November 30, 2024

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Pharrell Explains The Meaning Behind <i>G I R L</i> … And Where Babies Come From

Apparently, there's a meaning behind the title of Pharrell Williams' upcoming March 3 album, G I R L. But sadly it isn't Grandmas In Red Lobster.

"The reason why I named it G I R L in capital letters is because when you look at it, it looks a little weird. And the reason why it does is because society is a little unbalanced," Williams told BBC Radio 1 while backstage at the Brit Awards on Wednesday.

Pharrell also wanted to show off his appreciation for women and all that they have done to contribute to his success with the album title.

"Women have been so good to me over this entire career and they've done so much for my family," he continued. "Everything I've ever gotten is because they've paid for [it], so they're, like, my bosses — indirectly and directly — you guys are like my bosses. So for me, I wanted to analyze that for a second."

"We need them," the "Happy" singer/producer added before poetically breaking down the miracle of birth: "Every human being has come through those silver-lined doors."

All of the speculation about the meaning of the letters in the title led to a bit of creative head-scratching here at MTV News. In an attempt to figure out exactly what Skateboard P was trying to tell us, we came up with a few ideas of our own, including Giraffes In Red Loafers, Grizzled Independent Rabbi League and Grueling Indie R&B Listen.

Though our guesses were off the mark, the folks at P's I Am ...

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OutKast Reunion Will Hit Stages Not The Studio, Big Boi Says

We're as excited as you are about the upcoming OutKast reunion tour. But despite what you might have read, the comeback from Big Boi and Andre 3000 sounds like it will be a live affair only.

"It's the 20 year anniversary of OutKast and we're here to give it to 'em," Big Boi told Revolt TV.

And while the 40 festival stops at events like the Hangout Festival
, Coachella, Counterpoint, OVO, Big Guava and Governor's Ball should make plenty of fans happy, the hype about a new album
 seems to be just that.

"We're just doing the tour only. Just for the fans. That's all it is, a tour," he clarified. "I got a solo record I'm working on, but this is the OutKast 20th-year anniversary — just a way for us to celebrate with our fans, but no album in the works."

Boi said he's also prepping some tracks for an upcoming "Game of Thrones"-themed mixtape that will feature Common, Wale and other guests. "I'm doing a track on there and a couple surprise guests," said Boi, who is a huge fan of the HBO series. "I think it'll be out in the next couple of weeks."

The title? Catch the Throne.

Big is also still grinding away on his next solo album, which he hopes to have out before the end of the year.

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Eminem Supports 50 Cent As He Walks Away From Interscope

50 Cent has been very vocal about a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Frapfix.mtv.com%2F2012%2F01%2F03%2F50-cent-wants-to-severe-ties-with-interscope-records%2F"> his displeasure with Interscope Records over the past two years, and on Thursday (February 20) the G-Unit CEO confirmed that he's taking his business to Capitol Music Group. That means Fif is also saying goodbye to his Shady/Aftermath Records family.

It's been a long time coming. In 2011 MTV News asked 50 Cent if he'd consider leaving Interscope after fulfilling his five-album deal with the label, and he explained that it would very much depend on the level of their support.

"It will all be clear in the negotiations following me turning this actual album in," he said at the time. "And, of course, the performance and how they actually treat the work will determine whether you still want to stay in that position or not."

Clearly, things didn't work out. The Queens mogul and his G-Unit imprint have inked a deal with an independent division of Capitol Music Group called Caroline, where he will release a new album. 50 blamed Interscope for delaying the release of his Street King Immortal project, but under the new label he plans to drop a new LP titled Animal Ambition on June 3.

During his time at Interscope 50 Cent has released several Platinum albums including Get Rich or Die Tryin' and The Massacre.

"I have had great success to date with Shady/Aftermath/Interscope and I'd like to thank Eminem and Dr. Dre for giving me an incredible opportunity," he said in a statement. "I've learned so much from them through the years. I am excited ...

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How Kurt Cobain’s Bed Head Became A Fashion Craze: Read An Exclusive Bio Excerpt

It's been almost 20 years since Kurt Cobain passed away — and more than 20 years since Nirvana made an indelible mark on the music scene, releasing landmark records like Nevermind and In Utero and making MTV history on

If Cobain were alive today, I'm sure he would be surprised to see his effect on music at large — but perhaps a bit more surprised by his impact on the fashion scene.

Yup, articles in the likes of Elle magazine trumpeting the "Return of Grunge" — articles emblazoned with the title of one of Nirvana's most popular singles, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" — would have probably left him scratching his shaggy head. After all, he was pretty confused back in the '90s when his signature lazy style — ripped jeans, flannels and barely washed hair — hit the runways and malls of America.

Author Charles R. Cross talks Cobain's newly minted style icon status in his upcoming book, Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain, sharing an exclusive excerpt with MTV News on Thursday (February) — what would have been Cobain's 47 birthday.

An early fan of Nirvana, Cross covers Cobain's impressive impact in his upcoming book — on music, fashion, gay rights, Seattle's status as a music scene and the way we deal with suicide and drug addiction. He previously penned New York Times bestseller Heavier Than Heaven: The Biography of Kurt Cobain.

Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain is currently available for pre-order — with the book going on ...

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James Franco Writes Open Letter To Shia LaBeouf

James Franco knows all about doing weird stuff in public and freaking people out. Hell, he's practically cornered the market on confounding his fans with unexpected choices and bizarre projects
.

So it makes perfect sense that the actor/writer/director/performance artist/singer/soap opera star would have some thoughts on the recent odd behavior of fellow actor Shia LaBeouf. While Franco's forays into performance art have won praise and, yes, some scorn (Google "Birds---"), in an op-ed piece for the New York Times, the actor offered some sobering advice to Shia.

Some highlights from the article:

Don't Rush To Judgment
"Though the wisdom of some of his actions may seem questionable, as an actor and artist I'm inclined to take an empathetic view of his conduct," Franco wrote before ticking off the list of LaBeouf's recent actions, including charges of plagiarism, that he apologized for with what appeared to be more plagiarism.

"Was that clever or pathological?" Franco wondered.

And then there was the incident earlier this month where LaBeouf wore a paper bag
 over his head that read 
 and the accompanying art show,

"This behavior could be a sign of many things, from a nervous breakdown to mere youthful recklessness," Franco speculated. "For Mr. LaBeouf's sake I hope it is nothing serious. Indeed I hope — and, yes, I know that this idea has pretentious or just plain ridiculous overtones — that his actions are intended as a piece of performance art, one in which a young man in a very public profession tries to reclaim his public ...

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‘American Idol’ Recap: Is It A ‘Guys’ Year’ Or A ‘Girls’ Year’?

Ten out of the top 15 guys got their crack at singing live at Rush Week on "American Idol" Wednesday night, and like the women's night on Tuesday, five dreams ended before they even got started.

Generally speaking, the guys fared better than the ladies, who seemed to get tripped up by their nerves the night before. Perhaps knowing what they were in for calmed them down, as they came off more polished and ready for the spotlight.

That doesn't mean it's time to start forecasting winners; thankfully, judges haven't yet started talking about whether this is going to be a "guy's year" or a "girl's year," so I'll avoid any such proclamations as well.

Here are a handful of takeaways from Wednesday's episode:

Caleb Johnson Sets The Tone
Rocker dude Caleb Johnson was the first contestant to perform Wednesday, and he kicked things off on the right note with his version of the Faces' "Stay With Me." Johnson worked his mic stand like a pro and hit a series of glory notes at the end of the performance, opening the night with the burst of energy it needed after Tuesday's mixed affair.

"That was killer, dude," Keith Urban told him, complimenting his booming voice and flair for performance. Lopez took things a step further, telling him, "that was some real rock star ish right there. That was the real deal."

Alabama Boys Make Their Mark
C.J. Harris and Dexter Roberts — two of the three Alabama boys in the top 15 — held it down for their home state during their performances. Harris sang a ...

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Justin Bieber Gets Back To Work, Plans To ‘Be Great’ Again

Great news Beliebers! Justin Bieber is getting back to what he does best! No, not egging his neighbor's house
 (allegedly) or hotboxing a private jet
 on the way to the Super Bowl. No, not drag racing
 (allegedly), or mouthing off to cops
 during his arrest, or peeing in a mop bucket, or getting into it with a limo driver, or... Never mind. He's working on new music!

"Dance rehearsal. Guitar practice. Workouts. Voice strengthening. Studio writing sessions," he wrote on Wednesday.

Sure, it's been a rough patch for Bieber, who is facing a raft of legal issues from Canada to Florida and Los Angeles, but he's clearly drawing some inspiration from his fans and he's grateful for their support. "I see all your comments," he wrote. "Keep strong. Be the best that you can."

And, of course, they are standing firmly behind him, reminding Bieber how proud they are of him.

For now, Bieber, who was recently pictured partying with Rick Ross and Diddy
 and in the studio with T-Pain, is just hoping that they can "change the world together." And, in the meantime, on Thursday morning (February 20) he was getting pumped up for Friday's sure-to-be-epic U.S. versus Canada hockey rematch at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
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