JumpinJack AJ Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 7/31/08: Dr. Dre Dr. Dre's long-awaited album 'Detox' may finally see the light of day before 2009. Recently the famed producer revealed to USA Today that he's looking to release the project in November or December. As for the album's delay, Dre simply blames it on his perfectionist ways. "We have an entirely new thing going with the drums that's incredible, and we're still developing that," he explained to USA Today. Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Nas, Snoop Dogg, and 50 Cent are expected to appear on the highly anticipated album. Hip-Hop queens Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim were often referred to as rivals throughout most of their career, and now are being sued by the same publishing company. According to the Associated Press, Simon & Schuster Inc. is suing Foxy and Kim for allegedly not delivering books for which they accepted advances for in 2003 and 2005. Brown was paid $75,000 to release her autobiography, 'Broken Silence,' while Lil Kim was paid $40,000 in 2004 for a novel that was expected to be released in 2004. Despite the publisher wanting its money back, attorneys for both artists were unavailable to comment at press time. 7/31/08: Bobby Valentino Following his abrupt departure from Def Jam and Ludacris' label Disturbing Tha Peace earlier this year, Bobby Valentino has inked a joint venture deal with EMI Records. The deal establishes Valentino's own imprint Blu Kolla Dreams, which is "the start of a new business venture for anyone who has taken the Blu Kolla approach and worked extremely hard over time to make an impact in their communities," according to his manager Courtney "Colt Luv" Stewart. The crooner's first release on Blu Kolla will be his forthcoming album 'The Rebirth.' Until then, fans can check out his new EP, 'Come With Me,' which is available exclusively on iTunes. 7/31/08: Chris Brown R&B superstar Chris Brown is known to be one of the best dancers in entertainment. Now with the help of producers Mark Burnett and J.D. Roth, Brown will lend his dancing expertise to an as-yet-untitled dance competition series. The teen sensation will appear as a judge on each episode, which is based off impromptu hip-hop and street dance culture. "Dancing is more than just a way of moving, it's a different expression of music," Brown told Variety. "That's what I want to focus on with this show." For now the hour-long series is currently being developed and has no set date to broadcast. 7/31/08: En Vogue After hitting the stage alongside Alicia Keys at this year's BET Awards, members of the Grammy-nominated group En Vogue are set to reunite once again in New York. With the exception of Dawn Robinson, the funk divas will be performing live at New York City's B.B. King Blues Club and Grill on August 23. Tickets for the standing-room-only show are on sale for $32.50 at Ticketmaster.com. 7/31/08: Michael Jackson Michael Jackson is planning to interact with his fans for his upcoming August 29 compilation album, 'King of Pop.' In addition to celebrating the singer's 50th birthday, fans will have the chance to choose their favorite 18 tracks from a list of 50 M.J. tracks. The most popular songs will appear on the record. Each country's track listing is sure to be diverse. Countries from around the world will have their own polls, which will result in different versions of the compilation. Next up for the 'King of Pop' will be his long-awaited as-yet-untitled comeback album. The album is said to feature the recently leaked track with Akon, titled 'Hold My Hand.' 7/31/08: Keri Hilson Having written tracks for the likes of Diddy, Usher, Mary J. Blige, and Britney Spears, among countless others, could only lead Keri Hilson to take center stage with an album of her own. The singer-songwriter will release her debut album, 'In a Perfect World' on September 23. And from the looks of it, the project will feature some of Hilson's big name friends, such as Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Polow Da Don to name a few. The video for the album's lead single 'Energy' recently debuted on airwaves featuring the beauty playing a female boxer in a relationship. When describing the video's concept to 'MTV News' Hilson revealed, "I spar with my boyfriend at times. It starts really, really good, and as the video plays out, you see how much energy I put into this relationship or how little is reciprocated back to me." 7/24/08: Bow Wow Pint-sized rapper Bow Wow plans to keep busy with his music career for the remainder of 2008. His next album 'Pedigree' is expected to drop in a few months and features guest appearances from T-Pain, Lil Wayne, R. Kelly and Chris Brown, to name a few. Until then, the Ohio native plans to come together for a collaborative mix-tape with teen sensation Soulja Boy. "We're gonna give the people what they ask for," he told 'MTV News.' "Next thing you know, they gonna ask me and Soulja Boy Tell'em to do an album together. Everybody is always picking on us anyway. We might just go 'head and kill the game and sh-- on all these n---as. Do a mix-tape album together, put it out and go hard!" 7/24/08: T-Pain/Quincy/Pharrell Not many people can remake a Quincy Jones hit without his stamp of approval. Luckily for Akon, Pharrell Williams, T-Pain, and David Banner, Jones will give them the green light to remix classic tracks of his. 'Billboard' reports that the legendary music mogul has handpicked Akon & Co. to work on a as-yet-untitled remix project. "Quincy Jones got me, Akon, Pharrell Williams and T-Pain and allowed us to choose and remake our favorite songs," Banner revealed. "I chose 'Give Me the Night' by George Benson with Jamie Foxx singing it." At press time there is no set release date for the project. 7/24/08: Death Row Records The saga continues for the sale of the record label formerly owned by Marion "Suge" Knight -- Death Row Records. Last month Global Music Group brought the label through an auction for $24 million. Unfortunately, everyone didn't get their fair share of the deal. According to 'TMZ,' Ron Goldberg has filed a lawsuit against Susan Berg and Reggie Bush, and the former president of his company, Global Music Group, for cutting him out of the acquisition of Death Row Records. Now it seems Goldberg wants $25 million from her former business partners. Global Music Group's lawyer told the website: "Mr Goldberg is not a principal of Global Music Group Inc., a New York corporation, nor does he have any ownership in that company or in its assets, including the Death Row assets subject to the company's court-approved bid." 7/24/08: Jay-Z Jay-Z may be teaming up with Timbaland for a full-length album. The super-producer recently revealed that the multi-talented mogul has reached out to him for assistance. "'Big Pimpin' ' is an international hit, so we wanna do 10 of those," Timbaland said, adding, "meaning, some of the songs gonna sound like M.I.A. would rap on some of the beats. You gonna be like, 'Whoa!' But it's Jay on 'em. That means it reaches everywhere. I'mma have songs with bagpipes. The music is gonna be so worldwide, he'll be able to tour the rest of his life, maybe, off just this one album. The Jay-Z album is gonna be phenomenal." Although there's no start date for the project, Tim mentioned he would like to set aside several months to record with Jay. 7/17/08: Keyshia Cole Heineken sure knows how to throw a party -- not only with beer but with their annual concert series. Kicking off August 6 in Los Angeles, the third annual "Heineken Red Star Soul" concert series will feature performances by Ashanti and Oakland's own Goapele . If you're unavailable to attend the LA show, you need not to worry; the tour will make stops in eight other cities featuring Keyshia Cole , Raheem DeVaughn , Chrisette Michelle and Musiq Soulchild . The tour wraps up October 1 in New York City. 7/17/08: Ice Cube On August 19, hip-hop superstar Ice Cube returns with his new studio album 'Raw Footage.' The highly-anticipated album will be released on Cube's independent label Lench Mob Records. Musiq Soulchild, Young Jeezy, The Game and WC will make appearances on the 17 track opus along with the earlier released single 'Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It.' As for now, the rapper/actor/producer is currently on a international tour which will lead into his US tour beginning August 21 in Seattle. 7/17/08: Teairra Mari Following the lukewarm response of her 2005 debut Def Jam album, 'Roc-A-Fella Records Presents Teairra Mari,' the hip-hop soul singer was dropped from the label at the tender age of 17. Now she's back with a new label, Interscope, and a new single titled, 'No No No.' "I'm at a good point now, with more creative control to be Teairra Mari," the Detroit native told 'Billboard' In between working with Timbaland and JR Rotem for her forthcoming album, the vixen landed a spokesmodel deal for Love's jeans company Jean Addicts and will appear in the flick 'Doorman,' which is due later this year. Teairra Mari's as-yet-untitled sophomore album is tentatively set for a release by early 2009. 7/17/08: Bushwick Bill Fans can now add The Geto Boys member Bushwick Bill to the list of rappers making a transition over to gospel music. The 'Mind Playing Tricks on Me' rapper will reportedly release his sixth solo album, 'Testimony of Redemption,' which will find the MC venturing off into Gospel Rap. With song titles such as 'Praise of a Good Woman,' 'Renewed Mind,' and 'Pull The Trigger on the Deamon,' the opus shows that the pint size rapper is reformed and restored. Although Bushwick has 20 songs in the can, he is currently seeking a distribution deal for his latest project. 7/17/08: Ashanti/Janet/Eve Ashanti , Janet Jackson , and Eve are among the many celebrities coming together for Cartier's Lovecharity bracelet campaign. Each celebrity represents a charity that corresponds with a variety of bracelets, from 18 karat white gold to 18 karat rose gold. Although the retail prices were not yet made available by the opulent French jewelry company, you can expect to keep your check books handy. In previous charities the bracelets sold for approximately $475. 7/17/08: John Witherspoon Look out Lil Wayne and Nas, John Witherspoon is in the studio working on his new hip-hop album. No Joke. The 66 year-old comic will reportedly release his new rap-comedy album '63 Cents' in the coming weeks on iTunes. So far two videos are on tap to be shot and funded by Witherspoon including, 'Dance,' and the other for 'Don't Be P***y Whipped.' The comedian told AllHipHop.com that his album, "may not be the best rappin' in the world, but it's funny as hell. Very entertaining." Other songs that turn up on the set is 'Don't Nobody Go In The Bathroom,' and 'Dance Now With Your Big Ole Ass.' 7/17/08: Raphael Saadiq Former Tony, Toni, Tone front-man Raphael Saadiq is gearing up to release his third solo album, 'The Way I See It.' The set, due for release on September 16, will feature live instrumentation throughout the entire project. Music icon Stevie Wonder plays the harmonica on the album's first single 'Never Give You Up.' Blue-eyed soul singer Joss Stone will reportedly appear on the track 'Just One Kiss.' In the meantime, Saadiq is also crafting music for D'Angelo , Solange Knowles, and Bobby Valentino. 7/17/08: Timbaland When you're rich and in love you deserve some time off. That's the case for hip-hop super-producer Timbaland, who postponed his recent "Shock Value Australian Tour" due to celebrating his recent marriage to publicist Monique Idlett. The tour will now begin in Sydney on August 15. 7/17/08: Jordin Sparks Two of America's young shining stars, Jordin Sparks and Jesse McCartney are hitting the road next month to present the 'Jesse & Jordin Live' tour. The trek is expected to be a great mix for both artists, especially since McCartney has made the transition from pop singer to R&B heartthrob on his new album 'Departure.' Meanwhile, Sparks the 2007 'American Idol' champion -- has recently been recognize with NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist and a BET Award for the song 'No Air.' The 'Jesse & Jordin Live' tour kicks off August 5 in Sacramento and ends August 27 in Toronto. 7/17/08: Notorious B.I.G. Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 hit single 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' still applies to the late rapper's estate. New York native William Troy McCune is suing the filmmakers of a documentary based on the rapper, 'Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life' for $20 million, claiming they used old footage of a freestyle battle, which featured him battling Biggie, without his consent. According to TMZ, McCune wants to get paid for the unlawful use of his likeness in the film. The plaintiff mentioned in a federal lawsuit that he's suffered "irreparable harm, mental distress, and disturbance of his peace of mind," due to the release of the footage. At press time there was no comment from the production companies. 7/10/08: Ralph Tresvant Don't call it a comeback! Mr. 'Sensitivity' himself, Ralph Tresvant has new music on the way. On July 15, the New Edition vocalist will release his brand new single 'It Must Be You' via iTunes, which is one of the retailers that independent label Xzault Media Group has a direct distribution deal with. It's the prelude to a long overdue as-yet-untitled opus, tentatively scheduled to drop this year. Until then, Tresvant will be preparing to hit the road for his "Up-Close and Personal Tour," kicking off in the coming months. 7/10/08: The Clipse With their third album set to hit stores this November on Sony Records, platinum selling rap group The Clipse (comprised of brothers Pusha T and Malice) have signed their side group The Re-Up Gang to Koch Records. The Clipse, along with Philly MCs Ab-Liva and Sandman, will offer fans nine new songs including the Scott Storch-produced single 'Fast Life.' 'The Clipse Present the Re-Up Gang' hit stores August 5. 7/10/08: Akon/Michael Jackson Michael Jackson has music out in the marketplace. And he owes it mostly to hip-hop/.soul crooner Akon. A new track, 'Hold My Hand,' has been leaked to many people's surprise. One person who was shocked by it the most is songwriter Claude Kelly, who thought the song was going to go to Whitney Houston. "I wrote the song and gave it to Akon with the intention of it going to maybe Whitney Houston, but Akon said he wanted to cut it himself," the newcomer explained to 'Billboard.' "A few months after, Akon plays the song for me and all of a sudden I hear Michael Jackson's voice. I was literally shaking by the time the song was over." Kelly is in demand: upcoming collaborations with Jennifer Hudson, Brandy, New Kids On The Block, and Toni Braxton are reportedly underway. As for 'Hold My Hand,' the song is expected to appear on Akon's forthcoming album 'Acquitted' -- tentatively set for an October release. 7/10/08: Lady of Rage More than 10 years after Lil' Kim, Angie Martinez, Da Brat, Missy Elliott, and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes joined forces to release the female friendly anthem 'Not Tonight (Remix),' another group of women are setting form. Lady of Rage, Lady Luck, Babs Bunny (from 'Making of the Band'), and Amil are coming together to form F.E.M. (Females Earning Money Movement). Hip-hop radio personality Ed Lover is managing the outfit, saying it was "time to do a project like this." An official album title and release date still looms but F.E.M. will reportedly release a mix-tape. "This is the perfect time to do a project like this. A lot of people have been wondering what happened to the female emcees, well these ladies are about to prove that they are here and they are better than ever. The F.E.M. movement is great for the future of hip-hop." 7/10/08: Solange It looks like Solange may be following in her big sister Beyonce's footsteps with the release of her new single 'I Decided' it's currently on top of 'Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop and Hot Dance Singles Sales chart. Not bad, considering her sophomore album 'SoL-AngeL and the Hadley St. Dreams' is scheduled for a August 26 release. The opus will feature production and collaborations from Lamont Dozier, Lil Wayne, Cee-Lo Green, Pharrell Williams, and Marsha Ambrosius among many others. 7/03/08: The Jacksons On September 2, The Jacksons will be making a return to the music scene via Epic/Legacy reissuing two of the group's top-selling albums; 1978's blockbuster 'Destiny' and the multi-platinum follow-up 'Triumph.' Of course, Jacksons aficionados can expect to hear the Top 10 smash hits 'Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)' and 'Blame It On The Boogie.' As an added bonus, the two projects will also feature songs previously unavailable on CD including 'This Place Hotel (Heartbreak Hotel)' to a disco mix of 'Walk Right Now.' 6/26/08: D'Angelo Despite going through legal woes over the past few years, neo-soul originator D'Angelo is back in the studio working on a new album. According to 'Billboard,' the singer is expected to release his new as-yet-untitled album next year on J Records. The company bought out his contract in 2005 from Virgin Records (who released his first two albums). Fans can expect the man legally known as Michael D'Angelo Archer to hook up with Raphael Saadiq once again, the two previously worked together on Saadiq's 2002 hit 'Be Here.' Although the album is still in its early stages, the 'Brown Sugar' crooner has plans to also land John Mayer on the opus, with a single to hit the airwaves by the end of the year. Until that time comes, fans can catch some of D'Angelo in his former glory with the recently released compilation, 'The Best So Far,' featuring hits, rarities and previously unreleased videos. 6/26/08: Jill Scott Jill Scott's latest album 'The Real Thing' is coming to a television screen near you. And it's going to be a sight for your eyes and a pleasure to your ears. On June 29, TV One will premiere an original music concert special featuring the neo-soul high priestess in all of her glory. Titled 'Jill Scott: The Real Thing Tour (Live in Philly),' the one-hour special features the two-time Grammy Award winning wunderkind performing a mix of her classic hits such as 'A Long Walk' and 'The Way,' juxtaposed with material from her newer projects, including the inspirational anthem 'Golden' and the tell-it-like-it-is, take-no-prisoners 'Hate On Me.' The special (Scott's very first) was filmed in March 2008 at the Liacouris Center in Philadelphia. Encore airings of the show are scheduled to air on July 3, July 5, and July 11. 6/26/08: Erykah Badu This fall, Erykah Badu is planning on bringing some of her voodoo experiences on the road the neo-soul diva was recently added to the tenth annual "Voodoo Experience Festival," held October 24-26 in New Orleans. In addition to Badu, Wyclef Jean, Joss Stone, and Lupe Fiasco are among the other acts on board to join alternative rock headliners R.E.M. , Nine Inch Nails and Stone Temple Pilots. Tickets are priced at $115, while a three-day VIP pass will available for a whopping $450. 6/26/08: Will.I.Am Crafting hit music for The Black Eyed Peas and Justin Timberlake can only inspire an artist/producer such as Will.I.Am (born William James Adams Jr.)to go beyond the music industry. Fans can expect to see the Black Eyed Peas front-man in the forthcoming X-Men movie, 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine,' playing a role opposite of Hugh Jackman. Will.I.Am recently revealed to 'MTV News' that the character he'll be playing is a teleporter by the name of John Wraith. In addition to 'X-Men,' the producer also landed a role in the 'Madagascar' sequel. "With 'Madagascar 2,' I think there has to be an angel or something or my grandma's prayers guiding that," he says. "It's pretty, pretty dope. And I'm grateful and happy about it all." 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' is expected to hit theaters in May 2009. 6/19/08: Don Cornelius Following the recent cancellation of 'The 22nd Annual Soul Train Music Awards,' longtime show producer, creator and host Don Cornelius has sold the Soul Train media franchise to multimedia company MadVision Entertainment Inc. The company which specializes in branded urban content and production acquires Soul Train's brand and production rights along with a catalog of more than 1,100 hours of archival footage spanning the show's legendary 37-year run. Cornelius released a statement regarding the new acquisition: "The Soul Train legacy and brand are of the utmost importance to me and to Soul Train's millions of fans. After years of offers, I feel the time is now finally right to pass the torch The MadVision team understands and respects my vision, and they share my own commitment to seeing the brand rise to the next level." 6/19/08: Amerie After releasing her first two albums 'All I Have' and 'Touch,' singer Amerie has left Columbia Records and signed to Def Jam Records, according to Billboard. The sultry singer released her third album, 'Because I Love It,' internationally in 2007. Although the set never saw the light of day in the U.S., there is no word whether or not Def Jam has plans on releasing it. 6/19/08: KeAnthony New-school R&B crooner KeAnthony will release his debut project, titled 'A Hustlaz Story,' on August 5 via Warner Bros. Records. According to a label rep, the album will feature production from Tank and The Underdogs. The lead single 'I Ain't Tryna', is where KeAnthony (real name: KeAnthony Dillard) pledges to be the best man he can be for his lady, while the Nashville-raised singer revisits his own painful past on the dramatic 'Forever My Homie (Done Snitched On Me),' where he chronicles how his best friend set him up for a stretch in the pen. KeAnthony was also the subject and star of his very own film short, also titled A Hustlaz Story, which premiered at The Hollywood Black Film Festival June 6. About an aspiring singer (KeAnthony) whose innocent exchange with a female singer leads to gunplay and a twisted turn of events that puts him in a string of unenviable positions, the flick also featured 'The Wire' star Michael K. Williams and BET's 'The Black Carpet' commentator Aleesha Renee. 6/19/08: Lionel Richie Grammy award-winning singer Lionel Richie has his eyes set on a potential reunion with his former group The Commodores. Recently, the singer revealed to reporters prior to his "Antigua's Romantic Rhythms Festival" performance that a reunion tour could happen within the next two years. "We better do it now, or in the next 10 years nobody would care," he said. The 58 year old singer went on to say that it is important for the band to reunite before they lose more band members. In 2006, lead guitarist Milan Williams died of cancer. 6/19/08: Chante Moore Grammy award nominated chanteuse Chante Moorereturns from an eight year solo hiatus to release her long-awaited album, 'Love The Woman' -- out this week. The set reunites the San Francisco native with her long-time mentor George Duke, who helped launched her career in the early 1990s. This time the duo covered one of her most personal songs ever, Minnie Ripperton's 'Give Me The Time,' which was played during her wedding ceremony six years ago to R&B crooner Kenny Lattimore. In addition to Duke producing tracks, Moore reached out Grammy award winner Raphael Saadiq and Warryn Campbell. As for now Chante is currently on tour with jazz guitarist Norman Brown until September 21. 6/12/08: Queen Latifah Move over Mariah Carey. Slide to the side Diddy. And Usher, watch out now. The one and only Queen Latifah have designs for her very own perfume line. With plans to hook up with the brains behind Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson's fragrances, Parlux Frangrance Inc., a Latifah scent should be ready for smelling next year. "Every woman is a Queen in Latifah's world," Parlux CEO Neil J. Katz said in a statement. "With that sense of empowerment in mind, the fragrance we will create together is, naturally, going to express not simply beauty and sensuality but inner strength and an exuberant sense of confidence." The Academy Award nominated hip-hop superstar herself, she sees the fragrance to be "just a natural expression of this state of love: scent expresses a woman's confidence and sensuality; it's how she embraces her body, her mind and her strength." 6/12/08: Busta Rhymes This summer will definitely be a 'Blessed' one for Busta Rhymes, literally. Not only will he be featured on the "Projekt Revolution" tour with alternative rockers Linkin Park, he's planning to release his new album, titled 'Blessed.' Busta recently told 'Billboard' magazine that "this album is Busta Rhymes in a mastered way. 'The Big Bang' was a collaborative effort with Dr. Dre. I think Dre felt like it was time to allow me to spread my wings and take the best of what I learned from my experience in doing 'The Big Bang' to this new album." 'Blessed,' set to arrive in stores later this summer, will feature collaborations from T-Pain, Ludacris, Lil Wayne, Akon, T.I. , Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, and Common among others. 6/5/08: Toni Braxton Toni Braxton's Las Vegas show 'Toni Braxton: Revealed' has come to an end. The show, which opened in August 2006 and was scheduled to run until this summer, has been dark ever since the multiple Grammy Award winner was hospitalized on April 7 due to chest pains. Flamingo Las Vegas President Don Marrandino released a statement regarding the show's cancellation: 'Upon learning several weeks ago of Ms. Braxton's health concerns, our first and foremost consideration was her well-being,' he said. 'We have truly enjoyed having her as our resident headliner and continue to wish her a full and quick recovery so that she may resume doing what she loves best, entertaining audiences.'(Photo: AP) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Tiger Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 (edited) That's a lot of news. Most of the interesting stuff I already knew though (probably cuz this goes all the way back to June). lol @ Bow Wow though. "Everyone hates us, so we'll probably do an album together." Edited August 6, 2008 by Silver Tiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigted Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 Whoa, that's a lot of news, I heard a lot of it already too, I sorta have mix feelings about how that Dr. Dre album's gonna turn out, and I'm gonna check out that John Witherspoon CD 'cause he's funny as hell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIsqo Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 bow wow said he is gonna give people what they are looking for.. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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