Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty Justin Timberlake has certainly been putting in work in the recent weeks to make his new music and the publicity surrounding it are all pretty cohesive. In just the past few weeks, JT has dropped his fifth solo album, Man of the Woods, and of course, performed at the Super Bowl Halftime show. Now, following up these big moves, the singer is launching his very own pop-up shop in New York City. As a partnership with Bravado, Timberlake is set to release a couple exclusive collaborations with several different designer brands that supposedly coincide with the tracks on his albums. The Tennessee native posted several pictures on Instagram both announcing the pop-up shop and posting previews of the upcoming merchandise along with the names of his songs that are the inspiration behind them. From the different posts, fans can see that his song “Higher Higher” is paired up with Jordan Brand, “Say Something” with Moleskin and “Hers,” “Flannel,” and “Montana” with Levi’s. Those aren’t the only brans connected with the upcoming collabs, either. Others involved include HERON PRESTON, YETI, Best Made Co., Warby Parker, Pendleton, Maestro’s Classic, by Leor Yerushalmi and Lucchese. The exact location of the shop–beside the fact that it’s in NYC–has not yet been announced, the event is set to open up on Friday, the 9th and last through Sunday, February 11.
You don’t have to have brass balls to love Tinto Brass , but it helps, because after watching the box set Tinto Brass: Maestro of Erotica Cinema your balls are going to get quite the workout. The beautifully restored hotness of four of his sexiest films is sure to drain you of more than time. First there’s Cheeky (2000), which features Yuliya Mayarchuk as a young woman trying to remain faithful to her absent boyfriend. Enter lesbian Francesca Nunzi and you know where this is going. Then there’s Black Angel (2002), starring Anna Galiena , the wife of a fascist who puts the party back in the Nazi Party. Monamour (2005) has the Italian stallion directing Anna Jimskaia who finds a way to turn a book fair into a no-holes-barred affair. Last but not least, is Private (2003), a series of sexy vignettes, each sexier than the last, and the last is so sexy you’ll be tempted to put back in the first disc and start all over again.
Frank Ocean ran through his entire 2013 Grammy Awards performance. Sort of. As the maestro stood behind a podium, playing piano, a video projected in front of the podium to make it look as if he were running the entire time. “Forrest Gump” style. Watch him perform his song by that name below: Frank Ocean Grammy Performance 2013 In addition to winning Most Swagtastic Suit, Ocean was among the 2013 Grammy winners Sunday, taking home Best Urban Contemporary Album. As he took the stage to accept the award, the entire crowd gave him a standing ovation … except for one guy. Follow the jump to see what we mean … Yup … Chris Brown, whose album Fortune was nominated in the same category, was fittingly the only one not standing (though he was clapping). Tensions between the two singers is apparently still high following last month’s Chris Brown-Frank Ocean fight at a recording studio in West Hollywood. Witnesses told deputies that Brown punched Ocean during a beef over a parking space, Frank Tweeted that he “got jumped by Chris and a couple guys…” Ocean told police his version of events, but later said he would not pursue criminal charges against Brown, who has not commented on the matter. Brown also made headlines last night for cozying up to Rihanna . A lot.
I met Abel Ferrara in a café on Mulberry Street. In an hour’s time, he didn’t once take his seat. The filmmaker makes a couple of phone calls, goes to the bathroom twice, shows me the new Web series that he’s developing with Vice TV on, and points me to two different articles about his movies. Unkempt and energetic, the Bronx-born director of such New York notorieties as Ms. 45 , King of New York , Bad Lieutenant , The Funeral and this week’s 4:44 Last Day on Earth is exactly what you’d imagine he’d be like if he were one of his movie’s characters. In a way, he is. 4:44 features Willem Dafoe and Shanyn Leigh as a couple spending their last hours together before the world ends. They’re each in their own separate but related worlds: she paints and listens to Buddhist philosophy while he talks to friends via Skype and decides if he should end two years of sobriety by getting high one last time. The loose nature of 4:44 ’s scenario speaks to the Cassavetes-inspired, improv-oriented nature of Ferrara’s dramas, which are often collaborative processes between actor and filmmaker. This is especially characteristic of Ferrara’s working relationship with Dafoe. “If Willem wasn’t going to play it,” Ferrara told me, “I don’t think I would have wrote the script.” The film marks Ferrara and Dafoe’s third film together, coming after 1998’s New Rose Hotel and the 2007 ensemble piece Go Go Tales (which itself almost became a series on HBO). But more importantly, 4:44 further refines a working relationship that involves Dafoe co-creating not only his character, but also the scenes that, as Ferrara tells it, the actor is “comfortable with, that he believes in, that he understands.” “[We have] confidence with each other that comes from working together,” Ferrara continued. “I wrote the character so that the character I wrote is something he can play. And then, to create a stage for him, a place where he’s going to act, a set, which is a place that’s going to be conducive for him to do his best work. There’s nothing throwing him off…” Paradoxically or not, Ferrara then interrupted himself to perform one of a seemingly Herculean list of multi-tasks. Ultimately, performance is key to Ferrara’s movies because his characters are always performing for each other. They change in almost every scene they’re in, keeping the films that contain them endlessly revelatory, even shocking. Take Bad Lieutenant , which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary of Harvey Keitel’s searing work as a sex-, drug- and gambling-addicted cop seeking both vengeance and kicks as he pursues the men who sexually assaulted a nun. His detour into depravity culminates in an infamous scene where he pulls over two young women, making them simulate giving him oral sex while he masturbates. It’s the type of blunt-force intimacy that has preoccupied Ferrara all the way through 4:44 but arguably reached its flashpoint with the NC-17 Lieutenant . Two decades on, the 60-year-old director looks back on the controversy with similarly matter-of-fact zeal. “It had to be unrated,” he said. “It had to be rated X. It was the opposite: it couldn’t be rated R. We had to be what Hollywood couldn’t be. It was reverse censorship.” Not that he minds the continuing existence of an R-rated version necessitated by such once-powerful video chains as Blockbuster: “That’s just a joke; I’m not counting on anybody watching that.” The editing process is just another way Ferrara fulfills his all-encompassing role as director-cum-emcee. From early conception — “A script is not a piece of literature,” he explained, “it’s a process” — to post-production, Ferrara officiates over his films the way Ray Ruby, Dafoe’s hero from Go Go Tales , presides over his embattled burlesque dominion. He works with regular collaborators like cinematographer Ken Kelsch and production designer Frank DeCurtis to give his actors a proper setting. Then, led by their maestro, they all perform in front of and behind the camera together. But collaboration shouldn’t be mistaken for compromise, that ever-present threat to the natures of complex characters like Keitel’s Lieutenant and Dafoe’s Cisco and even to Ferrara’s singular vision itself. “There’s no such thing as a non-final cut director,” Ferrara said, R-rated Bad Lieutenant notwithstanding. “If you don’t have final cut, you’re not a director. There’s no point making a film. Citizen Kane is a masterpiece, but if I go into the editing room for three hours, I can change Citizen Kane .” Meanwhile, the endlessly moving Ferrara has more important projects than Citizen Kane to worry about: His own, including a planned take on the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case starring Gerard Depardieu — about which the filmmaker wishes to remain tight-lipped. “It takes six months to shoot a film,” he said. “We’re [always] perfecting what we’re doing.” Read Stephanie Zacharek’s review of 4:44 Last Day on Earth here . Simon Abrams is a NY-based freelance film critic whose work has been featured in outlets like The Village Voice, Time Out New York, Vulture and Esquire. Additionally, some people like his writing, which he collects at Extended Cut . [Top photo: Getty Images]
‘Simon knows what he’s talking about,’ former contestant tells MTV News. By Rob Markman Astro Photo: MTV News In a rare moment of self-examination, the typically unwavering Simon Cowell admitted he was wrong. When hip-hop whiz kid Astro refused to perform for his life after being placed in the bottom two during the November 17 episode of “X Factor,” Cowell tore into the 15-year-old MC. But Astro, who was eventually eliminated from the competition weeks later, isn’t holding any grudges. Actually, he thinks Simon — who later admitted he felt “a bit” bad for Astro — is a pretty cool guy overall. “Simon knows what he’s talking about. Everybody has different opinions, so I’m not always 100 percent agreeing with Simon, but it is what it is,” he told MTV News on Monday before giving the reality-show judge his props. “I don’t think he’s a jerk like they portray him on TV; he’s actually pretty cool.” Throughout his run on “X Factor,” the Brooklyn rapper was criticized for his confident and at-times cocky attitude. Still, he isn’t too concerned with what others think. “Everybody has different opinions,” he said. “You can’t really control what this person thinks of your performance or what that person thinks.” A clear standout in the competition, Astro did hit bumps in the road. During the November 17 elimination show, after Cowell came down on the Astronomical Kid, things got tense. “I gotta say, on the night, I was really annoyed, and not for anything else other than for him,” Cowell told MTV News. “And then I watched it back that night, and then I felt sorry for him.” Astro did live to see another day but was eventually eliminated on the November 30 show. Now, the teenage MC is looking forward to completing his mixtape and hopefully signing a deal eventually. “I just want to be in a place where I’m comfortable 100 percent. I just want to be able to release my music, do my movies [and] everything is fair,” he said of his dream deal. “I just want to be able to have fun doing it. I don’t want music to be a job for me; I want it to be something I’m doing for fun. As long it’s not a job, then you’re straight.” Will you follow Astro’s post-“X Factor” career? Let us know in the comments!
We look back on an action-packed 2011 with Rob, Kristen, Taylor and more, in Twilight Tuesday. By Kara Warner Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1” Photo: Summit Entertainment This week’s Twilight Tuesdays is dedicated to the 10 best “Twilight” moments of 2011. Selecting the list proved to be a daunting task, considering an action-packed year full of “Breaking Dawn – Part 1” news, interviews, photos, videos and more. Among the biggest highlights were saucy honeymoon photos, much ado about a sex scene, the birth of a vampire/human hybrid baby and the return of the fan-created “tent city” in support of the L.A. premiere of “Part 1.” 10. Breaking Dawn Soundtrack Revealed The vampire franchise has not only made its stars super famous, but an artist who lands on any of the films’ best-selling soundtracks can expect to a special boost and instant exposure to a massive fanbase. Emerging acts like Sleeping At Last and Christina Perri , as well as rising stars like Bruno Mars have earned featured spots on the compilations. But “Twilight” stars have also contributed material, with Mia Maestro’s “Carmen” making the cut. 9. The Twilight World Tour There’s nothing like the glitz of a red-carpet premiere to bring out the best in everyone, particularly with regard to wardrobe choices. When the “Breaking Dawn” cast embarked upon a whirlwind tour of world premieres, Twilighters couldn’t wait to see who wore what. MTV News captured the glamorous looks in a handy photo gallery for repeated viewing pleasure. 8. Breaking Dawn Goes To Comic-Con Those who’ve been following the franchise from the beginning will probably remember that it was at in 2008 San Diego Comic-Con that thousands of screaming fans descended upon the annual pop-culture convention and surprised convention-goers with their overwhelming enthusiasm. That first showing was such a huge success that going forward, Summit made Comic-Con a major priority with regard to promoting the films. At this summer’s event MTV News got several particularly newsy tidbits about Renesmee and Jacob’s imprinting, but we also really loved hearing Kristen Stewart talk about Bella’s wedding . 7. Our Extended Breaking Dawn Interview We’ve had the pleasure of catching up with the castmembers several times this year, so it was hard to narrow down all of those great interviews into just one favorite. That said, we loved hearing Robert Pattinson talk about Stewart playing a vampire in “Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” And he really loved that she had to suffer through those uncomfortable contact lenses for the transition. “When she finally wore them and then was complaining about them every second of the day, it was kind of satisfying,” he smiled. 6. The First Photo Any piece of “Twilight” news is arguably cause for a few screams of delight for Twi-hards. But when Summit released the first steamy, swoon-worthy photo of newlyweds Edward and Bella in bed together, we could practically hear the collective squeals and sighs from fans around the world. Talk about starting the New Year off with a bang. 5. The Trailer This one really needs no introduction or explanation, but if there were squeals when the first photo was released, there may well have been mind-explosions and full-on fainting when we premiered the first full-length “Breaking Dawn” trailer during the ’11 MTV Movie Awards. The clip offered glimpses of the wedding, a shirtless Jacob Black, the Cullens, the wolf pack, a very unexpected and dangerous pregnancy … everything a Twilighter hoped for. 4. Fan-Made Reactions To The Trailer When we asked “Twilight” fans to send in their reactions to the trailer , we couldn’t have anticipated all of the crying. Fans shed tears of joy, of course, and with those emotional outpourings clinched prominent placement on our list. 3. “MTV First: Breaking Dawn,” The Highlight Reel As we’ve already mentioned, we were lucky to spend time with the cast this year. One of the best interviews we conducted was as part of our “MTV First” series. Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner introduced an exclusive clip and let loose in a lively Q&A. We even put together a highlight reel from the extra-special event that includes making Stewart uncomfortable and Pattinson complaining about Lautner’s well-defined abs. 2. The L.A. Premiere Excitement over the star-studded Los Angeles premiere of “Breaking Dawn – Part 1” was so intense it seemed to rival major Hollywood events like the Golden Globes or the Academy Awards. Celebrity super fans begged to attend and came out in droves to the premiere, many with their children and teenagers in tow. The fans’ cheering was nonstop as the stars arrived on the black carpet, but it reached fever pitch with the arrival of Pattinson. Naturally, our quick chat with the heartthrob about all those sex scenes and their potential to give the film an R-rating made our Twilight Tuesdays “best of” list. 1. Fans Unite In “Tent City” Make no mistake, we have high regard for Pattinson, Stewart, Lautner, director Bill Condon and everyone who worked on “Breaking Dawn,” but when it comes to the franchise’s key components, the fans are the real secret to its success. When we visited the dedicated, die-hard bunch that descended upon downtown Los Angeles to camp out, we were delighted by their enthusiasm. Gathered in appropriately named “tent city,” they amassed several days before the premiere in a show of ultimate fandom. So here’s to you, “Twilight” fans, and see you again next year for “Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos Top ‘Twilight’ Moments Of 2011
New West Coast rapper tells Mixtape Daily why he’s charging for his latest release. By Rob Markman Kendrick Lamar Photo: MTV News Don’t Sleep: Necessary Notables Headliner : Kendrick Lamar Album : Section.80 Key Cameo : “No Make-Up (Her Vice)” featuring Colin Munroe The best things in life aren’t always free, and while New West Coast representative Kendrick Lamar started his career offering up free Internet-only mixtapes, the Compton, California, rapper is setting a new standard with his latest album, Section.80 . “It was something that I had to understand, that my company had to make me understand. I’m putting out this free music, constantly putting it out,” Lamar told MTV News of his old way of thinking. “My whole thing is bringing music back to where people actually buy it, but at the same time, you know what? I don’t think I’m ready yet to start selling my project because I feel the world don’t know me yet.” Since changing his name from K.Dot, he released The Kendrick Lamar EP at the end of 2009 and Overly Dedicated in 2010. Both projects were available for free throughout the hip-hop blogosphere, but Section.80 does not follow that same model. The change in Lamar’s feelings on free music is largely due to the urging of the heads of his record label, Top Dawg Entertainment. “Top Dawg is always telling me, ‘They’ll never know you [and you’ll never] get a chance to bring music back to its original roots because you aren’t demanding to go out and buy it,’ ” Lamar said of the advice he was given. “That made sense to me.” Section.80 is a densely packed affair, where the rapper displays his lyrical dexterity and storytelling ability. There are no songs that fit the traditional radio format; instead Lamar focuses on the ills of the crack epidemic ( “Ronald Reagan Era” ), the hardships young women face (“Keisha’s Song”) and religion (“Kush & Corinthians”). Barring any support from radio and major marketing companies, the success of Section.80 will depend on his ever-growing fanbase. “People out here, they really gotta go out and support that last music that’s alive as far as hip-hop, because we’re a dying breed now,” he said. “Truthfully, it’s up to the world.” Related Artists Kendrick Lamar
‘I’m back with Dr. Dre, which is a bonus and dope for me,’ Game tells MTV News. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Matt Elias Dr. Dre Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage For Game , the fourth time’s the charm. The former G-Unit rapper has high hopes for album #4, The R.E.D. Album, which is set to be released August 23. While a Game album is notable in its own right, the Compton, California, MC is particularly excited now that he has reunited with mentor Dr. Dre and snagged Pharrell to help oversee the production as well. “This album is the most incredible album of my career,” Game said to MTV News from the set of his “Pot of Gold” video shoot last week. “First, I’m back with Dr. Dre, which is a bonus and dope for me. Second, executive-produced by Pharrell, co-executive-produced by myself and Mars.” There is also production from Cool & Dre, Hit-Boy, Maestro and Lex Luger and features ranging from Nelly Furtado to Lil Wayne to Busta Rhymes. “And Dre’s rapping on the album,” Game revealed. Dre, who oversaw Game’s debut, The Documentary, has played a limited role in the rapper’s career since Game’s fallout with 50 Cent, who is also signed to Dre’s Aftermath imprint. Since then, the West Coast production icon hasn’t lent beats or his vocals to any of Game’s subsequent albums. In 2009, studio pictures of Dr. Dre, Game and Snoop surfaced, proving that the two were back to work in some capacity. Game wouldn’t confirm whether Dre provided a full verse or a hook. When asked, he just blurted out the album’s release date: “August 29.” What are you expecting from a new Game/Dre collabo? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists The Game Dr. Dre
‘I’m back with Dr. Dre, which is a bonus and dope for me,’ Game tells MTV News. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Matt Elias Dr. Dre Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage For Game , the fourth time’s the charm. The former G-Unit rapper has high hopes for album #4, The R.E.D. Album, which is set to be released August 23. While a Game album is notable in its own right, the Compton, California, MC is particularly excited now that he has reunited with mentor Dr. Dre and snagged Pharrell to help oversee the production as well. “This album is the most incredible album of my career,” Game said to MTV News from the set of his “Pot of Gold” video shoot last week. “First, I’m back with Dr. Dre, which is a bonus and dope for me. Second, executive-produced by Pharrell, co-executive-produced by myself and Mars.” There is also production from Cool & Dre, Hit-Boy, Maestro and Lex Luger and features ranging from Nelly Furtado to Lil Wayne to Busta Rhymes. “And Dre’s rapping on the album,” Game revealed. Dre, who oversaw Game’s debut, The Documentary, has played a limited role in the rapper’s career since Game’s fallout with 50 Cent, who is also signed to Dre’s Aftermath imprint. Since then, the West Coast production icon hasn’t lent beats or his vocals to any of Game’s subsequent albums. In 2009, studio pictures of Dr. Dre, Game and Snoop surfaced, proving that the two were back to work in some capacity. Game wouldn’t confirm whether Dre provided a full verse or a hook. When asked, he just blurted out the album’s release date: “August 29.” What are you expecting from a new Game/Dre collabo? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists The Game Dr. Dre
‘Long wedding night until 6 am,’ ‘Twilight’ newbie Mia Maestro tweets after night shoot. By Jocelyn Vena Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson on the set of “Breaking Dawn” Photo: Fame Pictures With only a week or so reportedly left in the production of “Breaking Dawn,” members of the film’s cast have teased fans that the big wedding scene between Edward and Bella has been shot. “Long wedding night until 6 am. Everyone was SO neatly frocked up 🙂 Just about to start facing this Saturday…,” “Twilight” newbie Mia Maestro tweeted on Saturday night, revealing nothing else about the highly anticipated scene. Ashley Greene seemed equally tired by the shoot when she too took to Twitter on Sunday to share with her fans her exhaustion from shooting into the wee hours. “Whyyyyyyyy can’t I fall asleep! These night shoots are killing me! Messing up my sleep patterns hard core,” she wrote . You most likely won’t see leaked shots from the wedding scene after sexy photos of Edward and Bella in bed on their honeymoon hit the Internet late last week. The leak prompted “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer and director Bill Condon to release a letter proclaiming how “heartbroken” they were over the shots being released. Pattinson also addressed the leaks to MTV News over the weekend, noting that he was equally upset about the shots making their way online. “It’s just ridiculous. I literally can’t believe that it happened,” he explained at the junket for “Water for Elephants,” adding, “I want the ‘Twilight’ troops to mobilize, all the good fans, and find out who these little sh–s are and just hack into their computers and destroy them. I’m being genuinely serious, ‘Twilight’ fans … Punish them.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Robert Pattinson Related Photos On The Set Of ‘Breaking Dawn’ Meet The Cast Of ‘Breaking Dawn’
