As we celebrate the 21st anniversary of Brandy’s sophomore effort ‘Never Say Never,’ this week’s From The Vault salutes one of its most notable numbers – ‘Top Of The World.’

Released on June 9th 1998, ‘Never’ was a gargantuan record, spurning colossal classic ‘The Boy Is Mine’ featuring Monica and putting R&B on the map like never before.

Amongst the many Darkchild produced gems housed on the album, ‘World’ was selected as the second international single. With its #2 placing in the UK – and #1 in the R&B charts – it proved that there was more to Ms. Norwood than that fire duet that dominated the airwaves earlier in the LP’s trajectory.

Lyrically, the track saw the singer staying true to her roots and who she was before fame, it had a guest rap verse courtesy of Diddy’s then-partner in crime Mase.

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Paul Hunter directed the single’s accompanying video. It featured Brandy levitating in New York City and cranking out 90s flavored choreography on a rooftop with a group of dancers… and Mase.

The pair briefly reunited a few years back and busted out the same moves during the Soul Train Awards where Brandy was fittingly honored with the Lady Of Soul Award.

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Here at That Grape Juice, we’ve long admired B-Rocka’s talent and output, and we can’t wait to see what she has been cooking up for her first album since since ‘Two Eleven.’ Also, it will be interesting to see how she approaches the project as her first independent release.

Though it’s impossible to predict the fate of an LP, musically there’s little room for debate – Brandy always delivers.

So, ready when you are, B!

Your thoughts?

Usher has unveiled a drastic new look!

The singer, who recently turned 40, enlisted Dillon Forte to ink a vast tattoo his head. Peep the finished piece above.

Word is that it’s inspired by sacred geometry and an ancient Berber stone that marks the cardinal points in the sky; one which allows travellers to find their way across vast distances.

The image refreshing comes as Ush aims to put his legal woes behind him and rev up buzz for new album – which is believed to be titled ‘Confessions 2.’

Check out pics from the process and more below…

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Taraji P. Henson and Ellen Pompeo sat down for an insightful ‘Actors on Actors’ chat and surprised viewers in more ways than one.

For, their talk saw Pompeo reveal that she hated working on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ because of the wild and truly unruly behaviour she says a number of its cast and crew displayed off-camera.

#MySleeptweet You see, this is how “yellow journalism” works. @VanityFair needs to keep my name out of this. You gone be dirty? Why don’t you ask Ellen Pompeo how she was paid “hush money” to protect Patrick Dempsey and HIS “toxic behavior”. THIS: https://t.co/r27TS0emnL

— Isaiah Washington (@IWashington) June 7, 2019

A twisted and tangled web below…

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Katy Perry‘s ‘Never Really Over‘ is a global hit.

A positive update on the track below….

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Raye is talking….and Normani‘s fans love what they are hearing.

An update on the newcomer’s debut album from the ‘You Don’t Know Me‘ performer below…

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Fantasia is back!

Fresh from whetting appetites with new single ‘Enough,’ the ‘American Idol’ graduate has announced ‘Sketchbook’ – her seventh studio album.

The set serves as the songbird’s first collection of original tunes since 2016’s ‘The Definition Of…’ and sees her continue her musical journey as an independent act.

Set for release later this year, the project is billed as a work of art, pieced together as a “sketchbook.”

Check out Ms. Barrino open up about the LP below…

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‘Aladdin’ is making magic…commercially.

Great news below…

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Celine Dion is gearing up for an action-packed second half of 2019. For, she’ll be releasing new album ‘Courage’ and embarking on a like-titled tour – her first US trek in a decade.

She’s wasting no time kicking her campaign off; for, last night in Las Vegas, she premiered new single ‘Flying On My Own.’

Watch below as the vocal supreme takes flight…

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Camila Cabello‘s meteoric rise to solo stardom after her departure from Pop quintet Fifth Harmony has been nothing short of a fairy tale.  As such, it seemed only fitting for Sony Pictures to cast the 22-year-old as the lead in their reboot of ‘Cinderella.’

The musical comedy, as we reported here, is penned and directed by Kay Cannon and will reportedly see its newest reimagining based on an original idea from ‘The Late Late Show with James Corden’s wildly popular segment, ‘Carpool Karaoke.’ As if that’s not enough, Cabello will also play a major role in the production of the flick’s accompanying soundtrack.

More inside:

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IFC’s tapped big names to assist with the launch of their new sketch comedy series, ‘Sherman’s Showcase,’ including the likes of John Legend, Common, Tiffany Haddish, Quincy Jones, and so many more.

The comedic brainchild of writers/actors Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin, the “show within a show” tells the fictional tale of “Sherman McDaniels” (Salahuddin) and his variety show ‘Sherman’s Showcase’ (a la ‘The Flip Wilson Show’). McDaniels acts as the ‘proprietor of the imaginary comedy archive that stretched from the ’70s on forward,’ and the show is chock full of musical, dance, and sketch performances that reference each of the eras presented.

Curious to learn more about the high concept comedy/”mockumentary”?  Its season 1 trailer awaits you inside:

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Reshaped and reimagined in various fashions over the years by the likes of Vanessa Williams, Jim Carrey, James Earl Jones, The Muppets, and more, Charles Dickens‘ classic novel, ‘A Christmas Carol,’ has seen the story of its main character – “Ebenezer Scrooge” – presented countless ways since its debut over 170 years ago.

With 1988’s ‘Scrooged’ (Bill Murray‘s classic revamp) easily standing out as one of the most memorable of the lot, Hollywood’s leading comedian, Kevin Hart, is reportedly in talks to remake the family favorite 30 years after its release.

Details inside:

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A high school valedictorian has claimed that her school made a cowardly attempt to silence her tribute to the slain African-American teenager Trayvon Martin.

Watch the upsetting moment below…

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