‘Yeah, of course he’ll be involved,’ Em says of his frequent collaborator Dre in radio interview. By Carter Maness Dr. Dre and Eminem Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
Early estimates predict the Boss’ Wrecking Ball will surpass 21 for top spot on week’s Billboard albums chart. By James Montgomery Bruce Springsteen Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images There’s been no other #1 album in 2012 besides Adele’s unstoppable 21 — and it hasn’t even been close — though all of that might change this week as Bruce Springsteen is poised to make a run at the top spot on the Billboard albums chart. According to industry site Hits Daily Double, Springsteen’s new Wrecking Ball disc is giving 21 its toughest competition to date in the battle for #1 on next week’s Top 200. With slightly more than half of retail data compiled, Adele has sold roughly 89,000 copies of her album, while Springsteen has sold nearly 82,000. Based on those early estimates, Hits is estimating Wrecking Ball will sell approximately 200,000 copies (Springsteen’s previous studio album, 2009’s Working on a Dream, bowed at #1 with sales of more than 223,000 copies), ending Adele’s run of 10 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard albums chart. The last record to sit at #1 besides 21 was Michael Bubl
Brown shows off a more polished side on cover art for upcoming album. By Sarah Brotherton Chris Brown Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Fresh off his Grammy win for Best R&B album, Chris Brown announced Thursday (March 1) that his next album, Fortune, will be released May 8. Fans have been waiting for album news since Brown dropped the single “Turn Up the Music” in January followed by a music video the next month, which racked up more than 8 million views in its first week. In addition, Brown’s second single from the album, “Strip,” is rapidly climbing the Urban Radio charts. Brown also revealed the album’s cover art Thursday, showing off a more polished side to #TeamBreezy. Donning a retro-inspired skinny suit, thin black tie and thick black-framed glasses, the cover unveils a more mature, sleek side to the 22-year-old artist. As he stands underneath a bright light shining down on him, the word “Fortune” is collaged behind him in different languages. The road to Brown’s new album release has already been a busy one. With two performances at the Grammys and a surprise appearance at the 2012 NBA All-Star halftime show alongside Pitbull, Breezy has been doing some serious PR leading up to the album drop. Brown has also stirred up some controversy in the past few weeks by lashing out at his detractors following the Grammys, collaborating with ex-girlfriend Rihanna on two remixes after assaulting her just three years ago and allegedly stealing a fan’s iPhone . Fortune is available for pre-order at ChrisBrownWorld.com with a free instant download of “Turn Up the Music,” and the album will hit iTunes for pre-sale April 10. Will you check out Brown’s latest project? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists Chris Brown
Brown shows off a more polished side on cover art for upcoming album. By Sarah Brotherton Chris Brown Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Fresh off his Grammy win for Best R&B album, Chris Brown announced Thursday (March 1) that his next album, Fortune, will be released May 8. Fans have been waiting for album news since Brown dropped the single “Turn Up the Music” in January followed by a music video the next month, which racked up more than 8 million views in its first week. In addition, Brown’s second single from the album, “Strip,” is rapidly climbing the Urban Radio charts. Brown also revealed the album’s cover art Thursday, showing off a more polished side to #TeamBreezy. Donning a retro-inspired skinny suit, thin black tie and thick black-framed glasses, the cover unveils a more mature, sleek side to the 22-year-old artist. As he stands underneath a bright light shining down on him, the word “Fortune” is collaged behind him in different languages. The road to Brown’s new album release has already been a busy one. With two performances at the Grammys and a surprise appearance at the 2012 NBA All-Star halftime show alongside Pitbull, Breezy has been doing some serious PR leading up to the album drop. Brown has also stirred up some controversy in the past few weeks by lashing out at his detractors following the Grammys, collaborating with ex-girlfriend Rihanna on two remixes after assaulting her just three years ago and allegedly stealing a fan’s iPhone . Fortune is available for pre-order at ChrisBrownWorld.com with a free instant download of “Turn Up the Music,” and the album will hit iTunes for pre-sale April 10. Will you check out Brown’s latest project? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists Chris Brown
‘We did something really fresh that’s out of this world,’ producer RedOne tells MTV News about working on Minaj’s Roman Reloaded. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Kara Warner Nicki Minaj Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Nicki Minaj channels her inner-pop princess on her new single “Starships,” which dropped Tuesday (February 14). The track certainly sounds like it would fit in perfectly on pop radio, nestled in between hits by Britney Spears and Katy Perry. “Starships” is a fist-pumping anthem about having a good time. Produced by RedOne, it is certainly the perfect song for those who enjoyed shaking their groove thang to “Super Bass.” The lighthearted, feel-good vibe of the song is perfect for casual Barbz to blast. It’s hard not to see Spears’ influence on the rapper/singer when listening to the song, and given that the two toured together last year, Minaj may be trying to remind her pop fans that she has an ear for what they want. MTV News recently caught up with RedOne, who had only the kindest words for the Brooklyn-bred MC. “Working with Nicki is amazing, ’cause she’s so talented,” he said. “There’s nothing that inspires me more than raw, really good talent, big talent. I see that in Nicki, and of course, she’s proven to be who she is.” The song not only is pure pop perfection, but RedOne’s influence is evident, thanks to its grinding Euro dance beats. “For me, [it was] a beautiful experience,” he said. “There’s a lot of love there. We respect each other a lot, and I think it’s really key. We’ve done a few songs, and I think it’s going to be very, very special. I’m excited.” “Starships” serves as a tease to what the super-producer and Minaj are cooking up in the studio, but RedOne promises some surprises. “I think we did something really fresh that’s out of this world,” he said. “I’m really excited for the world to hear what we’ve done together.” The love is certainly mutual. Minaj recently dished about the creation of the song. “There was so much love surrounding the making of the song, because RedOne is just so sweet to work with,” Minaj said. “He just sent me that one day, and he said, ‘Hey, I got something for you!’ I was like, ‘You got to be kidding me, right?’ I went to the studio and started writing … scratch that … I didn’t even write the first verse! That was just me mumbling and just saying the first thing that came to my head, and we recorded it, because I just felt like: ‘Let’s go to the beach … let’s go get away.’ It was just so good. It feels good!” “Starships” is the latest track from Minaj’s April 1 release, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. On Sunday, she gave fans an over-the-top taste of “Roman Holiday” when she performed it during the Grammys. Are you excited to hear more new Nicki music? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Nicki Minaj
Alex Da Silva was convicted of rape and assault against former dance students. By Katie Byrne Alex Da Silva (file) Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images “So You Think You Can Dance” fans haven’t seen Alex Da Silva on the show since season four back in 2008, and there’s a reason the choreographer has been off the radar: He has been in jail since being charged with raping a former dance student and assaulting another one. On Friday (January 27), Da Silva was sentenced to 10 years in prison for those crimes, TMZ reports. While the 43-year-old was accused of raping and sexually assaulting four women, he was convicted in September of only one count of rape and one count of assault with intent to commit rape; the jury was deadlocked on the other charges. He was arrested back in 2009 and charged with multiple felonies. Unable to pay the bail set at $2 million, Da Silva has remained in jail for the past two years. On top of his 10 years in prison, he is now required to register as a sex offender for life. Da Silva appeared on seasons one through four of “So You Think You Can Dance” as a guest choreographer specializing in Salsa dancing. In season two, eventual winner Benji Schwimmer named his Da Silva-choreographed mambo as his favorite routine of the show. After his arrest, Da Silva did an interview with SalsaFreak.com to clear his name, insisting that he had done nothing wrong with his students. “I know the truth, and I don’t even know who the others are,” he said, claiming to not even be acquainted with some of his accusers. “It’s all a bunch of lies, and people just want to bring me down. If something like that really happened, then they should have gone to the police that night, or the same day, but it was never that way. I have too much to lose. I don’t need that type of thing in my life.”
Music sales posted a 3 percent sales increase last year, thanks in no small part to 21 . By James Montgomery Adele Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ FilmMagic Call it the Adele Effect: Music sales actually rose in 2011, the first time the industry has posted a gain in seven years. According to Nielsen SoundScan, overall sales were up a modest 3 percent last year, as consumers purchased some 458 million albums — digital downloads of albums rose 20 percent, to 103 million, while sales of compact discs sank nearly 6 percent, to 225 million — and downloaded more than 1.2 billion singles, a 9 percent increase from the previous year. It’s all a welcome change of pace for the music industry, which in recent years has been battered by double-digit declines in sales. And, while there are certainly mitigating factors that contributed to the sales gains — the RIAA’s ongoing antipiracy efforts, an increase of consumers with mobile devices, the rise of services like Spotify and Google Music — it certainly didn’t hurt that Adele released one of the biggest-selling albums in recent memory last year, not to mention a pair of much-downloaded singles. Her 21 album sold more than 5.8 million copies in 2011 — the most of any album since Usher’s Confessions in 2004 (which, incidentally, marks the last year the industry saw increases in total sales) — and her massive “Rolling in the Deep” has also sold some 5.8 million copies. She sold nearly 900,000 copies of her debut album, 19, last year, too. Big sellers like Lady Gaga ‘s Born This Way and Michael Bubl
‘If people are going to judge anything, judge him for his talent,’ manager tells Billboard of crafting strategy for the pop&B star. By Rebecca Thomas Chris Brown Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images There’ll be no chair-throwing in 2012. After a year in which Chris Brown ‘s applause-worthy feats — Billboard 200 chart-topper F.A.M.E. and a successful tour of the same name — at times threatened to be overshadowed by his penchant for (social) media gaffes, the singer’s team has announced they’re implementing a ban on interviews. Asked whether there was a specific strategy planned for Brown in the New Year, the 22-year-old’s manager, Tina Davis, told Billboard magazine it was to “not have him do interviews but to concentrate on performing and recording,” adding that the idea had been germinating for some time. Last May, Breezy made headlines after a “Good Morning America” interview , when he vented frustration over a line of questioning that zeroed in on ex Rihanna by hurling a chair through a backstage window afterward. The wave of bad press that ensued hit just as the Virginia-born crooner was making the rounds to promote his fourth studio effort, F.A.M.E. Now, as he preps the follow-up to that disc, Fortune, Davis seems determined to steer clear of any possible speed bumps. “We’re not trying to be rude, selfish or disrespectful to anyone in any way,” she told the mag. “If people are going to judge anything, judge him for his talent. He signed up to sing and entertain. Not to talk about his personal life.” Brown may be taking a cue from another superstar, Kanye West, whose self-imposed press-lockout has yielded some impressively expansive Twitter sprees . But it remains to be seen whether the singer will take to the social-networking site as an outlet in similar fashion. On New Year’s Eve, the “Look at Me Now” singer sent a heartfelt message to his fan faithful: “I LOVE Team Breezy unconditionally! Goodbye 2011. Let 2012 bring as much peace positivity and happiness as possible!” he wrote in a hopeful, if wistful, post. He hasn’t tweeted since. What do you think of C.Breezy giving the press the cold shoulder this year? Sound off on our Facebook page or in the comments below. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Chris Brown Related Artists Chris Brown
‘He is talking that talk, ‘ DJ Khaled tells MTV News of Rozay’s God Forgives, I Don’t. By Rob Markman Rick Ross and DJ Khaled Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Rick Ross has seen his star rise with each release, and for his upcoming album, God Forgives, I Don’t, his buddy DJ Khaled promises a classic. Rozay isn’t finished recording and the LP doesn’t have a release date yet, but Khaled — whose album We the Best Forever is in stores this week — is already making big predictions. ” God Forgives, I Don’t is a classic-in-the-making. Let me tell you something right now: This album is so crazy from the beginning of what I’ve been in the studio hearing already,” he told MTV News on Wednesday (July 20). “I can’t give you too much because I’m going to let him do that, because that’s his project, but I could tell you right now it’s classic and he is talking that talk. ” As far as Ross’ albums go, it has been a year since his last LP, Teflon Don, was released, but the rotund Miami rapper has kept a high profile, releasing his Maybach Music Group project Self Made, Vol. 1 in May. Compilation singles like “Tupac Back” and “Ima Boss” have kept Ross on the charts, as well as songs on which Ross is featured (Lil Wayne’s “John” and Khaled’s “I’m On One”), have kept the Miami MC on the airwaves. Khaled noted his homey’s growth, telling us the Bawse gets better with each album. ” God Forgives, I Don’t, it fits the time because right now it’s no rules,” Khaled said. “We don’t see ’em; we going hard and that’s what Ross is doin’.” Are you looking forward to Ross’ album? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Rick Ross (Hip-Hop) DJ Khaled
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