30th Jul

Hot Shots: Ashanti Shoots Video With…Fat Joe

The whereabouts of Ashanti‘s ‘Braveheart’ project may be an Unsolved Mystery, yet that hasn’t stopped the former INC maven from helping out Fat Joe on his comeback campaign.

A one-time chart-topper, the ‘Lean Back’ MC is trying to claw back relevancy with new cut ‘Pride & Joy’ – enlisting Ms. Douglas, Kanye West, Roscoe Dash, and more for its accompanying video.

Peep shots from the shoot below…

30th Jul

Hot Shots : Rihanna Attracts Crowds In Monte Carlo / ‘Rejected’ By Calvin Harris

Peep these snaps of Rihanna, enjoying some downtime in Monte Carlo yesterday.

Attracting crowds as he walked through its streets with members of her team, the Pop sensation followed a trip to its legendary Casino with a shopping spree in Cartier, where she enjoyed champagne and a number of luxury watchers.

All this, days after ‘We Found Love‘ producer spoke to Q Magazine about his experiences with her.

Experiences, he said saw him reject her friendly advances.

Details below…

30th Jul

Hot Shot: Mariah Carey Sparkles On ‘Triumphant’ Video Set

Check out Mariah Carey looking all flavours of fierce on the video set of comeback single, ‘Triumphant (Get Em)’.

The premium diva, 42, shared the shot on Twitter today, where she also promised more treats throughout the week:

“On the set of the TRIUMPHANT (Get ‘Em) video shoot. Get ready for a triumphant week, we have surprises every day!”

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With a video shot, the song expected to premiere on radio this week, and confirmation of a judging/promo slot on American Idol, Mimi’s current project is already being handled better than her last (see: ‘Memoirs’).

And as one of the industry’s last true “divas”, we hope she embraces that status and delivers something truly compelling (versus the nursery rhymes she’s been peddling for the last few years). I guess the first taste of whether she has will come when ‘Triumphant’ arrives. Let the countdown begin…

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Music

29th Jul

Hot Shots: Michelle Williams Beams In D.C.

‘Unexpected’ performer Michelle Williams made quite the unexpected announcement earlier this year when she revealed intent to return to the gospel platform. A platform, as many know, which has been a lifelong love of the entertainer and themed her first two solo outings.

Now already hitting the promo trail, as the finishing touches are being placed on her 4th solo LP, the former DC beauty took to D.C. for the taping of famed BET gospel program ‘Bobby Jones Gospel’.

Donning a stunning orange dress, the singer lifted snaps of her visit to her official Facebook page today. See them below:

Click here to hear what Michelle exclusively told That Grape Juice about her return to gospel.

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Entertainment

29th Jul

Movie Trailer : Halle Berry’s ‘Cloud Atlas’

October 26th marks the release of ‘Cloud Atlas‘, the moving new movie starring X-Men‘s Halle Berry and Castaway‘s Tom Hanks.

The first adaptation of the 2004 novel by David Mitchell, today saw the flick’s trailer emerge online, awaiting your first viewing above…

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{Images Removed As Requested}

If only she was this hot in the booth.

Yes, despite being guilty of putting minimal effort into her vocal craft, it seemed Rihanna was all too happy to get ‘explicit’ for Italian paparazzi yesterday.

For, during a boat trip in Portofino, the ‘Do Ya Thing’ sensation struck a number of provocative poses for the shutterbugs- as can be seen in the snap above and even racier ones below…

29th Jul

Hot Shots : Kelly Rowland Hits Melrose With La La Vasquez

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With a new album and television series on the way, to say Kelly Rowland next few months will be busy is an understatement.

So, before kicking off her new campaign, the Grammy winner took to California’s Melrose Avenue for a spot of shopping with good friend La La Vasquez.

Snapped in a number of boutiques, the pair’s sighting arrives before Rowland takes to Australia shoot the aforementioned ‘Everybody Dance Now’ with Jason Derulo.

More below…

29th Jul

From The Vault: Jennifer Lopez – ‘If You had My Love’

Many in the entertainment industry are routinely branded ‘triple-threats’. Yet, while the validity of most claims are merely smoke and mirrors, Pop diva Jennifer Lopez not only embodies the title – she is one of the most pronounced examples.

At a time when the Latin beauty is releasing her first Greatest Hits compilation celebrating a decade plus of hits, From The Vault journeys back to where it all started. This week’s pick is Jennifer’s debut single ‘If You Had My Love’.

With Darkchild on writing and production duties, J.Lo managed to launch her music career with a resounding bang. Released during Spring 99, ‘Love’ was a Billboard #1 and reached the Top 10 of the majority of the countries it was released in.

For many industry analysts, its worldwide success was largely the by-product of its iconic music video – which, let’s just say, ticked all the boxes. Indeed Jenny is presented as the absolute full-package; this sentiment is echoed throughout the phenomenal dance break which bares strong resemblance dancer’s show reel (see: Jazz, House, Latin Soul). The virtual and voyeuristic atmosphere was also a clever touch as the internet and reality-TV were booming bombastically at the end of the millennium. Put simply, director Paul Hunter did a wonderful job introducing Lopez, the Popstar, as a charismatic, sexy dance maven with global appeal, a description which still fits nowadays.

The ex-Idol judge is among the few people who can proudly say that they have been truly successful in multiple fields of the industry. She has been a professional dancer in the early stages of her career, has been an in demand actress since the mid-90’s and her musical credentials count many a classic. Still, we want to know, according to you:

Is Jennifer Lopez the ultimate Triple-Threat diva?

29th Jul

Pop Equality : Does Race Play Into Chart Success?

Back in May, ‘Magnetic Fields‘ front man Stephen Merritt found himself under the media gaze after he made comments questioning the public’s support of ‘21‘ chart topper Adele.

In an interview with LA Weekly, he suggested that Caucasian artists performing what he called ‘black music’ were often more palatable to viewers than Black artists performing ‘black music’- hinting at an underlying but unintentional racist streak in Popular audiences.

His comments didn’t end there. In making the comparison between the radio airtime given to Black Rap acts and their fairer counterparts, he concluded:

There is something unsavory about the way audiences sometimes disproportionately favor white artists making black music.

Witness Eminem’s repeated appearances on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks (now Alternative Songs) chart with songs sporting an unmistakably hip-hop bounce like “My Name Is” and “Without Me.” The only way to explain his crossing-over to rock radio is his skin color.

Billed as an exaggeration of a dated issue, Merritt’s remarks came under fire from some That Grape Juice readers who argued their reasons for supporting artists came on the grounds of quality and not race.

However, these found themselves countering arguments supporting the performer’s theory.

Pointing out, that despite the prior success of Aaliyah, TLC, Brandy, Monica and Janet in the 90s, this generation only boasts three commercially viable Black female artists.

These being, Rihanna, Beyonce and rising Rapper Nicki Minaj.

So now we ask you: