'All of this comes with the territory,' Ush tells MTV News of paternity-suit drama.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber and Usher
Photo: Ben Rose/ WireImage
Usher might not have known how big Justin Bieber would become when he discovered him a few years back, but he was pretty sure he had found something special.
Since Bieber burst on the scene with his My World EP back in 2009, the 17-year-old has grown up with the world watching. He's gone from up-and-comer to full-fledged pop sensation, racking up chart-topping albums and a box-office hit and becoming an all-around mega-heartthrob — all in two years. Of course, with the good does come negative attention as well. Recently, Bieber was hit with a paternity lawsuit, which has since been dropped. Usher, no stranger to his own controversies, had these words for the Biebs: "Stay strong. And know that all of this comes with the territory." Aside from the drama, Usher is especially proud of Bieber's charitable side. His mentor said he "absolutely" knew the kid from Stratford, Ontario, had a big heart from the start. "To write a check is only half of it, but when you truly take on a responsibility to be a philanthropist, you accept an effort, and I really think that Pencils of Promise is something that has a very bright future," Usher told MTV News at an event for the charity, noting that Bieber is a only a small part of it. Usher — who appears on Bieber's new Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe — gives credit to the folks surrounding the teen superstar, including manager Scooter Braun. "Just judging from the determination and the will power of the entire team around Justin, I see a very, very promising [future] for him as a philanthropist," Usher said.
Related Artists Adele's 21 and Justin Bieber's Under the Mistletoe snag #2 and #3 spots.
By Rob Markman
Michael Buble's Christmas
Photo: Reprise
Wondering what gifts will await you on Christmas morning? Don't be surprised if Ol' St. Nick stuffs your stocking with a copy of Michael Bublé's Yuletide LP. The throwback singer sold almost 448,000 copies of his Christmas album this past week while shoppers rushed stores to snag gifts for their loved ones. The sales number was more than enough to once again perch Bublé atop the Billboard albums chart like a partridge in a pear tree and bring him that much closer to a double-platinum plaque, according to SoundScan.
Adele put in work as well, securing the #2 spot on the charts, as another 277,000 music lovers realized they should run out and buy her masterpiece 21, 43 weeks after its release. Justin Bieber's Under the Mistletoe (#3, 171,000), Lady Antebellum's Own the Night (#5, 81,000) and Drake's Take Care (#7, 77,000) all pushed past platinum this week, while the Black Keys' El Camino and Amy Winehouse's posthumous Lioness: Hidden Treasures remained in the top 10 in their second week of release. Nickelback's Here and Now (#6, 80,000), Andrea Bocelli's Concerto: One Night in Central Park (#8, 76,000) and "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery's Clear as Day (#9, 66,000) rounded out the rest of the top 10. Soul vocalist Anthony Hamilton saw his fifth studio album, Back to Love, miss the top 10 in its debut week, landing in the #12 position by selling almost 63,000 copies. Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa's Mac & Devin Go to High School movie soundtrack was the week's second notable debut, but one would have to imagine that the duo expected to land higher than #29. Still, once the accompanying film is actually released in 2012, the album could potentially move up. It'll be interesting to see where veteran rappers Common and Young Jeezy will land next week with their respective albums, which were both released Tuesday.
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Bieber debuts 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' video (and performs with Busta Rhymes and Usher) during 'Christmas in Rockefeller Center.'
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber at the Christmas Tree lighting in New York City
Photo: James Devaney/ Getty Images
Deck the halls! The holiday kicked into high gear Wednesday night (November 30) when New York's massive Christmas tree was lit during "Christmas in Rockefeller Center." Plenty of A-listers were on hand, including Justin Bieber, who premiered his highly anticipated video for "All I Want for Christmas Is You," featuring Mariah Carey.
Before the strings of lights were illuminated, performances from Michael Bublé, Katharine McPhee, Big Time Rush, Tony Bennett, Carole King and Neil Diamond warmed viewers up. But Bieber was the headline act of the night, giving fans some big performances and an even bigger video premiere. Bieber amped up the energy with his hip-hop-ified take on the Christmas classic "Little Drummer Boy," which included him spitting a holiday-themed rhyme. Decked in all black, the teen star had the crowd screaming. He was even joined by Busta Rhymes, who appears on the Under the Mistletoe cut. JB then slowed things down with "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)," leaving his female fans swooning as he crooned the holiday standard. He was joined by his mentor Usher for the track. "God bless and Merry Christmas," Bieber told the crowd before tossing to the "All I Want for Christmas Is You" video. The clip features Mariah Carey dressed in a sexy Santa Claus outfit standing in a department store as she dances around singing the track, almost as if she's on display for holiday shoppers. It also sees Bieber and his pals shopping for some choice holiday gifts like high-top kicks. In between performance shots of Bieber and Mariah, a street-corner Santa Claus hands out envelopes to shoppers on the street, teasing an inevitable yuletide party scene. The shoppers are then welcomed into the department store, where Justin and Mariah hand out gifts to everyone. The duo tease and flirt with each other as everyone around them unwraps their gifts. Bieber and Carey re-recorded her classic holiday tune for his chart-topping holiday album, which also features appearances from the Band Perry and Boyz II Men. They filmed the video earlier this month, just in time for the holiday season. Did Bieber get you in the holiday spirit? Let us know in the comments!
Related Artists 'When you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is,' Usher tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena, with additional reporting by Jim Cantiello
When Usher and David Guetta hooked up for the French DJ's latest album, Nothing but the Beat, the two superstars created a chart-topping smash, "Without You," that combines Guetta's ear for house beats and Usher's ability to convey a range of emotions with his voice. It's a song that has really stuck with fans of all genres of music.
The track — a swirling pop ode to not giving up on love in the face of adversity — struck Usher with its emotional core. "David Guetta is an amazing artist," he told MTV News last week at a Pencils of Promise charity event. "We talked for many years about working together, and we found a record that was incredible." Usher said it was a song that resonated with him personally. "I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I've actually been on in the last three years," he said. "Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There's many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is."
When MTV News talked to Guetta on the American Music Awards red carpet Sunday, he said "Without You" is a standout track on the album. The LP dropped earlier this year and also includes Nicki Minaj, who performed with Guetta at the AMAs. "It's one of my favorite songs," he said. "It's just, I'm a DJ, so I want to make people dance always, but I also want to give emotions. When it comes to that, 'Without You' is probably one of the most emotional songs that I've done, and yes, I'm very proud of that record." What do you think about "Without You"? Share your reviews in the comments!
Related Photos Related Artists DJ/producer calls their collabo the 'biggest record' on his just-released Nothing but the Beat.
By Akshay Bhansali
Usher
Photo: Todd Williamson/ WireImage
David Guetta recently told MTV News that the Usher collabo "Without You" is the "biggest record" on his just-released Nothing but the Beat.
It's a rather bold statement, considering his latest album also features Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, will.i.am, Akon, Timbaland, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Hudson, just to name a few. But Guetta has a soft spot for the cinematic team-up with Ush, which he says is equal parts sentimental and hands-in-the-air euphoric. "It's just totally emotional," Guetta said. "Some of the record is a proper ballad, and then it goes to that crazy dance beat. It's perfect for him, because he's famous for his ballads. And he's also now famous for those big club records that he comes with. He's an amazing dancer, so I felt like he was the artist that I needed." Usher and Guetta first previewed the song in Ibiza, Spain, earlier this summer, with the crowd demanding an encore performance of the sure-to-be-hit song. "It was amazing," Guetta gushed. "We were not supposed to do this. I always do these kinds of stupid things, playing records when I'm not supposed to play them. And Usher was so excited for this time to be in Ibiza performing in front of those people. He called me onstage and said, 'Come on. Let's do it.' So we did it, and, yeah, they loved it. We had to do it again! They asked for one more." For some, the combination of Usher and Guetta might seem out of left field. While the DJ/producer works with a variety of artists, he has a pretty tight-knit musical family — but it may come as a surprise that Guetta has known Usher the longest. "I actually speak very often about how thankful I am to will.i.am because he called me to produce 'I Gotta Feeling'; Akon, when we started to work together, because I wasn't famous in America; Kelly Rowland and all those guys that came to me when I was not known yet," Guetta said. "But I have to say that the very first time when someone big from America asked me if I want to work with him, it was Usher. Like, a really long time ago, but we never had the time to do it. So I was so happy to be finally in the studio with him, because he spotted me when I was really not famous yet." Usher and Guetta already shot the video for "Without You" in Ibiza. The song will follow up Guetta's current single, "Little Bad Girl," which features Ludacris and Taio Cruz.
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