Britney Spears Producer Dr. Luke Calls Singer 'An Amazing Vehicle'

Album's co-executive producer expects new album out by early 2011.
By James Dinh


Britney Spears
Photo: Jeremy Cowart/ WireImage

While "Glee" was spot-on in its tribute to Britney Spears in September, it's safe to say her fans are ready for the real deal. The pop princess, who has remained relatively low-key since wrapping up her Circus Tour, is currently working on her new album with a few familiar faces, including producers Dr. Luke and Max Martin.

"She's such an icon, I don't want to let anyone down," Dr. Luke said last week at the Hollywood Reporter/ Billboard Film & TV Music Conference. "But most importantly, I want to make good music."

Luke said that he is anticipating that Britney's album will see an early 2011 release, and a source told THR it would hit stores before March 31.

In addition to Dr. Luke ("Circus") and Martin ("... Baby One More Time"), Darkchild and newcomer Billboard are also said to be working with Spears.

When asked if there were anything else he could reveal about the heavily guarded project, Luke wouldn't say much. "Just that I'm excited to be co-executive producing with Max Martin, the person who kind of invented Britney, and to make good music," he said. "And she's such an amazing vehicle to getting that music out to a lot of people in every country."

With Luke and Martin helming the project, fans may expect to hear Spears sounding like the producers' frequent collaborators Katy Perry and Ke$ha. But there have also been indications that Brit will take a fresher approach. Last month, Spears' manager Adam Leber spoke to Entertainment Weekly about her next album, promising that it will introduce a "progressive" sound from the pop star.

''It'll be a departure from what you've heard,'' he added.

What producers would you like to see Britney team up with? Sound off below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1651230/20101101/spears_britney.jhtml

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Jay-Z Talks Tupac, Beyonce During Charlie Rose Interview

Rapper chides veteran talk-show host for mispronouncing Tupac's name.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Jay-Z
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

BROOKLYN, New YorkJay-Z's new book, "Decoded," may be about translating the lyrics in his songs, but when the iconic MC sat down with talk-show host Charlie Rose, he promised to "decode" everything.

Rose interviewed the rapper on Thursday before an audience at the Brooklyn Museum for a future episode of his PBS program, and the pair touched on much more than music.

With Beyoncé, his mother and other family members seated in the front row, Jay-Z held court on an array of topics, including Tupac Shakur, his arrest for stabbing a record executive and his drug-dealing past.

"Did you ever do the drugs?" Rose asked the Roc Nation boss.

"Crack cocaine," Jay responded, drawing laughs from the audience. "C'mon, man. That's hard-core, man. Maybe a little weed. A Ballantine Ale. Or a Guinness Stout."

"Decoded," Jay-Z's first book, is part memoir and part deconstruction of his lyrics, which have helped to garner more #1 albums than any solo artist in history.

Sporting a gray blazer, black v-neck sweater, dark denim jeans and designer kicks, Jay-Z was casual and charismatic throughout the evening.

When Rose mispronounced Tupac's name, the rapper humorously chided the talk-show host.

"If it was Tupac," Jay said, pronouncing it "two-pack" and pausing to let the laughter build up, "it would be spelled with a 'k' and not a 'c' at the end. You're not the first to say it wrong, but hopefully, after tonight, you'll be the last." The veteran journalist redeemed himself when he leaned over to give Jay-Z a fist pound, signifying that he had learned his lesson.

Rose probed further into the "Run This Town" star's life, at one point asking about his arrest in the stabbing of former Biggie confidant Lance "Un" Rivera.

"He was stabbed, but he went home without taking an aspirin," Jay responded, defusing the headlines of the past. "He was fine. Don't feel bad for him."

As the conversation neared its end, Rose brought up the guarded rapper's marriage to singer Beyoncé. He pointed to a clip of the two from the video for "O3 Bonnie and Clyde," but Jay chimed in before Rose could ask his question.

"I don't know how I let her wear that Boston hat," Jay-Z said. "She took the B a little too far. That's what I thought of.

"How did I get out of that," he joked, after Rose was flustered and forgot his question.

As of press time, the broadcast date for the episode of "Charlie Rose" featuring Jay-Z had not been announced.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1652674/20101119/jay_z.jhtml

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Katie Holmes Shops In Los Angeles

Katie Holmes was spotted doing some shopping in Barneys NY in Beverly Hills yesterday afternoon. I have to give it to the actress: she can make even leggings, sneakers, and a sweater look stylish! The scarf also provides great camouflage … Continue reading

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The Tiger Woods Timeline

On Nov. 27, 2009, it was reported that Tiger Woods had crashed his Escalade not far from his home in Florida. In the year since, the man who was once one of the greatest, most revered, most iconic athletes of our time has undergone tremendous upheaval. His personal, public and professional lives haven't been the same since, and won't likely be ever again.

Here's a look back at a year we, and Tiger Woods, will never forget.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/11/24/the-tiger-woods-timeline/

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Usher Dazzles On The VMA Stage With 'DJ' And 'OMG'

Ush combined his legendary dance skills with spectacular special effects.
By Rochell D. Thomas


Usher performs at the 2010 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

Call it what you will: talent, swag, skills. But one thing's true about Usher Terry Raymond IV: When he steps on the dance floor, some mysterious thing comes out of him and puts the G in groove. After he was tapped to perform at the 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards, executive producer Dave Sirulnick challenged Usher to "show why you're king," and the 31-year-old Grammy winner didn't disappoint.

As predicted by the lucky few who got a peek at Thursday's practice performance for his hit "OMG," Ush pulled off moves that would make the late great Michael Jackson jealous in a mammoth stage production that included more special-effects bells and whistles than a summer blockbuster.

Usher opened the performance with "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love," perched two flights above the stage on a ledge surrounded by blinding green laser lights. Then he slid, with the help of barely visible wires and mounts, down a flight, all the while popping and locking. When the father of two finally ticked his way down to stage level, he was surrounded by an army of dancers also clad in black suits with white stripes designed to toss and catch special effect lights.

Directed by Anthony Mandler, Usher's "OMG" clip earned Best Male Video, Best Dance Music Video and Best Choreography Moonman nominations. During the pre-show, Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" beat it in the Best Dance category, where Raymond was, for many, the lead contender.

If Usher was disappointed, he didn't let it show. When he launched the "OMG" portion of his performance, the stage seemed to disappear, as red laser lights moved forward in blinding configurations spelling out O.M.G. and Usher's name. More dancers lowered from the ceiling on Cirque du Soleil-esque contraptions, dipping in and out of the red beams. Such a 3-D light display could probably have been seen from the moon, if it weren't for the roof of the Nokia Theatre.

Usher ended his set standing, head back, with his arms outstretched in the Jesus pose. He didn't say a word. Didn't need to.

The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647658/20100912/usher.jhtml

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