Lil B Drops I’m Gay
June 30, 2011
The Based God avoids mentioning homosexuality altogether on his latest release, despite controversial title.
By Rob Markman
Lil B
Photo: Getty Images
Health care reform, Martin Luther King Jr. and self-hate — these are all topics referenced on Lil B's I'm Gay album. But homosexuality? Not so much. Late Wednesday night, the Based God dropped his controversially named LP with no warning but a single tweet at approximately 9 p.m. PT.
"Buy my new project I'm Gay now!" B wrote, with a link to iTunes.
There are no gossipy tidbits or out-the-closet revelations. Instead, B raps of mental slavery over a jazzy loop on the album's intro track "Trapped in Prison." When the Based God first announced the album's title in April at Coachella he drew criticism from rappers, death threats from fans and concerns from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation about whether the album was a gimmick.
In his defense, Lil B said that his intent for the album was to breakdown barriers and show that words don't mean anything. "Don't let a word make you discriminate upon another human," he said when he appeared on "RapFix Live" this past May. "Because at the end of the day, no matter what you do, I should be happy for you, because you're alive. You're living life."
In the commercial sense, there are no records aimed at radio and no kinetic, celebrity-themed anthems (see past Lil B singles "I'm Miley Cyrus" and "Ellen DeGeneres"). I'm Gay is filled with midtempo, soul-sampling tracks. "Unchain Me" finds the Berkeley, California, rapper pondering his place in the world, and on "Neva Stop Me," he addresses the haters. "Words can kill, why he call the album that and how the f--- he feel," he raps with a relaxed tone. "I Hate Myself" is one of B's strongest proclamations, as he says, "I see myself in the mirror, but I don't see nothing," and goes on to address racial profiling and media persecution.
His message is poignant, no doubt, but the album title is misleading as well. In April, Lil B denied any notion of being gay himself, but to barely address the issue on the LP is a glaring omission. "I'm very gay, but I love women," he said at the time, referring to the alternate meaning of the word. "I'm not attracted to men in any way. I've never been attracted to a man in my life. But yes I am gay, I'm so happy. I'm a gay, heterosexual male."
Are you "happy" with Lil B's I'm Gay? Share your reviews in the comments.
Related Videos Related ArtistsLil B Drops I’m Gay
June 30, 2011
The Based God avoids mentioning homosexuality altogether on his latest release, despite controversial title.
By Rob Markman
Lil B
Photo: Getty Images
Healthcare reform, Martin Luther King Jr. and self-hate — these are all topics referenced on Lil B's I'm Gay album. But homosexuality? Not so much. Late Wednesday night, the Based God dropped his controversially named LP with no warning but a single tweet at approximately 9 p.m. PT.
"Buy my new project I'm Gay now!" B wrote, with a link to iTunes.
There are no gossipy tidbits or out-the-closet revelations. Instead, B raps of mental slavery over jazzy loop on the album's intro track "Trapped in Prison." When the Based God first announced the album's title in April at Coachella he drew criticism from rappers, death threats from fans and concerns from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation about whether or not the album was a gimmick.
In his defense, Lil B said that his intent for the album was to breakdown barriers and show that words don't mean anything. "Don't let a word make you discriminate upon another human," he said when he appeared on "Rap Fix Live" this past May. "Because at the end of the day, no matter what you do, I should be happy for you, because you're alive. You're living life."
In the commercial sense, there are no records aimed at radio and no kinetic, celebrity-themed anthems (see past Lil B singles "I'm Miley Cyrus" and "Ellen DeGeneres"). I'm Gay is filled with mid-tempo, soul-sampling tracks. "Unchain Me" finds the Berkeley, California, rapper pondering his place in the world, and on "Neva Stop Me," he addresses the haters. "Words can kill, why he call the album that and how the f--- he feel," he raps with a relaxed tone. "I Hate Myself" is one of B's strongest proclamations, as he says, "I see myself in the mirror, but I don't see nothing," and goes on to address racial profiling and media persecution.
His message is poignant, no doubt, but the album title is misleading as well. In April, Lil B denied any notion of being gay himself, but to barely address the issue on the LP is a glaring omission. "I'm very gay, but I love women," he said at the time, referring to the alternate meaning of the word. "I'm not attracted to men in any way. I've never been attracted to a man in my life. But yes I am gay, I'm so happy. I'm a gay, heterosexual male."
Are you "happy" with Lil B's I'm Gay? Share your reviews in the comments.
Related Videos Related ArtistsBeyonce’s 4 Shoots To #1 Debut
June 30, 2011
Singer expected to move 300,000 units of her fourth album, according to Billboard.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
It looks like 4 is going to be #1. Beyoncé's latest effort is projected to debut at #1 on the albums chart after selling an estimated 300,000 units in its first week, according to Billboard.
Those sales would place her in the middle of the pack of fellow divas with albums out this year. Britney Spears' Femme Fatale sold 276,000 records her first week; Lady Gaga's Born This Way sold an impressive 1.1 million records, and Adele's 21 sold 352,000 records right out the gate (though it's had much more staying power than the others).
The aptly titled fourth release from B would also be her fourth #1 album debut, though the numbers will likely be below her previous first-week sales. I Am ... Sasha Fierce sold 482,000 in its first week, in 2008, and her sophomore effort, 2006's B'Day, sold 541,000 albums. Her debut solo effort, Dangerously in Love, debuted with 317,000 units sold.
Fans will go behind the scenes of the making of 4 in an MTV special, "Beyoncé: Year of 4," airing Thursday night (June 30). In the half-hour doc, Beyoncé talks about taking some time off before making the record, which features studio work from The-Dream, Kanye West and Andre 3000.
"My life was award shows and tour buses and hotels, and it kind of goes by so fast ... I couldn't even hear it anymore," she says of her whirlwind schedule. "I'm just thinking about the next shoot ... the next video ... the next tour ... I never even realized I needed a year off. And I never realized I don't know how to take a year off."
Tune in to "Beyoncé: Year of 4," airing Thursday, June 30, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and BET, and at 7:30 p.m. on VH1 and Palladia. Encore presentations follow on MTV.com, MTV Hits and MTV Jams.
Related ArtistsJoe Jonas Haunted By Former Love In ‘See No More’ Video
June 30, 2011
Clip features Jonas pining for his ex amid a world on fire.
By Jocelyn Vena
Joe Jonas in the "See No More" music video
Photo: Hollywood Records
It feels like Joe Jonas has grown up right in front of us. And now Jonas is showing his mature side in his first-ever solo video for his single "See No More," as the middle Jonas Brother pines over a former love in the haunting video.
Set in an empty house, Joe sits and looks at his former love's belongings (her dress, her shoes), as he sings about how hurt he feels. He croons, "I don't wanna wait for you/ I don't wanna wake up thinkin', hopin'/ You'll get it right this time/ 'Cause you know that you're so cold/ I don't wanna see no more/ And I can't get away from you."
Scenes of him looking around the place they once shared are cut with clips of a young woman, presumably the same one who broke his heart, dancing in the street.
Perhaps a nod to Drew Barrymore's classic "Firestarter" (or maybe not), as Jonas looks around the house, all of the belongings begin to catch fire. Eventually his torment (and the danger of being in a house filled with flames) leads him away from his home as he walks through the smoke-filled streets of his abandoned suburban neighborhood. Things begin to blow up around him, representing a failed relationship. Her image begins to fade out as he looks around the charred house.
Jonas worked on the midtempo breakup track with Chris Brown and Brian Kennedy, and that collaboration is evidenced by the song's clear nods to pop 'n' b. Before the video even dropped, Jonas was clear that he wanted the visuals to match the emotional drive of the song. "I think it's more so about how the emotions and the feelings that you are going through and how you're dealing with them and just displaying them in physical actions," he shared. "So it'll be the first really thought-out video that I've done."
The song is the lead single off Jonas' solo album, Fast Life, which is set for release on September 6.
Related ArtistsRandy Jackson, Steven Tyler Confirmed For ‘American Idol’ Season 11
June 30, 2011
Jennifer Lopez has not yet committed to another season of the hit singing competition show.
By Gil Kaufman
Randy Jackson
Photo: Mark Mainz/ Getty Images
After successfully rebooting the brand with the injection of two new judges, "American Idol" is once again facing more judging drama for the upcoming season. The good news is that sole original judge Randy Jackson has agreed to return, in addition to breakout newbie judge Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler.
But according to The Hollywood Reporter, the unknown for season 11 continues to be the just-completed run's other popular new judge, singer Jennifer Lopez, who continues to waffle about whether she will give it another go. The Reporter said that Jackson has been vocal about his desire to keep the new team together, and Tyler's return was not in question because the rock legend signed a two-year deal.
Lopez, who helped relaunch her music career thanks to the "Idol" spotlight, recently told BBC's Radio 1 that things are still up in the air. "You know, this is the question of the hour," she said earlier this month. "I don't know. I haven't been forced to make a decision and I'm glad about that because, honestly, I'm very on the fence about it. I had an amazing time doing it and I loved it, but I have a lot of other things happening, and it's going to come down to me making a choice of what I want to do for the next year and we're not really at the breaking point of, 'You have to make a decision right now!' I'm just really enjoying the time of just waiting and seeing."
Part of the reason for her indecision is that Lopez now has quite a few balls in the air, including promoting her hit album Love?, as well as a new perfume and the upcoming Latin American reality talent show "Q'Viva," which she is co-hosting with husband Marc Anthony.
E! Online has speculated that even though Lopez earned a reported $12 million for season 10 of "Idol," it's possible she's looking for an even bigger payday.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Photos- Before Steven Tyler Was An 'American Idol' Judge ...
- Jennifer Lopez: From The Block To 'American Idol'
Pete Rock Says Police Hit His Wife During Post-Party Melee
June 30, 2011
NYPD commissioner tells MTV News that officers 'used appropriate force' when breaking up the Smif-N-Wessun album-release party Tuesday.
By Rob Markman
Pete Rock
Photo: MTV News
What was supposed to be a week of celebration for hip-hop group Smif-N-Wessun and veteran producer Pete Rock turned violently wrong on Tuesday after cops busted up their Monumental album-release party in New York City.
Concertgoers were attacked by cops, and for Rock, the drama hit especially close to home as police struck his wife and stepdaughter, he told MTV News on Thursday (June 30).
"We were coming out and someone was screaming, 'Yo, Pete, your wife, your wife.' So I ran out to make sure they were OK and to make sure the cop would stop hitting them," the Mount Vernon, New York, hitmaker told MTV News. "My stepdaughter said the cop was hitting her leg and she jumped in the way for her mother, which is my wife, to take the hits. And then my cameraman tried to jump in front of her, to take her hits. The cop was going bananas."
A press release issued Thursday by the group stated that 30 minutes after "a minor argument" that "eventually was defused by the bouncers," approximately 15 to 20 uniformed police officers from the 7th Precinct in downtown Manhattan arrived at Tammany Hall. "The officers then hurried into the club and began macing and assaulting individuals inside the club, dragging one of them out and pummeling him directly in front of the club," the press release said.
The group's attorney, Kenneth Montgomery, who was present at the concert, said the police "behavior was unjustified, unprovoked, and simply barbaric considering there was no provocation."
When MTV News reached out to the NYPD for comment, we received this statement from Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly: "Police officers had every right to defend themselves against individuals assaulting them, and used appropriate force in doing so. They also protected civilians who were being pelted with bottles at the outset, as they responded to the location at the request of the club's own security."
Various portions of the incident were captured on film by bystanders, who recorded the melee on their cell phones and video cameras and uploaded footage to YouTube and other social-networking sites.
Tek and Steele (the two members of Smif-N-Wessun) and Rock weren't harmed physically, but for the producer, who witnessed his wife and stepdaughter being assaulted by police, it was difficult to exercise restraint. "I have to say that I'm very proud of myself that I held every bit of anger I had inside when that was happening," he said. "I'm very proud of myself."
‘The Voice’ Crowns Javier Colon Its First-Ever Winner
June 30, 2011
Colon barely beat out runner-up Dia Frampton to take the singing competition show's first season championship.
By Jocelyn Vena
Javier Colon on the finale of "The Voice"
Photo: NBC
"The Voice" declared its first-ever winner on Wednesday night. Javier Colon became the Kelly Clarkson of the hit NBC singing competition. The Adam Levine protégé managed to beat out the other three finalists, including runner-up Dia Frampton.
But according to The Associated Press, Colon barely beat out Frampton, winning by just a 2 percent margin.
"Wow, thank you," Colon said upon winning. "The three women behind me are absolutely awesome and it was a pleasure to be here with them," he said, referring to fellow contestants Frampton, Vicci Martinez and Beverly McClellan.
"Before I came out to do this audition in January, I had been rejected from yet another record label that I really thought [I was] gonna get," Colon told reporters after the show, according to EW.com. "It was over." The singer wasn't planning on auditioning for "The Voice" until a family member changed his mind. "I thought, I can't just keep living on a dream and expecting that things are going to work out because it's not just my wife and I anymore."
So, what did the Connecticut native win? He gets a recording contract with Universal Republic, a $100,000 cash prize and a featured role on "The Voice" summer tour, which kicks off in July.
His coach, Adam Levine, described Colon's voice as "so powerful and special. It's his voice. That's all you need — the name of the show is 'The Voice.' I just like the fact that the winner really reflects what the show is all about."
"The Voice" is slated to return for a second season next spring, with a kickoff right behind the Super Bowl.
Related ArtistsJustin Timberlake Takes Ownership Stake In MySpace
June 30, 2011
After playing Napster founder in 'The Social Network,' JT takes on social media role in real life.
By Gil Kaufman
Justin Timberlake
Photo: George Napolitano/ FilmMagic
It was one of the most spectacular flame-outs in Internet history, but the rise and precipitous fall of MySpace was not enough to scare away a new big-name investor: Justin Timberlake.
The singer-turned-actor, who earned praise for his work portraying the founder of Napster in the hit Facebook movie "The Social Network," announced on Wednesday that he was taking a minority stake in MySpace, which was sold to California-based Specific Media this week for $35 million in cash and equity, according to the Los Angeles Times. The amount of Timberlake's investment was not disclosed.
Specific took the troubled site off the hands of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., which famously paid $580 million for the then-hot MySpace six years ago, when Facebook was not yet a social media giant. In the ensuing years, MySpace lost ground as Facebook became a massive presence, and News Corp. failed to turn around its fortunes, losing money and market share at an alarming pace, despite several attempts to make over the site.
Timberlake said in a statement that he plans to revive the site in his role as creative director. "There's a need for a place where fans can go to interact with their favorite entertainers, listen to music, watch videos, share and discover cool stuff and just connect," Timberlake said. "MySpace has the potential to be that place. ... Art is inspired by people and vice versa, so there's a natural social component to entertainment. I'm excited to help revitalize MySpace by using its social media platform to bring artists and fans together in one community."
Specific Media co-founder Tim Vanderhook said MySpace still has a global traffic base of nearly 100 million people every month (compared to Facebook's 750 million), and he is convinced the site can be brought back to "what it was supposed to be originally."
Related ArtistsBritney Spears’ ‘I Wanna Go’ Director Breaks Down Cheeky Clip
June 30, 2011
Chris Marrs Piliero explains the video's 'Half Baked' and 'Terminator' homages, but what about those elusive seashells?
By Kara Warner
Britney Spears in her "I Wanna Go" music video
Photo: Jive
Britney Spears' video for "I Wanna Go" — a dream-sequence-y, pop-culture-reference-packed tongue-in-cheek attack on the paparazzi — is so fun, it's quickly becoming one of our favorites. And because we can't get enough of it, MTV News sought out the vid's creative mastermind, director Chris Marrs Piliero (who also directed Ke$ha's "Blow"), to explain it to us, frame by frame.
"This opening scene poked fun at the ridiculous rumors that surround Britney," Piliero said of the clip's opening press conference, during which Britney tells off a room of reporters. "That is our homage to 'Half Baked.' I was really stoked that we were able to include that little parody homage in the video and that Guillermo Diaz, who is the guy [in the scene] giving the thumbs up, is from the movie."
After strutting out of the press conference and squeezing the butt of an autograph-seeking fan (played by one of her dancers), Spears strolls down the street, passing by a baby in a stroller who whistles at her.
"We were actually going to have three babies," Piliero revealed. "But the other two were just crying and crying. and I was like, 'F--- it, get 'em outta there.' And the one baby, he ruled and was supercute, so we went with him."
Spears' next saucy move is to flash a bunch of guys on the street: a young boy, his dad, a male driver getting a ticket and the cop writing it.
"That little kid was awesome," Piliero said of the young redheaded boy. "If you look closely, he's actually squeezing his juice box all over this shirt. The cop is another one of Britney's dancers. You might recognize him from the 'Hold It Against Me' video, he had blue hair."
Next up, Spears encounters a paparazzo on the street and grabs his camera and throws it to the ground.
"That was a very genuine performance from Britney," Piliero said of the scene. "I felt like she was letting out her inner emotion toward paparazzi. It was also really cold. I think she just went for it."
Cut to Spears on top of a taxi, microphone in hand with a long cord, which she uses to take out the various photographers who have surrounded her.
"A lot of people think this was inspired by 'Kill Bill,' because I'm a huge Quentin Tarantino fan. I would totally own up to that if it was true," he admitted. "But I actually intended for her to always having her performance with the microphone [throughout the video] for her performance setup, so I thought that was a good way to tie it all together and I didn't want to give her a real weapon."
But Piliero was making an intentional pop-culture reference with the wording on the movie theater marquee in the background of the scene that reads "Crossroads 2: Cross Harder." "I've always thought that 'Die Hard 2: Die Harder' is one of the most ridiculously awesome titles for a sequel," he said. "And I needed to put something in the marquee, and I thought it would be a really fun Easter egg for fans."
Now something odd happens with the paparazzi who've been hit by Spears' microphone weapon — they are revealed to be robots or androids. "I love pop culture and this whole video is kind of a dream sequence," Piliero said. "I think it's natural to have fantasies and dreams with stuff inspired by pop culture, so that's why the robot guys kind of have a 'Terminator'-ish feel."
Before the "Terminator" 'bots can move in on Spears, Diaz drives up in a sports car and whisks her away, where he celebrates by pouring a carton of milk all over himself.
"Guillermo kills it in the scene with the milk, he's hilarious," Piliero enthused. "And I love Britney's reaction there; both her reactions where she's laughing are so good. A lot of people ask about the milk and what the deal with it is, a lot of people have theories too. I don't need to say what the point is, because I love hearing what people say, so I'll leave it at that. Same goes with the seashells too."
Cut to the final scene, where we realize that it was all a dream. Spears is at the press conference, shaken out of a daze when Guillermo steps in and tells the reporters, "No more questions," then hands Spears a handful of those seashells that Piliero won't explain. He looks back at the camera at the last moment and we see his eyes are robot red, an obvious nod to Michael Jackson's zombie-green eyes in the last shot of "Thriller."
" 'Thriller' is one of my favorite music videos ever," Piliero said. "I remember watching it when I was 5, that was what inspired me to become a music video director so I wanted to pay homage to it."
What do you think the milk and the seashells signify in "I Wanna Go"? Share your theories in the comments below.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsSelena Gomez, Leighton Meester Recall ‘Monte Carlo’ Perks
June 30, 2011
'We rented out the Eiffel Tower, no big deal,' Gomez jokes.
By Christina Garibaldi
Selena Gomez in "Monte Carlo"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
The cast of "Monte Carlo" really lucked out: Not only does the movie, opening Friday (July 1), star some of the biggest young actors in the business — Selena Gomez, "Gossip Girl" Leighton Meester and Cory Monteith of "Glee" fame — but the crew also got a chance to spend two months overseas shooting in some of the most spectacular places in the world.
The film stars Gomez as a young teenager mistaken for a British heiress while vacationing in Paris. The flick follows Gomez, Meester and Katie Cassidy as they encounter adventures on their European tour. Yet, it seems as if the fun continued well after the cameras stopped rolling.
"It was fun both on- and off[screen]," Meester said. "A lot of what was happening offscreen was just an extension of the fun we were having outside."
The cast filmed in several locations, including France, Monaco and Hungary, which was a first for Gomez. "It was really cool to experience all those places for the first time," Gomez said.
Out of all those places, the girls point to Paris as their favorite destination. "We got up in the Eiffel Tower," Meester recalled. "But it wasn't just go up for a trip, we got there all alone. It was just us at 5 a.m. when the sun was just rising. It was really beautiful."
Gomez joked: "We rented out the Eiffel Tower, no big deal."
Yet, Gomez and Meester weren't the only ones to take some offscreen adventures: Monteith made sure to take full advantage of his downtime. "I worked probably one out of five days in the shooting schedule," Monteith said. "I have four days a week off, and I was able to roam around Europe, so I saw 10 countries a month. It was incredible."
Check out everything we've got on "Monte Carlo."
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