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Jay-Z Wants the Roots

Fri, 09 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Jay-Z Wants the Roots
Def Jam president/CEO Jay-Z is not resting on his laurels. The artist tells Billboard he is mulling the creation of the label Def Jam Left, which he describes as "an artist-driven label with very low deals so people are not pressured by first-week SoundScan [sales], so we can build artists." Jay-Z is also hoping to make the Roots the first signee to the imprint. "I'm talking to the Roots right now," he adds. "I'm confident to put out there that we might make this happen. The label would probably begin at the top of the year, but I hope to have the Roots signed by the time they get off their international tour." In late April, Roots drummer ?uestlove told Billboard.com the group was about 60% finished with a new album, "Game Theory." The set is tipped to feature a collaboration with Black Star's Mos Def and Talib Kweli called "Where I Come" and another song with just Mos Def, "Workin' on It." The Roots were previously signed to MCA and then Geffen. Meanwhile, Jay-Z admits he is wrestling with whether to remain retired as an artist. His last studio set was 2003's "The Black Album," but he has since popped up on occasion as a guest on songs by Kanye West and Young Jeezy, among others. "You all are hearing things from me -- you just haven't heard an album," he says. "Who knows? I'm still going in the studio, getting on remixes and things like that. But it's the people. When people want something bad enough, it happens. And they want it bad (laughs). I'm trying to hold out, but I don't know how long I can."

Madonna's In Control

Fri, 09 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Madonna's In Control
Madonna has banned husband Guy Ritchie from going to the pub whenever he wants. The 'Snatch' director has revealed he would love to go out drinking with friends three nights a week, but 'The Wife' puts says no. He confessed: "If I were allowed - if humble pie wasn't on the menu - I would probably spend three nights a week down the pub. Since it is on the menu, I spend two nights. " Guy admits he often has to eat 'humble pie' to please his pop star wife - but claims that is the secret of their successful marriage. He explained in an interview with Britain's Glamour magazine: "Ultimately it boils down to the same thing all relationships boil down to - eating humble pie. I sometimes eat quite a lot. "But, however bitter it might taste, it's the best pie It's on the menu constantly for both parties" Meanwhile, Guy has confessed he has a penchant for dressing up The movie maker, whose new film 'Revolver' is out later this month, admits he loves wearing country tweeds for outdoor pursuits He revealed: "I like all that get-up, I love tweed "I definitely have a thing for outfits and uniforms"

Carmen Struggling to Have Kids

Thu, 08 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Carmen Struggling to Have Kids
Rocker DAVE NAVARRO and his wife CARMEN ELECTRA are having huge problems conceiving a child - because their schedules constantly clash. . Recently, Navarro has been in Los Angeles working on his talent search show ROCK STAR: INXS, while Electra has been in Canada shooting CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN 2. . And while they're both ready to become parents, they're realising it will take a lot more work than they'd anticipated. . Electra says, "I can't wait to be a mom. I love little kids. We've just been waiting for the right opportunity. It's hard because he's doing his show, and I've been in Toronto. Every time I think, 'This is going to be the right time,' and I plan it out, we end up working. . But everyone always tells me not to over think it. You're supposed to just let it happen."

Sean Penn a Hurricane Hero

Thu, 08 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Sean Penn a Hurricane Hero
SEAN PENN IS AN 'AMERICAN HERO' . Oscar-winning actor SEAN PENN has been hailed as an "American hero" after his brave rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana. . The MYSTIC RIVER star was ridiculed when an Australian journalist reported he had forgotten to fix a hole in his boat, which supposedly started sinking as he scooped water out of it with a plastic cup. . But presidential historian and eyewitness DOUGLAS BRINKLEY insists the claims are completely false, as big-hearted Penn valiantly saved up to 40 survivors. . Brinkley, who is chronicling the city's recovery from the disaster, tells the New York Daily News, "There was never a leak. The boat was overloaded with people. It got some water in it, as boats usually do. . "I witnessed him rescuing up to 40 people. He was up to his waist in toxic muck. . "I'm not going to comment on Sean's trips to Iraq or Iran, but in this case, he was an American hero." The actor and activist has been charged with taking a personal photographer and crew to New Orleans, Louisiana - so they could document his efforts. But angry Penn insists his motives were all good - he hired a boat and helped ferry 40 stranded locals to safety. On Wednesday (07SEP05), he told CNN host LARRY KING, "We went in, a couple of friends of mine, on our own. Certainly we had the attention of some photographers. We tried to do what we could."

Used, Hoobastank Added to Warped Tour

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Used, Hoobastank Added to Warped Tour
Across the country, artists continue to donate money and organize benefit concerts for victims of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and now the spiky, inked-up citizens of Warped Tour/ Taste of Chaos world are getting in on the act. According to Warped/Taste founder Kevin Lyman, a host of punk acts will appear at Unite the United, a benefit concert to be held October 8 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, California. "On Thursday morning, I turned on the TV and was horrified by what I saw," Lyman said. "And then I couldn't sleep that night. So the next morning, I knew we had to do something, so I just sent out a mass e-mail to all the Warped family. And within 48 hours the whole thing started coming together." Hoobastank, the Used, Pennywise and member of Rise Against are among the artists confirmed for the concert, which, in the Warped style, will feature 16-18 acts (with more expected to be announced in the coming days) performing on multiple stages as well as something you don't see at most benefit concerts: cheap ticket prices. "We want tickets to be $25, to make it a bit more accessible for kids who might not be able to afford a $200 ticket to another benefit," Lyman said. "We'll raise somewhere in the neighborhood of $350,000 to $400,000 for victims of Katrina, and we'll make kids feel like they were part of something larger." Lyman said more information about Unite the United will be announced early next week. Meanwhile, the Dave Matthews Band collected donations for the Houston Food Bank at their show on Monday and chipped in a portion of the night's proceeds as well. Hip-hop producer Timbaland plans to visit evacuation centers in Dallas and Houston later this week, donating clothes, toys and basic necessities at each stop. On Saturday, be sure to watch "MTV News Special: After the Storm," which premieres at 7:30 p.m. ET. And immediately after, stay tuned for "ReAct Now: Music & Relief," MTV, VH1 and CMT's Hurricane Katrina benefit concert special. The show will run from 8-11 p.m. ET and will feature Usher, Green Day, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, the Rolling Stones, David Banner and many more.

The Plot for 50's Murder

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

The Plot for 50's Murder
A 2003 affidavit used by federal agents to obtain a search warrant of the Murder Inc. offices that same year has been unearthed by Web site the Smoking Gun, and in it, more damning allegations against the label are coming forth. The most eye-opening is that Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a convicted drug dealer and longtime friend of Irv and Chris Gotti, had been keeping tabs on 50 Cent's whereabouts and plotting to kill him. "The investigation has uncovered a conspiracy involving McGriff and others to murder a rap artist who has released songs containing lyrics regarding McGriff's criminal activities," the affidavit reads. "The rap artist was shot in 2000, survived and thereafter refused to cooperate with the law enforcement regarding the shooting. Messages transmitted over the Murder Inc. pager indicate that McGriff is involved in an ongoing plot to kill this rap artist and that he communicates with Murder Inc. employees concerning the target." The document references specific two-way pages between McGriff and members of the Inc., including Chris Gotti. It also says when law-enforcement agents questioned 50 in 2002, he told them that he keeps a considerable amount of security around because he fears for his safety. Although the Smoking Gun infers that 50 is in fear of a possible hit by McGriff, 50 certainly hasn't shown signs of being scared of Supreme in his music. He has continually taken jabs at McGriff, the most recent being on the latest G-Unit record "300 Shots." "I'm 100 times, bigger than Supreme in his prime," Fif raps on the song. Label representatives for 50 at Interscope declined to comment. Meanwhile Irv Gotti has constantly maintained that his friend McGriff � a drug lord who rose to power in the '80s before going to prison � has left his criminal ways behind. Gotti has also said their relationship is strictly confined to friendship and occasional legal business. � Shaheem Reid

Hilton Sells Herself for 200K

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Hilton Sells Herself for 200K
FARRELL AND HILTON SELL THEMSELVES FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS: COLIN FARRELL helped raise $20,000 at an auction to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina - by selling himself on Friday (02SEP05). MIAMI VICE co-star JAMIE FOXX took bids for a date with Farrell and when nervous women weren't forthcoming at the Delano Hotel charity bash in Miami Beach, Florida, decided to ask for group bids. One bunch of 10 friends bid $10,000 for a date with the Irishman, while another woman doubled the bid for her own one-night stand. And generous Farrell helped boost the fund too - he paid $50,000 for a portrait of RAY CHARLES. Meanwhile, fellow human auction item PARIS HILTON was brought to tears when one fan bid $200,000 to spend New Year's Eve with the socialite. She said, "It's so generous. I'm crying right now." McCARTNEY & ANDERSON HELP RAISE CASH FOR STRANDED PETS Celebrity animal activists STELLA McCARTNEY and PAMELA ANDERSON have teamed up to donate personal memorabilia items to an upcoming auction to raise cash for the pets caught up in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. . Thousands of dogs, cats and other pets perished in last month's (AUG05) storm, which devastated Louisiana, Alabama and surrounding areas, and now animal charity People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is doing all it can to save stranded creatures. And McCartney and Anderson have pledged their support by offering up items that will be sold off at PETA's 25th Anniversary Gala and Humanitarian Awards in Hollywood on 10 September (05). Anderson is offering a walk-on part in her hit TV show STACKED, while McCartney is donating cruelty-free items from her fashion collection. The upcoming PETA auction will raise cash for the charity's Animal Emergency Fund

Banner and T.I. Behind Kanye

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Banner and T.I. Behind Kanye
With seven words on live primetime TV, Kanye West pushed the world's attention to a new dimension of the tragedy surrounding Hurricane Katrina, sparking a flurry of debate and an army of support. "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Those words � spoken by Kanye during an emotional, unscripted rant during Friday night's hurricane benefit telethon on NBC � provided the crest of a growing wave of criticism against a relief effort that left hundreds of thousands without food, water, electricity or hope for five full days. They also tapped into some long-standing concerns about the current administration. "We've been screaming this for five years," David Banner said Tuesday (September 6) of Kanye's remarks. "You listen to your David Banners, Dead Prez, listen to rap music period. This is what rappers have been screaming all the time. The problem is America concentrates more on our cuss words. They don't hear the pain in the music all the time. You just finally had somebody who has the power Kanye has, who said it at the right time." West certainly isn't the first member of the hip-hop community to speak out against the current administration. Many feel the "compassionate conservative" president has been uncaring and negligent in using federal resources to help Americans in need. "We can't wait around for the government to help. We're not waiting, we're taking action," Diddy told MTV News on Thursday after donating $1 million to the Red Cross with Jay-Z. "We can find money to bomb people oversees, but not to help our brothers and sisters?" "It's been seen that the government don't really give a f--- about our situation," T.I. said Tuesday, alleging that if rich white communities were hit as hard as the poor black communities have been, Bush would have ordered aid in a more timely manner. "All those people who are down there without homes and shelter, those are folks from the 'hood. That's the urban community." "I'm like, 'What is it?' " Twista said Tuesday. " 'What are we looked at as? Do you look at us as less than human?' The response said something. Any other people, people [suffering a catastrophe,] you get people from all over the world to come and jump right on [the problem]. But you get mostly poor and black people, and we get the slow response." Bush has responded to the growing criticism by conceding that the government's initial response to the disaster was unacceptable. And congressional officials said Bush intends to seek around $40 billion for the next phase of relief (Congress approved $10.5 billion in relief funding last week). Meanwhile, lawmakers are vowing to investigate what delayed aid during in the first several days after the hurricane. T.I., Young Jeezy and hip-hop publication Juice are teaming up to help David Banner's own relief effort via his Heal the Hood Foundation. Banner has been in Mississippi personally giving out food, water and clothing he purchased himself. The hyperactive MC said he's witnessed the unimaginable, like dead babies floating in water. Banner, Jeezy and T.I. have been putting together an all-star fundraiser at Atlanta's Phillips Arena, and T.I. helped raise more than $265,000 Monday when he went on an Atlanta radio station and solicited donations. Among the contributors were Warner Music Group President Kevin Liles and producers Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin, who donated $25,000 apiece. "I called everybody's bluff who be talking all that ballin' sh--," T.I. said. "Popping all them bottles in the club ... talking about how much girls and jewelry and cars they got. Let's see how much money they've got for a good cause. Basically, I told everybody to put their money where their mouths are, and if you ain't got no money to give to the cause, I don't want to hear that sh-- no more." Twista is working with Budweiser to hold a benefit concert at the House of Blues in Chicago. Bump J and Do or Die will also be performing. The fastest-rapping MC in hip-hop said he feels it's up to black people to help their own rather than relying on the government. "They've been bogus, so what is everybody so shocked about?" he said. "I feel the response was real slow, but I look at my own harder than I look at them. I feel like us as black folks were supposed to stop what we was doing, put all that sh-- down and get these [disaster victims] straight." While Banner continues to help aid the survivors of Katrina, he's still seething over what he feels is a betrayal by his government. "I don't want to hear the national anthem, dude," he said. "Don't play the national anthem around me no more." Banner said people can donate to his Heal the Hood Foundation by credit card at HealTheHood.com, and checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 13185, Jackson, MI 39236.

Brit Married For Independence

Mon, 05 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Brit Married For Independence
SPEARS MARRIED TO BECOME INDEPENDENT: Britney Spears credits marrying KEVIN FEDERLINE with helping her to find her independence and distance herself from her parents' rollercoaster career plans. The OVERPROTECTED hitmaker is thrilled with her newfound confidence and feels at ease with herself for the first time since she became famous. And she believes being pregnant has helped her realise she can create any future she wants. She says, "Having a child and getting married, it's going to help me not be influenced so much, or manipulated which can happen in a huge way." Of her parents and management she says, "And they honestly do, and they mean well. "But they don't. And it's a sticky thing because you love these people. "The sad thing is they're usually the ones closest to you, and you have to completely separate yourself." Meanwhile the star is currently having another wedding ring made to replace her current one - because she wants a more uncommon diamond. The pregnant TOXIC singer, who will celebrate her first wedding anniversary with KEVIN FEDERLINE on 18 September (05), says she's not the biggest fan of her current wedding band, so she's upgrading. She says, "This isn't the real one... Because I don't - I like this one, but I'm getting a newer one that's even better. "It's totally a real diamond. But it's not the final. I like this, but it catches onto everything. "I want something that's not as pokey-outy. The one I'm getting is a little bit flatter. And it's just more of a rare diamond."

2pac's Poetry Put to Music

Mon, 05 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

2pac's Poetry Put to Music
Rappers such as Talib Kweli, Ludacris and Dead Prez have written new songs inspired by the poetry of the late Tupac Shakur published in "The Rose that Grew From Concrete." Due Sept. 20 via Amaru Entertainment/Koch, the 15-track "The Rose, Vol. 2" also features tracks from Memphis Bleek, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Lyfe Jennings, the Outlawz and Shakur's former Digital Underground colleague, Shock G. In addition, there are contributions from current and former attendees of the annual Tupac Summer Performing Arts Camp, including Celina Nixon, who know serves as the artistic director for the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. Proceeds from "The Rose, Vol. 2" will benefit the foundation and the construction of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Atlanta. A bronze memorial statue of the rapper will be unveiled Sept. 13 in the city. "We knew something was going on with the kid, but we didn't know how much," Shock G told Billboard.com last December when reflecting on Tupac's legacy. "It wasn't until he died that we started to see how every little thing he did was a piece of a larger plan. At least we worked with him. We never turned our back on him. We thought he was a great rapper but we had no idea he'd become the 'greatest.' I thought he could be the next Nas or the next LL Cool J, but not the god of hip-hop he turned out to be." Here is the track list for "The Rose, Vol. 2": Intro featuring Black Ice "Power of a Smile" featuring Bone Thugs-N-Harmony "The Eternal Lament" featuring Celina Nixon "Fallen Star" featuring Talib Kweli "In the Depths of Solitude" featuring Ludacris "Movin' On" featuring Lyfe Jennings "Life Through My Eyes" featuring Memphis Bleek and Tupac Shakur "When Ure Heart Turns Cold" featuring Outlawz "Black Woman" featuring Jamal Joseph and Che Davis "Only 4 the Righteous" featuring Yoyo "Where There Is a Will" featuring Boot Camp Clik "When Ur Hero Falls" featuring Impact Kids "And 2morrow" featuring Shock G "If I Fail" featuring Dead Prez "Poetry" featuring Amber and Morgan of Pac's Kids By Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

50 Made Him do It

Sat, 03 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

50 Made Him do It
Fat Joe says he knows the Video Music Awards aren't the right place to be exchanging salvos with 50 Cent, but he didn't plan it that way. "I had no intentions of going to the VMAs and starting no drama," Joe said Monday in Miami. "This is Joe. MTV shows me love. I come to these events to have a good time. I never had any type of incidents before. But at a certain point, what do you do?" While introducing the acts for the reggaeton performance, Joe joked that the G-Unit brought tons of police with them. Later, during 50's set, the leader of the G-Unit retaliated by calling Joe a "pu---." What the audience at home didn't see was that during the commercial break before the reggaeton set, 50 got up from his seat and started walking the house, going up in the stands, down to the floor, slapping five to attendees like Jay-Z and Diddy's kids and even stood several feet from Joe, leaving everyone bewildered. All this was done moments before Joe was shown on-air. The Terror Squad Don said Fif's action were blatantly meant to taunt him. "He's up in the stands waving at me," Joe explained. "Then he's walking around, and when I'm waiting to introduce the reggaeton dudes, he gets on the stage. I'm thinking, 'OK, we're about to fight.' I'm like, 'We're about to get it on right here at the VMAs?' " During the live broadcast, viewers could also hear members of the G-Unit yelling at Joe while he was onstage. "I said what I said because there's only so much you can take," Joe explained. "This guy is jumping onstage and nobody said anything to him. He did 'Piggy Bank,' I made my record ['My 44'] and said I'm out of it. I'm done. Then you have Tony Yayo trying to dis me every chance he gets. 50 is making music videos about me. What am I supposed to do? I have to defend myself. I was trying not to pay them no mind, until he jumped on the stage." Joe said he anticipated there might be some friction between himself and the G-Unit, so he stayed out of the audience for most of the show � not out of fear, but to avoid the sort of confrontation that would disrespect the show. Joe said he doesn't know what turn the beef will take next. Ironically, Sunday afternoon at Miami's Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 50 said he was done going back and forth with Joe. But he also admitted to pushing Joe's buttons with "Piggy Bank" last winter. "Before I put out my record, I knew Fat Joe would respond first," 50 said of the song. "It's pride, Latino pride. You can't escape that. "I made a two-bar reference on 'Piggy Bank' 'cause that's all I got for him to let him know [my feelings]," 50 added. "Then his [album All or Nothing] comes out and only sells 100,000 copies. It's obvious he doesn't generate the interest of the general public, so he doesn't generate mine either. I just had to let him know. 'Cause the kid in the schoolyard who doesn't want to fight always leaves with a black eye. It'll make a coward brave when they see you're afraid." 50 also said he was in no way afraid of being in the same venue with so many people he's had differences with � such as Game, Lil' Kim and Fat Joe � and was anticipating a phenomenal awards show. "Lil' Kim sits two rows behind me, she'll watch me win," he laughed. 50 was in Miami shooting Olivia's new video for "So Sexy" and unable to be reached for comment Wednesday (August 31). The G-Unit's Tony Yayo was on BET's "106 & Park" on Monday and told host Big Tigger that "50 was having a bad day" and that Fif's dis of Joe was a retaliatory act. Yayo also explained 50 went into the stands as a way to embrace his fans.

Q & A with Tommy Lee

Sat, 03 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Q & A with Tommy Lee
Somehow, between gigging on Motley Crue's current world tour, writing an autobiography, banging chicks, getting wasted, being a father and attending classes at the University of Nebraska for his new NBC reality series, Tommy Lee has found time to record a new album! Lee's third solo disc, Tommyland: The Ride, features collaborations -- some surprisingly mellow and melodic -- with bros like Dave Navarro, Sum 41's Deryck Whibley, Good Charlotte's Joel Madden and Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. Answering questions while on a bus trip to Washington, D.C., for a Crue gig, Lee says he is exhausted and hung over. "I got fucking mashed last night," he says. "I had champagne, vodka, Jagermeister -- a full-on alcohol salad. I was partying with Eva Longoria and a couple of buddies. She said she was going out with some French basketball dude. It's so wrong." Do you remember the first time you broke a drumstick? I was probably twelve when I started breaking them. I remember every time I'd break one I'd have to tape the fucking things back together. I was mowing lawns and painting houses just to afford them. At that point, the Regal Tips were, like, five dollars a set. What Motley Crue song did you write the fastest? "Girls, Girls, Girls." I was like, "Y'know what, every night all we fucking do is go to strip clubs. I gotta write about this experience." It wrote itself in about five minutes. Nice. What song reminds you of your two kids? I have a song on my new record called "Good Times." My youngest boy, Dylan -- he's almost eight -- he plays that fucking thing over and over and over. It freaks me out, but I love it -- that one of his favorite songs is by his dad. It's so fucking rad. How long did you debate having Nick Carter on your new record? [Laughs] I knew that was coming. Nick wanted me to write for him on his solo record. He wanted something edgier, and I was like, "Hmm, I don't know." But I took a meeting with him, and much to my surprise he was a huge rock fan. I popped out his CD player in his car and it was filled with Physical Graffiti and AC/DC and Sabbath. It kinda blew my mind. We did these two killer tracks together, so I said, "Can I use one of those?" Let me tell you something: That motherfucker came into the studio and out-partied people like Slash. [Nick's] a fucking maniac. And that's coming from me. I mean, I'm serious. So your studio is stocked with everything you need to party? Whatever you want, it's all here. Have you ever done a huge rail of coke off your snare drum? Not off the snare, but I used to fill up a beer cap to the brim and smash the fucker into my nose and play the last two songs of an encore. Definitely. Who's the best producer in hip-hop? Rick Rubin produced "99 Problems" -- the raddest hip-hop track ever. And Timbaland did Missy Elliott's "Lose Control," and that's a fucking bangin' track. I've talked to Missy about making some beats: "Just let me wail on some drums -- we could make the fucking sickest shit ever." We're working on that. Have your college classes inspired any new songs? Not yet. But during English Literature the professor had my autobiography on her desk. She said, "One of our students here is a best-selling author, and we're going to dissect his writing today!" I was like, "Wow, this is fucking surreal." She thought it was interesting that it started with me arguing with my penis. She said it was clever. Best drum solo ever? "Moby Dick," dude. Fucking John Bonham. By far. Your new CD is cheap: $9.99. Do you think that albums, in general, are a rip-off? I can't even remember the last time I went to a record store. I've spent a lot of money on iTunes -- got my credit card up there and I just keep clicking. I'm so sick of buying records for two good songs. What have you downloaded lately? There's this new band called Fall Out Boy. I like them. Some Sigur Ros. And Anna Nalick's song "Breathe" -- I think the lyrics are genius. What two musicians would you pay to see in a sex tape right now? Fuck! Eminem and Shakira. It's time for him to release a sex tape. He's slippin'. What's the most insane thing you've seen looking into the audience on this current Crue tour? Every night we have the Titty Cam, where all these girls get their fucking titties out. That doesn't suck. But Nikki [Sixx] will get the whole crowd to sit down and say, "Take a good look around. This is what it looks like at a Creed concert." Then he says, "On the count of three, I want everyone to jump up and lose their fucking minds!" When they get up, it's the craziest thing I've ever seen. Fucking bananas. Has any band ever seen more tits than the Crue? Not a chance. Motley Crue's autobiography The Dirt is being made into a movie. What will be your favorite scene? [Laughs] Watching Nikki OD and die for a few minutes. AUSTIN SCAGGS

Kanye, Kelly and the Stones added to Relief Bill

Fri, 02 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Kanye, Kelly and the Stones added to Relief Bill
Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson and the Rolling Stones are among several artists who have been added to MTV, VH1 and CMT's Hurricane Katrina relief special. Airing September 10 from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/PT, "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" will feature a mix of live and taped performances and messages from more than 30 artists. Other participating artists include Maroon 5, Good Charlotte, Audioslave, Simple Plan, Common, John Mayer, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Dashboard Confessional, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Melissa Etheridge, M�tley Cr�e, Goo Goo Dolls, Staind and Alan Jackson. Several artists with ties to the Louisiana and Mississippi area, including Trent Reznor, 3 Doors Down, Cash Money's Baby and Lil' Wayne, the Neville Brothers, Marc Broussard and the Radiators, will also partake, along with previously announced artists Green Day, Usher, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas, David Banner, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and John Mellencamp. "Since we announced this campaign, there has been an incredible outpouring of support from the music and entertainment community, who want to lend their voices, performances or messages of hope to those in need," Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music Group, said in a statement. "The affected area hit hard by Hurricane Katrina shares a rich musical and cultural heritage, so it's all the more meaningful that we try to support these massive relief efforts through music and encouraging our audiences to help any way they can." "It's going to be a great thing," said 3 Doors Down singer Brad Arnold, whose bandmembers had homes severely damaged in Mississippi. "It's going to raise a lot of money. It's going to raise a lot of awareness about how badly help is needed. And all in all it's gonna be a great show." "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" will be broadcast commercial-free from New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and Atlanta and will air simultaneously on MTV, VH1, CMT, MTV2, VH1 Classic and mtvU, as well as on the broadband online channels MTV Overdrive and VSpot. The special will raise funds for the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, America's Second Harvest and similar organizations. Additional details will be announced in the coming days. MTV News will air a special directly preceding "ReAct Now" on MTV. To find out what you can do to help provide relief to victims of Katrina, head to think MTV's hurricane relief page. � Corey Moss

The Life of Johnny Depp

Fri, 02 Sep 2005 21:00:00 -0700

The Life of Johnny Depp
WITH his talent and looks, he would be forgiven for being loud and obnoxious. Women love him and men have a right to be jealous of him. But on a steamy afternoon at the Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas, Johnny Depp is as gentle and sheepish as a sober nerd at a school formal. Deeply tanned from six months in the sun, Depp has taken a short break from shooting the Pirates Of The Caribbean sequels near the resort to chat about Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. He speaks in whispers, is polite and intelligent and sweet. It was not always the way, he says. As a kid his mother had a special name for him. "She used the term hellion," laughs Depp. "I wasn't obnoxious but I was curious. There were a lot of practical jokes. I got on her nerves basically. I pissed her off quite frequently." Depp is a Hollywood chameleon, switching from dirty Jack Sparrow to tidy playwright James Barrie in Finding Neverland, Constable Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow to Edward Scissorhands. Now he is Willy Wonka, the weird chocolate mogul in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, the remake of the Roald Dahl classic. Moving from character to character is the same as moving from town to town. Which is something he's got used to. "I don't want to be stuck in one spot," Depp says. "My childhood was spent moving around. We were total nomads. Like gypsies, just moving from one place to another all the time. That's kind of ingrained into my psyche, into my being. I couldn't stand being in one spot for too long." And it's a trait he's continued in adulthood. "We split the year up with six months in Los Angeles and six months in France. It just seems to work for us." The "us" is Depp's family, - his longtime girlfriend, French actress Vanessa Paradis, and their two children, six-year-old daughter Lily-Rose and three-year-old son, Jack. Depp says he is only happy when he is with his family and that is why they are rarely apart. They are living with him now in the Caribbean while he shoots the Pirates films. "The most I've ever been apart from my kids and my girl is four or five weeks and that drove me mad. One shouldn't have to do that. I can't do it. So as much as humanly possible I bring them with me on location. If Vanessa is doing a film and I'm not working, I'll go on location with her. "I have to have them with me. I love running around on the beach with the kids. Going swimming. Taking them out on the boat." Making Charlie And The Chocolate Factory has brought back many childhood memories for the 42-year-old actor, who is almost unrecognisable as Wonka, wearing clip-on teeth which seem to change the shape of his face. With his equally oddball close friend Tim Burton directing, Charlie has been one of America's most successful movies in 2005, making almost $264 million over the US summer. The story follows the poor, good-hearted Charlie Bucket, played by promising British child actor Freddie Highmore, as he wins a contest and tours Wonka's secret chocolate factory with four other children. The children, except for Charlie, are brats. Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee and Veruca Salt are all greedy piglets. Depp says he is lucky his children are just like Charlie. "They'd both be closer to Charlie's personality," Depp says. "Luckily the kids are pretty well-balanced and well-grounded and not monster-like at all." Depp and Burton have forged one of Hollywood's most quirky but successful partnerships. Since 1990 they have worked together on six films - Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood, Charlie and the new animated feature, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, scheduled for release in Australia October 27. "The great thing about him is he has stayed true to himself," Burton says. "That's what I love about Johnny. He's maintained an artistic integrity."

Ciara's VMA Outfit Cost Half Million

Mon, 29 Aug 2005 21:00:00 -0700

Ciara's VMA Outfit Cost Half Million
If Ciara's stylist gets her way, Ciara's going to be a woman soon. Ciara's been slowly but surely making the transition from tomboy to girlie girl, under the guidance of stylist Rosie Philidor, who's been working with her for the past eight months. When they first met, Ciara laid down the ground rules: no skirts, no dresses and no heels, unless they're wedges. But Philidor, who's also dressed Jay-Z and Sean Paul, was determined to get Ciara to bag the baggy pants and try a few new looks, and her efforts were more than apparent during Ciara's appearance at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards. "I feel like a new person," Ciara joked while she was getting ready in her suite at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. "I should have a new name. Call me Ashley. No, Elizabeth!" In all, the prep time to get the new Ciara camera-ready works out to this: a week of shopping by her stylist, 45 minutes of fittings the night prior, an hour and a half of coloring her hair considerably darker (from "pumpkin spice" to "cinnamon stick," her hairdresser said), and then three hours the day of, as three women worked on her at once � one doing her hair (soft curls), one doing her makeup (mostly MAC) and one doing her nails (practically clear). Also in the room, her personal assistant and her stylist worked on last-minute details, and a jeweler popped by to show the singer samples and help her pick out which items she'd borrow for the show. During all the activity, Ciara squirmed in her chair. "I'm patient for some things, but not for this," she explained. "I'm really not into all this stuff. I'd go natural and wear no makeup if I could, but you have to look good for the cameras." While being fitted the night prior, Ciara selected a little black dress � and we mean little. "I feel like I'm wearing nothing!" she exclaimed after putting on the vintage number. She initially thought it would fall just above her knees, but it turned out to be a lot higher. "This is really different for me. I'm going to have to wear some shorts underneath this," she said, noting that if a wind came and blew up the tail, she'd have a backside wardrobe malfunction that would set the paparazzi flashing. "Oh no you don't!" she practiced admonishing them. Ciara's minidress was balanced by tall boots from Giuseppe Zanotti with a wedge heel raising her a good three inches off the floor. Ciara in bare feet is 5 feet 7 inches tall, and it's only recently that she's become comfortable with her stature and begun to overcome her resistance to heels. She originally selected a pair of suede cowboy boots for Sunday night (August 28), but at the last minute she opted for a pair of "rock star" silver boots trimmed with silver and black stones in the back. "I was really insecure about my height when I was younger," she said. "But it's all good now. They're hot, so why not rock them?" Ciara also seemed slightly insecure about her own music � when her computer selected her own tunes, she yelled, "Can someone fast forward that? Can someone turn that off? Now?" But when Brandy's tunes came on, she sang along happily: "This is only gonna change if you let it." The real piece de resistance, though, was her bling. She wore more than half a million dollars' worth of jewelry donated by Sol Rafael: a 100-carat diamond necklace ($150,000); a cross necklace with pink, white and yellow diamonds ($110,000); a 60-carat bracelet with yellow and white diamonds ($250,000); and matching cross earrings ($50,000). If that seems excessive, consider that she actually turned down wearing much more, including a diamond snake for her hair, similar to the diamond butterfly Tyra Banks sported at the Grammys. She also opted not to wear any more accessories, even a belt, so it wouldn't seem "too much." The only piece that actually belonged to Ciara � and the one destined to attract the most attention � was the not-so-little rock on her left ring finger. People are "going to say a lot of crazy things," predicted the singer, who's dating Bow Wow. The ring was from Jacob the Jeweler, she said, but as for how many carats or any other details, she insisted, "I don't know, I don't care about these things. You'd have to ask the jeweler." Later, during a stop on the white carpet, Bow Wow admitted giving Ciara the ring, calling it "a little somethin' somethin' " but stopped short of calling it an engagement ring. Check out all of our VMA news for everything you need to know about the biggest winners, hottest fashions, hippest parties, and most outrageous moments onstage, backstage and throughout Miami. Plus, over on our broadband channel, Overdrive, you'll find additional interviews, exclusive backstage footage, performances and more. � Jennifer Vineyard