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| Rihanna Shows Off New Gun Tattoo
March 26, 2009 at 12:40 pm
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| The singer had a New York artist flown to L.A. to ink the design.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Rihanna
Photo: Marcel Thomas/ Getty Images Rihanna has reportedly gotten some new ink. The singer, who has been under intense scrutiny from her fans and the media ever since she was allegedly assaulted by her on-again, off-again boyfriend Chris Brown last month, reportedly flew New York-based tattoo artist BangBang out to Los Angeles to tattoo a small gun on her body. BangBang posted pictures of Rihanna and the new gun tat, which is on her ribcage, on his MySpace page. According to the tattoo artist, Rihanna originally wanted the tattoo placed just below her shoulders near her armpits — as shown in a photo where BangBang sketched the guns there — but she changed her mind because of her CoverGirl contract. "I really wanted to put it here... she loved 'em... but, cover girl wouldn't have liked it much... and they pay the bills!" he wrote under the photo, captioning another, "ended up doing it on her ribbs..." Rihanna is a fan of getting inked. The singer's other tattoos include a collection of stars down her back, a music note on her ankle, a Pisces sign behind her right ear, a tribal tattoo on her hand and the word "Shhh..." on her index finger. (According to other photos on BangBang's MySpace page, the New York artist is responsible for some of these designs.) The tattoo photos came just a day after news broke that a movement is taking root in Los Angeles to pass "Rihanna's Law," which would prevent the release of photos or information that exploits victims of crimes. The law is gaining momentum in the wake of a leaked photo of a bruised Rihanna. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the leak and possible sale of the photo to the Web site TMZ after the image had been entered into evidence. TMZ has claimed it obtained the photo legally but has not said how it came into possession of the image. Related Artists |
| Soundgarden -- Minus Chris Cornell -- Reunite For One-Off Show
March 26, 2009 at 11:47 am
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| Grunge vet Tad Doyle handles the singing duties.
By Gil Kaufman 
Matt Cameron, Tad Doyle, Tom Morello and Ben Shepard in Seattle on Wednesday
Photo: Laura Musselman It's the reunion grunge fanatics said would never, ever happen. On Wednesday night in Seattle, the former members of Soundgarden reunited for a brief set at the Seattle stop of Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello's Justice Tour. Well, all the members except singer Chris Cornell, who is busy promoting his Timbaland-helmed solo album. The three other members of the group, reclusive guitar wizard Kim Thayil, current Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd — who have not played together since the band split in 1997 — were supplemented by hefty grunge semi-celebrity Tad Doyle for the gig, which was greeted with ecstatic cheers by the lucky fans in attendance. According to the Seattle Weekly, during the surprise set at the city's Crocodile club, Morello, who said he has rarely been as excited, played rhythm guitar as the razor-blades-and-gravel-voiced Doyle sang lead on "Spoonman," during what was described as "a rare moment for Seattle rock and everybody in the venue knows it. Just moments earlier, the floor of the Crocodile was nearly shaking from all of the screaming fans who were waiting all night for this type of surprise. But most people didn't know what the surprise was." The night opened with Morello playing a set as the Nightwatchman, followed by some songs from Steve Earle, a few tunes from the new Morello/ Boots Riley (the Coup) band Street Sweeper, sets from Mudhoney singer Mark Arm and former MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer. "Right after that, Tadgarden hit the stage and the place went nuts," the Weekly reported, noting that the big question hanging over the reunion all night was whether Cornell would be behind the mic, a prospect most in the crowd knew was not likely given the band's acrimonious split. The newly dubbed supergroup started with "Nothing to Say," then hit "Spoonman" and ended with the leadoff track from the group's debut 1987 EP, Screaming Life, "Hunted Down." Just before he acid-gargled his way through "Spoonman," the beefy Doyle lifted up his shirt, jiggled his gut and joked, "That's half a Cornell right there." After the show, when asked how he thought it went, Thayil reportedly said, "Not bad for an hour and a half of practice after not playing together for 12 years. ... It was a lot of fun. We played yesterday for a bit but we know all that stuff by heart so we didn't need to practice much." The poorly kept secret was widely documented by a number of Seattle scenesters, showing up almost instantly in Flickr photostreams and a set of poor-quality MP3s and videos on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer blog site. Related Artists |
| New Green Day Video To Premiere On MTV April 24
March 26, 2009 at 11:26 am
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| 'Know Your Enemy' is first single from forthcoming 21st Century Breakdown LP.
By James Montgomery 
Green Day
Photo: Larry Busacca/ Getty Images The video for "Know Your Enemy," the first single from Green Day's hotly anticipated 21st Century Breakdown album, will premiere exclusively on more than 250 MTV on-air and online outlets worldwide on April 24. The clip will premiere at 8 p.m. on MTV, MTV2, MTV Hits, VH1, The N, and MTV Networks' HD channel, Palladia — plus MTV and VH1's international channels — in addition to MTV.com and VH1.com. All in all, "Enemy" will debut in 134 countries across Latin America, Europe and Asia. Green Day will actually film the "Know Your Enemy," video this weekend in Los Angeles. Collaborative directorial team Motion Theory — who have worked with acts like Adele, Modest Mouse and Beck — are reported to be helming the clip. On Wednesday, Green Day finally announced that Breakdown, the follow-up to their mega-selling 2004 album American Idiot, will be released on May 15. "Enemy" — a stop-start standout on Breakdown — is scheduled to hit digital retailers in April. 21st Century Breakdown, produced by alt-rock guru Butch Vig, will reportedly feature 16 tracks, and is split up into three "acts": Heroes and Cons," "Charlatans and Saints," and "Horseshoes and Handgrenades." The band have been working on the album since at least 2006. The band told MTV News in June of that year that the album was shaping up to be "an event," and have taken sporadic breaks to focus on a myriad of side projects, including frontman Billie Joe Armstrong's gigs with Pinhead Gunpowder and the band's brief stint masquerading as hard-partying gararge-rockers the Foxboro Hot Tubs. Related Artists |
| Robert Pattinson Admits To Lazy Hygiene Habits
March 26, 2009 at 11:17 am
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| 'I don't really see the point in washing your hair,' 'Twilight' star, who is accused of smelling bad, says.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Robert Pattinson
Photo: George Pimentel/ Getty Images Robert Pattinson may be too busy working on "New Moon" to do anything about his reported body odor. But the real story is that Pattinson doesn't seem to care about the whole thing. You see, in an interview recently posted online, Pattinson admitted to regularly letting his hair go unwashed. In an interview with "Extra," the "Twilight" star doesn't seem to think it's necessary to wash his hair — or his humble abode for that matter. When asked if it was true that he once said he hadn't washed his hair for six weeks, the actor answered, "Probably. I don't know. I don't really see the point in washing your hair." He also revealed that if you plan on being an overnight guest at his place, you'd better be prepared for a messy apartment as well. "If you don't care if your hair's clean or not then why would you wash it?" he continued. "It's like, I don't clean my apartment 'cause I don't care. I have my apartment for sleeping in and I have my hair for just, you know, hanging out on my head. I don't care if it's clean or not." Earlier this week, a source "who works very closely" with Pattinson on the Vancouver set of "New Moon" revealed the actor's dirty little secret to the world. "He stinks. I mean, it's awful. He never showers, and it drives people on the set crazy," the source said of Pattinson's personal hygiene. "He completely reeks," a second unidentified crew member added. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| 'American Idol' Producers Admit Group Sing-Alongs Are Lip-Synched
March 26, 2009 at 10:26 am
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| Season one runner-up Justin Guarini spilled the beans last week.
By Gil Kaufman 
The top 11 perform on "American Idol" on March 18, 2009
Photo: Michael Becker/ Getty Images/ Fox They're one of the cheesiest parts of each week's elimination show: the obligatory "American Idol" show-opening group sing-along. And now, according to season-one runner-up Justin Guarini, there's even more reason to scoff at the peppy time-filler, because the performances are lip-synched. While the revelation is not exactly news to frequent "Idol" watchers, who have long suspected that the top contenders were not all singing live, Guarini spilled the beans on his TV Guide Network show "Idol Wrap" last week, when he said, "Every single year, we cannot stand the group performances. I know they can't stand it either. And I think what makes [the group performances] even worse now is that they're lip-synched. They're really prerecorded now." Guarini then added, "You see them kind of do this with the microphone [pretends to hold a mic away from his mouth] and they're not even holding it to their face and they're laughing." An unidentified "Idol" source reportedly confirmed the news to E! Online, telling the site on Friday, "They do prerecord the chorus stuff. And they sing live their solos and sing over the track on live TV with the band playing live as well." Even as he blew the lid off the mime act, Guarini said he thought it was actually a good thing, because it gives the harried, sleep-deprived singers "one less thing to have to sing, one less thing to have to memorize." The fiery online debate over the revelation heated up on Tuesday, when Manfred Westphal, a spokesman for the show's producers, FremantleMedia North America, first told The New York Times that "the Idols don't lip-synch, period," then reversed course a day later. After some consideration, Westphal clarified in an e-mail that "due to extensive choreography and to balance their voices with open mics against a screaming audience, the Idols do sing along to their own prerecorded vocal track during the group performances only." He clarified that the solo performances by the singers never use any recorded music or vocals, though the contestants do record their weekly song choice before the competition performance so it can be made available on iTunes after the show. MTV News could not reach a spokesperson for "Idol" for comment at press time. The "Idol" controversy comes almost two months after news broke that Jennifer Hudson, Faith Hill and Bruce Springsteen all sang with backing tracks during their Super Bowl performances and spokespeople for the Oscars provided vague answers about whether Beyoncé lip-synched her bits during a group tribute to movie musicals. The Times said that visual evidence appeared to support the claims by Guarini, noting that two weeks ago, eliminated contestant Jasmine Murray appeared to be "at least a half-beat behind the music" during a Jackson 5 medley, and during last week's group take on "Trouble," Megan Joy held her microphone "well away from her face as she appeared to struggle to remember the choreography." The paper also noted that several contestants dropped their microphones to their sides last week at the end of the song, even though the booming final notes were still coming out of the speakers. Guarini told the Times on Wednesday that he doesn't blame the producers for giving the singers a bit of extra help. "I know they are interested in making the best show possible and in caring for the contestants' voices," he said. "It's almost torture to watch the contestants sing and dance like they don't have a care in the world when in fact they're sweating bullets" over who will be eliminated. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| 'American Idol': Adam Lambert's 'Tracks Of My Tears' Steals Show
March 26, 2009 at 9:25 am
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| Smokey Robinson mentors contestants for Motown night.
By Gil Kaufman 
Adam Lambert on "American Idol" on Wednesday
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images/ Fox A couple of things became clear on Wednesday night as the "American Idol" top 10 celebrated 50 years of Motown: The night's mentor, label legend Smokey Robinson, is one of the nicest look-on-the-sunny-side guys in the world, and, more importantly, no one is safe. As if last week's Grand Ole Opry round didn't prove that some of this season's favorites are a bit vulnerable, Motown week practically leveled the playing field. A pair of singers who were expected to kill it and cement their front-runner status, Lil Rounds and Danny Gokey, got middling to not-great remarks, and the one singer whose over-the-top, pseudo Broadway metal sound seemed least fitting for the soulful smoothness of Motown, Adam Lambert, drew gasps (and the season's first standing O from judge Kara DioGuardi) with a heartfelt, restrained ballad. First up was Matt Giraud, who chose Marvin Gaye's iconic "Let's Get It On" and gave the tune his unique spin by turning it into a Memphis soul shakedown that was more Al Green than Gaye. Randy Jackson loved it, saying Giraud was now a contender for the top spot, while Kara liked how he started at the piano and then worked the crowd as he came out of his shell a bit. Paula Abdul praised his "sexy, cool" vibe and said his performance was like wearing a great old, comfortable pair of jeans, and even Simon Cowell gave him props, saying he picked the perfect song and reiterated that he was now one of the front-runners. Kris Allen also picked a Gaye song, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," strapping on his acoustic guitar for a John Mayer-esque funky folk take with an assist from a trio of onstage backup singers. Kara loved how he avoided both the James Taylor lite rock version and the Gaye original by carving his own unique path. Paula said the song choice was right and his personality is beginning to shine, while Simon called it "smart" but suggested he develop some swagger to show his confidence, encouraging him to be more conceited. Though there was a debate between Paula and Simon last week as to how Scott MacIntyre should perform, Mac decided to stay behind the piano again for a somewhat stiff New Orleans boogaloo through the Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love." It proved to be a poor choice, and the judges weren't shy in their criticism. Paula praised the addition of a trio of backup singers as they helped mix things up, but the rest of the panel wasn't buying it, with Simon joking that the song's lyric "How much more can you take" said it all. He called the "honky-tonk" piano all wrong, said the song choice was "cheap" and the backup singers were a mess. "Week after week, for whatever reason, you are choosing the wrong songs," Simon told MacIntyre. Randy lamented that it felt like a very "hotel"-style performance and was not risky enough at this point in the competition. Things did not go so well for Megan Joy (Corkery) either. She again brought her signature quavery jazz-club vocals, this time to Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life," adding a bit of calypso feel to the tune as she shimmied out past the stage to work the crowd. Randy didn't love it, calling it a "train wreck" and dubbing the tempo all wrong for Megan's vocal style. Kara said it was all over the place and suggested that the song overtook the singer, and Simon cut to the chase and called it just plain horrible, speculating that Megan could be in serious trouble. Anoop Desai gets brownie points for choosing Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' classic ballad "Ooo Baby Baby," slowing it down and leaning hard on his feathery falsetto for an extra sensual touch. Kara praised him for capably handling a really hard song, and while Simon called it a "great vocal," he said Desai looked a bit sleepy and lacked showmanship. Randy liked how he brought the croon and swoon but recommended that he "get the party on" again next week. Michael Sarver promised to take the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" to church with some gritty vocals. He did in fact add a bit of gravel to his usually smooth delivery, along with some gospel fervor, but even Paula couldn't find anything nice to say about it, calling it old and Las Vegas lounge-y. Simon couldn't wait for it to end because he said Sarver was screaming and shouting the tune, adding that he thinks the Texas roughneck has no chance of winning the competition. "In the real world, it just isn't good enough," Simon said. As we predicted, it was Lil Rounds' week to lose, and while she didn't crash and burn, she might be rethinking her choice of Martha and the Vandellas' "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave." At first struggling to keep up with the song's rapid tempo, Rounds eventually found her pocket and wrapped her powerhouse vocals around the bouncy song to give it some signature Lil attitude. Randy didn't love the rushed beginning but said she found her stride by the end, and Kara was all about Lil's sassy flapper look, even if she didn't deliver on the diva performance everyone was expecting. "It wasn't the right song," Kara said, knocking Rounds for not interpreting the tune more and screaming at times. Paula said Rounds gave the song a fresh sound, and Simon found it to be an authentic tribute, even if the tune didn't give Rounds a moment that would make her stand out. And then there was wild card Adam Lambert, who made the gutsy call of the Robinson-penned "The Tracks of My Tears." After taking Johnny Cash to Marrakech last week, theater veteran Lambert completely switched things up again by closeting the goth-rocker look for a gray suit, a Chris Isaak pompadour and a tender, unplugged take on the classic song. The restrained, vulnerable cover crescendoed with an extended falsetto wail at the end that drew a standing ovation from Robinson, Motown boss Berry Gordy and Kara. "One of the best performances of the night," she said simply, though Simon soon corrected her and called it the best performance of the night. The normally acerbic judge, who hated Lambert's "indulgent" performance the week before, praised his originality and song choice and said, "You, tonight, really have emerged as a star for me." It was the Temptations' "Get Ready" for Danny Gokey, who played it pretty straight, staying true to the song's up-tempo rhythm, while adding some of his signature gospel growl. Simon called it clumsy and amateurish, Randy said it reminded him of the great Motown icon Levi Stubbs, even if it wasn't his best performance, and Kara said it was good, not great. Teen wonder Allison Iraheta closed the show with the Temptations' rockin' "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," grabbing hold of the song and working it like a 40-year-veteran soul belter playing to a packed, sweaty club. "You might be 16, but you're one of the dopest singers in this whole thing," Randy enthused. "Oh my god," Kara added, calling the performance amazing and adding that it sounded like Iraheta had been singing for 400 years. Simon called her a survivor and said it was one of her best performances. The singers will find out who goes home (or possibly gets the judges' save) Thursday night (March 26), when Robinson performs along with "Idol" alum Ruben Studdard. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Ruben Studdard Covers Michael Jackson, Bryan Adams On Love Is
March 26, 2009 at 9:02 am
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| 'American Idol' winner also co-wrote a handful of songs on the new album, due May 19.
By Gil Kaufman 
Ruben Studdard
Photo: Shore Fire Media It's been almost three years since former "American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard has released an album. But the man they call the Velvet Teddy Bear has spent that time cooking up some new tunes and unique covers for his upcoming album, Love Is, which he thinks will lure back his longtime admirers. "A lot of people will be pleasantly surprised. ... The music is really good," said the laid-back singer, who performed the silky first single "Together" on "Idol" Thursday night. After parting ways with his longtime label following the disappointing sales of 2006's The Return, Studdard, 30, regrouped and hooked up with two of the most accomplished R&B producers in the business, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey), who produced the majority of the new album. "I co-wrote four to five of the songs," said Studdard, who is releasing the album of love songs through Hickory Records/ 19 Recordings on May 19. "This time, the record company was willing to let me be more involved in the process. Not to say that J Records wasn't, but the proof is in the pudding!" Studdard said Jam and Lewis have the unique ability to bring the best out of the artists they work with, and the duo pushed him to go beyond his comfort zone. That might explain how he came to cover such nontraditional tunes as hair-metal act Extreme's smash "More Than Words" and Canadian rocker Bryan Adams' "Heaven," with an assist on the latter from Boyz II Men. He also tackles Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It" on the album, which includes an original tune Studdard co-wrote for his wife called "A Song for Her." Along with Jam and Lewis, the album features co-production from New Jack Swing legend Teddy Riley and Big & Rich's John Rich. While he's been busy touring in a revival of the Fats Waller Broadway musical "Ain't Misbehavin'," in which he stars alongside fellow "Idol" alums Frenchie Davis and Trenyce, Studdard is looking forward to getting back to being an R&B singer after a rough few years in which he's endured some financial stress due to tax issues, successfully sued a former manager, gotten married and lost more than 100 pounds after once tipping the scales at 450 pounds. "It's a lot of work. We dance from top to bottom," Studdard said of his eight-show-a-week schedule on "Misbehavin'," which he'll be on the road with until May. "But I'm excited to get back out there and do a promotional tour and do some radio stuff and hopefully after that get some tour dates together." Studdard has also teamed up with the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation to spearhead the health campaign "Be Sickle Smart," encouraging sufferers of the blood disease — which primarily affects African-Americans — to learn more about maintaining a healthy diet. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists |
| John Cena Wants To Work With 50 Cent: 'Hit Me Up!'
March 26, 2009 at 8:39 am
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| '12 Rounds' star says he's 'still trying to keep in touch with the hip-hop.'
By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Josh Horowitz 
John Cena
Photo: MTV News Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena said he's listening to a lot of vintage country music these days, from Willie Nelson to Waylon Jennings, but he's still heavily into hip-hop. On Wednesday in New York, he was in Cold Stone Creamery, freestyling and telling MTV News about a few rap collaborations he has coming up even while he was touting his new action flick from "Cliffhanger" director Renny Harlin, "12 Rounds.". "Still trying to keep in touch with the hip-hop," said Cena, who will be trying to get his belt back at a World Heavyweight Title Triple Threat Match on Sunday at "WrestleMania XXV" against Edge and the Big Show. "I did a song with Snoop. I'm about to do something with Rick Ross. Doing some stuff with [Tha] Trademarc — he helped me do my solo project, so I'm returning the favor there. Freddie Foxxx [a.k.a.] Bumpy Knuckles, who did our track "Bad Bad Man," which is featured on Seth Rogen's new trailer [for] 'Observe and Report.' [Seth] kinda hooked it up. A good look for us there. I'm doing some stuff with him. And I'm kinda on call. I did some stuff for Back40 Records, which is an independent label owned by Carl Edwards, NASCAR driver. ... I'm getting in where I fit in." Cena said his busy schedule as a wrestler and actor doesn't afford him much time to focus on a follow-up to his 2005 rap debut, You Can't See Me. However, he does want to work with the G-Unit on some things. "There was awhile where it was cool to beef with everybody," Cena said of the 50 Cent vs. Rick Ross feud. "I think that stuff has died down. So I don't know the legitimacy of this beef. And 50, if you're out there listening, I love Related Videos Related Artists |
| Shawty Lo Recalls Fast-Paced Youth In His Atlanta 'Hood
March 26, 2009 at 7:53 am
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| Rapper takes us on a tour of the complex he grew up in, which is about to be torn down.
By Shaheem Reid 
Shawty Lo
Photo: MTV News ATLANTA — Shawty Lo's hair and beard look like they were drawn on his skull. "They tell me that," Lo said with a grin as he drove into his old neighborhood of Bowen Homes. "Man, you know I got a crazy barber. His name is Bobby. He's a fool with it. He charges $50 for a shape-up, $100 for a haircut. He doesn't even work out of a shop. He's got a pair of gold clippers, and this is what he do." Lo gets his hair cut twice, maybe three times a week, depending on his schedule. "Basically, the projects I was born in, Bowen Homes, they tearing it down, I guess because there's been so many murders and assaults and so much stuff went on in the apartments," Lo said, driving at a snail's pace through the 'hood. "They decided they should tear it down. "It's like a town of its own," he said about the low-income housing complex. "It's a baby Atlanta of its own [inside Bowen Homes]. A lot of people are gonna be lost. A lot of people didn't pay rent. Rent is probably $13 or $20. They're giving people vouchers to move out, but a lot of people are gonna be lost." Back in the day, when Shawty was just a shorty, you would hear tales of a hustler blasting from cars as the local dope boys would post up. Biggie, Tupac, Jay-Z, Master P, UGK and 8Ball & MJG were all neighborhood favorites, and while the hip-hop music articulated what Lo would see the hustlers do outside his window, he developed dreams. He wanted to be just like them — the hustlers, not the rappers. "I used to live right here, apartment 479," he said, pointing to a now-boarded-up apartment. The place where Lo used to live with his grandmother and sister mirrors most of the cribs in the housing complex: They are boarded up and the residents have moved out. "I used to see the dope boys doing their thing," Shawty described. "I didn't idolize Michael Jordan or nothing like at. I used to see the dope boys talking to the girls in their Cadillacs." Despite the negative influences, Lo, who was known just as Carlos while growing up, still acted like a kid. One of his favorite activities was balancing himself on a steel barrier that still stands outside of his old house. "I don't know if I can still do it," he said with a grin as he walked up to it. "It done got smaller. I got my Ballys on." After getting help climbing on top of the barricade, he walked like he was walking a tightrope in the circus but quickly started to lose his balance and jumped off. "I can't get it no more," he laughed. "It's shaking. I used to walk it all the way down when I was younger. ... I'm too old now." When young Carlos was growing up, his mother was on drugs, his father wasn't around, and his grandmother had meager means to take care of him and his sister. As a teen, he began running wild around the Bowen Homes, sticking people up and eventually selling drugs. He was living life so fast, he didn't even know he had his first child until a year later. "I wasn't in no delivery room," he said. "I didn't know about the first one until the next summer. I was a teenager. My grandmother was taking care of me. I was 16 going on 17. The girl would come out here; she used to stay with her auntie. She came back the next summer talking about, 'I got a baby.' I took the baby to my grandmother. My grandmother was like, 'Boy, get that baby outta here.' It was crazy." Lo has nine kids now: seven girls and two boys. He said he was in the delivery room for the birth of the last two. Lo almost missed the birth of his rap career. After 10 years of skullduggery in the street, he decided to slow down and concentrate on music in 2003, because the heat was on from the police. His life of crime caught up to him in 2005 — when his group D4L was blowing up with "Laffy Taffy," he was behind bars. Now reformed, and with the successful debut LP Units in the City under his belt, he's ready to further his career with his second album, I Am Carlos, due in June. Lo said he's lucky to have a career and even more grateful to be alive. He got a reminder of his brush with death as he drove out of Bowen Homes to his D4L Studio, which is less than eight minutes away straight down the block. "There was an explosion in my nursery school," he said, pointing to a school located in the complex. "The ceiling fell. I was in school that day. They told us to line up [to leave]. I was one of the kids that didn't line up. I ran outta there. Some of them kids died, some got out." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Young Jeezy, T.I. Among Atlanta Hawks' ATL Favorites
March 26, 2009 at 7:13 am
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| Ballers also share their favorite hot spots in the A.
By Shaheem Reid 
Young Jeezy
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images The Atlanta Hawks have definitely been one of hip-hop's favorite teams ever since the days when #21, Dominique Wilkins, was smashing the competition alongside Spud Webb with his patented Tomahawk Dunk. Everyone loved when 'Nique battled it out with Michael Jordan for the slam-dunk titles. To this day, some people say "The Human Highlight Film" was robbed in Chicago in 1988 when his Airness was crowned the champ — but that's a debate for another day. Today, the young Atlanta Hawks players are making 'Nique proud, becoming playoff contenders. In June, around the time of the Birthday Bash, the city's biggest hip-hop concert of the year, the Hawks were giving the Boston Celtics hell in their first-round matchup. You could hear DJs like Greg Street shouting out the hometown team on the radio airwaves and rooting them on. All-Star Josh Smith and his gang set A-Town on fire and are looking forward to going even further in this year's playoffs. As Atlanta Week on MTVNews.com nears a close, there's no way it would be complete without the ballers repping just like all the town's artists. Here, the Hawks let everyone know some of their favorite rap acts and songs, as well as their own personal go-to spots. Josh Smith
Favorite Atlanta-based artists
» T.I.
» Ludacris
» Young Jeezy
» Young Dro
» Parlae Favorite Atlanta restaurants
» Fletcher's
» Twist
» Strip
» Prime
» Benihana Zaza Pachulia
Favorite Atlanta restaurants
» Twist
» Market at the W Hotel
» Pricci
» Aja
» Capital Grille Favorite Atlanta clothing stores
» Armani
» Gucci
» Barneys New York
» Neiman Marcus
» Phipps Plaza Marvin Williams
Favorite songs by Atlanta-based artists
» T.I. - "Live Your Life"
» Young Jeezy - "Get a Lot"
» Young Jeezy - "Gangsta Music"
» Ludacris - "One More Drink"
» Bobby Valentino - "Beep Beep" Al Horford
Favorite Atlanta restaurants
» Dolce
» Cheesecake Factory
» Fellini's
» Quisqueya
» Rise Mike Bibby
Favorite Atlanta restaurants
» Cheesecake Factory
» Morton's
» Ruth's Chris
» Maggiano's Related Videos Related Artists |
| What T.I. Is Facing At His Sentencing Friday
March 26, 2009 at 6:46 am
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| 'T.I.'s Road to Redemption: The Reckoning' will air Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.
By Jayson Rodriguez and Jocelyn Vena 
T.I. in "T.I.'s Road To Redemption"
Photo: MTV On Friday, T.I. will appear in an Atlanta court to be sentenced for felony weapons charges. The rapper, who was arrested in 2007 after trying to illegally purchase firearms, had previously worked out a plea deal that significantly cut down his jail time. T.I. — who will discuss how he feels about his upcoming jail time on "T.I.'s Road to Redemption: The Reckoning," airing Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV — made a plea deal last March that suggested if he completed 1,000 hours of community service before sentencing, paid a $100,000 fine and agreed to complete another 500 hours of community service after his time behind bars, he would be sentenced to a year and a day in prison. The sentence is notable, according to legal experts, because of the specific length. If T.I. were to be sentenced to one year in prison, for example, he would be required to complete the entire sentence. The sentence of one year and one day could allow T.I. to be released earlier for good behavior, if warranted. The trouble started for T.I. on October 14, 2007, on the eve of the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta, when T.I. was arrested after attempting toillegally purchase weapons and a search of his home turned up even more firearms. According to a Vibe cover story, T.I. will report to jail within a 30- to 60-day time frame. What allowed T.I. to strike his unique deal in the first place was a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in January 2005 that said federal sentencing guidelines were suggested and not mandatory. T.I. addressed the upcoming jail sentence during the series finale of "T.I.'s Road to Redemption," which aired Tuesday. In 2008, he said he'll use his time behind to bars to make a post-jail plan. "Presumably, while I'm there, I'll be able to strategize my comeback," Tip said. "All those days will be spent speaking to people who are interested in being in the T.I. business. Preparing myself for the days those doors open, when I put my feet back on the ground of the free world. It's just months of planning. It's just a long time to roll the project out. I ain't gonna just be sitting still doing nothing. The wheels will be turning, just the car ain't going nowhere." Don't miss "T.I.'s Road to Redemption: The Reckoning," airing Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Artists |
| Flo Rida Wanted For Alleged Animal Cruelty Case
March 26, 2009 at 4:44 am
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| Reports state that witnesses saw two people on the rapper's tour bus kill a rabbit.
By Gil Kaufman 
Flo Rida
Photo: Miguel Garcia/ Getty Images As Flo Rida drives around the country promoting his upcoming album, R.O.O.T.S., the "Right Round" rapper has come under scrutiny for an alleged incident involving animal cruelty. According to Lexington, Kentucky, television station WKYT, police are still looking for the MC's tour bus — which is wrapped in a huge advertisement for his album and single — because of allegations from witnesses that two men exited the vehicle on Wednesday in Lexington and committed an act of cruelty on an animal. A witness told an animal-control officer that they reportedly saw the men kill a rabbit, get back on the bus and drive away. Lexington Police, Kentucky State Police and Lexington Animal Control began investigating the incident immediately. When contacted on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Lexington Police confirmed that the department has issued an alert in an attempt to find the bus, but had no further information on the alleged incident. A spokesperson for Lexington Animal Control did not return calls for comment at press time. It's unclear if Flo Rida (born Tramar Dillard) was involved in the alleged incident, but the rapper's label has issued a statement in which Rida denies anyone in his entourage harmed an animal. "While no one in my party was in any way involved in any incident, the media report that I saw was sickening. As an animal lover, I would never want to see cruelty inflicted upon them." WKYT reported that at this point animal-control officers just want to question the people who were on the bus. Flo Rida's label had no further comment on the allegations. Related Artists |
| Rihanna's Tattoo Artist Explains Her New Ink
March 26, 2009 at 4:44 am
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| New York-based BangBang thinks singer's gun tattoo represents strength and power.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Rihanna
Photo: Michael Tran/ FilmMagic Rihanna isn't shy about getting tattoos. When she wanted a new one, she flew her friend BangBang, a New York-based tattoo artist, to her home in Los Angeles to give her new ink. "She flew me out for the purposes of tattooing one of her friends," he said. "I've tattooed her a few times, and she gave me a call and asked if I could come out to her house. I wound up tatting her as well. We've been playing with it for about a year, and I was at her house, and I suggested she finally get the gun." BangBang — who also did the star tattoos on Rihanna's back, the Roman numerals on her shoulder and the word "Shhh ... " on her finger — said the singer seemed in great spirits when he was at her house. Rihanna has been in the news a lot lately because of an alleged altercation with boyfriend Chris Brown last month. "I don't really know what's going on with her," he said. "She's great. She's perfect. We had a blast, and we had a lot of fun." When he got there, Rihanna had an assistant and some friends over. BangBang said he thinks the gun tattoo represents strength and power. Initially, the duo wanted to put the tattoo below her shoulders near her armpits but changed it to her ribcage because "it takes away from her face. You don't want to be starting at tats. You want to be staring at her face." Rihanna didn't express any reservation about getting the gun tattoo. "People are going to react all different ways," BangBang said. Rihanna and BangBang already have more tattoo plans up their sleeves. "We got something planned for this year," he said. "She's awesome. She really is." Related Artists |
| Atlanta's B.o.B Seeks 'The New Thing' In His Music
March 26, 2009 at 2:26 am
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| "There's a new sound emerging from Atlanta," MC says.
By Steven Roberts 
B.O.B.
Photo: Atlantic When we named B.o.B one of our MCs to Watch in 2009, he described his style as universal — the Atlanta MC said he wanted to sound like "everything." "I don't like monotony. Whatever I may sound like one month, I am not going to sound like that next month," he explained. "I'm just continuously changing. I'm like a seeker. I just seek the new thing to do just for my own piece of mind, so what I sound like, man, by the end of next year I'm going to sound like everything." Well, a few months later, the eclectic, ever-evolving B.o.B revealed that he had changed his name to Bobby Ray. He even squashed rumors of a premature retirement, and he said he decided to go in a new direction with his music — trading in a DJ and two turntables for a band. "I'm really going into a new direction — more free and not trying to live up to any particular genre," he said. "I have more willingness musically. That's all I'm about. I'm about guitars, chords and keyboards." Bobby Ray said that his change is reflective of an even larger change in the Atlanta music scene. There are many hip-hop artists emerging in the Atlanta rap scene, including OJ Da Juiceman and Fonzworth Bentley, but Bobby Ray isn't really checking for them. He hasn't had an ear to the streets — he's been listening elsewhere. "I really haven't had my ear to the street and I haven't been listening to new, up-and-coming MCs ... I feel like just right now, regardless of who it is in particular, there's a new sound emerging from Atlanta. It's just in the basement right now. It's probably like other bands in the basement, or just musicians, just artists period, who are in the basement or in the lab, just getting together their sound. When the game shifts ... it's going to shift and it's going to be obvious, like, 'Ah dang.' Like, 'I ain't know music was going to be this jamming.' Everybody's going to go, 'Ahhh, music.' " According to Bobby Ray, Janelle Monae is a prime example of his theory. Immediately impressed with the Outkast protégé after he first saw her on YouTube, but he knew she was a bonafide star after seeing her perform live. "She's very talented. I would definitely like to work with her in the future," he said. The past few years have taught B.o.B a lot about music — that whether you use a beat machine or a real drum, the only thing that matters is the passion you bring as an artist. "You have to understand what it is and still know that it's the love for the music that got you in that position, and everything else is just what comes with it," he said. "You have to stay true to that love. When you have that, it doesn't matter if they hype you up to be the best or they boo you to be the worst. You still love the music." Related Videos |
| Ruben Studdard Excited About 'American Idol' Return
March 26, 2009 at 2:11 am
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| Singer will perform 'Together,' the first single from his upcoming fourth album.
By Gil Kaufman 
Ruben Studdard
Photo: Matt Stroshane/ Getty Images It's been a little while since "American Idol" fans have seen season-two winner Ruben Studdard. But the Velvet Teddy Bear will change all that Thursday night (March 26) when he steps on the "Idol" stage again, capping a three-week blitz of returning former "Idol" stars visiting the show that has also included performances from Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. "It's like I never left," Studdard said Wednesday evening after a day of "Idol" rehearsals. The singer flew into Los Angeles early Wednesday morning following a performance the night before in a touring production of the musical "Ain't Misbehavin'." The singer compared returning to "Idol" to going back to your old high school. "You see all your old teachers and you get a chance to see the people who really had a part in helping you get to where you are," he said. But, unlike when you peek into your lunchroom and it suddenly seems so small, Studdard said the glitzy new stage is way "bigger and flashier" than the one he remembers standing on when he won his crown. Studdard, 30, joked that while he and his fellow contestants had some help from stylists, "These kids now get to wear designer clothes every week! We didn't get to wear Dolce & Gabbana, that's for sure." Studdard is returning just in time to celebrate "50 Years of Motown" on a show that will also feature a performance from Smokey Robinson. Studdard will perform his buttery-smooth Stargate-produced ballad "Together" on TV for the first time. The song is the first single from Studdard's upcoming fourth album, Love Is, his first effort since parting ways with longtime label J Records in 2007. The album, due May 19, mostly features production by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with the Grammy-nominated Studdard stepping up to co-write four of the songs himself. "I miss the people [from the show]," he said. "But I don't think I'd want to do the 16-hour days again, though. And to come back on Motown night ... I grew up listening to Motown music, so this will be a fun show for me to do." Though he's been busy recording and touring with "Misbehavin'," Studdard has stayed close to his "Idol" roots, returning several times to perform. He also provided the farewell song for season seven with his cover of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home," which he performed last May on the first night of the finale. Though he hadn't yet seen the judges when MTV News spoke to him, Studdard said he was looking forward to seeing Randy, Paula and Simon and meeting new judge Kara DioGuardi. Busy on the road with the musical, Studdard said he's only seen one episode of "Idol" so far this season and was reluctant to say who he favors in the competition. "It's so early on now, and everyone is trying to work out their nerves and get accustomed to being away from home," he said. "I haven't talked to them yet, but the only thing I can say to them is to stay focused. There's a lot going on. Your home life doesn't stop because you're on the show, but you have to focus on the goal at hand because the most important thing while you're there is performing well." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists |
| Arcade Fire Re-Record 'Wake Up' For 'Where The Wild Things Are' Trailer
March 26, 2009 at 1:01 am
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| Sneak peek confirms Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O's involvement in film's music.
By James Montgomery 
Max Records in "Where the Wild Things Are"
Photo: Warner Bros. By now, you've probably watched, rewatched, embedded, Tweeted, re-Tweeted, status-updated and texted about the trailer for Spike Jonze's "Where the Wild Things Are." The sneak peek debuted Wednesday on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (!) and the Apple Movie Trailers site, then quickly made the rounds on every social-networking site known to mankind (and some that probably haven't even been invented yet). For some, the mere appearance of the trailer was enough to send them into a tizzy. After all, the buzz surrounding Jonze's take on the Maurice Sendak children's classic has been, to use one word, troubling, with rumors of disastrous test screenings and reshoots. But what really stood out for others — and gave some the shivers — was the music in that trailer. More specifically, the use of the Arcade Fire's rousing "Wake Up," from their 2004 album Funeral. For months, there have been rumors about the music that will be featured in "Wild Things," with some reports saying Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O created the film's soundtrack along with Deerhunter's Bradford Cox, something Cox would neither confirm nor deny when MTV News spoke to him last year. Well, as it turns out, O's name is listed in the just-released "Wild Things" trailer, alongside musician Carter Burwell, who has scored all of Jonze's previous feature films as well as a little film you might have heard of called "Twilight." Under the "Music By" tag, Cox's name is nowhere to be seen. But, more importantly, given that it's their song featured in the trailer, will the Arcade Fire's music also be featured in the film? Well, maybe. A spokesperson for the Fire told MTV News that he was reaching out to them for comment on "Wild Things" and their involvement with the film but had received no answer by press time. He did, however, confirm to MTV News that the version of "Wake Up" featured in the trailer was "a new version, re-recorded specifically for the film," so perhaps the band didn't just stop there. But that's all just speculation at this point. Until we have some definite answers, why don't we all sit back and watch that trailer one more time. Related Artists | | | 
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