Tag Archives: track

Does Natalie Portman’s Black Swan Weight Loss Mean Oscar Gold?

David Letterman may have already declared Natalie Portman the winner of this year’s Oscar for Best Actress but the Black Swan star still has quite a few academy voters to woo, too. Could her recent media blitz, in which she tells everyone from MTV to Us Weekly how her extensive ballet training required up to eight hours of bar routines and a 20 pound weight loss, help her campaign? Movieline takes a look at the track record for highly publicized dieting actors winning (and losing) Oscar gold and sees where Portman fits.

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Does Natalie Portman’s Black Swan Weight Loss Mean Oscar Gold?

Lindsay Lohan ‘Should Reach Out To Oprah,’ Fans Say

Fans give MTV News a variety of ways the troubled starlet can make a comeback. By Mawuse Ziegbe Lindsay Lohan arrives at court Friday Photo: Robyn Beck/ Getty Images Between the multiple jail and rehab stints, alcohol-monitoring devices and a dearth of high-profile onscreen roles, this year appears to have been especially trying for Lindsay Lohan . On Friday, the actress was sent to jail for the second time in three months (she was released the same day) after she admitted to failing a court-ordered drug test. Lohan will reportedly don a SCRAM bracelet for the second time this year and is due to head back to court on October 22. Her legal drama has all but eclipsed her film career and many wonder if Lohan can still attract fans with her work as ably as she can hog headlines with her antics. On Sunday (September 26), just days after her most recent jail stint, MTV News went to directly to the fans in New York’s Times Square to ask how they think Lohan can revive her career. “[She could make a comeback] if she actually would just learn from something and … take something seriously, and not act like … the world revolves around her and she has these special privileges that no one else has,” Lauren Suitors said. She pointed out that many are able to overcome bad decisions after they’ve hit rock bottom. “Other people have gone to jail and they come out and they’re just fine, but she just keeps making the same mistakes again.” “I really think that she probably needs to revamp herself and prove to everyone that she’s capable of being a good actress and cleaning up her life, ’cause, as of now, she’s kind of gone into a downward spiral,” Jenny Phillips observed. Phillips said Lohan should head back to rehab and put in the work when it comes to a comeback because she is ultimately a talented star. “She’s a legitimate actress when she’s not all drugged up and stuff.” Sarah Leigh said Lohan’s issues stem from her substance abuse problems , an observation the actress largely agrees with, and suggested a single step toward getting her act together: “Stop taking drugs!” Evoking the “All publicity is good publicity” philosophy, Mel Dummett said that Lohan’s high-profile high jinks will probably boost for enfeebled status as a box-office draw. “I think this is actually going to revive her career ’cause she’s been in the news,” she said. “Any celebrity site you go to she’s covering the whole thing.” Tramel Ulysses agrees that she should “keep doing what she do” and that, ultimately, everybody makes mistakes. “I don’t think she should be judged because everybody mess up, people do wrong things, people say they civilized but people also do bad things,” Ulysses noted. “Everybody have their bad days.” Sebastian Moore said Lohan should look to a higher power to guide her through the drama. “Just try to reach out to Oprah and let her solve everything,” Moore said. “That’s what I would do.” How do you think Lindsay Lohan can revive her career? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Lindsay Lohan: Crime And Punishment Related Photos Lindsay Lohan Goes To Court Related Artists Lindsay Lohan

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Lindsay Lohan ‘Should Reach Out To Oprah,’ Fans Say

MC Hammer Goes After Jay-Z For "So Appalled" Line

‘You wanted my attention … (Jigga) …you got it’ he tweets. By Mawuse Ziegbe MC Hammer Photo: Getty Images Kanye West’s latest G.O.O.D. Friday track, “So Appalled,” features some hard-hitting bars from a diverse ensemble of spitters, including Swizz Beatz and RZA. However, the lyrics of one MC in particular, Jay-Z, may have hit below the belt, according to another rap star. MC Hammer has apparently taken issue with a line in which Hov references the much-publicized dissolution of the “U Can’t Touch This” star’s hefty fortune. “Hammer went broke so you know I’m more focused/I lost 30 mil’ so I spent another 30/ ‘Cause unlike Hammer 30 million can’t hurt me,” Jigga spits. After the track hit the Web, Hammer knocked out a series of missives on his Twitter account blasting the hip-hop heavyweight. On Friday night, when a Twitter fan asked Hammer if he had any comment about Jay’s rhyme, the rap star Hammer shot back with “The Answer to Jay comes on Oct 31 ( Devils Nite) ..I saw him coming.” The rapper-turned-preacher hit up the track’s architect the next morning, with “@ kanyewest jay-hoe aka #HellBoy Tell Jay Oct 31 (Devils Nite). We’ll see if this record and video ‘Hurt’s Him.’ ” The “Too Legit To Quit” star also tweeted “You wanted my attention #HellBoy (Jigga) ..you got it,” and attached a link to a 36-second video of himself pummeling a punching bag. Hammer also taunted fans who were staunchly Team Hov. “These lil demons and Imps stopping by timeline today … Yes, I dissed yo #Daddy … The dude who made the #Lucifer song … smh,” he typed , referencing Jay’s The Black Album track. “Laughing at these grown men coming on my timeline with they #pompoms waving for #HellBoy (Jigga).” Although Hammer relayed some hostile tweets, the Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em rapper seemed to want to settle the drama in studio, reminding his Twitter followers that he was readying a response. “I’m done until it’s time … Oct 31,” Hammer wrote . “See, no need for such nastiness. I’m going back to the baggy pants that keeps you off guard. :)” Do you agree with MC Hammer’s comments about Jay-Z? Sound off below! Related Artists Jay-Z Hammer

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MC Hammer Goes After Jay-Z For "So Appalled" Line

Lindsay Lohan Reportedly Aiming For Early Jail Release

But L.A. Sheriff’s spokesperson tells People the starlet won’t be released until her October hearing. By Mawuse Ziegbe Lindsay Lohan in custody on Friday (Sept 24) Photo: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department/ Getty Im Lindsay Lohan has returned to jail , an increasingly familiar place for the troubled starlet. However, the actress is reportedly trying to leave her new digs as soon as possible. Radar Online reports that Lohan’s lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, huddled with Judge Elden Fox and the deputy district attorney on Friday (September 24), hours after the actress was sent to jail for the second time in three months. “Lindsay’s lawyer is asking that bail be set,” a Lohan source told the website. “Shawn Chapman Holley contends that Judge Fox must grant Lohan bail pending the probation-violation hearing on October 22.” Lohan was sent back to prison after she admitted to failing a recent drug test . According to the requirements of her release after rehab, a positive drug and/or alcohol test is grounds for additional jail time. Judge Fox denied the “Freaky Friday” actress bail and she was handcuffed and taken into custody. Lohan is expected to remain locked up until her hearing next month. Lohan’s lawyer did not respond to MTV News’ request for comment at press time. Although Lohan’s legal muscle is apparently pulling out all the stops to get her released early, authorities maintain the actress won’t be sprung until her next court date. “Ms. Lohan cannot be released early because this isn’t a jail sentence,” L.A. Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore told People. “She’s being held by court order until her hearing on October 22. She will be held in the same conditions as her last stay, in a keep-away unit.” She may not be headed for an early exit, but her entrance into prison is similar to her last visit. “She’s now being processed through, she’s going to go through the same physical and mental evaluation,” said Whitmore, who noted that, “for the safety and security of the entire jail system,” Lohan will be separated from her fellow inmates. In July, Lohan served 13 days of a 90-day jail sentence over a probation violation stemming from a 2007 DUI conviction. She followed up the jail time with 23 days in a court-ordered rehab facility, less than a third of her 90-day sentence. Related Videos Lindsay Lohan: Crime And Punishment Related Photos Lindsay Lohan Goes To Court Related Artists Lindsay Lohan

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Lindsay Lohan Reportedly Aiming For Early Jail Release

Kanye West And Jay-Z Are ‘So Appalled’ On New Track

‘Ye also drafts Swizz Beatz, RZA, Pusha T and Cyhi Da Prynce for latest G.O.O.D. Friday track. By Mawuse Ziegbe Kanye West Photo: Gabriela Maj/ Getty Images Another Friday, another Kanye West -helmed all-star collabo. The hip-hop superstar’s latest weekly offering, “So Appalled,” continues his trend of packing a varied cast of big-name stars onto a single record. This week, ‘Ye recruited G.O.O.D. Music signee Pusha T, fellow MC/producer Swizz Beatz and rap luminary Jay-Z for repeat guest spots. Wu-Tang Clan ringleader RZA follows in the footsteps of Wu member Raekwon by dropping a G.O.O.D. Friday verse and newcomer Cyhi Da Prynce makes an appearance. ‘Ye tweeted Friday evening (September 24) that, unlike his recent free track “Lord Lord Lord,” which surfaced Saturday morning , G.O.O.D. Friday followers could expect a new song to kick off the weekend. “Good Friday actually coming on time this week!” he wrote . “We do this for our culture!” “So Appalled” also differs from the soulful instrumentation and introspective lyricism of “Lord” on several fronts. Accompanied by gruesome artwork of a nude woman splayed on a white surface with blood streaming from her mouth, the song has a testy, restless vibe with midtempo rhythms and ominous shuddering strings. Swizzy sets the track’s tone with ad-libs such as “one hand in the air, if you don’t really care” as West follows with bars like “We above the law, we don’t give a f— ’bout y’all/ I got dogs that’ll chew a f—ing hole through the wall.” Jay takes jabs at ankle-biting MCs, launching his verse with, “How should I begin this?/ I’m just so offended/ How am I even mentioned by these f—in’ beginners?/ I’m so appalled/ I might buy the mall/ Just to show n—as how much more I have in store.” Hov spends most of his bars deconstructing the hate that surrounds outsize fame but poses the question, “Would you rather be underpaid or overrated?” Push is up next with his own views on reaching the top, spitting, “Success is what you make it/ Take it how it come/ A half a mill in 20s like a billion where I’m from.” Cyhi holds his own among an intimidating roster of established MCs with lines like “If god had an iPod, I’d be on his playlist” and “Thou shalt not hate, kid/ My movement is like the civil rights, I’m Ralph David/ Abernathy, so call my lady Rosa Parks/ I am nothing like them n—as, baby those are marks.” RZA comes right in as Cyhi steps back, nearly clipping the end of his verse with bellows of “f—in’ ridiculous” riding out the track with rhymes like “Cars for the Mrs. and furs for the mistress/ You know that sh– is f—in’ ridiculous.” How do you like Kanye West’s “So Appalled”? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Kanye West Jay-Z Swizz Beatz

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Kanye West And Jay-Z Are ‘So Appalled’ On New Track

Kanye West Is Singing About Himself In ‘Runaway,’ Fans Say

MTV News asks Jay-Z and Eminem fans at Yankee Stadium what they thought of ‘Ye’s VMA performance. By Mawuse Ziegbe Kanye West performs during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images NEW YORK — Kanye West drops some choice insults in his latest song, which he debuted at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards . “I always find, yeah, I always find something wrong/ You been putting up with my sh– just way too long/ I’m so gifted at finding what I don’t like the most/ So I think it’s time for us to have a toast,” ‘Ye rhymes in “Runaway.” “Let’s have a toast for the douche bags!/ Let’s have a toast for the a–holes!/ Let’s have a toast for the scumbags!” The chorus has nods to an array of “bags,” however, fans believe the MC is, in a very un-hip-hop move, taking swipes at himself. MTV News caught up with a bunch of hip-hop heads at Jay-Z and Eminem’s Home and Home Tour stop at Yankee Stadium on Monday night (September 13), and many felt that Jigga’s “little brother” was using the track to air out his insecurities. “That was a funny song,” Steve Bananti said. “I liked the song a lot. It was good. I feel like he was making fun of himself.” Jamal Hairston said Yeezy’s lyrics reference “the stuff that he does” including the Taylor Swift 2009 VMA controversy . “I don’t think he was trying to insult [Swift]. I think it was self-deprecating. He was maybe talking about himself,” Hairston said, adding that the track is “a toast for the people who mess up.” “[He’s] trying to find some redemption, maybe.” Brian Bennett, who didn’t like the track, said ‘Ye was simply dropping insults for shock value. “I just thought that he was trying to get the crowd going crazy because he said the word ‘douche bag,’ ” he said. “I just feel like he was trying to get the crowd stirred.” Todd Read said he wasn’t feeling the track at first but might get into it after a few listens. “I’m a big Kanye fan but … I gotta hear the track un-performed. Maybe I’ll like it then. His music grows on me like that,” he said. Read, however, did enjoy West’s performance: “I liked to see him playing with the MPC and everything. I see he’s bringing it back to the real hip-hop roots, so I appreciated that.” Christian Contreras agreed that ‘Ye’s VMA set, which was low on props but big on impact, was another singular moment from the Chicago superstar. “I actually liked the song. I [liked] the whole performance; it was different. It’s definitely something that I wasn’t expecting, but Kanye always comes out of left field with everything,” he said. “The little toast to the douche bags, it’s cool.” Contreras speculated that ‘Ye’s track was not merely about how he feels, but rather how he’s been perceived by the media and fans alike. “All those names that he said — douche bag, a–hole, all that stuff — people have actually made that connection with him,” he observed. “I’m sure he got those names called to him a couple times. Maybe it was a little stab to the industry, talking about himself and how he’s changed.” What do you think Kanye West’s new song is about? Let us know in the comments! The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there’s plenty of MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com. Related Videos VMA 2010: Performances VMA 2010: Most Talked About Moments Related Photos VMA 2010: Performers Related Artists Kanye West

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Kanye West Is Singing About Himself In ‘Runaway,’ Fans Say

Is Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ Video Of The Year?

VMA contender overloaded Gaga’s website when it premiered. By Mawuse Ziegbe Lady Gaga Photo: MTV News Lady Gaga will be battling a ubiquitous, game-changing pop upstart in the MTV Video Music Awards Video of the Year category: herself. Gaga goes on a post-jailhouse murder spree with fellow pop superstar Beyonc

Katy Perry Says ‘Peacock’ Is ‘The World’s Biggest Innuendo’

‘I’m always looking for that one thing that’s really normal that you can make twisted,’ singer says. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Katy Perry Photo: MTV News Katy Perry isn’t exactly the queen of nuance. In her “California Gurls” video she appeared wearing a bra that squirted whipped cream. Oh yeah, she was also naked. So on the cheerleader anthem off Teenage Dream, when she asks her dude to show her his peacock, she doesn’t mean his brightly colored feathers, if you know what we mean.

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Katy Perry Says ‘Peacock’ Is ‘The World’s Biggest Innuendo’

Katy Perry Says ‘Pearl’ Is Her Album’s Crowning Jewel

Pop star says ballad is the perfect way to end Teenage Dream. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Katy Perry Photo: MTV News Katy Perry rose to the top of the charts with songs about kissing girls, Vegas vacations gone awry and how awesome “California Gurls” are. So, when fans pop Teenage Dream into their boom boxes, they might be surprised to hear Perry show her vulnerable side on the song “Pearl.” The ballad is about an outgoing, strong young woman who lets a guy “keep her in the dark.” The catch, at the end, is that Perry is actually singing about herself. The singer admitted that by the time she started working on “Pearl,” her album was nearly complete. But, it was missing something. So she headed back into the studio to work on the track. And she thinks it finishes her record in just the right way. “I did one more song with [producer] Greg Wells, and it was called ‘Pearl,’ ” she explained to MTV News about the track. “And it was kind of just like, ‘All right, now I have this crown, and I have all these jewels, and I can put these little jewels into the crown, and I feel like it’s a complete presentation, something I’m really proud of.’ ” So, after recording Teenage Dream rather quickly, “Pearl” became its crowning jewel. “It only took six months [to make Teenage Dream ], which is like lightning speed,” she said. “But I think that I wouldn’t be starting again with this new record if I didn’t feel like this was my best foot forward. Perry said the project shows her evolving. “It’s an evolvement, but it’s not a dis-attachment. … My life is a little bit different, and I’m taking a verbal snapshot right now.” Are you excited to hear Katy Perry’s new album? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Katy Perry Related Photos The Evolution Of: Katy Perry

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Katy Perry Says ‘Pearl’ Is Her Album’s Crowning Jewel

T.I. Says Song With Lady Gaga May Not Be ‘A Keeper’

Gaga claims collaboration could be worked into something even better, says Tip. By James Montgomery T.I. Photo: Moses Robinson/ Getty Images Earlier this year, T.I. had jaws dropping when he announced that he’d recorded some 80 songs for his upcoming album King Uncaged , and that at least one of them was a collaboration with Lady Gaga . “[She’s a] phenomenal talent. Extremely proud [to work with her]. She’s definitely that good. She knows what she’s doing. She knows exactly what she wants people to think and say,” Tip said of Gaga. “She does everything that she needs to be done to ensure it happens. I think she’s an entertainer, in all aspects of the word … a classic, all-around entertainer. A global star.” A few months later, he continued to heap praise on LG , calling her “a phenomenal talent … that transcends through all genres, all races, all religions.” But while T.I. was clearly enthused about the collaboration, he also stopped short of saying whether or not his song with Gaga would actually end up on Uncaged , joking, “I’m not gonna let no cats out of no bags.” And now, we know the reason why. In a new interview with Rap-Up.com , TIP revealed that the song would more than likely be re-worked … or scrapped entirely. Why? Gaga insisted that she could make something even better. “[Gaga] brought it to my knowledge that she would like to top what we already have,” he said. “That being said, I don’t know if that’s going to be a keeper or if that’s going to be one-upped or what not.” So at the moment, the fate of the collaboration seems to be up in the air. But T.I. doesn’t seem to be all that upset … after all, he was thrilled just to work with the Mother Monster on a track. “I begged on hands and knees [to work with her], ‘Please!'” he joked. “I worked with the producer RedOne and made it known that I was interested in working with her, and the enthusiasm was shared, and we were able to get it done.” Related Artists T.I. Lady Gaga

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T.I. Says Song With Lady Gaga May Not Be ‘A Keeper’