Thursday, 30 June 2011
Concert Picks: Lily Parlour & The Tricks, Puro Instinct, Mia Doi Todd?
Justin Bieber Doing NKOTB? Jim Jonsin Reveals Ideas
Producer says he would like to help Biebs channel New Kids on the Block, New Edition and Kelly Rowland.
By Rob Markman
Justin Bieber
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
Multi-platinum producer Jim Jonsin has some interesting plans for when he gets in the studio with Justin Bieber. No, he won't be coupling the teen-pop sensation with B.o.B, but rather he will try to capture the vibe of NKOTB.
"For Bieber, I think I want to reach back to New Edition, those days," Jonsin initially said before referencing another 1980s Boston-bred boy band. "I want to try to do something like that — 'Please Don't Go Girl,' New Kids on the Block — because the girls would go crazy. Maybe not that song, but something that feels like that: little bit of soul, R&B, but pop as well."
While the track pre-dates the 17-year-old Bieber by about four years, "Please Don't Go Girl" was the first single from NKOTB's sophomore album, Hangin' Tough, and ultimately put the group on the map. The ballad, which featured Joey McIntyre as the lead vocalist, drew comparisons to New Edition's 1983 single, "Is This the End" — not surprising considering both acts were founded and produced by Maurice Starr.
It isn't all about the '80s however: Jonsin also would like to produce something more modern for JB as well, using Kelly Rowland as a reference. "And then I'd love to put him on something like that 'Motivation' type of track," he said of the hit Rowland single he helped create. "Just a hard beat that he could sing something super slick [on]."
Jonsin admits that, at first, he didn't know what to make of Justin, but thanks to the Biebs' "Never Say Never" film, the hitmaker has a newfound respect for the young star. "When I watched the movie with my 8-year-old daughter, I was floored and inspired at who he was as a person. He's a good kid, he's a philanthropist, he's a good role model," Jonsin said. "I have a newfound respect for the young man, and I'm honored to work with him."
Who would you like to hear Justin Bieber channel on his next album? Share your ideas below!
Related ArtistsMichael Jackson - Thriller (Long Vers.)
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Epic Records
- Album: Thriller [Bonus Tracks]
NBCs Racy Playboy Club Already Under Fire
The fall TV season hasn't even begun yet, and NBC is already dealing with its first controversy. One of its new shows, The Playboy Club (set to air Mondays at 10 p.m. ET), has caught the attention of anti-porn groups. They say that this provocative, 60's-era drama, which is set in a Chicago gentleman's club, isn't fit for primetime network TV.
Two groups, Pink Cross Foundation and Morality in Media have started online petitions to shut the show down. Dawn Hawkins, executive director of Morality in Media, takes issue specifically with reports of a three-way sex scene -- and more generally, with the Playboy brand being promoted at all. "We know now, years later, that pornography is very harmful to society," she said. "It leads to addiction in children and adults, increased sex trafficking violence against women -- and Playboy is really the root of all of this. We just don’t want to see it glamorized any further, which it will be if it’s aired on NBC.”
Lawyers for Morality in Media warn the show could run afoul of FCC's indecency regulations if it pushes the envelope too far. And that's not to mention the public resistance they're organizing.
"Every advertiser on The Playboy Club will be boycotted, every local affiliate of NBC will be bombarded by a very large segment of society that is sick and tired of those making money off the sexual exploitation of women," said the group's president, Patrick A. Truman. "The NBC brand, as well as Playboy will suffer great cost."
But let's hope that their efforts, if they have any effect, will simply serve to tone the show down. It would be a shame for The Playboy Club to be removed from the air altogether, based on only the pilot. For one thing, these preview clips demonstrate a quality script and good acting. Eddie Cibrian's character, Nick Dalton, a charming but flawed lawyer, has the compelling quality of Mad Men's Don Draper (Jon Hamm). And unlike, say, MTV's recently canceled Skins, this racy show is aimed at (and revolves around) adults, not teens.
Of course, all the attention may actually help NBC. TV viewers do love controversy -- especially one that involves sex. Just ask Anthony Wiener.
Mary Margaret
Please help welcome Mary Margaret, the new addition to the family!
She is a rescue. I'll tell you her whole story tomorrow!
'Mission: Impossible 4' Is 'Intense,' Katie Holmes Says
Mrs. Tom Cruise says 'Ghost Protocol' is 'the best 'Mission' yet.'
By Kara Warner
Katie Homes & Guillermo Del Toro
Photo: MTV News
While we've been awaiting an official trailer for "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" — which is said to drop in front of this week's "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" — a French version leaked online Monday (June 27), and reportedly contains plenty of expected shots of Tom Cruise involved in crazy action sequences as super-spy Ethan Hunt.
Since we have yet to see the trailer or any footage ourselves, when MTV News caught up with Cruise's better half, Katie Holmes, Monday during the press day for "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," we asked if she's seen any of the film yet.
"I have. I had an advanced screening," she said with a laugh, adding that it's a perk of being married to the film's star.
As for her thoughts about Cruise's death-defying stunts in the film, particularly those he performed atop Dubai's Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest building), Holmes turned the question over to Guillermo del Toro, who produced "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark."
"What did you think, Guillermo, about the Burj?" she asked him.
"I love it!" he said, at which point they both agreed that Cruise's stunts were scarier than their film, which revolves around the demonic activities of a group of terrifying little creatures that seek out and kill humans, particularly children.
"It's amazing," Holmes continued. "The movie is going to be very cool and intense and the best 'Mission' yet."
The actress also mentioned that she'd be game for a role that required a few crazy stunts herself. "I think it sounds fun," she said.
Del Toro then chimed in with his own "Mission: Impossible Diaries," so to speak: "I live 'Mission: Impossible.' It's what I call my diet," he joked, and then proceeded to hum the "Mission: Impossible" theme song, while miming his insatiable appetite, making Holmes burst out laughing.
Holmes weighed-in: "I have a lot of 'Mission: Impossible' moments, just being a mom."
Del Toro agreed: "Yes, coping with the home front."
Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell Jennifer Scholle
Interviews With Melissa Joan Hart of Melissa & Joey
Amy Winehouse Cancels Rest Of European Tour
'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' Easter Eggs: Five Things To Look For In The New Movie!
I Told You So
In case I wasn't clear in my video... more proof that cab drivers don't like to go to Brooklyn.
Watch: Author Neil Gaiman Does ?The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson?
Harry Potter World Cup: Sirius Vs. Tonks
Heidi Klum & Kids Get Campy
Here comes the Klum-Samuel clan!
Supermodel mama Heidi Klum was snapped while taking her children - Henry, 5, Johan, 4, and Lou, 1 - to their day camp in New York City on Wednesday (June 29).
Janet Jackson Thrills Fans With Greatest Hits, Michael Tribute At Radio City
Singer covered songs ranging from classic 'Pleasure Principle' to 2008's 'Feedback' at New York show.
By Vaughn Schoonmaker
Janet Jackson (file)
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
NEW YORK — Often imitated, never duplicated, Janet Jackson's outbursts of meticulous choreography, sassy exclamations and smoldering gazes into the audience kept them on their feet for the entire two-hour set of her greatest hits at Radio City Music Hall. Monday night marked the last of three sold-out shows at the historic venue on her monumental Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour.
Up-and-coming boy band Mindless Behavior opened the show with songs including "#1 Girl," "Future" and their debut single, "My Girl." With their Usher-esque dance moves and shouts like "Where the ladies at?" the boys brought the tween girls out of hiding, judging by the shrill screams escaping various corner of the music hall.
At 9:00 sharp, the lights went down and Janet's fans were on the edge of their seats, watching music videos for "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Rhythm Nation" projected on big screens across the venue. A small shadow drifted toward center stage, and when the colorful lights came up, Jackson, wrapped in a shoulder-padded catsuit, complete with slick short hair, blasted into "The Pleasure Principle," dancing as hard and intensely choreographed as she did when the song first came out in the 1980s.
With barely a spare second between songs, Janet dazzled her way through her biggest hits, including "Miss You Much," "All for You" and "Nasty," and more recent hits like 2008's "Feedback."
Videos displayed during Jackson's costume changes included vintage clips from "Diff'rent Strokes," a funny scene from "Poetic Justice" where Jackson slyly rejects the advances of Tupac Shakur's character, and a rather heavy scene, as Jackson's character in "Why Did I Get Married" destroys her husband's house with a golf club, screaming hysterically.
Considering the tough couple of years the Jackson family has faced, the dark moments in the video seemed fitting, and everyone was beside themselves with bittersweet joy when Michael Jackson's face popped up on the big screen and she performed their hit single "Scream."
Janet emerged for her encore in a tight white one-piece disco suit, and performed "Diamonds," "Make Me" and "Together Again," which appeared to be the biggest hit of the evening. As Jackson graciously bowed out, her straight face transitioned into a smirk, suggesting that despite the hard times she has experienced recently, we can expect to see this singing and dancing pop legend shine far into the future.
"Its amazing!" Janet fan Elena Mercantini gleamed afterward. "It's like she's still 20 years old!"
"She's hot, she's amazing and she's still got it after all these years" added Alison Klinger of Long Island. "Best concert I've ever been to!"
Related Photos Related ArtistsQ-Tip's Documentary Comments Confuse Michael Rapaport
'It was confusing to me,' director tells 'RapFix Live' in response to the MC encouraging rappers to tell their own stories.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Kara Warner
Michael Rappaport
Photo: MTV News
Despite all of the controversy surrounding "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest," ATCQ's Q-Tip has encouraged fans to see the documentary, which is now playing in select cities.
The Queens MC has bucked at how the group was portrayed in the film, and during a visit to "RapFix Live" this past March, Tip encouraged other rap artists to tell their own stories.
The doc's director, Michael Rapaport, who has weathered criticism from Tip in the past, appeared on "RapFix Live" Wednesday (June 29) and admitted that he was confused by the rapper's comments on the live stream.
"We crack the mold, we break the rules. We define this culture that we in right now, this Western culture, the sh-- that's moving around the world, whether it be Tribe to Lil Wayne, Drake to Kanye, I don't care," Q-Tip said to Sway back in March. "This hip-hop sh-- is our sh--, and when we start moving in, control your stories, man. Tell your stories — that's what I learned from this."
"I don't understand what [Q-Tip] was talkin' about with 'telling their own stories,' " Rapaport told MTV News. "I don't know if it was like, 'Hip-hop artists should direct movies about hip-hop artists,' or maybe he was saying, 'I should direct a documentary about myself,' which has never been done before."
Rapaport argued that a filmmaker doesn't need to be a hip-hop artist to effectively document the culture on film and used "Goodfellas" and "Casino" director Martin Scorsese to illustrate his point. "Martin Scorsese does movies about gangsters, and if you've ever been around Martin Scorsese, he's the furthest thing from a gangster, so I don't understand the thing about 'tell the stories yourself,' " Rapaport said, sounding perplexed.
"I don't know if he meant, 'We're from hip-hop, it should be a hip-hop director' or — I don't know who would go under the auspices of being a hip-hop director. Or if it was a racial thing like, 'We're black and shouldn't have a white director.' It was confusing to me."
The filmmaker did acknowledge that despite the back and forth between him and the rapper, he did appreciate Q-Tip asking fans to support the movie. Whether the two can reconcile is up in the air. According to Rapaport, the last time he heard from Tip was through email and it seems that the message was less than encouraging. "I haven't talked to Q-Tip," he said. "Last time I heard from Q-Tip he sent me an email and he said, 'All you gotta do is stay white and be privileged.' "
What do you think of Michael Rapaport's response to Q-Tip on "RapFix Live"? Sound off in the comments.
Related Videos Related ArtistsBeyonc� - Video Phone (Extended Remix)
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
- Director: Hype Williams
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
Beyonce's 4: Early Reviews Are In!
'It's very much the sort of album a pop star makes when she doesn't feel like she has anything to prove,' one critic writes.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
Although Beyoncé's latest album, 4, was still weeks from its official release date, on Wednesday it was leaked and quickly caused a stir on the Internet, prompting fans and critics to weigh in on the singer's first new album in nearly three years.
So far, B's promo for 4 has been fueled by the release of tracks like the snarling "Run the World (Girls)", the track "Best Thing I Never Had," and the emotional "1+1." But now that all of the tracks are out there on the Net, Beyoncé's album is up for debate.
The Atlantic compares her latest to her last album: "In between, there's an unmistakable, if gradual, turn from melancholic top 40 ballads to the confrontational snap of military drums and giddy proclamations of love. Is this I Am ... Sasha Fierce part 2? Not quite. The course of 4 documents a progression, a maturation, of Beyoncé's worldview."
Rolling Stone observes, "Beyoncé's new album, 4, is a change of pace for the R&B queen ... 4 is a more relaxed, personal set that emphasizes ballads over bangers and showcases the singer's nuances; it's very much the sort of album a pop star makes when she doesn't feel like she has anything to prove."
Ology.com gives Beyoncé credit for working with so many producers on the album, but making it all sound "cohesive." "It stands quite easily as Knowles' most vibrant album; not saying it's her best (B'Day still holds that title), but it begs to be performed live in front of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans unlike anything else she's released yet."
Fans seem equally opinionated — and enthusiastic — about the album, which officially drops on June 28.
"This album is so not her, she took chances, went off in a new direction as far as sound, her vocal techniques are off the charts on this album," Lee Joseph Chaisson wrote on MTV.com. "She brought it vocally; the sounds are so uniquely different, her whole approach."
"I've heard the Album...The **** it BANGIN!" Oren Acquirestino added. "Beyonce's really really singing on this album."
B's most devoted also took to her Facebook page to put their two cents in. Tatyana Krasko wrote, "Beyonce thanks for great work...Album '4' it's amazing... I love Beyonce."
Another fan, Sunny Lochab, gave the singer props and said he was buying the album regardless of the leak. "I downloaded it. I couldn't help it - everyone was talking about it! and I completely love it - I'll be buying it too to show love! you show true growth on this album...it's ALL love."
Have you heard Beyoncé's album? Tell us in the comments!
Related ArtistsMichael Jackson's Legacy, Two Years Later, By the Numbers
Legendary singer's impact continues to blossom in the two years since his death; MTV News breaks down the figures.
By Gil Kaufman
Michael Jackson
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Like Elvis, Bob Marley, Notorious B.I.G. and Frank Sinatra before him, Michael Jackson's influence has continued, and grown, since his untimely death on June 25, 2009.
On the second anniversary of the King of Pop's passing, MTV News took a look at the enduring appeal of MJ's music, videos and imagery, which continue to fascinate and attract fans across the globe thanks to a series of posthumous albums, a movie, video games and two upcoming Cirque du Soleil live shows.
Where Were You Two Years Ago When You Heard the News? Tell Us on Facebook
$72 million: According to Box Office Mojo, Jackson's posthumous concert film, "This Is It," has grossed more than $72 million to date domestically and $189 million in foreign markets for a worldwide take over more than $261 million. It ranks as the #2 music documentary of all-time behind Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never." The film has also generated nearly $45 million in DVD sales in the U.S.
16: In May, Jackson lodged his first #1 on the Billboard magazine Dance/ Club Play Songs chart in 16 years with the latest single from his posthumous Michael album, "Hollywood Tonight."
2: Number of posthumous albums that have been released since Michael's death in June 2009. Last year's Michael has sold just over 510,000 copies to date, while the This Is It collection has moved nearly 1 million copies to date in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
15,000: The number of videos submitted by fans since March for the crowdsourced video for "Behind the Mask." After they were edited down by a five-person team over two months, the resulting clip used submissions from more than 1,600 participants from 103 countries.
3 million: The amount of copies sold of the Ubisoft "Michael Jackson: The Experience" video game worldwide.
$57 million: The reported cost of Cirque du Soleil's traveling MJ show, "The Immortal World Tour, which is slated to kick off on October 2.
$1 billion: That gaudy figure is the reported amount the Jackson estate had generated by last June on the first anniversary of the singer's death. According to Billboard, the revenue was generated by a combination of music sales ($429 million), film/TV revenue ($392 million), music publishing ($130 million), licensing ($35 million) and a $31 million recording contract. (A spokesperson for Jackson's estate declined to provide updated figures for this story.)
$310 million: The amount of gross earnings reported by the executors of the estate in a December 2010 court filing detailing the progress made in paying off the $400 million in debt run up by the spendthrift singer during his lifetime.
16.1 million: MJ was always a big singles artist. Yes, Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time, but even in death, fans can't resist cherry-picking some of Michael's best songs. That explains why he's sold more than 16 million digital tracks since June 28, 2009, the first sales week following his passing, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To put that in perspective, from the time Nielsen began counting digital tracks in 2004 until the week before Jackson's death, the singer had sold just over 8.1 million digital tracks, a figure that has doubled in just the past two years.
2013: The projected launch for a second, non-touring Cirque show celebrating Jackson. The yet-untitled show is slated to open in the spring of 2013 at a new theater being built at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
$25 million to $50 million: That's how much Jackson's estate takes in on an annual basis thanks to his stake in the half-million-song Sony/ATV catalog, which includes titles by Elvis, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Beyoncé and Bob Dylan.
Share your memories of Michael Jackson in the comments.
Related Photos Related ArtistsAdriana Lima: Victoria?s Secret Photo Shoot
'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods
Director Michael Bay explains threequel's many references to 'Trek,' including Leonard Nimoy's voice work.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Bumblebee in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Photo: Paramount
Sometimes Easter Eggs in movies — an intentional in-joke, reference or hidden message — are hard to spot, very blink-and-you-miss-it, and thus require repeat viewings to pick up on. Not so with "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," however. Even the most casual filmgoer should pick up on at least one of the many "Star Trek" references in the film.
When MTV News caught up with director Michael Bay, we asked him to address the "Trek" connections, beginning with his enlistment of beloved actor Leonard Nimoy, a.k.a. Spock, to voice the role of Sentinel Prime.
"He's actually related to me. He married Susan Bay [the director's cousin]," Bay said. "I was scared to ask him to voice. I saw him at Thanksgiving, and my mom was like, 'Ask him! Ask him!' I'm like, 'No, Mom, no!' "
As difficult as it is to imagine Bay being afraid of anything, he eventually got over his Nimoy anxiety. Bonus factoid for the non-Transformer geeks: Nimoy also lent his vocal talents to the 1986 animated film, as the voice of Galvatron.
Speaking to other "Trek" references, Bay said he didn't have anything to do with them; they all came from the film's screenwriter.
"That was my writer, Ehren Kruger," Bay said. "[He] is a 'Star Trek' geek, so that wasn't my thing."
So how many references did you count? Here are the three we spotted (minor spoilers ahead):
1. When Sam (Shia LaBeouf) meets girlfriend Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) at work and is introduced to her boss, Dylan Gould (Patrick Dempsey), he marvels at their workplace: "It's a beautiful building you guys have. Like the Starship Enterprise in here."
2. Refugee robots Brains and Wheelie, who are hiding out in Carly and Sam's apartment, watch an episode of "Trek," during which one of them says, "Hey, I like this episode. It's the one where Spock turns evil" — which also provides for a nice bit of tongue-in-cheek foreshadowing.
3. At one point, Sentinel Prime defends certain motivations with a fun little reverse quote of Spock's wise words to Captain Kirk in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." "Dark of the Moon" quote: "The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many." Original: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
What did we miss?
Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos Related PhotosIt's a Royal Affair...
... in Brooklyn!
Bev has decided to wear an asymmetrical fascinator to celebrate Kate and Wills' big day, while Mary opted for a hat with a little tropical flavor.
Cheerio!
(By the way, this wasn't an easy photo to get:)
New Tupac Tracks Dis B.I.G., Diddy, More
Two new posthumous songs take aim at Dr. Dre, Nas, Mobb Deep, De La Soul and others.
By Rob Markman
Tupac
Photo: Chi Modu
Tupac Shakur's rigorous recording habits ensured that the late rapper would continue to make a musical impact, even in the afterlife. Since his death in 1996, fans have been treated to albums' worth of posthumous 'Pac records, but the two records that leaked onto the Internet late Tuesday night are sure to cause a stir.
A far cry from Shakur's uplifting tunes like "Changes" and " 'Til the End of Time," the two new tracks, "NY 87" and an alternate version of the little-known "Watch Yo Mouth," take aim at East Coast rap artists like the Notorious B.I.G., Diddy, Mobb Deep, Nas, De La Soul and former 'Pac ally Dr. Dre.
Both songs appear to have been recorded circa 1996, when 'Pac was in a feud with Diddy's Bad Boy record label and various other New York artists, including the Notorious B.I.G. It was around this time when Shakur recorded and released his two most famous dis tracks, "Hit 'Em Up" and "Against All Odds" from his The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory album, which he recorded under the alias Makaveli.
While "Watch Yo Mouth" is being touted as a new track, the song popped up online over two years ago. The version that was leaked this week has an alternate beat behind it, but the words remain the same. On it, the fiery Shakur begins with a barrage of Dr. Dre insults: "He ain't made a beat in six years, swear he the sh--/ Won't get no record sales suckin' Nas' di--." Nasty Nas also gets thrown under the bus as 'Pac compares the two rappers' record sales. De La Soul, Wendy Williams, Diddy and the Notorious B.I.G. all get ridiculed. Even in his lyrical tirade, the rapper attempts to downplay the much-hyped East Coast/ West Coast beef of the mid-1990s by chanting, "For my n---as on the east side" throughout the song.
"NY 87," however, is a different story. Featuring raps by Tha Dogg Pound (Daz and Kurupt) and Threat, the bass-heavy dis track starts with a monologue from DJ Quik declaring, "Them n-----s on the East is the enemy." Though the track is being labeled on the Net as a 'Pac track, it is Tha Dogg Pound who are prominently featured. Appearing only on the last verse, 'Pac doesn't name-check any artists, but he does spit, "Move mother----ers 'til they feel me/ It's West Coast n---a, f--- New York, now did everybody hear me?"
As of now it is unknown who released these tracks and why. The timing comes a little more than one week after Dexter Isaacs spoke to AllHipHop.com about his involvement in the 1994 robbery and non-fatal shooting of Shakur and after the hip-hop community celebrated what would've been Tupac's 40th birthday on June 16. Many have speculated that the feud between Tupac and Biggie is what led to the deaths of both rappers. Those rumors have never been confirmed.
What do you think of these two posthumous Tupac songs? Tell us in the comments.
Related ArtistsLil' Wayne Skateboarding At The Fantasy Factory + SWV Talks New Music & Reality Show + Sway Calloway Takes Over For Eminem
Lil' Wayne and the YMCMB took some time off from making music to hop on their skateboards at Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory. See the pics inside and find out about SWV's new album and reality show and who's taking over Angela Yee's former Shade 45 spot inside...
Famed skateboarder Drama (Rob Dyrdek's cousin) entertained Lil' Wayne, Lil' Twist and Lil' Chuckee at the Fantasy Factory recently. The group rode their skateboards, played basketball and jumped in the foam pit.
Drama showed Weezy a few skills on the skateboard. Then they played some ball:
So what's it like to hang with Young Money? Drama said,
“I’m not even going to try to play cool guy here, it was so crazy sitting there with Wayne, talking like a regular dude trying to figure out how to ollie higher and trying to learn how to boardslide. The entire Cash Money family are some of the coolest most mellow dudes in the industry when they’re able to just relax.”
Anything that keeps you sober Weezy....
Also in music news.....
SWV have reunited for reals and are working on a new album. But what will it sound like? Lead singer Coko said, the album with have the, "Same style just new millennium. Kick it up a notch, take it to the next level, but we're still going to be ourselves." The album is expected out later in the year.
Also, the ladies are filming a reality show that they hope will get picked up but a major network. But filming wasn't easy. Coko said,
"For me, it may be a little hard because I'm a little moody, so I may have to take some time off from taping and take a break."
But Lelee added,
"I had fun. If I can be me and other people enjoy it, then it's alright with me... it's just a regular day with cameras."
Taj said the show will dig deep into their girl group drama and what conflicts led to their break.
"We're going to be honest about it," Taj says. "Every day is not perfect. They (young girls) have to understand it's not an easy road. It's hard as hell out here and it doesn't get easy at all. The more successful you become, the more work you have to put in. We want them to realize that you just don't put on a cute little bra top and sing a note and dance and everything is gold."
And now that Angela Yee has moved over to Power 105 to cut up every morning with The Breakfast Club (Charlamagne and DJ Envy), Emeinem found someone to take that morning spot on his Shade 54 Sirius/XM station:
It's been announced that MTV's own Sway Calloway will host a live weekday morning show on Em’s music channel.
The show launches on Monday, July 18 at 8:00 am ET and will air Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm ET.
Speaking about the new gig, Sway said,
"I’m constantly striving to be a part of winning teams and movements, and Shade 45 on SiriusXM embodies this spirit,” said Sway Calloway. “We plan to tap into hip-hop and pop culture, global and domestic news and classic and groundbreaking new music. This is truly a labor of passion for me with two of the best at what they do, Eminem and Paul Rosenberg. We plan to make more history!”
And Eminem is equally excited about Sway's new gig. He said,
"I got my start on radio with Sway and so it only makes sense for things to come full-circle and have him join the family at Shade 45,” said Eminem. “I'm looking forward to the honor of Sway making mornings better on Shade 45."
Nice!
BONUS:
Here's a throwback pic of Sway and a few famous friends we got our hands on. Can you pick out every celeb in the pic?
?Material Girl? Releases A New Batch Of Kelly Osbourne Promo Photos
Denise Richards Adopts A Baby Girl!
So a Lady and Her Monkey Walk Into a Petsmart...
I went to Petsmart yesterday to get some things for little Mary Margaret, and while I was pulling into the parking lot, I passed a lady getting out of her car with a monkey on her shoulders.
Of course I came to a screeching halt because there was a lady getting our of her car WITH A MONKEY ON HER SHOULDERS, and that's just something you don't see every day.
I proceeded to take a photo...
...but then thought it would be better to capture the craziness on video, so here it is:
Lady and Her Monkey Go to Petsmart from Karyn Bosnak on Vimeo.
When I told Mark about the lady and her monkey and showed him my movie, he said, "You really are crazy." I was like, "I'm crazy? THE MONKEY WAS WEARING A DIAPER AND PEARLS."
I mean, for real, let's put this into perspective.
Anywho, here's another photo of the lady and her monkey at the checkout counter:
I realize I now have one cat and two dogs, but at least I don't walk around with a monkey on my shoulders. (Yet.)
MTV Doing Well, Achieves Sixth Consecutive Quarter Of Growth!
For their sixth consecutive quarter, MTV has achieved growth as a network!
Here are some goals they've accomplished:
- 4 of the Top 15 original cable series' in 2011's second quarter (more than any other network)
- MTV's Ten Spot ranked #1 among all cable networks, achieved 54% ratings jump for [...]
Blake Lively Blu Cantrell Bonnie Jill Laflin Bridget Moynahan
Beyonce Responds To 4 Album Leak
'While this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response,' she tells MTV News in a statement.
By Gil Kaufman
Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
Beyoncé is taking a glass-half-full approach to the leak of her entire 4 album three weeks before its June 28 release date.
In a statement released to MTV News on Wednesday (June 8), Beyoncé lamented the early arrival but said she's making the most of the eagerness of her fans to get their hands on her first new batch of songs since 2008's double-disc I Am ... Sasha Fierce.
"My music was leaked and while this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response from my fans," the singer wrote. "When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs."
Beyoncé fans were psyched Tuesday when her collabo with Andre 3000, "Party," leaked weeks before the new album was due. It was one of several leaks the album has faced over the past week. A short time after the Kanye West and Consequence-produced "Party" slipped out, another song, "Countdown," which samples the Boyz II Men tune "Uhh Ahh," also surfaced, followed by the entire album.
While B's team scrambles to take down the offending links that have popped up all over the Web, some online rogues have taken to Twitter to put up links, making it harder for the label to track down the music. Fans have already gotten a number of listens to tunes from the disc, including the uptempo dancehall first single "Run the World (Girls)," the lush ballad "1+1" and the second official single "Best Thing I Never Had." Another tune, "End of Time," which samples late Afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti, has also leaked online.
Have you heard any of the leaked album, or are you waiting for the official release? Let us know in the comments.
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Rihanna Replaces Cee Lo Green With J. Cole As 'Official' Tour Opener
'@CeeLoGreen will no longer be a part of #LOUDtour due 2 commitment with 'The Voice',' singer tweeted.
By Jocelyn Vena
J. Cole
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
Rihanna has found a new man to be her official tour opener. After Cee Lo Green had to drop out of the Rihanna's Loud tour due to other commitments, Ri announced that she's upgrading J. Cole to the role of "official" tour opener.
Rihanna announced via Twitter that rapper J. Cole, who was already on the road with the singer, will fill Green's shoes as her main warm-up act on the tour, which began this month. "#GOODNEWS @JColeNC is our new official opener!" she wrote on Tuesday night. "@CeeLoGreen will no longer be a part of #LOUDtour due 2 commitment with 'The Voice' #Cantmissit."
Jay-Z protégé Cole, who is releasing his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, on September 27, just wrapped up the video for first single "Work Out" with director Jake Davis on Tuesday.
Green had to leave when his schedule became too crammed with other commitments, including his judging gig on the hit NBC talent competition "The Voice," which is also presenting a tour this summer.
"He always puts 100 percent into his work and with the requirements and time commitment to 'The Voice,' on top of heading back into the recording studio and an upcoming book, he feels that he wouldn't give his fans the show that they deserve," Green's spokesperson said, according to The New York Times.
Rihanna's Loud tour travels the U.S. through July 24 before heading to Europe in August. It's set to wrap up in late December.
There was a similar switch-up for Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour in 2010, when Nicki Minaj pulled out at the last minute and was quickly replaced with Travie McCoy. Ke$ha also opened on that tour.
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Beyonc� - Sweet Dreams
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
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- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
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Lady Gaga's Meat Dress Stays Fresh At Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
It's 'definitely one of the stranger pieces' on display, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame curator Jim Henke tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga at the 2010 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images
Oh, that meat dress! Nearly a year after Lady Gaga wore it at the MTV Video Music Awards, the costume made of various cuts of meat that designer Franc Fernandez and stylist Nicola Formichetti put together is still making headlines.
On Thursday (June 16), that dress will join the "Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power'' exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, where it will sit on display along with Gaga's childhood piano and Armani Prive orbit gown, which she wore to the 2011 Grammys, until February 2012.
"I was talking to Lady Gaga's managers, and this is probably around November [of last year], and basically talked about different things, and we talked about the meat dress and we thought it would be great to add it to the exhibit just because of all the notoriety it has, so that's basically how it came about," RRHOF chief curator Jim Henke told MTV News. "We thought the meat dress would really be cool."
So, how will the folks at the Rock Hall keep it fresh until it wraps up its stint there? "It's going to be in a case and we are putting some canisters in there to control the humidity, and then we have this other canister that soaks up the glutens," he explained. "But it's in a sealed case and we have the gels to control the environment in there."
However, it took some work to get it to the point where it can hang around the Rock Hall along with a number of other high-profile memorabilia without seeming super-gross. Henke explained, "We went back to Franc Fernandez ... ultimately what we decided to do, we sent it to a taxidermist, they put it into a meat locker and then we started working on it and created this [chemical] solution and treated it with that.
"And then they had a body form, and when it was still wet, they put it on the body form and then it dried on there," he continued. "And then they had to do a little bit of painting to bring it back and give it a little bit more color."
Gaga hasn't been shy about making the dress into jerky or wanting to have her extensive wardrobe in a museum, as she shared on "The Graham Norton Show." "I keep everything and dream of having a museum of all my clothes. I have an archive house for all my clothes," she said. "[The dress has] been jerked. It stank. It was fabulous. I never want to talk to anyone at those big celebrity functions because I feel awkward, and it was great — because it stunk, I didn't have to talk to anyone."
Having the dress in the exhibit is quite an honor and it's an interesting piece, but Henke notes this isn't the most bizarre exhibit at the RRHOF. "Definitely one of the stranger pieces," he laughed about the dress, adding, "There are some other weird things. We actually have [pioneering radio DJ] Alan Freed's ashes."
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Michael Jackson Estate Rakes In $310 Million To Date
Singer left behind more than $400 million in debt.
Michael Jackson
Photo: Time Life Pictures/DMI/Time Life Pictures/Getty Im
Between album sales, movie profits, licensing arrangements and lucrative deals for Cirque du Soleil shows, the estate of late King of Pop Michael Jackson has raked in more than $300 million since the singer's shocking death in June 2009.
According to TMZ, legal documents released on Thursday reveal that executors of MJ's estate have managed to make a major dent in the more than $400 million in debt that Jackson owed at the time of his death.
The first accounting from the executors shows that they have already spent around $159 million paying back various debts, income taxes and other expenses, which include providing support for the pop star's mother, Katherine Jackson, as well as his three young children.
"Although there remain unresolved creditor claims, pending litigation and additional challenging business, tax and legal issues, and the estate is not yet in a condition to be closed, the executors have made substantial progress in reducing the estate's debt," the documents state, according to a Reuters report. Two of Jackson's longtime confidants, attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain, were named as administrators in a will sign by the pop icon.
In addition to paying to make "substantial improvements" to the Jackson family's Havenhurst estate in Encino, California, the executors also spent an undetermined amount of money on "last illness and funeral and memorial service expenses." Those costs included a $900,000 payment to the Forest Lawn Memorial cemetery where Jackson is buried and $35,000 on expenses described as "costume for memorial."
TMZ reported that not only did the famously cash-strapped Jackson have more than $400 million in debt, but his estate also owed more than $40 million to concert promoter AEG tied to the scuttled This Is It Tour, for which MJ was rehearsing when he died unexpectedly. They've also paid $27.2 million in taxes and $4 million in mortgage payments on Jackson's properties.
Despite the solid sales of the Michael album and millions of units of the singer's back catalog being sold, as well as the box office of the "This Is It" movie and DVD sales, the estate is not nearly out of the woods. TMZ noted that the administrators have received more than 65 creditors' claims, some of which are subject to "extremely high" interest rates, and there are several outstanding lawsuits against the estate in several countries.
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