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Lindsay Lohan Tweets ‘I Would Never Steal’

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Actress’ lawyer reportedly looking for plea deal in jewelry theft case. By Gil Kaufman Lindsay Lohan Photo: Dave McNew/ Getty Images Lindsay Lohan has not yet spoken in public about the felony grand theft charge she’s facing for reportedly stealing a $2,5000 necklace from a Venice, California, jewelry store in January. But on Thursday, a day after posting bail and being released from jail in the case, the 24-year-old actress defended herself via Twitter. “I would never steal, in case people are wondering,” she tweeted . “I was not raised to lie, cheat or steal.” Lohan also lashed out at detractors who said the clingy white mini-dress she wore to court was inappropriate given the gravity of the situation. She is facing three years in prison if convicted. “What I wear to court shouldn’t be front-page news,” she wrote. “It’s just absurd.” Out on $40,000 bail, the “Mean Girls” actress said she’s just ready to move on and get her career back on track. “I just want to be on set again,” said Lohan, who hasn’t appeared on screen since a brief cameo in last year’s “Machete.” Lohan’s lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, told CNN that despite pleading not guilty, her client is willing to cut a plea deal as long as it doesn’t involve any jail time. “Ms. Lohan maintains her innocence, and now that I’ve seen the police reports, I believe the case is entirely defensible,” Holley said of the police account of the January 22 incident. “Having said that, we will entertain a discussion concerning a plea if it means no jail so that she can move forward with her recovery and her career.” TMZ reported on Friday that according to the police report, the store’s owner did not want to get the police involved in the case. The owner “stated that she does not want to press charges,” the report read. “She stated that she only wants her necklace returned.” Though the owner was reluctant, the district attorney reportedly decided that there was enough evidence to warrant a prosecution. The next hearing is the case is on February 23. Related Photos Lindsay Lohan Goes To Court The Highs And Lows Of Lindsay Lohan Related Artists Lindsay Lohan

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Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ Shows ‘Depth Of Gaga As A Songwriter,’ Akon Says

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Unfortunately, people pay more attention to what she is wearing,’ adds Gaga’s label boss. By Jocelyn Vena Akon Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images It’s here, little monsters. On Friday morning (February 11), Lady Gaga debuted her highly anticipated new single, “Born This Way,” a funky, fun dance tune about loving yourself for who you are. Akon, who signed Gaga to his Kon Live Distribution label in 2008, opened up about the pop star’s latest dance opus, admitting that he thinks it will finally show off Gaga’s full capacities as a musician and songwriter, and not just a pop ingenue. “I think ‘Born This Way’ is the kind of record that if you are really paying attention you will get the full depth of Gaga as a songwriter. Sometimes the creative image hides the element of her lyrical content,” he told PopEater.com . “That’s why she wanted to give people a better idea of what she was saying outside of her image when she dropped those lyrics.” The track has a clear message: Everyone should be treated equally no matter who they are or what they believe in. “Gaga says a lot of stuff in her records,” Akon added. “But I know these parents and critics are not really listening to her lyrics. I know that for a fact. She’s singing about a lot of adult subject matter. She’s not just making dance records. Unfortunately, people pay more attention to what she is wearing.” The song is the lead single off the album of the same name, which will drop in May. Akon revealed that there are a few more touches that need to be added before they reach their deadline. “We are finishing up the album now,” he said. “She’s about to go back on tour later this year. There’s a lot going on.” Related Artists Lady Gaga Akon

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Jennifer Hudson Talks Grammy Aretha Franklin Tribute

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I’m like on cloud nine,’ Hudson says of rehearsing for the Franklin medley with Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride and other stars. By Matt Elias Jennifer Hudson and Florence Welch rehearse for the Grammys Photo: John Shearer/ WireImage Thursday night in Los Angeles saw the convergence of some of the biggest voices in music at the Staples Center, as Grammy rehearsals kicked off for the Aretha Franklin tribute. The genre-spanning group included Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, country star Martina McBride and gospel great Yolanda Adams. The fivesome powered through a medley of Franklin’s hits that will open the 53rd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night. The Staples Center rafters rattled as the group belted out “Natural Woman,” before each diva took on their own Franklin tune. Aguilera went first with “Ain’t No Way,” McBride was up next with “Until You Come Back to Me,” Welch followed with “Think,” Jennifer Hudson tackled the iconic “Respect” and Adams rounded things out with “Spirit in the Dark.” The ladies all closed with the empowering “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.” “Dreamgirl” Hudson and Brit songstress Welch were clearly having a good time onstage, bumping hips and improvising their own two-steps. Minutes after the rehearsal, Hudson spoke to MTV News about the tribute. “Rehearsals are going, and went, very well,” Hudson said. “It’s a lot of fun, and just being amongst the other ladies and being around some of my favorite artists, and then tributing Aretha Franklin, it’s just like surreal. And it’s a moment you just have to take in and enjoy it, and I’m like on cloud nine just in that moment.” As far as the monumental task of deciding which song to select from the Queen of Soul, the decision, it turns out, wasn’t Hudson’s problem. “They were chosen for us,” she admitted. “I know that had to be the hardest job because Aretha has like catalogues of music. And I remember when they asked me to submit a list and I’m like, ‘Oh my God! Where do I start?’ ” You’ll have to tune in Sunday night to see how the divas pull it off. And don’t forget to catch our special Grammy correspondent Snooki, who will join Sway on the red carpet for our two-hour live stream on MTV.com, starting at 6 p.m. ET. Don’t miss “Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys,” a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond! Related Photos 2011 Grammy Performers Related Artists Jennifer Hudson Aretha Franklin

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Katy Perry Producer Sandy Vee Calls Grammy Nods ‘Amazing’

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Dance music producer/songwriter behind Grammy-nominated hits for Rihanna and Perry tells MTV News a Britney Spears collabo is in the works. By Adam Stewart Sandy Vee Photo: MTV News “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” Sandy Vee should have a T-shirt imprinted with the “Wizard of Oz”-inspired line because the modest, French-born dance music producer/songwriter is behind some of the past year’s biggest pop tunes, garnering Grammy nods for Katy Perry’s “Firework” (Album of the Year), and Rihanna’s trance-infused smash “Only Girl (In the World)” (Best Dance Recording). Still riding high off of his Grammy accolades, Vee is also celebrating his work on Rihanna’s latest, the controversial “S&M,” which he co-produced with Norwegian electronic duo Stargate. “I speak for all European producers: When you’re from Europe — [especially] when you’re French — and you’re in America, and you find out that you’re nominated for a couple of Grammys? In the life of a producer, that’s just amazing, that’s, ‘Wow, I worked so much,’ and just wow!” he told MTV News. “I’m just really excited and I have a lot of fun in what I do, and this is important for me.” Despite his work with high-profile artists, Vee said he prefers to remain behind the scenes and cherishes the sanctuary of the studio. “I love to be [in the] background, you know?” he said “My place is in the studio. … I take everything and go produce in my studio and then I make magic happen. I try to get some type of signature by [using] some crazy type of treatment on a song to make it sound more warm, dynamic and large. It’s a bit different, [but this is] the way I do this.” Vee now regularly brushes shoulders with EDM’s elite. After meeting fellow Frenchman David Guetta in 2009 at the nightclub Pacha in Ibiza, Vee became an integral part of the production team that helped create Guetta’s latest album, the massively successful One Love. “Everything started with Guetta; we worked together and we did the song ‘Sexy Bitch’ with Akon, and it was the first big song jumping on top of the Billboard in America, so it changed a lot of things,” Vee explained. “Then a lot of people wanted to get a more uptempo, dance-club sound. All these came naturally, after doing the song with David.” Vee’s production wizardry has made him sought after in pop-music circles, so much so that he’s even drawn the attention of the Princess of Pop herself, Britney Spears, who’s been making waves with her dub-step infused single “Hold It Against Me.” “We’ve got a song with Britney. It’s not official right now, but we’ve got a song and we’re talking about it so we’ll see!” In addition to the possible Spears pairing and more work with Rihanna, Perry and Guetta, Vee told us collaborations with Enrique Iglesias, Kylie Minogue and Mike Posner are all in the pipeline. Don’t miss “Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys,” a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond! Related Artists Katy Perry Sandy Vee

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Justin Bieber Vintage Video: ‘I Love Twitter’

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘My fans have made me a trending topic every day,’ Bieber marvels to MTV News in April 2010. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber in 2009 Photo: Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images In April 2010, Justin Bieber sat down with MTV News to dish about his devoted fanbase. His Beliebers, at the time, were keeping him at the top of the Twitter trends daily. Those fans were the ones who believed in him before he became the megastar he is today. When he sat down with us all those months ago, Bieber seemed grateful for their love and support. “They make me a trending topic on Twitter every day,” Bieber marveled. “It’s pretty incredible. My fans have made me a trending topic every day. I don’t think there’s been a day in the past month that I haven’t. So it’s pretty incredible.” The singer — who is still one of the most devout celeb users of the social-networking site — said he loved using the site to stay connected to his fans. “I love Twitter,” Bieber said. “I use it for being able to interact with my fans as well as promote stuff.” To this day, Bieber frequently tweets and retweets messages for his fans, noting that there’s no science as to who he picks. “It just depends. It’s kind of, like, it’s random,” he said. “It’s not really anyone specifically. It’s just kind of a random thing. “They’re like, ‘I never thought you were gonna respond!’ ” he added. “And I say, ‘You thought wrong.’ ” On Friday, Justin Bieber’s 3-D documentary, “Never Say Never,” opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music. For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Justin Bieber MTV News Extended Play: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Eminem/Slaughterhouse Deal Was ‘A Long Time Coming,’ Joell Ortiz Says

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘We’re four solo artists first, so the deal took longer than we expected,’ he tells MTV News. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Ade Mangum Slaughterhouse’s Joell Ortiz Photo: MTV News According to Joell Ortiz, one-fourth of the Slaughterhouse crew, the collective took so long to close their deal with Eminem because he, Joe Budden, Royce Da 5’9″ and Crooked I operate as solo artists. “It’s been a long time coming,” Ortiz said of the Shady Records deal. “We’re four solo artists first, so the deal took longer than we expected. We had to get contracts and things in order and things of that nature. But I believe it’s been in the works for a little over a year, and it finally came to life a few weeks back, and everybody is excited, including Eminem. And we’re looking forward to a powerhouse year in 2011.” Last month, Slaughterhouse finally announced their signing, after news of the union had been in the air for over a year. The deal was made public via XXL. The four MCs graced the magazine’s cover with solo upstart rapper Yelawolf, who also joined Team Shady. Em christened the signings as the start of a new regime. “Yelawolf and Slaughterhouse, it’s kinda phase two of Shady,” Eminem explained in a statement. “It’s the new generation of Shady Records, and as we’re trying to rebuild our label, it’s exciting for hip-hop, and with all of these forces coming together and with what everybody’s capable of on the mic, it’s gonna be fun.” In a radio interview shortly after the news broke, Crooked I commented on his new deal with Slaughterhouse, saying the underground group gets a larger platform by affiliating with Eminem. “I look at it like, for hip-hop on a whole, to have four dudes come together and represent different regions and represent hip-hop to the fullest, and get a deal to where we could travel into the mainstream and take our music to a bigger stage, I think it’s good for hip-hop,” he said. What do you think of the Slaughterhouse/Shady deal? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Eminem Slaughterhouse

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Lady Gaga Says She’s Mastered ‘The Art Of Fame’

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Everybody wants to see the decay of the superstar,’ Gaga tells ’60 Minutes’ about staying in control of her image. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: CBS News Lady Gaga is letting fans into her world now that she’s prepping the release of her new album, Born This Way. This Sunday she’s set to appear on “60 Minutes” for a revealing chat with Anderson Cooper. During the interview, Cooper asks Gaga about the 2009 VMA performance in which she “dies.” “That’s what everyone wants to know, right? What is she going to look like when she dies … when she’s overdosed on whatever they think I’m overdosing on?” Gaga said of the choice to get gory on stage (she frequently uses fake blood in her performances). “Everybody wants to see the decay of the superstar. … They want to see me fail.

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Justin Bieber Says He’s Not Just Some Industry ‘Packaged Thing’

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I’ve been playing music ever since I was born and it’s always been in me,’ teen superstar tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Justin Bieber Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News Justin Bieber will have his loyal fans and even his harshest critics saying “Never Say Never” when his 3-D flick opens on Friday. The movie offers an inside look at Bieber’s rise to stardom and the hard work and determination the teen star put in before hitting it big. For those who may not realize that Bieber is more than just a record label puppet created to pander to throngs of teenage girls, the film also shows that the 16-year-old is a skilled musician. “People didn’t really know,” he explained to MTV News. “They didn’t understand that I’ve been playing music ever since I was born and it’s always been in me. And this movie is really going to show that I’m not just some packaged thing that some A&R put together. It was actually just me living my dream and just making music.” He later joked that he also wasn’t molded in manager Scooter Braun’s basement. “Yeah, [he] just cut my hair like this [and made me what I am]!” At the New York screening for the film last week, Bieber spoke to us about what he hopes his fans will take away from the film. It is part concert film, part documentary, complete with interviews from some of the people closest to the teen phenom. It also features cameos by Miley Cyrus, Usher and Ludacris, to name a few, during concert performances filmed at Madison Square Garden last September, and interviews. In the film, Bieber is seen skillfully playing piano, drums and guitar. “Fans will be really excited to see that I’m just a regular 16-year-old having fun, just living my dream,” he said. “And it’s possible for anyone to live theirs.” Hot on the heels of his movie’s premiere, Bieber will be performing at Sunday’s Grammy Awards , where he promises “some surprises.” He’s been nominated for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album. Don’t miss “Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys,” a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond! Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Dr. Dre, Bob Dylan, Mumford & Sons Join Grammys Performance Bill

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Ryan Seacrest added to list of presenters for the big show this Sunday night. By Gil Kaufman Dr. Dre Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images There are already some pretty stellar collaborations on tap for the 53rd annual Grammy Awards this Sunday night. But on Thursday (February 10), things got way bigger with the announcement that two performers who rarely take the stage have been added to the entertainment lineup on music’s biggest night. With his one-time prot

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Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale Twitter Trend Keeps Rolling

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Title of pop star’s March 29 release is #10 longest-running trend on social-networking site. By Nuzhat Naoreen Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale Photo: Jive Britney Spears ‘ upcoming album, Femme Fatale, doesn’t hit shelves until March 29, but it’s already breaking records. The title, which has been trending worldwide on Twitter since Spears first announced it exactly a week ago, just nabbed the #10 spot on a list of the longest running Twitter trends gathered by Twend.It , a site that tracks topics on the social-networking site. “Can’t believe Femme Fatale has been trending 6 days. You guys are my motivation every single day. I love u all!” Spears wrote Tuesday on Twitter , where she has more than 6.8 million followers; she also included a link to the official announcement on her site . The top 10 list uses Twitter’s algorithms to tally the number of times a topic has trended since May 2010, when Twend.It was founded. “It’s culturally important,” said Nick DiFilippo, co-founder of Twend.it, who added that the popularity of entertainment topics on Twitter validates the notion that social-networking is an effective advertising tool that allows artists to reach their fans more directly. “They are finding a way to connect with their fanbase.” The ranking puts Spears in good company: Femme Fatale, the only music-related Twitter trend to break the top 10, joins “Inception,” which is holding strong at #1 after trending for a total of 39 days. “Inception” was one of 2010’s biggest box-office hits , grossing nearly $292 million domestically. Of course, success on Twitter doesn’t always lead to great sales. Other pop culture strongholds on the list include the movies “Last Airbender” at #9, and “Scott Pilgrim,” positioned at #5. Both films disappointed at the box office. Also noticeably absent from the list are Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, both of whom were among the top five most-tweeted-about people in 2010. So while Bieber and Gaga each have strong followings on Twitter, Twend.it’s DiFilippo doesn’t think Spears is in danger of being pushed out of the top 10. In fact, he predicts Femme Fatale will quickly move up on the list. “The way these trends go is once they hit momentum it gets hard to stop them,” he said. “Something like an album releasing, especially by one of the biggest pop artists around, it’s going to have some momentum, so I do predict it’s going to go a bit higher. I could see it going up to the sixth, fifth place at least.” While the album doesn’t come out until next month, Britney fans have plenty to look forward to: The pop star has been tweeting daily teasers to her upcoming video for “Hold It Against Me,” which premieres on MTV on February 17 at 9:56 p.m. ET. Related Videos Britney Spears Set To Reveal ‘Hold It Against Me’ Video Reactions To Britney’s ‘Hold It Against Me’ Related Artists Britney Spears

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