The Boombox Music Blog

Nicki Minaj, Best Female Video: 'Starships' Wins the Crown at 2012 MTV VMAs

Dan Reilly — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 21:30:00 EST

JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP Nicki Minaj took home Best Female Video at the 2012 MTV VMAs Thursday night for her "Starships" video, beating out Rihanna, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez and Beyonce. This is the second win for Nicki after she picked up the Best Hip-Hop Video statue last year for "Super Bass," which was also nominated but ultimately didn't win in the Best Female category. The Young Money rapper and 2 Chainz got the Best Hip-Hop nod for "Beez in the Trap" at this year's awards show but lost to Drake's "HYFR." ...

We lost count of how many times Nicki said "Oh my God" after taking the stage. She certainly seemed excited.

Watch Nicki Minaj's "Starships" Video

Check Out Photos of Stars on the 2012 MTV VMA Red Carpet

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Watch "Nicki Minaj Biography"

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Erykah Badu Feels Violated by Flaming Lips' 'Tasteless' NSFW Video

Dan Reilly — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:45:00 EST

YouTube Based on the reactions we saw, people either loved or hated the Flaming Lips' nudity-filled definitely NSFW video for "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which featured Erykah Badu and her younger sister Nayrok. Now one thing is for certain -- both Badus definitely hated it. In a lengthy Twitter post, Erykah took Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne to task for his "tasteless, meaningless, shock motivated video." In a nutshell, she accuses him of releasing an unapproved version of the bizarre video and photos from the shoot. She says the shots of her he posted on Twitter were the equivalent of putting a camera in her fitting room, and that as a woman she feels "violated and underestimated." ...

She ends it all by telling Coyne that he can "KiSS MY Glittery ASS." If you're intrigued, read the whole note. It really is a doozy.

Responding to the outrage from Badu and her fans, the Lips released the following statement:

"The video link that was erroneously posted on Pitchfork by the Flaming Lips of the Music Video 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face', which features Erykah Badu, is unedited and unapproved.. Sorry!! We, the Flaming Lips, accept full responsibility for prematurely having Pitchfork post it. It has outraged and upset a segment of fans and we apologize if we offended any viewers!!! This is a Flaming Lips video which features Erykah Badu and her sister Nayrok and is not meant to be considered an Erykah Badu or Nayrok statement, creation, or approved version."

So, there you have that. The video has been removed from most sites, but we're sure you can find it somewhere.

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Donna Summer Dead, Disco Legend Dies After Cancer Battle at 63

Dan Reilly — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:50:00 EST

Getty Images Donna Summer has died following a battle with cancer, according to TMZ. The 63-year-old disco legend reportedly passed away this morning (May 17) in Florida, Spinner reports. Summer is known for her many hits, including "Hot Stuff," "Last Dance," "She Works Hard for the Money" and "Bad Girls," among many others, and won five Grammys over the course of her career. According to an update on TMZ, Summer had lung cancer, which she believed came from inhaling particles after the 9/11 attacks in New York. She was reportedly working on a new album up to the time of her death. ...

See Donna Summer's Life in Photos

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Born Donna Gaines and raised in Boston, Summer began singing in her church and decided to pursue a career in music in the late '60s. After performing in musicals in Europe, she released her first single, "Sally Go 'Round the Roses," under her birth name in 1971. That year, she married actor Helmuth Sommer, whose name she would keep -- and anglicize the spelling of -- after they divorced in 1975.

That same year, Summer had her first big success was with the song "Love to Love You Baby," which caused some controversy due to her orgasmic moaning. The track was also released as a 17-minute single in order to get more play in disco clubs and hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. That song was the first in a series of singles to top or make it to the top 10 on the Billboard Dance charts.

In 1978, Summer hit No. 3 on the singles chart with "Last Dance," a song taken from the disco-themed movie "Thank God It's Friday," in which she acted. She then had her first No. 1 single with "MacArthur Park," and topped the chart three times in 1979 with "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls" and "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," a duet with Barbra Streisand. "Last Dance" and "Hot Stuff" also won Grammys.

Around this time, she also battled anxiety and depression, which led to a prescription-drug addiction and several suicide attempts. She kicked the habit, became a born-again Christian and married singer and producer Bruce Sudano in 1980.

Summer strayed from her disco sound in the '80s, opting for a more rock, New Wave and R&B-oriented sound. Her greatest success of that era was 1983's She Works Hard for the Money album, the title track of which went to No. 3.

She is survived by Sudano, their two daughters, Brooklyn and Amanda, and her daughter with Sommer, Mimi.

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Watch Donna Summer's "Mr. Music" Video

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K'naan to Mitt Romney: If You Don't Like the Poor, 'Don't Use Their Songs'

Dan Reilly — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST

AP We never figured Mitt Romney for a hip-hop connoisseur -- despite the fact that he likely has an "other other benz" -- but we were still surprised by his incredibly idiotic decision to use K'naan's 'Wavin' Flag' as a campaign anthem, Spinner reports. The Somali-Canadian rapper penned the track about the strife in his native Mogadishu, a subject that isn't exactly relevant to the Republican presidential candidate's message. In January, Romney used the track to celebrate his victory in the Florida primary, leading K'naan to tweet, "Yo @mittromney I am K'naan Warsame and I do not endorse this message." ...

As with all things related to politics, the story quickly blew up and K'naan found himself in the middle of a minor controversy. "All I did was I wrote the tweet. Yeah, it was crazy," he tells Spinner. "It did hit a lot of people like it hit me, the [inappropriateness] of that."

The timing of the brouhaha was pretty spectacular, given Romney's next -- and much bigger -- controversy. "It was like the amazing orchestration of life that he went on TV the next day and said 'I'm not concerned with the very poor,'" the soft-spoken rapper says with a chuckle. "Don't use their songs, then."

Despite his anger, K'naan decided to let the frenzy die out. "[We weren't] trying to make a bigger deal about it than it really was," he says. "I'm not like a capitalist on problems. I wouldn't feel good about pushing anything further. I just felt like I was getting the bad end of the bargain in a way because fans were writing me like crazy, crazy messages on Twitter, like I was [supporting him]. It was not a nice thing to do."

K'naan's next album, 'Country, God or the Girl' is due out in May and features guest spots from Bono, Nas, Keith Richards and Nelly Furtado. Check back on Spinner soon for a long interview and exclusive photos with him!

Banned Campaign Songs for Stupid Politicians

Watch K'naan's 'Wavin' Flag' Video

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Aretha Franklin Calls Off Wedding, Moving 'Too Fast'

Dan Reilly — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:45:00 EST

Shahar Azran, WireImage Aretha Franklin has called off her wedding to Willie Wilkerson, just three weeks after announcing her engagement, Spinner reports. According to the Associated Press, the Queen of Soul broke the bad news via a representative, who said the singer felt things had moved too quickly. Aretha apparently also believed that the couple hadn't considered "a number of things," whatever that means. ...

The 69-year-old Franklin was planning a summer wedding in either Florida or the Hamptons, and had already drew up a short list of potential dress designers. Franklin won't be commenting on the news because of "the very personal and sensitive nature of it."

This would have been the third wedding for Franklin, who has not revealed if she and Wilkerson are still together.

Watch Aretha Franklin's 'A Rose Is Still a Rose' Video

Aretha Franklin's Engagement

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Aretha Franklin Engaged: Singer Marrying Friend

Dan Reilly — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Shahar Azran, WireImage Time to raise a glass to Aretha Franklin: The soul legend revealed that she's now engaged to longtime boyfriend William "Willie" Wilkerson. The 69-year-old Franklin made the wedding announcement via a statement to the Associated Press. In it, she said they were considering having the wedding next summer in Palm Beach, Fla., with the reception taking place on a yacht. ...

Ever the diva, Franklin also told the AP that she was considering Vera Wang, Valentino and Donna Karan to design her wedding dress. Just in case anyone was wondering, she added, "No, I'm not pregnant."

This will be the third marriage for Franklin. She and Ted White, who became her manager, were married in 1961, and were divorced in 1969, while she and actor Glynn Turman wed in 1978, and divorced six years later.

The happy news comes just over a year after Franklin underwent surgery for an undisclose condition that led to speculation she was suffering from cancer. She returned to performing last May.

Watch Aretha Franklin's 'Freeway of Love' Video

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 Inductees: Beastie Boys In

Dan Reilly — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:15:00 EST

Jeff Kravitz, FilmMagic Cleveland, get ready for one hell of a night. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 2012 inductees will include Guns N' Roses, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Beastie Boys. This year's musician class also includes singer-songwriter Laura Nyro, '60s folk rocker Donovan, Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood's the Faces/Small Faces and late blues legend Freddie King, who will be inducted as an early influence. ...

Don Kirshner, an executive, songwriter and one of the creators of the Monkees, and producers Tom Dowd, Glyn Johns and Cosimo Matassa round out this year's class.

Among this year's snubs are first-time nominees the Cure, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Heart and Eric B and Rakim. Donna Summer, Rufus with Chaka Khan and Heart also failed to garner the necessary support.

The buzz about this year's ceremony, set for April 14 in Cleveland, will be whether or not Guns N' Roses' classic lineup and the Beastie Boys will perform. GNR's principal members, Axl Rose and Slash, have been embroiled in a bitter feud since the guitarist left the band in 1997.

The Beastie Boys haven't performed since member Adam Yauch was diagnosed with cancer in his parotid gland in 2009. The hip-hop trio released their eighth studio album, 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two' earlier this year.

The Chili Peppers are pretty much a lock to perform, considering they're touring the U.S. in 2012 behind their latest album, 'I'm With You.' They don't have a show set for April 14.

The 2012 Rock Hall Nominees

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Conrad Murray Sentenced in Michael Jackson Case

Dan Reilly — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images Dr. Conrad Murray has been sentenced to four years in jail following his conviction for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. This was the maximum sentence for the crime. Judge Michael Pastor ruled that Murray would not receive probation, after the doctor's lawyers requested the more lenient sentence. "There is no question that the death of his patient, Mr. Jackson, was unintentional and an enormous tragedy for everyone affected," they wrote in their sentencing memo. The prosecutors, meanwhile, countered that Murray undertook a "dangerous, unprecedented pharmaceutical experiment" on Jackson. ...

Based on the provision in California's prison realignment act, which aims to combat overcrowding, Murray's four-year sentence is to be served in the Los Angeles County Jail instead of a prison. He will also have to pay the court for certain fees and will be forced to pay restitution to the Jackson family. The prosecution requested he pay $100 million, but the judge said the actul amount will be determined at a later date.

"The Bible reminds us that men cannot do justice, they can only seek justice," the Jackson family said in a statement at the sentencing. "That is all we can ask as a family, and that is all we ask for here." They added, "We are not here to seek revenge. There is nothing you can do today that will bring Michael back."

Watch 'The Early Years of Michael Jackson'

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Conrad Murray Found Guilty in Jackson Manslaughter Trial

Dan Reilly — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:40:00 EST

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images Dr. Conrad Murray, who was accused of the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson, has been found guilty. He faces up to four years in prison and could have his medical license revoked. The jury, which started deliberations on Fri., Nov. 4, announced it had a verdict around 11AM PT on Mon., Nov. 7, and revealed its decision after 1PM PT from the courthouse in Los Angeles -- the delay allowed for family members and others time to arrive. ...

Murray's defense team acknowledged that the doctor had given Jackson a low dose of the sedative Propofol on the day of his death, June 25, 2009, but that the singer self-administered more of the drug and ingested another sedative, Lorazepam, while the doctor was not present.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, alleged that Murray had behaved recklessly in his treatment of the 50-year-old singer, who was preparing for a string of comeback concerts and complained of insomnia. Several witnesses also testified that Murray did not call 911 immediately after discovering Jackson's unresponsive body. The singer was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The trial began earlier this year on Sept. 27 and lasted 23 days, concluding with closing statements last Thurs., Nov. 3.

The Jackson Case Goes to the Jury

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Amy Winehouse Shines in Last Video, 'Body and Soul' -- Watch

Dan Reilly — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:50:00 EST

Mark Allen On what would have been Amy Winehouse's 28th birthday, Columbia has released what has been billed as her final studio recording: a duet with Tony Bennett on 'Body and Soul.' As The BoomBox previously reported, the track was recorded in Abbey Road Studios in March and will appear on Bennett's forthcoming 'Duets II' album. All proceeds from the single will benefit the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which officially opened today, to aid those struggling with substance abuse. ...

The clip features Winehouse looking and sounding strong, showing no signs that she would be dead just four months later. Her family has recently revealed that the drug Librium, which is used to treat alcohol withdrawal, was found in her system at the time of her death. They had previously revealed that no illegal substances were found in her blood.

In a short teaser video recorded during the session, Winehouse discussed how much the song meant to her father, Mitch. "My dad ... was like, 'Oh, it's only my favorite song in the world you're going to sing. Oh my God! Do you even know it?' and I was like, 'Of course I know it, Mitchell. I'm your daughter, of course I know it,'" she said. "It was really exciting that he chose that song because I do love it. It's such a beautifully written song."

After her death, Bennett released a statement praising her work on this song. "She was an extraordinary musician with a rare intuition as a vocalist and I am truly devastated that her exceptional talent has come to such an early end," he said. "She was a lovely and intelligent person and when we recorded together she gave a soulful and extraordinary performance. I was honored to have the opportunity to sing with her."

Check out the video below. 'Duets II' will be released on Sept. 20 via Columbia.

Watch Amy Winehouse & Tony Bennett's 'Body and Soul'

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Amy Winehouse Duet Previewed in New Video -- Watch

Dan Reilly — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST

Mark Allen While there has been plenty of speculation about the cause of Amy Winehouse's death in July, another question loomed for both her loyal and casual fans: When would we hear more of the music she recorded in the months before she passed? So far, there has been no concrete word on the material she tracked as part of her planned follow-up to her landmark 'Back to Black' album, but we do have something special: A preview of her duet with Tony Bennett on the classic 'Body and Soul.' ...

Recorded last March at Abbey Road Studios, the song will appear on Bennett's upcoming 'Duets II' album. In the video teaser, Winehouse talks about recording the song -- her dad, Mitch's all-time favorite -- with "Tone" in her classic irreverent, heavily accented manner, and comes across more like a starry-eyed fan than a seasoned artist.

"My dad ... was like, 'Oh, it's only my favorite song in the world you're going to sing. Oh my God! Do you even know it?' and I was like, 'Of course I know it, Mitchell. I'm your daughter, of course I know it,'" she said. "It was really exciting that he chose that song because I do love it. It's such a beautifully written song."

The single will be out this month, with all proceeds benefiting the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which was set up by Mitch Winehouse to help people -- especially youths -- deal with substance abuse. Check out the teaser below.

Watch Amy Winehouse and Tony Bennett Record 'Body and Soul'

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Kanye West to Cover Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black'

Dan Reilly — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST

Redferns | WireImage Well, who saw this coming (if it's true)? According to the UK's Daily Mirror, Kanye West is recording a cover of Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black.' A "source" says that the rapper is currently working on the track now and hopes to premiere it in London next month, where he'll be performing at the 160th anniversary for menswear company Moss Bros. "It's pretty emotive," the source said. "It's Kanye singing from the heart -- with synthesisers." ...

If that's true, then we can probably expect something along the lines of Yeezy's 2008 album '808s & Heartbreak.' Earlier this month, West paid tribute to Winehouse, who passed away in July at the age of 27, by playing her songs 'Tears Dry on Their Own' and 'Back to Black' at the Big Chill festival.

"We went to a house party and I met this beautiful, amazing, talented and funny woman. This is in memory of her," he said before spinning the tracks, and followed it by asking the media to lighten up on the artists who are still with us.

Watch Kanye West's Tribute to Amy Winehouse at Big Chill

Amy Winehouse Performs 'Rehab' on the Interface

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Amy Winehouse Found Dead at 27

Dan Reilly — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:20:00 EST

Peter Macdiarmid, Getty Images for NARAS Amy Winehouse, the once-successful and often-troubled singer, has been found dead in her London home, the Daily Mail reports. According to reports, the cause of the 27-year-old's death was a drug overdose and she was found dead when paramedics arrived, though it's unclear who called them. RadarOnline reports that an autopsy will take place Sunday or Monday. Winehouse had appeared earlier this week at her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield's performance at London's Roundhouse. Though she didn't sing, she danced onstage and told the surprised concertgoers to buy the 15-year-old singer's album. ...

In May, the singer checked into rehab to treat her ongoing substance-abuse problems just before she was set to go on a comeback tour of Europe. In June, she had a disastrous gig in Belgrade, during which she appeared to be heavily under the influence, slurring her words and repeatedly walking offstage. After initially canceling the subsequent two shows, the entire tour was scrapped.

Earlier this year, her father Mitch Winehouse told our sister site Spinner, "She's doing better now. She has been clean for two and a half years, about that. I'm not saying her problems have gone away, because they haven't. She's dealing with it."

Winehouse rocketed to international fame on the strength of her 2006 album 'Back to Black' and its singles 'Rehab' and 'You Know I'm No Good.' At the 2008 Grammys, she won five awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for 'Rehab,' Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist.

Sadly, the fame only seemed to compound her already-present battles with substance abuse, eating disorders and depression. She was hospitalized multiple times for alcohol and drug use, which allegedly included crack cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and prescription pills, and was often featured in the tabloids looking disheveled and incoherent. Despite several stints in rehab, she seemingly was never able to kick her habit.

"We are deeply saddened at the sudden loss of such a gifted musician, artist and performer. Our prayers go out to Amy's family, friends and fans at this difficult time," Universal Republic heads Monte and Avery Lipman said in a statement to JustJared.com.

Amy Winehouse Performs 'Rehab' on the Interface

Spinner's Feature on Musicians Who Died at 27

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Coachella Expands to Back-to-Back Weekends in 2012

Dan Reilly — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:30:00 EST

AFP/Getty Images If you were planning on going to Coachella next year and partying so hard that you forget most of the festival, we have good news. The festival -- which has featured hip-hop headliners like Jay-Z in 2010 and Kanye West in 2011 -- will now come in two supposedly identical installments, set for consecutive weekends in 2012. Organizers have announced that the annual event will take place April 13-15 and April 20-22 in Indio, Calif., and the plan, for now, is to have the same lineup perform both weekends. There is no word yet if it will be just the same talent roster or the exact same order of sets. While we obviously have no idea how this will all pan out, we can imagine that getting bands to agree to spend back-to-back weekends in the same place could be a huge problem. Then again, Coachella has been so successful that we could see it working out and maybe even setting a trend. ...

Either way, passes will go on sale Friday, June 3 at 10AM PT. The cost for a full-weekend ticket will be $269. Will you be going?

Watch Kanye West Perform 'All of the Lights' at Coachella 2011

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Amy Winehouse Checks Into Rehab Again

Dan Reilly — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:30:00 EST

GEM, bauergriffinonline.com Sigh. Amy Winehouse's ongoing struggles with substance abuse are far from over, as the singer has checked into rehab once again. Winehouse's representatives confirmed that she "has embarked on a treatment program at the Priory Clinic. She wants to be ready for performances in Europe this summer and decided to seek an assessment. She will remain at the Priory on doctors' advice." The Priory Clinic is a London facility that has helped other celebrities such as Ronnie Wood and Kate Moss. Allegedly, Amy's father Mitch Winehouse was the one who urged her to once again seek help. Mitch recently told Spinner that ""She doing better now. She has been clean for two and a half years, about that. I'm not saying her problems have gone away, because they haven't. She's dealing with it." ...

And, according to the ever-reliable UK tabloids, a "friend" said that Amy downed a small bottle of Smirnoff vodka on the way to the clinic.

In lieu of adding on to the tired punch lines, we'll just say we hope it works out for her this time.

Amy Winehouse Performs 'Rehab'
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