| Bow Wow Celebrates New Album With Special Concert For Fans
April 1, 2009 at 12:16 pm
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| MC throws album-release party for New Jack City II in New York.
By Kathleen Newman Bremang and Angelique Smith 
Jermaine Dupri and Bow Wow perform at the <i>New Jack City II</i> album release party in New York on Tuesday
Photo: Jerritt Clark/ Getty Images NEW YORK — Bow Wow may have left the "Lil" behind, but his concert on Tuesday night proved that the rapper is still a hit with screaming young girls. Bow celebrated the release of New Jack City II with a party at Santos Party House. While most artists opt for 21-and-older venues with V.I.P sections for their album-release festivities, Bow Wow decided to give back to his fans with a special public concert hosted by MySpace. Fans were packed behind barricades waiting to get into the show on the chilly night, but most didn't seem to mind. One fan, Stella, said she's been a Bow Wow fan ever since she can remember and already "loves" the new album. "I love all of the songs. I just love Bow Wow!" she screamed. Another fan, Jada Newman, referred to Bow Wow as her "husband" and swore she was the MC's "number-one fan." The love between Bow Wow and his fans is mutual. "If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here." he told MTV News on the red carpet. "To have seven album and be 22 [years old], that means a lot ... and it's only right that I invite [the fans] and MySpace and everybody out here. I'm just happy to be a part of the whole situation," he said. Photographers flashed away at the young artist as he arrived at around 10 p.m., dressed in a black hoodie and black baseball cap, paired with the traditional rap uniform: baggy jeans and bling. Bow kept his sunglasses on for photos while joking he was covering up a black eye. Bow Wow promised a more grown-up sound on New Jack City II and hailed it as his favorite of the seven studio albums he's released. "[There's] nothing like current music, that's always the key and I'm just happy to have music that represents me." Inside, Bow Weezy hit the stage armed with the swagger and confidence of older MCs, but he was met with the kind of crying and shrieking you might see at a Jonas Brothers concert. "How many of you guys have the new album?" The fans responded in excitement and Bow Wow proceeded to dedicate the next song to T.I. On the new album Bow Wow collaborates with T.I. for the upbeat track, "Been Doin' This." The screams only got louder when mentor/ producer Jermaine Dupri joined Bow Wow onstage. The duo continued to put their beef to rest and performed the hits "Rock the Mic" and the remix version of "Oh I Think They Like Me." While JD stepped aside to enjoy the music from offstage, Bow Wow forged on with "Fresh Azimiz," as well as songs from his new album. Onstage, Bow-Wow teased the crowd with his smile and his muscles, wiping sweat from his brow and throwing the towel into the audience. "How many of ya'll have been rocking with me since day one?" he asked the crowd. Not only did the question get a screaming response, but Bow Wow put down his mic and the crowd sang the lyrics to "Bounce With Me" from his debut LP, Beware of Dog. So what's left for Bow Wow after seven albums, movies and legions of screaming fans? "What's next? Getting more money, I guess," he laughed. Related Artists |
| 'Play That Funky Music': The Story Behind Adam Lambert's 'American Idol' Cover
April 1, 2009 at 11:40 am
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| Wild Cherry had a huge hit with the song during the 1970s disco era.
By Gil Kaufman 
Adam Lambert performs "Play That Funky Music" on "American Idol" on Tuesday night
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images Leave it to Adam Lambert to take one of the most recognizable and frequently spun hits of the disco era and make it his own. When the front-running "American Idol" musical-theater howler announced his decision to resurrect the 1976 disco funk hit "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry on Tuesday night, judge Randy Jackson said he was a bit concerned given the song's long history and ubiquity. But, much like he did with Smokey Robinson's "Tracks of My Tears" the week before and the Johnny Cash classic "Ring of Fire" the week before that, Lambert put his unique spin on the tune by the Pittsburgh band, who hit #1 with the song in 1976 and garnered a pair of Grammy nominations for Best New Vocal Group and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. One-hit wonders Wild Cherry was led by singer-guitarist-songwriter Rob Parissi, who formed the original group in 1970, cribbing the name from a brand of cough drops he was taking while battling illness. The first lineup split in 1975 before releasing any music, and Parissi threw in the towel for a while and began managing a local steak house. But he soon formed a new lineup with more of a rock edge during the era when disco was blooming, and after legendarily being shouted down by fans at shows to "play that funky music," he wrote a song inspired by the taunts and was repaid with a massive hit that reached #1 on the Billboard R&B and pop charts. The group never reached those heights again and split up in 1979 after releasing a fourth album. And much as he did with "Tracks of My Tears" last week, Lambert proved his innate artistry by taking the disco chestnut and making it his own on Tuesday night, adding in a rock edge and inserting some of his signature falsetto howls, much to the delight of the judges and audience. Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Ain't No Sunshine': The Story Behind Kris Allen's 'Idol' Cover
April 1, 2009 at 11:18 am
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| 'American Idol' contestant wows audience with Bill Withers' melancholy classic.
By Gil Kaufman 
Kris Allen performs Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images/ Fox Ask any male contemporary soul/R&B singer from Justin Timberlake to Usher to name one of his biggest influences, and chances are he'll say Bill Withers. Now, you can add "American Idol" contestant Kris Allen to the list. On a night when the nine finalists could choose any song from a list of the most popular iTunes downloads, Allen went with Withers' Grammy-winning 1971 smash, "Ain't No Sunshine," a tune that put Withers on the map. It has been covered hundreds of times by artists such as Prince, Timberlake, Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney, and DMX sampled it in 2001's "No Sunshine." The song was Withers' first hit, and it charted when the then-32-year-old Navy veteran was working at a factory making airplane parts. The all-acoustic arrangement was overseen by soul legend Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & the MG's, and it features guitar work from Crosby, Still & Nash member Stephen Stills. The part of the tune where Withers repeats the phrase, "I know, I know" more than 20 times, was originally just a place holder until Withers could come up with more lyrics, but Jones liked it so much, he urged the singer to leave it in. The hypnotizing refrain became the song's signature moment. In an interview with SongFacts.com, Withers said the dark lyrics were inspired by a 1962 movie called "Days of Wine and Roses," starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick, about a pair of struggling alcoholics. "It's like going back for seconds on rat poison," he explained. "Sometimes you miss things that weren't particularly good for you. It's just something that crossed my mind from watching that movie, and probably something else that happened in my life that I'm not aware of." The tune, which first appeared on Withers' 1971 debut, Just As I Am, won the Best R&B Song Grammy in 1972 and was the first of many hits for Withers, including "Lean on Me," "Use Me," "Lovely Day" and "Just the Two of Us." On Tuesday night's "Idol," Allen said he picked the song because he was in search of a "signature moment" and it would allow him to play piano instead of guitar. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Recap: Adam Lambert Gets Funky On iTunes Night
April 1, 2009 at 9:43 am
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| Kris Allen and Danny Gokey gain ground; Megan Joy's 'in trouble.'
By Gil Kaufman 
Adam Lambert performs on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images/ Fox This is the point in the "American Idol" competition when it becomes clear who the front-runners are, and who is just biding time before they go home. And on Tuesday night, when the nine remaining hopefuls got to pick from the most popular downloads on iTunes, some — like Megan Joy and Anoop Desai — got tripped up by all that choice, and others — like Kris Allen and Adam Lambert — soared. (Check out MTV News "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello's live blog of the show!) First up was Desai, singing one of the night's most contemporary numbers, Usher's "Caught Up," which allowed the lanky vocalist to get back to his up-tempo stage moves. With a lip-curling snarl, some Michael Jackson-esque hand motions and a bit of flirting with judge Paula Abdul, 'Noop Dogg brought plenty of attitude, but was a bit low-key for the song's dance-ready pace. Randy Jackson thought he picked up his swagger and liked the vocals, but didn't think the song was right because it required more dancing. Kara DioGuardi said she just didn't hear enough dynamics in Anoop's voice. "I'm getting the feeling like a bunch of frat guys ... dared you to get up and sing Usher," she quipped. Simon Cowell was also not kind, labeling it a complete, utter mess, adding that the performance gave him a headache and that Desai came over like a "wannabe." The news was also not good for Megan Joy, who chose the Bob Marley song popularized again most recently by Lauryn Hill, "Turn Your Lights Down Low." Trying to rebound from a week in which the judges lost their fascination with her quirky vocals, Joy seemed a bit nervous or distracted as she awkwardly waved her arms, while again employing her patented jazz yodel vocal on the reggae classic. "I really like you, but I think you're in trouble," Kara warned, suggesting once again that Joy, whose vocals she said were starting to get irritating, should be picking songs that suit her style, like something by Adele or Amy Winehouse. Paula recommended switching it up and maybe sitting on a stool singing a ballad. Simon didn't mince words, telling her, "The problem was the song was boring, it was indulgent, it was monotonous, and all the things we liked about you are disappearing." Randy compared it to watching paint dry. When Danny Gokey took his turn, he surprised the judges by picking Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most," an unusual choice for a singer who has established a reputation for his soulful, gospel style. He transformed the tender, string-laden country ballad into a pseudo R&B weeper, turning it into a showcase for his mix of raw and polished vocals. Paula, not surprisingly, loved it, saying, "This is where you thrive." Simon agreed, calling it his best performance to date in the finals. "It was so much better than the first two. It was like two snails competing with a race horse," he said, complimenting Gokey for making the song his own. "What you did tonight, you moved everyone in this room emotionally," Kara said, admitting to having goose bumps. No mention was made of the fact that Gokey had returned home to Wisconsin over the weekend for his grandfather's funeral. Teenager Allison Iraheta was especially psyched this week, strapping on her guitar for the first time on the show and playing one of her favorite songs, No Doubt's "Don't Speak." Switching the tune up and playing it as a slightly slowed-down bossa nova, Iraheta struggled at times to hit the song's tricky notes, but punched some bluesy grit into the tune by the end. Randy liked that she played the guitar, but blasted Iraheta's flashy-trashy 1950s-style new-wave look. Kara called the Valley Girl getup distracting, counseling Iraheta to use her powerful voice and not rely on visual gimmicks. Paula urged her to forget the fashion advice and focus on her powerful vocals. Simon warned that the outfit felt like a kid playing dress-up trying to be a pop star, which distracted from Iraheta's identity. What would Scott MacIntyre choose a week after hitting the bottom three for the first time? A song by one of his piano-playing heroes, Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are," which he played in a fairly straightforward, reverent fashion, elongating the upper-range vocals in a way that actually brought to mind another classic balladeer, Barry Manilow. Kara called the pick smart and liked how Mac stripped it down, singing to the audience and coming from an honest place. She also complimented his new, streamlined hair and black leather jacket. "I have to say that out of all the contestants that have graced the stage, I'm most proud of you, and I want the audience to know it has nothing to do about your challenge but everything to do [with what] makes me forget about that challenge," Paula said. Simon added that he thought it was Mac's best performance "by a country mile." For Matt Giraud, who also hit the bottom three for the first time last week, the choice was simple, the Fray's "You Found Me," which he said was close to his heart. Standing at a keyboard in the middle of the crowd, Giraud started out a bit shaky, but appeared to turn it around by mid-song, putting a slightly harder edge to his typically smooth vocals and tossing in a sky-high falsetto note for good measure. Paula appreciated the contemporary song, but said he sidestepped all the things the judges loved and sounded too much like the recorded tune, comparing it to his disastrous take on Coldplay earlier in the competition. "I didn't get it at all ... again, it was somebody trying to be somebody else," Simon said, calling his performance uncomfortable and a wrong song choice. Randy said he should have stuck with his Justin Timberlake/ OneRepublic range and not tried to be a rock singer. Trying to redeem herself after a so-so Motown week, Lil Rounds thought long and hard about her tune this week, choosing Celine Dion's lung-busting "I Surrender." With a new down hairdo and a formal ball gown, Rounds pulled out her diva hand moves and bombastic vocals and performed the song in all its Dion-esque powerful glory, layering on a healthy dose of soul. Randy and Kara again didn't love the song choice, but said she sang it very well and showed great range, suggesting she young it up a bit and choose Keyshia Cole or Mary J. Blige next time. "This was, for me, you singing to stay in the competition with a safe song. I found it quite similar to a wedding performance," Simon said, calling it too old-fashioned and fearing Rounds' personality was being sucked out of her. And what would Adam Lambert pull out after wowing the crowd last week with a soft, subtle "Tracks of My Tears."? With his pompadour in place again, Lambert boogied to the Wild Cherry disco classic "Play That Funky Music," throwing in some nimble spins, giving the song a slower, more soulful vibe and, of course, laying down some of his tongue-baring banshee wails for another crowd-pleaser. The verdict? Paula was on her feet. "True genius does not fulfill expectations; true genius shatters it," she said, comparing him to Mick Jagger and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler. Simon called it "brave" and original, and said it showed that he had a good time. Last up was Kris Allen with Bill Withers' soul classic "Ain't No Sunshine," trading his guitar for a piano in search of a signature moment. Allen's stripped-down arrangement, which started with just his emotion-filled voice and piano, later abetted by a string quartet and subtle drumming, made for some of his most touching and nuanced vocals so far. Randy said Allen is back in the zone and had provided one of the night's most creative moments. "I've got three words for you: That is artistry!" Kara shouted, and both Paula and Simon dubbed it his best performance. The contestants are back tonight for the elimination show, which will also feature performances from last season's winner, David Cook, and dancing queen Lady Gaga. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| David Cook Cancels Tour Dates Due To 'Family Matters'
April 1, 2009 at 9:16 am
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| 'American Idol' contestant Danny Gokey also went home to attend grandfather's funeral.
By Gil Kaufman 
David Cook
Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images Season 7 "American Idol" winner David Cook canceled two shows earlier this week in order to deal with what his Web site called "personal family matters." The affected shows were a Monday gig at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire, and Tuesday's show at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut. "We are canceling [Monday's] and Tuesday's shows to allow David time to deal with personal family matters," a note posted on Cook's site on Sunday explained. "Please respect his privacy at this time. David would like everyone to rest assured that we are working with the universities to reschedule the shows that are missed." A spokesperson for Cook confirmed the cancellations and said that the singer went home to be with his family, but would not offer any more information on what the family matter was. Cook's pretaped appearance on Wednesday night's "Idol" elimination show will not be affected by the cancellation, and he is expected to resume the tour on Thursday. Cook spoke openly during his "Idol" run about older brother Adam's long battle with brain cancer, and a representative told People magazine that Cook, 26, spent time with Adam last week. Cook's site was flooded with letters of support from fans, who told him that he and his family were in their thoughts and prayers, urging him to take as much time as he needs to deal with the situation. A current "Idol" contestant, front-runner Danny Gokey, also went home last weekend due to a family emergency. According to EverydayChristian.com, Gokey, 28, who lost his wife just weeks before auditioning for the show, was back home to attend his grandfather's funeral. The site confirmed on Monday that Gokey went to Wisconsin and attended several services at his Milwaukee church, Faith Builders International Ministries, before attending the funeral on Sunday. Gokey was back in Los Angeles in time to perform on Tuesday night's "Idol," where no mention was made of his recent loss. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists |
| 'Get Yourself Tested' Campaign Launches After 'Pedro' Premiere
April 1, 2009 at 8:31 am
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| If you get tested, you could win a trip for two to walk the red carpet at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards.
By Rya Backer 
Joanna Garcia
Photo: MTV News Did you catch the "GYT" video on Perez Hilton's site last week? What about the "GYT" clips featuring Santigold, Flo Rida or Big Boi? How about on Wednesday morning (April 1), when Matt Lauer asked a group of kids wearing "GYT" T-shirts what the acronym meant, and they refused to tell him? So WTF is GYT? Well, following the premiere of "Pedro" at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on MTV and MTV Tr3s, the Kaiser Family Foundation, Planned Parenthood, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York City Department of Health and MTV launched an effort for you to Get Yourself Tested. Also, the month of April will be Get Yourself Tested month. According to a press release, GYT is "a campaign to increase testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among those under 25 years old." With a new statistic finding that half of all sexually active people under 25 have an STD and nearly 10 million 19- to 24-year-olds are infected with a new STD every year, it seems the push could not come at a better time. Testing has never been easier. With just a swab inside the cheek, an AIDS test result can be produced in 20 minutes, and gonorrhea and Chlamydia can be diagnosed just as quickly. As an incentive to, well, get yourself tested, MTV has offered a trip for two to walk the red carpet at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards if you get tested at your nearest clinic (you can easily find one by texting your ZIP code to 49809). For more information, head to GYT09.org, visit your nearest Planned Parenthood center or check out the campaign's Facebook application. Head to Think.MTV.com to find a community where you, your friends and your favorite celebrities can get informed, get heard and take action on the issues that matter to you most. Related Videos |
| April Fools' Jokes: The Funniest Albums Of All Time
April 1, 2009 at 7:50 am
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| The musical jokes that had the whole world crying, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery 
Our April Fools’ Album Picks
Photo: MTV News April Fools' Day is possibly the most hilarious (and torturous) 24 hours of the year, a day filled with plastic dog poop, really awful pranks that result in moderate-to-severe head injuries and guilting and shaming those closest to you. Or, at least, that's how it is here at MTV headquarters. So, in the spirit of the day — and in an attempt to avoid being Maced by MTV News Director of Operations Jonathan Goldner (that dude's hilarious) — I've holed myself up in my office and have decided to grind out a list of the funniest albums of all time. These are the musical equivalents of plastic dog poop ... records that must surely be a joke (perhaps even a mean-spirited one), because there really is no other explanation for their existence. As a side note, just because I find all these albums to be hilarious doesn't mean they're terrible. In fact, looking at the list again, I'm struck by how many of them I actually like. Still, that's beside the point. April 1 is a cruel day, and I must roll with the punches. So, for your April Fools' Day pleasure, may I present the greatest musical pranks of all time — a handful of records that probably aren't meant to be laughed at, but, as Q-Tip once said, sometimes you've gotta laugh to keep from crying. Lou Reed, Metal Machine Music (1975): Either the funniest album of all time or the worst (or probably both), Lou Reed's ear-splitting, dissonant and downright atonal double album (!) was greeted with reviews that compared it to "the tubular groaning of a galactic refrigerator" and "a night in a bus terminal" upon its initial release. Anyone who made it through the album's four noisy, feedback-drenched sides probably agreed — they probably also believed that Reed was either joking or had gone completely insane. Reed himself maintained the album was not a joke (he reportedly also claimed it "invented" heavy metal), though in a 2002 interview, he did admit, "I was serious about it. I was also really, really stoned." We're laughing with you, Lou. Bob & Doug McKenzie, The Great White North (1981): Toqued up Canadian brothers (as played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) record comedy/concept album about beer, back bacon and black holes, land an improbable cameo by Rush's Geddy Lee, inexplicably score a hit single ("Take Off") as a result. All very funny. The fact that this won the Canadian Grammy for Comedy Album of the Year? Hilarious. Neil Young, Trans (1982): Imagine Neil Young — hirsute, warbly godfather of grunge — singing almost entirely through a Vocoder. Now imagine he's singing songs with titles like "Computer Age," "Transformer Man" and "Computer Cowboy." Slap a goofy, "Tron"-esque cover on that nightmare, and you've got Trans, an album that befuddled pretty much, well, everyone. Most thought it was an elaborate joke; others believed it was Young at his most satirical, poking fun at the soulless, electro-pop that dominated the decade. Regardless, his record label — Geffen — wasn't pleased, and thanks to this album (and 1983's goofy, 25-minute long Everybody's Rockin'), they sued Young for releasing "uncharacteristic, uncommercial" records. For that reason alone, you need to listen to this. Ween, 12 Golden Country Greats (1996): OK, for starters, this is a Ween album, recorded using legendary Nashville session musicians like Hargus "Pig" Robbins and Russ Hicks. There are songs featuring Muhammad Ali samples and songs with titles like "Piss Up a Rope" and "Mr. Richard Smoker." Oh, and despite the title, there are only 10 tracks on 12 Golden Country Greats. Beastie Boys,Country Mike's Greatest Hits (1998): Hey, another country piss-take ... and this one is due to severe head trauma! Sometime between the release of 1994's Ill Communication and 1998's Hello Nasty, Mike D was hit on the head and lost all his memory. According to fellow Beastie Adam Yauch, while he was in the grips of amnesia, D believed himself to be a crooner named Country Mike. Acting on a psychologist's advice, the Beasties played along, recording an album of country cuts with titles like "Don't Let the Air Out of My Tires" and "Country Delight." Some appeared on the 1999 Sounds of Science anthology; the rest have become much-sought Beasties' nuggets. Roughly 90 percent of this is actually true, BTW. Beck, Midnite Vultures (1999): Do you like party-dude, popping-and-locking Beck, or serious, guy-and-an-acoustic-guitar Beck? Well, if you prefer the former, then boy you must love this album. Sadly, most didn't ... mostly because, for the first time in his entire career, people weren't sure if Beck was joking or not. And while the jury's still out, it's hard to think of anyone being serious while thrusting through tracks like "Sexx Laws" or "Hollywood Freaks." And don't even get me started on album closer "Debra," a gut-busting exercise in libidinous bleating and pleading. Beck hasn't been nearly as funny at any point before (or after). The Bloodhound Gang, Hooray for Boobies (2000): This album is called Hooray for Boobies. What more do you need to know? Coheed and Cambria, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005): Possibly the goofiest thing Coheed have ever done, and given everything they've done, well, that's saying something. From the doomy riffs of "Welcome Home" to the overarching (and overwrought) story line to the hidden tribute to Led Zeppelin that closes the record, this is prog rock at its most hilarious (to say nothing about Claudio Sanchez's hair or the fact that the band toured behind the album with a winged guillotine onstage). The fact that no one in the band seems to be laughing along with the listener transports this into the realm of high art. Trans Am, T.A. (2002): Washington, D.C.'s Trans Am have always excelled at pointing out the rather ridiculous extremes of genres like prog and post-rock, but on T.A., they push the pointing into overdrive. Positively bathed in '80s synth sheen and featuring feathered and airbrushed liner notes, it's a completely hilarious send-up, one that also includes brilliantly stoopid joints like "Party Station" and "Different Kind of Love," not to mention a drunken impression of Derek Fisher lifted off someone's answering machine. You have to be smart to be this dumb. Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com. Related Artists |
| Britney Spears' Fans Love Circus Tour Fashion, Set List ... Everything!
April 1, 2009 at 7:09 am
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| Pittsburgh concertgoers try to narrow down their favorite moments from pop star's tour.
By Nicole Guanlao 
Britney Spears
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images PITTSBURGH — There's no question that Britney Spears' Circus tour is a spectacle. During each show, the pop star performs her biggest hits amid acrobats, clowns and martial artists — just to name a few of her over-the-top co-stars. With such an elaborate production, it's no wonder fans at her Pittsburgh show found it difficult to decide which part was their favorite. Although most fans offered up a generic "I loved everything," a few Spears supporters managed to pinpoint moments that made them gasp for air and scream the loudest. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton is the ringmaster of Spears' traveling circus, and his taped introduction signals Spears' entrance. For Hugh Stumpp, 21, the anticipation was too much to bear, which made Hilton's preshow message his favorite moment of the night. "I really liked the excitement that Perez Hilton brings with the opening and stuff," Stumpp said. "All the adrenaline is pumping, and people are just excited that Britney is about to come out, and that was just the most electrifying moment." Spears surprised everyone when she performed the decade-old " ... Baby One More Time." The enthusiastic crowd welcomed the remixed version of her first hit with piercing screams. "I wasn't sure she would sing that, because it was such an old hit," Stefanie Recupero, 21, said. "I was only expecting newer ones, so that was just a great moment." "Britney really brought it during ' ... Baby One More Time,' because that's how we know Britney and how she started in our lives," Stumpp agreed. "She changed it up and made it more modern so the audience could see a different side of ' ... Baby One More Time.' " Certain dance numbers also stood out in fans' minds. Samantha Boier, 19, couldn't get enough of Spears' sultry moves during "Toxic" and "Womanizer." "Her moves are so, like, tight and so sexy!" Boier said. For Lori Barker, 29, the most unforgettable scene was an acrobatic number from the pop star herself. While performing "Touch of My Hand," the blindfolded Spears — dressed in an S&M-style outfit with strategically placed tassels — ascends with the help of two leather-clad co-stars. () Spears' sexy and shimmery outfits also drew a lot of attention from the audience. For Recupero, Spears' "Me Against the Music" ensemble was a highlight of the show because it reminded her of a famous Disney character. "My favorite was the blue Jasmine outfit from 'Aladdin,' " she said. "It looked exactly like Jasmine!" Related Videos Related Artists |
| David Cook Has 'Nervousness' About Returning To 'American Idol'
April 1, 2009 at 6:51 am
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| 'As long as Simon doesn't critique me TOO hard, I'm just amped to see everybody,' singer jokes.
By Gil Kaufman 
David Cook
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images He won the whole thing last year, his debut album went platinum and he is in the midst of a spring tour that's drawing packed audiences at colleges and festivals across the country. But, for some reason, David Cook still couldn't help shake some of those nagging nerves as he prepared to return to the scene of his coronation for the first time since taking the "American Idol" crown last season. "I'll always get a little tinge of nervousness around the judges," Cook admitted in an e-mail interview with MTV News on Monday, less than two days before he appeared on the show to perform his new single, "Come Back to Me," on the show. "It's now engrained in my DNA, I suppose." A year after Cook was embroiled in a tightly contested battle with the other David, runner-up David Archuleta, the rocker said that despite some butterflies, the reunion with the "Idol" crew also finds him "surprisingly calm, especially given how much I was sweating it out up here a few short months ago. To be able to come back and see everyone, it almost feels like I never left." Cook was excited to meet the new contestants, who he said had an "amazing level of talent," and, like season-two winner Ruben Studdard — who visited the show last week — and season-six winner Jordin Sparks, Cook was reluctant to cough up the name of his favorite. "I think that the talent level is as high as ever," he said, artfully dodging a question about who his pick to win this year was. "What with the new format this season, I really feel that even though we're paring down to the final few contestants, I think the competition is still wide open. It's anyone's game." He had high praise, however, for new judge Kara DioGuardi, saying she brings her "amazing musical aptitude" to the show, but confessed to still having a wary eye on sometime-nemesis Simon Cowell. "As long as Simon doesn't critique me TOO hard, I'm just amped to see everybody," he joked. As for any advice he has for the remaining nine contestants on this year's show, Cook said he simply wanted to pass on the same advice he'd been given many times over: "Don't try to be. Just be. You'll be far happier and, in most cases, more successful if you present yourself honestly." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| David Cook Has 'Nervousness' About Returning To 'American Idol'
April 1, 2009 at 6:51 am
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| 'As long as Simon doesn't critique me TOO hard, I'm just amped to see everybody,' singer jokes.
By Gil Kaufman
David Cook
Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images He won the whole thing last year, his debut album went platinum and he is in the midst of a spring tour that's drawing packed audiences at colleges and festivals across the country. But, for some reason, David Cook still couldn't help shake some of those nagging nerves as he prepared to return to the scene of his coronation for the first time since taking the "American Idol" crown last season. "I'll always get a little tinge of nervousness around the judges," Cook admitted in an e-mail interview with MTV News on Monday, less than two days before he appeared on the show to perform his new single, "Come Back to Me," on the show. "It's now engrained in my DNA, I suppose." A year after Cook was embroiled in a tightly contested battle with the other David, runner-up David Archuleta, the rocker said that despite some butterflies, the reunion with the "Idol" crew also finds him "surprisingly calm, especially given how much I was sweating it out up here a few short months ago. To be able to come back and see everyone, it almost feels like I never left." Cook was excited to meet the new contestants, who he said had an "amazing level of talent," and, like season-two winner Ruben Studdard — who visited the show last week — and season-six winner Jordin Sparks, Cook was reluctant to cough up the name of his favorite. "I think that the talent level is as high as ever," he said, artfully dodging a question about who his pick to win this year was. "What with the new format this season, I really feel that even though we're paring down to the final few contestants, I think the competition is still wide open. It's anyone's game." He had high praise, however, for new judge Kara DioGuardi, saying she brings her "amazing musical aptitude" to the show, but confessed to still having a wary eye on sometime-nemesis Simon Cowell. "As long as Simon doesn't critique me TOO hard, I'm just amped to see everybody," he joked. As for any advice he has for the remaining nine contestants on this year's show, Cook said he simply wanted to pass on the same advice he'd been given many times over: "Don't try to be. Just be. You'll be far happier and, in most cases, more successful if you present yourself honestly." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Travis Barker, Shanna Moakler Split Again
April 1, 2009 at 6:02 am
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| Couple's on-again, off-again relationship takes another turn.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler (file)
Photo: Adrian Sidney/ WireImage After a series of on-again, off-again reports, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler have split up again, his rep confirmed to MTV News on Wednesday (April 1). The couple divorced in 2006, but reunited after Barker survived a plane crash last year. Unidentified sources told that the couple just couldn't make it work. According to the magazine's sources, they decided to break up again "after a nasty fight broke out at his house last night and cops were called...[when] Shanna started freaking out and acting irrational." Although no charges were filed, the source adds that "Travis confronted Shanna about her having an affair with Gerard Butler while he was in the hospital recovering." Last October, the rumor mill sped up when it was reported that Moakler was seen with Butler at the Hollywood opening of Shin Korean BBQ. The source added that Barker "just wants to focus on his music and his children right now. He is done with her drama. The babies are the most important thing right now." Another insider said, "Shanna cheated on him and then told everyone they were in love again while she was having an affair and he was recovering from the accident." Another friend of the former "Meet the Barkers" stars said, "It's over now and he just wants to move on." Reps for both Barker and Moakler gave statements to US Magazine. "After surviving the plane crash, his driving force in life is the love he has for his kids. He is tired of all other drama and is ready to move on," his rep said. Moakler and Barker have two children together, Landon Asher and Alabama Luella. Moakler has a daughter with Oscar de la Hoya. In a statement, Moakler's rep said, "They did break up but Shanna never cheated on Travis while he was in the hospital. Furthermore, Shanna is tired of playing out their personal relationship in the press." Blink-182, the band with which Barker made his name, recently announced they are reuniting for an album and tour. |
| Whitney Port Shows Off Her New Clothing Line
April 1, 2009 at 5:32 am
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| The 'City' star unveils Whitney Eve fall fashions between reality-show seasons.
By Jocelyn Vena, additional reporting by Kim Stolz 
Whitney Port
Photo: MTV News Just because Whitney Port has to juggle her job at Diane von Furstenberg with having her personal life chronicled on "The City" doesn't mean she can't also find the time to work on her own clothing line, Whitney Eve. In fact, long before she interned at Teen Vogue and became an MTV reality star, the Los Angeles native said she's always wanted to work in the world of fashion. Fashion for Whitney is the family business: Her dad, Jeff Port, owns fashion company, Swarm, which helped her launch her first line, Eve & A, last March. "Even before I started doing the show, I always wanted to be in fashion, and I decided that fashion design was really my true passion," she told MTV News at her trunk show in New York City. "I figured when I had downtime in between 'The Hills' and 'The City,' I should just go for it. I thought it was a perfect time for me to do it." Port said she's proud of her line, which she describes as a mixture of "both West Coast and East Coast styles," especially because designing the collection was more work than she could have ever imagined. "It's been a really long, hard process," she said. "I didn't realize how meticulous design was." The hard work probably came as a surprise because she didn't even study fashion in school. "I never went to design school," explained Port, who caused a stir earlier this week when she admitted to not liking "Twilight." "I went to a university and studied gender studies, which has nothing to do with fashion design. In fact, my teachers are probably wondering what I did with this." |
| Miley Cyrus Counts Jennifer Aniston And Angelina Jolie As Role Models
April 1, 2009 at 4:58 am
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| Meeting boyfriend Justin Gaston was 'the best thing that's happened to me in a long, long time,' she tells Glamour.
By Eric Ditzian 
Miley Cyrus
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ Getty Images In just the past few days, Miley Cyrus has dissed G-rated movie roles in favor of taking on "edgy" parts and ruled out a "Hannah Montana" sequel before the first movie even hit theaters. It's not too surprising to hear the 16-year-old actress/singer speaking her mind, and in a new interview with Glamour, Cyrus didn't disappoint. She offered her thoughts on everything from her boyfriend to her role models. "I'm a huge Jennifer Aniston fan and a huge Angelina Jolie fan," Cyrus said. "Jennifer Aniston can put on a plain black dress with plain makeup and hair and look so stunning. Angelina always looks so comfortable in her own skin. She's also changed, going from wild child to being a mom and having a normal life. And Jennifer Aniston bounced back after her divorce. If anything like that ever happens to me, I'm like, 'Pull a Jennifer, Miley!' She is so classy." In 10 years, she still won't be as old as either of those Hollywood A-listers, but Cyrus envisions herself married, still making movies and being "the cool mom." Though she counts Aniston and Jolie as her career role models, Cyrus said the person who has had the biggest impact on her is her boyfriend. "The best thing that's happened to me in a long, long time has been meeting Justin [Gaston], because he's the most respectful and selfless person I've ever known," she said. When it comes to gossip about her, the "Hannah Montana" star confesses to utter confusion. "When I read something in the tabloids and it's from an 'insider,' I want to know who thinks they're on the 'inside,' " she told Glamour. "Because I can count on one hand the people who really know me." Even though the constant rumor-mongering might not be accurate, all that chatter still has an effect on the teenager — especially when it comes to comments about her body. "One thing that bugs me is people who say, 'Miley really needs to lose some weight,' or, 'She got her boobs done,' " Cyrus said. "I did start out really skinny, but you're not going to have boobs when you're 12 years old. I'm like, 'What are you talking about? Let me grow!' " And speaking of growing — and making the occasional misstep — Miley is sure of one thing: "The minute I stop making mistakes is the minute I stop learning." Related Artists |
| Metallica To Play With Two Bassists At Rock Hall Of Fame
April 1, 2009 at 4:43 am
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| Both Jason Newsted and Robert Trujillo will perform at band's induction on Saturday.
By Gil Kaufman 
Metallica's bassist from 1986-2001, Jason Newsted
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images Hoping to avoid a drama-filled, awkward onstage reunion like those at past Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, Metallica graciously invited ex-bassist Jason Newsted to join them on Saturday night when they get enshrined in the Hall. But earlier this week, Newsted, grateful to get the chance to play alongside his longtime bandmates for the first time in eight years, told Billboard.com that he would be the sole bassist during the band's two-song set of classic tunes following their induction. On Wednesday (April 1), however, a spokesperson for the group's label clarified that both Newsted, who played with the band from 1986-2001, and current bassist Robert Trujillo will both be performing with the group after Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea welcomes them to the Hall. The label spokesperson declined to elaborate on whether both bassists would be onstage at the same time. According to Billboard.com, the group is planning to fly in from Paris after shows on Wednesday and Thursday night to rehearse with Newsted at Friday's soundcheck. Drummer Lars Ulrich told Billboard.com that the band wanted the occasion to feel like a "family reunion," so they invited staffers from their previous labels, Megaforce and Elektra, journalists and photographers who'd chronicled their rise over the years, as well as producers and musician friends. They also reportedly invited founding guitarist Dave Mustaine (from whom they are estranged), who was not able to attend due to scheduling conflicts. But former bassist Ron McGovney will be there, as will Ray Burton, the father of late bassist Cliff Burton, who will accept on his son's behalf. MTV will be all over Saturday night's ceremony at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, which will also include the induction of Run-DMC by Eminem, as well as Jeff Beck, Little Anthony & the Imperials and Bobby Womack. Related Artists |
| Bill Clinton To Introduce 'Pedro' Premiere
April 1, 2009 at 4:02 am
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| The former president will speak before the film, airing Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV Tr3s.
By Rya Backer 
President Bill Clinton
Photo: Stuart Wilson/ Getty Images "Fifteen years ago, when Pedro Zamora appeared on MTV's 'The Real World,' he changed the face of HIV/AIDS in America," President Bill Clinton wrote for Reuters' Great Debate blog Wednesday (April 1). Clinton has long been an admirer of Zamora's, a castmember on 1994's San Francisco season. In the same spirit, President Clinton will open the premiere of "Pedro," airing on both MTV and MTV Tr3s Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV Tr3s. He will kick off the the movie with some words about how the then-22-year-old from Miami offered America a perspective on living with the virus that had not before been seen by the public. The address is not the first time Clinton has been vocal in his support for Zamora and his story — Clinton once phoned Zamora and his family as the season came to a close to thank the young Cuban immigrant for his activism. Shortly following his death (he died the same night of the show's season finale from complications due to his illness), Clinton made a televised address, publicly thanking the late icon for his contribution to AIDS education — which was Zamora's mission ever since he learned that he had contracted the virus at 17. More recently, President Clinton spoke with our own Sway about Zamora's legacy, stating that his endorsement of Zamora "was important ... because not everyone had known somebody who died of AIDS, as Hillary and I had known. Not everyone was comfortable even talking about it, and he changed everything, at least for younger people." Clinton closed his Great Debate post by writing, "We must remember what Pedro taught us: One person can change the world — and whether or not we are living with HIV or know someone who is, we all have a responsibility as global citizens to do whatever we can. Life is short enough as it is. No one should die from a disease that is both preventable and treatable." Head to Think.MTV.com to find a community where you, your friends and your favorite celebrities can get informed, get heard and take action on the issues that matter to you most. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Coldplay, Kid Rock, More Announce Huge News ... On April Fools' Day
April 1, 2009 at 3:40 am
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| More big April 1 news: Nine Inch Nails plan Timbaland-produced album; Björk to front Led Zeppelin.
By James Montgomery 
Coldplay
Photo: Stephan Cranea It's been quite a day for rather unique news stories. For reasons not exactly clear to us, it seems like just about every major artist has chosen April 1 as the day to foist major announcements upon us. It's almost as if they were playing some sort of elaborate joke or something. Take, for example, Kid Rock, who announced via his Web site that he had signed an unprecedented deal with his hometown team, the Detroit Tigers, for exclusive naming rights to their stadium, formerly known as Comerica Park. "This has been a dream of mine for a long time, and with the banks in trouble, it seemed like the right time for me to reach out to the fine people at Comerica Bank," Rock said in the post. "Since they relocated to Dallas after opening the stadium here, they were very open to the idea of making this deal. I've never been more excited for opening day, and I'm proud to be able to add my name to the legacy of my favorite baseball team." Rock also announced that he had partnered with the Michigan Brewing Company to produce "the official beer of the Detroit Tigers." Perhaps not wanting to be outdone, Coldplay took to their site to let it be known that they plan to record their next album not in a traditional studio, but on a modified Boeing 727 aircraft, in zero gravity. "Later this year, the band will board a modified Boeing, which can provide zero gravity for periods of 20-25 seconds at a time," a statement on the site read. "Wearing self-designed outfits based on early Russian cosmonaut suits, they will be joined by producer/collaborator Brian Eno, who will use custom-made 'heavy' microphones to record the sessions on a 1969 analogue cassette player." "We've been searching for the right environment to record the perfect snare drum sound for many years now," Chris Martin added, "and I've just got a gut feeling that zero gravity is the place to do that, y'know?" Those Coldplay dudes ... so groundbreaking. Equally groundbreaking is Trent Reznor, who decided to one-up practically everybody by dropping a brand-new Nine Inch Nails album (being free of those major-label shackles sure is liberating) on his site. Produced by none other than Timbaland — who also helmed Chris Cornell's solo album — the new NIN album is called Strobe Light and features songs like "Everybody's Doing It" (featuring Chris Martin, Jay-Z and Bono); "Even Closer" (featuring Justin Timberlake and Maynard James Keenan); and "Still Hurts" (featuring Alicia Keys). It's available for $18.98 — plus a $10 digital delivery convenience fee (how Web 2.0!) — by simply entering your e-mail address. And finally, Icelandic ingénue Björk chose April 1 as the day to drop the news that she had accepted the position of lead singer for Led Zeppelin and that she would join the band for a world tour starting in June (we know, right?!?). Writing on her site, B said she only took the gig out of concern that Zep's long-standing touring plans would fall through without her behind the mic. "It was evident that their world tour was in turmoil after original singer Robert Plant decided to concentrate on live work with Alison Krauss," the statement reads. "Björk has put forward her wish that they only cover songs from [Zeppelin albums] I and IV. The tour kicks off in June, after Björk has fulfilled her other engagements." Seriously. All that happened today. We need a break. What's the deal with April 1 anyway?!? Related Artists |
| Chris Brown Plays Ball On College Campus
April 1, 2009 at 3:29 am
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| Students at Virginia's University of Mary Washington snap photos and videos of the singer shooting hoops.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Chris Brown and the University of Mary Washington women's basketball team
Photo: TMZ Chris Brown was recently spotted shooting hoops in his home state of Virginia at the University of Mary Washington. A photo has surfaced on TMZ that shows Brown with the school's women's basketball team. In the photo, Brown is surrounded by smiling team members while he poses with his arms crossed and his head tilted back. The site also has a video of Brown, who is currently facing arraignment on charges of assault and criminal threats after his alleged altercation with Rihanna. According to TMZ, at the time that Brown was at the school, students were in the middle of their "White Ribbon Campaign," a week devoted to raising awareness about violence toward women. The video of Brown playing basketball seems to have been shot by two students at the school, who describe seeing the celeb at the school as "bizarre." When one girl asked the other what she thinks of him being there, her response is, "He's really skinny." Currently, Brown is free on $50,000 bail after turning himself in during the Grammy Awards on the day of the alleged incident. His arraignment is scheduled for April 6. If convicted of assaulting Rihanna, he could face a sentence ranging from probation to nearly five years in state prison. Go here for domestic violence resources, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse. Related Artists |
| What Happened To 'T.I.'s Road To Redemption: The Reckoning'?
April 1, 2009 at 2:50 am
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| Show did not air Tuesday due to technical problems; new premiere date is April 7 at 9 p.m. on MTV.
By James Montgomery, with additional reporting by Daniel Montalto 
T.I.
Photo: Rick Diamond/ Getty Images If you are like MTV.com user Vantinette, you spent your Tuesday night tuned to MTV, waiting for the premiere of "T.I.'s Road To Redemption: The Reckoning," the rapper's exclusive post-sentencing interview with MTV News' Sway Calloway. Like Vantinette, you were probably also confused — and a bit angry — when, at 9 p.m., the show didn't air as scheduled and a repeat of the previous week's episode of "Redemption" was in its place. (Note: The premiere of "T.I.'s Road To Redemption: The Reckoning" has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 7, at 9 p.m. on MTV.) "I am so mad," Vantinette wrote on MTV.com. "I was waiting to see the show and it didn't air in D.C. We took off work that night to make sure we could see the last of it." We got many comments just like that, from users wondering just what the heck happened to the show: Did it disappear due to some colossal programming error? Was it an early April Fools' Day prank? A natural disaster? Well, no. But the explanation is just about that complicated. "Basically, as I understand it, it's a kind of screw-up that's never happened before," Michael Hirschorn, an executive producer of "Road to Redemption," told MTV News on Wednesday (April 1). "The materials for show were collected for final assembly, everything was good and signed-off, and then the media became corrupted. It was sort of like having a file on a home computer, and the computer screws it up — only much bigger than that." To get a little more in-depth, while still trying to explain things in words we can all understand, here's what happened: According to Hirschorn, the interview with T.I. and Sway, along with a segment in which T.I. reunites with the kids he had mentored during this season of "Road," was filmed last weekend in Atlanta (hours after the rapper was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for felony weapons charges), and was taken to an editing facility on Sunday to be cut into "Reckoning." The editing process was completed on Tuesday afternoon, at which point the Atlanta facility gave Hirschorn the news that the show was ready to be transferred from the digital-editing program onto an actual tape. Ideally, that tape would then be placed in a playback deck and the show would be sent via satellite to the Network Operations Center in New York, which stores the show digitally until it is sent to your cable channel for live broadcast. Only that didn't happen with "Reckoning." According to Hirschorn, some time after 7 p.m. on Tuesday, it became apparent that something had gone wrong with the editing software (or, the file containing the show itself), meaning that the editing facility in Atlanta couldn't transfer the show to tape. The facility spent the next hour re-booting the software and attempting to transfer the show to tape once again. And once again, there were problems. Shortly before 8 p.m. — 60 minutes before the show was scheduled to broadcast — it became clear that the show wasn't going to be able to be sent to the Network Operations Center via tape, so Hirschorn and the editing facility began to think of other ways of getting the show on-air. In super-tight instances, the show can be fed live from the facility to the N.O.C. (meaning it would basically be broadcast live from a tape deck in Atlanta to your TV), only, since the show was unable to be taken off the editing software, this also wasn't an option. So, with less than an hour until "Reckoning" was scheduled to air, and with technicians in Atlanta working furiously to get the show off the computers, it became clear that something was going to have to give. MTV Programming made the decision to push the broadcast back until 11 p.m., with the hopes that the issues would be cleared up. Of course, this was all news to T.I., who found out just as he was sitting down in his Atlanta home to watch the special. "I wasn't able to speak to Tip until after 10 p.m.," Hirschorn said. "By the time I spoke to him, he was still clearly disappointed but philosophical about the whole thing." Of course, "Reckoning" didn't make the 11 p.m. airing, either. And according to Hirschorn, technicians never were able to extract the material from the computer — "They worked until 2:30 a.m. trying to make it happen," he said. "I'm obviously upset and feel terrible that we let the viewers down," Hirschorn said. "It's a fantastic show and the interview is remarkable ... it's rare that you ever see a public figure that honest and that up-front, and it was meant to be the culmination of a powerful series that we and Tip were so proud of." Don't miss "T.I.'s Road to Redemption: The Reckoning," [LINK http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/road_to_redemption/series.jhtml] airing Tuesday, April 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne Says He Turned To Rock Because He Got 'Tired' Of Rapping
April 1, 2009 at 1:22 am
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| 'It became such a regularity for me that I got tired of it,' Weezy tells Rolling Stone for an upcoming cover story.
By Jayson Rodriguez 
Lil Wayne on the April 16, 2009 cover of <i>Rolling Stone</i>
Photo: Wenner Media Lil Wayne spent years campaigning to be the "best rapper alive," dropping the reference endlessly throughout his recordings and freestyle rhymes. Now, as he puts the final touches on his rock debut, Rebirth, due in June, the Cash Money lyricist is wailing a different tune. "Honestly? I don't want to be the best rapper in the world," Wayne told Rolling Stone in an upcoming cover story arriving on newsstands Friday. "If I have a rap album I'm dropping, then I want it to be the best rap album. But I want to be the best. Period. Now. My favorite rapper hasn't done what I'm doing." In the profile, Wayne explains what led to his transition from rap to rock music. As his celebrity began to rise, he started to experience a life unlike anything he could rap about, he said. He described one particular night when he bedded multiple women and thought in the morning, "This is who I am now." "The rock sh-- just comes from what my life is now. I've grown into this person," Wayne told the magazine. "I woke up one morning and had three or four women in my bed where I not only didn't know their last names, I didn't know the beginning letter of their first names. All I know is, they're the most beautiful women in the world, and I was in my own place, in whatever city I as in. And I could have thrown a dart at the map, and I'd probably have a place there too. I knew my driver was waiting downstairs for me. When my nose finally cleared from all the weed I had smoked, I smelled food in the kitchen and I knew it was my chef. Then I look on my phone and see a message and know it's from a popular woman everyone knows. And when I went in the studio that night, I couldn't just rap, 'Yeah, n---a ... .' " So far, two of Wayne's rock tracks have surfaced: the single "Prom Queen" and a song that appeared online called "Hot Revolver." The guitar-heavy numbers have an emo feel and feature Wayne crooning through Auto-Tune. "Prom Queen" hasn't taken off on the Billboard charts like Wayne's previous rap hits, but the rapper doesn't seem too worried. Although he's venturing into a new sound, he said, the music isn't necessarily for all rock fans. "I never said, 'Lil Wayne is going to rock, everybody.' I just got — I'm not going to say 'so good' at what I was doing, but it became such a regularity for me that I got tired of it," Wayne said. "And then I said, 'You know what? I'm not going to rap on this one.' I always knew I couldn't sing, but I also knew I had a voice that isn't heard by many and that I could learn how to stretch it and make songs sound good. Therefore, I practiced that." Wayne also discusses his childhood, his theater background (he performed in high school plays) and his nightly recording process, which he said is like when you "jump outside of yourself." "You look at yourself and say, 'You ain't the best,' " he explained. " 'Show me you're the best. Show me you can play the f---ing guitar without lessons. Show me you can make a hit song and make everybody tell you, "I love what you're doing." Show me you can do that.' And then I come out that door and jump back in my body. I do that every night." Related Artists | | | 
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