02/04/2012
02/03/2012
Usher's Next Album 'Soulful, Catchy,' Taio Cruz Teases
'He always wants there to be the soul in there,' Cruz tells MTV News about his 'Without You' collaborator.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias
Usher
Photo: Todd Williamson/ WireImage
<P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/usher/artist.jhtml">Usher</a> is hard at work on his next album. Set to work with fellow hitmaker <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/cruz__taio/artist.jhtml">Taio Cruz</a>, the two already cooked up some magic with their <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/guetta_david/artist.jhtml">David Guetta</a> anthem <a href="/news/articles/1670301/usher-david-guetta-without-you.jhtml">"Without You,"</a> and it seems they are hoping to recapture that spirit for Usher's follow-up to 2010's <i>Raymond v. Raymond</i>. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:717257" width="240" height="211"></div><p> "I saw Usher a few times, but I spoke to him at length at David [Guetta]'s house when we were in Ibiza [Spain]," he told MTV News in L.A. after his Jingle Ball set. "He has very specific ideas of where he wants to go musically and sound-wise." Given that Usher has never shied away from exposing a bit of himself in his music, while also keeping the party going, Cruz wants to make sure they can connect the mind, body and soul for this next release. "He always wants there to be the soul in there," he explained. "I'm kind of, not the opposite, but I'm always like, 'Let's get straight to the point and be really clear with the message and be simple.' "So we try to match those two worlds together: being soulful and, at the same time, catchy," he added. Cruz can't yet discuss what they're working on: Besides "Without You," he said, "Everything else is secret." Usher said he was drawn to the <a href="/news/articles/1674782/usher-david-guetta-without-you.jhtml">Guetta hit</a> because he connected to it emotionally, explaining to MTV News recently what an important part that plays in his musical philosophy. "I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I've actually been on in the last three years," he said. "Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There's many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is." <div style="background-color:#000000;width:428px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:713197/cp~vid%3D713197%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A713197" width="420" height="236" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed></div></div></p>
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1675448/usher-album-taio-cruz.jhtml
Lady Gaga, 'Glee' Nominated For GLAAD Awards
The awards 'recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the [LGBT] community.'
By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga performs at the EMAs
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
<P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lady_gaga/artist.jhtml">Lady Gaga</a> and the cast of "Glee" are some of the A-list folks up for awards at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards. On Thursday (January 19), <a href="http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards" target="_blank">GLAAD announced their nominees</a> for the annual awards, which "recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives." </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:683386.id:1669247" width="240" height="211"></div><p> Previous GLAAD Award winner Lady Gaga is up for Outstanding Music Artist along with "The Voice" contestant Beverly McClellan, Girl in a Coma, Hunx and His Punx, and MEN. "Pretty Little Liars," which features a lesbian character, will face off against "Degrassi," "Grey's Anatomy," "Shameless" and "Torchwood: Miracle Day" for Outstanding Drama Series. On the comedy side of the TV spectrum, Golden Globe winner "Modern Family" will duke it out against "Glee," "Happy Endings," "The Big C" and "Exes and Ohs." Another "Glee"-related program, "The Glee Project," is up for Outstanding Reality Program along with "Dancing With the Stars," "Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys," "The Real L Word" and "The Voice" (which returns on February 5). "J. Edgar" has been recognized in the Outstanding Film - Wide Release category alongside "Albert Nobbs" and "Beginners." HBO's "Cinema Verite" is the only film up for Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series. "As media continue to tell new stories about LGBT people and families, a majority of Americans now support full equality of LGBT Americans," Mike Thompson, GLAAD's acting president, said in a statement about this year's nominees. "This year's nominees enlighten and entertain, while spotlighting the diversity of our community. Audiences expect to see their own worlds reflected in media, and today more than ever, those include the lives of LGBT people. Viewers know that LGBT characters and stories are simply natural extensions of, and glimpses into, their own experiences from across America." Three ceremonies will be held to hand out awards, in New York on March 24, Los Angeles on April 21 and San Francisco on June 2.</p>
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677519/glaad-awards-lady-gaga-glee.jhtml
02/02/2012
Photos | MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Celebrities In Ridiculously Cheesy Halloween Costumes
Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Player Trashes Show, Taylor Armstrong
When it comes to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Cedric Martinez sort of knows what he's talking about. The Frenchman has appeared on the show as a house guest of Lisa Vanderpump.
And in a new email rant to Radar Online, Martinez says Bravo and Taylor Armstrong should be ashamed of themselves for the way they've exploited the suicide of Russell Armstrong.
"The producers, Taylor, Lisa and Kyle once again used the power of a hit TV show to trash the memory of a dead man," Cedric says. “Russell was far from perfect. And physical abuse is always wrong. But the Russell-Taylor marriage was a helluva lot more complicated than the ‘broke abuser commits suicide’ narrative RHOBH has shoved down viewers’ throats."
Martinez goes on to refer to both Taylor and Russell as "fame whores" (while acknowledging he is one, as well), adding that Taylor's upcoming memoir, "Hiding From Reality," is nothing but a pathetic example of someone looking to prosper off a tragedy.
“Her insta-memoir will further bury Russell's memory with lies and half-truths, of which he can't defend himself against. Sad. Especially for Russell's children, Kennedy, Griffin and Aiden."
In the book, Taylor details ways in which Russell supposedly spied on her during their marriage.
