NEW YORK (Billboard) – Detroit rapper Hayes takes inspiration for his mixtapes from -- of all things -- magazines.
"I want to give people a little taste of what a Hayes album would be like," he says. "It's like getting a trial subscription to your favorite magazine -- you get my music for free, you get to know me, and then hopefully you'll appreciate me enough to come back and support me." Tellingly, neither of Hayes' two mixtapes -- 2006's "24 Songs of Power" and 2010's "The First 48" -- traffic in two staples of the form: beats lifted from other official songs ("jacked beats," in mixtape parlance) and DJ scratches.
"I have my own format," Hayes says. "I like to use original beats. I call my mixtapes 'street albums' -- I don't like to rap over other people's beats."
Hayes' self-reliance is about to pay dividends: Two months ago he signed to Interscope through a joint deal with producers Timbaland's Mosley Music Group and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records.
"For Tim, it wasn't just Hayes' lyrical prowess but his craftsmanship that really caught his ear," says Rick Frazier,
Hayes' manager and vice president of Mosley Music Group. It was the entire package, Frazier says -- from lyrics to the original production by his in-house team, the Breakfast Club -- that got Hayes noticed.
Following the mixtape-to-major-label success in 2009 of Toronto rookie Drake and Atlanta's Gucci Mane, labels are taking a new look at artists who make professional-caliber mixtapes -- a highly personalized form of unauthorized music compilation -- their calling card. In addition to Hayes -- who's touring with Timbaland and has started recording his debut album -- up-and-coming Houston rapper Chalie Boy and Atlanta-born Pill recently signed to labels on the strength of their mixtapes.
GETTING NOTICEDNicole George, vice president of the rhythm and soul membership department at performance rights organization ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), says that her team listens to mixtapes and follows the industry talk, which leads them to artists and writers whom ASCAP could sign.
Chalie Boy put out mixtapes for a decade before recently signing to Dirty3rd/Jive/Battery Records. "As I was shopping around for deals, mixtapes kept my name afloat in the music industry," he says. "Eventually, the buzz off my mixtapes not only got me signed, but it got me paid work through features on others' albums and mixtapes as well as show performances."
Now, Chalie Boy is prepping the release of his major-label self-titled debut album; the lead single, "I Look Good," peaked at No. 20 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in December.
Chalie Boy
Another rapper, Pill, had the Internet buzzing the last few months with his own "4075: The Refill" -- hosted by DJ Skee and Empire and released in November -- as well as his February 2009 mixtape, "The Prescription." Both releases largely featured original production.
"Anyone can jack a beat, put hot metaphors together and sound convincing," Pill says of his decision to use new beats from the likes of Illfonics and Drum Majors. "I wanted people to hear me over original tracks. You can tell the difference between a mixtape artist and an actual artist who can make a real track."
Eskay, founder/owner of Nahright.com, a Web site focused on posting music by new hip-hop artists, notes that after Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's underground tapes triggered a massive bidding war in 2002, "everyone jumped on the bandwagon and tried to release mixtapes at a rapid pace."
But quickness can be the death of quality -- and the industry is looking for polish, not just potential. Pill signed to Asylum at the end of last year following his own bidding war. "If you're putting out a mixtape that is on a level of most other artists' studio albums, then people will support your music," says Hof, of New Music Cartel's mixtape specialist OnSmash.com.
ROUTE TO THE CHARTSAubrey "Drake" Graham, a graduate of TV's "Degrassi High," stunned the hip-hop world in 2009. In February, he released "So Far Gone" for free on his own blog. In May, the song "Best I Ever Had" entered Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 78; by the end of June it topped the chart. Soon, the majors came in hot pursuit, and in midsummer Drake signed to Universal Motown. He has since collaborated with hip-hop's elite, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem and mentor Lil Wayne. Drake's early mixtape songs were released on an official EP, "So Far Gone," which has sold 344,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Gucci Mane's route to hip-hop stardom was far less direct. After leaving prison in March 2009 (on charges stemming from a 2005 conviction for aggravated assault), the prolific Atlanta rapper released a torrent of mixtapes -- "Writing on the Wall," "The Movie 3-D: The Burrprint!" and the three-part Cold War series ("Guccimerica," "Brrrussia" and "Great Brrritain"), among others -- all filled with original material.
During the summer he signed to Asylum, which released his second official studio album, "The State Vs. Radric Davis"; by then he'd already been featured on 12 charting songs, and his mixtape profile brought a string of klieg-light guest appearances, including spots on the remix of the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" and Mariah Carey's "Obsessed." "Pow" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Obsessed" peaked at No. 7. "The State Vs. Radric Davis" has sold 215,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Mane is back in prison for violating probation.)
Beyond generating sales and superstar hookups, mixtapes have garnered underground radio airplay and helped to nurture relationships with fans. After 50 Cent was shot nine times in 2001, his recording contract was terminated by Columbia Records. In turn, 50 Cent started to flood the streets with mixtapes that were built to dazzle.
"He revolutionized the art of stealing songs and changing hooks and getting more airplay for his version than even the original song," says Whoo Kid, a pioneering mix master known for releasing unauthorized music from the likes of the Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac -- as well as for being 50's official DJ.
Whoo Kid
In 2006, industry vet Lil Wayne famously reinvented his career by releasing mixtapes featuring his hallucinogenic rapping over beats from recent hits. "Dedication 2," hosted by DJ Drama, came first, trailed a year later by "Da Drought 3." Although Drama was arrested in 2007, after a police raid of his Atlanta office over alleged bootlegging, Wayne, for one, wouldn't be slowed, releasing "Dedication 3" in 2008 and "No Ceilings" in '09.
"What happened to me hit the mixtapes circuit hard," DJ Drama says. "It's still in the rebuilding process, but 2009 proved that mixtapes are just as important to hip-hop music as they ever were. They're just changing with the times, much like the record industry."
For Hayes, Chalie Boy and Pill, the make-it-sleek lessons of Drake and Gucci Mane might have led them to record deals, but it's the entrepreneurial spirit of 50 Cent and Lil Wayne that's keeping them in business.
"Mixtapes will always be a viable marketing tool to help promote artists, whether there's money involved or not," Whoo Kid says. "I don't make most of my money selling mixtapes anymore, but I constantly give away tapes for free on the Internet, and I'm booked now through 2011 for paying gigs all around the world. Without that exposure, I won't be able to connect the dots in other ways."
Yahoo
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Kanye West obviously read PETA's recent criticisms of him and isn't too happy about it. They labeled him and girlfriend Amber Rose "pathetic creatures" for rocking fur while in France recently for Paris Men's Fashion Week .
In his most recent blog, The Louis Vuitton Don fires shots back, reloads then fires some more.
He even wrote in all CAPS to emphasize his point.
Peep it below:
WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, REMEMBER THE FEARLESS, REMEMBER THE DREAMERS, REMEMBER THOSE WHO REPRESENT THE GHETTO...THE FAIRY TALE OF NOTHING TO SOMETHING. I'M BRIEFLY SADDENED BY NEGATIVE COMMENTS, BUT I HAVE TO REMEMBER THOSE PEOPLE ARE SCARED, INCAPABLE OR JUST PLAIN IDIOTS. WE ARE THE FUCKING ROCK STARS BABY. NO COCAINE, JUST LIFE MY NIGGAS!! NO COCAINE, JUST LIFE! IT'S FUNNY TO ME WHEN FASHION BLOGGERS DOWN OUR OUFITS AND THEN SUPER JOCK OUTLANDISH SHIT ON THE RUNWAY BUT THEN THEY DRESS MAD PRUDE AND DON'T LIVE FASHION. WE LIVE IT MAN. FUCK THAT, WE LIVE IT!!! WE LIVE IT SO HARD PEOPLE LIVE THROUGH US! WE REPRESENT YOUR INNER SPIRIT!! THE CHILD IN US ALL, THE BRUTAL HONESTY, THE NAIVETY, THE BRAVE WARRIOR, THE ADRENALINE THAT ALLOWS A MOTHER TO LIFT A CAR IF HER CHILD WAS TRAPPED UNDER IT! REMEMBER, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN EVERYBODY DISSED MICHAEL JACKSON EVERY CHANCE THEY COULD. IMAGINE THE PRESSURE OF BEING A TRUE ICON. VERY FEW HUMAN BEINGS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE CONSTANT HATE!!! IF WE DON'T DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS THE SHIT, YOU BEAT US UP VERBALLY AND MENTALLY, LIKE A CATHOLIC SCHOOL TEACHER BEATING A CREATIVE STUDENT INTO SUBMISSION. I CAN HEAR YOU SCREAMING 'COLOR INSIDE THE LINES!!!' WELL FUCK YOUR COLORING BOOK, COLOR BY NUMBERS APPROACH TO LIFE. AT THE END OF THE DAY WHO ARE WE HURTING??? OH "THE NEW BLACK???" SINCE BARACK IS PRESIDENT BLACKS DON'T LIKE FUR COATS, RED LEATHER, AND FRIED CHICKEN ANY MORE?! WHEN YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND CULTURAL SETTINGS, BOUNDARIES, AND OUR MODERN DAY CASTE SYSTEMS, THEN YOU CAN FEEL THE GLORY AND PAIN FROM THE DAYS OF KINGS IN AFRICA TO THE NEW KINGS OF THE MEDIA. LET THE BALL PLAYERS DANCE AFTER THEY SCORE! IT'S LIFE MY NIGGAS, IT'S LIFE! REMEMBER CLOTHING IS A CHOICE. WE WERE BORN NAKED!!! FRESH IS AN OPINION, LOVE IS OBJECTIVE, TASTE IS SELECTIVE, AND EXPRESSION IS MY FAVORITE ELECTIVE. NO MORE POLITICS OR APOLOGIES!!!
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Audio After The JumpLloyd Banks has been hard at work since he returned to the States a few weeks ago. He called us up here at MTV News and although he was advised by his legal team to avoid speaking about his recent assault and robbery case, he did give details on upcoming music. There is an official LP that may drop around summer and an official single with Juelz Santana called "Beamer, Benz or Bentley" dropping in the next couple of weeks.
"I'm just starting back," he said. "I've been so focused with taking over the street and people hearing me back on that market — so when I come with the official records, they'll appreciate it more. 'Beamer, Benz or Bentley,' It's a club record, party record, car record. It's a lot of energy and something new. It's a sound that ain't out there right now."Read more…
(Hold On Music Video Inside ~Wyclef Jean Ft: Movado~)As Time Passes And The Journey Trully Begins, We Urge Everyone To Text YELE To 501501 & Visit YELE.ORGThough We May Not All Be Able To Attend Physically And/Or Have The Medical Skills Or Training Urgently Needed, Some Do And Can!It Is Our Gracious Donations That Will Help Provide Those Services As Quickly As Possible.We'd Like To Thank Assistant Producer To Wyclef Jean, Jason Turbyfill For Putting Together This Amazing Footage And Giving Us A Recap of Haiti's State Of Emergency:Finding Hope In The DevastationDEDICATED TO HAITI FROM WYCLEF JEAN: Wyclef Jean - Hold On ft. MavadoTwitter:@WYCLEF@YELEHAITI@VYBETHEORY@CHASINMOPAPER@EVELORA
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Two of the best pound for pound fighters in the world have finally agreed to settle their differences in the ring.
ESPN announced via their Twitter page that Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr and "Sugar" Shane Mosley will fight May 1.
This has all the makings of a great bout. Shane is quick enough to give Floyd problems and packs a strong enough punch to hurt him if he makes a mistake on defense.
For Floyd it's an opportunity to put the rest the tag he dodges dangerous opponents. His great defense and hand speed will pose a big problem for Shane.
Both fighters are coming off of impressive wins. Floyd easily defeated Juan Manuel Marquez by unanimous decision last September.
While Mosely totally destroyed Antonio Margarito last January. Knocking him out in the 9th round to claim the WBA Championship belt.
The fight will be shown on HBO PPV. Expect it to do brisk sales both at the gate and home buys.
Sports website Covers is reporting oddsmakers have already set odds for the fight, pricing Mayweather as a -215 favorite while Mosley is listed at +175.
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Video After The JumpThe man who is accused of killing Twinsburg police officer Joshua Miktarian in the summer of 2008 appeared in court on Wednesday, and only Fox 8 News cameras were rolling as Ashford Thompson cried when describing his life in prison.
Thompson, 24, explained to the judge "harassment" that he's had to deal with behind bars, including not receiving mail and having his bed sheets taken away.
While openly weeping, he told Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer that he feels as if he "can't get any kind of justice."
"Just execute me. ... I'm tired of it," Thompson said.
The appearance Wednesday at the Summit County Court of Common Pleas was intended to be a final opportunity for the defendant's new attorneys to file any additional motions. It quickly turned into an opportunity for Thompson to vent.
Thompson originally pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, but later withdrew his plea. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 24.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Kanye West and his manager Don Crowley had criminal charges of vandalism, battery and grand theft dismissed after serving 50 hours of community service with the Red CrossTMZis reporting.
Yeezy had been charged after an incident at LAX on September 11, 2008 when he got angry at two photographers for snapping his picture and decided to smash their equipment.
The judge in the case had agreed to dismiss the charges once it was proven he had served his community service time so this issue is now officially over.
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VH1is taking an in depth look at the deaths of some of the most beloved entertainers ever in its new series 'Famous Crime Scenes'
The first of seven episodes will focus on the unsolved murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. The additional six episodes will investigate the untimely deaths of Biggie Smalls, John Lennon, Anna Nicole Smith, Selena, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson.
While news accounts tell only part of the story, VH1 has rounded up the witnesses and investigators who were there to give viewers the intimate details from the initial 911 call to the investigators’ final determination to help piece together what really happened. Using expert interviews and true-to-life reenactments, as well as advanced computer graphics, viewers will witness full recreations of these historic events. They’ll tour virtual crime scenes searching for clues and learn the science behind the investigators’ findings: ballistics, fingerprints, DNA evidence, toxicology, profiling and more.
'Famous Crime Scenes' premiers Friday February 12 at 9pm.
VH1
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Movie executives at Warner Brothers are firing back at "false, reprehensible, and defamatory" accusations levelled at them by actress BRITTANY MURPHY's widower.
Producer Simon Monjack has hinted he's planning to file a wrongful-death suit against the movie studio bosses for allegedly firing the actress from Happy Feet 2 two weeks before her death.
He claims she suffered a heart attack as a result of stress related to being let go from the project.
Monjack recently told TheDailyBeast.com, "They killed her... She was devastated.
"All she wanted to do was to make movies. She was waiting for the role that would revive her career, waiting for the call from Penny Marshall or Gary Fleder, people she had worked with before, that they might remember how talented an actress she was and call with a new magical role."
But a Warner Brothers representative tells U.S. news show Access Hollywood that studio bosses aren't taking Monjack's accusations lightly: "Any claim that Warner Bros. Pictures was somehow responsible for Brittany Murphy's tragic death is demonstrably false, reprehensible, and defamatory.
"Despite press reports to the contrary, Warner Bros. Pictures and Ms. Murphy never entered into any deal for Happy Feet 2."
This is looking like it could get ugly.
Contact Music
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Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's two eldest children are scheduled to take the stage this weekend to accept the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for their father, Jackson family sources said.
It would be the first public appearance for Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11, since their dramatic appearance at the memorial service 12 days after their father's death.
"The whole world is waiting to see these children blossom," said Brian Oxman, a lawyer for Joe Jackson.
Two sources close to the family said the youngest, 7-year-old Blanket, was not expected to appear, although they suggested that might change.
Contrary to some media reports, the sources said there was no plan for the children to sing or dance at the show.
The Recording Academy, which presents the Grammy Awards, will honor the late pop star with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Special Merit Awards ceremony Saturday evening in Los Angeles.
Video of the presentation is likely to be included in Sunday night's musical tribute to Jackson during the Grammy telecast, the sources said.
While Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, is expected to attend, Joe Jackson, his father, decided not to go because of his anger over the behind-the-scenes talks that led to the agreement to have the children accept the award, family sources said.
The decision came just this week, after Katherine Jackson, the legal guardian of the children, complained to Grammy producers that no family members had been invited, the Jackson sources said.
Two sources in the family said that she was initially told by producers that the estate's special administrators would decide who would take part in the Jackson tribute.
"Can you believe this crap?" one source quoted Joe Jackson as saying when he heard that.
The Grammy producers have not responded to a CNN request for comment.
A spokesman for the estate administrators said the matter was for Grammy producers to decide.
"Why is a stranger making family decisions?" asked Oxman, the lawyer who is representing Michael Jackson's father in a legal battle with the administrators.
Oxman said those administrators have disconnected the Jackson family from any decisions involving Michael Jackson's legacy.
Oxman was in a Los Angeles court Thursday where a judge set May 26 as the date he will hear testimony in Joe Jackson's request for a monthly allowance from his son's estate. Joe Jackson, 80, said he depended on his son's financial support for years before his death.
The administrators, lawyer John Branca and former music executive John McClain, contend he has not shown how he was "actually dependent" on Michael Jackson.
The estate lawyers said the expenses Joe Jackson wants covered by the estate -- including vacations, air travel, assistants and legal fees -- are not reasonable. They also noted that while Jackson's mother and three children were named as beneficiaries in his will written in July 2002, Joe Jackson was not.
Joe Jackson is challenging the validity of that will, which names Branca and McClain as executors, but so far the court has refused to hear his arguments.
The judge overseeing probate of the will already awarded $60,000 in monthly support for the three children and $26,000 a month for Katherine Jackson, starting from June 25, 2009, the day Michael Jackson died.
CNN has learned that Katherine Jackson has not received any of the money ordered for her because of a judgment in a lawsuit nearly two decades ago.
A South Korean newspaper, the Segye Times, sued Michael Jackson in 1990, claiming he failed to perform at a series of concerts they had already paid him for. The lawsuit also named Katherine Jackson, Joe Jackson and another one of their sons, Jermaine Jackson.
Michael Jackson's lawyers reached an out-of-court settlement with the newspaper, but his parents and brother did not. When they failed to fight it in court, a California judge issued a $4 million summary judgment against them, which has now grown with interest to about $8 million, according to court papers.
CNN
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Ludacris will be heading out on a national tour with The Black Eyed Peas on their "The E.N.D." tour starting on February 4th in Atlanta. The tour will hit 32 cities across the country including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami.
In addition to the tour, Luda will be celebrating his 10th year in the game with the release of his seventh album on March 9th, “The Battle Of The Sexes.” The album will include the hit single “How Low.”
Originally scheduled as a duo album with his former Disturbing Tha Peace artist Shawnna (whose now rolling with T-Pain), the revamped project will find Ludacris spitting verses alongside a host of female MCs including Nicki Minaj, Ciara, Lil' Kim, Eve, and Trina.
Ne-Yo, Flo Rida, and Plies will also help Chris Lova Lova do battle with his female counterparts. In addition, Bangladesh, Swizz Beatz and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League have provided some of the heated production.
HipHopWired
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Videos After The JumpChris 'Ludacris' Bridges kicked it with with comedian George Lopez last night (Thursday January 28).
They covered a lot of topics including Luda's first ever rap song at age 9, his upcoming album 'Battle Of The Sexes', the success of his new single "How Low" and the video the Youtube's "Twerk Team" made dancing to it.
George talked about the first time he saw the movie "Hustle and Flow", how impressed he was with the film and asked Luda why he almost turned down the role of "Skinny Black"
Ex Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland was also on the show. She and David Guetta performed "When Love Takes Over".
The 52nd annual Grammy Awards air Sunday from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and it's sure to be a star-packed night. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Kanye West and Jay-Z lead the nominees, and what we're most looking forward to is some good old-fashioned Grammy wagering.
We love gambling. Some people might even say we're addicted to it. And while we can totally quit whenever we want, the Grammys are perhaps the most excellent betting event of the year. Wagering on them is basically like wagering on which way the wind will blow or what color socks that dude in the cubicle next to you will wear tomorrow: The results are almost completely random, which really spices things up.
Still, there are those out there who are experts at handicapping these sorts of things (they're called oddsmakers), and in the hopes of getting a leg up, we turned to them for some advice. These are their picks for the night's biggest categories — Album, Record and Song of the Year, plus everyone's favorite crapshoot, Best New Artist. We're not gonna lie, we're relying pretty hard on their expertise — we need a new flat-screen TV.
Anyway, from two of the best oddsmakers in the gamble-verse, here are the odds for the 2010 Grammys.
Ladbrokes
"The thing with the Grammys is, it goes through all the markets and is based largely on how the songs are received," said Nick Weinberg, Ladbrokes' chief sports, politics and novelty oddsmaker. "Beyoncé's odds are probably a bit shorter than they should be. Because she's a name, she can release a terrible album, and it would be nominated for an award. ... But Taylor Swift is the selection. All things being equal, she should win it. Quite an impressive record — which is why we made it our favorite."
Album of the Year
» Taylor Swift, Fearless: 11/8
» Beyoncé, I Am ... Sasha Fierce: 5/2
» Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.: 3/1
» Lady Gaga, The Fame: 6/1
» Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King: 8/1
Record of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me":13/8
» Beyoncé, "Halo": 9/4
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 4/1
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 5/1
» Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling": 5/1
Song of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me": 6/4
» Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)": 9/4
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 3/1
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 5/1
» Maxwell, "Pretty Wings": 10/1
Best New Artist
» MGMT: 7/4
» Keri Hilson: 11/8
» The Ting Tings: 4/1
» Zac Brown Band: 6/1
» Silversun Pickups: 10:1
Bodog
"This Year's Grammy Awards could be a clean sweep in the three main categories as Taylor Swift is the favorite to win Best Album, Record and Song of the Year," Bodog.com sportsbook manager Richard Gardner said. "And Bodog.com's bettors seem to think it may be possible. As of right now, all the early money is on Swift to do just that."
Album of the Year
» Taylor Swift, Fearless: 5/4
» Beyoncé, I Am ... Sasha Fierce: 2/1
» Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.: 9/4
» Lady Gaga, The Fame: 6/1
» Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King: 13/2
Record of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me": 5/4
» Beyoncé, "Halo": 3/2
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 4/1
» Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling": 5/1
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 11/2
Song of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me": 3/2
» Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)": 7/4
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 5/2
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 9/2
» Maxwell, "Pretty Wings": 15/2
Best New Artist
» MGMT: 6/5
» Keri Hilson: 3/2
» The Ting Tings: 4/1
» Zac Brown Band: 9/2
» Silversun Pickups: 10/1
MTV
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Jessica Simpson accidentally farted during an important business meeting.
The American singer passed wind as she was speaking to executives about her denim clothing line, and was told off by her mother Tina who was mortified that her daughter had displayed such bad manners.
A source said: "While one of the executives was speaking in a room full of five people, Jessica let out a very loud fart.
"Her mother Tina Simpson was there, and it prompted her to turn around and yell, 'Jessica!' The tension was extreme. No one knew what to say."
The reality TV star previously revealed she wanted to release her own range of denim garments because "a girl’s booty needs to look good".
The incident isn’t the 29-year-old star’s first brush with public flatulence. Jessica once farted during an episode of her TV series 'Newlyweds'.
She then went on to tell her then-husband Nick Lachey: "You love my stinky a*s."Music-News Underground
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Gay rights groups angry about a Grammy nomination for jailed Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton took out a full page advert on Friday, protesting the honoring of an artist they said had "promoted the murder of gay people throughout his career."
Banton, 36, is up for a best reggae album award for his "Rasta Got Soul" release at the Grammys on Sunday. He is currently in jail in Florida awaiting trial on a cocaine charge and will not be attending the awards show.
In an advert in Hollywood show business paper Daily Variety, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center urged Grammy organizers to use Sunday's televised ceremony to denounce music "that promotes or celebrates violence against any group of people."
The lyrics of Banton's most controversial song "Boom, Bye Bye" in 1988, promote the murder of gay men by shooting or burning.
Several of Banton's U.S. concerts were canceled by promoters last year after an outcry over his lyrics.
Banton was quoted late last year as saying he saw "no end to the war" between himself and gay men.
The Recording Academy has said that the Grammy Awards honor musical achievement "regardless of politics" and that artists from many different political and cultural perspectives have been nominated over the years.
Gay rights groups protested in 2001 over the Grammy nomination and performance of rapper Eminem, whose lyrics also have homophobic elements. Gay British singer Elton John took to the Grammy stage to sing with Eminem that year in a bid to defuse the anger.
Friday's advert, in the form of a letter signed by more than 20 gay, civil rights and anti-violence groups, said that honoring "an artist such as Buju Banton, honors his extraordinary hateful work."
Yahoo
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Tracklist:
01 - Soo Woop (Intro)
02 - I'm Goin In
03 - The American Dream (Feat. Mike Tyson)
04 - Ransom (Wayne Only)
05 - P#ssy Monster
06 - Kobe Bryant
07 - Lisa Marie
08 - Where U At
09 - Yes (Feat. Pharrell)
10 - Bad
11 - So Many Guns, I'mma Shoot One
12 - Rap Cemetary (Feat. Juelz Sanatana)
13 - Fix My Hat
14 - Ma Money
15 - Outstanding
16 - Spit (Feat. Kevin Rudolf)
17 - I'm The Truth
18 - A Millie (Official Remix)
19 - Dont Tell Me Its Over
20 - Million Dollar Baby
21 - Switch
22 - Im Raw
23 - Ima Go Getta
24. That’s What Niggas Do
25. Murk Off 09 (Prod. By YP)Download HereRead more…
There will be a little extra Who at Super Bowl XLIV on February 7th: in addition to rocking the halftime show, the band’s “My Generation” will debut as a remix. Will.i.am has recruited Slash to help rework the classic track. Following the big game, the song will go on sale on iTunes, with all proceeds benefiting Haiti earthquake relief funds.
“I altered the lyric to fit my generation now,” Will.i.am told Billboard, adding that Slash plays on the track. “It was awesome. I loved that song way before this even came up, and talking to Pete Townshend on the phone is like, ‘What?! I’m talking to Pete Townshend on the phone?!’ Those guys are just awesome.” It’s unclear whether the band will premiere the song during their halftime performance, or whether it will play during a break in the action or an ad.
This marks the second consecutive Super Bowl Sunday to sport a classic song remixed by the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am. Last year, the rapper-producer teamed with Bob Dylan for a new version of “Forever Young” that played during a Pepsi commercial during the game.
“My Generation” is one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. As RS previously reported, Townshend told Billboard the bulk of the mashup medley the Who will perform during their Super Bowl set, and the “immortal fuck-off to the elders” as RS called the track, was not among the songs he named. The list did include “Baba O’Riley,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Tommy,” “Who Are You” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Rolling Stone
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When tragedy strikes, it can bring out the best in people. Now, it seems that music fans are finding a channel for their own good will toward Haiti, as iTunes and some of the world's top artists are setting records with the Hope for Haiti Now album.
iTunes confirmed Thursday (January 28) that tracks from last week's landmark benefit show have combined to generate more than $3 million in relief funds. On Wednesday, the Hope for Haiti Now album became the first-ever digital-only album to debut at #1 on the SoundScan charts. Through Sunday of this past weekend, the album was purchased and downloaded more than 170,000 times — nearly all of the sales coming from the iTunes store.
As the Hope for Haiti Now album approaches its one-week anniversary, records continue to be set: The album's pre-order, which went live shortly before Friday's massive telecast, became the biggest one-day album pre-order in iTunes history. The album has also hit #1 on the iTunes chart in 18 different countries.
In addition to the iTunes numbers, the telethon itself has gathered more than $61 million in public donations, drew 83 million viewers and attracted 5.8 million streams on the Web.
Much of the success is owed to the acts who performed at the telethon, including Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Coldplay and many more.
MTV
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After being pushed back from a Feb. 23 release date, Mariah Carey confirmed via her Twitter today (Jan. 28) that her remix album, "Angels Advocate," is now scheduled for March 30.
Carey released two songs this week off the set: a duet of "Angel Cry" with Ne-Yo and "Up Out of My Face" featuring Nicki Minaj. Videos for both songs, directed by Carey and husband, Nick Cannon, hit the web today.
Carey now goes up against Usher, who is set to release his new Jive Records album, "Raymond Vs. Raymond," on the same date. "Angels Advocate" is her 13th studio album and will feature all new remixes and duets of songs off her 2009 release, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel."
Carey is currently on her "Angels Advocate" tour, which is set to wrap up on Feb. 27 at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas.
Billboard
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Death Row Records is about to drop a new 21 track CD from Kurupt Young Gotti titled 'Down & Dirty'. The album will feature four never heard before cuts along with 17 rare joints.
The Philadelphia rapper had a lot to do with shaping the Death Row sound in their heyday as 1/2 of Tha Dogg Pound along with Snoop Dogg's cousin Daz Dillinger.
He recently announced plans to reform The Four Horsemen group. Members are himself, Ras Kass, Killah Priest and Canibus.
In addition, XXL is reporting Kurupt has a new label home with Cash Money Records as well as a new reality show coming up.
'Down & Dirty' will feature guest appearances from 2Pac, Petey Pablo, Danny Boy, Young Tone, and Kokane. The album hits store shelves February 9.
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