MTV News |
- Randy Jackson Marvels At 'Diversity Of The Talent' On 'American Idol'
- Johnny Depp And Penelope Cruz Have 'Great Chemistry,' Says 'Pirates' Producer
- Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart Fight For 'American Idol' Finale
- Eminem, Royce Da 5'9" Explain Dr. Dre's EP Absence
- Beyonce's 'Run The World (Girls)' Video Premieres
- Scotty McCreery's Pals Thought 'American Idol' Was 'A Far-Fetched Idea'
- Eminem And Royce Da 5'9" Say Bad Meets Evil EP 'Didn't Feel Like Work'
- Lauren Alaina Was A 12-Year-Old Karaoke Diva Before 'American Idol'
- Nas Explains Why He Doesn't Veer From His 'Timeless' Flow
- Haley Reinhart: From High School Jazz Band To 'American Idol'
- 'Hunger Games' Star Jennifer Lawrence's First Photo As Katniss Revealed
- Kellan Lutz Loved Arm Wrestling Kristen Stewart In 'Breaking Dawn'
- 'Love & Hip Hop' Cast Talks About Evolution Of The Show
- Kanye West And Jay-Z's <i>Watch The Throne</i> Is 'Worth The Wait,' Swizz Beatz Says
- Lady Gaga's <i>Born This Way</i> Album Is Everything To Everyone
- 'Glee'-Cap: 'Funeral' Casts A Shadow On Nationals
- B.o.B Calls New Album 'A Real Special Project'
- 'American Idol' Preview: Top Three Must Go Big Or Go Home
- 30 Seconds To Mars 'Thrilled' To Do 'MTV Unplugged'
| Randy Jackson Marvels At 'Diversity Of The Talent' On 'American Idol' Posted: 19 May 2011 03:53 AM PDT 'We had a jazz guy, a metal guy, a church kid, a country girl, country guy, R&B girl, reggae girl — I mean, we had everything!' he says.
Now that "American Idol" is down to the final three contestants — Haley Reinhart, Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery — Randy Jackson is reflecting on season 10 and marveling at how much talent this latest group of finalists has.
When we caught up with the lone original judge left on the show, we asked him about his favorite moments of his 10th season of "Idol." "Of course, saving Casey was a high point," Jackson told MTV News "Idol" expert Jim Cantiello, "but, you know, we finally got to the live shows, and we saw what we did out on the road with the audition rounds. "We were like, 'Oh my God,' " he recalls thinking with fellow judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. "Each of these kids really has something special." As for the single moment Jackson chose as his high point of the season, Jackson said it was seeing the contestants together for the first time during the live shows. "I think seeing the level of the talent, seeing the diversity of the talent, seeing that we had a jazz guy, a metal guy, a church kid, a country girl, country guy, R&B girl, reggae girl — I mean, we had everything, man! I loved that." And now that diverse group is down to three: two girls and one guy. Since McCreery has seemed like the front-runner all season, we asked Jackson what Alaina and Reinhart need to do to come out on top. "This has to be their best performances of their time on 'Idol,' " Jackson said before Wednesday's performance show. "It has to be the best song choices and they have judges' pick this week, so we pick one but, also, they gotta slay it, dude, out of the park," he emphasized with a few of his trademark Randy-isms. "Now it's time to take all the gloves off, yo." 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. |
| Johnny Depp And Penelope Cruz Have 'Great Chemistry,' Says 'Pirates' Producer Posted: 19 May 2011 03:53 AM PDT 'You can't spar with Johnny unless you're brilliant,' Jerry Bruckheimer says.
Over the course of three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, Johnny Depp's swashbuckling hero, Jack Sparrow, has experienced some flirtatious moments with seafaring ladies played by Keira Knightley and Zoe Saldana. But nothing ever came of those encounters, and as Depp himself told us, the latest film in the series, "On Stranger Tides," won't have Jack falling in love because that would leave the pirate "completely catatonic and unable to speak." That's not a very fun way to spend two hours at the cinema, is it? Nonetheless, the new movie has Sparrow experiencing his most amorous encounters yet as he reunites with Penélope Cruz's Angelica, a former flame for whom, Jack embarrassingly confesses in the film, he once had "stirrings."
Cruz actually shot the film while pregnant, but as producer Jerry Bruckheimer explained, that never got in the way of their work. "She worked so hard, you never knew she was pregnant because her energy level was great, her performance was great and there is such great chemistry between Johnny and Penélope," he said. "They actually really do like each other. They worked together 10 years ago [on 'Blow']. You see that chemistry onscreen." Indeed, from the very first time they share a scene, the duo is either sword fighting or flirting or screaming or embracing — each word or movement cut through with the simmering need to, well, jump each other's bones. Not that such a thing ever happens in this Disney-backed affair, but it's certainly fun to watch them squirm. "You need someone like Penélope, who's an Academy Award winner, to go up against Johnny Depp, because if they're not as good as she is, you can see it right away," Bruckheimer said of introducing her character to the franchise. "You can't spar with Johnny unless you're brilliant." Check out everything we've got on "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart Fight For 'American Idol' Finale Posted: 18 May 2011 07:34 AM PDT Judges call it a draw as singers tackle songs picked by Jimmy Iovine and the panel.
This is it. Wednesday night's (May 18) "American Idol" performance show was the last, and best, chance for this year's top three to make their final impression on voters before next week's finale. With two teenagers and a 20-year-old vying for the title, the pressure was on to deliver the best three performances of their lives. Along for the ride to give some support was Beyoncé, who mentored the three as they prepared to sing their personal song choices. Scotty McCreery, 17, was first out the gate with Lonestar's "Amazed," a rumbling ballad that contained a trick at the end to show off former choir tenor Scotty's range.
Effortlessly leaning into the song's simple melody, McCreery once again sounded like a seasoned country vet, pouring emotion into the tune and rising into his rarely used higher range at the end to drive the song home. Steven Tyler said Scotty nailed the melody and liked how it sounded like he got a bit angry in the middle, and Jennifer Lopez appreciated how Scotty took the judges' notes and naturally used his vibrato. Randy Jackson, well, he called it the perfect song choice. It was a country twofer with 16-year-old Lauren Alaina picking "Wild One" by Faith Hill, and though she was starstruck by Beyoncé, the R&B icon put her at ease by suggesting she get into a stage persona when she's singing and not fret about the crowd. The advice seemed to stick, as Lauren came out with a flirty attitude and outfit — including big flower-petal earrings, a flowing silky red top and white cowboy boots — smiling and selling the song with grace. "You come out here and you attack it like that," said Lopez, reminding the high-schooler to hit it hard every time. Randy liked to see Lauren having fun and taking Beyoncé's advice to be fearless. "I could tell that in your heart, you were loving it, and you had such a connection with it," he said. "Remember, that's what it should be about. Have a good time and have fun. When you let yourself go is when you are your best." Beyoncé thought Haley Reinhart's choice of Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be" was an "interesting" pick that showed Haley's guts and conviction. Transforming the rager into a torch song at first, Haley, 20, was joined by her dad on guitar and seduced the audience with her bluesy allure, running a lap around the judges' table and hardly missing a beat when she wiped out on the steps on her way back up to the stage. In all, it was a rocking tour-de--force that showed off her range and professionalism. "This is what it's all about!" Jackson barked, saying she slayed it with a song that's not for the weak at heart, putting up one of her best performances. "Haley, did you fall for me?" Tyler asked. "It's not how many times you fall, it's how many times you get back up. That was superb." Lopez, a veteran of onstage slips, said not to sweat it, referring to her own audio troubles the weekend before at Wango Tango. "You keep going. That's the sign of a professional." After taking a poll, the judges called the first round for Reinhart. The second round featured songs picked by season 10 mentor Jimmy Iovine. For Scotty, he chose "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" by Thompson Square, a tune he said reminded him of some of the classic Tom Petty songs he worked on back in the day. Strumming a guitar, Scotty sang the playful seduction tune with his signature eyebrow-raised expression, likely earning a lot of loud yeses from the ladies when he sang the chorus. Tyler loved how it showed off his character, and Lopez said the performance was full of little moments that showed the audience the singer's personality. "It was really perfect, right in your range," said Jackson, comparing Scotty to low-key country legend Garth Brooks. Iovine had been waiting all season to hear Alaina sing "If I Die Young" by the Band Perry, and even though the lyrics are somewhat sad, he encouraged her to make it uplifting. And that's exactly what she did, rising from a whispery flutter to a powerful crescendo, pausing dramatically mid-song to let the mandolin take a run. "You have the most beautiful tone of our finalists," said Lopez, calling Lauren's voice a "magical thing" and pointing out the honest moment the teen had mid-song and noting that she got caught up in it, but predicting Lauren would learn to push through as she matured. The judges agreed that it was a great song choice and that Alaina recovered like a champ from missing a key change. It was another classic rock tune for Haley, with Iovine choosing "Rihannon" by Fleetwood Mac, reminding Reinhart to build up to a big finish. Enshrouded in fog and wearing a gauzy grey dress blown by a fan, Reinhart started out slow and sultry and gave the song some sex appeal even with a somewhat cheesy arrangement. She did as Jimmy counseled, though, pushing up into her upper range and ending with a pleading howl and a doe-eyed gaze into the camera. Jackson said it was a bit somber, but another solid effort, while Tyler appreciated the contrast with the first song. Lopez, always aware of good lighting, said the camerawork did Haley all kinds of favors, though she was a bit disappointed that there wasn't a bigger "Haley wail" ending to the ethereal performance. Tyler called it for Alaina, while Jackson, Iovine and Lopez called it for McCreery. The judges chose another oldie, Kenny Rogers' "She Believes in Me," for Scotty. Playing it straight and serious in a dark sport coat over a T-shirt and sitting on a stool by a grand piano, McCreery did a fine job on the feathery ballad, which showed his tender side but felt old-fashioned, especially when the Las Vegas showroom string section swelled to accompany him. Tyler called it his biggest chorus of the competition, and Lopez revealed that that is exactly why the judges chose the tune. Lauren's judges' pick was an "Idol" staple, Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance." It was right in Alaina's sweet spot, but between the powder-blue sparkly prom dress and the schmaltzy arrangement, the song didn't add much to the singer's persona. She apparently gave Lopez goose bumps, though, and the diva called the round early for Lauren, with Jackson agreeing that it was the right song, the right look and a great performance. Last up was Reinhart, who got Alanis Morissette's 1995 empowerment anthem "You Oughta Know." Slinking around the stage in skintight black jeans and a blue bustier, Reinhart struggled to hit some of the notes but was solidly in her lane when the arrangement cranked up and was able to do her power growl. It was uneven overall, though, and Reinhart tempted fate by taking another lap around the judges' table. All the judges loved the strong choruses and the rock and soul vibe, even with the rough parts, and Tyler called it simply amazing and beautiful. Tyler called it for Reinhart, with Lopez and Jackson pointing to Alaina as the third-round winner. Thursday night's results show will feature a performance from Italian popera trio Il Volo singing "O Sole Mio" and "X Factor" co-host Nicole Scherzinger and 50 Cent working it "Right There." Who do you think nailed it on Wednesday night? Who blew it? Let us know in comments below! 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 |
| Eminem, Royce Da 5'9" Explain Dr. Dre's EP Absence Posted: 18 May 2011 07:19 AM PDT 'I think Dre is, like, really cracking down on getting Detox finished,' Em tells 'RapFix Live' about Bad Meets Evil project.
With no production credits from the good doctor on the upcoming Bad Meets Evil EP, rap fans have been wondering whether Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" forgot about Dre. Not exactly. During Wednesday's (May 18) "RapFix Live," Slim Shady explained Dre's absence on their upcoming joint project, titled Hell: The Sequel.
"I think Dre is, like, really cracking down on getting Detox finished, so I think he's more so focused on that," Em says of the producer who discovered him. Still, it wasn't like Eminem or Royce reached out to the Doc either. "I really didn't say anything to Dre till kinda like the last minute. We didn't really say anything to anybody about what was going on because we weren't sure what was going to happen with it," Slim explained to Sway. "It wasn't like I said, 'Yo, Dre, can we get a beat for this project that we're workin' on?' Because it wasn't really necessarily a project yet." Hell: The Sequel does feature production work from Mobb Deep's Havoc, Sid Roams, Bangladesh, Denaun Porter, DJ Khalil and Supa Dups, who produced the project's first single, "Fast Lane." Still, there was no real science to selecting the beatmakers who'll appear on the EP, which is dropping June 14. "We didn't reach out to any producers, because we were just cuttin' random," Royce said. "And we didn't actually know that we were workin' on a project." Eminem elaborated on how the duo went about securing music for the record. "It was more so that we were getting beat CDs from the label — from Shady and some of the A&Rs there were sending us beat CDs from various producers — and we would hear beats like, 'That one's crazy.' " What did you think of Em and Royce's appearance on "RapFix Live"? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Beyonce's 'Run The World (Girls)' Video Premieres Posted: 18 May 2011 06:33 AM PDT B's new clip debuted Wednesday night during 'American Idol.'
As if solo singles like "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and "Diva" and Destiny's Child's "Independent Women" didn't alert you, Beyoncé works the female-empowerment angle hard. But in case you missed the message the first (half-dozen) times, she's taking no chances with new single "Run the World (Girls)," which hammers the point home with all the subtlety of a jackhammer. It is, for all intents and purposes, a pneumatically powered anthem for the ladies. And the video for the song, which premiered Wednesday night (May 18) during "American Idol," is no different. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the video transports B to Africa, where she leads a ragtag army of females into battle against the forces of the Y chromosome, who seem none too impressed with her (many) gyrations, or her reappropriations of gender stereotypes, including the owning of hyenas as pets and the whole concept of a warrior chief. But perhaps it's reading too much into things to assign sexual politics to the video's visuals (though it's certainly an interesting practice), since, really, "(Girls)" is a lot like most Beyoncé clips: a big, brash thing, full of elaborate, hip-displacing dance routines, haute-couture costuming, wide-screen cinematography and expensive-looking sets. Fans may be divided about the song itself — it's definitely a departure, borrowing heavily from Major Lazer's rattling "Pon de Floor" and dancehall riddims in general — but they will certainly have no issue with the video. Not if they've followed her entire career, that is. It remains to be seen if the rest of Beyoncé's upcoming 4 album will follow in the footsteps of "Run the World" or if she'll pull things back a bit with each successive single. Regardless, with her new clip, the Queen B returns to claim her throne. She certainly knows how to make a big-time video and how to drive her message home — subtlety be damned. What did you think of B's latest video? Share your reviews in the comments! |
| Scotty McCreery's Pals Thought 'American Idol' Was 'A Far-Fetched Idea' Posted: 18 May 2011 04:06 AM PDT 'Scotty is a genuinely nice kid, a good Southern boy,' one classmate tells MTV News.
There are so many unusual things about "American Idol" finalist Scotty McCreery: his signature microphone technique, his preternatural ease onstage and, oh yeah, the fact that's he's both a kick-ass baseball pitcher for his high school team, the Garner Trojans, and one of the key members of Garner Magnet High School's vocal ensemble, Die Meistersingers. Alec Hulmes, 17, has known McCreery since preschool, and they've lived in the same neighborhood and played baseball together their whole lives. On the eve of Scotty's top-three performance, he told MTV News that ever since they were in elementary school, he remembers McCreery singing Elvis tunes on the bus while doing that "little eye thing." And while they were amused, Hulmes said they often complain, "Dude, Scotty, shut up for one second! Just shut up! Stop singing!"
But since McCreery's epic run on "Idol," things have changed. "Now every time he sings, it's like, 'Go ahead, Scotty, keep going, keep going!' " Hulmes laughed. The school's "blue crew" started out as a student cheering section for football and basketball games, but over the past few months, it has transformed into an all-Scotty cheering section. The town of 27,000 just outside Raleigh, North Carolina, has also gotten fully behind their favorite son, with billboards, signs, banners and viewing parties. Garner Magnet High School student Jay Booth, 17, who has known Scotty since freshman year, said that these days, you can't walk 15 feet in town or at their school without seeing some McCreery-boosting paraphernalia. There's a packed-to-the-rafters viewing party in the school gym every Thursday night and announcements throughout the week reminding students to vote for Scotty. Check out Haley Reinhart and Lauren Alaina's hometown visits! "I think Scotty is a genuinely nice kid, a good Southern boy," Booth said. "He always cares about everyone else and is respectful to others." Before he was picked for the show, Scotty had talked to his pals about maybe doing "Idol" one day. "We didn't think anything of it, because it seemed like such a farfetched idea," Booth admitted. Once McCreery did try out and made the show, his teammates saw the huge reaction and realized that it could turn into a very big deal. Yes, there's the fame and the TV love and the potential recording contract. But preschool friend Kyle Tobin, 18, said there's another fringe benefit that would warm the heart of any 17-year-old boy. "He used to joke about not being able to pull women," Tobin said. "But [when he came home last weekend], all you could hear was women's voices." He might seem like a quiet, unassuming Southern boy on the show, but Booth said during football and basketball games, Scotty was always the loudest fan, yelling his support for the home team and ripping off his shirt even in cold weather. "He's normally a pretty quiet kid if you don't know him very well," Booth said. "So whenever you see him at a football game screaming at the other team, it's pretty funny." Considering that he's already heard some original compositions that were "far beyond" Scotty's 17 years, Booth predicted that if his buddy wins (actually, when he wins), McCreery will make a true roots country record that would stick to the style he's fostered on "Idol." 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 |
| Eminem And Royce Da 5'9" Say Bad Meets Evil EP 'Didn't Feel Like Work' Posted: 18 May 2011 07:19 AM PDT 'We didn't miss a step at all,' Royce says on 'RapFix Live' of reuniting with Em.
With Detroit rappers Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" back on friendly terms, fans are being rewarded with their forthcoming EP Hell: The Sequel, due in stores June 14. Recording under the moniker Bad Meets Evil, the celebrated lyricists told MTV News' "RapFix Live" that the fluid back-and-forth on the project's lead single, "Fast Lane," was due to their latent chemistry. "Me and Royce, ever since back in the day when we did records together, we always had kind of a chemistry," Eminem told MTV News. "It was fairly easy to play off what each other was doing, and I think we can [think] a lot alike."
As the "Evil" in the Bad Meets Evil equation, Em added that the project was the result of mending the rift he had with Royce, which dates back to when the latter stopped working with Dr. Dre and was feuding with D12. "This record, the way it came together, it wasn't anything that we planned to do," Em said. "We didn't get together and say, 'Hey, man, let's make a Bad Meets Evil record.' It was more so along the lines of us making amends and repairing our issues that we had, and then one day, Bad [Royce] brought a song to me and wanted me to jump on it, and the way it ended up coming out, it was pretty easy to do. It didn't take a lot of time. It was fun to do it. The way we knocked that record out kind of quickly ... it just morphed into this." Added Nickel Nine: "It didn't feel like work. We just had fun doing it." Some of the previous fruits of Royce and Em's good times in the studio, such as "Bad Meets Evil" from Em's The Slim Shady LP, occurred more than a decade ago. But fans need not worry about whether the Motor City tag team will be on the same page musically for the rest of Hell: The Sequel, which features production from DJ Khalil, Bangladesh and Denaun Porter. "It was pretty nostalgic, actually," Royce said of the recording process. "It took me back to when we used to do stuff back in the day. We clicked like that. I wasn't really surprised. We didn't miss a step at all." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Lauren Alaina Was A 12-Year-Old Karaoke Diva Before 'American Idol' Posted: 18 May 2011 04:35 AM PDT Youngest finalist in show's history also turned heads while singing at her Rossville, Georgia, pizza-shop job.
Sometimes you hear too-cute-for-words stories about now-famous singers that you find hard to believe. Like the time they got up in front of the family at Christmas and sang a pitch-perfect "Silent Night" while still in diapers. Or how they used to sing to patrons when delivering food to their tables at the town pizza joint, or grabbed a microphone at karaoke night at a local bar when they were just 12 and turned it into a regular weekly gig that drew packed houses.
Actually, those last two tales are true, and they're the origin story of Rossville, Georgia, (population 3,500) native Lauren Alaina. The 16-year-old "American Idol" top three contestant and former high school cheerleader got a gig at CiCi's Pizza last year, and manager Mike Wild said he knew right away that she was not your run-of-the-mill teenage slice-slinger. "The first time I ever met her face to face, she asked if she could sing to me, and when she did it, she was looking into my eyes and ... it would just bring you to tears," Wild said. "She'd be stocking the salad bar and singing, and people's heads would just turn." Though he said Lauren didn't know it at the time, Wild had a feeling when his newest employee told him she was going out to audition for "Idol" last summer, so as a joke he asked her to take a picture with him in the CiCi's kitchen for posterity. Check out Scotty McCreery and Haley Reinhart's hometown visits! With her high school just a half mile down the road and a few of her friends already working there, Lauren figured she'd earn a bit of extra cash by getting a job at CiCi's. She worked there for about six months last year as a greeter and cashier, using her easy charm and sunny personality to talk up customers. Wild said the perky, positive Lauren you see on the show is exactly the girl he knows: one who comes from a good, down-to-earth family of "regular folks." "You can tell when someone is genuine and has a God-given talent, and that's what she has," he said about his most-famous employee, who has not yet officially quit her job at the restaurant. Now that she's Rossville's biggest star, some of the regular customers who used to wonder why this precociously talented teen was singing to them as she dropped off their pizzas have been thanking Wild for the unexpected serenades from the city's favorite daughter: "They're like, 'Thanks for doing that. It's so neat!' " Another place Lauren made a huge impression was at the local bar and grill, Magoo's, where she had a standing karaoke gig every Wednesday for three years. Owner Jennifer Lawhorn — who is related to Lauren's mother by marriage — said the "Idol" finalist first came into the bar when she was only 12 years old, just a few months after Lawhorn bought the joint. "She came in and sang karaoke, and she was just amazing for being just 11, 12 years old, so I asked her family if she could come in and do a two-hour show," Lawhorn recalled. When they agreed, the then-13-year-old singer started what would be a three-year engagement of two-hour Wednesday-night gigs, which were packed from day one. Playing to a crowd of more than 130 customers, Lauren is the only local karaoke star who has ever had a regular weekly gig at Magoo's, making Wednesday night the second busiest of the week. "What always struck home for me was the first time she sang 'Famous in a Small Town' by Miranda Lambert," Lawhorn said. "And as I ran her sound, I was thinking, 'This kid's gonna be famous in a small town! You don't realize how talented you are!' The audience just loved her, and she would sing and mingle with them, go table to table and talk to them in between songs." Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday on MTV.com, following the "American Idol" results show, 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 |
| Nas Explains Why He Doesn't Veer From His 'Timeless' Flow Posted: 18 May 2011 05:07 AM PDT 'I hear it in a lot of people and it reminds me how timeless it is,' the Queensbridge MC tells MTV News.
Nas has been in the studio working with Def Jam labelmate Frank Ocean but fans should be relieved to learn he's also working on his own new album as well. While there aren't many details yet about his forthcoming 10th solo album, in an exclusive sit-down last week, MTV News' Sway got the Queensbridge MC to open up about why he prefers not to stray too far from his lyrical comfort zone.
"I like to stay doing me," Nas said. "I think the style is timeless. I hear it in a lot of people and it reminds me how timeless it is, the kind of style I do. And once I hit it, and it's right, it's golden. If I'm a little off with it? Ahh, I can't even listen to the song ever again. I'm just trying to perfect it so that it's right and it doesn't sound like I'm just doing something I [already] did. It feels fresh; like this is the first time I'm ever doing it." Critics have heaped critical praise on Nas ever since his Illmatic debut was deemed a classic back in 1994. But the "Hate Me Now" MC has still been endured his fair share of criticism over the years. And he may be his own worst critic. "My last record, I can pick a song or two, or three that I could have did without," Nas said, referring to 2008's Untitled. "And there's songs that I left off the album that I should have put on [it]. We all go through that. So with this record I want to be able to put it on and listen to the whole thing." What do you hope Nas' next album will sound like? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Haley Reinhart: From High School Jazz Band To 'American Idol' Posted: 18 May 2011 05:07 AM PDT 'She has that nice, smooth sound to her voice and that raspiness that she can also use when she wants to,' classmate recalls to MTV News.
Lots of kids join the drama club or play in their high school jazz band. Some are OK, some pretty impressive and a few are just flat-out great. Most of them go on to study econ or art history in college and every once in a while they get up and surprise their college buddies with some shockingly good karaoke at a campus bar. Haley Reinhart is not one of those kids. The 20-year-old Wheeling, Illinois, native has become the unexpected dark-horse contestant on season 10 of "American Idol," crawling back from four bottom-three appearances to a spot in the top three and a real shot at the title.
The scrappy blues-mama singer got her start at Wheeling High School, where she broke out in the school's jazz band after years of dabbling in choir and musical theater. Reinhart, who has been singing with her parents in their cover band, Midnight, for years, really impressed the members of the jazz band when she came in to try out three years ago. "When she came in and we heard her sing, we were just blown away by her talent," said Wheeling senior Nathan Lichtenberger, 18, the drummer in the ensemble. Though the band had the occasional guest singer, when Reinhart tried out, they knew they'd found something special. Haley had been a staple of the school's variety show and choir and was well-known for her singing abilities, but Lichtenberger said it was her maturity that really left a mark on him. Check out Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina's hometown visits! "When she sings jazz, it really shows off her abilities," he said. "She has that nice, smooth sound to her voice and that raspiness that she can also use when she wants to." Lichtenberger said the Haley he's been watching on the show is the same cool, approachable person he remembers from school, and though it sometimes seems harsh, he suspects the criticism she's faced from the judges will probably help her in her career in the long run. Another Wheeling senior who was in jazz band with Haley, sax player JT Teichert, used to perform in variety shows with the singer and said even though she was a renaissance woman who dabbled in acting and poetry, it was her singing that always turned heads. "When she was singing with soul, you could tell she was really connecting with the music," he said. "You could tell that she was committing and devoting herself to the piece in a way not all singers do." He wasn't surprised when Reinhart tried out for "Idol" a second time and made it, because he always suspected she was capable of being a professional singer. "It was just a matter of time before she proved it to the nation," said Teichert, 17, who added that the Haley you see on TV isn't necessarily the girl he remembers. "She's a total sweetheart. She might look like a diva, but she's not an attention hog. She's just talented and nice and she really jokes around a lot." As an example, he said that when he was a nervous freshman first meeting other students at variety-show auditions and practices, Haley was the first person to walk up to him and talk to him. "I sure hope she can win. I think she's definitely got it, and she's a talented singer. Haley can sing a wider variety of music [than Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina], and when I'm watching her, I feel more connected, like she's telling a story." 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 |
| 'Hunger Games' Star Jennifer Lawrence's First Photo As Katniss Revealed Posted: 18 May 2011 12:42 AM PDT Actress tells Entertainment Weekly she would 'regret it every day' if she had turned down high-profile role.
The excitement surrounding the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' beloved best-seller "The Hunger Games" has hit a new high with the release of the first official photo of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen on the cover of this week's Entertainment Weekly. In the photo, Lawrence is shown staring directly at the camera, with her long, now-dark hair in a braid, bow and arrow in hand, quiver over her shoulder, and mockingjay pin secured on her jacket. It also appears that Lawrence-as-Katniss is standing in the middle of a bright green forest. The photo is accompanied by an interview with Lawrence, who described her first encounter with "Hunger Games" director Gary Ross during the height of Oscar season. "He was asking me what the experience was like," she recalled, "and I just kind of opened up and said, 'I feel like a rag doll. I have hair and makeup people coming to my house every day and putting me in new, uncomfortable, weird dresses and expensive shoes, and I just shut down and raise my arms up for them to get the dress on, and pout my lips when they need to put the lipstick on.' And we both started laughing because that's exactly what it's like for Katniss in the Capitol. She was a girl who's all of a sudden being introduced to fame. I know what that feels like to have all this flurry around you and feel like, 'Oh, no, I don't belong here.' " The 20-year-old Oscar nominee went on to say that when she was offered the role, she had mixed emotions about taking on such a high-profile character, but in the end, her passion for the project pushed her forward. "I love this story," she said, "and if I had said no, I would regret it every day." Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Photos |
| Kellan Lutz Loved Arm Wrestling Kristen Stewart In 'Breaking Dawn' Posted: 18 May 2011 02:08 AM PDT 'Twilight' star, at 'Love, Wedding, Marriage' premiere, reveals favorite scene to MTV News.
Ask a "Twilight" fan which "Breaking Dawn" scene is their favorite or which they're most looking forward to seeing on the big screen, and you'll likely get a hundred different answers. But, ask a "Twilight" castmember the same question, and you might get similarly themed responses from all of them. At least, that's been the case when MTV News has approached the "Twilight" crew about the film: They all love the Kristen Stewart-as-a-vampire scenes.
Our latest example comes courtesy of Kellan Lutz, who, when we caught up with him at the premiere of his new romantic comedy, "Love, Wedding, Marriage," offered this commentary about his favorite "Breaking Dawn" scene to shoot: "I would have to say the arm-wrestling scene with Bella," he said, speaking about when newly turned and newly super-strong vamp Bella (Stewart) battles beefy Emmett Cullen (Lutz). "It turned out really well. I think the fans are really going to enjoy it." Lutz isn't the only one who enjoyed Stewart as a vampire: Both Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson have admitted they loved seeing Stewart get feisty. "We did a scene in the backyard of the Cullen house where Bella (Stewart) gets mad at me," Lautner revealed. "She just learned that I imprinted on her daughter, and she is literally throwing me around the backyard. So it was pretty fun to see Kristen try and act all tough. She's a vampire; she's chucking me across the yard into trees and stuff. It was funny." Pattinson told us back in January: "It's like she wanted to do it the entire time. It's really funny: It's like a completely different environment onset when she's a vampire and when she's not." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
| 'Love & Hip Hop' Cast Talks About Evolution Of The Show Posted: 18 May 2011 03:55 AM PDT 'In the beginning, it was a pilot about Jimmy, me and Jimmy,' Chrissy Lampkin tells Mixtape Daily.
Celebrity Favorites: Olivia, Chrissy, Emily B. of "Love & Hip Hop" The first season of Vh1's successful new reality series "Love & Hip Hop" officially wrapped with much fanfare thanks to the reunion special that aired on Monday. Still, what ended up being a series that followed castmembers Chrissy Lampkin (Jim Jones' fiancée), Emily Bustamente (mother of Fabolous' son), ex-G-Unit artist Olivia Longott and model-turned-rapper Somaya Reece wasn't initially intended to be a show.
The original concept was based around Chrissy and Jim Jones and was titled "Jim and the Family Jones." 'They kinda changed the show; it was supposed to be 'Jim and the Family Jones' and then it turned into four women with our careers and figuring out where we are going in our lives," Olivia told MTV News during a sit-down before the show premiered in March. "In the beginning, it was a pilot about Jimmy, me and Jimmy," Chrissy said. "And he wasn't really comfortable with that and we took another meeting and [show producers] Jim Ackerman and Mona [Scott-Young], sat down and said, 'How about we bring some more females to the cast and make it more interesting?" Chrissy was onboard for the change. "If I don't have to work with Jimmy every day, I'm with it," she said jokingly. Emily, who has a son with Fab, felt immediately connected to Chrissy based off of her relationship experience. "I related it her," Bustamente said of why she joined the cast. "I trusted it and I trusted Mona and I think it was a learning experience for me. It was a great opportunity." Vh1 confirmed earlier this week that "Love & Hip-Hop" has been renewed for a second season. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Artists |
| Kanye West And Jay-Z's <i>Watch The Throne</i> Is 'Worth The Wait,' Swizz Beatz Says Posted: 18 May 2011 12:06 AM PDT 'It's really shaping up into a masterpiece,' producer tells MTV News.
The standards for Jay-Z and Kanye West's collaborative Watch the Throne album are pretty high, but for producer Swizz Beatz, the unfinished project has already impressed him.
"Man. All I gotta say is man. Ooh-wee," Swizz squealed with excitement. The "On to the Next One" producer confirmed that he has already contributed tracks to Watch the Throne and that he may land more before the project is done. "I'm getting up there. Give me another week," he teased. It was August 2010 when Kanye first announced the album on Twitter, and though Watch the Throne still doesn't have a set release date, Swizzy believes that it will satisfy fans' hunger. "That album is also worth the wait as well," he said of Watch the Throne while referencing Dr. Dre's long-awaited Detox, another album Swizz has heard in advance. "In this last month or so, it's really shaping up into a masterpiece," he said of the Jay/'Ye collabo. "There's songs on there that's making you go crazy." Swizz didn't want to give too much away, however, out of respect for West's and Hov's artistry. "That album is amazing, but I have to let those guys talk about that, because that's their expression. All I can tell you is it passed the bar." What are you expecting from the joint album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga's <i>Born This Way</i> Album Is Everything To Everyone Posted: 17 May 2011 10:13 PM PDT Singer's hotly anticipated album streamed (and leaked) online Wednesday.
On the cover of the current issue of V magazine, Lady Gaga can be seen sporting three heads, a symbolic gesture to the many facets of her personality. But after listening to her brand-new Born This Way album, you'll quickly realize that the V cover is a bit of an understatement: three heads are clearly not enough. On Born This Way, (which premiered in full on the website of U.K.'s Metro newspaper early Wednesday morning, for U.K. users only, and also leaked online), Gaga proves that she is one of the most multifaceted pop stars on the planet. She takes on roughly 750 different personas on the album — throughout the course of 14 songs, she professes to be "a warrior queen," "a soldier," "a winner" (and, later on, "a loser"), "a selfish punk," "a bad kid" and "a degenerate young rebel" (and proud of it), to name just a few. She is also a messiah, an idol, a down-and-dirty homegirl, a lonely girlfriend, a mother, a martyr, a prostitute and a mother superior. Shoot, she even speaks German and Spanish. Perhaps she sums it up best on the sumptuously dirty "Government Hooker," when she proclaims, quite matter-of-factly, "I could be anything. I could be everything." That quote is a pretty apt way to sum up Born This Way's entire mission statement: It tries very hard to be everything to everyone. From the piston-pumping electronics of "Marry the Night" and the tarantula tango of "Americano" to the twitching, "Transformers"-large techno of "Heavy Metal Lover" and the Queen-sized balladry of "You and I" (featuring the one-and-only Brian May on guitar) and "The Edge of Glory" (featuring the one-and-only Clarence Clemons on sax), there truly isn't a genre she doesn't attempt to cram onto the disc. And believe it or not, it all works. This is definitely a long player (the shortest song clocks in at a hair under four minutes), but an album this full of songs and ideas should take all the space (and time) it needs. It is epic. It is excellent. It is exactly the kind of album you'd expect the hugest pop star on the planet to make. But above all, Born This Way succeeds because it is almost always interesting. Politics aside, this is a sonic smorgasbord, packed with forward-thinking rhythms (the eternally building strut of "Schiße," the icy synths of "Bloody Mary," the gnarly electro-guitars of "Bad Kids," the pulsing pump of "Heavy Metal Lover") that make it the most compelling pop album in recent memory. Even at its most indulgent, it's still undeniably real. You get the feeing that there truly isn't as much as a keytar squiggle that Gaga didn't obsess over ... for all the big names that worked on it, and all the all-star cameos it features, Born This Way is, at its core, a handmade thing. A labor of love. While I'm still ingesting the majority of it, my first impression is this: Born This Way is a great, unapologetically huge album. It is brave and bold and even a little silly at times, but Gaga pulls it all off flawlessly. You will dance to it and take it to the bedroom; you will probably cry and sing along to it, too. It is everything to everyone. Catch an exclusive teaser trailer for "Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside" on Thursday at 10:58 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, after a new episode of "Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew." Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Glee'-Cap: 'Funeral' Casts A Shadow On Nationals Posted: 18 May 2011 08:20 AM PDT This week's crazy plot had us reaching for tissues.
This week was the penultimate "Glee" of the season, and we should have been all wrapped up in watching the New Directions prepare for their trip to Nationals in New York. But an out-of-left-field plot about the death of Sue's sister made us forget about everything else. What's up with that, Ryan Murphy?
Jonathan Groff needs to be on "Glee" all the time. Ryan Murphy killed Sue's special-needs sister No way Emma could fit in clothes Will gave away. Ryan Murphy killed Sue's special-needs sister (Oh, oh) Ryan Murphy killed Sue's special-needs sister. |
| B.o.B Calls New Album 'A Real Special Project' Posted: 17 May 2011 10:04 PM PDT Sophomore set is halfway done, 'Airplanes' MC tells MTV News.
Bobby Ray is about to embark on a new adventure. After making his mark in 2010 with his debut #1 single "Nothin' on You," B.o.B is in the studio working his magic, recording his sophomore album. The "Airplanes" MC told MTV News that he is about 50 percent done with his follow-up on Atlantic Records.
"I feel like I'm about halfway through it, and I wouldn't even say because of how many songs I have," said B.o.B, who was nominated for several BET Awards on Tuesday. "It's kinda like as an artist you absorb, it's like a sponge, you absorb it and then you gotta give it back out. I still feel like I got more to put out. I got more to say. So I can record songs all day, but until I get everything out that I want to say, that's pretty much what the wait is." B.o.B isn't ready to reveal the album's title just yet, but he does say that he's been working on the LP for quite some time. "I feel like it's all about timing," he said. "It's the right timing and I haven't revealed the name of the album yet, but I've been working on this since before The Adventures of Bobby Ray, so it's a real special project." While there is no set release date for his sophomore set, B.o.B is hopeful that music will start to materialize before the year's end. "With this one, it's definitely like the next step and progress of what's coming out, and I would definitely look forward to music this year," he said. Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Preview: Top Three Must Go Big Or Go Home Posted: 17 May 2011 11:46 PM PDT With 17-year-old Scotty still the front-runner, 'Idol' hopefuls Lauren and Haley will need to soar through three song selections tonight.
The land of "American Idol" is flooded with spoilers this week, but inside the MTV Newsroom, we're plugging our ears, avoiding certain websites and concentrating on all the unknowns headed into Wednesday's (May 18) top-three show.
That's not to say we're going in completely blind. We know, for instance, that despite his ardent fanbase and easily the most creative performances of season 10, James Durbin is no longer battling it out against Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina and Haley Reinhart for the "Idol" crown. And we know, as is usually the case on "Idol," each contestant will be singing three songs: a judge's choice, a producer's pick and their own selection. That means the singers most likely will be shooting from genre to genre and generation to generation, seeking to live up to the how-to-win-it-all edict of Randy Jackson, who told MTV News this week, "[They] gotta slay it, dude, out of the park. Now it's time to take all the gloves off, yo." With those lovely Randy-isms in our heads, let's push on to one of our last "American Idol" previews of 2011. Lauren Alaina Scotty McCreery Haley Reinhart Who do you think should go home on "Idol" this week? Tell us in the comments! 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 |
| 30 Seconds To Mars 'Thrilled' To Do 'MTV Unplugged' Posted: 18 May 2011 12:15 AM PDT Frontman Jared Leto previews performance, set to premiere in July.
30 Seconds to Mars have done a lot in the time since they released their This is War album — world tours, nocturnal bike rides, dirty music videos — but they've yet to do a proper episode of "MTV Unplugged." Until now, that is.
On Friday, 30STM taped what was, from the looks of things, a thoroughly epic installment of the long-running series. Though their "Unplugged" won't premiere until July, MTV Radio was on hand for the performance and spoke to frontman Jared Leto about being asked to participate and what it meant to him to contribute to the franchise's long and storied history. "I think our generation, it was kind of a rite of passage, and if you were invited to do 'MTV Unplugged,' it certainly was a pretty big deal," Leto said. "And so many of our favorite bands did 'Unplugged' and still do it, so we were really thrilled to be asked." Their "Unplugged" set featured standards like "Hurricane," "Kings and Queens" and "Closer to the Edge," plus a pair of iconic covers: the Police's "Message in a Bottle" and U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name," the latter of which Leto said holds a special place in his and his brother Shannon's hearts — and what better place to perform it than "Unplugged"? "To be honest, [U2's] Joshua Tree was a big record," Leto said. "My brother had a copy of it, and he would open the windows of the apartment, and put the speaker in the windowsill, and it would hold the sill open, and we would be outside in the summer, listening to it. "It's a big song for us, it's nostalgic, and we really had a good time working on it." What songs do you want to see 30 Seconds to Mars perform on "MTV Unplugged"? Tell us below! Related Videos Related Artists |
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