Rihanna has revealed the official tracklist for her eagerly (by some) anticipated LP ‘Rated R’. Due to hit stores November 23rd, the album boasts collaborations with will.i.am, Young Jeezy and Slash. Peep the tracklist below:

1. “Mad House”
2. “Wait Your Turn”
3. “Hard” feat. Young Jeezy
4. “Stupid in Love”
5. “ROCKSTAR 101″ feat. Slash
6. “Russian Roulette”
7. “Fire Bomb”
8. “Rude Boy”
9. “Photographs” feat. will.i.am
10. “G4L”
11. “Te Amo”
12. “Cold Case Love”
13. “The Last Song”

While this reads quite compellingly, I would bet good money on the material being sub-par – if  ‘Russian Roulette’ and ‘Wait Your Turn’ are anything to go by. I mean it says a hell of a lot when both the first and second singles are average at best (and I stress, ‘at best’); surely these are supposed to be what sells the album in the first place, right? Though Ms. Fenty’s piercing billy-goat bleats left me reaching for the ear-plugs, its hard to deny the production on her cuts were top notch. Now, everything just seems a mess.

Oh well, I imagine this will be re-released 500 times, with 100 singles until it does what the label hopes it will – sell respectable numbers. Mind you I find it quite ironic that the fellow in the post below is getting more positive feedback for his material than Ms. Fenty. And ‘No’, I’m not condoning anything, I’m just saying…

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In other Rihanna news, get ready for a full on Ms. Fenty media assault starting this week. Interestingly, the video for ‘Wait Your Turn’ premieres tomorrow, the same day ‘Russian Roulette’ becomes available on iTunes. The previously announced appearances on Good Morning America and 20/20, take place on Thursday and Friday respectively. Lastly, the video for the record’s official lead single ‘Russian Roulette’ is set to debut….FRIDAY (THE) 13th November. {She really ain’t helping ease ‘those’ rumours is she?}

Your thoughts?

Chris Brown’s PR team just sent along these exclusive shots from the R&B star’s new video ‘Crawl’, which features Cassie. Expect the Joseph Khan directed video premiere any day now. Looks good.

Tidbit: Anyone else feel Cassie should just become a video a chick now?

What do you think of the pics?

The hotly anticipated video for 50 Cent’s ‘Baby By Me’, starring Kelly Rowland and Ne-Yo premièred literally minutes ago…literally. Directed by Chris Robinson, the clip sees the G-Unit general envision Ms. Kelly being ‘his’.

Our take on the video? It’s great! It features an engaging plot, looks like $$$ were spent on it (unlike some of today’s credit crunch clips) and Ms. Kelly looks stunning. What’s more, for as so-so as 50’s recent material has been, I’m really feeling this song, something its accompanying video will serve to intensify. Good stuff.

Tidbit: I can only imagine the rumours that will fly after this vid. Whether true or otherwise, as they say, any publicity is good publicity!

What do you think of the video?

In a recent interview with Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, Pop sensation Lady GaGa provided insight into the cancellation of ‘The Fame Kills’ tour on which she was to embark with rapper Kanye West. The singer, whose album re-release, ‘The Fame Monster’, hits stores on November 24th, discussed how she and Kanye came to the decision to cancel one of the most anticipated events of the year.

This interview demonstrates that behind all the gimmicks and the glamour, GaGa is indeed an intelligent business woman (although still possibly insane lol). Indeed, I sense that both parties made the right decision for her to hit the road on her own in light of the recent public indignation with Mr. West. Furthermore, the fact that she played an active role in the decision certainly says something about her weight as an artist. Other acts (who will remained unnamed…) would rely on direct intervention from their labels and simply go with the flow like the puppets that they are.

Thoughts?

Megastar Mariah Carey attended the screening of ‘Precious: Based On The Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire‘ during the AFI Fest 2009 last evening at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. Pop out your dictionary, look up the word ‘DIVA’ and this is who you’ll see!

I almost forgot that her husband Nick Cannon was at the event as well. Mariah is looking so good that she has me confused lol!

What do you think of Mariah’s

look?

According to reports, UK media darling Cheryl Cole has signed a major label  US distribution deal with Interscope Records.

The deal will see the X-Factor judge release her debut solo album ‘3 Words’, which is currently #1 in the UK, Stateside, with its release preceeded by first US single, the will.i.am produced title track. {Source}

With the bulk of Cheryl’s critically-slammed album being produced by will.i.am, who is conveniently signed to Interscope along with the Black Eyed Peas, I can’t help but wonder if ol’ Will pulled a few strings for the Girls Aloud singer. I say this because I have the hardest of times swallowing the notion of any US label checking for Cheryl Cole like that. Sweetheart or otherwise, she will get chewed up and spat out by the US market…no question about that. If several more talented UK exports have fallen flat on their faces in the US, I cannot see how Cheryl Cole is gonna make an impact (I mean, come on now). That said, stranger things have happened…

Your thoughts?

This weekend saw many a celebrity hit the town to celebrate Halloween. Peep more wacky snaps below:

Rihanna poses it up with Ice T’s Mrs, CoCo at Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon’s Halloween party at the M2 Ultra Lounge in New York City. {Photo source: Rihanna Daily}

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Jordin Sparks stepped out as Dorothy from The Wiz, accompanied by boyfriend, singer Steph Jones, who dressed as Beyonce. The pair attended Heidi Klum’s Halloween party at the Voyeur Nightclub Los Angeles last night. Ok, Steph…LOL.

LaToya Jackson donned this interesting outfit Halloween night while at West Hollywood hotspot Millions of Milkshakes. The 53 year old was serving milkshakes to trick-or-treaters, donating all proceeds to the AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). Good on her…

What do you think of the pics?

Continuing her global comeback campaign, superstar Whitney Houston recently filmed an interview for Australian show ‘Sunday Night’. Coming across very well, Ms. Houston expectedly talked about her ‘I Look To You’ LP, touched upon her ‘struggles’, and addressed her X-Factor UK ‘wardrobe malfunction’. Good stuff.

Tidbit: In other Nippy news, her current single ‘Million Dollar Bill’ is continues to show its staying power on the UK’s Official Top 40 Singles Chart, holding strong at #8 this week. Go Whitney!

Your thoughts?

Celebrities love the opportunity to be in the spotlight and Halloween is no different. Adorned in costumes from Angels to Jason (the psycho killer), the stars came out in full force to enjoy the festivities. Check out the action below:

The diva herself, Mariah Carey, and her husband Nick Cannon hosted a party at M2 Ultra Lounge in New York City.

R&b siren Beyonce also attended a party in NYC dressed as Spiderwoman.

Her husband Jay-Z, on the other hand, decided to go in a different direction by taking the stage during a concert in Toronto dressed as Jason.

Finally we have Christina Aguilera who didn’t do too much in the costume department. Rather, she enjoyed the night by taking her son on candy patrol.

What do you think of the looks?

Pop group JLS made their return to the X-Factor (the very show which launched them into stardom) tonight to perform their new single ‘Everybody In Love’. Peep the performance above.

Judging the performance by the group’s standards (which aren’t very high, to be honest), the guys did quite well. Backed by the show’s in-house troop of dancers, their live showing had the spectacle and pizazz which seems to have become a staple feature of the show’s special guests this season (see: Whitney Houston, Cheryl Cole).

I do wonder what would have been the case had the added extras not been tacked on (what separates good performers from the rubbish ones); judging by the cheesy (and out-of-synch) dancing and at-times off vocals, I doubt there’d be much of substance at all. In any case the guys look a cert for the #1 spot this week…who buys this stuff?

What do you think of the performance?

A new unreleased cut from R&B crooner Mario surfaced today in the form of ‘I’m A Fan’. Said to have been recorded during the sessions for his current LP ‘D.N.A’, cut, to put it simply, is fire on a track! A mid-tempo with that ‘knock’, the song manages to encompass great production and arrangements, engaging lyrical content and, as ever with the 23 year old Baltimore native, good vocals. This should have made the album (which is pretty solid, by the way)…

Hit or Miss?

Impressed already by the fact the song’s producer Polow Da Don managed to bring out the best in the singer on a ‘slow jam’ (considering her vocals were never her strongest feat), I was wholly sold on Ms. Harris when the Diane Martel directed video premiered. Put simply, one of, if not the best, modern examples of a video capturing the core essence of a song; this was sexy, sultry, mature and above all the best visual depiction possible of Ciara taking it to that next level. I mean a fully (and awesomely) choreographed video for a ballad…who else does that?! I remember being in awe of this video for the longest; so much so that it was a little difficult to swallow the fact that the album it resided on wasn’t that good (aside from ‘So Hard’, ‘Like A Boy’ and a few others). Here’s hoping she serves up the goodies (no pun intended) on her upcoming 4th album…

Your thoughts?