us of a camp counselor. Casey Abrams: This year's token oddball. Makes goofy faces. Is actually pretty talented. Resembles Fozzie Bear, a ginger Screech, Mike D. Clint Jun Gamboa: Twitchy karaoke champ with impressive arsenal of eyewear. Refuses to apologize for Jacee Badeaux dis. Rivers Cuomo-esque. Haley Reinhart: Returning contestant who seems to have existed in some form on every "Idol" season ever. Raspy voiced. Preternaturally happy. Jacob Lusk: Prodigiously piped gospel singer. Makes amazing faces while singing. Sort of resembles Mushmouth. Always wears ties. Is awesome. James Durbin: Rocker who recalls Adam Lambert. Made bold choice to tackle Sam Cooke classic. In desperate need of a bandana intervention. Jordan Dorsey: Catty, cutthroat alpha male who adheres to the "I'm just here to win" mantra, probably to his detriment. Not a good teammate. Jovany Barreto: Bulgy, libidinous crooner with smoove voice. Wears much linen. Is here for the ladies. Has an amazing Twitter account. Julie Zorilla: Poised, put-together pre-packaged entertainer. Wears many dresses. Early favorite of J.Lo. Recalls every Disney princess. Karen Rodriguez: Primping diva-in-training. Vowed to be first Latina "Idol" champ. Possesses the talent to do so, yet is not a guy, so ... Kendra Chantelle: Raspy-voiced powerhouse from Nashville. Despite talent, may be outshined by other female singers. Has two first names. Lauren Alaina: Young, bubbly judges' favorite. Is strangely drawn to Steven Tyler. Dresses like she's attending a Quinceañera at Dollywood. Lauren Turner: Likable everywoman/singing maid. Much like Kendra Chantelle, may have trouble grabbing the spotlight. Impressive hair. Naima Adedapo: Bewitching nu-soul singer with tricky last name. Has large back tattoo, dreadlocks à la Crystal Bowersox. Is a real wild card. Paul McDonald: Aptly named singer/songwriter who possesses very little flash, and yet, is a favorite. Might regret that rhinestone suit. Pia Toscano: Talented singer whose name sounds like an Olive Garden entrée. Polished, performing-arts background, which explains a lot. Rachel Zevita: Over-the-top stage baby with an attitude to match. Is an odd mix of Tatiana Del Toro and Siobhan Magnus, only so much more. Robbie Rosen: Slightly gawky singer who somehow stole Billy Joel's hair, circa Glass Houses. Transforms into confident loverman when singing. Scotty McCreery: Throwback country crooner who is eternally twanging "Baby Lock Them Doors." Would be super-famous in Nashville, 1985. Stefano Langone: Booming singer who survived a near-fatal accident, and has the scars to prove it. Handsome, yet is sort of the Anti-Jovany. TaTynisa Wilson: Big singer with creatively spelled first name. Eternally poised on the verge of greatness, has yet to reach those heights. Thia Megia: Ultra-young singer with voice, presence beyond her years. Last female to make the cut, yet could be considered a dark horse fave. Tim Halperin: Everydude with appropriately bland name. Despite that fact, is handsome, which could make him shoo-in to win the whole thing. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Nelly Opens Up About Sister's Death On 'Behind The Music' Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:42 AM PST 'I just broke down,' rapper says on March 7 episode.
Nelly had always been public about his sister's health issues, from fighting for bone-marrow donors in an effort to save her life to speaking about how her death affected him. But the rapper has yet to discuss the details surrounding the day she died in 2005 after a two-year battle with leukemia.
In the March 7 episode of VH1's "Behind the Music," however, the St. Louis star finally opens up about the last conversation he had with his big sis, Jacqueline Donahue. He was on the road and was unaware of the severity of her declining health, he said. "Jackie gets on the phone and I'm like, 'Hey, sis,' " Nelly said, recalling the ordeal. "She's so medicated. The pain got so severe, and there was nothing they could do. They drugged her up just to subdue the pain. I talked to her for about 20, 25 minutes. And she gets off the phone and she lays down, and she's gone. They said the only thing that kept her alive was that she wanted to talk to me before she left." The news of his sister's death immediately took a toll on him. "I was enraged," Nelly explained. "We had this door in the back where my room was; I split the door straight down the middle, just punched it." Nelly then punched a TV screen, shattering the monitor. "I just destroyed everything that was back there and I just broke down," he said. The rapper eventually took time off from his career before rebounding last year with 5.0 after 2008's commercial disappointment Brass Knuckles. Related Artists |
| 'Drive Angry' Stars Discuss Film's Most Outrageous Moments Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:54 AM PST 'I'm still kind of amazed that they let me drink beer out of somebody's skull,' Nicolas Cage marvels to MTV News.
If the trailers haven't already sold the fact that "Drive Angry" is outrageous, in every sense of the word, allow the cast of the film -- Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, Billy Burke and William Fichtner -- to expand on the subject, particularly the scenes they thought would be left on the cutting-room floor. "I'm still kind of amazed that they let me drink beer out of somebody's skull," Cage admitted to MTV News recently of his character's most over-the-top antics. "That that's still in the movie, and it's a credit to [director] Patrick Lussier that he had the guts to go in the most far-out places."
"Only in our movie, in the world of 'Drive Angry,' " Heard said. "I wanted it to look good, like, 'My cup runneth over,' " Cage explained of the big moment. "I wanted the beer to come sploshing out of the eye sockets." Burke, who plays a very disturbed and psychotic cult leader hell-bent on infant sacrifice in the film, said he figured that one of the film's climactic scenes would receive a less intensely violent edit. "I thought that we would probably change sacrificing a baby to maybe a lamb or something like that," Burke said. "I didn't think that we'd actually go forward with wanting to kill a baby, but we did, and that's the kind of movie this is. So if you can't take that, for the fun and spirit in which it's intended, then you shouldn't go see this movie," he advised. For scene-stealer Fichtner, who plays the mysterious character the Accountant, he was most surprised that a very racy/violent love scene made the cut. "There was one scene in the movie, we all know which one I'm talking about [a 'creative' sex scene in which Cage engages in a gunfight with a naked woman still on top of him] where I thought, 'Wow, that's interesting,' " he said. "That's a challenge." In addition to the outrageousness of wrapping your head around what happens in that scene, Fichtner said he has great respect for the actors and stunt coordinators who made it happen. "Patrick [Lussier] did an amazing job and so did Charlotte [Ross] and Nic," he said. "It's much more than just a sex scene." Check out everything we've got on "Drive Angry." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| NBA All-Stars LeBron James, Dwight Howard, More Talk Hoops, Hip-Hop Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:54 AM PST 'They say all rappers want to be basketball players, [and] all basketball players want to be rappers,' says wife of Carmelo Anthony, La La Vazquez.
Hip-hop and sports are practically kindred spirits, especially when it comes to basketball. At this year's NBA All-Star Weekend, a number of hoop stars, and the wife of one player in particular, wholeheartedly agreed with this observation. "They always say all rappers want to be basketball players, [and] all basketball players want to be rappers," La La Vazquez, wife of New York Knick Carmelo Anthony and ex-MTV VJ, told MTV News.
Over the years, a number of NBA players have actually become rappers on the side. Besides four championships — three with the Los Angeles Lakers, one with the Miami Heat — Shaquille O'Neal also managed to release four albums. The first, 1993's Shaq Diesel, went platinum and the third, 1996's You Can't Stop the Reign, featured a pair of verses from the Notorious B.I.G. on its title track. More recently, L.A. Laker Ron Artest has embarked on a rap career, while his teammate Kobe Bryant once kicked rhymes on R&B singer Brian McKnight's "Hold Me." Not every player necessarily has rap dreams to go along with their hoop dreams, though. "Every player except me wants to be a rapper," said Dwight Howard of the NBA's Orlando Magic. "I don't want to do the rap thing." Howard did add though about his fellow NBA stars, "We love music. We love hip-hop and we support it." LeBron James, who is famously and charitably good friends with Jay-Z, mentioned how basketball players are frequently name-checked in song. For example, on Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind," the MC rhymes, "Jesus paying LeBron, I'm paying Dwyane Wade." This synergy between players and rappers ultimately boils down to mutual respect. "We all came from nothing," Boston Celtic Kevin Garnett told us. "The appreciation factor for each other, the fact you gotta grind and work hard to get where you at, it's similar. It's a very similar industry." Garnett's teammate and fellow All-Star Rajon Rondo added, "We respect those guys the way they respect us. It kind of goes hand in hand. Rappers love to come see us play. We love to see them perform." What do you think of the ongoing love between hip-hop and hoops? Sound off in the comments! |
| Jennifer Lopez Latest Celeb To Enlist Fan Feedback On The Net Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:42 AM PST J. Lo is letting you choose ending of her 'On the Floor' video, joining growing list of stars who have also left decisions to fans.
Jennifer Lopez is set to drop her dance-tastic video for "On the Floor" in less than a week, and she's letting her fans choose how the Taj Stansberry-directed clip ends. On Thursday, Lopez visited Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show to announce that she'd be giving her fans the option to pick between two 15-to-20-second alternate endings, with the final cut airing during the March 3 "American Idol" broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/PT. "You get to do what I do," J. Lo said during "On-Air With Ryan Seacrest." "Like, I go in there with my videos and I start editing and picking all the shots I like and the things that I like and what I feel the best kind of feeling for the record is. You guys get to do that. We picked two different ones and we weren't sure."
Lopez joins a list of stars, who have also maintained an interactive relationship with fans in order to get feedback on everything from song selection to tour set lists and promotional appearances. Katy Perry's "E.T." Single Bon Jovi's Concert Set List Janet Jackson's Tour Dates Rolling Stone Cover Betty White's 'SNL' Facebook Campaign What artist do you think communicates best with their fans? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rhymefest Explains How Hip-Hop Career Helps Him In Politics Posted: 25 Feb 2011 01:34 AM PST Kanye West protégé made it to an April runoff election for Chicago City Council.
Move over, Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel, there's a new face in Chicago politics. And it's probably not who you'd expect. Rapper Che "Rhymefest" Smith, the Kanye West protégé whose collaboration on "Jesus Walks" earned the pair a Grammy in 2004, is knee-deep in a hotly contested race for the Chicago City Council. The artist received 20 percent of Tuesday's vote against incumbent Willie Cochran, forcing a runoff election for the alderman seat representing the city's 20th Ward.
A lifelong Chicago resident who grew up with West on the city's troubled South Side, 'Fest seems an unlikely political candidate, but the artist contends his musical career outside the political system makes him an ideal choice to be a councilman. "We could talk on a hip-hop level and we can talk on a community level," Smith told MTV News. "On a hip-hop level, we rappers are always talking about 'hood credibility; we're more 'hood than the next artist is, but what are we really doing to make our community safer, to make people be able to have employment in our communities? We're living under tyrannical conditions. So as an artist, what can I do more than a song-and-dance for the community that has bought my records?" The artist pointed to such factors as high unemployment and prison recidivism as key issues in his campaign, stating that his experience in the music industry has given him the skills necessary not only to help legislate, but to directly improve the lives of the citizens in his community. "I think the great thing about the position I'm running for in city council is, unlike a president or a senator, we're on the ground," he said. "We're in the community. We get to [be] hands-on with the people every day. And I think that's where it starts. ... So what would I do as an advocate and legislator for the community? I'd begin with entrepreneur programs. As a brand -- Rhymefest -- and being in the industry, I can teach people how to market and promote and start their own businesses." Like politicians who bring in celebrity donors to get out the vote, Smith has been able to rely on his own stable of high-profile names to help with his campaign. And he's issuing a call for other hip-hop notables to join his cause. "[Kanye] helped with his generous donation," Smith said. "He helped to fund my whole field operation on Election Day. Lupe Fiasco helped to pay for hundreds of turkeys where we went door-to-door for Thanksgiving Day. Brother Ali stepped up. [But] Talib Kweli, Common: I need you. I'm asking for the so-called conscious, positive rappers to join me, to help us resurrect all our communities, starting with the 20th Ward in Chicago. I put down the mic to help save a community, and I need the positive rappers to come out too." Rhymefest's burgeoning political career will face its strongest test when the runoff election is held April 5. But whatever happens, the artist will continue to push for change within his community. "One of the problems that's plaguing America is the individualism attitude," he said. "We really have to step up and be a village again." What do you think of Rhymefest's political career? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Adele's <i>21</i> Set To Debut At #1 Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:12 AM PST Projected big sales come after a slew of the singer's tour dates had to be moved to larger venues.
Fame has never been Adele's top priority, but these days, there's no stopping the singer's rapid rise in popularity. Adele's star is only growing brighter on both sides of the pond. According to the singer's website, a slew of her U.S. tour dates had to be moved to bigger venues to meet popular demand (she even added extra gigs in New York). In addition, according to Reuters, her latest album, 21, is projected to move as many as 300,000 copies by Sunday, guaranteeing a #1 debut in America. The 22-year-old has mentioned in the past that she has no desire to share the celebrity of her contemporaries. "I was just thinking, imagine being someone like Cheryl Cole or Katy Perry or Gaga, where you've got to be conniving to have a normal day," Adele told Britain's The Sun earlier this month. "That scares the life out of me. I don't think I'd be able to carry on doing music if it got to that point. I don't think it ever will -- I don't think I'm the kind of artist where that will happen." The singer/songwriter has also mentioned that she prefers a smaller scene to an outsize stadium. "I can't do arenas because I'm not [Lady Gaga]," Adele was recently quoted as saying. But don't let the singer's seemingly reserved mentality fool you: Adele wants her music to cross over to the States, even if she doesn't desire the forceful spotlight that follows. "It's a big deal in England," Adele told MTV News of success in America. "I didn't think I'd ever release a record here." Have you checked out Adele's latest album? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Artists |
| Lil' Kim To Appear On 'RapFix Live' Next Week Posted: 25 Feb 2011 01:16 AM PST Sway will sit down with the femcee Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.
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| 'Drive Angry': The Reviews Are In! Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:20 AM PST Should you hit the road with Nicolas Cage? See what the critics have to say.
"Drive Angry" marks three-straight supernatural films for Nicolas Cage, though each could not be more different. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" was a Disney-driven tale of magical realism. "Season of the Witch" dove into the intersection of medieval black magic and campy B-movie wackiness. And "Drive Angry" literally begins with Cage driving a muscle car straight outta hell with the devil's henchman fast on his heels and doesn't slow down as it splashes blood and fire across the screen. All three flicks share something else in common: below-average reviews. "Sorcerer's" and "Season" each went on to conjure up lukewarm box-office receipts. Can "Drive Angry" break the spell? Check out what the critics are saying and decide if the new 3-D film is the right choice for you this weekend.
The Story Crazy Nic Cage The 3-D Going Grindhouse The Final Word Check out everything we've got on "Drive Angry." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| 'Glee' Original Songs Slated For March Episode Hit The Net Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:30 AM PST Ryan Seacrest previewed soon-to-be 'Gleek anthem' 'Loser Like Me' and 'Get It Right' on his radio show.
During the February 15 episode of "Glee" (titled "Silly Love Songs"), Lea Michele's character, Rachel, not-so-subtly foreshadowed the arrival of original songs on the show. But while new tunes "Loser Like Me" and "Get It Right" won't appear on the hit series until March 15, Gleeks got a first listen on Friday morning (February 25). The two new original "Glee" tracks debuted on "On Air With Ryan Seacrest." Ryan also tweeted out the information, posting on his page, "Attn Gleeks! Here's the world premiere of #Glee's first ever original songs 'Loser Like Me' & 'Get It Right.' " "Loser" features all of the New Directions members, led by Michele and Cory Monteith. The peppy pop ditty features lyrics keeping in tune with the themes of the show. After the opening guitar riffs, Michele croons, "Yeah, you may think that I'm a zero/ But hey, everyone you wanna be/ Probably started off like me/ You may say that I'm a freak show/ But hey, give it just a little time/ I bet you're gonna change your mind." Monteith later comes in with similar "we'll show you" lyrics: "Pushed me up against the locker/ But hey, all I do is shake it off/ I'll get you back when I'm your boss." The rest of their castmates join them for the chorus, singing, "You wanna be/ You wanna be/ A loser like me." Earlier this week, "Glee" music producer Adam Anders — the pair penned the numbers along with pop music powerhouse Max Martin — described "Loser" to Entertainment Weekly as a "Gleek anthem. It's a very uptempo, kind-of-summery hit." The Michele solo "Get It Right" was inspired by "Lea's story line," Anders told EW. In its opening moments, the Michele ballad sounds reminiscent of the Britney Spears hit "Everytime" thanks to its fluttering piano and breathy vocals, but comes into its own as it builds. The Golden Globe-nominated star cries in the chorus, "What can you do/ When your good isn't good enough/ And all that you touch tumbles down/ 'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things/ I just want to fix it somehow/ But how many times will it take for me to get it right?" Both "Loser Like Me" and "Get It Right" will appear on the album "Glee: The Music, Volume 5," which will also feature season-two covers like Michele's take on Katy Perry's "Firework" and guest star Gwyneth Paltrow's rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide." The fifth installment is due on March 8. What do you think of the "Glee" originals, "Loser Like Me" and "Get It Right"? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos |
| Lenny Kravitz Hints At Collaboration With Drake, Swizz Beatz Posted: 25 Feb 2011 01:58 AM PST 'It's great to meet people that I want to collaborate with at this point,' the rocker tells MTV News.
Rocker Lenny Kravitz keeps his hip-hop collaborations few and far between. But when a photo of Kravitz, Drake and Swizz Beatz together in a studio hit the Internet, speculation was set off that the trio was cooking up a hi-wattage musical union. MTV News caught up with Kravitz prior to his performance before tip-off at the NBA All-Star Game and asked what exactly was in the works. "That's some secret business, man," Kravitz told MTV News slyly. "Who knows what was going on that night?!" Nevertheless, Kravitz revealed some more details when asked for his thoughts on Toronto rapper Drake. "I think he's a very talented individual," Kravitz said of the child-actor-turned-rapper. "His new music is even more incredible. We got together and played around so there might be a little something happening, yeah ..." When asked about producer Swizz Beatz, Kravitz gave up even more intel. "He is an amazing person," Kravitz said of Swizz. "I got to know him through Alicia [Keys, who is Beatz's wife]. And we've become very good friends. He's a gentleman. He's a very intelligent person and I enjoy his company. When things happen organically, it's nice. I'm not one that normally collaborates. I play all the instruments, I produce my records. And it's great to meet people that I want to collaborate with at this point." Some of Kravitz's limited collabos with the hip-hop world include 2002's "Show Me Your Soul" with Diddy, Loon and Pharrell from the Bad Boys 2 soundtrack and "Storm," featuring Jay-Z from his Baptism album. Kravitz also played guitar on the song "Guns & Roses" from Jay-Z's The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse album. Last year, Kravitz revealed that Teena Marie took him in when he was a teenager and credited the late soul singer with saving his life. What do you think about Kravitz collaborating with Drake and Swizz Beatz? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists |
| Patrick Stump Says <i>Truant Wave</i> EP Isn't <i>Take This To Your Grave, Part II</i> Posted: 25 Feb 2011 01:12 AM PST Erstwhile Fall Out Boy frontman's solo EP made iTunes debut Tuesday.
Late last year, when Patrick Stump told MTV News that his solo debut, Soul Punk, was tentatively due in February, there was much rejoicing from long-suffering Fall Out Boy fans, all of whom were clamoring for any bit of news surrounding their favorite group. Of course, that rejoicing was tempered some when it was subsequently announced that Stump had pushed back Soul Punk in favor of a six-song EP called Truant Wave. And on Tuesday, with little lead-up and absolutely zero promotion, that EP premiered on iTunes. It not only provided FOB fans a preview of where Stump is headed, musically, but also served as a point of division among their ranks. Some loved the electronic-leaning, R&B-teasing jams, while others, well, they were probably hoping Stump would return to his pop-punk roots.
When he spoke to MTV News on Thursday, Stump addressed both sides of the issue, because, quite frankly, he understands why some would be upset by his new direction. In fact, that's part of the reason he put out Truant Wave in the first place: to soften the blow. "I really want Soul Punk to have as much of a chance to have it be listened to discerningly," he laughed. "And if I'm going to disappoint people by not [making] Take This to Your Grave, Part II, I would rather do that before Soul Punk, because that record means something to me." Of course, there were other reasons for rushing the EP out, most of which he learned the hard way during Fall Out Boy's final days. "Remember when Fall Out boy was putting out Folie à Deux and were going to put it out on Election Day, and then, for all these various reasons, all signs pointed to 'Don't do this'? That was sort of the case here. The logistics just weren't lining up," he explained. "And I had way too much material. ... A lot of it didn't make sense on the record, but it still felt like something, so I made a little mini-record out of them, and it sort of became a concept record for me. So for all those reasons and more, I decided, 'Screw it, I'm going to put this out.' " So, yes, Soul Punk is still coming, but in the meantime, Stump hopes fans will take the time to digest the tunes he's presenting on Truant Wave, a shiny menagerie of rubber-band funk, electro-pop and spacey, 23rd-century R&B that's also, as Stump explained, a bit of a concept record too. "It's not as strict a concept album in that I don't have a narrator or epic space battles or anything like that. It's pretty bare-bones and it works as a pop record," he said. "Basically, I took this idealistic, naive little character, and at the beginning of the record, he has the best intentions, the highest hopes, and, as you get towards the middle of the record, he's just such an a--hole. And then the character gets really dark, and then, at the end, I envisioned him being really down and out in Hollywood, like drunk and telling someone, 'Look, kid, don't make the same mistakes I did.' ... It has a narrative, but it's not like I named the characters or know anything about these things." So, for now, with his EP just out and a sold-out run of shows on the horizon, Stump is content to sit back and watch fans figure out his new direction. And, at the moment, he couldn't be happier with the results. "I told people about this record a week ago, two weeks ago, there was no promo, no press, nothing, so, for it to do as well as it has, it's definitely gratifying," he said. "In the back of my head, there's always this little voice that's like, 'Just don't blow it,' and so far, so good, you know?" Have you checked out Patrick Stump's EP yet? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Artists |
| 50 Cent's 'Things Fall Apart' Premieres In Miami Next Week Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:56 PM PST Fif reportedly lost 50 pounds for Mario Van Peebles-directed film.
It may have taken 50 Cent losing pounds to be recognized as a weighty actor. The film "Things Fall Apart," which stars 50 Cent as a college football player stricken with cancer, will make its world premiere March 5 at the Miami International Film Festival. Last year, 50 Cent drew headlines over his commitment to playing the role of Deon Barnes, a University of Michigan football player whose hopes of an NFL career are derailed by a cancer diagnosis. For the role, 50 Cent reportedly lost more than 50 pounds. Stills from the film, directed by Mario Van Peebles, revealed that the rapper looked shockingly emaciated and nearly unrecognizable. "50 Cent's physical transformation combined with Mario's vision for the film kept the story fresh, gritty and powerful," Miami International Film Festival Executive Director Jaie Laplante told AllHipHop.com. "Fans in Miami will have a unique opportunity to see the film well before the rest of the world does." The film also lightened the Queens rapper's pockets, since besides writing the script, he produced and financed the picture himself too, via his Cheetah Vision Films production company. Director Van Peebles also acts in the film along with Ray Liotta, who plays Barnes' doctor, and Lynn Whitfield. 50 is taking the actor/rapper/mogul tag seriously. He recently signed on to star in a crime drama called "Freelancers," which is going to be directed by Jessy Terrero. On the music side, the rapper is getting the buzz going on his forthcoming album, Black Magic, releasing a couple of new songs ("When I Come Back," "Run Up on Me" freestyle) online to whet fans' appetites. 50 also recently followed in the footsteps of Dr. Dre and launched his own high-end headphone line called Sleek by 50 Cent. Related Artists |
| 'Hall Pass': The Reviews Are In! Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:52 PM PST The critics weigh in on whether Farrelly brothers' latest is worth getting out of class.
Last weekend, Liam Neeson's "Unknown" pulled off a surprise box-office win after "I Am Number Four" failed to attract even a fraction of its "Twilight"-obsessed target audience. This weekend, though, we can be relatively certain which film will land in the top spot. For the first time since 2000's "Me, Myself & Irene," Bobby and Peter Farrelly should be able to nab the weekend's #1 slot with their new comedy, "Hall Pass." Like "Unknown," the film has received mixed reviews, but in these early, often barren months at the multiplex, that hardly matters. Check out what the critics are saying about "Hall Pass."
The Story The Performances The Laughs and the Look The Dissenters How Does It Compare to Past Farrelly Flicks? Check out everything we've got on "Hall Pass." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| New 'Never Say Never' Clip Shows Justin Bieber Singing With Fan Posted: 25 Feb 2011 09:42 AM PST The 'Director's Fan Cut' teaser captures the teen sensation performing an acoustic version of 'Baby' with a young girl.
Earlier this week, "Never Say Never" director Jon Chu promised MTV News that his new "Director's Fan Cut" of Justin Bieber's 3-D flick would deliver 40 minutes of fresh footage, including different songs (such as "Favorite Girl"), some more shirtless shots of the teen singer ("Maybe some abs!") and extra scenes of him interacting with fans.
With the recut movie hitting theaters on Friday (February 25), Paramount Pictures has released a clip showing just that: the Biebs hanging out with some of his young fanatical followers. The 71-second promo shows Bieber — pre-haircut, of course — at an intimate gathering in Phoenix. While the pop star gives an acoustic performance on a small stage, his fans beg him to play "Baby," but he jokes, "I don't know that song." He then declares to a very young fan, "I'll only sing 'Baby' if you come up here and sing it with me." Cue the cuteness. The girl sits on his lap and together they belt out the hit single. This isn't the first time we've seen Bieber show off an easy, breezy way with his youngest fans. Last year, he popped up on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" to surprise a 3-year-old Belieber named Cody who'd become an Internet sensation after her sister posted a video of her crying over the teen heartthrob on YouTube. As he tweeted later, "Makin faces with Cody!" The re-released "Never Say Never" represents an effort both to goose box-office receipts three weeks after the film's initial opening and to feed the Beliebers' seemingly insatiable appetite for anything and everything connected to the star. "We originally had a two-and-a-half-hour version of the movie, which we obviously couldn't release," Chu explained to us. "So we started to think about putting stuff back in that didn't have to do with our story but that we knew people would love." Are you planning to go see the "Director's Fan Cut" of "Never Say Never"? Let us know in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Eminem Overtakes Lady Gaga As Facebook's Most 'Liked' Living Artist Posted: 25 Feb 2011 08:39 AM PST He could soon surpass the late Michael Jackson as the site's overall most liked.
By his own admission, Eminem "doesn't know how to work a computer," but that hasn't stopped him from overtaking Lady Gaga as the most "liked" living artist on Facebook. Earlier this week, Em eclipsed Gaga to claim the title of Facebook's most-liked, as he currently counts more than 28,975,000 fans to LG's 28,926,000, according to Billboard. Eminem is currently averaging more than 500,000 Facebook "likes" a day, and could soon surpass none other than Michael Jackson to become the site's overall most-liked artist, according to Famecount, a site that tallies the "top social network stars worldwide." The late King of Pop currently has more than 29,183,000 Facebook fans, giving him a slight edge over the hard-charging Em. Of course, when it comes to overall social influence, Eminem still trails both Gaga and Justin Bieber in total YouTube views — though he recently became the third artist to crack the 1-billion-view mark — and when it comes to total Twitter followers, his 3 million are barely enough to crack Famecount's top 20 musicians: Gaga is #1, followed by the likes of Bieber, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Rihanna and, uh, Jessica Simpson. Then again, all signs seem to point to Eminem's social media profile only increasing. He shows up in Dr. Dre's much-anticipated "I Need a Doctor" video, which premiered on Thursday, and just last week, he grabbed headlines when on-set photos from his upcoming "Space Bound" video — featuring porn star Sasha Grey — began making the rounds ... and just in case you were wondering, Grey has more than 110,000 Twitter followers of her own. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Ne-Yo And Fabolous Working On <i>Best Of Both Worlds</i> LP Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:29 PM PST '[There's] something about his voice and my voice that makes sense together,' Libra Scale crooner tells MTV News of a Jay-Z/R. Kelly-style album.
Grammy-winning R&B crooner Ne-Yo is working on a couple of projects, including a new solo album and a collaborative LP with rapper Fabolous.
The singer/songwriter's fourth album, Libra Scale, was only released last November, but during NBA All-Star Weekend he told MTV News that since some fans may not have gravitated to the project like his past work, he's already back on the grind. "I'm actually working on a new album as we speak," Ne-Yo revealed. "Libra Scale was a project, it was an experiment. The people that got it, got it. The people that didn't, it's all good. I got a little cool for the room, I understand that. But this next album is more about just listening to the music, vibing out, determine your own adventure, back to what it is I normally do. Be looking for that around September." Ne-Yo's standards are high, considering Libra Scale debuted at #9 on the Billboard albums chart and got favorable reviews in the press. The singer performed a medley of songs from the LP at the 2010 American Music Awards. But the album didn't match the commercial success of its predecessor, Year of the Gentleman, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 when it was released in 2008, selling about 250,000 copies its first week in stores. Ne-Yo's upcoming project is still untitled, as is a planned joint project with Brooklyn rapper Fabolous. The Def Jam labelmates have worked together before, with Ne-Yo lending his vocals to Fabolous' 2007 hit single "Make Me Better," both artists appearing on Jamie Foxx's "She Got Her Own" the following year and Fab giving a verse to Ne-Yo's "Crazy Love," from Libra. "We have been talking about getting in, trying to do kind of a Best of Both Worlds-type vibe situation," Ne-Yo said, referring to 2002's joint album from Jay-Z and R. Kelly. "It's just something about his voice and my voice that makes sense together. We been kicking ideas around and I can't say exactly when to look for it, but definitely look for it. Keep your eyes peeled, we'll be out there." What did you think of Ne-Yo's Libra Scale album? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Ke$ha Enlists James Van Der Beek For 'Blow' Video Posted: 25 Feb 2011 09:28 AM PST Singer and former 'Dawson's Creek' star battle it out in her new music video.
Ke$ha's new music video for her song "Blow" opens with this disclaimer: "No mythological creatures were harmed in the making of this video." Ke$ha isn't referring to "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek, who makes a cameo in the video, which was directed by Chris Marrs Piliero. She's referring to the champagne-swilling, hard-partying unicorns that also make an appearance in the video, which takes place at a society party. Looking glossy and glam in her one-shoulder dress, she tells two unicorns, "I grabbed the bear by the throat, looked him right in the eyes and said, 'Bear you have until the count of zero to put some pants on and apologize to the president. And that's the story of how I was elected to the parliament of Uzbekistan." She then giggles as she looks into the camera, telling viewers to "dance." Soon, she locks eyes with Van Der Beek. Ke$ha and Van Der Beek exchange glances as they make their way through the party. Scenes of their longing (and unicorns dancing with one another) are edited with scenes of Ke$ha, in a bodysuit, mugging for the camera, singing the song and kissing more unicorns. Van Der Beek begins stripping off his suit jacket and dances his way towards the singer, who then pulls off her bra from under her gown. He follows suit, leaving viewers laughing and Ke$ha understandably perplexed about why he wears a bra under his dress shirt. "Well, well, well ... if it isn't James Van Der Douche," she says. "I don't appreciate you slander-beeking my name," Van Der Beek replies. After snipping at one another and trading barbs, they begin shooting lasers at one another in a battle sequence, knocking down and killing rainbow-shooting unicorns in the process. In the end, it's revealed that Ke$ha has killed the actor and mounted his head on her wall, laughing off the encounter. The plaque in which his head is displayed reads "James Van Der Dead." What do you think of the new Ke$ha video? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
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