This evening, Oprah Winfrey‘s long awaited interview with ‘The Kardashians’ will air on OWN.

However, before the anticipated conversation airs, the mogul shocked the world of radio by joining our friends over at Kempire Radio.

Defending her decision to interview the family, leaving her groundbreaking talk show and plans for the future, the clip makes for interesting listening.

Get into it above…

Your thoughts?

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The audience at last night’s Lovebox Fest almost got a little more than bargained for, when Rita Ora nearly suffered an on stage wardrobe malfunction.

Taking to the Victoria Park stage to perform cuts from her debut LP ‘Ora’, the triple threat was seemingly unaware her ‘girls wanted to come out to play’, continuing on with her well received set.

More below…

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Proving that talent is no longer a pre-requisite for success, Cheryl Cole will be celebrating today. For, the lip-syncer’s comeback single ‘Call My Name’ has rocketed straight to #1 on the Official UK Singles Chart – with record-breaking sales.

Details after the jump…

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Cop a gander of Solange!

The youngest of the Knowles clan looks all flavours of fierce in the latest issue of French Glamor.

We must say, we’re loving the self-branding Solo has been doing over the last few years. Eclectic, chic, fashionista. Here’s hoping  these can be leveraged to support her new musical material whenever it surfaces. For, next to her sister, the 25 year old is one of the industry’s most gifted and consistent performers. Yes, you read right.

Peep another shot after the jump…

 

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Get a load of Rihanna‘s latest project- no, not a new album, but a new tattoo.

Taking time out of partying, not working on that voice and tweeting profanities, the model posted the above snap of her new artwork- a falcon placed on her left foot.

Seemingly unfazed by last week’s Bottle-gate, her pic comes two hours before she finds out where her single ‘Where Have You Been’ came in on this week’s UK chart tally.

It also comes after her big screen debut ‘Battleship’ crashed and burned at the Box Office, labelled “a miss” by Comcast’s Brian Roberts.

More below…

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This week’s From The Vault pick is the crossover Gospel classic, ‘Shackles (Praise You)’ by Mary Mary.

Released at the very beginning of the noughties, ‘Shackles’ was the Atkins-Campbell sisters’ first ever single and stands as their biggest hit. After reaching the pole position on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs, the cut managed to become a crossover hit placing #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and coming at an impressive #9 on the R&B/Hip Hop chart. It proved to be a global smash when it hit the Top 10 of multiple countries in Europe as well as Australia.

The accompanying video, which to this day stays an MTV and VH1 favorite, underined the “life gets better” aura evoked by the song’s lyrics (which were penned by the group and Warryn Campbell).

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At the time, Gospel purist disapproved of the track and Mary Mary’s work moreover labeling it “too secular”. Although such claims remain a constant about Contemporary Gospel, over the years acts such as Kirk Franklin, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Yolanda Adams and of course Mary Mary have helped the subgenre garner recognition and respect from a greater sect of the faith-based community as well as from the mainstream.

In many ways, this release broke the shackles off old school ideology and bridged a colossal gap. In every way, then, ‘Shackles’ is a classic.

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Mary Mary continue their foray into the mainstream with their hit WE tv reality show, aptly titled ‘Mary Mary’. Click here to check out our interview with them on our sister site That Grape Juice TV. And be sure to keep it locked on TGJ TV for your Urban Hollywood fix!

Your thoughts?

You’ve heard the song and see its smoking video, now peep behind the scenes footage taken from Azealia Banks’ ‘Liquorice‘ flick.

Styled by Lady GaGa‘s Nicola Formichetti and directed by Dazed‘s Rankin, the visual came in aid of the Rapper’s latest EP ‘1991‘, before she releases her debut album ‘Broke With Expensive Taste‘ in September.

Watch below…

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Get familiar with ‘Summer Dreaming’, Kelly Rowland‘s sun soaked visual in partnership with Barcardi.

Celebrating their 150th anniversary, Kelly joined the company in Barcelona two weeks ago to shoot the video, which she teased here days ago.

Enjoy below…

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A decade ago, accurate-or at least favorable representations of Latin Americans were an all too welcome Pop culture commonplace.

If it wasn’t ‘Taina‘ gracing our screens on Paramount’s Nickelodeon it was the fiery sounds of Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin, figureheads for what has now be known as ‘The Latin Explosion‘.

Today, the story isn’t quite the same.

For, while the likes of Pitbull continue to fly the flag for Latin American music overseas, the demographic remains both mis- and underrepresented on the small screen.

Until now.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydu_7jtoaiI]

Starring 3LW front woman Adrienne Bailon and 106 & Park host Julissa Bermudez, That Grape Juice is pleased to welcome the Style Network‘s  ‘Empire Girls’.

Friends for over a decade, the ‘Girls’ landed the show following requests by friends to allow cameras into their lives.

Bermudez told us:

I had fears about being on Reality TV- because it really puts you out there, but so many funny crazy things would happen to us and our friends would be like “where are the cameras?!”

However, if you were hoping for the table tossing, cat fighting that plagues a number of today’s shows, think again. According to Bailon, “Empire Girls is feel good TV, it focuses on us being strong independent women with real goals and aspirations“.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGktdKLSN6o]

She went onto admit:

Of course there’s going to be drama, but it’s all real. None of it’s exaggerated for the cameras.

We’re both Latina, I was born in the New York and Julie was born in the Dominican Republic, but we both represent a huge demographic in the US, and that’s the second or third generation Latin American woman- and the show reflects that. 

Both of them declaring:

It won’t endorse the stereotypes.

Our story is about inspiration, it’s about hard work, determination and progress and you’ll definitely see that with both of us trying to each our seperate goals.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCDDAi1ytdI]

Catch the ‘Empire Girls’ every Sunday only on The Style Network, (9-10pm. ET)

Your thoughts?

The Pop singer Usher has revealed he had plans to duet with the late Amy Winehouse.

Currently promoting his latest LP ‘Looking For Myself’, the entertainer revealed the news exclusively to MTV this week, days before his project is set to reach the #1 spot in the US.

Full story below…

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Sometimes Pop has a funny away of surprising its loyal.

Whether by way of a record breaking album- Adele‘s ‘21′– or the birth of an ‘epic’ feud- GaGa v Madonna, it’s safe to say that the ‘culture’ and its ever changing plot line are anything but predictable.

Take Def Jam’s Rihanna for one.

Bursting onto the scene with dance hit ‘Pon De Play’ in 2005, very few could have predicted the teen sensation would go onto to rival the acts her very cause was styled on.

Scoring more US #1 singles in seven years than many of her predecessors  have scored in twenty, Fenty’s well oiled hit machine has seen her become one of the world’s more bankable stars- raking in $90 million from her critically panned ‘Loud Tour‘.

However, for all her success, recent years have seen her brand tarnished by many a scandal.

Scandals, involving plagiarism of intellectual property, her volatile relationship with fellow entertainer Chris Brown, and more recently, baseless reports of substance addiction.

Worsened by the part she allegedly played the physical altercation between Brown and Rapper Drake Graham, the media’s coverage of her ‘troubles’ have led to fans questioning her stability, and relationship with Roc Nation boss Jay Z.

“She’s out of it”

“She’s promiscuous”

“She must be on drugs”

“She parties every night”

“She’s terrified of being replaced by Rita”.

All criticisms aimed the singer’s way.

So now we ask:

Is Rihanna budding icon with a promising future ahead of her?

Or

A deeply troubled starlet in danger of self destructing.

Weigh in below…

The 45th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony took place on Thursday night, honoring Pop music’s most influential masterminds.

Billed as the publishing equivalent to The Grammy Awards, this year’s event saw ‘Lazy Lover’ Ne-Yo awarded the ‘Hal David Starlight‘ award, for his contributions to the craft.

Pictured above with Hip Hop producer Swizz Beatz, the Compound executive was joined by his recently signed artist Adrienne Baillon, formerly of trio 3LW and later Disney’s ‘The Cheetah Girls‘.

Your thoughts?

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