Monday, March 19, 2012

Nicki Minaj Heads Overseas For European Tour

Nicki announces 15 European dates for her Pink Friday Tour beginning June 8 in Stockholm, Sweden.
By Jocelyn Vena


Nicki Minaj
Photo: Ronald Martinez/ Getty Images

Nicki, Roman, Martha and the rest of the one-woman gang are headed across the pond. On Monday morning (March 19), Nicki Minaj took to Twitter to announce 15 European dates for her Pink Friday Tour. So far it looks like the Young Money MC will start her trek on June 8 at the Annexet in Stockholm, Sweden. After that, she will touch Norway, Denmark, France, Italy and London for 15 dates.

The presale for Nicki's Oslo, Norway, date began Monday, and tickets to the Stockholm show will be pre-sold Tuesday. Tickets for subsequent shows will go on sale in the coming weeks.

The Harajuku Barbie's sophomore LP Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is scheduled to be released on April 3. On Friday, Nicki released the track list for the album and revealed collaborations with Chris Brown, Nas, Cam'ron, Rick Ross and of course her Young Money cohorts Lil Wayne and Drake.

"April 3 is gonna be a doozy. It's gonna be crazy," Nicki told MTV News after her NBA All-Star Game performance in Orlando, Florida, last month. "It's gonna be important for just hip-hop culture and pop culture. It's gonna be very big."

Nicki Minaj's 2012 European Tour dates:

»6/08 Sweden @ Annexet
»6/09 Norway @ Oslo Spektrum
»6/11 Denmark @ Falconer Salen
»6/13 Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
»6/18 Netherlands @ Heineken Music Hall
»6/19 France @ Zénith de Paris
»6/21 Italy @ Alcatraz
»6/24 London, U.K. @ HMV Hammersmith Apollo
»6/25 London, U.K. @ HMV Hammersmith Apollo
»6/26 Birmingham, U.K. @ NIA Birmingham
»6/28 Manchester, U.K. @ O2 Apollo Manchester
»7/06 Kinross, U.K. @ T in the Park Festival
»7/07 London, U.K. @ Hyde Park
»8/18 Shifnal, U.K. @ V Festival 2012
»8/19 Chelmsford, U.K. @ V Festival 2012

Will you see Nicki Minaj on tour overseas? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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Canadian City Bends The Rules For Madonna To Perform On Historic Battleground

By Zachary Swickey Haven?t you always wanted to see Madonna perform on the same field that British Soldiers defeated the French in 1759? Well, now?s your chance as officials for Quebec City?s historic Plains of Abraham have announced the Queen of Pop will be performing on the park grounds late this summer. The Canadian city [...]

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Whitney Houston dies at 48

Whitney Houston

It?s no secret she?s had a rough go of it in recent years, and Whitney Houston has died of undisclosed causes, says her publicist Kristen Foster. With her fans and friends understandably devastated by the news, details available thus far tell that the "I Will Always Love You" singer was found unresponsive in her room at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Saturday (February 11). With paramedica arriving within minutes, Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55PM with a full investigation already underway - though there are said to be no signs of foul play. According to TMZ, a search of the Beverly Hilton Hotel room in which the 48-year-old was staying found no illegal drugs, though prescription medications were located. TMZ adds that there's a chance Miss Houston died from drowning in the bathtub, but since her body was removed from the water before EMTs arrived the conclusive determination must await an autopsy. Below are pictures from the scene at the Beverly Hilton Hotel after Whitney Houston's passing (February 11). [gallery=817]

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Bikini Babe Kate Hudson & Matt Bellamy: Honeymooning in Cancun?

Flaunting her toned beach bod along the south of the border shoreline, Kate Hudson enjoyed a loved up Cancun getaway with Matthew Bellamy over the St. Patrick's Day weekend (March 16).

The 32-year-old actress rocked a skimpy black and white striped bikini as she and the Muse rocker mate swam in the Caribbean Sea waters and shared kisses while perched on the sandy coastal terrain.

Making the sighting quite intriguing, Kate and Matthew's Mexican holiday may actually be a honeymoon - as reports tell that Hudson's mom, Goldie Hawn, referred to the pair as "married" in a slip-up during a recent interview.

Talking to Britain's ES magazine, Hawn said, "My kids are fantastic with their children, they have an amazing parental ethic and I'm very proud of them for that."

"When my daughter Kate married an English rock star it didn't worry me; all that matters (is) that the relationship is a good one. What people do is not necessarily who they are," Goldie added.

At the current time, there's no confirmation of the marriage by either Hudson, nor Bellamy's reps.

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Yelawolf Trying To 'Get Right' After Spleen Injury

'He just had to cancel a couple of shows just so he could get right,' Royce da 5'9" tells MTV News in Austin, Texas before SXSW Shady showcase.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Nadeska Alexis


Yelawolf
Photo: Joey Foley/ Getty Images

There's a Shady party scheduled to go down at SXSW on Friday night (March 16), but sadly Yelawolf will not be performing with his labelmates 50 Cent and Slaughterhouse.

The Gadsden, Alabama, MC was hospitalized March 2 with an injury to his spleen after a stage-diving accident in Madison, Wisconsin.

"I have [spoken] to him, I spoke to him, I called him and checked on him. I think he stage-dove or something like that," Royce da 5'9" told MTV News of Yela's status when we caught up with the MC in Austin, Texas. "I don't know if people know this because Yelawolf is such a mild-mannered, laid-back kinda guy, but he gets real rowdy onstage and he doesn't mind putting his physical health in danger as well as the fans', which makes for a greater show."

No doubt, Yela has earned a reputation as an energetic performer, mixing both rap and punk-rock elements into his stage show. Unfortunately, after the Wisconsin show, doctors recommended he cancel a number of dates, including a concert at Saint Andrew's Hall in label boss Eminem's native Detroit and, of course, tonight's SXSW showcase.

Not that the Shady 2.0 show will be without highlights. 50 Cent is set to perform his 2003 classic debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', in its entirety and Slaughterhouse will take the stage in what is expected to be a lyrical free-for-all. Big K.R.I.T., Schoolboy Q, Action Bronson and XXL freshman Don Trip are also scheduled to hit the stage.

As far as Catfish Billy, Royce expects his buddy to make a full recovery. "He's well, he's doing well," he said, "He just had to cancel a couple of shows just so he could get right."

SXSW is under way in Austin, Texas, and MTV News has you covered with all of the action. From the Woodies on March 15 to behind-the-scenes scoop on festival showcases from Lil Wayne, T.I., 50 Cent and many more, stick with us for unprecedented access!

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KID STUFF: Inside Violet Nash's Birthday Party+Tichina Arnold's Daughter's B-Day+Tia Mowry Brings Baby Cree To Set

Violet Nash had a super cute 2nd birthday party recently. We posted a few pics before of the aftermath of the party, now check out the inside. 

 

Pics plus Tichina Arnold's daughter's birthday Twitter shoot and Tia Mowry making working mommyhood look fab inside...

How precious!  Christina Milian's little girl is growing up in front our eyes.  Little Violet celebrated her 2nd birthday at The Children’s Place in L.A. The company set up an adorable little girls and boys clothing boutique inside the party featuring the “Spring Dressy” collection. Each guest left with a gift bag containing a $75 gift card.

Also, Violet wore not one, but TWO dresses from The Children’s Place at her party.  She started out wearing a girlie ruffle floral dress, but then changed into a more glam sequin dress right before they brought out her cake!  Learning fashion from her mommy already.

Carson Daley was there as well.

So cute!

 

And speaking of birthday, Tichina Arnold's daughter ALIJAH KAI is 8-years-old today!  And Tichina had some fun snapping pics of her animated little one today.  Wonder where she gets that from...

Tichina tweeted: "Another B Girl pose. I swear she posed this way on her own. She's an 80's girl naturally."  Cute!

 

And Tia Mowry Hardrict was every bit the working mom as she snapped an Instagram pic while feeding her baby boy Cree on the set of her new movie.  She's currently filming "MistleTones" for an ABC Family Movie special in Utah.

 

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Taylor Swift Goes Big On 'Hunger Games' Song 'Eyes Open'

Track teases soundtrack album, which drops on March 20, ahead of 'Hunger Games' release on March 23.
By Jocelyn Vena


Taylor Swift
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Taylor Swift's other "Hunger Games" track, "Eyes Open," has hit the 'Net nearly a week before the official soundtrack drops.

Whereas "Safe & Sound" is sparse and gloomy, Swift's second "Hunger Games" soundtrack contribution is more epic and upbeat, at least musically. The lyrics still touch on many of the darker themes of the film, meaning that she sings about the loss of innocence and the need to stay strong in the face of adversity.

"Yesterday we were just children/ Playing soldier just pretending/ Dreaming dreams with happy endings," she sings on the track, which has been posted on Perez Hilton's website. "In backyards, waging battles with the wooden swords/ But now we've stepped into a cruel world/ Where everybody stands and keeps score."

The song is punctuated by big guitar riffs and a rock-inspired beat as Swift continues on the chorus, "Keep your eyes open/ Everybody's waiting for you to break down/ Everybody's watching to see the fallout/ Even when you're sleeping, sleeping/ Keep your eyes, eyes open."

Lyrically, many of the tributes in the Hunger Games can relate to that need to be strong, but it seems to be particularly pointed at the story's female lead, Katniss Everdeen, played by Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence, who becomes the face of revolution in the beloved franchise.

The full "Hunger Games" soundtrack drops on March 20, just days before the film opens on March 23. It features a wide array of artists, including Miranda Lambert, the Civil Wars (who also appear with Swift on "Safe & Sound"), Arcade Fire, Kid Cudi and more.

"I immediately read the book in, like, two days and fell in love with it," Swift explained about her love of all things "HG" when she sat down with MTV News during her "First" last month. "I fell in love with the characters, fell in love with the world that Suzanne Collins had created. I was just so immersed in it."

Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Sunday, March 18, 2012

T.I. And B.o.B Wave Grand Hustle Flag At SXSW

Grand Hustle artists were joined by Wale, Meek Mill, Curren$y at Warner Music showcase.
By Nadeska Alexis


T.I. and B.o.B perform at SXSW
Photo: Universal Pictures

AUSTIN, Texas — There was no shortage of options in Austin, Texas, on Thursday night if you happened to be a hip-hop fan at SXSW on the hunt for a good show. While Lil Wayne and YMCMB put their talents on display at Austin Music Hall, just five minutes down the road T.I., B.o.B, Wale, Meek Mill and Curren$y brought down the house at the Warner Sound showcase.

MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway hosted the event at La Zona Rosa, where Grand Hustle Records had a triumphant night and Maybach Music Group continued to rep their expanding roster. Curren$y, Kirko Bangz and XV got the packed house adequately warmed up for a night that easily stretched into the wee hours of Friday morning (March 16).

Grand Hustle announced their arrival with B.o.B's raucous entrance to "Beast Mode," backed by a live band. His next number, "How Bout Dat," commanded a fleet of backup dancers. He followed that with the upbeat single "Magic" off his debut album, B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. The song faded into a dubstep beat, pushing the dancers front and center to showcase their moves before the venue finally went dark.

With nothing to see or hear, the crowd hung back, wondering what would be next. That would be Mr. Grand Hustle himself. "They say Grand Hustle is in the building," Tip announced over the mic, followed by a long pause before "I'm Back" came booming through the speakers.

"Rubberband Man" was a natural choice to follow, sending the crowd soaring along with "U Don't Know Me." Tip took a break only to plug his upcoming eighth album, Trouble Man, which is tentatively due out this summer, before continuing with fan favorites like "What You Know" and one of his more recent singles, "Pyro."

From there, B.o.B and T.I. continued to tag-team the set, and Tip was proud to announce that this was the first time he and his signee had "done a full show together."

Playboy Tre was on hand for "Bet I Bust." "Don't Let Me Fall" was delivered on acoustic guitar, and T.I. even threw in "Whatever You Like" to round out Bobby Ray's "Airplanes" and "Strange Clouds," the title track of his upcoming album.

It was already after midnight when MMG rappers Meek Mill, Stalley and Wale finally took the stage. Meek and Stalley were up first, with energetic singles like "I'ma Boss" aiming to keep the crowd going. Wale did his part to keep the energy alive, performing his hits "Lotus Flower Bomb" and "Slight Work" and commanding a guest appearance from Travis Porter. The D.C. rapper closed out the night with his street anthem "Bait" and the cult favorite "No Hands."

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Pauly D Reflects On 'Jersey Shore' Finale

'This season, we kind of appreciated Jersey more,' he tells MTV News of season five.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Sway and Pauly D
Photo: MTV News

In a sea of laughs (courtesy of Vinny trying to hook up with two lesbians) and drama (including the Situation gossiping about Deena's sister's bedtime activities with his brother) on the "Jersey Shore" season finale, perhaps the biggest drama of all was caused by a prank pulled by Pauly D and Vinny.

After the crew returned from a camping trip, they found that their pals had pulled the ultimate practical joke, putting all their belongings and the house's furnishings outside. While almost everyone laughed it off, their pal the Situation didn't find it as amusing, complaining ad nauseam about the joke. "The finale's crazy because we go all out with the pranks," Pauly told MTV News about the season ender. "So me and Vinny, we're like prank-war champions. The whole house [suffers]. They appreciate it, but they get mad."

It capped off a season that was full of fun, drunken nights, as well as some real emotion, especially when Vinny left the house for a minute to deal with his anxiety issues. In the end, Pauly recalled all the laughs he shared with his roomies.

"Well, this season, we kind of appreciated Jersey more," he said. "So we took advantage of it and everything it has to offer. We were in Italy for so long [last season] that we never were away from the country for that amount of time, so you realize how much you miss gym, tan, laundry. There was no tanning beds in Italy.

"Something that surprised me? When Vinny left," he added about his buddy's short break from the house. "I never thought he would ever leave me. So he left me, but good thing we brought him back."

With season five over, it's not clear if the show will come back for a sixth season. If it does happen, Pauly D is down to hit Seaside again. "Absolutely! I'm there! I love summers on the Jersey Shore," he said. "I love it as a show, and I love it with my roommates. I wouldn't do it without [them]. I gotta do it with them. I want all of them, and I want the Jersey Shore."

Until then, fans can get their DJ Pauly D fix with his spin-off, "The Pauly D Project," kicking off on March 29, the same day as the premiere of "Punk'd." And of course, the "Shore" spin-off featuring mom-to-be Snooki and JWoww is currently in production.

Don't miss "Jersey Shore" every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. For continuing "Shore" coverage, be sure to check in with MTV's Remote Control blog.

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George Clooney Arrested in Sudan Protest!

Yesterday he was sitting next to Michelle Obama, and today he was taken away in handcuffs! George Clooney was arrested in Washington, D.C. along with his father -- journalist Nick Clooney -- and several other civil rights activists after they were protesting outside the Sudanese embassy.

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