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Sway Chats With Grammy Nominees -- And Sneaks In A Few Questions About Etta James Vs. Beyonce

Posted 2/5/09 9:06 pm EST by in Grammys


Etta James My main goal at the Grammy radio forum today was seeing what celebrities I could find, and I came up with a pretty eclectic group. I spoke with Colby O'Donis about being nominated for Best Dance Recording with Lady Gaga for "Just Dance." He seemed to be a big fan of MTV, and we had a great conversation about his first Grammy experience.

I also found "America's Best Dance Crew" champs the JabbaWockeeZ, and I had them perform for the camera to let people know out there that even though they got mainstream success now, they can still break.

I also talked to music-industry legend Mr. Clive Davis and Leona Lewis about her success and her Grammy nominations. I thought she had two Grammy nods, and Clive quickly corrected me that it was actually three. There's not a stat or music-industry figure that he doesn't know. Clive also talked about Whitney Houston's upcoming album and touched on how Jennifer Hudson has been coping with all the adversity she's faced.

But the big topic of the day was Etta James lashing out at Beyoncé over her inaugural performance of "At Last." Clive said the issue was familiar to him because throughout the years, there's always been that friction between old and new artists. We also spoke with Grammy nominee Eric Benét and Grammy preshow host Wayne Brady on the topic. We'll have much more on their reactions in our article tomorrow, so make sure to come back to MTVNews.com.

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Sway Gets His Very Own Grammy Ad

Posted 2/5/09 12:09 pm EST by in Grammys


Have you seen those Grammy ads around? You know, the ones that feature big-name artists with colorful song titles making up their image? Lil Wayne, Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Rihanna and many more of this year's nominees are featured in the spots, but the Recording Academy just got another musical heavyweight in on the action: MTV News correspondent Sway.

(Check out Sway's Grammy portrait, exclusively here, after the jump!)
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Sway Remembers Carson Daly's Advice On The Last Night Of 'TRL'

Posted 11/17/08 1:41 am EST by in TRL


It was great being a part of the "TRL" finale. Carson Daly was somebody who really embraced me when I came to MTV in 2000. I was somewhat of an outsider. I came from a different place, and I looked different, with the hair wrap and everything. At the time, Carson gave me some really great advice. He told me to go out there, just have fun and be who I am, and the rest would resonate.

Photo By Bryan Bedder of Getty Images

It was great seeing all the original faces, from Carson to Hilarie, Quddus, Lyndsey, La La and Vanessa. Everyone's still really successful and doing their own thing. It was also good to see Snoop, Nelly, Luda, Hilary Duff and all these wonderful folks.

Photo By Frank Micelotta of Getty Images

The show was such a tribute to great music and pop culture, and then it became a cultural icon in itself. I'm happy to be a part of "TRL," and being on the finale was a proud moment for me. I had a wonderful time.

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Sway Says No Interview Has Topped His Campaign-Trail Talks With Barack Obama

Posted 11/3/08 8:42 pm EST by in Barack-Obama, Campaign '08


Last time I spoke with Senator Barack Obama in Greensboro, North Carolina, right after the first presidential debate, I wrote afterward that it felt like I was talking to an "everyday citizen."

Now that I've talked to him again, this time just outside Las Vegas, I believe that's even more true. He comes off like a regular person — a regular person who just so happens to be running for president.

And that's what makes it so, well ... it's hard to put into words.

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Sway Honored To Serve The Troops During 'A Night For Vets'

Posted 10/24/08 8:27 pm EST by in BRAVE, Concerts


SwayThis whole year of covering veteran issues for MTV's Choose or Lose has really opened my eyes to what our young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are going through. "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE" was one of the most gratifying experiences I've had as an MTV News correspondent.

The overall theme of the show — a celebration of vets — seemed to resonate with the crowd. All the veterans I met were elated to be acknowledged. The packages CNN and MTV produced really hit home with what they've been going through in terms of transitioning back into civilian life. And the BRAVE petition excited them and showed them that we haven't forgotten them as a country.

50 set the tone. He answered the crowd's excitement and anticipation. The fact that you could get one of the top artists in the world for these guys says a lot about the cause. And every one of the vets appreciated it. Read More...

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Veterans In Tulsa Get One Step Closer To The Justice They Deserve

Posted 10/23/08 8:20 am EST by in BRAVE


John BennettWe recently took a trip to Sallisaw, Oklahoma, to talk to a Marine Corps veteran named John Bennett who now works for the Sequoyah County Sheriff's Department down there. John proposed an interesting idea for a veterans' court that he adapted from a court in Upstate New York.

While nobody comes home from war unchanged, most vets are able to deal with the transition back to civilian life just fine. But many have to deal with big-time mental-health problems, like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury (more commonly known as PTSD and TBI). If untreated, these often lead to alcoholism and drug use, which can get a lot of vets into more trouble and land them in the criminal-justice system for anything from possession charges and DUIs to domestic violence and theft.


Once John heard about the court in New York, he thought they should implement this concept in his own state. Because Sequoyah County is so small, he headed next door to Tulsa County, which has one of the highest rates of returning vets in the country. He worked extremely hard to get a judge to volunteer for vets' court, and got the DA as well as the mayor of Tulsa involved as well.
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Barack Obama And Sway Discuss The Debate, Hip-Hop And How The Bailout Could Affect Young Americans

Posted 9/29/08 7:56 am EST by in election 2008


As told to Lindsey Thomas

Sen. Barack Obama and SwayWhen we flew down to Greensboro, North Carolina, we knew we'd only have 15 minutes to speak with Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden. With so little time, I had to make sure that we covered the issues that are most important to you.

First, I wanted to address the presidential debate, specifically Senator John McCain's attacks on Obama. On Friday night, the Republican nominee frequently said that his rival is naive and doesn't understand the issues. Obama dismissed the comments as tactics that didn't hold any weight. In an election year, it can be hard to sort out truth, fiction and perception, but Obama said he feels that American voters can tell the difference.


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Sway To Copilot VMA Preshow Chopper -- But What About His Fear Of Heights?

Posted 9/7/08 4:47 pm EST by in VMAs



I don't do roller coasters. I don't like to be high in the sky, I don't like all that up and down, and I'm not down with all that centrifugal force stuff. So when they told me a few weeks ago that I was gonna be copiloting MTV News' first-ever traffic chopper during the VMA preshow, I figured I was in for 10 times the excitement and 10 times the discomfort.

Anything for the VMAs.

Still, when I arrived at Whiteman Airport and they informed me that I was gonna spend two full days in the air, all I could think was that every minute in the air was gonna be a risk. You know, L.A. is full of turbulence, with all the mountains and valleys. And nobody told me I was gonna have to go three or four times!
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Sway Rocks Out To The Eagles At Hard Rock Park

Posted 6/25/08 5:07 pm EST by in Hard Rock, Led-Zeppelin, Myrtle Beach


There's nothing more exciting than a day at the amusement park. Even as an adult, you still get those butterflies in your stomach thinking about the possibility of riding the marquee roller-coaster.

That roller-coaster for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina's Hard Rock Park would be "Led Zeppelin: The Ride," and let's just say it's one of the most state-of-the-art rides in the business. The other attractions include a music museum and the British Invasion side of the park, which has a London theme and plenty of rock paraphernalia.

I have to say, though, one of my favorites is the Rock and Roll Museum, where you can find plenty of music trivia, celebrity mementos and historical facts as well. I was very fortunate to be escorted through the park by Steve Goodwin, which meant I found out everything there is to know about building an amusement park.

The night I was there ended perfectly with rock legends the Eagles playing one of my all time favorites, "Hotel California"! If you ever get a chance and you are a music lover, make sure you visit.

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R. Kelly And Sway After The Verdict

Posted 6/13/08 8:50 pm EST by in trials


R. Kelly and Sway

The verdict is in, and the trial is over. It's been slightly uncomfortable watching R. Kelly go back and forth to the courthouse in recent weeks knowing that his future was hanging in the balance. Each time I saw him, it felt like even he was uncertain of what his future would be — he was intensely focused, quiet and kept to himself. Given what was at stake, I suppose any of us in his shoes would feel the same way.

All that changed when the verdict was announced this afternoon. He was overcome with emotion inside the courtroom and shed some tears, but he seemed relieved once he was outside. He waved and smiled for what seemed like the first time in weeks. After all those days in front of the courthouse, I forgot what it looked like to see him like that — relaxed. From there, he was off to mark the moment with friends and family.

I felt compelled to wish him well, so we rolled out to find him. He's not ready to talk yet on the record, but this photo says a lot anyway — he's feeling relaxed, relieved and not guilty.

What do you think about the R. Kelly verdict? Vote in our poll, or sound off in the comments section below.

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