Headline says it. Yesterday you saw photo and blurb that introduced this far-flung pop cultural consortium, today it materializes. What does it say about this band that somehow this lineup of Friends Of Vampire Weekend not only doesn’t surprise but seems entirely logical to me? Like of course RZA, a JoBro, Lil Jon, and Donnie Darko are gonna get down with Contra. Because at this point who isn’t? Can’t stay mad at an album that drops and repeats so effortlessly, save those critics with overly prickly sensitivities for the embedded semiotics of race and class issues in pop music. Anyway this video is super fun: You may recognize the main lady here from the “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” video (her name IRL is Jenny, because of course her name in IRL is Jenny), you’ll definitely recognize most of the rest of the faces from their being famous. Tennis is the game, RZA’s the line judge, Gyllenhaal is funny, this is all sort of great. Here’s what Ezra had to say about pulling it together.

Read More...

Think Ghostface turned RZA on to Vampire Weekend? Probably. According to Anthem Magazine (via P4K), who talked to co-director Emmett Malloy (younger brother Brendan also directs), Ezra Koening came up with the “Giving Up The Gun” video’s tennis match concept on his own. RZA plays ref, Lil Jon is a tennis coach, and Gyllenhaal and Jonas are competitors. Malloy mentioned that band friend “Jenny,” who looks like the same Jenny from their “Oxford Comma” video, stars. The Malloys also have White Stripes and Oasis documentaries under their belts, as well as videos for the Jonas Brothers and Cold War Kids. Keep eyes peeled for this one tomorrow. Nice photo, dudes.

By Amrit Singh & Brandon Stosuy
The weather’s getting hotter by the day, but we refuse to cave: We arrived at the grounds when the sun was at its peak. Amrit’s given to wearing shorts at this point, but Brandon sticks by his Levi’s because pale white legs are no good in the Southern California desert, a land where men think nothing of attending festivals in speedos, you see more horrible back tattoos than anywhere else in the world, and dozens of ladies have clearly forgotten to wear pants. Yes, photos of these sorts of things to come. In the meantime, though, we saw more music. The bands always seem to wear more clothes than the crowds, especially in a year without Les Savy Fav.

Read More...

Forest Whitaker, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Samuel L. Jackson appear. And T-Pain, don’t forget him. Also, Ron Howard? And it’s called “Blame It (On The Alcohol).” Are we sure this isn’t from FunnyOrDie? Watch at Videogum.

Clearly, this couldn’t wait ’til Monday. Mr. West gamely mocks his much YouTube’d award show outbursts on Saturday Night Live‘s Lebron James-hosted season premiere…

“It got champagne in it!”

After the jump, the live performance of “Champion” ending with a clumsy freestyle that’s ultimately brave and endearing despite the flub. He never be picture perfect.

Read More...

Along with rebellious meatballs, this weekend’s Saturday Night Live featured The Shins, whose performance of “Phantom Limb” and a superdragged out “New Slang” didn’t do anything to change our minds about their live abilities. But Jake Gyllenhaal doing his best Jennifer Hudson doing her best Jennifer Holiday on “And I Am Telling You”? That changed our mind about his falsetto abilities.

Despite knowing every little thing about Dreamgirls (Jennifer Holiday is pissed about not being involved! Beyoncé got snubbed for a Best Original Song Oscar!), we still haven’t seen it. Mistake? Does Hudson really steal the film just based on that one song? The idea of Eddie Murphy turning in a statue-worthy turn is promising; he’s still paying off his debt to society for his solo career — one that Simon Cowell was too intimidated to shut down when he had the chance. Which makes Simon an accomplice “Party All The Time.”