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Justin Bieber, Scooter Braun Address ‘Unfortunate’ Paternity Suit

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Pop star jokes that a better false allegation would have been: ‘Justin Bieber went off to South America with this 27-year-old supermodel.’ By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber at New York radio station Z100 on Thursday Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage Justin Bieber stopped by New York radio station Z100 on Thursday morning (November 17) and addressed a number of subjects, from his favorite candy (Swedish Fish) to his early crush on Selena Gomez to his Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe. But there was one topic he couldn’t avoid: the paternity suit . “Right now, I’m focusing on my album and the music and the [Pencils of Promise] charity we’re doing, and just being positive because Christmastime is a time for joy and happiness, so that’s what I’m thinking,” Bieber told Elvis Duran and crew. “And as far as the whole baby situation, it’s unfortunate that it had to happen like that. People make false accusations, but things happen in this industry and you have to keep your head high and be positive.” When asked if he wondered why he was the target of Mariah Yeater’s allegations, he joked, “If it was up to me, it would have been a better story like, ‘Justin Bieber went off to South America with this 27-year-old supermodel.’ That would have been awesome. “They say that any press is good press — I do not believe that’s true,” the pop star added. “If you’re in the spotlight, then people are looking at you to be a role model, and if you’re doing bad things to be getting press, I think that’s really, really sad.” While Bieber was diplomatic about his response, his manager, Scooter Braun, had stronger words for Yeater and her legal team . “Look, I don’t usually talk in front of mics but the bottom line is they said they’re in settlement talks with us, and the only thing I’m gonna say is they will never be in settlement talks with us,” he said. “We will never settle with them. That’s my little guy right there — I protect him — and they messed with the wrong crew. “It’s false and people should be held accountable when they run out and say this stuff,” Braun continued. “And they have this lawyer running around saying, ‘Well, we want everything to be held confidentially now.’ But you don’t get to go out there and badmouth a 17-year-old kid to the entire world then suddenly think it’s going to stay confidential. We’re not gonna go away quietly. I’m from around [the NYC area], and you know that people from around here don’t like to be messed with.” Bieber also revealed what he wants his legacy to be: “[I want people to say], ‘He was a good entertainer; a great entertainer,’ more or less. I don’t want to be second- or third-best, but I want to be the best.” Justin’s visit to New York City won’t end with Z100. He’s also slated to make various radio and media appearances, including a gala held for the Pencils of Promise charity and a Make-A-Wish Foundation event on Friday, where he’ll be honored for granting the most wishes in 2011. Related Photos Justin Bieber Takes Over New York City Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Beyonce Debuts New Videos — And Her Wedding Dress!

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I Was Here’ and ‘End of Time’ will be featured on upcoming ‘Live at Roseland’ DVD. By Gil Kaufman Beyonce in her “I Was Here” music video Photo: Columbia Just because Beyonc

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Drake, Rick Ross Project Is ‘Official’

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once) mixtape is ‘most definitely’ happening, Ross tells ‘RapFix Live.’ By Rob Markman Rick Ross Photo: MTV News It’s deeper than rap with Rick Ross and Drake . While the two have collaborated on a number of hit records like Rozay’s “Aston Martin Music” and DJ Khaled’s “I’m on One,” the two MCs share a bond that extends way beyond the studio. So when Drake announced that he and the Bawse would be collaborating on a new mixtape, Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once), it made sense in theory, but how real is the actual project? Very real, says Rozay. “You know, it’s official, the music is most definitely official,” Ross said when he appeared on “RapFix Live” on Wednesday. “But you know, me being a boss, I’m trying to find a way that we could put that on the shelves for the world, baby. But it’s most definitely official.” Retailing a collaboration project is tricky, especially considering that Drizzy and Rozay are signed to two different labels. Ross is currently inked up with Def Jam as a soloist, and Drake just released his sophomore album, Take Care, on Cash Money. Still, the Maybach Music CEO is hopeful. “You know, Drake, I consider him a part of the fam. It’s not just music,” he said. “We stay in the studio, we stay on Skype.” According to Ross, the two mostly talk about the music they’ve been recording, and so far their collaborations have been well received. On the day that Drake’s Take Care was leaked onto the Internet, “Lord Knows,” featuring Rozay , began trending on Twitter. Back in August, the Toronto MC had some high praise for his buddy. Drizzy was one of the few able to hear Ross’ God Forgives, I Don’t as a work in progress, and his early review was glowing. “This guy right here,” Drake said, motioning to Ross as the two sat at Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV release party , “that God Forgives, I Don’t ; the only way I can describe it is like Doggystyle or Ready to Die or Clipse Lord Willin’ or any of the albums that I collected and held on to as a kid — whether it was cassette or CD.” In a recent interview with XXL magazine, Drake spoke about the status of the upcoming mixtape, revealing that the two seizures that the Bawse suffered in October may slow the process up just a bit. “I’ve been working on that for the last couple of weeks. We haven’t really connected because he’s been going through this thing with his health. I’ve been stashing my little beats and verses,” he said. There is no telling when fans will get to hear Y.O.L.O. or how it will even be released, but when it drops it should be a special one. “It’s just love all the way around the board,” Ross remarked. “So Y.O.L.O. You Only Live Once, let’s go hard, let’s go get it.” Related Videos Rick Ross, Meek Mill, N.O.R.E. And More On ‘RapFix Live’ Related Artists Drake Rick Ross

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Lady Gaga Wants To ‘Take Helm,’ Laurieann Gibson Says

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘In stepping away I wish her all the best,’ singer’s former creative director tells Hollywood Reporter. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Getty Images It was the breakup heard around the world. No, we’re not talking about Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries . When news broke that Lady Gaga and her creative director, Laurieann Gibson , had split, everyone immediately wondered what had happened between Gaga and her right-hand woman . Gibson has remained relatively quiet about the split, but in a new statement to The Hollywood Reporter, she opens up a bit more about the breakup, clarifying that she was not fired from the Haus but left on her own. She added that Gaga wanted to take the reins when it came to her career. “I am fulfilled with the work I have done with choreographing all of the iconic moves, creative directing the artist, appearances, shows, directing the tour, music videos, and the HBO Monster Ball [special], which was a culmination of my work as its creator and director,” Gibson said about the five years she spent working with Gaga . “Recently, Lady Gaga was motivated to take the helm of the creative direction of her career and as such I decided to step away.” Gibson, who currently serves as the in-house creative director at Interscope Records (where Gaga is signed) and has starred in two of her own reality shows (the BET dance-competition show “Born to Dance” and another dance reality series, E!’s “The Dance Scene”), is now focused on expanding her brand with other artists and in new ways. “I am extremely proud of her, and in stepping away I wish her all the best,” she said of the pop star. “I look forward to continuing my work with notable artists, as well as new artists that are part of my Interscope Records deal, and the upcoming seasons of my TV shows.” Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lady Gaga Creative Director Laurieann Gibson Related Artists Lady Gaga

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Mac Miller Ignored Label Offers On Road To #1 Debut

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘We just really wanted to stick with our home team,’ Mac Miller tells ‘RapFix Live’ of Blue Slide Park. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Mac Miller Photo: Getty Images What’s the first thing an artist does when he snags the #1 spot on the Billboard albums chart? Well, if he’s Mac Miller , he plays James Brown’s “I Feel Good” — and why wouldn’t he? On Wednesday (November 16), the 19-year-old Pittsburgh MC landed the #1 album with his independent debut, Blue Slide Park. It’s the first time an indie artist has obtained the top spot with a debut since Tha Dogg Pound did it in 1995. To mark the occasion, Mac — who is currently out on tour — appeared on “RapFix Live” via Skype. “It’s crazy. I’ve been trying to take it all in,” Miller told Sway. “I’ve just been in constant motion, so I haven’t gotten a chance to really stop and realize how crazy this is that we got the first #1 in 16 years. It’s nuts, man.” Mac broke out in 2010 when he signed to Rostrum Records and then dropped his K.I.D.S. mixtape. Rostrum, which is most noted for signing Wiz Khalifa, is an independent label. Even though Wiz is distributed through Atlantic Records, Mac has no major-label affiliation — not that the majors haven’t been interested. But Team Miller wanted to do things on their own. “I never really got far enough to see an offer for real,” Mac said. “I got no hatred towards major labels or anything. I never got a chance to hear what they had to say. We just really wanted to stick with our home team and keep it in the family.” Miller’s manager and Rostrum Records founder Benjy Grinberg has been fending off offers for Mac. “They called Benjy and wanted to talk, but Benjy was just on some ‘We’re not trying to talk right now, we’re doin’ this independently.’ And we just left it at that.” The move paid off. Since Blue Slide Park was released November 8, fans have been snatching up copies both digitally and physically. “The numbers are cool — 144,000, that’s crazy. But whatever it is, the fact that I got a #1 album on my first try independently is just something that no one could ever take away from me,” Mac said. “I had fans tweeting me with pictures of nine albums that they bought.” Did you snatch up Mac’s album? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Rick Ross, Meek Mill, N.O.R.E. And More On ‘RapFix Live’ Related Artists Mac Miller

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Lady Gaga Reads To Her Fans From Photo Book

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Gaga does a little story time, reading the intro to her Terry Richardson-shot tome in a new video. By James Montgomery Lady Gaga Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic Lady Gaga’s Terry Richardson-shot photo book hits stores in less than a week, and as such, she’s decided to give her fans a sneak peek — with a little Mother Monster Story Time. In a new video posted on her YouTube channel, Gaga reads the intro she penned for the book, an essay about her relationship with Richardson that’s long on literary flourish and also serves as an examination of self, not to mention a rallying cry for those on the fringes of society. It is, to say the very least, very Gaga. Reclining on a couch in a black, sequined outfit (with matching chapeau), LG cracks the tome — which, she notes, is “dedicated to the Little Monsters, naturally ” — and pores over her prose. And somewhere, Terry Richardson is undoubtedly blushing. “Sometimes it seems as though I’ve waited my entire life to be photographed by Terry Richardson. With Terry, the relationship extends beyond the photograph, and if you’re lucky, he will teach you something truly profound about yourself,” she reads. “I have discovered through him that shame is an obsolete notion and apology is an injustice to any performance. … To say he is a free spirit is a tremendous understatement and to say that he, or I, make people uncomfortable is spot on. “Terry finds beauty in the most intricate and unassuming of places. His photography beckons the question over and over again: ‘Should there ever be limitations in art?’ Because when he captures me in a moment of such tandem and artistic human purity, I’m convinced the answer is that we must push the boundaries of culture through love and acceptance,” she continues. “There is no moment too strange, no angle unflattering … and never a time that I feel embarrassed or unsafe. Awaked in me is a perverse liberation inspiring me to feel that it is OK to view yourself as hyper-human. This is how Terry views me. I am so real, he says, that I am unreal.” Those seemingly “hyper-human” moments include unfiltered photographs taken over the course of 10 very hectic months, that feature of Gaga in dispose, including “waking up in the morning, brushing my teeth, in the bathroom, in the bathtub, in the shower,” as she explained to MTV News earlier this year. “The thing about Terry, if you know anything about his photography, is that nothing is staged; I mean, that’s sort of what he is renowned for. He can get you to do things and he can capture things that no one can ever capture,” she explained. “He could come backstage and he would say, ‘Oh my God, the fans! ‘ And I’d say ‘I know …’ And he’d say, ‘Baby, wow! ‘ And then he’d film me, like, peeing in a cup and, like, ridiculous things.” What are you expecting from the Lady Gaga photo book? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos The Evolution Of: Lady Gaga Related Artists Lady Gaga

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Common Wanted To ‘Get In The Ring’ On ‘Sweet’

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Chicago MC shot new video for the single in Haiti, then used clip to raise funds for the earthquake-ravaged nation. By Rebecca Thomas Common Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — Moments into Common ‘s new video for “Sweet,” a man in a mustard-yellow dress shirt faces down the camera, casually twirling a machete. It’s a fitting image for the blistering No I.D. track from the Chicago MC’s upcoming The Dreamer, The Believer. Com is at turns cold and cutting on the single, slinging verses like blades. If it feels unexpected coming from the man who can still set hearts aflutter with emotive tunes like “The Light” and “Come Close,” it’s just that Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr. also happens to be the rap star who brought you ’07’s “The People.” That duality gives “Sweet” its bitter aftertaste and, according to Com, fuels a December 20 release that shows off “a lot of different energies.” “When I started ‘Sweet,’ as soon as I started talking on it, I was like, ‘Yo, this is hip-hop, this is what I do,’ ” he said, smiling broadly at the memory during a chat with MTV News at the Warner Bros. offices. “It was a lot I had to get off my chest on that. And at the same token, I love hip-hop music and raw rap music, for me it was like, ‘Man, I’m gonna go ahead and give them this side of me too.’ ” But Common doesn’t just go for the crown on the track, he growls at some unidentified “singing” MCs for getting all “Frank Sinatra” on their records. Told by MTV News that early buzz put “emo” rapper Drake in the “Sweet” bull’- eye, the Chi spitter looked surprised. “The great thing about hip-hop, you definitely get motivated by other hip-hop artists,” he explained. “You get in the ring and you’ll be like, ‘Let’s go,’ but for me, it’s like, I’m talking to whoever feels it, whoever when they hear it, they’re like, ‘Ooh, is that person talking about me?’ ” So … should the Toronto rapper add Com to the short list of critics taking him to task for crooning? “I think Drake is a good artist,” he responded breezily. “He’s a great artist.” Not to mention, teaming up with No I.D. has a tendency to bring out that street in Common: “It’s natural for me to do that, it’s organic. That’s somebody I grew up with and he knows me and knows what I’ve done throughout the years, whether good or bad.” On Monday night the Can I Borrow a Dollar? MC debuted the clip via Ustream. In it, he stalks the bustling, dirt-strewn streets of Haiti snarling heat like, “I’m the franchise so I rock my own chain / Know I said give ’em that ’80s cocaine/ Something raw, something pure, so I stayed in that vein.” But underscoring his many facets, Com also took the opportunity to raise funds for the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean country by having fans first donate $1 to the Sean Penn – led J/P Haitian Relief Organization in order to stream the visual. Share your thoughts on the “Sweet” video in the comments below. Related Artists Common

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Mike Posner Enlists Big Sean, Bun B For The Layover

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I think a lot of people don’t realize that I came up doing mixtapes,’ singer tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman Mike Posner Photo: Getty Images Celebrity Favorites: Mike Posner Don’t let Mike Posner ‘s pop success fool you: The boy is as hip-hop as they come. Before he cracked the Billboard top 10 with his debut single “Cooler Than Me,” the Duke grad was slinging free mixtapes like rappers do. On Sunday, the raspy-voice singer is going to return to what he knows when he drops his Layover mixtape. Since his first album was 31 Minutes to Take Off and his spring 2012 follow-up will be titled Sky High, Mike figured The Layover would be the perfect title for an in-between project. “I think a lot of people don’t realize that I came up doing mixtapes,” Posner told Mixtape Daily. “My first mixtape was with [DJ Don] Cannon that I made in my dorm room when I was a student at Duke, and ‘Cooler Than Me’ was a song on that mixtape that I recorded in my dorm room.” So even with all his success, Mike still has love for the mixtape grind. “It is incredibly important for me to reach back to my roots, and kind of do what I came up doing again,” he said. Posner once again recruited Don Cannon to help him put the tape together, and this time out, he’s collaborating with Big Sean, Big K.R.I.T., Bun B and Twista too. “I really took it back to the basics with this tape,” he explained. “I brought Cannon back in, Big Sean’s on the tape, Big K.R.I.T.’s on the tape, and I’m doing the remixes of songs and kind of like hip-hop-ifying classic non-hip-hop songs.” One such song is Elton John’s 1972 classic “Rocket Man.” Posner threw new synths and pulsating drums under the classic melody. While he adds his own swag to Elton’s lyrics, Mike also enlisted Bun B to add a verse for a 2011 upgrade. That’s not all: On “Wonderfall,” the Detroit singer/producer redoes Oasis’ “Wonderwall” and adds Big K.R.I.T. to the mix. All in all, it’s a refreshing, genre-bending take on some classic music. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists Mike Posner Big Sean Bun B

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Nick Jonas Dishes On Writing For Demi Lovato, Charice

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Jonas Brother says channeling female perspective is a ‘challenge.’ By Jocelyn Vena Nick Jonas Photo: MTV News It wasn’t too hard for Nick Jonas to write for Quaker Chewy Superstar Search winner, 14-year-old Gabrielle Giguere : The Jonas Brother has a lot of experience digging around inside the female brain. Long before he hit the studio with Giguere this year, he had already received killer production and writing credits for some of his A-list peers. So, what’s it like to have to think like a girl? “I think my first experience with that was working with Demi [Lovato] on her record,” Jonas recalled to MTV News. “We were a big part of her first record, [ Don’t Forget, ] and helping craft that. And I was a part of her second, [ Here We Go Again, ] as well.” When the 19-year-old has to channel his feminine side, he simply asks the artist herself about the experiences she has been going through and tries to encapsulate them in a song. “It was really cool to be able to speak with [Demi] about what she was going through in her life and craft a song for the setting,” he said of his role as producer/writer. “And I really enjoyed that and having done a lot of writing and producing for other people this year like Charice [‘One Day’] and others. It was great to get that mindset and take on that challenge.” The transition to working with a smaller artist like Giguere wasn’t too difficult for Jonas, given the way he works. For him, it’s all about tailoring each recording session to the artist. “In my experience, I try and work specifically with the vocalist and try to figure out how they work and what their process is and get the best result from them by learning them first,” he said. “We had the time to do that, and I feel like we came up with a really great-sounding song [with ‘My Time’].” For now, though, Jonas might have to let other artists’ projects take the backseat as he focuses on his own, including a nearly six-month-long run as the lead in Broadway’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” as well as work on the next Jonas Brothers album . Does Nick Jonas do a good job getting in touch with his feminine side? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Erick Sermon Recalls ‘Pains’ Before Heart Attack

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Go out there and check yourself, it don’t matter which age you are,’ 42-year-old EPMD rap vet tells ‘Sway in the Morning.’ By Rob Markman Erick Sermon Photo: FilmMagic Rap veteran Erick Sermon is on the road to recovery after suffering a mild heart attack last week, he tells MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway. The EPMD rapper/producer called into Shade 45’s “Sway in the Morning” radio show on Tuesday (November 15) and described to listeners how things unfolded. After recording a track last Wednesday, the Green-Eyed Bandit was relaxing when he started to feel discomfort. “I sat on the sofa and I got two sharp pains on my left-hand side,” Sermon, 42, told Sway from the hospital where he has been recovering for the past five days. The platinum producer didn’t think much of the pain, though, and instead of seeking help, just shifted to a better position on the couch and kept watching TV. The next afternoon, Sermon began experiencing the pains in his side again and decided to head to the hospital. “When I got there, as soon as I hit the door, my whole left side cramped up on me and the heart palpitations started going really fast again and I started to get the pains again,” he recalled. The Long Island, New York, rap star seemed to have taken action just in the nick of time. According to Sermon, his blood pressure was “200 over 190,” and if he would’ve waited much longer, things could have gotten far more serious. “If I didn’t get there in time, I would’ve suffered a stroke first, then I really would’ve been in trouble,” he said.”So when I got to the emergency room, they did all these tests and said that the heart attack was a mild one.” Sermon’s health scare came just days after another hip-hop icon, Heavy D, died suddenly . Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the 44-year-old rapper/actor’s death. And in October, Rick Ross had his own health issues , suffering two seizures in one day; the Miami rapper has slowly been getting back into the swing of things. Sermon, who is still in the hospital after undergoing a procedure to unclog his arteries, warned listeners to take their health seriously. “Go out there and check yourself, it don’t matter which age you are,” he urged. With health in hip-hop becoming such an important topic of late, rapper N.O.R.E. will stop by “RapFix Live” on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET to discuss the steps he’s taken to shed pounds and live healthy. Ross and Meek Mill will also check in on this week’s live stream. Tune in to “Sway in the Morning,” on SiriusXM Radio’s Shade 45 , Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon ET. Catch up with Rick Ross, Meek Mill and N.O.R.E. on Wednesday’s “RapFix Live” at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com! Related Artists Erick Sermon

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