Latest news with #Prerogative
The Independent
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bobby Brown accuses Britney Spears of ‘butchering' his favourite song
Bobby Brown has accused Britney Spears of 'butchering' one of his best-known songs, 'My Prerogative', when she covered it in 2004. The pop star included it as a track on her Greatest Hits: My Prerogative album, released during a hiatus and interpreted by many as a way of addressing her global fame and media scrutiny at the time. The cover was produced with Swedish songwriting and production duo Bloodshy & Avant; the original was released by Brown as a riposte following his firing from the R&B group New Edition. Appearing on the Club Shay Shay podcast, Brown, 56, said he insisted on hearing the song any time an artist wanted to sample or cover one of his works. 'Yes, I gotta hear it,' he said, 'because you don't know what these kids will say these days. These kids will say some s*** that you don't want your song associated with.' Host Shannon Sharpe then asked if there had been an instance where he enjoyed another musician's interpretation of one of his songs, but he struggled to think of one. 'I don't think they really did justice to any of the samples that they have done to my songs,' he said. 'Britney Spears butchered 'Prerogative,'' he said. 'Teddy Riley produced it, but that was a butchering that I couldn't take it. I cleared it only because it was Britney Spears and I was thinking… Teddy Riley is doing it too, so you know, but I felt it was a butchering.' Riley did not, in fact, work on Spears's version of 'My Prerogative', but he is credited as a writer along with Brown due to his role on the original track. He had earlier named the song as his favourite out of all the songs he'd recorded, choosing it over other tracks such as 'Mr Telephone Man' or 'Candy Girl', both by New Edition, and his solo song 'Every Little Step', from 1988's Don't Be Cruel. 'Because I wrote it for myself,' he said. 'I wrote it as an anthem and as a theme to my lifestyle and what I was all about, and that's basically the reason I think I'm still here 42 years later, is that I took what I felt about myself and I put it on wax.' Brown has previously expressed his dislike of Spears's cover, telling New York Magazine in 2005 that he loved the pop singer's music videos, but little else. 'Why try to fix something that ain't broke? That's what I say,' he explained. 'But I'm grateful someone covered a song of mine. The check wasn't bad, either.' He might be soothed by the fact that, while his song topped the charts in the US, Spears's cover was less successful, appearing at No 4 on the US Billboard 200 and No 2 in the UK.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bobby Brown Says Britney Spears 'Butchered' Her 2004 Cover of 'My Prerogative' and He 'Couldn't Take It'
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but not for Bobby Brown. During an April 16 appearance on Shannon Sharpe's podcast Club Shay Shay, the rapper revealed that he did not like Britney Spears' cover of his 1988 song "My Prerogative." Sharpe, 56, asked Brown, 56 what artist did the best job sampling his music. "I don't think they did justice," Brown began. "I don't think they really did justice to any of the samples that they have done to my songs." "Britney Spears butchered 'My Prerogative,' " Brown continued. "Teddy Riley produced it. But that was a butchering. I couldn't take it." Sharpe argued that Brown had cleared it, to which the singer countered that he cleared it because he thought Spears, 43, was going to "wow" him. Related: He Was the Astronaut in Britney Spears' 'Oops!...I Did It Again' Music Video. You'll Never Guess Where He Is Now (Exclusive) A music industry source tells PEOPLE of Brown's recent comments, "He's looking for press, but that's his prerogative." PEOPLE has reached out to Spears for comment. Fans online disagreed with Brown's take on Spears' cover of the song, defending Spears' synth-heavy sampling of the contemporary R&B song. "Bobby Brown really said Britney Spears butchered Prerogative despite him clearing the song. I DISAGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY," one fan wrote on X. Another said, "Listen, I get it. I would also be mad if someone did a cover of my song and did it so much better than I did that everyone thought my song was theirs 🤷♂️." Related: Everything Britney Spears Says About the Celebrities Mentioned in Her Memoir — from Justin Timberlake to Madonna One user attributed their knowledge of the song being from Spears. "I personally only ever knew Bobby Brown's My Prerogative because of Britney's cover, and my parents played a s--- of ton of 80s while I was growing up …" Others agreed. "Ngl Britney Spears' version was so fire most didn't realize it was a cover 🤷🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️," another fan said. Ultimately, many Spears fans defended her take on the song. "Bobby Brown can say all the crap he wants. But Britney left no crumbs when it came to her cover of My Prerogative. I prefer her version over his original version," someone else posted. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Spears has previously put her spin on other musicians' songs, adding her distinctive flair. She covered Sonny and Cher's song "The Beat Goes On," along with The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." Most recently in 2022, she collaborated with Elton John on the song "Hold Me Closer," which features the chorus of his classic "Tiny Dancer." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Region remembers former Daily Telegraph Editor Samantha Perry
bluefield — People across the region were sharing fond memories Thursday of a journalist who, with passion and dedication, recorded life's good and the bad moments while striving to give people a voice and improve their quality of life. Susan Samantha Myers Perry, known to many as Samantha or Sam, passed away Monday, March 24 at the age of 58 after a long illness. Born March 7, 1967, at Bluefield Hospital to the late William 'Bill' and Nancy Myers of Montcalm, she was a lifelong Montcalm resident who lived with her husband of 33 years, Joe Perry, and their dogs Cassie and Bear. Samantha devoted much of her life to journalism when she joined the Bluefield Daily Telegraph and covered the region's events for over 30 years until she retired. She started out as a stringer before becoming a reporter in 1989, advancing to Lifestyles Editor and then becoming Managing Editor in 2001, becoming the newspaper's first female editor since it started in 1896. She later became a regional editor for CNHI, the parent company of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, for the Bluefield market as well as Georgia and Florida. Samantha was also editor of Prerogative Magazine, which started in 2007. During her long career, Samantha earned multiple local and national awards. Nationally, she was named Columnist of the Year in 2021, 2018, 2016, 2015 and 2014 by CNHI. 'Samantha was a great journalist who loved her community and making a difference in the lives of people she touched and helped,' said Terri Hale, publisher and regional executive. 'And she did make a difference in so many ways. We, her work family, love her and miss her everyday.' Andy Patton, news editor of the Register-Herald in Beckley and of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, remembered Samantha as a passionate wordsmith and strong advocate for community journalism. 'I worked along side Sam in the newsroom in Bluefield for more than 26 years,' Patton said. 'She had a way of choosing just the perfect word or phrase to paint a picture for readers and lift the story right off the page. She was a very gifted writer and excellent journalist. Her love for the community and passion for telling the community's stories were second to none.' While working at the newspaper, Samantha also worked on projects helping both children and homeless pets. For years, she coordinated the Community Christmas Tree. This annual event, also known as Little Jimmie, raised thousands of dollars every year so that hundreds of area children could have a good Christmas. She often took on Little Jimmie while also organizing the Prerogative pet food drive. This annual event brought in pet treats, food, bedding and other supplies to animal shelters across the region. Dedication to helping her community was a trait her parents helped instill in her. Craig Hammond, executive director of the Bluefield Union Mission, said he knew both Samantha and her family well. An award that his radio show, Radioactive on WHIS, presents annually, the William B. Myers Community Service Award, is named after her father. 'We identify somebody in the community who went above and beyond giving to their community and we've had a lot of recipients, sometimes it was an individual, sometimes it was an organization,' Hammond said. 'Samantha had a very important role in our public life because she was the keeper of our community's diary.' When new faces joined the Bluefield Daily Telegraph's newsroom family, Samantha patiently mentored them by sharing her knowledge and experience. Jamie Null, executive director of the Mercer County Convention & Visitors Bureau, remembered how Samantha helped hone her skills. 'I guess when I started at the paper I was in my mid-20s, and to me she was a role model and she taught me so much about journalism and how to write a story, how to write a column, and we had a connection because I was the lifestyles editor and she was lifestyles editor when she was very young,' Null said. 'We connected with features stories and Prerogative.' 'I think about how she did things and prepared me to move on in my career,' Null said. 'How she talked to people and her determination to get things done. And she always told me how proud she was of me. Even though she was my boss, she ended up being a friend and we talked every couple of weeks. She was more than a boss to me.' Photographer Tara Wyatt was the last person Samantha hired before going into retirement and like so many others, she said that she benefited from her guidance. 'I knew her for almost a year, though she retired before she could make it to one year, but she had made a good impact on me,' Wyatt said. 'She was the first person who gave me a chance on my abilities, she was the first person to call me back when I was applying to multiple places, she pushed me to become better at my craft, and has been so honest with me from the start.' Wyatt spoke about how Samatha helped her grow as a person. 'Samantha was also incredibly patient with me even when she had every reason to not be, but she probably could tell this was my first big girl, corporate job being 19 – okay, maybe not that young, but still young in the grand scheme of things – and she was able to shape me into the young, more mature woman I am now,' Wyatt said. 'She was a beautiful woman with a beautiful personality.' Even though Samantha often wrote stories for Lifestyles and columns about life in the community, she developed into a journalist ready to work with the law enforcement community and the court system while covering crimes across the area. Brian K. Cochran, a former sergeant in the West Virginia State Police and now Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney, worked with Samantha for years. 'I first met Samantha over 30 some years ago in the early 90's way back when I was a young state trooper, Cochran said. 'She was always looking for a great story involving a horrific murder case and it seemed like I was the trooper that got assigned to a whole bunch of them back in those days. She was always very nice, polite, and extremely professional and I always felt that she reported all of those cases fairly. She was so great to work with.' Cochran continued working with Samantha after he retired from law enforcement. 'Then I became a lawyer and became the City Attorney for the City of Bluefield. Our great relationship continued as she was heavily involved in reporting what the city was involved in at the time. I still thought she was always fair and honest in her reporting of what was going on in the city,' he said. 'She could be tough no doubt, but always fair. I am so very saddened to hear the news of her passing because she was such a huge asset to our community in reporting the news fairly and always being unbiased, and most importantly because she was just such a tremendous person. She is going to be greatly missed.' Mercer County Sheriff Alan Christian also said he had known Samantha for years. 'From the first days of me becoming a police officer, I've been dealing with Samantha and those folks at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, and I can't say I've met a more fair and honest woman,' he said. 'Anytime I called, she was there to answer and if I needed anything, she was there.' Christian said he considered Samantha a friend. 'I've known her that long and talked to her that much,' he said. 'She used me as a source for the paper. I knew when I told her something, that was exactly what was going to be in there. Nothing made up, enhanced or anything like that.' Former Raleigh County Sheriff Scott Van Meter, who is now Raleigh County Clerk, met Samantha when he was a sergeant, and later major, at the West Virginia State Police Welch detachment during the mid to late 1990s. 'She was just a very good reporter and a very nice person,' Van Meter said, 'She did her job and you could talk to her, and if you talked with her and said we really can't get this out just yet, you could trust her. She was a one-of-a-kind young lady.' Greg Duckworth, formerly a sergeant with the West Virginia State Police and now president of the Raleigh County Commission, said he remembered working with Samantha when investigations were underway. 'We had so many shootings and stabbings and different crimes,' Duckworth said. 'She always reported accurately, very balanced and I just had a lot of respect for her. She was very good, solid reporter and she will very much be missed.' Greg Bishop, another former sergeant with the West Virginia State Police and now Wyoming County Prosecuting Attorney, recalled how Samantha worked to cover crimes in McDowell County. 'She was always fair and impartial,' Bishop said. 'I felt comfortable talking with her. I could be frank about things and she always treated us fair and reported the facts. Sometimes law enforcement can be hesitant to trust reporters, but you learn quickly which reporters are going to report the facts. That was the trust I had with her.' Keeping with Samantha's wishes there will be no service. The family is being served by the Roselawn Funeral Home in Princeton, WV. Online condolences may be shared via their website. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Samantha can be made to the Mercer County Animal Shelter, 961 Shelter Rd, Princeton, WV 24740. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I can spit hot fire on Baby Got Back': Sterling K Brown's honest playlist
The first song I fell in love with I was in elementary school and If I Had No Loot by Tony! Toni! Toné! was getting a lot of play on BET – Black Entertainment Television. I love the vibe. It has a good bounce. I like things that make me move and this is one song you can't help but move to. The first single I bought I remember buying Don't Be Cruel by Bobby Brown because everybody was jamming out to Prerogative. I bought it from Streetside Records in St Louis, Missouri, where you could listen to albums on headphones before you bought them. The song I do at karaoke I don't like people judging my vocals, but I can spit hot fire on the rap to Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot. It comes from the heart, because I actually do like big butts. The song I know every lyric to I know a lot of musicals. Ragtime is one of my favourites. The character Coalhouse Walker Jr sings Wheels of a Dream with the mother of his child. It's a beautiful duet. When I saw it, I fell in love with it, and went out and immediately memorised the song. The song I secretly like Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! by Vengaboys is the jam. I'd be worried Black people might be like: 'What, you listen to that stuff?' Hell, yeah. That song slaps. The best song to get the party started A lot of women will go to Prince. Prince is great, but Cupid by 112 has this hypnotic beat and a sweetness when you get the party started. You want to start it off sweet for the ladies, but they like to finish with a little bit of edge. The best song to have sex to Oh! I thought that's what you meant by 'get the party started' … The best song to have sex to is Cupid by 112, and the best song to get an actual party started is Poison by Bell Biv DeVoe. The song that changed my life As a kid I used to try to sing like Aaron Hall, who performs on Let's Chill by the band Guy. His voice fell right where mine was. It was a lot better than trying to hit the falsetto high notes on Whitney Houston. Singing the hell out of that song made me realise that I could sing. The song that makes me cry For Good from Wicked. And a song called A Part of Us from a musical called Once on This Island. The song I'd like played at my funeral Happy by Pharrell Williams. Hopefully it'll be a celebration of a life well lived, and I'll be in a better place, so I'll go ahead and leave with a smile on my face. Paradise is streaming on Disney+ now.
