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Whitney Houston Bonds With Mariah Carey In Rare 1998 Interview

‘Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words’ airs tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on MTV. By John Mitchell Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey in 1998 Photo: MTV News Back in the fall of 1998, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey set aside their long-rumored rivalry and came together to record a duet, “When You Believe,” for the animated film “The Prince of Egypt.” An interview with the two divas from that time is one of the many rare moments unearthed for MTV’s live 30-minute tribute to the late singer, entitled “Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words,” airing tonight (February 15) at 7:30 p.m. ET on MTV. Asked about the song and whether they’d ever experienced a miracle in their own lives, Houston was the first to respond, telling MTV, “Yeah, I have. That baby sitting right up there. That’s my miracle.” She was referring, of course, to a then-5-year-old Bobbi Kristina Brown, her only child with ex-husband Bobby Brown. Bobbi Kristina has had a particularly difficult time dealing with the passing of her mother, and was herself rushed from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston died , to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center less than 24 hours after her death. Bobbi was said to be “hysterical, exhausted and inconsolable,” sources close to the situation told TMZ . After Carey responds, “I don’t have a child, so I can’t say the same thing, but maybe one day I will,” Houston turns to her peer for a candid moment that seems like more of an aside between two new friends than an interview sound bite. “When you do, you will realize that is the ultimate miracle. If you think you’ve got records and you’ve done all this stuff and all that stuff, [it’s] nothing like that,” Houston says. “That’s a true love that costs nothing. Unconditional love.” Though they always insisted they were always on friendly terms, rumors of a rivalry between Houston and Carey persisted throughout the ’90s. Indeed, they were often pitted against each other on the music charts and by critics who declared their respective talents to be comparable. Even after they chose to silence rumors by recording “When You Believe” and conducting interviews together, the buzz continued. Some critics even believed they were trying to “outdo each other” during their performance of the song at the 1999 Academy Awards. Tune in as we celebrate the life of an icon with “Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words” tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston Mariah Carey

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Whitney Houston Bonds With Mariah Carey In Rare 1998 Interview

Adele ‘Absolutely Flabbergasted’ After Grammy Wins

Grammy winner also reveals she’s ready to start work on her follow-up to 21. By Jocelyn Vena Adele backstage at the 54th Grammy Awards Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images It was only a few days ago that Adele swept the Grammys, taking home six trophies for her album 21 and hitting the stage for an emotional return to performing after having vocal-cord surgery back in November. In a new blog post titled “5 Was My Favourite Number But Now It Is 6,” the singer reflects on the whirlwind of the last few days. “Oh goodness!! I’m absolutely flabbergasted! In between laughing my head off, welling up, needing to sit down and trying to maintain an open fire (which is pretty much impossible huh!?), I keep having flashbacks to Sunday night. The most incredible night of my life,” she wrote. “Thank you to you all, I am so overwhelmed, it’s the strangest feeling. I have constant butterflies and goose bumps, it’s wearing me out but I LOVE it! “I’ve been sleeping a lot but the minute I wake up I burst out laughing and it starts all over again,” she continued. “I forgot to mention so many people by name on the night, and for that I’m sorry. I will say thanks to your face when I next see you. I was totally unprepared. Despite the phenomenal year, I swear I didn’t think I had any chance. All the categories were full of people I adore with brilliant songs, records and performances. So not in my wildest dreams did I think to actually prepare anything proper to say just in case.” Nestled in between giddy moments in the post, Adele was reflective about the past 12 months. “Thank you to everyone who enjoys my music, and to all the ‘daydreamers’ (I love that you call yourselves that. I read all your messages and threads from time to time and you crack me up x) it seems like you pass 21 on and want people to hear it and it’s because of that that it’s evolved into something that we should all be very proud of,” she wrote. “All of this is yours — the songs, the shows, the moments like this. Not that there’s any other moments like this one, but you get my drift … Ha! The night itself was so amazing, I met so many incredible people and everyone we’ve lost this year were on our minds and in our hearts and it was lovely to remember them all together as fans and friends.” At the end of the lengthy blog post, she addressed some comments she made in Vogue in which she noted she wanted to take five years off. Adele fans, don’t worry. She has no plans to slow down. “I’ve a few days off now, and then it’s the Brit Awards here at home,” she wrote about the show, where she is nominated and will perform. “And then I’m straight into the studio. BOYYAHH! 5 years? More like 5 days!” Related Videos 2012 Grammy Awards Red Carpet Highlights Grammys 2012: Experts React! Related Photos 2012 Grammy Awards: Press Room Related Artists Adele

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Adele ‘Absolutely Flabbergasted’ After Grammy Wins

Lil Wayne Is Not Engaged

‘I meant ‘she said yes’ to being my valentine,’ Wayne says, clarifying Valentine’s Day tweet about girlfriend Dhea. By Nadeska Alexis Lil Wayne Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Lil Wayne is not engaged. The Young Money rapper has been linked to his girlfriend, Dhea, since last spring, and on Tuesday, a message on Weezy’s Twitter account set off rumors that he had finally put a ring on it. “She said yes!” Wayne wrote. Even though Wayne isn’t a very frequent tweeter, the feedback got to him quickly, because on Wednesday (February 15) morning, he followed up with a new message to clarify things. “Ohhhhhhh now I see why! I meant ‘she said yes’ to being my valentine!!!” he wrote. “Hahahahahahaha! Y’all krazy!” Ohhhhhhh now I see why!I meant “she said yes” to being my valentine!!! Hahahahahahaha! Y’all krazy! — Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) February 15, 2012 Wayne and Dhea were first spotted out and about in Miami last May, and Complex magazine dug up some information on the rapper’s leading lady, reporting that she is originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, and previously worked at Suede Restaurant & Lounge in her hometown. Over the past year, Dhea has accompanied Lil Wayne as he’s skipped across cities and continents during his I Am Still Music Tour. MTV News joined Wayne , Birdman, Ronald “Slim” Williams and the Cash Money team in New Orleans over the Thanksgiving holiday while they handed out turkeys, and Dhea was right by his side. In December they were snapped sitting courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game, and when Wayne headed to South Africa to perform, another tweet hinted that she was there as well. “In S. Africa w/ my homies, makin $, sk8’n, performing my azz off, & I get 2 make luv 2 the most beautiful woman! Mylifemylifemylifemylife. YOLO,” Wayne wrote . Lil Wayne’s most serious relationship to date was with his ex-wife, Toya Carter, who is also the mother of his daughter, Reginae Carter. He opened up about the relationship in his VH1 “Behind the Music” special, saying that the two still maintain a great relationship. Related Artists Lil Wayne

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Lil Wayne Is Not Engaged

Whitney Houston Sells 1 Million Albums, Singles Since Death

Singer’s catalog sales surged following her death, including nearly 900,000 individual tracks moved. By Gil Kaufman Whitney Houston Photo: Jan Persson/ Getty Images Much as they did after the deaths of Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse , fans of Whitney Houston rushed out to buy the late diva’s music in the wake of her passing on Saturday . Billboard reported that Houston’s only hits package, Whitney: The Greatest Hits, is poised to re-enter the Billboard 200 chart this week at #6 after selling 64,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Most amazingly, that jump in purchases represent just one full day of sales, since the reporting week ended on February 12. Houston was found dead midday in Los Angeles the day before of as-yet-undetermined causes. The uptick for the Greatest collection represents a 10,419 percent gain over the pervious week, when it moved just under 1,000 copies. A number of other Houston albums also moved back up the charts, including her 1986 debut Whitney Houston, which jumped to #72 on sales of 8,000 (a 3,901 percent rise), the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” (#80 on sales of 8,000, up 5,213 percent) and her final studio album, I Look to You (#118 on sales of 5,000, up 3,901 percent). The magazine reported that more Houston albums were purchased in the last week — over 101,000 — than had been sold in all of 2011 and 2012 to date. The most impressive figures, though, were the number of digital tracks fans purchased. In all, there were 887,000 downloads over the past week, a gain of 5,730 over the previous week’s 15,000 tracks sold. The biggest gainer was, of course, her signature song, “I Will Always Love You,” which moved 195,000 units, a 6,742 percent gain over the previous week. While that song enters the Digital Songs chart at #3, seven other songs hit the Digital Songs chart as well, including “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (#25, 74,000, up 8,769 percent), “Greatest Love of All” (#32, 60,000, up 7,270 percent), “How Will I Know” (#46, 43,000, up 5,767 percent), “I Have Nothing” (#53, 38,000, up 5,179 percent), “Saving All My Love for You” (#65, 33,000, up 6,423 percent), “One Moment in Time” (#74, 30,000, up 6,206 percent) and Houston’s rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” (#75, 29,000, up 8,278 percent). Next week’s chart should see an even bigger boost to Houston’s catalog as it will reflect a full week of sales. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston

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Whitney Houston Sells 1 Million Albums, Singles Since Death

‘Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words’ To Air On MTV Tonight

Live 30-minute special will feature interview clips with Houston dating back to her network debut in 1986. By Gil Kaufman Whitney Houston in 1995 Photo: 20th Century Fox/Getty Images MTV will pay respects to Whitney Houston on Wednesday (February 15) with a live 30-minute tribute entitled “Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words.” The MTV News special, airing at 7:30 p.m. ET and hosted by Sway Calloway, will feature interview clips of Houston from her network debut in 1986 through her final interview. Houston died at age 48 on Saturday in her Los Angeles hotel room of as-yet-undetermined causes. The singer had a long history with the network, dating back to her 1985 self-titled debut album. The third single from that multiplatinum smash was “How Will I Know,” which helped introduce the singer to a wider audience when it became one of the first videos by a black female singer to go into heavy rotation on MTV, blasting open the doors for a whole generation of R&B and pop divas to follow. Along the way, Houston smashed a number of records , including the best-selling single of all time by a female artist, her iconic cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” The Grammy-winning album that song came from, the soundtrack to her big-screen debut, “The Bodyguard,” also set the all-time record for soundtrack albums, with more than 44 million copies sold worldwide. During the MTV special, Sway will share personal stories from music celebrities on Houston’s impact and her peerless voice. The show will stream simultaneously on MTV.com and be available on demand immediately after it airs. In addition, MTV News will continue its coverage of the tragic death of the singer, covering everything from breaking developments to Houston’s funeral . Houston will be laid to rest in her native Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday at an invitation-only private funeral at her childhood house of worship, the New Baptist Church. The cause of Houston’s death is still unknown. Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office continues to quell any speculation. “I know there are reports that she maybe was drowned or did she overdose, but we won’t make a final determination until all the tests are in,” he told CNN . Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Remembering An Icon: Whitney’s Top MTV Moments Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston

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‘Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words’ To Air On MTV Tonight

‘Survivor: One World’ Pits Girls Against Boys

‘I feel like this may be one of the more scandalous seasons in ‘Survivor’ history,’ two-time former contestant Rob Cesternino tells MTV News. By Josh Wigler Survivors on the first episode of Survivor: One World Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS Two tribes, one beach. That’s the setup for the new season of “Survivor,” titled “One World,” premiering Wednesday (February 15). For the third time in “Survivor” history, the line will be drawn in the sand between one tribe of men and one tribe of women … except this time, in a new twist, both teams will be forced to coexist on the very same beach right from the start. So what happens when 18 men and women are forced to live together in the same tropical paradise while competing for a million-dollar prize? According to longtime “Survivor” commentator and two-time contestant Rob Cesternino — often described as “the smartest player who never won the game” — the end result could well be “one of the more scandalous seasons in ‘Survivor’ history.” “You have all these guys and girls living together on one beach, and somebody is bound to hook up … and that’s going to create problems, because that’s the other team,” Cesternino predicted to MTV News about the two same-sex tribes. “Not only are guys and girls going to hook up, but let’s say that the guys catch a bunch of fish and the girls don’t. They have to sit there and watch you eat. What if one of the guys has a girlfriend? Is he going to be sneaking off to give some of the guys’ food to the girls? There’s a lot of possibility for drama and conflict on this season.” Cesternino knows a thing or two about surviving a battle of the sexes. His debut season of “Survivor” was also the one that introduced the men-vs.-women twist, and he emerged in the end with an impressive third-place prize. But “One World” presents a very different challenge from Cesternino’s “Amazon” days, as the men and women are forced to cohabitate in the same exact space this time around. But looking past the gender lines, Cesternino believes the new season of “Survivor” presents a very powerful opportunity for some lucky players. “It seems like the players fit into one of two categories: people who look like popular kids in your high school, and the people who don’t fit that description,” he observed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these young, good-looking guys band together and start hanging out with the young, good-looking girls on the other tribe, and have some sort of super-alliance. ‘You keep those guys together, you keep those girls together.’ Normally you have alliances of four or so people promising to go all the way. Now there’s a chance to merge with [an alliance of] eight people. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a high school alliance here.” Of course, nothing in “Survivor” is ever stable. Despite the initial men-vs.-women setup, Cesternino predicts an eventual tribal switch will shake up each team’s roster. “The switch has become a little pass

Chris Brown Blasts Grammy Appearance Critics

‘Hate all you want becuz I got a Grammy,’ Brown tweeted. By Gil Kaufman Chris Brown wins a Grammy Award on Sunday Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

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Chris Brown Blasts Grammy Appearance Critics

Pharrell Has ‘Two Really Good Records’ With Mac Miller

‘Mac Miller deserves it. He’s working hard and he’s happy,’ Pharrell tells MTV News of the Pittsburgh MC’s success. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ricky Louis Pharrell Photo: MTV News So what does a #1 album get you? If you’re Mac Miller , it gets you studio time with one of rap’s most storied producers, Pharrell Williams . Less than a week after the Pittsburgh spitter’s debut Blue Slide Park landed the #1 spot on the Billboard albums chart, Mac linked up with the Neptunes hitmaker in a Miami recording studio and got to work. “He came down to Miami. He was like, ‘Yo I want to do something,’ ” Pharrell told MTV News in an interview earlier this month. “He went in and again, just made like two really good records.” No telling where those records will end up, but Miller is pretty excited about the collaboration as well. “just made somethin’ crazy with @Pharrell all I can say is wait til y’all hear this,” Mac tweeted after the session in November. Pharrell and Mac returned to the studio in January, this time with Busta Rhymes, Reek Da Villian and Kendrick Lamar. If the picture that Miller tweeted is any indication, fans can expect quite a bit from the two sessions. While Mac crafted the majority of his Blue Slide Park album with local producers E. Dan and Big Jerm at ID Labs studios, he has also been branching out, clocking in time with some of rap’s most revered beatmakers. Aside from Pharrell, Miller has already recorded with DJ Premier, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Just Blaze. The multiplatinum Skateboard P applauds Miller’s efforts and toasts his recent success. “Mac Miller deserves it. He’s working hard and he’s happy. He’s very thankful, he’s a super humble kid and he deserves it,” Pharrell said. “That’s what the game needed, and it’s just sprouting up everywhere and it’s so awesome for us to all be able to do it.” What do you expect to hear from Pharrell and Mac Miller’s upcoming collaborations? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Back To The ‘Burgh With Mac Miller And Wiz Khalifa Related Artists Pharrell Williams Mac Miller

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Pharrell Has ‘Two Really Good Records’ With Mac Miller

Taylor Swift Reveals ‘Hunger Games’ Nods In ‘Safe & Sound’ Video

Just-premiered clip includes plenty of imagery from the best-selling book series to tide fans over until film’s release. By John Mitchell, with reporting by Sway Calloway Taylor Swift Photo: MTV News Talking exclusively to MTV News following the premiere of her new video for “Safe & Sound” from “The Hunger Games,” Taylor Swift revealed that the clip contains several references to the best-selling YA book series that fans should recognize. “I felt like I was really needing to pay tribute to this movie and tell this story,” Swift said. “There’s this moment in the music video where I find this mockingjay pin and hold it up.” For those who have not read the books, the mockingjay pin is one of the most iconic symbols from the series. It was given to the main character, Katniss Everdeen (played in the film by Jennifer Lawrence), as a token to take into the arena to remind her of her home district — District 12. The mockingjay and the pin itself are both symbols of rebellion in the books. The mockingjay is a species of bird inadvertently bred when the Capitol released “jabberjays” throughout the nation of Panem in an attempt to spy on its citizens. After the mission failed and the citizens of Panem learned how to feed lies to Capitol spies through the jabberjays, the Capitol ended the project but the birds bred with mockingbirds in the wild, creating the mockingjay, which the Capitol was never able to eradicate. We won’t spoil the rest, but the third book in the series is titled “Mockingjay,” and that isn’t just a reference to the bird or the pin anymore. “Having a music video with that much symbolism in it is something I’m not used to,” Swift continued. “Everyone who is a ‘Hunger Games’ fans knows what it means when there’s fire in the trees and they know what it means for the house to be burnt and they know what it means for the ‘Hunger Games’ pin to be covered in rust and old. Everybody can take their own meaning away from it, but it all goes back to the symbolism of the book.” To avoid spoiling the books and film, the only bit here that we’ll address are the burning trees, which can be seen throughout Swift’s video and briefly in the film’s second trailer. In the arena, the Gamesmakers use fire to keep the tributes from hiding in trees and to push groups of them into the same area so they can fight to the death for all to see. Swift’s “Safe & Sound” video has us psyched for the release of “The Hunger Games,” due March 23. “I’m now sort of like an infomercial for it,” Swift, a fan of the books, joked to MTV News about the series. Stick with MTV News as we roll out more from our exclusive interview with Taylor Swift about her “Hunger Games” soundtrack song! Related Videos MTV First: Taylor Swift Related Artists Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift Reveals ‘Hunger Games’ Nods In ‘Safe & Sound’ Video

Whitney Houston’s Funeral Set For Saturday In Newark

Pop star will be laid to rest at New Hope Baptist Church in her native Newark, New Jersey, with no planned wake. By Rob Markman Whitney Houston Photo: Ebet Roberts/ Getty Images After much speculation, the plans for Whitney Houston ‘s funeral have been set. The fallen pop diva will be laid to rest in her native Newark, New Jersey, a week after her death in a Los Angeles hotel room. A Houston family rep confirmed to MTV News that Houston’s invitation-only funeral will take place at New Baptist Church at noon on Saturday. Los Angeles County coroner officials completed Houston’s autopsy Sunday, and her body was released to her family the very next day and then flown back east, according to CNN. There have been rumors that there will be a public memorial at Newark’s Prudential Center with a ceremony similar to Michael Jackson’s high-profile farewell, but USA Today is reporting that such a plan was never in place and as of right now, the funeral is the only scheduled sendoff for the 48-year-old star. As a youth in Newark, Houston attended New Hope Baptist Church. In a statement issued to MTV News on Sunday, the Houston family expressed their grief in this trying time. “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney. This is an unimaginable tragedy, and we will miss her terribly,” the statement read. “We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends.” The cause of Houston’s death is still unknown. Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office continues to quell any speculation. “I know there are reports that she maybe was drowned or did she overdose, but we won’t make a final determination until all the tests are in,” he told CNN. Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Remembering An Icon: Whitney’s Top MTV Moments Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston

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Whitney Houston’s Funeral Set For Saturday In Newark