MTV took over L.A. this weekend for its annual Video Music Awards, with two days of parties and concerts leading up to the big show on Sunday. And while the big talk was more about who wasn’t coming — Kanye West, Katy Perry, anyone to host the show — Metro was there on the red carpet and at the show itself. Check in tomorrow for full details from inside the auditorium. Before the show, though, we caught up with a few people ready to party.
LIL JON
While the fun-loving rapper had to skip town right before the big show, he still had plenty of expectations.
On the VMAs: My boy Pitbull just got added to the show in the last couple days, and he’s having an incredible year, so I’m looking forward to seeing him do his thing and supporting him. And I want to know what Lady Gaga’s going to wear. I think that’s the question of the day, what is she going to where this time? She had the meat dress last year, so how can she top the meat dress?
On keeping busy: I’ve been doing a lot of DJing around the world. I just finished the new single and dropped it — “Drink,” featuring LMFAO. I’m working on the album “Party Animal.” Should be out next year. And I have a residency in Vegas at Surrender. I’m there every two weeks. It’s great. I never thought I’d be doing it like Dean Martin or Siegfried and Roy and those guys, but I’m there like them. It’s cool.
On “Drink”: I thought we couldn’t top “Shots” for a party song, but it’s right up there with “Shots.” When you hear the record, it makes you want to go to the club and drink and party. A little push helps.
ANDREW WK:
The party animal has been holed up in L.A. prepping a new record.
On the VMAs: Really my main concern is the parties. I want to be invited to the pre-parties, the after-parties, the post-after-parties and of course any party at all. And that really is a great thing about this event — there are a lot of parties.
On the awards show itself having an open bar: I’d almost rather have a paid bar because open bars get so crowded with so many people jockeying and trying to get six drinks at once and whatnot. I’d rather pay and get a drink faster. But either way, hey, free drinks — thank you, MTV!
On the state of rock today: Defining rock by instruments — it’s more a feeling of energy. And I would say that over these last five years, the level of energy has really increased in popular music in general, across the board. In rock, in metal, but also in hip-hop, in pop — even in country music. It’s a high-energy level of excitement right now. And for me, that’s fantastic. I want to feel that way as much of the time as possible. I don’t want to be the only person making exciting music. I want everyone to be getting that rocking vibe. So even if it doesn’t have guitars in it, it can still rock.
REBECCA BLACK:
The 14-year-old YouTube conversation piece is trying to turn her Internet infamy into an actual music career.
On her VMAs experience so far: It’s pretty amazing, considering it just started. You think it’s just a couple hours, but no. It’s a whole weekend.
On how 2011 has been a roller coaster for her: Oh, definitely. I mean, when I thought how 2011 was going to be at New Year’s, I thought it’s just going to be the year I start high school. But no, it turned out to be so much more, and I’m so grateful for it all. It’s amazing to go from the little teenager I was to now this.
On the reception for her new single: It’s been really positive. I mean, of course, there’s the little people that just like to nag on whatever, but it doesn’t bother me.
On dealing with so much negativity: My parents always raised me to have a thick skin. And I’ve dealt with bullying in the past, so I think that helped to not let me let it bother me, because it’s not anything new.
