Tag Archives: expectations

Jim Jones Wants Diplomats Reality Show, Reunion Album In 2012

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Jones tells ‘RapFix Live’ he wants the Harlem group’s comeback album to roll out with a reality show documenting their recording process. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Jim Jones on “RapFix Live” Photo: Fans have waited eight years for a third Diplomats album, what’s another few months? If Jim Jones has his way, the long-awaited Diplomatic Immunity 3 will be out by the end of the year. “Real soon; might be the fourth quarter,” the Dipset Capo said when he appeared on “RapFix Live” on June 13. Long after the group broke up , Jim, Cam’ron, Juelz Santana and Freekey Zekey announced two years ago that they would be coming back together and dropping a new album. The crew did reunite onstage this past weekend as Drake’s special guests during his concert at Jones Beach in New York, but the LP is still a ways off. “Me and Killa has been working diligently together and recording and things like that. So, everything is moving not as fast as everybody else would want it to, but it’s moving just on time for us,” Jim said, referencing he and the group’s lead MC Cam’ron. “The Diplomat album is definitely in the works.” There is a single in the pipeline, Jim briefly spoke on the Lil Wayne-assisted “Have You Ever Made Love to a Diplomat,” but didn’t say when fans will be able to hear it. If Jones had his way, the roll-out for the Harlem group’s comeback album will begin with a fall reality show documenting the quartet’s recording process. The program would then lead up to a December release for the LP. It’s all very hypothetical at the moment, Jones said. Group member Juelz Santana has been facing some legal trouble after a 2011 arrest following a raid on his New Jersey recording studio. He was charged with four counts of narcotic and weapon offenses. “They charged me with the firearms,” Elz said when he appeared on “RapFix Live” last June. “They didn’t charge me with trying to sell, but they put out a statement making it seem like I was selling weed out of my studio, which is preposterous. Dime bags? I got a phantom and a Bentley outside of my studio; I’m not selling dime bags. That sh– is just crazy.” The drama has affected Santana’s musical output, but Jones insists that he’s been working. “It’s hard when you have a break after another break and things start to pile up on you,” Jim said of his buddy. “In this past two months he’s been recording like a beast, so I know for sure he has like 30-something songs done.” What are your expectations for the Diplomats reunion album? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Jim Jones The Diplomats Cam’ron Juelz Santana

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T.I. Says Chief Keef Gives A Voice To ‘Youth In America’

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

T.I. admits to courting the 16-year-old Chicago MC, but supports his decision to sign with Interscope. By Rob Markman T.I. Photo: Chief Keef has had a hell of a weekend. Not only did the 16-year-old Chicago MC sign a record deal with Interscope, he also got a chance to perform at Birthday Bash in front of 20,000 ATL rap fans. Keef was one of T.I. ‘s many special guests, which included Usher, Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy. Backstage, Tip gave the youngster the ultimate co-sign. “Chief Keef, I feel like he represents a part of America,” T.I. told MTV News. “He represents a part of the youth in America that ain’t really got a voice right now. We looking at ’em, and we’re seeing the results of their actions, but we ain’t really listening to ’em, and I think you gotta have a representative of each generation in order to understand what they dealing with.” Because of his power in the rap game, Tip feels it’s his responsibility to try to understand and help young rappers. Keef garnered a ton of attention thanks to underground standout tracks “I Don’t Like” and “3 Hunna.” The former is a gritty street track that denounces snitching and fake True Religion jeans. The song’s video has already amassed more than 6 million views on YouTube and caught the attention of Kanye West, who, along with Keef, Pusha T, Big Sean and Jadakiss, remixed the track. A number of industry executives have expressed interest in signing the young rapper. Birdman was vocal about courting the young spitter, but it was Interscope that presented the best offer. “They was talking good to me,” he told RapFix. “They was talking like I was talking, and I liked that. All these other labels, I was talking to ’em, but it’s time anyway for me, and I’m going with Interscope.” T.I. said there was an opportunity for Keef to join his Grand Hustle family, but he respects the young rapper’s decision. Tip is just happy that the go-getter was able to make a way for himself. “The opportunity existed, but I never put my own personal wishes before the best interest of the next person,” T.I. said. “I’m just happy that he’s able to do whatever’s best for him and his family and to move forward as a person and to progress in life. As long as he’s doing that, I’m happy.” What do you think Chief Keef’s signing to Interscope? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Chief Keef T.I.

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Nas Producer Compares Life is Good To Amy Winehouse, Fugees

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Salaam Remi compares Nas’ 10th solo album to Back to Black and The Score By Rob Markman Nas Photo: Despite having more than 20 years in the game and a number of classic albums already under his belt, Nas admitted to MTV News he’s “a little nervous” about completing his 10th solo album, Life is Good. Luckily, he has friends like producer Salaam Remi to reassure him. When Nas and Salaam were putting the finishing touches on the album, the rapper admitted doubt started to creep in. “At this point when we’re mastering, I start to get a little nervous,” Nas told MTV News on June 12. “I start thinking about those records I could’ve, should’ve, would’ve done that didn’t make it.” Remi, who worked with God’s Son on the majority of Life is Good, made it clear to Nas he has no doubts. The producer told him that the upcoming album reminded him of Amy Winehouse’s 2006 breakout Back to Black and the Fugees’ 1996 Grammy Award-winning LP The Score. Sounds like a lofty comparison, but Salaam produced on both Winehouse’s and the Fugees’ classic albums, so he is an authority on the matter. It’s not that Nas lacks confidence, but in the past he has been known to leave some pretty amazing records on the cutting-room floor. In fact, on 2002’s The Lost Tapes, he unearthed gems like the soulful “Doo Rags” and “No Idea’s Original.” For Life is Good, however, Nas firmly believes that he has all the right songs on there. Last November, Salaam spoke with MTV’s Mixtape Daily and described his friend’s recording process. “It’s always way more songs, Nas’s process is that he really records a lot and goes through different ideas and gets to that point,” he said. With Life is Good, the rap great thinks he has the right mix of tracks, however. “I feel like the record is definitely one of my more focused records,” he said. “It’s only the mastering part that I get nervous [about], because I’m like, ‘After it’s mastered, that’s it.’ ” Already Nasir has released “Nasty” and “The Don,” two street singles that are reminiscent of New York’s mid-1990s hip-hop movement. His latest single, “Daughters,” is a reflective jewel where he examines his role as a dad. So far it sounds like Esco has a quality album on his hands and he doesn’t want to look back with any regrets. “Three years from now, when I’m listening to it, I don’t want to always think what I should’ve put on this record … just so it could be a complete piece of work,” he said. “But it is a complete piece of work.” What are your expectations for Nas’ upcoming Life is Good LP? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Nas

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Was John Carter the Victim of ‘Perpetual Sneak Preview Culture?’

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Was Disney’s John Carter the victim of our increasing cultural overstimulation? IndieWire’s Matt Singer considers the tentpole’s reception — and suggests parallels with Kenneth Lonergan’s troubled production-cum-critical darling, Margaret : “[As] perpetual sneak preview culture becomes normalized, audiences are being conditioned to weigh in on a movie before it even comes out. They’re trained not only to trust their expectations, but to express them constantly. ‘I knew this movie was going to be bad from the first trailer,’ is a commonly expressed opinion online. At a certain point, it begins to feel like people want a movie to fail, if only to prove their expectations right.” [ IndieWire ]

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Midday Motivation | Raise Your Expecations

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

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“In order to enhance your results you have to enhance your expectations.” – Maria More It is so tempting to get “comfortable,” especially when there…

Midday Motivation | Raise Your Expecations

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Robert Pattinson Talks Cosmopolis Re-Team, Says Cronenberg Wanted to Film His Junk

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

On the eve of his Cannes debut in David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis , Robert Pattinson spoke with Metro France about a host of topics, most notably his fear of being fired from the film and his eagerness to reunite with the director on a “really weird” film about the film industry. And, oh yes: His balls. More specifically, how Cronenberg really wanted to get them in a shot for one particularly revealing scene… [ GALLERY: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and more at the Cannes Film Festival ] Granted, the nuance of language gets a bit lost via Google Translation (hat tip to fan blog Robert Pattinson Life for their translated version). Either way, temper your expectations: The Pattinson junk did not make it to the screen as planned. “Five minutes before we filmed, David told me, ‘I want to see the bottom of your balls on the top of the frame.’ At the moment, I reminded myself that I would do anything for him. So I went back to see him and told him that wouldn’t happen. He took it really well. At the start, it’s a very bizarre scene that you won’t see again in another movie, I promise.” Oh, that Cronenberg! Pattinson also told Metro France about the film he hopes to reunite with Cronenberg on after he hunts Saddam Hussein in Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire’s Mission: Blacklist : “I don’t know when exactly we’re going to shoot. It will be David’s first movie in America. In Los Angeles, to be exact. It will be about the film industry and I promise that it’s going to be really weird.” As it should be. Read more here and here , and follow Movieline’s Cannes coverage as Cosmopolis debuts tomorrow.

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John Mayer Proud Of ‘Giant Evolutionary Steps’ On Born And Raised

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

At intimate New York listening party, singer says new album ‘widened the expectations of what I can do.’ By Jocelyn Vena John Mayer Photo: Mark Sullivan/ Getty Images NEW YORK — Fans and industry folks gathered at the famed Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village on Wednesday night to get an advanced listen to John Mayer ‘s new album, the country-fried, introspective Born and Raised. Before the album even played, Neil Young songs blasted through the hallowed halls of the studio. Given Mayer’s vibe on Born and Raised, which pays homage to the Young sound of the 1970s, it all made sense. When Mayer’s album was eventually put on, it was an easy transition from Young’s jangly guitar and harmonica to Mayer’s own on the album, out Tuesday. The album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, and the Big Apple is referenced on some tracks, as on many Mayer songs before. “Records are pure reflections,” Mayer told the room. “I’m so proud it’s out. The finish line is so far off [when you’re making the record].” In recent years, Mayer has been through it all. After going TMI crazy in the press in 2010 , he has shied away from media attention. Some of that had to do with the fact that he had surgery on his vocal cords in late 2011. In fact, he still needs to go through another surgery to correct the problem. But he said he plans to record a new album this summer, regardless. “If you’re lucky, you get to make giant evolutionary steps from your first record, so I was able to do that. And you guys, I think, you’re able to come along with that step and be psyched about that evolution and I’m excited to even go further now and start coming up with melodies you haven’t heard yet,” he said, referencing his “Your Body Is a Wonderland” days on his 2001 debut, Room for Squares. During the chat he explained that every song on this album is his favorite, for perhaps the first time in his career, adding that they “widened the expectations of what I can do.” Additionally, after having to cancel his 2012 spring trek , Mayer confirmed he want to hit the road in spring 2013 “and have two records to pull from. … I think I can cheat time a little bit because as you know, I try to cheat time all the time. So I think we can all catch up so that a year from now there’s two records. It’ll be like Born and Raised part two because there’s certain things I want to keep doing.” Related Artists John Mayer

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Slaughterhouse On Major-Label Debut: ‘We’re Done’

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘We take you on a ride through this album,’ Joell Ortiz tells MTV News of Welcome to: Our House. By Rob Markman, with reporting by James Lacsina Royce da 5″9″ of Slaughterhouse Photo: MTV News Slaughterhouse are putting the finishing touches on their humble abode. Welcome to: Our House , Slaughterhouse’s major-label debut on Shady Records, is scheduled for a June 12 release, and Eminem is just putting the finishing touches on the much-anticipated LP. “The album is done. In terms of vocal recording, we’re done. Marshall is still in the process of mixing, we still got a couple of records that we’re missing,” Royce da 5’9″ told MTV News on May 9 from the set of their “My Life” video. “We’re on pace for June, worst-case scenario, we’re looking at July, but it’s definitely coming, 100 percent. This isn’t SH’s first album, but ever since it was announced that Royce, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Crooked I signed to Eminem’s Shady Records at the top of 2011, rap fans have been wondering what type of sound the major-label marriage would yield. “Fire,” Joe Budden said, describing the sound of the new album in a single word. His partner-in-rhyme Ortiz was a little more descriptive. “It’s a really personal album, but there are records like ‘My Life’ which are celebratory,” he said. Each member of Slaughterhouse is a master lyricist in his own right, and when they converge for group efforts, the expectations are that much higher. “There are records were those core Slaughterhouse fans will get their ‘Ohs and ahs’ like ‘OK, the pen is pushing,’ ” Ortiz said, promising a barrage of witty lyrics. “It’s themed, but we take you on a ride through this album. Y’all gonna enjoy it.” The group is so excited about the album that they are taking great care in making sure it isn’t leaked onto the Internet prematurely. In fact, Welcome to: Our House is so closely guarded, none of Slaughterhouse members even have a copy. “We don’t have the music, it stays in the studio. It’s safe there,” Ortiz told us. “But every time we go to record or just get up and meet in Detroit with Em and everybody at Shady, I personally ask them to hear records.” What are you hoping to hear on Welcome to: Our House ? Leave your comment below!

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Rihanna On Mend After Flu-Related IV

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

After ‘Battleship’ star tweets photo of an IV in her arm, source says she had a fever and flu ‘but is fine now.’ By Kara Warner Rihanna Photo: Lester Cohen/ WireImage Celebrities: They’re just like us! Even the most famous pop stars catch the flu bug every now and then — at least, that’s what seems to have been ailing Rihanna recently. The 24-year-old singer issued a colorful complaint about feeling under the weather via Twitter over the weekend, and then surprised her 18 million followers with the photographic proof of her unidentified illness Tuesday with a Twit pic that showed RiRi in bed with an IV in her arm. According to People , a source close to Rihanna said the singer is on the mend and was not suffering from anything serious: “She had a fever and flu since last week and needed an IV, but is fine now.” Not that we’re qualified to offer a diagnosis here at MTV News, but judging from all the traveling, performing and promotion Rihanna has been involved in during the past month leading up to the release of her first movie, “Battleship,” as well as her performance on “SNL,” it seems likely the young woman was simply worn out. Here’s hoping she takes some actual time off for rest and relaxation. Meanwhile, we only have to wait a little while longer to see the “Where Have U Been” singer in her big-screen debut, a role that Rihanna said she relished because she got to be a total badass. “I wanted to do something badass, but I didn’t imagine it would be grungy, like straight Navy soldier, no makeup,” Rihanna said of her expectations for her first movie role. “I enjoyed it. “Battleship” opens May 18. Check out everything we’ve got on “Battleship.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Share your well-wishes for Rihanna in the comments below! Related Artists Rihanna

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Usher Says ‘Scream’ Is ‘Just In Time For Summer’

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Following ‘Climax,’ singer tells MTV News his latest single ‘represents the other side’ of Looking for Myself album. By Jocelyn Vena Usher Photo: MTV News Bumping beats, sexy lyrics and Usher ‘s signature R&B bad-boy swagger can only mean one thing: the singer has once again hooked up with superstar pop producer Max Martin. Their latest collaboration, “Scream,” picks up where “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” left off back in 2010. Usher used that track to convince us to go home with him after a dizzying night of partying, and for “Scream,” he’s got us back at his pad and he’s rocking our world, one fist-pumping moment at a time. While he opted to slow it down on “Climax,” Usher is back to large-scale dance tracks on Looking for Myself ‘s second single. And, he told MTV News, both tracks reflect the sound of the album. “This album has many different views and many different perspectives,” he told MTV News while rehearsing for his one-night run as the lead in NYC’s off-Broadway spectacle “Fuerza Bruta,” which also served as a place for Usher to debut the album ahead of its release. “And me and Max Martin, we’ve had success together in the past, and this was a record I felt represented the other side of the [album].” “Scream” and “Climax” truly are polar-opposite tracks. Where “Climax” sears and broods, “Scream” celebrates and dances. Usher is excited for the chance to show all those sides with the two lead singles from the June 12 release. “Whereas the first song was a little bit more artistic and a little bit more soulful, and it has done everything, it probably exceeded my expectations, I mean, from the moment I was able to give it away. I was able to kind of be reintroduced in a way musically, and thank you to [producer] Diplo, but ‘Scream’ is really like the next step. It’s just in time for summer and the type of experience that I want people to get out of the album.” But the Atlanta-bred singer notes that the album can’t be defined just by “Climax” or “Scream.” There’s a lot there to keep fans tuning in. “It’s a ton of other experiences and a ton of other walks … as I’ve had this long journey over the last year [and] every bit of what I’ve experienced I’ve put into a creative, artistic way,” he said. As for the video, well, that still has to be shot, but he joked that “Fuerza Bruta” might serve as the perfect backdrop for the clip — or maybe not. “We might be shooting it while we’re here,” he laughed. “This is like a movie set, damn near — sh– you don’t normally see with the launch of an album. This is pretty spectacular.” What are you expecting from Usher’s next album? Let us know in the comments!

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