Kelly Rowland is not done promoting her latest album, Here I Am. The singer has just unleashed the visual for her newest single, “Keep It Between Us.” The clip was shot in Paris and includes actor Lance Gross as the former Destiny Child singer’s love interest. If you haven’t done so already, do yourself a favor and pick up Here I Am, today.
CHRIS BROWN’S GUEST FEATURES CONTINUES TO GROW
Since Chris Brown is refusing to do interviews, fans have to rely on his Twitter page to find out news surrounding his upcoming album, Fortune. So far, Breezy has announced that the follow-up to F.A.M.E. will include contributions from will.i.am, David Guetta, Asher Roth, Wiz Khalifa, Nas and Kid Sister. If that’s not enough, there’s whispers that Brown is looking to invite even more acts. Be sure to look out for Fortune when the disc arrives in March.
- Are you excited for the album?
ETTA JAMES FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ANNOUNCED
After passing away on January 20th, the memorial and funeral arrangements for Etta James have been announced. CNN reports there will be a public viewing on Friday at the Inglewood Cemetery in Inglewood, California. In addition, there will be a private funeral service the following day where Rev. Al Sharpton will preside over the service. The “At Last” singer died on Friday at the age of 73 after battling leukemia, dementia and hepatitis C.
- The funeral will take place at Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena, California.
NE-YO FINDS NEW LABEL HOME AT MOTOWN
After parting ways with Def Jam, Ne-Yo has reportedly has signed to Motown Records and has been appointed Senior Vice President of A&R. Billboard.biz reports the singer will also bring his Compound Entertainment imprint to his new label home. Ne-Yo in a statement, “I’m honored that I’ve been given such a prestigious title and trusted with such responsibility; terrified because I know that playing this role in the fashion of one of my career role models, Mr. Smokey Robinson—these are big shoes to fill. But trust, I can handle it.” Ne-Yo’s fifth album, The Cracks in Mr. Perfect, is due this summer.
- The crooner released four albums on Def Jam.
NICKI MINAJ BREAKS RECORD WITH “STUPID HOE” VIDEO
Is there anything Nicki Minaj can’t do? The Young Money fem-cee has reportedly broken a record on Vevo for having the highest single video views within the first 24 hours of release. After releasing her Hype Williams-directed visual to “Stupid Hoe,” the Queens native racked up 4.8-million views. In related news, her sophomore album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, is set for an April 3rd release.
COMMON DOESN’T KNOW WHEN DRAKE BEEF WILL END
We’re still scratching our heads over the beef brewing between Common and Drake. During an interview with Bossip.com, the Chicago native touched on when he plans to patch things up with Drizzy. He explained, “I really honestly don’t know how things will end. I just want to put out there that it’s not a thing where I don’t like him as a human being or like I got something against him personally. That’s not what it is.” Common feels that since Drake took the first jab, “If you come at me, I’ma fight until the end. I’m not talking about physical. I’m talking about emceeing.” Be sure to pick up his latest album, The Dreamer, The Believer, which is out now.
TYGA TO COLLABORATE WITH NICKI, NAS ON CARELESS WORLD
XXLMag.com reports that Tyga is cooking up some great music for his upcoming album, Careless World: Rise of the Last King. The Young Money rapper revealed that his label mate, Nicki Minaj, will appear on the project on a track called “Muthf**cka Up.” He stated, “That one is one of them going in type songs. Like how Lil Wayne had ‘A Milli.’ One of those Young Money records that people love. We got a crazy visual for that one, too.” In addition, the “Rack City” rapper says Nas contributed guest verses on a record called “King And Queens,” which he says is “a real classic song. People are gonna like it.” Be sure to look out for Careless World: Rise of the Last King on February 21st.
NEW JOHN LEGEND SINGLE LEAKS!
The newly engaged John Legend is readying another album and he recently released a new song called “Tonight (Best You Ever Had).” The track includes guest verses from Ludacris and will also appear on the upcoming soundtrack for the film Think Like a Man. Check it out now at SoundCloud.com.
JENNIFER HUDSON’S FAMILY MURDERS TRIAL WILL BE ON TV?
We previously told you that a trial date has been set for the murder case of Jennifer Hudson’s three family members. According to CBS Chicago, the forthcoming trial might allow cameras and microphones in courtrooms. This means the entire case against William Balfour could be televised due to new provisions decided by the Illinois Supreme Court. We will keep you updated.
- Balfour pled not guilty to the murders of Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew back in October of 2008.
JUSTIN BIEBER CAUSES SPIKE IN CANADIAN ORGAN DONORS
Justin Bieber caused a spike in Canadian donor registrations. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it all started when 20-year-old Helene Campbell made a personal plea via Twitter to raise the number of organ donors as she awaits a lung transplant in Toronto. Bieber responded to Campbell’s request by retweeting her plea to his 16-million followers. By Sunday, the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s BeADonor.ca website reported 565 new donors. A post then appeared on the life-saving organization’s Facebook page that reads, “Thanks to Helene, her team, and all the Bielibers out there!” Now there are over one-thousand new donors listed on the site.
A biopic about West Coast rap group N.W.A. has been in the works for some time and now, Ice Cube has been named as one of the producers along with John Singleton, who might direct the film. In an interview with The Playlist, Singleton said that he has been in contact with Cube and added that the script is “really really good.” No further details are known at this time.
· Do you think the movie will be a success?
SOULJA BOY READIES NEW DOCUMENTARY
XXLMag.com reports Soulja Boy’s documentary is coming out next month. The flick, titled Soulja Boy: The Movie, follows the “Crank That” rapper as he goes from an unknown rapper to a platinum-selling talent. Fans can expect the movie to be released on October 18th through Image Entertainment.
DJ DRAMA ISSUES TRACKLISTING
According to his official website, DJ Drama has unleashed the tracklisting for his upcoming third studio album, Third Power. Led by “Oh My” featuring Fabolous, Wiz Khalifa and Roscoe Dash, the disc will be available on October 11th. Here’s who made the cut:
1. Oh My Ft. Fabolous, Wiz Khalifa & Roscoe Dash
2. Rough Ft. Freddie Gibbs & Young Jeezy
3. Hand Of God Ft. Maino
4. Oh Baby Ft. Cam’Ron, Vado & Jaz
5. Never See You Again Ft. Wale & Talia Coles
6. Lay Low Ft. Meek Mill, Young Chris & Freeway
7. Ain’t No Way Around It Ft. Future
8. Undercover Ft. J. Cole & Chris Brown
9. Everything That Glitters Ft. Pusha T & French Montana
10. Me And My Money Ft. Gucci Mane
11. So Paid Ft. Red Cafe & 2 Chainz
12. Take My City Ft. B.o.B. & Crooked I
13. Lockdown Ft. Ya Boy & Akon
14. Oh My (Remix) Ft. Trey Songz, 2 Chainz & Big Sean
B.O.B PREVIEWS “STRANGE CLOUDS”
B.o.B has released a preview of his upcoming single, “Strange Clouds,” which debuts on October 3rd. The track features Lil Wayne and will appear on Bobby Ray’s upcoming sophomore album.
50 CENT TALKS PLAYGROUND BOOK
HipHop-N-More.com reports 50 Cent is speaking up on why he wanted to release his second book, Playground, which tells the story of a boy struggling with bullies. 50 stated, “This book would have been very helpful for me growing up and now that I have a teenage son, it is my goal that this will have a positive influence on all teenagers.” The semi-autobiographical novel is available for pre-order on Amazon.com now. It hits bookstores on November 1st.
· The rapper’s other literary efforts include From Pieces to Weight and The 50th Law.
PHARRELL WORKING ON FRANK OCEAN’S DEBUT
During an interview with Vibe.com, Pharrell Williams revealed that he’s been working on Frank Ocean’s upcoming debut album. The hitmaker said of the Odd Future member, “He’s super talented. To me he’s like the black James Taylor. He’s lyrical—he’s got a great perspective and super sick melodies. I haven’t seen anybody bob and weave through chords with such catchy melodies in a long time—that’s why I liked working with him.” No word on when the project will hit stores.
UPDATE ON DR DRE’S DETOX
According to HipHopDX.com, Kendrick Lamar has spilled new details on where Dr Dre is at with his long-awaited Detox LP. The rap rookie stated, “Detox is getting mixed. That’s all I can say. It’s getting mixed. I could say anything about Detox, nobody would ever believe me.” Kendrick, who contributed to the set, added, “The creative process is so crazy as far as going in there and narrowing down all these songs. Thousands of songs [to pick from].” A launch date is not known at this time.
ROBIN THICKE REUNITES WITH LIL WAYNE
While working on his upcoming album, Love After War, Robin Thicke revealed that he’s teamed up with Lil Wayne on a song called “Pretty Little Heart.” In addition, the disc will include collaborations with Pharrell Williams, Faith Evans, Usher and Maxwell. As previously mentioned, the follow-up to 2009′s Sex Therapy lands on November 18th.
· Robin and Wayne previously worked together on “Tie My Hands,” “All Night Long” and “Shooter.”
JUVENILE, MANNIE FRESH WORKING ON A NEW ALBUM
According to XXLMag.com Juvenile is back in the studio and working with Mannie Fresh on a new album titled Rejuvination. Juve told XXL, “Mannie Fresh doing most of the beats on this album. We trying to get the mix straight on the single.” While details are sparse, the LP will have features from Drake, Lloyd and Rick Ross.
· Mannie Fresh and Juvenile haven’t worked together in a decade.
JOHN LEGEND PRODUCES NEW FAMILY SHOW
According to Deadline.com, John Legend’s executive produced family sitcom has been picked up by NBC. The show, Mixed Blessings, reportedly follows “a prominent, black, street-bred hip-hop artist enjoying his single life who discovers that he has a teenage son and decides to connect with him and his white suburban family.” This is the singer’s first venture into television.
· Here are further details on the series: “The show explores the culture clash and the complicated journey of a father and son beginning their relationship as the dad soon discovers that fame, talent, and wealth get you nowhere when it comes to parenting.”
COMMON: “NAS IS THE BEST RAPPER ALVE”
During a recent appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Common had nothing but high praise for Nas. The rapper, who was promoting his new book, One Day It’ll All Make Sense, stated, “Nas is so poetic with it and I feel like his lyrics, you can write ‘em down on paper and they will last for time. It would be like literature that we read.” In related news, Common’s upcoming album, The Dreamer, The Believer, is due out on November 22nd.
LADY GAGA CALLS FOR MEETING WITH OBAMA
Lady Gaga has reached out to President Obama to try to set up a meeting to discuss hate crimes following the death of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer last weekend. Gaga wants Obama to enact laws making bullying a hate crime. Rodemeyer, who had posted an “It Gets Better” video in May about his long struggle with bullying at school, took his life on Sunday after what his parents said was years of taunting over his sexuality. In his video, Rodemeyer cited Gaga as an inspiration and on Wednesday, Gaga expressed her sadness over Rodemeyer’s death via Twitter, writing: “The past days I’ve spent reflecting, crying, and yelling. I have so much anger. It is hard to feel love when cruelty takes someone’s life.” She added that bullying “must become illegal. It is a hate crime.”
· MTV’s ongoing A Thin Line project provides stories and resources for anyone who believes they are being cyberbullied or who are looking for ways to stop harassment by digital means.
Beyonce has done it! The singer has secured the number one spot on the Billboard 200 chart after her latest album, 4, sold over 310-thousand copies in its opening week. The news marks the singer’s fourth consecutive number one album. In addition, the diva has become the third artist, following Britney Spears and DMX, to see their first four studio albums debut atop the Billboard 200.
· The project is the lowest opening week of Beyoncé’s career. 2008’s I Am … Sasha Fierce entered with 482-thousand, B’Day sold over 541-thousand in 2006, and her debut, Dangerously in Love, arrived in 2003 with 317k.
DR DRE CONTRIBUTES TO GAME’S R.E.D. ALBUM
Need another reason to be interested in Game’s upcoming R.E.D. Album? The West Coast rapper recently told MTV News that “this album is the most incredible out of my career.” He added that he’s excited Dr Dre is contributing guest verses on the project, which is being executive produced by Pharrell Williams. Fans can expect R.E.D. Album to hit stores August 23rd.
· The disc features production from Cool & Dre, Hit-Boy, Maestro and Lex Luger, and features Nelly Furtado, Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes.
RIHANNA TALKS INTIMIDATING MEN
In the July issue of Cosmopolitan, Rihanna spoke about what kind of guys she likes. But more importantly, the singer explained why it’s difficult for most men to even approach her. Ri Ri stated, “It can definitely be intimidating to guys to date someone in this industry. And it’s really hard to find a guy who doesn’t care about that stuff.” Rihanna promised that she could see herself with a regular dude and added, “I’m turned on to a guy by different things. It could be the way he looks. It could be his intelligence. It’s really a spontaneous thing. I get bored quickly. So if someone can make me laugh, that’s the best.” To read more, go to Cosmopolitan.com.
AND SPEAKING OF…
WAIT…USHER MADE OUT WITH RIHANNA?
During an interview with Fabolous magazine, Usher dropped some interesting news when he explained why he can’t add Rihanna to his “hit-list.” After describing the pop star as “beautiful,” the crooner spilled “she’s not necessarily on my hit-list – she’s like my sister right now. Or cousin – we have kissed.” It’s still not known if the pair just shared a one-time peck or had an actual fling.
· As for his love life, Usher also said in the mag, “Companionship is important – every man should have a woman to make him better. I’m dating at the moment – not anyone in particular, but I have a few people I’m interested in.”
GUCCI MANE RELEASED FROM JAIL
Gucci Mane has been released from jail! After serving three months for probation violation, the emcee celebrated his freedom by visiting a strip club in Atlanta, Georgia. The news comes just a day after MTV News reported the troubled rapper was in police custody for allegedly pushing a woman out of a moving vehicle back in early April.
· Gucci’s latest album, The Return of Mr. Zone 6, is available in stores now.
PITBULL SHOOTS NEW VIDEO WITH MARC ANTHONY
Pitbull recently shot the video for his new single, “Rain Over Me,” in the Southern California desert. The video, which was shot near Palm Springs, California, features Latin superstar Marc Anthony. You can see a teaser clip of the video at PlanetPit.com. Pitbull has the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week with “Give Me Everything,” featuring Afrojack, Ne-Yo and Nayer.
EMINEM SETS DIGITAL CHART ALBUM RECORD
News recently broke that Eminem’s Recovery has set a new record after he sold over one-million digital copies of the album in the U-S. If that’s not enough, Slim Shady also became the first artist in the last five years to have two albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
· The news comes just a few weeks after we reported Em’s latest project, Hell: The Sequel, took the top spot on the chart last month.
· Em’s upcoming tour stops include headlining slots at Lollapalooza in Chicago on August 6th and the V Festival in the U-K on August 20th and 21st. Visit Eminem.com for all upcoming dates.
JOHN LEGEND INVESTS IN WATER COMPANY
What’s John Legend been up to lately? He has reportedly invested in a San Francisco-based water company called HINT, Inc. The singer, who is currently on tour with Sade, said in a statement, “I enjoy drinking HINT water because it’s refreshing without tasting sweet or artificially flavored,” He added, “I joined them as an investor not only because I actually drink HINT water, but also because I truly believe in both the product and its ‘Drink Water, Not Sugar’ message and I am excited to watch the company grow.”
· The zero calorie drink is sold in stores including Albertsons and Bristol Farms.
CEE-LO & MORE AT MLB ALL-STAR GAME
Tuesday’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game is going to be about more than just America’s Pastime. That’s because some very prominent music artists are going to be involved as well. According to USA Today, Cee-Lo will be performing at the MLB All-Star Gala, an event that takes place on Monday. Then, before the actual game on Tuesday, Jordin Sparks will be singing the National Anthem. And if all that weren’t enough, Michelle Branch is performing “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch. Be sure to watch the game this Tuesday night at 8 PM Eastern on FOX.
· The game is taking place in Phoenix, Arizona.
BOW WOW PENS OPEN LETTER ABOUT HIS CHILD
We previously reported that Bow Wow’s mother broke the news that her son conceived a healthy baby girl named Shai. The rapper penned an open letter about his first child and explained why he didn’t want to break the news at first. Here’s what he said:
“Let me start off by saying I love my fans. Without yall I would’ve been left the game. For the past three years I’ve been battling life. Even thought about taking my own. I felt like as a kid I did everything and saw everything too fast, which spoiled my adult years. I felt as if I had no purpose to live (Thinking selfishly) until God gave me the illest gift of my life. No lambo, no black card nothing amounts to my lil girl. I waited so long to tell yall the truth, because I was nervous on how yall would look at me. Yall know everyone makes a big deal out of everything I do. I wanted to be first and let yall know the real. My lil girl is getting BIG fast. I love every minute of it. She inspires me to go harder. Even made me treat my mother better, it’s like it made me into a man over night. Never been a fan of posting pix of my daughter. Reason is because I want my boo boo to have everything I didn’t. Want her to be able to cheerlead with her lil friends without some asshole sticking his camera all in my lil girl face. I know how fame is. I missed out on so much that I now know how important it is to cherish and have those things in your life. Yes! I change diapers. Ain’t as bad as I thought hahaha. I want her to live with me so bad. Jus us 2. Thats my dream man but fellas yall know how it go. Baby gotta stay with they momma and all dat bull. I hate that! So I have to fly 5 hrs away to see her. I find myself going into my iPhone book just looking at pix of her. Sometimes I tear up because I just can’t believe it. All in all, I’m good. This is my 1st. I know all my fans gone support me and ride for her like yall been doing my whole career. To the ones that say “I’m heartbroken how can he do that to us” well I do have a life that’s not all about movies or making albums. I’m 24 now. I can’t wait forever. I’m happy and if you’re a fan then you’d be happy too because yall gone be with me every step of the way. The bs that comes with having a baby momma is expected. So I never trip. Jus gotta suck it up, keep chin high and try not let her get the best of my feelings by playing them stupid games. Ima stay positive and keep maintaining long as I got yall I can’t lose. I love yall. And shai shai daddy love u too! Wizzle!!!!”
MICHELLE WILLIAMS READIES COMEBACK LP
With Kelly Rowland and Beyonce focusing on their solo careers, the third member of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams, is working on a new project also. The singer said of the disc, “My album will be ‘inspirational pop.’ Think of Katy Perry’s ‘Fireworks’ or Natasha Beddingfeld’s ‘Unwritten.’ I want to give people a message of hope while at the same time get them moving with dance inspired tracks.” The follow-up to 2008’s Unexpected does not yet have a release date.
· The disc will include contributions from Rico Love and Jim Jonsin.
· You can now check out her buzz track, “Love Gun,” via ConcreteLoop.com.
KERI HILSON EXCITED FOR I AM STILL MUSIC TOUR
Lil Wayne has just announced that he’s decided to extend his I Am Still Music Tour. The rapper’s successful outing will now continue all the way until mid-September. The trek will reportedly include new supporting acts like Lloyd, Keri Hilson and Far East Movement. Fans will also be able to see Rick Ross, who was a part of the first leg of the tour. The show, which covers nearly 40 cities, will begin on July 13th at the Comcast Theater in Hartford, Connecticut and wraps on September 11th at the Woodlands Amphitheatre in Woodlands, Texas. To learn more, visit Wayne’s official websites, WeAreYoungMoney.com and WeezyThanxYou.com.
NEW BOYZ GO PLATINUM WITH “BACKSEAT”
The New Boyz have scored two hit singles off their new album, Too Cool To Care. The duo has sold over one-million copies of their single, “Backseat” featuring Dev and The Cataracts, and are now riding the success of “Better With The Lights Off,” featuring Chris Brown. You can see the New Boyz’s neon video for “Better with the Lights off” at TheNewBoyz.com.
· The New Boyz have sold just over one-million copies of “Backseat” since it was released five months ago.
· The New Boyz star in Mario Van Peebles’ new film, We The Party, which should be out later this year.
UPCOMING HIP HOP ALBUM RELEASES
July is looking to be a big month for hip-hop album releases. In the coming weeks, fans can anticipate Cali Swag District’s The Kickback and the late Pimp C’s Still Pimpin to be released Tuesday. That following Tuesday, DJ Khaled’s We the Best Forever drops, as does Black Robs’ Game Tested, Streets Approved while Wu-Tang Clan’s comeback effort, Legendary Weapons, arrives on July 26th. Fans should also mark their calendars for Jay-Z and Kanye West’s highly anticipated joint album, Watch The Throne, which is due out on August 2nd.
July 5
Lloyd – King of Hearts
July 12
Cali Swag District – The Kickback
Crooked I – Planet C.O.B.
Hodgy Beats & Left Brain (MellowHype) (OFWGKTA) – Blackenedwhite
Pimp C – Still Pimpin
The Cool Kids – When Fish Ride Bicycles
July 19
DJ Khaled – We the Best Forever
July 26
Black Rob – Game Tested, Streets Approved
Jay Rock – Follow Me Home
Wu-Tang Clan – Legendary Weapons
BRITNEY SPEARS TWEETS SUPPORT FOR NICKI MINAJ
Britney Spears took to Twitter to show her support for Nicki Minaj after the death of Nicki’s cousin. Spears tweeted to fans to “keep up the amazing love and support” for her Femme Fatale tourmate. Minaj’s cousin was murdered near his home in Brooklyn, and it is speculated that his killing was a result of mistaken identity.
PIA TOSCANO SIGNS DEAL; PREPS DEBUT SINGLE!
Former American Idol contestant Pia Toscano has signed a recording contract with Interscope Records. The Queens, New York native, who was shockingly voted off Idol, will release her debut single, “This Time,” on Tuesday. Toscano will perform the song all summer long on the road with the American Idols Live! 2011 Tour, which is now underway and concludes on September 10th in Rochester, New York. The song was written and co-produced by Esther Dean, who is known penning hits for such artists as Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna and many more.
· Pia Toscano released the following statement: “I am thrilled to be joining the Interscope and 19 Recordings family. (Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman) Jimmy Iovine was an amazing mentor during my time on Idol and I’m looking forward to working with him and everyone at Interscope Records and 19 Recordings. This is a dream come true.”
Usher’s “Hot Tottie” record featuring Jay-Z and Ester Dean is an undeniable hit. We recently sat down with Mr. Raymond to get more information on how the song came together and why he initially wanted Hova to spit a verse . The cut sits at the number 14 spot on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart. Be sure to get the crooner’s latest Versus album, which is in stores now.
* In case you didn’t know, “Hot Toddy” is actually a name
given to a mixed drink, one that usually includes alcohol and is always
served hot.
WYCLEF HOSPITALIZED FOR STRESS?
BallerStatus.com has learned Wyclef Jean was reportedly hospitalized for
stress and fatigue. The Fugees member voluntarily checked himself into a New
Jersey hospital and his rep says the musician will remain there for part of
the week. The news comes after Jean was not permitted to run for president
of Haiti due to residency requirements.
DR. DRE SCRAPS DETOX LEAKS
Dr. Dre has decided to axe any unauthorized leaks from his long-delayed Detox album, including the rumored lead single, “Under Pressure” featuring Jay-Z. During an interview at Yankee Stadium for Eminem and Hova’s concert,
the producer confirmed, “There’s no leaks that came out that’s gonna be on the record.” He added, “I got hard new sh**, had a little bit of leak in my security and what have you, but I got new sh** coming and trust me…y’all
n****s gonna love this s**t.”
J. COLE READIES COLLEGE TOUR
According to XXLMag.com, newcomer J. Cole is scheduled to headline his first
North America college tour. The emcee, who recently opened for Jay-Z and
Eminem at Yankee Stadium, is expected to kick off the 35-city trek at
Alabama’s A&M University on Friday. The rapper will hit campuses in
Virginia, California, Arizona and his home state of North Carolina before
wrapping on December 5th at New York City’s Highline Ballroom. Visit
JColeMusic.com to view the complete list of dates now.
* Before he officially blew up, Drake also embarked on
a college tour for his popular So Far Gone mixtape. Do you think J. Cole
will ever experience the same success as Drizzy?
KANYE TO PRODUCE JOHN LEGEND’S NEXT LP
Just days after releasing his joint Wake Up! project with The Roots, John
Legend revealed to Billboard magazine that he’s already “started [recording]
the next solo album.” The crooner added that Kanye West will serve as the
co-executive producer for Legend’s upcoming fourth disc. In addition, John
spilled he’s “also worked on Kanye’s album a little bit, on the ‘POWER’
remix and other stuff. But God only knows what Kanye is actually going to
put on the album and what’s going to be on the other five-song album he’s
putting out.”
* There is no confirmed release date for the singer’s fourth studio
effort at this time.
* Kanye’s Dark Twisted Fantasy is reportedly due to be released on
November 16th.
50 CENT NAMES FEATURES ON LLOYD BANKS’ LP
50 Cent took to his Twitter account to give new updates on Lloyd Banks’ upcoming Hunger For More 2 album. The mogul tweeted that the disc will include contributions and guest spots from Eminem, Kanye West, Styles P,
Ryan Leslie, Swizz Beatz, Jermih, Raekwon, Tony Yayo and Chris Brown. 50 added that he’s also on the project, promising fans that “HFM2 is gonna be crazy!” You will be able to grab the LP on November 23rd.
GUCCI DROPS THE APPEAL, PRAISES WAKA FLOCKA
While promoting his album The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted, Gucci Mane
recently told us that he’s so proud of his artist, Waka Flocka Flame. Flame’s single, “No Hands” featuring Roscoe Dash and Wale, is currently the number 18 song on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart. Gucci spoke about it. The Drumma Boy-produced cut is off Waka’s upcoming debut album, Flockaveli, which will be released on October 5th. In related
news, fans can now purchase Gucci’s The Appeal, which includes “Gucci Time” produced by Swizz Beatz. It’s in stores and online now.
KANYE AND JAY-Z JOINT ALBUM COMING SOON!
In addition to completing Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West is working on a
joint album with Jay-Z. The multi-tasker announced that his project with
Hova is titled Watch The Throne and will arrive early next year.
BallerStatus.com reports fans will be able to purchase a five-song EP from
the moguls on November 23rd via Def Jam as well as Ye’s highly anticipated
Dark Twisted Fantasy effort on November 16th.
* The rappers have previously created hit records
together in the past, but do you think their upcoming joint album will stand
out as a hip hop classic?
MARIAH FALLS DURING CONCERT
Rap-Up.com has learned Mariah Carey took a spill during a Saturday night
performance at LG Live’s 2010 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix. The
songbird fell while singing “Make It Happen,” only to jump back up and tell
the crowd: “I did that on purpose!” If that wasn’t enough, Mi Mi then spoke
over the song and requested her assistant take off her ten-thousand dollar
heels for her. She concluded the rest of the concert barefoot!
JEREMIH DROPS ALL ABOUT YOU
If you enjoy Jeremih’s new single “I Like” featuring Ludacris, then you’re
going to love his latest album, All About You. The “Birthday Sex” singer
told us that he’s so humbled by the response he’s gotten from the song, even
if people still mistake him for other artists. “I Like”
sits at the number 28 spot on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart. You can
pick up All About You today.
* Jeremih told SingersRoom.com that he’s single and ready to mingle.
He’s “looking for someone that will hold me down. Someone that can be my
best friend before anything else. Obviously you can’t just be looking for
someone with a good mind and spirit when all you are looking at is the
physical. So I like beautiful women. I don’t think I have a type, I think
anyone can fall in love anyone. I don’t think anyone has a type. A woman
that has a good heart and that can hold me down would be my pick.”
KID CUDI PLEAS GUILTY FOR POSSESSION
TMZ reports Kid Cudi recently pled guilty to “criminal possession of acontrolled substance.” The rapper, who is currently working on his sophomore album, only faces two days of community service for the misdemeanor charge.
However, Scott will need to steer clear of any further violations for the next six months.
* Back in June, authorities found the unspecified substance on the
rapper when he got into an argument with an unnamed woman.
AKON GRABS RICK ROSS FOR NEW SONG
We’ve just learned Akon has leaked a new song from his upcoming album,
Akonic. The singer recruited Rick Ross on a track called “Give It To Em,”
which is believe to be the lead single. Fans can expect Akonic to arrive in
stores on November 23rd.
In case you missed it, Rick Ross recently appeared in the new “Nike: Boom”
commercial. In the clip, the Miami rapper enters a jewelry store to
purchasing a huge double-headed customized chain. The diamond studded-bling
prompts the emcee to say “Boom,” which is then followed by a series of
professional athletes repeating him.
JAZMINE SULLIVAN GIVES “10 SECONDS”
Rap-Up.com reports Jazmine Sullivan has released a new single called “10
Seconds.” The Salaam Remi-produced cut will be included on the soulful
singer’s highly anticipated sophomore album, Love Me Back. Led by her
current smash, “Holding You Down (Goin In Circles),” you will be able to
purchase the disc when it lands on November 2nd.
A new video featuring the music of Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake,
Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Gnarls Barkely and others has created a buzz on
the Internet. The brilliant 16-song mash-up was created by Norwegian
Recycling and also features clips from songs by Survivor, Taylor Swift,
Jason Derulo, Leona Lewis, Lady Gaga and more.
Sisterella, Larry Hart’s version of Cinderella, is the only musical project ever financed, executive produced or presented by Michael Jackson that was not something he created. The show played in L-A 14 years ago and now comes news that it will be back. An updated version of the production will open in L-A in the spring of 2011. No word on the cast or premiere dates yet, but we’ll keep you posted.
MADONNA TO EXPAND MATERIAL GIRL LINE
Madonna’s new fashion line, Material Girl, started as a fashion line for
juniors, but it seems that there are already talks about expanding the
brand. According to PerezHilton.com, the CFO of Iconix Brand, the company
behind the line, said that they want Material Girl to branch out into
“additional categories,” including “swim and intimates,” as well as a “full
footwear collection.”
Jay-Z and Beyonce have entered the 2010 Guinness Book of World Records for
becoming the Highest Earning Power Couple. Through touring and business
ventures, Hov and Bey racked in an impressive 122-million dollars combined
through June of last year. As previously reported, the pair recently claimed
the number one spot on Forbes’ Hollywood’s Top Earn Couples list.
CHRIS BROWN READIES FAME
According to RapRadar.com, Chris Brown is currently working on the follow-up
to last year’s Graffiti album. The forthcoming disc will be titled FAME,
which is an acronym for “Forgiving All My Enemies.” Fans can expect the disc
to drop later this year and to include “Deuces” and “Yeah 3X.”
JOHN LEGEND & THE ROOTS DROP ALBUM
The wait is over! Fans can now purchase John Legend and The Roots’ highly
anticipated joint album, Wake Up! The socially-conscious project includes
guest contributions from Common and Melanie Fiona and was designed to make
people become more aware of what’s going on in the world. Get your copy
today!
NICKI MINAJ IS JUST GETTING WARMED UP
Nicki Minaj has tunnel vision when it comes to working on her highly
anticipated debut album, Pink Friday. We recently caught up with the leading
lady of hip hop to find out how she feels about finally crafting her first
studio effort. Minaj explained that she’s humble and promised fans to never
get complacent in the industry. Pink Friday will be
available on November 23rd. Be on the look out for the video of Nicki and
Will.i.am’s joint single, “Check It Out.”
KANYE AND 50 CENT TO TOUR?
During an interview with Vibe, DJ Whoo Kid recently spilled on 50 Cent
wanting to potentially hit the road with Kanye West. The G-Unit affiliate
explained to the mag, that both rappers “have been talking about working
together since a couple months ago” and possibly looking to “roll out
together in a Euro tour.” Kid noted that while the moguls had a Neilsen
Soundscan competition a few years ago, “It’s the media that be hyping up all
the beef and stupidity. But the real story is behind the scenes these dudes
are talking.”
FAITH ISSUES “GONE ALREADY” VIDEO
Faith Evans has released the visual for her new single, “Gone Already,”
which serves as the lead from her upcoming Something About Faith album. You
can view the elegant clip on YouTube today and look for the disc to land in
stores on October 5th.
TREY SONGS SUPPORTS CHRIS BROWN
Even though Trey Songz will be the one joining Usher’s OMG tour instead of Chris Brown as previously reported, the “Bottoms Up” crooner told us he’s rooting for Breezy to reclaim the spotlight. In fact, Tremaine explained how
Brown is headed in a positive direction, especially after his BET Michael Jackson tribute and releasing “Dueces” with Tyga of Young Money. Brown recently tweeted that while there was talk of joining Mr. Raymond’s outing, he wanted to focus on his next studio project.
* Do you think Chris would have been a better fit on the
OMG tour? Do you think Chris will ever become bigger than Usher in the
future?
MONICA IS DATING NBA PLAYER!
We’ve just learned that the chemistry between Monica and her love interest in the video for “Love All Over Me” wasn’t just acting. The songbird told Rap-Up.com that she’s actually dating Shannon Brown from the Los Angeles
Lakers. Mo says of the NBA star that they’re “in the beginning stages, but we’re much further than most because we don’t keep secrets, we have a great time, we share each other’s jobs, and we share each other’s interests.” The
news comes after the singer recently announced her split from her fiancé, Rocko.
FANTASIA, ERIC BENET TO TOUR TOGETHER
According to SingersRoom.com, a rep has confirmed that Fantasia, Eric Benet
and Kandi Burruss have decided to team up for a fall tour. The outing will
kick off in November and will help further promote the American Idol’s Back
to Me album, the crooner’s long-delayed Lost In Time LP and former Xscape
member’s upcoming Kandi Koated effort. Fans can expect all tour dates to be
announced soon.
JAZMINE SULLIVAN TITLES SOPHOMORE LP
According to her official fansite, Jazmine Sullivan has released the artwork
for her upcoming album, which has been titled Love Me Back. The disc, which
includes the Missy Elliott-produced lead single “Holding You Down (Goin’ in
Circles),” is slated to arrive in stores and online on November 2nd. Visit
JazmineSullivanMusic.com to learn more about the project!
* In related news, Jazmine will join Mary J. Blige’s fall tour,
alongside El Debarge and newcomer Miguel. The trek kicks off October 2nd in
Atlanta.
Love Me Back tracklist:
1. “Holding You Down (Goin’ In Circles)”
2. “10 Seconds”
3. “Good Enough”
4. “Don’t Make Me Wait”
5. “Love You Long Time”
6. “Redemption”
7. “Excuse Me”
8. “U Get On My Nerves”
9. “Stuttering”
10. “In Vain”
11. “Famous”
12. “Luv Back”
DRAKE TALKS THE HIGHLIGHT OF HIS CAREER
Aside from gaining fame from his So Far Gone mixtape, going platinum with Thank Me Later and working alongside Lil Wayne, Drake revealed what stands out as the best moment of his career. The “Best I Ever Had” rapper took a
moment before telling us that the highlight of his career was…. In related news, Aubrey has already begun recording his sophomore effort and completed an R&B mixtape that will arrive in the coming months.
PLANET MICHAEL
According to Billboard, the Michael Jackson estate has entered a licensing
deal with a Los Angeles company that will create an online virtual world
based on the King of Pop called Planet Michael. The multi-player online
game will contain about 100-thosuand active users who will be able to
collect and trade virtual Jackson merchandise and earn credits by performing
challenges related to his music and dance moves. The estate will work with
game publisher SEE Virtual Worlds to develop the game for release in late
2011. As in other virtual worlds, players can replenish their game accounts
using real money.
KOL, SNOOP AND MORE TALK STONER MOVIES
A new book titled Reefer Movie Madness: The Ultimate Stoner Film Guide is
set to come out next month. The book features interviews with tons of famous
people including Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill, Snoop Dogg, Melissa
Etheridge and more, all talking about their favorite stoner movies. It’ll
land on shelves on October 1st.
LADY GAGA’S SPEECH!
As we previously reported, Lady Gaga took the stage at a rally against the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy in Maine on Monday. She was there to support the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and unveiled a speech
called “The Prime Rib of America” for a crowd of over four-thousand people, which included college students and activists.
Kanye West has been tapped to perform at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
The rapper, who crashed Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech last year, tweeted
that he’s “brainstorming the performance now.” We’re sure the controversial
emcee has something major up his sleeve! Be Tune in to the 2010 MTV Video
Music Awards, airing live from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday,
September 12th at 9 PM (Live Eastern/Tape delayed Pacific).
* Which song do you think ‘Ye will perform? Will there be any special guests? Will Taylor get her revenge?
DOWNLOAD NEW YOUNG JEEZY MIXTAPE!
Young Jeezy loves his fans. The rapper just dropped a new mixtape called
1,000 Grams, Vol. 1 to hold people over until his long-awaited Thug
Motivation 103 album drops on September 28th. Rap-Up.com reports the Snowman
freestyles over Soulja Boy’s “Pretty Boy Swag,” Kanye West’s “Power” and
Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Hello Good Morning.”
Kid Cudi gained world wide recognition with “Day N Nite,” lifted from his debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day. He recently told us that he feels the pressure for the follow-up to be just as good. The rapper’s sophomore effort, Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, was initially supposed to arrive mid-September, but it was pushed
back to October 26th. The first official single is called “Erase Me” featuring Kanye West.
JAY-Z AUCTIONS NEW AIR FORCE 1 SNEAKER
ThisIs50.com has learned Nike has teamed with Jay-Z to release an executive
new sneaker for the Air Force 1 collection. Hov’s All Black Everything
sneaker was inspired by the World Basketball Festival, which he also
performed at on Thursday in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. Nike has
teamed with eBay to auction off five different pairs with all proceeds
benefiting the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. If you’re interested,
bidders can visit Ebay.com/JayZNikeWBF now.
RIHANNA GETS NEW TATTOO
After leaving an East Side tattoo parlor, MTV.com reports Rihanna was
recently spotted showing off her new tattoo. The “Rockstar” singer got the
words “Rebelle Fleur” inked on her neck, which means “Rebellious Flower” in
French! Check out the images now!
* OOPS! According to Gawker.com, in French, adjectives typically
follow the nouns so “rebelle fleur” doesn’t translate the way Ri Ri thinks
it does!
According to the NYPost.com, Foxy Brown’s 35-year-old brother, Gavin ‘Pretty
Boy’ Marchand, was arrested for possessing forged credit cards. He
reportedly faces up to 15 years in prison for scamming eight-thousand
dollars worth of designer clothes from an upscale boutique. Gavin and three
friends were caught at the Hermes store on Madison Avenue in New York.
However, the rapper claims she doesn’t “know anything about [her brother's
scam].” In related news, Brown is looking at four years if convicted of
violating a court order by harassing neighbor Arlene Raymond.
JOHN LEGEND PROMOTES WAKE UP!
John Legend and The Roots have joined forces for a new album titled Wake Up!
The upcoming disc was designed to include fundamental themes of
consciousness and awareness – essentially inspiring listeners to Wake Up!
John told us why everyone should go and buy it.The
artists were inspired to collaborate due to the election of President Barack
Obama. The project drops on September 21st. <WM>
* The album includes covers of Marvin Gaye’s “Wholy Holy” and
Donny Hathaway’s “Little Ghetto Boy.”
1. “Compared to What”
2. “Hard Times”
3. “Little Ghetto Boy”
4. “Wake Up Everybody” feat. Common and Melanie Fiona
5. “Our Generation”
6. “Love the Way It Should Be”
7. “Hang On in There”
8. “I Can’t Write Left Handed”
9. “Wholy Holy”
10. “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”
11. “Shine”
CALI SWAG DISTRICT TEAMS WITH ROCK THE VOTE
Cali Swag District will be performing a special concert on August 31st at Arleta High School in Los Angeles. The rap group responsible for “Teach Me How To Dougie” will speak out with Rock the Vote and encourage teens to
register to vote. CSD will be meeting with students to educate them on elections and register eligible students on site. This marks the second time the group has toured high schools throughout Southern California,
encouraging kids to stay in school and achieve their dreams through education. The four-man band said in a statement that they will stay committed to the Rock The Vote nationwide campaign.
JENNIFER LOPEZ DUETS WITH TAIO CRUZ
Now that Jennifer Lopez is out of the running to be the new judge on
American Idol, the actress has plenty of time to focus on her music career.
With that said, the official remix for Taio Cruz’s smash hit single
“Dynamite” has surfaced and includes a new verse from J-Lo. Listen to the
Def Jam label-mates now!
Lady Gaga’s show Wednesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles turned
out to be extra special. Not only was Britney Spears spotted in attendance,
but during the gig, Gaga was presented with an enormous plaque to recognize
her for selling 13-million albums, as well 51-million singles. Learn more
at GagaDaily.com.
BRITNEY GLEE EPSIODE INFO
Britney Spears is still set to appear in an episode of Glee next season that
will feature her music – but it seems that it may be more of a cameo than a
starring role. Show creator Ryan Murphy told Access Hollywood that it was
the pop star’s idea to “come on and do a couple of fun, sort of, ‘Where’s
Waldo?’ moments, but instead of ‘Where’s Waldo?’ It’s ‘Where’s Britney?’”
Learn more at AccessHollywood.com.
Bun B often times doesn’t get enough credit. However, after releasing his
latest Trill O.G. album, the Houston native was awarded five mics – the
highest rating from The Source. The emcee was the first to get a classic
rating since Lil’ Kim’s 2005 effort, Naked Truth. Bun recently told us that
he was striving for perfection on Trill O.G. Be sure to
grab your copy today!
* The Source also reviewed other albums, including Eminem’s
Recovery, Drake’s Thank Me Later, Rick Ross’ Teflon Don, Big Boi’s Sir
Lucious Left Foot – The Son of Chico Dusty, Fat Joe’s The Darkside Vol.1 and
The Roots’ How I Got Over, before recognizing Bun B as the best.
DRAKE READIES UPCOMING R&B MIXTAPE
After gaining a strong fan base from his mixtapes, particularly So Far Gone,
Drake told MTV News he’s currently working on a new project. The rapper, who
recently went platinum for Thank Me Later, explained the tape will be a
“great body of work.” Drizzy added, “I’m gonna do it like I did with all my
other tapes…I feel the people deserve it.” He promises fans will be able
to download the untitled mixtape for free “very soon.”
YOUNG BUCK’S HOME RAIDED BY IRS
TMZ reports the home of former G-Unit member Young Buck was raided by the
IRS since the rapper owes over 300-thousand in unpaid taxes. A handful of
armed federal agents entered Bucks’ Nashville residence to repossess any
assets that could be used to pay the back taxes. Get this, he stated, “The
worst part of this isn’t the material stuff – that will all be replaced.
It’s what it does to the people around me. They took my kids’ Playstation,
my assistants’ computers, and baby’s mothers’ jewelry. They took my home
studio, so I can’t even record.” The “Shorty Wanna Ride” rapper previously
disclosed to 50 Cent that he was heavily in debt, but the raiding has
prompted the emcee to be more financially responsible so this never happens
again.
* Buck also stated: “This is a huge wake up call for all
entertainers to stay on top of your own trusted employees and team members,
and replace anyone that was put in place by your record label if the
situation you have goes sour. This IRS situation came about because I
trusted accountants, lawyers, and managers to handle my business for me
while I focused on making music. From now on, I am going to stay on top of my own business.”
NICKI MINAJ NAMES DEBUT ALBUM
According to her official Twitter page, Nicki Minaj has reportedly announced
that her debut album will be titled Pink Friday. The “Your Love” singer’s
disc is scheduled to arrive just three days before Black Friday, which is
the biggest shopping day of the year. Lil Wayne’s protégé will unleash her
first effort on November 23rd.
50 CENT CONTINUES FAT JOE BEEF
Late last year, 50 Cent predicted that Fat Joe’s career was officially over
after his Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2) sold less than
eight-thousand copies. Even though the Bronx native has released solid
singles off his new Darkside: Vol 1 project, including “Slow Down” with
Young Jeezy and “If It Ain’t About Money” featuring Trey Songz, 50 says
listening to the disc will make you cry, literally. In a new video, the
G-Unit bully pretends to shed a few tears and splices in footage from A &
E’s show Intervention to make fun of Joe’s album. Check it out on YouTube
now!
BUT…
FAT JOE ISN’T WORRIED ABOUT ALBUM SALES
The numbers are in! Fat Joe’s latest album, The Darkside: Vol 1, landed at
number 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. The disc, which includes “Slow Down”
with Young Jeezy and “If It Ain’t About Money” featuring Trey Songz, sold
over 12-thousand copies in its opening week. Three days after the disc hit
stores, Joe told us what his marker of success is.
“To be honest with you I already achieved it. My mark of success is
just people loving it, and I’ve been going online and I haven’t seen one
disrespect toward the album. You know, people calling it classic, the people
whose opinion I really respect in the hip-hop game are calling up saying
‘wow, this is your best work ever’ and that’s all I wanted to do, man. To
let the fans know that, you know, I’m one of the legends, I’m one of the
greats in the game. The fact that I’m getting that type of love and
reception, that’s enough for me.”
The Darkside: Vol 1 beat out the first week sales of Joey’s previous album,
Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2), by 3,520 copies.
NEW LIL WAYNE AND DRAKE COLLAB!
The first single off Lil Wayne’s upcoming I’m Not A Human Being EP surfaced
late on Tuesday night. The new track is called “Right Above It” and includes
a verse from Drake. While Weezy isn’t expected to be released from prison
until late October, his highly anticipated project is slated to land on his
birthday, September 27th.
* Lil Wayne will be a free man in 92 days!
TREY SONGZ TALKS STEP UP 3D
In addition to Flo Rida and Roscoe Dash, Trey Songz has also contributed to
the official soundtrack for the third installment of the Step Up franchise.
The R&B sensation recorded a track called “Already Taken” and knew it would
be perfect for the flick.
“My career path has been an American dream. You know, it’s…Step
Up is very much so about that, believing in yourself and believing that
there are no limitations and colors and creeds all can come together and be
as one. And I think that’s a beautiful message spread through our culture
which is our music, you know, what’s music with dancing, and it just makes me feel good talking about it.”
Step Up 3D opens in theaters tomorrow. The soundtrack is available online
and in stores now.
CHRIS BROWN READIES NEW ALBUM!
Chris Brown took to his Twitter page to announce some great news. After
releasing his Graffiti album nearly nine months ago, the R&B singer tweeted:
“My new album will come next year or sooner but in the meantime, ‘I MIGHT’
do something special for yall again!!!” Hmmm, perhaps he’ll release another
mixtape before his fourth studio effort? In any case, the news comes just
weeks before the fallen pop star’s new action film, Takers, is scheduled to
hit theaters.
And…
CHRIS BROWN REMIXES NICKI’S “YOUR LOVE”
After Rick Ross and Jay Sean laid down their own verses to Nicki Minaj’s
“Your Love” single, Chris Brown is the latest to put his own stamp on the
track. He tweeted: “I just smashed this beat!!! Your Love Remix Done!!! For
the ladies.”
Just when we started wondering about the status of Kanye West’s “Power”
video, the rapper has released a behind-the-scenes look of what fans can
expect. The visual for Ye’s first single off his yet-to-be-titled fourth
album was directed by Marco Brambilla. Check out the footage today on
YouTube!
* You can see the video for “Power” when it debuts tonight at 11 on
MTV.
ICE CUBE PREMEIRES “DRINK THE KOOL-AID” VIDEO
Ice Cube has issued the video for the latest single off his forthcoming I Am
The West album. The West Coast vet keeps it simple in the black and white
themed clip for “Drink The Kool-AID.” Fans can add I Am The West to their
collection when it lands on September 28th. <WM>
WYCLEF TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF HAITI
According to CNN, Wyclef Jean is expected to appear on Larry King Live
tonight to announce his bid to run for the presidency of Haiti. We
previously reported that the GRAMMY winner already completed the necessary
paperwork for candidacy in the November 28th presidential election. Be sure
to tune in to see for yourself if the entertainer will become a potential
candidate. Check local listings for times.
2010: THE YEAR OF THE COLLABORATION
In 2010, the charts have been dominated by collaborations: Justin Bieber’s
“Baby” featuring Ludacris, B.o.B’s “Nothin’ On You” featuring Bruno Mars,
Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” featuring Snoop Dogg, Eminem’s “Love The Way
You Lie” featuring Rihanna and so many more. The 2010 MTV Video Music
Awards are celebrating this collaborative year by handing out nominations
that reflect the trend. Lady Gaga and Beyonce are up for many nominations
for their “Telephone” hook up, B.o.B, who joined forces with Paramore’s
Hayley Williams and Bruno Mars, was rewarded with noms for not only Best
Male, Hip Hop and Pop Video, but Video of the Year too. Katy Perry and
Snoop Dogg got together on “California Gurls” and earned nominations for
Best Female and Pop Video. In fact, things were so collaborative in 2010
that the VMAs brought back the Best Collaboration category, last seen in
2007 under the handle Most Earthshattering Collaboration to mark the
occasion. Check out to see which collaborations win when the 2010 MTV
Video Music Awards air live on Sunday, September 12th.
JOHN LEGEND’S GRAMMY IS BROKEN!
TMZ has learned John Legend’s 2005 GRAMMY Award for Best R&B Album was
snapped in half by his nephews. The “Ordinary People” crooner posted a
picture of the broken accolade on his Twitter page and wrote that he hopes
to be sent a “replacement.” The singer has received five other golden awards
that he plans to keep in tact by “nephew proofing [his] apartment a little
better.” <WM>
KID ROCK THROWS 9/11 CONCERT FOR U-S TROOPS
Kid Rock will be hosting a concert on September 11th in Fort Jackson, South
Carolina called Kid Rock Salutes the Troops Presented by Jim Beam: Patriot
Day 2010. Service members and their families will be able to get in to the
concert for free. Kid Rock has been known to honor U-S troops throughout his
touring career. At Kid Rock’s Chicago concert last Saturday, he joined Jim
Beam employees to donate 100-thousand dollars to Operation Homefront for
emergency assistance to U-S troops, their families and wounded veterans.
To put the speculation to rest, Jay-Z addressed recent devil worship rumors
in a new song called “Free Mason.” The track, which also features John
Legend, will be included on Rick Ross’ upcoming Teflon Don album – which
arrives July 20th. <WM>
* In related news, to get fans even more amped for the disc, Ross has
leaked an extremely personal record called “Tear Of Joy.” Check it out via RapRadar.com now.
And…
JAY-Z MAKES HIGHEST GROSSING TOUR LIST
Wooha.com reports Jay-Z’s BP3 outing has debuted on PollStar’s Top 100 North
American Tours list. Hova came in at number 12 after grossing 22.5-million
dollars, according to the mid-year concert report. In addition, the Black
Eyed Peas grabbed the number six spot for earning 29.5 million. You can
visit PollstarPro.com to view the complete list. <WM>
FAT JOE SAYS KANYE CAN DO BETTER THAN “POWER“
A lot of fans have a love/hate relationship with Kanye West’s new “Power”
single. Fat Joe gave us his opinion on the first song from Ye’s Good Ass Job
album.
“Kanye West’s my favorite rapper. So, at the end of the day, I’m a
huge Kanye West fan. I just feel like he’s super talented and that joint
was, I’m sure he’s got even better than that. I like it a lot, but I’m sure
he’s even better than that.”
Good Ass Job is expected to arrive on September 14th. <WM>
LUDACRIS, TYRESE PREP NEW FAST AND FURIOUS
We’ve just learned Ludacris is scheduled to re-join the Fast and Furious
franchise. Alongside Tyrese, the rapper will appear in the latest
installment, which is titled Fast 5. Luda, who portrayed race host “Tej” in
the 2003′s 2 Fast 2 Furious movie, tweeted that he “just landed in Puerto
Rico” to begin shooting scenes. Fans of the film can expect Vin Diesel,
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Paul Walker and Tego Calderon to also star in the
flick. IMDB.com reports Fast 5 will open June of next year. <WM>
WACKA FLOCKA SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENT
Wacka Flocka Flame is being investigated by police in Akron, Ohio after a
woman claimed she was sexually assaulted on his tour bus. Gucci Mane’s
protégé just finished performing at WENZ FM’s Summer Jam when this incident
occurred. The rapper was not named in the filed complaint and no arrests
were made, but he’s under investigation since it is his bus. We’ll keep you
posted with further updates. <WM>
RIHANNA BACK ON SPEAKING TERMS WITH CHRIS?
Rihanna is speaking to her ex boyfriend, Chris Brown, after watching his
Michael Jackson tribute during the 2010 BET Awards. A source told Heat
Magazine, “Seeing how emotional he was on set really touched her. She’d
never seen him like that before. Chris told her that he felt like he’s grown
up in the past year. He’s said he’s so happy to be back in touch with her.”
The former couple hasn’t spoken in nearly a year since Brown was sentenced
with community service for assaulting Rihanna. <WM>
* They’ve has exchanged text messages with plans to meet face-to-face.
However, under the terms of his probation, Chris must remain at least 100
yards away from Rihanna for five years.
LIL WAYNE WRITE TO HIS FANS FROM JAIL
Lil Wayne is keeping busy inside Riker’s Island by blogging to his fans on WeezyThanxYou.com. In a new entry, Wayne reveals he’s “counting the days”
and “still smiling.” He even provides a run down of what its like behind
bars. Weezy wrote that he “wakes up by 11AM. Have some coffee. Call my kids,
and my wonderful mother. I then shower up. Read fan mail. Have lunch. Back
on the phone. Read a book or write some thoughts down. Have dinner. Phone.
Pushups. Then I listen to ESPN on the radio. Read the bible, then sleep.
That’s my day.” There’s only 112 days until Wayne completes his sentence for
weapons possession. <WM>
THE DREAM LIMITS FEATURES ON LOVE KING
Ever since he released his debut Love Hate album back in 2007, The Dream has
consistently refrained from adding numerous features on each album. So when
he dropped his latest Love King project, he explained why T.I. serves as the
only guest appearance.
“You know I kind of keep the features down, nobody ever really
notices that but I kind of keep them to certain kind of minimum, unless it
comes up right at the end and somebody loves the song or if it’s something I
think of late after the album is pressed and printed, and say oh man, for
the singles sake this would be good if we put so and so on it.”
Love King is available now. <WM>
EMINEM TOPS ITUNES CHART
Eminem’s “Love the Way you Lie” once again swaps places with Katy Perry’s
“California Gurls” featuring Snoop Dogg, on the iTunes chart. Em’s song
climbs back to the summit after one week, pushing Perry’s summertime hit to
number two. Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite” leaps to number three followed by
B.o.B’s “Airplanes” featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore and “Billionaire”
from Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars. Eminem’s Recovery tops the album
chart for the third straight week, followed by Big Boi’s Sir Lucious Left
Foot… The Son of Chico Dusty, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack,
Drake’s Thank Me Later and Incubus singer Brandon Boyd’s solo album, The
Wild Trapeze. <JC>
JOHN LEGEND SHOOTS VIDEO IN BROOKLYN
According to BrooklynHeightsBlog.com, John Legend and The Roots just shot
the video for “Wake Up Everybody” at Borough Hall yesterday morning in
Brooklyn, New York. The cut is the first offering from the upcoming joint
album, Wake Up! – which will arrive September 21st. In addition, Melanie
Fiona and Common was spotted on the scene. Head over to the site to view the
pictures now. <WM>
* “Wake Up Everybody” was originally released by Harold Melvin & the
Blue Notes with Teddy Pendergrass in 1975.
QUESTLOVE: “LAURYN HILL CARRIES HOTSAUCE”
Questlove from The Roots recalls a funny story that fans would be surprised
to know. In a four minute video, the drummer swears Lauryn Hill carries her
own personal collection of five homemade hot sauces. The flavors even named
with labels like “suicide” and “death.” We can’t make this up! Check it out
on YouTube now. <WM>
TREY SONGZ AND NICKI DRAFT “BOTTOMS UP”
For the first time ever, Trey Songz and Nicki Minaj come together on a new
song called “Bottoms Up.” Rap-Up.com reports the catchy tune is the first
single off the R&B king’s upcoming album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure. Fans can
get their “Trey fix” when the disc drops on September 14th. <WM>
R Kelly returns to his baby-making roots on a new track called “Tongues”
featuring Ludacris. The Bangladesh-produced cut is said to be off Kelz’s
upcoming new album. <WM>
ROBIN THICKE TALKS “SEX IN THE MORNING”
Robin Thicke can deliver the sweetest love songs while maintaining his swag.
The blue-eyed soul singer recently told us where that edge in his music
comes from.
“I’ve listened to hip-hop music so to me it’s always got a little
bit of the hip-hop generation in it.”
Check out the video for the crooner’s latest single, “Sex In The Morning”
featuring Snoop Dogg, on MTV.com now. The track is off Thicke’s latest
effort, Sex Therapy. <WM>
RAEKWON AND EMINEM TO COLLABORATE?
Two of the most gifted lyricists, Eminem and Raekwon, are looking to
collaborate for the first time. The former Wu Tang Clan member told XXLMag.com that he ran into Slim Shady at Switzerland’s Openair Festival and
they’ve begun “schemin’ and plottin’” on a new song. While details are
sparse, Rae warned, “Get ready man this is gonna happen soon.” <WM>
TONI BRAXTON OPENS UP ABOUT BANKRUPTCY
During an interview with Arise magazine, Toni Braxton breaks down why she
filed for bankruptcy back in the early ’90s. The “Hands Tied” singer
clarifies that she didn’t go into debt from personal spending. Toni explains
that it was the expensive up-keep of costumes, hair and travel that resulted
in her only getting a two-thousand dollar check in royalties. She’s learned
from her mistakes and holds no grudge against her former label home, LaFace
Records. Braxton is currently promoting her latest album, Pulse, which is
available now. <WM>
* Toni states, “People don’t understand that every penny a
record label spends on you from hair and make up to a car service to hotels
has to be paid back before you make a cent.”
MARY J BLIGE SUED OVER “TAKE ME” SINGLE
According to AllHipHop.com, Mary J Blige is being sued by songwriters for
allegedly stealing her 2006 single “Take Me As I Am.” Songwriters Ballard
and Jones claim MJB and producers The Clutch, which includes singer Keri
Hilson, stole “original portions” from a similar song released in 1995.
“Take Me As I Am” was included on Mary’s 2005 effort, The Breakthrough.
Ballard and Jones are reportedly seeking compensation for royalties and
publishing. Blige is yet to comment on the suit. <WM>
NEW FAITH ALBUM COMING THIS FALL!
SingersRoom.com reports Faith Evans’ upcoming album, titled Something About
Faith, will be in stores this fall. The “Soon As I Get Home” songbird will
release her fifth studio effort on September 14th via her own imprint,
Prolific Music Group. Her disc will go up against new records from Trey
Songz, Ne-Yo and Kelly Rowland. <WM>
Rick Ross has a lot of people excited about Teflon Don after releasing new
songs like “Live Fast Die Young” with Kanye West and “Maybach Music III”
featuring T.I., Jadakiss and Erykah Badu. The rapper revealed he’s just
getting warmed up and can’t wait until fans hear the complete album.
“I’m ecstatic; you know what I’m saying? And I most definitely feel
this is my best body of work to date and you know, it’s going to go down in
a major way.”
Teflon Don arrives July 20th. <WM>
THE DREAM CHEATS WITH HIS ASSISTANT, SPLITS FROM WIFE!
Things have headed south for recent newlyweds’ The-Dream and Christina
Milian. UsMagazine.com confirms the producer was spotted romping with his
assistant, Melissa Santiago, on a beach in the Caribbean last week. He also
wasn’t wearing his wedding ring. Dream’s wife tweeted: “Whatever you
think…believe it” and “I’ve officially lost my appetite” after seeing the
images of her husband frolicking with someone else. The news comes just five
months after the couple gave birth to their first child together, a little
girl named Violet. <WM>
* The Dream’s spokesperson released a statement to UsMagazine.com
confirming that the producer and Christina have split. The rep said, “Terius
‘The-Dream’ Nash is saddened to announce that his marriage to Christina
Milian was unsuccessful. The couple reached this decision in late 2009, but
decided to keep the news private in efforts to protect their baby daughter
Violet. They ask for consideration and respect for their family moving
forward.”
UPDATE ON LIL WAYNE’S UPCOMING EP
Over the weekend, we reported Lil Wayne is looking to release an EP on his
birthday called I’m Not a Human Being. The CEO of Young Money, Cortez
Bryant, recently told Vibe.com, the project will include all new Weezy
material to tide fans over until Wayne’s The Carter IV is completed. In
addition to not putting the EP in stores, Bryant states, “We’ not about to
roll out no three month set up. We just gonna put it out virally and maybe
package it up for Christmas. Give ‘em a hard copy later for fan
appreciation.” Fans can anticipate I’m Not a Human Being to drop on
September 27th. <WM>
* According to MTV News, Lil Wayne is approximately halfway through
his yearlong sentence for weapons possession. He isn’t due to be released
from Rikers Island until November at the earliest, however he may be
released even earlier on good behavior.
SNOOP TALKS DAUGHTER’S BATTLE WITH LUPUS
Snoop Dogg opened up to People magazine about his youngest daughter’s
struggle with lupus. The icon says he “felt helpless” when doctors couldn’t
explain why Cori was suffering from dramatic hair and weight loss. Snoop
added “she went downhill” before finally being diagnosis with lupus. The
hardcore rapper says the experience brought him closer to his wife, Shanté
Broadus. The emcee said that his child is “the toughest little thing I’ve
ever met… In the beginning lupus was winning. But now Cori is.” <WM>
JOHN LEGEND, THE ROOTS WAKE UP! TRACKLISTING
John Legend and The Roots have joined forces for a new album titled Wake Up!
The upcoming disc was designed to include fundamental themes of
consciousness and awareness – essentially inspiring listeners to Wake Up!
The artists were inspired to collaborate due to the recent Presidential
election of Barack Obama. The project drops on September 21st. <WM>
* TIDBIT: The album includes covers of Marvin Gaye’s “Wholy Holy” and
Donny Hathaway’s “Little Ghetto Boy.”
Wake Up! Tracklisting:
1. “Compared to What”
2. “Hard Times”
3. “Little Ghetto Boy”
4. “Wake Up Everybody” feat. Common and Melanie Fiona
5. “Our Generation”
6. “Love the Way It Should Be”
7. “Hang On in There”
8. “I Can’t Write Left Handed”
9. “Wholy Holy”
10. “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”
11. “Shine”
DRAKE RELEASES “PATRON MORTON MUSIC”
Drake is featured on Rick Ross’ “Aston Martin Music,” but he recently
released his own version of the song. Drizzy names the revamped song after
model Paris Morton and provides new verses.
<WM>
After teaming with great producers like Jermaine Durpri and Missy Elliot,
Monica intentionally avoided having excessive collaborations on her Still
Standing album. She recently told us why Ludacris appears as the only
feature on the disc.
“Well not just because he’s my cousin, but also because my mom
actually married his uncle when I was about 10 so we grew up as cousins, I
don’t look at it as the whole step this-that because my step father is very
much like a father to me, were very close, and he knew what I meant when I
said ‘Still Standing,’ it didn’t have anything to do music, I was really
talkin about life.”
The singer says the title track was designed to inspire fans.
“I don’t ever want to be looked at as the victim, don’t pity me,
don’t feel sorry for me, if somebody somewhere else goin through exactly
what I’m going through too, ‘Still Standing’ says you can make it through
that.”
Still Standing is available now. Fans can expect the Chris Robinson-directed
video for her new single, “Love All Over Me,” in the coming days! <WM>
FAN ATTACKS 50 CENT IN BRAZIL!
Things got a little crazy when G-Unit touched down to perform in Salvador,
Brazil last Friday. ThisIs50.com reports midway through “Ayo Technology,” 50
Cent was attacked by an over zealous fan. Security immediately tackled the
unidentified man to the ground before he could reach the mogul! <WM>
LABEL CONFIRMS NICKI MINAJ RELEASE DATE
Just days after Nicki Minaj tweeted that her debut album will arrive on
November 23rd, a rep for her label, Young Money/Cash Money, has confirmed
the date will stick. XXLMag.com reports her release date was intentionally
designed to fall two days before Thanksgiving, especially since Black Friday
marks the biggest shopping day of the year. Let the countdown officially
begin! <WM>
And…
M.I.A SAYS NICKI MINAJ RUNS HIP HOP
According to Rap-Up.com, M.I.A. has nothing but kind words for Nicki Minaj.
The singer feels the rap newcomer “runs hip-hop” because “she works hard and
…she’s focused.” The “Paper Planes” singer added, “It’s been a while since
a female rapper has come up with that much… She’s got a really good work
ethic, and I get her.” The two artists joined together on the remix for a
song called “Teqkilla” from M.I.A’s upcoming album, /\/\/\Y/\ (Pron: Maya).
<WM>
LIL KIM SAYS SHE’S STILL RELEVANT!
Lil’ Kim insists she’s still relevant in the music industry. The 35-year-old
rapper told LifeLounge.com she’ll never fade out because she’s “constantly
growing” and knows “how to reinvent myself, I know how to change with the
times.” The artist, who is currently beefing with newcomer Nicki Minaj, also
feels she’s “probably even more relevant than a lot of new people who come
into the industry.” It’s still not known when Kim will release the follow-up
to 2005′s The Naked Truth. <WM>
PHARRELL SCORES DESPICABLE ME
According to Variety, Universal’s 3D animated flick Despicable Me took the
top spot at the weekend box raking in over 60-million dollars. Last week, we
spoke to super producer Pharrell Williams about scoring the movie. Be sure to check out Despicable Me, playing in theaters now. <WM>
J. LO MAY GET HIT WITH 40-MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT?
As reported last week, Jennifer Lopez canceled a planned appearance at a
hotel in Cyprus due to reports that the appearance would make a political
statement in support of human rights abuse. Lopez’s management insists a
“full review of the relevant circumstances” resulted in her decision to
cancel, noting “Lopez would never knowingly support any state, country,
institution or regime that was associated with any form of human rights
abuse.” However, according to ThatGrapeJuice.net, organizers plan to
proceed with a 35 to 40-million dollar lawsuit if Lopez does not show for
the July 24th gig. July 24th also marks Lopez’s 41st birthday. <JC>
GAGA TOPS LIST OF LA SHOWS!
Lady Gaga is the number one requested concert in Los Angeles, according to
StubHub.com. The website compiled a list of the top five most-requested
tickets in the Los Angeles-metropolitan area. Gaga tops the list, followed
by Muse, Kings of Leon, Justin Bieber and the Dave Matthews Band. Lady Gaga
will perform two shows at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on August 11th
and 12th, while Bieber plays the Nokia Theater at L.A. Live on July 20th.
Kings of Leon played the Hollywood Bowl last night and head to the Verizon
Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, California tomorrow night. The Dave
Matthews Band will take the stage at the Hollywood Bowl on August 23rd and
Muse goes to the Staples Center on September 25th and <JC>
KATY PERRY TALKS SEX AND RELIGION
Katy Perry made it clear that she wasn’t the biggest fan of Lady Gaga’s
video for her song “Alejandro” because of the use of religious imagery, and
the pop star is going more in depth about her comments. The “California
Gurls” singer told British magazine Star that she doesn’t care if it’s
Madonna or her fiancé talking, “If you put sexuality and religion in the
same bottle and try to shake it up, it’s not cool.” <ZS>
USHER SINGS IN CHINESE
According to the Associated Press, Usher sang in Chinese, briefly, during
his China debut concert Sunday night in Beijing. Usher sang one of Asian
pop sensation Wang Lihong’s songs in Chinese, Wang told a joint press
conference Saturday night, and the two performed Usher’s current
chart-topper “OMG.” Usher’s is the first big foreign concert tour to perform
in China this year. Usher took to his Twitter account and wrote “Beijing
Love you – that was fun!” Next month, he is releasing eight new songs on a
new disc called Versus.
Eminem tops both the iTunes singles chart as well as the album chart this week, with his new record Recovery. His single, “Love the Way You Lie,” is the top song, displacing last week’s number one, “California Gurls,” from
Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg. B.o.B’s “Airplanes” featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore falls to number three followed by “Billionaire” from Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars and Usher’s “OMG” featuring will.i.am.
Last week’s top album, Thank Me Later, from Drake slides to number two followed by Miley Cyrus’ Can’t Be Tamed, The Roots’ How I Got Over and To The Sea from Jack Johnson. <JC>
Eminem’s ‘Recovery’ isn’t just his sixth straight No. 1 debut on the Billboard album chart — it’s the record-destroyer for 2010′s best first-week sales, moving 741,000 copies since its June 18 release.
The new disc pulled a better week than Eminem’s 2009 disc, ‘Relapse,’ and his 2005 greatest hits package. ‘Recovery’ also scored impressive digital digits with 255,000 downloads — second-best only to Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends’ in 2008. The CD couldn’t top 1 million copies in its first week, however, a feat Eminem achieved twice before, in the recording industry’s finer days.
And…
EMINEM’S ENTOURAGE EPISODE COMING THIS FALL
Entertainment Weekly reports Eminem will appear in an episode of the seventh season of HBO’s Entourage. Slim Shady will play himself and develop a small “beef” with Adrian Grenier’s character, “Vince Chase.” Be sure to tune in on September 12th at 10:30 PM on HBO. <WM>
DR DRE IS STILL TWEAKING DETOX ALBUM
Dr Dre’s first Detox single, “Under Pressure” featuring Jay-Z, serves as
great reminder that his long-awaited disc will drop this year. He told www.HardKnock.TV that he’s “trying to put it out by the end of the fall. I’m
trying to give everybody what they’re waiting for and make sure they’re not
disappointed. That’s all I’m doing.” No confirmed released date is known yet
but we’ll keep you posted. <WM>
FACTS ABOUT DR. DRE
Dr. Dre is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Records, home to The Game,
Eminem and 50 Cent. He also used to co-own Death Row Records.
Dre got his start in music while working with the group World Class Wreckin’
Cru and later, N.W.A.
His first solo album, The Chronic, was released through Death Row Records in
1993. He later left Death Row in 1996 in order to start his own label,
Aftermath Entertainment.
Dr. Dre only has three albums: The Chronic, 2001, and the soon to be
released Detox.
Detox, Dr. Dre’s third and final studio album, was indented to be released
in 2004, but was delayed due to Dr. Dre wanting to focus on producing other
artists. It is said that this album has been in the works since 2003.
Dr. Dre has won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Dup or Group
twice, once for “Forgot About Dre” in 2001 featuring Eminem, and “Crack A
Bottle” in 2010 featuring Eminem and 50 Cent.
Facts complied with the help of NME.com, MTV.com, AfterMathMusic.com and
Billboard.com
THE DREAM GIVE HIS ALL ON LOVE KING
The Dream doesn’t want to be an artist that only makes great radio-friendly
singles. He aimed to make quality songs on his Love King album and explained to us why it’s important for him to give his fans his best. T.I. serves as the only feature on the singer’s new disc. Be sure to buy Love King today! <WM>
BIG BOI’S NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE ONLINE
You can listen to Big Boi’s new album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of
Chico Dusty, before it hits stores! Head over to Pitchfork.com to hear the
project, which will be available next Tuesday. <WM>
DJ KHALED DROPS “ALL I DO IS WIN” REMIX VIDEO
Two weeks ago, DJ Khaled’s smash single, “All I Do Is Win,” was certified
gold by the RIAA, and the hitmaker has now released the video to the remix.
The revamped song, lifted from the hitmaker’s latest Victory album, includes
verses from Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Nicki Minaj, Fabolous,
Jadakiss, Swizz Beatz and T-Pain!
<WM>
JERMAINE JACKSON SUPPORTS CHRIS BROWN
Jermaine Jackson described Chris Brown’s Michael Jackson tribute performance
during the 2010 BET Awards as a “spectacular moment.” The Jackson 5 member
told Extra that Brown “deserved to perform because it’s healing for him. How
can he learn from his mistakes if you don’t give him a chance?” Jermaine
added, “He needs that. I love Rihanna, and I’m not supporting what he did,
but I support him [as a singer] 100 percent.” <WM>
T.I. TAKES HIS TIME WITH KING UNCAGED
Seeming to take a page out of Dr Dre’s book, T.I. is not rushing the
recording process for King Uncaged. When asked how many tracks are currently
completed, Tip explained:
“To be perfectly honest with you, I work until the last day. I keep
pushing for perfection, trying to top what we consider the best albums, I
mean, excuse me, what we consider the best records on the album right now.
And also trying to top what we consider the best albums of my career.”
On August 17th, fans will be able to hear the rapper’s first project since
he was released from prison. <WM>
METHOD MAN PLEADS GUILTY FOR TAX EVASION
The Associated Press reports Method Man is paying for his felony tax evasion
charges, literally. The rapper entered a guilty plea for all charges and
coughed up 40-thousand dollars – which is the last payment for his back
taxes which totaled 106-thousand dollars. We previously reported the emcee
fell behind because he claims is “a pothead” and he “goes out on the road
and forgets everything else.” <WM>
JOHN LEGEND RESPONDS TO HAIRLINE COMMENTS
John Legend shared his feelings on his hairline becoming a trending topic on
Twitter following the 2010 BET Awards. Rather than take the high road,
Legend tweeted the following: <WM>
“My hairline has been the same since I was a kid. Can’t believe some people
are obsessing about it now. I’ve been famous for 6 yrs now.”
“And to the haters, I’m still smarter, more talented, more successful and
better looking than u. So fall back.”
“Sorry y’all. Couldn’t believe my hairline was a trending topic. Get a
life!”
“And to the rest of y’all, I love you and thanks for the support. Now back
to our regularly scheduled programming….”
BEYONCE ON FORBES CELEBRITY 100 LIST
Beyonce can definitely afford to take an extended break from music.
According to Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list, Oprah Winfrey claimed number one
spot with 315-million, but Jay-Z’s wife took second place for earning
87-million dollars in 2009. The entertainer’s global tour reportedly banked
85-million dollars in sales! Last year, Bey took fifth place…but we’re
thinking it’s only a matter of time until she takes the top spot! <WM>
LIL BOOSIE PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO MURDER
Lil Boosie reportedly entered a not guilty plea for his first degree murder
charge. According to AllHipHop.com, the rapper was indicted for allegedly
killing a man named Terry Boyd last year. If he’s convicted, the “Wipe Me
Down” rapper faces the death penalty. <WM>
PRINCE READIES FREE U-K ALBUM!
Prince is working on a new studio album titled 20Ten that will be released
for free in the U-K. The singer, who just received BET’s Lifetime
Achievement Award, signed a deal to distribute 2.5-million copies with the
Daily Mirror newspaper on July 10th. Head over to Billboard.com to learn
more. <WM>
SOULJA BOY GIVES ALBUM UPDATE!
We recently got the chance to chat with Soulja Boy about the status of his third studio album. In addition to teaming with great acts, the emcee told us the new effort is no longer titled Dre. The rapper also spoke on his crazy new “Pretty Boy Swag” single and shared the name of the next offering. Fans can expect The DeAndre Way on July 28th. <WM>
LAURYN EXPLAINS WHY SHE STOPPED RECORDING
NPR learned Lauryn Hill stopped recording music due to “personal-growth”
issues and not having a proper “support system” to “nurture” her artistic
“gift.” If she were to record again, the reclusive singer stated that she
wants to “expand” her vocal range so people can really hear her voice. In
the meantime, she’ll continue performing at festivals and looks forward to
sharing her “passion” with fans. Ms. Hill is expected to take stage during
this year’s Rock The Bells Music Festival. <WM>
RIHANNA CANCELS SHOW IN SEATTLE
According to the Auburn Reporter, Rihanna was forced to cancel her July 2nd
tour stop in Auburn, Washington. The singer was scheduled to take stage at
White River Amphitheatre, but Live Nation explained in statement the date
was scrapped due to “production changes.” The show opener of Ri Ri’s Last
Girl On Earth tour will kick off July 4th in Vancouver, British Columbia.
* This marks the third cancellation for Rihanna. She also
pulled the plug for stops in Phoenix and Dallas.
* Since Rihanna hasn’t provided a detailed explanation for her
cancellations, gossip sites are speculating that the singer is having
trouble filling up venues.
COOL AND DRE RECORD WITH THE GAME AND DRAKE
Last Wednesday, producers Cool and Dre just finished recording a hot new
track titled “Good Girl, Bad Girl” with The Game in Burbank, California. The
hitmakers contributed three songs on the rapper’s upcoming effort, The R.E.D Album. Fans can expect the song to feature a verse from Drake. The disc will arrive later this summer. <WM>
GAGA SENDS VIDEO MESSAGE TO TEEN
Constance McMillen, the girl who made national headlines when her school
wouldn’t let her take her girlfriend to prom, has a fan in Lady Gaga. The
pop star posted a video message to Constance via OkMagazine.com, saying that
Constance is one of the “Bad Romance” singer’s “most favorite little
monsters.” <ZS>
