Alicia Keys

Kanye West, UGK Win Big At BET Awards, But Ne-Yo, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne Performances Steal The Show

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:12:00 EDT

Chris Brown and Ciara also bring heat with sexy dance routine.
By Shaheem Reid

Lil Wayne and Kanye West onstage at the 2008 BET Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Are we really supposed to call them "T-Wayne"? Collaboration kings T-Pain and Lil Wayne — who have revealed plans to forge a supergroup together in the future — made a joint effort to move the crowd during last night's BET Awards in Los Angeles. Pain came out during Weezy F Baby's closing set and helped the New Orleans "Fireman" with his medley finale.

The pair started out with "Got Money" from last week's #1 album, Tha Carter III. In the midst of the mayhem, Pain showed off a T-shirt that read "T-Wayne." Weezy then went into "Lollipop," and the two shouted out the late co-star of the record, Static Major, who died in February. Pain and Wayne sent everyone home right after "A Milli," the most energetically performed number of the trio of cuts.

Of course, there were awards handed out as well. Kanye West got two big wins with Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and Best Collaboration. West brought T-Pain onstage with him for the latter, and Pain took his sweet time getting to the podium: He walked in slow motion all the way from his seat, ensuring that everyone could see his flamboyant circus-ringleader outfit, which was silver and black (with a matching top hat to boot) and had a litany of designs on it. UGK also won two awards (Best Group and Best Video, for "Int'l Players Anthem"), Lil Wayne took the Viewers Choice award, Alicia Keys nabbed Best R&B Female Artist and Chris Brown won Best R&B Male, Missy Elliott scored Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and The-Dream won Best New Artist. (Head here for a complete list of winners and nominees.) Actor/comedian D.L. Hughley was the host of the night, and Diddy and Keri Hilson hosted a live afterparty.

But as always, the highlights of the night — both good and less good — were the performances.

No doubt Usher is one of the top showmen in the game, but the famed pharaoh of performing seemed to lip-sync his way through "Love in This Club" as he opened the show. Ush did display some slick dance moves on a conveyer belt, at one point sliding through the legs of three female dancers.

Kanye West brought the audience to its feet when he joined Young Jeezy for "Put On." 'Ye went through a couple of false starts on his verse, beginning to rap "I feel like there's still n---as that still owe me checks/ I feel like there's still [women] that owe me sex" too early in the song. However, West did compensate for the errors with his undeniable presence.

Very sexy was the pairing of Chris Brown and Ciara during "Take You Down." Cici did gyrations that would make most professional strippers retire as she stood over Brown, who lay flat on the ground. The duo had the dance moves of the night when Ciara slowly fell backward from a standing position and Brown caught her with one of his feet. Only the best can do that!

Alicia Keys brought girl power — actually, grown woman power — to the stage during "Teenage Love Affair." Keys started with her hit, then transitioned into classics by top female R&B acts. SWV came out for "Weak"; En Vogue — all four members, y'all — stepped onstage for "Hold On"; and TLC came out for "Waterfalls." It's always emotional to see Chilli and T-Boz sing without Left Eye. No matter how excited you might be to see the two, there's always a sigh in the heart because the spunkiest part of the group is no longer with us.

Ne-Yo shut things down with "Closer," which was the sleeper highlight moment of the night. Ne-Yo showed off his dancing skills with a very versatile repertoire, which include frat stepping, smooth spins and some foot-gliding.

Earlier in the evening, Al Green had everyone singing "Let's Stay Together," and Keyshia Cole, Lil' Kim, Nelly, Fergie and T-Pain and friends also performed.

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Swizz Beatz Addresses Alicia Keys Rumors, Reveals Michael Jackson Tour Deal

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EDT

'It's a headache to me,' producer/rapper says of reports that Keys broke up his marriage.
By Shaheem Reid

Swizz Beatz
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/ Getty Images

So cool, so nonchalant — even his most extravagant endeavors seem like just regular work to Swizz Beatz.

"I'm working on this new Michael Jackson sh--," Swizz said in as calm a manner as he did when speaking to his new manager, Chaka Zulu, about which Los Angeles restaurant they should dine at. "I'm probably gonna be producing his tour and everything. I'm designing planes for Gulf Stream and everything. They called me. I'm around different people. I'm around billionaires. I'm around people like that."

The producer said his professional life is going so well that he didn't have time to be bothered by all the rumors about his personal life. A few months ago, he and his wife, Mashonda, announced they were splitting.

"Everybody can have their fun right now talking that dumb sh-- about my divorce and all that," he said. "I'mma give them something to talk about. People get divorced every f---in' day. They need to worry about more serious things."

The big rumor in the tabloids is that Swizz and his wife broke up over the proverbial "other woman." What made the story so sensational was that the alleged mistress in this case was Grammy winner Alicia Keys. Swizz dismissed it.

"It ain't even bad," he said, more agitated. "My divorce, it ain't nothing bad. It's just us moving on. Me and Shonda are super good. It is what it is. [The press] are nine months late on the situation. It's a headache to me. We been separated nine or 10 months already."

Swizz's ire was raised in particular by recent headlines on the front pages of Hip Hop Weekly and MediaTakeout.com.

"That sh-- just looks like drama," he said. "They got another big name involved. No, I'm not doing [any] f---ing interviews. Only thing I'm commenting on is music-related. I don't comment on my personal life. Why start now? You start commenting on that sh--, then they start twisting it out. I'm not gonna speak about nothing. They [gave Mashonda] two pages in Hip Hop Weekly. She didn't even say nothing about Alicia. They blew it up on MediaTakeout.com. They flipped that into some other sh--.

"I'm not hiding anything," he added. "I can see if I was hiding something. I'm a grown man. Nobody is living no perfect life. Mashonda has a single coming out that I funded, photo shoots that I funded. We made our statement that we're still working together. They didn't wanna believe it. I said I would be continuing to support her career. Nobody wants to look at that sh--. They wanna look at 'Alicia Keys.' That sh-- is ignorant."

Later, Swizz did admit to hooking up with Alicia Keys, albeit in the musical sense. He produced a remix of her "Teenage Love Affair."

"The Alicia Keys remix is with LL Cool J," he explained. "I used the Slick Rick 'Teenage Love' on it. Then I had your man LL do the old-school 'When I'm alone in my room, sometimes I stare at the wall.' ... He used that flow. I got a couple of joints on the new T.I. album. Couple of joints on the new Ludacris. Couple of joints with Young Jeezy. Just working, man."

One of the T.I. songs is called "Louis Rag." "All right, OK, I don't dance, no way," Swizz raps on the record. "I just take my Louis rag and wave it around in the air/ I take my Gucci rag and throw it around in the air."

When asked about Tip's description of the song as the new "Bring 'Em Out," Swizz said, "I wouldn't put it under that much pressure," with a grin. "I like it. It works."

Swizzy is also behind the new G-Unit record "Get Down" and is in the lab working on some brand-new Jay-Z songs. "I gave him the out-of-control Swizz," Beatz said of the tracks. "You'll see. Out of control! F--- — spazzin', out of control!"

Swizz's new album is called Life After the Party and should be out sometime in October. The lead cut is "Where the Cash At." He already finished a video and is working on a remix. Swizz's artist Cassidy is working on a new LP as well, and there's a strong chance he'll be leaving J Records for another recording home.

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Alicia Keys Becomes Young Mother, Businesswoman, Pharaoh And More In New 'Superwoman' Clip

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:15:00 EDT

'No matter who we are or what we're going through, we all are superwomen,' singer says.
By Chris Harris

Alicia Keys on the set of "Superwoman"
Photo: MTV News

She won't be leaping any tall buildings or saving the planet from total annihilation at the hands of a well-funded, deranged, criminal mastermind. But in the forthcoming video for "Superwoman," Alicia Keys will be paying homage to all of womankind, in her own unique way.

"The video is representing all kinds of superwomen, and the exciting part is, not only am I able to be myself in the video, but I'm able to play all of these other women as well," Keys told MTV News on the "Superwoman" set this week. The single is the latest from Keys' 2007 LP As I Am, which to date has sold nearly 3.5 million copies. "One example is a woman who is a young mother who is struggling and trying to make ends meet but also has bigger dreams for herself. She wants to go to school, so we'll see her filling out applications. She's a superwoman because it's hard to do all of those things."

In the video, shot by director Chris Robinson (who helmed Keys' "You Don't Know My Name" and "Karma" clips), Keys will also portray a Somali woman, who crosses miles of scorched earth just to supply her family with fresh drinking water, as well as a cutthroat businesswoman and a female pharaoh.

"I love the diversity of it all and how it says, 'No matter who we are or what we're going through, we all are superwomen,' " Keys explained. "It's going to be a pretty incredible journey. It's one of my favorite songs off of the album, and it's just very inspirational, because I wrote it when I really needed to hear some words that said to me that, even when you're not perfect, and you're kind of out of it, and you're off, and you're feeling like a mess, you're still a superwoman. The song, every time I sing it, makes me feel inspired to be however I am that day."

The video, which is expected to begin airing later this month, is one of a handful of projects occupying the singer's time these days. In addition to her current U.S. tour with Ne-Yo and Jordin Sparks scheduled to wrap June 18 at New York's Madison Square Garden, and the premiere of her "Alicia in Africa" documentary set for July 4, Keys has been busy reading movie scripts and working on material for her next album.

"Musically, once I find a comfortable place, which I'm in now, I do tend to create, just to create," she said. "So I can't say I'm working on an album. I just let it develop as it goes. I have a couple of ideas for the next record, and I know how I want it to feel. But I'm just being creative right now, and not forcing it into something.

"It comes naturally, as we grow," she continued. "You just find different sides of yourself that you realize express who you are at that time. When I first started out, I was just brand new to everything. And really, I love the person I was — and I am still that person in many ways — but it's still exciting to grow as a person, an artist, a woman, who just has strong visions and ideas and thoughts. I am proud of my progression, and it represents my growth as a woman. I am definitely feeling my own freedom a little bit more, and my own strength and ability to create the life that I want for myself."

This October, Keys will be seen on the big screen alongside Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Dakota Fanning in "Love and Basketball" director Gina Prince-Bythewood's "The Secret Life of Bees."

"It's a beautiful book, and it's a beautiful story," explained Keys, who made her movie debut in 2007's "Smokin' Aces." "Sort of like a finding-your-way story, which is something everyone can relate to. I'm super-excited about it, and I feel it's my best work yet."

Beyond that, Keys said she'd love to be considered for the lead in any Lena Horne biopics, and is gunning for the lead in one of Halle Berry's upcoming projects: a biopic on the life of Philippa Duke Schuyler.

"She was a classical pianist during the '40s and '50s, and she was half-black, half-white," Keys said. "It was a very interesting time to grow up in that way, and be a classical pianist, so it's an interesting story that I would love to be a part of."

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Kanye West Joins Lil Wayne Onstage At Hot 97 Summer Jam, But Alicia Keys, T-Pain and D-Block Steal The Show

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 02:20:00 EDT

Surprise guests Wu-Tang Clan, LL Cool J, Shawty Lo, Rick Ross and others take the stage.
By Shaheem Reid

Kanye West performs at the Hot 97 Summer Jam on Sunday
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Fans living in the New York tristate area might as well swallow that sour pill and face facts. We probably will never see a Summer Jam concert with Jay-Z and 50 Cent both on the bill.

50 Cent is banned from Giants Stadium due to that infamous, onstage chair- (or shall we say chair-aaaairs?) throwing incident with Bang 'Em Smurf and some rivals from his neighborhood a few years back. Other than a brief cameo during Kanye West's set several years ago, Young Hov hasn't performed at SJ since he brought Michael Jackson out and dissed Nas and Mobb Deep way back in 2001.

That void is always going to be felt. You could hear it last night, as 40,000-plus were yelling "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa" in unison when one of the stations threw on G-Unit's "Rider Part 2." Everyone was singing 50's lines as if to say, "We want the Unit!" C'mon, somebody get Michael Strahan to work something out.

That's not to say Hot 97 couldn't pull off a quality show with a lineup that boasted hip-hop's MVP and the man just named the Hottest MC in the Game. Lil Wayne and Kanye West headed up the roster that also included T-Pain, Ray J and Yung Berg, D-Block, Alicia Keys and, surprisingly, Public Enemy.

The most energetic Summer Jam moments came in the first half of the show. If you were fashionably late, you missed out. Alicia Keys was onstage at 7:05 p.m., just 35 minutes after the official showtime and third in the lineup behind Ray J and The-Dream.

Keys started off with the reggae-tinged "Ghetto Story" and had the whole stadium going "Rah! Rah! Rah!" "Teenage Love Affair" followed, and then she started paying homage to Mary J. Blige, singing "Be Happy" a cappella. The beat for the remix to "Be Happy" kicked in, and out came Brooklyn's Maino. His current street thumper "Hi Hater" shamelessly jacks the beat from the Queen of R&B soul's classic.

Thousands waved their arms side to side with open palms. Imaginary foes were greeted with sarcastic adoration, "Hi, hata! Hi, hata. You see me. Hi, hata." Ms. Keys then pulled out her trump card with one of her favorite groups, the Wu-Tang Clan. First, Raekwon the Chef came out for "Incarcerated Scarfaces." Method Man and Ghostface Killah appeared a couple of minutes later and helped Rae on "Ice Cream." Method Man jumped in the crowd during "Method Man." Keys' set was showered with applause as she set the standard for the night early on.

If you weren't familiar with hip-hop, you would think D-Block had sold twice as many records as Keys in their career. They are just that big in New York. They always get that Diamond Awards-winning reception at Summer Jam. Styles P, Sheek Louch and DJ Kid Capri started out with a medley of their concreted embedded smashes, such as "F--- You" and "Wild Out." Jadakiss finally joined his troupe during the "Paper Touchin' " remix. D-Block brought out Red Cafe, Fabolous and Fat Joe, who all perform on Jadakiss' record. It was absolutely an SJ snapshot to go on the bulletin board of fame. The mics were dripping with NYC pride. The LOX threw it way back to 1998 next. They brought out former Firm member Nature and the always-wild N.O.R.E. for "Banned From TV." The show-stealer of the Lox's set, though, was LL Cool J. Uncle was a major surprise, coming out to "Rock the Bells" and murdering the night with "Headsprung."

"A lot of people been sleepin'. Y'all gonna wake up this year," Cool J declared about his new projects before he walked off.

T-Pain's show was full of plain-old tomfoolery, action and more guest spots. T-Pain started off doing more dancing than singing, popping and locking and doing the two-step with his two hypemen. Pain's first guest was Shawty Lo, who did "Dey Know." Almost immediately, the crowd started mimicking L.O.'s running-in-place dance. "Bankhead, still been pulling capers!" they all shouted during his song. Miami's DJ Khaled and Rick Ross came out for "I'm So Hood." Ross appeared wearing nothing but his tattoos from the waist up, but the Southern Don had so much swagger, you would think he was as chiseled as 50 Cent when he strolled on. Pain ended triumphantly with Akon, Ross and Fat Joe for "We Takin' Over."

When one of the station's DJs asked the crowd who they came to see, Lil Wayne got the loudest cheers. He kicked his set off with "A Milli," an agitated gumbo of metaphors and Weezy's raw-dog presence. Wayne's set held the guests to a minimum. Playaz Circle's Tity Boi came out for the well-received "Duffle Bag Boy," and Kanye helped him close out on the remix to "Lollipop," a rousing Wayne highlight. The Birdman Jr. once again performed his naughty ode to oral sex, "Pu--- Monster."

When was the last time you heard Kanye West concede his show wasn't the best? Ever? Kanye got that coveted 9 p.m. Summer Jam spot, and he did bring a spectacle like we'd never seen on a stage with explosive lights, pyrotechnics and a multi-piece band. It felt like we were at a Kanye concert instead of a hodgepodge of who's hot and their random guests.

West started with "Diamonds From Sierra Leone," "Champion," "Get 'Em High" and "Jesus Walks."

"It took me a long time to get to this stage, to be able to close this," Kanye said. He shared recollections of seeing Jay-Z tear the show down years before. "I keep trying harder to raise this sh-- up a notch and do what I gotta do to be the best artist in the world. ... Y'all gonna see why I'm the number one f---in' artist in the world right now. Let's do our show."

"Homecoming" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" with Consequence followed, but it seemed to mellow out the crowd. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Flashing Lights" brought the energy back up. Young Jeezy was Kanyeezy's big cameo. They did their new collaboration "Put On." "I put on for my city," Jeezy rapped, wearing a T-shirt that read "F--- Bush."

But the overall reaction to his set seemed to fall short of Kanye's expectations.

"I'll take this one on the chin," he said. "I seen n---as catch it before closing out. I'll take this one on the chin."

He pledged to go in the studio and make new hits. Even after "Good Life," when everyone was singing "Throw your hands up in the sky," West was disappointed with his Summer Jam showing.

"NYC, thank y'all for this," he said. "I'm about to go back to the muthaf---in lab. [I'll] take it like a man."

Public Enemy brought knowledge, wisdom and understanding with them on the set. Even though most of the younger audience members seemed indifferent to PE classics such as "Welcome to the Terrordome" and "Can't Trust It," Flavor Flav and Chuck D left them with food for thought, speaking on racial injustice and the presidential race.

Though Rihanna had been advertised on the bill for weeks, she chose instead to attend the MTV Movie Awards with Chris Brown. Hot 97 failed to explain why she wasn't at the show, but they did have a fill-in: New York cult heroes, the Diplomats. Minus Cam'ron, Jim Jones and the crew ended the night with their underground breakthroughs like "Santana's Town" and "We Fly High."

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports. And send your own concert pics, videos and reviews to MTV News You R Here!

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Janet Jackson Teaches Jack Johnson Discipline, Claims Sixth #1 Debut

Wed, 5 Mar 2008 12:58:00 EST

Erykah Badu, Webbie also crack Billboard's top 10.
By Chris Harris

Janet Jackson's Discipline
Photo: Island Def Jam

How's this for a wipeout? After three weeks of domination, surfer-turned-rocker Jack Johnson's reign as the nation's top-selling artist has come to an end — and we have pop icon Janet Jackson to thank.

Jackson's latest studio offering, Discipline, will top next week's Billboard albums sales chart, having generated week-one scans of more than 181,000, dethroning Johnson's Sleep Through the Static and dropping the LP to the chart's #3 position; Johnson's disc sold just over 91,500 copies during its fourth week of commercial availability. With its strong sales, Discipline becomes Jackson's sixth career chart-topper: Her 1986 album Control also entered the top 200 at #1, as did 1989's Rhythm Nation 1814, 1993's Janet., 1997's The Velvet Rope, and 2001's All for You. (Jackson's last two releases, 2004's Damita Jo and 2006's 20 Y.O. both opened at #2.)

But Miss Jackson's new one isn't the only new release to enter in the top 10. Right behind her at #2 is the latest from Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), the first half of Badu's double-album set, which sold close to 123,900 units. Believe it or not, Badu has never seen one of her albums bow at #1; 1997's Baduizm and 2003's Worldwide Underground opened at #2 and #3, respectively.

Joining Jackson and Badu in the top 10 is rapper Webbie's Savage Life 2, which enters at #4 after selling 72,000 copies. The rest of the top 10 is teeming with the usual suspects, as well as a couple of surprises. Falling three spots to #5 on next week's chart is Alicia Keys' As I Am, which sold 57,300 copies. Coming in at #6 is "Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus," with sales reported at 54,500, and following at #7, with more than 46,700 scans, it's the soundtrack to "Once," which features the Oscar-winning number "Falling Slowly." The disc experienced a 143 percent spike in sales.

The soundtrack to "Juno" follows at #8 with 42,000 sold, and at #9, it's breakout artist Sara Bareilles' Little Voice, which sold another 37,800 units. This week, MTV News spoke with Bareilles — who's wrapping up a tour with James Blunt — about her recent rash of seemingly instant success.

"I was very surprised when we were on 'TRL' at all, but the whole time I was thinking, 'What am I doing here? This is crazy,' " she said. "It happened relatively quickly, but we've been at it a long time. This has been six years in the making, and I'm glad we're at a point where people are connecting to the music on a greater scale."

Finally, coming in at #10, it's Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, which sold another 37,500 copies, following her recent Grammy wins.

Elsewhere on the chart, rapper Shawty Lo's Units in the City opens at #13, having sold 31,000 during its first week in stores. The record was one of 20 to debut on next week's top 200. The Afters' Never Going Back to OK bows at #41 with 16,000 scans, while Goldfrapp's Seventh Tree debuts at #48, selling 14,900. Pillar's For the Love of the Game enters at #71 with 10,900 sold, while Cheri Dennis' In and Out of Love follows at #74 with 10,700-plus scanned. Tift Merritt's Another Country claims the #156 spot with 5,000 sold, and Pete Rock's NY's Finest checks in at #193 with 3,800. Finally, selling 3,700 units, it's Beach House's Devotion, which just makes the cut at #195.

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Jamie Lynn Spears Gets Her GED; Plus Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Oscars, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, DJ Khaled & More, In For The Record

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:41:00 EST

Weezy pleads not guilty to gun charges; Jay sued, but not by Kool Herc; Oscar ratings down 21 percent.
By MTV News staff

Jamie Lynn Spears
Photo: INFphoto.com

Jamie Lynn Spears was photographed last month in Louisiana carrying a GED book, and now the pregnant 16-year-old has passed the high school equivalency exam and is thinking about college, a family friend told People magazine. The "Zoey 101" star passed the test about a month ago, scoring particularly well in reading comprehension. "She's already got her diploma," the friend said of Britney's younger sister. "She wants to take her ACT [college-entrance test]. She's not wasting any time. People don't know her. When she gets something in her head, she'll make it happen. Everybody is so supportive of her." ...

Lil Wayne was in a New York courtroom Monday morning (February 25), where he entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment on gun charges stemming from an arrest in July following his first major headlining gig in the city at the Beacon Theater. According to his lawyer, Stacey Richman, Wayne (born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) was arraigned on two felony charges of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Following the show at the Beacon, police searched Wayne's tour bus and arrested the rapper for criminal possession of a .40-caliber pistol. ...

Jay-Z has been all up in the headlines in recent days. First, he showed up at Madison Square Garden as a guest of Linkin Park on Friday night. Hov and his friends mashed it up once again on the songs "Encore" and "N---a What, N---a Who (Originator 99)." On Monday, he was at the center of more controversial news: New York's Daily News reported unsubstantiated talk that Jay and Nas are planning to release a duet LP called The Kings of Hip-Hop, for release through a Warner Music Group label, and also asserted that Jay will soon be launching a new label. Also on Monday, the New York Observer originally reported — erroneously — that hip-hop founding father Kool Herc (a.k.a. Clive Campbell) was suing Jay, developer Bruce Ratner and Barclays Bank for $5 billion, filing a "claim of lien" in property records that seeks slavery reparations; the three are associated through the $4 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, New York, which is in the process of building more than 6,000 apartments and a new basketball arena in the NYC borough. Barclays owns the naming rights to the arena, and has been accused of having links with the slave trade; the bank has denied those claims, according to the report. The Observer later published a correction noting that the Clive Campbell who filed the suit was not in fact Kool Herc, but actually a Brooklyn activist with the same name. Campbell said in the claim, which was filed in October, that Ratner and Jay-Z worked "in concert" with Barclays and "profited from the African slave trade and continue to profit from these gains, through a conspiracy dating back hundreds of years and continue to date to oppress black people, enslave them, unlawfully deport them to all corners of the Earth," according to the report. Reached by MTV News on Monday, Jay-Z's rep had no comment on the Daily News and Observer stories. ...

The Oscars were a ratings dud. Viewership for Sunday's telecast was down 21 percent from last year, according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen Media Research. The least-watched Oscars ceremony ever was in 2003 with 33 million viewers; Nielsen has no estimate yet on how many people watched, but based on ratings from the nation's biggest markets, the Oscars will be hard-pressed to avoid a record low. ... As the new honorary cultural ambassador for her home country of Barbados, Rihanna is already using her clout to do some good. According to People magazine, the singer is working with the international donor network DKMS to help find a bone-marrow donor for 41-year-old New Yorker Lisa Gershowitz Flynn, a mother of two young children who suffers from leukemia and has four to six weeks to find a donor. "When I heard about Lisa's plight, my heart broke," Rihanna told the magazine. "I said, 'I need to get the word out about Lisa right away.' " ...

A rep for Alicia Keys announced over the weekend that the singer/songwriter will have to postpone two U.K. tour dates this week, one in Glasgow and one in Manchester, after the Grammy winner's doctor ordered her to go on vocal rest. According to her publicist, Keys is suffering from laryngitis and will resume her tour after taking a few days off. ... Do all of DJ Khaled's friends happen to be hip-hop or R&B top dogs? The boisterous producer/record-spinner/self-promoter headlined the Winter Fest concert at New York's Nassau Coliseum on Friday night. After a T-Pain set (Pain brought out Fabolous as his special guest), Khaled brought out Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes and the Diplomats. Unfortunately, the show ended a little anticlimactically when another DJ had several miscues trying to get the music right for Jim Jones' "We Fly High." Snoop Dogg also performed earlier in the night. ...

On Friday, a California assemblywoman introduced a bill dubbed the "Donda West Law" that requires a health check before a person undergoes elective plastic surgery. The Associated Press reported that Democrat Wilmer Amina Carter was inspired by West's niece to propose the legislation. Carter said Dr. West's death — which occurred on November 10, a day after she underwent a number of plastic-surgery procedures — showed that patients should be required to get medical clearance before cosmetic surgery. Yolanda Anderson, Donda West's niece, said the late educator's son, Kanye, is enthusiastic about the bill. ...

Jimmy Kimmel got his revenge on longtime girlfriend Sarah Silverman on a special post-Oscars episode of his talk show Sunday night. In the wake of her hit viral video, "I'm F---ing Matt Damon," Kimmel unleashed his answer track, "I'm F---ing Ben Affleck," which not only featured the late-night talker cavorting topless with Damon's BFF, but was packed with a guest appearance from Brad Pitt as a FedEx guy, a drive-by kiss from Harrison Ford, and an all-star chorus, featuring Ashlee Simpson, Pete Wentz, Cameron Diaz, Josh Groban, Lance Bass, Benji and Joel Madden, Don Cheadle, Perry Farrell, Meat Loaf, Christopher "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse, Robin Williams, Huey Lewis, Joan Jett and Macy Gray. The video is available to stream at ABC.com. ...

It seems like the second weekend in August is just too juicy to ignore. Just weeks after the cancellation of the proposed New Jersey festival from the organizers of Lollapalooza and England's Reading Festival, another East Coast festival for August 9-10 was announced. The third-annual Virgin Mobile Festival will take place at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, just three hours from the Radiohead-headlined All Points West Festival that same weekend. The lineup for the Virgin Fest will be announced soon. ...

During As I Lay Dying's gig Sunday night in Australia, guitarist Nick Hipa was struck "in the head by an empty glass Maker's Mark bottle," he wrote in a statement. While the blow stunned and disoriented the rocker, he's doing fine. "Lucky for me the bottle was huge so it didn't break, and I have no need for stitches. I'm sorry we had to stop our set, but I was quite discombobulated for a good while, and more importantly the EMT dude wouldn't let me play because my head was bleeding quite a bit ... or some sort of mumbo jumbo like that."

The Deftones are looking to hit the studio in late March with producer Terry Date (Soundgarden, Pantera) and engineer Scott Olson (Deftones, Unearth) to begin tracking their forthcoming sixth studio album, Eros. ... The recently reunited Filter are planning a tentative May 13 release for their new album Anthems for the Damned. The track "Soldiers of Misfortune" is expected to serve as the first single from the release, and will hit the airwaves March 18. ... Interpol drummer Sam Fogarino has formed a new band called Magnetic Morning, with Swervedriver guitarist Adam Franklin. The band's self-titled EP, recorded with Claudius Mittendorfer, will be released on April 19. ...

Three Nine Inch Nails songs will be made available next week as premium downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of "Rock Band," according to the game's developers. "March of the Pigs," "The Collector" and "The Perfect Drug" will be available individually and as part of a three-pack.

2.22.08

One-hundred miles and ... you're pulled over: Ne-Yo was arrested early Tuesday for reckless driving in Cobb County, Georgia, after police clocked him doing "well over 100 mph" in his 2006 Range Rover, according to TMZ. Ne-Yo (real name: Shaffer Smith) was charged with reckless driving and not having a valid license. A representative for his label, Def Jam, had no comment when reached by MTV News. ...

A lot of drama went into getting a restraining order against Sam Lutfi to prevent him from seeing or contacting Britney Spears, but the hearing regarding the matter on Friday (February 22) was uneventful. Jeffrey Wexler, an attorney for the singer's father, Jamie Spears (who has conservatorship powers over his daughter), told the court that after three weeks, Lutfi had finally been served on Thursday with the order that was to expire Friday. A federal judge had extended the order on Thursday until March 17, and since it regards the same matter, Lutfi is not longer required to be served in person but can have the temporary restraining order mailed to him. Wexler disputed any federal jurisdiction in the matter, which the judge said would be discussed at the next hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, to be held March 17. ...

In the meantime, Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton suggested a way that Britney could protect herself from Lutfi as well as the paparazzi: "stay home." In an interview on KPCC-TV on Wednesday, the LAPD chief said there was no need for the law proposed recently by city Councilman Dennis Zine to prevent photographers from getting too close to stars like Spears. "What we need is Britney Spears to stay home instead of traipsing all over town," Bratton said. "That would solve the problem. We don't need additional laws. I've got laws coming out my ears to deal with this issue. ... Quite clearly, some of these characters so favored by the paparazzi are in need of services. Not police services, but psychiatric services." ...

Snoop Dogg was ticketed Wednesday night after NYPD officers caught the rapper smoking marijuana outside a New York nightclub. According to Snoop's manager, the "Sensual Seduction" crooner was not collared: "He did not get arrested. He received a ticket for possession of marijuana," Donald Ezra told the New York Post. ... In a separate development, pop singer Aaron Carter was arrested for investigation of marijuana possession on Thursday after he was pulled over for speeding, according to People.com. Carter, the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter, was taken into custody in Junction, Texas, and will appear before a magistrate on Friday morning (February 22), Kimble County Sheriff Mike Chapman told the site. Officers found marijuana in the car after pulling Carter over for speeding, the sheriff said, adding that no one else was in the car. ...

Foo Fighters have filed suit against Marvel Comics, according to E! Online. The band claims that the creators of Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four pulled big chunks of two of their songs, "Best of You" and "Free Me," to score a trailer for the company's upcoming animated series "Wolverine and the X-Men." The suit seeks unspecified damages from Marvel. ... Amy Davis might have been booted from "American Idol" on Thursday night, but she already won a new competition Friday. The pop-star wannabe was named "Today's Girl" by Maxim.com for "all her hard work and 'American Idol' hotness," a rep for the magazine told MTV News. Davis competed in the 2007 Maxim Hometown Hotties competition and was voted by the mag's readers as a contender for the crown. Photos from that pictorial are displayed for her "Today's Girl" honor. Maxim is in the middle of its 2008 Hotties campaign, and readers can vote in the "Hottie Primaries" to narrow down the new crop of ladies. ...

Radiohead have been confirmed as both the Friday and Saturday night headliners for the first-ever All Points West Music and Arts Festival, which is set for August 8-10 at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. The festival will also feature performances from Jack Johnson, Underworld, Kings of Leon, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Cat Power, the Roots, Metric, the New Pornographers, Animal Collective, CSS, Girl Talk, the Go! Team, Sia, Black Kids, Mates of State, Rogue Wave and Your Vegas. ...

Her new single is called "Feedback" but Janet Jacket may get some responses much sooner than she expected. The singer's upcoming album, Discipline, leaked to the Web Thursday. The set features collabos with Missy Elliott and rumored husband-to-be Jermaine Dupri. Several gossip rags are reporting that Jackson has reached out to designers to design a wedding gown for her upcoming nuptials with boyfriend Dupri. ... This might not have been the birthday present Ashton Kutcher was hoping for: The actor and his wife, Demi Moore, are among hundreds of patrons of a New York bar being urged by city health officials to get a Hepatitis A vaccination after a bartender was found to be infected, according to Reuters. Kutcher hosted a 30th-birthday bash at Socialista on February 7. Among the celebrity guests were Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek, Liv Tyler and others. The city health department issued a statement, warning anyone who visited the hot spot in Manhattan's West Village on February 7, 8 or 11 to get a vaccination. ...

Coldplay have finished recording songs for their next album and are in the process of mixing the effort; the record is slated for a summer release. No additional information about the LP has been released. ... Death Cab for Cutie will issue their next record, Narrow Stairs, on May 13. Produced by the band's guitarist Chris Walla, the disc will be preceded by the single "I Will Possess Your Heart." The band will kick off a tour April 18 in Bremerton, Washington. ...

Revenge of the nerds? According to Moby, he suffered the wrath of the cool-impaired when he briefly dated actress Natalie Portman, who starred in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy. "You don't date Luke Skywalker's mom and not have [fans] hate your guts," the musician said in a feature in next month's Spin magazine. ... Avril Lavigne is ready to expand her pop-punk empire with some new ventures. The singer/actress is working on a fragrance and clothing line, she told MTV News. While she wouldn't give up the line's name, she did tell us about how she has gotten hands-on with the company. "I pick the fabrics, and how I want the fit to be, and I'm really into hoodies, so I'm going to have a lot of cool hoodies and zip-ups," she said. She is also getting involved in the perfume details. "I pick the scent, pick the bottle, and then I pick, like, the theme, and it's really fun!" Lavigne said. ...

Rockers Adema have gone on hiatus. According to bassist Dave DeRoo, the band is "starting fresh and getting a whole new team" together. While "the band is cool," he said, "we just need a new crew." The band recently parted ways with its manager and business team, and "as of right now, regretfully, there are no further plans to tour in support of [the band's most recent LP] Kill the Headlights. We are taking a break ... [and] the best thing that Adema can do for itself is re-group right now, so we can continue to be the band that you've always loved and respected." ...

All That Remains, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, the Bronx, the Dillinger Escape Plan, Evergreen Terrace and Every Time I Die are the latest additions to the lineup for this summer's Warped Tour, which gets under way this June. ... Air will mark the 10th anniversary of Moon Safari by expanding the LP into a deluxe edition. The re-release expands on the band's 1998 breakout album with a 10-track disc full of remixes and live cuts collected from the same time period. Look for it to hits stores April 1.

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Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, More Get Grammy Sales Boost, But Jack Johnson Still Tops Billboard

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:43:00 EST

Herbie Hancock, Daughtry, Foo Fighters also benefit from the post-awards bump on the albums chart.
By James Montgomery

Jack Johnson's Sleep Through the Static
Photo: Brushfire

It's an annual tradition, and probably one of the only reasons artists still bother showing up for the Grammys (well, that or the gift bag): the post-awards sales bump, which sends albums by nominees, winners and performers — and pretty much anyone who landed a few minutes of Grammy face time (if Jason Bateman had an album, it'd probably be sitting at #1 right now) — rocketing up the Billboard albums chart.

And this year was no exception. Because while Jack Johnson's Sleep Through the Static will retain its hold on the #1 spot on next week's chart, with sales of more than 179,500 copies, the rest of the Top 200 is stuffed with albums posting colossal Grammy-bump numbers, according to SoundScan data.

It all starts with the album sitting at #2, Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, which sold more than 115,300 copies (a 368 percent increase from the previous week's sales), thanks in no small part to the Beehived One's five Grammy wins — including Record and Song of the Year — and her high-profile, live-via-satellite performance.

Coming in at #3 is Alicia Keys' As I Am, which has taken up a permanent residence in the top 10 since being released in November, but still saw sales rise by 36 percent (more than 108,800 copies this week) after Keys' two Grammy performances and her win in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance category. Following behind Keys is the 2008 Grammy Nominees compilation, which sold 72,400 copies, a 40 percent increase from the previous week.

Landing at #5 is the man who shocked pretty much everyone by taking home the Grammy for Album of the Year, Herbie Hancock, who saw sales of River: The Joni Letters top the 53,800 mark, an amazing 967 percent spike from the previous week. Clearly, winning has its privileges.

The rest of the top 10 is rounded out by the "Juno" soundtrack (more than 53,200 copies sold), Best New Artist nominee Taylor Swift's self-titled debut (52,100 copies), Sheryl Crow's Detours (51,700 copies), Mary J. Blige's Growing Pains (48,600 copies) and the soundtrack to "Step Up 2 the Streets" (more than 45,200 copies).

The post-Grammy mania continued outside the top 10 too. Daughtry didn't take home an award (going 0-4), but sales of their self-titled album still rose by more than 43 percent from the previous week, landing the "Idol" finalist and his band at #15 with about 38,200 copies sold. The Foo Fighters' Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace won a pair of Grammys (for Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance), and it sold more than 33,400 copies — a 160 percent increase — to land at #22.

Other winners and performers who experienced big-time sales bumps include Carrie Underwood (almost 30,000 copies of her Carnival Ride album, a 43 percent increase from the previous week); Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad (27,000 copies, a 60 percent increase); Kanye West's Graduation (more than 22,600 copies, a 74 percent increase); and Feist, who left the Grammys with just a slice of pizza but still sold almost 14,800 copies of The Reminder, a 70 percent increase from the previous week.

Aside from all the Grammy goings-on, next week's chart will also showcase a couple of debuts. Simple Plan's serious, self-titled disc sold more than 39,200 copies to open at #14. Jam-meisters Widespread Panic bow at #78 with their Free Somehow disc, and Natalie Grant's Relentless debuts at #81.

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Lindsay Lohan Re-Creates Nude Marilyn Monroe Photo Shoot; Plus Amy Winehouse, Lil Jon, Mario, 'Idol' & More, In For The Record

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:28:00 EST

Winehouse to perform at Brit Awards; Jon's label, TVT Records, declares bankruptcy; Mario to compete on 'Dancing With the Stars.'
By MTV News staff

Lindsay Lohan on the cover of New York magazine
Photo: Bert Stern

Lindsay Lohan has done some racy photo shoots in the past, but she takes it to a whole new level in New York magazine to pay tribute to her idol. The recently rehabbed actress re-created Marilyn Monroe's famous "Last Sitting" nude pictorial for the mag's spring fashion issue with the shoot's original photographer, Bert Stein. So was she nervous about getting in front of the camera wearing nothing but a chiffon scarf? "I was comfortable with it," she told New York, though she admitted to doing "250 crunches" the previous night. On set for Lohan's revealing re-creation was a small entourage of her manager; her security guard; a makeup artist and assistant; a hairstylist and assistant; a stylist; a manicurist; a sentry posted to guard the on-loan diamonds; the photographer and his manager; two photo assistants; and the actress' younger sister, Ali. (By comparison, Stern's original shoot with Monroe was just him and his subject). "Here's a woman who is giving herself to the public," Lohan said of the original photos. "She's saying, 'Look, you've taken a lot from me, so why don't I give it to you myself.' She's taking control back." ...

After taking home five Grammys at least week's awards, Amy Winehouse will appear at the Brit Awards in London Wednesday night, her publicist confirmed. The performance will be Winehouse's first appearance on a British television program since she left a London rehab clinic two weeks ago. ...

Indie powerhouse TVT Records, home to rap stars Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins, will file for bankruptcy protection, label head Steve Gottleib announced Tuesday. According to Billboard, the New York company will continue to operate, but a number of staff members have been let go, and several acts, though not confirmed as of press time, will become free agents. The Gottleib-founded TVT rose to prominence in the '80s after releasing rock albums by Nine Inch Nails and made larger strides beginning in the '90s with its roster of hip-hop acts. Recent legal battles with Def Jam Records and Slip-N-Slide over projects by Ja Rule and Pitbull before each gained notoriety zapped TVT of millions of dollars. ... "Dancing With the Stars" typically appeals to an older demographic, but Mario hopes to bring his young fans to the competition. The R&B crooner will join "American Pie" star Shannon Elizabeth, Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, Olympic gold medalist Kristy Yamaguchi and more on the reality show's new season, which kicks off March 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

The producers of "American Idol" have teamed up with Apple's iTunes Store, giving "Idol" fans the chance to purchase music by their favorite contestants before the show's winner is crowned. Starting this week, iTunes will offer downloads of every performance from the top 24 semifinalists, for 99 cents; full videos of the final 12 contestants will be offered for $1.99 beginning March 12. iTunes will also allow customers to pre-order tracks from a given contestant for automatic download the day after "Idol" airs. One-click access to the store is being made available from the show's official Web site. ... "American Idol" victor Jordin Sparks will be the opening act on Alicia Keys' upcoming North American tour, which kicks off April 19 in Hampton, Virginia. The tour concludes June 18 with a performance at New York's Madison Square Garden. ...

They haven't even been born yet, but Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's twins might already be earning some cash. People magazine reportedly shelled out up to $6 million for the first crack at photos of the babies, while OK! struck an exclusive deal for international rights to the pictures, according to AdAge magazine. However, People and the stars' reps denied that these deals are final. ... Heidi Klum to the rescue! According to an AP report, the model and "Project Runway" host wants to help Britney Spears and said she'd be willing to open her home to the troubled pop star while she tries to put her life back together. "She can call me and come live in our house with us for a couple of months," Klum said. "I would help set her straight. I am sorry when a young person gets thrown so off-track. She has, of course, lived an extremely wild life." No word on whether Spears will take her up on the offer. ...

According to The Associated Press, the Spice Girls' tour-bus driver assisted police in the arrest of a Michigan man, who is the chief suspect in a carjacking. Police told the wire service that the bus driver called 911 to report a possible drunk driver weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 75, just outside of Detroit, on Saturday. (The Spice Girls were performing that night in nearby Auburn Hills.) The motorist was arrested and turned over to police in the town of Burton in connection with a carjacking at a gas station. Police did not identify the Spice Girls' bus driver or the man who was arrested. ...

Pink's marriage might be ending, but her movie career is still moving forward. She shot "Catacombs" several years ago, and now the horror film will finally see the light of day — or, at least, the DVD shelf — when it is released in video stores Tuesday (February 19). "It takes place in Paris," Pink told MTV News when she first shot the movie. "I'm an expatriate who moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne, but I dropped out, because I like to party, and my friends run all these underground parties in the Paris tunnels, where they have all these ancient remains of people. And people actually do party underground there. It's all true. It's pretty amazing and intricate, actually." Pink's character then invites her younger sister (played by Shannyn Sossamon) to come and visit, and because her sib is "very high-anxiety, an annoying nervous wreck," Pink decides to invite her to the catacomb parties to "mess with her a little bit. It's all about family ties and how evil we can be to our siblings and what we get for doing that," Pink said. Despite the film's locale, she only shot in the City of Lights for four days, and the rest of "Catacombs" was actually shot in Bucharest, Romania. "It's cheaper," she shrugged. ...

My Chemical Romance have revealed details of their upcoming tour. The trek will feature openers Billy Talent and Drive By, and get under way March 28 in Tempe, Arizona. Dates are scheduled through May 6 in Philadelphia. ... Green Jellÿ, that long-forgotten mock-metal outfit behind the infectious "Three Little Pigs," have reformed and are in the process of booking a national tour for this summer. The band will also re-release 1991's Cereal Killer and 1994's 333 LPs, along with a DVD of all their videos. For now, Green Jellÿ are scheduled to play the new Milwaukee Metalfest on June 7 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...

Camp Freddy, the cover band featuring Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, ex-Cult bassist Billy Morrison and Velvet Revolver's Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland, will be taking over Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre "every Thursday night during the month of May for our very first residency," the band reports. "Each week we will perform a different set list, and the evening's performance will culminate with two or three songs featuring our very special guests of the night. We will not be advertising these guests in advance. The band will be joined each week by our good friend and longtime Camp Freddy cohort [Sugar Ray's] Mark McGrath." ...

On Saturday, Bury Your Dead guitarist Eric Ellis was attacked by six individuals following the band's performance at the Rave in Milwaukee. Ellis was held at gunpoint while the men hit him multiple times with a baseball bat and hammer. Local police have characterized the incident as a "gang initiation." Despite his injuries, Ellis and the rest of the band will continue on with their tour alongside Hellyeah. "It will take more than this to stop Bury Your Dead," the band said in a statement. ...

Ska-punk act Goldfinger will return April 22 with Hello Destiny, which will be issued by Side One Dummy Records. The album follows 2005's Disconnect Notice and will feature founding guitarist Charlie Paulsen, who parted ways with the band in 1997. ... Portland, Maine, rockers 6Gig will be reuniting for two hometown gigs. The shows are set for April 25 and April 26, at the Big Easy. ... Foxy Shazam will be hitting the road with Portugal. the Man starting March 17 in El Paso, Texas. The trek runs through March 27 in San Francisco. ...

Underoath have tapped Matt Goldman and Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz to produce their forthcoming album, which they've written eight songs for so far and will begin recording in about a month. Meanwhile, the band's "Live" CD/DVD set will hit stores May 13.

2.15.08

Alicia Keys took home four trophies from the NAACP Image Awards, held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium Thursday night. She won the Outstanding Album and Outstanding Female Artist prizes, as well as the top video and song awards. Other honorees included Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Denzel Washington and Janet Jackson. Washington and his "Great Debaters" co-star Jurnee Smollett won the Best Actor and Actress prizes for film, while Jackson received the Best Supporting Actress honor for her work in "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" ...

As Britney Spears' father extended control over her affairs in Los Angeles on Thursday, a New York attorney attempted to undo them by taking the conservatorship to federal court. Claiming he represents the singer — despite a judge already deciding she's unable to retain counsel of her own just yet — attorney Jon Eardley filed a claim that the singer's conservatorship deprives her of her civil liberties, since she's been denied the right to meet freely with whom she chooses (as her father has the power to restrict visitors); make and receive phone calls (since a restraining order prevents manager Sam Lutfi from contacting her); drive a car (since her father hired security to do that for her); and gain access to money or credit cards (since her finances are being handled by her trust). "She is being confined ... to the private person of her own home," the suit reads. Eardley is represented by Lutfi's publicist, Michael Sands, who claims that the motion moves jurisdiction from Los Angeles Superior Court to the U.S. District Court, and voids the conservatorship: "Britney Spears has no conservatorship!" he said in a press release. However, the Los Angeles Superior Court responded, "This is an issue that will have to be litigated by the parties." ...

Paramore and Jimmy Eat World have rolled out dates for their much-anticipated co-headlining tour. The 20-date outing will take them from San Antonio on April 1 to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 2, with stops in California, Iowa, New York and elsewhere along the way. ...

Eddie Vedder has sketched out the itinerary for his first-ever solo tour, which he will stage in support of his Grammy-nominated "Into the Wild" soundtrack, according to Billboard.com. The Pearl Jam frontman will swing through Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 2, after which he'll play a smattering of shows in various California cities: Santa Cruz (April 5), Berkeley (April 7), Santa Barbara (April 10), Los Angeles (April 12-13) and San Diego (April 15). ... The Raconteurs are wrapping up their yet-untitled sophomore effort in Nashville, according to a recent post on their MySpace page. The post wasn't forthcoming with more details, although it did say, "They promise to release [the LP] as soon as they can." ...

U2 frontman Bono and British artist Damien Hirst raised $42 million for HIV/AIDS programs in Africa at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. The (Red) Auction, co-organized by the Gagosian Gallery, sold pieces from some of the world's top contemporary artists. Sotheby's said model Christy Turlington bought a piece for $170,500. "We got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from AIDS in the poorest places on the planet," Bono said, according to BBC News. ...

Coheed and Cambria, Incubus and Disturbed have been added to the roster for this year's Download Festival in England (June 13-15). They join a lineup that already features Kiss, Judas Priest, the Offspring, Motörhead, H.I.M, Children of Bodom, Rise Against, Lostprophets, Alter Bridge and In Flames. ... Aerosmith are starring in a new edition of "Guitar Hero" called, er, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith." Due in the summer, the game will feature 30 or so songs by the Boston legends, as well as ones by bands that have opened for Steven Tyler's crew. ...

Chan Marshall — better known as Cat Power — has bulked up her tour schedule in support of her recently released album, Jukebox, according to Pitchfork. Following an April 10 show in Vancouver, British Columbia, she will hit up Seattle the following day and continue playing gigs through an April 20 show at Austin, Texas' South by Southwest fest. Two days later, she'll perform in Houston, after which she'll journey down to Mexico City for an April 23 performance. ... The National — whose last album, Boxer, made many critics' top 10 lists last year — have slipped out a live EP through Rhapsody, Pitchfork reports. The release, called Rhapsody Rocks NYC, contains four songs recorded at New York's CMJ Music Marathon last year. ...

Butch Walker has slapped together a new live album, but in case you're running low on funds these days, don't worry — he's posted the 24-track effort for free download at FriendsorEnemies.com. Devout fans can get the release with bonus tracks for $5.99. ... Portishead have firmed up their first album in 10 years. Third will drop April 29 and feature 11 songs, including "Nylon Smile," "Magic Doors" and "The Rip." ...

Yoko Ono has denied reports that she was planning legal action against singer Lennon Murphy, who has sought to trademark the name of her band, Lennon. In a letter to the technology blog BoingBoing, Ono explained that several years ago, Lennon Murphy sought Ono's permission to perform under her birth name, Lennon Murphy, which Ono did not object to. But later, without Ono's knowledge, the singer reportedly filed an application in the U.S. Trademark Office requesting the exclusive right to utilize the name "Lennon" for musical performances. Ono's attorneys asked Murphy's lawyers and manager to withdraw the registration, offering to cover all costs Murphy had incurred in filing for the trademark. When Murphy went ahead with the registration anyway, Ono said she did not sue Murphy, but had her attorneys notify the trademark office that Ono did not believe it was fair that Murphy be granted the exclusive right to the Lennon trademark for musical and entertainment services. Ono wrote, "I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared." ...

Borders Books is trying a new method to appeal to music downloaders. According to a press release, the retailer will roll out 14 new concept stores this year featuring "digital centers" that will allow customers to burn CDs and download music and books to most MP3 players, though not to iPods.

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Alicia Keys Reigns At NAACP Image Awards; Plus Britney Spears, Paramore, Eddie Vedder, Raconteurs, Bono & More, In For The Record

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:11:00 EST

Conservatorship over Spears' affairs is disputed; Paramore and Jimmy Eat World announce tour itinerary; Vedder sketches out dates for first-ever solo trek.
By MTV News staff

Alicia Keys
Photo: Columbia

2.14.08

Avril Lavigne, who was once known as the "anti-Britney," now has nothing but sympathy for the pop star, as she reveals in the new issue of Maxim. "No one else has it as hard as Britney," she told the magazine. "I feel bad for her. How does she even think with all those flashbulbs? When I'm being followed, everything's thrown off. They run red lights. They cause accidents. She can't even walk to her car. F---ing stalkers." Lavigne, who has been known to flip off and spit on the paparazzi in the past, also said she's disgusted at speculation that she's pregnant with her first child. "Remember in high school when people would start fake rumors about you?" she asked. "Well, this isn't high school. It's like, the entire world." Check out more Avril photos from the mag's March issue at Maxim.com. ...

A Los Angeles judge decided Thursday (February 14) to extend the temporary conservatory powers that Britney Spears' father has over the singer's affairs — at least through the next hearing, on March 10. Jamie Spears had been granted control to oversee Britney's well-being and her estate earlier this month, along with co-conservator Andrew Wallet. Court-appointed investigator Samuel Ingham told the court Thursday that he had not finished his psychological evaluation of the singer and was granted an extension until the next hearing. Also by March 10, Britney must undergo a 730 evaluation to study her family to determine the best custody arrangements, Commissioner Reva Goetz decided. Goetz also named Britney's older brother, Bryan — who used to work on her former management team — along with New York estate attorney Ivan Taback as co-trustees for the singer's trust while she is considered unable to manage her own affairs. Meanwhile, Britney's current manager Sam Lutfi has yet to be served with a restraining order. The lawyers for the conservatorship concluded that Lutfi was intentionally avoiding being served because they'd already spent over 200 hours trying to reach him. A hearing about the restraining order is scheduled for February 22. ...

Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, isn't too happy about Aretha Franklin scolding his daughter for comments she made about the Queen of Soul at Sunday's Grammy Awards. "Something this ridiculous — it's childish, it's unprofessional," he said in a statement on Thursday, according to People. "And it's a sad day when egos get bruised because somebody used the word 'king,' 'queen,' 'prince' or 'princess.' " Beyoncé introduced Tina Turner as "the queen" during the ceremony, after which Franklin released a statement in which she said, "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé. ... However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy." ...

Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Ricky Martin and others are voicing support for Alejandro Sanz after the cancellation of a concert he intended to play in Venezuela, Reuters reports. In 2004, the Latin American singer claimed President Hugo Chávez had tried to quash a campaign for a recall referendum against him. Sanz supporters are reportedly accusing Chávez of censorship in the wake of the concert cancellation. ... White Stripes are getting some extra lovin' at Best Buy, Pitchfork reports. The retail chain is selling a five-track EP surrounding the band's new single, "Conquest," that features all the accompanying B-sides that were previously available only on vinyl or in digital form. The EP comes free with the purchase of the band's Icky Thump album, or it can be bought separately. ...

Well, so much for all those reunion tours. A day after Billboard.com reported that the Police would be retiring for good after their upcoming North American trek comes news that the reunited Spice Girls likely won't go on either. Geri Halliwell — or Ginger Spice, to the fans — told the site she isn't anticipating a follow-up to the group's current run, which ends February 26 in Toronto. "It probably won't happen ever again," she said. "I'm still absolutely blown away that we did more than one show. So right now I'm thinking this is it. This is the last time you will ever get to see this Girl Power, the five Spices on the stage as one." Still, she added the requisite nugget of wisdom: "You can never say never." ...

The Smashing Pumpkins have dished up an unreleased track, "SuperChrist," for a limited-edition CD that will be made available March 1 at Guitar Center locations, according to Billboard.com. The compilation disc, which doesn't have a name, was curated by Billy Corgan and the gang — they picked acts that feature Guitar Center employees based on submissions from them. "SuperChrist" was a leftover track from the Pumpkins' 2007 album, Zeitgist, and the band has previously played it on tour. An accompanying video will premiere February 27 on MySpace. ... Guitar Center has another limited-edition goody too: a Roland RZA/Forat Custom MV8800 machine designed by the RZA and electronic trailblazer Bruce Forat. The hand-painted device features original artwork by the two, including allusions to the Wu-Tang Clan's recent 8 Diagrams LP. If you're interested in getting one, though, you'll have to throw down big bucks and act fast when they go on sale February 28: Only eight machines are being made available, and they cost a pricey $5,999 apiece. ...

Christina Aguilera has "never had more respect for the female body," the new mom told People for its new issue, which hits newsstands Friday. She added of her C-section to deliver her 4-week-old son, Max: "The hardest part was deciding on his birthday. I wanted to leave it up to fate, but at the same time I was ready to be done early!" The singer, who shared photos of her baby with the magazine, said she intends to start recording in her home studio this month. As for what she and husband Jordan Bratman have been spinning lately, she revealed: "Yesterday we had Led Zeppelin blaring through the house. Most new moms play Beethoven, but we're playing Metallica, Bob Marley, the Stones." ...

An interview with Michelle Williams in which she addressed her breakup with Heath Ledger, who died from an accidental drug overdose late last month, has just been published. "Obviously so much has changed for me in the last few months that I don't really have an idea of what my life is going to be," Williams told the U.K.'s Wonderland Magazine for what is said to be her last interview before the actor's death. "I thought I knew certain things and it turned out that I didn't, so I don't really try and anticipate so much anymore. I'm not making any bets on the future." ...

Chris Rock has been confirmed to appear the 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, taking place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee. He's just one of more than a dozen comedians set to perform at the fest — a list that also includes David Cross and Janeane Garofolo — but he's the only one that'll do his work from Bonnaroo's main stage (the same stage Kanye West, Pearl Jam and Metallica will appear on) in front of 80,000 somewhat-dazed-and-confused festival-goers. ...

Madonna premiered her directorial debut Wednesday at the Berlin Film Festival, but she said the flick didn't come without a "struggle." Madge and members of the "Filth and Wisdom" cast also held a press conference, during which she said, "One of the themes that I explore in the film is struggle, and if I look back to the beginning of my career, I can recall those moments of struggle like it was yesterday. There are aspects of [the characters'] struggle that I could relate to completely, and I could access that memory and put it into the story." ...

Moby is building anticipation for his upcoming album, Last Night, with an exclusive downloadable preview mix at RCRDLBL.com. Last Night, meanwhile, is due April 1. ... As it turns out, Moby has something in common with Norah Jones, Lou Reed, David Byrne and Scissor Sisters: a mutual distaste for the Iraq war. The musicians will come together March 18 — the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion — in New York for "Speak Up!: A Benefit Concert for Peace in Iraq & Justice at Home." The event will take place at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. ...

Broken Social Scene have lumped more dates onto their upcoming world tour, Pitchfork reports. In addition to Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore, the band will also hit Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey, Luxembourg, Russia, the U.K., France, and the U.S. ... Battles are gearing up for some road action too: The band, adored by indie-philes, will play Bonnaroo June 12, after which it will swing through Washington, D.C., two days later, and then Philadelphia the day after that. ... Kristin Hersh, Cornershop's Anthony Saffery, Dirty Vegas' Steve Smith and others have concocted heartfelt covers of songs made famous by Joe Cocker, Bill Withers and others in time for Valentine's Day. Expansion Team Records just released Souvenirs, which contains the tracks, in CD and digital form. ...

Clear Channel Broadcasting — the media giant that owns the radio station that promoted the fatal Great White show in 2003 at the Station club in West Warwick, Rhode Island — agreed Wednesday to pay $22 million for more than 100 claims stemming from the fire that claimed 100 lives. According to The Boston Globe, the settlement is linked to Clear Channel's WHJY-FM, which ran ads for the show, where station DJ Michael Gonsalves was killed after introducing the band onstage. "We continue to be deeply saddened by the tremendous harm suffered by the victims, their families and the community as a result of this tragic fire," Andy Levin, chief legal officer of Clear Channel Communications, said in a written statement. "While Clear Channel had no role in causing or contributing to this fire, we are pleased to resolve these claims and, hopefully, contribute in some way to a sense of resolution for the affected victims and their families." The settlement comes on the heels of a $30 million tentative agreement reached three weeks ago with Rhode Island TV station WPRI-TV, whose photographer was accused of standing in the way of patrons attempting to escape the burning building. ...

Three people were arrested at Sunday's Grammy Awards on suspicion of using stolen passes to get access to the show. According to The Associated Press, Sebastian Bonner, 20, was arrested after he tried to enter the event at Los Angeles' Staples Center using one of nine stolen all-access passes. Courtney Mitchell, 30, and Pamela Clay, 44, were found with someone else's event ID card and arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property. Police believe the motive was a desire to see celebrities. "We eliminated that this wasn't something more serious than some people who wanted to see the Grammys who are star-struck," Commander Andrew Smith said. Police believe someone on the inside sold the IDs to friends and acquaintances. ... On Tuesday, Oklahoma State University forwarded a list of 11 student names to the Recording Industry Association of America, in compliance with a court order in the RIAA lawsuit accusing the students of unlawfully downloading copyrighted recordings using school servers. The students had filed a motion to quash their subpoenas, but the judge denied it and ordered the school to turn over their names. Wired.com reported that the move by OSU was the latest incidence of a university complying with the RIAA's newest tactic in combating illegal file-sharing.

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Jack Johnson Surfs Past Alicia Keys, Sheryl Crow To Second #1 Debut

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:47:00 EST

Sleep Through the Static is year's best-selling release so far; Lenny Kravitz, k.d. lang LPs crack Billboard album chart's top 10.
By Chris Harris

Jack Johnson's Sleep Through the Static
Photo: Brushfire Records

We're not even two months into 2008, and already a disturbing trend has developed for the ever-slumping music industry: So far this year, only two of the records to assume the Billboard album chart's peak position have sold more than 100,000 copies. Of course, six-digit sales figures used to be the norm — without them, most records never stood a chance at claiming the chart's #1 spot.

After Radiohead's In Rainbows sold more than 122,300 copies during the first week of '08, earning it Billboard's coveted apex, each subsequent #1 album has failed to come even remotely close to matching that sales total. Alicia Keys' As I Am spent the next two weeks on top, selling 70,300 and 60,500 copies, respectively. Then, the "Juno" soundtrack took over, after moving close to 65,000 units. Keys' LP returned to the #1 position just last week, having sold just 61,300 copies.

But this week, before the release of the generally high, post-Grammy sales figures, surfer-turned-crooner Jack Johnson has reversed the tide, at least for the time being. With little more than 374,600 copies sold during week one, Johnson's latest studio offering, Sleep Through the Static, has become the year's best-selling new release. That means it is 2008's first bona fide "hit" record, according to the latest SoundScan data.

But being on top is a sensation Johnson knows well. While his 2003 LP, On and On, and 2005's In Between Dreams both entered the top 200 at #3, his 2006 effort, Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film "Curious George," debuted at #1, with sales clocked at just under 163,000. Johnson's new one even robbed music vet Sheryl Crow of a #1 debut. Her latest album, Detours, bows at #2 on next week's chart, after generating just 92,300 scans.

A whopping 22 new releases enter next week's top 200, with four opening in the coveted top 10. Lenny Kravitz's latest, It Is Time for a Love Revolution, opens at #4 with 73,300 copies snatched up, right behind Keys' As I Am, which drops two spots to #3 with 80,200 sold. The 2008 Grammy Nominees compilation holds at #5 with 51,700, while the "Juno" soundtrack trails in the #6 slot, selling another 47,200 units. Meanwhile, Mary J. Blige's Growing Pains closes out the week with 44,600 in sales to finish at #7. The last newcomer to the top 10 checks in at #8: k.d. lang's Watershed, which sold 41,000 copies. Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus follows at #9, scanning an additional 40,000 units, while Taylor Swift's self-titled debut rounds things out at #10 with sales reported at 38,700.

The next highest-charting of the week's newcomers comes in at #13. The soundtrack to "Step Up 2: The Streets," featuring tracks by Flo Rida, Missy Elliott, Cassie, T-Pain and others, sold close to 31,500 units; and next week's #14, Kenny G's Rhythm & Romance, generated first-week sales of 31,000 and change. Nada Surf's Lucky enters the chart at #81 with 9,200 sold, while Hot Chip's Made in the Dark opens at #108 with sales of 7,100. The HorrorPops' Kiss Kiss Kill Kill bows at #148, with 5,200 scans. They Might Be Giants' Here Come the 123s sits in the #171 hole, with 4,500 carried away from the nation's record stores. Finally, Bob Mould's District Line just makes the list at #190, with 4,000 scans, and Al Green's What Makes the World Go Round enters at #197, selling 3,700 copies.