Spectacular's Grinding Challenge

A video was posted on YouTube of Pretty Ricky's Spectacular proposing a grinding challenge to the R&B/Hip Hop likes of Bow Wow, Omarion, Trey Songz, etc. The video has sparked a lot of rumors, including that the rapper and his band members are gay.

The group's newest member and singer, Lingerie, has made it clear with a few status updates on his Twitter that none of them are, but they have respect for the gay community. He posted the following updates today:
"Everything we do is for the ladies. We arent gay nor do we denounce homosexuality. We entertain women's fantasies. That's all. Luv yall!"
"Once again, the video was for our ladies out there. We are gay nor do we denounce homosexuality. We luv u ALL!! Thanx 4 the support! PR BABY"
"We are not gay nor do we denounce homosexuality! Thats what i meant to say! Sorry for the typo lol!!"
"THANK U TO ALL OF MY PEOPLE WHO CAUGHT THE ERROR! I CORRECT MY STATEMENT! WE R NOT GAY! WE LUV THE LADIES! LOL!"
"WE DO NOT DENOUNCE HOMOSEXUALITY. WE ARE JUST STATING OUR SEXUAL PREFERENCE AND YALL LADIES ALREADY KNOW!!"
"ALL WE HAVE TO SAY IS, HATERS, LEAVE YA GIRL IN THE ROOM WIT US AND LOCK THE DOOR. SHE'LL LET U KNOW WAT WE BOUT...."

I don't know what to think at this point. It shouldn't matter in my opinion. If you know you're not gay, then you shouldn't have to defend yourself like that or at all. Regardless, EQUALITY FOR ALL!

Watch the infamous video below.

If You Don't Know, Now You Know: Electrik Red

With a lot of promise, experience in the entertainment (already), and help from A-List duo The Dream and Tricky Stewart, four girls (Kyndra "Binkie" Reevey, Lesley Lewis, Naomi Allen and Sarah Rosete) form a sizzling R&B girl group, going by the name of Electrik Red.

Electrik Red is comprised of two sets of childhood friends, Reevey and Lewis from New York City and Allen and Rosete from Toronto. While working as back-up dancers for Usher in his 2004 Confession Tour, Reevey and Lewis asked Rosete if she wanted to be a part of their girl group. Rosete agreed to join, but requested that they meet with her best friend, Allen, who they "fell in love with". The group moved to Los Angeles where they began working with different producers, including Shannon "Slam" Lawrence and Rodney Jerkins. Electrik Red was formed finally in 2005.

The group signed a record deal with Def Jam Records in 2008 by record executive L.A. Reid. After a meet and greet with The-Dream, the girls were co-signed to his Def Jam based label with Trciky Stewart, Radio Killa Records.

Their debut album, How to Be a Lady: Volume 1, has already spawned three singles and was released today, May 26, 2009. The group explained they named the album as a "play on the stereotype of what a lady is supposed to be, how she is supposed to act and what she is supposed to say. We're bringing a new age woman to the world." The group wanted to show that it was "okay to be different".

Personally, I think these girls are promosing. They can sing and their dancing is definitely on point. Not only those two things, they have a great production team right behind them. The-Dream has written and produced some of today's biggest hits. Let's give these girls some love while their being the ladies that they are.

T.I. Turns Himself in Today!

Federal authorities are stating that Grammy award-winning rapper T.I. has been booked into a federal prison in Arkansas to serve a year and a day sentence on a weapons conviction.

Prison spokeswoman Linda Thomas says T.I. has entered the prison, but couldn't give an intake time for the Atlanta rapper, whose real name is Clifford J. Harris Jr.

T.I. was to report at noon, central time zone, to begin serving his sentence. At 12:29 p.m., a black van with Georgia license plates and tinted windows pulled up to the prison. Guards and prison officials in three vehicles escorted the van to the prison grounds.

Rumors of him having only 60 days to stay in prison have been clarified false.

Video Anthology? Not Quite Yet, But...

Above & Beyoncé is a video album that will be released by Beyoncé, exclusively by Wal-Mart on June 16, 2009. The CD/DVD set will include videos of all released singles so far including "Broken-Hearted Girl" and remixes of all singles as well.

A video for "Sweet Dreams" will not be on the DVD, since "Broken-Hearted Girl" was selected as a single beforehand.

The CD/DVD will be released to all retail outlets a little after the Wal-Mart release date. For tracklisting, click here.

Rap Hopeful Dolla Shot to Death

The Los Angeles Times reports that up and coming Atlanta-based rapper Dolla (Roderick Anthony Burton II), 21, was shot and killed outside of Los Angeles’ Beverly Center shopping mall just after 3 p.m. PDT on Monday.

Though the Los Angeles Police Dept. would not confirm the identity of the victim, the Times reports that Dolla’s publicist, Sue Vannasing, confirmed to the newspaper that her client was shot outside the mall, while waiting with fellow rapper D.J. Shabbazz.

The shooting reportedly occurred during a group melee, possibly also involving a knife. Police have detained a person of interest, whom the LAPD would not name and said had not yet been arrested. Dolla is perhaps best known for the single “Who The F— is That?” featuring T-Pain.

"Precious" gets Theme Song Treatment from MC

One of the starts of an upcoming flick, Mariah Carey, is penning the theme song for Precious, a movie about a 16-year old pregnant girl who is abused by her mother and unhappy with her life.

Carey is said to be working with producer and long-time friend Jermaine Dupri on the track before they add it to the final set of the movie and it's soundtrack. The name of the song is titled "100 Percent".

Expect this movie and it's stars to sweep away all of the awards in the upcoming movie awards season. "Precious" is already receiving rave reviews and awards in honor of director Lee Daniels and actress Mo'Nique at many festivals this year.

To view the trailer, look below.

J. Dupri gets Janet Inked on Him

Music mogul Jermaine Dupri is truly in love. And it's all good because it's all for my favorite artist, Janet Jackson.

Jermaine got tatted up yesterday with a tattoo of Janet's face on his lower abdomen. WOW! From the picture I saw, it looks just like her. AMAZING!

What do ya'll think?

Brandy Preparing 6th Album

After signing a new management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation and landing a lead character role on the upcoming ABC sitcom, This Little Piggy, Brandy has started work on her sixth studio album. Don't worry fans, she still has her record deal with Epic Records.

The project is involving production by The Dream, production team Stargate, and Ne-Yo, so far.

She is also making a collaboration album with her brother Ray J, tentatively titled R&B.

T.I. Prison Sentence Gets Cut Short

Just when we all thought we would miss T.I. for a whole year and one day, a surprise and a blessing from God comes through.

T.I.'s jail sentence has been reduced majorly to 60 days, since authorities say that he spent 305 days at home already. YAY! That's wonderful.

During his jail time, T.I. will receive no special treatment whatsoever. He will have a cellmate and he will have to do everything with all of the mates in the jail with him. Good luck! 2 months is not so bad for the great rapper.

The Upcoming Beyoncé Releases

Just like she did for B'Day, the one and only Beyoncé will be releasing the I Am... Sasha Fierce Video Anthology & Remixes. Yes, that's right. Another DVD full of videos for every song on the album. I Am... Sasha Fierce will also be re-issued with bonus tracks. The album & DVD is tentatively scheduled for release on June 16, 2009.

In other news with the Queen Bey, "Ego" will be released as the fifth single this week (tomorrow) and a video for the song will premiere on her official website on May 21, 2009. A remix with Kanye West is also attached. So, if you wanna see the new video, tune in there. I'm sure everyone's gonna post it on YouTube the minute it's out as well. "Broken-Hearted Girl" was to be released right along with "Ego", but that won't happen, sad to say. However, "Sweet Dreams" will be released as her sixth single in June.

Big ups to the Queen Bey doing big things for the kids! WERK!!!

The Truth about Swizz Beatz & Alicia Keys

Over a year ago, it was speculated that Alicia Keys was a home wrecker, interfering in the marriage of Swizz Beatz and his wife, R&B hopeful Mashonda. Both Keys and Beatz would deny the rumors, stating that the information was false.

However, Swizz has come out of the closet and stating that his relationship with Keys is blissful. In the song "The Best I Ever Had" that he recorded with new actor-turned-rapper Drake, Swizz spit out the following:
"Wake up in the morning and my baby cooked me breakfast, A's naked wearing nothing on but a necklace … Yeah, she say she wanna treat me like a king; I get big gifts so the money ain't a damn thing She gave me a party at the Guggenheim … What's next? The ring? The baby? She really loves me!"

So why was the relationship kept on the DL for so long? He said in a recent interview that what he and Keys have is precious.

In a recent interview, Swizz did say that what he and Keys have is "precious".

Billboard Chart Tally of the Week

Billboard Top 10 Albums:
1. Chrisette Michele - Epiphany
2. Hannah Montana: The Movie
3. Ciara - Fantasy Ride
4. Rascal Flats - Unstoppable
5. Bob Dylan - Together Through Life
6. Lady GaGa - The Fame
7. Taylor Swift - Fearless
8. Rick Ross - Deeper Than Rap
9. Ben Harper and Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times
10. Twilight Soundtrack

Billboard Top 10 Singles:
1. Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow
2. Lady GaGa - Poker Face
3. Jamie Foxx - Blame It (w/ T-Pain)
4. Kid Cudi - Day 'n' Nite
5. Beyonce - Halo
6. Flo Rida - Wynter (w/ Sugar)
7. Soulja Boy - Kiss Me Thru the Phone (w/ Sammie)
8. 30h!3 - Don't Trust Me
9. Flo Rida - Right Round (w/ Kesha)
10. Miley Cyrus - The Climb

Is ANTM in Trouble?

Ratings for the America's Next Top Model this past weekend weren't great at all. In fact, they were the lowest in ANTM history. Only 4.2 million people tuned in to watch. Let's hope CW will give the show more cycles.

"Lights!!! Somebody's Getting Fired!!!"

I'm not sure if Beyonce fired a light technician, or not, but somehow, they had some technical difficulties during her performance of the hit, "Diva". This was during a concert in Rotterdam. I found this video to be hilarious! I laughed instantly! Here it goes! Listen closely for the words, "Lights!!! Somebody's getting fired!!!"

And the #1 Spot Goes To...

Ms. Chrisette Michele tallied her way up to the top of the album chart this week, selling 83,000 of her sophomore effort, Epiphany. Although this is her first #1 album, this debut is the lowest of #1's this year.

Standing strong at #2 is the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack, with sales of 82,000.

Ciara stomped in at #3 with Fantasy Ride, selling 81,000. This is her lowest chart debut in her career thus far.

Ciara and Jay-Z Plot 10-City Tour

Ciara and Jay-Z are set to tour ten cities this summer, deemed as a "Best of Both Worlds" tour. So far, only 5 dates have been confirmed. Ciara confirmed the news on Twitter this past Monday.

The dates posted so far:
7/3 LAS VEGAS The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort
7/4 LAS VEGAS The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort
7/7 CHICAGO Charter One Pavilion/Northerly Island
7/10 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
7/12 ATLANTA Chastain Park Amphitheatre

I hope this small tour can boost up Ciara's album sales, due to the fact that Chrisette Michele might have beat her out for the #1 spot this week, with about 5,000 or 10,000. We'll see tomorrow.

Beyonce, Lil Wayne, and T.I. Lead BET Award Nominations

Queen Bee and two of the best rappers alive that she once collaborated with ("Soldier") are all leading the list of BET nominations this year. With 5 nominations under their belt, I'm sure that Beyonce, Lil Wayne, and T.I. will snatch one or two awards.

Keri Hilson and T-Pain come second with four nominations a piece.

Kanye West, Rihanna, Jazmine Sullivan, and Jamie Foxx all got three nominations.

And I am proud to announce that my fave girl Solange even snabbed a nomination. THANK HEAVENS! I hope she gets it. She deserves the recognition.

The BET Awards 2009 will premiere on June 28 at 8 p.m. LIVE! So tune in! It's always a show to keep your eyes on. Click here to see the complete list of nominees.

Precious

Precious, formerly known as Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire, is a drama about a teenaged girl living in Harlem. The movie was first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2009, where it won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize for best drama, as well as a Special Jury Prize for supporting actress Mo'Nique.

The film is executive produced by Tyler Perry (34th Street Films) and Oprah Winfrey (Harpo Productions). Starring in the movie is Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Sherri Sheperd. The movie will be in theaters nationwide on November 6, 2009.

"I Am... Yours" Ad

An ad for Beyonce's "I Am... Tour" has been recently posted in regards to her 4-day stint in Las Vegas. Ticket prices prices per person are: $250, $500, $750, and $1,000.

Some of the ticket prices will include a spa day, hotel stay, and more. If you love the Bee, then by all means, let her take all of coins. Maybe it'll be worth it. A weekend in Sin City to see Beyonce. What more could you ask for. LOL!

Jordin Sparks' "Battlefield"

The youngest winner of American Idol and one of my faves, Jordin Sparks, is currently putting the finishing touches on her sophomore album. The album has yet to be titled, but in the meantime, a song has been released. The pop/rock tune "Battlefield" instantly grasped my attention. The lyrics and production (Ryan Tedder) are amazing. Jordin's voice is on point. If released as her lead single for her upcoming effort, I think it would be a hit.

Jordin Sparks' album should be released on July 14, 2009.

Take a listen below.

Dawn Richard's "Trainwreck"

As we all know, Dawn Richard was the only member of Danity Kane that Diddy decided to let stay on the Bad Boy platform. Hard at work on her solo album and with music for her new group, Dirty Money, a song has been leaked called "Trainwreck".

The song is very mellow and Dawn showcases amazing vocals on here. You guys should take a listen below.

The Leaked Rihanna Photos are Indeed HER!

Unfortunately, for those of us who love the beautiful, innocent Rihanna, the pictures that were leaked are indeed of her.

That's right! It's Rihanna!

Her record label released a statement asking everyone to stop posting them because they are "invading the artist's confidentiality". Most believe that Chris Brown released the photos, since a small headshot of him was captured in one of the photos. Another photo show Rihanna posing in the mirror in lingerie, with the caption, "I love you. I miss you. Robyn.", written on the mirror with make-up.

It's a shame that photos like these are leaked of celebrities. There's no telling how she feels right now, especially after the leakage of her battered bruises from Brown. Everyone should be entitled to their privacy, CELEBRITY or NOT! We're all still human.

Who Will Claim the #1 Spot: Ciara or Chrisette?

The sophomore and third solo efforts of R&B princesses Ciara and Chrisette Michele are starting off in great shape to debut at #1 for this week's Hot 200 chart issue.

Ciara's Fantasy Ride has been predicted to have sold at least 70,000 copies in it's first week. In comparison to her previous effort, The Evolution (which sold 338,000 in its first week at #1), that's not much a success story.

But the light is shining on Chrisette Michele, making a dazzling impression this week selling just about the same as Ciara with her new album, Epiphany. Her first album, I Am, debuted at #27 in 2007, selling 27,000 in the first week.

In competition with the two starlets is Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack. Already a #1 best seller this year, the album is still selling, sitting at #2, until the new chart reveils this Friday.

So who takes the top spot? It doesn't matter to me. I love them all. But I'm very proud of Chrisette Michele. Her new CD is the tee! GO GET IT!

The Never Ending Case of the Wardrobe Malfunction

Today, the Supreme Court ordered a federal appeals court to re-examine CBS's ruling favor in a legal battle over Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction.

The court directed the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia to reconsider the $550,000 fine that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) charged CBS because the breast-baring incident.

The incident happened during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004. Also involved with Jackson was singer Justin Timberlake.

The appellate court said the incident lasted nine-sixteenths of one second and should have been regarded as "fleeting".

The case is FCC v. CBS Corp., 08-653.

Okay, is P!nk Bi or Not?!

Although the article in UK's News of the World stated that P!nk was bisexual, the rock star quickly came out and said that the story was completely fabricated and false by all means.

In her Twitter, she said, "i just read that im bisexual. so 1991. good thing people write articles about me so i can get my facts str8. i mean straight. read on people,".

So funny! LOL! Either way, EQUALITY FOR ALL! She loves the gays anyway and we adore her.

Inappropriate Timing for Rihanna Comeback

Last month, it was stated that Rihanna would make a comeback with a concert in Dubai for this month. The public affair would be her first performance since the drama surrounding her and Chris Brown.

Unfortunately, as of today, a rep for Rihanna and Vibe Event Management (the company promoting her concert), released a statement saying that the event was officially off.

Managing director Yassin Matbouly just stated that “We want to share with you that Rihanna and her management will not be accepting to hold a public concert at this time as it is not appropriate timing for her.”

It might take a good minute for Ms. Fenty to fully recover from the drama she experienced earlier this year. She's definitely in my prayers.

Jennifer Hudson Cancels Upcoming Shows

The tour that Jennifer Hudson and Robin Thicke are on has been put on hold for at least a week. The Oscar/Grammy winner is sick with a "nasty" throat condition.

Shows in Oakland, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix and Biloxi have been postponed until further notice.

Get well soon J. Hud.

Wolverine Slayed this Weekend

Yay!!!! X-Men Origins: Wolverine sold made $87 million in the box office this weekend. SO AMAZING! And I still haven't seen it. Ugh! But congrats to Marvel and company.

Pink Comes OUT!

In a recent interview with UK's News of the World, singer P!nk came out of the closet, stating that she's bisexual and finds nothing wrong with it.

"I'm not embarassed about being bisexual. This is who I am. Love is pure and I try to keep it that way. This is who I am, what I feel. I think it's unnecessary to draw the subject out, but I think it's even more stupid not to discuss it. It seems as if bisexuality is a trend and I should whip up the masses. Well, I don't believe in trends, I just believe in me."

YAY!!! More people should come out and have pride.

Kelis is Leaving Nas!

After 4 years of marriage and being stuck in a 7 month pregnancy now, Kelis is divorcing her husband, rap star Nas.

Reasoning as to why the power couple are divorcing has not yet been given to media outlets, but Kelis is making sure she gets her child support in the midst of the trial.

Nas and Kelis met in 2002 at a birthday bash after the MTV Video Music Awards that was held by Diddy.

Wolverine Already #1 for the Weekend

Marvel and company should be proud, again. X-Men Origins: Wolverine sold an impressive $35 million on just Friday night. So great!

The sexy Hugh Jackman and his crew should expected to make a whopping $85 million. GO X-MEN!

So far, the reviews are mixed, but in my opinion, that's only because majority of the critics don't know their X-Men background.