J. Cole gets off the bench and into the video for “Sideline Story,” a standout cut off his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story. From Abu Dhabi to Copenhagen, the Roc Nation rapper treks around the globe in the clip, which documents his 2011 international tour. Cole will kick off his 17-date “Campus Consciousness” tour with Big K.R.I.T. today in Kingston, Rhode Island.
The hip-hop femcee paints the charts pink with her sophomore album, which debuts at No. 1 this week. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded lands on top of the Billboard 200 after selling 253,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The star-studded set, which features Drake, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and Nas, marks the Young Money rapper’s second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.
Her platinum debut Pink Friday opened at No. 2 in December 2010, selling 375,000 copies. It later climbed to No. 1 in February 2011.
A grateful Nicki took to Twitter to thank her fans for their support. “I’d like to thank you for making Pink Friday: ROMAN RELOADED #1 in the UK, US, Canada, and Japan. #LOVE,” she tweeted.
Q-Tip is the newest addition to the G.O.O.D. Music family. The former Tribe Called Quest member has inked a deal with Kanye West’s label in conjunction with Def Jam, and will release a new album next year.
The 42-year-old rapper joins Big Sean, Pusha T, John Legend, and Kid Cudi on the famed label. He was previously signed to Universal Motown, where he released his 2008 album The Renaissance. He is currently recording his G.O.O.D. Music debut The Last Zulu, due in 2013.
Jennifer Hudson’s fame is complicating jury selection for the trial of William Balfour, the man accused of murdering Jennifer’s mother, brother and 7 year old nephew in 2008.
Potential jurors were surprised to hear Jennifer Hudson’s name read on the witness list and more than 20 people walked out when Judge Charles Burns asked if anyone would be unable to decide the case without “sympathy, bias or prejudice.”
It has been confirmed that Facebook co-founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has purchased popular photography app, Instagram, for $1 billion in cash and shares.
The Instagram acquisition is one of the largest in Facebook history, and according to Zuckerberg, the company does not plan on doing many more of these transactions, if any. Zuckerberg, who made the purchase announcement on his Facebook blog this morning, does not plan on making any changes to Instagram as of yet.
“We believe these are different experiences that complement each other. But in order to do this well, we need to be mindful about keeping and building on Instagram’s strengths and features rather than just trying to integrate everything into Facebook,” wrote Zuckerberg.
“That’s why we’re committed to building and growing Instagram independently. Millions of people around the world love the Instagram app and the brand associated with it, and our goal is to help spread this app and brand to even more people,” he added.
Zuckerberg also stated that the 30 million Instagram users on Android and iOS would still be able to post their photos on other social networks besides Facebook.
There are currently a plethora of Hip-Hop artists on Instagram, including Rick Ross (RichForever), Tyler the Creator (tylerthecreator), Cam’Ron (Mr_CamRon), Big K.R.I.T. (YoungKrizzle) Fabolous (MyFabolousLife),Snoop Dogg (SnoopDogg), and many others.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z escaped the madness of Manhattan and spent spring break in St. Bart’s. After their yacht adventure over Easter weekend, the couple left Blue Ivy behind and hit the beach on Monday afternoon, soaking up the sun on the sandy shores. B took a dip in the ocean in her one-piece bathing suit, while her husband sipped a coconut as he lounged in his swim trunks.
Alicia Keys and her husband Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean agreed to be interviewed together for the new issue of Vibe Magazine and recall the moment they knew they were soul mates.
From VIBE
“It was the craziest thing,” says Dean, leaning forward in his chair. “We had a work lunch with some people, and I get home and look in the back pocket—”
“My credit card was in his pocket,” Keys finishes the story, eyes wide. “Why was my credit card in his pocket?”One explanation might be that he’d grabbed it by accident when they split the check, but that would be too prosaic. They saw the credit card debacle as a sign, the first of many. Well, second, if you count the time, 14 years ago, when they first met and Dean tried unsuccessfully to get her number from his friend. “It wasn’t our time yet,” he says with a smile.
Oprah Winfrey was having lunch with bffs Gayle King and Tyler Perry when Oprah admired Tyler’s new Bentley.
The next day Tyler had a Bentley just like it sent over to Oprah and when Gayle called to thank him, he sent her one too…
Gayle tells Vanity Fair magazine,
“(Oprah admired the Bentley) so he sent her the same exact car. I called Tyler and told him how amazing that was because nobody ever does anything like that for her, on such a grand scale. And so, the next day when I got home, there was a Bentley in my driveway!”
Beyonce, Jay-Z, and their 3 month old Blue Ivy were snapped out and about on the island of St. Barts, enjoying their break. The two are hard at work back in the States both working on new projects that will be released at the end of the year.
Beyonce released some outtakes from her #1 R&B single “Love On Top” where she looks super slim & fit. Her new tumblr page has received 10 million views. Her three shows at the Revel in Atlantic City have sold out, and it looks like Bee is officially back in the game!!!
Dre Black So Fresh 