| M-Bone's Family, Fans Remember Cali Swag Star At Funeral Posted: 28 May 2011 09:19 AM PDT 'I never got to tell him this: He taught me a lot,' groupmate Yung tearfully tells M-Bone's mourners.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Kelly Marino 
The remaining members of Cali Swag District at M-Bone's funeral on Friday
Photo: MTV News On Friday (May 27), family, friends and fans paid their respects to rising hip-hop star Mante "M-Bone" Talbert of Cali Swag District at an Inglewood, California, funeral open to the public. The 22-year-old, who was born September 17, 1988, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on May 15 in his hometown of Inglewood. More than 2,000 people, including Talbert's grandmother, uncle and the three remaining members of Cali Swag, attended M-Bone's funeral at the Faithful Central Bible Church. Talbert, who made his mark as one-fourth of CSD, will be remembered by the hip-hop community as the group's energetic dancer. Bone was most famous for doing the Dougie, a 1980s dance that found new life thanks to the quartet's 2010 platinum hit "Teach Me How to Dougie." CSD member Yung spoke at the funeral about his fallen friend's impact. "I never knew anybody's body can move that way before I met M-Bone," he said to the crowd while sobbing. "Since the sixth grade, me and him been dancing together, but I never got to tell him this: He taught me a lot." While the service was no doubt emotional, as loved ones mourned the life of M-Bone, some friends, like Pee Wee of the hip-hop group the Rejectz, urged people to remember the positive aspects of his life. "We lost a great person, but it shouldn't be no tears. We should be celebrating, turning it up," he told MTV News. After the service, M-Bone was laid to rest. At approximately 10:30 p.m. PT on May 15, police were called to the 400 block of La Brea Avenue in Inglewood. When they arrived on the scene, they founded Talbert seated in the driver's seat of his vehicle with two gunshot wounds to the head. Witness accounts confirm that a gunman pulled up alongside M-Bone in a separate vehicle and let off at least two rounds. MTV News reached out to the homicide division of the Inglewood Police Department early Friday and learned that there have been no arrests and there are no suspects in connection with M-Bone's murder. The Inglewood Police Department is asking anyone with information to come forward and call its homicide division at (310) 412-5246 or its 24-hour anonymous hotline at (888) 41 CRIME, or (888) 412-7463. Share your thoughts for M-Bone's friends and family in the comments. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Fans Get Emotional About 'Inside The Outside' Special Posted: 26 May 2011 11:40 PM PDT 'This interview was so sweet, I cried. She gives me hope for humanity,' one fan tweets about the MTV doc.
By James Dinh, with additional reporting by James Montgomery 
Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News As her quest for world domination proceeds, Lady Gaga teamed up with MTV for an exclusive sit-down chat about her extraordinary journey to pop music royalty for the "Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside" documentary, which premiered on Thursday night. In it, Gaga discusses her early career struggles and whirlwind rise to fame, a tale that has all of her Little Monsters abuzz after watching it. Reactions to the hour-long special have been strong, with an overwhelming response coming in from fans who were selected to attend our special after-show live stream, users on the MTV News site and the social networks in between. One of those Monsters chosen to visit MTV studios Thursday night was Adrianna, who told MTV News that she was personally touched by Gaga's account of her bullying incident. "I was been bullied all through high school, and I kind of want to thank those people in an awkward way because I wouldn't be the same person, just like Lady Gaga wouldn't be the same person," she shared. "We wouldn't be as strong and confident with ourselves if it wasn't for those people." Decked out in Gaga-like leather gear, Adrianna explained that Mother Monster is a role model to those who may still endure bullying, and that ultimately she is an inspirational star. MTV News' Facebook page was also flooded by a wave of Little Monsters who couldn't help but gush about the doc. Users like Jimmy Aleman got emotional watching the special, saying, "I saw it :) It made me cry. She is a true woman." And Rossi Ruska Coles appreciated the pop star's defiant story, writing, "Thank you for this great one hour, the true and real Gaga! Love her and her self-identity!" Chifi55 also got in on the fun by commenting on MTV News' site, saying, "She's so honest and true ... You just can't believe how amazing and loving and kind she is. She was nothing and became the world's greatest pop star ... There is no one who deserves it more than her!" Despite the 140-character limit, Gaga fans were also quick to hit us up via Twitter to share their thoughts on "Inside the Outside." Superfan Ryan Lee tweeted, "I cried watching the special. Whoever made it should win an award because they captured the beauty of the angel that is Lady Gaga." HausOfKels revealed she also couldn't hold back tears, writing, "This interview was so sweet, I cried. She gives me hope for humanity. Her message changed my life + made me stronger. xo #MTVGAGA." And it wasn't just Little Monsters who tuned in to the MTV special, but also some non-fans, including sayjay41297, who admitted she's been transformed. "I didn't know all that much about Gaga, but now I'm really inspired and I think I've just became a Little Monster. #mtvgaga," she wrote. Like sayjay41297, RickG63 shared a similar reaction to the doc, but had one minor complaint, tweeting, "Fantastic show, but her interviews are never long enough. Thank you for the show. It was great to see. Now you know why we love Gaga." Did "Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside" shed a new light on the pop star for you? Share your comments below. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne Says New Single 'How To Love' Gives Him 'Goose Bumps' Posted: 27 May 2011 04:56 AM PDT 'The song is gonna take me somewhere that I've never been musically,' Weezy says.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway 
Lil Wayne
Photo: MTV News "The Block Is Hot," "Go DJ," "Fireman" and "Lollipop" — Lil Wayne has had a lot of singles, but none like his newly leaked "How to Love." "I can tell you that I've never had a single like it, and it's an amazing song. It's an amazing song," Wayne told Sway when the two sat down after the taping of Wayne's upcoming MTV "Unplugged" special, which will air June 12 on MTV2. "How to Love," which surfaced online on Thursday (May 26), is produced by Detail and features Weezy singing over an acoustic guitar and drum backdrop. On the song's hook, Wayne remains sincere and loving, singing to his main squeeze: "You had a lot of crooks try to still your heart, never really had luck, couldn't never figure out how to love." He continues to serenade the object of his affection, assuring her that she "deserves the best" and reminding her that she is beautiful. For some time, members of the Cash Money camp have been hinting that a big Tha Carter IV single was on the way. In May, Young Money president Mack Maine told MTV News that an upcoming single from the album would have mass appeal, and on Thursday, he confirmed that "How to Love" is the song that YMCMB have been talking about. "When I listen to it I get goose bumps," Weezy said. "And I feel like the song is gonna take me somewhere that I've never been musically." Tunechi, who recently extended his I Am Still Music Tour through September, is looking to diversify his live show, and "How to Love" would help him do that. "You know that if you come to a Lil Wayne show two years from now, you already know that 'I'm gonna get rap — some of the best rap — I'm gonna get some guitar, I'm gonna get some singin', I'm gonna get some dancin', I'm gonna get some old-school music, and I'm goin' to a show tonight.' And I think that's where this song is directing me to." For Birdman Jr., rap just isn't enough anymore. "I am a musician, and a few years back, I noticed that I wasn't just a rapper. And I noticed that I didn't want to do this just to rap," he said before clarifying his point. "I do want to go down as one of the greatest rappers of all time, but I also want to go down as one of the greatest musicians of all time. "When you think about it, Tupac is just known as a great rapper; Biggie is just known as a great rapper, Jay-Z — just known as a great rapper," he continued. "I want to be known as that rapper that turned it all the way up and became the face of the music." Actually, Wayne looks to epitomize the word one day. "When they make a billboard and put whoever they gonna put up there to define the word 'music,' I wanna be there." What do you think of Lil Wayne's "How to Love"? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Death Cab For Cutie's Guide To Seattle: Watch A Preview Here! Posted: 26 May 2011 10:57 PM PDT Our 'Death Cab for Cutie: Seattle Sonics' series kicks off Tuesday on MTV.com, the same day Codes and Keys hits stores.
By James Montgomery 
Death Cab for Cutie's Nick Harmer and Ben Gibbard
Photo: MTV News Death Cab for Cutie originally formed sometime around 1997, in the idyllic college town of Bellingham, Washington (unofficial nickname: "The City of Subdued Excitement"), but it was in a city 90 miles south where they'd really make their mark: Seattle. Most of the band had grown up in towns surrounding the Emerald City during the height of the so-called "grunge explosion," and their teenage years progressed somewhat accordingly — Ben Gibbard, who was raised in Bremerton, would take a 55-minute ferry trip across the Puget Sound to watch bands play at the now-defunct OK Hotel in downtown Seattle — so, when they decided to make the move from Bellingham to the proverbial big city to try their hand at becoming a real rock band, well, it was sort of the stuff of dreams. Only, things didn't quite work out the way they had planned. DCFC's early years were a struggle, marked by lousy, low-paying jobs and thinly attended gigs. When Gibbard took up residence in a tiny apartment on Corliss Avenue, working as what could charitably be described as a medical tech (he basically washed testing equipment), there were times when he thought about packing it in and heading back home. It seemed simpler than striking out as a rock frontman. But he didn't, and slowly, people began paying attention. Released on Seattle's Barsuk Records, early efforts like We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes (most of which was written in that apartment on Corliss) and The Photo Album were met with much acclaim, and Death Cab for Cutie were on their way. Only, in a lot of ways, they've never really left ... Seattle is, was, and probably always will be their spiritual home. And those sentiments are readily apparent on the band's May 31 album, Codes And Keys, Codes And Keys, which is about several things, most of which seem to be about the eternal longing for home, no matter how far away from it you may be. So, in celebration of the new album, earlier this month, we asked Death Cab to show us around their adopted hometown of Seattle ... the venues they haunted as teens, the places they worked before they made it big, the studio where they recorded parts of the new album. But it's much more than a guided tour; it's also a history lesson, both in terms of the band, and the Seattle music scene too. We're calling it "Death Cab for Cutie: Seattle Sonics," and it begins Tuesday on MTVNews.com. But as we head into the long weekend, we figured we'd give you a taste of what's to come. Click on the teaser clip featuring Gibbard and bassist Nick Harmer recalling the glory of all-ages OK Hotel shows, and the havoc parent-mandated curfews wrecked on those magical nights. Enjoy, and make sure to check back on Tuesday, when the history lesson truly begins. Related Artists |
| Taylor Swift Explains How Her Songwriting Has Grown Posted: 27 May 2011 08:17 AM PDT Since recording her first album at 16, what's changed most is 'the kind of things you say when you're hurt.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway 
Taylor Swift and Sway
Photo: MTV News Taylor Swift's musical evolution has been pretty clearly aligned with her age. While she's writing about love and heartbreak, as she did when she was a teenager, the way she expresses that joy and pain has grown from the puppy-love lyrics to more mature reflections. Back in the day, on her self-titled debut album, she was writing odes to country superstars, like in "Tim McGraw," and using metaphors to try to understand emotions that she hadn't yet fully experienced. With a career in full swing and a highly publicized love life, three albums later, it's apparent that Swift drew on real-life experiences for Speak Now. When she sat down with MTV News earlier this week during "MTV First: Taylor Swift" Sway asked what she felt about her musical coming of age. "I don't know," she said. "I think retrospect will tell a lot. Years from now [and] I'll look back and go, 'I didn't know anything then.' " Swift said the biggest difference between her teenage songs and her current ones is "the kind of things you say when you're hurt." "I had this song called 'Picture to Burn,' that's talking about how 'I hate your truck,' and 'I hate that you ignored me,' 'I hate you,' " she explained. "Now, the way that I would say that and the way that I would feel that kind of pain is a lot different." But Swift has no regrets about her earlier songs. "But I think that my first record came out when I was 16, the next one, Fearless, came out when I was 18 and this one came out when I was 20, so I think there's a lot of personal growth. "I look back on the record I made when I was 16, and I'm so happy I made it," she continued. "I got to immortalize those emotions that when you're so angry, you hate everything. It's like recording your diary over the years, and that's a gift." What do you think about Swift's growth as a musician? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga 'Started To Cry' When She First Heard 'Marry The Night' Posted: 27 May 2011 01:06 AM PDT 'Imagine if Bruce Springsteen had a baby with Whitney Houston — that's what it is,' she says of Fernando Garibay-produced Born This Way track.
By MTV News staff 
Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News Lady Gaga has been working with producer Fernando Garibay for years, with the first fruits of their labor being the Fame Monster deep cut "Dance in the Dark." But, as Lady Gaga put it in MTV's "Inside the Outside" documentary that premiered Thursday, the pair had yet to "conceive" a hit record when she began work on Born This Way. That all changed when Gaga heard the church-bell-filled sounds Garibay had concocted while on the road for the Monster Ball Tour. "He goes, 'Your show is a religion and your fans are a cult,' " Gaga recalled. "It's this epic music. It's just so big. And I started to cry. He said, 'What's wrong?' And I said, 'I can't believe that you hear me so big.' " Gaga sat down, and lyrics for what would become the Born This Way track "Marry the Night" just started pouring out: "I'm gonna marry the night/ I won't give up on my life." "It's like Whitney, but imagine if Bruce Springsteen had a baby with Whitney Houston — that's what it is," she said. "And that was it! We made a baby. Finally. After all that fornication, miserably long and tedious, Fernando and I finally conceived." When MTV News sat down with Garibay, he told his side of the "Marry the Night" conception. "I just kind of got on the American leg of the tour — this was after Australia — and she goes, 'I want to write another song that can define where I'm at with this album and my life.' " So Garibay listened again to their first collaboration, "Dance in the Dark," and tried to top that energy. "I remember being backstage and hearing the concert start, so I go out there and hear 'Dance in the Dark' open up the whole concert, and I wanted to outdo that feeling. I wanted to outdo that moment that opens up the show. I'm just that way." Garibay did his thing while Gaga was onstage doing hers. "I go back to the studio bus; I'm just like working on parts, working on parts, and then, two hours later, she comes offstage, and she goes, 'Do you have something to play me?' " he said. "And I go, 'I do, actually. It's a little different, but I think you'll like it.' "So I played her the instrumental for 'Marry the Night,' and she goes, 'I love it, but can you change this?' So she starts changing around a few chords, and then she goes, 'Open up a mic.' ... She starts laying down the whole song, like, off the cuff. She didn't have time to live with it. She kind of meditated a few minutes, and then it's like, 'OK, I'm ready. Let's go.' And right offstage, using the energy of that crowd and going into the studio, it was amazing. I can't compare it to anything." That incomparable feeling was exactly what Gaga was aiming for with Garibay: "I kept saying to him, 'I don't want to do anything I've done before, I don't want to sound like anything I've done before, I don't want to feel like anything I've done before. I want it to be new.' " Do you think "Marry the Night" tops "Dance in the Dark"? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Producer RedOne Talks Working With J.Lo, Hints At Lil Wayne Collabo Posted: 27 May 2011 09:53 AM PDT 'It's gonna be a surprise,' RedOne tells Mixtape Daily of his reported collaboration with Weezy.
By Rob Markman 
RedOne
Photo: MTV News Behind the Beats: RedOne RedOne currently is riding high on the success of tracks he's produced for Lady Gaga ("Judas") and Jennifer Lopez (On the Floor"), and the noted knob twiddler is hinting that a Lil Wayne collaboration could be next. RedOne has worked with a few rappers in the past — Joe Budden spit a verse on the remix he put together for Christina Milian's 2004 track "L.O.V.E." and, of course, Pitbull lent his swag to Lopez's "On the Floor" — but when the subject of Weezy comes up, the producer only teases. "That's it, I'm not saying anymore. It's gonna be a surprise," RedOne tells Mixtape Daily. RedOne and the rap star already have collaborated on a track by rocker Porcelain Black titled "This Is What Rock N Roll Looks Like." However, when questioned about whether or not he will provide a beat for Tha Carter IV, Red clams up. He had no problem going on about J.Lo though, for whom he produced several songs featured on her Love? album. "When I met her, I just fell in love with the person. How [much of a] beautiful person she is and a warm person," he gushed. "She has a beautiful family, it's like they have a lot of integrity and love in their surroundings. And I'm very like that." To hear Red tell it, he and the dancer/ actress/ singer/ "American Idol" judge had some pretty organic recording sessions. The results speak for themselves — "On the Floor" has hit #1 in countries like Australia, Germany, Canada and Italy, and has peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "I didn't think about anything else but the music and doing what we do," he said of recording with the Bronx bombshell. "And there we go, 'On the Floor,' #1 in the world. Biggest song on the world charts and has been #1 for quite a while." That's quite a feat, but as we wait for more news about a Wayne collabo to emerge, fans can also expect to hear RedOne's tracks matched with Porcelain Black, his own artist Mohombi and the legendary U2. Rock on! Would you be interested in hearing a RedOne collaboration with Lil Wayne? Tell us in the comments. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Artists |
| Did 'American Idol' Judges Spark A Rush For Celeb TV Panels? Posted: 27 May 2011 01:30 AM PDT Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo, Nicole Scherzinger just latest pop stars to follow in career-enhancing footsteps of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.
By Gil Kaufman 
Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson
Photo: FOX Back when Paula Abdul signed on to be a judge on the first season of "American Idol," some saw it as a last-ditch effort by a faded pop star to kick-start a stalled career. And though the long-promised comeback album from Abdul never materialized and her spin-off dancing show, this year's "Live to Dance," was canceled after one season, it's beginning to look like Paula was on to something. For a while, pop stars expanded their "brand" by launching clothing lines, vanity record labels and hawking shoes. Now that the stigma of reality TV has clearly lifted, though, is joining the panel of a singing competition the new celebrity perfume? Wednesday night's hit finale of "Idol," in which Scotty McCreery was crowned champ and judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler got as much screen time as some of the season's contestants, was definitive proof that reality shows can be a career resuscitator. It used to be unusual to see a contemporary star — or even a legendary name whose career was still somewhat viable — sign on for one of these shows. In 2007, former pop chart staple Jewel became the host of "Nashville Star" at a time when her music career was at a low ebb. And way back in 1998, late TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was the exception to the rule when she hosted the MTV talent series "The Cut" when TLC was still one of the biggest bands on the planet. But ever since Tyler and Lopez joined the cast of "Idol" this year and saw an immediate boost to their bottom line in the form of major iTunes sales for Aerosmith's back catalog and the biggest hit in years for J.Lo, the floodgates have opened. "Never in a million years did I think Steven would do something like this," said Jeff Rabhan, the chairman of the Recorded Music Department at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and longtime artist manager for artists ranging from Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg to Lopez and Linkin Park. Rabhan said the addition of Cee Lo Green, Maroon 5's Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera to NBC's hit singing competition "The Voice" is further proof that the stigma is gone and artists and their managers are realizing the potential boost from appearing in prime-time every week on a major network. "The Cee Lo quotient is a wild card," Rabhan said just a few weeks ago of the "Forget You" singer, whose profane hit has gained ubiquity and put up strong single sales, while his album, The Lady Killer, has put up modest numbers. "I do think for a lot of people it's the 'mom quotient.' A lot of people still don't know who he is and for Cee Lo, I get it. For some of the others, though, I can't help but feel like it's a plateau move." That was then, but now, with "The Voice" a ratings hit and all of America charmed by Green's infectious smile and musical chops, clearly the gamble has paid off. "Celebrities are flocking to singing reality shows," said Shirley Halperin, music editor of The Hollywood Reporter. "Everybody wants to be on one. I don't think it's the merit of the show — it's the merit of the numbers. People want the 20 million viewers and there's no other way to do it on a mass level than on television. Television is the great platform for music." Considering the huge amount of screen time Interscope boss Jimmy Iovine got on "Idol" this season and early word that "X Factor" judge and former Island/ Def Jam chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid's harsh judgments have made Simon Cowell look like a pussycat, Halperin said there may also be a gold in them hills for music execs as well. "Jimmy ... could have a really nice act three or act two being a mentor and TV personality," she said. "These music business guys, they know their business and they're not messing around. I have a feeling there might be a demand for executives who are willing to really tell it like it is." Although it raised eyebrows at first, Rabhan said the "Idol" gig made sense for Tyler, who is in the twilight of his rock career. "In a lot of ways, he's protected. If the show dies, Tyler can say it was dying already without him. If it does great, it's a win for him." Of course, we now know that ratings were up, Tyler became America's favorite potty-mouthed wacky uncle and he found a huge platform to hawk his debut solo single and memoir and it's likely he'll be back for another go next year. For Aguilera, Rabhan said the calculus was probably a bit different. "She's always been a bit untouchable and the public never got to know her," he said of the notoriously private singer, who has hit a rough patch lately. "And she was able to sustain some of the speed bumps in her career up until now. But I'm sure [her handlers saw] this is an opportunity to rebuild her tarnished public image." That rebuilding appears to have already begun, with a toned-down Aguilera coming off as the sexy, flirty chanteuse who's always rooting for the underdog on the show and coming off as much more approachable. Like Rabhan, Stuart Levine, assistant managing editor for features at Variety, said that for an artist like Cee Lo, "The Voice" offers mainstream exposure to a demo that may not be familiar with his music. "For someone like Christina, after all her latest antics, I'm sure she sees the success of 'Idol' and what it did for people like Randy, Paula and Simon Cowell, and the praise that J.Lo and Tyler are getting and she doesn't see much of a downside," he said. "A lot of the stink of bad reality shows is not around anymore. And whether they're good or bad, it hasn't hurt anyone when they did one of these on a broadcast network." The trend is catching on all over, from "CMT's Next Superstar," which counts guest judges such as Trace Adkins and Colbie Caillat, to the about-to-launch on Bravo "Platinum Hit," a songwriter-search show starring Jewel and former "Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi. The Bravo series will also feature guest-judging from Leona Lewis, Taio Cruz, Jermaine Dupri, Natasha Bedingfield and Ryan Tedder. While superstars often try to avoid looking like regular people by showing off their lavish lifestyles, when they stumble, Rabhan said the first instinct is to try and look human and what better way to do that than to appear on a prime-time show and offer advice to potential future stars? All of which begs the question of why the ultimate steward of reality-show singing competitions, Cowell, seemed to have missed the writing on the wall while putting together his "X Factor" panel. Recycling Abdul, adding the respected, but not well-known by the public Reid and British girl group star Cheryl Cole seemed like an odd move in light of the emerging trend. The dice roll already appears to be not paying off. As "Idol" was commanding all the media space oxygen on Wednesday night, word leaked that Cole was being replaced on the panel by former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, who was originally tapped to be the "Factor" co-host. The move reportedly came because Cole did not mesh well with the rest of the panel (or, according to some reports, because her British accent was too strong) and it seemed like a correction inspired in part, at least, by the writing on the wall. Considering the months of headlines surrounding Cowell's departure from "Idol," as well as the applause for Tyler and Lopez on the show, Levine said, publicity-wise, it's hard to say no to the opportunity if you want to get you name (back) out there. "If networks want the shows to be hits, they need big names, so you can't just throw someone out there with a so-so career," he said of the move to tap marquee names for shows like "The Voice." "Whether the networks accept it or not, people tune in to these shows to hear the judges. If you want big ratings, you need big names." What's you r favorite TV singing competition show right now? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos |
| Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner Meet MTV Movie Awards Host Jason Sudeikis Posted: 26 May 2011 10:26 PM PDT 'SNL' star gets a little creepy with the nominees in new promos for the show.
By Eric Ditzian 
Kristen Stewart
Photo: MTV Ever since "Twilight" sank its fangs into the pop-culture landscape, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner have played major roles at the MTV Movie Awards. For the past few shows, they've appeared in movie spoofs, introduced exclusive franchise footage, kissed their co-stars and even accidently dropped a Golden Popcorn onstage. For the 2011 Movie Awards, the actors decided to get involved in the action a little bit earlier. Not that they had a choice in the matter, as two new promo spots make clear. Host Jason Sudeikis follows up on his desire to meet the nominees before showtime (he's already shared face time with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Stone and Leighton Meester), and the "SNL" funnyman surprises the "Twilight" stars in some unlikely places. In Stewart's clip, she has just settled in to get her hair cut, when Sudeikis pops into her dressing room. "You're not my hairdresser," she tells him. "Good eye!" he responds. But the two quickly hit it off, and it's not long before he's plopping a bowl on her head and snipping away. Say goodbye to Bella Swan's long locks! In the other spot, Lautner hails a New York City cab, only to realize Sudeikis is behind the wheel, though he admits to being "a terrible driver." Lautner tries to escape, but the Movie Awards host locks the doors. "That's weird," the Twi-werewolf tells him. Weirder still is that Sudeikis confesses he stole the taxi, and as the police sirens swirl in the background, he leaves poor Taylor locked in the car plaintively crying, "Jason!" Hopefully, he'll find his way out by June 5, when the 2011 MTV Movie Awards air live at 9 p.m. ET from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Voting in all categories, from Best Villain to Best Line from a Movie, is now under way at MovieAwards.MTV.com. Voting is set to close on June 4. But voting for Best Movie will stay open through the show itself, meaning you have the chance to affect the night's biggest winner up until the very last minute. Will vampires and werewolves own the 2011 MTV Movie Awards? Can wizards or dream thieves steal the Golden Popcorn? Find out on June 5, when the 20th annual show airs live at 9 p.m. ET/PT. To get into the magical movie mood, we're kicking off a Sneak Peek Week starting on May 30 — five days of exclusives and interviews with the casts of "Fright Night, "Horrible Bosses" and more. Check out everything there is to know about Sneak Peek Week and the Movie Awards at MovieAwards.MTV.com! Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Hangover Part II': Can It Break $125 Million At The Box Office? Posted: 27 May 2011 01:22 AM PDT 'Our prediction was $129 million, and that's looking like a real possibility,' BoxOffice.com editor Phil Contrino says.
By Eric Ditzian 
Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis in "The Hangover Part II"
Photo: Warner Bros. For the last few days, Hollywood has been abuzz over the idea that "The Hangover Part II" could pull over $125 million into its boozy box-office wake over the extended five-day Memorial Day holiday. Could an R-rated comedy really do such boffo biz? It's looking increasingly like it can. Wednesday's midnight screenings of "Hangover" pulled in $10.4 million, a record for an R movie. Thursday followed suit, with a final gross of $31.6 million — another R-rated record for biggest opening day ever. Many schools and colleges are now on break, audiences have been giving the flick an A- CinemaScore and not even tepid critical reviews can seem to stop the inevitable. "We think it will crack $125 million," BoxOffice.com editor Phil Contrino said. "Our prediction was $129 million, and that's looking like a real possibility. These movies appeal to anyone who has ever greeted the morning with dry mouth and a splitting headache. But the films also have heart underneath all the raunchiness. They are about all the mixed feelings that people have before getting married. Do I like my spouse's family? Do I really want to stop having fun?" Other industry experts are not as convinced. David Poland of Movie City News is taking a wait-and-see approach while noting that anything over $100 million during the extended weekend would be considered a huge success. "The swing, with numbers this big, is $25-plus million in five days," he said. "There's no way to know how much of the must-see-or-die audience has been served by this huge Thursday. We can all guess, but we're just guessing." Poland compared the "Hangover" sequel's opening to the second "Matrix" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" films: The originals were surprise blockbusters and the follow-ups received a "mega-opening in response." Helping spur audience excitement, he also noted, was a top-notch marketing campaign including exceptional TV spots. "I've seen the film and they make me want to see it again," he said. "They do exactly what a sequel wants to do — click into the characters you love and promise more." All of this makes "The Hangover Part III" seem less like just a possibility than an unavoidability. Even last year's "Due Date," which director Todd Phillips shot between "Hangover" flicks, grossed $212 million worldwide. The guy can do no wrong for his studio. As Contrino put it, "He will be in a league of his own after this movie. Warner Bros. would let him film an adaptation of the phone book at this point just to keep him happy." So while the filmmaker continues to keep his studio bosses and audiences delighted, it doesn't seem like he'll start to give a hoot what critics — those who love him as well as those who hate him — think. "He knew that the nasty reviews for this were coming," Poland said. "He doesn't get the amount of space from critics that, for instance, Judd Apatow gets. So maybe that will be his secret goal, though I believe him completely when he says that he won't start making other kinds of movies or adjusting what he thinks is funny just to get the critical love he wants. No 'Funny People' coming from Todd." Check out everything we've got on "The Hangover Part II." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Grease' Actor Jeff Conaway Dies At 60 Posted: 27 May 2011 01:15 AM PDT In recent years, Conaway was known for being treated by Dr. Drew on 'Celebrity Rehab.'
By Kara Warner 
Jeff Conaway
Photo: MTV News Troubled actor Jeff Conaway, star of TV and film classics "Taxi" and "Grease," has died. The 60-year-old actor passed away Friday morning (May 27) at the Encino Tarzana Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized in a coma since May 11. E! Online reports that Conaway's family members, including his sister, decided Thursday to have doctors remove the feeding tube and ventilator that had been essentially keeping the actor alive. Conaway's longtime girlfriend, Vikki Lizzi, reportedly objected to the family's decision and went to court to try to block the move, but the family did not relent. Conaway was found unconscious and was hospitalized following a suspected drug overdose that involved pain pills. Dr. Drew Pinsky, who worked with Conaway during his time on VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" to treat his drug and alcohol addictions, took to his Twitter account last week to refute claims that Conaway's condition was due to an overdose. "Just visited Jeff Conaway," Pinsky tweeted. "He is stable & looks like he will recover from his pneumonia. Not an OD like press is alleging & certainly not dead." Conaway's manager Phil Brock told The Associated Press that the actor was a "gentle soul" but one who has been unable to "exorcise his demons." Conaway is perhaps best known for his portrayal of high school bad boy Kenickie in 1978's hit movie adaptation of the "Grease" musical, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. He also appeared in the Broadway version of "Grease" and played struggling actor Bobby in the sitcom "Taxi," alongside Danny DeVito and Tony Danza, from 1978 to 1981. Share your thoughts for Conaway's friends and family in the comments. |
| Lady Gaga Pal Lady Starlight Recalls Their Bargain Costume Days Posted: 27 May 2011 09:30 AM PDT 'We stuck to the dollar bin and panties,' Gaga confidant tells MTV News of their old-school creative crafts.
By James Dinh, with additional reporting by James Montgomery 
Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News If there's one way to pay homage to Lady Gaga, it's by dressing up as the pop phenomenon in one of her many signature costumes. Little Monsters did just that when MTV News invited a select few to our studios to watch "Lady Gaga: The After-Show," our special live stream on Thursday night, where, following the airing of "Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside," we spoke with a few of the entertainer's close friends and collaborators. From Gaga's one-of-a-kind red-laced VMA look to the barely-there hazard-tape outfit from the "Telephone" video, Little Monsters came decked out in their own Gaga gear. Among Mother Monster's close confidants, one who knows a thing or two about crafting outfits from scraps includes her longtime friend Lady Starlight. After admitting that she just visited Michaels the other day, Starlight told MTV News' James Montgomery about their bargain-bin costume days. "Well, we didn't basically have any money, so we'd go to the dollar store," she said via Skype. "We didn't go to the $2 bin because that was too expensive. We stuck to the dollar bin of panties." With a few crafts in hand, the duo went to craft store M&J Trimming and picked up the tool that held the outfit together — literally. "We would take this thing called Gem-Tac, and we literally would have it in our bags in case anything went wrong or we needed to make a costume on the fly," she said, adding, "Gem-Tack, dollar panties, something shiny — done." Asked if Gaga has changed as a person or an artist since experiencing fame, Starlight was quick to deny any difference, citing the "fact that she can be friends with the same people that she was friends with before she was famous." Lady Starlight was the center of one story during the MTV Lady Gaga documentary, which described one of their many shows at the Lower East Side's Rockwood Music Hall in New York. "This was, like, super-inexpensive, but nobody on the Lower East Side was doing anything even remotely like it," Gaga says of her early performance show sets. "In fact, it was kind of uncool to be doing it, so it became cool because we were the only people doing anything like it. We would plug in all these crazy party favors, and we would throw glitter, and we would dance in these matching bikinis that cost us $4 to make. I got dubplates pressed in Brooklyn with my beats on them, so [Lady Starlight] would spin the dubplates." What is your favorite Lady Gaga outfit? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Wale Describes Working With Rick Ross Vs. Mark Ronson Posted: 26 May 2011 11:15 PM PDT 'The vibe now is a little bit more natural,' Wale tells 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway 
Wale
Photo: Sohyung Kang/ MTV News On one hand you have a British DJ/ producer/ record executive whose claim to fame is producing Amy Winehouse's 2006 classic Back to Black. On the other hand there is the Boss, Rick Ross. After switching label homes from Mark Ronson's Interscope-distributed Allido Records to Ross' Maybach Music Group, Wale broke down the differences between the two labels on Wednesday's "RapFix Live." "I went from being around him in the studio to being around good vibes, good grass, good everything. The type of vibes that make me feel like block parties or just hanging with my friends," Wale told Sway of the change. "Not to say that Ronson ain't my friend." In 2009, the D.C. rapper released his debut album Attention Deficit on Ronson's label. The album was well-received critically, but commercially it only sold 138,000. In February, Wale announced that he officially signed with Ross' MMG label, and on Monday, Rozay and his new signees released Self Made, the label's first compilation. For Wale, the creative process has been much smoother. "We're in conversation and we'll start rapping about what's going on around us. The last time I was in the studio with Mark, I had to take myself somewhere, because I wasn't there," the rapper said about his motivation. Overall, the "Chillin' " MC is just in a better creative space; culturally he and his new boss just have more in common. "I'm in my environment now. I go to Overtown with Ross; I go to King of Diamonds with Ross. I take Ross to D.C. Star. I can't take Mark Ronson to D.C. Star. I mean, I could, but it'd be awkward for everybody. "The vibe now is a little bit more natural and it's a lot more fun for me. And I'm really in a groove where I can make the type of music I like," he said. "The energy is so good with Ross and Meek and Pucci and everybody at Maybach." Do you see a difference between Wale's music with Ronson and his latest tracks? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Recalls Beyonce's Inspiration In MTV's 'Inside The Outside' Posted: 27 May 2011 06:03 AM PDT After being dropped by Island Def Jam, Gaga saw a Destiny's Child video and decided, 'I want that.'
By James Montgomery 
Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News Sometime around 2006, Lady Gaga wasn't Lady Gaga. Sure, she was using the name back then, but she was still little more than a Lower East Side oddity, not the iconic, globe-spanning superstar she has since become. And so, she was understandably elated to score a meeting — and a subsequent deal — with Island Def Jam impresario L.A. Reid. But after a few months, for reasons never really explained, her phone calls stopped being returned and she was summarily dropped from the label. In hindsight, it was just a minor bump on her road to stardom, but at the time, Gaga was crushed. It's a pain she's never quite forgotten, as she explained in the just-premiered "Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside" documentary. "I remember when I got dropped from my first record label, I just said, 'Mommy, let's go see Grandma,' " Gaga recalled. "And I cried on my grandmother's couch. She looked at me, and she goes, 'I'm going to let you cry for the rest of the day, and then you have to stop crying, and you have to go kick some ass.' " Devastated, but determined, Gaga set forth to do just that. And in addition to her grandmother's words, she drew inspiration from a rather unlikely source — one that would also prove oddly prescient in the years to come. "You know, I've never told Beyoncé this, but I remember laying on my grandmother's couch crying, and a Destiny's Child video came on," she said. "I remember watching Beyoncé thinking, 'Oh, she's a star. I want that. I want to be on MTV.' And now I'm in music videos with Beyoncé." It's because of those early rejections that Gaga has learned to savor her success. After all, she's certainly proved her naysayers wrong. "The commercial success that I've had has been mind-blowing," she said. "I'm the girl that everyone said 'No' and shook their head and said 'I don't get it.' " Well, it seems that millions of people around the world "get it" now. What was the most interesting thing you learned from watching "Inside the Outside"? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Cali Swag District 'Remember M-Bone's Energy' Posted: 27 May 2011 09:09 AM PDT 'We remember the fun M-Bone always wanted to have,' C-Smoove tells MTV News of his CSD bandmate, whose funeral takes place Friday (May 27).
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Vanessa Whitewolf 
Mante "M-Bone" Talbert
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images As tragic as the shooting death of Mante "M-Bone" Talbert has been, his Cali Swag District bandmates continue to reflect on the positive when it comes to their fallen friend. "We remember M-Bone's energy. We remember the fun M-Bone always wanted to have. We remember the spark that he lit onstage," C-Smoove told MTV News. "Onstage, Bone was like, 'Where is he goin'? Look at him, where'd he go?' He was everywhere. Sometimes he went so far, his mic started delayin'. We'd be like, 'Where's he at?' He'd be way at the top, at the nosebleed seats, dancin' with everybody." On Friday (May 27), Cali Swag and M-Bone's family, friends and fans will bid farewell to the 22-year-old, who was murdered in a drive-by shooting on May 15. A public memorial service is set to take place at the Faithful Center in Inglewood, California. Inglewood Police Department's homicide division told MTV News that, while they have spoken to several witnesses, as of now they have made no arrests and have no suspects in the murder. Despite the grim circumstances surrounding M-Bone's death, Cali Swag District's surviving members remain upbeat, laughing and even poking fun, choosing to remember the good times that they shared with the rapper/dancer. "We remember he couldn't pronounce a lot of words right," recalled Yung. "When he said 'phone,' he used to say 'foam.' Like, 'Pass me my foam.' " CSD, who are most famous for their 2010 platinum single "Teach Me How to Dougie," remember Bone as a pretty calm guy ... that is, until it was time to dance, of course. "If you noticed, he's always quiet until it's his time to shine," Yung explained. "When it's time for anything that has to do with any craziness or hype-ness, that's his time to shine. If it's about dancin', that's when he go in. Other than that, he be chillin'." M-Bone was so laidback when it came to talking with the press, in fact, that Yung said his crew should have changed his moniker in hindsight. "Chill Bone, that's what we should've called him when it comes to interview time, Chill Bone," he maintained. The Inglewood Police Department is asking anyone with information surrounding the death of M-Bone to come forward and call its homicide division at (310) 412-5246 or its 24-hour anonymous hotline number, (888) 41 CRIME, or (888) 412-7463. Do you have any condolence messages to send out to M-Bone's friends, family and bandmates? Share them in the comments. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Robert Pattinson In 'Cosmopolis': First Look! Posted: 27 May 2011 06:07 AM PDT RPattz and co-star Sarah Gadon appear to be in the back of a cab in photo from David Cronenberg movie.
By Eric Ditzian 
Robert Pattinson and Sarah Gadon in "Cosmopolis"
Photo: Caitlin Cronenberg's Twitter Robert Pattinson spent eight months on the set of "Breaking Dawn" and was immediately pulled from the set to begin his whirlwind press duties for "Water for Elephants" last month. After perhaps just enough time to take a quick nap, RPattz is now back on a new set: "Cosmopolis," director David Cronenberg's adaptation of the slim Don DeLillo novel. With production under way, Cronenberg's daughter has posted the first look at Pattinson and Sarah Gadon in character. The photo appears to capture the duo in a cab, though the great majority of the action, or lack thereof, in the book takes place in a limousine. Pattinson plays Eric Packer, a young and rich asset manager who, over the course of one day, manages to lose millions of dollars yet remain oddly detached from it all as his limo plods through horrendous New York City traffic. Gadon portrays Elise, a rich and beautiful heiress who is married to Packer but who doesn't seem to care for him very much at all and who certainly won't sleep with him. "I had read the script about eight months ago and thought, 'Wow, this is something that hasn't been made in a long time,' "Pattinson told MTV News in March. "Which I think, like 'Water for Elephants' as well, I'm just trying to find that kind of stuff, because what else is the point? There's so much generic, everything's the same. So you might as well attempt to try something different." When we caught up with him again in April, Rob revealed that he'd been working with a dialect coach to achieve a "very specific accent." But he still hadn't spoken with Gadon about the upcoming project. "I've seen a couple of things she's done," he said. "She's really good." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 'Twilight' Actress Bryce Dallas Howard Is Pregnant Posted: 27 May 2011 07:59 AM PDT The child will be the second for Howard, who played evil vampire Victoria in 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.'
By Eric Ditzian 
Bryce Dallas Howard
Photo: Junko Kimura/ Getty Images "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" star Bryce Dallas Howard is pregnant with her second child, a rep for the actress has told Us Weekly. Howard and actor husband Seth Gabel ("Fringe") had their first son, Theo, in 2007. Details about how far along she is in her pregnancy or the sex of the child were not disclosed. The 30-year-old actress, the daughter of director Ron Howard, has starred in "The Village," "Spider-Man 3" and "Terminator Salvation," in which she played a pregnant woman not too long after giving birth to Theo. But Howard is perhaps best known for playing the vampire Victoria in "Eclipse" — and for the circumstances under which she took on the role. In July 2009, Summit Entertainment made a sudden announcement that it had decided to replace Rachelle Lefevre, who originated the part of the evil vampire in "Twilight" and its first sequel, "New Moon." Howard then stepped in. "It was actually a really unfortunate circumstance where the actress who everyone really cared deeply about, who has done an amazing job in this role, was unavailable," Howard told MTV News that December. "They were looking for someone to fill that slot. It was right before production actually happened, so of course there was intimidation there and feeling a huge responsibility to do my best." This summer Howard appears opposite Emma Stone in "The Help," an adaptation of the New York Times #1 best-seller about segregation in '60s-era Mississippi. MTV News will actually be talking with Howard and Stone on Thursday as part of our MTV Movie Awards Sneak Peek Week, a five-day extravaganza in which we'll be debuting footage on MTV from some of this summer's hottest films and then sitting down for extended conversations online. So if you've got any questions for Howard, just tweet @MTVNews using the hashtag #spw. For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
