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By Michael Lopez

You've got to admire the work ethic of Tyler Perry. Cranking out stage plays, TV shows, and what seems to be several films a year, he's never short on ideas. And this week, he's giving audiences a brand new tale with his movie Good Deeds. Perry recently spoke to the press about this latest project and why it's so important to him.

"What inspired me to write this movie was my reflections of the past two years," he said. "I am so grateful to be living the life that I want to live. And I also thought, how miserable would it be if I were in some dead end job, doing things that people wanted me to do versus what I wanted to do."

Good Deeds definitely explores that point. And Tyler opens himself up quite a bit with his lead role. There are no over-the-top grandmothers or crazy uncles making their way into this flick. Deeds is all about grown up relationships and discovering who you are.

"Seeing me in this role, it's a different side of myself," he explained. "I think the audience will be pleasantly surprised with what they see on screen. The journey that I take in this film is very interesting."

Indeed, Perry's character evolves quite a bit throughout the film. Initially a calm, cool, and collected businessman, we see him experience bouts of anger, passion, and self-realization. You may even get to see Tyler shed a few tears.

Perry mentioned how he had to open himself up as an actor to prepare for this part.

"The challenge for me was that I had nothing to hide behind," he said. "I had no costume. There's no Madea in this film."

Tyler also switched things up by filming Deeds in San Francisco. Nearly all of his other works have been set in Atlanta, where his film studio is based. But Perry felt the need to branch out a little here.

"I wanted to open my audience up to a new world," he said. "San Francisco seemed very attractive. It's an incredible city."

We definitely give Tyler a lot of credit for going out of his comfort zone and creating a fresh batch of characters. And with his uplifting movie messages, Perry's continuing to do Good Deeds for audiences everywhere.

Are you a fan of Tyler Perry's work? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Good Deeds, Madea, Movies & CineMás, Tr3s Exclusives, Tyler Perry

By Michael Lopez

Right out of the gate, Jotdog proved to be one of Mexico's most innovative new bands. Their 2009 self-titled debut earned Latin Grammy nominations and even scored them a Breakthrough Artist statue at the TeleHit Awards. And now they're back with a synthpop gem called Turista de Amor. Vocalist Maria Barracuda spoke to us exclusively about what fans can expect from album #2.

"We are very excited about this new record," she told us. "We have a lot of fun elements and stuff that really shows off our influences."

And who might those influences be? According to Maria, she and collaborator Jorge “Chiquis” Amaro come from very different musical backgrounds.

"It's interesting, Chiquis is heavily influenced by 80's bands like Queen, XTC, and Devo," she explained. "While I'm more of a southern rock girl. I like Creedance Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Sheryl Crow. But it’s both our style that creates Jotdog’s sound."

Listening to tracks from their latest release, you can definitely hear strong classic rock elements. But as Barracuda explained, Jotdog encompasses a lot more than that. She and Chiquis pride themselves on also being a visual band, incorporating costumes and science fiction themes into their videos.

"We are huge science fiction fans," she said. "We love apocalyptic movies like Mad Max and Resident Evil. But we also love the style of classic authors like Jules Verne. You can see a lot of his influence in our latest album cover."

Maria went on to explain how those themes can slip into her lyric writing as well. Several of Jotdog's new songs have dark and brooding themes, but they're always blended with a fun and poppy backbeat.

"Our lyrics are pretty mature," Barracuda said. "But it's funny because little kids like Jotdog a lot. We have fans as young as four-years-old and others who are in their 40's. I think a lot of people like us because our sound is very nostalgic and fun."

And judging by their growing Facebook and Twitter followings, Jotdog's popularity is getting bigger everyday. Be sure to keep up with Maria and Chiquis on their official website, which will include viral updates from their upcoming SXSW appearance!

Are you a fan of Jotdog's music? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chiquis, Exclusive Entrevistas, Jorge “Chiquis” Amaro, Jotdog, Maria Barracuda, Música, SXSW, Tr3s Exclusives, Turista de Amor

By Michael Lopez

Disney fans know all about the work of Moises Arias. The Colombian-American teen star rose to fame on shows like Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place. And now he's stepping behind the mic for the Mouse House, voicing Spiller in the animated film The Secret World of Arrietty. Moises took some time to speak with us exclusively about the project.

"I think Arrietty has a great message," he explained. "It shows how different species live together and it shows how you can overcome great obstacles. I actually identified with it a lot."

Translated from a 2010 Japanese anime film, Arrietty indeed blends two very different worlds together. The main Arrietty character is identified as a "Borrower," or a miniature human whose family lives beneath the floorboards of a posh mansion. Arias' character is also a "Borrower," but a bit more uncivilized than the rest.

"Spiller doesn’t say much," Moises went on to say. "But he's a very interesting character and he plays a pivotal role in the movie."

Spiller would also make the coolest action figure. With his warrior paint and tiny bow and arrow, he's a tough little "Borrower" with a heart of gold. As Arias explained, voicing Spiller turned out to be a blast, especially since he was joined by a fellow Disney Channel castmate.

"It was very interesting dubbing this Japanese film," he added. "I had a great time with the director and coincidentally, [Waverly Place star] David Henrie is in the movie too."

But fans hoping to hear Selena Gomez or Miley Cyrus voicing "Borrowers" are going to be out of luck. Seeing how Moises worked so closely with both of them in the past, we had to ask him if he had any interesting stories.

"You know, both Miley and Selena are great beautiful women," he told us. "I've known Selena forever and I'm very happy for her success. Miley is also a great person. I have five years worth of stories I could share about those two."

As for right now, Arias is probably filling up his plate with a whole new batch of celebrity stories. He's currently got two huge projects in the works, including Ender’s Game with Harrison Ford and Despicable Me 2 with Steve Carell.

"I'm actually shooting Ender’s Game right now," Moises said. "But it's top secret. I'm absolutely ecstatic about this gig. Despicable Me 2 is great too. I'm learning to use my voice in a whole new way. Arrietty actually helped prep me for that."

And don't think Arias is stopping there. As he told us, he's got some very big ambitions for the years ahead.

"There is so much more I want to do in this business," he said. "I'd love to direct a film, I want to write. But for right now, acting is my main focus."

You can catch Moises' latest work in The Secret World of Arrietty, in theaters since Friday.

Are you a fan of anime cartoons? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Anime, Blogger: Michael Lopez, David Henrie, Despicable Me 2, Disney, Ender's Game, Exclusive Entrevistas, Miley Cyrus, Moises Arias, Movies & CineMás, Selena Gomez, The Secret World of Arrietty, Tr3s Exclusives

By Ikam Acosta

Bay Area hip hop artists Los Rakas will be celebrating Valentine's Day with the release of their Raka Love EP.

Raka Love is a departure from the duo's usual harder sound and features the smooth and sultry 'Copita de Champaña' track. The 'Copita' video is available on the web today, February 14th.

I had the pleasure of talking to Raka Rich and Raka Dun, and they dished on their new Raka Love EP and their reasons for its release. The duo expressed they had a lot of romantic views they usually don't get to share in their music and felt Valentine's Day was a good day to express that. They wanted to show the world they could also do R&B music, along with their usual dancehall, reggae, and reggaeton.

Raka Love was influenced by personal experiences, as well as the experiences of others they knew, "anything to do with love." It's about all kinds of relationships, even complicated ones.

Raka Rich remembers being in Panama, chasing his dream, when he wrote the 'Copita de Champaña' song. While the song wasn't inspired by any one particular special lady, he says,

"Once I heard the beat, I just knew what to say. It was natural. There wasn't really a girl in particular."

In the 'Copita' video, you might notice Raka Rich giving his special lady a Spongebob watch. I had to ask about the significance of that scene, of course.

"Everybody nowadays is very materialistic. I wanted to show the humble side of things, and how it's the thought that counts... You see people giving expensive things they can't afford... Spongebob watch only costs $2.99 and it looks fly."

I asked Raka Rich what Valentine's Day meant to him and how he usually celebrates it, to which he replied,

"I think Valentine's Day should be every day. You should show your love every day. I don't think you should wait for Valentine's Day."

Los Rakas will also be performing at a special CD release party in San Francisco tonight celebrating Raka Love. If you're in the Bay Area, you won't want to miss this. Those attending the show will receive a free download of the new album.

When asked what the fans could expect from their Valentine's Day CD release party, besides the live band and background singers, Raka Rich stated,

"We're gonna slow it down for this show... It's gonna be real sexy. We basically wanted to show the evolution of Los Rakas."

Finally, when asked what final thoughts they had for their fans, they shared these words of wisdom,

"Don't give up. Work really hard at what you do, and don't give up on it."

Make sure you download the Raka Love CD and show Los Rakas some love this Valentine's Day.

How do you like the sexier side of Los Rakas?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Los Rakas, Música, Raka Dun, Raka Love, Raka Rich

By J.Sand La Diiva

Romeo, Romeo Where Art Thy Romeo Santos.....Well he was in Madison Square Garden this past Friday night  for his first concert kicking off his Formula Vol.1 US Tour. The energy in New York was insane, but this is nothing new to Romeo because New York is home to the bachatero.

The night started with New York's own Alex Sensation from La Mega 97.9 which got the ladies ready to go for Romeo. The lighting was spectacular but the stage was truly fit for a king. It came complete with what seemed to be the worlds largest lit up crown above the stage and plenty of statues pero nada fue comparable  a cuando Romeo came out como todo un rey.

Y así empezó la noche at the sold out Madison Square Garden. I was personally extremely happy to hear some of the Aventura classics and having Romeo stick to his roots. He sang everything from 'El Perdedor' to 'Obsesión' and mixed it in with all his hits from his recent album Formula Vol. 1.

Speaking of the king, Romeo got a little into his role as 'King' and pulled out a white sparkly glove while the lights went out and the spot came on along with Michael Jackson's instrumental to 'Billie Jean' . The King of Bachata paid a little 30 second tribute to the King of Pop.

If you have ever gone to an Aventura concert  you know the drill;  the Romeo concert was no exception. Someone from the audience always sings alongside Romeo -typically this happens when he sings 'Ella y Yo' , his duet with Don Omar- but for his new show he did it with his smash hit 'Debate de 4' that features Raulin Rodriguez, Luis Vargas, y Anthony Santos.

He auditioned three gentlemen from the audience to play each part but they had to know the song and the catch was who ever did the best -which was audience's choice- would win a thousand dollars.

For this concert he couldn't help himself, calling his gordita to the stage, who gave a special lap dance and 'Un Beso' like always made a lot of flacas jealous.

He also got on his flying gear and flew above the audience so everyone could catch a glimpse of the king up close and personal.

Someone I don't think anyone expected to see on stage was Prince Royce! He even did two songs 'Stand by Me' and 'Corazón Sin Cara' as Romeo went for a wardrobe change. It's clear, there is no beef between these two bachateros. Then we had Tomatito for the song 'Mi Santa' , but the one that topped the cake was Usher who came out drove the crowd wild for 'Promise' to finish the show. Truly spectacular!

Make sure to check out all his music videos here at Tr3s.com. Don't forget to comment here and @MTV3. See you later mis Blogamolies!

Tags Alex Sensation, Anthony Santos, Aventura, Blogger Jsandladiiva, J.Sand, Jsandladiiva, King of Bachata, Madison Square Garden, MSG, new york, Prince Royce, Romeo, Romeo Santos, Usher

By Michael Lopez

To millions of TV viewers, Nigel Lythgoe is the prickly judge on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance. But did you know that he's also been a producer on American Idol since 2002? And he's still calling the shots behind-the-scenes this season, as he told us at an exclusive press event.

"There's going to be changes [this year]," Lythgoe told us. "We're going to the Elvis stage in Vegas and we are going to Le Reve to do our 'Green Mile' show. Other than that, there are no changes to the format at this time. I mean we constantly look at it and tweak it, but no, I don't see that we need any changes at this time."

Clearly Idol got a big "tweak" last season with the exit of Simon Cowell. The famously snarky judge skipped over to a brand new series, The X Factor. Add The Voice to that mix and it's clear that the singing reality show world may be a bit crowded at the moment. Nigel made sure to address that point and how Idol plans to remain on top.

"With the X Factor sitting there, it feels like two Idol season on Fox," he went on to say. "And The Voice is there too, plus even more shows waiting to come in. So yes, of course there’'s going to be viewer fatigue. But all I can say is that after 11 years, I don't think we should be defending ourselves. I think we should still be saying, 'Isn't it fantastic that we’re still America's number one show?"

Clearly Idol lives way beyond what you see on TV. It's singing stars have gone on to illustrious careers throughout all mediums. Scotty McCreery's selling platinum albums, Jennifer Hudson's an Oscar winner, and Katherine McPhee is headlining the new NBC show Smash. And that's something Lythgoe is extremely proud of.

"I think shows like Idol are especially [influential]," he added. "Katherine McPhee is fantastic [on Smash]. And Kelly Clarkson is being pulled into sort of a mentor on The Voice. I feel like we're turning stars out. And my other program, So You Think You Can Dance, is feeding Dancing With The Stars."

But what Nigel is perhaps most proud of this season, is the new batch of talent. As he explained to us, several of the contestants are branching their singing styles into new genres (and "Rolling With" a major musical influence).

"[There is] such a diversity of talent," Lythgoe said. "And I think that has brought more and more diversity to the judges this year…Adele has certainly had a huge influence on the auditionees this year. I've never heard so many Adele songs. Last year it was Gaga. This year it's Adele, and boys and girls singing Adele."

Of course, there's still a lot of season left and we're very curious to see who will survive the critiques of Randy, Steven, Jennifer (and Nigel).

Are you digging the new season of Idol? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Adele, American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Katherine McPhee, Música, Nigel Lythgoe, Smash, So You Think You Can Dance, Television, The Voice, Tr3s Exclusives, X Factor

By Michael Lopez

There is no denying that Luis Guzman has one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. And now, fans are going to get the chance to see it in 3D! That’s right, Luis is entering the third dimension for his new movie Journey 2 and he spoke to us exclusively about the experience.

"I'm feeling really good about this movie," he said. "Journey is good family entertainment. It's fun, visually it looks great, and I'm actually pretty funny in it."

Taking a comic turn, Guzman plays Gabato in the movie, an over-the-top helicopter pilot who winds up crashing on a mysterious island. He's also a proud parent in the film, to none other than Vanessa Hudgens.

"Yea, I play Vanessa's father in the movie," he went on to say. "I know it's kind of funny because we look nothing like each other. But we get along great on screen. She was a lot of fun to work with too."

Luis also shares some scenes with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who he had plenty of praise for. But if you were to ask him about his favorite part of the Journey experience, it would definitely be the locales.

"We shot the movie in Hawaii and it was absolutely beautiful," he added. "Talk about an island paradise! I would go back and shoot another movie there any time they ask me."

Guzman went on to say how his next shooting location is a far cry from the tropical beaches. He's currently wrapping up the border town action flick The Last Stand with Arnold Schwarzenegger, which he seems to be very excited about.

"I've got The Last Stand coming up with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rodrigo Santoro," he told us. "It's going to be a BIG action movie. I'm one of the good guys this time, playing a border cop trying to stop an army of bad dudes."

And as if Luis' plate wasn’t full enough, he also took time this week to make a special "journey" to his old New York neighborhood. Guzman paid a visit to the Henry Street Settlement, where he was once a social worker, and dropped off a bunch of Journey-related goodies for the local kids.

Are you planning on watching Journey 2? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Dwayne Johnson, Exclusive Entrevistas, Henry Street Settlement, Journey 2, luis guzman, Movies & CineMás, The Last Stand, Tr3s Exclusives, Vanessa Hudgens

By Michael Lopez

The past few weeks have been quite memorable for Claudia Bassols. Since the debut of her new sitcom ¡Rob!, she's gone from struggling actress to overnight sensation. Her show is now a bona fide smash and, as she told us in an exclusive interview, she couldn't be more thrilled.

"It's been a wonderful few weeks," Claudia said. "People are really liking the show and having fun with it. It's really been great news for all of us in the cast."

A native of Spain, Bassols actually plays a Mexican-American named Maggie in the series. Her character winds up marrying Rob Schneider after a whirlwind courtship and that doesn't sit well with her strict Latin parents. But despite a lot of onscreen friction, Claudia assured us that everyone in the cast gets along great.

"I feel really lucky to be working with this cast," she explained. "Cheech [Marin] is like a naughty prankster, Rob is fearless, and Lupe Ontiveros, who plays my grandmother, she's the queen of deadpan comedy."

Bassols also made sure to praise Tr3s fave Eugenio Derbez, who plays her shady cousin Hector.

"I am in awe of Eugenio," she added. "He is absolutely hilarious and he is so warm."

Interestingly, Claudia's career had veered away from comedy prior to her role on ¡Rob!. She first gained attention for her dramatic work on novelas like Anna and La Riera, before branching out into heavy American movies, like The Eagle Path with Jean-Claude Van Damme. But, as she told us, she's quickly learning how to score big laughs.

"I've always had a lot of respect for comedy," she said. "And after working on a sitcom, I have even more respect for it. It requires 100 percent commitment in every way. I had always been a fan of sitcoms like Seinfeld, Friends, and How I Met Your Mother. Now I use them for inspiration."

And though most of her ¡Rob! scenes are being played straight, Bassols assured us that Maggie will be dabbling in quite a few comedic moments as the season progresses.

"The show is developing really quickly. All of the characters have some really fun places to go. Just wait and see what we have in store!"

You can keep up with Claudia and the entire ¡Rob! cast every Thursday night on CBS.

Have you been keeping up with ¡Rob!? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags ¡Rob!, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Claudia Bassols, Eugenio Derbez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Rob Schneider, Television, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Throughout 11 wild seasons, Randy Jackson has remained an American Idol constant. And beyond that, he's a music legend, having played on albums by Journey, George Michael, and Mariah Carey. So clearly he knows his stuff and he's got some very interesting things to say about this latest version of Idol.

"I think we're in a great groove now," Jackson told us during an exclusive conference call. "Everyone makes such a fuss about the judges, but it really is the talent. If you don't have the talent…people might want to watch about five minutes then be like 'Okay.' So, I think it's really about that talent and what we get back from these kids."

Randy may have a point, but clearly the fans are entranced by the antics of his cohorts Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Though they got a little bit of flack last year for being a bit wet behind the ears, Jackson assured us that there are big changes in store.

"[Jennfer, Steven, and I] talk about everything," he explained. "But this season you may see them be a bit more stern. They may surprise you. This Hollywood week was the toughest we've ever had on the kids."

And according to Randy, tough love is a necessity if you want to succeed in the music business. He went on to offer his philosophies on why criticism is important when prepping singers for a life behind the mic.

"This is a process that gets you ready for the future," he said. "You think Idol’s hard? Wait until you become an artist and you're trying to put a record out. After our show, you jump into the ring and duke it out with Madonna, with Rihanna, with Katie Perry. After this, you're setting yourself up for the competition of life and the competition never ends."

Speaking of competition, Jackson also made sure to speak out about Idol’s big rival in the ratings race, NBC's The Voice. Even though TV's other vocal talent show scored huge post-Super Bowl ratings, Randy isn't worried one bit.

"Listen, Idol is in its eleventh season," he proudly stated. "The Voice [had] huge numbers. I think any show after the Super Bowl will have huge numbers. They've got an original show and I think there's room for everyone out there."

Let's hope Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Cee-Lo Green feel the same way.

What's your favorite reality singing show? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Jennifer Lopez, Música, Randy Jackson, Reality shows, Steven Tyler, Television, The Voice, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Welcome to a whole new year of "El Headliners." The fans have spoken once again and their latest OurStage fave is none other than Joey, an experienced reggaeton vet formerly of Marcy Place. Now working on his solo career, Joey opened up to us about his new sounds and his new plans for 2012.

"It was very exciting when I got the news that I was the new 'El Headliner' ",  he told us. "I'm looking forward to a very bright year ahead."

Unlike a lot of our "El Headliners," Joey's already had a taste of musical success. His old group Marcy Place worked closely with Don Omar and members of Aventura and had a previous presence on Tr3s.

"We started recording our Marcy Place stuff in Aventura's studio," Joey went on to say. "They really believed in our voices and gave us some great input. Our videos got on MTV Tr3s too and our music was definitely out there for the people, which was a good thing."

But, like a lot of talented groups, friction soon tore them apart. Joey explained how management issues and rapid success led to internal struggles among the members.

"It got to a point where I didn't feel comfortable around the group anymore," he said. "So I took matters into my own hands and went independent."

And with the freedom to record the way he chooses, Joey decided to blend several musical genres together. Still keeping true to his reggaeton roots, Joey has added flavors of R&B and pop into his latest sound, which you can hear in his OurStage single, "Mi Vida."

"I'm doing R&B and bachata and even some a cappella stuff," he added. "There are a ton of styles I’m hoping to incorporate. Right now I’m influenced heavily by artists like Chris Brown, Usher, and Daddy Yankee. I’m even listening to a little country at the moment."

Still in the midst of putting together his first full-length album, Joey told us he's got about five tracks completed with many more on the way. And he seemed very confident about taking his musical ambitions to new heights in the years ahead.

"In the next few years, I hope I'll have a few Grammy nominations," he went on to say. "I'd love to be at that level."

You can check out more of Joey's music by visiting his Facebook and Twitter pages.

Who's been your favorite "El Headliner" so far? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, El Headliner, Exclusive Entrevistas, Joey, Joey Pabon, Marcy place, Música, Mi Vida, Ourstage, Tr3s Exclusives