Tag Archives: money-records

Exclusive: Mack Maine Reveals Lil Wayne’s Next Single

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Exclusive: Mack Maine Reveals Lil Wayne’s Next Single

‘We definitely dropping it before the end of the year,’ Young Money boss tells MTV News about Tha Carter IV track ‘6’7″.’ By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway Lil Wayne Photo: Vallery Jean/ FilmMagic Lil Wayne may strike a diminutive figure physically, but on the microphone, the rapper is anything but small. It’s fitting then that in a year when he was largely absent due to a prison sentence , the Cash Money Records superstar marks the end of 2010 with a track that speaks to his burgeoning heft: Two of his prot

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John Legend, The Roots Motivate Masses At NYC Show

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on John Legend, The Roots Motivate Masses At NYC Show

Common, Jennifer Hudson, Estelle, Melanie Fiona join collective for ‘Unstaged’ concert steeped in soul at Terminal 5. By Jayson Rodriguez John Legend Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — Over the course of his solo career, John Legend has proven to be as refined a singer as any of his R&B contemporaries, from Maxwell to Usher. But with his new collaborative effort with the Roots, Wake Up!, the velvety-smooth Legend showcases more gruff vocals amid the set’s 1960s and ’70s soul-drenched motivational music. On Thursday night, John Legend’s full range was on display as he worked through his repertoire alongside Philadelphia’s finest at Manhattan’s Terminal 5. The show was the latest installment in American Express’ Unstaged concert series, this one filmed by Spike Lee. The collective marched out onto the stage in New Orleans “second line”-style and settled themselves in front of the backdrop, a massive replica of the Wake Up! album cover, which features Legend and the Roots in animated form performing on a non-descript block. Legend dashed through his hits, from the pulsating “Green Light” to the crowd-pleasing “Ordinary People.” Estelle joined the festivities, subbing for Erykah Badu on the Roots’ “You Got Me.” Common and newcomer Melanie Fiona helped Legend bring the crowd to full-on screams with their current single “Wake Up Everybody.” The Chicago MC was spry on stage, moving from side to side as he recited his lyrics. “It’s the God hour, the morning I wake up,” Com rapped. “Just for the breath of life, I thank my maker/ My mom say I come from hustlers and shakers/ My mom built it on skyscrapers and acres.” Just when things were heating up, however, Legend pulled the plug an hour into the set, thanking the audience for coming out and quickly exiting to the backstage area. … Moments later, though, the smooth crooner reappeared onstage and his encore drew even louder cheers. An elegant Jennifer Hudson appeared join Legend for a duet, rocking the capacity crowd with her stunning vocals, which were as beautiful as she looked. Legend closed out the show with “Shine,” a number from Wake Up! that also serves as the lead single to for the documentary “Waiting for Superman,” which opened Friday (September 24). “They wait to plead their case, unknown cast aside,” he sang on the moving track. “I love to see their face, can we spare the light/ Are we afraid to see the prisoners of yesterday?/ These beautiful minds, trapped inside/ Bring them back to life, let them shine.” What do you think of Legend and the Roots’ new album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists John Legend The Roots

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Jay Sean Reveals Hairy Past On ‘When I Was 17’

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Jay Sean Reveals Hairy Past On ‘When I Was 17’

On Saturday’s episode, singer says he resembled ‘one big hairball.’ By Jayson Rodriguez Jay Sean Photo: MTV News Jay Sean is a lady-pleasing crooner whose smooth lyrics might only be eclipsed by his even smoother face. But when the Cash Money Records pop star was a teen, he had a grooming style that Gillette might have been afraid of. According to Jay Sean, his look resembled “one big hairball, basically.” “When I was 17, I thought I was the sh–, even though, I clearly wasn’t,” he says in this week’s episode of “When I Was 17,” which also features Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em and Tony Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth. “I looked very different. You could barely see my face because it was covered in hair.” The Punjabi singer, who started his career ruling the U.K. charts, had long stringy hair that extended past his chin. His beard wasn’t quite scruffy, but covered a good portion of his baby face. And his eyebrows connected as one long stripe of hair above the ridge of his eyes. Jay’s brother, Naroop, laughs at the memories of his follicle-enhanced sibling. “He had quite thick eyebrows before he discovered tweezers,” Naroop says, teasing his bro. Rather than try to contradict this talk, the singer adds more embarrassing details about his former looks. “My hair was long; I could tie a knot under my chin if I wanted,” Jay adds. “I had a huge beard. And I had a unibrow. Eyebrows would connect with the hair, which would connect with the beard.” Now, however, Jay Sean is a rising pop star after scoring his breakout hit stateside with “Down” featuring Lil Wayne. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring Jay Sean, Kristin Chenoweth and Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. Related Videos When Soulja Boy, Jay Sean And Kristin Chenoweth Were 17… Related Photos When I Was 17 | Ep.20 | Celebrity Photo Flashback Related Artists Jay Sean

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Lil Wayne Talks Working Out, Playing Uno In New Letter From Jail

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

‘The best lesson is to not come back,’ he says of what he’s learned in prison. By Jayson Rodriguez Lil Wayne Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images Lil Wayne posted yet another letter from prison on WeezyThanxYou.com , presumably one of his last ones as the incarcerated rapper now has fewer than 80 days left on his one-year sentence . In his message, the Cash Money Records superstar discussed the weapons charges that landed him in Rikers Island (he’s learned his lesson), his recreational activities (he’s an Uno champ!) and his workout regime (he’s buff, sort of). “Well ain’t nothing going on in here but the time, which seems like it’s taking forever,” the rapper wrote in his letter, the fifth he’s posted so far. “I’m trying to make the most out of every second tho, mentally. There’s some pretty cool people in here. Even though this isn’t a cool place to be. I’ve learned plenty already and the best lesson is to not come back. Last night, I kicked ass in UNO! Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. Just thought I’d let y’all know. Gotta stay hydrated. Though it’s hot, I still work out. Now don’t be expecting me to look like Hercules when I get out, but I should be a little bulky.” Weezy signed off by thanking many of his fans individually and personally; he often responds to letters fans have written him with a nod to the subject. “Stay focused. Cool rap name!” he wrote to Dominick Johnson. “I thank you for being such a longtime fan. And yes, you brought a smile to my face. So it was well worth it,” he wrote to Violet Grann. The letter might be a bit dated, as there’s a message from Wayne to Chris Bosh telling the newly signed Miami Heat star he should team up with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. Wayne also promotes two projects of his in the letter: his EP I’m Not a Human Being and the DJ Scoob Doo-directed “Nino Brown Story 3,” both slated for upcoming releases. What do you think about Lil Wayne’s recent letter? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Lil Wayne

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Lil Wayne Debuts New Single, ‘Right Above It,’ Featuring Drake

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

First track from I’m Not a Human Being EP aired on New York radio on Tuesday. By Jayson Rodriguez Lil Wayne Photo: C. Flanigan/ Getty Images Lil Wayne dominated New York’s hip-hop radio stations on Tuesday night, when the Cash Money Records superstar conducted an interview on Hot 97, and almost simultaneously, his new single, “Right Above It,” featuring Drake, premiered on Power 105. The song is the first effort from Lil Wayne’s forthcoming EP, I’m Not a Human Being, slated for release on September 27 (Lil Wayne’s birthday). During his Hot 97 interview with Funkmaster Flex, Wayne said he recorded the music for his upcoming EP before turning himself in to serve a yearlong prison sentence. “Yes, it’s gonna drop before Carter IV, only on the Internet,” Wayne said over the phone. “This is stuff that I recorded right before I came here.” “Meet me on the fresh train,” Wayne raps over the synth-laden production. “Yes, I’m in the building, you just on the list of guest names/ And all of my riders don’t give a f—, X-games/ Guns turn you boys into … sex change.” Wayne later chants on the chorus: “Now tell me how you love it/ And know you at the top and only heaven’s right above it.” Earlier this year, Drake told MTV2’s “Sucker Free” host DJ Envy that he and Lil Wayne are planning on recording a joint project once Wayne finishes his sentence. “I went up to Rikers, and me and Wayne agreed that there will be a Lil Wayne/ Drake album,” Drake explained. “There’s some things I’m excited for in my life — I’m excited to go perform certain places — but [this project] will probably be one of the most exciting things in my life, because we make music on a different level. It’s just so fun, so comfortable. A whole album? To think about all the things we can do, especially if we’re gonna do 15 songs. Me and him don’t like to do 12, 13 [songs]. We want to do 15, 16. Yeah, Lil Wayne and Drake album.” What do you think about Lil Wayne’s “Right Above It,” featuring Drake? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @MTVRapFix . Related Artists Lil Wayne

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Nicki Minaj Says Lil Wayne Is ‘In Great Spirits’

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

‘He’s his same self … just even more business-minded,’ she tells MTV News of her incarcerated Young Money boss. By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Kelly Marino Nicki Minaj Photo: MTV News Lil Wayne may be physically separated from his Young Money prot

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Eminem Says He Felt Like ‘Bugs Bunny’ In Rehab

Posted on June 17, 2010 by | Leave a comment

‘I couldn’t concentrate on my problem,’ he says of getting attention from fellow patients. By Mawuse Ziegbe Eminem Photo: Getty Images Before Eminem even dropped Relapse last year, he announced plans release a follow-up called Relapse 2 — and then he totally changed his mind . Instead, come June 21, fans will be able to pick up Em’s new album Recovery (which was moved up a day after it leaked online ). Eminem recently explained the meaning behind the album title in an interview with The New York Times, revealing that it is a direct reference to managing his ongoing battle with prescription drugs. “Vicodin, Valium and Ambien and, toward the end, which caused my overdose, methadone,” Eminem told the Times when asked what he was recovering from. “I didn’t know it was methadone. I used to get pills wherever I could. I was just taking anything that anybody was giving to me.” The hip-hop superstar also opened up about his stint in rehab. “The first time I went, it was in Brighton, Michigan,” he said “The second time, I didn’t go to rehab; I just went to a regular hospital. I detoxed in the hospital, and then I came home.” Coping with addiction is a demanding process, but due to his celebrity, Em had to deal with a unique set of challenges. The always candid MC said that he later chose to detox in a hospital because his outsize stardom affected the way his fellow addicts in rehab interacted with Em. “I couldn’t go back to rehab. I felt like I was Bugs Bunny in rehab,” Eminem said. “When Bugs Bunny walks into rehab, people are going to turn and look. People at rehab were stealing my hats and pens and notebooks and asking for autographs. I couldn’t concentrate on my problem.” Did you prefer the Relapse 2 album title, or are you happy Em opted for Recovery instead? Let us know in the comments. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Eminem Related Artists Eminem

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Drake’s Family Tree Extends From Childhood Pals To Kanye West

Posted on June 17, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Bun B and many others are also influential in Drizzy’s hip-hop journey. By MTV News staff Hip-hop phenom Drake might only be 23 years old, but his roots in the rap world run quite deep. His debut album, Thank Me Later (which dropped this week) is the result of years of studying with a handful of masters, toiling in the mixtape circuit and traveling across North America in an effort to synthesize his unique style and build his credibility. But who is connected to the man born Aubrey Graham? As you can see in his hip-hop family tree , there are quite a few branches in Drake’s musical story. October’s Very Own (Drake’s personal crew) Noah “40” Shebib : Drake’s musical partner produced the bulk of Thank Me Later , and in the past, he served as the rapper’s road manager, engineer and lifeline as he ran up thousands of dollars on his credit card for the two to follow Lil Wayne on tour while they worked on So Far Gone. Oliver El-Khatib : Oliver functions as Drizzy’s creative director, weighing in on the majority of decisions in the lyricist’s career outside the recording booth. He posts to the OVO blog frequently, highlighting the tastes of the collective, from fashion to music. Oliver introduced Drake to the music of now tourmate Francis and the Lights. Niko : One of Drake’s longtime friends from Toronto, Niko introduced the rapper to his own barber when the former “Degrassi” star needed a fresh look. The two are often together, and in his Thank Me Later album credits, Drizzy tells his friend he thought he was an only child until he met Niko, whom he calls “my closest confidant.” Instrumental Allies (Kick-started Drake’s career) Jas Prince : The son of legendary Houston hip-hop pioneer J. Prince, the younger Jas found Drake on MySpace and urged Lil Wayne to listen to the upstart artist. Lil Wayne : The Cash Money Records superstar took Drake under his wing and offered the then-unknown rapper recording advice, telling his prot

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Drake Previews Thank Me Later For Media, Fellow Stars

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Chris Brown, Birdman, Jay Sean and more join the rapper as he plays his debut album for journalists in New York. By Jayson Rodriguez Drake Photo: Cash Money Records Drake previewed his highly anticipated debut album on Wednesday night (June 2) for New York media outlets and the listening session turned into a star-studded affair as Chris Brown, Bow Wow and Jay Sean joined the festivities. The Toronto MC’s Thank Me Later protest against posting the entire album . “Enough is enough,” Andrew Barber of FakeShoreDrive.com told MTV News on Wednesday. Drake also confirmed he visited Lil Wayne in prison since he was in town, and the rapper is also scheduled to appear at VH1’s Hip-Hop Honors: The Dirty South and Hot 97’s Summer Jam during his time in New York. Are you excited about Drake’s debut album? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Artists Drake

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Lil Wayne And Shanell’s ‘Runnin’ ‘ Video Premieres — Watch It Now!

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Shanell tells MTV News about shooting the video before Weezy went to jail. By Steven Roberts Lil Wayne feat. Shanell – “Runnin” Photo: Cash Money Records NEW YORK — For Lil Tunechi Weekend, MTV Jams and MTV2 are premiering four brand-new Lil Wayne videos , which the Cash Money star shot in quick succession earlier this year during Super Bowl weekend. The videos include “Da Da Da” and “Get a Life,” both featuring the rock band

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