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Drake And Rihanna’s ‘Take Care’ Video: Frozen Planet

After years in the wilderness, Drake finally makes a video for the ages. By James Montgomery Drake and Rihanna in “Take Care” video Photo: Universal Over the past three years, Drake has risen from mixtape maestro to genuine superstar; the kind of enigmatic talent who can proudly embrace his “emotional” side one minute, then release the “Practice” video the next. And in doing so, he has carved out a rather unique niche in the world of hip-hop and R&B — and we’re not just talking about his sweaters. Often duplicated, but never replicated, there truly is no one making music quite like him. And yet, despite all that (and no offense to the wobbly, wonderful “Practice” clip), Drake has never made a truly great music video, or at least one that fits neatly into his maudlin, monochromatic world. Until now, that is. On Friday (April 6), Drake finally premiered his long-in-the-works “Take Care” clip. And yes, it was worth the wait. Full of massively icy landscapes, achingly tense slow-motion footage, artfully framed animals and, uh, Rihanna, it is basically Drake personified. Morose and masterful, slow-burning and incredibly sexual (even when it’s not supposed to be), it exudes both an incredible level of restraint and an over-the-top amount of pomp. It is very serious, very cold, very pained. Nothing much really happens, but at its conclusion, you feel like you’ve been through an awful lot (maybe a journey through the mind of Damien Hirst?). None of his contemporaries — not even the ever-obtuse Kanye — make videos like this, mostly because no one else can get away with it. Directed by Yoann Lemoine — who described the video to MTV News back in February as “very minimal” (he wasn’t kidding) — “Take Care” smolders with an underlying tension. You feel it in the sinewy slo-mo shots of bulls charging and birds taking flight, the gradual crumbling of icons, the shower of arrows and even the tender, charged embrace Drake and Rihanna share. And in that regard, the clip is also a perfect accompaniment to the track’s main bit of source material: Jamie XX’s lovely, languorous remix of Gil Scott-Heron’s cover of “I’ll Take Care of You,” which practically burns with want. And when the drums finally do break through, and Heron’s voice is echoing around the room, there is, mercifully, a release — one Lemoine shows with footage of burning trees and smoking earth. All the iciness melts away, and we’re left with something even more, something elemental. And you sort of feel like you need a cold shower. And because of all that, “Take Care” stands head and shoulders above most other videos, regardless of genre. Full of bold imagery and a tugging sense of regret and doubt, it isn’t merely art for art’s sake (though it’s easy to see Drake’s detractors dismissing it as such); it’s actual art. Welcome to the club, Drizzy; you’ve finally made one for the ages. Who cares if it’s been six months since Take Care was released? In the words of another misunderstood genius — the immortal Jack Horner — ” This is the film I want them to remember me by.” What did you think of Drake’s “Take Care” video? Share your reviews in the comments!

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Drake And Rihanna’s ‘Take Care’ Video: Frozen Planet

Kanye West’s ‘Theraflu’ Was Originally For DJ Khaled

Khaled promises another ‘Ye collaboration on upcoming Kiss the Ring . By Rob Markman Kanye West Photo: Don Arnold/ WireImage Whenever hip-hop is in need of an unforgettable moment, Kanye West always seems to have the remedy. The Louis Vuitton Don unexpectedly wowed fans Wednesday night when he gave DJ Funkmaster Flex the go-ahead to premiere “Theraflu,” his new Hit-Boy-produced single that features both DJ Khaled and DJ Pharris. Hit-Boy estimates Kanye recorded the single a little more than a week ago, but initially he didn’t even intend for Yeezy to be part of the record. “I actually had sent that beat to Khaled, and Khaled gave it to ‘Ye,” the G.O.O.D. Music producer told MTV News on Thursday (April 5). “It was supposed to be for Khaled’s album, and ‘Ye was just like, ‘This needs to be out now; this is an urgent record.’ ” DJ Khaled, who is overwhelmed by the record’s response, said it’s been an exciting 48 hours, but he promises that there is more in the works. “I was in the studio with ‘Ye, and I was like, ‘Let’s do something for your album, and let’s do something for my album,’ ” Khaled told MTV News over the phone. The charismatic DJ, who intros “Theraflu,” has even higher hopes for the pair’s next single. “Just use your best imagination on how I’ma deliver. I’m not playin’,” Khaled teased. He wouldn’t say when their next collaboration would drop, but he did reveal that the two already recorded a song that will appear on Khaled’s upcoming Kiss the Ring LP. “When we get together, we just make some amazing music,” he said. Lyrically, Kanye delivered a fiery performance on “Theraflu,” baiting PETA on the hook with “Someone tell PETA my mink is draggin’ on the floor.” He also once again addresses his ex-flame Amber Rose, her fianc

Drake And Rihanna’s ‘Take Care’ Teaser: Watch It Here!

The (musical) couple reunite in eagerly anticipated video to premiere Friday at 7:56 p.m. ET on MTV. By Rebecca Thomas Drake in his video for “Take Care” Photo: Universal The last time Drake and Rihanna got together, a quick grocery run for a carton of milk turned into a fun, romantic date over white wine in a sun-drenched Manhattan loft. The cross-genre couple is sharing the screen again, following up Rih’s “What’s My Name?” with the video for Drake’s “Take Care.” But trust us: The mood is different this time around. While you’ll have to wait until Friday at 7:56 p.m. ET for the eagerly anticipated MTV video premiere, MTV News has your exclusive preview! The black-and-white teaser opens with Drake, dressed casually in black tee and matching jeans, looking introspective as he spits the first verse of the moody title track: “I’ve asked about you and they’ve told me things/ But my mind didn’t change/ I still the feel the same, what’s/ A life with no fun, please don’t be so ashamed/ I’ve had mine, you’ve had yours, we both know.” As Drizzy raps, the (rather majestic) horns of an animal — an ox, a bull? — slide into the foreground, before Rihanna comes into the frame. Seen only in profile, the Elle magazine cover girl sports some sexy bedhead and a shoulder-baring sweater before those sweeping horns flash back once again. The 15-second preview closes with an expansive view of a snow-capped hillside, which seems to mirror what director Yoann Lemoine said fans could expect. “It pays tribute to nature,” he told MTV News in February. “When I listened to the track, I was seeing a landscape … involving animals and massive landscapes.” Lemoine added cryptically, “It’s not narrative at all, it involves animals.” Although we don’t actually see Drake and Rih together in the teaser, the director behind Katy Perry’s “Firework” said he wanted to play up the pair’s natural chemistry in the clip. “They seemed to be super close and that’s what I wanted for the video,” he explained. The title track from the Young Money star’s sophomore effort is a moody interpretation of Jamie xx’s own collaborative reimagining of the late poet Gil Scott-Heron’s incomparable “I’ll Take Care of You.” Drake’s go-to producer Noah “40” Shebib programmed the trance-like drums that kicks in after a dreamy hook from Rihanna, which is complemented by residual vocals from Scott-Heron’s track. When we asked the Toronto MC late last year what he had in mind for this video, he said only that he wanted to “make it perfect, like, the best video I’ve done to date, so just taking my time.” Sound off on the “Take Care” teaser in the comments or on our Facebook page! Related Artists Drake Rihanna

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Drake And Rihanna’s ‘Take Care’ Teaser: Watch It Here!

Drake, Rihanna Get ‘Super Close’ In ‘Take Care’ Video

‘It’s not narrative at all, and it involves animals,’ director Yoann Lemoine tells MTV News of new clip. By Tomika L. Anderson Rihanna and Drake Photo: NBAE/Getty Images Capturing the chemistry between Drake and Rihanna on the set of their new video wasn’t very hard, the director of the clip, Yoann Lemoine, told MTV News. The video for “Take Care” was shot during the Super Bowl. “They seemed to be super close and that’s what I wanted for the video,” Lemoine, best known for directing Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” and Mystery Jet’s “Dreaming of Another World,” told us. “They fit together pretty well so it was just easy.” Lemoine said the three-day shoot — which took place in a studio as well as a park — had a “very minimal” and “mellow” vibe, even though the track itself is decidedly more upbeat. “Visually, it’s a very humble video … it’s not crazy,” the alternative indie musician who also goes by the stage name Woodkid said. “It’s actually the most indie video I’ve done my whole life. It’s probably the most famous artists, and they were so open to a project that was so minimal.” “There’s a lot of space in the video and I wanted the visuals to pay tribute to that,” he continued. “It pays tribute to nature. When I listened to the track, I was seeing a landscape … involving animals and massive landscapes. I won’t say too much, but it’s very surprising that there are very few elements in it. It’s very simple but there’s this big sense of emptiness in it. It’s not narrative at all, and it involves animals.” The French filmmaker does not know when the video will air, but he did say that the editing process is going in a “very good direction.” Lemoine — who tweeted a picture of himself with the rap-and-R&B duo last week — admitted that they all watched the Super Bowl on the set between takes, but that there weren’t very many other distractions. “There’s something very minimal and very delicate [about it] in a way,” he added. “And it was very symbolic too.” Related Artists Drake Rihanna

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Drake, Rihanna Get ‘Super Close’ In ‘Take Care’ Video

Katy Perry Talks ‘Gorgeous’ Video For ‘Teenage Dream’

‘I got to cast all my friends,’ writes singer, who shot the sexy clip in her California hometown. By Jocelyn Vena Josh Kloss and Katy Perry on the set of her “Teenage Dream” music video Photo: Eric Ford/Danny Mayer/ On Location News Katy Perry has made it known that she wants to be “one of those … teenage wet dreams,” and her “California Gurls” video has certainly set the bar high for the singer, who is set to release her new album, Teenage Dream, next month. So for “Teenage Dream,” the album’s second single, Perry headed to the beach. In photos taken from the video shoot for the title track, Perry is seen canoodling with a hot guy in a hotel pool in her hometown of Santa Barbara, California. The guy is rumored to be actor Josh Kloss. In another still, leaked online , a bikini-clad Perry is kneeling in the sand, looking up at a scantily clad man, presumably Kloss. Perry tweeted about the clip as well, writing , “Cut, copy, print, moving on! That’s a wrap for Teenage Dream! So gorgeous, I really can’t wait to see what [director] Yoann Lemoine makes of it all!!! In my hometown. I got to cast all my friends in the new music vid for Teenage Dream = amazing insanity.” Previewed at a listening party last month, the radio-friendly title track picks up right where “California Gurls” leaves off. With a strong beat to back her up, Perry sings about a boy who makes her feel like a teenager again. “I wrote that song in Santa Barbara and it was a very pure moment for me, because that’s where I’m from,” she told MTV News in early June. “And it was, like, where I started my creative juices. And also it kind of exudes this euphoric feeling because everybody remembers what their teenage dreams were — all the girls that were on your poster walls.” Are you excited to see the new video from Katy Perry? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Katy Perry

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Katy Perry Talks ‘Gorgeous’ Video For ‘Teenage Dream’