In a recent interview with MTV, Bow Wow spoke about possibility retiring from the rap game in the near-future:

“I wanna be the next Will Smith,” the 21-year-old recently said, restating his growing passion for acting while sitting poolside at L.A.’s Le Montrose Suite Hotel. “After the eighth album, I’m done. I already feel it. I love acting. I love my music like I said, but I feel it. After this one, probably one more in me and that’s eight. Like, I’m one [album] behind Nas, and that’s crazy.”

LP number seven comes out later this year. It’s called The Pedigree.

Reading this, you’d think he’d sold albums by the truckload or was held in any kind of critical regard. Unfortunately for Shad, none of these apply lol. I’m guessing it’s more the fact that next to no one is checking for him on the music tip anymore, so acting is his new ‘passion’. That said, I can’t down him on this one; get in where you fit in, I say.

Any thoughts?

Hit-maker Timbaland recently sat down with MTV to speak about the follow up to his 2007 LP ‘Shock Value’, which is aptly titled ‘Shock Value 2’. Beyonce, Rihanna and Jay-Z are just some of the big names the super-producer has lined up to appear on the album:

“Shock Value is really like the Now [That’s What I Call Music!] compilation,” he said. “That’s my goal for this — not [to showcase] me as an artist. Of course I’ll do my little part, introduce some people. It gives me room to go tour across the world. People request me. I put on a show. I put on a musical show.

“Right now, I have a song with Madonna that I didn’t put on her album. I saved [it] in case I wanna do one for me,” he revealed. “Of course I’mma do one with Beyoncé. Of course I’mma do one with Jordin Sparks, Rihanna. It’s a lot of people. I’mma do one with Jonas Brothers. I’mma try to have 10 major ones.”

On the hip-hop side, Timbo said he’s looking at T.I., already has T-Pain and expects Jay-Z. “Jay was really on the last one, but he wanted to change [the song],” he said. “I said, ‘Look, man, I gotta put out an album. You’re killing me.’ “

This, most definitely, is already shaping up to be better than its predecessor.

Randomness, I know, but wouldn’t it be something if Timbo had Beyonce and Rihanna on the same track ala ‘Scream’ with Keri Hilson and Nicole Scherzinger? Cheesy I know, but that really would be ‘shocking’.

Your thoughts?

The video for Khia’s latest single ‘Be Your Lady’ hit the net recently. Yes, it’s as bad as you thought it’d be. Windows Movie Maker bad…SMH…

Edit: I just watched it again…LMAO…A mess.

Anyway, Khia’s ‘Nasti Musik’ LP is out now – its release was pushed up to avoid ‘internet downloading’..LOL…I’m almost in tears.

What do you think of the video?

In a recent entry on his official blog, Kanye West took up for Soulja Boy in his escalating ‘beef’ with rapper/actor Ice T. Here’s what Kanye had to say on the issue:

Soulja boy is fresh ass hell and is actually the true meaning of what hip hop is sposed to be. He came from the hood, made his own beats, made up a new saying, new sound and a new dance with one song. He had all of America rapping this summer. If that ain’t Hip Hop then what is? A bunch of wannabe keep it real rappers that ain’t even relevant, recycling samples trying to act like it’s 96 again and all they do is hate on new shit? Niggas always talk about the golden age but for a 13 year old kid, this is the golden age!!! That song was so dope cause everything he said had a hidden meaning… that’s Nas level shit… he just put it over some steel drums which is also some Nas shit if you had the 2nd album cassette with the bonus track “Silent Murder” on it. In closing… new niggas get ya money$$$$$$$$$$ Keep this shit fresh and original…. ain’t no fuckin’ rules to this shit and that’s what real hip hop is to me.

– Kanye West

Interesting…lol. In other news, Ice T has responded to Soulja Boy’s response (if that makes any sense lol):

It’s increasing seeming like an Old Skool vs New Skool situation…

Your thoughts?

* Jillian Jackson

* Yolonda Smith

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Mariah

The correct answer to the question:

Which of the following is Mariah’s 1997 #1 Album ?

b) Butterfly

The following are the winners – who were chosen at random (email confirmation has also been sent out) :

* Nisha Luggah

* Josue Almodovar

* Danielle Atkins

Congratulations to the winners! Remember to keep it locked on That Grape Juice for future competitions.

The self-proclaimed ‘Queen of The South’ Khia is still bitching about rival Trina and Pop superstar Janet Jackson – this time via her MySpace page:

WHAT DA HELL IS BOBBLE HEAD DOING ON DAT BITCH TRINA PAGE. CUZ ONLY A FOOL’S ALBUM WILL DROP ON APRIL FOOLS. DA JOKE IS ON ANYBODY WHO BUYS IT!!!yESSSSSSSS!!!

DIS NUT BUCKET BITCH, DONE PROMOTED NASTI MUZIK!!! SHE DONE PUT POSTERS OUT WITH THE THUG MISSES NAME ON IT. THANK U BITCH!!! SOMEBODY DONE GAVE DIS HO COURAGE JUICE. I THOUGHT SHE LEARNED FROM THE DISS RECORD. HELL…. YALL SEEN WHAT HAPPENED AFTER DAT SHE LOST HER MAN…… FROM WHOM I HAVE EVER INTENTION ON MAKING MINE…… DATS RIGHT WEEEEEEZY!!!!!YESSSSSSSSS!!! THE QUEEN HAS CHOSEN. YALL AINT SEEN HER SHE DONE LOST WEIGHT AND FROM DA LOOKS OF THANGS. THIS IS WRONG TIME FOR HER TO EVEN THINK TO PUT OUT A ALBUM. ALL I COULD THINK OF IS HOW SHE NEEDED TO CONTINUE WITH PEDIALITE AND ENSURE. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE BREAST FEED DIS BITCH? OR SHOULD I DO IT SINCE MY TITTIES LOOK LIKE DEY SLEEP!!!! OR IS IT DAT IM DA ONLY BITCH DAT CAN PRODUCE SWEET MILK. ASK WEEEEEEEZY!!!!! I LUVVVVVVVV HIM. I WANNA BE HIS LADY!!!!!!!!

YA SEE!!! DATS THE DIFFENCE BETWEEN ME AND DA BITCH TRINA!! SHE SINGLE AGAIN AND BACK ON DA PROWL. I WANNA BE WEEZY’S LADY AND HAVE HIS BABY. DA DIFFENCE BETWEEN QUEENS AND HO’S!!!!

ALL MY FANS….. LETS ALL SAY IT TOGETHER……….. THANK U TRINA FOR ALL DA PROMOTION!!!!!!

PS. MS NIVEA…… GO BACK TO YA HUSBAND…… AND QUIT CREEPIN WIT MY MAN!!!! UR A MOTHER NOW!!!!!!!

THUG MISSES “LIVE AND OUTLOUD!!!!!!!”””

On Janet:

LET’S TALK BOUT JANET!!!!!!!!!!MS. JACKSON IF U NASTI!!! BEIN A KHIA HATA. U KNOW DERS A LOT OF DEM….. LURKIN AROUND….UNDERCOVER HATIN!!! CUZ YESSSSSSSSS!!!!! DATS WHAT SHE DID. IM SICK AND TIRED WITH THEM CONFUSING DA TRUTH WIT ME TRYNA PROMOTE MY NEW ALBUM. MY FANS KNOW I DONT NEED HER TO DO SHYT TO HELP PROMOTE NO ALBUMS!!!!!

DA QUESTION WAS…… WHY WAS I ON DAT IN TV….. LOOKING LIKE A OLD ALFRED HITCHCOCK FILM!!!!!!! IN BLACK AND WHITE!!!!! TELL ME WHATS REALLY GOING ON. WHEN I LEFT DA SET THE VIDEO DIDNT LOOK LIKE DAT!!!! FURTHERMORE….. THE FULL VIDEO WAS WORLD PREMIERE WAS FEATURED ON ACCESS GRANTED. SO WHY WAS DA QUEEN EDITED OUT!!! I KNOW IT WASNT JERMAINE….. CUZ I KNOW IT WASNT JERMAINE. HE GAVE MUCH LUV AND SHOUT OUT ON DA SHOW!!!! SO WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM JANET!!! MS. jACKSON IS A LEGEND…….. DONT MAKE ME BURN WITH DA IRON. PENNY ON GOODTIMES.

STOP IT!!!!! ULL NEVA BE MARIAH!!!!! SHE DONT HAVE TO BE INTIMIDATED BY ME. PUTTIN ME ON DAT DAMN TV!!! SHE AT HATA. DIVAS CAN BE HATAS TOO!!!

NOWWWWWWW!!!!!MYT ADVICE TO JANET. MS. JACKSON IF U NASTI!!! STOP TRYNA TO COMPETE WITH THE LITTLE GIRLS. GO TO VEGAS AND DO SIDE SHOWS WITH CELINE DION AND MAKE REAL MONEY…….. WITH DOSE TRAMPESE CIRCUS ACTS!!!

WE ALL KNOW YO TEA SINCE DA VALET ROPE. LET IT GO JANET. IF U NASTY!!!!

THE THUGMISSES SAID DAT ON LOUD AND OUTLOUD!!!!!!!!!

No comment.

Any thoughts?

This week’s edition of ‘The Best You Never Heard’ serves up tracks from the likes of Fantasia, FDM, Mashonda and the Southern Hummingbird Tweet. You can drop me your suggestions for future installments at sam@thatgrapejuice.net

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Fantasia – Two Weeks Notice

Though the success story from Fantasia’s underrated self-titled sophomore effort was undeniably ‘When I See You’, the album definitely boasted several equally as solid tracks. One of the standouts IMO is ‘Two Weeks Notice’. With its clever word-play, as well as Fantasia’s stellar vocal delivery, this stands as one of my favourite R&B songs from the last few years.

Listen: Two Weeks Notice

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FDM – Playground

Lifted from Tweet’s sophomore LP ‘It’s Me Again’, ‘Taxi’ serves as a reminder of the Southern Hummingbird’s oft under-appreciated appeal. In an industry filled with gimmicks and microwaveable hits, the soulful ‘Taxi’ highlights that there is still good music and genuine talent out there.

Listen: Taxi

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Your thoughts: Hit(s) or Miss(es)?

That Grape Juice is giving you the opportunity to win a copy of Kelis’ superb new greatest hits collection – ‘The Hits’. Featuring chart smashes such as her 1999 debut ‘Caught Out There’ as well as the career-defining ‘Milkshake’, the set is a must-have for all Kelis fans. To be in with a chance of winning one of the two copies we’re giving away, submit your answer to the following question:

*EA Games Easter Give-Away winners will be announced later today*

Day26 – Got Me Going

Donny (ft. Diddy) – Take You There

I really enjoyed both Day26 and Danity Kane’s performances, although the latter were kinda shaky vocally at times. Donnie, on the other hand, what was that? I’m starting to question Diddy’s mindset when choosing him as a solo act, because the performance was wack – to put it simply. According to our friends over at Think2wice.org, who were in attendance at the taping, Donnie’s performance was done not once, not twice, but three times over. Yet still the televised version was the pits. Anyway, usual…

What do you think of the performances ?

Will you be checking for the Making The Band tour?