JumpinJack AJ Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Mariah Carey Apologizes for Michael Jackson Memorial Performance Posted Jul 8th 2009 10:30AM by Latifah Muhammad Filed under: R'n'B News Just moments after paying tribute to pop icon Michael Jackson at Tuesday's public memorial service Mariah Carey took to her Twitter page to critique her emotional performance of 'I'll Be There.' "Sorry that I wasn't able to pull it together and really do it right, " she twittered. "But I was literally choked up when I saw him there in front of me." The 39-year-old was the first performer to sing during the event held at the Staples Center Tuesday. Taking the stage alongside collaborator Trey Lorenz, Carey, fell off key in the very beginning of her performance but quickly pulled it together. "Trying to sing today was basically impossible for me. I could barely keep myself from crying," she said. Carey chronicled her day via Twitter and wrote a tribute to the late King of Pop. "He inspired with his timeless music. He will be forever in our hearts." Although originally released by the Jackson 5 in 1970, Carey remade the song on her 1992 released MTV Unplugged album. Actress Brooke Shields, singers Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Usher -- who broke down following his emotional performance of Jackson's 'Gone To Soon' -- and Shaheen Jafargholi of 'Britain's Got Talent' took the stage after Carey to say goodbye to Jackson. In other Carey news, the r&b diva is set to release her 12th studio album, 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel,' on August 25. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maxwell Calls 'Healthy' Eight-Year Hiatus a 'Luxury' Posted Jul 7th 2009 8:30AM by Tracey Ford Filed under: Soul/R'n'B We live in a time where artists are created, rise and often fall right before our eyes, so it's no wonder why a celebrity would chose to remove themselves from the limelight in an effort to grow personally and artistically. In the music industry we call this [removal from the spotlight] a hiatus and the return is categorized as a comeback. In a recent interview, we chatted with the subject of the most recent comeback, discussed his new album 'BLACKsummers'night' and learned the story behind his hiatus, so to speak. "Being away from this, from the industry and from the music world, has been really good for me because I kind of feel like I'm, for the first [time], a full, hundred percent man," Maxwell explains. "A man that's not sort of like surmised by what he does but by who he is in the world, so that was a really great healthy thing for me to go through in the eight years that I've been away ... away from ears, I guess, but not away really." Not only does the singer consider his time away as "healthy," but Maxwell describes his ability to step away from it all as a luxury. "I know that's so strange for people to even presume that stepping away from the limelight is a luxury, because most people perceive it as the thing you must always reach for and constantly maintain, your public image and being out there and all that." So what brings someone who has no actual desire to be famous back out of seclusion? For Maxwell, it's quite simple. It's all about the music for the admittedly shy singer and songwriter, but sometimes fear gets in the way. "The pressure builds, and your expectations get really high, and that's probably what the hindrance was for me. Just anticipating the expectations of people and what they would want, and all of this time has passed and music has changed, and how do you stay current and how do you maintain who you are, stay true to what you've done, but still look like you're in 2009 with everybody else?" After eight years, the singer's prior concerns are pretty valid, but his comeback album, 'BLACKsummers'night,' will definitely satisfy a Maxwell craving. Keeping with the proposed theme of the first album in the 'BLACKsummers'night' trilogy, 'BLACK' features penetrating love songs with reflective lyrics like the album's first single 'Pretty Wings.' "Time will bring the real end of our trial/ One day there'll be no remnants/ No trace no residual feelings within ya/ One day u won't remember me," Maxwell sings in the song written about his last relationship. Maxwell struggles with "the power of fighting with peace" in the deftly titled 'Fistful of Tears.' "It plays into my whole saga with the music industry and how its kind of a war right now to be appreciated creatively," Maxwell says while explaining the concept behind 'Fistful of Tears.' Poor timing and emotional struggles are a running theme on the album, but things are brighter on 'Love You' and 'Phoenix Rise,' an instrumental that acts as a "Thank You" to the musicians behind 'BLACKsummers'night.' Tossed back on the scene with the release of his new album, Maxwell is seemingly still an anti-celebrity. The singer wraps up the interview with the BoomBox with an interesting admission. He will most likely not read any of the interviews or watch his own television performances ... at least not until he's in his "heyday." "There's something about while you're in the middle of everything and while you're in the zone that you should be left conscious of yourself, and you should definitely be -- as much as you can be -- unaware of how people feel and how people perceive you," he explains. "It makes your actions much more real." 'BLACKsummers'night' is in stores now. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coolio Pleads Guilty to Possession of Cocaine Posted Jul 1st 2009 1:30PM by Sharks Filed under: Hip-Hop News, Busted 90's rapper Coolio caught a lucky break this week, avoiding jail time for his recent crack possession and battery charges. The California entertainer, famous for living in a 'Gangsta's Paradise,' faced three years in prison if found guilty on the charges, stemming from a March 6 bust at LAX, where officials found crack cocaine and smoking paraphernalia in the rapper's luggage. Coolio attempted to avoid the search and seizure by physically fighting off authorities at the airport, tacking a misdemeanor battery charge on top of his felony possession. Thankfully, Coolio will be instead be entering an 18-month drug rehab program, after pleading guilty to felony possession of cocaine. The other charges were dropped, and Coolio will be eligible for a dismissal once he has successfully completed the 18-month rehab stint. Coolio is having an interesting year thus far, earlier in the year he caused a stir as a guest on UK TV program "Celebrity Big Brother," and most recently he was spotted receiving a "crotch rub" by an Italian model at a fashion party in Milan. Pauly Shore, looks like he's taking your lane. 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VIsqo Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Well, some good news and some bad news.. Thanks for bringing this AJ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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