Akon added some raunchy humor to primetime when he joined The Lonely Island at the 63rd Annual Emmy Awards. The comedy trio performed a medley of their hilarious hits, opening with “Jack Sparrow,” accompanied by Michael Bolton dressed as a pirate. John Stamos, Ed Helms, and Maya Rudolph partook in “3-Way,” fulfilling the roles of Andy Samberg, Justin Timberlake, and Lady Gaga. And Akon kept the laughs coming by singing “I Just Had Sex” during the all-star finale. Watch the hijinks unfold.
Asher Roth fights the good fight and has the scars to prove it. The blond rapper leaps into action in the dark comic book-inspired video for “Last Man Standing,” the first single from his upcoming sophomore album Is This Too Orange?
The live action clip, directed by Luke Tedaldi, features animation by comic book artist Chris Hunt. An animated and real-life Asher thwarts off his enemies in a haunted mansion while Akon appears via the digital screens. After defeating the villains with his sharp words and swift moves, the bloodied MC faces one final battle with himself. Will he become the “Last Man Standing”?
It’s not quite Halloween yet, but Asher Roth creeps from the shadows in the spooky video for “Last Man Standing,” his collaboration with Akon off his upcoming sophomore album. The live action clip, directed by Luke Tedaldi, features animation by comic book artist Chris Hunt. The Pennsylvania rapper is trapped in a haunted house as he tries to escape. Find out just what he’s running from when the full video premieres next week.
While she was in town for the ESPY Awards, Estelle chatted with Rap-Up TV about her third album All of Me. The disc, due later this year, features contributions from Common (“Victorious”), Ne-Yo, Janelle Monáe, No I.D., and Jerry “Wonder” Duplessis, among others.
The first single, “Break My Heart” featuring Rick Ross, is off to a great start. When it came to shooting the video, the British songbird said the Miami rapper was the perfect gentleman. “He was so sweet. He was such a gentleman and a really nice guy,” she revealed. “We had to stand behind the infinity pool and the first thing he said was, ‘Baby I got you.’ He was so nice and such a sweetheart about everything.”
Before her album arrives, Estelle plans to release another song called “Thank You,” produced by Jerry Wonder and written by Akon. While she prefers to sing her own songs, she fell in love with the track the moment she heard it. “By the time it got to the chorus I was damn near crying,” shared Estelle. “It just resonated so much with me. I play it to my guy friends and they cry.”
The next time she saw Akon at Kardinal Offishall’s birthday she told him just how impressed she was. “I hugged him. I said, ‘You sir are incredible.’ For a guy to write from a woman’s perspective and it be that real… You made my life right this second, thank you.”
Nick Cannon aims for the laughs with the parody video for “Famous,” the Akon-assisted single from his forthcoming album. The comedian-rapper imitates icons including Michael Jackson, KISS’ Gene Simmons, Fred Astaire, and MC Hammer, as well as those with fleeting fame such as “Bed Intruder” Antoine Dodson and “Golden Voice” Ted Williams.
“I always say, everybody in a nightclub is famous. Everybody getting their shine on, everybody ballin’,” Nick tells Rap-Up.com. “It’s one of those songs that when it comes on, you can dance like you famous, drink like you famous, party like you famous.”
Computer love has a new anthem. R. Kelly’s protégé K. Michelle and Akon create a love song for the digital era with “MP3.” The collaborators flirt with each other using the latest in technology on the lush Jazze Pha production. “I want to MP3 me and you/ Straight from my hard drive into your software,” sings Akon before K. Michelle engages in relations over iChat and Skype. Who knew cyber love could be so freaky?
R. City aka Rock City are airing out their former label boss Akon. After five years, eight mixtapes, and a collection of hits written for artists including Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, and R. Kelly, the singing-songwriting duo were never given a release date for their album on Konvict Records/Interscope.
So they launched a public campaign called PTFAO (Put the F**king Album Out), and after two years of campaigning, Akon met with the Virgin Islands natives in March and offered them the option of staying with him or being released from their contract. They opted for the latter and are now independently prepping their debut Free at Last on their own label Rebelution Records, featuring the first single “We On.”
They don’t hold back when addressing the split on one of the cuts, “Dark Cloud.” “What’s a label when your CEO is an artist whose only obvious motive is focusing on his own shit?” they ask. “Now all that man really cares about is getting laid and thinks that he’s invincible because he hella paid.”
Black Mafia member Big Meech, popularized on Rick Ross’ anthem “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast),” introduces Akon’s Timbaland-esque jam with a speech on how you’ve only got “time or money” before a double-time snares kick in on the bass-heavy joint, where Akon plays with a fast delivery against a slow-rolling rhythm. “Hustling’s in my blood and it just won’t go away,” the Konvict star professes on the cut, expected to appear on his new album Stadium, due September 20.
Asher Roth teams with his labelmate Akon on “Last Man Standing,” a triumphant tune that may appear on his upcoming album. The marching Oren Yoel production features Asher’s witty wordplay plus an empowering hook courtesy of Akon. “I fall and I rise with the fire still in my eyes/ My scars and my stride/ You know I will survive,” he sings. Take a stand below.
