crib notes TV catches up with Atlanta recording artist Spree Wilson to learn more about his recent move to New York City and what’s he’s discovered on his journey. We talk about his upcoming projects and his debut solo music video for “Word!” (produced by No I.D.) which premieres this month on MTV.
Click here for the full, uncut audio interview.
T.I. — whose real name is Clifford Harris — will allow MTV cameras to document as he attempts to help seven troubled kids find the silver lining in their lives — all a part of the 1000 hours of community service he must complete before heading to prison in March. As T.I. counts down the days until he is behind bars for weapons charges stemming from 2007, he invites the world into some of his most personal times and thoughts in hopes to redeem himself by helping others redeem themselves.
“T.I.’s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go” premieres tonight, Feb. 10 at 9 p.m. on MTV.
(Photo courtesy Patrick Hoelck)
Of all the cross-collaborations possible, rap and acoustic seemed like the most unlikely pair. That is until Cisco Adler (offspring of the mega-producer who brought us Cheech and Chong’s Up In Smoke and The Rocky Horror Picture Show and former love item with some of Hollywood’s hottest — Mischa Barton, Kimberly Stewart and Lauren Conrod, to name a few) found the self-claimed “only black kid in Malibu” Shwayze, aka 22-year-old Aaron Smith.
It’s West coast beach music meets raw rap and simple beats, making a finished product that’s better than the originals, and raising the question, why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?
The California duo has certainly been getting national attention, from signing on to do an MTV show, performing at a slew of parties at Superbowl weekend and securing a spot in this year’s Warped Tour.
“Buzzin’” premiered on MTV last night in a home video meets professional taping format, making the output look something like MTV’s “Rob and Big” (RIP) and HBO’s “Entourage” joining forces. It has the surprisingly chill and what-the-hell factor that “Rob and Big” brought, and the celebrity parties and the plight to stardom featured in “Entourage.”
Even if you missed the premiere yesterday, you still check out the whole episode via MTV.com.
And be sure to pick up Shwayze’s self-titled album on August 19. But if you can’t wait, the single “Corona and Lime” is already available to download on iTunes.
(Photo courtesy www.myspace.com/shwayze)
BAD BOY’S BEHIND THIS: Natural-born hype-man P. Diddy compares Janelle Monae to James Brown and Elvis during their interview with Sway on MTV. Click here to see the full footage. (Photo courtesy MTV News)
If you’ve been following local phenom Janelle Monae’s career as close as we have, you know she’s been hella busy. Besides starring in the Atlanta Ballet collaboration with Big Boi titled big — which you can read about in this week’s CL cover story — she just got back from a trip to New York last week where she performed for an industry crowd.
MTV was on-hand and Sway even sat down to interview her and P. Diddy, who has been courting Monae and her Wondaland Arts Society partners since late last year. After keeping their working relationship under wraps for months, natural born hype-man Diddy compared his new artist Monae to James Brown, Elvis, Judy Garland and Anita Baker in the same breath.
The announcement of her signing confirms the story we broke last November. In the joint venture between Wondaland and Bad Boy/Atlantic, Big Boi of OutKast will “continue to serve as a collaborator and co-executive producer,” Monae announced in a blog posted on her MySpace page yesterday.
For fans who fear what might become of Monae at a pop label like Bad Boy, she added:
I feel this movement is beyond independent or mainstream. Soul or rock. Black or white. Pompadour or perm. Saddle shoes or high heels. It’s about altering history through a great new era of music and art.
According to Mitchell Martin II of Wondaland, Diddy is so excited to be involved with an artist of Monae’s caliber — and a team with WAS’s marketing expertise — that he plans to stay out of their way as they do their thing.
So that means no “Bad Boy this, Bad Boy that” chants all over Monae’s vocals, right Diddy?
The next suite from Metropolis is scheduled to drop in June, with a full-length album containing both new and previously released material to drop in September, according to Martin.
Martin also gave some insight into a lot of conversation Wondaland has been fostering within the local music scene. Stay tuned for more on that in the upcoming CL Music Issue, which drops April 23.
When MTV started up over 25 years ago, it stood for “Music Television”; maybe “Mom-approved Television” would be more appropriate now.
Reports hit the Internet Wednesday that the network had banned the video for the new Gnarls Barkley single “Run” because viewing its strobe effects might cause epileptic seizures. The network responded today, however, calling such reports erroneous:
According to an MTV spokesperson, MTV’s international channel, MTV U.K., initially rejected the video but has accepted a revised version. Additionally, the clip was already scheduled to premiere on MTV’s “TRL” on Thursday and is set to go into rotation on Monday.
To read the network’s side of the story, click here.
The Odd Couple, Gnarls Barkley’s sophomore release, has also leaked on the Internet. Unfortunately, we can’t provide a link to that. It’s due in stores April 8.
Justin Timberlake makes a cameo appearance in the video. In case you haven’t seen it, we’re reposting below.
Disclaimer: Creative Loafing is not responsible for any epileptic episodes that may result from the repetitive viewing of this video. In other words, don’t blame us if you have a seizure.
