Keepingitreal

People: Singer Rihanna suffered 'horrific' injuries in Brown assault, reports say

The investigation into singer Chris Brown's alleged assault of girlfriend Rihanna was continuing Tuesday, as shocking details about the case started emerging. Los Angeles police detectives turned over their findings Tuesday afternoon to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, but E! Online reported that the D.A. kicked the case back to police, seeking more evidence and information before pursuing formal charges. Brown, 19, considered until now one of the brightest young stars in R&B, was booked Sunday on suspicion of making criminal threats and released on $50,000 bail. TMZ and other celebrity news organizations reported Tuesday that Rihanna, the 20-year-old Barbados-born pop star, suffered "horrific" injuries and required hospital care from the alleged assault. Reports said Brown is accused of striking Rihanna's face repeatedly with his fists, leaving her with bruises on both sides of her face and welts atop of her head, as well as a bloody nose and cut lip. There are also reports that she had bite marks on her arms or legs. TMZ quoted sources as saying police had photos of Rihanna's injuries. Brown's and Rihanna's whereabouts weren't known Tuesday, although it was reported that both had left Los Angeles. Although Brown has not been formally charged with a crime, the fallout has already begun for the singer. Wrigley has suspended its Doublemint Gum ads featuring the singer, and the group behind the "Got Rihanna has postponed her concert in Malaysia scheduled for Friday; no new date was given.Hip-hop star Kanye West, one of Rihanna's early mentors, said he was deeply saddened by reports of the incident. West told Ryan Seacrest on his morning radio show Tuesday that he learned of the incident just before he performed "American Boy" with Estelle on Sunday's Grammys."I was completely devastated during the performance," West said. "I feel like that's my baby sis. I would do any and everything to help her in any situation. "... I don't care how famous she is or even if she just worked at McDonald's. "... (Abuse) should never happen."  Milk" campaign have zapped out Brown's milk mustache ad, although the ad was due to expire soon, anyway. Brown also has dropped out of a celebrity National Basketball Association game slated for this weekend, as part of the All-Star Game events. -SOURCE:CCTIMES.COM

Sources: Brown's alleged victim was girlfriend Rihanna

Russell Brand and the Jonas Brothers

In an apparent effort to prove that despite losing his controversial BBC Radio 2 show in October, he’s still one wild and irreverent guy, Russell Brand is once again picking on the Jonas Brothers. When UsMagazine.com asked him whom he’d like to kiss at midnight on New Years Eve, the British comedian and former VMA host quipped: “I think all of the Jonas Brothers.”“But very gently and consensually,” he added at the Los Angeles premiere of “Bedtime Stories” on Thursday. (Please keep in mind that Nick Jonas is only 16 and Brand is 33, so it’s really sort of a creepy statement to make.)OK, yeah, we get it, the Jonas Brothers, who will spend New Years Eve in New York City along with Taylor Swift, are supposedly virgins. Are we still going to make a big deal about it? For those of you not keeping score, Brand took a few jabs at the Jonas Brothers during the September VMA broadcast, which he was hosting, for wearing “purity” rings pledging their abstinence. Then, during the show, Jordin Sparks spoke out against the comedian’s remarks. Even Paris Hilton stepped in and defended the boys. Brand later apologized to the boys, and the Jonas Brothers later accepted. Interestingly, this whole abstinence thing doesn’t mean they haven’t had their fair share of ladies. So, Russell, you might have to wait in line for that New Years kiss. SOURCE:MTV NEWS.COM

Why Aubrey O'Day Was Kicked Out of Danity Kane

Danity Kane members Aubrey O'Day and D. Woods got the boot on Tuesday night's live season three finale of Making the Band. "Puff did not like [O'Day's] image...where her image was going for the group," Dawn Richard - one of the three remaining bandmates - tells Usmagazine.com exclusively. "It wasn't a personal thing," Richard continues, saying her sexy look (the singer posed topless in Complex last month) was alienating young fans.Remember when these celebs posed topless? "We had just did a signing with Dollhouse Teen, which is for 13, 14-year-old young girls," Richard says. "So we can't do that one day and then the next day do an obnoxious cover.... [Diddy] wants the fans, and he says he can't do that if we can continue to go in the direction that we were going." Diddy pointed to O'Day's attitude as a reason for getting fired. "I just want to work with the young lady that I signed, not the person that fame has made her," he said via satellite on Tuesday's show: Richard says she's "still kind of shocked still...you never know with Puff." As for D. Woods getting tossed? Diddy said she got "caught up in the wrath" of O'Day. But not to worry, Danity Kane fans: the group will go on. "Well Puff told me specifically that Aubrey is no longer in Danity Kane and Danity Kane will move forward without her," Richard says.And to find the girls' replacements? "He has not said anything per that," Richard says. "But I think in my heart that he is gonna do another show." SOURCE:USMAGAZINE.COM

'TOP MODEL'S' 'MR. JAY' SETTLES LAWSUIT: Jay Manuel was sued by management firm for unpaid commissions.

Fashionista Jay Manuel of "America's Next Top Model" has settled a lawsuit with a management firm over unpaid commissions for his work on the Tyra Banks-hosted reality show.According to E! Online, Thruline Entertainment Inc. says they're owed a percentage of the more than $405,000 that Manuel reportedly earned for his work as a creative consultant and photo shoot producer on "ANTN."Terms of the settlement are still being worked out, according to a document filed Sept. 29 by Thruline attorneys, and there was no immediate comment from either side. SOURCE:EURWEB.COM

Danity Kane's Aubrey O'Day Discusses Gossip & Rumors With Complex

It's no secret that Aubrey O'Day is the standout member of Bad Boy Records' all-girl group Danity Kane, from an exposure point of view. She's the most talked about among blogs and gossip outlets, but it comes at a cost because the chatter about her is usually not always positive. From accusations of being promiscuous to her fashion sense being bash, Aubrey isn't the most loved pop star. With two platinum albums under her belt, though, Aubrey holds her head high. The singer says she knows the type of person she is, and doesn't let the tabloids get to her. In a recent interview for Complex magazine's cover story, the "Making The Band" contestant turned pop star explained how she deals with the negative comments."You don't build your persona on reality TV. They build your persona on reality TV," Aubrey explained to the magazine. "I just learned to stop wanting to control it. Hey, they need the bad girl of the group, and no one else is going to take that role. "Out of this group of women, I am definitely the most daring. I would be the natural pick for the badass. This is the truth about me -- I'm just really real," she added. She later admits that the image she's portrayed as is so bad sometimes that even other celebs believe it, specifically the men. "I think urban guys look at me and are like, 'Here's the white girl I’m gonna f***.' Like, I met a famous basketball player the other night. ... this nasty guy came up to me and says, 'Come here. I'm the man, haven't you heard?' And I said, 'Well, I'm the woman, haven't you heard?' And he was like -- this is the third thing out of his mouth -- 'Well, I have a hotel here, so when are you going to come by to my room?'" SOURCE:BALLERSTATUS.COM

The Hot Seat

Before she embodied Ugly Betty’s evil magazine editrix Wilhelmina Slater (think Anna Wintour meets Alexis Carrington), Vanessa Williams was the ultimate good girl: Miss America 1984. But Williams didn’t let the wholesome title, or a cringeworthy nude-photo scandal, stop her from eventually tackling the entertainment industry on every front, racking up handfuls of Tony, Emmy and Grammy nominations as a pageant-queen-turned-singer-turned-consummate-actor. Now, with the transition of Betty’s production from Los Angeles to Queens’ Silvercup Studios for the show’s third season, the Westchester-born Williams is having a homecoming of sorts. She talked to us about shoulder pads, Hannah Montana and, of course, “Save the Best for Last.”Playing such an evil character on TV, can you be a bitch to everyone and just claim it’s “research”?[Laughs] That’s a good angle. Haven’t done that yet. It’s actually freeing. You feel like you’re a naughty kid in school—you get to behave badly and get away with it.Any villains you’ve based your portrayal on?A lot of it is on the page. I’ve been lucky to have a career for a while, and worked in almost every aspect of the business. I’ve done photo shoots, made videos, done television and film… There are definitely a lot of situations you can draw upon.The Los Angeles Times called your portrayal “deliciously evil”—are you tasty?Hmm. Deliciously evil? I think [Wilhelmina] is subtle and her presence is pretty formidable. I wanted to make sure that when she came on screen, just her carriage itself would show that this woman is not joking. I say a lot with my eyes, my looks, my sneer.So, deliciously subtle, then. Wilhelmina actually has more editorial expertise than any of the other characters on Ugly Betty. We could use you at TONY.[Laughs] Heads would roll, and you might have a lot of positions that…might not last.We’d end up dressing a lot better.Oh, absolutely.Are you a clotheshorse? Wilhelmina wears somefantastic stuff.In real life? No, actually I’m one of those people with things that I’ve had for 20 years in my closet. Uh-oh, like shoulder pads?
Hmm, do I have any? I think I may have gotten rid of those, but it’s not too far off. This season [on the show] I’m wearing a lot of vintage stuff from the late ’80s and ’90s, like Thierry Mugler fashion, that do have original shoulder pads. So it is coming back full circle. What’s the most embarrassing thing in your home closet?I dunno… I do have a harlequin catsuit from the “Comfort Zone” video.I’d love to be one of your kids around Halloween time.We have plenty of looks to pull from.You must be popular with your eight-year-old, being in the Hannah Montana movie.Ooh, yeah. Not only did [Sasha] go on set, but she also got the chance to go to Miley’s house in Tennessee to swim in her pool. She borrowed a bathing suit and got changed in her room. Doesn’t get better than that.Now your kid can’t ever pull that “Mom, you never let me do anything!” line.Oh, yeah. Coolest mom on the block.So there’s another actress named Vanessa Williams out there. You ever worry about a Single White Female thing—you could disappear and she’d take your place? Oh, no. And well, she’s not white. But actually, I’ve never met her. I hear she’s lovely.Do you get each other’s mail? When I did the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, they sent her my check, and she sent it to me. It was nice of her to not cash it.One last question: Are you saving the best for last? I’m not saving anything right now, but if it comes—I hope the end is a long time away. TIMEOUTNYC.COM

Russell Brand apologizes for poking fun at Jonas' purity rings

Host Russell Brand was forced to apologize for poking fun at the Jonas Brothers' morals during Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards, after a public dressing down from singer Jordin Sparks. The British comedian mocked the pop sensations mercilessly for more than half the show for their no-sex-before-marriage promise and the purity rings they wear. At one point, he even pretended he'd stolen a Jonas brothers' virginity as he held a ring in his hand.Sparks, who is among the teen stars putting purity before sex, admonished Brand for his remarks, stating, "It's not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, guy or girl, wants to be a slut."saying, "I've gotta say sorry because I said those things about promise rings; that was bad of me. I didn't mean to take it lightly."Brand added, "I love Jonas Brothers, I think it's really good. I don't want to piss off teenage fans. ... Promise rings, I'm well up for it, well done everyone."But he couldn't resist a final jab, adding, "It's just, a bit of sex occasionally never hurt anybody."Paris Hilton also spoke out on behalf of the pop trio, insisting she totally supports the brothers' decision not to have sex before marriage.She tells Usweekly.com, "Don't pick on them. That's something cool for a kid to keep, so don't pick on them for that."I think that they're all really good kids and that they're definitely our next generation of kids and they're all really good so I think that's awesome."SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

iPHONE DAILY BLOG BUZZ 09.08.08

The longtime chief executive of Washington Mutual, the country’s biggest savings and loan, has been forced out because of the company’s mounting losses, people briefed on the matter said Sunday night. CONTINUE READING... NEXT TOP MODEL HOST TYRA BANKS IS AMERICA'S TOP EARNER --The former supermodel, who hosts two hit US shows, raked in a staggering $US23 million between June 2007 and June 2008, according to a new list by Forbes.com. Tyra was responsible for creating daytime TV programme The Tyra Banks Show and America’s Next Top Model, on which she is also a producer and judge. Last year, the 34-year-old beauty signed a lucrative deal with Warner Bros, which will involve her launching Stylista - a new reality show set around a magazine. Tyra is also developing a straight-to-DVD series based on Clique, a popular series of best-selling books for teenagers. CONTINUE READING... Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Mariah Carey pictured performing at the Conde Nast Media Group’s 5th Anniversary of Fashion Rocks!. Beyonce had a full night performing not only with Timberlake, but doing a tribute to legendary singer Etta James, and performing “Just Stand Up” with other female musicians including Fergie, Ashanti, Ciara, and Keyshia Cole.Other performances included Mary J. Blige with Kid Rock, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, and Rihanna performing Madonna’s classic hit “Vogue”. Be sure to catch the show when it airs on Tuesday, September 9th at 9 p.m on CBS… Of the 50 men and women who occupy governor’s mansions in the United States, only two, David Paterson and Deval Patrick, are black. And these two black men are arguably the most gay-friendly to ever be governor—including New Jersey’s Jim McGreevey, who came around to gay rights only after coming out and leaving office. Continue Reading Barack Obama Covers French "GQ"...Continue Reading  SOHH recently chopped it up with the self-proclaimed "Grand Hustle Muscle," Alfamega, to talk about his upcoming debut, trying to be as big as his label head T.I. and his plans to record a joint album with Busta Rhymes. Continue Reading.. After a year long boycott against MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMAs), Kanye West has shown a change of heart and decided to close the annual event with a performance this weekend.  Continue Reading... LL Cool J performs at Intimate Soul Sessions, headlines sold out V103 Intimate Soul Sessions in Atlanta's Center Stage Theater...The SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards, which will be held in Detroit on October 3, and an All-Star Detroit music tribute on Saturday, October 4.  It is going to be a weekend of fantastic music. Dozens of artists have confirmed that they'll be there, and we hope you will too. For more information about the shows, tickets and hotel accomodations, CLICK HERE  Music lovers in the LA/Santa Monica area have been spoiled beautifully over the past decade because they've had the wonderful Temple Bar in their back yard.  It has been a bastion of great music and a friend to rising artists. The Temple will close on September 30, and here is the farewell letter from its management.http://www.templebarlive.com/ Temple Bar, you will be missed!

iPhone Daily Blog Buzz 08.29.08

FAITH EVANS & PEPA ON THE MEMOIR CIRCUIT..CONTINUE READING.. DNC '08 ERFORMANCES: J-HUD, JOHN LEGEND, STEVIE WONDER, & WILL.I.AM..CONTINUE READING SOLANGE SPEAKS ON FOX VEGAS DRAMA + BEYONCE SINGS SISTER'S PRAISE ON EARLY SHOW...CONTINUE READING NEW VIDEO: RAPHAEL SAADIQ- “LOVE THAT GIRL  Big Shake Up At Hot 107 Today… Yes We Can…Yes We Did…And We’re Going to Do It Again Come Nov. 4 Young Jeezy feat. Nas: My President Is Black From The Recession (Def Jam, 2008) As far as I know, this new track from Raphael Saadiq isn't a cover song, but it somehow manges to capture the exact tone and feel of early-60s R&B. "Ooh Girl" sounds like a perfect replica of something that The Stylistics or Smokey Robinson & The Miracles might have recorded back in the day. The song's from Saadiq's upcoming album, The Way I See It, which drops Sept. 16 via Columbia Records. On the album, Saadiq pays tribute to classic Stax and Motown-era Soul and R&B music, and the songs from it that yours truly has heard so far, like the addictive "100 Yard Dash" and the romantic "Love That Girl," sound pretty sweet. You can stream "Ooh Girl" by clicking a link below."Ooh Girl" audio (Windows Media) The California Supreme Court decides unanimously that such pregnancies amount to 'great bodily injury,' and offenders can get a more severesentence. CONTINUE READING.. DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- Despite a stadium packed far past capacity, with nearly 90,000 supporters wildly applauding nominee Barack Obama as he spoke Thursday, Republicans responded with one hand gesture: thumbs down. CONTINUE READING... Are Africans Trumping African-Americans? Today the Wall Street Journal published Jonathan Kaufman and Gary Field's piece entitled "Black in a New Light". An interesting examination of the social and professional momentum among Africans [and yes, I mean the Continent].  The article poses the questions:  Are Africans making more headway here in the States?  And do Africans consider black Americans lazy and race-obsessed?  You don't have to guess where all of this started. Right. Obama, our half-Kenyan Democratic candidate, is America's new shinning star. CONTINUE READING... R&B singer Avant has set October 28th as the release date for his self-titled Capitol Records debut. "Need U Bad" singer Jazmine Sullivan has officially picked up a spot on Maxwell's highly anticipated fall tour according to J RecordsEven though Robin Thicke has been coined a "blue-eyed-soul artist," joining the ranks of Jon B and Justin Timberlake, his blue-eyed soulness wasn't enough to get on the cover of Vibe Magazine. According Robin Thicke, the magazine has a strict policy against having "white" artists on the cover! While promoting his forthcoming album earlier this summer, an interview with Vibe went wrong.. Continue Reading... Hollywood actress Halle Berry has just been added to the multitude of celebrities appearing on the TV charity event Stand Up For Cancer. Joining fellow celebs like Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer and Carrie Underwood, Berry will present news segments on cancer research during the September 5th telecast. She also joins previously confirmed singers including Mariah Carey, Beyonce’, Rihanna, Mile..CONTINUE READING

iPHONE Daily Blog Buzz 08.27.08

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major U.S. airports were operating normally on Tuesday evening after a glitch in the computer system for filing flight plans delayed hundreds of flights, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Continue Reading...WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fewer  Americans went without health insurance last year for the first time since President George W. Bush took office as more people received government coverage, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. Continue Reading... DENVER (Reuters) - Three men were charged with gun and drugs offenses on Tuesday but U.S. authorities dismissed reports that they had serious plans to shoot Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and said they had posed no "true threat." Continue Reading... MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will face increased Western pressure on Wednesday when a senior British official flies to Ukraine to build a coalition to counter Russia's conflict with ex-Soviet Georgia. Continue Reading... According to the SOHH news department some chick named Alexis Miller is alleging that Shaq is stalking her, blah, blah, blah. After going down to the Fulton County Courthouse and speaking with the judge an alleged restraining order was granted. Continue Reading... Controversial rapper DMX has once again been denied bail by a judge in a Florida courtroom today (August 26).According to South Florida’s Local 10 news, the multi-platinum selling rapper was hoping to receive permission to travel to Arizona where he is facing a number of animal cruelty charges. Upon being denied bail, X did not hesitate to show his frustration by uttering “I ain’t going to no f*cking jail,” before being scolded by Judge Lawrence Schwartz. Continue Reading... Simon & Schuster has announced that Olympian superman Michael Phelps will write a book about his exploits in Beijing to be published in time for the holiday season.(Already) titled "Built to Succeed," the memoir will recount the swimmer's experiences enroute to notching a record-breaking eight gold medals at the XXIX Olympiad, which concluded Sunday night. Continue Reading... Faith Evans, Keep the Faith, A Memoir (Book Review) Depending on who's asked, Faith Evans is either a skilled, soulful songstress and lyricist with honeyed vocals and killer hooks, or a ghetto-fabulous, opportunistic gold digger who single-handedly inspired a deadly East Coast/West Coast feud that killed two of her generation's most iconic rappers. With a Grammy award, four successful CD's, over a decade in the entertainment industry and a 2009 film depicting her late husband's life and career (Notorious), Ms. Evans now possesses the strength, courage and wisdom to tell her side of the story, and no matter what camp you belong in, Keep the Faith is an eloquent, heart-rending look at her childhood, her gospel-grown aspirations and yes, those heady love and drama-filled years with Bad Boy Records and The Notorious B.I.G. Continue Reading... Noel Gourdin - the singer of one of 2008's best songs, "The River," - is back with another single off his debut album, After My Time. The new track is "One Love," a breezy, piano-laced jam about a man having an epiphany and wanting to get serious with his woman: "Ever since you’ve been gone, Got me wondering baby, Why it’s taken me so long to make you my baby, Now I know we said we weren’t gonna rush - I was the first to say it, But I’ve been thinking about your touch, My mind keeps replaying it," he sings. If when you hear the song part of the chorus sounds familiar, it's because on it Noel pays tribute to another "One Love," the song of the same name recorded by the rap trio Whodini way back in 1986. To stream Noel's version, click the link below. "One Love" audio stream (Windows Media) Buy/download the song

LISARAYE HOSPITALIZED AFTER FIGHT WITH MISICK: Both parties release statements; actress interviewed by local news.

The Turks & Caicos Island says LisaRaye McCoy Misick remained in the hospital Thursday afternoon after Wednesday night's physical altercation with her husband, Turks and Caicos president Michael Misick. The confrontation followed allegations from LisaRaye that Rocsi from BET's 106 & Park had been having an affair with Misick and was staying at the mansion last weekend while LisaRaye was in New York. As previously reported, Misick released a statement Tuesday announcing his separation from the TV star. According to Caribbean Net News, LisaRaye returned to the island earlier this week to work out a divorce settlement. But sources told the news outlet that the process had gone very badly from her standpoint. Misick ended up banning his wife from the mansion and she was reportedly forced to be stay at a local beach resort.On Wednesday night, LisaRaye ignored the alleged ban and confronted Misick at his mansion. The situation turned violent. "He beat her bad," a source told EUR Thursday afternoon. "She came in the same day Rocsi went out, and he had already issued the statement that they were separated. Apparently she went over there and got into the fight. She's now in the hospital."The sub-story is that he has been under investigation because $57 million dollars is missing from our government. They froze all of his bank accounts. He's getting a separation because he can't afford to get a divorce." SOURCE:EURWEB.COM 

Actor and comedian Bernie Mac dies at age 50

Bernie Mac, the actor and comedian who teamed up in the casino heist caper "Ocean's Eleven" and gained a prestigious Peabody Award for his sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show," died Saturday at age 50. "Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles. She said no other details were available and asked that his family's privacy be respected.The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease. Recently, Mac's brand of comedy caught him flack when he was heckled during a surprise appearance at a July fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate and fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama.Toward the end of a 10-minute standup routine, Mac joked about menopause, sexual infidelity and promiscuity, and used occasional crude language. The performance earned him a rebuke from Obama's campaign. But despite controversy or difficulties, in his words, Mac was always a performer. "Wherever I am, I have to play," he said in 2002. "I have to put on a good show." Mac worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago's South Side. He began doing standup as a child, and his film career started with a small role as a club doorman in the Damon Wayans comedy "Mo' Money" in 1992. In 1996, he appeared in the Spike Lee drama "Get on the Bus." He was one of "The Original Kings of Comedy" in the 2000 documentary of that title that brought a new generation of black standup comedy stars to a wider audience.Mac went on to star in the hugely popular "Ocean's Eleven" franchise with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. His turn with Ashton Kutcher in 2005's "Guess Who" topped the box office. It was a comedy remake of the classic Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn drama "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" -- with Mac as the black dad who's shocked that his daughter is marrying a white man. Mac also had starring roles in "Bad Santa," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" and "Transformers." In the late 1990s, he had a recurring role in "Moesha," the UPN network comedy starring pop star Brandy. SOURCE:LAT.COM

iPhone Blog Buzz 08.07.08

Mother Knows Best: Usher Rehires His Mom as his Manager...Continue Reading Toni Braxton: Ready to 'Dance' Again?...Continue Reading Buzz Exclusive: Dennis Rodman & The Rivers Join 'The Celebrity Apprentice'...Continue Reading Washington has dedicated himself to the people of Sierra Leone. He recently learned of his genetic link to the country’s Mende tribe. (Continue Reading…) Dr. Dre’s long awaited “Detox” album. In late, July Dr. Dre told USA Today that the album would be out in November or December.” (Continue  reading…) Rwanda’s government and genocide survivor organizations have often accused France of training and arming the militias and former government troops who led the genocide. But the latest accusations were the most detailed and point to top-level French officials. (Continue Reading…) ♫ THE NEW MUSIC REVIEW: MARIAH CAREY feat. Busta Rhymes - Side Effects, ♫ Shannell - Substitute Lova, ♫ Mario - Green Light, ♫ Sterling Simms - By the Hand.. M.J. vs. Kobe Michael Jordan recently told a group of kids at a hoops camp that he would beat Kobe Bryant one on one if both were in their prime. Blogger Dudski checks the tale of the tape and picks a winner. He also pits the winner against other greats. Continue Reading Celebrating National Underwear Day...Continue Reading Every week on "Run's House," Rev Run shows MTV viewers that he is hip-hop's version of Bill Cosby, teaching his kids the facts of life. Now, the Run-DMC rapper is ready to take his family-values message to the streets: He and wife Justine Simmons co-authored the book "Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents." Continue Reading Racism and the Drug War...I’m sure the producers of this documentary set out to initiate a well-intentioned discussion on the drug war in America, but it reeks off a blatant attempt to sell some DVDs by sensationalizing a serious issue like racism. Continue Reading. The National Football League unveiled its first "Fan Code of Conduct" for patrons in its stadiums and parking lots on Tuesday.Continue Reading The Viacom-owned gay network recently did some "who the hell is our audience, anyway?" market research and came up with some fairly interesting numbers. One such data point: "Less than half of gay people want to live in the city and a majority want to live in suburbia or small-town America. Continue Reading... NEGRO PLEASE: Kanye West Places Soulja Boy on “[All Old-School Legends] Level” Bradd Marquis www.myspace.com/braddmarquis has been branded as an up and coming R&B powerhouse with an amazing voice and his ability to entertain an audience. Reared in Trenton, NJ and raised in the church with a strong upbringing makes this artist someone we can all relate to as a Personality. read more T.I. - “Whatever You Like” Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) voters discussed an Obama presidency and the role of the Black LGBT community in helping to elect Obama Tuesday night (August 6) in Los Angeles. Continue Reading...

iPhone Blog Buzz 08.01.08

Jobless Rate Climbs to 5.7% as 51,000 Jobs lost in July...Continue Reading G.M. Loses $15.5 Billion in Quarter...Continue Reading Chevron Profit Soars, but Shares Dip....Continue Reading Education as a Civil Rights Issue....Continue Reading The Secret Curse of Archers...Continue Reading Destination 'So You Think You Can Dance': A family torn apart....Continue Reading Ludacris bumps Barack Obama, blasts John McCain! What a surprise....Continue Reading 2008 Emmy Scorecard... Schwarzenegger makes layoffs, orders pay cuts for California State Workers, $7-billion L.A. school bond joins November Ballot, Chihuahuas reign as Los Angeles County's most popular dog breed, DEA agents raid Culver City medical marijuana dispensary, Rocker Mayer, actor Eric Roberts lobby Los Angeles task force on paparazzi...Continue Reading Obama proposes $1,000 energy rebates...Continue Reading Two shot to death in separate attacks in Oakland...Continue Reading Essence dances with Mario: Magazine interviews singer about mother's drug addiction and other issues...Continue Reading Festival Flashback, view never-before-seen photos from backstage at the 2008 Essence Music Festival...Check it out All Black Italian Vogue Issue: Responses...Continue Reading Homeowner Rescue awaits President Bush's Signature....Continue Reading Michaela Angela Davis: The Makings of an Urbanista....Continue Reading LeBron, Team USA get win on Turkey in exhibition...Continue Reading The Air Yeezy Still Exclusive to Kanye West....Continue Reading David Archuleta's New Single Debuts...Continue Reading Nelly Goes Shirtless and Abtatsic on the Cover of Brass Knuckles...Continue Reading Rod 2.0 Exclusive: Dismissal, Lawsuit and Investigations prompt cancellation of NYC Black Pride...Continue Reading Super Knowles Friday: Solange Gets Sassy on GMTV,Beyoncé Dons her Wedding Band...Continue Reading Al Sharpton Wants us to give Jesse Jackson a Break...Continue Reading Bow Wow on His first Sex Scene: Whatever, I Do This All The Time...Continue Reading Live Events: Black Kids at the El Rey Theater...Continue Reading. Snoop Dogg's Tour Bus Stopped by Police:Two Men Arrested on Drug Charges.Continue ReadingVIBE's Juice Cover Star Revealed...Continue Reading PICS: SoSoDef Summerfest 08 Celebrity Bowling Game....Continue Reading 'Project Runway' Episode Three: Designers Who Don't Listen to Tim Deserve What They Get....Continue Reading...

Daily Blog Buzz Feed 07.19.08

The most talented spoken word artists, or "rhymecologists," proffer clever, vocabulary acrobatics as observations about the way we live in the world. They spit unexpected couplings, laying them down, end to end, from the beginning to the send. They lay bare naked truth for you to hear and see and feel. Continue Reading... Forgotten Soul Music: Part 2, this time Black Voices is dealing with new topics, "it's gotta be Soul music once more, so excuse me while I bring out my inner Frankie Crocker..."Continue Reading... When it comes to comic book films, there's a certain level of entertainment that's expected to be provided to ensure a box office success. The story should be simple, filled with enough action, and most importantly, it should be kid friendly and crowd pleasing, because after all, it's the boy (or girl) in you that started reading the comics when you were young.Films like 'The Fantastic Four' and 'Spiderman' and its sequels have done so to a great deal of success, and when 'Batman Begins' came out, it was one best transitions from the comic book to the big screen. Now comes the sequel, 'The Dark Knight', which not only is the opposite of kid friendly, but dark, mature and thrilling; it's also a comic book adaptation that succeeds on story, acting, and cinematography. Continue Reading... If you’re like most small business owners, at some point you have robbed Peter to pay Paul. While this technique may buy you some time to generate additional income to cover past due bills, it does not offer any solid strategies to overcome and eliminate the debt that may threaten to permanently damage your company. Continue Reading... After a few failed attempts as a member of an all-girl group, Tweet received a life-altering phone call, from Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, that forever changed her life. The, then aspiring, singer-songwriter immediately went to work as a backing vocalist, not only for Elliott, but for Timbaland & Magoo, Ja Rule, Bubba Sparxxx, and Petey Pablo, before eventually inking a solo deal with Missy's Elektra distributed, now defunct, The Goldmind Inc. imprint. Continue Reading... HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's troubled central bank introduced new $100 billion banknotes Saturday in a desperate bid to ease the recurrent cash shortages plaguing the inflation-ravaged economy. Continue Reading... Before dawn, the Hollywood superstar left the clinic in the Riviera city of Nice with twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt, according to a hospital statement. It was not immediately clear if the twins' father, actor Brad Pitt, was with them. Continue Reading... Troubled singer AMY WINEHOUSE has reportedly been put under 24-hour surveillance in a bid to keep her away from any dealers and drug-taking pals. The Rehab hitmaker was discharged from a London clinic on Monday (30Jun08) after collapsing at her home earlier last month (Jun08). She was subsequently diagnosed with traces of potentially deadly lung disease emphysema. Continue Reading... Footage from Janet's Jackson's Reality Show Auditions in LA...Continue Reading. Caught in the Act! Halle Berry, dropping by a friend's house in the Hollywood Hills for a visit. The actress rounded out her day out with a stop by the Daily Grill in downtown L.A., In town for the ESPY Awards, Brett Favre stopped for dinner at Katana, a West Hollywood sushi restaurant, with his wife, family and friends. "They went all out with a multi-coursed chefs omakase dinner and loved the tomato bacon skewer," says an onlooker. Continue Reading...  Rewind: The Week in Rock Daily... Vogue Italia: "A circulation director's fantasy come true "When Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani announced her decision to create an all-black issue, she recognized that it might not go over that well in Italy.”Maybe in our country it is not the best idea,” she said. “But I don’t care. I think it is not my problem if they don’t like it — it’s their problem.” It’s definitely not a problem at all. Even if it’s the lowest-selling Vogue Italia of the year in Italy (although there’s no indication that it is), it is certainly the best-selling Vogue Italia issue in the States. This explains why every one I’ve gone into for the past week has been sold out of them. Continue Reading... When it comes to college admissions, there are three pieces to the puzzle: your academic record, your personal record, and your standardized test scores. While the first two parts take years or even a lifetime to build, the third part represents just a few hours of a Saturday morning (plus however long you spent prepping for the test). Continue Reading... Despite the new age fuel crisis, it’s a pretty good time to be a motorhead. It seems like every car maker is throwing caution to the wind and giving the new generation of enthusiasts the high horsepower rubber burners that they missed out on. One of those cars is the highly anticipated 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Continue Reading...

Daily Blog Buzz Feed 07.18.08

Obama calls criticism of wife 'infuriating', what gets under Barack Obama's skin? Criticism of his wife Michelle Obama, in an interview with Glamour magazine, Obama said attacks on his wife were "infuriating."..Continue Reading (07-17) 12:20 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Double-digit drops in median home prices hit every Bay Area county in June, even the ones that had seemed Teflon-coated.Across the nine counties, the median price paid for resale homes,new homes and condos in June plunged 27.1 percent from a year ago to $485,000, dipping below the half-million-dollar mark for the first timein four years, DataQuick Information Systems of La Jolla (San Diego County) reported  thursday.Continue Reading... Most television viewers know AMC, if they know it at all, as a repository of old Hollywood movies. But the cable channel made history Thursday morning -- and startled industry observers -- when it received 16 nominations for its acclaimed drama series "Mad Men." Continue Reading... Allhiphop.com has confirmed that Bay Area rapper Keak Da Sneak was arrested on July 10 and charged with four felony counts. Continue Reading... Europe's low birthrates pose a serious threat to its economic security, making immigration crucial to its survival.Continue Reading... Concerns about an economic slowdown pushed oil down yet again, prompting a 2.5 percent jump in the Dow, amid new evidence of rising prices.Continue Reading... Episode 19: Coultrain He's been called a poet, shaman and musical revolutionary.Coultrain uses flow and sublime songwriting skills to tap into our consciousness on multiple levels. Citing cultural influences as wide ranging as James Baldwin, Jack Kerouac and Stevie Wonder, Coultrain is on the verge of a musical breakthrough. Check his interview. Listen Now | Podcast Home from the Military, a third of female veterans are women of color, Read three of their stories... Reaching Puberty Early, "Just after my daughter turned 7, she came to me and nervously announced that she had bumps on her chest. I felt beneath her nipples and, indeed, there were prominent hard lumps...Continue Reading Emmy nominations were announced at the crack of dawn Thursday morning and HBO's critically-acclaimed series "The Wire" was dissed again...Continue Reading Nelson Mandela, the credited with ending apartheid in South Africa, has marked his 90th birthday by calling for the rich to do more for the poor...Continue Reading  I believe Elizabeth Hasselbeck's tears yesterday on "The View" were sincere. I believe she seeks racial harmony in our country and so do I. Further, it's my hunch that hundreds of thousands of people, many of them white, were nodding along as she expressed her passionate belief that the constant use of the 'n-word' in pop culture makes it more difficult to get to a better, more racially understanding society. Continue Reading... Multi-platinum recording artist John Legend previewed his October release, Evolver (Columbia), in true grown man fashion and rightfully so. The album will be his third effort since his 2004 debut, Get Lifted(Columbia). Wearing a black shirt, cargo shorts, and matching Nikes, Legend offered a spread of fruits, wines, and cheeses to go along with the afternoon’s showcase, which is both mature and fun. Continue Reading....The infamous Omar checks out Whoo Kid and Bishop Lamont’s latest…Continue Reading...It's very likely that more people know Leon Ware's music than know than know the artist himself. There's a good reason for that. Ware has made some of the most recognizable and high quality soul and pop music of the last two generations. He co-wrote "I Wanna Be Where You Are," Continue Reading... CeCe Winanscontinues to blaze the trail in the field of inspirational music.  On Sunday, July 20 at 11:30am/ ET  BET will feature the award-winning artist in a 30 minute broadcast of, Real Life Divas Continue Reading...NEW YORK (AP)—The NFL is stepping up its monitoring of on-field player activities to ensure that no one is flashing the hand signals of street gangs.The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that the league had hired experts to look at game tapes and identify players or team officials
who might be using suspected gang signals. Violators would be warned and disciplined if the episodes recurred.Continue Reading... With the most contestants of color we've ever seen in a single episode, Bravo's last season of Runway (season 6 is saying Aufedersein and moving to Lifetime) is one of its most diverse yet. Designers, Jerell Scott, Korto Momolu and Terri Stevens are hoping a stint at "must see tv" can make them must-wear designers. Continue Reading...

Daily Blog Buzz Feed 07.13.08

NAACP CONVENTION BEGINS IN CINCINNATI, this year's convention is themed "Power, Justice, Freedom, Vote," begins in Cincinnati, Ohio, and as always, will include delegate meetings, inspirational speakers, important issues about minorities in business and the economy, youth programs and much more....Continue Reading Comedy Central to launch Black Satire Show....HI-positive Kenyan Woman wins $35,000 in lawsuit...Continue Reading In a NEWSWEEK Poll, Obama, McCain in statistical dead heat...., Former Bush spokesman Tony Snow dies, Hagel to join Obama on Iraq Trip, For every 100 adults in Phoenix's South Mountain district, 6.1 are serving time behind bars, more than five times the national average...Continue Reading, What's Hot in Hip-Hop? -- writes Marc Lamont Hill, "Over the past few years, I've grown increasingly disenchanted with the state of hip-hop music. Every once in a while, a few albums come along that give me hope." Continue Reading... Smith's Rules for Global Domination, Rule No.1: Don't let them know you're black...Continue Reading Speaking Ill of the Dead, Republicans insist on calling him a patriot. But, Jesse Helms was no hero...Continue Reading New iPhone faster, but lacks vital features..Continue Reading 18th Annual Black Expo on July 19 and 20, after 18 years, the Black Expo is continuing a tradition of empowerment and community. but this year Rejoice! and interdenominational faith and community celebraton has been added to allow attendants to participate ina church service as well...Continue Reading  Angelina Jolie gives birth to twins, Dr. Michael Sussman told the Associated Press...Continue Reading... 2010 Census won't count CA Same-Sex Marriages, Judge Prevents seniors eviction from Oakland, Ca., hotel...Continue Reading Grey's could dump Heigl, E-Online is reporting that "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl might be sacked...Continue Reading Bernie Mac makes off-color joke at Obama Event, and endured some heckling and a campaign rebuke during a surprise appearance Friday night at a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama...Continue Reading

SANAA LATHAN: THE BOLD, THE BLACK & THE BEAUTIFUL

Sanaa Lathan is a woman in love -- with her skin ... her people ... and her beau. The Tony Award nominated actress seemed inseparable from her current boyfriend, Adewale Ogunleye, during yesterday's premiere of the new documentary, 'Skin Stories,' at New Orleans' Ernest N. Morial Convention Center."He'sjust a great guy," the bronze beauty beamed backstage when probed about her tall, dark and strapping companion. "He's a Nigerian prince," she excitedly gushed to BlackVoices.com about Ogunleye, 30, who most football aficionados will know played with the Miami Dolphins for five seasons and is currently with the Chicago Bears. The always amera-ready baller blushed at the public display of affection and playfully brushed off the notion that he should've been featured in the film, which asks people of color on four continents "How do you honor your skin?"Lathan, last seen in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs-produced tele-film adaptation of the Broadway classic, 'A Raisin in the Sun,' narrates 'Skin Stories, which was set against local, social and cultural backdrops and presented by Vaseline skincare products."I'm so inspired by this project because it sends out a message that our skin is beautiful," the Yale Drama School graduate (and daughter of groundbreaking TV producer Stan Lathan). "We haven't had that message since the whole 'Black Is Beautiful' thing of the 1960s." "I thought it was a positive, uplifting message and I really do use the brand," she added."So where do you use Vaseline?" I asked – causing media handlers' mouths to drop open and even Ogunleye to chuckle."You know what, I do use it on my feet," Lathan said, after briefly digesting the question. "When you put socks on and you sleep with socks and the next day you wake up, your feet are like babies'," she continued. "Or you can use it on your lips, your elbows or your knees so you're not ashy." SOURCE: BLACKVOICES.COM

Mario Lopez jocks Marky Mark

Mario Lopez has been named People's Hottest Bachelor in their June 20 edition. In the magazine, he re-creates Mark Wahlberg's iconic Marky Mark pose in Calvin Klein boxer briefs. Joining Lopez as the Hottest Bachelors are, "The Hills" co-stars Frankie Delgado and Brody Jenner; "Saturday Night Live" creative minds Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffman (two-thirds of comedy filmmakers The Lonely Island); Penn Badgely, Chace Crawford and Ed Westwick from "Gossip Girl; "actors Terrence Howard and Gerard Butler; tennis player James Blake; and musicians Adam Levine (frontman for Maroon 5), "American Idol" winner David Cook and "Rock of Love's" Bret Michaels. SOURCE:MOST PROPER