For the Record
50 Cent And Wiz Khalifa Collaboration: ‘Stay Tuned’
‘I responded to him and I told him, ‘Let’s work,’ ‘ Fif tells MTV News of a Twitter collabo request from Wiz.
By Nadeska Alexis, with reporting by Ade Mangum
50 Cent was admitted to the hospital earlier this week when he began to suffer from severe stomach pains, but by the time he was released Thursday, the G-Unit CEO had already put plans into motion for a new collaboration with Wiz Khalifa.
MTV News caught up with Fif at his G-Unit offices in NYC after his release, and he explained that a tweet from Wiz gave birth to the collaboration. The tweet in question: “I Gotta Song I Wanna Put @50Cent On.”
“While I was sitting in the hospital, I saw Wiz Khalifa send a tweet out saying he got something, and he felt like it would be cool if I was actually on a record with him,” 50 said. “So I responded to him and I told him, ‘Let’s work.’ I’m feeling good, I was feeling better by the time that tweet went through, so I said, ‘Send it,’ and I’ll speak to him a little later on.
“Stay tuned to hear what happens next because it’s gonna go down,” he added, confirming that the collaboration is for real. Fif’s guest verse is likely to pop up on the Taylor Gang MC’s upcoming LP O.N.I.F.C., which is set to debut August 28. It would mark their first collaboration together. Thus far, Wiz has revealed that features on his Rolling Papers follow-up will include Pharrell, Cam’ron, Curren$y and the Weeknd.
50 Cent has made a full recovery since his release from the hospital, and next Tuesday, he will drop The Lost Tape, hosted by DJ Drama.
During his stay in the hospital, the Queens mogul received a phone call from longtime friend and collaborator Eminem, who had a few firm words for him. “He goes, ‘Yo, Fif, you were shot nine times, man, if you die over a burger, this sh– ain’t gonna go right,’ ” 50 told MTV News just hours after his release. ” ‘People ain’t gonna be feelin’ this.’ ”
Stay tuned to MTV News’ Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama’s The Lost Tape.
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Can ‘Avengers’ Top ‘Avatar’ Or ‘Titanic’?
‘By the time ‘Avengers’ is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time,’ one box-office expert tells MTV News.
By Fallon Prinzivalli
Mark Ruffalo as The Incredible Hulk in “The Avengers”
Photo: Marvel
“The Avengers” sure did assemble! Marvel’s superhero film is still the reigning champion of movie theaters after it smashed box-office records in its first two weeks. Now, it’s rising to the top of the worldwide charts, recently staking claim to the ninth spot, passing George Lucas’ “Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace.” It’s currently the highest earning film of 2012 domestically, stealing the title from “The Hunger Games,” which opened in March.
At present, the Joss Whedon-directed summer flick has raked in more than $1 billion across the globe, and the numbers keep rising. The popularity of the movie is overwhelming, but a few questions still remain. For starters, how high will the film go?
Gitesh Pandya, the editor of Box Office Guru, told MTV News, “I see Avengers climbing up to #4 on the all-time worldwide blockbusters list by the end of this weekend. That would put it at roughly $1.2 billion, which is astounding. It should pass the final ‘Harry Potter’ to finish its run as #3 all time, which alone is just incredible.”
Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations agrees: “By the time ‘Avengers’ is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time. Only ‘Avatar’ and ‘Titanic’ will be left untouched, as James Cameron is a superhero unto himself. Both made history by debuting over the holiday season, where popcorn flicks are few and far between. unfortunately for ‘Avengers,’ summer blockbusters invade every weekend, and theaters will soon be flooded with competition.”
The competition Bock is referring to is obviously Christopher Nolan’s final Batman installment. “You know what happens when you leave Batman for dead? He gets angry, rises from the dead and pops you right in the kisser,” he said. ” ‘The Avengers’ versus ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ has all the trappings of a big-time Hollywood drama. Let’s face it, ‘TDKR’ is probably the most anticipated threequel since ‘Return of the Jedi.’ All bets are off!”
Boxoffice.com‘s Phil Contrino agrees that Nolan’s film could beat out “The Avengers” in the battle for overall domestic earnings, but ultimately won’t top the opening weekend or worldwide sales for two reasons. It just doesn’t have the widespread family appeal that Captain America and Iron Man brought with them, or the 3-D prices to give it a boost.
With “Battleship” sailing into theaters this weekend, Pandya expects “Avengers” to drop by around 40 percent. “ the neighborhood of $60 million,” he said. “That’s a great hold for a movie this big.”
But as far as Earth’s mightiest heroes becoming the highest — or even second-highest — film of all time globally, Contrino doesn’t believe it will happen. “When you burn so bright for one weekend, the only place to go is down,” he said.
Check out everything we’ve got on “Marvel’s The Avengers.”
For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.
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Kanye West Had To ‘Get Used To’ Big Kardashian Family
‘With Kanye I was like, ‘Why are you hiding in our pantry in my mom’s kitchen?’ Khloe jokes about sister Kim’s BF.
By Jocelyn Vena
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Photo: Splash News
Kanye West may seem like he’s already one of the Kardashians, but turns out it took him a minute to warm up to them. According to her sister Khlo
Donna Summer ‘Definitely Influenced’ Flo Rida, Other EDM Acts
‘She definitely is one of those iconic people when it comes down to the dance scene,’ Flo tells MTV News of late disco singer.
By Kara Warner, with additional reporting by Rob Markman
Donna Summer
Photo: Getty Images
The surprised, sincere and heartfelt reactions continue to roll in as the news of Disco Queen Donna Summer’s untimely passing Thursday (May 17) spreads far and wide. Summer influenced the music industry as a whole, but her impact is especially felt in today’s electronic dance music — which includes current club-anthem king Flo Rida.
“I was just looking at something with her months ago,” the “Wild Ones” singer told MTV News. “Today, when I got a text message , I thought, ‘Wow, she passed away.’ She definitely is one of those iconic people when it comes down to the dance scene and all that. My condolences go out to all her family. She definitely influenced what I do.”
Speaking to Summer’s genre-bending influence, house-music forefather Frankie Knuckles called her unforgettable hit “I Feel Love” one of the most commercial electronic pieces of music ever written.
“Today you can hear its influence on all popular Dance music, House, Techno, Trance,” he told MTV News in a statement. “She was deemed ‘The Queen Of Disco.’ She’s been sampled and ideas of her songs have crept into today’s popular dance music by everybody. Her association with Giorgio Moroder set the tone for what Dance Music is all about.”
“Donna Summer RIP I FEEL LOVE FOR YOU,” Swedish dance-pop princess Robyn tweeted, adding a link to a Summer performance of “I Feel Love.”
The reception of Summer’s iconic 1977 anthem essentially revolutionized music, not to mention the rest of her chart-toppers that would soon follow.
“One day in Berlin, Eno came running in and said, ‘I have heard the sound of the future,’ ” David Bowie famously wrote in the liner notes to Sound and Vision. “He puts on ‘I Feel Love,’ by Donna Summer. … He said, ‘This is it, look no further. This single is going to change the sound of club music for the next 15 years.’ Which was more or less right.”
Share your condolences for Donna Summer’s friends, family and fans in the comments or on Facebook.
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Usher Hopes ‘Scream’ Is ‘Life Changing’
‘I always think about that song that will be able to let you out of that slump,’ Looking 4 Myself singer says on ‘MTV First.’
By John Mitchell
Usher at “MTV First”
Photo: MTV News
It’s not often that fans get to hit the club to party with the artist behind the latest dance hit, but that’s exactly what happened for the audience at the interactive off-Broadway show “Fuerza Bruta” when Usher arrived for a unique first-listen experience for his new album, Looking 4 Myself.
As the R&B megastar’s latest hit, the beat-driven Max Martin-produced “Scream,” pounded through the theater, Usher flew into the audience for a rave-like dance party that had everyone in the place moving.
He’s used to that sort of reaction by now, having released some of the biggest club hits of the past 15 years, including “OMG,” “Yeah,” “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” and “My Way.” Usher consistently makes dance records that define a night, and it’s important to the singer that his upbeat songs reach people on as deep a level as his more personal ballads.
“If I’m gonna move you, I want to move you. I hope that it could be something that could be life changing,” the soulful signer said during “MTV First: Usher.” “You may be going through something real crazy, who knows, and just need to get out and just enjoy yourself. So I always think about the club, I always think about that song that will be able to let you out of that slump, if you’re in it.”
But “Scream” isn’t just for those looking for escape. The track can work on many levels, according to the singer: “If you’re just ready to have a good time, or if you’re working out and you just need that little motivation to push you over the edge, there you go.”
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Donna Summer Remembered By Rihanna, Mary J. Blige
‘Glorious disco Goddess,’ Adam Lambert tweets about late disco icon, alongside remembrances from Robyn, Kylie Minogue and more.
By Jocelyn Vena
Donna Summer
Photo: Getty Images
While Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco, performers and entertainers from all genres reacted to the news of her death Thursday (May 17) with great sadness, noting how much she had impacted the music world as a whole before she died from cancer at age 63.
Music mogul and onetime Summer producer Quincy Jones, who worked with the singer during her Donna Summer era, remembered her on Twitter: ”Rest in Peace dear Donna Summer. Your voice was the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade.”
For photos of Donna Summer through the years, click here.
Frequent Summer collaborator, producer and musician Nile Rodgers, remembered his pal, writing, ”This may help you understand why i’m still crying. So much love and RESPECT for Donna Summer RIP.”
R&B diva Mary J. Blige paid homage to her soul sister on Twitter, posting, “RIP Donna Summers!!!!!!!!! You were truly a game changer!!!”
Former Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams was also floored by the unexpected and tragic passing of the dance-floor icon. “Shocked and saddened at the news of Donna Summer passing away! “she wrote. “Wow!”
Her fellow DC sister, Kelly Rowland, added, “Donna Summer. Icon! Legend! Her voice! Her spirit! Rest In peace, you truly inspired me! I love you!”
Rihanna seemed so surprised by the news, she simply tweeted, “Donna Summer??”
“Donna Summer RIP I FEEL LOVE FOR YOU,” Swedish pop princess Robyn tweeted. Mirroring that sentiment, Adam Lambert wrote, “RIP Donna Summer. glorious disco Goddess.”
British pop songstress Kylie Minogue, whose own flashy, dance-heavy career can be traced back to Summer’s influence, wrote, “One of my earliest musical inspirations, RIP Donna Summer #BadGirlsForEver.”
Beyonc
‘American Idol’ Top Three Battle For Ticket To Finale
Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez and Joshua Ledet make their final cases to America that they should be in the final two.
By Adam Graham
Phillip Phillips on “American Idol”
Photo: Michael Becker/ FOX
With “We’ve Got Tonight,” Phillip Phillips may have punched his ticket to next week’s “American Idol” finale.
Phillips’ performance at the close of Wednesday’s (May 16) episode stole the show and earned a standing ovation from the judges. All night, Randy Jackson spoke of having big “moments,” and Phillips’ gentle take on the Bob Seger classic definitely qualified as one of those performances.
“That was the perfect song at the perfect time and your best performance on the show ever!” Jackson told Phillips after the song. Jennifer Lopez said it was like a “lullaby,” and Steven Tyler said he “nailed it” and praised him for his passion during the song.
Phillips’ “We’ve Got Tonight” came at the end of a two-hour show that saw the contestants visiting their hometowns and being treated like returning heroes. The episode also saw Joshua Ledet retain his momentum, while Jessica Sanchez slipped a bit, proving it may be tough for her to make it to the final two.
Contestants sang three songs each: One chosen by the judges, one of their own choosing and one picked by Jimmy Iovine.
Ledet opened the show with Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind,” which also earned a standing ovation from the judges. (Not surprising, they picked the song.) “Out of 70,000, there’s only one American Idol. And you sang like that one tonight,” Tyler told Ledet after the song. He followed it with John Lennon’s “Imagine,” dubbed “brilliant” (by Jackson) and “controlled” (by Lopez) and finished with Mary J. Blige’s “No More Drama,” his suggestion from Iovine. It was another hit.
“You have this perfect marriage of knowing exactly what you’re doing and letting completely go at the same time,” Lopez told him after his unkempt performance, which saw him dramatically remove his jacket, as well as his in-ear monitors. “There’s spontaneity, you don’t know what’s going to happen, but you know it’s going to be out of this world.”
Sanchez’s up-and-down night was typified by Jackson’s critiques: He called her version of Mariah Carey’s “My All” “one of the best times a Mariah song has ever been performed on TV,” but later said her version of Jackson Five’s “I’ll Be There” — also once memorably performed by Mariah — was only “OK.” “There was never a moment-moment. It’s like, you know, I mean, it needed like a moment-moment-moment.” (In Jackson-speak, that means she didn’t quite deliver.)
Sandwiched between the two, she took on Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” which is more than a little familiar to one of the three judges. Tyler rose to his feet afterwards, telling her she “took a great song and made it greater,” while Lopez called it “crazy” (in a good way). And Jackson? “Dude, you delivered, man, yo, whoa, I’m like yo, all right, all right.” Our thoughts exactly, Randy.
Phillips closed so strong it hardly mattered what came before. (Voters have short attention spans, you see.) After his first song, Madcon’s “Beggin’,” Tyler said Phillips “could be a new Springsteen,” while Jackson commented he felt he was at a Phil Phillips concert. All three judges agreed his middle performance of Matchbox Twenty’s “Disease” was underwhelming, but by his home-run song was a performance all but forgotten.
One of the performers is headed home — this time not in a good way — on Thursday’s episode, which is also set to feature a performance by Adam Lambert.
What did you think of “Idol” on Wednesday? Let us know in the comments!
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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Usher Unveils ‘Nostalgic’ New Song ‘Twisted’
Looking 4 Myself track featuring Pharrell is classic R&B but ‘very relevant,’ superstar says on ‘MTV First.’
By John Mitchell, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Usher
Photo: Jessica Hyndman / MTV News
Usher sat down for an exclusive “MTV First” interview about his hotly anticipated upcoming release, Looking 4 Myself, his unconventional album-listening experience with the off-Broadway show “Fuerza Bruta” and to give fans a first listen to the Myself track “Twisted” featuring Pharrell. He told MTV News’ Sway Calloway the song is a “nostalgic record” that reflects the album’s ambitious aim to represent the variety of musical experiences that have impacted the R&B superstar.
” ‘Twisted’ is more of a nostalgic record, so when you think about the classic R&B record, we managed a way to modernize it, even though that’s very relevant,” the singer said. “You hear records like Cee Lo, you hear Bruno Mars and also Andre 3000, and that sound is very relevant in this time. So this was kind of our way to tie it all together and give you something different that you probably wouldn’t normally get from me.”
Adapting current sounds and making them his own is a theme Usher is bringing in earnest to Looking 4 Myself and also reflects his philosophy of how to stay in the game. The star released his self-titled debut in 1994, when he was just 16, and has gone on to sell over 65 million records worldwide and score nine #1 songs and six more top 10 hits.
As for how he’s managed to stay on top for so long, Usher revealed that it’s important to never be insular when it comes to music. “Life is a workout, man, it’s like a treadmill, and you gotta be with it, you gotta just stay with it,” he said. “For me, I’ve had the fortunate ability to always be mindful of other things and other people. I’m not so caught up in what I’m doing that I can’t be cognizant of what other people enjoy. … Now, I think music should be used as a channel to really allow people to have different experiences. So, this album is all about bottling up those different experiences.”
The connecting tissue that’s given Usher the ability to explore world music — from full-on dance tracks like his new single “Scream” and his collaboration with David Guetta, “Without You,” to more classic R&B slow jams like “Climax” and the old-school spare drum beat of “Twisted” — while delivering cohesive records has been his voice, which he said brings “the essence of soul and emotion” to each record.
“All of my career is kind of an unveiling, an unfolding story, and it ain’t done. There’s so much more that I’m going to do, so much that I’ve now just been interested in and been introduced to,” he continued. “I just want that experience of having this very monogamous relationship with entertainment and acting in a way where I can really, really focus and become better.”
Usher’s commitment to tackling the changing face of music head-on and forging new roads in entertainment as he matures — he is currently training for a Sugar Ray Leonard biopic — is the key to his success, he said, concluding, “It’s all about evolution for me.”
Share your review of “Twisted” in the comments below!
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Usher Sought ‘Creative Way’ To Debut Looking 4 Myself
Singer will open up about his appearance in the off-Broadway show ‘Fuerza Bruta,’ as well his new album, during ‘MTV First’ on Wednesday.
By Jocelyn Vena
Usher’s Looking 4 Myself cover art
Photo: RCA
Sure, anyone can hold an album-listening party at some record label’s headquarters or, to really mix it up, some swanky nightclub. But for Usher, that just wasn’t enough. When he was looking for a way to debut tracks off Looking 4 Myself, out June 12, he found another way to spread the word.
Last month, Usher appeared in the off-Broadway show “Fuerza Bruta,” in which he played the male lead, Running Man, for one night only. During the show, he played all his newest, shiniest tracks for lucky theatergoers. When MTV News spoke to him exclusively during rehearsals, he explained that his part in “Fuerza” provided the perfect pairing between the themes on his album and the visuals of the play.
“I mean, life is like that in a lot of ways. This was something that I organically came to,” he explained. “When you think about the lyrics of ‘Climax,’ ‘Going nowhere fast/ We reached the climax’ … ‘Going nowhere fast’ would be running in place,” he explained, referring to a part in the show where he runs on a treadmill, never actually ending up anywhere.
“Looking 4 Myself, I’m walking with my head down, counting every step,” he explained, referring to another act in the show. “I’m always trying to find very creative ways for the music and the art to work together and this is it. I only hoped it would be viewed in that way, in an unprecedented way. I hoped that people would be able to identify with it and become acclimated with my experience in a fun way, creative. This was kind of an emotional experience that leads you into my world.”
Usher has even more to share about his experience in the show as well as his highly anticipated album release. He will open up during “MTV First: Usher,” set to take place on Wednesday, May 16, at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV. He will introduce exclusive footage from “Fuerza Bruta” and his new single, the Pharrell-produced “Twisted,” and will stick around for an interview with MTV News’ Sway Calloway to discuss it all on MTV.com afterward. Fans can submit questions via MTV.com or Twitter @MTVNews with the hashtag #MTVFirst or #AskUsher.
The performances featured in “MTV First: Usher” were shot exclusively by MTV News during a special album-listening experience with the off-Broadway show “Fuerza Bruta” in New York City.
Don’t miss “MTV First: Usher” on Wednesday, May 16, at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by an interview with the singer on MTV.com!
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Justin Bieber: ‘I Can’t Not Dance Battle Usher’
Bieber’s mentor and dance-off foe will debut his new track ‘Twisted’ on ‘MTV First: Usher,’ airing tonight at 7:54 p.m. on MTV.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Justin Bieber
Photo: Valery Hache/ AFP/ Getty Images
Justin Bieber and his mentor, Usher, believe it or not, have engaged in a dance-off or two. While Bieber is certainly known for his ability to cut a rug, he noted that his pal has the smoother of the dance moves.
“Dance-offs? We had one the other night. He did this little show in New York,” Bieber explained to MTV News earlier this month about facing off against Usher during his stint in the off-Broadway “Fuerza Bruta” in April. “Mid-show, he comes in the middle of the dance floor and does a dance battle with me. And I’m like ‘I’m too tired for this.’ He pulls out moves and I can’t not dance battle Usher.
“So I go in there, do my whole thing,” he recalled. “I’m pretty sure I lost, but it’s all good.”
When they aren’t battling it out on the dance floor, it seems Usher is offering up some sage advice to the 18-year-old singer. “He’s just given me the advice of ‘Always keep the people that were there in the beginning, keep them with you because those are the people that really care. They want to see you succeed,’ ” he said. “I think that’s probably pretty much the main thing he’s always told me.”
Usher has even more to share about working with his superstar mentee. He will open up during “MTV First: Usher,” set to take place tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV. He will introduce exclusive footage from “Fuerza Bruta” and his new single, the Pharrell-produced “Twisted,” and will stick around for an interview with MTV News’ Sway Calloway to discuss it all, including his new June release, Looking 4 Myself, on MTV.com afterward. Fans can submit questions via MTV.com or Twitter @MTVNews with the hashtag #MTVFirst or #AskUsher.
Don’t miss “MTV First: Usher” tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by an interview with the singer on MTV.com!
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