Beyonce will not be performing at the Michael Jackson Tribute concert in Wales next month. Though she was originally scheduled to put on a show via satellite, the now-pregnant singer has pulled out of even that. Now, she will simply be making “special contribution on video,” according to Ticketmaster. However, Christina Aguilera, Ne-Yo, Cee Lo, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson and Leona Lewis will perform. Sister Janet and brothers Randy and Jermaine Jackson won’t be at the concert because the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, who is charged in MJ’s death, is going on at the same time, but his kids, sister LaToya and Mama Katherine will be in attendance. Happy 30th Birthday, Beyonce! Her 30 Best Looks [PHOTOS] Beyonce Performs “Love On Top” And Reveals Baby Bump [VIDEO] Celebrities React To Beyonce’s Pregnancy On Twitter!
‘I hadn’t paid my dues to music, and so I went and started studying theory,’ Wu-Tang beatmaker tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Adam Murphy RZA Photo: MTV News Behind the Beats: RZA RZA can chop a sample with the best of them. The chief Wu-Tang producer has flipped samples from Isaac Hayes and Gladys Knight to make classic hip-hop records like “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Can It Be All So Simple,” but it was a random encounter while buying music equipment that changed the Abbot’s entire perspective on sampling music. “The first thing happened was that I was at a music store buying equipment,” RZA told Mixtape Daily. “I went platinum, I became a millionaire, I was probably feeling myself egotistically, going to Sam Ash to buy a whole bunch of equipment, and a regular musician stopped me because people were giving me attention, ‘That’s RZA, that’s RZA.’ And this guy said, ‘You’re ruining music.’ ” Of course, a young RZA was taken aback at first. “He’s a musician, but because of sampling, he can’t get a job. Because of drum machines, his drummer can’t get no work. He said, ‘You’re not a real musician.’ I said, ‘What you mean I’m not a real musician? I got a platinum album.’ He said, ‘You’re not a real musician. You don’t know nothing about music.’ ” It was at that point that RZA’s outlook began to change. “He was right. I couldn’t tell him what a C note was. So he challenged me, basically,” he said. Feeling inspired, the Wu-beat banger started to study music theory and began to craft sample-free tracks. That, coupled with multiple lawsuits that he faced for reworking compositions from others, led to RZA’s growth. “It’s unfair sometimes for us to have success on things when we haven’t paid our dues,” he said. “So even though I paid my dues to hip-hop, I hadn’t paid my dues to music, and so I went and started studying theory.” For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists RZA Wu-Tang Clan
Filed under: Miley Cyrus , Zoom View , Photo Galleries Before you feel guilty for gorging yourself on turkey day — Check out these stars filling their famous faces with food. Read more
Filed under: Gladys Knight Gladys Knight was out in NYC minus the Pips — but we found a new group for her to hang with … the TM-Zebra & Friends!!! (We do not vouch for their singing ability) Check out TMZ on TV — click here to see your local listings! Read more
‘After I did Bob Dylan’s part, it kind of hit me that I guess this is way more important than I could ever imagine,’ Weezy tells MTV News. By Gil Kaufman Lil Wayne Photo: MTV News LOS ANGELES — “I’ve never been involved in anything like this,” Lil Wayne said after he recorded his solo for the remake of “We Are the World” on Monday night at the Henson Recording Studios as part of an all-star benefit for Haitian relief. “My attitude coming out is I feel blessed and I feel like I’ve done something today, and that’s always a good day.” With a large roster of rappers in the house for the session — including Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, LL Cool J, Swizz Beatz, T-Pain, Wyclef Jean, Will.I.Am, Busta Rhymes, Kid Cudi, Drake, Nipsey Hussle, Bizzy Bone, Mann and others — Wayne said he was glad hip-hop could play such a large part in the sessions, which took place 25 years almost to the day since the first recording
Gladys Knight performed at the funeral, which was attended by Stevie Wonder, Macaulay Culkin, Elizabeth Taylor and more. By Eric Ditzian Michael Jackson Photo: GAB Archive/ Getty Images After an hour-and-a-half delay, Michael Jackson’s funeral got under way around 8:30 p.m.
