Artistic, edgy, and ‘out there’, Janet Jackson’s cover art for her latest offering ‘Discipline’ is fantastic. The album is really shaping up to be her ‘comeback’.

It was announced today that talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey will launch her own cable channel called OWN-Oprah Winfrey Network. Set to debut in 2009, the channel is a joint venture between Winfrey and Discovery Communication. {Source}

She really is going for world domination. Though, I’m kinda iffy about this ‘Oprah as God’ idea many seem to believe true, I’m really glad to see her doing it big like this. More power to her.

Taken from Janet’s recent feature in the latest issue of Billboard magazine, the pic above looks great. Judging from the recent press shots of Ms. Jackson for her new album ‘Discipline’, it appears she’s going for the ‘grown and sexy’ look. Indeed, she looks both.

A new press release I received today on ‘Discipline’ confirmed the titles (and the composers) of four tracks on the album:

Interesting. Kinda random, I know, but I’m glad Darkchild has more than one track on the CD (he produced lead single ‘Feedback’ with newcomer D’Mile). He delivered a great, unexpected new sound with ‘Feedback’, so I’m particularly anxious to see what he’s done with Janet on ‘Roller Coaster’. Saying that, I’m hoping Janet wracks up at least a couple of writing credits on the album.

‘Discipline’ hits stores in the Europe on February 25th and the US on February 26th.

Whilst looking for something on my laptop, I dug up this review I wrote on the 2006 World Music Awards, which I attended here in London. Written, initially, for placement on a Michael Jackson site, I thought to share it with you guys. Enjoy.

I’m gonna cut straight to the chase…

Linsay Lohan sucked as a host…badly. She did no skits or entrance and essentially read off the auto-cue. Terrible.

Beyonce opened the show. She tore that motherf**ker down. She is a natural…it was effortless. She did the dance break from Ring The Alarm first (which I did not expect) and then went straight into Deja Vu. She performed again, didn’t see much of it though…I’ll get to why in a minute…

Even if I tried, I can’t remember a lot of the ‘world’ acts that performed. So I’ll jump straight to Nelly Furtado, who sang her new single ‘Why Do All Good Things Come to an End’. She did really good and was generally received well.

After (and sometimes during) every segment the whole arena would chant ‘Michael Michael Michael’, sing his songs etc. I’m talking from the rafters to the standing section where I was. Say what you want about him, but the man has loyal fans and could pack out most arenas across the world.

Anyway…

Paris Hilton got booed so hard, I felt sorry for her. Once she realised how bad it was, she just played up to the role of ‘spoilt show-off’.

Now the standing area was packed and I was fortunate enough to be roughly third row(ish) back there. Inevitably pushing started, I was having none of it and had words with a few people. Nonetheless I was no longer comfortable and was squashed. With no water being passed out until later, I was starting to feel the heat, yet was still anxious to see Michael etc. At the very moment I said to myself ‘imagine paying all that money to come here and faint’, I started to get woozy headed…everything turned into a blur and then it went black…all I could hear was ‘is he ok?’, ‘he’s fainted’ etc. So with that, the people I came with had to escort me from my 3rd row view to the very back of standing where I passed out on the floor…damn.

The announcer then said ‘please welcome back Beyonce’. One of the girls I went with grabbed the camera and ran. So much for looking after me (lol, I would have done the same thing…not missing **** for nobody lol). ‘To the left, to the left’ rang out and Beyonce performed again, while I was now recovering on the floor. I shook myself out of it though, drunk two Red Bull’s and woke the hell up. I was not missing Michael Jackson.

I eventually ‘excuse-me-ed’ my way close to where I was standing before. Beyonce came out AGAIN (talk about recycling the same stars) and introduced Michael Jackson as the recipient of the Diamond Award (over 100 million Thriller albums sold). I have NEVER, EVER, seen a crowd go wild like that… EVER. People were randomly bursting out in tears…genuinely in awe of him. Can’t no one say that the ‘Michael Jackson effect’ of the 80s doesn’t exist no more. It was in full effect last night. Most of you know the deal with MJ acceptance speeches…he begins to talk…gets drowned out by the crowd appreciation…says ‘I love you too’…etc lol.

Poor Rihanna…she came on straight after MJ (we were all expecting him to go straight into performance), but, no, it was her. When they announced her name…a lot of people booed. Not because they hated her, but they wanted Michael. Anyway, she sang Unfaithful. I won’t lie; the girl can, indeed, sing and has definitely developed a stage presence. Still, her voice is a little too whiney and nasal for my liking. Anyway she got a big applause after, yet seemed pissed (bitch, please) and went straight off stage…didn’t wave or acknowledge the audience at all.

The opening of Thriller started…people were expecting it to be Michael. Yet Chris Brown appeared and did a really good tribute…full red ensamble and everything. Like Rihanna his voice was a bit too whiney and pre-pubescent, however he nailed the Thriller choreography. Chris did a very respectable job. Good stuff. This, though, left the audience in a state of confusion; what was Michael to perform, if CB did Thriller?

A choir of teens filed onto the stage. They sang (mimed) 3/4 of We Are The World to the backing track and then MJ arrived. Here’s where people were a little PO’ed (after the show, might I add). He basically walked up and down the stage collecting posters, flowers etc and mumbled a few words of the song – and then left. I was told by a relative who watched the news that MJ said that he wasn’t performing and was there to collect the award. That explains why the whole We Are The World performance looked so hastily arranged. As you all know, this was built up to be his ‘comeback’ performance…in fairness to him there was never any ‘official official’ word on him performing. Rather rumors and hearsay snowballed and hyped everyone up for a Thriller-esque performance that was never going to happen. MJ and/or his people have to take slight blame for this…people bought tickets expecting him to perform…this could have been cleared up with a press release or something beforehand. It kind of leaves me a bit worried about the people MJ still has around him; surely clarifying his role at the awards beforehand would have left people in no doubt of what they were paying to see. However sitting back and letting people think it will be this show-stopping ‘comeback’ performance and then it not happening is like MJ shooting himself in the foot. Now the media over here are having field day.

I was interviewed by GMTV. I did it to, primarily, counter-act much of the negative interviews disgruntled fans were giving (and to get on TV). It wasn’t shown. The one’s aired showed fans heated and angry and nothing really positive. No surprises there.

Personally, I had a great time, mainly due to seeing Michael Jackson in the flesh for the first time as well as the spectacle that was Beyonce. The award’s itself was very badly organised, though. Long queue waiting hours, huge gaps in the show, among other things, left a very salty taste in my mouth.

With how yesterday went down, it is IMPERATIVE that Michael shows everyone why he is the superstar he is. He will forever be the King of Pop, but it seems the mainstream media as well as the general public need to be reminded. Remind them then Michael.

With the season premiere date of the new Making The Band drawing ever nearer, the official trailer has surfaced. Needless to say, this looks like it’s gonna be good:

Martin Lawrence stars alongside Mike Epps, Mo’Nique and Cedric The Entertainer in his new movie ‘Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. Check out the film’s trailer below:

A shocking report, released yesterday, by The Times Union of Albany implies that famed musicians 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Timbaland, Wyclef Jean and renown author/ playwright Tyler Perry may have received or used performance enhancing drugs. Check out the Fox News report below:

Whilst some of these aren’t really a shock (no names mentioned), the appearance of others are kinda surprising. It’ll be interesting to see what comes of this all…

It has been confirmed – as per Mary J. Blige’s PR team, that the singer will be releasing the Dre & Vidal produced ‘Hurt Again’ as the next single from her already-Platinum ‘Growing Pains’ CD. The song replaces ‘Work That’ (the previously announced follow-up to ‘Just Fine’) as the LP’s 2nd single. Though I really like the song, I’m not so sure about it how it’ll do. To be honest, I’m kinda baffled as to Mary’s single choices this go round.

The 1st Annual BET Honors were held this past Saturday in Washington D.C. Homage was paid to celebrated blacks from differing fields of work. The honorees were Tyra Banks (Media), Alicia Keys (Entertainment), Dr. Cornel West (Inspirational/Education), Richard Parsons (Corporate), the Honorable Maxine Waters (Government) and CEO Janice Bryant Howroyd (Entrepreneur).

Actor / comdian Cedric The Entertainer hosted the show which will air on the network on February 22nd. Performers on the night included, Ne-Yo, Jill Scott, John Legend, Wyclef, and Raheem DeVaughn.

UK singing sensation Leona Lewis graces the cover of Harper Baazar’s February issue. Looking great I must say. Having already dominated both the single and album charts here in the UK over the past few months, Leona’s debut album ‘Spirit’ is set to hit the US on March 18th.