Maryland Legislator Thinks Baltimore Rioters Should Have Benefits Revoked While serving as guest host for a radio show on Wednesday, Maryland State legislator Patrick McDonough chatted with callers on “finding a solution” to the “problem” that is Baltimore’s angry youth — which he refers to as the “thug nation.” McDonough gave an interesting response when a caller asked if it were possible to simply starve the families of rioters to punish them for having a “poor upbringing.” When asked if people who riot in the community are “too young, why can’t they take away benefits from families, from like the parents who are collecting welfare.” McDonough responded: “That’s an idea and that could be legislation. I think that you could make the case that there is a failure to do proper parenting and allowing this stuff to happen, is there an opportunity for a month to take away your food stamps?” Hmmm…he thinks starving the people will keep them from looting stores again ? We bet he has a bit of a surprise coming his way if something like this comes to pass… He also says he’d be interested in seeing a scientific study to explain what is so wrong with young, poor Black people and why they just can’t seem to get along with police: “These young people, they’re violent, they’re brutal, their mindset is dysfunctional to a point of being dangerous…” Funny…sounds like he’s describing abusive members of the police force to us. BaltimoreSun
Suge Knight’s Lawyer Says Floyd Mayweather May Post His Bail Suge Knight has been suffering a number of emergencies and medical issues since he entered jail after killing a man with his truck earlier this year. His sky-high bail amount caused him to actually pass out , since there is no way he’d ever be able pay on the sky high amount. Rumor has it that Floyd Mayweather may step in and save Suge from cooling his heels in the clink while he awaits trial. Via E! News : Suge Knight may be out of jail as early as this weekend if Floyd Mayweather Jr. wins his anticipated boxing match against Manny Pacquiao, his lawyer says. The 50-year-old Death Row Records co-founder has remained behind bars since he was arrested on Jan. 30 on suspicion of running over two men with his pickup truck. He re-entered a plea of not guilty on Thursday to charges of murder, attempted murder and hit and run over the incident, in which one man was killed and the second was injured. His bail was set at $10 million, reduced from $25 million, and his trial is set to begin in July. Matthew Fletcher, Knight’s attorney, said if Mayweather wins Saturday’s boxing match, he could cover his client’s bail, The Los Angeles Times and NBC Los Angeles reported on April 30. The boxing champion has not commented. Fletcher told the outlets he talked to Mayweather about the issue on Wednesday. “They’re good friends,” Fletcher was quoted as saying. “Suge said, ‘Man, I was really going to pull for him to win, but now I’m going to have to pray for him to win.’” This one sounds a bit off…he is “Money” Mayweather after all. We wouldn’t think he’d need to hinge his ability to bail his good friend out of jail on Saturday’s fight. Doesn’t he carry about half that amount in cash in his backpack at all times anyway?? Well as it turns out, the miracle bail was a bunch of wishful thinking. As TMZ reports: TMZ Sports just got off the phone with one of Floyd’s most trusted members of his TMT crew — who tells us Suge’s lawyer was just plain wrong when he told media outlets there was a plan in place for Floyd to fork over the money. We’re told Floyd and Suge were close in the past — but they haven’t been in contact in several years. Well…maybe Suge can hope Floyd has a change of heart?
Brad Pitt faces off against zombies in the first peek at World War Z , the anticipated and notoriously troubled book adaptation that has Hollywood aflutter. Are those notorious behind-the-scenes woes evident from these 30 seconds of footage? More importantly: Will Pitt’s gloriously shaggy mane keep its luster as he flees from these hordes of CG zombies? Entertainment Tonight has the first look (they’ll debut a full peek on November 8): Even compensating for the annoying infotainment voice-over and terrible picture quality, this just a little… underwhelming. This is the kind of I Am Legend -esque zombie CG $170 million and counting buys you? That said, I do love me some Mireille Enos even if my brain isn’t ready to accept the idea of her and Pitt as a couple. Does not quite compute. I look at her frantically on the phone with Pitt in this trailer tease and think of Linden frantically on her flip phone with her neglected teenage son, chewing Nicorette, hunting down perps in Seattle while being the worst mother ever. And then I think back to The Killing , which I loved even if it was two seasons of red herrings and Holderisms, because remember Holder? God , I loved him. I’d like to think Holder would survive a zombie apocalypse. Hiding out underneath a hoodie, calling zombies names like “home slice.” Yeah. Give me that movie. World War Z zombie-runs into theaters on June 21, 2013. Let’s hope seven months is enough time to make those CG effects look vaguely realistic. Leave your thoughts below. [ Entertainment Tonight ]
Tom Cruise rescues rock and roll musical that ‘wins no prizes for originality,’ critics say. By Kara Warner Julianne Hough in “Rock of Ages” Photo: It’s relatively safe to say “Rock of Ages” has built-in appeal: It’s based on a hit Broadway musical of the same name and features a slew of A-list actors singing and dancing along to some of the biggest hits of the 1980s. Despite all those charms, including the top billing of action star turned rock star Tom Cruise, the whimsical musical is not quite a surefire hit among critics and sits at a less-than-fresh rating over at Rotten Tomatoes . Sing along as we take a walk through the “Rock of Ages” reviews. The Story ” ‘Rock of Ages,’ a rags-to-riches rock ‘n’ roll musical set mostly in a music club on Sunset Strip, wins no prizes for originality. A lot of it is zesty entertainment, with some energetic musical numbers; several big names (Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin) prove they can sing well enough to play the Strip if they lose the day job. The two leads are Diego Boneta, as a bartender in the Strip’s hottest club, and Julianne Hough, as a naive kid just off the bus from the Midwest. They’re both gifted singers and join the others in doing covers of 1980s rock classics. Of course they also fall in love. Of course they have heartfelt conversations while standing behind the ‘Hollywood’ sign. Of course they break up because of a tragic misunderstanding. Of course their mistake is repaired and (spoiler!) they’re back together at the end. Has ever a romance in a musical been otherwise?” — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times The Music and Singing “It looks like Disneyland and sounds, well, like a bad Broadway musical, with all the power belting and jazz-hand choreography that implies. To put it another way, there’s way too much Journey on the soundtrack, and Foreigner. There’s also an REO Speedwagon ditty, a few from Twisted Sister, Def Leppard and Poison, and at least two hits that were released after 1987 (‘More Than Words’ and ‘I Remember You’). All the songs are sung, mostly without shame or distinction, by the actors themselves, who slide into the warbling as if into a conversation. A grizzled, bewigged Mr. Baldwin enunciates through his songs, in the Rex Harrison mold, to play a rock survivor, Dennis Dupree, who runs the Bourbon with his sidekick, Lonny (Mr. Brand). They make their stale buddy routine and romance amusing and, as with the rest of the adults, make the movie bearable. A whispering and writhing Mr. Cruise makes it watchable.” — Manohla Dargis, New York Times The Cruise Factor “The real reason to see ‘Rock of Ages,’ though, is Tom Cruise. He doesn’t sing much, and the one big onstage number he’s given — shredding Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ under a rain of shaken-up beer from the audience — relies heavily on postproduction and backup singing, probably to mask his vocal shortcomings. But especially in his scenes with [Paul] Giamatti and Malin Akerman (as a Rolling Stone critic who’s the only one with the guts to call Stacee on his ersatz-Marlon Brando B.S.), Cruise goes to a deep, dark, almost deliberately repellent place I’m not sure he’s ever been before (in ‘Magnolia,’ maybe, and in a comic mode as the profane studio head Les Grossman in ‘Tropic Thunder’). The isolation and paranoia brought on by extreme fame is something Tom Cruise clearly understands from the inside out — and what we know, or think we know, about the actor’s personal eccentricities can’t help but color our understanding of Stacee as well. When Cruise and Akerman have lurid (but still PG-13) sex atop an air-hockey table while singing Foreigner’s ‘I Want to Know What Love Is,’ Cruise’s expressions of erotic anguish are like something out of Steve McQueen’s sex-addiction drama ‘Shame,’ with a hint of tragic drag queen thrown in. Cruise’s portrait of the rock star as empty-eyed nihilist doesn’t really belong in this gaudy pop trinket of a movie — it’s both too outsized and too inward — but that’s precisely what makes for its fascination. ‘Rock of Ages’ is only recommended for audiences with a taste for highly processed cheese, but it did leave me hopeful that the next decade may see the rise of Weird Tom Cruise.” — Dana Stevens, Slate The Final Word ” ‘Rock of Ages’ is an effulgent celebration of fakeness. It isn’t trying to be real; it’s trying to be faker than any fake thing has ever been before. Compared to this fake musical set in a fake version of the past that spins a ridiculously fake narrative of pop-culture history, ‘Mamma Mia’ (the last jukebox musical to be vilified by critics and embraced by the public) is pretty much a mumblecore movie. ‘Rock of Ages’ is so remarkably fake it’s almost ur-fake or meta-fake; you can watch the globs of trans fats congealing on its preternaturally bright surfaces as it cools. This movie could hardly seem more weirdly artificial if it had been jointly hatched by David Lynch and John Waters, and raised in a lab on a steady diet of Foreigner hits and original Broadway-cast recordings. I’m not claiming this movie is good for you, Lord knows. It’s a little bit like eating a Happy Meal at 4:30 in the morning after a long night of Jagermeister and nitrous oxide. But not to put too fine a point on it, if you ain’t lookin’ for nothin’ but a good time, why should you resist? Some people who claim to understand the public appetite smell an expensive flop here, and that well may be. But I’m here to tell you that this movie is almost too weird to be believed, and that if you share even a fraction of my taste for perversity you should check it out.” — Andrew O’Hehir, Salon Check out everything we’ve got on “Rock of Ages.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Rock Of Ages’
The clip will premiere during ‘MTV First: Katy Perry’ at 7:53 p.m. ET this Tuesday, June 19, on MTV. By Kara Warner, with reporting by Sway Calloway Katy Perry Photo: We only have to wait a few more days until the world premiere of Katy Perry ‘s latest music video for her newest hit single, “Wide Awake.” Perry is bringing the anticipated clip to MTV on Tuesday via “MTV First: Katy Perry.” Perry has said the song, along with certain aspects of the video, is all about her journey of self-discovery during the past year. Of her inspiration for the song and the video, Perry told MTV News, “I just wanted to tell a story about myself going through this journey, maybe sometimes trying to get out of the maze. There’s good parts; there’s bad parts. Of course, there has been a lot of things that went on last year that I had to get through and overcome. I think what probably kept me going is just the purity of my belief in music.” Judging from what we saw in the recent teaser trailer, “Wide Awake” is all wrapped up in a fairytale or at least in a fairytale-like setting. Perry appears to be playing the princess, and along her journey encounters a poisoned strawberry, a curious cat, Prince Charming and a young girl. Make sure to tune into MTV this Tuesday, June 19, at 7:53 p.m. ET for the worldwide premiere of the clip, followed by an exclusive 30-minute interview with Katy and MTV’s Sway Calloway on MTV.com, during which Perry will discuss all the details about the song, which she wrote for her upcoming 3-D concert film, “Katy Perry: Part of Me.” The “Wide Awake” video will also debut on VH1, Logo and TeenNick, in addition to MTV.com, VH1.com and LOGOtv.com. Perry’s fans around the globe will be able to stream the video online at KatyPerry.MTV.com. Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake” video premieres at 7:53 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 19, on MTV! Related Videos Katy Perry Is ‘Wide Awake’
Teenage rapper unveils his major-label debut, filled with feel-good tracks that prove he can hold his own against more seasoned MCs. By Rob Markman Diggy Simmons Photo: Andrew H. Walker/ Getty Images NEW YORK — Diggy Simmons took one step closer to his Unexpected Arrival when the teenage rapper unveiled his album for press, the music industry and their daughters, nieces and little sisters Tuesday night at Tribeca Cinemas in New York City. Team Diggy served up his signature Jetsetters non-alcoholic drink to the teenage crowd who gathered to take the first listen to the rap rookie’s major-label debut, which is due out March 20. Last week, at the rehearsal for BET’s upcoming “Rip the Runway” fashion and music show, MTV News caught up with Diggy to talk about his anticipated debut. “It’s just going to show the world,” he told us at the February 28 shoot. “People have gotten different pieces of me doing my thing from the freestyles to the mixtapes and different things, but this is a full project of original music and it’s just me taking that to the next level of what people really aren’t expecting. The title really speaks for itself.” Unexpected Arrival begins with a spoken-word intro and leads into the rock-tinged “Hello World.” It’s a chest-pounding proclamation befitting of the son of rap legend Run, but young Simmons is without a doubt his own artist. Diggy proves he can spit with the best of them. On “88,” he manages to hold his own against LOX luminary Jadakiss. He pulls similar lyrical stunts on songs like “Tom Edison” and “The Reign” while still catering to the teenage girls squealing at the front row of his shows. The LP’s first single, “Do It Like You” featuring Jeremih, is already a proven winner, currently at #13 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart and still rising. On “4 Letter Word,” Diggy explores L-O-V-E with a youthful, wide-eyed optimism, and on “Special Occasion,” he celebrates like a young man should. It isn’t all perfect though. “Unforgivable Blackness” is an honest attempt at depth, but the socio-politically charged track seemed to stick out like a sore thumb on an album filled with feel-good music. But on Tuesday night, the starstruck crowd gushed in approval at each track. Among his true fans, Diggy could do no wrong. Related Artists Diggy Simmons
Today is Rick Ross ‘ 36th birthday, and it took him years to emerge out of Miami and become a nationally known rapper. But he’s cranked out some of the best hip-hop songs each year since his career exploded in 2006. Jay-Z upgraded Ricky Rozay’s career by signing him to Def Jam, and he’s become more respected with each album because of his consistency in delivering hits. Hip-hop is said to be a young man’s sport, and some thought a new rapper approaching the age of 30 wouldn’t have longevity, hits, or big record sales. But William Leonard Roberts II, a.k.a. Rick Ross, proved his doubters wrong. Rick Ross, DJ Khaled & More Bring In The New Year At Club Cameo Rozay may not be known for writing uplifting or socially conscious songs. But his flow, distinctive voice and beat selection come together and create music that’s perfect to ride out to in a Maybach, Aston Martin, or any whip. Rick Ross & Meek Mill Cover “No Church In The Wild” After releasing his debut album Port Of Miami , Rick has stayed on his grind by releasing four albums in under six years. In addition, he has released mixtapes, launched his successful Maybach Music Group record label, and has been featured on numerous songs. Ricky’s tireless work ethic got the best of him last October when he was struck with two seizures in one day. He is now taking better care of himself while growing his empire, which recently expanded into the restaurant business. Rick Ross, Traveling With Medical Kit In Case of Emergency On Friday, January 6th, the man we also know as “The Boss” will release his latest mixtape Rich Forever at 3:05 pm (the time is a salute to his hometown of Miami’s area code). Plus, a mixtape with Drake and his anticipated fifth album God Forgives, I Don’t are scheduled to be released sometime this year. Rick Ross Goes Against Doctor’s Orders, Records “Biggest” Jay-Z Collabo [VIDEO] As we anxiously await new tunes from Rick Ross, enjoy this list of his best songs that we’ve heard thus far. Which one is your favorite? “9 Piece” Feat. Lil Wayne “Aston Martin Music” Feat. Drake & Chrisette Michele “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)” Feat. Styles Hustlin’ “John Doe” “Mafia Music” “Magnificent” Feat. John Legend “Push It” “Super High” Feat. Ne-Yo “The Boss” Feat. T-Pain
‘I’m eager to make people laugh or, you know, accept a dramatic role,’ ‘Degrassi’ alum tells MTV News of his future acting desires. By James Dinh, with additional reporting by Rob Markman Drake Photo: MTV News With his new album Take Care set for release next month, Drake is ready to hit the promotional circuit. His most recent appearance was his “Saturday Night Live” debut , with the MC serving as musical guest alongside host Anna Faris. But even before hitting the “SNL” stage to perform his Nicki Minaj-assisted single “Make Me Proud,” Drake was eager to dust off his acting chops and take part in the evening’s live skits. MTV News spoke with the Young Money rapper days before his appearance on the NBC show about getting involved with the comedy crew in some sketches. “I’m dying to, man. I was begging,” he said about acting during the late-night sketch show. “I was begging everybody like, ‘Please let me get a skit. Please let me be involved in something.’ So I believe last word I got was that I’ll be working on something or doing something with the show other than performing.” Besides the release of his anticipated sophomore LP, Drizzy explained that he wants to “get right back into” his acting career, which is how he got his start, on “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” “I’m eager to act. I’m eager to make people laugh or, you know, accept a dramatic role. I’m just excited to get back into that. I miss it,” he shared, crediting the “SNL” cast and atmosphere as even more reasons behind his yearning for film. Drake isn’t just all talk either, as the rapper told MTV News that he recently partnered with talent agency William Morris to help resurrect his career in front of the camera. “We’re just building up our relationship, so I’m excited to get back into it. I found a home and I feel very proud of where I’m at and I’m excited to move forward and start getting back out there, man,” he admitted. “Whatever projects there are available, I’m down.” Alongside a star-studded cast, which includes fellow Young Money signee Nicki Minaj , Drake has already been tapped to lend his voice to “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” The animated film is scheduled to hit theaters in July 2012. Would you like to see Drake on the big screen? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Drake
Estelle has switched it up on her new single “Thank You.” It’s completely different from “Break My Heart” featuring Rick Ross, but that’s not a bad thing. There’s still no official release date for Estelle’s new album “All of Me,” so enjoy her latest right here. Estelle Or Adele: Who’s Your Favorite British Singer? [PHOTOS] Why Drake, J. Cole & Estelle Are “Most Anticipated” Estelle On Drake: He’s “Too Emotional. I Need To Respect Him” [EXCLUSIVE]
