There were three big changes this year to the MTV Video Music Awards: no host, the red carpet went from white to black, and all of the arrivals were inside at the Marriott, which is next door to the Nokia Theatre.
Save those, it was another star-studded event in Los Angeles, which set a network record for the largest VMA rating in the show’s history.
– While I was updating on my Twitter and Facebook as celebrities walked by, I missed Beyonce’s big announcement that her and husband Jay-Z were expecting their first child. I did get a quick work with the former Destiny Child star, who told me she was looking forward to her performance later that evening.
Beyonce’s choreographer, Frank Gatson, elaborated a little more.
“Simple and sweet,” he said of the expecting mother’s forthcoming performance. “She’s performing, ‘Love on Top,’ my favorite song off her new album.”
Gatson was unaware if the late announcement of Beyonce’s performance was due to a late addition or simply, “saving the best for last.” Of course, the impending pregnancy and announcement, which occurred during the MTV VMA preshow, could have also played a role.
– Lil Twist, one of Young Money’s youngest rappers, said that the camp was aware of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV leaking this past week, but shrugged his shoulders when asked for a reaction.
“Nah, it doesn’t affect us,” Twist said. “Whatever, it comes out tonight at midnight.”
Weezy wrapped up the VMAs with an explosive performance, and then celebrated his album release at a private party in Hollywood.
– I was fortunate enough to attend the In Touch Weekly “Idols and Icons” VMA after party on Sunset Boulevard. Amongst some of the celebs there: “Entourage” and adult film star Sasha Grey, a fit-looking Kendra Wilkinson, Kat DeLuna, and my buddies Hot Chelle Rae – who divulged that the band’s follow-up single to the smash, “Tonight Tonight” will feature New Boyz.
– Andrew Dice Clay is making a comeback, in large part to his current arc on “Entourage.”
“I wanted to do it right away,” said Clay on making the decision to join. “I’ve always been a big fan of the show.”
If you watch the HBO show, you know that Dice’s classic line thus far is: “Dice does the f**king.” Was that his mentality back in his heyday?
“I still think that way,” the comedian responded.
– We all know that DJ Pauly D is usually “DTF” – but recently he took a break from his “Jersey Shore” antics to join Britney Spears on tour. The Rhode Island-native says he would talk to Spears every night.
“It was amazing,” he gushed of the experience. “The best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
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Federal tax practioner David Selig talked about the seriousness of the charges that hip-hop artists Method Man and Swizz Beatz face on “The Ralphie Radio Show.”
Visit Selig online here.
Next time you complain about a friend inviting themselves to one of your parties, think of how Kardinal Offishall ended up on Estelle’s new single, “Freak”.
“He heard the song, and was like, ‘Gimme that,’” recalled Darlings, who played the track from her house for Kardi. “He literally like took the song, looped up the beginning of the instrumental and did his verse and sent it back like, ‘There ya go, I’m on the track now.’”
Estelle didn’t mind – she cites Offishall as a good friend and one of the few that she’d grant that privilege to. Plus – she thinks he added a lot to the single.
“He killed it,” she stated. “He came on it and lifted the energy up completely.”
The singer did clarify one issue: Kardinal’s path of entry to the record is not the reason she made him wear skinny jeans for the song’s music video.
“(Laughing) He knows me. Whenever he’s around me there’s a lot of skinny jeans,” Estelle joked. “I’m sorry. I’m British. It’s what happens.”
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Of course, before Offishall declared himself a contributor to the record, Estelle linked up with French producer/DJ David Guetta. The man behind “I Gotta Feeling” and “Sexy Bitch” only reached out to one artist other than Chris Willis for a contribution to “One Love” – Estelle.
“I was like, ‘Hell yeah, will you do a track for me?’” Darlings said. She and Guetta recorded “One Love” – which the producer would later use as the title track for his August 2009 LP, an honor that Estelle admitted is “really cool.”
“After we did ‘One Love’, we were just both sitting there and I was like, ‘Play me some more stuff,’” she said. “He played ‘Freak’ and I was like, ‘Oh my God… trust me, give me that record!’”
Estelle decided that she’d bring it back to the 80’s on the hook – paying homage to the British pop group Soul II Soul by singing the chorus of the group’s smash single, “Back To Life”.
“He lost his mind,” Darlings said of Guetta’s reaction to the impromptu tribute. “I’m a child of the 80’s from London. Soul II Soul is what I grew up on.”
“Freak” is the first single from Estelle’s third studio LP – All Of Me – which she plans to release this fall. Other confirmed contributors include Swizz Beats, Gym Class Heroes’ Travie McCoy, and John Legend. Darlings revealed that the album will probably not include another collaboration with KanYe West. She did note that a recent duet with Mr. Hudson would more than likely be included on an extended version of the LP.
11.13.08 : Maroon 5. f. Cross, Swizz Beatz – If I Never See Your Face Again… (Remix)
