Rookie MC steps out of Kanye’s shadow with smash Finally Famous album, landing him on MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game. By MTV News staff Big Sean Photo: Getty Images The biggest part of Big Sean ‘s rise over the past year has been the unwavering support of his fans. While he’s signed to a major label (Def Jam) and one of the brightest stars on Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint, it was those fans mobbing him at the Adidas store in New York and superstar supporters like Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj hopping on his debut album, Finally Famous, that propelled Sean to #9 on MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game VII — his first appearance on the list. Big Sean hit the scene out of Detroit’s west side as Kanye’s newest prot
But in a real-life Hunger Games, Swift tells MTV News she’d be ‘the person who runs and hides.’ By Kara Warner, with reporting by Sway Calloway Taylor Swift Photo: MTV News MTV News kicked off the week in a big way Monday with the exclusive premiere of the video for Taylor Swift’s “Hunger Games” soundtrack song “Safe & Sound,” which was followed by a lengthy chat with the country superstar about everything from her love for Suzanne Collins’ best-selling book to her adorable cat Meredith. Swift also took Twitter questions from fans, one of which came from @SafeandSound4Taylor, who asked the Grammy winner what she would do if she were in the real-life Hunger Games. “I’ve thought about this, because reading the books, you’re so sucked into it that as you go about your life, you sit there, and you’re like, ‘Could I climb that tree?’ ‘Could I make a weapon out of this?’ ‘If I had to forage for food, what would I do?’ Honestly, I think I would just be the person who runs and hides,” she admitted. “I kind of freeze. You know how you have fight, flight or freeze, those three reactions to something scary? I just freeze.” Swift said she would try to run and hide somewhere, and if she had to kill anyone, she hoped it would be in an indirect way, similar to a few of the deaths Katniss inflicts almost accidentally in the books. When asked how writing a song for the movie came about, Swift said she received a call directly from the studio and subsequently devoured the books. “I immediately read the book in, like, two days and fell in love with it,” she said. “I fell in love with the characters, fell in love with the world that Suzanne Collins had created. I was just so immersed in it.” She also revealed that when she was first asked to pen a song for the soundtrack, she thought she’d be writing something encouraging and upbeat. “When I got the call, I thought from what I’d heard about the movie, ‘It’s an action movie, right? We’re probably going to be writing a song that’s like, “We’re going to win!” ‘ And then I read the book, and I thought, ‘No, we’re going to have to write sort of a death lullaby, it’s so different from what I thought.’ ” Swift seemed just as excited about seeing the finished film as we are and expressed curiosity in seeing scenes from the actual Games, which we haven’t yet been shown via sneak peeks or trailers. “They have never shown footage of the Games,” Swift said. “I’m dying to see that. Everyone wants to see pivotal parts. The relationship with Rue and Katniss and also Peeta and Katniss and their relationship developing, and none of the Games have been shown yet, so I’m so excited for the movie. I’m a fangirl!” Stick with MTV News as we roll out more from our exclusive interview with Taylor Swift about her “Hunger Games” soundtrack song! For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV First: Taylor Swift
Adele, Nicki Minaj, Dave Grohl and more make Bigger Than The Sound ‘s look back on music’s biggest night. By James Montgomery Adele backstage at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards Photo: Christopher Polk/ WireImage How you felt about Sunday night’s 54th Grammy Awards probably had a lot to do with whether or not you were Adele . Or Dave Grohl. Or Nicki Minaj . For different reasons, of course. If you were Ms. Adkins, you undoubtedly loved the show, because you won darn-near everything (and slayed in your comeback performance ). If you were the Foo Fighters’ frontman , you also undoubtedly loved it, not just because you won darn-near everything, but also because you appeared to be having a thoroughly awesome time whilst doing so. Grohl was the secret-MVP of the telecast, thanks to his Slayer T-shirt, rambling acceptance speech, that shot of him totally feeling Deadmau5’s performance, and everything that happened in the last three minutes of Paul McCartney’s night-closing jam, especially the 45-second stretch where he stood directly behind McCartney during “The End,” grinning like a new enrollee at Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp. If you were Minaj, well, let’s just say that eventually, after spending years convincing yourself it wasn’t that bad, you’ll end up watching the footage on YouTube and discover it was actually worse. From arriving on the Grammy carpet with a dude dressed like the pope to an odd, over-the-top, obtuse-to-the-point-of-self-parody performance of “Roman Holiday” (your move, Gaga) — with a Best New Artist loss to a guy dressed like a social-studies teacher thrown in at some point in-between — it was not a great night for you. Nor was it much fun for Lady Gaga , who, despite bringing a scepter to the show (inspired!), was essentially an afterthought. Or Katy Perry, whose performance never truly seemed to get on track. Or Mumford & Sons, who went winless in four categories on Sunday night, meaning they didn’t get to leave their seats once during the three-and-a-half hour show. There were, of course, artists who managed to shine from beneath Adele’s and the Foos’ respective shadows. Jennifer Hudson, whose tribute to the late Whitney Houston was both nuanced and emotional (a tricky thing to pull off), surely only added to her ever-growing legend. Taylor Swift displayed class and sass — and maybe grew up a little bit before our very eyes — with her performance of “Mean.” The Civil Wars appeared to be genuinely likeable people. Shoot, even David Guetta, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne managed to make it out of that whole “EDM Tribute” debacle relatively unscathed. But what about the viewers at home? Well, I’m sure the folks who were outraged last year when Arcade Fire beat Eminem for Album of the Year — folks like Steve Stoute, the marketing exec/music vet who was so upset by incident that he penned an open letter to the Grammy governing body that compared Em to Bob Dylan — really liked the show a lot. So, too, one can assume, did dudes who like Dubstep (more often than not, these are the same people). It was, after all, the first Grammy telecast in recent memory that went almost entirely by the books, giving the year’s best-selling artist three-quarters of the year’s biggest awards (Album, Record and Song of the Year). Was that a result of Grammy voters bowing to public pressure to make the show more representative of the actual whims of music-buying community, or was Adele’s 21 the rare album that so seized the collective conscience that anything less would seem outrageous? I’m inclined to think it was the latter. But still, at the end of the day, peering up and down the winner’s list … these were very much the people’s Grammys. On the other hand, if you were someone who was slightly inspired by Arcade Fire’s AOTY win (even though you’d never admit to your kickball team/artesian cheese monger/barista girlfriend), well, there’s a pretty good chance you’re feeling conflicted about the Grammys. On one hand, you love everything Adele stands for — and in opposition to — and you’re happy she won. On the other, well, dude, you were sort of rooting for Bon Iver … especially if his wins might have symbolized some profound change in the minds of Grammy voters. Alas, we ended up with more of the same … though, in a pinch, we’ll take Best New Artist. In short, the 54th Grammys were the show we’re always complaining about whenever we’re complaining about the Grammys. Predictable. Poorly paced. Pandering. By the same token, they were perfectly representative of the year in music, which is all the Steve Stoutes of the world were asking for in the first place. And so, once again, the awards remain caught between those two extremes. And in a year where both sides could at least agree on Adele, that doesn’t exactly bode well for the future. Then again, I suppose that no matter what happens, there will be some segment of music fans who will be upset. If the 54th Grammys taught us anything, perhaps it’s that you really can’t win. But you most certainly can lose. Just ask Nicki Minaj. What did you think of the 54th Grammy Awards? Leave your comment below! Related Videos 2012 Grammy Awards Red Carpet Highlights Related Photos 2012 Grammy Awards: Backstage And Audience 2012 Grammy Awards: Main Show
‘I’m puttin’ that trap music in ya ear, I’m putting that reality rap in ya ear,’ Pill tells Mixtape Daily of his latest tape. By Rob Markman, with reporting by FLX Pill’s The Epidemic Photo: No Sleep Gang Main Pick Headliners : Pill and DJ Holiday Representing : Atlanta Mixtape : The Epidemic Real Spit : Deal or no deal, Pill is going to grind. The Atlanta MC may no longer be a part of Rick Ross ‘ Maybach Music squad, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting that work in. On February 9, P-I-Double-L released The Epidemic , his 16-track reality rap opus. “You know all eyes on me right now and it’s all on me right now,” Pill told Mixtape Daily . “This was a very strenuous task of mines. I put in a lot of hard work over the last couple of months, and it’s just gonna bridge that gap between real music and the fraud music.” Since his breakout hit “Trap Goin’ Ham,” Pill has built his rep on intelligent but street-centered raps. “I’m puttin’ that trap music in ya ear, I’m putting that reality rap in ya ear, I’m putting that music that you can jog to, run to, work to,” he said. “I’m putting that music out that you can actually uplift yourself to.” There are a variety of jams on The Epidemic — the tape’s opener “Movin’ Out” samples Billy Joel’s 1977 single “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).” Sounds a bit unorthodox for a trapper-turned-rapper, but Pill expertly employs a double-time rap bounce, spitting, “I’m movin’ out, movin’ out/ My clothes and my shoes is out/ And I’m ready ta let you know what these lame-ass motherf—in’ fools about” at the track’s opening. On “Parkin’ Lot,” featuring Twista, Pill switches up his sound but not his intensity. The dark and menacing production is the perfect backdrop for Pillionaire’s murderous boasts. “Down for My N—az” is a hard-knocking ode to his crew and their street-centric lifestyle. With “Chill Out,” he takes a different turn over a bright and cheery track, rapping sweet nothings in the ear of a nondescript love interest. Then with “Memories,” Pill takes a trip down memory lane, recalling the hard lessons he learned during his childhood. If nothing else, Pill displays a wealth of range on The Epidemic, and in the end the tape stands as a testament to his work in the trap and in the studio. Joints to Check For
The fourth film, which will be released in summer of 2014, will be ‘an evolution,’ Lorenzo di Bonaventura tells MTV News. By Kevin P. Sullivan Optimus Prime in “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Photo: Paramount Since late last year, rumors began firing off about a potential “Transformers” sequel or sequels, and they ran the gamut. Paramount might film two sequels back to back. Michael Bay might return for both. Jason Statham may be the new star. Rumors came and went, but perhaps the biggest question lingered: Will Bay return to direct ? The master of the big-budget explosion, Bay’s highly stylized eye for action lent the trilogy its signature look and breakneck pace. With potential sequels looming, no word had been given on whether Bay would return for any follow-ups. But at Toy Fair 2012, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura confirmed to MTV News that Bay would, indeed, return for a fourth “Transformers” film. “Michael’s going to direct, and it’ll be in the summer of 2014. We’ll be releasing then,” di Bonaventura said. Di Bonaventura said that the director is eager to get back to the franchise he started. “He’s a cool customer. He’s excited,” he said. “I think the challenge there is that we are really going to do a reboot and what that’s going to be, we don’t even know yet.” Bay will reportedly film the next “Transformers” after making “Pain and Gain,” which has Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg circling major roles. As for the Jason Statham rumors, di Bonaventura said that it is way too early in the process to decide something like casting. “No, it’s so silly. We have to get a story first,” he said. “You can’t pick characters if you don’t have a story.” With the series heading in the direction of a reboot, many new questions form about which characters and storylines will return. Di Bonaventura insisted that the fourth film will not be a hard reboot, but an “evolution.” “Again, it’s a hybrid because it’s a funny thing. I’m not involved with ‘Spider-Man,’ but what I perceive ‘Spider-Man’ to be is just a redoing of the whole thing. It’s not. It’s an evolution. There’s still continuity that’s going on, yet there will be a lot of new cast,” he said. “Whether there’s anybody from the first cast, we don’t even know yet. The trust is it’s going to be a whole new story. The characters that would certainly come along are Optimus and Bumblebee, I’m sure.” Are you excited for a “Transformers 4”? Leave your comment below! For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Transformers: Dark Of The Moon’
Finding Sophia “kicks things off in a big way,” writer Robert Kirkman tells MTV News. By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Kara Warner Jon Bernthal as Shane Walsh in “The Walking Dead” Photo: AMC Killing zombies is no walk in the park. But harder still is killing your fellow man. Former sheriff Rick Grimes knows this all too well: In the most recent episode of “The Walking Dead,” titled “Nebraska,” our gun-slinging hero put down two hot-blooded humans with two well-placed pistol shots, all because they posed a potential threat to his family and friends. For Rick, killing these two travelers was just another step forward on the bloody path he’s been walking since the series first began — and he’s not the only one embracing his inner darkness. Indeed, the death of poor Sophia in the “Walking Dead” midseason finale was just the start of a shift in momentum toward a deadlier, faster-paced string of episodes, where each and every one of the show’s characters will find themselves tested. “I think the loss of Sophia and looking for Sophia was a big thing that anchored the entire story of the first half of our second season,” executive producer Robert Kirkman told MTV News about what to look forward to in the rest of season two. “For them to find her in that last episode in such a way, it puts a button on that group of episodes and opens the world up for the next half of the season. It kicks things off in a big way. Finding Sophia is the beginning of an escalation that brings us all the way to the very end of the second season. People are going to begin to see that escalation over the next several episodes.” Shown runner Glen Mazzara agrees with Kirkman, adding that Rick and Hershel are taking the death of Sophia especially hard. “When Hershel sees his family coming out of that barn, he realizes he’s been mistaken about everything he believed,” he told MTV News. “Rick also loses hope. Those two men have to figure out how to lead the group.” But there’s another outlier in the mix: Shane Walsh, the disgruntled ex-cop who’s losing more respect for Rick and becoming increasingly dangerous with each passing day. “Shane doesn’t agree with either one of them, and he wants to take control of the group,” Mazzara said. “It really puts pressure on all of the characters in an interpersonal way that really makes the show incredibly exciting, to find out what’s going to happen and who’s going to lead that group.” What did you think of the latest “Walking Dead” episode? Tell us in the comments!
Diddy joins Rick Ross, Montana and Charlie Rock in new clip for ‘Shot Callers’ remix. By Tomika L. Anderson, with additional reporting by Sway Calloway Rick Ross and French Montana in his “Shot Callers” music video Photo: MTV News Nobody does a remix like Diddy — at least according to his Bad Boy prot
‘She was just a classic, iconic American beauty, an American star,’ series star Katharine McPhee tells MTV News. By Christina Garibaldi Marilyn Monroe in “Niagara” Photo: 20th Century Fox It seems like no matter where you turn in the pop culture realm lately, you are more than likely to find a reference to blond bombshell Marilyn Monroe . Nearly 50 years after Monroe died at the age of 36, she is still considered one of the most iconic figures in Hollywood history. So it’s no surprise that in 2012 she is having another shining moment. She was brought to life by Michelle Williams in her Oscar-nominated role in “My Week With Marilyn,” was paid homage in Madonna’s video for “Give Me All Your Luvin’ ” and channeled by Nicki Minaj in her leaked track, fittingly titled “Marilyn Monroe.” And each week on the new hit series “Smash,” two aspiring stars vie to play her in a role for a Broadway musical. So why is Marilyn’s life back in the spotlight? Well, according to the cast of “Smash,” she never left. “I think she’s always had a moment,” Katharine McPhee told MTV News at the “Smash” premiere. “I think people are just intrigued by her life and how she left us too early. She was just a classic, iconic American beauty, an American star. There was a real innocence and sweetness to her, I think.” McPhee’s co-star Anjelica Huston agrees. “I don’t really think she’s been out of fashion for very long. She’s an iconic figure, maybe the most beautiful, the most enduring blond ever. That’s why 50 years later, she remains as iconic as she ever was.” It’s not just her outer beauty that have left people intrigued by Monroe. Her complicated and sad true-life story — of an orphan named Norma Jean turned sex symbol Marilyn Monroe — has kept people interested as well. “I think she’s extremely relatable. Her story is fascinating, and anybody who doesn’t know anything about her life really should take a minute and read any of the many biographies that are out there on her,” “Smash” co-star Megan Hilty said. “Behind all this glamour, adoration, she was a very lonely person, and I think a lot of people can identify with that part of her. And they also look up to her for the glamorous side. She is so many different things to so many different people that we’ll be talking about her for years to come.” Why do you think Marilyn Monroe is having a moment? Let us know in the comments.
The hotel has been a celebrity hot spot ever since it opened in 1955, hosting scores of red-carpet events every year. By Kara Warner The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles Photo: Splash News Despite the fact that the Beverly Hilton is currently in the news for being the site of Whitney Houston’s tragic death , the historic hotel has been making headlines for 57 years — the vast majority of those being positive news stories — ever since its opening in 1955. The Who’s Who in Hollywood hot spot has played host to the most A-list guests and star-studded events for nearly six decades by holding more than 175 red-carpet events annually. The Hotel’s first major event was coincidentally the first-ever Grammy Awards in 1959. Best Female Vocalist Ella Fitzgerald took home two awards that year, along with Domenico Modugno, Henry Mancini, and Ross Bagdasarian (made famous by “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”). In July 1960, then-presidential hopeful John F. Kennedy held a gala fundraiser for which his friend Frank Sinatra helped gather the “Jack Pack,” a group of celebs that included Milton Berle, Janet Leigh, Tony Curtis, Judy Garland and Mort Sahl. The Hilton was host to the first-ever Golden Globe Awards in 1961, where Stanley Kubrick’s “Spartacus” took home the top prize of Best Picture. The Globes returned to the hotel in 1971 and have not left. The annual event draws an international audience of millions, in addition to the ceremony itself, multiple viewing parties and afterparties, all staged at the Hilton. Other notable events include Richard Nixon’s so-called final press conference in 1962 following his loss to Pat Brown in the California gubernatorial election. The hotel hosted the one-time-only tribute to screen legend Cary Grant in 1988, which raised funds for Grace Kelley’s Princess Grace Foundation. In 2004, former First Lady Nancy Reagan made major news by speaking out against the Republican Party and publicly announcing her support for stem-cell research while being honored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Also for the past thirty years, the Hilton has hosted the prestigious Oscars nominee luncheon. Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston
New single ‘Part of Me,’ which Perry debuted at awards show, has some pretty pointed references to her ex-husband. By Kara Warner Katy Perry performs at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards Photo: Robyn Beck/ AFP/ Getty Images Although Katy Perry has yet to speak out publicly about her split from husband Russell Brand , she sent a pretty clear message out about her post-breakup emotions via Sundays night’s Grammy performance of new single “Part of Me.” The midtempo pop song — Perry’s next single — features several key phrases that speak to her relationship with Brand and the apparent emotional ups and downs she suffered along the way. “Days like this I want to drive away/ Pack bags and watch your shadow fade/ You chewed me up and spit me out like I was poison in your mouth/ You took my life, you drank me down/ But that was then and this is now.” Perry’s message in the song is one of empowerment and moving on, with lyrics like “This is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me,” “You’re not going to break my soul” and “Look at me, I’m a sparkling firework, a dancing flame/ You’ll never put me out again, I’m glowing.” She briefly touches on the ever-present public attention she receives, wanting to throw away her phone and trying to discover who her real friends are. Perry’s most intense lyrics accuse a former lover of deception and a lost innocence, the most obvious Russell reference being a statement about her wedding band: “You can keep the diamond ring, it don’t mean nothing anyway/ In fact, you can keep everything — except for me.” This isn’t the first time Perry has taken to songwriting to express feelings over a public breakup. The Teenage Dream track “Circle the Drain” reportedly presented a powerful picture of her rocky relationship with “Gym Glass Heroes” frontman Travie McCoy: “You fall asleep during foreplay/ ‘Cause the pills you take/ Are more your forte/ I’m not sticking around to watch you go down/ Wanna be your lover/ Not your f—ing mother/ Can’t be your savior/ I don’t have the power/ I’m not gonna stay and watch you circle the drain.” Stick with MTV News all for all the Grammy red-carpet fashion , Grammy winners and performance recaps until the hangover wears off! Related Videos 2012 Grammy Awards Show Highlights Related Photos Lovebirds: Katy Perry And Russell Brand Related Artists Katy Perry
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