No word yet whether she’ll also serve as musical guest on December 10 episode. By Kevin P. Sullivan Katy Perry Photo: J.B. Lacroix/ WireImage Let’s hope this goes better than “Sesame Street.” The day after claiming a special honor at the American Music Awards for being the first woman in history to have five #1 singles on the same album, Katy Perry gets to add one more honor to her r
‘When you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that’s the reality of what music is,’ Usher tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena, with additional reporting by Jim Cantiello Usher Photo: MTV News When Usher and David Guetta hooked up for the French DJ’s latest album, Nothing but the Beat, the two superstars created a chart-topping smash, “Without You,” that combines Guetta’s ear for house beats and Usher’s ability to convey a range of emotions with his voice. It’s a song that has really stuck with fans of all genres of music. The track — a swirling pop ode to not giving up on love in the face of adversity — struck Usher with its emotional core. “David Guetta is an amazing artist,” he told MTV News last week at a Pencils of Promise charity event . “We talked for many years about working together, and we found a record that was incredible.” Usher said it was a song that resonated with him personally. “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.” When MTV News talked to Guetta on the American Music Awards red carpet Sunday, he said “Without You” is a standout track on the album. The LP dropped earlier this year and also includes Nicki Minaj, who performed with Guetta at the AMAs . “It’s one of my favorite songs,” he said. “It’s just, I’m a DJ, so I want to make people dance always, but I also want to give emotions. When it comes to that, ‘Without You’ is probably one of the most emotional songs that I’ve done, and yes, I’m very proud of that record.” What do you think about “Without You”? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Photos Hottest 2011 American Music Award Moments MTV Style | 2011 American Music Awards Red Carpet Related Artists Usher David Guetta
Our style experts say Taylor Swift played it too safe and dish on the bold fashion statements from Sunday’s show. By Christina Garibaldi Nicki Minaj at the 2011 AMAs Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ FilmMagic The American Music Awards was all about the ladies on Sunday night, but it wasn’t just the electrifying performances that got people talking, it was the fashion as well. From metallic gowns to pink hair, there was a little bit of everything to brighten up the red carpet. Katy Perry hit the stage to perform her new single “The One That Got Away,” and also scored a special AMA for being the first woman to earn five #1 singles off one album. But before all of that, Perry hit the red carpet in a vibrant, Vivienne Westwood Couture gown that accented her pink hair. “I didn’t mind her red carpet look,” Celebuzz Senior Producer Jackie Willis told MTV News about Perry. “I didn’t think it was her best, I didn’t think it was her worst; it was fine.” Also looking pretty in pink, Nicki Minaj strutted down the red carpet in a somewhat understated (for her) Oscar de la Renta silk gown with a black lace bodice. But viewers couldn’t seem to take their eyes off Minaj when she kicked off the show in a futuristic get-up, complete with rear-end speakers. Nicki was joined by David Guetta for her songs “Turn Me On” and “Super Bass.” “I’m always really into Nicki’s style,” Willis said. “It’s weird and outrageous, I liked it.” Arguably young Hollywood’s cutest couple, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber brought movie star flare to the AMAs as they walked hand-in-hand down the carpet. Gomez stunned in a Giorgio Armani gown with a plunging neckline and open back, looking both sophisticated and glamorous. “I loved it, I love them,” Willis said. “I thought they looked very ‘Boardwalk Empire.’ Very formal, probably one of the more formal couples on the red carpet. I think that Selena has a very good handle on her style. I love the ‘short in the front, long in the back’ that she always tends to wear.” Gomez’s pal Taylor Swift , who won three AMAs, including the top prize of the night for Artist of the Year, sparkled in a gold Reem Acra gown with a side-swept ponytail, which seems to be a favorite look overall for the country star. “Taylor Swift always looks stunning because she’s always wearing the same style,” Willis laughed. “I was thinking maybe that’s her lucky color because she always wins an award in a gold gown.” Who was your pick for best-dressed at the AMAs? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos 2011 AMAs: Carpet And Performance Highlights Related Photos MTV Style | 2011 American Music Awards Red Carpet Hottest 2011 American Music Award Moments Related Artists Nicki Minaj Selena Gomez
‘I played him a song that I wrote and he really loved it,’ Gaga says on U.K. talk show. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga and Elton John Photo: Kevin Kane/ WireImage Lady Gaga is wasting no time in working on her follow-up to Born This Way . Half a year after she dropped the chart-topping album, she is already crafting the sound for the next one. Over the weekend, Lady Gaga appeared on British talk-show host Alan Carr’s “Chatty Man” and teased what fans should expect for her follow-up to BTW. “My next duet, I believe, will be with Elton,” she said. “I’m already working on my next album, and I played him a song that I wrote and he really loved it. I don’t want to give anything [else] away!” Of course, Gaga and Elton have quite a backstory together. The two recorded the track “Hello Hello” for the “Gnomeo and Juliet” soundtrack, and Gaga is godmother to Elton’s son, Zachary. In addition to the chat, Gaga also cooked up some chicken Milanese and performed her latest single, “Marry the Night” in a bright pink dress and giant pink hair bow. Her performance was uncharacteristically simple, with Gaga simply sitting at a piano. Last week, she teased the video for the clip, which includes a nearly two-minute-long monologue about the nature of sanity and art. In other Gaga news, there was recently a shake-up in Gaga’s camp when creative director Laurieann Gibson departed . For anyone who hasn’t been paying attention for the last couple years, Gaga explained just how important the people who work with her are. “To explain really what it’s all about, me and my friends travel the world together and what we do, we all lay around in bed and we write down every idea that we have … it’s quite honestly the greatest dream of my life. We get to make art for the whole universe.” Related Videos MTV First: Lady Gaga Related Artists Lady Gaga Elton John
After her set, Perry was presented with a special award for having five #1 singles on Teenage Dream. By James Dinh Katy Perry performs at the 2011 American Music Awards Photo: Getty Images In the past year, Katy Perry has pulled out some show-stopping performances, but the pop titan was all about simplicity when she performed an acoustic version of her latest single, “The One That Got Away” at the 2011 American Music Awards . Standing on a circular platform, Perry appeared onstage before pink-tinged light beams that appropriately matched her hair. In place of the midtempo tune that is heating up radio airwaves, the singer stripped down the song as she played the guitar and was accompanied by her background band. Mrs. Russell Brand belted her way through the regretful love song while her set turned into a starry sky when the backdrop evolved into a screen of speckled stars. Upon the conclusion of her number, the pop star was met with a standing ovation as well as a special award of achievement for scoring five #1 singles from Teenage Dream on Billboard ‘s Hot 100, an achievement only equal to Michael Jackson and his 1987 Bad LP. “Yay! Can I just say, thank you so much for letting me be a chameleon this year,” the starlet screamed during her acceptance speech. “I’m very, very, very pleased, and I want to give thanks to my amazing record label, EMI and Capitol. … I’m about to wrap up my California Dreams Tour , 122 dates, so I want to thank my band and all the people that came out to see me, and all of you guys, ’cause you’re pretty cool too!” This is just the latest treat Perry has offered fans in recent weeks. A little more than a week ago, she dropped the clip for the Dr. Luke and Max Martin-produced tune . The video, which was directed by Floria Sigismondi, takes viewers down memory lane as the pop star recalls her relationship with the one that got away. Did you enjoy Katy’s acoustic set? Sound off in the comments! Related Videos 2011 AMAs: Carpet And Performance Highlights Related Photos Hottest 2011 American Music Award Moments MTV Style | 2011 American Music Awards Red Carpet Related Artists Katy Perry
‘It’s a beautiful feeling overall,’ Weezy tells MTV News, alongside Cash Money co-founders Birdman and Slim. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Travis Laurendine Lil Wayne Photo: Travis Laurendine Who says you can’t go home again? With Thanksgiving just a few days away, Cash Money Records returned to New Orleans on Friday to hand out turkeys and give back to the city that birthed them. “It’s actually been my first time back here for the past eight or nine years, and they’ve been doing this for 15 years,” Lil Wayne told MTV News. “I haven’t been back here to do this for so long just being super busy, just always on tour.” Since Cash Money’s meteoric rise in the music industry, Tunechi and Birdman have since relocated to Miami but have never forgotten their roots. Every year Baby and members of the Cash Money team return to help out the less fortunate, and even though it has been some years since Wayne himself went back to his old stomping grounds, Friday’s experience isn’t lost on him. “Those times I did it years ago, I was just a kid and I was just doing it because Baby and Slim, we were giving away turkeys at a park and that’s what we were doin’,” Weezy said. “Now it’s a totally different feeling, because I can actually give you that and say, ‘Here, happy Thanksgiving.’ I can do that, and I can provide that for you. That’s a different feeling in general, and it’s a beautiful feeling overall.” Typically quiet Cash Money co-founder Ronald “Slim” Williams doesn’t take his record label’s success for granted. “God blessed people to bless other people,” he said. “It makes it so special for us to come back home and see a smile on people’s face after they received their turkeys and all the other items that go with it. So it’s real big and real special for us.” Overall, CMR co-CEO Birdman just wants the people from his old neighborhood to know that despite his multiplatinum success, he isn’t that much different than the people in New Orleans. He hopes that going back to the community where he made his bones will spawn a new cycle of success. “Knowing we once were them, so for me to see that they see us hopefully it’s an inspiration for them and something positive can come out of it, because we once were them,” he said. Related Artists Lil Wayne
In new interview, Paramore talk about moving on from the Farros and inspiring fans. By James Montgomery Paramore Photo: MTV News Paramore are moving forward, with a song-a-month “Singles Club” and plans for a new album in 2012. But in the new issue of Alternative Press (on newsstands December 1), they aren’t shying away from the past either. For the magazine’s cover story, Paramore discuss the departure of founding members Josh and Zac Farro last winter and how it forced them to realize that perhaps they had been approaching the business of being in a band from the wrong angle. Namely, they forgot all about the fun. “We’ve always enjoyed what we do,” guitarist Taylor York told the magazine, “but we’d watch other bands on tour with us, and they would just be having a blast. They’d be in vans, all cramming in one hotel room. Every day, they were just stoked to be there. In my head, I’m like, ‘Either they’re just really mistaken, or we’re missing something. I don’t think it’s possible to have that much fun.’ ” “I felt so bad for the longest time, because we made being in a band look like it wasn’t fun,” frontwoman Hayley Williams added. “In my opinion. Other people might not have thought that, but you imagine all the interviews we did where it was just like, ‘Uhh … ‘ ” Gee, wonder which interview she’s referring to? Still, after surviving the split with the Farros, Paramore rediscovered the joy of being in a band while on tour in South America, and that’s what gave them the desire to press on with a new album. “This winter, when Zac and Josh left, we went through a really hard time,” York said. “I think we had to go through that. We all love each other, but we had to come together so closely that we really rediscovered how much we really love each other — and how much we love playing music. We had to go through that to realize what we had.” Recharged, Paramore are pressing on with their new record — one that, from the sound of things, will be a spirited affair indeed. “It’s important for young people to know how much fun it is to make music with your friends,” Williams said. “You have to fight for it, of course, but it’s the biggest gift to play music for people, and it’s a gift even if you’re not playing for anybody. It’s fun, and I’m excited. We’re stoked to have that spirit revolving around this [forthcoming] album and just relax into the process.” What are you expecting from Paramore’s next album? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos ‘Paramore: The Last Word’ Related Artists Paramore
Singer recalls a hazard of living out of your car on latest episode, airing Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. By Shakira Atitebi T-Pain Photo: MTV News T-Pain wasn’t always living the lavish lifestyle he has now. The Auto-Tune pioneer opens up about his humble beginnings in this week’s episode of “When I Was 17,” airing Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. “When I was 17, I was living in and out of my ’81 Oldsmobile Cutlass,” T-Pain said on the episode, also featuring Common and “Twilight” star Alex Meraz. “It was pretty beat-up on the outside and the inside, and it had a horrible smell,” T-Pain’s wife, Amber, added. T-Pain’s car put a roof over his head and provided a spot for romantic getaways. “I used to have sex in it a lot,” he offered up bluntly. During one steamy session, T-Pain and his girlfriend at the time were interrupted by intruders trying to break into the car. “It just so happened we were getting dressed,” he recalled. “This guy tries to get into this car.” T-Pain wasn’t worried; his car was filled with tools he could use to fight back. “I got crazy amount of just things in my car,” he said. “There’s some pipes, there’s a wrench. So I’m trying to pull my pants up and chuck this dude at the same time.” The intruder eventually walked away. T-Pain’s girlfriend at the time was frantic and asked him a very ridiculous question. “My girlfriend was screaming. The stupidest question she asked me of that night was, ‘Did you know that guy?’ And I’m like, ‘What? Why would I know this dude?’ ” T-Pain laughed. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring T-Pain, Common and Alex Meraz — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos ‘When I Was 17’ Preview: T-Pain, Common And Alex Meraz Related Artists T-Pain
‘It was just cool to see a big dude that could still dance, get fly, put on the slick joints,’ Rozay recalls on ‘RapFix Live.’ By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Heavy D Photo: Prince Williams/ FilmMagic Ask Rick Ross about Heavy D’s contribution to hip-hop, and he’s likely to break out into song. “Heav’s at the door, so there’ll be no bum-rushing,” Rozay sang when MTV News asked about his thoughts on the passing of the Overweight Lover. Heavy’s verse from the 1989 anti-violence jam “Self Destruction” was clearly memorable for the Maybach Music boss, but it goes deeper than just his rhymes, according to Ross. “Man, you know, that was the Overweight Lover, and it was just cool to see a big dude that could still dance, get fly, put on the slick joints, rock the dope shades, the females screaming for him,” Rozay said on Wednesday’s “RapFix Live.” Although Heavy D’s accomplishments in rap music are sometimes overlooked, Ross said the rapper/actor’s impact is something to be noted. “Me being cool with Puff, I know the kind of impact he had on Puff at Uptown Records and we just gotta give Heavy his credit,” Rozay said. “He really impacted the game on another level, being one of the early dudes.” In October, Heavy closed out the BET Hip Hop Awards with a medley of hits, including “The Overweight Lover,” “Mr. Big Stuff,” “Is It Good to You” and “I Want Somebody.” Ross, who also performed that night, watched Mr. Big Stuff’s performance in amazement. “Just to be at the BET Awards just this past year and watch the homey close the awards out and still doin’ his thing and it’s like years later, you just really reflect on all the great memories just with hip-hop, period, especially from that era,” he said. “Heav, he was just that dude.” 1990s rap star Chubb Rock, who also appeared on “RapFix Live” this week, told host Sway that it was “hard to be happy” since his friend’s death at 44. Both Rock and Heavy D were born in Jamaica and the two men became friends before they started their respective rap careers. Heavy got his start first and paved the way for Chubb, who was also one of rap’s big men. “It was great because between him, Markie Dee of the Fat Boys — that was our lane, that big boy thing,” he said. When it comes to Heavy D and the hip-hop heavyweights he inspired, Chubb doesn’t see it as an old school versus new school thing. Instead, he sees rappers like Rick Ross and Fat Joe, as well as late MCs Big Pun and the Notorious B.I.G., as members of a fraternity. “When I heard things happened to Rick , it bothered me, too, because I was like, ‘Wait a minute, that’s one of our young brothers doin’ his thing and keeping that legacy going,” Rock said of Ross suffering two seizures in October. “But the health thing is serious, that’s why I had to drop, like, 80 lbs.” The exact cause of Heavy D’s death is still unclear as initial autopsy results came up inconclusive. He was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills after a 911 call was placed from the rapper’s home. Heavy had difficulty breathing and was pronounced dead after he reached the hospital. There will be a public viewing for the fallen rapper on Thursday (November 17) at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York, followed by a private funeral service for family and close friends on Friday. BET is planning a special tribute to Heavy D during Sunday’s “Soul Train Awards.” Veteran rappers Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Curtis Blow, Naughty by Nature, Whodini and Stetsasonic’s Daddy-O are all said to be taking part. Share your fondest Heavy D memory with us in the comments. Related Videos Rick Ross, Meek Mill, N.O.R.E. And More On ‘RapFix Live’ Related Photos Heavy D: Life, Music And Friends Related Artists Rick Ross Heavy D & The Boyz Heavy D
Mother Monster gives a monologue as she’s pushed around on a gurney by two nurses in new teaser clip. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Leon Neal/AFP After wrapping up a performance abroad on Thursday (November 17), Lady Gaga gave fans what she’d promised. In a tweet posted Thursday afternoon, she wrote, “MARRY THE NIGHT: THE PRELUDE PATH
Breaking Sports Video
