Lady Gaga and Usher are among the music stars coming together to celebrate former President Bill Clinton and the 10th anniversary of his foundation this weekend. Highlighting the 65-year-old’s efforts to protect the environment, promote global health and stimulate the economy, the Decade of Difference concert honoring the Clinton Foundation will be held at the famed Hollywood Bowl. The show will stream live on Yahoo at 7 p.m. EST Saturday. Lady Gaga and others will honor the former President tomorrow. Kenny Chesney, Juanes, K’Naan and XX are also on the bill for the one night only event, which will also feature an acoustic set by U2’s The Edge and Bono. We’ve already heard about what happened when Lady Gaga met President Obama . We can only hope she wears something like this tomorrow night as well. [Photos: WENN.com]
Un-break his heart! Marc Anthony Skeletor and Jennifer Lopez put their difference aside to spend some time with family and friends at the Miami home they previously shared for his 43rd birthday. There are some reports that Marc Anthony fell to his knees in tears while fans sang “Happy Birthday” to him at Miami performance the night before. But if you lost them cakes, wouldn’t you cry too??? Just sayin’. FamePictures
Looks like President Barack Obama has some backers and cosigners for his plan to get the economy back on track : Former President Bill Clinton urged lawmakers on Capitol Hill to focus on stimulating growth in the U.S. economy before efforts to reduce the deficit. “I think that we need to focus right now on putting the country back to work,” Mr. Clinton said Sunday in an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation. “I’d like to see the economic plan that (President Obama) talked about in his address to Congress enacted first, then when the economy starts growing again in a year or two, then I’d like to put the hammer down on this deficit problem,” Mr. Clinton told host Bob Schieffer. The former president praised Mr. Obama’s forthcoming proposal to raise taxes on the highest earning Americans, though he said he did not know the precise timing of when such a move would be implemented. “I think the president is doing the right thing,” Mr. Clinton said. Mr. Obama on Monday is expected to unveil a plan calling for a new minimum tax rate for individuals making more than $1 million a year, administration officials told CBS News. The notion is based on an argument made popular by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who has said that the current tax system gives an unfair advantage to his billionaire investor friends who do not pay as high a rate on their income as middle-class Americans. “If you look at the group that has had the biggest income increases and the benefit of most of the tax cuts of the previous eight years before the Obama administration took office, those of us in that income group, we’re in the best position to make a contribution to changing the debt structure of the country,” Mr. Clinton said, “I don’t think that’s such a draconian thing.” Mr. Clinton added that the economy will not start growing until the banks clear mountains of debt racked up in the mortgage crisis. “In the meanwhile I think a combination of the payroll tax changes that Obama recommended, setting up an investment bank and doing more in infrastructure and then looking at areas of specific opportunities to put people to work can really create million of jobs and get us out of hte worst of this doldrum,” Mr. Clinton said. Source
Gritty performance footage mix with dramatic New York scenes that illustrate the band’s history and future. By James Montgomery Evanescence Photo: Wind-up Records In late July, Evanescence — and fans — crammed into a sweltering Brooklyn warehouse to hammer out the video for “What You Want,” the first single off their much-anticipated new album (and, for anyone keeping score at home, their first video in almost four years). In between takes, frontwoman Amy Lee told MTV News that the clip, directed by longtime pro Meiert Avis (U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name”), was meant to show “the history of the band.” They wanted it to evoke the times when Evanescence used to play in Little Rock’s “gritty, dirty club” Vino’s as well as the band’s more recent hiatus, which saw Lee and bassist Tim McCord relocate to New York City. On Tuesday (September 13), we finally got to see the final product, as “What You Want” premiered on the band’s official site . And boy, was Amy spot-on in her analysis. “Want” is most definitely a historical thing, capturing Evanescence’s early days, slogging it out in sweaty clubs. It also recalls the halcyon days of big-ticket rock videos, full of sweeping shots of the New York skyline, a dramatic scene in which Lee appears to leap off the Brooklyn Bridge and some claustrophobic, cathartic performance footage. It even has a striking ending, in which Lee and her bandmates disappear into the surf down at Coney Island, as the sun breaks over the horizon. Lee has said many times that “What You Want” is a definite departure for Evanescence , and that holds true in the case of both the song and the video. The tune definitely snarls more than most in their back catalog, and the video feels very much like a true band clip; it’s artfully autobiographical and, perhaps most notably, features all of Evanescence. So, “Want” is notable for several reasons, least among them the fact that it officially brings to end their hiatus from the world of music videos. It’s also important to realize that, for perhaps the first time in their rather tumultuous history, they’re unified and pressing on toward the future. By looking back. Related Videos Evanescence’s ‘What You Want’ Video Behind-The-Scenes MTV First: Evanescence Related Artists Evanescence
At age 25, the rapper succumbed to gunshot wounds 15 years ago today. By Rob Markman Tupac Shakur on August 1, 1992 Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ImageDirect There will never be another Tupac Shakur . Who knew that back in 1991 after he made his musical debut with 2Pacalypse Now that the saggy jean-wearing, wide-eyed MC who rapped about the fictional teenaged Brenda and her baby would grow to be one of the most revered figures in modern American history? On Tuesday (September 13), the 15th anniversary of the day he died at age 25, it is clear that Tupac has transcended hip-hop, held by his generation in the same regard as inspirational musical figures like Bob Marley and John Lennon. Tupac’s 1996 shooting and death was the final act in a life often overshadowed by drama and controversy. On September 7, 1996, after attending a Mike Tyson heavyweight championship fight in Las Vegas (and then getting into a fight himself afterwards), the rap star was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting. It wasn’t the first time the enigmatic street poet came under fire. On November 30, 1994, Shakur was shot five times and, like a mythical urban superhero, checked himself out of the hospital against the doctor’s orders, living to tell his tales through rap. Through his music, storied acting career and overall public persona, Tupac Shakur had proved resilient, so his fans held hope that he would survive the 1996 attack that left him hospitalized for six days. But this time would be different. On Friday September 13, 1996, Tupac Amaru Shakur died due to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. Authorities have yet to find his killer. Born to two Black Panthers, Tupac understood poverty and black struggle, and he wasn’t afraid to express it through his music. As intelligent, profound and articulate as he was in song, ‘Pac also remained relatable, controversial and contradictory. So while tracks like “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” “Keep Ya Head Up” and “Dear Mama” were made to uplift, fiery anthems like “Hit ‘Em Up,” “Ambitionz Az a Ridah” and “Against All Odds” stood as chest-pounding, testosterone-filled thug anthems. Other hits like “I Get Around,” “How Do U Want It” and “Toss It Up” celebrated Tupac’s flirtatious side. A double-threat, ‘Pac went on to conquer Hollywood as well, beginning with a brief appearance in 1991’s “Nothing But Trouble,” starring Chevy Chase and Demi Moore. It was his 1992 role in the movie “Juice,” however, that certified him a star. Playing the maniacal and villainous Bishop, ‘Pac put his Thug Life persona on full display on the silver screen. He went on to land roles in films like “Poetic Justice” with Janet Jackson, “Above the Rim” and “Bullet,” alongside Mickey Rourke. In February 1995, the rapper/actor began serving a prison sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility in New York after he was sentenced on a sexual assault charge in a rape case he faced the previous year. When he released his third solo album, Me Against the World, a month later, ‘Pac became the first artist to score a #1 album on the Billboard 200 albums chart from behind bars. Later that year, Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight posted bail pending Tupac’s appeal and signed the rapper to his label, where he went on to release his first double LP All Eyez on Me and, under the alias Makaveli, his The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (which came out months after his death). While he was creating what many agree was the best music of his career, this period in ‘Pac’s life was marked by the feud he ignited with the Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. B.I.G. was gunned down six months after Shakur, on March 9, 1997. While many speak of the two rap deaths in the same regard, there is no concrete evidence to link the two. B.I.G.’s murder is also unsolved. After his death, Tupac’s legacy lives, particularly with the eight posthumous albums that have been released, including a double-disc greatest hits collection. He has been immortalized in film, books and even college courses, as well as through the works of musicians who have come after him. Traces of ‘Pac can be found in nearly almost every rapper from 50 Cent to T.I. Jay-Z, Eminem, Fabolous and Cam’ron have all sampled from Shakur, and non-rap artists like Justin Bieber have claimed to be fans. In his death he has remained firmly rooted as a hip-hop legend, but at the same time his legend has surpassed musical genre. Tupac Shakur was more than a rapper or poet or a thespian; he is a motivator, an inspiration and an American classic — even in death. Related Videos Remembering Tupac: 15 Years Later Related Artists Tupac
Here is a video of our last three Presidents, including our current one, giving their prepared remarks commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I actually liked Clinton’s more than Obama’s. Bush’s speech was excellent. Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Blue Collar Philosophy Discovery Date : 10/09/2011 23:17 Number of articles : 2
The 42nd President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, celebrates his birthday today. The Big Dawg is now 65. Happy birthday, Bubba! William Jefferson Clinton, the pride of Hope, Ark., remains the only Democrat to win two full White House terms since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He also presided over the largest peacetime economic expansion in U.S. history, and left office extremely popular despite being impeached. Hey, no one’s perfect, right? His wife, Hillary Clinton, is currently U.S. Secretary of State. Their daughter, Chelsea, married Marc Mezvinsky last summer in New York State. In a political flip-flop of Mitt Romney-esque proportions, Bill Clinton is marking his 65th birthday by going vegan. Seriously. No more burgers! What a difference a quadruple bypass makes. “I like the vegetables, the fruits, the beans, the stuff I eat now,” the ex-President tells CNN. After experiencing heart problems leading up to the 2004 surgery, Clinton has now lost 20 lbs.: “I feel good, and I have so much more energy.” Glad to hear. Have a veggie burger on us tonight, BC!
Here’s some footage [1] of Bill Clinton’s keynote speech at the International Association of Fire Fighters’ conference this morning, where he assailed Texas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry [2] as a “good-looking rascal” whose anti-government platform was “crazy.” I emailed a Perry campaign spokesman this afternoon for response and will update when it comes in. The video [3]… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The Politicker Discovery Date : 15/08/2011 23:02 Number of articles : 2
Officials have reportedly impounded copies of Gaga’s latest disc, calling it ‘offensive to Christianity.’ By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Getty On Monday night, Lady Gaga attended the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards in New York City, where she accepted the Fashion Icon prize. Donning a green wig and a black dress with mesh and spikes, the superstar opened up about her love of fashion and how it shaped her as an artist. “All of you made me feel like a star before I was,” she told the CFDA crowd at Lincoln Center, where guests included fashion luminaries like Marc Jacobs, Anna Wintour, and onetime star of MTV’s “The City,” Diane von Furstenberg. She continued, “As much as this award means to me personally … I just want you to know how much this means to young Americans.” Gaga will continue to show support for her fans when she makes an appearance in Italy on Saturday at Rome’s Circus Maximus to mark the close of 2011 Euro Pride. U.S. Ambassador to Italy David Thorne said he is “very proud to have an Italian-American artist of [Gaga’s] stature” attending the Euro Pride festivities, which are held in a different European city every year. He added that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said, “Human rights are gay rights and gay rights are human rights.” It’s not all love for Gaga, however. According to The Guardian, officials in Lebanon have banned Born This Way, describing it as “offensive to Christianity.” The office of general security reportedly impounded copies of the chart-topping album when it arrived at the airport in Beirut. “Distributors are prohibited from circulating media that diverges from public decency and morality or is at odds with nationalistic or religious beliefs,” officials told The Guardian. Despite the report, Lebanon’s information ministry insists that it “is, and always has been, against all forms of censorship.” The Los Angeles Times reported that the Lebanese office of general security confirmed “[copies of the album] are still in our offices. We are still deciding what to do with them.” What do you think of Born This Way being banned overseas? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos Lady Gaga: Inside The Outside Related Artists Lady Gaga
