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Sway Reflects On The Inauguration ... And Barack Obama's Love For Jay-Z

Posted 1/22/09 3:55 pm EST by in inauguration


When MTV News' Sway headed down to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration, he was expecting it to be one giant party. And while it certainly was for some, he didn't do much besides rehearse for his gig as the MC of MTV's "Be the Change" Youth Inaugural Ball. Matter of fact, he didn't really leave his hotel room ... aside from one day, that is: when he took a moment to reflect on the historic impact of the events with his 84-year-old grandmother. He also reflected on the feeling in D.C. on that historic day, and on his interviews last year with Barack Obama.

"I managed to leave the hotel in the afternoon and meet up with my grandmother, Elsie Waters. ... She's the matriarch of my fam, and she made the pilgrimage to D.C. to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama. We met up at the Smithsonian, and we just talked about everything that was happening. I didn't know how to sum it all up, but she said so many things that were so right. Read More...

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Deciphering The Lyrics to 'American Idol' Wannabe Leneshe Young's Ode To Cincinnati

Posted 1/22/09 2:28 pm EST by in American Idol


It's the kind of story "American Idol" producers can't resist ending an audition show with. An 18-year-old African-American girl from a small Midwestern town who has grown up moving in and out of shelters comes in and wows the judges with her infectious smile and, even better, an original ode to her city.

Now, perhaps I'm biased because cute-as-a-button Leneshe Young is from my hometown, but I, too, was totally charmed by the Cincinnati native and blown away that she chose to sing a song she wrote. And maybe her single mom's pastor prophesied that little LeLe would make her mama "very wealthy one day," and she did totally kill it in the audition. But just what were Leneshe's lyrics about? Here we provide a breakdown of what we heard, keeping in mind that maybe Leneshe needs to work on her narrative coherence if she's going to keep busting out original tunes. Read More...

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We're Not Feeling The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' New Album Title -- And We Have Suggestions

Posted 1/22/09 1:57 pm EST by in yeah-yeah-yeahs


The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen OLate yesterday, as the nation basked in our post-inaugural bliss, indie nation was also given reason to rejoice, when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced the title of their much-anticipated new album ... a little slap of spiky post-punk they're calling It's Blitz.

Far be it from me to nitpick something as insignificant as an album title (or, you know, a baby name), especially when said album title was introduced by an illustrated raccoon with blood coming out of its mouth, but, uh, It's Blitz is kind of a lousy title. It's goofy, it rhymes, and it doesn't really make an ounce of sense. And, yeah, I'm aware that the YYYs chose to name their last album after "what happens when you put your finger in a light socket," so this might not be the most important thing in the world to them.

Still, I'd be remiss if I didn't offer Karen O and company a handful of better album titles, partially because I am a concerned YYYs fan, but also because I have nothing better to do. Also, since Blitz doesn't come out until the spring, there's still plenty of time to change things up if they want (just keep the killer raccoon, please).

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Miley Cyrus Raps About Her Love For Iron Maiden

Posted 1/22/09 12:34 pm EST by in Miley Cyrus


Apparently, Demi Lovato isn't the only Disney teen queen who loves herself some heavy metal. Miley Cyrus also claims to be a headbanger, and the 16-year-old wants all her critics to know that when she wears an Iron Maiden T-shirt around town, it's because she really loves the band.

"OK, so here's the deal ... I know you guys check up on some cool sites with different pics of me, and that's awesome and I think that's great that you get to see me out and about," she said in a new YouTube video, in which she also discusses her relationship with the Jonas Brothers. "So, I'm sure you guys have seen me rocking an Iron Maiden shirt lately. And I know there's been some people saying, 'Oh, she's a poser ... She wants to be a rock star.' You guys don't know my life. You don't know if I like Iron Maiden or not."
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We're Live-Blogging The 'American Idol' Louisville Auditions!

Posted 1/21/09 7:58 pm EST by in American Idol


Jim Cantiello

Paging Colonel Sanders! Put on your best hat and sink your teeth into a hot brown sandwich because it's time to live-blog "American Idol's" Kentucky auditions, y'all!

We're three episodes into the eighth season of "Idol," and so far, (cue "The Joshua Tree") I still haven't found what I'm looking for. I have yet to be floored by an audition. I still don't have my Tami Gosnell or Briana Ramirez-Rial or any other singer that I become totally obsessed with and root for all season long. Seriously, the only person I'm rooting for this season is Grandma Furney!

Before we get to the festivities, I want to give a shout-out to MTV.COM user ripitkyle77, who wrote on last night's live-blog, "I checked out Tamarama, the band Jay from The City plays guitar for. They're really good, and he's a pretty good guitar player." Thanks for staying on task ripitkyle77! I appreciate your attention span. (PS - The name Tamarama reminds me of the amazing HBO show, "Summer Heights High," where Mr. G wrote a musical called "Tsunamarama," which told the story of the tsunami using the music of Bananarama.)

7:57 pm - My wife is taunting me by watching today's "Martha" on our Tivo. Doesn't she know that it's "Idol" night? I have to live-blog, honey!

7:58 pm - OMG Martha's making cupcakes. Do you think I'll get fired if I live-blog this instead?

7:59 pm - TV crisis averted. One more minute!!

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Kid Rock Has Impromptu Jam Session After Youth Inaugural Ball

Posted 1/21/09 6:10 pm EST by in be the change, Behind The Scenes


By Ashley Mastronardi

I've experienced some pretty fun things in D.C. this past week. Besides obviously being there while our country's first black president was inaugurated, I had some run-ins with the Secret Service, sang "The Roof Is on Fire" with Spike Lee and his entourage, and even stood mere feet away from legend of all legends Aretha Franklin.

But while waiting to meet up with some friends around 2:30 this morning, I ran into everyone's favorite bad boy and Youth Inaugural Ball performer Kid Rock. Kid and his entourage were holding court at the Cha Bar in the Donovan Hotel — and he wanted to make sure everyone knew about it.

With a cigar in his mouth and hard liquor in hand, Kid — always the showman — gave an impromptu performance. It was so loud that I could hear him all the way from the lobby. But he wasn't alone! He jammed with his too-fabulous-for-words backup singer Thornetta Davis. Kid's a great singer, but I think it's time he takes baby out of the corner and lets her work it with him onstage.

Check out a clip of Thornetta's solo during their musical collabo.

Aretha Franklin Dazzles MTV Staffers At Youth Inaugural Ball

Posted 1/21/09 5:34 pm EST by in inauguration


Sure, I was pretty excited just to be in D.C. for MTV's "Be the Change" Youth Ball yesterday. But in the back of my mind, I was also really hoping for the chance to meet Barack Obama. Well, that wasn't going to happen (apparently the Secret Service is impervious to flirting, as I learned on Monday night when I batted my eyelashes to try to catch a glimpse of the future POTUS, who was attending an event at our production hotel).

For me, the icing ended up coming in the form of larger-than-life R&B diva Aretha Franklin, who made an appearance at the tail end of the MTV ball. It was around 1:30 a.m. when I heard my usually jaded colleagues and top MTV execs oohing and ahhing at the sight of the legend who, along with her enormous hat, had serenaded Obama and a crowd of about 2 million at his swearing-in ceremony earlier in the day.

And now here she was at our little party, in an elegant white feathered gown and with an entourage of about 20.

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Miley Cyrus Throws Down With Tyra Banks In 'Hannah Montana' Trailer

Posted 1/21/09 3:31 pm EST by in Miley Cyrus


Miley CyrusThe trailer for the "Hannah Montana" movie has been released. And it features Hannah Montana dancing on the beach and getting in a catfight with Tyra Banks over a pair of shoes. This "shoe fight" causes the whole Stewart clan to head home to Tennessee so Hannah, a.k.a. Miley Stewart, can find herself. In the process, it also seems like she finds romance with a cute cowboy.

All in all, the experience leaves Miley wondering if she can continue living a double-life as Hannah and Miley. What world will she pick? Fans can find out when the movie hits theaters in April 10.

Head to our Movies Blog to check out screenshots from the "Hannah Montana" sneak peek.

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Kanye West, Jay-Z Rock Wacky Fashions For Inauguration

Posted 1/21/09 3:25 pm EST by in Barack-Obama, inauguration


By Jayson Rodriguez

We all know Kanye's got a little bit of Björk in him, so if he's going to look a little Billy Ocean-ish with his 'do — that weird afro-mullet he sported Tuesday night at the Youth Ball — he can get a pass. Slightly.

MTV's Rahman Dukes was sitting next to me in the office during the show and, well, let's say he's not as generous with the passes. Kanye's 'fro is growing at a Chia Pet rate, and he needs to figure it out quick: to 'fro or no? He's treading on dangerous (fashion) ground with that toeing-the-line look. Maybe he should just follow Rah's advice: Cornrow that ish up already!

Jay-Z, on the other hand, has been sporting those black-rimmed specs a little too tough lately. At a Knicks game, cool. To the "Notorious" premiere, no sweat. But when Hov started rocking them around D.C., he went a little too far. Last night was like seeing Superman with gray hair in his wavy black tresses. There was Jay, live on TV, performing his track "History" in concert for the first time — and if the sight of an MC rapping in a tux wasn't weird enough, with those Urkel glasses? Ow. We winced, knowing the hip-hop blogs were gonna cut him up the next morning. Earlier in the day, he had 'em on but with a Russian "Spies Like Us" hat (it was cold out, but c'mon), and he looked more like a United Nations scientist than CEO of the R-O-C.

See photos of the two rappers here as well as Kanye and Jay-Z's performances at the inaugural balls after the jump.

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To The Dude Who Yelled Out 'Free Bird' During Obama's Inaugural Youth Ball: For Once, It Was Funny ...

Posted 1/21/09 1:55 pm EST by in inauguration


Sway and Rosario DawsonBy Alex Shapiro

Through many decades, countless concerts in all different musical genres have had at least one thing linking them together: that jerk who yells "Free Bird!"

Anyone who's been to a rock show in the past 30 years knows exactly who I'm talking about (hey, it might even have been you!). The dork who waits for a relatively quiet moment in between songs and then yells out the words — so innocently written by late Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zandt, long before the band became famous — that have become rock's F-bomb, apparently thinking it's the most original, clever, spontaneous concert-going stunt since the invention of crowd surfing.

Yelling "Free Bird" at a gig has never been funny. Ever. Until last night. And here's why ...

Just hours after Barack Obama's historic nomination, the crowd at the Youth Ball (where Kanye West, Fall Out Boy and Kid Rock performed) was poised, almost silent with excitement, waiting for the new president to make his appearance. The energy in the room was palpable.

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