Lifetime‘s Whitney Houston biopic has been hit by yet another jab. This time courtesy of the late diva’s mother, Cissy Houston.

Controversy has engulfed the Angela Bassett helmed project since its announcement, with opinion split on almost every facet. Indeed, everything from the featured stars to it being a TV telepic instead of a cinematic release have come under fire. And let’s just say say, Ms. Cissy has poured fuel on the flames.

The 80-year-old offered Entertainment Tonight a statement about her views on the film — and it definitely wasn’t endorsing.

Her words below…

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All roads leads to September 9th for Michelle Williams.

The vocal powerhouse is set to unwrap new album ‘Journey To Freedom’ on said date and is giving fans a preview of what they can expect.

Moments ago on Instagram, the ‘Say Yes’ singer shared snippets of new songs ‘Yes’ and ‘Need Your Help’.

Take a listen to both below…

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With roots that run deep in Black culture, it’d be safe to say Hip Hop & R&B remain the go-to genres for most African-American males hoping to try their hand in the game that is music.

Leaving the genres’ lovers with enough testosterone to last if a few lifetimes, the US’ frequent delivery of new “Urban” blood has proved to be quite successful for the labels behind said “blood”, with each and every major label housing at least one of categories’ leading acts.

Miguel at ‘Sony.’

August Alsina at ‘Universal.‘

However, while labels seem to have no problem making exclusively Pop acts out of Black females, it would seem that the same can’t be said when it comes to Black men.

Indeed, while backing from ‘Top 40′ and ‘Rhythmic’ radio has seen Rihanna and Beyonce  has seen them dip in and out of genres at will, one would be hard pressed to find a Pop-pushing African-American male being marketed as a Pop act by their supporting label.

This, after the Black British force that was JLS failed to rock any US charts with their inoffensive brand of ‘Backstreet‘-inspired Pop despite soaring in the UK with the very same material.

Interesting, when one remembers Jason Derulo topped the UK’s R&B singles chart with the outrightly Pop ‘Whatcha Say.‘

With the above in mind, we ask…

Is there an absence of Black boys in Pop?

…and…

Does race matter when it comes to genre?

Please share your thoughts below!

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You’ve seen the video, now peep behind the scenes footage lifted from B.o.B‘s ‘So What‘ visual, featuring rising star Mila J.

Released minutes ago, the footage gives fans a fly on the wall look at the work that went into making the clip, dropping as Mila continues work on her EP ‘M.I.LA’, set to feature a collaboration with ‘Black Widow‘ rapper Iggy Azalea.

Pop open the lid below!

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Both NeNe Leakes and Wendy Williams are renown for “saying like they mean it”. As such, it’s little surprise that the pair take the same approach when dishing on each other.

Once a regular on Williams’ hit talk show, Leakes has been notable in her absence  of late- yet she’s still routinely mentioned in the chat maven’s infamous ‘Hot Topics’ segment.

Seemingly fed up, ‘The Real Housewives Of Atlanta’ star took to her blog to lay into the former shock jock. And while it’s unknown what exactly triggered the outburst, there is some talk about NeNe being featured on today’s Hot Topics regarding a Birkin bag she “defaced” with graffiti.

NeNe’s no holds barred words await after the jump…

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Beyonce and Jay Z are heading to HBO.

The mega-watt couple are set to premiere their critically acclaimed ‘On The Run Tour’ on the cable network in September. And, after ample teasing and titillation, the pair have revealed exactly when the masses can catch the sold-out stadium show on the box.

What are you waiting for? The answer (and a fresh teaser) awaits below…

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It’ll take more than a tanked album and negative press to stop Mariah Carey from reaching her fans.

Sure, though their decision not support her new LP ‘Me.I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse’ may have the star’s fan base face criticism from rival fan bases, this year will give them a second chance to prove their loyalty to the star once tickets for her new tour go on sale!

So, taking the above and recent tours launched by Madonna, Lady GaGa and Beyonce in mind, we ask…

Does Mimi have it in her to launch an arena/stadium tour?

…and…

Would you attend it if it arrived in your city?

Share your thoughts below!

The Budweiser Made In America Festival is back!

Created by Jay Z, the Summer extravaganza boasts a unique twist for its 2014 instalment. For, this year the star-studded event is going bi-coastal by taking place across two cities – Philadelphia and Los Angeles – over the same weekend in August.

And when we say “star-studded”, we mean so literally. Indeed, the likes of Kanye West, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar will all be hitting the coveted stage.

So to celebrate, That Grape Juice are giving away TWO pairs of tickets to the Los Angeles event which takes place at Grand Park in downtown LA.

Peep the line-up, which includes Lamar and Rita Ora below:

Imagine Dragons, John Mayer, Steve Aoki, Juanes, Afrojack, Kendrick Lamar, Rise Against, Weezer, Sublime w/ Rome, Metric, Capital Cities, Chance the Rapper, Cypress Hill, Gareth Emery, R3HAB, Schoolboy Q, Wolfgang Gartner, Borgore, DVBBS, 12th Planet, YG, Mute Math, Rita Ora, Nipsey Hussle, Dr. Dog, Terraplane Sun, ZZ Ward, Classixx, Hit-Boy, DJ Mustard, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, Jay Rock, SZA, Yellowclaw, Grits & Biscuits, Will Sparks, Cut Snake, Scavenger Hunt, A Tribe Called Red.

Want to be in with a chance of winning? We thought as much. To enter, simply answer the question below..

Who Headlined The ‘Made In America Festival’ In 2013…

a) Rihanna

b) Beyonce

c) Tamar Braxton

Submit your answer, along with your full name, age, address, and telephone number to the email address below. Please be sure to title entry ‘Made In America – TGJ’ :

competitions@thatgrapejuice.net

All entries must be received by 11.59am PST on Monday 28th July 2014.

As their old pal Pharrell Williams pens another brilliant chapter in his career’s story, SWV have announced that they are currently hard at work on a brand new studio album!

Teased two years after the release of their comeback effort ‘I Missed US’, the project’s arrival was confirmed by member Taj George on Twitter yesterday.

How she announced the news?

Find out below…

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While a number of Pop & R&B’s new girls shiver and shake with fear when tasked with singing living, Rita Ora continues to put many of them to shame with performances that are faultless to say the least.

Sure, while one wouldn’t know it should their knowledge of her stem no further than the gossip-fuelling headlines she’s been faced with recently, we’d say Ora‘s voice and her skilled use of it will stand as her strongest asset when forced to prove her worth as a performer.

Want proof?

Peep her performance of Coldplay’s ‘Magic’ during her recent ‘Donauinselfest‘ set to see just why we can’t enough of the chart-topping stunner, and weigh in below!

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Success a solo act may have evaded her since her split from the Pussycat Dolls, but it would seem Nicole Scherzinger‘s days as Pop’s underdog are well and truly over!

For, thanks to a branding campaign that’s seen her plastered all over UK TV as a ‘Muller’ spokeswoman, the singer’s stock in the market has remained at dizzying heights, and has seen her soar on the ‘Official Charts’ with her brand new single!

Details below…

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While the likes of Kandi Burruss stands celebrated for turning her ‘XScape’ water into publishing wine, the last two decades have seen many a Hip Hop & R&B staple find themselves in financial hot water.

Indeed, as the writers and producers of their material make beaucoup bucks in their shadows, the likes of TLC, Toni Braxton and Rihanna have all spoken out on their financial woes of yesteryear, revealing- in Toni’s and TLC’s case- that they were forced to declare themselves bankrupt once their money wells ran dry.

Pretty sad, when one considers how “lucrative” things appear on the surface.

Now watch August Alsina weigh in on the matter with The Lift Off, below!

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