Yawn. Yes this was marginally better than that Fashion Rocks performance of ‘I’m That Chick’ from earlier this week (she actually moved this time around), but I was still left short-changed. With both performances it was wildly obvious she was lip-synching 95% of the time (though ‘We Belong Together’ was decent-ish). This for a singer who is renown for her voice. I was even thinking the other day; all this talk of Mariah getting older being the reason for her voice being near-enough shot is without any ground IMO. I mean, one need not look further than vocalists such as Patti Labelle’s and co, who way into their old age can still blow as well as they could before.

Mariah already has her name etched in history for what she once was. However, my interest in what she currently is, is fast disappearing.

Anyway, in other Mariah news, she has announced that she has ditched manager Benny Medina. Instead of functioning as her manager, Medina will serve as more of a ‘creative director’ for the singer. Mariah will now be managed by her own company Maroon Entertainment. Ineresting… {Source}.

The season premiere of the Tyra Banks Show aired yesterday, with the supermodel-turned talk show host addressing the issue of skin bleaching in the black community. Check out Tyra talking about one of the show’s guests – a woman who bleaches the skin of her 3 young children -while doing the promo rounds for the show. Check it out:

That Grape Juice was on hand at the MOBO Awards 2008 Nominations Launch at the swanky Beach Blanket Babylon restaurant here in London yesterday. As I’m sure many of you know, the annual show celebrates the undeniable presence of Music of Black Origin in the contemporary music scene. The event, which was largely populated by press outlets, saw the nominations announced, as well as the show’s hosts – Mel B aka ‘Scary Spice’ and Rev Run.

Estelle leads the field with the nominations, notching up 5 noms. Check out the full list below:

Pop superstar Janet Jackson kicked off her eagerly awaited ‘Rock Witchu Tour’ (her first in 7 years) in style yesterday at Vancouver’s GM Place.

The world renown singer, journeyed through 30 (yes, 30!) of her biggest hits, as well as material from her latest effort ‘Discipline’ during the high-octane dance-orientated show. Check out what the early reviews are saying, as well as more pics from the show below:

Awesome! I really see Janet silencing the naysayers and critics alike with this tour. The future for Miss Jackson is looking bright…

Russell Simmons’ famed Def Comedy Jam is heading to the UK next week for the first time. Featuring favourites from the US HBO series, namely Patrice O’Neal, Capone, Tony Roberts, Kid Capri, Russell Simmons himself and more, the show also boasts a strong UK presence in the form of Kojo – ‘The Fresh Prince of Hackney’.

That Grape Juice have teamed up with Live Nation UK to offer you the chance to attend the sold-out tour, which will be making stops in:

* Manchester: Manchester Apollo – September 16th

* Birmingham: Alexandra Theatre – September 17th

* London: Brixton Academy – September 20th

To be in with a chance of winning tickets to the tour, answer the following question correctly:

Email your answer as well as your full name, age, and address to competitions@thatgrapejuice.net. Please be sure to put ‘Def Comedy Jam UK’ as the subject, as well as the date/city you wish to win tickets to. Winners will be selected randomly from all correct answers. Competition ends Sunday 14th September. Good luck!

Following Kanye’s debut of new single ‘Love Lockdown’ at the VMA’s last Sunday, the studio version of the cut has surfaced. With the Chi-Town rapper not actually rapping lol, this one really requires one to open their mind to ‘get it’. I’m really liking this one all the same though. Kudos to Kanye for stepping out of the box.

‘Love Lockdown’ is the first single to be lifted from Kanye’s forthcoming LP ‘808’s and Heartbreak’, due December 16th (get them Xmas sales, Kanye!).

It seems Rihanna’s team have saved the best till last; word has it ‘Breaking Dishes’ is the official next single to be lifted from the Bajan star’s LP ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’. Fans and critics alike have been calling for the song’s release ever since the album dropped back in April 2007.

Granted it’s good to see the song (definitely one of the so-so album’s best) get the single treatment, they really could have spared me alot of the nonsense they released in-between (i.e. ‘Shut Up & Drive’). What is this, single 7 or 8? I’m convinced had the right singles been released (and Ms. Fenty actually being up to the job of doing them justice live), the sales of her album would have been what one would expect at this stage (which currently stand barely past the 2million mark, despite 3 #1’s and a re-release).

The 2008 Fashion Rocks aired last night in the US. Check out the performances from the big show below (many thanks to our awesome affiliate site The Celebrity Network). That Grape Juice is on location at the 2008 MOBO Awards Nominations Launch in Central London (exciting stuff), so expect a review of the performances a bit later in the day. Keep it locked on TGJ as you would normally, as updates will still be posted. Thanks 🙂

Word has it Usher and wife Tameka are be expecting their second child:

Usher is going to be a father for the second time. The R&B star and his wife Tameka Foster are expecting their second child together, a source close to the singer confirms. Recently, Foster was spotted wearing a belly-disguising outfit during Usher’s Sept. 4 NFL kick-off concert in New York. The dress was “very deceiving,” the source says. “You couldn’t tell she was pregnant when she was sitting down.” {Source}

As Ciara’s brand new single ‘Go Girl’ continues to receive mixed reactions, another track from her forthcoming 3rd album ‘Fantasy Ride’ has surfaced. Produced by Danja, the Missy Elliott assisted ‘Work’ certainly has all the ‘thump’ of high-octane Ciara offering, while boasting Missy’s quirky uniqueness. An interesting cut to say the least.

After almost a year hiatus, Beyonce is set to return to the music scene this October with not one, but two singles. Check out the press release released by her camp earlier today:

NEW YORK, Sept 09, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Music World Music/Columbia Records will release the third full-length studio album from the international superstar and cultural icon Beyonce on Tuesday, November 18.

One of 2008’s most hotly anticipated new album releases, Beyonce’s as-yet-untitled upcoming album marks the artist’s first new studio collection since the Grammy-winning multi-platinum-selling B’Day debuted at #1 on charts around the world shortly after its international release on September 4, 2006 (in celebration of Beyonce’s 25th birthday).

Beyonce’s fans will get their first glimpse of the artist’s new album with the simultaneous release of two of the album’s key tracks — “If I Were A Boy” and “Single Ladies” — scheduled to impact radio on October 7.
With all songs co-written and co-produced by Beyonce, the artist’s third studio album is her most personal, reflective and revelatory collection to-date.

Lensed live at Radio City Music Hall on September 5, Beyonce’s spectacular performance at the “Fashion Rocks” fifth anniversary extravaganza, a star-studded concert honoring the relationship between music and fashion, will be broadcast on CBS on Tuesday, September 9 at 9pm (ET/PT). Please check your local listings. {Source}

The timing of her ‘return’ couldn’t have come sooner; with all the so-so material we’ve been subjected to from ‘singers’ who can’t/don’t sing (I won’t say no names), it’s great to see that the ‘queen of the pack’, so to speak, is coming back. No doubt this one will be an ‘event’ in itself…one I’m highly anticipating.

Your thoughts?