After a scuffle with the paparazzi and brief arrest, Kanye West fires back on his blog.

WHO’S WINNING, ME OR THE MEDIA?
REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH LIGHT I PUT OUT, THERE ARE PEOPLE WORKING JUST AS HARD TO ONLY DELIVER DARKNESS. IF YOU LISTEN TO MY MUSIC, HOW COULD I DELIVER SO MANY POSITIVE UPLIFTING MESSAGES AND BE THE MONSTER THAT THE MEDIA PAINTS. PAPARAZZI GIVE REAL PHOTOGRAPHERS A BAD NAME. A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, THEIRS ARE WORTH A THOUSAND DOLLARS…

LET US NOT FORGET THE PAPS KILLED PRINCESS DIANA. WHEN WILL THERE BE A LAW PASSED THAT SIMPLY ENFORCES THAT SOMEONE HAS TO ASK TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOU. THAT WOULD SEEM LIKE COMMON COURTESY. RIGHT NOW THE PAPS ARE ABOVE THE LAW AND THE PEOPLE THEY SHOOT ARE BELOW IT. WHAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL IS PICTURES TAKEN WITH THE INTENT TO SELL….LIKE DRUGS WITH THE INTENT TO SELL… OR CROSSING CUSTOMS WITH ENOUGH MERCHANDISE TO HAVE THE INTENT TO SELL. THE EXPLOITATION OF MY IMAGE IS THE PROBLEM. IT PRODUCES A “BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY” BEHAVIOR THAT CAUSE THE PAPS TO DRIVE RECKLESSLY ON FREEWAYS, JUMP OVER FENCES AND INVADE PRIVACY ALL IN AN EFFORT TO GET THAT “MONEY SHOT.” YOU SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SELL A PICTURE OF ME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. AFTER THIS LAW IS PASSED, WHEN YOU ENTER A PUBLIC PLACE LIKE A BASKETBALL ARENA ETC., THERE WILL BE A SIGN THAT READS…”ALL PHOTOS TAKEN HERE ARE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND CAN BE USED AT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS DISCRETION.” OBVIOUSLY RED CARPET EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE SHOW UP TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED WILL ALSO APPLY. THE PERSONAL PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE PAPS IS WHEN THEY TRY TO CATCH YOU BEING A REGULAR PERSON. I AM NOT A CELEBRITY. I’M A NORMAL PERSON THAT’S JUST FAMOUS. I REFUSE TO SNEAK IN AND OUT OF BACK DOORS AND KITCHENS OF HOTELS ETC….

I AM PROTECTING MY PERSONAL SPACE SINCE THERE ARE NO LAWS TO PROTECT THAT FOR ME.

I PUT MY HAND UP TO THE CAMERA IN SELF DEFENSE!

HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED…WHEN I LEFT THE CLUB, I WAS ENCOUNTERED BY A THIRSTY PAPARAZZI AS USUAL. HE FELT HE HAD MORE RIGHTS TO MY SPACE THAN ME, SO I PUT MY HAND UP TO PREVENT HIM FROM TAKING MY IMAGE. I DIDN’T ASSAULT HIM BUT MERELY PUTTING MY HAND UP TO COVER HIS LENS. MY SECURITY YELLED, “GET THE CAMERA OFF HIM.” I GUESS IN ALL THE COMMOTION THE CAMERA SCRAPED HIS NOSE.

THREE HOURS LATER I GET A KNOCK AT MY HOTEL DOOR. THERE WERE FIVE POLICE OFFICERS IN FRONT OF MY ROOM AND I HAD NO IDEA WHY. I HAD MY SECURITY GO SPEAK WITH THEM. THE COPS WERE VERY CORDIAL BUT TOLD ME THEY HAD TO ARREST ME BECAUSE A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THAT WAS THE BOGUS PART. THEY PLACED ME IN HANDCUFFS AND DROVE ME TO THE STATION. THEY SPOKE ABOUT HOW THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A PUBLICITY STUNT BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER BUT THEY STILL HAD TO GO THOUGH THE MOTIONS. WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE HOTEL THERE WERE PAPARAZZI HANGING OVER THE BRIDGE ABOVE THE HOTEL TRYING TO GET A SHOT OF ME GETTING OUT THE POLICE VAN. EVEN THOUGH I WASN’T CHARGED, THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. SURE ENOUGH THE NEXT MORNING, PLASTERED ACROSS EVERY MEDIA OUTLET… KANYE GETS ARRESTED. IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT I WASN’T CHARGED OR THE FACT THAT I HADN’T ASSAULTED ANYONE. ALL THAT MATTERED WAS THAT I WAS ARRESTED.

SIDEBAR, THEY QUOTED ME AS SAYING…”GET THE CAMERA OFF HIM!” LIKE I WAS TALKING IN THIRD PERSON. HE TRIED TO MAKE ME SOUND LIKE A CRAZY PERSON AND PEOPLE BELIEVED HIM. WHAT MERIT DOES THIS GUY HAVE THAT HE CAN SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ME AND PEOPLE TAKE IT AS LAW? THE FACT THAT HE COULD GET ME ARRESTED OFF A MERE COMPLAINT BUT I CAN’T ASK HIM TO STOP TAKING PICTURES OF ME IS VERY LOPSIDED.

WHO’S WINNING, ME OR THE MEDIA?

Source: Kayneuniversecity.com

Verizon Wireless is offering its customers downloads of tracks from Beyonce’s new album through its V Cast music service in advance of the album’s release later this week.

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In support of the release of their long awaited film Christmas on Mars the Flaming Lips launched a really bizarre online game. I’ve only made it up to the second level and the premise so far is that you have to shoot down floating Wayne Coyne heads with brains. Try you luck here http://game.flaminglips.com/

Some of the first new Bon Iver music to hit since Justin Vernon released his brilliant debut LP what seems like forever ago is coming our way shortly. Woo!

The Blood Bank EP oozes into stores in the UK/Ireland January 19 and the U.S. January 20, all thanks to Jagjaguwar. The four song set will be available on either CD or download-coupon-boosted 12″, with the vinyl getting a little pre-release action at the merch tables at Bon Iver’s forthcoming December dates.

In addition to Vernon & co.’s previously reported run next month, they’ll tape an appearance for the David Letterman television program December 11 to be aired on or around that date, and make their way to Australia to ring in 2009.

Source: Paul Thompson Pitchfork

AT&T is offering rock ‘n roll wannabes a shot at rocking out virtually with the latest version of the “Guitar Hero” video game when they subscribe to some of the company’s services.

Anyone signing up for AT&T’s high speed Web service or its U-verse TV service will receive a copy of Activision’s new “Guitar Hero World Tour Complete Guitar Game” for free, including the Guitar Hero World Tour console game and a new guitar controller. AT&T branding is featured in three of the game’s concert venues, including San Francisco’s AT&T Park, Pan Tang Bay and New York City’s Times Square, where AT&T billboards will be visible.

“ ‘Guitar Hero World Tour’ is the best Guitar Hero yet, and we’re excited to make it available to our customers,” said Glenn Broderick, AT&T executive director of gaming, in a release.

The offer is clearly targeted for teens and twenty-somethings who comprise the core audience for the “Guitar Hero” series.

Consumers can sign up and get the game at AT&T retail stores, or by calling 800-288-2020. More information is available, where visitors can also sign up for a sweepstakes to win music gear.

The grand prize is a guitar, bass and drums and a $1,000 gift certificate from Guitar Center. Anyone can enter the sweepstakes without buying any AT&T services through March 31, 2009.

Consumers who do sign up for one of the AT&T services will be able to download an additional exclusive tune for the “Guitar Hero” game that will be available starting next month. Three more exclusive game songs will be available from AT&T early next year.

Source: Promo

NBC has pulled the plug on freshman tentpole drama “My Own Worst Enemy” and returning sophomore series “Lipstick Jungle,” sources said Wednesday.

The cancellations come after both shows dropped to new ratings lows in recent weeks, with the Christian Slater action series sinking to a 1.8 among adults 18-49 (4.3 million viewers) on Monday and “Jungle” falling to a 1.2 (3.3 million viewers) on Friday.

Although the “Jungle” number was an improvement on the previous week, the show’s ratings have been below the line for a while and sunk into the red zone after being moved to Fridays.

Source: THR.com

Boy Friends 010 – Donkey Kong from Team Genius on Vimeo.

McDonald’s Corp is shielded against recession and has hardly been hit by the international financial crisis, Chief Executive Jim Skinner was quoted as saying on Thursday.

“Worldwide turbulence is barely affecting our business,” Skinner told Germany’s Bild daily. “We are growing worldwide, especially in Europe we have significant gains at the moment — also in Germany.”

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It wasn’t hick-hop but real hip-hop at the CMA Awards as Lil Wayne joined Kid Rock onstage during country music’s biggest night in Nashville, TN

Kid Rock brought the prolific and best-selling rapper on stage Wednesday as he performed his hit “All Summer Long.”

But Lil Wayne didn’t rap: In fact, he didn’t say a word.

Instead Lil Wayne, wearing a Tennessee Titans jersey that matched Kid Rock’s, simply remained in the background, strumming on a guitar as he mimicked playing the instrument alongside the musician’s real guitarist.

It may have been the first time a true rapper appeared at the CMAs: While Cowboy Troy performed during the CMAs in 2004, the self-proclaimed “hick-hop” artist was a country act, not a rap one.

Lil Wayne is known for hits like “Lollipop” and “A Milli.”

His album “Tha Carter III” is the year’s best-selling disc so far with 2.6 million copies sold.

While having a rapper appear at the Country Music Association’s awards show may seem like a culture clash, for Kid Rock, it was a reminder of his roots: Although he has had strong success on the country charts, he got his start in hip-hop.

This is not the first time the pair have appeared onstage together at an awards show: They also performed at the MTV Video Music Awards in September.

Kid Rock’s CD “Rock ‘n Roll Jesus,” released last year, remains one of this year’s best-selling albums and has sold more than 2.3 million copies.

The Beatles’ extraordinary music and phenomenal legacy is set to rock across the universe in the form of a video game through an exclusive partnership between Apple Corps Ltd., Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

This partnership marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, has agreed to present The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. Published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band(R), the game will be an unprecedented, experiential progression through and celebration of the music and artistry of The Beatles. The game was creatively conceived with input from Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, and enjoys their full blessing. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE project, will provide his expertise and serve as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

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