MTV News |
- Lady Gaga's 'Judas': Fans Weigh In!
- Nipsey Hussle Ready To 'Bounce Back Harder' With <i>The Marathon</i>
- Lil Wayne Treats Hometown Fans To Surprise Appearances By Drake, Chris Paul
- Lady Gaga Drops 'Judas' Early
- Paul McDonald Wasn't 'Comfortable' Singing Covers On 'American Idol'
- Jamie Foxx And will.i.am Get 'Smooth' In 'Rio'
- 'Lemonade Mouth' Has 'Real People Going Through Real Stuff,' Stars Say
- Reese Witherspoon Defends Robert Pattinson's 'Water For Elephants' Dancing
- 'American Idol' In 60 Seconds: Paul McDonald Kicked Out Of Boys' Club
- 'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' Features 'More Mature' Story, Michael Bay Says
- Martin Solveig's 'Ready 2 Go' Video Premieres
- 'Rio': The Reviews Are In!
- Nicki Minaj 'Really Excited' About Britney Spears Tour
- Ke$ha Touched By Fan's Tattoo
- 'Glee' Star Ashley Fink Recalls Her Law-Breaking Past On 'When I Was 17'
- 'Scream 4': The Reviews Are In
- Linkin Park Say 'Iridescent' Was A 'Natural Fit' For 'Transformers' Soundtrack
- Chris Brown Talks Snapbacks, N.W.A And The <i>New</i> West
- New Britney Spears 'Till The World Ends' Video Hits Web
| Lady Gaga's 'Judas': Fans Weigh In! Posted: 15 Apr 2011 02:27 AM PDT Gaga's Little Monsters declare the track 'genius' and 'hardcore.'
Lady Gaga gave her fans a treat for the weekend when she dropped her new single "Judas" days earlier than the previously announced April 19 release date. Right after the RedOne-produced song dropped, Gaga tweeted about the single, the second from Born This Way, due May 23. "Even After Three Times He Betrays Me," she wrote, harking back to the song's lyrics about love and betrayal. "THE REAL JUDAS: HE'S EVERYWHERE, NOW. DON'T STOP UNTIL HE'S YOURS," she added. She also tweeted art for the song: In bright-red font, the word "Judas" appears in all caps, above a red cross with a heart in the middle. The art was teased in an installment of Gagavision earlier this week. Shortly after the song was released, fans immediately reacted to the genre-defying track that mixes dance, metal and even reggae. "I've listened to it at least 20 times already...can't get enough....going 2 b another number one for sure! PAWS UP!" SHforlife commented on MTV News' article about the song's release. "This song is legit...beat is fn hardcore to the max...genius..." "I've listened to it just once so far. I know that just like 'Born This Way,' the more I listen to it, the more I like it!! Great song. I hope it still debuts pretty high atop the Hot 100 even though there was virtually no hype for this like there was for BTW!" Kyle noted. "It kinda just came out of no where! Could be a good thing though!" There have been some detractors, including critics who think "Judas" sounds too much like "Born This Way," but the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Chifi55 called it "revolutionary, breathtaking... Gaga is changing music history and no one can stop her!!" Many of Gaga's Little Monsters have simply dubbed the song "amazing" and "awesome," while many have been able to articulate what it is about the song they love so much. "JUDAS!!!!!!!.....Lady Gaga the cultural baptist!!!!!!!!!!!" Rohit Little commented. "I'm in love with JESUS for making GAGA for making JUDAS for giving me eargasms!!!!" What do you think of "Judas"? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Nipsey Hussle Ready To 'Bounce Back Harder' With <i>The Marathon</i> Posted: 16 Apr 2011 03:52 AM PDT New West hustler leads Mixtape Daily through his latest tape.
Mixtape Daily Main Pick Holding It Down For: Los Angeles Mixtape: The Marathon Real Spit: Nipsey Hussle's career has been more stop-and-go than L.A. traffic, but the rapper is far from discouraged. After building a sizable buzz that landed him a record deal with Epic, a shoe deal with Pony, co-signs from the Game and Snoop, and acting credits in flicks with Vivica A. Fox and Ving Rhames, Nipsey still hasn't dropped his major-label debut, South Central State of Mind. No worries: The lanky hip-hop prospect is still delivering heat with his latest mixtape, The Marathon.
"The Marathon concept is just me stepping outside of the situation and assessing it," Nipsey told Mixtape Daily. "A lot of times, you go through a situation where you didn't get what you expected out of it, and it'll get you down, but when it come to us, we done been through this a million times. We done had it, took losses and bounced back harder. And that's part of the game: bouncing back off your loss, if you would even consider this a loss." As MTV News continues its New West Week coverage, it's only right that Nipsey's name be affiliated with Cali's rap resurgence. No matter what label Nip eventually chooses to hustle with — he recently left the Epic fold — bank on the "Feelin' Myself" rapper to keep winning. Joints to Check For » "Keys 2 the City" - " 'Keys 2 the City' is just an update on what's been going on with me since my introduction to the game," Nipsey said. "It's just talking about our relevance to L.A., what we mean to the city right now. Our grind and our rise and the footwork and the legwork that we put in. But it's a real record. It talk about some real-life situations." Starting Monday, stick with us as MTV News turns the spotlight on the New West, the next wave of hip-hop acts helping restore faith in the L.A. rap scene. From groups like Odd Future to rising MCs like Dom Kennedy, we'll bring you up close and personal to these artists as they carve their own lanes in the post-gangsta rap era. Keep it locked here for the next week for more on the West Coast up-and-comers! Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne Treats Hometown Fans To Surprise Appearances By Drake, Chris Paul Posted: 15 Apr 2011 06:09 AM PDT Weezy, Nicki Minaj soak up the love at New Orleans Arena.
"It's good to be home, New Orleans," hometown hero Lil Wayne told the audience after taking the stage at Hornets Arena in the Crescent City. And the sold-out crowd of his birthplace loved him for it.
All of Weezy's I Am Still Music tourmates hit the stage on Thursday night, including Porcelain Black, Mix Master Mike & Travis Barker, and Ricky Rozay Ross, with an appearance by buddy DJ Khaled, each giving it their all, and the crowd was with them every step of the way. After launching into the first quarter of his performance with "A Milli" and "Got Money" (featuring fellow NOLA MC Mack Maine), Wayne gave the city another series of nods. Before getting into "Go DJ," Wayne called out to DJ 45, "We in my hometown! You got some bounce for me?" And later, in his homage to fallen hip-hop icons, Wayne called out, "And if you from New Orleans, put your hands up for Soulja Slim," paying his respect to the late rap star. Nicki Minaj had the audience in a frenzy when, instead of her typical move of choosing an audience member to give a lap dance to, she asked the crowd, "So, y'all are Hornets fans? Usually I invite someone from the audience onstage. But today, there's someone special." The decibel level in the arena rose exponentially as Chris Paul seemed not too displeased at handling the honors for the night. The famed Hornets point guard sat down with a smile as Nicki did ... well, what Nicki does. Young Money was on full display when Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda and Mack Maine joined Wayne for "Every Girl." Ace Hood came out to perform "Hustle Hard," his single with Wayne. Lil Chuckee, Lil Twist, Gudda, Mack and Millz came out for "Bedrock," and Birdman graced the stage for a fiery rendition of "Fire Flame (Remix)." Then Wayne pulled out his final surprise of the night: bringing out Drake for "Miss Me" and "Forever." Dreezy relished the chance to speak to his New Orleans fans and once more quell any rumors that he was leaving the Young Money family. "I wanna say one very important thing to you before I go," Drake said. "I wanna let you know that New Orleans was truly the birthplace of my career. Y'all were the first people to f--- with my music, and I recognize that. And just know that I'm Young Money forever, and this is my mother----ing brother, and I love you, man," he added, turning to Wayne. And just to make sure fans knew when to expect that Carter IV album, Weezy made the audience repeat the date back to him. May 16 it is! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Posted: 14 Apr 2011 10:35 PM PDT Dark, synthy track premiered on London radio station on Friday.
When you're Lady Gaga, scheduled premiere dates mean absolutely nothing. Her next single, "Judas," was originally slated to drop April 19, but Capital FM in London played the song days earlier, during the radio station's "Home Run" program on Friday afternoon (April 15). The RedOne-produced track finds Gaga in familiar territory, singing about a lover she knows might not be right for her, but whom she just can't resist. "Ohhh, I'm in love with Judas," she opens on the track, accompanied by building synths. Soon a thumping electronic beat kicks in as Gaga sings, "Judahhh/ Juda-a-ah/ Gaga." The battle cry is reminiscent of the one in "Bad Romance." Gaga's vocals are partially spoken, and at times she seems to have a Caribbean accent. She laments, "When he comes to me I am ready/ I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs/ Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain/ Even after three times, he betrays me/ I'll bring him down, I came with no crown." The tone lightens up a bit more on the song's chorus, which throws back to '80s pop in melody, as the beat picks up a bit and Gaga sings, "I'm just a holy fool/ Oh, baby, he's so cruel/ But I'm still in love with Judas, baby." After the second verse and chorus, the song breaks down into a churning house song as Gaga chants in much the same way she does in the middle of "Born This Way." Then she sings, "I wanna love you/ But something's pulling me away from you/ Jesus is my virtue, Judas is the demon I cling to, I cling to." A day before she decided to release the track early, Gaga tweeted this message for her fans: "#PawsUpForJudas! I've learned love is like a brick, you can build a house or sink a dead body." The song is Born This Way's second single, following the phenomenal success of "Born This Way." The album hits stores on May 23, and the video for "Judas," directed by Gaga and her creative director Laurieann Gibson, is expected to premiere in the coming weeks. "Let the cultural baptism begin," Gaga said of the track in a Gagavision video earlier this month. "If they were not who you were taught they would be, would you still believe?" What do you think of Lady Gaga's "Judas"? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Paul McDonald Wasn't 'Comfortable' Singing Covers On 'American Idol' Posted: 15 Apr 2011 01:18 AM PDT Plus: Latest castoff confirms he's dating 'Twilight' actress Nikki Reed.
Before he was sent packing Thursday night, something seemed a bit off with Paul McDonald. The fire and spark the veteran Nashville singer showed in earlier rounds seemed to have left. While talking to reporters Friday (April 15) about his ouster, McDonald, 26, explained that there was a very good reason that — despite five years of road work with his band the Grand Magnolias and the release of an album just months before his "Idol" journey began — he only made it to eighth place.
"I'm actually not very good at singing other people's songs," said McDonald, who also fessed up to another secret during the call: He is, as rumored, dating "Twilight" star Nikki Reed. McDonald said he tried out for "Idol" on a lark because he, literally, was in the neighborhood when auditions were going on last summer and that he prefers to sing his own original tunes because there's "only so, so much you can do singing other people's songs and get them across." He also noted that he's been writing "tons" of material in Los Angeles during his run on the show and that he's eager to get started on new music. Typically, after leaving "Idol," the contestants say they have no regrets about the songs they picked on the show, but, again, McDonald was different than most finalists. "Some of the song choices that I did weren't probably the best ones for me," he said, without elaborating on which ones he was uncomfortable with or who suggested he sing them. And though he didn't even expect to get as far as he did in the competition, McDonald lamented listening to the advice of others when his first inclination was to stick to his guns. "I wish I had done some more of these obscure artists, more of the vibe of music that I'm into ... because it came across onstage. ... I didn't feel comfortable a whole lot of the time up there because I felt like it wasn't me all the time." In conversation, McDonald sounds a bit like another reluctant "Idol," last year's runner-up, Crystal Bowersox, who was also not that familiar with the show before trying out, had her own career going in advance of joining the cast and sometimes seemed as if she'd rather be elsewhere. McDonald said he did make the most of it, though, and really enjoyed being on the show and hanging with the rest of the contestants. He joked that the hair and makeup team hardly ever had to do anything for him since he had his own unique style and that they often would just let him wear his own clothes — including his two custom-made floral suits. "My main goal is just to make music that lasts and people enjoy," he said, mentioning acts such as Mumford & Sons, the Black Keys and Ray LaMontagne as contemporary bands he's into. A number of the women who've been booted off so far lamented that it was the big teen and tween girl contingent of voters who were causing the early exits of girl singers. McDonald confirmed that, when he walked out onstage, the audience definitely seemed to be stacked with screaming girls holding up signs, most of which were for Scotty McCreery. But perhaps the thing reporters wanted to know more than such burning questions as to whether he's had work done on his brilliantly white teeth — he hasn't , they're naturally shiny — is whether the rumors of him dating "Twilight" star Nikki Reed are true. "Me and Nikki Reed are dating, it's officially true," McDonald said of Reed, 22. "She's super cool, she's super smart and a really cool girl. ... I'm happy with it. We've been hanging out here and there. We're both pretty busy, but it's been fun so far." Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Jamie Foxx And will.i.am Get 'Smooth' In 'Rio' Posted: 15 Apr 2011 03:31 AM PDT 'The first key to being smooth is, you don't necessarily always have to be smooth,' will says of their characters.
The new animated movie "Rio" has plenty of intriguing things going for it, including the wholesome love story of two parrots, bright colors, beautiful scenery and soothing samba music from composer Sergio Mendes. Even beyond that are the comedic stylings of the film's supporting characters, namely smooth operators/ ladies' birds Pedro and Nico, voiced by real-life ladies' men will.i.am and Jamie Foxx.
When MTV caught up with the jokesters recently at the junket for "Rio," we asked what lengths they would go to in order to impress a woman. "I would do anything to impress women, because that's why we do whatever we do," Foxx said. "You actually think that we do this for money? That's nothing. If tomorrow they said that women love tomatoes, best bet, I would have 40 acres of a tomato farm, letting girls do tours, you know what I'm saying? So whatever a woman likes is what I like." And regarding their key strategies to being smooth, will.i.am had some very creative advice that may or may not involve a loofah. "The first key to being smooth is, you don't necessarily always have to be smooth," he said. "You feel what I'm saying? Girls know it. You need to be exfoliated. You can exfoliate with smoothness. You got to rub them rough edges, smooth 'em out. It takes roughness to make it smooth." "Man, he said it," Foxx said when asked if his smooth operations were similar to will's. "Exfoliating was the word," he said with a chuckle. "I didn't see that one coming." Check out everything we've got on "Rio." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Artists |
| 'Lemonade Mouth' Has 'Real People Going Through Real Stuff,' Stars Say Posted: 15 Apr 2011 03:40 AM PDT Five new Disney Channel stars say the movie, premiering Friday night, is all about the music.
It's Friday, and that means that the highly anticipated new Disney flick "Lemonade Mouth" premieres in a living room near you. The story follows a group of teens who start a band to deal with their high school angst and the stars, who stopped by the MTV News offices earlier this week, said there's a lot of heart in the story, based on the book by Mark Peter Hughes. That heart, it seems, is reflected in the songs. "I want them to see the music in the movie, because I think that completely changes it," Bridget Mendler said. "I think that the music alone is really fun."
"Every song has a meaning throughout our story line of Lemonade Mouth," Adam Hicks added. "We write songs [in the movie] to what we're going through, and you see us rehearse and you see the band grow." Naomi Scott wants fans to see that growth over the course of the flick. "I really want people to be able to really know our characters, and I think by the end of the film, they do; they know who Lemonade Mouth are," she said. But those who aren't big fans of musicals shouldn't fret. The cast wants viewers to know: This not a musical. It's a movie about a band. "It's not just like a movie where we get up and start singing through the hallways," Blake Michael said. "It's real people going through real stuff." So what should fans be most excited for? "The music, the performances!" the cast said in unison. Check out everything we've got on "Lemonade Mouth." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
| Reese Witherspoon Defends Robert Pattinson's 'Water For Elephants' Dancing Posted: 15 Apr 2011 12:11 AM PDT 'As dancers go, I wouldn't say it's his forte,' she tells MTV News about her co-star.
Robert Pattinson had no problem working alongside an elephant, being lifted up into the creature's mouth and improvising with her on take after take. He did, however, have a lot of trouble working with "Water for Elephants" co-star Reese Witherspoon, at least when it came time to dance. "That was the one bit I was most nervous about because there are tons of extras who are really good dancers, and they're all doing the Charleston. And Reese is a really great dancer," Pattinson laughed during a recent MTV News interview. "Reese said she couldn't even do the practice with me, so she did the practice with the dance teacher."
But when we asked Witherspoon herself if Pattinson was truly an awful dancer, she quickly responded, "No, that's not true!" "As dancers go, I wouldn't say it's his forte," she explained to us rather gently. "I wouldn't say it's his favorite thing, but it actually ended up turning out really well in the movie. We had some doubts about whether we could pull it off." Is she covering for her co-star or was Pattinson perhaps being a bit self-deprecating about his toe-tapping abilities? Perhaps we'll find out during our "Water for Elephants" live stream from the red carpet premiere at Sunday (April 17) at 5 p.m. on MTV.com. For now, we'll simply add that Reese claimed to us, "I'm not the greatest dancer either," and went on to suggest that she too clashed a bit with their dance instructor. "We had a very enthusiastic coach, who really wanted us to make it right," she laughed. "I was like, 'This is not 'Dancing With the Stars!' " In the end, though, both actors agreed that the dance sequence in question turned out quite well. "It looks all right," Pattison said. "It's weird. I don't know how that happened." Check out everything we've got on "Water for Elephants." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'American Idol' In 60 Seconds: Paul McDonald Kicked Out Of Boys' Club Posted: 15 Apr 2011 08:27 AM PDT Haley Reinhart survives the only negative judges' comments of the week.
"American Idol" tackled "Songs from the Cinema" this week but the theme may as well have been Déjà Vu. Between the judges' overwhelmingly positive reviews and the contestants' "just OK" performances, season 10 is becoming a weekly exercise in repetition. Hell, even will.i.am returned as a guest mentor to talk about "snatching" Pia's votes and making muffins. (Good luck deciphering that advice, Lauren Alaina!)
Casey Abrams aimed for the stars with a scat-tastic exploration of jazz but he ended up at about 500 feet above sea level instead, even if the judges drooled over the idea of a "jazz 'Idol,' " much to the chagrin of Jimmy Iovine, who urged Casey to stop being such a frickin' music geek. Actually, if there was a B-plot to movie night, it was that the male contestants consistently told Jimmy Iovine to "talk to the hand." Songs were switched, arrangements were fought and, in the end, viewers shrugged. So much for a happy ending. But the suspense was all about whether "Idol" fans would vote off yet another woman. The judges made it easy for voters to hate on the ladies some more when they gave Haley Reinhart an out-of-left-field negative review, the first piece of criticism in what felt like months. (That Haley stole the results show thanks to a dazzling duet, out-jazzing Mr. Jazzy Pants Abrams, was a delicious middle finger to the producers and judges who encouraged her demise just 24 hours earlier.) That feeling of XY favoritism inspired an especially boys-clubby "American Idol" in 60 Seconds recap. Watch the embedded video for the good ol' boys attitude, and if you miss a word or two, you can read along in the script below: This week the top eight performed songs from the movies, and everyone was perfect ... ly average. [Clip: will.i.am says, "Snatch 'em!"] Hmmm, will.i.am, over-praised mediocrity, Jacob Lusk has an attitude ... Did "Idol" air a repeat this week? Thank god the judges randomly ganged up on Haley. I mean, a girl?! On "American Idol"?! That will never be successful! [Superstar Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel" music video plays on Jim's TV monitor. He sees it, tries to turn it off. The channel changes to Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" video. Whoops. He tries to distract from the successful females with one last channel change — this will undermine his whole argument! — but it switches to Lee DeWyze's "Sweet Serendipity" video. Jim has no choice but to shove the TV out of frame.] It wasn't Zakk Wylde. It wasn't Casey's educational jazzzzz-uh. The night's best performance had to be ... [Clip: Lauren Alaina bellows out a note from "The Climb."] No. [Clip: Scotty sings with a smirk.] No. [Clip: Jacob Lusk begins to sing one note. Jim cuts him off.] Yeah, OK, why don't we just skip ahead to the results show? [Clip: Steven Tyler says, "Thanks for whipping that out tonight!"] Wouldn't you know it, judges? The girl you bashed, Haley, actually sings jazz better than the dude who received a standing ovation! And then heavens parted and God came home. [Kelly Clarkson makes a sexually suggestive joke about how men like to "just get right to it."] Psshhh, women. Am I right, producers? And results! [Clip: Paul is eliminated.] Wait, I don't understand! That can't be! Unless ... does this mean Paul is secretly ... a lady?! Ding! Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' Features 'More Mature' Story, Michael Bay Says Posted: 14 Apr 2011 11:44 PM PDT MTV News got a sneak peek at the mind-blowing action of the new film.
While gearing up for the release of "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," director Michael Bay has not been shy about his desire to right the missteps in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen": putting more focus on writing a better story, making the action more accessible, yet "epic" in scale. Based on the footage and trailer MTV News saw on the Paramount lot before a candid chat with Bay on Thursday, it looks like he's making good on his word. We can't get into specifics, of course, but with regard to the trailer — the 2-D version of which will roll out in theaters on April 28, while a 3-D version will hit in front of "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides" — it takes the intrigue of the teaser trailer, plus the intensity from the action-packed 30-second Super Bowl spot and adds enough mind-blowing, mesmerizing robotgasm goodness to leave even the most passive of fans slack-jawed. Or googly-eyed. One of the two. We also saw snippets of returning and new supporting castmembers, a possible Pink Floyd tie-in and a tantalizing, yet not at all overwhelming, 3-D sizzle reel. Speaking of his latest and likely last "Transformers" installment, Bay began by admitting that he is not trying to capture the magic of the first film. "You're never going to match the innocence of the first movie and the wonderment," he said. "The genie is out of the bottle there. This one, I think, is a more mature story line. It's definitely darker." He later explained that the new movie has more of the aliens' backstory. "You learn a lot more about the hierarchy, there's a lot more history of what they've had on Cybertron," he said. Bay also went into his reasoning and reservations behind the decision to shoot in 3-D, and what (actually, who) convinced him to go ahead with the new technology. "[James Cameron], at the last minute, goes, 'Mike, come on,' " Bay recalled, imitating the "Avatar" director's enthusiasm with a slightly deep and gravelly inflection in his voice. "This is like my idol. He goes, 'Mike come on, we've done everything.' I'm thinking, 'I haven't done everything.' " Cameron pushed him to try out this "new toy," and that despite all the headaches that are added to the filmmaking process with shooting in 3-D, he's glad he did it. "3-D, it's pretty great when you see these robots interact in the space," he said. Other excitement added into the mix for "Dark of the Moon" are the souped-up action sequences, specifically a scene that involves base jumpers jumping off the Sears Tower and literally flying through downtown Chicago. "There's a lot of action stuff I've never done before that's pretty cool," Bay said of what makes this installment stand out. "I want to make up for the second one, and I want to leave the franchise as best I can." Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
| Martin Solveig's 'Ready 2 Go' Video Premieres Posted: 15 Apr 2011 12:47 AM PDT DJ/producer drops second clip from his album Smash, set to drop this summer.
Martin Solveig may very well be one of the greatest athletes in dance music. And if you were one of the more than 22 million people who viewed his music video for "Hello" on YouTube — you know, the one where Solveig comes all the way back from a 6-love, 6-love deficit against fellow Frenchman Bob Sinclar, only to throw the tennis match due to a broken heart — then you know exactly why. And now Solveig has released his latest homage to sports with his video for "Ready 2 Go," which premiered Friday (April 15).
"We are shooting the video and episode for this at Stade de France," Solveig told MTV News at Miami's Ultra Music Festival last month. The track features the vocals of Bloc Party's Kele Okereke, which keeps the overall feel "a bit more on the rock side. It's quite exciting." Exciting is a bit of an understatement. Fueled by the massive success of "Hello," which was filmed live in front of 15,000 fans at the Roland Garros Tennis Stadium, "Ready 2 Go" again ventures toward high drama, with a humorous and ambitious plot that in the real world would likely land Solveig and his cohorts in prison. Cleverly garnished with vérité artifacts from the "Hello" video such as Solveig's racquet and the umpire chair, which is used as a ladder to break into the stadium in the middle of the night, the video puts the Frenchman midfield in front of a packed crowd at Europe's fifth-largest stadium. There are cheerleaders, those big inflatable dancing humanoid things you see at car dealerships, and an impressive interaction with the stadium's 50,000-plus fans. And as a testament to how organic the video shoot actually was, the entire scene was filmed in just one take. But even Solveig admits that his expectations are in check, and on the heels of his fifth studio album, Smash, the always humble Frenchman knows better than to rest on his laurels. "To be honest, you can never really know what's going to happen with a track. The success of 'Hello' has gone a little bit over my craziest expectations, so I'm just so happy and really blessed by that," Solveig said. "Ready 2 Go" marks the second cut from the album, due out this summer, which Solveig tells MTV News will be complemented by a number of up-and-coming vocalists. "I'm super-excited — I've worked a lot with Dragonette (who also makes a cameo in the 'Ready 2 Go' video). I connect very easily [with her]. We've got four tracks on the album, Kele has the new one, and [then there's] a new talent called Sunday Girl who will be featured on the album's third single, 'Turn Up the Radio.' " The 23-year-old British model and musician will also be joining Solveig on four dates of Australia's Creamfields tour, before his own Smash tour heads back to Europe for the summer months. "It's mainly almost exclusively a European tour for the summer because we're doing a lot. I'll be traveling with Lafaille, who [plays my] manager in the web series [and videos], and he'll be DJing as well. There's a couple of productions — nothing too fancy, just in my field of entertainment — so we're going to have a pretty epic tour. So I'm excited!" What do you think of Solveig's latest video adventure? Let us know in the comments below. Related Artists |
| Posted: 15 Apr 2011 12:33 AM PDT Critics swoon over CG animation so colorful it 'glows' in this Brazilian bird tale voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, will.i.am and others
If "Hop" has proved anything with its two straight weekends at the top of the box office (including a $37.5 million debut), it's that animated fare is so often review-proof. The Russell Brand-starring tale about the Easter Bunny has owned the multiplex all this month despite being a critical dud. Now comes "Rio," a film that not only has been garnering stellar reviews but is dropping into theaters as spring vacations unleash students from schools around the country. Is it any surprise, then, that some box-office prognosticators are suggesting the 3-D flick could gross as much as $50 million in its opening weekend?
Critics have been lauding the film's eye-popping visuals, winning musical numbers and memorable cast of supporting characters. The only criticisms, it seems, are that "Rio" perhaps jams too much wackiness into its 96-minute running time. For those assessments and more, read on for what the critics are saying about the movie. The Story The Performances The Looks and the Sounds The Dissenters The Final Word Check out everything we've got on "Rio." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Nicki Minaj 'Really Excited' About Britney Spears Tour Posted: 15 Apr 2011 08:40 AM PDT MC says she wants to 'show people that I can be part of any world.'
Fans are eight weeks away from the launch of the Femme Fatale tour. Britney Spears, along with top-line tour opener Nicki Minaj, will get the party started in June in Sacramento, California.
Minaj has called the slot "an honor." When MTV News caught up with the Barbie herself in New Orleans for the latest stop on the I Am Still Music Tour, she opened up a bit more about the matchup. "She's definitely iconic and I'm very excited," Minaj explained. "It's weird. I just always remember her, since I was little, ruling the world, so I'm really excited to just expand my fanbase and show people that I can be a part of any world." Minaj is the reigning princess in the hip-hop world, and she feels that hooking up with pop's leading queen will expand her horizons, even if she has to make some changes to her stage show. "Of course I will adjust some things. I definitely will take away that one particular stage prop," she said of one very phallic object, adding that her music and set list will basically stay the same. "We'll add some stuff 'cause I got some new things coming out this summer, some new records." Earlier this week, Minaj called into Ryan Seacrest's radio show, promising that things will be characteristically over-the-top when she hits the road with Spears. "I'm calling to let everyone know how thrilled I am, how honored I am to be going on the road with the iconic Miss Britney Spears this summer. I just know that when the Femme Fatales and the Barbs get together, we're going to kick major ass," she said. "And I am looking forward to creating a new, a bigger, a brighter, a more spectacular show. And I am just really, really excited to make history with Britney, so you guys, make sure you come out this summer." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Posted: 15 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT Singer tells MTV News about gay fan inspired by her song 'Animal.'
Ke$ha knows all about the perks of being a headliner. On her Get $leazy Tour, the singer gets to call all the shots, blast her fans in the face with tons of glitter and handpick which dudes she wants to party and share the stage with.
But it's not all backstage shenanigans and groupie love. When MTV News sat down with the "Blow" singer in New York earlier this week before her gig at Roseland Ballroom, Ke$ha said that amid the nightly onstage parties there have also been some poignant moments on her first headlining outing. "Best moment? There are so many. Every night's amazing. I have kids outside right now chanting my name and it's awesome," she said of the first leg of the tour. "There was one night a fan came onstage, I invited him onstage, and he had a tattoo of the dollar sign. I was like, 'Oh, that's awesome! Badass. You're part of the cult, man.' " And then, she said, he began to cry and explained that he was able to come out of the closet to his friends and family thanks to her song "Animal." "And I'm standing onstage about to sing a song about growing back a pair of testicles ["Grow a Pear"] and I had tears rolling down my face and chills all over my body," she said. "Because that's really the reason I do music, to inspire people to be themselves." Ke$ha has been a vocal supporter of the "It Gets Better" video project, which aims to help gay, bisexual and transgender youth find hope in the face of teasing and bullying. The "Get $leazy" juggernaut continues on Saturday night with a show at Clarion University in Clarion, Pennsylvania. Are you planning to see Ke$ha on her Get $leazy Tour? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Glee' Star Ashley Fink Recalls Her Law-Breaking Past On 'When I Was 17' Posted: 14 Apr 2011 10:47 PM PDT Actress tried bolting from the police after violating midnight curfew.
"Glee" breakout star Ashley Fink will be the first to tell you she's not the most rebellious person in the world. So how did she end up running from the cops? Ashley reveals all in this week's episode of "When I Was 17."
No, Ashley did not commit any felony — but she did break a curfew. "My mum was pretty strict, and so only going out with my oldest sister was allowed," she explains on the latest episode, which premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. ET on MTV. "And so we'd go to City Walk to see movies on weekends." According to Ashley's sister, Stephanie, the City Walk entertainment complex had a curfew, and if someone underage was out after that time, the police would begin handing out citations. "So we went out, and we saw some horror movie," Ashley recalls. "And we got out at like 12:03 a.m., and I remember seeing the curfew police and being like, 'No!!!' "So I literally took off. I bolted. If I had just walked out of the theater and been cool and walked to the car, then nothing would've happened. But of course, I was like, 'Ah! I'm breaking the law!' and bolted down City Walk. So [the police] came after me and I was literally cornered. It was ridiculous!" According to Ashley's friend Brandon, "Ashley was probably the most timid person when it came to breaking the rules," so imagine her fear when she was caught by the curfew police. "They were like, 'What's your name?' And I was like, 'Ashley.' And then, 'What's your last name?' and I was like, 'Green?' I was like, 'Think of a color!' recalls Ashley, who demonstrated some impressive lying skills there. Fortunately for the actress, her sister Stephanie swooped in to save the day, apologizing to the police, and saying that it was Ashley's birthday, and so the police let her go. "I felt so guilty. But then again, I was so hardcore! I ran from the police on City Walk. Crazy!" "When I Was 17" — this week featuring Jeremih, Shay Mitchell and Ashley Fink — airs on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos |
| 'Scream 4': The Reviews Are In Posted: 15 Apr 2011 09:35 AM PDT The latest installment of Wes Craven's slasher-flick franchise 'just might be the bloodiest of them all,' writes to one reviewer.
If the critics are to be believed, "Scream 4" comes closer to recapturing the horror franchise's bloody and ironic glory than anything else we've seen in nearly 15 years. Unlike the first two films (the original in 1996, the second in 1997), overall reactions to 2000's "Scream 3" were neatly summed up by one Entertainment Weekly reviewer who said that "the only thing the movie kills with any decisiveness is your time."
By contrast, the critics have been relatively kind to "Scream 4," often praising its twisty plot and welcome humor, though occasionally lamenting over its tired premise. For those critiques and more, read on for what the pros are saying about the new Wes Craven film. The Story "[T]he story premise is neat: Having published a self-help book about how she has, as Oprah might say, moved on after outwitting every previous Ghostface who ever lunged her way, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell, looking uncommonly lovely) returns to promote her tome in her hometown of Woodsboro. Old Screamers Dewey-the-cop (David Arquette) and Gale-the-journalist (Courteney Cox), now married, are there to greet her. So is Sidney's teenage niece, Jill (Emma Roberts). And so, conveniently, is Jill's collection of glossy friends and classmates, each ripe for slaughter, or at least struggle, now that Sidney's back in town. Among the potential targets, Hayden Panettiere and Rory Culkin stand out as a snarky party girl and an avid movie geek. In her own corner of the frame, Alison Brie ('Community,' 'Mad Men') happily goes for the jugular as Sidney's aggressive young book publicist." — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly The Scares "Craven made sure he continued to keep the franchise R-rated. 'Scream 4' just might be the bloodiest of them all. There are rooms covered in blood, intestines spilled out onto beds, knives being driven into people's foreheads (this is so crazy amazing I can't even begin to tell you), and much, much more. The film earns its stripes and the moniker of a 'slasher' film." — Brad Miska, Blooding Disgusting The Pace "Individual scenes have passing energy and jokiness, even if nearly all of the latter is highly insular in the way it self-consciously references horror genre tropes and the series' own history. But the narrative doesn't build the way it should in a good suspense film; just as it seems that the climax has arrived in a big Stab-A-Thon night at which dozens of horror geeks have congregated to watch the series while Ghostface is on a new tear through town, the film downshifts as it prepares to string out the last series of murders as long as it can before the final revelations (not bad) about who's behind the mask this time and why." — Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter The Comparison "Like its predecessors, 'Scream 4' replaces the values of storytelling and suspense with the value of being in on the joke. Unfortunately, in the 11 years since 'Scream 3,' the joke has gotten pretty old ... [T]he central conceit of the characters' fates being determined by the 'rules' of horror movies feels irredeemably tired; a clever idea that was worth one movie. When a character comments on how meta everything is, the audience laughs, but why? Only because it's been conditioned to, just as it's been conditioned to think that the intellectual window dressing makes the 'Scream' movies something more than slasher films." — Mike Hale, The New York Times The Final Word "Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson let us believe that [the killer] might be anybody (though, according to the rules of horror movies, obviously it isn't the person you think it might be). But you don't watch 'Scream 4' to solve a mystery, or to identify with believable characters or situations (just one example: there's a scene set in a hospital that apparently has no medical personnel); you'll watch it to see a horror movie that has a sense of humor about itself. For 'Scream' franchise fans, or for those who like their horror not too horrific, that's enough." — Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times Are you planning to see "Scream 4" in the theaters? Let us know in the comments. Check out everything we've got on "Scream 4." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Linkin Park Say 'Iridescent' Was A 'Natural Fit' For 'Transformers' Soundtrack Posted: 14 Apr 2011 10:10 PM PDT A Thousand Suns tune will be in third installment of franchise.
On the surface, it makes perfect sense that Linkin Park would contribute a song to the third installment in the "Transformers" film franchise, "Dark of the Moon." Both the band and the film are known for their thunderous, metallic noise and post-apocalyptic vibe. Plus, LP were on the first two soundtracks and they clearly have a connection with director Michael Bay.
But LP vocalist Mike Shinoda recently told MTV News about why the band offered up a remix of their A Thousand Suns tune "Iridescent" for the soundtrack to the summer blockbuster. "The 'Transformers' collaboration has been really fun for us. I mean, we grew up playing with the toys," Shinoda explained. "When we first got approached on the first one, we said yes based on the idea of taking that thing that we loved so much and bringing it to life in a modern way. As it's gone on, that's still a big part of it for us." The original "Transformers" soundtrack led off with the LP song "What I've Done," and the companion CD to the sequel, "Revenge of the Fallen," also gave LP the pole position with the tune "New Divide." So when director Bay approached the band to contribute a song for the third film, Shinoda said the tune that came to mind right away was "Iridescent." It's been a fan favorite at live shows, even though it doesn't have the kind of bombastic sound that you'd expect for the battling-robots flick. "We put out the record in the late part of last year and even though it's never been a single up until this point, [when we played it live] you could really hear the singing pick up momentum during that song. It was just something that seemed a natural fit." Though it's less of what Shinoda called an "in-your-face" kind of tune, he said the somber, hopeful tone of the song appealed to both the band and to Bay. "We loved that part of it when we were in the studio, but Michael actually loved pairing it with the movie because there's something that he feels it speaks to about the story line." Do you think LP's "Iridescent" will fit well into the "Transformers" movie? Let us know in the comments below. Related Artists |
| Chris Brown Talks Snapbacks, N.W.A And The <i>New</i> West Posted: 15 Apr 2011 08:49 AM PDT 'I'm just a product of all that; all the hip-hop that I grew up seeing,' Breezy tells MTV News about the Cali rap scene.
Chris Brown may hail from a little town called Tappahannock in VA, but when it comes to his swag, these days it's L.A. every day for the F.A.M.E. star. Whether he's doing the "Cat Daddy" with Los Angeles trio the Rej3ctz in their colorful clip or teaming up with Compton-born Young Money MC Tyga for the wildly successful Fan of a Fan mixtape, C.Breezy reps for the region.
As we gear up for our New West Week on Monday — MTV News' must-follow series on the upstarts breathing new life into the Left Coast rap landscape, from Odd Future to Dom Kennedy — we spoke to Chris about why he lays his broad-brimmed snapback in La-La Land. "I been out in L.A. for a while but I think it's just, with me, my style is just me," he said when we asked how he'd been influenced by the City of Angels. With the exception of standard-bearer Snoop Dogg, energetic efforts from Game and the enduring influence of super-producer Dr. Dre, the West Coast took a backseat in the last decade after the Chronic-fueled dominance of gangsta rap subsided. But although that indelible sound gave way to a scene that's now varied enough to count groups like Black Hippy and Pac Div, as well as Nipsey Hussle and Tyga among its corps, Brown said he was nostalgic for the Chucks-and-Dickies look of Ruthless Records-era N.W.A. "I'm just a product of all that; all the hip-hop that I grew up seeing ... I'm inspired by everything," the "Look At Me Now" singer said. "And I think fashion kind of goes with me as a creative artist. "The L.A. scene now is kinda poppin'," he continued. "We brought the snapbacks back ... me and Tyga," he claimed about the trendsetting head gear. "Nobody was really wearing it, it was a handful of people: It was Omarion, it was Tyga, me and Big Sean wearing snapbacks. And we was just really wearing that as our own kind of swag 'cause we were looking at N.W.A and looking at how back in the day they used to have Kris Kross and the whole nine, and we wanted to bring that back for the kids." He quickly added with a laugh, "We ain't taking credit for it, but you know, everybody's wearing 'em now, so we did something good." Breezy did share the sartorial credit, citing fellow Virginia native Pharrell Williams as another major influence on his Angeleno-tinged style. The N.E.R.D. frontman put his stamp on the hip-hop-meets-skate-punk look early on, eventually launching the Billionaire Boys Club line (Chris was outfitted in the collection when he visited the MTV newsroom). "I kind of look at Pharrell as one of the advocates of that [look]. I think a lot of kids, whether it be L.A., whether it be New York, a lot of kids modeled after him when he cut that skater/preppy look, then it was Kanye after and [so on]. Pharell was that guy that really set the tone for us as the kids and the generation now." Starting Monday, stick with us as MTV News turns the spotlight on the New West, the next wave of hip-hop acts helping to restore faith in the L.A. rap scene. From groups like Odd Future to rising MCs like Dom Kennedy, we'll bring you up close and personal to these artists as they carve their own lanes in the post-gangsta rap era. Keep it locked here for the next week for more on the West Coast up-and-comers!- Related Videos Related Artists |
| New Britney Spears 'Till The World Ends' Video Hits Web Posted: 15 Apr 2011 07:10 AM PDT The re-edited version of the post-apocalyptic party clip features more footage of Spears and her backup dancers showing off their moves.
A dance version of Britney Spears' "Till the World Ends" video has hit the Web just in time for the weekend. The original clip, which premiered earlier this month and got lots of great buzz for Spears, shows the pop vixen leading a wild underground dance party as an apocalyptic storm hits the planet, and the new video features a lot of similar footage with a number of noticeable changes. One of the most conspicuous differences is that the new "Till the World Ends" clip offers a lengthier peek into some of the sleek moves of Spears' backup dancers. There are definitely more shots of Britney dancing as well, even if sometimes they are obscured in shadow. Interestingly enough, much of the apocalypse storyline has been edited out to make room for those new dancing shots. While the party looks the same, the fact that the world is crashing around them is a nonissue for this version of the Ray Kay-directed video. Rather than focusing on the impending doom outside, this cut displays all the fun down in Spears' sweaty underground party. As the video closes out, there are shots of her dancers, individually, showing off their skills, intercut with footage of Spears smiling as she sings about getting her party on. The new clip's ending is entirely different from that of the original. Instead of emerging from her post-apocalyptic party to a sun-drenched world that, well, has not ended, Spears just looks into the camera, still apparently hiding from what is assumed to be some catastrophe that has befallen the Earth. It hints at a darker finish for Spears and her partiers ... maybe in this version the world does end. "The real music video is best, of course," Ray Kay tweeted on Thursday about his re-edited version of the clip. "But it's fun to watch the choreography too." Do like like the dance-heavy re-edited version of Britney's "Till the World Ends" video? Let us know in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
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