Many questions can be raised about last night’s American Idol finale. To wit: Should Phillip Phillips have defeated Jessica Sanchez? Should Diana DeGarmo have accepted Ace Young’s proposal ? How incredible is Jennifer Holliday?!? But THG is focused on the truly important issue of the night: With both Rihanna and J. Lo taking to the stage and performing a couple sexy, scantily-clad singles, the topic can no longer be ignored. Which of these beauties would you prefer to bang? Study their finale outfits and vote now.
With the ‘Idol’ finale upon us, and Phillip Phillips the likely winner, Bigger Than the Sound tries to save the show from itself. By James Montgomery Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips on “American Idol” Photo: Michael Becker/ Fox Unlike in previous years, when I called David Cook “a sociopolitical barometer with an awesome comb-over” and “Idol” predictions piece by declaring “a white guy will win anyway” — and (probably) disappearing very quietly into the night. He seems like a nice enough dude, but he’s certainly no superstar, and his win will only send “Idol” further down the relevancy scale, if that’s even possible. It will just be more of the same, which, for a show currently on life support, might prove fatal. And when the confetti falls on Wednesday night, and Phillips cracks that same goofy grin, I will shed a tear for this once-proud show and promise myself that I will never watch again. Of course, I will anyway. So, “Idol” voters, if you love this show like I do (for whatever reason: unintentional comedy, overwrought balladry, you are contractually obligated to write about it, etc.), I urge you to set aside your emotions and vote for Jessica Sanchez. It’s the only way we can save “American Idol” from itself. Was she the best contestant this season? Of course not. But she’s still standing, and she’s our only hope. No offense to Phillips, but in our hour of desperation, we don’t need Kris Allen 2.0. We need a glimmer of hope, we need someone to believe in … we need BeBe Chez. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Performances
The Lannisters and the Baratheons are gearing up for battle in season two’s penultimate episode. By Josh Wigler Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage in “Game of Thrones” Photo: Paul Schiraldi/HBO The calm before the storm is upon Westeros — and that says a lot, considering that the so-called “calm” includes an obscenely abused prostitute in King’s Landing, two charred hanging corpses in Winterfell, stolen dragons in Qarth and bruised, beaten prisoners of war north of the Wall. But believe it or not, that really is just the palate-cleanser before a monumental battle strikes the Seven Kingdoms. All season long, HBO’s “Game of Thrones” has warned viewers that “war is coming,” and next week, it’ll finally be here via the fabled Battle of Blackwater, an all-out slugfest between the Lannister forces and the trueborn Baratheons. Which side will win? It’s too early to say. But no matter who emerges victorious, we can promise you this: Just as Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview once warned, there will be blood. Keep reading for a recap of this week’s “Game of Thrones,” which sets the stage for next week’s epic battle. The Princes of Winterfell Theon Greyjoy has fallen hard throughout season two. Last year, he was simply an unlikable boy; now, he’s a full-on baby-killer who doesn’t know when he’s lost. Theon’s unquenchable desire to please his father and prove himself a worthy Ironborn has turned him into one of the most wanted men in Westeros. Even his sister Yara, typically the type to smack Theon across the face well before offering him words of encouragement, expresses her sibling loyalty to the younger Greyjoy, doing her best to get him the hell out of Winterfell before Northerners come calling for his head. Her words fall on deaf ears; Theon stays in Winterfell, and the bastard Ramsay Bolton is just days away from claiming vengeance on behalf of Team Stark. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Theon, the boys he’s so desperately looking for — Bran and Rickon — are more or less right under his nose, hiding in the crypts of Winterfell. A brilliant hiding spot … spooky but brilliant. The Seeds of Betrayal Further north, Jon Snow’s inability to kill the wildling girl Ygritte has led to his captivity at the redhead’s hands, but it also might prove his saving grace: Ygritte clearly has interest in Jon, enough to keep him alive a little bit longer. (It doesn’t hurt that the other wildlings, the Lord of Bones in particular, know that Jon’s the bastard son of Ned Stark, either; that makes him a decent bargaining chip worth holding onto.) Another reason why Jon might flourish under captivity: Qhorin Halfhand, also a prisoner, is doing everything he can to distance himself from Jon, to make it clear that Snow betrayed his vows and the Night’s Watch in keeping Ygritte alive. How much of it is Qhorin’s actual wrath against Jon or just a ploy to weaken the wildlings? We’ll have to keep watching to find out. What’s a Stark Without Honor? Jon Snow isn’t the only Stark dealing with issues of honor. After his mother, Catelyn, betrays the cause by freeing the king-slayer Jaime Lannister and shipping him back to King’s Landing with Brienne in tow — all in an effort to rescue Sansa and Arya from the Lannisters’ clutches, mind you — Robb is left feeling more crushed than ever. With the entire North looking to him for leadership and his own flesh and blood betraying him — not to mention the recent treachery of his best friend Theon — the King in the North is understandably down and out. So who can really blame him for doing the proverbial “dance with dragons” with Talisa of Volantis? Sure, he’s promised to a Frey, but the man’s got needs, and it’s clear that this is more than just a physical fling. That said, there’s also no doubting that Robb’s dishonored himself by blemishing his pledge to marry a daughter of House Frey. Just how badly that comes back to haunt him and his is something we’ll see in the future, I’m sure. The Wolf and the Lion Break Up More heartbreak for Team Stark, though this is more of the viewership variety: The secret “Tywin Loves Arya” show-within-a-show is now at an end. The Lannister patriarch leaves Harrenhal to defend King’s Landing against Stannis, without so much as a parting word of advice for the young wolf. Their dynamic stands out as one of the highlights of season two, and it’ll certainly be missed in the episodes to come. Still, Arya’s continued friendship with faceless man Jaqen H’Ghar remains a strongpoint of the season, and I suspect we’re not completely finished with their kill-happy partnership … not just yet. War, War Everywhere King’s Landing has been a spit-show all season long, and come next week’s episode, it’ll be a full-on bloodbath. The upcoming episode is appropriately titled “Blackwater,” as in the bay King’s Landing sits upon and the site of the impending battle between Lannister loyalists and Baratheon banner-men. Sunday’s episode perfectly set the stage: In King’s Landing, Tyrion does his best to keep himself together in light of Cersei ordering the prostitute Ros beaten beyond recognition (because she incorrectly believes her to be Tyrion’s lover), the peoples’ growing mistrust of Tyrion despite his behind-the-scenes efforts to protect them, and the very real threat of war coming to the Seven Kingdoms’ capital in just a few short hours. Out at sea, Davos Seaworth is given the unexpected news that if Stannis beats Joffrey and claims the Iron Throne, the title of Hand of the King will be his. Without a doubt, the stakes are big on both sides of the battle, and it’s hard to find someone to root for: Davos is likable enough, and Stannis, hard as he is, is certainly a better pick for king than the cruel Joffrey. But even though the Lannisters are horrible people, Tyrion’s on their side, and we love Tyrion. What happens to the Imp if Stannis and his men win the day? For Tyrion’s sake, let’s hope we don’t find out. Tell us what you thought of this week’s “Thrones” in the comments section below! Related Videos Watching The ‘Thrones’ Related Photos ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season Two
Burning kids, breaking vows and snapping necks are the topics of conversation on this week’s ‘Thrones.’ By Josh Wigler Alfie Allen in “Game of Thrones” Photo: HBO Is there such a thing as going too far on “Game of Thrones”? Just ask the charred toddler hanging on the walls of Winterfell — he’ll have an answer, I’m sure. Season two has already seen no fewer than four of its currently aired seven episodes conclude with the death of a child in increasingly brutal fashion. And “A Man Without Honor” — the 17th hour of the series — was perhaps the cruelest of the bunch, thanks to Theon Greyjoy. Not quite the boy-monster that Joffrey is, Theon is definitely giving him competition for the show’s Most Loathsome Villain award. Even though the golden-haired demon child sat out of this week’s outing entirely (ironic, given the title of the episode), Joffrey’s presence hung heavily through Sansa and Cersei, both of whom are afraid of the boy king, but for very different reasons. Oh, and did we mention that a certain little kingslayer made his ugly comeback this week? Learn all about that and more in the rest of our “Game of Thrones” recap. Better to Be Cruel Than Weak If Theon is truly lost, then he’s finding his way back to himself through fire and blood, just like Dany. Unlike Dany, his version of “fire and blood” includes murdering innocent children to further his own agenda. Theon has very clearly lost it at this point. In addition to slaying kids who may or may not be Bran and Rickon (you know the rule of fiction, guys — unless you see a character die, they’re never really dead), he’s taken to physically harming every single person who opposes him. Poor Ser Rodrik was just the tip of the iceberg. You Know Nothing, Jon Snow North of Winterfell and well beyond the Wall, the crow Jon Snow and the wildling girl Ygritte are having themselves a grand old time. Well, not grand, but certainly sexually charged. It’s funny to see someone speak in such a way to Jon. He’s not the man of the Night’s Watch he thinks he is, not in Ygritte’s eyes; to her, he’s just “a boy who’s never been with a girl.” She’s not wrong, really. But all of that might change now that the roles have reversed and Jon’s become Ygritte’s captive. Also, fans of the books, were you as psyched as I was to hear Ygritte spit out her most famous line to Jon? We’ll be hearing plenty more “you know nothings” as the season progresses, I bet. The Lion King and the Wolf Girl If the Emmys had a Best Onscreen Duo award, I’d make a strong case for Charles Dance and Maisie Williams. Their scenes as Tywin and Arya in the ruins of Harrenhal are swiftly becoming the best scenes of the season. Some out-of-context dialogue highlights: “This will be my last war, win or lose.” “Do you think I’d be in this position if I’d lost a war?” “Careful now, girl. I enjoy you, but be careful.” “You’re too smart for your own good. Has anyone told you that?” Dance and Williams just clearly get a kick out of each other, and their chemistry is infectious. Great stuff. Love Your Children Down south in King’s Landing, there’s no sight of Joffrey Baratheon, yet the Lannister-in-stag’s-clothing remains a hot topic for his surrounding court. Sansa Stark makes the bloody discovery that she’s now able to bear Joff’s children, a realization that she unsuccessfully tries to keep from Queen Cersei. Surprisingly, when giving Sansa advice, Cersei doesn’t even really recommend that Sansa work towards falling in love with Joffrey some day — “You can try,” she says skeptically, but her real advice is to “love no one but your children.” She’s having trouble listening to her own words, as Joffrey’s continued cruelty pushes the Lannister matriarch further and further away from her son. Uniquely Unfit for Constraint In further Lannister news, “A Man Without Honor” saw the not-so-triumphant return of Jaime Lannister for the first time since the season premiere. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stole the show this episode, as he tends to do whenever he’s onscreen. But I’m glad it’s taken us this long to see him again — absence makes the heart grow fonder, even if a murderous prison escape makes it grow a little firmer in the end. Aside from seeing Jaime again, the Stark Camp story reached some other notable moments that should have fans of the books grinning: the furious introduction of Rickard Karstark, the developing creepiness of Roose Bolton, and the first mention of the MIA Barristan Selmy in what feels like ages. Yeah, remember that guy? Got a funny feeling we’ll see that bold warrior again soon. … Undying Love Finishing up all the way in Essos, we return to the plot point that’s got my head spinning most: Qarth. So, Xaro Xhoan Daxos is in cahoots with the warlocks of the House of the Undying to kill the rest of the Thirteen and become the king of the greatest city that ever was or will be? And they took Dany’s dragons, pretty much just to prove a point? Needless to say, these are more things that never happened in George R.R. Martin’s novels. And once again, not sure what to think about all of these alterations, except that I think they’re way too melodramatic for melodrama’s sake. That said, while I’m not a fan of where the story’s gone, there’s no denying that Ian Hanmore is thoroughly disturbing as blue-lipped baldy Pyat Pree, and the potential for an incredibly unsettling House of the Undying scene is certainly there. In Previous “Game of Thrones” News …
Singer snags Top Social Artist award before taking the stage. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber performs at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images Justin Bieber got the room shaking at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas when he danced around the stage rapping and singing his lead Believe single, “Boyfriend.” Dressed in white and yellow, with some neon lights on his pants, the 18-year-old stormed the stage and danced his butt off — but he didn’t go it alone. He was joined by some sexy, scantily clad lady dancers and male dancers in masks. Jumping from various levels of the stage, Bieber got his swaggie on. He especially brought out the swag when the song broke down in the middle for an extended dance remix, and he showed that he’s growing as a performer and a hoofer, relying less on his cutesy tween image and more on the razzle-dazzle of predecessors like Justin Timberlake and mentor Usher. Before he took the stage to perform, Bieber was up there to accept the prize for Top Social Artist. An emotional Bieber thanked those closest to him during his speech. “First of all, I just want to say how much of a blessing it’s been the past three, four years, just growing up in front of everybody,” he said. “I want to thank all my fans, ’cause the Internet is where I got my start. I want to thank my boy [and manager] Scooter Braun for all he’s done. He’s more than just a manager to me. I want to thank Usher. … He takes the time to really care. I just want to say ‘thank you so much’ to my mom and my dad and to God. I could keep rambling forever. I just want to thank you so much. Swaggie.” Immediately after Bieber performed, his first artist, Carly Rae Jepsen, also sang her hit single “Call Me Maybe.” What did you think of Bieber’s performance? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos 2012 Billboard Awards Highlights Related Photos 2012 Billboard Music Awards Related Artists Justin Bieber
Singer debuts ‘Wide Awake’ ahead of her ‘Part of Me’ 3-D concert film release in July. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry performs at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images Katy Perry was “Wide Awake” at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night (May 20). The purple-haired singer took the stage in glittering Las Vegas to debut her new single, the slow-motion breakup track from her Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection album. It’s also the song she’s picked to promote her 3-D concert film, “Part of Me,” out in July. Dressed in all white, almost like a bride (ironic, given she’s back on the market after her split from husband Russell Brand ), the performance opened with Perry descending from the ceiling over the stage, surrounded by Cirque du Soleil-type acrobats and steampunk touches, including dancers in top hats and a setting that almost looked like it was from the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” video. Perry mostly floated over the stage in a white ribbon that kept her hanging in the air as she sang about letting her heartbreak go to start anew. The dreamy vibe of the performance mirrored the song’s ethereal feeling. Earlier in the night, in a sparkling lavender gown, Perry took the stage to accept her Spotlight award for amassing five #1 hits from her Teenage Dream album. “Thank you. They told me the only other person who received this award is Michael Jackson, so I feel incredibly honored,” she told the room. “I always say the people have the power, so I want to thank all the glittering, gorgeous [people] out there. Rock on, KatyCats! “Tonight, later, when I get on the stage, I’m going to be singing my personal, intimate song,” she added, before shouting out her date. “The real rock star here is my grandmother. She’s 91 and she’s from Las Vegas. I can’t wait to go and do shots with you after this!” The same night she was in Vegas to perform the song, a lyric video was released as a teaser to the song’s music video, which Perry filmed earlier this month . What did you think of Katy’s performance? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos 2012 Billboard Awards Highlights Related Photos 2012 Billboard Music Awards Related Artists Katy Perry
The late Robin and his brothers helped define a genre and topped the charts in the process. By Gil Kaufman The Bee Gees in the 1970s Photo: Bee Gees Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Im Just days after the world lost Queen of Disco Donna Summer , another one of the genre’s royal family, Bee Gees member Robin Gibb, died after a long battle with cancer. Robin, 62, and his brothers Barry and Maurice began their musical career in 1963 and scored a number of hits with sentimental ballads such as “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” and “I Started a Joke” and their first top 20 single, “New York Mining Disaster 1941.” But it was their work in the late 1970s that would forever cement their memory in music history. After a string of successful albums and singles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the brotherly trio hit the hard time early in the decade, including a brief period where Robin left the band to go solo because he felt Barry was being pushed to the forefront at his expense. It wasn’t until they revamped their sound on 1975’s Main Course that they hit upon a formula that would make them international superstars and help sell more than 200 million albums over the course of their career. That record turned away from earnest folk and pop to a sound laced with a more soulful, dance-oriented groove, epitomized by the #1 hit “Jive Talkin’.” They followed up with the soundtrack to the hit movie “Saturday Night Fever,” which held the record for the best-selling album of all time until the release of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. With such smashes as “Night Fever,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “You Should Be Dancing,” “Stayin’ Alive” and “More Than a Woman,” the soundtrack won the Grammy for Album of the Year and sold more than 15 million copies in the United States alone. Though they weren’t even tapped to work on the soundtrack until after the movie had already wrapped, producer Robert Stigwood asked them to try and whip up a few tunes for the film that would soon define the disco era. They dashed most of the additional songs off in just over one weekend, and the rest, as they say, is history. In the years since, the album, whose cover prominently features the trio in their signature white disco suits just above a dancing John Travolta, has sold more than 40 million copies and stands as one of the top five best-selling albums of all time. Robin often sung the lead on the early songs, even though it was Barry who was the ostensible leader of the group later in their career. The siblings’ allegedly testy dynamic was turned into a bizarre recurring skit on “Saturday Night Live” from 2003 to 2011 by Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake called “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” Though Fallon once told Howard Stern that he really didn’t know how the idea came to him to play Barry as an out-of-control rage-aholic hosting a public affairs show about the day’s news, the comedic combination of the monosyllabic Timberlake as Robin and the pair singing the trio’s falsetto harmonies made for some of the show’s funniest moments. Born in 1949 on the Isle of Man off the British Coast, Robin and his brothers grew up in Manchester, England, but moved to Australia as children. They got their start there performing on television shows as the B.G.’s. It was after the family returned to England in the 1960s that the trio began to score international attention with their melodic three-part harmonies and emotional songwriting. Robin released a trio of solo albums in the 1980s, but neither he nor the group would ever reach the “Fever” heights again. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Earlier this year, Robin released a classical piece called The Titanic Requiem, recorded with his son, Robin-John, but was too ill to attend an April 10 performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Robin’s death is the latest heartache for the family, which has suffered a string of misfortunes, including the 1988 death of youngest brother Andy, 30, and the 2003 passing of Robin’s twin, Maurice, 53. More than 30 years after their global breakthrough, the music created by Robin and his brothers remains a cultural touchstone for each successive generation. Everyone from Eric Clapton to Destiny’s Child, the Cure’s Robert Smith, the Flaming Lips, Elton John, Al Green, Cher, Diana Ross, Tina Turner and Celine Dion have recorded their songs over the years. Please share your condolences for Gibb’s family, friends and fans in the comments. Related Photos The Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb: A Career In Photos
‘New York City, tonight, electronic dance music won the Superbowl,’ Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello tells the crowd. By Nicholas Philippou Armin van Buuren at Electric Daisy Carnival New York A different breed of giants owned MetLife Stadium on Saturday during day two of New York’s inaugural Electric Daisy Carnival. Armin van Buuren, Avicii and Swedish House Mafia ‘s Steve Angello closed the day’s festivities under a sea of red, white and gold fireworks, after taking an estimated 60,000 fans for an unforgettable ride. “We put a nightclub in Giants stadium,” Angello proudly told the crowd during EDC’s closing moments. “New York City, tonight, electronic dance music won the Superbowl.” Angello reveled in the moment and called the night “historic,” after delivering a two-hour set that evolved from dark and dirty to euphoric, ending with Angello in the spotlight, arms wide open, nearly hugging the crowd during SHM’s remix of Coldplay’s “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.” SHM fans got their serving with classics like “Greyhound” and “One” as well as the revved-up Knife Party remix of “Save the World” that capped the night’s exhilaration. Thomas Gold was Steve Angello’s Eli Manning inside the stadium, where Size Matters took over the end zone. Gold had one of those days where it was like he couldn’t miss, from the moment he hit the stage he turned the red zone into the Gold zone for two hours. He fired off a monster set with his remix of Miike Snow’s “The Wave” and rode on a high-energy, song-switching filter-fest of songs we all love, but have never heard quite like this before. Gold played up the Police’s “Message In a Bottle,” against his track “Abart,” with Leventina’s “We’re Gonna Start,” followed up with a mash-up of “Agora” and Avicii’s “Le7els” in what was a fun, feel-good set that scratched every itch. Outside of the stadium, at the Kinetic Field, Alesso and SHM’s Sebastian Ingrosso both killed it with amazing sets, with Alesso even making a return trip to the stage when Seb cued up their smash hit, “Calling,” while the huge crowd hummed out the chorus. Ingrosso played up every element of his show, leveling the crowd with a mash-up of SHM’s “One” against Gotye’s “Somebody that I Used to Know,” while a giant eye familiar to SHM fans stared back at them, creating a definite feeling of surreal, a reoccurring sensation throughout the festivities. And a surreal experience is really what EDC is all about. It’s a costume party, a rave, a carnival, an amusement park, a concert and a madhouse in whatever direction you turn. Wherever you were, you were most definitely entertained. Were you at New York’s Electric Daisy Carnival? What did you think? Leave your comment below! Related Artists Avicii Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso Armin Van Buuren
‘This is my favorite place in the mother—-in’ world!’ Drizzy declares. By Maurice Bobb Drake Photo: MTV News HOUSTON — Drake’s ties to Houston run deep. It was the city made famous by Rap-a-Lot Records, the Geto Boys, UGK, DJ Screw and a litany of chopped-and-screwed odes to purple syrup that sired, cultivated and ultimately catapulted the Toronto native into the stratosphere of chart-topping, award-winning artists, so it was only fitting that the MC born Aubrey Graham would pour more of his heart and soul into Thursday night’s Toyota Center performance, an earmarked leg on his mammoth Club Paradise Tour. Before Drizzy took the stage for his nearly two-hour set, he was preceded by a coterie of hip-hop radio fixtures: French Montana, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Waka Flocka Flame and J. Cole. Each artist was allotted an average of 30 minutes to run through their budding catalog of hits as the crowd — an amalgamation of ages, races and backgrounds — filed into the expansive arena to see the YMCMB MC. Dressed in a simple black T-shirt and jeans — sans garish bejeweled pendant, necklace or watch — and backed by a five-piece band, the Canadian spitter took the stage just before 10 p.m., bursting with nostalgia and reverence for H-Town. “I love Toronto, but this (Houston) is my favorite place in the mother—-in’ world!” he declared. Drake jumpstarted the throng with last year’s undisputed summer anthem, “I’m on One,” before igniting the crowd with the Weeknd-assisted “Crew Love” from his critically and commercially successful sophomore opus, Take Care . In between sips of mystery drank from a grande-sized Styrofoam cup, Drake bounced across the stage like a whirling dervish, looking as if he were unchained from the restrictions and restraints of the criticism he’s faced since solidifying his brand of moody, self-reflective braggadocio in the hardened, self-policing pantheon of hip-hop. Songs like “She Will” and “Up All Night” flowed from the multiplatinum MC’s happy place like an unrelenting wave crashing on a sandy beach. Drake was having so much fun onstage he felt compelled to share it with his co-stars. “Every n—a you wanna hear is right f—ing here!” Drake said before bringing out 2 Chainz for the newly released banger “No Lie.” The record has yet to gain the kind of traction it deserves, but one thing is clear: You haven’t heard “No Lie” until you’ve heard it in a live arena setting. Next up was Waka Flocka, whose high-energy flow on “Round of Applause” was punctuated by pyrotechnics on the “Baby make that ass clap” refrain. Drizzy briefly put his parade of guest stars on hold to offer up his current crossover hit “Take Care” before Meek Mill stepped into the cypher for “House Party” and “I’m a Boss.” The biggest surprise — literally and figuratively — of the night emerged from stage right to thunderous applause: Rick Ross. The Teflon Don and French Montana joined Drake and Meek Mill for the first-ever all-hands-on-deck live performance of “Stay Schemin” from Rozay’s groundbreaking mixtape Rich Forever . Drake’s growth as a live performer was evident as he took time to single out fans for various compliments, comments and jokes, making 15,000 fans feel as though they were in a small, intimate venue meant for 1,500. Drizzy crooned and pandered to the shrieking females in the audience as a prelude to “Make Me Proud,” but the exuberant pirouettes and middle-fingered Mazel tovs were back with “HYFR” and “The Motto.” The only blemish on the evening came when a young fan managed to hop onstage ala Lil Mama before being promptly removed by herculean security guards. “Shout out to that f— ass n—a that ran onstage,” Drake said. “He probably getting his ass beat right now.” To close out his set, Drizzy thanked the fans for their unyielding support and offered up the defiantly brazen “Headlines,” lest there were any haters left in the building — or in the industry, for that matter — “overdosed on confidence” enough to think they can keep Drake from being Drizzy. Because, as he so eloquently put it on this night, Drake doesn’t care about what the naysayers have to say: He only cares about making music for his fans. Have you seen the Club Paradise Tour? Share your review below! Related Videos Drake Kicks Off His Tour In Houston Related Artists Drake
While the first trailer for James Bond pic Skyfall won’t hit until next week (!), official site 007.com has a treat in the form of a teaser poster for the November release. And while there’s precious little to glean from the black and white composition, there’s something surprisingly compelling in the simplicity of Daniel Craig , front and center, striding towards us from inside the Bond gun barrel . The juxtaposition of what looks like a drainage tunnel with Craig’s dapper, Tom Ford-tailored coolness gives us the sense that he’s unafraid to walk into the world’s dirtiest, grimiest underbelly in his fancy lad haberdashery. What’s more: He’s not shooting at us in the classic Bond gun barrel scenario, which traditionally envisioned the suave spy aiming and firing at the camera; look at his placement and you see he is the bullet. By my count this is the first of the Craig Bond flicks to use the iconic gun barrel motif in its poster designs; some form of it was employed here and there in the Bond films of Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan, though not so much in the artwork of the golden era of Bond (i.e. the Connery-Moore years). That said, this 1980 German re-release poster from the O.G. Bond pic Dr. No utilized what you might consider a variant of the gun barrel motif. (Side note: Is there another gun in Connery’s pocket or is he happy to see us?) Skyfall hits theaters November 9. [via 007.com ]
