Skateboarding in Singapore

Love Skatepark

Skateboarding in Singapore has been undergoing a revival in the recent years. With newly opened skate parks and the establishment of many new and locally based skate shops, the sport has been experiencing a surge in popularity, spawning further growth for the local skateboarding community.

Skateboarding

As a result of its cheap cost and the sheer amount of parks and shops devoted to the sport, skateboarding is by far one of the most popular extreme sports in Singapore.

A forgiving sport that does not discriminate, it's easy to pick up and anyone can excel at it, no matter their fitness level.

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Source: http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/play/skateboarding-singapores-serious-extreme-sport-672704

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Rihanna Says Now-Iconic Haircut Was 'Really Liberating'

Loud singer tells MTV News she wanted to do 'something daring with my hair, something fun, something unexpected.'
By Rebecca Thomas


Rihanna
Photo: MTV News

The word "icon" gets tossed around a lot in pop music. So if multiplatinum pop&B star Rihanna is not yet an icon, then she's arguably exhibiting the DNA of an icon-in-the-making, including a trend-shifting haircut that has become one of the most requested styles in salons from Brooklyn to Baltimore. And everyone knows that a look worthy of pop royalty begins with the crown — just ask Madonna.

On Wednesday, MTV News caught up with Rihanna at a New York book signing for her self-titled photography collection, and the "Only Girl (In the World)" singer said it was "exciting" that she'd inspired so many girls to chop their tresses.

"For me, when I cut my hair, it was really, really liberating," Rihanna told us, just weeks before her hotly anticipated LP Loud is due. "And I always like to do something daring with my hair, something fun, something unexpected and something not typical."

At her book event, the 22-year-old was sporting the long, layered, fiery-red locks she's been rocking in recent months. But the 'do that most have come to call "the Rihanna" is a Mohawk-inspired look that gets its flirtiness from the long strands that sweep the eyes. The singer first took shears to her Beyoncé-esque mane with the 2008 release of her Good Girl Gone Bad album, drawing "oohs" for a jet-black bob that broke with R&B tradition.

Since then, she's subjected her version of "the Rihanna" to colors and textures of every variation, from the severe bangs of "Hard" to the Barbados-approved barrel curls of "Rude Boy." And in turn, girls around the country paid homage with cuts of their own. But Rih admitted that convenience also factored into her decision to go short.

"[I wanted] something that, when I wake up in the morning, it kind of leads the day, you know? Kind of tells you what to wear," she said. "When you've got too much options with your hair, it's stressful; it could take two hours to get ready," she laughed.

The editor in chief of Hype Hair, Adrienne Moore, weighed in on the appeal of Rihanna's hairdo, particularly for a generation of girls increasingly wed to weaves and extensions. She highlighted the superstar's willingness to a "take a risk."

"Rihanna gives us a fascinating style that's unexpected, and that unexpected look sets her apart from the rest," Moore told MTV News. "She wasn't afraid to take a risk, from the first project [A Girl Like Me], she released herself from all that long hair."

Moore added that even in abandoning the short style for now in favor of a "voluminous" look, Rihanna has managed to keep her admirers on their toes. "It's almost like she's stepping back with a retro look, a soft look, as opposed to a spiky, edgy look. So she shocked people," Moore said of the star's latest look, describing it as a Marilyn Monroe throwback.

Which Rihanna hairstyle is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1651070/20101028/rihanna.jhtml

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Britney Spears Tweets About 'Glee' Tribute Episode

'I loved it!' writes the pop star, who also thanked fans and shared her thoughts on the show's covers.
By James Dinh


Britney Spears and Heather Morris on the set of "Glee"
Photo: FOX

Britney Spears fans are a force to be reckoned with. Earlier this year, they campaigned for an episode of "Glee" to be dedicated solely to their favorite pop princess. And after much anticipation, on Tuesday night the students of McKinley High shimmied, crooned and danced their way in tribute to the entertainer. The singer took to Twitter to thank her fans for their efforts and shared her thoughts on the program, titled "Britney/Brittany," and its covers of her songs.

"I loved it! Thank you guys SO much for making this happen!" Britney tweeted. In particular, the star seemed to enjoy the renditions of her classic tunes, saying, "I love this version of Stronger. Artie did a great job," and "The GLEE version of Toxic is amazing!"

While some of the McKinley High students — including Cheerio cheerleader Brittany S. Pearce (played by Heather Morris) — went into anesthesia--induced dream sequences to channel their inner Britney, Spears herself emerged throughout the episode's hallucinogenic fantasies. Appearing as Madonna's character at the end of "Me Against the Music," a high-school teacher in "... Baby One More Time" and a fellow cheerleader, the singer remained a source of inspiration for the Gleekers.

Spears gave kudos to co-star Morris, saying, "Awww Heather Morris is sooo cute! Brittany S Pearce. Ha! She was so fun to work with and was really sweet in person."

The singer not only applauded Morris' friendliness, but also her rendition of "I'm a Slave 4 U." She wrote of the sultry production, "Slave: Oh ... My ... God ...! Those little boys are SO cute! I know how hard it is to dance with that snake! Nice job." The pop star also was surprised at how well the show re-created the music video set of her 2003 Madonna duet, "Me Against the Music," pointing out that it "looks just like the original," and adding, "Santana does a great Madonna impression."

As the students walked Spears through memory lane, Lea Michele's cover of "... Baby One More Time" also had the singer reminiscing. "Watching Baby brings back so many memories! Feels like yesterday," she explained.

John Stamos also made a guest appearance in the episode, as the dentist who sends the Gleeks into Britney world. Spears made it clear that the 47-year-old actor looks as good as he did during his heyday. "John Stamos is still hot! He looks the same as he did on Full House," she tweeted.

As with many "Glee" fans, Britney found a pleasantly odd interest in Jane Lynch, who plays the aggressive cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, describing the actress as "hilarious and scary all rolled into one."

Spears wasn't the only one who enjoyed filming the tribute episode — the "Glee" castmembers recently dished on working with the star. Morris told Australian magazine TV Week that the singer was her childhood inspiration. "She was my idol from, like, age 12 to 16," she said. "I sang to her [songs] in my living room and danced to her — I learned all her moves. And I had my talent shows and I lip-synched to her. I just kept flashing back to growing up and being obsessed with her."

Naya Rivera, who plays Santana, also spoke highly of the pop icon. "I love Britney Spears. I mean, who doesn't? We all grew up with her," she proclaimed in a promo video for the show. "The first music purchase I ever made was '... Baby One More Time' on cassette. [It was like], 'Britney Spears is going to be in my mitts, what do I do?' [And I was like], 'Hi Britney!' And then she was like, 'Hey!' She was awesome and beautiful. She was, like, magical."

What did you think of the Britney-themed episode? Sound off in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1648937/20100929/spears_britney.jhtml

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Justin Bieber Fans Rave Over 'Classic' 3-D Trailer

'It feels like it's more of a documentary,' one fan says after preview of 'Never Say Never' clip at concert in L.A.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias


Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never"
Photo: Paramount

Some lucky Justin Bieber fans got the first glimpse of what to expect from his 3-D movie when he premiered the trailer for "Never Say Never" during his My World Tour stop in Los Angeles on Monday night. And the verdict from the fans MTV News spoke with can be summed up in one word: amazing.

"He said, 'Hey L.A., we have a special surprise for you. Something no one else has seen yet and you're only seeing it here tonight,' " Nicole Reddin recalled after the Staples Center concert. "And everyone was super excited. It feels like it's more of a documentary. It's a little bit more real than the things you see. It's a lot more [that] you get to know him and that's what we want to see."

Priestly Cleveland gave the trailer a glowing review. "It's the trailer for his movie, which is actually coming out Valentine's Day weekend. ... I loved it," she said. "My favorite part of the trailer was definitely when he was younger and singing and playing the guitar. I loved it ... it was cute, classic."

Added Juliana En, "It shows a bunch of baby pictures of him while he's growing up and pictures of him backstage just, like, doing random stuff."

The preview had special meaning for another longtime Belieber. "I remember when I used to watch Justin Bieber on YouTube before he got famous and I was totally a fan," Rachel Kelly said. "So this is really exciting."

"Never Say Never" won't hit theaters until February, but the singer's fans plan to keep busy until the flick's release date.

"I can't wait to see it," Cleveland told us. "In the meantime, I'm just gonna keep going on YouTube."

What do you think of the "Never Say Never" trailer? Tell us in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1650834/20101026/bieber_justin.jhtml

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Michael Jackson's Mom Sues Concert Promoter AEG Live

Lawsuit allegedly filed by pop star's mother claims AEG Live neglected his medical care, according to an online report.
By Kara Warner


Michael Jackson
Photo: Getty Images

The litigation that has surrounded the tragedy of Michael Jackson's untimely death continues. Katherine Jackson, on behalf of and along with Michael Jackson's children, has filed suit against AEG Live, the promoter for the late superstar's 50-date concert residency. Jackson's mother charges the company breached its contractual agreement to provide medical care for her son and argues they were negligent in hiring controversial doctorConrad Murray.

According to TMZ, Katherine's filing claims AEG's contract with Michael "created a legal duty for AEG to act reasonably toward the physical well-being of Michael Jackson." The website also points out that the lawsuit lists Katherine Jackson as a Guardian ad Litem, or legal representative, for Michael's three children, which Katherine is not. Jackson's mother is in fact only the trio's guardian.

The gossip site suggests that the mistake, along with the fact that Katherine's reps know nothing about the lawsuit, suggests she is not actively involved in this case.

In other MJ-related lawsuit news, Conrad Murray's attorneys asked a federal judge on Wednesday (September 15) to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the singer's father, Joe Jackson, because he is not a beneficiary of the late singer's estate. The Associated Press reported that Murray's lawyers equated Joe's lawsuit to a "press-release that is intended to prejudice and inflame the jury pool and the public." The motion will reportedly be considered by a federal judge during a hearing scheduled for Oct. 18.

Joe Jackson sued Murray on June 25, the one-year anniversary of his son's death in 2009 at age 50. His lawsuit claimed the doctor withheld vital information about Jackson's medical history — including a list of all the drugs he had administered to his patient — from paramedics who responded to a 911 call, as well as to doctors at UCLA Medical Center who attempted to revive the singer. At the autopsy for Jackson, the complaint also alleges that Murray "said nothing" about having administered the surgical anesthetic propofol, which the coroner concluded caused Jackson's death. The lawsuit seeks more than $75,000 in damages.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647967/20100915/jackson_michael.jhtml

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Robert Plant And Alison Krauss Win Grammy Album Of The Year

Raising Sand, from Led Zeppelin vet and bluegrass superstar, wins five Grammys on Sunday night.
By James Montgomery with MTV News staff


Alison Krauss and Robert Plant accept the award for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

"I'm bewildered," Robert Plant said onstage as he accepted the Grammy Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss on Sunday night. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday."

He was probably one of the few who were surprised, because Raising Sand, which won five trophies at Sunday night's show, is in many ways the perfect Grammy album. It features two respected veterans, a critically lauded producer, some sandpaper-and-velvet vocals and a baker's dozen of time-tested standards.

You're probably familiar with Robert Plant from his Led Zeppelin days, and you might be aware of producer T-Bone Burnett's work on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002). And if you don't know who Alison Krauss is, she possesses a haunting set of pipes and is one of the meanest fiddle players in the world. Oh, and she's won 21 Grammys, more than any other female artist and the seventh-most in history.

Really, she's the key to Sand's success, and not just because of her voice (or her fiddle playing). She and Plant first met in 2004, at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to legendary bluesman Leadbelly, and the former Zeppelin man was amazed by her knowledge of American Roots music — so much so that they began kicking around the idea of recording an album together. Three years later, Sand was released.

And while Plant possesses the more famous voice, the album's finest moments radiate from Krauss. Whether she's getting bluesy on Little Milton's "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" or entwining with Plant's husky voice on songs like "Please Read the Letter" and Roly Salley's winsome "Killing the Blues," she more than carries her end of the bargain.

And perhaps that's also due to producer Burnett, who handpicked the 13 songs the duo cover on Sand. His arrangements are sparse — giving the two voices ample room to breathe — yet dense, warm and crackling at the same time. It's a testament to his work that he's often given just as much billing as Plant and Krauss on the project ... and it's certainly justified.

To date, Sand has sold more than 1 million copies, heaped tons of acclaim and actually earned a Grammy last year — "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" took home the award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

One expert was surprised not by the album's success, but by the fact that it's actually quite a good album.

"At first, the album seemed like a vanity project. ... Two names, clearly a one-off record, didn't have to be any good, you know?" New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica said. "Led Zeppelin fans would buy it because of Robert Plant, Alison Krauss would get a check. But it actually turned out to be a really thoughtful, really good record. So when you combine all that with the fact that the Grammys love to lionize one of their own, I could really see it taking home some awards."

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1604582/20090209/plant_robert.jhtml

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Lady Gaga's 'Sopranos' Cameo Surfaces

Gaga appeared on season three of the hit HBO show in an episode called 'The Telltale Moozadell.'
By Eric Ditzian


Lady Gaga on "The Sopranos"
Photo: HBO

The sunken treasure that is Lady Gaga's pop-culture past continues to reap Internet gold. In January, we hauled out a clip from the pop star's nearly forgotten appearance on "The Hills," when she popped up in a vinyl bodysuit and required some zipper assistance from Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port.

Now, further proving the point that the Internet never forgets, Gaga's 2001 appearance on "The Sopranos" has shown up online. The episode, called "The Telltale Moozadell," is from the third season of the hit HBO show.

Mob boss Tony Soprano's son, A.J., is acting out while at the school pool with friends. Wearing a black top and jeans, Gaga is one of three girls hanging out, smoking cigarettes and watching the boys swim. One of A.J.'s friends then gets the idea to chuck a desk into the water. From there it's a free-for-all, as Gaga and her pals toss equipment and sports trophies into the pool. A.J. ends up getting probation. Gaga, alas, is never heard from again. The episode aired when the future superstar was just 15 years old.

Her gig as an extra on "The Sopranos," though, was not the only time Gaga ended up on TV before she took on her famous moniker. As previously revealed, she once appeared on an episode of MTV's "Boiling Points," a hidden-camera show in which unwitting contestants had to keep their cool as various undercover actors tried to annoy them. Gaga didn't do so well, unleashing a bleep-worthy word after a waitress brought her a soiled salad.

"Who puts that in their mouth? Would you put that in your mouth?" she said. "It has sh-- all over it!"

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649702/20101011/lady_gaga.jhtml

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Ke$ha To Return With Cannibal On November 22

Animal companion will feature eight new songs.
By James Montgomery


Ke$ha
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ Getty Images

Taking a page from Lady Gaga's playbook, Ke$ha will return November 22 with Cannibal, a nine-song "companion" to her platinum-plus debut disc Animal that, like Gaga's The Fame Monster, will be sold both as a standalone album and as part of a deluxe reissue.

According to a press release sent Wednesday (October 13) by her label, RCA, Cannibal will feature eight brand-new songs — produced by the likes of Max Martin, Benny Blanco and Bangladesh — and a new remix. The first single from the mini-album, "We R Who We R," is scheduled to hit radio Thursday.

Cannibal is set to be released both on its own and bundled with Ke$h's Animal disc in a reissue called — fittingly enough — Animal + Cannibal. And if the whole thing sounds rather, well, ravenous, well, that's pretty much what the singer had in mind.

"This year has been carnivorous and life-changing. I have my rowdy, gorgeous fans to thank for taking me on the ride of a lifetime," she said in a statement. "My only goal with this record is to keep them dancing. The songs on Cannibal were made to inspire people to ignore any hate or judgment and be themselves unapologetically. It's the perfect companion to Animal and I hope you guys like it. And if you don't like it — bite me."

Well, OK then. The announcement of Cannibal comes one day after the news that Ke$ha had been nominated for three American Music Awards — more than any artist not named Eminem, Justin Bieber and Lady Antebellum. The AMAs will air November 21, one day before Ke$ha's albums hit stores.

Will you pick up Ke$ha's new music? Let us know in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649918/20101013/kesha_.jhtml

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Justin Bieber's 3-D Movie Trailer Debuts

'That sort of 'never say never' idea is conveyed in the trailer,' director Jon Chu tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


"Never Say Never" poster
Photo: Paramount

On Monday (October 25), at his My World Tour stop in Los Angeles, Justin Bieber debuted the trailer for his highly anticipated 3-D flick "Never Say Never," due Valentine's Day weekend 2011.

The trailer was filled with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with some of the people important in Bieber's life, including mentor Usher and manager Scott "Scooter" Braun. When MTV News spoke with the film's director, Jon Chu, he said that if Bieber's fans were tempted by what they saw in the trailer, they should love the film when it hits their local theater.

"We talked about the story of us sort of going back to his life and seeing a lot of archival footage and things that have never been seen that his mom shot when he was a kid," Chu said. "We don't have as much of that in the trailer, [and] the movie uses a lot, 'cause we're finding it really fascinating to see him grow. It's one of the very few generations that have been able to be shot when they were a kid to a teenager and see all the steps of his development."

Describing the film as a "documentary musical," Chu said "as in life, when you listen to music, when words aren't enough to express your emotion, it goes into song." The songs in the film were taken directly from Bieber's concert stop at Madison Square Garden.

"It's really an interesting sort of pass between his real life to his music, so I think in the trailer, we break it down every step of the way in his life. Everyone said, 'It's not possible,' " Chu said. "Every step, everyone's always said, 'No, no, no, no.' And he's always said, 'Yes, yes, yes.' And that sort of 'never say never' idea is conveyed in the trailer.

"That's sort of the power of our movie: to help inspire kids to follow their dreams, and anyone really, kid or adult," he added. "It's been sort of a family journey of fulfilling your destiny."

What do you want to see in Bieber's 3-D movie? Let us know in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1650802/20101025/bieber_justin.jhtml

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