2013 BET Awards: Complete List Of Winners

Earlier tonight (June 29th), the 2013 BET Awards took place at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California, and although Drake came into the show with a leading 12 nominations, he and another rap star exited as the night's biggest winner.

Newcomer Kendrick Lamar escaped as the night winner by taking home 3 trophies including Best New Artist, Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Best Collaboration, while Drake also took home three trophies including Video of the Year. Peep the winners beneath:

2013 BET AWARDS : WINNERS

Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award
Charlie Wilson

State Farm Humanitarian Award
Dwyane Wade

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Rihanna

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Miguel

Best Group
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Collaboration
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – “Problems”

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Nicki Minaj

Video of the Year
Drake – “Started From The Bottom”

Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom

Best New Artist
Kendrick Lamar

Best Gospel Artist
Mary Mary

Best Actress
Kerry Washington

Best Actor
Jamie Foxx

YoungStars Award
Gabrielle Douglas

Best Movie
Think Like a Man

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Gabrielle Douglas

Subway Sportsman of the Year
LeBron James

Coca-Cola Viewers Choice Award
Drake – “Started From The Bottom”

Centric Award
Tamar Braxton – “Love and War”

Best International Act: Africa
Ice Prince (Nigeria)

Best International Act: U.K.
Emeli Sandé

Your Thoughts?

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2013 BET Awards: Live Performances

R&B singer Chris Brown opened the 2013 BET Awards at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, June 30th, with his singles "Fine China" and "Don't Think They Know", before bringing out Nicki Minaj for a new song.

Other performers that hit the star-studded stage included Justin Timberlake, Ciara, Janelle Monae, R. Kelly, Robin Thicke with Pharrell and T.I., Mariah Carey, Miguel and Kendrick Lamar with Erykah Badu. Watch the star-studded performance below:

Chris Brown & Nicki Minaj - "Fine China"/"Don't Think They Know"



Robin Thicke, Pharell & T.I. - "Blurred Lines"



Kendrick Lamar & Erykah Badu - "Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe"



Mariah Carey, Young Jeezy & Miguel - "#Beautiful"



R. Kelly - Medley including "Bump N' Grind"



Miguel & Kendrick Lamar - "How Many Drinks"



Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award : Charlie Wilson
India Arie, Jamie Foxx, Stevie Wonder, Snoop, Justin Timberlake & Pharrell



J. Cole & Miguel - "Crooked Smile" / "Power Trip"



Tamela Mann - "Take Me to the King"



Ciara & Nicki Minaj - "I'm Out" / "Body Party"



Reggae / Dancehall Medley



2Chainz, A$AP Rocky & Kendrick Lamar



Janelle Monae & Erykah Badu - "Q.U.E.E.N'

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Video: Ciara Featuring Nicki Minaj - 'I'm Out'

Before she hits the stage at the 2013 BET Awards, Ciara stopped by the pre-show to premiere her brand new video for "I'm Out", the Nicki Minaj-assisted single from her self-titled album, which is slated to hit stores on July 9th.

Speaking of the Hannah Lux Davis-directed video, the singer says: "It's a lot of fun, we're going in representing for the ladies, definitely a lot of dancing, it's just also us having cool girls time, just having fun". Watch the newly-released video beneath:

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Usher Covers Marvin Gaye For 'ONE' Campaign

Usher has spent the last few years digging into the EDM craze that show music fans have forgotten that he also possess one of the most dynamic and versatile voices in music, and allows him to deliver both upbeat and slow-paced with a sense conviction and believability that can only be matched by a select few of his music peers.

For the agit8 campaign for ONE, the crooner belts out "Mercy, Mercy Me" and "What's Going On" by legendary singer Marvin Gaye, and reaffirms his vocal talent for anyone questioning it. Watch his stripped down performance of the classic beneath:

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Video: K. Michelle - 'V.S.O.P.'

Despite the damage that 'Love & Hip-hop' did to her reputation, K. Michelle is determined to be taken serious as an artist and has delayed her forthcoming debut studio album, 'Rebellious Soul', to give the disc a proper roll out.

Part of that promotional campaign includes continuing to add members to her fan base by releasing the official music video for "V.S.O.P", which was directed by Benny Boom and is slated to be featured on the upcoming set. Watch the newly-release clip beneath:

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Lady GaGa Sings National Anthem At NYC Pride

Pop superstar Lady GaGa has advocated for gays since the beginning of her career, so it should comes as no surprise that the singer celebrated with the LGBT community when the Defence of Marriage Act was ruled unconstitutional on Wednesday, June 26th.

Earlier this week, the singer appeared at The Rally held during NYC Pride 2013 in New York City, where she delivered a moving speech about what the ruling means and performed an impressive rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner". Watch it below:

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New Music: Mariah Carey Feat. Young Jeezy & Miguel - '#Beautiful (Remix)'

Mariah Carey is scheduled to perform at tonight's BET Awards and just ahead of her performance, the iconic singer has delivered yet another remix to her hit single "#Beautiful", but unlike the first two, this one is actually worth a listen.

Featuring Young Jeezy and Miguel on background vocals, the single is completely reworked on this version and actually features new vocals from Carey. Listen beneath:

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Beyonce Impresses At 2013 BET Experience

On Friday (June 28th), Beyonce kick off the North American leg of her 'Mrs. Carter Show World Tour' at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, as a part of the BET Experience weekend, and as always, King B delivered.

Performing for a hungry that included Katy Perry, Kobe Bryant, Forest Whitaker and Jesse Jackson, the singer performed a highly entertaining set that included "Crazy in Love", "Love On Top", "Irreplaceable" and more. Watch some footage beneath:

"Crazy In Love"



"Love On Top"



"I Will Always Love You"/"Halo"



"Irreplaceable"



"1+1"

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Robin Thicke Dazzles With YouTube Showcase

Robin Thicke is riding high on the charts with "Blurred Lines" claiming a third week at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and to keep the momentum going, the handsome crooner was the latest artist to star in the Interscope Presents segment.

For the mini showcase, the singer opened with his first No.1 hit, before transitioning into "Pretty Lil' Heart", "Dreamworld", "Magic" and "Wanna Love You Girl" for the Los Angeles crowd. Watch all of his performance for the outing beneath:

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Chanté Moore Releases 'Talking In My Sleep'

It has been five years since the release of Chanté Moore's last album, 'Love A Woman', and with her role on the forthcoming reality show 'R&B Divas LA', the singer has released a new single in the form of "Talking In My Sleep".

Showcasing her dynamic range, the single is lifted from her forthcoming album 'Moore Is More', which will be released on July 30th via Shanachie Entertainment.

Speaking on the album, the 46-year-old singer says: "This album draws from many moments in the last ten years of my life. It is filled with intimate details and subject matters I cannot "talk" about but, I HAVE TO sing about. Understanding MORE about who I am and MORE about what I want. I AM victorious! I choose to LIVE! And MAN am I GONNA LIVE!!! Love Is On The Way." Listen to the new single in full form beneath:

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Miley Cyrus Rocks 'GMA' & 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'

With her new single, "We Can't Stop", climbing in the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, Miley Cyrus got out and ramped up the promotion for the new release by performing the single on 'Good Morning America' and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'.

As a special treat to audiences, the 20-year-old star brought Will.i.am along with her for both appearances to perform their single, "Fall Down", which appears on his under-performing solo studio album '#willpower'. Watch all of the action beneath:

'Good Morning America'
"We Can't Stop"/"Fall Down" with Will.i.am



'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
Interview



"We Can't Stop"



"Fall Down" with Will.i.am

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Kanye West Takes 'Yeezus' To No.1 On Billboard

The good news just keeps coming for Kanye West. Days after welcoming his first child, North West, into the world, the 21x-Grammy winner has scored yet another honor with his latest studio album, 'Yeezus', landing in the top spot on the Billboard 200.

The set sold an impressive 327,000 copies, the third-largest sales week of the year after Justin Timberlake and Daft Punk, and although it was down considerably from the 496,000 copies sold of 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' in its first week, its still impressive considering West didn't issue a single to radio and only made a single television appearance ('Saturday Night Live'). Peep the complete Top 10 beneath:

Billboard 200

01. Kanye West – 'Yeezus' (327,000)

02. J. Cole – 'Born Sinner' (297,000)

03. Mac Miller - 'Watching Movies With The Sound Off' (102,000)

04. Kelly Rowland – 'Talk a Good Game' (68,000)

05. Black Sabbath – '13' (46,000)

06. Daft Punk – 'Random Access Memories' (40,000)

07. Hunter Hayes – 'Hunter Hayes' (40,000)

08. Florida Georgia Line - 'Here's To the Good Times' (33,000)

09. Justin Timberlake – 'The 20/20 Experience' (32,000)

10. Imagine Dragons – 'Night Visions' (26,000)

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TLC Perform Medley At 2013 MTV VMAs In Japan

Legendary girl group TLC hit the stage at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan, where they performed a medley of their hits including "Silly Ho", "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg", "What About Your Friends", "Baby-Baby-Baby", "Diggin’ on You", "Unpretty", "No Scrubs" and their groundbreaking hit, "Waterfalls".

Surviving members Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins and Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas were on hand to accept the Legend Award, which had only been previously given to Michael Jackson. Although their fallen sister couldn't be there, the ladies remembered her.

"Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes is our sister. She lives on forever in this group, TLC. I want to give a shout-out to her family that came here to support us. I know she’s smiling right now. I know she has a hand in us continuing on and she’s missed, but she’s never forgotten."

Watch their acceptance speech and performance at the international ceremony beneath:

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Jay-Z Unveils 'Magna Carta Holy Grail' Track List

With just four days until the release of his new 'Magna Carta Holy Grail' album, rapper Jay-Z has issued the track list for the set, which will be available as a free download to the first million Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy S 4 and Note II users on July 4th.

Set to feature production from Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Rick Rubin and Pharrell, and appearances from Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Frank Ocean, the set will be rolled out in stores on July 7th and given Billboard has disqualified the Samsung download, it will be interesting to see how this plays out on the charts for Mr. Carter.

OFFICIAL TRACK LIST

01. Picasso Baby
02. Heaven
03. Versus
04. Tom Ford
05. Beach Is Better
06. FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt
07. Oceans
08. F.U.T.W.
09. Part II (On The Run)
10. BBC
11. La Familia
12. Jay-Z Blue
13. Nickles & Dimes

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New Music: Michelle Williams - 'If We Had Your Eyes' | Previews New Album On Ustream

The third of Destiny's Child, Michelle Williams, returns to the music scene by issuing her new single, "If We Had Your Eyes", the first release from her forthcoming fourth studio album, which is due later this year courtesy of eOne Music.

Produced by Harmony Samuels and marking her return to her Gospel roots, the single still has a contemporary R&B feel and stands as a slightly different move from the Grammy Award-winning songstress. Listen to the brand new single beneath:



Shortly after the release of the single, the singer participated in a Ustream session with her fans, where she talked more about the direction of her new album and preview four songs that are slated to be featured on the upcoming album. Watch the chat beneath:

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Video: Faith Evans - 'Dumb'

Artists take the independent route when there to avoid the dreaded 360 deals, to simply take more control of their career or when there is no longer interest from major labels. I'll let you speculate on which applies to Faith Evans, but one thing is clear, her career has suffered from lackluster promotion and an increasingly tight budget.

The video for her latest single, "Dumb", which is lifted from her 'R&B Divas' compilation album, is resounding proof of just how much her career has faded. Watch it beneath:

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Kelly Rowland Visits 'GMA', '106 & Park', 'Wendy Williams' & 'Katie' For 'Talk A Good Game'

Despite garnishing the lowest first-week sales of her career, Kelly Rowland has been hot and heavy on the promotional trail for her new studio album 'Talk A Good Game', which is predicted to debut at No.4 on the Billboard 200 this week.

Some of the stops included on the promotional stint included 'Good Morning America', '106 & Park', 'The Wendy Williams Show' and 'Katie'. Watch her appearances below:

"Street Life" (on 'Good Morning America')



'106 & Park'



Medley including "Kisses Down Low" (on 'Wendy Williams')



"This Is Love" (on 'Katie')

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Video: Miley Cyrus - 'We Can't Stop'

Miley Cyrus brings out her inner "rachetness" in the newly-released video for "We Can't Stop", the Mike Will Made It-produced lead single from her forthcoming studio album, which is due in stores later this year via RCA Records.

Giving her best Rihanna impression, the video, which was directed by Diane Martel, shows the 20-year-old partying and twerking hard. Watch the video beneath:

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New Music: John Legend - 'Made To Love'

As John Legend prepares to release his upcoming studio album 'Love in the Future', the multiple Grammy Award-winning crooner has release a brand new song, "Made to Love", from the forthcoming set, which will arrive on September 3rd.

Co-written by Legend with Dave Tozer, who along with Kanye West serves as executive producers for the highly-anticipated disc, the track reacquaints fans with his soulful tone as he sings about an extraordinary love on the drum-heavy single. Listen beneath:

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Video: Chris Brown Feat. Aaliyah - 'Don't Think They Know'

Troubled R&B star Chris Brown resurrects fallen songbird Aaliyah in the video for "Don't Think They Know", the latest single lifted from his forthcoming studio album 'X', which is scheduled to hit stores and online retailers on Tuesday, July 16th.

In interesting turn of events for the star, who is facing new hit-and-run charges stemming from a May accident, he takes a stand against gun violence. Watch the video beneath:

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Drake Reveals 'Would You Like a Tour?' Dates

After hinting to fans the a tour was possibly in the works, Drake poses a question with his latest venture by titling his forthcoming tour, Would You Like a Tour?, where he will be assisted by supporting acts Miguel and Ciara's main squeeze, Future.

With tickets set to go on-sale tomorrow (June 21st), the 41-city trek will kickoff in Portland, Oregan on September 21st and wrap on November 25th in Los Angeles, California at the famed Staples Center. Peep the full list of North American dates below:

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Jay-Z Preps New 'Magna Carta Holy Grail' Album

Kanye West isn't the only high profile rapper returning with a new album, in fact, while West was welcoming his first child with Kim Kardashian, his mentor and longtime collaborator Jay-Z has announce his new album, 'Magna Carta Holy Grail'.

The rapper will release the album on July 7th, but as a part of his collaboration with Samsung, the first million fans that download his Magna Carta app via Samsung Galaxy S II, III or S 4 devices will be able to unlock the album three days earlier on July 4th.

Watch him announce the forthcoming project in a new advertisement for Samsung below:

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Maroon 5 Perform 'One More Night', 'Payphone' & 'Love Somebody' On 'The Today Show'

Award-winning group Maroon 5 appeared on Friday's episode of 'The Today Show' for their summer concert series, where they performed their No.1 single "One More Night", "Payphone" and "Love Somebody" for the excited crowd.

All of the song are lifted from their fourth studio album 'Overexposed', which has sold 1.3 million copies in the United States and has been certified gold platinum in more than eight different countries. Watch all of their performances on the show beneath:

"One More Night"

"Payphone"

Interview / "Love Somedbody"

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New Music: Fifth Harmony - 'Miss Movin' On'

Since the departure of Destiny's Child, the success of girl groups have diminished substantially, but Fifth Harmony are hoping for different results with the release of "Miss Movin' On", the first single from their forthcoming debut studio album.

The group, which consists of Ally Brooke, Camila Cabello, Normani Hamilton, Dinah Hansen and Lauren Jauregui, was formed on last year's sophomore season of 'The X Factor' and this marks their first original song together. Listen to the single beneath:

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Kim Kardashian & Kanye West Birth A Baby Girl

Kanye West is official a father just in time for Father's Day. The award-winning rapper's girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, gave birth to their first child on Saturday morning (June 15th), nearly a month earlier than her widely reported July due date.

The birth took place naturally at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and West, who has been criticized by the media for being absent during her pregnancy, was right by her side, according to numerous sources. He even canceled the Los Angeles listening session for his 'Yeezus' album, after Kardashian said she "felt a little off" earlier in the day.

The rapper announced that they were expecting during a show in Atlantic City in December and in a recent interview with The New York Times, he talked about becoming a father, saying: "I would do anything to protect my child or my child's mother. I just don't want to talk to America about my family. Like, this is my baby. This isn't America's baby."

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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Robin Thicke Details New 'Blurred Lines' Album

After landing his first No.1 single with the T.I. and Pharrell-assisted "Blurred Lines", soulful crooner Robin Thicke is striking while the iron is hot by unveiling the official album cover and track list for the forthcoming studio album, due July 30th.

The album, which serves as the follow-up to his under-performing 'Love After War', will contain eleven tracks and also feature contributions from Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Luke, Timbaland and Will.i.am. Peep the official track listing for the album beneath:

OFFICIAL TRACK LIST

01. Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)
02. Take It Easy on Me
03. Ooo La La
04. Ain’t No Hat 4 That
05. Get in My Way
06. Give It 2 U (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
07. Feel Good
08. Go Stupid 4 U
09. 4 the Rest of My Life
10. Top of the World
11. The Good Life

On Thursday (June 13th), the singer and Pharrell, who produced the No.1 single, performed "Blurred Lines" on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' and debuted a remake of the song's video specialized for the late night show. Watch the hilarious parody beneath:

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Video: Bruno Mars - 'Treasure'

Earlier this month, Bruno Mars lost his mother unexpectedly after she suffered a brain aneurysm,, but as the crooner continues to grieve and prepares to kickoff his forthcoming tour, he has gifted his fans with a new video for his latest single "Treasure".

The single serves as the third release from his perfect sophomore album, 'Unorthodox Jukebox', and follows his No.1 singles "Locked Out of Heaven" and "When I Was Your Man". Watch the video, which mimics his Billboard Awards performance, below:

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Michelle Williams Teases New Gospel Single

Beyonce is on a world tour, Kelly Rowland will release a new album on Tuesday and the final Destiny's Child member, Michelle Williams, is also gearing up for her solo return with the upcoming release of her new single, "If We Had Your Eyes".

Detailed as a "new sound" and marking her return to gospel, the Harmony-crafted single is scheduled to premiere on Monday, June 24th and serves as the lead release from her fourth studio album, which will be released courtesy of eOne Music later this year.

Watch the 34-second teaser for William's upcoming single, "If We Had Your Eyes", below:

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Video: Alicia Keys - 'Tears Always Win'

R&B songstress Alicia Keys keeps the promotional campaign for her 'Girl On Fire' album going strong by releasing the official video for "Tears Always Win", the latest single lifted from the album, which has sold roughly 700,000 copies.

In the video, which was directed by Robert Hales, the 14x-Grammy winner plays a hard-working Las Vegas showgirl suffering from the pain of heartbreak. Watch it beneath:

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Robin Thicke Lands At No.1 With 'Blurred Lines'

Soul crooner Robin Thicke scores his first Billboard Hot 100 topper of his career, as "Blurred Lines", featuring T.I. and Pharrell, jumps 6-1 with an impressive 315,000 downloads sold to become his first single to pass the 1 million mark.

This undoubtedly makes the song the biggest release of his career, given his most known single "Lost Without U" peaked at No. 14 on the chart and only sold 946,000 downloads. Take a look at the full top 10 and watch the "Blurred Lines" video beneath:

Billboard Hot 100

01. Robin Thicke – "Blurred Lines" (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)

02. Macklemore & Lewis – "Can’t Hold Us" (feat. Ray Dalton)

03. Daft Punk – "Get Lucky" (feat. Pharrell Williams)

04. Justin Timberlake – "Mirrors"

05. Florida Georgia Line – "Cruise" (feat. Nelly)

06. Imagine Dragons – "Radioactive"

07. Pink – "Just Give Me a Reason" (feat. Nate Ruess)

08. Selena Gomez – "Come & Get It"

09. Ariana Grande – "The Way" (feat. Mac Miller)

10. Icona Pop – "I Love It" (feat. Charli XCX)

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Halle Berry & Olivier Martinez Expecting A Boy

Looking like the picture perfect couple, Halle Berry and her fiancé, Olivier Martinez, couldn't keep their hands off one another as he playfully rubbed her baby baby at the Les Toiles Enchantées charity event in Paris on Thursday, June 13th.

Taking place as for of the 2013 Champs-Élysées Film Festival, where Martinez serves as the festival's honorary president, the event takes place one day after her confirmed that the couple are expecting a son, telling reporters: "My son will be an American, but I remain French." Take another look at the absolutely stunning couple beneath:

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Kanye West Finally Reveals 'Yeezus' Track List

On Tuesday (June 18th), Kanye West will release his sixth studio album 'Yeezus' and while details surrounding the project have been under wraps from the beginning, the official track list for the 10-song set has finally been revealed.

The forthcoming set, which is executive produced by Rick Rubin, includes appearances from Frank Ocean, Kid Cudi, Chief Keef, King L, Justin Vernon from Bon Iver, Charlie Wilson and wait for it... God! Peep the official track list for the set beneath:

OFFICIAL TRACK LIST

01. On Site
02. Black Skinhead
03. I Am A God (featuring God)
04. New Slaves (featuring Frank Ocean)
05. Hold My Liquor (featuring Chief Keef & Justin Vernon of Bon Iver)
06. I’m In It
07. Blood On The Leaves
08. Guilt Trip (featuring Travi$ Scott)
09. Send It Up (featuring King L)
10. Bound (featuring Charlie Wilson)

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Kanye West Dishes On His Career, Taylor Swift & Kim Kardashian In 'The New York Times'

Kanye West has done much promotion for his forthcoming album, 'Yeezus'. In fact, outside of his 'Saturday Night Live' performance, the rapper has even official release a single to radio, but in a rare interview with The New York Times, he opens up.

Dishing out his traditional brand of egotistical and sometimes complete nonsense knowledge, West reflects on his career, never apologizing for speaking his mind (outside of the Taylor Swift), and preparing for parenthood with Kim Kardashian. Read below:

Behind Kanye's Mask

From Shangri-la Studio here you can see the Pacific Ocean just over the fence lapping calmly at Zuma Beach. And this compound is just as Zen, with recording equipment set up in various locations, including an old bus and a spotless white house with all the mirrors removed.

But there is no rest at Shangri-la, at least for Kanye West. For several days in late May and early June, he and a rotating group of intimates, collaborators and hangers-on were holed up in service of finishing “Yeezus” (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam), Mr. West’s sixth solo album, out Tuesday, and one that marks a turn away from his reliable maximalism to something more urgent and visceral.

The original studios were built under the supervision of Bob Dylan and the Band in the 1970s — some of “The Last Waltz” was filmed here — and the property was bought in 2011 by the producer Rick Rubin, the man whose brain Mr. West had come here to pick. Together, they sandpapered off the album’s rough edges, rerecording vocals and sometimes writing entire new verses. Even as the deadline loomed, Mr. West made room for an appearance at the baby shower for his girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, who’s expecting their first child. As the days passed, the songs noticeably morphed, becoming more skeletal and ferocious.

One afternoon, Mr. Rubin exited the studio and declared, to everyone and no one, “It’s un-bee-leave-able what’s happening in there.”

If by that he meant the paring-down to what Mr. West lightheartedly referred to as “aspiration minimalism,” then yes, it was somewhat unbelievable.

Mr. West has had the most sui generis hip-hop career of the last decade. No rapper has embodied hip-hop’s often contradictory impulses of narcissism and social good quite as he has, and no producer has celebrated the lush and the ornate quite as he has. He has spent most of his career in additive mode, figuring out how to make music that’s majestic and thought-provoking and grand-scaled. And he’s also widened the genre’s gates, whether for middle-class values or high-fashion and high-art dreams.

At the same time, he’s been a frequent lightning rod for controversy, a bombastic figure who can count rankling two presidents among his achievements, along with being a reliably dyspeptic presence at award shows (when he attends them).

But Mr. West is, above all, a technician, obsessed with sound, and the music of “Yeezus” — spare, direct and throbbing — is, effectively, a palate cleanser after years of overexertion, backing up lyrics that are among the most serrated and provocative of his career.

In a conversation that spanned several hours over three days, and is excerpted here, the Chicago-raised Mr. West, 36, was similarly forthright, both elliptical and lucid, even as long workdays led to evident fatigue. He compared the current moment — about to release “Yeezus,” and looking to make a bigger footprint in worlds outside of music — to life just before his debut album, “The College Dropout,” from 2004, another time when he was in untested waters. “I want to break the glass ceilings,” he said. “I’m frustrated.”

When your debut album, “The College Dropout” came out, the thing that people began to associate with you besides music was: Here’s someone who’s going to argue for his place in history; like, “Why am I not getting five stars?”

I think you got to make your case. Seventh grade, I wanted to be on the basketball team. I didn’t get on the team, so that summer I practiced. I was on the summer league. My team won the championship; I was the point guard. And then when I went for eighth grade, I practiced and I hit every free throw, every layup, and the next day I looked on this chart, and my name wasn’t on it. I asked the coach what’s up, and they were like, “You’re just not on it.” I was like, “But I hit every shot.” The next year — I was on the junior team when I was a freshman, that’s how good I was. But I wasn’t on my eighth-grade team, because some coach — some Grammy, some reviewer, some fashion person, some blah blah blah — they’re all the same as that coach. Where I didn’t feel that I had a position in eighth grade to scream and say, “Because I hit every one of my shots, I deserve to be on this team!” I’m letting it out on everybody who doesn’t want to give me my credit.

And you know you hit your shots.

Yeah — you put me on the team. So I’m going to use my platform to tell people that they’re not being fair. Anytime I’ve had a big thing that’s ever pierced and cut across the Internet, it was a fight for justice. Justice. And when you say justice, it doesn’t have to be war. Justice could just be clearing a path for people to dream properly. It could be clearing a path to make it fair within the arena that I play. You know, if Michael Jordan can scream at the refs, me as Kanye West, as the Michael Jordan of music, can go and say, “This is wrong.”

You’ve won a lot of Grammys.

“[My Beautiful] Dark [Twisted] Fantasy” and “Watch the Throne”: neither was nominated for Album of the Year, and I made both of those in one year. I don’t know if this is statistically right, but I’m assuming I have the most Grammys of anyone my age, but I haven’t won one against a white person.

But the thing is, I don’t care about the Grammys; I just would like for the statistics to be more accurate.

You want the historical record to be right.

Yeah, I don’t want them to rewrite history right in front of us. At least, not on my clock. I really appreciate the moments that I was able to win rap album of the year or whatever. But after a while, it’s like: “Wait a second; this isn’t fair. This is a setup.” I remember when both Gnarls Barkley and Justin [Timberlake] lost for Album of the Year, and I looked at Justin, and I was like: “Do you want me to go onstage for you? You know, do you want me to fight” —

For you.

For what’s right. I am so credible and so influential and so relevant that I will change things. So when the next little girl that wants to be, you know, a musician and give up her anonymity and her voice to express her talent and bring something special to the world, and it’s time for us to roll out and say, “Did this person have the biggest thing of the year?” — that thing is more fair because I was there.

But has that instinct led you astray? Like the Taylor Swift interruption at the MTV Video Music Awards, things like that.

It’s only led me to complete awesomeness at all times. It’s only led me to awesome truth and awesomeness. Beauty, truth, awesomeness. That’s all it is.

So no regrets?

I don’t have one regret.

Do you believe in the concept of regret?

If anyone’s reading this waiting for some type of full-on, flat apology for anything, they should just stop reading right now.

But that is something that you apologized for.

Yeah, I think that I have like, faltered, you know, as a human. My message isn’t perfectly defined. I have, as a human being, fallen to peer pressure.

So that was a situation in which you gave in to peer pressure to apologize?

Yeah.

So if you had a choice between taking back the original action or taking back the apology, you’d take back the apology?

You know what? I can answer that, but I’m — I’m just — not afraid, but I know that would be such a distraction. It’s such a strong thing, and people have such a strong feeling about it. “Dark Fantasy” was my long, backhanded apology. You know how people give a backhanded compliment? It was a backhanded apology. It was like, all these raps, all these sonic acrobatics. I was like: “Let me show you guys what I can do, and please accept me back. You want to have me on your shelves.”

The Albums

That’s fascinating, to look at that record through that lens.

I don’t have some type of romantic relationship with the public. I’m like, the anti-celebrity, and my music comes from a place of being anti. That was the album where I gave people what they wanted. I don’t think that at that point, with my relationship with the public and with skeptical buyers, that I could’ve done “Black Skinhead” [from “Yeezus]

Does that make “Dark Fantasy” a dishonest album in some way?

It’s always going to be 80 percent, at least, what I want to give, and 20 percent fulfilling a perception. If you walk into an old man’s house, they’re not giving nothing. They’re at 100 percent exactly what they want to do. I would hear stories about Steve Jobs and feel like he was at 100 percent exactly what he wanted to do, but I’m sure even a Steve Jobs has compromised. Even a Rick Owens has compromised. You know, even a Kanye West has compromised. Sometimes you don’t even know when you’re being compromised till after the fact, and that’s what you regret.

I don’t want to come off dissing “Dark Fantasy.” It’s me never being satisfied and then me coming and admitting and saying the truth. As much as I can air things out for other people, to air things out for myself, to say, “I feel like this could’ve been stronger.”

It’s interesting to think of that album as compromise, when it follows “808s & Heartbreak,” which seemed very clearly to be the moment where you’re like, “O.K., forget everything that’s been expected of me.”

Yeah, people asked me to change my name for that album.

Like, label people?

Yeah, different people. They said, “Do it under a different name.” And when it came out, people used to be like, “Man, I wish it had more rapping on it.” But I think the fact that I can’t sing that well is what makes “808s” so special.

A fully trained professional singer couldn’t have done that record. It just wouldn’t have ever come out that way.

Yeah. I love the fact that I’m bad at [things], you know what I’m saying? I’m forever the 35-year-old 5-year-old. I’m forever the 5-year-old of something.

A lot happened between “Graduation” and “808s,” obviously: a lot of struggle, a lot of tough things for you. [Mr. West’s mother died in 2007.]

Creative output, you know, is just pain. I’m going to be cliché for a minute and say that great art comes from pain. But also I’d say a bigger statement than that is: Great art comes from great artists. There’s a bunch of people that are hurt that still couldn’t have made the album that was super-polarizing and redefined the sound of radio.

Do you feel like “808s” is the album of yours that has had the most impact?

There are people who have figured out the exact, you know, Kanye West formula, the mix between “Graduation” and “808s,” and were able to become more successful at it. “Stronger” was the first, like, dance-rap song that resonated to that level, and then “808s” was the first album of that kind, you know? It was the first, like, black new wave album. I didn’t realize I was new wave until this project. Thus my connection with [the graphic designer] Peter Saville, with Raf Simons, with high-end fashion, with minor chords. I hadn’t heard new wave! But I am a black new wave artist.

Was singing always something you wanted to do?

I just dove more into rapping because I had a lot that I wanted to express, and I wasn’t a really, really good singer.

Even though you had always wanted to be out in front, was there ever a point where you valued your anonymity?

Yeah, I held on to the last moments of it. I knew when I wrote the line “light-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson” [from the song “Slow Jamz"] I was going to be a big star. At the time, they used to have the Virgin music [stores], and I would go there and just go up the escalator and say to myself, “I’m soaking in these last moments of anonymity.” I knew I was going to make it this far; I knew that this was going to happen.

But producing happened for you first, especially after Jay-Z used you so heavily on “The Blueprint.”

I used to have tracks that sounded like Timbaland; I had tracks that sounded like [DJ Premier]. But Jay-Z was an amazing communicator that made the soul sound extremely popular. And because I could make the soul sound in my sleep, it finally gave me a platform to put the message that my parents put inside of me and that Dead Prez helped to get out of me and Mos Def and [Talib] Kweli, they helped to get out of me: I was able to put it, sloppily rap it, on top of the platform that Jay-Z had created for me.

Before, when I wanted to rap, my raps sounded like a bit like Cam’ron; they sounded a bit like Mase; they sounded a bit like Jay-Z or whoever. And it wasn’t until I hung out with Dead Prez and understood how to make, you know, raps with a message sound cool that I was able to just write “All Falls Down” in 15 minutes.

Is that true?

Yeah, that’s how I discovered my style. I was just hanging out with them all the time in New York. I would produce for them. You know, I was able to slip past everything with a pink polo, but I am Dead Prez. And now, because I was able to slip past, I have a responsibility at all times.

What were the things that you were trying to do on “Late Registration” that you either did not or could not yet do on “Dropout”?

I was trying to do different things with orchestras. It was just a vibe that I was trying to get at, a sound I was trying to mix with hip-hop to try to see how far I could expand it. I guess that was a Chicago thing, like Quincy Jones.

But you came here, you worked with Jon Brion [the Fiona Apple producer].

I really liked the sound of some projects that Jon Brion had worked on. I was always considered this crazy hothead kid, but I would always just go and just really break bread with someone who I respected. I will completely bow to anybody I respect.

That era also includes what I find probably the most moving thing that you’ve ever done, which is calling out President Bush at the Hurricane Katrina telethon. To me, that moment is actually the peak of putting a message in a pop format, even though it’s not a song.

Yeah. I guess it’s a very pop moment of a lifetime or generation. I mean, my dad’s generation is a generation of messaging, you know? But that’s just a piece of me being the opinionated individual that I am.

Were you conscious that that’s what you were doing, or was it totally just instinct?

Yeah, it was pretty bugged out. When you think about it, I was wearing like, a Juicy Couture men’s polo shirt. We weren’t there, like, ready for war.

I wonder if you see things in a more race-aware way now, later in your career, than you did then. The intensity of the feelings on “Watch the Throne” is much sharper.

No, it’s just being able to articulate yourself better. “All Falls Down” is the same [stuff]. I mean, I am my father’s son. I’m my mother’s child. That’s how I was raised. I am in the lineage of Gil Scott-Heron, great activist-type artists. But I’m also in the lineage of a Miles Davis — you know, that liked nice things also.

On “Throne,” who’s in a darker mood on that record, you or Jay-Z?

I’m always the one that’s in a darker mood. And then also there was still a thing where I didn’t feel comfortable, you know, going out on tour, the this, the that — all that by myself, yet. Like, I needed—

A buffer, kind of.

I needed to connect with Jay.

Part of it was you wanting to have someone standing next to you and say, “He’s cool. Ye’s cool.”

Yeah, even with the kilt on.

Public Versus Private

You look at Jay or Diddy, and I’d say like, 90 percent of the time, you think they’re having a good time. With you, I would say, I don’t know, 50-50 maybe? Or 30-70?

Maybe 90 percent of the time it looks like I’m not having a good time.

But you’re in a very public relationship, a seemingly long and satisfying relationship: you’re about to have a child.

Any woman that you’re in love with or that loves you is going to command a certain amount of, you know, energy. It’s actually easier to focus, in some ways.

When you’re uncertain about love, it can be such a distraction. It infects all the other areas.

Yeah, that’s what I mean when I say like, “Yo, I’m going to be super Zenned out like, five years from now.” I’m the type of rock star that likes to have a girlfriend, you know? I’m the type of soul that likes to be in love and likes to be able to focus. And that inspires me.

On “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” there’s a really affectionate scene where you go and help Kim sort through her clothes.

That was from a place of love. It’s hard when people read things in a lot of different ways. You know, the amount of backlash I got from it is when I decided to not be on the show anymore. And it’s not that I have an issue with the show; I just have an issue with the amount of backlash that I get. Because I just see like, an amazing person that I’m in love with that I want to help.

Did you think differently about family after your mother passed?

Yeah, because my mother was — you know, I have family, but I was with my mother 80 percent of the time. My mom was basically — [pause]

Was your family.

Yeah, that’s all I have to say about that.

What thoughts do you have about parenthood?

That is a really interesting, powerful question. One of the things was just to be protective, that I would do anything to protect my child or my child’s mother. As simple as that.

Have you ever felt as fiercely protective over anything as you are feeling now about those things?

I don’t want to explain too much into what my thoughts on, you know, fatherhood are, because I’ve not fully developed those thoughts yet. I don’t have a kid yet.

You haven’t experienced it yet.

Yeah. Well, I just don’t want to talk to America about my family. Like, this is my baby. This isn’t America’s baby.

Birthing ‘Yeezus’

One of the things I thought when I heard the new record was, “This is the anti-'College Dropout.’ ” It feels like you’re shedding skin. Back then, you were like: “I want more sounds. I want more complicated raps. I want all the things.” At what point did that change?

Architecture — you know, this one Corbusier lamp was like, my greatest inspiration. I lived in Paris in this loft space and recorded in my living room, and it just had the worst acoustics possible, but also the songs had to be super simple, because if you turned up some complicated sound and a track with too much bass, it’s not going to work in that space. This is earlier this year. I would go to museums and just like, the Louvre would have a furniture exhibit, and I visited it like, five times, even privately. And I would go see actual Corbusier homes in real life and just talk about, you know, why did they design it? They did like, the biggest glass panes that had ever been done. Like I say, I’m a minimalist in a rapper’s body. It’s cool to bring all those vibes and then eventually come back to Rick [Rubin], because I would always think about Def Jam.

His records did used to say “reduced by Rick Rubin.”

For him, it’s really just inside of him. I’m still just a kid learning about minimalism, and he’s a master of it. It’s just really such a blessing, to be able to work with him. I want to say that after working with Rick, it humbled me to realize why I hadn’t — even though I produced “Watch the Throne”; even though I produced “Dark Fantasy” — why I hadn’t won Album of the Year yet.

This album is moments that I haven’t done before, like just my voice and drums. What people call a rant — but put it next to just a drumbeat, and it cuts to the level of, like, Run-D.M.C. or KRS-One. The last record I can remember — and I’m going to name records that you’ll think are cheesy — but like, J-Kwon, “Tipsy.” People would think that’s like a lower-quality, less intellectual form of hip-hop, but that’s always my No. 1. There’s no opera sounds on this new album, you know what I mean? It’s just like, super low-bit. I’m still, like, slightly a snob, but I completely removed my snob heaven songs; I just removed them altogether.

On this album, the way that it emphasizes bass and texture, you’re privileging the body, and that’s not snobby.

Yeah, it’s like trap and drill and house. I knew that I wanted to have a deep Chicago influence on this album, and I would listen to like, old Chicago house. I think that even “Black Skinhead” could border on house, “On Sight” sounds like acid house, and then “I Am a God” obviously sounds, like, super house.

Visceral.

Yeah, visceral, tribal. I’m just trying to cut away all the — you know, it’s even like what we talk about with clothing and fashion, that sometimes all that gets in the way. You even see the way I dress now is so super straight.

Does it take you less time to get dressed now than it did five years ago?

Hell, yeah.

You look at your outfits from five or seven years ago, and it’s like —

Yeah, kill self. That’s all I have to say. Kill self.

One of the things that you’ve thrived on over the years is sort of a self-conception as an outsider, that you’re fighting your way in. Do you still, in this moment, feel like that?

No, I don’t think I feel like that anymore. I feel like I don’t want to be inside anymore. Like, I uninvited myself.

What changed?

I think just more actual self-realization and self-belief. The longer your ‘gevity is, the more confidence you build. The idea of Kanye and vanity are like, synonymous. But I’ve put myself in a lot of places where a vain person wouldn’t put themselves in. Like what’s vanity about wearing a kilt?

But there’s vanity in fashion. You make clothes, but some people think it’s a vanity project, that you don’t take it seriously.

But the passion is for humanity. The passion is for people. The passion is for the 18-year-old version of myself. The passion is for the kids at my shows. I need to do more. I need to be able to give people more of what they want that currently is behind a glass. I don’t believe that it’s luxury to go into a store and not be able to afford something. I believe luxury is to be able to go into a store and be able to afford something.

I sat down with a clothing guy that I won’t mention, but hopefully if he reads this article, he knows it’s him and knows that out of respect, I didn’t mention his name: this guy, he questioned me before I left his office:, “If you’ve done this, this, and this, why haven’t you gone further in fashion?” And I say, “I’m learning.” But ultimately, this guy that was talking to me doesn’t make Christmas presents, meaning that nobody was asking for his [stuff] as a Christmas present. If you don’t make Christmas presents, meaning making something that’s so emotionally connected to people, don’t talk to me.

But at the same time, this feels like the Grammy conversation, because what I keep thinking is: the people whose hands you’re trying to shake, they may control certain corridors of power, but those aren’t even the relevant corridors of power anymore.

I’m a professional musician because I have the structure of Universal Records. I’m a professional creative. Since I did the Louis Vuitton sneaker, I’ve never been allowed to be in a continually creative structured place that makes product. I’ve had meetings where a guy actually told me, “What we’re trying to figure out is how we can control you.” In the meeting, to me! Why do you want to control me? Like, I want the world to be better! All I want is positive! All I want is dopeness! Why would you want to control that?

That’s why I said “I throw these Maybach keys” [in the new song “New Slaves"]. I would rather sit in a factory than sit in a Maybach.

I want to tell people, “I can create more for this world, and I’ve hit the glass ceiling.” If I don’t scream, if I don’t say something, then no one’s going to say anything, you know? So I come to them and say, “Dude, talk to me! Respect me!”

Respect my trendsetting.

Yeah, respect my trendsetting abilities. Once that happens, everyone wins. The world wins; fresh kids win; creatives win; the company wins.

I think what Kanye West is going to mean is something similar to what Steve Jobs means. I am undoubtedly, you know, Steve of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture. Period. By a long jump. I honestly feel that because Steve has passed, you know, it’s like when Biggie passed and Jay-Z was allowed to become Jay-Z.

I’ve been connected to the most culturally important albums of the past four years, the most influential artists of the past ten years. You have like, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Nicolas Ghesquière, Anna Wintour, David Stern.

I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people: “This is the level that things could be at.” So when you get something that has the name Kanye West on it, it’s supposed to be pushing the furthest possibilities. I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus.

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Usher Amazes With 'Twisted' On 'The Voice'

Showing off his versatility as a performer, Usher opened Monday's episode of 'The Voice', with a performance of "Twisted" and as usual, the stud put on dynamic showcase that left the crowd in awe and his co-mentors fully engaged.

The single is lifted from his latest studio album 'Looking 4 Myself', which started at No.1 on the Billboard 200 last June and ranks as the second lowest-selling album of his career with less than 500,000 copies sold. Maybe, this dazzling performance will encourage some of those who missed out to finally give the stellar album a listen. Watch it below:

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Kelly Rowland Debuts 'Gone' On 'Jimmy Fallon'

Last night (June 10th), Kelly Rowland appeared as the musical guest on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon', where she delivered her first performance of her new song, "Gone", with a little assistance from Wiz Khalifa and The Roots.

The song will be featured on her forthcoming studio album 'Talk A Good Game' and the stop serves as her latest promotional effort to ensure that the album doesn't get lost in the shadow of bigger releases from Kanye West and J. Cole, who will also release their new studio albums on June 18th. Watch her performance on the late night show beneath:

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New Music: Kelly Rowland - 'Gone' & 'Street Life'

With less than a week until the release of Kelly Rowland's new studio album 'Talk A Good Game', a couple of the songs from the album, including the Wiz Khalifa-assisted "Gone" and the Pusha T-featured "Street Life", have surfaced online in full.

Both of the tracks will be available for purchase on Tuesday, June 18th, when the full album is released digitally online and in stores, but until then, preview both songs below:

"Gone" featuring Wiz Khalifa



"Street Life" featuring Pusha T

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Justin Timberlake Confirms New '20/20' Single

With 'The 20/20 Experience' currently ranking as the best-selling album of the year, Justin Timberlake, who is preparing a joint tour with Jay-Z, has settled on "Tunnel Vision" as the official third single for the critically-acclaimed album.

The single will follow "Suit & Tie" and "Mirrors", which respectively peaked at No.3 and No.2 on the Billboard Hot 100, to serve as his latest chart assault. Listen beneath:

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Carrie Underwood Ends CMA Festival With 'See You Again', Jake Owen Drama & Brad Paisley

Carrie Underwood's closing performance at the 2013 CMA Music Festival left fans and attendees upset, after the singer and Jake Owen were forced to cut the set list due to an impending storm in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday, June 9th.

The singer did get a chance to play four songs, but Owen's set was reduced to a single song, which angered Owen and caused some of his fans to blame Underwood for pulling diva antics and refusing to play only two songs to allow him to play more than one.

Underwood denied the accusation and responded to a fan by saying that she only did what she was told, a fact that even Owen himself acknowledged.

The reality of the situation is the festival is filmed for television and there's no denying that Underwood is a bigger ratings draw than Owen, so its obvious, the producers wanted to be certain they got enough footage of her before the storm came rolling in.

As for her performance, which will air August 12th via ABC, the singer performed her current single "See You Again", rocked out with a cover of Guns N’ Roses' hit "Paradise City", teamed up with Brad Paisley for "Remind Me" and closed with "Before He Cheats". Watch all of her performances via fan-filmed footage beneath:

"See You Again"



"Paradise City"



"Remind Me" with Brad Paisley



"Before He Cheats"

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Kelly Clarkson Debuts 'Tie It Up' At CMA Festival

Continuing to make her transition into the country genre, Kelly Clarkson was one of the featured performers at the 2013 CMA Music Festival on Saturday, June 8th.

Taking place at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee, the set saw the singer perfom her new country single "Tie It Up", "Don't Rush", "Because of You", as well as, duets with Jason Aldean and Trisha Yearwood on "Don't You Wanna Stay" and "Ain't Going Down", respectively. Watch her performance, which will air on August 12th, beneath:

"Tie It Up"



"Don't You Wanna Stay" with Jason Aldean



"Don't Rush"



"Because of You"



"Ain't Going Down" with Trisha Yearwood

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Ciara Performs 'I'm Out', 'Body Party' & 'Ride' At 2013 Gay Pride Festival In Los Angeles

R&B star Ciara headlined the 2013 LA Gay Pride Festival in West Hollywood Park on Saturday, June 8th, where she entertained the crowd with performances of her new single "I'm Out", "Body Party" and "Ride".

The 27-year-old star is gearing up to release her self-titled fifth studio album through Epic Records on July 9th. The ten-song set features productions from Mike Will Made It, Planet VI, Rodney Jerkins, Soundz and her boyfriend, rapper Future.

"I'm Out"

"Body Party"

"Ride"

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Ashanti Sings 'Never Should Have' On 'Marie'

Grammy-winning songstress Ashanti has hit the promotional trail this week to promote Sunday's season finale of 'Army Wives' and her latest stop included 'Marie', a daily talk show hosted by Marie Osmond on the Hallmark Channel.

Aside from talking about her role on the hit series, the 31-year-old star delivered her first televised performance of "Never Should Have", the lead single from her new album 'BraveHeart', which is due on July 30th. Watch her stunning performance beneath:

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Ashanti Discusses 'Army Wives' On 'The Chew'

On Sunday (June 9th), the seventh season of 'Army Wives' will come to a end and to amp up some more interest in the show, Ashanti visited 'The Chew', where she helped Chef Carla out by putting a new twist on S'Mores using ginger snaps

The singer, who will release her fifth studio album 'BraveHeart' on July 30th, talked briefly about her role on the show in between trying out the recipe. Watch it beneath:

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Video: Carrie Underwood - 'See You Again'

Prior to her stunning performance at the 2013 CMT Music Awards, which saw her win Video of the Year, Carrie Underwood premiered the official video for "See You Again", the fourth single from her platinum studio album 'Blown Away'.

The emotional, yet inspiring clip, which premiered on 'Good Morning America', shows a beautiful Underwood in all white belting out the lyrics as footage of people having experiences ranging from graduations, reunions and death play in the background.

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Carrie Underwood Delivers Heartfelt Tribute To Oklahoma Victims At 2013 CMT Awards

Country superstar Carrie Underwood left the crowd breathless with an emotional performance at the 2013 CMT Music Awards, which were held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday, June 5th.

The country singer performed her new single, "See You Again", with a 24-voice choir from Nashville Christ Church as a somber tribute to the victims. "The choir, I've never done that before and they just kind of take it to a whole ethereal place," Underwood said Monday after rehearsal. Watch her stunning performance of the song beneath:

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2013 CMT Music Awards: Live Performances

Country vocalists Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood each hit the stage and battled in the Female Video and Video of the Year categories at the 2013 CMT Music Awards, which saw Swift come up empty handed.

Lambert unleashed her fiery with a performance of her No.1 single "Mama's Broken Heart", Swift brought her pop appeal with a "Red" showing and Underwood delivered the best performance of the night with a heartfelt performance of "See You Again".

Other performers included: Little Big Town, Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, Florida Georgia Line with Nelly, Jason Aldean with Lenny Kravitz, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Kree Harrison, Hunter Hayes, Luke Bryan and more. Watch below:

Jason Aldean with Lenny Kravitz - "American Woman"



Kacey Musgraves - "Blowin' Smoke"



Miranda Lambert - "Mama's Broken Heart"



Hunter Hayes - "I Want Crazy"



Luke Bryan - "Crash My Party"



Lady Antebellum - "Goodbye Town"



Little Big Town with Keith Urban - "The Chain"



Jason Aldean - "Night Train"



Florida Georgia Line with Nelly - "Cruise (Remix)"



Carrie Underwood - "See You Again"

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2013 CMT Music Awards: Full List Of Winners

Miranda Lambert and Florida Georgia Line each took home two buckles to emerge as the biggest winners at the 2013 CMT Music Awards, but it was Carrie Underwood who took home the night's top prize of Video of the Year for "Blown Away".

Lambert took home Female Video and Performance of the Year buckles, while her husband Blake Shelton, who did not attend the event, won Male Video of the Year for his No.1 single "Sure Be Cool If You Did". Peep the complete list of winners beneath:

2013 CMT MUSIC AWARDS : WINNERS

Video of the Year
Carrie Underwood, "Blown Away"

Male Video of the Year
Blake Shelton, "Sure Be Cool If You Did""

Female Video of the Year
Miranda Lambert, "Mama's Broken Heart"

Group Video of the Year
Lady Antebellum, "Downtown"

Duo Video of the Year
Florida Georgia Line, "Cruise"

Breakthrough Video of the Year
Florida Georgia Line, "Cruise"

Collaborative Video of the Year
Jason Aldean with Luke Bryan and Eric Church, "The Only Way I Know"

CMT Performance of the Year
Miranda Lambert, "Over You" (2012 CMT Artists of the Year)

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RC Carrie Underwood, CMT Music Awards, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert

2013 CMT Music Awards: Carpet Arrivals

Music superstar Taylor Swift strikes a playful pose on the purple carpet at the 2013 CMT Music Awards,at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday, June 5th, where she is nominated for two buckles including Video of the Year.

Other stars on the carpet include: Carrie Underwood, Hunter Hayes, Keith Urban with wife Nicole Kidman, Kellie Pickler, Sheryl Crow and more. Peep arrivals below:

Taylor Swift

Carrie Underwood

Hunter Hayes

Keith Urban with Nicole Kidman

Kellie Pickler

Sheryl Crow

Kristen Bell

Annasophia Robb

The Band Perry

Jason Aldean

Lenny Kravitz

Darius Rucker

Rascal Flatts

Kree Harrison

Jana Kramer

Lauren Alaina

Brantley Gilbert & Nelly

Florida Georgia Line

Scotty McCreery

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RC Carrie Underwood, CMT Music Awards, Hunter Hayes, Taylor Swift