FSL :: Your Urban LifeStyle Guide To All Things Fly!

RIHANNA SHOWS CHRIS BROWN WHAT LOVE IS...

2008-08-04T16:42:00.002-04:00

Would you pop your man's pimples?

BOX OFFICE ROUND-UP: THERE IS NO STOPPNG THE DARK NIGHT

2008-08-04T16:34:00.003-04:00

The Dark Knight isn't king of the world, but it's getting closer.

The fastest-grossing blockbuster in Hollywood history took in another $43.8 million at the weekend box office, per studio estimates, staying on course for a potential run of $500 million—or more.

The latest Mummy movie, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon, did about what was expected, if a little less than the most outsized predictions, coming up with $42.5 million. If estimates hold, it'll finish second behind The Dark Knight.

For The Dark Knight now, it's not so much about where it places—although it's the first movie since 2007's Disturbia to top the box office three straight weekends—but how fast it movie descends the mountain of money it made in its opening days.

If it comes down from the peak gradually—and it was down only 42 percent this weekend—it could become only the second film, after Titanic, to break $500 million at the domestic box office.

Much sooner than that will come the $400 million milestone.

With the movie currently sitting on about $394.9 million, Warner Bros. executive Jeff Goldstein said The Dark Knight should enter the $400 million realm by Monday or Tuesday.

"What happens after this is only a guess," Goldstein said today.

Here's a recap of the top-grossing weekend films based on Friday-Sunday estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:

1. The Dark Knight, $43.8 million
2. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon, $42.5 million
3. Step Brothers, $16.3 million
4. Mamma Mia!, $13.1 million
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth, $6.9 million
6. Swing Vote, $6.3 million
7. Hancock, $5.2 million
8. WALL-E, $4.7 million
9. The X-Files: I Want to Believe, $3.4 million
10. Space Chimps, $2.8 million

SUNDAY MORNING SEGREGATION?

2008-08-04T16:20:00.002-04:00

The Rev. Paul Earl Sheppard had recently become the senior pastor of a suburban church in California when a group of parishioners came to him with a disturbing personal question.

They were worried because the racial makeup of their small church was changing. They warned Sheppard that the church's newest members would try to seize control because members of their race were inherently aggressive. What was he was going to do if more of "them" tried to join their church?

"One man asked me if I was prepared for a hostile takeover," says Sheppard, pastor of Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in Mountain View, California.

The nervous parishioners were African-American, and the church's newcomers were white. Sheppard says the experience demonstrated why racially integrated churches are difficult to create and even harder to sustain. Some blacks as well as whites prefer segregated Sundays, religious scholars and members of interracial churches say.

Americans may be poised to nominate a black man to run for president, but it's segregation as usual in U.S. churches, according to the scholars. Only about 5 percent of the nation's churches are racially integrated, and half of them are in the process of becoming all-black or all-white, says Curtiss Paul DeYoung, co-author of "United by Faith," a book that examines interracial churches in the United States.

DeYoung's numbers are backed by other scholars who've done similar research. They say integrated churches are rare because attending one is like tiptoeing through a racial minefield. Just like in society, racial tensions in the church can erupt over everything from sharing power to interracial dating.

DeYoung, who is also an ordained minister, once led an interracial congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that eventually went all-black. He defines an interracial church as one in which at least 20 percent its membership belongs to a racial group other than that church's largest racial group.

"I left after five years," DeYoung says. "I was worn out from the battles."

The men and women who remain and lead interracial churches often operate like presidential candidates. They say they live with the constant anxiety of knowing that an innocuous comment or gesture can easily mushroom into a crisis that threatens their support.

"It's not all 'Kumbaya' and 'We are the World,' " says Sheppard, the pastor of the Northern California church, who was raised by his father, a Baptist preacher, in the black church. "There are plenty of skirmishes."

For the rest of this story CLICK HERE

CNN.com

SOUND BITE: JERMAINE DUPRI

2008-08-04T16:02:00.003-04:00

"I’m sad this incident happened because it interrupted a beautiful and loving party. I’m happy none of my people or friends got hurt. And the party continues.”

JERMAINE DUPRI speaks out about the shooting that left one person injured, this weekend at the producer's Atlanta area white party.

Protect Diddy at all costs...

MORGAN FREEMAN HOSPITALIZED FOLLOWING A ONE-CAR ACCIDENT

2008-08-04T12:30:00.003-04:00

A spokesperson at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis told TMZ MORGAN FREEMAN'S condition is "serious" after he was injured in a car accident last night.

The 71-year-old was in a one car accident around 11:30 PM outside of Ruleville Miss. and had to be airlifted to the hospital in Memphis. Neither alchohol or drugs were suspected in the crash.

The condition of an unidentified woman in the car with the actor is still not known.

*UPDATE*

The Mississppi Highway Patrol has identified Freeman's passenger as Demaris Meyer. Freeman was driving Meyer's 1997 Nissan Maxima eastbound on Highway 32 when he ran off the edge of the road, flipping the car. Both were wearing seat belts at the time.

Cops say Freeman was coherent and talking to police and paramedics.

Freeman's rep confirms the actor broke his shoulder and arm, but expects him to make a "good" recovery.

LAST WEEKS STYLE WINNER: SOLANGE KNOWLES

2008-08-04T12:04:00.002-04:00

SOLANGE KNOWLES has been awarded last weeks Simply Fly! award. During a shopping trip in London, Solo's burnt orange frock and her delicious sky blue & gold Fendi bag made her a shoe in!

And check out her new leak. It's an open letter to the recording industry and it's over Kanye's My Everything. And mark your calendars for the upcoming SoL-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams, which drops on August 26th.

F*@k The Industry (Signed Sincerely)
F*@k The Industry (signed Sincerly) - Solange

Big Ups to Angel @ Concreteloop for the track!

And check out Solange's performance last week on the UK's Charlotte Church Show. Chick sounds pretty fly!

"RAMPAGE" JACKSON'S RAMPAGE JUST GOT WORSE

2008-08-04T10:33:00.002-04:00

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's wild hit-and-run last month just got real, real messed up.

Holli Griggs, who was 16 weeks pregnant at the time Rampage allegedly sideswiped her Escalade, recently had a miscarriage. Her fiance, Bill Krebs, told the Daily Pilot Holli, 38, was perfectly healthy before the incident, but after the wreck she lost a lot of fluid from her womb -- and eventually lost the baby.

The couple have retained an attorney, but have yet to take legal action against Quinton.

As we first reported, Quinton was booked for felony hit-and-run and felony evading arrest after leading cops on an insane chase through Orange County.

TMZ

FLY LIVE: TEEN CHOICE AWARDS

2008-08-04T10:16:00.003-04:00

CHRIS BROWN was a big winner at last night's Teen Choice Awards. The 19-year-old cutie walked away with 5 awards including Choice Male Artist and R&B Artist; his "Forever" was named top R&B track; his collaboration with Lil Mama and T-Pain, "Shawty Get Loose," won for rap/hip-hop track, and he shared a win with Jordin Sparks for choice musical hookup for their ballad "No Air."

Is Breezy the new unofficial spokesman for the Billionaire Boys Club?
Little Miss JORDIN SPARKS looked laid-back and beautiful rockin' this oh so cute Africa tee and denim flares.

Dem Smith boys were in the house. WILL, TREY & JADEN looked cute. But umm Trey, we know you're all "Teenage angsty" and all but who are you muggin'?

TIA MOWRY was all about the summer fun with such a fun, flirty dress.
And it's taken me awhile but I've finally gotten used to the haircut. But chicks makeup is flawless!

I'm so confused LIL' MAMA. So confusesd. From the neck down, chick actually looks kinda fly. But then we get to the Bo Peep bonnent on her head and I don't know what to make of it.

BERNIE MAC AIN'T DEAD, BUT HE IS AILING...

2008-08-04T10:08:00.004-04:00

Don't believe everything you hear!

Despite this weekends radio & internet rumor, actor/comedian BERNIE MAC is very much still in the land of the living. But he is sick.

Mac, nee Bernie McCollugh was hopsitalized late last week in the Chicagoland area for pnuemonia. Bernie suffers from sarcoidosis, a chronic disease that inflames organs -- so far it appears the Pneumonia is not related to that illness.

Get better soon my dude. And ya'll stop emailing and texting me about this!

RANDOM VIDEO: HI-FIVE "SHE'S PLAYIN' HARD TO GET"

2008-08-01T08:16:00.000-04:00

WHAT KIND OF GUESSING GAME WAS THIS?

2008-08-01T07:12:00.000-04:00

Didn't Vibe just say they'd reveal their mystery coverboy on August 4th? That was yesterday.

And although I love Jay, I'm sucking my teeth right now. It wouuld've been hot had it been Steve Jobs.

GREYHOUND BUS PASSENGER SNAPS AND BEHEADS THE MAN NEXT TO HIM...

2008-08-01T07:09:00.000-04:00

As horrified travelers watched, a Greyhound Canada bus passenger repeatedly stabbed and then decapitated a young man who was sitting and sleeping beside him, a witness said Thursday.

"There was a bloodcurdling scream. I was just reading my book, and all of a sudden, I heard it," Garnet Caton, who was sitting in front of the two men, said of the Wednesday night incident west of Portage la Prairie in Manitoba.

"It was like something between a dog howling and a baby crying, I guess you could say," Caton said. "I don't think it will leave me for a while."

Passengers exited the bus, and a trucker who stopped provided wrenches and crowbars to several of them so they could keep the suspect on the bus until police came, witnesses told Canadian TV.

The suspect was seized with the help of negotiators, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Steve Colwell said.

He said no formal charges had been filed, and he declined to identify either the man in custody or the victim, who were among 34 passengers.

The was no immediate indication of what prompted the attack, Colwell said. He said he didn't know how many times the victim was stabbed. Witnesses described the weapon as a large butcher-type knife.

Caton told The Associated Press that the victim appeared to be about 19 years old and had gotten on the bus in Edmonton.

Colwell praised the "extraordinary" level-headedness and bravery of the bus driver and passengers.

"What you saw and what you experienced would shake the most seasoned police officer. And yet I'm told that each of you acted swiftly, calmly and bravely," Colwell said. "As a result, no one else was injured."

The police received a call reporting the attack at 8:30 p.m. By the time they arrived at the scene, everyone except the knife-wielder and his victim had left the bus, Colwell said. The incident ended about 1:30 a.m.

The bus was traveling along the Trans-Canada Highway from Edmonton, Alberta, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was about 45 minutes from its destination when the attack occurred, Greyhound spokeswoman Abby Wambaugh said in Dallas, Texas.

Caton said the victim was sleeping with his head leaning against the window when the attack happened. Caton said he shouted at the other passengers, many of whom also were sleeping, to leave.

"Everybody got off the bus. Me and a trucker that stopped and the Greyhound driver ran up to the door to maybe see if the guy was still alive or we could help or something like that," Caton said.

"And when we all got up, we saw that the guy was cutting off the guy's head. ... When he saw us, he came back to the front of the bus, told the driver to shut the door. He pressed the button and the door shut, but it didn't shut in time, and the guy was able to get his knife out and take a swipe at us," Caton said.

Caton told the AP that the attacker didn't sit near the victim when he first got on the bus, about an hour before the attack.

"He sat in the front at first; everything was normal," Caton said. "We went to the next stop, and he got off and had a smoke with another young lady there. When he got on the bus again, he came to the back near where I was sitting. He put his bags in the overhead compartment. He didn't say a word to anybody. He seemed totally normal."

Half an hour later, the attack began, Caton told the AP. "There was no rage or anything. He was like a robot, stabbing the guy."

The incident occurred on the first of two Greyhound Canada buses that were traveling together, Wambaugh said. The bus was carrying 37 passengers. As many passengers as possible among those not directly involved in the incident were transferred to the second bus, she said.

Others were taken to a hotel in Brandon, where they were met by Greyhound managers and police, Wambaugh said.

Once they are released, Greyhound will take them by bus to Winnipeg, and "we will do whatever is required to help them, and that includes counseling," she added.

Wambaugh declined to comment further.

"I don't want to compromise the investigation," she said.

CNN.com

SO KANYE & TIMBERLAND ARE GONNA FIGHT IT OUT OVER JAY...

2008-08-01T06:39:00.000-04:00

Jay-Z is set to work with Kanye West as well as Timbaland on sessions for his new album.

The rapper's follow-up to 2007's 'American Gangster' was previously reported to be produced solely by Timbaland, but the hip-hop star has revealed that sessions are more of a musical competition between his collaborators.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Jay-Z said: "I'm a person that works off music. If Timbaland makes 10 great tracks then he produces the album, if Kanye West makes 10 great tracks then he produces the album; if he makes three, I'll take three. I let the music dictate the direction.

"You know I love Timbaland, he is like a brother to me, but until the music is done it's premature."

Jay-Z also reflected on his Glastonbury headline performance last month (June 29), saying: "I believe they were ready for a hip-hop act to headline, so even before I got onstage there was this rawness.

"The statement they made before I got onstage was 'Come out and if you're brilliant, you're brilliant and if you're crap, you're crap'. And I came up and I delivered on it. And as the far as the rest of Europe, I'm being very honest, I really had the best run I ever had in my life."

NME News

WORST SURPRISE OF THE WEEK, THERE WAS WEED ON SNOOP'S BUS...

2008-08-01T06:27:00.002-04:00

SNOOP DOGG'S tour bus was pulled over today in Waco, Texas. Officers reported it was routine stop for expired tags. But when the two cops boarded the bus, one reported smelling the distinct smell of the stickiest of the icky. And after a quick search police recovered nearly two ounces of mary jane. Two of Snoop's entourage were taken into custody. However the DoggFather was not arrested.

KANYE MAKE VANITY FAIRS '100 INTERNATIONAL BEST DRESSED'

2008-07-31T15:26:00.000-04:00

KANYE WEST Because, yes, he Kanye. Residence: SoHo, New York City. Occupation: “Ripping stages apart!” Age: 31. Personal style: “I like to have fun and push the boundaries of what everyday outfits should look like.” Favorite fashion purchase of 2008: “A special-order red Epi leather Christopher backpack from Louis Vuitton.” Most frequently worn item: “My bape camo boxers.” Dress up or dress down: “It’s way harder to dress down than to dress up. Casual is the true test of an outfit master. Old men dress the best. They’ll just be sitting in the park with a Missoni sweater, some tonal khakis, and some New Balance sneakers, and you’re like, Damn, that outfit is perfect.” Sunglasses: “L.V. Millionaires. The best of this century so far.” Watch: Casio G-Shock. Cause: Education—the Dr. Donda West Foundation.
By Andreas Branch/PatrickMcMullan.com.

MAKIN' MOVES: SOLANGE GETS GLOBAL

2008-07-31T14:11:00.001-04:00

SOLANGE KNOWLES can add Ambassdor to her resume. The quirky singer has been tapped to serve as Armani Jeans Global Ambassador. Now I'm not completely sure what that means, but we're really feelin' chick right now, so congrats chica!

NEW MUSIC: BIG BOI FT. MARY J. BLIGE "SUMTHIN'S GOTTA GIVE"

2008-07-31T14:09:00.001-04:00

Sumthin's Gotta Give
by yardie4lifever2

MONICA PREEMS HER NEW REALITY SHOW...

2008-07-31T12:09:00.004-04:00

MONICA partied in style last night in the ATL to celebrate the launch of her new reality show The Single. The show cronicles the singers quest for a comeback. Unfortunately the show will only air on Atlanta's Peachtree TV. But all of you ATL readers, check it out.

MAKING THE BAND 5 IS ALMOST HERE!

2008-07-31T11:50:00.003-04:00

Cougars, lip gloss & weave! Oh my...That's just a taste of what to expect as Diddy & the crew set out on a cross country tour. And I can't wait. Why do I feel like Diddy is one nipple slip away from slapping the ish outta Aubrey?

The new season of Making The Band 5 begins August 13th.

BEYONCE IS READY TO ROCK!

2008-07-31T11:14:00.002-04:00

BEYONCE is gearing up for her first major televised performance in several months in this falls Fashion Rocks, which airs in September. And now the singer looks very understated and sexy in her black fitted suit for the FR ad that is to run in all major fashion mags this month. Loves it!

Fashion Rocks Magazine

CINE FIRST LOOK: THE SECRET LIVES OF BEES

2008-07-31T11:00:00.004-04:00

Set in South Carolina in 1964, the film is the moving tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna.

The film is written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Disappearing Acts) and stars Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Oscar nominees Angela Basset, Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo and SAG award nominee Dakota Fanning. Alicia Keys is said to also give a stirring performance.

The film is set to hit theaters October 17th.

NEW MUSIC: R. KELLY "12 PLAY FOURTH QUARTER"

2008-07-31T10:40:00.004-04:00

With all of that pesky child pornography crap behind him, looks like the dirty uncle of R&B, R. KELLY is putting the finishing touches on his new CD 12 Play Fourth Quarter.

But there's already a bit of controversy surrounding the project, that leaked to internet yesterday. Some are saying it was Kelly's camp that leaked what amounts to almost an entire disc. while Kelly's camp are insisting that what's been downloaded over 100,000 times are simply "throw-away" tracks.

Either way, many are waiting to see what the public's response will be to Kellz' typical, sexually charged lyrics, after being found not-guilty of having sex with a minor.

The lead single for the project "Hairbraider" was released in May, only to meet lukewarm reception. Though some industry insiders insist the singers legal status had nothing to do with the singles flop.

"It's not relevant," said one Jive rec exec who chose to remain anonymous. "Nobody is wearing braid anymore. The kids today can't relate to Kelly, he's officially become their mother's music."

Sources are also confirming that Kelly is looking to get out of his multi-million dollar contract with his longtime label Jive, feeling that now that his legal problems are behind him, he could get a better deal elsewhere.

But only time will tell.

R. KELLY - 12 Play Fourth Quarter

12 Play 4th Quarter R.Kelly

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR TE, CHARLIE & I TO BE MORE EXCITED!

2008-07-31T10:17:00.004-04:00

The first real trailer for the greatest movie ever made (perhaps I'm overstating it)has just been released. Beverly Hills Chihuahua! Sure there's no singing in this one but dammit it's got box office gold all over it!

My nephew Te & Charlie Murphy (who is quite proud to see his fellow furry brethren represented, though ya'll could've called a brotha).

POLITICS AS USUAL: OBAMA IS THE SAME AS PARIS AND BRITNEY HUH?

2008-07-31T09:48:00.002-04:00

This is laughable and more desparate than R. Kelly applying for a gig at kindercare.

LET'S BE HONEST, DOESN'T GWEN STEFFANI DO THE SAME TO YOU?

2008-07-31T08:45:00.000-04:00