PRINCE AND SECOND WIFE FILE FOR DIVORCE: Also bootleg Prince DVD banned in Germany following groundbreaking court decision.
*Prince and his 29-year-old second wife Testolini Nelson are headed for divorce court.
People magazine cited Prince's lawyer, Alan Eidsness, in confirming Wednesday that the 48-year-old rocker has decided to end his five-year marriage with the Toronto native, who used to work at his charitable foundation.
A sealed divorce action was filed May 24 at Hennepin County District Court in Prince's home state of Minnesota.
Testoline, who took Prince’s last name of Nelson, was married to the
singer in 2001 – three years following his divorce from backup singer and
dancer Mayte Garcia, whom he married in 1996.
*Meanwhile, the distribution of a bootleg DVD featuring a 1983
performance by Prince and the Revolution has been halted in Germany
following a June ruling by the Berlin Higher Court.
In the first-ever ruling of its kind in Germany, the court has
expanded its ban of bootleg CD sales to include DVDs. As a result,
Berlin-based distribution company Falcon in Wittenburg is banned from
manufacturing and distributing further copies of the illegal DVD, titled
“Prince And The Revolution - The Homecoming." The company is also ordered to
destroy all existing copies.
The court stated in its decision that Falcon's distribution violates
German copyright law, international treaties and Prince's moral rights as
the DVD is based on an amateur recording of the original 1983 gig.
"The sound and the pictures are of such a poor quality, it is
extremely damaging to the artist's image," the judge said, according to
Reuters.
Details of last month’s ruling were disclosed last Friday by
Prince's lawyer Martin Diesbach.
EUR'S INTERVIEW WITH NIC CANNON: The Monster House Interview - Cannon on His New Cartoon Feature
by Kam Williams
*Born in San Diego on October 8, 1980, Nick Cannon began performing at
eight years of age after his grandfather left him several instruments as a gift.
He then founded the Da Bomb Squad, a rap group comprised of him and his best
friend, Steve Groves. The duo eventually opened for such superstars as Will
Smith, Montell Jordan and LFO.
But Nick decided to put his music career on hold when acting
opportunities came pouring in. So, he headed for Hollywood while only in his mid-teens and
started doing stand-up at comedy venues like The Improv, The Laugh Factory
and the Comedy Store.
Next, he soon landed his first television gig as the audience warm-up
emcee for the long-running, Nickelodeon TV-series "All That." Realizing that
Cannon's calling was to be in front of the camera, the program's producers
awarded him a recurring role which he would eventually spin-off into "The
Nick Cannon Show."
Success on the small screen catapulted Nick to fame and fortune via
feature films, where he made his breakout bid as a college freshman from Harlem in
"Drumline." He's since appeared in "Love Don't Cost a Thing," "Shall We
Dance," "Underclassman," and "Roll Bounce." Due to his distinctive voice,
he's also been much sought after to play characters in animated adventures
from "Garfield" to "The Adventures of Brer Rabbit" to his latest outing,
"Monster House," in which the versatile, young actor appears as Office
Lister, an overzealous rookie cop.
KAM WILLIAMS: What's the premise of this picture?
NIC CANNON: Well, "Monster House" is pretty much a story about a group of kids who come up on this house that is actually a monster. It's kinda cool because no
one believes them at first, because that doesn't make any sense. How could a
house be a monster?
KW: So, what happens? Let me guess. I bet it does turn out to be a monster.
NC: My character, along with Kevin James' character, are the police officers
in the film. And we roll up on the kids like, "What's going on? Why are you
guys troubling this house?" From there, we don't believe anything they're
talking about and threaten to take them to jail and all that stuff until we
actually do suspect the house and then it kind of eats us. [laughs]
KW: What was it like working opposite Kevin James? He and Will Smith
certainly generated a lot of screen chemistry in Hitch.
NC: Working with Kevin James was amazing. I'm a huge fan of all of his work.
And for him to be just so cool and down-to-earth worked out perfectly,
because we're the direct opposites. He's laid back and chill, and I'm like
hyper and bouncing all over the place.
KW: How about Sam Lerner, the child starring as Chowder?
NC: I think Sam is the funniest kid I've ever met. His comedic timing is
amazing, and he's just over the top. He reminds me of like a little John
Candy. He played Chowder to a "T" and he even has some ad-libs in there that
are hilarious. You know what I mean?
KW: Yep, thanks.
JANET DENIES MARRIAGE CONFUSION: First she says she’s not sure if she’s
engaged. Now she says that statement was a joke.
*Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri are taking the media for a ride.
The singer, who has been jetting around the world to promote the
Sept. 26 release of her new album “20 Years Old,” seems to be toying with
the press when answering questions about her future with boyfriend Jermaine
Dupri.
At the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles earlier this month, J.D. hinted
that he and Jackson had set a date for Sept. 26. In an interview Monday
(7/24) that aired Tuesday on Britain's Choice FM Radio, Janet was asked
point blank if she and Dupri were getting married.
Her response, according to People magazine: "That's what he said. He,
um … that's … everyone's been asking me about this. He said something about
September 26th we were getting married. …That's the date the album comes
out! September 26th."
The DJ replied: "Are you engaged?"
"That's what he said!" Jackson giggled. "So if … I don't know. You
know … Everyone's been asking me about it. And if it's meant to happen,
it'll happen."
That was Monday. On Tuesday, while in Berlin to promote the album,
Jackson said her response to the British interviewer about a Sept. 26
wedding was a ruse.
“That was just a joke. At least I don't know anything about it yet.
But we are happier than ever," she explained.
Elaborating on their relationship further during a press conference
in Atlanta last Friday, Jackson, 40, told reporters: "Being with Jermaine
has really changed my life. … I always wanted to find love. Now that I found
love, I'm in a different space."
"I would love to have kids," she added. "I never thought I would ever
want any. But being with Jermaine really changed my mind on all that. I
don't mind adopting."
METHOD MAN VS. WENDY WILLIAMS: Rapper unleashes verbal assault against
gossip diva for divulging wife’s illness.
*New York gossip hound Wendy Williams has been officially put on
notice by an irate Method Man, who is looking to rip her apart after she
blabbed information about his wife’s illness that the couple had wanted to
keep private.
Video tape of an interview in which Meth vents his frustration about
Williams hit the Internet last week. On the tape, the rapper confirms
Williams’ revelation on the radio that his wife was battling cancer. He then
proceeds to eviscerate Williams for exposing the information on the radio.
“That was her business, she didn’t want anybody to know about it and
I respected her wishes,” Meth said of his wife. “For the media to put that
sh*t out there like that, I think that sh*t is mad tacky and disrespectful.
Wendy Williams did it. Her. She’s the one that did it. You can attack me
anyway you want to, I’m in the entertainment business, but you don’t attack
my family. You did not have to do that.”
The rapper, whose new album “4:21…The Day After” drops Aug. 29, said
that no one, not even his wife’s family, knew that she was sick and
undergoing chemotherapy treatment until Williams opened her mouth.
“The people that lived around her didn’t know she was sick until
you said that s**t,” he said, speaking directly to Williams in the camera.
“Everybody looking at her and staring at her. You know how uncomfortable
that makes somebody feel, especially somebody that’s going through chemo?
You stupid-ass b***h? It’s bad enough she didn’t have her hair on her head,
you think she wants people staring at her, pointing at her, talking about
how sick she is?”
Meth gets angrier as he continues on, eventually telling Williams “I
ain’t no regular okee-doke n*gga, man. I ain’t no N-Sync, Justin
Timberlake-ass n***a, man. I come from Park Hill, Staten Island, n*gga. You
been on my block, f***in’ them lil n***as around there. You think I don’t
know…I know. However you wanna do it Wendy. But me, I’m not gonna do it
verbally or come on your lil show and bark on you. …I’m a street n***a.
You’ll see me.”
View the interview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du1UViOs4Hk&search=Method%20Man%20Wendy%20Williams
In a later interview with Allhiphop.com, Meth said Williams took
things a step further and insinuated that he was having an affair with his
wife’s doctor.
"She said me and [the doctor] was f**king. What kind of s**t is that,
man?," he said. "You don't do that to nobody. You say what the f**k you want to
say about me, say nothing about my family, man."
BEYONCE REGRETS UNLEASHING SASHA ON PRINCE: Singer says her alter-ego should’ve been in check during 2004 Grammy duet.
*Beyonce has had two years to reflect upon her sizzling duet with
Prince to open the 2004 Grammy Awards – and she is now mortified.
In Bey’s mind, their performance was overpowered by “Sasha,” the
name she has given to her sassier alter-ego.
"I saw that I didn't even give [Prince] the mic,” she laments to
Contact Music. “It was supposed to be in the middle, not in front of my
mouth. Sasha just took over."
Beyonce says she was able to properly contain Sasha during
performances as a member of the group Destiny’s Child, but as a solo artist,
it’s harder to keep her uninhibited stage persona on a leash.
"I just know when to be quiet and let other people shine,” she said.
“[In the past] I didn't think it was appropriate to let Sasha out.”
B. SMITH VS. MARTHA STEWART?: Black domestic diva rumored to crave Star’s seat on ‘The View’ to settle old score with Martha.
*Yes ladies and gentlemen, beef doesn’t just exist within the worlds
of hip hop and spoiled celebutantes. Apparently, lifestyle maven B. Smith
has a 9-year-old bone to pick with fellow homemaking mogul Martha Stewart,
and wants to use Star Jones’ old seat on “The View” to settle the score.
According to the New York Post, B. (Barbara) Smith, often referred
to as “the black Martha Stewart,” is about to launch a campaign to earn a
permanent gig with “View” co-hosts Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Rosie
O’Donnell and Elizabeth Hasslebeck – in part because the show airs opposite
Stewart’s syndicated morning program in most markets.
The Post quotes an industry insider who says Stewart has been on
Smith’s bad side ever since she caught Martha snooping around her booth at a
TV-industry trade show nine years ago. Smith is reportedly hoping for some
payback through a trouncing of Martha’s show in the ratings in markets where
their shows would air head-to-head.
In the meantime, Robin Givens took a co-hosting turn on “The View”
Wednesday, during which she plugged her upcoming book and reminisced with
Walters about their infamous interview in which the actress admitted that
her then-husband, Mike Tyson, was abusing her.
ABC is expected to announce a permanent replacement for Star Jones
Reynolds after Labor Day.
COLIN FARRELL’S ACCOSTER SPEAKS OUT: Actor files restraining order after
‘Tonight Show’ ambush.
*The sister that chose a taping of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
to unload her frustrations against ex-boyfriend Colin Farrell has been hit
with a restraining order by the actor.
Dessarae Bradford, a model who left her seat during his guest
appearance on the show last Thursday, was escorted out of the studio after
she rushed the stage in a failed attempt to serve him with legal papers.
According to "Access Hollywood," Farrell assisted "Tonight Show"
security staff with her removal by putting his arm around her to calm her
down. In the process of being tossed out, she reportedly tried to get
Farrell to sign a copy of her new book, "Colin Farrell: A Dark, Twisted
Puppy."
An audience member who witnessed the incident said: "I think I heard
her say, 'I'll see you in court tomorrow,' and, basically, Colin's response
was, 'Honey, darling, you're out of your mind.'"
Two hours after the ‘Tonight Show” episode, Bradford hit the
jackpot. She and a private eye from Counter Force PI Services in Marina Del
Rey, Calif. successfully served Farrell during a red carpet event for the
premiere of his new film “Miami Vice.” Bradford told TMZ.com that she is
suing Farrell for $10 million for stalking, harassment and slander.
"It was freaky. ... It was just very jarring. I've no idea what
happened," Farrell said to red carpet journalists immediately after being
served.
At her L.A. press conference Monday, Bradford said of the “Tonight
Show” ambush: "My whole purpose was to get Colin Farrell served properly.
... I was intending to be a mini-diversion while my private investigator
went up and served him. I never expected Jay Leno's security to step aside.
They parted for me like the Red Sea."
Reporters seeking further info about the “Tonight Show” incident were
told to read “Colin Farrell: A Dark Twisted Puppy" for answers. She then
handed out copies to everyone.
Bradford also told the press that she would sue them, too, if she
didn’t agree with their stories about her.
Meanwhile, Farrell’s request for a restraining order against Bradford
was filed in Los Angeles earlier this week. In the court documents, the
actor states: "I am concerned that her harassing behavior has escalated and
may pose an immediate threat to my well-being and the well-being of my
family."
Last year, Bradford sued Farrell for mental anguish, "breach of
contract, return of erotic tape and art, cost of dress, shoes and
accessories." All of those lawsuits were thrown out of court. Another court
has just ordered her not to come within 150 yards of the actor.
"He says I'm a stalker, that I am there to get back at him. I am not
anyone's stalker,” Bradford said at the press conference. “I'm too
self-absorbed to be a stalker."
See Dessarae Bradford’s TMZ interview about the “Tonight Show”
incident here: http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1680344
POLICE CHIEF QUESTIONS C-MURDER’S PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT: He’s ‘mystified’ by Judge Sassone’s actions regarding house arrest.
*Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson in Louisiana says he is
“mystified” by the repeated interventions of a judge in the house arrest
dispute surrounding rapper C-Murder.
As previously reported, Judge Martha Sassone released the rap star
from house arrest last week and instead imposed a 10 p.m. curfew.
According to the Times-Picayune newspaper, Lawson has taken issue
with several decisions made by Sassone in relation to C-Murder, including
her June 5th phone call ordering an officer escorting the artist to jail to
return the defendant back home. Although Sassone was within her authority,
Lawson thought it was out of character for a judge. It was also the first
such order in the six years that his department has run the home
incarceration program.
Lawson also found troubling a statement Sassone made in court last
week voicing concern over the “burden” placed on the department by the extra
effort it takes to monitor C-Murder, whose real name is Corey Miller.
“We certainly don’t feel that it was a burden. It certainly wasn’t
the sentiment of our officers, the office or the program,” Lawson told the
Times-Picayune.
Lawson further states that the nature of Miller’s case should not
have qualified him to serve his sentence under the home incarceration
program. He listed as examples the violent nature of his crime, and
incidents he incurred while behind bars, such as possession of an illegal
cell phone and an assault on an officer.
CUBA GOODING JR. ON DEATH OF CARL BRASHEAR: Actor portrayed the late U.S. Navy diver in the film “Men of Honor.”
*Cuba Gooding Jr. took time away from the promotion of his new film
“Shadowboxer” to say a few words about Tuesday’s passing of Carl M.
Brashear, the nation’s first black U.S. Navy diver that he portrayed in the
2000 film “Men of Honor.”
"The African-American community lost a great leader today in Carl
Brashear," Gooding said. "His impact to us as a people and all races will be
felt for many decades to come."
Brashear, 75, died at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth of
respiratory and heart failure, the medical center said.
The son of poor sharecroppers in Sonora, Kentucky, Brashear joined
the Navy in 1948 at the age of 17, shortly after its desegregation by the
U.S. military.
"I went to the Army office, and they weren't too friendly," Brashear
told The Associated Press in 2002. "But the Navy recruiter was a lot nicer.
Looking back, I was placed in my calling."
After boot camp, Brashear set his sites upon becoming a deep-sea
diver. In 1954 he was accepted and graduated from the diving program,
despite daily encounters with discrimination, including having hate-notes
left on his bunk. He went on to train for advanced diving programs, but an
accident occurred in 1966 that caused a major setback.
He was assigned to recover a hydrogen bomb that dropped into waters
off of Spain when two U.S. Air Force planes collided. During the mission
Brashear was struck below his left knee by a pipe that the crew was using to
hoist the bomb out of the water. Brashear was airlifted to a naval hospital
where the bottom of his left leg was amputated to avoid gangrene. It later
was replaced with a prosthetic leg.
The Navy wanted to retire Brashear from active duty, but he soon
began a grueling training program that included diving, running and
calisthenics.
"Sometimes I would come back from a run, and my artificial leg would
have a puddle of blood from my stump. I wouldn't go to sick bay because they
would have taken me out of the program," Brashear said in 2002 when he was
inducted into the Gallery of Great Black Kentuckians. "Instead, I'd go hide
somewhere and soak my leg in a bucket of hot water with salt in it -- that's
an old remedy I learned growing up."
Eventually, Brashear became the first Navy diver to be restored to
full active duty as an amputee. He finally retired from the Navy in 1979
after more than 30 years of service. His first wife, childhood friend
Junetta Brashear, said his health began to decline about three years ago,
but that he had experienced problems ever since the amputation.
Brashear married Junetta Wilcox in 1952 and had four children --
Shazanta, DaWayne, Phillip and Patrick -- before their divorce in 1978. He
later married Hattie R. Elam and Jeanette A. Brundage. Funeral arrangements
are pending.
WHAT HAPPENED TO DEM BOYZ? DFB is MIA in South Carolina; ticket holders given a pool party instead of a refund.
*Dem Franchize Boyz left fans hanging at a show scheduled for 10:30
p.m. last Friday (7/21) at the Greenwood Civic Center in South Carolina.
The Atlanta quartet failed to show up for their headlining gig, which
caused the crowd of about 1,100 to become “real rowdy,” according to the
show’s promoter, Reggie Johnson.
Extra security was called in when it was clear that the group would
be a no-show. According to the Index-Journal, Johnson said the crowd “left
because officers were there. They calmed down pretty quick."
No refunds were issued because all ticket revenues are with Dem
Franchize Boyz' management, Johnson said.
As alternative compensation, Johnson's company, RRJ Productions, is
throwing a free pool party and cookout this Saturday (7/29) for all ticket
holders at 2 p.m. at the R.L. Stevens Recreation Center on Seaboard Avenue.
MONICA SETS A DATE FOR ALBUM RELEASE: Singer’s long-awaited new disc due in September.
*Dem Franchize Boyz, Missy Elliott and Jermaine Dupri are among the
artists and producers who appear on “The Making of Me,” a new album from R&B
singer Monica that will arrive in stores on Sept. 19 via J Records.
The artist’s first disc since 2003’s “After the Storm” is said to
delve into personal pain and heartache, including the suicide of an
ex-boyfriend. The set is also tipped to include happier, more upbeat fare,
including the first single “Everytime Tha Beat Drop.”
“‘Beat Drop,’ for me, is a real good representation of where I'm
from," Monica said in a statement. "We all just want to dance and have fun.
This is what I live. What I dance to. What I listen to when I'm in my car.
So I thought, ‘Why wouldn't I sing over it?’”
The 25-year-old burst onto the scene as a teen and is best known for
the hits "Angel of Mine," "Don't Take It Personal" and "The Boy Is Mine."
NELLY ON DREAM DUETS WITH JANET AND MARIAH: Rapper says family ‘flipped out’ over collabo with “Penny.”
*Nelly still shakes his head in disbelief over getting to record
duets with women he considers larger than life – Janet Jackson and Mariah
Carey.
"Amazing," Nelly told MTV of the collaborations. "I'm big fans of
both of them.”
Of “The Emancipation of Mimi” hookup with Carey on the song “To The
Floor,” Nelly notes: “She's possibly the best singer I've heard. And you
watch someone such as Mariah, who went from the highest of the high to the
lowest of the low, and come back like she never missed a beat, and stand up
and smack everybody in the face like, 'I'm still here; matter of fact I'm
better' — that gives you inspiration. That keeps me going.”
Nelly recently completed work on the video for “Call on Me,” his duet
with Jackson and the first single from her upcoming album, “20 Years Old,”
due Sept. 26.
"Then Janet Jackson — come on, man, that's Penny! That's Charlene,"
Nelly continued, referring to Jackson's sitcom roles on "Good Times" and
"Diff'rent Strokes." "Where do you go from there? It's a beautiful thing."
The St. Louis-bred rapper said his family may have been more excited
about the Janet collabo than he was.
"They're definitely fans of the Jacksons,” he said. “I grew up
singing Jackson Five songs. My uncle put a little band together with all the
kids, and I used to have to be Mike. This was a long time ago."
LET THE GAME BEGIN: Rapper prepares for Nov. 7 release of next album; whets
appetite with twist on Reid’s ‘One Blood.’
*The Game is already claiming his birthright to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath
dynasty via his new single, “It’s Okay (One Blood),” which appears on his
upcoming album, “The Doctor’s Advocate,” due Nov. 7.
According to MTV, the track samples Junior Reid’s anthem “One Blood.”
But in Game’s case, the title refers to his gang affiliation, not the
substance running through his veins.
"The 'Math gonna drop him, if 50 ain't rockin' with him no more,"
Game raps, referencing the rumors that he had been dropped from Dr. Dre's
Aftermath label in the wake of his beef with 50 Cent. "Everybody knows I'm
the heir to the Aftermath dynasty," he continues, reaffirming his allegiance
to the Dr. Dre.
Ironically, Game has yet to collaborate with Dr. Dre for the new
album, but he’s working with another Dre – from the production duo Cool &
Dre.
"We gave him some really hot records," Dre of Cool and Dre told MTV
recently in L.A. "We gave him this record with Mary J. Blige. [It's] another
soulful record. Mary flipped it. We was in the studio — it was Mary, me and
Cool, Game. The record is so beautiful. I believe the Mary song is called
'People.' Then we did a record with him that's so phenomenal that's up for
first single status. This record is called 'Stop.’”
OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules -- Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening July 28, 2006
BIG BUDGET FILMS
*The Ant Bully (PG for crude humor and action sequences) Animated morality
play about a 10 year-old boy (Zach Tyler) who learns some important lessons
about friendship and tolerance when he finds himself magically shrunk to the
size of an insect after he deliberately flooded an ant hill with his water
gun. Voice cast includes Nicolas Cage, Paul Giamatti, Julia Roberts, Meryl
Streep, Regina King and Ricardo Montalban.
John Tucker Must Die (PG-13 for sex and expletives) Revenge comedy about a
womanizing playboy (Jesse Metcalfe) who gets what's coming to him when three
of his ex-girlfriends (Ashanti, Sophia bush and Brittany snow) team up to
turn the tables on him by talking the new girl in town into breaking his
heart.
Miami Vice (R for sex, expletives and graphic violence) Colin Farrell and
Jamie Foxx co-star in the screen adaptation of the citrus-colored TV-series
about a couple of cool, crime-fighting detectives who walk a fine ethical
line wooing women while working undercover to crack a drug cartel
responsible for several murders in South Florida.
Scoop (PG-13 for sexual content) Woody Allen wrote, directed and appears in
this romantic comedy about an American journalism student (Scarlett
Johansson) vacationing in London, who falls in love with a British
aristocrat (Hugh Jackman) while attempting to crack the case of the Tarot
Card Killer with help of an aging magician known as Sid "Splendini" Waterman
(Allen).
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
13 Tzameti (Unrated) Set at a chateau in rural France, this psychological
thriller revolves around a struggling, 20 year-old immigrant (Georges
Babluani) seeking a solution for his money woes who ends up an unwilling
participant in a high-stakes game of Russian roulette. (In French with
subtitles)
America: Freedom to Fascism (Unrated) Conspiracy theory documentary makes
the case that the U.S. is well on its way to becoming a totalitarian state,
due to an erosion of civil liberties courtesy of a combination of the IRS,
rigged elections, the national ID card, radio frequency identification
technology and the Federal Reserve Bank.
Another Gay Movie (Unrated) Homosexual-sounding version of American Pie
follows the adventures of four, gay high school grads (Andy Carbonaro, Mitch
Morris, Jonah Blechman and Mitch Morris) who make a pact to lose their
virginity before they head off to college.
I Like Killing Flies (R for pervasive profanity) Dining documentary about
the loyal clientele and eccentric owners of Shopsin's, an offbeat,
closet-sized Greenwich Village eatery with over 900 items on the menu.
Little Miss Sunshine (R for sex, expletives and drug use) Road comedy about
a dysfunctional family's ordeal driving by VW bus from Albuquerque, NM to
Redondo Beach, CA in order to enter their chubby, bespectacled seven
year-old (Abigail Breslin) in a beauty pageant. Cast includes Greg Kinnear
and Toni Collette as her doting parents, Alan Arkin as her heroin-snorting
grandpa, Steve Carrell as her suicidal uncle, and Paul Dano as her mute
brother.
MUSIC BITS: DMX rejects deal; Dro’s big ‘Shoulder’; Killa’s ‘Brooklyn’;
Smokey & Naomi; Timbaland, Snoop at Teen Choice.
*DMX turned down a plea bargain in White Plains, NY Monday that would
have ended the case surrounding his latest misdemeanor traffic violation.
The rapper, born Earl Simmons, was charged with aggravated unlicensed
operation of a vehicle in White Plains last month. Details surrounding the
deal were not revealed, but the Yonkers native was reportedly upset over a
$25,000 fine he was ordered to pay for traffic tickets. The case has been
adjourned until August 25. If convicted, the lyricist faces a maximum
sentence of 180 days in jail.
*Young Dro’s “Shoulder Lean” has taken over urban radio. Born Djuan
Hart in Atlanta's Bankhead Court, the artist on T.I.’s Grand Hustle/Atlantic
label has earned the No. 1 spot on both the Billboard Urban Monitor chart
and the R&R Urban Mainstream chart this week with the popular track – the
first single from his upcoming album “Best Thang Smokin’,” due Aug. 29.
“Shoulder Lean" also landed the No. 1 spots on BET’s "106 & Park" countdown
last week and on MTV2, where the video is in the ELITE 8 rotation. But
wait…there’s more. The “Shoulder Lean” ringtone is currently Warner Music
Group's No. 1 selling mastertone with sales of over 500,000.
*Masta Killa of the Wu Tang Clan will drop his sophomore solo set,
"Made in Brooklyn," on Aug. 8 via Nature Sounds. The rapper is also due to
appear on upcoming projects with Wu members Method Man ("4:21: The Day
After"), Inspectah Deck (a new mix tape) and Raekwon (the follow-up to
1995’s "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx"), reports Billboard.com. "Everybody who has
an album coming out, I'm there," he tells the Web site. "The foundation of
my music is family oriented so without my supporting cast it wouldn't be
what it is. The only thing that really keeps us separated is that we're all
pulled in so many different directions. I'm fortunate that I'm in a
situation where I can be patient enough to be creative."
*Smokey Robinson will be a guest on country legend Naomi Judd’s new
TV talk show “Naomi’s New Morning,” which airs Sunday (7/30) at 7 a.m. and
10 a.m. exclusively on the Hallmark Channel. Robinson will also perform two
songs from his newest album, "Timeless Love." "Naomi's New Morning"
premiered as a weekly talk show last November and takes a “transformative
look at human experiences.” Previous guests have included Patti LaBelle and
Gloria Estefan. In the coming weeks, Naomi will welcome Brian McKnight and
Food Network's Paula Deen.
*Nelly Furtado and Timbaland will perform their duet "Promiscuous" at
Teen Choice 2006, it was announced this week. The song is nominated for
Choice R&B/ Hip Hop Track. Also Snoop Dogg will be among the celebs making
appearances at the event, to be held Aug. 20 in Los Angeles and hosted by
rumored lovebirds Jessica Simpson and comedian Dane Cook. Britney Spears’
husband Kevin Federline will close the show with a performance from his
upcoming rap album. The ceremony awards surfboard trophies to artists chosen
by the public. You can vote for your favorites at www.TeenPeople.com
through August 11.
BLACK FILM FESTIVAL BITS: PAFF accepting submissions for 2007; ABFF
announces award winners.
*After a successful event in February, the Pan African Film and Arts
Festival (PAFF) is now accepting submissions for their 15th annual signature
event taking place February 8-19, 2007 in Los Angeles. The PAFF is currently
accepting submissions of independent features, shorts, narratives and
documentary films made by or about people of African descent. The submission
deadline is October 31, 2006. There is a $10 fee for submissions postmarked
between July 1 and August 15. Submissions postmarked between August 16 and
September 30 must be accompanied by a $25 submission fee. Submissions
postmarked between October 1 and 31 must be accompanied by a $40 submission
fee. Late submissions (postmarked after October 31 require a $60 submission
fee. Applications and more information are available via the PAFF website at
www.paff.org or by calling (323) 295-1706.
*The Film Life and HBO 10th American Black Film Festival (ABFF), held
July 23 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Miami, Florida, culminated with the
presentation of this year's ABFF Independent Film Awards.
• The Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture was handed to “My Brother,” directed
by Anthony Lover. Presented by Kodak, the winner receives film stock valued
at $20,000. Anthony Mackie (Crossover) and Bill Tompkins, Kodak, presented
the award, which goes to the best feature-length film as determined by the
festival's Grand Jury.
• The Audience Award for Best U.S. Feature, presented by Blockbuster, went to
“Dirty Laundry,” written and directed by Maurice Jamal. The award was
presented by actor/director Robert Townsend and Larcine Bland, Blockbuster.
This award is voted on by the festival's registered attendees. The winner
receives $20,000.
• The Audience Award for Best Performance by an Actor, presented by Boost
Mobile, was given to Loretta Devine for her performance in “Dirty Laundry.”
The award was presented by Tricia Bouzigard, Boost Mobile, and
actor/director Bill Duke. This award is voted on by registered festival
attendees. The winner receives $10,000.
• The "Voices of Color" Best Documentary Award, presented by Wal-Mart, was
awarded to “If I Die Tonight,” directed by Seyi. This award was presented
by Paul Busby, Wal-Mart and Elise Neal. The winner receives $20,000.
• The HBO Short Film Award was given to “Pop Foul,” which was written,
directed and executive produced by Moon Molson. The award was presented by
Olivia Smashum, HBO and Tamara Tunie (“Law and Order: SVU.”) The winner
receives $20,000.
• The Founder's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Cinema was
awarded to Christopher Scott for his role in the film “My Brother.” The
award was presented by Nicole Friday, ABFF co-executive producer.
• The winner of the "Define Lincoln Luxury" commercial contest went to
"Award Show," written and directed by Javier Prato. New to the festival,
the contest requires the production of a digital 30-60-second commercial.
The winner received the Lincoln Filmmaker Trophy and keys to a new Lincoln
Zephyr.
• The three finalists of the newly launched AXE Black Filmmaker Series, a
screenwriting and film contest that allows budding filmmakers the
opportunity to turn their scripts into a film, were spotlighted. The
finalists selected via national competition are: Stephanie Louis of
Brooklyn, New York, for “Holy Fit;” Richard Montgomery of Cleveland, Ohio,
for “Only in Your Dreams,” and; Selton Shaw of Washington, D.C., for “The
Let Out Guys.” The winner will be announced in Los Angeles on November 18.
For more information about ABBF, visit www.abff.com.
CIVIL RIGHTS/BLACK HISTORY BITS: Tuskegee Airmen hold convention; NAACP gets 4th suspicious package; proposed MLK memorial raises $60 million.
*The Tuskegee Airmen will celebrate the 35th meeting of their
national convention with members of Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated (TAI) in
conjunction with six other black aviation groups – all members of the
International Black Aerospace Council (IBAC). The event will be held July 31
through Aug. 5 at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix,
AZ. Other IBAC co-convention members are the Bessie Coleman Foundation;
Black Pilots of America, Inc.; National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation
Employees; NAI, Black Wings In Aviation; Organization of Black Airline
Pilots and the U.S. Army Black Aviation Association. For more information
about the history of the Tuskegee Airmen and TAI, visit:
www.tuskegeeairmen.org.
*A fourth threatening letter accompanied by a suspicious powder was
sent in recent days to a branch of the NAACP, the FBI has announced. The
Atlanta branch was the latest to receive such a package, following similar
mailings sent to the NAACP in Baltimore, New York, and the FBI’s field
office in Norfolk, Va. Stephen Emmett, an FBI spokesman in Atlanta says the
powder is currently being analyzed, although it is not believed to be a
harmful substance. The powder found in Baltimore was later found to be boric
acid; the substance in New York has yet to be identified. Emmett declined to
reveal the origin of the Atlanta letter, but the other three letters had
originated from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The content of the letters has not
been disclosed.
*The Washington Times is reporting that $60.3 million of a proposed
$100 million has been raised so far to erect a memorial to Martin Luther
King Jr. on the National Mall. But they are still short of the funding
needed to break ground by November 13. Officials said they’ll need $66
million to obtain building permits for the site, leaving them $5.7 million
short of that goal. The 4-acre tribute to King, conceived by the San
Francisco-based Roma Design Group, will sit on the northwest corner of the
Tidal Basin, across from the Jefferson Memorial and north of the memorial to
former President Franklin D. Roosevelt. MLK’s former fraternity, Alpha Phi
Alpha, said its upcoming centennial celebration and annual convention should
generate more chapter donations. The fraternity won congressional approval
in 1996 to erect the memorial to King. "We have the momentum now and we
expect in short order we will raise the necessary funds and make this
memorial a reality," said Darryl R. Matthews Sr., the fraternity's
president. Construction is expected to begin by next spring and should be
completed in 2008.
GAY/LESBIAN BITS: Rowell, Dunbar board ‘Noah’s Arc’; SERAFEMME festival
books Ndegeocello, KRS-One.
*Celebrities are filing two by two into the new season of “Noah’s
Arc,” America’s first black gay TV series airing on the cable network LOGO.
“Young and the Restless” star Victoria Rowell, “Soul Food” vet Rockmond
Dunbar, B2K’s Raz B and Keith Hamilton Cobb are among the celebs to appear
in the second season, which premieres Aug. 9. The show centers on the close
friendship of four black gay men in Los Angeles – Noah (Darryl Stephens),
Alex (Rodney Chester), Ricky (Christian Vincent) and Chance (Doug Spearman).
The Complete First Season DVD will be available in retail stores August 8.
*SERAFEMME, billed as the nation’s only lesbian women of color music
festival, will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, August 20 from noon
until 6 p.m. in West Hollywood Park (647 North San Vicente Blvd.). Among
this year’s 27 performers will be Meshell Ndegeocello, KRS-One, Nadirah
Shakoor (former lead singer of Arrested Development) and dance chart topper
Lori Jenaire. In addition to live music and spoken word, SERAFEMME will also
feature a variety of arts, craft, and food vendors. “SERAFEMME was created
to fill a void for queer female artists of color,” said festival coordinator
Marquita Thomas. “The response to last year’s festival was incredible and
people from all over the nation have asked if we could bring SERAFEMME to
their city.” Admission is $10. For more information, including vendor
applications and volunteer opportunities, please call (323) 656-8895 or
email events@beoutandabout.com.
EVENT CALENDAR: RFTW, the Tonys, Troop and Mint Condition to battle in ATL; CeCe’s ‘Sisters’ in Nashville; Radio One celebrates in D.C.; Lady Jazz in
L.A.
*The legendary R&B groups Ready for the World, Mint Condition, Tony
Toni Tone, and Troop will reunite in Atlanta next month to compete against
each other at the Battle of the Jamz, a concert presented by New Vision
Entertainment, LLC. The groups will take the stage on Friday, August 4 at 8
p.m. at the Atlanta Civic Center. For ticket information visit
www.ticketmaster.com or call 404- 249-6400.
*The 2nd Annual Always Sisters Girl’s Conference, an event
spearheaded by gospel great CeCe Winans to boost the self-esteem of young
girls, will be held in Nashville, TN August 4 and 5 at Belmont University’s
Curb Event Center. Confirmed participants include author/conference host and
daughter of Billy Graham, Ruth Graham; Joy Enriquez (wife of producer/writer
Rodney Jerkins); Word recording artist, Nicole C. Mullen; EMI Gospel
recording artist, KiKi Sheard; The Katinas, author of Preaching With Aids,
Carolyn Pineda, and Mother of the Winans Family, Delores Winans; author and
pastor, Kimberly Daniels; Pastors Horace and Kitty Hockett; Pastor RA
Vernon; Integrity recording artist, Lisa McClendon; Alvin Love; Ingrid
Rosario and more. There will be a special session for mothers, a teen
fashion show and Winans will end the two day event with a concert.
Registration is available on-site. Log on to www.alwayssisters.com for more
details.
*As previously reported, Radio One will celebrate the culmination of
its 25th anniversary with an exclusive, star-studded awards gala to be held
Thursday, Aug. 17 in Washington, D.C. Hosted by national on-air
personalities Ananda Lewis, J. Anthony Brown, Tom Joyner and Russ Parr, the
black-tie event will include an awards ceremony honoring notables in three
categories: Community Activists, Clients/Sponsors and Radio One staff.
Artists confirmed to perform include Aretha Franklin, Ciara and Jeff
Majors. Special appearances will also be made by Janet Jackson, Russell
Simmons, Jermaine Dupri, Kirk Franklin, Dick Gregory, Richard Parsons,
Suzanne DePasse, Rev. Al Sharpton, Eddie Griffin, Smokie Norful, James
Ingram, Rueben Studdard, Eric Benet, Marques Houston, Bo Taylor and many
others. For photos and/or more information about Radio One’s year-long 25th
Anniversary Celebration, visit the official 25th Anniversary Web site at
www.radio-one25anniversary.com.
*Pianist, flutist and UCLA ethnomusicologist Dr. Cheryl L. Keyes will
convene this year’s annual Lady Jazz showcase of all-woman musicians in
Hollywood Friday, Aug. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the open-air Ford Amphitheatre
(2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East). Featured guests artists include legendary
saxophonist Ms. Vi Redd, who played and toured with Count Basie; blues
guitarist Lois “Lady Mac” McMorris; violinist Lesa Terry; blues vocalist
Barbara Morrison and spoken word artist Makeda Kumasi. Tickets are $20 and
$30, with discounts available for groups of eight or more. For tickets, log
on to www.FordAmphitheatre.org or call the Ford Box Office at 323 GO-1-FORD
(461-3673). For more information please visit www.instrumentalwomen.com.