Gaga met with administration officials to discuss their anti-bullying campaign By Gil Kaufman Lady Gaga Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images Though she didn’t appear to get another audience with the President, Lady Gaga visited the White House on Wednesday to offer her help in the Obama administration’s anti-bullying campaign. Gaga met with administration staffers about her pet issue, but was unable to speak to the President in person, as he was in Kansas giving a speech on the economy. “Lady Gaga is a source of strength for many young people who feel isolated and scared at their schools. Today, I had the opportunity to welcome her to the White House, where we discussed ways we could work together to make sure that no child comes under attack, regardless of his or her race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other factor,” wrote Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett in a blog post on the White House website . “Lady Gaga has described this cause as a personal one — she has said that as a child, she was often picked on for being different. I am deeply moved by the way she has used her story, and her success, to inspire young people, and shine the spotlight on important issues.” Gaga previously met with Obama when she attended a fundraiser for the president’s re-election campaign in California in September. The singer, who recently announced the upcoming launch of the Born This Way Foundation along with her mother, was uncharacteristically low-key about the White House pop-in, not posing for photos or publicizing the visit. Jarrett went on to enumerate the various ways the administration has taken on bullying, including the White House conference on bullying held earlier this year by the president and First Lady Michelle Obama. The Lady Gaga event came on the same day that the administration released a new analysis of state bullying laws and policies, which shows that states have made some progress in enacting policies and legislation to address bullying, but that more work is left to be done. “As we continue protecting our children, we look forward to working with Lady Gaga, the Born This Way Foundation, and with every American who is willing to help make our society more kind, inclusive, and equal,” Jarrett said. Related Videos MTV First: Lady Gaga Related Artists Lady Gaga
Guns N’ Roses, Donovan and The Faces will also be inducted in April. By Gil Kaufman Beastie Boys Photo: Capitol More than a quarter century after they brought hard rock back to the top of the heap, the original lineup of legendary Los Angeles band Guns N’ Roses will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April. Guns were among the acts named on Wednesday as the Class of 2012, which includes fellow L.A. rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers , iconic New York rap trio the Beastie Boys , 1960s pop singer Laura Nyro, the Small Faces (and their later Rod Stewart-led incarnation, the Faces), as well as mellow 1960s singer Donovan. Also on the roster for the induction ceremony, which will take place on April 14 in Cleveland and air on HBO in early May, is early influence blues guitarist Freddie King and nonperformer Don Kirshner, who created the Archies and Monkees and hosted the long-running live-music TV show “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.” Among those passed over this year were the Cure, Joan Jett, Heart and hip-hip duo Eric B. & Rakim. Acts become eligible for the Hall 25 years after the release of their first single or album, so this year’s crop all started releasing music in or before the year 1986. Led by the mercurial lead singer Axl Rose, GN’R re-invented hard rock with 1987’s Appetite for Destruction , which featured such indelible glam-punk hits as “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Paradise City,” “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “It’s So Easy.” The band splintered a decade later amid a clash of egos, disagreement over musical direction and drug issues that resulted in Rose soldiering on alone with a parade of replacement sidemen. Before their induction was announced, buzz had already begun to build around a potential reunion between legendarily unfriendly co-founders Rose and guitarist Slash as well as the rest of the classic line-up, which included rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Rose is currently on the road with the new Guns. The Beastie Boys have been mixing rock, rap, soul, punk and funk for more than 30 years, helping to cross hip-hip over into the mainstream in a major way with their bratty 1986 full-length debut, License to Ill , rap’s first #1 album. After providing drunken anthems for a generation thanks to “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To) Party,” and “Brass Monkey,” they followed up with 1989’s head-tripping Paul’s Boutique , which set a new standard for artistry in sampling. They’ve continued to rock the mic over the course of five more studio albums, including this year’s Hot Sauce Committee Part Two . Funk-punk lifers the Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in Los Angeles in 1983 and released their self-titled debut the next year. Formed around the core of hyperkinetic singer Anthony Kiedis, high-energy bassist Flea, late guitarist Hillel Slovak and former drummer Jack Irons, the band made a name for itself with a spastic combo of funk, punk, hard rock and hip-hop, graduating from an underground fanbase to worldwide stardom and Grammy-winning albums thanks to such landmark tracks as “Give It Away,” “Under the Bridge” and “Scar Tissue.” Like the Who, English mod rockers the Small Faces were heavily influenced by American R&B, which they explored on signature songs “Itchycoo Park,” “Lazy Sunday” and “All or Nothing.” In their second phase as the Faces, members included future Rolling Stones rhythm guitarist Ronnie Wood and singer Rod Stewart. Late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro was just 19 when she recorded her debut in 1966, the same year folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary recorded her song, “And When I Die.” The fragile singer with an eclectic style wrote a string of songs that became hits for other acts, including “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Sweet Blindness,” “Wedding Bell Blues” and “Blowin’ Away.” She also scored her own hit with Carole King’s “Up on the Roof.” Psychedelic Folkie Donovan Leitch scored a number of hits in the 1960s, including “Sunshine Superman,” “Mellow Yellow” and “Hurdy Gurdy Man.” Dissension has become one of the reliable side stories of the Rock Hall ceremonies. While such notoriously splintered acts as Led Zeppelin and the Talking Heads managed to set aside differences for one night (Blondie, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Van Halen not so much), the biggest question this year is whether Rose will make nice with his estranged former bandmates. There are also question marks over whether the Beastie Boys will perform, as the group have eschewed public appearances since the July 2009 revelation that member Adam “MCA” Yauch was undergoing treatment for cancer of the salivary gland in the throat. Related Videos MTV First: Red Hot Chili Peppers Related Artists Beastie Boys Guns N’ Roses Red Hot Chili Peppers
‘I think they will watch this film and say, ‘That could be me’ and ‘What would I do?’ ‘ director/writer tells MTV News. By Kevin P. Sullivan Angelina Jolie Photo: MTV News Angelina Jolie lives her life in front of cameras. Even when she’s off the job and not starring in action films like “Salt” or “Wanted,” paparazzi follow her every move. But in the last three years, Jolie has only appeared onscreen in two films, representing a dialing back on her profile as an actress. Now Jolie has returned in a big but unexpected way. Her feature-film directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” follows the relationship of a man and a woman during the Bosnian War, and Jolie is nowhere to be found in front of the camera. Her work remains entirely behind the camera as the film’s writer and director, leaving the acting to people native to the countries portrayed in the film. At the New York premiere of her film, Jolie spoke with MTV News about why the movie is especially important for a younger audience, who may not have even been alive or remember the Bosnian War of the early 1990s. “This young audience will be interested because [of] the characters — they’ll identify with them,” Jolie said. “This is the ’90s. They may have been children or not alive during that time, but they’re watching people who were 18 years old, 10 years old in a European cosmopolitan society, and it’s what would have happened if they went to war.” It’s this identification that Jolie believes will ultimately draw younger viewers to the film and will make them question how the same conflict would affect their own lives. “I think they will watch this film and say, ‘That could be me’ and ‘What would I do?’ and ‘How would I handle this situation?’ ” she said. “So I think it will become very personal to them, and I think they will identify with it. And it’s war in our generation, so we must pay attention.” Check out everything we’ve got on “In the Land of Blood and Honey.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
‘He always wants there to be the soul in there,’ Cruz tells MTV News about his ‘Without You’ collaborator. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias Usher Photo: Todd Williamson/ WireImage Usher is hard at work on his next album. Set to work with fellow hitmaker Taio Cruz , the two already cooked up some magic with their David Guetta anthem “Without You,” and it seems they are hoping to recapture that spirit for Usher’s follow-up to 2010’s Raymond v. Raymond . “I saw Usher a few times, but I spoke to him at length at David [Guetta]’s house when we were in Ibiza [Spain],” he told MTV News in L.A. after his Jingle Ball set. “He has very specific ideas of where he wants to go musically and sound-wise.” Given that Usher has never shied away from exposing a bit of himself in his music, while also keeping the party going, Cruz wants to make sure they can connect the mind, body and soul for this next release. “He always wants there to be the soul in there,” he explained. “I’m kind of, not the opposite, but I’m always like, ‘Let’s get straight to the point and be really clear with the message and be simple.’ “So we try to match those two worlds together: being soulful and, at the same time, catchy,” he added. Cruz can’t yet discuss what they’re working on: Besides “Without You,” he said, “Everything else is secret.” Usher said he was drawn to the Guetta hit because he connected to it emotionally, explaining to MTV News recently what an important part that plays in his musical philosophy. “I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I’ve actually been on in the last three years,” he said. “Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There’s many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that’s the reality of what music is.” Related Artists Usher Taio Cruz David Guetta
‘We’re gonna make a hit record,’ rapper says of ‘Jersey Shore’ star’s 2012 project. By Nadeska Alexis 50 Cent Photo: MTV News As early as April of this year, rumblings on the Web hinted that 50 Cent might sign “Jersey Shore” star and former Britney Spears tourmate Pauly D to his label, G-Note Records. But the deal wasn’t confirmed until this week when both Fif and his new signee spread the word on Twitter . During the launch party for his SMS Audio headphones line in NYC on Monday night, 50 Cent gave MTV News a few details on Pauly D’s upcoming album, due out in 2012. “Pauly’s project is not all his performance on the actual records,” Fif explained. “It’s more like what you would get from a DJ Khaled or DJ Drama but also what you would get from David Guetta — so it’s a cross between those two worlds, and I think it’s exciting.” A cross between two of the most notorious hip-hop DJs and one of the most popular electronic DJs certainly sounds like a winning combination for Pauly D, who has already built a solid fanbase in reality TV. And with plans for Pauly to star in his own MTV show in the coming months, 50 is even more confident that the hair-gel fanatic is primed to blow up. “He obviously has a huge platform moving forward. His show is a spin-off from ‘Jersey Shore,’ ” 50 said. “And being in front of large audiences every night DJing — we’re gonna make a hit record out of the actual material that we have around and some of the new stuff that we’ll put together.” Maybe fans will get a chance to see 50 Cent and Pauly D working together on the album when the Rhode Island native finally debuts his own reality show . Earlier this year, Pauly D gave MTV News an idea of what fans might expect from the story line. “It’ll be probably along the lines of, I used to be this DJ in Rhode Island, DJing two sets a week, hustling, promoting,” he explained. “And all of a sudden, I’m on this show, and now they’re sending private jets for me to DJ for these huge crowds, yet I’m still the same guy that was DJing for 200 people, just loving life.” The show hasn’t received an airdate just yet, but by the time it does, DJ Pauly D may well be an international superstar. Related Artists 50 Cent
Earl “DMX” Simmons is continuing his post-prison goodwill tour, this time playing wheelchair basketball with injured soldiers. According to TMZ, X was doing a show in San Antonio last Thursday, when a fan asked if he would visit the troops at nearby Fort Sam Houston. X said yes and showed up the next day to play a little wheelchair basketball with some of the guys. “It made my day as much as it did their day,” DMX told TMZ . “One told me that I gave him the best early Christmas gift he ever got and that has me still smiling.” CLICK HERE for pictures. RELATED POSTS: DMX Vacuums Nightclub [VIDEO] DMX Finishes Mopping For Waffle House Employee Amy Winehouse & 9 Other Artists Who Have Struggled With Addiction
Clip will premiere Wednesday on BET’s ‘106 & Park.’ By Jocelyn Vena Nicki Minaj and Willow Smith in ‘Fireball’ Photo: Big Machine Records Nicki Minaj and Willow Smith shot the video for the kid star’s pumped-up “Fireball” last month in Los Angeles, and the party-rocking duo plan to show the world the fruits of their labor Wednesday. Their clip for the newest single from Willow’s upcoming debut album will premiere on BET’s “106 & Park.” In a sea of scenes teased in a 30-second trailer on BET’s website , Willow is decked out in a number of colorful, over-the-top, futuristic outfits. It also previews a big dance number in which Smith shows off some sassy moves. A majority of the teaser takes place in a city setting. Minaj, in rainbow-colored fur boots and a dress made of teddy bears, dances around with the young singer. Smith plans to release her debut album, Willow: You Think You Know Me, this April. According to Jukebox, who worked with the 10-year-old on several tracks, the album will focus on her youthfulness. “Willow is a combination of what ‘Whip My Hair’ was. Willow just isn’t a pop star, she isn’t just an urban artist; she’s very international,” he said. “A lot of her music has a very big influence of everything from rock to pop to hip-hop.” “Fireball” is the follow-up to Willow’s other releases, “21st Century Girl” and the instant viral smash “Whip My Hair.” “It’s just the whole process,” Jukebox added. “You got to think about it: She’s a 10-year-old girl. She’s gotta have a life, she’s gotta be a kid.” Related Artists Nicki Minaj Willow Smith
‘The song itself is about troubled love,’ Mark Hoppus explains, though Tom DeLonge promises new video is mostly ‘about sex.’ By James Montgomery Blink-182 on the set of their video for “After Midnight” Photo: MTV News Blink-182 ‘s “Up All Night” video was a rather-raucous vision of the teen-pocalypse, with fans running roughshod over (and partying hard on) a deserted suburban landscape. So when it came time to shoot the video for “After Midnight,” the second proper single from their Neighborhoods album , the guys wanted to go a different route — think less wanton destruction, a general lack of exploding cars and waaay less partying. Of course, they ended up going with the same guy who directed “Up All Night,” but that’s sort of beside the point. “We went through probably 30 different treatments for this video, and a lot of them were great, and a lot of them weren’t so great but [director] Isaac [Rentz’s] stuck out as a really cool idea,” Mark Hoppus told MTV News on the set of the “Midnight” video, in Tustin, California. “We wanted it to be something different than just a bunch of people having fun and having a party; we wanted it to be a little darker, a little more troubled, and Isaac’s treatment did that.” So while they’re once again working with Rentz, Blink’s “After Midnight” clip is shaping up to be a far cry from “Up All Night,” mostly because, as Hoppus explained, the song is about dark things — while still remaining true to the band’s roots, of course. “The song itself is about troubled love, it’s about damaged people who fall in love,” he said, “and the video takes place in a psychiatric ward, and this guy and this girl escape from their rooms and have a night of romance and passion and fun and wild existence …” “It’s about sex,” Tom DeLonge jokingly added. “It’s not, it’s not that tawdry,” Hoppus replied, laughing. “Why would you make it that cheap?” Related Artists blink-182
Coldplay, Girls and Lykke Li also among year’s best, but Yuck’s self-titled debut tops this MTV News writer’s list. By Gil Kaufman Kanye West and Jay-Z Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images Year-end album lists are kind of like going to a high school reunion: You feel obligated to do it, you way overthink things and nobody wants to show up with an unfashionable look that nobody else is rocking. Some people reach for an obscurity to up their cred or go with the big, dumb, obvious choice to avoid making waves and be down with the cool kids. When asked to only pick one album from 2011, I just prefer to cheat. That’s why I’ll mention that I was way into things like Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne for its brash, bombastic rap supremacy; Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto for its willingness to take chances; and the truly excellent old-school/new-school fire of reggae icon Jimmy Cliff’s Tim-Armstrong-produced Sacred Fire EP. Lykke Li’s subtly moving, deceptively funky Wounded Rhymes did it for me, as did My Morning Jacket’s always brain-expanding sound on Circuital. EMA’s brain-buzzing, reverb-flooded Past Life and Martyred Saints did the trick, along with tUnE-yArDs’ kitchen-sink, jungle-funking Whokill. Hell, I might even mention that I couldn’t put down Girls’ seductively simple Father, Son, Holy Ghost, James Blake’s trancy self-titled debut or Wu Lyf’s gruff, confounding Go Tell Fire to the Mountain. But while all excellent, none of those are my top album of the year. That honor goes to London shoegazer revivalists Yuck, whose self-titled debut album was like a time machine back to my indie-rock musical youth. As much as I love listening to new artists make the most of modern technology and blaze trails, this year I was drawn to albums by bands like the Dum Dum Girls and Yuck, which pay homage to such college-rock forebearers as My Bloody Valentine, Pavement, Jesus and Mary Chain, Sparklehorse, Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth. Songs like Yuck’s, yes, soothing “Soothe Me” and the druggy ripsaw guitar boogie of “Holing Out,” with its briefly spiraling solo and dreamy multi-tracked vocals, just speak to the club jockey in me. I haven’t had a chance to see Yuck live yet, but listening to their music feels like beer-soaked floors, sweaty front-of-stage scrums, ringing ears and watery mixed drinks. They’re in no hurry on “Georgia,” plugging along on tambourines and blown-out double guitar boogie, as vocalist Ilana Blumberg seductively sings beneath the bramble of noise about dreams and love confusion. Yeah, it’s often a slapdash-seeming mess (“Rubber”) or a bit too precious in its love of all things Smashing Pumpkins (“Milkshake”), but that was the noise-pop alley I felt like lurking in this year. Share your favorite albums of 2011 in the comments below! We’ll be rolling out more MTV News writers’ album of the year picks all week. In the meantime, check out MTV’s Best of 2011 coverage! Related Videos Welcome To Jay-Z And Kanye West’s ‘Watch The Throne’ Week Related Artists Kanye West Jay-Z
Mixtape Daily also taps free selections from Wale, Young Jeezy, Future and more in our year-end awards. By Rob Markman Photo: MTV News Mixtape Daily: Best of 2011 Mixtapes are one of the key things that separate hip-hop from every other musical genre. While rock, country and pop fans have to wait until a record label releases an album from their favorite artist, rap fans have developed a unique connection with their fave MCs thanks to the availability of free mixtapes. In recent years, the free online releases — some of which are even made to sound like albums — increasingly help to raise an MC’s stock. 2011 brought on high-profile tapes from veterans like Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, while newcomers like Future and A$AP Rocky used their tapes to establish their fanbases. While hundreds of tapes were released this year, Mixtape Daily breaks down the 10 Best of 2011 , in no particular order. 2 Chainz’s Codeine Cowboy Every good artist knows the art of reinvention and in 2011, no rapper rebranded himself as effectively as 2 Chainz. Once known as Tity Boy from the Atlanta group Playaz Circle, 2 Chainz cleaned up his act with a name change and a tape to go with it. Codeine Cowboy established the underground ATL veteran as a hitmaker thanks to his infectious money ode “Spend It.” Key Tracks : “Spend It,” “LaLa” (featuring Busta Rhymes) and “Kitchen” (featuring Young Jeezy and Pusha T) A$AP Rocky’s LiveLoveA$AP Before he even dropped his debut mixtape, Harlem MC A$AP Rocky inked a deal worth $3 million with Polo Ground/ RCA. When Rocky released LiveLoveA$AP on Halloween, the N.Y. newcomer with the Southern sensibility had proven that his breakouts “Purple Swag” and “Peso” were no flukes. Key Tracks : “Peso,” “Trilla” and “Brand New Guy” featuring Schoolboy Q Big K.R.I.T.’s Returnof4Eva Most artists use a combination of original tracks and freestyles over well-known beats on their mixtapes, but producer/MC Big K.R.I.T. has always separated himself from the pack by producing his own material. Following the success of 2010’s breakout K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, the 2011 XXL Freshman delivered once again with Returnof4Eva. Key Tracks : “Country Sh– (Remix)” (featuring Ludacris and Bun B), “Rotation” and “Dreamin’ ” Future’s True Story Sure, Future dropped a few mixtapes before True Story, but with catchy tracks like “Magic” and “Tony Montana,” how could fans not be checking for the “Racks”-featured rapper? Key Tracks : “Magic” and “Tony Montana” Lil Wayne’s Sorry 4 the Wait How considerate is Lil Wayne? After his label pushed back the release of his super-hyped Tha Carter IV, Weezy decided to give his fans a little something to make up for the delay. The aptly titled Sorry 4 the Wait found Tunechi reworking songs like Kreayshawn’s “Gucci Gucci” and Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” over the course of 12 tracks. After a ton of mixtape downloads and double-platinum sales of Tha Carter IV, it’s clear that fans have accepted Wayne’s apology. Key Tracks : “Sure Thing (Freestyle),” “Gucci Gucci (Freestyle)” and “Tunechi’s Back” Ludacris’ 1.21 Gigawatts: Back to the First Time Ludacris is a rapper’s rapper. Don’t let his new line of Soul headphones, Conjure liquor or Hollywood movie roles fool you: Mr. Lova Lova takes MC’ing very seriously and it shows on 1.21 Gigawatts. Not only does Luda experiment with new flows on “Rich & Flexin’ ” and “Muthaf—a Can U Buy That,” he wages war against Drake and Big Sean on “Bada Boom.” Key Tracks: “Bada Boom,” “Shake and Fries” (featuring Gucci Mane) and “Rich & Flexin’ ” (featuring Waka Flocka Flame) Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers After making his mark on Maybach Music’s Self Made compilation with standout tracks like “Tupac Back,” and “Ima Boss,” many expected Meek Mill to drop his debut album right away. But rather than rush, Meek held fans over with his Dreamchasers tape. It’s quite the appetizer. Over the course of 19 tracks, the Philly MC gives fans a mix of everything: There are hits, some freestyles and even an intricate story rhyme on “Tony Story.” Well done. Key Tracks : “House Party” (featuring Young Chris), “Work” (featuring Rick Ross) and “Tony Story” Pusha T’s Fear of God As one-half of the Clipse, Push has always been a highly regarded lyrcist, but stepping out as a soloist can be tricky. On his first work without his brother Malice, Pusha Ton showed and proved, so much so that after Fear of God was released as a free mixtape on the Net, it was re-released at retail. Key Tracks : “My God,” “Feeling Myself” and “Raid” (featuring 50 Cent and Pharrell) Wale’s The Eleven One Eleven Theory After getting his Twitter following to 1 million, Wale dropped his The Eleven One Eleven Theory mixtape to hype up the release of his sophomore album Ambition. When the tape first dropped online, it crashed a few file-sharing sites. And once listeners were able to download and digest Wale’s work, it quickly became a fan favorite. Key Tracks : “Bait,” “Chain Music” and “Ambitious Girl 2″ Young Jeezy’s The Real Is Back Young Jeezy’s TM 103 (due this month) saw a series of delays, but that doesn’t mean that the Snowman wasn’t working. On his The Real Is Back mixtape, Jeezy squashed the beef with DJ Drama and collaborated on one of the year’s best. Through 21 tracks, Jeezy delivers his unique brand of trap music as only he can. Key Tracks :”Win Win,” “Rollin” (featuring Fabolous), “Run DMC” (featuring Freddie Gibbs) and “Ballin’ ” featuring Lil Wayne Think we missed a major mixtape? Sound off on our RapFix blog or in the comments below! Related Artists Lil Wayne Young Jeezy A$AP Rocky
