‘I couldn’t play for a little while, so I started rapping more,’ he recalls on the episode, airing Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. By Henna Kathiya Common Photo: MTV News While most 17-year-olds were spending their free time playing video games and hanging out, Common was perfecting his skills. There’s no doubt that this led to his successful hip-hop career. The Grammy-winning artist revealed how he began rapping thanks to a sports-related injury on this week’s episode of “When I Was 17,” airing Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. “When I was 17, I went to high school at [Chicago’s] Luther South, and I did well in high school,” the MC said on the episode, which also features T-Pain and “Twilight” star Alex Meraz. “I played basketball, but I got injured.” Common was hit in the eye during one of the games. Of course, that put him out of the game for a little bit, since it’s kind of important to be able to see what’s going on. So Common decided to use his time a little more productively than most other 17-year-olds. “When I got injured, I couldn’t play for a little while, so I started rapping more,” he said. “I would be in gym class, and I would, like, get somebody to start beatboxing, and I’d just start freestyling.” Even at such a young age, Common’s freestyling skills were unmatched. “He would be able to freestyle on any topic,” his friend Marlon recalled. “We would change topics for him, and he would be able to talk about and rap about it. It was actually amazing.” He went by the moniker Rashid Cool at the time, and people knew he was a force to be reckoned with. “It was right around the time hip-hop was getting strong, so you get respect. A lot of people were like, ‘Rashid Cool, you know he’s good people,’ ” Common said. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring T-Pain, Common and Alex Meraz — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos ‘When I Was 17’ Preview: T-Pain, Common And Alex Meraz Related Artists Common
Actor. Writer. Photographer. Musician. And now Joshua Leonard makes his feature directing debut this week with The Lie , a darkly comic, sneakily moving vision of 30-something parenthood.
Rob Kardashian also impresses the judges. By Kelley L. Carter Ricki Lake and Derek Hough Photo: ABC The talk-show queen has regained her crown! Ricki Lake turned in a stellar performance during Monday night’s “Dancing With the Stars.” Lake impressed with her samba, and she and her partner Derek Hough brought the audience — and the picky judges — to their feet during the semifinals telecast of the show. Ricki Lake and Derek Hough Lake earned a perfect score during the first round from the judges; hard-to-please head judge Len Goodman even cheered her on, saying, “Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous!” She later came back to dance the tango, which earned her another pair of perfect 10s and a nine from Carrie Ann Inaba. J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff After coming off last week’s impressive dances — he earned back-to-back perfect 30s — the war hero failed to impress the judges this week. He hurt himself earlier at dance rehearsals — he had a twisted ankle — and his paso doble earned a mere 23 points. His second dance was the tango; the judges gave him 27/30 for it. Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke The reality-TV star took on the samba for his first-round dance, and the judges liked what they saw. “Rob, it was amazing,” Inaba told him. He earned 28 out of 30 for that dance. For his second-round dance, he danced the tango, which earned him 27 points. Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy The Olympian failed to channel her sexy the way the judges have been chiding her to do all season long. Her first-round performance was the paso doble, and the judges gave her a paltry 21/30, saying it was too aggressive. Her second dance was a tango, and they said she improved, but not by much. She earned 24/30. Who had your favorite dance this week. Let us know in the comments!
Meek Mill will also make an appearance on the show, airing Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com. By Rob Markman Rick Ross Photo: Getty Images Rick Ross is back and the Maybach Music boss has much to celebrate. After suffering two seizures in October, Rozay is focused on his health and relishing in the success of Wale’s current #1 rap album Ambition . On Wednesday, the biggest Bawse and Meek Mill will be featured on “RapFix Live” and touch on MMG’s reign, his upcoming album, his new mixtape with Drake and how he and his team are moving after his health scare. Ross will also speak on Trina. Last week, “RapFix Live” invited Da Baddest Bitch to the red couch and talked to her about her new album, her love life and the possibility of her signing to Rozay’s Maybach Music label. Trina stayed tight-lipped about the merger, but hopefully Ross can shed some light. “I have a few surprises,” Trina said on “RapFix Live.” “This album, I want to make it more about me. I’m not going to have a whole album full of features. I’m working with some really great producers and Ross, of course. He’s the structure and the leader for the album. I love Ross. He’s like my brother, so it’s really important for me that he understands where I’m at right now and to help make this album be as great as I want it to.” Ross has also been contributing to Meek Mill’s as-yet-untitled debut LP, so expect an album update from the Philadelphia flame spitter as well as info on his recently released “I’ma Boss (Remix),” featuring Lil Wayne, T.I., Rick Ross, Swizz Beatz, DJ Khaled and Birdman. N.O.R.E. will also make an appearance on this week’s show. The Capone-N-Noreaga rapper has been down in Miami, not only putting the finishing touches on his upcoming Super Thug album, but also concentrating on his health. N.O.R.E. will talk about the steps he has been taking to shed pounds as well as speak on his buddy Fat Joe’s new look and his thoughts on the recent death of hip-hop legend Heavy D . That’s not all. Fans will be able to see what industry insiders are listening to in our regular “Week in Rotation” segment and check out new talent with this week’s “Get in the Game” pick. Catch Rick Ross, Meek Mill and N.O.R.E. on “RapFix Live” Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com, and be sure to join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #RapFixLive! Related Artists Rick Ross N.O.R.E. Meek Mill
It’s over. It can mean the best of news or the worst of news, a new beginning or the utmost in closure. Its extremity is unparalleled, its harsh clarity often benumbing. Some people found out this week what It’s over meant for them. For many of the rest of us, it couldn’t be over soon enough. But you can get all the more closer here with Movieline’s Week in Review.
‘You’ll have to wait and see,’ the ‘X Factor’ mentor and ‘AGT’ producer tells MTV News with a wink and smile. By Jim Cantiello Simon Cowell Photo: MTV News HOLLYWOOD — “America’s Got Talent” could get a lot more shocking next summer. This week, reports leaked that producers have approached radio superstar Howard Stern to replace Piers Morgan, who bowed out of the gig to focus on his new CNN show. And now, “America’s Got Talent” creator and executive producer Simon Cowell has added fuel to the shock jock’s fire. At “The X Factor” viewing party in the Hollywood Hills last night, Cowell was predictably playful when asked if Stern was an actual possibility as a Piers replacement. “You’ll have to wait and see,” Simon told MTV News with a wink and a smile. This isn’t the first time Stern has lobbied for a spot on a hit show’s judging panel. His name briefly popped up when Paula quit “American Idol” in 2009, but it wasn’t until Cowell announced his own “Idol” departure in 2010 that the “Private Parts” author looked like a real contender for a hot minute. Stern told his satellite-radio listeners that he was on the short list to take over the open spot. “There’s not a better job on the planet than judging a f—ing karaoke contest,” Stern said. “It might be possible; we’ll see.” At the time, the outspoken “Idol” critic said he would quit his radio show if Fox ponied up enough dough. (He threw out the figure $100 million. Shortly after his radio announcement, “Idol” poo-pooed Stern’s claims, saying they had barely begun searching for a new judge.) According to the Wall Street Journal, NBC isn’t offering anywhere near that kind of salary for the “Talent” gig. (Think more like $15 million.) However, a source also claims that NBC may be moving the summer talent competition to New York so Howard Stern could easily continue his satellite-radio show while also judging jugglers, singers and fire-breathers. Cowell jokingly hinted that Stern might be asking for too much money, quipping to MTV News’ cameras, “[You’re] cheaper, right? That will help.” Do you think Howard Stern is a good fit for “America’s Got Talent”? Sound off in the comments below!
‘A few years later, I realized Therapist sounded like a wrestler’s name,’ Roc Nation rapper recalls on Saturday’s episode. By Henna Kathiya J. Cole Photo: C. Brandon/ Redferns Before he was signed with Roc Nation and topping charts with his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, 17-year-old Jermaine Cole was still trying to find his hip-hop identity. And on this week’s episode of “When I Was 17,” North Carolina native J. Cole reveals some of his rather interesting pre-fame stage names. “When I was 17, I had been rapping for what, five years, at that point,” Cole reveals on Saturday’s show, which airs at 11 a.m. ET on MTV. “There was a local group named Bomb Shelter that had been mentoring me since I was 14 years old.” And it was Bomb Shelter that really got J. Cole thinking about a catchy rap name. “One [group member] was Nervous Reck and the other was Filthy Ritch. I was like man, ‘Those are the most creative rap names I ever heard. I need a rap name like that!’ ” Cole recalls. So the budding rapper did what any smart guy would do — he hit the books. “We used to look through the dictionary for rap names,” he says, “I could never find nothing. One day these dudes [Bomb Shelter] were like, ‘Yo, we got a name for you, it’s Therapist,’ ” he said. While J. Cole wasn’t entirely feeling the name, he decided to test it out with the help of his mentors. His friend, Nervous Reck, thought Cole could make it work by playing up the doctor angle. “I was like maybe it could work, you just gotta play on the whole doctor image and being therapeutic and your music is therapeutic,” Nervous Reck explains on the episode. So Cole rocked with the moniker Therapist for a while, figuring his mentors knew better than he did about these matters. “A few years later, I realized Therapist sounded like a wrestler’s name,” Cole laughs. “You know, like an alias. It didn’t feel real.” So he ditched Therapist and adopted J. Cole. “J. Cole felt like my real name. That was a real natural fit. It didn’t feel like I was trying to be anything.” We think his fans would agree: Therapist World just doesn’t have the same ring to it. “When I Was 17” — this week featuring J. Cole, Robyn and Chad Michael Murray — airs on Saturday at 11a.m ET/PT on MTV. Related Videos Preview ‘When I Was 17’ Featuring J. Cole, Robyn And Chad Michael Murray Related Artists J. Cole
‘I just know that Kim is a great person. She’s a very sweet person,’ Trina tells ‘RapFix Live’ about Kardashian’s decision to divorce. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Trina Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV News These days it seems like everyone is talking about Kim Kardashian’s divorce from Kris Humphries . Sometimes it’s on purpose, like when we asked Chelsea Handler and Wendy Williams to weigh in, and sometimes it’s unintentional, as was recently the case with Mariah Carey . Regardless of where Hollywood stands on Kim’s short-lived marriage, there are those who are extending their love and support to the reality starlet. One of those supporters is rapper Trina , who attended the summer wedding and has the fondest memories of the lavish ceremony, which was attended by the former couple’s closest 400 friends and relatives. “I just know that Kim is a great person. She’s a very sweet person and whatever is going on, I’m sure she’ll work it out and they’ll fix it,” Trina said on “RapFix Live” this week. “I was at the wedding. It was very beautiful and, of course, I’m like, wishing her all the best and the support and everything. Things just happen [that are] like weird, just weird.” While many of the events of the splashy bash remain memorable, it was sister Kourtney Kardashian’s little boy who remains a fan favorite. “To me, the best part was to see her walk down the aisle. It was just amazing, and her little nephew, Mason, I think he was the cutest thing, like running up and down,” she said. “It was a really, really beautiful intimate ceremony.” Like Trina, fellow Kim K pal La La Anthony is sticking by her girl through all the post-divorce thick and thin. “Of course I was surprised by the news,” she explained earlier this week. “Anytime someone gets a divorce, it’s a difficult time. All I can do is be her friend and support her through every part of it, and that’s what I’m doing.” Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ With Trina Related Artists Trina
After an all-group bottom two last week, MTV News’ Jim Cantiello says Abdul isn’t taking any chances. By Jim Cantiello Paula Abdul Photo: Getty Images MTV News’ own Jim Cantiello is exclusively covering “The X Factor” rehearsals. Read on for his fly-on-the-wall backstage report! “X Factor” mentor Paula Abdul is determined to keep her remaining groups — the Stereo Hogzz and Lakoda Rayne — out of the bottom two come results time Thursday night. She’s always hands-on with her contestants, whether TV cameras are around or not, but last week’s all-group bottom two have made her even more passionate about her job. This week in “X Factor” land, Abdul was everywhere you looked, from inside the house powwowing with choreographer Brian Friedman and vocal producer Claude Kelly to the middle of the studio’s parking lot, where she had the crew erect a giant set piece so one of her groups could rehearse on it before they got thrown onstage. Once it came time to rehearse inside the house, Paula huddled with her groups. Literally, they formed a huddle, like football players. Unlike the NFL, however, the quarterback was wearing showstopping stilettos, which made huddling all the more impressive. Breaking news: Paula Abdul has great balance! During rehearsal, Abdul was up on her feet behind the judging table, rocking the choreo for her groups. If a camera caught her, she’d look like one of those overzealous pageant moms on “Toddlers & Tiaras,” only way more fabulous. (Her stilettos deserve a second shout-out, you guys. They were that fierce!) Not only that, she can still really dance, straight up. And her enthusiasm for her acts is infectious. But it’s not only the groups that are jazzed for Wednesday night’s (November 9) performance episode. I overheard one of the Over 30’s telling a producer how all 11 remaining acts will look especially good this go-round. “We’re all so comfortable with our song choices this week,” the contestant gushed. Meanwhile, the backup dancers are quickly becoming the hardest-working members of the “X Factor” team, and their multitasking skills have reached new heights. Exhibit A: Two shirtless male dancers were spotted outside the stage doors working on their suntans while also devouring a plate of craft service and going over some dance moves — at the same time! Dancer skin is pretty common around the “X Factor” stage, actually. In between numbers, you can usually find dozens of backup dancers switching costumes right in front of everyone. (They’re not getting buck naked, mind you. This isn’t “XXX Factor.”) Other tidbits: One contestant had no trouble maneuvering stairs onstage but, hilariously, was confounded by a mic stand. (Turns out the sparkly prop looked great on camera but was faulty. A standard mic stand will suffice.) Willow Smith will be popping in to make an appearance on “The X Factor” this week. All eyes are on whether she’ll say hello to her dad’s old double-decker trailer, which is parked directly outside the studio and houses none other than Simon Cowell. Rumor has it Cowell is angling for a new triple-decker trailer to one-up the Fresh Prince. Amazing. Speaking of Simon, Nicole Scherzinger banned him from her Over 30’s rehearsals. I imagine she doesn’t want him taking credit for her contestants’ success any more. Smart move, Nicole! I have a sneaking suspicion Simon will get plenty of raves for his own contestants this week. After one girl finished a run-through, Simon leapt out of his chair to smother her with a bear hug. Simon was so stoked, in fact, he even stayed around for L.A. Reid’s boys’ rehearsals and — dare I expose him — actually danced during one of L.A.’s contestants’ upbeat numbers. Full disclosure: he does not move like Jagger, but he definitely has impressive rhythm. The $5 million question: Will he boogie during Wednesday night’s live show? You can catch Jim on the “X Factor Pepsi Pre-Show,” streaming at 7 p.m. ET tonight on TheXFactorUSA.com ! Related Artists Paula Abdul
Another week, another chance to play guest critic at Movieline and earn a cool prize. This time, our giveaway is Blue Velvet -themed in honor of the 25th anniversary Blu-ray release of David Lynch’s twisted, symbolism-laden, profanity-heavy masterpiece. So crack a Pabst Blue Ribbon and click ahead to begin the fun!
