<![CDATA[Idolator: Nelly]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/idolator.com.png <![CDATA[Idolator: Nelly]]> http://idolator.com/tag/nelly http://idolator.com/tag/nelly <![CDATA[Idolator Live-Blogs The "TRL" Finale: 1-800-DIAL-MTV, We Knew Ye When]]> Tonight brings us the finale of MTV's daily countdown show TRL, and MTV is pulling out a few stops to celebrate its end: A few live performances, a few interviews, a return to hosting duties by TRL OG Carson Daly. In some ways, this denouement was inevitable: The fizzy, sheeny, ever-expanding America that was epitomized by the rise of both the first Britney era and TRL some 10 years ago is all but over, what with a seemingly neverending bust ensuing and the concept of "popular music" being less popular than ever. But that doesn't mean we can't eulogize it, right? Full coverage begins after the jump.



7:46 p.m. A Carson Daly-hosted break during America's Next Top Model reveals that Times Square is actually crowded! Well, actually, it's not that crowded; half the crowd was just forced to stand in front of the Foot Locker across the street from 1515 Broadway so as to give the illusion of a New Year's Eve-like (or even Obama win-esque) atmosphere.

7:51 p.m. Speaking of outside, apparently Fall Out Boy's performance will be out in the Times Square chill. Any NYC Idolator readers want to head down there? (I'd go, but I'm pretty ensconsed up here on the Official Liveblogging Couch Of Late 2008, which, in case you're wondering, is green and could probably fit three people. But I'm all alone, aw. Oh well, more egg nog for me!)

7:54 p.m. Has anyone ever commented on the anti-grammatical stance of Tyra Banks on ANTM? "You're still in the running towards becoming America's Next Top Model?" It just sounds so nightmarish to me, even layered over the Siobhan Donaghy record (which I am listening to in order to steel myself for the next three hours).

7:59 p.m. This eliminated girl's clavicles could cut hair.

8:00 p.m. Aw, Carson Daly looked so pinchable in the old days. You know, when Times Square was all edgy and stuff?

8:01 p.m. I guess the show is opening with a countdown of top 10 TRL moments? And one of them includes... Britney performing "Me Against The Music." And another is Stevie Wonder freestyling on the harmonica? This is very strange.

8:02 p.m. Beyonce is No. 1. Well, I guess we're setting a "TRL's countdown never meant anything anyway" pattern early....

8:02 p.m. Ah, and of course, Beyonce is No. 1 because she's the guest with the closest album-release date. But why is she not doing "Single Ladies"? This is the same error she made on last night's SNL and on her album—leading with the balladry. It's never a good idea. Every hard rock band in the late '80s/early '90s knew this, B.

8:04 p.m. This song is OK. But it works better in a "brooding in one's room" context than a "surrounded by freaking-out teenagers and people who were teenagers around the time of TRL's debut" context. Although I will say that her band is pretty great.

8:05 p.m. And now "Single Ladies." Alas, Sasha Fierce's Krugerhand does not spontaneously generate when the two booty dancers show up.

8:06 p.m. Hey MTV director, chill out and just show the dancers, will you? Fosse-biting aside, this dance is one of the best bits of choreography we're likely to see on a mass level in 2008.

8:07 p.m. This song is so, so good. Straight up.

8:08 p.m. And on to "Crazy In Love," with a piped-in Jay-Z! But Beyonce is dancing her ass off and the MTV directors just can't. Stop. Cutting. I could make a really crass self-mutilation joke here but I won't. (I have to save something big for the last half-hour, right?)

8:09 p.m. Sway's intro of Damien Fahey and Carson Daly just repeated itself before stopping, and now neither of the hosts microphones are on... Oh, this is kind of a mess already. So, um, who's in the Sky Suite, guys?

8:10 p.m. Carson is waxing philosophical about how TRL is for the people. I guess "the people" includes "the label-employed street teams," at least on an abstract level.

8:12 p.m. There are a lot of A-listers backstage, you guys! And a countdown of "10 videos that defined music videos and pop culture." Because if there's one thing that American music needs more of, it's lists! Here's No. 10 while Carson and Damien bro-hug: "Hey Ya!"

10. OutKast, "Hey Ya!"

8:13 p.m. "Importance" doesn't mean that the whole video will be played and won't be talked over, just FYI.

8:14 p.m. Overexposure at every public place in the early part of this decade aside, this song still owns. Hey, here are two of the chick VJs with Taylor Swift!

8:15 p.m. Taylor Swift has appointed herself Official Annoying Person Who Forces Everyone To Sign Her Yearbook of the TRL finale.

8:16 p.m. Thanks, Carson Daly, for reminding me once again that I'm old. Oh, but wait, the Backstreet Boys are too! Hooray.

8:17 p.m. The minute-by-minute breakdown of what's coming up sure makes it easy for me to time bathroom breaks. (Also, it's so bad local news—did TRL come up with this practice?)

8:19 p.m. This Drew Barrymore mascara ad is reminding me of this crazy eyelash-decoration technique that I saw in the new issue of Elle earlier today while I was getting my hair done (NB haircuts are the only time I read "girl" magazines, because I inevitably run out of stuff to read). It involved—wait for it—turning the mascara wand to a 90-degree angle and forcing your eyelashes to clump together in points. It was an homage to Antonioni's Blow Up. No, really. Who says fashion can't be about culture?

8:22 p.m. BREAKING: MILEY CYRUS ISN'T DEAD. SHE'S IN THE TRL PHOTOBOOTH. And making that dumb cheeks-sucked-in face.

8:22 p.m. And, um, here's Travis Barker in his first post-plane-crash interview. (That's kind of a weird coincidence, no?) He's playing his drums again, which is nice.

8:23 p.m. I wonder if the people outside Foot Locker can hear Travis? I wonder if anyone has bought anything at Foot Locker?

8:24 p.m. Hey it's No. 9! This one's for Kate!

9. Blink-182, "What's My Age Again"


8:25 p.m. Diddy's Greatest Moments = Bathroom Breaks' Greatest Opportunities?

8:26 p.m. Ah, the days of the World Premiere Video. I got sort of nostalgic the other day when catching that Matthew Sweet clip that incorporated the world premiere of "Ugly Truth Rock," remembering all the times I'd set the VCR for post-drama club watching.

8:28 p.m. Diddy is crying. Or acting-crying. He is also wearing a leather coat that seems to have been excavated from Wilson's Leather ca. 1993.

8:29 p.m. One thing's for sure: MySpace Music is getting a lot of free ad time tonight.

8:30 p.m. Carson Daly: "There's so much more show." Yes. Yes, there is.

8:31 p.m. "A-Punk" selling Paris Hilton? I guess there have been weirder culture clashes this year. Maybe. Ah, whatever, they're all rich, right?

8:35 p.m. Ben Stiller's whole "I'm an arrogant asshole" schtick works a lot better when it's couched in a Bono impersonation.

8:36 p.m. Carson is taking us into the guts of the MTV studios! Lots of running around is ensuing. Since everyone's being self-indulgent, I will take a moment to let you all know that I have had my makeup done in one of these rooms. (I know, right?)

8:37 p.m. Vanessa Minillo is wearing a dress that looks to be fashioned from old American flags. And La La is there, too! Wow, they really brought out the big guns for tonight.

8:38 p.m. I don't know about you, but I don't remember "Yeah!" because of its lyrics.

8. Usher ft. Ludacris and Lil Jon, "Yeah!"


8:40 p.m. YAY IT'S DAVE HOLMES AND JESSE CAMP

8:40 p.m. Jesse is sad that he didn't get to serve as one of Sasha Fierce's backup dancers, and I think that's a sentiment that we all can agree on.

8:41 p.m. Ah, 1998: When one geek's capacity to wreak havoc on the Internet for the purpose of bringing the lulz was still relatively unplumbed.

8:42 p.m. One thing about tonight: It's really kind of tame compared to other MTV bacchanalia. Everyone is very reverent. Christina Aguilera is talking about "thank[ing] God for the start of many things." She is via satellite, but still, it's all kind of... sedate? Maybe it's the cultural moment seeping in.

8:44 p.m. "Amazing," "energy," "bask in it." Blah blah blah.

8:47 p.m. Really hating these Secret ads about BO ruining the mood on a wedding night. I'm sure there are like 5,000 other things leading up to that moment that could be dealbreakers, for serious.

8:49 p.m. Vampire Weekend are showing the world that some people actually learn to ride a bike in college.

7. Beyonce ft. Jay-Z, "Crazy In Love"


8:50 p.m. There is a room with free booze? I am drinking cold coffee that I French pressed this morning. And people are mugging for the camera in the background. The life of a blogger, guys. It's glamorous.

8:52 p.m. The "traffic jam" montage, which is probably causing many a cab driver to raise his hands and cheer this day.

8:54 p.m. Dave Holmes: "That was weirder than it looked."

8:54 p.m. Fall Out Boy minus Wentz! Also, nice Fuck City stickers on the drums, Andy.

8:56 p.m. The band is on the lit-up bed of a truck, which I suppose is meant to replace the light-up guitars?

8:57 p.m. Whoops there they are! Uh, sorry, unfocused.

8:58 p.m. I am kind of jealous of Patrick Stump's skin.

8:59 p.m. And Vanessa's coat.

8:59 p.m. And anyone who got to hear songs from JC Chasez's Kate that weren't "Until Yesterday" or the song David Archuleta covered.

9:01 p.m. BURNING QUESTION: What will the recession do to the market for things like Neutrogena's Vibrator For Your Face?

9:02 p.m. Jess, who is not watching TRL but who is concerned about my general mental well-being, checks in:

jessdolator: so do you get to do something else for a living now that this is all over?
mauraatidolator: maybe i'll get to write tampon ads
mauraatidolator: since this one sucks
jessdolator: i'm thinking talk show
mauraatidolator: yeah?
mauraatidolator: but who would talk to me
jessdolator: in keeping with the grand post-trl tradition
mauraatidolator: i could be the nu-donahue
mauraatidolator: and say lots of things that the guests don't understand
mauraatidolator: (yes i watched 'to die for' last night)

9:04 p.m. Only "thousands" are outside in Times Square. Not even "tens of"? Times are tough, everybody.

9:04 p.m. 50 Cent is as of now a no-show? Oh, Curtis, you stay classy.

9:05 p.m. A montage of "good" live performances from years past is making me realize that this show is woefully Clarkson-deficient.

9:07 p.m. It's Justin and JC! And they're coming out to "Pop," which I still pretty much totally love. Celebrity is a pretty OK pop record when you get right down to it.

9:07 p.m. Wow, an old shot of Justin dressed like the "Dick In A Box" dude for real.

9:09 p.m. Also getting a lot of free airtime: Planters peanuts. Hey, I'm hungry!

9:09 p.m. Hey Carson, it may be best to not bring up MTV-masterminded Super Bowls to Justin. Ahem.

9:10 p.m. More meetings of The Olds: Dave Holmes with Jonathan Davis! Jonathan Davis is wearing this hoodie that looks like it's a black-and-white Magic Eye. The whole effect is very Sage Wizened Guy At The Comic Book Store.

9:12 p.m. Thinking of Korn, Kid Rock, and Limp Bizkit hanging out is making me think of what happened when Kid Rock hung out with Scott Stapp. Ick ick ick ick ickkkkk brb throwing up

9:14 p.m. Taking a break from the dry-heaving to commemorate possibly the final time that "violence" will be swapped out in favor of "Primus" on MTV.

9:17 p.m. Kid Rock is smoking and drinking indoors! Because he is such a fucking rebel! You guys!

9:18 p.m. And now he's drawing attention to the fact that he won't put his guitar out. What a fucking yutz. Sorry.

9:18 p.m. No wait, I'm not sorry! Because I can be a badass too. So there, everybody. So fucking there.

6. Kid Rock, "Bawitdaba"


9:20 p.m. And now, Kid Rock is pontificating on the relative diversity of music in 1998. And how we can all get along no matter what our individual tastes. Ah, Kid, you've convinced me. Maybe I won't think you're a yutz after all, you know? Let's say that it's in the spirit of "holding on for dear life as the ship that is 'popular music' finally capsizes."

9:21 p.m. Everyone's pilgrimages to the window are reminding me of reading about Catholic shrines during my childhood.

9:22 p.m. The MTV News contingent stops by: Sway with hat, Suchin with pretty dress, John with hairpiece. Oh, and it's time for another in-show listicle! The Top Five MTV News Moments! Five—AJ goes to rehab; Four—Blink-182 breaks up; Three—Nick Carter gets popped by the po' po; Two—Britney Spears files for divorce; One—Obama. I guess those other four were all there to set up for the Big Happy Sorta Optimistic Finish?

9:24 p.m. 9/11 gets its own special mention, complete with "Remember when Rudy Giuliani was only sorta creepy" video clip.

9:28 p.m. I should really know the name of this Frenchy song that's airing under the anti-HPV ad, no?

9:30 p.m. Miley Cyrus is back in the photobooth. Instead of pulling up her shirt and showing her underwear, she is posing in sunglasses and chains in an effort to be like Snoop Dogg, I guess since these photos aren't for her MySpace page.

9:32 p.m. "Diddy promotes himself"? I'm sorry, this is different from "Diddy speaks" how?

9:34 p.m. Diddy is now talking about his new fragrance. (It's available at Macy's!) And saving energy. Rock and roll, guys.

9:35 p.m. Here's Ludacris. He also has an album coming out, you know. (He also has one of my favorite voices ever—it's the way he rolls his rs in part, I think.)

9:37 p.m. And yet the incoherent editing and awful sound and somewhat anemic crowd response are kind of swallowing the proceedings.

9:37 p.m. Oh, poor Nelly, he has to lead with "Hot In Herre" so people remember who he is.

9:38 p.m. There was a six-month period in 2003 when my outgoing answering machine message was just my roommate at the time and me screaming "I WAS LIKE...." to any telemarketers who might be phoning.

9:39 p.m. No second song for Nelly; now it's Snoop's turn. He is totally Dropping It Like It Is Hot. Can a medley that ends with all three people singing one song really be considered "historic"? Is the hyperbolization of every second-rate bit in an effort to drive up ratings for shows like this part of the reason that culture seems so empty and people seem so worn out these days?

9:41 p.m. Carson: "That was something." Translation: "They really haven't figured out how to film a scene in a crowd since the 2007 VMAs, huh?"

9:44 p.m. Vampire Weekend: They hook up on the bus, just like the proles!

9:46 p.m. OK seriously I must have this HPV song on a French pop CD somewhere. Help me out guys!

9:47 p.m. So did they just dispense with this whole "top videos ever" countdown? We haven't had an entry in about half an hour, and there are only about 43 minutes left...

9:49 p.m. For those of you who missed the ice-cream-cart-aided beginning of Mariah Carey's early-decade breakdown, here it is! Because pop music has been all about chronicling the mental breakdowns of its biggest stars for much, much longer than Britney and Celebrity Rehab.

9:52 p.m. Hilary Duff still looks—and sounds—like she is about 15.

9:53 p.m. I think part of me knew that Christina Aguilera had a kid, but Carson Daly just saying to her "as a mom..." made me have a "whoa, old!" moment. (Also, she should can the red lipstick and go for the blush-gloss look more often.) Hey, speaking of coming of age:

5. Christina Aguilera, "Dirrty"


She was 21 years old when she made this, everybody. Just remember that the next time you think about having a daughter.

9:58 p.m. The countdown is coming fast and furious! Because there isn't much time left!

4. N*Sync, "Bye Bye Bye"


9:59 p.m. And now we get to see what happens when it's like when celebrities meet their celebrity crushes. Spoiler: It's somehow more awkward than what happens when normal people meet their celebrity crushes. (Ahem.) Although that could be the whole "presence of cameras" thing. And the whole "both parties are mutually assured of their relative importance" thing.

10:00 p.m. Justin's still tearing up (his heart) though.

10:01 p.m. Hey it's Fall Out Boy again, along with Pete Wentz on a sorta-spazzy phone connection. Ashlee hasn't had the baby yet, contrary to what the Internet might tell us. You guys all know that the Internet is wrong a lot, yes? Yes. It is. Trust me on this, please.

10:03 p.m. Patrick voted for one of the winners (hey they both won, right?) in that 1998 VJ contest. But I think he wasn't the hacker... I think?

10:03 p.m. Hey Dan Gibson, FNMTV is coming back! And now Quddus is using the opportunity to promote some artist he's producing? I guess everyone has to eat in the post-TRL landscape.

10:05 p.m. OK YOU GUYS SERIOUSLY WHAT IS THIS FRENCH SONG. Shazam doesn't recognize it. The lyrics are un-Googleable. This is going to drive me crazy.

3. Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way"


10:09 p.m. OK everyone, let's sing along.

10:10 p.m. OMG CARSON IS EDGY FOR SAYING 'MOTHERFUCKER' ON SEVEN SECOND DELAYED TV. Also, Samuel L. Jackson introducing... the Backstreet Boys? Um.

10:10 p.m. The whole crowd is singing along. TRL is really about the fans, you guys!

10:12 p.m. This song may be one of five ever to get away with the "fire / desire" rhyme scheme.

10:13 p.m. "I Want It That Way" really did define that whole era, didn't it? Also ha ha at Nick Carter for claiming he remembers some of the people in the audience from The Old Days.

10:15 p.m. This is kind of sweet. I don't think it'll sell them any records, but it's nice.

10:16 p.m. Carson is back in the bowels of the studio again! The Maddens are there, and apparently will be worth being talked to. They do have a remix record coming out, after all.

10:18 p.m. "Apologize" actually sounds much better in string-quartet form. Added bonus: No Timbaland "eh"-ing!

10:18 p.m. So is Pepsi the only company left with any advertising money? This "What Is Love" ad has been on every freaking break. And it's old, so even they are hurting.

10:20 p.m. Seriously though, the ad breaks on this have been very interesting, in a "so this is who's left" way. The many house ads (the Vampire Weekend spots, the OneRepublic ads, those HPV commercials that I still don't know the song behind) and the repeated spots are enough to make one wonder what the ad landscape is going to be like once the holiday rush is over, and what the decline in ad budgets across the board will mean not just for channels like MTV, but all those extra ad-supported channels in the far reaches of the digital-cable universe. Ah, nothing like a little light Sunday-night pontificating, right?

10:22 p.m. I think Miley Cyrus grew fangs.

10:23 p.m. Eminem: Calling Carson Daly "buddy," making an "I'm crushing your head" joke. He sounds pretty happy to be alive!

10:25 p.m. Eminem's next album is coming out early next year! You heard it here, um, second.

10:25 p.m. The inspiration for this album is secret, too, unless you can deduce the multiple meanings of the word "relapse" that are in Em's head.

2. Eminem, "The Real Slim Shady"


10:27 p.m. The date may be different, the time may be different, but the excited girls are all the same.

10:27 p.m. Hold up—Kathy Griffin was in this video??

10:28 p.m. Oh here's 50 Cent, here to let people know that he has a single out. People didn't care the first, second, or eighth time, Curtis.

10:29 p.m. Here is where I would ruminate on how Curtis' brand of anti-charismatic "capitalism over everything else" personality was perfectly paired with the emptiness of this decade, but my hatred for dude's lazy-ass flow is overriding my urge to think.

10:30 p.m. At the very least, this two-song montage pretty much proves why Scott Storch is currently having "issues" and Dr. Dre is just working on records.

10:33 p.m. Hahahha Carson Daly just referred to "Tony Banks." Oh he is so dead.

10:33 p.m. 50 Cent is mourning the loss of "a platform to market and promote ourselves." Never let it be said that dude isn't a sentimentalist!

10:37 p.m. Ad break, ad break, ad break. Lots of video game and "personal care" ads. No ads for Viagra, Cialis, or anything that might get you drunk.

10:38 p.m. One reason I'm thinking about ads: I'm trying to be as much of a sentimentalist as Curtis. Another: This New York Times piece on how the cutback in sponsorship is affecting sports. I guarantee that reading that piece will enrich you much more than listening to the Madden brothers' latest attempt at marketing themselves.

10:39 p.m. Madden On The Right is talking about how life is different after having kids. It really is like a high school reunion!

10:41 p.m. Justin looks sort of dazed—perhaps because he's standing with YouTube sensation Esmee Denters! Although I love that he's making fun of the brain-dead Australian girl, who just asked an inane question about "Internet ah-tists," one last time. Do it for all of us, Justin.

10:43 p.m. And thanks to the wonders of YouTube and Justin Timberlake, you can see the difference between a girl in her bedroom and a girl in a studio.

10:43 p.m. Oh, Australian girl. I really think now is not the time to joke about layoffs at Viacom.

10:45 p.m. Sean Combs took up his page in the yearbook with every single one of his names. NB: It doesn't look like he used "Robert Plant fill-in."

10:46 p.m. Vampire Weekend: They're Just Like Us!, Part XVI: They Also Like To Try And Recreate The Opening Of Ghostbusters!

10:48 p.m. The Googlers Of The World Demand Answers:


Oh, kids. I could talk your ear off about it. Maybe tomorrow? (Also, it's worth noting that "Jesse Camp" is currently right behind "Miley Cyrus Dead" on Google's current hit parade. Jesse, to borrow a phrase from another show, this is your now!)

10:51 p.m. Damien thinks Kid Rock's cigar-wielding ways are "cool." Hmm...

10:52 p.m. Aw, no Britney appearance. But that means more time for a big ol' retrospective of all her videos! You know, "Drive Me Crazy" was crazy underrated. (Also, it should be noted that "Gimme More" is nowhere to be found.)

1. Britney Spears, "...Baby One More Time"


Really, she looks so... well, sort of innocent here. Even with the big basketball between her legs.

10:56 p.m. Well, there's another anticlimactic finish to another MTV show. Everyone there has champagne (wait, does Taylor Swift have champagne?? SCANDAL!). Me, I still have my cold coffee and Carson's doing a toast. Complete with LFO dis (me-ow!). I just tried calling 1-800-DIAL-MTV and the line was busy. Everyone's waving at the window. It's over! Jesse Camp has somehow transformed into a slightly older William Beckett! Good night, TRL. Good night, moon. Good night, sales of sparkly paint at stores in the greater New York City metropolitan era.

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http://idolator.com/5089883/idolator-live+blogs-the-trl-finale-1+800+dial+mtv-we-knew-ye-when http://idolator.com/5089883/idolator-live+blogs-the-trl-finale-1+800+dial+mtv-we-knew-ye-when Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:45:00 EST Maura Johnston http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5089883&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[The "TRL" Finale Will Mark The End Of Pop Culture As We Know It]]> We've already mentioned the imminent TV return of Jesse Camp thanks to this Saturday's TRL finale, but somehow this momentous occasion keeps getting bigger and better—so much that the network tacked on another half hour to the program. (Be bold, MTV! Make the TRL finale one of those 24 hour long programs you were so fond of for awhile. Carson Daly, Fred Durst, and Taylor Swift all holed up in your Times Square studio—what's not to like?) MTV has announced that the show will feature a one-time-only (for now) performance by Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Nelly, as well as music from BeyoncĂ©, 50 Cent, Fall Out Boy, and the Backstreet Boys. Still, perhaps the most exciting announcement is that both Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez are scheduled to appear. We're two-fifths of the way there, MTV—call the other three guys and history will be made! Lance and Chris are probably over that whole "bad dancer" thing by now. [MTV]

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http://idolator.com/5083540/the-trl-finale-will-mark-the-end-of-pop-culture-as-we-know-it http://idolator.com/5083540/the-trl-finale-will-mark-the-end-of-pop-culture-as-we-know-it Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST Dan Gibson http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5083540&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[(The Return Of) Presented Without Comment: Nelly, Taylor Swift, And Even More Web 2.No Action]]> wheresmurphylee.jpgForever ago (ok, March), Idolator featured links to selected news items that seemed to merit attention, but perhaps not a post of their own. Playing into recent criticisms of the music-blog format, here are three press releases that seem notable, yet not notable enough to blow out into its own post.



Nelly Partners With ZizZazz Explosive Energy Mix: His next album may never actually come out, but when Nelly's busy promoting its non-existent release he enjoys a little ZizZazz, a "product that definitely fits [his] lifestyle".

Taylor Swift Announced As Venus Embrace "Goddess of Summer": Swift's official beauty tips as "Goddess of Summer" include wearing sundresses and shaving your legs. Thanks, Taylor!

Warner Music Group Exec Leaves Company to Run Music Based Social Networking Site: Dan Pelson, former Senior VP of Global Consumer Marketing at Warner Music Group, is fronting a new site, uPlayMe, which matches people up by shared musical taste, combining the crashing-my-computer widgetry of last.fm with the people I don't actually care to be friends with aspect of Facebook. Hey, if there's Scrabulous, I'm in.

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http://idolator.com/399469/the-return-of-presented-without-comment-nelly-taylor-swift-and-even-more-web-2no-action http://idolator.com/399469/the-return-of-presented-without-comment-nelly-taylor-swift-and-even-more-web-2no-action Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EDT Dan Gibson http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=399469&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Now That Katy Perry Is Gone, I Can Watch "FNMTV" Again]]> ivegotjonasfever.jpgThe Pete Wentz project FNMTV promises a world of entertainment this week for those of you who aren't seeing Mission of Burma tonight (grrr). This week's all-over-the-place lineup of videos is rather charming—save the inclusion of the madness called Shwayze.



Noted Muslim sympathizers the Jonas Brothers take the stage this week, which is probably a warmup for their appearances on every media outlet known to man in the forthcoming weeks. It's inevitable. We're losing control of our nation to the Jonases, a fate that will only be avoided if Tokio Hotel finally challenges the brothers to a duel.

The videos premiering tonight range from good to interesting to Shwayze.

Shwayze - "Corona & Lime"
Lesley Roy - "I'm Gone, I'm Going"
Slipknot - "Psychosocial"
Nelly - "Body On Me" (featuring Akon and Ashanti)

It's nice to see some metal scheduled in a slot outside of Headbanger's Ball these days, and the Lesley Roy song is enjoyable in a Paramore-light sort of way. I'm dubious about the Nelly track, if only because it's called "Body On Me'" and has both Akon and Ashanti guesting on it.

And then there's Shwayze. I understand that MTV is promoting an entire series featuring Shwayze and his lovable sidekick Cisco Adler, but is anyone asking for more of this guy? There hasn't been an act that's been more pushed down our collective throats, yet shrugged at by the public, in recent memory. Meanwhile, despite the public rejecting Cisco Adler any way it can, he keeps finding a way to sneak his way back into our lives.

Still, Slipknot! Perhaps they'll wear some new new masks.

Who The F's On FNMTV Tonight? [MTV Buzzworthy]

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http://idolator.com/398818/now-that-katy-perry-is-gone-i-can-watch-fnmtv-again http://idolator.com/398818/now-that-katy-perry-is-gone-i-can-watch-fnmtv-again Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT Dan Gibson http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398818&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Five Singles Janet Jackson Shouldn't Bother Relearning For Her Tour]]> AP080602047617.jpgJanet Jackson has some ambitious plans for her upcoming tour. "My true goal is to try at least do every single that I've ever had. So, I've got to figure out a way to fit this in two hours, and yet give them enough of each song so that they don't feel hungry for more of that song in particular." Wow! If we generously qualify "single" as songs with American-released videos (and ignore some airplay-charting B-sides), that's still more than 30 tracks. Seeing as how she's probably too proud to just ignore everything she's done since the wardrobe malfunction, I've got five post-Rhythm Nation 1814 (the singles on that and Control are unfuckwithable) songs that she might think about just yelling the title of in the middle of a medley.




"Because Of Love"

I completely forgot about this top ten hit, and listening to it now, I'm not surprised.

"Twenty Foreplay"

You're not going to have R. Kelly join you on stage, are you? Please don't sing "You've made love to my mind/ Now you gotta take me from behind" or discuss how you've both felt the "warm explosion" unless he's there to nod along.

"Every Time"

Britney has to do her treacly piano number named "Everytime" because she doesn't have "Let's Wait A While," "Come Back To Me," "Again," and all the other good ballads Janet does. And that's why Janet shouldn't do hers.

"Just A Little While"

I actually think Damita Jo is a solid album—she better pull out "All Nite (Don't Stop)"—but the first single was a serious backfire, with Dallas Austin trying to put Janet's breathy voice over a guitar riff Pink probably rejected. "Black Cat" shows she can rock, but this shows that she can't rock sweetly.

"Call On Me"

You know, even if Nelly is standing backstage, please don't do this. Just let the beat play while you're off changing outfits.

And here's one track that should be performed, even if it wasn't really a single.

Seeing as how she's explored her sexuality for the last 15 years, she might want to flip things for the age of Obama with a little "Ignorance? No! Bigotry? No!" How can someone who spent her early twenties wearing shoulder pads and announcing her autonomy be so determined to stay a sex kitten into middle age? I'm not suggesting that she should be mocked as a cougar because she's really into physical pleasure, but it's clear that audiences are aching to see a different dimension.

Janet Jackson - Because Of Love [YouTube]
Janet Jackson - Twenty Foreplay [YouTube]
Janet Jackson - Every Time [YouTube]
Janet Jackson - Just A Little While [YouTube]
Janet Jackson feat. Nelly - Call On Me [YouTube]
Janet Jackson - The Knowledge [YouTube]

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http://idolator.com/396453/five-singles-janet-jackson-shouldnt-bother-relearning-for-her-tour http://idolator.com/396453/five-singles-janet-jackson-shouldnt-bother-relearning-for-her-tour Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT Anthony Miccio http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=396453&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Nelly, Ciara And Jermaine Dupri Fondly Recall Sneakers]]>
There are two types of raps about sneakers: labors of love like "My Adidas" and corporate shilling, like The Game making sure to mention Nike on almost every track on The Documentary. "Stepped On My J's" is probably the latter. Nelly's rap (which rhymes "what now?" with "what now?" and "crib" with "crib" and "crib") is mere filler before he can awkwardly segue to the Do The Right Thing-quoting chorus, and Ciara (who sounds the best of the three) focuses on her beauty, but Jermanie Dupri plays the good spokesperson, describing the joy a young man feels when he dons his first pair of Jordans, and how one should collect them all. In the video, he even dresses up like Mars Blackmon. Ah, when ads were ads. [YouTube]

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http://idolator.com/396056/nelly-ciara-and-jermaine-dupri-fondly-recall-sneakers http://idolator.com/396056/nelly-ciara-and-jermaine-dupri-fondly-recall-sneakers Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT Anthony Miccio http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=396056&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[The BET Awards Promise Big Stars, Big Hits And The Word "Feat."]]> As the MTV Music Awards become clumsier with every passing year in a less-than-subtle expression of how much acknowledging musical accomplishments has become an annoyance for a network that would much rather chase teenagers around with cameras, the BET Awards stand as the only place where you'll see the biggest acts in pop music (Lil' Wayne, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Nelly are already scheduled to perform) presented with production value and professional competence, acknowledging elders (Al Green and Quincy Jones will respectively receive lifetime achievement and humanitarian awards) without turning into a hoary grandpa fest. "Best Group" seems a little duo heavy, and it's funny to see T-Pain lead the nominations solely on guest spots, but it's refreshing to see a "Best Female Hip-Hop Artist" category. A list of the awards and nominees below.




Video of the Year
Ashanti "The Way That I Love You"
Alicia Keys "Like You'll Never See Me Again"
Mary J. Blige "Just Fine"
UGK feat. OutKast "Int'l Player's Anthem (I Choose You)"
Kanye West feat. T-Pain "Good Life"
Erykah Badu "Honey"

Best Female R&B Artist

Alicia Keys
Mary J. Blige
Keyshia Cole
Rihanna
Mariah Carey

Best Male R&B Artist

Raheem DeVaughn
Trey Songz
Ne-Yo
Chris Brown
J. Holiday

Best Group
Danity Kane
UGK
Day 26
Playaz Circle
Gnarls Barkley

Best New Artist

Flo Rida
Estelle
Chrisette Michele
Soulja Boy
The-Dream

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist

Kid Sister
Trina
Lil' Mama
Missy Elliott
Eve

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist

Snoop Dogg
Jay-Z
Lil' Wayne
Common
Kanye West

Best Collaboration

DJ Khaled feat. Lil' Wayne, Big Boi, Ludacris, Fat Joe & Young Jeezy-"I'm So Hood (remix)"
Keyshia Cole feat. Lil' Kim & Missy Elliott-"Let It Go"
Kanye West feat. T-Pain-"Good Life"
Flo Rida feat. T-Pain-"Low"
Chris Brown feat. T-Pain-"Kiss Kiss"

Viewer's Choice

Chris Brown feat. T-Pain-"Kiss Kiss"
Lil' Wayne feat. Static Major-"Lollipop"
Keyshia Cole feat. Missy Elliott & Lil' Kim-"Let It Go"
Alicia Keys-"No One"
Soulja Boy-"Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)"
Jordin Sparks feat. Chris Brown-"No Air"

Lifetime Achievement

Al Green

Who Cares About Talent? [Bossip]

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http://idolator.com/391243/the-bet-awards-promise-big-stars-big-hits-and-the-word-feat http://idolator.com/391243/the-bet-awards-promise-big-stars-big-hits-and-the-word-feat Fri, 16 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT Anthony Miccio http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=391243&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Itinerant Bruce Springsteen Eludes A Collabo-Hungry Nelly]]> nellynelly.jpg Bruce Springsteen, not unlike Carmen SanDiego, is hopping from continent to continent, always one step ahead of Nelly, who still dreams of finding the wily rocker and forcing him to collaborate on a song that would hopefully be titled "Over & Over Again & Again." "I was really trying to get The Boss, but The Boss is all over the world," said Nelly at the Kids' Choice Awards last night. "It didn't really work out. I know he's interested in doing it. And I'm interested in doing it." But there is still hope. "We still might get a chance to get it off. We're saving it. We might repackage it for the holidays." Perhaps a snap remix of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," then.
Nelly wants Springsteen Collaboration [Yahoo via AP]

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http://idolator.com/374149/itinerant-bruce-springsteen-eludes-a-collabo+hungry-nelly http://idolator.com/374149/itinerant-bruce-springsteen-eludes-a-collabo+hungry-nelly Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:20:00 EDT Anthony Miccio http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=374149&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Will We See <em>Chinese Democracy</em> Before The Next Nelly Record?]]>



From the mailbag: "Check out this link for the new Nelly record. I know it's been pushed back, but 2020? Yowza! That's worse than the Nicole Scherzinger record." Not only that, but he's gonna completely miss his chance to release a ringle!

Nelly - Brass Knuckles [Amazon; HT: Adam Graham]

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http://idolator.com/tunes/delays/will-we-see-chinese-democracy-before-the-next-nelly-record-333147.php http://idolator.com/tunes/delays/will-we-see-chinese-democracy-before-the-next-nelly-record-333147.php Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST jharv http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=333147&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Nelly Is The New Boredoms]]> nelly.jpgMaking me dreadanticipate Idolator's BET Hip-Hop Awards live-blog even moreso than I was already—and finally bringing together early '00s pop-rap and ladies who play the tympani—Nelly is "holding open auditions for an all-girl drumline for his performance at the awards on October 13" according to XXL. Interested parties "should know how to play the trumpet, tuba, snare drum, bass drum or tri toms and be able to march with their instrument." Perhaps they will then use his head as a drum in retaliation for the "Tip Drill" video.

Nelly Holding Auditions for All-Female Drumline [XXL]

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http://idolator.com/tunes/no%2C-the-nelly-that-raps/nelly-is-the-new-boredoms-304911.php http://idolator.com/tunes/no%2C-the-nelly-that-raps/nelly-is-the-new-boredoms-304911.php Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:31:29 EDT jharv http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=304911&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Nelly is about to debut Pimp Juice Purple, ... ]]> pimpjuice.jpgNelly is about to debut Pimp Juice Purple, an upgrade of his "popular" energy drink with "a mixture of pomegranate, acai, prickly pear and other flavors." Prickly pear! Speaking of upgrades, he's also got another round of his Pimp Juice P.I.M.P. "Upgrade Your Life" scholarship contest in the works? Was it too gauche to just call it "Pimp Your Life" or what? [XXL]

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http://idolator.com/tunes/real-pimps-don.t-take-out-stafford-loans/-287933.php http://idolator.com/tunes/real-pimps-don.t-take-out-stafford-loans/-287933.php Thu, 09 Aug 2007 16:29:11 EDT jharv http://idolator.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=287933&view=rss&microfeed=true