Alex Da Kid (aka Alexander Grant) wants U2. He wants Cher. He wants Coldplay.
This is not the list of CDs he would like for Christmas.
These are the stars he's calling up to work with in 2011 and - given his track record over the last 12 months - they would be likely to take his calls.
In one of pop's success stories of 2010, the London-born songwriter and producer has gone from relative anonymity to crafting songs for the biggest names in urban music, including Eminem, Rihanna, B.o.B, Dr Dre, Diddy, TI and Nicki Minaj.
"A year ago, I was looking up to those guys, I wanted to be where they were," he says. "To be working with them is pretty cool.
"2010 has definitely been a good year. I just want to make 2011 a bigger year."
On Alex Da Kid's contribution to Eminem's Recovery album with 'Love the Way You Lie' ft. Rihanna:
(Then) it all came down to Rihanna, who had just one chance to record her vocals in a Dublin studio while on tour in May.
"We still didn't know, literally eight or nine hours before the album had to be given in, whether it [the song] would go on the album," Grant recalls.
"If Rihanna didn't do a great vocal performance, there was no time to re-do it. It just wouldn't have made the album. We couldn't have done it another day, it just wouldn't have gone on the album.
"So, it got pretty intense. We were all sitting around in the studio waiting for Rihanna to give us these vocals, and we were all just praying that they were perfect - which they ended up being.
"If it was a bad day for her and she didn't nail it that particular day, normally you'd just go back and re-record it a couple of days later. But we didn't have that time."
The track has been downloaded four million times in the US alone and its success contributed in no small part to the revival of Eminem's reputation and commercial fortunes.
Although we can’t necessarily say Rihanna is back, since she didn't go anywhere -- she is making a comeback of sorts.
The self-proclaimed "good girl gone bad" is back to her dance roots on her new single, “Only Girl (In the World),” which she debuted Tuesday on Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show.
After taking a more macabre approach to her fourth disc, “Rated R,” she's gone in a decidedly more “sassy, fun, flirty [and] energetic” direction on her fifth disc, “Loud.”
“Get loud, everybody. Get crazy. Get excited. 'Cause I'm pumped. I'm just gonna be me,” she told fansite RihannaDaily.com during a live chat.
“I’m done recording the whole album ... I made sure not to let you down with my music! You guys are always defending me, so now you've got some great songs to justify it. I didn't want to go backward and remake [2007's] ‘Good Girl Gone Bad.’ I wanted the next step in the evolution of Rihanna, and it's perfect for us.”
The single was produced by Stargate, the same Grammy-winning producing team responsible for some of her biggest hits, including “Rude Boy,” “Unfaithful,” “Hate That I Love You” and the dance anthem “Please Don't Stop the Music.”
With its club ready bassline and Euro-pop influences, not to mention one heck of an epic chorus, the track is a surefire hit. “Want you to make me feel, like I'm the only girl in the world,” she sings. “Like I’m the only one that you'll ever love, like I'm the only one who knows your heart.”
UsMagazine.com: How did you get your industry start?
Makeba Riddick: When I finished Berklee, I moved to New York and I was interning for Columbia Records and Def Jam and working with every producer in the tri-state area because I always wrote songs just as a hobby. My demo got to Francesca Spiro, the head of publishing at Bad Boy at the time, and I signed my first deal when I was 21. I had my first No. 1 record when I was 22 -- Jennifer Lopez and LL Cool J’s "All I Have." And the following year Sean Combs signed me for his Bad Boy publishing through EMI and then from there it's just been off to the races.
Us: Do you have a favorite song/album that you have worked on?
MR: 'Live your Life' was probably my favorite. It was No. 1 in 2009 with T.I. and Rihanna off of T.I.'s Paper Trail album. We recorded the record in Italy so I got to go to Milan and Venice and we had a blast recording it. T.I. is one of my favorite artists so to be able to work with him was also a plus. That song is my biggest record that I've co-written to date -- it was No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart for 10 weeks.
Us: You have worked on all four of Rihanna's albums. What is it like working with her?
MR: I was there from the beginning from the week she got signed before she even had a record deal. I was one of the first people she went into the studio with. It is always a wild adventure with her. Rihanna travels a lot and she loves to have her people with her. We listen to music, we watch videos, we drink champagne, it's literally a party in the studio with her all of the time and it's fun.
Us: So you party inside and outside of the studio?
MR: We go to different clubs in different countries and cities and then in the studio our whole team will be there and we just we have a ball. We listen to music, we watch videos, we drink champagne, it's literally a party in the studio with her all of the time and it's fun.
Us: Rihanna seems to have a great sense of humor.
MR: She's very witty and definitely an easy person to work with. Although she's an international superstar, we've had a relationship for so many years now that it's like going in the studio with a cousin. It doesn't feel like work at all.
Us: Do you have a couple of fun anecdotes from working with her that stand out to you?
MR: We were in Hawaii last year and we were on these paddle-boards. Everyone we were with was falling into the water and it was hilarious, but Rihanna was the only one that was able to keep her balance. We're all soaking wet, drenched with water, hair all over the place and that really stood out to me because that was so much fun. Another time we were in London working on the Rated R album and there was a sushi spot we love that they shut down for us. Jay-Z and all his Rock Nation people were there and we turned that place into a club. It always just feels like family with her and her people.
Us: What's the inspiration behind the song "Rude Boy"?
MR: Rihanna and I both work with Stargate a lot -- the production duo from Norway -- and they had the track and started the idea with another writer Esther Dean. She actually came up with that concept but the song wasn’t done and there were things Rihanna wanted to change, so they brought it to me to finish. I was listening to the words and me and Ri and we were just laughing and talking about so many situations that have happened in the past and that happen to women everywhere. By the time we were done of course, we were laughing and giggling about the lyrics -- surprisingly everybody went nuts over the song.
Us: Where were you when you found out the song had hit No. 1?
MR: It’s always a very surreal feeling to have a No. 1 record. I have been there five times before, but it never gets old and it’s very exciting to know that everybody in the world is listening to your song. I found out about it on Twitter believe it or not. I had just come in from dinner and of course I’m on Twitter all of the time. I saw all these "Makeba congrats on your No. 1 record" Tweets. I knew "Rude Boy" was out and it was going to the top of the charts, but it jumped from No. 4 to No. 1 and I hadn't even seen the charts yet. Rihanna hit me up and was like "We're No. 1 today all over the world, congratulations." So it’s always, it's a real very surreal feeling.
Us: That’s so funny that you found out about it on Twitter.
MR: Yeah, Twitter is like the new CNN or something!
The frightening incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning, as Rihanna was sitting and drinking in Miami's Liv club with US reality star Kim Kardashian and music producer Timbaland.
Suddenly five magnum-sized bottles of champagne rained down from the balcony above, one just missing the Barbadian singer as it smashed on the floor. The hooligans shouted '"Touchdown!" as each bottle shattered on the floor.
Someone from Rihanna's table returned fire with a bottle of their own... prompting an even bigger bottle to be hurled from above.
At this point, security waded in, and the DJ stopped the party with the words: "Everybody get the f**k out! Super Bowl is ruined." A terrified, screaming Rihanna was ushered away.
It was Rihanna's second near miss of the night.
Earlier she had been heading for the powder room when she nearly bumped into her ex, Chris Brown, who was also in the club.
Chris hadn't noticed her before his security stepped in and steered him away from an awkward, not to mention illegal, encounter - he's still under a restraining order after beating her up last year.
MTV AND VH1 TO HOST WORLD PREMIERE OF RIHANNA'S "HARD" VIDEO, FEATURING JEEZY, ONLINE, ON MOBILE AND ON-AIR, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 AT 4:00 PM ET
Rihanna to Participate With Fans in Multi-Screen Video Premiere Through Online Chat Feature
VH1 and MTV will premiere Rihanna’s video “Hard,” featuring Jeezy, on multiple screens including, VH1, VH1 Soul, MTV, MTV2, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, MTVU, MTV Tr3s, VH1, MTV.com, VH1 and MTV Mobile and the two networks’ Facebook and Myspace pages on Thursday, December 17 at 4:00 PM ET. The video will also premiere simultaneously on Rihanna’s official site, rihannanow.com, as well as her official Facebook and Myspace pages.
Rihanna will also be on hand to participate in the video premiere, by sending messages to her fans, which will appear alongside the video online. Fans are also encouraged to submit their messages via the online player.
Additionally, both MTV Mobile and VH1 Mobile are offering one exclusive Rihanna ringtone each. Monthly VH1/MTV mobile ringtone subscription holders can access the ringtone by going to m.MTV.com or m.VH1.com.
In its 4-star review, Rolling Stone called Rated R “one of the best pop records of the year.” The Chicago Sun Times called it “by far the best, most layered and most heartfelt effort of the 21-year-old artist's career.” Critics and fans alike have been raving about Rihanna’s new album, which made its debut atop the Billboard R&B Albums chart at #1. With over 182,000 copies in its first week of release, Rated R stands as the biggest first-week Soundscan tally of Rihanna’s career. Already exploding at radio, "Hard" was the #1 most added record at both the pop and urban formats, and was the greatest gainer at rhythm.
Final Nielsen/Soundscan taley... Susan Boyle 701K Rihanna 181K Lady Gaga 174K
According to the Hits Daily Double, Susan Boyle's debut 'I Dreamed a Dream' is projected to sell 670K first week of release. Also breaking the record for the most sold in first week 2009 sales, Eminem's May release of 'Relapse' which came in at 608K. Rihanna will still pull in a respective number of 180K with plenty of promotion going on prior and during the first week of release, but not enough steam to beat out Boyle's hefty sales.
With Chris Brown's 'Graffiti' coming December 8, this will get interesting as to who will pull in the bigger numbers first week Chris or Rihanna.
On Susan Boyle, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and the other November 23 releases, the Nielsen/Soundscan (the industry standard) numbers will be published tomorrow Wednesday, December 2, as Susan will win the chart race by a landslide.
Rihanna seen here earlier supporting Cash Money recording artist Jay Sean at the Cash Money Party held at the Royal Exchange Building In London, UK on Friday November 27.
Cash Money records broke the bank to secure Rihanna as guest of honour at their lavish UK launch party - so it's a pity someone forgot to tell the dozy DJ.
Rihanna, who was in London ahead of her incredible performance on last night's X Factor, had barely sat down when the DJ played a track by her violent ex, Chris Brown.
So she gathered her posse and stormed off.
It left party organisers fuming. Well, they had splashed out on £100,000 worth of Cristal champagne to impress their VIP guest at the Friday night bash, thrown to celebrate the launch of Jay Sean's album, All Or Nothing.
And they had worried that Rihanna, whose latest album is Rated R, might not show up.
Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams - founders of US hip-hop label Cash Money - had been anxiously checking their bling-encrusted watches from the moment they stepped out of their Rolls-Royces and into the Bank venue.
As the clock struck 1am, Rihanna finally strutted in, past fellow celebrity guests Ice-T, Alexandra Burke, Jamelia, Alesha Dixon and JLS, and took her VIP table in the corner.
Rihanna, who was wearing a slinky, cleavage-enhancing trouser-suit, hugged pal Jay and apologised for being late before reaching for a glass of champers. Minutes later she was grooving to his performance of Down and then the dunderhead on the decks suddenly spoiled her good mood.
Hearing her ex being played, Rihanna, 21, stopped dancing, returned to her table, told her entourage the party was over and left.
Our spy tell us: "It was a massive night for Jay.
The Cash Money boys had wanted to give him a homecoming celebration to remember and they wanted everyone talking about the label's launch party in the UK for a long time.
"Getting Rihanna there was the icing on the cake. Who knows what possessed the DJ to start playing Chris? It was such a dumb thing to do. Rihanna had looked ready to party as she chatted with Ice-T. But as soon as that song came on, she sat down and raised her eyebrows.
"She couldn't believe how insensitive the DJ was. She thought he probably played it to get a reaction. She wanted to leave there and then."
At least the smile was back on Rihanna's face on Saturday when her brolly blew inside out on the way to Bungalow 8. You'd think that by now she'd have learned to control her Umbrella... ella... ella! (source)
Rihanna kept hundreds of fans waiting in the cold on Monday night - after arriving three hours late to a New York City record signing.
The Umbrella hitmaker was scheduled to greet fans at a Best Buy store in Manhattan's Union Square at 5pm, kicking off the release of her new album, Rated R.
But the Barbados-born beauty didn't show up until after 8pm, leaving devotees waiting in the windy weather.
The star did not give a reason for her tardiness and her spokesperson had yet to respond to requests for a comment as WENN went to press. (source)
Rihanna - Rated R (Island/Def Jam) Four stars (Out of four)
"Rated R" belongs to that lonely figure, a self-styled X-Girl taken aback by her own vulnerability. After an intro that immediately cops to its maker's agitation -- it's called "Mad House" -- the album unfolds in quick turns, alternating acts of aggression with confessions of sorrow and confusion.
Searching for strength, Rihanna and her collaborators take on musical styles historically prone to machismo: hard rock, which Rihanna dons like a form of couture, and dancehall reggae, which she knows well but uses here in new ways. Images of violence abound: There are guns, grenades, girl gangs, crashing cars and smashed bodies on the football field.
Rihanna puts on her tough voice for these songs, settling into her lower register with a fierce frown. "The only thing I'm missing is a black guitar," she growls in the Dream-and-Stewart produced "Rockstar 101," her heavy modulation making clear that she can definitely get by without that ultimate rock phallic symbol. (Slash's presence, playing one, feels like an afterthought.)
BlakRoc is a bright spot in a dismal year for hip-hop. Which is tough to admit: The eponymous album — a collaboration between Ohio garage-bluesmen the Black Keys and a slew of notable MCs — is gimmicky and NPR-ready but stands as '09's most interesting hip-hop approach.
Let the compliment stand un-backhanded. BlakRoc deepens the louche blues inherent to hip-hop's musicality and lyricism. Keys drummer Patrick Carney has always played with spare, bass-heavy aggression, fundamental to live-band hip-hop. Listen as he goes toe-to-toe with Ludacris and an exhumed ODB on "Coochie" (massive, bombastic) and simmers behind Jay-Z clone Noe on "Hard Times" (dark, haunting). Mos Def works typically soulful verses and backup vocals on a Jim Jones-rapped track; singer Nicole Wray spouts heartcrushing soul wherever she turns up, a vintage update to a stagnating tradition. 'BlakRoc' is due for release Friday.
Bill Cosby is gangster when it comes to helping black people. Meaning he's ruthless, bold, fearless — and will do anything to achieve his objective.
Cosby has already absorbed enormous criticism from African-Americans for his blunt attacks on self-destructive black behavior and hip-hop culture. Now he's taking his crusade into the lion's den with the improbable rap album "State of Emergency."
There's only one problem: the music itself. Asking your average rap fan to listen to this is like asking a kid to give up Twinkies for tofu — so the healthy stuff had better be extra good.
Rihanna. Ne-Yo told us that the "R" in her "Rated R" stands for either "remarkable" or "really, really sexy." Not quite sure if it completely hit both of those notes, but it was definitely over too soon. Performing in a sort of sci-fi junkyard, Rihanna came onstage in what could have been a torture device. Like Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna is definitely tapping into the cyborg pop mentality that's all the rage at the moment (nice spikes on the shoulders). She gave us snippets of two songs from "Rated R" -- "Wait Your Turn" and "Hard" -- but it would have been better to just stick with one. To her credit, she sounded sharp, metallic and owned the songs. The night's best performance thus far. A-
The Black Eyed Peas. The Los Angeles popsters received a showcase performance, getting to offer live takes of "Meet Me Halfway" and "Boom Boom Pow," two of the most ubiquitous songs of the year. Viewers were reminded of this fact repeatedly, with their sales constantly hyped, and the Black Eyed Peas declaring themselves "the new kings" at the end of their performance. On record, "Meet Me Halfway" is all electronic futurism. Live, it was a bit messier, but there was plenty of eye candy in this extended performance. Crazy wigs and stereo outfits and some crowd-pleasing samples of C+C Music Factory and Nirvana. It was all pop-culture nonsense, and that's what the Black Eyed Peas excel at. B+
Alicia Keys. Getting a chance to redeem herself for her earlier performance, Keys drops her new single, "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart," in her second performance of the evening, touching on a bit of '70s R&B vibe. Her gold-draped jacket will dominate the gossip sites Monday, and the single's good too. Keys doesn't belt at the top of her lungs here, and though I prefer her when she's at the piano (she sat down and played in the song's final moments), she's softly restrained for much of the song. The background dancers, copping some vintage "West Side Story" Broadway moves, were cute to boot. B+
Mary J. Blige. Her "I Am" isn't a knock-out on par with "I Can See in Color," but it's the type of ballad Blige can perfectly deliver in her sleep. On a night were futuristic flash and bare skin were all the rage, Blige kept it lovingly old school. B
Janet Jackson. So, supposedly the American Music Awards were going to open with a performance from Janet, and that's technically what happened. Except Janet's performance was largely a commercial for her "Number Ones," in which the singer, in a tan outfit that looked like it was ripped straight from the racks at REI, performed a medley of her hits. Imagine going to Amazon.com and clicking on a bunch of song samples from her two-disc set. That's largely what this performance was -- it's "Miss You Much"! and now it's "What Have You Done for Me Lately"! -- and if you were a Janet fan, you surely enjoyed this swift little medley. It was a safe and solid opening, and it gets a slight bonus for focusing entirely on Janet and not becoming another Michael tribute, so B-.
Rihanna was joined live on stage by mentor Jay-Z in London tonight (November 16) as she launched new album 'Rated R' at an exclusive live show.
The R&B princess put in a brief but epic performance at Brixton Academy in front of a crowd of competition winners and invited guests. The show was streamed live online by Nokia.
Debuting tracks from 'Rated R', which is released next week, the singer was also joined by rapper .
The show then began in earnest with a dramatic rendition of new single 'Russian Roulette', throughout which Rihanna sat on a revolving white chair, before miming shooting herself in the head at the finale.
After a selection of hits from breakthrough record 'Good Girl Gone Bad', Rihanna was then joined by Jeezy for the new album track 'So Hard'.
But the main event was saved for the climax. As the opening strains of her recent Jay-Z collaboration opened up, it became apparent that the man himself was in the building, joining Rihanna from the back of the stage to rap his parts on the smash.
Jay-Z remained onstage for his opening sequence on the star’s signature hit 'Umbrella', which brought the show to its dramatic climax.
Rihanna setlist:
'Madhouse' 'Wait Your Turn' 'Russian Roulette' 'Don’t Stop The Music' 'Take A Bow' / 'Disturbia' 'So Hard' ft. Young Jeezy 'Live Your Life' 'Run This Town' ft. Jay-Z 'Umbrella' ft. Jay-Z
Rihanna kicked off the promotion for her upcoming Rated R album on Monday (November 16) with a concert from London that featured loads of swagger, tons of flash and a pair of high-profile guests.
Broadcast online to a global audience, thanks to Nokia, the show marked one of the first times Rihanna had performed songs from R (which hits stores November 23) before a live audience, and she was clearly emboldened by the high stakes, strutting across the stage — which was decorated with busted TV sets and a mannequin or three — vamping for the camera and powering her way through a hit-packed set.
Of course, the songs from her new album got top billing: As the house lights dimmed (and the crowd chanted "Ri-hanna! Ri-hanna!"), the speakers crackled to life with a pre-recorded message: "Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you who are easily frightened, we suggest you turn around right now. For those of you who can take it, we say: Welcome to the mad house," and the band launched into "Mad House," the intro track from Rated R.
She spit the opening lines of Rated R's "Hard," then welcomed Young Jeezy onstage so he could finish things off. As the song ended, her band performed a medley of "S.O.S." and "Unfaithful" (the perfect time for a costume change!), and Rihanna emerged in a black leotard and began singing her verse from T.I.'s "Live Your Life," which morphed into her verses on Jay-Z's "Run This Town," and Hov himself appeared onstage, launched into his verses, and sent the crowd into overdrive.
That, of course, led right into "Umbrella," with Jay rapping his intro then ceding the spotlight back to Rihanna, who belted the song out while Jay urged her to "Take 'em higher!"
RIHANNA’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED VIDEO FOR “RUSSIAN ROULETTE” TO MAKE WORLD PREMIERE ON ABC’S “20/20” FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13
“RUSSIAN ROULETTE” DEBUTS IN BILLBOARD TOP 10, RIHANNA’S 12th CAREER TOP 10 SINGLE
RIHANNA TO LAUNCH NOVEMBER 23 RELEASE OF RATED R WITH PERFORMANCES ON AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN AND MUCH MORE
NEW YORK, NY - Friday, November 13, 2009 – As “Russian Roulette” - Rihanna’s smash first single from her hotly-anticipated new album Rated R – makes it’s Billboard Hot 100 debut inside the top 10 at #9, the superstar is set to premiere director Anthony Mandler’s dark, cinematic, and surely controversial video tonight on ABC’s “20/20” at 10:00pm EST.
MTV News previewed the album on Tuesday (November 10) and Rihanna's description is certainly accurate.
After the intro, Rated R kick starts with "Wait Your Turn" and the Young Jeezy-assisted "Hard." The material matches the artwork that's been released for the project so far, with Rihanna posturing as the bad chick.
"Tougher than a lion/ Ain't no need in trying/ I live where the sky ends, yup, you know this," Rihanna sings in a near-rap flow on "Hard." "Never lying, truth telling/ That Rihanna reign just won't let up/ The hottest bitch in heels right here."
In what will probably be referred to by fans as the "Chris Brown song," Rihanna reveals a softer side of herself on the ballad "Stupid In Love."
"I still love you, but I can't do this/ I may be dumb but I'm not stupid," she sings on the Ne-Yo-penned record.
"Stupid In Love" recounts a story of distrust over lies, raging emotions, and lamenting a lost love.
"The dunce cap is off/ You don't realize what you lost 'til I'm gone/ I was the one," Rihanna croons.
The pulsating "Russian Roulette" follows, but it's the next series of selections — "Rock Star," "Firebomb," and "Rude Boy" — that fit the Rihanna archetype of big, bombastic tracks that flaunt her sex appeal.
"Rock Star" features former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash. With its mix of drum kicks and guitar licks, Rihanna revels in her rebellion. "I got my middle finger up/ I don't really give a f---."
"G4L" is another posture record (the acronym is short for "gangster for life"), while "Te Amo" is the Barbados singer's paean to her international audience.
The album once again turns somber, with the Will.i.am-assisted "Photographs," where Rihanna laments over a lost relationship.
"It shoulda been me and you/ now all I got is these photographs," she sings.
"The Last Song" is just that, after the Justin Timberlake-helmed "Cold Case Love."
"Love" begins with a sparse melody and gradually builds through each verse before it crescendos with a full production flourish. (source)
Track list for Rated R:
01. "Mad House" 02. "Wait Your Turn" 03. "Hard" ft. Young Jeezy 04. "Stupid In Love" 05. "Russian Roulette" 06. "Rock Star" ft. Slash 07. "Firebomb" 08. "Rude Boy" 09. "Photographs" ft. Will.i.am 10. "G4L" 11. "Te Amo" 12. "Cold Case Love" 13. "The Last Song"
Still don’t believe the Democrats’ party line about a post-racial America? Then obviously you weren’t at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion Sunday night for Jay-Z’s absolutely outstanding show.
You can’t make this up: in one row, right by the stage, sitting next to each other, were a pair of very young white kids, bumping up and down and singing every word of “Empire State of Mind” and “Hard Knock Life” … alongside a bearded man in a turban attempting to both impress his date and pretend to ignore his next-door neighbors … who happened to be an interracial couple, basketball player Rick Fox and actress Eliza Dushku … plus a Latina too busy taking pictures of the superstar rapper to even pay attention to her tabloid-royalty seatmates.
With Michael Jackson’s passing, there may be no other entertainer in the world able to unify such a diverse audience. And Jay-Z –- the Brooklyn-born hip-hop prince who has managed to maintain an impressively lengthy career unheard of for a genre filthy with flashes-in-the-pan –- isn’t one to let such an opportunity pass him by.
But what Jay-Z’s best at is connecting with his audience, and here he did it in one of the most literal ways I’ve ever seen. As the band vamped its way through some funk towards the end of the show, he asked for the house lights to go up, took off the sunglasses he wore throughout the rest of the set, and literally thanked audience members one by one –- 40 or so of them, anyway.
“You in the USC shirt? You have a good time? Good luck getting out of here.” “Hey, little guy -– your first Jay-Z show? You enjoy yourself? Thanks so much for coming!”
Not quite midway through the show, Rihanna, draped in black and standing on an elevated riser, emerged from underneath the stage to sing her vocal on Jay-Z's summer hit, "Run This Town," from his 11th studio album, “The Blueprint 3.”
Young women in the audience jumped onto their chairs, camera phones in hand, for a better glimpse, their screams ringing out in near unison over the arena. One fan nearby turned to her friend and screamed, "Oh my God, is that really her?"
It was the first time the pop star had performed since breaking her nearly nine month silence last week about being assaulted by former boyfriend Chris Brown in February.
Armed with a newfound swagger, she sang on "Run This Town," then treated the crowd to the new single "Hard" (sans Young Jeezy) from her upcoming album, "Rated R," due Nov. 23. Jay-Z nodded his head in approval -- from the side of the stage.
He was equally generous when it came to spotlighting the other performers on the bill. J.Cole, the first act signed to Jay-Z's label Roc Nation, opened the show and joined the rapper later for their collaboration "A Star Is Born."
Up-and-comer Wale was embraced by the sold-out crowd, who rapped along with every word of the Washington, D.C., native's hit "Chillin" from his studio debut, "Attention Deficit," out Tuesday. No stranger to the mix-tape circuit, Wale appeared every bit the seasoned performer, delivering a high-energy, engaging set.
When it came to high energy, though, it would have been difficult for any of the acts to compete with N.E.R.D. The band, fronted by the Neptunes' Pharell Williams, doesn't have the same album sales as the artists it produces, but group's fan base is loyal, judging by how easily concertgoers transformed the arena into a raucous mosh pit.
Playing for an hour, the genre-bending rockers ran through such hits as "Lapdance" and "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)," with Lupe Fiasco joining them on the latter track. Williams' raspy falsetto was sometimes lost in the massive mix, but the presence of female vocalist Rhea added a strong, sexy edge to the songs.
Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' World Tour dates: Nov. 12 – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall – Champaign, IL Nov. 13 - Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN Nov. 17 - United Spirit Arena - Lubbock, TX Nov. 19 – Tingley Coliseum – Albuquerque, N.M. Nov. 20 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX Nov. 22 – Frank Erwin Center Arena – Austin, TX
And the second leg of the tour starts in 2010 with Young Jeezy opening the show. Feb. 22 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center Feb. 23 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center Feb. 25 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena Feb. 27 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena Feb. 28 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Complex Mar. 03 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center Mar. 07 - Norfolk, VA - Norfolk Scope Arena Mar. 11 - Boston, MA - TD Garden Mar. 16 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena Mar. 19 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center Mar. 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse Mar. 22 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center Mar. 24 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion At San Jose Mar. 26 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
(videos courtesy of OPiiE562, shahanamama2you, masterkkoosh, cLark & moviebruin)
For one night only, Pauley Pavilion was transformed from a college sports arena to a major venue, a West Coast Madison Square Garden. Thousands flocked to see Shawn Corey Carter, otherwise known as Hova, otherwise known as Jigga, otherwise known as Jay-Z.
With just as much gratitude as he had swagger, Jay-Z’s interaction with his audience was a pleasure to be a part of, an exchange of his best lyrics and most entertaining songs. His encore was like a crash course through his discography and while he might have sped through parts of it (If you blinked, you completely missed “’03 Bonnie & Clyde.”), he certainly did justice to some of his best works, from “Can I Get A …” to “Big Pimpin’” and “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).”
The LED display was part of a stunningly beautiful backdrop to Jay-Z’s performance, a series of vertical-shaped lines that presented a skyscraper-like view with dazzling video effects and camera views, especially while performing one of his more modern masterpieces, “Empire State of Mind.”
The crowd was also stunned at the surprise appearance of Rihanna, whose recent media appearances have seemed to propelled her popularity, at least within the audience, to new heights. She performed with Jay-Z in their collaborative hit, “Run This Town,” sansKayne West, and also sang a song ("Hard") from her upcoming album, “Rated R.” Thankfully, she avoided singing her rather downbeat debut single, “Russian Roulette,” and opted for a more dance-friendly hit, which was too new for anybody to sing along with.
Jay-Z's Los Angeles, CA Pauley Pavilion songs performed (Set list):
DOA Takeover U Don't Know 99 Problems Show Me What You Got Give It To Me Run This Town ft. Rihanna (So) Hard - performed by Rihanna Diamonds Jigga Izzo Jigga What P.S.A. Heart of the City Already Home Empire State of Mind A Star Is Born So Ambitious Dirt Off Your Shoulder ----------------- Thank You (Playback set) Big Pimpin Hard Knock Life Encore Young Forever
Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' World Tour dates: Nov. 12 – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall – Champaign, IL Nov. 13 - Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN Nov. 17 - United Spirit Arena - Lubbock, TX Nov. 19 – Tingley Coliseum – Albuquerque, N.M. Nov. 20 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX Nov. 22 – Frank Erwin Center Arena – Austin, TX
And the second leg of the tour starts in 2010 with Young Jeezy opening the show. Feb. 22 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center Feb. 23 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center Feb. 25 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena Feb. 27 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena Feb. 28 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Complex Mar. 03 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center Mar. 07 - Norfolk, VA - Norfolk Scope Arena Mar. 11 - Boston, MA - TD Garden Mar. 16 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena Mar. 19 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center Mar. 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse Mar. 22 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center Mar. 24 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion At San Jose Mar. 26 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
(video courtesy of TP, shahanamama2you & moviebruin)
