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After bidding adieu to hit show ‘The Wire’ and watching his pal Mack Wilds woo Middle America on ‘90210’, Jermaine Crawford steps into the light with the launch of his very own solo career this year, doing so with the release of ‘Janet.

Released in honour of the Janet Jackson‘s ‘baby-making’ jams of yesteryear, the R&B kissed cut comes courtesy of ‘Underdog’, the EP released by the 21 year old in the October of last year.

Does he have what it takes to take on the Miguel’s of the world?

Find out below!

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Eight years after ‘Kelis Was Here‘ joined Beyonce‘s ‘B’Day’ at the forefront of Urban Pop, Kelis returns with new album ‘Foodthis year, due April 21st.

With this in mind, was it any wonder that fans of the star have a whole to look forward to in the weeks to come, looking on as the ‘Bossy’ star whips up momentum for the release.

Momentum, that reached new heights when she unleashed brand new material from the LP during her ‘BBC 6 Music Festival‘ hours ago, performing her new jams for the very first time!

Hungry for new Kelis?

Tuck in after the jump!

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As to celebrate last night’s Oscars, Janelle Monae unwrapped her very own cover of Robert Palmer‘s ‘Simply Irresistible‘!

Why?

Well, ever eager to give their audience more bang for their viewing buck, the ‘E!’ network have launched ‘Live from the Red Carpet 2014’ soundtrack, also featuring Charli XCX and the electric Fitz and the Tantrums!

How Monae’s cover stands when placed next to the original?

You tell us below!

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The 86th annual Academy Awards aired live tonight from Hollywood’s Dolby Theater.

Hosted by Ellen Degeneres, the showing yet again sought to highlight the year’s best in cinema, staging, lighting, and performance.  With frontrunner ’12 Years A Slave’ expected to sweep the show, see if that prediction held true via the winner’s list below:

Best Picture:

“American Hustle”

“Captain Phillips”

“Dallas Buyers Club”

“Gravity”

“Her”

“Nebraska”

“Philomena”

“12 Years a Slave”

“The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Supporting Actor:

Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips”

Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”

Jonah Hill, “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”

Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club” WINNER

Best Supporting Actress:

Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine”

Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”

Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave” WINNER

Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”

June Squibb, “Nebraska”

Best Director:

David O. Russell, “American Hustle”

Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity” WINNER

Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”

Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”

Martin Scorsese, “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Actor:

Christian Bale, “American Hustle”

Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”

Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”

Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyer’s Club” WINNER

Best Actress:

Amy Adams, “American Hustle”

Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine” WINNER

Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”

Judi Dench, “Philomena”

Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”

Best Original Screenplay:

“American Hustle”

“Blue Jasmine”

“Dallas Buyers Club”

“Her” WINNER

“Nebraska”

Best Adapted Screenplay:

“Before Midnight”

“Captain Phillips”

“Philomena”

“12 Years a Slave” WINNER

“The Wolf Of Wall Street”

Best Animated Feature:

“The Croods”

“Despicable Me 2”

“Ernest & Celestine”

“Frozen” WINNER

“The Wind Rises”

Best Foreign Feature:

“The Broken Circle Breakdown,” Belgium

“The Great Beauty,” Italy WINNER

“The Hunt,” Denmark

“The Missing Picture,” Cambodia

“Omar,” Palestine

Best Visual Effects:

“Gravity” WINNER

“The Hobbit: The Desolation”

“Iron Man 3”

“The Lone Ranger”

“Star Trek Into Darkness”

Best Cinematography:

“The Grandmaster”

“Gravity” WINNER

“Inside Llewyn Davis”

“Nebraska”

“Prisoners”

Best Costume Design:

“American Hustle”

“The Grandmaster”

“The Great Gatsby” WINNER

“The Invisible Woman”

“12 Years a Slave”

Best Documentary Feature:

“The Act of Killing”

“Cutie and the Boxer”

“Dirty Wars”

“The Square”

“20 Feet from Stardom” WINNER

Best Documentary Short:

“CaveDigger”

“Facing Fear”

“Karama Has No Walls”

“The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life” WINNER

“Prisoner Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall”

Best Film Editing:

“American Hustle”

“Captain Phillips”

“Dallas Buyers Club”

“Gravity” WINNER

“12 Years a Slave”

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

“Dallas Buyers Club” WINNER

“Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa”

“The Lone Ranger”

Best Music (Original Score):

“The Book Thief”

“Gravity” WINNER

“Her”

“Philomena”

“Saving Mr. Banks”

Best Music (Original Song):

“Alone Yet Not Alone” from “Alone Yet Not Alone”

Your thoughts?

pink

Pop powerhouse Pink is renowned for going airborne at award shows, however the singer let her voice do the flying at the Oscars 2014 tonight.

The  34-year-old was tapped to perform ‘Wizard of Oz’ classic ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ as part of an Academy tribute to celebrate the movie’s 75th birthday this year.

Standing before an audience that included the children of the Judy Garland –  who starred in the film and originally performed ‘Rainbow’ – Pink thrilled with a showing that further cements her as one of today’s top talents.

Peep the performance after the jump…

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As earlier reported, the ladies of Little Mix are fronting this year’s ‘Sports Relief’ charity campaign. So as to raise awareness, Jesy, Jade, Perrie, and Leigh-Anne have rolled out a rendition of Cameo classic ‘Word Up!’ – the video for which premiered moments ago.

Naturally sports themed, the tongue-in-cheek clip awaits after the jump. Spice Girl, Mel C, together with a host of  other British celebrities make an appearance.

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Black Hollywood unquestionably shone brightest on tonight’s Academy Awards’ red carpet!  With stars like Kerry Washington, Viola Davis, Rocsi Diaz, and so many more showing off their stunning gowns, the carpet’s best dressed may very well have been ’12 Years A Slave’ starlet Lupita Nyong’o.

Look below and tell us your favorite looks:

 

Your thoughts?

pharrell-happy-oscars-TGJ

With one day separating fans from getting their hands on his new album ‘G I R L’, Grammy-winning rapper/producer Pharrell Williams took to the Academy Award stage tonight to lend a live rendition of his hit song ‘Happy’.

Bringing some much needed animation to the otherwise inanimate 86th Annual Academy Awards the hitmaker and his Arby’s-styled hat got down on stage with his Oscar-nominated hit from the ‘Despicable Me 2’ soundtrack and even took to the audience to get into the groove with the likes of Lupita Nyong’o, Meryl Streep, Jamie Foxx, and more.

See it all below:

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kelly-price-photo

Grammy® winner Donnie McClurkin wowed audience members at the ‘Gospel Goes to Hollywood’ Pre-Oscar event on Friday night (February 28th) when he spontaneously called up Grammy® nominated R&B artist Kelly Price to sing.

Ad-libbing to the new hit gospel song  “BETTER”, originally performed by rising family group THE SHOWERS (who were the musical guests for the event) – the vocalists’ powerful impromptu duet came immediately after the family had delivered their own stunning rendition.

See it all unfold below:

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TheShowersBetter

Ever keen to broaden our musical scope, recent months have seen That Grape Juice venture into a number of new musical landscapes including, most recently, gospel.

Spearheaded by well-received interviews with gospel singers Yolanda AdamsHezekiah WalkerTwinkie ClarkFred HammondKierra SheardDorinda Clark ColeIsrael HoughtonMarvin SappMicah StampleyJoshua Rogers, and more, TGJ is now offering readers ‘The Overflow’ – a collection of the top gospel-themed news stories from the week.

Tuck in below for the latest news on 2014 Celebration of GospelThe Showers, Mary Mary, Kierra Sheard, James Fortune & FIYA, JPA & Ascension and many more…

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jennifer-lopez-thatgrapejuice

As collaborations go, Jennifer Lopez has notched up a fair number during her tenure at the top.

However, proving that she still has the ability to shock, the dynamite diva has announced her next duet will be with none other than soulful crooner Maxwell.

The revelation came during a recent radio interview Virgin Dubai, in which she talked new material, touring and promoted her involvement with this Summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Take a listen below…

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The legendary Janet Jackson has been absent from the scene for the past few years, instead focusing on her personal life. With this week marking the 6th year since she unleashed her last album ‘Discipline’, what better to pay homage to to Her Highness with this week’s From The Vault pick. Our selection is the set’s exquisite first single ‘Feedback‘.
Released as a “surprise” in December 2007, ‘Feedback’ was helmed by the ever-versatile Rodney Jerkins – making it the first of many collaboration between the two.
Put simply, the cut was every inch the comeback single the career-doctor ordered. ‘Feedback’ saw Ms. Jackson borrowing from what was hot while putting her magical spin on it – resulting in a futuristic, high octane, harmony-heavy, swagger-soaked banger.
Side note: Alongside Destiny’s Child‘s ‘Lose My Breath‘, we feel like ‘Feedback’ – with its “back with a bang” aura – is what every comeback/first single should feel like: an event.
In America, the joint served as Janet’s biggest hit since 2001’s ‘Someone To Call My Lover’ peaking at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play.
janet-jackson-feed
Due to a lack of promotion overseas (see: label politics), it was only a minor hit in Europe, missing the chart in the UK  altogether.
Coincidentally, it was British director Saam Farahmand who was in charge of the song’s visual. Perhaps in a bid to pay tribute to the star’s out-of-this-world talent, he opted for an intergalactic theme where the leader of the Rhythm Nation can be seen hoping planets while blessing her legion of fans with some intense choreography along the way with an intensity only she can deliver.
Reportedly hard at work on a new project, Janet’s next move will be a crucial one, for the music industry is continually changing leaps and bounds. From musical trends to charting policies to the onset of social media, nothing is the same as 6 months ago speak less 6 years. However, if there’s one thing this icon can be relied upon for, it’s delivering quality music and visuals. In many ways, it’s Jackson Family Values.
Though we’re crossing our fingers for collaborations with the likes Bruno MarsDrake and Kendrick Lamar as well as productions by the likes of Bangladesh, Noah “40” Shebib and of course Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Darkchild, we’re asking YOU:

 

What should Janet do next?

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