MTV News |
- 'Glee' Covers 'Born This Way': The Story Behind The Song
- 30 Seconds To Mars: Rock's Perpetual Motion Machine
- Tom Felton Picks Draco's 'Defining Moment' In 'Deathly Hallows'
- 30 Seconds To Mars Answer Your Questions In Exclusive MTV Live Stream
- Mobb Deep's Havoc Recalls Def Jam Shooting In Prodigy's Book
- O Music Award For Best Music Hack Goes To Invisible Instruments
- Lady Gaga Says 'Judas' Video 'Celebrates Faith'
- Aquarium Drunkard Wins O Music Award For Best Indie Music Blog
- Nicki Minaj, Adam Lambert Take Early O Music Awards
- Chris Evans Says 'Puncture' Character Has 'Meat On The Bone'
- Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari Get 'Dangerous' For '30 Minutes Or Less'
- Killer Mike Says T.I.'s Support 'Almost Brought A Tear To My Eye'
- Boys Noize Is 'Really Excited' About Spank Rock's New Music
- My Chemical Romance Call 'SING It For Japan' Response 'Overwhelming'
- Jim Jones' 'Everybody Jones' Video Fashionista Explains Cameo
- Ja Rule Previews Tracks From <i>Pain Is Love</i> Sequel
- Odd Future Record Deal Is Complete, Manager Confirms
- 'The Voice' Stars Say Show Is 'Serious' But 'Fun'
- Chiddy Bang To Drop New Mixtape During O Music Awards
| 'Glee' Covers 'Born This Way': The Story Behind The Song Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:52 AM PDT McKinley High singers took on Lady Gaga's instant hit on this week's 90-minute episode.
Lady Gaga's smash "Born This Way" is a song that seemed almost tailor-made for "Glee." The track's inspirational lyrics, aimed in particular at the LGBT community, echo the very sentiment creator Ryan Murphy tries to convey each week on the popular series. So it was of no surprise that Tuesday night's super-size 90-minute episode of "Glee," about self-love and acceptance — which happened to be titled "Born This Way" — featured Gaga's anthem about those very subjects. (The chorus urges, "Don't hide yourself in regret/ Just love yourself and you're set/ I'm on the right track, baby/ I was born this way.") Gaga is no stranger to getting "Glee" love, as the one-of-a-kind pop star was the subject of season one's "Theatricality." But before castmembers Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz and Naya Rivera gave "BTW" a "Glee" twist, the song already made its mark on 2011's musical landscape. Released on February 11, two days earlier than its planned release, "Born This Way" was the first single off of Lady Gaga's upcoming album of the same name. The club-ready tune, which was penned by Gaga, Paul Blair, Jeppe Larson and Fernando Garibay, became an instant hit. It not only debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the 1,000th song to do so, but it also marked Gaga's seventh top 10 song in a row. But that's not to say all of these impressive feats didn't come without some criticism. While the song garnered mostly positive reviews, at first listen many critics and experts said the song sounded similar to some other classic pop ditties, most notably Madonna's "Express Yourself." For instance, John Polly of the Logo network told MTV News back in February, "She seems to borrow pretty heavily, clearly visually, and sonically, from Madonna. Which is probably super smart, I mean, why wouldn't you?" But that didn't stop Gaga (she argued to NME magazine that the only real similarity between her song and Madge's classic was the chord progression) and her Little Monsters from turning "BTW" into an anthem. As her friend/ celebrity blogger Perez Hilton told MTV News, "It is a very gay song — unapologetically gay, in-your-face gay — but it's also a universal song that can relate to everyone." In addition to all that, "BTW" became the fastest-selling song in the history of iTunes, when it sold more than 1 million copies worldwide in just five days. Sales were no doubt propelled by the singer's various live performances of the song, most memorably her appearance at the 2011 Grammy Awards. It was there that the 25-year-old star arrived in an egg. The superstar has also been sharing the song with concertgoers on her Monster Ball Tour. "Born This Way" not only made its mark onstage, but onscreen as well, with the premiere of its music video in late February. Keeping in line with her other unconventional vids, the seven-minute-plus clip features everything from outer-space to zombies in tuxedos to unicorns (not to mention a tongue-in-cheek nod to the Madonna controversy in which Gaga sports the star's iconic gap in her front teeth. And as with anything that becomes part of the pop culture mold, parody is bound to follow. While "Glee" pays tribute, "Weird Al" Yankovic found his own way to pay homage. The 51-year-old singer created a silly spinoff of the song with his take on Gaga's onstage antics called "Perform This Way." "Perform This Way" caused a bit of a stir, but not because of its jabs at Gaga. There was a bit of a misunderstanding between Gaga and Yankovic after he criticized her manager for denying his request to release his song. But as it turned out, Gaga had never heard the song in the first place. Yankovic explained on his blog, "Even though we assumed that Gaga herself was the one making the decision (because, well, that's what we were TOLD), he apparently made the decision completely on his own." He later noted she "loves the song." Because that is, after all, the Gaga way. What did you think of the "Glee" cover of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"? Related Videos Related Artists |
| 30 Seconds To Mars: Rock's Perpetual Motion Machine Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:52 AM PDT One day before our '30 Seconds to Mars: State of the Union' live stream, Bigger Than the Sound gives the band some much-earned respect.
At some point, you're probably going to have to give 30 Seconds to Mars some respect. Do it begrudgingly, backhandedly, howeverly — just do it. Because they've earned it. And yes, I realize this is coming from the same guy who described their This Is War album as "a gigantic silver weather balloon ... massive and shiny, but also cold and empty," but what can I say? I've changed my mind. Mostly because, for nearly two years now, I've witnessed them will themselves back from the brink, and, in the process, transform what many had considered little more than a vanity project into a genuine rock-and-roll phenomenon, one that runs on little more than pure commitment and saves souls each and every time it takes the stage. 30 Seconds to Mars may never be the coolest band in the world, but they're certainly the most dedicated.
In April 2009, I got a glimpse of that dedication firsthand when I went to Jared Leto's home studio to watch them work on War, despite the fact they were still embroiled in a lawsuit that meant the album may never see the light of day. That didn't bother Leto, who told me without hesitation that fans would be able to hear the album "even if I have to go door-to-door selling it." At the time, I probably laughed (to myself, of course), but Leto's commitment to finishing the album was legit. He redesigned his studio to Flood's exact specifications, and even added a refrigerator-sized synthesizer the producer had played on Depeche Mode's Violator album. He brought in Tibetan monks, flew to Kanye West's studio in Hawaii and held fan-only "recording experiments." And he did all this on his own dime, despite knowing how ridiculous it seemed to the outside world, because he wanted to. It probably should've occurred to me that most bands don't operate in this fashion, but it didn't. It was only as the months rolled on, when 30 Seconds to Mars opened up communal spaces on Melrose Avenue, stared down bomb threats and continued their tradition of making thoroughly epic music videos that I started to come around. It wasn't until November, when Leto gave me an impromptu screening of his ambitious "Hurricane" film — the same one that had been delayed for months while he and a team of editors attempted to rein it in while in the midst of a world tour — that it all clicked: This is a band unlike any other, a perpetual motion machine powered by the unrelenting willpower of its three members and a team of associates, a traveling community that never stops moving, either because it can't or, more probably, because it won't. Of course, that begs the question: How can 30 Seconds to Mars possibly keep this up? On Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com, we'll get an answer when the band stops by the MTV Newsroom for a "State of the Union" live stream, an hour-long chat in which they'll answer questions from fans and discuss the past, present and future of the band. You should tune in, even if you're still withholding judgment on 30STM themselves — mostly because it'll give you a glimpse into what makes them tick: their dedication ... to their fans, to the spirit of rock and roll, to doing things the way bands are supposed to do them. Simply put, they work harder and longer than you could possibly imagine, for the purest reason possible: Because they owe it to their fans to do so. Every band loves its fanbase, for sure, but none go to the lengths and excesses 30 Seconds to Mars do to prove that point. And if that's not worth your respect, it's certainly worth noting. Don't miss the "30 Seconds to Mars: State of the Union" live stream Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. Get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag @ask30STM! Related Artists |
| Tom Felton Picks Draco's 'Defining Moment' In 'Deathly Hallows' Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:52 AM PDT 'We see a tough moment for him when he doesn't know where his loyalties lie,' the 'Harry Potter' star tells MTV News.
As Tom Felton sees it, he's getting a little lazy these days. The 23-year-old "Harry Potter" star only has two mega-budget summer flicks coming down the line this season. In a recent MTV News interview, he laughed, "I should have worked it harder!" Listen, Tom, there's a reason that in January we named you one of our "11 for '11," the young Hollywood players we were expecting big things from this year. And you haven't disappointed. First up comes "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," the 3-D conclusion to the boy-wizard franchise hitting theaters July 15. Then on August 5, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" storms into the multiplex. It's going to be a very busy summer for Felton, so we just had to talk with him as part of our Summer Movie Preview. On Thursday, we'll be bringing you the actor's wide-ranging comments on "Apes." Now, with Felton as our guide, we dive into the world of "Harry Potter." MTV News: With the end of "Potter" and another potential franchise in "Apes," does this summer feel like a particularly significant period in your career? Felton: Very much so, which is why I'm looking to moving out to L.A. probably in the latter half of the year, mainly for work reasons. It's a great way for me to be seen in a different light, after the epic finale of "Potter." MTV News: So you're moving to L.A.? Felton: Yeah, me, my girlfriend and my dog. I just need to sort out everything with my dog. If she can come, then we're all good. MTV News: This is the final one — the final impression of Draco Malfoy. In your mind, what's going to be his defining moment in "Part 2"? Felton: Well, he seems so conflicted and he doesn't know what to do. When it comes to the final battle, he's still a bit confused about which way he should go. It's only in the last stages of the battle that he's really called upon from the dark side when he's standing on the good side, and we see a tough moment for him when he doesn't know where his loyalties lie. That's definitely going to be the defining moment for Draco. Hopefully, I nailed it. It's nice when I get sprung upon by the mega "Harry Potter" fans and they say, "We understand Draco's pain." It's like, "Thank you! That's a compliment! That's a sign I must have done good." MTV News: I know you haven't seen the full thing, but they've been screening it for audiences and the producers told us it's brought people to tears. Felton: I spoke to [producer] David [Heyman] the other day, and he said it got the highest rating of feedback of any "Potter" ever. It kind of goes without saying that it's one of the most highly anticipated films of, well, a really long time. Everyone making it knows that it. It's going to be exciting. I'm endlessly excited. MTV News: Have you seen bits and pieces? Felton: I saw bits and pieces when I did the ADR voice-looping. It looked amazing. I was forgetting to do my lines because I was just watching it going, "Wow, this is incredible!" And that was only half-finished with the special effects. MTV News: Do you see any of the flash-forward epilogue? Felton: I didn't! That was one of the sections they were most uncertain about and which route they were going. They were talking about it being too long or not long enough. I'm not entirely sure what it's going to be. I will say we filmed it, but how it's there in the final cut, I don't know. MTV News: Did you take a prop at the end of the shoot? Felton: Unfortunately, they're notoriously tight with those things. People were expecting there to be 100 broomsticks, but there weren't that many. There were, like, four. Naturally they kept them under lock and key. To be fair, they'd probably be better off in a museum than in my attic or my downstairs toilet. It's Summer Movie Preview Week, and MTV News will be bringing you exclusive interviews, clips and photos for the most anticipated films of the coming months. Get ready to gorge on inside looks at "Captain America," "The Hangover Part II," "X-Men: First Class," "Cowboys & Aliens" and more. Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 30 Seconds To Mars Answer Your Questions In Exclusive MTV Live Stream Posted: 25 Apr 2011 10:09 PM PDT '30 Seconds to Mars: State of the Union' will stream live on MTV.com Thursday at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT.
They went to the brink and back to make This Is War, but now, more than a year after the album hit stores, 30 Seconds to Mars are stronger than ever, with a globe-spanning, arena-filling tour, a string of thoroughly epic music videos, and a die-hard fanbase that most bands would kill for.
So now, everyone is beginning to wonder: What's next? On Thursday, we'll find out, when Jared, Shannon and Tomo stop by the MTV Newsroom for a live chat we're calling "30 Seconds to Mars: State of the Union," an in-depth discussion about the band's past, present and, of course, future. Streaming live on MTV.com at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT, the show will be an hour-long open-ended conversation, with the band's Echelon asking the questions. Fans can submit their queries via Twitter, using the hashtag #ASK30STM, and we'll pick the best of the bunch to be answered during our live stream. The MTV Newsroom will also be packed with Echelon members, turning the entire show into one gigantic 30STM lovefest (or a close approximation of their "Closer to the Edge" video, at least). So, if you love 30 Seconds to Mars, you've gotta watch the "State of the Union" ... and lend your voice to the conversation too. And if you know 30 Seconds to Mars — or their boundary-pushing videos for "Hurricane" and "This Is War," — you know there's no topic that's off-limits. It all goes down Thursday at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT on MTV.com! Related Artists |
| Mobb Deep's Havoc Recalls Def Jam Shooting In Prodigy's Book Posted: 26 Apr 2011 05:38 AM PDT 'That's him seeing Mobb Deep's life through his eyes,' Havoc tells MTV News about P's new memoir.
While rappers Capone and Noreaga are taking exception to Prodigy's new book, "My Infamous Life: The Autobiography of Mobb Deep's Prodigy," Havoc has come to the defense of his longtime partner in rhyme. "That's him seeing Mobb Deep's life through his eyes," Havoc told us on Tuesday (April 26).
Last week, in an exclusive interview with MTV News, N.O.R.E. questioned Prodigy's motivation for writing about an incident in which, after N.O.R.E. was jumped by members of Mobb Deep's entourage, Noreaga shot an associate of the group's crew in retaliation. "Why would you bring up something where your man got shot?" Nore asked. Havoc sees things differently. "Things that happened with [Prodigy] personally, that's just his spin on it, that's his take. I don't think that anybody should get emotional because that's how he sees it," he said. Prodigy also wrote about an incident detailing how Havoc shot a Def Jam employee in the record company's Manhattan offices. While Hav hasn't read the book, he did shed light on the shooting and pretty much corroborated Prodigy's version of the story. "Something happened where I was messing around with a gun and shot somebody by accident. Actually, he was like a manger of mine," Havoc recalled. "I believe D.M.C. [of Run-D.M.C.] was there and I had tried to bounce. Next thing you know, [A Tribe Called Quest member] Ali Shaheed Muhammad is like, 'Don't go nowhere. You gonna make it worse.' " Hav was arrested, but later cleared of the charges after the victim testified that the shooting was an accident, according to the autobiography. As far as whether he plans to read "My Infamous Life," Havoc said he's in no rush. "I don't really have to read the book. At some point I will, but everything in there I know. So it's just like going down memory lane." Related Artists |
| O Music Award For Best Music Hack Goes To Invisible Instruments Posted: 26 Apr 2011 04:08 AM PDT Project that turns iPhone and Wii remote into any instrument beats out other ingenious inventions.
One of the beauties of the first-ever O Music Awards is that it's one of the only shows that gives out hardware not just to the artists who make the music we love, but to the fans at home who take their awesome creations and make them, well, even more awesome. That's the idea behind the Best Music Hack category, in which the six nominees came up with amazing ways to make the music listening, and creating, experience easier, more interesting and enjoyable. From helping you map your next road trip based on where your favorite bands are playing to turning your phone into a sousaphone or transforming your blog into a singing telegram, these hackers put some serious thought into their music geek creations.
The winner, Tim Soo, developed Invisible Instruments, a handy tool that allows you to re-create the sounds of any instrument you can imagine using just an iPhone and a Wii remote. He's made the tool work for himself, but he's in the process of raising money to create a version ready for use by everyone from children to music professionals. Among the nominees was Mike Novack, who came up with Gigbeat, an application that searches for concerts featuring the artists in your library, then let's you create favorite lists based on those searches and share them with friends, while alerting you to when those acts are coming to town. The nominees were all incredibly creative in their efforts to take existing technology and rework it to their own devices, including Gaurav Mehta's SoundBump, which allows SoundCloud users to interact with one another by just, yes, bumping their Android devices together by using the SoundGarage Android app for SoundCloud. The team of Gomez, Garcia and Akkermans came up with Sing'Em All, which takes boring old blogs and Facebook pages and allows you to put them to music. Why just blog when you can sing your updates? Ever hit the road for a long trip and kick yourself for not figuring out if your favorite band is playing along the way? Daughter/father team Jennie and Paul Lamere have the answer for you: Jennie's Ultimate Road Trip, which allows you to punch in your starting and ending points and the names of a few choice bands and then gives you a killer music-focused itinerary. Marshall Jones' entry, Highlight to Listen, was a Google Chrome extension that allows you to search for information and music for any artist by simply highlighting text on a page. Stay tuned all this week for more award announcements. The inaugural O Music Awards will stream live from Las Vegas on Thursday at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on OMusicAwards.com. Tune in to see who will reign supreme in categories like Most Viral Dance, Funniest Music Short and NSFW Music Video! Related Photos |
| Lady Gaga Says 'Judas' Video 'Celebrates Faith' Posted: 26 Apr 2011 01:19 AM PDT ' 'Judas' is a metaphor and an analogy about forgiveness and betrayal,' Gaga says of song and video.
Next week, fans will finally get to see Lady Gaga's "Judas" video, when it premieres during "American Idol." But while we wait, Gaga opened up about the video in a recent interview, giving fans a better sense of what they might see in the clip. "Well, the video, in essence, suggests that forgiveness and betrayal are hand in hand," she told MSN Entertainment in Canada. "The video puts destiny above all things and postures that the mistakes in your life are in fact not mistakes at all, they are just part of your overarching potential and your destiny." Though she didn't want to give away the full concept, Gaga did describe the clip's biblical and cultural references. "Well, I want to allow the video to speak for itself, but I will say that the theme of the video and the way that I wanted to aesthetically portray the story was as a motorcycle Fellini movie, where the apostles are revolutionaries in a modern-day Jerusalem. And I play Mary Magdalene, leading them into the town where we meet Jesus, and I will leave the rest for you to see," she teased further about the video, which she co-directed with Laurieann Gibson. "But it's meant more to celebrate faith than it is to challenge it." While there has been some debate about the song's use of religious icons, Gaga said she doesn't mean for it to be a direct interpretation of Bible stories. "Well, I wouldn't necessarily say that my schooling [in Catholic school] informed the songwriting on that record in particular. 'Judas' is a metaphor and an analogy about forgiveness and betrayal and things that haunt you in your life, and how I believe that it's the darkness in your life that ultimately shines and illuminates the greater light that you have upon you," she said. "Someone once said to me, 'If you have no shadows then you're not standing in the light.' So the song is about washing the feet of both good and evil, and understanding and forgiving the demons from your past in order to move into the greatness of your future," she continued. "I just like really aggressive metaphors — harder, thicker, darker — and my fans do as well. So it is a very challenging and aggressive metaphor, but it is a metaphor." Gaga said that Born This Way will be more about the religion of pop culture than anything taught in Sunday school. "Well, I'm fascinated with iconography, and I'm fascinated with the way that iconography is taught in terms of education to the world, whether it be through institutionalized religion or through symbolism or through movies or through music," she said. "In a lot of ways it's about faith and hope, but not in the religious sense," she added. "It's about faith and hope in culture, especially in a time all over the world where many are in need of hope, in need of understanding, in need of love, in need of lack of prejudice, in need of no judgment, in need of acceptance. How can we look to culture for faith?" Related Artists |
| Aquarium Drunkard Wins O Music Award For Best Indie Music Blog Posted: 26 Apr 2011 04:08 AM PDT Site bested rivals like Brooklyn Vegan and Gorilla vs. Bear to take home the inaugural award.
Aquarium Drunkard, the Los Angeles-based site that features daily music news, interviews, reviews, MP3 samples and original music sessions, was named the winner of the inaugural O Music Awards' Best Independent Music Blog award on Tuesday (April 26). As determined by fan voting, AD beat out a field that included sites like BrooklynVegan.com, ArjanWrites.com and GorillaVsBear.net to win the Best Independent Music Blog title. Started in 2005 by Justin Gage, the site features contributions from everyone from My Morning Jacket's Jim James to Robyn Hitchcock, and has since spun off a record label (Autumn Tone Records), a series of live concerts, and a weekly broadcast on Sirius/XM's XMU channel.
Aquarium Drunkard joins a host of early O Music Award winners; Andy Grammer's choose-your-own-adventure-style "Keep Your Head Up" was named Most Innovative Music Video after a roundtable debate on Monday, and Adam Lambert and Nicki Minaj also picked up wins (sort of), taking home the Favorite F--- Yeah Tumblr trophy and Favorite Animated GIF award, respectively. When they were announced earlier this month, the O Music Awards promised to be an alternative to the usually staid world of award shows, and they've lived up to the billing by announcing several winners ahead of the actual broadcast ... a trend that will continue in the days leading up to the show, as the winners of categories like Best Fan Forum, Best Animal Performance and Best Tweet will be revealed. The first-ever O Music Awards stream live from Las Vegas on Thursday at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. The inaugural O Music Awards will stream live from Las Vegas on Thursday at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on OMusicAwards.com. Tune in to see who will reign supreme in categories like Most Viral Dance, Funniest Music Short and NSFW Music Video! Related Photos |
| Nicki Minaj, Adam Lambert Take Early O Music Awards Posted: 25 Apr 2011 10:00 PM PDT Favorite Animated GIF prize goes to Nicki Minaj, while Lambert wins Favorite F--- Yeah Tumblr
You were warned that the inaugural O Music Awards would not be the usual tuxedos and big-up-to-the-man-upstairs schmooze fest. We proved it when the first award was handed out on Monday night following a spirit debate that resulted in Andy Grammer's choose-your-own-adventure video for "Keep Your Head Up" winning the Most Innovative Video award. Though the official awards show doesn't take place until Thursday night in Las Vegas, more magical cubes were handed out on Monday and Tuesday, including the NSFW-named Favorite F--- Yeah Tumblr trophy.
In a tight race, the F--- Yeah Adam Lambert Tumblr won, beating out a bevy of big-name competitors, including Trey Songz, Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Kid Cudi, Kayne West, Janelle Monae, Harajuku Barbie (a.k.a. Nicki Minaj), "Crazy Britney" and Beyoncé. Though all the sites feature stellar candid and posed pictures of the stars, video clips and homebrewed collages, it was the Tumblr dedicated to glam-pop king Adam Lambert that took the crown. Packed with glamour shots and lots of quirky animated GIFs, the site offers nearly 300 pages of all things Adam, showing the fierce dedication of the Glam Nation. The Favorite Animated GIF award was revealed by none other than MTV TJ Gabi Gregg. "I'm online 24-hours a day, pretty much, or it feels like that," said Gregg in a video announcing the prize. "I was super exited to see that this category even existed. I love GIFs. I retweet them, I reblog them, I Facebook them." And without further ado, she said the clear cube would go to ... Nicki Minaj "Gum Twirl." The frantic GIF of a pop-eyed Nicki furiously spinning some pink gum around her finger won over some seriously fierce competition, including such nominees as the "50 Cent, Bert and Kermit" mash-up, the "50 Cent, Rebecca Black and Bert" mash-up called "Which Seat Can I Take," the infamous Justin Bieber "Tongue Roll," not to mention the Jeckyll-and-Hyde-like Kanye West clip "Kanye Smile, Then Angry" (taken from an MTV News interview), the highlights of the Katy Perry " 'California Gurls' Whipped Cream" scene, the seductive Lady Gaga "Finger Lickin' Good" clip as well as the fake Rihanna/Katy Perry "Catfight" and the hilarious Whitney Houston "Whitney Points" segment from the "Oprah Winfrey Show." "I know the Barbs and Nicki are very happy, so congratulations to all of you who voted," Gabi said. Stay tuned all this week for more award announcements. The inaugural O Music Awards will stream live from Las Vegas at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on OMusicAwards.com. Tune in to see who will reign supreme in categories like Most Viral Dance, Funniest Music Short and NSFW Music Video! Related Artists |
| Chris Evans Says 'Puncture' Character Has 'Meat On The Bone' Posted: 26 Apr 2011 04:03 AM PDT 'Captain America' star plays a flawed, real-life lawyer in the Tribeca Film Festival entry.
Chris Evans has played many larger-than-life characters. But those characters have been based purely in the realm of fantasy. In "Puncture," Evans is trying something new: playing someone who existed in the real world. He'll play real-life lawyer Mike Weiss in the flick, and while his character is a "genius," as he describes him, he's also very flawed and very dark. It was a welcome change for Evans, who recently suited up as the very not-real Captain America.
"Well, I liked the fact that it was a true story," Evans told MTV News. "That's crazy. I never approached a film or developed a character that existed. Usually I'm making something out of some paper, some words on a page; this was different." Evans explained that the experience was even more fulfilling since he got to know the people in Mike's life. "There are people who know him, who knew him, who loved him," he said. "His family, friends, I got to go to Houston and sit with his parents, friends, coworkers, buddies and just get all these stories about this guy that was just an amazing human being. "Everyone had the same things to say about him," he continued. "They said he was so brilliant, so like a genuine genius. One of those guys, it was too much; he was beyond this place. He was so amazing at what he did and as a result the byproduct of that type of genius usually comes in the form of sometimes being a little thoughtless towards people, a little arrogant, a little detached and as a result got really heavily into drugs that obviously didn't end well. But it was such a great layered character; there was so much meat on the bone." Check out everything we've got on "Puncture." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari Get 'Dangerous' For '30 Minutes Or Less' Posted: 26 Apr 2011 02:38 AM PDT 'I never drive ever, so I've been given the opportunity and a cool car,' Eisenberg tells MTV News of his daredevil driving.
Jesse Eisenberg is a crazy driver. That's practically all anybody could talk about on the Grand Rapids, Michigan, set of "30 Minutes or Less" last summer. Danny McBride expressed utter surprise that the soon-to-be Oscar nominee was such a daredevil behind the wheel. Director Ruben Fleischer ("Zombieland") was less enthused, concerned as he was that the star of his action comedy might not survive the shoot in one piece. And Eisenberg himself? The guy couldn't have been more pumped to play, at least for a few scenes, something resembling an action hero. "I live in New York City and ride a bicycle, so I never drive ever, so I've been given the opportunity and a cool car," he told MTV News. "Every time I drive, I get yelled at by the crew, but the stunt drivers always wink at me and say, 'Nah, that was good, man. Keep doing it.' I've been subtly and subversively encouraged to be very dangerous in the car."
On the day of our visit to the set, Eisenberg and his cohorts weren't zooming around in cars, but had settled into a junkyard. The action, though, was no safer. For a full peek into what went down in there, you'll have to wait until next week, when we roll out our full set visit. But as we push forward with this week's Summer Movie Preview, we pulled out a snippet of our chat with Eisenberg and Ansari, plus an exclusive photo of the two guys doing some rather unconventional grocery shopping. "30 Minutes" follows Eisenberg as a pizza delivery boy who is kidnapped by two hilariously incompetent criminals (McBride and Nick Swardson) and made to rob a bank. With a makeshift bomb strapped to his chest and time ticking away, Eisenberg enlists Ansari to help him accomplish the task. Their adventure, as the red-band trailer makes clear, lands them in some high-speed car chases. And, according to Ansari, the two actors liked the action so much, they're hoping to do more of it in the future. "I don't know if it's premature to say that he's going to star in the reboot of the 'Fast and the Furious' franchise," he cracked. "Yes, it is premature. We're in negotiations," Eisenberg responded. Said Ansari, "Let's just go ahead and tell him. He's taking over the Paul Walker character, I'm taking over the Vin Diesel character. It's a reimagining, a reboot, whatever you want to call it. We're bringing the franchise back. It's gonna be in 3-D and all the movie seats are going to be changed into tiny cars and you can drive along with us." It's Summer Movie Preview Week, and MTV News will be bringing you exclusive interviews, clips and photos for the most anticipated films of the coming months. Get ready to gorge on inside looks at "Captain America," "The Hangover Part II," "X-Men: First Class," "Cowboys & Aliens" and more. Check out everything we've got on "30 Minutes or Less." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
| Killer Mike Says T.I.'s Support 'Almost Brought A Tear To My Eye' Posted: 26 Apr 2011 02:04 AM PDT 'Instead of spending that night before he went to jail with his family, he spent it shooting a video with me,' Mike tells MTV News about Grand Hustle boss.
T.I. may be locked up, but the Grand Hustle CEO is still providing inspiration for his artists from behind bars. While gearing up to release his new album PL3DGE on Grind Time/ Grand Hustle/ SMC in May, ATL rapper Killer Mike paid a visit to MTV News and spoke about T.I.'s involvement on his new project. "He was involved as I needed him to be. If I needed him a lot, he was there a lot," he said. "If I needed him a little, he was there a little."
Before turning himself in to authorities to begin serving his latest 11-month sentence for a probation violation, T.I. spent his last few hours of freedom helping Mike film the music video for PL3DGE's first single, "Ready Set Go." "I needed him to shoot the video before he went to jail, and instead of spending that night before he went to jail with his family, he spent it shooting a video with me," Mike said with admiration. "So, if that's any expression to how dedicated he is on helping see the artists on Grand Hustle — or associated with Grand Hustle — win, then that's it." In fact, Mike has been so overwhelmed by Tip's support of PLE3DGE that he was nearly moved to tears. After sending T.I. an email asking about his well-being, Mike was taken aback by Tip's response. "It almost brought a tear to my eye, because when Tip hit back, the only thing he could say was that he was sorry that he's not out to help promote [the album] and push it and [that] he loves the fact that I'm finally gettin' the look I deserve and how's [Grand Hustle artist Young] Dro," Mike shared. "It's just like, you're in prison and you care more about how our tour is doin' and our songs than us feeling bad about you being in prison." Killer went on to defend the Grand Hustle CEO, despite all his legal drama. "I know the public perceives him one way, but you just don't meet human beings who are able to surpass where they are physically in their space and care more about the happenings of other people," Mike said. "And him feeling bad that his incarceration is adversely affecting us, he's an amazing man for that." Related Artists |
| Boys Noize Is 'Really Excited' About Spank Rock's New Music Posted: 26 Apr 2011 02:58 AM PDT 'He's really a true artist,' DJ/producer tells MTV News of rapper.
After a massive showing at Coachella this month, German electro house and techno producer Boys Noize rocked New York's Webster Hall this past weekend before settling into a more private role for the remainder of his week in the city: Alexander Ridha is producing MC Spank Rock's next album. For the unaware, Boys Noize is a staple of the global dance-music touring circuit, a sophisticated, analog-happy producer who founded Boysnoize Records back in 2005. Lately, his thumping brand of sledgehammer productions have garnered him industry accolades, winning dance/electronica Independent Music Awards. And even Beatport.com has named him Best Electronic Artist three years in a row.
Ridha's project with Spank Rock isn't Boys Noize's first foray into album production. In fact, last year he co-wrote and produced Chilly Gonzales' album Ivory Tower. After a remix of Daft Punk's operatic "End of the Line" on the recently released Tron: Legacy R3CONF1GUR3D album, Ridha is pumped for his upcoming project with Spank Rock. "We are both really excited about the songs," Ridha told MTV News. "It's all over the place, musically. We're doing some extra recordings with some live bands. And then there's this other song we did with Santigold, so she's gonna come in." "There's definitely going to be those club bangers Spank Rock is known for, like the Baltimore influence. There's two or three of them. But really, I think in the last two or three years, he's really discovered his voice more. And we've actually done some, like, '60s-influenced, almost 'count rock.' We have this other song where he sounds just like Prince. "It's so exciting to work with him," Ridha continued. "He's the bomb. He's really a true artist and the best rapper, live, as well. Like once you see him live, he'll blow you away." Boys Noize and Spank Rock are about 95 percent done with the project and plan to drop their first single in a month. As for future plans with Santigold, Ridha told MTV News he had an extra day booked with the singer and that they may come up with material for her album as well. Additionally, Boys Noize has plans to collaborate with Scissor Sisters as well, following up his remix of "Invisible Light" and the recently released Scissor Sisters vs. Boys Noize mixtape. Related Artists |
| My Chemical Romance Call 'SING It For Japan' Response 'Overwhelming' Posted: 26 Apr 2011 01:02 AM PDT Charity version of 'Sing' features contributions from fans all across the globe.
When My Chemical Romance first learned of the devastating natural disasters that struck Japan in March, they didn't wonder, "Should we help?" Instead, their first thought was "How can we help?" "Japan has always held a special place in our hearts, really from the first time we had a show there. ... We just had such an amazing response there, and we're just such fans of the culture," MCR guitarist Ray Toro explained. "And then all of the fans we met out there, they're just so polite and there's just a really great energy over there. And we've been back there many times and have a really strong connection.
"And I think we were in London, we were watching the BBC, seeing these events unfold, and as more and more time went by, the gravity of the situation really struck everybody; it just was getting worse and worse," he continued. "And we talked about something that we could do, and at first we were thinking about writing a new song to raise money for charity. And on Twitter, something we had seen was #SINGitforjapan, and it was kids starting this Twitter feed, writing messages of hope. And that really inspired us, and we just set to work, and after a couple weeks, we were able to pull this thing together." This thing, of course, is "SING It for Japan," a reworking of MCR's "Sing" featuring a full orchestra and a video shot during the band's ongoing tour. And, being that it was MCR's fans that served as the inspiration for the project, their artwork and inspirational messages to the people of Japan were included in the clip. All proceeds from the download of the song — or from the purchase of a "#SING It for Japan" T-Shirt — go to the Red Cross' ongoing recovery efforts in the nation. "It was really exciting; it was a really collaborative thing. Like anybody we [asked] to be part of it wanted to give their time — all the orchestra players, they were looking for a way to help and we got in contact with them and they said, 'Absolutely,' " Toro said. "And then having kids submit video footage and drawings and pictures, it was overwhelming." And while the contributions from their fans definitely touched them, what My Chemical Romance were most inspired by was the fact that their song was chosen to serve as a message of hope — not just for people in Japan, but for young people all over the globe. In a way, it sort of proves that one of the central messages of their Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys album rings true: that music can be a tool for genuine social change. "We started to see stuff really early, with what was going on in Egypt and then Libya, like everybody was always taking this song," frontman Gerard Way said. "And we'd take notice of it, and then Ray saw this great opportunity to say, 'Well, they're doing it for that, and now they're doing it for Japan. Let's make something out of that.' " Related Artists |
| Jim Jones' 'Everybody Jones' Video Fashionista Explains Cameo Posted: 26 Apr 2011 01:54 AM PDT 'Jim said, 'OK, so this is what I hear in my head,' ' style scribe Faran Krentcil tells MTV News of her 'Clueless'-riffing skit.
So how does a downtown fashion writer who worships guitar heroes like the Kills' Alison Mosshart link up with an uptown MC known for bottle-popping street music? Jim Jones and producer Aaron LaCrate were still working on "Everybody Jones," when the Harlem rapper decided the song needed a girl who sounded exactly like the 90210-ers in the classic flick "Clueless." LaCrate knew just the girl.
"Aaron said, 'Oh, well, I know that girl. I know exactly who you should talk to,' " Nylon magazine's digital director, Faran Krentcil, recalled with a laugh last week about MTV Jams' current Jam of the Week. "[Aaron] just texted me one day and said, 'I'm doing work for a client, can you help me out? Can you come to the studio for an hour?' Krentcil was eager to help out her good friend and East Village Radio show partner. "I said, 'Sure, why not? Sounds like fun.' " The style scribe was quickly initiated into the peculiar studio habits of rappers. Krentcil and crew hung out "for hours," even stepping out at one point to make a pizza run. As the clock ticked, the writer assumed the recording would be rescheduled. "Then at like 2, maybe 3 in the morning, Jim starts texting, like, 'Where are you guys?! We're ready to record. Let's go!' " Krentcil dropped her lines for the Capo single sans script, just a few notes — Jim thought it'd be cool if she mentioned one of his songs, for example — from the Dipset captain before she strolled into the booth. "Jim said, 'OK, so this is what I hear in my head. I think it should just be this really, really white girl [Laughs]. I want her to be talking to her friends the way girls talk on the phone about [this guy] Jim Jones, and isn't he cool?' So I said, 'Sure, that's what I would be telling my friends if I was on the phone right now anyway.' "So they threw me in and they started playing the track and they said, 'Whenever you're ready, just vibe on top of it,' and so I threw out a bunch of stuff." A sampling of Krentcil's hilariously improvised skit includes bon mots like calling Jim Jones "popsicle-hot." "I couldn't really see anybody," she remembered. "I couldn't see their reactions, so I just kept talking. And then I realized maybe I was doing something really dumb that they didn't like, so I came out of the studio and they go, 'No, no, no: Get back in!' ... When I came out, everyone was laughing, like tears, like laughing so hard they were crying." Next up, the "Everybody Jones" video, directed by Jones and filmed in Krentcil's 'hood, New York's trendy Soho. The concept was simple: a gang of girls on their phones. Faran showed up on set, phone in hand, dressed in the same leopard-print lace frock she rocks in the clip; a makeup artist dabbed some gloss on her pout and sent her off. "They just threw me in front of the camera," she explained. "That was actually the hardest part, because since it was all improvised and it was done very late at night and kind of on a whim, laughing the whole time, I had no idea what I'd said!" In the social-network-inspired vid (even the re-tweet symbol has been repurposed into a background set), magazine maven Krentcil and her online alias pop up onscreen, along with some leggy models and upstart femcee Nyemiah Supreme, vying for Jim's attention. But Jones didn't tell her the visual would include her real Twitter screen name. She found out what he'd done, well, via tweet. "I've been getting a lot of Twitter messages, which is hysterical," she told us. And though Krentcil's video debut has friends she hasn't heard from since high school hitting her up, she said she hadn't spoken to "busy" Jim since the clip dropped. But she's relishing her newfound rap cred, "one of those only-in-New York moments. It was a blast." What do you think of Jim's "Everybody Jones" video? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Ja Rule Previews Tracks From <i>Pain Is Love</i> Sequel Posted: 26 Apr 2011 01:15 AM PDT Ex-Inc. MC will discuss his two new albums when he visits 'RapFix Live' on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Ja Rule wants to make sure that although he may be out of sight come June, he won't be out of mind. The Queens rapper is set to begin a two-year prison sentence for gun possession but the former Murder Inc. artist and this Wednesday's "RapFix Live" guest plans on dropping two albums — P.ain I.s L.ove 2 and The Renaissance Project — that he hopes will keep his music on the airwaves until he finishes his bid.
Ja recently invited MTV News to preview a handful of tracks from P.ain I.s L.ove 2, a sequel to the triple-platinum Pain Is Love. An upbeat Ja Rule and his longtime producer/collaborator 7 Aurelius excitedly played the tracks for us at Sean "Diddy" Combs' Daddy's House Studios. Lucky fans got a little taste of what he's been up to when opening act Lloyd brought out Ja Rule at the New York City stop of Diddy's Coming Home Tour last Friday. While Ja performed a medley of his past hits (along with Ashanti), he also performed the Queen-sampling "Real Life Fantasy" from P.ain I.s L.ove 2, one of the tracks RapFix got to preview in full. Another standout track Rule played for us was "To the Top," which features Diddy-Dirty Money's Kalenna Harper on vocals. The song features solid drums and sounds huge, a reflection of Ja's desire to create stadium-worthy records. Another joint, called "Wake Me," has a mean wah-wah guitar over swelling percussion as Ja takes his critics and naysayers to task. A more lighthearted record is "College Girl," which features a pots-and-pans-like groove over thunderous drums as Ja goes on a lyrical campus crawl. Ja held off on revealing any of the P.ain I.s L.ove 2 features (he plans to keep them minimal, if any), but he did speak on his plans for The Renaissance Project. Fans will purchase what Ja called a "living album" in the form of an app that comes with an initial set of songs; after a designated period more songs will be added to it. If all goes according to the rapper's plan, purchasers of the app will continue to receive music, photos, video, etc. — even while he's serving his bid. "An application album is right where we need to be," Ja told us. "You can never get that [just] buying an album, you get all this content." The two albums are set to drop on June 7, a day before the "Always on Time" rapper is scheduled to start his prison term. According to Ja Rule, the albums will be released on his Empire imprint via Universal Motown Records. Tune in Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET to watch Ja Rule on "RapFix Live." Related Artists |
| Odd Future Record Deal Is Complete, Manager Confirms Posted: 26 Apr 2011 12:04 AM PDT 'We kinda joke that they signed to themselves, but it's actually the truth,' Chris Clancy tells MTV News.
The ink is dry. Earlier on Tuesday (April 26), it was reported that Odd Future were close to finalizing a deal with RED Distribution/Sony, and in an interview with MTV News the group's manager, Chris Clancy, has confirmed that the deal is officially done.
The newly created label's name? Odd Future Records — that is, unless Tyler and his bandmates haven't already changed their minds. "They have creative control, they can call it F--- Off Records by noon," Clancy said with a laugh. "We kinda joke that they signed to themselves, but it's actually the truth," Clancy added. "The way it's working is Odd Future Records is an entity that will live on RED Distribution, which will be run and operated by Odd Future. That means in regards to releases, art, music, schedule, we're not bound to quarters and that type of stuff." Under RED, Odd Future will operate as an independent even though they technically fall under Sony's major umbrella. When asked about the internal structure of the label, Clancy described it as a democracy of sorts. "When it comes down to building this label within itself, it's going to be all of us sitting down and doing it and building a schedule. Full creative control, it's not just the creative control, it's the business control. It's both." OFWGKTA member Earl Sweatshirt, who's spending time in a Samoan military school, according to Complex magazine, will most likely be part of the deal even if he wasn't physically present to sign the paperwork. "The best thing that I can say from my perspective is that Earl is family to them and anything that is Odd Future-related, obviously, in any way shape or form that can include Earl will include Earl," Clancy said. Frank Ocean, Odd Future's alternative/R&B singer, however, is a different story. "Frank is on Def Jam," Clancy confirmed. "Frank is absolutely a part of Odd Future. Def Jam has been great about understanding that and we'll be working together." Fans can expect OF frontman Tyler, the Creator's Goblin album to come out in May on XL Recordings as expected. "Regardless of this label situation, there is nothing more important right now than the Goblin album," the manager assured MTV News. "XL has allowed us to be as independent as any label can allow us to be." As for the first official release from Odd Future Records, the Wolf Gang's manager said we'll have to wait and see. "We'll know soon, that's a group decision and this is all kinda brand new," he said. "The next step will be to kinda figure that out and start laying the groundwork for a release schedule." Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'The Voice' Stars Say Show Is 'Serious' But 'Fun' Posted: 26 Apr 2011 12:55 AM PDT 'I think the commonality between all four of our coaches is their passion for music,' show host Carson Daly says.
For die-hard fans of reality TV singing contests who just can't get enough, NBC has a treat for you in the form of "The Voice." Hosted by Carson Daly and featuring superstar mentors Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, the show hopes to discover yet another future pop star. MTV caught up with the new reality TV cast recently to get some scoop on the music veterans working on the show.
"I'm really excited about 'The Voice,' " Daly said. "I think the commonality between all four of our coaches is their passion for music, and they're all excellent voices, they're all very business savvy." Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine guaranteed that while they are taking the job seriously, there's plenty of lightheartedness too. "This show is just fun, and throughout the whole thing, we're interacting with each other," he said. "And yeah, it's serious, it's a competition, [and] we want these guys to succeed." "We've been a little apprehensive about allowing ourselves to be considered or called judges," Green admitted. "At the end of the day, we're doing a bit more mentoring and a little more coaching more than we're judging." Green has also said that part of the draw of "The Voice" is its unconventional concept. "At first, I thought it was a very cool and original concept," Green said, speaking of the format in which coaches sit with their backs to contestants to focus on their vocals instead of their looks as they decide whether to mentor them through later rounds. "We're all coming from such different worlds that there's a coexistence," he added. "[But] there's a bit of friendly competition because we're all playing to win." After getting advice from the professional singers during battle phases — where they can also call in choreographers, stylists and producers to help their charges — the wannabe stars will go on to live performance shows where the TV audience will vote on who advances and wins the $100,000 prize and recording contract. "The Voice" premieres Tuesday (April 26) at 9 p.m. ET. Related Artists |
| Chiddy Bang To Drop New Mixtape During O Music Awards Posted: 25 Apr 2011 10:08 PM PDT N.O.R.E. is also releasing new music this week, in Mixtape Daily.
Philadelphia-based rap group Chiddy Bang are geared up and ready to go for MTV's first annual O Music Awards on Thursday. Not only will the group's MC Chidera "Chiddy" Anamege attempt to break the Guinness World Records title for "Longest Freestyle Rap" during the online broadcast, but he and his bandmate Xaphoon Jones will also be releasing their new mixtape, Peanut Butter and Swelly, online for free at the same time.
"What I'm excited to do at the [O Music Awards] besides performing is that we're gonna use it as a platform to launch some new music," Chiddy told MTV News. "We haven't released music collectively, for a collective project, in a very long time. And so we just thought, what is the highest level that we can sort of reach for and have that coincide with releasing new music? Well, the highest level is trying to break a world record. Why not bring out a new mixtape when we break the world record?" In order to break the record, Chiddy will have to rap continuously for more than nine hours to break the record currently held by Indianapolis rapper M-Eighty. Chiddy Bang aren't the only ones dropping heat this week. Queens rapper N.O.R.E. released his N.O.R.E.aster EP on Sunday. The project features production from the Neptunes, Cool and Dre and Scram Jones and is anchored by the lead single "N.O.R.E. Shot Somebody." Noreaga's tape also features audio snippets from last week's interview on New York's Power 105.1, during which the Queens rapper expressed his displeasure with Prodigy and his book, "My Infamous Life: The Autobiography of Mobb Deep's Prodigy." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos Related Artists |
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