MTV News gathers a group of tastemakers to break down the clip, which features a mutilated Maybach, fireworks and a huge American flag. By Rob Markman Jay-Z and Kanye West (file) Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage Who knew destroying a Maybach could be so fun? In Jay-Z and Kanye West ‘s new Spike Jonze-directed video for “Otis,” the Throne give the luxury vehicle the chop-shop treatment and then do doughnuts with reckless abandon. “Have you ever seen Jay-Z look that young or that happy?” Jeff Rosenthal from the sketch-comedy group It’s the Real said when MTV News gathered a group of tastemakers to preview the “Otis” video, which premiered Thursday on MTV. “I like that it definitely has that Spike Jonze look. I like that they totally make a Batmobile out of a Maybach,” his brother and comedy partner Eric added. “They do have a lot of fun, which is awesome.” Read what some hip-hop DJs had to say about “Otis” as an unconventional single. Model Tahiry Jos
Katie Holmes and Kenny Ortega joined So You Think You Can Dance judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy this week, as the final four took to the stage four times each – and it showed in a few sloppy results. Marko & Melanie – Disco (Doriana Sanchez) – It’s been a long time since there was a disco and I’m happy that Doriana hasn’t stopped putting insane lifts in her routines. There was something unsexy about Melanie; she needed to let loose. She was worried about the lifts. There was something awkward when the two dancers went between lifts and placing Melanie down. The high amounts of color and sparkles covered up the mistakes. My Grade: B- Sasha & Mark – Jazz (Sonya Tayeh) – The dance was an ode to Sasha; how she would overcome obstacles. Sasha was lucky to get a catered routine. As much as Mark is my favorite dancer, Sonya made sure that he was Sasha’s accessory; Mark made sure that Sasha looked perfect in every scene. My Grade: B+ Tadd & Joshua – Hip-Hop (Lil’ C), pictured – The dance was supposed to be about being a hustler, but Tadd looked too nice. The routine had strong choreography, but there were moments where Josh looked behind in timing. I was worried that Tadd would trip over his shoe, but it never fell off. I liked the floor gliding motions at the end, but there was nothing captivating overall. My Grade: C+ Melanie & Robert – Contemporary (Stacey Tookey) – The routine was about a love that can’t happen. It helped that Melanie was placed in a routine that she could excel in. She looked effortless in comparison to the disco and Robert easily lifted her without struggle. There was nothing wrong with the routine. It was a well-executed, but sleepy. My Grade: B+ Sasha & Marko – Broadway (Spencer Liff) – The routine is about a waiter and Sasha as “Lola.” Marko had to wear glasses that had straps around his head so it wouldn’t fall down. There were nice table moves but the synchronization wasn’t the best. Marko plays a really good awkward waiter, but both were strong actors. My Grade: B Melanie – Solo – Melanie went with the classical music approach which helped emphasize her moves. She didn’t do many, but each move had intention and focus so she didn’t fall out of anything or wobble once. Marko – Solo – Marko also chose a slower tempo song, but unlike Melanie, he threw the whole kitchen sink in the routine as he spun around trying to make sure that he was using his solo to its maximum potential. Sasha & Tadd – Cha-Cha (Mark Ballas) – Mark finally had a chance to do a routine without the limitations of Dancing with the Stars and the only part I liked was the sexual tension. Sasha had fire during her splits, but I was distracted by Tadd’s awful pants. Was Tadd was losing circulation? The couple needed more cha-cha steps. My Grade: D+ Marko & Lauren – Contemporary (Tassandra Chavez) – I appreciate fresh blood in the choreographer pool and having Tassandra create a beautiful routine I hope she comes back. Marko and Lauren played the characters beautifully and unlike the sleepy Melanie/Robert routine, you could see the same amount of anguish but through sharper and emphasized movements. Lauren stumbled through one spin sequence, but she didn’t let it faze her. My Grade: A- Tadd – Solo – Tadd continues a playful and powerful routine. His breaking was still good, but I loved when he swam on the floor. It’s a move that is probably easy to do, but Tadd gave it spirit. Melanie & Tadd – Broadway (Ray Leeper) – Melanie’s kicks were off and kicking Tadd looked wrong. Melanie’s acting skills were convincing and Tadd did well acting goofy. Tadd was given a lot of time to do different power moves and to please his apparent fan club when he went shirtless the second half of the routine, then pant-less in the final few seconds. My Grade: B+ Sasha – Solo – Sasha started on the side of the stage and her routine had more of Sasha’s softer side. I wished the routine lasted longer, because it took Sasha a while to fully embrace the music. Sasha & Melanie – Contemporary (Stacey Tookey) – The concept was about suppressed housewives and I loved the fences and costuming. Seeing two girls who are seen as powerful warriors become meek housewives was great. I believed the whole routine and was transported into their 1950s world. My Grade: A- Marko & Tadd – Gumboot Stepping (Chuck Maldonado) – From the get-go, neither looked good. It was as if the producers wanted to shoot the two male dancers in the foot and guarantee a Sasha or Mallory win. Marko didn’t have enough edge and he looked winded. The two dancers’ motions were nowhere near close to synchronized. The performance ended and there was a little applause. My Grade: F The judges seem to be pressuring for a girl to win this season. so my predictions are: Sasha (Winner), Melanie (2nd), Tadd (3rd), Marko (4th). Of course, Sasha auditioned both in seasons 4 and 6, so this would be her full circle redemption.
With just a week to go until its long-awaited release, we look back on the year-long journey to the Throne. By Rob Markman Kanye West and Jay-Z Photo: Getty Images The wait is almost over. On August 8, Jay-Z and Kanye West (now collectively known as the Throne ) will drop their long-awaited, full-length album Watch the Throne on iTunes as a digital exclusive, with physical retailers to follow on August 12. It was August 2010 when Kanye first sent the rap world buzzing when he tweeted, “Me and jay bout to drop a 5 song album called ‘Watch the Throne.’ ” By October, that five-song EP had turned into a full-length LP. West confirmed with MTV News ‘ Sway that he and Hov were going all in. Check out exclusive photos of Jay-Z and Kanye West in the studio. “We putting out a whole album now,” ‘Ye said. “We had done five [songs] so far, but then a few of them kind of were out there, and I put them on my album. Sorry, Jay,” he chuckled. “But we got some more, and we’re going to the South of France at the end of the month to just record new ideas. But we’ll probably be done with the album in a day.” Things didn’t quite work out as planned, or perhaps Kanye overstated things, but the recording took way more than 24 hours. Nevertheless, while on a promo run to promote his book told Sway that he enjoyed working with Kanye and marveled at his growth as a beatmaker and lyricist. “This is another level of that recording,” Hov said. “Because Kanye, I’ve seen him — really, he’s like a brother to me — I’ve seen him from the beginning to where he is now. And to see him as a producer and to see how he’s growing as a producer and as an artist, for me, on another level, it’s enjoyable. I’m watching the guy that I pretty much mentored become his own guy, with his own opinion. It’s fantastic.” Fanatics wouldn’t get their first taste of Watch the Throne until January 2011 when the duo released “H.A.M.,” the Lex Luger-produced energy ball that found ‘Ye and Jay trading braggadocios verses. In the end, however, ‘H.A.M.” wasn’t the big hit that fans and pundits expected. Still, expectations for the album remained high. “There’s songs on there that’s making you go crazy,” Swizz Beatz told MTV News of the project without revealing too much. “That album is amazing, but I have to let those guys talk about that, because that’s their expression. All I can tell you is it passed the bar.” Read MTV News’ first impressions of the album after an exclusive listening session. Anticipation led to multiple rumors about the LP’s release date. First, it was reported that Throne would drop on July 4. Instead, during the Fourth of July weekend, the LP was made available for pre-order . Soon after, an official track list was revealed on Jay’s Life and Times blog. The track list confirmed that Beyonc
With just a week to go until its long-awaited release, we look back on the year-long journey to the Throne. By Rob Markman Kanye West and Jay-Z Photo: Getty Images The wait is almost over. On August 8, Jay-Z and Kanye West (now collectively known as the Throne ) will drop their long-awaited, full-length album Watch the Throne on iTunes as a digital exclusive, with physical retailers to follow on August 12. It was August 2010 when Kanye first sent the rap world buzzing when he tweeted, “Me and jay bout to drop a 5 song album called ‘Watch the Throne.’ ” By October, that five-song EP had turned into a full-length LP. West confirmed with MTV News ‘ Sway that he and Hov were going all in. Check out exclusive photos of Jay-Z and Kanye West in the studio. “We putting out a whole album now,” ‘Ye said. “We had done five [songs] so far, but then a few of them kind of were out there, and I put them on my album. Sorry, Jay,” he chuckled. “But we got some more, and we’re going to the South of France at the end of the month to just record new ideas. But we’ll probably be done with the album in a day.” Things didn’t quite work out as planned, or perhaps Kanye overstated things, but the recording took way more than 24 hours. Nevertheless, while on a promo run to promote his book told Sway that he enjoyed working with Kanye and marveled at his growth as a beatmaker and lyricist. “This is another level of that recording,” Hov said. “Because Kanye, I’ve seen him — really, he’s like a brother to me — I’ve seen him from the beginning to where he is now. And to see him as a producer and to see how he’s growing as a producer and as an artist, for me, on another level, it’s enjoyable. I’m watching the guy that I pretty much mentored become his own guy, with his own opinion. It’s fantastic.” Fanatics wouldn’t get their first taste of Watch the Throne until January 2011 when the duo released “H.A.M.,” the Lex Luger-produced energy ball that found ‘Ye and Jay trading braggadocios verses. In the end, however, ‘H.A.M.” wasn’t the big hit that fans and pundits expected. Still, expectations for the album remained high. “There’s songs on there that’s making you go crazy,” Swizz Beatz told MTV News of the project without revealing too much. “That album is amazing, but I have to let those guys talk about that, because that’s their expression. All I can tell you is it passed the bar.” Read MTV News’ first impressions of the album after an exclusive listening session. Anticipation led to multiple rumors about the LP’s release date. First, it was reported that Throne would drop on July 4. Instead, during the Fourth of July weekend, the LP was made available for pre-order . Soon after, an official track list was revealed on Jay’s Life and Times blog. The track list confirmed that Beyonc
David Guetta, Kaskade, Steve Angello talk to MTV News about why they couldn’t get enough of the Brit’s VMA-nominated ‘Rolling in the Deep.’ By Akshay Bhansali Adele Photo: Paul Bergen/ Redferns Now in its seventh year, the Tomorrowland Festival kicked off again in Boom, Belgium, this past weekend, and MTV News was there for the entire spectacle. The dance music event started small but over the years it has ballooned into one of the most popular electronic dance music fests in existence. The Tomorrowland of 2011 had a fairy-tale theme and was made up of 14 colorfully dressed stages, which included set pieces like enormous replicas of mushrooms and trees; two of the stages were even dominated by an oversize skull and a sun. TL accommodated 30,000 campers on its “Dreamville” grounds, bringing the total draw for the weekend to upwards of 180,000, a figure that beat out Miami’s Ultra Music Festival. (And what American festival can claim a Church of Love, where couples are encouraged to get some … quality time ?) But perhaps what set this colossal European festival apart from the others this year was the sheer awesomeness of the talent flown in for it. Blockbuster dance music brands like David Guetta , Swedish House Mafia and Ti
‘I wanted to take everybody back,’ Jeezy tells MTV news of staging album-anniversary concerts in NYC and ATL. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Rahman Dukes Young Jeezy Photo: MTV News Young Jeezy sure knows how to throw a birthday bash. To celebrate the six-year anniversary of the release of his 2005 debut album, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101, Jeezy staged a pair of concerts , one in New York City on Monday, and a second on Tuesday, which was actually the anniversary of the album, in Atlanta. “It felt good to see the city out, givin’ everybody something to dress up for, get out have a good time,” the Snowman told MTV News on Tuesday while backstage at his ATL show. “It was definitely a lot of thug motivatin’ going on. Everybody was there for one reason: We were celebrating. It was a celebration. “I just wanted to put somethin’ together that was special,” he said of the tribute shows. “Music is so different nowadays from when I came out. An album would last two or three years, especially when you have a classic like I do,” he added with a chuckle. In NYC, Jeezy thrilled concertgoers as he ran through the TM 101 track list, bringing out special guests like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Bun B, Fabolous and the LOX during the 80-minute show. And for Atlanta, Jizzle brought out Yo Gotti and Lil Scrappy. “I got a lot of what I call family in this industry. It’s a lot of cats that came from the same walk of life that I came from and we really rock like that,” Jeezy said about his star-studded guest list. “We just show that support for each other. I’ve been on tour with a lot of these cats and kick it on the phone with them daily, so it’s phone calls, two, three phone calls,” he said of getting his rap-star friends to participate. When it was released in 2005, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 helped usher in a brand of drug-related, trap rap that has become prevalent in hip-hop in the past six years. Things have definitely changed since Jeezy made his first splash, but he believes his album represents a specific time in hip-hop that may never return. ” ’05 was a beautiful year — for the economy, for the people, for the hood, just working-class, even if you were a street hustler,” Young Jeezy said of his rookie year in rap. “The world is a different place now, so I wanted to take everybody back and give them that feeling, because it’s hard out here. At the same time, just that in the back of your head, knowing when this music was playing what you were doing, help you get through your day again, still motivation.” During his set in NY, Jeezy announced that his long awaited TM 103 will be released on September 20, and on Tuesday, he announced a 26-ctiy tour that will begin in New Orleans on July 31, concluding in Seattle on September 2. Share your memories of Jeezy’s TM 101 in the comments below! Related Artists Young Jeezy
‘Ew, get that thing off me! Get me a real baby!’ Kristen Stewart remembers of the animatronic baby used as Bella and Edward’s daughter. By Kara Warner Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart at 2011 Comic-Con Photo: WireImage SAN DIEGO — After taking last year off from San Diego Comic-Con , the cast of the “Twilight Saga” returned to the famed pop-culture extravaganza in a very big way. There was new “Breaking Dawn” footage screened before a crowd of 6,000, food gifts presented to fans via the castmembers themselves and talk of the awkwardness involved in filming sex scenes. It was a lot to take in. Here is our list of the top five “Twilight”-themed moments witnessed during SDCC 2011: Castmembers Treat Fans to Breakfast “Twilight” fans are known for their extreme loyalty and passion for the film franchise and its stars. As such, every time the cast has made the trek to San Diego for an appearance, thousands of fans line up outside the Con’s famous Hall H — many of whom camp out for days ahead of time. This year, castmembers Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Elizabeth Reaser, Booboo Stewart and Julia Jones surprised a bunch of lucky fans with an early-morning wake-up call that included a gift of muffins and fruit. Wedding Scene Was Filmed “Secret-Service Style” As much as they can, the “Breaking Dawn” cast and crew try to keep spoilers and set photos from being snapped and released on the Internet. But nothing has been as secretive and protected as Bella’s wedding dress. Kristen Stewart explained the great lengths that were taken during filming. “The wedding was secret-service style. It was insane. The crew was completely inconvenienced and grumbling around set,” she said at the “Breaking Dawn” press conference at San Diego Comic-Con. Stewart didn’t let their efforts go unnoticed. “You don’t understand what this means to us,” she told the security team. “If this dress gets on the Internet, I’ll die.” Bella and Edward’s Baby Terrified Its Onscreen Parents There has been much ado about the “Rosemary’s Baby”-esque birthing scene Stephenie Meyer wrote in “Breaking Dawn.” Specifically, the end of that scene when Bella brings a half-human, half-vampire baby into the world. According to the scene’s key participants, Stewart and Robert Pattinson, what should have been warm and fuzzy was actually horrifying. “We had an animatronic baby, the scene where [Bella] had to be introduced to the baby for the first time,” Pattinson explained during Thursday’s press conference. Stewart explained that although the scene is one of her favorites in the book, the fact that the baby bore more of a resemblance to Chuckie from “Child’s Play” than a real newborn made the scene a bit awkward. “[The puppeteer] is sweating right below my eyeline, trying to [reach] up to get the [animatronic baby’s] hand up to touch your face,” Stewart recalled. “And then it sticks to your hair and pulls a little bit and you’re like, ‘Ew, get that thing off me! Get me a real baby, this is ridiculous!’ ” she said. “And it had hair!” “If you’ve ever seen a baby with a wig on …,” Pattinson offered. “[It] looked like a little troll on a stick.” Seven-Minute Clip Teases “Honeymoon” Scene Of all the scenes fans are most looking forward to seeing in “Breaking Dawn,” the honeymoon scene is at the top of the list. And the lucky 6,000 fans who attended the film’s panel Thursday were treated to a steamy sneak peek, along with about seven minutes of new footage from the film. Pattinson told us the key to getting around the awkwardness involved in filming that scene was to go for it. “You just get lubed up and jump right into it!” RPattz joked. “You have to have some tantric breathing and stuff.” Pattinson Likens Himself to Processed Meat Speaking of brilliant Pattinson quotes, one of our favorites occurred when the heartthrob had to address appearing shirtless on camera. “The thing I was most nervous about was taking my shirt off,” Pattinson said of which scenes he was most anxious about. “I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up,” Pattinson self-deprecatingly added, referring to what fans will see of his torso in the film and preview footage. “I look like an inflatable frankfurter in some of those [scenes].” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1” and “Part 2.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos ‘Breaking Dawn’ Stars Take Over San Diego Comic-Con
At Comic-Con, director Spielberg and producer Jackson tell MTV News about motion-capture technique. By Terri Schwartz, with reporting by Eric Ditzian Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg at Comic-Con 2011 Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images SAN DIEGO — “The Adventures of Tintin” took San Diego Comic-Con by storm during Friday’s Hall H panel, gifting fans with new footage of the upcoming motion-capture flick and surprise appearances by producer Peter Jackson and star Andy Serkis. The debuted footage was received very favorably, several news outlets reported. Jackson and director Steven Spielberg caught up with MTV News to chat about how motion capture has evolved over the years. Spielberg cited the motion capture in “The Polar Express” as what propelled the animation technique into popularity, which then culminated in its best form when James Cameron and Weta Digital applied it to “Avatar.” Was there any one scene in particular Spielberg found the most difficult to create? “I don’t think it’s any one scene that is tough to crack,” he said. “It’s the medium that has been evolving that took years of development and experimentation and trial and error.” The central focus of the story is obviously the movie’s namesake, Tintin, but there are plenty of other colorful characters fans should look forward to as well. Spielberg said he hopes Tintin is the biggest breakout character to come out of the flick, but Jackson said the rest of the ensemble will have a chance to shine as well. “[Comic creator] Herg
Piers Morgan wears many hats: talk show host, America’s Got Talent judge, former Daily Mirror editor. But one thing the British celebrity swears he is not? A phone hacker. Morgan was forced to defend himself today after Louise Mensch – a Conservative member of Parliament on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, who grilled Rupert Murdoch during that News Corp. chief’s hearing in London – accused bragging about his own history of breaking into voicemails. Said Mensch: “[Morgan] said in his book ‘The Insider’ recently, and I quote, that that little trick of entering a standard four-digit code allows anyone to call that number and hear your messages…” This is simply untrue, Piers Tweeted in response: “That MP just claimed I boasted in my book of using phone-hacking for a scoop. Complete nonsense. Just read the book. I’ve never hacked a phone, told anyone to hack a phone, or published any stories based on the hacking of a phone.” What a mess. Literally! Someone slammed a whipped cream pie into Murdoch’s face during his testimony!
If this were Kim Kardashian , we’d blast her for exploiting a cute situation to score easy, patriotic points. We totally admit it. But, come on, it’s Linda Hamilton! Sarah Connor! Chuck Bartowski’s mom! The veteran actress isn’t exactly in need of endorsements or attention these days. Therefore, let’s agree the following video is nothing but a kind gesture. In it, Hamilton asks Sergeant Ray Lewis – the man who was turned down by Betty White – to the Marine Corps Ball. We’ll let you know if he accepts. Linda Hamilton Marine Ball Invitation
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