MTV Awards boost Lil Wayne, Adele on music charts (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – While satellite photos of the Apollo astronauts' footsteps on the moon have been in the news, providing a sad reminder of the diminishment of the American space program, MTV's "moon men" have proven to still be very relevant.

The highest-rated MTV Video Music Awards ever translated into a sales bonanza for some of the show's performers in the days that followed -- especially Lil Wayne, whose "Tha Carter IV" went on sale online less than an hour after the telecast's end, and Adele, whose riveting performance of her new single pushed it to the top spot on the digital songs chart.

Lil Wayne's blockbuster album moved an even-better-than expected 964,000 copies, per SoundScan. That's the second-best debut of the year, trailing only Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," which opened with 1.11 million.

Wayne's album had a more profitable debut, in any case, since more than 40 percent of Gaga's first-week tally came via Amazon loss-leader 99-cent sale, while "Tha Carter IV" entered the race without any such pricing-handicap advantage.

The 964K figure wasn't very far off Wayne's career best, which came in 2008, when "Tha Carter III" debuted with 1.01 million. Even a widely pirated leak of the album in the days before the MTV Awards didn't put much of a crimp in the rapper's "blunt blowin'" style.

Having a harder time keeping pace with past successes were the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who, possibly to their detriment, were not the lone token rock band invited to appear on the guitar-avoidant MTV Awards.

"I'm With You" debuted at No. 2 with 229,000 copies -- monumental by most standards, but only about half the 442,000 their previous effort opened with five years ago.

If this was merely an arena-sized debut, compared with the massive figures for 2006's "Stadium Arcadium," some of that could be due to fans taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the new music after the departure of the Chili Peppers' long-time guitarist, John Frusciante.

The other two top 10 entries were dance guru David Guetta's "Nothing But the Beat," in at No. 5 with 58,000, and country singer Jake Owen's "Barefoot Blue Jean Night," which sold 55,000, more than doubling his previous best.

Two returning veterans slipped into the top 30: rock revivalist Lenny Kravitz settled for No. 18, while Glen Campbell's purported final album came in at No. 24.

The already indomitable Adele got yet another leg up from her strikingly stark MTV appearance.

Already the bestselling album of the year, "21" enjoyed an 88 percent sales increase, selling 154,000 and holding steady at No. 3. Her previous release, "19," also saw a 60 percent increase and moved back up to No. 17 on sales of 20,000.

Even more significant was the boost for Adele's new single.

Some questioned her choice to do a slow ballad on the MTV Awards instead of the familiar, up-tempo "Rolling in the Deep."

But her simple performance of the searing, lovelorn "Someone Like You" quickly became one of the telecast's water-cooler moments, at least among the few viewers who still look to the MTV Awards for music -- or the greater number who are pleasantly surprised when it unexpectedly occurs.

The teary tune leapfrogged to the top of the digital songs chart by selling 275,000 downloads, a week-to-week increase of 191 percent.

On the album chart, the biggest MTV-related percentage increase belonged to the relatively unknown band Young the Giant, who, for reasons not immediately apparent, took the token rock slot on the telecast that the Chili Peppers might have enjoyed.

Their self-titled album benefited from a 189 percent uptick, although, coming from such a low position, that only amounted to 10,000 in sales.

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Lil Wayne nominated for 18 BET Hip-Hop Awards (AP)

ATLANTA – Rapper Lil Wayne easily topped the charts this week with his latest album. Now the self-proclaimed "Best Rapper Alive" has the most nominations for the BET Hip-Hop Awards.

His 18 nominations include MVP of the Year, Best Live Performer and Hustler of the Year.

Lil Wayne's album "Tha Carter IV" debuted Aug. 29 at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 charts, selling 964,000 for the second-best first-week sales of the year behind Lady Gaga.

The sixth annual awards ceremony will be taped at Atlanta's Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center and broadcast Oct. 11. Actor and comedian Mike Epps will host.

Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa each had nine nominations, while Miami-based rapper Rick Ross followed up with eight.

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Review: Lil Wayne still crazy on "Tha Carter IV" (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Lil Wayne's new album arrives preceded by controversy over a track that seems to make a barely veiled threat against rival Jay-Z. If Hova pays any mind to the schoolboy taunt at all, he can rest assured that if there's anyone Weezy feels more contempt for than him, it's ... every woman in the world.

No, Lil Wayne hasn't gotten any less small-minded with "Tha Carter IV," the long-delayed album that's certain to be the year's top hip-hop release. Prognosticators expect it to sell upwards of 700,000 or even 800,000 its first week (which, if you're keeping track of the aforementioned rivalry, would be several hundred thousand more than the Jay-Z/Kanye West collaboration managed).

How does Lil Wayne earn the allegiance and allowance money of seemingly every adolescent boy in America? By being deeply talented and deeply mean-spirited. If you thought misogyny had gone out of style in rap, Wayne is here to remind you that certain memes are timeless.

"I'm so cold, I'm hypothermic," he raps in "Nightmares," over a vaguely Asian chord progression. "Ask your b---, she will confirm it." When he details what he plans to do to women sexually, which he does in most of the 19 tracks, it's usually half-clinical and half-metaphoric, half-promise and half-threat.

It's all threat when he takes on Jay-Z and, by extension, Beyonce in "I'm Good," a move that seems in particularly bad taste after Sunday night's pregnancy revelation. "Talkin' 'bout baby money? I got your baby money," he teases, responding to a previous perceived dis about his relative wealth in a Jay-Z track. "Kidnap your b , get that 'how much you love your lady' money."

At times, he's the master of the comic non sequitur, as in this couplet from the Harry Belafonte-sampling "6 Foot 7 Foot," which moves with amusing ease from a questioning spirit to an existential crisis-quenching threesome: "So misunderstood but what's the world without enigma/Two b s at the same time, synchronized swimmers."

The rhymes are frequently hilarious in a Pesci-in-"GoodFellas" kind of way, where Weezy's sometimes increasingly hysterical, high-pitched rasp reminds you that pointing out his funny side might be grounds for a bloodbath. "People say I'm borderline crazy, sorta, kinda," he acknowledges in "6 Foot," and that uniquely unhinged quality is the broadest part of his charm, such as it is.

You may laugh at the improbability of the rhyme when Weezy raps, "That AK sleep on the side of my bed/ That's one eye closed, one eye open/Your cap get peeled like ibuprofen." You may also chuckle, a bit more nervously, when guest star Rick Ross uses painterly terminology in promising a bloodbath: "Red on the wall, Basquiat when I paint." (Ironically, Weezy's is only the second hip-hop album to name-check Basquiat this month, following... Jay-Z and Kanye's, naturally, though they weren't invoking machine-gun splatter.)

Perhaps the funniest incongruity of all comes in "John," which is named for John Lennon -- but not because Wayne wants to give peace a chance.

Instead, it's because he wants to imagine even more possessions, including the suit he'll wear in his casket: "If I die today, remember me like John Lennon/Buried in Louis, I'm talkin' all brown linen." It'll be the ultimate bed-in.

Taking the misogyny, misanthropy, and overweening greed of "The Carter IV" too seriously may be a fool's mission, and there's fun to be had in Wayne's way with words and beats if you don't, and if you can ignore the most cringe-worthy single entendres.

His post-prison refusal to act remotely rehabilitated on 18 out of 19 tracks makes it hard to know how to process the exception, his new single, "How to Love" -- an uncharacteristic ballad in which Lil Wayne croons (yes, croons) against an acoustic guitar for four minutes and sounds the genuinely tender and concerned romantic.

It's either fleeting proof that the misogynist has it in him to grow up, or the best fox-sneaking-into-the-henhouse ruse ever. Fathers of America, don't unlock your daughters just yet.

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Chiefs coach scores points with rapper Lil Wayne (AP)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Todd Haley scored major points with his Kansas City Chiefs players after he was spotted at a Lil Wayne concert at the Sprint Center on Monday night.

The 41-year-old head coach promised to attend the rapper's show after the Chiefs used one of his songs as part of a video for their pregame warm-up last season. Haley recalls saying, "If he comes to town, and I get an opportunity to give him a copy of it and thank him, I'll do it."

Haley called it "a great show," and Lil Wayne tweeted at him and Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers afterward: "Props to Tech 9 and the KC Chiefs Coach Haley and (hash)24 B. Flowers for the luv!"

Several players said they appreciated Haley's taste in music, though they weren't told that Haley admitted to listening to Barbara Streisand and Bobby Vinton, too.

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Lil Wayne sets "Tha Carter IV" release after VMAs (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – He won't be wearing a meat dress nor engaged in a same-sex kiss, but rapper Lil Wayne still hopes to create big media buzz after MTV's Video Music Awards by releasing his new CD minutes after Sunday's TV show.

Lil Wayne, the four-time Grammy winner and "Lollipop" rapper, on Monday said he will start selling his new album, "Tha Carter IV," online at midnight after the widely-watched awards show on August 28. The CD hits retail stores on Monday.

The album features 15 tracks and includes collaborations with other artists such as Drake, Rick Ross, John Legend, T-Pain and Tech N9ne. A deluxe edition adds three tracks.

"I am extremely excited to be the first artist to utilize such an amazing idea," Lil Wayne said in a statement. "I hope that I can open the door for others."

While releasing a full CD online just minutes after MTV's Video Music Awards (VMAs) may be new, the rapper is hardly the first musician to use the show to generate media hype.

In 2003, Britney Spears and Madonna famously kissed onstage in what became an instant cause celebre, and last year Lady Gaga showed up in a dress made of raw meat, generating headlines around the world.

The VMAs, which honor musicians and performers in categories such as best new artist and top videos, is among MTV's most watched programs. Last year about 11.4 million viewers tuned in, making the program a strong advertising vehicle to reach a highly-targeted, music-oriented audience.

Lil Wayne will perform on this year's telecast, as will Adele, Lady Gaga, Chris Brown and Bruno Mars, among others. Presenters include Selena Gomez, Jonah Hill and Kim Kardashian.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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Rapper Lil Wayne slapped with $15 million lawsuit (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rapper Lil Wayne has been slapped with a $15 million lawsuit by a Georgia company that claims he stole the song "BedRock," according to a lawsuit filed in New York.

Georgia-based production company Done Deal Enterprises accuses the rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, of copyright infringement for the song that Done Deal claims it created in 2009.

The lawsuit, filed in District Court for the Southern District of New York on July 29, also names Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment as defendants.

"BedRock" also features singers Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lloyd, and it reached No. 2 on Billboard's charts in 2010.

Lil Wayne, who was released from jail in November last year after serving time on a gun possession charge, has been ordered to appear in court on October12.

(Reporting and writing by Carly Mayberry; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Review: Fountains of Wayne more rueful on fifth album (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Fountains of Wayne, the lawn ornament store in Wayne, N.J., that was seen in the opening credits of "The Sopranos," finally shut its doors two summers ago. Fortunately, there's no closure in sight for the other, even better-known Fountains of Wayne, the rock & roll quartet that's been one of America's greatest bands since its 1996 debut.

But mellowing does seem to be in the cards, after a four-year layoff. Although band leaders Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger continue to write some of the hookiest and most clever material of the modern age, there's less fun and more ruefulness in "Sky Full of Holes," the group's fifth album.

It may be a moot point that the new effort is FOW's least airplay-friendly, since neither radio nor MTV would likely play this kind of stuff anymore even if the group did manage to come up with a "Stacy's Mom II." But fans who prefer an abundance of power in their power-pop may worry about what the lopsided spunk-to-sadness ratio portends for the beloved band.

It'd be a mistake to only celebrate Fountains of Wayne's drollery, anyway. Some of their best songs have set the wit aside for wistfulness, like "All Kinds of Time," the slowest and ironically saddest song ever to be adopted for an NFL commercial. On the new album, sure enough, the finest track is "Action Hero," the sorrowful tale of a middle-aged guy whose business and family stress are getting the best of his health -- even though, in his arrested-youth daydreams, he's still costuming up and saving the world.

There are still up-tempo comic highlights here, mostly concentrated in the album's first half. The single "Richie and Ruben" warns about an alliterative pair of serial business owners who manage to lose all their friends' investments moving from one failed retail or restaurant venture to another. "Eleven hundred bucks for a ripped-up shirt/That came pre-stained with bleach and black dirt/Seemed just a little bit too steep to me-ee-ee," Collingwood sings, in a typically dry, matter-of-fact tone that makes little distinguishment between mundane narrative details and deep emotions.

Wryness gets traded in for ruefulness in most of the album's second half, which forsakes the band's trademark quirky narratives for more impressionistic, reflective material. "You save your money for a hole in the ground, a black car and a long row of roses," the band sings in "Workingman's Hands," which seems almost designed to be the antithesis of the working-class celebrations that country music specializes in.

"Hate to See You Like This" splits the difference between cheer and depression, being a call to a despondent friend to break out of her funk. At least there's some wit to her depression: "Let's get your phone reconnected/Let's get this room disinfected"

Even a second-tier Fountains of Wayne album beats just about anything else 21st century rock has to offer. But "Hate to See You Like This" might also describe the reaction of some FOW fanatics who'll long for the more spirited days of "Welcome Interstate Managers," their 2003 masterpiece.

Maybe Schlesinger was just saving his more upbeat songs for side projects like the band Tinted Windows or his musical theater projects. Surely, after this four-year layoff, it's Fountains of Wayne's characters that are so resigned, not the members themselves, and the more laid-back feel is a natural phase, not part of a slow slide toward the fate of the band's namesake store. Right?

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Adele, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne to perform at VMAs (AP)

NEW YORK – Chris Brown and Lil Wayne are returning to the MTV Video Music Awards stage, while Adele will make her first appearance.

The trio are the first performers announced for the Aug. 28 ceremony in Los Angeles, at the Nokia Theatre. The announcement was made Thursday.

Brown's star, once tarnished because of his attack on Rihanna, is shining bright this year, and MTV has taken note.

"He is having a moment with multiple hits this year, and he always delivers on the VMA stage," said Amy Doyle, executive vice president of music and talent at MTV, on Wednesday.

She called his 2007 performance at the VMAs one of the most memorable: "He will give an energetic, bombastic, jaw-dropping performance."

Adele, who is nominated for seven VMAs, is also scheduled to perform. Only Katy Perry has more VMA nods with nine; Adele is tied with Kanye West with her seven.

Doyle predicted Adele would "bring chills down everybody's spine, if not bring them to tears, too."

Adele has the year's best-selling album with "21," but Doyle notes that her live act hasn't been seen much: Adele was forced to reschedule some concerts earlier this year because of a throat problem.

Lil Wayne's appearance will come a day before the scheduled release of his much-anticipated new album, "Tha Carter IV." Like Brown, he has also performed before on the VMAs.

"Being a nominee and performer on the VMAs once again is an honor because everyone doesn't get that opportunity," he said in statement. "Looking forward to performing on the show, and having `Tha Carter IV' drop the same week!"

Doyle said this year's show has a dynamic set that will "allow for a lot of bells and whistles," and promises that each performance will be unique. So far, no host has been announced for the typically irreverent show.

Doyle said a tribute to Amy Winehouse, who died Saturday, is a possibility.

"We don't know yet, but certainly she is top of mind, in our thoughts and in our hearts," she said.

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Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the AP's music editor. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi

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Chris Brown, Lil Wayne lead BET Awards nominees (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Chris Brown will have another chance at redemption when the BET Awards are presented Sunday night.

The 21-year-old singer, whose image is still recovering from his attack on Rihanna more than two years ago, is up for a leading six awards, including best male R&B artist and video of the year.

Brown scored several hits with his latest album, F.A.M.E., but suffered a reputation setback in March when he smashed up his dressing room after an appearance on "Good Morning America."

He is set to perform on the annual awards show, where he launched his comeback last year with an emotional tribute to Michael Jackson.

Lil Wayne follows Brown with five nods. He will also perform at the ceremony, which will be broadcast live on BET from 8-11 p.m. EDT from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Kanye West, Drake and Rihanna are up for four awards each. Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Trey Songz, Cee Lo Green and B.o.B also received multiple nominations. Patti LaBelle will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and Steve Harvey will receive the Humanitarian Award at the show hosted by comedian Kevin Hart.

The Shrine will be filled with stars as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige are set to perform, and Minaj, Mars, Gladys Knight and Justin Bieber will appear on stage.

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Wayne Brady puts on razzle-dazzle at Daytime Emmys (AP)

LAS VEGAS – Wayne Brady is right at home amid the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, so he jumped at the chance to put on the old razzle-dazzle as host of the Daytime Emmys.

Brady first hosted the awards honoring everything from soap operas to game shows to talk shows in 2003. Now, he's back for the 38th annual shindig airing live from the Las Vegas Hilton on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Brady, whose old talk show won four Daytime Emmys, will sing and dance during the two-hour show, which opens with him performing alongside Jabbawockeez, an all-male hip hop crew that has their own show on the Strip.

"We're going to do something that maybe folks have never seen on the Daytime Emmys," he said. "We're looking to up the entertainment factor. It's all done with a wink, look at all these feathers and sequins, but we're just here to have a good time."

The show moved to Vegas two years ago after a run in Los Angeles, and its ratings, like many awards shows, have bounced up and down in recent years. Executive producer David McKenzie is focused on putting together a fast-paced telecast loaded with stars.

"We're featuring tons of people that perform in Vegas," he said.

Among them are Marie Osmond, Gladys Knight, Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group.

The Daytime Emmys will pay tribute to Oprah Winfrey, who recently ended her lauded talk show after 25 years. She'll receive the Crystal Pillar award for changing the face of daytime television.

Also on his way out is Regis Philbin, who is leaving his syndicated chat fest later this year. He could retire with a trophy, having been nominated for best talk-show host.

"We're going to celebrate those shows and celebrate the stars and make it more of an old New Orleans-type of wake," said Brady, nominated for best game-show host for "Let's Make a Deal," which was previously taped in Sin City.

Joining Winfrey and Philbin on the sidelines are ABC soaps "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," both victims of declining ratings after more than 40 years on the air.

"All My Children" earned 13 Emmy nods and "One Life to Live" had 12.

Because both soaps won't end until later this year, no tributes to them are planned.

"There are great efforts to bring them back," McKenzie said. "Other networks may be taking them, so it would be premature to throw dirt on them."

ABC's "General Hospital" led the way with 21 nominations, followed by CBS' "The Young and the Restless" with 20 and "Sesame Street" with 16.

"All My Children" will vie for best daytime drama, along with "General Hospital," "The Young and the Restless" and CBS' "The Bold and the Beautiful," the two-time defending champion in the shrinking category.

"All My Children" co-stars Alicia Minshew and Debbi Morgan are up against each other for best actress in a daytime drama. Other nominees are Colleen Zenk of "As the World Turns," Susan Flannery of "The Bold and the Beautiful," Laura Wright of "General Hospital" and Michelle Stafford of "The Young and the Restless."

Best daytime actor nominees are Ricky Paull Goldin of "All My Children," Michael Park of "As the World Turns," James Scott of "Days of Our Lives," Maurice Benard of "General Hospital" and Christian Le Blanc of "The Young and the Restless."

Among the presenters are nominees Rachael Ray, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Meredith Vieira, who ended her five-year run on the "Today" show earlier this month. Also, CNN's Anderson Cooper, Penn & Teller, Peter Marshall and Vanna White.

Hosts Alex Trebek of "Jeopardy!" and Pat Sajak of "Wheel of Fortune" will be honored with lifetime achievement awards, although neither man was nominated for best game show host this year.

The nominees aren't the only ones who could walk away winners.

Viewers can go online and answer questions to enter a contest with prizes featuring trips to Universal Studios Orlando, the Bahamas and a yacht cruise.

"We're just going to have fun and blow the roof off," Brady said.

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