Usher - OMG
- Artist: Usher
- Label: LaFace Records, JLG
- Director: Anthony Mandler
- Album: Raymond V. Raymond
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1270&vid=498588
Jay-Z Is Two Songs Deep Into Next Solo Album
Working on Watch the Throne with Kanye got the creative juices flowing for Blueprint 3 follow-up.
By Alvin Blanco
NEW YORK — While fans are still eagerly waiting for Jay-Z to drop his collaborative album with Kanye West, Watch the Throne, he has already started working on his next solo album. At an exclusive listening session for Throne on Thursday night at the Mercer Hotel, the Brooklyn rapper revealed that he is two songs deep into recording his 12th solo LP.
The experience of creating the collaboration was so positive, Jay said, it inspired him begin working on new material of his own. Besides the two songs he has already completed, which he claimed were the best first pair of tunes he has ever created for one of his albums, he also has another four ideas ready to go.
"I know exactly the tone and the whole feel of the album," Jay-Z said of the follow-up to 2009's platinum-certified The Blueprint 3. "I think when you experience creativity, you should get it out as much as possible."
Even though Watch the Throne isn't in stores yet (pre-order receipts seem to indicate, unofficially, that it will be out on August 2), the "Empire State of Mind" rapper doesn't want to stifle the creative juices that started flowing when he was working with West.
And the inspiration flowed both ways, it seems. After getting Odd Future singer Frank Ocean to record a song for his solo album, Hov decided to have the crooner contribute his vocals to two Watch the Throne songs.
So will this new solo effort come out before the discs from his Roc Nation signees J. Cole and Jay Electronica? "Hopefully," he quipped, before adding, "I don't play that. We're all competing for the same mind share. J. Cole and Jay Electronica are both making inspiring music."
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Beyoncé - Halo
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
- Director: Philip Andelman
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1236911&vid=332332
Lauren Conrad Lauren German LeAnn Rimes Leeann Tweeden Leelee Sobieski
Ke$ha - Take It Off
- Artist: Ke$ha
- Label: RCA
- Director: Paul Hunter, Dori Oskowitz
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=3213641&vid=549666
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Britney Spears? Adele? Experts Pick 2011's Summer Diva
Perez Hilton tells MTV News a Summer Diva is 'defined by one thing: she is known by just one name.'
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears
Photo: Getty Images
Every summer, there's one lady who rules the beach, one pop diva who manages to rise above the rest thanks to a catchy tune and unstoppable promo campaign. Since the summer basically starts on the Fourth of July and goes right through Labor Day weekend, it's time to start looking at the most likely contenders for the Summer Diva crown.
With everyone from Lady Gaga and Beyoncé to Britney Spears and Katy Perry making a play to be the one-and-only queen of summer pop (and also angling to have the Song of the Summer), only one will have that certain something that stands out. So who is taking an early lead and why?
"Divas tend to rule the summer," Ian Drew, senior music editor at Us Weekly, told MTV News. "They tend to have very fun shows, very bright shows, very poppy shows, stuff that everyone can get into across all levels."
Perez Hilton had his own definition of a Summer Diva. "She is defined by one thing: she is known by just one name," he told MTV News.
Well, that seems to be the case for most of the Summer Diva contenders, but Drew went for one very famous California Gurl as his pick: Katy Perry. "She sort of knows how to rule the summer," he said. "By now, it's a part of her whole architecture. It seems like every single summer, she comes up with the perfect summer jam, ever since 2008. Now she's got 'Last Friday Night.'
"The next is Britney," Drew continued, not wanting to count the veteran out of the race. " 'I Wanna Go' is a clear summer hit. They both have these dueling huge summer tours."
Hilton noted that Perry is on "such a hot streak right now. It looks like Katy may be the queen of the summer." But he's throwing his weight behind a different diva.
"The real queen of the summer — the diva to beat all divas — is going to be Adele," he gushed about the unstoppable singer. "What makes Adele the diva of the summer is that she's doing the best without trying at all. You see Gaga, Beyoncé and Katy everywhere [and] you see Adele nowhere, and she's still outselling them. Adele is connecting to audiences in a big way, and to me, that's impactful, that's relevant."
Who do you think will be the Summer Diva of 2011? Share your picks in the comments below!
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Lady Gaga, Weird Al Find 'Happy Ending' After Parody Beef
'She's totally cool and she really likes the parody,' Al tells MTV News of 'Perform This Way.'
By Jocelyn Vena
Weird Al at the "Bad Teacher" premiere
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images
All is well between Lady Gaga and "Weird Al" Yankovic. After some initial drama over his parody of "Born This Way," Gaga eventually gave Al her stamp of approval.
When MTV News caught up with Weird Al on Monday night at the "Bad Teacher" premiere in New York City, he told us the pop star is actually of a fan of his track, "Perform This Way."
"Where we stand is my music video 'Perform This Way' world-premiered [Monday] and is doing quite well," he said. "My album comes out [today]," he said of Alpocalypse, which was released on Tuesday (June 21). "It all got resolved."
On the Gaga parody track, he sings, "Got my straight jacket today/ It's made of gold lamé/ No, not because I'm crazy/ I perform this way." Then he goes on to lampoon, among other topics, that famous MTV VMA meat dress: "I strap prime rib to my feet/ Cover myself with raw meat/ I'll bet you've never seen a skirt steak worn this way."
Initially, it seemed Gaga wasn't too pleased with the song's lyrics, but according to Al, she has come around. So, what exactly happened between Al and Mother Monster before things got straightened out?
"It was a big misunderstanding, miscommunication," he explained. "The bottom line is it's a happy ending. Lady Gaga approves it; she's totally cool and she really likes the parody."
In the brand-new video, Al portrays Gaga in some of her signature looks, from her Grammy egg to her bubble dress, but it wasn't easy to narrow down wardrobe for the clip.
"It's a challenge because she's got so many different looks," he said. "I mean, she's got such a bigger-than-life persona, so a big part of figuring out the video is figuring out how we're going to do two-dozen costumes in three minutes. On top of putting my head on a woman's body, that was difficult as well. So [making the video took] a lot of CG effects and wardrobe, basically."
Gaga isn't the only superstar lampooned on Alpocalypse. Al also has some fun with Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and T.I., to name a few. "It's very eclectic, it's very odd, which I guess you come to expect from a guy like me."
What do you think of Weird Al's "Perform This Way" video? Tell us in the comments!
Watch The "Perform This Way" Video Below!
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666137/weird-al-perform-this-way-lady-gaga.jhtml
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Beyonce Set To Perform At 2011 BET Awards
Singer joins performers Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Drake and others at the live June 26 show.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyonce
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic
Two days after her album 4 is officially released, Beyoncé is set to perform at the 2011BET Awards, which air live from Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium on June 26.
The "Run the World (Girls)" singer, known for power--packed performances, hasn't announced what she'll sing yet, but as it turns out, she's also nominated for an award at the show. The singer is up against Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Keri Hilson and Marsha Ambrosius in the Best Female R&B Artist category.
According to EW.com, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Rowland and Trey Songz are also slated to perform on the awards show. And "The Voice" judge and "F--- You" singer Cee-Lo Green will make a special appearance on the show, the website reported. Previously announced performers include Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, Drake and Chris Brown, who's up for six awards.
Other big nominees for the night include Lil Wayne with 5 nods, as well as Kanye West, Drake and Rihanna, each with four noms. There's a surprising mix of contenders in the Video of the Year category, including Willow Smith for "Whip My Hair," Marsha Ambrosius' "Far Away," B.o.B's "Airplanes," Brown's "Look at Me Now," Hilson's "Pretty Girl Rock" and West's "Runaway."
Fans will have their say that night when they'll be asked to decide on the Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award. Competing in that category are Brown ("Look at Me Now," featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes), Rihanna ("What's My Name?"), Lil Wayne ("6 Foot 7 Foot," featuring Cory Gunz), Mindless Behavior ("My Girl"), Nicki Minaj ("Moment 4 Life," featuring Drake) and Trey Songz ("Bottoms Up," featuring Nicki Minaj).
Are you excited to see Beyoncé perform at the BET Awards? Tell us in the comments!
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