Tag Archives: forthcoming

The-Dream Says New Album May Be His Last

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

I really would like it to be the last one if I could,’ he says of upcoming album Love King. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Shaheem Reid The-Dream Photo: MTV News Is he or isn’t he? The-Dream has been threatening to stop making albums after his next release, Love King , but the hitmaking songwriter admitted his declaration comes with a catch. “It’s the last album, period,” he told MTV News on Monday (March 8). “I really would like it to be the last one if I could — in a perfect world.” The Atlanta native already has two critically acclaimed albums under his belt, 2007’s Love Hate and 2008’s Love vs. Money. And he’s scored a number of chart-topping tracks as the pen behind “Umbrella” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It).” His dedication to his craft as a hired songwriter is in part why he would like to finish his run of personal projects after the forthcoming Love King. However, he said, what he wants versus what may actually happen could very likely be two different things. “In the back of my mind, I’m thinking a fighter fights,” he explained. “You don’t retire on top. [Michael] Jordan didn’t retire on top. I’m not saying I’m the best [like him], but I’m the best at what I can do. And I can stop now and say, ‘This album is pretty good.’ ” For Love King, The-Dream said he plans to evolve as a performer. Because of his hectic schedule working with others, he previously didn’t have the chance to polish his skill set like he wanted. He joked about his weight, saying he works better for others when he’s eating red velvet cupcakes — but that diet clashes with his desire to be a slimmed-down performer. “Doing those things [for everyone else] prohibited me from being a certain individual or shedding 10 pounds when I wanted to,” he offered. At the end of last year, the singer hinted at impending retirement when he spoke about his next project. “The first two albums came out and it really was just about music,” he said. “This album, it has to be a lot more — whether that’s marketing, all of the things that the big guys get. We have to turn and put those things on me as an artist also. … Now we have to treat it like it means something to the building. I think everybody is there. We have an incredible staff at Def Jam, of course. Now we gotta buckle up for me and put them dollars up.” Who do you think about The-Dream’s retirement plans? Would you be happy if he stopped performing to focus on being a songwriter for other stars? Let us know in the comments below, or upload a video to Your.MTV.com ! Related Artists The-Dream

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Miley Cyrus Talks Liam Helmsworth, Taking Time Off From Music

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘He’s very grateful for what he has, but he doesn’t let it go to his head. I’m like that too,’ Cyrus tells Teen Vogue. By Jocelyn Vena Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus At Elton John’s Oscar party on Sunday Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Chopard In the forthcoming issue of Teen Vogue, teen queen Miley Cyrus sits down with her “Last Song” co-star and real-life boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth , to talk about the pair’s instant chemistry with one another, as well as her career future now that she’s bidding the world of Hannah Montana a fond farewell for more adult pastures in flicks like “The Last Song” and her cameo in the “Sex and the City” film sequel. “I think we’re both deeper than normal people — what they think and how they feel,” Cyrus says about Hemsworth in the April issue, hitting newsstands March 16. “He’s very grateful for what he has, but he doesn’t let it go to his head. I’m like that too.” And while his down-to-Earth nature may have stuck with Cyrus, it was his height that initially caught her eye. “He’s really tall. I thought, either I’m going to have to be in heels or standing on something for this entire movie!” she said. “He definitely showed chivalry: I remember him opening the door for the director, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ ” Hemsworth jokingly chimed in, “I have very good parents. It was funny — working with Miley was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. From the first time we read, it was like I had known her before.” Cyrus is can easily be defined as a “quadruple threat,” but it’s Hemsworth’s focus on just acting that she found most refreshing while shooting the flick. “It’s refreshing to work with an actor who isn’t also a singer and dancer and musician and artist and this and that,” she explained. “I’m sick of quadruple threats who do everything when they should stick to one thing.” Cyrus herself has been hard at work on her next album, but she admitted that music isn’t inspiring her the way it should be. “The more I make music that doesn’t truly inspire me, the more I feel like I’m blending in with everyone else,” she said. “So after this next album, I’m taking some time off.” So, what’s next for Cyrus then aside from “The Last Song” due out on March 31. Easy, lots: “I’m working on lots of different films: drama, action, comedy,” she says of her post-Hannah Montana life . “I like challenges, so I’m doing a little bit of everything.” And that includes a cameo in the hotly anticipated “Sex and the City” flick out in May. “I know everyone says Carrie, but I love Kim Cattrall, so I’ll say Samantha,” she said. “I want to be her because she’s the hottest, she’s funny, and she has attitude.” The new issue of Teen Vogue is on stands March 16. Related Videos 2010 Oscar Red-Carpet Interviews Related Artists Miley Cyrus

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Lil Wayne And Young Money’s ‘Roger That’ Video Premieres

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The clip is one of almost 20 shot before Weezy’s impending jail time. By Hillary Crosley Lil Wayne Photo: Ozone Mag Lil Wayne has filmed footage for nearly 20 videos to be released during his forthcoming jail sentence — which was postponed again Tuesday (March 2) due to a courthouse fire — and the blitz began Monday with the premiere of Young Money’s graphic-novel-inspired “Roger That” clip. The clip features Nicki Minaj, Tyga and Wayne in a green-screen-heavy version of the 2005 film “Sin City.” Nicki, stationed in a black-and-white, oversaturated depiction of Manhattan, raps first from a heart-shaped bed and then from the first-class section of an airplane. Her pink hair swings as she rhymes, “Just hopped off the plane came back from Vancouv/ Little white tees, some boobs and bamboos/ White girls tell me, ‘Hey, Nicki, your camp rules!’ ” Stationed in a sketched version of Los Angeles, Tyga is next up in the clip and is dressed as a pilot in a leather bomber jacket and aviator glasses. In the next scene, the heavily tattooed rapper performs in a nightclub to an all-female audience that looks straight out of a noir detective novel. “Young black ricos kill for the C-notes/ But me, though, I jack son/ … She wanna play games, but this is not bingo,” Tyga spits. Finally, Weezy himself raps voraciously, sporting a black baseball cap and white tee. “I’m a beast, you a pet, long neck, Keith Sweat/ Weezy f—ing Baby, capo in this bitch/ Money talks so have a convo in this bitch wit’ me,” the MC raps while bouncing around on the screen. This might have been just one video in a long line of clips, but Wayne and the crew look like they had a great time. Hopefully, that feeling will last for the entirety of the New Orleans rapper’s impending sentence. Related Videos Lil Wayne Goes To Jail Lil Wayne’s ‘Road To Rikers’ Related Artists Lil Wayne

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Estelle Addresses Use Of Black Makeup In ‘Freak’ Video

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I could defend myself, but it’s just silly,’ singer says of ‘blackface’ criticism. By Hillary Crosley Estelle in the preview for her music video “Freak” Photo: EstelleMusic.com/ Youtube After her breakthough album Shine, British songstress-rapper Estelle has returned with a new single, “Freak,” from her forthcoming album, All of Me. However, the song’s video — segments of which show her wearing black makeup on her face and body — did not go over well with some of her fans online . “Those comments were the first thing I saw after we released the video trailer,” Estelle told MTV News on Monday (March 1). “It’s like, ‘Are you joking?’ ” The “Freak” clip was directed by frequent Kanye West collaborator Nabil Elderkin and the song itself is a bouncy dance-track produced by David Guetta, featuring Canadian MC Kardinal Offishall. The lyrics address people releasing their individuality and the clip features Estelle in a multitude of looks, including black body paint. However, the director said it’s meant to be in fun. “We are making a video about Estelle acting freaky and we’re gonna do lots of things: turns, fingers, beauty looks, freaky looks, fast dancers, it’s gonna be hot,” Elderkin says in the clip’s promotional trailer. (The director was unavailable for comment at press time.) Estelle said she and the director are longtime friends and he understands that her creative vision is “coming from a place of art versus just trying to be different.” She also declined to address the online chatter directly. “I think they need to wait to see the clip. I could defend myself, but it’s just silly,” Estelle said of the comments. “I’m black, so how do I do blackface? Missy did the same thing [with her video] “She’s a Bitch.” I refuse to defend it, I didn’t put any white ring around my mouth — never that.” Estelle said the “Freak” video will hit the web this week and her album will hits shelves this summer. Related Artists Estelle

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Ludacris Hopes Battle Of The Sexes Makes ‘Female Voices’ Heard

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘It’s such a male-dominated industry that I feel like females need more of a voice,’ Atlanta MC says. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway NEW YORK — According to Ludacris , there’s just too much testosterone in hip-hop. So with his forthcoming Battle of the Sexes album, the Atlanta rapper decided to inject what he felt was a much-needed dose of femininity to the discussion. “It’s such a male-dominated industry that I feel like females need more of a voice, so we wanted to hear more of what the hell they had to say,” Luda told MTV News about the album concept. “With that being said, I went out and got women from the past, the present and the future — everyone from Lil Kim, Eve, Trina, Nicki Minaj. I got records where I’m talking about women … and where women are talking back to me.” Originally, the project was slated feature Ludacris and his former Disturbing Tha Peace first lady Shawnna. The rapper wanted to model the album after collaborative LPs Jay-Z and Foxy Brown and the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil Kim once promised but never delivered. With Shawnna’s departure from the DTP camp, however, Luda decided to revamp Sexes into an expanded effort. Monica and Crime Mob’s Diamond are among the other females set to participate; Ne-Yo, Trey Songz, Flo Rida and Gucci Mane are also featured on the album. Ludacris said once he put the call out to the ladies to join in on the project, the responses were overwhelming. “They were loving it,” he said. “It was even better when we shot the ‘My Chick Bad’ video and the remix. I had all those women on the same set. It was history. They love the fact that someone is trying to get the female voice out there more.” The Battle of the Sexes tracklisting, according to Def Jam: 1. Intro 2. How Low 3. My Chick Bad (featuring Nicki Minaj) 4. Everybody Drunk (featuring Lil Scrappy) 5. I Do It All Night 6. Sex Room (featuring Trey Songz) 7. I Know You Got a Man (featuring Flo Rida) 8. Hey Ho (featuring Lil Kim and Lil Fate) 9. Party No Mo’ (featuring Gucci Mane) 10. B.O.T.S. Radio (featuring I-20) 11. Can’t Live With You (featuring Monica) 12. Feelin’ So Sexy 13. Tell Me a Secret (featuring Ne-Yo) 14. My Chick Bad Remix (featuring Diamond, Trina and Eve) Who do you think about Ludacris’ idea for Battle of the Sexes ? Who are some of the female rappers you want to hear more from? Let us know in the comments below, or upload a video to Your.MTV.com ! Related Artists Ludacris

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Soulja Boy Tell’em On ‘All The Way Turnt Up’ Video With Roscoe Dash

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘That sounds like a ‘Turn My Swag On’ times 10. Man, I gotta get on that,’ rapper said of the collaboration. By Hillary Crosley Soulja Boy Tell’em Photo: MTV News Soulja Boy Tell’em recently broke from recording his forthcoming album, The DeAndre Way, to team up with up-and-coming rapper Roscoe Dash for a remix of the hit “All the Way Turnt Up.” The clip debuted on Monday (February 22) and is currently the Jam of the Week on “MTV Jams.” “When I first heard the ‘All the Way Turnt Up’ song by Roscoe Dash, it reminded me of myself,” Soulja Boy told MTV News. “I was like, ‘That sounds like a “Turn My Swag On” times 10. Man, I gotta get on that.’ ” The pair filmed the clip in an Atlanta warehouse, but Soulja Boy is clear that the video shoot was only a short break from his dedication to his producing craft. “My album is complete but I record every day just to do it,” said Soulja Boy. “I been had my single, I just leaked a lot of songs that people liked just as much as [a single. This] time, I’m going to do it right so this time when I drop the song, there’s going to be a visual and it’s going to be money.” The teen said he’s learned a lot from positive people around him, including Kanye West. “Kanye’s always been supportive of my music and he wanted me to do a remix for ‘Robocop’ on his 808s and Heartbreak album,” said Soulja Boy. “He gave me a lot of advice in the studio. He’s real cool.” The young star says that he’s grown up since the world’s first introduction to “Crank Dat.” “What’s different about this album is just me as an artist, period,” said Soulja Boy. “My lyrics and word play, my punch lines, my metaphors is on another level, my beats, my production skills … I just like to go to the studio and zone out. I learned how to take constructive criticism a lot better, so I just sit back and watch the game, seeing what everybody’s doing, who’s hot, who’s selling, what’s going on. My intentions are good for this third album, just ready to do it.” In preparation for The DeAndre Way, Soulja Boy recently released three mixtapes : Cortez by DJ Whoo Kid and Neptune, Paranormal Activity with DJ Scream and DatPiff with DJ Holiday. The official album is slated to hit shelves sometime this year. Related Artists Soulja Boy Tell’em

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Alicia Keys Explains Why Love Is Theme Of The Element of Freedom

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘It’s the one thing we can all understand,’ singer told Gotham magazine. By Hillary Crosley Alicia Keys on the cover of the March issue of Gotham magazine Photo: Niche Media LLC In addition to announcing her North American tour dates on Friday, Alicia Keys recently posed for the cover of Gotham magazine’s spring issue, which hits stands March 1. Keys donned two looks in the photo shoot, one a green drop-neck gown accented with a gold collar necklace, the other a light blue one-shoulder dress complimented with a head wrap. The New York native talked with the publication about the changes in her old neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, as well as love as the theme for her new album, The Element of Freedom. “When I was growing up, [Hell’s Kitchen] was way darker, more dismal and more like the place where all the outcasts lived,” recalls Keys. “So now, to see it more like a tourist destination is really interesting. Even though Eighth Avenue was supergrungy with drug needles, Broadway always had those bright lights and it did always have endless possibilities.” As compared with the subject matter of her previous three albums, Songs in A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys and As I Am, Element focuses quite a bit on love, relationships and sustaining courtship’s spark against all odds. “Love does play a prominent role in the album because I believe love is the most important thing in the world,” Keys said. “It’s the one thing we can all understand.” Keys recently filmed a clip for her duet with fellow R&B powerhouse Beyonc

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Method Man Wants Next Solo Album To Be ‘My Classic LP’

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I feel like I have to prove myself to myself,’ MC says of upcoming The Crystal Meth. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Steven Roberts Method Man Photo: MTV News Method Man has been in a collaborative state of mind lately, after last year’s The Blackout 2 with Redman and the forthcoming Wu-related effort with Raekwon and Ghostface — but the MC is still a soloist at heart. He’s working on his new album The Crystal Meth, and the Def Jam star has his sights set high in terms of output, aiming for a classic on his next opus. “I just want my classic,” he told MTV News. “People always say, ‘You already got a classic first LP,’ but not to me. I want my classic LP, the five-mic-er for myself. Not based on The Source ‘s five mics but a five-mic-er to myself. I don’t feel like I have to prove myself to anybody. But I feel like I have to prove myself to myself. “It’s like when your child brings home an 80 on a test,” he continued. “That’s a good grade, but you know they can do better.” The Crystal Meth will be the veteran rapper’s fifth solo album and first since 2006’s 4:21 … The Day After. Method Man is currently promoting his joint project with Rae and Ghost and the trio recently shot a video in New York for the lead single “Our Dreams.” The three are set to travel overseas soon where Method Man will start writing more for his forthcoming effort. He told MTV News he only makes solo albums now because his fans keep calling for them . “This is the most comfortable I’ve been in my whole career, because I don’t have all those obligations that I’ve had before,” Meth explained. “You know, doing the Wu-Tang, then the Wu-Tang solo projects, then my project, then me and Redman. Right now, I can do it at my own leisure. Honestly, I don’t want to make an album by myself, but it’s something that’s required, and the fans want that, so I’m gonna do that.” Related Artists Method Man

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Billy Corgan Explains Relationship With Jessica Simpson

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Smashing Pumpkins frontman doesn’t say whether he’s dating Simpson, but they collaborated on TV-show theme song. By Jocelyn Vena Smashing Pumpkin’s Billy Corgan Photo: MTV News Recently, tabloids and gossip blogs have been speculating on whether Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and pop star Jessica Simpson are an item. The two were spotted in December, and last month of the pair working together in the studio. On Thursday, Corgan opened up to The Chicago Tribune about the reason behind the pairing: Simpson apparently wanted the alt-rock titan to help her write the theme song for “The Price of Beauty,” her forthcoming VH1 show about cultural ideas of attractiveness. “She asked me to help her out on the theme song for her new TV show,” Corgan said. “[The show] has an interesting concept. She goes around the world to show how different people perceive beauty. In some cultures, bigger is better. In some, smaller is better. It’s interesting.” Simpson has dabbled in both the pop and country worlds musically, but it seems that Corgan has been helping her explore her inner rock god. “I ended up writing part of [the theme song],” he told the paper. “It has a little bit of an alternative-rock edge, but it’s still very poppy.” While Corgan was clear about his musical collaborations with Simpson, he was vague about his possible romantic involvement with the pop singer. But he was forthcoming on what it was like to be a focus point of tabloid culture: “The stuff that I’ve seen doesn’t have any bearing to the reality that I’m in,” he said. “It’s like being in a cartoon. It has nothing to do with what’s really going on or how I feel.” Corgan is currently working on the Pumpkins’ Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, a planned 44-track collection he’s gradually releasing over the course of three years via free download from his Web site. Related Artists Billy Corgan Jessica Simpson The Smashing Pumpkins

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Jay-Z: President Obama Was Playing The Blueprint When I Called Him

Posted on February 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I’ve been invited to the White House a couple of times,’ Hov tells the BBC. By Jayson Rodriguez Jay-Z Photo: Gareth Cattermole/ Getty Images Jay-Z has dropped Barack Obama’s name in his rhymes, and Obama referenced Jay’s lyrics when he dusted his shoulder off during a campaign appearance before he ascended to the White House. But it turns out the pair have more than just a passing appreciation for rhetorical flourishes. In an interview with Jonathan Ross airing on the BBC Friday (February 19), Jay-Z revealed that the president has invited the rapper to the White House a number of times since Obama’s inauguration. “I’ve been invited to the White House a couple of times,” Hov told Ross , although he said he hasn’t taken up the president on the offer just yet. “Hopefully we’ll keep him in for eight years, so I’ll have time to get there.” The Brooklyn MC was an avid supporter of Obama during the presidential campaign and referenced him in a series of lyrics, most notably for Young Jeezy’s hit “My President.” “Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk/ Martin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run/ Barack Obama ran so all the children could fly,” he raps on the track. “So I’mma spread my wings/ You could meet me in the sky.” “It’s just the progression. … You sat, you walked, you ran, you ran to fly,” Jay told MTV News about his Obama rhyme last year on the eve of the inauguration. “You know, just the progression and how far we’ve come as a nation. It feels good to say that, ’cause I never had that type of feeling to say ‘as a nation,’ like I was part of the American dream. And I believe a lot of people didn’t feel like a part of the American process for so long.” Although Obama has professed a love for an eclectic playlist of music that includes Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan, he also said he is a fan of Jay-Z. Jay-Z confirmed Obama’s admiration when he told Ross the president was playing one of the rapper’s albums when answered a phone call from Hov. “Barack loves hip-hop,” Jay said. “When I called him he was playing [The] Blueprint in the gym.” Related Artists Jay-Z

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