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Snoop Dogg is Making a Reggae Album
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Upcoming Releases, Hip-Hop & Rap, R&B / Soul, Reggae,
Snoop Dogg is making a reggae album. The "Drop it Like it's Hot" rapper has been working with producer Diplo - who has previously produced tracks for Beyonce, M.I.A and Usher - and exploring a new musical direction.
"Snoop Dogg is an icon, man; he's bigger than the music. What we're doing is a reggae record. It's all reggae and he's singing and he's doing a f***ing awesome job and I never knew it, but he had his heart in every song," Diplo told MTV.
Diplo added he and Snoop have started on 18 tracks together, and he's excited to get back to recording in April: "We're going to get back into the production of it next month, and I'm really proud of that record. It's the first record I've ever executive-produced and his crew is amazing."
The producer also admitted he was initially nervous when he teamed up with R&B star Usher, for his track "Climax." "We just had great chemistry. I was super-nervous working with him the first two days. I love Usher. I'm an Usher fan. We did some up tempo stuff too. I don't know what'll make the album, but I think there are definitely three songs that'll make it."
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Snoop Dogg Appears on Willie Nelson Album
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Upcoming Releases, Country, Hip-Hop & Rap,
Snoop Dogg appears on Willie Nelson's new album, Heroes. The rapper teamed with the country singer for the track "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die," which also features Kris Kristofferson and Jamey Johnson.
Although the pairing may seem unlikely, it is not the first time they have worked together, with Willie guesting on the track "Superman" from Snoop's last album Doggumentary. "I fell in love with his music as a kid. Willie's got long hair with braids, he likes to do the herbal essence. So it was natural for me and him to come together," Snoop said, speaking of how their collaboration came about.
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Madonna Invites Justin Bieber on Tour
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Concerts / Tours, Music Videos, Electronic, Pop,
Madonna has invited Justin Bieber to perform with her on tour. The "Girls Gone Wild" singer is a "huge fan" of the teen pop sensation and wants them to hook up at on of her summer concerts.
"He's awesome. I'm a huge fan. I love it when he raps (sic)," Madonna replied when asked what she thought of Justin in a live Twitter chat with fans.
Justin - who has just released his new single "Boyfriend" - replied, "Seeing that is a huge honor. Yours is a career artists dream of. Congrats on the new album!(sic)"
This prompted Madonna's invite, with her writing, "Come and join me on stage when I'm on tour when we are in the same city, and congrats on your new single (sic)."
Elsewhere in the chat, Madonna revealed the full extent of her musical abilities. When asked if she can play any instruments besides guitar, replied, "well i can play the drums. and i tried playing violin (sic)."
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Usher Wants Adele Duet
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Collaborations, Upcoming Releases, Pop, R&B / Soul,
Usher believes the world "deserves" a duet between him and Adele.
The "Yeah" singer thinks he should collaborate with "Rolling in the Deep" hitmaker Adele, after she has had such a great year since releasing her second album 21: "I think the world deserves an Usher and Adele record. That's what I think."
Usher also joked that he didn't want people in the US to keep buying 21, so it doesn't beat his record of 7.9 million sales of an album in one year, set with Confessions in 2004:
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Marilyn Manson teamed up with Johnny Depp for his new album, Born Villain.
Johnny provided guitar and drums for a cover of Carly Simon's 1972 hit "You're So Vain," which shock rocker Marilyn felt would be a particularly "ironic" track for them to take on.
"We did a cover version together of a song which we thought was ironic for each other. He played drums and lead guitar, and I played guitar and sang. It's a bonus track on my record and the video will probably be us looking at each other like a mirror," Manson said.
Johnny has previously said he took inspiration from Marilyn for his character Willy Wonka in the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The pair are friends, and although Marilyn's tracks such as "Cake and Sodomy" and "I Don't Like the Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)" hardly make him a child friendly performer, he has been booked for his Johnny's son's tenth birthday party.
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Nas Unsure About Winehouse Duet
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Collaborations, Blues, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop,
Nas says "part" of him "didn't want to" record a posthumous song with Amy Winehouse.
The rapper had planned to write a song with Amy before her death from accidental alcohol poisoning last July, and was apprehensive about whether he should contribute to the posthumously track "Like Smoke."
"Part of me didn't want to do the song. Amy and I share a birthday, so she was my sister. And she was just so much fun to be around. She would say things about well-known people in the industry that she didn't like and it would just crack me up. We were all hoping she would pull through and come back," he said.
Nas - full name Nasir Jones - was introduced to Amy via producer Salaam Remi, and she had referenced him in her track "Me and Mr. Jones," which they had planned to record a sequel to together. The rapper has also told how making "Like Smoke," featured on the Lioness: Hidden Treasures album was a "bittersweet" experience.
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Katy Perry and Rihanna Waiting for Greatness
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Collaborations, Upcoming Releases, Pop,
Katy Perry's collaboration with Rihanna is taking so long because "you have to wait for greatness."
The "Part of Me" singer has planned to record a song with her friend for a long time, but it is taking time because they are searching for the right track.
"We collaborate on a lot of things, just not songs yet - we have a great friendship. Its' one of those things where it's gotten so much build up that if we don't' deliver, like, the best song... We're both busy, but we planted a seed two years ago, we're just looking for that special one. How disappointed would you be if that song came out and it wasn't that good? So sometimes you have to wait for greatness," she said.
Katy explained she would like the track to be iconic and empowering, rather than sexy, like Shakira and Beyonce's 2007 single "Beautiful Liar."
"I was telling her, you know the Eurythmics song featuring Aretha Franklin, 'Sisters are Doing it for Themselves'? That's like the kind of song which I'd like to do, rather than 'Beautiful Liar' - although that is still a great song. I loved that but I definitely want to do something which is iconic."
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Rihanna: ‘Chris Brown Duet Made Sense’
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop,
Rihanna believes having Chris Brown on her new album "made sense."
The "You Da One" singer worked with her ex-boyfriend - who was charged with assaulting her in early 2009 - on track "Birthday Cake" and she thinks it was sensible to have him on there because he is the best musician for the job.
"I reached out to him about doing 'Birthday Cake' because that's the only person that really, it made sense to do the record. Just as a musician, despite everything else, that was going to be the person. You know, I thought about rappers, and I've done that so many times, and the hottest R&B artist out right now is Chris Brown. So I wanted him on the track, and then in turn he was like, 'Why don't you do the remix to my track?' and it was a trade off," she said.
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Bob Dylan Recording New Album
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Upcoming Releases, Folk, Rock,
Bob Dylan is recording a new album. The 70-year-old singer is working on his 35th studio album in Los Angeles, and it will reportedly have a Latin American influence.
Los Lobos musician David Hidalgo - who has been producing Bob's latest record, and worked on his last two albums,Together Through Life and Christmas in the Heart - said, "It was a great experience. And different. Each one has been different, all completely different approaches. It's an amazing thing, how he keeps creativity. I don't see how he does it."
David also detailed how he had introduced some Latin American instruments to the recording, such as the Tres guitar, a stringed instrument popular in Cuba and Puerto Rico: "He'd say, 'Wow, what's that? He liked the sound. So we'd get it in there."
Christmas in the Heart was released in 2009, and since then Bob has been involved in the The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams project, where artists recorded songs based on ideas and lyrics in notebooks left behind in a leather briefcase by the country artist after his death aged 29 in 1953. Bob recorded a track "The Love That Faded" for the album, which was released in October last year.
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Jay-Z Has ‘Simple’ Concept For New Album
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Upcoming Releases, Hip-Hop & Rap,
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Jay-Z has a "simple" concept and a title for his new album.
The "On to the Next One" rapper is already working on his 12th record, and according to studio engineer Young Guru, has a focused idea of what he wants to say.
"I'm marveled at how smart this guy is. When he told me the concept, I was like 'Why didn't I think of that?' It was just so simple. I can't tell you the title, it's so good it's like, 'Oh my god why didn't I think of that? What made you think of that and why haven't we done that before?' It's just staring us in the face all these years, we could've been put that out as an album concept."
Guru also said Jay and Kanye West teaming for a second collaborative Watch the Throne album, is a "serious consideration," but they are not likely to start on it until next year.
"It has been talked about but hasn't been executed yet. Definitely could happen."
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