'Two Kings Dinner & Afterparty' has become an NBA All-Star weekend tradition.
By Shaheem Reid

Jay-Z, Diddy and LeBron James at the "2 Kings" dinner on Saturday in Dallas
Photo: Johnny Nunez/Nubuzz Photo

DALLAS -- One event that's becoming an annual NBA All-Star weekend tradition is the "Two Kings Dinner & Afterparty," hosted by Jay-Z and Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James and sponsored this year by Bing and Sprite. As much as it is a celebration, the event is also a way for executives and stars from all worlds to meet and share ideas. At Saturday night's fourth incarnation of the event, Cortez Bryant (who manages Lil Wayne and Drake) was seen sitting down with people like New Orleans Hornet Chris Paul and even Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

"You do have a time in your life when you can hang out or recognize someone who has risen above the norm -- significantly above it," Jones said. "Jay-Z has done that in entertainment. LeBron is about that in sports and basketball. You transcend your game, so to speak. They represent that. It's a privilege to be on the team with them tonight and be a part of the celebration."

Along with Jones, the event was attended by Chris Tucker, Magic Johnson, New Jersey Nets President Rod Thorn, NBA All-Stars such as Paul and Jason Kidd, and various executives from Fortune-500 companies.

"You're talking about two of the best in what they do: The best rapper/entrepreneur in Jay-Z, and the best player in the game with LeBron James " said Kidd, of the hometown Dallas Mavericks, on the event's red carpet. "You put those two together, you're gonna have a great party. To be able to support those guys and is a great honor."

Diddy, a friend of both "Kings," echoed the sentiment that Jay and LeBron represent the best of both worlds.

"It's the perfect combination of sports and entertainment," Diddy declared. "Showing ways we can work together. Use our power in a positive way. They're both kings in what they do and they're combining forces. As entrepreneurs and young kings and queens, we've got to do more for the better of other people. I'm here as a king to support it."

Before the event, Jay and LeBron spent the early part of the day in the community.

"We went to the Boys & Girls Club, gave them some scholarships," Jay-Z explained. "I think it's important for us, where we come from, to inspire people from the same neighborhood, same struggle as us, just so they know it's possible. We're living our dreams. So dreams are possible, but it's hard work. We can be president of the United States, but everyone can't do it. It's a very difficult thing. [But we're aiming] just to show these things are attainable."

"It's all about commitment if you want to become something," James concurred on the event's red carpet. "It's not easy -- in no way, shape or form. You've got to commit to it."

Jay-Z said that it's very necessary for young people to get an opportunity not to just see him on TV, but actually hear some of the story in person.

"I never had these sort of role models growing up," Jay said. "I never had anyone come around and talk to me. I had to figure it out on my own. One of my promises to myself is that I'll never forget my journey. I'll always give back and speak to people that are going through the same thing I was going through."

• Jay-Z
• Diddy

'It's pretty cool. Their excitement is palpable,' Paul Haggis says of working with the young filmmakers.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Ciné Institute students sing during the "We Are the World: 25 Years for Haiti" recording session
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

NEW YORK — "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti" director Paul Haggis was responsible for putting together the visuals for the remake of the iconic musical hit. In the spirit of the original version's charitable effort for Africa, the new effort was created to help the survivors of Haiti's massive earthquake last month.

So, to make sure the new "We Are the World" video resonated with viewers, Haggis used Haitian film students as part of his crew.

Future filmmakers from the Ciné Institute in Jacmel, Haiti, helmed cameras of their own as they not only captured behind-the-scenes footage of the all-star cast, but provided the images from the wake of the earthquake that lit up the screens behind the musicians.

Haggis celebrated the premiere of the video with his eight-person staff of students. The mix of young men and women, who range in age from late teens to early 30s, shrieked and smiled as the world watched their work. "It's pretty cool [to watch it with them]. Their excitement is palpable," Haggis told MTV News from an editing suite in New York, where he finished the video just 12 hours earlier.

"To think a week ago [before we started filming] they were in Jacmel, where their homes and schools were destroyed," he continued. "They were literally homeless. And to come here and participate in this and do a really good job of pulling this off, we should feel proud that we made this happen in some small way."

Haggis was surrounded by the students, who have been working round-the-clock on producing the "making of" video and also a documentary on their school being given this opportunity to work with the Oscar-winning director. The student work has been helpful to Haggis but also to numerous media outlets who used their footage immediately following the 7.1-magnitude earthquake. Haggis watched the shortened made-for-TV version that aired during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

Afterward the director cued up the extended version, featuring Lil Wayne, Jamie Foxx doing a Ray Charles impersonation, and the full hip-hop bridge of the song. He joked that the credits that would follow were just as long as the seven-minute clip that he was going to preview.

But once the video ended, the Ciné Institute students whooped and hollered as their names scrolled across the screen. It was the first time they saw the official completed work.

"I remember the first time my stuff aired on network television, and it was very exciting," Haggis said. "Some of [the students] were behind the cameras, some of them were in front of the cameras there. I think they're pretty excited. It's good to see."

Haggis, who has been a supporter of the school since its inception, said he cherished the opportunity to work with the Haitian film students.

"It's good to give but better to cooperate," he said. "To cooperate with this group of artists, I feel blessed."

Learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Visit HopeForHaitiNow.org or call (877) 99-HAITI to make a donation now.

• Behind The Scenes Of 'We Are The World'
• 'We Are The World: 25 Years For Haiti'

• 'We Are The World 25 For Haiti' Recording Session

After individual sets, the 'American Idol' trifecta come together for a cover of Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy.'
By Jim Cantiello

Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen (file)
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — The "American Idol" stars aligned Friday night (February 12), as Allison Iraheta, Adam Lambert and Kris Allen took the stage for an exclusive live event.

Ryan Seacrest's "Rock My Town" concert brought out hundreds of lucky ticket winners, all of whom braved the cold for hours to make sure they got the best possible spot in the intimate Highline Ballroom.

Performing in the order in which they were eliminated during the eighth season of "Idol," fiery-haired Allison Iraheta rocked out first in a dizzying set that showed off her raspy pipes and her criminally overlooked pop/rock songs.

Iraheta — in two punky pigtails and a black-and-white rocker-chic dress — and her enthusiastic four-piece band ripped through fan favorites like "Holiday," single "Friday I'll Be Over U," show-opener "Don't Waste the Pretty" and "Robot Love" with plucky aplomb. (The latter song even featured Iraheta busting out a quick robot dance move, much to the delight of the audience, made up of teenagers, their parents and a host of baby boomers with glitter face-paint, presumably there for Mr. Lambert.)

Iraheta's set hit a few bumpy patches — including some technical hiccups with a bum mic — but she made up for it with her rough-around-the-edges, self-deprecating charm. After flubbing a few lines in the title track from her album, "Just Like You," she offered a silly mea culpa to the adoring crowd. "I'm sorry for being an idiot. Let's see if I can get this next one right." (She did. "Trouble Is," an achingly tender ballad, was a set highlight.)

Later, on another ballad, "Scars," Iraheta stopped her band when she realized she began in the wrong key. During take two, Allison changed the lyrics to "Don't turn away, I won't go off key this time." All was forgiven by her set closer, a stompy fuzz-rock cover of Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" that was so strong, it's easy to imagine Iraheta making it to last year's finale had she had the chance to sing it on "Idol." It's a shame Allison's self-confidence was on the fritz as she exited. "Sorry about sucking tonight," she sighed. (For the record, she did not suck.)

Self-confidence wasn't a problem for Adam Lambert, who sported more glam and glitter in his hair than all of Las Vegas combined. During the explosive 11-song set, he owned the stage with his blend of raw sexuality, campy theatrics and, most importantly, vocal agility. Lambert effortlessly glided through octave-jumping, voice-testing songs like "Music Again," "Strut" and the heart-stopping ballad "Soaked," originally a Muse demo.

Adam easily whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his Mick Jagger-meets-Alice Cooper-meets-Elvis Presley presence, but Lambert quickly stopped his set as soon as he noticed a fan in front had passed out from all the excitement. Once the situation had been resolved and the sick woman got some water, Adam suggested she take a seat away from the stage. "You can rock out from back there," he politely suggested, before busting out "Sure Fire Winners," which appropriately features the line "Give 'em something to pass out about."

Any "Idol" fans who expected Lambert to put out an album of hard-rock songs should start saving their cash for when Adam goes on tour later this year. Songs like "If I Had You," "For Your Entertainment" and the Lady Gaga-penned "Fever," which each have a dance/pop vibe on his RCA/ 19 Recordings debut, were given a rough, badass makeover thanks to his backing band.

Lambert and his crew were just as effective on quieter tunes too. Current single "Whataya Want From Me" and the Ryan Tedder collaboration "Sleepwalker" were both high points for the passionate singer.

But it was the one-two punch of his last two songs that really kicked the set to new heights. First, Lambert busted out the rare bonus track "Down the Rabbit Hole," and even though not everyone knew the song, Adam had the entire crowd in the palm of his spiky-gloved hands thanks to his electrifying performance, complete with knee-falling, ear-monitor tossing and plenty of cozying up to his bassist, TommyJoe Ratliff (who your parents probably remember as the dude Lambert kissed on the American Music Awards). "I got a little carried away," he meekly said.

Lambert then busted out his iconic cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," and the crowd erupted. It was a genius set-ender. Not only did it allow for his talented band to get some arena-ready rock solos, but the risqué lyrics let Adam act out as much as he wanted. His rock-and-roll antics included giving the microphone stand some affection, smearing makeup all over his face, shouting "come on, bitches!" into the crowd, licking the lens of a fan's digital camera and letting a group of grab-happy audience members get up close and personal.

As the glitter settled and the road crew began setting up for Allen's performance, a sizeable group of Lambert fans made a beeline for the door, an odd and unfortunate gesture considering the amount of "Idol" fans who were shut out from winning tickets and love all the performers.

Those who stayed were treated to a surprisingly loud Allen set. It smartly kicked off with his much-lauded cover of Kanye West's "Heartless," which has now evolved into a mash-up with the Coolio oldie "Gangsta's Paradise."

Later on, he played another ditty that earned him raves on "Idol," the Swell Season's "Falling Slowly," except now Allen adds a few measures of U2's "With or Without You" into the mix, making the song feel even more sweeping and emotional. So much so, in fact, that Glen Hansard stole Kris' unique arrangement for a Swell Season show earlier this week, a tidbit Kris was eager to share with the crowd. (Allen also played his Michael Jackson week offering "Man in the Mirror" but left it untouched, presumably out of respect for MJ, whom Kris called "one of the greatest ever.")

Allen's been on the road the most out of the three on the bill, and it has paid off handsomely. His bandmembers sound like they have been playing together for years, and his stage presence has improved tremendously since his days on "Idol." He no longer looks awkward when he performs without a guitar. In fact, "Can't Stay Away," "Written All Over My Face" and his cover of the the Beatles' "Come Together" all showed off a newfound — dare I say it? — rock-star swagger that delighted the Kris fans bopping in the audience (even if nobody passed out, as Kris jokingly said was his goal for the night).

Even more exciting was when Allen and his band opened up the arrangements to his album songs. "Red Guitar" and "Is It Over" both approached jam-band territory at certain points, giving the 12-song set a dynamic ebb and flow.

The crowd cheered the loudest for Allen's single "Live Like We're Dying" (and least for the sore thumb of the night, the Pat Monahan-penned ballad "The Truth"), but the highlight was the infectious sing-along "Alright With Me." Kris grabbed five fans out of the front of the audience to help sing backup. (A sixth "straggler" joined them.) As he helped one girl up, she suffered from "pants on the ground" syndrome, giving the crowd a nice view of her underwear. Allen, being a Southern gentleman, blushed as he stammered, "Oh gosh! Don't ... don't look." (It's also important to note that Kris neglected to choose the ballsy fan who had thrown an Adam Lambert T-shirt at him earlier.)

Moments after Kris left the stage saying "Kradison thanks you," Allen's band returned for an encore, except this time they brought Lambert's guitarist Monte Pittman with them. The crowd buzzed. Could it be? Would fans be treated to a one-of-a-kind collaboration?

Turns out, yes. Kris, Allison and Adam all traded verses on an electric cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," in an epic collaboration that played like a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame jam session: "Idol" edition. As Kris mentioned earlier in the night, "They're my family, dude," and that familial bond was on full display. While wailing into their mics, Adam picked up Allison, Allison draped herself on Kris, and Kris and Adam sang to each other while frenzied fans in the crowd desperately tried to keep up with their camera phones. When it all ended, the audience was in full flail mode.

If only those early exiters knew what they were missing.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Kris Allen
• Adam Lambert
• Allison Iraheta

Wyclef Jean, RedOne and Quincy Jones give the 25-year-old charity song a new feel.
By Maura Johnston

LL Cool J, Wyclef Jean, Swizz Beatz, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes and Will.I.Am perform "We Are The World"
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Wire Image

In 1985, Justin Bieber was nine years from being born, Auto-Tune was 12 years from being invented, and Lil Wayne turned 3. Yet all three are prominent on "We Are the World: 25 For Haiti," a remake of the 1985 charity single that will benefit relief efforts in earthquake-stricken Haiti.

The updated version of "We Are the World" not only has a completely different cast than its predecessor — only the late Michael Jackson remains, with his sister Janet singing along to his vocal tracks from the original — its sound is very current, with Auto-Tune flavoring many of the singers' voices and hip-hop verses being added to the proceedings. Lady Gaga producer RedOne and Haitian native Wyclef Jean assisted original "We Are the World" producer Quincy Jones on production duties.

The song opens with Bieber, who steps in for "We Are the World" co-writer Lionel Richie. From there, Nicole Scherzinger and Jennifer Hudson harmonize, and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland drops in. Despite the different faces, the overall feel is similar to the original's, with Hudson turning in a powerhouse performance on verses originally performed by Stevie Wonder.

It's on the second repetition of the chorus when the song begins to take on a life of its own, with Wyclef singing the song's title as translated into Creole, which is one of Haiti's official languages. From there, Maroon 5's Adam Levine channels Stevie Wonder. The Wonder similarities are only underscored by another Michael Jackson appearance, whose bridge, when he sings, "When you're down and out, and there seems no hope at all," remains intact.

The chorus of singers and actors then gets soft, with ad-libbed verses by Scherzinger, Nick Jonas, Melanie Fiona, Tony Bennett and the Fray's Isaac Slade recalling the verses provided by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and James Ingram in 1985. And then Lil Wayne reprises Bob Dylan's verse, with Carlos Santana furiously playing guitar behind him. In addition to Santana, Australian guitarist Orianthi lends her riffing skills to the track.

Pink, Akon and T-Pain add ad-libs as well, and then another callback to 1985 swoops in as Foxx channels the late Ray Charles, who was at the session 25 years ago. Foxx won the 2004 Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Charles in the film "Ray."

Hip-hop is a defining part of the pop landscape in 2010, and the new "We Are the World" reflects that. A Will.I.Am-penned verse is performed by a host of rappers, including LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, and Kanye West. Will and Kanye also have solo turns on the song, with each adding brief freestyles. The song ends with Wyclef emotionally toasting his homeland.

An abbreviated version of the Paul Haggis-directed "We Are The World: 25 For Haiti" video premiered during the Winter Olympics broadcast on NBC, but the full, almost-seven-minute version of the song is available for purchase on iTunes, and the official We Are The World YouTube channel is streaming the video. The full video will air on television around the world on Saturday.

What do you think of "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti"? Does it stand up to the original? Is it better with rappers? Who has the best verse? Let us know in the comments below!

Learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Visit HopeForHaitiNow.org or call (877) 99-HAITI to make a donation now.

• Behind The Scenes Of 'We Are The World'
• 'We Are The World: 25 Years For Haiti'

• 'We Are The World 25 For Haiti' Recording Session

• Wyclef Jean