Justin Bieber Doing NKOTB? Jim Jonsin Reveals Ideas

Producer says he would like to help Biebs channel New Kids on the Block, New Edition and Kelly Rowland.
By Rob Markman


Justin Bieber
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

Multi-platinum producer Jim Jonsin has some interesting plans for when he gets in the studio with Justin Bieber. No, he won't be coupling the teen-pop sensation with B.o.B, but rather he will try to capture the vibe of NKOTB.

"For Bieber, I think I want to reach back to New Edition, those days," Jonsin initially said before referencing another 1980s Boston-bred boy band. "I want to try to do something like that — 'Please Don't Go Girl,' New Kids on the Block — because the girls would go crazy. Maybe not that song, but something that feels like that: little bit of soul, R&B, but pop as well."

While the track pre-dates the 17-year-old Bieber by about four years, "Please Don't Go Girl" was the first single from NKOTB's sophomore album, Hangin' Tough, and ultimately put the group on the map. The ballad, which featured Joey McIntyre as the lead vocalist, drew comparisons to New Edition's 1983 single, "Is This the End" — not surprising considering both acts were founded and produced by Maurice Starr.

It isn't all about the '80s however: Jonsin also would like to produce something more modern for JB as well, using Kelly Rowland as a reference. "And then I'd love to put him on something like that 'Motivation' type of track," he said of the hit Rowland single he helped create. "Just a hard beat that he could sing something super slick [on]."

Jonsin admits that, at first, he didn't know what to make of Justin, but thanks to the Biebs' "Never Say Never" film, the hitmaker has a newfound respect for the young star. "When I watched the movie with my 8-year-old daughter, I was floored and inspired at who he was as a person. He's a good kid, he's a philanthropist, he's a good role model," Jonsin said. "I have a newfound respect for the young man, and I'm honored to work with him."

Who would you like to hear Justin Bieber channel on his next album? Share your ideas below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666717/justin-bieber-new-kids-on-the-block.jhtml

Alice Dodd Alicia Keys Alicia Witt Amanda Bynes

ON THE SET: Beyonce Rehearses For The Macy's 4th Of July Fireworks Show

Beyonce was spotted at her dress rehearsal for her performance in front of the Statue of Liberty for NBC's broadcast of "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular."  See the pics inside....

Chick looks stunning in these pics.  Looks like her performance--which also celebrate the 125th anniversary of The Statue of Liberty--is going to be stellar.  The special airs tomorrow (Monday), July 4th at 9pm ET, 8pm CT/MT.

And in other Bey news, the actress recently spoken about starring alongside Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio in a remake of A Star Is Born.  She says it's an "unbelievable" opportunity.

Also....Bey is expected to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 with 300,000 in first week projected sales of 4. The figures will released later next week.

 

Photos via Heidi Gutman/NBC

Source: http://theybf.com/2011/07/03/on-the-set-beyonce-rehearses-for-the-macys-4th-of-july-parade

Amanda Bynes Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet

Tom Hanks' 'Larry Crowne': The Reviews Are In

Critics have mixed feelings about Hanks' first directing effort in 15 years.
By Eric Ditzian


Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks in 'Larry Crowne'
Photo: Universal Pictures

Perhaps only the boom-boom-pow theatrics of "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," which will be making most of the noise (and the box-office bucks) at the multiplex this weekend, could overshadow a new offering from Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.

Or possibly the mixed reviews for their comedy, "Larry Crowne," are helping create a lower profile for the heavily marketed film. Hanks has taken on directing duties for only the second time in his career (his debut was the 1996 nostalgia trip "That Thing You Do!") and recruited Roberts to join in the action. But the results have been met with outright disdain in some corners, with critics scoffing at a lack of laughs and a bland story line. Yet where others see a milquetoast comedy, many reviewers see a skilled director delivering a warm-hearted summer diversion. Read on for those "Larry Crowne" critiques and more.

The Story
"In 'Larry Crowne,' Hanks plays a nice guy who gets fired from his retail job because he lacks the education to qualify him for a management position. This happens despite his countless awards for Employee of the Month. Larry cashes in his possessions, trades his car for a scooter and decides to enroll in a local community college. As his economics teacher, he draws Dr. Matsutani (George Takei), the only character in the film interesting enough to have a movie made about him. As his public speaking teacher, he gets Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts), a character who seems to have drifted over from the auditions for 'Bad Teacher.' ... I watched the movie with all the pleasure I bring to watching bread rise. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy watching bread rise, but it lacks a certain degree of interest. You look forward to it being finished." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The Performances
"The real reason to watch this modestly charming, featherweight bauble is the chemistry between Hanks and Roberts, beloved superstars who make a beautiful pair. 'Larry Crowne' is only their second movie together (after 'Charlie Wilson's War'), but Hanks' noble everyman is an inspired match for Roberts, who plays her character's bitter disappointment with a believable acidity." — Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

The Direction
" 'Larry Crowne' marks Tom Hanks' first work as a director since his delightful 'That Thing You Do!' 15 years ago. And now, as then, the star demonstrates a generous instinct for calm, steady pacing and cleanly framed scenes that acknowledge every character's place in the whole, whether in the classroom, on the streets, or in the working world: When, for example, Larry draws on his Navy skills to take a job as a short-order cook, Hanks the director observes the work of every diner employee with genuine interest. ... It's easy enough to accept the romantic-comedy luck of the two finding each another. It's much tougher, and ultimately useless, to buy everything else about this fairy tale of self-reinvention in a stalled economy." — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

The Laughs
"The script by Mr. Hanks and Nia Vardalos ('My Big Fat Greek Wedding') is one of those wonders of the cinema: You wonder who thought any of this was funny. The fractious scenes between Mercedes and her stay-at-home husband (Bryan Cranston) are painful, although they do give Larry the opportunity to provide a romantic palliative. Larry's adoption by a group of younger students — all of whom ride eco-friendly motor scooters — is cloyingly, comically clueless." — John Anderson, The Wall Street Journal

The Final Word
"I don't know how 'Larry Crowne' is going to do this summer, but I am surprised at the venom some people seem to have mustered towards it. I found it engaging, constantly warm and funny, and very direct in its ambitions. If you want a break from the barrage of spectacle that crams out theater screens every year at this time, 'Larry Crowne" represents a lovely alternative, and I hope people give it a chance. I'd hate to see Hanks wait another fifteen years to direct again." — Drew McWeeny, HitFix

Check out everything we've got on "Larry Crowne."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666755/larry-crowne-reviews.jhtml

Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich Amber Heard

Lady Gaga's 'Edge Of Glory' Video: What Can We Expect?

MTV News rounds up clues about the video, which premieres Thursday on 'So You Think You Can Dance.'
By Jocelyn Vena


Lady Gaga (file)
Photo: Matt Harper/ MTV News

On Thursday night (June 16), on "So You Think You Can Dance," Lady Gaga is set to premiere her Haus of Gaga-directed video for "The Edge of Glory." What will it look like? How will she top herself? Little is known about what to expect, but with Gaga, anything is possible.

As producer Fernando Garibay told MTV News, the song was inspired by the death of Gaga's grandfather and was written while on the road. It features one of Gaga's childhood icons, E Street Band sax player Clarence Clemons, who suffered a stroke over the weekend. "In bed with Mommy thinking about Clarence," Gaga tweeted on Monday. "I can't wait for you to see the beautiful video we made together. He's a really special person."

Clemons performed "Edge of Glory" with Gaga on "American Idol," where her stage looked like a cross between Stonehenge and the Aggro Crag on "Guts" — which could reveal some visual clues about the new video.

As for the concept, a leaked casting notice might shed some light on it. Late last month, a notice called for a "Puerto Rican or Dominican type badass" who "must be willing to kiss Lady Gaga ... Think Enrique Iglesias." The casting call was also seeking "Couture Doctors" who will wear smocks and black gloves, adding "think 'Dr. 90210.' " Other roles include a "male or female on-air reporter" and a group of military men to hold M16 rifles.

Gaga's creative director, Laurieann Gibson, simply teased to Rap-Up.com, "I just know that we'll be feeling very fishy." Fishy certainly was the theme of her performance on "Le Grand Journal," where she donned mermaid couture — perhaps a hint about what fans should expect in the video.

What are you expecting from the "Edge of Glory" video? Share your guesses in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1665906/lady-gaga-edge-of-glory-video.jhtml

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Beyonce's 4 Shoots To #1 Debut

Singer expected to move 300,000 units of her fourth album, according to Billboard.
By Jocelyn Vena


Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia

It looks like 4 is going to be #1. Beyoncé's latest effort is projected to debut at #1 on the albums chart after selling an estimated 300,000 units in its first week, according to Billboard.

Those sales would place her in the middle of the pack of fellow divas with albums out this year. Britney Spears' Femme Fatale sold 276,000 records her first week; Lady Gaga's Born This Way sold an impressive 1.1 million records, and Adele's 21 sold 352,000 records right out the gate (though it's had much more staying power than the others).

The aptly titled fourth release from B would also be her fourth #1 album debut, though the numbers will likely be below her previous first-week sales. I Am ... Sasha Fierce sold 482,000 in its first week, in 2008, and her sophomore effort, 2006's B'Day, sold 541,000 albums. Her debut solo effort, Dangerously in Love, debuted with 317,000 units sold.

Fans will go behind the scenes of the making of 4 in an MTV special, "Beyoncé: Year of 4," airing Thursday night (June 30). In the half-hour doc, Beyoncé talks about taking some time off before making the record, which features studio work from The-Dream, Kanye West and Andre 3000.

"My life was award shows and tour buses and hotels, and it kind of goes by so fast ... I couldn't even hear it anymore," she says of her whirlwind schedule. "I'm just thinking about the next shoot ... the next video ... the next tour ... I never even realized I needed a year off. And I never realized I don't know how to take a year off."

Tune in to "Beyoncé: Year of 4," airing Thursday, June 30, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and BET, and at 7:30 p.m. on VH1 and Palladia. Encore presentations follow on MTV.com, MTV Hits and MTV Jams.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666662/beyonce-4-billboard.jhtml

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Kanye West Lights Up Superdome At Essence Fest

Yeezy performs a bombastic headlining set on Saturday in New Orleans.
By Rebecca Thomas


Kanye West performs at the 2011 Essence Fest on Saturday
Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Early on in Kanye West's headlining set at the 2011 Essence Music Festival on Saturday Night, the Chicago MC stood on a raised platform suspended high above the cheering crowd. As he spit "Dark Fantasy," the hook "Can we get much higher?" seemed a particularly apt way to describe not only his literal skyward stance at the New Orleans Superdome, but also what was to come that night.

Yeezy was already knee-deep into career-defining classics like "Jesus Walks" "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Diamonds are Forever," when he told the elated NOLA fest he was "just getting started." Rocking a white blazer, topped by a thick tangle of gold chains, and a pair of jeans and sneakers, the 34-year-old rapper bounded across the stage like a hyperactive teen, but there was no mistaking that West is a megastar, the "college dropout" who has more than made G.O.O.D. on his childhood dreams.

As a small army of classical dancers — dressed in a variation of the phoenix costume worn by Selita Ebanks' bird in West's short film "Runaway" — flanked him, Kanye launched into a bombastic rendition of "Power"; "Devil in a New Dress" and "Hell of a Life" followed as 'Ye tucked into singles and cuts from last year's platinum-plus opus My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Performing to a massive audience that came to its feet (and stayed there all night) to the strains of 'Ye and Jay-Z's "H.A.M.," the Chi-town MC with a Nas flow touched on his recent scandals, explaining that he stopped granting press interviews after taking lashings from media and bloggers. But he wasn't all rebellious rapper: he danced, sang along and laughed his way through an old-school medley of personally influential music, and the playlist jumped from Al Green to '90s soul groups like Jodeci and Shai.

And West also emphasized that he knew who had held him down when, as he laughed, he "had a little too much too drink" before storming the MTV VMA stage back in 2009. Yeezy repeatedly thanked the predominantly African-American crowd for standing by him before going on to a stirring, church-tinged rendition of "Gold Digger."

The songs felt big and anthemic; the stage and stands, for instance, were bathed in lights and lasers for "All of the Lights" and "Stronger," respectively. As he bounced back and forth between hits from his discography, including his College Dropout debut and his introspective, Auto-Tuned 808s &Heartbreak, the weight of West's musical success was apparent. If there is a handbook for how to headline an expansive show full of hits, West should write it. Concertgoers appeared awestruck at the sheer spectacle and scale of the show, mouths gaping when they weren't shouting lyrics back at the energetic MC.

For the finale "Act 3" (a title card projected onto oversize screens flashed the show's three-part progression), a billowing white tent was spread across the stage. In cocoon-like fashion, the dancers re-emerged in black tutus; West clad in his signature red suit. As the rapper knocked out the mournful, tinkling opener of "Runaway" on his MPC machine, the ballerinas circled and Pusha T turned up for his verse.

Still, as large and loud as the show felt, Yeezy's closing was as subtle. After rapping a heartfelt "Hey Mama" on his knees, with a nod to his late mother, Donda West, the star and his band, dancers and DJ took a ballet-company-style bow and walked offstage as the stadium lights went up.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666774/kanye-west-essence-festival-performance.jhtml

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Concert Picks: Lily Parlour & The Tricks, Puro Instinct, Mia Doi Todd?

And another one bites the dust… sayonara, Monday through Friday; hello, weekend. This particular recently passing solstice allows for longer days and warmer nights, and therefore more opportunities to get our ever-loving groove on. From the singer/songwriter set to an elaborate fusing together of genres, we’ve got it covered for you this weekend. Take a [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/beatcrave/~3/1IGDLkoqi0s/

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