Tag Archives: New York

Jay-Z Suits Up For ‘Gatsby’ Premiere As ’100$ Bill’ Debuts

Posted on by

Jay Z Suits Up For Gatsby Premiere As 100$ Bill Debuts

By Maurice Bobb

If you “understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has,” you already knew that the hip-hop cash king wouldn’t stop his upwardly mobile quest for black excellence at hanging out with Warren Buffet and President Barack Obama. The Roc Nation Sports agent was bound to go Hollywood and he’s done just that with his latest move: scoring one of the year’s most lavish set pieces to date, Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby.”

Hov showed up dapper in a charcoal grey bespoke suit to the film’s New York premiere Wednesday (May 1) and rubbed elbows with Hollywood’s elite, including Leonardo DiCaprio, who, according to him, introduced the Watch the Throne MC to the movie’s director.

In addition to scoring the movie that centers around a Midwestern war veteran that finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor, Jay also served as executive producer to the soundtrack, which, of course, features a new song by the man himself, “100$ Bill.” The song was previously released as a 90-second snippet last month, but can be heard in its entirety today as part of NPR’s First Listen. 

On the chopped and screwed track, Jigga channels his wife Beyonce’s hometown flow, spitting, “I write like Mark Twain, Jay Gatsby I park thangs/ Yellow cars, yellow gold, like Slick Rick, still tip/ On four-fours, fo-fos at the four-O, four-O,” before peppering the beat with calculated opulence with lines like, “Carter, new Kennedy, no ordinary Joe, you will remember me/no prohibition for my coalition, Colin Powell, general admission.”

And lest you forget that Marcy Projects’ favorite son knows how to get grimy with it, he serves up bars like this: “You all welcome, new Malcolm, of the talcum, by any means, AK looking out the window screen, uh/Let’s get it on new Marvin, you wanna become my hundredth problem, semi-automatic or revolve him, semi-automatic I’ll solve ‘em.”

In addition to Jay, the project will also feature songs by will.i.am, Lana Del Rey, Fergie, Q-Tip, Andre 3000 and the Queen of the BeyHive.

“It’s not the typical soundtrack, or a standalone piece,” Jay says of the soundtrack. “The songs are pretty much in the film, so it goes hand in hand with each other. It had to fit pretty snug, it wasn’t an afterthought.”

Will ‘Die Hard 6′ Really Be Called ‘Die Hardest’?

Posted on by

Will Die Hard 6 Really Be Called Die Hardest?

Here’s a hefty rumor for your Tuesday afternoon: the upcoming sixth installment of the “Die Hard” franchise is being called “Die Hardest” — at least, for the time being.

According to Total Film, the working title for “Die Hard 6″ is “Die Hardest.” The site reports that Ben Trebilcook, who wrote a treatment for “Die Hard 4″ as well, is penning the “Die Hard 6″ script.

Interestingly enough, the “Die Hard 4″ spec script Trebilcook wrote was also reportedly called “Die Hardest,” so this could just be a placeholder title. The “Die Hard” franchise has gotten plenty of flak for its punny titles, so hopefully someone involved can come up with something a bit more clever than “Die Hardest.”

According to the Total Film report, “Die Hard 6″ will begin in New York but then will be set predominantly in Tokyo. Trebilcook told the site that his take on “Die Hard” will please fans.

“It is extremely faithful to the franchise and characters and is a natural progression. It’s also a very plausible storyline,” he said. “There are many hurdles to leap yet and two of those are called Bruce Willis and [producer] Alex Young. [There's] the possibility producers might go back and find some other source material to base the next one on, like they did with the first and second. Mine though, I feel it could be the ‘Rocky Balboa‘ of the ‘Die Hard‘ franchise.”

Would you like to see “Die Hard 6″ be called “Die Hardest”? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

See The Softer Side Of Mark Wahlberg In Exclusive ‘Broken City’ Deleted Scene

Posted on by

There’s something you need to know about Mark Wahlberg. He’ll play a tough guy in movies like “Broken City,” which hits Blu-ray and DVD today, but he can also have his more tender moments.

For example, in this exclusive deleted scene from “Broken City,” Wahlberg has some quiet time with his girlfriend, played by Natalie Martinez. Her character, also named Natalie, has a film premiere that she needs to attend in L.A., but her New York-based beau, Wahlberg’s Billy Taggart, doesn’t want her to go alone.

It’s just one of the quieter moments in what is otherwise big bang crime thriller, which also stars Russell Crowe as the mayor of NYC.

“Broken City” hits Blu-ray and DVD today, April 30.

Red Bull Music Academy Brings 5 Weeks Of Hip-Hop To NYC

Posted on by

Red Bull Music Academy Brings 5 Weeks Of Hip Hop To NYC

By Tamara Palmer

Hip-hop features prominently at the 15th edition of the Red Bull Music Academy, an international festival currently taking place at various venues in New York through May 31.

RBMA has planned an ambitious program of concerts and club events that features tributes to artists like David Bowie and Brian Eno and nights dedicated to genres such as electronic music and jazz (though an improvisational jazz duet night on May 1 is given a hip-hop spin with the inclusion of ?uestlove). But hip-hop’s breadth and history is well-represented in New York this month.

Highlights include tonight’s “Fillmatic” screening of rare documentaries and panel with Afrika Bambaataa and Schoolly D; a live performance by Mykki Blanco (May 7); a soundclash between Just Blaze, Young Guru, Federation Sound, and Fools Gold Records (May 9); a “Drum Majors” showcase featuring Mannie Fresh, DJ Mustard, Bangladesh, and Young Chop (May 22); and a DJ gig with classic jocks Bambaataa, Egyptian Lover, and Magic Mike (May 23).

Private lectures and collaborative recording sessions, held for successful admittants to the Academy, are traditionally kept secret from the public until the results are revealed on the RBMA YouTube channel, are also a facet of the proceedings. We’ve learned that this year’s event was to have included a lecture with Rakim, but was canceled for undisclosed reasons.

Though many sessions are sold out, there are still more opportunities to get a taste of the sonic experience via RBMA Radio streams. One event of note that will be available to stream takes place tomorrow night (April 30) at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Held in conjunction with Los Angeles label Brainfeeder Records, it’s set to feature Erykah Badu spinning rap jams in her DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown mode and producer Flying Lotus making his New York debut as an MC called Captain Murphy.

Fabolous And Pusha T Bring Excitment To NYC Tour Stop

Posted on by

By Rob Markman

New York, New York — There was a definite excitement inside of B.B. King’s in New York City’s Time’s Square on Friday night. Hip-hop fans lined the front, then filed into the venue to celebrate Fabolous and Pusha T’s The Life is So Exciting Tour, presented by MTV Jams.

In the week’s leading up to the tour, the pair of MCs promised a night of rap excellence and neither of the spitters disappointed, delivering a healthy amount of hits and a dizzying array of clever one-liners.

Pusha warmed up the crowd, first running through selections of his latest Wrath of Caine mixtape and then Clipse classics like “Grindin’” and “Popular Demand (Popeyes).” Push navigated nimbly through his street-inspired catalogue, but delivered big hits as well when he dished out G.O.O.D. Music hits “New God Flow” and “Mercy.” After closing with his latest release, the lyrically-intense “Numbers on the Board,” the self-proclaimed G.O.O.D. Music Golden Child, gave way for Fabolous to take the stage.

First his DJ and band set up and then at 9:45 p.m., the Brooklyn native strutted out onto the strange as the beat to Jay Electronica’s fan-favorite “Exhibit A” filled the performance space. With that Fab launched into “Transformation” from his The S.O.U.L. Tape 2 mixtape. “I’m old enough to know better, young enough to not give a f—/ Rather hold my head high and die, then live and duck,” he spit as the crowd cheered his arrival.

Dressed in black sunglasses, blue jeans and a white throwback Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers jersey, Loso looked more than ready for his homecoming. He continued tearing through the second S.O.U.L. Tape rocking joints like “For the Love,” the Rihanna-inspired “Diamonds,” “B.I.T.E.” and “Only Life I Know” with Brooklyn up and comer Troy Ave. who led the crowd in a spirited off-key acapella.

After showcasing the majority of his latest tape, Fabolous jumped into his deep catalogue of hits. First there was 2001’s “Can’t Deny It” and then the Neptunes-produced “Young’n (Holla Back)” The female portion of the crowd sung along to Lil’ Mo’s “Superwoman Pt. II,” but even the fellas couldn’t resist belting out Fab’s most famous lyric from that song chanting “Da-da-da-da-damn” in unison.

Loso gave some to the guys, but offered plenty up for his female fans. There was “Into You,” “Make Me Better” and “You Be Killin’ ’Em,” which all went over quite nicely. Before his close Fab reminded his faithful flock that he will be releasing his next album Loso’s Way 2 this summer and exited with the album’s first single “Ready.”

At the end Fabolous and Pusha T left their fans just as excited as when they came in.

Olivia Wilde Talks Bringing ‘The Rider And The Storm’ To Tribeca

Posted on by

For the third time in four years, Olivia Wilde, with her partners David Darg and Bryn Mooser, has brought a short-form documentary to the Tribeca Film Festival, but this year, their project has a special significance to the city of New York. “The Rider and the Storm” tells the story of Timmy Brennan, an avid surfer who lost everything in Hurricane Sandy, who turned the disaster into an opportunity to help is his community.

MTV News’ Josh Horowitz sat down with Wilde, Darg, and Mooser to talk about the project and what it means to bring Brennan’s story to a larger audience.

Read more after the jump!

“There are so many thousands of different ways that you can tell the story of this hurricane and so many different people that you could focus on, but this particular portrait tells the story in an optimistic way,” Wilde said. “It’s about someone who can’t wait to rebuild, who’s back out in the water that drowned his own house. It’s just a very unusual and colorful and, at times, funny movie, and I think that’s why people respond so well to it. I think that’s very difficult to do. It’s why these guys are so talented.”

Emma Stone Considering Lead Role In Woody Allen’s Next Movie

Posted on by
Emma Stone Considering Lead Role In Woody Allens Next Movie

Source: Getty Images

Woody Allen is busy gathering together the cast for his next directorial effort, and it seems like Emma Stone could be his leading actor.

Deadline is reporting that Stone is in talks to play the main role in Allen’s latest. Little details are known about the movie beyond that it will shoot in the south of France. Allen last shot in that country for “Midnight in Paris,” and then traveled to Italy for his follow-up, “To Rome With Love.”

Details about Allen’s most recent film, “Blue Jasmine,” have slowly begun to trickle out to the public. He recently wrapped that San Francisco- and New York-set movie, which stars Louis CK, Cate Blanchett and Alec Baldwin. That project is set to premiere in New York and Los Angeles on July 26.

Stone already has plenty of other projects in the works, like Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Birdman” and potentially Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak.” If she signs on Allen’s latest, this will be her first time working with the director, and we can definitely picture it being a great fit.

Would you like to see Stone star in Allen’s new film? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Lauryn Hill Inks Deal With Sony, May Avoid Jail Time

Posted on by

Lauryn Hill Inks Deal With Sony, May Avoid Jail Time

By Georgette Pierre

Lauryn Hill has lived an elusive lifestyle until recent tax woes got the best of her. Last year, Hill pleaded guilty to not paying federal taxes on $1.8 million earned between 2005-2007, possibly facing up to three years in jail, but according to Billboard, the former Fugees star may have found a way to avoid jail time.

During her court hearing in New Jersey on Monday (April 22), it was revealed that Hill reportedly signed a $1 million deal with Sony Music to include recording five new songs in addition to receiving more money for an album. As of now, no songs have been written or recorded yet. The judge also postponed sentencing, giving her until May 6 to pay off her debt, which is now over $500,000, after she made a payment of $50,000 late last year.

Lauryn Hill isn’t the only artist that recently pleaded guilty to tax evasion. New York rapper, Fat Joe, is under heat for not paying taxes on $3 million earned between 2007 and 2008. He faces up to two years in prison on top of numerous fines and penalties.

Young Sav Named VP Of Rick Ross’ MMG Label

Posted on by

Young Sav Named VP Of Rick Ross MMG Label

By Maurice Bobb

Rick Ross just has a knack for staying ahead of the game. In his latest move, Rozay has named Kendell “Young Sav” Freeman (of “Best of Both Offices”) the new Vice President of Maybach Music Group.

“Feels great calling one of the hardest workers and few people I consider a close friend the new VP of MMG,” the God Forgives, I Don’t MC said of Freeman’s appointment Thursday (April 18), which is effective immediately.

The former Def Jam Mixshow Manager won’t be taking his talents to South Beach, though. He’ll remain in New York to oversee all areas of MMG with a specific focus on growing the success of existing signings and developing new talent. Additionally, Freeman will continue his relationship with his former employer to collaborate on Ross’ future solo projects.

“I am extremely excited to embark on this new path in my career,” Freeman said. “I appreciate Ross for noticing my grind, work ethic and giving me a major opportunity to not only be a part of this label, but also help execute his vision.”

Prior to joining MMG, Freeman thrived for almost a decade on the label that Russell Simmons built. During his time there, he was instrumental in the success of projects from hip-hop heavyweights such as Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Fabolous, Trinidad Jame$, Jadakiss, Juelz Santana, Jay-Z and, of course, his new Bawse.

“Kendell a.k.a Young Sav’s talent and knowledge helped redefine the lifestyle approach to marketing and promoting some of the biggest names in hip-hop,” said Shawn “Pecas” Costner, SVP Def Jam Records “he’s one of a kind.” Earlier in his career, Freeman played a pivotal role at TVT Records in breaking music for the label’s urban acts, which included the Ying Yang Twins, Pitbull and Lil Jon & Eastside Boyz.

“It’s going to be a privilege to work with the brand and assist in taking it to the next tier,” Freeman said. “All of the artists on the roster are amazing. I’m ready to get to work.”