MTV's VMAs comes to Miami for the 1st time
For the first time in their history, MTV will be hosting it's annual Video Music Awards (VMAs) right here in the beautiful and mesmerising shores of Miami.
The show to be held at the American Airlines Arena (home of Miami's basketball team the Miami Heat) will be hosted by get this... no one as it offers another first in having no host for the show for the first time in its history.Usher, Kanye West, Jessica Simpson, Hoobastank, Yellowcard and Jet are set to be some of the shows performers with appearances by Lenny Kravitz, Christina Aguilera, Queen Latifah, Bruce Willis, Lil Jon as well as some surprise guests I'm sure.
Jay's contravsersal '99 Problems' video grabbed the most nominations with six, including nods for Best Video, Best Male Video and Best Rap Video.
Beyoncé, No Doubt, Usher and Outkast are a close second with five nominations each. Britney Spears, Kanye West, Steriogram, the White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs all follow with four nominations, while the Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, D12, Jet and Modest Mouse grabbed three nods.
This year's Viewer's Choice Award will be determined by the VMAyhem Viewer's Choice Playoffs, which will allow MTV.com users to whittle a field of 40 videos down to the five final nominees via a series of head-to-head video battles. Voting on the five final nominees will begin on August 18. Follow the night and see how it unfolds as the winners and loxers share the stage next Sunday
- - Source: MTV.com
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R. Kelly's double disc set hit stores this week
Benonse to his personal life troubles making headline news, R&B crooner R. Kelly is still shining in the public eye as an artist with his now standard double disc set coming out on a yearly basis.
- Following up his massively successful double disc set 'Chocolate Factory' from last year (which scored hits like 'Step in the Name of Love', 'Snake' and 'Ignition' remix), is the singer's latest release 'Happy people / You saved me' that comes to your store shelves this week.
The two disc set is a 21 song output from Mr. Kelly (Disc 1 has 11 and disc 2 has 10 songs) and features the hit single 'Happy People' that is steadily climbing the Billboard R&B and Top 100 charts and is likely to score another No.1 to add to his already impressive resume.
Likely contenders to be top 10 material is 'If I could Make The World Dance', 'Love Street', 'Love Signal' and 'If I could Make The World Dance'. The next single is likely to be the ballad 'If' as it's receiving early radio airplay. Look out for the new set because from early indication of the reviews it's rather deserving of it's praise.
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Jay Z and R. Kelly to give fans 'Best of Both Worlds'
Speaking of R. Kelly, the R&B/singer/songwriter and producer will team up with reigning king of the rap game Jay-Z for a North American tour that will be kicking off Sept. 30 in Chicago. Called 'The Best of Both Worlds Trek', the full dates has yet to be announced but is expected to play through 40 cities before wrapping Nov. 28 in Phoenix.
"We really don't want to give away too much of the show, because we want people to really be genuinely in shock and awe," Jay-Z says. "We're doing a 'shock and awe' campaign."
"We want to reach the people that feel our music and that feel us and that love us, because we get on stage and return their love," he continues. "And that's what we love to do -- we're performers. We love to perform our music in front of live audiences.
"You never know what may happen out there on the stage with me and Jay, because [we're] spontaneous," Kelly adds. "We may say anything out there on the stage."
The two initially game together to record the 2002 album 'Best of Both Worlds', and was going to tour then but the tour was axed after Kelly's arrest on multiple child pornography charges. The case is still pending.
- Source: billboard.com
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The legendary reggae group we all know and love as Bob Marley and the Wailers has long been overdue in the re-issues of their material and no fault of the band themselves but rather of the label. Well all that will change come this September as the bands long over due re-issue 'Burnin' gets a re-release.
The classic album origianlly released in 1973 will be a two-CD package including a previously unreleased concert recording from that same year.The first disc of 'Burnin' -- Deluxe Edition' will feature the original album (including such hits as 'I Shot the Sheriff', 'Burnin' and Lootin', 'Small Axe' and 'Put It On'), as well as five bonus tracks: an alternate take and a single version of 'Get Up, Stand Up'; the B-side 'Reincarnated Soul' and 'No Sympathy' and 'The Oppressed Song'
Disc two of the set features a 12-song Wailers concert recorded Nov. 23, 1973, at England's Leeds Polytechnic. Founding member Bunny Wailer had already left the group by that point, but the show features Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, who would also soon take leave of the pioneering reggae band.
The show includes performances of 'Duppy Conqueror', 'Slave Driver', 'No More Trouble', 'Kinky Reggae', 'Stir It Up', the rarity 'You Can't Blame the Youth' and a 13-minute version of 'Lively Up Yourself'.
'Burnin' joins previously issued Deluxe Editions of the Marley albums 'Catch a Fire', 'Exodus', 'Rastaman Vibration' and the greatest-hits set 'Legend'.
- Source: billboard.com