'A Voice' In Nicki Minaj's Head Told Her To Quit Twitter

As of Friday afternoon (April 20), Nicki Minaj has been absent from Twitter for five days, keeping the Barbz on a sharp lookout for her return.
Minaj deactivated the account in a fit of frustration on Sunday, but during her current press run in the U.K., she admits that she's still pondering if or when she will get back on the social media site. In an interview with Graham Norton, Nicki explained that one of the many personalities in her head — we're assuming it wasn't Roman this time — told her to quit Twitter.
"A voice in my head told me to delete my Twitter and that's what I did," she said, adding, "I had 11 million followers and I hope they will wait for me."

Norton specifically asked when she planned to get back on her timeline, but she wouldn't confirm anything, telling him, "I don't know yet, I'm thinking about it. I miss my Barbz, please bear with me."
Nicki disappeared from Twitter over the weekend after getting into a spat with one of her fan sites, NickiDaily, which she took issue with for posting leaked music from her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded album. "Like seriously, it's but so much a person can take. Good f---ing bye," she wrote before signing off indefinitely.
The leak was Nicki's breaking point, but it's very possible that she was also getting fed up with some of the feedback she's been receiving since she dropped Roman Reloaded.
For now, Barbz shouldn't be too worried about Nicki being permanently absent from Twitter. She will be able to reactivate her account even after several weeks of inactivity, and thanks to her verified status, no one will be allowed to inherit her @NickiMinaj handle without the permission of Twitter employees.
Do you think Nicki should reactivate her Twitter account? Tell us in the comments!

Original Source

'N---as In Paris' Producer Hit-Boy Has Plans To Rap

Behind the Beats: Hit-Boy
Here's a challenge: place all of Chauncey "Hit-Boy" Hollis' beats in a single playlist, take a listen and try to find some common threads. Besides the name in the production credits, there aren't too many sonic similarities in Hit-Boy's celebrated productions.
"That's been my whole thing ever since I started producing," Hit-Boy told Mixtape Daily of his musical diversity. "I look up to Scott Storch, like when he came out he was doing Beyoncé, he was doing Chris Brown, he was doing Fat Joe. None of his music sounded alike, but it just sounded like the highest echelon of that genre, and that's what I want to do."

The kinetic bleeps and bloops of the Throne's "N---as in Paris" prompted Jay-Z and Kanye West to record an inescapable rap anthem, while the track for Kelly Rowland's "Lay It On Me" was composed of all the summery sounds that make any pop record enjoyable. The beat for Rihanna's island-inspired "Watch n' Learn" perfectly complements her West Indian roots, the bassy "Come on a Cone" gave Nicki Minaj the rap cred she so eagerly sought on Roman Reloaded, and Kanye West's "Way Too Cold" simply sounds like nothing we've ever heard. Earlier this week, Hit-Boy added another twist with "Goldie," A$AP Rocky's screwed-inspired single.
Hip-hop greats like Dr. Dre, DJ Premier and the Neptunes all have a signature sound, but in his young career, Hit-Boy looks to avoid predictability. "If I'm making a pop record, I want it to sound like a [producer] who only does pop records. If I'm doing a trap beat, I want it to sound like somebody who only does trap music," the G.O.O.D. Music producer explained. "I just want it to sound like the highest quality of whatever genre I'm producing."
A producer's sonic success can be a gift and a curse, for example after "N---as in Paris" hit #1 on Billboard's Rap Songs chart, of course other artists came out of the woodwork looking for Hit-Boy to make a similar-sounding track. "Yeah, I get that, but I kinda like try to stay away from it, I just really want to make good music," he said.
That good music can come in the form of the beat or as a rap. "A lot of people don't know but I rap, so I got some stuff coming out. Just be on the lookout for that," he said. "In the next couple of months I'm gonna be dropping some stuff." Will that stuff be included on Kanye's upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album? "We'll see," Hit-Boy answered sheepishly.
What's your favorite Hit-Boy beat? Tell us in the comments!
Original Source

'That's My Boy' A 'Throwback' To Early Adam Sandler

No matter what you thought about Adam Sandler's last few zany comedies, there are more than a few reasons to be excited about his next release, "That's My Boy."
First, it's Sandler's first-ever R-rated comedy. Second, it features a cast of former and current "SNL" players like Andy Samberg and Will Forte, as well as James Caan and Vanilla Ice. And third, the outrageous plot revolves around a deadbeat father (Sandler) who attempts to reconnect with his long-lost son (Samberg) on the week of his wedding.
MTV News recently caught up with funnyman Forte to find out all about the on-set antics, Sandler's genius abilities in the art of swearing, how awesome Vanilla Ice is in the film and if we'll ever see a "MacGruber" sequel.

MTV News: In looking at the cast and concept of this film, it seems as though you probably had a lot of fun on set.
Will Forte: It was a ton of fun. I've always watched Sandler movies and thought, "Oh my God, that looks like it would be so much fun." They're always in Hawaii or some glamorous setting, and it really is as much fun as you would think it would be. It was like going to summer camp for this. Everyone was so cool. He's such a loyal and good person. He always works with the same people on the crew, so it's a real family-like atmosphere.
MTV: How does your character fit into the mix?
Forte: I play this guy named Bill, and he is Andy's best man. I don't really know Andy that well, so you find out later when Adam comes to find Andy on his wedding weekend, I give up my best-man duties to Adam. It's definitely not a straight man; he's kind of a weirdo. It's a fun character. There's a mix of different types of characters in there. I'm one of the ones who gets to have a lot of fun and be an idiot.
MTV: How does the R rating enhance the fun factor?
Forte: It's a completely different situation. There is so much going on in this movie. It's a really fun movie. Adam Sandler has always been one of my comedy idols, so to get to work with him was really fun, and to add into that the R-rated part of this movie, it was so fun. There are very few people who can swear with the style and enunciation of Adam. He just hits them just right. It was so much fun. This movie feels like a throwback to some of the earlier Sandler movies, with the addition of swearing. I cannot tell you how fun this experience was. I feel like when you watch the movie, you can tell how much fun we had.
MTV: How was it working with Vanilla Ice?
Forte: I got to hang out with Vanilla Ice quite a bit. It was awesome. He is so different than I thought he would be. He's this very sweet and loving person, just kind of normal for Vanilla Ice, if that makes sense. He's this wonderful, warm person, but still the Vanilla Ice you want to see. He doesn't disappoint you in not being Vanilla Ice-y enough. He's an awesome guy.
MTV: You have a lot of things on your plate in addition to this movie, like "Rock of Ages," the comedy pilot "Rebounding." What are the odds we'll ever see a "MacGruber" sequel?
Forte: We would love to do a "MacGruber" sequel! I don't know if anyone with any money would love us to do a "MacGruber" sequel, but we talk about it all the time, and we might even — to just get it out of our heads — we might sit down and write a second one. If we could somehow talk somebody into putting some money up for it [that would be great]. We're so proud of that movie and had so much fun doing it. There is no serious talk about making a "MacGruber" sequel, but there's some non-serious talk about it. A couple of the people who were a part of it sit around and get drunk and talk about it; that's the level of talk.
"That's My Boy" opens everywhere June 15.
It's Summer Movie Preview Week, and MTV News will be bringing you exclusive interviews, clips and photos for the most anticipated summer movies. Get ready to gorge on inside looks at "The Avengers," Robert Pattinson's "Bel Ami," Kristen Stewart's "Snow White," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and more!

Original Source

Rihanna Preps Fancy Footwork For 'Where Have You Been' Video

Rihanna has never been known as a dancer, but she's ready to step her game up for her upcoming "Where Have You Been" video. In an almost three-minute-long behind-the-scenes montage clip that surfaced on Thursday, the megastar takes her Navy to the dance studio, where she's seen practicing a routine for the upcoming clip alongside a crew of dancers.
Rocking some appropriate rehearsal attire and simple sneaks, Ri turns to the camera at one point to admit that a dance routine was necessary for the hard dance track's video, saying, "I was never going to shoot this video if I couldn't do choreography, 'cause it would be pretty pointless. It would be disappointing."
As with the foot skills she performed in clips like "Rude Boy" and old-school joint "If It's Lovin' That You Want," choreographer Hi-Hat helped keep Rihanna's moves in line with the singer's comfort and style, while still showing off the most choreography we've ever seen her do.
As one of the world's biggest pop stars, the recent Billboard Music Awards nominee also revealed that devoting time to performance skills for videos is rare. "My schedule has always been so busy, it never really allowed for us to spend time rehearsing and making up dance moves," she said.
Just last week, Rihanna took to her Facebook to tease a dazzling black-and-white shot from the clip, where she's seen exposing her midriff and kneeling before forest-like scenery. No word on when the video will be released, but with a recently announced musical guest gig on "Saturday Night Live," "Where Have You Been" is likely to be one of the singer's performance sets on the May 5 show. This will mark her third appearance on the late-night sketch comedy show, which will be hosted by New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
What do you think of Rihanna's fancy footwork? Sound off below.
Original Source

Taylor Swift To Play Joni Mitchell?

It turns out voicing Audrey in "The Lorax" and playing a shallow, high school cheerleader in "Valentine's Day" were just the opening roles in Taylor Swift's budding acting career. The Grammy-winning artist is linked to the role of Joni Mitchell in the film adaptation of Sheila Weller's book "Girls Like Us," Variety reports.
The biography maps the lives of three of the most influential female musicians in America: Carole King, Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell. In an attempt to capture the life of women in the 1970s, Weller tells these artists' three unique stories. King is the daughter of a middle-class New York family, living in one of the city's outer boroughs. Simon is the product of Manhattan's intellectual elite. Mitchell's grandparents were Canadian farmers.

When MTV News spoke to Swift in March, she told us acting has always "fascinated" her. The role of Mitchell sounds like a part she would want to take on.
"I love the idea that you can tell a story in that way," the singer gushed. "I've been reading scripts for about five years. In my free time, that's all I do is read scripts."
But she isn't in a rush to choose just any role. "I just want to make decisions really carefully. I think, with movies, it's really important that you have to love something so much that you cannot think about anything else," she continued. "If you're going to become someone else, that's a huge deal. That's a huge commitment, and I would want to have the time and the ability and the love for something and the love for a character to where I could really make that commitment to it."
Swift would certainly have some of the background knowledge it takes to play Mitchell, being a musician herself. While Sony Pictures has not made Swift an official offer, other actresses have already auditioned — including Alison Pill ("Midnight in Paris") — for the role of King. Variety also reported that Katie Jacobs, executive producer of "House," is directing the script penned by John Sayles, and Lorenzo di Bonaventura is set to produce. The biopic is still waiting to be green-lit, but the tentative start of production is later this year.
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.



Original Source

Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis Are 'Deluded Losers' In 'The Campaign'

For the past few years, Jay Roach, the director of the "Austin Powers" series, has alternated between making comedies and true-life political films for HBO. His latest effort, "The Campaign," combines those two very different genres.

In "The Campaign," which hits theaters on August 10 Will Ferrell plays a popular incumbent North Carolina congressman who suffers a scandal and faces a political opponent for the first time in year, played by Zach Galifianakis.

We spoke with Roach for our Summer Movie Preview and learned just how ridiculous politics can be and what it's like to have Ferrell and Galifianakis on set together.

MTV: You've been switching between political films and comedies recently. What's it like to combine the two?

Jay Roach: That's been an enjoyable part of this one. I've been working on some more serious films at HBO, but Will and Zach and Adam McKay came up with this idea and asked me to get involved about two guys running against each other for a congressional seat and mentioned that it would mostly be about how the win-at-all-costs approach to politics these days could be taken to an absurd degree. It might be funny. I pictured those two guys, Zach and Will. I've worked with both of them briefly on other films, and the idea of those two going up against each other in a super, super negative campaigning situation made me laugh. It would be a chance to delve back into some of the political issues but in a very comedic format.

MTV: Do you find politics funny?

Roach: It's funny, but it's painful. It's painful that it does get absurd. There's definitely humor, but when you're doing it about real-life situations, it makes me anxious. It's uncomfortable. I spent a fair amount of time to put people back into uncomfortable situations that they, in a certain way, wish to avoid because they already happened. I'm trying not to let them forget about them. It's a painful thing to ask the audience to go through. It's a little therapeutic in a different way to laugh through it, as opposed to cry through, because I found myself crying through the other stories. This one, I'm laughing.

MTV: Did doing those political films before help you make this political comedy?

Roach: It did help that I had a little bit of a background and had done a little bit of research. I'm still very naïve about politics. Through the research for those films, I was able to familiarize myself with how campaigns work, especially how spin doctors work, how campaign consultants work. Jason Sudeikis and Dylan McDermott play the respective spit doctors for Will Ferrell's and Zach Galifianakis' characters. Seeing how those dynamics work does at least create a plausible version of that that could be funny.

MTV: How far removed from reality are the politics of "The Campaign"?

Roach: In a certain way, you want to say it's far removed, but if the current campaign is any indication, it's not that far. While we were shooting, we would sometimes come to the set having seen a debate the night before and "Oh my God, reality is trumping us. We better step it up." I do think politics have become kind of a circus anyway. We were just a contrived circus, as opposed to the real one. Because it's Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, and they are determined to smear each other to destruction, we use that premise some of the campaign ads and campaign stunts pretty far.

MTV: What was it like having two great comedians in the leads?

Roach: They're incredible. I had a great time with both of them. Each is an excellent improviser and a great designer of character. When I heard they might want to work together, I don't know where that goes wrong. Those two guys, who are both very, very good at playing somewhat deluded losers, going against each other with the conviction that they both deserve to be winners, that to me always sounds fun. They compensate for any of their deficiencies by just turning up the conviction that they are super capable. In the case of story, they turn up their antagonism toward each other. In some of the debate scenes, we just let them run and kind of go at each other, using their own improv skills and fantastic stuff came out of it.

MTV: Were they as funny off-camera?

Roach: I would also do stuff off-camera with them. In a debate, I had not decided who the background actors should be cheering for, usually you predetermine that. I just said to the actors off-camera, "Whoever they like best, that's who they're going to cheer for." They started wooing the crowd between takes, offering them bribes and special drinks if they would be on their side. Zach started sharing his little portable fan that he would use to cool off in the New Orleans heat. Will started passing out trays of water. It was hilarious watching them. Then they turned on each other and started insulting each other to try disparage the other and turn their audiences away from them. It was just a funny trick. They riffed so much that I just kept doing it.

Check out everything we've got on "The Campaign."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

Original Source