Band faces a tough Elite 8 challenge against defending champs Coheed and Cambria. By James Montgomery Disturbed’s David Draiman Photo: C Brandon/ Redferns When MTV tipped off our Musical March Madness tournament three weeks ago, 64 bands stood on the precipice of greatness … though, to be honest, one of them seemed to face a tougher challenge than all the rest. Chicago shredders Disturbed, who were stuck with a #9 seed, were pitted against the heavily favored Dave Matthews Band in the opening round and basically left for dead. But Disturbed refused to die. They knocked off DMB in convincing fashion, then, in one of the tournament’s most eye-opening victories, ripped #1 seed Foo Fighters to reach the Sweet 16 . That win served notice to the rest of the MMM bands that Disturbed were a force to be reckoned with, and they backed up that newfound clout with a thorough throttling of Patrick Stump to reach the Elite 8 .
In her ‘Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale’ special, the star shares that she’d thinks the ‘OMG’ singer ‘is really hot right now.’ By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Sway Calloway and Britney Spears Photo: MTV News & Docs What do Britney Spears and Usher have in common? Well, they are both global superstars with a back catalogue of tunes that have kept fans dancing for a really long time and they both recently hooked up with will.i.am for tracks on their latest releases (the Black Eyed Peas mastermind worked on the pop vixen’s Femme Fatale tune “Big Fat Bass”). And, if Spears has her way, she and the ” OMG ” singer could be hitting the road together. When Spears sat down to talk with Sway Calloway for her “Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale” special — airing Sunday (April 3) at 9 p.m. ET on MTV — the singer revealed that Usher is first on her list of artists she’d like to join her on tour. “Oh, I’m so excited. I’m really excited about going on tour, very,” she explained about her forthcoming summer trek, which happens to have a spot open on the bill now that Enrique Iglesias has pulled out of the gig . “I think Usher’s really great right now. I think he’s really hot right now. That would be cool [to tour with him].” The North American road trip is expected to kick off June 17 in Sacramento, California, and will run for 26 dates, winding up on August 13 in Toronto. More details will be announced soon. The “Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale” special is a mixture of behind-the-scenes footage of the singer as she wraps up production on her album, which dropped this week, as well as an inside look at her life and fans. In addition, those who couldn’t make Spears’ recent nightclub show in Las Vegas will get to see her as she takes the stage in her latest pop incarnation. Don’t miss which airs this Sunday, April 3, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Photos Britney Spears Brings Down The House In Las Vegas Related Artists Britney Spears Usher
The famous design team talk about dressing the pop star for her Femme Fatale photos and appearances. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: C. Flanigan/ WireImage It seems like a natural fit for sex kitten Britney Spears to don sexy couture by Dolce & Gabbana. So when the Femme Fatale singer needed to make sure she was at her sexiest in promotional photos for the album, she called upon the legendary design duo. “We love Britney and we love to dance to her new songs!” Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the design team behind D&G, told U.K.’s Telegraph about the pop star. “We can’t wait to hear the whole album!” In photos, Spears looks hot sporting three designs by the duo. In one photo, she rocks a polka-dot body suit with platform peep-toe heels. In another shot, Spears sits on a bathroom cabinet, gazing into a mirror, while looking glamorous in a buttery gown made of a silk bustier and matching chiffon skirt. She pairs the look with tie-up platforms. In final image, Spears wears black spandex hot pants with an untied black silk bustier. “She has always been among our favorite artists because she has been able to remain true to herself and to her style throughout the years,” the designers added. “With her music she influenced and inspired generations of people for more than 10 years, always staying at the top, and we can’t but congratulate her for this new, important achievement.” Spears has been hitting the stage in similar body-hugging designs. From her glowing bodysuit to her sequined one, both of which she wore at her recent Las Vegas nightclub gig, Spears has certainly been stepping up her glamour game during the Femme Fatale era. D&G recently hooked up with another pop siren for her wardrobe: The pair is creating styles for Kylie Minogue to wear on her Les Folies tour. The designers expressed a similar sentiment about working with the Aussie pop star on her looks. “Working with Kylie has always been very spontaneous and easy,” the pair said in a statement. “We are given free rein to create because she trusts that we know exactly what she likes.” Spears latest album, Femme Fatale , dropped this week, and don’t miss the special, which airs this Sunday, April 3, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Britney Spears Drops Her Femme Fatale Album! Exclusive Preview Clips Of ‘Britney Spears: I Am The Femme Fatale’ Related Photos Britney Spears Performs During ‘Good Morning America’ Britney Spears Brings Down The House In Las Vegas Related Artists Britney Spears
The famous design team talk about dressing the pop star for her Femme Fatale photos and appearances. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: C. Flanigan/ WireImage It seems like a natural fit for sex kitten Britney Spears to don sexy couture by Dolce & Gabbana. So when the Femme Fatale singer needed to make sure she was at her sexiest in promotional photos for the album, she called upon the legendary design duo. “We love Britney and we love to dance to her new songs!” Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the design team behind D&G, told U.K.’s Telegraph about the pop star. “We can’t wait to hear the whole album!” In photos, Spears looks hot sporting three designs by the duo. In one photo, she rocks a polka-dot body suit with platform peep-toe heels. In another shot, Spears sits on a bathroom cabinet, gazing into a mirror, while looking glamorous in a buttery gown made of a silk bustier and matching chiffon skirt. She pairs the look with tie-up platforms. In final image, Spears wears black spandex hot pants with an untied black silk bustier. “She has always been among our favorite artists because she has been able to remain true to herself and to her style throughout the years,” the designers added. “With her music she influenced and inspired generations of people for more than 10 years, always staying at the top, and we can’t but congratulate her for this new, important achievement.” Spears has been hitting the stage in similar body-hugging designs. From her glowing bodysuit to her sequined one, both of which she wore at her recent Las Vegas nightclub gig, Spears has certainly been stepping up her glamour game during the Femme Fatale era. D&G recently hooked up with another pop siren for her wardrobe: The pair is creating styles for Kylie Minogue to wear on her Les Folies tour. The designers expressed a similar sentiment about working with the Aussie pop star on her looks. “Working with Kylie has always been very spontaneous and easy,” the pair said in a statement. “We are given free rein to create because she trusts that we know exactly what she likes.” Spears latest album, Femme Fatale , dropped this week, and don’t miss the special, which airs this Sunday, April 3, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Britney Spears Drops Her Femme Fatale Album! Exclusive Preview Clips Of ‘Britney Spears: I Am The Femme Fatale’ Related Photos Britney Spears Performs During ‘Good Morning America’ Britney Spears Brings Down The House In Las Vegas Related Artists Britney Spears
During ‘RapFix Live,’ MC says versions by Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg ‘made the song even bigger.’ By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway Wiz Khalifa on “RapFix Live” Photo: Sohyung Kang / MTV News Wiz Khalifa might have been bummed that Lil Wayne didn’t mention the rapper by name when he was interviewed about his “Black and Yellow” remix, but during Wednesday’s (March 30) “RapFix Live,” the Pittsburgh MC called Weezy’s version — along with remixes by Snoop Dogg and others — a “big honor.” “I know when you’re an artist and you got songs on the radio, you figure that people hear it, but to know that someone heard it, went and got the beat and flowed to it,” Wiz told MTV News’ Sway. “I know that process. It was definitely a big honor. Snoop did ‘Purp and Yellow’ — that was big and it turned it from the Steelers [anthem] to the Lakers and made the song even bigger. That worked for me too.” During the mtvU Woodies, Wiz downplayed the situation between him and Wayne. “I feel like people have a chance to speak out and acknowledge younger people or people who are grinding and coming up in the game, and they don’t always take the opportunity,” he said. “That’s all that was. “There’s plenty of people who’ve missed that opportunity, there’s plenty of people who went back and taken that opportunity when they missed it,” Wiz added. “It’s never too late. It wasn’t anything negative; it just is what it is. That’s the type of person I am. I’m a realistic person, so I tend to say realistic things.” Sill, Wiz said he was open to working with Weezy. “Everything has to be organic and natural. I’m not gonna do anything with anybody that I don’t sit down with and share points of view and chop it up,” Wiz said. “That’s really important to me.” Which “Black and Yellow” version is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ With Wiz Khalifa Related Artists Wiz Khalifa
Minority owner of the New Jersey Nets met winning Kentucky players. By Alvin Blanco Jay-Z Photo: Rob Loud/ Getty Images Photos of Jay-Z taken with the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team after their win over North Carolina in the Regional Finals of the NCAA tournament on Sunday have drawn the wary eyes of the NBA. CBSSports.com reports that the NBA will be investigating Jay-Z’s postgame congratulatory visit to the Kentucky Wildcats locker room at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Such visits normally would be considered harmless, but Jay-Z is a minority owner of the New Jersey Nets, and contact between NBA personnel and potential NBA prospects is prohibited. Kentucky has at least two possible lottery picks in Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones, should they declare for the NBA draft. The photos and video began making the Internet rounds the day after the win, showing Jay-Z posing with players in the locker room. During a postgame interview, Kentucky player Darius Miller, who one of the photos is credited to, was asked about his reaction to seeing Jay-Z after the game. “It was crazy. I kind of had to do a double take,” Miller told Louisville’s Courier-Journal. “I didn’t expect that at all. I just had to get a picture with him.” Hova congratulating the Wildcats didn’t break any NCAA rules, however the hip-hop mogul might face a fine from the NBA, considering that Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge was fined $30,000 for sitting next to Kevin Durant’s mother while he was still playing for the University of Texas in 2007. While the New Jersey Nets declined to comment, a spokesperson for the NBA confirmed to MTV News that the league is indeed investigating the matter. A message to Jay-Z’s representatives was not returned by press time. Sound off on this story in the comments below! Related Artists Jay-Z
Record is projected to sell 275,000 to 300,000 units in its first week. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Jive Britney Spears’ new album, Femme Fatale , is a chugging dance-pop album full of sexual innuendo and thumping beats, made even sexier by Spears’ flirty singing style. It’s Spears’ latest release since 2008’s Circus, which sped straight up the charts as soon as Britney’s dedicated fans could get their hands on it. While Spears remained somewhat under the radar for her last release, this time around, the pop star has been on a media blitz, and as of press time, Spears had the #1 album on iTunes. Hits Daily Double Senior Editor Roy Trakin explained to MTV News that judging from sales so far, Spears will likely have the #1 album by next week. “We’re going out with the projection 275,000 to 300,000 [albums sold]; probably below label projections but those are always inflated. I think everything’s kicking in. There seems to be a lot of press attention,” he said of the album. “I think this is still a healthy total for her given the market and given where her career has been. This is a good showing.” Not only have sales been strong, music critics have also been loving the album. “The critical reception seems to be fairly positive, as well. That doesn’t have much to do with sales, but the general feeling is positive. She’s gonna be #1,” Trakin said. “300,000 is the over-under.” This week, some of Spears’ biggest competition comes from Adele, whose 21 has been selling consistently well for weeks, Jennifer Hudson’s newest release, I Remember Me, which sits at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, Chris Brown, whose album F.A.M.E. is currently the #1 album in the country, and this week’s other big new release, Wiz Khalifa’s debut album, Rolling Papers . “Given the state of the market right now, this will probably be, I would think, this will end up being the second biggest debut of the year. Only Adele would be larger this year,” Trakin said. “That’s pretty good, actually. The real big story this week is Wiz Khalifa with Rolling Papers, with between 190,000 and 215,000.” Is there any chance of an upset that forces Spears out of the #1 spot? Trakin explains that that is unlikely, saying, “The Wiz Khalifa showing is strong, but it’s about 100,000 below what Britney’s gonna do.” To see what Spears has to say about the album and to watch her as she puts the finishing touches on it, don’t miss the “Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale” special, airing Sunday, April 3, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Britney Spears Drops Her Femme Fatale Album! Related Artists Britney Spears
Record is projected to sell 275,000 to 300,000 units in its first week. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Jive Britney Spears’ new album, Femme Fatale , is a chugging dance-pop album full of sexual innuendo and thumping beats, made even sexier by Spears’ flirty singing style. It’s Spears’ latest release since 2008’s Circus, which sped straight up the charts as soon as Britney’s dedicated fans could get their hands on it. While Spears remained somewhat under the radar for her last release, this time around, the pop star has been on a media blitz, and as of press time, Spears had the #1 album on iTunes. Hits Daily Double Senior Editor Roy Trakin explained to MTV News that judging from sales so far, Spears will likely have the #1 album by next week. “We’re going out with the projection 275,000 to 300,000 [albums sold]; probably below label projections but those are always inflated. I think everything’s kicking in. There seems to be a lot of press attention,” he said of the album. “I think this is still a healthy total for her given the market and given where her career has been. This is a good showing.” Not only have sales been strong, music critics have also been loving the album. “The critical reception seems to be fairly positive, as well. That doesn’t have much to do with sales, but the general feeling is positive. She’s gonna be #1,” Trakin said. “300,000 is the over-under.” This week, some of Spears’ biggest competition comes from Adele, whose 21 has been selling consistently well for weeks, Jennifer Hudson’s newest release, I Remember Me, which sits at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, Chris Brown, whose album F.A.M.E. is currently the #1 album in the country, and this week’s other big new release, Wiz Khalifa’s debut album, Rolling Papers . “Given the state of the market right now, this will probably be, I would think, this will end up being the second biggest debut of the year. Only Adele would be larger this year,” Trakin said. “That’s pretty good, actually. The real big story this week is Wiz Khalifa with Rolling Papers, with between 190,000 and 215,000.” Is there any chance of an upset that forces Spears out of the #1 spot? Trakin explains that that is unlikely, saying, “The Wiz Khalifa showing is strong, but it’s about 100,000 below what Britney’s gonna do.” To see what Spears has to say about the album and to watch her as she puts the finishing touches on it, don’t miss the “Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale” special, airing Sunday, April 3, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Britney Spears Drops Her Femme Fatale Album! Related Artists Britney Spears
‘We don’t have to talk ever again in my life,’ ‘S&M’ singer says. By Gil Kaufman Rihanna on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine Photo: Rolling Stone While her ex, Chris Brown , has made it clear he doesn’t want to talk about his assault on Rihanna, the “S&M” singer was more than willing to discuss her feelings about the 2009 incident in her first Rolling Stone cover interview. In the issue, which hits stands Friday, Rihanna delves into the difficult times she faced in the wake of the Grammy-eve attack by Brown, saying, “I put my guard up so hard … I didn’t want people to see me cry. I didn’t want people to feel bad for me. It was a very vulnerable time in my life, and I refused to let that be the image. I wanted them to see me as, ‘I’m fine, I’m tough.’ I put that up until it felt real.” Part of the defensive shield she put up around herself came down recently when Rihanna agreed to ease the restraining order against Brown , which prohibited him from being within 100 feet of her. “That’s my decision,” she said. “It doesn’t mean we’re gonna make up or even talk again. It just means I didn’t want to object to the judge.” Frankly, she admitted, after a brief post-assault attempt at reconciliation, she hasn’t heard from Brown in a long time and doesn’t plan on dialing him up anytime soon. “We don’t have to talk ever again in my life,” she said. “I just didn’t want to make it more difficult for him professionally. What he did was a personal thing — it had nothing to do with his career. Saying he has to be 100 feet away from me, he can’t perform at awards shows — that definitely made it difficult for him … But you can never please people. One minute, I’m being too hard, and the next minute, I’m a fool because I’m not being hard enough.” In addition to revealing her love of kinky bedroom play, which she paid homage to in her “S&M” video, Rihanna admitted she might be a bit of a masochist. “It’s not something I’m proud of, and it’s not something I noticed until recently,” she said. “I think it’s common for people who witness abuse in their household. They can never smell how beautiful a rose is unless they get pricked by a thorn.” The cover story is accompanied by a RS online photo gallery chronicling some of Rihanna’s boldest fashion choices, as well as quotes from pals such as Katy Perry, who said of her friend, “It’s disgusting how gorgeous she is … Anytime I introduce my friends to her, male or female, the ride back always consists of, ‘What, does she drink the blood of virgins?’ ” Though she’s been tied to a number of men over the past few years, Rihanna revealed that she’s not dating anyone at the moment and not even engaging in one of her favorite pastimes: sexting. In fact, she hasn’t been with anyone since breaking up with Dodgers star Matt Kemp in December. “You think you’re disappointed?” she said about the four-month gap in male companionship. “Try being in this body.” Sound off on this story in the comments below! Related Artists Rihanna
Defending champs Coheed and Cambria, upset-minded Sum 41 also survive … Elite 8 voting now open on the Newsroom blog. By James Montgomery Paramore’s Hayley Williams Photo: C Flanigan/ FilmMagic We’ve reached the Elite 8 of MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament, and it’s a fitting title, indeed. Because the eight bands left standing in the tournament are most certainly elite, each having survived increasingly tough challenges to stand on the precipice of championship glory. Check out our MMM Bracket right here! And nowhere was that more apparent than in the MMM’s Sweet 16, which saw not only a historic number of votes being cast by fans, but more nail-bitingly close contests than we can ever remember: Fifth-seeded Paramore came from way back to nip #1 Linkin Park; #5 Panic! at the Disco edged heavily-favored (and top-seeded) 30 Seconds to Mars; and, in perhaps the most remarkable matchup in MMM history, defending champs Coheed and Cambria snuck by #7 Avenged Sevenfold thanks to a last-second surge in votes … our first-ever buzzer beater! It was, to say the least, a remarkable round … and we expect nothing less in the Elite 8: One of these bands will hoist the MMM championship trophy next week, and you can help them do it. But you’ve got to hurry — Elite 8 voting is now open on the Newsroom blog, and will continue until Thursday at midnight ET. Elite 8 voting is now under way over on the Newsroom blog! We’ll reveal our Final Four on Friday … but before we get there, let’s take a look at our Elite 8 matchups! Midwest In one of the few drama-free Sweet 16 contests, #9 Disturbed handled #12 Patrick Stump with relative ease, moving David Draiman and Co. on to the Elite 8. The undercard — the now-legendary Coheed/A7X tussle — was anything but: Upset-minded Avenged took an early lead, stretched it to more than 4,000 votes, and then, with victory in sight, got complacent. That allowed Coheed (and their fans) to sneak back into things, slowly closing the gap and, finally, with less than 10 minutes to go in voting, overtaking A7X for good. In the end, in a contest that saw some 60,000 votes cast, Coheed won by less than 300 … a remarkable contest, and more proof that you should never underestimate the heart of a champion. And thanks to those last-second heroics, our Midwest final is now set: #9 Disturbed vs. #6 Coheed and Cambria East We knew heading into the Sweet 16 that the 30 Seconds to Mars/ Panic! at the Disco battle was going to be epic, but even we had no idea just how huge it would end up becoming. Top-seeded 30 STM cruised to an early lead, but then, thanks to some pretty heavy campaigning, #5 Panic! slowly started to chip away, and with less than two hours left in voting, they overtook Leto and his boys for good, winning by nearly 5,000 votes. In the undercard, what was expected to be a barnburner ended up being nothing more than a laugher, as #3 Green Day blasted #2 Blink-182 — despite Mark Hoppus’s efforts to rally the troops. And so, our East final is set: #5 Panic! at the Disco vs. #3 Green Day South A pair of hotly contested Sweet 16 matchups here, as #5 Paramore came roaring back against #1 Linkin Park (behold, the power of Facebook! ), erasing a 3,000-vote deficit in the round’s final hours and ultimately coasting to a 2,000-vote win — a pretty slight edge in a contest that saw more than 150,000 votes cast. In the region’s other battle, the unstoppable Tokio Hotel rolled on, besting a surprisingly game #2 Muse — TH’s 3,000-vote victory is by far their lowest margin to date. And so, we head to the South final, with a matchup that’s sure to deliver on every level: #5 Paramore vs. #14 Tokio Hotel East Sum 41 continue their VCU-like run through the tournament, as they pasted the fourth-seeded Strokes in the Sweet 16. But, like their NCAA counterparts, can Deryck Whibley and Co. advance to the Final Four? Standing in their way are last year’s MMM runners-up, #3 My Chemical Romance, who handled #2 Radiohead with ease. At this point, they could be the sneaky favorites to win the whole thing. But first, they’ve got to get past MMM’s Cinderellas, in what is perhaps the most unlikely East final of all time: #16 Sum 14 vs. #3 My Chemical Romance MTV’s Musical March Madness has reached the Elite 8! Voting is now open and will continue until Thursday at midnight, when we’ll roll on to the Final Four. All winners are determined by your votes, so, if your favorite act is still standing, it’s up to you to guide them to glory. You can rally the troops on Twitter using the hashtag #MMM — but get ready, things only get tougher from here on out! Related Videos MTV Kicks Off The 2011 Musical March Madness Related Photos MTV’s 2011 Musical March Madness’ Band Bracketology Bands Hit The Court For MTV’s 2011 Musical March Madness Related Artists Paramore Panic! at the Disco
