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Chief Keef's Camp Blames Police For 'Excessive Force' In New Arrest

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:36:52 EDT

Chicago Police used AK-47s to arrest rapper on trespassing charges four blocks from courthouse, camp claims.
By Rob Markman

Chief Keef
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage

The trouble continues to mount for Chief Keef. The 17-year old rapper went to court on Monday (June 17) and pleaded guilty to speeding, walking out with an 18-month probation sentence, only to be arrested after the hearing, just four blocks away from the courthouse.

Now, the rapper's camp is saying the Chicago Police Department used "excessive force" when six officers, pulled over the vehicle Keef was riding in and drew AK-47 assault rifles out on the teenage star and arrested him on criminal trespassing charges. "It is not normal practice for police to come from the south side armed with AK47's to arrest a person on misdemeanor trespassing charges, but clearly Chief Keef is a special young man that garner special treatment from the Chicago Police Department," read a statement issued to popular Chicago music site FakeShoreDrive.com.

The Chicago police wouldn't address the excessive force claim, but did confirm with MTV News that Monday's arrest stemmed from a May 16 incident at the Parkway Gardens Housing Projects in Chicago.

Shortly before the arrest, the "I Don't Like" rapper, born Keith Cozart, pleaded guilty to speeding 110 mph in a 55mph zone on May 28, the Chicago Tribune reported earlier Monday.

"You think you're invincible, and you're certainly not," a Cook County Circuit Court judge is reported as telling Keef after he was fined $531, handed 18 months of probation and ordered him to perform 60 hours of community service, random drug testing and to complete eight hours of traffic school. "I sure hope I don't see you again, because if I do, you better be ready to go to jail."

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Kanye West's Yeezus 'Came To Life' In A 'Sacred Process'

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:08:43 EDT

Houston MC/producer Travis Scott tells MTV News he joined 'Ye in Paris 'super early' to help curate tracks like 'Black Skinhead.'
By Nadeska Alexis

Kanye West's Yeezus cover
Photo: Roc-A-Fella

Kanye West called upstart Travis Scott to Paris early to work on the Chicago MC's much-anticipated Yeezus, a process the newbie calls a "turning point" for him.

Before "Yeezy Season" officially began, Travis Scott explained that the snippets he'd heard of Kanye West's Yeezus album were from the year 3,000. Now that the LP is complete and ready to drop, the Houston rapper/producer has shed some light on working with Kanye.

Scott is signed to T.I.'s Grand Hustle label but has done a substantial amount of work with 'Ye, getting co-production credit on multiple Yeezus tracks, including "Black Skinhead," "I Am a God" and "Guilt Trip."

"I went to Paris super early," Scott told MTV News of how he ended up on West's monster album. "At one point it was just me, Kanye and Noah [in the studio], and that's when he first introduced me to some of the [song] ideas. I was just around him a lot, especially for this album, curating sonics," he added. "It's like crazy memories."

The 21-year-old recalled hearing "Black Skinhead" twice in the span of about a week and being blown away by the changes that Kanye had made in so little time. "I was [in Paris] and I left and came back to the States to do the [mtvU] Woodie Awards. When I came back, he played me what changed in the next week, just new ideas and sh--, man, and 'Black Skinhead' was really coming to life. I was like, 'Man, I'm learning how to make an album; that sh-- is coming to life. It was like a turning point right there."

Thought Scott didn't want to give up too many details about the actual recording sessions, he continued to emphasize how meticulous West was while putting the project together. "Kanye works all the time. He's sacred to his process of working. He has his own work ethic and I'm on the same mental.

"I just heard the songs and added to [them]," Travis said of his contributions. "I was just giving my thoughts. Like I said, his process of working, it's ill, man. We [were just trying out] mad ideas and then whatever comes out, comes out.

Yeezus will officially be released on Tuesday.

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Hunter Hayes Just Needed To 'Reset' To Write Encore Tunes

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:02:21 EDT

'Wanted' singer will stream concert at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday on HunterHayes.MTV.com for MTV Artist to Watch LIVE.
By Jocelyn Vena

Hunter Hayes
Photo: Colin Gray/ MTV.com

With Hunter Hayes about to drop his new album, Encore, on Tuesday, fans might be wondering what inspired some of the album's newer cuts like "I Want Crazy" and "Light Me Up." Well, as it turns out, the road really amped up the 21-year-old to write the cuts that will keep his Hayniacs singing along all summer long.

"Nashville is awesome and I have loved getting to go into the studio and do my thing. My dad said 'When you love what you do, you never work a day in your life,' and I agree with that," he says in the latest installment of Hunter's "For the Love of Music." The clip follows Hayes as he reminisces about work in the studio and later heads out on the road, explaining that touring fuels his music and vice versa. Encore is a deluxe re-release of his self-titled 2011 debut that includes several new songs.

"And for me going into the studio is not working, but it is kind of if anything for it is kind of a reset... kind of free your mind a little bit, I wouldn't have said I needed a reset after the tour finished but I'm glad we had one. I love Nashville. I love the studio thing but I live to go on the road and make music," he added. "But that feeds all the studio, the writing."

The "Wanted" singer will be back onstage in New York City on release day at Webster Hall, with Striking Matches opening the June 18 MTV Artist to Watch LIVE show. He's headlining the gig as a part of MTV's Artist to Watch series, which will stream live on MTV.com and CMT.com at 6 p.m. ET.

Then, later this year, Hayes will headline the 12th annual CMT on Tour, billed as the Let's Be Crazy Tour. It all kicks off October 10 in Knoxville, Tennessee, with dates slated through December. "It's gonna be a great summer, great fall. We've got a massive show planned for the fall. So, it's gonna be crazy, appropriately," he shared earlier this week about the jaunt.

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Spider-Man Will Spin Third And Fourth Sequels By 2018

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:02:21 EDT

Sony announces 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3' and '4.'
By Todd Gilchrist

Andrew Garfield on the set of "Amazing Spider-Man 2"
Photo: Pacific Coast News

Audiences have loved Spider-Man for more than 10 years already, but he's set to embark on a series of new adventures that is nothing short of amazing. Sony Pictures announced Monday (June 17) that following the release of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" on May 2, 2014, the web-slinger will return to the screen two more times by 2018. Two yet-to-be-named sequels are scheduled for release on June 10, 2016, and May 4, 2018, expanding the hero's current series of films to four.

Spider-Man first came to the silver screen in 2002 with the release of "Spider-Man," a box-office phenomenon that, along with "X-Men," can take credit for the explosion of superhero-themed stories being told by movie studios. Director Sam Raimi, who helmed that film as well as its two sequels, wrapped up his storyline in 2007, forcing audiences to wait five years for another big-screen adventure featuring the wall crawler. But after Marc Webb's reboot, which retold the character's origin story and added a few new details, Spider-Man seems more popular than ever.

Jamie Foxx Reveals Secrets Behind His 'Amazing Spider-Man 2' Performance

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" is, like its predecessor, directed by Webb, although "Transformers" and "Star Trek" screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci took over script duties from James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" opens in theaters nationwide May 2, 2014.

Drake Wants To Sit And Talk To Chris Brown 'Man-To-Man'

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:38:06 EDT

'I'm not confrontational but if someone challenges, I'm not going to back down,' Drizzy tells GQ of feud with singer.
By Rob Markman

Drake
Photo: Getty Images

Drake has been tangled in one of hip-hop's biggest feuds, but the Toronto rapper just wants to bury the hatchet before things get out of hand with Chris Brown.

"I wish we could sit down, just like you and me are right now, and talk it out man-to-man. But that's not going to happen," Drake told GQ magazine in an excerpt that was posted to popular hip-hop blog Nahright.com.

Drizzy graces the cover of the mag's July 2013 issue and on Monday (June 17), sections of the interview hit the Internet. But while the YMCMB star had some words about Brown, he reportedly didn't mention Breezy's ex-girl, Rihanna, by name.

"I'm not confrontational but if someone challenges, I'm not going to back down. If I think about it too much, I feel it wrapping around my foot, like I get a feeling it could end really badly ... like, it gets really dark," he says about his issues with Brown, which are believed to stem from a situation between both men and Rihanna, and led to a bottle throwing-brawl in a New York City nightclub last year.

The Young Money hitmaker doesn't dwell on beef, however. He goes on to discuss the direction of his upcoming album, Nothing Was the Same, explaining that although he has mastered both rapping and singing, he's very much focused on his first love.

"This is my f---ing moment to say, 'If I wanted to rap all the time — really rap — I would, but I also love to make music. I'll do this for you right now," he tells the mag. "But it's for me, too, it's my story. ... I'm trying to get back to that kid in the basement, to say what he has to say. And I'm trying to make it last."

Part of Drake's story is his "Started From the Bottom" single, a song that left many critics questioning what "bottom" the rapper is referring to, considering that he first rose to fame as an actor on "Degrassi: The Next Generation."

"I think a lot of people wish their favorite rapper wrote it — as if a song like that should be gangster — but I was the one who wrote it, and everyone has their bottom," he says.

MTV News caught up with Drake on Saturday after he performed at Hot 107.9's Birthday Bash in Atlanta as a surprise guest alongside 2 Chainz. "Every time I touch down in the city, I got so many memories. This is really where I started with Wayne," he told MTV News backstage after his performance. "Tonight, to kinda give back and be out there with Chainz and get that look together was great."

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Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail: What's In A Title?

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:46:32 EDT

Hov emphasizes a set of 'new rules,' being set by himself, Kanye West, J. Cole and Wale.
By Nadeska Alexis

The Magna Carta
Photo: Getty Images

Jay-Z announced the title and release date of his 12th solo album — Magna Carta Holy Grail — during Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night because he was looking for maximum exposure. Judging from the album title and his tweets about the "new rules" being set around hip-hop album releases, Hov needed this message to be televised.

As part of his promotion deal, Samsung agreed to buy 1 million copies of the albums that some fans would eventually receive for free, and that alone is a milestone achievement. "If 1 Million records gets SOLD and billboard doesnt report it, did it happen? Ha," Jay tweeted on Monday morning, adding the hasghtags #newrules and #magnacartaholygrail.

But don't assume that he's only referring to his project in terms of these "new rules." His protégés J. Cole and Kanye West, plus Wale (who is signed to Roc Nation management) are included in this initiative to rewrite the rules. "Kanye West 'lead single' projected on buildings worldwide #newrules #magnacartaholygrail," he wrote, referring to 'Ye's anti-rollout plan for Yeezus, before shouting out J. Cole's innovative preview plan for Born Sinner. "J Cole app for listening session. Don't talk just listen..#newrules."

Kanye West "lead single" projected on buildings worldwide #newrules #magnacartaholygrail
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) June 17, 2013

If the title of Hov's album seems very grand, even compared to Kanye West's Yeezus, a little history refresher helps to put things in perspective.

The Magna Carta was a document forced upon England's King John in 1215 as barons attempted to curb his wayward rule. Though the document eventually required revisions and alterations in order to be effective, its fundamental purpose was to give some power back to the people. The document later served as a guideline for the Founding Fathers as they drafted the U.S. Constitution and outlined the rights of the individual.

Though Hov isn't making these "new rules" into official law, it's clear that he will play a role in ushering a new era for the hip-hop album release process. He and Kanye West have approached their album rollout plans very differently, but the underlying point is the ability to rewrite the rules that already existed. In this case, those rules would apply to the major labels and the restrictions they usually impose on artists.

Kanye West openly dismissed radio promotion for Yeezus — recalling the days when the label would control his album release — and relied heavily on live performances and his projections of "New Slaves" to get anticipation boiling, while J. Cole, not content with the preview sessions for Sideline Story, invited fans and media to throw on headphones and stream Born Sinner via LSNR so they could really soak in the content.

Jay-Z clearly didn't take the low-key approach to his album release, but he did set a new bar when he debuted a three-minute commercial for Holy Grail during half-time, grabbing some premium TV real estate and also announcing that 1 million copies of the album have already been sold.

The term Holy Grail has become laden with religious imagery, often referring to the chalice that Jesus used at the Last Supper, but the word "grail" itself is defined as "an object or goal that is sought after for its great significance." Fused into one album title: Magna Carter Holy Grail, it seems that Hov is out to help rewrite the rules of the music industry, with his own album serving as a key part of that blueprint.

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Miley Cyrus Goes For A Dip In 'We Can't Stop' Video Teaser

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:38:06 EDT

Producer Mike Will Made It told MTV News that Miley is 'fresh' in the clip, and judging from a brand-new teaser, he's right.
By Jocelyn Vena

Photo: RCA

Mark it on your calendars: Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" video drops in just two days. And from the looks of it, she's getting wild in her latest clip.

In an 8-second teaser she shared on Monday (June 17), Miley is alone in a pool before extras, clad in very little, jump in with her. The singer shot the video back in late May with producer Mike Will Made It. And judging by what he told MTV News, there's no telling what we'll see in the clip, as Miley was down for just about anything.

Miley Cyrus Works Hard, Parties Hard!

"Miley already had her idea on how she wanted her video to go. A lot of artists have a lot of boundaries to how they record videos; they only want to be doing certain things. But she's young. She's 20. She's fresh, so she's just having fun on set," he explained. "Whatever character she had to be in, and like I said she's an actor too, so whatever she had to be in in whatever shot, she played that character to the T."

Miley Cyrus Opens Up About 'We Can't Stop'!

Mike Will also revealed that the inspiration behind the song, which is the lead single off her 2013 album, was a real-life party she attended, which may explain the teaser's house-party vibe.

"When she heard this song, what made her connect to this song is it reminded her of a specific party, a specific party where she was at," he said. "She's saying real stuff. It's all real. So it's not like her trying to force anything or anything like that. It's like speaking from experience. It's like a point-of-view record."

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Eminem Going Into 'Further Territories' On Next Album

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:38:06 EDT

Alchemist tells 'RapFix Live' what fans should expect of his buddy Eminem on the follow-up to 2010's Recovery.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Eminem
Photo: Getty Images

We already know that Eminem is cooking up a new LP, but what said LP will sound like is anyone's guess. Even those in the Shady camp have kept a tight lip about Em's next masterpiece, but after playing coy, Alchemist confirmed what most already believe.

"That's my boss. I DJ for him and I'm not at liberty to speak on much, but you know his caliber and what he does," the lauded producer said on Wednesday when he appeared on "RapFix Live" alongside his good friend and frequent collaborator Prodigy. "Clearly going to further territories. I think what you would expect, especially after the last go-round."

When he's not DJing for Em, Alchemist keeps plenty busy producing for the likes of Action Bronson, Schoolboy Q and, of course, Prodigy, whom he just released a joint LP with titled Albert Einstein. Em's last album, Recovery, came out in 2010 and spawned the hit singles "Love the Way You Lie," with Rihanna and "Not Afraid." The year before that was Relapse, the album that ended his five-year drought as a soloist. "He was just getting his feet back on Relapse and then Recovery just came with the smash hits and everything and I think now — he's Eminem."

There is no release date and title for the Recovery follow-up, but fans first learned of the album last August as he was gearing up to release Slaughterhouse's album on his own Shady Records. "I've actually kinda just started. I've been on the move a little bit too, so I've in between things, sneak songs in here and there," he told MTV News correspondent and Shade 45 radio host Sway Calloway.

Since then, Em has been photographed in the studio with Chris Rock, Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar's Black Hippy crew. "It's just a blessing to even be even in that type of circle because I got my foot in the under, then I go on tour with him," Alc said of Em. "It's just staying humble and remembering I don't deserve these jet planes on my next trip to DJ."

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Emilio Rojas Reveals Chris Lighty Connection On No Shame... No Regrets

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:46:17 EDT

'He took his own life on the day we were supposed to meet up,' Emilio raps on his latest mixtape.
By Rob Markman

Emilio Rojas
Photo: MTV News

Main Pick
Headliner: Emilio Rojas
Representing: Rochester, New York
Mixtape: No Shame... No Regrets

Real Spit: Emilio Rojas has consistently kept his name buzzing in rap's underground and amongst some of the game's heavy hitters, like Rick Ross and the beloved Chris Lighty. Rojas' immense rap talent hasn't translated into rap fame, but the Rochester, New York spitter remains undeterred on his latest release, No Shame... No Regrets.

"Everybody swore that last year was mines, everything was lined up/ Thought that I would sign to MMG and join the lineup," Rojas spits on the project's title track before rapping about his dealings with music mogul Chris Lighty, who took his own life last August.

"Started f---in' with Chris Lighty 'cause he could see it/ And we were workin' with him on this tape that we're releasing/ And he took his own life on the day we were supposed to meet up," Emilio continues to rap before sending a rest-in-peace shout out.

Listening to the rest of No Shame, which is offered on iTunes and for free on DatPiff.com, shows that Rojas is as skilled as any MC in his class and has a developed songwriting ability as well. "I'm a voice that nobody is hearing right now, especially in the rap game. I'm a young half-American, half-Hispanic artist and I spit," Emilio tells Mixtape Daily.

He can also carry a tune. "Wake Up With You" is a slow and syrupy, R&B-laced track where Rojas professes his love and lust for a certain young lady by singing on the hook and rapping on the verses. "Good Morning," while less loving, follows a similar formula. On "Flaco," ER shows pride in his Latin roots over a sampling of Jerry Rivera's 1992 salsa hit "Amores Como El Nuestro," though hip-hop fans will surely recognize the sample from Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz's 1998 NYC anthem "Déjà Vu (Uptown Baby)."

There are other stand-outs like the brash and unapologetic "Shameless" and the Styles P, Troy Ave, IamSu collaboration "Lean On Em." No Shame... No Regrets is as a complete of a project as you'd get from an independent artist these days and one that Emilio Rojas is fairly confident in. "I don't talk that garbage, I can, but I have things to say too," he argued. "We package it well and I think it's time that I'm heard."

We think so too.

Joints to Check For
» "No Shame, No Regrets" — "Basically it's keeping people up to date on what's happened in the past year and a half since we dropped Breaking Point."
» "Good Morning" — "You might've had a night that you're not so thrilled about when the lights come on. Good morning really means, you have to get the hell up out my bed."

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Nick Lachey Tells Singers To Kick 'Pride' Aside On 'The Winner Is'

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:30:53 EDT

98 Degrees member opens up to MTV News about hosting new NBC competition.
By Jocelyn Vena

Nick Lachey
Photo: MTV News

Nick Lachey has $1 million dollars to give away on his new NBC singing competition series, "The Winner Is." That is, if you think you have the skills to take home all those bills...

The summer series follows singers every week who must decide if they are good enough to stay in the competition and go for the grand prize of $1 million dollars in the finale, or if they want to tag out early and go home with anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000. The show is getting some special airings behind "The Voice" (the second airs Monday [June 17]) before it officially kicks off on NBC on July 11.

"Well I think what attracted me to the show was basically that it was an interesting concept and not one that we've seen done before and kind of regurgitated [the] reality concept. It was the idea of combining kind of the excitement of a performance competition show with the strategy of a game show," Lachey told MTV News. "To me, it's like if you take the battle round of 'The Voice' and combine it with 'Deal Or No Deal.' If those two shows had a baby, the baby would be named 'The Winner Is.' "

Lachey, who previously hosted "The Sing-Off," knows that having money on the table really increases the stakes for the contestants. "Well you know when you look at it objectively, it's easy to say 'If I didn't feel like I did well, at least I want to leave with [$10,000] or [$25,000],' but as singers we all have pride," the 98 Degrees member explained. "We always think we killed our performance. It's hard to admit they lost. Of course someone's gonna lose... and more often or not they go home with nothing 'cause the pride won't allow them to admit they lost."

Anyone wanting to take a stab at all that dough should take Lachey's advice first. "Well obviously you have to perform well and these are people from everyday walks of life," he said. "They're all great singers. You also, if you can, you have to remove yourself emotionally from the moment and really be honest with yourself."

With the premiere of his new show, fans could say the summer of Nick Lachey has begun. Between "The Winner Is" and 98 Degrees' spot on the Package Tour (along with the New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men), there's no escape from the singer/TV host — not that anyone wants one.

"It's been a great year. It's been a very busy year but a very satisfying year. Doing a new show on NBC, obviously, is a big thrill for me. Being a part of this tour with my old bandmates 98 Degrees and being out every night performing in arenas with screaming women, it's been a fun, fun summer," he said. "And more importantly on a personal level, just celebrating Father's Day and having a beautiful baby boy [Camden] that's a part of my life and doing a lullaby album [A Father's Lullaby] for him, it's just been a really satisfying professional and personal year."

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Kim Kardashian And Kanye West Get Baby 'Congrats' From Beyonce

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:11:40 EDT

Mom to Blue Ivy tells the new parents to 'enjoy this moment' in a heartfelt post, days after Kim gave birth to her daughter.
By Jocelyn Vena

Kim Kardashian & Kanye West
Photo: Getty Images

After giving birth to a girl on Saturday, Kim Kardashian and boyfriend Kanye West are feeling the baby love. Some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Nas and Russell Simmons, congratulated the new parents, and now new mom Beyoncé has also sent her well wishes.

"Congratulations Kim & Kanye, Enjoy this beautiful moment together," Bey wrote on her website Monday (June 17), above a photo of Kim and Kanye looking into his other's eyes and smiling.

Beyoncé, who is mom to 1-year-old Blue Ivy with husband Jay-Z, established a bit of a friendship over the last year with Kardashian. They were first were spotted together at a Watch the Throne show in Birmingham, England, last June, not long after Kimye went public with their relationship. The two went on to hang out — with Jay-Z and Kanye in tow — at the 2012 BET Awards.

More info will come when the time is right! Thank you all for understanding! We love you all dearly! Overwhelmed with love right now ♥
— KhloéKardashianOdom (@KhloeKardashian) June 16, 2013

In May, Kimye and Bey were all guests at the Met Gala. That same month, Kim kicked it VIP at a Mrs. Carter Show Tour stop in London, where she snapped photos of the superstar in concert.

So far, Kim and Kanye have kept details of their daughter, including her name, under wraps. But Kim's mother, Kris Jenner, shared at the Daytime Emmy Awards on Sunday night that she hoped to have more information to share "soon." "We're happy, everybody's good and she's beautiful," Jenner told E! News at the event.

Her comments mirror those of Kim's little sister Khloe, who tweeted on Sunday, "I cannot even begin 2describe the miracle that is now a part of our family. Mommy/baby are healthy &resting. We appreciate all of the love. More info will come when the time is right! Thank you all for understanding! We love you all dearly! Overwhelmed with love right now."

I can not even begin 2describe the miracle that is now apart of our family. Mommy/baby are healthy &resting. We appreciate all of the love.
— KhloéKardashianOdom (@KhloeKardashian) June 16, 2013

In the weeks leading up to the baby's birth, Khloe opened up to MTV News about the couple's decision to reveal her niece's gender on the premiere episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

"Kim and Kanye, they both mutually agree on obviously what they want to have on the show or not," she said. "And so I think everyone is curious and wants to know. And we have opened up so much of our lives, so I think it's only natural. And I'm excited. I'm excited for everyone to find out so I can stop holding in information."

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Pharrell Would Hit An 'Untapped Zone' On Clipse Reunion Album

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:01:55 EDT

'I'll have to present something different that people haven't felt before," P says of working on another Clipse album.
By Nadeska Alexis

Pharrell
Photo: MTV News

Pusha T is a little over a month away from dropping his debut solo album, My Name is My Name, but Pharrell is confident that fans will be gifted with a Clipse reunion album in the near future, and he will certainly be on board to produce it when the time comes around.

"Oh they will," Pharrell told MTV News matter-of-factly, when asked if he thought a Clipse album is on the horizon, going on to explain what his role in the project might be. "I'm gonna have to find an untapped zone and just present something different that people haven't felt before."

"I don't know what the sounds would sound like, or what the vibes would be, but at that moment the arrow will present itself to me and I'll just listen and follow it," he added.

Pharrell initially helped Clipse rise to fame, with The Neptunes handling production on their full length project Exclusive Audio Footage and later signing them to his Star Trak Entertainment to release Lord Willin', their first big commercial album. The duo also released Hell Hath No Fury and Til the Casket Drops before deciding to take a break to make solo albums. Pusha signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label in 2010, and on July 16, My Name is My Name is finally scheduled to hit stores.

Pharrell expressed his enthusiasm for both Pusha and No Malice's current work. "[Pusha's] ready for that and his brother No Malice — as he goes by these days — is definitely on a different page, but an enlightened page and I encourage people to check that project out and check out his book," Pharrell said. "They're just really talented guys and I've just been really fortunate to be able to work with them over all of these years and just watch them grow into not only the path that we set together but their own individual paths as well."

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2 Chainz's Me Time Will Be Music To 'Let Your Hair Down' To

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:53:45 EDT

'I feel like my music gives people a sense of going away without going on vacation,' Chainz tells MTV News of B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time.
By Rob Markman

2 Chainz
Photo: MTV News

Ever since he exploded back onto the rap scene, 2 Chainz has stayed plenty busy pumping out a dazzling array of feature verses, a bunch of concerts and, of course, continuing the promo of his gold-selling, solo debut, Based on a T.R.U. Story.

And it doesn't look like Deuce will be taking a vacation either. On September 10, he'll be releasing his second album, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time, and it's the rapper's hope that it will give his fans the escape that he's craving right now.

"Me Time has multiple meanings. I feel like my music actually gives people a sense of going away sometimes — without really going on vacation," Chainz told MTV News backstage on Saturday at his show-stopping performance at Hot 107.9's Birthday Bash concert in Atlanta.

"I feel like when people listen to me, they feel like they're goin' somewhere, taking time off; they're relaxing, lettin' their hair down," the dreadlocked MC said reflectively. "Every time somebody wants to have some 'me time' or whatever, this is the type of vibe, this is the type of project [to listen to]. I'm putting together different sounds to make people be like, 'This is about me. Me and my people, this is our time.'"

If the album's first single, "Feds Watching," is any indication, Me Time will provide quite the escape. Chainz hooked up with producer Pharrell Williams to create a Caribbean-driven reggae vibe that just screams island getaway.

"It just felt like it was something different, it felt like it was something that needed to happen," 2 Chainz said about the single. "For me it was about of course staying comfortable but trying new stuff, and that's what I did rocking with Pharrell."

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Kanye West And Jay-Z: Two Albums, Two Very Different Arcs

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:23:09 EDT

What Yeezus and Magna Carta say about Kanye and Jay, in Bigger Than The Sound.
By James Montgomery

Kanye West and Jay-Z
Photo: Getty Images

Kanye West has spent the past few months railing against corporations and the constraints of the boardroom. Meanwhile, Jay-Z has presumably spent the same period of time cooking up marketing strategies with the suits at Samsung. Both will release new albums over the next month, though each is clearly doing so at very different places in their respective career arcs.

First, consider Yeezus, West's latest snarling missive, an album full of vitriol and vices (and no official singles). In just about every conceivable way — from the loading-dock listening sessions and lack of a pre-order to songs like "New Slaves" and "Black Skinhead" — West has seemed determined to make it an exclusive thing, a piece of art that cannot be confined by the constraints of commercialism or comprehended by the casual listener.

It is a willfully difficult work, from an artist who, by his own admission, is willfully difficult by default (in his fascinating New York Times interview, West described himself as "forever the 35-year-old 5-year-old"). In some ways, it seems like Kanye doesn't want you to enjoy Yeezus at all; instead, he's decided to make you feel his pain, see the world through his eyes. That defiant attitude extends beyond the music, too, touching everything from Yeezus' anti-marketing campaign to the fact that it doesn't even come with a proper album cover. In that regard, then, it's the most defining work of West's career; his most unapologetic album. He's the enfant terrible of hip hop (well, either him or Chief Keef), and fans be damned, this one's for him.

On the other hand, there's Jay's Magna Carta Holy Grail, which was unveiled via an elaborate (and, one can assume, incredibly expensive) three-minute spot aired during halftime of the NBA Finals. It's coming July 4, though, in a rather inspired bit of corporate synergy, the first million copies will be made available early, to users of Samsung's Galaxy III, S4 and Note II devices.

It's not like Jay hasn't partnered with companies to promote his music in the past — Budweiser helped hype Kingdom Come in 2006 — but this seems like a particularly massive stroke: not just a way to rush-release a hotly anticipated album, but do so in direct collaboration with a corporation (Samsung reportedly purchased those million copies of Magna Carta at $5 a pop), rather unabashedly so. If you think Jay was conflicted about the deal in any way, well, remember his famous line from back in the day: "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man."

It's ironic that he spit that lyric on a remix of West's "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," because with Magna Carta, Jay proves just how large the chasm is between he and 'Ye really has become. I'm not talking personally — after all, it's clear that West still considers HOV to be his mentor, and, by all accounts, the two remain fast friends — but rather, professionally. Ignore the marketing campaign behind the album, and focus, instead, on that NBA Finals commercial: the mood was jovial, the thrill of watching Jay screw around in the studio with producer pals Timbaland, Pharrell, Swizz Beatz and Rick Rubin was palpable.

If Yeezus is meant to be exclusive, well, Magna Carta is the polar opposite. It's seems to be an incredibly inclusive album, one meant to be enjoyed by the masses (of course, said masses with Samsung phones get to enjoy it a few days early). If Kanye West is the tortured artiste, Jay-Z is the grand ambassador of good times; he wants to welcome you to his party, and Black Skinheads probably aren't invited.

To be fair, it's been apparent for a few years now that Kanye and Jay are walking very different paths — just look at the roles each of them played on Watch The Throne — yet never have those differences been more apparent than in the lead-up to their respective albums. Yet despite all that, it's clear that Yeezus and Magna Carta, both aim to push hip-hop to new places, be it gallery spaces or Galaxy phones ... and, really, that's what great artists always strive to do, even if they do so in wildly dissimilar ways. Who benefits? The fans. And phone owners. And, most of all, hip hop. After all, what other genre can play host to two massive, magnanimous stars, each operating at opposite ends of the same spectrum? It's inevitable evolution, and it's fascinating. The artist and the business man, together, even though they're miles apart.

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Drake And Miguel Ask 'Would You Like A Tour'?

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:18:05 EDT

Forty-one-city North American tour kicks off September 25 with a show in Portland.
By Gil Kaufman

Drake
Photo: Getty Images

We don't know when Drake's Nothing Was The Same will hit, but we do know that Drizzy will be on the road throughout the fall with a special guest in tow. The OVO boss announced on Monday (June 17) that he will embark on the 41-city Would You Like a Tour? with Miguel on September 25 with a show at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon.

The arena run is slated to go through a November 25 date at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and will find the two Grammy winners storming through Minneapolis, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, Miami, Dallas and Las Vegas with special guest rapper Future. Tickets for the tour go on sale beginning on Friday.

Fans have already gotten a taste of Nothing via the singles so far, which include "Started From the Bottom," "5AM in Toronto" and "Girls Love Beyoncé."

Before he gets grinding on the road with Miguel, Drizzy will once again put it on for his city with his fourth annual OVO Fest  in his native Toronto. The two-day festival (August 4-5), will feature sets from Frank Ocean, James Blake, as well as Drake and "special guests" hitting the stage at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre on the second night.

Drake's Would You Like a Tour dates:
»9/25 -- Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena
»9/26 -- Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome
»9/27 -- Vancouver, BC @ Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
»9/29 -- Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
»9/30 -- Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
»10/2 --Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
»10/3 -- Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
»01/5 -- Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
»10/6 -- Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
»10/8 -- St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
»10/9 -- Chicago, IL @ United Center
»10/11 -- Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
»10/12 -- Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
»10/13 -- Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
»10/15 -- Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
»10/16 -- Buffalo, NY @ First Niagara Center
»10/18 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ CONSOL Energy Center
»10/19 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
»10/21 -- Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
»10/22 -- Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
»10/26 -- Hartford, CT @ XL Center
»10/27 -- Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
»10/28 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
»10/30 -- Boston, MA @ TD Garden
» 10/31 -- Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
»11/2 -- Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena
»11/3 -- Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena
»11/5 -- Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
»11/6 -- Tampa, FL @ Tampa Bay Times Forum
»11/7 -- Atlanta, GA @ Phillips Arena
»11/9 -- New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Arena
»11/10 -- Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
»11/12 -- San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
»11/13 -- Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
»11/16 -- Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Center
»11/18 -- Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Arena
»11/19 -- Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
»11/21 -- Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
»11/22 -- Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
»11/24 -- San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
»11/25 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center

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Chris Brown Uses Aaliyah In 'Don't Think They Know' Vid To Call Out Gang Violence

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:57:35 EDT

Brown preaches unity in the clip with the late '90s singer.
By Rob Markman

Chris Brown in his "Don't Think They Know" music video
Photo: RCA

Chris Brown's new video for the Aaliyah-assisted "Don't Think They Know" doesn't open with a sexed-up reveal or flashy dance number. Instead, Breezy sets it off with an important and unexpected message: "Every two hours in America today a child dies of a gunshot wound," reads the black screen. "Unity is what we are afraid of so fear is insanity, lets love each other."

The track from Brown's upcoming X album plays like a teenage love story, but the cinematic video delivers a deeper message. A black, white and red opening scene is set in the gang-infested streets of Compton. As Chris and his homeys come riding down the street in an old-school red convertible, looking for trouble, the singer has a change of heart and leaves — much like actor Cuba Gooding Jr. did in the 1991 classic, "Boyz n the Hood."

Chris Brown feat. Aaliyah - Don't Think They Know from Mechanical Dummy on Vimeo.

The track recalls a '90s R&B vibe, thanks to Aaliyah's posthumous performance and Brown's interpolation of Jon B's 1997 hit "They Don't Know." Still, in the video, Brown sticks to his anti-violence theme and unites the red Bloods with the blue Crips in one overarching clip. When he isn't surrounded by gang-bangers, he's singing with a crowd of kids in front of a school or dancing alone in a dark room flanked by two projected images of Aayliah taken from some of her music videos.

The message was all part of Brown's plan, he admitted. "I shot it in the hood, I went to the 60s. I went to Cedar block," Brown said during a press event for the upcoming 2013 BET Awards. "It's both worlds, it's bringing both words together in the video trying to uplift the poverty side of the community and just showing them where I'm from."

The "Don't Think They Know" video, which was released by Brown on Vimeo is distinctly different from his big-budget "Fine China" clip, but just as powerful and more personal. To close, Breezy puts up a "rest in peace" message for his slain friend Michael "Lil Frogg" Reshard, an up-and-coming Compton rapper who was gunned down in front of a local liquor store earlier this year.

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Kanye West Unveils Gory 'American Psycho'-Inspired Promo Film Starring Scott Disick

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:30:29 EDT

Bloody remake of movie was projected on a building in Los Angeles over the weekend.
By Gil Kaufman

Scott Disick and Kanye West
Photo: Getty Images

Kanye West may have taken a short break from personal promotional duties on Saturday to welcome the birth of his daughter  with Kim Kardashian, but that doesn't mean the Yeezus  train totally came to a halt.

On the same weekend the happy couple celebrated their daughter's debut, Kanye finally screened the long-rumored short film starring not-really-brother-in-law Scott Disick on the side of a building in Los Angeles during a listening party.

The 'Ye mini-movie, inspired by the 2000 film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' shocking Wall Street serial killer novel, trades the film's signature murder soundtrack, Huey Lewis' "Hip to be Square," with West's "New Slaves," and swaps out Disick for Christian Bale in the role of nattily dressed killer Patrick Bateman.

It opens with a shot of Kim Kardashian bestie Jonathan Cheban reclining on his white couch sporting a custom suit with suspenders and slicked-back hair in place of the original's Jared Leto. (In a strange twist, both men are playing their respective movie roles while also addressing each other by their given name.)

Disick appears and snatches a copy of the art-less Yeezus CD from a stack and starts a soliloquy about the music similar to Bateman's insanely coked-up ramblings from the movie. "The early work was a little to hip-hop for me and my tastes," and amped-up Disick says while pacing around and dissecting 'Ye's career in a high-pitched voice. "But when Dark Twisted Fantasy came out in 2010 I think he really came into his own, but musically and lyrically."

Read our First take on the year's most anticipated album.

After downing a few pills and donning his clear rain parka, Disick dance back in holding an ax and announces that West has been compared to "Jesus, Hitler, Walt Disney and even Steve Jobs."  At one point, a numbed Cheban (playing himself) inquires about the raincoat as Disick cues up "Slaves" on his stereo, calling it an "undisputed masterpiece."

Kanye West's Yeezus leaks and frenzy ensues.

Disick then name-checks the Yeezus track "I Am a God," announcing that the "insecure" mainstream music press will never understand it, because, he shouts, "It's about me!" He then, of course, attacks Cheban with the ax and the blood flies in every direction before Disick has a seat and lights up a stogie as the album title flashes across the screen.

It's all part of the truly unconventional album roll-out for Yeezus that has included a pledge of no singles, as well as a listening party on a NYC loading dock  and a previous global announcement featuring spontaneous projections  on the side of buildings.

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Britney Spears Opens Up About 'Giddy' Glee On 'Ooh La La'

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:06:11 EDT

Spears talks to Ryan Seacrest about 'feeling good' on her the 'Smurfs 2' track and why her next album may surprise fans.
By Jocelyn Vena

Britney Spears
Photo: Getty Images

Britney Spears has that loving feeling on her brand-new single, "Ooh La La." The singer officially released the Dr. Luke-produced tune on Monday, serving as the lead single off the "Smurfs 2" soundtrack.

With its bouncy beat, the track has a summery vibe as Britney sings about her crush in her signature coo: "Ooh my my baby don't be shy/ I see that spark flashing in your eye/ My heart beats fast 'cause I want it all/ So baby come with me and be my ooh la la."

While the poppy track remains family-friendly and lighthearted, there is some edge thrown on there as it breaks down and gets synthier towards the end for the bridge section. In addition to working with Luke, she also recruited Ammo and Cirkut as well Bonnie McKee, J Kash, Lola Blanc and Fransisca Hall. The film opens July 31.

So, what does it all mean? Well, Spears called into Ryan Seacrest's radio show to explain. "Yeah it's definitely straight-up pop and it's really has a young feel to it," she explained. "But the main reason why I did it was because my boys. They're obsessed with the Smurfs. We've seen 'The Smurfs' movie a million trillion times and they were told they could be in the video and all this cool stuff, so that's the reason why I did it. It's about feeling good. Like when a guy makes you giddy. It's more of a feeling. When I eat chocolate I have that 'ooh la la' feeling."

The Marc Klasfeld-directed music video, co-starring her sons Jayden James, 6, and Sean Preston, 7, will premiere in the coming weeks. "[My sons] were actually really, really good on set," Britney said. "They play themselves ... [but when] we did the actual shoot of the video I didn't see [them]. I was in hair and makeup, so later on I got to see what they actually did on camera and it was adorable."

During the interview, Spears also danced around the possibility of taking over Las Vegas with a long-rumored residency. She played it coy, despite having opened up about it to Shape magazine earlier this spring, sharing "It's quite possible, yes. Yes, nothing confirmed, yet."

And while "Ooh La La" is for her boys, she clarified that her upcoming album, which she is currently working on with will.i.am serving as executive producer, will be for her adult fans.

"Well it's definitely the beginning stages right now. I want to take this album and have a new approach with it and make it different from anything I've ever done," she explained about her follow-up to 2011's Femme Fatale.

She continued, "There's a lot of guitar and I think people will be surprised with this album. Actually I think William Orbit [Madonna's producer] is coming in next week for me to work with. I've never worked with him before; I'm really excited. I think the kids will appreciate it but I think it will have a cool approach to it. [it should be out] by the end of the year."

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'Wolf Of Wall Street' Trailer: Kanye West Joins Scorsese/DiCaprio Brotherhood

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:06:30 EDT

West's 'Black Skinhead' plays throughout the first trailer for the awards contender, which also features Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey.
By Kevin P. Sullivan

Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Wolf Of Wall Street"
Photo: Paramount

"The Wolf of Wall Street" marks the fifth collaboration between actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese, and though we have enjoyed all of their work together to date, the first trailer for their new film has us thinking that their previous efforts have been missing something: Kanye West.

The sounds of "Black Skinhead," off of West's Yeezus, back the entirety of the first trailer for "Wolf of Wall Street," Scorsese's look back at the outrageous decadence of '90s Wall Street. The out-of-control party scenes, one of which includes literally tossing a little person in a Velcro suit at a target, even recall the heightened world of DiCaprio's last movie, "The Great Gatsby."

DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort, a financial prodigy who made $49 million the year he turned 26, which "really pissed him off because it was three shy of one million a week." The story of "Wolf of Wall Street" comes from Belfort's own memoir, which recalls his meteoric rise and spectacular fall. The book's cover summarizes his story well: "Stock market multimillionaire at 26; federal convict at 36."

On screen, DiCaprio is joined by Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey, who play Belfort's partner and mentor, respectively.

The tone of the trailer hints that this might be one of Scorsese's more humorous looks inside of a criminal world, reminiscent of "Goodfellas" and "Casino" but focusing on white-collar crime. DiCaprio looks like he's having more fun, a trend that started with his turned as the villainous Calvin Candie in "Django Unchained."

"The Wolf of Wall Street" is set for release on November 15, the heart of awards season, so expect to hear a lot more about this film before then.

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'Kick-Ass 2' Set Visit: The Exclusive Inside Look

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:09:29 EDT

All hell breaks loose as Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl face their greatest threat yet. MTV News has exclusive details.
By Josh Wigler

Christopher Mintz-Plasse on the set of "Kick Ass 2"
Photo: MTV News

Dave Lizewski is about to kick Chris D'Amico's ass.

The two are face-to-face in a monstrously-sized hangar, with superheroes and super-villains surrounding them at all sides. Lizewski, with black body armor strapped to his aqua-colored wet-suit. D'Amico, clad in black leather belts, straps, boots and everything, with so much ferocious hair jetting out of his mask that Robert Smith would be jealous. The stakes are high. Tension is, too. Sweat trickles down from every forehead in the room, the heat swelling up and coating the entire area in a thick layer of danger.

"What's the matter, Chris?" Dave asks his old friend and new nemesis, once known as the superhero Red Mist. "You sh---ing your shorts?"

D'Amico stiffens his jaw, straightens up. "Yeah," he answers menacingly, "and I'm going to wipe my ass with your face."

Welcome back to the wonderful world of "Kick-Ass."

Much has changed since last we saw Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the feel-no-pain vigilante. He's joined a super-team called Justice Forever. He's upgraded his combat skills thanks to rigorous training from the purple princess of pain, Hit-Girl, played once again by Chloe Grace Moretz. And he has deadly new foes in Christopher Mintz-Plasse as The Mother F---er and his super-villain team, The Toxic Mega C---s.

As you can see, the language in "Kick-Ass 2" is just as foul as ever, thanks to writer-director Jeff Wadlow.

"[He's] taken it a whole step higher," Taylor-Johnson told MTV News during our exclusive visit to the "Kick-Ass 2" set last October. "It's got all of the elements of the first 'Kick-Ass,' but there's a lot of story."

During our day on set, the "Kick-Ass 2" cast and crew were busy shooting the final fight sequence of the film. It takes place in the Evil Lair, D'Amico's bad-guy safe-haven, equipped with video arcades, fully-stocked bars, and even a shark tank.

"These guys got all this luxury and fun around them — but what that really means is, they're lazy," said Donald Faison, who joins the "Kick-Ass" cast as the heroic Doctor Gravity. "So when we show up, you know who's going to get their ass kicked, right?"

It was the first of a brutal four-day shoot surrounding the epic showdown between Lizewski and D'Amico's gangs. Every single one of the costumed cast members was sweating bullets as they engaged in take after take of epic battle, all in the middle of what's easily the single-largest set created for either "Kick-Ass" film.

"It's pretty intense," an exhausted Taylor-Johnson admitted, "but it's been a good laugh."

That's important to emphasize: there's blood-letting aplenty in "Kick-Ass 2," but the Matthew Vaughn-produced comic book flick also packs more than its fair share of laughs. According to Moretz, there's a lot of heart, too.

"You see this new evolution of Mindy Macready and Dave Lizewski, and you see this amazing relationship that they get together with," the actress teased. "It's a beautiful story. There's even more heart to it than there was in the last one."

"There's a real story to tell here," agreed Taylor-Johnson. "We're super lucky to be here doing this."

"Kick-Ass 2" hits theaters on August 16, 2013.

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