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Miranda Lambert Says Grammy Noms Show Country Is ‘Finally Out There’

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Miranda Lambert Says Grammy Noms Show Country Is ‘Finally Out There’

‘We’re not out by ourselves anymore,’ multiple nominee tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by James Lascina Miranda Lambert Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images Miranda Lambert, one of country music’s latest crossover darlings, is now a multiple Grammy nominee . Lambert herself is up for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “The House That Built Me,” Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for “Bad Angel” with Jamey Johnson and Dierks Bentley, and Best Country Album for Revolution . “I got three, and ‘The House That Built Me’ got nominated for Song Of The Year, which goes to the songwriters,” she told MTV News after learning of the nominations. “So, I’m thrilled for them!” Lambert notes that being nominated for an award as beloved as a Grammy proves that country is now as mainstream as any other genre of music. “It feels good to be nominated for a Grammy at all, but three is so special,” she gushed. “It’s such a prestigious awards show. It’s mattered so much in just all music, especially for country right now, because I think we’re finally out there. We’re finally where people are paying attention to country music, and we’re part of the world of music now. We’re not out by ourselves anymore.” Plus, going to the Grammys in February means that she’ll not only get to chill with her fellow country stars, but also the likes of Lady Gaga and Eminem. “I’m glad that I get to be a part of all this. I mean, Grammys are cool because it’s one room and all these artists and one night to celebrate all kinds of music, and for the people in the industry to acknowledge the talent in the room,” she said. “And it’s so cool to be in that room and feel that energy. It’s just crazy, because music is what drives us all.” Do you think Lambert or “The House That Built Me” will win a Grammy? Make your predictions in the comments below! Related Videos 2011 Grammy Nomination Reactions Related Artists Miranda Lambert

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Miranda Lambert Says Grammy Noms Show Country Is ‘Finally Out There’

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Cee Lo Green Feels ‘Ecstatic’ Over Grammy Noms

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Cee Lo Green Feels ‘Ecstatic’ Over Grammy Noms

‘I feel empowered. I feel open-minded, optimistic, alive and well,’ the singer said after receiving five nominations for ‘F— You.’ By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by James Lacsina Cee Lo Green Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images A lot of music fans think Cee Lo Green released one of the greatest kiss-off songs of 2010 and it seems that the people who make the decisions for the Grammys feel the same way. On Wednesday night, Green’s “F— You” received five Grammy nominations , although the singer insists that he’d be happy for the chance to win any trophy come February. “Record of the Year, Song of the Year — it’s awesome to be nominated at all,” Cee Lo told MTV News after learning of his nominations. “To be recognized at all it’s very affectionate, especially from your peers. It’s all of the incentive anyone would need to continue on and even if not the acknowledgement then and there, the inspiration to continue it’s enough motivation. I appreciate it.” Green’s other nominations for the track includes Best Short Form Music Video, Best Urban/Alternative Performance and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. “It feels great man. It feels great. I feel ecstatic. I feel energized,” he added. “I feel empowered. I feel open-minded, optimistic, alive and well. It’s awesome.” While Green is receiving all the attention for “F— You,” he says some of the credit for the now-beloved track goes to fellow Grammy nominee Bruno Mars , who co-wrote the song. “I worked with Bruno for about a year and a half. I was living in L.A. at the time. I recorded the album Lady Killer and I met him before all his success, on the eve of all his success, and I did realize that he was a very talented guy going into the situation,” Cee Lo said of his collaborator. “And so I did something that I don’t normally do [and] that is kind of opened up my [space and] shared my creative space with someone to write and produce and trade ideas. So it worked out for me, so I’m glad I did. I’m glad I sacrificed that. [He’s] very great guy.” Related Videos 2011 Grammy Nomination Reactions Related Photos The 2011 Grammy Nominations Concert Related Artists Cee Lo Green

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Cee Lo Green Feels ‘Ecstatic’ Over Grammy Noms

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Justin Bieber Shocked, Then Stoked About Grammy Noms

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Justin Bieber Shocked, Then Stoked About Grammy Noms

Best New Artist nominee’s My World 2.0 up for 2011 best pop award. By Gil Kaufman Justin Bieber Photo: Gerardo Mora/ Getty Images Though he was a bit tongue-tied when host LL Cool J asked him to react to his Grammy nomination for Best New Artist on Wednesday night during the “Grammy Nominations Concert Live!” special, Justin Bieber got his thoughts together a short time later and had a lot more to say about the honor. “Just went to bed and thought I was nominated for 1 #grammy and was already freakin out … then @scooterbraun [Bieber’s manager] just called me … 2 nominations!!,” the 16-year-old star tweeted from London. And as the news of his first-ever Grammy noms sunk in, Bieber couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. “What!?!? what?!?!!? 2!! #Heck yes!! Love everyone. Never say never!!!,” he wrote, adding, “Win or lose … this is #crazy!! the Grammys!!! #Holy crap!!!” Those reactions were a bit more enthusiastic than the ones he gave on-air with host LL. During a brief back-and-forth on the show after Paramore’s Hayley Williams announced the nominees for Best New Artist, Bieber seemed stunned and was at a loss for words when the rapper asked him how it felt. “Wow. It feels amazing. I can’t believe I’m in this position. I want to thank all my fans, everybody. I want to thank … the board. I don’t know what to say,” Bieber stammered. The teen idol has some pretty stiff competition in the new-artist category, including rapper Drake, buzz bands Florence & the Machine and Mumford & Sons and a dark-horse candidate, jazz singer Esperanza Spalding. There aren’t any slouches in the other category Bieber snagged a nomination in, either. His My World 2.0 will face off in the race for Best Pop Vocal Album against releases from Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Susan Boyle and John Mayer. Bieber performed his hit “Favorite Girl” on the Grammy concert special and later posted a video with a more-enthusiastic reaction to his double nomination. “Hey everyone, it’s 3 in the morning over here in London, and LL Cool J just told me I’m a Grammy-nominated artist,” Bieber says in the clip, sitting calmly on a stool in a green-screen studio. “I was a little nervous, shell-shocked. I didn’t really get to show you guys how I really feel,” he admits, before jumping out of his seat and shouting, “Yes! Yes! I am a Grammy-nominated artist! Never say never! Never say never!” as he spins in circles, pumps his fists and spikes his baseball hat on the ground. The Best New Artist nod must have been especially sweet for JB, since just this January at the 2010 Grammy Awards, he and Ke$ha presented the statue in that category, and he said he was looking forward to possibly being on the stage again in 2011 . Who do you think will win the Grammy for Best New Artist? Tell us your prediction in the comments below! Related Videos 2011 Grammy Nomination Reactions Related Photos Justin Bieber Takes Over The Bodies Of Other Teen Idols The 2011 Grammy Nominations Concert Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Justin Bieber Shocked, Then Stoked About Grammy Noms

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Katy Perry Thanks Her ‘Gut’ And ‘TeamKaty’ For Grammy Nominations

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Katy Perry Thanks Her ‘Gut’ And ‘TeamKaty’ For Grammy Nominations

Singer earns four nods, including Album of the Year for Teenage Dream. By Gil Kaufman Katy Perry Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ WireImage Wednesday night was a pretty good one for Katy Perry. Not only did the newlywed get to open the “Grammy Nominations Concert Live!” show with her mega-hit “California Gurls,” she also picked up a handful of nominations. Four of them, actually, including the biggie, Album of the Year, for Teenage Dream . “WOW,” was her ecstatic Twitter reaction after the Grammy nods were announced. “It’s an AMAZING honor to be nominated & recognized by my other hard working peers tonight. So happy that I trusted my gut w/ this record.” Perry’s second single this year, “Teenage Dream,” also got a nod in the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She’ll also face off against fellow divas Lady Gaga and Susan Boyle in the Best Pop Vocal Album category. Though Snoop Dogg was not on hand to do his bit on “Gurls” on Wednesday night, Katy, 26, and the Doggfather may have something to celebrate on Grammy night on February 13 if she wins for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for their hook-up on that summer jam. The singer was happy to share the love with her peeps as well, tweeting , “& thank u to all the AMAZING #TEAMKATY people I’ve been blessed to surround myself with… couldn’t do it w/out u. It takes a village!” Perry opened the show with a winter-themed run through her ode to bikinis and sunshine. Wearing a glittery silver mini-dress with snowflake details, and accessorizing with a matching microphone and Christmas ornament headpiece, Perry looked like a pinup ice queen as her backing band shimmered behind her in their own blinged-out costumes. Are you surprised by this year’s Grammy nominations? Share your reactions in the comments. Related Photos The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!! Related Artists Katy Perry

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Katy Perry Thanks Her ‘Gut’ And ‘TeamKaty’ For Grammy Nominations

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Shanga Christmas Tree Decorations Recycle Hopes

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Shanga Christmas Tree Decorations Recycle Hopes

Photo: Shanga.org These beautiful Christmas stars were made in Tanzania by a small company with a heartwarming story. The stars are made of recycled materials. They come in 15 different colours, are affordable and going like hotcakes. … Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Shanga Christmas Tree Decorations Recycle Hopes

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Curren$y Calls Himself ‘A Living Mission Statement’

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Curren$y Calls Himself ‘A Living Mission Statement’

MC plans to drop three albums this year, including the just-released Pilot Talk 2. By Hillary Crosley Curren$y Photo: MTV News Forget releasing multiple mixtapes in one year; what about multiple albums? New Orleans MC Curren$y has done just that, releasing his follow-up to July’s Pilot Talk, appropriately titled Pilot Talk 2, on November 22. “I have no shortage of raps, and there’s no shortage of wack music in the world, so there has to be an alternative,” Curren$y told MTV News. “There’s people who are not so excited about what’s going on with music. A lot of the times, it sounds like the same song’s on the radio all day, even though it’s not. Everything sounds like everything.” The MC, who released his first Pilot Talk LP through Damon Dash’s revitalized Roc-A-Fella label and Island Def Jam, is no stranger to the taxes of an artist’s life. But Curren$y, born Shante Franklin, decided to take his career into his own hands, shying away from radio-friendly songs in favor of smoke-filled grooves like the ’70s-inspired song “Famous” on his newest project. “The fact that everybody gives me so much flak for not conforming lets me know that there’s a need for this,” Curren$y said. “It’s a break from the norm, like, ‘Well, I’m gonna keep on doing this. I should give them two before it’s done.’ Everybody’s like, ‘Ah, if he would just do a song for the radio.’ “I’m trying to show that there’s a way to survive without playing that game, without conforming,” he continued. “So the fact that I could put three albums out not conforming shows people like, ‘Dude, if you think you’re right, you’re probably right.’ Just stick to your guns and eventually it’ll all line up … I am just a living mission statement; I have to do it.” The MC says that he’s planning to release one more album this year, Muscle Car Chronicles, and Pilot Talk 3 will hit shelves possibly in April. Curren$y, along with Smoke DZA, Nipsey Hu$$le and Dom Kennedy, hit the road Thursday for the Smoker’s Club Tour West in Seattle. What do you think about Curren$y’s nonstop album releases? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Curren$y

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Alicia Keys Talks Sacrificing Her Digital Life On World AIDS Day

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Alicia Keys Talks Sacrificing Her Digital Life On World AIDS Day

Singer tells MTV News celebrity ‘Buy Life’ campaign is a ‘shocker’ but will engage everyone in cause of HIV/AIDS awareness. By Jayson Rodriguez Alicia Keys Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images Alicia Keys walked into the CNN newsroom on Wednesday (December 1) and saw the staff swirling around working and thought the sight would make for a cool picture to send to her Twitter followers. The thing is, she’d killed off her digital life the night before. So no TwitPic, but Keys isn’t sweating it as she’s leading a campaign called Buy Life to raise awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS and the many lives lost in Africa and India. The idea is for people to donate money to “buy back” hers and other celebrities’ digital lives by texting donations to benefit her Keep a Child Alive organization. And the slogan is simple: You buy a digital life to save a real one. “You can really feel the energy of it, it’s there,” Keys told MTV News of the campaign, which has set a goal of raising $1 million before celebrity participants like Usher, Kim Kardashian and Swizz Beatz return to Twitter and Facebook. “I love that. That’s what’s so important about it, we’re engaging everyone,” Keys continued. “Not only are these incredible artists deciding to sacrifice their digital life until we collectively raise $1 million for the cause, but we’re asking everyone who participates in our Twitter and Facebook and who we communicate with to be a part of it as well. I think a lot of people feel like there are things going on in the world and want to do something but [think], ‘What am I supposed to do?’ So it feels like people have an outlet and a way to participate. By texting, by buying Usher’s life back, I think they get a bit of a shocker, but I think people will love it. And they’ll pay attention and know what do to.” The initiative by Keys’ Keep a Child Alive was launched on Wednesday to coincide with World Aids Day. In addition to the “Un-Thinkable” singer, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Seacrest and others have also given up their digital lives. Jay Sean told MTV News that while the approach may shock, sometimes ideas like this are needed to get a message across. “I think we all sometimes turn a blind eye to things that might be depressing, too heavy,” the U.K. singer said. “But sometimes you need to be really shook up and poked and prodded to do something, because the way I believe is that every human needs another human being to get some life. … We need each other, and I feel like we should all help each other.” Will you help bring your favorite celeb back to life? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Alicia Keys

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B.o.B Plans ‘A Little Bit Of Magic’ For Grammy Nominations Concert

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on B.o.B Plans ‘A Little Bit Of Magic’ For Grammy Nominations Concert

‘This year, all the success, all the doors that have been opened have really taken me by surprise,’ he tells MTV News of his own Grammy chances. By Kelley L. Carter, with reporting by James Lacsina B.o.B at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday Photo: James Lacsina B.o.B is ready to hit the stage. He’s been performing one of the hottest songs all year long, so it’s only appropriate that he and Bruno Mars perform it one more time at Wednesday night’s (December 1) Grammy Nominations Concert at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. Earlier Wednesday, the rapper performed “Don’t Let Me Fall” on his own and, later, his big hit “Nothin’ on You” with Bruno Mars. “It was a really good way to kick it off and be more involved with the overall experience,” he said of the concert. B.o.B said he doesn’t have too many expectations about how the Grammy nominations might shake out, considering that this is his first year being involved. When asked if he might do something a bit different for his performance during the nominations special, the “Magic” MC joked, “Just a little bit of magic.” Bobby Ray has some predictions for his colleagues when it comes to Grammy night: “I think Cee Lo and Bruno Mars could win because of their musicality and what they brought.” But what about the rapper’s own chances? “If Bruno is nominated, I probably might be nominated also. It’s kind of a win-win situation for both of us,” he said of his collaborator. “This year, all the success, all the doors that have been opened have really taken me by surprise.” The nominations special airs Wednesday night on CBS at 10 ET/PT. The 53rd annual Grammys air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 13, and will be broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Stick with MTV News for everything about the Grammys, including nominations and reactions from the artists. What do you think of B.o.B’s chances for the Grammy nominations? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists B.o.B

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Where Does Kanye West’s Fantasy Rank Among Biggest 2010 Debuts?

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Where Does Kanye West’s Fantasy Rank Among Biggest 2010 Debuts?

Taylor Swift’s Speak Now leads the pack with more than a million sold in its first week. By James Montgomery Kanye West Photo: Jim Spellman/ WireImage By now, you’re probably aware that Kanye West is once again king of the Billboard albums chart , as his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy sold nearly 496,000 copies to grab the top spot. Fantasy is West’s fourth straight album to debut at #1, and its first-week numbers are most definitely eye-popping — but they’re not the biggest of 2010. That honor actually goes to someone with whom West is well-acquainted, Taylor Swift, whose Speak Now scored the year’s biggest debut, selling an incredible 1,046,718 copies in its first week back in late October. Eminem’s massive Recovery — which is the best-selling album of 2010, with more than 3 million copies moved — is next, as it sold more than 741,000 copies when it was released in June. Soldier of Love, Sade’s first album in nearly a decade, posted the year’s third-highest debut, selling nearly 502,000 copies in February. West’s Dark Twisted Fantasy is up next at #4, followed by Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now, which sold nearly 481,000 copies in its first week. Rounding out the top 10 are Drake’s Thank Me Later (#6, nearly 447,000 copies), Nicki Minaj’s just-released Pink Friday (#7, 375,000 copies), Usher’s Raymond v. Raymond (#8, 329,000 copies), Susan Boyle’s The Gift (#9, nearly 318,000) and Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 (#10, nearly 283,000 copies sold). Falling just outside the top 10 are the year’s two biggest rock debuts: Jack Johnson, whose To the Sea sold nearly 243,000 copies when it was released in June, and Linkin Park, who sold more than 241,000 copies of their A Thousand Suns album in September. Have you checked out Kanye’s new album? Share your reviews in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Kanye West Related Artists Kanye West

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Where Does Kanye West’s Fantasy Rank Among Biggest 2010 Debuts?

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Nicki Minaj Says She’s Euphoric Over Pink Friday Sales

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Nicki Minaj Says She’s Euphoric Over Pink Friday Sales

‘I feel this weird calm feeling,’ the ‘Right Thru Me’ MC tells MTV News after #2 chart debut. By Jayson Rodriguez Nicki Minaj Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images After all of the frenzy leading up Nicki Minaj’s full-length release, the much-anticipated debut landed a plum #2 spot on the Billboard albums chart. So how does she feel now? “I feel this weird calm feeling,” the Queens lyricist told MTV News by phone on Wednesday (December 1). The rapper moved 375,000 copies of Pink Friday — bested only by the 496,000 copies Kanye West’s My Dark Beautiful Twisted Fantasy sold — making her the first female MC in more than a decade to debut with that kind of tally. (Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill sold 423,000 in its first week.) “I’m just so grateful and kind of still in shock. These numbers haven’t been put up since 1998,” she continued, referring to Hill’s debut. It just makes me feel proud of my team, proud of my fans, everyone who has had something to do with my dreams. Finally, we are seeing this dream come to fruition. It feels incredible.” Off the strength of her rapidly growing fanbase of Barbies and Ken Barbs, Minaj earned a larger first-week sales mark than recent projects by notable stars like Rihanna and Ne-Yo. Up next, the Lil Wayne prot

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