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Los Looking For Diddy To ‘Amplify’ His Career

‘Now it’s officially time to move forward,’ Baltimore MC tells MTV News of getting to work with Bad Boy Records. By Rob Markman Los Photo: MTV News Los had no idea that Diddy would be announcing his signing to Bad Boy with MTV News at the top of the month, but now that the cat is out of the bag, the Baltimore, Maryland, rap stand-out is excited to get to work. “He didn’t tell me that he was gonna say it. I think that he was just in the moment and he was just goin’ and it just kinda came out,” Los told MTV News on Tuesday. “I got the news at the same time other people got the news.” The The Crown Ain’t Safe MC officially signed his deal with Diddy’s storied label at the end of last year, but they had decided to save the announcement. The news broke a little earlier than Los expected, but he is hyped up nonetheless. “I was just excited about it. I was like, ‘Now it’s officially time to move forward, let’s get everything goin’,’ because we had been keeping low for a minute,” he said. This isn’t Los’ first go-round with Bad Boy, however. He auditioned for Puff’s “Making the Band 2” in 2002 and made it to the end of the competition, but wasn’t a part of the manufactured Da Band because he wouldn’t sign the necessary waivers. The truth is, Los wasn’t interested in being a part of a group, but he would go on to sign a solo deal with Diddy around 2005. The original Bad Boy deal went through a local independent label that Los was signed to, but after the owners of the label went through some legal trouble, Los was released from Bad Boy in 2008. Still, he and Combs maintained a connection. “He called me every day, every night; he called me,” Los said. “Man this guy don’t sleep; he would call me 2 in the morning, then text me 3 in the morning, text me 4, 5. I’m like, ‘Yo when is he getting rest?’ ” Diddy’s texts would pretty much mirror the motivational tweets he’s known to send. In the middle of the night, Los we get random messages like “Let’s make history” and “Let’s go!” It was that type of energy that the young MC craved. Eventually he decided that he would once again sign with Bad Boy. “It just reminded me of his brand and what it represents: no sleep, hard work, history, success,” Los said of the work ethic that has become synonymous with all things Diddy. “I decided to bring back to Puff, and I felt like no one could amplify my situation as much as he could anyway.” What do you think of Los’ decision to re-sign with Bad Boy? Leave your comment below. Related Artists Diddy

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Los Looking For Diddy To ‘Amplify’ His Career

Ray J Feels Overwhelming ‘Emptiness’ Over Loss Of Whitney Houston

‘What my heart feels cannot be expressed in words,’ singer says in a statement issued to MTV News. By Rob Markman Ray J and Whitney Houston in 2008 Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage The sudden death of Whitney Houston has left her family, friends and fans broken-hearted. And on Friday (February 17), her close friend Ray J finally ended his silence, releasing this statement to MTV News: “Over the past few days I’ve tried to process the emptiness that I am experiencing. What my heart feels cannot be expressed in words. The world lost an icon but I lost my close friend. Nippy I miss you so much! You were so happy and full of love. Your smile will live in my heart forever.” The “One Wish” singer was no doubt close to Houston, and while neither ever confirmed a romance, it was widely speculated that he and Houston were an item. Soon after Houston was found dead in her L.A. hotel room on February 11, reports began to surface that it was Ray J who found her body in a bath tub at the Beverly Hilton. Those reports were quickly refuted by Ray J’s representative. The statement comes just a day before Houston is to be laid to rest following her funeral at Newark, New Jersey’s New Hope Baptist Church Saturday at noon. The funeral is invite-only, but fans will be able to watch an online live stream . New Hope Pastor Joe A. Carter will preside over the ceremony, and gospel singer Marvin Winans will give the eulogy. People magazine reported on Thursday that Kevin Costner, who co-starred with Houston in the 1992 film “The Bodyguard,” will also speak at the funeral. Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston Ray J

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Ray J Feels Overwhelming ‘Emptiness’ Over Loss Of Whitney Houston

Katy Perry Spotted Shooting New Video On Military Base

‘Part of Me’ singer was seen wearing Army fatigues on set in California. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry Photo: Getty Images Katy Perry may be deep in shooting the video for her latest single, “Part of Me.” The singer was spotted wearing a military uniform on the set of something this week. In several photos that made their way online, Perry dons a cropped black wig and fatigues. One shot is of her standing next to male soldiers. Another features her is of her standing in a store. The last photo is of her in a pool with a soldier (still wearing the army garb). According to Perez Hilton , she is shooting the military-themed video at Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. A rep for the base could not confirm reports that she is shooting there when contacted by MTV News. Meanwhile, her rep had not responded to our request for comment by press time. Earlier this week, Perry teased that she was looking forward to hitting the set for the “Part of Me” video. “Holy power of the Grammy’s, Part Of Me is already top 10 on itunes! U guys are killing it! NICE! Can’t wait to shoot this video!” she tweeted on Monday, one day after she debuted the song at the Grammys . The Teenage Dream: Complete Confection song is a bit darker than most Perry fans might be used to. The song is about the dissolution of a relationship, during which Perry sings scathing lines like “Days like this I want to drive away/ Pack bags and watch your shadow fade/ You chewed me up and spit me out like I was poison in your mouth/ You took my life, you drank me down/ But that was then and this is now.” And in what has been taken as a jab at her former hubby, Russell Brand, she adds, “You can keep the diamond ring/ It don’t mean nothing anyway.” What did you think of Katy Perry’s Grammys performance? Leave your comment below! Related Artists Katy Perry

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Katy Perry Spotted Shooting New Video On Military Base

Katy Perry Spotted Shooting New Video On Military Base

‘Part of Me’ singer was seen wearing Army fatigues on set in California. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry Photo: Getty Images Katy Perry may be deep in shooting the video for her latest single, “Part of Me.” The singer was spotted wearing a military uniform on the set of something this week. In several photos that made their way online, Perry dons a cropped black wig and fatigues. One shot is of her standing next to male soldiers. Another features her is of her standing in a store. The last photo is of her in a pool with a soldier (still wearing the army garb). According to Perez Hilton , she is shooting the military-themed video at Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. A rep for the base could not confirm reports that she is shooting there when contacted by MTV News. Meanwhile, her rep had not responded to our request for comment by press time. Earlier this week, Perry teased that she was looking forward to hitting the set for the “Part of Me” video. “Holy power of the Grammy’s, Part Of Me is already top 10 on itunes! U guys are killing it! NICE! Can’t wait to shoot this video!” she tweeted on Monday, one day after she debuted the song at the Grammys . The Teenage Dream: Complete Confection song is a bit darker than most Perry fans might be used to. The song is about the dissolution of a relationship, during which Perry sings scathing lines like “Days like this I want to drive away/ Pack bags and watch your shadow fade/ You chewed me up and spit me out like I was poison in your mouth/ You took my life, you drank me down/ But that was then and this is now.” And in what has been taken as a jab at her former hubby, Russell Brand, she adds, “You can keep the diamond ring/ It don’t mean nothing anyway.” What did you think of Katy Perry’s Grammys performance? Leave your comment below! Related Artists Katy Perry

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Katy Perry Spotted Shooting New Video On Military Base

Katy Perry Spotted Shooting New Video On Military Base

‘Part of Me’ singer was seen wearing Army fatigues on set in California. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry Photo: Getty Images Katy Perry may be deep in shooting the video for her latest single, “Part of Me.” The singer was spotted wearing a military uniform on the set of something this week. In several photos that made their way online, Perry dons a cropped black wig and fatigues. One shot is of her standing next to male soldiers. Another features her is of her standing in a store. The last photo is of her in a pool with a soldier (still wearing the army garb). According to Perez Hilton , she is shooting the military-themed video at Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. A rep for the base could not confirm reports that she is shooting there when contacted by MTV News. Meanwhile, her rep had not responded to our request for comment by press time. Earlier this week, Perry teased that she was looking forward to hitting the set for the “Part of Me” video. “Holy power of the Grammy’s, Part Of Me is already top 10 on itunes! U guys are killing it! NICE! Can’t wait to shoot this video!” she tweeted on Monday, one day after she debuted the song at the Grammys . The Teenage Dream: Complete Confection song is a bit darker than most Perry fans might be used to. The song is about the dissolution of a relationship, during which Perry sings scathing lines like “Days like this I want to drive away/ Pack bags and watch your shadow fade/ You chewed me up and spit me out like I was poison in your mouth/ You took my life, you drank me down/ But that was then and this is now.” And in what has been taken as a jab at her former hubby, Russell Brand, she adds, “You can keep the diamond ring/ It don’t mean nothing anyway.” What did you think of Katy Perry’s Grammys performance? Leave your comment below! Related Artists Katy Perry

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Katy Perry Spotted Shooting New Video On Military Base

A$AP Rocky, Fun., More Tapped For mtvU Woodie Awards Festival

A$AP Rocky, Fun., More Tapped For mtvU Woodie Awards Festival By James Montgomery Nate Ruess, Will Noon and Jack Antonoff of Fun. Photo: WireImage Last week, mtvU announced that not only would the 2012 Woodie Awards be returning to Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest music festival, but this year, they’ll be getting in on the action too, with a free, daylong fest of their own. And on Friday (February 17), the first batch of performers for the 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards Festival were announced, a lineup chock-full of up-and-coming talent from all fields: Rock acts Fun. and Walk the Moon, rapper A$AP Rocky, and electro standout Wallpaper will all perform at the festival, which kicks off at 1 p.m. CT on March 15 and is open to both SXSW badge-holders and the great uncredentialed masses. More acts for the Woodies Fest will be announced at a later date. If you can’t make it down to Austin, don’t fret: Beginning March 11, “Woodie Awards Week” will take over MTV, mtvU and MTV.com with performances, interviews and updates from SXSW. And the entire 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards Festival will stream live at the Woodies’ official site . It all leads up to the 2012 Woodie Awards, which kick off at 8 p.m. on March 15. That Sunday, March 18, MTV and mtvU will air the best moments from the awards in a 30-minute special. Voting is already under way in all Woodie categories — nominees include Jay-Z and Kanye West, the Black Keys and Skrillex — and will remain open until March 9 … except for the “Breaking Woodie” category, for which voting will continue during the live show on March 15. Fans can vote in all categories online or on their mobile phones at m.mtv.com, or by texting “VOTE” to 66333. Standard message and data rates may apply. The 2012 mtvU Woodies invade SXSW on March 15 with the Woodies Festival. The best of the 2012 mtvU Woodies will air on MTV and mtvU on Sunday (March 18) at 8 p.m. ET. Related Photos 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards Nominees Related Artists A$AP Rocky fun.

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A$AP Rocky, Fun., More Tapped For mtvU Woodie Awards Festival

MTV Music Meter 2.0 App Launches

Update on MTV’s popular app has cool new features including a local concert-finding tool. By MTV News staff The MTV Music Meter 2.0 app Photo: MTV MTV Music Meter , the mobile music app that has generated more than 1 million downloads since kicking off in 2011, is getting a major update. Music Meter 2.0 will bring the experience of MTV’s popular app, while adding brand-new features like the ability to track down concerts happening right in your city. Music Meter 2.0, in partnership with MTV Hive , works as a customizable experience where users rank artists based on social buzz; they can also listen to song samples and read articles and biographies about their favorites. With the 5 Gum-sponsored 2.0 update, MTV Music Meter adds several options, including the power to filter artists by genres like up-and-coming, rock, hip-hop, indie and EDM. Users will also have a quick and easy way to discover when and where their favorite band is coming to town. “With today’s music fan having immediate access to millions of artists and songs, there’s a strong need for curation,” said Dermot McCormack, executive vice president at MTV Music and Logo Digital. “The meter helps solve this problem by cutting through the clutter and providing fans an easy-to-use discovery tool to connect artists and fans.” MTV Music Meter 2.0 will be available on the iOS App Store and the Android Marketplace as a stand-alone download or a free update. (The release spans all Android and iOS platforms, as well as the Web.)

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MTV Music Meter 2.0 App Launches

‘The Voice’ Judges All Returning For Season Three

Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have all re-signed with the singing competition. By Kara Warner “The Voice” judges Cee Lo, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton Photo: Getty Images With its second season already a certified hit, it’s no surprise that “The Voice” is coming back for a third season. Rumor had it last week that Christina Aguilera had already signed her contract to continue working as a judge for a third season, and now there’s word that the rest of the gang — Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton — have all re-upped their deals as well. According to The Wrap , all four judges re-signed with the show and will receive substantial salary increases for doing so. Aguilera will reportedly bank around $10 million, while Green, Levine and Shelton are expected to bring in $6 million. The next step in moving forward with the third season will be to lock down a time slot and premiere date; NBC is expected to make a formal announcement very soon. Insider sources claim the show will be back in the fall to compete directly with Fox’s “X Factor.” “The Voice” has proven to be a major hit for NBC. The season-two premiere following the Super Bowl on Sunday earned NBC’s best ratings for an entertainment show in six years and after airing only three episodes, the singing competition has the highest averaging ratings on television. No mentions or announcements have been made about the show’s other on-air talent, host Carson Daly and new social-media correspondent Christina Milian , but given the current popularity of the show, we wouldn’t expect NBC to shake things up the way Fox has with “X Factor,” which lost judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones after its debut season. Are you happy all four “Voice” judges will be back? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Christina Aguilera Cee Lo Green Adam Levine Blake Shelton

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‘The Voice’ Judges All Returning For Season Three

Lil Wayne, Usher Help Romeo Santos ‘Revolutionize’ Bachata Music

‘It was the first time you hear an artist from the mainstream singing bachata,’ former Aventura frontman tells MTV News of single ‘Promise.’ By Christina Garibaldi Lil Wayne Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images Romeo Santos , the former lead singer of the popular bachata group Aventura , has taken a new step in his career, venturing out on his own as a solo artist. Mixing his signature bachata flair with some R&B, he is showing fans a whole new side on his debut album, Formula, Vol. 1. Hoping to spread his unique sound and style to a mainstream audience, Santos enlisted Lil Wayne for his latest single, “All Aboard.” “This song ‘All Aboard,’ that tune allowed me to expand and kind of offer my audience something totally different because it’s not bachata — I’m singing English and that was really fun,” Santos recently told MTV News. “I was a little nervous about that, but people actually really accepted it.” Santos and Weezy recently shot the video for “All Aboard” in Miami; he called the clip “sexy,” “seductive” and “elegant,” but also revealed that this collaboration came very close to not making his album. “I was just like, I like the song but it’s missing something, and at first I couldn’t figure out what it was,” Santos said. “What we did was we left 16 bars open, and I was like, you know, who would rip this track? Lil Wayne. So we reached out. It barely made the album because he’s a busy dude, so he actually got on the record two months after we submitted it. It was like, if we don’t get his vocals in the next two days we hit, and we got it, so we made it and the song is just really great.” Wayne isn’t the only artist Santos pulled in for his album. On his last single, “Promise,” he teamed up with Usher , who last week joined him onstage at Santos’ first of three sold-out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “I felt at that moment once again I was going to revolutionize bachata ’cause it was the first time that you hear an artist from the mainstream singing bachata,” Santos said. “It was a big deal.” What do you think of Romeo Santos’ solo debut? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists Romeo Santos Lil Wayne Usher

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Lil Wayne, Usher Help Romeo Santos ‘Revolutionize’ Bachata Music

Kings Of Leon Put Drama Behind, Look Forward To New Album

‘I don’t think it was as big as people thought it was,’ drummer Nathan Followill says of 2011 intra-band sparring. By James Montgomery Kings of Leon attend the 2012 Grammy Awards Photo: Getty Images As anyone who’s seen their “Talihina Sky” documentary can surely attest: The Kings of Leon have never exactly been shy about hiding their familial feuds. Though things got particularly nasty — and particularly public — last August after frontman Caleb Followill abruptly left a sold-out show in Texas (reportedly suffering from “heat exhaustion and dehydration”). In the wake of the incident, the Kings not only canceled the remainder of their U.S. tour , but Caleb’s brother Jared took to Twitter to apologize to fans, and, in the process, hinted at a growing strife within the band, writing, “There are internal sicknesses & problems that have needed to be addressed. … I can’t lie. There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade.” Of course, the band would subsequently return to the road, and those “sicknesses and problems” were never again publically addressed. So, when MTV News caught up with the Kings on the red carpet for the 54th Grammy Awards, we had to ask them: Is everything OK within the KOL camp? “Yeah, over the holidays, [you] break some bread, have some turkey, everyone makes up,” drummer Nathan Followill said. “I don’t think it was as big as people thought it was, but the press machine takes it and runs with it.” So there you have it. And for the record, not only are the Kings copacetic, but they’re getting ready to begin work on the follow-up to 2010’s Come Around Sundown, which they’ll record in their very own studio/good-time emporium in Nashville. “We just bought a rehearsal space-slash-studio in Nashville, so we’re going to spend the next few months getting that up and running; kind of make it our little clubhouse to get there and just kind of goof off whenever we want to,” Followill added. “But, I’d say within the next six months we’ll probably start kicking some stuff around.” And from the sound of things, they’ll have plenty to kick around: Caleb is already writing new material, and he’s itching to let his brothers (and cousin) have a listen. And, just in case you were wondering if he’s holding any resentment over last year’s drama, just know that he’s going to welcome their feedback. “I’ve been writing a lot. Kinda want everyone to get a little break from each other, but whenever they’re ready, I want to play some stuff,” he said. “Well, lyrics, that’s usually one of the last things I do, but the melodies are really strong, and the lyrics that I have written I think are pretty good, but we’ll see. These guys are always a good judge of if I’m going the right way with something or not.” What do you want to hear on the next Kings of Leon album? Leave your comment below. Related Artists Kings Of Leon

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Kings Of Leon Put Drama Behind, Look Forward To New Album