MTV News |
- Tupac Shakur Rejects 'Role-Model Label' In 1992
- Adele's Unstoppable <i>21,</i> By The Numbers
- Lil B Unveils <i>I'm Gay</i> Album Cover
- Tupac Shakur's Murder: Will Confession Bring Closure?
- 'American Idol' Vs. 'Platinum Hit': Kara DioGuardi Compares
- Nas Revisits A 'Great Era' On New Single 'Nasty'
- Tyler, The Creator Defends His Use Of <i>Other</i> F-Word
- After Facebook 'Diary,' Thomas Ohlson Opens Up About ALS
- Superman Finds A Dad: Russell Crowe Joins 'Man Of Steel'
- 'Super 8' Burning Questions: J.J. Abrams Has Answers!
- What Will Britney Spears Wear On Her <i>Femme Fatale</i> Tour?
- Will Tracy Morgan Recover From Anti-Gay Slur?
- Mannie Fresh Loves And Hates Cash Money's New Sound
- 'Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark': The Reviews Are In!
- Christina Grimmie: Compare Me To Christina Aguilera Or Rebecca Black
- Lady Gaga To Premiere 'Edge Of Glory' Video On 'So You Think You Can Dance'
- Madonna Hits The Studio This Summer
- Tech N9ne Still Shunning Majors After Stellar <i>Billboard</i> Debut
| Tupac Shakur Rejects 'Role-Model Label' In 1992 Posted: 16 Jun 2011 03:53 AM PDT Iconic rapper would have turned 40 years old on Thursday.
Had he lived, Tupac Shakur would have turned 40 years old on Thursday (June 16). The sometimes enigmatic, always fiery rapper would have been a grizzled veteran looking back with nostalgia at the exploits that made him the model of hip-hop machismo and passion. But in an interview with MTV News in 1992, the late rapper expressed eloquently why he wanted no part of the "role model" title he was destined to be tagged with.
"I say I don't want to be a role model in the song, because if I let somebody put the role-model label on me, that limits me," Tupac explained, referring to his song "Ghetto Gospel." "Because look at those words, 'role' and 'model.' Both of those are fake words, to play a role and to model, that's fake. I'm real. Being real, I drink, I hang out, I party — I do things that a 21-year-old does. And even worse, because I didn't have a childhood, I'm reliving my childhood. I live life to its fullest, I make mistakes, but I do some stuff that some college kids wouldn't do, because I live from my heart. I have fun. I don't want to be a role model, I just want to be real." If Tupac was anything, it was real. He openly admitted his flaws in interviews and his rhymes, and was known for being fiercely loyal, almost to a fault. The "California Love" rapper never wanted his success to prevent him from being relatable to his friends in the "outer city." ("It's the outer city because we're always left out," he said.) Never forgetting where he came from was a theme heard throughout 'Pac's music and was a trait inherent in people he saw as heroes. " 'Role model,' that's the word that they make. In the outer city, we don't have it," Tupac said. "We had [Mike] Tyson, Tyson was the perfect outer-city hero because he was always on the edge, they always wanted to make him a different type of person. But he would never be that, he would always be on the edge, and they hated him for that. They punished him because he never legitimized himself. He hung in clubs. He was the only person I knew that had millions that hung around with rappers. The only black person I know that made it to that millionaire status and then treated rappers with dignity." 'Pac continued, "Every entertainment person who has money looks at rappers as ignorant people with mics, holding our jocks, wearing Kangols and big gold chains. Mike Tyson was the only person I can remember being a millionaire and a real brother. And he was my hero, and I want to be like that. And I want more people like that." Tragically and ironically, Tupac would be shot multiple times on September 7, 1996, after attending the Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Although one of hip-hop's most recognizable stars would succumb to his injuries about a week later, his legend has only risen since his sudden death nearly 15 years ago. Share your memories of Tupac in the comments below. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Adele's Unstoppable <i>21,</i> By The Numbers Posted: 15 Jun 2011 12:51 AM PDT We take a look at the album's chart domination as it reaches #1 yet again.
Adele seems to be unstoppable. Her sophomore release, 21, has managed to top the charts for nearly as many weeks as it's been out. Clearly, this Brit has never heard of the sophomore slump. If you take the album by the numbers, it's had quite the impressive run. Just how impressive? Here's how it shakes out: 114,314: The number of units she sold this week, beating out Lady Gaga's Born This Way with 100,255 units. 16: The number of times Adele's 21 has been on the charts. 10: The number of times it's topped the charts. 2.2 million: The number of records sold since the album hit stores in late February. Gaga, meanwhile, has sold about 1.4 million records in three weeks. 1: The number of singles released from the album. 8: The number of consecutive weeks "Rolling in the Deep" has ruled the singles charts. 352,000: The number of albums sold in 21's first week, compared to Gaga's 1.1 million. "It is something, isn't it?" Dave Bakula, Nielsen's senior vice president of analytics, told MTV News. "I think if we were to look at this back at the beginning of the record ... I don't think anyone would have guessed." Given that more than 2 million people have already bought Adele's album, the question remains: Who is still buying it? "It shows the power ... of her fanbase. You've got a song that's performing very, very well, still being discovered by new people every week," Bakula said. "You've got an artist here who wasn't a household name prior to this record coming out, so you do still have that discovery process going on with her. "What it really goes to show is the fact that there still are that many people discovering the album every week," he added. "I think it shows a lot about the latent demand that is out there for great music." Can she be beat? "To be honest, certainly there are releases week in and week out that will come and go, much like Gaga," he said. " ... There are always going to be releases who come in and come out like Beyoncé, but every week, regardless of whether there's a big new release or not, Adele continues to drive 100,000-plus people to buy albums. So, yes, I do see albums that will supplant Adele as #1, but I don't see any flowing into the momentum that Adele has." Have you checked out Adele's album? Why do you think it has staying power? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Lil B Unveils <i>I'm Gay</i> Album Cover Posted: 15 Jun 2011 08:08 AM PDT 'I just wanted to make this to show words don't mean anything,' B tells MTV News of polarizing title.
Lil B is proud to be gay — or rather he's proud to be happy, as stated on his new album cover, which he revealed Wednesday (June 15) exclusively on "RapFix Live."
After announcing that he will be titling his next album I'm Gay, the Based God received criticism from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and other rappers and even got death threats from fans. But despite all the hoopla, B's album isn't quite as alarming as many suspected it would be. The cover — which was done by the "Wonton Soup" rapper's artist friend Uncle Grumpy — was made from scratch but based off of a 1970s Ernie Barnes painting titled "Sugar Shack." The famous painting was used in the popular '70s sitcom "Good Times" and as the album cover to Marvin Gaye's 1976 album I Want You. Rap group Camp Lo also threw a nod to the classic work on their 1997 debut Uptown Saturday Night. The Based God, however, put a 2011 spin on the painting, which depicted a club scene that reflected one of Barnes' childhood experiences. B took the painting and broke it down into three parts, showing the steps that people need to take to reach "mental freedom." "Pretty much the album cover, you see it's the three sides of the slavery, mental slavery and mental freedom at the ending where everybody is happy," B said to MTV News. "The reason why I did the I'm Gay album, I really seen that the hip-hop community is being very close-minded and very hateful, very violent." The Berkeley, California, rapper feels that his polarizing album title will help take the sting out of the word "gay" and eventually lead to global acceptance. "People use evil words, money, separation, stuff like that. I just wanted to make this to show words don't mean anything," he said. What do you think of B's album cover? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Tupac Shakur's Murder: Will Confession Bring Closure? Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:04 AM PDT 'It's verification for what 'Pac said,' E.D.I. Mean tells MTV News of Shakur's lyrics about Jimmy 'Henchman' Rosemond.
On the eve of what would have been Tupac Shakur's 40th birthday, an imprisoned man has admitted to shooting the late rapper/actor during a robbery at Manhattan's Quad Studios in November 1994. What's even more startling is that the alleged triggerman, Dexter Isaac, is claiming in a letter that was obtained by AllHipHop.com that 'Pac's former associate, Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond, paid him $2,500 to do the deed. While this may be a revelation to some, 'Pac's former protégé and Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean told MTV News that he was well aware.
"It's not news for us, because this is information that we been had and that been knew about. And we always knew that it'll come out one day, because what's done in the dark always comes to light," he said before pointing to Shakur's music as proof. "I just feel like it's verification for what 'Pac said, because a lot of people felt when 'Pac was saying what he was saying on Makaveli that he was out of line for saying that." The specific lyric E.D. is referencing is from "Against All Odds," a fiery track that appeared on Tupac's The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory album (commonly referred to as the Makaveli album). On the song, the now-deceased MC implies that Henchman set him up in 1994 as he raps: "And did I mention promise to pay back Jimmy Henchman in due time/ I know you bitch n---as is listenin', the world is mine/ Set me up, wet me up, n---as stuck me up/ Heard the guns bust, but you tricks never shut me up." Ultimately, E.D.I. Mean believes that Isaac's confession will eventually help the authorities solve the 1996 murder of Shakur as well as the 1997 shooting death of the Notorious B.I.G. — two crimes that many feel are related. "This will go on for a little bit longer, and I really feel like it's a domino effect," he said. "This will really lead up to their actual murderers. Both Big and 'Pac and everybody can move on, and this will be like some closure for not only the families, but the whole hip-hop community, because it's been an open wound since 1996 and 1997." In a 2008 interview with MTV News, Rosemond denied any involvement in the 1994 shooting and dismissed the song as a shock tactic that rappers often use. "Absolutely never [had I] even know about it, never heard about it — before, afterward — had nothing to do with it," Rosemond added about the ambush. "Nobody that I know [was] associated with [the attack], and this is why I have confidently, in the last 14 years, told people that they can dig up whatever they want to dig up. And I've been very firm in what I've said to people: that I've had nothing to do with it." Isaac, who is currently serving life in prison for murder, robbery, fraud and witness-intimidation charges, tells a different story. "I want to apologize to his family [Tupac Shakur] and for the mistake I did for that sucker [Jimmy Henchman]," Isaac told AllHipHop.com from prison. "I am trying to clean it up to give [Tupac's and Biggie's] mothers some closure." Rosemond himself is facing legal trouble. On May 17, news broke that federal authorities issued an arrest warrant for Henchman in connection with a drug case. Henchman, who runs Czar Entertainment, a company that manages the career of the Game and other rap artists, fired back in a letter, lashing out at the "slanderous media" coverage he has received about the case. He also went on to call out Isaac's credibility. "If the government is relying on informants like Winston 'Winnie' Harris, a convicted drug dealer and Jamaican deportee, who came to me and motioned via hand signal that he was forced to wear a wire and begged me to skip town, or Dexter Isaac, who is serving life in prison plus 30 years, then I'm sure I will not be offered a fair trial." Check back with MTV News for updates as this story develops. Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Vs. 'Platinum Hit': Kara DioGuardi Compares Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:31 AM PDT 'Idol' alum says she's 'way more myself' on new songwriting reality competition.
Kara DioGuardi is well aware of what you think about her, thank you very much. The former "American Idol" judge — who was already a major name in the songwriting community before she sat next to Simon, Randy, Paula and Ellen — can't go a day without viewers approaching her to speak their mind. "People actually apologize to me," the good-natured DioGuardi told MTV News on Wednesday morning (June 15). "They'll go, 'I didn't even know you were in the music business. We thought you were some random girl they pulled off of Hollywood Boulevard that looked like Paula Abdul.' "
Kara's the first to acknowledge that she and live TV went together like chocolate and an onion, to paraphrase an infamous Cowell barb. Even worse, "It may have sent the message 'Is she still writing? Does she have time to write?' " DioGuardi said before setting the record straight. "I was writing [new music] before ['Idol'] shows. I co-wrote [Cobra Starship's] 'Good Girls Go Bad' before a show, like two hours before! I was like, 'We gotta bang this out. I got hair and makeup,' " DioGuardi recalled. "Don't give your day job up. Always gotta keep the day job." With Bravo's "Platinum Hit," a slick new songwriting reality competition that DioGuardi judges alongside host Jewel and celeb guests, Kara finally found a way to turn her day job into her TV job. Bonus: She can have a second take in the event of an "Idol"-esque gaffe, like calling Studio 54 "Studio 57" or forgetting how to count. "I'm way more myself," DioGuardi said. "After nine hours of filming, you start to forget that you're on a TV show, and then the New York part of me really comes out. I say, 'Look, man. ... Listen, bitch!' " she joked. Instead of banging on tables, calling contestants "sweetie" and raving about "artistry" the way she did on "Idol," DioGuardi's taking a different approach with her songwriting protégés. "I'm really critical. I actually cringe when I watch myself," DioGuardi admitted. "Songwriting is one of the most difficult careers you can pick, and I don't think I'm doing them any favors by telling them that something's great when it's not. ... In my own career, the times that I got better were when people pointed out what I wasn't doing well. "I know that at the end of this competition, you're going to be amazed to see how they grew," DioGuardi boasted. (In fact, just three episodes in, the contestants' chops have already improved greatly.) Kara also promises a lot more drama in the coming weeks, particularly among arrogant pop-punker Nick Nittoli and "Idol" semifinalist Jackie Tohn. Bravo's been playing up a budding showmance between New York's Johnny Marnell and Jes Hudak in promos too. As far as "Idol" goes, Kara admitted to catching "bits and pieces" of season 10 and loved the new judges' chemistry. (Fun fact: DioGuardi personally suggested Steven Tyler to "Idol" producers last year during the hunt for Cowell's replacement.) But she laughs when asked if she'd consider reclaiming her seat now that Jennifer Lopez is "on the fence" about returning to "Idol" in 2012. "I think I would be the last person they'd call. I don't think I'm going back to that. I'm very happy on taped TV. I like it here." New episodes of "Platinum Hit" air every Monday at 10 p.m. on Bravo. What do you think of Kara's new show? Let us know in the comments! |
| Nas Revisits A 'Great Era' On New Single 'Nasty' Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:04 AM PDT Rapper also hints at possible title change for his Life Is Good album.
Throughout his career, Nas has paid homage to 1980s hip-hop pioneers like Rakim and MC Shan, and on his new single "Nasty," the Queensbridge lyricist once again revisits his wonder years. "It's like Tom Ford, the designer, who is one of my favorite designers. I read somewhere he's inspired by the '60s and '70s and that's why his line looks like the future now. Because he came from a great time in fashion and he turned it into his interpretation and it gives you the future," said Nas, who chose to paint a picture of his own heyday and rap about the late '80s and early '90s on his new single.
On the Salaam Remi-produced track, which leaked to the Internet on Monday, Nas tosses nods to the New York City of yesteryear by referencing Queens street legend Thomas "Tony Montana" Mickens, the now-closed Tunnel nightclub and the late Notorious B.I.G. "I came up in a great era, so I'm always gonna live with that and that's always gonna live inside of me," Nas told MTV News. "It's relevant today more than it's ever been. A lot of people may lose their footing in the music game and stuff, but you know, it's always important to remember who you are and how you got here." On "Nasty," Nas is delivering lyrical raps in rapid succession with a ferocity that harks back to his early days when he appeared on Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque" in 1992. According to him, that hunger has existed throughout his career, even if he didn't always put it on record. "Nah, I just tucked it. I tucked it because I wanted to do other things, experiment with other sh-- and didn't want to do the same sh-- over and over," Nas said before expounding about his return to his roots. "Hip-hop got so big that it's important to open it back up, that real sh--. No dis to what nobody else is doing, but it's important to open this real sh-- back up." Nas is busy prepping his 10th studio album, Life Is Good, but warns fans not to get too attached to the album's title because it may change. "A lot of people around me didn't understand where I was coming from. They kinda thought I was saying, "Let's pop bottles, we're rich, everything's good." That's not where I was coming from," he said. "So there's another title that came, that kind of fits a little better, and you might hear about that. There might be a change coming real soon." Related Artists |
| Tyler, The Creator Defends His Use Of <i>Other</i> F-Word Posted: 15 Jun 2011 03:18 AM PDT 'I have gay fans and they don't really take it offensive,' Odd Future frontman tells MTV News.
Tyler, the Creator and his Odd Future cohorts have raised more than a few eyebrows on their way to rap notoriety. But while their followers praise the collective for their refreshing sound, as well as their renegade approach, some critics have argued that OF are pushing the boundaries of what should be acceptable in rap.
On its website, Fader magazine analyzed Tyler's Goblin album and counted 204 uses of the word "f---," 68 of the word "bitch" and nine variations of "f--" or "f----t," an observation that has some asking whether the polarizing rapper is a misogynistic homophobe. We caught up with the OF frontman this week in Los Angeles and put the question to him. "Well, I have gay fans and they don't really take it offensive, so I don't know. If it offends you, it offends you," Tyler told MTV News of his gay slurs. "If you call me a n---a, I really don't care, but that's just me, personally. Some people might take it the other way; I personally don't give a sh--." And there you have it. Tyler's growing fanbase includes a host of major rappers who support the MC. In fact, during an interview with Sway, Eminem gave props to OFWGKTA. "I've heard enough to know that it feels like they're pushing boundaries and buttons, and that's definitely one of the things that I'm familiar with, especially when I first came out," Eminem told MTV News on the set of Bad Meets Evil's "Fast Lane" video in Detroit. "I love it; I love the fact that they're doing that. And the dudes can rhyme." Do you find Tyler's lyrics offensive? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Artists |
| After Facebook 'Diary,' Thomas Ohlson Opens Up About ALS Posted: 15 Jun 2011 03:14 AM PDT 'If we devoted ourselves to preserving life rather than our bank accounts, we would all be richer for it,' he tells MTV News.
We first met Thomas Ohlson during MTV's "Diary of Facebook," a 30-minute documentary that delved into the social-networking site's effort to highlight users' life-changing stories. In 2005, Ohlson was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating disease that causes motor neurons to die, leading muscles to waste away while cognitive abilities remain unaffected. Confined to a wheelchair, unable to talk and despairing that his life no longer had purpose, he ended up creating a Facebook account and, in turn, new reasons to keep fighting. Though he can only type with two fingers, Ohlson has become an articulate ALS activist, sharing his experiences and becoming a public face of his disease.
His courage in the face of unimaginable suffering was so affecting that we decided to visit Ohlson and his family at home for further insight into their remarkable situation. "I spend a lot of time thinking about how wonderful my life was only five short years ago — the dreams I had for myself and my family," Ohlson told us. "Now, all gone. I have no real future and have impacted my family in ways that cause me great sorrow. ... I want my family to remember me as the strong and proud father and husband I once was, not the disfigured and helpless creature that I have become. ALS is not only killing me, it is taking my loved ones with me — killing any semblance of a normal existence for them." The brutal truth is that, not only is there no cure for ALS, there is not even a single treatment for it. "I feel like this is a bad joke," he said. "How can almost every disease have some kind of treatment, but ALS have none?" When his young daughter found out her father could no longer speak, she cried for three days. Then she typed him a message on the computer he uses to communicate. "You can teach me things by putting things on the screen and you will always love me, so that's OK with me," she wrote. "So that's all I need to have a good daddy just like you." "I had an epiphany," Ohlson said of that exchange. "Nobody wanted to see me die. And I realized in that moment I did not want to leave them." Ohlson now hopes being open about his suffering will spur action, involvement and understanding about the disease. The key to surviving ALS, he explained, is remaining an active participant in life. Social-networking sites like Facebook, then, have been invaluable tools, allowing him virtually to step outside his confines and connect with the world around him. Anyone who wants further information or is interested in joining the fight can visit ALS Therapy Development Institute. "In a world where we can split the atom, send people into space and create life, no one should have to suffer," he said. "If we devoted ourselves to preserving life rather than our bank accounts, we would all be richer for it." At the same time that he suffers, Ohlson admits his affliction has given him a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly happy. "Stop always looking to the future for happiness and appreciate what you have right now," he said. "Life is a gift to be both enjoyed and cherished. Enjoy every second, every minute and every day. Cherish your health and recognize how precarious it is. ... And always remember: Success is not measured by the possessions you surround yourself with; rather it is measured by the people who choose to surround you." Related Videos |
| Superman Finds A Dad: Russell Crowe Joins 'Man Of Steel' Posted: 15 Jun 2011 01:01 AM PDT Actor is in final negotiations to play Jor-El in Zack Snyder's reboot.
Yet another big name is reportedly joining Zack Snyder's A-list Superman reboot "Man of Steel." According to Variety, Russell Crowe is in final negotiations to play Superman's biological and ill-fated father, Jor-El. Die-hard fans of the 1978 Christopher Reeve-starring, Richard Donner-directed classic film will remember that Jor-El was played famously by Marlon Brando in a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo. "Man of Steel" producer Christopher Nolan is said to have been seeking an A-list actor to portray Supes' dad, and Crowe certainly fits the bill. Warner Bros. has yet to issue a formal statement or comment on the casting, but should the announcement be made official, Crowe would join previously announced actors Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon and possible Kryptonian villainess German actress Antje Traue. The Oscar-winning Crowe was last seen in the crime drama "The Next Three Days" and is currently filming "The Man With the Iron Fists." Plot details of Snyder's reboot have been hard to come by, as is to be expected these days of any big-screen comic book adaptation. Snyder did tell us back when he was announced as director that he wouldn't have signed onto the project if he didn't feel like they were doing something new with the iconic character. "All I'll say is that those guys [screenwriter David Goyer and Nolan] have created an amazing story," Snyder told MTV News in October. "The 'Why [remake] Superman?' is definitely being looked at with care, that's all I could hope for as a director. Everyone always says, 'Why Superman? Why is he relevant? Who is he now?' I think those guys have done an amazing job with that. That's the real trick." Check out everything we've got on "Man of Steel." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. |
| 'Super 8' Burning Questions: J.J. Abrams Has Answers! Posted: 15 Jun 2011 01:35 AM PDT We take our lingering questions straight to the director.
After months of mystery, "Super 8" finally arrived in theaters over the weekend. The secretive marketing campaigns seemed to have paid off, with positive reviews and experts predicting lasting box-office success. With all that film-going satisfaction in mind, the way J.J. Abrams crafted his nostalgic thriller left plenty of lingering questions to be answered. So when the esteemed master of mystery stopped by our MTV News headquarters on Tuesday, we asked him our most burning "Super 8" questions. (Spoilers ahead!)
Hanging Humans J.J. Abrams: I love anything involving aliens and noshing. First of all, a man's got to eat, let's be honest. Part of it is that he's a hungry guy and he's been through a lot, and part of it is that there's a second connection that he can make with people, so he's sort of used them as sort of a library of information of what he needs to know about the human technology to use it. Zombie Movies Abrams: There are a series of films that George Romero did — "Night of the Living Dead," "Dawn of the Dead" — and I thought that that would be something that could be a big influence on the kid who makes the movies, and so he's sort of trying to create a movie the way that George Romero, his sort of hero in the movie, did with his zombie films. MTV News: Is there a director's cut, maybe something we might see on the DVD of their zombie film? Abrams: There's definitely a movie that's three times as long, but it's probably four times as bad. Kiss Abrams: You know, I don't know who wanted to see the kiss between Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney, but to me ... these were kids who, their affection for each other didn't necessarily need to be played out with a kiss. But I think that hopefully you get the sense that their feelings for each other are profound. Cameo Abrams: Bruce Greenwood came in and he did some motion capture, body capture and also facial capture for the performance of the creature. A lot of it we ended up using and a lot of it we ended up having to animate and change because, frankly, when we saw the creature move, sometimes it felt like we had to change it up to make it work better. The PG-13 F-Bomb Abrams: It made me laugh, the idea that this guy who was such a sort of dink at the beginning and the fact that you know he was trying to sell these kids pot, he's trying to hook up with his sister and he's just an utter loser working at the camera store. The idea that this guy kind of gets roped into this adventure and sort of starts to really care about these kids. It makes you sort of like the guy, and so his showing up and seeing these kids are still alive and being happy about it and then seeing that this bus has been overturned after this attack of the creature. That reaction that he had just felt like the reaction he would have. And I was hoping that we'd get past the rating and not have to lose it, and luckily we did. Check out everything we've got on "Super 8." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| What Will Britney Spears Wear On Her <i>Femme Fatale</i> Tour? Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:25 AM PDT Costume designer Zaldy Goco gave fans a sneak peek at the sparkles and studs she'll wear when tour kicks of Thursday.
It's almost here! Britney Spears launches her Femme Fatale tour on Thursday, and her team has given fans a sneak peek of the looks she'll be showing off onstage.
Costume designer Zaldy Goco spoke to "Extra" about Spears' glittering, sexy outfits for the tour, which kicks off in Sacramento, California, with equally sexy opening act Nicki Minaj. "Well, I mean the real inspiration, of course, is Britney herself. But there's a creative script done by the director, Jamie King, and it's a whole thing about the femme fatale and femme fatales throughout the ages, so we have all kinds of costumes where she's changing personas throughout the show," he shared. "Everything is very sexy; Britney's a very sexy girl." The looks he shared include lots of sparkles and body-hugging designs, that include a pink latex jacket paired with a nude bodysuit to be featured in the second act of the show, a Marilyn Monroe-inspired white flowing dress, a few gladiator-inspired gold-mirrored options, pink-chrome-studded leather and denim, as well as a "Toxic"-inspired catsuit. For the finale, she wears a kimono, with an anime version of herself silkscreened on one sleeve, over a sparkling, black bodysuit that has LED lights built into it. Previously teased was a giant pair of angel wings that Spears will also wear at some point during the show. For those wondering what Spears looks like in the costumes, fansite BreatheHeavy.com got sent some snaps of the singer rocking some of the looks, including the kimono, the studded denim and a gold-mirrored bikini. Are you excited to see these costumes in action? Tell us where you're catching Britney on tour in the comments below! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Will Tracy Morgan Recover From Anti-Gay Slur? Posted: 14 Jun 2011 10:21 PM PDT Experts weigh in on whether a GLAAD partnership and an apology are enough to make gay fans forgive the '30 Rock' star.
Earlier this week, Tracy Morgan announced that he would be working on GLAAD's upcoming "Amplify Your Voice" anti-bullying public service campaign, in an effort to make amends for his recent anti-gay remarks at a comedy show in Nashville. But are a GLAAD partnership and a public apology enough to help the "30 Rock" star restore his image, particularly in the eyes of gay fans? "He's also doing the full-on mea culpa: public apology in the place of transgression, public service announcement, the meeting with GLBT youth," AfterElton.com editor Brent Hartinger told MTV News. "And it's worth noting that he did it all fast, which counts a lot." Former celebrity publicist and PopEater columnist Rob Shuter agreed that the speed with which Morgan addressed the issue may be key to redeeming himself publicly. "Whatever crisis a celebrity has, the best way to resolve it is quickly," Shuter said. "People forget when you move on and stop talking about it. Tina Fey had to respond, and she did it within 24 hours; within the first phase of the story. That was a big favor. This will pan out best for him if he just gets it all out of the way. I think people believe he's sorry, and that's a big thing too." If the public perceives that Morgan's apology is sincere, that will no doubt help his cause. Hartinger noted that when former "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington attempted to apologize for a similar, anti-gay gaffe, he did so while portraying himself as the wronged individual, saying his words had been taken out of context. Because of this, Washington's mea culpa fell on deaf ears. Had he simply owned up to making a mistake, as Morgan has, the public would have been more apt to forgive him. His work with GLAAD and the fact that Morgan works alongside plenty of LGBT people at "30 Rock," including co-star Cheyenne Jackson, have also revealed that Morgan leads what Hartinger calls a "bifurcated life." "[He is] comfortable with out gay people in Hollywood and on the set of '30 Rock,' but also appeals and panders to an audience that's comfortable with, even eager for, open homophobia. "He really needs to reconcile these two sides to his professional life," Hartinger continued. "It's not enough to continue to be cool around the gay folks at '30 Rock' — he was already doing that, so that's not really an indication of anything sincere. But if he were to take his pro-gay '30 Rock' sensibility and somehow incorporate it into his blue-collar life and audience, that would mean a lot to me and would be an indication that his words are actually sincere." Morgan also benefits from having a vehicle in "30 Rock" to remind people why he is famous in the first place and divert attention away from his comments — or, given the meta nature of the show, address them in a creative way. Shuter said this is often a problem for celebrities: Had Morgan been fired from "30 Rock," he would have been stranded in his scandal with nowhere to turn. "That's why the crisis becomes the legacy, because they have nowhere to go to recover," he observed. "So, as long as he has '30 Rock,' he'll have something to move on to." Moving on is key in crisis management, and Morgan has the opportunity to do just that. His willingness to team with GLAAD to address the controversy head on proves that he knows he did something wrong. He now has to prove to his fans that the homophobic vitriol he spouted from a Nashville stage was just a misguided and unfortunate attempt to shock, and then he'd be smart to lie low and let "30 Rock" do his talking for him for a while. |
| Mannie Fresh Loves And Hates Cash Money's New Sound Posted: 14 Jun 2011 11:37 PM PDT 'Anything that goes left, and is new and is creative, I love it,' Fresh tells MTV News at Bonnaroo.
Back when Lil Wayne was a baby-faced teen, it was producer Mannie Fresh who was the driving force behind Cash Money's sound. It may be hard to imagine these days, but Fresh's booming 808s and bouncy bass lines laid the foundation for Cash Money's early catalog.
After meeting CM CEO Bryan "Birdman" Williams in the mid-1990s, Mannie jumped onboard as the label's in-house producer. In 2005, Mannie split from the label, and Cash Money has marched on, dominating the rap charts with artists like Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj. So what does Mannie Fresh think of the new Cash Money sound? MTV News caught up with Fresh at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, to find out. "Some things I love, some things I hate," the platinum producer said matter-of-factly before switching the conversation to the South's overall hip-hop landscape. "I think there's a lot of stuff in the South right now that sounds the same." In his heyday, Fresh was known for his distinct country sound and ad-libbing on songs he produced just to hype it up. Hit records like Juvenile's "Ha," B.G.'s "Bling, Bling" and Lil Wayne's "Go DJ" exemplified Fresh's sonic style and helped set the standard for other producers below the Mason-Dixon in the early 2000s. Now, Mannie says it's time for a change. "Even if it's the way my music sounds, I think it's overdone, it's time for something new to happen," he said. "Now anything that goes left, and is new and is creative, I love it. But if you mimicking somebody and you're overdoing it, I don't know. I don't get it. That's what I'm saying." What do you think of Cash Money's evolution? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark': The Reviews Are In! Posted: 15 Jun 2011 12:00 AM PDT Despite some positive reviews, epically troubled musical remains as divisive as ever.
We're as surprised as anyone that the folks behind have been able to transform their epically troubled musical into a satisfying piece of Broadway entertainment. In January, as news of the show's creative and safety issues turned the then $65 million production into one of the Great White Way's most spectacular disasters, we admitted that while there were some enjoyable aspects, you were better off popping in a DVD of a Tobey Maguire "Spider-Man" flick than trekking to New York to see the musical.
What a difference a few months — and a new creative team — makes. Out went Julie Taymor, in came writers like comics vet Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and the results are just what the web-slinging wonderboy needed. We're not the only ones who feel that way. As "Turn Off the Dark" officially left its preview phase behind and opened on Tuesday, reviews have been pouring in, and many have been positive. Not all, mind you — not even close. Unsurprisingly, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" remains as divisive as ever. Here's what the critics have to say. The Overall Changes "[It] has deteriorated from mindblowingly misbegotten carnival-of-the-damned to merely embarrassing dud. Awash in a garbage-gyre of expository dialogue pumped in by script doctor/comic-book vet Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, its lavish stage pictures turned to colloidal mush by director Philip William McKinley and choreographer Chase Brock, Spidey 2.0 is indeed leaner and more linear, and its story has been brutally clarified: It's now all too clear how very, very little was there in the first place. Spider-Man violates the first rule of pop fantasy: Never lose the distinction between beautiful simplicity and rank simplemindedness." — Scott Brown, New York The New Music "Composer/lyricists Bono and the Edge have added one campy number, Goblin's 'A Freak Like Me,' but the most memorable songs offer the same emotional and melodic sweep that distinguishes their work in U2. It's right after one such tune, the soaring ballad 'Rise Above,' that Spider-Man first appears. As distinctly Edge-like guitars chime, dancers costumed as the superhero leap about like giddy children discovering a new trick. At such moments, Spider-Man doesn't need technology or gadgetry to take flight." — Elysa Gardner, USA Today The Performances "In the title role Reeve Carney is an appropriately nonthreatening crush object for tweens, an appealingly agitated Everydweeb with great cheekbones and a sanitized, lite version of a concert rocker's voice. He is well paired with the wryly sincere Jennifer Damiano ('Next to Normal') as Mary Jane Watson, Peter's girlfriend. Ms. Carpio's Arachne (now a beneficent fairy godmother rather than an erotically troubling dream spider) provides the most arresting vocal moments with her ululating nasality. Michael Mulheren is suitably blustery and fatuous as the pandering newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson. And Patrick Page, as the megalomaniacal scientist who becomes the evil mutant called the Green Goblin, provides the one reason for adults unaccompanied by minors to see the show." —Ben Brantley, The New York Times The Action "[T]here are plenty of breathtaking moments, beginning with the opening scene in which Peter gives a class presentation on the myth of the spider goddess Arachne, played by T.V. Carpio in a role that was reduced by at least half in the new production. As Peter narrates the story of Arachne's legendary weaving skills, six actresses hang across the stage on massive gold ribbon swings, swaying up and downstage as horizontal ribbons fall, creating a striking human loom. During the climactic fight scene atop the Chrysler Building, the set is built from a roof's-eye perspective, with a hypnotic view straight down the skyscraper's side to the cab-lined street far below." — Evie Nagy, Rolling Stone The Final Word " 'Spider-Man' threatened to go down in history as one of Broadway's biggest flops. While it probably won't become one of the street's greatest smashes, it's now a fun family show that will entertain fans of both superheroes and showstoppers. Was it worth the wait? For this combination fanboy and show queen, definitely." — David Sheward, Back Stage For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. |
| Christina Grimmie: Compare Me To Christina Aguilera Or Rebecca Black Posted: 14 Jun 2011 11:13 PM PDT 'They can compare me to whoever ... Batman!' Selena Gomez's tourmate declares.
YouTube sensation Christina Grimmie is having a big summer so far. The self-proclaimed "rocker chick" with the dance-pop sound just dropped her debut EP, Find Me, on Tuesday, and it's currently #3 on the iTunes charts. Her close pal Selena Gomez is back on her feet after a brief hospital scare. And she is scheduled to hit the road next month with Selena Gomez & The Scene and All Star Weekend.
The up-and-coming pop star doesn't just credit her managers (Gomez's parents), Mandy and Brian Teefey, for her newfound fame. She also knows she owes a lot of her success to her YouTube channel. Grimmie's videos have been viewed more than 142 million times by fans eager to see the 17-year-old's reworked covers of current pop songs. "It started out for fun," Grimmie said about posting videos. "Even though singing is what I want to do, I started out like, 'Hey, lets try this out' kind of thing, and then it just grew into something bigger, and that's why I'm here." Of course, YouTube has also been a career starting point for a few other newbies on the scene, like Justin Bieber and divisive singer Rebecca Black, who gained notoriety with her infectious "Friday." How does Grimmie feel about being compared to Black? "Comparisons are comparisons, and they're gonna happen." Grimmie said. "If you want to compare me to Rebecca Black, go ahead. I'm sure she's a great girl. I don't know her, but you know comparisons happen. ... They can compare me to whoever ... Batman! That would be great." And, since starting out, she's also gotten a super-flattering comparison. "I've gotten compared to Christina Aguilera," she laughed, "which feels good, because I love her so much!" |
| Lady Gaga To Premiere 'Edge Of Glory' Video On 'So You Think You Can Dance' Posted: 15 Jun 2011 08:07 AM PDT Singer is also set to appear as guest judge on show later in season.
Lady Gaga is ready to take fans to the "Edge of Glory." The singer confirmed that she will debut the music video for the clip on Thursday on "So You Think You Can Dance." Little is known about the Joseph Kahn-directed clip, but all will be revealed in good time, it seems.
The news comes just as executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe announced he was getting Gaga to join celebrity judges like will.i.am on the show this season. "Yes, I asked her when she performed on the 'American Idol' finale if she would come on, and she said yes," Lythgoe . "She is on tour so they said it would probably be later in the season. She is an amazing dancer and performer." He tossed around a few other names of celebs who might be guest judges, including Neil Patrick Harris, Kristin Chenoweth, Ellen DeGeneres and Megan Mullally. "We have a lot of people who want to help the kids become unique. The biggest thing is standing out from the crowd," he said. "The kids have to find something that makes them unique and these performers know how to do that." When Lythgoe and judge Mary Murphy sat down with MTV News recently, they said they wanted to make sure that celebs who come on the show are the right fit. "I think [celebrity judges] make it exciting for sure," Murphy said. "I'll never forget when Ellen sat next to me. But it made it a little bit difficult for me because I think she's so funny. ... Then I had to focus." Lythgoe added that his wish is to have celebrity judges who aren't just famous faces but who know about dancing. "The sad thing for me is when some celebrity judges come on, they just want to be liked, so they're not going to give a good critique," he said. "Just 'you were wonderful, you were wonderful.' ... Then again there's a whole raft of judges, particularly in dance — Shirley MacLaine, Mitzi Gaynor, Debbie Reynolds — that could be called upon to judge, that have been there, done it through the '40s and '50s that are stunning, were stunning dancers. "I'm going to be talking to Fox about it, but I know in my heart that Fox will say, 'Well, we don't really know them, can you get Lady Gaga?' ... She was excellent on 'Idol,' " he added. "A little naughty!" Related Videos Related Artists |
| Madonna Hits The Studio This Summer Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:08 AM PDT Singer's manager, Guy Oseary, confirms her plans to begin recording next month.
Move over Gaga and Britney, the Queen of Pop is back! Madonna has confirmed that she will begin work on her next album this summer. Her longtime manager, Guy Oseary, took to Twitter to share the news that Madge will hit the studio in July. "Madonna goes into the recording studio next month to begin work on new album ...," he wrote, sharing little else about what the Material Girl has up her sleeve. But Oseary did have a few little nuggets of information for Madge's most devoted, writing, "She has a good idea of which producers she will be working with ... lots of questions about what kind of music it will be ... stay tuned." This announcement comes six months after Madonna teased her fans with the prospect of beginning work on her next album on her Facebook page. In December, she wrote, "Its official! I need to move. I need to sweat. I need to make new music! Music I can dance to. I'm on the lookout for the maddest, sickest, most badass people to collaborate with. I'm just saying ..." Since releasing Hard Candy back in 2008, Madonna has been keeping busy doing everything but recording new music. OK, she did release a greatest hits album, Celebration, in 2009, but it seems her focus has been on anything but music. She wrapped up work on her movie "W.E.," which was just picked up by the Weinstein Company. She also launched a clothing line with her daughter, Lourdes, aptly titled Material Girl, and even found time to open up her own line of gyms around the world called Hard Candy. Are you excited about Madonna getting back in the studio? Tell us in the comments. Related Artists |
| Tech N9ne Still Shunning Majors After Stellar <i>Billboard</i> Debut Posted: 14 Jun 2011 10:09 PM PDT 'It'll have to be around $900 million,' Tech jokes MTV News about giving up his indie hustle for a major label.
A strange thing happened to Tech N9ne after he dropped his All 6's and 7's LP last Tuesday: more than 55,000 devoted fans bought it, making it the fourth-highest selling album this week on the Billboard 200.
Many are wondering how the Kansas City, Missouri, rapper got up in the top five among the likes of Adele and Lady Gaga. Well, credit his independent hustle and devoted fanbase for making the release a success. In addition to grabbing that #4 spot, All 6's and 7's also ranks as the #1 independent album and rap album this week. And according to Tech, major record companies have been expressing interest in striking a deal with his Strange Music label. "They've already been calling, since last year or the year before. They've already been calling and asking us questions and stuff," he told MTV News during an intimate sit-down in his Lee Summit, Missouri, offices last week. Tech and his business partner Travis O'Guin established the indie label Strange Music in 1999, and have been releasing Tech's music on it ever since. In 2009, it was revealed that the label earned approximately $15 million, thanks to the support of Tech's fans, who call themselves "Technicians." When it comes to giving up his independence, Tecca Nina isn't so quick to sign though. Instead, he loftily aims to grow Strange Music into a major in its own right without partnering up. "I think Strange Music will be the major this year or next year. It's looking that way," he said. No matter how things turn out, it's clear that Tech is happy just the way things are and couldn't fathom selling off his company. "You might wanna ask Travis this question," he said laughing, while deferring to O'Guin. "He'll probably say it'll have to be around $900 million or something [to sign a deal]. We're good." All 6's and 7's, which features Lil Wayne, T-Pain, B.o.B and Busta Rhymes, initially drew criticism from some of Tech's fans, who frowned on the underground icon teaming up with mainstream stars. For some, collabos with such high-profile artists meant that Tech was selling out. "Different artists are supposed to hook up and make something beautiful, that's what makes music wonderful, I think," Tech said, defending against criticism. "I already knew what I was gonna do. When I get with these [well-known collaborators], the beats gotta say their names." After selling 55,715 copies of the album in its first week, Strange Music can put any fear of a fan blacklash to bed."I can give a sh-- about a chart position," O'Guin told us last week. "A fan telling me that they love the album means more than them little glass trophies. The people, I think, genuinely love the album." What do you think of Tech N9ne's success? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
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