Lil Wayne to Drop The Carter 4 at Midnight Following The Video Music Awards

Lil Wayne to Drop The Carter 4 at Midnight Following The Video Music Awards

Lil Wayne is going to dabble in a little midnight madness. Scheduled to perform at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, Weezy has now announced that he'll also be dropping his highly anticipated new album, Tha Carter IV, at midnight, right after the Video Music Awards Show.

"I am extremely excited to be the first artist to utilize such an amazing idea. I hope that I can open the door for others," Lil Wayne said in a press statement regarding the Carter 4.

The YMCMB rapper's latest will be released digitally via iTunes, Amazon and other legal MP3 download destinations at 12 a.m. on August 29. Those still dedicated to physical CDs need not worry since the album will be in retail stores later that Monday.

The release of Tha Carter IV will be the capstone to a big night for Weezy, who is also up for Moonmen in the Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Collaboration categories. And despite Wayne's skateboarding accident over the weekend (he tweeted that he needed nine stitches for a gash over his eye), he is sure to take the Nokia Theatre stage by storm this week.

"The MTV Video Music Awards are one of the most watched and respected shows in the industry," Ronald "Slim" Williams, CEO of Cash Money Records, said in a statement. "Wayne is one of the most respected and prolific artists in the industry. By pairing the release of Tha Carter IV with the VMAs, it will certainly add to the overall anticipation and excitement for fans everywhere for what will surely be an unforgettable evening."

With Jay-Z and Kanye West throwing a wrench into traditional album-release strategies with their Watch the Throne project, Lil Wayne has chosen to make his own release an event by coinciding with another. "Lil Wayne continues to change the game; this time with a new release strategy that demonstrates the power of the VMAs to grab the attention of music fans," MTV President Stephen Friedman said. "After our millions of viewers experience the VMAs, they can go online at midnight and download the album they've all been waiting for."

Tha Carter IV's latest single is "She Will" and features appearances from, T-Pain, Tech N9ne, Rick Ross, John Legend, Jadakiss, Nas and Busta Rhymes, among others.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist at VMA.MTV.com.

Lil Wayne is also Scheduled to perform several concerts across the US including One tonight
at Irvine Meadows / Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine, CA Fri, Aug 26, 2011 Tickets available at www.LiveNation.com 

On Tuesday Lil Wayne performs for the KS107.5 FM Back To School Jam at The Comfort Dental Amphitheater in Denver Colorado on Tuesday August 30th alongside Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Far East Movement and Lloyd. Tickets available at www.LiveNation.com

KS107.5 Back 2 School Jam ft Lil Wayne, Keri Hilson, Rick Ross, Fare East Movement and Lloyd

This concert will be followed immediately by a concert at The Hard Rock Casino in Albuquerque New Mexico on Wednesday August 31st 2011 again with Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Far East Movement and Lloyd. Tickets available at www.LiveNation.com

- Trent W. Great Hip Hop Music Blog

Jay-Z Defends "Super Passionate" Kanye West

Jay-Z Defends "Super passionate" Kanye West for being who he is, a passionate man, who stands behind what he believes. But does not excuse Kanye's actions.

Jay-Z has known Kanye West for many years, so when he watched West interrupt Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, he probably wasn't as surprised as a lot of people. "He's just a super-passionate person, and of course it was rude because it was [Swift's] moment, but that's the way he really felt, he's been that passionate from his first record," Jay says.

He used to jump on tables ... I was trying to make the first Blueprint, he's jumping on tables, rapping, and I'm like, 'Yo, not now.' That was just him. He's always been that passionate."

But while Jay may have understood Kanye's outburst, he wasn't about to give his producer and protégé a pass for the way he behaved during the VMAs, either. And he told him as much when the two appeared the following night on "The Jay Leno Show" (where West would subsequently offer a tearful apology to Swift for his actions). "[I told him] I think it was rude, [and] that he has to watch his passion. At the end of the day, we're going to celebrate him for his passion more than vilify him [for it]," Jay said. "Because his passion, which caused him to make Graduation and all these great records, is the same thing that causes him to step out of line sometimes. So as he grows, he has to learn how to balance that. And he'll learn that in years to come. That passion right there ... that wasn't fake or staged — it was how he really felt, and it was just inappropriate. It wasn't fair to Taylor."

And now that Kanye West has apologized (multiple times, and to Taylor Swift personally) for his outburst, Jay thinks it's time for everyone to move on. To him, this whole situation, while unfortunate, has been blown out of proportion "I mean, it's an awards show, really, and I think it's a bit blown out," Jay said. "He's on the cover of every paper, he didn't kill anybody. Nobody got harmed," Jay said. " I don't think he should lay low, I think he should go on tour and have a brilliant career. It's an awards show."