JANELLE MONÁE SET TO PERFORM TWO SPECIAL SHOWS WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY AND CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA;
VIDEO FOR "Q.U.E.E.N." FEATURING ERYKAH BADU SURPASSES 4 MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE;
NEW PRESS IMAGE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM, THE ELECTRIC LADY, REVEALED
Grammy-nominated artist, Janelle Monáe, is set to perform two special shows with the San Francisco Symphony and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra this month. Monáe will perform new arrangements of her critically acclaimed music, while being accompanied by each symphonies vibrant orchestrations. Monáe's first appearance with the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) will take place tonight, May 16th and will benefit SFS music and education programs. She will then join The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) on May 20th, graciously filling in for Aretha Franklin, who regretfully had to cancel her appearance under doctor's orders. Proceeds from her performance at The League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association's annual Corporate Night, will benefit the CSO's general operations and nationally recognized community engagement and music education programs.
Last month, Monáe released "Q.U.E.E.N" featuring Erykah Badu, a new track from her upcoming album, The Electric Lady, to extensive critical acclaim. VIBE declared the song a "sure-fire hit," and Rolling Stone referred to it as "An anthem of self-determination with a funkadelicious base line," while Stereogum hailed Monáe as "a hero...'Q.U.E.E.N' is an irresistibly funky vamp-strut with Afrobeat horns and Princely synth-squelches...and a rap verse that's better than it has any right to be." The companion video to the song received equal adulation, immediately trending worldwide on Twitter, and surpassing 4 million views on YouTube in just a few days. Today, Ms. Monáe - who has become a modern day style icon, revealed the first press image from her upcoming album, The Electric Lady (see attached.)
A groundbreaking, genre-blurring singer, songwriter, producer, and performer, Janelle Monáe's inventive style melds a refined pop sensibility with an extraordinary postmodern mash-up of soul, funk, and rock n roll. In the last two years, Monáe's career has blossomed following the release of her Grammy-nominated, first full-length LP, The ArchAndroid. Monáe has toured the world and been invited to perform at numerous festivals, including the Made in America Festival in Philadelphia, the Afro-Punk Festival in Brooklyn, and the NorthSea and Montreux Jazz Festivals. Her success has garnered her several global appearances, including a performance at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert. Additionally, Monáe has been honored with invitations to perform for the Democratic National Convention and for the President of the United States at The White House. Last year, she collaborated with Grammy Award-winning band fun. on their breakout hit single "We Are Young." Monáe was also recently signed as the newest CoverGirl spokesmodel. Her highly anticipated sophomore album, The Electric Lady, is due out later this year.
Janelle Monáe "Q.U.E.E.N" featuring Erykah Badu Official Video:
I was first introduced to this artist's music a few months ago when producer, DJ JButtah began working with him on a few tracks. From that day in March, Lamar Starzz has now released his mixtape titled 'H.E.R. The mixtape is available as a free download on LiveMixtapes.com
The track I personally feel is the hottest track on the mixtape is 'Right By My Side' produced by DJ JButtah. It's a mellow, ride out track with a throwback groove just perfect for summer. Check it out below
R&B super group TLC was unveiled to hit the stage of the MTV VMAJ 2013 with their first ever "Legend Award" in hand, the news was announced today by MTV Japan.
Enchanted PR | Christal Jordan christal@enchantedpr.net | 678.499.0297
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2013
TLC SET TO RECEIVE LEGEND AWARD WITH TRIUMPHANT PERFORMANCE AT MTV VMAJ 2013
MTV Video Music Awards Japan Celebrates TLC's 20th Anniversary And Contributions To Music
(Atlanta, GA) R&B super group TLC was unveiled to hit the stage of the MTV VMAJ 2013 with their first ever "Legend Award" in hand, the news was announced today by MTV Japan. The 12th annual MTV VMAJ 2013 takes place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture on Saturday, June 22. The show will premiere on MTV Japan on Sunday, June 23 at 8PM (Tokyo), and will be broadcast worldwide on MTV channels at a later date with potential viewership expected to reach over half-billion households.
Comprised of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, TLC is one of the greatest selling musical groups of all time, having several #1 singles, selling over 65 million albums worldwide and winning countless awards including four (4) Grammys and three (3) American Music Awards. The group was signed to LaFace records twenty years ago, and was an instant success with their first album, "Ooooooohhh....On The TLC TIP", TLC's sophomore album "CrazySexyCool" became a diamond selling album in the United States with totally 23 million copies sold worldwide. TLC recently announced their highly anticipated new album, marking their 20th anniversary along with an upcoming biopic detailing their rise to fame. Coming exclusively to Japan in June, this long-awaited performance will definitely be a highlight for Japanese fans.
"We are so excited and humbled to receive this award from MTV Japan," T-Boz says. TLC will be the first artists to receive the "Legend Award" since Michael Jackson's historic appearance at the MTV VMAJ 2006. "It is an honor for us to be put in this historic category with the King himself, Michael Jackson," Chilli says.
MTV will announce additional performers and presenters at a later date. As previously announced, Bruno Mars, Fun., One Direction, Taylor Swift and Kana Nishino top the list of MTV VMAJ 2013 nominees with three each. Voting for 16 categories is open at MTV Japan's official Facebook page until 5pm on June 11 (Tokyo). *in Japanese only The special sponsors of MTV VMAJ 2013 are DAIICHIKOSHO CO., LTD., Coca-Cola. The digital media partner of MTV VMAJ 2013 is GyaO Corporation.
TLC fans can look forward to the release of CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story this fall with VH1, which T-Boz and Chilli played a huge role in as executive producers of the biopic. Fans can also expect highly anticipated new music and tour dates from the group.
For more information on TLC's upcoming biopic and 20th anniversary celebration visit the official TLC Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/officialTLC.
For interviews with TLC please contact Enchanted PR, Christal Jordan at christal@enchantedpr.net or 678-499-0297.
Too $hort Will Not Be Charged With Felony Drug Possession
Mobb Deep Discuss Beef & The Group Moving Forward [VIDEO]
By now you have surely seen OG rapper Too $hort's suspect getaway skills after he was stopped by Los Angeles police for a DUI earlier this week. $hort Dog was charged with felony drug possession for allegedly trying to dispose of drugs in the back of a squad car, but those charges have been dismissed.
TMZ reports: We broke the story...Too Short was arrested Wednesday for DUI. He made a failed attempt to escape (see video below) and was taken to jail, where cops say they found drugs in the back of the black and white. He was booked for felony drug possession. We've learned...the L.A. County District Attorney has REJECTED the felony drug case, because cops only found a very small amount of drugs -- which they say is meth. Given that Short does not have a felony record, the D.A. decided not to prosecute and sent the case over to the L.A. City Attorney for misdemeanor review.
We're told the City Attorney will look at the case...probably next week. FYI...Short insists he was not in possession of drugs, and whatever was found in the back of the cop car was left by the prior arrestee who involuntarily hitched a ride to the pokey.
Too $hort wins this round. Please get a proper weed carrier/designated driver and refrain from fleeing from the cops, sir. Yes, we had to include the 'Blow The Whistle' rapper's struggle sprint below.
Hip-Hop witnessed one of its legendary groups in Mobb Deep crumble last year, or so we thought. Thankfully, Havoc and Prodigy have since reconciled, but fans haven't forgotten about their brief spat. Knowing this, the Queensbridge duo sat down with MTV news to discuss their issues and Mobb Deep moving forward.
Havoc began with, 'Let me just start off by saying Mobb Deep is like brothers. Understand what I'm saying? And brothers, we go through things.' The two admit that their issues were indeed real, to which Havoc referred to his infamous Twitter rant. 'The tweets definitely happened and I take my part in that. At the end of the day, like I said, we went through things. When family goes through things it's like, they shouldn't be handled in the streets,' said the 'Gone' rapper, who admits full responsibility for his actions.
Prodigy chimed in, saying 'Me and Hav got a different type of relationship man. It's different man. We been through a lot of stuff growing up, just personal stuff.'
'When you dealing with someone for that long everyday, you going to have your little squabbles or whatever. It's nothing,' explained P. 'The bottom line is we [sic] smarter than all the BS.'
Mobb Deep currently plans to embark on a 20th anniversary tour in May, so you know it's real or at least amicable. See the tour schedule below.
Dr. Dre fans have wondered if the long-rumored Detox album will ever see the light of the day, and he hinted at the faint possibility of a release during an interview this morning. Dre called in to Power 106 program Big Boy's Neighborhood, announcing that co-host Fuzzy Fantabulous will leave the program
MTV TAKES VIEWERS TO "WASHINGTON HEIGHTS" ON JANUARY 9, WITH NEW DOCU-SERIES PREMIERING AT 10:00 P.M. ET/PT
Series Follows Best Friends As They Dream Big, Love Hard and Hustle Even Harder In the Vibrant New York Neighborhood of Washington Heights
TWEET IT: New @MTV series, "Washington Heights" premieres on Jan. 9 at 10pm. Watch a first look here http://on.mtv.com/UoGmcJ #ontherise
New York, NY - MTV today announced that it will premiere the new docu-series "Washington Heights" with two back-to-back episodes on Wednesday, January 9 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The 11 episode, hour-long series shines a light on the vibrant and diverse New York neighborhood of Washington Heights, following nine best friends from the area. To get a first look at "Washington Heights," click here for the series trailer.
Together, this compelling group of friends attempts to navigate the obstacles that stand in the way of their individual pursuits, which include fashion, music, baseball and poetry. Although they're not all blood related, they still consider each other family, as every setback, celebration and next step on the road to success brings them closer together.
"'Washington Heights' is an honest, intimate and entertaining look inside the lives, spirit and hustle of a unique group of individuals as they strive to pursue their passions," said Chris Linn, Executive Vice President, Programming and Head of Production, MTV. "The show celebrates their friendship, neighborhood pride and mutual support as they make their mark - even when the challenges are great. We are optimistic that the stories of this incredibly appealing cast will connect with our audience in a deep and meaningful way."
Here's a first look at the young people MTV will be following in "Washington Heights:"
JP (a.k.a. Audubon) represents Washington Heights through and through. He is the undisputed peacekeeper, motivator, and glue behind this tight-knit group of friends. When he's not putting out fires and making sure his friends stay on track while pursuing their respective dreams, he's chasing his own goal of making it big in hip-hop. In the meantime, there are bills to be paid and little money coming in. JP still lives at home with his mom and fears he'll have to give up his dreams to help her cover the rent.
Reyna is known as a fiery diva who doesn't shy away from trouble. While she may be confrontational, this budding singer is the first one to laugh at a joke and have a friend's back. However, if you mess with her friends, you mess with her.
Frankie might be little, but she's got a big personality with boy-crazy tendencies and always has a snappy one liner at the ready. She acts tough, but also expresses her sensitivity and struggles through the spoken word poetry she writes and performs. Frankie hopes to become an English professor, but gets constantly derailed by her feelings for Ludwin.
Ludwin, who is known for rocking a style all his own, dreams of a career as an artist. He and Frankie share a mutual attraction, but with everything going on in his life, can he step up and be everything she is looking for?
Jimmy dreams of a professional career in baseball, but the odds are against him. His father is finishing a seven-year stint in prison, and with his mother out of the picture as well, Jimmy has been on his own since he was 16. To make matters even more complicated, his girlfriend, Eliza, is an outsider in the group, causing conflict with the friends he's had his whole life.
Eliza is constantly on the outside, looking in at the group of friends from Washington Heights. Hailing from a much different life in New Jersey, she is slowly making her way in the fashion world and wants nothing but the best for her boyfriend, Jimmy. Her vision for their future is complicated when issues with Reyna erupt, causing a major rift. It's clear Jimmy will have to make a decision between the girl who has his best interest
mtvU HEADS BACK TO AUSTIN, TEXAS FOR THE "2012 mtvU WOODIE AWARDS" AND GIVES FANS A FULL DAY OF MUSICAL PERFORMANCES LIVE ONLINE ON MARCH 15
Woodie Award Nominees Include Skrillex, The Black Keys, Mac Miller, Foster the People, J Cole, Lana Del Rey, Frank Ocean, Childish Gambino and more; Steve Aoki, Calvin Harris, Martin Solveig and more Battle for New "EDM Effect" Woodie Award
MTV and mtvU to Kick-Off "Woodies Week" on-air beginning March 11th and closes week with "2012 mtvU Woodie Awards Special" Debuting Sunday, March 18th at 8pm ET/7pm CT
New York, NY - February 9, 2011 - MTV's 24-hour college network, mtvU, today announced that the "2012 mtvU Woodie Awards" are returning to Austin, Texas on March 15, 2012 during the SXSW Music Festival. A musical moment of truth honoring the artists who are infiltrating the music landscape, Black Keys, Skrillex, Mac Miller, Foster the People, Frank Ocean, J Cole and more are vying for 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards. Additionally, mtvU added a new category, the "EDM Effect" Woodie Award, which recognizes artists who are breaking ground in the electronic dance music scene and bringing the genre to a new fan-base. Beginning March 11, 2012, "Woodie Awards Week" will take over MTV, mtvU and MTV.com with interviews, performances and updates from the SXSW Music Festival. The "Woodies" performances will be available live online on March 15, in advance of the "2012 mtvU Woodie Awards Special" which will debut on-air on MTV and mtvU on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at 8pm ET / 7pm ET. mtvU will announce performers at a later date.
The Woodies Festival and Award Show To harness the power of live music, mtvU is touching down in Austin, Texas during the SXSW Music Festival on March 15, 2012. The day will begin at 1pm CT with a host of live performances by up-and-coming artists during the first-ever, open-air "Woodie Awards Festival." Open to all SXSW badge holders and music fans, the performances will lead up to the "2012 mtvU Woodie Awards," which will take-over the Festival beginning at 8pm CT on March 15, 2012. Fans outside of Austin can catch the killer performances and backstage mayhem live, soon after doors open at Noon CT at www.Woodies.mtvU.com. On Sunday, March 18, 2012, mtvU will bring the best moments from the show to MTV and mtvU in the half-hour "2012 mtvU Woodie Awards Special." The hosted special will showcase some of the best "Woodie Awards" performances and celebrate the artists who are walking away with chunks of wood this year. Additionally, the biggest celebrities, comedians and artists will join the special to give a nod to their favorite artists.
The Nominees Skrillex, who was the official DJ of the 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards, is leading the nominees list alongside The Black Keys and Mac Miller with nods in the "Woodie of the Year" and "Performing Woodie" categories. Other artists up for "Woodie of the Year" - or the artists who made an indelible stamp on the music scene this year - include Frank Ocean, Foster the People, and J Cole. In a new "Woodie Award" category, mtvU is spotlighting the artists who are bringing EDM to a new fan-base. Calvin Harris' "We Found Love" with Rihanna will compete with Benny Benassi's "Beautiful People" with Chris Brown, Martin Solveig's "Ready 2 Go" with Kele, Flux Pavilion's "Who Gon Stop Me" with The Throne, Steve Aoki and Laidback Luke for "Turbulence" featuring Lil Jon, and Avicii for "Good Feeling" with Flo Rida.
"I am honored to be nominated for 'Best Performance' and 'Woodie of the Year,'" said Mac Miller. "Big thank you to MTV for the continuous support over the past year."
Recognizing artists on the brink of breaking through to mainstream, this year the "Breaking Woodie" category includes more nominees than ever: Porter Robinson, Electric Guest, Lana Del Rey, Childish Gambino, fun., Walk the Moon, Cults, Tune-Yards, A$AP Rocky, Iggy Azalea, Azealia Banks, The Weeknd, Fake Problems
![JANELLE MONÁE SET TO PERFORM TWO SPECIAL SHOWS [VIDEO]](images/blogs/5-2013/20739-janelle-monae-video-.jpg "JANELLE MONÁE SET TO PERFORM TWO SPECIAL SHOWS [VIDEO]")
Share on Facebook · 
Bookmark on Delicious
