Alicia Keys hasn’t let the public see her son yet, but that hasn’t stopped her from gushing about her 8-month old with Swizz Beatz, Egypt Daoud Dean. “He loves to laugh. [He laughs] at everything. I’ll say a joke that’s totally a grown person’s joke and he’ll laugh. I’m like, ‘Ha! You get me.’,” she told PEOPLE . “I do silly noises on his cheek and he’ll just crack up. A person making a silly face, me tickling him – he laughs at everything.” “If he wants to laugh, he’ll egg you on, so that you’ll start to make him laugh. … He has one of those big Gerber baby giggles, and it’s huge and perfect.” Keys also says he’s a perfect passenger on a plane. “He’s a rock star champion flyer. I can take him on a six or seven hour plane or if we take the train from Paris to London, he rolls with it. His temperament is super cool.” No Need For A Double Take, There’s Now Two Alicia Keys’! [PHOTOS] Alicia Keys To Produce Broadway Play
Nicki Minaj breathed life to David Guetta’s “Where Them Girls At” with her animated and infectious flow. Bubbles flow through speakers and follow Nicki through a crowded club which causes females to burst out into dance! Flo Rida let’s his swag hang loose by the pool! Mary J. Blige ft. Nicki Minaj “Feel Inside” [NEW MUSIC] Nicki Minaj Performs “Till The World Ends” Remix With Britney Spears In LA [VIDEO] Are These BP Artists Good Enough to Get Signed? 2011 BET Award Winners & Recap FACT OF THE DAY: Foxy Brown Was Not Always Foxy FACT OF THE DAY: LL Cool J Dropped Out Of High School To Record His Debut Album
This morning on my way to work, something interesting happened that made me think more critically about how time and change are interconnected. I was walking on the train platform at a quarter past eight as usual when I turned around and saw someone I had not seen in at least three years. We both stared at each other in a caffeine-deprived haze, somehow managing to exchange awkward hellos and small talk before boarding the train. Although we have known each other for most of our childhoods, this surprise of running into each other years after graduating made it evident how much had changed. As we started trading stories about our jobs and lives at the moment, another former classmate walks by, prompting a similar scene of greetings and mutual intrigue. After we had all piled into the train a short time later, I flopped down into my seat and mused about what had just happened. While I ended up taking a few minutes to settle my nerves, I settled into a comfortable calm and suddenly felt inspired to report on what I had experienced. What became clear to me is that when you are caught off-guard by unexpected social situations, you lose the illusion of control over your surroundings, therefore, you subconsciously overthink everything that occurs. It was an especially nerve-wracking scenario because I had only woken up an hour before this meeting and had not yet had my caffeine fix, which my friends joke is the only way I become less zombie and more human. Feeling suddenly thrown back into past friendships can seem weird, even if you are more confident and self-assured than you ever were when you knew them. In the current days of social networking sites such as Facebook, the likelihood of meeting up with old friends and classmates has become exponentially higher. Making good impressions in person, however, and being able to market the real you takes perseverance and is a strength that can only be built upon. Here are some tips for keeping yourself fresh and approachable, even when your nerves have taken over: 1. Keep your eyes peeled and your head held up high. The most important part of being confident is that your inner and outer self match. Stand up straight, have a smile on your face, and keep a watchful eye of your surroundings, as you never know who you are going to meet at any given time. If you are able to display the confidence and self-assured grace that you have built up since your school days, then others will be able to see it, too, and be drawn to you! Embrace your current self and keep others up-to-date on your poised demeanor! The Importance Of Seeking Out Connections With People 2. Smile and look into people’s eyes while talking. This might seem like an obvious idea when it comes to conversation etiquette, but many people forget even the simplest forms of communicating when they encounter an unexpected situation! Although you may be caught off-guard when first seeing someone you know, being able to hold eye contact and provide a warm smile can ease even the most awkward of situations. Reminding yourself that these are people you used to know or should get to know better can put you in a better mindset and ready to communicate more effectively! 3. Brainstorm some interesting “go-to” facts about your life to share with others. One of the most common questions that is asked when you haven’t seen someone in a while is “What are you up to now?” This can be a difficult question to answer for some people, as they might have a myriad of interests or a job that is difficult to describe. If you have a complicated list in your mind at the moment and don’t know how to break it down, think of a few key facts about yourself and keep them in the back of your mind for social situations. You never know when you might need to get your shine on! 4. Wake up with an optimism for the upcoming day. Get yourself ready in the morning with confidence and dress the way you feel best! If you have a poor attitude to begin with, who’s to say the rest of your day won’t be spectacular? You just have to have the faith in who you are – a strong, independent woman who can do anything she puts her mind to! If you don’t keep the glass half full, who will? You have to exude the confidence that you know you have and work it to your advantage. Never give up your self-worth in favor of nerves and lack of courage! Optimism & The Art Of Facing Your Fears 5. Be yourself. Always being true to yourself is the best advice in terms of marketing your strong points and keeping your self-esteem alive! Even if someone tells you that you have to dress differently or adopt a new style that isn’t comfortable for you (unless that person is your boss!), you shouldn’t have to compromise or change yourself for someone else. The best way to show others the real you is to BE the real you from the get-go! Never forget who you are and always strive to better combat your emotions through an optimistic lens. By giving yourself permission to spread your wings as the person you truly are, others will see this brightness and be encouraged by your confident, assured attitude! Be who you are and don’t ever sacrifice that. Being aware of how you exude your outer confidence and attitude makes it much easier to market yourself to the best of your ability – and anyone that you encounter will see this! By bringing out the eye contact, smiling, and assured demeanor when asked about your life, you have the opportunity to come off as an interesting and fantastic person to interact with. Never give up your originality or quirks, as by learning how to use these to your advantage, you can charm anyone with the real you – and be proud of who you are! Are These BP Artists Good Enough to Get Signed? 2011 BET Award Winners & Recap FACT OF THE DAY: Foxy Brown Was Not Always Foxy FACT OF THE DAY: LL Cool J Dropped Out Of High School To Record His Debut Album
My name is Izabela. I have always been a belieber and I always had a dream. It was to actually meet and get an autograph or a picture with my number one idol: Justin Bieber. Not until a couple days ago (June 23 2011) after all these years of trying to, I finally met him. I have always been entering contests and every opportunity that I had to meet him, I tried to accomplish it. But sadly not one gave me a chance, except for Jingle Ball 2011. I begged my parents for about a month or so to actually get a chance to go, and I even gave up tv and my laptop for a week. Honestly, the only reason why I wanted to go to Jingle Ball so badly was because Justin Bieber would be there. Once I got to Jingle Ball I saved my batteries on my camera until I saw Justin Bieber, although he was last to perform I didn’t mind. I saw him and that’s all that actually counted. Once Justin Bieber came up on stage to perform I was probably the most enthusiastic out of all the fans there, I was screaming, shouting, singing every song, and I even let out a little tear. From then on I was the happiest anyone can be. Then I heard about his My World Tour at Madison Square Garden, but I was in Europe at that time with my grandparents. The year after that (June, 21 and 22, 2011) I heard about winning Meet and Greet Tickets for Justin Bieber at Macy’s on Z100 but of course no hope. On June 22 2011, I heard about him being on the Today Show. I got my group of friends and we planned everything out. The next morning I woke up an hour late but nothing stopped me from going. I briskly got dressed at ran to the train station. Finally June,23, 2011 he came out to the screaming crowd and I was there. Standing behind the barriers to meet him, I was waiting impatiently until he came up to me. My heart stopped for a few minutes and I don’t even remember him signing my paper, and I let out the first few words, “Can I please have a picture with you” and he just stood there and took a breathe and said “Sure” with a smile. My heart dropped, and I felt sort of bad because he was so tired and every girl was begging for something. One thing I do regret is not asking for a hug, but it’s okay, I’ll wait until next time! Excerpt from: My name is Izabela. I have always been a belieber and I always…
Remember the Toronto Premiere of ‘Never Say Never’? Well that was probably the most stressful weekend of my life! It all started the day before my history exam when Kiss 92.5 announced they would be giving out tickets to the Toronto premiere of Never Say Never. I actually called in like 3485743890239854 times. It would ring sometimes, but most of the time it was just busy. Toronto Belieber’s are unreal; let’s just leave it at that. I had the week off school because I had just finished exams, and literally my entire break was spent working as hard as I possibly could to get tickets to the premiere. Kiss 92.5 was on in my house and every time they announced they were giving them away, all my friends and family would call in, but no luck. That’s when Muchmusic announced if you wanted tickets to see Bieber on Much that weekend come to the show on Tuesday. We went and it turned out they only had only 20 tickets, so they drew names from a hat, and neither of us won. I bawled my eyes out on the train ride home, knowing that the premiere was tomorrow and I didn’t have tickets. We tried to look on the bright side; there’s going to be other opportunities to see Justin, but we were really upset. Then Kiss announced that we still had 1 chance left. We had to go down to Dundas Square tomorrow with a sign involving Kiss 92.5 & Justin Bieber and the best signs would get tickets. That night, we actually didn’t sleep. We worked all night on a poster that was 3 bristol boards long, it had pop outs, glitter and a lot of hard work went into it. We woke up at 10am the next day, and with barley any sleep it was back on the train down to Toronto for that one shot at tickets to the premiere. We got to Dundas Square and it was packed with girls with AMAZING signs. We were just chilling in the -20 degree weather when this man came up to us and said “Don’t freak out, just meet me in AMC”. I was like, “Did we win” and he said “Yes, but don’t freak out”. I was flipping out in the calmest way possible as we made our way to the AMC across the street. There was a lady there who gave us our tickets and showed up wear to go. While we were in line we saw Chaz, Ryan and Mitch. It was so sweet. Then we got into the theatre and met Dan Kanter. He’s amazing. Then everyone had to go back to there seats and JUSTIN BIEBER came out and introduced Jon M Chu, and thanked us all for coming. They surprised Justin and brought out DRAKE. We couldn’t believe this was all happening less then 20 feet away from us. Justin then took his seat and they played the movie. Justin was sitting like only 5 rows away from us. Shoutout to Jon Chu on directing an incredible movie, that I will watch over and over again. IT WAS AMAZING. I would be watching the movie, and I would just turn to my friend and be like HOLY CRAP, Justin is right there! Ahhh! In the end it all worked out for us. We didn’t get to meet Justin, but the day was amazing. We went from not having tickets the day of the premiere to being there, with Justin and the rest of his amazing crew. Thank you Kiss 92.5 for the amazing experience! I’ll never forget it. -Jenny Zies @jennyzies Read the original here: Remember the Toronto Premiere of ‘Never Say…
Songwriting/production duo Rock City say reggae-infused tune is ‘the female version’ of ‘I Shot the Sherriff.’ By Rebecca Thomas, with reporting by Steven Roberts Rock City Photo: MTV News The encounter begins simply enough. A handsome guy walks into a dank club and makes a beeline for the pretty girl with waist-length, red locks who’s dancing by herself. He moves gently, showing only a hint of force when he grabs her wrists and pins them against the wall. But it’s what happens afterward in Rihanna ‘s new “Man Down” video that has had critics decrying the clip since it debuted last week. Rih’s onscreen character strolls out of the Jamaican nightclub with her dance-floor partner pursuing her. A terrifying struggle ensues. When it’s over, his red mesh tank is torn, his cheek bruised, and the visibly shaken pop star is weeping. Rih decides to exact her own justice with a .22 caliber handgun that she calls “Peggy Sue.” (“I didn’t mean to end his life/ I know it wasn’t right,” she sings.) While the Anthony Mandler-directed clip appears to mirror the lyrics of the dancehall-flavored tune, when MTV News caught up with Rock City, the songwriting/performing duo behind “Man Down,” they said the verses were meant to be open to interpretation. “We wanted the song to be something to where everybody had an opinion,” Theron (a.k.a. Da Spokesman) revealed. “Some people felt it was literal, some people felt it was a metaphor.” U.S. Virgin Island-born Theron and his brother Timothy “Don’t Talk Much” Thomas — their Free at Last album is due June 21 — along with producer Shama “Sham” Joseph (a.k.a. Sak Pase), served up the narrative track specifically to let the Barbados beauty tap her island origins in a way that sounded authentic. And in a city like Kingston, Jamaica, where guns and gangs often mar the lush landscape, what could be more authentic than a girl seeking violent retribution for a sexual assault, only to find herself overcome with regret as the singer does in the visual? “When we wrote the song, me and my brother was trying to re-create in the best way possible, you know, like, Bob Marley ‘I Shot the Sherriff,’ ” Timothy told us. “The female version of what that would be.” But now that the siren-laced tune’s companion clip is stirring up controversy, Theron thinks some viewers are forgetting that the song, like so much Caribbean music, is about telling tales. “It’s like somebody wrote a script for a movie and she delivered it perfectly,” Theron argued. “I just think sometimes people need something to talk about, and this is a thing to talk about. … ‘Cause when you listen to the song word-for-word-for-word, if she shot it theatrically how [the lyrics are], it probably would have been a little [more graphic], if you ask me,” he laughed. When we interviewed Rihanna back in November, just before Loud dropped, she defiantly described “Man Down.” “The special thing in that song is the fact that it’s a female singing those lyrics,” she said. “Then you have that reggae thing and the chant; the overall energy in that song is so gangsta!” What do you think of Rihanna’s “Man Down” video? We want to hear from you in the comments below! Related Photos The Ultimate Rihanna Photo Gallery Related Artists Rihanna Bob Marley
‘They said Chuck Norris was in the train,’ star Riley Griffiths tells us at the movie’s premiere in Los Angeles. By Kara Warner Riley Griffiths, Kyle Chandler and Elle Fanning Photo: Getty Images LOS ANGELES — One of the more exciting things about the new J.J. Abrams-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced thriller “Super 8” is the overall mystery of the film. From the basic plot details that have been released, very little is known about what the heck the movie is about. Based on word of mouth and one key moment in the film’s trailers that show something trying to escape a locked compartment on a train, there is a very mysterious “thing” or secret terrorizing a small town. MTV News headed out to the film’s star-studded premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday night to find out from the castmembers what crazy theories they’ve heard about what the “it” or “thing” or “big secret” is all about. Their answers were surprisingly varied and all over the map. “I’ve seen on IMDb that a lot of people thought it was a giant lion,” Zach Mills said. “I don’t know why. That’s the craziest thing I’ve heard.” “The funniest thing that someone has guessed what it is, they said Chuck Norris was in the train,” Riley Griffiths revealed. “That’s probably the funniest thing I’ve heard so far.” “I think someone said once on Facebook or something that it was the cube that Elle [Fanning] and Joel [Courtney] are looking at, and that [they think] it’s some creature,” Gabriel Basso said of a moment where Fanning and Courtney’s characters are examining a vibrating white cube. “That was really funny. I laughed.” Ryan Lee’s conspiracy theorists or secret guessers seemed to think that the mystery revolves around someone or something with a canine obsession. “[They think] that the thing has a dog fetish,” Lee revealed. “That’s the funniest thing somebody has said to me about the mystery of the movie. They think that thing is hoarding dogs in its train, I guess.” And last but not least, the adult in the group, actor Kyle Chandler, recalled a theorist who thinks the mystery revolves around a certain fever- and frenzy-inducing pop star. “Someone suggested to me that it was Justin Bieber,” he said. “And it could be.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Super 8.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
At the MTV Movie Awards, J.J. Abrams and Co. gave an exclusive peek at what triggers his flick’s chaotic chain of events. By Kara Warner Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee and Riley Griffiths in “Super 8” Photo: Paramount The masterfully mysterious marketing campaign behind J.J. Abrams’ would-be blockbuster “Super 8” — which has included teasers, the super8secret.com site, TV spots and other veiled preview pieces — will officially come to an end this Friday, when the film finally opens nationwide in theaters. Until then, however, we must turn your attention to one more bit of teasery: the exclusive extended “Super 8” clip that was presented during the 2011 MTV Movie Awards on Sunday (June 5). Introduced by none other than Abrams, executive producer Steven Spielberg, and stars Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney, this new footage takes us closer to the mystery than we’ve been able to get thus far. The spot opens with six kids (Fanning, Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Gabriel Basso, Ryan Lee and Zach Mills) in the middle of shooting their own movie at a train station, late at night. The sound of an oncoming train disrupts the scene, followed by the blaring of the train whistle, a shot of a truck speeding onto the track and colliding into the train, creating a chaotic explosion, which is captured by the super 8 camera that the kids were using to film their movie. This then sets into motion a series of action sequences, all pegged to the mystery of what prompted the train crash and what classified cargo may or may not have been onboard. There are eerie non-human sound effects, quick cuts of a small town in turmoil over a series of inexplicable events, explosions, military officials trying to decide how to destroy the certain something that is causing all the destruction, and our kid heroes caught up in the middle of it. So, wow. What does it all mean? For those who prefer not to dig too deep into trailers and teaser footage, we respect your willpower and desire to remain unspoiled. For those who’ve been analyzing every bit of tape since Abrams announced the film, do you have it figured out yet? What is this unidentified object that has sent this small town into an uproar and called military forces to action? Share your theories in the comments below! MTV News has all of the highlights from the 2011 MTV Movie Awards . Relive the best moments, watch red-carpet interviews with your favorite stars and read all about what went on behind the scenes on the big night. Check out everything we’ve got on “Super 8.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Amazing Exclusives From The MTV Movie Awards Related Photos Exclusive Movie Props From The 2011 MTV Movie Awards 2011 Movie Awards: Red Carpet Fashion
Tracy Morgan knows funny. Seriously, go check out a few Tracy Jordan quotes from 30 Rock . So the comedian has come clout when he speaks on Charlie Sheen, and he told AOL this week that the troubled actor’s publicity tour is far more tragic than it is humorous. “I think that’s a train wreck and I feel bad for his two little kids because they’re the bodies being pulled out of the train wreck,” Morgan said while promoting Rio . “What’s going to happen to them? But everybody thinks it’s a joke.” Morgan, 42, is a father of three children and he has battled substance abuse problems himself. But his kids are grown up, and he hasn’t spouted off to every media outlet available about his issues. Nor has he ever claimed to be “winning.” “While this a–hole is going on stage making a fool of himself, his kids are going to suffer and don’t even know it because this is a cycle of abuse,” Morgan said. Shockingly, Sheen is yet to respond to these insults. We’d expect that to change any second now. [Photos: WENN.com]
In Prodigy ‘s new autobiography, My Infamous Life , he reveals that his partner in Mobb Deep , Havoc, had asked him to drop a verse on a song he was producing for The Notorious B.I.G. called “Last Day.” Prodigy responded by saying that he thought Biggie was corny. Complex Magazine recently caught up with Prodigy and asked him about that portion of the book, and Prodigy graciously explained his train of thought at the time. When Havoc was talking about producing “Last Dayz” in the book and he was telling you to get on it, I was surprised that your reaction was that Biggie was corny. A lot of people was feeling him, I just wasn’t feeling him. Another thing is that, I used to take things real personal. I was real serious when it came to rapping. I still do, but even more so when I was real young. I was on some other sh*t dun. I wasn’t f*cking with nobody else but Mobb Deep. I had tunnel-vision, straight up. I ain’t see nothing but Mobb Deep. I ain’t hear nothing but Mobb Deep. And n*ggas can’t f*ck with Mobb Deep. That was my opinion, how I was thinking, and my life. Mobb Deep, f*ck everybody else. So when I used to hear certain sh*t that Biggie used to say, he used to take some of my lines from my lyrics, and use them. That used to p*ss me off, because I was like, “Damn, this n*gga just bit my sh*t.” Like what lines? Like “N*ggas bleed just like us,” that’s my sh*t, and certain other things. But at that time it would p*ss me off, but now when I look back at it, it’s a compliment. He wasn’t trying to steal. He was basically kind of like a fan. And now I realize because I feel the same way about him. And I feel the same way about certain other rappers too. Just had a different mentality back then. It was little things like that. Prodigy’s autobiography, My Infamous Life , is in stores tomorrow, April 19th. RELATED: Mobb Deep “Love Y’all More” [NEW MUSIC] RELATED: Prodigy From Mobb Deep’s First Post-Prison Interview [VIDEO]
