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| Eminem, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre's 'Crack A Bottle' -- Check Out Photo From Video
February 25, 2009 at 12:59 pm
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| Eminem's manager posts photo, says video is coming within 'a couple of weeks.'
By Shaheem Reid 
An image from the Eminem, Dre and 50 Cent video shoot for "Crack a Bottle"
Photo: Paulrosenblog.com The video's coming in about two weeks: That's what Eminem's manager, Paul Rosenberg, said in a blog post that accompanies a photo from the much-anticipated video for the Eminem/ 50 Cent/ Dr. Dre tag-team effort "Crack a Bottle." The photo, posted Wednesday morning (February 25) on PaulRosenBlog.com, shows a horrifically dirty vagrant holding a bottle that's wrapped in a brown paper bag. Rosenberg blogged that the video will be "ready for the world within a couple of weeks. The video is directed by Syndrome and it's going to be bananas." Still unclear at press time is just who is the lead artist on the "three-headed monster" track; the label hasn't commented. 50 Cent told MTV News earlier this year that "Crack a Bottle" — which was reportedly intended to appear on either Dr. Dre's years-in-the-making Detox or Eminem's forthcoming Relapse — would be on his upcoming Before I Self Destruct. That album has been pushed back to a summer release. In its first week on iTunes, "Crack a Bottle" sold close to 500,000 units. The posse cut also went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 50, Eminem and Dr. Dre have all been hard at work on their albums in recent weeks. Although there has been no comment from the label, Dre tracks — in various stages of completion — have leaked, especially from his latest sessions with T.I. Tracks that feature Tip apparently referencing Dre have leaked onto the Internet before the Doc even had a chance to lay his vocals. "Crack a Bottle" also leaked in unfinished form, with Eminem calling for a Dre verse that hadn't yet been added. Meanwhile 50 has been double dipping on the radio. Besides "Crack a Bottle," he also has the record "I Get It In" (featuring a beat Dre originally recorded for Eminem) out now. In a separate development, 50 told MTV News this week that the leak of a photo of a bruised Rihanna after her alleged altercation with Chris Brown led him to rethink the videos on his Web site spoofing the situation, and that "there will definitely be no more reference to that from me in any way." Related Artists |
| No Doubt Announce Dates For Summer Tour With Paramore
February 25, 2009 at 12:27 pm
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| Tickets go on sale March 7; members of No Doubt's Tour Club can buy pre-sale starting Thursday.
By James Montgomery 
No Doubt's Gwen Stefani
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage No Doubt have finally announced the dates for their much-anticipated summer tour with Paramore. The trek will kick off with a pair of festival appearances — May 3 at the Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and May 16 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, for Tiger Woods' annual Tiger Jam charity event. After No Doubt work off the rust that comes with a four-year hiatus, they'll kick into high gear on May 19 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. All in all, the Paradoubt (we just made that up!) tour will make 44 stops across North America before wrapping on August 1 in No Doubt's Orange County, California, home turf. Tickets for most dates will go on sale March 7, though members of No Doubt's Tour Club will be given an exclusive 72-hour pre-sale, which starts Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. Members of Paramore's fan club get their crack at tickets on May 2. For more information on pre-sales, head over to NoDoubt.com or Paramore.net. In addition to Paramore, the Sounds, Janelle Monáe and Bedouin Soundclash will serve as support on select dates. Dates for No Doubt's 2009 summer tour: » May 3 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Meadowlands Sports Complex (Bamboozle Festival)
» May 16 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center (Tiger Jam XII)
» May 19 - Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center
» May 20 - Bakersfield, CA @ Rabobank Arena
» May 22 - Chula Vista, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
» May 23 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
» May 25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The E Center
» May 27 - Englewood, CO @ Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
» May 28 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
» May 30 - Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center
» May 31 - Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
» June 2 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
» June 3 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheatre
» June 5 - Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre
» June 6 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
» June 8 - Raleigh, NC @ Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
» June 10 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
» June 11 - Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
» June 13 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
» June 14 - Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
» June 16 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
» June 17 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
» June 19 - Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
» June 20 - Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
» June 24 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
» June 26 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
» June 27 - Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
» June 29 - Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
» July 2 - Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheater (Summerfest)
» July 3 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
» July 5 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
» July 6 - Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
» July 8 - St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
» July 10 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
» July 11 - Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
» July 13 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
» July 15 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
» July 16 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
» July 18 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
» July 19 - Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
» July 21 - Concord, CA @ Sleep Train Pavilion
» July 24 - Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
» July 25 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
» July 31 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
» August 1 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Related Artists |
| Taylor Swift Notches 10th Week At #1, Lady Gaga Cracks Top 10
February 25, 2009 at 12:16 pm
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| 'Slumdog Millionaire' soundtrack makes big jump, thanks to Oscar buzz.
By Gil Kaufman 
Taylor Swift
Photo: Candice Lawler Taylor Swift is making this look way, way too easy. The country superstar will notch her 10th time at #1 on the Billboard album tally next week, when her unstoppable Fearless dominates once again. With sales of 62,300 according to Nielsen SoundScan, Swift easily coasts for yet another week as the disc steams toward the 2.7 million sold mark. Debuting not far behind in the #2 slot, at 58,100, is a solo album from former Gap member Charlie Wilson, Uncle Charlie, which features production from T-Pain, Stargate and the Underdogs, and cameos from Snoop Dogg, Pain and Jamie Foxx. Beyoncé's I Am ... Sasha Fierce stormed back into the top 10 after a week on the fringes, landing at #5 with sales of 40,500. Disco-stick-riding dancing queen Lady Gaga will finally make it to the big leagues, landing at #10 after selling nearly 32,100 copies of Fame, marking the highest chart position yet for the trippy club album. San Francisco easy rockers the Fray will manage to hold steady, inching up a notch to #3 with their self-titled album thanks to 53,100 units moved. They're followed by Nickelback's Dark Horse, which jumps seven spots back up to #4 with 43,200 converts. After falling to #14 for a minute,Jamie Foxx also moves back into the top mix at #6, selling 32,600 copies of Intuition. That's just enough wiggle room (less than 50 copies) to slip barely ahead of last week's #2 debut from India.Arie, Vol. 2 — Testimony: Love & Politics, which falls to #7. Kanye West also reclaims a spot in the big show, moving eight spots up to #8 with sales of almost 32,500 copies of 808s & Heartbreak.At press time, 'Ye was just one copy behind India.Arie, and just a couple hundred ahead of Album of the Year Grammy-winning Raising Sand by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, which slips 7 spots to #9 on sales of just over 32,000. As T.I. prepares to head to prison for a year, his Paper Trail moves another six spots up the charts to #12 on sales of 29,300. That's one spot behind the chart debut from former Smiths singer Morrissey's latest solo album, Years of Refusal, which moved 31,300 copies. The news was not as good for Bruce Springsteen, whose Working on a Dream saw a 55 percent dip in sales to 29,000, dropping his latest with the E Street Band down to seven spots to #13 in its fourth week on the chart. British pop tart Lily Allen had an even steeper cliff dive, losing 61 percent of her debut-week sales for It's Not Me, It's You, selling 27,500 copies to land at #16 after a top-five bow. The post-Grammy bump also turned a bit cold for Best New Artist Adele, whose 19 suffered a 60 percent slide, dropping nine spots to #19 on 22,700 units moved. "SNL"-spawned comedy trio Lonely Island also saw the laughter fade, as the Andy Samberg-led group's debut, Incredibad, crashed 56 percent, dropping to #24 on sales of 20,700. Bobby Valentino suffered a nearly 70 percent drop, as his Rebirth ages and falls 20 spots to #27 in its second week on the charts thanks to barely 20,000 in sales. Even before the movie picked up eight Oscars, the soundtrack to "Slumdog Millionaire" saw some chart love, leaping 26 spots to #22 on sales of close to 21,100, which will no doubt get another bump next week thanks to the release of a remix of Best Original Song "Jai Ho," featuring the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger. Indie singer/songwriter fave M. Ward — of She & Him fame — scored a solid debut at #31 with his latest solo effort, Hold Time, which moved nearly 18,800 copies, notching his best sales week ever. Emo-punkers Thursday comes in at #56 with their Epitaph debut, Common Existence,, which moved 10,700 units. Franz Ferdinand rocket up more than 30 spots to #70 in their fourth week for Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, thanks to 8,70 more fans. The quirky double-EP from Beirut, March of the Zapotec, sneaks in at #87 with 7,200 in sales. And Austin self-harm rockers ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead pop in at #170 with 3,500 in sales of Century of Self. Look for the soundtrack to the "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" movie to hit next week, along with the latest from Lamb of God. Related Artists |
| Britney Spears' Circus Tour To Include Magic Act
February 25, 2009 at 11:22 am
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| Brit will get sawed in half by Ed Alonzo, the diner owner from 'Saved by the Bell.'
By Jocelyn Vena 
Britney Spears
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images Leave it to Britney Spears to bring a little magic to her Circus tour, which kicks off Tuesday in New Orleans. E! is reporting that illusionist/comedian Ed "The Misfit of Magic" Alonzo — who also happens to be the actor who ran The Max diner on "Saved by the Bell" — will be doing a magic number with Spears on the tour. "Right away she got into the boxes and into the magic contraptions to learn the stuff, and she's so excited about this tour and all the elements that are in it," Alonzo said. In the act, Britney will play Alonzo's assistant. "We're going to be doing the classics of magic but a little high-tech," he said. "We'll be doing a little dissection, transposition, a vanish, an appearance — and if I do a trick, she doesn't just hold the props, she's actually getting inside the big boxes or I am slicing her up. ... Some of it's pretty scary, but she gets right in there with no reservations." Britney is a proven fan of magic, having reportedly worked with "Mindfreak" Criss Angel in the past. "[I] made [the tricks] really easy for her ... but there are some complicated things that she is doing that you would think a contortionist would have to do, or a trained magician's assistant," Alonzo told E!. "But because ... she's a dancer, it really makes sense to put her in the magic, and it works and she's really, really good at it." Alonzo also revealed a bit about what fans can expect from the trek. Regarding her song selection, he said the show will have "the best music of Britney that people have loved over the years and, of course, brand-new favorites from the new album." He added that the show is "exactly what you would see in a big giant Vegas production show, but it's going to be on the road. ... It's going to be an amazing concert for people to watch," he said. "It's like watching a big Cirque du Soleil high-tech circus, but with a really focused star in the middle of all of this." Related Artists |
| Rihanna Photo Leak Still Being Investigated By LAPD
February 25, 2009 at 10:23 am
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| Police have reportedly found computer photo was sent from, a source tells E!.
By Gil Kaufman 
Rihanna (file)
Photo: Michael Tran/ FilmMagic There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the alleged incident that occurred on the morning of February 8 between Chris Brown and Rihanna. But for the Los Angeles Police Department, one of the most vexing issues in the alleged domestic violence case is the leak of a police photo of a battered Rihanna to the gossip site TMZ. The release of the photo — which upset Rihanna's fans and her father, and caused serious concern from peers such as Bow Wow and Ne-Yo — is still being investigated by the LAPD, according to E! Online. When the internal investigation was launched last week, TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin insisted that the image was obtained legally, though he would not reveal the source. The image shows a bruised and battered Rihanna, and it appears to have been taken after the alleged assault by Brown. The LAPD has not formally identified Rihanna as the alleged victim because of protocol, but by launching the investigation into the photo leak, the department basically acknowledged that the photo appeared to have been taken during "an official domestic violence investigation." Releasing the photo is considered a serious breach of conduct and could result in termination. "They said they were looking into it vigorously," LAPD spokesman Lt. John Romero reportedly told E!, referring to a statement made by an Internal Affairs commander at a meeting on Tuesday. An unidentified law-enforcement source reportedly told E! that police have identified the computer they believe the image was sent from, but not who sent it. A spokesperson for the LAPD told MTV News on Wednesday (February 25) that the department has a policy of not commenting on internal investigations. Brown, who has not been charged in the case, turned himself in hours after the alleged incident and was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats. According to E!, unnamed law-enforcement sources have said that prosecutors are looking for evidence that could result in a felony case against the singer. The LAPD source also told MTV News that due to the overwhelming crush of attention on the case, the officer in charge of the investigation is not making any comments about its status at the present time and police are not discussing any potential charges. Go here for domestic violence resources, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 50 Cent's Before I Self Destruct Gets Pushed Back Again
February 25, 2009 at 9:35 am
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| 'They should expect Em's album to come out first,' rapper says of his labelmate.
By Shaheem Reid 
50 Cent
Photo: Jordan Strauss/WireImage Apparently Interscope Records' three-headed monster has changed the order of its lineup again. While promoting his video game "Blood in the Sand," the Queens MC told the media his Before I Self Destruct album isn't coming out before Eminem's Relapse. "They should expect Em's album to come out first," 50 revealed to radio personality Howard Stern on his show Wednesday (February 25). " 'Crack a Bottle' ... that song actually was recorded for my album, and it may make it to Em's record because his album's coming first. We might just record something new." In an interview posted by The Associated Press Wednesday, 50 said that Dr. Dre has been focused on finishing up Slim Shady's project before knocking out the rest of the tracks for 50's LP. Self Destruct was originally due on February 3. "Right now I'm on the train and the Em choo-choo car goes first," Fif told the AP with his usual humor. "See, what happens is, I think that people forget that I'm actually Eminem's artist because I've had so much success on my own and I moved away from it. But if you can look back, the very first interview I did — we were on the set of 'In Da Club' — it was myself, Eminem and Dr. Dre. I said my goal was to fit in with Eminem and Dr. Dre. I didn't mean to fit in under Eminem and Dr. Dre — I meant to fit in as an equal party. And that's what I achieved over this time period. So, because Dre is mixing Em's album, Em will be completed entirely before we get a chance to finish up the pieces me and Dre did together." This morning, Em's manager Paul Rosenberg posted a teaser photo from the Crack a Bottle" video. He said to expect the clip within the next two weeks Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne's New York Gun-Possession Trial To Begin April 20
February 25, 2009 at 9:17 am
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| Rapper faces up to 15 years in prison for .40-caliber gun allegedly found in tour bus.
By Gil Kaufman 
Lil Wayne
Photo: Alexander Tamargo/ Getty Images Lil Wayne has been on a hot streak lately. His Tha Carter III was 2008's best-selling album, he recently picked up Best Rap Album at the Grammys, and he's been playing to packed houses from coast to coast. But his winning streak could come to an abrupt halt after a ruling on Tuesday in a New York courtroom. According to Reuters, a judge ruled that the rapper (born Dwayne Carter), will face gun-possession charges at a trial scheduled to begin on April 20 that could potentially send the rapper to prison for up to 15 years. Police searched Wayne's tour bus in July 2007, after allegedly smelling marijuana smoke coming from the MC's home away from home, following his New York debut at the Beacon Theatre. Prosecutors say that he was found trying to conceal a .40-caliber gun that was found on the bus, leading to one count of criminal weapons possession and one charge of criminal possession of a loaded weapon. (In an unrelated incident, Ja Rule was arrested on similar charges after performing on the same bill with Wayne that night; that case is still pending as well.) Wayne's lawyer, Stacey Richman, told MTV shortly after the arrest that the rapper was not in possession of a weapon that night. Richman again argued Tuesday that the handgun should not be admitted as evidence in the case, because, she claims, the arresting officer had no legal reason to be on the bus and had made up the marijuana excuse. She could not be reached for comment on the judge's ruling at press time. Wayne appeared in court for the hearing on Tuesday, wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and black-rimmed glasses, and blew kisses to fans who greeted him outside the courtroom. Reuters reported that New York State Supreme Court Judge Charles Solomon ordered jury selection as soon as Wayne completes his current tour, which is slated to wrap on April 12. E! Online speculated that Wayne, 26, likely decided to push back the release of his anticipated rock album, Rebirth from April 7 to May 19 because of the pending trial. The rapper remains free on $70,000 bail in the case. Related Artists |
| Bow Wow On Rihanna And Chris Brown Situation: 'They Need Space'
February 25, 2009 at 8:16 am
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| 'I wish them the best,' rapper says of the two.
By Steven Roberts 
Bow Wow
Photo: MTV News Bow Wow knows all too well the scrutiny that the media can put on a young high-profile couple, after his very public relationship with Ciara. He explained to MTV News that when he first heard about the alleged incident between Chris Brown and Rihanna, he thought it was a rumor. "The first thing that came to mind was that it was a story," Bow Wow said, before explaining that you really can't believe everything you read on blogs and various Web sites. "I've been in the game for a long time. I've been in a high-profile relationship before, so I understand. I think that the best thing that needs to happen for the both of them is that they just need the space." He added that people should take both artists' feelings into consideration. "You got so many people that want to say this and say that. You have a publicist. She has a publicist. It's tough, because to you, this is my 'wifey' and I'm her 'dude,' but to the public they are superstars." He went on to say that this situation is no different than that of any other normal couple, and the two involved should get the respect that they deserve. "My momma always told me that it's best that if it ain't your business, stay out of it — so I wish them the best. I hope that they bounce back and get back to what we know them for doing, and that's putting out good music." He has not had the chance to speak to either party, but thinks that another opinion is the last thing either artist probably wants right now. "He probably don't want to hear that, right ... she probably doesn't want to hear that either. Her birthday just passed," he continued. "You just really have to let them live." Get resources and information about domestic violence, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Aubrey O'Day 'Would Never Say No' To Danity Kane Reunion
February 25, 2009 at 7:52 am
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| 'Danity Kane was a wonderful group, and like all things, nothing is forever,' she says.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Aubrey O'Day
Photo: MTV News Aubrey O'Day doesn't want to take part in the speculation and gossip that she feels her fellow former Danity Kane members are spreading in the media about the future of the group. "In regards to the other negativity, I really just chose not to comment," she told MTV News. "I wrote a blog on my MySpace page, and if anyone wants to know how I feel, they can go there." O'Day did choose to address the reports that she and D.Woods were asked to come back for the new season of "Making the Band 4." She assures MTV News that as far as she knows, this wasn't the case at all. "Well, I was fired and we all saw that," O'Day said. "I'm not sure about the other girls — who was invited back or what they were asked to do — but I obviously wouldn't be invited back if I was fired." Recently, Dawn Richard came to MTV News to kill the rumor that she had already begun work on her solo album when she was still in Danity Kane. Although O'Day had accused Richard of doing so during the last season of "MTB," when asked about it now, O'Day didn't want to reiterate her suspicions. "I can't speak on her life; I have no idea," she said. "I know what they have confirmed to me, and that is what I said in the season finale." O'Day said she doesn't want to sully DK's good name. In fact, she's hoping that fans will continue to honor the group that made her a star. "Danity Kane was a wonderful group, and like all things, nothing is forever. We had a great run and we were very successful," she said. "We may not have that answer for our fans, which is disappointing, but we did try, and that's more than a lot of people." Despite the fact that she's pursuing her own career as a solo artist, O'Day would never turn down the chance to get onstage with her old bandmates. "I have so much respect for that situation, if there was ever interest in me coming back ... and making music with the girls, I would never say no to something like that." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Play N Skillz Want In On Lil Wayne And T-Pain's 'T-Wayne' Project
February 25, 2009 at 7:50 am
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| 'They're probably just as crazy as us,' Dallas-based beatmakers say of duo.
By Shaheem Reid 
Play N Skillz
Photo: Bob Levey/WireImage DALLAS — Hey, Lil Wayne and T-Pain — the producers of the Grammy-nominated hit single "Get Money" say they have more in store for you. Play N Skillz want in on the much-anticipated secret duet "T-Wayne" album. "They're probably just as crazy as us," Play — the oldest of the Dallas-based sibling beat-masters — said about why he thinks the foursome could make more hits. After being passed from rapper to rapper and eventually making its way to T-Pain, the beat that Play N Skillz crafted became the soundscape for "Got Money." "Pain is so talented and Wayne ... they match the energy of the beat," Play added about the record, which was nominated for a Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy. "There's a certain energy of the beat, the way it breaks down. It changes every eighth bar. Wayne kept up with it and Pain got on top of it." "I think they brought it to the record," Skillz said. "There were a couple of other versions [of 'Got Money'] where people were rapping on it and it just wasn't the same. It's crazy." After rappers such as Pitbull passed on using the track for one reason or another, T-Pain took custody of the beat but wouldn't tell the producers who he had in mind to rap on the song. "I thought Jay-Z," Play said. "Somebody ... I'm not saying Wayne isn't that caliber, but this was prior to Carter III — eight, nine months prior to Carter III. I thought it was Kanye or T.I., somebody that had already put albums out before that that was [currently] multiplatinum level. They told me it was Wayne, I was like, 'No problem.' " Play N Skillz share a Grammy with Wayne for producing his Rap Album of the Year, Tha Carter III. The duo have been contacted about possibly submitting records for Tha Carter IV and hope to help out on the T-Wayne album. Dallas has a lot to offer! In the coming days, we're bringing you details on the city's burgeoning hip-hop movement — from dances to fashion to hairstyles and, of course, the music. We got it all, so keep checking back for more during Dallas Week. Related Videos Related Artists |
| How Will The Wild-Card Round Work On 'American Idol'?
February 25, 2009 at 4:02 am
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| 'There will be more personality, more interest and just more diversity,' Simon Cowell says of this season's twist.
By Gil Kaufman 
Ricky Braddy
Photo: FOX "American Idol" producers have thrown viewers a bunch of curveballs this season already, from the inexplicably long ride of comedian/singer Nick "Norman Gentle" Mitchell and emotional time-bomb Tatiana Del Toro to the return of the wild-card round of the show. The round — which in the past has saved such future stars as season two runner-up Clay Aiken and season three's Oscar-winning seventh-place finisher, Jennifer Hudson — will be back in the mix next Thursday (March 5). Up until now, though, "Idol" has been tight-lipped about how the round will work, which has led to rampant online speculation and some wild Internet theories about how the show will add to the nine audience-chosen finalists. Some fan sites speculated that the contestants with the next-highest vote totals, i.e., those who came in fourth or fifth during the first three rounds, will automatically make it to the wild card. Others have guessed that 12 contestants will be competing for the three spots next Thursday. The sometimes-reliable "Idol" fan site Mjsbigblog.com also reportedly heard that wild-card contestants will sing the same song they performed during their semifinal week. While those rumors have been creative, an "Idol" spokesperson said they are mostly off-base. Quite simply, each judge can pick two contestants from the top 36 — from which everyone is eligible — and those eight (or possibly nine) singers will perform a song on the one-hour March 5 show, with three advancing into the top 12. (Are you as confused as we are about when the show airs? We have the coming weeks' American Idol" schedule in the Newsroom blog.) The same rules apply as during the audition phases, with majority picks winning the day and judge Simon Cowell casting the tie-breaking vote should there be a 2-2 deadlock, the spokesperson explained. "I think when we put the 12 together, there will be more personality, more interest and just more diversity," Cowell told USA Today, without hinting at who he favored to make the cut. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Clipse Reportedly Working With Super-Producer Rick Rubin
February 25, 2009 at 1:46 am
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| Rap duo and Rubin have completed one track and plan to record one or two more, according to report.
By Steven Roberts 
Clipse
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images The Clipse are no strangers to critical acclaim. While brothers Malice and Pusha T enjoyed minimal commercial success with their breakthrough album Lord Willin', their rhymes have always caused critics' hearts to flutter. The Thornton brothers are hoping to keep critics hooked, as well as find some new fans, on their third album, Till The Casket Drops, by working with legendary producer Rick Rubin. Rubin signed the Clipse to Columbia Records in 2007 soon after he became the label's cochairman. According to EW.com, the Clipse and Rubin have completed one track while recording in Malibu, California. They plan to record one or two more tracks in the coming weeks. Although Rubin has most recently worked with rock groups ranging from Metallica to Weezer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he's no stranger to hip-hop. He helped found Def Jam Records and worked with a young LL Cool J, Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys. He also produced "99 Problems" for Jay-Z's Black Album. This is a departure for the Clipse, whose two previous albums have been produced almost entirely by the Neptunes. The group has had success with the We Got It for Cheap mixtape series, which featured beats from other producers, and the duo are hoping to do the same with Till the Casket Drops. The album's first single, "Kinda Like a Big Deal," is produced by DJ Khalil and features Kanye West. Pusha T was tight-lipped when we asked him about the collaboration earlier this year, but he said it was something to look for: "Hey, man, it's just one of them joints." The duo hope to release Till the Casket Drops late this summer. Related Artists |  |
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