They’re the Urban album sellers boasting sales many a Pop staple could only dream of.

Now, after flying the flag for Hip Hop time and time again, Nicki Minaj & J.Cole find themselves leading the way for a fresher faced Hip Hop contributor this year, set to join them in the run at the top in the coming year.

His name?

Elijah Blake.

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Ariana Grande may have scored a #1 with her debut album ‘Yours Truly’ this week, yet that hasn’t stopped the 20-year-old from setting her sights on its follow-up. Already.

Details after the jump…

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Estelle is moving on.

After enjoying the lion-share of her success under John Legend‘s Homeschool Records (a joint deal with Atlantic), the British-bred songbird has flown from her recording nest of  six years to create her own label.

Details after the jump…

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The Recording Industry Association Of America has announced a new rule change that’s set to change the world of music forever.

For, as to accomodate the industry’s ever changing trends, they have revealed that digital streams will now count towards sales certifications awarded to entertainers.

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Having ditched both The X Factor and her fiance, Britney Spears is sporting all new everything these days. However, musically, it seems the singer wants a taste of the familiar.

Enter will.i.am.

The Black Eyed Peas frontman has been an integral part of Spears’ more recent successes, producing their global smash ‘Scream & Shout’, as well as fan-favourite ‘Big Fat Bass’ from 2011’s ‘Femme Fatale’.

As such, it’s little surprise that the 31-year-old’s team have tapped the hitmaker to helm her eighth studio album.

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When it comes to pleasing fans, very few come better than Usher.

Securing chart success with dance numbers while leading the way for R&B’s freshest stars with ‘Climax’, he has come under heavy praise from ‘Beatles’ legend Paul McCartney thanks to that very song.

Details below…

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Chris Brown continued his promotional push for new single ‘Fine China’ today, stopping by Power 105.1’s ‘Breakfast Club’.

As with most interviews on the hit show, the 23-year-old’s sit-down with Charlamagne and co is a must-see.

Leaving no stone unturned, the hilarious hosts quizzed Brown on his relationship with Rihanna, new music, Justin Bieber‘s “melt down”, Jay-Z, Drake, Frank Ocean, and much more.

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R&B bad boy Chris Brown sent fans into a frenzy earlier this week when he announced he was hard at work on a new album entitled ‘X‘.

Featuring an all-star team of producers (including Danja, Pharrell, Diplo, and more), fans were eager to know who else the Grammy winner was keen to collab with – namely girlfriend Rihanna.

Said to be narrowing song choices down from 50 to 14, find out what Chris says about if ‘Nobody’s Business’ co-star Rihanna would be lending her chart-topping neigh to the mix and more:

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Much like our ‘Retro Rewind’ and ‘From the Vault’ segments, readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.  So in a quest to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday we introduced a new retrospective segment – ‘TGJ Replay’.

Unlike its ‘Rewind’ and ‘Vault’ predecessors, ‘Replay’ looks to dust off and showcase albums (and eras) from a library of pop music hits.  Today’s conspectus comes from the Queen of Quiet Storm – Anita Baker.

The singer’s sophomore album ‘Rapture’ thrust her into the stratosphere of 80s prime R&B and made her the forerunner of a new movement for the genre:

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Twenty years.

That would be how long mega-producer Jermaine Dupri has decorated Billboard charts with a slew of hits for the likes of Mariah Carey, Usher, Janet Jackson, and countless others.

Indeed, throughout a storied career of lending a passel of platinum plaques to many-an-Urban Pop favorite, Dupri is now looking to stroll down memory lane with an assembly of stars from his self-fronted record label ‘So So Def’ to celebrate reaching the two decade milestone.

Chatting exclusively with That Grape Juice, JD details the inspiration behind the anniversary special (likening it to ‘Motown 25’) and shares dibs on Mariah’s forthcoming album, thoughts on Bow Wow vs. Kandi, and addresses rumors he’s working on Janet Jackson’s newest record.

As ever, this is a must read:

 Jermaine Dupri Shouts Out That Grape Juice!

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In epic credit to her handlers, Jennifer Hudson‘s star has shone brighter with each year since her Oscar winning turn in ‘Dreamgirls’ seven years ago.

Ironically, though, this has been in parallel to the unremarkable performance of not one, but two studio albums on the charts. The singer’s 2008’s self-titled managed to go Gold, yet it’s follow-up, 2011’s ‘I Remember Me’, failed to connect with listeners and to-date has only sold 370,000 in the US.  Hoping to right those wrongs, the great Clive Davis has taken the helm of Hudson’s third project.

Having orchestrated much of the late Whitney Houston‘s success, can the industry icon have a similar effect on a career in much need of it? Flip the hood to read his plans for Hudson’s new album in an exclusive interview with Billboard….

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Superproducer Bangladesh has lent the music industry over a decade worth of hits. 

Working with the likes of Beyonce and Rihanna to Lil’ Wayne and Nicki Minaj, the hitmaker (born Shondrae Crawford) has decorated Billboard charts with bangers over multiple genres.

But, despite imparting platinum plaques to all of your favorite rappers and singers, Crawford exclusively tells That Grape Juice that there is much uncharted territory to conquer – namely seeing his name afront those same plaques as lead act.

Dishing with TGJ on rumors of “artists stealing production credits”, his solo workings, and industry beefs, as ever, you know we asked the questions you want the answer to.  Click below to see a new side of your favorite producer’s favorite producer – Bangladesh:

Bangladesh Shouts Out That Grape Juice:

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