Married couple Usher Raymond and Tameka Foster celebrated the New Year with a big party at The Bank in Las Vegas, NV. My only question is … who was at home with the newborn baby? Little Naviyd isn’t even a month old yet, and mommy and daddy are already out partying… More pics when you continue reading.

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Better luck next time Beyonce!  Sources are reporting that Jennifer Hudson is being courted to perform at the swearing in of  President-elect Barack Obama which will take place on January 20th, 2009.  If in fact she does choose to perform during the ceremony this will be her first appearance since the brutal murders of her mother, brother, and nephew back in October of last year.

“Organizers want Jennifer to sing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at the Inauguration on Jan. 20,” a source told Page Six. “They are talking to Jennifer about it. It would be the first time she performed since the murders. She is from Chicago and a huge Obama supporter.”

Jennifer also sang the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.

I hope Jennifer does decide to do the honors at the inauguration. Who would want to miss the chance to become a part of such an historical event?!

Here it is folks, the official premiere of T-Pain’s latest music video, featuring Chris Brown – “Freeze!” The video, directed by Syndrome, is a visual story for T-Pain’s latest single, from his album, Thr33 Ringz, and follows suit with Pain’s previous music videos (Can’t Believe It and Chopped & Skrewed) as far as visuals and effects goes. The Konvict Musik artist is currently on tour with Lil’ Wayne, Keyshia Cole, Gorilla Zoe and Gym Class Heroes in the “I Am Music” world tour.

Your boy DMX didn’t really have a good 2008. On December 30th 2008, in a Maricopa, Arizona courthouse, he plead guilty, guilty, guilty and guilty! And no, that is NOT a typo. He really did have a court hearing for four different charges in one day, and plead guilty to all of them, in true DMX fashion. According to Associated Press, the rapper reached a plea deal agreement that will allow him to accept a guilty plea on one count of animal cruelty, one count of theft and one count of felony possession of marijuana and a narcotic drug.

He isn’t due for sentencing until January 30th 2009, but the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office says X is expected to receive a minimum 90 days in jail and will receive no credit for time served. Once he gets out, he will be on probation, and if he violates his probation, he could get more than 10 years behind bars. In addition to staying off of drugs while on probation, he’s not allowed to own pets or firearms. The pets and firearms thing sounds pretty plausible, but staying clean? Unless he gets some serious help, home boy just might be serving that 10-year sentence VERY soon.

We all are probably making the ever-popular “New Year Resolution’s,” and there is nothing wrong with setting some goals and standards for a new plateau of our lives. And we all know one of those goals will most likely be weight loss … which brings us to this video from 19% @ YoutTube. The young lady was at Block Buster and picked up a Hannah Montana cookie that had a strange label telling the target audience for the product (8-13 years of age) that if they worked out for 30 minutes they’d lose 80 calories if they weighed 70Lbs.  CRAZY!!! Just watch the video for more insight.

In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, rapper Lil Wayne said what the world would be like if he ruled it. Apparently he loves education … and polygamy.

“First of all, I already know, men would be able to marry however many women they want. School would not be optional. It would be mandatory. Because I do not like unintelligent people – it’s a pet peeve. If you dumb, you not around me. Other than that, did I mention the men would be able to marry women? Ain’t no limit on that.”

Oh, and speaking of Lil’ Wayne … continue reading to peep a video of him busting his ass live on stage at a recent show!
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He’s a rapper, he once owned a clothing line (Rocawear), he has a few nightclubs (in Vegas, NY and Atlantic city), and he’s recently launched “9IX,” a fragrance for men by Rocawear. But due to the poor state of the country’s economy, rapper Jay-Z’s next money-making venture has been put on hold, according to reports published by the New York Times.

The mogul’s planned hotel venture, J Hotels, was scheduled to break ground this year, but unfortunately, it has been postponed indefinitely, in conjunction with New York’s real estate development market taking a heavy hit. The hotel acquired a $66 million mid-block parcel in Chelsea, NY, and Charles Blaichman, one of Jay-Z’s partners, said they had been seeking $370 million in loans and investments from various banks to begin construction, but have not been successful.

“A year ago it would have seemed a reasonable amount. Not now,” said Blaichman. “Even the banks who want to give us money can’t.”

But Blaichman is optimistic, hoping that his plans have been delayed, instead of cancelled.

“It’s one of the greatest stretches of undeveloped areas,” he told the Times. “I still think it’s going to take off.”

Analysts predict with the state of the economy, it may be another two years before any new buildings pop up on the NYC skyline.

After more than a year of dating, America’s Next Top Model winner Eva Marcille and Tyler Perry’s House of Payne star Lance Gross are engaged. They discussed the details in a recent interview with Essence Magazine, in which they revealed that Lance popped the question, on bended knee of course, in front of family and friends on Christmas Eve.

On Wednesday, December 24, while vacationing with their families at the couple’s favorite winter getaway spot—the Big Bear ski resort in the San Bernardino Mountains outside of Los Angeles—Marcille and Gross decided to open gifts after dinner in their rented cabin. When Marcille opened her gift—a pillow with a note attached that read: “Hope you like it. Give this pillow to the man you love and he will explain.” After taking the pillow and using it as a cushion, Gross got on bended knee and popped the big question with a 3.36-carat 1895 Pave Cartier ring at 11:30 P.M. PST.

“I was in a complete state of shock!” the 24-year-old Los Angeles native tells ESSENCE.com. “I cried. It was totally unexpected. I’m still in shock. I could not even sleep because I was afraid that I might wake up from the most beautiful dream ever.”

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According to reports published by famous gossip website The New York Post, singer Mariah Carey just may have Nick Cannon’s bun in her oven. When spies spotted her vacationing in St. Barts, they described her as being zaftig, which by definition means, “a woman having a full rounded figure; plump.” They also mentioned that they have reliable sources who spotted her leaving an ob/gyn’s office at the beginning of December 2008, carrying what looked to be a sonogram, and when she emerged from the building, she was immediately greeted by her entourage with cheers and lots of excitement. And to add icing to the cake, she’s rumored to have cut down her excercize regimen. Isn’t that what pregnant women do?

As of yet, no announcement has been made by Mariah, Nick or anyone in their camp, so until then, we’re just going to have to stash all of these allegations into the rumor file. But we’ll definitely let you know when we know 100% if the rumors are true or not. Keep it locked!