MTV News |
- 'Breaking Dawn' Soundtrack To Feature One Castmember
- Amy Winehouse Reveals Dream Rap Collabos In Rare MTV Interview
- Britney Spears Having 'A Blast' On <i>Femme Fatale</i> Tour
- 'Breaking Dawn' Birth Scene Will Be 'Visceral Experience' For Fans
- Jay-Z, Kanye Are 'Young Legends,' Otis Redding Daughter Says
- 'Breaking Dawn' Cast Was 'Crying A Lot' Filming Finale
- 'Amazing Spider-Man' Andrew Garfield Feels 'Great Deal' Of Pressure
- Amy Winehouse's Influence Goes Beyond 'Rehab'
- J. Cole Debut Will Take Musicality 'To The Next Level'
- Amy Winehouse 'Was Happiest She Has Been For Years,' Father Says
- Rebecca Black Unsure If 'My Moment' Could Top 'Friday'
- 'Breaking Dawn' Stars Recall Mud And Cold During Wedding Scene
- Rihanna And Opening Act J. Cole Are A 'Great Fit'
- Rick Ross Signee Meek Mill Flaunting Growth On New Mixtape
- Jared Leto Addresses 30 Seconds To Mars' Future
- Katy Perry 'May Take Over The World,' 'The Smurfs' Co-Stars Say
- Taylor Lautner Wants To Show 'Fun' Side In A Comedy
- Tiesto 'Really Excited' About His U.S. College Invasion Tour
- Mac Miller Talks Inspiration Behind <i>Blue Slide Park</i>
| 'Breaking Dawn' Soundtrack To Feature One Castmember Posted: 27 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT Director Bill Condon tells MTV News soundtrack for 'Part 1' already has about 15 songs in contention.
As with any great tale coming to an end, "The Twilight Saga" will bring things full circle in its two-part finale, director Bill Condon says. MTV News caught up with Condon at 2011 San Diego Comic-Con to talk about the final two installments of the franchise, and he told us that both movies, but particularly "Part 1," will hearken back to Catherine Hardwicke's 2008 "Twilight" flick, which started the onscreen phenomenon.
"I always thought of 'Breaking Dawn - Part 1' as a real companion piece to Catherine Hardwicke's movie," Condon explained. "Like, everything that got set up there gets resolved here. I think you'll find that there are stylistic and other nods to that film." Fans will also be excited to learn that some of the same principles will apply to the highly anticipated "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" soundtrack. Condon confirmed that Carter Burwell, who scored the first movie, will be back for "Part 1," which means familiar themes like "Bella's Lullaby" will be in play again for the first time since "Twilight" first hit theaters. With negotiations for the soundtrack still under way, though, Condon wouldn't talk too specifically about which songs will be included on the album. But he confirmed that there's a good chance that one of the "Twilight" cast's musically-inclined stars will appear on the soundtrack. We'll leave it up to fans to guess whether that means Robert Pattinson, Jackson Rathbone, Booboo Stewart or one of the other musical castmembers. "We're just figuring out [the soundtrack] now," Condon said during MTV News' "Breaking Dawn" Comic-Con takeover, adding that they haven't made deals with all of the featured artists yet. "We have a lot of [songs]. We have like 15, I think. " Tell us who you'd like to hear on the "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" soundtrack in the comments section! Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Amy Winehouse Reveals Dream Rap Collabos In Rare MTV Interview Posted: 26 Jul 2011 04:12 AM PDT Back in 2007, Winehouse hoped to work with Nas, Mos Def and more.
From the moment she burst onto the international scene with "Rehab," Amy Winehouse — the British belter who died Saturday in her London apartment — was embraced by the hip-hop community, and she embraced it right back. It wasn't enough for her to get Jay-Z or Ghostface Killah to appear on remixes of her hits (which she did); she wanted to work with them, record proper tracks with them.
This was nothing new, of course: Even before she broke big with her Back to Black album, Winehouse was bringing hip-hop into the fold. She recorded her debut disc, Frank, with producer Salaam Remi (who had worked extensively with Nas and on the Fugees' epochal The Score). And her early single "In My Bed" sampled the iconic "Apache" beat from Nas' Remi-produced "Made You Look." But, finally riding high on the success of Black, Winehouse hoped to use some of her newfound clout to finally realize some of her hip-hop dreams, as she told MTV News in a May 2007 interview. MTV celebrates Amy Winehouse's music with a special show this Wednesday. "There's so many people I'd love to work with: Nas, Mos Def. I'd love to work with Busta Rhymes, I'd love to work with Rah Digga ... I love them," she said. "I learned a lot of stuff about how to write songs from people like that. I just really like them, and if they like my stuff, cool. ... If they want to do a track, I'd love to." Of course, she'd go on to actually make some of those projects happen, in one form or another. She recorded a version of "Love is a Losing Game" with Mos Def during a 2007 performance on MTV — a performance that will re-air on the channel Wednesday (July 27) at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT, as part of a tribute special to Winehouse's musical legacy. She also made headlines when she stepped out with Nas (about whom she sang on the Black track "Me & Mr. Jones") in London last year.
Winehouse was reportedly set to collaborate with Digga on the female rapper's Sucker Free project, though it's unclear whatever became of the team-up. And in 2008, Busta famously joked that Winehouse wouldn't return his phone calls. Celebrate Amy Winehouse on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT, when MTV will air an encore presentation of a performance she taped in the MTV studios in 2007. Will you remember Winehouse more for her music or her troubles? Tell us on Facebook. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Britney Spears Having 'A Blast' On <i>Femme Fatale</i> Tour Posted: 26 Jul 2011 12:00 AM PDT 'The crowds have been so good each night and that gives you the adrenaline you need,' Brit tells MTV News.
Britney Spears is currently in the midst of her Femme Fatale Tour. And now that the pop princess has shaken off all those pre-tour nerves, she's been giving fans a dance-heavy spectacle that some have called her "flashiest" yet.
When MTV News recently caught up with Spears, she opened up about life on the road. "Good, really good," Spears said of how things are going on her seventh concert tour. "It's like every other day we have another show, so we are really busy. It's a lot of fun. I like being busy." Spears — who is nominated for Best Pop Video and Best Choreography at the 2011 Video Music Awards — gave credit to her fans for making each show so memorable. "The shows have been equally amazing," Spears said. "The crowds have been so good each night and that gives you the adrenaline you need to get through the show. It just pumps you up. Every night is a blast." And before Brit hits the stage each night, she and her dancers always get together for a pre-show ritual. "We always say a prayer before the show; sometimes a really long prayer, sometimes a short prayer. We just do it; we grab each other's hands and go do it." On Monday, the Femme Fatale Tour added another opening act: "Jersey Shore" star DJ Pauly D confirmed he'll be hitting the road to open for Spears on six of her August dates. "Yes, that's interesting!" Spears gushed about Pauly D joining opening acts Nicki Minaj, Jessie and the Toy Boys, and Nervo. So will Spears tune into the upcoming season of "Jersey Shore"? "It's a guilty pleasure," she admitted. "I've seen two or three episodes; it's cool." Will you catch Britney on tour this summer? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Breaking Dawn' Birth Scene Will Be 'Visceral Experience' For Fans Posted: 26 Jul 2011 06:20 AM PDT 'I gave myself one real rule, which was, 'Let's only see what Bella could see lying there,' director Bill Condon tells MTV News.
For the dedicated "Twilight" fans out there, every bit of news about the impending release of "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" is cause for celebration. For the more discerning fans that have read (and re-read) the book upon which the films are based, however, there are four key scenes considered among the most anticipated: Bella and Edward's wedding, the couple's honeymoon, Jacob's imprinting and the birth of Renesmee Cullen.
When MTV News caught up with director Bill Condon at this year's Comic-Con, we asked him, specifically, how he tackled the complicated sequence that some have described as "Rosemary's Baby"-esque. "I gave myself one real rule, which was, 'Let's only see what Bella could see lying there,' " he explained. "All this stuff is happening [around her] and she is seeing it from her point of view. She can look around, she can look up, but basically you get to experience every moment of that birth, including if you read the book — you know exactly what that image means. If you haven't read the book, you might not know because it's not being absolutely explicit." Nevertheless, Condon promised that fans will be satisfied by how they approached the birth scene. "It's not putting the camera in every place but believe me, I think you'll get a very visceral experience." During the "Breaking Dawn" press conference at Comic-Con, Kristen Stewart also commented on the much-discussed scene. She explained that although that part is one of her favorites in the book, things got a little awkward on set since the baby used in the movie was animatronic and bore a strong resemblance to Chuckie from the horror flick "Child's Play." "[The puppeteer] is sweating right below my eye line, trying to [reach] up to get the [animatronic baby's] hand up to touch your face," Stewart recalled. "And then it sticks to your hair and pulls a little bit and you're like, 'Ew, get that thing off me! Get me a real baby, this is ridiculous!' " she said. "And it had hair!" "If you've ever seen a baby with a wig on," Robert Pattinson added. "[It] looked like a little troll on a stick." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Jay-Z, Kanye Are 'Young Legends,' Otis Redding Daughter Says Posted: 26 Jul 2011 05:23 AM PDT 'I just think the collaboration was certainly a tribute to him, and it's really great,' Karla Redding-Andrews tells MTV News of the Throne's 'Otis.'
Listening to the Throne's "Otis," it's clear that Jay-Z and Kanye West are fond of Otis Redding's classic soul sound.
Well, it turns out Otis' daughter Karla Redding-Andrews is a fan of both Hov and Yeezy. "Actually, those two artists are in my iPod," she told MTV News on Tuesday (July 26) before citing Jay's "Empire State of Mind" and 'Ye's 2005 album cut "Gone" as her two faves. On "Otis," Kanye and Jay use a sampling of Redding's 1996 version of "Try a Little Tenderness". But before they could add the track to their upcoming Watch the Throne LP, they first had to get permission from Concord Music Group (which holds the song's masters), Otis' daughter and his wife, Zelma Redding. "When it was brought to us, it was quite interesting. We wanted to, first of all, see the lyrics and, secondly, hear the song," Redding-Andrews said. "We couldn't find anything negative as it relates to the association with Otis Redding. My mother has protected that legacy for so many years; therefore she gave them the approval to do it." For the Redding family — who also run the Big "O" Youth Educational Dream Foundation, which teaches music to 30 youngsters yearly — it was significant that the Throne's sample would help to keep Otis' legacy alive. "It really means a lot to me, particularly to a whole new generation of young legends, because that's what Jay-Z and Kanye are," Redding-Andrews said. "I just think it's wonderful to tie an old legendary artist whose music history will never die to something [that] they have come up with. I just think the collaboration was certainly a tribute to him, and it's really great." In September, the foundation will celebrate Otis' 70th birthday anniversary with an entire weekend of festivities, including a concert in Macon, Georgia, that they have dubbed "An Evening of RESPECT." Ultimately, "Otis" is exposing a new generation to Redding's music in a very hip and cool way. "With what we do with our foundation — pairing music with education, always involved with young people — how can I not be a fan of Kanye West and Jay-Z?" Redding-Andrews said. Are you a fan of Jay and Kanye's "Otis"? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Breaking Dawn' Cast Was 'Crying A Lot' Filming Finale Posted: 26 Jul 2011 04:59 AM PDT 'Twilight' actresses Nikki Reed and Elizabeth Reaser joke that Robert Pattinson is 'probably a mess.'
After five years and four films together, it's natural to assume the cast of the hugely popular "Twilight" franchise became emotional when they finished filming both halves of the "Breaking Dawn" finale. According to the cast, they needed plenty of tissues. "We were crying a lot," Nikki Reed said during MTV News' Comic-Con 2011 "Takeover" live stream event.
Co-star Elizabeth Reaser agreed: "The last day of filming definitely was emotional because Peter Facinelli and I wrapped at the exact same moment. ... It was Facinelli, Ashley [Greene], Kellan [Lutz], Jackson [Rathbone] and myself, and we were up in Squamish [British Colombia] just doing stunts and night shoots, and then they finally wrapped Peter and I," she recalled. "We were just completely shocked and hugging, and then we went out and we had a little meal together. "It was surreal," Reaser continued. "It was nice that I got to finish with Peter, since he's my show husband — forever." So, who was the most emotional castmember? "Rob [Pattinson]'s probably a mess after ending this," Reed said with a smile. "Rob cried a lot, actually," Reaser added. "He shaved his head over it," Reed joked, making light of Pattinson's curious new coiffure. "He was crying so hard he had to cut all of his hair. ... A therapist should be called," she teased. Getting away from the crying and emoting for a moment, we asked Reed and Reaser what scenes they're most looking forward to seeing in the finished films. "There's actually some freaky, weird scenes that I want to see," Reaser said. "I want to see the freaky birth," she revealed, "and there's all kinds of weird, crazy, strange, scary, beautiful stuff in this movie." Reed said she wants to see "all of it." "I want a freaky, weird wedding," she added, before getting serious about her character's emotional evolution in the final two films: "I was really nervous about the relationship between Rosalie and Bella. This was a very specific dynamic, and I wanted to make sure that it felt like the transition happened naturally and organically," she explained. "I'm nervous about seeing all of it. I'm a nervous wreck about all of these movies." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Amazing Spider-Man' Andrew Garfield Feels 'Great Deal' Of Pressure Posted: 26 Jul 2011 03:35 AM PDT 'Marc Webb has a forensic emotional eye,' co-star Rhys Ifans says about film's director.
Any actor who takes on a role in a big-screen adaptation of a beloved comic book knows that he or she has a lot to live up to with regard to fan expectations. For Andrew Garfield, that pressure for "The Amazing Spider-Man" is doubly intense, for not only does he have to contend with that character's lengthy history in the comics, but with Tobey Maguire's well-received performance in the three Sam Raimi-directed "Spider-Man" movies as well.
Garfield recently told MTV News he feels the pressure. "I feel a great deal of weight. I can't speak for [my co-stars] but I feel like we all know how important it is to so many people," he explained. "It's equally as important to us, so I think it's impossible to not feel a certain amount of weight. But to kind of juxtapose that, I think we all feel incredibly excited because we worked really hard to make [director] Marc Webb's vision and Stan Lee's original vision, and the essence of that character come to life again for an audience in a different way," he said. With regard to what separates "The Amazing Spider-Man" from Maguire and Raimi's work, Garfield's co-star Rhys Ifans said Webb's vision for the film is different. "I think the films that have come before have been great, but what makes this one different is that Marc Webb has a forensic emotional eye," he explained. "So for all the flights and fancies that a superhero film delivers, inevitably there is a human domesticity to this that hopefully will make people leave the cinema loving their parents." In addition to feeling the love for blood relations, Garfield said it's always great to watch a little guy take on the bigger guys. "I'm skinny, if you haven't noticed," he said with a smile. "I love the idea of a skinny guy beating the crap out of big guys, just as pure personal fantasy fulfillment for myself. I think a lot of other skinny guys and skinny girls like me are going to hopefully watch a skinny guy in a red and blue suit beating the crap out of big guys and really enjoy that." One aspect of filming he did not enjoy, however, was his personal trainer's intensity. While Garfield appreciated the increased muscle tone, he didn't love the process. "My personal trainer, Armando, who I hate more than anyone in the universe: If you're watching, Armando, I hate you," he joked to our camera. Now that we know Garfield won't be taking up professional weight lifting anytime soon, we asked if he was able to accept another equally intense aspect of becoming Spider-Man: wearing the suit. Garfield admitted there was only one moment throughout the entire filming process in which he felt fully comfortable in it. "I was in a changing room on my own, and I could be honest with myself," he said of the first time he zipped into the red and blue costume. "I was really moved by it because no one else was around. It was genuinely very emotional, and it felt surreal," he revealed. "That was the only moment where it felt like I was Spider-Man. Throughout the shoot, throughout filming, I never felt like it. I felt like I was trying to live up to the symbol of Spider-Man. That was the moment where I got a glimpse: 'Oh boy, I'm wearing this.' " Check out everything we've got on "The Amazing Spider-Man." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos |
| Amy Winehouse's Influence Goes Beyond 'Rehab' Posted: 26 Jul 2011 01:49 AM PDT Experts reflect on how the singer's unique throwback sound continues to open doors for new artists.
Amy Winehouse released just two albums in her lifetime and performed only a handful of gigs in the U.S. at the peak of her popularity in 2007. But just days after Winehouse's death at age 27 of yet-undetermined causes, she is already being spoken of as an iconic singer whose unique fusion of jazz, soul, R&B, girl-group swing and hip-hop swagger has inspired a whole generation of singers.
"I think that her success at the time when Back to Black came out here, and the aftermath of that, continues [to have an impact]," said Sirius satellite radio host Jenny Eliscu, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine who wrote a cover story on Winehouse in 2007 that chronicled the then 23-year-old's chaotic personal life. "It reminded people that there was a way to do a retro style the way she did it and have it sound totally modern. It had that instant-classic factor." MTV celebrates Amy Winehouse's music with a special show this Wednesday. Eliscu said the sound of Back to Black was so riveting at the time because it pulled off that rare trick in music: It reminded fans of all the great music that influenced her without sounding like she was merely copying her heroes. "Winehouse opened the door to music that sounds like Adele," Eliscu said, referring to the "Rolling in the Deep" star who wrote a touching tribute to the "Rehab" singer on Monday. "In the long term, the thing we will see is whatever door Adele opens by having Winehouse open the door for her will then be opened for someone else, whether it's Winehouse's retro soul [goddaughter Dionne Bromfield] or that kind of sound that would not have returned to the mainstream if not for the great songs in the modern style that [Winehouse] wrote." As her small catalog raced up the iTunes charts in the wake of her death, and Back to Black was tipped to re-enter the Billboard 200 on Wednesday (after tallying just one day of posthumous sales), Billboard associate director of charts/radio Gary Trust said Winehouse's influence is destined to be much larger than mere sales. Read our Winehouse tribute: In Memoriam, 'Troubled' Wasn't The Right Word "She only had two albums on the Billboard 200 [2006's Back to Black and 2003's Frank] and two songs on the Hot 100 ['Rehab' and 'You Know I'm No Good'], and you would think she was a one-hit wonder, but she really did bring that sound — that soulful British pop — to a whole new generation," said Trust, referring to such singers as Adele, Jessie J. and Duffy, who have all put their own spin on the sound that Winehouse pioneered. "It's more of a common sound now, and it's a testament to her that people consider her such an influence when she had only had one big hit," he said. "They got into her music deeply, and that influence is much bigger than her chart history shows." While Winehouse will surely pop up on the Billboard album charts this week, Trust predicted her presence will be bigger still next week. Trust also said the iTunes bump is yet another example of how big an impression Winehouse made in a short time. "This is the biggest thing since Michael Jackson died, and now in the digital era, you can sit at your computer and find out about something like this on Facebook and then be on another screen buying the songs on iTunes." Celebrate Amy Winehouse on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT, when MTV will air an encore presentation of a performance she taped in the MTV studios in 2007. Will you remember Winehouse more for her music or her troubles? Tell us on Facebook. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| J. Cole Debut Will Take Musicality 'To The Next Level' Posted: 26 Jul 2011 05:53 AM PDT 'The amount of concepts that are on the album is pretty remarkable,' MC tells MTV News of Cole World.
As far as rap debuts go, J. Cole's Cole World: The Sideline Story is among the year's most anticipated, especially since it's being released on Jay-Z's Roc Nation label. Not that the pressure has gotten to him.
While J. Cole is surely aware of the inevitable pressures that come with dropping an album under the guidance of someone of Jay-Z's stature, the North Carolina rapper assured MTV News that there were no grand executive decisions made during the recording of his LP. "All the songs on the album just happened naturally. There was never a 'Oh, we need this kind of song,' " Cole told us backstage during last week's New Jersey stop on Rihanna's Loud Tour. "Everything happened naturally and very organically." Not only is the LP organic, but the Fayetteville MC says it's surprisingly musical. "It wasn't until I started playing it for people and I kept getting those responses like, 'Man, this is really musical,' " he said. "To me, that's regular; that's what you should do on an album. I try to do that as much as possible, even on my mixtapes. So on the album, of course, I took it to the next level." Without giving too much away, the rapper/producer promises a conceptual ride for Cole World. "Concepts-wise, the amount of concepts that are on the album is pretty remarkable, and that balanced with the fun songs," he revealed. "It's not a depressing [album], even though it could've went that way. I have enough songs where I could've just made it straight tearjerker." The LP is slated for a September 27 release, but the rapper has been careful about doling out the details. He has a Jay-Z collaboration in the works, and even though he's still waiting for Hov to lay his verse, Cole is confident. "I made it in my crib and I was like, 'Man, I'm gonna throw something out today, or tomorrow whatever, let me do a song.' Then I started making it, and as soon as I made it, I was like, 'Oh nah, na,' " he said of how he came up with the song's instrumental. "I had already wrote the verses and I realized, 'Man, this is for Jay.' I finally made a song that was perfect for Jay." Are you looking forward to Cole's debut album? Let us know in the comments section! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Amy Winehouse 'Was Happiest She Has Been For Years,' Father Says Posted: 25 Jul 2011 11:51 PM PDT Mitch Winehouse released a statement following Tuesday's funeral.
Shortly after he laid his daughter to rest with moving, celebratory eulogy in which he bid, "Goodnight, my angel, sleep tight. Mummy and Daddy love you ever so much," Amy Winehouse's father released a statement about the singer that described her frame of mind in her final days.
"Amy was the greatest daughter, family member and friend you could ever have," said Mitch Winehouse in a letter released on Tuesday afternoon (July 26). "I will talk a lot about her fantastic recovery. Recently Amy found love with [boyfriend] Reg [Traviss]. He helped her with her problems, and Amy was looking forward to their future together. She was the happiest she has been for years. We all remember that great night at the 100 Club on Oxford Street, her voice was good, her wit and timing were perfect." The latter was a reference to a secret comeback gig Winehouse played on June 12 at the famed club, where she was reportedly in fine form and ran through a string of her beloved hits, including "Rehab" and "Back to Black," in what would be one of her final live performances. That happy night would, however, prove to be a rare high point in her bid to restart her career, as Winehouse went on to give a widely panned, shambling show a few days later in Belgrade, Serbia, that resulted in the cancellation of a planned European tour. MTV celebrates Amy Winehouse's music with a special show this Wednesday. "She told me that she had 'thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed herself,' " Mitch Winehouse added about the 100 Club show. "The last time she called me, she had found a box of old family photos and called me to go over to look. We spoke three times a day at least, she was very excited." According to her dad, Winehouse — who had a long, storied struggle with substance abuse — had "conquered" drug dependency three years ago. "The doctors said it was impossible but she really did it. She was trying hard to deal with her drinking and had just completed three weeks of abstinence," he said. "She said, 'Dad I've had enough, I can't stand the look on your and the family's faces anymore.' " Hitting out at reports that Amy had been down recently over a nasty breakup with Traviss, Mitch said the "Rehab" singer had not been depressed and had seen both Reg and her mother, Janis, on Friday and was in "good spirits" that day. Winehouse, 27, was found dead on Saturday afternoon in her London apartment of as-yet-undetermined causes. The autopsy proved inconclusive, and the results of toxicology tests are expected to take two to four weeks. Read our Winehouse tribute: In Memoriam, 'Troubled' Wasn't The Right Word "That night [Friday], she was in her room, playing drums and singing," he said, confirming stories that Winehouse had been up late on Friday night bashing away on her kit. "As it was late, her security guard said to keep it quiet and she did. He heard her walking around for a while and when he went to check on her in the morning he thought she was asleep. He went back a few hours later, that was when he realized she was not breathing and called for help." While Mitch Winehouse did not give any indication of what might have killed his daughter — who had been hospitalized several times over the past few years for exhaustion, bad reactions to prescription medication and what he deemed the "early stages" of the incurable lung ailment emphysema — he assured friends and fans that she wasn't, as some British tabloids have reported, in desperate straits over the weekend. Despite reports that Amy had taken a cocktail of drugs before her death, no drugs were found in the apartment. "But knowing she wasn't depressed, knowing she passed away, knowing she passed away happy, it makes us all feel better," he wrote. Mitch Winehouse added that he would like to start an Amy Winehouse Foundation to help with the things his daughter loved — children, horses and those struggling with substance abuse. Winehouse was laid to rest on Tuesday morning in London at a small funeral attended by family and friends such as Mark Ronson and Kelly Osbourne, who wore her hair in a towering beehive in honor of Amy's signature look. According to reports, the service concluded with the congregation singing Amy's favorite Carole King song, "So Far Away." Per Winehouse's wishes, she was cremated after the service. Celebrate Amy Winehouse on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT, when MTV will air an encore presentation of a performance she taped in the MTV studios in 2007. Related Photos |
| Rebecca Black Unsure If 'My Moment' Could Top 'Friday' Posted: 26 Jul 2011 03:15 AM PDT 'I wanted people to able to take me seriously,' YouTube sensation tells MTV News about her inspirational new single.
Rebecca Black burst on the scene earlier this year with her perplexing and polarizing song and video for "Friday," an ode to many people's favorite day of the week. The song had many, including Black herself, wondering if she was anything more than a one-hit wonder. "It's crazy to think [about 'Friday']. I was really nervous about 'My Moment' coming out because I thought, 'I don't think I'll be able to even beat 'Friday' myself,' " she told MTV News about her second single, which she dropped last week. " 'Friday' was so big, and it's hard: I feel like it'll be hard to break the 'Friday' record."
For Black, the rise to fame has been fast and crazed, something she's completely aware of. "It's crazy just thinking about where I was a year ago. I was here a year ago in New York on a school trip with musical theater, and I would walk through Times Square," she recalled. "I was a total tourist, and now to be here on work and doing what I love ... it's such a dream." Black knows that she could have gone the easy route and released a track as fun as "Friday" instead of the more inspirational "My Moment." "The song was written for me," she said. "And it really fit what was going on and all of the bully and hate topic is in right now with songs, and so it fit that as well. It's a very inspiring song. "Again, I wanted people to able to take me seriously because I felt like this would be the right thing to do," she added. "I wanted to start building what could be a really great career, but this industry, it's so unpredictable: You could be the big thing for a month or four months, and then kind of fall off the face of the planet. And I felt my whole team kind of felt like it was a great way to put me here for an amount of time." "My Moment" is the lead single from Black's five-song EP, scheduled to drop next month. Share your review of "My Moment" in the comments below. Related Artists |
| 'Breaking Dawn' Stars Recall Mud And Cold During Wedding Scene Posted: 26 Jul 2011 01:32 AM PDT 'It was picture-perfect,' Ashley Greene says of the shoot, despite trying conditions.
As anticipation for the wedding scene in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1" continues to build, it's hard to imagine it could possibly live up to the high expectations of "Twilight" fans. But the saga's stars assure us that it will, in fact, be a spectacle worthy of Bella and Edward, even if it didn't always look that way when they were filming it.
"Have you ever been to an awards show and you're like, 'Wow, on TV that looks much bigger, but then this is just sort of life that we're living?' " Nikki Reed asked when MTV caught up with her at San Diego Comic-Con. "We were shooting [the wedding], and I remember thinking that. I remember going, 'When I see this onscreen, it is going to feel epic. But I know what it's like to be here right now.' " Since the wedding was filmed in Vancouver, a place whose weather mirrors the Washington location in the books, it was freezing and wet on the set. Reed said that the ladies' stilettos got stuck in the mud, and the hems of their gowns got dirty while shooting the outdoor sequence. "There were really beautiful elements to it," Ashley Greene added. "Like, if you took out the fact that it was so cold and just looked at it like a picture, it was picture-perfect." Fortunately, Greene at least got a chance to contribute to the final design for her bridesmaids dress. She and director Bill Condon exchanged ideas back and forth until they finally decided on a look for her fashionista character Alice. "[Alice] is from the 1920s-ish, and so I thought her dress should have a little bit of that feel," Greene explained. "Other people had different visions, so we kind of put everything together, and I think it's something that you haven't seen before." Fans already got a glimpse of the wedding in the "Breaking Dawn" theatrical trailer that premiered during the MTV Movie Awards, but we'll have to wait until November to see it in all its glory. Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Rihanna And Opening Act J. Cole Are A 'Great Fit' Posted: 26 Jul 2011 01:32 AM PDT 'At first, I just thought I was in over my head,' Roc Nation MC admits to MTV News of opening for the pop superstar.
J. Cole can admit he had some jitters about opening for Rihanna on her Loud Tour. "At first, I just thought I was in over my head," he told MTV News when we caught up with him backstage, minutes before he hit the stage at New Jersey's IZOD Center last week.
J. Cole had an especially large role to play when Cee Lo Green dropped out of the tour in June due to scheduling issues. Rihanna then made the 26-year-old rapper/producer her "official" opening act. J. Cole has put out several mixtapes and was the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label. His first studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, will be released in September. But the road to opening for Rihanna, one of the world's biggest pop acts, was bumpy. "I was sending out MySpace messages everyday to people I knew that were A&R," he recalled of his years at St. John's University in New York. "Calling up their offices, rapping on their voicemails, standing outside of studios ... anything I could do to get my foot in the game." Two and a half years ago, the (surprisingly tall) rapper was called into Jay-Z's office after the megastar heard a couple of tracks by the struggling artist. The rest is history. "Ever since then, I've been touring, touring, putting out mixtapes, touring, touring," J. Cole explained about his whirlwind rise. "Building my name, building my fanbase." And being paired with Rihanna on tour has been a "great fit," the rapper said. "I come out, [fans] cheer for me, [like], 'Ah, this guy's onstage,' " he explained of how he's greeted when he takes the arena stage. "But by the end of my show, I get the real cheers, like, 'Oh, man! This guy's pretty good!' " The Loud tour continues this summer with stops across North America, and surprise performers so far have included Jay-Z, Kanye West and Drake. Are you excited to see J. Cole on the Loud Tour? Leave your comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Rick Ross Signee Meek Mill Flaunting Growth On New Mixtape Posted: 26 Jul 2011 02:25 AM PDT 'Now, I've been around the world, almost every city,' Philly MC tells Mixtape Daily. 'My wordplay is better.'
Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Real Spit: Philadelphia MC Meek Mill has been ruling his city's underground scene for some time, but thanks to his deal with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group, the young upstart is getting the chance to introduce himself to a wider audience. And Meek's next mixtape, Dream Chasers, is set to build on that. After making a splash on standout singles like "Tupac Back" and "Ima Boss" from the MMG compilation album Self Made, Meek is ready to reposition himself in the game. "While Self Made was going on, I was working on a mixtape called Dream Chasers. It should be coming out in a couple of days," Meek told Mixtape Daily. "This is my first mixtape actually introducing myself to the world. My new fans, they only heard 'Ima Boss,' 'Tupac Back,' maybe 'Make 'Em Say' and 'Rosé Red,' but really I know how to rap for real and this is my first mixtape I'm introducing to the world." Mill is no stranger to street tapes, however. His Flamerz series put him on rap's map and even earned him a collaboration with T.I. early on in his career. Still, he sees a stark difference in his most recent work. "My new stuff, I've seen more [of the world]. When I was doing Flamerz, I ain't been out the city — I only been to New York or maybe even Atlantic City. Now, I've been around the world, almost every city," he explained. "I got more things to talk about; it's more things I've learned. My wordplay is better: I'm seeing more money, I'm seeing more things. I'm growing." Even with that growth, Meek hasn't forgotten about his fellow Philly rap artists, many of whom he says will be featured on the tape. There will also be beats from Cardiak, Jahlil Beats and Lex Luger as well as appearances by Rick Ross and Yo Gotti. But no matter whom his collaborators are, Meek Milly promises quality above all else. "Just expect good music," he said with confidence, "because that's all I'm good for." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Artists |
| Jared Leto Addresses 30 Seconds To Mars' Future Posted: 26 Jul 2011 09:32 AM PDT 'I need a little bit of time to catch my breath,' Leto tells MTV News.
In recent months, members of 30 Seconds To Mars' Echelon have been in a panic over rumors that their favorite band may be calling it quits once they wrap their (seemingly endless) Closer to the Edge tour at year's end.
Of course, the band themselves haven't exactly done much to assuage those fears, making a few off-handed comments (link) about the split in an interview with MTV Canada, and then following them up by going full non-committal to MTV Radio. So, when MTV News spoke to frontman Jared Leto last week about 30STM's three VMA nominations, we decided to get him to answer the question once and for all. And while, he remained fairly obtuse about everything, he did admit that the band is thinking very hard about their future ... and, yes, he understands that their lack of a firm plan has freaked his fans out. "Yeah, and I mean, it's understandable why people would [think] that," Leto said. "We've been really thinking about the future, and life and opportunities and choices and, really, I think when we're done with this album cycle, then we'll be ready to address the future. "It's been such an incredible, insane, crazy ride," he continued. "It's been almost two years, all around the world more than a couple times. This global typhoon of shows and videos and creativity and madness. So, we need a little bit of time — I need a little time to catch my breath." But regardless of whatever the future may bring, Leto said that he and his bandmates have also been spending a lot of time reflecting on their past and the long journey they've embarked on with their This Is War album. It started nearly three years ago, with 30STM embroiled in a lawsuit with their label, has taken them around the world, and has landed them nominations in two years' worth of VMA shows. So, if they do decide to walk away, they'll do so with heads held high. "It's been a long, slow battle. A global battle. It's incredible," Leto said. "My brother, Tomo [Milicevic] and I were looking at photos, and we look like kids compared to now. So much life has happened since then, and we definitely feel very proud of the adventure so far. Very grateful." Of course, he couldn't think of a better way to go out than with a trio of triumphs at the VMAs (the band's "Hurricane" clip is up for Best Direction, Cinematography and Editing.) Which is why Leto's not above doing some hard-core campaigning, either. "But the nice thing about these video nominations, they certainly would be a great way to say goodbye, wouldn't they?" he laughed. "I mean, winning all three would be a pretty nice way to go out." The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for your favorites in the general categories by visiting VMA.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Katy Perry 'May Take Over The World,' 'The Smurfs' Co-Stars Say Posted: 25 Jul 2011 11:36 PM PDT Neil Patrick Harris and Hank Azaria are proud of their Smurfette's nine VMA nominations.
Katy Perry is making her big-screen debut as the voice of Smurfette in "The Smurfs," out Friday. She brings her kooky cool personality to her role as the sole female in Smurf Village. Her "Smurfs" co-stars were happy to congratulate Perry on another big milestone she will be celebrating four weeks from now, when she'll attend the 2011 VMAs as the most-nominated artist of the year.
"Katy Perry can do no wrong in my book," Neil Patrick Harris gushed to MTV News. "She's tall, she's funny, she can sing and has a sharp wit and is a savvy businesswoman. I say Katy Perry may take over the world. I will be her vice president." Hank Azaria, who plays bad guy Gargamel in the partially animated, 3-D romp, had similar sentiments for the larger-than-life pop star, though he actually just met her for the first time at the movie's premiere. "Congratulations, Katy Perry/Smurfette," he said, before admitting, "I'm just not up on the young people's music of today. I've heard of her [and] the fact that I know who she is is tremendous, because if I know who she is, and she's a recording artist under the age of 35, that means she's very big." So, what kind of impression did Perry leave on Azaria? "It was rather exciting," he said. "She's a genuine pop idol; my heart raced. She's beautiful and a huge star." Perry will be competing for Video of the Year and Best Female Video for "Firework"; Best Pop Video for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"; and Best Collaboration, Best Art Direction, Best Direction, Best Editing and Best Special Effects for the Floria Sigismondi-directed "E.T.," which features fellow nominee Kanye West. Her "Teenage Dream" clip also nabbed a nomination for Best Cinematography. The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for your favorites in the general categories by visiting VMA.MTV.com. Related Artists |
| Taylor Lautner Wants To Show 'Fun' Side In A Comedy Posted: 26 Jul 2011 01:09 AM PDT 'I did the thing with Jason Sudeikis,' the 'Twilight' star says of how MTV Movie Awards skit showed off his comedy chops.
Taylor Lautner may be gunning to be Hollywood's next big action star, but that doesn't mean he isn't itching for a good comedy as well. The "Twilight Saga" star recently got some laughs with a Funny or Die sketch called "Field of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout" and he has appeared in a series of silly skits to promote the MTV Movie Awards in the past two years. At San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend, MTV News caught up with the actor, who told us he would "definitely" love to star in a comedy in the future.
"I've always loved comedies," he said. "I did 'SNL,' and then I did the thing with Tom [Cruise] for the MTV Movie Awards, and then most recently I did the thing with Jason Sudeikis, which was a lot of fun," he said of a promo skit with the 2011 awards-show host. So does Taylor think he has the chops to make it up there with the comedic greats? "I just like to have fun," Lautner said with a laugh. "I don't think I'm funny at all, but I just like to have fun." While Lautner hit Comic-Con to promote his action flick "Abduction," he kept things top-secret about another project. The actor was recently seen grabbing a bite to eat with Gus Van Sant and the director's "Milk" screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black, sparking rumors that the three men have a film in the works. "They are two talented men," Lautner teased. "You'll see." Of course, Twilighters will recall that two years back, Van Sant was in the running for the job of "Breaking Dawn" director, so Van Sant and Lautner might have been introduced at that time. Time will tell. Check out everything we've got on "Abduction." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Tiesto 'Really Excited' About His U.S. College Invasion Tour Posted: 25 Jul 2011 10:22 PM PDT Dutch dance-music star is giving one lucky fan chance to have him attend his or her house party.
Boom, Belgium — MTV News was graciously invited to attend one of Europe's largest dance-music gatherings this past weekend: Boom, Belgium's Tomorrowland Festival. Rivaling the size of Las Vegas' Electric Daisy Carnival and Miami's Ultra Music Festival, the 7-year-old Tomorrowland, which started out with just 10,000 attendees, swelled to around 180,000 fans and campers this year. They descended upon 14 stages for their pick of the litter of the fest's 469 performing DJs.
Easily one of the most recognized names in dance music today, electronic dance-music icon Tiësto was among the headliners of the three-day dance-a-thon. Unlike Friday night headlining pals Swedish House Mafia or Sunday night's performance by crossover star David Guetta, Tiësto had rainy weather to deal with. But in a testament to just how popular the Dutch DJ/producer, born Tijs Verwest, is, the 40,000 fans at Tomorrowland's main stage didn't waver for a second. If anything, the elements heightened the venerated star's epic set, which featured hits "Zero 76" (his song with Hardwell off of his recent Club Life, Volume 1: Las Vegas album), his as-yet-unreleased remix of Kanye West's "Lost in the World" and his Bassjackers effort "Mush, Mush." He also dropped two as-yet-unreleased and untitled new bangers over the course of his performance. MTV News had the pleasure of catching up with Tiësto just before his two-hour set at Tomorrowland, and there he gushed about an effort he is very much looking forward to back on our shores: He's launching a college tour that will bring him to a dozen college campuses all over America in September. "I'm really excited about the Tiësto College Invasion Tour because I never really went to the colleges to play, and it's just a whole new generation to DJ for," Verwest said. "Probably most of them have never heard me play. So I thought it's time to do this. Electronic music is getting so big in the U.S., so I thought it's a great opportunity." Tiësto is launching two pretty cool contests in conjunction with the tour. The first will give fans a crack at remixing soon-to-be-released song "Work Hard, Play Hard" (featuring vocals by Kay), and the winner with the best remix will have his or her track released on Tiësto's Musical Freedom label and a chance to open for him on the College Invasion Tour. That lucky someone may share opening duties with 19-year-old sensation Porter Robinson. The second contest will see one lucky go-getter have Tiësto attend his or her house party. "The person who makes the most promotion, the most of a rumble about me coming to their college wins a prize," Verwest revealed. "And the prize is that I'm going to visit their home and have a little party there." So will Tiësto play the role of Will Ferrell in the college cult film "Old School"? Well, the globetrotting DJ/ producer has been known to let his hair down from time to time, but you'll have to stir up enough of a storm to find out! "Tijs the Tank! That's gonna be 'Tijs the Tank night' for sure," Verwest joked. " 'Tiësto the Tank!' Let's go streaking!" To have the big man visit your home, check the "Tiësto House Party" tab on Tiësto's Facebook page for more info. Below are the cities Tiësto will be hitting: |
| Mac Miller Talks Inspiration Behind <i>Blue Slide Park</i> Posted: 25 Jul 2011 11:18 PM PDT 'No matter what happens in life, that slide will always be blue,' rapper tells MTV News about park in his native Pittsburgh.
For Mac Miller, there is no place like home. Though his upcoming touring schedule is sure to keep him away from his native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mac feels that he is never too far. That feeling inspired the title for his debut album, Blue Slide Park.
"Blue Slide Park is a park in Pittsburgh we grew up at," Miller told MTV News of the album title's significance. "Being two going down slides and then being six playing Little League and hanging out there, then being older coming back there to drink and smoke and party, running from the cops. And now going back there just to chill out and drink a beer." In 2010, Mac signed with Pittsburgh indie label Rostrum Records and has since dropped two highly touted mixtapes, K.I.D.S. and 2011's Best Day Ever. Both chronicle his rise from local PA rapper to budding hip-hop star. Despite his growth, Mac believes that his beloved playground will always remain a constant. "You see the same place have so many different purposes in your life throughout you getting older and that place never switches," he said. On July 5, the 19-year-old rapper took to Ustream to announce the title of the LP, soon after it became a trending topic on Twitter. To celebrate, Miller and five of his friends went to Blue Slide Park "to feel the energy," he said. Unfortunately for the young MC, loitering after dark is a no-no. "F---ing 10 minutes, the cops come," Mac recalled. Still, Miller, who will release the album in the fall and embark on a 49-city tour (with more dates to be added), looks forward to returning to his old haunts every chance he gets. "No matter what happens in life, no matter where you go, where you're off to, what happens with the park, that slide will always be blue. That will always be Blue Slide Park no matter what," he said. "You can go to New York and live for 10 years and become a huge business mogul and then come back to the 'Burgh and no matter how much money you got, that slide is still blue." Related Artists |
| You are subscribed to email updates from MTV News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar