Soul Train the Movie
Aug 31, 2009 Movies, Movies Music, Soul Music
Warner Bros. has commissioned Malcolm Spellman to write a feature based on the classic TV Dance show ‘Soul Train’. The film will be set in the 1980s and Don Cornelius, the host and producer of the original show that spanned 35 years, will also serve as one of the producers of the film. Spellman said “All of the hip-hop street dances you see today were born during that time period and were first seen on that show, and I remember doing all of them when I was a kid.” He also talked about being able to work with Don, saying “Writing with Don involved is quite an experience. He’s still the godfather of cool.”
Real Music People Friends Blog
Tags: Dance, Don Cornelius, film, Hip Hop, Soul Train, TV, Warner Bros.
Juelz Santana Arrested
Aug 28, 2009 Chris Brown, News
This afternoon, Juelz Santana was arrested at his Teaneck, NJ, home on domestic charges. The rapper allegedly threatened to kill his wife, who then promptly called the police.
She was not harmed, though she told police that the threat was made in front of their child.
Juelz has collaborated with Sean Kingston, Cam’ron and (surprise, surprise) Chris Brown.
Violence, even verbal threats of violence, should never be tolerated. He should be ashamed!
Tags: Arrested, Chris Brown, Juelz Santana
MIA Hates Tenacious D
Aug 28, 2009 MIA
MIA is pissed. The singer is scheduled to perform at the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, taking place in San Francisco on August 30th. However, she only booked the show because she thought the Beastie Boys would be performing too. The Beasties have cancelled all tour dates due to MCA’s cancer recovery so Jack Black and Kyle Gass stepped up to the plate, taking the Beasties’ place at the festival with a Tenacious D performance. Needless to say, MIA is not happy with the line up change. MIA wrote on her Twitter saying “I ORIGINALLY BOOKED ON SHOWS COZ BEASTIES WERE HEADLINERS , BUT NOW THEY AINT DOING IT AND I JUS WANNA SAY , WE HAVE TO GO HARD!!! CANT BELIEVE THEY REPLACED BEASTIES WITH TENACIOUS D ??????????????????????AND IF I PULL OUT THEY SUE! SO REALLY? TENACIOUS D AFTER ME ?” I think she’s being insensitive.
Tags: Beastie Boys, Jack Black, Kyle Gass, MIA, Music, San Francisco, Singer, Tenacious D, Twitter
Jay-Z’s Bodyguard Gets Charged
Aug 27, 2009 Jay-Z, Music Artists, Music Videos, Rapper
Jay-Z’s bodyguard was charged with a crime for last weekend’s tripod-tossing fight with a local TV reporter in Croatia. Law enforcement sources say that the rapper’s bodyguard has been charged with destroying personal property and assault, based on a complaint filed by the reporter who got into a scuffle with Jay and Beyonce’s entourage that night. Video of the incident actually surfaced on the internet showing the whole confrontation, including the part where the reporter throws his camera sticks at Jay-Z’s bodyguard and the bodyguard threw the tripod into the sea. Police are trying to track down the hired muscle for questioning regarding the incident.
Tags: Assault, Beyonce, bodyguard, Complaint, Croatia, Internet, Jay-Z, Rapper, TV, Video
Beyonce named Billboard’s Woman Of The Year
Aug 26, 2009 Beyonce, Billboard Chart
Beyonce is industry bible Billboard’s woman of the year.
The superstar will be honoured at Billboard’s annual Women In Music event. Billboard on its website states the honour is given to a female recording artist that has inspired the music business with her success, leadership and new ideas.
Billboard in particular was awarding Beyonce’s accomplishments over the past 12 months. The magazine noted Beyonce in the past year kicked off her world tour “I Am…” in support of her third solo album I Am … Sasha Fierce. The album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart in November. The singles If I Were A Boy, Single Ladies, Halo, Ego and Sweet Dreams have come off the album.
Billboard editorial director Bill Werde said: “Beyonce is a multi-platinum artist and a multi-talented woman who clearly embodies the qualities of excellence and achievement that the Billboard Woman Of The Year Award was created to honour.”
Past Woman Of The Year honorees were Ciara and Reba McEntire.
Beyonce will be on hand to accept her award at an October 2 event in New York City.
Source: Splash News
Tags: Beyonce, Bill Werde, Halo, I Am ... Sasha Fierce, Single Ladies, Woman of the Year
DJ Samantha Ronson pays tribute to late singer Aaliyah
Aug 26, 2009 Aaliyah
DJ Samantha Ronson has paid tribute to singer Aaliyah on the eighth anniversary of her death.
Aaliyah died aged 22 in a plane crash on August 25, 2001, and was best-known for her hits such as Try Again.
Samantha, 32, posted a message on her MySpace page paying tribute to the star.
She said: “It has been eight years since the world lost Aaliyah and still it feels like yesterday that my sister called me to tell me what she hoped was just a sick rumour.
“I didn’t know Aaliyah well, but we shared a best friend so I was lucky to have spent some time with her – enough time to know what an amazing person she truly was.
“People always seem to glorify those who have passed, but in her case no one is/was exaggerating. She was as humble as she was talented and sweet and funny and loved.
“I could go on and on, but I will let her music speak for itself.”
Tags: Aaliyah, anniversary, death, dj, plane crash, samantha ronson, Tribute
Pitbull Rules Miami
Aug 26, 2009 Concert Gig, Pitbull
Congratulations are in order for rapper Pitbull as the Miami native was recently honored with a key to the city. The Cuban-American, whose real name is Armando Perez, is truly honored, saying “I can’t help but keep staring at it, because it’s something I’ve worked so hard for. I’m very passionate about Miami.” Miami Commissioner Thomas Regalado, who presented the key to the rapper, says “Pitbull not only lives in Miami, but he’s been traveling the country and the world sharing a positive message of Miami. So, we should honor not only the dignitaries that visit, but those individuals who make a positive impact on the city.” I never knew that drunk driving allegations and punching someone in the face during a concert were such images of positivity.
Tags: American, Commissioner, Concert, Miami, Pitbull, Rapper
Sir Paul McCartney clings to three words of Lennon
Aug 25, 2009 Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Recalling his relationship with John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney said he clings to the memory of John’s glasses slipping to the end of his nose as he told him: “I love you.”
“That’s really what I hold on to. That’s what I believe. The rest is showing off,” he said.
McCartney said Lennon talked a lot of crap that he did not intend. “John said so much crap that he later said he hadn’t meant. It’s bulls***. We were there. We all enjoyed it. I never really criticised John. I’m not that critical. It’s a question of personalities,” he told the Radio Times.
McCartney and Lennon’s historic songwriting collaboration as members of The Beatles appeared to erode once the band broke up in 1970.
He denied Lennon’s claim to journalists that McCartney sabotaged songs by not committing his full creative energy to them in the studio. Sir Paul said: “Oh, he was on drugs, wasn’t he? This is the trouble with history, with journalism. Whatever bad things John said about me, he would also slip his glasses down to the end of his nose and say, ‘I love you.’”
He recalled the chemistry of the band. “John’s was more abrasive than mine and that was good for his corner of the square that made up The Beatles. If we’d had two people like that – forget it – I don’t think it would have worked.”
Source: Splash News
Tags: John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, The Beatles
Lil Wayne Cancels Again
Aug 24, 2009 Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, Young Jeezy
Lil Wayne’s show at the GM Palace in Vancouver last Monday was cancelled at the last minute and also cancelled for the gig the next day. I don’t know what his reasoning is but I give him props for letting everyone know 24 hours in advance as compared to his other cancelled gigs. According to the promoter’s media release “The Lil Wayne show has been cancelled due to circumstances beyond Live Nation’s Control.” Live Nation isn’t a babysitter and they can’t be responsible for keeping him awake or curing his hangovers. The singer was supposed to perform with Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy and Drake. Ticket holders will be given refunds.
Tags: Drake, Lil Wayne, Live Nation, Singer, Soulja Boy, Vancouver, Young Jeezy
Drake Wants to Get Paid
Aug 24, 2009 Rapper
Drake seems to think that people are willing to pay for what they can already get for free online. The rapper/singer is retail releasing his previously free mix tape to the masses on September 15th. The disc will feature his hits ‘Best I Ever Had’ and ‘Successful’, as well as a new song that will serve as a transition to his full length album ‘Thank Me Later’. I don’t see the point in this at all, apart from wanting to suck some money out of people. I also think that most of his fans already have this as, until recently, they could get it for free. This is just greedy.
New Jay-Z Video
Aug 21, 2009 Jay-Z, Kanye West, MTV, MTV VMA, Rihanna
There’s a new trailer that recently came out for the video of Rihanna, Kanye West and Jay-Z’s new song ‘Run This Town’. Jay-Z said “The song is about evolution and the progress. You start out as a new artist and you make your way into the game. You climb that mountain and you get to the top and you put your flag down. This is us putting our flag down. This is Roc Nation. Pledge your allegiance. You’ve got to put your flag at the top of the mountain and say we run this town.” The trio of singers and rappers will perform the song on NBC’s The Jay Leno Show on September 14. It’s also being said that they will also perform a day before the show at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
Tags: Jay Leno, Jay-Z Rapper, Kanye West, MTV, Rihanna, Singer, Video, Video Music Awards
Michael Jackson to be Buried on His Birthday
Aug 21, 2009 Hollywood, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson will finally be laid to rest on what should have been the late singer’s 51st birthday! At least that’s according to Joe Jackson. That means that we should take it with a grain of salt. The Jackson family patriarch told reporters last weekend that the King of Pop will be buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills at 10AM on August 29th, Michael’s birthday. I’m not sure about what he wants to achieve by announcing the date, time and place of his son’s burial to the media. It seems to me that he wants another media spectacle to take place.
Tags: Burial, cemetery, Hollywood, Media, Michael Jackson, Pop, Singer
Rapper Sentenced to Life in Prison
Rapper C-Murder was sentenced to life in prison last Friday after he was convicted of second-degree murder earlier last week. C-Murder, whose real name is Corey Miller and who also happens to be the brother of Master P, was convicted of shooting a 16-year old fan in Louisiana in 2001. What would drive a celebrity to shoot down a fan anyway? Someone was definitely in need of anger management. This was the second time that a jury convicted the rapper in the case but a 2003 conviction was overturned. I don’t think having the name murder in his rap name proved to be beneficial in his case either.
Tags: C-Murder, Conviction, Louisiana, Master P, Murder, Rap, Rapper
Oprah Winfrey loves scent of new best friend Jay-Z
Oprah Winfrey was in a lather over Jay-Z.
Winfrey gushed about the rapper in a recent radio call. “Jay-Z is my new best friend!” she said while giving an interview to her best friend Gayle King.
“He was so charming and delightful — and he smelled so good,” the talk show queen said.
“It’s the kind of thing where you hug a guy and the scent is sort of buried in them. When we went to the second location I could still smell him on me. It was like, ‘Oh my, this is wonderful!’”
Hip-hop artist Jay-Z is also a perfumer who has produced a scent called Rocawear 9 IX to be launched next month.
Source: Splash News
Tags: Gayle King, Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey, Rocawear 9 IX
Aerosmith forced to cancel summer tour after lead singer is hospitalised
Aug 18, 2009 Aerosmith, Concert Tour
Aerosmith have been forced to cancel their summer tour because of injuries sustained by frontman Steven Tyler.
The veteran rocker was hospitalised on 5 August, after tumbling off-stage during a show in South Dakota.
Tyler, 61, was left with a broken shoulder and needed 20 stitches to a head wound.
“Words can’t express the sadness I feel for having to cancel this tour,” guitarist Joe Perry said in a statement.
Perry thanked the band’s fans and insisted they hoped to “get the Aerosmith machine up and running again as soon as possible”.
Tyler injured himself after thunderstorms delayed the show in the city of Sturgis by more than an hour.
It was the fourth time in Tyler’s long career that the singer has fallen from the stage.
Tags: Aerosmith, Band, fall, hospitalised, injuries, Rock, south dakota, stage, Steven Tyler, summer, Tour
Mary J Blige on American Idol
Aug 18, 2009 American Idol, Mary J. Blige, Simon Cowell
Mary J. Blige will be meeting up with Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi to be a guest host for the American Idol auditions in Atlanta. The show recently wrapped up auditions in Boston on Friday where Victoria Beckham also ended filling up for recently booted judge Paula Abdul. A source said “The judges and production team have been having a lot of fun with Victoria. She’s had a great response so far, and has been really warm with the contestants.” That’s not what I heard when they were in Denver. But I’m glad that she got replaced with Mary J. I think that she will be more honest in her judging.
Tags: American Idol, atlanta, Boston, Kara DioGuardi, Mary J. Blige, Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell
LaToya Jackson Wants American Idol
Aug 17, 2009 American Idol, Simon Cowell
Though she confirms that she was asked to perform on the show, LaToya Jackson won’t be appearing on Dancing with the Stars this season as the former singer says that she isn’t quite ready yet. LaToya said “I can’t see myself putting myself into there right now, dancing every single day when I’m still trying to find out what exactly happened to my brother. That’s the most important thing for me at this moment.” Though she doesn’t see dancing in her near future, LaToya does hope to be asked to be a judge on the upcoming season of American Idol. She said “I would love to be a judge on that show. I think I would do well with [Simon].”
Tags: American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Judge, LaToya Jackson, Simon Cowell, Singer
Mariah Carey Postponed Again
Aug 17, 2009 Album Release, Mariah Carey
It was recently reported that Mariah Carey has cancelled on a number of events and scheduled appearances. It turns out that the cancellations were due to her new music album ‘Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel’ getting pushed back again. The singer’s camp recently confirmed the delay on her website in a statement saying “Mariah is putting the finishing touches on her newest album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, and we have shifted all of our TV and promo appearances to coincide with the new release date of September 29th. We can’t wait for the fans to hear the new album!!” I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets postponed again.
Tags: Album, Events, Mariah Carey, Music, Promo, Singer, TV, Website
Kids put spring back in granny Jackson’s step
Aug 14, 2009 Michael Jackson, News, Singer
Katherine Jackson is getting her granny groove back. The three grandchildren who are now permanently in her care are helping her deal with the sudden death of her son Michael at just 50.
“After last Monday, it was like a load was taken off of her, and she’s kicking her heels a little bit. She’s got her grandchildren, they’re set. She’s starting to rock and roll. She’s getting her grandma swagger back,” said L. Londell McMillan, lawyer and longtime friend of Katherine.
McMillan said the kids were a saving grace during a painful time for the 79-year-old.
“She has been busy trying to make sure that these children will be provided for,” he said.
McMillan spoke highly of Katherine, saying: “I lost my mom almost 20 years ago, but [she and Katherine] were similar in being selfless, loving to laugh and being the most loyal person in the room. Katherine is a wonderful lady.”
He said the three children, Prince Michael I, Paris Katherine and Blanket, were doing well. “They’re in a great spot. They love their grandma. She is a very vibrant and youthful 79-year-old woman. Mrs Jackson will be the matriarch of love that she has always been for this family.”
He said they had no shortage of entertainments at their new home. “They love spraying water guns on people – especially those in suits. If you come into their space, you will get sprayed. Oh, they wait for me to turn that corner!”
Source: Splash News
Tags: Blanket, Katherine Jackson, L. Londell McMillan, Michael, paris, Prince Michael I
Rihanna on Jay Leno’s New Show
Aug 13, 2009 Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna
Rihanna will be making her comeback performance on the premiere night of NBC’s The Jay Leno Show on September 14. This will be her first ever performance ever since she was assaulted back in February. The 21-year old Barbadian singer, along with rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, will perform ‘Run This Town’ from Jay-Z’s new album ‘The Blueprint 3’ which will hit stores on September 11. E! also reports that The Jay Leno show is close to securing Tom Cruise to participate in his new segment ‘The Green Car Challenger’ wherein celebrities race each other in alternative-fuel vehicles. That sounds interesting.
Tags: E!, Jay-Z, Kanye West, NBC, Rapper, Rihanna, Singer, The Jay Leno Show, Tom Cruise