CBS News is reporting on a new twist in the Florida A&M hazing investigation, as the parents of a student who was beaten to death in November tell CBS News something previously unknown about him: Robert Champion Jr. was gay. CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann met the parents, Robert and Pam Champion, in Orlando, Fla., where they made their first visit to the hotel parking lot where their son died after a hazing ritual. Champion Jr. was a 26 year old drum major in A&M’s famed marching band, and he was allegedly pummeled by his band mates. He was also a graduate of Southwest DeKalb High School. Read more on this developing story at TheGrio . RELATED: FAMU Drum Major’s Death Ruled A Homicide DeKalb County Suspends All Marching Band Activities Due To FAMU Hazing Florida A&M University Drum Major Robert Champion Found Dead, School Suspects Hazing
Band premieres first single with frontman David Lee Roth in nearly 16 years, and yes, it rocks. By James Montgomery Van Halen’s David Lee Roth Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Van Halen didn’t play “Tattoo” — their first single with frontman David Lee Roth in something like 16 years — during last week’s free-wheeling, free-spirited (and free-booze-fueled) club show in New York City, and it’s sort of a shame. It would’ve fit in rather nicely alongside the massive Carter/Reagan-era smashes they did work into the set. Don’t get me wrong, “Tattoo” isn’t on par with the likes of “Runnin’ With the Devil,” “Everybody Wants Some!!” or “Panama,” but it’s cast from the same mold: huge riffs, huger backbeat, hangar-sized chorus, soaring vocal harmonies (thought it’s certainly weird to see Eddie Van Halen’s son filling Michael Anthony’s role in that regard) and a killer guitar solo. Diamond Dave even gets to do one of his patented talking bits. But perhaps most importantly, in keeping with grand Van Halen tradition, it doesn’t try to be anything more than a Sterno-grade party starter. “Tattoo” isn’t really about politics or religion or really even feelings (except for maybe the part where Roth sings about his uncle being in the union). Instead, it is entirely about, well, tattoos. Of all shapes and sizes. Or, as Roth puts it, “Sexy dragon magic!” And really, what else needs to be said? At the very least, “Tattoo” is miles better than the last two songs the band recorded with Roth, “Me Wise Magic” and “Can’t Get This Stuff No More,” from 1996’s Best Of Volume 1. And when compared to the other “new” song Van Halen premiered during Thursday’s Caf
Producer Noah ’40’ Shebib gives MTV News the inside story in an exclusive interview. By Steven Roberts Drake Photo: John Shearer/ Getty Images Despite all the critical and commercial acclaim Drake ‘s Take Care has rightly earned, the Toronto MC has remained relatively quiet when promoting the album. Relative in the sense that Thank Me Later ‘s release was accompanied by the hoopla of in-store signings and a documentary . That’s not the only way the two projects differ. Where TML featured a number of A-list hitmakers, from Kanye West to Swizz Beatz, the biggest name in Drake’s sophomore effort’s production credits is Just Blaze. The album certainly doesn’t suffer from that lack of notoriety, however. In fact, it sounds more focused with the lesser-known T-Minus , and Drake’s right-hand man Noah “40” Shebib stealing the show. Their efforts helped to make it more Drake’s album — however introspective, weird and altogether refreshing that might be. When MTV News caught up with 40, he attributed their creative fearlessness to the autonomy Lil Wayne and Cash Money allowed them. “We’re afforded all of the creative freedom in the world,” 40 explained. “They really trust us and have from day one. It’s a great feeling to know that me and Drake just get to make music. We don’t really have to clear it with A&Rs or anybody. We are our own A&R’s. We just make it happen, and we take it, say, ‘Hey, look, this is what we did. Let’s put it out.’ ” 40 gave MTV News the inside look at the making of many Take Care songs, including those that shows us another side of Weezy: “HYFR” (produced by T-Minus) “He trusts us enough to take chances; he’ll go there with his raps. Not just getting on the song, but he’ll participate [in the song’s theme]. On ‘HYFR,’ he’ll show that introspective side of himself along with Drake. That’s amazing, and those are some of Wayne’s illest moments, always have been for him. “The Real Her” (produced by 40 and Drake) “Even on ‘The Real Her,’ a lot of people will be like, ‘Nah, nah, I can’t get on that sh–,’ but Wayne will be like, ‘F— that. … I’m going to get on that sh–.’ … I like it.’ And that’s what it is to me. You have to make music with that attitude. We love the music we make.” “Take Care” (produced by Jamie xx and 40) “We’ve always been a fan of Jamie as well as the xx, and we had been to their studio and sat with them prior to this when we were in London last year. We had loved that Gil-Scott [Heron] record, and the remix Jamie had done, and I guess between Oliver and Drake and myself, but specifically Oliver and Drake felt that song never got its shine. ‘Man, what a great record. It never was as big as it should’ve or could’ve been.’ ” “Motto” (produced by T-Minus) “That song was right at the end of the process. That’s one of my favorites. T[-Minus] sent the record to Drake. I think Drake cut it in Vegas, maybe. He cut the vocals, sent it over to me, I gave it to Gadget, Gadget mixed it, sent it to mastering the next morning and got it mastered, on radio 24 hours later.” “Headlines” (produced by Boi-1da and 40) “There’s a couple of things about radio. That’s a catchy song. ‘They know, they know, they know.’ It’s corny, it’s catchy, it’s perfect. That will run on radio all day. You balance with those evils when you make music. I understand what’s going to work on radio as much, sometimes I want to make different types of music. But the thing is, you want to win. You want to have your cake and eat it too.” “Crew Love” (produced by 40, the Weeknd and Illangelo) ” ‘Crew Love’ is just a moment for Drake as far at the content of the record and what was going on around him in life and his people and his team. That was just an important record for him to make, and Weeknd was someone he wanted to include on that.” “The Ride” (produced by Doc McKinney and the Weeknd) “Was really just a vibe. It was a vibe that the Weeknd caught, and it was just so crazy that Drake wanted to rap on it — as simply put as that.” “Underground Kings” (produced by T-Minus and 40) “Sometimes, Drake will have a song title in his head or an idea of what the record is and what he wants it to be and then he’ll search for the beat, and I think he found that beat from T-Minus. It was just a matter of finding a place for the chorus. We got the mix right and the bass sort of eating up any speaker that gets in the way of it.” “Marvin’s Room” (produced by 40) “The honesty is mind blowing. He says things in that record that are like, ‘Whoa, really?’ But that’s shock value, and that’s a great thing to bring to the table. The further it goes, the bigger the smile on my face. I want him to say the craziest sh– you can imagine.” “Buried Alive” (produced 40 and Supa Dups) “I had given it to Drake at some point, because he had asked for it or wanted it. He just sent it to Kendrick [Lamar] at some point. I had no idea. A few days later, he was like, ‘I got this Kendrick verse!’ ‘On what?’ ‘On the beat you did!’ ‘What beat?’ When we listened to it, we loved it.” All week, we’ll bring you highlights from our candid interview with Drake producer Noah “40” Shebib . Be sure to keep it locked here as 40 talks Take Care and his thoughts on everything from working with Lil Wayne to Drizzy’s next single with Rihanna. For more on 40, check out Wednesday’s “RapFix Live” at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com! Related Videos Drake’s ‘Take Care’: Behind The Scenes Related Photos ’40’ Making ‘Take Care’
Producer Noah ’40’ Shebib gives MTV News the inside story in an exclusive interview. By Steven Roberts Drake Photo: John Shearer/ Getty Images Despite all the critical and commercial acclaim Drake ‘s Take Care has rightly earned, the Toronto MC has remained relatively quiet when promoting the album. Relative in the sense that Thank Me Later ‘s release was accompanied by the hoopla of in-store signings and a documentary . That’s not the only way the two projects differ. Where TML featured a number of A-list hitmakers, from Kanye West to Swizz Beatz, the biggest name in Drake’s sophomore effort’s production credits is Just Blaze. The album certainly doesn’t suffer from that lack of notoriety, however. In fact, it sounds more focused with the lesser-known T-Minus , and Drake’s right-hand man Noah “40” Shebib stealing the show. Their efforts helped to make it more Drake’s album — however introspective, weird and altogether refreshing that might be. When MTV News caught up with 40, he attributed their creative fearlessness to the autonomy Lil Wayne and Cash Money allowed them. “We’re afforded all of the creative freedom in the world,” 40 explained. “They really trust us and have from day one. It’s a great feeling to know that me and Drake just get to make music. We don’t really have to clear it with A&Rs or anybody. We are our own A&R’s. We just make it happen, and we take it, say, ‘Hey, look, this is what we did. Let’s put it out.’ ” 40 gave MTV News the inside look at the making of many Take Care songs, including those that shows us another side of Weezy: “HYFR” (produced by T-Minus) “He trusts us enough to take chances; he’ll go there with his raps. Not just getting on the song, but he’ll participate [in the song’s theme]. On ‘HYFR,’ he’ll show that introspective side of himself along with Drake. That’s amazing, and those are some of Wayne’s illest moments, always have been for him. “The Real Her” (produced by 40 and Drake) “Even on ‘The Real Her,’ a lot of people will be like, ‘Nah, nah, I can’t get on that sh–,’ but Wayne will be like, ‘F— that. … I’m going to get on that sh–.’ … I like it.’ And that’s what it is to me. You have to make music with that attitude. We love the music we make.” “Take Care” (produced by Jamie xx and 40) “We’ve always been a fan of Jamie as well as the xx, and we had been to their studio and sat with them prior to this when we were in London last year. We had loved that Gil-Scott [Heron] record, and the remix Jamie had done, and I guess between Oliver and Drake and myself, but specifically Oliver and Drake felt that song never got its shine. ‘Man, what a great record. It never was as big as it should’ve or could’ve been.’ ” “Motto” (produced by T-Minus) “That song was right at the end of the process. That’s one of my favorites. T[-Minus] sent the record to Drake. I think Drake cut it in Vegas, maybe. He cut the vocals, sent it over to me, I gave it to Gadget, Gadget mixed it, sent it to mastering the next morning and got it mastered, on radio 24 hours later.” “Headlines” (produced by Boi-1da and 40) “There’s a couple of things about radio. That’s a catchy song. ‘They know, they know, they know.’ It’s corny, it’s catchy, it’s perfect. That will run on radio all day. You balance with those evils when you make music. I understand what’s going to work on radio as much, sometimes I want to make different types of music. But the thing is, you want to win. You want to have your cake and eat it too.” “Crew Love” (produced by 40, the Weeknd and Illangelo) ” ‘Crew Love’ is just a moment for Drake as far at the content of the record and what was going on around him in life and his people and his team. That was just an important record for him to make, and Weeknd was someone he wanted to include on that.” “The Ride” (produced by Doc McKinney and the Weeknd) “Was really just a vibe. It was a vibe that the Weeknd caught, and it was just so crazy that Drake wanted to rap on it — as simply put as that.” “Underground Kings” (produced by T-Minus and 40) “Sometimes, Drake will have a song title in his head or an idea of what the record is and what he wants it to be and then he’ll search for the beat, and I think he found that beat from T-Minus. It was just a matter of finding a place for the chorus. We got the mix right and the bass sort of eating up any speaker that gets in the way of it.” “Marvin’s Room” (produced by 40) “The honesty is mind blowing. He says things in that record that are like, ‘Whoa, really?’ But that’s shock value, and that’s a great thing to bring to the table. The further it goes, the bigger the smile on my face. I want him to say the craziest sh– you can imagine.” “Buried Alive” (produced 40 and Supa Dups) “I had given it to Drake at some point, because he had asked for it or wanted it. He just sent it to Kendrick [Lamar] at some point. I had no idea. A few days later, he was like, ‘I got this Kendrick verse!’ ‘On what?’ ‘On the beat you did!’ ‘What beat?’ When we listened to it, we loved it.” All week, we’ll bring you highlights from our candid interview with Drake producer Noah “40” Shebib . Be sure to keep it locked here as 40 talks Take Care and his thoughts on everything from working with Lil Wayne to Drizzy’s next single with Rihanna. For more on 40, check out Wednesday’s “RapFix Live” at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com! Related Videos Drake’s ‘Take Care’: Behind The Scenes Related Photos ’40’ Making ‘Take Care’
‘Hunger Games’ star was up for Best Actress at the 2011 Academy Awards. By Jocelyn Vena Jennifer Lawrence Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Jennifer Lawrence has been selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to announce this year’s Oscar nominees. The “Hunger Games” actress will be joined by Academy President Tom Sherak at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on January 24 to reveal just who will be up for one of those coveted gold statues, the Academy announced on Monday (January 9). The show, airing on ABC, is set to take place on February 26 with host Billy Crystal . Lawrence was up for Best Actress at the 2011 show for her star-making turn in “Winter’s Bone.” While she lost to “Black Swan” star Natalie Portman , she made headlines thanks to her body-hugging red dress. She’s next set to star in “The Hunger Games,” set for release on March 23. The same day her Oscars gig was announced, Lionsgate announced plans for pre-sale tickets for the highly anticipated flick , which also stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth . For those hungry to get their hands on tickets early, advanced sales kick off on February 22. When Lawrence was first cast in the film, which is based on the beloved novels by Suzanne Collins, fans had some reservations about whether she could fully embody the books’ heroine, Katniss Everdeen. “I wasn’t aware that everybody was so upset until I after I got my hair dyed, and people were like, ‘Oh my gosh, blond hair can turn brown. Wow. It’s a miracle,’ ” Lawrence told MTV News in May of last year. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence Related Photos Meet Katniss From ‘Hunger Games’: Jennifer Lawrence
Gwyneth Paltrow saves the day. Just one day after Beyonce gave birth , her famous BFF has clarified a major detail online, revealing the correct name of Bey’s beautiful newborn daughter. Some sources reported the name one way, while others flipped the little one’s first and middle names. But thanks to Gwyneth’s Tweet , we know … It’s Blue Ivy Carter, not Ivy Blue Carter! It’s all semantics really. We liked the name Ivy Blue, but Blue Ivy also has a cool, different ring to it. More importantly, she has two very loving, protective parents. Not to mention, she’s already one of the most famous celebrity babies of all time. We can’t wait until the photos are released in the tabloids … which won’t happen. Ever. This is a couple that waited years to confirm they were even married. Wait, that didn’t even take place. Public records proved it, not the couple. You get the idea! Congrats again to Jay, Bey and baby Blue! [Photo: WENN.com]
Composer Hans Zimmer gets his due credit in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Tom Hardy in “Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Warner Bros. In the years since “Batman Begins” changed the superhero-movie game and “The Dark Knight” took it one step further, the masses have heralded Christopher Nolan as the singular source of genius behind the two films. No one — myself included — will ever deny Nolan’s brilliance, but it is essential to recognize the wealth of creative masters working on the films. Academy Award winner Wally Pfister used a mastery of cinematography to paint Gotham landscapes that are distinct in each entry in the series, yet never betray any sense of consistency with the setting. Editor Lee Smith worked with Nolan to cut the action in a way that thrills but always provides a sense of space. But perhaps the most unsung hero of Nolan’s Batman movies is composer Hans Zimmer . His work with James Newton Howard on the first two films can get lost within the chaos on the screen, but it is always there, accenting each and every memorable scene. His work on the first two films is worth revisiting, for now with the two trailers and the prologue, we’ve gotten a small sense of what to expect from the composer for the trilogy’s conclusion. Zimmer’s last two scores for Nolan films, “The Dark Knight” and “Inception,” have been, at least in part, concept-driven. A new video featured on /Film points out the uncanny similarities between the “Why So Serious?” track from the “Dark Knight” soundtrack and a song from the musical “
We reported a few days ago that a pilot for a new reality show called “BMF Wives” was being filmed. The show was to focus on the women dealing with men affiliated with the Black Mafia Family, but BMF head Big Meech is putting an end to that. Meech and BMF — which at its height operated a multi-million dollar national drug ring based out of Atlanta — reportedly said: “We’re not trying to have our brand associated with a reality show.” Meech’s mother hit up Twitter and voiced her son’s opinions: Big Meech and his brother Terry (aka Southwest T) are currently serving 30 year prison sentences, but Meech had a lot to say about the so-called “BMF Wives.” See what else he had to say at HipHopWired . RELATED POSTS: “BMF Wives” Reality Show Being Filmed [VIDEO] Gangland: Rise & Fall Of BMF [VIDEO] VIDEO: Rick Ross Feat. Styles P. “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)” BMF: The Rise And Fall Of Big Meech And The Black Mafia Family, In Stores Now Big Meech Co-Signs Rick Ross’ “B.M.F.” Record
‘I’m excited for ‘The Hunger Games’ to come out and see how that does and hopefully get started on the second one,’ up-and-comer tells us. By Kara Warner Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate It’s no secret that we’ve been keeping close tabs on soon-to-be superstar Josh Hutcherson . After his noteworthy performance in critical darling “The Kids Are All Right” last year, followed by his casting in the coveted role of Peeta Mellark in “The Hunger Games,” we are very interested in what Hutcherson is up to these days. 2012 is poised to be Hutcherson’s biggest year yet, beginning with “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,” co-starring Vanessa Hudgens and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. “Journey 2” opens in theaters February 10, and less than a month later we’ll welcome the release of “The Hunger Games.” We’re not the only ones excited for the big-screen version of Suzanne Collins’ best-seller. “The Hunger Games” is holding steady as one of the most anticipated movies of the year as voted by you, the fans over at our Movie Brawl . So it’s easy to see why Hutcherson is “One to Watch” this year. MTV News recently caught up with the 18-year-old to talk about his big year. “2012 is going to be a really big year, I’m looking forward to it,” Hutcherson said. “[There’s going to be] a lot of press, a lot of traveling with that. I’m excited for ‘The Hunger Games’ to come out and see how that does and hopefully get started on the second one.” In addition to acting, Hutcherson also revealed that he hopes to one day work behind the camera in addition to in front of it. “I want to get into directing and producing and writing my own stuff at some point. I’m kind of just tiptoeing into that as well,” he said. Our “One to Watch” has mentioned actors such as Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Gosling as career role models with regard to the careful choices they’ve made in choosing films. “It’s all about balance; everything in life is about balance, in my opinion,” Hutcherson said . “You have to do the big studio movies to keep people caring about you in a way, and also for me, I’ve been really fortunate. I haven’t done any big studio movies that suck. They’ve all been good material and that’s the most important thing for my career, to choose the right material and to choose the characters that I care about and stories I want to tell. So that’s kind of how I’ve gone about my career since I was 9, more or less.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos 2012 Ones To Watch Related Photos The Hunger Games
BET recently held simultaneous premieres for “The Game ” and “Let’s Stay Together,” and several young Black Hollywood stars came out to support. Take a look at Brandy, Pooch Hall, Tia Mowry, Hosea Chanchez, Keith Robinson, Kyla Pratt, Teyana Taylor and many more as they work the red carpet! RELATED POSTS: Hosea Chanchez Makes The Worst Rap Video EVER! 5 Black TV Couples Who Shouldn’t Have Married!
