By Hillary Crosley
Who knew a record label started in a New York University dorm room could become so successful? Apparently Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin. The two created Def Jam Records 25 years ago, and it's become one of hip-hop's premiere labels, housing some of the brightest stars, with Nas, LL Cool J, etc etc among the artists in its legendary catalogue. So it's no surprise that "VH1's Hip Hop Honors" is celebrating the storied label this year.
MTV News checked out the rehearsal for the big show, which tapes on Wednesday night (September 23) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and airs on October 13. For the third year in a row, Tracy Morgan will serve as host. Morgan's comedy skits appear between behind-the-scenes interviews with Jay-Z, Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman Antonio "LA" Reid, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin and former Def Jam executives Lyor Cohen, Julie Greenwald and Kevin Liles.
Public Enemy, the Roots and Street Sweeper Social Club (comprised of Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello and the Coup's Boots Riley) practiced for their performance first. Ashanti followed, reuniting for two jams with her longtime partner-in-crime Ja Rule. Rule looked and sounded just as he did in 2001. Ashanti even helped out Rule on one song, rapping his lyrics in a faux-gravely voice to a giggling set full of dancers.
Up next, Warren G and Trey Songz performed a remix of one of Warren's biggest hits (which we can't reveal). During their performance, Ghostface was sitting at a table taping a segment called "What Would Ghostface Do?" where MCs stop by and ask Ghost for advice. As he wrapped up a session with Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes, Ghost spotted Warren G and gave him a big hello. Meanwhile, Travis went back to hosting a VH1 trivia segment where all of the performers are quizzed on their Def Jam history. Who knows their hip-hop math? Let's just say that Rick Ross might be the subject's star pupil.
Back on the stage, Ludacris (who'd just gotten off a plane) hopped on stage with Southern rap legend Scarface for two cuts that you haven't heard in awhile. Read more...
The march toward the 2009 Video Music Awards continues with the announcement of the nominees today. In typical VMA fashion, the list is full of heavy hitters: Beyoncé, Eminem, Kanye West, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga will all compete for Video of the Year. Beyoncé and Gaga lead the way with nine nominations each, including their head-to-head battle in the Video of the Year category between "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" and "Poker Face." But which diva will reign supreme?
Outfit
Gaga is in her traditional boundary-pushing garb, highlighted by a strange blue bodysuit that is part Blade Runner, part Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Beyoncé opts for a simple leotard, ideal for rhythmic dancing. In a nod to her "Sasha Fierce" alter-ego, she is also wearing that crazy gauntlet on her left hand. Advantage: Lady Gaga. Nobody is going to out-weird her when it comes to costumes.
Co-Stars
Beyoncé is flanked by two dancers, while Gaga is surrounded by partygoers and a pair of Great Danes. Advantage: Lady Gaga. Everybody loves those dogs — hence the popularity of Scooby-Doo.
Dancing
Here's the bottom line: Joe Jonas did a tribute to the "Single Ladies" dance, and unless the Bonus Jonas is planning a "Pokerface" homage, this is no contest. Advantage: Beoyncé. Obviously.
Read more...
Ashanti once clicked her heels together as Dorothy, but for one night, she was the Wicked Witch of the West.
For a special performance of "Wicked" — the Broadway musical in which you learn the Wicked Witch in "The Wizard of Oz" wasn't so wicked after all — Ashanti joined former castmembers from the show, as well as celebs such as Mario Cantone, Joy Behar, George Wendt and Matthew Settle from "Gossip Girl," in a charity performance on Monday called "The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken." The production featured never-before-seen scenes and songs from a rough draft of the first act, with proceeds benefitting the New York Restoration Project.
Though some of the celebs couldn't sing quite as well as Broadway regulars, Wendt (as the Wizard) got points from the audience just for trying. (Behar didn't try at all, but instead read her lines with a sense of rhythm that implied song.) Settle tackled a love song, "As If By Magic," while Cantone brought down the house with his ad-libbed rendition of "Popular." (Both Behar and Cantone made digs at Palin and McCain in their songs.) Read more...
· Usher's label announced Wednesday that the release date of his new LP, Here I Stand, has been moved up to May 27 from June, "in order to satiate increasing global demand from all of his fans" (which is, coincidentally, the same problem we have). The album's first video, for his hot single "Love in This Club," will premiere on MTV, BET and VH1 on Monday.
· Ashanti's (comeback) album, "The Declaration," is due out on June 3rd and features production from Pharrell, Jermaine Dupri and Babyface. Her single, "The Way That I Love You," is actually making a lot of noise, so Ashanti may indeed be bringing The Inc back.
· T Bone Burnett tells Rolling Stone that legendary rockers, The Who, are planning an album of R&B and soul covers, something the band did early on in their careers. "There’s an incredible treasury of songs in the mode of what they used to play...ones that people probably haven’t heard of."
Our dude Toshitaka Kondo (or just Toshi) over at the Rhapsody blogs is the king of both exclusives and attracting controversy out of his interview subjects. So it's no surprise that in this conversation with Lloyd, the genteel R&B singer talks about his time at his label, The Inc. (formerly, you know, Murder Inc.), and in the process, somehow equates the decline of Ashanti and Ja Rule with the fall of the Twin Towers.
Not that we're getting all out-of-context mainstream-misunderstanding on you. Just that it's, you know, an odd analogy.
Toshi: You were around when The Inc. was on top. What’s the difference between then and now?
Lloyd: I never got down with the Inc. when they were on top. When I came with the Inc., they were facing a lot. My whole attraction was that I could revive or breathe a little life into this place because it had great history. I was in a place that was built on love and I just wanted to bring some of that in there. Before Street Love, there wasn’t a lot of noise. But after, Ashanti put out a record and Ja put out a record. So it opened up the market for what we had. It’s like the Twin Towers. They knocked them down out of malicious intent and hatred. Those buildings were built on love, hard work, sweat and dedication. Same way with the Inc. When I came there, it was ash and rubble. I’m like, "I gotta restore this building."
Anyway, Lloyd left open the tantalizing possibility of a collabo album with Lil Wayne called The Best of Young Worlds. We wouldn't believe it but that's like, what, one night in the studio for Weezy?
