Child prodigy Willow Smith is set to star in the new adaptation to Annie and wants Brad Pitt as Daddy Warbucks in the film. Brad Pitt is no stranger to adoption but is he willing to star in the re-make?

See below!

Access Hollywood asked 10-year-old Willow – star of the upcoming remake – who she wants to play Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks and she’s hoping “the sun will come out tomorrow” on one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

“Brad Pitt!” she told Access at Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never” premiere on Monday night in Los Angeles.

As for details on the project, which dad Will Smith is producing with Jay-Z and Sony Pictures, the young star stayed tight-lipped. “We’re just going to have to wait for that! You’re just going to have to wait,” she said.

Source

There’s yet to be confirmation on whether or not this will happen, but with Jay-Z and Will Smith behind this project I’m sure it’s not too far from possible.

Rihanna goes from good to bad again in the new ad for her fragrance Reb’l Fleur which is expected to cost millions in campaign funding.

Check out the 2-minute spot for Rihanna’s sexy new fragrance below!!

Janet Jackson is scheduled to appear on NBC’s Dateline this Sunday in a sit-down interview with Meredith Vieira to discuss some excerpts from her book, “True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself,” which goes into detail about self-esteem issues she’s dealt with in the past. In this latest clip from the interview, Janet tells how she “ugly” she felt up until her 30s.

Check out the new clip below:

The full interview airs this Sunday, February 13th at 7 pm Eastern!

Your thoughts?

Pop legend Janet Jackson performed to a sold-out crowd in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday night (Feb. 9) during her current global “Up Close & Personal: Number Ones Tour.” Dressed in futuristic catsuits and strutting in knee-high stiletto boots, the sexy superstar danced through a classic setlist as she moved the crowd to her impressive 35 #1 hits.

Take a look at the official teaser trailer of Tyler Perry‘s latest film “Madea’s Big Happy Family.” Madea’s family is coming to a big screen near you on April 22nd.

Take a look at the trailer below!

Your thoughts?

Toni Braxton & Family will become apart of the celebreality world in April as apart of WE television network in a new series titled “Braxton Family Values.”

The 43 year-old singer, who filed for bankruptcy in 2010, will give us an inside look on how she’s surviving with her 4 sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina and Tamar, who are inspiring to be singers. Braxton has also thought about posing for Playboy in order to climb out of rising debts. This new reality show may just do the trick.

Watch the trailer for the new series below:

Do you think the Braxtons can become the next Kardashians? Thoughts?

Rihanna is coming to a city near you! The Pop star will embark on the North American leg of her 2011 LOUD Tour this Summer.

Tickets for Rihanna’s LOUD tour go on sale to the public on Valentine’s Day, February 14th at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.  The tour is set to kick off on June 4th in Baltimore, Maryland at the 1st Mariner’s Arena. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning this Friday (Feb 11) at 10:00 am local timne through Citi’s Private Pass Program.

Take a look at the first few tour dates below!!

June 4 – Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena

June 7 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre

June 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center

June 30 – Oakland, CA @ Arco Arena

July 19 – Philadelphia @ Wells Fargo Center

July 21 – East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center

July 23 – Uniondaie, NY @ Nassau Coliseum

Will you be checking Rihanna out on tour this summer?

The stars shined bright at the premiere of Justin Bieber‘s 3D documentary “Never Say Never” Tuesday night (Feb. 8) in Los Angeles. Chris Brown, Usher (who brought his two sons), Toni Braxton, The Smith Family (Will, Jada, Jaden & Willow), Will.i.am, Miley Cyrus and many more all walked the purple carpet before making their way into the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live to catch the premiere.

Meanwhile, Justin Bieber was questioned on the carpet about his rumored girlfriend Selena Gomez (who was on hand for the premiere), and also talked more about his goals in starting an acting career.

Check out the pics and video footage below (and when you continue reading)!!

A naked Lady Gaga shows up in black & white, and bares her tattoos for the cover for “Born This Way,” the lead single for her album of the same name. Gaga is due to perform the track, which she will premiere Friday, at this Sunday’s the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Lady G’s upcoming album is scheduled to be released on May 23rd.

What do you think about the cover?

A beautiful, slimmer Jennifer Hudson revealed her cover for her upcoming sophomore album I Remember Me via Twitter yesterday!

The radiant shot was taken by director-photographer Anthony Mandler. Jennifer Hudson will show up on Oprah tomorrow (check your local listings) to discuss her dramatic weight loss and perform her first single, “Where You At,” which was penned by singer-songwriter R. Kelly. Jennifer Hudson’s new album will feature collaborations with Ne-Yo, Alicia Keys, and more.

What do you think about the cover?

Here’s a look inside Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony‘s californian humble abode.

In less than three months, the designer re-imagined the new home’s living room, kitchen, family room, bedrooms and baths. Soon afterward, she completed other spaces, including a movie screening room, a music studio and a game room.

Looks like J.Lo and Marc Anthony are living large. Check out the rest of the photos below!

Actress Halle Berry graces the March 2011 issue of Ebony Magazine.

Halle is currently in a custody battle with the father of her 3-year-old daughter Nahla, model Gabriel Aubry. Recent reports states Aubry doesn’t want his daughter labeled as a “black” person. In this issue, Halle Berry talks beauty, her daughter’s ethnicity and interracial relationships.

Read some excerpts from the interview below:

On Her Daughter’s Ethnicity
What I think is that that’s something she’s going to have to decide. I’m not going to put a label on it. I had to decide for myself and that’s what she’s going to have to decide-how she identifies herself in the world. And I think, largely, that will be based on how the world identifies her. That’s how I identified myself. But I feel like she’s Black. I’m Black and I’m her mother, and I believe in the one-drop theory

I identify as a black woman, but I’ve always had to embrace my mother and the white side of who I am, too. By choosing, I’ve often [wondered], “Well, would that make her feel like I’m invalidating her by choosing to identify more with the Black side of myself?

On Interracial Dating
Well, first thing I want to say is that I’m very connected to my community, and I want Black people to know that I haven’t abandoned them because I’ve had a child with a man outside of my race and I’m dating someone now outside my race who is Spanish and French. I have never been more clear about who I am as a Black woman[...] And who I really am is a Black woman who is struggling to make my race proud of me, who is struggling to move Black women forward in the profession I’ve chosen, and those relationships have actually helped me identify more clearly[....]The truth that it’s taken me a long time to learn how to love myself, and color isn’t really a part of what I look at when I’m deciding who I want to spend time with. I look for the soul, the person, the evolution, what he believes in, who [he is as a person] and how does it affect me in a positive way.

On if she feels like her beauty is a burden
No. I mean, beauty is subjective. [And] there are worse things people could say about me. I do wish people would notice other things about me.I wish people would talk more about my talent than they do my beauty. I’ve worked hard as an actress and I always try to push the envelope, grow and do something different. And I wish people would maybe notice that more than that which I have no control over, which is how I look

You can pick this issue up on news stands today to read more!!

Spotted @ Necole Bitchie

Thoughts?

Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom and wife Khloe Kardashian-Odom strip down in the ad for their new unisex fragrance entitled “Unbreakable.”

This scent possesses a blend of Italian bergamot, sparkling clementine, Asian saffron, green apple, African geranium, sheer jasmine, lily of the valley, juicy red fruits, texas cedarwood, tonka bean, vanilla bean and dark chocolate. The 4.2 oz fragrance for men and women is now available on Perfumania today.

Check out the video footage of ad spot below:

Your thoughts?

Janet Jackson sat down and talked with Meredith Viera of NBC’s Dateline about the grief she recently dealt with (and continues to deal with on a daily basis) concerning the death of her brother Michael Jackson.

In the interview, Janet discusses her currently successful “Number Ones” Tour, her upcoming book entitled “True You” and living without Michael. The sit-down airs this Sunday, February 13 at 7 pm EST/6 pm CST.

Check out a clip from the interview below:

The Los Angeles Lakers showed up prepared with a vengeance in the Staples Center Thursday night (Jun. 17) but almost suffered a defeat against the Boston Celtics in a tough seven game series in the 2010 NBA Finals! This also was the first seven game series in the Finals since 2005 and this season ended with a battle between NBA’s biggest rivals.

The Lakers prospered a victory by 4 points leaving the score 83-79. Although Kobe Bryant got 23 points and 2 assists, he was only 25% of successful field goals in Game 7 and it showed throughout the entire game. Bryant showed his gratitude for his teammates who performed to help the Lakers achieve it’s 16th championship title:

“This one is by far the sweetest, because it’s them,” Bryant said, “This was the hardest one by far. I wanted it so bad, and sometimes when you want it so bad, it slips away from you. My guys picked me up.”

Kobe also expressed how it felt to win his 5th ring individually as a player:

“Just got one more than Shaq … so you can take that to be bank” he laughs and continues, “You guys know how I am, I don’t forget anything…”

Coach Phil Jackson added his 11th ring to his collection and marked his fifth championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although, he seems prepared for another season this may be his very last game with Lakers due to health concerns and a pay cut. Jackson rejoiced with happiness of his current victory while wearing a championship cap but still is hesitant about his return:

“I’ve got to take a deep breath. I’ve got to take some time to think about this,” Jackson said, “This was great. I’ll wait to make that decision in a week.”

Kobe added, “”He knows how bad I want him back,” Bryant said. “I’ve been openly blunt about how much I want him back.”

Laker Ron Artest, with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, performed with clutch-ness last night in Game 7 and literally shifted the game’s ending score by scoring a three-pointer in the final seconds of the game. This will be the first championship victory for Artest and he showed that enthusiasm in every interview all night:

“I always told people it’s about the total points, it’s about what we do as a team” he continued, “It’s not about what I did, although I had 20 points, I still think we accomplished that as a team.”

Pau Gasol scored 19 points and 18 rebounds with 4 assists. Boston Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers expressed his emotional distress this series has cause to himself and his team:

“We were the tightest, most emotional, crazy group I’ve ever been around in my life. There’s a lot of crying in that locker room,” Rivers said. “A lot of people who care. I don’t think there was a dry eye. A lot of hugs, a lot of people feeling awful. That’s a good thing. Showed a lot of people cared.”

Rajon Rondo scored 14 points, 10 rebounds and 8 rebounds. Paul Pierce finished with 18 points, while Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 2 assists and 4 blocks. The Celtics played a great series but regardless the Lakers played better offensively and defensively. Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers for an amazing effort. Until next year, Go Lakers!

Despite the two games the Boston Celtics won in a row back at home, that didn’t stop the Los Angeles Lakers from showing them whose house they were playing in Tuesday night (Jun 15) during Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals!

The Lakers tied the series last night (3-3) and blew the Celtics out by 22 points (89-67) in the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant, who scored 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, had a conscious team Tuesday night and didn’t have to feel like he was competing alone. Bryant expressed his happiness in his teammates conscious change since Game 5:

“I was very happy,” Bryant said, “We did a great job defensively. We kept them out of the middle, kept them out of the paint, did a good job on the boards. It was a solid effort by us.” he continued “We’re used to being in must-win situations, The way we look at it, [Game 7] is just a game we’ve got to win. … I don’t mean to be a buzzkill. I know what’s at stake, but I’m not tripping.”

Pau Gasol scored 17 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists. Gasol indeed “manned up” and understands what has to be done in order to win ring number two:

“We want to carry everything we did tonight to [Game 7], and then I think we’ll be in a very good place to win,” Gasol said. “When you bring the intensity we did tonight, good things are going to happen.”

A whole new team showed up on the court in L.A. for both sides and it will cause some trouble for the Boston Celtics. Doc Rivers may have to re-assemble his starting line-up due to Kendrick Perkins injury in the first quarter Tuesday night and may not return Game 7 in L.A. Rajon Rondo achieved 10 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and says that he’s over Game 6 and is looking forward to Game 7:

“To me, the game is over,” Rondo said. “We have one game [left]. They have one game. All or nothing. [Game 6] is in the past.”

Ray Allen scored a total of 19 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. Paul Pierce put up 18 points and 3 assists. Tune to ABC at 9PM/ET Thursday night (June 17) witness Game 7. In the meantime watch the video recap to see what happened Game 6 below!

The Boston Celtics outplayed the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 Sunday night (Jun 13) on their home court in the TD Bank North Garden. Kobe Bryant was just not enough to win the last game in Boston alone and led them to a loss by 6 (92-86) and the series now stand in Boston’s favor (3-2). Bryant managed to score 90% of the points in the 3rd quarter and totaled 38 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Kobe talked briefly about the performance from his teammates after the game:

“Just man up and play. What the hell is the big deal?” he said. “If I have to say something to them, then we don’t deserve to be champions. We’re down 3-2: Go home, win one game, go into the next one. Simple as that.”

The Celtics did just that. Paul Pierce obtained 27 points, Kevin Garnett scored 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds. With only one game closer to the championship Pierce explains his excitement to the media:

“It was our biggest game of the year,” Pierce said. “We’re in a good spot. We have two games in L.A.; now we have to get one.”

Games 6 and 7 will be played in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Game 6 airs Tuesday, June 15th on ABC 9:00PM/ET. Check out the video recap of Game 5 below.

The Boston Celtics picked up a few four-leaf clovers from the TD Garden Thursday night (Jun 10) and luckily won Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers to tie the series (2-2). The Celtics’ bench managed to help them win by 7 (89-96). Glen “Big Baby” Davis scored 18 points which significantly led the Celtics to a victory they needed to win. There was no plan to come out to prosper in this game Davis explained:

“Just will, that’s all it is,” Davis said. “This is what legends are made of, this is where you grasp the moment. … Just play in the moment.”

“All I’m thinking about is, ‘Let’s win,’” Davis continued. “I’m not thinking about anything else. I’m not even thinking about Kobe making all these shots, worried about this or worried about that. I’m just worried about winning, whatever it takes to win, and just making sure that I give my teammates positive energy to finish out the game.”

Boston Celtic Paul Pierce scored 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Ray Allen managed to get 12 points in Game 4 slowly recovering from his missing streak in Game 3. Top performer of the game Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Bryant briefly talked about how the game turned from their favor to ending in a loss:

“They got all the energy points, the hustle points, second chance points, points in the paint, beat us to the loose balls,” Bryant said. “I mean, that’s how the game turned around.”

An injured starting center, Andrew Bynum was also a factor in the Lakers loss in Game 4. Hopefully, the worst has come and left. The Lakers’ vengeance is only fueling higher. Tune in to Game 5 Sunday night (Jun. 13) at 8PM/ET on ABC. Check out the slobbering “Big Baby” roar after scoring below

The Los Angeles Lakers redeemed themselves with a victory last night (Tues. Jun 8) at the TD Bank North Garden in Boston Game 3 and are now leading the series (2-1) against the Boston Celtics. The Lakers took Game 3 by 7 points, ending with 91-84. Derek Fisher was a key component to this win, knocking down difficult shots and making hard plays within the first ten minutes of the 4th quarter. Kobe Bryant, who scored a total of 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks, acknowledged the effort his teammate Fisher put up after he wasn’t attempting to score in the 4th quarter:

“Truthfully, he’s done it over and over and over again,” said Bryant, ”So it’s almost his responsibility to our team to do these things.”

Fisher spoke to the media afterwards and explained what fueled his energy in Game 3 Tuesday night:

“Our thoughts are really just still on how disappointed we are, or were, losing that second game on our home court. I think that had more of our attention and focus than what happened in ’08,” Fisher said. “We didn’t doubt our ability to win here. … We understand when you want to be the best, you have to win wherever, whenever.”

The Celtics’ Ray Allen almost broke another record in Game 3 after following his tremendous performance in Game 2, but this time not so great. Allen had a total of 2 points and missed all 13 field goal attempts he put up, excluding his free throws, one field goal attempt of the NBA finals futility record.  While Kevin Garnett improved from his Game 1 and Game 2 performances in Game 3 with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, he discussed his disappointment in the lack of offensive strategies that took place Tuesday night:

“It’s very frustrating, very frustrating when you don’t play well offensively,” Garnett said. “But defensively, you know, you sort of buckle down and get the stops and things that you want and you get back into the game only to come up short. he continued ”Yeah, that’s real disappointing.”

Both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol of the Lakers had a total of 10 rebounds helping the their team progress to victory in Game 3. Tune in to Game 4, Thursday night June 10th in Boston on ABC at 9:00PM/ET. Check out video footage of the recap courtesy of the NBA below!

Sunday night (June 6), the Boston Celtics showed up in Los Angeles at the Staples Center and tied the series (1-1) between the Los Angeles Lakers. Ray Allen (of the Celtics) pretty much carried the whole team on his back this game. Allen hit an NBA Finals record, eight 3-pointers, on Sunday night with 32 points and 2 assists, and led the Celtics to a victory by 9 points (103 – 94). LA Laker Kobe Bryant, who had 21 points, had something to say about his team’s loss:

“It’s the most important game. Game 1 was the most important, Game 2 was the most important, now it’s Game 3,” Bryant said. “It’s just the next game, simple as that.”

The Celtics’ Rajon Rondo achieved a triple double with a total of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Rondo said:

“The best part about getting a triple-double is getting a win,” Rondo continued. “That’s pretty much it. It would be pointless to get a triple-double and lose the game.”

Game 3 will be in Boston Garden at the TD Banknorth Garden Tuesday June 8th on ABC at 9PM/ET!

R&B/pop legend Janet Jackson premiered her new single “Nothing” on the radio last week. The track is the theme song for her upcoming film “Why Did I Get Married Too?” and was produced by Bryan-Michael Cox and Jermaine Dupri. The single will be available for download on iTunes next Tuesday (Mar 30). Her upcoming 11th studio album is said to be due for a late 2010 release.

Meanwhile, it’s said that the music video will be shot sometime this week. Video director Christopher Yoon broke the news Saturday via his Twitter:

Just woke up with a lil hangover but happy! Just got offered to work on Janet Jackson music video this wed! Holllerrr

R&B singer Chris Brown attended a probation hearing yesterday afternoon (Thurs. Feb 18) at Los Angeles Criminal Courts to obtain a report on his progress regarding his community service and domestic violence classes. According to TMZ, Chris has proved that he has completed 32 days of hard labor in his hometown Virginia and has attended 17 out of the required 52 classes of domestic violence tolerance without absence. Judge Patricia Schnegg said:

“Looks like you’re doing really, really well.” she added, “You are participating and doing a very good job.”

She also has given him permission to travel out of the country from May 18th to June 27th to do some shows. His next hearing however, is May 11th.

Good job Chris! Looks like you’re going through the motions to getting yourself and career back on track. Keep it up. More pics of Chris heading to court in Los Angeles below…

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / WIRE IMAGE

The official movie poster for Tyler Perry‘s latest effort “Why Did I Get Married Too?” has just hit the Internet!

The film, starring original cast Jill Scott, Janet Jackson, Tasha Smith, Sharon Leal, Malik Yoba, and Michael Jai White, will be in theaters April 2nd so mark your calendars!

Continue reading to peep the movie’s latest trailer…

The NBA’s 2010 All-Star Game went down Sunday night (Feb 14) in Arlingtion, Texas at the Cowboys Stadium. This is the largest venue ever recorded to hold the All-Star game, and the biggest live crowd ever (over 100,000) to watch a basketball game.

Representing for the West were Kobe Bryant (Dirk Nowitzki), Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony and Tim Duncan. For the East, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, and Allen Iverson (David Lee).

The game was pretty intense. In the 1st quarter, the West’s momentum was very heavy but the East built up some intensity of their own in the 2nd quarter. The 3rd and 4th quarters were both equally competitive, but the East came out on top due to Deron Williams‘ unnecessary fouling. The ending score was 141-139. Dwyane Wade, who went home with the All-Star MVP award, finished the night with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Wade spoke at the end of the game:

“To be able to perform in front of a crowd like that, I know that. I know I can do it, I’ve done it before,” Wade continued. “So just to be able to put on a show like that and to get the win, and to make key plays down the stretch was what I like.”

Although, Kobe Bryant didn’t play he was there to comment on how he’s doing:

“I’ll do therapy nonstop, around the clock, until it’s ready to go, ” Bryant said. “Hopefully, I’ll be healthier than I was the last month, so that’s a plus.”

Check out the rest of the pics below!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

There were many celebrities and athletes spotted in Cowboy Stadium in Dallas, TX Sunday night (Feb. 14) watching the 2010 All-Star Game from their VIP court-side seats. Drake, Gabrielle Union, Lala Vazquez, Chris Tucker, Diddy, Common, Ludacris and many more were all seated amongst the biggest crowd in All-Star Weekend’s history enjoying the match, which ended with The East defeating the West with a final score of 141 to 139. Check out the pics below and after cut…

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / WIRE IMAGE

Janet Jackson is gracing the cover of the March 2010 issue of Wonderland Magazine, and what a beautiful “wonderland” it is to see Miss Jackson looking gorgeous at the age of 43! How does a screaming Janet Jackson pull of an amazing cover like this?

In the issue, Janet talks about her love/respect for Alicia Keys as a musician, her starring role in Tyler Perry’s latest film “Why Did I Get Married Too?” and her almost finished self-authored book. The issue will exclusively be online February 2nd and on newsstands February 5th.

Check out the video of Janet’s shoot below…

R&B crooner Usher is back on the scene with an all female dance crew backing him up in the music video for his new single “Hey Daddy,” from his upcoming album Raymond vs. Raymond. And we guess rapper Plies wasn’t invited to the party because even though he’s featured on the radio version of the single, his verse and his presence are both absent in the new Chris Robinson directed video, which features model Noemie Lenoir as Ush’s leading lady. Continue reading to check it out…

Drake will appear on the February/March 2010 issue of Complex Magazine with the title “Hype or Drive?”

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past 6 months to a year, Drake was one of the hottest hip-hop artists in 2009 without a recording studio album. Drake’s highly anticipated debut album Thank Me Later is due in stores sometime March 2010, and the up and coming rapper keeps it real when speaking on J.Cole, Kid Cudi and Wale. Check out what he had to say about them below and more photos from the shoot after the cut…

The first time we ever spoke, you said that you were more in tune with R&B artists than the current new guys rapping.
Drake: When you’re coming up, and you’re in competition with somebody, it’s always hard to have a friendship. I think Cudi and I are realizing that we don’t threaten each other. It’s ended up being one of the greatest industry friendships I have.

Around the time that Kanye directed “Best I Ever Had,” it seemed like there was strife between your camp and Cudi’s camp because Kanye was so enamored of you while Cudi’s project was being worked on.
Drake: I wasn’t aware of that. Even so, I could understand. If Wayne were to be enamored—which is a great word—of another young artist, I would be like, “Damn, I’m here too!” But at the same time, it happens in more than one situation. It happens with ‘Ye, and I have a great relationship with Jay, and Jay’s got Wale and J. Cole, who’s one of my favorite dudes rapping right now. I’ve happened to have had more success. I made the most money, I have number-one records, those guys don’t have that shit. And it’s just facts, it’s not even my feelings or that I feel I’m more talented. That’s what the game is about, making great music that earns profit. When it comes to my relationship with the new dudes, I’m just excited for them. I get to sit back in a cool position and be like, “Yo, I’m excited to see you do it now because I know what it’s like, it’s gonna be so much fun for you…”

You feel like you’re at the finish line?
Drake: I’m at the starting line. Those guys are at home, putting on their tracksuits, getting ready to make their attack. When J. Cole gets it super-right, I think he’s gonna have a place as a Nas-type character who really stands for hip-hop, but still makes ill records that everybody fucks with.

If J. Cole is Nas, then who are you?
Drake: [Laughs.] I’m the young big homie!

Of all your contemporaries, it seems like you want to be famous the most.
Drake: That’s gonna change. When Cole’s sound is the new sound that everybody wants to hear, he’s gonna be like, “I wanna be as big as possible with this shit.” I didn’t jeopardize anything to be in the position I’m in. You’re listening to the shit that I believe in, not some shit I did because I needed to get here. People just happen to embrace my shit. That’s very rare—but I also think the younger generation appreciates that brand of music, so I think it’s possible for one of these guys to emerge and do exactly what I’m doing.

Hit up Complex.com for more on Drake!

Rihanna is showing up on news stands again in February 2010 on the latest cover of W Magazine. In the issue, Rihanna discussed her latest album Rated R, which was certified Platinum recently by the RIAA. Rih talked about her life as of now and why her album title fits perfectly into her past experiences:

“This was a different type of record for me. It was really personal; it was from me in the most authentic way. It’s like a movie hence the title,” Rihanna continues. “When I was making this album, every day I was in a different mood. Sometimes I was pissed off, sometimes miserable. Every song brings out a different story.”

As far as now, Rihanna looks a little more than happy with “friend” Matt Kemp and it looks like she doing well. Check out Rihanna’s fashion spread and video footage of behind the scenes the shoot after the cut!

Omarion hung out with BET’s 106 & Park hosts Terrence J and Rocsi to talk about his new album Ollusion yesterday (Jan. 12).

Omarion also performed “Hoodie,” and his mom came out for a special appearance. He even took the 106 & Park audience back with another performance of a past hit “Ice Box” from his last album 21. Check out the rest of the pics below and the performances after the cut.

HOODIE

ICEBOX

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / WIRE IMAGE

Omarion has released his latest video for his second single “Speedin” which will appear on his brand new album Ollusion, in stores and online now.

“The concept of the song is that I’m racing to get to my girl because I love her and I care about her,” the 25-year-old told Rap-Up.com. “It has so many meanings too, not just racing time. We’re racing like whether or not we’re gonna be together.”

Peep the brand new music video, which features actress Malika Haqq (one of the twins from ATL) as O’s leading lady, after the cut!

G-Unit Rapper Lloyd Banks has been arrested and charged with assault and robbery against a local promoter in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Banks has currently being held by the police since Friday night (Jan. 8). According to reports, authorities said that Banks (real name: Christopher Lloyd) and three other individuals assaulted the promoter, Chris Hines, after Banks performed at Club NV in nearby Blanford late Friday night.

Banks and three other associates held the Canadian club promoter in his hotel room against his will, assaulted and robbed him. All four men are being charged with forceful confinement, aggravated assault and robbery. The four made a video court appearance on Sunday afternoon (January 10) and are due to appear in court again early this week. They remained in police custody at press time and G-Unit reps declined requests for comments at press time.

Continue reading for a VERY VIVID picture of the 36-year-old victim’s battered face and an update on Lloyd and his goons’ bail situation, as well as an update on the whole story…

U.S. rap artist Lloyd Banks and 3 associates were scheduled to appear at a Kitchener bail court today after a Toronto hip hop promoter was allegedly held against his will, beaten and robbed early Saturday morning.

Banks, 27, Nicklas Sloane, 25, Tyrell Cooper, 24 and Shaun McGee, 31, all from New York are facing charges of forcible confinement, aggravated assault and robbery. The brutal beating left concert promoter/booking agent Chris Hines, 36, with numerous injuries, particularly to his face and head.

The confrontation happened at a Kitchener hotel following a poorly-attended show at nearby Brantford’s Club NV. Hines was allegedly held and beaten by the men for nearly an hour. He was treated at nearby Grand River Hospital for serious, but non-life threatening injuries.

SOURCE: TORONTO NEWS 24

The investigation on whether or not Michael Jackson’s was a homicide has finally been fully reviewed and completed. Investigators came to the conclusion that Dr. Conrad Murray will be criminally charged with the death of the late Michael Jackson. According to TMZ, detectives completed their investigation last month and the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney as soon as possible.

Sources are stating that the case is complicated because Dr. Murray didn’t break any laws in administering Propofol to Jackson, but as for the charge, a decision has not been made. TMZ sources say: “the likelihood is involuntary manslaughter, which requires a showing of gross negligence.”

Serves that quack of a doctor right!

Dr. Dre has teamed up with Diddy to release a new set of his high quality brand of headphones called “Diddy Beats” ($179) at CES 2010. An updated version of the solo Solo HD ($229) headphones and a new set of professional DJ headphones called “Spin,” priced at $349, were also added to Dr. Dre and Monster’s “Beats by Dre” line.

Being a fashion designer and a hip-hop mogul, Diddy wanted something that not only provided a high quality listening experience, but is also a fashion accessory as well:

“I wanted something that looked like fashion, but just wasn’t all about fashion,” Diddy continued.

You can reserve your copy today on the official Beats by Dr. Dre online store.

PICS VIA: FUTURESHOPPR

R&B crooner Usher has shot his first video for the upcoming album Raymond vs. Raymond . According to our friends over at Rap-Up, Usher recorded the music video for the second single “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” in West Hollywood at “The London,” which just so happens to be the same exact spot where Rihanna shot those shocking nude pics that leaked to the net back in May 2009.

Check the sneak peek of Usher’s new music video after the cut!

Alicia Keys is starting the year of right by covering the January 2010 issue of GIANT Magazine, which will reportedly be its last as Giant Magazine folded near the end of 2009.

In the interview for her issue, Alicia reminiscences on her past accomplishments, love, and why she’s living in “The Element of Freedom”. Alicia’s new album is now in stores. Check out the video interview and photo gallery after the cut.

SOURCE: GIANTLIFE.COM

Jay-Z has released the music video for “Forever Young,” (featuring Mr. Hudson), the fifth single from his latest album The Blueprint 3. Jay-Z brings the childhood fantasy to life in his latest video, which is a montage of various memorable activities that make being young fun! Check out the video new after the cut.

Beyonce has caught the fever and she wants you to do the same. The international superstar is releasing her first new fragrance called “Heat” which unfortunately will not be on stands before Christmas. The perfume arrives in stores for purchase in February 2010. Although the fragrance won’t be available until the next year fans are already responding:

I’m so happy with it,” Beyoncé said, “I’ve been working on it for a while now. I was on tour for a year, and I have meet-and-greets with fans. I’ve never in my life gotten so many compliments. Coty has their own testing, but that was my testing! The fans loved it. They were like, ‘I love that, I’m getting that, why isn’t it out right now? I need it!” said Knowles with a laugh.

Check out the video ad spot for the fragrance below

Pop singer Rihanna paid a visit to KIIS FM’s “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” yesterday morning to promote her latest album Rated R and here are a few photos of her making her way to the Hollywood studio for the live radio interview.

In an earlier interview with popular New York City radio station Hot 97, Rihanna talked about how “humiliating” and “embarassing” it was for her when she found her her naked body had made its way onto the internet.

“It was the worst thing that could possibly ever happen to me. I just felt like my whole privacy was taken before that [with the other photo leak] and then, when that came out, I thought, ‘Oh great, so now there’s nothing they don’t know about me and my private life,’ ” she said. “It was humiliating and it was embarrassing – especially my mom having to see that.”

Nervous about her mother’s reaction to the second photo scandal, Rihanna sent flowers before calling to break the news, just two days before Mother’s Day. “I was nervous [but] when the world is against me she’s always there supporting,” said the singer.

SOURCE

Rihanna reportedly shot the music video for “Hard,” the third single from Rated R, yesterday and will finish the shoot today. Rapper Young Jeezy is scheduled to make a cameo in the video as he is featured on the track itself, which is (in our opinion) the hottest song on the album! And according to JustJared.com, the music video will be directed by Melina Moutsoukas, who also directed Ciara’s “Work,” Whitney Houston’s “Million Dollar Bill,” Robin Thicke’s “Sex Therapy” and several other videos.

Barbadian pop princess Rihanna has released her highly anticipated fourth album Rated R and said album is truly autobiographical to the terms of her life right now. When compared to her last effort Good Girl Gone Bad, there is a more vulnerable and outspoken collection of music on this latest project. In spite of all the controversy surrounding Rihanna’s promotional techniques the album still adds great value to her unique artistry. With the first single “Russian Roulette,” penned by Ne-Yo, people mistakenly accused Rihanna of suicidal impressions but in reality the game of Russian Roulette is comparable to the characteristics of love.

Over a period of time, Rihanna’s image has become much more edgy and so has her music. Rihanna as an icon and artist has transformed into a more expressive dark style and sound. On the promotional photos of Rated R, it’s been observed that the good girl who went bad has been covering the same eye that was blacked on that infamous February night. Rihanna herself has even stated that this album told “a very honest story from her point of view.” On Rated R, you’ll get somewhat of a Barbadian rooted raw vocal talent from Rihanna attached with an emotional message within each track.

For the production of the album, Ri didn’t stray too far away from the people she’s worked with in the past. The-Dream, Justin Timberlake, Tricky Stewart and StarGate are some of the people who helped Rihanna turn her messages into melody. With “Cold Case Love,” written by Justin Timberlake, Rihanna reveals deeper emotion about an “illegal love.” On the track “Photographs” featuring Will.i.am, Rihanna sings about a destroyed love and memories that are lost but captured by photos.

In addition, there are some fun records on the album and one of them is “Rude Boy,” (produced by StarGate), which challenges an interest in a guy she thinks is apparently rude. She also explores a love interest in a woman who speaks a language she can’t understand in the track , “Te Amo,” which was also produced by StarGate. And on the second single, “Wait Your Turn,” clearly states her standing ground in the music industry.

Rated R is a very solid album despite all of the thoughts behind her wait to speak out about her highly publicized past. Rihanna’s latest album is a very pleasantly surprising collection of music that won’t leave you dissappointed. If you need a sneak peek of the album before buying it, you can get her album preview for free on iTunes.

Rating: B+
Other Tracks to check: G4L, Hard, Stupid In Love

By: Terrell Johnson
Contributing Editor for Gossip On This

We hope this (and the upcoming Wendy Williams Show thing) concludes the interviews about “the incident” from either party!

BET’s 106 & Park’s host Rocsi sat down with Chris Brown to further discuss the domestic violent assault against ex-girlfriend Rihanna. This wass the first Chris Brown has publicly talked about the incident with an open studio audience viewing at the same time.

In the interview, Rocsi asked Chris a number of times if he understood the severity of his actions that took place during the infamous night in February  and how he thinks fans see him now. She also asks him what would the Chris Brown today would tell last year’s version of himself. To see how Chris responded watch the video below!

People Magazine has confirmed that Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri are back still together, despite Janet openly speaking out about her relationship with Jermaine shortly after her brother Michael Jackson‘s death for the first time in Harper’s Baazar claiming that she was single:

Janet is also now single, recently breaking off her seven-year relationship with music producer, Jermaine Dupri. Does she still believe in marriage? “For [some] people, sure! I don’t know if I’ll get married again. [She's been married twice, as a teen to James DeBarge and to choreographer René Elizondo.] I’ll put it like this: If God wants me to, then I will.” Dating? “Yeah, I’ve had people ask me out. I haven’t entertained any offers thus far, but I’m locking myself in my work right now.” Some might say boys smell anyway. “Yeah, they stink,” she chuckles, “and they’re dirty.”

But an inside source tells people:

“They never really broke up,” source says, “Jermaine wanted to give her space when Michael died.”

SOURCE

But before People confirmed this story JD’s long time friend, Bow Wow stated he fury against the media speculating about the break up and confirmed their intact relationship via UStream on July 23, 2009. Check out the video rant after the cut.

R&B singer Omarion is back from his hiatus with an official first single “I Get It In“ (featuring rapper Gucci Mane) from his upcoming 2010 album, Ollusion.  Although he’s no longer apart of Young Money and now has his own label named “StarWorld Entertainment” (EMI), he still wants to work with his short-term Young Money family.

Check out he and Gucci Mane’s new video video after the cut!

Entertainment Tonight had an exclusive look at the new trailer for the sequel of Tyler Perry‘s “Why Did I Get Married?”. The same returning cast, Janet Jackson, Idris Elba, Tasha Smith, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, and Michael Jai White, are all back on another couple’s retreat and more secrets are ready to be revealed in “Why Did I Get Married Too?”. Look for this film to hit theaters in April 2010.

Amerie is back to fight her way back up the charts with her latest album, In Love & War. After Touch, her last US released studio album was released in 2005 she’s back from a hiatus with brand a new home at Island Def Jam and a new line of producers behind her unique and soulful voice. With the release of her lead single “Why R U,” she let fans get a taste of 80′s Hip-Hop flare and hinted at what was to come next, which was the official single, “Heard ‘Em All,” penned and produced with the help of Sean Garrett and Eric Hudson.

You can definitely tell the absence of Rich Harrison was missed throughout this projectl though with the help from today’s best, the project came out well written and the sound quality was efficient. Amerie has had a lot of buzz during the past week with the anticipation of her new album. Amerie released a album, Because I Love It, in 2007 which hit shelves in the US after a year of being in the UK. With a four year void of Amerie she comes back hard with with her track “Heard ‘Em All” stating her landing back onto the scene.

In Love & War brings out a more eclectic Amerie adding Rock and Dance elements to the album. Although, the songs are fitting to Amerie’s voice, it seems like producers spent too much time trying to emulate the sounds of Rich Harrison’s “1 Thing”. All in all, Amerie delivered strong vocally on the entire album. Her voice is definitely one that’s missed throughout the R&B movement.

Super producer Bryan Michael Cox composed the soft slow-tempo “Red Eye.” Rico Love penned the hard-hitting cut, “Swag Back,” produced by Jim Jonsin. The track “More Than Love” which features Fabolous entails a dysfunctional relationship. The third single, “Pretty Brown,” which features Trey Songz is reminiscent to the modern day version of her debut single, “Why Don’t We Fall In Love,” as far as sound is concerned.

If this album was to have a standard grade I think it deserves a B-. This album is solid. It may not resemble the older sounds when Amerie first stepped on the scene but her sound has definitely evolved with more diversity of sound.

Notable tracks: Heard ‘Em All, Swag Back, Pretty Brown, Red Eye, Different People

R&B crooner Trey Songz has shot and released the music video for his fourth single “I Invented Sex“ from his third studio album, Ready. Rapper Drake was originally on this record but I guess he wasn’t available to shoot the video, which has left us a bit speechless after watching it. It’s basically soft core porn and there’s even an “Explicit” warning before the video starts. Is this really what it takes to sell music these days? LOL

Check it out after the cut!

After Janet Jackson‘s touching tribute to her late brother, Michael Jackson, Janet decided to tweet and thank the fans for their support and also gave a first listen to her single, “Make Me,” from her upcoming album.

I hope u guys enjoyed us tonight. It was very special for me n I have a very special gift for all of u.

D/L: JANET JACKSON – MAKE ME

Apparently, R&B singer Omarion has plans for new things in the year of 2009. He’s been in the studio recording new tracks to be implemented into his upcoming album, but according to his Twitter page, he has a new sneaker line coming out called Oboi’s that he said was created to “appeal to dancers.” They actually look kinda hot! But we’re not gonna front, they do resemble Kanye’s Nike Air Yeezy’s a little. Continue reading to peep a couple more pics.

Beyonce was spotted on the hot sunny Miami beach Thursday morning shooting a new music video with an unidentifiable extra in the video as well. We’re still waiting for her to add her husband Jay-Z to a video that he’s not a featured artist on. Sort of like how Robin Thicke puts his wife, Paula Patton, in his videos.

It’s still unclear which single Bey is shooting a video for but we’re sure this isn’t Sasha Fierce. It’s most likely either “Ave Maria” or “That’s Why You’re Beautiful.” Continue reading to check out more beautiful pics from the shoot!

PHOTOS: SPLASH NEWS / XPOSURE / FAME

One of our favorite MCs, Kanye West, will we  be the face of the February 2009 issue of VIBE Magazine. In the issue, Kanye talks about his recent incidents with the paparazzi and even talks about the album, 808s & Heartbreaks, of which he feels was his greatest yet. I personally don’t feel that 808s & Heartbreaks was better than Graduation but according to the issue, Kanye thinks otherwise.

Kanye Vents On The Paparazzi:

“I haven’t done anything violent. They make it seem like I actually went and hit the paparazzi. I haven’t. I was restrained. I’m good at restraining myself from committing violent acts. I know how to control my temper. That one paparazzo made it a bigger deal. I just put my hand up and he felt like he had more right to my personal space than I did. I put my hand up to stop him from shooting me.”

Kanye on 808s & Heartbreaks:

“I do think it’s my best album to date. No, I actually know this is my best album to date. Do I think it will be my best album ever? No, Ill improve. Do I think there are mistakes in it? Yes. There has to be. I’m a human being. But I think it surpasses Graduation. These 12 tracks are going to resonate more than any 12 tracks of any album this year.”

Make sure you go pick up the new issue when it hit stands.