MTV News |
- Irv Gotti's Def Jam Presidency Bid 'Caused A Buzz'
- Tracy Morgan Collapses At Sundance
- 'Workaholics' Stars School Us On Backbreaking Comedy
- Maino Mixes Hit Records With Street Bangers On New Tape
- Exclusive: Megaupload's CEO Is Not Swizz Beatz, But He's Still Interested
- Neil Young Angered By 'Sound Of Music Today'
- Drake Takes Sundance By Storm
- 'Arrested Development' To Shoot This Summer?
- Tom Cruise Sings 'Like An Opera Singer' In 'Rock Of Ages'
- NFC Championship Game Takes Future To The 'Next Level'
- 'Dark Knight' Director Christopher Nolan Is 'Phenomenal,' Cillian Murphy Says
| Irv Gotti's Def Jam Presidency Bid 'Caused A Buzz' Posted: 23 Jan 2012 03:53 AM PST 'Everybody felt what I was saying and was riding,' former Murder Inc. boss says about October 'RapFix Live' appearance.
No matter if he was producing hits for Jay-Z or J.Lo or running Murder, Inc Records, Irv Gotti always approached the game with passion. Gotti brought that same love to MTV's "RapFix Live" in October when he essentially campaigned to become Def Jam's next president.
"It caused a buzz, and I want people to know I didn't start the whole 'Irv Gotti for president' thing; the people did," the former Def Jam A&R told MTV News as he walked the red carpet at the reopening of Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan last week. "It was a crazy thing, and it was all good." Gotti has a storied relationship with the groundbreaking rap label. After he produced "Can I Live" from Hov's 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt, Irv helped set up a deal between Jay's Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam. Next, Gotti coaxed DMX to the powerhouse label and then Ja Rule. In 2005, the federal government charged Gotti's Murder Inc. label with money laundering, and even though Irv was cleared of the charges, his relationship with Def Jam soured. Back in October, Irv made his pitch to return to the record company in a very big way. "If you don't want to hire me — the best man for the job, the man who will die for it — cool, I understand. You think I'm Suge Knight, you think the feds may come in here again if you hire me, cool," he said at the time. "Put somebody in there, because you not giving any sign or any indication that you care about my culture."
A number of artists and industry mainstays spoke out in support of Irv, while others quietly championed him behind the scenes. "It was one of the best 'RapFix' [interviews] ever," Jadakiss told MTV News in November. "He said a lot of stuff that doesn't get said. He was able to [vent] without hating on the record labels or channeling any hate. ... Everything he said — me being on the inside looking out and him being on the inside looking out but now on the outside looking in — I think he nailed every point. I think everything he said was excellent, and almost everything was true." It doesn't seem like Def Jam brass will put Irv in the big chair, but Gotti is appreciative of the support he has gotten from the hip-hop community. "Everybody was riding. It was a lot of love," he said last week. "Everybody felt what I was saying and was riding." Who do you think should be Def Jam's next president? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos |
| Tracy Morgan Collapses At Sundance Posted: 23 Jan 2012 05:02 AM PST Actor remains hospitalized following collapse.
"30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan was rushed to a Utah hospital on Sunday after falling unconscious at an awards ceremony during the Sundance Film Festival. Morgan was honored with an award at the Creative Coalition Spotlight Awards in Park City, Utah when he seemed disoriented during his speech and was escorted out of the building a short time later, where he fell unconscious, according to TMZ. The comedian was rushed by ambulance to the Park City Medical Center and a spokesperson for the hospital said that no drugs or alcohol were found in his system. A rep for the actor released a statement explaining, "from a combination of exhaustion and altitude, Tracy is seeking medical attention ... He is with his fiancée and grateful to the Park City Medical Center for their care. Any reports of Tracy consuming alcohol are 100 percent false." The Hollywood Reporter quoted unnamed sources saying that Morgan seemed out of control before accepting the Initiative Award, yelling and falling to the ground. Morgan received a kidney transplant two year ago and was at Sundance for a screening of the film "Predisposed," in which he stars alongside Jesse Eisenberg and Melissa Leo. His publicist denied that Morgan -- a recovering alcoholic who was arrested twice for driving under the influence in 2005 and 2006 -- appeared intoxicated at the festival. |
| 'Workaholics' Stars School Us On Backbreaking Comedy Posted: 23 Jan 2012 03:53 AM PST 'It's weird when people say it's an accident, 'cause I kinda meant to do it,' Blake Anderson says of stunt gone wrong in MTV's 'First Date.'
As one of the co-stars of Comedy Central's "Workaholics," Blake Anderson has made his way into the hearts and televisions of many an American as Blake Henderson, the goofy member of the show's trio who's not above spending his week's paycheck on a coat that looks like a bear, or talking his friends into foregoing their Thanksgiving plans to spend a weekend at a Hedonism resort in Jamaica.
So when we sat down with Anderson following the castmembers' "First Date" shoot, which premieres Tuesday on MTV.com, it was refreshing to know that his quirks and sense of humor — and those of his fellow Workaholics — are not just a stage persona. We asked for details on how he recently made headlines jumping off a roof and landing (not especially gracefully) onto a Comedy Central-branded beer pong table, reportedly fracturing his spine in the process. Oh, and Odd Future's Tyler, the Creator was there too — having a good laugh at Anderson's expense. "It's weird when people say it's an accident, 'cause I kinda meant to do it," he explained about the fall. "I was drunk and it was stupid. Don't jump off roofs into hard surface areas." His castmates (they are all good friends in real life), however, had a different perspective on the situation: "It was all CGI, it was a ploy to get more viewers. Thank you for viewing," explained Adam DeVine, whose "Workaholics" character, Adam Demamp, was named one of MTV News' Top 50 TV Characters of 2011. The carnage, however, appears to be very real, with Anderson sporting a fresh scar from the incident on the left side of his back. Though DeVine once again refutes its veracity, asking, "... or is it CGI'd?" So exactly what was recent VMA winner Tyler, the Creator doing at his place? "We have those little rugrats runnin' around at our parties sometimes," Anderson said of his friendship with Odd Future. Fellow member Taco appeared in the show's second-season premiere. Despite their ups and downs, so to speak, the groups remain friendly — despite some fighting words from the cast. "You're not invited anymore, Tyler. And that's on you, bro," DeVine exclaimed. "Yeah, go 'create' some sh--," added Anders Holm. You can see more with the cast of "Workaholics" on Tuesday when their episode of "First Date" goes live on MTV.com! |
| Maino Mixes Hit Records With Street Bangers On New Tape Posted: 21 Jan 2012 10:18 PM PST 'It's album-quality music, it's not just a bunch of throwaways,' Green Lantern tells Mixtape Daily of Maino's I Am Who I Am.
Main Pick Headliners: Maino and DJ Green Lantern
Real Spit: While Maino is known to keep close ties with the streets, the Brooklyn MC has a knack for making rap hits that transcend his 'hood. From 2008's "Hi Hater" to his T-Pain-assisted "All the Above" and his current Lil Wayne-featured banger "Cream," Main has managed to keep a stash of radio gems but has never compromised his underground appeal. Now, as he gets set to finally release his sophomore album, The Day After Tomorrow, Maino leads first with a mixtape prelude, I Am Who I Am: The Album Before the Album. "It's the album before the album, it's album-quality music, it's not just a bunch of throwaways," the tape's disc jock Green Lantern told Mixtape Daily. "With mixtapes, a lot of times, a lot of people do something where they're rhyming over other people's beats, they freestyling and stuff like that. I wanted to do something that was a little bit more different and something that I was used to doing," Maino said. "I feel like one of my strong points is making hot records, making songs. So I wanted to do that right before my album was gonna drop." I Am Who I Am features a handful of street odes. "Cream," with Lil Wayne, is included, and why wouldn't it be? The repetitive Rick Ross sample on the hook makes it memorable, while Main and Weezy's focused vocals make it bang. "Yes Yes Ya'll" featuring Lloyd Banks is another winner. The Hustle Hard boss trades bars with Banks over a bouncy beat that draws inspiration from Peedi Crakk's 2003 single "One for Peedi Crakk." Then there is "Last of the Mohicans" with Push! Montana. Over the pounding drum track, Maino and Montana rhyme about their struggles coming up. They draw a clear distinction on the song between themselves and the rappers who only portray a gangster's lifestyle. Maino truly embodies everything that he raps about on I Am Who I Am and that's what makes his tape so compelling. And just to think, this is only The Album Before the Album. Next up: The Day After Tomorrow. Joints to Check For » "Last of the Mohicans" - "Last of a dying breed, ya know? Right now we're seeing a different trend in hip-hop where it's not so much about street credibility. It's not so much about what you may have done in the streets; it's not so much about you being a gangsta and stuff like that. It's about just making hot music." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. |
| Exclusive: Megaupload's CEO Is Not Swizz Beatz, But He's Still Interested Posted: 22 Jan 2012 01:22 AM PST 'He's not walking away from this,' a source close to Swizz tells MTV News.
Swizz Beatz is not the CEO of Megaupload, the file-sharing website that was shut down by the federal government on January 19, as was previously reported. A source very familiar with Swizz's situation cleared the air for MTV News late Saturday night, but contends that the multi-platinum producer is still seriously involved with the company, though he wasn't named in the federal indictment against Megaupload and is no way connected to the crimes of which they are being accused. "He's not walking away from this," the source told MTV News. Before Megaupload was shut down, Swizz Beatz (nee Kasseem Dean) was listed on the company's "About Us" page as the CEO. The source, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed that while Beatz, husband to R&B star Alicia Keys, was in negotiations to run the company, the ink on the deal wasn't dry. So why was Swizz's name listed as CEO on Megaupload's site? "They put that up prematurely," our source said. On Thursday, the feds shut down the site and arrested several members of the company, hitting them with multiple racketeering and copyright infringement charges. A federal indictment alleges that the site, which allows users to transfer large files, has generated more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright-holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated movies, albums and other materials. The company's founder, Kim Dotcom (a.k.a. Kim Schmitz), was among those arrested. However, the crimes that Megaupload is being accused of all pre-date Swizz's involvement, MTV News was told. Swizz, who has produced for DMX, Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige, to name a few, became involved with the company over the last several months. Beatz, as well as Kanye West, Diddy, will.i.am and other notable musicians, appeared in a series of video testimonies and even a music video that supported Megaupload's efforts. According to our source, Swizz and Megaupload were exploring "new ways of getting music to consumers," and we were told that the producer/rapper is still excited by the possibilities. After the legal matter is resolved, it is still possible that Swizz Beatz will officially join Megaupload as the company's CEO. What do you think of Swizz's involvement with Megaupload and it's shut-down by the feds? Tell us in the comments. Related Artists |
| Neil Young Angered By 'Sound Of Music Today' Posted: 22 Jan 2012 02:35 AM PST 'We're in the 21st century and we have the worst sound that we've ever had,' Young tells MTV News at Sundance Film Festival.
PARK CITY, Utah — It's hard to argue about the digital age of music in terms of efficiency and portability. When it comes down to cycling through shelves upon shelves of old CDs versus taking one's entire library of music on the go in a single handheld device, the choice seems rather clear.
But convenience aside, there is something missing in the digital translation of tunes — at least there is according to legendary folk rocker Neil Young, who spoke with MTV News in Park City (where he's promoting the Slamdance release of his new Jonathan Demme-helmed documentary "Neil Young Journeys") and expressed his concerns over the current state of "the sound of music." "I'm finding that I have a little bit of trouble with the quality of the sound of music today," Young said. "I don't like it. It just makes me angry. Not the quality of the music, but we're in the 21st century and we have the worst sound that we've ever had. It's worse than a 78 [rpm record]. Where are our geniuses? What happened?" Young argued that MP3s feature only 5 percent of the data from an original master file, which he sees as a major problem. "If you're an artist and you created something and you knew the master was 100 percent great, but the consumer got 5 percent, would you be feeling good?" he asked. "I like to point that out to artists. That's why people listen to music differently today. It's all about the bottom and the beat driving everything, and that's because in the resolution of the music, there's nothing else you can really hear. The warmth and the depth at the high end is gone."
The singer-songwriter likened the current state of music to an equally present political movement: "It's like Occupy Music — the 5 percent, that's who we are now. We used to be the hundred percent!" Young isn't unilaterally dissatisfied with the modern era of music, however. He said he's pleased by the returning popularity of the folk genre, for instance, particularly in the hands of capable musicians like Mumford and Sons and My Morning Jacket. "Mumford and Sons and My Morning Jacket are great bands," Young said. "I love them both and I know them well. I feel good about saying that." The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Posted: 22 Jan 2012 12:37 AM PST Toronto MC debuts new verses and first-time performances at Utah club during Sundance Film Festival.
PARK CITY, Utah — Underneath the blizzard-like conditions that blanketed Park City on Saturday night, the Bing Bar was packed with hundreds of people waiting for a chance to catch Drake give a rare stripped-down, intimate performance.
The delay-inducing snowstorm coupled with an open bar made for a fickle audience. Comedian Aziz Ansari opened the show with material about relationships that would have normally served as a nice amuse-bouche to Drake's emotive content. But much to the chagrin of the "Parks and Recreation" star, the audience talked through most of the set. The most entertaining part of the 10-minute set came when an unprompted Cuba Gooding Jr. ran onstage to instruct the audience to "Shut the f--- up." An exasperated Ansari dismissively conceded that Gooding Jr. wasn't as funny as the movie "Boat Trip" before ending his set. After crowds waited nearly three hours for the rapper to hit the stage, a triumphant Drake emerged and immediately made up for lost time. He opened by hitting the crowd with "Up All Night" and instantly cut into his first verse on "Forever." After taking a breather to introduce Toronto-based DJ Future the Prince, Drake apologized for the wait, which he explained was due to a six-hour plane delay, but the crowd didn't seem to mind. Announcing that he hadn't had a drink all night, Drake took long pulls from a bottle of vodka to catch up. Even without his normal backing band and spectacle light show, the newly fueled MC managed to bring an arena-size performance by going back in with the crowd-pleasing anthem "Show Me a Good Time" paired with his latest single, "Proud of You." Never forgetting to rep Young Money and his mentor Lil Wayne, Drake delivered his verse on "I'm On One" before showing some more Weezy love with "HYFR" and "The Motto." Earlier in the night, MTV caught up with Drake briefly on the red carpet. When asked about the upcoming mixtape with Rick Ross, Y.O.L.O., the rapper gave a knowing smile and simply replied, "You'll find out tonight," before doing the red carpet equivalent of a mic drop and moving on. Perhaps Drake was hinting at the only never-before-heard material of his Saturday-night set, a new version of "She Will," for which he told the crowd that he had a new verse. After crooning the chorus, the rapper spit a few bars of oscillating tempo about a wayward tryst that seemed to be a kindred lyrical spirit to "Marvin's Room." Drake finished his set by playing the up-tempo tracks from the first half of Take Care. Bringing it back to his Toronto pride, the DJ cued up the Weeknd-produced "Crew Love." Once the track finished, a glowing Drake revealed, "That was the first time I played that one live." The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Arrested Development' To Shoot This Summer? Posted: 22 Jan 2012 02:02 AM PST Michael Cera updates MTV News on progress of 'Arrested Development' movie and new TV episodes.
PARK CITY, Utah — Bluth-family fans collectively "blue" themselves when it was announced that "Arrested Development" would be coming back in both film and television form. Netflix announced late last year that they would be backing new episodes of "Arrested" that would pave the way for an eventual feature film.
Despite the good news, fans remain in the dark regarding when "Arrested Development" might actually go back into production. But according to Michael Cera, who spoke with MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival about his new movie "The End of Love," the Bluth reunion may be coming together sooner than expected. "I've heard summer," Cera told MTV News. "So hopefully that's going to happen." Still, like his "Arrested" costars, Cera is of the "I'll believe it when I see it" school of thought. "It's hard to be excited, because I don't feel any progress day to day," he said. "But I'm sure it's happening. I think it's just out of my realm of awareness. I'll be happy when we're on set doing it." Cera's fellow "Arrested" actor Alia Shawkat also spoke with MTV News at Sundance and expressed her enthusiasm about getting back into the Bluth household sooner than later. "It's been kind of following me around like a very attractive albatross," she said of her "Arrested Development" history. "But now it's hopefully going to happen. It would be very exciting." The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance. Related Photos |
| Tom Cruise Sings 'Like An Opera Singer' In 'Rock Of Ages' Posted: 22 Jan 2012 01:34 AM PST 'He's Superman to me. He can do anything he sets his mind to,' co-star Malin Akerman says.
PARK CITY, Utah — He can run. He can climb cliff sides without harnesses. Heck, he can even scale the surface of the world's tallest building. And now, for his next trick, Tom Cruise will truly do the impossible: sing his heart out in front of moviegoers nationwide.
The "Mission Impossible" actor will next be seen as fictional rock god Stacee Jaxx in "Rock of Ages," director Adam Shankman's adaptation of the Broadway musical. If you think it's bizarre casting, take it from Cruise's costar, Malin Akerman — according to her, there is literally nothing that Cruise can't do, carrying a tune included. "He's brilliant. You're going to be blown away," Akerman told MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival, which she's attending as an ambassador for the Brita FilterForGood Music Project campaign. "His voice is ridiculous." Akerman should know. As reporter Constance Sack, she only has one musical number in "Rock of Ages" — a cover of "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner — which she sings opposite Cruise. "I auditioned with Cruise. We did our scene together and then I had to sing in the studio [for a musical audition]," she said of landing the role. "My role was actually one of the last ones cast, so I was the last onboard and had the least amount of prep [time]. It was nerve-wracking, to have to go in and sing in the audition." But Akerman says any anxiety was transformed into elation when performing opposite Cruise, a Hollywood icon she likens to an equally iconic superhero. "He's Superman to me. He can do anything he sets his mind to," she said, adding that on top of his talent as an actor and his ability to perform breathtaking stunts, Cruise can also "sing like an opera singer." "When you're with Tom, you give it your all," Akerman said. "It was really amazing and surreal." The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance. Related Photos |
| NFC Championship Game Takes Future To The 'Next Level' Posted: 22 Jan 2012 09:50 AM PST Future Honored To Perform 'Tony Montana' As 49ers Face The New York Giants
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| 'Dark Knight' Director Christopher Nolan Is 'Phenomenal,' Cillian Murphy Says Posted: 22 Jan 2012 12:17 AM PST 'Red Lights' star looks forward to Nolan's final Batman film, as well as a potential return to the 'Tron' universe.
PARK CITY, Utah — Despite photo and video leaks from the set, two trailers, one prologue and plenty of interviews, there are still several unanswered questions surrounding "The Dark Knight Rises." Chief among them is the rumor that Cillian Murphy, who played the fear-mongering Scarecrow in "Batman Begins," will return once more to Gotham City when Christopher Nolan's final round with the Caped Crusader rolls in front of audiences in July.
For his part, Murphy has kept his lips shut on any surprise "Rises" cameos — though given that his psychotic psychiatrist Jonathan Crane appeared very briefly at the beginning of "The Dark Knight," a return appearance for Nolan's final Batman movie seems likely. But even if he doesn't terrorize Bruce Wayne one last time, Murphy is very eager to see what Nolan has in store for the trilogy's conclusion. "I'm looking forward to it," the actor told MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival, where he's promoting his paranormal thriller "Red Lights" from director Rodrigo Cortes. "Any film that Chris Nolan makes ... he's got a good track record. He makes amazing movies." "It's been a huge honor to work with him," Murphy added. "He's just phenomenal." One villainous turn Murphy was allowed to speak about a bit more freely was his all-too-brief appearance in "Tron Legacy." The Irish actor had a very small but potentially crucial role as Edward Dillinger Jr., son of original "Tron" villain Ed Dillinger Sr., and it seemed as though he might have a bigger and badder part to play in subsequent "Legacy" sequels. "Talk about being in a movie for a 'blink and you'll miss it' [role]," Murphy laughed when his "Tron" cameo was brought up. "I was just such a fan of the original, and they asked me if I wanted to be in it. I said, 'Absolutely. Anything you want.' " But as for whether or not he'll come back for more "Tron," Murphy remains unsure. "I don't know," he said. "It was just a buzz to be in that movie, even for [one scene]." The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance. Related Photos |
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