Tag Archives: brian grazer

Captain Obvious: Will.i.am Says Hip-Hop is “The Lowest-Hanging Fruit’

Source: photo: WENN As the culture continues to evolve it is a given some veterans will disagree with the current trajectory. Will.i.am made it clear he is not here for today’s Soundcloud wave. As spotted by  Complex   The Black Eyed Peas front man recently did an interview with  Rolling Stone . As he focuses his talents to build out an artificially intelligent personal assistant via his technology company I.am+, the music periodical picked his brain on the future of entertainment. When talking Rap Will spoke to the elephant in the room. “What’s the number-one sport on the planet? Soccer, because anyone can play it. The problem with hip-hop is everybody could do it. It doesn’t take much f***ing skill right now to make hip-hop. It’s become the lowest-hanging fruit.” He went on to further explain his stance. “It’s no longer about Rakim-level, Nas-level, not the deep, metaphorical simile sh*t. Out of respect for the Nases of the world, let’s not call it hip-hop. Let’s say that’s rap. But instrumental music is going to be the next biggest sh*t.” When asked to clarify his speculation about music in the next 20 years he pointed to talent and skill. “The John Coltranes, the Stan Getzes, the Jimi Hendrixes, the musicianship. That’s the only way to prove intelligence or taste: demonstrating your artistry. Right now we’re competing human on human, and eventually we’ll be competing human on machine – the moment there’s a fucking AI mumble rapper [ laughs ] . . . it’s inevitable, bro! Like, the reason why  Star Wars  is  Star Wars  is because the Jedis kept the machines in check” he said. You can read the rest of the interview here where he discusses how AI will eventually surpass HI (human intelligence) and more. Photo: WENN.com

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Captain Obvious: Will.i.am Says Hip-Hop is “The Lowest-Hanging Fruit’

Apple Orders Kevin Durant’s ‘Swagger’ Series To Its Streaming Service

Source: WENN.com / WENN Kevin Durant is still very much a star in the NBA and will be for years without a doubt, but he’s already moving into other endeavors. Apple has ordered his Swagger television show to its streaming services, which will focus loosely on Durant’s own rise in the amateur ranks within the Washington, D.C. area. Deadline reports : Written and directed by Bythewood, who also serves as showrunner, Swagger is inspired by Durant’s youth basketball experiences. It explores the world of AAU basketball in the nation’s capital, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption. Bythewood executive produces with Durant, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo for Imagine TV, and Rich Kleiman for Thirty Five Ventures. The pickup for Swagger, which had been in the works for awhile, comes days after the announcement of a Universal movie based on the formative early years of fellow NBA star LeBron James playing on a youth basketball team in Ohio. James Seidman will serve as the Imagine executive on Swagger; Sarah Flynn will serve as executive for Thirty Five Ventures. The drama is co-produced by Imagine TV and CBS TV Studios. Thirty Five Ventures is Durant’s production company. Reggie Rock Bythewood co-created Fox’s 2017 limited series, Shots Fired . — Photo: WENN

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Apple Orders Kevin Durant’s ‘Swagger’ Series To Its Streaming Service

On The Grind: Jill Scott To Star In James Brown Biopic

Jill is gunning for that Oscar. Jill Scott To Star In James Brown Biopic We all know Jill can sang and we’re sure she can act circles around singers who try to act, so this should be a good movie. According to Rolling Out: Get On Up, the upcoming biopic about legendary soul singer James Brown, has added two more notables to the cast. Dan Aykroyd and Jill Scott have joined the production; Aykroyd will play Ben Bart, president of the agency that represented Brown for almost 50 years and Scott will play one of the Godfather of Soul’s wives. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the role was written specifically for the singer-actress. Brown himself will be played by Chadwick Boseman, star of 42. The film begins shooting this month and follows Brown’s life from childhood through his influential, and often-turbulent, career. Legendary Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is co-producing the project. The film had been in limbo for more than 15 years, but the project has been fast-tracked since producers finally secured the rights to Brown’s musical catalog. During the long road to getting this film made, superstar Eddie Murphy, director Spike Lee and numerous others had been attached to the movie. Brown himself was assisting with getting the film made before his death in December 2006. Viola Davis, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and “Walking Dead’s” Lennie James are also featured in the film. Tate Taylor will be directing. Taylor directed The Help previously. Co-producer Brian Grazer told Rolling Stone, “I like to make movies about mastery and genius, and it’s hard to find great subjects. And James Brown is a visually dynamic subject.” Will you be buying your popcorn and tickets?

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On The Grind: Jill Scott To Star In James Brown Biopic

History Fast & Furious: Justin Lin In Talks To Direct L.A. Riots For Universal [VIDEO]

In what could be one of the unlikeliest director-project pairings to come down the pike in some time, Vulture is reporting that Fast & Furious franchise director Justin Lin is talking to Universal Pictures about directing L.A. Riots — a cinematic re-telling of the 1991 uprising that was sparked by four Los Angeles Police Department officers’ brutal beatdown of Rodney King. According to the website, the project was first set up at Universal six years ago, with Spike Lee set to direct a script by Red Tails screenwriter John Ridley, but the studio wouldn’t give the Do The Right Thing  filmmaker the $35 million he required to make the movie he wanted. If Lin gets the green light, he’ll be making the picture for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment, but it’s unclear whether he’ll still be using Ridley’s script. Video of King’s vicious beating during a March 3, 1991 traffic stop became one of the most horrific and indelible images of that decade, and during the riots, the construction worker appeared on TV to utter his now-famous line: “Can we all get along?” In June, King became news again when he was found dead at the bottom of the swimming pool at his California home. The February shooting of unarmed Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch coordinator for a gated community in Sanford, Fla., also recalled the incident. Lin is currently shooting the sixth film in the Fast and Furious franchise, which is slated for a May 24, 2013 release date. According to Vulture, Universal is seeking to keep the director happy “by allowing him to tackle a topic that’s quite a bit more serious”, though budget remains a question. One talent agent told the website: “They didn’t want to make this movie for $35 million with Spike [Lee] four years ago, and with the way the business has changed, I can’t imagine they’re going to spend even $20 million to make it now.” Watch It On YouTube. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

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History Fast & Furious: Justin Lin In Talks To Direct L.A. Riots For Universal [VIDEO]

Brian Grazer out to lunch!

http://www.youtube.com/v/1E35ijiQPbQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&app=youtube_gdata

Brian Grazer, mega producer of such hits as APOLLO 13 and 24 was out to lunch at Mr. Chow today! Follow Hollywood.TV on Facebook @ facebook.com

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Brian Grazer out to lunch!

Woody Harrelson is a Psychopath, and 5 Other Stories You’ll Be Talking About Today

Happy Thursday! Also in today’s edition of The Broadsheet: Remembering new Oscar producer Brian Grazer’s own “gay” controversy… The Criterion Collection comes to iTunes (but not without issues)… Clint Eastwood’s thing for Herman Cain… and more.

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Woody Harrelson is a Psychopath, and 5 Other Stories You’ll Be Talking About Today

Let’s Try This Again: Brian Grazer to Produce Oscars

It’s been quite a day , and quite a week for Oscar watchers, but just imagine what Academy president Tom Sherak and Co. have been dealing with on the inside of the RatnerGate hullaballoo! They’re probably thanking their lucky stars for Oscar-winning uber-producer Brian Grazer, who has agreed to step in to patch together the 2012 Academy Award telecast. Hit the jump to read invisible sighs of relief between the lines of the AMPAS official press release.

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Let’s Try This Again: Brian Grazer to Produce Oscars

Brian Grazer Steps In As Oscar Producer

‘He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars,’ Academy Awards president Tom Sherak says By Kara Warner Brian Grazer Photo: MTV News With all the Oscar news making the rounds this week, you would think that the 84th annual Academy Awards were just around the corner. Luckily, we still have more than three months until the live telecast on February 26, and more than a month until nominations are announced. The latest news coming straight from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is that Brett Ratner, who tendered his resignation on Tuesday, has been replaced with producer Brian Grazer , who will co-produce the telecast with industry veteran Don Mischer. “Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” Academy president Tom Sherak said in a statement posted on Oscars.org . “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars.” “I am thrilled to welcome Brian Grazer as my partner and that we will be collaborating to produce an outstanding show,” echoed Mischer in the statement. “It’s very gratifying to be part of a show that honors excellence in the medium to which I have devoted so much of my career,” said Grazer. “Don is a legend, and I am excited to work with him.” Grazer’s credentials seem a good fit for producing Hollywood’s “biggest night.” He’s been nominated four times (for writing “Splash,” and Best Picture nods for “Apollo 13” and “Frost/Nixon.”) and won the Best Picture Oscar in 2001 for “A Beautiful Mind.” Coincidentally, Grazer has worked with recently resigned host, Eddie Murphy , on “The Nutty Professor” and “Tower Heist.” Rumor has it that the Academy and Grazer hope that Murphy will reconsider his decision not to be involved in the program. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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Brian Grazer Steps In As Oscar Producer

Ron Howard and Brian Grazer Still Hoping for The Dark Tower

Watch the Lady Gaga Parody ‘X-Men: Born This Way’: Little Mutants for Little Monsters

Somehow, Lady Gaga’s uber-hyped single “Born This Way” made an impact here at Movieline. I encouraged the medium convergence, as the self-love-touting single could work as an anthem for many cinematic characters. Now, YouTube parodists have taken up that lead, mashing up Gaga’s song with X-Men: First Class ‘s mutant beginnings. You’ll remember that the movie and the original song are pretty much about the same thing , anyway. The first line alone will slay you.

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Watch the Lady Gaga Parody ‘X-Men: Born This Way’: Little Mutants for Little Monsters