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By Ikam Acosta

Madai is one of the featured artists on Tr3s' Free Latin Music page. I had the pleasure of speaking to her about her music and her life as a singer/songwriter. Madai has performed in various places in the Miami area, such as 90 Degrees, and was even a guest on NBC Live Miami, where she performed her latest single, 'Mayday.'

The Cuban songstress admitted she liked the title because of its similarity to her name. 'Mayday,' whom she worked on with her friend, Michelle Trumpler, is a play on words on Madai, and how sometimes people mispronounce her name. The fact that the song mentions she is "on a rescue mission for your love" just became really fun to sing because of all the different meanings you can place on it, considering at the time, Madai was going thorough some romantic turmoil herself.

Madai has wanted to be a singer ever since she could remember, but at 8 years old is when she began to think about the songwriting aspect of it. She enjoys working under the Pitbull label, Mr. 305 Inc, because of all the support and camaraderie she feels from having similar experiences, both as a Cuban immigrant and as an artist. Madai explained,

"It's good to be working with someone who has gone through so much trouble and has many people admiring him as a mentor. He is so good at what he does, you feel like if you're ever going to make a mistake, you won't make that mistake because you'll have him beside you."

Madai enjoys live performances, particularly when she sees people come out and enjoy themselves and have a great time. When asked what her best performance has been, she quickly answered,

"I believe every performance should be your best performance. You should always give 150%. It should always be a great show."

Early inspirations in Madai's music include Celia Cruz and Gloria Estefan, the Cuban greats. Other influences in her music include Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey, among others. Madai admitted she had always wanted to do a duet with Adele, being she is an amazing singer and songwriter herself. She loves people with big voices that leave a lasting impact.

Growing up in Cuba influenced her musical style, since she grew up seeing her family enjoy music. Her dad taught her how to dance salsa and merengue and she was exposed to feeling the beat at an early age.

"I took a weird interest in music at an early age, when they were dancing, I would sing to the songs. I was in the church choir when I was young. I was the youngest person in the choir, I was 5 years old."

When asked about the Miami Music scene, Madai said,

"I think the Miami music scene is very odd because there are many cultures, many people together. It's not like one sound, you get a mix of a bunch of different sounds, and that's what people like about it."

Madai is a very talented young lady who wants to thank her fans for all the love and support they have shown throughout the years. Check our her latest single, 'Mayday,' and tell us what you think.

What's your favorite Madai song?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Free Latin Music, Madai, Música, Pitbull

By Ikam Acosta

Legendary rock band KISS is teaming up with long-time rockers Motley Crue for a 2012 summer tour. The two awesome foursomes will be embarking on "The Tour," a 40 day tour in North America beginning in July.

The bit of news that seems to be stirring some fans, however, is the comment made by KISS frontman Gene Simmons about certain pop goddesses like Rihanna. Simmons said,

"We're sick and tired of girls getting up there with their dances and karaoke tapes in back of them. No fake bull***t. Leave that to Rihanna, Schmianna, and anyone who ends their name with an 'A.'"

Members from both bands seemed to be dismissive of all the new generic pop groups out there. They want to bring back the good old days when metal and rock and roll were king. Not that they have anything against these pop stars, mind you. Where would you get that idea?

Tommy Lee, drummer of Motley Crue, added,

"No disrespect to Rihanna, she's a great singer, but we're in a slump for some sh** that has some personality and appeal beyond a bunch of pop stuff that's floating around out there. I'm glad he said that actually because I don't think I can bear watching another f***ing award show that is just a little bit better than American Idol. It's f***ing pathetic to watch people go out and f***ing karaoke with a bunch of lights and video. It's all completely watered down."

Tell us how you really feel, guys. Don't hold back. The boys from KISS and Motley Crue were never ones to hold their tongues, but is their strong opinion about different types of acts taking things too far?

I'm willing to bet all my 80's hair metal tapes that the KISS and Motley Crue audiences rarely overlap with Rihanna fans, but I could be wrong. Just a hunch.

Do you think what Gene and Tommy said was disrespectful, or were they just trying to appeal to their fans?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Celebrities, Gene Simmons, Kiss, Música, Motley Crue, Rihanna, Tommy Lee

By Michael Lopez

If you haven't heard of songwriter Elena Casals, you’ve most certainly heard her influence. She happened to be the mother of musician Desmond Child, who's scored countless hits (and countless Grammy Awards). Sadly, this week she passed on, leaving a lasting legacy of music and poetry.

Casals packed quite a lot into her 85 years. She lived all throughout Latin America and wrote music for luminaries like Olga Guillot (pictured with her and Child, above) and Lucho Gatica.

Interestingly, Elena's Spanish translations helped Desmond's music cross over to the Latin market. Known for his work with Cher and Bon Jovi, Child also gained a huge following in the Español world for his Ricky Martin collaborations.

And though she may be gone, we have certainly not heard the last of Casals. Her Spanish poetry will be re-released later this year in a compilation called My Cardboard Boxes.

Rest in Peace Elena.

Who is your favorite Latin American poet? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Desmond Child, Elena Casals, Música, My Cardboard Boxes, Poetry, RIP

By Michael Lopez

Remember Eduardo Fresco? The lollipop licking alter-ego of Wilmer Valderrama is coming back for more, A LOT MORE. Valderrama recently told Perez Hilton that he's planning to record an entire Fresco album, all rooted in comedy of course.

Last May, Wilmer partnered with some Saturday Night Live vets to create "The Way I Fiesta," a zany spoof of club anthems. His Eduardo character starred in the "Fiesta" video and belted out some very cheesy lyrics.

But despite Valderrama's comedic delivery, his singing voice wasn't that bad. As he explained to Perez, music is something that he takes very seriously.

"Music is something that has been… part of my life," he said. "My whole life, I've been singing and dancing, but acting just evolved faster. I'm excited to visit that arena, and do some music."

Interestingly, Wilmer mentioned that he'll also be recording a "serious" music album in the very near future too.

Do you think Wilmer has the chops to be a singing star? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Comedy, Eduardo Fresco, Música, Perez Hilton, The Way I Fiesta, Wilmer Valderrama

By Michael Lopez

Well, another South By Southwest (SXSW) festival has come and gone, leaving behind a sensory overload for the eyes, ears, and imagination. This weekend the event got to show off its musical ambitions, which included performances by 50 Cent, Eminem, and Juanes. And they were a great way to cap off nine days of phenomenal entertainment.

SXSW began its run in Austin two Fridays ago, with the premiere screening of Cabin In The Woods. A highly-anticipated horror/comedy from sci-fi mastermind Joss Whedon, it got the movie portion of the festival off to a thrilling start.

The other big SXSW movie of the week was 21 Jump Street. The Jonah Hill comedy had its at premiere at Texas' Paramount Theater and has since gone on to shatter box office records nationwide. Other festival film debuts included Jack Black's Bernie and Babymakers from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe.

SXSW also had plenty of gadget highlights for Texas techies. Sean Parker (who helped launch Facebook and Napster) made a memorable appearance, hosting a panel about how to spread charity via the web, together with former vice president Al Gore. Reps from Pandora were present too, illustrating interactive developments for their online music site.

Other geeky goodies from the festival included a new Facebook app that lets you create more user-friendly videos (courtesy of Viddy) and a location-based Foursquare rival from tech giant Uberlife.

But the SXSW events that drew the most attention came courtesy of Juanes, Bruce Springsteen, and 50 Cent. Everything related to music attracted huge crowds, particularly Springsteen’s Thursday keynote address. For two hours, "The Boss" delved deep into his musical past and offered quite a lot of insight into how he make records.

"There is no pure way or right way of doing it. There's just doing it," he said before the cheering audience.

By the time Friday rolled around, the concerts were in full swing. At the Austin Music Hall, 50 Cent brought out Eminem for a riveting performance of "Patiently Waiting." Across town at Fader Fort, The-Dream wowed the crowds with a very invigorating live set (which included an amazing rendition of "Walkin' on the Moon").

But the place we wanted to be most Friday night was Austin’s Moody Theater. There Juanes tore up the stage, performing his signature hits and a Woody Guthrie cover (in English, no less!). Flossing a "PEACE" shirt and an acoustic guitar, El Rockero shared some deep affections with the crowd.

"[SXSW] is the greatest experience of my life," he said. "I'm so happy and so thankful. It's changing my life. I just feel it. It's inspiring me, and that's the best."

Have you ever been to a SXSW event? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 21 Jump Street, 50 Cent, Babymakers, Bernie, Blogger: Michael Lopez, bruce springsteen, Cabin in the Woods, Eminem, Hot Stuff, Joss Whedon, Juanes, Música, Movies & CineMás, Pandora, Sean Parker, South By Southwest, SXSW, Technology, The-Dream

By Michael Lopez

As you may recall, we were a little heartbroken when Puerto Rican crooner Jeremy Rosado got voted off American Idol. But Rosado didn't seem to take it too hard at all. In fact, he told us that he felt "blessed" just to be a part of the A.I. experience.

"It was an amazing run," Jeremy explained in an exclusive interview. "I feel truly blessed that I was able to make it this far."

Rosado definitely got his moment in the spotlight. Throughout his run on the show, "Jer-Bear" (as he was affectionately called) wowed the crowd with performances of "Superstar," "Gravity," and "Ribbon in the Sky."

And though he may not have captured the voters' love in that final week, one famous judge never gave up on him.

"Jennifer was so amazing," he said. "She's very genuine, even when the cameras are off. She's a beautiful person and to have her on your side is a great thing."

Indeed Lopez kept Jeremy alive with her "Save Card," which helped usher him into Idol’s Top 13. Rosado explained how he felt like the entire Latin community had his back through a lot of the competition.

"I've had so much support from the Latin community throughout all of this," he said. "And I'm going to keep that going for my girl Jessica Sanchez. I think she's going to do very well."

And if there's one lesson we can learn from "Jer-Bear," it's to never give up. He had actually auditioned for Idol multiple times before finally moving forward this year.

"If I can give any advice to anyone, it would be to never give up on your dreams," he said. "I encourage everyone to keep on fighting!"

And that's certainly what Jeremy plans to do. He told us that at this stage of the game, he's hoping to write new original songs and branch out into an acting career.

Were you said to see Jeremy leave Idol? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Jennifer Lopez, Jeremy Rosado, Jessica Sanchez, Música, Reality shows, Television, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

We mentioned before how Anahí was hoping to cross over to the American market. And now she may have found the perfect collaborator to help her do it. According to Latin Gossip, the former RBD-er is in the process of recording a duet with Flo Rida!

Flo is riding high at the moment and has been known to make some great musical partnerships. His “Jump” single helped get Nelly Furtado back in the public eye and “Club Can’t Handle Me” pushed DJ David Guetta even more into the spotlight.

So what could he be cooking up with Anahí? She’s been known to dabble quite a bit in the pop genre, but we'd be excited to see her try something with an edge. And Flo Rida can definitely bring that out of her.

No word yet on when the duet will actually be released. Hopefully they can put something together within the next month or so and we can have a hot club anthem for summer 2012!

Would you be excited to hear Anahí and Flo's duet? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Anahi, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Duets, Flo-rida, Música

By Ikam Acosta

It seems Keith Richards has finally apologized to Mick Jagger for making some derogatory statements about him in his 2010 memoir titled Life.

Richards and Jagger decided it was time to bury the hatchet after Keith's indiscretions caused some tension among the Rolling Stones. The scuffle had threatened to ruin the Stones' 50th anniversary tour this year, so fans were relieved to see the two getting along once again.

Jagger said,

"Looking back at any career you are bound to recall both the highs and the lows. In the 1980s for instance Keith and I were not communicating very well. I got very involved with the business side of the Stones, mainly because I felt no one else was interested, but it's plain now from the book that Keith felt excluded, which is a pity. Time I reckon to move on."

Richards agreed,

"Mick's right. He and I have had conversations over the last year of a kind we have not had for an extremely long time and that has been incredibly important to me. As far as the book goes, it was my story and it was very raw, as I meant ti to be, but I know that some parts of it and some of the publicity really offended Mick and I regret that."

That's what I like to see, peace and harmony among the Stones. It would be a shame the band wouldn't be able to celebrate their 50 years together because of some misunderstanding and hard feelings.

The Rolling Stones are not planning to tour until 2013, a decision made based on the quality of Keith Richards' health more than by the tension between him and Jagger. The quality of his performances had suffered after a head injury while on vacation in Fiji in 2006.

The Stones also plan to release a picture book on July 12, documenting their rise to fame, ever since their debut in London in 1962. A September documentary is also in the works.

Are you hoping to see the Rolling Stones on tour to celebrate their 50th anniversary?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Celebrities, Keith Richards, Música, Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones

By Michael Lopez

Last summer, the Latin music world was rocked with the murder of Facundo Cabral. While on his way to a Guatemalan airport, the Argentine singer was brutally assassinated seemingly out of nowhere. Now eight months later, the pieces are starting to fall into place with the arrest of Cabral's suspected killer.

Alleged mafioso Alejandro Jimenez Gonzalez has been charged in the murder. Interestingly though, it is believed that Alejandro's beef was not with Facundo, but rather a promoter he was traveling with.

The authorities suspect that Jimenez Gonzalez intended to kill Henry Fariña that day and Cabral was just "collateral damage." Henry took a shot to the head, but it was Facundo who received the brunt of the gunfire. Eight bullets entered his body, killing the "I'm Not From Here…" singer instantly.

We're certainly glad the cops closed the books on this case, though hearing the circumstances makes it all the more tragic. Clearly Cabral was a victim of the "wrong place, wrong time" scenario. Let's hope he can now rest in peace.

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

Tags Alejandro Jimenez Gonzalez, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Facundo Cabral, Henry Fariña, Justice, Música, RIP

By Ikam Acosta

As if living together and dancing together were not enough, Jennifer López and Casper Smart are now working on a music video.

Jennifer López is in Mexico, filming a video with Winsin & Yandel, the Puerto Rican reggaeton duo. Smart, acting as her choreographer, will be telling JLo what moves to bust in front of the cameras.

López has been filming scenes dancing on the rooftops of houses, and Smart has been accompanying her the whole time, taking every opportunity to show her his love and support. The 24 year old choreographer has been tweeting about working on the video since last week, when they are touring the area where they were filming and the places where rehearsals took place.

The video being filmed is for the song "Follow The Leader," by Wisin & Yandel, featuring Jennifer López.

What is your favorite musical collaboration with Jennifer Lopez?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Casper Smart, Jennifer Lopez, Música, Winsin & Yandel