JoJo Sues Her Record Label
With JoJo having already vented her frustration with her label’s handling of her ‘All I Want Is Everything’ album publicly, the singer has now taken to the courts in her battle for a release from her deal. Check out the report via TMZ:
That JoJo singer chick is finally old enough to file a lawsuit — 18 — and guess what?! She’s already picking a legal war with her record company!
In a lawsuit just filed in NYC courts, JoJo claims her record company shoved her into a musical “limbo” because they wont let her out of her contract — and they won’t let her record a new album either!
JoJo, real name Joanna Levesque, now wants a judge to force Da Family Entertainment to cut her loose — plus she wants at least $500,000 for her troubles.
More power to her! Here’s hoping she wins, gets the release and is snapped up by another major label ASAP. There is too much talent in this 18 year old for her to be left by the wayside by this sometimes shady industry.
Your thoughts?

Despite the epic fail that was their ‘Forever In A Day’ album (which was actually pretty good), Day26 continue to press ahead with the project – today releasing the video for ‘So Good’. Definitely one for the grown folk, this serves as one of their better efforts. I’m sure the ladies will love this one.
That said, Bad Boy really are keeping these boys on a recession budget with these vids. We are in a visual age, and it’s gonna take more than these samey ‘concept’ clips, in which next to nothing is happening, to garner any interest anyone beyond their fan-base – who in total don’t seem to be able to save the guys from the terrible sales they’ve been having. It’s so sad, as all four of these guys are so talented. Yet, if things don’t change with how they are handled, they’ll become casualties of the industry. Here’s hoping the latter doesn’t become a reality.
Tidbit: Does anyone else notice how unless ‘Making The Band’ is airing, you never see or hear from these guys? SMH…
What do you think of the song / video?

R&B star Keri Hilson brought the Urban music cavalry out for the video shoot of her new single ‘Slow Dance’. On hand were Chris Brown, Monica, Polow Da Don, Omarion and Melody from the Pussycat Dolls.
I’m kinda baffled about this, as during our interview with Keri a month ago she confirmed that the video had been shot already (???). Anyway, here’s what the clip’s director Chris Robinson had to say about the video to our friends over at Rap-Up.com:
“It’s a really sexy song, but we don’t want to fall into the typical love, love, love R&B vibe with that,” he revealed. “So it’s a misdirection, so to speak. I won’t give too much away, but it starts where you think, ‘Oh, it’s about her and being sexy.’”
But things take an unexpected turn when Hilson’s friends catch her feeling herself a little too much. “She’s in her house and by herself, and you kind of think it could be serious, but the song drops out in the middle and her friends catch her being all sexy, basically like, ‘What the f**k are you doing? You are not singing by yourself.’”
The twist portrays her as a woman who doesn’t take herself too seriously. “Keri Hilson has a great personality and is a real girl. That’s what we want to get across.”

Sounds interesting. With ‘Slow Dance’ standing as my favourite Keri cut, I’m definitely looking forward to this one.

Your thoughts?
Win Tickets To See Michelle Williams Perform Live!
Calling all UK Michelle Williams fans! That Grape Juice are giving a lucky reader the chance to win a pair of tickets to see Michelle perform at the J20 party at the Hoxton Bar & Grill. To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question correctly:
In which year did Michelle join Destiny’s Child?

a) 2000

b) 1998

c) 2004
Email your answer as well as your full name, age, contact number and address to competitions@thatgrapejuice.net. Please be sure to put ‘Michelle Williams Comp’ as the subject. A winner will be selected randomly from all correct answers. Competition ends Sunday 23rd August.
Good luck!

Check out Mary J. Blige’s video for new single ‘Stronger’, which is lifted from her new album of the same name (due November) as well as from the soundtrack of basketball movie ‘More Than A Game’.
I’m still not all that sold on the song yet, although it is growing on me. However the video, though a little ‘just there’, is quite artistic, with some stunning visuals.
What do you think of the video?
Adrienne Bailon - 'Superbad' (First Sinlge)
Former 3LW and Cheetah Girls star Adrienne Bailon is currently in the studio prepping her solo debut, which is set for release…sometime soon lol via Def Jam. The last few hours, however, have seen the surfacing of the alleged lead single from the project ‘Superbad’. Produced by D’Mile, who produced Janet’s ‘Feedback’ along with Darkchild, the cut is similar to the aforementioned in that it’s a storming uptempo, with pulsating production, and heavily layered / processed vocals.
Though no where near as memorable as la Jan’s 2008 winner, due to it’s cliched lyrics and lack of ‘epic-ness’, I’m liking this one in it’s own right. Adrienne, IMO, possess the the full-package, and could go far if handled right.
Hit or Miss?

Omarion Dropped By Label (Again) After Single Leak
Things seem to be going from bad to worse for R&B singer Omarion. After severing ties with Epic Records last year (aka was dropped), the former B2K star signed with Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money / Cash Money imprint in June – only to be let go yesterday after the leak of his lead single ‘I Get It In’:
Two months after being signed to Young Money Entertainment, Omarion has been dropped from the giant recording company. Spilling the beans about the matter is the label’s president Mack Maine on his Twitter which reveals that Omarion is fired because he has allegedly leaked his duet song with Lil Wayne.
“ATTN: Omarion is no longer Young Money … the song they leaked ft. Wayne is not official .. good luck 2 him in his future,” so Mack wrote. Shortly after that, one of Young Money’s artists Jae Millz re-tweeted Mack’s short message, apparently trying to emphasize that the news is not a rumor.
Omarion was previously signed to Epic Records before he joined Young Money Entertainment in June. He is currently working on his next studio album titled “A New Me”. Now that he is out of Young Money, it seems that the singer has to seek a new home to release the effort.
Up to date, Omarion hasn’t offered any comment concerning him being axed from Young Money. {Source}
Ouch!!! To say this is embarrassing would be an understatement. What’s more, with the nature of why O was dropped, it doesn’t bode well for his chances of being snapped up swiftly by any other label anytime soon. Never ones to kick folk while they are down though, we wish Omarion the best moving ahead. For despite his voice not really being to my taste, he is immensely talented as an all-round performer.
Your thoughts?

The much hyped video for ‘Run This Town’ premiered worldwide moments ago.
I’m off to do an interview at the Universal Music building (you know we keep em coming!), so have yet to check this one out.
Once you’ve watched it, let That Grape Juice know what you think in the comments section below!
What do you think of the video?

Does it live up to the hype?
Mariah Carey - '100%' (Snippet)
Check out this snippet of new Mariah Carey track ‘100%’. Produced by Jermaine Dupri, the mid-tempo ballad will not feature on her forthcoming ‘Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel’, instead can be found on the soundtrack for ‘Precious’, the critically acclaimed new movie Carey, 39, stars in alongside lead Mo’Nique.
About the track; it’s kinda busy sounding, yet judging by this snippet it certainly sounds like one of Mariah and Jermaine’s better offerings. Good stuff.
Hit or Miss?

The above video of Beyonce, Jay-Z and their bodyguard’s altercation with the Croatian paparrazi has been making the rounds on the net all day and intially went over my head. Check out the vid above and a more detailed description of what exactly went down below:
Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z have been working overtime lately, so the couple decided to take a vacation in Croatia. The singer took a hired yacht into the ocean and had a blast riding the water waves!
Unfortunately their vacation turned out to be not so fun when one of Beyonce’s bodyguards was hit in the back by a paparazzi with a camera stand! {Source}
According to TMZ, the bodyguard has now been charged with ‘destroying personal property’ and assault. Unfortunate, as I can’t say the stupid paparazzi guy didn’t deserve it.
Your thoughts?
Omarion - 'I Get It In (ft. Lil' Wayne)' (1st Single)
After a brief hiatus from the industry, Omarion is back. Having made the transition from Columbia Records to Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money imprint over at Cash Money, O is set to release ‘I Get It In’ as the lead single from his as-yet-untitled 3rd studio album. The single, which you can listen to below, features Lil’ Wayne, as expected.
About the track, I’m on the fence with this one. While it’s refreshing to see O switch it up musically and serve up a cut with some grittiness to it, the fact he is a ‘singer’ yet is talking on autotune all the way through is quite worrying. I mean this could easily have been a Lil’ Wayne track and sounded almost identical. Speaking of ol’ Weezy, these features are becoming kinda tiresome. Hell, at this rate even I will have a track out with Weezy!
Hit or Miss?

Report: Jackson Doctor To Be Charged With Manslaughter
With news and speculation on the Michael Jackson saga becoming a daily occurrence, today saw the first major actions taken since the King of Pop’s passing in June. Fox News are reporting that Dr Conrad Murray, who was with Jackson when he died, is set to be charged with Manslaughter any day from now. Check out the report below:
Michael Jackson’s personal physician will be charged with manslaughter within the next two weeks, a law enforcement source told FOXNews.com.
The source initially said Dr. Conrad Murray could be arrested as soon as next Wednesday — but investigators have decided to execute one more search warrant, likely at a Los Angeles pharmacy, next week in an attempt to gather more evidence against him. The arrest is now expected the following week.
Murray isn’t the only doctor who faces criminal charges in connection with Jackson’s death on June 25. A law enforcement source told FOXNews.com that Jackson’s longtime dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, will be hit with charges related to medical malpractice. Investigators are still building their case against Klein, and he will not be arrested for at least another two weeks, the source said.
Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, denied that prosecutors had decided to charge Jackson’s physicians. “Until police complete their investigation and bring it to our office, there is no way to know what charges may be filed and against whom,” she said.
But the source told FOXNews.com that the DA’s office is currently in talks with investigators about whether they will offer Murray the option of surrendering in Los Angeles, or if he will be arrested in Houston, where he is currently staying.
Investigators initially had hoped to charge Murray with a more serious crime than manslaughter — a defendant may be charged with second degree murder in California without the presence of a motive — but prosecutors are concerned that a jury will be unlikely to convict without one, sources said. Unless a “smoking gun” is found in next week’s search, Murray will be charged with manslaughter.
Law enforcement sources previously told FOXNews.com that Murray admitted he gave the King of Pop the intravenous anesthetic propofol to help him sleep just hours before his death — and that propofol was at least a contributing factor in the 50-year-old entertainer’s death.
Putting my admitted Stan’dom to the side for a moment; while Michael had a part to play in his death, there are people – Dr Murray included – who were in positions to know better…and most importantly to act better. Had he been given the right treatment, as opposed to those facilitating his unfortunate addiction, he may still be here today.
It’s still so hard to swallow the fact that he is no longer with us. May his soul Rest In Peace.
Your thoughts?
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