It looks like ‘Switch’ rapper Iggy Azalea found out her label home has hit the off switch on her serially delayed sophomore album, ‘Digital Distortion.’

The set – kicked off by three nonperforming singles ‘Team,’ ‘Switch,’ and ‘Mo Bounce’ – is no longer on Def Jam’s priority list, Azalea revealed on a recent Snapchat.  This, reportedly thanks in part to a recent leak that saw the album’s content hit the net in full an entire month before its previously announced June 30th release date.

Iggy didn’t say what the exact cause was, but she did reach out to her fans to give them an update.   Hear it from her lips:

Iggy Says That The head of @IslandRecords Does more than her own record label *tea ??
–
Iggy Vi Snapchat ? pic.twitter.com/yKHN3OVshA

— IGGY AZALEA (@IggysUpdates) May 31, 2017

June 2nd Was The Pre-order Link & June 30th The actual Release date
–
But the label is doing a messy a job and Iggy is being ignored
–
? pic.twitter.com/5OfNP5Nvnz

— IGGY AZALEA (@IggysUpdates) May 31, 2017

*****

Ouch!  This is a bonafide mess.  Keep in mind, after the nonperformance of ‘Team’ last year the rapper reportedly scrapped the original version of ‘Digital Distortion’ to create an entirely new body of work.  If the label has opted not to go forward with June 30th release of the project, this means she literally would have two albums’ (worth of material) shelved in just a year’s time.

Here’s hoping this is sorted out quickly as time is of the essence for Miss Azalea.

Your thoughts?

Ne-Yo returned to the spotlight this week with a new single and a new TV show.

Wasting no time, the 37-year-old has hit the promotional pavement – making a notable stop at The Breakfast Club on Power 105.1.

Ever candid, R&B’s leading gentleman opened up about his two-year hiatus from music, new album ‘Good Man,’ and ageing in a youth-obsessed industry.

Mr Smith was also quizzed about Tank‘s much-talked about performance at DC Pride and was asked squarely whether he’d have performed too. His answer was definitely insightful.

Peep the chit-chat below…

Ne-Yo always brings great conversation and makes for refreshing interviewee given how much he isn’t governed by the boring bravado that many of his peers imprison themselves in. Put simply, this was a great interview.

We’re looking forward to ‘Good Man.’ Are you?

Your thoughts?

Jennifer Lopez continues to prove a winning force for NBC.

The media maven saw her new show ‘World Of Dance’ debut Tuesday night on the network – and it performed well out of the gate.

Benefiting from an ‘America’s Got Talent’ lead-in, the show – which awards the eventual winner $1 million – drew 9.75 million viewers. It also generated a 2.4 rating in the key 18-49 demographic.

The figure makes the show the highest rated premiere for a summer alternative series in five years and the most watched in nine.

Lopez, who executive produces the show, also stars on it as a judge alongside Ne-Yo and Derek Hough. 

The 47-year-old presently anchors ‘Shades Of Blue’ for NBC too.

Slaying all round.

********************

Congrats to all involved. We enjoyed the first episode. Did you?

Your thoughts?

Major Lazer sprung a major surprise on fans moments ago with the unannounced release of their new EP ‘Know No Better.’

Accompanying the six-track set is the lyric video for its title song, which features an increasingly omnipresent Camila Cabello, Migos star Quavo, and Travis Scott.

Clearly cooked up with summer domination in mind, the flavorsome cut sounds like it may very well achieve its goal.

As dance floor jams go, it’s not as commanding as – say – an ‘On The Floor,’ but it’s cute, catchy, and current. All ingredients for success this season.

What are you waiting for? Take a listen below…

Your thoughts?

Miguel has never been afraid of experimentation – whether it be with his music or his aesthetic.

The latter was proven again in earnest this week when the eclectic crooner unveiled an interesting new hair do.

Swapping his trademark quiff for twists, the singer’s latest look has set tongues a’wagging.

Word on the curb is that it precedes the imminent arrival of new music, his first since 2015’s ‘Wildheart’ album.

Ahead of definitive word on that, folk can catch Miguel in the video for Dua Lipa‘s funky new single ‘Lost In Your Light.’ Click here to check it out.

Your thoughts?

Jamaican hitmaker Sean Paul is credited with leading the charge of popularizing dancehall music upon its arrival to American shores in the early 2000s.  With a wave of hits such as ‘Gimme Da Light,’ ‘Get Busy,’ and later ‘Temperature’ and ‘We Be Burning,’ the noughties saw Paul burn up Billboard charts with some its hottest hits.

While most of the 2010s had the genre taking a back seat to EDM and later trap music, 2015-17 has seen a resurgence of sorts in island-influenced music. Thanks to the likes of Tory Lanez (‘Luv’), Justin Bieber (‘What Do You Mean’ & ‘Sorry’), and Drake‘s massive hits ‘One Dance’ and ‘Controlla,’ the Hot 100 has been set alight again with dancehall-tinged offerings.

Because of this, Paul thinks today’s artists – especially Drizzy – should give more credit to the genre.  Taking to Metro UK, the ‘I’m Still In Love With You’ crooner lent the Canadian rapper and some other big named stars a little advice about using dancehall music without paying proper respects.

Read more below:

Sean Paul [via Metro UK]:

“I think at the time when it was popping off, it would have been good for him [Drake] to actually put accolades towards the whole culture. [Drake is] friendly with a few people in the business in Jamaica and that’s good, I love it,” he continues. “But if he had given more accolades when he was actually making it and said ‘this is the music I love,’ it would have been cool.”

Paul, reflecting on 2017’s biggest hit so far (Ed Sheeran‘s ‘Shape of You’), also notes its island influence.

“Ed Sheeran has done one song that is huge and it’s dancehall reminiscent,” he explains. “But that is one song, [Drake] had an album full of dancehall, so I think he should have paid a bit of an accolade and told people in the press ‘that is where I’m coming from, I have a love for that music.’”

*****

Longtime fans of Paul know this isn’t the first time he’s called out Drake.  Just last Fall the ‘We Be Burnin’ beau took to The Guardian to call out Drizzy, Bieber, Major Lazer and Kanye West.

“A lot of people get upset, they get sour,” he said of the frustrations of dancehall fans. “And I know artists back in Jamaica that don’t like Major Lazer because they think they do the same thing that Drake and Kanye did – they take and take and don’t credit.” [source]

Your thoughts?

With her third studio album, ‘Back 2 Life,’ in stores now, Letoya Luckett is still hitting her heels hard on the promo trail in its support.

Already taking to multiple print, radio, and television outlets to spread awareness of the critically acclaimed project, now fans can see Lady Luck a-front next month’s issue of Kontrol magazine.

Helping the Urban publication celebrate its 8th anniversary, tuck in below to see the sultry behind the scenes shoot:

(more…)

While things haven’t exactly gotten nasty (yet) between pop icon Janet Jackson and soon-to-be-ex-husband Wissam Al Mana, the diva is reportedly in talks with Netflix to do a documentary series about her life as a newly single woman, new mother, and so much more.

Jackson, the fiercely private performer who’s been fairly mum since the separation announcement (other than her short, but telling video announcing the reboot of her postponed tour and confirming the separation rumors), will reportedly also use the streaming special as a vehicle to push new music.

Sources say:

“The show will run as a ten-part documentary and will feature recording ­sessions in the studio, co-parenting her child with Wissam and preparing for the European and Asian legs of her tour. Netflix [is] negotiating a big sum for the rights to the show as they expect it to perform well…”

*****

Exciting times for Janet fans!

Your thoughts?

Nicki Minaj is hit hunting, so who better to team up with than a name lodged in the upper echelon of pretty much every chart.

That’s right, Onika has linked up with Migos front-man Quavo.

She revealed as much moments ago on Instagram:

???????? @quavohuncho ?????????

A post shared by Nicki Minaj (@nickiminaj) on May 31, 2017 at 7:38am PDT

We’re torn.

On the one hand, Nicki is a proven force – especially on the collaboration front. Hence, it’s entirely plausible that she and Quavo could be cooking up fire.

HOWEVER…

As her ‘Swish Swish’ collaborator Katy Perry learned, not every Migos pairing works. Particularly at a time when they seem to be operating on a quantity over quality M-O.

Word on the curb is that Nicki’s album is scheduled for Fall, so it’ll be interesting to see if she can conjure up a smash strong enough to serve as a launchpad for the LP. Thus far ‘No Frauds’ – her reunion with Drake and Lil Wayne – has charted highest of all her recent efforts, peaking at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Your thoughts?

Buckle up because the BET Awards are bringing the fire for their 2017 ceremony.

Set to air live June 25th from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, it has been confirmed that the Leslie Jones hosted show will feature performances from some of Urban music’s most notable talent.

The initial wave of names taking to the stage are Bruno Mars, Tamar Braxton, Migos, Trey Songz, and Future. Additional performers will be unveiled in the run-up to Urban music’s biggest calendar night.

As reported, Beyonce leads the pack of nominees with seven while Mars follows with five. Solange and the omnipresent Migos each have four.

Stay tuned to That Grape Juice for your complete BET Awards 2017 fix!

Your thoughts?

There are no questions about it – Camila Cabello is striking out in a big way.

The former Fifth Harmony singer has just been revealed as the new face of GUESS Jeans.

As part of the partnership, the 20-year-old will front the Fall 2017 campaign for the fashion brand. She will appear in the major print and online roll-out.

Speaking on the venture, the ‘Crying In The Club’ singer said:

“I couldn’t be more excited to partner with Guess on this incredible campaign. I’ve grown up loving their aesthetic and not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d be lucky enough to be a part of it.”

GUESS CCO Peter Marciano added…

“Camila’s confidence, strength and beauty reflect the qualities I look for in a Guess Girl. Choosing Camila to be the face of Guess this fall celebrates that Guess Girls are multi-talented, dynamic and accomplished women.”

Needless to say, Team ‘Mila are coming full force.

The campaign appears like it’ll tie-in with the arrival of her album ‘The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving.’

Excited?

Your thoughts?

Ashanti is ringing the alarm for her return.

The R&B chanteuse has busied herself on the live circuit since the 2014 release of ‘Braveheart,’ but she finally seems ready to deliver the newness.

Taking to social media, the 36-year-old unwrapped a teaser for a fresh video. And she’s looking like a snack!

Check it out below…

Video Cred @aaronklisman #Justwaitonit

A post shared by Ashanti (@ashanti) on May 30, 2017 at 7:19pm PDT

Some may scoff, but we feel there’s still some mileage in the Ashanti tank. It’s all about the music and how she rolls it out.

We’ve yet to see her truly make the indie route work for her (in the way it has for others), but maybe it will this go round?

Your thoughts?