MTV News |
- Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Video Nods To 'Slave 4 U'
- Robert Pattinson Says 'Cosmopolis' Co-Star Sarah Gadon Has 'A Great Face'
- Carrie Underwood Opens Up About 'Soul Surfer' Acting Debut
- 'American Idol' Recap: Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano Rock Out
- Taylor Lautner To Debut 'Abduction' Trailer During 'MTV First' Interview
- Britney Spears' <i>Femme Fatale</i> Debuts At #1 On <i>Billboard</i>
- Pia Toscano Unleashes Rock And Roll Mettle On 'American Idol'
- Wiz Khalifa Explains Why <i>Rolling Papers</i> Has Few Collabos
- Nicki Minaj's Success 'A Beautiful Thing,' Lil Wayne Says
- Curren$y Says One Alchemist Song Turned Into <i>Covert Coup</i> Mixtape
- 'Arthur' Star Russell Brand Says Helen Mirren Would Be 'A Bloody Good Nanny'
- 30 Seconds To Mars Get Conflicted In 'This Is War' Video
- 'Your Highness' Isn't A 'Spoof,' Danny McBride And James Franco Say
- 'American Idol' Preview: Who Will Own Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Night?
- Katy Perry Sees 'All Kinds Of Emotions' In Her Fans
- Grammy Awards Drop More Than 30 Categories
- Project Blue Book Open Up About Their Miami Invasion
- Britney Spears Opens Up About Marriage, Kids
- Tiesto Drops First Volume Of <i>Club Life</i>
- Death Cab For Cutie Take You Behind The Scenes Of 'You Are A Tourist' Video
| Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Video Nods To 'Slave 4 U' Posted: 07 Apr 2011 03:52 AM PDT Latest clip reminds us of her 2001 smash -- and it's not the first time the pop superstar has sampled her own video catalog.
With Wednesday's release of Britney Spears' new video for "Till the World Ends," the pop diva showed she can dance her way through anything — even an apocalypse. Now, although "Till the World Ends" takes place in the future, it's hard to watch it without feeling transported to the past. The edgy look, steamy scenes and pulsating dance moves take us back to Spears' 2001 hit "Slave 4 U." Some of the key elements of "Till the World Ends" mirror "Slave," from the videos' sweaty dance scenes to the sexy wardrobe changes to an almost identical scene in which Britney sits among a group of sultry dancers.
And this isn't the first time the princess of pop has paid homage to herself. Spears' over-the-top videos have typically featured some distinct elements: memorable story lines ("Toxic"), standout choreography ("Oops! ... I Did It Again") and midriff-bearing outfits ("I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman"). So we can't say we blame her for looking back. In 2008, Spears released her video for "Womanizer," which gave us a case of déjà vu, reminding us of her iconic "Toxic" clip. Borrowing a similar concept, Britney took on multiple personalities and sought revenge on a man who had done her wrong. However, the most jarring similarity was the wardrobe, or lack thereof. Spears played off the most memorable "Toxic" look — a nude bedazzled bodysuit — but took it one step further when she decided to bare all for "Womanizer." Another recurring theme of Spears' videos happens to be a recurring theme in her real life: the constant media scrutiny. Spears has never hidden the fact that she's not a fan of all that paparazzi attention, and she playfully illustrated her battle with the photographers in "Piece of Me." But Spears' video résumé also finds her playing a variety of roles, from a young schoolgirl in "...Baby One More Time" to a bubble-gum-popping waitress in "(You Drive Me) Crazy," even a sexy flight attendant in "Toxic." Earlier this year, the pop star reminded the world of just how memorable her music video catalog really is, when she surrounded herself with several of her classic video looks in "Hold It Against Me." The clip may have given viewers a glimpse of her past, but at the rate that Spears is going, it seems the best is yet to come. What's your favorite Britney Spears video? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos |
| Robert Pattinson Says 'Cosmopolis' Co-Star Sarah Gadon Has 'A Great Face' Posted: 07 Apr 2011 03:52 AM PDT Actor also tells MTV News about working on a 'very specific accent' for the David Cronenberg film.
Thanks to all the quality time MTV News has been getting with Robert Pattinson lately, via our "MTV First: Robert Pattinson" and "Water for Elephants" interviews, we've been able to glean a few fun details from the "Twilight" superstar about his upcoming projects, including the highly anticipated "Breaking Dawn: Part 1," of course, as well as the slightly more mysterious "Cosmopolis."
What we know so far is that Pattinson will be directed by David Cronenberg in the role of young finance guru Eric Packer, opposite Sarah Gadon, who recently signed on to play Packer's estranged wife. The novel is a modern reinterpretation of James Joyce's classic "Ulysses," set in New York in the year 2000, around the burst of the dot-com bubble. Most of the action in the book takes place over the course of one day, in the limousine Packer takes to his various errands. When MTV News caught up with Pattinson, we asked him for his thoughts on his new co-star. "I've seen a couple of things she's done. She's really good," Pattinson said of Gadon. "She has a great face. ... I haven't talked to her yet, but I think it's going to be a great cast." Regarding other prep work he's doing before filming begins sometime next month, Pattinson is getting some voice coaching. "I'm working with a dialect coach now. There's this very specific accent," he said. "And yeah, just sort of various sort of things." For those unfamiliar with Gadon, a 23-year-old Toronto native, she most recently worked with Cronenberg in his "A Dangerous Method" and has a slew of TV credits to her name, including the SOAP Net series "Being Erica" and ABC's "Happy Town." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos |
| Carrie Underwood Opens Up About 'Soul Surfer' Acting Debut Posted: 07 Apr 2011 03:52 AM PDT 'It's important to get Bethany's story out,' singer/actress tells MTV News about real-life story of surfer who lost her arm in shark attack.
Because the movie "Soul Surfer" is based on the true and inspiring story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack but overcame all odds to become a pro, the film was a real labor of love for everyone involved. Particularly so first-time actress Carrie Underwood. When MTV News caught up with the country music superstar, she explained why she decided to make her acting debut in "Surfer," which opens on Friday. She also opened up about discovering how different the worlds of music and film really are.
"This whole movie, this whole project is important," Underwood said about signing on. "It's important to get Bethany's story out, and people being entertained but also, hopefully, people leave the movie theater feeling different about themselves in their lives and inspired," she said. Underwood added that this was a project she really believed in and of which she wanted to be a part. "It wasn't some silly nothing movie that in 10 years nobody is going to care [about]. Hopefully, people watch this and really take something away from it." Regarding the differences between performing onstage and performing on a film set, Underwood said she felt a little bit like a fish out of water at first, but thanks to support from the cast and crew, she got through it. "Oh gosh, I think my singing world and the movie world are way, way, way different," she said. "I know what I'm doing when I'm singing, I feel like on the set, everyone was so nice and they helped me out so much. They were very patient with me and very understanding that this was my first movie. ... Onstage I know what to do, but in front of the lights and being on the movie set, I was pretty lost most of the time," she admitted. "But they were great." Are you excited to see Carrie make her acting debut in "Soul Surfer"? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "Soul Surfer." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Recap: Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano Rock Out Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:37 AM PDT Scotty McCreery also goes uptempo as James Durbin slows things all the way down.
There are plenty of ways that "American Idol" is mixing things up and dragging the highest-rated show into the present this season. But after taking a bedazzled trip to the 1970s last week with Elton John, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame theme on Wednesday night's (April 6) performance episode was yet another example of why "Idol" is your granny's favorite show. The search for today's new star made yet another pit stop in the past, inviting the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am in to mentor the top nine as they dug into rock's back pages. Some balladeers rocked it out (Pia Toscano, Paul McDonald), while the rockers got mellow (James Durbin, Casey Abrams) and Scotty McCreery proved he's no one-trick cowboy.
Jacob Lusk was up first and he worried about his not-rock background. But Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" was firmly in his warbly gospel sweet spot. Uncomfortable with the song's blunt lyrics, however, he went with Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" instead, wearing all-white as he wrapped his breathy falsetto around a spare acoustic guitar arrangement. Singing the song as a duet with a female backup singer (the song's co-writer, Siedah Garrett, in fact), Lusk showed off some newfangled hip thrusts and then unleashed his gospel flavor as he rumbled around the stage. Steven Tyler loved it, Jennifer Lopez said Jacob proved again that believing in yourself is the key and Randy Jackson gave Lusk props for sticking to his moral convictions. After looking for a "Jacob Moment" last week, Randy said those moments were all over Wednesday's performance. After getting a lot of Janis Joplin comparisons all season, Haley Reinhart picked the oft-sung JJ nugget "Piece of My Heart." She had the right growl and swagger, and looked the part in leather leggings and flouncy top, but her blues-mama belting came off a little too cheery for the gritty tune. "What you're showing everybody is that you're a contender," Lopez told her. "You're coming on strong." Randy said Haley finally brought out the cool, bluesy vibe the judges fell in love with early on and congratulated her for finding her lane. After will.i.am turned the Police song "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" into a beatboxing rumba for Casey Abrams, mentor Jimmy Iovine wasn't feeling it. Like Jacob, Casey changed his mind, too, and went with Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," plucking his upright bass alongside a gently strummed mandolin and keeping the vocals in the non-crazy eyes zone for a second week. It was pleasant, but perhaps a bit vanilla at this point in the competition. Fellow bass player Jackson said Casey did the song justice while singlehandedly making the upright cool. "The whole world's watching you because you're not just a singer, you're a true musician," Tyler told Abrams. Lopez said Abrams was also right in the pocket playing his bass and said that's exactly where he belongs. Talk about a perfect fit! Teen Lauren Alaina sought to wed R&B and country on Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." Doing a slow walk down the stage and holding the audience in the palm of her hand, the 16-year-old poured more sensuality and feeling into the slow-burn classic tune than, well, someone her age should even be able to. "Four months ago you came in here an immature little girl and tonight you are a natural-born woman," Tyler gushed. Jennifer wasn't sure how Lauren would handle the song, but labeled it, simply, "amazing," and Randy said after choosing one of the toughest songs of the night, Alaina did a solid, "good" job on it. You might have expected rocker James Durbin to go even more over-the-top, so he took it the opposite direction with late Beatle George Harrison's slinky "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Sitting on a stool and shrouded in shadows, Durbin did, indeed, gently croon the song over a weepy string section, but while slowing things down and saving his rebel yell until the very end showed another side of vocal his personality, it also pointed out that James' instrument has some obvious flaws. Jennifer liked seeing the other, vulnerable face of James, saying it helped make the rocker aspect of his personality that much stronger and Randy appreciated seeing how the emotion of the song lived in Durbin's eyes. "Taking chances like that are extremely important," he said. What would country boy Scotty McCreery do? An Elvis Presley tune, of course. A lifelong Elvis fan, McC chose "That's Alright Mama," and the gospel-tinged rockabilly arrangement fit Scotty's voice to a T. Despite his awkward microphone technique, he worked the stage like a seasoned pro and totally won over the room. It helped that a gaggle of squealing tween girls were let loose on him at song's end to give him a group hug. "Scotty is in it to win it!" Randy said. "Anybody that thought that you were a one-trick pony, that all you did was the country thing, dude you can perform ... this was amazing!" Steven agreed, saying that Scotty made Elvis feel new and fresh again and Jennifer sensed, well, a little bit of hip-hop flavor in the teen's moves. She's made a reputation for singing ballads, but Pia Toscano came out of the box for Tina Turner's high energy "River Deep, Mountain High." Planting herself confidently center stage, Toscano indeed showed a whole other side of her personality, unleashing the passionate soul diva within. That titanic note at the end didn't hurt her, either. "Murderer, murderer! You killed it," Tyler yelled. "There's a million guys in a million bars out there having a million drinks about you tonight." Lopez said the "amazing" vocals proved that Toscano can handle the uptempo songs as well and encouraged Pia to keep researching the greats to figure out what else she can do to make her performances special. Stefano Langone needed to knock it out of the park this week after some close elimination calls, and for a sensitive ballad singer, Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman" seemed like the right call. Leaning on his crisp falsetto, Langone showed more feeling and emotion than he has in weeks past, stepping out of his cruise-ship zone into a meatier, more personal space. J.Lo was blown away, squeaking, "Baby, baby, baby, I knew you had it in you! That was beautiful!" She felt that extra layer of emotion and said she could tell he was singing it about or for somebody. Randy wasn't jumping up and down as much, dubbing the first bit of the tune uneven and encouraging Stefano to ease up and save his big punches for the end. After a shock trip to the bottom three last week, Paul McDonald attempted to come back with Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," with Iovine encouraging him to sing it like he was out of his "f---in' mind!" Unable to stop smiling and be anything but his loveable self, McDonald nonetheless let loose a bit and was more ragged than usual as he furiously strummed his acoustic, stomped his feet and got the crowd clapping along. "I loved it!" Randy shouted, getting an amen from Tyler and Lopez. So, who will go home Thursday night? Check back tomorrow to find out. Who was your favorite on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night? Tell us in the comments! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Taylor Lautner To Debut 'Abduction' Trailer During 'MTV First' Interview Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:35 AM PDT 'Twilight' heartthrob will also answer fans' questions during half-hour MTV.com live stream on April 13.
Following the success of "MTV First: Robert Pattinson" last month, another "Twilight" heartthrob will be taking over the channel. "MTV First: Taylor Lautner" is set to premiere on air and online Wednesday, April 13, at 7:56 p.m. ET, when the 19-year-old star will exclusively debut the first trailer from his upcoming action/thriller "Abduction."
Following the trailer premiere, Lautner will continue the conversation on MTV.com during a 30-minute chat with MTV News' Josh Horowitz. But we won't be the only one asking questions — fans will also have a chance to toss in their own queries. So if there's something you've been dying to know about Lautner, now's your chance. Just submit your questions on MTV.com or via Twitter (using @MTVNews and the hashtag #AskTaylor). With a week to go before this exclusive event, we'll be diving into our extensive Taylor Lautner archive — stretching back to our first "Twilight" set visit in 2008 — and counting down our favorite MTV moments with the young star. Be sure to check back every day for the latest clip. It's all leading up to Wednesday's "Abduction" debut. Lautner stars as a teen who stumbles upon his baby picture on a missing-persons website. As he reaches out to his birth parents, Lautner finds himself caught up in a world of underground spies and death-defying stunts. Joining him in the flick are Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Sigourney Weaver, Jason Isaacs and Maria Bello. "I love action, but most important is the story, and the story behind this action/thriller is amazing," Lautner told us last summer. "We got [director] John Singleton behind us. ... I'm so thankful we're getting a cast like that." Check out everything we've got on "Abduction." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Photos |
| Britney Spears' <i>Femme Fatale</i> Debuts At #1 On <i>Billboard</i> Posted: 06 Apr 2011 09:07 AM PDT Wiz Khalifa's Rolling Papers comes in at #2.
Make it an even half dozen. With the chart-topping bow next week of Femme Fatale, Britney Spears will notch her sixth Billboard 200 #1 debut thanks to first-week sales of 276,000 for the pop diva's seventh studio collection.
Though it's nearly half the 505,000 in sales the singer put up with 2008's Circus, the debut easily outpaces the week's #2 showing by Wiz Khalifa, whose Rolling Papers moved 197,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. Among the other debuts in the top 10 are the physical release of Radiohead's latest, King of Limbs (#6, 69,000), Snoop Dogg's Doggumentary (#8, 50,000) and Mary Mary's Something Big, which rounds out the new titles at #10 on sales of 42,000. The rest of the top 10: Adele, 21 (#3, 94,000), Chris Brown, F.A.M.E. (#4, 91,000, down 66 percent), Songs for Japan (#5, 71,000), Jennifer Hudson, I Remember Me (#7, down 66 percent) and Kirk Franklin, Hello Fear (#9, 46,000). After debuting at #4 last week, the Strokes take a bit of a dive down to #18, as sales of Angles leveled off by 76 percent to 21,000. The hard-charging soundtrack to the critically panned fantasy film "Sucker Punch" actually rises nine spots in its second week to #22 on sales of 20,000. The soundtrack to the "Grey's Anatomy: The Musical Event" episode comes in at #24 (19,000), while Sum 41's Screaming Bloody Murder inches on to the charts at #31 (15,000) and Panic! at the Disco plunge 25 places in week two to #32 with Vices & Virtues (15,000). A number of indie darlings also make their chart debuts, including the Mountain Goats with All Eternals Deck (#71, 9,000), the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Belong (#91, 6,000) and Peter Bjorn and John, Gimme Some (#108, 6,000). Britney also tops the iTunes albums chart, edging out the Songs for Japan compilation, followed by Khalifa, Adele, the "Grey's Anatomy" album, Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More and albums by Brown, Radiohead, the self-titled effort from Sara Ramirez and the "Sucker Punch" soundtrack. Black Eyed Peas rule the iTunes singles chart with "Just Can't Get Enough," winning out over Katy Perry's "E.T.," Rihanna's "S&M," Perry's "E.T." without Kanye West, then Khalifa's "No Sleep," Brown's "Look at Me Now," Jennifer Lopez's "On the Floor," Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." Next week will see new albums from Foo Fighters, TV on the Radio, Paul Simon and Jessie J. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Pia Toscano Unleashes Rock And Roll Mettle On 'American Idol' Posted: 06 Apr 2011 08:05 AM PDT 'You killed it!' judge Steven Tyler says after calling ballad-loving finalist a 'murderer.'
Pia Toscano finally broke out of her comfort zone on Wednesday's (April 6) "American Idol," stepping away from torch-song balladry and moving into more uptempo territory, a transition the judges have been urging her to make for weeks. She did so by scaling, on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night, one of the grandest songs in pop music history: Ike and Tina Turner's towering "River Deep - Mountain High." The 1966 offering was considered by its producer, the legendary Phil Spector, to be his finest creation, and its subsequent failure in America helped kick-start his slow decline. It was ultimately recognized as a masterpiece, though its initial reception caused Spector to go into seclusion, sliding into a deep depression that would later consume him.
Mentors Jimmy Iovine and will.i.am — the latter making his third guest appearance of the season — knew what was at stake for Toscano, who has made her mark in the competition by hitting glory notes in huge ballads (Eric Carmen's "All By Myself," Whitney Houston's "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"). The Black Eyed Peas frontman warned her not to go out there "like Madonna singing Tina Turner, 'cause you're just like, 'What, boo?' " Iovine, meanwhile, said she had to go out and attack the stage. "Pia's gotta get pissed off tonight," he said. Toscano wanted to make a lasting impression as well. "I wanna shock everybody," she said. "I can't wait to show that other side to me, that performer." However, it was that performer side that struggled to shine through. Toscano's vocals were spot-on, and she showed she can keep up with a song when the beats per minute are cranked up past slow-dance terrain. But her moves were timid and she lacked spark onstage, which especially stood out when taking on Tina Turner, of all performers. When the judges weighed in, they urged her to focus on her physical presentation of the song. "Vocally, you proved to us — you proved to everybody — you can sing an uptempo," Jennifer Lopez told her, but added that the New York native needs to "get that performance into it." Randy Jackson, too, said she needs to "work on the movement," but praised her overall. "Pia's in it to win it!" he beamed. And Steven Tyler — on what was by and large one of the softest nights of critiquing in "Idol" history — labeled Toscano a murderer. "You killed it!" he gushed. "Pia, you've gotta know, there's a million guys out there in a million bars havin' a million drinks about you tonight." Overall for Toscano, an important step was made during the show. Now that she has proved she can do something other than ballads, she's moved one huge mountain out of her way in the competition. What did you think of Pia Toscano's "Idol" performance? Let us know in the comments! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Wiz Khalifa Explains Why <i>Rolling Papers</i> Has Few Collabos Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:21 AM PDT 'I figured with my first album I could accomplish establishing my own identity,' Wiz tells MTV News.
Wiz Khalifa is riding high. The Pittsburgh rapper's debut, Rolling Papers, sold 197,000 copies in its first week of release, enough to land the album at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. For Wiz, the success is made sweeter because although the album's biggest hit so far is the Stargate-produced "Black and Yellow," nearly half of the production on the record was provided by longtime Khalifa producers and collaborators I.D. Labs.
"Other than making sure that my people that I came up with get filthy rich, I wanted to keep the sound consistent," Wiz told MTV News about using his in-house team of beatmakers. "I wanted to really stick with what I know and build on that, other than getting in the position and completely switching. Take it to the next level was more what I had in mind." Another familiar industry name made the album in spite of the fact that he, too, wasn't in Wiz's immediate circle. "We decided to add Too Short on 'On My Level' when we were deciding to do the video," Wiz said of the first song he recorded for the album. "I wanted to do something bigger than just doing a video with me 'cause people were used to that at that time. So I was like, 'Let's just use our powers and holla at Too Short.' "I've always been a big fan, ya know," Wiz explained. "So when we did it, he knocked it straight out, which was a big deal for me. And then he was with getting in the video; that was really big for me too." The only other featured rappers on Rolling Papers are Taylor Gang member Chevy Woods on "Star of the Show" and New Orleans MC Curren$y on "Rooftops." Despite major co-signs from star MCs like Rick Ross and Snoop Dogg, Wiz made a conscious decision to keep the album's guest list to a minimum. "I trimmed it down and I just kept it regular because I wanted to save that suspense of me working with these other artists and making these huge records," Wiz said. "I wanted to save that. I figured with my first album I could accomplish establishing my own identity and that's what I really wanted to do with this music and when that happens, I can do all that other stuff." What's your favorite Wiz collabo on Rolling Papers? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Nicki Minaj's Success 'A Beautiful Thing,' Lil Wayne Says Posted: 05 Apr 2011 10:05 PM PDT Wayne waxes nostalgic to Mixtape Daily recalling Minaj's beginnings.
Celebrity Favorites: Nicki Minaj
There are many factors that contributed to Nicki Minaj's breakout success, chiefly Lil Wayne and Minaj's own hard work. The Young Money CEO and multiplatinum artist was so moved by his protégé's performance at the opening of the I Am Still Music Tour that he fell to his knees and bowed to her grandeur. (Nicki returned the favor, saying, "I love this man.") Weezy recalls the moment a bit differently, though. "I really didn't get on my knees to give praise, but then I remembered we had a crowd out there," Wayne playfully told Mixtape Daily. "I got on my knees to do something totally different, but I was like, we got a crowd out there, so let me just give praise." When asked how he felt watching Minaj develop from the raw MC he signed after seeing her perform on a street DVD ("The Come Up") to the increasingly polished performer whose fans can recite all of her lyrics word for word, Wayne got nostalgic while giving her plenty of credit. "I promise to God, you know what I thought about? When I saw her up there just walking and everybody singing her stuff and she making all those facial expressions, I was just like, I remember watching that DVD," Wayne said. "When shorty was in the tub. I remember watching that and where she came from and just to know that not that I did that, that she did that. I mean, it's a beautiful thing." Another big Nicki Minaj fan is Taylor Swift, who told "The Tonight Show" she's been listening to "a lot of hip-hop and rap right now." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Curren$y Says One Alchemist Song Turned Into <i>Covert Coup</i> Mixtape Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:46 AM PDT 'You work with artists, and then that way, your music will stand,' Curren$y tells MTV News of picking producers.
New Orleans rapper Curren$y has a fresh deal with Warner Bros. Records, but it's not stopping him from releasing free music. The former Young Money Records signee made his name in the hip-hop world via prolific mixtape releases that helped land him on the cover of XXL Magazine's 2009 Freshmen cover. Now, Curren$y will be releasing the Covert Coup mixtape April 20. The album will be available for download at CurrensySpitta.com. Covert Coup is produced by Alchemist (Eminem, Mobb Deep, Nas), and guests include Freddie Gibbs and Prodigy.
The mixtape came together after Spitta and Alchemist connected to record only one song. "I was going to do one record and give it away, that night, but we did three," Curren$y told MTV News. "We did one; I was like, 'We'll give this one away.' Then [Alchemist] was like, 'Well, we need another one to make up for that one.' So we did one, and I was like, 'Yo, let me hear that other beat that you played before you played the one we just did,' and then that turned into another one. And three is, like, 10. You might as well go ahead and get it done." Curren$y is comfortable collaborating on projects where one producer oversees the bulk of the beats. He released a pair of albums last year (Pilot Talk and Pilot Talk 2) that were handled almost entirely by Ski Beatz (Jay-Z, Camp Lo). "Producers, that's an art. So you work with artists, not hustlers," Curren$y explained. "Not people just milling beats. It's like beat mills, don't do that. You work with artists, and then that way, your music will stand. You're not trying to sell 10 million records right now. Sell that over time. Sell it to where you're 50 and your records still selling because people who grew up with you are trying to show their kids what's effed up about the game, and then they go to the record store and buy your record to play that for them." On the day of Covert Coup's release, Curren$y will kick off a nationwide Jet Life Tour that runs through June. Its first show, in New Orleans, will be streamed live to Los Angeles and New York. The Covert Coup track list, according to Warner Bros.: 1. "BBS" Will you check out Curren$y's latest tape? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Arthur' Star Russell Brand Says Helen Mirren Would Be 'A Bloody Good Nanny' Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:55 AM PDT 'She has authority and sensitivity,' Brand says of Oscar-winner.
For those familiar with the trailers and TV spots for "Arthur" — the Russell Brand-starring remake of the '80s classic in which a hapless, immature billionaire is faced with losing his inheritance if he marries the wrong woman — the biggest surprise isn't necessarily the fact that the Hobson character is now a female nanny instead of a butler, but the fact that Oscar-winner Helen Mirren plays the part. When MTV News caught up with the predictably unpredictable Brand and Mirren during the press day for the film, we asked them what the esteemed Dame would be like as a nanny.
"Helen Mirren, who plays Hobson, my nanny, in this lovely, fun-filled film 'Arthur,' would be a bloody good nanny," Brand said. "She's fantastic at looking after you; she has authority and sensitivity." Brand then offered a few thoughts on employing nannies in general. "I've never had a nanny or employed a nanny, but if I were to, I would go down the Hobson route as opposed to the Mary Poppins route," he said sincerely. "You can't trust anyone who uses an umbrella as a flying machine." Unsurprisingly, Mirren isn't quite as keen on the idea of being someone's nanny. "Well, me, Helen Mirren, would never ever be in that position because I would never countenance dedicating my life to someone else in that way," she said. "It takes a very special person to do that, and nannies have that. They're a very special kind of people, nannies — the kind of people who dedicate their lives to a whole other family that isn't theirs." Check out everything we've got on "Arthur." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 30 Seconds To Mars Get Conflicted In 'This Is War' Video Posted: 06 Apr 2011 02:59 AM PDT Long-delayed clip is heavy on special effects — and message.
More than a year after they shot it — and nearly nine months since we asked "Whatever Happened to It?" — 30 Seconds to Mars premiered their "This Is War" video on Wednesday (April 6), a clip that's nearly as heavy on special effects as it is on message. Opening with a quote from H.G. Wells ("If we don't end war, war will end us") and concluding with the computer-generated destruction of tanks, jets and all manner of implements of destruction — or, more specifically, their assemblage into something more, which may or may not be the group's Triad symbol — "War" is actually all about peace, a concept that doesn't seem to gibe with the fact that 30STM are dressed as U.S. soldiers, patrolling the desert in an armored Humvee. Then again, with its quick-cut montages of various deities and despots, perhaps the video is less about the physical act of war as it is the men who wage it — or, alternately, rail against it. As Jared Leto told MTV News last year, the clip and the song are about "the inevitability of conflict, the blessing of conflict and what we can all learn from it." It seems that, no matter how inhumane the outcome, humankind is practically predestined for war — a fact that roughly 2,000 years of our existence has sadly proven time and time again. So rather than just come right out and say that war is bad — since, you know, duh — 30 Seconds to Mars try their very best to explore the various facets of the concept: the men and women who lead us to conflict and those who attempt to halt that march. It's a tact they applied to the notion of sex in their "Hurricane" video, only here, they're much subtler (as subtle as a war video with flying tanks can be, of course). But since a complete investigation of humanity's foibles would take a lot longer to complete than the six minutes 30STM have to work with in "This Is War," they basically leave their findings up to the viewer. When the pile of tanks and battleships at clip's end transforms into a massive pyramid, the meaning isn't readily apparent: There seems to be some sort of extraterrestrial force at play here, or perhaps it's just the overwhelming good nature of humankind willing the event to happen. The image is clearly meant to provoke, but does it also provoke thought? Ultimately, that's up to you. Though, it bears mention that much like conflict itself, thought is a decidedly human condition. And it's also more powerful than any bomb could ever be. What did you think of 30 Seconds to Mars' new video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Your Highness' Isn't A 'Spoof,' Danny McBride And James Franco Say Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:11 AM PDT 'What was interesting about the movie was making a fantasy action movie and then figuring out how to make it a comedy,' McBride says.
For all the nonsensical zaniness, toilet humor and general buffoonery audiences can expect when heading to see the Danny McBride/ James Franco buddy comedy "Your Highness" this weekend, it's always nice to know that the stars and filmmakers involved have methods to their madness. When MTV News caught up with chief mischief-makers McBride and Franco while promoting their R-rated action comedy, we asked them to explain the film's varying tones and cross-genre references.
"It was important for us to skip the spoof aspect of this," said McBride, who plays the bumbling slacker Thadeous. "That would be the easy way out, and to us, the challenge and what was interesting about the movie was making a legitimate fantasy action movie and then figuring out how to make it a comedy without blowing the fantasy out of the water and still keeping that." Franco, who plays Thadeous' more respectable brother Fabious, added that it wasn't just about getting the tone right. "I think one of the things [director] David Gordon Green is a master at is mixing different elements on all levels," he said. "You have a great comedic actor like Danny McBride and then you'll have these well-respected British stage actors — Toby Jones and Charles Dance — and he'll mix them all together in this world, [along with] incredible CG-created creatures and a puppet for a different creature," he said. "So to mix all those different elements into one world is something I think David does that is very, very fresh." Check out everything we've got on "Your Highness." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 'American Idol' Preview: Who Will Own Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Night? Posted: 06 Apr 2011 03:53 AM PDT We offer up song suggestions for the top nine.
Last week on "American Idol," it was all Elton John, all the time. On Wednesday (April 6), the contestants get to open up more than one songbook, because this week's theme is based on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Songs that Shaped Rock & Roll exhibit. They'll be able to cover everyone from Jefferson Airplane to Jane's Addiction, the Moody Blues to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the 5 Satins to the 4 Seasons, plus Kings B.B., Carole and Ben E. But with great variety comes great responsibility. Here's what we'd like to hear from the remaining nine hopefuls: Casey Abrams Haley Reinhart Jacob Lusk James Durbin Lauren Alaina Paul McDonald Pia Toscano Scotty McCreery Stefano Langone Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Katy Perry Sees 'All Kinds Of Emotions' In Her Fans Posted: 05 Apr 2011 10:25 PM PDT 'It turns me on to stare someone deep in their eyes,' she tells MTV News of looking out at the crowd during California Dreams Tour.
Katy Perry is currently on her California Dreams Tour, inspiring fans with anthems like "Firework." But, as it turns out, Perry is just as inspired by her fans as they are by her. "It turns me on to stare someone deep in their eyes," she tells MTV News of looking out into the audience every night on her tour. "Sometimes I see all kinds of emotions. It's a lot of emotion.
"It's lovely, too, because I love people that are passionate about life and music in general," she continued. "Music has been such a helping tool for me to get through so many things. That's why I write a lot of times, is to continue to evolve as a person, and I can see the same thing has happened with other people; they've just adopted the song for themselves." What's also inspiring Perry these days is outer space. She headed out of this world for her just-released "E.T." video, and she credits her new wave of fans for finally embracing the pop singer, allowing her the opportunity to be truly creative. "It's pretty exciting that I have the opportunities now to work with great directors and have 100 percent of my voice heard," she said. "That's always been the challenge as an artist, is for other people to jump onboard and see your vision correctly. And that's why, sometimes, it's hard for me to break out, especially on other labels, because my vision was always so strong, and I think with Teenage Dream, the record on a whole, I knew I wanted to give so many different flavors, so many different ideas and just make a different movie for each song, and I feel like I've done that." Which Katy Perry song inspires you? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Grammy Awards Drop More Than 30 Categories Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:06 AM PDT Male and female artists will no longer compete separately.
If you got all worked up this year when "Wayne's World" actress Tia Carrere won the Grammy for Best Hawaiian Music Album over hotly tipped nominee Amy Hanaiali'i, well, your days of fretting are over. After seven years as an official, stand-alone Grammy category, the Hawaiian award is going away, along with 30 other award categories in one of the most radical revamps in Grammy history. The Recording Academy announced Wednesday (April 6) that it is going on a little-golden-man diet, trimming the field from 109 to 78 categories beginning next year. The bottom line is that male and female pop, country and R&B artists will be going head-to-head in their genres for the first time in recent memory instead of vying for their own trophies. At the same time, the minimum number of artist entries in each category was bumped up from 25 to at least 40. Under the new rules, if only 25 to 39 entries are considered for a certain award, only three recordings will be nominated; and if there are fewer than 25 entries, that category will go on hiatus for a year. If the same shortfall happens for three consecutive years, the award will be discontinued. The biggest changes come in the many breakout awards within certain fields. For instance, instead of separate male and female pop-vocal awards, there will be a single Best Pop Solo Performance category; and the Best Pop Instrumental Performance, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals will be consolidated into Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The "big four" — Record, Album and Song of the Year and Best New Artist — will remain the same. "Every year, we diligently examine our Awards structure to develop an overall guiding vision and ensure that it remains a balanced and viable process," Grammy President and CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement. "After careful and extensive review and analysis of all Categories and Fields, it was objectively determined that our Grammy categories be restructured to the continued competition and prestige of the highest and only peer-recognized award in music. Our Board of Trustees continues to demonstrate its dedication to keeping The Recording Academy a pertinent and responsive organization in our dynamic music community." In the rock field, the Best Rock Instrumental Performance and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals will go away, while the Best Hard Rock and Best Metal Performance awards will be consolidated into one trophy. Similar trimming was done to the R&B and rap fields, where the separate male, female and duo or group awards were merged into Best R&B Performance, while with Best Urban/Alternative Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album were done away with. The rap field merged the Best Rap Solo Performance and Performance by a Duo or Group into Best Rap Performance. Similar changes were made in the country, jazz, gospel, Latin, American roots, world and classical genres, while Best Native American, Zydeco or Cajun and Hawaiian will compete in a larger field under Best Regional Roots Music Album. What do you think of the Grammy changes? Sound off below! |
| Project Blue Book Open Up About Their Miami Invasion Posted: 06 Apr 2011 02:48 AM PDT DJ Aero and Porter Robinson tell MTV News how Project Blue Book became one of dance music's hottest tickets.
When we talk about Project Blue Book, we're not talking about the alleged top-secret government program said to be covering up things like Area 51 and little green men in Roswell, New Mexico. We're talking about the hot music collective that's been turning heads and making waves since their tour first launched back in February. But for Skrillex, Tommy Lee, DJ Aero, and up-and-coming beat-whiz Porter Robinson, the extraterrestrial connotation is apt too. The show these guys put on is totally out of this world.
"It came together because we really needed a tour name to make this all work," DJ Aero explained to MTV News. "We were going back and forth with [Skrillex] coming up with crazy names, and then he sent us an email with the history behind [the government's Project Blue Book], and we were like, 'Yeah, that sounds like us!' " "We were going to call it Meowington's Tour!" Aero joked, referring to their pal deadmau5's (a.k.a Joel Zimmerman) cat. "But we couldn't put it together legally. [Joel] just wouldn't give up the name." "That would also be kind of tragic in light of recent events," Porter added, making a jab about the injury deadmau5's now-famous cat recently sustained. All kidding aside, though, as anyone who's heard their music or been to their shows can attest, the group's name fits their game. The Project Blue Book Tour has become nothing short of an invasion. After a successful U.S. trek during the winter months, the guys hit this year's Miami Music Week with some spanking-new material. "We have five different tracks we've been playing out, especially for this Ultra Music Week," Aero told us last month in Miami. "There's a track named 'Static' and a track named 'LFO Tool' that we've been playing out every night." Yes, you read that correctly, Tommy Lee and DJ Aero named a track after the audio plug-in tool developed by music mastermind (and longtime deadmau5 and Tommy Lee producer) Steve Duda. "I've been playing out two dubstep songs, one is called 'The State,' which is some libertarian bitchiness from me, and the other is called 'Spit Fire.' They're just very high-energy, super aggressive dubstep songs," Porter explained. "I'm also working this weird 100-beats-per-minute banger, which is very unusual. I don't know many songs that are 100 beats per minute," he continued. "It's like slightly faster drumstep, and like slightly slower Justice music. It's unique." The trio of Tommy Lee, Porter and Aero, joined by Skrillex (with his infectious sound and obsessive following), have morphed into the one of the "it" acts to catch in 2011. But to paraphrase the old saying, behind all great men, is a great woman. In this case it's Sofi Toufa, who tours and performs with the gang and has been making waves with her new Moguai collaboration on "Beat of the Drum." So what's it like for a girl in possession of one of the hottest voices in dance music to be on tour with all the boys? "Oh, ya know, it's a little sweaty and smelly and stuff! No, it's awesome. It's fun, they're awesome dudes!" Sofi gushed to MTV News about her Project Blue Book crew. "All these guys shower, which is awesome, so I'm really really happy about that!" "I've gotten told on more than one occasion that I smell good from Sofi," Aero chimed in. "So I feel pretty good about it!" "I've gotten that too!" Porter added with a laugh. "It's very practical; we hired her to get us cocky before our sets!" Unfortunately for Porter, he'll have to find another morale booster as he says goodbye to Sofi, Tommy and Aero and hits the road with Skrillex and Zedd for the month long, 25-city OWSLA Tour, kicking off June 17 in Las Vegas. Have you caught any of the Project Blue Book shows yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments below! |
| Britney Spears Opens Up About Marriage, Kids Posted: 05 Apr 2011 11:45 PM PDT Pop star tells Us Weekly that boyfriend Jason Trawick 'makes me laugh, and we are so comfortable being ourselves.'
On Wednesday (April 6), Britney Spears released her "Till the World Ends" video, a fun party clip that harkens back to the "Slave 4 U" era. While she might have come full-circle creatively, in the new issue of Us Weekly, the pop superstar admits she's not the girl she used to be. "I'm at such a different point in my life now than I was back then," she said of recording Femme Fatale, which shot to the top of the charts in its first week. "I'm more mature and much more hands-on now. I know exactly what I like and what I don't like. I guess that can make the recording process pretty difficult, because I'm very particular about songs I put my voice on." That perspective comes from years in the spotlight, as well as the responsibility of being a mom to her two sons, Jayden and Sean. "You have to think about all your decisions so much more carefully, because they are affecting your kids too," she said. "My priorities have changed, and I do everything for [the boys]. They remind me what life is really all about. "They are my biggest fans. I make up songs and sing to them all the time," she continued. "They like to watch me dance. In fact, they join in and do their own moves!" While her opening act is still in flux, Spears does know that both Jayden and Sean will be hitting the road with her for her Till the World Ends Tour. "They will be coming with me. I couldn't go on tour without them!" she said. "I'm always very busy when I'm on the road, but I make sure to have quality time with them every single day." Another one of her big fans is boyfriend Jason Trawick, whom she says complements her perfectly. "We have such a great time together! He makes me laugh, and we are so comfortable being ourselves. We like to stay home, order in, watch movies, go to dinner with friends. And we love getting away for the weekend. Some of our favorite spots are Las Vegas, Hawaii or Mexico." With two marriages already under her belt, would Spears get married again? "Maybe," she teased. "Never say never!" Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Tiesto Drops First Volume Of <i>Club Life</i> Posted: 06 Apr 2011 12:44 AM PDT Club Life: Volume 1 - Las Vegas features 'C'mon' with Diplo.
A Katy Perry co-sign and an upcoming remix release with Kanye West? Partnerships of this magnitude would normally be considered rare for a trance music producer, but today, Dutch globetrotter Tiësto is so much more than that.
"I love the [E.T.] Tiësto remix!" Katy Perry exclaimed when MTV News caught up with her recently in Ireland. "I didn't know he was playing it already. I wish I could see the reaction — the look on people's faces!" Tiësto's most recent mix, Club Life: Volume 1 - Las Vegas, is out now. The album, seemingly named in homage to his monthly residency at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, is a collection of his current favorite tracks and hits, including "Zero 76" and "C'mon." He planted a flag with his last studio album, 2009's Kaleidoscope, and with it displayed an intent to collaborate and present a departure in sound — one that left some trance music purists wondering if the veteran had lost his swagger. But on the contrary, the disc was affirmed by industry peers and by a wider audience. When we caught up with the dance music star, born Tijs Verwest, just before his set at Miami Music Week's Ultra Music Festival, he was certainly proud of taking the gamble. "When I dropped the Kaleidoscope album, a lot of people were like, 'This is so crazy!' " he said. "They didn't know what to do with it. It's so great to see that one and a half years later, everyone loves it, and that's an amazing achievement for myself. I'm really proud of that." Luckily for fans, his collaborative charge has since gone rampant. Last year, Tiësto and Diplo released their Beatport.com chart hit "C'mon," which rapper Busta Rhymes ended up jumping on. And in the near future, the superstar DJ shows no signs slowing down. "My next album is going to be even more developed in that style. But in the meantime, I've spent a lot of time making underground DJ tracks again, because I forgot about that a little bit," he explained. "So tracks like 'Zero 76' (with friend and countryman Hardwell) and 'C'mon,' and the track with Mark Knight is on Beatport at the moment. I haven't been in Beatport in years. Tiësto is more 'straight to iTunes,' so I like it that I'm back in the Beatport charts again." "Beautiful World," with producer Knight and vocalist Dino, currently stands at #1 on Beatport. Just as fans have responded favorably to Tiësto's "let's work together" spirit, so have his industry peers. In fact, many in dance music call him a friend. "Tiësto is one of my favorite dudes to hang out with," Diplo said recently. "That guy is so genuine." Laidback Luke recently told MTV News, "I really like that he's reaching out to us guys now and trying to blend trance with electro. He's really coming closer to us, and it's wonderful to have his support." "To us, he's a legend," San Fransisco-based house music producer Max Vangeli said. "But he treats us on an equal level, which is kind of the reason he has been around for so many years and constantly been on top. He's not afraid to come up to younger guys and be like, 'I want to hear about what you guys are doing right now.'" Tiësto revealed to MTV News that fans probably will have to wait another year for his next studio album. "I hope to drop it next year at Winter Music Conference," he said. "I already have like seven songs, but want to adjust a little bit here and there, like a Diplo song maybe. It's going to be an organic thing." What's your favorite track on Club Life: Volume 1 - Las Vegas? Tell us below! Related Artists |
| Death Cab For Cutie Take You Behind The Scenes Of 'You Are A Tourist' Video Posted: 05 Apr 2011 10:21 PM PDT Bandmembers say they weren't nervous about live broadcast of video shoot.
As you are probably aware by now, on Tuesday night, Death Cab for Cutie managed to pull off their "You Are a Tourist" video — which was shot live, in one continuous take, and broadcast to the entire world via the Internet — without incident.
Although the final product looked effortless, it only came together after a full day of rehearsals in Los Angeles, where Death Cab for Cutie worked (and reworked) the "Tourist" choreography with director Tim Nackashi and a bevy of background dancers. Now that "Tourist" is in the books — and disaster-free — we decided it was time to have DCFC take us through the process of making the clip, live, without a net. "The idea actually came to us from a friend of ours that's been a creative collaborator with us over a number of projects over the years, named Aaron Stewart-Ahn," Death Cab bassist Nick Harmer said. "He basically had a concept for the video and passed it to us, and we were able to go out into the world and find Tim Nackashi to direct and come up with a great treatment. ... Really, it's been a lot of minds all working on the same puzzle, and those two, between Tim and Aaron, deserve all the credit." "Honestly," frontman Ben Gibbard laughed, "we're just the beneficiaries of all these great ideas." As Gibbard explained, the trick to pulling off "Tourist" had a lot to do with the choreography — more specifically, striking a balance between too much and too little of it. "The balance here is to try to have there be a legitimate amount of choreography involved, but not so much that if one thing goes wrong, the whole thing topples like a house of cards," he said. "There are some very kind of tight moves throughout the video, but nothing that, you know, if I'm not standing here at this one point, the Rube Goldberg [machine] falls apart and you're standing there for the next three minutes looking like a moron." To that point, DCFC said that though they'd be shooting a video live for the entire world to see, they weren't nervous in the slightest. Because really, all the hard work was left to Nackashi and Stewart-Ahn. All the guys in the band had to do was hit their marks and everything would, in theory, be OK. As it turns out, it was. "I feel kind of fine. I mean, we've done enough live TV actually performing — and we're not performing in this video, we're not playing our instruments, we're lip-synching — so because there's no performance element, it doesn't make me nervous," Gibbard told MTV News on Monday. "Because really, all I have to do is remember the words that are being played over the P.A. and be standing in the right place at the right time. And there will be enough people kind of getting us to where we need to be that I'm not too nervous yet. But then again, it's not for 24 hours, so I could maybe wake up tomorrow morning and be a little bit freaked out, but I think we'll be OK." Related Artists |
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