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Snooki, The Situation ‘Excited’ And ‘Honored’ To Attend ‘VH1 Divas’

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Snooki, The Situation ‘Excited’ And ‘Honored’ To Attend ‘VH1 Divas’

‘Anything to give back to veterans,’ Snooki says of attending star-studded troops tribute. By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Matt Elias Snooki and “The Situation” at the “VH1 Divas Salute the Troops” Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic When “Jersey Shore” mainstays Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino aren’t downing cocktails and getting rowdy in clubs on TV, they’re red-carpet regulars at shindigs across the globe. However, on Friday night the duo hit up a star-packed event that even humbled the cheeky “Shore” residents: “VH1 Divas Salute the Troops.” The “Shore” stars were in the building to present at the armed-forces tribute at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, and told reporters that they were thrilled to lend their support to the show. “I was actually honored to be here,” The Situation said. “I have so much respect for our troops. I heard that there was a possible invite, and it was an honor just to be here.” For Snooki, showing support for the troops is a cause close to her heart, as she has a family member who once served in the military. “I’m actually really excited to be here. The fact that I was even invited to come — that’s an honor. My uncle, he was a veteran and he died awhile ago,” Snooki said. “Anything to give back to veterans, anything. That’s really close to me. It’s awesome.” Supermodel Marisa Miller and soul songstress Brandy were also on hand to present at the event, which was hosted by flame-haired funnywoman Kathy Griffin. Pop and hip-hop vixens Katy Perry, Keri Hilson and Nicki Minaj rocked the stage. Music collectives Sugarland, Paramore and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals — who were joined by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart — also churned out onstage awesomeness. “VH1 Divas Salute the Troops” airs Sunday, December 5, on VH1 at 9 p.m. ET. Related Photos Fashions At ‘VH1 Divas Salute The Troops’

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Snooki, The Situation ‘Excited’ And ‘Honored’ To Attend ‘VH1 Divas’

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Cee Lo Remembers His Odd Jobs On ‘When I Was 17’

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Cee Lo Remembers His Odd Jobs On ‘When I Was 17’

‘F— You’ belter recalls high school hustles on episode premiering Saturday at 11 a.m. By Mawuse Ziegbe Cee-Lo Photo: MTV News Cee Lo’s latest hit, the Grammy-nominated, lyrically bird-flipping jam “F— You,” is all about unapologetically sticking it to a former flame. But back when the MC was a teen, he was fairly well-behaved, spending a lot of time toiling at a bevy of random gigs. “When I was 17, I did just about every odd job that you can think of. I worked for a temporary agency called Talent Tree, and they would call you as availabilities came in,” Cee Lo recalls in the latest episode of “When I Was 17,” which premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. “I worked at a bank. I worked at a shoe warehouse. I worked for Xerox. All we do is make copies of documents all night. It paid pretty good to do that too.” The ex-Goodie Mob MC also remembers a gig at a snack-packaging facility that churned out compact cartons of assorted salty munchies. “I remember one that was really funny — I worked in a warehouse where they were putting together the Frito-Lay variety boxes of chips,” The Lady Killer singer explains. “I was on the end and I would push them through the plastic part where they would kinda do the overlay of plastic.” The “Closet Freak” belter recalls an incident in which the chips took a messy detour on their road to plastic-wrapped destiny. “One time I look back over the conveyor belt, and I just remember potato chips just falling all over the floor,” he says. As the chips slid from the conveyor belt, Cee Lo decided it was time to make his exit as well. “I was like, ‘Oh, no. I’m out!’ ” he says. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring Cee Lo, Audrina Patridge and Miss J — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. Related Videos ‘When I Was 17’ Episode 206 Sneak Peek Related Photos When I Was 17 (Season 2) | Ep. 6 | Cee Lo Green, Miss J Alexander, Audrina Patridge

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Soulja Boy Says He’s Glad 50 Cent’s Got His Back

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Soulja Boy Says He’s Glad 50 Cent’s Got His Back

Fif has defended the young MC, and ’50 don’t mess with no rappers,’ Soulja says on ‘RapFix Live.’ By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Sway Calloway Soulja Boy Tell’em Photo: Rich Sancho/ MTV News Hip-pop hitmaker Soulja Boy and gritty G-Unit boss 50 Cent may be hip-hop’s newest odd couple, but the 20-year-old rapper is glad the Queens MC is in his corner — regardless of what critics may say. During a return appearance on MTV News’ “RapFix Live” on Thursday (December 2), the “Speakers Going Hammer” star talked about his relationship with Fif, saying he’s amped the Before I Self Destruct lyricist has stuck up for him when his hip-hop cred was questioned. “To have 50 have my back , that’s definitely exciting, it’s an achievement. 50 don’t mess with no rappers,” Soulja said. “When I came out, there [was] a lot of people that was hating on me [and] felt like I wasn’t real to the game — don’t hate the player, hate the game — 50 shed light on me and he came to my defense.” Soulja talked about taking the brunt of much hip-hop hate for churning out infectious, dance floor-friendly hits that became popular with everyone from all-American teens to Hollywood heavyweights. “Eminem’s daughter doing my [‘Crank That’] dance, that’s just amazing. Just like when I seen Beyonc

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Drake To Host 2011 Juno Awards

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Drake To Host 2011 Juno Awards

Toronto MC will return to his hometown to helm the Canadian music awards show. By Mawuse Ziegbe Drake Photo: Michael Caulfield/ WireImage Chances are good that if you check out an awards show in 2011, it will be hard to escape Drake. The Young Money MC already has four nominations for the 53rd annual Grammy Awards under his belt, and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences just announced he’ll be hosting the 2011 Juno Awards. “I am beyond honored to be hosting this monumental Juno Awards in the greatest city on Earth,” Drizzy said in a statement. “I want to bring a youthful energy to the show and encourage people to be excited about what Canadian music has to offer. See you all at the show.” “Drake has made incredible strides on the national and international music scene in the past year and exemplifies the next generation of Canadian artists. We’re thrilled to have him host the 2011 Juno Awards in his hometown of Toronto,” added Melanie Berry, president and CEO of CARAS and the Juno Awards. “People are still buzzing over his performance last year on the Juno Awards, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store this time around!” The Toronto native is no stranger to the Junos, having scored four nominations and two trophies. The Thank Me Later lyricist also hit the stage alongside fellow Canadian pop export Justin Bieber at last year’s awards. However, Drizzy won’t know if he’ll have to pull double duty as both a host and award contender until February 1, when the 2011 nominations are announced. The show, which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the awards, will air live on CTV on Sunday, March 27. News of the hosting gig comes around the same time as the announcement of Drizzy’s four Grammy nods. The singer/MC is up for Best New Artist, Best Rap Album for Thank Me Later, Best Rap Solo Performance for “Over” and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Fancy” with T.I. and Swizz Beatz. What do you think about Drake hosting the 2011 Juno Awards? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Drake’s 2010 Juno Awards Experience Related Artists Drake

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Kurtis Blow Busted For Marijuana At Airport

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Kurtis Blow Busted For Marijuana At Airport

Rap pioneer was caught with the drug after a pat-down at Los Angeles International Airport. By Mawuse Ziegbe Kurtis Blow Photo: Bill Pugliano/ Getty Images Legendary MC Kurtis Blow just caught a tough break: The rapper was busted with marijuana at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday (December 2). The rap pioneer was caught with a small amount of weed as he went through a security screening around 5:45 a.m., according to E! News . After a body scan uncovered “an anomaly” in his clothing, the MC was subjected to a pat-down, which revealed a bag of pot. The Harlem spitter, who was born Kurtis Walker, had less than an ounce of the drug, so he was slapped with a misdemeanor citation and the weed was confiscated. Since kicking off his career in the ’70s, Blow has been lauded as a hip-hop pioneer, with a slew of firsts under his belt. He is credited with becoming the first rapper to release a major-label album, and his signature 1980 single, “The Breaks,” became the first hip-hop song to be certified gold. He is also credited as the first to head out on a national and international hip-hop tour while the culture was still in its infancy as a mainstream force. While hip-hop artists hawk everything from sneakers to beer these days, Blow was the first rapper to sign an endorsement deal. Aside from helping to push hip-hop from a local New York City movement to a global phenomenon, Blow’s legacy as a rap game-changer endures. Contemporary hip-hop stars still turn to his catalog for inspiration. Case in point: His track “If I Rule the World” was covered by Queens MC Nas. With his music career behind him, Blow has since turned to religion, helming services at his Hip Hop Church in Harlem.

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Q-Tip ‘Not In Support’ Of Tribe Called Quest Documentary

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Q-Tip ‘Not In Support’ Of Tribe Called Quest Documentary

MC tweets, ‘Filmmaker should respect the band to the point of honoring the few requests’ made about the doc. By Mawuse Ziegbe Q-Tip Photo: Mark Von Holden/WireImage A Tribe Called Quest’s game-changing legacy is slated to hit the big screen in the forthcoming documentary “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest,” which has been picked up for Sundance. A trailer for the flick recently hit the Web, and Tribe acolytes have voiced their excitement on the project’s Facebook page . However, there is one key detractor whose concerns could potentially derail anticipation for the film and diminish its credibility: Tribe frontman Q-Tip. On Thursday (December 2), the Queens MC blasted the film via his Twitter account. “I am not in support of the a tribe called quest documentary,” he wrote . The “Electric Relaxation” lyricist explained his gripes stem from creative differences between the hip-hop crew and the team behind the doc. “The filmmaker shld respect the band enough to honor our request regarding the film,” Q-Tip wrote. “The filmmaker should respect the band to the point of honoring the few requests that’s was made abt the piece.” A spokesperson for Rival Films, the production company behind the project, was not available when MTV News reached out for comment. Actor Michael Rapaport (“Bamboozled”) directed the film which, according to the flick’s website , revolves around the group’s reunion for the 2008 Rock the Bells Tour . The impact and influence of the collective is explored by fellow hip-hop luminaries like Native Tongues members Busta Rhymes and De La Soul and rap superstars like Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. Despite Q-Tip’s issues with the film, it appears to have been made not only with the band’s cooperation, but all members of the original Tribe lineup — Phife, Ali Shaheed and Jarobi — figure prominently in the project. The film will premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in January. Are you looking forward to the Tribe documentary? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Q-Tip A Tribe Called Quest

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Naya Rivera Wanted To ‘Be Like Paris Hilton,’ On ‘When I Was 17’

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Naya Rivera Wanted To ‘Be Like Paris Hilton,’ On ‘When I Was 17’

‘Glee’ star recalls getting her dad to spring for an expensive Hilton-inspired dog on episode premiering Saturday at 11 a.m. By Mawuse Ziegbe Naya Rivera Photo: MTV News When “Glee” star Naya Rivera was a teen she didn’t just look up to one of the most popular girls in her high school, she admired one of the most popular girls in the world: Paris Hilton. “All I wanted to do was be like Paris Hilton,” she says in the latest episode of “When I Was 17,” which also features stories from Taye Diggs and Carmelo Anthony. Rivera, who was 17 in 2004, had a major Hilton obsession when she was a teen. “Everything that Paris did, Naya was all about it,” her friend Alyson said. Any good Hilton fan in the mid-aughties had to have an appropriately small pooch to tote around. So Rivera persuaded her father to buy her a socialite-approved pup. “That’s when I bought a little dog like Paris. So I convinced my dad to get me a Maltese,” she says. “I called around, like, to a million breeders. Oddly enough, this lady that I found was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I just sold Paris Hilton a dog.’ And I was like, ‘Yahtzee! I want my dog from there.’ ” However, it turns out that cute, clutch-sized canines don’t come cheap and getting one from the same breeder as Hilton came with a hefty price tag. “The dog was, like, $1,500, so we had a payment plan for this dog. We literally made monthly payments on the dog,” she recalls. “Her name is Cali. I took it everywhere with me.” After a while, though, carrying around an adorable dog, even one that Hilton may have dubbed “hot,” got old. “It was cool for like three months then it crapped in my car,” Rivera concedes. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring Naya Rivera, Camelo Anthony and Taye Diggs — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV Related Videos ‘When I Was 17’ Episode 205 Sneak Peek

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Black Eyed Peas Plan Stadium-Heavy 2011 Tour

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Black Eyed Peas Plan Stadium-Heavy 2011 Tour

Group may hit the road ‘after February,’ will.i.am tells Billboard. By Mawuse Ziegbe Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images The Black Eyed Peas are planning to rock as many bodies as possible when they hit the road next year, so they’re hoping to pack their trek into massive venues around the world. Peas frontman will.i.am told Billboard that the foursome’s recent South American gigs will be the blueprint for filling the seats in stadiums across the globe. “South America was a test,” he said. “We did all our homework … to try to figure out how we can do stadiums in other countries, in America, in Europe. If Black Eyed Peas can do five O2 arenas, why don’t we just do it in one shot? If we can do three Staples Centers, we should do one Dodgers Stadium. So that’s how we’ll probably tour this time around.” “The Time (Dirty Bit)” MC said rocking to the collective’s pop smashes with thousands of other revelers is the best way to experience the Peas live. “It’s like you’re there with all your friends. You’re there in front of 50,000 people and they’re there to watch you and your friends,” he said. “Nothing gets any better than that. It’s the best feeling, the best one yet.” The band is expected to get in some practice hitting the stage for a major crowd at the top of next year. Sources have revealed that the Peas will helm halftime-show festivities at the Super Bowl , which often draws over 100 million viewers. Will’s comment that the hitmaking quartet won’t launch their global stadium takeover until “after February,” the same month the Super Bowl airs, is perhaps a hint that the Peas will be throwing down at the football-fest. The Peas’ sixth record, The Beginning, is slated to be released November 30. Are you looking forward to checking out the Black Eyes Peas on tour? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Black Eyed Peas

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Ne-Yo Promises ‘Theatrical’ AMA Performance

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Ne-Yo Promises ‘Theatrical’ AMA Performance

Singer says four-song set will ‘pretty much tell the full story of [his album] Libra Scale. ‘ By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Matt Elias Ne-Yo Photo: MTV News When Ne-Yo hits the stage at the American Music Awards on Sunday, the singer/songwriter will have some big promises to fulfill. MTV News caught up with the Libra Scale crooner on Friday during the rehearsals for the main event, and he said his upcoming set will be more than just the typical song-and-dance routine. “The performance for the AMAs is gonna be a bit more theatrical than just getting onstage and singing a song and having some dancers back you up,” Ne-Yo said. He added that the performance will incorporate many of the concepts found on his forthcoming effort. “There’s a storyline that flows through the entire album,” he said. “So we’re basically trying to take the story of Libra Scale and summarize it into about four minutes and put it on stage for you.” While he didn’t give up too many details, the songsmith did break down the set list, which includes a spankin’ new track from Libra. “What I will say is that we’re gonna be doing a medley. There’s four songs in total in this whole four-minute performance. We go from ‘Champagne Life’ into ‘One in a Million’ into one of the … newer songs off the album called ‘Telekinesis’ into, of course, ‘Beautiful Monster’ to end it all off,” he said. Ne-Yo also hoped to turn the performance into a sales boost. “Through these four songs we have figured out a way to pretty much tell the full story of Libra Scale ,” he said. “Or leave people just intrigued enough to go get the album when it comes out.” As an AMA vet, Ne-Yo was also looking forward to not only throwing down on stage, but just checking out the star-packed event and enjoying himself. “One of the cool things about the AMAs is the fact that there’s so many different genres crammed into one fantastic night,” he said. “You can get a little bit of R&B, a little bit of hip-hop, a little bit of country. Me being a person that’s very versatile in my musical choices and tastes, this is the perfect show for me. I enjoy coming. This is my … fourth or fifth time and it never gets old. I’m gonna have a good time.” What are you expecting from Ne-Yo’s performance at the AMAs? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Ne-Yo’s 2010 American Music Awards Rehearsal Related Artists Ne-Yo

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‘American Idol’ Moving To New Night

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on ‘American Idol’ Moving To New Night

The Fox hit will air on Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning January 19. By Mawuse Ziegbe Photo: FOX As its tenth season nears, “American Idol” continues to shake things up. Fox announced on Friday that in January the amateur-talent juggernaut will now air on Wednesdays and Thursdays after launching from a Tuesday-night slot for years. According to the network’s 2010 to 2011 midseason schedule, Tuesdays will lead with “Glee” at 8 p.m., followed by “Raising Hope” and a new sitcom “Mixed Signals.” The lineup change is the latest in a slew of revamps to the Fox hit. The buzzed-about judges’ panel was completely overhauled and now includes Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler alongside “Idol” veteran Randy Jackson . The minimum age limit was also lowered to 15. In addition, the show will no longer whittle down the finalists from 24 to 12, and instead just introduce a dozen singers for fans to vote for. Tenth-season hopefuls will also be tasked with crafting memorable visuals as part of a brand new music video competition. Lythoe has dished on how Tyler and Lopez are approaching their new gigs, praising them for their serious take on the job. He also added that longtime critic Jackson is stepping up his game and providing pithy insight. “Randy is pulling his weight,” Lythgoe said recently . “He really has stepped up. He’s essentially come out of himself. He’s enjoying being in that position.” Lopez has also said that next season with show will be more forgiving with auditioners, and try not to let panicky nerves get in the way of recognizing a talented hopeful. “I don’t want to let anybody really great [not make it through] because they’re nervous, and not get to see what they could have did,” Lopez said in September . “They’re going to come in here and be a little bit nervous in the beginning, and then you realize, ‘Wow, that person is really talented.’ So we work them a little bit more than maybe you’ve seen in the past. We’ve given them more of a chance.” Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Your New ‘American Idol’ Judges Are Jennifer Lopez And Steven Tyler Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Announces Its Season 10 Judges!

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