Following yesterday’s much anticipated announcement that Michael Jackson is to return to the stage here at London’s 02 in July, the media have been in a frenzy. Of course over the confirmation of the live shows, yet also due to the information that has begun to surface about the AEG Live-sponsored project.

With the announcement making headlines around the globe Jackson’s official website has been struggling to keep it’s servers afloat, after a whopping 16,000 people per second log on to register for the opportunity to partake in the ticket pre-sale on Wednesday. {Source}

Show organisers are promising “an explosive return” of the star with a band of the “highest calibre, state-of-the-art stage show and incredible surprise support acts.” One of the special support guests said to be gracing the stage with Jackson, will reportedly be sister Janet (Source). For what it’s worth, Britney Spears and Ne-Yo are in the country around Jackson’s July 8th first show kick-off.

What’s more, AEG have confirmed that an exclusive new Michael Jackson video showcasing his electric performances over the years will make a record breaking debut this Sunday at 9.30pm on ITV. MJ will be the only artist ever to take over an entire ad break. {Source}

RollingOut.com sat down with R&B singer Nivea recently, with the end result being a mix between hilarious and disturbing. In this must-see interview, the ‘Laundromat’ singer, who seemed to be under the influence of something, spoke candidly about her relationship with ex-husband The-Dream, being a mother and more.

Beyond what she’s saying, this is essential viewing, just to see how she carried on. I really didn’t know whether to laugh or feel sorry for her at some points. Either way, the moral of this one is quite simply that…

UK girl-group sensations The Saturdays are said to be lining up the roof-raising ‘Work’ as their next single. Featured on their Gold certified LP ‘Chasing Lights’, the cut is a delicious slice of Urban-Funk-Pop, which is does just enough to appeal to each audience. Great production, even better vocals (each member of the group holds their own on the vocal tip). Amazing.

Tidbit: You’ll be seeing a lot more of The Saturdays on That Grape Juice (sly grin LOL)

The Chris Brown / Rihanna assault drama is really set to take a turn for the worse, with the police report surfacing on the net and in the media more generally today. You can watch the CNN’s report on the shocking (yes, shocking) content of the affidavit – which describes in detail what exactly happened on that evening in February- or you can read it for yourself below.

Peep the official album cover for Day26’s sophomore effort ‘Forever In A Day’, which drops April 14th via Bad Boy Records / Atlantic. While the group’s new musical offerings, as featured on the current season of Making The Band 4, have me somewhat anticipating the record, the cover is a flat out hot mess. Very amateur looking…very ‘this is our first album’ looking too. SMH…

After more than 4 years out of the limelight (well kinda), Eminem is prepping not one, but two albums this year. Peep the report below via Billboard:

Eminem is making his “Relapse” a double: not only did the best selling rapper reveal the release date for his highly-anticipated return to the rap game, but he announced that the follow-up will drop in 2009 too.

“Relpase,” Eminem’s first full album of new material in four years, is due from Interscope/Aftermath/Shady on May 19. The album’s first single, “Crack the Bottle,” is currently at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. A second album, “Relapse 2,” is promised before the end of the year. “A lot of people were expecting Relapse to drop last year,” said Eminem in a statement. “I was one of them. Then Dre and I went back in the studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new music produced by Dre.”

Hmmm. ‘Stan’ and ‘Lose Yourself’ aside, I’ve never really been big on Mr Mathers. What’s more, in the time he’s been gone, I may be wrong, but I can’t say his presence in the Hip-Hop world was missed on any level of significance. So I’m kinda pessimistic about this all. That said, I guess time will tell…

While Chris Brown and Rihanna may have patched things up following the ‘a** whopping’ heard around the world, Brown, today, has been officially charged over the incident. Check out the report via NBC:

Los Angeles County prosecutors charged R&B singer Chris Brown with two felonies on Thursday, including assault and making criminal threats.

Check out photos of Rihanna and boyfriend Chris Brown before the alleged assault.
Brown was arrested last month after he allegedly beat up his girlfriend, pop star Rihanna, in Hancock Park following a pre-Grammy Awards party.
In the case handled by the District Attorney’s Family Violence Division, Brown, 19 was charged with one count each of “assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury” and “making criminal threats.”

Accoring to a statement from the DA’s office, the victim is identified only as Robyn F. Rihanna’s full name is Rihanna Robyn Fenty.

Brown is scheduled to appear for arraignment at 3:30 p.m. in Los Angeles. He has been free on $50,000 bail since his arrest on Feb. 8 by Los Angeles police.

There’s no doubt this is going to get a whole lot worse before it starts to get better. The whole ‘back together’ thing sure throws an interesting spanner in the works.

The King of Pop Michael Jackson confirmed moments ago what media sources have been buzzing about for the last week now – that he will officially launch his return to the stage here in in the UK. Jackson, 50,  is set to embark on a multi-date stint at London’s famed O2 venue.

In a brief speech, the megastar revealed that the 10 shows, of which the first date is July 8th (more expected to be added later), will be his last in the UK – ever. His final ‘curtain call’, as he billed it.

Sources are informing That Grape Juice that tickets will go on sale on Friday 13th March at 7am. Prices are said to be £75 for floor and 1st tier seats and £45 for higher tier seats.

As a MJ fan since childhood, I can’t help but feel elated at the news – especially as he’s heading to our side of the pond on such a grand scale; after all it is his big, much anticipated ‘comeback’. Michaelmania 09 really seems to be in full effect as the media are all over this, as are the fans.

I know I’ll be there (damn, I was supposed to be there today at the press conference, but RSPV’d too late. Ugh!)…

R&B star Keyshia Cole stopped by The Chelsea Lately Show this week to discuss her BET reality show ‘The Way It Is’, her crazy mother Frankie, Tupac’s promise to her before he died and more. An pretty good interview, I must say. Chelsea always has me rolling LOL.

Please bare with us through these annoying technical difficulties. All will return to normal before you can say “Sam, the man, the Kelly Rowland stan!” Server issues, people…server issues.

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According to People.com, controversial pair Chris Brown and Rihanna are set to become even more controversial, with it being reported that they are back together – following Brown’s much publicised assault of the ‘Umbrella’ singer:

I’m sure tongues will be more than wagging with this one. I must say, should Rihanna get back with Chris, granted their whole union wasn’t a publicity stunt, I would retract my comments about her coming out of this situation ‘the winner’. I can’t see many sympathising with her or taking her all that seriously, should she go that route. That said, the matter is between them, so I dunno.

Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson stopped by the Oprah Winfrey Show yesterday. As well as sitting down with the talk-show veteran for an, Hudson also performed her new single ‘If This Isn’t Love’. It truly is great seeing Jennifer back doing what she does best and appearing to be in a good space. Awesome.