Having split with girlfriend Samantha Ronson, the actress/ professional paparazzi target is "searching for love" — on dating Web site eHarmony.com of all places.
"I'm looking for someone who I can spend the rest of my life with — or at least the rest of my probation with," Lohan says in her just-posted video personal. "I'm an actress, a singer, an entrepreneur, and I have single-handedly kept 90 percent of all gossip Web sites in business. ... I'm a workaholic, a shopaholic and, according to the state of California, an alcoholic, as well as a threat to all security guards if they work at hotels. And to put all those rumors to rest, I am not broke. I actually have over $400 in the bank and 20,000 Marlboro Miles, which I'm very proud of."
Lohan is looking for a guy or gal "who likes a night out on the town (as long as he or she is driving), ankle monitoring bracelets and doesn't have family members quick to issue restraining orders," and she describes her dream date as "long walks on the beach, car chases on the PCH, antiquing and passing out in Cadillac Escalades."
She finishes the video by saying, "So if you think you can handle a redhead with a little bit of sass — and by that, I mean, a redhead that's crazy ... we'll crash a few parties, a car or two, but at the end of the day, I promise you I never lose my Google hits ... just my underwear."
It's a pretty honest assessment ... and it's also a complete joke (sorry, ladies and gents). Lohan filmed the mock personal for online humor site FunnyOrDie.com in an attempt to poke fun at her reputation as a borderline crazy, hard-partying train wreck, and so far, it seems everyone is laughing with her. The clip was first posted on the site late Monday afternoon and has already been viewed more than 212,000 times ... even earning (sorta) praise from noted Lohan basher Perez Hilton, who linked to the video on his site and added, "What's an out-of-work, famewhoring actress to do? Make a video!"
Nothing was off limits in our first sit-down interview with the 'I Kissed a Girl' singer. By James Montgomery
Katy Perry Photo: MTV News
MTV News had been trying to sit down with Katy Perry for months — at the Grammys, during South by Southwest, anywhere and everywhere. The problem was, things just kept coming up. Video shoots and TV appearances. Schedules were shuffled, reformatted, then torn up and forgotten about. This happened more times than you could imagine.
This is sort of the way things are for Katy Perry these days. She's sold a million albums, notched three hits on the Billboard Hot 100, had breakups and feuds, become a sex symbol and a lightning rod ... all at roughly the same time, and all seemingly overnight. Everyone wants to talk to her and everyone wants her on their show or at their party or their red carpet. Getting time with her is not an easy task.
But, after months of trying, we finally got our sit-down. Perry chatted with MTV News' Kim Stolz here in New York, and it was worth the wait. Rather than avoiding questions or having her handlers waiting in the wings, Perry was an open book. She answered anything and everything, laughing and joking about her rise to stardom, her plans for a new album and just how she deals with life in the spotlight. It was rather refreshing, to be honest.
We've already published a pair of stories from the interview — Perry talking about her plans to stop kissing girls on her next album, and addressing the rumors that she had "reached out" to fellow singer Rihanna in the wake of her incident with boyfriend Chris Brown. The response to both was so great that we decided we should just go ahead and show you even more of our chat.
So, here's our favorite pop tart, unfiltered and unafraid — weighing in on her love life, her career, the Rihanna situation, and, uh, actress Zooey Deschanel. It's Katy Perry: Raw.
'That's why Diddy is Diddy and that's why we're Day26,' Brian Andrews says of his boss' input on Forever in a Day. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Day26 Photo: MTV News
Day26 weren't too pleased when their boss, Diddy, came in at the last minute to tinker with the band's album, Forever in a Day — after all, they were almost finished.
"It wasn't really much room left, not much time left to do anything," Robert Curry told MTV News. "The few changes that he did make ... of course we were already sold on what we had initially, so we didn't like the few changes that were made. But most of them ... a lot of them were very good for the album and, um, he didn't say anything for the rest of the album, so we had to give up something."
But looking back at what Diddy told the guys to adjust, they see why he has become such a successful music mogul. "As far as song selection, there were a couple of songs on the record that we felt like should have really been on the record," Brian Andrews said. "But now that I listen back to the entire album I see why he made the choices that he made. And it makes a lot of sense and really rounds the whole album off. So, um, that's why Diddy is Diddy and that's why we're Day26."
But the guys are quick to point out they didn't make the changes at the drop of a hat. In fact, Will Taylor describes the recording process for Forever as a "battle." "When we went in, we thought we knew we had had it," he explained. "We were like, 'This is it, please don't touch it.' But he came in and he was like, 'Nah playboy, I'm touching this, this and this, and I'm going to replace it with this.' "
"She's great, man. She's doing good," Nas said in L.A.
He and K are expecting their first child together (Esco has a daughter from a previous relationship), and the couple are trying to figure out exactly what they should call their heir.
"Yeah, [we are deciding between] a few baby names," Nas said. "It's kinda hard.
"I've been thinking about kinda putting something online: 'Choose his name,' " the Queens legend added with a smile. "You get a couple stacks for that. We take care of you for that. You win something real. But we're thinking now."
Nas was in L.A. with Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley to announce their headlining stint on this year's Rock the Bells tour.
"Rock the Bells understands what the people want," Esco boasted. "They know how to bring all of the people together, and they bring it every year. People are starting to know that. It's starting to be a brand in their minds.
"My most memorable moments on this tour? Seeing how many people out there that want that real," he continued. "It's like hip-hop again. You don't see this genre of music coming together and touring. Rock the Bells are the only people that's really been giving it to you consistently for a couple of years now."
Nas wouldn't say exactly how his and Gong's set would go, but he did say we would see the duo perform their new songs as well as their solo hits.
"You're gonna see us mix it up. It's gonna be right," he promised.
Rock the Bells kicks off in June, the same month the Nas and Marley joint LP Distant Relatives drops.
Singer's experience, style and musical versatility make him the easy front-runner. By Gil Kaufman
Adam Lambert Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
Nothing is for sure in the world of "American Idol." Most years, there are a handful of strong contenders and the final vote is a real nail biter. Other years, such as season two when Ruben Studdard won, or last year's battle of the Davids, it was pretty clear who was going to take the crown for quite a while before the final reveal.
It's starting to feel that way this year as well. To be sure, there is strong competition among the remaining top seven. Teenager Allison Iraheta is proving week after week that she's a force to be reckoned with, and Danny Gokey continues to be one of the strongest contenders for the crown. There are also consistent dark horses Kris Allen and Matt Giraud, who could leap to the top of the pile with a breakout performance.
But at this point, none of them hold a candle to Adam Lambert, the 28-year-old Los Angeles musical-theater actor who seems to be getting stronger by the week as he dazzles the audience and judges with his original style and risk-taking. The game is his to lose at this point, so we present you with a handful of reasons why Adam Lambert will probably be your next "American Idol."
Experience Lambert: When we first saw him step into the audition room to sing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" in San Diego in January, there was something about Lambert that marked him as different. That may have had to do with his 17 years of experience in front of audiences, performing everything from musical theater to outrageous 1970s-style glam funk at L.A.'s long-running live avant-garde performance showcase, the Zodiac Show.
Lambert has put in his time on many stages, beginning at age 10, playing Linus in "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" at the Lyceum Theater in his hometown of San Diego. He's gone on to impress as Joshua in a lavish 2004 musical production of "The Ten Commandments" at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles alongside Val Kilmer and had a recent gig as an understudy in a production of "Wicked."
The others: Both Kris Allen and Danny Gokey have gained valuable experience learning songs on the fly and playing in front of a crowd as worship leaders in their respective churches and 16-year-old Allison Iraheta has been singing in front of audiences most of her life, in addition to taking the top prize on the 2006 Telemundo reality show "Quinceañera," which landed her $50,000 and a recording contract. Matt Giraud has released a pair of independent albums and has put in time as a dueling piano player in Michigan clubs. Lil Rounds began singing when she was 3-years-old but lacks the performance experience of the other contenders, and Anoop Desai appeared on a children's television show as a youngster and performed in an acclaimed a cappella group in college, but has not developed a unique identity as a performer yet.
Advantage: Lambert
Confidence Lambert: The confident way he carries himself, looks the judges in the eyes when speaking to them and makes sure to humbly thank them for their compliments is likely a product of Lambert's extensive audition experience. Even when telling Paula Abdul that her concert was the first one he ever attended, Lambert didn't seem nervous or jittery making small talk with the judges during auditions. Only someone who was sure of himself would dare take a legendary song by Johnny Cash and perform it as a Middle Eastern call to prayer as Lambert did with "Ring of Fire" during country week.
The others: Gokey has a cool, calm demeanor that marks him as Lambert's equal in the confidence department, but the others have shown signs of insecurity when judged harshly by the panel. Giraud also seems at ease with himself, though his struggle to develop a clear identity as a performer on the show has hamstrung him a bit. Iraheta, even when faced with criticism, has shown a preternaturally mature attitude. The judges have frequently counseled Allen to work on his confidence, and both Allen and Rounds were visibly shaken when given harsh notes on last week's show. Desai has also seemed nervous when faced with criticism.
Advantage: Tie between Lambert and Gokey
Style Lambert: This is hands-down Lambert's biggest advantage. His constantly morphing, David Bowie-esque glam-rock-meets-emo sartorial taste — which involves doing something different with his shock of raven hair almost every week — has made Lambert stand out amid a group of less fashion-forward singers.
The others: When the judges have noticed the other singers' clothes, it's typically been to mock them.
Advantage: Lambert
Musicality Lambert: From his snake-charming "Ring of Fire" to a glam-metal cover of the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and his standing-ovation-demanding remake of Tears for Fears' "Mad World," Lambert has shown a range than encompasses everything from musical theater to rock, pop, R&B, soul and emo. Judges have repeatedly praised his musical versatility and commercial prospects.
The others: None of the remaining half dozen have been able to bring as many different looks as Lambert, though Gokey has consistently been a solid performer and has not had any major off nights. Iraheta is a close second to Lambert in range, proving she can sing pop, country, blues, R&B and rock equally well.
Advantage: Lambert
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
The song is the first single off of the band's new album, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, which hits stores on June 2. "It's a pretty song and it talks about a lot of things ... death and love and all those things ... but it also talks about the world of opposites that we are in," Matthews explained. "That's the idea behind the song — that we will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to save a kid's life and then we will drop bombs out of the sky on each other and blow a whole school of them to pieces without a thought. And that's a funny world. ... That's why it's called 'Funny the Way It Is.' "
Still, don't expect to get depressed after hearing the song — in true DMB style, the melody, hook and overall feel of the song is pretty upbeat. "It is a joyful tune — that's what it's supposed to be," Matthews said. "But it's also supposed to be about the truth. So that's what we wanted to do on this record ... be honest with ourselves."
In the clip, Lohan claims she's "looking for someone who I can spend the rest of my life with — or at least my probation with" and pokes fun at her oft-covered love life, run-ins with the law, and rather prodigious partying, laughing that she's "a workaholic, a shopaholic and, according to the state of California, an alcoholic."
The clip has been viewed more than 825,000 times in less than 24 hours, making it not only a smart career move for Lohan, but a certified Internet sensation. Again, you probably already know this. But what you don't know is how the video came to be.
"Lindsay had decided she wanted to do something, so she got in touch with Will Ferrell's agent, and the first call I got was last Wednesday night," Mike Farah, who co-produced the video for Funny or Die, told MTV News. "We were obviously super-excited to work with her, so we kicked around some ideas on Thursday, wrote the script Friday, shot the video on Saturday and then posted it — it was that quick. And Lindsay was a total pro."
Farah said Lohan was "totally game" to tackle the rumors about her life, and that there wasn't anything she shied away from. She even ad-libbed a few lines that ended up making the final cut.
"She was really willing to go there and added her own lines. The joke about 'car chases on the PCH,' the line about 'never losing her Google hits, just her underwear,' that was all her," Farah laughed. "She really thought this would be a perfect platform to take back her story, to be funny and self-deprecating. Like the saying goes: If you don't tell your own story, someone else will."
And judging from the online response, fans are loving Lohan's version of her story, making the video a win for her and Funny or Die. That means the next time a celebrity is in need of some career rehab, perhaps they'll reach out to the Web site for help, and Farah is aware of that fact.
"We could almost do one of these things a week. Anyone who's in the news and wants to take back their story could be reaching out to us," he laughed. "We're not going to force anything, but if it's the right idea, and the right person, who knows?"
'I thank everybody that continued to pray for my situation with my brother,' the rapper says. By Shaheem Reid
Plies and his brother Big Gates Photo: Julia Beverly
Plies is breathing a little easier these days — his brother, Ronell "Big Gates" Levatte, has been released after three years in prison.
"I thank everybody that continued to support not only me, but my situation. I thank everybody that continued to pray for my situation with my brother," Plies said on Friday, the day after Big Gates' release. Gates began his sentence in 2006 for his involvement in a shooting at a club in Gainesville, Florida.
"I had an opportunity yesterday — April 9, a day I'll never forget — I had a chance to go down to Coleman correctional facility and see him walk out," Plies said. "That meant everything to me. I haven't had a chance to enjoy an Easter with him over the course of the last three years, man. I told him I was gonna take yesterday off — let's take time to smell the roses. But he came home straight in work mode. Thank God for the opportunity, man, and everybody who prayed for the situation around the country. It means everything to me. That was a part of my life I've been missing for a few years. That was his second time in prison I told him either one of us can go down this road. We don't do each other good for me to go to prison or him to go to prison. For me to see him come home was everything to me."
Plies has often talked about his brother — as well as others in the black community who have been incarcerated — in songs such as "100 Years," "Die Together" and "2nd Chance," off his current album, Da Realist.
"I think it's important," he said about addressing the prison system and its inequities. "[Me and my brother] talked a long time yesterday and, like I said, it's so many more people. He gave it to me in the simplest form possible. He said, 'Behind that wall, there's more people who are suffering, struggling, disappointed, sincerely hurting.' People will never understand it unless you are a part of that system. People tell you that some people deserve to be there. I can't never say they wrong. But I do know it's a lot of people in those situations. It's a lot of pain and struggle that they go through. My new vow that I made to myself is that regardless of my situation and my fame, [rapping about the penile system] that's something that's always gonna be a part of me and my responsibility to do everything I can to make sure that those people's voices behind those walls live on. I'll always be a representation of them."
Plies' next single, "Plenty Money," is due later this year, and he also plans to drop a new LP in August or September. The MC's reality show, "Goonette," is currently being shopped to various cable networks.
We give our predictions as well as what we'd rather hear the contestants sing. By Jim Cantiello
Danny Gokey Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
Tuesday night's (April 14) "American Idol" theme is "Songs From The Movies," with Quentin Tarantino appearing once again as guest mentor. (The movie director/ "Idol" superfan made an awesome appearance as a brutally honest guest judge in season three.) With the contestants facing a broad theme with thousands of options, we thought we'd help them navigate the songbook by offering a few suggestions. We also looked into our "Idol" crystal ball to try to predict what the contestants will sing tonight. As far as what Quentin Tarantino will do? There's no way to predict that.
Adam Lambert What He Might Pick: Well, he already perfected Gary Jules' cover of "Mad World" from "Donnie Darko," so he'll probably reach back to his audition and please his fans with an abridged "Bohemian Rhapsody" from "Wayne's World."
What We'd Like to Hear: With a dude as theatrical as Adam, we can think of about 50 different suggestions — "Heaven on Their Minds" from "Jesus Christ Superstar" or anything from "Rent" or "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." But we're starting to worry that Adam's "Idol" journey is turning into a big audition for Broadway. So, Adam, stay away from anything that was in a musical and instead introduce "Idol" to Radiohead — "Fake Plastic Trees" appeared in the movie "Clueless," so jump on that and knock it out of the park.
Allison Iraheta What She Might Pick: The judges have compared her to Kelly Clarkson, so maybe she'll take that as a hint that she should sing Kelly's "Breakaway" from "The Princess Diaries 2" soundtrack.
What We'd Like to Hear: We have to agree with MJsBigBlog.com: Allison should study the Tarantino song list and slay Smith's "Baby, It's You" from "Death Proof." Holy crap, we get chills just thinking about it.
Anoop Desai What He Might Pick: Last week's "True Colors" showed Anoop's sensitive side, so that means this week he'll most likely go back to his frat-guy ways. Plus, based on his attitude over the past few weeks, we wouldn't be surprised if he tried Joe Esposito's "You're the Best Around" from "The Karate Kid" and dedicated it to himself.
What We'd Like to Hear: Continuing with the "Colors" motif, we'd love to see Anoop sit on the side of the stage and passionately sing Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection." There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house!
Danny Gokey What He Might Pick: This one's a no-brainer. Danny has had the "City of Angels" Goo Goo Dolls' track "Iris" picked out since the day he talked about his deceased wife on camera. Also expect him to have the "pimp spot" this week.
What We'd Like to Hear: We liked Gokey best when he showed restraint during Grand Ole Opry week. Tap into that sensitive side, ditch the growl (and the dancing) and do a super-stripped-down take on "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from "Grease." It'll be sentimental without hitting America over the head.
Kris Allen What He Might Pick: Kris has the funky footwork and the guitar bounce down, so it's only a matter of time before he busts out a little Dave Matthews Band on the "Idol" stage. Luckily, DMB offered up "Where Are You Going" to the Adam Sandler flick, "Mr. Deeds," so Kris' destiny can be fulfilled. My wife is going to love it.
What We'd Like to Hear: On the surface, the La's "There She Goes" from the "So I Married an Axe Murderer" soundtrack is in a similar vein to a Dave Matthews tune, but the alleged ode to heroin will give the pretty boy the edge he so desperately needs to woo fans other than middle-aged gay dudes and teen girls. (Although, on second thought, is anyone else watching "Idol" these days?)
Lil Rounds What She Might Pick: Poor Lil thinks she's the next Whitney, when in actuality she's probably more like the next Amerie. But she'll continue her trend of picking songs that are way too big for her and she'll ruin Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were."
What We'd Like to Hear: It's time Lil Rounds reinvented herself as a pop diva. Why not take the bubbly Cardigans megahit "Lovefool" from the "Romeo + Juliet" soundtrack and inject it with some R&B flavor?
Matt Giraud What He Might Pick: Matt finally got raves from the judges last week for his slowed-down "Part Time Lover." We think his days of rock-and-roll risk-taking are over, so he'll croon the relatively safe Phil Collins' "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)."
What We'd Like to Hear: If Matt sat behind the piano and delivered a passionate take on Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" from the "Purple Rain" soundtrack, he'd emerge as an honest-to-God contender for the "Idol" crown. Ditto for Janet Jackson's "Poetic Justice" track, "Again."
What do you want to hear your favorites sing? And are there any songs you hope they absolutely positively avoid? Leave a comment below!
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Rapper tells XXL that the genre faltered during his absence, but he feels T.I. and Lil Wayne raised the bar. By Shaheem Reid
Eminem on the cover of <i>XXL</i> Photo: XXL
Guess who's back? Eminem appears on the cover of the latest issue of XXL magazine dressed as the Punisher — and, judging from the interview excerpts published on the magazine's Web site, Em kept up with what was going on in hip-hop during his absence.
"I stayed up on the music, and obviously I watch TV and saw what was going on," he said. "And without naming any names, it just felt like hip-hop was going downhill. And it seemed like kinda fast. You know, in them three years, it was like everybody just cares about the hook and the beat; nobody really cares about substance. But with this new T.I. album, with this new Lil Wayne album of recent, it seems like things are looking a lot better now. You can appreciate Lil Wayne using different words to rhyme and actually rhyming words that you know. Or T.I., where you hear sh-- and you're like, 'Whoa, ah, I wish I would have thought of that!' You know what I mean? Or you hear all the compound-syllable rhyming and all that. It just seems like now the craft is getting cared about more."
One of the driving forces inspiring Em to cultivate his craft and get his life together is the death of his best friend Proof. The charismatic D12 member has been gone for three years now and, as Em told XXL, he has just gotten to the point where he can talk about the tragedy.
"Everyone felt his loss, from his kids, to his wife, to everyone," he explained. "But, for some reason, in hindsight, the way I felt was almost like it happened to just me. ... Maybe at the time I was a little bit selfish with it. I think it kind of hit me so hard. It just blindsided me. I just went into such a dark place that, with everything, the drugs, my thoughts, everything. And the more drugs I consumed — and it was all depressants I was taking — the more depressed I became, the more self-loathing I became. ... By the way, I'm just now at the point where I'm better talking about it. It took me so long to get out of that place where I couldn't even speak about it without crying or wanting to cry. ... Proof was the anchor. He was everything to D12. And not just the group — for me, personally, he was everything."
Along with having to deal with the death of such a beloved confidant, Em also struggled with drug addiction.
"I wasn't ready mentally. I wasn't ready to give up drugs," he explained. "I didn't really think I had a problem. Basically, I went in, and I came out. I relapsed, and I spent the next three years struggling with it. Also, at that time, I felt like I wanted to pull back, because my drug problem had got so bad. I felt like, 'Maybe if I take a break, maybe this will help.' I started to get into the producer role more. ... I can still be out-there with my music, like with the Re-Up album, but I don't have to be in the spotlight the whole time."
Slim Shady is featured on two XXL covers for the June issue — one of Em with the Punisher logo tattooed on his bare chest, the other with Em in full Punisher costume.
Casting directors say 'American Idol' contestant could have a bright future on Broadway. By Gil Kaufman, with additional reporting by Kim Stolz
Adam Lambert Photo: Michael Becker/ Getty Images/ Fox
It's guaranteed that if Adam Lambert wins "American Idol," he'll release at least one major-label album. But even if this year's runaway leading contender pulls a Chris Daughtry/ Jennifer Hudson and is booted before making it to the show's finale, two of Broadway's leading casting directors say he's got a great shot at finding fame on the Great White Way.
In fact, before taking a detour from musical theater and glam-rock cabaret performances, Lambert was on the short list to potentially play the lead in the Broadway Spider-Man musical "Turn Off the Dark," which will feature music by U2's Bono and The Edge, according to casting director Bernie Telsey.
"We started working on 'Spider-Man' a year and a half ago, and [Lambert is] someone we know because we cast him in 'Wicked' and knew he had that kind of range," Telsey said of the San Diego-bred singer, who has 17 years of experience on the stage, including a stint in a 2004 musical version of "The Ten Commandments" opposite Val Kilmer. "I've not seen him do those styles as much as I've seen him now on 'American Idol.' And he was someone we looked after about seven months ago, but he told us then that he was already in the 'American Idol' process and not available. So he's definitely somebody that we would have auditioned, just because we know him and see him for a lot of shows. ... Let him go win, and then he can come and replace Spider-Man a year after the run. He'd be great."
Though Telsey said Lambert couldn't jump into the "Spider-Man" mix even if he does win the show because of the recording contracts "Idol" winners sign, the casting director said he'd gladly consider Lambert for "a bunch of shows," especially now that he has national name recognition.
Broadway has been very kind to "Idol" contestants, with a steady stream of top finishers making their way to the stage, from runner-up Clay Aiken ("Monty Python's Spamalot") to Constantine Maroulis ("Rock of Ages"), winners Fantasia ("The Color Purple") and Taylor Hicks ("Grease"), and a number of others including Diana DeGarmo, Ace Young and Frenchie Davis.
Jay Binder, another veteran Broadway casting director who helped Hudson win an Academy Award by casting her in the movie version of "Dreamgirls," said many "Idol" veterans have succeeded on Broadway because they have shown the work ethic needed to perform eight shows a week and draw fans at a time when box office is down and few new major musical-theater stars are being minted.
"I'm very thrilled for what could happen with this young man, because if he succeeds in this media, we have another male musical-theater star, and we need every one we can get," said Binder, who cautioned that he'd have to have Lambert come in for an audition to see what the singer's range is. "I have my fingers crossed for him climbing buildings and weaving webs some day."
And rather than bearing the stigma of being on America's leading reality show (and #1 show, period), Binder and Telsey said "Idol" is closely watched by casting directors looking to spot talent.
"We watch every week to see who's going to lose so we can cast them in a Broadway show," Telsey said. "Seriously, because they're talented people who just didn't have agents. ... Look at Fantasia. She blew the house down in 'Color Purple.' ... What was so wonderful about her in that show is she doesn't even sing until the end of Act 1. And the whole time you're watching, asking, 'Who is this incredible actress onstage?,' and she had never done it."
Right now, Telsey said he's already going after this season's Alexis Grace for possible Broadway work, and Binder said he was looking at some "Idol" alumni for potential roles in Broadway revivals of "The Wiz" and "Dreamgirls."
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
"N---a never had a gun and badge," he stresses, dismissing the word that he was indeed an officer of the law. "Can't criticize n---as trying to get a job."
Later he implies that while he was working as a corrections officer, he was also on the streets, declaring that he had "two jobs."
"I'll C.O. so we could bow our head and pray over the meatloaf," Ross rhymes. "You can label me the biggest label in the game."
On "Face," Ross teams with Trina to talk about receiving oral sex while driving in traffic. "Bossy Lady," meanwhile, is more of a grown and sexy track, which features Ne-Yo on the hook. "Baby, you will shine just like I do," Ne-Yo sings. "Just like you're supposed to/ Everybody knows you're the boss' girl/ Envy of all your friends/ Moves that we're making got us on top of the world/ Baby, you're the boss' girl. ..."
Rick makes a bevy of promises to his woman on the song and even spews a few satirical lines. "My kicks Brown, now I'm lookin' for Rihanna and them."
"The fat Tommy Lee, I made out with, like, eight broads," the Miami kingpin jokes on "Yacht Club," a ragamuffin-inspired party record that features newest signee to the Maybach Music group, reggae artist Magazeen.
Robin Thicke checks in on "Lay Back," another party jam aimed at the ladies. "If you came to get this party started, girl, just say, 'Dadadadada,' " Thicke commands. "Take off your clothes and just lay back."
"Shawty laid back, so we laid up," Ross raps. "When I fade to black, we made up.../ My car's a virgin, first one to hit it."
For the most part, the production on the album is cinematic, thematic and soulfully rich. The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Drumma Boy, DJ Toomp, the Inkredibles and the Runners are among the main producers. T-Pain, John Legend, Lil Wayne, Nas and Kanye West are among the guest stars. Mary J. Blige, who Ross beamed about working with, is not on the LP.
Deeper Than Rap's track listing, according to Def Jam:
"Mafia Music" "Maybach Music 2"(featuring Lil Wayne, Kanye West and T-Pain) "Magnificent" (featuring John Legend) "Yacht Club" (featuring Magazeen) "Usual Suspects" (featuring Nas) "All I Really Want" (featuring The-Dream) "Rich Off Cocaine" "Lay Back" (featuring Robin Thicke) "Murda Mami" (featuring Foxy Brown) "Gunplay" (featuring Gunplay) "Bossy Lady" (featuring Ne-Yo) "Face" (featuring Trina) "Valley of Death" "In Cold Blood"
'I've been working on myself for a while now,' Yeezy proclaims. By James Montgomery
Kanye West, as portrayed in the fish sticks episode of "South Park" Photo: South Park Studios
OK, so maybe we were wrong about Kanye West's ego. Seems he's been working on it since long before being depicted in last week's "South Park" episode. Or at least that's what he's telling us.
Confused? Well, here's the quick recap: Last Wednesday, "South Park" ran their now infamous "Fish Sticks" episode, which lambasted Yeezy as an egomaniacal jerk who just so happened to also be a closeted "gay fish." Hours after the episode aired, West took to his blog to announce — rather humbly, it should be noted — that not only did he find his portrayal on the show to be "pretty funny," but that "I actually have been working on my ego. ... I'm not actually a huge douche."
It seemed that the creators of "South Park" had awakened some sort of ego epiphany inside the notoriously self-assured rapper, and we were all fairly impressed. But late Friday, West posted another missive, this one letting us all know that the whole "gay fish" thing had nothing to do with a newfound quest for self-improvement. In fact, he has been working on his ego for a while now.
"The 'South Park' episode did not make me have this ego epiphany!" he wrote. "I actually only watched a piece of the episode, which was funny. I've been working on myself for a while now, which is hard to do in the public eye. I just used [this blog] as a platform to express where my head is at."
And then all was well and good ... until Saturday, when West posted a third "South Park"-inspired blog, this one seeming to hint that the show — and the whole "fish sticks" joke — may actually be ruining his life ... or at least his dining experiences at Cheesecake Factories across the country.
"I was at Cheesecake Factory yesterday, and the manager brought me a plate of fish sticks," the post read. "(In a sarcastic tone) Uuuuuum, GREAT!"
As of Monday (April 13), there have been no further "South Park" blog posts on West's site (there have been lots of posts about Nikes and architecture though), leaving many to wonder just what the next chapter in the ongoing "Fish Sticks" melodrama will be.
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