The Pop Culture Junkie | Get Addicted

Check It: At Last, Plus Couple Date Night

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:34:00 +0000

Here is the studio version of Etta James' wedding classic "At Last" from the upcoming Cadillac Records Soundtrack. Of course she gives a flawless vocal performance, I'm glad she kept strict to the original and didn't overpower it with Sasha. Etta's version is just so beautiful, it deserves to remain simple. The movie will be released December 5th, but a video for the track with clips of the movie is set to premiere in the coming weeks.

Beyonce recent revealed to press that she gained about 15-20 lbs to play the role of Etta James.

LISTEN: Beyonce - "At Last"

Plus check out flicks of Bey-Z out on a date, partying at 1 OAK Nightclub in the Chelsea district at a cocktail party celebrating Diddy’s cover of the “Black on Black” cover of L’Uomo Vogue’s October 2008 Music Issue, before heading out for dinner and drinks!

Keri Hilson: Return the Favor

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:16:00 +0000

Check out Keri Hilson's next single where Timbaland "Returns the Favor" for her debut album, In a Perfect World... which is set to finally be released on December 9th... A very space age video.

On Set: One More Drink

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:10:00 +0000

Check out a behind the scenes look at the making of Ludacris' new video for "One More Drink" co-starring T-Pain which I am really feeling. This is said to be Luda's funniest video ever! Directed by Chris Robinson, the video was shot in Atlanta at Noir. Check out more pictures from on the set HERE.

I'm looking forward to Theater of the Mind...

DAYUM! Lyfe collides with the po-pos!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:49:00 +0000

This is one treacherous mug shot! Yikes.

Whoa Chester! That's Lyfe Jenning's government name. He was arrested Sunday after being chased by police for shooting a gun in the air and then fleeing.

AJC reports that it all started when he bust down the door looking for his wife/manager Joy Pound and two sons in Smyrna, Ga.

He posted a $50,000 bond Monday night. Jennings could not be reached for comment. In addition to the gun charges and trespassing, he has been charged with eluding police and driving under the influence.

Jennings served 10 years in prison from 1992-2002 on a felony charge when he was 14.

Smyrna police chased Jennings after receiving a call about a gunshot fired. Police followed Jennings in his red Corvette along Concord Road, where he was going about 70 mph according to the warrant.

Once he was stopped, Jennings refused a field sobriety test. The warrant said he “had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage” coming from his breath.

Not Surprised at all!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:15:00 +0000

The ongoing soap opera that is Usher and Tameka Foster his aired a new episode. After pictures of Usher and a mysterious woman surfaced and Tameka arriving at Tyler Perry's Studio Opening solo and pregnant, the rumors of separations seem more like reality.

Scoop nabber Jawn Murray laid out more juicy details about their all but confirmed separation...

...on Oct. 1, I got a call from a woman whose name for now I will withhold claiming to be a "friend" of the Raymonds and "concerned because Usher was having an extramarital affair."

After a bunch of hemming and hawing about how she "didn't want her name mentioned" and how she was "only calling me to do the right thing," this alleged "friend" of the couple went on to accuse a fellow R&B/Pop singer of being Usher's mistress.

After checking out this alleged extramarital affair I realized that the dates in question were improbable because Usher and the alleged mistress were in two separate countries for two and a half months of this alleged affair.

Further research allowed me to discover that days after my call from the "friend" of the Raymonds – this being the same weekend as the opening of Tyler Perry's studio in Atlanta to be specific – the singer in question and several of her associates got a call from Foster-Raymond tipping them off Usher & Tameka's wedding photothat this story was bubbling under and that "someone had warned her about it."

Upset, confused and completely blindsided, said singer then phoned Usher, who was both shocked and outraged by the whole ordeal.

Sources close to the situation tell me that this caused him to reach his breaking point and he made it clear that he believed his wife was behind the entire thing.

READ MORE OF THE LONG DRAWN OUT STORY! Lots of "oh really?" moments! Jawn usually keeps it real and true, so the I believe what he wrote is good as true... We all knew the "hook by crook" chick was no good from day one however his personal life has always been a part of his marketing plan for his album. This time it's not really working because his album sales are pretty poo!

The stork visits Lil Wayne

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:27:00 +0000

News broke today that Lil Wayne is a new daddy of a baby boy...

Word on the curb is that the young lady is neither Nivea or his ex-wife, but a 22-year old student from the University of Cincinnati named "Sarah B." Apparently she met him 3 years ago and have been off and on since. Report from Christ Hospital in Cincinnati say Weezy was in the delivery room waiting for the new arrival. I also hear that despite publicly announcing the arrival of his new son at the BET Awards this weekend, he has requested a DNA test. Understood.

To add to the growing buzz surrounding this story, word is that he and Nivea are very much engaged and living together in the ATL.

All hear say at this point though!

Update: According to Miss Info, she got the following info from a "celebrity drama insider."

“Sarah B—-w is her name…my ex use to sleep with her too so that’s how I found out.

He wouldn’t really get into it ‘cuz he only told me that to basically be like “why would I be f—in’ her while she is pregnant by anotha n—a?”

She has “Mrs. Carter” tattooed on her chest. She deleted her myspace but it did say she wuz in a relationship and dat she is pregnant with a boy and is due this month…[she] even had pregnant photos up. So I don’t know, I’m believing it….She’s Vietnamese and white. Oh and she’s a lil girl. She just turned 21 in August and this is goin to be her 2nd child.”

My girl Stylerazzi has sources that say she went to Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio.

UPDATE PART DEAUX: Miss Info has the flicks of the chick... There are others pictures floating around of a more stripper-esque chick.

Kanye expresses himself with Melody!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:26:00 +0000

Yeezy dropped by Big Boy's neighborhood to talk about the new album, 808s & Heartbreak. He speaks on why he's going beyond just rapping, making the album, his new track "Coldest Winter Ever," and his mother.

Great tidbits about him...

Check It: J. Holiday still getting high!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:20:00 +0000

New music from J. Holiday! ...and it's about getting high, er or higher! No surprise but baby boy can sing about curtains and microwaves for me. I can see this is a mixtape joint or even maybe a album track. Not a single, though. Love the 70s funk sample as well.

LISTEN: J. Holiday -"Higher"

MIke Epps is a Rapper too?!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:19:00 +0000

I've never heard this song a day in my life until tonight, let alone knew Mike Epps was rapping now?! I'm not a big girl, but too all my voluptuous vixens, this is for YOU!

Pure "Grade A" Shits & Giggles!

I Can't Even Be Mad!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:00:00 +0000

This little firecracker did the damn thing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies!" Thanks to LexAve for this nugget of pure sweet fruit loop joy!

Musiq: IfULeave ft. Mary J. Blige

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 04:51:00 +0000

I love Musiq Soulchild's second single, "IfULeave" with Mary J. Blige. I like their voices together. The video is beautifully shot, love the day/night contrast, and the split screen at the end.

Random thought: I need to know why Musiq is anti-spaces in titles? Should have asked him that...

First Look: Cadillac Records

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 03:48:00 +0000

Here's the first look at stills from the upcoming film, Cadillac Records starring Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Beyonce Knowles as Etta James, Gabrielle Union as Geneva Wade, Columbus Short as Little Walter, and Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon.

A tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950's Chicago, Cadillac Records follows the the rise and fall of Chess Records and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf and Elvis Presley. It will open in theaters December 5th.

Images via Blackfilm.com

Ryan Leslie Steps Back...

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:55:00 +0000

Ryan Leslie is back in the studio and has pushed his album back to February of 2009. Why? Extreme leakage of album. He's no Kanye, only he can leak his own ish and people still buy it. As he says, and I agree, he needs more exposure...

This clip opens with me playing back an extended instrumental arrangement of I-R-I-N-A with some overdubs by my man Jermaine Parrish on drums and Al Carty on bass.

Inspired, I decided to re-visit one of my favorite songs called 'Just Right'. Here's a look at that session. I had to rebuild it from scratch as one of my hard drives had crashed and many sessions had been lost. I love the new elements, and here's to you loving them too...

For everyone that's been asking, I'll be releasing the album in February. The main reason why it's been pushed back is very simple: I need more exposure!

BET Awards Round Up...

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:47:00 +0000

The reports and rumors are flying out of the ATL as the BET Hip Hop Awards went down his weekend. From what I hear, there are plenty of highs and lows and foolery! T-Pain replaced Katt Williams, but not for the reason BET wants you to believe. Lil' Wayne dropped a bomb about a baby martian on the way. Salt-N-Pepa reunited and absolutely killed it! But where did they find Lady Rage? Ciara and 50 Cent wouldn't even look each other's way, hmmm.

Read all about it @ Necole Bitchie and Straight from the A!

More scoop to come... The show airs October 23rd!

T.I. Wants a "Respectable Freak"

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:19:00 +0000

Isn't that what all men want?

T.I. describes what he finds attractive in a woman. First being a woman that is secure with herself. Like Tiny, you have to be secure with yourself to have 4 different colors of hair. Just saying.

Covergirl: Beyonce for InStyle

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:47:00 +0000

Beyonce fever is in full effect and she's gracing the cover of November's InStyle Magazine.

Inside Beyonce's closet? I'm there...

It's not pimpin', pimpin'!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:56:00 +0000

It's only fitting that the BET Hip Hop Awards would hit some kind of snag to go along with the inevitable foolery. So I get a random email saying that Katt Williams had a moment of Deja Vu and was snatched up by the Feds, hence unable to host the show. That's just a rumor, but it is true that Katt Williams was replaced by T-Pain as host of the show. See what I mean, foolery!

Word on the curb is that Katt and BET had some kind of breakdown last night, but according to one of BET's blogs it all came down to a break dancing contest. More foolery!

Says Stephen Hill, “So we were all hanging out last night and Katt bets T-Pain couldn’t beat him in a break dance battle. Not knowing T-Pain was an extremely DOPE break dancer, Katt thought it was an easy win. T-Pain said if I win, I get to host the Hip Hop Awards.”

More people, BET, get more people! Either neither Katt skipped the show and is said to be at home.

A Baby for Lil Wayne?

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:47:00 +0000

Whaaaaa? A baby? By who? Yeah, we are all wondering who he has a son the way with. He's been linked to his ex-wife, Superhead, and Nivea over that last few months, but they all have been out with him partying. So could it be someone chick we know nothing about? He dropped this nugget of joy in his exceptance speech during the BET Hip Hop Awards..."I got a son dropping any day, pray for me."

I guess... Well congrats.

Return of Slim Shady...

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:39:00 +0000

During an interview last night on his Sirius Satellite Radio channel, Shade 45, Eminem announced his forthcoming sixth album would be titled Relapse and will include the track "I'm Having a Relapse." [LISTEN] The radio show part of an on-air party for Eminem's new book, The Way I Am, which goes on sale next Tuesday.

No release date on his album, however he did announce that he will go on tour with 50 Cent in mid-2009!

And he's not FAT!! He looks depressed as hell, but he is obese as rumored...

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW

Aubrey's Hoe-ish Image Did Her In!

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:52:00 +0000

Well that's not a surprise! Pretty much what we all figured anyway. Remember her crackwhore-esque spread in Complex Magazine? Well, that may just be what put the nail in the coffin...

"We had just did a signing with Dollhouse Teen, which is for 13, 14-year-old young girls," Dawn Richard tell UsMagazine. "So we can't do that one day and then the next day do an obnoxious cover.... [Diddy] wants the fans, and he says he can't do that if we can continue to go in the direction that we were going."

Dawn also reiterated that D. Woods was just caught in the crossfire [pun intended], but that the group will continue on, at the least as a trio but maybe even with a new member.

"Well Puff told me specifically that Aubrey is no longer in Danity Kane and Danity Kane will move forward without her. He has not said anything [about auditioning new members] but I think in my heart that he is gonna do another show."

The group, the name Danity Kane, is locked into Bad Boy for 7, yes s-e-v-e-n, albums. He could release them from the contract [like firing the girls] but I am sure we can look out for Making the Band 3 season 17 "Search for the new Member" on MTV...

Both Dawn and Aubrey [looking her usual fugly mess] were both out in NYC and spotted at the Hennessy Artistry Finale Event keeping their distance...

Eye Spy: Spirit of Life Awards Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:30:00 +0000

Many stars came out to support and perform at City of Hope’s 2008 Spirit of Life Awards held in Santa Monica, California last night. Rihanna, who performed, worked a chic orange look with the animal print belt. Cute. She also ran into former boss, Jay Z as well as Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon and performances by Robin Thicke, Erykah Badu, Keyshia Cole and Trey Lorenz, who reunited with Mimi.

More pics after the jump...

Chris Brown: Superhuman ft. Keri Hilson

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:14:00 +0000

I actually love this song, it was in heavy rotation for the longest about 2 months ago when I first snagged it. "Superhuman" ia Chris Brown's second single from the re-release of Exclusive: The Forever Edition. The music video was directed by Erik White, Brown's seventh video directed by him.

Down to 3...Almighty Puff Power Rules

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:14:00 +0000

After watching the finale of Making the Band, I am in no way shocked or surprised. I wasn't expecting D. Woods to end up out of the group, but I'm not surprised. I actually think she really got caught in the crossfire and got the boot for being guilty by association. I didn't know that their was so much tension between former BFFs Aundrea and Aubrey, though.

Here's the deal, when the Danity Kane's debut album came out, I was expecting a second album. I said it back in 2007 when the rumors around Aundrea started swirling. As much as I love them as a group, I wasn't confident in their success as a reality TV product on Bad Boy. I have my issues with Bad Boy and Almighty Puff Power because we all see how the other artists were eff'd over by that situation.

I have to agree with Diddy on the fact that Aubrey became a distraction. Making it how you live is all cool and ish, but she really changed - for the less attractive. The cliques and distrust was bound to hurt the group. So, what next?

In the interest of MTV, I can see them trying another round of MTB and following the remaining girls. As for Diddy, he's still a business man and he wants to put out music. I can see him entertaining the thought of bring the girls together again. He left that door open. Danity Kane as a three member group? I don't know, 2 of the 3 best vocalists are still there, but D. Woods voice can't be duplicated. Aubrey wasn't the best singer in the crew, so that doesn't hurt the group and they all can dance so that doesn't hurt either. It is possible to market these girls though. Almighty Puff Power could try to make them the next Destiny Child... I feel bad because it seems like the ones remaining really feel like they didn't have anything to "go back to." Aubrey as a solo artist = FAIL! D. Woods has potential but the clock is ticking.

Or how about this is really just the end of them as a group!? My bet is on this.

What do you think? Take a look at Aubrey's response after the jump...

..she didn't really say much, did she?

Where you been Dave?

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:17:00 +0000

Dave Chappelle has be keeping on low low, doing the small town thing with the fam in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where they reportedly lives on a 65 acre farm. However he was spotted in NYC with his wife Elaine and two handsome sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, out for a little skateboarding.

Eye Spy: Beyonce does TRL

noreply@blogger.com (Melody) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:15:00 +0000

Beyonce made her video rounds hitting uo TRL and later BET to officially drop off her two singles... She also confirmed the double-disc release I Am... and that she will be performing on TRL's finale on November 16th at 8pm. Tuesday's episode was dedicated to counting down Beyoncé's greatest video achievements.

About her alter ego driven release she says, "I recorded over 70 songs, and I took a lot of time and made sure it was something that would last forever, something that never goes out."

Look out for the Spanish release of "If I Were a Boy," she recorded the vocals earlier this week and the rerecorded version should hit radio next week. As with her last release, B'Day, she will shoot a video for each song on the album and release a video anthology in February of 2009 along with a Spanish release of I Am... damn. Money in the bank.