They say the camera adds 10 pounds, but there are exceptions to every rule. A skinny, scruffy Macaulay Culkin resurfaced in N.Y. City yesterday and photos of him first posted on Entertainment Tonight have generated a lot of buzz online. A rep for the former child star slams speculation that the star is struggling in any way, despite his dramatically thinner appearance. Check it out below: Macaulay Culkin Photos The rep said: “Macaulay Culkin is in perfectly good health. For ET or any other media to speculate otherwise is thoughtless, irresponsible and destructive.” Explains a source of the shocking Macaulay Culkin photos: “He is just so thin naturally, so when he loses one pound it just looks like more.” A second insider cautions that Culkin has had “emotional issues” for years. Culkin and Friend with Benefits actress Mila Kunis called off their low-key, eight-year relationship in late 2010. He has not personally addressed the photos.
Gucci Mane is a busy guy these days. He’s got a new mixtape out, Trap Back , and is shooting a comedy about a car detail shop starring himself, Rocko, Waka Flocka Flame and model/stylist Keyshia Dior. The ATL rapper dropped by Hot 107.9 and spoke to Emperor Searcy and MZ Shyneka about the mixtape and movie and shared his thoughts on the passing of his friend, Brick Squad rapper Slim Dunkin . Gucci also discussed getting advice from Baby and Master P and a song he did with Chris Brown that he’s trying to get Lil Wayne on. Check out the exclusive! Part 1 Part 2 RELATED: Big Meech: T.I. Was No Snitch Gucci Mane Ft. V-Nasty “Let’s Get Faded” [MUSIC VIDEO] Gucci Mane Out Of Jail: “I’m The Last Person That Can Judge Anybody” [EXCLUSIVE] Waka Flocka On Slim Dunkin Death: “Wish It Was Me” Slim Dunkin’s Alleged Murderer Young Vito Arrested [VIDEO] Waka Flocka & Gucci Mane Paying For Slim Dunkin Funeral Gucci Ca lls Waka Flocka & DJ Drama From Jail! [EXCLUSIVE] Gucci Mane Addresses Master P Rumors & More [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO] Whats’s Hot With Beestroh On Hotspotatl.com – DJ Scream/Gucci Mane Talk Ferrari Boyz! [VIDEO]
With the once-troubled exes poised to return to Sunday’s show, we look back on the assault that changed everything. By Rebecca Thomas Rihanna performs at the 2011 Grammys Photo: Getty Images They were R&B’s answer to Britney and Justin. Young, gifted and famous, Rihanna and Chris Brown had become a favorite of the blogs and mags in 2008; pictures of them coupled up on the beach or just making a fast food run cropped up everywhere. Rihanna once remarked that Brown helped her to feel her age in a very grown-up industry. But everything changed on the night of February 7, 2009. Brown’s assault on girlfriend Rihanna would change the career trajectories of both, catapulting one to superstardom and launching the other on an unlikely comeback trail. Three years later, with the two stars are poised to return to the Grammy stage, MTV News looks back. February 7, 2009 : Rihanna hits the stage at a pre-Grammy party hosted by producer Timbaland in Los Angeles. The Bajan stunner performs her smash “Umbrella,” among other tunes. Earlier that night, she’s snapped looking cheerful with boyfriend Chris Brown at music honcho Clive Davis’ annual Grammy bash. February 8, 2009 : Reports surface that Brown and a female passenger was involved in a car accident. E! News confirms that neither Rihanna nor Brown will appear at the Grammy Awards ceremony that night; both were scheduled to perform. The Los Angeles Police Department begin investigating a felony battery report against the Virginia crooner. February 19, 2009 : TMZ posts a gruesome photo of Rihanna taken by LAPD just after the February assault. The image of the singer — bruised, eyes swollen and mouth split — confirms what had been rumor up until then. Then-19-year-old Brown becomes the subject of public outrage. The backlash is only beginning, though, as radio stations across the country announce bans on Brown’s music. June 22, 2009 : Brown has been mostly quiet, on the advice, he says, of his representatives. In May, Vibe publishes a cover story, “Tainted Love,” delving into how the young couple unraveled. It’s a more nuanced portrait that describes both Brown’s and Rihanna’s upbringings in households rife with domestic violence. It’s also announced that Brown will strike a plea deal giving him 180 days of community service. The same month, the “Forever” singer uploads a video apology to the Web: “I’ve told Rihanna countless times and I’m telling you today, I’m truly, truly sorry that I wasn’t able to handle the situation both differently and better,” he pleads. September 2, 2009 : Brown tapes an interview with CNN’s “Larry King Live.” Accompanied by his attorney, the singer — seldom off-pitch onstage — struggles to strike the right chord. But even his unfortunate choice of neckwear comes under scrutiny. November 6, 2009 : Rihanna sits down for a “20/20” special, detailing for anchor Diane Sawyer her assault at the hands of Brown. November 9, 2009 : Rihanna tells MTV’s Sway she doesn’t want to be the “domestic-violence spokesperson.” November 20, 2009 : Rihanna drops the dark and introspective Rated R, sporting a razor-cut, tough-girl ‘do on the album cover that sparks a frenzy of its own in Stateside hair salons. The LP is widely received as a rumination on her tragic relationship with Brown. May 17, 2010 : Unofficially on ice with his label, Jive, Brown joins with homey and YMCMB rapper Tyga for the Fan of a Fan mixtape. The project yields slow-burning smash singles like “Deuces” and “No Bullsh–.” February 10, 2011 : Two years after the incident, the “Russian Roulette” singer agrees to loosen a restraining order against Brown. Breezy also earns high marks for progress from the judge in his ongoing probation case. November 12, 2011 : Red-tressed Rihanna drops Loud, and the Grammy-nominated album is a sunny departure from the brooding R. That month she and Brown also take to their respective Twitter accounts and signal in a series of posts that they’re ready to move on from the assault narrative. March 22, 2011 : Livid over questions about his relationship with ex Rihanna, Brown smashes a chair in an ABC green room after a “Good Morning America” interview. The outburst threatens to overshadow what will be a highly successful release, the F.A.M.E album. 2011 : It’s a year of triumphs for the former duo: From awards to VMA performances, Grammy nods and critical acclaim, the Rihanna Navy and Team Breezy rally behind their idols. January 19, 2012 : After the blogosphere lights up with rumors that Rih and Brown are hooking up again, a rep for Brown denies the two have reunited, insisting the superstar exes are “just friends.” Brown’s representative also confirms he won’t be doing any press this year. February 8, 2012 : Recording Academy announces that Brown will perform at Sunday’s show; Rihanna has been confirmed for a collabo with rockers Coldplay. The revelation sets up the potential for a public reunion. Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don’t miss Sway and James Montgomery live from the Grammys red carpet this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And the fun doesn’t end Sunday: MTV News has you covered until the Grammy hangover wears off! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Rihanna A Guide To The Grammys 2012 Related Photos 2012 Grammy Nominees Related Artists Rihanna Chris Brown
ABC News has a story on the popular hip-hop/video website, WorldStarHipHop.com. In the story they discuss the effects of the website, which often posts cell phone camera footage of fights in schools, fast food restaurants, and on trains and buses. They also report that police departments are frequenting the popular website to to identify and apprehend people who are involved in the fights and other criminal activities. ABC News reports: Christine O’Brien, spokeswoman of the Philadelphia Police Department, said World Star and similar sites have helped detectives zero in on suspects quickly just from watching the videos. They solved one such crime in early January, when a man was jumped, beaten and robbed while waiting for a subway. The incident was uploaded to World Star Hip Hop, and detectives made an arrest in the case four days later. “After we got this got tip [about the World Star video], we found the video and were able to gather information from it,” O’Brien said. “At that point, we made decision to make sure investigators were made aware of this website, to go on and look for incidences. You don’t realize how many people follow YouTube and the videos. It’s a great tool in solving a lot of these crimes.” Read More At ABC News RELATED: Gay Atlanta Man Beaten In Viral Video Speaks Out [VIDEO] Brick Squad Affiliate Who Beefed On World Star Murdered In L.A. [VIDEO]
Lady Gaga and Adele also up for two major pop trophies at Sunday’s show. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry in her video for “Firework” Photo: EMI The pop stars nominated at this year’s Grammy Awards couldn’t be more different from one another, both visually and sonically. In the two biggest pop categories, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance, every spectrum of pop is represented: from soulful to candy-colored and everything in between. As the Grammy Awards approach, MTV News will break down the contenders in both categories. So, here we go. Best Pop Vocal Album Adele’s 21 has six nominations under its belt at this year’s show, including the biggie, Album of the Year. Since its release nearly a year ago, Adele’s heartbreak opus reigned on radio, the charts and the collective hearts of the lovelorn everywhere. It boasts production from Ryan Tedder, Paul Epworth and Rick Rubin, and tracks the singer’s heartbreak after a split from a former beau. Cee Lo Green gave the world a big “F— You” with his The Lady Killer , which dropped in November 2010, and the album has sustained its momentum thanks to that one track (and Cee Lo’s “The Voice” gig). The album got some songwriting and production help from fellow nominee, Bruno Mars, and in addition to this nod, its track “Fool for You” is also up for some gold. Lady Gaga’s love-yourself album, Born This Way, is a metal-disco composition about romance, New York City and couture. With production from RedOne, Fernando Garibay and DJ White Shadow, the album was released last May, and while the sound looked to the future, it also paid homage to her past when she enlisted the late Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and Brian May of Queen. Bruno Mars crooned his way to the top of the charts with his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Displaying his love for melodies and lyrics about love and loss, Mars’ experiment in mixing doo-wop and new millennium production value managed to make him a household name and a big-time nominee. Album of the Year-nominated Loud was Rihanna’s return to form. After a dark turn on Rated R, Ri was feeling sunnier, saucier and sassier on the 2010 album that featured production from Stargate and Tricky Stewart and tracks like the fist-pumping “Only Girl (In The World)” and the reggae-influenced “Man Down.” Best Pop Solo Performance On “Someone Like You,” Adele’s big voice and knack for heartache was on full display. The second 21 single got a songwriting and production assist from Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson (the guy who gave us “Closing Time” in the ’90s) and follows Adele as she comes to terms with the loss of her former flame. Like Adele, Bruno Mars put his heart and soul on the line on the Doo-Wops & Hooligans uber-ballad, “Grenade.” The song, produced by the Mars-fronted the Smeezingtons, tracks a distraught man as he realizes the woman he loves doesn’t feel the same way about him. Lady Gaga had been teasing “You and I” for some time, but before the finished version appeared on Born This Way, no one could have guessed what May, Gaga and super producer Mutt Lange could have cooked up. What they released was a funky, smashing ode to reclaiming lost love. Katy Perry hadn’t touched on deeper issues on earlier singles, but when it came to her Teenage Dream feel-good anthem, “Firework,” she went there and it took on a life of its own. With Ester Dean and Stargate working with Perry on the song, it topped the charts and became the fourth in a record-breaking string of #1 hits off that album. Like Perry, Pink gave a voice to the disenfranchised on “F—in’ Perfect” (off her greatest hits collection that dropped in 2010). Working with Max Martin and Shellback on the track, she hit the top of the charts and empowered her fans thanks lyrics like, “You’re f—ing perfect to me.” Who do you think will “pop” at the Grammys this year? Leave your predictions below! Related Videos A Guide To The Grammys 2012 Related Photos 2012 Grammy Awards Pre-Parties 2012 Grammy Performers Related Artists Katy Perry Rihanna
The Throne add new instruments and ad libs to just-released ‘N—as in Paris’ clip. By Rob Markman Jay-Z and Kanye West in the music video for “Paris” Photo: Roc-A-Fella Records The Throne’s “N—as in Paris” has been getting the people going since Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne dropped last August, and on Thursday (February 9), the dynamic rap duo breathed new life into their inescapable hit. The “Paris” video , which was released Thursday, compiles tour footage and features live audio that replaces the original recorded version fans are already familiar with. The idea is to bring the Watch the Throne Tour to fans who didn’t get to make it out to the legendary run or those who simply want to relive it all over again. For those familiar with Watch the Throne ‘s third track, the changes are noticeable from the get-go. The video’s sound bed begins with Jay-Z addressing a stadium filled with fans. “Y’all ready to leave?” he asks. “Well ‘Ye not ready to leave.” “Any Jay’s not ready to leave,” Kanye adds. “It’s only one thing left to do. Again!” On that cue, the Yeezy-directed clip jumps into full gear, and the remixed version of “Paris” begins. The first difference is the sliding electric piano laid atop the track’s all-too-familiar opening bounce melody. It’s not the first time West has switched up a mix for a video. In 2009, when he dropped the visuals for “Paranoid” from 808s & Heartbreak, he added new synths to enhance the sound of the record. The real gem of the live remix comes from Hov and Yeezy’s vocal performances. Jay’s verses now sound more hyped up and energetic; there is a grit in his voice that we just don’t get from his studio recordings. The ad libs and interaction between the two MCs is key as well. As Jay raps, “I ball so hard mother—-ers wanna fine me,” ‘Ye backs him up, shouting, “Haaa!” after each line to hype the experience up. Hova returns the favor when Yeezy spits his 16 by riffing, “Go, go, go, go!” repeatedly. There is absolutely no replacing the original “N—as in Paris,” and it isn’t likely that the video version of the hit record will make a dent in many DJs’ playlists. Still, the new “Paris” keeps things fresh and enhances the video-watching experience. How cray is that? Which version of “N—as in Paris” do you prefer: the new live version or the original studio cut? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Epic Scenes From Jay-Z And Kanye West’s ‘Paris’ Video Related Artists Jay-Z Kanye West
Part live clip, part kaleidoscopic freakout, the ‘Paris’ video more than matches the song’s massive impact. By James Montgomery Kanye West and Jay-Z in the music video for “N—as in Paris” Photo: Roc-A-Fella Records After the premiere of Kanye West and Jay-Z ‘s new “N—as in Paris” video — which bowed Thursday (February 9) on MTV.com — someone joked that I needed to watch it 13 times in a row to best approximate the experience of the dynamic duo’s Watch the Throne tour. And it’s true, Kanye and Jay did play “Paris” a whole lot during their trek … mostly because the song elicited such a thunderous response from sold-out crowds nationwide . So it’s somewhat fitting that the video (which was directed by West) is equally live … and just as thunderous. Filmed in part during the run of Throne shows at the Staples Center in Los Angeles — additional footage, one can assume, was shot during a casted performance, unless the Staples crowd was 85 percent female models — the clip captures both the loose jocularity of ‘Ye and Jay and the electric energy that coursed through the venue when “Paris” leapt from the speakers (many, many times). West fills the video with eye-catching kaleidoscopic effects, creating dizzying visuals that fold the audience, the stage and everything else in upon themselves, making fractals upon fractals. No wonder the clip is preceded by an epilepsy warning. Check out epic scenes from the “N—as in Paris” video! Given the size and scope of both the song and the artists performing it, the “Paris” video is also loaded with lasers, prowling panthers, pop-up-book cityscapes and the aforementioned models. Shoot, even producer Hit-Boy makes a one-second cameo. It’s a head-spinning, pulse-quickening mixture of imagery and movement, of sight and sound — an experience unlike any other live clip. Oh, and yes, Will Ferrell makes an appearance too, though it’s in the form of a scene from “Blades of Glory” (guess Ferrell wasn’t lying when he told MTV News that plans to feature him in the clip never quite materialized). So truly, there’s something for everyone. If you caught the Throne tour, the “Paris” video is sure to inspire heady flashbacks. If you didn’t, well, here’s what it was like, only pushed to the absolute max. And to further replicate the live feeling, I recommend watching it for roughly the next hour. It’s the way the thing was supposed to be viewed, after all. Did the “Paris” video capture the live Watch the Throne experience? Leave your comment below! Related Photos Epic Scenes From Jay-Z And Kanye West’s ‘Paris’ Video Related Artists Jay-Z Kanye West
‘I did try to look at every single thing that exists,’ he tells MTV News of his research for the role. By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Andrew Garfield Photo: MTV News Most Spider-Man fans would agree that the man who plays the iconic hero should be a fan. In that respect, Andrew Garfield fits the bill perfectly. When Garfield spoke with MTV News’ Josh Horowitz before a screening event for fans , he explained his process of tackling the role for “The Amazing Spider-Man,” and it involved lots and lots of comic books. “I did try to look at every single thing that exists. That is impossible, I discovered, but I did my best,” he said. But naturally, as a fan, there would be certain incarnations of the web-slinger that resonated with Garfield and helped him conceive his take on Spider-Man. For Garfield, those insights came from many different comic book sources. “There were certain things that I loved for his physicality. There were certain things that I loved for his wit. There were certain incarnations that I loved for his body type,” Garfield said. “The Ultimates, I love the body type in the Ultimates and his physicality in the Ultimates, but I also love the artwork in the ‘Torment’ series, the [Todd] McFarlane series.” Once those pieces were found, it was a matter of stringing them all together into an in-depth conception of the superhero. Garfield and his stunt team attempted to go through every level of Peter Parker’s life and think of the implications of his powers. “Me and the stunt boys, we created a room where we just had a shrine to everything Spidey and to everything Peter Parker, because we wanted to make sure the physical language wasn’t just a guy in a suit being a guy in a suit and throwing punches and throwing kicks,” he said. “We didn’t want it to be Jason Statham in a suit. We wanted it to be a half-spider, half-boy, who has spider DNA running around his blood system.” To realistically pull this off, the team went step-by-step to imagine how Spider-Man would realistically act, something necessary for bringing him to the big screen. “We wanted to understand deeply what that meant in terms of how he moves, in terms of skin sensitivity, in terms of his abilities of awareness. Imagine if he had six eyes. Imagine if he had more legs and what that means, not just within the suit but in day-to-day life,” Garfield said. “He can eat Chinese takeout with his feet, while he’s also writing a note, while texting with his shoulder. What does that mean? We tried to approach it from as organic a place as possible.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Amazing Spider-Man.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Andrew Garfield Related Photos The Amazing Spider-Man
‘I did try to look at every single thing that exists,’ he tells MTV News of his research for the role. By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Andrew Garfield Photo: MTV News Most Spider-Man fans would agree that the man who plays the iconic hero should be a fan. In that respect, Andrew Garfield fits the bill perfectly. When Garfield spoke with MTV News’ Josh Horowitz before a screening event for fans , he explained his process of tackling the role for “The Amazing Spider-Man,” and it involved lots and lots of comic books. “I did try to look at every single thing that exists. That is impossible, I discovered, but I did my best,” he said. But naturally, as a fan, there would be certain incarnations of the web-slinger that resonated with Garfield and helped him conceive his take on Spider-Man. For Garfield, those insights came from many different comic book sources. “There were certain things that I loved for his physicality. There were certain things that I loved for his wit. There were certain incarnations that I loved for his body type,” Garfield said. “The Ultimates, I love the body type in the Ultimates and his physicality in the Ultimates, but I also love the artwork in the ‘Torment’ series, the [Todd] McFarlane series.” Once those pieces were found, it was a matter of stringing them all together into an in-depth conception of the superhero. Garfield and his stunt team attempted to go through every level of Peter Parker’s life and think of the implications of his powers. “Me and the stunt boys, we created a room where we just had a shrine to everything Spidey and to everything Peter Parker, because we wanted to make sure the physical language wasn’t just a guy in a suit being a guy in a suit and throwing punches and throwing kicks,” he said. “We didn’t want it to be Jason Statham in a suit. We wanted it to be a half-spider, half-boy, who has spider DNA running around his blood system.” To realistically pull this off, the team went step-by-step to imagine how Spider-Man would realistically act, something necessary for bringing him to the big screen. “We wanted to understand deeply what that meant in terms of how he moves, in terms of skin sensitivity, in terms of his abilities of awareness. Imagine if he had six eyes. Imagine if he had more legs and what that means, not just within the suit but in day-to-day life,” Garfield said. “He can eat Chinese takeout with his feet, while he’s also writing a note, while texting with his shoulder. What does that mean? We tried to approach it from as organic a place as possible.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Amazing Spider-Man.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Andrew Garfield Related Photos The Amazing Spider-Man
Ashanti sizzled at the Safe House premiere last night in NYC in a silky dress that showed off her thick long legs, cleavage and vibrant skin! Beyonce was also in attendance wearing a fabulous black dress to support Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynold’s latest Blockbuster flick! Ashanti Announces New Record Deal Ashanti To Replace Fergie In The Black Eyed Peas?
