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11/28/2005 - Stacks Vinyl Gift Certificates Now Availiable For The Holidays!

Don't know what to get someone for the holidays? Stacks now offers gift certificates! They can now choose to buy whatever they want from movies, clothes, CDs and vinyl!

GIFT CERTIFICATES NOT VALID FOR ONLINE PURCHASES!

 

Music Industry News

Prince Announces New Universal Ventures- courtesy of urbannetwork.com

 

Superstar Prince has signed a deal with Universal Records to release his upcoming album, 3121, early next year. A press conference was scheduled Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Prince had a similar deal with Columbia Records in 2003; that label distributed his acclaimed comeback album, Musicology, for NPG Records, Prince's label. He also had similar deals with Arista/BMG with the album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic; and the double-CD Emancipation through EMI.
VH1 and its affiliated networks, including Tempo and VH1 Soul, are scheduled to premiere the singer's new video, "Te Amo Corazon (I Love You Sweetheart)," directed by Salma Hayek.
Also, Universal Music Publishing Group announced the renewal of a long-term worldwide publishing administration deal with Prince.
Commented David Renzer, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group: "Not only is Prince a legend, but he remains a world-class musician, considered by many to be the most prolific hit-maker of our generation as well as one of the best live artists. The fact that he is re-signing to Universal Music Publishing Group speaks to the dedication and commitment we can show to a world-class high caliber artist like Prince. We are thrilled to have concluded this deal and consider it a privilege to continue our long-term relationship with him.”
The deal includes administration of Prince’s numerous future works and his complete, extensive back catalog of more than 35 albums and compilations including landmark, multi-platinum albums Musicology, 1999, Sign O’ The Times, Diamonds and Pearls, Parade, Around the World in a Day, Emancipation, Purple Rain, and Batman – The Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Read full story online:
http://www.urbannetwork.com/cms/index.php?news=419&emc=&m=1636837&v=1005531104&l=2]

King Kong Hits Theaters! - courtesy of urbannetwork.com

 

Universal Pictures has a monumental hit on their hands with director’s Peter Jackson’s (Lord of The Rings trilogy) incarnation of King Kong. This latest version stars Naomi Watts (Ann Darrow), Adrien Brody (Jack Driscoll), Jack Black (Carl Denham), Andy Serkis (King Kong/Lumpy The Cook); with supporting cast Thomas Kretschmann,(Captain Englehorn), Colin Hanks (Preston), Evan Parke (Hayes) and Kyle Chandler (Bruce Baxter) and Jamie Bell, (Jimmy).
Inspired by the 1933 original version of King Kong, Jackson’s life was transformed by those images and solidified his destiny as a director at the tender age of 9.

Fast forward 35 years, and here you have Peter Jackson, three Academy Awards® later and the mastermind behind some of the greatest visual stories ever told on the big screen.

At first thought, a remake of a cult classic one may begin to think, ‘why can’t film makers leave well enough alone’; but that is not the case for Peter Jackson’s King Kong. What makes this movie so special is that it is a story about love and the connection of two lonely souls…King Kong and Ann Darrow.

The obvious star of this movie is Kong via Andy Serkis’ on-set reference and functioning as an emotionally present participant in the scenes. The pure chemistry between Watt’s Darrow and Serkis’ Kong is absolutely magical! Watts gives an awesome performance as the down-on-her-luck Vaudevillian actress Ann Darrow--lured to Skull Island by the conniving producer/director Carl Denham in a role made popular by silent film actress Faye Ray. Watts' character screams her way into Kong’s heart via a spiritual and kinetic bond.

The anticipation of the screen arrival of Kong became quite tedious after an hour into the movie. The some what drawn-out set up of the pre-story leading up to the crew’s arrival on Skull Island was almost unbearable; but the moment the crew steps on the shores, this movie hits the ground running and never stops. The other-worldly wizardry of Weta Workshop Limited and Weta Digital Limited masterful adds some of the most mind-blowing special effects of this movie. The forgotten-by-time inhabitants of Skull Island set the stage for the impending meeting of Kong and his destiny.

King does not disappoint with his bravado, strength, fearlessness and ultimate charm. One of the most sensory overloaded moments in the movie is the catch-your-breath and fight-to-the-death battle between Kong and a family of Tyrannosaurs Rexes. The WWE definitely was an inspiration for that fight sequence. Kong is the man!

Kong defending Darrow on top of the Empire State Building is so realistic that one can only marvel at the sheer believability that a 25-foot ape could actually exist. Of course the technology has advanced leaps and bounds since the 1933 original, but Jackson and his CGI magicians create a flawless digital canvas to transport views back in time; while showing the brilliance of modern day technological advances. This climatic ending surpasses the original in every way.

This film is action-packed and quite honestly has some of the most nail biting, edge-of-your-seat, hands covering your face sequences in movie history. This movie is a great date movie. It’s a love story surrounded by an amazing action-packed adventure.

King Kong is rated PG-13 and hits theaters Wednesday December 14, 2005.

For this and all of the latest news updates, visit
http://www.urbannetwork.com/cms/index.php?news=418&emc=&m=1636837&v=1005531104&l=3]

 

Stevie Wonder to Perform at Super Bowl Pre-Game - courtesy of urbannetwork.com

 

Motown fans miffed by the NFL's choice of the Rolling Stones for Super Bowl halftime entertainment are getting at least some satisfaction: Stevie Wonder will perform during the pre-game show at Ford Field.
Wonder will play three or four songs before the Feb. 5 game.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league wasn't prepared to make an announcement about the pre-game show. However, he said, "We would be thrilled to be able to work with Stevie Wonder again."
According to the Associated Press, many saw it as a snub that those stars were passed over for halftime. Detroit radio personality Mildred Gaddis gave out the phone number of an NFL official on the air and urged listeners to call and complain.
McCarthy said it was always the league's intention to honor Motown in the pre-game show. But halftime, he said, is bigger than Detroit.

Read full story online:
http://www.urbannetwork.com/cms/index.php?news=415&emc=&m=1636837&v=1005531104&l=4]

Young Buck Cops to Plea-courtesy of urbannetwork.com

G-Unit's Young Buck pleaded no contest earlier this week to a felony charge stemming from the stabbing of Jimmy James Johnson during a brawl at last year's Vibe Awards show. The 24-year-old rapper, whose real name is David Darnell Brown, worked out a plea deal with prosecutors that saw him avoid prison time for the attack. He entered his plea to the reduced charge of assault likely to produce great bodily harm, and he was sentenced to three years' probation by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Brandlin. Buck also was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.

Read full story online:
http://www.urbannetwork.com/cms/index.php?news=420&emc=&m=1636837&v=1005531104&l=5]

Mary J. Wants To 'Bring Nina Simone Back To Life, Like Jamie Foxx Did With 'Ray' '- courtesy of mtv.com

 

Mary J. Blige knows she doesn't look much like Nina Simone, but she's planning to make people forget that when she portrays the legendary singer in an upcoming biopic — much like the way another legendary singer was channelled for a recent

"I'm going to really grind and try and figure out how to bring Nina back to life, like Jamie Foxx did with 'Ray,' " Blige said. "I'm going to take it seriously — I'm not just going to take advantage of being the artist they picked."

Interestingly, Blige didn't go looking for this part — quite the opposite (see "Mary J. Blige To Portray Legendary Singer Nina Simone In Film"). The filmmakers sought her out, and after a bit of resistance, Blige agreed to meet with the representatives from Paramount Pictures and screenwriter Cynthia Mort to discuss the details at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where she learned the part actually had been written with her in mind.

"[Mort] is a big Mary fan, and I'm like, 'Why do you have me in mind for this?' " Blige recalled. "She said, 'Well, you don't look like Nina, but your spirit is the same.' And I said, 'Like what?' She was like, 'Read the book.'"

So Blige did her research, read the late Simone's autobiography "I Put a Spell on You," and learned about her relationships with lovers and managers, including Andy Stroud, who served as both until they divorced in 1970. The more Mary (who is managed by her husband, Kendu Isaacs) read, the more she found in common with Simone.

"Our fans love us real hard," Blige said. "Her fans wanted to hear whatever they wanted to hear from Nina — the same kind of thing with men, bad men, you know. Then she finally ends up with the good one, and then she dies."

That bolstered Blige's interest in the project, but then there was the hurdle of taking on such a big role, when she's never carried a film before. While says she feels ready now, she takes comfort that the film currently has no slated start date, and she's going to do as much as she can to prepare.

"I've got to get acting coaches," Blige said. "It takes a lot of confidence to get you to this point, and I'm on my way to my confidence not being cocky or arrogant, but just very confident and sure. But I know I really got to nail this part, let you know I'm serious about it."

In the meantime, Blige's seventh studio full-length, The Breakthrough, is set to hit stores on December 20 (see "Mary J. Blige's Breakthrough Is Coming Out This Year After All") and is currently featured on "The Leak" on MTV.com.

For a feature where Mary J. Blige takes an intimate look at her career, see "Throwback With Mary J. Blige."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, interviews, trailers and more.

Read full story online:
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1518220/12152005/story.jhtml

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