In 2004, Jin Au-Yeung had the world in his hands.
The Queens-bred hip-hop artist, then 20, shot to fame after back-to-back wins on "Freestyle Friday" on BET's "106 & Park." A coveted record deal with Ruff Ryders came next.
At the time, it seemed as if the Chinese-American performer, endorsed by Wyclef Jean himself, would become the first big Asian-American musical star. With lots of promise and hype, he was poised to shatter stereotypes.
That never happened.
"It wasn't more difficult to market me, but definitely more of a challenge," he says of his debut album. "It may have taken a bit more effort because no one's tried to market an Asian or a high-profile Asian before."
Six years later, Jin relocated to Hong Kong, where he's made it as a popular Cantonese-spitting rapper. Christianity has become a new focal point in his music.
Though Jin felt the sting six years ago, today there's a new world for Asian-American musical acts.
The No. 1 and 2 songs on the top 10 singles on the Billboard charts are by Asian-American artists: Bruno Mars ("Just the Way You Are") and Far East Movement ("Like a G6"). Until last week, "Like a G6" was the No. 1 most downloaded single on iTunes.
For Far East Movement, a band born and bred in L.A.'s Koreatown, it's a historic moment. The party-music quartet -- whose debut album from Interscope hits stores today -- is the first Asian-American group to break into the mainstream.
"It's been a long time coming," says Kev Nish (aka Kevin Nishimura). Currently touring the country with Mike Posner, they'll perform Tuesday night at Irving Plaza. "It's hard for us to believe. When we go to different cities and hear it on radio stations, it really, really trips us out."
The band -- Nishimura, James (Prohgress) Roh, Jae (J-Splif) Choung and Virman (DJ Virman) Coquia -- have been marketing themselves online for the past few years, chatting with fans into the night after their shows.
That connection to social media has been instrumental in their success.
"Far East Movement and Bruno Mars didn't come just out of nowhere," says Oliver Wang, an associate professor of sociology at California State University-Long Beach. "There's been a slow push to make it happen through social media. It's finally hit that tipping point."
Still, without a historical precedent, music insiders are hesitant to declare Asian-American mainstream music an actual trend.
"American pop music has for decades been white and black pop stars," says Michael Endelman, senior editor at Rolling Stone. "Generally, Asian-Americans haven't been in the music industry in a significant way. You go back to the great pop and rock in the first wave of the great labels of the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s -- there's just no history to it."
That's not to say many haven't tried. Two American-bred artists, Coco Lee in 2000 and Utada Hikaru in 2004, who made it big in Asia, have failed to succeed in the U.S.
Even Charice Pempengco, the pop star who recently joined the cast of TV's "Glee," doesn't believe Asian-Americans or Asian crossovers will make it. When asked by the Daily News in May if she expected her album to become a big seller, the 17-year-old sounded defeated.
"It's really hard to go international, so that's why I'm not expecting it right now. I love the record, but I don't know if it will go far," she said. (It peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.)
Jin Young Park, CEO of South Korean record label JYP Entertainment, is trying to change all this. Park is the mastermind behind global sensation Rain and the bubblegum pop band Wonder Girls, who toured with the Jonas Brothers last summer.
With 31 No. 1 hits in South Korea under his belt (and writing credits for the Wonder Girls single "Nobody," which charted on the Billboard Hot 100), Park wants to create the next global star.
"We're two steps from finally doing it," he says from his music studio in Manhattan. "Far East Movement has made a huge step for Asian-Americans. Now we need an Asian crossover to break through for that other step."
The Wonder Girls' first full-length English album debuts in the spring, and Park believes they'll be the first.
Asian-American and crossover acts have a champion in MTV veejay Suchin Pak, who says she's been waiting for years to interview an Asian-American during prime time.
What's exciting about bands like Far East Movement's success, she believes, is that they made it on the merits of the music.
"The Far East Movement guys would tell you that they never -- or hardly ever - claim their Asian identity is a boost or an obstacle," she says. "For them, they finally found the right sound, they finally gelled as a group after 10 years. I think it's less and less about the race and ethnicity nowadays."
"For me, the social specifics trail far behind the music as far as importance," agrees Dart Parker, director of artists and repertoire at Shady Records. "All music- industry folks care about is personality, look and style, but I don't think that has anything to do with ethnicity. If an act's got it, they've got it."
Far East Movement's album, "Free-Wired," which drops Tuesday, features collaborations with the likes of Keri Hilson, Snoop Dogg, Ryan Tedder, Bruno Mars and others. It's possible Far East Movement has got what it takes to be the first Asian-Americans to top the charts.
"People are discovering our music maybe on a blog, or they heard it on the radio once, then they heard it on a TV show, and then they hear it in the club, and then finally they go, 'Oh! They're Asian,'" says Nishimura. "And they don't really care."
Source
Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, according to our sources, are working on an anthem that is sure to hit a gay club near you as soon as it's complete. The new song is entitled 'Raining Men' and is supposed to sound nothing like the original, and is a little more uptempo than you'd expect from Rihanna, but we're sure that just by the title alone, it'll turn heads. Here's what Rihanna had to say:
She has a great buzz and she has a ‘thing’ to her. She is a star and that’s why people love her. She’s also really entertaining with her visual as well as her lyrics and she has a great melody. I’m really amazed that she can write like that. [Nicki] not only raps but she can write songs too. It was really easy actually. We were going back on forth with the texts on how we were going to get to do it because we were in two different places and had two opposite schedules.
You know I worked with her before on ‘Rated R‘ and she was just writing me some really good ballads and I couldn’t wait to work with her again and finally have her on my record. It’s a really fun song. It’s called ‘Raining Men’. No, nothing like the original. It’s quite up-tempo but kind of quirky and funny.”
Doctor Who star Matt Smith says he wants Florence and the Machine's Florence Welch to have a cameo role on the show.
Matt was talking ahead of the launch of the interactive Doctor Who Live show. The tour started at London's Wembley Arena but will hit nine other major cities in the UK.
The sixth series of Doctor Who will open with a two-parter set in the US.
Production starts in Cardiff this month with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.
"I would like Florence to come and do a Doctor Who. I think she has an essence of an actress".
Celebrity wish list
Matt also revealed there were more celebrities he'd like to see on the programme.
"Eric Cantona, Vincent Cassell, would be number one actually. Helen Mirren would be great. Rowan Atkinson, I'd love to be in Doctor Who. I think he'd be wonderful. I think he's just great. i think he's a fantastic actor."
But would Florence be a friend or foe of the Doctor's?
Matt Smith Matt Smith wants Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine on Dr Who
"Well, who knows. She could be a baddie, she could be a goodie. But I think it will be interesting for her to tread the boards as it were."
As for there being a second red head on set, the first being the Dr's assistant, Karen Gillan, would that be a problem for the Doctor?
"No. There's always room for two fiery reds. And no one can ever replace Miss Gillan."
Series six has been split into two blocks, with the first airing on BBC One in spring 2011 and the second block showing in autumn 2011.
Source
Last week we got a look at some behind-the-scenes photos from My Chemical Romance's "Na Na Na" video, from the group's upcoming Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys album (Nov. 22).
My Chemical Romance's "Na Na Na" video, directed by Roboshobo and Gerard Way, takes place in a dusty desert--perhaps a nod to America's historic Route 66--where something big is bound to happen. And today we've got exclusive behind-the-scenes video footage where we get to see the "Na Na Na" video come to life. The Killjoys are on the loose, wreaking havoc on the desert with ray guns, motorcycles, wheelchairs, child warriors with boom boxes, terrifying masks and a go-go gung ho desire to fight the naysayers using art as a weapon.
True, "Na Na Na"' features guns and blood, but the video seems to be more of a tongue-in-cheek game of cops and robbers on a quest for artistic and creative freedom than a vicious, violent statement.
How will "Na Na Na" end? We'll have to wait until Thursday, Oct. 14, when "Na Na Na" premieres, to find out.
Check out a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of My Chemical Romance's "Na Na Na" video and don't miss the "Na Na Na" MTV.com video premiere on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 12:01am/11:01c following the season finale of "Jersey Shore."
Justin Bieber has already worked with Will Smith’s son Jaden Smith and now he’s singing the praises of Willow Smith’s music.
Bieber took to his Twitter to let fans know that a new star is on the rise: “[O]h and a heads up…got to see a rough cut of my lil sis Willow Smith’s video for WHIP MY HAIR. It’s CRAZY!! She is killin em! GET READY!”
Willow has burst onto the music scene with her first song and is already getting a ton of attention. Would you like to see Willow and Bieber work together someday?
Source
Katy Perry will be setting off on her biggest World tour soon and returns to Europe February 2011. Click on the venues for ticket info.
Sunday, February 20
Lisbon, Portugal: Campo Pequeno
all ages - under 14 need adult
on sale October 15
Wednesday, February 23
Milan, Italy: Palasharp
all ages
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Friday, February 25
Zurich, Switzerland: Hallenstadion
all ages
on sale October 16
Saturday, February 26
Munich, Germany: Zenith
all ages - under 16 need adult
on sale October 15
Sunday, February 27
Vienna, Austria: Gasometer
all ages
on sale October 15
Friday, March 4
Berlin, Germany: Columbiahalle
all ages - under 16 need adult
on sale October 15
Sunday, March 6
Offenbach, Germany: Stadthalle
all ages - under 16 need adult
on sale October 15
Monday, March 7
Paris, France: Zenith
all ages
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Thursday, March 10
Brussels, Belgium: Forest National
all ages - under 14 need adult
on sale October 15
Friday, March 11
Cologne, Germany: Palladium
all ages - under 16 need adult
on sale October 15
Monday, March 14
Hamburg, Germany: Sporthalle
all ages - under 16 need adult
on sale October 15
Tuesday, March 15
Amsterdam, Holland: HMH
all ages - under 16 need adult
on sale October 16
Thursday, March 17 & Friday, March 18
London, UK: HMV Hammersmith Apollo
all ages - under 14 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Monday, March 21 & Tuesday, March 22
Manchester, UK: Apollo
14+, under 16 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Monday, March 28
Dublin, Ireland: O2 Arena
all ages - under 16 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Wednesday, March 30
Nottingham, UK: Trent FM Arena
all ages - under 14 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Thursday, March 31
Bournemouth, UK: BIC
all ages - under 14 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Friday, April 1
Cardiff, UK: Cardiff International Arena
all ages - under 14 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Sunday, April 3
Newcastle, UK: Metro Radio Arena
14+, under 16 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Monday, April 4
Birmingham, UK: LG Arena
all ages - under 16 need adult
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Tuesday, April 5
Glasgow, UK: SECC Hall 3
14+
AMEX pre-sale October 11
general on sale October 16
Source
Ke$ha has had to cancel a recent concert in Mexico due to commitments surround the re-release of her chart-topping debut album ‘Animal‘. While explaining the reason for the cancelled concert, Ke$ha revealed that her re-release will bear the awesome and strangely appropriate title of ‘Cannibal‘.
The album is currently scheduled for release in mid-November, which means that the lead single can’t be too far off. Production on the disc is being handled by the same team behind ‘Animal’ — Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco and DJ Ammo — as well as hip-hop hitmaker Bangladesh. Between 5-8 new songs are expected to appear on ‘Cannibal’.
Since its release in January, ‘Animal‘ has topped the Billboard charts, been certified Platinum and sold over 2 million copies worldwide. It’s also spawned four consecutive top ten hits, all of which have been certified Platinum or multi-Platinum.
Source
