BILLBOARD BACKSTAGE AT GLEE
Billboard recently got the chance to go backstage on the set of the new season of Glee. The show returns to FOX on September 21st to the delight of fans the world over. Those who want an inside look at the upcoming season and what it’s like backstage should check out the Glee piece on Billboard.com now.
NICOLE SCHERZINGER ON HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
According to Billboard, Nicole Scherzinger is going to guest star on How I Met Your Mother next season. The Pussycat Doll will appear on the CBS show playing “Jessica Glitter” and will be a “vital part” in the telling the story of “Robin’s” days as pop star “Robin Sparkle.” The episode is titled Glitter and will air in November.
KATY PERRY’S DREAMS TO COME TRUE WITH #1?
Katy Perry will likely score her first number one album this week. The “California Gurls” singer is set to sell between 170 and 200-thousand copies of her second album, Teenage Dreams, which may be enough to ward off Eminem from the top spot, where he has sat for seven non-consecutive weeks. Nielsen Soundscan reports that the singles off Teenage Dream have already sold a combined 4.5-million digital downloads.
USHER’S VMA HISTORY
As we reported last week, Usher will take the stage to perform at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. This is not the first time the crooner has played the event. The R&B superstar got his first taste of what it was like to perform at the VMAs in Los Angeles in 1998 when he played the pre-show. Usher took the stage with only a few dancers for his performance of “My Way.” In 2002, Usher took the VMA stage in New York City with Busta Rhymes and Pharrell to give Diddy some backup during his medley performance of “Bad Boy for Life,” “I Need a Girl (Part I & II)” and “Pass the Courvoisier.” Two years later in 2004, Ush took the stage in Miami to perform “Confessions,” before launching into “Yeah!,” featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon. Usher is up for three Moon Men at this year’s show for his “OMG” clip. The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 12th, at 9 PM Eastern.
DIDDY-DIRTY MONEY FEATURING DRAKE
Diddy-Dirty Money are yet to drop their debut LP Last Train to Paris, but you can now hear some new music from the group anyway. They’ve released a track called “Love You No More,” which features none other than Drake. You can check out the follow-up single to “Hello Good Morning” over at ThatGrapeJuice.net.
NELLY IS BACK WITH “JUST A DREAM”
Nelly scored a triumphant return to the charts this week as his new single, “Just a Dream,” broke through on the iTunes singles chart to land at number eight. The St. Louis rapper told MTV News that he is excited to reconnect with his audience. He said, “It’s always great when your fans come out and support you anytime in your career. But definitely after 10 years, and when you haven’t been quite on the scene as much as your fans would like you to, but when they do get a glimpse of you and they feel good, it also makes you feel good.” The track is featured on his forthcoming album, 5.0, which is set for release this fall. Read more at MTV.com/news.
T.I. TAPES Vh1 STORYTELLERS
T.I. took the stage last week at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City for the taping of his Vh1 Storytellers. Tip performed songs from his vast catalog including “I Still Luv You,” “Live Your Life,” “Bring Em Out” and “Motivation” from his 2004 album Urban Legend, which was written in jail. He said that stint behind bars was a result of some criminals wrongly implicating him in a crime. As the police searched his house, they found a gun. Vh1 Storytellers: T.I. airs Friday, December 10th at 11 PM Eastern on Vh1.
KANYE & SUGE KNIGHT CAN’T SETTLE
Attorneys for both Kanye West and “Suge” Knight met last week with the hopes of settling a one-million dollar lawsuit stemming from a party in 2005. Knight was shot in the leg at a Miami Beach bash held by West that year, and the mogul is blaming the rapper for his injuries. Knight claims the party had lax security and that led to him being shot in the leg. Billboard reports that since no settlement was reached last week, the case will likely go to trial.
JAY-Z TEAMS UP WITH YANKEES
It was only a matter of time before New York’s biggest rapper, Jay-Z, teamed up with New York’s biggest sports team, the Yankees. It’s just been announced that the two superpowers will be creating a co-branded line of clothing to be sold at Yankee Stadium starting this week. The merchandise comes just in time for Jay-Z and Eminem’s co-headlining performances at the stadium on September 13th and 14th. Fans can buy the exclusive gear starting today and through September 14th.
SEE COLBIE TAPE HER DVD SPECIAL
Colbie Caillat is going to be filming her September 14th concert in New York City for a DVD, and she wants you to be in attendance. 50 lucky winners will be chosen, and all you have to do is enter on her official website. Learn more about the special opportunity now at ColbieCaillat.com.
GAGA WAX FIGURES TO COST 1.5-MILLION
It was recently reported that wax statues of Lady Gaga would soon debut at 10 different Madame Tussauds around the world, and some more details have begun to surface. According to PopEater.com, all those wax Gaga’s are reportedly going to cost around 1.5-million dollars. No word yet on which Madame Tussauds you’ll be able to see the figures of the pop star.
LEONA LEWIS CASUSES A STIR
Leona Lewis says she doesn’t drink alcohol very often and perhaps now we know why. According to British paper the Daily Mirror, the pop star was out at a London theater watching a show and “reportedly drinking alcohol with pals,” and during the show, a source says that Lewis kept shouting at one of the female dancers on stage saying, “She’s so hot.” Lewis recently split from her longtime boyfriend, so maybe she was just out trying to let off some steam.
THE SCRIPT WANT YOU TO COME TO DUBLIN
The Script are having a release party for their new album, Science & Faith, in their hometown of Dublin, Ireland, and they want you to be in attendance. The event takes place on September 9th. Head to TheScriptMusic.com to enter for your chance to go.
NEW TREY SONGZ!
A new tune from Trey Songz has just hit the net. It’s called “Doorbell” and is off Trey’s upcoming album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure, which is due out September 14th. You can check out the 12th track of his new disc now by heading over to ThatGrapeJuice.net.
CHRIS BROWN IS DOING A GOOD JOB
Chris Brown has checked in with the judge presiding over his assault of ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Brown got stellar marks, with the judge saying Chris is following all the rules of his probation and is doing a good job. Read more at Billboard.com. Meanwhile, you can check out another side of the musician now, as his new action flick Takers is currently in theaters.
BEST ROCK VIDEO: 2010 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS
There are less than two weeks before the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards air live from Los Angeles. If you haven’t heard the nominees in the Best Rock Video category yet, here they are: 30 Seconds to Mars for “Kings and Queens,” Paramore’s “Igorance” video, Florence and the Machine for their “Dog Days Are Over” clip, “Uprising” from Muse and MGMT’s “Flash Delirium” video. To see who wins, tune into the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards when they air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 12th at 9 PM Eastern on MTV.
LIVE GREEN DAY ALBUM ON THE WAY?
Do Green Day have a new live album on the way? According to a tweet from singer Billie Joe Armstrong, the band have been recording their live shows since the beginning of August and say there is a “possible live album” in the works. It would be the perfect way to top off an incredible year for Green Day!
PARAMORE SINGER TAKES ON “BED INTRUDER SONG”
You know Antoine Dodson’s insane viral hit “Bed Intruder Song?” Well, Paramore singer Hayley Williams with the help of New Found Glory’s Jordan Putnik and Ethan Lucy from Relient K have covered the song. Their version, which includes all the now famous catch-phrases, was recently recorded in Nashville. Fans can check it out at Billboard.com.
NEW DOC FEMALE RAPPERS AIRS TONIGHT
My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women In Hip Hop is the new film directed and executive produced by Ava Duvernay that takes an in-depth look at the role of female rappers in the hip-hop industry. The documentary features interviews with Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, Trina, Salt N Pepa, Eve, Rah Digga and many others. My Mic Sounds Nice premieres tonight on BET at 10 PM Eastern.
BON JOVI REVEAL DETAILS TO GREATEST HITS ALBUM
Bon Jovi are working on a Greatest Hits collection and the band just revealed that they’ve recorded four new tracks for the album. Along with 16 of the group’s classic tracks, the regular version of the album will include two new songs, and one of them is the record’s lead single, “What Do You Got?” A 28-track deluxe version called Greatest Hits — The Ultimate Collection will also be released and it not only includes the two new songs but two more new ones as well. It all comes out on November 9th. Find out more at BonJovi.com.
The four new songs are titled “What Do You Got,” “The More Things Change,” “No Apologies” and “This is Life.”
SARA BAREILLES’ ALBUM OUT IN 8 DAYS
Sara Bareilles’ highly anticipated new album, Kaleidoscope Heart, comes out a week from tomorrow, but you don’t have to wait that long to hear some tunes off of it. The singer-songwriter recently made two tracks available to be heard, along with the first single “King of Anything.” The songs are titled “Hold My Heart,” and “Uncharted,” and you can listen to them now at SaraBMusic.com.
