Common and Sway
Photo: MTV News

Common has a new love — and we're not talking about tennis star Serena Williams. After 16 years and eight albums, Com is still an MC first and foremost, but the silver screen has a hold on him.

"I love acting," Common told MTV News. "I'm so new to it. I can do acting when I'm 70-something. Obviously, I say, 'Man, I wanna do hip-hop music like a jazz musician. I wanna be, like, 50-something doing hip-hop.' But man, I know I can act till I'm 70. And I have so much room to grow. I'm like, 'Man, I wanna do it.' "

The Chicago legend admitted that Hollywood is a lot easier world than hip-hop. "Sometimes they just keep you on hold," he smiled. "You be working for four days out the week. The rest of the days, you go and drink wine on the river in Prague."

Common's next project is "Terminator: Salvation" alongside Christian Bale. The science-fiction/action vehicle is slated for this summer.

"We're both part of the resistance," said Com, who plays the best friend to Bale's John Connor. "The resistance is fighting the machines. ... You got a black dude fighting on the good side to save humanity. It shows the progress we wanna make in the world. We see what Barack is doing to raise the consciousness of all people. Then to see different things happen in the entertainment world, it's beautiful."

The veteran MC's next LP, Universal Mind Control, is also heading in a new direction. Instead of Kanye West producing most of the LP, Common went with Mr. DJ (Outkast) and the Neptunes.

"I felt that I made the change because it came real natural," he said. "I was talking to Pharrell about working, and we went into the studio — me, him and Chad [Hugo]. When I make albums, I like to focus on maybe one or two producers. Pharrell, we both was making that magic. I was like, 'Let's keep going.' "

By the time Common got to Kanye, his album was done. The Louis Vuitton Don did jump on a record called "Punch Drunk Love."

"I feel like me and 'Ye, we always gonna make music together," Common said. "It's a good change of pace for us. On the same token, you wanna keep people on their toes. I don't wanna be predictable."

Common is so unpredictable these days that he had to switch the album's title midway through production. It was originally planned to be an EP called Invincible Summer.

"It was feeling like an album to me," he said about getting deeper into the recording process. "And unfortunately, we missed the summer release. So I was like, 'It can't be called Invincible Summer anymore.' And Universal Mind Control is the name of one of the songs. I like that for an album title. It kind of describes the music too. [The song] sounds futuristic, but it has an Afrika Bambaataa feel to it. I love what Hype [Williams] did with the video."

Other guests on the November 11 release include Star Trak rock group Chester French. They appear on a record called "What a World" that has a rock-and-roll feel. Common kicks rhymes on the track with an '80s, Debbie Harry of Blondie feel.

Check out everything we've got on "Terminator: Salvation."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• "Terminator Salvation"

• Common
• Kanye West
• The Neptunes

Mario
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

If you ask Mario the singer about Mario the actor, he'll say he keeps his two professions completely separate — but the similarities just seem too hard to ignore.

After starring alongside Hilary Swank in "Freedom Writers" (see "Mario Sheds A Tear For 'Freedom,' Says He Wants To Direct"), Mario's loaded his next LP, Go! — now due July 17 — with an equally star-studded lineup of producers and songwriters, including Timbaland, the Neptunes and Akon.

If you ask Mario, though, just like working with Oscar-winning Swank, communication is the key when putting together a project with so many people involved. Other producers penciled in to work on Go! are Mr. Collipark, Sean Garrett, Dre & Vidal, Warren Campbell and Jim Jonsin.

"I worked with a lot of different people [for this album]," Mario explained. "And you got to talk with the writers and producers and really be in front of it and really give your perspective on things. That's the best way to go — be involved and creatively help to come up with certain situations that cater to who you are."

One of the new tracks is "Do Right," which Mario described as a more personal song based in part on his childhood growing up in Baltimore. Mario revealed to MTV News earlier this week that he and Akon collaborated on the song.

"I kind of went in and told Akon about a lot of the personal things I experienced," the singer said. "I didn't want to do a club record or like a fun record. I wanted to do a more serious record that would cater to some of the people who may have experienced what I have."

Similarly, now that he's tucked a few films under his belt, Mario is taking his time selecting the next role and is interested in more dramatic roles.

"I've been struggling with [picking] what to do," he said. "It's been difficult for me. Of course I want to do something that's top of the line and amazing, but I also don't want to rush and put myself in a pressured situation, 'cause it may not be pulled off as well. So I'm still really working on that. I'm still working on finding the right next role. Hopefully by the end of the summer I'll be shooting the next one."

Up next for Mario is the video for his lead single, "Breathe," which he said he'll shoot in two weeks with the song being released to radio by the end of the month. After "Breathe," the Polow da Don-produced "Crying Out" is slated as the follow-up.

• 'Freedom Writers' Live
• 'Freedom Writers': Straight Stories
• 'Freedom Writers' Exclusive Diaries

• "Freedom Writers"

• Mario
• Akon
• Timbaland
• The Neptunes

Ludacris
Photo: Def Jam

The Neptunes produced one of Ludacris' early hits, "Southern Hospitality," and haven't worked with him since — until now, that is.

The 'Tunes produced two jams on Luda's upcoming Release Therapy, including the first single, "Money Maker," with Pharrell singing on the hook (see "Strip-Club Anthems, Cautionary Tales — Luda's Upcoming LP Has It All").

"What did take us so long to get back? That's a good-ass question," Luda, talking recently with MTV News via telephone from his Atlanta home studio, said about his Neptunes hiatus. "I think every time I was recording there was a lot of conflicting schedules and I couldn't really get in at the time, 'cause I wanted to get in and work with Pharrell. You know, not just have him send me beats."

The other Neptunes track on the LP is "Girls Gone Wild," which Luda has some high hopes for.

"I guarantee you it's going to change the game," he said of the song. "It's one of those songs that's a little bit ahead of its time. I feel like I can put the song out in 2010, and it'll be right on time. So it may be a little before some people."

Luda worked with a lot of others on the album, including Beanie Sigel, Pimp C and C-Murder on one record; R. Kelly on another; and he just finished a song with Mary J. Blige (see "Therapy Is In Session: Kanye, Pharrell, R. Kelly Hop On Luda's LP").

"It's called 'Runaway Love,' " he said about the Mary J. cut, which he describes as a 2006 version of Tupac's "Brenda's Got a Baby." "For a lot of young ladies, sometimes you feel like running away because it's so much stress and so many problems going on, whether it be internally in the family or it be with friends. Or it's just some people that can't take the pressure and they feel like running away. My objective is to have you listen to the song and you can kind of run away in your mind for a little while.

"That's what really the whole album is about," he continued. "I call it Release Therapy because people go through so much on a daily basis that you should be able to relax and you should be able to release. I feel like when you listen from track one to track 15, this is a good hour where you're going to be taken away. You know how they say, 'Calgon, take me away'? Release Therapy is going to take them away."

Release Therapy is due September 26.

For more on Ludacris, see ""10 Candidates For The Next 'Greatest MCs Of All Time' List."

• Ludacris
• The Neptunes
• Pharrell Williams

Beyoncé
Photo: Carlo Allegri/ Getty Images

Don't know what to get Beyoncé for her birthday? That's OK, because the singer is more in the mood to give than receive this year. She's got three offerings on the way — a new album, movie and division of her clothing line.

Beyoncé is releasing B'Day, the follow-up to 2003's multiplatinum Dangerously in Love, on September 5, the day after her 25th birthday. Rodney Jerkins co-produced the first single, "Déjà Vu," which features the singer's prolific beau, Jay-Z. Rich Harrison, the Neptunes, Swizz Beatz and Sean Garrett also co-produced tracks on the album, and Garrett recently told MTV News that Beyoncé had been pulling 12-hour days writing, arranging and co-producing the record. "She's in a place I've never seen her in before," Garrett said. "She's very vibrant, very happy and her mindset is incredible. She's in a zone."

Though Beyoncé worked on Destiny's Child's most recent album while shooting "The Pink Panther," she didn't want to pull double duty while filming her latest movie, "Dreamgirls," due December 22 (see "Beyonce Slimming Down And 'Completely Becoming Deena' "). "Usually I'm writing an album and performing and touring and doing all these crazy things at the same time," Beyoncé told MTV News in February, "and for the first time, I've committed six whole months [to do nothing but the movie]. I've put mostly everything aside."

So after wrapping "Dreamgirls," Beyoncé turned her attention to her second solo album. Though she originally planned to record for six weeks, she finished in three, well ahead of the deadline she set for herself. But B'Day won't be the only album she contributes to this year — she'll also be featured on the "Dreamgirls" soundtrack, her first joint venture with the urban division of her record label.

All that would be enough for most performers, but Beyoncé hasn't stopped there. She's also expanding her clothing line, House of Deréon (taken from her grandmother's name), to include a juniors division, which will be simply called Deréon. "It's been in our business plan all along," the singer's mother and business partner, Tina Knowles, said. "But I am often approached by Beyoncé's young fans asking when a junior line would be launched, so I felt now was the time."

The collection, which will consist of denim, knits, fur jackets and vests, is slated to launch this holiday season in select specialty stores that target women in their teens and early 20s. And although hitting 25 doesn't necessarily knock Beyoncé out of that demographic, she's decided to feature her younger sister, Solange, as the face of the line — which pretty much takes care of that birthday gift this year.

• Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, More At "Dreamgirls" Cannes Screening

• Beyoncé
• Jay-Z
• Destiny's Child
• The Neptunes
• Swizz Beatz

Jesse McCartney at the Hope Rocks Concert
Photo: Chrissy L. Nguyen / MTV News

HOLLYWOOD — If Hilary Duff can snag crunkster Lil Jon to graft her some beats, then Jesse McCartney should have no problem recruiting the Neptunes for his second solo disc.

After all, the dynamic duo have already laid down a remix of "She's No You," the third single off McCartney's 2004 solo debut, Beautiful Soul.

"I want to get together with the Neptunes, hopefully, if Chad and Pharrell will work it out," the singer/actor said. "I've already worked with them, and it was fun, man. They're really cool guys and insanely brilliant."

"I've been writing some new stuff, and I can't wait to start the next record," McCartney continued. "I'm probably going to head back into the studio November or December, and I'm just going to work with a bunch of producers and songwriters and try to put out an even better record."

The 18-year-old took a break this weekend from his Beautiful Soul cross-country trek (see "Jesse McCartney To Resume The Time Of His Life On Tour") to help out a worthy cause. McCartney hit the stage at Hollywood's Key Club on Saturday night for Hope Rocks, a benefit concert sponsored by the City of Hope to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. The subject hit close to home for the teen singer, whose relative recently underwent a bone-marrow transplant.

"I think everyone has been affected by this disease in some way, whether it's personally or through a family member, and I'm happy to do what I can for the program," McCartney said.

Rihanna, Frankie J, Natalie, Chingy and JoJo also performed at the event, which will be televised on FOX on September 3. This weekend, McCartney also walked away with two Teen Choice Awards for Breakout Male and Best Male Artist (see " 'Napoleon Dynamite,' Kelly Clarkson Win Big At Teen Choice Awards").

After his current tour wraps in October, the pop star will begin shooting the indie flick "Keith" alongside "Pretty Persuasion" ingénue Elisabeth Harnois.

"It's kind of a dark, depressing film, but it's an incredibly written script," McCartney said of "Keith." "It's a really meaty role, and I can't wait to start filming."

The former "Summerland" star will tackle the title role, which he describes as "completely 100 percent the opposite of Jesse McCartney."

"Keith is pretty weird. He's very avant-garde and really brilliant," McCartney said. "He just outwits everyone, from his teachers to his fellow peers, and eventually he falls in love with this girl Natalie (Harnois) while trying to bring her down. I don't want to tell you too much, but it's a really interesting story."

The romantic drama will be helmed by first-time feature director Todd Kessler and is based on a short story by Ron Carlson.

Beautiful Soul tour dates, according to Hollywood Records:

• 8/16 - Denver, CO @ Universal Lending Pavilion
• 8/18 - Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
• 8/19 - Sioux City, IA @ Orpheum Theatre
• 8/20 - Springfield, IL @ Illinois State Fair
• 8/21 - Evansville, IN @ The Centre
• 8/23 - South Bend, IN @ Morris Performing Arts Center
• 8/30 - North Little Rock, AR @ Alltel Arena
• 8/31 - Austin, TX @ Stubb's Barbeque
• 9/1 - Hidalgo, TX @ Dodge Arena
• 9/3 - Grand Prairie, TX @ Nokia Theatre
• 9/4 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Ford Center
• 9/6 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
• 9/7 - Orem, UT @ McKay Events Center
• 9/10 - Madera, CA @ Madera District Fair
• 9/18 - Auckland, New Zealand @ Civic Theatre
• 9/22 - Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Convention Center
• 9/24 - Sydney, Australia @ Sydney State Theatre
• 9/30 - Melbourne, Australia @ Palais Theatre
• 10/3 - Osaka, Japan @ TBD
• 10/5 - Tokyo, Japan @ TBD
• 10/9 - Williams, AZ @ Family Fun Festival
• 10/16 - Columbia, SC @ South Carolina State Fairs

• Jesse, JoJo, Chingy, More Arrive At The Hope Rocks Concert

• Jesse McCartney
• The Neptunes
• Hilary Duff
• Lil Jon

Mary J. Blige on the cover of the September issue of <i>Essence</i> Magazine
Photo: Essence Magazine

Mary J. Blige has had a breakthrough: To really make sure she has "No More Drama" in her life, she's got to rethink her tactics. So for her next album, Blige is putting the "self" back into self-help.

"I'm one of my biggest obstacles," Blige — who is on the cover of Essence's September issue — told the magazine. "Me."

What that means for the R&B singer is recognizing that she can't change anyone but herself, and if she wants to affect other people, she has to stop blaming others and look inward. Blige said the overriding theme on her forthcoming album, The Breakthrough, is recognizing that "it's nobody's fault. For real."

"The way I would define success is just really getting to the point where you deal with you," she explained. "Where you get to the point where you're mad, or you're upset, or you're insecure, or you're prideful, but you're not pointing at your husband or whoever. Your husband and kids might have problems, but the bottom line is that you have to deal with you if you want them to change. People are not going to change unless they see you change."

For instance, if you're upset that your family is overweight, she said, "you have to get you together to the point where you want to train." Part of that involves taking the blame (or credit) for your behavior leading to your condition and confronting it: "You walk up to the cookies, you walk up to the cake, you walk up to the burger and you start the arguments."

Blige says this isn't about acting selfishly, but about being protective of yourself and facing your own "inner demons and inner insecurities." It's also not about dwelling on your problems — your dramas — but about taking responsibility for them. "That's the first thing I deal with, in order to get to my goals," she said. "That's the bottom line, breaking through. Getting to the point where you can focus on you. Focus on the good side of life, which is love, which is [being] happy. You're happy you got to the point where you can say, 'Gosh, I got a lot of baggage, I got a lot of stuff going on with me.' "

Blige's more personal baggage, she said, involved stopping drinking and drugging, controlling her temper, forgiving her father for not being around when she was young and dealing with being molested when she was 5.

"This isn't something I have ever shared in the press, and it's not something I want to talk about a lot," she said. "But I kept hearing about children being molested, and I felt God was tapping me on the shoulder, saying, 'You're not the only one.' I know being molested like that blocks out your value, and it makes you feel you're not worth anything. I want other women to know that something like that can happen to you, and you can still grow to be happy and you can still break through to the other side."

"Mary J. Blige's Producers Spill The 411 On Her Next LP") — is ultimately about "the upside of life." Song titles on the album, due in November, include "People" and "Can't Hide From Love." "I haven't forgotten that my fans, a lot of them, might still be stuck," she said. "I reach back into my past for them, but I'm enjoying and celebrating my life right now." Related Photos Mary J. Blige's Photo Shoot for the September 2005 Issue of Essence Magazine Related Artists Mary J. Blige Swizz Beatz Dr. Dre Kanye West Rodney Jerkins ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1507040/20050805/blige_mary_j.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1507040/20050805/blige_mary_j.jhtml 5 Aug 2005 07:20:00 EDT "[Ciara] was like, "Is this gonna sound messed up? My fans are gonna be mad," ' Elliott says. By Shaheem Reid Missy Elliott Photo: MTV News As flamboyant as Missy Elliott has been over the years, you'd probably expect her to have a field day when concocting the album artwork for her LP, The Cookbook. Some crazy chef's hat, or a kitchen with some of Tommy the Clown's krump dancers, right? Wrong. Elliott chose to give her LP artwork an old-school, classy vibe. "I wanted people to see I was taking music back to the roots — not just hip-hop, but our ancestors," Elliott said last week about the album's cover shot, which features her posing with a vintage mic in a 1920s-looking juke joint. "Whether they was on railroad tracks or cooking in somebody's kitchen, they was always singing." Missy also said she wanted to make the LP cover black and white because she's never done it before. "All my covers have been in color and kinda quirky," she added. "I feel black and white is a strong statement. The [title] The Cookbook came from me feeling like no two records are going to sound alike; each record has its own spices and herbs. Each record is cooking up a hot recipe for a hot album." That theme of change carried through to the making of the LP, an experience Missy compared to a kid being sent off to college by her dad. See, Missy and Timbaland, her childhood friend and longtime musical right arm, only worked on two songs together. Timbo usually produces all or most of the songs on her albums, but decided to step aside this time to let Missy grow (see "Missy Elliott Switches Up Her Recipe With The Cook Book"). "Me and Tim, this like our sixth album, so if we go any further left, we gonna be on Mars somewhere," the singing rapper said. "We've done everything it is to do. I think both of us came to a spot where we didn't know where to go with each other. I felt if I had some other music, it will go to another place and not so far left. But Tim is very involved, he said 'nay' or 'yay' to [certain] producers. I was eight songs deep and I let Tim listen and he was like, 'Nah, you're going in the wrong direction. You trippin'.' I had to go back in the studio and come up with new records. [When he heard those], he was like, 'This is the Missy people are listening to.' " Missy said working with different producers — including the Neptunes, Rich Harrison and Scott Storch — brought a whole different vibe. "Pharrell [Williams, of the Neptunes] is a lot more involved, coming in and wanting to hear what's going on," she said. "Tim, he'll give you the track and go down to the club. He won't come back until you call him two days later and be like, 'I got it.' There's already that trust there, because we worked together ever since we ain't have no tissue to wipe our tails. I've been knowing Pharrell for years too, but we never worked together in the studio on a project, so he's like, 'Let me babysit you for a second.' " The Neptunes-produced "On and On" was one of two records Missy released in advance of The Cookbook, the other, of course, was "Lose Control" with Ciara. Missy says the toughest part of making that record was not getting Ciara to hit the high notes, it was convincing her to rap. "It was funny because Ciara don't rap and I had her rapping," Missy laughed. "She was like, 'Is this gonna sound messed up? My fans are gonna be mad.' I told her to just do it and if it sounds crazy, I won't put it up there. "When me and Ciara get in the lab, it's all about us listening to a record to see if it makes us dance," she added. "We both like to dance. When I heard '1, 2 Step,' I immediately felt it. When I did 'Lose Control,' soon as I heard it, I was like, 'The only person who can pull something off with me [on this track] is Ciara, because it's a record with speed.' When we get in there it's about finding the hot dance step." There are no definitive plans for Elliott's next single. She says Ciara has been telling her how much DJs have taken it upon themselves to play a record called "Meltdown" in the South, while Missy's label wants to put out the song "Teary Eyed." Related Artists Missy Elliott Ciara The Neptunes ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1505732/20050714/elliott_missy.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1505732/20050714/elliott_missy.jhtml 14 Jul 2005 08:27:00 EDT Kanye checks out Jon Brion, Kenneth 'Supreme' McGriff in solitary, Steven Tyler and his wife separating. By MTV News staff report Kanye West (file) Photo: Getty Images Kanye West and a small entourage checked out "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" composer/songwriter Jon Brion's performance on Friday at Largo in Los Angeles. Apparently this wasn't the first time the Grammy-winning rapper has stopped by to watch Brion play at his weekly residency, but if Kanye would have stuck around for the second set, he would have witnessed inventive bluegrass takes on Radiohead and Strokes songs. ... Jessica Simpson was treated for dehydration due to a stomach virus at a Chicago hospital on Monday while in town to shoot a segment for Friday's "Oprah." Simpson's stay was brief, and she returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday. Her rep said the singer is "already feeling better." ... Jay-Z announced Tuesday (February 22) that he's opening an education center focusing on music, sports and fashion. The S. Carter Academy in New York will open in the spring, with enrollment starting in March, around the same time a commercial with Jay and New York Knicks star Jamal Crawford promoting the facility is scheduled to start airing. ... Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, currently incarcerated while awaiting trial on charges of murder and racketeering in the Murder Inc. drug-money scandal, has been put in solitary confinement at the Manhattan Detention Center. According to his lawyer, prosecutors requested that McGriff be taken out of the general population because he is a "problem" inmate. The defense has since complained about the move, causing the judge in the case to look into the matter. McGriff is due back in court on March 18, the same day as Irv and Chris Gotti. ... Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is going solo — in his personal life, anyway. The singer announced Sunday that he is separating from his wife of 17 years, Teresa, according to The Associated Press. He has two kids with Teresa: Chelsea, 16, and Taj, 13. In a statement released by his publicist, Tyler announced the split and said, "We're just a family trying to work through a difficult time." ... Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow and Aerosmith's Joe Perry are among the musicians who have designed Gibson guitars to be auctioned off to benefit the Expedition Inspiration Fund for Breast Cancer Research. The auction will be held May 3 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles and online at www.juliensauctions.com. ... Phil Lesh has been tapped to host the fifth annual Jammy Awards, to be held April 26 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden. The awards, which honor the world's best jam bands, will be given out in eight categories, including Live Performance of the Year, Archival Live Album of the Year and New Groove of the Year. ... Erykah Badu has recently been in the studio with the Neptunes working on her next album. The follow-up to 2003's Worldwide Underground is expected to be released later this year. ... After more than two decades playing together and a sold-out reunion concert on Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin, the Jayhawks have called it quits. Singer Gary Louris told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that "we haven't completely closed the door, but ... I'd say it's dead." The band released five major-label albums over the course of its career, with its last recorded work being 2003's Rainy Day Music. ... Antonio Banderas and Carlos Santana will join Beyoncé and Josh Groban as performers at Sunday's Academy Awards. The two will perform the Best Song from a Motion Picture nominee "Al Otro Lado Del Rio" from "The Motorcycle Diaries." ... Henry Rollins is taking his talking show "Caught in the Zipper" to the Zipper Theater in New York for a slew of dates. The volatile singer/spoken-word artist will perform there March 22-27, March 29, and March 31-April 2. ... Glenn Danzig will reunite with his old Misfits bandmate Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein at shows February 28 at the Roxy Theatre in Boston, March 1 at the Spirit Performance Center in New York, and March 2 at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia. The duo, who performed together for the first time in 20 years at two surprise West Coast dates last year, will play a 30-minute set of Misfits favorites after Danzig's regular set in support of his new album, Circle of Snakes. Danzig also recently completed Black Aria II, the follow-up to 1993's classical album Black Aria, and is writing a movie adaptation of "Gerouge," one of the comic-book titles distributed by his Verotik publishing company. ... 02.18.2005 Nobody can accuse 50 Cent of being stingy. He invited a bevy of radio-contest winners and famous folk like Foxy Brown, Lil Scrappy, Funkmaster Flex, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh to his mansion in Connecticut for an album-release party Thursday night. The festivities took place at a club 50 actually has inside his house, and the whole G-Unit — with the exception of Game — performed. ... Eminem, Paul McCartney, Dave Matthews, Sting and a host of other artists have donated signed items to an auction benefiting the Station Family Fund, the organization founded to offer relief to people directly affected by the fire at Rhode Island's Station nightclub in 2003. The auction is being run by the Mimi Fishman Foundation; more information can be found at www.stationfamilyfund.org. ... Ozzy Osbourne has pulled out of Friday night's (February 18) Music for Relief: Rebuilding South Asia concert at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California, due to a family emergency. Osbourne was supposed to join Los Angeles' all-star rockers Camp Freddy (featuring Dave Navarro and Matt Sorum, among others) for a few songs. Linkin Park, Jay-Z and No Doubt are among the acts who will perform. ... Phil Spector's trial for the 2003 murder of B-movie actress Lana Clarkson will begin on September 16, a judge ruled on Thursday, according to Reuters. The legendary record producer is accused of shooting Clarkson at his home near Los Angeles. Spector has claimed that Clarkson committed suicide. ... One of the alleged conspirators in the Murder Inc. drug-money scandal was sentenced to prison Thursday on separate charges of gun possession. Tyran "Ta Ta" Moore, who had refused to cooperate with the federal investigation of Murder Inc. and its connection to drug lord Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, was sentenced to prison for six years, with an additional three years of supervised release, a probation-like condition which requires him to continue treatment for substance abuse. As for McGriff, he pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on charges of murder and racketeering on Thursday. He's facing the death penalty if convicted. ... Will Smith has been tapped as master of ceremonies for the March 19 AIDS benefit concert in George, South Africa, which will feature 150 local and international stars who have agreed to perform for free, according to Reuters. The actor/rapper will introduce acts including Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor, Annie Lennox and India.Arie at the 46664 concert, named for former South African president Nelson Mandela's prison number. ... Prince will be honored with the NAACP Vanguard Award at the March 19 NAACP Image Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, according to Reuters. Prince is already up for two awards, while Usher leads the pack with five nominations. The show will air on March 25 on FOX. ... FOX's "The O.C." will release the fourth installment in the show's mixtape series on April 5. The O.C. Mix 4 features "Scarecrow," off Beck's upcoming album, Guero; "The View," from Modest Mouse's 2004 album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News; and a cover of Oasis' "Champagne Supernova" by Matt Pond PA. Also included are tracks by the Futureheads, Pinback and Sufjan Stevens, among others. ... Conor Oberst currently melts the hearts of indie girls everywhere as the dreamy frontman of Bright Eyes. But that wasn't always the case. And now you can own the proof. Currently up for bid on eBay is the 1995 Creighton Preparatory High School yearbook, featuring the freshman picture of a bespectacled, baby-faced Oberst. Currently, the high bid tops $200. ... First Jessica and Ashlee Simpson traded barbs over Ice Breakers, and now another sister act is shilling for the mints. Hilary and Haylie Duff star in a commercial where they disagree supposedly for the first time ever. "We agree on absolutely everything," Hilary said in a statement. "So when she thought that Ice Breakers Liquid Ice was liquid and I thought it was ice, well, I knew she had to be right, and she knew I had to be right!" The sisters are also offering an online sweepstakes to go on a Beverly Hills, California, shopping spree with the two of them. ... Xzibit is embarking on a 10-city tour, starting March 18 in San Francisco. The rapper will hit Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, D.C., and Detroit before wrapping things up in Chicago on April 4. ... Danger Mouse has completed production on the new Gorillaz album, Demon Days. The album is due out May 24. ... "Amerrrrrrricccca, have you heard?/ There's a brand new dance called 'The Bird.' " Well maybe not too new. "The Bird" has to be about 20 years old, but on Thursday night at the Apollo Theater in New York, Morris Day and the Time were flapping their wings just like they did in the Purple Rain days. Mo and co. performed, singing all their hits (except a much-called-for "Ice Cream Castles"). The Ohio Players opened up. ... Richie Sambora taped a guest appearance last week for the CBS sitcom "Still Standing," in which he plays a character named Reverend Roach. Though the Bon Jovi Web site lists the guitarist's episode as airing February 28, a spokesperson for the show said that the episode will now air at a later date, "probably May." ... Related Artists Kanye West Jay-Z The Inc. Erykah Badu The Neptunes ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497347/20050222/west_kanye.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497347/20050222/west_kanye.jhtml 22 Feb 2005 05:46:00 EST But all outfits pale beside the design shaved into Kanye West's head. By Abbey Goodman Ashanti arrives at the 47th annual Grammy Awards Photo: Getty Images The Grammy might be a place where big dreams come true, but the celebrities on the carpet at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards kept their feet planted firmly on the ground — at least when it came to their earth-toned fashion choices. Yet after witnessing the design shaved into the side of Kanye West's head, it was hard to focus on anything else: He sported mazelike squiggles resembling an exposed brain. (He was otherwise dressed top-to-tail in white.) (Check out photos of all the hottest looks from the Grammy red carpet.) For others, however, browns, tans and beiges ruled the day. Usher wore a white vest, brown tie and brown-and-white wing tips; Black Eyed Pea Will.I.Am rocked a chocolate-brown pinstriped suit and a Willy Wonka-style top hat; Ashanti sported a short khaki dress with a plunging neckline and gold-sequined trim; and the Neptunes kept it laid-back in whites and beiges. Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri came as an earthy couple, with Janet in a tawny halter dress and Dupri in a brown fedora and suit; all of Modest Mouse wore beige-and-brown pinstripes; Maroon 5's Adam Levine sported a dark-brown suit and burnt-orange tie;   Grammy Photos   "Whose Outfit Fell Apart? Who Did Kanye Get Advice From? Grammy Moments You Didn't See.". On the big night, February 8, be sure to tune in to MTV at 7 p.m. for our "All up in the Grammys" preshow. Plus check out videos of the nominees and more right here on mtv.com. Related Artists Kanye West Ashanti Usher Black Eyed Peas Janet Jackson ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496913/20050213/west_kanye.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496913/20050213/west_kanye.jhtml 13 Feb 2005 10:01:00 EST Outkast's win for Album of the Year commendable, but doesn't remedy damage done to Grammy's street cred by the 50 dis. By Joe D'Angelo Outkast's Andre 3000 Photo: WireImage This was supposed to be the year that the traditionally stuffy Grammys got hip. With hip-hop receiving the majority of nominations in the Record and Album of the Year categories, it seemed that after years of being flogged for its stodginess, music's highest honor would finally reflect the times. And then the show started, and 50 Cent was robbed of the Best New Artist award, while Eminem, Outkast and the Black Eyed Peas all were deprived of Record of the Year (see "Beyonce Wins Most, Outkast Shine, 50 Cent Shut Out At Grammys"). Having made the best-selling album of 2003, 50 Cent seemed like a shoo-in for the prestigious — though sometimes ill-fated — honor of Best New Artist. Yet the prize went to Evanescence, whom none of the so-called experts gave even half a chance. Coldplay's "Clocks," the only non-hip-hop song in the Record of the Year category, was considered a qualified dark horse to win, but did in fact do just that, beating out Beyoncé and Jay-Z's "Crazy in Love," Eminem's "Lose Yourself," "Outkast's "Hey Ya!" and Black Eyed Peas' "Where Is the Love." (Click here for a list of Grammy winners.) 50 Cent, realizing that he had whiffed on all five of his nominations by the time the Best New Artist award was given out, expressed his outrage at the slight by heading up onstage when it was Evanescence's name and not his that was announced as the winner (probably not the best ploy for a return invitation). At least a bewildered Amy Lee thanked him in her acceptance speech.   2004 Grammy Performances Highlight Photos Outkast's win for Album of the Year is commendable, though it doesn't remedy the damage done to Grammy's street cred by the 50 dis. Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below is a great album and its eclectic mix transcends genre pigeonholes, a characteristic predictably favored by the Grammy voting body. Straightforward rap remained relegated to the non-televised portion of the program. The Dirty South duo's double LP also won for Best Rap Album, despite its singles "Hey Ya!" and "The Way You Move" being progressively funkier than the more conventional rap approach taken by its competition: Missy Elliott's Under Construction, 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin', Jay-Z's The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse and the Roots' Phrenology.   "From Fresh Prince To Outkast: How Hip-Hop Took Over The Grammys" Related Artists OutKast 50 Cent Black Eyed Peas Beyoncé Eminem ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484903/20040209/outkast.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484903/20040209/outkast.jhtml 9 Feb 2004 01:08:00 EST Asher Roth, N.E.R.D. Warm Up NYC For The 2009 VMAs Related Artists Asher Roth N.E.R.D. Pharrell Williams The Neptunes ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1621113 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1621113 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EDT P. Diddy, Beyonce, LL Cool J, More At Vibe Awards Related Artists Diddy Beyoncé LL Cool J Mary J. Blige Ludacris ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1480607 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1480607 21 Nov 2003 05:27:17 EST Avril, Pink, Nelly, No Doubt, More On 2003 Grammy Red Carpet Related Artists Nelly Kelly Rowland No Doubt Foo Fighters Avril Lavigne ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1470104 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1470104 23 Feb 2003 09:07:41 EST