MTV News |
- Katy Perry Says 'Firework' Is <i>Teenage Dream</i>'s 'Anthem'
- Fabolous' <i>Grieving</i> Mixtape Features Three New Songs
- Linkin Park Get Pushed To The Limit In 'The Catalyst' Video
- Drake's 'Miss Me' Video Shoot Complicated By Lil Wayne's Absence
- Eminem To Perform At 2010 MTV VMAs
- Jay-Z To Join U2's 360 Tour In Australia
- Swizz Beatz Says 'Pressure Was On' For Kanye 'Power' Remix
- James Cameron Dreaming Up Technology 'Wish List' For 'Avatar' Sequels
- Fantasia Talks Overdose On 'Behind The Music': 'I Just Wanted Out'
- 'Piranha 3D' Sequel Already Planned
- Nikki Reed Explains Bella And Rosalie's 'Breaking Dawn' Bond
- Exclusive: Lil Boosie To Release New LP, <i>Incarcerated,</i> Next Month
- How Rock The Bells Tour Lineup Came To Fruition
- Lauryn Hill's Rock The Bells Set Ignites Fans And Journos
- Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray's Trial Set For January
- Rakim Calls Rock The Bells Tour 'A Blessing'
- Katy Perry Says 'Pearl' Is Her Album's Crowning Jewel
- T.I. 'Lost Sleep' Over Double Duty As Producer And Star Of 'Takers'
- Cee-Lo's New Song Is Easy On The Ears, Heavy On The Language
- 3OH!3 Re-Create The Internet <i>On</i> The Internet In New 'Double Vision' Video
| Katy Perry Says 'Firework' Is <i>Teenage Dream</i>'s 'Anthem' Posted: 24 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'This could be one of those things where it's like, 'Yeah, I want to put my fist up and feel proud,' ' she tells MTV News.
Katy Perry is a bit of a human firework — sparkly, colorful and spontaneous — so it's fitting that she would include a song called "Firework" on her Teenage Dream album, which has already spawned hits like the title track and "California Gurls."
"Firework," like Perry, is spunky and funky with unexpected moments, like when the orchestra kicks in. The track is sure to resonate with Perry fans who love when the singer gets real about boys and love and their electrifying power. The song also means a lot to Perry. "I wanted to go in with Stargate, and I finished off with a couple of songs, one song called 'Firework,' which is probably my favorite song off the record," she told MTV News. "Like something I'm most proud of." As much as she loves the song, fans and critics who have heard the track also think it's pretty powerful. "People are coming back and almost adopting it as their own anthem, and it's hard, I think, to write an anthem that's not cheesy," she explained. "And I hope that this could be something in that category. I hope this could be one of those things where it's like, 'Yeah, I want to put my fist up and feel proud and feel strong.' "But I also don't want to be cheesy," she reiterated. "It's a fine line, and I think 'Firework' is a real, I guess, it would be like the opus or my one song — if I had to pick a song to play — 'cause it has a great beat. But it also has a fantastic message." Have you heard "Firework" yet? Do you think it's Katy's anthem? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Fabolous' <i>Grieving</i> Mixtape Features Three New Songs Posted: 24 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'This is just the music to help you get through them tough times,' Fab says of There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music.
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive We all know Funeral Fab is "Nyyyyyyyyccce!" But he's also a nice guy. Earlier this year, Fabolous had homecoming ceremonies for all the contenders out there with the Gangsta Grillz The Funeral Service: There Is No Competition 2. Now that everyone is in the grave "Thriller" style, he's not just going to leave them buried. He's going to place tombstones on their lots.
We caught up with Loso at Cemetery Monument Co. in the Bronx (that's right by St. Raymond's Cemetery, for those of you familiar with the BX) while he was tombstone shopping. Fab clarified what's up with his new EP (due September 6). "I'm just here to make sure they're buried respectfully," Fab said. "That's why we're here, picking out tombstones for the competition. I felt it was the least I could do for being somewhat responsible for killing the competition. We're here today, we're going to bury them respectfully. We're getting tombstones, some of them are expensive. Some of y'all don't deserve expensive tombstones. We may cremate you. We're going to figure out a way to work the competition in. There's not even enough graveyard, but we're going to figure this out. Fab's EP features three new songs — "Lights Out," "You Be Killin' 'Em" and "Body Count" — and a remix of "Body Bag" with Cam'ron and Vado, which were not on The Funeral Service. Lex Luger and Ryan Leslie are among the producers. "The EP was something Def Jam came to me about doing. The mixtape had a lot of success in the streets and online. They came to me with the opportunity of putting it out to more of the masses. I guess for certain people who didn't pick it up, now to add something new to it. Add the videos, add a couple new songs and call it There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music [mixtape]. This is just the music to help you get through them tough times. Another sad day for the competition." The track list for There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music mixtape, according to Def Jam. 1. "The Eulogy" (Intro) For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Linkin Park Get Pushed To The Limit In 'The Catalyst' Video Posted: 24 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT 'I think this is a little bit more of an abstract piece than what we've done before,' says Mike Shinoda.
Linkin Park's videos have run the gamut from the massive (the wide-screen visuals of "What I've Done," the exploding soundscapes of "New Divide") to the minimal (the dream-like macro focus of "Somewhere I Belong," the jittery animated world of "Breaking the Habit"), but the majority of them have one thing in common: the dude sitting in the director's chair.
Since their breakout 2000 album Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park DJ Joseph Hahn has also served as the band's primary video director. And that's very much the case with their upcoming video for "The Catalyst," the first single off their much-anticipated A Thousand Suns album (due September 14). But unlike previous efforts, Hahn seemed determined to push his bandmates to the limit this time around, as MTV News found out when we visited the set of the video back in June. "I think this is a little bit more of an abstract piece than what we've done before," Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda told us. "My voice is a little tired because I'm singing on this one. And it's a lot of singing, it's been a long day, a lot of smoke [being used]. Once again, Mr. Hahn is in the driver's seat, and we have faith in where he'll take us." And judging from what we saw, Shinoda wasn't exaggerating. Hahn filled "The Catalyst" set with enough smoke to give Cypress Hill pause, and that was just the beginning. Over the course of the day, we watched as he dunked frontman Chester Bennington in a pool of water, bounced his bandmates off trampolines and covered them in layers of multihued dust. It was a pretty grueling — not to mention messy — day ... the kind of thing that required more than a little faith to get through. Then again, one of the benefits of working with a director who also plays in your band is that you know he's got your best interests in mind. Even if it seems like he doesn't. "Joe has directed all of our videos since, I think, the second or third one, so he's been doing almost all the videos for our entire career," Shinoda said. "And if it goes well, we pat him on the back, and if it's a pain in the butt, we blame him." "The Catalyst" video premieres at midnight August 25 (technically, the 26th) on MTV.com and VH1.com, and then on MTV, VH1, MTV2, mtvU, MTV Hits, MTV Tr3s and all MTV international territories at 8 p.m. ET/PT on August 26. Are you looking forward to the video for "The Catalyst"? Let us know in the comments! |
| Drake's 'Miss Me' Video Shoot Complicated By Lil Wayne's Absence Posted: 23 Aug 2010 05:01 AM PDT 'It wasn't shot the way I would have shot it,' Anthony Mandler says of Lil Wayne footage shot before he came onboard as director.
Drake's "Miss Me" video is the third project between the rapper and director Anthony Mandler (Jay-Z, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige), following their work together on the Toronto star's "Over" and "Find Your Love." According to Mandler, he and Drake are establishing an aesthetic via their collaborations. Mandler said that "Over" was about re-establishing Drake visually and "Find Your Love" was intended to make Drake the lead in an anti-love story.
With "Miss Me," however, the director said the video was a particular challenge because co-star Lil Wayne's footage was shot prior to Mandler coming onboard. "It wasn't shot the way I would have shot it," Mandler explained to MTV News. "So I had to come up with a world where I had ultimate control. I think with Drake, we're always looking for overarching themes. We're always looking for bigger themes to hang our hat on. With 'Miss Me,' what was interesting to me was not the idea of 'miss me because Wayne was gong to jail.' Because it was deeper than that. It was the attainability verses the unattainability. And how stars and people who are public figures are expected to sit on a platform and be grabbed and watched and photographed and controlled. "The idea for me was, what happens if it's not that clear," he added. The director said he incorporated a set where everything was slightly off. The set was built with a converging ceiling, in order to appear smaller. The lead actress in the video was never fully shown. The Young Money star appears but then quickly disappears. "Everything is a click off," Mandler explained. "All these unrelated scenarios are related by a textual theme and trying to play that into that, rather than some straight narrative, because we didn't have control ... 'cause we didn't have Wayne," he said. What did you think of the "Miss Me" video? Share your reviews below! Related Artists |
| Eminem To Perform At 2010 MTV VMAs Posted: 23 Aug 2010 08:39 AM PDT The VMA veteran returns to the stage with eight nominations from his best-selling Recovery.
You can't throw the year's biggest party without inviting the artist with the best-selling album of 2010. Especially if that guy happens to be Eminem, whose history with the MTV Video Music Awards is long, legendary and full of the kind of eye-popping moments that make the VMAs the must-TiVo event of the year.
Slim Shady will bless the show's stage on September 12, where he is nominated for eight Moonmen for his smash comeback album Recovery, the best-selling non-country release of the year. Em joins an already star-packed roster of performers that includes Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, B.o.B, and Florence and the Machine, as well as in-house DJ Deadmau5 and host Chelsea Handler. The list of presenters already includes Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj, Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Trey Songz, Ashley Greene, Selena Gomez and Ne-Yo. Over the years, Eminem has given some of the most iconic performances of the modern VMA era, none bigger than 2000's Night of the Living Shadys. During that show, Em began his run through Video of the Year-winning hit "The Real Slim Shady" out on the streets of Manhattan, surrounded by an army of clones dressed exactly like him. The brigade then marched into Radio City Music Hall as Em finished "Shady" and then busted into a visceral "The Way I Am." Even when he wasn't performing on the show, Eminem — who ranks sixth on the list of all-time VMA winners — has made his presence felt over the years, as he did in 2002 with his infamous run-in with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Viewers can vote for general VMA categories, including Best New Artist, by visiting VMA.MTV.com. In addition, text voting for Best New Artist is open to all wireless carrier subscribers by texting BNA to 97979. Voting continues through the show, live on September 12. Also, Verizon Wireless subscribers can vote in all categories by texting VMA to 97979 (standard message rates apply). The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for the winners from now through September 12. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Jay-Z To Join U2's 360 Tour In Australia Posted: 23 Aug 2010 02:41 AM PDT Five-city outing will be first gig under Live Nation Australia affiliate.
With his co-headlining hometown stadium shows alongside Eminem and the Black Ball NY affair scheduled, Jay-Z is going to be one busy man this fall. But never underestimate Jay's work ethic: Billboard is reporting that the rapper is planning to hit the stage as a special guest on U2's 360 Tour in Australia. The five-city tour will be the first concert promoted by the new Live Nation Australia. The outing will begin in Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium on November 25 and make its way to amphitheaters across the country, stopping in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. It will conclude at Perth's Subiaco Oval on December 18. Tickets will be on sale to the general public September 3, while U2.com subscribers will have the opportunity for a pre-sale. U2's summer leg of the tour was rescheduled after lead singer Bono suffered a back injury, pushing those dates to the spring and summer of 2011. This won't be the first time Jay-Z and U2 have joined forces. Earlier this year, both acts, as well as Rihanna, performed their benefit song "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" as part of the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon. In addition to their charity song, Jay-Z and U2 also proved to be music heavyweights when they made the top 10 on Forbes magazine's list of the world's top-earning musicians. Are you hoping Jay-Z and U2 might perform together in the United States? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Artists |
| Swizz Beatz Says 'Pressure Was On' For Kanye 'Power' Remix Posted: 23 Aug 2010 01:51 AM PDT 'When he made that announcement, we didn't have what we had,' Swizz reveals of 'Ye's on-air promise.
Kanye West's "Power" remix had just as much manpower on the record — 'Ye, Jay-Z, John Legend, Swizz Beatz — as it did behind the scenes. According to Swizz Beatz, the studio sessions that ultimately led to the production of the number featured not only the aforementioned artists, but also input from Q-Tip, Mos Def and the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams.
"Just multiple combinations," Swizz told MTV News on Monday (August 23). The MCs and producers were all working on each other's albums as the "Power" remix was being put together. The pressure was on Kanye to deliver after the rapper announced in an interview with Angie Martinez on August 11 that a remix of "Power" featuring Jay-Z would be delivered by that Friday, August 13. "He definitely, definitely was focused," Swizz said. " 'Cause when he made that announcement, we didn't have what we had. But you know when something feels right and it's time to let something to go. " 'Ye was trying to put it out the best way possible, to give it to the people," Swizz explained of the delay that followed; the remix arrived a bit later than what Yeezy promised. "And then the day before, the last day, before the remix dropped, it just felt like the song needed to change up. I heard it changing up on something different, something that was already on the beat. And I was trying to explain it, but I didn't want to go in too much because [Kanye] was writing his verse. But it sparked an idea." Once work on the track was complete, though, there was little if any lag time from the studio to the airwaves. Swizz said that after they finished the three-part remix — one part Jay and 'Ye; one part a solo 'Ye over slower music; and the third, Swizz's contribution featuring Snap's "I've Got the Power" — Funkmaster Flex had premiered the track on NY radio station Hot 97, before Swizz had even made it home from the studio. Who would you have wanted to hear jump on a remix of "Power"? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| James Cameron Dreaming Up Technology 'Wish List' For 'Avatar' Sequels Posted: 23 Aug 2010 05:56 AM PDT 'We're working on how to improve the system,' he tells MTV News.
With the re-release of the biggest film in movie history quickly approaching ("Avatar" hits theaters again in 3-D and IMAX on Friday), James Cameron has been out and about doing his due diligence with the media, dishing out news about the impending sequels, describing what scenes audiences will see within the nine extra minutes (i.e., the "alien kink" scene!) and much more. When MTV News caught up with Cameron to talk about the re-release, we took the opportunity to delve deep into the director's technical, history-making mind and ask some very specific (read: nerdy) questions. First, given the film's creation and development of the Virtual Camera system, we wanted to know what technological improvements are on Cameron's "wish list" for the sequels.
"We're working on that wish list right now," he said. "We're working on how to improve the system. You're working on kind of an old video game level of a reality; it's not photo-real in the Virtual Camera, because the Virtual Camera has to render in real time. So you think of it as a game engine, really, a sophisticated input device to a game engine, and as you move it around, it reacts immediately, just like in a video game." Cameron went on to say that one update they're working on is the camera system's inability to cast shadows. "As you give it inputs, it reacts immediately, but the level of reality isn't very high," he said. "For example, the characters don't cast shadows on the ground, and sometimes shadows are a very important part of a scene; you compose the shot to the shadow. Next time, we're going to have shadows, interactive volumetric lighting, all the kinds of things we didn't have on 'Avatar.' " Now to consult the dictionary for a definition of "interactive volumetric lighting" ... "Avatar" hits theaters again, with nine extra minutes of footage, in 3-D and 3-D IMAX on Friday. Check out everything we've got on "Avatar." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Fantasia Talks Overdose On 'Behind The Music': 'I Just Wanted Out' Posted: 22 Aug 2010 11:51 PM PDT 'I didn't have any fight in me,' she says on VH1 special, airing Tuesday.
Fantasia Barrino knew exactly what she was doing two weeks ago when she overdosed on aspirin and a sleep aid. "I didn't have any fight in me," she says in a new "Behind the Music" premiering Tuesday night on VH1. "I didn't care about anything. I just wanted out. At that moment, I wanted out. I wanted it to be over with — all of it, all of that sh--." She's referring to the drama surrounding her alleged relationship with a married man, Antwaun Cook. A week after Barrino's suicide attempt, a lawyer for Cook and his wife, Paula, said the season-three "American Idol" champ was not responsible for breaking up their marriage. "He knew Fantasia Barrino, but the failure of his marriage can in no way be blamed on anyone except the two people that were a part of the union — Paula and Antwaun," lawyer Nicole Sodoma said of the Cooks, who have reportedly been separated for a year. Barrino's suicide attempt came about a week after Paula Cook filed documents in court alleging that Antwaun and Barrino began a "covert adulterous affair" in August 2009 and that the two made a sex tape, which she claimed led to the couple's divorce. The "Behind the Music" episode includes a brand-new interview that was taped Saturday in which Barrino discusses the recent events. "I just sat in the closet and looked at the mirror and took all the pills in the bottle. I wanted to go to sleep and just be at peace. I knew exactly what I was doing. You can't accidentally take a whole bottle of pills," she says on the show, according to People magazine. Single mom Barrino, 26, who has already returned to the promotional trail for her third album, Back to Me, which hits stores Tuesday, explains on the show that she felt like suicide was her only escape from the adultery allegations, People reported. "I was tired of people doing me wrong, constantly, over and over again, dealing with my family — my father, dealing with men and their sh-- — I was tired," she says. "My head was hurting me. I was over it." She says during the special that when she met Cook, he was separated from his wife and not living at home and that he didn't want to get back with Paula. "I remember waking up in the hospital [and thinking], 'It didn't work. I'm still here in this hellhole,' " she says. " 'Still here with all this drama going on.' " A nurse convinced the four-time Grammy nominee that she had not yet fulfilled her destiny and that she needed to walk out of the hospital on her own. "I realized how people end up in the grave," she says. "Because that one moment of just breaking or feeling like I can't, I can't go on, it's too heavy. That was somewhere I don't ever want to go again." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Piranha 3D' Sequel Already Planned Posted: 23 Aug 2010 04:21 AM PDT Film made $10 million in its opening weekend.
Hot off the $10 million opening weekend for "Piranha 3D," Dimension Films announced Monday (August 23) that a sequel is already in the works. "We are thrilled that audiences are not just loving 'Piranha 3D,' but cheering for it," producer Mark Canton said in a statement. "And it's fantastic that so many critics are really getting the movie and recommending it. We can't wait to get to work on the sequel."
We've been following the blood- and breast-filled production since its humble beginnings, back when we visited the Lake Havasu, Arizona, set where co-star Paul Scheer bragged to us that the film's blood content would likely break records. "Over 600 gallons of blood were used in this movie so far, and we're not even done," Scheer told us. "This is gonna be the most boobs and blood in any motion picture of all time." Despite the film's seemingly campy nature — complete with the cast's cheeky Funny or Die video, in which they ask the Academy to consider "Piranha 3D" for a Best Picture Oscar nomination — the 1978 original film and its 1981 sequel "Piranha II: The Spawning" launched the careers of respected filmmakers Joe Dante, John Sayles and James Cameron. And if those established pedigrees aren't enough, director Alexandre Aja knows what it takes to get moviegoers into theaters. "There's going to be 3-D double-D boobs!" he laughed when we talked to him earlier this summer. "I want to know exactly how many different girls' boobs are in the movie. I think it's a lot. I think blood-wise, I have to get the final number, but we are beyond anything you can even imagine." With a current rating of 81 percent Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has struck a chord with critics as well. MTV's own Kurt Loder called the film's effects "top notch," "fluid" and just plain fun. "The thrills here may be traditional, but they're still actually thrilling," he wrote. The Associated Press' Christy Lemire gushed about the film: "Run, don't walk: 'Piranha 3-D' is hilariously, cleverly gory. Mere words cannot describe how awesomely gnarly 'Piranha 3D' is, how hugely entertaining, and how urgently you must get yourself to the theatre to see it. Like, now." Check out everything we've got on "Piranha 3D." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Nikki Reed Explains Bella And Rosalie's 'Breaking Dawn' Bond Posted: 23 Aug 2010 12:23 AM PDT The onetime rivals' love for baby Renesmee is 'the one thing that's strong enough to bring them together.'
With "Eclipse" about to leave theaters and a sizable gap between the release dates of "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" and "Part 2," the "Twilight" news seems hard to come by these days — at least until the cast starts filming "Dawn" this fall.
Lucky for us, MTV News caught up with Nikki Reed recently to talk about her upcoming indie film "Last Day of Summer" co-starring DJ Qualls, and, naturally, the conversation veered into "Breaking Dawn" territory. As fans and readers of Stephenie Meyer's final "Twilight" book know, Reed's character Rosalie and Kristen Stewart's Bella form an unexpected bond late in the series. We asked her thoughts on how the relationship between the two women changes in the final two films. "What is that saying: Nothing makes two people bond more than the hate of another?" Reed said. "I kind of feel like that [describes Bella and Rosalie's relationship], but in relation to love in 'Breaking Dawn,' because they both love this child so much." Speaking of Bella and Edward's much-discussed baby, Renesmee, Reed explained that a shared love unites the two. "I think it's finally the one thing that's strong enough to bring them together — their love for this [child]. It's bizarre," Reed said, since in the books and the films Bella and Rosalie don't exactly get along perfectly. "It's like they learn to co-exist for the sake of the kid, almost like they're a divorced couple." Reed has also said that her character's motivations for wanting Bella to have the baby at all costs are all about that love she has for the child, not politics. "I think that Rosalie just always wanted to be a mom, and that's how I look at it," she said. "It has nothing to do with being pro-life or anything. I think it's about her want, her need to be a mother, and this is the only opportunity she's ever going to have, so she's willing to let Bella die so she can have that and fulfill that, and that's how I look at it. It's her own personal desires." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
| Exclusive: Lil Boosie To Release New LP, <i>Incarcerated,</i> Next Month Posted: 23 Aug 2010 02:24 AM PDT Rapper is currently facing murder and conspiracy charges.
Lil Boosie remains in prison, battling very serious charges of murder and conspiracy, but his music career has not halted.
On September 28, Asylum Records is releasing Incarcerated, the follow-up to 2009's Super Bad: The Return of Boosie Bad Azz. The project is mostly produced by B.J., but Mouse on Tha Track did board work as well. Webbie, Foxx and Lil Trill are among the LP's guests. DJ Drama had a chance to get an early preview of the project and said Boosie's impact is immeasurable. "Lil Boosie is one of the most important Southern and street artists of this generation, period," Mr. Thanksgiving applauded. "Boosie always gives you the ghetto in a real and authentic way. The music on Incarcerated lives up to that standard. I hope and pray for Lil Boosie to get through his struggle." Boosie, born Torrence Hatch, is accused of plotting to kill Terry Boyd in October of last year. In June, he pleaded not guilty to murder, drug and conspiracy charges. He has maintained his innocence and is currently preparing his defense. Incarcerated track listing, according to Asylum Records: 1. "Devils" (produced by Savage) Are you looking forward to new music from Boosie? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists |
| How Rock The Bells Tour Lineup Came To Fruition Posted: 23 Aug 2010 03:07 AM PDT 'It's something you see classic rock bands do,' tour organizer Chang Weisberg says of artists like Snoop Dogg playing their entire albums.
When you initially looked at this year's Rock the Bells Tour lineup, it seemed almost too good to be true. It's not like fans didn't have faith in the outing's promoters, Guerilla Union — they've delivered time and time again. Acts such as Nas, Rage Against the Machine, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and two of this year's headliners, A Tribe Called Quest and the Wu-Tang Clan, have all set foot on the main stage in the previous six outings of RTB. Still, the tour this year is more than historic. It's a once-in-a-lifetime epic, as the artists are performing their classic albums in their entireties.
Slick Rick has been performing his The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, Rakim does Paid in Full, Lauryn Hill does selections from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as well as the Fugees' The Score. Want more? KRS-One perform Boogie Down Productions' Criminal Minded, the Wu do Enter the 36 Chambers, Tribe do Midnight Marauders and Snoop Dogg closes it out with Doggystyle. To see all of those classics, all of those LPs, which could easily make up a Best 10 Rap Albums of All-Time list, be performed within a 12-hour span, is absolutely surreal. The tour kicked off on Saturday night in San Bernardino, California, and for many fans, it was like seeing the soundtrack to their lives right in front of their faces. "This is something we had thrown around for a while," Chang Weisberg of Guerilla Union, the tour's organizer and promoter, said last week in Los Angeles. "We'd been talking about it for a while with the squad. It became a reality during last year's Smoke Out [festival]. Cypress Hill did Black Sunday in its entirety for the Smoke Out. It went over so crazy, that was the solidifying moment when we said we've definitely gotta do this for Rock the Bells. We talked to managers and artists immediately, seeing if people were really into it. Any time you're sitting around and talking about Rock the Bells, you're talking about what these kids are dreaming about. It's always a question, whose record is better? What's a top-five record? Who's the top-five MC? Then, when you throw it in all together and couple it with what are the most classic records of all time, it was undeniable. "It's something you see classic rock bands do," Chang added. "Like, you see Pink Floyd do The Wall. Or outside of the hip-hop genre, it's something that might be a lot more common. Here, it's an opportunity to do a whole new reign. Kids are already saying, 'We wanna see Illmatic or Paul's Boutique.' People weren't thinking like that. As a promoter, I don't think I've asked artists 'Would you do this song?' as opposed to 'Would you do this whole record?' Fortunately, we were close enough to these camps that they knew we were serious and it would be an amazing thing if we could pull it off." Snoop Dogg, who's the last act to perform every night on this year's tour, says he was excited to be a part of this event. "I was a fan of KRS and Rakim and Eric B and Slick Rick. All the rappers that's getting down before me and whatnot. I'm thinking I'm opening up for them," Snoop, surrounded by Daz, Kurupt, Lady of Rage, DJ Battlecat, Warren G and RBX, said. "I grew up buying their records and being fans of theirs. It's an honor to be on the same stage with them. When [Guerilla Union] asked, I said I'm rolling. They told me what it was. I said I don't want to just get onstage and perform my album, I wanna make it an experience. I wanna bring out the theatrics to the album. Doggystyle is like a journey. I want people to see it and feel it and when they leave be like 'We seen a movie.' " Snoop definitely goes hard in the paint with mini-movies, a live band and, of course, his crew from the album. Probably the most surprising act for people to see is Lauryn Hill. For the past decade, her music releases and stage appearances have been kept at a minimum. Chang says he and his company were lucky enough to have close ties with the music legend. "We were blessed in that we've worked with Lauryn for a number of years and we've stayed close with her and her camp," he explained. "Ultimately, she's in a space where she's excited about music. Her children are old enough where she can hit the road comfortably. We are very fortunate she decided to do it. We always hold Lauryn as one of the best MCs of all time. It was awesome when she said she would do it. She sat with it for a while. At the end of the day, we were fortunate she agreed to do it." As huge as the talent pool of this year's Rock the Bells is, it originally had yet another timeless act scheduled for the tour. "The first confirmation for Rock the Bells, it's no secret, it was Run-DMC," Chang revealed. "We had Run-DMC doing Raising Hell. It was going to be Raising Hell at Rock the Bells. It didn't work out, but fortunately [there were] enough other groups to pull off the vision that we felt comfortable with when we made our announcement." Rock the Bells continued in San Francisco on Sunday night, and this Saturday, the tour stops in New York. The last day of the tour is on Sunday in Washington, D.C. Besides the pioneers on the main stage, the Clipse, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, Immortal Technique and Yelawolf are among the acts appearing on the "Paid Dues" stage. What did you think of this year's Rock the Bells concept? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lauryn Hill's Rock The Bells Set Ignites Fans And Journos Posted: 23 Aug 2010 03:09 AM PDT Sets by Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, Rakim and KRS-One also make for an epic tour kickoff.
Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray's Trial Set For January Posted: 23 Aug 2010 02:51 AM PDT Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.
More than a year after Michael Jackson's death, the pop icon's former personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was in court Monday (August 23) where a judge finally set a preliminary date of January 4, 2011, in the cardiologist's involuntary-manslaughter trial. TMZ reported that Murray's legal team won a request to get a fluid sample from Jackson as part of their defense strategy questioning the accuracy of levels of the surgical anesthetic propofol found in Jackson's body. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office determined that Jackson, 50, died as a result of acute propofol intoxication. Murray has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter and has admitted to giving Jackson propofol, a strong anesthetic usually used during surgery but allegedly employed by chronic insomniac Jackson as a sleep aid. Murray's lawyers have said the physician did not administer any drugs that "should have" caused Jackson's death. The investigation into his death was equally lengthy, lasting more than eight months, after which Los Angeles prosecutors charged that Murray gave the King of Pop a lethal combination of propofol and other painkillers and sedatives in the hours before the singer was found dead in his rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25, 2009. Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted. After hearing from both sides in the case at the January court date, the judge, Michael Pastor, will determine if there is enough evidence to mount a full trial. Jackson's mother and father, Katherine and Joseph, were in court on Monday, according to Radar Online, sitting in the front row as Judge Pastor set the preliminary hearing date. Pastor granted a protective order covering all evidence in the criminal case, meaning it cannot be released to anyone other than the lawyers, paralegals and investigators in the case. Murray's defense team reportedly asked for access to three fluids collected by the coroner's office, including ones taken from syringes and an IV tube to re-examine test results. Pastor ruled that the coroner's office must preserve the samples, and if defense attorneys and prosecutors cannot agree on the request, he will schedule a hearing on the matter. After court let out, a group of Jackson supporters gathered and sang an impromptu verse that featured the lines, "Conrad Murray is a cold man," while holding up signs that read "Justice for Michael Jackson" and "Love Unites Us, Peace Drives Us, Judgment Day 4 All." Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rakim Calls Rock The Bells Tour 'A Blessing' Posted: 23 Aug 2010 02:08 AM PDT 'I hope I'm around to see many more of these,' he tells MTV News.
With its mix of headlining veterans and upstart openers, the Rock the Bells Tour bridges the gap between classic and current hip-hop. That fact isn't lost on Rakim, who is one of those vets on the bill, along with Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One and the Wu-Tang Clan.
The New York MC talked to MTV News moments after stepping offstage during the San Bernardino, California, stop and opened up about performing his Paid in Full opus 23 years after its release. "For somebody that thinks he always has wordplay to fit the situation, there's certain things for rap that I have no words for," he said. "I been around since '86, and to see that out there and be a part of this tour right here, it's a blessing. I hope I'm around to see many more of these." Paid in Full was a monumental release in hip-hop's history. The 1987 project, billed under Eric B. and Rakim, heralded the rapper's arrival, and his influence in the years after was immense. From Rakim's lyrical command to his pregnant pauses, and every wrinkle in between, he rewrote the MC handbook with his debut. His goal was to be an original, and he wanted to mimic a jazz musician's degree of skill with his verses. "As a young artist, especially in rap and at that time that I came out, originality was big," Rakim said. "So in the back of your mind, you were always trying to come up with something to separate yourself from what was going on. I was heavily influenced by Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, Grandmaster Caz, but I kind of wanted to take it somewhere else. "My thing was I loved music, I played music, I played the saxophone," he continued. "So the little bit of music knowhow I had, I tried to implement that in every thing I did, from my style, my cadence, the way I tried to pause and stagnate it; that all came from John Coltrane and listening to jazz albums. Trying to rhyme like a jazz player." Do you think Rakim succeeded in being a hip-hop original? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Katy Perry Says 'Pearl' Is Her Album's Crowning Jewel Posted: 23 Aug 2010 03:50 AM PDT Pop star says ballad is the perfect way to end Teenage Dream.
Katy Perry rose to the top of the charts with songs about kissing girls, Vegas vacations gone awry and how awesome "California Gurls" are. So, when fans pop Teenage Dream into their boom boxes, they might be surprised to hear Perry show her vulnerable side on the song "Pearl." The ballad is about an outgoing, strong young woman who lets a guy "keep her in the dark." The catch, at the end, is that Perry is actually singing about herself.
The singer admitted that by the time she started working on "Pearl," her album was nearly complete. But, it was missing something. So she headed back into the studio to work on the track. And she thinks it finishes her record in just the right way. "I did one more song with [producer] Greg Wells, and it was called 'Pearl,' " she explained to MTV News about the track. "And it was kind of just like, 'All right, now I have this crown, and I have all these jewels, and I can put these little jewels into the crown, and I feel like it's a complete presentation, something I'm really proud of.' " So, after recording Teenage Dream rather quickly, "Pearl" became its crowning jewel. "It only took six months [to make Teenage Dream], which is like lightning speed," she said. "But I think that I wouldn't be starting again with this new record if I didn't feel like this was my best foot forward. Perry said the project shows her evolving. "It's an evolvement, but it's not a dis-attachment. ... My life is a little bit different, and I'm taking a verbal snapshot right now." Are you excited to hear Katy Perry's new album? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| T.I. 'Lost Sleep' Over Double Duty As Producer And Star Of 'Takers' Posted: 23 Aug 2010 12:36 AM PDT 'I increased my responsibilities and just basically sacrificed my time,' Tip says of dual roles on the film.
T.I. had two roles for the upcoming film "Takers." Not only did he play the main villain, he also was behind the scenes as one of the action thriller's producers. "I did assist with the producing," Tip said humbly a couple of weeks ago in Los Angeles, where he and his co-star Jay Hernandez were promoting the project.
"I lost sleep to say the least," he added about juggling all of his professional and personal obligations while "Takers" was in production. "I increased my responsibilities and just basically sacrificed my time. Just sacrificed in every way possible whenever necessary." In the movie, Tip plays Delonte "Ghost" Rivers, who helps put together a team of bank robbers with Idris Elba's character, Gordon Jennings. After a heist goes awry, Ghost is shot and apprehended by the police. He serves several years in the pen but refuses to snitch on his squad. Ironically, on the day he's released from jail, the Takers pull off another elaborate caper. Ghost eventually reconnects with his team with plans for their biggest robbery yet. The Takers are leery because they usually only do one job per year, but they simply can't refuse the high stakes and rewards on this one. "I enjoyed it a lot," Tip says about becoming Ghost on the big screen. "It gave me a reason to exercise all of my villainous characteristics and have an excuse," he smiled. "Also, it represented a challenge in finding a way to have this character's circumstances be related to by the audience. Have the audience say, 'Well, if I was done this way by my beloved, how would I respond? In what way would that cause me to react? What would I do then [that] I wouldn't do normally?' I think it's just incorporating all those thoughts and finding a way to put that onscreen." Are you looking forward to seeing T.I. in the movie "Takers"? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Cee-Lo's New Song Is Easy On The Ears, Heavy On The Language Posted: 23 Aug 2010 01:23 AM PDT Motown throwback 'F--- You' is gaining Internet buzz despite its explicit lyrics.
Four years ago, Cee-Lo scored big with his Gnarls Barkley hit song "Crazy," but now the singer is sending a different message, one that may be a little too hard to sing in public. With his new song "F--- You," the R&B singer is keeping blogs buzzing. On the first single from his new solo album, The Lady Killer, Cee-Lo convincingly tells off his money-hungry ex-girlfriend and the man with the larger pockets who took her away. Despite being kicked to the curb, the soul singer holds his head high and turns the tale of a scorned man into a happy-go-lucky track with his charismatic voice. The song was produced by the Smeezingtons (the writing and production trio of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine). "See you driving 'round town with the girl I love/ And I'm like, f--- you!/ Oo, oo, ooo/ I guess the change in my pocket wasn't enough/ I'm like, f--- you!/ And f--- her too!" the 36-year-old sings. Entertainment Weekly described the track as "beyond fantastic" with its "hilarious contrast to the really, really salty language and creative lyrics," while Pitchfork marveled at the track saying, "It's beyond happy. Cathartic. It could be the new 'Sesame Street' theme. It could play at a wedding, and your grandmother would hobble to it. It's post-censorship." Others, including Prefixmag.com, pondered how the track will be able to succeed with the restrictions imposed by its explicit chorus. "It's easy to imagine the folks at Cee-Lo's label tearing their hair out as they realize that this potential hit will hit some fairly insurmountable stumbling blocks when people are affronted by the title," the magazine said. With all the blogosphere praise, the singer took to Twitter to thank fans for all their early support. "Oyea, a bit of history has been made with "f--- you" I'm equally amazed :) yall help put your people (me) on top where I belong! and I'll rep till the death," he tweeted on Sunday. Cee-Lo will reportedly release the song's official video next week, but until then listeners will have to settle for the song's lyric video, which was uploaded on the singer's official YouTube page. 'F--- You' will be available for download October 4. What do you think of Cee-Lo's racy new song? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Artists |
| 3OH!3 Re-Create The Internet <i>On</i> The Internet In New 'Double Vision' Video Posted: 23 Aug 2010 12:33 AM PDT Clip is complete with banner ads and an arrow scrolling down the page that is the video.
When we last saw the guys in 3OH!3, they were going green-screen crazy in the video for "My First Kiss," a clip that took their patented brand of anti-subtlety to newfound heights. Simply put, it was a video all about kissing. A lot of kissing. In their new video for "Double Vision," they've ditched the digital effects and gone DIY, with a clip that re-creates the sprawling ephemera of the Internet with a bunch of man-made tricks. In a lot of ways, it recalls the work of Michel Gondry, who eschews big-budget effects in favor of in-camera trickery and rough-hewn, eternally moving set pieces. And really, did you ever think you'd see a time when 3OH!3 would be compared to a noted French auteur? Working with director Evan Bernard (he of the Beastie Boys lyrical shout-out and eye-catching clips like Green Day's "Minority" and the Ben Folds Five's "Army"), 3OH!3 have done something pretty great with "Double Vision," and it's no stretch to say it's their shining moment, video-wise at least. Because aside from the concept itself — let's remake the Internet using only stuff found at most Home Depots — there are at least a dozen moments in the clip that are genuinely clever, too: subtle touches like the arrow icon that continually scrolls the screen downward (it's controlled by a long white pipe held off-camera) and the rainbow-colored loading wheel Sean Foreman picks up and spins (while he freezes in place). There's the way the "live" footage is presented — as video clips that only spring to life when they're "clicked" on — and a bit that pays homage to the now-famous "Daft Hands" YouTube clip (and I'm pretty sure they got the "Daft Bodies" girls to do it). And while, sure, the inclusion of those "Plenty of Fish" ads — last seen in Lady Gaga's "Telephone" video — is rather cloying, they're at least done cleverly. And really, when you think about it, aren't banner ads supposed to be annoying? (For maximum annoyance, Bernard should've cast some wenches to re-create those "Evony" ads.) So "Double Vision" works on many levels — it's sort of "Inception-y" in that regard (the Internet ... on the Internet) — and it's because of all that wink-winkery that it works as well as it does. It's a great concept, greatly executed. And it only proves that perhaps the guys in 3OH!3 would do well to show a little restraint now and then ... a video doesn't need hyper-color explosions and kissing co-eds to be successful. Though, for that to happen, they'd probably have to release a song called "Subtlety." Who knows, maybe they'll do it on their next record. What do you think of 3OH!3's "Double Vision" video? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists |
| You are subscribed to email updates from MTV News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar