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Justin Bieber Won’t Face Charges In Laser-Tag Incident

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Justin Bieber Won’t Face Charges In Laser-Tag Incident

Pop star was accused of punching a 12-year-old boy in the face. By Gil Kaufman Justin Bieber Photo: Getty Images It looks like Justin Bieber will not have this on his permanent record. After facing possible sanction for an incident at a Richmond, British Columbia, laser-tag park where he allegedly punched a 12-year-old boy in the face, police in Richmond said they have decided not to file charges against Justin Bieber. “The file in regard to the alleged assault at the entertainment center has been concluded, and no charges will be forwarded,” Corporal Turley of the Richmond Royal Canadian Mounted Police told MTV News on Tuesday (December 14). “The investigation is complete.” Turley said the evidence collected did not support going forward with the investigation, noting that she was unable to confirm whether Bieber was one of the persons involved because of a law prohibiting the dissemination of information into criminal cases involving youths. Bieber had been accused of getting into a scuffle with the unidentified boy during an October 15 session at the Planet Lazer Entertainment Center in Richmond. According to reports, Bieber got angry when the boy allegedly hurled a homophobic slur at him and lashed out in response. The boy sustained minimal injuries after what TMZ reported was an incident in which Bieber, 16, was targeted by an overzealous laser-tag player who used an anti-gay slur against him. When the 12-year-old stuck his hand out toward Bieber, the “Baby” singer reportedly batted it away and left the park. A short time later, Bieber spoke out against bullying and posted an “It Gets Better” clip. In it, he said, “Hey guys, I’m Justin Bieber. I just wanted to say there’s nothing cool about being a bully. And if you’re getting bullied, make sure to tell someone and, you know, it gets better. And if you’re a bystander, make sure to step in and, you know, help out.” Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Lil Wayne Premieres New Song, ‘6’7" ‘

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Lil Wayne Premieres New Song, ‘6’7" ‘

Weezy re-teams with ‘A Milli’ producer Bangladesh for first single off Tha Carter IV. By Alvin Blanco Lil Wayne Photo: Getty Images Lil Wayne is officially back. The Young Money CEO was released from Rikers Island in November, but on Tuesday (December 14) Lil Wayne let Funkmaster Flex premiere his latest single, “6′ 7″,” featuring Cory Gunz and produced by Bangladesh. The combo of Weezy and Bangladesh creates instant heat, just as it did when they linked up on “A Milli” from Tha Carter III. That single became one of 2007’s most popular and helped push the album to a million units sold in its first week. Lil Wayne snaps on “6′ 7,” ” dropping some very quotable verses (“Most of y’all don’t get the picture unless the flash is on”) over Bangladesh’s schizoid production of sped-up vocals, blade-sharp percussion and murky bass. Vivid metaphors flow throughout the track. Raps Wayne, “Life is a bitch and death is her sister, sleep is the cousin, what a f—in’ family picture/ You know father time, we all know mother nature. It’s all in the family, but I am of no relation. …” The latest Young Money signee, Cory Gunz, caps off the song with a double time flow on the final third verse. Blog sites began posting a radio rip of the song almost immediately. On Shade 45 earlier Tuesday morning, Lil Wayne told hosts DJ Drama and Karen Civil that “6′ 7″ ” is not only “a very tall record” but is the lead single from Tha Carter IV, which he said will be in stores February 2011. Related Artists Lil Wayne

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Diddy Talks Fear Of Commitment On ‘The View’

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Diddy Talks Fear Of Commitment On ‘The View’

‘As my heart got broken by one, I cried on the shoulder of another,’ Diddy-Dirty Money frontman reveals on talk-fest. By Jayson Rodriguez Diddy (file) Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images/DCP On “Coming Home,” the latest single from Diddy-Dirty Money’s Last Train To Paris, the rap mogul contemplates having a touchy conversation with his kids down the road. “What if my twins ask why I ain’t marry their mom?” he raps on the number. “Damn, how do I respond?” During an appearance on “The View” on Tuesday (December 14), host Barbara Walters pressed Diddy about the line. “What’s your trouble, is what I’m trying to get at,” she asked. Diddy answered, explaining that his fractured upbringing, among other things, has been a factor in his ongoing bachelorhood. “The reason of it, why I’m not married yet, I don’t have the exact reason,” he said. “Some things in life, you don’t have the exact reason why you’re not. I know that I haven’t been ready; I know there’s other reasons in my life. “My father was killed when I was 3 years old, and my mother was a very strong woman and she said, ‘Well I loved your father and I’m not gonna have another man around. There’s not gonna be anyone else around, and that’s how it’s gonna be.’ But then on the flip side, I never got a chance to see the way a family lives.” Diddy, however, insisted he wasn’t making excuses, just giving up some details about his background. He then opened up about the three mothers of his six children: “It’s like a movie,” he said. The Bad Boy Records CEO said he met the women all in the same year, roughly. “At different times in my life, as my heart got broken by one, I cried on the shoulder of another,” he revealed. That explanation led co-host Joy Behar to quip, “like ‘Big Love,’ ” referring to HBO’s polygamy drama, which drew laughs from the audience. “It wasn’t at the same time,” Diddy responded. “Life isn’t something you can predict. Every woman that I was with, that I had a child with, they did deserve for me to marry them. But there’s things going on in my life … I’m not gonna say it’s all the way me, but I’ll take responsibility as a man.” After making those revelations, Diddy was ready to hit the stage. He was joined by his Diddy-Dirty Money ladies, Dawn Richard and Kaleena, for a performance of “Coming Home.” What do you think of Diddy’s remarks about marriage? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Diddy

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Michael Jackson Fans Celebrate Michael’s Release With DJ Cassidy

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Michael Jackson Fans Celebrate Michael’s Release With DJ Cassidy

‘It was always my dream to DJ for Michael Jackson,’ Cassidy says at album-release party Monday night. By Steven Roberts Michael Jackson’s Michael Photo: Epic Records NEW YORK — Many a Michael Jackson fan lined up outside of the Roseland Ballroom on Monday night to celebrate the release of the King of Pop’s posthumous Michael album . Dozens of dancers and fans filled the ballroom’s floor, decked out in costumes inspired by MJ’s iconic looks from throughout his esteem career. One of those fans also happened to be the evening’s master of ceremonies, DJ Cassidy. “I’m here to make the fans dance,” he told MTV News. “I think that’s why Michael essentially made the music. He wanted to make people dance. He wanted to make people feel the emotion he felt, and I’m here to do just that. I’m here to help the fans in the celebration of the king.” Dressed in a leather suit with a pink shirt and socks, a red bowtie and shell-top Adidas, Cassidy said that he’s been a fan of Jackson for as long as he can remember. The late singer has been his inspiration in anything artistic in his life, from music to fashion. “So much of my fashion comes from Michael,” Cassidy explained. “So much of how I play music comes from how he formed his songs, how he created his sound that really inspired the way that I DJ. And really, it inspired me to want to be a DJ, to want to make people dance. “So, when I became a DJ at the age of 10, it was always my dream to DJ for Michael Jackson,” he added. “Tonight’s just a small way for me to really celebrate his music.” The party’s guests also included producers Teddy Riley, Eddie Cascio and Neff U, who each had a hand in producing Michael ‘s tracks. But before he began to spin for the night, Cassidy was thinking back to the classics, particularly his favorite party song, 1979’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” “You can be anywhere in the world, any city, any small town, any type of crowd, black, white, old, young, poor, rich, at any type of venue,” he said. “They could be wanting to hear house music, hip-hop music, anything in between, but ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ will turn that party out.” What’s your favorite Michael Jackson song? Share it in the comments. Related Photos Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos Related Artists Michael Jackson

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Michael Jackson’s Michael Has King Of Pop’s ‘Spirit,’ Producer Says

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Michael Jackson’s Michael Has King Of Pop’s ‘Spirit,’ Producer Says

“This feels like Michael, this feels like the spirit of Michael,” Teddy Riley tells MTV News. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Steven Roberts Teddy Riley had a long-standing working relationship with Michael Jackson, and the producer said Jackson’s latest project, Michael , is as authentic an LP as any of the superstar’s past work. “Oh, they’re gonna say this is him, that’s the first thing,” Riley told MTV News about fan’s anticipated reaction to the set. “And this feels good. This feels like Michael, this feels like the spirit of Michael. And we love him, that’s what they’re gonna say.” The project, which arrived in stores and online Tuesday (December 14), is the first posthumous MJ collection since the singer passed in June 2009. Riley, along with Akon, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart (Mariah Carey, Beyonc

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Michael Jackson’s Michael Has King Of Pop’s ‘Spirit,’ Producer Says

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Michael Jackson’s Michael Has King Of Pop’s ‘Spirit,’ Producer Says

“This feels like Michael, this feels like the spirit of Michael,” Teddy Riley tells MTV News. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Steven Roberts Teddy Riley had a long-standing working relationship with Michael Jackson, and the producer said Jackson’s latest project, Michael , is as authentic an LP as any of the superstar’s past work. “Oh, they’re gonna say this is him, that’s the first thing,” Riley told MTV News about fan’s anticipated reaction to the set. “And this feels good. This feels like Michael, this feels like the spirit of Michael. And we love him, that’s what they’re gonna say.” The project, which arrived in stores and online Tuesday (December 14), is the first posthumous MJ collection since the singer passed in June 2009. Riley, along with Akon, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart (Mariah Carey, Beyonc

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Coldplay Working On A Concept Album

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Coldplay Working On A Concept Album

Follow-up to Viva la Vida doesn’t yet have a release date or title. By Gil Kaufman Coldplay Photo: Eamonn McCormack/ WireImage One of the endearing quirks of Coldplay is that, despite their slow march to worldwide rock stardom over the past decade, they’ve remained self-deprecating and firmly focused on writing expansive pop songs without falling into the trap of trying to become “important.” But in the sessions for their fifth album, the follow-up to the smash 2008 hit Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, singer Chris Martin and his band are finally taking the dreaded “CA” plunge — as in “concept album.” “It’s from the point of view of two people who are a bit lost,” Martin told BBC News about the Brian Eno-produced disc. “Two like-minded outsiders who meet in a very difficult environment and therefore have a journey together.” After exploring the high-minded issues of love and war on the Grammy-winning Viva la Vida, Martin promised that the new disc will be more intimate and more worldly. “It’s a concept album, but it’s supposed to be very personal within a big framework. Does that make sense?” he said. Working again with Eno (David Bowie, U2), Martin said the band is leaning on the producer and Roxy Music co-founder to once more push them to explode their sound. “Brian is the sower of seeds and ideas and experimenting, which is very liberating. Then [collaborator] Marcus [Dravs]’ job is to come in after all that’s been done and try and sculpt it into some kind of releasable format.” They’ve been working on the album for more than a year, during sessions that the BBC described as “chaotic,” which left Coldplay with a number of half-formed and half-completed tracks. Martin said the group spent a year “making a lot of noise” that now needs to be sorted out and formed into actual songs. There’s no release date scheduled for the yet-untitled disc, but fans will get a brief glimpse at Coldplay later this month when they play a pair of sold-out gigs for the U.K. homeless charity Crisis. “I think it will be good for us to get our gig feet on for a couple of days because sometimes you can get very institutionalized in the studio,” Martin said. “There’s a danger that you forget that you’re going to have to play this for people and that’s when music can become a little bit silly.” They’ve also released the Yuletide single “Christmas Lights” to tide their fans over. The plaintive piano ballad about a holiday lover’s spat is accompanied by a whimsical performance video set on a colorful stage in the middle of a twinkling sea of lights. Are you excited for Coldplay to get conceptual on their upcoming album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Coldplay

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Lil Wayne Calls Upcoming Single ‘6’7" ‘ A ‘Very Tall Record’

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Lil Wayne Calls Upcoming Single ‘6’7" ‘ A ‘Very Tall Record’

‘Hopefully, it shows people where I’m at lyrically,’ Weezy tells Shade 45. By Jayson Rodriguez Lil Wayne Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Last week, Lil Wayne’s right-hand Mack Maine told MTV News that the New Orleans MC’s first expected single from Tha Carter IV, “6’7,”” would be like “A Milli” but “on steroids.” Weezy, however, corrected him on Tuesday (December 14) when he appeared on satellite radio station Shade 45’s morning show with DJ Drama and blogger Karen Civil , in his first extensive interview since his release from prison last month. ( Wayne spoke to MTV News on the red carpet of his welcome home festivities in Miami.) “It’s a monster, actually,” he told Drama. “Hopefully, it shows people where I’m at lyrically. Better than everybody.” But is “6’7″ ” a high-powered “A Milli” on steroids? “Nah,” Wayne said. “Human growth hormones. It’s a very tall record.” The track is reportedly produced by Bangladesh, who helmed the frenetic “A Mili” as well, and will feature Young Money/ Nick Cannon signee Cory Gunz. According to Wayne, he’s also preparing to shoot a video for the clip with iconic hip-hop music director Hype Williams. So far, since his release, the only new Wayne material has been his contribution to Bryan “Baby” Williams’ “Fire Flames” track. But Wayne warned that since his imprisonment, his skills have only increased. “I would say so,” he told Drama, when the DJ asked if he’d improved lyrically compared to before his time in Rikers Island. “I would say, yeah, because it don’t matter where I went, I try to be better than my last [project].” Related Photos The Evolution Of Weezy Related Artists Lil Wayne

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MTV Launches Music Meter Artist-Ranking Service

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on MTV Launches Music Meter Artist-Ranking Service

New chart will track the popularity of new acts via social media buzz. By Gil Kaufman The MTV Music Meter Photo: MTV If you just went by the traditional music charts, you’d think that Susan Boyle is the hottest things since Willow Smith. But in many senses, you’d be wrong. On blogs, Twitter, YouTube and other social media sites, you’re not likely to see people posting viral spoofs of Boyle’s videos (does she even have any?) or tweeting about her latest red-carpet appearance (does she make any?). But with the launch of Music Meter on Tuesday (December 14), MTV is aiming to provide a new chart that gauges which artists are truly capturing the imagination of wired fans right now. Instead of relying solely on conventional metrics such as CD sales or radio play, the Music Meter ranks the top 100 artists based on their social media buzz, streams on video sites, and radio and sales data, providing a real-time portrait of up-and-coming and talked-about artists. Each listed artist is featured in a widget-like box with a drop-down menu that offers links to preview and purchase songs, as well as tabs with videos, photos, tweets, news stories and a bio. There’s also a “similar” button that will help users find other artists they might like based on those that have ranked on the chart. “We have a long history at MTV of locking arms with artists in the beginning of their careers and providing them with an opportunity to grow their audience base,” says MTV spokesperson Kurt Patat. “And you have lots of chances to discover music by Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, so when we were thinking about what we wanted the Music Meter to be, we thought of it as a discovery tool people can come to and find new music.” Unlike the recently launched “Ultimate Chart,” a similar digital-media-fueled site from analytics company Big Champagne, or Billboard magazine’s new “Social 50” tally, which ranks the most-active artists on social-networking sites, MTV’s Music Meter isn’t topped by such usual suspects as Rihanna, the Black Eyed Peas and Bieber. So, despite their viral strength, you won’t find many of those chart kings and queens at the top of the Music Meter (though you can search for them if you want and get all the same details). Instead, it’s an eclectic mix of acts known and lesser known — country, pop, hip-hop and world music — whose sounds people are digging at this moment. On Tuesday (December 14) morning, the list was topped by “Cooler Than Me” singer Mike Posner , followed by hard rockers My Darkest Days , country singer Easton Corbin , rapper Waka Flocka Flame , new wave revivalists Neon Trees , country gal Sunny Sweeney , R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan , reality-TV singer Jackie Evancho , superduo x and San Francisco indie rockers Girls. Further down the chart you will find everyone from up-and-coming rockers the Ready Set (#12) and singer-songwriter Matt White (#19) to rapper Yelawolf (#14) and Romanian singer Edward Maya (#27). And that’s the point, according to Patat. If the big stars were included, Music Meter would hardly change from day to day. This way, music fans can get exposed to a universe of acts that they may have never heard of or seen before and expand their horizons. The website will officially launch in March, but the beta site is up now. Patat says it’s the first of several exciting music products MTV plans to roll out over the next year. “MTV has played the role of curator for a long time and with so much music out there and everyone having access to thousands of songs, sometimes it’s hard to know what to listen to,” he explains. “So we’re giving you what the world is saying is cool and allowing you to discover much more from there.” What’s your opinion on MTV’s Music Meter chart? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Michael Jackson Album-Cover Artist Explains Hidden Meanings In His Work

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Michael Jackson Album-Cover Artist Explains Hidden Meanings In His Work

Kadir Nelson leads MTV News through his tribute to the King of Pop. By James Montgomery Kadir Nelson Photo: MTV News It is a testament to the legendary life of Michael Jackson that no matter how big a canvas artist Kadir Nelson used to tell MJ’s story — and at 9 feet wide and 4.5 feet tall, he used a pretty big one — he kept running out of room. It seems that Jackson’s reign as the King of Pop was just too lengthy, his list of achievements too large and his life too all-encompassing to be summed up in even the most massive of murals. “Michael’s life was so huge I couldn’t get it all into the painting,” Nelson told MTV News. “So I would take images from throughout his life that were milestones … images that would resonate with his fans. And even doing that was a challenge.” Still, Nelson gave it his best effort, and the result was “The King of Pop,” his epic tribute to Jackson’s life, which struck such a chord with the late icon’s estate (and his label, Sony Music) that it was chosen as the cover for the upcoming Michael album . But what fans see on that album is just a fraction of Nelson’s original work. ” ‘The King of Pop’ is the life story of Michael Jackson, so what you see on the album cover is the centerpiece of the mural; Michael is wearing his famous bejeweled glove, and he’s wearing a golden suit of armor, and he has this collar around his neck, like what you would see in a French painting of King Philip,” Nelson explained. “The theme for this painting is ‘royalty’ and ‘pop,’ because Michael was the King of Pop. So you have Michael being crowned by two Cupids, he has his birthstones in his crown. He’s wearing a soft, velvet drapery over his armor, because Michael had a very soft heart. Also, his hand is placed over his heart, because he had a big heart, and he put that big heart into everything he did.” And radiating from that royal image is Jackson’s life story, which begins with images of his childhood in Gary, Indiana, extends upward to a gallery of his musical influences (Barry Gordy, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye, to name just a few), and then explodes with the launch of his solo career, starting with his star-making turn at the “Motown 25” television special (where he unveiled his “moonwalk” dance) and rolling right along to his Thriller heyday. There are also portions of the painting dedicated to his Bad, Dangerous and HIStory albums, images of his children, the omnipresent media that followed him everywhere, and the women he shared close relationships with (Liz Taylor, Lisa Marie Presley and Madonna). There are also, as Nelson explained, coded images hidden throughout the painting, everything from bubbles (blown by his pet chimpanzee, of course), an apple (because, as the painter explained, “kids would call [Jackson] ‘Applehead’ on his Neverland Ranch”), Peter Pan soaring off into the Northern Lights (meant to symbolize Jackson’s ascension after his death) and, perhaps the most striking image of all, a golden throne atop a mountain: Jackson’s throne, never to be occupied again. “It’s empty,” Nelson explained, “Because no one will ever sit in it now that he’s gone.” What do you think of the Michael cover? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Photos Michael Jackson’s ‘Michael’ Cover Decoded Related Artists Michael Jackson

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