Drake

Drake, Rihanna Get 'Super Close' In 'Take Care' Video

14 Feb 2012 11:42:06 EST

'It's not narrative at all, and it involves animals,' director Yoann Lemoine tells MTV News of new clip.
By Tomika L. Anderson

Rihanna and Drake
Photo: NBAE/Getty Images

Capturing the chemistry between Drake and Rihanna on the set of their new video wasn't very hard, the director of the clip, Yoann Lemoine, told MTV News. The video for "Take Care" was shot during the Super Bowl.

"They seemed to be super close and that's what I wanted for the video," Lemoine, best known for directing Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," Taylor Swift's "Back to December" and Mystery Jet's "Dreaming of Another World," told us. "They fit together pretty well so it was just easy." Lemoine said the three-day shoot — which took place in a studio as well as a park — had a "very minimal" and "mellow" vibe, even though the track itself is decidedly more upbeat. "Visually, it's a very humble video ... it's not crazy," the alternative indie musician who also goes by the stage name Woodkid said. "It's actually the most indie video I've done my whole life. It's probably the most famous artists, and they were so open to a project that was so minimal." "There's a lot of space in the video and I wanted the visuals to pay tribute to that," he continued. "It pays tribute to nature. When I listened to the track, I was seeing a landscape ... involving animals and massive landscapes. I won't say too much, but it's very surprising that there are very few elements in it. It's very simple but there's this big sense of emptiness in it. It's not narrative at all, and it involves animals." The French filmmaker does not know when the video will air, but he did say that the editing process is going in a "very good direction." Lemoine — who tweeted a picture of himself with the rap-and-R&B duo last week — admitted that they all watched the Super Bowl on the set between takes, but that there weren't very many other distractions. "There's something very minimal and very delicate [about it] in a way," he added. "And it was very symbolic too."

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Drake And Rihanna Take Care Video Coming Soon

10 Feb 2012 15:56:19 EST

Duo shot much-anticipated clip in Los Angeles, director Yohann Lemoine confirms.
By Tomika L. Anderson

Drake
Photo: John Shearer/ Getty Images

Be on the lookout for that long-awaited video from Rihanna and Drake.

While there's still no official release date for the clip for the emotionally revealing "Take Care," the title track off Drake's sophomore album, video director Yoann Lemoine assures fans it has been shot ... and it's on the way. "I just shot Drake & Rihanna's 'Take Care,' video," he tweeted early Friday (February 10). "Beautiful track, amazing artists. EDITING NOW!" As further proof that a vid for the dreamy track was under way, the director tweeted a picture of the three of them on the Los Angeles set. Rih and the Young Money star apparently shot the video while in town for the 2012 Grammys on Sunday. The result will be Rihanna and Drake's first video collaboration since "What's My Name." Lemoine's previous credits include Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," Taylor Swift's "Back to December" and Lana Del Rey's tiger-featuring "Born to Die" clip. Drizzy — who's gearing up to present at Sunday's awards show — is up for Best Rap Performance for "Moment 4 Life," with Nicki Minaj, while Rihanna is up for Album of the Year for Loud. Meanwhile, Rih is slated to perform with Coldplay on the big night.

Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don't miss Sway and James Montgomery live from the Grammys red carpet this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And the fun doesn't end Sunday: MTV News has you covered until the Grammy hangover wears off!

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Justin Bieber Records With Drake For Believe

09 Feb 2012 11:30:53 EST

Bieber's manager confirms on Twitter that the young pop star hit the studio with Drizzy for his upcoming album.
By Jocelyn Vena

Drake and Justin Bieber
Photo: MTV News

Believe it or not, there doesn't seem to be anyone that Justin Bieber isn't getting on his in-the-works next album. It seems that fellow Canadian and Take Care rapper Drake has been tapped to appear on the album, set for release later this year. The news of their collabo was confirmed on Thursday (February 9) by Bieber's manager Scooter Braun on Twitter. But any Belieber could have easily figured out whom Bieber was referring to when he tweeted this message to his devotees: "You really wanna know who im going into the studio with tonight??#bigbro #CANADA."

This Drizzy collabo has been a long time in the making. At the 2010 VMAs, Bieber shared with MTV News that he wanted to get his pal on his next proper (non-holiday) album. Then, in a radio interview late last year, he confirmed that Drake, along with Kanye West, was in talks to work on Believe. However, as the list of collaborators for the album grows, one more name is being tossed about as a potential collaborator. Sources tell Hollywoodlife.com that Ke$ha may appear on Believe. The source says that K-dollar sign "would also be a part of the song in a duet capacity." The duet has yet to be confirmed, and K is busy in the studio working on her own rock and roll-inspired album. This wouldn't be the first time Bieber and Ke$ha have paired up. They appeared together at the 2010 Grammy Awards, where the newbies presented the award for Best New Artist to the Zac Brown Band. Super-producers Pharrell, will.i.am and Lil Wayne (who recently visited Bieber in the studio) are among the other names that have been tossed about as possible folks working with Bieber on the album. Believe is the follow-up Christmas-themed Under the Mistletoe, which was released in late 2011. What collaborations do you hope to see on Believe? Leave your comments below!

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Justin Bieber, Drake Land Juno Nods

07 Feb 2012 15:17:14 EST

Avril Lavigne, deadmau5 and Nickelback were also nominated for Canadian music awards.
By Jocelyn Vena

Justin Bieber
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/ Getty Images

Just days before the Grammy Awards are handed out here in the States, the nominees for the Canadian version of the music awards show, the Juno Awards, were announced on Tuesday (February 7) with Drake, Justin Bieber and Michael Bublé all landing nods. Some of Canada's biggest acts will face off in the Album of The Year category: Avril Lavigne for Goodbye Lullabye, Drake for Take Care, Justin Bieber for his Christmas-themed Under the Mistletoe, Michael Bublé for his holiday album Christmas and rockers Nickelback for Here and Now.

Bieber scored his second nomination in the Fan Choice Award category along with Arcade Fire, Lavigne, City and Colour, deadmau5, Drake, Ginette Reno, Hedley, Bublé and Nickelback. He, however, didn't manage to land any nods in other major categories like Artist of the Year. His pal Drake did nab a nom in the Artist of the Year category, along with Feist, Bublé, City and Colour and Deadmau5. While the roster of nominees for the show is uniquely Canadian, Drake's Stateside crossover makes him the most high-profile nom in the Rap Recording of the Year category. His Take Care will face off against Classified's Handshakes and Middle Fingers, D-Sisive's Jonestown 2: Jimmy Go Bye Bye, Kardinal Offishall's Anywhere (Ol Time Killin Part II) and Swollen Members' Dagger Mouth. Nickelback, Feist and Deadmau5 are among the artists set to perform at the show, which takes place on April 1.

A number of Juno nominees are also Grammy-nominated. Deadmau5, for instance, won't have to wait until April to find out if his hard work has paid off. He is also up for several Grammy Awards including Best Dance/Electronica Album for 4x4=12. Drake's work on tracks with Rihanna and DJ Khaled and Nicki Minaj has shined some Grammy light on him this year as well. And, Bieber's "Born to Be Somebody" from his movie "Never Say Never," is up for Best Song Written for Visual Media. Who should take home prizes at the Juno awards? Leave your picks in the comments section below! Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don't miss Sway and James Montgomery live from the Grammys red carpet this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And the fun doesn't end Sunday: MTV News has you covered until the Grammy hangover wears off!

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Drake Wrestles Tiger, Wows Fans In South Africa

23 Jan 2012 12:47:46 EST

'I went on a safari — I got tackled by a tiger!' Drake tells MTV News of his recent trip overseas.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sam Hendrick

Drake
Photo: MTV News

Drake's Club Paradise Tour doesn't kick off until next month, but that hasn't stopped Drizzy from getting in some show dates. On Saturday, the Young Money soldier rocked the Bing Bar in Park City, Utah, during the Sundance Film Festival, and in December, he took a couple of dates in South Africa. During his trip, Drake learned not to underestimate his overseas fans and ... to beware of tigers.

"Africa was amazing, man. Africa was amazing because I went, like, OK, I'm gonna have to do Rihanna 'What's My Name,' I'm gonna have to do 'Bedrock,' I'm gonna have to do 'Every Girl,' " Drake told MTV News of his planned playlist. "I went out there and I did the music that I thought they wanted to hear and all they were screaming was, like, they wanted to hear Take Care. They wanted to hear the new stuff." Of course, Drizzy has a ton of solo hits like "Best I Ever Had," "Successful," "Over" and "Find Your Love." When you add in his high-powered collaborations with Rihanna, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, it all makes for a pretty impressive set list. Going into his African show dates, Drake didn't even consider the impact that his material from the November-released Take Care would have on fans. "I started performing the new stuff and they knew it word for word," he said. "It was incredible. It was like 5,000 people." Apparently people aren't the only ones to go crazy over the Toronto MC either: He has quite the effect on animals. "I went on a safari — I got tackled by a tiger!" he said. "It was crazy!"

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Sundance 2012: Interviews From Park City

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Drake Takes Sundance By Storm

22 Jan 2012 15:37:35 EST

Toronto MC debuts new verses and first-time performances at Utah club during Sundance Film Festival.
By Joel Hanek

Drake performs during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

PARK CITY, Utah — Underneath the blizzard-like conditions that blanketed Park City on Saturday night, the Bing Bar was packed with hundreds of people waiting for a chance to catch Drake give a rare stripped-down, intimate performance.

The delay-inducing snowstorm coupled with an open bar made for a fickle audience. Comedian Aziz Ansari opened the show with material about relationships that would have normally served as a nice amuse-bouche to Drake's emotive content. But much to the chagrin of the "Parks and Recreation" star, the audience talked through most of the set. The most entertaining part of the 10-minute set came when an unprompted Cuba Gooding Jr. ran onstage to instruct the audience to "Shut the f--- up." An exasperated Ansari dismissively conceded that Gooding Jr. wasn't as funny as the movie "Boat Trip" before ending his set. After crowds waited nearly three hours for the rapper to hit the stage, a triumphant Drake emerged and immediately made up for lost time. He opened by hitting the crowd with "Up All Night" and instantly cut into his first verse on "Forever." After taking a breather to introduce Toronto-based DJ Future the Prince, Drake apologized for the wait, which he explained was due to a six-hour plane delay, but the crowd didn't seem to mind. Announcing that he hadn't had a drink all night, Drake took long pulls from a bottle of vodka to catch up. Even without his normal backing band and spectacle light show, the newly fueled MC managed to bring an arena-size performance by going back in with the crowd-pleasing anthem "Show Me a Good Time" paired with his latest single, "Proud of You." Never forgetting to rep Young Money and his mentor Lil Wayne, Drake delivered his verse on "I'm On One" before showing some more Weezy love with "HYFR" and "The Motto." Earlier in the night, MTV caught up with Drake briefly on the red carpet. When asked about the upcoming mixtape with Rick Ross, Y.O.L.O., the rapper gave a knowing smile and simply replied, "You'll find out tonight," before doing the red carpet equivalent of a mic drop and moving on. Perhaps Drake was hinting at the only never-before-heard material of his Saturday-night set, a new version of "She Will," for which he told the crowd that he had a new verse. After crooning the chorus, the rapper spit a few bars of oscillating tempo about a wayward tryst that seemed to be a kindred lyrical spirit to "Marvin's Room." Drake finished his set by playing the up-tempo tracks from the first half of Take Care. Bringing it back to his Toronto pride, the DJ cued up the Weeknd-produced "Crew Love." Once the track finished, a glowing Drake revealed, "That was the first time I played that one live." The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance.

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Sundance 2012 Concert Guide: Who's Playing When

19 Jan 2012 10:58:59 EST

Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Afrojack and more set to perform at film festival in Park City, Utah.
By Kara Warner

The Egyptian theater in Park City, Utah
Photo: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images

For those unfamiliar with the goings-on at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, the annual star-studded event has morphed from a modest independent film festival into a full-blown showcase for all aspects of the entertainment industry, including film, television and music — not to mention the promotional opportunities for a multitude of consumer goods and lifestyle brands at the festival's infamous gifting lounges.

In regard to the musical element of the festival, this year's performance and concert lineup features a slew of big names more accustomed to large venues with sell-out crowds than the intimate settings at Sundance's smaller-scale venues. Park City Live in association with Continuum Entertainment Group will host live performances by LMFAO & House of Party Rock on Saturday, deadmau5 on Sunday. Microsoft's Bing Bar, located at the historic former Claim Jumper Hotel on Main Street, will feature Wiz Khalifa and Jason Mraz on Friday, Drake on Saturday, Cobra Starship on Sunday, Theophilus London on Monday, and James Murphy on Tuesday. Their SPIN Music Sessions series will include happy-hour shows by Gary Clark Jr. on Friday, Cool Kids on Saturday, Group Love on Sunday, and Fitz and the Tantrums on Monday. Following Friday's artist talk with guests Mary J. Blige and Mos Def, celebrating the documentary "Invisible War," the Sundance Channel is hosting a special afterparty with performances by Estelle and DJ Jesse Marco at Sugar Lounge on Main Street. Other acts to look out for include Afrojack on Thursday (January 19), OneRepublic at Park City Live on Tuesday, and the All-American Rejects on Wednesday as part of Sundance's ASCAP event.

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Adele's 21 Ties Titanic Soundtrack With 16th Week At #1

18 Jan 2012 11:48:35 EST

British belter's smash album catches up to 1997 blockbuster album with its 16th non-consecutive week atop the Billboard chart.
By James Montgomery

Photo:

Move over, James Cameron (and Celine Dion): Adele just landed her Sweet 16th.

Yes, once again the British belter's 21 album tops the Billboard 200 chart, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, marking the 16th (non-consecutive) week it sits at #1. The mark ties it with the soundtrack to the 1997 blockbuster "Titanic," which was buoyed by Dion's massive "My Heart Will Go On." Up next for Adele? Well, first, it's Billy Ray Cyrus' Some Gave All, which topped the Billboard charts for 17 weeks in 1992, followed by Garth Brooks' Ropin' the Wind, which was #1 for 18 weeks. Then, it's the 1992 soundtrack to "The Bodyguard," which, powered by Whitney Houston's takes on "I'm Every Woman" and "I Will Always Love You," spent 20 weeks atop the Billboard albums chart. Oh, and Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii, which also spent 20 weeks at #1. Rarefied air, indeed. 21 sold more than 104,000 copies to take the top spot, easily outpacing the week's biggest debut, the David Crowder Band's Give Us Rest, which sold nearly 51,000 copies to open at #2. The Black Keys' El Camino holds strong at #3 for a second week, selling more than 36,000 copies and moving past the 500,000 mark in total sales in the process. Drake's Take Care (nearly 32,000 copies sold) and Snow Patrol's new Fallen Empires (nearly 31,000 copies) round out the top five. Young Jeezy's TM 103: Hustlerz Ambition is in at #6, with sales of nearly 24,000 copies, followed by Rihanna's Talk That Talk at #7 (nearly 22,000 copies), Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto at #8 (nearly 20,000 copies), Nickelback's Here and Now at #9 (19,000-plus copies) and the 40th installment of the ubiquitous Now compilation, which comes in at #10 with sales of more than 17,000 copies. Outside the top 10, there were debuts by Yo Gotti, whose Live From the Kitchen sold more than 16,000 copies to open at #12, Rebelution's Peace of Mind (#13, also posting sales of more than 16,000 copies), critical darling Lana Del Rey's self-titled EP (#20, nearly 14,000 copies sold) and the soundtrack to "Joyful Noise," which bowed at #21 with sales of more than 13,000 copies.

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Drake And The Weeknd Work Like 'Family'

13 Jan 2012 06:53:14 EST

Producer 40 says Drake's 'Crew Love' was 'an important record for him to make, and the Weeknd was someone that he wanted to include on that.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Steven Roberts

The Weeknd and Drake
Photo: Getty Images

To his fans, the Weeknd is quite mysterious. Though the Toronto singer/songwriter stayed plenty busy putting out three free albums online last year, he has shied away from the spotlight, making very few public appearances and doing only a small number of interviews. While he remains an enigma to fans, to Drake, Noah "40" Shebib and the entire October's Very Own team, the Weeknd (real name: Abel Tesfaye) is family. "Weeknd is obviously someone very close to us and our family. He's from Toronto and someone we've been associated with and working with for quite some time," Shebib told MTV News when we visited Toronto in December. "So that's close to home, that's easy. He's in and out of the studio whatever the case is — that's family."

Weeknd released his first album House of Balloons in March, then its follow-up Thursday in August and then completed the trilogy with Echoes of Silence in December. His music has no doubt caused a stir, and he was most recently tapped to perform at the upcoming Coachella music festival. Two key appearances on Drake's Take Care also did a lot to raise the Weeknd's musical profile. His soulful wails drive Drizzy's pulsating hometown dedication "Crew Love." Even to the unfamiliar, it's impossible not to notice Tesfaye's key contribution. " 'Crew Love' was just a moment for Drake, as far as the content of the record and what was going on around him in his life and his people and his team and how much he cares for them," 40 explained. "That was just an important record for him to make, and the Weeknd was someone that he wanted to include on that, and that made sense." On "The Ride," the Weeknd contributes in a different way, blending his vocals into the background of the track while Drake raps throughout. It's almost as if the emerging vocalist is an instrument, rather than a guest on the track. " 'The Ride' was really just a vibe, it was a vibe that the Weeknd caught, and it was just so crazy that Drake wanted to rap on it," Shebib said. "On 'The Ride,' he's definitely an instrument, and he's singing all through Drake's vocals." It is all a great introduction for an artist with a ton of potential, but as for what the Weeknd has planned next, no one really knows. "He's not interested in playing the game right now," Shebib said. "He wants to put out his music, and I think when he's finished putting out his music, he'll reassess his feelings on the game." After our interview with 40, the Weeknd released the third mixtape in his trilogy (Echoes of Silence), and now we wait to see what's next. Miss any of our exclusive interview with Noah "40" Shebib? Check out his track-by-track breakdown of Take Care, his thoughts on the Rihanna-featuring title track and why he isn't competing with Kanye West.

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Drake And Rihanna's 'Take Care' Is 'Real,' 40 Says

12 Jan 2012 06:53:11 EST

Producer is surprised that Take Care's title track isn't already a hit.
By Steven Roberts

Noah "40" Shebib
Photo: MTV News

Drake's Take Care has spawned three successful singles so far in "Marvin's Room," "Headlines" and "The Motto." The infinitely interesting and introspective "Marvin's Room" has inspired several remixes. "The Motto" has had a similar effect in the Bay Area — hip-hop's oft-ignored, red headed stepchild — while "Headlines" is currently dominating the airwaves. Similarly, the title track from Take Care seems destined to be a crossover smash. After all, the song features an international superstar in Rihanna. However, when MTV News caught up with the song's producer, Noah "40" Shebib, in Toronto late last year, he said he and Drake were surprised the tune that inspired "Take Care" wasn't already a hit.

The Drake song is actually a remake of a Jamie xx's remix of the legendary, late Gil Scott-Heron's "I'll Take Care of U." Jamie xx, a member of the Mercury Award-winning English group the xx, remixed Scott-Heron's 2010 album I'm New Here last year, creating We're New Here. 40 said he and the team at OVO felt "I'll Take Care of U" never got its deserved shine, so they asked Jamie for the files so they could "take this song and make it go. "What a great record! How come this song was never as big as it should've or could've been?" 40 said of Jamie xx's remix. "Drake had asked me to find him a pocket to rap on, so we programmed the drums and got him a place where he could at least flow and have a little bit of a bounce," he added. After a few tweaks, the two had a new record, but they wanted to add something extra. 40 thought Rihanna, with her background and her history with Drake, was an obvious choice to make the song what it is. "Who else do you put on it?" he said. "There's not a lot of young females out there right now, and on top of that, the story is just brilliant between the two of them, and it's believable and it works and it's real." What do you think of Drake's "Take Care"? Sound off in the comments! All week, we'll bring you highlights from our candid interview with Drake producer Noah "40" Shebib. Be sure to keep it locked here as 40 talks Take Care and his thoughts on everything from working with Lil Wayne to Drizzy's next single with Rihanna.

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