Sunday, July 31, 2011

Rihanna's 'Man Down' Producers Tease Her Next Album

'We did two records for her that she really, really loved,' the Jugganauts producer Verse Simmonds tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman


Verse Simmonds
Photo: MTV News

Behind the Beats: Verse Simmonds

After finding success crafting the music for Rihanna's "Man Down," the production duo known as the Jugganauts — Sham "Sak Pase" Joseph and Verse Simmonds — are looking to recapture the magic on the Bajan beauty's upcoming sixth album.

"From what I understand, she is closing the album up now, and we did two records for her that she really, really loved and I'm really excited about them as well," Simmonds told Mixtape Daily. "They are records that we wrote and produced as the Jugganauts."

Simmonds is hoping that he and partner Sak Pase land another track on Rihanna's album. And while he couldn't confirm the Jugganauts' contributions will make the final cut, he said was "99.999 percent" certain for now. For those wondering whether the singer's new tunes will sound anything like the reggae-infused "Man Down," Simmonds says no.

"Nah, definitely not, because we always try to constantly — as producers, as artists — we try to always come with something different, a whole new sound," he said without elaborating on what that new record would sound like.

As far as his chemistry with Sak Pase, with whom he did production work on Jay-Z and Kanye West's upcoming Watch the Throne album, the two seem to have a pretty organic working relationship. "In the studio, it can go one of two ways: Most times I'm writing and he's creating the track, and we produce a lot of records like that," Verse said. "Sometimes it'll flip; he'll be writing and I'll be producing the track so it depends on the vibe, and who comes in there first, who's got an idea or concept."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Justin Bieber, Lil Twist Song 'Is Going To Really Do It'

Young Money MC tells MTV News the pair are working on a clip for single 'Wherever You Are.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Vanessa WhiteWolf


Lil Twist
Photo: MTV News

Late last year, Justin Bieber and his "homey" Lil Twist revealed they were working on a mixtape. Well, fans may soon get to hear a song and see a video from that mixtape.

When MTV News spoke to rapper Twist at 106 & Park's Closer to My Dreams tour stop in Los Angeles on Thursday, he told us that once his new single with Bieber reaches the masses, it would have a good chance at making a play in our race for Summer Jam of 2011.

"My third single, 'Wherever You Are,' " Twist said of his summer jam pick. "It features my little brother Justin Bieber and I believe that that record is going to really do it."

Twist went on to dish about the duo's plans to step up their game for the song's forthcoming video."We're gonna get some treatments [written]," he said. "We're not just gonna pick any treatment because that video could just be out of here. We got a few different ones; I don't mean to name any [directors], but a few different ones. It's going to turn out great."

The collaboration between the two young stars has been long-simmering, with Bieber and Twist teasing a full mixtape. For now, though, fans will have to settle for one track. Last November, Twist explained that Bieber had come up with the idea to work on some music together.

"Me and Justin, we actually met through a mutual friend and after that we got real cool actually," he recalled. "[We] started working in the studio, sending stuff through the MacBook and everything. And then he was like, 'Yo, bro, we should do a mixtape. Let's go.' We just started then."

Are you looking forward to the Bieber/Twist collabo? Tell us in the comments!

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Photos | Drake, Nicki Minaj, Usher And More At Hot 97 2010 Summer Jam

Drake, Nicki Minaj, Usher And More At Hot 97 2010 Summer Jam

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Justin Bieber Vintage Video: His First Meeting With Usher

Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, 'Never Say Never' star said in 2009.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News

Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World, and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere.

In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen.

"My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I'd never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people," he recalled.

"And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, 'Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?' The politest possible way he could say no, he did. ... I took the hint. I didn't get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session."

But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. "He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, 'I should have let this kid sing,' and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me."

As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back.

"As far as Usher being my mentor, he's definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important," he explained.

"There's a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life."

On Friday, Justin Bieber's 3-D documentary, "Never Say Never," opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music.

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Coldplay, Led Zeppelin Album Covers Featured On New British Stamps

Album art from Pink Floyd, Blur and David Bowie also included.
By James Montgomery


Coldplay's new British stamps
Photo: Royal Mail

On Thursday (January 7), the U.K.'s Royal Mail unveiled a series of 10 new stamps, honoring the most iconic album covers of the past 40 years.

The albums featured in the new series are the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed, Led Zeppelin's IV, David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, The Clash's London Calling, New Order's Power, Corruption and Lies, Primal Scream's Screamadelica, Pink Floyd's The Division Bell, Blur's Parklife and — the most recent album on to make the cut — Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head.

Meant to honor "the most potent graphic images of modern times, many of which have provided a visual soundtrack to people's lives," the series is the end result of a lengthy research process by the Royal Mail, who looked through thousands of album covers by British artists before deciding on the final list. And, during a Wednesday night BBC Radio broadcast, it was revealed that the queen herself actually approved each design.

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page — who helped design the cover for IV — was on hand to celebrate the release of the stamps and recalled the mysterious nature of the album's iconic imagery.

"Almost 40 years after the album came out, nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover, nor the artist who painted him," he said. "That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover, which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time."

Of course, any great honor is befitting of an equally great contest, so, on the same day the stamps were made available to the general public, Coldplay decided to give one of their Rush of Blood stamps away. In a message on their official site, the band held a contest to send one lucky fan "a letter using a Coldplay stamp, postmarked with today's issue date."

"We visited our local post office earlier today and bought some of the Coldplay stamps," the message read. "Very nice they are too."

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Kings Of Leon Frontman Gets Sick And Cancels Concert; Bandmates Get Mad

Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill got really sick while performing in Dallas Friday night. The temperature was in the high 90s, which prompted the singer to complain of getting "hot."
He then told the crowd:
"My voice is completely 100 percent wrong. I'm sorry.
I'm gonna go backstage for a second. I'm gonna vomit. I'm gonna [...]

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Photos | "Michael Jackson's This Is It"

"Michael Jackson's This Is It"

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Amy Winehouse Honored By Vibe, Janelle Monae

MTV News obtains exclusive excerpt from magazine's August/September 'Juice' issue.
By Rob Markman


Amy Winehouse on the cover of the August/September edition of <i>Vibe</i> magazine
Photo: <i>Vibe</i> magazine

Amy Winehouse's death stunned her family and friends, fans and musical comrades. While her loved ones stopped to mourn her passing, Vibe magazine stopped the presses. With an already-scheduled Kelly Rowland cover on its way to the printer, editor in chief Jermaine Hall paid homage to Winehouse with a second cover for the mag's annual August/September "Juice" issue.

Hall said he wanted to capture Winehouse's beauty on the cover, and he and his team considered 40 different photos before finally deciding on a classic black-and-white portrait shot by Mischa Richter in 2008. "We had literally 36 hours to pull it off. It was a stop-the-presses situation, obviously," Hall said. "It was a hustle, but I thought it was necessary."

As part of the magazine's editorial direction, Vibe reached out to Winehouse's producer and friend Salaam Remi and singer Janelle Monáe, who toured with Winehouse earlier this year. "Salaam was still out there because they were supposed to go to a wedding together that weekend," Hall explained. "He was with her for those last six days, so he was able to give us just incredible perspective on where she was, what kind of space she was in before everything went down."

In his interview, Remi speaks about his plans to celebrate Winehouse's September 14 birthday with rapper Nas. "For the last couple of weeks, we were video-chatting regularly," he said. "I was just talking to Nas. Both her and Nas were born on September 14, so we were going to Barbados with all of them for her birthday. She really doesn't look forward to her birthday."

For Vibe, the decision to cover Winehouse was an easy one. "When Amy hit with that second album, there was no denying that she was a Vibe artist," Hall said. "Her sound was like a mix of R&B, soul, there's some jazz in there. The way she was delivering the material, her tales of struggle, it was so clear, and it kinda felt like we were back in the '60s: the Motown era."

In an exclusive excerpt given to MTV News, Monae talks to the magazine about the first time she met Winehouse: "I was honored then, and I am now, that I had the opportunity to share the same tour and stage with Amy this year in Brazil. Each night she came out onstage, she performed effortlessly.

"At our first meeting, she was very shy, a sweet girl. Her first words to me were, 'It's so nice to meet you finally. I'm shy; you're a shy girl like me, huh?' She was so giving: She even bought me a swimming suit that she thought I'd like."

The rest of Monae's Vibe Q&A can be accessed by scanning the code on the front cover of the Amy Winehouse edition of the magazine, hitting newsstands nationwide August 16.

What do you think Amy Winehouse's musical legacy will be? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Saturday, July 30, 2011

Justin Bieber Plans His Summer Vacation

'With the time off, I'm able to think, pray and just kind of grow up,' Bieber says.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: FilmMagic

Despite being spotted hitting the studio earlier this week with Chris Brown, Justin Bieber just revealed that he has plans to take some time off this summer. After spending the last few years touring, recording and being beyond famous, he plans to spend the summer much like any other 17-year-old.

"I've been working so hard, I'm taking a month off," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "It's been great to just think and enjoy hanging out with my friends. I'm still growing up, and when you're working every day, you don't really get a chance to figure out who you are. So with the time off, I'm able to think, pray and just kind of grow up."

That growing-up time has included some karaoke sessions with his lady love, Selena Gomez, and crashing weddings with her as well. He also explained that he's doing something equally normal: staying in bed. "For sure [I'll be resting]," he said. "I've been sleeping in a lot."

Earlier this summer, he told MTV News that his favorite thing to do when he does get some time off is grill. Bieber is an avid BBQ pit master. "Favorite thing to do in the summer?" he pondered for a moment. "Have barbecues."

"I can barbecue. I mean, I don't make the sauce very well, but I can grill," he explained enthusiastically. "No, [I can't cook]. I can just grill and stuff."

Once he does wrap up that well-deserved time off, his work on his forthcoming album continues. It's a project that's been long-simmering for the teen superstar. "[I'm] writing about how I feel and producing. I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer," he said. "I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge."

"I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's gonna have that vibe," he continued. "I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music, and genre — I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is different. My voice is not meant for any style. I just want to make music."

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Kirstie Alley Sits Down With David Letterman And Talks About His Fat Jokes

Kirstie Alley had a bone to pick Thursday night on “Late Show with David Letterman.” “I thought you loved me madly and then you talked about me being sort of chub,” Alley, 60, said to the talk show host. When Letterman, 64, admitted to making jokes about the actress’ fluctuating weight, Alley pulled out a [...]

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Jay-Z, Kanye Get To Work In Watch The Throne Studio Pics

Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams also appear in photos from the recording sessions.
By Alvin Blanco


Jay-Z recording <i>Watch The Throne</i>
Photo: Life + Times

Having one of the year's most anticipated albums means fans will eat up any morsel of new info they can get their hands on about its release. Via his Life + Times website, instead of an audio sneak peek, Jay-Z has revealed a visual look into the creation of Watch the Throne in the form of more than 20 photos taken during the recording of his collaborative album with Kanye West.

In the pictures, besides Yeezy and Hova, a number of celebrities are seen milling about as the two hip-hop stars were going about creating their album. Some of the familiar faces include rapper/producer Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z's wife, Beyoncé.

CHECK OUT EXCLUSIVE STUDIO PHOTOS.

In one particular photo, Kanye is seen looking down at a yellow pad that appears to have a track list for the album. Earlier this week, the official Watch the Throne track list was also revealed on Jigga's site.

Watch the Throne was recorded across a few continents, including Europe and Australia. At least some of the photos were taken in New York City's Mercer Hotel, where parts of the album were recorded and where Jay-Z held an exclusive listening session of the album last week for select media, including MTV News. During the same session, Jay also confirmed that part of the album was recorded at NYC's Tribeca Grand Hotel.

At the listening event, Jay-Z spoke about being in awe of the people who gathered around the room he was sitting in, much like the assembled journalists, while he and Kanye were creating songs. Some of the notables he remembered stopping by off the top of his head included Academy Award winner Russell Crowe, Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci, who designed the album-cover artwork, and heralded fashion designer Phoebe Philo.

Although the release date is still unconfirmed, Watch the Throne appears to be set to drop August 2.

What do you think of the studio pictures? Let us know in the comments!

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'Crazy, Stupid Love,' 'The Smurfs,' 'Cowboys & Aliens' Reviews

'Crazy, Stupid Love,' 'The Smurfs,' 'Cowboys & Aliens' Reviews

Which movies are fun for the whole family and which ones are treats just for you? Find out!

In theaters now:

Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Short Story:
Fortysomething Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is living the dream. He has a good job, married to his high school sweetheart, nice house. But everything falls apart when he finds out his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) cheated on him and wants a divorce. Having been out of the game, Cal doesn't know the first thing about dating so he is taken on as a wingman to handsome player Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling).

What They're Saying:
"It's a pleasure to come across the sharply funny and touching Crazy Stupid Love. It's a live one with a dream cast that keeps springing playful surprises." -- Rolling Stone

"Carell and Gosling, each willing to take his character to the point of caricature in order to find the truth in him, have a nicely barbed chemistry together." -- Village Voice

Good for Kids?
With an all-star cast and great reviews, this movie is not to be missed by mature teenagers and adults looking for a heartfelt film. But it's rated PG-13 and Common Sense Media says that the movie "deals head-on with some mature subjects, including infidelity and the art of seduction" and features a fair amount of "crass language" and "tame" sexual content -- so it's probably best to leave the little ones with a babysitter. Click here for the full Common Sense review!

Watch the preview!

The Smurfs
Short Story:
The Smurfs have landed in Central Park! When the evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) chases the Smurfs out of their village, they wander into a portal that instantly transports them to N.Y.C. They take shelter with Patrick and Grace Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays) -- and get into plenty of shenanigans -- while they attempt to find a way back home before Garagamel finds them.

What They're Saying:
"The Smurfs may be blue, but their movie is decidedly green, recycling discarded bits from other celluloid Happy Meals like Alvin and the Chipmunks, Garfield and Hop into something half animated, half live-action and all careful studio calculation." -- Entertainment Weekly

"Why does the villain Gargamel have a name that sounds like a sore-throat product? Why are there countless male Smurfs and only one female? (The mind boggles.) Why do they only know one song, and why is it so irritating? So many questions." -- Seattle Times

Good for Kids?
The classic Saturday morning cartoon is back! Parents will be able to take a walk down memory lane with their favorite blue Smurfs. Rated PG, this animated flick could be fun for the whole family: Even though it didn't receive rave reviews, Common Sense says adults should expects some laughs as well as enough goofy jokes for the kids. Click here for the full Common Sense review!

Watch the preview!

Cowboys & Aliens
Short Story:
In 1800s Arizona, Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) wakes up with no memory and a shackle around his wrist. When he arrives in the town of Absolution, he learns he is a wanted criminal -- but when a spaceship attacks the town, he must team up with Col. Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), the man who wants him behind bars, to defeat the aliens.

What They're Saying:
"What makes the movie work, really, is that above and beyond the conventions themselves doing their jobs, the actors seem truly invested..." -- MSN Movies

"Cowboys & Aliens is one of the silliest movies ever made, but so many otherwise serious people have attached their names to it that, as Arthur Miller wrote in Death of a Salesman, attention must be paid." -- New York Observer

Good for Kids?
What's a Western/sci-fi film without plenty of shootouts and explosions? With a PG-13 rating, Common Sense says to be prepared for lots of action and drinking in the town saloon. So, although this in the perfect film for teens and adults, it's best not to bring the wee ones. Click here for the full Common Sense review!

Watch the preview!

In case you missed:

Friends with Benefits
Short Story:
Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) don't believe in Hollywood romantic-comedy clichés, so they decide to keep things simple... and be friends with benefits. Naturally, they soon discover that having a purely sexual relationship while remaining pals is a while lot more complicated than it seems. 

What They're Saying:
"Friends With Benefits follows rom-com formulas as if directed on autopilot, but that's not to say it isn't fun." -- Chicago Sun-Times

"Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis make for engaging leads in this unexpectedly fresh R-rated comedy." -- The Hollywood Reporter

Good for Kids?
Even though Kunis and Timberlake have plenty of teen fans, this movie is for the adult crowd only! Common Sense says the film has partial nudity, swearing and a mature plotline, so it would probably be best to hire a babysitter if planning to see this R-rated raunch-fest. Click here for the full Common Sense review!

Watch the preview!

Captain America: The First Avenger
Short Story:
After being deemed unfit for military service in WWII, scrawny Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers for a top-secret experimental program that turns him into the well-muscled, red-white-and-blue-wearing fighting machine known as Captain America. As a superhero defending America, Steve battles Nazis, the villainous HYDRA corporation and his archnemesis the Red Skull (perennial movie bad guy Hugo Weaving).

What They're Saying:
"Evans, who played the Human Torch in two less-than-fantastic Fantastic Four films, brings such humor, heart and vigor to virtuous Steve that our rooting interest holds even when the action gets to be standard-issue." -- Rolling Stone

"It's paced and designed for people who won't shrivel up and die if two or three characters take 45 seconds between combat sequences to have a conversation about world domination, or a dame." -- Chicago Tribune

Good for Kids?
Comic-book fans and action-movie lovers will dig this movie -- but Common Sense tells parents that there are plenty of fight scenes and a PG-13 rating, so this one is best for teens and older. Click here for the full Common Sense review!

Watch the preview!

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'New Year's Eve' Trailer's Five Surprising Hookups

Zac Efron, Jessica Biel and many others look for love in the Garry Marshall-directed rom-com.
By Jocelyn Vena


Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele in 'New Years Eve'
Photo: WireImage

The trailer for "New Year's Eve" has hit the streets, and the sugary sweet holiday flick has managed to pair up some of the most surprising A-listers in Hollywood. With a cast boasting big names like Zac Efron, Sarah Jessica Parker, Halle Berry, Lea Michele, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel and Ashton Kutcher, just to name a few, director Garry Marshall certainly had the chance to throw the audience a curveball in the couples department.

In this sequel to "Valentine's Day," all the pretty people are in the Big Apple as the biggest party of the year is about to go off. Everyone is looking for love and hoping that when the clock strikes midnight, the new year will bring them new hope. The trailer teases some of the hookups that are set to take place.

Lea Michele and Ashton Kutcher seem an unlikely couple, but when Lea spouts the somewhat cheesy "Oh, come on, we need to do something to get you out of your New Year's Eve funk" to Ashton's pessimistic character, it's like the rom-com movie gods created these two for each other.

Jon Bon Jovi might be the perfect medicine for Katherine Heigl's angry-girl shtick that's teased in the trailer. When she slaps him and he just flashes her that big smile, well, what girl wouldn't melt.

And who knew Zac Efron liked older women? The trailer teases Michelle Pfeiffer and Efron's cutesy, cross-generational love affair. Is it platonic? Will they hook up? Only time will tell.

On paper, the idea that Hilary Swank and Ludacris would play a couple in this flick seems a little off the beaten path, but the tease to their endearing, supportive story line proves that love knows no boundaries for this odd couple.

Perhaps the most expected duo in the whole trailer is Jessica Biel and "Saturday Night Live" Weekend Update host Seth Meyers. And this film answers an interesting question: What would the spawn of Jessica Biel and Seth Meyers look like?

"New Year's Eve" is set to hit theaters in December, of course.

Which couple did you love most from the movie's trailer? Tell us in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "New Year's Eve."

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Photos | A Day In The Life Of Lady Gaga

A Day In The Life Of Lady Gaga

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Les News, 072911

Somewhere Out There. Mario Lopez doesn’t need a shirt to be a daddy. Science Fiction Tarot Cards are awesome. Um, who doesn’t think Pippa Middleton is foxy. The Trillion Dollar Coin. MTV attempts to get back into the music video biz. Hello Kitty does Numero Homme magazine. Ben Cohen is the hottest anti-bullying champion ever. [...]

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Blake Shelton, Incubus Take Over Billboard Chart

Beyonce's 4 knocked down to #5 in third week out.
By Gil Kaufman


Blake Shelton
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images

Blake Shelton was already a beloved country star before he became a reality-TV double-threat. But thanks in part to his breakout role on "The Voice," Miranda Lambert's better half is reaping plenty of benefits, including a #1 debut on the Billboard 200 charts next week for his new album, Red River Blue.

According to figures provided by SoundScan, Shelton's sixth studio album, his first #1 debut ever and highest-charting album to date, sold 116,000 copies last week. Just behind was the first album in five years from floaty rockers Incubus with If Not Now, When, which debuts at #2 on sales of 80,000. They lead a parade of new faces in the top 10 that also includes country singer Chris Young, whose Neon hit #4 in its first week (73,000), pop smoothie Colbie Caillat's All of You (#6, 66,000), head-bangers Theory of a Deadman's Truth Is (#8, 38,000) and the debut from the rebooted Sublime with new singer Rome, Yours Truly (#9, 35,000).

The rest of the top 10: Adele's 21 (#3, 77,000), Beyoncé's 4 (#5, 72,000), Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party (#7, 42,000) and Selena Gomez and the Scene's When the Sun Goes Down (#10, 33,000).

A couple of former top 10 dwellers fall to the second rung, including Eminem's Hell: The Sequel project under the Bad Meets Evil banner (#11, 30,000), Lady Gaga's Born This Way (down five to #13, 25,000) and Jill Scott's Light of the Sun (#14, 21,000).

The soundtrack to "Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows, Part 2" comes in at #25, while indie darlings Washed Out crash in at #26 with the excellent Within & Without (#26, 15,000). And it was a short trip to the top 10 for R&B crooner Lloyd, who plummets 39 spots to #49 in the second week for King of Hearts (9,000).

Over on the iTunes chart Caillat sits atop the album tally, followed by Shelton, Incubus, Adele, Sublime, Chris Young, Theory of a Deadman, Beyoncé, Bad Meets Evil and the unstoppable Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More.

LMFAO continue to rule the iTunes singles chart with their summer hit "Party Rock Anthem," which beats out Demi Lovato's "Skyscraper," Katy Perry's "Last Friday (T.G.I.F.)," Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight Tonight." Rounding out the top 10 at #6 are Lil Wayne's "How to Love," Pitbull's "Give Me Everything," Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," OneRepublic's "Good Life" and Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem."

Things should be fairly static next week, with the only new titles including a new Kidz Bop Kids title and albums from 311, 3 Doors Down and DJ Khaled.

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Friday, July 29, 2011

Amy Winehouse's Dad Gives Her Clothes To Fans

Friends and family gathered at Amy's favorite jazz club on Thursday night.
By Gil Kaufman


Amy Winehouse
Photo: Carlos Alvarez/ Getty Images

Amy Winehouse's father, Mitch, made another trip to the late singer's Camden, England, apartment this week, where fans have kept vigil since the news broke on Saturday that the "Rehab" singer had passed away at age 27.

After greeting those supporters on Monday and thanking them for their kind words and offerings to his troubled daughter's memory, Mitch, along with Amy's mother, Janis, brother Alex and boyfriend Reg Traviss, came by on Thursday to remove some of the singer's private effects from her apartment.

Read what experts say about the negative effects of the type of instant fame Winehouse received.

Mitch surprised some of those gathered outside by handing out a few of Amy's clothes and accessories, including several tank tops, sunglasses and other trinkets, according to The Sun. "There are Amy's T-shirts. This is what she would have wanted — for her fans to have her clothes," he told the stunned fans, as he walked away with a pair of Winehouse's signature ballet shoes in his back pocket. "God bless Amy Winehouse," he said before hopping into a taxi.

The family also carted off some other possessions, including Amy's guitars and her lyric books.

We explore what Winehouse's musical legacy will be, beyond "Rehab."

Some of Winehouse's pals and family got together to celebrate her life at her favorite jazz club on Thursday night. Her divorced parents were joined by Traviss and friends that included Kelly Osbourne and Eliza Doolittle at the Jazz After Dark club in London's Soho district. Also on hand was producer Mark Ronson, who paid tribute to his muse during a concert the night before, when he performed a selection of Amy's songs.

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Scarlett Johansson Turns Down Marine Ball Invite

Scarlett Johansson Turns Down Marine Ball Invite

Now that every soldier with an iPhone has decided to invite a celebrity to the Marine Corps Ball, we can't expect them all to say yes -- but Scarlett Johansson has shown how to say "no" with class. Johansson was asked to the event by Sgt. Dustin L. Williams, who was no doubt inspired by the successful efforts of his fellow Marines to bring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. Watch Williams' YouTube video below!

 

"Recently I noticed in the media that a lot of Marines have been asking celebrities to the ball," says Sgt. Williams, as he gets dressed while "Eye of the Tiger" plays in the background. "So I was thinking, if I could ever ask anybody to the ball, who would it be? I mean, obviously they need to be beautiful, classy... who would it be?"

The video then cuts to a photo of Johansson in an evening gown, as the song "When A Man Loves a Woman" begins to play. Cute!

Though the 26-year-old actress declined his invitation, she was obviously charmed by the video -- and sent him a token of her affection, in the form of fancy champagne!

"I feel incredibly honored to have been invited to the Marine Corps Ball by Sgt. Dustin L. Williams," Johansson declared in a statement. "Not only does Sgt. Williams deserve recognition for his bravery, selflessness and dedication to the United States and its people, but he also displays a cheeky talent for filmmaking."

She then addressed her would-be date directly. "Sgt. Williams unfortunately, due to prior commitments, I will not be able to attend the ball with you this year, but I am sending you a case of Moët and Chandon with gratitude," writes the actress. "In my absence, I raise a glass to you and all the men and women of the U.S. Marine Corps, past and present, in thanks for your continued commitment to preserving the safety of our nation."

Okay, so Sgt. Williams doesn't get to make an entrance with his movie-star crush -- but a personal message and a case of champagne is a pretty sweet consolation gift!

Kunis was the first celebrity to take the YouTube bait, and the actress says she has cleared her schedule to attend the Marine Corps Ball in Greenville, N.C. Her Friends with Benefits costar Timberlake, who pressured Kunis into saying "yes," has also tentatively accepted an invitation from a female Marine in Virginia to attend the ball in Washington, D.C.

But Johansson isn't the first celeb to decline, either. Betty White, who was asked to the ball by Sgt. Ray Lewis, sweetly sent her regrets earlier this month. However, in a twist of fate, another celebrity has offered to take her place: Terminator star Linda Hamilton! Watch her very funny reverse-invitation to Sgt. Lewis below. As of right now, he hasn't responded -- but who would turn down a date with the woman who helped Arnold Schwarzenegger save the world?
 

 

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'Attack The Block' Aliens 'Unlike Anything You've Seen'

Director Joe Cornish tells MTV News that 'Starship Troopers' and 'Gremlins' provided unlikely inspiration for alien-invasion flick.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


"Attack The Block"
Photo: Studio Canal

Although there are some big Hollywood names among this weekend's new releases "Cowboys & Aliens" and "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," there is an equally intriguing, if slightly lesser-known film hitting select theaters called "Attack the Block."

What sets "Block" apart from all of the others is that it was shot on a small budget and features a cast of mostly unknown actors. MTV News recently caught up with first-time feature director Joe Cornish to find out how he accomplished so much with so little, and why he thinks his alien-invasion action movie is the best of the summer.

"You're right to observe that this movie cost probably the amount that one of Bruce Willis' shoes cost," Cornish joked when asked about the challenges of working on a limited film budget. "Like I say, that was something that excited me; I wanted to do ambitious stuff in an inventive way."

Cornish explained that he and his crew took a unique approach to their aliens, drawing inspiration from a couple of unexpected cult favorites like "Starship Troopers" and "Gremlins."

"We have an alien design we're proud of. It's unusual. It's very different. It's unlike anything you've seen before," he promised. "I like when movies withhold the monster, but I also like — 'Starship Troopers' is one of my favorite films, and there comes a point in that movie or in 'Gremlins,' where they just show the monster and it becomes about quantity," he said. "We designed our monster in such a way that we could do that. So we don't hide it for the whole movie, we expose it and you see them in numbers and in force."

Newcomer actor John Boyega said the film is a thrill ride full of unexpected surprises ... and warm hugs?

"We were put at ease by [co-star] Nick Frost's constant hugs and his words of advice and Joe Cornish's enthusiasm on set," Boyega said. "It was great to work on that project, it was a great experience," he added. "It just felt like a fun ride."

Check out everything we've got on "Attack the Block."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Lady Gaga Dishes On New Music Video

Clip, likely for 'You And I,' is about how 'when you're away from someone you love, it's torture,' Gaga says.
By Jocelyn Vena


Lady Gaga
Photo: FilmMagic

Lady Gaga is giving her little monsters some juicy details about her forthcoming music video, which she just shot in Nebraska. While she never confirms or denies that the video is for her track "You And I," reading between the lines gives it all away.

"Well, I shot my new music video here," she dished to Omaha radio station 94.1, hearing the track on the radio for the first time. "I've got to tell you, I don't think there's anything hotter than being in a cornfield in Nebraska.

"It was so sweet, and I looked out and it's so beautiful, that tall corn. ... Then all of a sudden you start to see these monsters pop up. I love this place so much, and it really comes from a genuine place. The person who I wrote this song about has been my buddy and my best friend since I was 19 years old, and he's from here," she added of her pal Luc Carl. "And I love this state so much."

While not revealing whether a previously promised mermaid will make a cameo, she did share quite a lot about the plot for the video.

"Well, it was actually kind of perfect the way it worked out 'cause the premise of the video is that I've walked all the way from New York City to Nebraska to get him back," she said. "I'm walking with no luggage and no nothing and it's just me and my ankles are bleeding a little bit and there's grass stuck in my shoes and I've got this outfit on and it's real sort of New York clothing and I'm sprinting.

"And the [video is about the] idea that when you're away from someone you love, it's torture," she continued. "I knew I wanted the video to be about me sprinting back and walking hundreds of thousands of miles to get him back."

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Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry: Who's The Most Patriotic Diva?

Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and Christina Aguilera are also in the running this Fourth of July.
By John Mitchell, with additional reporting by Danielle Genet


Beyoncé
Photo: Columbia

Today is the Fourth of July — happy birthday, America! — and that means it's time to celebrate the most patriotic ladies in music! Whether they're singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in front of millions or wearing their love of their country on their sleeve (sometimes very literally), these ladies are living the American dream.

And this isn't some arbitrary ranking, either! To determine who the most patriotic divas are, we got positively scientific (just go with it). We assessed these ladies' patriotism based on four areas. Each was awarded one point if she, A) appeared at a patriotic event or in a pro-America public service announcement, B) was photographed wearing American flag-related clothing, C) sang the national anthem at a public event or D) released an America-themed song. The lady with the most points won.

So who are the top America-lovin' ladies in music today? Check 'em out!

Britney Spears
Spears famously appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 2000 wearing an American-flag belly shirt with a play on Uncle Sam's famous saying running beside her: "Britney Wants You!" We decided to be pretty liberal with what constitutes a patriotic event, so we are going to give Spears a combined single point for appearing at two very American (but not specifically about America) events: the NASCAR Winston Cup Pepsi 400 in 2001 and the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show.

Alas, Spears has not released a song specifically about America, despite being "Miss American Dream since I was 17." She also, curiously enough, hasn't performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" in her pop-star era. (There is a six-second YouTube clip of her performing the national anthem at age 8, but she wasn't a sanctioned diva back then.)

Score: 2

Miley Cyrus
We thought of Cyrus for this list specifically because of her good-times jam "Party in the U.S.A.," which is not only about America but weirdly became a bona fide anthem that reflected the mood in the country following the death of Osama Bin Laden.

But just when we thought we could award the young pop star only one point, we stumbled upon her PSA for the American Red Cross, asking for support in the wake of the earthquake that ravaged northern Japan earlier this year. Way to lend your celebrity to both a very American organization and an allied country in dire need, Miley!

Score: 2

Lady Gaga
America is all about being yourself. We are a melting pot, after all. And Lady Gaga is all about being herself, and she wants you to be yourself too — there's nothing more American than that!

We'd love to see her put those killer pipes to use and sing the national anthem, but she hasn't done it just yet. She does earn points, however, in the three other areas of our survey. Gaga is, interestingly, perhaps the pop star most involved in the democratic process. Last year she spoke at the National Equality March and at rallies in Maine to encourage the repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. She even appeared in a PSA for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network asking her fans to contact their senators to voice their displeasure with the policy.

On the sartorial front, she sported an American-flag bikini in her "Telephone" video. (Wouldn't you have been more surprised if we had told you that Lady Gaga had never worn the American flag?) She also has a song on her most recent album, Born This Way, called "Americano."

Score: 3

Christina Aguilera
Aguilera is known for her awesome singing voice, so it's no surprise that she has performed the national anthem at several major events, including this year's Super Bowl, where she mangled the lyrics something fierce in an uncommon bout of nervousness. (That's what it was, right? Seriously, she's done "The Star-Spangled Banner" about a thousand times!)

The "Beautiful" singer also filmed PSAs for "Rock the Vote" in 2008 to encourage young people to get out and do their duty as U.S. citizens. In the clips, she sings "America the Beautiful" a cappella while holding her newborn son Max, who is wrapped in an American flag (double points!). Yes, Aguilera herself isn't draped in the flag, but we thought we'd give her the point anyway because of her USO-themed video for "Candyman."

Score: 3

Katy Perry
Perry impresses in three of our categories. Late last year, she performed at the "USO Presents: VH1 Divas Salute the Troops" concert at Miramar, California, where she also wore an American-flag bustier. That is not the only instance of flag-waving clothing Perry has sported, however. During an appearance on British TV show James Corden's "World Cup Live!," Perry wore a latex flag dress.

Given her frequent pro-America attire, we're going to give Perry the benefit of the doubt and count her pro-tolerance anthem "Firework" as an America-themed song, because in America, all men and women are created equal, and that's basically what "Firework" is all about. Also, it's the Fourth of July, people. Fireworks!

Score: 3

Beyoncé
Was it even really a contest? Beyoncé sang (and nailed) "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the 2004 Super Bowl in her hometown of Houston, Texas.

What's more American than singing the national anthem at America's most-watched sporting event? Well, perhaps being personally asked by the president to perform at his inauguration. The girl (who runs the world) was asked to sing "At Last" while Barack and Michelle Obama had their first dance as president and first lady of the United States.

Beyoncé recently released a cover of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." to benefit the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund. (Seriously, could she be more awesome?) Having worn the American flag as a dress to get down opposite Lady Gaga in the video for "Telephone," Queen B is the only diva who fulfills all our categories.

When it comes to Beyoncé and America, we could go on and on — she recently repurposed one of her hits for Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" anti-obesity campaign, and in 2001, she performed with Destiny's Child at the United We Stand: What More Can I Give? benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. — wearing American-flag pants, we might add. But it's the Fourth of July, and we think a real patriot like B would prefer you get out and celebrate America's 235th birthday instead of celebrating her dedication to the US of A!

Score: 4 (OMG, you guys, not only is 4 B's lucky number, it's the name of her latest record!)

Who did we miss? Share your pick for the most patriotic diva in the comments below!

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Thursday, July 28, 2011

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New Led Zeppelin On The Way? Jason Bonham Hints At 'Jam' Sessions With Jimmy Page -- But Not Robert Plant

Drummer admits he doesn't know what will come of 'new material.'
By Chris Harris


Jason Bonham
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images

On Friday morning, mere hours before he was due to take the stage with classic rockers Foreigner at Detroit's GM Renaissance Center, drummer Jason Bonham — the son of late Led Zeppelin kitman John Bonham — told Jim Johnson and Lynne Woodison of local rock station 94.7 WCSX that he'd be an ex-member of Foreigner as of September 1. But that's not the only thing he said.

Much to the delight of Led Zeppelin fans everywhere, Bonham revealed that he's been meeting up with Led Zep guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones in recent months and that they've been "trying to do some new material and writing."

It was the first time since Led Zeppelin announced they would re-form for a single performance (which happened late last year at London's O2 Arena, in honor of the late Ahmet Ertegün, who signed the band to Atlantic Records in 1969) that anyone connected to the band has confirmed publicly that new music could be on the horizon for the iconic rockers. While the bandmembers have stopped short of definitively ruling out such a reunion, singer Robert Plant insisted in the wake of last year's show that he intended to focus on promoting and touring behind his critically lauded album with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss, Raising Sand.

Not that Bonham knows what — if anything — will happen with the new material he's been working on with Page (who collaborated with pop singer Leona Lewis on an uneven version of Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" at the Olympic closing ceremonies in Beijing on Sunday night) and Jones. He said he just shows up and takes his seat behind the kit.

"I've been over [to England] a couple of times," Bonham said. "I've been working with Jimmy and John Paul and trying to do ... some new material and some writing. I don't know what it will be, but it will be something. At the moment, all I know is I have the great pleasure to go and jam with the two guys and start work on some material. When I get there, I never ask any questions. If I get a phone call to go and play, I enjoy every moment of it. Whatever it ends up as, to ever get a chance to jam with two people like that, it is a phenomenal thing for me. It's my life. It's what I've dreamed about doing."

He said it's still too early to tell what will become of these "jam" sessions, but admitted that the "possibility of doing something is in the cards. I really felt it was in the cards from the moment we walked offstage at the O2." Bonham also explained that, before there could be a Led Zep LP, "lots of politics [would need to] get ironed out," but added that recording with Zep is "something I've always wanted to do."

Bonham noticeably didn't mention frontman Plant's name during the discussion. A spokesperson for Page's management had no comment on the matter, and a spokesperson for Jones' management could not be reached by press time.

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