Pop superstar Janet Jackson has shrugged off suggestion that the poor performance of her last two albums had anything to do with the 2004 Superbowl fiasco:

Janet, the Jacksons’ equivalent of Marilyn Munster, told me the other night that the CDs simply weren’t that good.

Both “Damita Jo” and “20 Y.O” were flops. Many people in the music biz attributed her sales decline to her “wardrobe malfunction.”

“Ms. Jackson” disagrees. “I think it was the music,” she said when we talked about her upcoming album debut on Island DefJam, “Discipline.”

“The albums weren’t right,” she added.

The first track from “Discipline,” titled “Feedback,” was used as radio bait. The rest of “Discipline” — due on Feb. 26 — should undo the damage of her previous two outings, according to Jackson and her fiancé, Jermaine Dupri, who’s her main producer. {Source}

According to our friends over at Rap-Up.com, singer Amerie may be set the likes of Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey over at Island Def Jam. Check out their report below:

Late last year, EW.com reported that Amerie had been dropped from her label Columbia Records. There have been a few signs that lead us to believe that the R&B singer is in the process of signing or has already signed a new deal with Island Def Jam. Amerie’s third album Because I Love It was never released in the U.S.

For one, Amerie appeared on Chingy’s first single, “Fly Like Me.” Chingy is signed to Def Jam. Last month, Amerie appeared at the birthday party for Island Def Jam executive VP of A&R Karen Kwak. And just last night, she showed up to the Island Def Jam Grammy after party toasting IDJ chairman L.A. Reid. She was a no-show at the Sony BMG after party, home to Columbia Records.

Could Amerie be making the move to Island Def Jam? It’s only speculation at this point, but all signs point in that direction.

I’m really hoping this is true, because she’s too good of talent to be overlooked and treated in the way she has been by her current label. Prior to her most recent effort ‘Because I Love It’, I wasn’t really on the Amerie bandwagon, but the LP converted me, for real. With Def Jam’s proven track record of pulling out all the stops for their artists (see: Rihanna, Mariah etc), this would really be a good look for Amerie.

Your thoughts?

Stans, haters and all those inbetween, you can’t deny that this is one of the best videos released in a long while…conceptually, at least. This is, perhaps, the first song in the last few months to actually do the song – which I must add is great – equal justice. With such an awesome song and video, I really think Ashanti may silence the naysayers with this one.

What do you think of the video?

It is being reported that popular CW show Girlfriends has been cancelled aprubtly. Check out the report via EUR Web:

We hear from a source within the “Girlfriends” writing camp that the CW has decided to cancel the series immediately instead of bringing it back for a ninth season.

While no official announcement had been made as of press time, we were told the CW will not even film this season’s remaining nine episodes that were suspended during the writer’s strike.

Ironically, news of the show’s cancellation comes just as the strike has ended and the writing staff was preparing to return to work. We were informed by one of the writers yesterday that Monday night’s one-hour block of new episodes served as the show’s last.

“Girlfriends” became the longest-running live-action comedy series currently on network television with the debut of its current season in October 2007. The writers strike suspended production after only 13 of 22 ordered episodes were completed.

The series, created by Mara Brock-Akil, was consistently the No. 1 show in black households since its Sept. 11, 2000 debut. Original cast members Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones starred as a group of close friends dealing with life and love in Los Angeles. Jones left the series in at the end of Season 6.

Granted the show was never the same after Toni (played by Jill Marie Jones) left, it’s kinda wrong for the show to be dropped just like that. No finale, come on now. What’s with all the black shows disappearing, without any real replacements?

Any thoughts?

Mariah Carey’s brand new single ‘Touch My Body’ premiered today on B96. Well, having listened to this, I feel I could write an essay and then some. A mixed bag of feelings to say the least.

*As per advice by many of concerned visitors and fellow bloggers, I’ve removed the stream link and added it here. What’s happening to KeviPod etc is ridiculous*

With Mariah Carey’s new single ‘Touch My Body’ set to premiere today (keep it locked here for it), it has been revealed that the singer’s forthcoming album will *not* be titled ‘That Chick’ and instead will go by ‘E=MC2’. {Source}

Interesting….’That Chick’ was a joke of a title, so I’m glad she’s come up with something that seems like it has a little substance to it.

What do you think of the title?

Trina’s video for ‘Single Again’, the first release to be lifted from her forthcoming album ‘Still Da Baddest’, premiered yesterday on Yahoo Music. The song has grown on me considerably since first hearing it and the Billie Woodruff directed video makes me like it even more. Granted the vid isn’t without it’s flaws (the pool scene..hmmm..no), this is probably Trina’s best video to date. ‘Still Da Baddest’ is set to drop in April via Slip-N-Slide/EMI.

*That Grape Juice’s awesome interview with Trina will be posted soon *

What do you think of the video?

It appears not everyone was pleased with Amy Winehouse’s big win at yesterday’s Grammy Awards. Singer Natalie Cole has expressed her disapproval:

“I don’t think she deserved it,” previous Grammy-winning singer Natalie Cole said. “I think she needs to get her life together first, and then get the awards later.”

Winehouse took a break from rehab to perform via satellite from London at the Grammys and collect five awards.

Cole also called Winehouse “crazy,” and complained that we are teaching youngsters that they can get rewarded for bad behavior. {Source}

While I can see where Cole’s coming from, her comments make no sense. Yes Amy was a mess and whatnot, but that doesn’t take away from the brilliance that was her ‘Back To Black’ album. Is Natalie implying that Amy’s stupidity should be punished by not rewarding her music – no matter how good? I respect Natalie and her achievements, but surely she’d be better off engaging her brain before making such silly a comment.

Your thoughts?

R&B star Kelly Rowland sang the American national anthem at the Hawaii Pro Bowl yesterday (February 10th). She nailed it! Her live vocals, as of late, have really been on-point. Great performance.

What do you think of Kelly’s rendition?