andPOP » kanye west

Taylor Swift Spoofs Kanye West for SNL

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:19:33 +0000

Think you’ve heard enough about the Taylor Swift-Kanye West MTV Awards stage crash? Well, apparently not everyone does.

In a promotional shoot on Tuesday for Swift’s upcoming role as both host and musical guest on “Saturday Night Live,” Swift and “SNL” cast member Bill Hader poke some fun at the now-infamous event, according to MTVnews.com.

The promo opens with Swift and Hader standing in a 30 Rock corridor. Hader is on his cell phone as Swift says, “Hey, I’m Taylor Swift, and I’ll be the host and musical guest this week on ‘SNL.’” As she finishes her line, Hader gets off the phone and tells the young country star, “Whoops, Kanye just called. He thinks Beyoncé should host instead.” As Swift looks at him in disbelief, Hader goes, “Funny joke, right?”

19-year-old Swift then rolls her eyes and says to herself, “Wow.” Then in the awkward fashion that he’s become famous for, Hader says, “Good times,” before walking off the set and whispering critically to himself, “Hader!”

Before shooting the promo, Swift told MTV news that nothing was off-limits at this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live” show.

“I want to look nothing like myself,” she said. “I told all the writers, ‘Don’t count anything out.’ I want to go completely, 100 per cent in. I don’t want to be halfway involved. Just because I have a lot of things to do as far as being musical guest and host doesn’t mean I don’t want to live up to my full hosting demands.”

Swift, who was a musical guest on “SNL” just last January, said one particular cast mate inspires her comedy. “I think my favorite things on ‘SNL’ are the things that Kristen [Wiig] does, where she’s these incredible characters that you’ve seen in real life,” she said. “Everybody’s been at the party with the Penelope character to some extent.”

Charges Against Kanye West Dropped

Vanessa Baker — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:19:21 +0000

Charges filed against Kanye West and his road manager and bodyguard, Don Crowley, have been dropped by a Los Angeles court, reports CBC. The pair faced misdemeanour charges in connection with a fight that broke out with two paparazzi in an airport last September. The incident resulted in some broken equipment and minor injuries to one of the photographers.

West has reached a civil settlement with the men over the damaged cameras, and completed 12 hours of anger management. He was not present in court Friday when the Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner dismissed the case, ordering the rapper and Crowley to complete 50 hours of community service each.

Kanye West’s Bizarrely Original Short Film

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:20:33 +0000

Kanye West teamed up with Oscar-nominated director Spike Jonze this summer to create a unique, mind-bending and often confusing short film. We Were Once a Fairytale was shown at the LA film festival in August, and was intended for A September 8th iTunes release, but it made its international debut on Monday, Oct.19.

The release comes less than a week after the premier of Spike Jonze’s fantastical big-screen rendition of Where the Wild Things Are. This may alleviate some confusion over the video’s bizarreness.

The short film parallels the tone of West’s 808s and Heartbreak album. It’s strange and even boring at first, but when you understand its direction, you understand its art. It’s dark but ultimately moving…not to mention catchy as hell.

The first half of the video contains a drunken Kanye West in a nightclub, singing and dancing along to his 808s and Heartbreak hit, See You In My Nightmares – which is playing in the background throughout. The video was reportedly intended to be the track’s music video, but instead set the stage for a 10 minute short film.

The second half includes Kanye fooling around with a girl in his drunken haze and then passing out. After waking up in a pile of pillows he then heads to the club’s washroom and projectile vomits a bed of flowers. When there are no more flowers to spew he slashes his stomach open with a blade and pulls out a furry mouse-like creature.

The video may be a reflection of an artist’s loss of self, or it could mean something completely different. Like most of Kanye’s music, there is no absolute definition. Whether you dig this video or not, you have to commend its originality, or at least remember that your dislike won’t even scratch the surface of West’s bulletproof ego.

Lady Gaga Announces Tour Dates – Without Kanye West

Sara Harowitz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:38:28 +0000

Sorry Kanye West, but Lady Gaga has some of the best tour dates of all time.

Lady Gaga has announced the dates of her headlining tour, “The Monster Ball,” which CHARTattack describes as ”a multimedia artistic experience in the style of a pop-electro opera.”

Gaga will headline this tour alone – no Kanye West for her this time. The West-Gaga Fame Kills tour was allegedly cancelled due to West’s crazy Taylor Swift acceptance speech takeover at the MTV Video Music Awards last month.

Opening for Gaga on the tour will be Kid Cudi, a protege of West’s, who recently released his debut album, Man On The Moon: The End Of Day.

The tour will start in just over a month in Montreal on Nov. 27, and end in New York on Jan. 21.

Gaga has also announced the track list for the re-release of her debut album, The Fame. The album will also feature a second disc, The Fame Monster, which will include eight new songs by the pop singer. It is due to be released on Nov. 23.

Gaga recently premiered one of The Fame Monster’s new songs, “Bad Romance,” at the Alexander McQueen fashion show during Paris Fashion Week.

The new tracks on The Fame Monster are:

“Bad Romance”
“Alejandro”
“Monster”
“So Happy I Could Die”
“Speechless”
“Dance In The Dark”
“Telephone”
“Teeth”

“The Monster Ball” tour dates are:

Nov. 27 Montreal, QC @ The Bell Centre
Nov. 28 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Nov. 29 Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
Dec. 1 Boston, MA @ Wang Centre
Dec. 2 Boston, MA @ Wang Centre
Dec 3 Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna
Dec. 9 Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Dec. 10 Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Dec. 13 San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic
Dec. 18 Las Vegas, NV @ TBD
Dec. 19 San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
Dec. 21 Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theatre
Dec. 29 Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theater
Dec. 31 Miami, FL @ Knight Center
Jan. 3 Orlando, FL @ The Hard Rock
Jan. 7 St. Louis, MO @ The Fox
Jan. 8 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
Jan. 9 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
Jan. 12 Detroit, MI @ Fox Theater
Jan. 16 Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata
Jan. 20 New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
Jan. 21 New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall

Soulja Boy in Studio with Kanye After Arrest

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:48:23 +0000

After a party at an abandoned Atlanta suburb house had Soulja Boy running from the police, the rapper told fans on Monday that he was in studio under the production of Kanye West, MTV.com reports.

The unusual pairing was enhanced by a previous rumour that West had fled to India after missing the BET hip-hop awards last weekend.

Soulja Boy was reportedly booked during the filming of the music video for his new track “Gangsta Muzik.” After spending a night in prison he was released on $550 bond.

The incident was characteristic of Soulja Boy’s immaturity. Creating music that hasn’t yet surpassed catchiness, the young rapper’s development and artistic respect lies in the hands of Kanye West. West has contributed to the careers of respected young artist like Drake, Kid Cudi and Lupe Fiasco.

Fame Kills Tour Cancellation A Mutual Decision

Joelle Tomlinson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:03:04 +0000

Lady Gaga and Kanye West shocked fans on Thursday when they announced they would be canceling their much-anticipated Fame Kills tour without explanation.

But on Friday at an event in New York City, Gaga, who didn’t get into specifics about the cancellation, did say West would be taking some time off and she would be hitting the road on her own.

“Well, actually, it was a mutual decision to cancel the tour,” she told MTV News. “But I’m not taking any time off, so I’ll be leaving just a week later than I was supposed to on my own solo tour. IT will be the same places. So I will see you guys there. I’m putting out my re-release as well – The Fame Monster on November 24.”

According to mtvnews.com, she added an announcement about who will be joining her on this trek, hinting that the identity would be released soon. As for the look of the tour, she told reporters she would be starting from scratch.

“In respects to the creative work that Kanye and I did together, I won’t be doing any of the things that we designed for the tour,” she explained. “It will be entirely new, and it will be just as amazing and memorable and epic.”

Jay-Z Wraps Up Hottest MC list

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:53:50 +0000

Last night MTV’s expert panel capped off their top ten “Hottest MC’s” with long-time heavyweight Jay-Z coming out on top. The controversial list was compiled by Hip Hop critics and enthusiasts, and for the first time included the opinion of fans across North America. The criteria: lyrics, flow, impact, buzz, sales and intangibles.

The final list: 1. Jay-Z, 2. Lil Wayne, 3. Drake, 4. Kanye West, 5. Rick Ross, 6. Gucci Mane, 7. Young Jeezy, 8. Fabolous, 9. 50 cent, 10. Raekwon

A few names are mysteriously absent from the list, most notably, Eminem. The rapper should not only have appeared on the list, he should have been in the top five. His recent album wasn’t his best of all time but its popularity continues to grow, and his verse on Drake’s new ‘Forever’ remix was the best on the track.

Kid Cudi’s name has spread like wildfire in the music industry, and TI continues to maintain his popularity; yet neither of them appear on the list.

Canadians may be excited, though, to see young Toronto native Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham crack the top three. The MC has been one of the busiest in the music industry this year, quickly building relationships with the most powerful names in Hip Hop. Names like Lil Wayne, Kanye West and most notably Jay-Z.

While his new album, The Blueprint III, isn’t considered by Jay-Z fans as his strongest album, his ranking at the top of Hip Hop is long overdue. He was even given a stamp of approval from New York Governor David Paterson: “I can personally attest to his commitment to New York and the impact he has on New Yorkers of all ages,” he said.

If the list surprises – or angers – you, you’re not alone. Comments on the MTV website aren’t very supportive of the compiled list, and a few fans were especially vocal on omission of Eminem. While the MCs that made the list are deserving of recognition at this point, expect the list to be drastically different next year.

West-Gaga Tour Cancelled

Sara Harowitz — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:35:12 +0000

Kanye West and Lady Gaga’s co-headlining tour “Fame Kills” has been cancelled, according to MTV News.

No reason for the cancellation has been given. The tour’s promoter, Live Nation, issued a press release that stated ticket refunds are available at the place of purchase, and tickets bought online or over the phone will be automatically refunded.

While the tour has been generating hype, rumors of its cancellation have been surfacing for days. A large amount of the negativity has stemmed from West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at last month’s MTV Video Music Awards.

The tour, which West announced unexpectedly at an appearance on The View last June, and was scheduled to kick off in Phoenix on Nov. 10, was not confirmed by either of the artists’ reps until mid-September.

The cancellation still comes somewhat abruptly, especially since Gaga spent last week promoting the tour during interviews with Las Vegas radio station KLUC and San Diego’s Star 94.

“We’re on each end of the stage, and I want to get to where Kanye is, which is ‘the fame,’” she said in one of the interviews. “He wants to get where I am, which is home and humble beginnings. For the whole show, we are battling each other [for our positions]. It’s been a really incredible creative experience.”

Gaga added that her and West “didn’t do this tour for each other. We did this tour for everybody else. We wanted our fans to feel like we were doing something special and we wanted to merge two groups of fans — two different [groups of] music lovers into one room.”

However, despite the cancellation of this tour, Gaga has a busy and exciting year ahead. She revealed in the interview that she would be embarking on her own headlining tour just weeks after “Fame Kills” wraps up.

And while many West and Gaga fans are sure to be upset by the cancellation, at least one thing can be taken away from this whole experience: while fame may or may not kill, a big mouth certainly will.

Mr. Hudson – The Future of Pop According To Kanye

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:41:42 +0000

Kanye West may have a big ego, but the rapper/producer has enough modesty to recognize a future superstar when he sees one. Last year West told MTV News that one of the new artists he was working with, Mr. Hudson, had the potential to be a bigger star than himself. And, with Hudson’s first single (which features West) now released, the British pop singer could very well be on his way to fulfilling that prediction.

The song, “Supernova,” is already generating buzz with its unique beats and catchy chorus. The single is off the unreleased album, Straight No Chaser, which is due out in the UK on October 19, according to mrhudson.com.

Hudson has gained some recognition for his collaboration on West’s hit song, “Paranoid,” off the most-recent album 808s & Heartbreak. Recently he also appeared on Jay-Z’s new album, The Blueprint III. But now the singer/songwriter is beginning to make a real name for himself.

His second single, “White Lies,” is already available for listen online, and will be officially released in the UK on October 12.

Born as Ben Hudson in Birmingham, UK, Hudson first broke into the music scene with a band, Mr. Hudson & The Library. They released their first album, A Tale of Two Cities, in 2007.

Hudson is now signed to West’s G.O.O.D. Music Label & Mercury Records. West is the executive producer of Straight No Chaser. It’s a “break-up album,” according to Hudson’s website, about his separation from his long-term girlfriend and living partner.

“I’m not recommending to anyone to break up with someone in order to write a good album,” he says on the site, “But if you do, make sure you get into the studio shortly after.”

Even though the album is not yet available anywhere, and a North American release date is still uncertain, excited fans in dire need of some Hudson tunes can download a Straight No Chaser mixtape from mrhudson.com.

Even with the support of a superstar like West, Hudson is still relatively under the radar, especially in North America. However, some of his unreleased singles from Straight No Chaser, plus his collection of songs with Mr. Hudson & The Library, can be found on youtube and myspace. And whether the world agrees with the majority of West’s decisions (George Bush hates black people, anyone?), it is pretty clear that Hudson is one Mr. to listen for.

West And Gaga Release Provocative ‘Fame Kills’ Promo

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:16:42 +0000

While Kanye West may have claimed to Jay Leno to be keeping a low profile on things after his Taylor Swift-MTV Video Music Awards debacle, the new video clip he posted on his blog begs to differ.

The promo video released on Wednesday, Sept. 23 for his new “Fame Kills” tour with Lady Gaga is anything but low profile, according to MTV News.

The video clip, posted by West under the headline, “What Happened to All the Rock Stars? Fame Killed Them!” is a slow motion film featuring a topless Gaga covering herself and wrapped in the arms of a black man while soft, moody music plays in the background. When 30 seconds of this pass, the name of the tour appears on the screen along with a voice that says, “Fame Kills!” and then “West + Gaga” flashes across.

West first made an announcement about the tour earlier this summer at an appearance on “The View,” but it wasn’t a sealed deal until last week. The “Fame Kills” tour is set to begin on Nov. 10 in Phoenix and wrap up Jan. 24 in Dallas.

Other than the video clip, however, West has managed to keep out of the direct spotlight. He even had his lawyer push back a court date that was scheduled for this month. The pre-trial hearing for West’s 2008 airport scuffle with a photographer has now been pushed back to Oct. 23. Lawyer Blair Berk reportedly went to the judge in the case and requested for the trial to be pushed back.

The scuffle took place on Sept. 11, 2008 at the Los Angeles International Airport. West and his road manager, Don C. Crowley, allegedly wrestled a camera out of the hands of a TMZ photographer who was trying to take the rapper’s picture. Crowley is then said to have thrown the photographer’s $10,000 camera to the ground and West is said to have smashed the flash. The debacle ended in an arrest. West has pleaded not guilty to three misdemeanor counts of vandalism, theft, and battery.

However, the pushed-back date still allows West lots of time to work on the new tour with Gaga. And no matter how you look at it, Gaga and West are sure to blow the top off this one.

Fame Kills from kwest on Vimeo.