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Skrillex Takes Inspiration From Kanye West With The Release Of 'Recess'

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Skrillex is taking his inspiration from Kanye West these days.

The electronic music DJ and producer spent a little time with West, sharing a plane flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas where each was to perform two years ago, and came away with an invitation to collaborate and an even deeper understanding of the possibilities in front of him. "It was cool to see Kanye surrounded by all these creative people constantly on computers, approving stuff, coming up with ideas — the constant machine that Kanye was in the middle of," said Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore. "And it reminded me a lot of my crew. We have so much going on 24-7 and we're always on our computers, we're all approving stuff and going back and forth with ideas. And to see him do it on a massive level is really cool. He's just so involved with every aspect of his career."

The 26-year-old Grammy Award winner has decided to emulate that model, and has begun building a creative center in downtown Los Angeles he calls The Nest. Eventually the goal is to have a space for friends — musicians and producers and members of his record label, OWSLA, but also other creatives in the visual and fashion world — to use as a hub, much in the way West keeps scores of satellites in orbit around him.

Skrillex's first official album, "Recess," out this week, is one of the most complex examples of this way of thinking. It was recorded as he toured the world and unfettered by corporate rules. His record label, Atlantic Records, had almost no input before it received the album, and is working mainly as a distributor and promoter.

"All the creative comes from us sitting together and vibing out," Moore said in a phone interview of his collaborators and business partners. "I'm making music and they're working on other artist stuff and we just kind of have this synergy going on that really bypasses the steps of having to deal with a label and having to clear something through them, and hopefully they'll get out there and sell the record. It doesn't have that (old label system) vibe. It's a whole different way of being. It's pure, you know?"

Instead of taking a seven-figure advance, Moore recorded "Recess" in much the way he's produced previous records — on the fly all over the world. As he played shows for a growing number of fans, he'd selectively invite new collaborators to join him as he made stops in New York, Los Angeles, Canada and the United Kingdom.

While in South Korea, he hooked up with G-Dragon and the YG Entertainment crew at the suggestion of Diplo and the result was "Dirty Vibe." He caught up with old friend Chance the Rapper at a show in Seattle and they banged out "Coast is Clear" overnight with a full band.

"Recess" is the first formal release Moore has put out under the Skrillex moniker since 2011's "Bangarang" EP. He spent much of 2013 occupied with touring as Skrillex and with his band, Dog Blood. He scored Harmony Korine's "Spring Breakers" and worked on music obsessively. "Recess," it turns out, is just the initial salvo in 2014.

"This album is kind of like the first wave of a lot more stuff to come, just (songs) flying out left and right kind of thing," he said. "That's kind of what to expect: spontaneous releases. ... There's so many other collaborations that I can't really say yet but that have been left over from the record, that I'm going to release soon that are so dope. I'm excited for the new stuff to come out that no one's heard yet."

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Online: http://skrillex.com

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Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott

12 Really Questionable Love Song Lyrics

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Love can be difficult to articulate. After all, there's no universal definition for what gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling in your heart.

Still, that doesn't change the fact that these love song lyrics are just plain, "Huh?!?!"

1. Britney Spears, "Sometimes"

"Sometimes I run/Sometimes I hide/Sometimes I'm scared of you"

vJa0aTrD

If you're scared of your boyfriend, that's probbbably a red flag.

2. Enrique Iglesias, "Escape"

"You can run/You can hide/But you can't escape my love"

questionable5

We'll see what the cops have to say about that, Enrique.

3. LFO, "Summer Girls"

"I'll steal your honey like I stole your bike"

thatsnotcutequestionable

This song is a mecca for bad lyrics, but seriously LFO, nobody wants to date a klepto.

4. Spice Girls, "Wannabe"

"If you wanna be my lover/You gotta get with my friends"

questionable8

Two words: please don't.

5. Backstreet Boys, "As Long As You Love Me"

"I don't care who you are/Where you're from/What you did/As long as you love me"

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That's really sweet, BSB, but you should, at the very least, know who your girlfriend is.

6. Maroon 5, "She Will Be Loved"

"I know where you hide/Alone in your car"

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Uh ... Do we even want to know how you know that?

7. The Police, "Every Breath You Take"

"Every breath you take/Every move you make/Every bond you break/Every step you take/I'll be watching you"

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Creep much, Sting?

8. Clay Aiken, "Invisible"

"If I was invisible/I would just watch you in your room"

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Honestly, we could copy and paste lyrics to the ENTIRE song here, because it's all so creepy.

9. K-Ci & JoJo, "All My Life"

"Close to me you're like my mother/Close to me you're like my father/Close to me you're like my sister/Close to me you're like my brother"

butreallyquestionable

How very "Flowers in the Attic."

10. Savage Garden, "I Knew I Loved You"

"I knew I loved you before I met you/I think I dreamed you into life"

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Whenever someone says they had a dream about you -- let alone a dream that you were his lover -- it's kinda creepy.

11. T-Pain Ft. Lil Wayne, "Can't Believe It"

"It ain't nothin' to the Pain/We could change that last name/What's happenin'?"

Really_seriously_WHAT

Marriage? NBD to T-Pain.

12. Aqualung, "Strange and Beautiful"

"I'll put a spell on you/You'll fall asleep/And when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see/And you'll realize that you love me"

scottdisickwut

We'd search for soulmates on Tinder before we resorted to witchcraft. That's some next level desperation.

Student Tries To Take A Museum Selfie, Breaks A Classic Artwork Instead

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We understand. We really do. You get yourself all the way to a cultural institution and find an artwork that actually moves you or, at least, it's kinda funny. How could you not document the affair and subsequently share it on all your social media platforms?

But please, please, when you're taking your selfie, don't break the art.

Today's public service announcement, unfortunately, comes a little too late. On Monday, March 17, an uncoordinated fellow visiting Milan's Academy of Fine Arts of Brera tried to climb atop the sculpture "Drunken Satyr" to snap the perfect selfie, and ended up snapping off the poor satyr's leg.

Yup, according to witnesses, his selfie broke the artwork. You can see the tragic results here. Spoiler: It looks like the satyr below, minus an appendage.

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The original "Drunken Satyr," aka "Barberini Faun" (Wikimedia)




The Milan Chronicle first reported the events, suspecting a "foreign student" was responsible for the humiliating display. Unfortunately, due to a technical malfunction, there is no available security footage from the camera in the museum hallway at this time. Stay tuned for updates on the identity of this mysterious narcissist and whether or not he himself was drunk at the time.

In the meantime, Academy Director Franco Marrocco is treating the selfie fail as an "accident." The slight silver lining of the whole debacle is that the assailed satyr, now missing a leg, is a 19th century copy of the Hellenistic original, which dates back to around the second century.

If you weren't annoyed enough by selfie culture already, now selfies are literally destroying classic artworks. Let's go ahead and add this particular act of photography to our list of things you should never do at a museum, right next to allowing children to climb on million-dollar artworks.

h/t Time

Iconic TV And Movie Vehicles Get 'Transformers' Makeovers

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Leave the Autobots and Decepticons in the junkyard, because there's a new fleet of Transformers in town.

Darren Rawlings' "If They Could Transform" series features famous vehicles from various movies and television shows transformed into the sorts of giant robots that Mark Wahlberg will soon battle on the big screen. The Ecto-1, Mystery Machine and Party Wagon are already pretty awesome rides, but they get even better when given the full robot treatment.

Check out some of Rawlings' awesome transformations below, and head over to his deviantART page for even more.

Daft Punk's Grammy Rehearsal Performance Is Better Than The Live Show

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Daft Punk's Grammy collaboration with Pharrell, Stevie Wonder and Nile Rodgers was undoubtedly one of the best performances of the night, if not in all Grammy history. Unfortunately, most of the camera shots during the performance focused on the crowd, seeking out the most awkward dancers and the star's reactions. Well, thanks to the dedicated work of Reddit sleuths iambradk and IAmArique, we now have their rehearsal performance, and not only do you get more face time with the artists but a better sound than the live show. Watch the video below.



[h/t: Consequence of Sound]

'Divergent' Review: Can Shailene Woodley Carry The Film Adaptation?

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If you have a kid of a certain age — especially a girl, preteen or thereabouts — then you know the young-adult entertainment message of choice these days:

You're you, and nobody else. Don't let them define you. Don't let them put you into one of their neat little slots. You're unique. And you're gonna show the world. You go, girl! So it's no surprise that this is the message of "Divergent," the latest young adult blockbuster-in-waiting. It's also no surprise that the emerging young star Shailene Woodley delivers a crucial dose of humility, sensitivity and intelligence in this showcase role. And it's no surprise, either, that she generates nice chemistry with her rather absurdly good-looking co-star, Theo James.

What IS surprising is that with all these promising elements, "Divergent," the first of three installments based on first-time author Veronica Roth's trilogy, ultimately feels so lackluster. For a film predicated on the principle that being different — or "divergent" — is what makes you special, "Divergent" just doesn't diverge enough from the pack.

Not that this will hurt the film's chances at the box office. Like "The Hunger Games," the franchise to which it will unavoidably be compared, "Divergent" has a ready-made audience of fans just waiting to fill those seats — over 11 million books have been sold, after all.

Those book fans will have a crucial head start. "Divergent" takes a good deal of time explaining plot mechanics, but If you already know what's happening, you can spend more time admiring, say, those cheekbones on James — or his day-old, dystopian stubble.

In a nutshell, "Divergent," directed by Neil Burger, takes place in a futuristic Chicago, a bleak version indeed of the Windy City. Half of every building seems to be destroyed, leaving hulking shells. Civilization is divided into five factions, based on human virtues: Dauntless, Abnegation, Erudite, Amity, and Candor.

Beatrice Prior (Woodley) is born into Abnegation. But at age 16, a citizen can choose their own faction, at the Choosing Ceremony. Right before, they take an aptitude test that tells them which faction they fit best. Beatrice's results are downright scary: She has not one virtue, but all of them. She is "divergent" — which makes her dangerous.

To the distress of her parents (Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn), Beatrice opts to join Dauntless, the most courageous faction, but also the most reckless: Pierced and tattooed, they look like unusually fit punk rockers. Soon she's in boot camp, jumping on and off trains (trains never seem to actually stop in this movie) and into pits, and fighting viciously in the ring, under the guidance of the initially unforgiving Four (James), her trainer. Gradually, Beatrice — she's renamed herself "Tris" — becomes buff and strong. But will it be enough to survive?

On top of all this, there's a political storm brewing, led by the villainess Jeanine Matthews, played by a blonde and stiletto-clad Kate Winslet in one of her less convincing performances (in a sadly under-written role.) Matthews is the leader of Erudite, which means she's got a killer IQ along with those killer heels, and she's convinced that Divergents are a threat to her plan to overthrow Abnegation.

Then there's Peter, another Dauntless initiate who comes from Candor, meaning the role is perfect for the fast-talking Miles Teller — so memorable opposite Woodley in "The Spectacular Now," but underused here.

There's some entertaining action here, but the action most teen fans may like best involves a lip-lock — as teen movie kisses go, it's a really good one — between Woodley and James.

At 143 minutes, though, the movie feels overly long, and by the end, you may want to hop onto one of those trains yourself and hope it arrives somewhere a lot less grim. But two sequels await. So there's always hope.

"Divergent," a Summit Entertainment release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for "intense violence and action, thematic elements and some sensuality." Running time: 143 minutes. Two stars out of four.

Marc Webb Learned To Embrace 'Spectacle' For 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'

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Spider-Man's neighborhood of choice for Wednesday afternoon was New York's Upper West Side, as Sony invited a group of journalists to watch 30 minutes of footage from "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," the studio's forthcoming sequel to "The Amazing Spider-Man."

Director Marc Webb was on hand to introduce the clips, which included the film's opening sequence (a flashback involving Peter Parker's mother and father, played by Embeth Davidtz and Campbell Scott), a pair of action set pieces (one involving Paul Giamatti's Rhino; the other focused on Jamie Foxx's Electro) and what looked like a key moment in the second act, when Electro meets Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan). Not shown was Osborn's turn into the villainous Green Goblin.

"Villain is sort of a simple word," Webb said about making a superhero film with multiple evildoers during the post-screening Q&A. "One of the great things about the Marvel universe is the complexity of the villains. Often there is a preexisting domestic connection, as in the case of Harry Osborn. That makes the conflicts more emotional and deeper. That was something I was curious about exploring."

Webb appeared loose and relaxed after the footage screened, and perhaps with good reason. In just 30 minutes, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" looked more polished than anything in "The Amazing Spider-Man," yet managed to retain that first film's high point: the banter between Andrew Garfield, as Spider-Man, and Emma Stone, as his lady love, Gwen Stacy.

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Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."


"The learning curve of the first one was huge, just in terms of the scope of the visual effects," said Webb when asked about the difference between the two films. "I had never carried something through with that scope. Particularly the animation of Spider-Man and The Lizard; trying to create a kind of realism out of that was tricky. Now, having gone through that, I was able to anticipate and think about all those eventualities and obstacles that can complicate your way."

One of those complications was backlash to Spider-Man's suit, an issue that the director dealt with right away in part two.

"In the first movie, I was really committed to thinking about how this kid was going to make a suit. That's why the eyes were made of glasses," Webb said. "In some ways that was a mistake, because hardcore fans have such a connection to the specificity of the suit. I sensed that and decided to go back to the more iconic version of the suit."

Between the films, Webb also realized that the nature of Spider-Man as a comic book lent itself to the extravagant. That recognition showed in the action scenes screened on Wednesday, specifically the introduction of Electro, which features the villain blowing up Times Square in a terrifying manner.

"I remember the feeling of reading a comic book. When you're walking into a Spider-Man universe, you're walking a dream world. There's creatures that come out from under the bed, there's people who are made of electricity. Figments of the subconscious that are jumping at you. I didn't want to be bound," Webb said. "[We] kept the emotions of the characters in a real place. Andrew, Emma and Sally Field [as Aunt May] are so good at that. Jamie is really good at that. That was taken care of. But I wanted that spectacle. There's a 12-year-old kid in me who gets up in the morning and is like, 'What did I do right in a past life? This is awesome. What can I do to have fun.' I just wanted to embrace that. I didn't want to shy away from that."

Beyond the spectacle and added cast members, Webb also introduced another element to "The Amazing Spider-Man 2": a collection of musicians led by composer Hans Zimmer, producer Junkie XL, guitarist Johnny Marr and a Grammy-winning artist by the name of Pharrell Williams. The group composed music for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," though it was Pharrell who apparently wrote the film's love theme.

"I think will be on the record," Webb said of what will likely become your new favorite Spider-Man melody. "It was a different kind of process."

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" is out in theaters on May 2.

Bastille's 'Pompeii' From Peter Hollens Is Pure A Cappella Awesomeness (VIDEO)

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The last time we checked in on Peter Hollens, he was bringing the a cappella heat hard with his cover of Ed Sheeran's "I See Fire" from "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug." To describe it as "precious" doesn't even begin to do it justice.

This time around, Hollens has teamed up with equally impressive chanteuse, Kina Grannis, to bring a volcanic intensity all over again with their unique rendition of Bastille's hit song, "Pompeii." Seriously, you need to check this out.

If you can't stand the heat of this incredible a cappella performance, get off the Internet. Wait, that's the idiom they always say, right?

Lil Bub And Instgram Help Find Loving Homes For Pets At SXSW

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We all know social media basically exists for the sole reason of sharing adorable animal pics. But one recent initiative demonstrated how posing with a pooch can garner more than just likes.

Lil Bub, South by Southwest and Instagram recently teamed up to find loving homes for cuddly creatures. Through a meet-and-greet and photo opp at the annual music festival in Austin, Texas, the famous Internet cat helped raise $7,000 in three hours for animal rescue centers, Mashable reported.



"The people who attend SXSW are influential, and are using their networks to promote adoption and to help share photos of these adorable guys. I think it’s really powerful," Olivia Melikhov, ASPCA's senior manager of social media, told Mashable.

There has been no shortage of amazing moments at this year's SXSW, including a private concert for a fan injured in the SXSW car crash, or that time Lady GaGa had someone puke on her, but we think a charity initiative involving the Internet's favorite cat definitely tops the list.



Lil Bub, the goofy and lovable dwarf cat with a jaw deformity that causes her tongue to permanently hang out of her mouth, uses her internet fame for good. Her website calls her "an advocate for homeless and special needs pets all over the universe." and to date she has raised more than $60,000 for various charities.



It's no wonder that SXSW hosted so many animal friendly events, with Austin's current standing as the largest no-kill city in the nation. A report from the City of Austin revealed that the city shelters have a 91 percent live animal outcome, with 4,3000 dogs and cats rescued in the three month period the study covered. That's a number made all the more impressive by the fact that 6 to 8 million cats and dogs are entering shelters each year, according to The Humane Society of the United States.



It's more important than ever to help loving, adoptable animals find permanent homes. Good thing, in Austin at least, there is no shortage of friendly faces willing to help out. As Instagram partnerships employee Charles Porch told Mashable, “Our community is so powerful on Instagram and they love a reason to get together and if we can pair that with dogs that need to be adopted, then these dogs are going to have the most beautiful photography of any dog up for adoption today.”

Justin Timberlake's 'Not A Bad Thing' Video Needs Your Help

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Justin Timberlake's latest music video is a call to action. Literally.

Ellen DeGeneres had the honor of debuting Timberlake's "Not A Bad Thing" video on her talk show, much to the delight of fans. The video is a documentary-style story of Timberlake's hunt for a man who publicly proposed to his wife with the help of "Not A Bad Thing."

The proposal took place on a Long Island Rail Road train and, in case you were worried, she said "yes." Now, Timberlake and his team are on a mission to find the mystery couple and learn their story. The video is being used in conjunction with signs, posters and an on-the-ground foot search in a crowd-sourced effort to locate the happy lovers.

The video's song lyrics are interspersed with clips of different couples talking about their own personal stories of love and marriage proposals. If you thought that love was dead, get ready to have your faith restored. It's a heartwarming montage of romance and happiness. Yes, we're gushing too.

Listen to "Not A Bad Thing" in its entirety here.

'Phantom Of The Opera' On Broadway Welcomes First Black Lead, Norm Lewis

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NEW YORK (AP) — Norm Lewis has been tapped to be Broadway's next Phantom in the megahit "The Phantom of the Opera," a move that makes him the first African-American to slip behind the famous mask on the Great White Way.

Producers said Thursday the Tony Award nominee, who brought his deep and rich voice as Porgy to the recent "Porgy and Bess" revival, will make his "Phantom" debut opposite a returning Sierra Boggess as Christine beginning May 12.

"I'm overwhelmed. The idea of doing something that I've always wanted to do and it coming to fruition is amazing," Lewis said in a phone interview Thursday.

Lewis, who has appeared as a senator in ABC's "Scandal" with Kerry Washington, called the Phantom a dream job for two reasons: "I love the show but also to have hopefully set a precedent to see more diversity in casting," he said.

Lewis played John in "Miss Saigon" on Broadway, Javert on Broadway in "Les Miserables" in 2006 and was in the shows "Side Show," ''The Little Mermaid," ''Chicago" and "Sondheim on Sondheim." Lewis will be the first black Phantom on Broadway, though Robert Guillaume played the role in the Los Angeles production in 1990.

Boggess is an old hand with "Phantom" — she played Christine in both the musical's London 25th anniversary production at Royal Albert Hall and Broadway 25th Anniversary cast last year. Her other starring Broadway credits include Terrence McNally's "Master Class" and originating the title role in Disney's "The Little Mermaid."

Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, "Phantom" tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine. Andrew Lloyd Webber's lavish songs include "Masquerade," ''Angel of Music," ''All I Ask of You," ''The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Music of the Night."

Lewis will join a list of Phantoms since the show opened in 1988 that includes Michael Crawford, Steve Barton, John Cudia, Kevin Gray, Mark Jacoby, Marcus Lovett, Brad Little, Howard McGillin and Hugh Panaro.

Lewis said he's seen "Phantom" several times over the years and cites McGillin and Panaro as quintessential Phantoms — "even behind the masks, they were so debonair and sexy and handsome," Lewis said.

"I hope to bring that same sort of mystique and class and elegance to the role. It's an actor's dream to play a character that's so misunderstood and to try to make him a character who is understood."

The musical has played to over 130 million people in 27 countries and has grossed over $5.6 billion worldwide — more than any film in history, including "Avatar," ''Titanic," ''Gone With the Wind" and "Star Wars."

'Jem And The Holograms' Movie In The Works From Blumhouse, Hasbro

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Beloved '80s cartoon heroine Jem is bringing all of her excitement and adventure to the big screen. The Hasbro character, known for her glamour, glitter, fashion and fame, is the subject of a new film adaptation from a group of industry heavyweights.

Producer Jason Blum, whose Blumhouse Productions company is behind the "Paranormal Activity" franchise, is teaming up with Justin Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, and director Jon M. Chu ("G.I. Joe: Retaliation") for the upcoming "Jem and the Holograms" movie. The project will reintroduce the cartoon series about mysterious pop star Jem, which aired from 1985 to 1988.

Chu announced news of the upcoming film via Twitter, with a video featuring Blum and Braun. "We have a really special announcement to make. The three of us are working on a movie together and we wanted to announce it directly to the fans," Blum explained.

"One of the things we all have in common is that we have great relationships with you guys at home through social media," Chu continued, reaching out to the trio's fans for opportunities with the movie. The group is extending the offer for people to contribute to the film in various capacities including costume design, casting and songwriting. "It's sort of like Kickstarter," Chu explained. "But rather than asking for money, we're asking for your creativity."

To contribute or vie for a chance to star in the film, which Chu described as "a modern-day live-action reinvention of the 1980s Hasbro classic cartoon 'Jem and the Holograms,'" fans can submit a video or image to the movie's official Tumblr.

Take a look at the announcement above and keep an eye out for more information on the adaptation in the coming months.

[via THR]

'Step Up: All In' Trailer: 5th Movie Takes It To Las Vegas

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Because the world can never have enough "Step Up" movies, the dance franchise released a new trailer for the fifth installment this week. The first look at "Step Up: All In" is set in Las Vegas, featuring the standard shots of sweet dance moves, conflict with other dance crews and glimpses at a love affair between two of the dancers. Due out on July 25, "Step Up: All In" seems to be a far cry from the 2006 original, which united Channing Tatum and his wife-to-be, Jenna Dewan-Tatum. The upcoming film follow's 2008's "Step Up 2: The Streets," 2010's "Step Up 3D," and 2012's "Step Up Revolution."

Take a look at the trailer for "Step Up: All In" below.

Daily Life In Japan: The Majesty Of The Island Nation (PHOTOS)

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Welcome to Daily Life! Each week HuffPost World will transport you to one of the corners of the Earth through images that expose the beauty and tragedy of worlds you may have never before seen.

'We Met On The Internet' Shows What It Really Looks Like To Find Love Online

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Meeting on the Internet is no longer just for shut-ins without social skills -- and a new photo series proves it.

Photographer Jena Cumbo began photographing couples who met on the Internet just over a year ago.

"I started to notice that a lot of my friends had met their boyfriend or girlfriend on the internet and that it was quickly becoming the new normal," Cumbo told The Huffington Post over email. "I think the fact that so many couples have connected this way is a happy thing about the Internet, and thought it was photo project worthy. So first I turned my camera on my willing friends, then I started posting about this project on Craigslist."

Cumbo also paired up with writer Gina Tron, who is interviewing the photographed couples about their love stories. The pair plan to create a book based on these couples' experiences.

Here are five gorgeous portraits of couples who met online:

we met on the internet
Cora and Will, met on Craigslist "free stuff"




we met on the internet
Nikki and Malliha, met on Instagram




we met on the internet
Corianna and David, met On Craigslist




we met on the internet
Casey and Ben, met on Craigslist personals




we met on the internet
Mariela and Tiago, met on Tattoodatingsite.com


Check out more of Cumbo's work here.

Rufus Wainwright Just May Have Found A Solution To The Illegal Downloading Problem

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On March 3, Rufus Wainwright released a retrospective album titled "Vibrate: The Best Of," but he's already gearing up for what's next. HuffPost Entertainment spoke with the man Elton John called "the greatest songwriter on the planet" about looking back, upcoming projects and how crowd-funding just might be solution to that pesky music piracy problem.

Why is this the "Best Of" and not a typical "Greatest Hits" album?
Well, I couldn't really do a "Greatest Hits" album." I'm an artist's artist, as they say. There's always a price to pay for that, less time on the radio or VH1. So, I mean, the downside is you're not a master. You're not a celebrity whose life is constantly hounded and revealed. But, on the other hand, I've been able to make the kind of records that I want to make. My fans are incredibly loyal all over the world. So, it's for them, the "Best Of" label. It's classier.

"Best Of" is also indicative of the best of a particular phase, and you've gone through a lot of changes lately -- getting married, losing your mom, the birth of your daughter -- how will all of that affect this next stage of your career?
I do think that "Best Of" will be a kind of milestone and a way to reflect on the past. And I have been focused on the future. One of those things is the next album that I will be releasing, which is going to be my opera "Prima Donna" that I wrote about five years ago. We're currently raising money for that through Pledge Music, which is a really great website for music projects. We've already raised about 30 percent of what we need and we have a couple more months to go.

rufus wainwright

Would you say you're now planning to focus on more work with opera?
I'm focusing very hard on recording this opera, and writing my next opera "Hadrian," but I'm by no means shifting my entire career into the opera world. There's a ton of other types of records I'd like to make. I still want to do pop records. I've always wanted to make a French record. I've always wanted to make a record with my sister Martha. I'm working with this great producer and also Lana Del Rey.

Is it difficult or refreshing to transverse genres from pop to opera?
It's difficult, but extremely rewarding. What happens whenever I go into the opera world is that I'm, on one hand, really satisfied with the amount of excellence and expression -- the power of an orchestra and opera singer, the great story -- but I'm also struck by the rigidity and the age gap, and also the conservative aspects of that world, and I start to appreciate pop more. Then I go back to the pop world, we have a lot of fun, make a lot of records, bring a little depth back, that I've retrieved in opera land. And then I get a little caught up in the depth that you can travel into with pop, I miss the depth of the theater. So, it's a nice thing to go back and forth.

Sure, and just to revisit the crowd-funding of this latest project, there's been some controversy around these sort of projects in the past year. Do you think there should be a certain ethics to crowd-funding? How does it change the landscape for pre-established artists?
I think the wall is down. Whether it's opera or film or you want to make a pop record, there's nothing wrong with bringing a crowd into the process. It's something that I think has really been missing in the game. For example, I know I lot of studio executives. They're fantastic characters, but their houses are eight times bigger than everybody else's. There's a definite discrepancy there anyway, you know? And it is a new era and I think it must be embraced. I also think that with this whole downloading problem -- people pulling music off the Internet and not giving any money for it -- I think the obvious answer is: OK, pay me up front. And I think any customer would be satisfied with that process. It's fair.

rufus wainwright

And beyond crowd-funded products, is there a solution for the downloading problem?
It's the old story of art verses commerce; if you're going to make your money with art, you're going to have to follow what the market dictates. I don't think art will ever be what rules over commerce, commerce kind of rules over art, that's just the nature of thing. Unless you're independently wealthy, working at home and just kind of doing everything for the sake of creation, I mean, that's fine, but if you need to make a living, you have to go to the market place.

On that note, the level of fame and success you have is very specific. You have this nice fit, where you've had a really enduring career, without that exposed, splash-in-the-pan sort of mega fame. But I'm sure there are still other sorts of restrictions you've had to endure, simply by virtue of being a contracted artist. How has that affected you?
I was very fortunate in the time that I came around into the business. Really, I was at the end of the classical era of record contracts. Kurt Cobain had just died and I got signed and that was very exceptional and decadent, especially in that declining period, considering what was out there. So, I jumped on to that, but luckily I stuck to my guns through that process. The only way for me to get a grasp on what seemed to be a sinking ship was to be totally true to myself and my material and make records that people would love their entire lives. I wanted to make songs not just about, you know, this summer, but the beginning to end of your existence. And I was able to navigate that pretty well, but there was also a lot of luck.

Guy Impressively Sings Katy Perry's 'Dark Horse' In 20 Different Styles (VIDEO)

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Katy Perry is an impressive contemporary singer with an array of hit songs to her name. Do you know what else is impressive, though? Taking one of her hit songs and -- wait for it, wait for it -- performing it in 20 distinctively different styles!

Watch "Dark Horse" sung in ways that range from 'N Sync to Nirvana, Iron Maiden to Frank Sinatra and more in this incredible video by Ten Second Songs above.

Struggling Street Guitarist Gets A Big Surprise, And Now His Career Could Take Off

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Andrew "Nelly" Niel had no idea what was coming.

Recently, he was sitting on the corner of a street in Brighton, England, picking away at his slide guitar as he often does, when he was approached by YouTube sensation and fellow guitarist Rob Chapman.

On Feb. 16, a few weeks earlier, Chapman had been walking those same streets when he heard the mesmerizing sounds of Niel's guitar for the first time. Inspired, he filmed Niel jamming and uploaded the video to YouTube. It quickly racked up more than 100,000 hits and earned 80 British pounds (about $132.) Now, Chapman was giving that money to its rightful owner.

"He looked pretty down and out," Chapman said in a phone interview with The Huffington Post.

Niel was once a well-known music producer and engineer, working with bands like Limp Bizket in the early 90s. But, after a personal tragedy rocked Niel's private life, his career began to suffer.

Now, things may be getting back on track for the talented guitarist.

In the video above, Chapman is seen surprising a grateful and touched Niel with the money, but also offering him something more valuable: An opportunity to create his own YouTube account and Facebook page so he can share his music again.

"He was born in the 60s and has been hiding from the world," Chapman told HuffPost. "He doesn't know how to use Facebook or YouTube."

After setting up the pages for Niel, Chapman said he was blown away by how quickly things have taken off.

"In one day he has 13,000 YouTube subscribers," he said.

While Chapman was speaking with HuffPost, Niel happened to stop by his apartment.

"It's crazy," Niel told HuffPost, when he got on the phone. "People come up to me [on the street] and go, 'you're the best guitarist I've ever seen! I haven't seen anything like this since '67!'"

Now, thanks to Chapman, we get to call ourselves fans too.

Click here to subscribe to Nelly's YouTube page, or check him out on Facebook.

String Cover Of 'Happy' Is Too Perfect For International Day of Happiness (VIDEO)

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Today is International Day of Happiness. Coincidentally, there happens to be a very popular song by Pharrell Williams practically everywhere right now whose name is -- drum roll, please -- if you said "Happy," then pat yourself on the back for being right.

Which leads us to another serendipitous surprise: Simply Three, who recently wowed us with a One Republic rendition, just released a string rendition of the hit song. Watch the trio's awesome new cover above to bring some classical joy into your day.

Pole Dancing Gets Its Own Awards Show March 21 In Los Angeles

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In the last few years, the popularity of pole dancing has grown in leaps and bounds, not to mention bumps and grinds.

There are competitions all over the world where women (and men) can show off their talents at slithering and sliding around a brass pole.

Now, pole dancing is getting its own version of the Oscars, Grammy or Emmy Awards.

The first ever Pole World News Awards will shimmy into history on March 21 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, livestreaming at PWNAwards.com starting at 6 p.m., PT.

natasha wang
Natasha Wang

Awards given out will include Female Performer of the Year, Male Performer of the Year, Most Photogenic, Most Physically Fit and Most Inspirational.

In order to attract mainstream audiences, the ceremony is being hosted by Kym Johnson, best known for her appearances on "Dancing With The Stars."

Event co-founder Eileen Shoals sees the awards as a way to honor great pole dancers and what they've done to promote the sport as an activity for all ages and genders.

"We're still young and growing, so we want to honor performers who are popular and inspirational," she told The Huffington Post. "Seven, eight years ago, the sport was female-dominated, but guys have really come into their own."

greta pontarelli
Greta Pontarelli

Nominee Greta Pontarelli is a good example of how pole dancing has aroused interest beyond strip clubs.

Pontarelli is 63, but is a top contender in both the Female Performer of the Year category as well as Most Inspirational. She is amazed by the nominations, considering she only started pole dancing four years ago.

Even more amazing: She claims she was unaware of pole dancing's strip club roots until shortly before she took up the activity.

"I never knew about stripper poles until just before I started doing this," Pontarelli told HuffPost.

anastasia
Anastasia

A former USA Gymnastics champion, Pontarelli spent her life doing gymnastics and dancing, but gave up "extreme sports" for a while. She started pole dancing to ward off osteoporosis.

Pontarelli hopes the awards show can help inspire other seniors to take up pole dancing.

"I want to cast this net broader," she said. "So many people can benefit from it. I hope older people see it as a creative challenge."

zoraya
Zoraya

Another question is spinning around the pole dancing community: Is it a sport or an art?

Some organizations, like the International Pole Sports Federation, see pole dancing as a sport that should be scored like figure skating or gymnastics, and be in the Olympics.

Others, like Wendy Traskos, co-founder of the US Pole Dance Federation, believe pole dancing is more akin to jazz and ballet.

evgeny
Evgeny

Natasha Wang, the 2011 US Pole Dance champion, believes the Pole World News Awards represents a new level of respectability for pole dancing, but admits there is still work to be done.

"Even after I won the Pole Dancing Championship, people were asking, 'Where is the stripping?'" said Wang, who is nominated for Female Performer of the Year and will perform at the ceremony. "But there have been changes. If you compare what people are doing physically now compared to a few years ago, it's astronomical."

sarah
Sarah Romanowsky

While pole dancers argue over whether it should be a sport or an art form, some practitioners want to return to the days when pole dancing was performed in sleazy strip clubs.

"There is a school of people who are more nostalgic for the days of high heels and stripping," Wang said. "When I was in Australia recently, one of the competitions included a 'Dance Filthy' category."

Shoals, who is a licensed psychotherapist, sees pole dancing as much more than sexual expression. She sometimes recommends it to patients who've suffered abuse of some kind.

"It's a sensual art form, and it's a great way for women to recapture their female power," she said. "I recommend it to women who are ready to take their power back. The thing about pole dancing is that it's about the person doing the dance, not the people who are watching it."

cleo the hurricane
Cleo The Hurricane



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