‘It’s pretty obvious that what Dr. Dre and N.W.A did for gangsta rap music, I did for romantic music,’ LL tells MTV News. By Rob Markman LL Cool J Photo: MTV News When it comes to hip-hop lotharios, LL Cool J pretty much set the blueprint for romantic rap when he dropped “I Need Love” in 1987. Now, nearly every rap release includes at least one song that pulls on the heart strings of women, and artists like Ja Rule, Fabolous and Drake have dedicated much of their catalog to the fairer sex. For an artist like Drake , his ability to speak to women on songs like “Best I Ever Had,” “Find Your Love,” “Fancy” and “Marvins Room” has earned him an adoring and dedicated female fanbase. The “Mama Said Knock You Out” MC admitted that he enjoyed DJ Khaled’s Drake-featuring “I’m on One,” but outside of that, no one in rap’s newest generation has really caught his attention. “It’s pretty obvious that what Dr. Dre and N.W.A did for gangsta rap music, I did for romantic music and music with females,” Uncle L told MTV News on the black carpet for the BET Hip Hop Awards , where he will be rewarded with the I Am Hip Hop lifetime-achievement award when the show airs next Tuesday. “I basically started a section of a genre and created it and put it out there, and now lots of people are doing it. I think it’s great. The more, the better. It’s better than downing them and telling [women] they ain’t nothing,” LL said before speaking of Drizzy’s catalog specifically. “So I’m happy for him and I’m glad he decided to go that lane, and I wish everybody the best.” Who does romantic rap best? Let us know your picks in the comments! Related Artists Drake LL Cool J
Rozay debuts pair of singles from December 13 LP, including Nicki Minaj collabo, on New York radio. By Rob Markman Rick Ross Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images It remains to be seen if there’s truth to DJ Khaled and Drake ‘s declaration that Rick Ross’s upcoming album , God Forgives, I Don’t, is a classic-in-the-making. And while fans will have to wait until the December 13 release date to make that determination, on Tuesday night, they got a head-start after the Bawse dropped two promising singles. Rozay gave fans just a taste of his fifth solo LP last night when he visited New York radio disc jockey Funkmaster Flex and premiered “I Love My Bitches” and the Nicki Minaj-assisted “You the Boss” on Hot 97 . “I wanted to most definitely go to another level and make sure my sound continued to evolve and take people somewhere different,” Ross told Flex . “I wanted to collaborate with Nicki in another way, her breaking down and just letting us hear her beautiful voice.” The syrupy slow “You the Boss” has a 1980s soul vibe. Ross starts the record off with one of his patented grunts and then whispers sweet nothing’s before telling the object of his affection, “I deserve you!” Nicki’s complementary hook channels a loyal lover who will do anything for her “boss” Ricky Ross. It’s a more romantic tone for the Maybach Music CEO, who has grown into an unlikely sex symbol, and “You the Boss,” with its promises of lavish shopping sprees and companionship, may only raise his stock. The Just Blaze-produced “I Love My Bitches,” while also aimed at women, is dramatically different. Over a sped-up soul sample, the Teflon Don is far less gentlemanly as he laments, “Awww, man, I love my bitches.” Lyrically, Ross aims the record at the streets, mixing more tales of lavish sprees with stories of selling bricks of cocaine. With little to no regard for continuity, he goes back and forth in his verses, seducing women and talking to his boys about daily dealings in the same breath. It’s clear on “My Bitches” that Ross feels like he’s on top of the world as he spits lines like, “Living life to the fullest, what’s the emphasis/ Making love to Mary J’s ‘Reminisce.’ ” Interestingly enough, Mary J. Blige also appears on God Forgives, I Don’t. While Rozay isn’t sure that the song will be a single just yet, he holds it in high regard. “That’s the Queen. I can just tell you about the experience,” he told MTV News of working with MJB. “We made some magic.” “Me making my album is just a real tedious process that I go through,” Rozay added. “The response from the people that I did play a few records for, the feedback is incredible.” Share your reviews of the brand-new Ross singles in the comments! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ With Rick Ross And Maybach Music Group Related Artists Rick Ross
‘That’ll be the one [that’s] kinda like ‘Since U Been Gone,’ she tells MTV News of new song ‘(Stronger).’ By Jocelyn Vena Kelly Clarkson Photo: Mike Moore/ Getty Images Kelly Clarkson doesn’t need a guy to make her feel strong, and on her new track “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger),” she lets a former flame know it. The song is the latest tease for her October 24 album, Stronger. Clarkson tweeted the official version of the song after a leak hit the Internet last week. On the dance track, which is all about the power of loving yourself, Clarkson proudly declares over a fist-pumping beat, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger/ Stand a little taller/ Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone.” “Stronger” fits in nicely with Clarkson’s canon of empowerment-themed, kiss-off tunes. And this time around, she’s also moving on to a new guy, singing, “You heard that I was starting over with someone/ They told you I was moving on, over you/ You think I’d come/ I’d come back swinging/ You tried to be break me/ But you see what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” A version of the first song leaked over the summer but the official one had yet to be released until now. When Clarkson spoke to MTV News about the track, she said it reminded her of one of her own all-time favorites. ” ‘What Doesn’t Kill You,’ I can’t wait to perform that live,” the singer told us. “We’ve already rehearsed it, and it’s so much fun. It’s like this big dance anthem. That’ll be the one [that’s] kinda like ‘Since U Been Gone,’ [with] people jumping up and down to [it], and it’s just kind of really inspiring, so I can’t wait to perform that one. What do you think of Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You”? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Kelly Clarkson
‘I think a lot of you are already surprised by this and you’re going to be even more surprised when you hear it,’ Carey says in video message. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images After much speculation, Justin Bieber confirmed that the Queen of the Christmas song, Mariah Carey , will appear on his holiday album, Under the Mistletoe . And to make it even more special, the pair re-recorded her classic track “All I Want for Christmas” for the album. In the lead-up to the announcement of the collabo, Bieber kept his Twitter followers guessing about who the special guest for the album — which is already filled with a number of big names — might be. “Oh yeah …didn’t I promise everyone I would tell them who my last special guest is on my christmas album #UnderTheMistletoe ??? #nov1st I mean we know we got my big bro @UsherRaymondIV and @thebandperry and @BusaBusss and @BoyzIIMen on the album … but who is the last guest??” he teased his loyal followers. “Who is the living legend that I got on the album???? #UnderTheMistletoe #Nov1st.” After his followers offered their guesses, Bieber offered this hint: “I mean, the fact that I might be singing with one of the greatest voices ever, one of the greatest songs of christmas ever …… #NOV1st.” Before the big reveal, he tweeted out a link to a video message from the singer, then added, “Well like I said … #UnderTheMistletoe is not your normal christmas album. right @mariahcarey. #NOV1st.” In the video message, while being her usual over-the-top diva self, Carey said, “I’m very excited about it. I think a lot of you are already surprised by this and you’re going to be even more surprised when you hear it.” A full track list for Bieber’s Under the Mistletoe also hit the Net. The album will include “Only Thing I Ever Get for Christmas,” the first single, “Mistletoe,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” featuring Usher, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “Fa La La” featuring Boyz II Men , “Christmas Love,” “All I Want for Christmas Is You” with Mariah Carey, “Little Drummer Boy” featuring Busta Rhymes, “All I Want Is You,” “Christmas Eve” and “Home This Christmas” featuring the Band Perry. The deluxe edition will include an a cappella version of “Fa La La,” as well as “Silent Night,” “Pray” and “Someday at Christmas.” Tricky Stewart, who produced the album, shared with MTV News the one song he felt needed to make it on the record. “For me, I knew I wanted ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,’ ” he said. “That’s one of those that makes everyone feel good. So we did it and I think it’s a really cool version of it.” The first single from Under the Mistletoe, “Mistletoe,” drops October 18, with the album due November 1. Related Artists Justin Bieber Mariah Carey
The pop singer shares secrets from his past, Josh Horowitz breaks his promise to a ‘Twilight’ Star and Jim Cantiello unleashes his ‘Glee’ frustration at Kurt. By Jason Kaufman Photo: Matt Elias/ MTV News It’s been an eventful week in the MTV Newsroom with Jason Der
‘All of my adult life has been economic downturn,’ a young activist tells MTV News about corporate greed, unemployment, social injustice. By Uptin Saiidi, with additional reporting by Akshay Bhansali Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images NEW YORK — What started as just a dozen college students camping overnight on Wall Street three weeks ago has mushroomed into thousands of protesters and Street-inspired gatherings across the country, from Los Angeles to Boston. On Monday, a number of protesters dressed up as zombies, holding Monopoly money in their mouths in a gesture to financial workers. The crowd was especially energized after more than 700 of them were arrested over the weekend by New York City Police Department officers, who claimed they were blocking traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. Thousands marched from the “base camp” at Zuccotti Park, a plaza near the city’s financial center, chanting, “Take the bridge!” Even as the number of protesters continues to fluctuate, the gatherings have remained relatively small by New York City standards. The longevity of the unrest, however, is far from normal. MTV News recently headed downtown and caught up with some of the young protesters to see what exactly was on their minds. Mike Chrisemer, a 24-year-old graduate student at the City University of New York, said he got involved on the second day of the protest and doesn’t plan to abandon the cause. “The general feeling is that the top 1 percent of people is ruling over the rest of us, the 99 percent, and it’s not the status quo that we want to see anymore.” Sympathetic supporters have been donating food to the “occupiers,” and those who camp overnight at the park rely on portable gas for laptop energy. Social media networks like Twitter have, of course, helped spark interest in the cause and serve as a vehicle to spread its message. For those who cannot get to NYC, a live stream is available at the Occupy Wall Street website . Celebrity involvement has also helped stoke media attention. Lupe Fiasco , Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo and filmmaker Michael Moore made appearances in the past week, while “30 Rock” star Alec Baldwin has expressed support over his Twitter At around 1 p.m. ET last Friday, an online rumor began to spread that Radiohead would be giving a surprise performance that afternoon in support of the protest. The buzz was put to rest when the band’s rep later denied the group would perform, but it’s likely that many curious onlookers (and Radiohead fans) had headed to the park anticipating the event. By 4:30 p.m., a statement was posted on the Occupy Wall Street site apologizing for the miscommunication; they further explained that an email from Radiohead’s manager turned out to be a fake and cited the challenges of verifying information in an open-source movement. The band’s no-show didn’t slow down momentum though. Late Friday afternoon, an influx of curious spectators wandered the park, many admitting they came after hearing the concert rumors. “That probably brought a lot of these people here, but they’re still here. It’s not just about Radiohead, it’s not a pop culture movement, it’s a real movement to challenge the status quo,” Chrisemer told us. The protests come at a time when the unemployment rate among American youths under 25 is at 18 percent compared to the national rate of 9 percent. Nearly half of young Americans are underemployed, and the amount of student loan debt has recently surpassed credit card debt. Tim Payne, a 20-year-old New York University undergrad, said he had been coming to the park between classes to hold signs and participate in the protest. “College tuition keeps going up and the top 400 people have more wealth than the lowest 125 million. I have all these loans out and they’re profiting off that, and I don’t think that’s fair.” Some reports have been critical of the protesters for reportedly failing to deliver a clear message about their grievances. Instead, critics say, the rally has become a gathering place for anyone dissatisfied with, well, just about anything. When MTV News spoke with some of the young activists on Friday, their cardboard signs had messages that varied from dissatisfaction with financial corruption, NYPD police brutality, discrimination against Muslims and workers’ rights. “People have so much frustration with government and media, and they’re taking this out as an outlet in different ways,” NYU student Payne explained. It’s still unclear whether the protests will succeed in channeling frustration into a lasting movement similar to the Tea Party’s conservative movement, which was started in 2009 by a group of Americans fed up with the status quo for different reasons. Occupy Wall Street protesters seem to be hopeful that they will have a voice that continues to be heard and gains momentum into the 2012 elections. “It’s more than just Wall Street,” Payne added. “It’s the fact that all of my adult life has been economic downturn. And I heard a quote once: it was ‘When did the future change from a promise to a threat?’ I feel like the people here still have faith in the future and are trying to change it.” Share your thoughts on the ongoing Wall Street protests in the comments below! Related Artists Lupe Fiasco
Aside from his God Forgives, I Don’t, the Bawse also teases upcoming Maybach Music Group compilation. By Rob Markman Rick Ross Photo: MTV News DJ Khaled already said Rick Ross ‘ upcoming album God Forgives, I Don’t is a classic-in-the-making, and Drake compared it to the Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die. Quite frankly, the Bawse is humbled. “Me making my album is just a real tedious process that I go through,” Rozay told MTV News while on the black carpet for the taping of the October 11 BET Hip Hop Awards . “The response from the people that I did play a few records for, the feedback is incredible.” While Ross has been tight-lipped about what he has planned for his fifth solo album, he did speak a bit on his upcoming collaboration with Mary J. Blige. “That’s the Queen. I can just tell you about the experience,” he said. “We actually worked in Michael Jackson’s L.A. studio and we made some magic.” Mary J. Blige also spoke of the experience with XXL in September, clarifying that the two actually recorded in the last studio the King of Pop ever recorded in. “It’s a private studio that one of our friends, he was really close to Michael Jackson, he let us use it,” Mary said. “It’s actually Marvin Gaye’s studio. It [has] murals of Michael Jackson all over the [walls] and Marvin Gaye. That was the last place [Michael] actually worked at before he passed. It’s such a good vibe.” Ross wouldn’t give concrete confirmation, but said his MJB track could possibly be a single. The untitled track has definitely impressed the Yonkers, New York, singer. “Rick is fly. He picks the best beats, man,” Blige told XXL. “That guy is amazing with that.” Like a good boss, Ross isn’t just focused on his solo work; he has plans for his signed artists as well. He revealed to MTV News that he plans to drop a sequel to his Maybach Music Group compilation before the year’s end. “Look for that Self Made 2 ; that’ll be coming later this year,” he teased of the album that will feature Meek Mill, Wale, Pill, Stalley and Ross himself. “Of course that God Forgives, I Don’t as well as Ambition, Wale’s [solo] album. Just support MMG. We grinding.” What are you expecting from Ross’ next album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Rick Ross
Fans unlocked the November 21 album’s title on Facebook. By Jocelyn Vena Rihanna Photo: WireImage Rihanna revealed the title of her November 21 album on Tuesday (October 4) with a little help from her fiercely loyal Navy. Her fans unlocked the new title on Facebook: Talk That Talk. The sassy name is certainly a tongue-in-cheek jab at any naysayers, critics and haters. The always swagged-out Rihanna has been using Facebook to tease fans with bits and pieces about her album, the follow-up to 2010’s Loud. So far, they’ve unlocked five pieces that have teased lyrics, looks and logos. For those playing at home, seven more remain. Before she officially released the album title, Rihanna emphatically denied one fan’s suggestion on Twitter to call the LP I’m Sexy and I Know It. “HELL NO,” she responded on the social-networking site. In late September, Rihanna dropped the album’s lead single, “We Found Love.” On the Calvin Harris-produced track, Rihanna proudly sings about the power of love. She shot a video for the single in Northern Ireland last month, even offending the farmer whose land she was using for the shoot. He felt that her “state of undress” during the shoot was “inappropriate.”] But Rihanna isn’t worried about other people’s perceptions of her art. In a recent interview with British Vogue, Rihanna said she is anything but a role model. “See, people … they want me to be a role model just because of the life I lead. The things I say in my songs, they expect it of me, and [being a role model] became more of my job than I wanted it to be. But no, I just want to make music. That’s it.” Plus, she’s very proud of her “We Found Love” video — skimpy costumes and all. “#WFLvid I really cant stop thinking about this video we just shot!” she tweeted at the time. “EASILY the BEST video I’ve done thus far!Definitely my fav 1,very powerful.” What are you expecting from Rihanna’s next album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Rihanna
‘Mr. Jackson died long before he became a patient,’ Richelle Cooper testifies during Dr. Conrad Murray’s manslaughter trial. By Gil Kaufman Dr. Richelle Cooper testifies at Conrad Murray’s involuntary manslaughter trial Photo: Pool/ Getty Images By the time Michael Jackson was delivered by ambulance to the UCLA Medical Center’s emergency room, he was already dead. That was the testimony the jury heard Monday (October 3) as the second week of the manslaughter trial of the late pop icon’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, got under way. “Mr. Jackson died long before he became a patient,” said emergency room doctor Richelle Cooper in testimony continued from Friday. Other highlights of Monday’s testimony:
‘A lot of my haters reached out who disagree,’ Pap tells Mixtape Daily of staking claim to five-borough rap crown. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ade Mangum Papoose Photo: MTV News Main Pick Headliner : Papoose Representing : Brooklyn, New York Mixtape : King of New York Real Spit : The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Jay-Z and … Papoose ? At one time or another Biggie, Nastradamus and Hov have all been considered crown-holders in New York’s raps king debates, and now Papoose is declaring that his reign over the five boroughs officially begins with his new mixtape King of New York. “The reason I chose that title is because I am the king of New York,” the Brooklyn MC said with confidence to Mixtape Daily. “It feels good to be the king of New York so I just wanted to celebrate myself being the king of New York, so I figured I’d make it a self-titled mixtape.” On the tape, Papoose tackles Jay-Z and Kayne’s “Otis” beat as well as French Montana’s “Shot Caller” — with zero subtlety. Each time out, Pap lyrically pounds his chest in an attempt to back his grand proclamation. On “Name Calling,” the “Law Library” lyricist works vocals from his incarcerated wife Remy Ma onto the track. If Pap is king, then Remy rightfully sits on the throne beside him. Over the slow, prodding thump, Rem spits, “Back on the scene, crispy with cream/ I’m not the empress or princess, I’m the queen.” Her husband remixes the bars to suit his ends and brags, “Back on the scene, True Religion jeans/ I’m not the prince or the servant, I’m the king.” Since announcing the tape’s title, Papoose has met some vocal opposition from rap fans, but it hasn’t deterred him in the least. He intends to prove his claim, he told Mixtape Daily. “I’m From NY” is the rapper’s take on Meek Mill’s “Ima Boss,” and on “Conan,” Pap takes aim at the competition over a triumphant beat. “This CD is a celebration of my royalty,” he said. “I’m just feeling so good.” Apparently. Joints to Check For
