Nicki Minaj is a Debut Delight

Nicki Minaj's solo album, Pink Friday, peaked at #2 on the charts and has sold more than 375,000 copies, making her the highest-selling female hip-hop artist since Lauryn Hill (when she “miseducated” us way back in the ‘90s). Now, Nicki (who turned 26 yesterday) has got Young Money in her corner and a lyrical flow that's just as flashy as her "Harajuku" style, which she models off of Tokyo’s punk fantasy subculture. She’s even got her own “Nictionary” which helps define words she makes up on the subway for fun. Who would have guessed this young Trinidadian girl from Queens would have risen from a troubled childhood and grown up to take the stage and rap with the likes of Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Drake? 

Nicki grew up wanting to be an actress and graduated from a performing arts high school. Her theatrical roots could possibly explain her fiery alter ego she calls "Roman Zolanski", who, she says, is a boy that lives inside of her, comes out behind the microphone, and lets her get out all the fight that's so tightly wrapped up in that feisty little 5’4” frame. 

Whether it is acting, singing, or rapping, we are all entranced by Nicki Minaj. I'm definitely hooked. So what’s in store next for Nicki? Her first goal is to become the first major female rap mogul. I don't doubt she'll achieve it -- she's got the drive and the talent, so there's no limit to the great heights at which she will reach.

Check out her MTV doc, "My Time Now", to hear more about her ambitions and her awesome New Yawk accent.

Pink Friday is now available.

Nelly Knows How To Keep It Fresh

I recently had the privilege of welcoming self-proclaimed St. Lunatic, Mr. “It’s Getting Hot In Herre” himself, into the YH Studio. There is a lot to be said about the man who made the phrase “shimmy, shimmy cocoa what,” sound cool, and that is why rapper Nelly gets kudos for putting St. Louis on the map.

Feeling incredibly blessed to just be in the music business, Nelly’s continued success after ten years puts a huge smile on his face. Whenever his hits come on the radio, the volume goes up; when Nelly plays in the clubs, the dance floor gets packed. As it should be! Coming a long way from dreaming about being a garbage man or a baseball player to having his hit single “Just a Dream” hang out at the top of the charts and another hot album, Nelly 5.0, under his belt, Nelly has influenced fans all over the world into stomping around in Air Force Ones, wearing facial band-aids, and bringing “pimp juice” into our vocabulary.  He continues to work hard on his music and his empire, including giving women a reason to show off their apple bottoms (no complaints here!).

Over the past ten years, Nelly has done a lot of growing within the industry and yet has stayed true to his sound and loyal to his fans. He has made quite the name for himself and is more than living up to his favorite word -- versatile.

Check my interview with Nelly in the Studio: 

And catch his latest music video, ft. Akon and T-Pain, “Move that Body."

Matty B Brings All the Hottest Hits to the Schoolyard

What’s his name? It’s Matty B, and he’s is anything but your average seven-year-old from Atlanta.

This kid has taken over the Internet in a big way and is the newest viral sensation, re-inventing such hits as Eminem’s “I Love the Way You Lie,” Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me,” Ke$ha’s “We R Who We R”, and even Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair". The pint-sized, blond hair, blue-eyed second grader with enormous talent has gotten nationwide recognition for bringing hip hop to the playground population. At such a young age, there is a lot to look forward to in the development of Matty’s career. Having already appeared on the “Wendy Williams Show,” rest assured there will soon be Matty B music streaming from more places than YouTube.

Check out his latest offering, just released -- a redo of fellow youngster Justin Bieber's new hit “Pray”:

Check out www.youtube.com/mattybraps to see many more music videos from Matty B. You know you can’t resist!

Hoodie Buddie is the New BFF for Portable Music Lovers

 

iPods are great, but too often iPods and clothing just don't mix. The sheer mechanics of keeping your earplugs tangle-free and your iPod out of dropping or snatching sight can be a pain. Don't even get me started on the whole threading-from-underneath-and-out-the-top-of-your-shirt thing...

Fortunately, I recently discovered the Hoodie Buddie, a relationship where form truly follows function. In the front pocket of this new must-have hoodie there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack which connects to your MP3, iPod, smartphone, or anything with the appropriate outlet. Once you are all plugged in, the next step to enjoying your jams is inserting the BUILT-IN earphones, which are attached to the ends of the drawstrings of the hood and into your ears. And there you have it -- Tangle and Drop-free!

If you are now thinking of all the time you've "accidentally" forgotten to remove your iPod during washing and ended up with a soggy MP3 player and ruined earbuds, well, check this out -- the Hoodie Buddie is machine-washable! Sounds almost too good to be true, right? Well, it’s not -- Along with producing a sustainable product, there are an array of colors and styles to choose from for men and women. There is even a Hoodie Buddie collection featuring Betty White where you can wear her face around while proceeds help benefit the Morris Animal Foundation.

Hoodie Buddie puts it best: “Just remember -- We are all connected, and united we rock.”

The Dr. is Back!

For ten years, we have been patiently waiting for “the one and only D-R-E” to make his solo return back to the forefront of the music scene. Though, he has being doing good by his fans and looking out for us by pairing up with Jimmy Iovine and, more recently, Lady Gaga, not to mention giving us music lovers a better way to listen to music through his high performance headphones and sound transmission company, Beats by Dr. Dre  (because “people aren’t hearing all the music”). But we still missed the creative lyricist that is Dr. Dre. Now the long wait is over.



The first single from his highly anticipated album, Detox, is a pulsating jam called "Kush", which gives us a taste of what to expect once the full album is released in early 2011. This track is destined to be a hit, not the least of which because it features long time friend and collaborator, Snoop Dogg, and singing sensation, Akon. Doing it up right with his legendary producing skills, this album will be anything but a detox and more like an addiction, and "Kush" is the gateway drug!



If you haven’t already, listen to “Kush” and see for yourself on Dre's Website.

Keeping an Eye on "Little Big Star" Charice

She may only stand 5 feet tall, but you can't underestimate the mighty large talent that is Charice Pempengco, or just Charice for short. If you aren’t familiar with the name by now, then let me catch you up to speed on what you've been missing.

Hailing from the Philippines, Charice made quite the name for herself after competing in the Filipino equivalent of "American Idol" in a series called "Little Big Star" in 2005, soon becoming an Internet and YouTube sensation. Her quickly rising fame brought her to the U.S. for the first time in 2007, where she performed on "The Ellen Degeneres Show". Not too long after, Oprah came calling and dubbed her “the most talented girl in the world” (as reported by Wes Ferguson back in June), and we all know there is no arguing with Oprah!

Charice recently secured herself in pop culture history as the reoccurring character Sunny Corazon on the hit show "Glee", and for her to be portrayed as stiff competition for the incomparable Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), you know there is something special going on. Check out her now infamous throwdown with "Rachel" below:

She's still focused on her music career though, and “Pyramid”, the first single off of her latest album, Charice, hit #1 on the U.S. Dance charts this year. We expect more great things from her in the near future!

VV Brown Helps Kick Off the Holiday Season

When Brit songstress VV Brown first visited me in the YH Studio, she was already setting trends with her signature “VV roll” and carrying around her  “VV one-string” guitar, and now she makes up 1/5 of the Marks & Spencer campaign as an “M&S girl”, alongside veteran supermodel, Twiggy, and Australian singer, Dannii Minogue, to get the holiday season in full swing.

As you guys know, our TVs are already starting to be flooded by those commercials aimed at putting us in the shopping mood. I always look forward to seeing how creatively these commercials can get me up and into the stores, and this commercial from Marks & Spencer, one of the leading retailers in the U.K. (think the British version of Macy’s), caught my attention. Featuring the talents of our girl VV, the spot involves some slick dance numbers while re-creating some of our favorite scenes from movie musicals and music videos including Chicago and Grease, all set to the disco classic “You Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees. The winter holidays just got smokin’ hot!

Check out the super fun video below:

The EC Twins: Ear Candy for Electronic Music Lovers

It could easily be said that the growing popularity and love for house music here in the U.S. can be credited to two of the most important figures in electronica, and chances are you might not even know their names: brothers Allister Blackham and Marc Sean Blackham, who together make up The EC Twins, are widely considered not only  pioneers of the genre but its most loyal ambassadors too.

No strangers to the scene, these DJs are named after a prosperous club they ran over in the U.K. called Eye Candy. After acquiring a global fan base, the EC Twins have had no problem filling dance floors in underground clubs, at exclusive events, and everywhere else in between. As producers, remixers, and DJs, these guys have promoted a sound that makes a party well worth attending. If you’ve recently gotten your groove on at any hot clubs in L.A. such as Haute or Guys & Dolls, chances are the Blackham brothers are to thank for those tunes.

Having previously taken L.A. by storm with their goal of creating “nice and fresh house music,” the EC Twins say it best: “Long live house music!”

Check them out on MySpace and follow on Twitter.

Quora: What Do You Want To Know Today?

It’s the Information Age, guys, and you’re gonna know stuff whether you like it or not!

The Internet is more than just a haven for funny cat pictures and videos of people singing Beyonce tunes. The ‘Net is also the biggest library on the planet. Everything you could ever possibly want to know about any topic is just a click away. But, just like a real library, sometimes you have to jump from aisle to aisle in order to gather all the info you need on one subject. In steps Quora to help.

Using the combined talents of Google, Yahoo! Answers, and Wikipedia, Quora has created what they hope to be a one-stop shopping experience for Internet information. It works like this: First of all, you have to register (for free), and you HAVE to identify yourself – no anonymous trolling here. Then, you can browse and follow certain topics that interest you the most. Under each topic are questions that other users have submitted, which are open to any other registered user to answer, which you can vote on to keep the best information near the top. It’s an information-sharing community, built on the topics YOU want to discuss.

And because everyone has to be truthful about their identity, the info that’s offered holds way more weight. For example, if someone asks a question about all the latest trends in Hollywood right now, an answer from yours truly, the CEO of Young Hollywood, would be considered totally credible!

This site is poised to become the next big go-to portal for Internet searches. Sign up now and check it out!

Hide Your Kids, Hide Your Wife! It’s The Gregory Brothers!

Thanks to auto-tune, music was changed forever, but what has happened since it became a phone app and available to the masses? It's become the voice of viral phenoms, the Gregory Brothers.

Made up of Andrew, Michael, Evan, and his wife Sarah, the Gregory Brothers take popular internet video clips, auto-tune them, and release them for our enjoyment. By far, their biggest hit, with over 11 million views, is the “Bed Intruder Song”, featuring Antoine Dodson. The brothers, like the rest of the world, saw the news clip featuring Dodson’s sister who was attacked in her bedroom, which led Antoine to calling the local news station and providing us with a goldmine of quotable sound bytes like “Hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husbands...” I could go on all day.

Becoming celebrities overnight, the Gregory Brothers and Antoine Dodson recently appeared at the BET Hip Hop Awards and continue to be played and re-played on computers everywhere (and over and over again in my head). The success  of the Brothers’ internet meme has also allowed Dodson to move his family to a new house in a safer neighborhood.

With quite the collection of music videos, the laughs keep coming, and as long as there is news, there will hopefully be funny auto-tuned news.

Xtranormal Makes Animation Accessible

If you’ve ever sat through a movie and thought to yourself, “Self, I should make movies,” then you definitely need to check out Xtranormal.com.

This amazingly innovative Website can provide you with the tools you need in order to put your creative ideas in motion. And, folks, there is no time other than now to take advantage and get involved. All you need is the ability to type and a little imagination. After picking a set and choosing characters, your movie is already well on its way. You can use the site to help with school projects, storyboarding films, greeting e-cards, or just plain entertainment. Once you have a finished your movie, you can post it to other sites like YouTube or Facebook and share your brilliance with the world!

With over 9 million projects created so far – ranging from Obama spoofs to scary movies and even cuddly animals carrying on conversations about acting – there is not much that this site can’t do to assure you a great animated project. Everyone needs a creative outlet, so plug into Xtranormal!

Good to Have Good Charlotte Back on the Radio

Showing up in all black and tattoos , I recently welcomed brothers Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte into the Studio where I was treated to a mini acoustic show, discussed differences within the music biz, then and now, and their new album, Cardiology.

Coming a long ways from the days of touring with road maps, a lack of cell phones, and certainly no Twitter, Good Charlotte has managed to stay in the public eye (or ears) with great party music and catchy lyrics, like their most recent single, “Like It’s Her Birthday”. The media likes to portray them in a negative light, but I am here to tell you that this couldn’t be farther from the truth. It was really a pleasure to be able to sit down with these guys while they talked about previous songs and the personal touches they added to the new album, like the song “1979” that Benji wrote about their parents.

Accomplishing what many artists haven’t, GC has been blaring out of our speakers for 10 years now, and has made an indefinite mark in the world of music; after being busy with starting families and other adventures, the group is back to give us more with a follow up from their last album, Good Morning Revival, released in 2007. I am really looking forward to the release of Cardiology (on October 26) and happy to hear the music of Good Charlotte back on the radio!

Check out their visit to the studio below:

Dashfour: iPad’s Social Community Solution

Good news for us iPad users looking for a way to connect with our city and the people around us…

After Foursquare took over mobile phones everywhere, the iPad was feeling a little left out, but now it can get in on the action with DashFour, the social city guide application Foursquare built just for the iPad. 

To get and keep us connected to our community, Dashfour delivers detailed maps of streets and different venues that we come across daily.  Basically, all the same great stuff that Foursquare offers for the smartphones. The fun of checking-in, telling your friends where you are, and becoming Mayor is here to stay, and it’s easy to use.

Check it out!

Meet RedOne's New Protégé: Mohombi

“Bumpy Ride,” the debut single from music sensation Mohombi, cannot be an omen of his career, because from here it looks like his future is pretty solid. The half-Swedish and half-Congolese phenom makes up one whole of a lot of talent; and at only 23, he’s a triple threat who writes, sings, and dances.

Universal Music recently came together with world-renowned producer RedOne to create the record label 2101 Records, and Mohombi is to be their launching pad. We already know RedOne as the producing genius behind acts like Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, and Enrique Iglesias – he wasn’t named Billboard’s Producer of the Year and BMI’s Songwriter of the Year for nothing! Given his track record, we are completely convinced that this next venture is something to pay attention to as well.

“Mohombi lifts my spirits and I believe he will elevate the world with his music,” says the super-producer.

That’s quite an impressive endorsement! But no worries – with his international flavor and natural gifts, Mohombi seems to be more than capable of handling himself in the company he is in.

Check out “Bumpy Ride” below:

Find Your Faves with FindLAFoodTrucks

 

What are you in the mood for?

On corners everywhere these days, food trucks are claiming their territory and serving it up hot! In the past, YH gave you the scoop on 2 food trucks in particular to check out -- Cool Haus and Kogi BBQ -- but now, FindLAFoodTrucks.com is keeping Los Angeleans in the know of any type of cuisine that's being parked and where. 

If you are in the mood for Korean BBQ, tacos, desserts, if you are a vegetarian or even vegan, don’t drive around hungry and aimlessly -- let L.A. Food trucks come to you! There is even a blog that dishes out all of the details about what’s hot off the grill. (Also be sure to check the blog for ways you can help get involved with good causes in the area by purchasing food truck goodies!)

So the next time hunger strikes, you know where to go: right around the corner!

Mindless Behavior Carries the Boy Band Torch

We heard it straight from P. Diddy’s mouth - “the future is safe” - and I would have to agree.

Mindless Behavior is a young R&B/pop-infused boy band that is made up of four super talented preteens with great hair! Ray Ray, Roc Royal, Prodigy, and Princeton range in age from 12 to 14 with 3 parts hailing from L.A. and 1 part from Baltimore, Maryland. More than answering the call to form a boy group, these young stars answered a call to start a movement. Influenced by boy bands of the past, we are now dealing with the boy band of the future. Encouraging people of all ages to be "mindless", which translates into being confident, it is obvious these guys are owning up to their talents and are very excited to be where they are.

It’s obvious these boys aren’t shy, and with a single like “My Girl” they are going to sing and dance their way straight to the top, and into the hearts of girls everywhere with ease. (By the way, ladies, if you want to be the "Mindless Behavior: My Girl of the Week", call the number in the music video. These boys have game!)

Check out "My Girl" below:

I look forward to seeing more of these guys in the very near future!

YH Gets a Shout-Out from Tubefilter!

Hey guys! Right on the heels of our awesome live streaming event with YouTube on Monday comes this really great write-up about YH on web TV blog Tubefilter! Thanks so much to Julie Wolfson for her kind words, which you can read below!

Inside the Suite Life of "Young Hollywood"

RJ Williams is on a mission to conquer Hollywood, one fun celebrity interview at a time. From face time with some of the biggest names in Hollywood to championing up and coming talent that will be the next big thing, the Young Hollywood team works around the clock.

In order to create a celeb friendly environment—and actually get those celebs to show up—Young Hollywood has set up their studio in a suite at the Four Seasons Los Angeles in Beverly Hills. Williams is so dedicated to the success of Young Hollywood, he has moved into the hotel to keep his focus zeroed in on the day to day workload it takes to make the Young Hollywood world happen. He does takes a few breaks to head downstairs to modern Italian restaurant Culina. A man’s got to eat.

With more than 3 million unique visitors last month Young Hollywood is well on its way to establishing this mark on the entertainment landscape. Their co-branded programming with Yahoo, Hulu, TV Guide, MySpace and now even live streaming content on YouTube as part of the site’s live alpha product test this week. Their YouTube channel already boasts over 48 million views.

Yesterday Tubefilter visited the Young Hollywood set, to see this TV studio in a hotel suite for ourselves. We sat down with Williams just after he had interviewed the cast of The Jersey Shore a segment with Snookie, The Situation and the gang that was live streamed to YouTube. The cast then celebrated their good work by ordering chicken fingers and fries from room service.

We sat down on the white leather sofa to learn more about the place where everyone from Lady Gaga to Justin Bieber have stopped by for a chat. We asked Williams if if all of the investment in Young Hollywood was to one day aiming to develop the format for network or cable TV. Williams is clear that the company will continue to focus their efforts on the digital world. Their recent live streams on YouTube included interviews with Tony Hawk, Dane Cook, Steve O and the orangest cast on TV those loveable GTL kids from The Jersey Shore.

Williams and his team are learning quickly that producing live streaming shows are challenging. On Monday Tony Hawk got caught in traffic and was surprised that when he knocked on the door of Young Hollywood’s hotel suite that were already live. Viewers got to see Williams tell Hawk they were live and prep his with his mic and mark all in plain view. With each live broadcast the team learns strategies for improving every aspect of working live.

So what constitutes young for Young Hollywood? Are 28 year olds over-the-hill? Williams says that it’s not about age it’s about attitude and that he would love to interview Betty White. And who is the next big thing? According to Williams, get ready for the all boy singing dancing phenoms, Mindless Behavior. Also on the horizon Young Hollywood will experience their first awards show season. With their set up at the Four Seasons they will be at the apex of all the action during the awards show hoopla. For RJ Williams that is just where he wants to be.

You can check out the full article with pics and videos on Tubefilter's website. Thanks again, guys!

Groundbreaking YouTube Event For Young Hollywood!

 

Amazing news, guys!!!

Young Hollywood is participating in the launch of a new and unprecedented platform that represents YouTube’s mission to drive the media into the next chapter of video evolution: self-service live streaming.

Starting today (September 13), we will be the first ever entertainment outlet to host LIVE celebrity interviews on Young Hollywood's YouTube Channel. The YH broadcast will be promoted on YouTube's Home Page all day long!

As you already know, we recently launched our first ever broadcast studio at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, conducting celebrity interviews on a daily basis.  This initiative with YouTube will mark our first ever live video stream from the broadcast facility, kicking off with Tony Hawk at 10:30am PST/1:30pm EST today and then following up with YouTube favorite, actor/comedian Dane Cook at 3pm PST/6pm EST. We will also will also feature several surprise celebrity guests throughout the live stream, including "Jackass" star Steve-O, so be sure to keep tuning in!

We are so excited to be partnering with YouTube and leverage their live streaming platform to expand on this content and make it readily available to the YouTube audience like you!

This Is Definitely The Place

Watch out, Christian Bale — Miles Fisher is here.

Man, can this guy can do an impersonation! You might already recognize him (or maybe not — he’s THAT good) from his hilarious spoof of the Tom Cruise Scientology video in the film Superhero Movie.

As featured on the hot up-and-coming marketing and management “Elitaste” blog, Fisher creates his own music video for his cover of “This Must Be The Place” by the Talking Heads as if it were scenes right out of the dark cult hit, American Psycho. He nearly beats Bale at his own game, nailing his character’s facial expressions, voice, and mannerisms.

This is a guy to look out for. Check out the killer video below (it’s sorta NSFW, so be warned!):

Cee-Lo Green Doesn’t Beat Around the Bush with Catchy New Single

Cursing out a gold-digging ex has never been so much fun! 

Cee-Lo Green, one half of the Gnarls Barkley duo, finally has a new YouTube video for his amazing song "F**K You," which has become a viral sensation. In just two weeks, an initial video with nothing but scrolling lyrics has scored over 4 million hits. 

The hilarious official video just came out and shows Cee-Lo's relationship through the years with a money-hungry heartbreaker who left him for another (richer) man. The lighthearted concept and catchy beat contrast with the NSFW language to produce a sound that you won't be able to get out of your head. And the song is great for providing closure to the end of a bad relationship. 

Cee-Lo takes a stand for the broken-hearted and says "F**K You" to all the gold-diggers of the world. So if you have some negative feelings toward an ex, send them this video. Your point will come across loud and clear.

“Rookie Blue”: Canada Does Cop Dramas

Recently, I got the chance to sit down here in the YH Studio with the stars of the new summer-hit ABC police drama, “Rookie Blue.” Missy Peregrym and Gregory Smith play rookie cops fresh out of the academy, trying to make their way on the tough Toronto streets.

Along with their fellow rookies, they struggle with the realities vs. fantasies they have about their new job. As if that wasn’t enough to test their muscle, they have to deal with senior officers and detectives, at work and at the local watering hole after hours.

And for those of you who like a little romantic twist, don’t worry – there will be plenty of drama on and off the streets!

It’s already been called the “Grey’s Anatomy” for the police world. After just its third episode, it was picked up for a second season! A pretty impressive feat in today’s TV market, for sure.

With millions of viewers and a hot, young cast of talented actors, it’s no surprise that the show has been a top-rated hit for ABC this summer. I expect to be hearing plenty more buzz about “Rookie Blue” in the near future.

Check out my interview to see the scoop I got on all things “Blue”:

And don’t forget to watch “Rookie Blue” Thursday nights at 9pm on ABC!
 

Gotta GetGlue!

If you love social networking and want to take it a step farther than Facebook, you ought to give GetGlue a try.

I recently discovered this site, and it’s bound to be the next social addiction. It's a network strictly for entertainment – certainly right up my alley! A cross between Facebook and Netflix, GetGlue allows you to see what your friends are reading, watching, and listening to. You can rate books, movies, and music to get suggestions on what’s new (or even not so new) that you should check out. Who knows better than your friends, after all, right?

With awesome apps for smartphones and the iPad, GetGlue keeps you connected no matter where you are. And the best part is that you can win free stuff from the site's partners.

So, if you need a break from playing Farmville and Mafia Wars, head over to GetGlue and start finding new ways to entertain yourself!

Shontelle: More Than Just “The T-Shirt Girl”

You've heard her on the airwaves and sang along to her songs, but if you don't know the name attached to the voice, let me enlighten you...

Barbados-born beauty Shontelle is the powerhouse behind the hits "T-Shirt" and "Impossible," and we here at YH can't get enough of her. Her debut album, Shontelligence, exploded in the U.S. and overseas, and her 2010 follow-up, No Gravity, has been highly anticipated for months. She's been compared to fellow Barbadian and friend Rihanna, but Shontelle has a style all of her own. She has stated that her new album will sound completely different than her previous one – can’t wait to hear what she has in store for us!

Check out my interview with the sexy songstress which features an a cappella performance of her two biggest hits!

No Gravity will drop September 21.

iPad Only Gets Cooler with New Flipboard App

As if iPad couldn’t be any more ahead of the game, they go and unleash the amazing Flipboard on the world.

Flipboard for iPad brings all your favorite online content together and forms a personalized “magazine” that you can flip through to get all the latest updates from your friends on Facebook and Twitter, links and photos they have shared, articles from your favorite news sites, feeds from blogs, etc, etc. The app is able to organize all this content into different sections (just like a magazine) that you can browse through, keeping you updated on EVERYTHING that is going on in your social networking world, all in one convenient location!

The best part about Flipboard? It’s totally free. So, if you are an iPad owner, you MUST download this now!

But first, check out this informative video about Flipboard:

And be sure to visit the Young Hollywood section in your Flipboard mag!

“Love the Way” Eminem Brings the Music Video Intensity

I've been a fan of Eminem since his Slim Shady days, and the older gets the better he gets.

His new music video for "Love the Way You Lie" featuring Rihanna is his best one yet. The video is like a mini-movie, and it chronicles Eminem's rocky and well-documented relationship with ex-wife, Kim. This is not a new subject for Em’s videos, as we all know, but this one seems to have a lot more heart and emotion, instead of just blind hatred. Rihanna’s involvement ups the emotional factor for sure (as we all know her story as well…).

"Lost" star Dominic Monaghan and Transformers hottie Megan Fox portray the volatile couple whose relationship literally goes up in flames. If you love Eminem as much as I do, don't miss the "Love the Way You Lie" video (below) – it’s Slim Shady all grown up!

 

The Monarchi Reigns Again with “Twisted"

The Monarchi just came out with an incredible new song, and I've been playing it so much that I'm wearing out the "repeat" button on my iPod.

As you might remember from our last profile on them, they wrote our "Young Hollywood" theme song last year, and their new track "Twisted" proves that these guys are no one-hit wonder.

The Monarchi's sound is a combo of modern and classic rock, hip-hop, and all the soul you can handle, and it made me a fan from the start. It's no surprise that these guys know how to bring in the funk; rapper Hakim Bell is the son of Kool and the Gang's Robert Kool Bell. Hakim joined with Bryan Scott, Mark Dollar, and Patrick Angeloni to form The Monarchi and spread their message of peace and love to the masses. And they're succeeding – "Twisted" is a great modern love song that will have you forwarding it on to your friends, just like I'm sharing it with you. Take a listen below:

Be sure to check out The Monarchi’s Facebook page!

Sam Querrey Serves Up Serious Potential

This past weekend, I attended the Farmers Classic Men's Tennis Tournament at UCLA and I was blown away by Sam Querrey, one of the hottest new players in tennis and the winner of the tournament.

The Thousand Oaks, CA, native is currently ranked #20 on the ATP World Singles Tour, and he has one of the best serves I've ever seen! This guy is only 22, and he's already accomplished more than most tennis players could hope to in a lifetime, boasting 6 career titles. He's competed in Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open, the U.S. Open... you name it, he's been there!

Every time Sam plays, watching the crowd is almost as exciting as watching the match - five of his friends from high school always show up to cheer him on. Calling themselves the Samurais, they paint their chests to spell S-A-M-M-Y, wear crazy outfits, bring musical instruments into the stadium, and whip the crowd into a frenzy. Makes me think we all ought to have fan clubs follow us around!

Keep an eye on Sam Querrey; he's going to be the next big name in tennis.

“The Social Network” Aims to Face(book) the Facts

It was probably inevitable: Facebook has revolutionized the way people communicate in the same way Alexander Graham Bell did when he invented the telephone. Bell got his share of flack, and so has Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and CEO of Facebook. These two fellas have in common not only their wildly successful inventions but they also share controversy – both have been accused of stealing their idea from someone else.

This controversy is what’s explored in the highly-anticipated film, The Social Network, starring Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg. Facebook has done so much to not only bring people together but also help performers, artists, and business professionals such as myself grow and expand our brands to a seemingly infinite audience. So, I’m more than curious to see this film and how Facebook may (or may not) have gotten its start!

I’m also excited to see Jesse Eisenberg’s performance. The young actor recently stopped by the YH Studio to talk about his Sundance success with the indie film, Holy Rollers– check it out below:

And judging by the trailer for The Social Network, I think this will be the film that makes Jesse a household name – just like Facebook!

The Social Network opens October 1.

Basketball's Best Duke It Out in Alcatraz

As an avid basketball fan, I'm totally psyched about the "Red Bull King of the Rock" contest.

The contest will take place on the historic island of Alcatraz off the coast of San Francisco, which for 29 years was one of the most hardcore prisons on the planet. Now, 64 of the most hardcore basketball players of the West Coast are going to Alcatraz to fight it out in a showdown hosted by All-Star guard, Rajon Rondo.

There will be six West Coast qualifiers in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, and Oakland, and the final battle takes place on September 18. We're talking raw outdoor basketball, not for the faint of heart. The ultimate winner earns the title of "King of the Rock" and a $10,000 prize. King of the Rock is the first sporting event to take place on Alcatraz since the inmates had their one hour of yard time over 50 years ago!

Check out the sweet promo vid below:

More info: www.redbullusa.com/kingoftherock

YH Gets a Thumbs Up from Nic Cage

It's no secret that our new Studio at Four Seasons has been a success - getting an endorsement from an Oscar winner is pretty sweet too!

In all sincerity, Nicolas Cage is a very cool, down-to-earth guy and getting the opportunity to interview him was a major highlight for me and YH. It was a pleasure!

Check out my interview with Mr. Cage and his Sorcerer's Apprentice co-star, Jay Baruchel, below: