MTV News |
- Katy Perry, Lil Wayne, U2 Among Summer's Biggest Tours
- Josh Baze Blazing A Trail From Brooklyn To Hollywood
- Watch 'Harry Potter' World Cup Winner Announced Live On Monday
- Beanie Sigel Says Jay-Z Wouldn't Let Him Out Of Record Deal
- 'Horrible Bosses' Stars Talk 'Swapping Spit' With Jennifer Aniston
- 'Transformers': What's Next For The Cast?
- Red Hot Chili Peppers Explain: Why <i>I'm With You</i>?
- Beanie Sigel 'Didn't Apologize' To Jay-Z
- Dom Kennedy Embraced By NYC Crowd, Despite L.A. Roots
- Lil Wayne 'Really, Really Surprised' By Shanell's 'How To Love' Remix
- Lenny Kravitz Reads Up On 'Hunger Games' Character
- Taylor Swift Cancels Tour Dates Due To Illness
- Big Sean, Kanye West, Hype Williams Team Up On 'Marvin & Chardonnay'
- Lady Gaga? Britney Spears? Fans Pick Their 2011 Summer Jams
- Will Pia Toscano Find Post-'American Idol' Success?
- Beyonce Debuts At #1 With <I>4</I>
- 'Twilight' Author Stephenie Meyer To Produce 'Austenland' Film
- Linkin Park Announce L.A. Concert For Japan Relief Fundraisers
- Britney Spears Tweets Support For Nicki Minaj After Cousin's Murder
| Katy Perry, Lil Wayne, U2 Among Summer's Biggest Tours Posted: 07 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT Experts also see big jaunts for Taylor Swift, Blink-182, Foo Fighters and Avett Brothers.
Summer is the time to kick back at the pool, work on that tan and blast your favorite sprinkler jams, but it's also the season to pack into your Nissan Cube and tromp down to the local amphitheater or arena to check out shows by the likes of Katy Perry, Lil Wayne, Foo Fighters, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and My Morning Jacket.
Just like movie studios roll out the big guns around the holidays in time to take a shot at Oscar gold, music stars know that summer is the best time to separate fans from their hard-earned babysitting and lifeguarding money. That's why local venues are stuffed up with a bumper crop of big shows packing enough pyro and lasers to take out an invading alien army in an effort to get the most butts in seats. We asked a panel of experts to make their picks for the summer's hottest ticket, and like Oscar voters, they all had their favorites, but there was one thing they could all agree on: Taylor Swift and veteran rockers U2 are going to clean house this summer. "I think in terms of demand and crossing over from theaters to arenas, Katy Perry is doing it right," said Dave Brooks, senior writer for live-entertainment trade magazine Venues Today. Between her many TV appearances, magazine covers and record-setting string of hit singles from Teenage Dream, Brooks said Perry is doing everything right and creating great demand for an eye-popping extravaganza that is "pulling out all the stops." Us Weekly senior music editor Ian Drew agreed, saying Perry's tour is sure to entertain. "[It's a] colorful, all-out spectacle," he said of the cotton-candy-smelling outing. "Remember that Lady Gaga is not out on the road this summer, so there's going to be no competition. ... The tour is an all-out spectacle. It's basically like going to a massive Broadway show." Another artist who seems to have solved the live-headliner puzzle fairly quickly is Swift, who Brooks said has endeared herself to the industry and to fans through her professionalism, dedication and prodigious talent. "She moves tickets really quickly, and her two L.A. shows sold out right away and they added two more," he said, noting that Swift does so well because she appeals to a wide audience that ranges from tween girls to adult women. Blogger Perez Hilton's pick to click was Swift, whom he predicted would have the most buzzed-about tour by summer's end. "Just because she is performing so many shows, [playing] sold-out arenas, and to her credit, no one else that is a female artist is doing this right now ... playing stadiums in America ... that is major." It remains to be seen how some early cancellations due to illness will affect the rest of Swift's outing. With such heavy-hitting rap stars as Jay-Z, Kanye West and an incarcerated T.I. absent from the touring scene (outside of spot festival dates), Brooks said hard-touring Lil Wayne once again has the lane to himself and should keep packing them in for his never-ending I Am Still Music Tour. Brooks wasn't sure how the Britney Spears/ Nicki Minaj tour was going to pan out, noting that advance ticket numbers didn't look that impressive and that good seats could still be found on Groupon just days before a number of the dates for the two divas. Drew said that despite the lack of buzz, Britney loyalists will still come out because of their love for everything Brit and the allure of Minaj. "It's just gonna be two very big divas on the charts now coming together in one awesome show," he said. When it comes to the summer swing by reunited punk-poppers Blink-182, who will be playing a string of dates with goth-pop icons My Chemical Romance, Brooks said the early signs are good. He suspected the pairing could introduce a new generation to the spiky Blink sound, was willing to bet that rock icons Foo Fighters would continue to do solid business and had a good feeling about rising softer rockers Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver. His pick to keep an eye on was the Avett Brothers, the North Carolina sibling honky-tonkin' bluegrass band, who have developed a really solid, devoted road following and are about to play a sold-out show at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado on Saturday. Pollstar editor in chief Gary Bongiovanni said there was no doubt that U2's massive 360 Tour — already expected to be the highest-grossing of all time when it wraps — will be the summer's biggest hit, despite the fact that it will end in the middle of beach season on July 23. He said early numbers also indicate that Wiz Khalifa's theater and small outdoor venue tour is looking very strong and he expects solid, but not blockbuster, numbers for the NKOTBSB boy-band package. Though it has only 12 dates remaining, Bongiovanni said Dave Matthews Band's Caravan — what he called a "portable festival" — promises to do solid business with three-night stands in New York, Chicago and Washington state, featuring an eclectic lineup that includes the Flaming Lips, Ray LaMontagne, Amos Lee, Moe, Kid Cudi, De La Soul, Soja, the Roots, Dispatch, O.A.R., the Head and the Heart and Gogol Bordello. When it comes to new-breed rock bands like Kings of Leon and My Morning Jacket, Bongiovanni said it all depends on pricing the tickets right. "I think pricing will be more in tune with the economic times this year," he said. "Everyone played it conservative in 2009 and then they pushed the envelope in 2010 and they saw serious pushback." As for his pick to watch, Bongiovanni said not to underestimate the pull of dance-music stars like Tiësto and the first-ever touring electronic festival IDentity, which features such stars as Kaskade, Steve Aoki, Skrillex, DJ Shadow, Afrojack, Booka Shade and Nervo. "Music is just one part of it," he said of the resurgence of live dance-music stars. "They're creating an entertainment environment and you can't underestimate the teenage appeal of partying with your peers." What do you think will be the summer's biggest tour? Let us know in comments below! Related Videos |
| Josh Baze Blazing A Trail From Brooklyn To Hollywood Posted: 07 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT MC talks about his upcoming EP and why Hype Williams signed on to direct his debut video for 'We Made It,' in Mixtape Daily.
Fire Starter: Josh Baze
The collabo with Hype puts Baze in good company, as Williams has directed debut videos for Missy Elliott, the Wu-Tang Clan and Busta Rhymes, among others. And while only time will tell if Baze will be one day be mentioned in the same breath as those stars, he sure hopes so. The 21-year-old told Mixtape Daily he started rapping in his teens and always had a passion for the mic. "I started off on the desks in my elementary school. I started getting into the studio around 16. After I learned how to do a track, and I just laid down my first 16, it was a wrap," Baze said. "My dad was a DJ, so just having him around and watching music get built inside of my house, it was a blessing, because I got to learn so much, man." Baze (rhymes with haze) grew up listening to and idolizing fellow Brooklyn MCs the Notorious B.I.G and Jay-Z because of their ability to lyrically depict their neighborhoods and day-to-day struggles. He hopes to do the same on his debut EP, which is aptly titled The EP and slated to drop in September. "The EP is basically 21 years of my life. It's basically about stories of relationships, ex-girlfriends, family members; the good, the bad, the ugly, whatever," Baze explained. "I just really want to give people a journey of where I came from, which is Brooklyn all the way to Hollywood." Baze linked up with Hype after the rapper's manager, Griffin Guess, played the famed director some of his music, piquing Williams' interest. "I grew up watching this guy direct and make dreams, so it was really inspiring just to have him shoot my first video. It's a blessing to have a hip-hop pioneer direct my first video, and he's so cool and humble," Baze said. "It's not even just as a director but as a real friend, and just building that relationship conquered a lot." Baze promised the album will feature some unique sounds, which isn't surprising considering he's working with acts like Jamie Foxx and deadmau5. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. |
| Watch 'Harry Potter' World Cup Winner Announced Live On Monday Posted: 05 Jul 2011 11:13 PM PDT MTV News is streaming live from the New York premiere of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,' Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The clock is ticking for the characters competing in the "Harry Potter" World Cup and the fans who love them. What was once a field of 64 is already down to eight, and on Monday, July 11, the winner will be declared live during MTV News' live stream from the red carpet of the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" New York City premiere.
MTV News' Josh Horowitz will be manning the carpet, chatting with fan favorites Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Helen McCroy and director David Yates among others. Fans can submit their questions for the stars via MTV.com or Twitter (tweet @MTVNews using the hashtag #AskPotter) starting now and throughout the live stream, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET on MTV.com. Over 5 million votes have been cast so far, and there are still three more rounds of voting to go. The Elite Eight were announced on Wednesday morning (July 6): Harry Potter vs. Severus Snape, Hermione Granger vs. Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley vs. Rubeus Hagrid and Draco Malfoy vs. Sirius Black. Voting for this round will continue through Thursday at midnight, when the Final Four will be announced. See the full bracket and vote! World Cup voting for the Final Four continues through midnight on Sunday, and then the final two favorite "Harry Potter" characters battle it out during the championship round until the winner is announced live. With five out of the Elite Eight actors attending the premiere, there's a good chance we'll be able to chat with the stars about how far their characters made it in the World Cup. Matthew Lewis, James and Oliver Phelps and Fiona Shaw already rallied fans to vote for their characters, though Neville Longbottom, the Weasley twins and Aunt Petunia have unfortunately fallen from the World Cup ranks. Now it's up to the fans to decide who the ultimate "Harry Potter" character is in the "Harry Potter" World Cup. Voting continues over at MTV Movies Blog and you can also get the debate going on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup We're streaming live from the red carpet at the New York premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" on Monday, July 11, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Visit MTV.com to watch interviews with the stars and see the winner of the "Harry Potter" World Cup announced live. Tweet your questions for the cast @MTVNews using the hashtag #AskPotter. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Beanie Sigel Says Jay-Z Wouldn't Let Him Out Of Record Deal Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:22 AM PDT With an offer from 50 Cent on the table, Beans tells 'Rap Fix Live' his old pal and onetime boss said, 'I can't let you go.'
Beanie Sigel put his entire career in retrospect on Wednesday's (July 6) "RapFix Live." Once an intergal part of Jay-Z and Damon Dash's Roc-A-Fella Records, Beanie Sigel — like most of the label's roster — was suddenly on the outside looking in once the label split.
Not only was Beans left in limbo, the Philadelphia MC was in the midst of legal troubles at the time. Upon his release from prison in 2005, Sigel secured a deal with 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. And according to Beans, all he needed was a release from his Def Jam contract from Jay-Z, who happened to be the label president at that time. "When I first got out of jail, I had a meeting, a situation that was already lined up and set up where I could've had [a deal] over there," Sigel said of an agreement 50 Cent put on the table for him. "He wanted to give me a label, a whole label deal ... and a whole lot of money too." Feeling what he described as a sense of loyalty, Sigel went to meet first with Jay, who hadn't communicated with the rapper during the year he was locked up. "Coming where I came out from, that situation with Roc-A-Fella, I was like, 'Let me go holla at my man and see what he got for me before I jump over there.' " Sigel said he was hoping that Jay would release him from his Def Jam contract in a move that would free the State Property rapper up to do business with 50. Sigel admitted, however, that while he told Jay he had a pending offer, he didn't reveal to Jay that it was from G-Unit. "I told him I had to roll. 'If you can't make that situation happen for me, I gotta leave. I gotta go,' " he recalled telling Jay. "I asked him to just let me go — from Def Jam, not from Roc-A-Fella — because he was the president of Def Jam. 'I want to leave Def Jam, I'm out. You're the president, you can push that button. Let me get my release papers.' " But Hov didn't fulfill his old running mate's request. "I went to Jay like, 'Let me get this [record deal] situation,' and he was like, 'I can't let you go.' He was like, 'No.' He was like, 'Nah, let me see what I could do.' That 'see what I could do' turned into another two years." In the end, Sigel never signed with G-Unit, and by 2009, Beans was launching dis rhymes at Jay after hearing what he interpreted as a subliminal attack against him on Jay's The Blueprint III album. Despite all that has gone down, Beans reiterated on "RapFix Live" that he was appreciative of the opportunities Jay-Z and Dame Dash had given him while signed to Roc-A-Fella. What do you think of Beanie's past conflicts with Jay? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Horrible Bosses' Stars Talk 'Swapping Spit' With Jennifer Aniston Posted: 06 Jul 2011 05:26 AM PDT Aniston welcomed her co-stars 'with an open lab coat,' Jason Sudeikis tells MTV News.
If you haven't heard anything about the upcoming comedy "Horrible Bosses," there are really only two things to know about the film in order to understand its appeal: It's rated R and stars Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston, plus several other excellent supporting roles and cameos to look out for. The movie revolves around three friends (Sudeikis, Bateman and Day) who are so fed up with their bosses (Farrell, Spacey and Aniston) that they decide to kill them.
As you can see from the cast list, the guy/girl ratio is a bit skewed, so when MTV News caught up with the leading men, we asked how Aniston fit into the mix of things. Naturally, the boys took a seemingly innocent inquiry into highly inappropriate territory. "You don't welcome her; she welcomes you," said Day, whose character Dale is the victim of some serious sexual harassment at the hands of Aniston's character Julia. "She's the heavy in the room." "Jason and I, unfortunately, we did not get to swap talent spit, as it were," Bateman pointed out, before the three funnymen digressed into an off-topic back-and-forth about what "swapping talent spit" means and where the phrase originated. "Errol Flynn used to say that," Sudeikis said of the legendary actor known for his onscreen swashbuckling and offscreen debauchery. "It started in the Poconos, actually," Bateman jokingly corrected. "Flynn used to spit all over people," Day added. "It wasn't swapping so much as receiving." "Charlie did all the talent with Jennifer," Bateman said, attempting to get the group back on topic. Day revealed that Aniston did, indeed, welcome him into their scene work. "With an open lab coat," Sudeikis added, alluding to one of the many scenes in which Day's character finds himself in an uncomfortable scenario with Aniston's. "And an open labia," Bateman chimed in, which drew groans from his co-stars. "I'm not touchin' that," Day said. "It's spelled the same!" Bateman said in mock protest. "This is MTV!" Sudeikis exclaimed, hinting that Bateman's comment was over the line, even for us. "The network that brought us 'Skins'!" Related Videos |
| 'Transformers': What's Next For The Cast? Posted: 06 Jul 2011 07:40 AM PDT As 'Dark of the Moon' threequel shuts down the summer box office, we look at what director Michael Bay and his stars have lined up next.
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is flashy, action-packed and dominating at the box office. And although director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf have said they're retiring from the franchise, the billion-dollar success of the films means the 'bots will likely live on. So while we've speculated about what's to come for the "Transformers" series, we also wondered what Bay and the cast may be cooking up. Read on for our breakdown of what to expect next from your favorite Autobot aficionados.
Michael Bay "It's a fun script," Bay said. "[It's] something fun to shoot fast." In the meantime, look for plenty of Bay-produced films to hit theaters like "Ouija," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Zombies vs. Robots," to name a few. Shia LaBeouf After "Wettest," LaBeouf said he doesn't currently have anything lined up. "I'm still a hired gun," he explained. "I don't know what I'm going to do next." He did express interest in a possible big-screen adaptation of "Preacher," for which director D.J. Caruso has previously named LaBeouf in citing his wish list of actors for the project. "I love the ['Preacher'] comics," LaBeouf told MTV News. "I think Arseface would be awesome." Tyrese Gibson In addition, Gibson would like to get his feet wet in the superhero movie genre, with a big-screen adaptation of Luke Cage, as he told us at the Moscow premiere of "Dark of the Moon." "Listen, to Marvel: This is Tyrese Gibson. Get it together. Let's go ahead and shoot this comic book," he urged the studio during our interview. "Luke Cage is one of the original Marvel characters. Show some more respect," he continued. "Go ahead and get some traction going on Luke Cage." Josh Duhamel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley "I'm really hoping to do another movie," she said. "I'm working toward that, although I very much hope to stay in the fashion industry; it's my first love. We'll see what happens. I've got no idea." Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Explain: Why <i>I'm With You</i>? Posted: 05 Jul 2011 11:56 PM PDT New guitarist Josh Klinghoffer came up with album title, which has become a rallying cry for Chili Peppers fans.
By now, you've probably seen the cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' I'm With You, a minimal, macabre work by British artist Damien Hirst that's a long way from the hyper-color, freak-out cover of The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, to say the very least (and, as any art major can probably tell you, sort of recalls Hirst's own "Lullaby Spring" too).
Now that you're familiar with the artwork that will adorn the album, you may be wondering about that title — after all, I'm With You is the first Chili Peppers effort since 1989's Mother's Milk not to take its name from a song on the album. So why did they decide to break from tradition this time out? Well, as they told MTV News last month (in an interview you'll be seeing plenty more of in the very near future), it had everything to do with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and a single scooch. "We thought of calling it a song title off the record, and when I mentioned that to [producer] Rick [Rubin], he said, 'That just makes it seem like we don't have enough ideas,' " RHCP frontman Anthony Kiedis said. "And I didn't even stop to think of the fact that every one of our records is like that, and I don't think 'shortage of ideas' was ever our primary dilemma, considering the mountain range of scraps we left behind. So, as an experiment, I started making lists of titles, and all of them, in retrospect, were quite lame, and none of them really captured the spirit of this record, which we had all very much fallen in love with. "And then Josh showed up one day, maybe a day before there was some sort of deadline for a title, and he wrote ['I'm With You'] on a piece of paper," he continued, "And very subtly scooched it [in front of me], and I was like, 'What's that?' And we all kind of put our eyes on it at the same time and went: 'That is the title of our record.' " Klinghoffer said the title came to him almost out of nowhere but that it seemed perfect — not just for the band's new album, but for where they are at this point in their careers too. "It seems pretty open, pretty apropos to where the band is, what the band's doing, how the record wants to be related to, or related with," he explained. And, though it may not be the most traditional Chili Peppers title, I'm With You has already taken on new life as a de facto rallying cry for the band's fans. And that's an added bonus no one in the band could have ever predicted. "It's open, and there's not really a negative connotation. It's inviting. The first time I heard a non-one-of-us mention it, it gave me the best feeling you could imagine," Kiedis said. "Unbeknownst to me, the news [of the album's title] had hit the radio, and some kid came up to me and he shook my hand and he said, 'I'm with you!' And I was like, 'Why are you saying that? Where did you hear that?' He said, 'I'm with you!' And then I realized that he must've heard it on the radio or something, and it was just a great feeling." What do you think of the album title? Let us know in the comments below Related Artists |
| Beanie Sigel 'Didn't Apologize' To Jay-Z Posted: 06 Jul 2011 07:59 AM PDT Philly MC concedes Hov 'gave me an opportunity,' but said press mistook his gratitude as an apology for dis tracks lobbed at Jay.
Despite the lyrical vitriol Beanie Sigel shot Jay-Z's way beginning in 2009, the Philadelphia MC is still grateful for the opportunity the rapper-turned-mogul gave him when he was just a budding Roc-A-Fella Records artist. However, during Beans' visit to MTV News' "RapFix Live" on Wednesday (July 6), he stopped short of saying he had apologized for his sharp words.
XXLMag.com previously reported that the "The Truth" rapper expressed contrition after his Hov comments. But Beans, without specifically naming the outlet, said he felt the interview focused more on the controversy than his current projects, so much so that he still hasn't bothered to read it. "I had a interview with somebody and we were supposed to talk about the music and what I was doing with myself and my music and my plans for the future, and what me and you have been sitting here on this couch conversating about kept coming up," Beanie told host Sway. "I didn't want to talk about that stuff no more. So if anybody read the article or the interview — I never even read it after I did the interview with [the reporter]." Sitting on the "RapFix Live" couch, Beans and Sway talked extensively about the rapper's feelings on the demise of Roc-A-Fella, specifically, his falling out with its co-founders Jay-Z and Damon Dash. Beans alleges he never got a phone call from Dash or Jay saying that the Roc-A-Fella he knew was no more, and that left a sour taste in his mouth. And though Beans acknowledged that during his run with the label, most everything was all good, he just refuses to gloss over the bad. "I'll reiterate today and tell you everything that we discussed and talked about out of all that was going on and the feelings that I might have had, whether they were good or bad, whether I was truthfully in my speech or wrong in my speech," Beans said. "What we did together and what Jay did for me ... he gave me something a lot of people don't get in this music business for a life period. He gave me an opportunity. ... We've been around the world together, people knew who I was, they embraced me, they wanted to wear the clothes we wore." Despite Beanie's grievances with Hov, the fiercely loyal Philly spitter admitted he owes the man his career. And Jay-Z has been steadfast in saying he always supported Beans the best he could. But Jay probably shouldn't hold his breath waiting for an official apology. "At the end of the day, yo, all that don't matter," Beans said. "That opportunity supersedes my personal feelings. And he gave me that [opportunity]. You can't deny he gave me that. So at the end of the day it's about just growth and everything. It wasn't no formal apology. I didn't apologize. People took it that way. But it is what it is. At the end of the day, like I said, he gave me an opportunity." What do you think of Beanie and Jay's past conflict? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Dom Kennedy Embraced By NYC Crowd, Despite L.A. Roots Posted: 06 Jul 2011 05:15 AM PDT 'From the Westside, With Love II just came out last week, so it was shocking to me to see people that knew those songs,' MC marvels after packed show.
New Yorkers are a notoriously tough crowd — ask the Knicks or Yankees. Or try suggesting your favorite pizza spot, because you're already wrong. The city is also full of staunch music critics, from The New York Times to the Apollo Theater's Sandman. Hip-hop acts have a notoriously tough time getting the crowd to put their hands in the air.
West Coast MC Dom Kennedy didn't seem to have much trouble Tuesday evening, however. Kennedy headlined a packed house — more like a sauna — at SOB's in Lower Manhattan. And to many people's surprise, Leimert Park's very own had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Even Kennedy looked pleasantly surprised at the start of his set as the audience repeated every word to songs old and new. He said the show was a bit of a celebration for the hard work he's put in over the past few years. "I realize that these are people that were probably listening to my music every day or every other day since these projects have come out," Kennedy told MTV News. "From the Westside, With Love II just came out last week, so it was shocking to me to see people that knew those songs. But the other ones, it was our time to get together and have a good time." Kennedy said he knew he had a following in New York based on the reception he received at the listening party for his Original Dom Kennedy mixtape earlier this year, but the moment he got to the show and saw he couldn't make his way from the green room to see any of the opening acts, he knew it would be a special night. Kennedy's From the Westside, With Love II dropped via iTunes last week, making it his first retail release. It's the follow-up to his From the Westside, With Love, a project Kennedy felt was really good — most critics felt the same, but he thought it wasn't complete. He wanted Part II to show his growth. He also wanted it to show that Tuesday evening's overwhelming reception wasn't a fluke. "I built my projects to be the best," Kennedy said. "Whether it's a free project, whether my first project just came out on iTunes for $6.99, I built those projects to compete with Lil Wayne CDs, with everybody's album. Whoever people consider the top album, whether it be selling or music-wise, I want the Dom Kennedy album to stand next to those." What do you think of Dom's latest mixtape? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne 'Really, Really Surprised' By Shanell's 'How To Love' Remix Posted: 06 Jul 2011 12:17 AM PDT 'I was mad that it wasn't mine,' Shanell tells Mixtape Daily of why she remixed Wayne single.
Celebrity Favorites: Shanell And the battle of the sexes continues: Just as Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV single "How to Love" begins to heat up for the summer, Young Money's Shanell comes along and adds a woman's touch to the acoustic single.
"I guess when I first heard the song, I was mad that it wasn't mine, because I really liked it," Shanell told Mixtape Daily of her motivation to remake the tune. On the Wayne version, he sings with the aid of Auto-Tune about a woman who is unable to love because of all the wrong done to her in past relationships. "You had a lot of crooks try to steal your heart, never really had luck, couldn't never figure out how to love," Lil Tunechi sings on the original track's chorus. Shanell, who delivers her version of the love song without computer effects, changes the lyrics up slightly but keeps a similar feel. She sings of a man who has been damaged in the past, but instead of blaming him, Shanell excuses his adulterous behavior. "It's really stuff that I've dealt with in relationships that I've been in," Shanell said. "Instead of getting upset with the guy, kind of feeling bad for him. Like, 'You're cheating and I feel bad for you,' rather than, 'I'm mad at you because you just don't know or appreciate what you have. You're too busy trying to be like your favorite rapper.' "I think my version wouldn't be as great as it was if it there wasn't [Wayne's] version for people to hear that side of the story," she added. After hearing Shanell's rendition, Wayne is mulling over the idea of the two performing the song live as a duet during the second leg of his I Am Still Music Tour. "He was really, really surprised that I did it, and he thought it sounded really, really good," she said of the YM boss' reaction. "We're talking about maybe even doing some sort of back and forth thing on the road, on the upcoming tour." Whether or not that pans out, fans can still see Shanell perform some of her own songs on the road with Wayne. She estimates that she'll be able to showcase about two songs on her own, but no plans are finalized just yet. Related Artists |
| Lenny Kravitz Reads Up On 'Hunger Games' Character Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:55 AM PDT The rocker says he's on the second book of Suzanne Collins' trilogy, preparing himself to play stylist Cinna.
"The Hunger Games" has an impressive cast of new talent, unknowns and renowned stars that puts any franchise movie to shame, but one of the most surprising casting decisions made by director Gary Ross was to choose rocker Lenny Kravitz to play stylist Cinna.
When MTV News caught up with Kravitz to chat about his forthcoming album, Black and White America (due out August 30), he said he's finally read the first of Suzanne Collins' "Hunger Games" trilogy. Cinna — whose name often gets misinterpreted as "Sinner" when Kravitz says it, he told us — is one of the most significant secondary characters throughout the "Hunger Games" trilogy. The brilliant costumes he creates for leading lady Katniss Everdeen before the games help give her the confidence that she needs to get through a televised battle-to-the-death with 23 other teens. And his very subtle form of rebellion against the oppressive Capitol is not without consequences. Since he is still only partway through the second novel "Catching Fire," Kravitz has heard only hints of what would happen to his character in a potential second movie. "People have told me, but I'm on the second one now, so don't tell me how ..." Kravitz said, cutting off any spoilers. "The Hunger Games" will be Kravitz's second big-screen acting performance after 2009's "Precious." When asked how he is preparing for what may end up being quite a dramatic scene in the movie's sequel, Kravitz simply replied, "I'll do it as best as I can." When Kravitz was announced as Cinna, MTV's Hollywood Crush blogcaught up with several "Hunger Games" experts to hear their thoughts on the casting decision. Most of them were behind it, but the main concern was whether the singer had the acting chops for the performance. "I guess the real question people have is, you know, what acting experience does Lenny Kravitz have? I'm confident that he can pull it off and do a really fantastic job," "Hunger Games" Fireside chat host Adam Spunberg said. "He certainly looks the part, at least in my mind, how I pictured Cinna," "Hunger Games" Examiner Sara Grundell said. "Lenny Kravitz totally fits that mental image I had. I guess we'll have to wait and see." 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 Related Artists |
| Taylor Swift Cancels Tour Dates Due To Illness Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:07 AM PDT Singer postpones a handful of shows after coming down with bronchitis.
It may be a little difficult for Taylor Swift to Speak Now. The singer canceled several dates on her summer tour after coming down with bronchitis. According to a statement from her label, Swift has had to shuffle around a few shows because she "has bronchitis, and has been advised by her doctor that she is not well enough to perform this week." Her July 8 show in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been rescheduled for November 16, and two dates in Atlanta, on July 9 and 10, are now slated for October 1 and 2. "It breaks my heart to miss out on this weekend's shows with my friends in Charlotte and Atlanta," the star in a statement. "I would never cancel if I thought I was physically able to perform these shows. I am so sorry to the fans, but I look forward to seeing you when we come back through your towns, which we will do." Swift's tour will resume on July 14 in Montreal. Swift canceled a concert in Kentucky over the weekend, marking the first time the singer has ever had to cancel a show due to illness. She alerted her fans to the news on Twitter, writing, "Louisville, I so sorry to have to postpone this show to Oct 11. This is my first time having to do this. I'm so, so sorry." When Swift spoke to MTV News in May about the Speak Now tour, she explained it would be all about the fans. "That's why I'm so blown away. That's why I can't wait to go out on tour and thank them personally," she explained. "We get to have such groovy, cool stuff happening. I've never had pyro before. I've never had aerialists before. It's got this grand staircase. The stage in itself looks like an old-world theater. I can't believe we get to play stadiums. I'm so excited about this tour. I want to live on that stage. I hope people leave the concert feeling like they know you better." Send your get-well wishes to Taylor in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Big Sean, Kanye West, Hype Williams Team Up On 'Marvin & Chardonnay' Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:18 AM PDT Detroit MC lets MTV News in on some of the 'crazy ideas' the 'Michael Jordan' of music videos has up his sleeve.
Big Sean is hyped up and he has every reason to be. On Wednesday morning (July 6), the Detroit MC saw his rookie album, Finally Famous, snag the #3 spot on the Billboard albums chart, behind Beyoncé and Adele, at #1 and #2, respectively.
That isn't all, though. On Tuesday, the G.O.O.D. Music signee was in New York City shooting the video to his next single, "Marvin & Chardonnay," featuring Kanye West and directed by Hype Williams. Sean and Hype first collaborated on the rapper's 2009 video for "Getcha Some," but the rapper is excited to work again with the director he likens to basketball great Michael Jordan. "It's great, it's fun, me and Hype are homeys. He's a real dude and it's tight being around people that you consider legends, and him just being so real," Sean told MTV News' Sway on the "Marvin & Chardonnay" set. "We came up in here and was just blasting DMX and all this different music. He gets inspired creatively from I don't know what; he just has these crazy ideas." As far as details, Sean remained tight-lipped but promised the clip would be "classic" Hype, with eye-popping colors and high-end wardrobes. Sean was particularly fond of a yellow suit that he would be sporting in the vid and a pair of designer Versace shades similar to the ones made famous by the Notorious B.I.G. in the 1990s. "Colors, the visualization, the whole what G.O.O.D. Music stands for is just that quality. Whatever we do is quality," Sean said. "If we gonna have girls, we gonna have the best girls. If we gonna have yellow suits, it's gonna be the best yellow suit. If we gonna have Versaces, it's gonna be the OG Medusa-head Versace." What do you think of Big Sean collaborating with Hype Williams? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga? Britney Spears? Fans Pick Their 2011 Summer Jams Posted: 06 Jul 2011 09:37 AM PDT Katy Perry, Pitbull, Chris Brown and Adele also found support from MTV.com readers.
Now that school's out and folks are slathering on the sunscreen, we figured it was time to take the temperature of the annual Summer Jam Sweepstakes — the race to dominate the airwaves (and your tanning playlist) during the long, hot months of the year.
So last week, we published our initial rankings in the race for the Summer Jam crown, a list that was topped by Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," with Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" and LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" following close behind. A whole host of other big-name stars — like Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Adele, to name just a few — also made the cut, along with some dark-horse candidates (like Foster the People, Maroon 5 and David Guetta) who are determined to make this competition close. Of course, our rankings had you talking too — in fact, the conversation in our comments section got so huge (we even heard from a Hall of Fame third baseman!) that we've decided to spotlight some of the best back-and-forth right now. What's your pick for the Song of Summer 2011? Here's what you had to say: "This has been Katy's decade so far! She made pop music fun again." — Tuffy Luvvy " 'Lighters' by Eminem, Royce and Bruno Mars all the way, baby! It's a long-shot, I know. I think Katy Perry will get it, but you never know." — lilbittaflava "I like Katy, but 'I Wanna Go' from Britney sounds more like a summer song." — Aaron "Britney Spears! 'I Wanna Go' just makes my summer great!" — Melissa Goulart "Britney Spears all the way! 'I Wanna Go' all the way! I'm still in love with Pitbull's 'Give Me Everything,' and his album is amazing. Nicki Minaj's 'Super Bass' is sick, love it!" — RyanJaggerz " 'The Edge of Glory' is a glorious pop anthem-masterpiece, no need for it to be crowned as a 'jam.' Adele's 'Rolling' is heart-touching, breathtaking and also a masterpiece." — Spyros Venturis " 'Moves Like Jagger' by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera is amazing!" — SuperZonic Jbsz "Oh I couldn't believe when I saw them, thank you so much MTV for putting them on the list ... I love them, talking about of course FOSTER THE PEOPLE YEAHHHHHHH." — hotalejandro " 'Tonight Tonight' by Hot Chelle Rae! I could party to that every day of the summer." — WhatShouldIDo? "You guys forgot about New Boyz ft. Chris Brown, 'Better With the Lights Off,' and Lupe Fiasco ft. Trey Songz, 'Outta My Head.' " — booklady "All these songs have that 'I've heard it all before' sound to them. Nothing special about any of the songs on the list. A lot of the 'artists' on this list would be better off working a mop at a Waffle House. It's Kanye's fault." — Mike Schmidt What do you think? Share your Summer Jam picks in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Will Pia Toscano Find Post-'American Idol' Success? Posted: 05 Jul 2011 10:15 PM PDT Experts weigh in on Toscano's Interscope signing and music-industry future.
After much tiptoeing around the rumors, on Tuesday, "American Idol" alum Pia Toscano confirmed what everyone already suspected: She is signed to Interscope Records.
The singer danced around the matter when we sat down with her in April and then again when we caught up with her at the American Idols Live! Tour rehearsals late last month. "You know, you're just going to have to wait and see. That's the goal, ultimately," Toscano teased when asked about her career. "So we both have some good things ahead," she added, with Haley Reinhart at her side. Toscano is expected to premiere her first single, "This Time," at the tour kickoff Wednesday (July 6) in Utah. The song officially drops July 12. Interscope signing Toscano came as no surprise to experts who follow the show, and the fact that she kept it a secret for so long is equally unsurprising. "I am going to guess that they waited so long to announce it in order to goose ticket sales for the tour, which starts tonight," Village Voice music editor Maura Johnston told MTV News. Meanwhile, MTV News' very own "Idol" expert, Jim Cantiello, agreed about the timing of the announcement. "If the powers that be announced her deal while 'Idol' was still in season, it would have undermined the eventual winner's signing. 'American Idol' is a lot like 'The Real Housewives of New York': There's a pecking order. You can't crown Miss America before the congeniality award gets handed out." So will Toscano succeed at a major label? "Honestly, when I think of people becoming fans of hers, I think of all the '90s revivalism that's gone on lately in the alt-rock and hip-hop worlds," Johnston said. "Maybe the outcry over Pia is some sort of residual result of fetishism for that decade creeping over into other types of music, since she's operating in a Celine/old-school Mariah sort of diva way." "I don't know if Pia will be the 'next big thing,' " Cantiello countered. "Her vocal prowess is beyond spectacular, but on 'Idol,' she suffered from a lack of personality. What will really be a hard hurdle to jump, though, is that she made a name for herself belting massive ballads, à la Whitney, Celine and old-school Mariah. It's a style of singing that hasn't launched a star on the radio in decades. I'm not convinced Pia is the one to bring that genre back." Do you think Pia can usher in a new diva era? Let us know in the comments below! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. |
| Beyonce Debuts At #1 With <I>4</I> Posted: 06 Jul 2011 09:42 AM PDT Big Sean, Selena Gomez and Scotty McCreery also debut in top 10.
There wasn't much question about whether Beyoncé's fourth solo effort, 4, would debut at the top of the Billboard 200 chart this week — it was just a matter of what the final tally would be.
Beyoncé does indeed top the chart with sales of 310,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. But that's about 172,000 less than the first-week tally for her last effort, 2006's double-disc smash, I Am ... Sasha Fierce, and marks the softest opening sales for the singer's solo albums to date (edging out her 2003 solo debut, Dangerously in Love, which moved 317,000). Bey leads a parade of new faces in the top 10, including the debut from Kanye West protégé Big Sean, Finally Famous: The Album, which lands at #3 (87,000). Also new to the top 10: the latest from Selena Gomez & the Scene, When the Sun Goes Down (#4, 78,000); the second effort from former "American Idol" winner David Cook, This Loud Morning (#7, 46,000); and the debut EP from this year's "Idol" winner, Scotty McCreery, which hits #10 on sales of 40,000. As for the rest of the top 10, Adele's 21 continues to defy expectations and recent music-industry logic by scooting up one spot to #2 on sales of 92,000 as her year-to-date figures pass the 2.5 million mark. After debuting at #1 last week, Jill Scott falls to #5 with The Light of the Sun, which was down 60 percent on sales of 55,000. Country singer Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party moves up four spots to #6 (48,000), "America's Got Talent" mini-opera diva Jackie Evancho falls four to #8 with Dream With Me (44,000) and the Eminem and Royce da 5'9" collabo, Hell: The Sequel, slips three spots to #9 (42,000). While sensitive folkie Bon Iver takes a major 63 percent tumble to #11 (39,000) with his self-titled second album after a #2 debut last week, it is the steady decline of Lady Gaga's Born This Way that continues to make headlines. Even as U.K. breakout star Adele has managed to hover around the top five for most of the year and rack up the biggest figures to date for a 2011 release on the back of just one single ("Rolling in the Deep"), despite a string of singles and high-profile videos, Gaga's album has steadily faded after just six weeks. This week marks its first outside the top 10, as Born This Way falls another four spots to #12, with sales dipping another 22 percent to 38,000 as total sales passed the 1.5 million mark. Elsewhere on the charts, the all-star Buddy Holly tribute album, Rave on Buddy Holly, comes in at #15 (28,000), just ahead of the comeback attempt from 1990s nu-metal icons Limp Bizkit, Gold Cobra (#16, 27,000), and the self-titled album from a reunited Taking Back Sunday (#17, 27,000). Country star Blake Shelton clearly benefited from his turn on the NBC hit reality singing program "The Voice," as his Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton rises 42 spots to #18 as sales ballooned by 182 percent to 25,000. Meanwhile, Maroon 5's latest, Hands All Over, also saw a bump thanks to singer Adam Levine's gig on "Voice," jumping 47 spots to #26 as sales went up 139 percent to 18,000. Judge Christina Aguilera saw a more modest uptick, with her 2008 greatest-hits album, Keeps Gettin' Better, re-entering the charts at #46 on sales of 12,000. Fans also welcomed back beloved dusty folk singer Gillian Welch, whose first album in eight years, The Harrow & the Harvest, hits #20 (23,000). Also charting: rapper Curren$y with Weekend at Burnie's (#22, 23,000), "Idol" season 10 runner-up Lauren Alaina with her debut EP (#24, 20,000) and third-place finisher Haley Reinhart with hers (#37, 14,000). Over on the iTunes charts, Beyoncé rules the albums list, followed by Sean, Adele, Gomez, Shelton's greatest hits, Bon Iver, the resurgent Maroon 5, Cook, Eminem and Royce and Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More. In an indication of why her sales might be less than impressive, Bey doesn't have a single song on the iTunes singles chart, which is led by LMFAO's "Party Rock," which beats out Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," Pitbull's "Give Me Everything," Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and "Voice" winner Javier Colon's "Stitch by Stitch." Adele holds on to the #6 slot with "Rolling in the Deep," with "Voice" runner-up Dia Frampton just behind with "Inventing Shadows." She is followed by Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight Tonight," Lil Wayne's "How to Love" and Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory." With no major releases hitting stores this week, look for Beyoncé and Adele to duke it out for the top slot in the next cycle. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Twilight' Author Stephenie Meyer To Produce 'Austenland' Film Posted: 05 Jul 2011 10:08 PM PDT Meyer's love of Jane Austen can be seen throughout 'The Twilight Saga.'
With the final two "Twilight Saga" films on the horizon, author Stephenie Meyer is ready to sink her teeth into some non-vampire projects. Meyer will produce the Jane Austen-inspired "Austenland," an adaptation of the Shannon Hale novel that will be directed by newcomer Jerusha Hess. Heat Vision has the news of Meyer's involvement, reporting that filming begins this week in the U.K. The movie is about a woman whose obsession with Mr. Darcy is so strong it is ruining her love life, so she ends up going to an Austen-themed resort in England and inevitably falls for the Mr. Darcy actor at Austenland. The cast so far includes Keri Russell, J.J. Field, Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Seymour, Rupert Vansittart and James Callis. Meyer has been a longtime fan of Austen's work and credited the author's "Sense and Sensibility" character Mr. Edward Ferrars with the decision to name her leading man Edward. In addition, "Twilight" was inspired by Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," to the point that main character Bella is reading the novel during the story and often compares her relationship with Edward to Elizabeth Bennet's relationship with Mr. Darcy. This will only be the fourth film Meyer has produced and the first outside adaptations of her own works. The two "Breaking Dawn" movies were her first venture into producing, and now she is also attached to produce the upcoming adaptation of her book "The Host." But she also had a chance behind the camera thanks to one of her favorite bands, Jack's Mannequin, back in 2008. In addition to being influenced by classic romances, Meyer often cites inspiration from music. Singer/songwriter Andrew McMahon took her appreciation for his band Jack's Mannequin a step further when he asked her to write a treatment for the music video of his song "The Resolution" and then come to Los Angeles and direct it for them. "I'm most excited because, when I was making this album, I wanted to find someone who was really talented and get them to write a treatment and just leave it alone and let it fly. And that's exactly what we're doing here," McMahon told MTV News about his experience working with Meyer back in 2008. For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
| Linkin Park Announce L.A. Concert For Japan Relief Fundraisers Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:27 AM PDT Band will give tickets for 'intimate venue' show to the first 500 fans to raise $500 for earthquake relief.
Five months after a devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Japan, rockers Linkin Park have come up with a novel way to raise funds for relief efforts.
Their latest project, on fundraising site Give2gether.com, is a fan challenge in which the first 500 people to raise $500 or more will get a pair of tickets to a secret Los Angeles show that's scheduled to take place on August 31. The band isn't revealing much else about the show, other than a promise that it will be in a "small, intimate venue in the Los Angeles area" and feature an opening set from Japanese pop group B'z. Depending on how much money fans raise, they could also get even bigger perks. The top 50 fundraisers will earn a meet-and-greet session with the bandmembers and a group photo. The top 10 will get signed instruments from the band's recent European tour, plus the meet-and-greet. And the top fundraiser will watch the secret show from the stage, in addition to all the other goodies. All proceeds from the campaign will go to Save the Children's Japan earthquake and tsunami relief effort via Linkin Park's nonprofit Music for Relief. Though those who do not reach the $500 level will not get tickets to the show, they will get a thank-you note from Music for Relief, acknowledging their participation. In a video promoting the campaign, bandmembers Mike Shinoda and Dave "Phoenix" Farrell encouraged fans to get onboard the charity project. Talking up the intimacy of the show, Shinoda joked that the venue is "so small it would fit inside my hands." "And all you have to do to come to this very small venue is support Music for Relief for Japan. ... Does that sound mysterious to you? Does that sound interesting?" Shinoda asked. At press time, the Give2gether site had 1,155 supporters who had raised $47,635, with the most generous U.S. fan donating $7,000 to the cause. All funds have to be raised by August 24, and winners (who must be 18 years old or 16 with parental consent) are responsible for their own transportation to the concert. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Britney Spears Tweets Support For Nicki Minaj After Cousin's Murder Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:33 AM PDT 'Keep up the amazing love and support you guys have for her,' Spears writes.
While Nicki Minaj has remained quiet on Twitter since her cousin's death, her Femme Fatale tourmate Britney Spears sent love and support her way on the social networking site. "Please keep @NickiMinaj & her family in your prayers. ... keep up the amazing love and support you guys have for her," Spears tweeted late Tuesday. Minaj was performing at a show on Monday night in Winnipeg when it was learned that her cousin had been shot and killed in New York. The tour was off Tuesday night and will resume Wednesday in Minnesota. Minaj initially tweeted the news of the murder of her cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, on Monday evening. He was shot in Brooklyn near his home in the early hours of Independence Day, according to police. Police say that the 27-year-old was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso region. He was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The investigation is ongoing. A relative of Telemaque spoke to Radar Online shortly after the news broke, noting that Minaj is "devastated" over the loss. "He was shot in the chest as he walked towards his car close to his home. Nicki is absolutely devastated, as are all our family — she was very close to her cousin, but now he has gone," Carol Clarke told the website, adding that she believed he was killed as a result of "mistaken identity." "She has reached out to Nicholas' mom, Victoria, to offer her words of comfort but she is too distraught. Nicholas was a quiet person but he could be the life and soul of the party, too," Clarke added. "He did not run with gangs or anything like that." Telemaque had reportedly been seen at C-PAC nightclub earlier that night. "His friends have told us there wasn't any trouble that night and we believe it could have been a case of mistaken identity, but the police are still investigating the case," she said. "We are still trying to make arrangements for his funeral, but I will really miss him because he was a good person." Related Artists |
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