After a relatively slow start to the year, Urban retail picked up in a major way this week when new releases from Ashanti, Pharrell Williams, and Rick Ross charged into stores.

Naturally, all eyes have been fixed on how each project fared – especially following questionable sales predictions.

Now, with the final numbers in, how did Ashanti’s ‘Braveheart’, Pharrell’s ‘G I R L’, and Ross’ ‘Mastermind’ perform?
The answer awaits, as ever, after the jump…

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Since its surprise arrival last December, Beyonce‘s self-titled fifth album has become somewhat of a Pop culture phenom. From lyrics, to phrases, to merchandise, the superstar’s visual LP has embedded itself in the minds of the masses like no other release in recent memory.

In paying homage to King B’s opus, super-fans Superfruit have uniquely covered each the album’s songs on YouTube.

The clip, which is currently gaining thousands of views per minute, is every bit a must-see.

Check it out after the jump!

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Though it’d be unfair to judge the release using its snippet alone, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t puzzled by Rita Ora‘s ‘I Will Never Let You Down‘…generic to say the least.

Giving some fans no choice but to wonder if more effort’s been employed to push Rita’s stock as a brand than her standing as a musician, we can’t but wonder who’s been tasked with sourcing the star’s material, and why they seem hard pressed to find cuts worthy of her potential.

However, if the response she garnered while making her way into Los Angeles’ ‘LAX’ hours is anything to go by, Ora will have no trouble winning over US audiences later on this year, sending the paparazzi into a frenzy as she stepped out with sister Elena.

Watch below!

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Have plans tonight? Cancel them.

For, 11 years after its May 2003 debut, VH1‘s ‘The Fabulous Life Of...’ returns to US screens tonight, taking fans into the wild and wonderful world that is celebrity.

Their next stop? Nicki Minaj’s life, set to be put under the microscope as the show digs deep into her pockets and analyse the luxurious life her rise to the top has afforded her.

Press play to catch its trailer below!

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Jennifer Hudson has a knack for keeping busy.

With her third studio album all but finished, the singer-actress spent much of last week in London previewing the Pharrell Williams produced set to select press.

This week, however saw Jennifer jet into New York to perform at the Pinoy Relief Concert.

Hosted at Madison Square Garden, the event saw a myriad of major names perform in support of the victims of typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines.

Watch below as Hudson serves up a rousing rendition of Whitney Houston‘s classic ‘Saving All My Love For You’, as well the song that blast her star into the stratosphere – ‘And I Am Telling You’.

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R&B icons Toni Braxton and Babyface brought their brand of grown and sexy to the ‘Ellen’ stage today.

There, the pair performed ‘Hurt You’ – the lead single from their critically acclaimed new album ‘Love, Marriage, & Divorce’.

Watch the seasoned singers melt, mesh, and marry their butter-smooth vocals after the jump…

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The BET Experience is back!

Set to kick off this June in the run-up to the 2014 edition of the BET Awards, the three-day extravaganza will see the likes of Mary J. Blige, Maxwell, Tamar Braxton, Jennifer Hudson, and more take to the stage at one of Los Angeles’ most renown arenas.

Peep the press release after the jump…

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Four months after its surprise launch, Beyonce‘s self-titled visual album is still dominating on the charts.

Indeed, with more than 3 million units shifted globally already (almost 2 million of which stem from the US alone), the set is on-course to become the superstar’s most successful yet.

Three of the project’s most pronounced talking points are the videos for current single ‘Partition’, Pepsi promotional anthem ‘Grown Woman’, and of course ‘***Flawless’.

The trio, helmed by directorial maestro Jake Nava, receive the behind the scenes treatment in this newly released footage.

You’ve seen the visuals, now see how they were pieced together. Where? Right here on That Grape Juice — after the jump…

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Flop.

Unfortunately for the vocal wonder that is Mariah Carey, the word above has clung to her brand like white on rice in the last year, following the difficulty she’s had in pushing her brand new studio album.

Now, after watching its latest launch single shimmy and shake its way out iTunes 1000, the star has cooked up a plot that she no doubt hopes will turn the cut into a streaming hit.

What Mimi‘s got up her sleeve this time?

Full story below…

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As R&B makes it unstoppable comeback on the Billboard Hot 100, all eyes now turn to Kelly Rowland to see how she plans cash in on its revival.

At the forefront of the genre during its “quieter” years, Rowland‘s contributions to the field have seen her win the support of its more loyal followers, but are yet to see her score the mainstream acclaim / sales nabbed by the likes of Miguel.

So, as she begins work on a new studio album, we want you to weigh in on the matter.

Confused?

Details below…

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March 5th marked the return of ‘Shine America‘s ‘The Face‘, seeing 12 aspiring models compete to become the face of a ‘major brand’, with the help of experts in the field.

One of these, being supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Now watch what happens when the star bumps into ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star Nene Leakes while filming a scene for the modelling competition, shortly before the latter gears up to rock ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’!

Hilarity above!

Your thoughts?

Despite releasing her current single ‘It Won’t Stop’ last year,  singer-songwriter Seven Streeter shows no signs of slowing the promo campaign for the cut.

The rising star, who is signed to Chris Brown‘s CBE label (by way of Atlantic Records), stopped by ‘The Arsenio Hall Show’ last night to perform the Urban hit – which is lifted from debut EP ‘Call Me Crazy…But’.

Watch Streeter strut her stuff after the jump…

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