Things are not looking good for Rihanna‘s forthcoming ‘Last Girl On Earth’ tour. With initial ticket-sales not being as high as anticipated, the worldwide trek has been hit with another blow – supporting act Nicki Minaj has pulled out of the tour.

Announcing the news on her Twitter page, the popular rapper, offered the following explanation as to her sudden decision…

Ouch. One would think something more serious would have prompted Minaj’s decision. After all, album or no album, going on tour with a chart-topper shouldn’t be anything but an extremely good look for the Young Money star. Then again, when that chart-topper isn’t shifting tickets in the way a worthwhile performer should be, taking a rain check may not be so bad after all.

I doubt Ms. Fenty is fretting, though….she still has the super-talented Ke$ha to open for her.

Your thoughts?

Many a naysayer will be eating humble-pie tonight, as Usher‘s new LP ‘Raymond v Raymond’ hit #1 on the Billboard 200 chart – after shifting through 329,000 copies first week. The impressive feat marks the singer’s third consecutive #1 LP on the chart; with the previous efforts being 2004’s career-definer ‘Confessions’ and 2008’s ‘Here I Stand’.

So much for Usher being ‘done’, ay? Despite ‘Here I Stand’ not being up-to-par, I never understood the mass declarations of Mr Raymond’s time being up. I mean, every artist has career highs and career lows. Luckily for Usher, things seem to be on the come-up for him; which is awesome (IMO), considering the fact that in an increasingly talent-starved industry, his level of skill is difficult to replace. More power to him…

Your thoughts?

The video for The-Dream‘s new single ‘Love King’ premièred literally moments ago. Check it out above…

Pretty much your typical Dream video; simple concept and choreography-heavy. Not bad, yet definitely nothing to scream about.

Your thoughts?

US Weekly‘s latest issue features the first public photo of Christina Milian and The-Dream‘s baby daughter, Violet. The youngster, who was born in February, is the newly-wed couple’s first child together. The Dream has 3 children from his previous marriage to R&B singer Nivea. {Spotted over at Miss Jia!}

Your thoughts?

Siblings Brandy and Ray J stopped by the Lopez Tonight Show this week to promote their VH1 show ‘Family Business’, which kicks off this coming Sunday (April 11th).

The pair chatted it up with host, George Lopez, about a number of topics – including Brandy’s rumoured relationship with Flo’Rida, Ray J’s infamous ‘tape’, their brother-sister dynamic, of course the show, and much more. Peep the interview after the jump…

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Things do not seem to be going well with the European leg of Whitney Houston‘s ‘Nothing But Love Tour’.

After postponing the trek’s first date in Paris this week, Houston’s label have announced that another 3 shows have been postponed due to the singer coming down with a  respiratory infection. The illness being one which saw the 46 year old have brief spell in a French hospital yesterday.

Sony Music UK sent That Grape Juice the following press release, elaborating on the issue, as well as advising on re-scheduled dates and refunds. Here’s hoping Whitney makes a speedy recovery…

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{UPDATED: Non-UK visitors now able to watch}

Taio Cruz looks set to follow-up the chart success of ‘Break Your Heart’, with new single ‘Dirty Picture’. The video for the Ke$ha-assisted single debuted a few moments ago. Check it out above…

Pretty standard-fare. As a UK’er whose seen many of Taio’s videos, a bit of variety from the singer/songwriter/producer really wouldn’t go amiss. I say this as the video has a look and feel much like the that of his past offerings. In any case, the song – though lyrically empty, goes hard. Here’s to another smash!

Tidbit: Ke$ha looked so classy on that toilet-seat, right?!

Your thoughts?

R&B star Monica is set to follow-up her Urban smash ‘Everything To Me’ with new single ‘Here I Am’. Confirming the news just moments ago on Twitter, the Grammy winner also revealed that she and label-mate Jamie Foxx have put an interesting new twist on the song, alluding to a re-worked / collaboration serving as the single version.

To say I’m ecstatic would an understatement! From the standpoint of yours truly, ‘Here I Am’ is not only Monica’s best offering on her ‘Still Standing’ LP, it’s one of her best songs period. Besides the stunning vocals and production (courtesy of Polow Da Don), the purely R&B  track is lyrically on another level; something which lends itself to some great video concepts.

With ‘Still Standing’ selling another 80,000 copies in its 2nd week, it’s fair to say that Monica is doing it BIG all over again. It honestly is great to see R&B making a comeback, and Monica serving as the face of it’s revival. Awesome.

For those who haven’t heard ‘Heard I Am’, check it out below…

Hit or Miss?

Eclectic singer Kelis stopped by the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show last night to perform new single ‘Acapella’. With label head will..i.am spinning on the decks behind her, Kelis delivered a rousing performance of the #1 Billboard Dance smash (while a slightly unenthusiastic audience looked on ). Check out how she fared below…

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R&B star Ciara is gearing up for the release of new single ‘Ride’, the first to be lifted from her forthcoming 4th studio album. Check out these official shots from the recently-shot video, courtesy of ThisIsRNB.com; by the look of them, it’s fair to say Ms. Harris is very much a grown-up now…

Your thoughts?

Members of the iconic Jackson family were on hand yesterday for the latest hearing in the case against Dr Conrad Murray – the man charged with causing the death of Michael Jackson.

Hundreds of fans greeted sister Janet, brothers Jermaine and Randy, as well parents Joe and Katherine, at the California court-house.

Check out more shots from the hearing below…

Your thoughts?

In a recent interview with NME, Rihanna hit out against artists who use product placement in their videos; this, despite receiving heavy corporate backing from Nokia herself for the recent release of her ‘Rated R’ LP. Speaking on the issue, the model said:

“I don’t like things to be so commercial. I hate product placement in my videos. Videos should just tell the story of the song. With product placement it becomes this big ad campaign. I just don’t like that. Sometimes we have to, for whatever political reason, but it’s never my first choice.”

The 22 year old went on to critique the inauthentic nature of the industry, citing her own ‘rebellious’ streak with her ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ LP as to how she combated it:

After my first two albums I just said, ‘I’m ready to do it my way, completely.’

“So a few of us went into the studio, cut my hair, dyed it black. The label hadn’t seen anything, they didn’t know what was going on.

The mystique I have kept has been because I don’t say a lot. There are a lot of rumours about me, every day it’s something new.

I guess by not replying people never know what’s true and they never know what’s not true.

So that kinda leaves them wondering – they see me, but they never know what’s in my mind.”

Erm…yeah. Videos should tell the story of the song, and singers should actually be able to sing. Things that make you go ‘hmmm’

As for the image thing, I’m finding it a little hard to muster up anything other than ‘whatever’ at Ms. Fenty’s apparent rebellion against the label. It’s well-known in the industry and beyond that her darker image was cooked-up by her team as a last-ditch effort to garner sales for an artist, who besides a few moderately successful hits, was not bringing in the $$$.

It’s actually quite funny to see her trying to stake her claim as a credible artist now, when she’s in the middle of a move to a softer, less-edgy image; something only occurring because folk weren’t buying into that uber dark ish. I mean, 4 years into the game, and many are still struggling to understand who she is an artist (see: her album sales). Hell, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know either. I’m just saying…

Your thoughts?