After months and months of waiting….The Throne has finally released the visuals for their “Watch The Throne” mega-hit “Niggas In Paris!”

Enjoy the new video below:

Jay-Z made history Monday night (Feb 6) as he put on a show at Carnegie Hall.

The Roc Nation CEO –backed by a full, 36-piece orchestra — performed several hits from his musical catalog, including the opening numbers “PSA” and “Thank You,” as well as other songs like “Heart of the City,” “Big Pimpin,” “Jigga,” and “Young Forever.”

The New York City native was joined by Alicia Keys for their famous “Empire State of Mind” single, and he also performed with fellow New York rapper Nas for “N.Y. State of Mind,” before Alicia Keys joined the latter for a performance of “If I Ruled the World.”

Jay-Z, who dressed up in two different tuxes (one white, one black) and later dressed down in a black t-shirt, also performed several other songs, including his “Glory” track dedicated to his month-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter. “I didn’t think I was gonna make it through that one, that was tough,” Jay said at the close of the number.

Celebrities in attendance at the concert included everyone from Liza Minnelli to CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees, to even his wife Beyonce, who stepped out in a sexy red dress for the first time since giving birth to their daughter Blue Ivy Carter a month ago today.

According to MTV, last night’s show was one of the two concerts held at the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall to benefit the the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation and the United Way of NYC in an effort to raise money for gifted high school students who aren’t financially positioned to attend college.

Peep the photos and video footage below:

Apparently, Jay-Z and Kanye West‘s “(Watch) The Throne” compilation project has inspired Chris Rock in one way or another.

The comedian revealed to Vulture that he wants to team up with Dave Chappelle for a joint nationwide stand-up comedy tour!

“I’ve been talking to Chappelle a lot. Been trying to get Chappelle to go on tour. You know I’m not the hard one,” he said, laughing. “But I’m trying to make that happen. After seeing [Kanye and Jay-Z's tour], I was like, ‘Me and Dave should do this.”

Convincing Chappelle to go on tour is like getting a fat girl to lay off the debbie cakes. We don’t see it happening … but if it does, we know it will be epic!

Your thoughts?

Just one day after hosting a star-studded $10 million re-launch party attended by Warren Buffett, Swizz Beatz, Russell Simmons, Ashanti and many others, Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club was shut down by the Health Department after earning a “C” grade following a health inspection.

According to the NY Post, a health inspector witnessed a worker mixing salsa with his bare hands and found perishable food at dangerously warm temperatures inside the nightclub’s walk-in refrigerator.

The inspector also found hot food left out on the counter from the party held the night before.

The refrigerator was at a rancid 60 degrees instead of 41 — jeopardizing the safety of 50 pounds of raw chicken wings, five pounds of raw shrimp and 100 turkey burgers, the sources said.

Five pounds of cooked mashed potatoes, meanwhile, were left out at a temperature of 89 degrees, while 10 pounds of cooked rice and 50 turkey burgers were kept at 67 degrees. All the hot foods should be at least 140 degrees, the sources said.

The club’s restaurant was immediately closed, and new patrons were barred from entering. Those already inside were allowed to remain.

“If you have a walk-in place with food like this, you put a hell of a lot of people at risk,” said the source. “A night of dinner and dancing should not include the risk of contracting food-borne illness.”

Ron Berkowitz, a rep for the club, explained to TMZ that the motor in the fridge blew just moments before the health inspector arrived, which in turn, caused the temperature to rise.

But kitchen staff quickly detected the problem, and had no intentions of using the food that was stored in the broken fridge, which Berkowitz says was fixed by noon by the next day, and the club re-opened promptly without losing any business.

Pending a court hearing next month, he NYC Health Department gave the club 69 violation points, which is much higher than a score of 28 (a “C” grade).

New dad Jay-Z partied in style as he made his first public appearance since the birth of his daughter Blue Ivy Carter Wednesday night (Jan 18) at the relaunch of his 40/40 nightclub in New York City.

Of course his wife (and new mom) Beyonce stayed at home with their newborn daughter, but there were plenty of other celebs who showed up to party, including Swizz Beatz, Ashanti, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles, producer Rico Love, supermodel Selita Ebanks, filmmaker Spike Lee, record executive Steve Stoute, and many others.

Even Warren Buffett — the THIRD RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD worth around $50 billion — partied with Jay-Z and his industry friends, and was even spotted throwing up the “Roc” sign. (That sh*t cray!)

According to various reports, Jay-Z laid on a champagne tower made of 350 handmade gold Armand de Brignac bottles that stretched from floor to ceiling, and was topped with a stork carrying a baby.

“All that preparation must have been thirsty work – judging from the champagne tower Jay laid on. Nothing like that has ever been created before,” an anonymous source said. “It was a bit [over the top] but he’s [crazy] about his daughter. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her. You’d expect nothing less from the richest man in rap.”

Sounds like everyone had a great time!

Check out over 20+ photos below:

Jay-Z says a poem he supposedly wrote to his newborn daughter Blue Ivy Carter claiming that he would no longer be using the word “bitch” in his music is “fake.”

The rapper spoke to the New York Daily News the day before the star-studded reopening of his 40/40 Club in New York this week, telling them, “That poem and story are fake.”

So there you have it! The word “Bitch” isn’t going ANYWHERE anytime soon … at least when it comes to Jay-Z’s music.

Via TMZ:

Lenox Hill Hospital constructed a suite for VIPs which looks like a Four Seasons penthouse … and the room was christened Saturday when Beyonce gave birth.

TMZ has obtained photos of the room where Blue Ivy came into this world, and it’s baller. There are 4 flat screen TV’s, state of the art electronics, a kitchenette, nice art, mahogany walls and plush furnishings. And take a look at the bed where Jay Z got some shut eye!

Sources connected with the hospital tell TMZ … the suite was not constructed specifically for Beyonce, but it was always intended that Beyonce would be the first patient to use it.

According to the NY Daily News, Lenox Hill staffers wouldn’t confirm if the photos from TMZ are of the exact room Baby Blue was born in. In fact, the entire suite contains at least 7 rooms, each running from $700 to $800 per night, that can be reconfigured to the patient’s specifications.

“I can confirm the photos are of our executive suite,” Lenox Hill spokeswoman Ann Silverman told the Daily News. “There are seven rooms that can be reconfigured, and they run $700 to $800 per night per room. You can do the math,” Silverman said. “There are four rooms on one side and three on the other.”

Word is Beyonce and Jay-Z paid for at least four rooms, which totals at about $3,000 a night. Big money.

Speaking of big and money … take a look at the big, expensive ($140,000 to be exact) Mercedez Benz Beyonce and Jay-Z took Baby Blue Ivy home in below:

[TMZ, NYDN, Van Photos: NYDN]

Beyonce and Jay-Z‘s newborn daughter Blue Ivy Carter isn’t even a week old yet….and already she’s made history!

Following her highly anticipated arrival, Baby Blue appeared as a featured artist on a new song from her daddy called “Glory.”

At the end of the song, Baby Blue makes her musical debut as she cries and coos in the background, taking inspiration from the hit Stevie Wonder classic “Isn’t She Lovely,” which also featured vocals from his then newborn daughter Aisha.

“Glory,” officially billed as “featuring B.I.C.” (an abbreviation for Blue Ivy Carter) enters Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart this week at No. 74, making Blue Ivy the youngest person ever to be credited with gracing a Billboard chart.

Why does B.I.C. claim the mark for youngest charted artist and not Wonder’s girl?

Two reasons: young Aisha was never officially credited on “Lovely” and the song did not reach a Billboard chart until Jan. 29, 1977 (when it entered Adult Contemporary at its No. 23 peak), almost two years after she was born.

Blue Ivy Carter/B.I.C. also benefits from the era in which she born. Technology today allows an advantage in that Jay-Z was able to record and release “Glory” less than 48 after her birth.

After almost 72 years of numbers, positions, peaks, lows, gains and debuts — the first national Billboard chart was published the week of July 27, 1940 — the little princess born to the reigning king and queen of R&B/hip-hop breaks the mold almost concurrently with her arrival into Beyonce’s anticipating, loving arms.

[Billboard]

Blue Ivy is in good company too, as her parents have a few accolades of their own, including dad Jay-Z’s 15 Grammy Awards, and mom Beyonce’s 16 Grammys, as well as her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Now that Blue has made history on the Billboard charts, just like her famous mommy and daddy, she’s an official member of the Carter-Knowles family!

Michelle Willimas has fired back at Twitter users who have recently criticized her for not sending out any congratulatory tweets to Beyonce and Jay-Z this week following the birth of their newborn daughter Blue Ivy Carter.

Shortly after the news broke that Beyonce and Jay-Z’s baby girl was born, lots of celebrities took to Twitter to congratulate the couple, however, one celebrity was missing from the mix, which raised some questions.

When former Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams didn’t tweet about baby Blue Ivy, some crazy azz Beyonce stans users decided to take it upon themselves to ‘put her in check.’

One user wrote, which Michelle retweeted:

RT @tysandsnyc: @RealMichelleW BITCH, YOU BETTER CONGRATULATE YOUR KING ON GIVING BIRTH TO HER CHILD. (Unbelievable)

January 8, 2012 3:55 PM via UberSocial for BlackBerryReplyRetweetFavorite

@RealMichelleW

Michelle Williams

Michelle didn’t take the criticism lightly though. She instantly fired back at the fans questioning her, telling them she’s too close to Beyonce to congratulate her on Internet, where Williams points out the superstar won’t even see it, since she doesn’t even use Twitter.

Let’s get ONE thing straight….I do NOT have to say congrats to someone when they’re NOT on twitter…ESPECIALLY when I talk or email them all the time….or when I’ll be physically present as well…so harrassing and stalking my timeline to see if I’ve mentioned something is POINTLESS!!! My friendship with people aren’t always for twitter display. Respect that and get a LIFE!!! Enjoy this FINE day!!! God bless!!!!

She later tweeted:

This is a beautiful, precious, private time between two people and excitement is to be expected but NOT disrespect! #churchdismissed

January 8, 2012 4:06 PM via UberSocial for BlackBerryReplyRetweetFavorite

@RealMichelleW

Michelle Williams

Apparently, the next day Michelle continued to receive tweets from users who felt like she needed to say something about Blue Ivy on Twitter. A user tweeted, “So no congrats to Beyonce from you ey? Interesting *pauses to think* @RealMichelleW”

Michelle responded, “@10ebaby i Already told her…..IN PERSON……now let it go my love!!!!”

Thoughts?

New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital has issued the following statement (via spokesman Frank Danza) in response to the various inaccurate news reports floating around regarding the birth of Blue Ivy Carter:

“Lenox Hill Hospital and its staff were delighted to welcome the Carter family for the birth of their firstborn on Saturday evening, but we are troubled by the misinformation being circulated in some news media reports. The suggestion that the couple paid $1.3 million to rent an entire maternity floor is simply not true. The family is housed in an executive suite at the hospital and is being billed the standard rate for those accommodations. Our executive suites are available for any patient, including the food service and amenities provided to the Carter family.

“The family does have its own security detail on site. However, the hospital has been and continues to be in control of managing all security at the facility. We have made every effort to ensure minimal disruption to other families experiencing the births of their own children over the past three days. No security plan that we or the Carters’ security team put in place would have prevented or delayed families from gaining access to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and to date, no families have complained to the hospital about being denied access to the NICU.

“Lenox Hill Hospital takes patient privacy and safety very seriously. And while we congratulate the Carter family on the birth of their child, we value the loyalty of ALL of our patients and always strive to ensure a positive experience, knowing that the birth of a child is a wonderful moment producing memories that last a lifetime.”

Now that Beyonce and Jay-Z have finally welcomed their first child into the world, lots of people have questions about why the superstar couple decided to name their newborn daughter “Blue Ivy Carter.”

While there has been no official word from the intensely private couple on why they gave their daughter such a unique name, and how they came up with it, fans of Jay-Z (born: Shawn Corey Carter) have long known that the color ‘blue’ holds a special place in the rapper’s heart.

“My favorite hue is Jay-Z blue,” he raps in the song “Go Crazy” featuring fellow rapper Young Jeezy.

And not only that, but Jay-Z has also has a popular album series called “the Blueprint,” which has seen three releases so far (“Blueprint 1″ – 2001, “Blueprint 2″ – 2002, and “Blueprint 3″ – 2009).

As far as the baby’s middle name “Ivy” is concerned, it’s a well-known fact that Jay-Z and Beyonce (born: Beyonce Giselle Knowles) both have a ‘thing’ with the number 4.

Jay-Z’s Birthday: December 4th
Beyonce’s Birthday: September 4th
The day Beyonce and Jay-Z got married: April 4th
Beyonce’s latest album: “4″
Jay-Z’s next (rumored) solo album: “The Blueprint 4″

And since the Roman Numerals for the number 4 is “IV,” it only makes sense that they would come up with the name “Ivy.” (Get it? I-V?)

READ: Beyonce and Jay-Z Release Statement Confirming Birth of Blue Ivy Carter

There are also some bizarre Illuminati-based theories surrounding BIC’s name, like the theory that “Blu Ivy” spelled backwards is “Eulb Yvi,” which is supposed to be Latin for “Lucifer’s daughter.” Or that “Blue” is an acronym for “Born Living Under Evil,” and “Ivy” stands for “Illuminati’s Very Youngest.”

But of course those are just “theories” made up by people with a lot of free time on their hands who seriously and truly believe that Beyonce, Jay-Z and a number of notable celebrities and public figures are a part of a “secret” society, that isn’t such a secret if everybody knows about it. (Right?)

As the International Business Times points out (regarding the whole “daughter of Lucifer” thing):

Though the Bible doesn’t explicitly say if angels possess the capability of reproduction, there is no mention in the Scripture either of Lucifer having a daughter.

As for the claim that “Eulb Yvi” means “Lucifer’s daughter” in Latin, there is no indication that these words have any Latin meaning. As per Google Translate, “Daughter” in Latin is “Filia” and “Lucifer” is Latin for “Morning Star.” So how is “Eulb Yvi” Lucifer’s daughter?

So there you have it. Lucifer doesn’t have a daughter and isn’t even capable of reproduction. Who would want to have a child with him anyway? Just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense…

What do you think about Beyonce and Jay-Z naming their newborn daughter Blue Ivy Carter?

Take Our Poll

Beyonce and Jay-Z have released a joint statement officially confirming that Beyonce gave birth to a healthy baby girl named “Blue Ivy Carter” on Saturday (Jan 7), as we reported early Sunday morning.

“We are happy to announce the arrival of our beautiful daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, born on Saturday, January 7, 2012,” the joint statement reads.

The usually private couple also provided a few intimate details surrounding the birth of their first child, including how she was delivered “naturally,” and not by C-section, as was reported by various media outlets this weekend.

The statement follows the release of Jay-Z’s new song “Glory,” a dedication to Baby Blue that features a snippet of her voice apparently just moments after her birth.

Hello Hello Baby Blue!

We are happy to announce the arrival of our beautiful daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, born on Saturday, January 7, 2012.

Her birth was emotional and extremely peaceful, we are in heaven.

She was delivered naturally at a healthy 7 lbs and it was the best experience of both of our lives.

We are thankful to everyone for all your prayers, well wishes, love and support.

- Beyoncé & JAY Z

[Beyonce's Facebook]

Beyonce first announced that she was expecting last year on August 28th at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, and since then, up until the very moment it was confirmed that she had given birth, nothing but speculation and curiosity has surrounded the singer and her pregnancy.

Now that Baby Blue Ivy is finally here, the world will have something new to talk about. (Or not, lol)

Congrats to the Carters (officially) on their new arrival!

Baby Carter has barely been here for 48 hours and new daddy Jay-Z has already released a new song called “Glory,” dedicated to his newborn daughter Blue Ivy Carter, who was brought into this world officially on Saturday, January 7th 2011 at a hospital in New York City.

In the song, Jay-Z gives a few never-before-heard details about having his first child with his wife Beyonce, including how the couple previously had a miscarriage and how Blue Ivy was conceived right before Beyonce started working on her latest album “4.”

The Pharrell produced track also features a special guest appearance at the end from baby Blue Ivy herself!

The superstar couple have repeatedly denied requests from The Associated Press to confirm the birth of Blue Ivy, so we’re guessing the release of this new song serves as solid confirmation that Jay-Z and Beyonce did, indeed, welcome their first child together over the weekend.

Take a listen to “Glory” below:

Beyonce and Jay-Z are officially the proud parents of a healthy baby girl!

The most watched celebrity pregnancy in history has now finally come to an end now that various media reports confirm that Beyonce gave birth to a baby girl named “Blue Ivy Carter” via a scheduled C-section at a hospital in New York City late Saturday (Jan 7).

Late Saturday night, The NY Daily News reported that a very pregnant Beyonce, along with her husband Jay-Z (real name: Shawn Carter), had checked into Lenox Hospital on the upper east side of NYC under the pseudonym “Ingrid Jackson.”

Hospital staffers say the couple had rented out the entire fourth floor of the hospital for $13 million, and the floor is being heavily guarded by security, who are patrolling around the clock.

According to the Daily News:

On Saturday night, people were seen bringing bags of takeout and a dozen bottles of red wine onto the heavily guarded hospital wing.

After 11 p.m., even doctors and nurses were barred from entering the fourth floor, prompting one doc to complain that he had patients to see.

In an effort to keep images from leaking to the public, hospital workers placed tape over security cameras and are forcing employees to turn in cell phones when they arrive for their shifts, a source said.

E! Online was the first to break the news that Beyonce and Jay-Z had welcomed their baby girl in a private wing of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Music mogul Russell Simmons, a friend of the couple, were among the first celebrities to celebrate Baby Carter’s new arrival. “Congrats to my good friends Beyonce and Jay-Z,” he tweeted.

An excited Rihanna also sent out a congratulatory message to the Carters. “Welcome to the world princess Carter! Love Aunty Rih,” she tweeted.

Further confirming the news, Beyonce’s hometown paper The Houston Chronicle writes, “Beyoncé has given birth to a girl early this evening in New York, says a close source. Baby and mom are doing fine.”

Reps for Beyonce and Jay-Z have yet to confirm the news. Keep checking back for updates!

Those anxiously awaiting to see Beyonce and Jay-Z cradling their bundle of joy on the cover of a celebrity tabloid magazine whenever the baby makes its grand arrival will be very sad to know that no such thing will ever happen in this lifetime. (Ever!)

Huffpost Celeb‘s Rob Shuter reports:

“They are one of the most private couples,” one magazine editor told me. “We have made several offers to their people about running exclusive images of mother and baby and no one has responded.”

Today, some celebrity babies are splashed across the covers of weekly magazines before they’ve even opened their eyes.

Often when such a deal is made, the contract stipulates that the baby cannot be seen in public for a few weeks before and/or after the magazine hits the newsstands.

“If Beyonce and Jay-Z do decide to share their child with the world, they will probably go the same route as Tom Cruise and Katie [Holmes],” the editor explains.

“Instead of selling the images to a weekly publication, they would give them away for nothing to lock in a cover of a monthly like Vanity Fair. But knowing this couple, it is unlikely we will ever see a staged picture of the child.”

A spokesperson for Vanity Fair declined to comment.

Brad and Angelina broke the record when they sold images of their twins, Knox and Vivienne, for upwards of $12 million, with the understanding that the proceeds would be donated to charity.

Other celebrities who have sold baby pictures include Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Alba, Jamie Lynn Spears and Tori Spelling.

But Beyonce and Jay-Z are so private that, after their 2008 wedding, they refused to even confirm they had tied the knot.

“Everyone reached out to the couple to buy wedding pictures and they refused,” an industry insider revealed. “They have an estimated net worth of over $700 million. It’s not like they need the money.”

[Huffpost Celeb]

31-year-old Ronald Deaver (left) was arrested after he stabbed another man for not knowing Beyonce and Jay-Z (right) were married.

Police say they arrested a 31-year-old man named Ronald Deaver (pictured here) on charges of felonious assault after he allegedly stabbed another man following an argument on New Year’s Eve.

According to confirmed reports, the argument started because the victim didn’t know Beyonce was rapper Jay-Z‘s wife.

Det. Marty Compton of the Parma Police Department tells Fox 8 News that Ronald Deaver, 31, of Parma, was arrested and charged with felonious assault for allegedly stabbing a 48-year-old Garfield Heights man following an argument.

Det. Compton says the fight began because the victim did not know that singer Beyonce’s husband is rapper Jay-Z.

An arrest report obtained by Fox 8 News states the alleged stabbing occurred around 11:00 p.m. on December 31, 2011, outside Deaver’s apartment on Broadview Road.

Det. Compton says authorities were called following the stabbing and the victim was taken to a local hospital. He was later transferred to MetroHealth Medical Center where he is currently listed in good condition.

Police attempted to locate Deaver at his apartment, but according to the report, a woman in the residence, Jennifer Fornari, 31, told officers that Deaver no longer lived there.

Deaver was located by police a short time later and Fornari was arrested on an obstructing justice charge.

[Fox 8]

A man was actually stabbed on New Year’s Eve because he didn’t know Beyonce and Jay-Z were married.

Welcome to 2012, folks!

You may not know who Ester Dean is by name or face, but there’s a pretty good chance you know her from the hits she’s penned for artists like Rihanna (“Rude Boy”), Katy Perry (“Firework”), Nicki Minaj (“Super Bass”) and even Chris Brown.

Now the hit-maker will officially be writing music for her own album after recently signing a management deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation record label, which is already home to artists like the aforementioned Rihanna, Willow Smith, J. Cole and others.

“I’m so Grateful 4 my Team Past and Present! Bringing in the New Year with my new Team @RocNation 2012,” the Oklahoma native tweeted earlier this week.

Dean’s first foray into the music scene as an artist was back in 2009 when the singer/songwriter scored a hit of her own with the Chris Brown-assisted single “Drop It Low.”

Her debut album is due for release sometime later this year under Interscope Records.

Beyonce hosted a screening of her "Live at Roseland: The Elements of 4" DVD on November 20th 2011 in New York City.

The word on the street right now is that Beyonce gave birth to a daughter named “Tiana Marie Carter” over the weekend of Christmas, however a new report from People Magazine states that the 30-year-old singer was clearly eating for two when she was spotted out with her husband Jay-Z on New Year’s Eve at Buttermilk Channel in Brooklyn.

“She was definitely a pregnant lady that night,” said an onlooker. “They sat side by side and had a cozy and intimate dinner. They seemed to be having a lovely time.”

The source said that the parents to be feasted on fried chicken and oysters, and also noted that Beyonce’s fashion sense was on point, as usual.

“She looked amazing. She wore sky-high heels. It was really impressive for an enormously pregnant woman,” added the source. “She looked like she was about to give birth.”

Beyonce also got props from her sister Solange, who tweeted on New Year’s Day, “Shout out to my sister for being THE cutest pregnant woman ever!”

So we guess that’s confirmation that Beyonce Baby Watch is still on.

We’ll keep you updated with the latest.

Check out a few photos below of the last time Beyonce has been seen publicly, when she was out Christmas shopping on December 21st in the SoHo area of New York City.

Rap superstar Jay-Z was spotted laughing it up last night (Tue. Dec 27) as he watched his team (the New Jersey Nets) take on the opposing Atlanta Hawks at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

If we could make a wild guess at what Jay-Z thought was so funny, we’d say he was most likely laughing at that hilarious rumor that popped up on Media Fake Take Out yesterday, claiming that Beyonce was set to deliver “at any moment.”

According to MediaTakeOut.com, Beyonce is expected to give birth “at any moment.”

Two nurses at New York City’s St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital told the celebrity gossip site that an alert was put out last night to the hospital’s nurses and security that a “celebrity VIP” would be arriving today to give birth.

There is no confirmation that the patient is Beyonce, but that’s the buzz throughout the hospital. And it could very well be true. The superstar singer confirmed that she would be 9-months pregnant now during a scene in her “Live at Roseland: Elements of 4″ DVD.

The nurses also dished that half the floor of the hospital’s luxury “Labor And Delivery Suite” has been booked for the mystery VIP. In fact, it’s the same suite that Alicia Keys delivered her son Egypt in last year.

[HuffPo]

Well … looks like there’s no baby (yet)!

And we highly doubt Jay-Z would be chilling courtside at a basketball game in New Jersey if his wife was due to give birth anytime soon. At least we hope not…

Looks like someone is trying to spice things up in the bedroom!

Beyonce was spotted out buying some lingerie at Agent Provocateur in West Hollywood Wednesday afternoon (Dec 14).

Showing off her growing baby bump, the pregnant singer wore a baggy blue striped jumper and dark sunglasses — in attempt to go “incognito” we assume — while she walked around and bought sexy undergarments.

Beyonce recently revealed that she plans to have a quiet Christmas with her husband, rapper Jay-Z.

“I will be with family. We are both so busy throughout the year that Christmas is just a time to relax with family and count the many blessings in your life,” she told New! magazine.

As far as exchanging gifts on Christmas Day is concerned, Beyonce says her presents for her famous husband will most likely be baby related. “We both keep seeing super-cute stuff for the baby, so I am sure even our presents for each other will involve the baby in some way!”

Beyonce’s baby is reportedly due any day now, and could possibly arrive around Christmas.

In “The Chi,” the latest clip from Kanye West and Jay-Z‘s VOYR series — which shows rare, never-before-seen moments of the rap duo while they are on their “Watch the Throne” Tour — Kanye takes Jay-Z along with him as he strolls through his old neighborhood and pays a visit to his childhood home on the Southside of Chicago.

The video also features footage of a backstage conversation between Kanye and famed director Spike Lee.

Watch below:

Whew!

Jay-Z and Kanye really outdid themselves last night (Mon. Dec 12) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles while performing in concert for their “Watch the Throne” Tour.

Beating out their previous record of eight times … “The Throne” performed “N**gas in Paris” nine times this go around. (Yes we said nine!)

Watch “The Throne” below:

We really like that song … but hearing it nine times in a row is enough for us to hate it! #Justbeingreal

Your thoughts?

Jay-Z announced in a press conference Thursday (Dec. 8) that he will headline two concerts at Carnegie Hall next year to benefit the United Way of New York City and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, tickets for the concerts, scheduled for February 6th and 7th 2012, will go on sale publicly on January 30th after a private sale geared towards corporations and high net-worth individuals, ranging in price from $500 to $2,500 a piece.

The rapper would not confirm whether or not his current tourmate Kanye West, or any other guest for that matter, would appear at the concerts. “There’s no guests on the Watch The Throne tour, maybe no guests on this, but some time when there’s guests maybe you’ll be surprised,” he teased.

The Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation, founded by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and his mother Gloria Carter in 2002, has helped award over $1.4 million collage scholarship money to nearly 800 low-income high school students from the Marcy neighborhood of Brooklyn where Jay-Z grew up.

Two of the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation’s successful alumni — Pedro Hernandez and Bianca Darby-Bell — also attended the press conference, held at the Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Check out the photos below:

“You are now Watching the Throne … Don’t let me get in my zone!”

Jay-Z and Kanye West have found their zone … and when that happens, we all know what that means!

In an interview with MTV, Jigga revealed that fans may have a “Watch the Throne” follow-up album to look forward to next year:

“It depends on how this thing finishes up. We — I say ‘we’ because I’m in Throne mode — we’re in a great place creatively. You might see a Jay, then Kanye and a Throne album next year. You know, we’re really in a great place creatively. We really found our zone.”

Despite rumors blazing on the Internet, “X Factor” rapper Astro has NOT signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation record label … at least, not yet.

The bite-sized rapper revealed in an interview with MTV Rapfix that he currently doesn’t have a contract with anyone.

“I don’t have a check or a contract, so as far as I know, I’m not signed. I have never met anyone from Roc Nation. I’d love to, but I’m not signed right now to anyone. Nobody ever hit me up about that — just go on the Internet and it’s up there. But I’m not signed as far as I know.”

But don’t get it twisted …. Astro is still weighing his options and says the perfect place for him will be where he can make music and still have fun.

“I just want to be in a place where I’m comfortable 100 percent. I just want to be able to release my music, do my movies, [and] everything is fair. I just want to be able to have fun doing it. I don’t want music to be a job for me; I want it to be something I’m doing for fun. As long it’s not a job then you’re straight.”

Regardless of who this kid signs with … we already have faith that he’s going to be a huge success. You know Jigga’s probably putting the paper work together right now!

Things are already starting to look up for the Astronomical Kid — also known as “Astro” — after the 15-year-old MC was eliminated from the “X Factor” last week.

According to new (unconfirmed) reports, the teenage rapper has signed (or is in talks to sign) with Jay-Z‘s Roc Nation record label.

“I first heard about this exciting new talent and decided to watch some of his performances,” Jay-Z reportedly said. “Not only was I impressed with his performance, but to see the confidence he sang with, his lyrics and diction were on point.”

The word on the street is that Jay-Z and his camp are also working on getting Astro (real name: Brian Bradley) to do a song with Willow Smith, another young artist on Roc Nation.

You know you saw this coming a mile away.

Rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z — collectively known as “The Throne” — hit the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which aired on TV last night, and performed an energetic rendition of their latest single “N**gas in Paris,” while a pregnant Beyonce watched and sang along from the audience.

Watch The Throne perform below:

Rihanna recently released a video offering fans an intimate look into her private life.

The footage, shot in Rihanna’s hometown of Barbados, shows the Pop singer reminiscing over old baby photos, yearbooks and school report cards with her mother and grandmother.

The video also features footage of Rihanna teaching her younger brother Rajad a few life lessons about balancing work and socializing.

“Don’t listen to mommy, you gotta socialize,” she tells him. “You just have to have the sickest, illest balance … you’ve got to be able to do as much work (as possible) and then socialize. But work first and as long as you’re doing fantastic in work, you can socialize as much as you want.”

In the most emotional moment of the nearly 4 minute clip, which is narrated entirely by Jay-Z, Rihanna hands her grandmother, who she affectionaly calls her “Gran-Gran,” an eternity ring, which has a very touching back-story, as told by Rihanna.

“Gran-Gran, I got you a gift,” she says. “Remember when I was a little girl, you kept saying, ‘(I want an) eternity ring, eternity ring.’ I was like nine years old. I went to the store and I remember asking the person, it was like $1,020. I remember counting how many days I would have to save a dollar from school to get this ring. I said, ‘By 12, I should be able to buy this ring.’ That went through the window! But I found you a very beautiful one at Cartier. And we have matching ones!”

Aww, how sweet!

Watch below:

Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake laughed it up and appeared to have a grand ol’ time together last Thursday night (nov 17) at the 2011 GQ “Men of the Year” party at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, CA. In addition to a few other guys, both Jay-Z and JT have their own special edition GQ covers coming out this month.

Other guests at the party held to celebrate GQ Magazine’s December 2011 “Men of the Year” issue were Lala and Carmelo Anthony, Justin Timberlake’s girlfriend Jessica Biel, actress Paula Patton, comedian Jimmy Fallon, R&B singer/actor Tyrese Gibson, “True Blood” actor Joe Manganiello and many more.

Check out 20+ photos form the 2011 GQ “Men of the Year” party below:

Pallbearers help carry the casket of rapper Heavy D at his funeral service at Grace Baptist Church on November 18, 2011 in Mount Vernon, New York.

Heavy D, who died at age 44 in Los Angeles from what his family said was complications from pneumonia, was laid to rest in a star studded funeral service in his hometown of Mount Vernon, New York on Friday (Nov 18).

A-List stars like like Jay-Z, Will and Jada Smith, Diddy, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Usher, Samuel L. Jackson and many more were all in attendance at the rap legend’s two-and-a-half hour funeral service at Grace Baptist Church, which was reportedly filled to capacity.

A mourner holds the program for Heavy D's funeral service at Grace Baptist Church on November 18, 2011 in Mount Vernon, New York.

Heavy D’s 11-year-old daughter Xea Myers spoke briefly during the service, telling the mourning attendees that her father was “still here, not in the flesh, but in the spirit.”

Diddy also talked about his late friend, including how he helped give him his start in the music industry, and how their longtime friendship continued up until Heavy D’s death.

“He became my friend. He became my brother, and I’m not talking about friend-brother like we cavalierly use the word, I’m talking about a real friend, a real brother,” Diddy said. “Somebody I shared my dreams and my secrets with, somebody that’s been there for me at my lowest point, my darkest hour when nobody wanted to be beside me.”

President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama even offered a few words of encouragement to Heavy D’s family in the form of a note, which was read aloud by Rev. Al Sharpton:

“We extend our heartfelt condolences at this difficult time. He will be remembered for his infectious optimism and many contributions to American music. Please know that you and your family will be in our thoughts and prayers.”

A memorial fund has been set up to help financially aid Heavy D’s young daughter Xea. Details can be found on the website: http://rememberheavyd.com

Beyonce was spotted enjoying some family time down in Miami Tuesday afternoon (Nov 15) with her husband Jay-Z, mom Tina Knowles and nephew Julez.

The pregnant singer was all smiles as she showed off her growing baby bump in a sheer blue dress. In one shot, she can be seen taking a picture of Tina, Julez and Jay-Z (who chose to show off his chest with a white shirt that he left unbuttoned at the top).

Beyonce is reportedly due in February.

[Photos: Necole Bitchie]

Rihanna‘s new album “Talk That Talk” recently leaked (like every other major album before it hits retail) … which means that we can finally hear some new songs, most notably the title track (feat. Jay-Z) … the only feature, besides “We Found Love” (feat. Calvin Harris), on the album!

We also got our hands on Rihanna’s new promotional shots for her new album. Check ‘em out (and take a listen to “Talk That Talk”) below !!

[See post to listen to audio]

[Promo Shots: Rihanna Daily]

Jay-Z graces the cover of GQ’s upcoming “Men Of The Year” December issue, where the soon-to-be father speaks on his relationship with his late father Adnis Reeves (who abandoned his family when Jay was 11 years old) and also reveals how he plans on not just providing for his child, but also being deeply involved in their life.

Check out a few excerpts from the interview below:

On his father abandoning him:

“If your dad died before you were born, yeah, it hurts—but it’s not like you had a connection with something that was real. Not to say it’s any better—but to have that connection and then have it ripped away was, like, the worst. My dad was such a good dad that when he left, he left a huge scar. He was my superhero.”

On meeting with his father before his death:

Just a month before his father died in 2003 from alcoholism … Jay got a chance to meet with him and finally get to say all of the things that had been affecting him for years.

“[I talked about] what it did to me, what it meant, asked him why. There was no real answer. There was nothing he could say, because there’s no excuse for that. There really isn’t. So there was nothing he could say to satisfy me, except to hear me out. And it was up to me to forgive and let it go.”

On physically being there for his child:

“Providing—that’s not love. Being there—that’s more important. I mean, we see that. We see that with all these rich socialites. They’re crying out for attention; they’re hurting for love. I’m not being judgmental—I’m just making an observation. They’re crying out for the love that maybe they didn’t get at home, and they got everything. All the material things that they need and want. So we know that’s not the key.

On him changing diapers:

“Of course, of course. One hundred percent.”

On letting the baby ride in the back of his Maybach:

“Yeah. Wouldn’t that be great? That would be a great picture.”

We’re more than positive the Jiggaman is going to make a great dad … because he’s wise enough to get the job done the right way!

Jay-Z came under fire last week after it was discovered that although the rapper/entrepreneur’s Rocawear clothing line’s new “Occupy Wall Street” inspired T-shirts were produced in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement, they wouldn’t be donating any proceeds to the cause.

“The ‘Occupy All Streets’ T-shirt was created in support of the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement,” a Rocawear spokeswoman said in a statement. “Occupy All Streets is our way of reminding people that there is change to be made everywhere, not just on Wall Street … At this time, we have not made an official commitment to monetarily support the movement.”

Jay-Z was photographed backstage with Russell Simmons at a recent concert wearing an “Occupy All Streets” shirt, and everyone appreciated that he was supporting the protest movement.

Now after receiving tons of backlash, the shirts, originally priced at $22, have suddenly been removed from Rocawear.com with no explanation from the company.

Before the t-shirts were pulled … TMZ spoke with Grim, one of the leaders of the Occupy movement, who told us, “Jay-Z, as talented as he is, has the political sensibility of a hood rat and is a scrotum. To attempt to profit off of the first important social moment of 50 years with an overpriced piece of cotton is an insult to the fight for economic civil rights known as #occupywallstreet.”

UPDATE: Global Grind was able to speak with someone at Rocawear, and a rep explained to them that contrary to the media reports, the “Occupy All Streets” t-shirts have not been pulled.

Rappers Kanye West, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj, as well as rock band Maroon 5, all lended their musical talents to the runway of the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, held last Wednesday (Nov 9) in New York.

After performing his hit “Stronger” and dedicating it to his mom, the late Donda West, who he called his “superangel,” Kanye West was joined onstage by Jay-Z for their first televised performance of “N**gas In Paris,” the next single from their collaboration album “Watch the Throne.”

Next came Maroon 5, who performed their hit “Moves Like Jagger” as the models strutted their stuff down the runway.

Front-man Adam Levine broke away from the band when his girlfriend Anne V. hit the runway, and he serenaded her as the pair walked hand-in-hand down the catwalk.

And last but not least was femcee Nicki Minaj, who helped close out the show with a performance of her hit single “Super Bass.”

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show will air on Tuesday, November 29th at 10 pm ET on CBS.

Kanye West has been making lots of headlines recently for his choice of attire while performing with Jay-Z for their “Watch the Throne” Tour.

Making one of the biggest fashion statements in the world of Hip-Hop to date, the controversial rapper has been spotted wearing a long, leather skirt that he covers up with a long-fitting t-shirt (almost as long as the skirt) on all of he and Jay-Z’s tour dates.

The tour has so far stopped in places like Atlanta, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and more recently New York City’s famous Madison Square Garden.

Surprised at Yeezy’s choice of fashion, a Huffington Post contributor wrote, “We were surprised to see Yeezy assume his macho position as World’s Biggest Hip Hop Star at Madison Square Garden in the unexpected look.”

Another blogger wrote on fashion website TheGloss.com, “It’s interesting that Kanye’s skirt is a little subversive in his super machismo’ed out field of Hip-Hop.”

More photos of Ye in his skirt with Jay-Z are below:

What do you think of Kanye’s skirt?

Kelly, who recently let it slip that her sister and brother-in-law are definitely having a girl, purchased her unborn niece a $5,200 Swarovski-crystal studded Baby Diamond Bathtub.

Beyonce Knowles, Jay-Z and Kelly Rowland attend the Gianni Versace fashion show as part of Milan Fashion Week on January 12, 2008 in Italy. (Photo:D. Venturelli/Wire Image)

According to ABC News, the baby-sized, footed, porcelain tub, crafted by California-based interior designer Lori Gardner, is covered in nearly 45,000 imported crystals.

Gardner reportedly spent more than two months applying the crystals by hand to the tub, which weighs over 3,000 pounds, and is available in several different Swarovski colors, in addition to the pink version Rowland gifted to Beyonce.

The expensive tub will most likely sit inside the 2,200 square foot nursery the extremely wealthy couple is currently building for their unborn daughter.

In comparison, Beyonce and Jay-Z’s baby 2,200 square foot nursery is about the size of four average New York apartments.

“Some people are like, ‘Won’t you be scared to leave your baby in that huge room?’” a source told US Weekly last month.

The already well looked after baby is reportedly due to make her big arrival in February.

Rihanna is giving her fans an exclusive preview of her highly anticipated upcoming album “Talk That Talk,” due to drop November 21st.

Besides Calvin Harris, who penned lead single “We Found Love” and guests on the track, the album, now available for pre-order on iTunes, features only one major appearance, and that’s from her mentor, rapper Jay-Z.

Just before releasing the album snippets, Rihanna tweeted:

“Aaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!! I just want you to HAVE this already!!!!!”

Take a listen below:

“Talk That Talk” Track List (Deluxe Edition):

1. You Da One
2. Where Have You Been
3. We Found Love feat. Calvin Harris
4. Talk That Talk feat. Jay-Z
5. Cockiness (Love It)
6. Birthday Cake
7. We All Want Love
8. Drunk On Love
9. Roc Me Out
10. Watch N Learn
11. Farewell
12. Red Lipstick
13. Do Ya Thang
14. Fool In Love
15. We Found Love feat. Calvin Harris (Extended Mix)

“We’re gonna skate to one song and one song only!”

“No one knows what it means, but it’s provocative … it gets the people going!”

Will Ferrell is flattered to be on Kanye West and Jay-Z‘s “Ni**gas in Paris” track.

In an email sent to MTV News yesterday, the 44 year-old actor revealed that Yeezy was the one who reached out to him over the sample from “Blades of Glory.”

“Kanye reached out to me and I said, ‘Of course,’ ” Ferrell wrote. “I was completely flattered when they asked if they could sample me into the song … and when I heard it for the first time, I just started to laugh because it felt so surreal. But I really did like the song.”

Ferrell liked the track so much … that he even offered to film a piece that could be shown at the Watch the Throne concerts, however things aren’t all the way together yet.

“We were trying to film a piece that they would use on the video boards of their concert, but haven’t gotten it together,” he wrote — and the whole process has opened his eyes to an entirely new career opportunity: Being the go-to sample guy on the hip hop circuit.

But regardless of them ever doing any future collaborations, Will says he still feels pretty damn good.

“It makes me feel very good,” he wrote. “And completely justified for buying a V-neck sweater made out of nothing but diamonds.”

Nice to know someone as big as Will Ferrell can still be humble and appreciative.

[MTV]

Drake and Lil Wayne have decided to give their collaboration album the axe …. at least for now.

Due to them catching a lot of flack from people who compare the project to Kanye West and Jay-Z‘s joint album “Watch The Throne,” the YMCMB rappers plan on postponing their album to a later date and time.

Drake told XXL:

“Me and Wayne scrapped the idea of a collaboration album. We just agreed that it would be looked upon as…It would be sort of this competition [with Watch The Throne]. I feel like it would get caught in this whirlwind of hype. [Wayne] agreed. We just said, ‘If we do it, we’ll do it down the line. But right now is not the time.’”

WOW! We thought they liked the idea of battling with Ye and Jigga, especially with Drake taking subliminal shots in songs like “I’m On One.”

Is it just us or does Weezy and Drizzy seem a little afraid of the competition???

Your thoughts?

Beyonce and Jay-Z are having a baby girl!

Or at least that’s what Beyonce’s BFF Kelly Rowland slipped up and revealed when chatting with US Weekly at the 2011 Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards in London last Thursday night, where the R&B singer won an award for “Ultimate TV Personality” for her role as a judge on the UK version of the “X Factor.”

When asked what she might get for the baby at the upcoming baby shower, an excited Rowland said, “I don’t know. I think her dad is gonna give her everything anyways, all I can give her is love.”

Oops! Did Kelly just use the female pronoun “her” in reference to Beyonce and Jay-Z’s unborn baby?

She sure did. And she “accidentally” confirmed that Beyonce and Jay-Z are having a girl once again with UK media outlet Bang Showbiz:

“I have no idea what I’m going to buy Beyonce at the baby shower because Jay is going to buy that little girl every single thing possible. She won’t be spoilt but she will be very well looked-after. I’ll be on hand for babysitting duties and I’m actually very good with messy diapers!”

While Beyonce and Jay-Z have yet to officially confirm the gender of their baby, speculation about them expecting a girl has been mounting for weeks.

“Beyonce is thrilled she’s having a daughter,”" a close friend of Beyonce’s revealed to US Weekly a few weeks ago. “She and her mother are so close, and she’s wanted to have that relationship with her own child.”

Take a look a few pictures of Kelly Rowland at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards below:

Shawty Mane — Justin Bieber’s rap alter ego — is back!

Showing off his unique rhyming skills, Justin Bieber dropped a few bars over Kanye West and Jay-Z‘s “Otis” beat during a recent visit to Power 106′s “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” radio show.

Watch the Biebs rip it below:

Do you think Justin Bieber can rap?

Jay-Z and Kanye West kicked off their highly anticipated “Watch the Throne” Tour in front of a sold-out crowd at the Philips Arena in Atlanta last Friday night.

According to several reviews, the show started almost 2 hours late, but once the lights dropped and the Hip-Hop titans took the stage, the crowd went “H.A.M” (just like the first song on the set list).

The “visually spectacular show,” as USA Today noted, took place on three separate stages: a T-shaped main stage where both performers entertained the crowd together, as well as two cube-shaped “mini-stages” strategically placed at each end of the arena where the rappers performed separately.

As far as the set list is concerned, we hear over 40 songs were performed, including all of their past and present hits (way too many to name, but the fans should know), as well as some of their new “Watch the Throne” tracks, like “Murder to Excellence,” “No Church in the Wild,” “Lift Off,” “Made in America,” “Otis” and the fan favorite “N**gas in Paris.”

After months and months of anticipation, did Jay-Z and Kanye West live up to the hype? Find out below:

MTV: Every time the crowd thought the two-hour-plus show was over, it wasn’t. First there was “N—as in Paris.” The track’s Will Farrell intro (“We’re gonna skate to one song and one song only”) brought on the moment that everyone was waiting for. As the Atlanta crowd bounced feverishly to the Hit Boy-produced single, Jay halted the proceedings midway: “Start that sh– over,” he barked as the Throne’s most-energetic selection of the night brought the crowd to an apex.

AJC: As the thumping backbeat to “H.A.M.” reverberated through the three-fourths full arena, the two titanic stars of this tour – Jay-Z and Kanye West – faced off from their respective cubes, which rose from the floor into towers of coolness. The pairing of these mega-rappers (aka Hova and Yeezy) is to hip-hop fans what the joint tours of Elton John and Billy Joel have been over the years to middle-aged suburbanites: Bliss. And while the opening night of the 32-date jaunt wasn’t without quibbles – lousy sound, a slightly bloated set list, video footage that sometimes seemed haphazardly assembled – the bottom line is that the guys unveiled a brisk, hits-filled show that was as exhausting to watch as it was entertaining.

XXL: The kings of hip-hop, Jay-Z and Kanye West, descended upon on Atlanta on Friday and Saturday nights to begin their Watch the Throne tour reign and the two couldn’t have been more regal during their performances (Saturday’s set was over two hours long and featured 42 songs). The Brooklyn boy was as sharp as ever, moving between stalwarts such as “Public Service Announcement” with the same ease as newer material like “No Church in the Wild.” ‘Ye, for his part, was typically impassioned, starting with a spark on “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” before ending with a spectacular rendition of “Illest Motherfucker Alive.”

All Hip Hop: After hearing months of hype about and finally hearing the now-classic album Watch The Throne, the concert had a lot to uphold with these monumental names. The “Watch The Throne” concert totally surpassed anything you would expect. From the 50 foot cubes, to the laser show and spectacular visuals, and in-and-out mini sets, the pair moved like a duo that has performed consistently for years.

Idolator: While there was virtually no way a concert featuring Jay-Z and Kanye West could ever be a dud, we have to say the duo lived up to our high expectations with last night’s kick-off of their Watch The Throne tour. The hip hop monarchs performed at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, with an epic set list that featured selections from each artist’s own behemoth catalog of hits as well as their Watch The Throne collaborations.

USA Today: The visually spectacular show took place on a main, T-shaped stage where both entertainers performed together, and also two cube-shaped mini-stages, one at each end of the arena, that rose and lowered. The two rappers performed separately on these cubes, which showed various images (a snarling pitbull, a swimming shark) at different points of the show. Fireballs the size of car tires shot from the floor toward the ceiling during some performances. Two large video screens stretched behind the main stage; a non-stop laser light show added to the oomph factor.

Both artists were onstage — first on those cubes, then on the main stage — for the opening segment of the show, performing songs from the new album, Welcome to the Jungle and Otis, among them. Then they each performed a number of their own hits, sometimes singly, sometimes together. The audience roared when they heard favorites like West’s Monster, Power, Touch the Sky and Gold Digger, and Jay-Z’s Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Big Pimpin’, Izzo (H.O.V.A.) and 99 Problems. “They’ve each had so many hits, I was interested to see how they would go back and forth,” said Tony Wheeler, 36, a Greenville, S.C., radio personality in town for the concert. “I thought they did a really nice job with that. You noticed how they would each do their own thing on some songs, then blend it back together?”

A source recently revealed to In Touch Weekly that Beyonce and Jay-Z are expecting a baby girl:

“Beyoncé is thrilled she’s having a daughter,” confides a close friend of the singer’s, explaining that while Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, would be happy to have a healthy child of either sex, she’d secretly been hoping for a girl. “She and her mother are so close, and she’s wanted to have that relationship with her own child.”

And though she and Jay-Z, 41, are like a second set of parents to their nephew Daniel, Beyoncé is a girlie girl at heart and longs to share her passion for sparkly outfits with a Mini-Me.

Indeed, the singer — who adores the clothes her mom, Tina Knowles, designs for her — has been so eager to play dress-up with her baby that she’s already been breaking the bank at stores ranging from Gucci and Louis Vuitton to Gap and OshKosh B’gosh. “Her family’s afraid there won’t be anything left to buy for her baby shower in December!” the friend laughs.

If this is true, that’s pretty messed up of that so-called ‘friend’ to rat Beyonce and Jay-Z out.

Apparently, her real friends kept the pregnancy a pretty well-guarded secret up until her big VMA reveal. Where’d this tattle tale friend come from?

Just as Beyonce is being questioned about her own pregnancy … more controversy surrounding the superstar and her family has emerged, thanks to her father Mathew Knowles‘ baby mama and former mistress Alexsandra Wright.

In a brand new exclusive interview with Star Magazine, Wright claims that when Mathew found out she was pregnant, he asked her to give up the child they conceived together during their illicit affair, which according to rumors, went on for 18 months, to Beyonce and her rap superstar husband Jay-Z to raise on their own.

“My first thought when he asked me if I would give up our child to Beyonce and Jay-Z was, ‘Are you out of your mind?’ Nothing in the world, no amount of money would make me give up my child, you can’t buy my child from me!” Alexsandra recalled.

“I don’t know why he suggested it,” she continued. “Maybe Mathew thought money could buy anything.”

Wright also said that after she rejected Mathew’s outrageous request, he offered her money to leave his name off the birth certificate, which she also rejected.

Despite the fact that Mathew and Alexsandra had been living together in Beverly Hills (while he was still married to Beyonce’s mother Tina Knowles), he adamantly denied that he was the father of her unborn baby, so she filed a paternity suit in October 2009 when she was 6 months pregnant.

She went on to win the suit, and a judge ordered Mathew to pay $8,200 per month in child support. Shortly afterward, Mathew’s wife Tina, after 30 years of marriage, filed for divorce, which was followed by Beyonce ending her business relationship with him months later.

Alexsandra says she believes that Beyonce knew nothing of her father’s crazy scheme to clear his image.

“I don’t believe that Beyonce or anybody else has a clue about what was flying out of Mathew’s mouth,” she insisted. “I don’t think it was anybody but Mathew.”

Alexsandra says Mathew, who she claims desperately wanted the child and “prayed for a boy,” has never even met his now 20 month old son, but her new boyfriend Harvey Wheldon (of “Celebrity Fit Club” fame) has stepped in and is raising little Nixon as his own.

[Daily Mail]

We’re just one short week away from the kick-off of Kanye West and Jay-Z‘s highly anticipated “Watch the Throne” Tour, and to get fans even more excited, Jay and Ye take us all on a trip down memory lane with a new teaser trailer, which shows clips from some of the duo’s biggest hits over the years.

The “Watch the Throne” Tour officially kicks off next Friday (Oct 28) in Atlanta and will travel to a neighborhood near you.

Watch the newly released trailer above!

T.I. takes the throne back from Jay-Z and Kanye West on his much talked-about remix to “Ni*gas in Paris!”

Listen to the King speak below:

[See post to listen to audio]

Beyonce is featured on the cover of the November 2011 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine, where the “Countdown” singer talks about how she announced her pregnancy to the world at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, living the married life with Jay-Z and how she’s no longer concerned with other people’s opinions about her life decisions.

On her big pregnancy reveal at the 2011 VMAs:
“I put a lot of thought into how I wanted to unveil it. It was important to me that I was able to do it myself. I was extremely nervous. It was the toughest red carpet I ever did. I didn’t want a crazy picture or gossip story to break the news, so I decided to say nothing and proudly show my baby bump. I felt it was more powerful to see the love and enthusiasm as opposed to saying anything.:

On living the married life with her husband, rapper Jay-Z:
“We have been together since I was 20 years old. We took our time and developed an unbreakable friendship before we got married. I admire his ability to inspire others. To me, Jay represents the American dream. Jay’s music has helped define our generation. All that he has overcome and worked to achieve gives millions hope that they can become whatever they want to be. I respect him so much; he is a great man and a great artist.

“We focused three years on our marriage and found that it brought us an even stronger bond and connection. But like anything great and successful in your life, marriage takes hard work and sacrifice. It has to be something both you and your husband deeply want. The best thing about marriage is the amount of growth you have because you can no longer hide from your fears and insecurities. There’s someone right there calling you out on your flaws and building you up when you need the support. If you are with the right person, it brings out the best version of you.”

On her forthcoming maternity line for House of Dereon:
“All I see now are clothes that are flattering on a pregnant woman. It’s been so exciting for me! I love figuring out designs that still make me feel edgy and sexy while pregnant. Flowy fabrics are always flattering says, but I still rock my stilettos. I’ve had so much fun with fashion over the months. I have been pregnant through every event I’ve done, from the Billboard Awards to Glastonbury.”

On the women who inspire her fashion-wise:
“I love Kate Moss. I think she has great style. And I always admire Victoria Beckham and Gisele [Bündchen]. Their style is modern but always classic.”

On where she is in life right now:
“I am finally at the stage in my life where I am not so concerned with other people’s opinions about my life decisions. It is so liberating to really know what I want, what truly makes me happy, what I will not tolerate. I have learned that it is no one else’s job to take care of me but me.”

Gwyneth Paltrow on her BFF Beyonce:
“Our best times have been when we are just sitting around in sweatpants, having a glass of wine, chatting about life,” Paltrow says. “B is wise beyond her years. She has taught me the value of speaking your mind. She is clear and honest and true to herself while being respectful. She will be an incredible mother because she is so full of love and she knows who she is.”

[HB]

Pregnant and glowing singer Beyonce rocked the make-up free look as she and her husband Jay-Z were accompanied by Kanye West on a recent shopping trip at Intermix in New York City.

More pics of the talented trio are below:

Now that Beyonce is pregnant, her sense of smell is really strong. So strong, in fact, that her husband Jay-Z doesn’t smell so good to her anymore.

While promoting her new Pulse fragrance last week, regarding Jay-Z’s scent, the singer told ET Canada:

“Oh! My nose is like [mimics radar] ‘doot, doot, doot’! I smell everything! It enhances it. If it smells bad, I smell it! My husband’s fragrance, his one that I always love, I hate right now. So, thank God I love this one [laughs].”

She also spoke on still being afraid of her mother Tina Knowles. When asked if she still had moments where she’s like “Ooh, my mom would not like this,” she said:

“Absolutely! I was doing a photo shoot and I was like, a little too risque and I heard a noise that sounded like my mom’s footsteps because she walks really heavy, I was like AHH! [covers herself up]. [Laughs]“

Watch the interview below: