Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Kanye West Says 'Scared' Media Has Demonized Him

Taking over New York's Hot 97 for five-hour stretch, 'Ye argues media can't reconcile a cultured black man who hangs with rappers.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Kanye West
Photo: Jim Spellman/ WireImage

Kanye West took over Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show in New York City on Tuesday, as the rapper held court for five hours dishing on everything from his ex-girlfriends to how he feels he's misunderstood by the media.

"For people to take anything that I'm doing with a negative connotation, people need to look: The glass is half-full or it's half-empty," West said. "Look at what's his reason behind that. If people can look past what the media presents — the media is scared of me. They're scared of a black man with this taste level, [yet] this connection with [rappers] like Pusha T, [Young] Jeezy, [Rick] Ross. So what they'll do, in order to take that power away, they try to turn me into a demon. It happens so many times in history."

West also talked again about his 2009 MTV Video Music Awards incident with Taylor Swift, saying the country star told him she had to "defend him at her grocery store" against critics.

The Chicago lyricist said he perceived that incident with Swift as bigger than the fallout from controversial comments he made about former president George W. Bush. (Bush, for his part, this week characterized West's comments as the low point of his presidency.)

'Ye spoke on an array of topics, from Diplomats Cam'ron and Jim Jones' dis record (he won't respond with one of his own) to the album cover for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (he plans to pixelate the image) to his host of new artists, including Big Sean and Pusha T of Clipse.

West was boisterous throughout the interview. He appeared to have the most fun addressing the gossip reports stemming from a nude picture purported to be of him that has circulated online. 'Ye responded with humor as he deflected questions from the radio jock.

"Have you heard the first line of 'Runaway'?" he replied. "I only rap reality."

Do you think Kanye is misunderstood? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

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Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones Unveil Supergroup

Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.
By James Montgomery


Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.

To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.

According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.

Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).

The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.

It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.

Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.

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Gucci Mane Arrested In Atlanta

Rapper, who was released from prison in May, was driving on the wrong side of the road.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Gucci Mane (file)
Photo: Soul Brother/ Getty Images

Gucci Mane was arrested in Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon (November 2) after police discovered the rapper driving his vehicle down the wrong side of the road.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Brick Squad star (real name: Radric Davis) was charged with running a red light or stop sign, damage to government property, obstruction, no license, no proof of insurance and other traffic charges, in addition to driving on the wrong side of the road. Police reportedly had to use pepper spray to get Gucci into custody.

MTV News' request for comment to the Atlanta Police Department was not returned as of press time.

Gucci Mane was released from prison in May after serving six months of a yearlong sentence for a parole violation. The rapper has a history of drug issues and emotional instability following a shooting he was involved with, according to a lawyer who represented him in the past.

The charismatic Atlanta rapper has been in and out of prison over the past few years on a variety of infractions. Gucci was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital following his arrest, the Journal Constitution reported. He's expected to be booked at Fulton County Jail following his release.

Last month, Gucci Mane revealed in an interview that his last stint in jail changed him and he was channeling his experience through his latest album, The Appeal.

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'Saw' Trap Builder Recalls The Most Gruesome (And Funniest) Traps

'They probably unloaded enough blood for 10 human bodies,' Jason Ehl tells MTV News of one especially bloody death.
By Kara Warner


A scene from "Saw 3D"
Photo: A Bigger Boat/Serendipity Productions/Twisted Pict

With a cool $24.2 million opening weekend, fans of the storied "Saw" franchise celebrated the final installment, "Saw 3D," by getting to theaters and making it the #1 movie at the box office. The final chapter topped "Saw VI," which earned a modest $14 million its opening weekend, but finished fifth overall in the franchise's opening records.

Given the fact that the seventh film is likely the last, MTV News sought out one of the unsung heroes of the "Saw" series — trap builder/ engineer extraordinaire Jason Ehl — to talk barrels of blood, reveal a few of his "greatest hits" and find out why three of the films' directors refer to him as a "mad scientist."

MTV: What was your filmography leading up to "Saw"?

Jason Ehl: It's funny, because the first year I did "Saw," I just came off of "Thomas the Tank Engine" and [TV's] "RoboCop." ... I came from family, sort of G-rated stuff, and then the very next day, you would be coming home and then having to clean all the blood off your clothes. It was a wacky mix of models and miniatures and all that kind of stuff ... [but there] was really nothing comparable to "Saw" before we started "Saw."

MTV: What intrigued you initially about the "Saw" films?

Ehl: I started on "Saw II," and there were two things I worked on: the puppets and the reverse bear trap. To be honest, I hadn't seen the first "Saw" movie. I just got a call from one of my regular clients about this kind of cool movie that's come to town and "Would you like to do a few things on it?" It was after that build that the intrigue started, because it was, with my engineering background, the best job you could ever expect. It's in the movie industry and you get to sort of make cool little machines. When I was a kid, I used to — do you remember Mouse Trap? I've never played a game of Mouse Trap, but I played with Mouse Trap ... so essentially, to me, "Saw" is like Mouse Trap.

MTV: How many calculations are involved in designing the traps and whether humans can survive them?

Ehl: On paper or on the books and stuff like that, all the traps kind of started like that. Like, if we refer to one of the movies that just came out, one of the more heavily engineered traps would be the very opening trap, and it started out as a single saw, and then based on the changes and story development, it turned into what you see on film. The reason why it was heavily engineered [was] to keep up with the schedule that had to be built when the change happened. You have to engineer on top of what already exists to make what we want to happen rather than just engineering on a flat paper starting from scratch. There's that, which I would say is the extreme case, and then there's when we're on sets, "Wouldn't it be great if this happened? And, by the way, it plays tomorrow morning." So paper and trying to calculate it doesn't fly, and it's a matter of going back to the shot at midnight and hoping something will make it happen.

MTV: What have been some of the most challenging or interesting traps to build?

Ehl: On the last one, we had some big ones, such as the rail car. The challenging part, a lot of the times, comes from a lot of the departments [working] independently, and then all their bits in the 11th hour have to come together and then hopefully work together. So that one was a bit of a challenge in the sense that I couldn't build everything in-house. We kept it there and then brought it to set and made it go. It was the matter of, this has to go to a trained yard and work with whatever is existing there. ... I would say the most challenging ones were when everyone and multiple departments have to come together and make it all happen in a short period of time.

MTV: Any other examples?

Ehl: Also in "Saw 3D," the throat-puncturing trap. That was me, prosthetics and the carpenters department. That one went through a lot of changes along the way. The only thing that you can count on, there will be a lot of changes, but the due date never changes. Everyone has to keep up with the due date and keep up with what everyone else is doing so that their thing locks into my thing, which works with someone else's thing. The most challenging thing to do — less from a mechanical point of view and more of a logistical point of view — when things are happening so quickly.

MTV: Are you ever surprised at what traps people come up with? Do you have a favorite?

Ehl: This last round, my favorite was probably that throat one, because it was an elegant setup. The mechanical bits were nice and simple, and it has a nice blend of some mechanical engineering, some electrical engineering. The other thing that I remember, back to traps and how pleasant they are and how hard they are, is just the time on set. The actor was great, took one for the team and would sit in the trap for hours and everyone was just pleasant and just moved along and got it done.

MTV: Are you surprised by how gruesome it gets, or are you so totally desensitized that the traps make you chuckle?

Ehl: [Laughs.] The triple saw trap at the beginning [of "Saw 3D"], the effects team had gone through three 5-gallon pails before we even got halfway through, and someone was like, "Do you know how much blood is in the human body?" We're at a few pints here and there. When you walked across the floor, everything was red and everyone's shoes. That's why I laugh, because all I remember is, our feet were sticking to the floor like you were in the oldest movie theater you have ever been in, and you stay too long and you're, like, glued to the floor.

MTV: So on that one, did you use more blood than is actually in the human body?

Ehl: Oh, yeah! Big time! On that one, that was for visual effects, and it was just crazy. They probably unloaded enough blood for 10 human bodies. One trap, the meat-scale one, one [actor] said he had to lay in his blood for a day, and he actually got glued to the floor. When we peeled him up, it peeled the paint off the floor. He was stuck there. [Laughs.] So that's how I see the "Saw" movies as far as scary. It's just stuff like that when you're on set and see an actor stuck to the floor.

MTV: How much do you pay attention to putting someone in a trap and having it work the way it's portrayed?

Ehl: The buildup of building the trap is a lot of that. I know [production designer] Tony [Ianni] would spend hours researching whether or not this would do what it's supposed to do. They would call in experts from whatever fields. Like when they were going to electrocute the person in the bathtub, they called in an electrical engineer and said, "Would this happen? And if it wouldn't, how would you recommend this should be?" Kind of so it would be realistic. Doctors, engineers, all that kind of stuff are referenced in. Just Internet galore, looking up references to industrial accidents and actual stats and things like on the blood amount to make things seem realistic. Like the one with the saw that we talked about was for sheer spectacle. The reality of that one was blown out of proportion.

MTV: What was the most painful or gruesome trap?

Ehl: The hair-pulling trap was pretty gruesome. When we're trying a fresh trap, I would go on the Internet and read what people like and would write. There was this thing with the best "Saw" traps ever, and the ones that people really chime in on are almost like the simplest ones, like the needle pit, which from a trap point of view is the simplest it gets. For the prop guys, there were thousands and thousands of needles that needed to be made, but really, it's the simplest concept. The trap where the lady put her arms in the glass closure and her wrist gets cut when she tries to get her wrists out. But the hair one, it was built simple. Just a whole bunch of spinning wheels and elements, and it was pretty gruesome.

Check out everything we've got on "Saw 3D."

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

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Jennifer Garner Hits the Polls

Doing her civic duty, Jennifer Garner was spotted arriving at a polling point in Brentwood, California yesterday afternoon (November 2).

The ?Catch and Release? actress looked cute and casual as she arrived to cast her vote in the 2010 midterm elections.

In career news, Jennifer will be starring alongside Joel Edgerton in the upcoming fantasy drama ?The Odd Life of Timothy Green.?

The film, slated to begin production early next year, will be directed by ?Dan in Real Life? helmsman Peter Hedges.

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Ke$ha - My First Kiss

My First Kiss

  • Artist: Ke$ha
  • Label: Photo Finish Records
  • Director: Isaac Ravishankara

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Lady Gaga Reaches 1 Billion YouTube Views

Singer dubs her little monsters the 'kings and queens of YouTube.'
By Gil Kaufman


Lady Gaga
Photo: Andy Sheppard/ Redferns/ Getty Images

Justin Bieber put up a valiant fight, but Lady Gaga has officially taken the crown as the first artist to reach one billion views on YouTube. Gaga celebrated the landmark on Sunday by tweeting out her thanks to her little monsters for helping her reach the improbable milestone.

"We reached 1 Billion views on youtube little monsters!" she wrote. "If we stick together we can do anything. I dub u kings and queens of youtube! Unite!"

Though Gaga notched the record first, Bieber is close behind with more than 962 million views, and he's expected to join her in that rarified air by November 1.

Gaga averaged almost 1.8 million views per day in September, while Bieber averaged around 3.7 million views per day in September. Both easily outpace the next closest artist, late pop icon Michael Jackson, who has around 600 million views on YouTube. Though Gaga hit the billion plateau first, Bieber has actually been lapping her in YouTube views for most of this year. From July 1 to September 28, TubeMogul reported that the teen pop star averaged 3.98 million daily views to Lady G's 2.04 million. He's been at that torrid pace since February 28, averaging 3.83 million daily views while Gaga has averaged 2.53 million.

It helps that both artists have a number of YouTube's all-time most-viewed music clips, with Gaga's "Bad Romance" piling up 297 million views, "Just Dance" further back at 124 million views, "Alejandro" with 94 million and "Telephone" with 88 million. As for Bieber, his smash "Baby" is the most-watched video ever on YouTube with 366 million views, while his "Never Let You Go" has 96 million and "Never Say Never" 97 million.

Gaga actually passed the one billion mark in total online views (both on and outside of YouTube) in March, thanks to landing three clips in the 100 million-plus club.

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Usher - Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)

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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Ronnie James Dio Dead at 67

Today, the heavy metal world lost a true legend. Ronnie James Dio, who most recently fronted the Black Sabbath-without-Ozzy band Heaven & Hell, lost his battle with stomach cancer at 7:45 a.m. PST. He was 67.
?My heart is broken,? said his wife and manager, Wendy Dio in a statement. ?Many, many friends and family were [...]

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Britney Spears - Circus

Circus

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Photos | Drake, Nicki Minaj, Usher And More At Hot 97 2010 Summer Jam

Drake, Nicki Minaj, Usher And More At Hot 97 2010 Summer Jam

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Charlie Sheen Files for Divorce From 3rd Wife

Nov. 2 - Charlie Sheen has filed for divorce from his third wife, Brooke Mueller Sheen. He is seeking joint custody of the former couples' twins while Brooke Sheen filed her own petition for divorce, seeking sole custody and spousal support.

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'Deathly Hallows' Featurette Explains The Film's Story, Shows Us Bathilda Bagshot And Snatchers

Every day that passes brings us one day closer to the November 19 release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" (only 17 days left!) and, more often than not, also brings some new clip or featurette from the film. The latest video, which -- shocker! -- arrived today, focuses on the story [...]

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Photos | Halle Berry, Mary J. Blige, More At The 6th Annual Black Ball

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George Hickenlooper Was 'One Of A Kind,' Says Kevin Spacey

'My experience working with him was nothing short of fantastic,' actor says of late director, who died Saturday.
By Josh Wigler


George Hickenlooper
Photo: Sonia Recchia/ Getty

The sudden death of director George Hickenlooper late last week has elicited a flurry of reactions from his Hollywood colleagues, most notably his "Casino Jack" collaborator Kevin Spacey. Hickenlooper, who died in his sleep from unknown causes last Friday, directed Spacey in a biopic about Jack Abramoff, a Washington, D.C., lobbyist currently serving a prison sentence on fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion charges.

"I can't believe he's gone because George was so alive, bubbling with energy, drive, commitment, an open heart and a brilliant sense of humor," Spacey said of his director's passing, according to TheWrap.com. "He was one of a kind."

"My experience working with him was nothing short of fantastic: from our prison visit with Jack Abramoff, to script meetings, pre-production discussions and finally our first day of shooting," the actor continued. "From that day until our last event premiering 'Casino Jack' in Toronto last month, he was a joy to be around. His sensibility and outlook served his everyday. All of us who knew him, who had the chance to collaborate with him, who saw the child in him that he never lost — always looking at life with wonder and curiosity — will miss him with enormous admiration and affection."

Others have echoed Spacey's sentiments, with "Supersize Me" documentarian Morgan Spurlock commenting that "he was a great talent and an amazing guy." Hickenlooper's wife, Suzanne, has released a statement as well, saying, "He had a great creative talent, a generous spirit and loved life and people more than anyone I know."

Hickenlooper was found dead on Saturday in Denver, Colorado, where he was presenting "Casino Jack" at the Starz Denver Film Festival and supporting his cousin John Hickenlooper's campaign for governor of Colorado. "Casino Jack" is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters in December.

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

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Photos | Performances At The 10th Annual BMI Urban Awards

Performances At The 10th Annual BMI Urban Awards

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'Star Wars' Trilogy Retold Via Paper Animation: Must-Watch Video!

It doesn't take millions of dollars, groundbreaking special effects or the name George Lucas to make a "Star Wars" movie. As a new video from Vimeo's Eric Power proves, all an aspiring filmmaker needs to create some movie magic is a stack of construction paper, some serious skills with a pair of scissors and a [...]

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Photos | The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Performances

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Lady Gaga Reaches 1 Billion YouTube Views

Singer dubs her little monsters the 'kings and queens of YouTube.'
By Gil Kaufman


Lady Gaga
Photo: Andy Sheppard/ Redferns/ Getty Images

Justin Bieber put up a valiant fight, but Lady Gaga has officially taken the crown as the first artist to reach one billion views on YouTube. Gaga celebrated the landmark on Sunday by tweeting out her thanks to her little monsters for helping her reach the improbable milestone.

"We reached 1 Billion views on youtube little monsters!" she wrote. "If we stick together we can do anything. I dub u kings and queens of youtube! Unite!"

Though Gaga notched the record first, Bieber is close behind with more than 962 million views, and he's expected to join her in that rarified air by November 1.

Gaga averaged almost 1.8 million views per day in September, while Bieber averaged around 3.7 million views per day in September. Both easily outpace the next closest artist, late pop icon Michael Jackson, who has around 600 million views on YouTube. Though Gaga hit the billion plateau first, Bieber has actually been lapping her in YouTube views for most of this year. From July 1 to September 28, TubeMogul reported that the teen pop star averaged 3.98 million daily views to Lady G's 2.04 million. He's been at that torrid pace since February 28, averaging 3.83 million daily views while Gaga has averaged 2.53 million.

It helps that both artists have a number of YouTube's all-time most-viewed music clips, with Gaga's "Bad Romance" piling up 297 million views, "Just Dance" further back at 124 million views, "Alejandro" with 94 million and "Telephone" with 88 million. As for Bieber, his smash "Baby" is the most-watched video ever on YouTube with 366 million views, while his "Never Let You Go" has 96 million and "Never Say Never" 97 million.

Gaga actually passed the one billion mark in total online views (both on and outside of YouTube) in March, thanks to landing three clips in the 100 million-plus club.

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Monday, November 1, 2010

Michael Jackson's Nephew Austin Brown Releases First Single

'I can't help where I come from, but I love where I come from, so I just do music and I create,' Austin Brown says.
By Steven Roberts


Austin Brown
Photo: MTV News

The name Austin Brown may not ring any bells, but he is the youngest son of Rebbie "Centipede" Jackson, and, of course, the nephew of the late Michael Jackson. Brown, a talented and versatile singer, songwriter, producer and dancer, is ready to carry on the Jackson family business for the next generation. But he isn't necessarily looking to live off the family's fame.

"Music is in my heart," Brown said. "It's what I love to do. I can't help where I come from, but I love where I come from, so I just do music and I create."

Brown said he grew up listening to everything from Boyz II Men and George Michael to the Beatles. And while such a diverse musical taste isn't uncommon with the iPod generation of today, the singer said he loved to sit around and dissect what makes each artist special. He'd listen and wonder what about the Beatles inspired Brian Wilson's (of the Beach Boys) work, which in turn inspired the Beatles.

Brown also loves to perform, which he said started when his mom first took him onstage. "She was doing a show in Japan and I was about 3," said Brown. "When I first looked up, there was all of these things onstage — gargoyles and all this weird stuff at the club. And I got scared and kind of ran off, but I paused when I ran off. So my mom tried it again the next day, and I danced my heart off after that."

Some 20 years later, Brown has teamed up with super-producer Rodney Jerkins and is set to release his debut album, 85. The title represents what Brown has learned from music throughout his life.

"He had the vision," explained Jerkins. "He said, 'It's going to be called 85.' Why 85? 'Because that was the year I was born and in '85 this artist came out, and the music sounded like this. We've got to be inspired by this.' The whole thing we kept trying to do was create a sound that makes you want to dance and feel good."

The album's first single, "Target Practice," debuted Monday on Brown's website, and the video will follow. Brown said it doesn't look anything short of stunning.

"It was directed by a man by the name of Tom DeSanto, who is the producer of 'Transformers' and 'X-Men,' and it was such a blessing to get him for my first video," he said.

"He's downplaying it for me," Jerkins said. "Your first video and you've got the producer of 'Transformers'? How did you get him from the movie world? Most people go from making music videos to the movie world. He's coming from the movie world to the video world."

What do you think of Brown's new single, "Target Practice"? Tell us in the comments below.

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Usher Comes Back For His Crown: A VMA Cheat Sheet

The 'OMG' singer overcame personal drama and proved his staying power on the charts over the past year.
By Mawuse Ziegbe


Usher
Photo: Brad Barket/ Getty Images

Usher has reigned as Pop & B royalty since he hit the scene as a teen crooner in the '90s. Back when his 16-year-old protégé, Justin Bieber, was still a toddler, the ATL singer was making the ladies faint with hits like "You Make Me Wanna" and "Nice & Slow." But his early success was just a prelude to the music-world domination he's achieved with club bangers and deeply personal slow jams in the years since.

Usher's divorce from Tameka Foster was the latest personal development to fueled his 2010 chart-topping album Raymond v. Raymond. Now the singer is set to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards, and his smash "OMG" will battle it out for a Moonman in three categories: Best Male Video, Best Dance Video and Best Choreography. Here's a look at how the singer's recent success has steered him toward VMA accolades:

Following the release of the divorce-themed "Papers," his more upbeat video "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" premiered in January 2010. The clip followed the romantic superstar as he tried to juggle the demands of his professional and personal life.

In March, Usher talked to MTV News about incorporating that balance into Raymond Vs. Raymond. "I think this is the one time where I'm able to put it all in, emotionally and the good times — super-freaky and then also super-emotional."

So, it wasn't a big surprise that when Raymond Vs. Raymond finally landed on shelves after several delays, it landed at #1 on the Billboard 200 with over 300,000 scans during its first week.

He went from romantic to racy, busting out his signature, fluid, hip-swiveling moves in the video for "Lil Freak," featuring Nicki Minaj. The star didn't hold back in the visuals or the lyrics, which both detail a freaky rendezvous with some very game ladies. Usher revealed that this track, like many of his other hits, was inspired by real-life experiences.

The club anthem "OMG" featured Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am and revealed the R&B kingpin's more club-friendly side. The accompanying video showcased Usher's easy swagger and ever-sharp dance skills.

Raymond was such a hit that in August the singer released Versus, an extension of the smash album featuring songs like the Jay-Z collabo "Hot Tottie."

Usher, who has a history of tearing up the VMA stage, will return to the main event this year. He recently reminded his fans that live television paired with his onstage wizardry can result in some seriously unforgettable moments. "You never know what's gonna happen on an MTV VMA stage," he said. "I look forward to making it a night to remember."

The star has also made one of the most savvy moves in recent pop music history by signing teen phenom Bieber, who has gone on to induce global tween hysteria and set YouTube records.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event 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 Best New Artist from now through September 12.

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This might sound crazy but...

I blew off my shrink appointment this morning because it was raining outside and I didn't want to get out bed, so I'm just going to show up tomorrow at the same time and pretend they got the day wrong.

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The Wait Is Over ? Roccett Releases ?America?s Nightmare? Street Album

Roccett returns on Halloween with his newest, one of the most anticipated street album’s of the year “America?s Nightmare” hosted by DJ Drama, DJ Kay Slay and DJ Ill Will. With features from Rick Ross, Bun B, Masspike Miles, Jay Rock, Glasses Malone, Trey Songz and more. Track listing and free download link below: 01. [...]

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Review: Mountain Buggy Duo Stroller

Check out our review of Mountain Buggy's Duo stroller.

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Michael Jackson's Nephew Austin Brown Releases First Single

'I can't help where I come from, but I love where I come from, so I just do music and I create,' Austin Brown says.
By Steven Roberts


Austin Brown
Photo: MTV News

The name Austin Brown may not ring any bells, but he is the youngest son of Rebbie "Centipede" Jackson, and, of course, the nephew of the late Michael Jackson. Brown, a talented and versatile singer, songwriter, producer and dancer, is ready to carry on the Jackson family business for the next generation. But he isn't necessarily looking to live off the family's fame.

"Music is in my heart," Brown said. "It's what I love to do. I can't help where I come from, but I love where I come from, so I just do music and I create."

Brown said he grew up listening to everything from Boyz II Men and George Michael to the Beatles. And while such a diverse musical taste isn't uncommon with the iPod generation of today, the singer said he loved to sit around and dissect what makes each artist special. He'd listen and wonder what about the Beatles inspired Brian Wilson's (of the Beach Boys) work, which in turn inspired the Beatles.

Brown also loves to perform, which he said started when his mom first took him onstage. "She was doing a show in Japan and I was about 3," said Brown. "When I first looked up, there was all of these things onstage — gargoyles and all this weird stuff at the club. And I got scared and kind of ran off, but I paused when I ran off. So my mom tried it again the next day, and I danced my heart off after that."

Some 20 years later, Brown has teamed up with super-producer Rodney Jerkins and is set to release his debut album, 85. The title represents what Brown has learned from music throughout his life.

"He had the vision," explained Jerkins. "He said, 'It's going to be called 85.' Why 85? 'Because that was the year I was born and in '85 this artist came out, and the music sounded like this. We've got to be inspired by this.' The whole thing we kept trying to do was create a sound that makes you want to dance and feel good."

The album's first single, "Target Practice," debuted Monday on Brown's website, and the video will follow. Brown said it doesn't look anything short of stunning.

"It was directed by a man by the name of Tom DeSanto, who is the producer of 'Transformers' and 'X-Men,' and it was such a blessing to get him for my first video," he said.

"He's downplaying it for me," Jerkins said. "Your first video and you've got the producer of 'Transformers'? How did you get him from the movie world? Most people go from making music videos to the movie world. He's coming from the movie world to the video world."

What do you think of Brown's new single, "Target Practice"? Tell us in the comments below.

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Jay-Z, Eminem Close Yankee Stadium Shows With Kanye West, Drake

Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent also make appearances at last of four Home and Home concerts.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Jay-Z performs at Yankee Stadium on Monday
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

NEW YORK — Like a good cleanup man in baseball, Jay-Z delivers big hits on a consistent basis.

On Tuesday night (September 14) at Yankee Stadium, the Brooklyn rapper closed out the fourth of his and Eminem's Home and Home shows (two in Detroit, two in the Bronx) with a performance that would make A-Rod envious.

"Break a record in this bitch, Hov," he rapped during a freestyle right after the opening number, the intro to his The Dynasty: Roc La Familia album. "Hit them with that BALCO."

The Roc Nation head, however, wouldn't need any performance-enhancing substances to give him an extra boost on this night. He confidently cruised through 90 minutes of material; Jay-Z was just as cool as the fall night.

Kanye West quickly arrived onstage two songs into the show for a mini-set of his own, riding shotgun with Hov on the "Power" remix and "Monster."

Jay-Z grabbed the crowd's attention again minutes later with an anecdote about his exit from the venue the night before. The legendary MC said on the way out after Monday's performance he ran into rap pioneer Kool Herc. Jay said he asked Herc to join him for Tuesday night's festivities, thanking Herc for creating hip-hop culture. "We wouldn't be here without you," he said.

"You ready for me to get out of here yet?" 'Ye asked Hov, bringing it back to the present.

"Not yet, we going all the way tonight," Jay-Z responded.

The Chicago star then burst into his "Good Life."

Next, Swizz Beatz joined Jay for "On to the Next One" before Eminem and the iconic lyricist traded verses on their collabo "Renegade." Eminem was agile onstage next to Jay-Z and appeared in arguably the best shape of his career.

"Go to war with the Mormons/ Take a bath with the Catholics," Em rapped. "In holy water/ No wonder they try to hold me under longer/ I'm a mother----in' spiteful, delightful, eyeful/ The new Ice Cube, mother----ers hate to like you."

Earlier in the evening, Eminem brought the capacity crowd to its feet by bringing out 50 Cent, who then brought out G-Unit's Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo with him. The trio from Queens sported glow-in-the-dark gear as the lights cut out during 50's performance of "I Get Money." Later, Fif ceded the stage to Em, and the Detroit superstar brought out Dr. Dre.

The hulking producer treated the crowd to "Still D.R.E." and "Nuthin' but a G Thang" sans Snoop Dogg; Eminem, though, filled in admirably for the Long Beach lyricist.

D-12 also took the stage during Em's set; the group dedicated their hit "My Band" to their fallen friend Proof.

The outfield was filled with fans, and their phones made the grounds look like a Lite-Brite as the screens lit up the stadium.

Jay-Z shouted out hip-hop's fallen heroes during his performance. He picked up Pimp C's "Big Pimpin' " verse a cappella and later ordered the DJ to play the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" and "One More Chance."

The show was smooth, but not without any hiccups. Drake delivered a stirring version of his "Light Up" with Jay-Z; the Toronto star sported a Blueprint 3-designed Yankees fitted cap to pay homage to Hov. "Welcome to the stage a man that's been getting busy as of late," Jay told the audience. "He goes by the name Drizzy Drake."

But minutes later, Drake stumbled through his and Nicki Minaj's "Up All Night." Hov offered a mulligan to Drake and later a olive branch when he told the crowd during his final song that he may have to offer the Young Money rapper a "free verse" to make up for messing up his sound.

Although Jay's most memorable performance involved his guest stars (Beyoncé also joined him, as did Nicki Minaj), this time it was a familiar face that helped him with the most moving part of the show. Memphis Bleek and Jay-Z ran through a series of the latter's past numbers as an encore.

"I got a million of these," Jay repeated twice, as he introduced songs ranging from "Jigga My N---a," "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" and "Where I'm From."

"For anyone that hasn't been down since Reasonable Doubt," Jay-Z told the crowd shortly after midnight, "you can head to the [exit]."

If you were at the Home and Home shows, share your reviews in the comments!

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Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday Track List Revealed

Kanye West, Drake, Eminem, Rihanna and Natasha Bedingfield make appearances on MC's debut LP.
By Mawuse Ziegbe


Nicki Minaj
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Young Money spitter Nicki Minaj has already revealed that her hotly-anticipated debut, Pink Friday, will feature a collabo with hip-hop heavyweight Eminem, as well as contributions from her colorful alter egos. However, the album's recently unveiled track list shows that the "Right Thru Me" hitmaker has corralled an A-list roster of features for her major-label maiden voyage.

"Blazin," a collaboration with "genius" MC Kanye West, appears on the track list for the deluxe version of Friday, which hit iTunes Saturday. Rihanna, who teamed up with Minaj for the Loud collaboration "Raining Men," returns the favor on the track "Fly." The will.i.am-assisted single "Check It Out" and "Moment 4 Life," featuring Minaj's labelmate and ex-Twitter husband Drake, also appear on the album. Perhaps one of the more surprising guests is British songstress Natasha Bedingfield, who lends her skills to "Last Chance."

Minaj, who gave MTV News a preview of the album's vibe with a freestyle during "RapFix Live" last week, has built her mainstream career by consistently knocking out powerhouse features for everyone from Trey Songz to Diddy. Even though she's ready to run the game with her solo work, the breakout femcee has maintained she's down to work with anyone who can contribute to an inventive collabo. While entertaining the idea of jumping on a track with fellow music original Lady Gaga, Minaj insisted she wouldn't pass up a partnership with potential.

"I'm inspired by her creativity," Minaj said during her recent "RapFix Live" interview. "The women in the game, I never say I would never work with them because, in fact, if there's an opportunity for me to work with them, and it's a way that we can kill the game and do something crazy, why would I turn that down?"

Here's the track list for Pink Friday, which is slated to hit stores November 22.

1. I'm The Best
2. Roman's Revenge (featuring Eminem)
3. Did It On 'Em
4. Right Thru Me
5. Fly (featuring Rihanna)
6. Save Me
7. Moment 4 Life (featuring Drake)
8. Check It Out (featuring will.i.am)
9. Blazin (featuring Kanye West)
10. Here I Am
11. Dear Old Nicki
12. Your Love
13. Last Chance (featuring Natasha Bedingfield)
14. Super Bass
15. Blow Ya Mind
16. Muny
17. Girls Fall Like Dominoes [Bonus Track]

What song you looking forward to hearing from Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday? Let us know in the comments!

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Beyonce Says She's 'A Feminist, In A Way'

Singer also talks about retiring alter ego Sasha Fierce and starting a family, in You magazine.
By James Dinh


Beyoncé
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images

Whether it's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" or the Destiny's Child classic "Independent Women," most of Beyoncé's catalog consists of strong female-empowerment anthems. So it's no surprise that the singer considers herself to be a feminist.

In an interview with the U.K.'s You magazine, the pop star opens up about the importance of female companionship, not needing to hide behind Sasha Fierce and her much-talked-about baby plans.

"I think I am a feminist, in a way. It's not something I consciously decided I was going to be; perhaps it's because I grew up in a singing group with other women, and that was so helpful to me," she told the magazine. "It kept me out of so much trouble and out of bad relationships. My friendships with my girls are just so much a part of me that there are things I am never going to do that would upset that bond. I never want to betray that friendship, because I love being a woman and I love being a friend to other women."

Most recently, Beyoncé has certainly made her share of female friends in the industry. In the past year, the singer has collaborated with Lady Gaga ("Video Phone" and "Telephone") and Alicia Keys ("Put It in a Love Song").

While the singer might always have female besties, there's one thing she's cut out of the picture: alter ego Sasha Fierce. Earlier this year, the pop star revealed that she "killed" Sasha, and now she said the alter-ego absence is due to her newfound self-awareness.

"I don't need Sasha so much anymore, because these days, I know who I am. It takes time to figure out who you are, and I am still discovering different things about myself. As I am exposed to different experiences, I think, 'Oh, I like this. I didn't know I liked this,' " she explained. "That's the journey of life that is so exciting. More and more, I know who I am, I know what I like, I know what I want, and that makes me feel so free."

In fact, B already has her eye on some personal life goals. "My ambition is to continue to learn about the world and to eventually have a family," she said. And while Beyoncé remained coy about when she and husband Jay-Z will expand the Carter family, she hinted that there's really "no dates, no times" to motherhood. "It will happen when I am ready."

What is your favorite Beyoncé female-empowerment anthem? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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