The VMAs: Part Two

In the United States, we have many traditions.  We have the 4th of July, Labor Day, the Oscars, the Grammy Awards, the Super Bowl, and many others.  One very special tradition is the Video Music Awards, or the VMAs.  Since I do the iPod Shuffling series, I decided that I would do a special post telling you about the songs that are up for different awards and about the artists themselves.  I will do this in parts because there are several awards to cover and several nominations.

BEST NEW ARTIST

The nominees are:

Big Sean ft/Chris Brown- My Last

Big Sean or Sean Michael Anderson is an American rapper who was born in California.  For three years he made three mixtapes which featured Bun B, Chip tha Ripper, Curren$y, SAYITAINTTONE, Tyga, Drake, Mike Posner, Suai, Chuck Inglish, Asher Roth, Dom Kennedy, Boldy James, and Chiddy Bang.  Since 2010, he has been working on his first studio album: Finally Famous.  Big Sean said that this song is "a real party song."  He has a net worth of $2 million.  This song has currently, 13, 913, 715 views on YouTube.

Foster the People- Pumped Up Kicks

 

Foster the People is an indie pop band formed in California.  The band has been active for three years now.  They only have one album entitled, Torches.  It has reached number one on the charts for U.S. rock and U.S. alternative. The members of the group are Mark Foster - vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming and percussion; Mark Pontius - drums and extra percussion; and Cubbie Fink - bass and backing vocals.  Mark Foster said that this song was to bring awareness about gun violence among youth saying that it disrupted family and love.  This song currently has 10,595,062 views on YouTube.
Kreayshawn- Gucci Gucci

Kreayshawn or Natassia Gail Zolot is an American hip-hop singer songwriter from California.  She is very new on the music scene and has taken part in a lot of underground rock groups.  Her new single "Gucci Gucci" is where she talks about how she hates wearing the designer brands.  This video has had a lot of criticism because she says the n word quite often.    This song currently has 11,668,271 views on YouTube.


Tyler, the Creator- Yonkers

Tyler, the Creator or Tyler Okonma, is an American rapper, record producer, and music video director.  He always imagined making his own albums and when he was a kid designed his album covers.  He created instrumentals to songs when he was fifteen and taught himself the piano.  He attended thirteen different schools.  He has a net worth of about $1.12 million.  This song currently has 18,055,907 views on YouTube. 




Wiz Khalifa- Black and Yellow

Wiz Khalifa or Cameron Jibril Thomaz is an American rapper who was born in North Dakota. His parents were both in the military so he lived in Germany and Japan before settling down in Pittsburgh.  He has made three albums and has been in the business for six years now.  "Black and Yellow" is devoted to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  He has a net worth of $5.5 million.  This song currently has 94,907,176 views on YouTube.  




BEST FEMALE VIDEO 
The nominees are:

Adele- Rolling in the Deep

Adele realized when she was fourteen that she was going to be a singer. Adele has been involved in the music business for five years and she was a breakthrough artist in 2008.  As of May 2011, she became worth 6,000,000 pounds, or, $9,780,000.  This music video is the most nominated music video of the year.  It has seven other nominations.

"Rolling in the Deep" is about being betrayed by someone you love and Adele perfectly portrays how someone feels when they have loved someone and all of a sudden you are betrayed by the one you have been in love with.   Currently, it has 111,930,905 on YouTube.

Beyonce- Run the World (Girls)

Beyonce or Beyonce Giselle Knowles is an American R&B recording artist, actress, and fashion designer.  She was born in Texas and was surrounded by music throughout her childhood.  She was listed on Forbes as the second most powerful and influential celebrities and the most powerful and influential musician.  She has made four major albums and has been in the music business for fourteen years. This song is about how women are very powerful in the world and shouldn't be second guessed.  Her net worth is $300 million.  This song currently has 75,301,570 views on YouTube.   

Katy Perry- Firework

Katy Perry also known as Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born in California and was raised by a very Catholic family.  She originally started singing Gospel rock, but was unsuccessful.  She slowly became more recognized by the music community.  She has been growing and maturing with her singing every year.  She was in a relationship with Travie McCoy for a long time, but now she is married to Russel Brand. In this song, she empowers everyone saying that we are bright and shining like a firework.  Her net worth is about $48 million.  This song currently has 79,279,835 views on YouTube.   

Lady Gaga- Born This Way

Lady Gaga is an American pop singer-songwriter.  She was born in New York City with the name Stephanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta.  She wrote her first piano ballad at the age of thirteen and did open mike nights at the age of fourteen.  She is influenced by glam rock singers such as David Bowie and dance pop artists such as Michael Jackson.  She is well known for her sense of fashion which is always on the extreme.  She has made three hit albums and has a multitude of fans which she affectionately calls her "Little Monsters."  This song is another power song where she says that we are all on the right track and that skin color and sexuality do not matter.  She has a net worth of $110 million.  The song currently has 72,798,930 views on YouTube. 

Nicki Minaj- Super Bass

Nicki Minaj or Onika Tanya Maraj is a hip hop and R&B artist who became famous after joining the group Young Money.  She was born in Trinidad and Tobago.  She has only made one record, Pink Friday.  Minaj said that the song was about a boy you have a crush on.  Nicki Minaj has a net worth of about $8.5 million.  This song currently has about 98,735,961 views on YouTube.    

BEST MALE VIDEO 

The nominees are:

Bruno Mars- Grenade

Bruno Mars  also known as Peter Gene Hernandez was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and grew up surrounded by music.  He began by singing around the island and was known for his impressions of Elvis.  He co-wrote several songs for B.O.B., Travie McCoy, Flo Rida, and K'naan.  He is fairly new on the scene and he has become very popular.  This song is about the feeling of when you love someone and they don't love you back.  I think several of us have felt that before.  He has an net worth of about $8 million.  This song currently has 198,189,908 views on YouTube. 

Cee Lo Green- F*** You

Cee Lo Green or Thomas DeCarlo Callaway is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia.  He has been in two groups and then started a solo career.  He has had success with several songs of his.  When he was eighteen his mother was paralyzed and died two years after.  He went into a severe depression and wrote many songs about her.  There was a controversy on Twitter in which he was accused of being homophobic.  This song's plot is how when a guy likes a girl for a long time, but she never loves him back.  In the end, when he has made a lot of money she does like him and so he says to her, "F*** you!"  He has a net worth of $22 million.  This song currently has 60,482,211 views on YouTube.

Eminem ft/Rihanna- Love the Way You Lie

Eminem or Marshall Bruce Matthers is an American rapper, record producer, and actor.  He was born in Missouri.  He has made a total of thirteen Grammy awards in his lifetime and seven albums.  The song is about a broken relationship.  He has a net worth of about $115 million.  This song currently has 371,310,410 views on YouTube.  

Justin Bieber- U Smile

Justin Bieber is a Canadian R&B/pop singer-songwriter, and actor.  He taught himself how to play several instruments.  His popularity all started by his mom uploading videos of him singing on Youtube.  His mentor is Usher and they have worked on several songs together.  This song is about making a girl smile and in the video he has a new love interest and he is singing to her in an empty theater.  He has a net worth of $85 million.  This song currently has 46,310,895 views on YouTube.   

Kanye West ft/ Rihanna and Kid Cudi- All of the Lights

Kanye West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer.  He was born in Atlanta, Georgia.  He went on to make six albums and work with many artists.  He has acted differently in several award shows, the most popular being the mishap with Taylor Swift when she received the award for Best Female Video at the VMAs.  In this song, he acts as a father who abuses his wife and now his daughter is walking around fatherless.  Kanye West has a net worth of about $70 million.  This song currently has 50,831,554 views on YouTube.