MTV News |
- Coldplay, Rihanna, Evanescence Lead Fall Albums
- Watch The Throne Designer Talks Fashion, Kanye West, Jay-Z
- 'X Factor': J. Mark Inman And More Oddballs Shine
- Anne Hathaway's Catwoman Isn't First Controversial Costume
- Styles P Breaks Down The Meaning Of 'MC'
- Michael Jackson Doctor Left 'Panicked' Voicemail After Death
- Chris Brown Set To Go 'Undercover' With J. Cole
- 'Glee'-Cap: Kurt Embraces His Inner Unicorn
- Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett Music Video Debuts Monday
- Lil Wayne's Success 'Gratifying' For Mystikal
- Joe Jonas, Lil Wayne Hook Up For 'Just In Love' Remix
- Rihanna: The Greatest Star, The Worst Nicknames
- Tony Bennett Scores First #1 On <i>Billboard</i> 200
- Justin Bieber Drops 'How To Love' Acoustic Remix
- Kristen Stewart Dons 'Snow White' Armor In New Photos
- Josh Hutcherson Is 'Most Likely To Play A Superhero' In Our New Class
- Leona Lewis Delays Album Release To 2012
- Michael Jackson 'Wasn't Right,' Choreographer Testifies
- 'American Idol' Finalist James Durbin Dropping LP Same Day As Daughtry
| Coldplay, Rihanna, Evanescence Lead Fall Albums Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:53 AM PDT Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and Nickelback also on tap for new albums.
There's a very good reason why so many big albums come out in the last quarter of the year: In the run-up to the holidays, lots of kids, moms, dads and grandparents truck down to the local megamart looking for good stocking stuffers.
And this year's bumper crop cuts across all genres and classifications, including fall albums from Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson, Evanescence, Feist, Wilco, Drake, Nickelback, Rihanna, J. Cole, Mastodon, Joe Jonas, Mary J. Blige, Rick Ross, Nas, Florence and the Machine, and "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery. Here's a breakdown by genre of the ones to watch for (with release dates subject to change): Pop Rihanna has been releasing albums at a torrid pace, with one every year since 2005 except for 2008. Her follow-up to 2010's Loud is reportedly due later this year, and a new Calvin Harris-produced single, "We Found Love," is due to hit radio on October 11. All-grown-up Joe Jonas will drop his solo debut, the dance-inflected Fast Life, on October 11, "X Factor" judge Nicole Scherzinger is expected to finally release her long-delayed solo album Killer Love on November 15, and new albums are also due from soul man Mayer Hawthorne (How Do You Do, October 11) and adorable indie duo She & Him (the holiday-themed A Very She & Him Christmas, October 25). Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am is also reportedly prepping a solo effort for November, and this year's "Idol" winner, country teen Scotty McCreery, will unleash his debut, Clear as Day (October 4), as will runner-up Lauren Alaina and former "Idol" second-placer Adam Lambert, whose as-yet-untitled second effort is due in November. In addition, former Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump will drop his solo debut, Soul Punk (October 18), and the end of the year may also see the release of the frequently pushed first album from ex-FOB bassist/lyricist Pete Wentz's new dance act, Black Cards. Hip-Hop Young Jeezy's long-gestating Thug Motivation 103 is due in October, reportedly complete with more positive messages on tunes like "Shake Life" and "Never Be the Same." Also look for new music from Common, Wale, Nas and Yelawolf. R&B Also, R&B vet Monica plans a comeback with New Life and English singer Taio Cruz is planning to be back in November with an as-yet-untitled second collection of sure-to-be smashes produced by the likes of Dr. Luke, David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia. Look for new music from Jason Derülo and hook mistress Dev as well. Rock and More Evanescence will storm back with a self-titled album of gothic rockers, their first in five years, including the first single "What You Want." One of the most unusual discs on tap is an album-length collaboration between punk icon Lou Reed and Metallica entitled Lulu (November 1), which is sure to crunch way more bones than Canadian singer Feist's more sedate Metals. Flame-haired Florence Welch has promised that the second album from her band, Florence + the Machine, will be tougher and feature more heavy guitars and beats, which is guaranteed on the new one from Nickelback, Here and Now (November 11). If that's not enough for you, country superstar Miranda Lambert is setting up her fourth album, Four the Record (November 1), Icelandic conundrum Björk will drop Biophilia (October 11) and French house duo Justice will spin out Audio, Video, Disco (October 25). What fall albums are you most excited about? Let us know in comments below! Related Artists |
| Watch The Throne Designer Talks Fashion, Kanye West, Jay-Z Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:41 AM PDT Riccardo Tisci talks about his love of hip-hop and working with rap titans the Throne.
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| 'X Factor': J. Mark Inman And More Oddballs Shine Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:05 AM PDT Country cuties Makenna and Brock take a more traditional route to Boot Camp.
"The X Factor" threw viewers a few curveballs on Wednesday night's (September 28) episode. Having been weaned on years of gag auditions from "American Idol," we've been trained to pick out the phony contestants from the contenders. Or so we thought. But J. Mark Inman -- a 31-year-old philosophy student who compared his life to "the algorithm for pi" -- threw a wrench into that system with his bizarro take on Radiohead's "Creep." What does our expert think of "X Factor" so far? Find out!
Backed by a stuttering electronic track he made himself, Inman -- who looks exactly like the kind of person who would compare his life to the algorithm for pi -- seemed as out of place as Mark Zuckerberg at a karaoke bar but had a magnetic, inexplicable confidence about him. As he took on "Creep," he shuffled across the stage with his mock Usher moves and somehow, his subdued, off-kilter take on the alt-rock classic simply worked. Said L.A. Reid: "It sounded so bad, but felt so good." Inman was sent through to the next round, and he seemed as shocked as anyone. Josh Krajcik, a self-described "burrito slinger" from Columbus, Ohio, also looked far from your typical pop singer, with his scruffy beard, laundry-day attire and long, greasy hair. But when he sang a deeply soulful version of Etta James' "At Last," the 30-year-old took the judges by surprise and was passed through to the next round. "You need to give the slinging-burritos job to somebody else," Reid informed him. Meanwhile, producers initially presented 14-year-old Drew Ryniewicz as a bubbly Justin Bieber obsessive (she gazes at pictures of him in her bedroom and knows that his favorite colors are purple and red) and nothing more. But when she sang a down-tempo, piano-driven version of Bieber's "Baby" that brought out an undercurrent of sadness and longing in the song, she won over even Reid, who has helped mold Bieber's career. "You are special," Reid told her, while Paula Abdul called Ryniewicz "commendable, original, daring and bold." We'll see her again in Boot Camp. And sure, Skyelor Anderson seemed odd enough; as he said himself, "You don't find a lot of young black teenagers that sing country music." But the 16-year-old Mississippi native showed real tenacity, singing a cappella when his backing track unexpectedly dropped out on him. The judges loved his resourcefulness and his Southern manners and sent him through. As Anderson himself said, Git-R-Done! Among the more traditional contestants introduced on Wednesday's show were Makenna and Brock, a 22- and 18-year-old singing duo with a secret (he has a crush on her, she doesn't know it -- well, until she watched him admit it on national television, that is); Arin Ray, a 15-year-old whose "Ain't No Sunshine" earned him four "yes" votes from the judges; 4Shore, a quartet whose version of Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" had even songwriter Reid on his feet; Elaine Gibbs, a 53-year-old grandmother who took the judges to church with her gospelized "You've Got a Friend"; Tiger Budbill, a 42-year-old wedding DJ who might have the best name in the competition so far; Phillip Lomax, a 21-year-old self-described "hipster" with a 1,000-watt smile; and 17-year-old Francesca Duncan, whose version of Mariah Carey's "Hero" earned her unanimous passing grades from the judges. The night's biggest drama came from 19-year-old Tiah Tolliver, a deli clerk who auditioned with Shontelle's "Impossible." Simon Cowell and Reid let her through, but when Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger both passed, citing problems with her key, Cowell reacted by throwing a minor hissy fit and tossing his pen from his hands. Before she was dismissed, Reid convinced her to sing one more song, and Tolliver's "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" was good enough that Scherzinger gave her a pass, allowing her through to the next round and making Cowell happy. And on this show, that may be the most important thing of all. What did you think of Wednesday's "X Factor"? Let us know in the comments! |
| Anne Hathaway's Catwoman Isn't First Controversial Costume Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:32 AM PDT We look back at other divisive getups, including George Clooney's Batman and Adrianne Palicki's Wonder Woman.
Nothing causes a storm of online controversy like the first big reveal of an updated superhero costume — particularly when said costume is on a glamorous Hollywood starlet.
Case in point: the paparazzi photo snapped on the Los Angeles set of "The Dark Knight Rises" that features a catsuit-clad Anne Hathaway in between scenes. The firestorm around the photo, as well as the detailed analysis that followed, reminded us of some other costumes that received the same obsessive treatment. MTV News reached out to Caleb Goellner, senior editor at Comics Alliance, for his thoughts on past lightning-rod getups. Halle Berry's Catwoman "If somebody would've asked me, 'Hey, you think it'd be feasible to fight crime wearing nothing but a few handfuls of random belts from a TJ Maxx after-Thanksgiving sale bargain bin circa 1984?' In, like, 2003, I might've said, 'Maybe,' " Goellner admitted. "I confess to not being open-minded enough for that response in a post-'Catwoman' world, though." Adrianne Palicki's Wonder Woman "Palicki's costume seems like it was scrutinized more for its choice of materials than its cut," Goellner said. "Nobody really agrees on what Wonder Woman is/should be, but fans seemed united in their cries for a TV costume with a less vinyl-y sheen." George Clooney and Val Kilmer's Batmen "In a world where rubber costumes often feature fake abs, adding nipples to a crime fighting suit is pretty logical," Goellner said, tongue firmly in cheek. "The problem fans had with this outfit stemmed purely from the fact that, in the comics, Bruce Wayne has trained his nipples to go into sleep mode while fighting crime, diverting calories to other parts of his body as needed. This continuity error, however minor, really distracted from Joel Schumacher's otherwise completely authentic filmmaking choices." Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern Said Goellner: "Green Lantern's organic look had some feeling like he was more of a Slim Goodbody stand-in than a proper space cop. Others, who accepted the rationality of the costume as a manifestation of alien technology, were still bummed by its lack of depth and overall painted-on look. Everyone else was too busy hoping for a cosmic 'Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place' reunion to notice." X-Men Suit Up in Black Leather "Given the X-Men's history of trying out new uniforms in the comics, fans weren't supremely bothered by X-Men's low-key combat suits," Goellner said. "Then again, the state of the superhero film was so abysmal in 2000 that fans were open to anything that was more 'Blade' than 'Batman & Robin.' It also probably would've been a bad idea to put Hugh Jackman in a mask, when everyone knows the real star of the 'X' franchise has been his dreamy peepers." Bonus: Barbara Eden's Jeannie Goellner's final word: "Her costume is a delight, but everybody knows that real genies are blue, have goatees and kind of talk like that guy who starred in 'Hook.' " 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 Photos |
| Styles P Breaks Down The Meaning Of 'MC' Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:57 AM PDT 'It's my job to say something,' rapper tells 'RapFix Live' of his responsibility as 'Master of Ceremonies.'
Styles P takes the title of MC very seriously. On his upcoming album Master of Ceremonies, the Ghost expands the acronym to exemplify what it means to be a rapper of the highest caliber. The LOX rhyme spitter broke it all down with Sway on Wednesday's "RapFix Live."
"I named it Master of Ceremonies because I'm an MC and I felt like I'm gonna bring something to the table that a lot of people forgot about — a lost art," Styles told Sway of his album, which drops October 4. In the beginning, it was the DJ who was the star in hip-hop. During the early house parties and park jams, the MC's main function was to toast to the DJ using witty and rhyming wordplay. As hip-hop evolved, it was the MC or the rapper who emerged as the musical star. For Styles P, his MC influences included Rakim, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane and the seldom-celebrated New Jersey rapper Chill Rob G. So when it came time for him to grab the mic, Styles took the title very seriously. "It's my job to say something. At the end of the day, I have to say something," Peniro said, citing rap's current lyrical deficiency as motivation for his first solo album in four years. The Yonkers lyricist even joked that after announcing his Master of Ceremonies album title on Twitter, one fan thought he was down with the Illuminati — a powerful, cult-like sect that conspiracy theorists accuse artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West of being involved with. "I laughed, but I was sad at the same time," Styles said, "because to them, a master of ceremonies sounded like some Illuminati term and I was like, 'Nah I'm an MC.' Do your history — this is where we come from." Styles, who is a self-described "fan of lyrics," invited other MCs to be a part of his album. Not only do Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes appear on Master of Ceremonies' lead single "Harsh," other well-regarded spitters like Jadakiss, Sheek Louch and Lloyd Banks are represented as well. "In hip-hop, I think a lot of us forgot about MC and what MCing is," he said. Luckily Styles P is about to give us a reminder. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson Doctor Left 'Panicked' Voicemail After Death Posted: 28 Sep 2011 05:14 AM PDT In addition to assistant's testimony, bodyguard claims MJ's kids were in the room when he died.
Day two of testimony in the manslaughter trial of former Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray featured more damning revelations from MJ's personal assistant and head of security, as well as employees of AEG Live, the firm that was promoting the singer's 50-show This Is It attempted comeback tour. Among the revelations Wednesday (September 28), an attorney for AEG Live, Kathy Jorrie, described the contract she wrote up between AEG, Murray and Jackson. The document specified that Murray was to be paid a $150,000-a-month retainer, even when This Is It was on hiatus, and that the cardiologist requested a CPR machine for Jackson during the run of the shows in London. As for why he needed a machine used for resuscitation, TMZ reported that Murray claimed he didn't want to take chances given MJ's age (50) and the strenuous nature of the show. Jorrie also said that in a conversation with Murray on June 24, 2009 — the day before Jackson's death — the doctor said he'd seen his client perform and that he appeared to be in "perfect" health. She also confirmed that the contract — drafted 10 days before Jackson's death — had never been signed by any of the parties and that it contained revisions requested by Murray, including retroactive pay dating back to May 2009 through March 2010 and a clause exempting him from refunding any of his monthly retainer if Jackson changed his mind or canceled the tour. In an effort to lay out the timeline of events on the day of Jackson's death, prosecutors called the pop icon's personal assistant, Michael Amir Williams, who discussed a panicked voicemail he received from Murray. After watching an "amazing" rehearsal the night before, Williams said he picked up an urgent voicemail from Murray the next day at 12:13 p.m. asking him to call back right away to discuss a "bad reaction" MJ had. When Williams arrived at Jackson's rented Beverly Hills estate, the first thing he saw was his boss on a gurney and a "frantic-looking Murray, who, after Jackson was pronounced dead, confided to Williams that there was some "cream Michael wouldn't want the world to know about" at the house. Williams drove Murray back to the mansion to retrieve the "cream," and after checking with Jackson's head of security, they let the doctor back into the house. AEG Live co-CEO Paul Gongaware was back on the stand again Wednesday, testifying that Murray had initially asked for the exorbitant sum of $5 million per year to take care of Jackson. When the singer insisted that he wanted Murray to take care of him, he instructed Gongaware to call back and offer $150,000 a month. The final witness to testify Wednesday was Jackson's head of security, Faheem Muhammad, who described arriving on the scene to see Murray frantically trying to resuscitate the fallen pop star, while two of Jackson's children, Paris and Prince, looked on. Muhammad said Jackson appeared to be dead when he arrived and that when he noticed the children in the room, he took them downstairs. Muhammad added that he heard Murray asking if anyone knew CPR, which prompted fellow bodyguard Alberto Alvarez to try to help. On Tuesday, the opening day of the trial, in addition to disturbing photos of Jackson and a voicemail in which the singer's speech was slurred and garbled, the jury heard from longtime friend and choreographer Kenny Ortega, who said he could tell something was not right with Jackson. Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and administering the fatal dose of the surgical anesthetic propofol that caused Jackson's death and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if found guilty. Defense attorney Ed Chernoff told the jury Tuesday that Jackson caused his own death by swallowing eight 2-milligram pills of the anti-anxiety drug Lorazepam, as well as injecting himself with a dose of propofol that instantly killed him. Testimony in the trial continues Thursday. Related Artists |
| Chris Brown Set To Go 'Undercover' With J. Cole Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:30 AM PDT 'I think the ladies gonna like this one,' DJ Drama teases MTV News about collabo from his October album.
J. Cole is riding high this week after the release of his debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story. Aside from the inevitable euphoria that comes with dropping one's first album, relative newcomer Cole also got a chance to work with Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and Trey Songz on the project. But fans shouldn't expect the high-profile collaborations to stop there thanks to DJ Drama.
On October 11, the Atlanta DJ will drop his latest album, Third Power, on which he paired Cole with Chris Brown for a track titled "Undercover." "We were searching for tracks for Chris," Drama explained to MTV News about how he and producer V12 the Hitman came up with the song. "We got something, Chris went in. I thought about it for a minute: Who hasn't he worked with, who hasn't he been on a record with?" That meant excluding heavy hitters like Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Kanye West and Swizz Beatz, who are among CB's army of previous collaborators. Drama eventually thought to link Brown with Roc Nation's rookie rapper Cole, and although the pair appeared together on little-known British rapper Chipmunk's "Champion (Remix)," Drama's "Undercover" will mark the first time Cole and Breezy co-headline a song. "J. Cole has definitely been doing his thing," Drama added. "That's another guy that I have a lot of respect for and am excited for what he's been accomplishing, so we made that allegiance right there; plus, you got some bars from Breezy." Brown already has a dedicated female fanbase and Cole — thanks to songs like his R&B-tinged "Can't Get Enough" and a feature on Miguel's hit "All I Want Is You" — is becoming a heartthrob himself. Whatever the case, Drama is pretty sure the song will win women over. "I think the ladies gonna like this one," he said. Are you excited to hear a Chris Brown/ J. Cole collabo? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'Glee'-Cap: Kurt Embraces His Inner Unicorn Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:20 AM PDT But does he really have to face off against boyfriend Blaine for the lead in the play?
"Glee" was back to its identity-crisis ways Tuesday, switching up ages, story lines and emotions in the latest episode, "I Am Unicorn." But why talk about it when we can sing about it? To the musical "Glee"-cap!
I wish "Glee" made up its mind It's hard to keep my bearings straight F--- you, "Glee," this makes no sense No way! Screw you, "Glee," why hurt your fans? Just sayin' Another chorus has begun We are Gleeks, we see it all! Damn you, "Glee," in the end you're right Kurt's audition's full of charm I get it, "Glee" writers, you need conflict Entitled Gleek! What did you think of the latest "Glee"? Let us know in the comments below — no singing required! Related Videos |
| Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett Music Video Debuts Monday Posted: 28 Sep 2011 02:12 AM PDT 'Lady Is a Tramp' clip is the second from Duets II, following 'Body and Soul' with the late Amy Winehouse.
Tony Bennett just scored his first #1 album with Duets II, and now the legend is ready to drop another video from the collabo project. On Monday, his video for "The Lady Is a Tramp" — with a blue-haired Lady Gaga by his side — will hit the Web. On the track, Gaga gets a little feisty with the 85-year-old. "I hate California, it's crowded and damp," the New York-native Gaga sings, before Bennett chimes in giggling, "That's why the lady is a tramp."
"My favorite is that Lady Gaga," Bennett gushed to MTV News at the Video Music Awards, where Gaga spent the night in character as her male alter ego, Jo Calderone. "She's the biggest. I'll tell you, I never met anyone with more talent than that lady." Earlier this month, Bennett's "Body and Soul" video with the late Amy Winehouse debuted. The duo were filmed recording the song together, and the Gaga video will most likely follow suit. Other Duets II collaborations include John Mayer, Carrie Underwood and Mariah Carey, among others. Riding high on his new wave of success — including first-week sales of 179,000 copies — Bennett said his career has always been incredibly cyclical. "I'm 85; I just want to tell you, it's a very strange situation," he said. "I always worked live, and ever since 1950, wherever I've played internationally I've been sold out all these years. It's amazing. So the public's been on my side all the time." What are you expecting from Gaga and Bennett's video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne's Success 'Gratifying' For Mystikal Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:46 AM PDT 'Wayne was a student in my dojo before,' Mystikal tells Mixtape Daily.
Celebrity Favorites: Mystikal
Now, Kanye and Jay are the Throne and both enjoy veteran rap status, and Lil Wayne is sitting on top of the world. Mystikal recalls his fellow New Orleans rapper's come-up and can't help but feel a bit responsible for the growth. "Wayne was a student in my dojo before. I was a sensei before. I had big inspiration on him," Mystikal said of the younger Weezy. "It's gratifying to see him reach the heights that he reached with his hustle. So I'm proud of him." Mystikal, who turned 41 last week, has a catalog of rap classics. Songs like "Shake Ya Ass" and "Danger" helped shine hip-hop's light on his native New Orleans and the artists who hail from the Louisiana city. Still, the Tarantula isn't content with his past hits. He has recently been in the studio with producer Mannie Fresh, cooking up a new batch of material. So how will this new Mystikal fit into hip-hop's current landscape? "Just another option, just give them another option," Mystikal told Mixtape Daily of what he hopes to offer to rap fans. "All the marquee artists are who they are; I don't have to say no names. [The fans] just ready for more options, they ready for some other big cards to play. Trust me!" For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Artists |
| Joe Jonas, Lil Wayne Hook Up For 'Just In Love' Remix Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:36 PM PDT The JoBro announces via Twitter that track is 'coming to you on 10/3.'
With only a few weeks left until Joe Jonas drops his debut solo album, Fast Life, he's got a last-minute surprise for his fans. The singer announced on Twitter that Lil Wayne will appear on a remix of his single "Just in Love," set to drop on Monday. "BIG NEWS! #JustInLove Remix with Me and @LilTunechi (LIL WAYNE) coming to you on 10/3 on @OnAirWithRyan. Can't wait for you to hear it!" he wrote.
Seacrest jokingly tweeted back, "U have ur leopard jeggings yet?" Back in July, when Jonas was still working on the album, he said he was excited about the chance to get some features and remixes together before the album's October 11 release date. "The album's not packaged and sent out yet, so if anybody out there wants to do a song, I'm a free agent," he told MTV News. Jonas dropped the official version of "Just in Love" earlier this month. The dance track came complete with a sexy video, with Jonas frolicking around Paris with a beautiful French model. While fans will have to wait to hear the song, the magazine reports that Weezy raps lines like: "We makin' love like animals/ 'Planet of the Apes.' " "He just jumped on the record, and it's just super awesome to see that somebody like him would wanna support me," Jonas told Billboard about the soon-to-be-released remix . "It means the world to me, and I love his rap; it's so dope. Somebody like Lil Wayne, who owns the market and who is a power-maker in his genre, supporting me is really exciting." Related Artists |
| Rihanna: The Greatest Star, The Worst Nicknames Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:09 PM PDT We try to come up with a nickname befitting Rihanna's superstar status, in Bigger Than the Sound.
I realize this is probably not important, what with all the horrible stuff going on in the world, but Rihanna totally needs a good nickname.
More specifically, she deserves a good nickname, one befitting her status as a true pop&B icon. To wit, she has scored a staggering 10 #1's on the Billboard Hot 100 — making her the youngest ever to achieve such a feat — including four in 2010 alone. She has released six albums since 2005 (her next is due in November), which have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. She has won four Grammy awards, is the official ambassador of Barbados (where she ranks somewhere between Doug E. Fresh and rum on the nation's "greatest exports" scale), has signed lucrative endorsement deals with everyone from Gucci to Vita Coco, makes really great, slightly controversial music videos, takes amazing meet-and-greet photos, commands a huge fanbase she affectionately refers to as her Navy and is a true pioneer of the hair arts. And yet, the best moniker we have been able to come up with for her seems to be "RiRi." Or maybe "The Bajan Beauty," which sounds like something Bob Barker would've come up with while hosting the 1978 Miss Universe pageant. Clearly, this needs to change. After all, Madonna is the "Queen of Pop." Lady Gaga is "Mother Monster." Mariah Carey is "Mimi." Rihanna has earned the right to be mentioned in the same sentence as all three, yet she often isn't. And I can think of no other reason beside the fact that she does not have a truly great nickname. Sure, I guess you could call her "The Princess of the Roc," but really, that was Teairra Mari's handle first (and everyone seems to be rushing to transfer it over to Willow Smith), and in a lot of ways, it just seems lacking. Rihanna demands something new, something descriptive, something that manages to capture everything that makes her so sensational: her youth, her heritage, her effervescence. Also, on a selfish note, I am desperately looking for new ways to refer to her in stories. My job is hard sometimes. Of course, coming up with suitable sobriquets is actually a lot tougher than you'd imagine. An honorary title must not only fit like a glove — could Aretha Franklin really be anything but the Queen of Soul? — but it must be earned. Elvis didn't become the King, overnight, after all. Yet I can think of no current star in need of a nickname more than Rihanna (is it any wonder that she once sang "What's my name?"). And since no one else seems to be stepping up, I've created a list of potential choices — nicknames befitting of a true star. Of course, if you've got one, let me know in the comments below. Like I said, nicknaming is hard work. The 21st Century Girl: Works on two levels: One, it plays up the fact that Rihanna is basically the face of 21st-century pop: a multi-national, genre-bending, tech-crunching (have you seen her Twitter account?) superstar. Two, it is a play on that old T.Rex song, and T.Rex are awesome — just like Rihanna. Who cares if Willow Smith has a song by that name too? Rihanna is the 21st Century Girl. The Admiral: Since she is the commanding officer of the Rihanna Navy. The only downside? David Robinson seemingly locked this one up back in 1986. The Bajan Baroness, or the Baroness: If all the other royalty nicknames are taken (shoot, even Fergie is the Dutchess), well, then let's dub Rihanna the Baroness. Not only does it sound cool, but there's a certain badass swagger to it. I'm sure no one remembers the old G.I. Joe character at this point anyway. The Caribbean Queen: You know, because Barbados is located in the Caribbean. And because Rihanna is a queen. Also brings to mind Billy Ocean, which is always a good thing. The Divine Miss R: This one might piss off Bette Midler fans. Also, it seems sort of old-fashioned to refer to Rihanna as "Miss." Still, I think there's something to this one. It sort of captures her "respect the bitch" essence. Lil' Sis, or Sis: Because she really seems like everyone's kid sister (and because Kid Sister was already taken). Fun, flirty and just a little bit fierce, just like Rihanna. The Only Girl: A nod to one of her biggest hits, also the fact that she really is the only girl in the pop game worth caring about. In a pinch, could be shortened to "The One." The Pride of Barbados: It's the national flower of her homeland. Also, people there are proud of her. Its scientific name is caesalpinia pulcherrima, so maybe also "'Pini"? The Saint Michael Siren: Gives props to the Bajan parish where she was born and also pays tribute to her voice. Of course, also sort of paints her as a seductive bird woman who lured sailors to their death. Which Rihanna nickname is your favorite? Or can you do better? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Tony Bennett Scores First #1 On <i>Billboard</i> 200 Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:09 PM PDT Demi Lovato's Unbroken debuts at #4.
It only took him 60 years, but ageless crooner Tony Bennett will finally snag his first #1 debut on the Billboard album charts next week when his star-studded Duets II album wins the crown.
The disc, which features songs recorded with Lady Gaga and late British R&B diva Amy Winehouse, sold 179,000 copies in its first week, which was good enough to push last week's top seller — Lady Antebellum's Own the Night — down to #2, as sales trailed off by 64 percent to 125,000. Leading the list of other debuts in the top 10 was Demi Lovato, who hit #4 with Unbroken (96,000), followed by Needtobreathe's Reckoning (#6, 49,000), Mindless Behavior's #1 Girl (#7, 36,000) Gavin DeGraw's Sweeter (#8, 34,000) and the soundtrack to Pearl Jam Twenty (#10, 27,000). The rest of the top 10: Adele, 21 (#3, 117,000); Lil Wayne, Tha Carter IV (#5, 84,000); and Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne (#9, 31,000). Just outside the top 10, teen singer Cody Simpson's Coast to Coast EP landed at #12 (24,000), hard rockers Thrice hit #18 with Major/Minor (20,000) and Tori Amos came in at #24 with her latest, Night of Hunters (18,000). Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger's multi-culti super group, SuperHeavy, debuted at #26 with their self-titled debut (18,000), while Staind took a major 23-slot tumble to #28 as their self-titled album shed 68 percent of its first-week business on sales of 15,000. Bennett couldn't quite pull off the double-play on the iTunes album chart, where Lovato was #1, followed by Adele and Needtobreathe. Bennett was in at #4, ahead of Lady Antebellum, Wayne, DeGraw, the soundtrack to the movie "Drive," pre-orders for Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto and Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More. Maroon 5 continued their hot summer run with "Moves Like Jagger," which held on to the top spot on the iTunes singles chart, beating out Adele's "Someone Like You," Foster the People 's "Pumped Up Kicks," LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts" and LMFAO again with "Sexy and I Know It." Rihanna's "We Found Love" helped round out the chart at #7, in front of David Guetta's "Without You," Rihanna's "Cheers (Drink to That)" and Lady Gaga's "Yoü and I." Look for debuts next week from J. Cole, Blink-182, Jason Derülo, Wilco, Mastodon and reissues from Nirvana and Pink Floyd. Related Artists |
| Justin Bieber Drops 'How To Love' Acoustic Remix Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:39 AM PDT Lil Wayne cover arrives ahead of Biebs' forthcoming Christmas album.
First, it was Demi Lovato, and now, Justin Bieber is jumping on the Lil Wayne "How to Love" bandwagon. On Wednesday (September 28), the singer dropped his acoustic version of the ballad. According to a tweet, from Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, Bieber, in addition to producing the track, played all the instruments on it as well. Braun also shared that there's more new music coming out from Bieber, tweeting, "He has some more remixes coming too. right @seankingston." About a minute and a half into the track, Bieber even shows off his rapping skills when he spits, "I just want to take my time/ I just want to my thing/ Maybe we press rewind/ Maybe I buy that ring/ We could grow old together/ Just share our souls together/ Find how to love, kiss and hug/ How to roll together/ I just need you by my side/ Maybe we could be all right/ I just want to hold you right/ We can go into the night/ You're the one I need." This week, Bieber heads to South America for a string of dates on the next leg of his My World Tour, and he had this message for all the Bieliebers out there: "U know what ... I LOVE MY FANS!! and yeah i know there r haterz but u cant stop us from living our dream. hard work and this team. #wegohard." In related news, Bieber tweeted out the date "#nov1st," perhaps a hint as to when his highly anticipated Christmas album will drop. The album, which will feature confirmed track "Falalalala" with Boyz II Men, is also rumored to contain collaborations with Sean Kingston and Taylor Swift, as well as a super-secret collaboration with "1 of the most #Legendary performers ever," according to a tweet from Braun. Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman said, "[Bieber] thought we'd be perfect for it. And we went in and locked in." Share your thoughts on Bieber's version of "How to Love" in the comments below! Related Artists |
| Kristen Stewart Dons 'Snow White' Armor In New Photos Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:18 AM PDT Pics show Stewart filming battle scene on beach in Wales.
Kristen Stewart looks like she's ready for battle. Some photos of the "Twilight" star on the set of "Snow White and the Huntsman" have hit the Internet. In them, Stewart is wearing her previously teased armor as she films scenes at Marloes Sands Beach in Pembrokeshire Wales, U.K., this week.
Photos on Screenrant.com show the actress riding a white horse alongside a group of extras dressed as medieval soldiers. They are riding through the water for what appears to be some sort of battle scene. In some on-set candids, the ponytail-sporting actress laughs and walks around the set of the Rupert Sanders-directed flick. Stewart recently debuted her longer locks for the film at London Fashion Week. No signs of co-stars Charlize Theron (the Evil Queen), Chris Hemsworth (the Huntsman) or Sam Claflin (Prince Charming) in the new photos. The film is expected to open June 1, 2012. "It's not a little girl sitting by a well with little tweety birds telling her what to do and where to go," Stewart told MTV News of her character. "[The costume] makes you feel kind of strong occasionally, sometimes, but I kind of feel tiny, my pinhead sticks out of these enormous things." Her tough look has even been approved by that other "Snow White" movie director, Tarsem, who recently gushed over her battle-ready look. "She's gorgeous," he told MTV News. "She's great." The film centers around the struggle between Snow White and the Evil Queen, who, jealous of Snow White's beauty, wants to destroy her. The catch is that Snow White has been training with the Huntsman, who has been ordered to kill her. And in true fairy-tale form, Prince Charming is enamored with Snow White. "This, as a fable, she sort of just starts off as a bad person, so it was important to understand [why she is the way she is]," Theron explained about her character. "A lot of her circumstances will kind of bleed into her actions. ... She's a serial killer; I'm pretty much preparing to play a serial killer." Check out everything we've got on "Snow White and the Huntsman." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Photos |
| Josh Hutcherson Is 'Most Likely To Play A Superhero' In Our New Class Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:27 AM PDT Actor talks about his breakthrough year and the 'Hunger Games' audition process.
If you're not yet familiar with Josh Hutcherson, you're about to be. The talented 18-year-old has been a working actor for half his life, quietly paying his dues with roles on television and in films, earning Hollywood street cred in films like "Kicking and Screaming," "Bridge to Terabithia" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
Then last year, Hutcherson suddenly evolved from dependable sweet-faced child actor to formidable future leading man with his buzzed-about performance in the award-season darling "The Kids Are All Right." That career momentum kicked into future-superstar gear when Hutcherson landed the highly coveted role of Peeta Mellark in the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' best-selling "Hunger Games." All things considered, it's a no-brainer that Hutcherson made our New Class list as the "Actor Most Likely to Play a Superhero." MTV News caught up with him recently to talk about the honor, his very busy year and, of course, "The Hunger Games." MTV News: You've experienced the whole award and recognition thing before, but how does it feel to be named to our New Class? Josh Hutcherson: It's very nice, especially to be considered with the group I'm in here with, all peers of mine I admire very much. I've been an actor for a long time, so to finally get some recognition from some people that I think are really cool is pretty nice. MTV: It seems like this past year has been a whirlwind. Take us through all the projects you're juggling at the moment. Hutcherson: It's been crazy. I shot "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" the end of last year and the beginning of this year, then I went into a little short film I shot in Cuba with Benicio Del Toro ["7 Dias en La Habana"], which was really fun, and then this summer the whole time I spent shooting "The Hunger Games," which was an amazing experience. Very exciting, and I can't wait for that to come out. MTV: Is there someone in the business whose career you'd like to emulate? Hutcherson: I have a few people. I've always been a big Jake Gyllenhaal fan. I like how he goes from doing a bigger studio movie to a more independent film. I am a huge Christian Bale fan; I think he's incredible and can play any role and kill it. And I'm also a die-hard Ryan Gosling fan, so those are my guys I'd like to be like. MTV: Do you make a conscious effort to go from smaller, independent films as well as big studio films? Hutcherson: Yeah. It's all about balance; everything in life is about balance, in my opinion. You have to do the big studio movies to keep people caring about you in a way, and also for me, I've been really fortunate. I haven't done any big studio movies that suck. They've all been good material and that's the most important thing for my career, to choose the right material and to choose the characters that I care about and stories I want to tell, so that's kind of how I've gone about my career since I was 9, more or less. MTV: So let's talk briefly about "The Hunger Games" and that crazy audition process. Hutcherson: For the audition process, I came in the first time and read a few scenes for [director] Gary Ross and [author] Suzanne Collins and some of the other producers involved. Then maybe about a week or so, maybe two weeks later, I came in and did a screen test with [co-star] Jennifer [Lawrence], where I actually read the scenes with her so they could see how the chemistry worked. Both of them felt really great, but as an actor, you just pick apart every single thing that you do, so for me, I was on pins and needles waiting to find out. And then when I finally found out, my jaw hit the floor. I was so excited. For more on all the up-and-comers who make up MTV's New Class, go to TheNewClass.MTV.com. For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Leona Lewis Delays Album Release To 2012 Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:04 AM PDT 'I'm feeling so inspired right now and have decided to continue recording,' singer says of Glassheart.
Leona Lewis fans will have to wait to hear what the singer has in store for them on her album Glassheart. The British pop chanteuse has taken to her Facebook page to announce that the album is now expected to drop next year, instead of November as originally planned. "Just wanted to update everyone on the album!" she wrote. "I'm feeling so inspired right now and have decided to continue recording! I have a collection of songs that I'm so in love with and I [know] there's more to be born so it means the album will come early next year x." Despite the delay, she did tease fans with a single, "Collide," earlier this year. The song, written and produced by Autumn Rowe and produced by Sandy Vee, garnered attention when Swedish DJ Avicii claimed it was plagiarized from his 2010 track "Penguin." Avicii was eventually given co-writing credits on the track, NME.com reports. A video for the song dropped this past summer and featured Lewis getting flirty on the beach. The dance-flavored track was something of a departure for Lewis, who made a name for herself with big ballads and mid-tempo hits like "Better in Time" and "Bleeding Love." She's reportedly been in the studio with a number of A-listers including Chuck Harmony, Claude Kelly, Ryan Tedder, Fraser T. Smith, Dallas Austin, Rico Love, Naughty Boy and Ne-Yo. The album is a follow-up to 2009's Echo, which spawned hits like "Happy" when it dropped. Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson 'Wasn't Right,' Choreographer Testifies Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:55 AM PDT Kenny Ortega takes stand in doctor Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial.
After dramatic opening statements from prosecutors and the defense, the manslaughter trial of former Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray began Tuesday with gripping testimony from Jackson's friend and former choreographer, "This is It" documentary director Kenny Ortega. "My friend wasn't right. ... There was something going on that was deeply troubling me," Ortega said of Jackson's demeanor on June 19, a week before the singer's death. Ortega testified that although Jackson was "very excited" about his upcoming 50-date "This is It" series of comeback shows at London's O2 Arena, the pop icon seemed ill in the days before his passing, missing numerous rehearsals from mid- to late June 2009. According to TMZ, Ortega said Jackson left rehearsals early on the 19th, after seemingly not eating anything all day, which prompted the director to send an email to Randy Phillips, the CEO of AEG Live, the show's promoter. "There is no one taking responsibility, caring for him on a daily basis," Ortega wrote. "I was feeding him, wrapping him in blankets ... and calling his doctor." Ortega described Jackson as "incoherent" and said he confronted Murray during an emergency meeting at the singer's home June 20, during which the doctor became upset that the choreographer would not let Jackson rehearse and accused him of trying to act like a doctor. Ortega also said he thought Jackson was abusing drugs and that just four days after appearing so sick, the "Thriller" singer was back at rehearsals June 23 full of energy and ready to work. AEG co-CEO Paul Gongaware later testified that it was Jackson's idea to extend his string of 10 sold-out shows with an additional 21 gigs to bring the total to 31 in order to beat longtime rival Prince's record of 21 sold-out gigs at the O2. He also said that even after selling out all 50 shows, there was a list of 250,000 people waiting for tickets. And while Gongaware described Jackson as seeming a little "off" and speaking in slurred speech when he first met him in the early stages of rehearsal, longtime friend and fitness trainer Lou Ferrigno said he saw no signs of physical distress during workouts a couple weeks before the singer died. The former "Hulk" star said that two weeks before Jackson's passing, he watched as the pop icon trained for an hour at his rented Beverly Hills mansion, doing cardio on a treadmill, working with light weights and doing core exercises. Ferrigno described Jackson's energy level as very good, but did note that his friend complained of having trouble sleeping. Earlier in the day, prosecutors showed a previously unseen, graphic image of the 50-year-old Jackson's body on a hospital gurney and claimed in opening statements that they planned to show that Murray repeatedly acted with gross negligence and incompetence in administering a drug cocktail to Jackson. Murray, who was working on a $150,000-a-month retainer, faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if found guilty. Defense attorney Ed Chernoff countered by telling the jury that Jackson caused his own death by swallowing eight 2-milligram pills of the anti-anxiety drug Lorazepam, as well as injecting himself with a dose of the surgical anesthetic propofol that instantly killed him. Testimony in the trial continues Wednesday (September 28). Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Finalist James Durbin Dropping LP Same Day As Daughtry Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:44 AM PDT Durbin's debut, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, will hit on November 21.
Though he was most often compared to "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert last year during his rebel-yelling run to a #4 finish, classic rock lover James Durbin will end up being measured against another head-banging "Idol" finisher when his debut drops in November. Durbin will release his debut, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, on November 21 on Wind-Up Records (home to Evanescence, among others). That just happens to be the same day that season-five fourth-place finisher said he will serve up his band's third album, Break the Spell. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Durbin's debut was produced by veteran hard-rock helmer Howard Benson, who has worked with My Chemical Romance and, yes, Daughtry. While Daughtry's sound leans toward gritty, swelling arena rock, during his time season 10 Durbin was an unabashed fan of old-school metal, a genre he vowed to revive if given a chance. Shortly after his elimination, Durbin told MTV News that he wanted to work with Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, reunite with guitar legend Zakk Wylde and bring out his "secret weapon," his best friend from home who is a shredding guitar player. Given the chance, he said what he wanted most was to re-create the sound of his favorite record, the 1983 debut from late Black Sabbath metal screamer and solo star Ronnie James Dio, Holy Diver. "I'm gonna keep it real my post 'Idol' career. I'm not gonna pretend to be somebody else on the show and then do something completely different with my career," Durbin promised. "I know who I am, I know what I wanna do, and I know where my fans are. And I know what they want." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists |
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