‘The running commentary or the jokes don’t really affect me, ’cause that’s what I’m going for,’ Drake tells MTV News. By Rob Markman Drake Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage Drake isn’t ashamed to wear his heart on his sleeve. Expressing emotion has actually worked well for the Young Money standout, despite the criticism he sometimes receives for being too open. “If I worried about how I’m gonna look saying this, then I wouldn’t make half the music I make,” Drizzy told MTV News. “People nitpick at me for being emotional or tapping into emotions, but like, man, we all die one day; that’s just how I want to be remembered.” Drake has plenty of soul-baring songs, from 2009’s “The Calm” to this year’s “Marvins Room,” on which he drunk-dials an ex-girlfriend in attempt to woo her back — if even for one night. While most of the criticism Drake receives is faceless commentary on Internet message boards, British singer Estelle noted that Drizzy was a little too “emo” for her tastes in a July radio interview . The Toronto-born MC/singer, who will release his sophomore album Take Care on November 15, says his approach to writing lyrics is quite deliberate. Actually, his fans seem to enjoy it. Drake’s 2010 album, Thank Me Later, is certified platinum by the RIAA, and he has earned himself five Grammy nominations and two Billboard Music Awards since breaking out in 2009. “The running commentary or the jokes don’t really affect me, ’cause that’s what I’m going for,” he said. “I don’t want to be a guy that blends in with all the other generic rap music. I want to be the guy that stood out and pinpointed life emotions for women, men, young people, old people or whatever it is. So I don’t trip, that’s what I want. I welcome it.” Do you think Drake is too “emo”? Let us know in the comments. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Drake Related Artists Drake
‘It’s bad that it takes pain to unite people, but [it’s good] to see people from all walks of life come together,’ rapper tells MTV News. By Steven Roberts David Banner at Occupy Wall Street Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — By now, you’ve heard about Occupy Wall Street , the demonstration that began September 17 in Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park. The demonstration has been both lauded and laughed at, and it has continued to grow and spread to several cities across the globe. The movement has made waves throughout the media and caught the attention of several politicians, celebrities and CEOs, including David Banner. MTV News followed the Mississippi rapper down to the park — now dubbed “Liberty Park” — last week. He said he was proud to see Americans standing up for themselves, because he’s always worked for the upward mobility of people. He also drew a parallel between America’s current economic struggles and the fallen music industry. “You watched in the same way that the middle class is being evaporated; you don’t have those 250,000 to 650,000 artists anymore,” Banner said. “You[‘re] either selling 15,000 records, 20,000 records or you selling a million records. So the middle class in entertainment is going the same way the middle class in America is going.” David Banner isn’t alone: Tom Morello , Kanye West and Talib Kweli have also joined the Occupy Wall Street protesters throughout their monthlong demonstration. One of Banner’s main goals was to present the side of the people. He said he’s noticed some Republican leaders speaking disrespectfully about the protesters, as well as about the general public. “I hear comments like, they need to work hard or they need to take baths. Like, dude, why would you even say that about your people? Regardless of whether we agree with each other or not, we’re all American,” Banner said. “This is even our opportunity to show the side of the people, to allow people to really talk, especially the young people.” Another of Banner’s goals was making sure people’s goals were expressed. He worried that the power of the movement could be watered down because it’s faceless. There are consequences to having leaders and goals, but at least everyone would know exactly what they were out there for. When Banner talked to a few of the demonstrators, he didn’t find one common thread, but he said he was motivated by their willingness to take a stand. “It’s bad that it takes pain to unite people, but [it’s good] to see people from all walks of life, all colors, all creeds come together to try to make something happen.” Share your thoughts on the ongoing Wall Street protests in the comments below. Related Videos Inside Occupy Wall Street Related Photos The Occupation Party Shakes Up Times Square Related Artists David Banner
In a new interview with The Advocate, ‘Idol’ alum says his new sound will meld Nine Inch Nails with George Michael. By James Montgomery Adam Lambert Photo: Getty Images Adam Lambert has made no bones about the fact that the follow-up to his post-“American Idol” bow , For Your Entertainment, would be his kind of album, telling MTV News earlier this year: “It’s really exciting, because I think I’m making my dream album. I know that sounds a bit clich
Brit’s real-life boyfriend Jason Trawick stars in Chris Marrs Piliero-directed clip. By Jocelyn Vena Jason Trawick and Britney Spears in the “Criminal” music video Photo: Jive Britney Spears ‘ posh but incredibly mean English boyfriend asks his lovely girlfriend, “Why don’t we see that pretty little face of yours?” at the beginning of the “Criminal” video . That remark sets off a chain of events that will certainly leave Britney fans watching the Chris Marrs Piliero-directed ( “I Wanna Go” ) video on repeat. As Britney and her abusive beau make their way out of the party, him yelling at her for standing up for herself as he flirted with other girls, they come across Britney’s real-life boyfriend, Jason Trawick, who is playing one really hot bad guy with a heart of gold. The boyfriend slaps Britney, and Jason comes to her rescue, setting into motion their very hot — and very naked — love affair. He takes her back to his place, where a headline reveals he’s — you guessed it: a criminal. But, Britney doesn’t seem to mind. She kisses him. He kisses her. They get it on, showing lots of skin and giving fans a sneak peek into their personal life. They then head to a convenience store, where Britney decides to break loose and hold the place up, guns blazing. After the stickup, the pair steal a car and head back to Jason’s loft for a very revealing shower scene that includes lingering shots on their wet, naked bodies. As they wrap up the steamy shower session, the authorities close in on them, blasting bullets into the apartment. But, Britney and Jason just continue to share passionate kisses as bullets soar around them John Woo-style. Just when you think it’s the end for pop’s reigning Bonnie and Clyde, the police enter the apartment to see that the duo has escaped, unhurt, driving away on Jason’s motorcycle. As the credits roll, everyone’s left wondering what they will do next. Shot in London in September, “Criminal” is the fourth single and video from Femme Fatale . Share your review of the “Criminal” video in the comments below! Related Artists Britney Spears
Beyond her new album, singer tells MTV News she might act next year. By Jocelyn Vena Photo: MTV News The new year might still be a few months off, but the always-ambitious Taylor Swift is already cooking up some big projects for 2012. With her new album , full of “sad” songs, already in the planning stages, Swift excitedly dished that it’s not the only big thing she has up her sleeve for next year. Her arena-filling, celeb-frequented Speak Now Tour continues chugging along through the early part of 2012, and her perfume, Wonderstruck , is now out on the market, giving fans the chance to smell like the pop star. But, Swift is also making time for some other projects she thinks will have her fans excited. The singer told MTV News she’s working on “some surprise projects that may or may not happen, and possibly some acting.” “I’ve just been so excited about what’s gonna happen in the next year,” she said. “I’m also really excited about [the next album]. I’ve been writing all the time. I’ve been writing so much for the new record. I can’t believe I’m saying that already: It comes out in a year, but I’m already excited about it.” Before we officially ring in the new year, Swift shared that she’s looking forward to the tail end of 2011, with the holidays and her 22nd birthday still to celebrate. “I’m excited about the holidays,” she said. “I love Christmas. I love the whole buildup to Christmas and the way that everything is exciting and wintergreen-ish and Christmas tree-ish.” Share your thoughts about Taylor Swift’s 2012 plans in the comments! Related Artists Taylor Swift
Hip-hop duo featured on November cover alongside Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. By Rob Markman Eminem, Keith Richards and Lil Wayne on cover of GQ magazine Photo: Mark Seliger/ GQ Eminem might rap for a living, but when you examine his career trajectory, it reads more rock star than hip-hop heavyweight. No surprise, then, that GQ magazine named him a God of Rock and placed him alongside Keith Richards and Lil Wayne on their November cover. Em and Lil Wayne were shot for the cover at the 2011 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in June, while the Rolling Stones guitarist was shot separately in New York. In a portfolio consisting of 43 such Gods of Rock, Eminem’s story and photographs particularly stand out. In his feature, the 39-year old rhyme icon talked about his downward-spiraling addiction, which began with his 2000 album The Marshall Mathers LP and peaked during the recording of his fourth album Encore. “Five or six songs leaked from the original version of Encore, ” Em told GQ Senior Editor Will Welch in an interview. “So I had to go in and make new songs to replace them. In my head, I was pissed off: ‘Oh well. Songs leaked. F— it. I’m just going to take a bunch of f—ing pills and go in there and have a party with myself.’ I’m sure the more pills I took, the goofier I got.” The multiplatinum rapper now embraces his sobriety and utilizes his natural quirks to fuel his music. “The same way that his brain was wired that gave him problems with substances also sort of makes him a virtuoso,” Welch told MTV News. “I’ve realized that the way I am helps with the music. Sporadic thoughts will pop into my head and I’ll have to go write something down, and the next thing you know, I’ve written a whole song in an hour,” Em said in the magazine. “But sometimes it sucks, and I wish I was wired like a regular person and could go have a f—in’ drink. But that’s the biggest thing about addiction: When you realize that you cannot — for f—‘s sake , you can not — f— around with nothing ever again.” Em, however, is just one of several survivors GQ spotlights in a special portfolio, which was shot by Mark Seliger. Metallica, Robert Plant, Beck and Erykah Badu also appear. As for the three cover subjects, GQ wanted to pick prime examples of musical perseverance. “We wanted to answer the question: Who are the living legends out there that have survived against all adversity?” Welch explained. “It has to be people who are still incredibly influential. It can’t be somebody who has been through hell and back and reached a zenith in their career in 1976 and isn’t still relevant and isn’t still making music.” GQ ‘s November 2011 issue goes on sale October 25 nationwide.
Under the Mistletoe is due November 1; the ‘Mistletoe’ video premieres tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET/PT on MTV! By James Montgomery Justin Bieber Photo: MTV News Justin Bieber is about to share his top-secret approach to writing his upcoming holiday album, Under the Mistletoe, with MTV News, but first, there’s something he’d like to clear up: “People get confused: My song is ‘Mistletoe,’ my album is Under the Mistletoe, so don’t get it confused,” he explained. “Don’t get it twisted.” So now you know. And of course, that “Mistletoe” video will premiere tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET/PT on MTV — with a special live stream to follow on MTV.com — giving his fans the first taste of what they can expect on Under the Mistletoe, which is due November 1. It’s a collection of brand-new Bieber songs and his renditions of holiday standards, one he hopes will not only become a classic in its own right, but will tide the True Beliebers over until he releases the proper follow-up to his smash My World 2.0 album . “I was going to put out my album soon anyways, and I was thinking, ‘It’s near Christmastime. If I’m going to release an album near Christmas, I figure maybe I’d just do a Christmas album,’ ” he said. “The fans get more music, and everyone’s happy. “I just picked my favorite Christmas songs. I picked ‘Silent Night,’ I picked ‘Santa [Claus Is] Coming to Town,’ because everyone loves those songs. Those are classics. They get people excited for Christmas,” he continued. “And then, for songs that we wrote, we wanted to make enough new songs for people to hear new music and not just hear some classics. There’s a lot of new stuff on there.” Oh, and as far as that secret songwriting approach, well, it turns out that in order to pen holiday tunes, Bieber forced himself to get in the Christmas spirit — even if he was working on most of the songs in August and September. And how did he do that? He turned to Christmas cookies, of course. “It’s different, because you’ve gotta think Christmastime. You’ve gotta think, ‘What’s at Christmas? Mistletoe, reindeer, Santa, all these things.’ And especially when it’s not Christmastime, it’s hard to really get your mind around it,” he said. “But once you get into it, like, I was really thinking it was Christmastime when I was writing this album. … We had Christmas cookies [in the studio].” Catch the premiere of Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” video tonight at 7:54 p.m. on MTV, with a full interview to follow on MTV.com! Related Videos Justin Bieber’s ‘Mistletoe’ Premieres Tuesday On MTV
Top 32 contestants vie for spots in the top 16. By Adam Graham Paula Abdul with guest judge Pharrell on the “X Factor” on Sunday Photo: FOX The second half of the final 32 “X Factor” acts performed in front of the judges at their respective homes on Sunday’s episode, vying for spots in the top 16. Those 16 will compete in the show’s live episodes and ultimately battle it out for a $5 million recording contract. The judges were joined by celebrity consultants for this round. Rihanna partnered with L.A. Reid at his home in the Hamptons to evaluate the boys; Pharrell Williams helped Paula Abdul critique the groups in Santa Barbara, California; and Enrique Iglesias assisted Nicole Scherzinger while she evaluated the over-30s at her home in Malibu, California. Over in France, Simon Cowell was joined by a team of industry professionals to assess the girls after his original co-judging choice, Mariah Carey, was detained due to a hurricane. First up for the girls was early favorite Jazzlyn Little, who, despite her imminent stage fright, made a lasting impression early on with her rendition of Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin’ Down.” Her nerves seemed to have gotten the better of her again prior to performing, though she pulled through on a stepped-up version of Gloria Gaynor’s disco classic “I Will Survive.” Impressed, Cowell said the 16-year-old “put herself back in the frame,” though vocal coach Savan Kotecha was rougher, dismissing the performance as “a little high school talent show.” Rachel Crow is too young to even enter a high school talent show, yet the 13-year-old sang a resonant version of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” on Cowell’s back patio. Cowell called it “unbelievable” and sent Crow off with a “well done, you,” which had the spiral-haired teenager beaming. Tiah Tolliver, the 20-year-old Washington singer for whom Cowell has fought hard in the competition, put a showy spin on Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” which seemed to divide Cowell’s aides, though Cowell argued yet again, “I always thought she fits in this show.” But he didn’t have to do any convincing of the merit of 19-year-old Melanie Amaro, whose take on Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There” caused Cowell to mock-faint on his patio couch. There was no mock-fainting going on with Rihanna, but she was clearly intrigued by Chris Rene, the garbage collector and recovering addict who performed “Everyday People” for her and L.A. Reid at Reid’s picturesque estate. “He has something very special. I want to know more about him,” Rihanna told Reid, helping confirm Rene’s status as one of the show’s early frontrunners. Ri-Ri was also intrigued by 20-year-old Marcus Canty, who sang K-Ci & JoJo’s “All My Life” directly to her, though she said she was unconvinced of his potential star power. Rihanna was less impressed with Brennin Hunt, the 26-year-old with the soap-star good looks, whom she called “corny” and said he gave off a ” ’90s boy band” vibe following his performance of Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Like a Star.” She liked 30-year-old country singer Tim Cifers, who performed a twangy version of Luther Vandross’ touching “Dance With My Father,” though L.A. Reid was disappointed by him. “I wanted so much more from him,” he said. In the over-30 group, Josh Krajcik — whom producers somewhat hilariously insist on referring to as a “burrito maker” — caused Iglesias and Scherzinger to debate his potential star power. The husky singer “is not your typical star,” Iglesias said, and Scherzinger agreed he’s “a little rough around the edges.” But both seemed pleased with his version of “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,” and the “burrito maker” seems poised to live another day in the competition. Meanwhile, 42-year-old wedding DJ Tiger Budbill seemed to be making a direct plea to the judges with his version of Solomon Burke’s “Don’t Give Up on Me,” which hit home but also had Scherzinger questioning his marketability. (Didn’t she notice his name is Tiger Budbill ? What more do you need?) Christa Collins, meanwhile, a former child star who claimed to be the prototype for Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, sang an awkward version of Radiohead’s “No Surprises” that left Scherzinger wanting more “pain” and “emotion” from her. And from Scherzinger’s perspective, nerves got the best of 60-year-old LeRoy Bell during his rendition of “Make You Feel My Love,” which could hurt his chances going forward. In the groups category, the standouts were the Stereo Hoggz, the Houston group whom Pharrell praised as mixing Motown soul with Ginuwine swagger, and Intensity, the group of 10 outcast solo artists who were put together as a group by the judges. They performed an exciting mash-up of the Ting Tings’ “That’s Not My Name” and Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True.” On Tuesday’s “X Factor,” the top 16 acts will be chosen, leaving the other half to pack their bags and say goodbye. Who do you think should make the top 16? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: ‘X Factor’ Judges Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid
Actor promises a ‘bizarre’ Caesar Flickerman, just like in the books. By Eric Ditzian Stanley Tucci Photo: MTV News “Wait till you see Stanley Tucci do Caesar Flickerman,” teased “Hunger Games” director Gary Ross back in August as MTV News was getting set to debut first-look footage from the upcoming adaptation of the best-selling young-adult series. We had to wait then — the teaser only showcased Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen — and we continue to wait to finally peep Tucci as Flickerman, the flamboyantly attired interviewer who chats with each tribute before the start of the gladiatorial competition known as the Hunger Games. But whenever fans do get to check out Flickerman, they can be sure the character will stay true to the guy readers are familiar with from Suzanne Collins’ novels. How do we know? Tucci told us himself. “Absolutely it [stays true]. Blue hair. Very bizarre,” the actor said while promoting his upcoming drama about the mortgage crisis “Margin Call.” Earlier this year, Tucci was in England shooting “Jack the Giant Killer” when he began to map out his Flickerman look. “We had wigs made there,” he said. “I had some noses made, which we ended up not using and teeth and a whole bunch of different things. When I got to North Carolina [to shoot ‘Hunger Games’], we played around for about seven hours and we started shooting the next day. I was only there for about a week, but it was fantastic.” One of the scenes he shot was the pre-Games interviews with Lawrence’s Katniss and Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark, who confesses his love for Katniss during the chat. Both Lawrence and Hutcherson, Tucci said, pulled off the pivotal scene with an aplomb that defied their years. “She was amazing,” he said. “They were all amazing. She’s just so good and so mature at such a young age. It was really fun. Really fun. And Gary, he’s great.” 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 Exclusive ‘Hunger Games’ Sneak Peek Related Photos The Hunger Games
‘Twilight’ actress and ‘American Idol’ alum tweet about Sunday’s Malibu nuptials. By Jocelyn Vena Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed (file) Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images The first 24 hours of Nikki Reed and Paul McDonald’s married life seem to be going quite well. The newlyweds took to Twitter to let their fans know just how happy they are after Sunday’s wedding. “Yesterday was the most magical day of my life…” the “Twilight” actress tweeted Monday (October 17), one day after she said “I do” to the “American Idol” singer. “Yesterday was the most amazing day of my life,” Mc Donald wrote , echoing his bride’s enthusiasm. “Everything was perfect. I’m officially a MARRIED MAN! Woohoo!” The couple married in front of 100 guests in Malibu on Sunday. E! News reports that “Idol” singer Stefano Langone played the reception, along with McDonald’s band, Grand Magnolias. McDonald also reportedly performed at the party. “Spy Kids” star and Reed pal Alexa Vega served as a bridesmaid at the festivities. “We couldn’t be happier!” the couple said in a statement after news broke of their wedding. “[We were] surrounded by our family and friends. We’re so glad this day has come!” The two began dating in April and got engaged just two months later. They announced their plans to marry at the MTV Movie Awards in June, where Reed was spotted sporting an engagement ring. “She’s amazing. It’s kind of one of those things you don’t expect,” McDonald gushed to MTV News earlier this year. “Like, last year I never would have thought I’d be getting married. She’s amazing. She’s the perfect girl. We fit each other. When you know, you know, and she’s the one.” The pair have been quite public about their relationship. McDonald plans to release an album tentatively called The Nikki Reed EP, and when Reed hit up the Teen Choice Awards in August, she was sporting Paul’s face on her nails and revealed that he was being quite the bridezilla . “He’s doing a lot of it, he is. He’s, like, taking control,” Reed said about McDonald’s part in the wedding planning. “He sits with his computer in between songs and is kind of on a roll with everything.” Leave your well-wishes for the newlyweds in the comments below!
