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T.I. Covering ‘Once Upon a Time in the Projects’ Is ‘Dope,’ Ice Cube Says

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I might have a little issue if it’s some of my bigger hits,’ Cube admits of Tip’s F— a Mixtape remake. By Shaheem Reid Ice Cube Photo: MTV News T.I. says when his new mixtape F— a Mixtape drops tomorrow, he won’t be going in on his peers’ beats; he has way too much material for that. The King of the South does, however, pay homage to a legend from the West. The tape will feature a remake of Ice Cube ‘s classic 1990 album cut “Once Upon a Time in the Projects.” “It’s dope,” Cube said about Tip’s musical tip of the hat to him. “It makes you realize you’ve made a impact on some of the younger MCs that come behind you. It’s cool to a point ’cause these are the songs I make my bread and butter off. I might have a little issue if it’s some of my bigger hits,” Cube added. “I might have an issue with that. But ‘Once Upon a Time in the Projects,’ that’s tight.” But Tip isn’t the first MC to rework Cube’s record. On his Doc’s Da Name 2000 LP, Redman took portions of the record for “Jersey Yo!” “Redman’s my man,” Cube smiled. “We go back a long way &#8212 all the way back to when he was just hanging out with EPMD. Red, he’s got a lot more leeway. But T.I.’s dope. I’m a fan of his records, so that’s tight.” On F— a Mixtape, dropping Thursday, T.I. worked with DJs Drama and MLK. The cover of the tape was released online on Wednesday and features a couple of old-school cassettes scattered beneath some newspapers with visible headlines. “We been talking about it for a minute &#8212 a long time,” Drama told MTV News in April. “It’s been quite a while since Tip has done a Gangsta Grillz. I guess The Leak was the last one. When Tip first got home, I had the conversation with him. ‘You home, Gangsta Grillz as a brand is still as hot as it ever was, almost helping breathe back life into the mixtape game. I think it will be right to come back full circle to where you are, to where the brand is.’ That’s how the conversation started.” Ice Cube’s new LP , I Am the West comes out July 13. Whose version do you like better? T.I.’s or Cube’s? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Ice Cube T.I.

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Christina Aguilera’s Bionic Will Settle Gaga Debate, Songwriter Says

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Once the album comes out … I don’t think the comparisons will last,’ says Claude Kelly. By Jocelyn Vena Christina Aguilera’s Bionic Photo: RCA Fans have already gotten a pretty good taste of what they can expect from Christina Aguilera ‘s upcoming album, Bionic, out June 8. In addition to the singles “Woohoo” and “Not Myself Tonight,” other tracks from the disc have leaked online. Despite rumors that worries about the album’s success are what prompted Aguilera to postpone her summer tour to 2011, songwriter Claude Kelly said it will be the album of the summer. “I’m excited about Christina,” Kelly told MTV News at the “Sex and the City 2” premiere, where he also dished about working with Leona Lewis and Jennifer Hudson on their track for the flick. Kelly said that he enjoyed hitting the studio with Aguilera to cook up some choice tunes for the release. “I did ‘Woohoo,’ which is the single out now,” he shared about the track that also features Nicki Minaj. “I did ‘Glam, which is kind of like futuristic, kind of an homage to ‘Vogue’ by Madonna. [I did] a song called ‘Vanity.’ [I did one called] ‘I Hate Boys.’ She has a fun record coming out.” Aguilera’s look during TV appearances and videos of late has led some Lady Gaga fans to accuse Christina of biting Gaga’s style . Kelly said the two pop queens couldn’t be more different. “I will say that there’s room for everybody,” he said. “I also know Gaga as well. She’s incredible. They really are honestly two different powerhouses. Once the album comes out and they hear what Christina’s doing, I don’t think the comparisons will last. But, I mean, at the end of the day, they’re both amazing women.” Are you looking forward to Christina’s new album? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos The Evolution Of: Christina Aguilera Related Artists Christina Aguilera

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Kings Of Leon Plan To Play Some ‘Beachy’ New Songs On Tour

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘It’ll be tough to not play the whole thing at Bonnaroo,’ drummer Nathan Followill says of upcoming album. By James Montgomery, with reporting by Sasha Hamrogue Nathan Followill of Kings Of Leon Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images The Kings of Leon may have ditched the sunny climes of Los Angeles (or their native Nashville) to work on the follow-up to their breakout album, Only by the Night, but that doesn’t mean the new album is shaping up to be a dour affair. Far from it, in fact. “[This is] the first time we’d ever recorded in New York City, and we thought we’d come out with a little more darker record, because we had done all our records either in Nashville or L.A., where it’s a little more chilled out, not as much hustle and bustle,” KOL drummer Nathan Followill told MTV Radio during a Bonnaroo conference call Tuesday. “And I’ll be damned if we didn’t go in there and make a fun record! It’s got songs that are beachy, it’s got songs that are a little more like our Youth and Young Manhood days. … We’re super excited.” Followill said the new album is nearly finished and that he and the rest of the Kings are now putting the finishing touches on it back in Nashville. There’s still no title or release date (or song titles: “We haven’t even named ’em all yet, to be honest”), but there’s a pretty good chance the band’s fans will get a sneak peek of some of the new material on KOL’s upcoming tour, which kicks off June 5 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and includes a headlining slot at the 2010 Bonnaroo festival , set for June 10-13 in Manchester, Tennessee. “The record’s coming along great, man. It’ll be tough to not play the whole thing at Bonnaroo,” Followill laughed. “We’re going to try to be very selective of what we play, but there will definitely be some new tunes, for sure. … Anytime you’re coming into a tour after a new record, especially one that’s not even out yet, it’s pretty tough to not play the whole thing, so our set list at Bonnaroo, I think it’ll be a lot of oldies, a lot of goodies and probably a few more new ones than people are expecting for us.” Will you check out Kings of Leon’s upcoming tour? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Kings Of Leon

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M.I.A. Admits ‘Born Free’ Video Copies Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Both our videos are road movies. We kill people, and they kill people,’ singer tells New York Times. By James Montgomery M.I.A. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ FilmMagic She might not have many nice things to say about Lady Gaga lately, but M.I.A. freely admits that her controversial “Born Free” video took more than a little inspiration from Gaga. Like, way more than a little. “With our video, we were really copying ‘Telephone,’ ” M.I.A. told the New York Times Magazine in a feature set to run on Sunday (May 30). “Both our videos are road movies. We kill people, and they kill people. They start out in a prison, and we start out in a squat, hunting people down.” But the (sorta) pleasantries end there, as M.I.A. went on to land another jab against Gaga. “All I’ll say is, it’s upsetting when babies say ‘ga-ga’ now,” the British/Sri Lankan artist told the magazine. “It used to be innocent. Now, they’re calling her name.” She said she gets annoyed when LG is praised for her originality — saying she mostly borrows from ABBA — and positively livid when her rival is compared to Madonna. “You can’t really say that Gaga is culturally a change,” she said. “Madonna was truly unique.” Of course, in the same feature, M.I.A.’s pal — and “Born Free” director — Romain Gavras gets far nastier, joking to the Times ‘ Lynn Hirschberg that “Madonna was pretty. … Pop stars should be pretty.” M.I.A. explained that she and Gavras had originally intended to shoot the “Born Free” clip on the U.S.-Mexican border, but ultimately had to move production to Los Angeles because, as she put it, “Interscope won.” And she told Hirschberg that she purposely avoided showing the completed video to the folks at the label (to which both she and Gaga are signed) because “the Interscope lawyers will want to send [it] to a censorship board.” (Of course, Interscope head Jimmy Iovine told the Times that not only did he see the video, but that it “was more than fine with me. … I didn’t even have a blink.”) Building on that concept, M.I.A. said she’s planning a stage show based entirely on censorship, with the audience’s every move monitored and recorded, and individuals singled out and asked to leave if they violate certain rules. “I want to be like the government,” she said. “It could be interesting.” Which video do you prefer, Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” or M.I.A.’s “Born Free”? Tell us why in the comments. Related Artists M.I.A. Lady Gaga

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Another ‘Glee’ Soundtrack Tops Billboard Album Charts

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Rolling Stones, Black Keys make strong debuts on next week’s top 200. By Gil Kaufman Photo: Columbia Records You’d think that the fourth “Glee” album within seven months would burn out the audience for Fox’s runaway high school musical show. But you’d be wrong. The peppy covers juggernaut will continue its reign of chart terror next week when Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers will easily take the #1 slot thanks to sales of 136,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. The disc — featuring covers of songs by the Beatles, All-American Rejects, Christina Aguilera, Bonnie Tyler and U2 — is the second #1 “Glee” record in a row after last month’s The Power of Madonna disc. Coming in at #2 was the reissue of the Rolling Stones ‘ landmark Exile on Main St. album, which sold more than 76,000 copies. Just behind, with the best chart debut of their career, are Ohio blues duo the Black Keys , whose Brothers moved more than 73,000 copies for a #3 bid, besting a solid debut at #5 by Nas and Damian Marley ‘s collaboration Distant Relatives (57,000). (The Billboard 200 chart now includes older catalog albums like Exile ; in the current albums chart, the Keys are at #2.) Also breaking into the top 10 with a career best are Band of Horses , whose major-label debut, Infinite Arms, gave the tattoos and tumbleweeds rockers a solid #7 berth on sales of 45,000. The final debut in the top 10, at #10, is the second effort from indie-dance punks LCD Soundsystem , This Is Happening, which moved 31,000 copies. The rest of the top 10: Justin Bieber ‘s My World 2.0 (#4, 62,000), Lady Antebellum ‘s Need You Now (#6, 46,000), Usher ‘s Raymond v. Raymond (#8, 40,000) and AC/DC’s “Iron Man 2” soundtrack (#9, 32,000). The National ‘s stay the top was short-lived, as their latest, High Violet, falls 12 spots in week two to #15 (22,000). Meanwhile, the long-anticipated full-length debut of R&B freakazoid Janelle Monae , The Archandroid, hits #17 (21,000), followed by the return of Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek’s Reflection Eternal , Revolutions Per Minute (#18, 21,000). The second album from Jack White’s Dead Weather also had a brief sojourn near the top, as Sea of Cowards shed 72 percent of its business in week two, plunging 25 spots to #30 (13,000). A rarities comp of the Stones’ Exile also comes in at #50, selling nearly 9,000 copies. Look for more shake-ups at the top next week when new albums from the reunited Stone Temple Pilots , rapper Cam’ron and the latest from Jack Johnson hit shelves. Related Artists The Rolling Stones The Black Keys

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‘American Idol’ Report Card: Did Bowersox Or DeWyze Top The Finale?

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Whether she wins or not, there’s no doubting that Bowersox is season nine’s finest artist. By Eric Ditzian Crystal Bowersox Photo: FOX It’s final report card time in our “American Idol” classroom, but before we get into sizing up Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze’s performances , the first grade has simply got to go to the show’s producers. Y’all get a wholehearted Excellent for the out-of-the-box decision to ditch those cloying original singles from past seasons (“This is My Now”! “No Boundaries”!) and let the contestants sing cover songs. Thus what we got on Tuesday night was the prospect of six great songs, and the challenge for our remaining two students was to sing them well. That didn’t always happen. Even this late in the game, our two finalists are not summa cum laude all-stars. But they both have come a long way since their Chicago auditions. We’re happy to think that both Bowersox and DeWyze will be moving on to careers as recording artists. But only one of them will walk away with title of season nine’s valedictorian. It’s time to whip out the red pen and lay down some grades with our last “Idol” report card of 2010. Excellent Crystal Bowersox, “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” : MamaSox saved her best for last. Really, this Patty Griffin cover might have been her finest effort of the entire season. It was a “moment” — that oft-referenced, usually elusive connection between artist, material and audience — and it left us with goose bumps galore. We can compare her to other artists — Janis Joplin, Tracy Chapman — but Crystal deserves a little more respect than that: In the 21st century, she’s a true original. Mixing up soul and gospel and blues and folk traditions, she created something wholly fresh. Who’s to say if she’ll win “Idol.” Predict the whims of the voting public at your own peril. But there’s no doubting that Bowersox is the finest artist of season nine. Good Lee DeWyze, “Everybody Hurts” : The 24-year-old bounced back from a weak opening number with a surprisingly powerful take on this R.E.M. track . Pitch problems aside, the arrangement was on point and the song was a perfect fit for Lee’s style and vocal abilities. But he still didn’t look comfortable. What’s more, he looked like he was about to burst into tears when Simon Cowell called him out for being nervous. Crystal Bowersox, “Black Velvet” : First things first, MamaSox: What was with your awkward negotiation of those stairs? We wondered why you did so much moving and shaking across the stage last week during your killer “Maybe I’m Amazed,” and we were almost angry that you decided to do it again this week. Nonetheless, you sounded great, even if you looked a bit uncomfortable taking those steps in your high heels. The song had blues, it had rock, it had your fierce vocals on display. This was the first song of the night to truly rock, and we dug it the most. Satisfactory Crystal Bowersox, “Me and Bobby McGee” : We’re hesitant to drop MamaSox down into this category because no matter what she sings, the 24-year-old sounds amazing. Yet not only was this her weakest performance of the night, it was also far less compelling then her original take on the song in March. When she gets to that free-flowing soul vibe of hers, it’s simply magical. And she was instantly comfortable up on the stage from the first note in a way DeWyze just couldn’t match. The second half of the song, though, sped up too quickly, veering into an almost honky-tonk swing that made it seem as if Crystal was just trying to keep up. Two months ago, this would have earned her a Good grade. On finale night, it was just Satisfactory. Lee DeWyze, “Beautiful Day” : Cowell implored DeWyze to come out for his third and final performance and make it a 10-out-of-10 game-changer. His overly serious take on U2’s “Beautiful Day” was anything but that. Pitchy from the very beginning, the very definition of a karaoke performance, his rendition was all sorts of wrong. As he struggled to sustain those climactic notes, we worried several blood vessels in his neck were about to burst. Kudos for not passing out onstage. Alas, staying upright is not enough to get you anything higher than a Satisfactory. Unsatisfactory Lee DeWyze, “The Boxer” : Why does the guy find himself dangling at the low end of the grading curve on this one, a tune that was arguably his finest when he first unleashed it earlier this month? It was simply Lee’s most uninspired performance of the evening. Maybe it was a case of finale nerves, but it was utterly lacking in passion and energy. The fuller arrangement overwhelmed his less than powerful vocals. And, through no fault of his own, this second go at the Simon & Garfunkel tune just lacked the surprise factor it had earlier in the season. When Cowell has to resort to an awkward metaphor in which he implores Lee to kiss him on the lips, you know DeWyze was just a mess up on the stage. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Lee DeWyze: From Illinois Boy To ‘American Idol’ Star Crystal Bowersox’s ‘American Idol’ Experience ‘American Idol’ Season Nine Performances

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Christina Aguilera Pens Open Letter Explaining Tour Postponement

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Singer says she didn’t have enough time to prepare a tour ‘at the caliber you expect from me.’ By Gil Kaufman Christina Aguilera Photo: Denise Truscello/ Wireimage In the end, there was just not enough time to get things together. That’s what Christina Aguilera told fans in an open letter she posted on her website on Tuesday, explaining her decision to pull the plug on her already-announced summer tour in support of her upcoming Bionic album. “I made the decision to move my summer tour and I am truly sorry to those of you who had purchased tickets and have been disappointed by the news,” Aguilera wrote. “Immediately after wrapping production on ‘Burlesque,’ I went directly back into the studio and then quickly started the promotional process for Bionic. With both the album press and film press, I am booked the entire summer and need time to focus on the work at hand. After reviewing the schedule with my team, I realized there was not enough time to put together and rehearse for a proper show, one that is at the caliber you expect from me or at the level I would present to my fans. In addition, my album has not even been released as yet, and I would like for you all to become familiar with the music before you hear it live on tour. Again, I am sorry to have to move the dates but I promise to come see you when the time is right!” The tour’s promoter said the dates will be rescheduled for 2011, but no specific timetable has been given for when fans will see Aguilera hit the road again.

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Diddy Reveals His Oscar Influence On ‘Inside The Actor’s Studio’

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| 3 Comments

‘I’m gonna help you win an Oscar,’ producer/actor recalls telling ‘Monster’s Ball’ co-star Halle Berry. By Jayson Rodriguez Diddy appears on “Inside The Actor’s Studio” on Tuesday Photo: Bravo It turns out Diddy ‘s Midas touch extends beyond music. The hip-hop mogul told “Inside the Actor’s Studio” host James Lipton, during his pre-taped appearance that aired Tuesday night (May 25), that he predicted Halle Berry would win an Academy Award for “Monster’s Ball” — with his aid. “I knocked on Halle’s door at a hotel,” Diddy recalled, after his acting coach urged him to jet across the country to claim his role in the movie. “And she was like, ‘What are you doing here?’ I was like, ‘Give me five minutes. Do you remember when people just looked at you as a pretty face? Remember in “Strictly Business” and no one would give you chance? I know you may think that I’m gonna be polarizing, that I’m gonna take your shot to win a Oscar.’ But I said, ‘I’m gonna help you win an Oscar. I’m gonna be believable.’ I said, ‘Give me a chance.’ ” Berry, of course, did go on to earn an Oscar for her portrayal of Leticia Torres, an embattled wife whose husband was executed by her new lover, a fact she learned after their hookup. Diddy joked that with Berry’s win and later Phylicia Rashad’s Tony win for “A Raisin in the Sun,” he has a recruiting pitch for his future co-stars. “You’ll always win,” he said. Throughout his conversation with Lipton, Diddy was engaging, jovial and displayed a restrained charisma. The producer/rapper-turned-actor had the support of his mother, Janice Combs, and his son, Justin Combs, who were seated in the audience, along with a number of aspiring actors, writers and directors. Diddy took questions from the crowd and told the students to never take no for an answer, citing the encouragement from his acting coach, Susan Batson. Diddy appeared on the show to help promote his latest film, “Get Him to the Greek.” In the movie, Diddy plays an over-the-top record executive — he told Lipton his character, Sergio, was only mildly similar to himself — that has been earning rave reviews from his co-stars, including Jonah Hill . “I think Diddy’s going to really shock people,” Hill told MTV News earlier this year. “We were saying Diddy’s kind of the McLovin of ‘Get Him to the Greek.’ You don’t know what he’s going to do. Every time he breathes in the movie, it garners a huge laugh.” What did you think about Diddy’s “Inside the Actor’s Studio” appearance? Let us know in the comments! Check out everything we’ve got on “Get Him to the Greek.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Artists Diddy

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Slipknot Call Bassist Paul Gray ‘The Best Of Us’

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Paul Gray was the essence of the band Slipknot,’ percussionist Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan says at Iowa press conference. By James Montgomery Slipknot’s Corey Taylor Photo: Charlie Neibergall/ AP In an emotional press conference held in Des Moines, Iowa, late Tuesday evening (May 25), members of Slipknot remembered bassist Paul Gray, who was found dead in an Iowa hotel room Monday morning. The eight remaining members of the group — all appearing unmasked — spoke at length about their friend and bandmate, recalling a man who went above and beyond the call of duty for both Slipknot and their fanatic fanbase. “He was everything that was wonderful about this band and about this group of people,” frontman Corey Taylor said. “The only way I can sum up Paul Gray is ‘love.’ Everything he did, he did for everyone around him whether he knew you or not … and that’s what he’s left behind for us: absolute love. I will miss him with every fiber of my heart, as will everybody at this table and everyone who knew him. He was the best of us.” “It’s very important that everybody on the outside of us understands that Paul Gray was the essence of the band Slipknot. … Paul was there from the very, very beginning, and none of us would be on the path that we’re on now in life or have the sorts of life that we have without him,” percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan added. ” Paul loved the fans . He was kind of the person in the band that really wanted everybody in the band to always get along and just concentrate on the band. He was a really great friend and a really great person. He’s going to be sadly missed, and the world is going to be a different place without him.” Slipknot did not take any questions from the media and allowed Gray’s wife, Brenna, to speak last about her late husband. “Paul was my husband, an amazing person, and I want people to remember him for that,” she said, fighting back tears. “And his daughter will remember him for the way he was.” The couple were expecting their first child, reportedly due in September. Earlier on Tuesday, the Des Moines Register reported that an autopsy of Gray’s body revealed no cause of death and that the Polk County medical examiner is awaiting results of toxicology testing — which could take up to six weeks to complete — before ruling on a cause of death in the case. Share your memories of Paul Gray and Slipknot in the comments below. Related Videos Slipknot’s Paul Gray: 1972-2010 Related Photos Slipknot’s Paul Gray: A Life In Photos Related Artists Slipknot

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Kanye West ‘Took Over’ NYC Nightclub To Preview Songs

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Kanye leaned over and said, ‘Play track three.’ They all went nuts,’ DJ Scram Jones says of partiers at CV. By Jayson Rodriguez Kanye West Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Kanye West has largely shunned the spotlight since his stage-crashing rant at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards in September. Save for a few appearances — joining Beyonc

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