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Rick Ross Responds To DJ Vlad Lawsuit Verdict

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Vlad awarded $250,000 in $4 million lawsuit over alleged 2008 By Shaheem Reid Rick Ross at the 2008 Ozone Awards Photo: Ben Rose/Getty Images Rick Ross may have $300,000 less in his bank account soon, but he was all smiles when he called MTV News late Thursday in New York. “I’m sitting in Barneys on 51st and Madison,” Ross said. “Had to pick me up a pair of Mason Martin Margiela [sneakers] and two pairs of Louboutins for this Diddy video we shooting this weekend.” On Thursday at the U.S. District Federal Court in New York, a jury of eight awarded DJ Vlad (real name: Vlad Lyubovni) $250,000 in punitive damages and $50,000 in compensatory damages against Ross. The four-day court proceedings stem from an August 10, 2008, incident involving Vlad and Ross’ Triple C’s group. Vlad alleged that Ross orchestrated an attack on him by the collective at an event at the 2008 Ozone Awards for posting images of Ross dressed in a correctional officer’s uniform on his Web site. In the $4 million suit, Vlad said he suffered a broken eye socket, a broken nose, nerve damage to his face, cheek, upper lip, teeth and gums, and required seven stitches under his right eye following the alleged attack. Ross has always maintained his innocence in the matter. On Thursday, Ross told MTV News that he’s putting the lawsuit behind him and focusing on the June 29 release of his LP, Teflon Don. “I’ve been fighting a $4 million lawsuit for the last two years,” Ross said. “My defense was a success. I’ve got to salute Xavier Donaldson, my attorney. Whenever an artist or anybody is put in a position such as a lawsuit in this capacity, so much evidence is represented — videotapes, what have you — to be able to walk out of a courtroom giving the plaintiff less than 10 percent of what he requested, I consider my defense a success. God bless America! The lawsuit is done. Even though I plan to appeal the decision, I thank the courts for the monetary decision that they made. They were extremely lenient, I appreciate that. It’s back to the business for the boss.” Although the amount he’s paying is nothing to sneeze at, Ross has a positive take on the verdict. “It’s a couple of papers, but it was a two-year-long case,” Ross said. “After court expenses, etc., the plaintiff may get $40 or 50K. I’m blessed to be in the situation I’m in. Four mil was at stake. It’s behind me.” For his part, Vlad tweeted “Today is a great day” on Friday morning. Vlad was not available for comment, but on Friday (April 16) his attorney, Brian D. Caplan of Caplan & Ross (no relation to Rick Ross), told MTV News of the verdict: “There is no place in civilized society for members of the media to have to fear retribution for their news coverage and commentary. The jury awarded Mr. Lyubovny $250,000 in punitive damages against Rick Ross to send a message that such conduct will not be tolerated or condoned.” Related Artists Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

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Suge Knight Lawsuit Against Kanye West Gets Court Date

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

Former Death Row honcho’s suit for 2005 Miami club shooting goes to court December 6. By Gil Kaufman Kanye West Photo: Eric Ryan/Getty Images Kanye West has kept a pretty low profile since infamously bum-rushing Taylor Swift at the VMAs , but the notoriously private rapper may have to come out of seclusion at year’s end, thanks to one-time rap impresario Marion “Suge” Knight . According to The Associated Press, , on Tuesday U.S. District Court Judge Patricia Seitz scheduled a December 6 trial date in Miami for a lawsuit by the one-time Death Row Records honcho against West. Knight claims the Grammy-winning rapper was partially responsible for a 2005 nightclub shooting at a party he hosted that resulted in Knight getting shot in the leg. Knight filed the suit against West in 2008, blaming ‘Ye for the loss of a beloved 15-carat diamond stud earring that he claims was stolen from him during the melee at the trendy Shore Club in 2005, where West was hosting a pre-party before that year’s MTV Video Music Awards. Knight was shot in the right leg at party in the still-unsolved crime, in which six shots were fired and few witnesses have come forward, despite a star-studded crowd that included Eddie Murphy, Jessica Alba and the Black Eyed Peas. According to the lawsuit, the label boss blames ‘Ye for allowing someone to smuggle a gun past security at the party, which his lawyers said was also supposed to be attended by people known to have beef with Knight. A bullet hit Knight in the right leg, shattering a bone and requiring surgery and months of physical therapy that cost more than $200,000; the suit seeks more than $1 million in damages. A spokesperson for West could not be reached for comment at press time, but in court papers the MC and the owners of the Shore Club have denied Knight’s claims of negligence. The lawsuit was originally brought in Los Angeles as part of Knight’s 2006 bankruptcy filing, but later moved to Miami at the request of the Shore Club’s owners. If Knight wins, he’ll have to share any damages with the bankruptcy trustee and the IRS. Related Artists Kanye West Marion “Suge” Knight

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MTV’s Musical March Madness: The Champion Is …

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Coheed and Cambria upset My Chemical Romance to win MTV’s Band Bracketology crown! By James Montgomery Coheed and Cambria Photo: Sony/Getty Images/MTV News It’s all over but the shouting, and there’s probably going to be a whole lot of that. The title game of MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament is in the books, and in an upset of colossal proportions, 15th-seeded Coheed and Cambria knocked off #5 My Chemical Romance to claim the championship. In a contest that saw more than 120,000 votes cast (from 149 different countries — shout out to our voter in Tajikistan!), C&C did what Butler couldn’t against Duke in Monday night’s NCAA basketball finale, belting heavily favored MCR 67-33 (83,078 votes to 40,290) to win one for underdogs everywhere. And now, their names will be forever etched on the MTV Musical March Madness trophy! It was a fairly convincing victory for the guys in Coheed, but, as is the case with most great match-ups, the championship tilt wasn’t without some controversy. Voting for the finals opened Monday on the Newsroom blog , and though things remained close overnight, C&C surged to a huge lead in the early hours of Tuesday, which raised our suspicions a tad. So we did some digging in our poll software and discovered that some rather overzealous Coheed fans (and, to a lesser extent, some MCR ones too) had employed bots to juice up the polling numbers — seriously, when one IP address votes 4,576 times for Coheed and Cambria, you know something’s amiss. So we plowed through the results, removed any and all suspicious IP addresses, and Coheed was still winning — by a lot. Still, MCR made a late surge, but in the end, C&C’s lead was too insurmountable to overcome. And just to make sure the final results were legit, we did another round of IP pruning Wednesday morning. What can we say? We take our tournament seriously, and would hate to have its legacy ruined by salacious cheaters. But now is not the time to tarnish Coheed’s victory, or the efforts of the 64 other bands — and their fanbases — that voted in the tournament. Thanks to everyone who participated (well, except the bots), and special thanks to Dick Bagwell and Vincent Twice — who do bear a striking resemblance Cobra Starship’s Ryland Blackinton and Alex Suarez — for their genius recap of MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament on Monday. It’s been a blast to watch unfold, and we’re definitely going to do it again next year. Oh, and when we do, we’re pretty sure Coheed will be seeded a lot higher than #15 — that’s just one of the perks of being crowned champion. Congrats guys, enjoy the tickertape parade. And come get your trophy — it’s here, waiting for you! What do you think of Coheed’s big win? Who would you like to see take the crown in next year’s tournament? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos MTV’s Musical March Madness Related Photos Who Will Win MTV’s Musical March Madness?! MTV News’ Band Bracketology Related Artists Coheed and Cambria My Chemical Romance

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MTV’s Musical March Madness Final Four Preview: Coheed And Cambria

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

They’ve done away with Paramore, Mastodon and Phish — but can they take down Tokio Hotel? By James Montgomery Coheed and Cambria Photo: Sony/Getty Images/MTV News Who : The hard-riffing, hirsute champions of the South region in MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament , Coheed and Cambria have outgunned pretty much everyone on their run to the Final Four — including a #2 and a #6 seed — and now stand as a legitimate threat to win the whole thing. It all starts with C&C mastermind Claudio Sanchez, a threat to score from pretty much anywhere on the floor. As comfortable driving and dishing as he is penning bong-glazed, beard-y graphic novels, Sanchez is sort of like the musical equivalent of John Wall , except with better hair. Let’s just call him the MVP of the whole tourney. How They Got Here : The selection committee was unkind to Coheed, saddling them with a #15 seed and scheduling a first-round matchup against highly favored #2 Paramore. Undaunted, C&C blasted Hayley Williams and company 60-40, then made quick work of their second-round opponent, fellow shredders Mastodon. Looming in the Sweet 16 were #6 Phish, who — after favorites the Kings of Leon, Paramore and the Dave Matthews Band were all bounced from the tourney — were seen as the favorites to win the region. But once again, Coheed rose to the occasion, winning a bruising 56-44 showdown and moving on to the Elite Eight, where they dispensed of Alice in Chains with relative ease. Through it all, Coheed have proven to not only be the band no one wants to face, but the band that seemingly cares more about winning this whole thing than anyone else. And that tenacity has paid off in spades. The Outlook : Rabid, die-hard fanbase? Check (and then some). Dedicated bandmembers with too much free time on their hands? Yep. An actual, upcoming album to promote? Indeed. A few weeks ago, it would have seemed improbable (we didn’t see them beating Paramore, to be honest), but at this point, Coheed have the right chemistry to take the championship. They’ll face their toughest test in the Final Four, squaring off against #16 Tokio Hotel — a matchup of two bands with insane-o fans and nothing left to lose. The Internet shall surely buckle beneath the weight of their votes. Throughout the day, we’ll be breaking down the four bands still standing in MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament. Voting on the Final Four opens Friday (April 2) on the Newsroom blog and runs until Sunday night. Related Photos MTV News’ Band Bracketology Related Artists Coheed and Cambria

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MTV’s Musical March Madness Final Four Preview: My Chemical Romance

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

After a hard-won victory over 30 Seconds to Mars, MCR face Muse in the Final Four. By James Montgomery My Chemical Romance Photo: Chapman Baehler/Getty Images/MTV News Who : The last band standing in the certifiably wild West region in MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament , My Chemical Romance have to be considered the favorites to win it all at this point, based on the bands they’ve bested and the help they’re getting from their friends in 30 Seconds to Mars (more on that in a bit). Up until the departure of drummer Bob Bryar , My Chem were one of the few bands in the tournament who could field an actual basketball team (there were five of them) but even when playing a man down, they’re a formidable squad, with the Way brothers running the show from the guard positions, Frank Iero scoring from the wing, and the indomitable inside presence of Ray Toro. Dude can totally dunk. How They Got Here : My Chem’s tournament was really a story of two halves — everything leading up to their Sweet 16 tilt against 30 Seconds to Mars and everything after it. MCR entered the field as a #5 seed and bounced opening-round opponent Gorillaz with relative ease. In the second round, they were pitted against formidable #4 seed Pearl Jam, and to the surprise of pretty much everyone, they positively rolled them, winning 63-37. That set up the now legendary Sweet 16 bloodfest against 30STM, a battle of bands with unyielding, fervent fanbases (the MCRmy and the Echelon, respectively). It was a back-and-forth affair, and in a fitting twist, it ended up tied, with each band grabbing 50 percent of the vote. After more than 50,000 ballots were counted, MCR were declared the winners (by a scant 327 votes). Though defeated, 30STM threw their support behind My Chem, which resulted in them absolutely destroying Panic! at the Disco in the Elite Eight. The Outlook : With the power of 30 Seconds to Mars behind them — not to mention the might of the MCRmy — there’s really no stopping My Chemical Romance, and a trip to the championship game seems a mere formality at this point. It almost doesn’t matter that they haven’t released a note of new music in more than a year or that their still-untitled fourth album has been in the works for nearly as long (or that they might not have a drummer right now). MCR are balanced, determined and tournament-tested. They’ll face off against Muse in the Final Four and, call us bandwagon-jumpers, but we like their chances. Throughout the day, we’ll be breaking down the four bands still standing in MTV’s Musical March Madness tournament. Voting on the Final Four opens Friday (April 2) on the Newsroom blog and runs until Sunday night. Related Photos Who Will Win MTV’s Musical March Madness?! MTV News’ Band Bracketology Related Artists My Chemical Romance

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Lil Wayne Launches New Site To Keep Fans Updated From Prison

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

‘I’m in good spirits man, for real,’ Wayne posted on WeezyThanxYou.com. By Jayson Rodriguez Lil Wayne Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Lil Wayne may be away for the moment , but the rapper is making sure he’s not forgotten while he’s gone. The imprisoned superstar launched a new Web site on Friday (April 2), WeezyThanxYou.com , where he’ll post weekly updates, blog about sports and respond to letters he’s received from fans since he began his prison stint last month. “Your letter was so thoughtful and sincere,” he wrote in response to Nurris Terrero of New York. “The way you worded everything left me in awe. Please send suggestions on books I should read. I look forward to checking them out.” In the first posting, Wayne explains that he’s been spending his days working out and reading the bible. The rapper also announced he will revive his popular ESPN blog, where in the past he opined on various sports. Next week’s scheduled post will be on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Wayne, a father of four, said his family has been most pressing on his mind during his sentence. “My kids race through my mind all day. They know they were created with love, so love is how their life will be defined. I just hope my love and adoration for them provides a temporary bandage on a wound I unknowingly inflicted on them.” “I’m in good spirits man, for real,” he wrote, contradicting rumors he had been involved in an altercation at Rikers Island . In addition to the postings, the site features a clock that counts down how much time the rapper has until his release. It currently rests at 215 days. Fans can also purchase merchandise on WeezyThanxYou.com, including “Free Weezy” Young Money T-shirts. The site was created by Lil Wayne in conjunction with popular hip-hop bloggers Karen Civil and Karla “hustleGRL” Moy. “Weezy explained to me the idea behind WeezyThanxYou.com, which will basically serve as his gateway to the free world,” Civil said in a statement to MTV News. “The site will allow the Young Money quarterback to post daily status updates as well as answer fan questions. ‘I wanted to do something for my fans, so they know I am still with them and that I love them very much,’ Wayne told me not too long ago. Fans who want to keep up on Weezy’s release date will be allowed to see a continuously running countdown clock until Dr. Carter returns home later this year.” What do you think of Lil Wayne’s new Web site? Will you be writing to him while he’s in prison? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Lil Wayne Goes To Jail: Celebs React Lil Wayne’s ‘Road To Rikers’ Related Photos Lil Wayne’s Weekend In Miami Lil Wayne’s Battle With His Gun Possession Case Related Artists Lil Wayne

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Lady Gaga’s Words of Wisdom: ‘Rule the World!’

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Benny Hollywood

Musician Lady Gaga performs during the MOCA NEW 30th anniversary gala held at MOCA on November 14, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images) more pics Continue reading →

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Miley Cyrus, Taylor Lautner Win Big At Kids’ Choice Awards

Posted on March 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Katy Perry’s sliming and performances from Justin Bieber and Rihanna were among show’s standout moments. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus at the Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday Photo: Chris Polk/KCA2010/Getty Images The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards hit Los Angeles on Saturday (March 27) with plenty of performances, surprises and, of course, slime. Kids’ Choice Awards Red Carpet Kevin James opened the show in a sketch with Nick stars Big Time Rush, who gave the host some pointers on how to make the show cool. Their biggest hint: Make sure someone gets slimed. When James hit the stage, “angel” Adam Sandler descended from the ceiling to remind his “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry” co-star that he could do it. James then took off the tux and started dancing while Sandler sang a little ditty to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight,” with slime released from the floor. Rosario Dawson and Shaun White gave out the first award for Favorite Movie Actor to “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” star Taylor Lautner. “Is this happening? I have to admit, I have always dreamt of winning one of these orange blimps,” Lautner told the crowd. “Seriously. And I can’t believe I’m finally holding one.” James made sure the show was “beyond awesome.” How? By firing free stuff out of a canon. Ladies and gentlemen, this isn’t the Grammys. He told the crowd there were more than 115 million votes, adding that it was a new world record for awards-show fan votes. “Karate Kid” stars Jayden Smith and Jackie Chan showed off some martial-arts moves then handed out the Favorite TV Show award to “iCarly.” Miranda Cosgrove eagerly accepted the award, saying, “Wow, this is amazing. Most of all, I want to say thank you to the fans.” George Lopez and Tyra Banks hit the stage to present Favorite TV Actress. Banks praised the ladies for “chasing their dreams,” and the blimp went to “Wizards of Waverly Place” star Selena Gomez. “I’m so nervous,” she told the crowd. “I know it’s because of you guys I get to live my dream out every day. I’m the luckiest girl in the whole world.” Big Time Rush introduced Rihanna, who took the stage and sang her hit “Hard” in a sparkly black hat and a gray and hot-pink dress. The stage was complete with a band, a tank and military-inspired backup dancers. The medley also included “Rude Boy, with the risqu

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Katy Perry Gets Slimed At Kids’ Choice Awards

Posted on March 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Why does it taste like boogers?’ singer jokes onstage. By Amy Wilkinson Katy Perry backstage at the Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday Photo: Chris Polk/KCA2010/Getty Images During Saturday’s (March 27) 23rd Annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, singer Katy Perry joined an elite and very exclusive group whose members include Johnny Depp, Harrison Ford and Sandra Bullock. In other words, she was slimed. Clad in a skintight yellow dress and a bright blue wig, Perry took the KCA stage along with actor Jonah Hill to present the award for Favorite Movie Actress. As Perry opened the box to reveal the winner’s name, she was met instead by a forceful green geyser of slime, which sent her flying to the floor and coated her face, outfit and fake hair. “I can’t see anything,” she exclaimed after emerging from a puddle of the slimy goo and hugging Hill. “Why does it taste like boogers?” “You look great,” Hill reassured her. When winner Miley Cyrus’ name was finally announced for the acting award, Perry made a move to hug the winner as she reached for her orange blimp. “Don’t you dare,” Cyrus warned. After dodging the singer stealthily, Cyrus joked, “Luckily, we both wear wigs, so it’s OK.” Prior to Saturday’s ceremony, Perry Tweeted, “Hope I don’t get none of that disgusting booger slime on me @Kids Choice Awards 2night … I’ll slap the ho that ruins my weave, nails, face!” Following her messy presentation, Perry simply Tweeted, “Crap.” Perry was one of several celebs, including “Twilight” actor Jackson Rathbone, to be slimed during the evening’s show. This was not the first time Perry got a little dirty on an awards-show stage. During 2008’s Los Premios, the “I Kissed a Girl” singer belly-flopped into a giant birthday cake , slipping on the icing and falling to the ground. Related Photos Justin Bieber, Miranda Cosgrove, More Arrive At 2010 Kids’ Choice Awards Related Artists Katy Perry

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Ashley Tisdale Has Returned to Her Roots

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

Getty Images. Tisdale is a natural brunette. Last year, High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale ditched her Sharpay-blonde locks in favor of a more natural looking chestnut hue. Tisdale, a natural brunette, said she needed to give her hair some time to recover from all the chemical processing that had become part of her job. A few months later, she switched back to blonde. Now it seems that Tisdale is taking another break, as she debuted a much darker 'do at the Hollywood premiere of Miley Cyrus' new film, The Last Song . Brown hair seems to suit Tisdale better than blonde, as it makes her skin and eyes appear more luminous. She also looks adorable with a layered cut instead of all those hair extensions! I obviously prefer Ashley as a blonde, but what do you think? Brunette or blonde?

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