Stripes have dominated the racks this summer, so it’s no understatement that they’re starting get a little trite. But, that doesn’t mean that something fresh isn’t on the horizon. Refinery29′s got some ideas on how to shop for stripes without falling back on nautical themes. All Cut Up —Patchwork stripes add movement and take normally stuffy styles to a new level that’s thoroughly eclectic. In this case, the busier the better—trust us. Textural Healing —Never take a trend too literally. Stripes become subtle and understatedly chic when you go for a pattern that’s made of textures instead of varying colors. Plus, this fits in great with the latest monotone trend! READ THE REST HERE! “No Horizontal Stripes” & Other Plus-Size Fashion “Rules” That Are Meant To Be Broken! 10 Summer Shorts To Brighten Your Wardrobe For Under $50
We all seen how upset Mama Jones was when she was left out of the plans of Chrissy’s proposal to Jim Jones on VH1′s Love and Hip Hop. Mama Jones still feels that Chrissy is a selfish bit*h and is ready to put her feelings on wax. She says the diss record is for all the parents that deserve to be respected by these young ones today. Check out Mama Jones in the booth getting it in below. Recent Post: Jim Jones’ Mom Talks To Star & Bucwild About Chrissy’s Proposal [EXCLUSIVE AUDIO] Jim Jones’ Mother Gets Kicked Out Gas Station & Says She’s Going To Smack Olivia
Sad news today out of the Australian Idol family: Jay Dee Springbett, a former judge on that nation’s version of American Idol , was found dead inside his Sydney apartment. Friends say Springbett – who also served as an A&R executive
‘The world is not gonna believe it when they hear it,’ David Guetta tells MTV News of track from his Nothing But the Beat double album. By Matt Elias Nicki Minaj Photo: Chris McKay/WireImage As David Guetta gears up for the August release of his album Nothing But the Beat, it would be all too easy for the French DJ/producer to simply replicate the formula that has made him famous. While Guetta helped usher in a wave of electronic/pop music in the U.S., thanks to collaborations with acts like the Black Eyed Peas and Akon, he has other plans for his upcoming project. “With my previous album, I kind of created a bridge between electronic music from Europe and urban culture from America, and this sound at the time was so futuristic and new, [it] became almost the standard sound of American pop music,” Guetta told MTV News. “So the challenge on my new album was not so much to make hits — because I think I can do this — but more on a creative point of view and to surprise people and come with a new sound. “So it’s a double album,” he explained, “and one album is 100 percent electronic and very experimental, and the other album is 100 percent vocal and has all the biggest and most talented superstars on the planet.” One of those superstars, hip-hop chameleon Nicki Minaj, gets her shine on the album’s lead single, “Where Them Girls At,” alongside rapper Flo Rida. But there’s another track on The Beat that’s likely to expand Minaj’s repertoire. “I’m a big Nicki Minaj fan and I’m really, really proud of this record that we made together. It’s called ‘Turn Me On,’ and she is singing, ” Guetta said. “But like, she’s not trying to sing — she’s really, really singing. And this record is really big, and I’m really proud that she’s done that record. I think that the world is not gonna believe it when they hear it.” While Guetta’s newer fans are listening to the voice-oriented album, which includes features from Lil Wayne, Usher, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, he’s hoping it serves as a gateway to the double album’s electronic disc. “I feel that I am very blessed that my music has been crossing over but at the same time, my original fans, they’re still the most important ones,” Guetta insisted. “And I’m a DJ first, so my music is very electronic even though I make songs now and they’re being played on the radio. But the fact that I come from a very instrumental culture, it’s still in me. “So I made this electronic album for my original fans, for everybody that came to Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas, that are raving and partying every weekend. But also, I made this electronic album because I want the people that know me for what they heard on the radio and that are buying my album for the big songs, I also want them to discover where I’m coming from and the other side of me. Are you looking forward to Guetta’s double album? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists David Guetta Nicki Minaj
‘Gagapanda’ jokes she’s ‘been eating a lot of bamboo this week’ before revealing plans for 2012 tour, having babies and more. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga appears on the Japanese talk show “Sukkiri” Photo: Sukkiri Lady Gaga is currently in the planning stages for her next tour. After wrapping up her epic Monster Ball run earlier this year, Gaga teased her plans on a Japanese talk show on Tuesday (June 28). “All over the world and I’m already planning,” she said of the trek, which she expects to kick off at the top of 2012. “I’m so excited I can’t even go to sleep at night.” Gaga appeared wearing a black-and-white dress, with her hair done up in two buns and her eye makeup painted in two panda-like circles. “I really like pandas,” she told the hosts of her look, adding, “pandas have paws, and I always tell my fans to put their paws up. I’ve been eating a lot of bamboo this week,” she joked. (Shortly after the appearance, the singer even began referring to herself as Gagapanda on Twitter.) She then played a little game called “Yes or No,” where she was asked questions about her popularity on Twitter, her love of cooking, her clothes and more. She later elaborated on some of the topics. “My dream is to continue to make music and tour and do as much as I can to give as much back to my fans,” she said. “Personal dreams? I suppose one day I’ll have panda babies.” Gaga owned up to having one major fear, however. “The only thing I really get scared of is missing out on moments with my family ’cause I travel so much, so I call my mom and dad every day,” she said. Asked whether she was scared of ghosts, Gaga said, “No, we can be friends.” She went on to add, “I love Japanese monster movies. I actually believe in ancestors. I have a lot of family in my past like my Aunt Joann and my grandfather that have passed on and I talk to them.” What do you think of Gaga’s panda-inspired look? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Lady Gaga: Inside The Outside Related Artists Lady Gaga
Now we understand how Sookie Stackhouse feels. On season four of True Blood, Anna Paquin’s character will be a single woman, wooed by multiple men. Chief among them: Stephen Moyer’s Bill and Joe Manganiello’s Alcide. Both those studs posed for magazine spreads this week… shirtless! Oh yes, ladies. Feast your eyes on each below, click to enlarge, and then make the critical decision: Who looks better? Also, remember to visit our friends at TV Fanatic all summer long for the latest True Blood spoilers !
It took about 30 seconds for How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris, and longtime boyfriend David Burtka, to take advantage of New York’s brand new Marriage Equality Bill : The two are engaged! Harris and Burtka have been together since 2004 and are the parents of twins. Here is how they announced their plans to marry via Twitter: The exciting news also gives us an excuse to post Harris’ concluding rap from this year’s Tony Awards. It was incredibly awesome . We wish this pair, and all gay couples that now have the same right as heterosexual couples in New York, the very best of luck!
‘I feel like I’m definitely more creative,’ singer says of her music and motherhood. By Rebecca Thomas Alicia Keys Photo: Akshay Bhansali/MTV News If Alicia Keys was a little tired this week, it would be understandable. The wife of Swizz Beatz and new mommy to 8-month-old Egypt has been on a non-stop promo run to celebrate the 10th-anniversary re-release of her seminal, multi-Grammy-Award-winning debut, Songs in A Minor, that includes a transatlantic mini-tour, a live performance at this Sunday’s 2011 BET Awards and a spate of sit-downs with outlets like MTV News. But are you even surprised that the woman who penned a song called “Superwoman” wasn’t the least bit tired when MTV News caught up with her on Wednesday? In fact, the resplendent Keys (sporting some sun-kissed tan lines when we saw her) said she’s feeling “amazing.” “I never was one to get a lot of sleep anyway, because of the nature of what I do and how much we fly and how much we work,” Keys told us. “So honestly, I’ll tell Egypt, ‘That’s all you got?! You only got waking up every three hours, that’s it? C’mon!’ ” she joked about her unbreakable stamina. “I guess in a way, I was built for it,” she added of motherhood. Because whereas new moms often lament the onset of “brain mush” brought about by relentless nighttime feedings and a dearth of zzz’s, A.Keys said the changes in her life have only stirred up her creative juices. “The past year has been incredible; just so many blessings, being able to be a mommy, being able to be a wife and just really finding my center and my place of comfort. … Being a mom is like, spectacular. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had, period. I feel like I’m having more fun that I’ve ever had in my whole life,” she said. “I feel like I’m definitely more creative. I’m more thoughtful about my plans and the things that I do, so overall everything is like a hundred times better.” The Songs in A Minor 10th-anniversary edition is set to drop on June 28, and Keys’ intimate, piano-only show hits New York’s Beacon Theatre on June 30. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Alicia Keys Related Artists Alicia Keys
Author talks about his 2001 book as a 10th-anniversay edition is released and with a TV show is on the way. By Rick Marshall Neil Gaiman Photo: MTV News Neil Gaiman’s award-winning novel “American Gods” first hit shelves back in 2001, sweeping up readers in a cross-country adventure that explored a world in which the gods of old struggled to remain relevant in modern American culture. Ten years later, “American Gods” is returning to shelves in a new form, celebrating its anniversary with an expanded, “author’s preferred text” edition and the announcement of an upcoming television series based on the book. “The truth is, as an author, all you are is grateful if you turn around 10 years after you wrote something and it’s still in print,” Gaiman told MTV News of all the fanfare surrounding the novel’s 10th anniversary. “It makes me ridiculously happy as an author, but mostly it makes me ridiculously happy that my book is being read.” For Gaiman, “American Gods” offered a way to put words to his own experience in moving to America from England and the difference between how people view America from the outside and the eccentricities you discover from the inside of American culture. “All of the things that I loved about America that just seemed weird went into ‘American Gods,’ ” he laughed. “I was fascinated by the way people coming to America tried to become ‘American.’ The idea of using old gods as a way of talking about what people bring with them when they come to America was a really fun one.” Gaiman recalled one particular discovery he made upon moving to the Midwest that was a prime example of the sort of local norms that informed “American Gods.” “There were weird little things like people driving cars out onto the ice in the winter on frozen lakes and then taking bets on when they’d go through the ice when the snow melted,” he explained. “Little things like that, where I would turn around and go, ‘Does anyone else here think this is weird?’ And everyone else would go, ‘Nope, This is how it is.’ “[When] I moved to America, I thought that I knew what America was,” he said. “I’d been writing stories set in America for seven to eight years, I’d been coming to America for visits, and more importantly, I grew up watching American television and reading American books. And then I moved to America and found it was really weird, in ways that nobody had told me.” Along with giving readers a chance to revisit — or encounter for the first time — all of that aforementioned weirdness, the 10th-anniversary edition of “American Gods” will also feature more than 10,000 words omitted from his initial draft of the novel. The extra material will consist of expanded chapters, essays and even a few interviews he chose to include. The audio counterpart to the new edition will also receive a full cast recording as opposed to a solo narrator — something he decided to do after participating in a podcast with filmmaker Kevin Smith. “About six months ago, my wife Amanda Palmer and I were being interviewed by Kevin Smith for his Smodcast, and Amanda did some songs, and I thought I should do something that’s fun too,” he said. “So I printed out a scene from ‘American Gods,’ and I narrated it and made Kevin and Amanda act. At the end of it, I walked away going, ‘That was really good!’ It was just meant to be this mad, goofy thing we did, but it was really good.” And just in case the best-selling original version of the book, the new 10th-anniversary edition or both audio versions don’t put “American Gods” back on the mainstream radar, there’s also the upcoming HBO television series based on the novel. Gaiman is attached to write and executive-produce the series with Tom Hanks’ Playtone production studio developing the adaptation. Renowned cinematographer Robert Richardson is attached to co-write the pilot with Gaiman. “The overall plan right now is that the first season would essentially be the first book, with a few interesting divergences,” Gaiman said of the television series. “You don’t want people who’ve read the book to be able to go, ‘I know everything that’s going to be happening here.’ [They will] know a lot more than anybody who’s starting from here, but we will do things that will surprise [them] too.” With Gaiman indicating that the first season of the television series will encompass “the first book,” it was only natural to ask about his plans for an “American Gods” sequel. “I’ve been [planning] to do a second ‘American Gods’ book since the first ‘American Gods’ book,” he laughed. “What I basically have right now is a boxful of stuff. Things go into it. I always knew there was going to be more story. “The first book was very much about the grifters and the lowlifes, and you don’t really get to see much of the new gods and you don’t really get a sense of those gods who are doing incredibly well in America,” he said. “In the second book, I definitely want to go into both of those things.”
As text messaging slowly takes the place of face-to-face conversations, I’ve noticed how easy it has become to avoid actual confrontation . You can express how you’re feeling using a few simple keyboard symbols and the rest is up to your imagination. The other morning my friend woke up and decided she was too hungover to go to work. I told her that she better think of a good excuse, call her boss, and follow up with an apologetic email. Within 2 minutes, she said her problem was solved and I didn’t hear her say one word. As it turns out, she text messaged her boss saying that she wouldn’t be in that day. That’s when I knew that text messaging cop outs are getting out of hand. I’ve never been a huge texter. While it’s definitely convenient to confirm plans at the click of a few buttons, I prefer phone and email conversations over constant texting (it might also be because I am awful at using my new touch screen phone). I did a little investigating and found out what people around the office consider to be the most annoying text message cop outs. 1. Breaking up with someone: Seriously? Grow a pair and call it quits with someone in person. It’s not like you’ll ever have to see them again if you don’t want to. 2. Asking someone out: I’ll be honest. My first “boyfriend” was in 4th grade and he asked me to be his girlfriend by passing me a note in homeroom. While I was flattered back then, it’s a huge cop-out to make the big move through text message past elementary school. 3. Canceling plans: First of all, try not to cancel 5 minutes prior to your plans. If you have to resort to a “Sorry, I can’t make it” text, it’s probably last minute and the person is already waiting for you. Give him/her a call and reschedule. 4. Confronting with a problem: If you’re upset with that guy for that thing he did, he doesn’t want to hear about it in a 4 page text message. It really doesn’t affect him to read that you’re mad at him in a message where half of your feelings are written in short-hand. Make a plan to get coffee and have a civilized, face-to-face conversation about it. If confrontation really isn’t your style, write an email. There’s no 160 character limit and you can get out exactly what you need to without using abbreviations that really don’t make any sense. Do you have any more text message cop out stories? Let’s Text About Sex, Baby Morning After: Follow Through Or Flee? Nicki Minaj & Britney Spears Get Into Altercation At Femme Fatale Tour?! BLACK MUSIC MOMENT #44: Isaac Hayes Wins Academy Award For “Shaft” Score 1972 FACT OF THE DAY: Tupac Shakur Studied Ballet
