After a few false starts, Young Jeezy is gearing back up for his fourth album Thug Motivation 103. The Snowman has recruited Lil Wayne for the latest offering from the oft-delayed LP.
The Lil Lody-produced “Ballin’” features a hard-hitting beat and rhymes from Weezy. The street single is set to premiere Tuesday, April 12, at 1:03 p.m. on USDA2day.com.
Beyoncé was back to work shooting a video for “Girl,” reportedly the first single from her highly-anticipated fourth album. In the first images from the set, the sexy superstar rocks a blonde Pompadour and white Givenchy couture gown while filming scenes in the California desert with director Francis Lawrence (Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”). Sources report that Bey cast an army of dancers in the heavily-choreographed clip. The song has been described as a “club banger,” but we should be hearing something official soon.
It’s official. Nicki Minaj will be hitting the road with Britney Spears on her summer tour. After reports surfaced earlier this month, sources confirm to TMZ that a deal was finalized several days ago. Britney and her team are said to be “elated” with the new opening act after Enrique Iglesias pulled at the last minute.
Those involved with the negotiations believe the Minaj will create even more buzz for the pop superstar’s tour, which kicks off on June 17 in Sacramento, Calif.
Nicki is currently traveling the country with Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Travis Barker on the “I Am Music II” tour, winding down on April 29 in Canada.
Guess it wasn’t a rumor after all! Rihanna and Britney Spears team up for the remix of “S&M.” The two pop queens debuted the song this morning. Take a listen…..
Beyoncé has partnered with First Lady Michelle Obama and the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation to help fight childhood obesity.
Bey re-recorded her Swizz Beatz-produced hit “Get Me Bodied” for the “Let’s Move! Flash Workout” campaign and is now releasing it under the name “Move Your Body.” An instructional video featuring a group of teenagers getting down to the tune hit the web today, while she will also record her own version of the exercise routine for distribution to participating schools.
She previously shared her elation over helping to fight the growing health problem. “I am excited to be part of this effort that addresses a public health crisis,” stated Beyoncé. “First Lady Michelle Obama deserves credit for tackling this issue directly, and I applaud the NAB Education Foundation for trying to make a positive difference in the lives of our schoolchildren.”
Middle school students can practice the dance by watching the new video, and can show off their hard work with a nationally syndicated “Let’s Move!” routine to take place at the same time on May 3 at 1:42 p.m. EST.
Lil Wayne knows a bad chick when he sees one. The Young Money chief is convinced that Porcelain Black is the next big thing, praising the glam rocker while on set of her video for “This Is What Rock N Roll Look Like.”
“The baddest bitch in the game, you feel me?” said Weezy, who appears in both the video and on the single. “I said it, you dig? And I’m aight, too.”
The 25-year-old Detroit native, who is currently opening on the “I Am Music II” tour, explained that the single is for anyone who’s ever been bullied or treated like an outcast. “I think that was a really important song for us to be the first single because it’s a good message, but it’s badass as f**k at the same time and there’s lots of kids out there that got picked on growing up,” she said. “You gotta embrace who you are and never be ashamed of who you are. It’s important to be creative. It’s important to be different.”
Porcelain is currently working on her Universal Republic debut with producer RedOne. Go behind the scenes of her video below.
Songwriter Heather Bright is putting the music industry on blast for failing to acknowledge the people that write the bulk of its hits. She’s particularly singling out artists like Rihanna, Kanye West and Justin Bieber for failing to pay full publishing fees on songs they didn’t write.
“Rihanna takes publishing. Justin Bieber takes publishing. Kanye West takes publishing,” she said in an interview with Free Wired. “On all the stuff that they don’t write, they take publishing.”
Bright, who doesn’t actually cite any specific examples, co-wrote the Bieber smash ‘Somebody to Love’ as a track for Usher, yet after the song was released, she was surprised to see that the young pop star had received songwriting credit for her work. She gets no royalties when he performs the song in concert, either.
Rapper Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace was shot and killed with a very rare form of ammunition, according to new documents released by the FBI under the Freedom of Information act.
While most of the information is known, the FBI documents reveal details into what the agency knew about the case.
The FBI investigation also stated that a variety Los Angeles Police Department officers, both on and off duty – with gang ties – helped the shooter escape, in addition to stymying the investigation, by not following up on witness reports, or properly documenting witness statements.
At one point, at least 10 witnesses were ready to provide information, but refused to talk to the LAPD.
They were willing, however, to talk to the FBI about the murder. The FBI also has uncut video of the shooting.
The documents states that while Death Row was making millions selling records by artists like Tupac, Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound, other associates working for the label were allegedly selling kilos of cocaine for $14,000, which were then re-sold on the East Coast, for $24,000.
According to the documents, B.I.G. was shot and killed with rounds of Gecko 9mm armor piercing ammunition, which is rarely found in the United States and made in Germany.
After an anonymous caller tipped other police that an unnamed Mob Piru Blood’s gang member was involved, Los Angeles Police Department officers obtained a search warrant and found 9mm guns and more Gecko 9mm rounds.
The LAPD never conducted ballistic tests and according to documents, more officers were involved in thwarting the investigation, including two of former Chief Parks’
Change has finally come to the Grammy Awards. In an announcement made today by the President/CEO of the Recording Academy, Neil Portnow, and Academy Board Chair Emeritus, Jimmy Jam, it was revealed that the voting system of the prestigious ceremony has been restructured. The total number of categories for next year’s 54th Grammy Awards ceremony have been reduced from 109 to only 78 with all fields remaining the same. Furthermore, in the genres of Pop, R&B, Rap and Country music, all distinctions between male and female performances have been erased, and group performances and collaborations have been combined into a single category.
53rd GRAMMY Awards |
54th GRAMMY Awards |
| (109 categories) | (78 categories) |
| GENERAL FIELD | GENERAL FIELD |
| Record Of The Year | Record Of The Year |
| Album Of The Year | Album Of The Year |
| Song Of The Year | Song Of The Year |
| Best New Artist | Best New Artist |
| POP FIELD | POP FIELD |
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | Best Pop Solo Performance |
| Best Male Pop Vocal Performance | Best Pop Duo/Group Performance |
| Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals | Best Pop Instrumental Album |
| Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals | Best Pop Vocal Album |
| Best Pop Instrumental Performance | |
| Best Pop Instrumental Album | |
| Best Pop Vocal Album | |
| DANCE FIELD | DANCE/ELECTRONICA FIELD |
| Best Dance Recording | Best Dance Recording |
| Best Electronic/Dance Album | Best Dance/Electronica Album |
| TRADITIONAL POP FIELD | TRADITIONAL POP FIELD |
| Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album | Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album |
| ROCK FIELD | ROCK FIELD |
| Best Rock Solo Vocal Performance | Best Rock Performance |
| Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals | Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance |
| Best Hard Rock Performance | Best Rock Song |
| Best Metal Performance | Best Rock Album |
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance | |
| Best Rock Song | |
| Best Rock Album | |
| ALTERNATIVE FIELD | ALTERNATIVE FIELD |
| Best Alternative Music Album | Best Alternative Music Album |
| R&B FIELD | R&B FIELD |
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | Best R&B Performance |
| Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Best Traditional R&B Performance |
| Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals | Best R&B Song |
| Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance | Best R&B Album |
| Best Urban/Alternative Performance | |
| Best R&B Song | |
| Best R&B Album | |
| Best Contemporary R&B Album | |
| RAP FIELD | RAP FIELD |
| Best Rap Solo Performance | Best Rap Performance |
| Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group | Best Rap/Sung Collaboration |
| Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | Best Rap Song |
| Best Rap Song | Best Rap Album |
| Best Rap Album |
Sade are back with The Ultimate Collection to be released on May 3, just in time to make it the essential Mother’s Day gift. The must-have, 29-track, two-disc album will include four new, never-before heard songs including a remix to “The Moon And The Sky” (featuring Jay-Z). The Ultimate Collection also features 15 tracks that were not included on Sade’s 1994 “Best Of” album. Here for the first time, fans can find all of their favorite Sade classics including songs Lover’s Rock and Soldier Of Love.
Disc 1
1. Your Love Is King
2. Smooth Operator
3. Hang On To Your Love
4. The Sweetest Taboo
5. Is It A Crime
6. Never As Good As The First Time
7. Jezebel
8. Love Is Stronger Than Pride
9. Paradise
10. Nothing Can Come Between Us
11. No Ordinary Love
12. Kiss Of Life
13. Feel No Pain+
14. Bullet Proof Soul+
Disc 2
1. Cherish The Day
2. Pearls
3. By Your Side+
4. Immigrant+
5. Flow+
6. King Of Sorrow+
7. The Sweetest Gift+
8. Solider Of Love+
9. The Moon And The Sky+
10. Babyfather+
11. Still In Love With You**
12. Love Is Found**
13. I Would Never Have Guessed**
14. The Moon And The Sky (Remix Featuring Jay-Z)**
15. By Your Side (Neptunes Remix)+
+ Not on Best Of
** Never Released Before
Sade recently announced, the second leg of their ultimate summer tour kicking off on June 16th, marking their highly anticipated return to the world stage in ten years. Fans who pre-order The Ultimate Collection will have exclusive early access to tickets in select markets. For complete presale and ticket on sale information, visit Sade.com. Tickets for the newly announced dates go on sale to the public beginning April 2nd at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.
Known for their one of a kind timeless sound, Sade has enjoyed phenomenal success both internationally and stateside throughout the span of their twenty-seven year career. Since the release of their debut album, Diamond Life in 1984 the band has seen all five of their studio albums land in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart selling a total of more than 50 million albums worldwide to date. They’ve been nominated for American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and have won four Grammy Awards – first in 1986 for Best New Artist, then in 1994 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group for “No Ordinary Love”, again in 2002 for Best Pop Vocal Album with Lovers Rock and most recently in 2011 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group for “Soldier Of Love”
Dre Black So Fresh 