MTV Buzzworthy Blog › Benny Blanco

(Credit: Rene Cervantes/MTV)

Well slap me in the face and call me Kierkegaard! Mike Posner is a modern-day philosopher! You might not have guessed by listening to his super-pleasant but not world-view-shattering debut album 31 Minutes To Take Off, or his delicious slice of R&B-laced hip-pop, "Cooler Than Me," but the dude is something of a deep thinker.

Just take this Buzzworthy interview, in which Posner ponders the various perspectives through which people view the world. This idea greatly informed his video for "Cooler Than Me," as we hear Posner give a rather articulate explanation for the clip's meaning.

In case you were still doubting dude's brainiac credentials, Posner reveals he was a Sociology major at Duke University and talks about how his academic background informs his music.

Don't worry, it's not all chin-scratching and deep thinking. Mike also shares a story about unwittingly eating raw meat when producer Benny Blanco ordered him a dish of steak tartar.

Check out Mike Posner's MTV interview, as well as Mike's "Cooler Than Me" clip, below. 31 Minutes To Take Off is out now.

Tags Benny Blanco, Mike Posner, video

When 3OH!3 and Ke$ha meet in the video for "My First Kiss" (the lead single off of 3OH!3's upcoming album, Streets of Gold) you get a lot of what you'd expect from this meeting of the minds: a grab bag of imagery on top of a wave of innuendo.

Directed by Isaac Ravishankara, the clip features taxidermy, makeout sessions, 3OH!3 in all their '80s fashion glory (satin jackets with the sleeves rolled up) and Ke$ha rocking gold lipstick. Bottom line? It's exuberant as all get out.

Let's face it: The video had to be mind-boggling to match the energy of the song. Produced by pop wizard Benny Blanco, "My First Kiss" features "We Will Rock You" drums, power chords and gang vocals. If this was playing during my first kiss I'd be way too distracted by the jam in the background to seal the deal.

Check out the premiere of 3OH!3's "My First Kiss," featuring Ke$ha, below. Streets of Gold is out June 29.

Tags 3OH!3, Benny Blanco, Ke$ha, video

Katy Perry slightly dropped out of the spotlight to go to India, get engaged to Russell Brand and then hit the GRAMMYS wearing little more than a rhinestoned body stocking, but the "Hot N Cold" singer is slowly starting to make her presence felt again. She pops up on the March cover of Nylon, looking awesome in a pink Jeremy Scott raincoat and mini skirt. Inside the mag, she talks about gearing up to work on her new LP and where she finds herself in the pop landscape. (You can check out excerpts from the interview here, at The Prophet Blog).

Perry also talks extensively about working with new collaborators, which got us thinking—as we tend to do in these here parts—who would we like to see Katy work with on her new platter...

Read more...

Tags Benny Blanco, Dr. Luke, Jeremy-Scott, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Rancid, Rivers Cuomo, Russell Brand, Tim Armstrong, Timbaland, Weezer

(Credit: Annie Leibovitz/Terry Richardson/Candies)

+ A while back, we chortled, chuckled and LOL'd at Britney Spears' earlier Candie's ad campaign. Well, the new set of advertisements has been released and where we once laughed, we now must respectfully nod our heads Brit's general direction because homegirl looks amazing! Spears was shot by three different high-profile photographers—Annie Leibovitz (above left), Terry Richardson (above right) and Mark Seliger. If you don't believe us, see for yourself! (E! Online)

+ I know we've all been kept up at night, worrying and praying about the financial stability of Akon's 401K. Well, our prayers have been answered. Yes, Akon is going to be able to retire with ease and in luxury. Thankfully, he will not be playing "Locked Up" on the senior citizen circuit. His patronage of a young gal who goes by the name of Lady Gaga has paved the way for a rather comfortable run of senior living. (PopEater)

+ MTV News caught up recently with blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and it turns out he's quite a busy man. Barker is currently immersed in two different projects: one is a collaboration album with DJ A-Trak, which could be seen as an extension of the work he did with the late DJ AM, and the other is a solo album, which is scheduled to feature the likes of Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and Slipknot's Corey Taylor. (MTV News)

+ 3Oh!3 are back in the studio, recording their new album, Streets Of Gold, with the help of super-producers Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco. When asked about new tunage, the Denver duo explained, "We're going full-ahead with the sexism and misogyny. We're trying to blaze new trails." (EW)

+ Have you seen the awesome #BecauseOfNickiMinaj trending topic on Twitter recently? In case you missed it, Idolator has compiled the greatest hits for your perusal, featuring classics like, "i failed my speech and english classes bc i said things like bestest." See? Rappers are role models. (Idolator)

Tags 3OH!3, A-Trak, Akon, Benny Blanco, Blink-182, Britney Spears, Chester Bennington, DJ AM, Lady Gaga, linkin park, Nicki Minaj, RZA, Slipknot, Travis Barker, Wu-Tang Clan

If you like your pop music with a bit of A.D.D., a ton of genres, a lot of humor, and, generally, a bit of attitude, then meet Neon Hitch. You're gonna love her.

Neon Hitch is a London-based artist (and one-time roommate of Amy Winehouse) who is the newest star in producer Benny Blanco's constellation.

You may not know Benny Blacno's name, but you certainly know his sound. The songwriter/producer has been on a heck of a roll recently, having a hand in hits by Katy Perry, Ke$ha, 3Oh!3 and more. Call it "trash(ed)-pop." It's extravagant, punky, genre-hopping party music.

Neon Hitch, who did writing work on Ke$ha's newest smash, "Blah Blah Blah," is something of an oddball in this crowd of 24-hour party people. Recently signed to Warner Bros. by American Idol judge, Kara DioGuardi, her vocals, on songs like "Blow Ur House Down," (which you can hear at her MySpace) are reminiscent early Erykah Badu, and her music incorporates the very in-vogue sound of dubstep (a sound that heavily influenced Rihanna's Rated R), along with heavy rock guitars and techno pulse that characterizes much of Blanco's production.

While she and Blanco work on her debut album, possibly titled Beg, Borrow And Steal, you can hear Neon Hitch collaborating with 3Oh!3 on the song "Follow Me Down," from the upcoming Alice In Wonderland kind-of soundtrack, Almost Alice.

+ Listen to Neon Hitch and 3Oh!3, "Follow Me Down," here.

Tags 3OH!3, American Idol, Amy Winehouse, Benny Blanco, Erykah Badu, Kara DioGuardi, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Neon Hitch, Rihanna