Guess which Pop Queen  was snapped food shopping in NYC  today.

Hint: She’s readying the release of two projects this year.

Find out who it is below…

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‘Let’s Stay Together’ season 2 continues next Tuesday in an all new episode.

Airing at 11pm EST on BET, episode 11 of the hit sitcom (which guest stars LaLa Anthony) sees all of the laughs and drama you’ve come to expect from the show.

Check out a sneak peek above…

Since she emerged, Albanian Popstress Rita Ora has been pitted against Island tart Rihanna.

Perhaps due to their similar background(both being signed by Jay Z and groomed to a greater or lesser extent by Beyonce), or  their similar aesthetic, their supposed rivalry heated up weeks ago with the release of ‘Party‘, Ora’s debut single.

Indeed, in what we agree is ‘tabloid trash’, Rita’s ‘out of the blue’ launch is said to have been Carter’s way of ‘getting even with Fenty’, for working with her ex Chris Brown against his wishes.

So, though we feel there’s room for both to flourish under his guidance, we ask this:

If Jay Z set his mind (and influence) to it, could he replace Rihanna with Rita, if the former  ‘stepped out of line’?

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‘Hot Boys’ hitmaker Missy Elliott is looking to bring the heat on her long awaited comeback album due in June.  Reuniting with longtime collaborator Timbaland, the eccentric femcee is looking to get the party started with the new, aptly titled ‘Block Party’ LP.

As Tim’s project is also due in June, the superproducer took time from his SXSW set to show off some of the two’s new new for fans anxious for samples from the summer sets.  Needless to say, if what he imparted is anything to judge by, the lessers need to begin worrying now…

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Can you guess who was snapped riding out and about Los Angeles yesterday? Find out after the jump…

Hint: She’s not the biggest fan of Rihanna.

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Whether you like it not, Rihanna‘s ‘endearing’ nature is what marketers would call ‘her unique selling point’.

For, what she lacks in talent,  she most certainly makes up for in ‘fun’ and normalcy.

Not sure what we mean?

Peep these snaps of the star partying at her grandmother’s birthday bash recently, and let us know what you think of them below…

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Madonna is set to unleash her ‘MDNA’ in a matter of days.

And while the last few weeks have seen the superstar serve up snippets of tracks from the LP, today sees Material Madge serve up a meatier taste of what we can expect – in the way of ‘I F*cked Up’.

The candid midtempo premiered on Perez Hilton literally seconds ago. As ever, That Grape Juice has you covered. Take a listen after the jump…

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Review of R&B charts of late boasts an alarming diva deficiency.  A circumstance all the more alarming when just a few years ago so many showed promise.  Arguably, none more than LeToya Luckett.  The comeback kid, whose tale (reportedly) told of triumph, tragedy, betrayal, and rebirth, seemed to finally have the stars aligned in her order when suddenly, it seemed no more.

Such is a circumstance the young singer is no means unfamiliar with.  For, some say it was luck or maybe destiny that this Houston-bred beauty would find her star initially rising with the most successful girl group of all time.  As fate would have it, Luckett aligned with Pop megastar Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Latavia Roberson to ascend to the top of charts as Destiny’s Child – a fierce R&B foursome with heavenly looks, voices, and moves to match.  But, as the 2000s rolled on, the very rocket that launched her into stardom ultimately left her behind in what came as an unceremonious ousting from the group.  Accompanied by a host of headlines citing tension, contention, and Matthew Knowles‘ interventions as the cause of dissension, the remaining group members still rose above to find themselves topping charts again while Luckett and Roberson stayed behind.

Trying their hand as the group Angel – the two later disbanded finding Luckett at square one yet again.  That is, until 2006 when Lady Luck tore up the charts with ‘Torn’ – the ‘You Are Everything’-sampled R&B groove that obviously struck a chord with listeners as it propelled the singer’s debut solo album ‘Letoya’ to the top of the charts.  Critics hailed the underdog the champion as she made her rounds performing the hit single.  And, while its follow-up ‘She Don’t’…well…didn’t, Ms. Luckett’s debut was still widely received as a success, earning the singer her first (solo) platinum plaque.

On the other hand, her 2009 sophomore album ‘Lady Love’ didn’t receive much love from record buyers.  Despite boasting an all star collaboration list (Ludacris, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo) and a more mature sound, Luckett’s gamble at “refined” showed promise but quickly fell on deaf ears.  And though shortly reigning at #1 on Billboard’s R&B charts, the singer, who at the time was very vocal about her label’s mishandling of the project, also cited the length of time between albums as the blame for its failure.  The past weeks have seen the singer work her way back into the spotlight, taking promotion into her own hands.  And, with album #3 reportedly due this year…

That Grape Juice wants to know – who (or what’s) to blame? Are the shortcomings a musical misstep or a mix of marketing mishaps? The talent is certainly there and, unlike so many artists, was clearly being cultured.  The growth in vocal showings alone from album 1 to album 2 was noteworthy.  Add on an all-star team for production (on album 1 and 2) and killer looks, one would think the ‘Regret’ singer had the perfect recipe for success.  But alas, such was not the case.

Now you weigh in:  Has Luckett’s luck run out or will destiny see her on top again?   In other words:

Product vs. Promotion?  What’s to blame?

Your thoughts?

‘The Game’ season 5 continues next Tuesday in an all new episode.

Airing next Tuesday at 10pm EST on BET, episode 11 of the hit sitcom sees all of the drama, laughs, and sexy you’ve come to expect from the show.

Peep the sneak peek below…

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It’s finally here!

With only three weeks to go before the release of ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’, Nicki Minaj has released the LP’s official track list.

Peep the Hip Hop flavored list below…

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Say what you will, but it takes some kinda fierce fashionista to make a bowling alley look like a runway.  Such feat is one ‘I Decided’ diva Solange Knowles can be seen doing with ease in the latest edition of London’s ‘Evening Standard’.

Donning designer duds, the youngest of the Knowles clan was certainly on the ball as she imparted a candid interview for the mag outlining her current label situation, her thoughts on the media circus surrounding niece Blue Ivy‘s arrival, and what fans can expect for her next album.

Slowly but surely bringing the broth to a boil on the promo of the ‘Solangel and the Hadley St. Dreams’ followup, see more shots from set and find out what else Miss Solo shared below:

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Ever keen on keeping the masses abreast of fresh and/or often underrated talent, That Grape Juice presents ‘The Spill’ – a renewed look at not-so-new, yet active, acts.  Much like its ‘Freshly Squeezed’ sister segment, this assay aims to put the magnifying glass on talents who may not appeal to the buying public on a broad scale yet are still serving material that could easily spin side-by-side with some of today’s top hits.

Covering a kaleidoscope of genres, ‘The Spill’ is set to feature some names you probably know and love as well as some you’ll (soon) be glad to know.

The last 5 years may have seen the term ‘tweet’ take on a new meaning, but ten years ago superproducer team Timbaland & Missy Elliott unleashed Tweet – the soulful guitarist who, under their wings, served soul, folk, blues, and hip hop blends for all types of fans’ tastes.

Self-branded the ‘southern hummingbird’, it seemed no accident that ‘Oops’, the singer’s first solo single, would find her perched atop R&B and pop charts.

Listen:

Now, after 2005’s critically acclaimed ‘It’s Me Again’ and a number of buzz singles and guest appearances, the songstress is said to be readying an official LP for release in the coming year.  Until then, her recent offerings have found her playing assistant to sister soulstresses Syleena Johnson (‘Angry Girl’) and now Lil’ Mo.  Get into it after the jump:

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