Jumat, 07 Oktober 2011

MTV News

MTV News

Simon Cowell Says 'Jersey Shore' Inspired 'X Factor'

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 03:53 AM PDT

'I wanted to find the next Snooki,' Cowell admits to MTV News of seeking hopefuls with star power during New Jersey rounds.
By James Dinh, with reporting by Jim Cantiello


L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell
Photo: MTV News

Simon Cowell knows a star when he sees one. But fans might be surprised to learn that when the reality TV judge took his X Factor" auditions on the road this year, he was eager to hit the state of New Jersey. It turns out Simon hoped to find contestants with the same indefinable qualities as the castmembers of MTV's hit "Jersey Shore."

On Monday night, MTV News' Jim Cantiello sat down with Cowell and fellow "X Factor" judge L.A. Reid, and the onetime "American Idol" judge shared his thoughts on the reality craze.

"I thought it was genius, absolute genius," Cowell said of his initial reaction to the fist-pumping housemates. "And whether you like the show or not, these kids are suddenly big, big stars. They just make me laugh."

Asked to pick his favorite castmember, Cowell singled out Snooki, saying the pint-size 23-year-old had that "X" factor. "In fact," Cowell revealed, "She recently came in to meet some people from my company. I would say they were more starstruck by Snooki than anyone they've ever met in their lives," he said. "I mean, they were genuinely thrilled. They were taking pictures with her.

"Yeah, so that was the reason why I came to New Jersey: I wanted to find the next Snooki."

So did Cowell find America's next pouf-wearing Snooki? "Well, I found someone with attitude: Brian Bradley. And that's what we were looking for — my God we found it."

Since wrapping up the entertaining audition rounds, the brand-new Fox show has entered its Boot Camp stage. Cowell explained that his desire was to show viewers how tough it really is to be a contestant on the competition series.

"It's quite uncomfortable," he admitted. "[And] I haven't seen the finished cut yet, but it's a lot, lot better and you really do feel you know what it's like now to be a contestant on one of these shows and what we felt; we were under pressure as well."

Who's your favorite "X Factor" contestant so far? Let us know in the comments!

Don't miss "Jersey Shore" Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.

Related Videos

'Real Steel' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 03:53 AM PDT

Before getting in the ring with Hugh Jackman, check out our handy guide.
By Eric Ditzian


Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly in "Real Steel"
Photo: DreamWorks

Shawn Levy was in the midst of editing "Date Night," the Steve Carell and Tina Fey-starring comedy, when an unlikely call came his way: Steven Spielberg wanted Levy to helm "Real Steel," a futuristic action flick about boxing robots.

No matter that Levy had made his name capturing Ashton Kutcher making sure what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas and Ben Stiller running through a magical museum. Spielberg wanted him, Levy had always wanted to make a sports movie, and so a new phase in his career began. That fresh cinematic direction hit theaters Friday with Hugh Jackman in the starring role and the #1 spot at the weekend box office virtually assured.

Pretty nice work for a new guy. To fully understand how it all came together, let's flash back to 2009 to learn everything there is to know about "Real Steel":

Training
Spielberg, a producer on the film, signed Levy up for the directing gig, but at that point in '09, they hadn't nailed down who would play Charlie Kenton, a down-on-his-luck ex-boxer in a future where machines now do the fighting and in which Charlie and his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) build a robot who just might be able to be a contender. Think "Rocky," or maybe another Sylvester Stallone flick, "Over the Top." Or, as many have scoffed, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots on the big screen. But the film is actually based on a short story by Richard Matheson, whose work has given rise to "I Am Legend," among other Hollywood fare. That was a pretty good pedigree for Jackman, who entered into talks to play Charlie that October and officially signed on the next month.

"Real Steel," Levy said the next spring, is "a weird amalgam [of influences]. What it's not is "Transformers" or "Terminator." There's definitely shades of that 'Rocky' paradigm. There's shades of "Paper Moon," in that it is a father/child road movie. And it's really kind of a redemption movie. It's got some humor, but it's definitely not a comedy. It's got a lot of action, really kind of muscular action, and a lot of ... heart."

Entering the Ring
Filming kicked off in June with co-stars Anthony Mackie (a boxing promoter) and Evangeline Lilly (um, just a friend of Charlie's) coming along for the ride. The first look at the flick appeared just as filming began in the summer of '10, showing off both slick futuristic robots and gritty dystopian environs.

The first trailer had an undeniable "Transformers" vibe, despite Levy's assurances that his movie is an entirely different (robotic) beast. But the comparison is hardly a negative one, especially considering the billions that Michael Bay's franchise has garnered. And audiences were responding well — so well that Disney reportedly kick-started work on a sequel this past April.

The Big Fight
As October approached and another trailer appeared — this one focusing less on the "Transformers" actions and more on the "Paper Moon" emotion — we debuted a picture of the "Real Steel" boxing ring as part of our Fall Movie Preview and chatted with Levy, who spoke at length about his motion-capture robots. "This is motion capture with real fighters in a real ring, consulting in the ring with me and Sugar Ray [Leonard], wailing on each other in full contact," he told us. "We took that captured fight as data and we converted it into robot avatars. That was a big thing. To do the movie as mo-cap instead of animation was a big choice. Mo-cap allows the director to direct a performance; it's not left to the imagination of an animator that sometimes you don't even meet. It was huge. Every day we were making sure the robots were cool-looking in terms of design and full-contact fighting."

So, sure, there's a ton of brawling, but as Jackman told us at the red-carpet premiere recently, there's also a ton of heart. "A lot people [say], "What is it, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots?" But it's got a lot of heart," he said. "This movie is really about the relationships of everyone involved, and I think it's going to surprise people. I saw it with my mother-in-law, my wife and my kids at the same screening, and they all were crying at one point, laughing, and they really got into it."

Check out everything we've got on "Real Steel."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Taylor Kitsch Promises 'Huge' Action In 'Battleship'

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 03:53 AM PDT

'You're going to get a lot of laughs, guaranteed,' star tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner


Taylor Kitsch in "Battleship"
Photo: Universal Pictures

Much ado has been made over the fact that Universal decided to make the beloved Hasbro board game "Battleship" into a feature film. And even though there is a slew of high-caliber talent involved in the project — including director Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights"), Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgård, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna and Liam Neeson, to name a few — plenty of critics are still doubting the flick's box-office potential.

MTV News recently asked Kitsch about the skepticism and whether making a movie with such a classic name is a burden.

"I don't see [the name] as baggage," he said. "I love that people want to know more about it and so does Pete [Berg]. It was never really a thing to be discussed: 'Should we change it?' No, you buy into it, and you run with it, and I think that's Pete and my personality.

"Even when he was pitching it to me, I had a lot of creative freedom. He cast me in 'Friday Night Lights,' and I improv'd a ton on that show. It was just an incredible experience growth-wise as an actor on so many levels, so to reengage with Pete and go into this grand scale and for us to have the freedom we had — you'll see it. We ran with that, put it that way."

Kitsch went on to say that he stays as far away from the Internet rumblings as possible, but he's happy to have people talking about the film. He promised that audiences will be in for a good time when the film opens in theaters next summer.

"You don't know what to expect with 'Battleship,' especially when we team up, Pete and I, you're going to get a lot of laughs, guaranteed," he said. "And, of course, the action is going to speak for itself. It's huge."

Check out everything we've got on "Battleship."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Videos

Beyonce Flaunts Baby Bump In 'Countdown' Video

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:58 AM PDT

New clip, released Thursday (October 6), references iconic dance films.
By John Mitchell


Beyonce in her "Countdown" video
Photo: Columbia Records

Beyoncé has an affinity for recalling the past in her videos — from the "Mexican Breakfast" Bob Fosse/Gwen Verdon routine that inspired the "Single Ladies" video to her tortured '50s homemaker character in "Why Don't You Love Me" — and her latest clip for the horn-heavy "Countdown" jam is no exception.

The video is a feast for the eyes, with Beyoncé taking on a variety of iconic looks. Her makeup when the video opens recalls the mod styling of Twiggy, but soon enough, she segues into full-on Audrey Hepburn mode, taking both her look and dance cues from the 1957 film "Funny Face."

From there, we see the pop star in a variety of bold, brightly colored bathing suits and a black-and-white hat, set against a constantly changing background of vivid colors. It's an iconic image that brings to mind the classic Vogue photo shoots of yesteryear.

The pregnant diva's baby bump is less visible in the bathing suit scenes but is featured prominently earlier in the clip and is rubbed lovingly later in a scene that features 10 different incarnations of Beyoncé in a loft space. The visibility of Beyoncé's pregnancy varies throughout the video, indicating she likely shot a great deal of the footage for "Countdown" earlier in her pregnancy and more recently re-shot or re-conceptualized the clip to reflect her growing belly.

Viewers also see that even pregnancy can't stop Beyoncé from dancing. The clip cuts quickly from the bathing suit sequence to shots of the star in an audition space straight out of the film "Fame." The sequence features the kind of seamlessly choreographed moves that Beyoncé is famous for — moves that would be at home in an early-'80s dance film or onstage in 2011.

It's a perfect mix of classic and modern, which seems to be what Beyoncé is aiming for in this era of her career. It's a feeling reflected in the smooth, '90s vibe and reliance on live instruments that sets her album 4 apart from her previous work as well as other artists on the charts right now.

The "Countdown" clip is loaded with other references as well, including a wink to "West Side Story" as dancers snap in unison and a nod to Bridget Bardot when the video cuts to and from shots of Beyoncé in a men's dress shirt with her hair styled up with a scarf.

She also briefly references her film "Dreamgirls" — or, more likely, that film's inspiration: Diana Ross — during a few brief scenes in which she rocks a short, sparkly dress and bob hairstyle.

The clip then sequences from "Fame" to "Flashdance," with Beyoncé and her dancers in another open warehouse-like space sporting the iconic off-the-shoulder look from the 1983 drama starring Jennifer Beals.

The video ends with the superstar in a chair, grooving to her uptempo track. Throughout the clip, which bubbles with excitement, she is all smiles, perhaps reflecting her joy at beginning a new phase in her life.

Share your thoughts on the "Countdown" video in the comments below!

Related Videos Related Artists

'X Factor' Boot Camp Sends Chris Rene, Rachel Crow Through

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:06 AM PDT

Simon Cowell ends up a mentor to the girls, with Nicole Scherzinger in charge of the over-30 group.
By Gil Kaufman


Simon Cowell
Photo: FOX

After a relatively sane four audition episodes, "X Factor" got down to business on Thursday night (October 6), when the second evening of boot camp helped cull the herd down to the semifinal contender class.

While some early favorites such as Siameze Floyd and adorable not-yet couple McKenna and Brock cracked under the pressure, others, including Chris Rene, Josh Krajcik and cutie brother act the Brewer Boys, survived the group competition and punched their ticket to the next round.

The two-night boot camp episode reduced the 162 contenders to 32, with eight in each of the four categories: boys, girls, over-30s and groups. After 62 acts were lopped at the top of Wednesday night's show, half of the remaining singers were put into groups that got help from vocal coaches, stylists and choreographers. Their challenge was to work with their peers while shining on their own on songs by U2, Radiohead, Jay-Z, Marvin Gaye, Rascal Flatts, Whitney Houston, Nina Simone, the Eagles, Five for Fighting and Snow Patrol.

Simon Cowell says "X Factor" boot camp gets real.

One of the show's early standout stars, hard-luck story and recovering addict Chris Rene, singing alongside his soulful sister Gina, shone again on Gaye's "What's Going On," which also put R&B crooner Marcus Canty back in the spotlight. Twangy country singer Tim Cifers delivered again on the Flatts tune, and Bieber-esque teen sibling duo the Brewer Boys were in the pocket again on Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars."

By midshow, the cuts began, with one group going home in tears, and another, which included the Renes, perpetually on-the-bubble Tiah Tolliver, the Brewers, adorable 14-year-old soul singer Crow and Prince-like wildman Floyd making it for one more day.

The bad news was that the 64 remaining acts had to turn around, pick another song and do it all over again to make the final cut ... in front of an audience of 3,000. Crow went somber with a piano-assisted cover of Beyoncé's "If I Were a Boy" that showed off her preternaturally powerful, growly range and brought judge Nicole Scherzinger to tears. Shaggy burrito-maker Krajcik, 30, got all Ray LaMontagne gritty on Kelly Clarkson's "Up to the Mountain," bringing a smile to judge L.A. Reid's face and praise from Simon Cowell for his song choice.

One of Cowell's early favorites, the perky, confident Simone Battle, 22, took a chance with an R&B tumble through Elton John's "Your Song," but fell flat on her face when she forgot almost all the lyrics. Almost-lovers McKenna and Brock blew the words on a dusty country try at Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," and Floyd turned the judges off with his caterwauling.

Model-cute Brennin Hunt, 26, promised to do a totally unique version of Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You," reimagining it as an acoustic guitar folk shuffle. But Cowell hated hearing the tune without a piano, and it sent him into a snit about the singers trying too hard to change up the arrangements with "weirdo" versions.

One of the strongest groups, the smooth vocal quintet Stereo Hogzz, brought doo-wop swagger to Ella Fitzgerald's "Cry Me a River," while rapper Brian Bradley, 14, made Reid grin with his cocky delivery, and Chris Rene's feathery falsetto killed it again on the Police's "Every Breath You Take."

After putting up one of Cowell's all-time favorite auditions in Los Angeles and flaming out in the first round of boot camp, 42-year-old stay-at-home mom Stacy Francis shared the news that her father had died on the first day of camp. She (sort of) dialed back the drama for the standard "Summertime," making a joyful noise with a controlled, rich voice and a yelp at the end that Reid said telegraphed her deep pain.

The apple of Cowell's eye, 20-year-old Tolliver promised it would not be her last performance, splashing on an extra dose of sultry sass, 14-year-old Drew Ryniewicz jazzed it up with Corinne Bailey Rae's "Like a Star," and glammy rugby coach Caitlin Koch went minimal with spare ukulele and piano on Fitzgerald's "Cry Me a River."

Among the over-30s, 59-year-old singer/songwriter Leroy Bell did not act his age during a gospely, simmering cover of Adele's "Make You Feel My Love" that seemed to stamp his ticket.

After contentious deliberations, the judges finally made their decisions, with only eight acts in each category making it to the next round. The girls were first, with Koch, tattooed firecracker Tora Woloshin, Battle, Ryniewicz, Crow, big voice Jazzlyn Little, judge's crush Melanie Amaro and Tolliver surviving.

For the boys, it was Hunt, Bradley, black country singer Skyelor Anderson, Elvis-esque Nick Voss, Cifers, jazz singer Phillip Lomax, Canty and Rene. The group competition will pit the Hogzz against 2 Squared, 4Sure, the Brewer Boys, Illusion Confusion and the Anser, marking the end of the line for McKenna and Brock. The judges later took 14 castoffs and put them into two groups to round out that category.

Among the over-30s, the nods went to soul woman Elaine Gibbs, wedding DJ Tiger Budbill, Bell, James Kent, Krajcik, hairdresser Christa Collins, former Skid Row dweller and James Brown imitator Dexter Haygood, and Francis.

Once that business was done, the judges found out which groups they would mentor, with Scherzinger somewhat elated to be working with the over-30s, Reid predicting he'd already won by drawing the boys, Paula Abdul overwhelmed to be working with the groups and Cowell smugly confident about shepherding the girls.

The survivors will visit their mentors' homes next week and the real competition will begin when they start working with their industry professionals and the final 32 are cut to 16.

Steve Jobs Was 'Tenacious To The Extreme,' Bono Says

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 03:37 AM PDT

'I already miss him,' U2 frontman writes in a statement after Apple co-founder's death.
By Kelley L. Carter


Steve Jobs With Bono and The Edge
Photo: Getty Images

The man who changed the way we listen to music is being mourned by one of the music industry's leading men.

U2 frontman Bono released a statement Thursday (October 6) eulogizing Apple co-founder Steve Jobs as a man who was only interested in doing "truly great things."

"He was bored by an easy ride or easy profit. In a world littered with dull objects, he brought the beauty of clean lines and clear thought," Bono wrote of Jobs.

Bono, who is known almost as much for his philanthropy as he is his music, wrote about how Jobs' innovation helped support efforts that are close to his heart.

Remember Steve Jobs' many innovations by flipping through this photo gallery.

"This rhyme of intellect and intuition could be applied to a wide range of subjects from the US education system, to sculpture, to the fight against HIV/AIDS where his support of (RED) literally transformed the lives of two million people in Africa," he continued. "He changed music. He changed film. He changed the personal computer and turned telephony on its head while he was at it. He was tenacious in the extreme, his toughness never more evident than these past few years in his fight for his life as well as his companies."

Back in 2004, Apple partnered with U2 to launch a special-edition iPod, which held up to 5,000 songs and featured custom engraving of bandmember signatures. At the time, Jobs — clearly a U2 fan — said in a statement: "U2 is one of the greatest bands in the world and we are floored to be working with them."

Steve Jobs almost singlehandedly brought the music industry into the future — here's how.

Bono also talked in the statement about his personal relationship with Jobs. "Steve told me as proud as he was of Apple and Pixar, his real pride was his family. He was a thoughtful and tender father, and loved nothing more than hanging out in the house with his belle Laurene and the kids," he said. "I already miss him ... one of a very small group of anarchic Americans who through technology literally invented the 21st century. We will all miss the hardware software Elvis."

Steve Jobs changed the world, but how did he change you? Tell us on Facebook.

Related Photos Related Artists

'Ides Of March' Stars Vote George Clooney As Their VP

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:26 AM PDT

But Evan Rachel Wood might pick Justin Bieber as her running mate because he knows 'how to work a crowd.'
By Kevin Sullivan, with reporting by Eric Ditzian


George Clooney at the "Ides of March" premiere
Photo: Theo Wargo/ Getty Images

"The Ides of March" has lots of people talking politics, so we thought we'd ask a political question of our own. When we hit the red carpet Wednesday night for the film's New York premiere, we asked the celebs who they would choose as their running mate.

The political drama, which hits theaters Friday, follows Ryan Gosling as one of the main men behind the campaign of presidential hopeful Governor Mike Morris, played by George Clooney — so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Gosling and Clooney were among the early front-runners for vice president.

Marisa Tomei, who plays a New York Times political reporter, gave the nod to Clooney because of his politic savvy and for a second, much more private reason. "He's astute on all the issues," Tomei says. "And he's got balls."

Gosling may or may not be the right man for the job, according to Clooney, who jokingly sees a downward trend in his co-star's career. "I think he's going to go south pretty soon if you look at him. He seems to be on his last leg," said the ever-sarcastic Clooney. "I think he's almost, like, 30 years old."

Judah Friedlander from "30 Rock" took his answer in an entirely different direction. "No vice president. You need a leader," Friedlander said. "If you're a really good president, you don't need a vice president."

For her running mate, Evan Rachel Wood let her true colors as a hard-core Belieber show: "Ryan or George — or Justin Bieber!" she suggested, saying they "all know how to work a crowd."

Check out everything we've got on "The Ides of March."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Thomas L. Friedman Warns: 'Young People Need To Be Paying Attention'

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:29 AM PDT

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer discusses with MTV News 'That Used to Be Us,' his and Michael Mandelbaum's just-released book about the U.S.
By Tami Katzoff, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Thomas L. Friedman
Photo: Nancy Ostertag/ Getty Images

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Thomas L. Friedman has been talking about foreign policy with his friend Michael Mandelbaum for two decades. Over the past couple of years, though, they started to notice something different about their conversations.

"Every time we started off talking about the world, we'd end up talking about America," Friedman recalled when he spoke with MTV News recently. "And we realized basically that America — its fate, future, vigor, vitality — was really the biggest foreign-policy issue in the world."

The two friends recognized the enormity of the role the U.S. plays in the world — for good or bad. "We're kind of the tent pole that holds up a lot of the global economy," Friedman said. "That tent pole buckles or frays, your kids won't just grow up in a different America; they'll grow up in a very different world. So there's a lot at stake."

Friedman and Mandelbaum were inspired to write their new book, "That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back." In it, they identify four major challenges this country is currently failing to meet: our chronic deficit, our pattern of energy consumption, globalization and the revolution in information technology.

Friedman acknowledged that by failing to tackle these issues, his generation has made things very difficult for its descendants. "Young people need to be paying attention right now, because we're messing with your future."

He cited the nation's deepening deficit as an example and listed ways in which it will affect young people years from now if it's not reversed. "One, the currency you hold will buy less. It will just be worth less," he said. "Second, it won't be so easy to get a job. The number of companies that will want to start up here, the number of employers that will say, 'Hmm, I could hire a machine or I could hire a person, or I could hire cheap labor over in another country — I think I'll go for the machine or the cheap labor.' And third, you may be counting on your Social Security and your Medicare for when you get old like your parents are now — it may not be there."

Fortunately, these problems also hold countless opportunities, like for those who can find innovative ways to address our nation's excessive energy consumption. "Whoever invents these systems and technologies is going to have a huge global market in order to thrive in," Friedman said.

Meeting all these challenges, Friedman explained, will spur economic growth. "And if we're growing, then there's money for a lot of things, and there's a pie for everyone to get a slice. If we're not growing, then we're fighting over the slices, and we're collecting all the crumbs."

Related Videos

MTV's 'DISconnected' Is 'Important,' Pete Wentz Says

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:46 AM PDT

Movie about digital drama and its consequences premieres Monday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.
By Kara Warner


Pete Wentz
Photo: MTV News

LOS ANGELES — With the positive influence technology has had on our busy lives, there is a negative side, with those who abuse technology to hurt themselves and others. MTV has started to raise awareness and fight cyberbullying head-on with the creation of A Thin Lin and the new TV movie "DISconnected."

"DISconnected" revolves around four technology-dependent characters who all endure different types of digital drama and suffer consequences because of it. The film held a screening Wednesday night, and MTV News was lucky enough to catch up with a few star supporters to find out how they deal with the topic of digital drama and cyberbullying in their own lives.

"It's important to me, because having become an artist in the digital age, you get to see all the aspects of how being so connected works," Pete Wentz said. "It's such an amazing idea, but at the same time I think it allows people who are cowardly or anonymous, it gives them a lot of voice. Being a dad, knowing my son is going to grow up only knowing this [digital age], it's really important for him to see that people do stand up and not everybody is hiding behind a computer screen. I want him to know that."

Actor Jordan Calloway, who plays one of the four main characters in the film, agreed with the importance of the film's serious subject matter.

"To be a part of this movement was really important to me, because it drives home a strong message that kids in society need to hear," he said. "The fact that [director] Leslie [Libman] took it upon herself to get this message out to kids and all of us who use technology, it was really important for me, as a college student myself, to be a part of this, to be able to drive the point across. My character, Isaiah, is based on a true story, which is that of Abraham Biggs; he was a 19-year-old kid in Florida who actually did commit suicide."

Be sure to tune in to "DISconnected" on Monday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, and check out the movie's Facebook page.

Related Videos Related Photos

Tyrese Isn't Fazed By Delaware Radio Ban

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:03 AM PDT

'A lot of us artists are afraid to speak on obvious stuff that's going on in our 'hoods ... because of things like this,' Tyrese tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman


Tyrese
Photo: Jerry Markland/ Getty Images

Tyrese isn't afraid to speak his mind, and though his music is currently banned from 101.7 Kiss FM in Delaware, the R&B singer will not back down. During a September interview at the station, the singer and "Transformers" actor aggressively spoke out to keep liquor stores from opening in the proximity of schools.

"People drink — it is what it is — but the personalities and energy that liquor stores attract, I think, need to be much further away from elementary schools," Tyrese told MTV News when he walked the black carpet for the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards.

The singer, who is a national spokesman for Communities in Schools, had a speaking engagement in a Delaware school when he noticed a liquor store directly across the street. Instead of promoting his new album, Open Invitation, during a scheduled radio interview later in the day, Tyrese got on his soapbox and chastised community leaders for allowing the liquor store so close to the school.

"I transitioned into talking about that because it had just happened, and that's when they kicked me off the air and banned my music," Tyrese said.

"Get them cats outta here, man, sellin' alcohol right across from your kids' school, homey," Tyrese said during his radio interview.

Kiss 101.7 owner Tony Quartarone told TMZ that it wasn't the singer's message that prompted the ban, but more how Tyrese spoke to the listeners. "Tyrese was not kicked off the air for pointing out that liquor stores should not be located near schools ... I totally agree with that. But ... he proceeded to downgrade my audience by calling them 'homeys.' "

Still, the "Sweet Lady" vocalist will not change his position. "I think a lot of us artists are afraid to speak on obvious stuff that's going on in our 'hoods and in our communities because of things like this," he told MTV News. "For me, I don't want them to play my music. I don't care; my position won't change. I didn't even get on there to do it on purpose, like, 'Let me start some sh--.' I got on there to talk about the album, and because it was fresh on my mind, and I spoke on it."

Related Artists

One Thurd 'Just Stepping In The Ring'

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:26 AM PDT

Mizay Entertainment's Yung C, Lissa Luigi and Young Magic tell Mixtape Daily about anti-bullying single 'Whoosh (Be Gone).'
By Rob Markman


One Thurd
Photo: Larry Robinson / Mizay Entertainment

Firestarter: One Thurd
Running in the same circle as juggernaut artists like Waka Flocka Flame, Gucci Mane and the roster at Mizay Entertainment could be intimidating, but the members of One Thurd aren't scared.

"The way I feel about the whole situation is: When you're young, you have more longevity," Yung C told Mixtape Daily after the group performed at an Atlanta birthday party for Young Money's Lil Chuckee. "The younger you are, the more opportunity you got. We still young; we're just stepping in the ring."

The trio — Yung C, 18, Lissa Luigi, 19, and Young Magic, 20 — are ready to take things to the next level. Being managed by Mizay Entertainment's Deb Antney, mother and manager of Waka, has its perks, and the up-and-coming group is well aware of what the affiliation brings. "We gonna take advantage of all that anyway," Lissa said. "We didn't care; we met Flocka like, 'Hey, wassup, my boy? We here now; deal with it,' " she joked.

The Macon, Georgia, group is off to a great start thanks to their breakout single "Whoosh (Be Gone)." While the bouncy beat fits in with many of today's rap hits, "Whoosh" is a unique jam that sends a positive message. The catchy song is aimed at haters and stands as an anti-bullying anthem.

"We're leading on our generation and the generation after us. They need music that's gonna lift them up and bring them out of negative situations," Lissa said. "We've come out of a lot of things in our life too, so we feel like it's important."

Yung C added: "Where we come from, we see a lot of bullying, so we strong against it."

With such a positive attitude, it seems One Thurd won't be fading away anytime soon. "We all working hard to make good music so people can listen to," Magic said. "We coming hard."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

Steve Jobs Made Computing An 'Emotional Experience'

Posted: 05 Oct 2011 11:58 PM PDT

'Geeks always felt empowered with new technology ... but he was able to bring that experience to everyone,' one tech blogger tells MTV News.
By Gil Kaufman


Steve Jobs
Photo: Getty Images

For tech bloggers and digital gearheads, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was Yoda, Gandalf, Dumbledore and the ultimate dungeon master rolled into one. The tech guru, who died at age 56 on Wednesday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, didn't just make cool gadgets; he visioneered elegant, sculpture-like machines that made computing fun, exciting and effortless.

Remember Steve Jobs' many innovations by flipping through this photo gallery.

"Steve Jobs was the first person who was able to turn computers and computing into an emotional experience for everyone," said David Pescovitz, co-editor of BoingBoing and research director for the Institute for the Future.

Pescovitz, who began a lifelong love affair with all things Apple more than 30 years ago in the basement of his Cincinnati home, where he would write rudimentary code on an Apple IIe, said the two crucial things Jobs did were to empower the individual with technology and create a new kind of technology experience. "Geeks always felt empowered with computers and new technology and it was always an emotional experience for them, but he was able to bring that experience to everyone."

Jobs, a notoriously detail-oriented taskmaster, demanded perfection from the legion of Apple employees who worked to create such landmark devices as the Macintosh computer, iPod, iPad and iPhone. Determined to break out of the bland, gray boxes produced by his rivals, Jobs brought that heart-touching experience to the masses by seamlessly weaving together technology, design elegance and engineering into devices Pescovitz said you wanted to "hold, touch and experience."

There were other MP3 players before the launch of the iPod in 2001, but John Gruber, an Apple enthusiast and founder of the technology blog Daring Fireball, said Jobs' insight was making music personal again. "Your favorite music — all of it, with you everywhere you go," he said of the devices that have become the standard-bearer for portable music storage.

It's easy to forget now thanks to the ubiquity of iTunes and the more than 10 billion songs sold since the store opened in 2003, but Eric Garland, CEO of leading online media metrix company Big Champagne, said for a time, the Apple boss was spurned by the major record labels. "It's funny now to think of the notion of 99 cent downloads or paid downloads as an utterly noncontroversial one, but it's hard to remember just how contrarian this play was eight or nine years ago," Garland said.

At a time when Garland was facing intense pressure from the record industry to stop seemingly "legitimizing and encouraging" music downloading (both legal and non) by measuring download numbers, he said Jobs seemed to be his only kindred spirit. "The most powerful people in the industry said, 'This [downloading] has to stop and go away,' and they intended to keep litigating it until people stopped downloading on the Internet."

While Garland admitted that he didn't have the clout Jobs did in arguing that the genie was out of the bottle already, he recalls hearing from one executive after that music boss had been paid a personal visit by Jobs during the initial iTunes pitch. "He said to me, 'Hey, you may be right,' " Garland said. " 'Steve Jobs was showing us this thing, and we think it's the future of the business.' And that was iTunes. Looking back, Jobs saw that this was not just the future of the music industry but, as has now been demonstrated, the future of all media and, in fact, connectivity among netizens."Though the labels initially said no, Jobs persevered and Garland said that when people wonder how Apple was able to convince the labels to do a 180 on their position, the answer is simple. "He wouldn't take no for an answer. It was the strength of Steve's passion, persuasive gifts, persistence and personality that managed to change hearts and minds," he said.

President Obama, Nicki Minaj, Bill Gates and more remember Steve Jobs. Jobs' unwillingness to compromise or settle until the design met his level of taste made the Apple CEO unique, but Gruber said it was his ability to give each of his new devices a unique purpose that really set Jobs apart from his peers.

"Think about the dramatic shift from the personal computer being this beige thing on your desktop that you wanted to hide to something people treated as an objet d'art, that they admired like they would a finely designed chair or an Eames recliner," Pescovitz added. "The reason the iPod did so well was because it was a product that told its own story. It beckoned to you to want to engage with it and interact with it. That came from the design and simplicity of it and the very idea that it would dramatically change your relationship to music." Steve Jobs' impact went way beyond computers. Check out his innovations in the film industry.

And while the science fiction-like idea of having every song you ever owned in your pocket was forward-thinking enough, Pescovitz said a counterintuitive move Jobs made shortly after introducing the iPod made us rethink how we interact with our music all over again. "When he released the first iPod Shuffle [in 2005], people thought, 'How could I use this without a screen?' The point was to shuffle. You could fill it with several thousand songs and continually be surprised by the next song you heard."

The concept of putting your music on shuffle now is another part of our modern digital lexicon that Jobs almost singlehandedly invented, creating yet another new relationship between people and their music collections. And, with the recent addition of the iCloud to the Apple universe, Pescovitz said Jobs made the crucial leap that cybernauts have been waiting for since the Internet became a daily part of our lives.

"The cloud plays against this notion that cyberspace is a place you go to through your laptop," he said. "Cyberspace is overlay on top of existing reality. Media can and should be everywhere all the time. The kind of emotional experience that you're able to achieve sitting at a desk or in front of your home stereo can now be achieved wherever you are. It drastically changes your relationship to media and the world." Steve Jobs changed the world, but how did he change you? Tell us on Facebook.

Related Photos

Justin Bieber Previews 'Mistletoe' On Tour

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:39 AM PDT

Teen singer debuted first single from Under the Mistletoe Christmas album at Rio concert Wednesday night.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber (file)
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

Christmas came early for Justin Bieber fans in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday night. The teen star played his forthcoming Christmas song "Mistletoe" for his adoring fans abroad.

The singer, who is currently on tour in South America, finally gave fans an idea of what his November 1 release, Under the Mistletoe, will sound like.

In footage posted at DirectLyrics, Bieber told the crowd, "This is the first time anywhere in the world that I'm playing this, so this is special. This is just for you."

The song opens with jingling bells before a guitar and bongos kick in for the reggae-laced holiday tune, with Bieber singing, "It's the most beautiful time of the year." This marks the first preview of Bieber's holiday album. Later in the song he sings, "Word on the street's that he's coming tonight/ Reindeers flying through the sky so high."

Things get a bit more romantic when he sings, "Under the mistletoe with you/ Shorty, with you/ With you/ Under the mistletoe." The song is full of holidayisms, like when Bieber sings, "Gathering around the fire/ Chestnuts roasting like a hot July/ I should be playing in the winter snow/ But I will be under the mistletoe/ With you."

He also keeps it sweet when he sings, "I don't want to miss out on the holiday/ But I can't stop staring at your face/ I should be playing in the winter snow/ But I will be under the mistletoe/ With you."

After the show, Bieber tweeted, "That crowd was RIGHT TONIGHT!!! RIO WENT HARD!! CRAZY SHOW and ENERGY TONIGHT. SOLD OUT STADIUM STATUS!!! BRAZIL!!!! #HYPED oh yeah ... and i sang a little bit of #Mistletoe tonight."

The single officially drops October 18. Bieber shot a video for "Mistletoe" late last month. The album itself will feature collaborations with Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Usher, the Band Perry and Busta Rhymes.

Related Photos Related Artists

Kelly Rowland Calls 'Motivation' Success 'So Unexpected'

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 01:01 AM PDT

'Somebody came up to me last week and said, 'How many babies do you think were made off of 'Motivation'?' ' she laughs to MTV News.
By Rebecca Thomas


Kelly Rowland in her "Motivation" video
Photo: Columbia Records

UNIONDALE, New York — Kelly Rowland needed a moment. MTV News had spent a few weeks trying to catch up with the cocoa beauty, and we finally scored some time to chat with her when she hit Nassau Coliseum last week for the New York leg of Chris Brown's F.A.M.E. Tour. But first, Kelly Ro needed to catch up with her public.

After an energetic opening set that included hits from her Destiny's Child days and the honey-dipped hooks she dropped on rap staples like Nelly's "Dilemma," Rowland emerged backstage in a black sequined bodysuit topped with a sheer bolero, positively glowing. A gaggle of label execs and a smattering of VIP fans crammed Rowland's arena dressing room to celebrate what had clearly been a triumphant night, but it was hard not to feel they were also toasting an impressive year.

In April, "Motivation" — an early single that preceded her third solo album, Here I Am — hit radio and started its slow seduction of the Billboard charts, from the Hot 100 (peak #17) to the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (#1), Digital Songs (#25) and even Ringtones (#3) rankings. The steamy platinum track was atypical fare for Kelly and something of a gamble for a gifted performer who had yet to match her girl-group glory with Stateside solo success. Of course, the risk paid off.

" 'Motivation,' wow," Kelly said. Back on her tour bus after freshening up, the singer reflected as she relaxed on a cozy leather couch. "It's a blessing above anything, and it's just so crazy how something so unexpected — because everything is so tempo-driven on the radio, and I remember being slightly nervous about that, but then I just got over it real quick because I just [had] such great confidence in the record."

With an assist from Young Money general Lil Wayne, the Rico Love/ Jim Jonsin-produced tune let good girl Kelly show off her sensual side — and that silky alto. (In the companion clip, Kells writhes around with some oiled-up dancers, clad in an indigo one-piece that's more cut-out than cloth.) Fans were soon buzzing about the lyrics, which find the songstress giving her man a titillating, um, pep talk. "Whoa, lover, don't you dare slow down/ Go longer, you can last more rounds/ Push harder, you're almost there now," she sings, adding, "And when we're done, I don't wanna feel my ... legs."

"I think that there was a side of all women and all people, period; a sensual side, and it just needed to come out this summer," Kelly said about the song's heavy rotation. "And I think 'Motivation' kinda helped motivate that — a lot," she laughed.

With the infectious, uptempo "Lay It on Me" (featuring Big Sean) already lined up as the follow-up single, K.Ro said she was still blushing over the impact of her million-selling smash. "Somebody came up to me just last week and said, 'How many babies do you think were made off of 'Motivation'?' I was like, 'Oh my God, I didn't even think about it like that!' "

But don't let the Houston belle fool you: She's fully embraced what she described as the song's themes of "sexual freedom" and "confidence." In fact, while "Motivation" was burning up the charts this summer, Kelly was heating up Vibe magazine's August/September "Juice" issue, among others, tossing her top for a Janet Jackson-esque cover look.

Are you excited to hear more music from Kelly? Tell us in the comments!

Related Artists

Rick Ross Says Stalley Recalls A Tribe Called Quest

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 01:00 AM PDT

'He's just an uncut lyricist,' Ross tells MTV News of Maybach Music Group's latest signee.
By Rob Markman


Rick Ross and Stalley
Photo: MTV News

Make no mistake: Rick Ross is a hip-hop fan through and through. So when the Bawse recruits new talent for his Maybach Music Group roster, he reverts to fan mode.

Take, for instance, MMG's Stalley. "He's just an uncut lyricist, he's just a pure MC," Rozay told MTV News on the black carpet for the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta. "When I listen to Stalley's music, it takes me back to the early days of A Tribe Called Quest."

Stalley is an Ohio MC who migrated to New York and first got some fame with 2009's MadStalley: The Autobiography mixtape, on which he rhymed over beats from the much-celebrated Mad-Lib. From there, he linked up with Curren$y and a collective of artists who worked out of Dame Dash's DD172 workspace.

This year, Stalley dropped Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music), and around the same time, he caught the attention of Rozay. After a brief Twitter convo between Ross and Stalley fueled speculation about their working relationship, the rumors that Stalley had signed to MMG started to become more prevalent. The rookie spitter would eventually join Ross on the first leg of Lil Wayne's I Am Still Music Tour, and the relationship grew, leading to a deal for the Ohio rapper.

While Stalley has some serious work to do before he gets to Ross' level, he does best the Bawse in one category. Known for his lengthy beard, Ross now has to play number two his new artist. "I can't front: He got that length on me on the beard, he most definitely got that," Ross said, laughing. "And not only that, the music that he's making is incredible."

Are you looking forward to Stalley's MMG debut? Let us know in the comments!

Related Artists

'American Idol' Winner Lee DeWyze Dropped By Label

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:28 AM PDT

Season-nine winner's album was lowest-selling by show champ.
By Gil Kaufman


Lee DeWyze
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

Season-nine "American Idol" winner Lee DeWyze has set a couple of records since taking home the title two years ago over dreadlocked rival Crystal Bowersox. Unfortunately for him, though, they're not the kinds you want to brag about.

After landing the worst-selling debut album from an "Idol" winner in history, the soft-spoken rocker has quietly been dumped by his label, RCA Records, after just one release.

The singer and former paint-store clerk failed to catch fire with an audience while selling just 168,000 copies of his 2010 major-label bow, Live It Up. With only sporadic touring and no single topping the charts, DeWyze was largely off the radar in the months following the album's release as he kept a much lower profile than previous winners. He becomes only the second "Idol" winner to be dropped after a single album, following in the footsteps of season five's Taylor Hicks, whose Arista Records debut sold more than 705,000 copies.

While a spokesperson for RCA could not be reached for comment at press time, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the news. In an interview with the trade magazine last week, newly appointed RCA Records CEO Peter Edge let slip that Illinois native DeWyze, 25, is no longer on the label's roster.

DeWyze's option with the label expired in September, and his season was the final one of a nine-year partnership between "Idol," 19 Recordings and RCA's parent company, Sony Music. While DeWyze has been let go, a number of previous "Idol" winners remain on the RCA roster, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, David Cook and Kris Allen.

An unnamed rep for the singer told THR that DeWyze is in a "good place right now" and he is reportedly working on new music and planning his upcoming wedding to model Joanna Walsh.

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

Related Videos Related Artists

Jay-Z And DMX 'Did Not Like Each Other,' Irv Gotti Says

Posted: 05 Oct 2011 11:22 PM PDT

A planned Jay, DMX and Ja Rule supergroup was halted due to a quiet feud, Gotti reveals on 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Irv Gotti
Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV News

In the late 1990s, there were few rappers bigger than Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule. Separately, each artist crafted a catalog of hits, toured the country and sold millions of records.

Now, imagine a supergroup comprised of the three. Well, that was Irv Gotti's vision, but the three alpha males only recorded a handful of songs and just couldn't get it together.

"Jay and X did not like each other at all. And it was always competitive," Irv revealed when he appeared on Wednesday's "RapFix Live."

DMX has recently voiced his disdain for Hov, but in the late 1990s, it appeared that the two were on a unified front. They frequently collaborated and even toured together, but according to Gotti, things weren't always as they seemed.

It all stemmed from an early battle, circa 1994, between Hov and the Dog, years before any one of them broke through. Though DMX was used to winning most of his battles decisively, nearly every account of the showdown revealed that it ended in a tie. "X hated Jay because it was the one battle that he said it wasn't absolutely sure in everyone's mind that he won," Irv said.

The quiet feud even spilled onto collaborative records. In 1995, Jigga, X and Ja Rule all appeared on Queens, New York, rapper Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build" track. By the time Hov got to the studio, DMX had already laid down the song's closing verse — a top honor for any rapper. "Jay goes, 'OK, he's closing the record? Yo, you think he's better than me?' " Gotti recalled Hovito asking.

Gotti remembers Jay feeling slighted, and in retaliation, he aimed his verse — which he wrote on the spot in 10 minutes with no pen or pad, directly at DMX. There were key lines in Jigga's verse that Irv believes were direct references to the original battle between the two titans: "F--- what you n---as kickin' on the mic/ Chicken like you don't know what an ass whippin' feels like."

"His whole verse, he's sh--tin' on my man," Irv said of the "Empire State of Mind" MC's bars. "Now, X got problems with me."

DMX and Jay-Z continued to collaborate, and alongside Ja Rule, they recorded "Mudergram" in 1998 and "It's Murder" a year later, but nothing else as a trio.

"With those three guys, I felt very special," Irv said. "Here it is, in hindsight, three guys that were really at the top of their game at one time or another, and they all my friends."

Imagine that.

Do you wish Jay, X and Ja had recorded a full album together? Let us know in the comments!

Related Videos Related Artists

Hank Williams Jr. Fired After Obama 'Hitler' Comment

Posted: 05 Oct 2011 11:31 PM PDT

Country star, however, claims he made the choice to pull his 'All My Rowdy Friends' from ESPN's 'Monday Night Football.'
By Gil Kaufman


Hank Williams Jr. (file)
Photo: Rick Diamond/ Getty Images

ESPN officially parted ways with controversial country star Hank Williams Jr. on Thursday (October 6), just days after it suspended him for comparing President Obama to Adolf Hitler.

Williams' signature song, "All My Rowdy Friends," was initially pulled from this week's "Monday Night Football" broadcast for one night, but the firing became permanent Thursday when the network formally severed ties with the notoriously rabblerousing singer.

"We have decided to part ways with Hank Williams, Jr.," ESPN announced in a statement. "We appreciate his contributions over the past years. The success of Monday Night Football has always been about the games and that will continue."

The controversy began to bubble Monday morning after the outspoken Williams appeared on a Fox News morning show, during which he condemned a June golf outing involving Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner and Obama. "It's like Hitler playing golf with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu," he said of the bipartisan golf game.

The hosts of the conservative network's "Fox & Friends" morning program seemed surprised by the comment, with co-anchor Gretchen Carlson asking Williams to clarify what he meant by the inflammatory statement, saying, "You used the name of one of the most hated people in all the world to describe, I think, the president." Williams responded, "That's true ... but I'm telling you like it is."

A short time later, Williams issued the first of two apologies, writing on his website, "Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood ... My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point."

That appeared to do little to quell the firestorm over his comments, leading to Thursday's firing. Williams' "Rowdy" has been part of "Monday Night Football" for more than two decades, and the singer was clearly stung by the sports network's actions. In a statement denying that he'd been fired, Williams wrote, "After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision," he said, employing the classic "you can't fire me because I quit" argument. "By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and 'All My Rowdy Friends' are OUT OF HERE. It's been a great run."

Related Artists

Britney Spears Is A 'Sweetheart,' Destinee & Paris Say

Posted: 05 Oct 2011 10:51 PM PDT

'I can't even explain how amazing it is to be onstage every night and sharing it with a legend like Britney,' Destinee tells MTV News.
By Christina Garibaldi


Britney Spears
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

Sisters Destinee and Paris Monroe aren't typical teenagers preoccupied with homecoming, high school dances and weekly football games. The two siblings, former members of Clique Girlz, are living a real teenage dream: touring internationally as Destinee & Paris, readying their debut album — and warming up for Britney Spears.

Following a brief Stateside stint with Spears this past August, the sisters remained one of the pop diva's opening acts for the European leg of the Femme Fatale Tour. That road trip wraps November 9 in Lisbon, Portugal, before traveling to the United Arab Emirates, South America, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

"I can't even explain how amazing it is to be onstage every night and sharing it with a legend like Britney," Destinee, 17, told MTV News on Tuesday via Skype from Zurich, Switzerland. "I mean, she's been in this business forever and has really made a name for herself. To be performing before her is crazy. If somebody said to me 10 years ago that this is what we'd be doing — opening for Britney Spears — I'd be like, 'OK, you're crazy.' "

The Grand Rapids, Michigan-born Monroe sisters, who also appeared as backup singers on the 10th season of "American Idol," released their debut single "True Love" via Streamline/ Interscope Records in August. They admit that the one thing they still need to do while touring with Spears is sit down for a genuine conversation with the nearly 30-year-old singer.

"Everything's been so busy for us, so we haven't gotten to really talk [to Britney]," said Paris, 15. "But we have said hi [to her] a few times and she's just a sweetheart."

So if they do get a chance for some one-on-one time with Spears, what would they ask their idol?

"I think that our number-one question would probably be how to deal with growing up in this industry," Paris said. "If there's anyone who knows the most about that, it's obviously Britney. She's had an amazing, long, successful career, so I think that would be the first thing we would talk to her about."

The blond sisters, who toured with the Jonas Brothers and the Backstreet Boys while still with the Clique Girlz, are planning to focus on their still-untitled debut album once the tour ends.

"The album is still in the final stages of being worked out," Paris said. "We released the single and we're performing most of the songs on tour. I think once we're off tour, we're probably going to record some more songs, tweak the album a little more, make the final touches and release it. We want it to be really special."

What do you think of Destinee & Paris? Let us know in the comments below!

Related Artists
Diposting oleh computer game di 05.19

Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar

Langganan: Posting Komentar (Atom)