Amber Rose opens up in ‘King Magazine’

Amber Rose opens up about her relationship with Wiz Kahlifa, the difference between Kanye, and misconceptions about her in the new issue of KING Magazine.  Check the interview out below:  Interview conducted by Sean A. Michael.

What do you think is the perception of Amber Rose?

I spoke to people, asking why do I constantly get ridiculed. Is it because I was a stripper?

Well that doesn’t help that perception much.

But they said, “No, people don’t care about that, it’s that they think that you’re with all these men, when you’re not.” I’m only taking that from certain people that I spoke to. Maybe it’s that too, or that I’m very comfortable with my body. I can be topless on Miami Beach, that doesn’t make me a whore. That’s an everyday thing on Miami Beach. It’s just such a big deal because I’m in the public eye.

If you’re cognizant of these things, why go from one public relationship into another one with Wiz Khalifa?

Let’s put it like this, I promised myself that I would never in my life ever again deal with a man in the music industry…ever!

But?

I met him to give him a pair of sunglasses from my company. You know, he’s from PA, I’m from PA—I wanted to look out for him. We exchanged numbers over Twitter…

There’s something to be said about Twitter hookups. Continue.

[Laughs] Yeah, but it was strictly business for me to give him the shades. He calls and tells me he’s in LA and can he come and get the shades. I told him I’m about to go to Runyon and work out and I’ll contact him after. He says he has the day off and I told him he could come to Runyon with me because I’m going by myself. It would be cool to have some company. He said, cool.

You guys connected during that workout session, then?

We hung out, we were friends. That’s when I posted that picture [on Twitter] saying, “me and my little brother Wiz.” ‘Cause I was like, “I’m not dealing with no young rapper.”

So when did that relationship turn into incest?

[Laughs] I chilled with him for two weeks. We didn’t kiss or nothing. Then he left for Pittsburgh and when he left I was so lost without him. He has to come back, I just miss him, and I don’t look at him like a little brother.

Why is that?

He’s just so positive. He’s one of those people that in any situation he can always see the brighter side to something. And he always has a smile on his face, he’s never in a bad mood, he’s super talented and smart, he’s a boss. Just being around him I realized he’s not no little boy like I thought he was. He’s a grown man about his business. His music alone, he’s not in the same circle as those other dudes, he’s on some other shit. So when he left we just talked on the phone constantly and that’s when we realized we were really falling for each other. And I was like when this young boy gets back from Pittsburgh; he is definitely getting some…definitely [laughs].

Points awarded for honesty. Does it make sense to ask who made the first move?

[Laughs] Ah shit, it was mutual. It was that energy and that feeling, we really fell for each other really hard really fast.

What’s the difference between this relationship with Wiz and your last with Kanye?

The thing of it is…how can I say this without sounding crazy or mean? I’m sorry.

No need to apologize, the floor is yours.

There’s no comparison in personalities. You know when people say how do you go from Kanye to Wiz Khalifa, that’s a downgrade. But the only question I can ask them is: have you ever dated Kanye? Because I have, and believe me, I did not downgrade at all. Not in any aspect, at all.

**Magazine hits store May 31st.

Rihanna Is the New Face of Vita Coco Coconut Water

Rihanna is quenching her thirst with her latest endorsement. The island gal has been tapped as the new spokeswoman for Vita Coco, the nation’s best-selling coconut water.

The “S&M” singer will be featured in the company’s national advertising campaign launching this summer. “I love Vita Coco! It’s real coconut water from hand-picked coconuts,” stated Rihanna. “It’s delicious and so good for you!”

Rihanna, who is also Nivea’s current brand ambassador, joins Vita Coco’s famous family including Madonna and Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis, both of whom are investors in the company.

“Rihanna is a natural fit for the Vita Coco brand and I’m so happy to have her on the team,” said Madonna.

Movie Company picks up Tupac’s “Live 2 Tell” Screenplay

The rights to “Live 2 Tell,” the only screenplay written by rapper Tupac Shakur have been acquired by Nstar Studios. “Live 2 Tell” is the screenplay Tupac wrote while he was serving 11 months in prison in 1995, on a gun charge. The movie revolves around a college student who becomes a drug boss. Afeni Shakur is executive producing the movie, which will begin production in 2012 with an $11 million dollar budget.

Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Men Who Shot Up Waka’s Bus

Prosecutors in Charlotte, North Carolina has dismissed all charges against the six men who allegedly shot up Waka Flocka Flame’s tour bus as the rapper was talking to fans in the parking lot of a car stereo store in February.

Waka Flocka Flame’s security guard shot a man during the botched robbery attempt at Car Stereo Warehouse in East Charlotte, where he was having his tour bus’ audio system upgraded on February 16th.

According to the Charlotte Observer, all of the charges were dismissed because none of the witnesses would identify a shooter.

A few days later, police said a white Dodge Charger at the scene of the crime led police on a high speed chase, which eventually led to the apprehension of several of the suspects.

District Attorney Andrew Murray said that despite the shooting and the men’s long rap sheets, there was also no evidence of an attempted robbery.

“We didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute any of them,” District Attorney Andrew Murray told, the Observer.  “The defendants are still in custody. That’s why we need to dismiss the charges now. I’m not thrilled about having to dismiss these charges. Some of these guys have felony records.”

According to Murray, prosecutors dropped multiple charges against the men, including attempted armed robbery, conspiracy and discharging a weapon into an occupied territory.

Jermaine Dupri Sued Over Back Child Support

Jermaine Dupri has been hit with a lawsuit off missed child support payments he was ordered fork over in March of 2010.

According to the Associated Press, Dupri was ordered to pay $,500 plus another $2,500 a month to a woman named Sarai Jones, after a court-ordered paternity test proved that the producer was the father of a seven-month old baby girl.

In addition to the lawsuit, it was also revealed that Jermaine Dupri owes the IRS $493,000 in back taxes on income that he earned in 2007.

Last week, Jermaine Dupri’s Atlanta $2.5 million dollar mansion was almost auctioned off last week because he is behind on payments and property taxes.

Lil Wayne Announces 41 More Dates On ‘I Am Still Music Tour’

Rapper Lil Wayne will extend his “I Am Still Music Tour”  throughout North America with a whopping 41 new dates added for this Summer.

The rapper will hit a number of amphitheaters starting in Hartford, Connecticut on July 13th at the Comcast Theater.

Lil Wayne  will be joined by Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Lloyd and Far East Movement on the second leg of the tour, which will wind down September 11th at the Woodlands Amphiteatre.

Tickets in select markets will go on sale through Live Nation.com starting the weekend of May 20th.

DATE   CITY   VENUE
7/13/11   HARTFORD, CT.   COMCAST THEATER
7/15/11   BRISTOW, VA.   JIFFY LUBE LIVE AMP.
7/16/11   HOLMDEL, NJ   PNC BANK ARTS CENTER
7/17/11   MANSFIELD, MA   COMCAST CENTER
7/19/11   SCRANTON, PA   TOYOTA PAVILION
7/20/11   SARATOGA, NY   PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
7/22/11   CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH   BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER
7/23/11   CAMDEN, NJ   SUSQUEHANNA BANK CENTER
7/24/11   DARIEN, NY   DARIEN LAKE
7/26/11   HERSHEY, PA.   HERSHEY PAVILION
7/27/11   CINCINNATI, OH   RIVERBEND AMP.
7/29/11   RALEIGH, NC   WALNUT CREEK
7/30/11   VIRGINIA BEACH, VA.   FARM BUREAU AMP.
8/2/11   WEST PALM BEACH, FL.   CRUZAN AMP.
8/3/11   TAMPA, FL   1-800 ASK GARY AMP.
8/5/11   BIRMINGHAM, AL   VERIZON WIRELESS MUSIC CENTER
8/6/11   ATLANTA, GA   AARON’S AT LAKEWOOD
8/7/11   CHARLOTTE, NC   VERIZON WIRELESS AMP.
8/9/11   MINNEAPOLIS, MN.   XCEL CENTER
8/10/11   MILWAUKEE, WI   MARCUS AMPHITHEATRE
8/12/11   PITTSBURGH, PA.   FIRST NIAGARA PAVILION
8/13/11   TINLEY, IL   MIDWEST AMP.
8/14/11   NOBLESVILLE, IN.   VERIZON WIRELESS AMP.
8/16/11   OTTAWA, ON.   SCOTIA BANK PLACE
8/17/11   MONTREAL, QC   BELL CENTRE
8/19/11   TORONTO, ONT.   MOLSON AMP.
8/20/11   CLARKSTON, MI   DTE ENERGY THEATER
8/21/11   MARYLAND, HEIGHTS, MO   VERIZON WIRELESS AMP.
8/23/11   KANSAS CITY, MO.   SPRINT CENTER
8/25/11   PHOENIX, AZ.   ASHLEY FURNITURE PAVILION
8/26/11   SAN DIEGO, CA.   CRICKET WIRELESS
8/27/11   SAN BERNARDINO, CA   GLEN HELEN PAVILION
8/30/11   DENVER, CO.   COMFORT DENTAL
8/31/11   ALBUQUERQUE, NM   HARD ROCK-PAVILION
9/2/11   MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA.   SHORELINE AMP.
9/3/11   MARYSVILLE, CA.   SLEEP TRAIN AMP.
9/4/11   AUBURN, WA.   WHITE RIVER AMP.
9/7/11   OMAHA, NE.   QWEST ARENA
9/9/11   SAN ANTONIO, TX.   ATT CENTER
9/10/11   DALLAS, TX.   GEXA ENERGY PAVILION
9/11/11   WOODLANDS, TX   WOODLANDS AMP.

Free Returns To Airwaves As Co-Host With Big Tigger

Former BET host Free has landed a gig co-hosting Big Tigger’s  morning radio show here in the D.C, The Big Tigger Morning Show, airs on WPGC 95.5.

The show, which has been re-christened “The Big Tigger Morning Show with Free,” airs every morning from 6-10AM and can be heard in Washington D.C., Baltimore, Delaware and parts of Virginia.

Free, the former host of BET’s popular countdown show 106 & Park, is excited about returning to broadcasting full time.

She left the spotlight in 2005 to to focus on her family and to launch her non-profit organization, the Free4Life Foundation.

“I’m so thankful to both PGC and Tigger for giving me this opportunity to do what I care about most – connecting with people on a daily basis,”.  “I love doing radio and have always been intrigued by D.C.’s history and culture, so it’s a match made in heaven.”

In addition to co-hosting duties each weekday with Big Tigger, Free will rundown the “Free’s World Entertainment Report” recap during Big Tigger’s internationally syndicated weekend program “Live in the Den with Big Tigger.”

NJ Cops Protest Common’s White House Visit Over Assata Shakur Track

The head of the union that represents the New Jersey State Police has spoken out against Common’s visit to the White House tonight (May 11th).

Common is among the guests to attend the White House celebration of American poetry, which is being hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

In addition to Common, Aimee Mann, Jill Scott, Elizabeth Alexander, Kenneth Goldsmith, Alison Knowles, Bill Collins and Rita Dove are scheduled to give poetry readings.

During an interview with NBC New York, David Jones, President of the State Troopers Fraternal Association Union, took offense to the lyrics in Common’s track “A Song for Assata.”

“The young people who read this stuff, hear this stuff, are getting a very dangerous and deadly message,” David Jones, president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association union told NBC.

“A Song for Assata” pays homage to Joanne Chesimard aka Assata Shakur, who was convicted of killing a New Jersey Police officer during a controversial trial in 1973.

Shakur escaped a prison in 1979 and is currently residing in Cuba under political asylum, although the United States Government is still offering a $1 million dollar reward for her capture.

The State Troopers Fraternal Association Union are upset because Common’s visit comes as they prepare to head to Washington, D.C. to honor slain officers at the National Law Enforcement Memorial.

Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj to Perform on ‘GMA’ Summer Concert Series

Wake up to the sounds of your favorite artists this summer. “Good Morning America” has announced the blockbuster lineup for its annual summer concert series and it includes some female megastars.

Beyoncé will fire up the stage to perform songs from her upcoming fourth album on “GMA’s Summer Concert Series.” Her fellow femme fatales Nicki Minaj, Mary J. Blige, and Jennifer Hudson will also bring their hits to Rumsey Playfield in New York’s Central Park over the next few months. Additionally, Taio Cruz, Florence + the Machine, Selena Gomez, all Top 11 “American Idol” contestants, and more have been added to the diverse roster.

But kicking things off is Lady Gaga, performing songs from the highly-anticipated Born This Way on May 27, four days after the album’s release. Tickets for her show will be distributed to the public for free in advance.

The rest of the concerts are also free but non-ticketed, and will take place live during “Good Morning America,” Fridays from 7 to 9 a.m. EST. Dates and additional acts will be revealed throughout the summer.

Meanwhile, NBC’s “Today” show has announced its own jam-packed lineup for their summer music extravaganza, which includes Rihanna, Chris Brown, Bruno Mars, and Cee Lo Green.