The Grammy Awards 2014 are currently underway at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. As ever, That Grape Juice will be providing you with performances as they occur!

Check out performances from Madonna, Beyonce, Katy Perry, P!nk, Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, and more below. Keep refreshing, as we’ll be updating minute-by-minute…

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The stars shine for music’s biggest calendar night – the 56th Annual Grammy Awards!  Live from Los Angeles’ Staples Center, join That Grape Juice‘s peek at the industry’s biggest names just moments after they arrive to the scene.

See and sound off on the fashion hits and misses below…

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At long last the 56th annual Grammy Awards® are upon us!

The 2014 showing of music’s biggest night will be lined with performances from Beyonce & Jay Z, Madonna & Macklemore, P!nk, and so many others.  This, of course, between issuance of the industry’s most coveted prize – the golden Gram-o-phone.

Rap royal Jay Z leads the pack while his ‘Holy Grail’ co-star Justin Timberlake trails with seven nods (as does Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis).  And, while ‘Hold On, We’re Going Home’ hitmaker Drake stands to take home 5 trophies for as many nominations, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, and Lorde follow with four a piece.

As we await news on who will leave with what, we turn to you – That Grape Juice faithful – for your ever insightful predictions. We know who we want to win, but with your musical savvy in tow, tuck in below with your thoughts on who you think will take home the industry’s top honors in Pop, R&B, rap and gospel categories. Two lucky commenters will win the 2014 Grammy Nominees album:

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From The Vault this week salutes one of the biggest Hip-Hop/R&B tracks of all time: it’s ‘Hey Lover’ by LL Cool J & Boyz II Men.

Based on a sample of ‘The Lady In My Life’ by the King Of Pop Michael Jackson, ‘Lover’ was the first single to be lifted from LL’s sixth album, 1995’s ‘Mr Smith’ and was helmed by Trackmasters. 90’s fantastic four Boyz II Men were brought in to bring that certain R&B sweetener to the romantic Hip-Hop serenade.

A critical success, it was a chart homerun as well peaking at #3 on both the Hot 100 and Hot Hip-Hop/R&B charts and topped the now-defunct Hot Rap Singles tally. In the UK it was a Top 20 smash, where it reached the 17th position of the UK Official Singles Chart.

To cap it off, the classic won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance, LL’s second in that category.

Hype Williams was enlisted (again!) to direct the song’s accompanying video which stands as Mr Todd Smith’s most celebrated visual offering.

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Collaborations like this always leave us wondering what would be their modern-day equivalents. Granted the talent is more sparse in this day and age, we feel no time is better than the present for the next iconic Rap-Sung collaboration to manifest. While we have our wishlist, we’d like to know yours:

Which pairing could deliver the best Hip-Hop/R&B track of the decade?

Your thoughts?

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We’re certain if you’ve even heard a hint of gospel music over the last three decades then you’ve encountered at least one gem from the genre’s legendary songbird Vickie Winans.  Her catalog is equipped with an arsenal of hits like ‘Already Been To The Water’, ‘Long As I Got King Jesus’, ‘Shake Yourself Loose’, and ‘No Cross, No Crown’ just to name a few.

Now, with 14 albums, a trophy case of top industry honors, comedy albums and DVDs, and fashion under her decorative belt, the belter still finds ways to venture into new territory.  This time, the gospel diva follows her dreams of acting.

Making her debut aboard the Lionsgate Home Entertainment inspirational film ‘Dreams’ (available everywhere January 28th), That Grape Juice recently caught up with the hardest working woman in the gospel music industry to talk about the film, her dream of starring alongside Robert De Niro, new music, her love of pop superstar Beyonce, and so much more!

You don’t want to miss this read:


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Last night saw a who’s who of Hollywood step out in style for Clive Davis‘ legendary Pre-Grammy Gala in Los Angeles.

Jennifer Hudson was one of the many notable names to take to the stage at the Beverly Hilton extravaganza.

The singer-actress rocked the house with the first live showing of new single ‘I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel)’, calling on collaborators Pharrell Williams and T.I. to join her on stage.

Peep the performance after the jump…

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Pop diva Kylie Minogue is gearing up for the release of her twelfth studio album ‘Kiss Me Once’.

Already hotly anticipated thanks to lead single ‘Into The Blue’, buzz for the LP (which features production from the likes of Pharrell, MNEK, Sia, and Darkchild) was cranked into overdrive moments ago when its tracklist surfaced via iTunes Thailand.

What will Ms. Minogue’s first LP under Jay-Z’s Roc Nation umbrella be serving up when it arrives in March? Find out after the jump…

 

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How to solve a problem like Azealia Banks?

The fiery femcee’s mouth has burned all but a few of the bridges needed to help her career, yet she seems adamant to destroy the rest. All ahead of the release of her serially delayed debut ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’.

As usual, today saw the rapper’s Twitter serve as the source of ample drama. This time directed towards her record label.

See what we mean below…

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With Madonna‘s new project in its infant stages, many were left scratching their heads when the Pop queen was announced as a performer at tonight’s Grammy Awards.

What would she performing? Who, if anyone, would she be rocking the stage with?

Well, US Weekly claim to know the answers. The tea awaits after the jump….

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TGJ OVERFLOW

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 Deitrick Haddon, Mali Music, Zacardi Cortez, Donnie McClurkin, Erica Campbell, Ricky Dillard, The Showers, Devon Baker, TGJ Stellar Award Recap, and more:

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Vegas’ newest showgirl Britney Spears opens up to the mag that bears its name to dish on her successful residency at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino.  A residency, much to fan delight, that will see its reboot start in the coming week after its first few shows stunned critics and tastemakers alike with its blockbuster box office receipts.

Chatting it up with the publication about motherhood, music, and making moves in Vegas, the convo gives yet another behind the scenes look at the life of the pop star.  Want to know how Britney expects Sin City to impact her life for the next two years?

Find out below:

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The Spill

 

Ever keen on keeping the masses abreast of fresh and/or often underrated talent, That Grape Juice presents ‘The Spill’ – a renewed look at not-so-new, yet active, acts.

Much like its ‘Freshly Squeezed’ sister segment, this revived assay aims to put the magnifying glass on talents who may not appeal to the buying public on a broad scale yet are still serving material that could easily spin side-by-side with some of today’s top hits.

Covering a kaleidoscope of genres, ‘The Spill’ is set to feature some names you probably know and love as well as some you’ll (soon) be glad to know.  Click below to find out the spill on Eric Bellinger, Rochelle Jordan, Algebra Blessett, Shanell, & Tatyana Ali

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