MTV News |
- Katy Perry, Adele And More 2011 VMA Nominees ... Possibly
- 'Spider-Man' Comic-Con Footage Will Be New To Emma Stone
- 'Captain America' Is For The Ladies Too, Stars Say
- 'Twilight' Stars To Join Us Live From Comic-Con!
- 'Dragon Tattoo' Star Rooney Mara 'Nailed' The Part
- Rick Ross Protege Gunplay Lets Off Shots On New Mixtape
- 'Dark Knight Rises' Trailer: An Expert Analysis!
- Pia Toscano Had 'Immediate Connection' With Rodney Jerkins
- Chris Evans 'Put The Gloves On' For 'Captain America' Stunts
- Common Defends 'Ghetto Dreams' Lyrics
- Mila Kunis Thinks 'Friends With Benefits' Relationships Can Work
- DMX Released From Jail
- Portugal. The Man Make The Leap On New Album
- Beyonce Shares Her Love For Frank Ocean, Kanye West
- Jason Derulo Switches Gears For Intimate 'It Girl' Video
- Beastie Boys Battle Assassins In 'Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win' Video
- Blink-182's 'Indefinite Hiatus' Was 'Really Stupid,' Tom DeLonge Says
- Jennifer Lopez Questioned Love On Album Before Split
- Rebecca Black Drops 'My Moment' Music Video
| Katy Perry, Adele And More 2011 VMA Nominees ... Possibly Posted: 20 Jul 2011 03:50 AM PDT Bigger Than the Sound tries to predict the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards.
I've been told that the nominations for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards — which air live Sunday, August 28, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV — are going to be announced at some point on Wednesday (July 20), and that means you should probably get ready for a whole lot of Katy Perry. And Adele. And Britney Spears. And Lady Gaga. Oh, and Rihanna too. That's because, to paraphrase Beyoncé (oh yeah, she'll probably get nominated too), it's been girls who've run the world in 2011, and the VMAs will probably be no exception. Perry — who has basically been unstoppable since last summer — figures to be the most nominated artist, with this year's breakout star, Adele, close behind. Britney, Gaga and all the rest figure to be in the hunt too. In fact, one has to wonder if the folks behind the show will just go ahead and eliminate the Best Male Video category altogether. More room for the ladies that way. Of course, we won't know for sure until those nominations are officially revealed, but while we wait, I figured it was time to dust off the old Prognostication Cap and try to predict the 2011 VMA nominees in advance. I've done this for seemingly every awards show in the past, and sometimes I even manage to avoid embarrassing myself completely (not always, though). So without any advance knowledge — and using as many sweeping generalizations as humanly possible — here are my picks for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Accuracy not entirely guaranteed. Best Male Video » Bruno Mars, "Grenade" Best Female Video » Adele, "Rolling in the Deep" Best Rock Video » 30 Seconds to Mars, "Hurricane" Best Hip-Hop Video » Beastie Boys, "Make Some Noise" Best Pop Video » Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me" Best New Artist » Foster the People Video of the Year » Adele, "Rolling in the Deep" Did we get it right? Share your picks in the comments! |
| 'Spider-Man' Comic-Con Footage Will Be New To Emma Stone Posted: 20 Jul 2011 03:50 AM PDT She has seen the trailer, however, which she says is 'pretty cool, but maybe I'm a little bit biased, contractually.'
San Diego Comic-Con is almost upon us! Known affectionately in some of the fanboy circles as "nerd prom," this pop-culture extravaganza features a star-studded four-day celebration of the most highly anticipated movies and TV shows coming down the pike.
MTV News is covering the best of all the action via our "MTV News: Comic-Con Takeover," three live-stream broadcasts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT. But before we get settled in San Diego, one of the Con's featured guests, Emma Stone, recently gave us a little preview of what we might expect from her film, "The Amazing Spider-Man." "I think they're going to be showing a little footage from the movie at Comic-Con. I have not seen that yet," she admitted. Stone has, however, seen the official first trailer for the Marc Webb-directed reboot. "I've seen the trailer, which I believe comes out [in front of] 'Captain America'," she said. "I thought it was pretty cool, but maybe I'm a little bit biased, contractually. I'm pretty excited about it," she added with a smile. "We'll see how people respond to it." Given the fact that Stone, Webb and her co-star Spidey/Peter Parker himself, Andrew Garfield, will be on hand to present the footage in front of thousands of fans in the convention center's famous Hall H, we can almost guarantee that she has nothing to worry about. Stone is plenty excited already, especially for her return to the famous hall. "Hall H! I love Hall H!" she said excitedly. Be sure to tune in to our Comic-Con takeover starting Thursday. "MTV News: Comic-Con Takeover" features three live-stream broadcasts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT. Keep it locked to MTV.com and Splash Page for all the latest, greatest Comic-Con news. If you have any questions or comments for our talent coming through, send them via Twitter @MTVNews with the hashtag #mtvsdcc. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Captain America' Is For The Ladies Too, Stars Say Posted: 20 Jul 2011 03:50 AM PDT 'We do a really good job establishing a romance,' Chris Evans offers as a reason female moviegoers should check out 'The First Avenger.'
Generally speaking, a superhero or comic book-based movie can almost guarantee that its fervent fanboy following will show up at the box office come opening day. A more elusive audience to capture with these big, flashy blockbusters are female moviegoers. Not that women don't love superhero movies or read comic books, of course, but they aren't often a studio's target audience.
When MTV News caught up with the stars of "Captain America: The First Avenger" recently, we asked what their film has to offer the lady moviegoers who might not necessarily be as interested in the action and explosions as others. "I gotta be honest, [compared with] the majority of superhero movies that I've seen, I think we do a really good job establishing a romance," Chris Evans, a.k.a. Cap himself, said. "It's a budding romance, it's early. Steve Rogers hasn't had much experience with women, so the romance they establish is new and fresh, and it doesn't really have a chance to develop," he explained. "I don't want to give too much away, but I will say everything else in the movie aside, the one thing I think they really did right was the romance." Hayley Atwell, who plays Steve Rogers/ Captain America's love interest Peggy Carter and is one of the only women in the film, agreed with Evans. "It's got a strong, sincere love story running through it," she said. "Captain America has a sincerity. He's earnest, and there is a vulnerability about him. He's not your typical testosterone-fueled man." In addition to all the sincere romantic stuff, Sebastian Stan pointed out that there are some superficial reasons for ladies to like the film as well. "I feel like you can drive a car on Chris' chest, so maybe that?" he said, speaking to Evans' muscle-bound physique, post-superserum. "That might help." Check out everything we've got on "Captain America: The First Avenger." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Twilight' Stars To Join Us Live From Comic-Con! Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:13 AM PDT MTV News kicks off three days of live streams from San Diego with Thursday's one-hour 'Breaking Dawn' special on MTV.com.
It's that time of year again, when vampires and werewolves, witches and wizards, storm troopers and Spider-Men descend on San Diego for Comic-Con International, the annual pop-culture convention that draws celebrities, movie studios, comic book publishers and all their fans to one place for four jam-packed days of panels, premieres and parties.
As always, MTV News will be in the midst of all the action. This year, we are proud to announce that we will be presenting "MTV News: Comic-Con Takeover," three live-stream broadcasts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT. The first of our three live Comic-Con-themed shows is a veritable feast for all the "Twilight" fans out there. We're kicking off our coverage in a big way Thursday with an entire hour dedicated to "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn." Mark your calendars and set your phone alerts to remind you to tune into MTV.com at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT for a smorgasbord of "Twilight" goodness that includes exclusive interviews with the film's superstar cast and filmmakers, news from the "Breaking Dawn" panel and other tidbits associated with the film's Comic-Con events. And that's just Thursday. Friday and Saturday's live broadcasts promise to be just as enticing as our "Breaking Dawn"-themed hour. Expect to see your favorite stars and filmmakers stopping by our studio to chat about the biggest and most buzz-worthy films and TV shows heading to theaters and television sets near you. Keep it locked to MTV.com and Splash Page for all the latest, greatest Comic-Con news. If you have any questions or comments for our "Breaking Dawn" talent coming through, send them via Twitter @MTVNews with the hashtag #mtvsdcc. |
| 'Dragon Tattoo' Star Rooney Mara 'Nailed' The Part Posted: 19 Jul 2011 03:06 AM PDT Daniel Craig tells MTV News his co-star is 'massively impressive' as hacker Lisbeth Salander.
Who would win the right to be Lisbeth Salander? Last summer, Hollywood was consumed with that question, as some of the biggest names in the business competed to land that coveted starring role in David Fincher's adaptation of the international best-selling crime thriller, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."
Actresses like Natalie Portman, Kristen Stewart and Ellen Page reportedly were eyeing the gig, and yet it went to a relative unknown named Rooney Mara. The fresh-faced Mara seemed an unlikely choice at first to play Salander, an emotionally scarred, motorcycle-driving hacker not adverse to violent confrontations with anyone who crosses her. But our first look at Mara in character assuaged any fan misgivings: Mara has turned into Salander. And perhaps no one was more impressed by that transformation than co-star Daniel Craig, who plays Mikael Blomkvist, the disgraced journalist hired to investigate a decades-old missing-persons case. Blomkvist then hires Salander to assist in the search. "Rooney is massively impressive," he told MTV News during a recent "Cowboys & Aliens" press event. "She took [it] on under a massive amount of pressure because obviously there's a lot of expectation. I was massively impressed and she absolutely nailed this. People are hopefully are going to be incredibly surprised and happy with her performance." "Dragon Tattoo" marks Fincher's first film after the Oscar-nominated hit "The Social Network," in which Mara played a small role. During production on that Facebook-focused flick, Jesse Eisenberg was blown away that Fincher would shoot certain scenes 60 times or more. Craig experienced something similar on "Dragon Tattoo," though he emphasized he expected nothing less. "Yeah, but I don't count," he said of Fincher's copious takes. "People are always asking me about that, saying, 'Isn't that strange or whatever it is?' but actors live for that. I want to do it over and over again until I get it right. I don't count, so I couldn't tell you what the largest amount of takes are. ... The whole process was great. All of it was great. I had a lot of fun on it." Check out everything we've got on "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Photos |
| Rick Ross Protege Gunplay Lets Off Shots On New Mixtape Posted: 19 Jul 2011 04:06 AM PDT Self-Made is loaded with street references and gun-toting anthems, in Mixtape Daily.
Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group has become a hotbed for rap talent. Not only is there Meek Mill, Wale and Pill, who are all prominently featured on the recently released MMG-compilation Self-Made, day-one Maybach fam like Miami rapper Gunplay continues to hold it down for the streets. On his latest, DJ P-Cutta-hosted mixtape, Off Safety, GP keeps it extra-grimy.
Anchored by Gunplay's street single "Rollin'," which features Ross and Waka Flocka, Off Safety is drenched with drug references and gun-toting anthems. On "No Arm and Hammer," Gunplay employs some humorous wordplay on the song's hook when he shouts, "No arm and hammer in my Hannah Montana," using the Miley Cyrus character's name as newfangled slang for cocaine (or "white girl" as the drug is so often called). "Mask On" is another murderous track. On it, producer Lil Lody uses a gun's click and clack as a sound effect within the beat. Gunplay means business with his booming voice and hard-hitting flow as he raps, "Looking like I'm about to hold the whole world hostage." Sounds like it too. The Carol City, Miami, rapper slows things down on "Skrate Up Menace" as he contemplates his standing with God after doing so much dirt in the streets. The island-tinged "Herbalist" is a marijuana ode with a twist. Starting out with a reggae sample, the Kino Beats-produced track is then peppered with kinetic drums that raise the song's energy as GP spits his verses. Lil Wayne protégé Gudda Gudda makes an appearance on "She Knows Wussup," and "Wut They Yellin'," produced by Schife, is a Dirty South tear-the-club-up-type track reminiscent of Three 6 Mafia. By the time the 12-track Off Safety draws to a close, the rapper's hunger is apparent. Gunplay has quite a few shots in the chamber, and he isn't afraid to let them off. Joints to Check For » "Mask On," produced by Lil Lody For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Artists |
| 'Dark Knight Rises' Trailer: An Expert Analysis! Posted: 19 Jul 2011 02:28 AM PDT We break down what we know so far about the return to Gotham City — and take a stab at some lingering questions.
The "Dark Knight Rises" teaser trailer flickered across movie screens over the weekend, and then popped up online Monday afternoon. It features so many elusive references and inspired so much we-can't-wait-until-the-2012-theatrical-release anticipation that we're still talking about it today. So the MTV Movies team settled in for a detailed breakdown of what's been unveiled, the new questions raised, and what the whole thing tells us about next year's cinematic return to Gotham City.
Batman, Where It All Began Beyond this thematic and visual connection, the early trailer footage indicates that the League of Shadows — the crew of martial arts badasses who trained Wayne before coming to battle him — will in fact play a key role in the new film. Where it gets interesting is that Ra's Al Ghul apparently died in "Batman Begins," but Neeson was reportedly spotted on the "Dark Knight Rises" set and is featured prominently, at least in voice, in the trailer. Very interesting ... Commissioner Desperation The implication of what he's saying is that Gotham City is in trouble. We've seen in the teaser poster and through this trailer that the urban environment is literally crumbling to the ground. Desperation, both emotional and physical, seems to be the theme of the trailer — a stark contrast to the hopeful tone of the title, "Dark Knight Rises." Gordon here is begging Wayne to rise again; when and why he does remains to be seen. The Caped Quitter Facing Bane Listen to That Crowd The question remains: How does Bane fit into the League of Shadows-heavy story line? How does that baddie come to blows with Batman, as we see toward the end of the trailer? That last shot of the two men facing off has the feel of a boxing match, the scene caught by a handheld camera, Batman bouncing up and down like he's in the ring. Noteworthy in that shot, as well, is a mysterious character in the upper right-hand corner: Who is that and why would Nolan include him or her in the trailer? "Dark Knight Rises" detectives out there, it's time to get to work! Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Pia Toscano Had 'Immediate Connection' With Rodney Jerkins Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:03 PM PDT 'American Idol' finalist promises MTV News upcoming debut will have 'edgy, fun, soulful' songs with assists from star producers.
When people say they've been waiting their whole life for a particular moment, Pia Toscano knows exactly what they mean. The 22-year-old, ninth-place finisher on season 10 of "American Idol" has been grinding away at her musical dream since she was 13, and after all those years of rejection and false starts, she's finally feeling like things are going her way. "I can't believe it, I really can't believe it," she told MTV News of her rebound from a disappointing finish on her fifth try at "Idol." She's now signed to a major-label deal with Interscope Records and has booked studio time with some of the most sought-after producers in the business. Though her country/pop-leaning first single, breakup tune "This Time," seems like it encroaches a bit on the territory of teen "Idol" runner-up Lauren Alaina and maybe even winner Scotty McCreery, Toscano promises that's not the direction she's headed. "That song sounds kind of country, but [the album's] not just one thing, not pop or R&B," she said while making her way through the airport on the way to an Idols Live! tour date. "It will be pop with an R&B influence, with an edge. It will be soulful and powerful." Had she not been bumped from the competition so shockingly early, Toscano said viewers would have realized that she had much more in her bag of tricks than the power ballads she sang on the show. "It's funny, you're labeled as one thing on the show ... and 'American Idol' opened up tons of doors for me and allowed me the opportunity to be signed to Interscope, but before I got on there, I was writing my own stuff and not doing a lot of ballads," she said, explaining that those diva numbers were what best suited her vocally on the show. And not only does she not blame the audience for seeming to get it wrong by booting her, Toscano said her early exit may have been a blessing in disguise. "If I had made it a week further, I may not have gotten signed by Interscope," she said. "I got [to] working immediately, doing demos for [Interscope boss] Jimmy [Iovine] and I had to work for him to pick me up and sign me." Contrary to some early erroneous reports, Toscano said she was not signed to Interscope immediately, but had to get in the studio and prove herself. Once Iovine signed off, Toscano said the dream really began to take shape as she got to work with songwriter Ester Dean, who wrote "This Time," after giving the world such hits as Rihanna's "Rude Boy" and "S&M" and Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass." But more important, Toscano has logged studio time with two producers she's dreamed of working with for years. One of the biggest is Rodney Jerkins (Michael Jackson, Brandy, Beyoncé), who has recorded three songs with Toscano so far, with more possibly in the offing. "I love working with him and we had an immediate connection and great chemistry," she said of the production star, who served as an "Idol" mentor this season. "He's got power and we're the perfect fit for each other ... he knows how to produce a good vocal that's strong, edgy, fun and soulful." The production team Rock Mafia (Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez) — also "Idol" mentors — have recorded a few songs with Toscano, including "Counterfeit," a tune she described as a "haunting, edgy ballad" that may also feature some production from Tricky Stewart (Britney Spears, Mariah Carey). Before she was discovered on "Idol," Toscano said she made the rounds at a number of labels and often told her prospective bosses that along with Jerkins, one of the people she really wanted to work with was Underdogs co-founder Harvey Mason Jr. (Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks). "He's one of my good friends. ... When I went to the labels, I said I wanted to work with Harvey Mason Jr. and Rodney Jerkins, and I'm just pinching myself right now. It's a dream, it's crazy." She has also collaborated with Spears songwriter Heather Brite on a "beautiful" song called "Less to Know." Toscano wrote a number of songs before her run on "Idol" and though so far she's letting the pros do the heavy lifting on the yet-untitled disc — which she said is due out in the fall — she's open to collaboration and would love to work with someone like OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. For now, though, she's focused on the "Idol" summer tour and hitting the studio when she can. "We're 10 shows in ... and it's grueling, but it's a lot of fun," she said of the nearly-every-night schedule of the tour, during which she sings Rihanna's "California King Bed" with Stefano Langone, as well as "This Time" and a few numbers with the other girls. "It's kind of the dream. Last year I was trying out and now I'm performing in buildings where I've seen some of my favorite artists." The New York City native is especially looking forward to a pair of late August dates at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, the same building where Toscano has fond memories of seeing such heroes as Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige. Are you looking forward to Pia's debut album? Tell us in the comments! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. |
| Chris Evans 'Put The Gloves On' For 'Captain America' Stunts Posted: 19 Jul 2011 02:04 AM PDT 'He's not flying, he's not shooting fire,' actor tells MTV News of Cap's real-man abilities.
Chris Evans has been honest about the fact that taking on the role of comic book hero Captain America wasn't an easy decision for him. However, once things got rolling, the reluctant superhero fully embraced the celebrated character and put all of the necessary hard work into his performance, especially the stunt work.
"The good thing about Cap is that most of his abilities are rooted in what a human being is capable of — he's not flying, he's not shooting fire," Evans explained to MTV News. "For the most part, the stunts involved were hand-to-hand combat, so any time I can put the gloves on and get in the ring, I'll do it." So which stunt sequences in "Captain America: The First Avenger" were his favorites? "There are a couple scenes, but I'm not going to tell ya," he teased. "We've got some good fight sequences. There are some big ... you'll have to go see [the movie]," he said, stopping before he could be tempted to reveal anything else. "You'll have to go see it." In addition to stunts, being an actor involved in bringing a Marvel character to the big screen also means having tons of merchandise, including action figures, with your face plastered all over the packaging. Evans didn't admit to collecting any yet for himself but predicted his mom will try to grab anything she can get her hands on. "These are all things my mother will collect and will fill our entire basement with," he mused while looking at a Cap toy that, when a button is pushed, spouts pre-recorded patriotic and motivational phrases like "I am Captain America!" "Rise and shine soldiers!" and "Courage makes a hero!" "Courage does make a hero," Evans said with a smile. "He speaks the truth." Check out everything we've got on "Captain America: The First Avenger." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Common Defends 'Ghetto Dreams' Lyrics Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:33 PM PDT 'It was coming from me, but it was also the voice of many others,' he tells MTV News of his atypically raw lyrics.
Throughout much of his career, Common has been quite the ladies' man, so it may have been surprising for some when he opened his new single with: "I want a bitch that look good and cook good."
On the Nas-assisted, No I.D.-produced single "Ghetto Dreams," from Common's upcoming album The Dreamer, The Believer, the Chicago rapper/actor offers a lyrical list of qualities that any would-be lady friend should possess, and while it may sound crude, the MC insists the song is highly conceptualized. For Common, it all started with No I.D.'s swirling beat and the Nas vocal sample he laid on top of it. "Once he sampled that 'Ghetto Dreams' sample from Nas, it was like, 'Man.' That vocal sample was like, 'Damn this gives me a straight direction and way to go'," Com said in an exclusive video interview with MTV News. "I was like, 'I want a bitch that look good and cook good.' I was just thinking about being in the 'hood, what I want, and then the song goes on from there," he said of the opening line that ends with the lyric "Cinderella fancy, but she still look 'hood." "Right there I'm saying, 'Look, I want a bad woman.' She look raw and she could cook and she could get very elegant, but at the same token she has the know-how in the street." According to the lyrics, the dream lover the MC describes is uninhibited enough to have sex in the backseat of a car and smoke marijuana but still totes a Bible. "That says a lot about her," Common reasoned. "She could get high, you might get high with her, she might drink, smoke a jay with her, but at the end of the day, she still got her Bible there." Com Sense even references his fantasy girl's love for Beyoncé, because "what woman in America don't love Beyoncé?" he questions while chuckling. On the surface, it might sound superficial, but Common explained that, in the Chi-Town neighborhood where he grew up, having the right woman by your side signified success. Instead of writing in the first person, he personified that 'hood mentality. "I wrote it about someone in the neighborhood that got a dream of reaching a higher level and they're in that process, and their woman is really like the correlation and the parallel and the symbol to that progress," he said. "It was coming from me, but it was also the voice of many others." What do you think of Common's new song? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Mila Kunis Thinks 'Friends With Benefits' Relationships Can Work Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:47 PM PDT Co-stars Bryan Greenberg, Patricia Clarkson aren't so sure.
In spite of the rather raunchy, nearly naked ad campaign for "Friends With Benefits," the movie's all-star cast, including Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, turned up fully clothed at the romantic comedy's world premiere Monday night at New York City's Ziegfeld Theatre.
But on a hot, sweltering night devoted to celebrating no-strings-attached relationships, the topic of sex came up early and often. So, of course, we had to ask the film's stars if they thought a friends-with-benefits relationship like the one depicted in writer/director Will Gluck's July 22 release could really work long-term. "Not in my life because I've tried it and failed miserably," laughed Bryan Greenberg, who plays one of Kunis' suitors. For the most part, Greenberg's co-stars were of the same opinion. Jenna Elfman, who plays Timberlake's sister, said, "I've been with my husband for 20 years, so I haven't first-hand attempted a friends-with-benefits lifestyle." But she still had her reservations: "I really, frankly, don't think it's workable." "For some people, yes; for me, not so much," Patricia Clarkson agreed. Even Gluck, the film's writer/director, admitted he thinks it's an impossible undertaking. "I think the scenario works very briefly and in college — everyone else is kidding themselves." The sole dissenter was Kunis, who said it all depends on your definition of "works." "Sure! I mean, you get upgraded or downgraded; it switches and takes different positions. You get promoted, or you get fired." Do you think a friends-with-benefits relationship can work? Will you see the flick? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "Friends With Benefits." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
| Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:40 PM PDT 'It is time to let the Dog out of the kennel,' rapper's manager says in a statement announcing the release.
It took a week longer than he anticipated, thanks to some jailhouse violations, but DMX was released from an Arizona state jail in Yuma on Tuesday morning (July 19) after serving nearly eight months of a one-year sentence for probation violations. A spokesperson for the rapper (born Earl Simmons) confirmed his release to MTV News and hinted that the end of X's latest stint behind bars will hopefully mark a new beginning for the troubled MC. "Earl has so much more to offer the world," manager Nakia Walker said in a statement announcing X's release. "His latest project has been on hold for so long! It is now time for X to redefine the world of Hip-Hop with his highly anticipated album of inspirational, painful & street accredited rhymes. It is time to let the Dog out of the kennel." "I spoke to my daughter, I just got off the phone with my wife," DMX told AllHipHop.com following his release. "I'm going to go see my daughter while the sun is up, then I'm going to be in the studio, man." Though the Yonkers, New York, native's music career has been stalled out for much of the past eight years due to legal and drug issues, he has signed a label deal with UMMG (United Music & Media Group), and Walker has promised "extraordinary things happening from rapper DMX over the next couple months that include collaborations with major names in the music industry." DMX was slated for release last week after serving seven months of his one-year sentence — including credit for 100 days behind bars while awaiting trial — but was held over for an extra week due to several minor infractions, including refusal to submit to a drug test and smoking in unauthorized areas. Related Artists |
| Portugal. The Man Make The Leap On New Album Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:54 PM PDT Band's first major-label effort, In the Mountain in the Cloud, is a big thing, borne of even bigger tensions.
Portugal. The Man have released six albums in six years (plus a completely re-recorded acoustic record too), but they've never made anything like In the Mountain in the Cloud, their latest swirling, psychedelic effort. Mainly because it almost killed them.
"To be perfectly honest, we wrote the album, did pre-production and then everything fell apart," singer/songwriter/guitarist John Gourley told MTV News. "And I think it was the fact that this had all fallen apart that it actually came together so well in the end. I think we spent seven months, eight months on the album, and it was just going into the studio, messing everything up, leaving the studio, crying about it for a month on tour, then trying again." The recording of In the Mountain, which hit stores on Tuesday, was rife with intra-band tensions, battles with producer John Hill and a fair amount of boozy flare-ups. All of these were new experiences for the band, who — as you may know by now — first formed in Sarah Palin's old stomping grounds of Wasilla, Alaska, and spent the first years of their existence making music in relative anonymity. All of that changed when they signed with Atlantic Records and began mulling the prospects of making a major-label record. "We were definitely feeling it at the time," bassist Zachary Carothers sighed. "We signed to Atlantic Records and this was going to be our first release on the label, so we didn't want to let anybody down. Not us or anyone. And, of course, we wanted them to like it too." Which is where the perils Portugal faced differ slightly from those of innumerable bands that make the jump to a major: They weren't being told what they couldn't do, they were being asked what they could. And that prospect paralyzed them more than anything. "We had this meeting with Atlantic ... and we were talking about songs — the reason we play music, why we love music, our favorite writers — this big meeting about songs," Gourley said, "And as I left that meeting, they said to me, 'Hey John, you know what? Just forget all that stuff. Just make the record you want to make.' And, I don't know why, but that was the most difficult part." But after some months, the record began to take shape. And, if anything, it really was the album that Portugal. The Man had always longed to make: a crawling, sprawling thing, brimming with big ideas and even bigger ambitions. From the sun-dappled psych of "Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)" to the slow-burning churn of "Sleep Forever," it's unquestionably one of the year's most compelling listens, a decidedly major album in just about every conceivable way. And even if they have signed with the big boys, Portugal are still finding ways to keep things manageably micro: Take, for example, their epic mini-movie for "Sleep Forever," which, though it's filled with epic shots of the Alaskan wilderness, was actually little more than a home movie. It just looks like it cost a million bucks. "We just went out behind my parent's house in Willow, Alaska, and got some footage from a plane as well," Gourley explained. "It was all fairly inexpensive, because we just lived at home and went out every day for a week and a half and made our own food ... and the dogs were already there — my parents mush dogs, ran the Iditarod and everything." Tell us what you think of Portugal. The Man's video for "Sleep Forever" in the comments! Related Artists |
| Beyonce Shares Her Love For Frank Ocean, Kanye West Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:01 PM PDT B shares how Jay-Z and his collaborators influenced her chart-topping 4.
Beyoncé has said that she was "inspired by every type of genre" of music while making 4. But in a recent interview, she spoke in detail about how husband Jay-Z and other hip-hop artists became sonic touchstones while she recorded her fourth solo album. "Jay had a CD playing in the car one Sunday when we were driving to Brooklyn," she tells Complex about hearing Odd Future's Frank Ocean, who co-wrote the 4 track "I Miss You." "I noticed his tone, his arrangements, and his storytelling. I immediately reached out to him — literally the next morning. I asked him to fly to New York and work on my record." She also chose to work with Kanye West (who eventually produced "Party") after she heard "Runaway," which she admits, made her cry. "The fact that he's belting out his pain, his confusion, and his anger, with no pre-written lyrics, was so moving," she explained of her husband's frequent collaborator. "He's singing his heart out for five minutes. He is so vulnerable. I love when an artist can be so honest." Of course, B acknowledged the direct influence of Jay's own work too. "Jay's music is more than music. His lyrics have fathered generations," she told the magazine. "All that he has overcome gives millions so much hope. There are moments when I see his lips moving, and I can see lyrics floating above his head, and I think, 'Wow! How did I get so lucky to be able to witness this level of genius so closely?' " Beyoncé released her album in a season dominated by strong female voices, but she doesn't want any part in conversations that pit her against other divas. "There is room on this earth for many queens," she said. "I have an authentic, God-given talent, drive and longevity that will always separate me from everyone else. I've been fortunate to accomplish things that the younger generation of queens dream of accomplishing. I have no desire for anyone else's throne. I am very comfortable in the throne I've been building for the past 15 years. "I just want my legacy to be great music," she later added. "Someone who was a risk taker and someone who had songs that struck conversation and emotion." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Jason Derulo Switches Gears For Intimate 'It Girl' Video Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:09 PM PDT 'It's not a lot of dancing — it's more personal,' singer says of new clip.
For Jason Derülo's second single, "It Girl," off his upcoming Future History, he's gunning for something completely different than the party-pleasing "Don't Wanna Go Home" video.
Gone are the familiar samples — he dabbled in Robin S' "Show Me Love" and Harry Belafonte's "The Banana Boat Song" in "Don't Wanna Go Home." He switched up locales as well, trading the grimy, sweaty warehouse for a sunny, picturesque mansion in "Girl." It's both a figurative and literal contrast. The mansion, sitting on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, couldn't be further from the rundown warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. For Derülo, it's about switching up expectations. "For the video, I wanted it to be an open book," Derülo told MTV News on the set. "I wanted it to be almost like a photo album, so every single scene is kind of like a picture that you're kind of looking into our relationship. So it is a 1920s vibe, it's black and white, very high fashion — you know, you'll see me very dapper in 1920s, Frank Sinatra-ish. So you'll see the cars from that era, you'll definitely feel the vibe of the house having that 1920s vibe as well. So it's very different and very intimate, and it's not a lot of dancing — it's more personal." But for Derülo, "not a lot of dancing" doesn't mean he stops moving altogether — even if that means ticking off his stylist. "Sometimes my stylist gets mad at me," the singer admitted. "[She says,] 'You weren't gonna dance! You told me you weren't gonna dance!' I'm like, 'I'm sorry! I couldn't help it! The song just makes me, uh!' Yeah, so I can't really help myself sometimes, I just, you know, break it down really quick. But yeah, it's a lot of fun and it's very personal — far more personal than 'Don't Wanna Go Home.' " So what makes an "It" girl for Derülo? "An 'It' girl to me is someone who is selfless, someone who's always thinking about others before she thinks about herself," he said. "You know, my mom is a very charitable woman, so I'd want someone who is in line with that kind of thought process. I also like a girl who's polite. I feel like that's a lost art, and just saying 'please' and 'thank you' goes a very long way with me. That's just so lost these days. So, ladies, it's OK to say 'thank you.' " Related Photos Related Artists |
| Beastie Boys Battle Assassins In 'Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win' Video Posted: 19 Jul 2011 07:06 AM PDT Spike Jonze-directed clip features action-figure alter egos, a Yeti and Santigold.
The Beastie Boys have donned plenty of disguises in their videos over the years, playing everything from cheesy cops to futuristic sanitation workers and famous Hollywood actors in their famed "Fight for Your Right Revisited" mini-movie.
But they break new territory in the "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" clip, which premiered on Monday night. The Spike Jonze joint draws inspiration from such diverse sources as "Robot Chicken," the 1960s "In Like Flint" spy spoof movies, "Toy Story," "Shaun of the Dead" and low-rent homemade YouTube videos. Longtime pal and collaborator Jonze ("Where the Wild Things Are") sends up tough-guy action-hero legend G.I. Joe in the clip, which finds the B-Boys battling against assassins who chase them off the stage and into the snow as guns blaze, TNT is detonated and plastic bodies go up in toxic flames in the purposely hand-made looking clip. In fact, Jonze made no attempt to fall back on CGI to make the video feel futuristic, instead leaving in the visible guide wires and manipulating the figures with hands that often intrude into the frame. It's not all just guns and fake blood, though: Halfway through the 11-minute version of the clip on the Boys' site, they are saved from a potentially deadly zombie attack by a giant Yeti who joins their team and hops a helicopter ride with them into the clouds, where, you guessed it, jet-pack-wearing assassins fire RPGs at them, killing their abominable pal. In classic Beastie fashion, as they free-fall from their lofty perch, the boys engage in some witty banter, with MCA asking Mike D about the rumors he read online that he was planning on breaking from the crew and going solo. "I never said that," Mike responds as the free fall continues. Chutes deployed, they manage to miraculously change outfits, only to be attacked by killer sharks. Luckily, track guest Santigold (in a Bond girl-style plunging neckline wetsuit) is on hand to bail them out, joining them in their submarine as they dodge torpedoes. The Boys finally get to relax at the end and chill on their boat, drinking wine coolers as Santi water-skis behind them and Jonze assures viewers that "no Yetis were harmed during the making of this film." Related Photos Related Artists |
| Blink-182's 'Indefinite Hiatus' Was 'Really Stupid,' Tom DeLonge Says Posted: 19 Jul 2011 08:30 AM PDT 'It's not like anybody had sex with each other's wives,' the Blink guitarist says in new interview.
He kept his silence about it at the time, but now that the great Blink-182 breakup is ancient history, Tom DeLonge is revealing details of the tension that forced the hugely successful act apart in early 2005. In an interview with BBC Radio 1 host Zane Lowe on Monday, DeLonge expressed regret over Blink's four-year hiatus and blamed external pressures (or, as he put it, "the machine") for contributing to the split. "The reason the band broke up was really stupid in the first place; it's not like anybody had sex with each other's wives," DeLonge said. "Though, for how bad we hated each other, that should have been what happened. "The band got so big that the machine running the band took over. We were burnt out, we needed a break, but the machine won't let you do that," he continued. "The band had stopped communicating because the machine was so big." In 2005 — just eight months after Blink announced they were going on "indefinite hiatus" — DeLonge hinted at those tensions in an interview with MTV News, saying that he and his bandmates had grown apart and now had "mad different" priorities in life. "My priority was my family, and my life had to be structured in a way where I had to be around for my daughter ... and they wanted to keep touring, and it didn't work out to where our priorities were the same," he said. "The last words that were said to me by my bandmembers were, 'If your family is going to be your priority, then you better be cool with the repercussions.' ... I think there was a lot of paranoia and a lot of bitterness between all of us." But DeLonge told Lowe that all the drama has long been forgotten, and that now, he and his Blink mates are focused solely on their new album, Neighborhoods, which he called their "best work by far." "The album's amazing ... it's very modern, very relevant to rock music today," he said. "But we made sure to throw a couple of songs in there that sound like they're from the mid-'90s. It's gigantic. It's made for big places." Related Artists |
| Jennifer Lopez Questioned Love On Album Before Split Posted: 19 Jul 2011 07:46 AM PDT Singer opened up to MTV News about trying to capture 'different moments in love.'
For fans wondering what went wrong with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony in the wake of their split, perhaps they should look no further than the title of Lopez's last album, Love?.
In the lead-up to its release, Lopez spoke to MTV News about how she was examining her relationships on the record. She also admitted she has always questioned the true meaning of love. "I'm excited for everyone to hear all of the album, but I think in particular some of the songs like 'What Is Love?,' 'One Love,' 'Run the World,' 'Papi,' 'Starting Over,' especially," she told us at an album-release event in Los Angeles in May. "They all express different moments in love and that's what this album was about. You know, sometimes it's difficult, sometimes it's amazing, sometimes overwhelming, sometimes you just don't know what to do. And I hope that I captured all of that on this album." Lopez has explored the topic of love since the start of her career, beginning with her first single, "If You Had My Love," a tune that questions the nature of her beau's affections. She went on to sing about the inner workings of love on tracks like "Love Don't Cost a Thing." On Love?, Lopez's feelings about the emotion are all over the place, maybe giving us some insight about what she was dealing with in her personal life in the months before it was released. In the spring, Lopez explained why she was excited for fans to hear the album: "some of them 'cause they're straight club bangers, some because of what they have to say and some because of how they make you groove. It's a mix; all my albums have always been a mix of urban and pop. ... They all are very thematic in the sense that they all are always about love." What do you think of Jennifer and Marc's decision to split? Tell us in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rebecca Black Drops 'My Moment' Music Video Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:10 AM PDT Clip shows 'Friday' singer making TV appearances, walking red carpets.
Have you heard that this is Rebecca Black's moment? Well, in case you haven't, she's happily declaring it in her video for her latest single, "My Moment." The song is all about empowerment and addressing all those haters who didn't necessarily get her last viral smash, "Friday." The video opens with the teen singer in a recording studio putting the final touches on the cutesy song, which opens with the lyrics, "Were you the one who said that I would be nothing?/ Well, I'm about to prove you wrong/ I'm not the only one who believes in something/ My one wish is about to come true." Scenes of her in the studio are intercut with a montage of her making TV appearances, strutting down red carpets, driving around Hollywood and greeting fans. The feel-good theme of the track continues on the chorus, with Black declaring, "This is my moment, my moment/ It's my time, flying high, lime, mine/ Feels like my moment, my moment, I've waited for so long/ But now everybody knows this is my moment, my moment." Next, Rebecca takes her fans to the makeup chair, where she's getting all gussied up, and to dance rehearsals, which eventually become a full-on dance break as she hits the floor with "So You Think You Can Dance" finalists Robert Roldan and Kent Boyd. Then she's in a limo in a big red dress, her name on the marquee; this time the red carpet is all hers. The song was written by Brandon "Blue" Hamilton (Justin Bieber) and Quinton Tolbert, and the production credits include Charlton Pettus. Black is also finishing up her five-track EP, which will be released in August. Related Videos |
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