EXCLUSIVE: Young Jeezy Works On New LP, Keeps In Touch w/ T.I.

As politically active as Young Jeezy was last fall, it only made sense that last week, he felt right at home in what the pundits called, “The Ground Zero of the Presidential Election.”

“I appreciate Scranton for standing behind (President Obama),” Jeezy told me backstage at the first stop on the “America’s Most Wanted Music Festival.” Obama won both Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties. “We here now, we’re trying to make the world a better place.”

The Atlanta-rapper is both realistic and patient – he believes it’ll take President Obama two terms to fix the various big ticket issues our country faces. But he also recognizes the other half of the winning ticket.

“Joe Biden! What up homie!” he cheerfully shouted when I reminded him that Vice President Biden is from the Electric City.

The conversation quickly turned to music, as Jeezy is working on his fourth studio LP: Thug Motivation 103. No release date is set – and the rapper is rather evasive on details. Jeezy did tell me that fans can expect, “a little bit of everything,” referring to a conglomerate of material that people grew accustomed to between Thug Motivation 101 and The Recession.

“Everything still pretty much in the can right now,” Jeezy revealed. “It’s gonna be a very special album, but at the same time, the streets gonna love this, Scranton are gonna love this, people are gonna love this album.”

Still, Jeezy would not as much as divulge any type of timeline for the record’s release, simply stating that he’ll drop it once it’s finished. You would think that if it’s already in production, it’ll be released by the time fellow Atlanta rapper T.I. leaves jail. Young Jeezy told me that through their respective camps he keeps in touch with T.I.P.

“He’s gotta pay his debt to society and get back on it. We here for him though.”

EXCLUSIVE: MTV News' Sway Calloway on America's Most Wanted Tour

Don’t necessarily call it a homecoming to hip-hop, but for MTV News reporter Sway Calloway, it sure felt good to cover the America’s Most Wanted Music Festival’s first date in Scranton, PA.

“I’ve been on the road doing a lot of stuff with MTV,” explained Calloway – mentioning the Michael Jackson memorial as well as numerous political events. “I really wanted to come back to the core of how I got in this game, and that’s through rap, hip-hop music.”

Producers and MTV News beat reporter Shaheem Reid joined Calloway to cover the event. The team from MTV arrived on Sunday and caught Lil Wayne’s dress rehearsal. By all accounts, it seemed as if the crowd at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain would be in for a special show. But the event impressed Calloway on other levels as well.

“Especially in this time of economic crisis, people said you can’t put together a tour,” said Sway. “Young Money Records, Lil Wayne, stuck their neck out there and they got truly America’s most wanted.”

The lineup is something to marvel at – the front of the bill includes Jeremih (top 10 hit in “Birthday Sex”) and Pleasure P, formerly of Pretty Ricky. Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em takes the stage next, followed by Young Jeezy and Wayne – who brings his entire Young Mula crew for the ride. At least for now, that will be sans Drake, who reinjured an already torn ACL on Friday in Camden, NJ. The R&B singer returned to his home of Toronto, where he will undergo surgery this week.

But with a tour this deep, almost any hit to the card is sustainable, especially when you have one of your opening acts tossing out thousands of dollars to the crowd.

“I’ve seen that gimmick over the years a thousand times,” Sway noted of Soulja’s parting act. While performing “Turn My Swag On,” the 19 year-old reached in to his pocket and began tossing out Ben Franklin’s to the crowd as if he was shooting free throws in a gym. “Soulja Boy is the first person I’ve personally witnessed to throw out real, $100 bills, continuously for at least six minutes.”

The MTV reporter estimated that Soulja gave “at least $5,000” to the fans.

“I talked to people who walked away with a couple hundred dollars,” he said. “(Soulja Boy) paid them, to come see him.”

Certainly no one needed any more incentive to show up. Over 12,000 people entered Montage Mountain for the event – a solid figure in an area that has generally struggled to support hip-hop and rhythmic shows. Again, just another testament to the lineup put forth by Wayne. The “maturity” of the acts also impressed Calloway. While we spoke, Young Jeezy performed behind us, backed by a 9-piece band.

“Music is a universal communicator,” said Sway. “You see people right now, partying together, to one beat… and it’s a great venue.”

EXCLUSIVE: Jeremih's Learning Experience

R&B newcomer Jeremih learned an important lesson on his first day of touring: sometimes, you need to roll with the punches.

“The keyboard should’ve been here,” he explained while backstage at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain. “It’s on its way; it was 15 pounds over capacity for the plane limit.”

But at least the singer himself made it. Jeremih flew to Scranton from El Paso, TX – touching down in NEPA around 4:30. He quickly drove to the venue, and snuck in a quick sound check before doors were opened to the public. I spoke with him just past 6 p.m., approximately 40 minutes later he hit the stage to croon for 15 minutes, ending with the up-tempo version of his Top 10 hit, “Birthday Sex.”

But if you’re headed to another stop on the America’s Most Wanted Music Festival, don’t assume that you’ll hear that particular cut.

“It all depends on what people are really feelin’,” said Jeremih. “It was up to me, I’d perform both of ‘em.”

After consulting with myself and Kidd Kraddick In The Morning producer Adam, Jeremih and his manager decided on the up-tempo remix, as that is the version heard on 97 BHT.

Jeremih isn’t your average R&B singer. Born Jeremih Felton in Chicago, the singer entered the University of Illinois at age 17. The early entry to college forced Felton to grow up quickly, and he would soon learn a lot about himself and his surroundings.

“I ended up getting a hold of some IDs,” revealed Jeremih, who blamed his downfall in part on living away from home in a co-ed dorm. “Long story short, I’m the youngest kid in there, but the oldest dude in there.”

The singer soon found himself with a revoked license. But Jeremih credits that experience with helping his career: during that two year period, he was forced to sit home and work on his craft. Jeremih transferred to Columbia College Chicago. He left a semester short of a degree to pursue his career, but plans on finishing at some point.

“Education is key,” said Jeremih. “It got me this far.”

EXCLUSIVE: Soulja Boy Tell 'Em To Collab W/ Drake, Tweak Live Set

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the most tech-savvy artist of our generation is using all of his gadgets while on tour this summer to continue creating, producing, and finishing projects.

“I got the studio bus actually on the road, the whole tour,” explained Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em. “So I’m recording my third album, I was tellin’ ya about, The DeAndre Way, it drops in November. I’m recording my album while we’re on tour. So ya’ll can look out for the Soulja Boy/Drake collaboration.”

I sat down with Soulja during Lil Wayne’s set on the opening night of the America’s Most Wanted Music Festival. The summer long tour features Weezy and his Young Money crew, Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy and S.O.D.M.G., Drake, and Jeremih. Pleasure P, formerly of Pretty Ricky, also made it on to the bill.

Drake, who just signed a deal with Universal Records that affords him a $2 million advance, called Soulja, “the smartest artist of our generation, period,” on The Ralphie Radio Show in June. It seems the respect is mutual.

“Drake is a real dude. Most rappers, they don’t like to give the other rappers props,” Soulja Boy said. “He showed me my respect. Drake is a good artist.”

At least when it comes to artistry, it seems most of the rappers on the bill are taking cues from the headliner. Even after the first show, Soulja Boy already found himself inspired and pushed by Weezy.

“I just got through watching Wayne’s show. I’m about to go back to the drawing board,” revealed Soulja. “I feel like, my next show, I just gotta go back and critique everything a little bit, but we straight though.”

However, I’m sure one part of the performance that will not change is the end. The crowd inside Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain exploded when Soulja dropped “Turn My Swag On.” The first few rows of the venue near came to a boil soon after – when the 19 year-old began tossing out $100 bills in to the crowd. MTV News reporter Sway Calloway estimated that Soulja gave back atleast $5,000 to the crowd. But for the Chicago-born rapper, the money itself wasn’t much of a driving factor behind the move.

“I flash back in my head to when I was 15, 14 years -old, just wanted to become a rap star,” he said. “For me to make it, and to become a millionaire, and for my dreams to come true, all that just be flashing through my head.”

EXCLUSIVE: Weezy F. Bulletproof

Remember our friend Brenda? She is the one who grabbed this footage of Lil Wayne and his crew fighting over a BB gun Sunday at their hotel. On Monday night after the show, Brenda met Weezy, although apparently the BB gun wars hadn't ceased.

As you can see, Wayne's wearing a bulletproof vest and goggles. With his automatic BB gun in tow, he was plotting to target Young Money's Mack Maine, again. However, with the amount of fans around the tour bus, and cameras everywhere, Wayne didn't want to give the wrong impression to anyone (this BB gun, which I have not seen, allegedly looks like a machine gun).

Weezy F. wore the vest for the duration of Brenda's time on the tour bus, which she says was a little over an hour.

EXCLUSIVE: Amber Rose (Kanye's Girl?) Backstage at Weezy's Show

South Philly-born Amber Rose showed up at opening night of the America's Most Wanted Music Festival. The model and former exotic dancer has appeared in videos and print campaigns with Young Jeezy and Kanye West, and has been romantically linked to West as well.

Rose recently appeared with West in a Louis Vuitton ad.

EXCLUSIVE: Lil Wayne's Hotel Tussle

Lil Wayne and the rest of his Young Money crew arrived in Scranton on Sunday, checking in to the Radisson before heading to Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain for a rehearsal. Earlier in the day, my friend Brenda shot the following footage. Apparently Lil Wayne owns an automatic bb gun, and was firing it (or atleast attempting to) at Mack Maine. Drake and a few other bystanders watched as Weezy and his crew wrestled each other over the gun.

Wayne eventually emerged victorious, quickly dashing in to the elevator to escape his crew.

Backstage Notes From Opening Night of The America's Most Wanted Music Festival

- It’s the first tour of any kind for newcomer Jeremih. The Chicago-native currently owns a Top 10 hit in “Birthday Sex.” Talk about being thrown in to the fire of a hectic schedule: while all of the other acts on the bill arrived in Scranton on Sunday, Jeremih touched down in Avoca around 4:30 on Monday. Less than two hours later, he kicked off the show with a quick set of songs from his self-titled, debut LP.

As per the suggestion of myself and Kidd Kraddick In The Morning producer Adam, he ended with the up-tempo version of “Birthday Sex.”

- National media descended again on Northeastern PA for the kickoff of Lil Wayne’s summer tour, and a familiar face showed up in the crowd. I had the pleasure of watching Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em’s set on stage left with not only Scranton’s DJ Woogie, but also MTV News reporter Sway Calloway. In March of 2008, I met Sway at Whistles in downtown Scranton, where he hosted an MTV Choose or Lose event with President Barack Obama.

In our interview, Calloway mentioned how impressed he was with the maturity of hip-hop (at the time, Young Jeezy performed behind us with a six piece band). He also acknowledged an on-stage stunt by Soulja Boy. Calloway has seen the “cash gimmick” many times (hip-hop artists throwing out money to the crowd), but he noted that usually the money is either dollar bills or fake. However, the “Crank That” rapper was tossing out genuine Benjamin Franklin’s in to the stands. Calloway estimated that in those short few minutes, Soulja easily tossed about $5,000 back to the fans.

- Speaking of Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, his night ended on a bit of a down note. Soulja joined Pleasure P (formerly of Pretty Ricky), Sway, Jeezy, and Jeremih on the VIP Deck at stage left to watch Lil Wayne’s performance. During the show, Arab – who is one of the rappers in Soulja Boy’s “S.O.D.M.G.” stable of artists, accidentally spilled a drink on Soulja’s white jeans. When I hopped on board his tour bus, Soulja’s entourage was trying to figure out how they could get to a washing machine: the rapper wanted to wear the jeans to Cancun, where he will be celebrating his 19th birthday.

Despite the misfortunate clothing accident, Soulja was more than happy to speak with me. 97 BHT played “Kiss Me Thru The Phone” more times than any other radio station in Northeastern PA. And apparently, the rapper is keeping tabs on me.

“Ralphie man, I see you blowin’ up, you grindin’ here in Scranton huh?” said Soulja Boy immediately when I walked on to the bus. “I see you on Twitter sendin’ out links and sh**. That’s what’s up man.”

Apparently you never know who is reading what you write on the Internet. But, this didn’t come as a complete shock – since we first met last February, Soulja Boy has uploaded two of my interviews to his YouTube channel – with cumulative views over 200,000.

Soulja is currently working on two new LPs, another solo project with a November release date, and a S.O.D.M.G. album that will drop in December. He’s traveling with a second tour bus that is equipped with a recording studio, so he can finish the projects on the road.

- How tight was security backstage at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain? I spoke with two venue employees, who each were there over 10 years. Both said that they’ve never seen the backstage area on lockdown as much as Monday night’s show.

Dana Wins FRONT ROW LIL WAYNE TICKETS Live On The RRS!

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Dana from Clarks Summit though she won a 4-pack of lawn seats to The America's Most Wanted Music Festival for being 97 BHT's Human Billboard... little did she know...

Check out video of Dana at Sneaker King!

More info on The America's Most Wanted Music Festival here.

DAILY DOWNLOAD: The Past Week

07.23.09 : The Backstreet Boys - Straight Through The Heart (Soldier Down)
07.22.09 : Colby O'Donis - I Wanna Touch You
07.21.09 : The All-American Rejects - I Wanna

BHT-V: 2 Sneakers, 2 Tickets, 2nd Row - Lil Wayne/Soulja Boy Tell 'Em

97 BHT listeners ran frantically through Sneaker King in Wilkes-Barre in search of an autographed Yums Soulja Boy Tell 'Em Sneaker. The winner would be awarded the second sneaker, along with 2nd row tickets to check out The America's Most Wanted Music Festival starring Lil Wayne & Soulja Boy Tell 'Em. Thanks to The Ralphie Radio Show & 97 BHT!

EXCLUSIVE: The White Tie Affair Collab With Dr. Luke

Sure, The White Tie Affair is busy this summer with the group’s first Vans Warped Tour. But that doesn’t mean Chris Wallace and the fellas from Chicago aren’t making time to record and produce new material with some heavy hitters.

Wallace revealed exclusively to me at Warped Tour that the band will be releasing a new single to radio that they worked on with Dr. Luke. The producer is known for such hits as Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold”, Flo Rida’s “Right Round”, and Britney Spears’ “Circus”.
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“It’s called ‘Ice Cold’,” the front man said, a bit taken aback that I asked him about the recent Los Angeles recording session (guitarist Sean P “tweeted” about, even sending out a picture of Chris in studio). “It’s about girls who are way too hot, and they know it.”

A music video is also planned for the track. Before TWTA took the stage at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain, the guys filmed two segments with FUSE, to promote both the band’s Warped Tour jaunt and the new video.

The track should hit radio by late summer/early fall, coinciding with a tour by the pop-rock group that is still in its developing stages.

EXCLUSIVE: Quite The Ride, Literally, For 3OH!3

It was not a smooth ride, literally, to the top of the charts – but the crunk rock group 3OH!3 found a way to arrive.

The Boulder, Colorado-duo of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte stopped at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain for the second consecutive year. But what a difference 365 days makes. Last summer, the band played in almost complete obscurity on Vans Warped Tour – behind a lineup that included the Gym Class Heroes and Katy Perry. This time around, 3OH!3 headlines the summer jaunt, all while owning the most spun song on radio stations across the country in “Don’t Trust Me.” Now the band finds itself in a similar position as its friend Perry found herself in last year: touring the country while fulfilling media obligations across the globe.

“We just flew to London and back two days ago,” said Foreman. “On our passport, the date of entry into the U.K. is the same back into New York.”

“It was a whirlwind trip,” added Motte, who while on the plane took a picture of a glass of champagne he drank – Nat eventually sent a link to the picture out as a Twitter update.

“It’s some new stuff, I don’t even really know about it,” he commented about the bar, on the plane, which he and Sean drank at.

Coincidentally enough, 3OH!3 found themselves across the pond with Perry. Nat and Sean became good friends with the “I Kissed A Girl” singer last summer during Warped Tour. The duo supported Perry on her solo tour. Now Katy, who owns three top 10 hits in the States, will cameo on a remix of 3OH!3’s next single from their CD Want, “Starstrukk.”

“(We) made it bigger, opened up a spot for her on the song,” Nat revealed of the track. “It should be going to (radio) pretty soon here.”

With radio stations already familiar with both acts, the song will surely catch the attention of DJs and listeners alike instantly. The timing is perfect for the group as well: 3OH!3 continues radio promo while finishing up Warped Tour. But again, the path traveled can be bumpy. That proved no more true last Wednesday, when 3OH!3 found itself in a bit of a dilemma: the band’s tour bus broke down.

“We got this new one that has six bunks, and there’s nine of us, so…” Nat explained. “I ended up cuddling with our bass player last night. Waking up with some stubble against your (face) is a little weird, but it’s not altogether unpleasant.”

Considering where this band came from – the idea of band mates and a backup tour bus must be a welcome notion. Before, Nat and Sean would play themselves, now the emcees are backed by a slew of musicians.

Yet despite success, one thing hasn’t changed: the Warped Tour after parties. Nat, who also DJs, still spins at every party he is available for. After the Montage Mountain show, Warped Tour band and crew members joined in for a BBQ and Michael Jackson-themed party, with white gloves and moonwalks encouraged. While techs tore down the set up and musicians mingled with groupies, there stood Nat, quietly in the corner, seamlessly spinning the soundtrack to the late evening. You would’ve never assumed that the 6-foot-plus DJ, flanked by not even a security guard, comprised one half of the duo behind one of America’s most popular songs.

DANIEL & RYAN FROM NICKELBACK w/ Jessie of The RRS!

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Jessie interviewed her first big musicians for The Ralphie Radio Show with Daniel and Ryan from Nickelback. They talked show prep rituals, baby making music, and dealing with an unruly crowd.

Check out Jessie's blog here.

3OH!3's Sean Needed Stitches After Scranton Performance

Looks like 3OH!3 had quite a time at Warped Tour in Scranton yesterday. Nat posted a picture on his twitter of Sean's leg that needed seven stitches after the show. The pic is kinda graphic so instead of me embedding it in my blog I'll just give you the link. Brace yourself.

THE SKINNY: Plain Jane

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In the second edition of "The Skinny" - Jessie gives you the 411 on a "Plain Jane" style to implement into your wardrobe.

Make sure to check out Jessie's blog here.

EXCLUSIVE: Not So Blind Items From Nickelback's "Dark Horse" Tour...

Just had to share these...

- Which band agreed to attend a small patio party at a local resort, but only, "if it isn't too crowded." Hint: not the headliners. You wouldn't be able to pick these guys from the rest of the musicians traveling.

- Which rocker needs to spend a minimum of $80 on wine to touch his lips before a show? Apparently two $40 bottles will suffice, if that's the most expensive available.

- Which "rock star" on tour refuses to allow radio to video his interviews backstage? Of course, that is when he actually does the interviews. Apparently, he's quite self-conscious of looking older than he really is, and his hair needs to be perfect...

DAILY DOWNLOAD: Cash Cash - "Party In Your Bedroom"

07.02.09 : Cash Cash - Party In Your Bedroom
Ralphie catches up w/ J.P. & Sam in Allentown!
Part 1: The Electro-Pop Sound, Autotune, "Party In Your Bedroom"

Part 2: Transforming from The Consequence to Cash Cash

TMZ'S LESLIE HARRIS: Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

At 5:20 PM on Thursday June 25, 2009, TMZ first reported the news that Michael Jackson passed away following a cardiac arrest suffered earlier that afternoon. Approximately 20 minutes later, The Ralphie Radio Show broke the news throughout Northeastern PA.

Catch Leslie on TMZ TV - Weekdays at 6 on Channel 38 - The CW.
Report: 07.01.09

Report: 06.30.09 (Custody, Also on Death of Billy Mays)

Report: 06.26.09


Read up on TMZ's latest here.

EXCLUSIVE: Saigon Missed Entourage 6 Premiere, Talks Atlantic Records

If you’re like me, you’re a faithful viewer of HBO’s Entourage. Season 6 of the Mark Wahlberg-produced show aired last Sunday. With the new season upon us, I figured what better time to catch up with a former character of the show – rapper Saigon.

The Brooklyn-native entered the show as an artist Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) wanted to manage. During the second and third seasons of Entourage, Saigon would play himself, and Turtle attempted to land him a record deal. Saigon eventually landed a deal, but with a different manager, cutting Turtle out of his career in the process.

Now three seasons later, Saigon seems a bit separated from the show. As of Monday, he hadn’t caught the premiere.
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In the interview, Saigon also speaks about a new LP dropping in September, and his current situation (or lackthereof) with Atlantic Records.

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“I was in the studio man,” Saigon explaned. “One of the writers (Rob Weiss) called me asked me if I caught it to. They like to get my opinion on the show.”

Surely the show catapulted the rapper in to the mainstream – he even landed in an edition of Rolling Stone. Now after a dispute with Atlantic Records – allegedly over creative differences – the hip hop artist is preparing to drop a new album with Just Blaze – due out this September.

Saigon still keeps in touch with a number of people involved with the show, and planned on watching the latest episode soon – noting his girlfriend DVR’ed it for him.

WINGMAN WEDNESDAY: Equal Opportunity Creeper

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The Wingman tackles a new issue this week: Race.

Visit The Wingman on MySpace.

Where I've Been...

I clicked on my blog, and I can't remember being so taken aback. The amount of posts, or rather lackthereof, in the past few weeks were beyond disappointing for me.

Not that I offended anyone or anything by this, but still, let me apologize. The past few weeks were riddled with lots of news, lots of work, and little time for blog posts. Plus, the five days I spent on vacation/in Los Angeles, along with the holiday, didn't help any.

All that aside, I enjoyed my time off and am quite happy to return to the grind. My 4th was spent in a traditional sense, balancing afternoon siestas and all night benders with BBQs, frosty beverages, and the occasional viewing of fireworks. I almost drove back to Niagara Falls for the latter part of the weekend, but decided against it, as I needed to rest/pack/prepare for my cross country trip later in the week.

The synopsis of my trip to Los Angeles is probably not what you would expect: no VIP, no Hollywood, no downtown LA, no beaches, no celebrity sightings. Although, when I arrived at the airport, there was a guy with a sign that read, "R. Aversa."

Trust me, I'm perfectly okay with that. Honestly, the only thing on my to-do list that didn't get checked off was to finally meet TMZ's Leslie Harris. But I'll catch her next time, all good.

I did meet a lot of great people - saw Burbank (NBC, WB), Pasadena, and chilled in sunnier Whittier, where I befriended a number of my friend's sorority sisters from Whittier College.

Like I said, I was perfectly okay with my trip.

However, while my health, happiness, and dignity traveled to and returned from the west coast, my BlackBerry did not. Thankfully I didn't lose too many numbers, and Verizon allowed me to upgrade to the new Tour (which btw, is amazing). But, I utilized the BBerry camera as my primary memory keeper for the trip - and the memory card on which those pictures were stored is now gone. Lesson learned.

To see the few pictures I did manage to upload before my BlackBerry was misplaced/stolen (somewhere between the Radisson LAX Valet Driver taking my rental and the shuttle to the airport), check out my Facebook page.

Oh, and what did I think of Los Angeles? The trip brought me the furthest west I'd ever been... but I'm still an east coast guy... even if my BlackBerry preferred to stick around.

Did Twitter Ruin Bruno At The Box Office?

Twitter users have been tweeting their negative reviews of Sacha Baron Cohen's new docu-comedy "Bruno." Is that why the movie plummeted almost 40% its second day in theaters?

Here's an exerpt from an article Time posted.

In the old days — like, until yesterday — movie studios judged the success of their big pictures by how much they grossed on the opening weekend. But in the age of Twitter, electronic word-of-mouth is immediate, as early moviegoers tweet their opinions on a film to millions of "followers." Instant-messaging can make or break a film within 24 hours. Friday is the new weekend.

That appears to be the lesson from the studio estimates issued on July 13 for the weekend box office. Brüno, the Sacha Baron Cohen docu-comedy in which an Austrian fashion journalist shoves his flamboyant gayness in the faces and other body parts of unsuspecting Americans, won the weekend with $30.4 million, a bit above most industry expectations for an R-rated provocation whose star was unknown to the mass audience until his Borat became a surprise hit in 2006, earning more than $260 million at theaters worldwide on an $18 million budget. Yet Brüno's box-office decline from Friday to Saturday indicates that the film's brand of outrage was not the sort to please most moviegoers — and that their tut-tutting got around fast. Brüno could be the first movie defeated by the Twitter effect.

Greetings from Los Angeles!

Just a quick hello... sorry, I know, been lagging on the blogging. Life is good on vacation here in sunny Los Angeles, Whittier to be exact. Never been to Cali before. Was in Burbank yesterday, checked out NBC and WB... hopefully meeting up with TMZ's Leslie Harris later today... and Angels/Yankees tomorrow night! I fly back Saturday morning.

Here are some pictures... check out more on my Facebook...

New Cobra Starship/Leighton Meester Video

Check out Cobra Starship teaming up with Gossip Girl Leighton Meester in the new music video for "Good Girls Go Bad."

The Engagement Ring Kevin Jonas Co-Designed

If you don't live under a rock then there's a good chance you already heard about Kevin Jonas popping the question to his girlfriend of two years, Danielle Deleasa. But did you see the rock?!

Not bad. Jonas helped design the 3-carat solitaire cushion-cut diamond, surrounded by 210 round brilliant-cut pave diamonds with Jacob & Co., aka Jacob the jeweler. Jacob is a jeweler- to-the-stars and has done engagement rings for celebs such as Mariah Carey.

Kevin Jonas Engaged

It's official. The oldest Jonas Brother, Kevin Jonas, 22, got down on one knee and popped the question to girlfriend Danielle Deleasa,21. Jonas reportedly took an overnight flight from Vancouver, where the group was performing, and made it to Deleasa's New Jersey doorstep this morning, Wednesday July 1, 2009.

Here's the statement the Jonas parents posted on the band's MySpace:

Our hearts are filled with joy today and we are happy to share with you that our son Kevin has asked Danielle Deleasa for her hand in marriage. Her answer was yes and it is such a blessing that she will be joining our family. Kevin and Danielle have not yet set a date. Family is very dear to us and we hope we have raised Kevin to be a wonderful man and husband. Please join us in our families celebration and in congratulating Kevin and Danielle. Thank you for all of your support. 

EXCLUSIVE: Quite A Mandy; Mandy Moore Does It All

Mandy Moore is quite the renaissance woman. From music to movies, commercials to cartoons, she can be seen or heard in everything from The Simpsons to motion picture films. So, when someone approaches Moore, what do they recognize her from?

“A lot of times, people will come up and say hi because of that TV show, Entourage,” said Moore. “And before that, it was that show Punk’d. That was sort of my claim to fame for a couple of years.”

Probably the only place Moore isn’t recognized from yet is sitting ringside at UFC fights. Yup, Moore is quite the mixed martial arts fan, although don’t expect to add “UFC Fighter” to her laundry list of titles.

“I’m a fan, I love to observe from the sidelines,” she revealed, adding that you won’t see her in the Octagon anytime soon.

Moore called up The Ralphie Radio Show because she’s returned to her roots: writing and recording. The singer just released Amanda Leigh, her first LP without a major label.
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Part 1: What people recognize her from, UFC, Twitter

Part 2: Amanda Leigh, "I Could Break Your Heart"

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“With this record, I guess it’s all about taking control and growing more comfortable in your own skin,” Moore said of the writing experience – she penned the entire record herself, without the input of label bigwigs and head honchos. “It’s nice to have the luxury of creative freedom now.”

The first single, “I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week” showcases a sassier side to Moore that fans of her previous releases may not be accustomed to.

“I figured it was a fun opportunity to sort of, I don’t know, play out a little bit of this edge that I guess is really missing from my reality. It’s not a proclamation I could make in real life,” she admitted.

That isn’t too hard to believe, considering the only heart we’ve known Moore to break is that of the fictional Vincent Chase. But what makes the song more of a departure is that its singer is anything but single at the moment: Moore married country star Ryan Adams a few months ago. The Walk to Remember actress insists he’s a fan of the track.

“I’m very lucky, I have a very supportive spouse in my life,” she said. “He really liked it.”

Adams proposed to Moore last February, the couple exchanged vows about a month later. Moore described her marriage to NY Magazine as “lovely.” It seems she feels the same way now… the husband and wife even follow each on Twitter, Adams is only one of two people that Moore tracks (the other is record producer Jamie Candiloro). Although she is known to keep to herself and not open up on personal issues, Moore does “tweet” quite a bit. She even taught me about blood oranges – yes, I didn’t know about them, stop rolling your eyes.

“I’m kind of juice obsessed in the morning, and I found some fresh blood orange juice. I don’t know, I thought that’d be an appropriate twitter,” she said, after explaining that blood oranges are darker and more tart than the regular variety.

Music, movies, television, voice overs… and now produce expert. Mandy Moore really can do it all.

DAILY DOWNLOAD: T.I. - All Night

06.25.09 : T.I. - All Night

T.I. samples the Vanessa Carlton track, " A Thousand Miles." 

TMZ'S LESLIE HARRIS: Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

At 5:20 PM on Thursday June 25, 2009, TMZ first reported the news that Michael Jackson passed away following a cardiac arrest suffered earlier that afternoon. Approximately 20 minutes later, The Ralphie Radio Show broke the news throughout Northeastern PA.

Catch Leslie on TMZ TV - Weekdays at 6 on Channel 38 - The CW.
Report: 06.30.09 (Custody, Also on Death of Billy Mays)

Report: 06.26.09


Read up on TMZ's latest here.

THE SKINNY: Vintage w/ Tinted Windows

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In Jessie's first edition of "The Skinny" on The Ralphie Radio Show, she gives you the 411 on the "vintage" look - and also chats with Tinted Windows about the style.

ATTY. JANELL WEINSTEIN: MJ Custody Scenarios

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National TV Contributor and Family Attorney Janell Weinstein breaks down the legal aspects of the various different scenarios that could play out over the custody of the 3 kids Michael Jackson leaves behind.

Visit Ms. Weinstein on the web here.

Michael Jackson: Dead at 50

97 BHT heard the unfortunate news first from our friends at TMZ.com.  Here's the TMZ coverage.  

 

Here's some links to reports of The  King of Pop's death due to a cardiac arrest.

ABC NEWS COVERAGE

E NEWS COVERAGE

LA TIMES COVERAGE

MSNBC COVERAGE

CNN reported the occurance, but was late to verify that it was true. Here's the latest from CNN.

DAILY DOWNLOADS: New from Mr. Hudson ft. KanYe West, L.M.F.A.O., Drake

06.24.09 : Mr. Hudson f. KanYe West - Supernova
06.23.09 : L.M.F.A.O. - Yes
06.22.09 : Drake - Best I Ever Had

ATTY. ELIZABETH KELLEY: Chris Brown's Jig Is Up

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Attorney Elizabeth Kelley predicted the outcome of the Chris Brown/Rihanna case well before both sides reached a plea deal. Ms. Kelly weighs in on the situation with The Ralphie Radio Show.

Visit Elizabeth Kelley's website.

WINGMAN WEDNESDAY: Letting It Drag On

The Wingman advises Nicole to have fun... while her relationship goes on...

Initial Wingman Response:

Reaction #1:

Visit The Wingman on MySpace.

VIDEO: Tinted Windows Perform, Chat In Studio

Tinted Windows, comprised of Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) visited the 97 BHT studios for an acoustic performance on Thursday!

Powered by Rodano's, S-Curve Records, & 97 BHT!

EXCLUSIVE: Drake Denies Rihanna Relationship, Calls Soulja Boy, "Smartest Artist of Our Generation"

America is offering quite the introduction in to the music industry for Canadian recording artist Aubrey “Drake” Graham. The singer/actor already experienced first hand the influence of an A-list affiliation – regardless of the endorsement’s capacity.

Drake performed in support of Lil Wayne earlier in the year, and is set to trek out with Weezy again on this summer’s “America’s Most Wanted Music Festival.” The tour kicks off in Scranton on July 27 – so Drake called in to The Ralphie Radio Show, promoting the concert while speaking on a wide-array of topics, including his ties to the “Umbrella” singer.

“The most important thing in that situation is that, she’s actually a dope person,” said Drake of RiRi. “Whatever it did for me, I guess was just an additional blessing on top of the fact that she’s actually a great individual.”

Rumors have swirled about a romance between the two for well over a month. Paparazzi have caught both Drake and Rihanna out on the town, even kissing at times. Certainly it thrust the Toronto-born artist in to American pop culture. Now Drake can’t even hit an airport without being recognized.

“Some guy that was like working at Customs was like, ‘Yo, I know you, you’re Rihanna’s boyfriend.’ Which I’m not by the way, for the record,” Drake clarified.

Drake gave honest, almost inapprehensive answers when it came to his ties to the Bajan beauty – until I asked if he still keeps in touch with her.

Rihanna & Drake (CelebrityRadar)
Part 1: Toronto, Lil Wayne, Gaining Cred in the States

Part 2: Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, Rihanna

Info about the show here.
“(A few seconds of silence) Yeah, I see her from time to time,” Drake answered, his tone clearly down a notch.

But Drake didn’t hesitate to offer up props to his tour mates – a bill that generated a solid amount of buzz here in Northeastern PA with the likes of Wayne, Young Jeezy, and Jeremih. Specifically, Drake big-upped Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, anointing the rapper, “the smartest artist of our generation, period.”

“Whether it’s him, whether it’s his team around him, whoever has the thoughts to do the things he does, is genius.”

The two hip-hop artists met recently for the first time while playing the new Ultimate Fighting Championship game on XBOX 360. Drake took a light-hearted jab at the “Swag On” rapper, insisting that Soulja Boy, “can’t see” him when it comes to that game.

Hopefully Drake knows what he just got himself in to with that comment. After all, he’ll see a lot of Soulja this summer: the two will perform 21 dates throughout the U.S. and Canada.

EXCLUSIVE: Visit from Tinted Windows

Taylor Hanson will probably always be best known as one-third of “Hanson” – three brothers from Tulsa, Oklahoma that “MMMBop”-ed their way in to mainstream media.

But much has changed since Taylor and his brothers asked where the love went. The lead singer is the father of four. “Hanson” still records, but no longer receives the spins from pop radio. And now, Taylor is proving that he can play nice with musicians that aren’t blood relatives.

Hanson fronts a new band called Tinted Windows. The quartet is a conglomerate of sorts – with Taylor’s vocals backed by Adam Schlesinger’s bass (Fountains of Wayne) James Iha’s guitar (Smashing Pumpkins) and the drums of Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick).

“Adam and I had talked about doing some music together for a long time,” revealed Hanson. “About three years ago, he called me, and we started talking about putting a band together.”

According to Rolling Stone, Hanson joined forces with Schlessinger and Iha – and the three decided that the group needed a percussion-presence similar to Cheap Trick’s Carlos. Finally, the band decided to reach out to Carlos himself, and he obliged.

The three founding members stopped in Wilkes-Barre last week, en route to Philadelphia. Carlos isn’t making this round of radio promo with the band – he’s a bit preoccupied on Cheap Trick’s tour with Poison and Def Leppard.

While each member’s respective band accolades may be recognized, what is possibly unknown is some of the group’s accomplishments as individuals, namely Schlessinger. The bassist earns the distinction as the only musician of the four with Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations on his resume. Schlessinger wrote the title track to Tom Hanks’ “That Thing You Do.”

“There were some people I knew in the music business that said, ‘Hey we heard Tom Hanks is working on this movie, and it’s kind of about this band in the 60’s,’” recalled Schlessinger

The 41 year-old musician is a fan of that musical era. So, Schlessinger wrote the track, recorded the demo with a few friends, and mailed it in.

“That was a big, lucky break for me,” he said. Schlessinger eventually met Hanks, and even ended up on the receiving end of some film direction from the number one box-office star in the world. The musician stopped by Hanks’ office to say hi to a few people – but unbeknownst to Adam, a short was filming.

“He gave me some lines, and put me on this couch, and he was directing me,” recalled Schlessinger. “I was like, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t be directed by Tom Hanks. I’m not an actor.’”

Taylor Swift & T-Pain - "Thug Story"

Taylor Swift teams up with T-Pain for the track "Thug Story" that happened to be a big hit at the CMT Music Awards. Here's some behind the scenes footage of the song coming together.

Here's the finished product.

Abercrombie Discriminates Girl w/ Prosthetic Arm

Abercrombie discriminating? No, I don't believe it. This poor girl with a prosthetic arm was sent to work in the backroom at Abercrombie.

When Riam applied to the store, they took a photograph of her and gave her a handbook that listed the company's expectations, as far as physical appearance goes. According to the Daily Mail, the handbook "stipulates that staff must represent a 'natural, classic American style' and instructs them on everything from how to wear their hair (clean and natural) to how long they should wear their nails (a quarter of an inch past the end of the finger)." Apparently, Riam's prosthetic arm wasn't "natural" or "classic" enough for the store- they made her buy a cardigan to wear in order to hide her arms while working.

"A worker from what they call the "visual team", people who are employed to go round making sure the shop and its staff look up to scratch, came up to me and demanded I take the cardigan off. I told her, yet again, that I had been given special permission to wear it. A few minutes later my manager came over to me and said: "I can't have you on the shop floor as you are breaking the Look Policy. Go to the stockroom immediately and I'll get someone to replace you. I pride myself on being quite a confident girl but I had never experienced prejudice like that before and it made me feel utterly worthless. Afterwards I telephoned the company's head office where a member of staff asked whether I was willing to work in the stockroom until the winter uniform arrived. That was the final straw. I just couldn't go back."

She is now suing the company, which, by the way, already paid 2.2 million dollars to employees who felt that that the company was unfairly forcing them to buy Abercrombie's clothes in 2003. Oh, and did I mention they paid a 40 million dollar settlement in 2004, after being accused of discriminatory employment practices? Because they did! This is a company that continues to be called out for their sexist, racist, discriminatory practices, and by issuing half-ass apologies and paying off their accusers, they expect us to forget the nastiness at the core of this operation. Sadly, all of this only makes Riam's story as unsurprising as it is upsetting.

Lady GaGa mistaken for Amy Winehouse?

Our girl Lady GaGa does indeed dye her hair and with good reason. Turns out a reporter once had mistaken her for Amy Winehouse.  Crazy, right?

I don't know about you but I'm not really seeing a comparision. GaGa did call Winehouse "badass" and simply wants to be her own person and known for her own style. Well, I don't blame her.

Sights From The Birthday Week...

Facebook album is here.

97 BHT Summer Jam Recap w/ The Veronicas

97 BHT's Summer Jam 2009 - Saturday June 6, 2009 - F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre - Starring The Veronicas - Check out Photos and Video!

Photos Courtesy of John at KDP Studio!

LIL WAYNE/SOULJA BOY Return To NEPA July 27

97 BHT welcomes Lil Wayne and Soulja Boy Tell 'Em back to NEPA, with special guests Young Jeezy and Drake!

Click here for more information!

All thanks to Live Nation and 97 BHT!
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FULL COVERAGE OF LIL WAYNE'S LAST TRIP TO NEPA
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FULL COVERAGE OF SOULJA BOY TELL 'EM'S LAST TRIP TO NEPA

DAILY DOWNLOAD: New Found Glory - Listen To Your Friends

06.10.09 : New Found Glory - Listen To Your Friends
Guitarist Chad Gilbert calls up The Ralphie Radio Show
On The Song:

On Working w/ Blink 182's Mark Hoppus:

EXCLUSIVE: Taking It Back, Looking Forward w/ Jesse McCartney

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Jesse McCartney chatted in his dressing room about All My Children, touring w/ NKOTB, & Departure: Recharged.

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You know him as pop superstar Jesse McCartney, the platinum-selling, world-touring artist that sings some of your favorite songs like “Leavin’” and “Beautiful Soul.” But my Mom will always identify him as “Adam Chamdler Jr.” from the ABC soap opera All My Children.

“I was nominated in ’99 and 2000,” McCartney recalled, as he received a nod in both years for a Daytime Emmy Award. “I can’t even believe how long ago that was.”

Certainly much changed for McCartney since. While he still acts, his current full-time job is singer/songwriter/performer. McCartney’s latest LP, Departure, sold over a quarter of a million copies. This past April, Hollywood Records re-released the record as Departure: Recharged, featuring four new songs, including the remix of “How Do You Sleep?” featuring Ludacris.

“It’s part two of the album, or just an extended version,” Jesse explained. “One of the songs is actually the next single, its called 'Body Language' and I just got official word today that we’re releasing it in a couple weeks with T-Pain.”

First he collaborated with producer Tricky Stewart, then Ludacris, and now T-Pain. McCartney certainly aimed for and achieved a much more rhythmic sound, similar to what New Kids On The Block went for with The Block. In addition to extending the run of Departure, McCartney extended his summer schedule at the last second, accepting an invitation from NKOTB to join them on tour.

“They called literally two weeks before the tour,” he revealed. “It’s gonna be another month and a half of touring.”

McCartney maintains such a busy schedule that he didn’t even meet the entire headlining act until about 4 dates in to the trek. Jesse’s mad dashing from the stage to prior commitments even prompted tour-mate Danny Wood of NKOTB to wonder what was up. But when I spoke with McCartney last Wednesday, he noted that during the upcoming off day, he looked forward to “kicking it” with the guys.

The former Dream Street singer will finish out the “Full Service” tour, then begin work on The Gonzo Files, which begins filming at the end of this month in Brooklyn. Bryan Goluboff, who wrote The Basketball Diaries, wrote and will direct the movie.

“I’m gonna do a lot more film stuff at the end of the album, at the end of this run,” McCartney noted – although with the release of another single imminent, the end may not arrive until the end of the year.

Regardless of whether he’s on camera or on stage, McCartney will be making money doing what he loves. He might even find sometime to live like the average 22 year old. While chatting in his dress room, McCartney recalled a time he partied at my alma mater, Syracuse University.

“I did go to a frat party in Syracuse at one point, like four years ago,” McCartney admitted. “It was fun.”

Adam Chandler Jr. has come a long way.