Tuesday 28 March 2006

Jasmine's juice

A Making Of The Video shoot for MTV with one A-list artist is usually enough to excite and blow my mind. But two A-listers in the same shoot? It's like a gleeful high you can't even express. You can't imagine my exhilaration when I was invited to a video shoot for Mariah's new single Say Something featuring not just her highness but also the legends that are Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams (PW).

Apparently Snoop's schedule was so full he couldn't make it to Paris so we are shooting his scenes in a Los Angeles studio this week (and to be honest Mariah and Pharrell caused riots all over the city so Snoop would've just escalated it to uncontrollable proportions).

MC said: "If you guys think I'm a diva and I have requirements, Snoop is like next next level - hip-hop king. His requirements to get to Paris are beyond platinum editions, they're like beyond ultra platinum editions, they're like diamond editions. So we love Snoop, but we wish he had been here as well."

The shoot took place on two typically beautiful days in Paris where Mariah and Pharrell play the part of a superstar couple spending a romantic day in the city that love built. Driving around in their silver grey Maserati car, they recreate the famous JFK and Marilyn Monroe moment, singing, frolicking and dancing together in the rain on the Alexandria Bridge and walking along the Champs-Elysees.

They also shop till they drop in the biggest most glamourous Louis Vuitton store, before returning to their hotel suite which was meant to be Pharrell's bachelor pad but was really Mariah's hotel suite (sshhh - you didn't hear that from me) for some half dressed steamy frolicking (Mariah in a black swimsuit, Pharrell in just a wife beater vest).

The couple pulled out all their acting skills to flirt and play happy couples and the resulting shots were electric. Even Director Paul Hunter who famously never gives interviews was so pleased he spoke to MTV at length.

We all stayed at the Four Seasons George V Hotel (where I began my career on The Word years ago when I interviewed Jean Claude Van Damme and did a ballet pas de deux with him). I was surprised that Pharrell gave me an amazingly happy animated interview, as he is notorious with English journalists for being awkward and unforthcoming in interviews. He seemed genuinely shocked when I told him that we usually dreaded speaking to him. After a lengthy conversation it seems Pharrell was so hurt and angered by the News Of The World sex story scandal about him and his friend Jade Jagger a couple of years ago that he then hated all British press. I told him he couldn't tar us all because of one bad apple and that MTV and tabloids were different.

He replied that MTV were just as bad and a girl at TRL in London had asked him a "disrespectful and f***ed up question which vexed him about girls with weaves" so I apologised for us all but advised he should take tabloid interest as a gift and a curse, after all how many black male celebrities are the nationals interested in? Not many? The only reason Kanye got 'nuff press last month was due to 70 naked golden girls.

Anyway I've strayed, I told Pharrell he'd been very professional on the shoot, especially continuing to sing in the pouring rain, he admitted: "I was freezing my nuts off today, but it was fun and this song is something that I'm super passionate about, it took a minute, but it's finally coming out so when you really love something it's like, the endurance just comes. So, for me, singing in the rain and being cold... I mean at some point I'd be just like 'okay, I can't do it anymore', but yes we were out there for a long time."

As we shot scene after scene the French fans gathered in their hundreds screaming hysterically and police escorts were needed to keep everything safe. At one point there were paparazzi chasing them in their cars driving through the tunnels trying to photograph MC and PW. It reminded me of the Princess Diana tragedy but I bit my lip not wanting to tarnish the vibe.

The shots looked sexy, beautiful and iconic and you know where you can see the video first right? Look out for the Making of the Video for Mariah's Say Something featuring Snoop and Pharrell at the beginning of April all over your MTV. Holla.

Rest in peace to Flying Tiger Golden Child who passed away March 4 - Miami will never be the same without your hustling skills. We loved you. We'll miss you. I know you're sweet-talking the angels in heaven - God bless you. And RIP Brian Daley - or DJ Swing, as the world knew you. You're at peace now, you were our corageous souljah. I know you're in heaven entertaining the angels with your sweet music and making them smile as you did us. All my love.

(The Voice)



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