Tag Archives: artists

Mariah Carey Says She Was ‘Naive’ About Performing For Gadhafi

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I feel horrible and embarrassed to have participated in this mess,’ singer says about 2009 concert funded by the Libyan dictator. By Aly Semigran Mariah Carey (file) Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Mariah Carey wants to make things right after accepting $1 million to perform for family members of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi at a 2009 New Year’s party in St. Barts. The singer released a statement regarding the performance that reads: “I was naive and unaware of who I was booked to perform for. I feel horrible and embarrassed to have participated in this mess. Going forward, this is a lesson for all artists to learn from. We need to be more aware and take more responsibility regardless of who books our shows. Ultimately we as artists are to be held accountable.” Carey, 41, who is expecting twins with husband Nick Cannon , told Showbiz411.com that after the birth of her children, she plans to record a new song called “Save the Day,” the proceeds of which will go entirely to human rights charities. But Carey isn’t the only artist with regrets about performing for and receiving money from the Gaddafi family. In February, Nelly Furtado tweeted, “In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Qaddafi clan to perform a 45 min. show for guests at a hotel in Italy. I am going to donate the $.” Following suit, on Wednesday, Beyonc

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Britney Spears Says ‘Till The World Ends’ Has ‘Good Energy’

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘If it puts me in a good mood, it clicks for me,’ singer tells Ryan Seacrest of Ke$ha-penned track. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Jeremy Cowart/ WireImage Britney Spears got her fans amped up for her forthcoming album, Femme Fatale, when she released its second single, “Till the World Ends,” on Thursday. The chugging, Ke$ha-penned club banger is all about getting your dance on. And when Spears stopped by Ryan Seacrest’s radio show on Friday (March 4), she admitted that the song just felt right for her as soon as she heard it. ” ‘Till the World Ends’ is fun! It’s fun. I like it. It’s good energy,” she said of the track, which was produced by Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Billboard. “I’m a vibe person, and I think I love good-mood songs, and if it puts me in a good mood, it clicks for me.” As for the album, which already spawned a chart-topping single, “Hold It Against Me,” she teased, “I think it’s my best work yet. I listened to it on the way over here. It’s definitely something you want to work out to. … And I’m a dancer, so it’s definitely something I can work with.” “Oh my God! Will.i.am is amazing,” Spears said of the producer, who teased the track “The Big Fat Bass” recently. “He’s so much fun and he’s funny and he’s a charm. His music is so much fun. When they told me I was going to be working with him, I couldn’t wait. If it gets you going, you get excited, and he has that type of energy.” In addition to talking about the album, Spears also shared plans for a summer tour. And she talked about how she’s keeping in shape these days as she amps up to promote the album, which drops March 29. “I have a trainer. [I go] on the treadmill for 30 minutes and we do a lot of cardio, running,” she explained. “He kicks my butt. You pay to hate your trainer!” It seems that the workout regiment has also had an effect on her beau, talent agent Jason Trawick, who, according to Seacrest, was “pudgy” before he hooked up with the pop star. “He wasn’t pudgy,” she laughed. “He wasn’t pudgy. He is definitely ripped. He just got on this health kick. I guess he’s on a health kick. He eats what he wants.” Related Videos MTV First: Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Premiere Related Photos Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Pop-Culture References Related Artists Britney Spears Ke$ha

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Justin Bieber’s ‘Never Say Never’ Is Third-Highest-Grossing Documentary Of All Time

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Insiders say film could get nominated in documentary category at next year’s Oscars. By Gil Kaufman Justin Bieber in “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” Photo: Paramount Pictures The kid is hot. First, Justin Bieber became the first person since, well, himself to land two albums in the top five on the Billboard 200, and now his 3-D movie, “Never Say Never,” has vaulted into the #3 position on the list of top-grossing documentaries of all time. According to Box Office Mojo , “Never” has grossed $64,162,036 to date, putting it on track to possibly overtake the #2 doc of all time, “March of the Penguins,” which grossed more than $77 million. It’s unlikely to knock off the top documentary of all time, Michael Moore’s 2004 flick “Fahrenheit 9/11,” which rolled up $119 million, but with the “Never” director’s cut re-release last weekend (which brought in another $9 million), Bieber is positioned to conquer yet another medium. In his run to the top, Bieber has leaped over such lauded and popular docs as “Super Size Me,” Madonna’s “Truth or Dare,” Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine,” former Vice President Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” and the nature flick “Earth.” It also took the crown for the biggest opening weekend of any documentary , with a $29.5 million first weekend, squeezing past the $23 million open of “Fahrenheit.” Hollywood may end up catching Bieber Fever as well, with The Hollywood Reporter asking in a recent article whether “Never” could land the 17-year-old phenom a spot at the Oscars next year. A source told the trade magazine that “Never” had serious buzz at some post-Oscar parties thanks to its healthy grosses, which have impressed some Academy members. “You’d be surprised at the caliber of people who came up to Justin at the Vanity Fair party at the Sunset Tower, most of whom had seen the movie and loved it,” said an unnamed insider. “There was even talk of putting it up for an Oscar next year in the documentary category. People appreciate that it’s not just a kids’ movie.” The article mentioned that Bieber was one of the brightest stars at the Fair party, chatting up Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger and working the room like a pro. Check out everything we’ve got on “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos ‘Justin Bieber: Never Say Never’ Sneak Peeks Related Photos Justin Bieber’s ‘Never Say Never’ L.A. Premiere Justin Bieber’s ‘Never Say Never’: Alternate Movie Titles Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Lady Gaga’s ‘Judas’ Video Will Be ‘A Roller-Coaster Ride,’ Creative Director Says

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I’m so excited for how riveting, energetic and electric the record is, something really phenomenal,’ Laurieann Gibson says. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage It’s an exciting time to be a Lady Gaga fan. This week, the pop star released her much-anticipated “Born This Way” video and walked the runway and previewed her track “Government Hooker” at a Thierry Mugler fashion show. And now there are a few more details about her next Born This Way single, “Judas,” and its video. “We’re already getting ready to go into rehearsal [for the video]. She’s like, ‘I’m all ready to start ‘Judas’!’ She’s ready,” Gaga’s creative director Laurieann Gibson told MTV News. “And ‘Judas’ is exciting for me because we had this amazing artistic approach to ‘BTW’ and I’m so excited for how riveting, energetic and electric the record is, something really phenomenal. So, visually, the dance, the costuming, the idea of how big we’re trying to go, [it’s] going to be a roller-coaster ride.” “There is [a director in mind],” Gibson continued, adding that nothing about the video will be ordinary. “What is a traditional music video? Even if we go with a traditional music video, the directors that we love are not traditional, so the idea that they get to collaborate with us means they too want to live outside of what people expect a traditional music video to be.” As for the sound of the song, Fernando Garibay , one of the musical directors on the album, opened up about the RedOne-produced dance tune. “It’s a statement about, again I can’t speak for her, but what I gather is it’s about sometimes not choosing the right choice,” he explained. “But you can’t deny that the choice is not a part of you and who you are. ” ‘Judas’ is a dance song, definitely,” he continued. “I think ‘Judas’ is in the traditional RedOne/Gaga vein. It’s great because it’s a serious message, it’s a little playful, but still serious, but still somehow you wind up dancing to it. That’s what’s great about her music. You know, like, my favorite song of all time, dance song, ‘Billie Jean,’ is a story you wouldn’t think of singing, but then you wind up dancing and singing the lyrics. I think that’s the Holy Grail of music for me, which is dance.” Gaga shared lyrics from “Judas” last month, and Gaga’s pal and stylist Nicola Formichetti reposted those lyrics on Twitter late Thursday. “I’m just a Holy Fool, oh baby he’s so cruel, but I’m still in love with Judas, Baby,” he wrote, adding, “JUDAS FASHION. so excited i can’t sleep!” Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lady Gaga Creative Director Laurieann Gibson Related Photos The Evolution Of: Lady Gaga Related Artists Lady Gaga

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‘American Idol’ Wild-Card Choice Was ‘Awful’ For Jennifer Lopez

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Judge laments that ‘a lot of kids [went] home who deserved to be there.’ By Kara Warner “American Idol” season 10 top 13 at the top 13 after-party Photo: FOX The first elimination show of the new season of “American Idol” has come and gone in history-making fashion. Host Ryan Seacrest announced on the show Thursday (Mar 3) that around 40 million votes were cast, narrowing the field of 24 hopefuls to 10 contestants, the biggest cuts in the show’s history. Three more wild card contestants sang for their lives and were later added by judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson to make a top 13. When MTV News caught up with the involved parties at Fox’s afterparty to celebrate the “Idol” finalists, there were feelings of relief, joy and, for one judge, discomfort. “Ugh. It was awful!” Lopez said of the deliberation that went on between the judges to select the three wild cards at the end of the show. “It was so tough. It was so hard, even up until the very last second. It was like, wait a minute, we really didn’t know who to choose at the last minute. It could have gone any way. Even when we did it, when we announced it, we were like, ‘Did we do the right thing?’ I don’t know.” Lopez went on to say that there was not really a right or wrong with so many talented contestants in the mix this year. “[We] were going to send somebody home that maybe deserved to be there,” she said. “Probably a lot of kids [went] home who deserved to be there.” Stefano Langone snagged one of the lucky three wild card spots with his rendition of Smokie Norful’s “I Need You Now,” a decision he said he made for several reasons. “I knew if it got to the point where I had to sing for the wild card, that I’d be singing for my life,” Langone explained. “I needed a song that I’d done prior to this point that was the absolute perfect song for my voice, to show my soul, everything that I have, everything I could bring to the table as a musician.” Despite the anxiety involved in singing for his life, Langone said it was a great experience. “I had to work for that spot. I had to work to where I wanted to be, and I feel really blessed to have gotten that. I’m so thankful and honored and blessed. It’s a dream.” Fellow wild-card winner Naima Adedapo felt the same way about her song choice, Donny Hathaway’s “For All We Know.” “It really talks about what I wanted to talk about,” she said. “That is, ‘Love me tonight. I need you to put me through tonight. Let me show you who I am.’ ” Adedapo added that hearing her name called as part of the top 13 had her almost floating on air. “Words can’t really express it, but it’s like a high,” she said. “It’s like being elevated somewhere. I feel like I wasn’t even on earth anymore, I just kind of was happy and in the moment. I felt like I had an opportunity to really show them how much I really want it.” Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” at 10 p.m. Thursdays on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘Idol Party Live’ With MTV News’ Jim Cantiello Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Top 24 Related Artists Jennifer Lopez

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Adele Says VH1 ‘Unplugged’ Performance ‘Was A Complete Joy’

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Chart-topping Brit’s set premieres Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on VH1.com. By James Montgomery Adele Photo: MTV News She’s already got an armload of Grammys , the #1 album in the country and a line of admirers that stretches from Los Angeles to London, but all Adele has ever really wanted is her own “Unplugged.” On Thursday (March 3), she’ll finally get hers, when “VH1 Unplugged: Adele” premieres on VH1.com at 7 p.m. ET, and then airs on the network proper the following night, at 11 p.m. ET. For a singer who’s already accomplished so much in 22 short years, you’d think that filming “Unplugged” would be just another stop along her road to success. But you’d be wrong. To hear Adele tell it, “Unplugged” is the culmination of a dream that started nearly a decade ago. “My favorite one is the Lauryn Hill one; I’ve got that one on CD as well,” she told MTV News. “I’ve never been so choked up by something, and it was so refreshing — I mean, I was still very young when she did her ‘Unplugged,’ and when Miseducation … came out, I was really young, but that is the most influential record of my life. It’s my favorite record of all time. But I never knew anything about her, she was so elusive … but just to see her [on ‘Unplugged’], and that broken look, just her and a guitar, her banter between the songs — I felt like how I feel when I hear Etta James. I was just like, ‘I totally get it. She’s in my head, she’s in my heart, she knows me.’ “It’s quite a special moment when you suddenly have that link and bond with an artist, and I finally got that with her, when I heard that,” she continued. “So yeah, it was a complete joy [to do my own episode].” Bits and pieces of Adele’s “Unplugged” set — including a soulful take on Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman” — have already been rolling out on the VH1 blog , and the full performance includes songs from both her 19 and 21 albums. Adele definitely seemed to be channeling not only the spirit of the immortal Aretha during the Harlem taping of the show, but her icon Hill too. Trust us, you don’t want to miss a minute of it. She gets emotional on “Someone Like You” and fiery on “Rolling in the Deep.” In fact, the whole thing feels very much like a dream come true, probably because it was. Trust us, you don’t want to miss a minute of it. Related Artists Adele

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Lil’ Kim ‘Bothered’ By Onetime Friend Diddy

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Puffy never came to see me in prison, not one time,’ she tells ‘RapFix Live.’ By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Sway Calloway Lil’ Kim on RapFix Live Photo: Rich Sancho/ MTV News Lil’ Kim has plenty to talk about besides rap nemesis Nicki Minaj. While speaking to Sway Calloway during MTV News’ “RapFix Live,” the Queen Bee talked about running with Sean “Diddy” Combs, despite never being signed to his Bad Boy Records. “Biggie did bring me to Puffy,” Kim told MTV News. “He said, ‘She’s too pretty to be rapping. Female rappers don’t look like her. What am I supposed to do with her?’ ” But apparently Diddy, who also passed on signing Junior M.A.F.I.A., had a change of heart when the Notorious B.I.G. played him Lil’ Kim’s debut album, Hardcore. Diddy insisted he be part of the album, jumping on “No Time,” Hardcore ‘s lead single, which at one point was supposed to be a remix of Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s “Get Money.” Kim went on to say that she and Diddy, who has recently worked with Nicki Minaj, no longer speak. “The only problem I had with Puffy is that you see this girl taking shots at me,” Kim said, referring to Nicki. “Even on your own record [Dirty Money’s ‘Hello Good Morning’] she took a shot at me … and you didn’t stop that? If this was me years ago, he would have been doing everything if it was somebody he was working with or had a relationship with and he got money with or whatever, he would be like, ‘That can’t go out!’ ” Kim also mentioned that, during her incarceration for federal perjury between 2005 and 2006, Diddy was nowhere to be found. “I’m bothered by his actions, because I rolled with Puffy to the bitter end, and still would have rolled with him,” Kim said. “Puffy never came to see me in prison, not one time. He didn’t write me a letter. He didn’t say, ‘Here’s a number for Kim to call,’ not one time. “Then, because of your little business situations over there with Cash Money and Rick Ross and all of them, you’re going to go see Wayne?” she continued, referring to Diddy’s surprise visit to Lil Wayne on Rikers Island last year. What do you think of Kim and Diddy’s relationship? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ With Lil’ Kim Related Artists Lil’ Kim Diddy

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Nicki Minaj ‘Tried To Put A Cap On My Career,’ Lil’ Kim Says

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Brooklyn femcee says real stars have no ‘time limit’ and clears up Black Friday shipping delays on ‘RapFix Live.’ By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway Lil’ Kim on RapFix Live Photo: Rich Sancho/ MTV News Lil’ Kim started her career as an artist on Atlantic Records under the Notorious B.I.G.’s imprint, Undeas Records, before eventually going on to ink a deal after her 2006 prison release with the Trackmasters, though, she never released a project with the production outfit. Nowadays, Kim’s situation is far less complicated. According to Kim, she’s calling her own shots. “I’m independent,” she told host Sway during her appearance on MTV News’ “RapFix Live.” “I am a boss, other people work for a boss. I write checks, other people get checks. Everything you see me doing … it’s hard for a female, but I’m maneuvering with my own money and my own relationships.” Last month, Lil’ Kim released new music for the first time in years with the mixtape Black Friday, a conceptual collection that takes aim at her nemesis Nicki Minaj. The project was scheduled for release on Valentine’s Day, however, fans were confused when they discovered the set was a for-purchase item and not a free download, as is typically the case with mixtapes. As of press time, fans who bought a copy of Black Friday are reporting that they have yet to receive the tape. Lil’ Kim and her manager , though, insisted on Thursday’s (March 3) live stream that CDs have now been shipped after the rapper took time to sign each unit. In the meantime, Kim seems to have no intention of giving up the spotlight. She voiced her displeasure with Nicki Minaj’s alleged insistence that the Lil Wayne prot

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Exclusive: Ke$ha Talks Writing Britney Spears’ ‘Till The World Ends’

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘It’s an honor to write for one of pop music’s biggest icons,’ she tells MTV News. By Kelley L. Carter, with additional reporting by Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears “Til The World Ends” cover art Photo: Jive Britney Spears’ new single, “Till the World Ends” is dance-floor ready — just ask Ke$ha. The pop star in her own right wrote the just-released track, which was produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin. “I consider myself a songwriter before and above everything else, so it’s an honor to write for one of pop music’s biggest icons. And I hope it gets everyone’s ass on the dance floor cuz y’all know that’s what K-Monay does best!” the singer said in an exclusive statement to MTV News. The single was posted by Perez Hilton on Thursday afternoon (March 3), after speculation earlier in the day that it would hit radio next week. “Till the World Ends” is a swirling, “beat the beat” track, ready for late nights spent “dancing till the world ends” as she sings on the fast-paced party jam. “This kitten got your tongue tied in knots I see/ Spit it out ’cause I’m dying for company,” a confident Spears purrs. Later in the song, she sings: “See the sunlight/ We ain’t stopping/ Keep on dancing till the world ends/ If you feel it/ Let it happen/ Keep on dancing till the world ends.” Last month, Ke$ha talked with Spin.com about the song, saying it’s about the power of an artist performing a great gig. “That song is me imagining her and any female musician touring the world,” she said. “You know, when you go out, and you’re having an amazing, magical night and you don’t want to go to sleep and you want it to last until the world ends.” This new track is the latest single from Spears’ forthcoming Femme Fatale, which drops March 29. What do you think about the latest Britney song? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Britney Spears Ke$ha

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Lil Wayne Recalls First Taste Of Freedom: Our Exclusive Interview Here!

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘To walk out of there that day with no handcuffs on,’ Wayne tells MTV News. ‘I was like wow, yeah, I’m gone.’ By Rebecca Thomas, with reporting by Sway Calloway Photo: MTV News On a frigid November morning, Lil Wayne walked out of New York’s Rikers Island last year a free man. And though there would be lavish homecoming parties to attend, a tour-finale concert in Las Vegas, reunions with family and even a marathon recording session in the offing, the New Orleans MC can still remember what struck him most in those first few moments. “Honestly, the first thing that I appreciated when I got out was not having to wear handcuffs,” Wayne told MTV News when we visited the Miami set of his “6 Foot 7 Foot” video . On the expansive jail facility where Wayne served out an eight-month sentence on an attempted gun possession charge, the Young Money boss discovered that while getting “special” treatment may seem to imply privileges, in fact, his celebrity status created some downsides. Having his wrists shackled as he moved through the prison’s various buildings became a weight, both physical and mental. “That was my first time walking out of there [without handcuffs], ’cause you know I always had to be transferred to one building from another to another just to do certain things, and they had so many special procedures with me,” explained Weezy, who was clad in a gray YMCMB sweatshirt and Chicago Bulls cap when MTV News’ Sway sat with him. “Things they had to do for protocol, so I always had to move here and move there, but everywhere I went I had to be handcuffed because it was this special protocol. “Other inmates didn’t have to be handcuffed when they [were guilty of] the same things,” he added, a look of melancholy flashing across his tattooed eyelids. “But it was this special protocol for me that they had to handcuff me.” Months into his sentence, Wayne called Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex and said apart from busying himself with the daily routine of incarceration — pawing through piles of mail, listening to sports radio — he was doing serious soul-searching. “Everybody says that you’re here for a reason, and I promise you, Flex, I try to find out that reason every day. I search for it. But I think when I get out, that’ll be the only time I’ll really know the answer.” On the dizzying “6 Foot,” the lead single from his eagerly awaited Tha Carter IV, Wayne cleverly boasts, “I got through that sentence like a subject and a predicate.” But he took a measured tone as he relived the pre-dawn hours of November 4. “To walk out of there that day with no handcuffs on, that was the first thing that caught my attention,” he said. “I was like wow, yeah, I’m gone.” Related Videos MTV First: Lil Wayne’s ‘6 Foot 7 Foot’ Related Artists Lil Wayne

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