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Adele Breaks Record By Selling 730,000 After Grammys

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

21 sets a new high mark for post-Grammy sales. By Gil Kaufman Adele at the 2012 Grammys Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Adele is starting to make this look a little too easy. And also, who out there doesn’t own 21 already? After all, they’ve had a full year to get their act together. In the same week that she celebrates 52 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart, all of them spent in the top 10, the singer set yet another high-water mark when she notched the biggest sales week yet following her Grammy Awards comeback . In the wake of her six-for-six night at the awards show, Adele rolled up her biggest sales week to date, moving 730,000 copies, more than doubling her previous high mark of 399,000 for the week ending December 25, 2011, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. The last album to sell more copies in a single week before Adele’s big jump was Lil Wayne , whose Tha Carter IV moved 964,000 in August 2011. To put her giant leap into perspective, in her 52nd week on the charts, Adele moved the third-highest amount of product of any artist in the past year, surpassed only by Lady Gaga ‘s Born This Way (1.1 million) and Weezy, and coming in ahead of highly anticipated chart bows by Drake (631,000), Coldplay (447,000), Jay-Z and Kanye West (436,000), Lady Antebellum (347,000), Beyonc

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Lindsay Lohan: Why ‘SNL’ Could Be Her Shot In The Arm

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

MTV News’ resident Lohan defender explains how returning to ‘Saturday Night Live’ may be the first step in her career comeback. By John Mitchell Lindsay Lohan Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images I’ve long been a defender of Linsday Lohan . I root for her success and am eternally hopeful — and thus often disappointed — that she will get it together. When people slam her, mock her long, long list of troubles , I can always be called upon to email them a link to Robert Downey Jr.’s biography, which has many parallels to Lohan’s but differs because it also contains the phrase “.357-caliber Magnum handgun.” Downey’s list of troubles easily eclipses Lohan’s (at this point, anyway), but he managed to fully recover and go on to become one of the biggest stars on the planet, starring in enormous box-office hits like “Iron Man” and “Sherlock Holmes” and earning Oscar nominations for films like “Tropic Thunder.” She’s not entirely out of the woods just yet, but she’s been earning “glowing” reports on her probation progress and was recently announced as the host of “Saturday Night Live” on March 3. A series of good signs and the first truly positive news out of Camp Lohan in a long time. When word of Lohan’s hosting stint on “SNL” was announced, I was incredibly pleased. For many reasons, it seems like a smart move, and if she pulls it off, it could be the first step (of many necessary steps) toward a real career comeback. Here’s why:

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Whitney Houston’s Funeral: Watch It Here

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Fans line streets near New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where funeral service is under way today. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Raynold D. Fabre-Jeune Whitney Houston Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images NEWARK, New Jersey — With her music, Whitney Houston brought joy to the lives of her family, friends and fans, so it is only right that exactly one week after her death, on the day of her funeral, all the love Whitney gave is given right back. Live video by Ustream Fans lined the streets of Newark, New Jersey, in hopes of getting as close as they could to the New Hope Baptist Church, where the funeral for Houston, who was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel on February 11, is being held. It is the same church the pop diva grew up attending and where she built a loving fanbase even as a youngster with her powerful church choir vocals. “Everybody, I want them to know that God sent us an angel, and now his angel has gone back home to rest and sing in heaven,” Patricia Copeland Williams, a Houston family friend, told MTV News on Friday upon leaving the pop star’s wake at New Hope Baptist. “We will always love her and we’ll always remember, and we’re never going to forgot Cissy, the woman that birthed her.” The Houston funeral is a private affair and only invited guests are allowed into the church and the surrounding city blocks. Before the ceremony, fans gathered outside of police barricades on the corner of Orange and Nesbitt streets, about four blocks from the church, singing Houston’s hits including “Greatest Love of All” and “I Will Always Love You.” Media outlets lined the block on the corner of Lock Street and Essex Avenue, but without an invite, that was about as close as anybody would get. Musical luminaries and close friends Clive Davis, Stevie Wonder and CeCe Winans are all expected to attend. Kevin Costner, who starred with Houston in the 1992 hit film “The Bodyguard” and ex-husband Bobby Brown are also among the expected attendees. Aretha Franklin, who is Whitney’s close family friend, had been scheduled to sing “I Will Always Love You” at the service but canceled due to illness, according to CNN . Franklin performed in Whitney’s honor Friday night at Radio City Music Hall. Stay with MTVNews.com all day Saturday for continuing coverage of Whitney Houston’s funeral services. Related Videos Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston

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Chris Brown Throws Masked Rave In ‘Turn Up’ Video

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

Co-directed by the singer, the video is the lead visual off Fortune. By Jocelyn Vena Chris Brown (file) Photo: Jeff Fusco/Getty Images Chris Brown turns up the music to a big 11 in his video for his song “Turn Up the Music.” The video, released on Friday (February 17), follows a well-dressed Brown while he enjoys a dance-filled night on the town. The video tracks Brown from drinking in the street, to hailing a futuristic hover-cab filled with masked creatures, to hitting a warehouse rave filled with even more masked people, all watched over by some woman who appears to be the queen of the party, gazing at everyone from her own perch. From there, the clip is an eye-catching spectacle of various dance routines with Brown displaying his signature smooth moves. During the video, the singer dons several outfits and looks that appear to pay homage to his own hero, Michael Jackson. Rocking well-tailored suits that are accessorized with fedoras and suspenders, Brown performs dancefloor acrobatics as lights and lasers dance around him. Brown’s dance moves are aggressive and in your face, but he is still light on his feet. At one point in the high-energy clip, the footage is slowed down as Brown does a flip. In another memorable scene, Brown dances alone in a rain-filled room, wearing white dress pants, a black tank and a fedora. As the song wraps up, he splits into three people, comes back together, takes off his shirt and throws it at the camera — and breaks the lens doing it. The eye-popping video was co-directed with Godfrey Tabarez and shot in Los Angeles earlier this month. Produced by the Underdogs and Fuego, it’s the lead single off Fortune, out March 16. He performed the song last Sunday at the Grammy Awards . What do you think of the “Turn Up the Music” video? Leave your comment below! Related Artists Chris Brown

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Whitney Houston’s Music Inspired By Her Faith

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

In 1990 MTV interview, singer says God chose her to ‘take that voice I gave you and spread it around.’ By John Mitchell Whitney Houston Photo: 20th Century Fox/Getty Images She may be best known for her soulful ballads and upbeat pop tunes, but gospel music was Whitney Houston ‘s first musical love. The singer developed her powerful voice in the church and told MTV in 1997 that the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where her funeral will be held on Saturday , was her family’s “second home.” “My root is gospel. My root is not R&B; my root is gospel music,” Houston said in a 1990 interview featured in Wednesday night’s MTV special “Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words.” “And gospel is not something that you can categorize. It’s not black, it’s not white; it comes from the soul. It is a feeling that comes from the soul.” Houston learned to sing from her mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, who, along with her cousin Dionne Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin, was a notable figure in gospel music in the 1960s and ’70s. As a child, Houston joined the New Hope church’s junior choir, where her talent was quickly rewarded with solos, the first of which was reportedly the hymn “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” “Wherever I go, it doesn’t matter, I always tell the world of the love that I have for God and Jesus,” Houston told MTV of her faith. She even admitted that she had reservations about being a pop singer rather than a gospel one, but concluded that she was able to bring God’s word to a broader audience as a superstar. “He said, ‘I chose you to be mass,’ ” Houston said in 1997. “I chose you to take that voice I gave you and to spread it around because I know you’ll always think about me. And no matter how far you go, or no matter where you go, I’ll be knocking at your door, saying, ‘Whitney, remember me?’ ” Houston returned to her first musical love in 1996 when she recorded six gospel songs with the Georgia Mass Choir for the soundtrack to “The Preacher’s Wife.” One of the tracks, “I Believe in You and Me,” was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The record, which Houston also produced, went on to become the best-selling gospel album of all time. “We all can be angels,” Houston told MTV. “It doesn’t have to be somebody dropping down from the sky and just appearing.” There’s no doubt that the faith Houston was raised with is now comforting her friends and family in the wake of her tragic death. Gospel music will play a large role in the celebration of Houston’s life this weekend in Newark, with Grammy-winning gospel singer and longtime family friend Marvin Winans providing the eulogy at her funeral and Franklin singing at the service. Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston

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Whitney Houston’s Funeral To Be Streamed Online

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Aretha Franklin will reportedly sing at Houston’s funeral in New Jersey. By Gil Kaufman Whitney Houston in 1995 Photo: 20th Century Fox/Getty Images While 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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Adele ‘Absolutely Flabbergasted’ After Grammy Wins

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

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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Lil Wayne Is Not Engaged

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘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

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

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

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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Adele’s Grammy Haul: How Much Did It Weigh?

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

British songstress joins a list of big winners with heavy Grammy armloads, including Beyonc

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