The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards were announced just moments ago. The 28th annual ceremony, which will air live via MTV on August 28th, features Katy Perry leading the pack with an incredible 9  nominations, Adele with 7, Kanye West with 6 nods (11 if including the ‘E.T.’ nominations), and divas Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and Beyonce scoring 3 each. Check out the full lineup below:

(more…)

Following a series of photos featuring R&B newcomer, Frank Ocean, in the studio with certified hitmakers like Beyonce and Pharrell, this candid with hip hop legend Jay-Z seems a welcomed addition to the collection. The shot is from a session for Jay-Z’s forthcoming solo album, which will feature a track with the singer/songwriter. Ocean, whose single, ‘Novacane’, is currently No. 19 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, will also appear on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s upcoming ‘Watch The Thrown’ LP, due out August 2.

Your thoughts?

The Billboard Awards 2011 will be airing live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena tomorrow on ABC.

An action packed bill, the show will feature performances from the industry’s brightest stars including Rihanna (together, reportedly, Britney Spears), Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, Ne-Yo, Black Eyed Peas, Taio Cruz and others. Also set to take to the stage is budding icon Beyonce, who will be presented the Millenium Award for her musical efforts over the last 15 years. you’re going to need expert coverage of all the action.

Want to keep up with it all?

Not to worry because That Grape Juice will be providing live on-the-minute updates from the event including news, commentary and, of course, all of performances! Expect four main areas:

Red Carpet Arrivals

Continuously uploaded images of all the red carpet arrival.

Your Shout!

Here you’ll be able to express your thoughts on everything related to the Billboard Awards from rumours to spoliers and, of course, the actual show as they occur. Anything and everything goes; randomness, observations, ‘WTF!’ moments and all that jazz. A live stream also be available!

Performances

All the show’s performances minutes after they’ve aired. Visitors who’ve observed our coverage of previous award shows will know what we mean!

Twitter Commentary

Be sure to follow That Grape Juice on Twitter for our commentary on the show. As ever, we will be -for one night only- be sharing our uncensored thoughts throughout the event.

Click here to follow That Grape Juice on Twitter!

So for ‘net’s most thorough live coverage of music’s biggest night be sure to keep it locked on

That Grape Juice!

Jennifer Hudson unveiled the official tracklist of her new studio album, ‘I Remember Me’, today. Available in stores on March 22nd, 10-song LP includes contributions from R. KellyRyan TedderAlicia KeysSwizz BeatzRich HarrisonNe-Yo and Stargate.

See the full lineup below:

(more…)

One of the biggest sales weeks of the year has arrived! Each year artists capitalise on the Thanksgiving sales offered in the lead up to Black Friday by releasing a string of new material. Indeed, this 2010 is no different.

Three industry heavyweights –Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Ne-Yo – have debuted their latest albums in stores this week. West’s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ is already considered to be a favourite of fans and critics alike after receiving rave reviews from all major publications including Rolling Stones magazine which credited the LP with a 5/5 rating.

However, Minaj’s ‘Pink Friday’ will undoubtedly give West serious competition. Probably the most anticipated record of the year, the project boasts appearances from Drake, Natasha Bedingfield and West himself. Furthermore, thanks to Minaj’s ongoing feud with Lil Kim, ‘Pink Friday’ remains a consistent talking point across several platforms comprising both the mainstream media and Twitter.

Of course, every battle has an underdog and this time it comes in the form of Ne-Yo’s ‘Libra Scale’. Although the LP has thus far received underwhelming sales in international territories, the singer/songwriter has been promoting the record for weeks on US talk shows, award ceremonies and radio interviews. None of the album’s singles have cracked the Billboard Hot 100’s top 40 but that hasn’t stopped Ne-Yo from performing on every possible stage.

Still, in the end, the only person’s opinion that matters is yours so we want to know: which album will you buy? Also, if you’ve heard the albums, which do you consider to be the best? Share your views below!

[polldaddy poll=4135679]

Pop vixen Kelly Rowland was invited on stage to perform  by Ne-Yo at his American Music Awards after-gala. The event, which was hosted jointly by VEVO and the crooner’s Compound Entertainment imprint, also saw performances from the likes of Diddy-Dirty Money, and Keri Hilson.

Peep Ms. Kelly rocking the audience with the first live rendition of ‘Grown Woman’ – written by Ne-Yo – below…

(more…)

The 2010 American Music Awards will be airing live on November 21st at 8pm Est via ABC from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. With a blockbuster list of performances from Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Usher, Pink, Ne-Yo, Black Eyed Peas and others, you’re going to need expert coverage of the show.

Not to worry because That Grape Juice will be providing live on-the-minute coverage of the event including news, commentary and, of course, all of performances! Expect four main areas:

Red Carpet Arrivals

Continuously uploaded Images of all the red carpet arrival.

Your Shout!

Here you’ll be able to express your thoughts on everything AMA related i.e. rumours, spoliers and of course the actual show as they occur . Anything and everything goes; randomness, observations, ‘WTF!’ moments and all that jazz. A live stream also be available!

Performances

All the show’s performances minutes after they’ve aired. Visitors who’ve observed our coverage of previous award show’s will know what we mean!

Twitter Commentary:

Be sure to follow That Grape Juice on Twitter for our commentary of the show. Furthermore, Trent will be sharing his hilarious (and uncensored) thoughts throughout the event so be sure to follow him too!

Click here to follow That Grape Juice on Twitter!

Click here to follow Trent on Twitter!

So for ‘net’s most thorough live coverage of one of music’s biggest dates on the calender, do be sure to keep it locked on

That Grape Juice!

It’s that time again! That Grape Juice wants to see what you all are listening to. Which 5 tracks have you got on constant rotation at the moment?

Remember, it doesn’t have to be limited to Urban music; could be something new, Throwback, religious, even something you made yourself! Drop a comment in the comments section. Mine and Trent’s are below – in no particular order:

Sam

1) Gone – Nelly & Kelly Rowland
2) Who You Are – Jessie J
3) Free Your Mind – En Vogue
4) Insatiable – Nadine Coyle
5) Cause I Said So – Ne-Yo

Trent

1) Oh Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus – Mariah Carey
2) Cannibal – Ke$ha
3) Poison – Nicole Scherzinger
4) Take It Off – Ke$ha
5) Christmas Time Is In The Air Again – Mariah Carey

What are Your Top 5 Songs of The Moment?

Alexandra Burke is set to re-release her Platinum selling debut ‘Overcome’ in Deluxe edition form on December 6th. Prior to then, you can check out the LP’s official tracklisting, which was revealed today.

The set comes packaged with four new songs, and a DVD…

(more…)

Check out the official cover for Jazmine Sullivan’s new LP ‘Love Me Back’. The album, which is now due on November 2nd, is preceded by the single ‘Holding You Down’ and  boasts production from the likes of Missy Elliott and Ne-Yo.

Click here to see the album’s tracklisting.

Your thoughts?

It looks like Beyonce is getting ready to take everybody back to the dance floor. In a recent interview with Music Mix producer/songwriter Sean Garrett revealed that the dynamic diva is in fact working on making more of the “party music” that defines most of her biggest hits. Garrett previously worked with Beyonce to make ‘Get Me Bodied’, ‘Diva’ and ‘Upgrade U’. Check out what he had to say below:

(more…)

During a recent autograph signing, Pop star Kelly Rowland revealed that the video for her new mainstream single ‘Rose Coloured Glasses’ was shot in 3D. The Destiny’s Child alumni was coy when further questioned on the particulars of the video, only confirming that the recently wrapped clip is set to première shortly. A video for Rowland’s Urban single ‘Grown Woman’ has yet to be shot {Source}

It’s awesome to see Kelly championing an area untreaded by other artists before her (how many 3D music videos have you seen?); particularly when considering the lyrical content of the song.

That said, it is imperative that a video for ‘Grown Woman’ is being cooked up too; for the Ne-Yo penned song is FAR out-performing ‘Rose Coloured Glasses’; and in keeping it 100% is clearly the ‘HIT’ of the two.

Your thoughts?

**