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Game Says Going Independent May Be A ‘Really, Really Good Move’

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Rapper’s fifth LP, F.I.V.E., could be his last album with Interscope. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Felicia ‘The Poetess’ Morris The Game Photo: MTV News Game only has one LP left on his Interscope contract, and after he drops the follow-up to 2011’s The R.E.D. Album, the platinum-selling Compton rapper will contemplate his musical independence. “Independent. That seems like a really, really good move where I can capitalize off of all the finances being made off of my music for once. But, I don’t know, I kinda like having a lot of help, a lot of assistance from a big label,” Game told MTV News on Thursday. “I don’t know, maybe we’ll have a meeting about a lot of money or I’ll be talking to my conscience.” Earlier this month, Game announced his new album title, F.I.V.E., to XXLMag.com , but it may be some time before it hits shelves. “I haven’t even started working on it yet. I first came up with the album title, which is F.I.V.E., and then came up with its acronym, which is Fear Is Victory’s Evolution,” he explained to MTV News. “It’s got a good concept, and once the budget is open on that I’ll get to rolling.” Game, who was the subject of Thursday night’s “Behind the Music” on VH1, is reluctant to offer up anything resembling a release date due to the multiple push-backs that he’s experienced with The R.E.D. Album. “You what I learned from this last album is to never give anybody a date to anything; I’ll let the label do that when it’s time,” he said. On Wednesday, Game released his “The City” video with Kendrick Lamar. But it looks like that will be the last single he drops off of The R.E.D. Album. “Personally I’d like to just move on and get the budget open for my fifth album, which is something I don’t think Interscope is too much in a rush to do, being that it’s my last contractual, obligated album on the label,” he said. “I would love to just keep it rolling.” Should Game go independent or stick with Interscope? Leave your comment below! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Game Related Artists The Game

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‘American Idol’ Castoff Erika Van Pelt ‘Confused’ By Judges’ Advice

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I’ll be honest, I felt there was a lot of contradiction,’ Van Pelt tells MTV News after her elimination. By James Montgomery, with reporting by Kelly Marino Erika Van Pelt Photo: MTV News To just about anyone who tuned in to this week’s “American Idol,” Erika Van Pelt’s exit was a shocker, to say the very least, especially since her performance of “New York State of Mind” was one of the highlights. But also because, you know, Heejun Han is still on the show . Rather than using her three minutes to goof off, Van Pelt genuinely seemed determine to put her best foot forward on Wednesday night, whether it was listening to “Idol” judges’ previous advice to minimize her onstage movements or taking designer Tommy Hilfiger’s hairstyling tips to heart. Oh, and then she delivered a sultry, soulful version of the Joel classic, all of which seemed to guarantee she’d be safe … for at least another week. But, as it turns out, that wasn’t the case, and on Thursday night’s results show , it was Van Pelt who was sent packing. And immediately after her ouster, let’s just say Van Pelt was still trying to figure out what went wrong — though she’s got a pretty good idea of where to start. “I felt confused every week, I’ll be honest,” she told MTV News. “I felt there was a lot of contradiction, and as an artist and someone who takes their singing very seriously, it’s hard for me to take critique of my work, period, and then when you feel like you sorta have people telling you one thing and then telling you something completely different the week after, it’s hard. “Because constructive criticism to me is something I can go home, work on, fix and come back and say, ‘Here, I fixed it.’ I feel what happened to me in this competition was I would take all the advice, I’d work on things, I’d bring something different to the table, and they’d tell me the complete opposite. It’s been really hard for me, I can admit that.” And to that end, when asked which judge or mentor actually provided her with the best guidance, Van Pelt took a diplomatic pause and then answered rather truthfully: none of them. “This might sound really weird, but I feel like my fellow contestants taught me the most,” she said. “We have this inner-working where we all help each other, we all offer up our advice … it’s all about throwing these ideas out and never telling someone what they should do; it’s about giving them suggestions.” Of course, she did add that, ultimately, her “Idol” exit was of her own doing. “I will never blame anyone for misleading me in any way, shape or form; I’m a grown woman,” she said. And she’s grateful for all the opportunities the show has provided for her, chief among them being that, for a while at least, she doesn’t have to go back to her day job as a wedding DJ. “I don’t think I’ll be doing any DJ’ing for a while,” she laughed. “To be totally honest, I need to sleep!” Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Ultra Music Festival’s ‘Best Of Bass’ Pre-Party: Smog Vs. Basshead

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Miami’s Mekka hosts 12th Planet, Pendulum, Drop the Lime and more. By Akshay Bhansali 12th Planet Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images MIAMI — Nestled in a series of rooms at Mekka downtown, Smog vs. Basshead, a party conceived by bass-music champions from L.A. and Miami, on Thursday night again realized a frenzied hands-in-the-air steamfest. For the third year in a row, hundreds of partygoers screamed their lungs out, pumping their arms to the warbles and drum and bass. For all the talk of dubstep and drum and bass being mostly underground, judging by the event’s attendance, the genre is booming — and pioneers like 12th Planet (born John Dadzie), a 13-year California bass veteran and Smog label head, couldn’t be prouder. “It started off as a party at the White Room, and Basshead is a label based out of Miami,” 12th explained to MTV News after his set. “The label actually put out my first dubstep release, so we were kind of always routed together, and we just decided to join forces because, being from California, it’s hard to break into other markets. “We got the opportunity to work in Miami, and the first show was a hit. And the second show, last year, was the biggest Smog vs. Basshead. And then this year, just as many people. So, I’m totally excited — totally stoked.” The world SVB creates bears a comparison to the large-scale EDM event taking place a few blocks away. While the bass get-together might not reach the scale of the Ultra Music Festival , a variety of artists gathered for a series of fiery performances, taking fans into day-break. “It’s just five room of bass — straight up!” 12th proclaimed. SVB featured 16bit, Noah D, Flinch, Jaun Basshead and more. U.K. bass aggregator, feeder and video-sharing community UKF boasted a Pendulum DJ set, Zeds Dead and Kaon Sound. The Trouble & Bass room had Drop the Lime, AC Slater and Toddla T. The Metalheadz room was headlined by Goldie & Bailey. “All these guys making great, great music. We even had Foreign Beggars come down,” 12th said about his former tourmates, an electronic hip-hop collective that recently caught the eye of deadmau5. “They’ve never even played in Florida. I think that is the appeal of this party: You are going to hear the best of bass music.” Miami Music Week is going down, and MTV News is on the ground! Check back all week as we report from EDM’s biggest parties, bringing the latest news from your favorite electronic dance music stars! Related Artists 12th Planet

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Is Fergie Working On A Solo Or Black Eyed Peas Album?

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘My brain’s not really there right now,’ Fergie tells MTV News of her musical hiatus. By Christina Garibaldi Fergie of Black Eyed Peas Photo: MTV News The Black Eyed Peas have certainly been enjoying their much-deserved break. Back in November, BEP announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus following three years on the road in support of their albums The Beginning and The E.N.D. MTV News caught up with Fergie on Thursday (March 22) in New York, and she couldn’t be happier being off the road and spending some time at home. “I love being on break. I’m getting to do things I really didn’t have the capacity to do on tour,” Fergie said at the Voli Light Vodka Brunch. “I get more structure at home, I get more time with family, with my husband, with my dogs. I’m still cleaning out my closet, getting to decorate my house, just nesting. I love it.” Fergie has been keeping herself busy, though. Even though she won’t be a judge on “The X Factor,” the singer is set to release her third fragrance and is working on her shoe line. “I’m more focusing on my other things, like my shoe line, I’m designing for that. I’m really getting to work from home, and I’m loving it,” Fergie said. “Having all these creative juices flowing into more girly things and visual and things like that for me.” The last time the Peas took a break, Fergie released her first solo album, The Dutchess. The album produced three #1 singles: “London Bridge,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Glamorous.” Yet this time around, Fergie isn’t very eager to have the spotlight all to herself. “I’m always writing, but there’s no current plans for a solo record or a Black Eyed Peas record. I was on tour for eight years. My brain’s not really there right now,” Fergie said. “It’s kind of just a machine that kept on moving with no signs of stopping. Finally, it’s break time.” The other members of the Black Eyed Peas have been keeping busy on personal projects as well, will.i.am is continuing to work on his next solo album, #WillPower, and will make an appearance on Justin Bieber ‘s upcoming album, Believe. Taboo is working on his own solo project and heading overseas for the Ultramagnetic DJ Experience tour, and apl.de.ap will reportedly focus on being an education ambassador in the Philippines. Do you want Fergie to release a solo album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Fergie

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Is Fergie Working On A Solo Or Black Eyed Peas Album?

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘My brain’s not really there right now,’ Fergie tells MTV News of her musical hiatus. By Christina Garibaldi Fergie of Black Eyed Peas Photo: MTV News The Black Eyed Peas have certainly been enjoying their much-deserved break. Back in November, BEP announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus following three years on the road in support of their albums The Beginning and The E.N.D. MTV News caught up with Fergie on Thursday (March 22) in New York, and she couldn’t be happier being off the road and spending some time at home. “I love being on break. I’m getting to do things I really didn’t have the capacity to do on tour,” Fergie said at the Voli Light Vodka Brunch. “I get more structure at home, I get more time with family, with my husband, with my dogs. I’m still cleaning out my closet, getting to decorate my house, just nesting. I love it.” Fergie has been keeping herself busy, though. Even though she won’t be a judge on “The X Factor,” the singer is set to release her third fragrance and is working on her shoe line. “I’m more focusing on my other things, like my shoe line, I’m designing for that. I’m really getting to work from home, and I’m loving it,” Fergie said. “Having all these creative juices flowing into more girly things and visual and things like that for me.” The last time the Peas took a break, Fergie released her first solo album, The Dutchess. The album produced three #1 singles: “London Bridge,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Glamorous.” Yet this time around, Fergie isn’t very eager to have the spotlight all to herself. “I’m always writing, but there’s no current plans for a solo record or a Black Eyed Peas record. I was on tour for eight years. My brain’s not really there right now,” Fergie said. “It’s kind of just a machine that kept on moving with no signs of stopping. Finally, it’s break time.” The other members of the Black Eyed Peas have been keeping busy on personal projects as well, will.i.am is continuing to work on his next solo album, #WillPower, and will make an appearance on Justin Bieber ‘s upcoming album, Believe. Taboo is working on his own solo project and heading overseas for the Ultramagnetic DJ Experience tour, and apl.de.ap will reportedly focus on being an education ambassador in the Philippines. Do you want Fergie to release a solo album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Fergie

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‘Hunger Games’ Fans ‘Blown Away’ At Midnight Showing

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Early reports predict midnight box-office totals of more than $18 million. By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Stacey Sommer Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate With midnight showings of “The Hunger Games” sold-out for weeks in advance, expectations for the highly anticipated film were even higher for those brave enough to journey to theaters in the middle of the night. Thankfully, Katniss Everdeen and the rest of the tributes did not disappoint. Early reports for the midnight box-office totals predict returns north of $18 million, according to Variety . Those figures put “The Hunger Games” in contention with “The Dark Knight” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” which earned $18.5 million and $22.2 million at midnight, respectively. Early predictions for the weekend total estimate “The Hunger Games” earning $125 million . MTV News caught some rabid fans on their way out of the first showings of “The Hunger Games” in New York City, and most of them couldn’t have been more pleased. Joanna Cruz said she was left “speechless” and was “on the edge of my seat the whole time.” Some took their praise ever further. Judith Cruz called it the “the best movie ever.” “I can’t wait to see it again,” she said. “It was awesome. I cried at certain parts.” Though most of the people we interviewed expressed their love of the movie as a whole, a few couldn’t help but point out that they missed some scenes that ended up on the cutting-room floor. “I loved it. I thought it was awesome,” Elena Lerner said. “It wasn’t completely true to the book — they left out a few scenes — but overall, we were both freaking out in our seats. It was so good.” Josh Solomon felt similarly. “I thought the film was very good, well done,” he said. “It missed a couple scenes from the book. It missed spots, but I thought it was done pretty well.” But for one fan in particular, the movie could never live up to the book. “I don’t know how I feel about it. When I read a book, I get very in-depth, and I felt like they missed a lot of what was in the book,” Samantha Cohen said. On the other hand, Esther Portyansky said that the movie was a reminder of why she liked the book so much in the first place. “It was incredible. I was absolutely blown away by it,” she said. “I read the books last summer, and I think I’d almost forgotten how amazing they were, frankly. The movie more than did it justice.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Hunger Games’ Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Hits NYC The Hunger Games

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‘Hangover Part III’ Due Next Summer

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Second sequel to smash comedy will be finale of the trilogy. By Gil Kaufman Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper and Zack Galifianakis in “The Hangover Part II” Photo: Warner Bros. Nothing beats a classic movie trilogy. And while nobody is rushing to compare “The Hangover” to “Star Wars,” director/producer Todd Phillips is aiming to end the hugely successful morning after comedy franchise with a third and final chapter next summer. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Phillips confirmed on Thursday that “The Hangover Part III” will indeed wrap up the series when it’s released next summer. “We’re going to surprise a lot of people with the final chapter we have planned,” Phillips said. “It will be a fitting conclusion to our three-part opera of mayhem, despair and bad decisions.” The movie is slated to hit theaters on May 24, 2013, hoping to capture some of the same box office magic that the second installment grabbed when it launched on that same weekend in 2011 on its way to a massive $581.5 worldwide gross. Additional good news came with the confirmation that after extensive negotiations, stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zack Galafianakis are all on board for the third go-round. To date, the first two movies have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, a rarity for an R-rated comedy franchise. It was such an unexpected smash, in fact, that the Reporter noted that Warner Bros. studio didn’t even sign the stars to option deals for sequels because no one expected the original 2009 film to gross more than $467 million. That resulted in the “Wolfpack” trio getting “hefty” raises for the second film and a reported $15 million each for the third movie. Phillips will again work on the script with “Part II” co-writer Craig Mazin, but he would not tip his hand as to where the third movie will take place. The magazine reported that a recent draft of the script indicated that it was set in Los Angeles and that it deviated from the “what happened to us last night?” formula of the first two films. Star Cooper recently lent credence to the script speculation 
 when he revealed in a December interview, “We adhered to the formula in the second one, for those of you who’ve seen it, and the third one, which would close the whole sort of trilogy, which now it would be a trilogy — even though we thought we would never make a second one, let alone anybody see the first one — I think it will take place in Los Angeles and maybe not adhere to the structure. It might be different.”

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Justin Bieber Is Tyler, The Creator’s ‘Dawg’

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Odd Future MC also shouts out Kanye West and Lil Wayne: ‘I actually talk to those dudes all the time.’ By Rob Markman Odd Future on “RapFix Live” Photo: MTV News Odd Future have some pretty famous fans. The band of misfits has won over some unlikely pop stars, including Willow Smith and Justin Bieber , as well as rap royalty like Kanye West and Lil Wayne. In an October interview, Tyler, the Creator revealed to MTV News that he wanted to make a ’90s-inspired R&B track with break beats and hard drums for Bieber, but he refused to give up any more info when he appeared on Wednesday’s “RapFix Live.” “That’s my f—ing dawg. Shout-out to Justin,” Tyler said. When asked about the dream collaboration, the rap star only offered up: “You’ll see.” In the past year, Tyler has formed a bond with musical idol Pharrell Williams , Lil Wayne and Kanye West and even interviewed Nas for an XXL magazine cover story. “It’s cool. That sh– is cool. Awkward, but it’s tight. They actually f— with us,” Tyler said of all his new friends. “Lil Wayne is actually a fan, Kanye is actually like a fan. I actually talk to those dudes all the time.” Taco said he and Wayne usually talk about skating, and Earl began to recall a phone conversation between him and Weezy before he was made fun of by the rest of the Wolf Gang. “The moment is gone now, but I just kept saying ‘no’ and it was awkward,” Earl squealed. “We don’t really talk about anything deep,” Tyler said. “I don’t know, I don’t really sit there and say, ‘Damn, what conversation are me and Wayne having right now?’ ” Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ Has An Odd Future

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‘Hunger Games’ Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know!

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

It’s been a long road to Panem; MTV News takes a trip down memory lane as the adaptation hits the big screen! By Kara Warner Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate Happy “Hunger Games” release day! What a long, bleak and dystopian road it has been so far. We’ve been waiting for this day so long and with so much hope and hype that it feels like we’ve been through the Reaping ourselves. To celebrate this momentous occasion, we have compiled a cheat sheet of everything you need to know about the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ beloved best-selling novel. The Prologue Back in spring 2009, just several months after the book’s well-received publication , Lionsgate won a bidding war for the rights to translate the gripping tale from page to screen. The next big question was, of course, who would be chosen to portray the impoverished “girl on fire” fighting for survival in a seemingly unjustly ruled society? The Reaping The highly publicized search for the perfect Katniss Everdeen featured a healthy list of young A-list actresses vying for the role, including Chloe Grace Moretz, Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld, all of whom were admitted fans . Finally, in May of last year, the suspense ended with the announcement that “Winter’s Bone” star and Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence had won the role. The rest of the “Games” puzzle pieces fell quickly in place, with “Pleasantville” helmer Gary Ross in the director’s chair , who reportedly beat out David Slade (“Eclipse”) and Sam Mendes (“Revolutionary Road”), and rising stars Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson claiming the roles of Katniss’ best friend Gale Hawthorne and the dependable “boy with the bread” Peeta Mallark . Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz and Wes Bentley would all later join the cast in the film’s key supporting roles of escort Effie Trinket , mentor Haymitch Abernathy, District 12 stylist Cinna and Seneca Crane, respectively. The Production Games Once the film’s March 23, 2012 release date was announced, production shifted into high gear in the forests of North Carolina. In spring 2011, we got our official first look at Lawrence in character, followed thereafter by glimpses of Hutcherson and Hemsworth . And although the matter of making the film was serious business, we later discovered that the castmembers had lots of fun on set, particularly Hutcherson, who told us the humorous tale of his successful, but sneaky, practical joke he played on Lawrence . After that, we were very happy to treat fans to MTV’s exclusive first look at footage of Katniss in action during the VMAs . The Fan Fervor and Whirlwind Promotional Tour Once production wrapped, we did our best to track down the stars for their thoughts about their roles and the filmmaking process. Lawrence told us all about her training regimen and admitted that all her hours spent with an archery coach were “really fun.” Hutcherson shared his perspective on the intense audition process and how he felt he is “so right” for the role . These little teases and costume reveals were enough to tide us over until we scored multiple sit-down interviews with the castmembers and the mall tours began, all leading up to the star-studded Hollywood premiere , for which we provided in-depth coverage via our live stream . With early ticket sales breaking records and box-office predictions very high , all that’s left to do is wait and watch as the engrossing story of Katniss and company continues to catch fire. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Hunger Games’ Live From ‘The Hunger Games’ Red Carpet Premiere Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ World Premiere Red Carpet The Hunger Games

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One Direction On The Wanted: ‘The More, The Merrier’

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

1D’s Niall Horan weighs in on rumors of a boy-band rivalry, saying the Wanted are ‘really nice guys.’ By Jocelyn Vena One Direction Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/ Getty Images There’s something happening right now. That something is a British boy-band explosion , led by One Direction and the Wanted . While 1D touts candy-coated love affairs in their music, the Wanted are selling ones that are enjoyed best with an adult beverage. While they each cater to different audiences, one thing they have in common is that girls absolutely love them. As both bands bring their signature charms to the States, having already conquered their native U.K., many fans are wondering if there’s any rivalry, friendly or otherwise, brewing between the two. One Directioner Niall Horan assures MTV News that everything’s cool between the two groups. “We all know each other. It’s the same in the U.K. as it is here, everyone knows each other,” he explained. “And, we haven’t seen the Wanted in a while. We just haven’t been in the same place at the same time. They’re really nice guys. And every time we’ve met them, we’ve had a good laugh with them. The more, the merrier! Let’s bring the British invasion over here and show them what we got, I suppose.” One Direction dropped their debut album, Up All Night , this month and became the first English act to debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. Meanwhile, the Wanted will drop their U.S. self-titled debut next month, riding the wave off their hit single, “Glad You Came.” But, it’s not just boy bands that U.S. audiences are buying and loving: There’s a full-on British invasion, as Horan called it, which reaches far beyond just pop groups, and also includes chart-topping pop divas. “It’s pretty cool,” he said. “Adele and us and Jessie J and the Wanted, it’s all very good.” Related Artists One Direction

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