Billboard Magazine

MUSIC HAPPENING NOW [ THE MTV's Video Music Numbers Awards are Brooklyn bound. For the 30th anniversary Kids' Choice Awards of the cable network's awards show, the Nickelodeon's 26th annual Kids' Choice Awards was VMAs will be held at its usual slime-tastic event boasting celebrities of all the Barclays stripes. Among those on hand at the live March 23 event Center on were host Josh Duhamel and performers Pitbull, Chris- Aug. 25.1t will be the tina Aguilera, Ke$ha, Selena Gomez and Katy Perry. first major Winners were chosen in 22 categories by kids who cast awards show a record 392 millionvotesbetween Feb.14 andMarch23. televised from the Juicy.1% New York "Bandz a borough. Make Her Dance" has sold nearly 1 million 284% copies. R&B/HIP-HOP he says. He's stewarding his ship this time around and 148M enjoying the autonomy of going solo. "I'm calling all Out of a record 392 million votes castfor the my own shots. My singles, anything I drop, it's all me. awards, a record 148 million came from outside It's my decision." the United States (up 284% from 2012). The Juicy J's One of those decisions was to link up with Khalifa's awards' international presence has expanded in recent years due to custom versions of the show Taylor Gang Entertainment and Dr. Luke's Kemosabe that include country -specific categories. Records (through Columbia) to release his forthcom- Trippy ing Stay Trippy, slated for mid -summer. Taylor Gang's Will Dzombak points to Juicy J's years of relationship -building in the music industry Return and DIY work ethic as attributing to the great success es6.5% of "Bandz." "He really put the fire behind that record The purveyor of ratchet regains and put the fire under Wiz and me to really get it out hip -hop's throne 18 years after there," Dzombak says. "With Juicy working it with all 5.8M the DJs, he pretty much did it damn near himself." chart debut Mark McCray, PD of KBFB Dallas -Fort Worth, According to Nielsen, 5.8 million viewers Texas, remembers the song as an instant hit. "`Bandz watched the initial broadcast-a decline of 6.5% By Sowmya Krishnamurthy compared with 6.2 million viewers in 2012. But a Make Her Dance' was a smash for us. That record, Nickelodeon says 12 million viewers watched from the minute we put it on the air, really resonated this year's three broadcasts during the March 23-24 weekend, compared with 11 million who with our audience." He cites Juicy J's "Down South watched the 2012 edition's three airings. vibe" as appealing to Three 6 Mafia loyalists and a new, Juicy J is back, for the first time. The rapper/produc- younger generation that Juicy J has engaged due to his er renowned for his work with Memphis collective affiliation with Khalifa. Three 6 Mafia-the group debuted on Billboard's Top DJ Sour Milk, a radio personality at KPWR Los An- R&B Albums chart in 1995 with Mystic Stykz and won geles, further explains that the Mike WiLL Made It - 80K the Academy Award for best original song in 2006 for produced "Bandz" proved to be a radio breakthrough On the day of the show, Ariana Grande's "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"-is breaking out as a because it ushered in a slew of sonically similar hits Twitter account earned the most mentions on chart -topping solo force. including Rihanna's "Pour It Up" (also produced by the social network (80,000) compared with all of the music stars at the event, according In the past five months, Juicy J has appeared on the Mike WiLL). "That song made it a lot easier for half to Next Big Sound. The actress/singer is the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with four releases: his the songs to make it on the radio," Sour Milk says. He former co-star of Nickelodeon's "Victorious" own "Bandz a Make Her Dance," which peaked at No. points to Juicy J spearheading the "ratchet" subgenre, and future co-star of "Sam & Cat." 6; as a featured guest on Wiz Khalifa's "Medicated," known for its melodic synths, rattling drums, high- which hit No. 44.; on B.o.B's "We Still in This energy machismo and often ignorant or silly lyrics, which reached No. 26 on March 23; and his new single, which others like Tyga and YG have adopted. "It's just "Show Out," which is No. 29 this week. Juicy J's last speaking your mind," Juicy J says of the genre's name. 2% footing on that chart dates back to Project Pat's "Good "It's straight raw." Googly Moogly," which peaked at No. 7 in 2006. He may lead the pack, but don't expect Juicy J to He also helmed three tracks on Lil Wayne's newly strictly adhere to this signature in 2013. The rap- released I Am Not a Human Being II and is featured per has plenty of surprises planned, including an 189K on the album's "Trippy." Cumulatively, Juicy I's solo upcoming tour with buzzy newcomer ASAP Ferg, a The four songs that Pitbul I, Aguilera and singles have sold more than 1.5 million copies, ac- remix of Baauer's "Harlem Shake," impending TV Ke$ha sang during the show sold a combined 189,000 downloads in the week ending March cording to Nielsen SoundScan, led by strip -club hom- and liquor projects and what he promises will be a 24, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That's a age "Bandz a Make Her Dance," which has moved "crazy" secret feature on Stay Trippy. After nearly decline of 2% versus the prior week (192,000). 912,000 units. two decades in hip -hop, Juicy J's firmly in control The lack of sales gain isn't surprising, as the show targets a young demographic that likely Juicy J approaches his resurgence more as a neo- and what he wants, goes. "I want to do it the way I doesn't purchase music on its own. phyte than a veteran. "I feel like it's brand-new for me," want to do it," he says.O -Keith Caulfield and William Gruger 0 BILLBOARD I APRIL 6, 2013.

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