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T.I. Debuts Big, Katy Perry Still Dominates On The Billboard Hot 100

Posted 12/16/10 11:30 am EST by in Music


As the year comes to a close, the trends in music seem to be accurately reflected at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. When you look at the year that was, a handful of artists have had their dominance validated by spots atop the big list, from Ke$ha ("Tik Tok," which opened the year at number one for nine weeks), Rihanna ("Rude Boy," which spent five weeks on top; "What's My Name?" was on top for a week a little while back), Usher (three weeks on top for "OMG") and Eminem (he spent seven weeks at the perch with "Love the Way You Lie"). But the most dominating figure on the Billboard Hot 100 this year has to be Katy Perry, who has sent all three of the singles from her new album Teenage Dream to the number one position.

Perry has been steadily building a historic run. "Firework," the current chart-topper, is in its second week on top, while "Teenage Dream" was in first place for two weeks in September and "California Gurls" threatened to dominate the entire summer (it ended up number one for six weeks before being displaced by "Love the Way You Lie"). It's quite possible that Perry could finish up the year on top with "Firework," though Bruno Mars' "Grenade" is making big moves (it jumped two places up to number three this week), as is Enrique Iglesias' "Tonight" (which could make a huge jump from number 15 this week after he debuts the video).

Elsewhere on the chart, T.I.'s "That's All She Wrote" (a collaboration with Eminem) stormed the chart this week at number 18, making it the week's biggest debut. Other debuts included a pair of Christmas songs from "Glee," and way down at number 95 you can find Jamie Foxx and Drake's "Fall For Your Type," a future top 10 smash.

Who do you think will dominate the Hot 100 in 2011? Let us know in the comments!

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Howard Stern, John Lennon And The Top 25 Songs Of 2010: This Week's Deep Cuts

Posted 12/10/10 5:00 pm EST by in Deep Cuts


This week is just about over, which means it's time to decide what to do with your weekend. You'll probably be splitting time between taking care of holiday shopping and hiding from the cold, but you should really only be concerned about just how badly UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is going to pound challenger Josh Koscheck inside the Octagon in Toronto on Saturday night (December 11). After a season of hyping up the conflict on "The Ultimate Fighter," both men are primed for a classic confrontation. In their first meeting, St-Pierre dominated Koscheck for three rounds and won a decision, but the French-Canadian known as "Rush" has gotten even better since then. Koscheck will put up a good fight, but St-Pierre might be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now, and Koscheck won't be able to handle his skill set. The official prediction? St-Pierre by decision.

But before you satisfy your bloodlust this weekend, check out everything you might have missed this week on the MTV Newsroom Blog. There was big news from Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, T.I. and the entire list of the MTV News Top 25 Songs of 2010.

» Who had a better week than anybody? Probably Howard Stern, who signed a giant new contract worth an estimated $400 million. That gives Stern a few more years to be one of the best interviewers in all of media.

» T.I., on the other hand, had a more ambivalent week. Sure, he dropped his relatively well-received new album No Mercy, but he had to do it from the confines of a prison cell.

» The big "VH1 Divas Salute the Troops" show opened up the week, which featured Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and the about-to-be-huge Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.

» Not only did Perry show up on the "Divas" show, but she also dropped in as the special guest on the Christmas episode of "The Simpsons."

» Justin Bieber has a few things in common with Pittsburgh Penguins phenom Sidney Crosby. They're both Canadian, they both enjoy hockey and they both now appear on trading cards.
Read More...

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T.I.'s No Mercy: The Reviews Are In!

Posted 12/7/10 11:30 am EST by in Music


It wasn't supposed to be this way. No Mercy was supposed to represent T.I.'s glorious comeback from a year behind bars, the final act in his redemption story that ended with him victorious and on top of the charts (it was supposed to be called King Uncaged, after all). But then the man born Clifford Harris slipped up again and ended up a guest of the government again. So now No Mercy is merely an interesting album whose themes of liberation and victory come across as painfully ironic rather than victorious.

T.I. is a gifted lyricist with an unquestionably masterful flow, and No Mercy is full of the best production that money can buy care of Kanye West, Alex da Kid, The-Dream and the Neptunes, among others. It's an excellent combination, and it's a shame that T.I. wasn't free to enjoy the excellent critical response so far. In a three star review (out of four), U.S.A. Today's Steve Jones says No Mercy is "at times celebratory, contemplative and defiant" and thought the lyrics about the long road back haven't been tarnished by his recent return to prison. "T.I. admits that his 'road to redemption has no GPS' but chastises critics who rush to judge him. This is a recurring theme, in between boasts about his wealth and clever pickup lines."

Jeff Weiss of the Los Angeles Times was a little more lukewarm in his review, though he can't deny T.I.'s considerable charms. "The highlights arrive from cameos," Weiss writes. "Or when T.I. test-drives the seraphic soul of Jake One's 'Salute' and the xylophone thump of the Neptunes' 'Amazing.' They represent the rare peaks of possibility beyond the walls, both self-imposed and otherwise."

In his review in the Washington Post, writer Sean Fennessey was frustrated by the album's lack of innovation, calling it "confused and dull," adding "When he does find clarity, it's either through the lens of guests such as Kanye West and Scarface, or with qualifications."

In fact, most critics seem to agree that No Mercy succeeds in spite of itself. "This is the kind of material that, cloaked in ripe hooks and sharp beats, can sustain mediocrity," writes Jesse Cotaldo of Slant. "Stocked with smart producers and reshuffled tropes, the album buzzes with excitement and relevance even when it's thematically comatose."

What do you think of T.I.'s new album? Let us know in the comments!

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T.I. Becomes A Legend: Wake-Up Video

Posted 11/30/10 8:00 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


Before he earned the reputation as "the Jay-Z of the south" (a well-earned title bestowed upon him by Neptunes and N.E.R.D. mastermind Pharrell Williams) and long before legal troubles threatened to derail his career, Clifford Harris (better known to the hip-hop world as T.I.) was merely a hungry rapper from Atlanta with a serious flow and a knack for wordplay. His first two albums — 2001's I'm Serious and 2003's Trap Muzik — were spotty but inspiring, clearly the work of an artist learning how to master his craft. He finally found the groove with 2004's Urban Legend, which found its way to the streets on this day in 2004.

Though T.I. had scored some buzz from his first two albums, he was mostly a well-kept secret in the hip-hop community for the first few years of his career. The first time most of the general population heard his unique voice and signature flow was when "Bring Em Out" found its way into heavy rotation on radio and on MTV. Produced by Swizz Beatz, "Bring Em Out" is a spectacular contrast in styles, marrying low-fi keyboards, brassy horns and a killer disco whistle to a stream of boastful (and frequently violent) lyrics. Consider the lyric that kicks off the song: "Bring 'em out/ It's hard to yell with the barrel in your mouth." That's a pretty savage (and often censored) line for a song that was as big as "Bring Em Out" was.

In fact, it was the first of many big hits for T.I., who would later pile on success on the back of singles like "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)," "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life." But it all began with "Bring Em Out" and its fun, almost manic video.


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Rihanna Gets Loud, Throws Back: MTV News' #MusicMonday

Posted 11/15/10 12:30 pm EST by in Music


Really, you should be listening to music every day, but thanks to Twitter, Monday has become the best day of the week to discover new songs, show some love to the tune currently dominating your iPod playlist and quietly judge the listening habits of your closest friends. Yes, it's #MusicMonday, one of Twitter's most enduring trending topics. Hence "MTV News' #MusicMonday," a weekly look at the songs we are currently crushing on.

This week, a little something old and a little something new from Rihanna.

One of the most pleasant surprises of the current music season is Loud, the new album from Rihanna. Hitting stores on Tuesday (November 16) less than a year after the release of her dark 2009 opus Rated R, the new album (her fifth overall, a staggering output considering her debut dropped in 2005) sees Rihanna returning to more of a radio-friendly sound. Stocked with very few ballads and loaded up with dancefloor-friendly numbers, Loud isn't necessarily a return to form (there's probably not enough straight hip-hop on it), but it does indulge in some fantastically hedonistic melodies. The singles "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?" are both epic neck-snappers, while punchy jams like "California King Bed" and "Cheers (Drink to That)" wander into sonic territories Rihanna has only hinted at in the past. And of course the album ends on "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)," the passionate sequel to the chart-topping Eminem track about domestic abuse that continues the narrative from the first version.

This is the grand, cinematic Rihanna — the same one that sings the hook on T.I.'s "Live Your Life." While we're spinning several of the Loud songs as our #MusicMonday jams, it's "Live Your Life" that has been in heavy rotation this morning.

What's your #MusicMonday jam? Let us know in the comments!

Want more Rihanna? Be sure to catch her in a special live performance on Monday's (November 15) episode of "The Seven" at 5 p.m. EST on MTV!

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Lil Wayne Is Coming Back, And He'll Probably Be Better Than Ever

Posted 11/1/10 5:00 pm EST by in Music


It's a big week for the hip-hop world, as one of its favorite sons is about to come home. Lil Wayne is scheduled to be released from Riker's Island this week, ending a jail sentence that saw the rapper serve a total of eight months behind bars. The guy will be emerging in awfully good shape, as he currently has an album on the Billboard chart (the number-one selling I Am Not A Human Being) and plenty of demand from his fans and friends (Drake is ready to bring him back in, and Nicki Minaj's album will be out shortly). As long as he keeps himself clean, he'll be in excellent shape.

Even if he stumbles a bit on his return to the real world, Weezy is on the way to having the most successful post-incarceration career of any recent rap star. Take a look at his peers for proof.

Artist: T.I.
Pre-Jail Success: It isn't easy to carry a nickname like "The Jay-Z of the South," but T.I. managed to pull off the same sort of curious balancing act that Jigga has done over his career — specifically appealing to both hardcore hip-hop heads and mainstream audiences.
Post-Jail Success: Free from his sentence, Tip was preparing to drop his new album King Uncaged (which has since been re-titled No Mercy) when he was arrested for drug possession. He now will be headed back to prison for violating the terms of his probation.

Artist: Mystikal
Pre-Jail Success: New Orleans rapper Michael Tyler began as a soldier in Master P's No Limit army and ended up being the breakout star of that unit with hits like "Shake Ya Ass" and "Danger."
Post-Jail Success: Mystikal owes one more album to his label and is currently working on it. He dropped the single "I'ont Like You" earlier this year which features his former No Limit cohort Fiend.
Read More...

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Jimmy Fallon Dominates This Week's 'Late Night Lineup'

Posted 8/30/10 9:30 am EST by in Television


Shouldn't logic dictate that the late night shows were off this week as well? With Labor Day coming up and considering most everybody has been off for the better part of August, you would assume that they'd squeeze one last week out of summer vacation and return ready to go next Tuesday. But the streets can't wait for after-hours comedy, interviews and music, which is why just about every one of the late night shows is back this week. Jay Leno will welcome an eclectic batch of musical guests to "The Tonight Show," including Cyndi Lauper and Johnny Lang (Monday, August 30), Norah Jones (Tuesday, August 31), Goo Goo Dolls (Wednesday, September 1) and Sara Bareilles (Friday, September 3). Leno will also chat with Kim Kardashian (Tuesday) and Louis C.K. (Friday) in what should be two very different interviews.

David Letterman counters with Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses (Monday) and Merle Haggard (Tuesday), along with the likes of Jessica Alba (Monday), Donald Trump (Wednesday) and Will Arnett (Thursday, September 2). "Jimmy Kimmel Live" remains on vacation, though the Thursday night episode featuring Jerry O'Connell and T.I. is a particularly excellent rerun.

But this week belongs to Jimmy Fallon, who gets right back on the horse after his performance at the Emmy Awards on Sunday night (August 29) to welcome Black Mountain (Tuesday), Heart (Thursday) and Never Shout Never (Friday) to "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." He'll also sit down with actor and WWE wrestler John Cena on Wednesday, which should be a highlight. (That same episode also features Anna Wintour and the cast of "Yo! Gabba Gabba," which should make it the weirdest hour of the week.)

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Spotted: T.I. Blows The Doors Off With Mary J. Blige, B.o.B

Posted 8/17/10 12:30 pm EST by in Music


Every day a multitude of stars wander through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

We're still over a month away from the release of King Uncaged, the first album by T.I. since he was released from a prison stint earlier this year, but Tip is quickly getting back to business — the business of being an international superstar. On Monday night (August 16), he performed a set during a not-at-all-surprising appearance at Capitale in New York City. After opening his set with "I'm Back," he burned through some of his biggest hits, including "Rubber Band Man," "24s," "Ride Wit Me" and "U Don't Know Me." Then he started to bring out special guests, including Cam'Ron, Mary J. Blig, B.o.B, Maino and Keri Hilson. All told, the rapper and actor (he has a new film called "Takers" that opens up on August 24) burned through most of his biggest hits to the delight of the packed house, further proving that his time away didn't leave any rust on the crown of the King of the South.

He wasn't the only star on stage, as Rush brought out the big prog-rock guns at a show in Morrison, Colorado and David Gray played tracks from his new album Foundling at an Apple Store in New York. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features over 400 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Adam Lambert, the Jonas Brothers and 50 Cent!

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Jennifer Aniston, Vacations Dominate This Week's 'Late Night Lineup'

Posted 8/16/10 9:30 am EST by in Television


The networks are counting on the fact that you love reruns this week, as many of the major late night shows are on hiatus until further notice, squeezing out the final weeks of summer into a proper vacation. Such is the case for "The Late Show With David Letterman," "The Tonight Show," "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson," "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" and "Last Call With Carson Daly" (the latter of which has been AWOL for the entirety of the summer). Heck, even the ladies on "The View" are using up their personal days this week.

That leaves the cable networks and Jimmy Kimmel to carry the load for everybody else, and with time slots at a premium, everybody is cashing in big this week. "Jimmy Kimmel Live" has one of its biggest weeks ever, with visits from Ozzy Osbourne (Monday, August 16), Justin Long (Tuesday, August 17) and Jerry O'Connell and T.I. (Wednesday, August 18). Meanwhile, in the land of cable, Jon Stewart will welcome Emma Thompson (Monday) and Jennifer Aniston (Thursday, August 19) to "The Daily Show" for a joke or two (he'll also have former U.S. Representative and author of "Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto" Dick Armey, one of the best names in the history of U.S. politics).

It's a rock-heavy week on "Lopez Tonight," as host George Lopez will have Wolfmother (Monday), Meat Loaf (Tuesday) and Ted Nugent (Thursday). He'll also chat with "The Expendables" star Jason Statham and celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D. And for your daytime fix, your only option is "Live! With Regis and Kelly," as they'll welcome the likes of "So You Think You Can Dance" winner Lauren Froderman (Tuesday) as well as Jennifer Aniston and Jordin Sparks (Thursday).

Who are you most looking forward to checking out on the talk shows this week? Let us know in the comments!

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T.I. Didn't Watch 'True Blood' In Jail: The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 7/21/10 4:30 pm EST by in Music


"It did make me worse in a sense. ... Putting me in prison took me off [a positive] path a little bit, and now I'm working to get back on that path — or at least back on the path to the extent that I was before I went in. I lost a little bit of my positive focus during that period of incarceration. Being in that environment and having those daily surroundings, it's going to affect you."

-Rapper and actor T.I., speaking to Complex magazine about how his stint in prison affected his outlook. The Atlanta native, who spent nearly a year in jail after cutting a plea deal on a federal weapons charge, said that his time behind bars shifted his focus and definitely derailed the momentum that he was building with his most recent albums T.I. vs. T.I.P. and Paper Trail. But he is back on track now, with a new album called King Uncaged hitting stores in September. He is also continuing his multi-pronged attack on all of culture, with a film called "Takers" also getting unleashed at the end of August.

Tip told Complex that he wasn't able to be close to music while he was in the joint. "I didn't listen much to records when I was in there," he said. "Music is what I do every day. That made me more homesick than anything." Instead, he caught up on television. "I watched series like 'Sons of Anarchy.' I'm a fan. It's another form of 'The Sopranos' to me. I watched football and ESPN," he said. But he couldn't get into the most popular show at his particular correctional facility: "True Blood." "I couldn't really watch it, but they got into that sh-- heavy," T.I. said. "The whole prison damn near shut down. They went crazy for it. There's a bunch of sex in it, so they were tuning in for that."

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