Michael Jackson's legacy continues to be celebrated all over, and tonight at 8 p.m. on MyNetworkTV, you can watch an very special TV tribute to the King of Pop.
We've got three clips from MyNetworkTV's encore presentation of the 2006 "World Music Awards." You'll see MJ reflect on the 25th anniversary of his megahit "Thriller," he'll sing "We Are the World" and even Chris Brown takes a moment to honor the pop star with an amazing performance of his own.
Watch Michael Jackson tributes, fan reactions, news updates and more in our MJ video player.
We've been remembering Michael Jackson all morning at the Pet Rock headquarters, and the Top 5 songs debate arose. We've all forced ourselves to pick five MJ songs that rang truest to us, and we want to hear what yours are.
Taylor Swift and T-Pain in a rap collaboration? Taylor Swift and T-Pain in a rap collaboration!
Sometimes I love other people's insanity even more than my own. Whoever the person was that said in a planning meeting "Let's take Taylor Swift, turn her into a G, then put her in a gangster rap video with Mr. Vocoder T-Pain to open the CMT Awards," I want to shake their hand. And buy them a drink. And sing karaoke of "Love Story."
OK, it looks like the Jonas Brothers have taken a ride on the crazy train! Joe Jonas, the cute one with the straight hair, is seen in a YouTube clip wearing a black catsuit, high heels and dancing to Beyonce's hit song 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)."
He joins other men who can't help but move to the beat of Jay-Z's wifey. Why would Joe do it? It's all in the name of self promotion. The Jonas Brothers have a new album titled "Lines, Vines, and Trying Times" due out on June 16th!
Check out the video and tell us what you think! Genius? Lame?
Maxwell ruled radio airplay in the 1990s with hits like "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder," "Til' the Cops Come Knockin" and a remake of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work." And now the R&B singer is back with a new single "Pretty Wings," which offers the same romantic melody his fans love and have been waiting about 8 years to hear again. His new album "Black Summers Night" is due out July 7th. Check out this old school song and stick around to hear the new joint "Pretty Wings."
Maxwell sings "Pretty Wings" live in concert. He's still got it!
If you watch "The Hills," then you might be thrilled to know that Spencer Pratt is dabbling as a hip-hop artist. Warning: He's no Asher Roth or Eminem, so don't even get your hopes up!
What's with these actors thinking that they can rap anyway? First, Joaquin Phoenix quits movies for rap music and now Spencer Pratt thinks he can rap too? Somebody hand me some earplugs quick!
Let's hope these new "rap artists" don't get any radio airplay. Spencer's rapping is just another publicity stunt for the newly married couple. They are set to appear on another reality TV show, "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!" on June 1.
In an interview with MTV News, Spencer talks about his rapping aspirations and goes as far as to crown himself the white Jay-Z. "I've always known that I secretly am the hottest rapper in the game. But I didn't feel the urge until Asher Roth started hitting the airwaves and, no offense to Asher Roth -- somebody with some real swagger needed to come into the game. So I'll challenge him. I'll challenge him to a freestyle or whatever. I'm the white Jay-Z in the game. I'm doing the baller thing. I'm more for the streets."
Justin Timberlake and Ciara have collaborated for an ultra-sexy music video for the single "Love Sex Magic." The duo got hot and heavy over a cool dance track that will definitely get lots of airplay and tongues wagging. Check out the music video video below.
I know I'm way too old to say so, but I think Joe is pretty cute! He doesn't have that curly mop top like his real-life brothers Kevin and Nick ... somebody get those guys a flat-iron! Who is your favorite Jo-Bro?
Rap music gets a jolt of excitement on May 19 when Eminem returns to the scene with his new album "Relapse."
Maybe now rap fans can have something to smile about, instead of just catchy hooks surrounded by weak lyrics and dime-store beats. (Yes, that's a broad generalization and, of course, there are a few diamonds in this U.S. Open-esque rough.)
His new single "We Made You" is decent, and along the lines of previous comedic work such as "Without Me." It's definitely not "Lose Yourself," but then again, what is?
Yet as talented as Eminem is on the microphone, he may be even better at dropping bombs in his videos. In his latest work, "We Made You," Eminem unloads on Kim Kardashian, Bret Michaels, Lindsay Lohan, Sarah Palin and Amy Winehouse, just to name a few. The video debuted April 7.
"I wanna say it's not necessarily intentional bashing in it," Eminem told MTV News. "It's not necessarily taking deliberate shots at people. ... Yes, it is. What the [expletive] am I talking about?"
Even Bill O'Reilly got in on the debate, although he's not mentioned in the song or depicted in the video. "Few Americans take the vile rapper Eminem seriously," O'Reilly said on "The O'Reilly Factor," his television show on Fox News. "He represents the lowest form of entertainment in this country and is a publicity hound to boot." (Watch the "Personal Segment" clip.)
Uh-oh, I smell a remix!
Have a look below at "We Made You" and let us know your favorite parts. For me, it's the fake mustache and the sight of Dr. Dre in a Star Trek outfit.
-- La Monica
(AP Photo)
See photos of those skewered by Eminem in "We Made You"
Maybe it's those eyes. Maybe it's that sexy smile. Perhaps it's the British accent. Then again, maybe it's that "I'm 23 and living life however I want" attitude that is so appealing. Whatever it is, Lily Allen, bless her soul, has me rethinking my position on Twitter as the dumbest thing ever.
Oh wait, now I remember why Allen is softening my stance that this 140-character public texting is the Emperor Palpatine of our technological age.
She started hiding tickets to her concerts at various places around the city she's in and posting, er, tweeting clues to their location. Then, she hangs out in the area and watches people find them. That's quite an awesome idea.
Some recent examples of Allen's clues include:
San francisco Is known to house many a mincer, you'll find these tickets stuck to a pincer.
The number is 7 , when speaking in hours. To the right of the steps by the conservatory of flowers.
I'm not sure if Allen is the first person to come up with this idea or not. Either way, it's still quite genius. And an awesome way to market shows and connect with fans. Just ask this guy.
There was a lot of great music during the 1980s, but Spandau Ballet's "True" is definitely high on my list of favorite songs from that decade.
In the early 1990s, P.M. Dawn dusted off the British New Wave band's single with a sample in "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss." That song also became a huge hit!
After years of fighting within the group, Spandau Ballet plans to reunite for a world tour this fall. Watch a video clip of "True" and try to remember where you were when this song was on the radio.
While I am not exactly the target audience for Hannah Montana, I have to admit that I'm kind of excited about the new flick, "Hannah Montana: The Movie," coming out April 10.
Miley Cyrus continues to keep her good-girl image intact, despite fallout over the Vanity Fair cover, and her latest movie is sure to do well at the box office. I will likely wait for it to come out on DVD, so I can watch it in the comfort of my home minus screaming kids.
Rumors have been swirling that this big-screen version of the popular TV series means it's over for the Hannah Montana character. Not true, according to Miley. "This movie was never meant to be the end of Hannah Montana," she told Billboard magazine. "The thing is, a lot of people put where the show's future lays in my hands -- and it's not up to me."
Check out the trailer for "Hannah Montana: The Movie."
I'm not big on that whole "music DVD" thing, but I do own the Run-DMC's greatest hits DVD. That's some good stuff right there. Great old-school beats and rhymes that still hold water 25 years later.
That helps explain why Run-DMC will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on April 4. Fuse TV will broadcast the ceremony.
We've got six clips from the show, strung together into one video for your sampling pleasure. The third clip -- when Run starts talking about Grandmaster Flash at the 1:42 mark -- is a Pet Rock exclusive, until the show actually airs in roughly 31 hours.
I was only 9 years old when the rock/mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap" made its debut in 1984. I finally saw this movie about a mock heavy-metal band on a rainy day in 2001 and it's been in my DVD collection ever since. A true classic! Those guys were hilarious and definitely ahead of their time.
My favorite quote from the movie: "This pretentious ponderous collection of religious rock psalms is enough to prompt the question, 'What day did the Lord create Spinal Tap, and couldn't he have rested on that day too?'"
My second favorite quote: "The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and..."
Spinal Tap is going on 30-city tour in "Unwigged and Unplugged," a series of concerts this spring, not as their famous characters, but as themselves. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer will perform acoustic versions of their soundtrack for "This Is Spinal Tap" and its follow-up, "Break Like the Wind." If that's not funny enough, they'll also belt out some crazy folk songs from the 2003 movie "A Mighty Wind." The tour is scheduled to hit New York's Beacon Theatre on May 26.
"With this being the 25th anniversary of the film 'This is Spinal Tap,' we thought this would be fun and, at the same time, a little challenging, as we have never performed as ourselves," the band said in a press release. "Think of the evening as three old friends jamming in your living room. As opposed to OUR living rooms; we won't be home."
What keeps these funnymen working together? "The three of us make each other laugh and that's why we continue to do this," they said. "Why work with somebody who is going to bore you to death? If you have a choice about things like that, no one's going to choose the guy that puts you to sleep," the mock band said in press statement.
Although this tour won't feature outlandish wigs or electric guitars, fans can look forward to the group collaborating on a new Spinal Tap album, featuring old and new material.
Wait, there's more ... my cubicle sister Jessica Damiano over at the Garden Detective blog wrote about bizarre gardening accidents and one involved Spinal Tap. Weird, but true and worth a read.
Photo above: Henry Shearer of Spoof British rock band Spinal Tap (AP Photo)
Financial institutions may be the only industry worse off than the music business. Of course, most of that is economics-related. With the music business, it's more about technology. Music labels must find ways to compete with YouTube, iTunes, illegal downloading and nearly everything else.
If the big dogs can't rake in the big bucks like in the old days, it makes you wonder how an indie band can survive. Alas, there's a way. It's called SellaBand. It's been around for a minute, but we're guessing that if you're not a big indie music fan (or a friend of one of the artists), you probably haven't heard of it. The concept is unique.
In a nutshell, anyone in the world can invest in a band and maybe make some money in the end. When an artist earns $50,000 in investments -- SellaBand calls it internet crowdsourcing -- they record the album. Investors then share in the album sales revenue.
A nifty idea. It's also a way to find new music, something the Internet has gotten very good at doing. And if you're an artist with no record deal and financial means of recording your album, it can't hurt to sell yourself, right? (You know what we mean.)
Will it make you rich? Probably not. But like Dire Straits sang, "Get your money nothing and your checks for free."
Does it really work for artists, though? We're pretty sure the answer to that is a resounding yes. Just ask Long Island-based band BulletProof Messenger.
They became the 12th band to record an album after hitting the crowdsource investment plateau and released "Arm Yourself" this past January. And last week, they became the first SellaBand band to sign on to play ArenaFest 2009.
What does that mean? Well, it means BulletProof Messenger, an unsigned music group playing out of Jericho, Hicksville, Oceanside and Long Beach, will play at 10 concert arenas this summer and travel like a real rock star all because people on the Internet liked their music. And those people will be getting a check in the mail. Cool.
P.S. Those arenas are no joke. Take a look at the list.
Honda Center (Anaheim, Calif.)
Quicken Loans Arena (Cleveland)
American Airlines Center (Dallas)
The Palace of Auburn Hills (Detroit)
Toyota Center (Houston, Texas)
Conseco Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
Thomas & Mack Center (Las Vegas)
US Airways Center (Phoenix)
Britney Spears kicked off her first tour in five years Tuesday night in New Orleans. Sadly, we weren't there (although more sad we're not partying in New Orleans, but whatever).
Fear not, though, dear Pet Rockers. YouTube still exists. Here's some footage from the show, shot by YouTuber Thesis404. It's what you'd expect from a handheld digital camera in the upper section, but it gives you an idea. We also found her "Circus" performance, compliments of YouTuber MrMd17, who had decidedly better seats.
Although I'm a bit removed from their target demographic, I'm no stranger to the Jonas Brothers, and this is because I have two daughters. Julia, the youngest, is actually going to a Jonas Brothers in 3-D birthday party tonight.
Joe (the dreamy one), Nick (the cute tossled-hair younger brother) and big brother Kevin (my other daughter's favorite, even though he didn't seem to inherit as many hot genes as his siblings) have made quite an impact on the girls in my house. Vote: Who is your favorite Jonas Brother?
Justine, 16, spent a week last summer making a giant art poster of the Fab 3 in hopes of winning admittance to a concert sponsored by Chevrolet at Madison Square Garden. She arrived hours early and waited with throngs of crazed fans. And guess what? When the Chevy people showed up (late), they mumbled something about not liking how some kids in the crowd were pushing, and they left without a proper judging.
Disappointed, but not discouraged, Justine and friends showed up for the following night's contest. This time, the judges never showed up. Justine managed to buy some last-minute box office release tickets, but others in the crowd weren't as lucky.
Younger children were crying, parents were angry, and hundreds of fans were disappointed. I think those poorly handled events probably cost Chevy a generation of potential car purchasers. I know my daughter and her friends make exaggerated gagging sounds every time they see one of the automaker's commercials on TV.
One of those friends, Olivia, is very likely the biggest Jonas Brothers groupie on the planet. Her fanatical diligence has gotten her up close and personal (outside their hotel, at backstage entrances, etc.) so many times that she reports Joe once shot her a weird "you again?" glance after spotting her in the crowd for the fifth time in a week.
And the saddest part about this is that Olivia, shooting for the ultimate sacrifice, has decided to give up the Jonas Brothers for Lent. She somehow forgot their movie was coming out tonight.
Confession time. I got 50 Cent shot today. Yeah, it's true. But for all you G-Unit fans out there, there is no reason to start hunting me down. I think he actually enjoyed it more than I did. Seriously.
Seeing that my mugshot isin't all over TMZ, I am exaggerating a bit.
I got the chance to play "50 Cent: Blood on the Sand" with Mr. P.I.M.P himself. From the little I got play, the gameplay is quick and full of action. The thin story line revolves around revenge, money and killing -- a lot of killing. Hence, the M rating (for mature audiences).
You have the choice of playing as 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, DJ Whoo Kid or Tony Yayo after they finish a concert somewhere in a third-world country. The problems begin as the promoter of the concert is low on cash, and offers G-Unit a blinged-out skull as payment. The crew accepts the encrusted relic (no sign of Indiana Jones in the parts we played today) but are assaulted by a shower of bullets immediatedly after leaving. The skull is subsequently stolen, and 50 Cent's crew sets out to find what the heck just happened.
"50 Cent: Blood on the Sand" includes 18 previously unreleased 50 Cent tracks, as well as songs and music videos you've already heard and seen.
For all you Kanye West, Fat Joe and Rick Ross fans with itchy fingers, the game hit shelves today for the PS3 and Xbox 360. It retails for $59.99, or as we like to say here in the Pet Rock mobile office, "It'll cost you sixty to get fiddy."
This week's reason Kid Rock may be one of the five coolest people walking the Earth these days:
A beer-maker in Webberville [Michigan] has gotten a state tax break to create a new craft beer for musician Kid Rock.
I don't know too many details about the economic stimulus package, but I'm fairly certain there is no line item specifying such a tax credit. I could be wrong, though. I mean, Kid Rock IS the Rock 'N Roll Jesus, for heaven's sake!
The Michigan Brewing Co. has designs on investing $7 million for the new Kid Rock beer. No word just yet on what the name of the beer will be. We suggest "Bawitdaba Beer," followed by "Kid Rock's All Summer Long Ale" to compete with Sam Adams summer ale.
There's potential here. What the heck, right? I mean, the Michigan Brewing Co. got $723,000 in tax credits over seven years.
Do you remember when music videos were all about high top fades, loudly dressed back-up dancers, and New Jack Swing? Jeff Redd was at the forefront of R&B music in the 1990s and made his mark with hits "I Found Lovin," "You Called and Told Me" and "Love High." The singer-producer is said to be the one who helped Mary J. Blige land her first big break in the music industry. Jeff continues to keep busy producing other musical acts and is set to release his latest album this summer.
Check out a classic old school joint by Jeff Redd and featuring a young Halle Berry from the movie "Strictly Business."
I'm still not cool enough to score an actual invite to the Grammy Awards. Probably never will be, so my running diary of the 2009 Grammys comes to you live from the Pet Rock couch, which, sadly, was not nominated for best vocal performance by a duo or group.
8:10 p.m. - Whitney Houston, I still enjoy your music. And you looked quite nice, but I think maybe we need to enroll you in a public speaking class or two. That "How to talk like Bob Costas with dramatic pauses in between each word" class didn't help you push aside all that drug abuse tabloid chatter.
The legendary singer appears to have a gripe with Beyonce and our new president Barack Obama. Etta, 71, was caught on tape insulting Beyonce and Barack at a recent performance in Seattle.
Etta told the audience: You know, your president, the one with the big ears -- he ain’t my president -- had that woman singing for him at his inauguration. She’s going to get her -- whooped ... Beyonce … I can’t stand Beyonce.”
Wow, tell us how you really feel Etta!
Beyonce portrayed Etta in the movie "Cadillac Records" and has been singing Etta's iconic song "At Last" at various appearances, including Fashion Rocks and AOL Sessions. However, Etta seemed to think she should've been tapped to sing the song at one of the most-watched events in America -- Obama's Neighborhood Ball. Etta was unable to attend the inauguration for health reasons, according to reports.
Hear the audio of Etta and then stick around to watch a clip of Beyonce in "Cadillac Records."
UPDATE, FEB. 6, 4:13 P.M.: Etta says she was joking with her comments. She told the Daily News that she “didn’t really mean anything” by her remarks. “Even as a little child, I’ve always had that comedian kind of attitude," she said. "That’s probably what went into it.”
On Sunday, Jennifer Hudson performed at Super Bowl XLIII in her first public appearance since the murders of her mother, brother and nephew. She sang a stirring rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to a crowd I believe was cheering for her return just as much as they were cheering for the big game.
The last time I heard such a moving tribute was in 1991 at Super Bowl XXV when Whitney Houston melted our hearts with her version of the national anthem. A recording of her performance was sold to raise money for soldiers in the Persian Gulf and and their families. I still have my copy!
Both singers did a phenomenal job, but who sang it better? Whitney or Jennifer?
Watch Whitney Houston sing the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV. Check out the blonde with the '80s hair while you're at it!
Watch Jennifer Hudson belt out the national anthem at Super Bowl XLIII. Is it me or does Jennifer look a little nervous?
Went joyriding in a friend's SUV the other day and got a taste of Pop2K on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Their Web site claims it's a pop music station full of hits from 2000-08, yet it sounded a heck of lot like Backspin, the old school rap station that almost made purchasing radio in the car worthwhile.
But we can debate that later. Right now, it's time for another debate.
The playlist for my time in the ride went like this:
"Fight the Power" by Public Enemy (1989)
"Go Cut Creator Go" by LL Cool J (1987)
"You Be Illin'" by Run-DMC (1986)
"The What" by Notorious B.I.G. and Method Man (1994)
Can't argue with any of those song choices in terms of good stuff to listen to when driving. But the Biggie selection struck me.
Can we really consider the music of Notorious B.I.G. "old school"? I've been struggling with this topic for a few days now. What defines old school? Is it simply just music that has been out for a long time? Or is it more of a sound and style of rap? Is there a cutoff date for music that is old school and music that is just old?
I would consider anything from Run-DMC in the 1980s to be old school, but I wouldn't call the single "Down With the King" from 1993 old school. It has a different sound. Still, it's a great song. Just an old one, though, not old school. But it's Run-DMC, so do we just classify everything they do as old school because "they were the Beatles of rap" as Chuck D has often called them?
It has been 14 years since Notorious B.I.G. read up Word Up Magazine on his debut album "Ready to Die." That's quite a bit of time, but does that automatically mean it's old school rap music? I say no, at least not by the way I define old school. I say it's just great old music.
To me, old school rap is more of a sound and style than something tied to a front and back ends of a calendar. Kurtis Blow, Slick Rick, Run-DMC, Whodini, Grandmaster Flash, to name a few.
On occasion, we have artists who last long enough to disrupt the time-space continuum that Doc Brown warned us about in "Back to the Future." LL Cool J comes to mind. "Radio," "Bigger and Deffer" and "Walking Like a Panther" are clearly old school rap albums. "Around the Way Girl," as much as I love that song is not old school, just old.
Maybe it's feasible to have more than one category of old school. Or do we just lump it all in one group and let people figure it out on their own?
This is one question, in my mind, that is tougher than leather. What's your take on it? Is Biggie old school or just old?
Ray Romano killed at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball Tuesday night. (Of course, I, too, was once an Italian guy living in Lynbrook who wrote sports for Newsday, so maybe I'm biased.)
Although many of his jokes had somewhat predictable punchlines, they were still funny. I laughed the most when he said, "I was hanging out with the most powerful couple in the world . . . Jay-Z and Beyonce."
But the most-talked about anything from Tuesday night's party -- aside from Michelle Obama's dress by Jason Wu -- was Beyonce's performance of "At Last" for the couple's first dance. I could be wrong on this, but I think it will be the most referred-to presidential performance since Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday" to JFK.
You could see Beyonce fight back the nerves and excitement as she performed for the Obamas. Here's a gal who's performed intensely choreographed dance routines with all sorts of special effects going on around her in front of millions of people, and she's overwhelmed by singing to two people. Regardless of your politics, you have to marvel at that sort of magnetism.
For those of you still unsure about Beyonce's singing chops when it comes to ballads and powerful, soulful songs, watch the clip below.
Pet Rock celebrates the Jan. 16 release of "Notorious" with Biggie Smalls Week
When I first started Biggie Smalls Week on Monday, I was excited to rank his best songs for Top 5 Thursday. Then when I sat down Wednesday night to finalize the list I'd been thinking about all week, I regretted the idea entirely.
It's way too hard to narrow down the list to what I believe to be Biggie's five best songs. (Of course, this is just my opinion and I suspect many of you will agree with some and disagree with others, so use the comments and let's discuss it.)
The truest of Biggie fans know his best stuff overall probably comes from his freestyles and that Mr. Cee tape. So, we eliminated those from contention because that would make this a four-month project. Also immediately removed from consideration was anything produced and released posthumously. (Yes, technically, the "Life After Death" double CD was released 15 days after his murder, but it was written, recorded and produced while Biggie was alive.)
With these parameters in place, I still racked my brain trying to determine Biggie's five best songs. (Why not rank the top 6 or 7, you ask? Because it's Top 5 Thursday and I don't mess around with brand names.)
For a while, it looked like "Ready to Die" -- Biggie's debut album -- would produce all five spots. But after some serious study and a little "I just feel that . . . ," I went off the grid and pulled out the "Who's the Man?" soundtrack.
Here's my Top 5 Thursday: Best of Biggie edition. Again, use the comments to discuss the list and share your choices for Top 5. (Note: The links to Biggie's songs open to new windows because they contain the original lyrics which include cursing and other strong language. It was next to impossible to find clean edits, aside from the No. 1 spot.)
Still a bit raw, Biggie comes closest to the real rawness he displayed on all those freestyle tapes and street corner rhyming that helped propel him to the big-time. This is probably why it just edged out "Warning" by the narrowest of margins in my brain for the No. 5 slot.
First things first: This song was good on the album, but the remix on the single was even better. Then came the Hip Hop remix, also on the single, that sampled "Droppin' Science" by Marley Marl and Craig G. Quite possibly the ultimate Biggie song for DJs back in the day, too. Can't tell you how many times I used to put that single on both turntables and mess around with the opening lyrics of "First things first . . . " Of course, every other DJ did that, too.
Count the number of times you've said, "I love it when you call me Big Poppa." Now come back in two days to see what No. 1 on this list is. In the meantime, I'll be throwing my keys to Lil Cease after you call your crew and I call my crew so we can rendezvous at the bar around 2.
1) Juicy
After struggling so much to get this list as perfect as possible (in my brain), how can I be so sure that "Juicy" is an undisputed No.1? Simple. All I have to do is write "It was all a dream, I used to read up Word Up Magazine" and anyone worth his or her salt knows what to do next.
Pet Rock celebrates the Jan. 16 release of "Notorious" with Biggie Smalls Week
It's weird how we can remember certain moments in life clearly yet we struggle to recall what we had for dinner last night.
That's me when it comes to the death of the Notorious B.I.G. Kicking off Biggie Smalls Week here at Pet Rock, let's start with that day.
I'll never forget how and when I found out Biggie was killed. My senior year in college, before people understood the art of breaking news on the Internet.
I was in Max's Cafe. Late afternoon. Picking up a quick lunch in between classes. I happened to glance at a copy of USA Today while waiting to pay for my muffin and Snapple. Top right corner: Biggie Smalls shot and killed.
"Oh $#!t" I proclaimed. "Biggie's dead? What the ----?"
This dude in front of me online who I knew from around around says, "How you livin', Biggie Smalls?"
I launched some serious vitriol at this clown, words of which we shouldn't print here (but really want to). Never spoke to that dude again. (Of course, he never hired me to DJ his parties anymore, but that's another story.) That was nearly 12 years ago. Still haven't forgotten that day. Still don't remember what I ate for dinner last night either.
Yeah, I watched a few minutes of the People's Choice Awards on Wednesday night. I know, I know, but "Dirty Sexy Money" wasn't on.
However, every now and then, the haystack hand-delivers a needle. And this needle is shiny cool.
Queen Latifah is recording a new album called "Persona." We have no idea if it will be any good, but that's for later. Right now, she's calling on the people to help her with a song. Latifah wants you to create a 60-second video of yourself performing an original song. She'll narrow the submissions down to three finalists. Fans will then pick the winner and Latifah will record the song with the winner. Pretty dope stuff, huh?
Curious to know what keeps Beyonce up at night? She's addicted to watching her fans impersonate the dances from her music video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It). "It's beautiful, it's amazing and I love it! I stay up all night watching them," the singer told OK! magazine.
Beyonce's inspiration came from a 1960s Bob Fosse dance routine called "Mexican Breakfast" (see clip below) after watching it on YouTube. Yo B, don't lose any of that beauty sleep, just come to Pet Rock and watch our "Put a Ring On It " clips each Wednesday!
With the holidays upon us, it's time to go diggin' in the crates for a hip-hop classic that is one of my favorites: "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC. Can you believe this song was released more than 20 years ago?
I believe the hit song was part of the 1987 “A Very Special Christmas” album compilation to benefit the Special Olympics, which also included “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” by John Mellencamp and "Merry Christmas Baby" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Sing along with me:
It's Christmas time in Hollis Queens
Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens
Rice and stuffing, macaroni and cheese
And Santa put gifts under Christmas trees
Or just watch the music video for "Christmas in Hollis." Happy holidays!
The singer stars alongside Idris Elba (American Gangster) and Ali Larter (Heroes) in the new thriller film "Obsessed", according to Variety. She plays the wife of an asset manager whose world is turned upside down when an office temp begins to stalk her husband.
Beyonce and her manager/father Mathew Knowles are taking on the roles of executive producers for this Screen Gems production. For the first time, Beyonce isn't singing or playing a singer in "Obsessed", let's hope she's brushed up on her acting skills! The movie is scheduled to hit the big screen April 24, 2009.
While you're waiting, check out Beyonce in the movie "Cadillac Records" where she plays the great singer Etta James. Yes, she's playing another singer, but she's good at it!
Go ahead, it's your birthday! We're gonna party like it's your B-Day!
If you've spent any time on YouTube, then you know there's been an explosion of Beyonce impersonators (drag queens, cheerleaders, crazy kids) dancing to her hit song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)." And to my surprise, some of them are quite good and others are downright hilarious! (See a photo gallery of Beyonce through the years.)
I've scoured the 'net to share a few of my favorite YouTube clips and I'll post 'em on Pet Rock every Wednesday until I get bored and move on to something else. Ha! Watch out Van Damme Wednesdays ... it's time for Put a Ring On It Wednesdays!!
First up, a well-choreographed version of "Put a Ring On It" done Alaskan style! Note to Beyonce ... you may want to try dancing in the snow. I bet Rihanna would do it!
The Academy Award winner will be appearing in a new film called "The Soloist" with Robert Downey Jr. It's based on columns written by Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times and the real-life story of Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless musical prodigy, who battles severe mental problems. The movie and his performance has generated lots of buzz, so stay tuned for its debut in Spring 2009.
Could there be a black James Bond in the future? Daniel Craig suggested it was finally time for an African-American to take on the role of 007 and Jamie Foxx is definitely interested. "Of course!" Foxx told Access Hollywood, when quizzed if he'd want the part. "I'd put a little swing in it. A little hip-hop, you know. Black Bond would be cool."
Foxx isn't giving up on his singing career. His new album "Intuition" due out December 16 is a follow up to his 2005 double-platinum effort "Unpredictable". This album promises to have plenty of club bangers and hot beats as he's partnered with a talented crew, including Kanye West, T.I., Ne-Yo and Lil' Wayne, to name a few. Fans of "Saturday Night Live" will enjoy his take on one of their comedic skits in the music video for his first single "Just Like Me" featuring rapper T.I. and actress Taraji Henson.
Check out the movie trailer for "The Soloist" and stick around for a clip from Jamie Foxx's new music video "Just Like Me."
Congratulations, Pete Wentz fans. You'll finally get to see your Fall Out Boy bassist playing music again instead of just toting around his wifey Ashlee Simpson.
The band's new album "Folie à Deux" drops Tuesday, Dec. 16. More importantly, Fall Out Boy just announced plans for a 90-minute concert at Nokia Theatre in Times Square for that night.
Even more importantly, we just found out how to score two free tickets to the show. Roll into the Nokia store Friday, Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. and ask for a demonstration of the Nokia E71 mobile device.
We're not sure if you have to actually buy it to get the tickets, but we're guessing not. Up to 125 pairs of free tickets will be handed out to FOB fans. If you don't score the free tickets, you can get them at Ticketmaster starting at the same time.
And if you don't want to spend any money or if you don't live in the New York City area, watch the live stream at nokiausa.com. Of course, if you can't be bothered with any of that, just turn on Fuse TV at 9 p.m. that night and watch Fall Out Boy's Dec. 9 show at the Chicago Theater.
To help you make a decision about how to handle this, we found two tracks from "Folie à Deux"
for you to sample.
Combining overall performance quality, song choice, stage presence, overall smoothness and general excellence, Pet Rock chronicles the best of last night in this week's Top 5 Thursday
Jorge Moreno's music had the Latin hip-moving advantage, which works quite well in Miami, but Usher and the models have much more of a rapport during his first performance. And there was general excellence all over that stage.
We already knew she has the best set of pipes among current pop stars, but whenever she flaunts them on television in a ballad, it's a showstopper. Her work on "I Loves You Porgy" from George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" was powerful.
3) Foo Fighters at Grammy nominations
Award shows, and now apparently award nomination shows, thrive on crazy musical pairings. The Foo Fighters redoing Carly Simon qualifies as a crazy musical pairing. Simon's '70s classic "You're So Vain" (aka, the song that Janet Jackson sampled in "Bet You Think This Song is About You") got a 2008 rockstar makeover and scored big points with Pet Rock
It was roughly 41 degrees in Rockefeller Center last night, according to weather reports, and there was our beloved Beyonce in a gold dress with a deep-plunging neckline and exposed shoulders. I describe this dress because either I developed a twitch or Beyonce was freezing. Either way, she killed it with her version of "Ave Maria." (Hint: It's on her new album "I Am Sasha Fierce," not just a TV show special.) In case "Listen" and "At Last" didn't convince you of B's singing chops beyond club dance hits, this should do it. Go download it, or at least YouTube it. Hotness.
1) John Mayer and B.B. King at Grammy nominations
C'mon, baby, let the good times roll! I was never a big John Mayer fan beyond his work on "Chappelle Show," but he killed it with King in a duet of "Let the Good Times Roll." King, of course, was his usual awesome self, plugging away on Lucille, his legendary blues guitar.
Honorable mention
Tony Bennett at Rockefeller Center: The old-school crooner, the last of his kind (sorry, Harry Connick Jr., but it's true), looked as smooth as ever on stage with his ear muffs, red scarf and black overcoat belting out "Winter Wonderland."
Dishonorable mention
Connick Jr. absolutely destroyed "The Most Wonderful Time of Year," turning it into something out of a Las Vegas lounge act. The Jonas Brothers were actually pretty good, but that three-day old prepubescent mustache on Joe Jonas' upper lip was a major no-no. Did their stylist grow up in Levittown in 1988?
When we last heard from DJ AM and Travis Barker, they were surviving a September plane crash in South Carolina.
Both have recovered and DJ AM has performed solo since living through the aviation nightmare. Now comes word that the duo -- known as TRVSDJAM -- will perform together for the first time since the crash on New Year's Eve at The Lot in Los Angeles.
DJ AM, a celebrity DJ, and Barker, former Blink 182 drummer, are the headlining act for New Year's Nation, a 10-city, 4-time zone party on New Year's Eve. As TRVSDJAM do their thing on stage at The Lot, they'll be beamed into the party scene in nine other cities: Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle.
"I'm glad our first show back is here in LA on NYE," DJ AM said. "I've never been 10 places at once before."
In music, as it is in near-miss car accidents, timing is everything.
Driving home in that awful rain from that awful Jets game Sunday night, life took an interesting turn. OK, more like an interesting, uncontrollable, life-threatening spin-out.
What began as a routine exit from the Southern State Parkway quickly turned into a "Wow, hey, look at that, I'm no longer in control of my vehicle, and oh joy, that's a metal pole coming right at me, and oh look, I'm facing the wrong way now and here come four cars in my direction, sweet!"
But Pet Rock must throw props to the Power 105.1 FM programming director who has "Live Your Live" by T.I. and Rihanna in heavy rotation. See, when your life flashes before your eyes, you somehow remember every exact detail about that moment.
And just as I nearly found a starring role in the Long Island car accident photo gallery, "Live Your Life" was playing on my car radio. Never before had I fully felt the power of the hook for that song, no matter how hot the tune is.
But as I sat in my car, inches away from that metal pole and facing the highway I supposedly just exited with headlights zipping passed me, all I could hear was "So live your life, ay ay ay. / You Steady Chasin that paper. / Just live your life (Oh! ), ay ay ay."
Yes, indeed, I'm just living my life, thanks to some nifty accident avoidance. Last night, Rihanna and T.I. saved my life.
You may think I'm crazy for claiming that a song called "Live Your Life" made me stay alive. Well, do you think any divine intervention came from the way the Jets played in the monsoon? Um, heck to the no!
But wait, there's more.
Once I restarted my car, and all the other cars had passed me by on the very narrow two-lane exit ramp (thanks for stopping to check on me, people!), I swear to the deity of your choosing that the next song on the radio was "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan!
I really wish I could make up that irony. But if those songs were reversed, this story wouldn't exist. Nor would my car. Nor me. As if I needed another reason to love Rihanna!
Give the two songs a listen below and then someone please find me a "Free T.I." T-shirt online. I'll wear it proudly! Heck, I'd even rock one of those Rihanna dominatrix outfits she performs in. (Sure, that wouldn't be all that attractive on me, but she saved my life, so I owe her one.)
First, I discovered that my beloved Shina Inu Puppy Cam is no longer online, and now, the 'Saturday Night Live' skit featuring Justin Timberlake dancing in a black leotard and high heels with Beyonce is gone too! This is too much for me to take on a Friday afternoon. Where will I go when I need a cute puppy or funny Timberlake fix?
Justin Timberlake is clearly one of the funniest hosts in 'SNL' history, right up there with Christopher Walken (More Cowbell) and Alec Baldwin (Schweaty Balls). Sure, there are other hosts that are way better than Justin, but this guy's a singer and manages to incite fits of laughter with ease.
So, what happened to the skit? The 'Single Ladies' skit has been pulled from the 'Saturday Night Live' Web site and replaced with another video featuring Justin and cast member Andy Samberg talking backstage. If you watch it, you'll see there's only a glimpse of last week's skit and some commentary. Sorry NBC, but this just won't do it! I need more Justin!
NBC publicist Michael Liepis offered this statement to the Los Angeles Times: "The reason that sketch isn't online is a simple music clearance issue."
Luckily, I saved the skit in my DVR and will be able to watch it at home this weekend.
E-mail
Facebook
Digg
Delicious
Rap music gets a jolt of excitement on May 19 when Eminem returns to the scene with his new album "
This week's reason Kid Rock may be one of the five coolest people walking the Earth these days:
Went joyriding in a friend's SUV the other day and got a taste of Pop2K on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. 
Yeah, I watched a few minutes of the 
Congratulations, Pete Wentz fans. You'll finally get to see your Fall Out Boy bassist playing music again instead of just toting around his wifey 
5) 
4) 
3) Foo Fighters at Grammy nominations
2) 
1) John Mayer and B.B. King at Grammy nominations
