The video for Lil’ Mama’s latest single ‘L.I.F.E’ made its debut today. Far removed from the uptempo, party vibe of her releases to date, the song and the video depict the daily struggles of growing up in ‘the hood’. Great song and vid. Lil’ Mama’s debut album ‘VYP: The Voice Of The Young People’ is in stores now.

What do you think of the video?

Mariah & Nick Cannon To Wed? According to Access Hollywood, Mariah Carey and rumored boyfriend actor/comedian Nick Cannon are set to tie the knot:

A source close to Mariah has confirmed to Access Hollywood that the music diva is engaged to Nick Cannon.

Reps for both singers were unavailable for comment.

The couple sent the rumor mill into overdrive when 38-year-old Mariah (with Nick on her arm) was seen sporting a dazzling new piece of bling on her ring finger at the after party for her Tribeca film, “Tennessee,” in New York.

When asked at the party what he loved about Mariah, 27-year-old Nick gave a one-word answer.

“Everything,” he told People.

Pardon my bluntness, but I think this is garbage. Aside from the fact it’s common-knowledge in industry circles that she’s supposedly been dating music exec Mark Sudack for the last 3 years, it’s oh-so apt that Nick is also her love interest in the upcoming video for ‘Bye Bye’. Word has it, Mariah’s people are pushing this story to masses to generate hype around the single and its accompanying clip. This would explain the several push-back’s the vid’s debut has had since first being set to premiere mid-April. Sure, a good PR stunt will have people talking, but come on now… Nick Cannon? That is not a good look.

Your thoughts?
Pop superstar Madonna held an intimate concert for 2,200 of her fans in New York’s Roseland Ballroom yesterday night. During her 30 minute set, the 49 year old performed material from her new LP ‘Hard Candy’ (which is set to debut at #1 with predicted sales of 300,000) as well as songs from her back-catalogue. Check out some of the performances, which were screened on MSN, below:

4 Minutes (ft. Justin Timberlake)

Candy Shop

Hung Up

I have to give it her; at nearly 50, she is still killing it.

What do you think of the performances?

Danity Kane To Take On WWE Divas New Video Bad Boy quintet Danity Kane are set to duel with the ‘Divas’ of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) in the video for their upcoming single ‘Bad Girl’. The Melina directed clip will be shot in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. {Source}

Having delivered a stellar album with ‘Welcome To The Dollhouse’, the ladies really do have many a-potential hit to chose from in terms of singles. I’m personally hoping ‘Sucka For Love’ and ‘Striptease’ receive the single treatment at some point. For what it’s worth, ‘Poetry’ has supposedly been lined up as the record’s 3rd single.

Any thoughts?
Reports: Beyonce Is PregnantSince Beyonce and Jay-Z’s much-publicized wedding back in early April, there has been mounting speculation that the ‘Crazy In Love’ singer is expecting the couple’s first child. HollyScoop are now reporting that the pregnancy has been confirmed. Check out the report:

Hollyscoop has learned exclusively through multiple sources that Beyonce is expecting. A source close to the couple revealed, “Beyonce is 100% pregnant, which is why the couple rushed their wedding.” The source also told Hollyscoop that all the friends and family that attended the ultra private wedding were all aware that Beyonce was already expecting.

Our source added that Beyonce is in her early stages, but don’t expect this star to come out with a confirmation statement anytime soon. The couple is pretty private about their personal lives–they still haven’t even confirmed their wedding. But the source confirmed that she is expecting and they rushed the wedding due to Beyonce’s strong Christian beliefs.

How legit this proves to be is anyone’s guess. If true, congratulations to them.

Your thoughts?

Chris Brown’s video for new single ‘Forever’ premiered today. The track is lifted from the upcoming re-release of his sophomore LP ‘Exclusive’ (due June 3rd). About the clip; put simply, I think it’s wack, as is the song. However I do commend Chris for experimenting with a ‘different’ sound and trying to appeal to a wider audience. It’s just a shame the execution fell short of his (label’s) intentions.

What do you think of the video?

Girlicious stopped by The Sauce yesterday to promote their new single ‘Like Me’ (currently #3 on the iTunes chart). As well as being interviewed, the girls also gave an impromptu acapella rendition of the song. Check it out:

Perhaps it’s because I see a lot of potential with the group that I’m still rooting for them, because that acapella was a mess…a hot mess, at that. It’ll be interesting to see if they can deliver the goods with their future showings. Their self-titled debut is set to hit stores July 1st.

Any thoughts?

Usher: 'Chris Brown Is The Next Me' R&B star Usher recently spoke on the young talent in the today’s industry – more specifically teen singer Chris Brown:

Usher has hailed fellow singer Chris Brown as a younger version of himself – insisting the star will “follow the same path”. Usher, 29, was just 15 when he released his self-titled debut album in 1994 and has gone on to forge a highly successful music career. And Usher is convinced Brown, 19, is all set to follow in his footsteps and dominate the R&B scene.

He says, “All of this young energy is great for the industry. Chris is the guy who dances and sings, which is a lot like I do and did as a young artist as well. If time serves us correctly, and artists are continuing to better themselves, then hopefully he’ll follow the same path that I did.” {Source}

While it’s good to see Usher giving props to the crop of younger stars on the come-up, I can’t help but feel he’s a tad on the self-indulgent side. I mean after all, he along with the Justin’s and co are evidently still students at the ‘Michael Jackson School of Performing’. To be honest, I can’t pick any one male artist of today that has carved out a lasting trademark in the way the MJ’s and Prince’s did.

Your thoughts?

Kelly Rowland is back on this side of pond to promote her new single ‘Daylight’. The R&B star stopped by The Paul O’ Grady Show yesterday to perform the song:

Good stuff, Kelly did her thing. She’s really becoming a lot more ‘at home’ on stage these days (solo), which is something I’m anticipating seeing more of in future performances too.

What do you think of the performance?

R&B star Alicia Keys performed her current single ‘Teenage Love Affair’ on the Late Show With David Letterman earlier this week. Check out the performance below:

I’ve really taken a liking to the song since the debut of the music video. Great performance.

What do you think of the performance?

New Kelly Rowland Promo Pic This new promotional shot for Kelly Rowland’s ‘Ms. Kelly: Deluxe’ album surfaced recently. She looks near-flawless. The European-only release will hit stores May 10th.

What do you think of the pic?

With rapper Busta Rhymes readying his latest LP ‘Blessed’ for a June 17th release, two new videos in support of the set have surfaced; official single ‘We Made It’ (ft. Linkin Park)’ (above) and buzz cut ‘Don’t Touch Me (Throw The Water On ‘Em)’ (below). While I’m not really feeling the clip for ‘Don’t Touch Me’, I’m really liking the ‘We Made It’ song and video – very different for Busta.

What do you think of the song(s) / video(s)

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