After three days of deliberations, on Friday (May 11), a Chicago jury found William Balfour GUILTY of murdering three members of R&B singer Jennifer Hudson‘s family, including her mother, brother and nephew.

Balfour — Hudson’s former brother-in-law — was convicted of 1st degree murder in the tragic shooting deaths of Jennifer’s mother Darnell Donerson, her brother Jason Hudson and her 7-year-old nephew Julian King in October 2008.

Prosecutors described Balfour’s heinous crime as a spiteful act of vengeance from a jilted husband who had previously threatened to kill Julia Hudson (Jennifer’s sister) and her family if she ever left him.

The day before the murders, prosecutors say Balfour became enraged after he saw balloons outside the home that he thought were from Julia’s new boyfriend.

The next day, prosecutors say Balfour went inside the three-story house at around 9 a.m. and used a handgun to kill Hudson’s 57-year-old mother in the living room before he shot her 29-year-old brother twice in the head as he lay in bed.

Balfour allegedly drove off in Jason Hudson’s SUV with Julian inside. Authorities say he eventually shot the 7-year-old boy in the head and fled the car.

In addition to the murder charges, Balfour was also convicted of home invasion and residential burglary.

In this courtroom sketch, Jennifer Hudson, center, along with her fiance David Otunga, and sister Julia Hudson react in court in Chicago on Friday, May 11, 2012, after a jury convicted William Balfour for the October 2008 killings of her mother, brother and nephew. (AP Photo/Tom Gianni)

Jennifer Hudson, who attended every day of testimony, was reportedly overcome with emotion as the guilty verdict was read Friday. Balfour, on othe other hand, showed no emotion, according to AP reports.

Neither Jennifer nor her sister spoke to reporters, but the two released a joint statement after the verdict.

“It is our prayer that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour of these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday,” they said in the statement, which also thanked prosecutors for their “dedication and tireless work.”

William Balfour faces a mandatory life prison sentence, and his public defender Amy Thompson — who believes Balfour is innocent — plans to appeal the verdict.

Emotions ran high Monday (Apr 23) as Jennifer Hudson bravely took the stand to testify in the murder trial of William Balfour, the man accused of killing her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew nearly 4 years ago in Chicago.

Dressed in all black with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, Hudson — the first witness called after Balfour’s prosecutor and defense attorney’s opening statements — spoke in a quiet voice and was asked by the judge to speak up at one point.

Though Hudson’s sworn statement wasn’t related to the murders, since she wasn’t at the home or even in Chicago at all when they occurred, the former “American Idol” finalist’s testimony included details about her family, and how they didn’t like Balfour and didn’t want her sister Julia Hudson to marry him.

“I would tell Julia over and over again not to marry William,” Hudson said as her voice cracked and she struggled to hold back tears. “None of us wanted her to marry him; myself, my mother, or my brother, we did not like how he treated her and I didn’t like how he treated my nephew.”

When she was asked to identify Balfour, she poked her head around the judge’s bench and pointed right at him. “He’s sitting right there,” she said.

William Balfour's mugshot

Balfour is accused of shooting and killing Hudson’s mother Darnell Donerson, her brother Jason Hudson and her 7-year-old nephew Julian King on October 24th 2008. Prosecutors believe he acted out of spite after Julia told him that she wanted a divorce.

In her sworn testimony, Hudson recalled the day she found out that her family had been murdered. She said she knew something was wrong when she woke up in Tampa, FL one morning and hadn’t heard from her mother.

“I noticed that — I’m looking to see the text from my mom and it wasn’t any,” she said. “I kept sitting there wondering, like that’s strange. That was the first thing I said, ‘My mom didn’t text me.’”

Hudson says a phone call an hour later from her frantic sister was how she found out her mother and brother had both been murdered, and her young nephew was missing.

“My sister called my fiance’s phone,” she recalled. “I remember it like yesterday, obviously. And he couldn’t understand what she was saying because she was so hysterical and I grabbed the phone from him and that’s when she told me.”

Jennifer said she flew back immediately to Chicago to identify the bodies of her mother and brother at the morgue, and offered a $100,000 reward to help find her nephew.

“We were trying everything, anything we could do to get him back,” she said.

Unfortunately, two days after posting the award, Hudson was asked to return to the morgue to identify Julian’s body, which had been discovered in a vehicle stolen from the Hudson family’s home.

Darnell Hudson Donerson and her 7-year-old grandson, Julian King, in a photograph at a makeshift memorial outside Donerson's home in Chicago.

Hudson reportedly struggled to maintain her composure as she remembered happier times with her nephew, saying, “It was always me and my Tugga Bear. That’s what I called him.”

When asked to identify her mother Darnell Donerson in a photo, the Oscar winner answered, “That’s my mommy.”

Hudson’s testimony also offered a little insight into the financial support she provided for her family, particularly after she won the Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007.

In the months before the murders, Hudson had purchased a computer for her sister, a car for her brother, and she also left her mother several signed checks to pay utility bills.

Prosecutors will likely point to the financial assistance Hudson provided in an effort to dispel a claim from the defense that Jason Hudson (her brother) sold drugs to support the family.

During opening statements, Defense Attorney Amy Thompson suggested to jurors that the killings could have stemmed from alleged drug dealing by Jason Hudson in the crime-ridden South Side neighborhood where they lived.

The defense’s argument is that police pinned the murders on Balfour because they were pressured to make an arrest due to the attention placed on the case.

“As soon as that (that a celebrity was linked to the case) became known, they knew coverage would explode,” Thompson said. “The police were on the hook. They had to find their man and find him fast.”

In addition, there are no known witnesses to the slayings, and it’s not clear what physical evidence (including fingerprints or DNA) exists. During her opening statement, Thompson said DNA found on the gun and fingerprints found in the SUV didn’t match Balfour’s.

A makeshift memorial for Jennifer Hudson's mother, nephew and brother is seen outside Darnell Donerson's home in Chicago in this October 28th 2008 file photo

The killings happened the day after Julia Hudson’s birthday, she revealed in her testimony. The day before the murders, prosecutors say Balfour became enraged after he saw balloons outside the home that he thought were from Julia’s new boyfriend.

The next day, Prosecutors say Balfour went inside the three-story house at around 9 a.m. and used a handgun to kill Hudson’s 57-year-old mother in the living room before he shot her 29-year-old brother Jason twice in the head as he lay in bed.

Balfour allegedly drove off in Jason Hudson’s SUV with Julian inside. Authorities say he eventually shot the 7-year-old boy in the head and fled the car.

Balfour has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2008 slayings. If convicted of at least two of the murder counts, the 30-year-old will face a mandatory life sentence of life in prison.

[Sources: AP, Chicago Tribune]

Jennifer Hudson returned to her stomping grounds on “American Idol” last night.

The former finalist took to the stage with R&B singer Ne-Yo to perform their “Think Like a Man” track.

Watch the performance below:

[Video Credit: Yardie]

Jennifer Hudson is a woman in charge in the music video for “Think Like A Man,” which also features Ne-Yo, Rick Ross and appearances by funnyman Kevin Hart.

Watch below:

Rihanna cops a feel of Katy Perry‘s leg in the front row, Lady Gaga plants a kiss on Paul McCartney‘s cheek, Chris Brown hangs out with Stevie Wonder backstage, and Lil Wayne — dressed in pajamas — sits in the audience with his daughter Reginae, while Drake kicks back with his father.

Those are just some of the candid moments that weren’t shown during the 2012 Grammy Awards‘ live telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday night (Feb 12)!

Check out 25+ candid shots from the 2012 Grammys below, with appearances from Diana Ross, LL Cool J, Amber Rose & Wiz Khalifa, Alicia Keys & Swizz Beatz, Adele, Jennifer Hudson, Bruno Mars and others:

Jennifer Hudson could hardly hold back her tears last night at the 2012 Grammys as she performed a touching rendition of Whitney Houston‘s “I Will Always Love You” in tribute to the R&B icon who suddenly and unexpectedly died over the weekend in Hollywood.

Hudson’s rendition of the classic song was beyond perfect, as if she she was channeling the late Whitney Houston herself. And she was, because her performance was an almost exact replica of Houston’s performance of the same song at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards 20 years ago.

Throughout the performance, Jennifer appeared to be holding back tears, but when she finished, she couldn’t hold them back anymore and she finally gave in to her emotions, letting the tears flow as the audience went wild with applause.

Watch below:

R&B icon Whitney Houston will be remembered with a set of tribute performances at tonight’s Grammy Awards.

Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow confirmed last night at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party that Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan will honor Houston — who died unexpectedly yesterday in Los Angeles — Sunday night at the 2012 Grammy Awards.

“It’s too fresh in everyone’s memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize Whitney’s remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and in particular her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years,” Ken Ehrlich, executive producer for the Grammys, announced on CNN.

Further details regarding the Whitney Houston tribute — which unfortunately had to be planned and put together at the last minute — are unknown. Neil Portnow issued the following statement yesterday:

“Six-time GRAMMY winner Whitney Houston was one of the world’s greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades. Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.”

There are rumors floating around that Beyonce, Patti LaBelle and Celine Dion will also perform tonight at the Grammys, however those reports haven’t been confirmed.

Jennifer Hudson says the birth of her 2-year-old son David Jr inspired her to take control of her health and lose weight.

Jennifer Hudson shows off her “80 pounds lighter” body on the cover of the February 2012 issue of Good Housekeeping.

Shortly after giving birth to her son David Jr, Jennifer became the spokesperson for Weight Watchers and ended up losing at least 80 pounds, putting her at a size 6.

“I feel like a doll that I get to dress up!” she says in her interview with the magazine.

“It’s crazy. They have to drag me off the red carpet! Because now it’s like, ‘You’re going to take a picture of what I’m wearing? You’re looking at me?’ I live for it.”

The R&B singer also admits that her 2-year-old son isn’t at all familiar with the old her, and doesn’t recognize her in old photos.

“He’s never known me overweight,” she says. “If he sees a clip of the old Jennifer from Dreamgirls, he doesn’t know who it is.”

Jennifer says that it was becoming a mother that really inspired her to take control of her life and join Weight Watchers.

“Everything changed the day my son was born,” she says. “Motherhood brought tremendous responsibilities … none greater than the obligation I felt to get healthy and be there for my son..”

“David deserved to have a mama who could run after him without getting wounded or tired, to have a role model who could teach him to make healthy food choices. I needed him to grow up with a mama who always would be there for him by caring enough about herself to take control of her health and her eating,” Hudson said.

Jennifer also explained how she inspired her family to join the Weight Watchers program and shed some pounds of their own.

“Over 75 of them are on Weight Watchers, and they’ve lost over 2,000 pounds altogether,” she proudly told the magazine. “My cousin beat me, she’s lost 112 pounds!”

[Good Housekeeping]

Jennifer Hudson sings beside her former, heavier self in a brand new commercial supporting her campaign to promote the Weight Watchers weight loss plan.

The interesting clip, which aired last week during the X Factor finale, shows the R&B singer in two forms (the old Big Jennifer and new Skinny Jennifer) as she belts out a rendition of the inspirational tune “I Believe In You and Me.”

Watch the commercial below:

VH1 hosted their “Divas 2011″ concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City Sunday night (Dec 18).

Among the celebrities who walked the red carpet just before the ceremony took place were R&B singers Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott and Chaka Khan, as well as rappers 50 Cent and Common, Pop singer Jessie J and country music legend Dolly Parton.

Some of the other celebs who were spotted on the VH1 Divas 2011 red carpet were Nas, Mary J. Blige, Travie McCoy, Florence Welch, Lala Anthony and more.

Check out 25+ pics from the red carpet of the VH1 Divas 2011 concert in NYC below:

The Obamas were joined by a host of celebs — including Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, Cee-Lo Green, Conan O’Brien, Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice and The Band Perry — as they all got into the festive spirit Sunday (Dec 11) in Washington D.C. at the annual Christmas in Washington ceremony.

“This is the season to celebrate the story of how, more than two thousand years ago, a child was born to two faithful travelers who could find rest only in a stable, among cattle and sheep,” President Barack Obama, who was accompanied by First Lady Michelle and the First Daughters Sasha and Malia, said near the close of the concert, which was hosted by Conan O’Brien.

“He was no ordinary child,” Obama said. “He was the manifestation of God’s love. And every year we celebrate His birth because the story of Jesus Christ changed the world.”

Singers Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, Cee-Lo Green, Conan O’Brien and Victoria Justice took turns singing classic holiday tunes like “This Christmas,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Let It Snow,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Away In a Manger,” “Silent Night” and several others during the concert, which is set to air on TV this Friday (Dec 16) on TNT.

Check out 20+ pics below:

Jennifer Hudson was spotted out Thursday afternoon (Dec 8) with the two most important men in her life: her super-buff fiance David Otunga and their adorable 2-year-old son David Jr.

Rumors swirled earlier this year that Jennifer and David had called it quits, however reps for the singer/actress, along with these new photos of her and her family out and about in Beverly Hills, California, proved those reports to be false.

Jennifer covers the December 2011/January 2012 issue of Ebony Magazine, where she talks about how her fiance saved her life back in October 2008 when her family members were murdered.

“He wanted me to come out to Florida with him instead of going to Chicago,” Hudson explains. “I flew out to see him; that’s why I’m still here. That’s one of the things that saved my life. Because I could have been home with my mom then. I’ve never said that before, and I can’t believe I just said that now. But I didn’t know.”

Check out the photos of Jennifer Hudson with her family out in California below:

Dressed in an elegant, form-fitting blue gown, Jennifer Hudson shows off her curves as she covers the December 2011/January 2012 issue of Ebony Magazine, where she talks about a number of topics, including marriage, motherhood, her weight loss, and how attending an event with her fiancee David Otunga back in October 2008 basically saved her life.

On a sad day in October 2008, the “Dreamgirls” star’s mother, nephew and brother were tragically shot and killed. But what most people don’t know is that Hudson was originally supposed to be with them on that very same day, however, her fiancee David Otunga asked her to attend one of his WWE fights in Florida.

So instead of being in Chicago with her family, she flew out to Florida to be with her fiancee, something she recalls saved her life.

“He wanted me to come out to Florida with him instead of going to Chicago,” Jennifer explains. “I flew out to see him; that’s why I’m still here. That’s one of the things that saved my life. Because I could have been home with my mum then. I’ve never said that before, and I can’t believe I just said that now. But I didn’t know.”

Speaking on her weight loss and the controversy behind Joy Behar from ‘The View’ saying she was a size zero, Hudson said, “I am going to finally address that size-zero thing that Joy [Behar] said on The View. Hell I wasn’t even on the show. I never said I was a size zero. I got crucified by I don’t know how many people who cussed me out because they said I’m putting out the wrong message and telling people to be a size zero. I got called every name under the sun and was told, ‘You should be ashamed of yourself for talking about being that size.’ Well, honey, when I do say I’m that size, then give me that speech. I never said that.”

The 2011 American Music Awards took place at the Nokia Theater L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California last night (Sun. Nov 20).

The annual showcase of American music was quite the star-studded spectacle too, with red carpet appearances from the likes of Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Soulja Boy, Taio Cruz, Miguel and many more.

Take a look at over 20+ photos from the red carpet of the 2011 AMAs below:

Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Hudson, Chace Crawford, Blake Lively, were among the celebrities who joined Donatella Versace and H&M Tuesday night (Nov 8) to celebrate the launch of Versace for H&M in New York City.

Check out the pictures below:

Singer/actress Jennifer Hudson was spotted yesterday (Tue. Nov 8) as she took her 2-year-old son David Otunga Jr. for a quick stroll down New York City’s Fifth Avenue while she listened to her iPod on and off.

Hudson’s reps recently confirmed that her engagement to David Jr.’s dad is still on, despite recent reports of a break-up.

During a Fashion’s Night Out event in Japan for Tokyo Fashion Week over the weekend, the Oscar and Grammy winner flashed her huge diamond ring to prove that she and her fiance are still together.

More pics of J-Hud in NYC are below:

Jennifer Hudson has denied reports that she and her fiance David Otunga (aka “Punk” from I Love New York) have called off their wedding.

Star Magazine sparked the rumors in their latest issue, claiming that the couple were calling off their nuptials due to them “clashing over Jennifer’s career obsession, commitment issues and reluctance to have more children.”

A so-called ‘insider’ told the magazine, “They were going to tie the knot in August in Jennifer’s hometown of Chicago…but it’s not going to happen,’ an insider reveals.”

But Hudson’s publicist is shooting down those reports, telling E! News, “I can confirm that the story is not true.”

Guess that clears that up. The Hudson/Otunga wedding is still ON!

Jennifer Hudson teams up with David Guetta for the “Night of Your Life.”

Check out the track, due to appear on Guetta’s forthcoming album “Nothing But the Beat” (due out Aug 29) below:

“I didn’t even know I was considered plus-sized until I came to Hollywood” the 29 year old said. “I thought I was the perfect size!”

She was more shocked when asked by an interviewer about her size. “An interviewer asked me ‘How does it feel to be plus-sized in Hollywood?’ I looked around, like, Who is she talking to? Oh, me? I’m plus-sized? In the neighborhood I’m from in Chicago, a 16 is normal. But in Hollywood, everyone looks exactly the same, so I stood out” Jennifer said.

The “Dreamgirls” actress disclosed that it was her pregnancy that pushed her to make the decision to shed the pounds. “I thought, hold on – why doesn’t anybody know I’m pregnant?” she admits. “And I wanted to set a good example for my son.”

To date Jennifer has lost an astonishing 80 pounds, and went from a size 16 all the way down to a 6. She now says of her inspiring weight loss, “I’m prouder of my weight loss than my Oscar!”

Oscar winning actress Jennifer Hudson has kept her late nephew Julian King’s memory alive by celebrating his life at the first Julian D. King Gift Foundation Hatch Day celebration at the De La Salle Institute in Chicago.

Along with her sister Julia (Julian’s mother), the “Where You At” singer wore t-shirts that read “Happy 10th Birthday Julian” as they handed out back to school supplies to children. Jennifer’s cute son David Daniel Otunga Jr. was also at the event, where over 2,000 Chicago elementary school students received school supplies and got to create their own custom backpacks.

Julian D. King was tragically murdered back in 2008 along with Jennifer & Julia Hudson’s brother and mother. Both ladies explained how Julian loved school and helping others.

“It feels good to give back to children as he was a child,” Julia said. “And also to help inspire your kids — that’s one of the things that helped me growing up to know that, ‘Wow if this is in my presence, then I can achieve and I can do it, too,’ and we want to send out that same message to the youth of today.”

President Barack Obama recently hit the big 5-0 and celebrated the occasion at two fundraisers in Chicago, and with an exclusive, invite-only party at the White House with a few high profile names, like Jay-Z, Chris Rock, Tom Hanks and R&B singer Jennifer Hudson who reportedly sang “Happy Birthday” covered The Beatle’s “Let It Be.”

“I could not have a better early birthday present than spending tonight with all of you,” Obama told the crowd Wednesday night. “It is true that I turn 50 tomorrow, which means that by the time I wake up, I will have an email from AARP, asking me to call President Obama and tell him to protect Medicare,” he joked.

The Chicago fundraising events on Wednesday night (Aug 3) doubled as kick-off events for Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

The President hosted a private celebration the next night (Thu. Aug 4) at the White House, where he invited close friends and family to a reception held in the Rose Garden. Attendees included Hip-Hop titan Jay-Z, comedian Chris Rock, actor Tom Hanks, Rev. Al Sharpton, Charles Barkley, Grant Hill, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and more.

Chris Rock tweeted late Thursday night:

“Just left the Presidents birthday party at the White House. Herbie Hancock played, Stevie Wonder sang and yes they did the electric slide. A great night!”

Check out a few pics below, as well as the video footage of Jennifer Hudson singing Happy Birthday” to President Obama:

Happy Birthday President Obama!

Jennifer Hudson‘s life has changed dramatically over the past few years … especially now that she’s lost over 88 pounds with the help of Weight Watchers!

In a brand new interview with Daily Mail, the “Dreamgirls” star showed off her new size 6 figure as she posed for a new photo shoot and talked about the doors that have been thrown open for her now that she’s nearly 100 pounds lighter. But does she agree that the odds are against plus-size women in the industry?

“No, because I was doing OK before,” Jennifer says. “But the truth is, so many more opportunities open up when you’re on the other side, as I am now. I’d no idea what I was missing out on. It’s like a whole other world. Suddenly every designer wants to dress you. It’s like, ‘You look amazing! Please, choose a dress. Have a bag. And what about shoes?’ I mean, wow!”

Peep more excerpts (and additional shots) below:

Is all the flattery, not to mention the freebies, hard to resist?
“My look is led by what I feel good in. If I’m not comfortable in something, I won’t wear it – no matter whose name is on the label.”

On acknowledging that the reality of slimmed-down stardom is more exciting than she ever imagined:
“To be able to sing at this level is a blessing in itself, and I got publicity for what I was doing before I dieted. But never to this extent. Now, whenever I open a magazine, I seem to see myself there. And I get to dress up every day and have someone take photos of it all. For someone who loves fashion, it’s like living the dream. Of course there are those mornings when I think, ‘Please don’t look at me right now!’ But you just have to pull yourself together, get out there and do your job. I mean, how lucky am I to be in this position?”

On being dressed down at home:
“When it’s mommy time at home, the supermodel me – black Barbie, as I call her – is definitely not in the house. I don’t want to be all glammed-up in big hair and full make-up. I need to relax, to breathe and to concentrate on my son.”

On continuing her career after the murders of her mother, brother and young nephew:
“You have no choice but to keep going,” she says quietly. “What else are you going to do? It’s called life and you’ve got to be prepared to deal with whatever it brings your way.

On being an inspiration to others:
“I’ve never heard the word ‘inspiration’ as often as I have this past year. I get stopped in the street, in airports, everywhere, by people saying, ‘You’re my inspiration,’ and I don’t begin to know how to respond. What did I do to deserve it and what do I say? Like with the weight loss… I’d no idea so many people were watching me or that they cared.”

On her son David Jr:
“He’s very much his own person, a little performer who loves to sing and dance,” she says. “He’s so charming, too. Yes, I’m biased, but I’ve never seen a child with such presence. He says ‘hi’ or ‘bye bye’ to everyone when he comes in or out of a room, and goes round blowing kisses to everyone. My phone is completely backed up from videoing everything he does, because he surprises me constantly.

“When I found out I was pregnant and went for the scan, he was so very little. To have that memory fresh in my mind and yet to now have this boy with me, dancing and laughing…”

On taking her position as a role model seriously:
“My message to young people is to stay positive and not to doubt their dreams,” she says. “There are things we long to do in life but think we’re not good enough or clever enough to make happen. Just go for it! Dreams do come true. If anyone’s proof of that, it’s me.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW

Oscar winner and star of the upcoming new Winnie Mandela biopic Jennifer Hudson is back with the music video her second single “No One Gonna Love You” from her sophomore album “I Remember Me.”

Check out the Diane-Martel directed video, which features actor Hassan Johnson of “The Wire” fame as her love interest, below:

Jennifer Hudson was rushed to a New York hospital yesterday morning for food poisoning.

According to her publicist, she was taken to the emergency room after performing on “Good Morning America.”

“After performing on ‘Good Morning America’ earlier today, Jennifer Hudson went to the hospital due to severe abdominal pains. She was treated for food poisoning and released.”

Get better Jen!

Check out pics (and video footage) from her “Good Morning America” appearance/performance below:

Stars packed into Milk Studios in Hollywood, CA last Thursday (May 12) as AT&T and Samsung hosted a launch event for Samsung’s new Infuse 4G phone.

The event, which featured a headlining appearance and performance from rapper Nicki Minaj, saw dozens of red carpet appearances from lots of stars, including Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Rowland, Keri Hilson, Ron Artest and plenty others.

Take a look at 20+ pics from the party below:

Talk show host Jimmy Fallon hosted a week long tribute to Jamaican reggae legend, Bob Marley and both Lauryn Hill and Jennifer Hudson helped pay homage to the late great icon.

Mother to his 5 grandchildren and married to his son Rohan Marley, Lauryn paid tribute by belting out classics such as “Could You Be Loved” and “Chances Are”.

Jennifer Hudson lent her strong vocals to the classic “No Woman, No Cry”.

Check out the footage below:

Jennifer Hudson hosted a Weight Watchers Walk-It Challenge Tuesday afternoon (May 10) at the Namaste Charter School in her hometown of Chicago. The singer/actress also presented the Alliance for a Healthier Generation with a $100,000 check donated by Weight Weight Watchers.

Rapper Fabolous sat down with students from the Garden of Dreams Foundation for a “Fuse Rocks the Classroom” taping at Fuse Studios yesterday (Tue. May 10) in New York City.

“Gossip Girl” star Blake Lively attended the Chanel Collection Croisiere Show 2011-12 at the Hotel du Cap in Cap d’Antibes, France early Monday (May 9). Lively is among the many stars attending the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Shania Twain made an exclusive appearance for her book signing for “From This Moment On” Monday afternoon (May 9) at Indigo Manulife Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Actress Sanaa Lathan came out to the “By The Way, Meet Vera Stark” Off-Broadway Opening Night-After Party (May 9) at Trattoria Dopo Teatro in New York, NY.

Halle Berry was in attendance at the 18th Annual EIF Revlon Run/Walk For Women at eh Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Cali Saturday (May 7).

The entire Kardashian Klan, minus the little Jenner girls, were on hand for the City of Hope gala at Universal Studios in Hollywood Saturday evening (May 7). Pictured above from left to right is Bruce and Kris Jenner, and Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Rob Kardashian.

Kelly Rowland was spotted Saturday (May 7) at Beso Steakhouse At Crystals CityCente in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lauryn Hill performed during Day 6 of the 2011 New Orleans Jazz Festival in Louisiana Saturday afternoon (May 7).

And singer/songwriter Bruno Mars stopped by radio station Q102 in Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon (May 7) to talk about his “Hooligans in Wondaland” tour and perform a few singles from his successful debut album Doo Wops & Hooligans.

Grammy award winning songstress Jennifer Hudson made a guest appearance on ”Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” this past Tuesday night (May 3). Hudson and the late-night funnyman talked about the Met Gala, her album cover and getting her start singing at weding and funerals, where she proceeded to sing “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” the song she would always choose to perform.

The R&B diva also performed “No One Gonna Love You,” a track from her latest album I Remember Me, alongside Fallon’s house band The Roots.

Check out J-Hud in all her beauty below:

Interview & “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”

“No One Gonna Love You” with The Roots

Mary J. Blige hosted her 2nd Annual Mary J. Blige Honors Concert to benefit her FFAWN (Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now) last night (Sun. May 1) at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.

Singers Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson and Jill Scott were among the many celebrities who, in addition to actresses Evan Rachel Wood and Kerry Washington, came out to support Mary J. and her cause.

Check out 10+ pics below:

During this week’s episode of ABC’s hit “Dancing with the Stars,” soulful Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson blessed the audience with remarkable performances of  her new tracks “Don’t Look Down” and “Feeling Good“ off her recently released album I Remember Me!

Check out her amazing performances below:

Jennifer Hudson made a 12 year-old’s dreams come true yesterday on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show!”

The Grammy-award winning singer joined Savannah Robinson (who was found on YouTube by Ellen) on stage to perform “And I’m Telling You.” And we expected Jennifer Hudson to do good, but little Savannah did her thing too!

Watch the performance below:

Jennifer Hudson’s new slim figure has all the heads turning,  but the singer/actress claims her fiance is still getting used to her sexy new shape.

The singer stopped by ‘The Tonight Show’ to chat with Jay Leno last week, and revealed that her 80-pound weight loss was a huge change for her fiance David Otunga. Hudson said of her fiance’s response to her new look:

“He’s getting adjusted to it. He’s not really into change that much.”

Hudson admits she’s definitely more into fashion and clothes now that she’s proud of her new figure, but said Otunga doesn’t always get her new style.

“He fusses at me like, ‘Why do you have to have to get all dressed up to go out, and why can’t you just go out like you used to?’” And I’m like, ‘I’m a walking billboard now, honey!’”

Still getting adjusted? What’s wrong with you “Punk?” Jennifer Hudson is a bad mama jama! We’ll gladly take her off your hands if you don’t like her new look.

Check out a few pics of the sexy R&B diva below posing and performing at AOL Music’s “Sessions” at AOL Studios in New York City Saturday (Mar 26).

Looks like Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson has a little star in the making on her hands. On her recent appearance on “The View,” the Dreamgirls actress beamed as she brought her son, David Daniel Otunga Jr. out during her interview. When showing some home footage of her little man, he wasted no time in taking the mic and sharing his thoughts with the audience.

After she covered topics such as her remarkable weight loss, “American Idol” and what she has learned from life’s lessons, the Academy Award winner took to the stage to serenade the studio audience with her new single, “Where You At.”

Check out J-Hud’s performance and interview below:

Jennifer’s second studio album, I Remember Me is out in stores now!

Jennifer Hudson may have the next big superstar on her hands! Well…it might take a little while, but whoever said there was anything wrong with foreshadowing?

In a recent interview with MTV, the Grammy-award winning singer revealed that her son Daniel Otunga Jr. is already displaying a love for music.

“He’s very musical. He just loves music overall, and he’s into it. I feel like I had a little Michael Jackson. He’d be in the backseat of the car, [moving] his little shoulder to anything that comes on the radio, and then I turn around like, ‘What are you doing?’ And he laughs like, ‘Ha! What, you didn’t think I had that move?’ “

Hudson went on to add that he easily recognizes her voice … even when it’s on commercials.

“He knows mommy’s voice. If my commercial is on, he’ll walk out the room, ‘That’s my momma!’”

If little Daniel does become the next Justin Bieber or kid star … remember, we said it here first!

Your thoughts?

Jennifer Hudson spreads some positive words in her newest music release “I Got This”. The track is off J.Hud’s upcoming album I Remember Me, due in stores March 22nd.

Check it out below:

Jennifer Hudson looked smokin’ hot on the red carpet of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards lost night (Sun. Feb 27)!

Hudson rocked a tangerine orange Atelier Versace dress as she made her big arrival and posed for pics before making her way into the Kodak Theater in Hollywood to catch the show. Jennifer, who had presenting duties during the show, is gearing up for her role as Willie Mandela in the upcoming movie “Winnie.”

Check out the pics of J-Hud at the Oscars below!!

Some of the biggest female names in Black Hollywood came out in support of the 4th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon last Thursday night (Feb 24).

Held in Beverly Hills, CA at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the event featured notable red carpet appearances from celebs like Jennifer Hudson, Brandy, Tia & Tamera Mowry, Serena Williams, Lauren London, Tatyana Ali, Gabrielle Union, Jill Scott and many more.

Check out 25+ pics below:

Jennifer Hudson searches for her lost love in her newest music video release “Where You At”. The track is the first single off Jen’s upcoming album I Remember Me, due in stores March 22nd.

Check it out her new video below:

Your thoughts on the video?

Check out Jennifer Hudson‘s cover for new her single “Where You At.”

The shot was taken by director/photographer Anthony Mandler, who is also known for working with other artists such as Rihanna, Trey Songz, and Maxwell.

The official music video for the track will debut tomorrow (Feb. 24) on Vevo. Be sure to tune in!

Thoughts?

Jennifer Hudson paid a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres show this week to chat about her weight loss and show off her adorable son David. The 29-year-old R&B singer revealed that she has lost ten dress sizes over the past year and a half.

“I just knew, after I had my baby, I just wanted my body back. Whatever body that was,” Jennifer shared. “That was when I made up my mind, I was going to go for it. And then I realized when I was pregnant, I was like, ‘Man, I was wearing the same clothes I was wearing before I was pregnant.’ That was kind of like a wake up call and I wanted to set a good example for my son.”

J-Hud also discussed her new shopping addiction with Ellen and later served up a performance of her new single “Where You At?”

Check out the video footage below:

INTERVIEW CLIP

PERFORMANCE

BONUS: ELLEN PLAYS WITH LITTLE DAVID!

Your thoughts?

Singers Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, Yolanda Adams, Florence Welch (from Florence & the Machine) and Martina McBride opened up the 2011 Grammy Awards with a touching tribute to legendary R&B singer Aretha Franklin.

The ladies performed renditions of a few of Queen of Soul’s songs, including “Natural Woman,” “Ain’t No Way,” “Until YOu Come Back to Me,” “Think,” “Respect” and “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.”

Though Ms. Franklin couldn’t make it to the show, she did appear in a pre-recorded segment from her home in Detroit, MI where she thanked the performers and wished everyone good luck.

Watch the performances from the Aretha Franklin tribute below!!

Jennifer Hudson has finally opened up about the shocking October 2008 murders of her relatives.

The award winning actress and singer made a guest appearance on “The Oprah Show” yesterday (Thur. Feb 10), and spoke about a number of topics, including losing 80 pounds, her new family life with her son and husband, and coping with the loss of her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew. While Hudson still refuses to go into detail about what actually happened, she did talk to Oprah about how she got back on her feet and what keeps her motivated to this day.

Hudson, who is currently prepping her sophomore album I Remember Me for a March 22nd release, also performed her newest single “Where You At.”

Check out footage from the interview and the performance below:

INTERVIEW

“WHERE YOU AT” PERFORMANCE

Thoughts?

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?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would know that just about every successful artist, from Lady Gaga to Jay-Z, to Rihanna to Kanye West, to even Beyonce, has been linked somewhat to a “super-secret society” known as the “Illuminati.”

More recently, Jennifer Hudson‘s name popped up with folks (including her own former brother-in-law) alleging that she “sacrificed” the lives of her family members, who were murdered back in 2008, to gain entry into the “club.”

Well, it sounds like J-Hud is having NONE of that! Speaking on the crazy rumors in a recent Ustream session, the R&B singer said:

“I’m so glad someone brought this Illuminati mess up because only a child of God would address it. That is the most ignorant thing I have ever heard in my life. And it’s offensive because basically what? The people that are here today don’t deserve to be where they are? What, we didn’t work for it? So I find—and I hate to go there—but I find it’s those that can’t make it that would probably join Illuminati, or whoever that is, to get somewhere.”

And for the people who actually believe in all of that Illuminati nonsense, the Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter had this to say:

“Don’t listen to that type of stuff, don’t follow that stuff because those people are only luring you in to become a part of some mess like that, so know that you’re only falling victim. That’s their way of gaining [followers]. I’d advise you to stay away from it. Those who are reading it are falling into it. It could not be more untrue.” (Source)

You tell ‘em Jenny!

Jennifer Hudson is currently gearing up for the release of her sophomore studio album Remember Me, due in stores this March. “Where You At,” the lead single from the project, was released to radio and iTunes earlier this week.

Thoughts?

Jennifer Hudson’s newest single “Where You At” has finally dropped…

The track comes straight off Jen’s upcoming sophomore album I Remember Me, due in stores March 22nd.

Check it out below…

A snippet from Jennifer Hudson’s upcoming single “Where You At” has hit the web!

Check it out below…….

Via: Rap-Up

Jennifer Hudson is releasing a new album!

The R&B diva has announced that her long-awaited sophomore album I Remember Me is set to drop March 22nd via Arista Records. The album’s title was inspired by a poem written by Hudson, according to a press release.

“I’ve called it ‘I Remember Me’ because of the journey I’ve been on,” Hudson said.

Writing credits for the project include Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Ne-Yo and OneRepublic‘s Ryan Tedder. The album’s first single “Where You At” (written and produced by R. Kelly) hits radio next Monday (Jan 24).

“I Remember Me” serves as Hudson’s folow-up to her 2008 self-titled debut album, which to date, has sold over 800,000 copies in the U.S. according to Nielson Soundscan. The album spawned the hits “Spotlight” and “If This Isn’t Love.” Hudson’s sophomore album is available for pre-order starting today via her official website.

Thoughts?

Still showing off her new, sexy slim figure, Jennifer Hudson was front and center at the 9th Annual GEM Awards to present the “GEM Award for Jewelry Style” to designer Neil Lane. The event, presented by the Jewelry Information Center, was held last night (Fri. Jan 7) at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.

More pics of J-Hud below!

In case you were out partying New Year’s Eve (and the rest of the weekend) and missed out on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” TV special that aired Friday night (Dec 31), here are some of the performances!

The NYC crowd rang in 2011 with an impressive lineup of artists who took the stage, including Willow Smith, Drake, Ke$ha, Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo and Avril Lavigne (who debuted a new song),  and others. The show, which aired live on ABC, was hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

Check out 20+ pics below and when you continue reading (along with video footage from the performances!)

Thoughts?

The drive was held at Chicago’s Navy Pier Wednesday afternoon (Dec 22).

Jennifer said: “This was a good way to keep Julian’s memory alive by blessing other children through the holiday season. For us, we never had a sad Christmas, so we want to make other children’s Christmas be as enjoyable as ours were growing up.”

Jennifer’s sister Julia agreed this was the perfect way to honour her dead son. She said: “Julian always had toys. I would come home and see his bike down the street and say, ‘Why is your bike down the street?’ ‘Oh I gave it away.’ This would be right up his alley I think. I know he’s smiling, something he would have done, exactly.” (Source)

Check out video footage of Jennifer Hudson singing a special rendition of the Christmas classic “O Holy Night” below…

Your thoughts?