Tag Archives: swizz-beatz

Kanye West Announces Joint Album With Jay-Z

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Chicago MC tweets about dropping a five-song record called Watch the Throne. By Mawuse Ziegbe Jay-Z and Kanye West Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/ WireImage Last week, Kanye West tweeted that he’s planning to drop a new song every Friday until Christmas. On the first “G.O.O.D. Friday” (August 27), the lyricist announced he has some other new music coming down the pike: ‘Ye said he’s teaming up with Jay-Z to release a collabo album. “Me and jay bout to drop a 5 song album called Watch the Throne, ” West tweeted . A rep for West didn’t respond to MTV News’ request for comment by press time. The announcement comes on the heels of a Jay-Z-assisted remix of ‘Ye’s “Power” hitting the airwaves. After West announced in an August 11 interview that a revamp of the percussion-heavy track featuring Hov would arrive just two days later, the MC got to work on the collabo. “He definitely, definitely was focused,” producer Swizz Beatz told MTV News about ‘Ye’s hustle to finish the record, which also boasts vocals from John Legend. ” ‘Cause when he made that announcement, we didn’t have what we had. But you know when something feels right and it’s time to let something to go.” Jigga and ‘Ye’s professional relationship goes back years to when the then-upstart producer furnished the Brooklyn MC with hit tracks like 2001’s “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” before eventually signing to his Roc-A-Fella label. Now, both artists are regarded as two of the most high-profile and respected lyricists in the game. “Jay-Z, Kanye West and Drake,” Miami Heat baller Chris Bosh said when pressed by MTV News about his hip-hop dream team. “Easy! Well, just the fact of Jay-Z’s longevity. And he can really rap. Some of his stuff from ’01 and The Blueprint is stuff I’m just now getting. Like, ‘Ohhhh, that’s what he meant. OK, I get that line.’ He was so far ahead in what he rapped about and what he did. I’m just now catching up. Kanye is super creative in what he can do with the beat machine. And his words, he’s more a passionate type of guy.” Are you excited for a Jay-Z and Kanye West album? Let us know in the comments below! Related Artists Kanye West Jay-Z

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Swizz Beatz Talks ‘Going Into Overdrive’ To ‘Make The Best’ Records

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘When you’re working on albums, nobody sleeps,’ the energetic producer says of projects with Kanye West, Mary J. Blige and more. By Jayson Rodriguez Swizz Beatz Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images Swizz Beatz has been busy in the studio lately, working on numbers for Kanye West, N.E.R.D., Mary J. Blige and, of course, his own solo album, Haute Living. The multiplatinum producer has been tweeting about his long nights recently, but he told MTV News that when you’re inspired by a project, there’s just no sleep until completion. “When you’re working on albums, nobody sleeps,” he explained of all the work piled on his plate. “The excitement of being in the moment of music and having that pressure on you — you got a lot of people waiting on that project, you not gonna sleep either. You want to get it right in your mind, [so] you don’t have an appetite, you’re not tired. You go into overdrive … to make the best thing possible. “That shows how it goes when you work with real artists, you work until it’s done,” Swizz added. “Sometimes it gets overdone [ Laughs ].” Over the weekend, Swizz and Blige connected in the studio and completed four records, according to the Ruff Ryder alum’s Twitter messages. He told MTV News that at least one of the songs would see the light of day this week. While Swizz said he’s producing a number of songs for her new project, he also revealed that Blige might appear on one track from his forthcoming LP. While holed up in a New York studio earlier this month, Swizz managed to collaborate with Kanye West on his “Power” remix. His studio session with Pharrell happened to overlap with Kanye’s and the three producers wound up working on one another’s projects by the end of the night, Swizz said. “We were in there working on multiple things, [Kanye] was working on a song for my album, I was working with N.E.R.D. in another room for their album, and then the ‘Power’ remix was still in the works,” Swizz explained. “So, at the end of the night, everybody just ended up in both rooms. It was just going from one joint to the other and everyone showing respect to everyone’s craft. It was super-dope.” Who else would you like to hear on a Swizz Beatz collabo? Share your wish list in the comments! Related Artists Swizz Beatz

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Angelina Jolie Talks ‘Salt’ Sequel

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I love to punch things,’ she said of her role as a CIA agent. By Eric Ditzian Angelina Jolie in “Salt” Photo: Andrew Schwartz All “Salt” was missing at its twisty end was a “To Be Continued” graphic. Angelina Jolie’s spy thriller was engineered for a sequel. Its main storyline came to a close with the titular hero out of immediate danger and setting off on a new quest for revenge. And “Salt” performed admirably against “Inception” earlier this summer, opening to $36 million in ticket sales . Now there’s been some tentative movement on a second film. Jolie is keeping her fingers crossed that everything works out. “I hope so, for everybody — if they want to see more of Salt,” she said at the film’s London premiere on Monday (August 16), according to the Press Association . “I love doing action. I love to punch things, jump off things and shoot, so I’m lucky I got the job.” But Sony is said to be waiting to see how “Salt” performs internationally before the studio commits to backing a sequel, the Los Angeles Times reports. Director Phillip Noyce has been reported as interested in reprising his directing duties, and writer Kurt Wimmer is said to be developing ideas to continue the story. Jolie hasn’t yet lined up her next project. “The Tourist” is now behind her and other projects, like the Tim Burton flick, “Maleficent,” are not yet ready to ramp up. But from what she’s been saying, it seems that she’s eager to return to “Salt” territory. “The other action films I did are based on fantasy while this character is based on reality so we had to make her tougher and meaner,” she said. “Salt fights aggressively, in face-to-face combat. In some movies I’ve done, there’s been a temptation — because I’m female — to make the action nice.” Related Videos ‘Salt’ Clips Related Photos Brangelina, K-Cav, More At ‘Salt’ Premiere “Salt”

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T.I. Makes Triumphant Return To Stage In NYC

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

B.o.B, Swizz Beatz, Mary J. Blige, Cam’ron, Keri Hilson join Tip for ‘secret’ show. By Shaheem Reid T.I. performs in New York City on August 16 Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images The King of the South ruled the Big Apple last night as T.I. brought a live band to lower Manhattan’s Capitale to perform a “secret show” sponsored by Axe deodorant body spray. The show was Tip’s first since returning home from prison several months ago. Wearing a hoodie, Tip addressed the crowd from the side of the stage before coming out. “Y’all act like y’all scared to get this muthaf—a started,” he said. Moments later, the King came out to “I’m Back.” Tip took off his hood to reveal a red Anaheim Angels hat, then started “Beat Down Low.” The star of the upcoming film “Takers” (due August 24) then leveled the venue with a flurry of his street classics including “Rubber Band Man,” “24s,” “Ride Wit Me” and “U Don’t Know Me.” The transitions were seamless and Tip was in prime form, sounding crisp and full of energy. The Grammy winner did take a couple of breaks though, to let his guests rock. Cam’ron came out for one of his signature bangers, “I Really Mean It.” Then the head of the Diplomats and the U.N. introduced fellow Harlem native Vado for “Speaking in Tungs.” “This is king amongst kings,” Tip said. “Since I had the King of Harlem, I had to bring out the King of Brooklyn.” Maino was then introduced and performed his platinum hit “All the Above.” Tip then shared a mini-set with his Grand Hustle artist B.o.B . First Bob came out for Paper Trail ‘s “On Top of the World” and stayed for his collabo with Tip “Bet I Bust.” T.I. then handed over the full reigns of the stage to the man with the alias of Bobby Ray. And B.o.B pulled out his number-one guns with “Nothing On You” and “Airplanes.” Tip returned and asked could he get his grown man on. Mary J. Blige then came out to the stage for “Don’t Forget Me” and “Good Love.” When Tip was at a point in the concert when some artists began to falter and lose the fans’ attention, T.I. went in the opposite direction and turned up the dial. Swizz Beatz came out for “Fancy” and you could hear the audience participating, yelling “You fancy, huh?” The enthusiasm was maintained on possibly the most energetic, note for note, two records of the night: the Tip/Swizz collaborations “Bring Em Out” and “Swing Your Rag.” From there, the catalog kept rolling with vintage records like “Swagger Like Us,” “ASAP” and “Live Your Life.” Keri Hilson was the last guest to perform, with “Got Your Back.” And as the night came to a close, Tip kept his attention on the ladies with “Whatever You Like.” Related Photos T.I.’s NYC Secret Show With B.o.B, Mary J. Blige, Cam’ron Related Artists T.I. Keri Hilson Maino B.o.B Mary J. Blige Swizz Beatz Cam’ron

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Kanye West Ropes In Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Swizz Beatz, Others for ‘Power’ Remix

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

‘I might have to put out 5 albums this year … My spirit is full ,’ Kanye tweeted. By Gil Kaufman Kanye West Photo: Robyn Beck/ AFP/ Getty Images Now that Kanye West is back on his grind, the LV Don appears determined to push harder than ever to produce unique music. Case in point: Over the past five days, in addition to performing at an intimate club show on Thursday, where he covered songs by Rihanna and Billy Joel and was joined by Estelle, Yeezy hit the studio to work on a remix of “Power” with an all-star cast. Given his new status as the Titan of Twitter, he, of course, tweeted about the progress of the sessions. “Scheduled studio visits 2day, Nikki [Minaj], John Legend, Mos Def, Swizz Beatz, Pusha T, Phillip Lim,” he wrote of a remix session that roped in everyone from the newlywed producer he has called one of the greatest of all time ( Beatz ), to Clipse member T and piano man Legend, who tickled the ivories for ‘Ye at Thursday night’s show. He likened the sessions to the all-star power summits of the early jazz era, writing, “remember jazz musicians used to collab and do 4 song albums or James Brown used to just keep dropping sh– back to back.” In that spirit, West added, “I might have to put out 5 albums this year … My spirit is full … My heart is open … People want new music … I can’t hold it back.” And that wasn’t all. He uploaded a photo from the studio that featured him with Beatz and Def, as well as another pal who knows a thing or two about harnessing the power: Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. “Kobe helped me finish my #POWER remix verse … Just building on the concept of #POWE… and Mos helped me find the ‘old me’ lyrically,” he explained early Sunday morning. After a “super late” night in the lab with Mos that lasted early into Sunday morning, West said he was feeling so inspired that he actually had to unplug himself before he laid down the longest verse in rap history. “I had to cut my POWER remix verse short to not over do it with the million bar verse like the 2nd verse of ‘See Me Now,’ ” he wrote. “There’s so many ways to break down the subject of power … me and Kobe went in on it… Perfect person to help out on that.” In addition to teasing a possible Justin Bieber/Raekwon collabo , throwing out some random props to M.I.A., Matt & Kim, and Fiona Apple, and taking a break to go jogging (in Lanvin gear, of course), ‘Ye ended what sounded like a sleepless weekend on a creative and emotional high. “Sometimes I can’t control my excitement,” he wrote Sunday afternoon. “So happy … so creative … in the studio … ready to create … finished ‘Power’ verse … more music.” And, in keeping with his status as the new pied piper poet of Twitter, ‘Ye — who will appear at this year’s MTV VMAs on September 12 — wrapped the creative marathon with an early morning tweet on Monday that summed up his new philosophy: “I’m just tryna keep it symmetrical.” Right. The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 12, at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for the winners in general categories, including Best New Artist, from Tuesday (August 3) through September 12. Related Photos The Inspiration For Kanye West’s ‘Power’ Video Related Artists Kanye West Swizz Beatz John Legend Nicki Minaj

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THG Week in Review: July 31-August 6, 2010

Posted on August 6, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Welcome to The Hollywood Gossip’s Week in Review. Below, our staff looks back on the last seven days in celebrity news, gossip and rumors. Visit our site daily and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for 24/7/365 updates. Now, for some of the top stories we covered this past week: Mel Gibson’s rage continues to be evident through voicemails, text messages and the like, but is Oksana Grigorieva stretching the truth? Investigators remain skeptical of her abuse claims, and the “evidence” she has to support them. Lindsay Lohan is out of jail after just 13 days behind bars. So much for that 90-day sentence. She’s now in rehab, reportedly being treated for drug and mental issues. If you missed the whole saga, here’s a cartoon reenactment . Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston broke off their second engagement in as many years amid rumors of him knocking up Lanesia Garcia and nailing Briana Plum . Bristol confirms that the wedding is off, and that she did the dumping. It’s Justin Bieber’s world, in case you forgot. This week’s conquests: A trip to CSI , a new music video, a 3D movie and a memoir . Phew!

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T.I. Records Six New King Uncaged Tracks With Kanye West

Posted on August 5, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I just left Hawaii with Kanye,’ Tip said on the red carpet of ‘Takers’ premiere. By Shaheem Reid T.I. arrives at the premiere of “Takers” in Hollywood on August 4 Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images Call it the reunion of the King of the South and Martin Louis the King Jr. The last time T.I. hooked up with Kanye West , the two made the undeniable hip-hop anthem “Swagger Like Us.” And the pair recently took half a dozen more shots at making another classic. You can add the Louis Vuitton Don to the list of acclaimed producers to work on Tip’s next LP, King Uncaged (due in September). “I just left Hawaii with Kanye,” Tip said last night in Hollywood on the red carpet for the world premiere of “Takers.” “We did six records.” The King of the South recently told MTV News how excited he was about going in the lab with some other track emperors. “We got a few big, big, big sessions coming up next week: Timbaland, Swizz Beatz,” T.I. revealed . “I’m trying to show up and show out every time.” By early July, the collaborations, at least the ones with Swizz Beatz , were done. “What we just did is bigger than those,” Swizz said over the Fourth of July weekend about the two new records he produced for Tip. “It’s bigger than ‘Swing Ya Rag,’ it’s bigger than all of those. We’re growing as artists. That’s one of the things I wanted to focus on with Tip, was: ‘We did that already. We don’t need to compete with nobody. You up there.’ Everything we gotta do, we gotta stay leaders. That’s how we got to where we at now. He gave me his OK on that. Gave me the clear lane. And we’re gone. Trust me on that. The first joint, it’s nice. Crazy! The second joint is taking the world over. It’s a positive message, and I’ll let him explain the rest of the story, because he would be glad to. [It’s] very musical, but still with that swag in it.” Related Photos ‘Takers’ Premiere Seizes Hollywood Related Artists T.I. Kanye West

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T.I. Says He Lost Some Of His ‘Positive Focus’ During Prison Stint

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘Being in that environment and having those daily surroundings, it’s going to affect you,’ Tip tells Complex magazine. By Mawuse Ziegbe T.I. Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Almost immediately after he finished a jail bid for gun charges in March, T.I. set out to reclaim his status as a hip-hop king — hitting the mixtape circuit and huddling in the studio with Lady Gaga and Swizz Beatz . But that doesn’t mean jail wasn’t a serious setback. “It did make me worse in a sense. … Putting me in prison took me off [a positive] path a little bit, and now I’m working to get back on that path — or at least back on the path to the extent that I was before I went in,” T.I. told Complex magazine. Before heading to jail, T.I. was serving part of his sentence by counseling at-risk kids and notched over 200 speaking engagements warning young people about violence on the MTV show “Road To Redemption.” T.I., who is on the cover of the magazine’s August/September issue, says that the jail atmosphere definitely took its toll. “I lost a little bit of my positive focus during that period of incarceration. Being in that environment and having those daily surroundings, it’s going to affect you.” One result was that he actually tuned out when it came to music. “I didn’t listen much to records when I was in there. Music is what I do every day. That made me more homesick than anything,” he said. Instead, T.I. logged lots of TV hours to pass the time. “I watched series like ‘Sons of Anarchy.’ I’m a fan. It’s another form of ‘The Sopranos’ to me. I watched football and ESPN.” But, the most popular show on the cellblock — “True Blood” — held no appeal for him. “I couldn’t really [watch it]. They got into that sh– heavy,” T.I. said. “The whole prison damn near shut down. Everybody left off the yard, like, ‘ “True Blood” coming on!’ They went crazy for it — there’s a bunch of sex in it, so they were tuning in for that.” T.I.’s King Uncaged drops in September. Which collaboration are you looking forward to hearing on T.I.’s next album? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: T.I. Related Artists T.I.

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T.I. Says He Lost Some Of His ‘Positive Focus’ During Prison Stint

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Drake Gets ‘Fancy’ With T.I. And Swizz Beatz On Video Set

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘It’s a dedication to the ladies who take pride in being the flyest and finest,’ Tip tells MTV News of the clip. By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by James “FLX” Smith Drake Photo: MTV News Drake’s upcoming “Fancy” video features a couple of stars known for cranking out hard-hitting hip-hop, but this time, the Toronto MC enlisted T.I. and Swizz Beatz to craft a sexy ode to the ladies. “It’s a dedication to the ladies who take pride in being the flyest and finest that there are out there to be noticed,” T.I. told MTV News on the set of the sleek clip, which reflects the song’s sultry vibe. The video features Drizzy, Tip and Swizz in all-black everything, spitting suave lyrics and flanked by leggy dancers in formfitting bodysuits. In his cool Atlanta drawl, T.I. chatted about participating in the collabo and sang the praises of Drake and Swizzy. “I was offered the opportunity and given the pleasure to be a part of this monstrosity of a record by young Drizzy and my big homie O.G., player, partner Swizz Bizzy,” Tip said. “I’m honored, privileged and absolutely pleased to be a part of this extravaganza that you are witnessing before you here today.” Anthony Mandler, who has helmed all the clips from Drizzy’s Thank Me Later, said the singer/MC’s approach to his work influences how the director develops the accompanying visuals. “For me, there’s a lot of pressure, because I feel like he’s creating music from a place that’s so pure and so unique and so original that it pushes me to try to create imagery that stands in the same zone,” Mandler said. Drake also lavished Mandler with respect and said his work with the director has changed his perspective when it comes to making videos. “As far as me evolving as a visual artist, I started in a place where visuals weren’t my strongest aspect. Me and Anthony shot ‘Over’ together, and for the first time, I really felt like, ‘This is how I’m supposed to look,’ ” Drake said. “From there, it’s sorta been like an inseparable bond.” Are you looking forward to the “Fancy” video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Drake Swizz Beatz T.I.

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T.I. Is ‘Taking The World Over’ On King Uncaged, Swizz Beatz Says

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘We’re growing as artists,’ Swizzy says of collaborating with Tip. By Shaheem Reid Swizz Beatz Photo: MTV News When Swizz Beatz and T.I. link up in the lab, the result will probably be epic. First, they landed Tip a smash single with “Bring Em Out,” then they trumped themselves with “Swing Ya Rag” from Paper Trail. The pair recently collaborated on the King of the South’s upcoming King Uncaged. “What we just did is bigger than those,” Swizz said about the two new records he produced for Tip. “It’s bigger than ‘Swing Ya Rag,’ it’s bigger than all of those. We’re growing as artists. That’s one of the things I wanted to focus on with Tip, was: ‘We did that already. We don’t need to compete with nobody. You up there.’ Everything we gotta do, we gotta stay leaders. That’s how we got to where we at now. He gave me his OK on that. Gave me the clear lane. And we’re gone. Trust me on that. The first joint, it’s nice. Crazy! The second joint is taking the world over. It’s a positive message, and I’ll let him explain the rest of the story, because he would be glad to. [It’s] very musical, but still with that swag in it.” T.I. completed a yearlong prison sentence in March for weapons charges. Swizz said one of their collaborations delves into that experience. “The other one is more heartfelt,” the producer said. “Story to tell. Think about the real things that’s going on in the world. He just finished dealing with a real situation. Besides his situation, there’s a million of other real situations going on in the world. So the feel is more worldly. African congas, symphony violins, what I told I was gonna do. I told y’all I was gonna switch the sound thing up.” King Uncaged is due in September. Are you looking forward to hearing more T.I./Swizzy collabos? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Swizz Beatz T.I.

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