'I will be donating all of my personal proceeds...to various human rights organizations,' singer says of concert linked to Libyan dictator. By Shawn Adler
Usher (file) Photo: Getty Images
R&B superstar Usher announced Friday (March 4) that he was donating to various charities proceeds from appearing at a private event at St. Barts linked to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, according to a statement made to the Associated Press.
The Grammy award winner's renouncement comes after similar announcements from singers Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado, and Beyoncé, all of whom were revealed to have performed at private concerts linked to the Middle Eastern leader, who has faced open revolt and major political uprisings since February.
"I am sincerely troubled to learn about the circumstances surrounding the Nikki Beach St. Bart's event that took place on New Year's Eve 2009," Usher said of the concert, at which he appeared alongside Beyoncé but did not perform. "I will be donating all of my personal proceeds from that event to various human rights organizations."
Usher has already begun the process, having made a donation to Amnesty International, the AP reports. The exact size of the donation is not known.
The New Year's Eve gig was reportedly for Moammar's fourth son Muastassim, who an unnamed music industry source told MTV News has a history of throwing lavish parties "jammed" with supermodels.
"All monies paid to Beyoncé for her performance at a private party at Nikki Beach St. Barts on New Year's Eve 2009, including the commissions paid to her booking agency, were donated to the earthquake relief efforts for Haiti over a year ago," the "Halo" singer's publicist said in a statement to The Huffington Post. "Once it became known that the third-party promoter was linked to the Qaddafi family, the decision was made to put that payment to a good cause."
Singer Nelly Furtado tweeted February 28 that she plans to make similar amends.
"In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Gadhafi clan to perform a 45 min. show for guests at a hotel in Italy," she tweeted. "I am going to donate the $."
The leader of Libya since a successful military coup in 1969, Gadhafi has reportedly lost control of much of his country as a result of widespread uprisings. The United Nations voted unanimously to refer the dictator to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
Bret Michaels expected nothin' but a good time when he made a guest appearance at the 2009 Tony Awards. Instead, the Poison frontman was struck on the head by a piece of scenery -- and over one year later, he's suing for damages, according to Entertainment Weekly. On Friday, rocker Michaels filed a lawsuit against CBS and the Tonys, seeking compensation for injuries he suffered as a result of the accident. The injury occurred on live television, while Michaels was exiting the stage after performing "Nothin' but a Good Time" with the Rock of Ages cast. (Watch the video footage below.)
"Michaels was never told that the scenery piece would be descending or given any warning of the existence of the dangers it presented," states the lawsuit. "Quite the opposite, Michaels specifically asked for instructions regarding how to exit after his performance and was just told to walk off the rear of the stage -- in what was ultimately the danger zone."
After the Tony Awards, Michaels was hospitalized with a broken nose and a split lip, but told the press that he was otherwise unharmed. So why the belated lawsuit? Bret now believes that the accident was a causal factor in his 2010 brain hemorrhage -- you know, the one that almost killed him.
"One of the most common causes of this type of hemorrhage is head trauma -- exactly like the one Michaels suffered at the hands of the Tony Awards," says the suit.
The musician is also taking issue with the way the Tony Awards producers handled the accident in the press -- namely, blaming Michaels by saying he "missed his mark."
"The Tony Awards dropped a piece of the stage on Bret’s head, and then instead of doing the right thing, joked about it and played it off for ratings," Michaels' lawyer said in a press statement. "Bret never wanted to file a lawsuit, but the Tony Awards have left us with no choice. They must be held accountable for almost killing Bret, and that is what we are going to do."
'She knocked it out of the box,' one fan tells MTV News after nightclub gig. By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears performs "Big Fat Bass" at Rain Nightclub in the Palms Las Vegas Photo: Roderick Trestrail
Britney Spears proved to be a Femme Fatale when she hit the stage Friday night in Las Vegas. The pop superstar donned multiple costumes during her high-octane three-song set, and her fans loved every moment of it.
The Femme Fatale hit the stage following a killer set from "Jersey Shore" star DJ Pauly D on Friday night (March 25). Spears sported a stunning sequined bodysuit and performed her first song of the night, lead single "Hold It Against Me." Flanked by sexy male dancers, she sashayed her way through the song, which included sexy hair-tossing and a wind machine. She performed snippets of past hits, "3," "Slave 4 U" and "Gimme More," as well as her latest club banger, "Till the World Ends." And by all accounts, fans were electrified.
Emerie told MTV News moments after the show: "I love Britney! Everything was perfect. My favorite part was when she performed the song 'Till the World Ends.' Anything with Britney is amazing."
Jewelry designer Heather Bettes added, "It was fantastic. Britney Spears, she looks stellar. She killed it. She really brought it The beading is amazing on her costumes. She looked great. She brought it."
While fans described Spears' big show as "awesome," "sexy" and "the best thing ever," two die-hards had a personal connection to the show.
"I loved it!" Danielle said of Brit's performance at Rain nightclub in the Palms Casino and Resort. In fact, she loved it so much because her pal Mark is one of Brit's dancers. While Mark was one of her favorite parts, she said Britney really shined.
"The very end of the last song [was awesome]," she explained about pop's reigning queen. "She looked sexy. She's hot."
Daniel, who is not only Danielle's friend but also Mark's boyfriend, was very excited to see his beau onstage with the star. "He looked so sexy," he proclaimed, adding that Brit had told the dancers that this show was all about her excited fans. "She wants to please all of her fans. She knocked it out of the box."
Those good vibes were felt by Britney as well, who tweeted after the show, "OMFG it feels good to be on stage again!!"
For fans who may have missed it, they can check out Spears' performance in an MTV special airing next week, with a tease dropping Tuesday, the same day as the release of Femme Fatale.
Did you catch Britney's performance? Share your reviews in the comments!
Ke$ha, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez will perform at annual KIIS-FM Los Angeles festival. By James Dinh
Britney Spears Photo: Max Morse/Getty Images
It's nearing that time of year when the hottest acts in music come together to take the stage for 102.7 KIIS-FM's Wango Tango in Los Angeles. On Monday (March 28), Ryan Seacrest took to his morning radio show to announce that he and Britney Spears will co-host the annual music fest, which will feature performances from Ke$ha, Jennifer Lopez and Selena Gomez.
Other acts scheduled for the concert event include Pitbull, Far East Movement, Jason DeRulo, Lupe Fiasco, T-Pain, New Boys and Cobra Starship. YouTube sensation Cody Simpson will round out the star-studded performance roster.
While Spears may just be hitting the stage as special guest co-host, the "Hold It Against Me" singer, coming off of hot weekend shows in Las Vegas and San Francisco, is no stranger to the Wango Tango stage. When her career was just taking off in 1999, the pop star performed at the annual festival and returned a few years later in 2001 to guest-host the festivities.
Tickets for Wango Tango 2011, which takes place May 14 at the Staples Center, go on sale to KISS Club VIPs on Friday, April 1, and to the general public on Saturday, April 2. Fans may also want to keep an eye on the hit radio station's Facebook page, where they revealed they will be giving away meet-and-greet passes for Ke$ha.
Are you excited for this year's Wango Tango lineup? Share your thoughts below.
U2 and Bon Jovi will also be featured on digital-only album from Universal Music. By James Dinh
Justin Bieber Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage
Some of pop music's biggest artists, including Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, are lending their tunes for a good cause. On Monday (March 21), it was announced that Universal Music is rushing out a digital-only compilation album to raise awareness and funds for those affected by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan.
While the lineup and track list have yet to be finalized, other chart-toppers expected to be featured on the release include U2 and Bon Jovi. Lady Gaga may also appear on the album. Proceeds from sales will go to the Japanese Red Cross.
"We are doing it only digitally because it is faster, and this will be a worldwide release. The plan is to have it available later this week," a spokesperson for Universal Music said.
In order to maximize proceeds, the record label plans to find more acts willing to waive royalties that would have come from having their tracks appear on the compilation.
Universal Music is not the only music-industry player reaching to support Japan disaster relief. Most recently, the Black Eyed Peas announced that the music video for their tune "Just Can't Get Enough" would be used to promote awareness and funds for victims of the tragic event. The clip, which was shot in Japan one week before the earthquake and tsunami hit, finds the BEP bandmates traveling throughout Toyko.
Earlier this month, Lady Gaga designed a special prayer bracelet with all proceeds going to relief efforts. In just two days, the pop singer and her legion of little monsters raised more than $250,000.
For more information on what you can do to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan head to MTV Act, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, 'Never Say Never' star said in 2009. By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News
Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World, and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere.
In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen.
"My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I'd never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people," he recalled.
"And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, 'Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?' The politest possible way he could say no, he did. ... I took the hint. I didn't get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session."
But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. "He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, 'I should have let this kid sing,' and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me."
As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back.
"As far as Usher being my mentor, he's definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important," he explained.
"There's a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life."
On Friday, Justin Bieber's 3-D documentary, "Never Say Never," opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music.
BFFs David Beckham and Tom Cruise ran into one another at the Staples Center in downtown LA last night at the LA Lakers basketball game and exchanged pleasantries in between the action on the court. Both men were at the game with their respective sons — Brooklyn Joseph and Connor Antony — but took some [...]
'... the ride Snyder takes you on is so vividly conceived, so deliriously bizarre and wonderful,' writes Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald. By Eric Ditzian
Abbie Cornish in "Sucker Punch" Photo: Warner Bros.
We'll say this about Zack Snyder: The guy knows how to stir up passion in moviegoers, whether those intense feelings skew toward the aggressively negative or the bow-down-before-a-cinematic-god positive. Just take a peek at reviews for the director's adaptation of "Watchmen" in 2009.
A similar disparity in critical assessments surrounds Snyder's latest offering, the fantastical battle royale called "Sucker Punch." Some reviewers are passionately defending the film and calling out the haters for simply failing to understand what the director was trying to accomplish. Many more, however, are accusing Snyder of being the one who failed to deliver.
Will you love it? Hate it? Have you somehow never even heard of it? Check out what the critics are saying and decide for yourself.
The Story "The story centers on Babydoll (Emily Browning), an orphan falsely accused of murdering her little sister and imprisoned inside an asylum where she is scheduled for a lobotomy. Before the procedure can be completed, Babydoll disappears into an alternate reality that exists entirely in her mind. There, she and four fellow inmates (Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung) are performers in a bordello managed by the theatrical Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino) and run by the cruel pimp Blue (Miami's Oscar Isaac). In order to escape — the cathouse and the mental institution — the girls must first fight off winged dragons, zombies, giant ninja robots and android aliens and collect five talismans. No, Sucker Punch doesn't make any sense. But none of that matters, because the ride Snyder takes you on is so vividly conceived, so deliriously bizarre and wonderful." — Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
Storytelling Shortcomings "The film abdicates so many basic responsibilities of coherent storytelling, even coherent stupid-action-movie storytelling, director/ co-writer/ co-producer Zack Snyder must have known in preproduction that his greasy collection of near-rape fantasies and violent revenge scenarios disguised as a female-empowerment fairy tale wasn't going to satisfy anyone but himself. Well, himself, plus ardent fans of Japanese-schoolgirl manga comics. ... You will be unprepared for a film packing this much confusing crud into a little less than two hours of solitary confinement, which feels more like dog hours, i.e., 14." — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
The Visuals "Loaded with all kinds of visions of the fantastic and high-octane excitement, it's a visceral feast that utilizes Snyder's signature techniques with all the velocity of a fire-breathing dragon ... But 'Sucker Punch' is not just style over substance. That's an argument the film is sure to be met with, as well, but there is just as much bubbling up under 'Sucker Punch's' CG surface than there is in its sepia-toned skies. Filled with themes of empowerment, escapism, and changing the course of the typical narrative, the film rides high in its jet-propelled mech warrior, and it has much to tell us when it's done doing loopty loops around our brain." — Jeremy Kirk, FirstShowing.net
The Influences "You could go to see 'Sucker Punch' this weekend — a lot of people probably will, and a few may even admit as much back at the office on Monday — or you could try to make it yourself, which might be more fun, though not necessarily cheaper. Here's what you will need: a bunch of video-game platforms; DVDs of 'Shutter Island,' 'Kill Bill,' 'Burlesque' and 'Shrek'; some back issues of Maxim; a large bag of crystal meth; and around $100 million. Your imagination will take care of the rest." — A.O. Scott, The New York Times
The Final Word "Some will see the worst sort of objectification in its Victoria's Secret-esque femme front line that also includes the scantily clad corps of Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung. Others will argue that 'Sucker Punch's' sexy guerrillas represent female empowerment, to say nothing of the benefits of diet and exercise. I'd suggest the film is a wonderfully wild provocation — an imperfect, overlong, intemperate and utterly absorbing romp through the id that I wouldn't have missed for the world." — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times
Yoko Ono headlined a benefit concert for Japan at Columbia University’s Miller Theater yesterday, March 27, raising an impressive $33,000 according to Rolling Stone. Also participating in the event were “art-rock” heroes Sonic Youth, Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton, as well as several other musicians. Yoko Ono joins the likes of pop stars like [...]
She’s been away from the pop scene for over a year so it was no surprise to see Britney Spears throwing herself back into it with gusto. And as she took to the stage in Las Vegas on Friday night, she declared to her screaming fans: ‘It’s so good to be back.’ The pop star, [...]
BFFs David Beckham and Tom Cruise ran into one another at the Staples Center in downtown LA last night at the LA Lakers basketball game and exchanged pleasantries in between the action on the court. Both men were at the game with their respective sons — Brooklyn Joseph and Connor Antony — but took some [...]
Singer is rumored to be taping skits and a performance for shows at the end of March. By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears Photo: Amy V. Cooper/John Shearer
With less than two weeks until the release of Femme Fatale, it seems Britney Spears is amping up her promotion.
After appearing on the covers of V and Out (she's also rumored to grace the June cover of Harper's Bazaar), now Spears is reportedly taping appearances for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," according to MuuMuse.com.
Spears last appeared on Ellen's show in December 2008 in a skit alongside the comedian. The ladies, both wearing Dickensian clothing, went caroling together. This time around, Spears would appear in more skits on the March 28 and 29 episodes with a performance airing March 30.
A rep for the singer couldn't confirm the report, and a rep for the show never responded to MTV News' request for comment by press time. A rep for Harper's Bazaar also hadn't responded to MTV News about the reports she will grace the cover.
"I think Femme Fatale speaks for itself," Spears told V. "I worked really hard on it and spent almost two years recording it. I think it's the best album I have ever made. There's nothing to say. I'll let the music speak for itself. ... It's definitely my edgiest and most mature sound yet.
"It's a little bit of [an evolution and a revolution]," she continued. "There are songs on this album that don't sound like anything else and are completely revolutionary, but I also believe this album expresses where I am today as a woman and is an evolution of who I am."
What song would you want Britney to perform on "Ellen"? Let us know in the comments!
'You are all the present I need in the world,' she tweets to fans upon turning 25. By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
On Monday (March 28), Lady Gaga reached another milestone in her life, turning 25. And it seems that all her pals didn't forget their Queen Bee on her big day. In fact, the singer even got some birthday love from ... herself.
"Drawing on table at restaurant. If I had to give it all back, but got to keep my fans, that'd be ok," she wrote on Twitter. She included a photo of a drawing she made that reads "Happy Birthday Me" with hearts all around it.
As a birthday treat, her fans trended the hash tag "#bornthisday" in honor of their Mother Monster. In another tweet, she thanked her fans for making her a trending topic on Twitter in honor of her big day. "Thank you for trending #BornThisDay monsters! The sweetest tweet! You are all the present I need in the world. I'll be 25 in about 4 hrs!"
Her "Born This Way" producer, Fernando Garibay, also tweeted some love for Gaga. "Happy Birthday @ladygaga; cause you were Born This Day!!!!" Nicola Formichetti, Gaga's loyal stylist and Thierry Mugler creative director, teased the kind of fun the group was having in honor of Gaga. "So much fun!!!" he wrote. "What a party!! happy birth day my love, gaga!!! #mother monster."
Gaga pal Perez Hilton, who celebrated his birthday just days ago, sent some love to the pop star on his Twitter. "Hey @ladygaga! Happy birthday, bitch!!!!" he wrote. "BornThisDay LOVE YOU!!!! xoxo"
When MTV News caught up with Hilton at his birthday bash, he had this wish for his birthday: tons more success for Gaga. "My birthday wish for this year is for Lady Gaga's new album, Born This Way, to sell over 1.2 million copies the first week," he said. "That would beat Taylor Swift's 1.1-something!"
In addition to all the birthday love from her inner circle, it was announced on Monday that Lady Gaga would be receiving the "Always Next, Forever Now" Award at Logo's NewNowNext Awards, which air on the network on April 11. She receives the prize three years after she performed for the first time on television during the 2008 show.
