It has been confirmed that R&B crooner Ruben Studdard, winner of season 2 of American Idol, has been dropped by his label J Records. Check out the report below via our friends over at SOHH:

After a promising start as winner of the second season of “American Idol,” Studdard seems to have fallen short of expectations and has been dropped from J. A rep from his label has confirmed the artist’s departure to SOHH.

Studdard’s first J Record release Soulful, released in 2003, is RIAA certified platinum. His 2004 gospel follow up, I Need An Angel also fared well – reaching gold status. However sales of his 2006 project The Return have been unable to match his previous success, moving barely 235,000 copies.

Can’t say I’ve been moved by Ruben’s music; that ‘Change Me’ track was my song for a minute though. Amid less than stellar sales from top artists, record labels all over are making cuts left, right and centre as the year closes out. Don’t be surprised if Ruben isn’t the only artist left looking for a new label in the weeks and months ahead.

Any thoughts?

The video for Fat Joe’s new single ‘I Won’t Tell’ made its debut yesterday on the rapper’s official MySpace page. Featuring 2007 breakout star J. Holiday, the song is the 2nd single to be lifted from Joe’s forthcoming album ‘The Elephant In The Room’ (due March 11th 2008). I’m feeling the song and the video is pretty good too. See if you can spot cameos by, among others, LeToya, Bow Wow, Christina Milian and Scott Storch. With his post-‘Lean Back’ efforts pretty much tanking, I’m sure Joe is hoping this puts him back on the map.

What do you think of the song / video?

Gone, but never forgotten, Aaliyah’s legacy lives on through the great music her undeniable talent graced us with over the years.

Your thoughts?

Amazingly, Nicole Scherzinger is set to release the third single from her serially delayed LP ‘Her Name Is Nicole’ – without a release date for the album in sight. Titled ‘Puakenikeni’ (a word in her native Hawaiian tongue), the Akon produced single was voted to be the next single by fans on Nicole’s official website. I will say, for the record, that the song has the most substance to it when compared to the two abysmal efforts before it. However, three singles deep, the chances of Nicole’s album being anything less than terrible are unlikely IMO. Nicole does have a place in the industry, though – as part of the Pussycat Dolls. It’s not too late to go back.

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Mary J. Blige kicked off her week long stay on BET’s 106 & Park yesterday, performing current single ‘Just Fine’. Great energy, great vocals, great performance. As reported Mary’s eighth studio album ‘Growing Pains’ hits a store near you today.

What do you think of the performance?

With 2007 rapidly coming to end, I felt it beffiting to acknowledge the releases, events etc that have made the last 12 months as memorable as they have been. What better way to mark this than to host the 1st Annual That Grape Juice: End Of Year Awards.

Album of the Year

Alicia Keys – As I Am
Kanye West – Graduation
Mario – Go!
Mary J. Blige – Growing Pains
Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
Kelly Rowland – Ms. Kelly

Single of the Year

Fantasia – When I See You
Alicia Keys – No One
Keyshia Cole – Let It Go
Rihanna – Umbrella
J. Holiday – Bed
Kanye West – Stronger

Best Video:

Kanye West – Good Life
Ciara – Like A Boy
Beyonce – Get Me Bodied
R. Kelly – Same Girl (ft. Usher)

Best Collaboration:

Chris Brown & T-Pain- Kiss Kiss
Kelly Rowland & Eve – Like This
50 Cent & Justin Timberlake Ayo Technology
Timbaland & Keri Hilson – The Way I Are
R. Kelly & Usher – ‘Same Girl’

Best New Artist:

Amy Winehouse
J. Holiday
Tiffany Evans
The Dream

Best Female Artist:

Alicia Keys
Mary J Blige
Keyshia Cole
Kelly Rowland

Best Male Artist

Chris Brown
Kanye West
Mario
J. Holiday
Jay-Z

The Kelly Rowland Underrated Artist Of The Year Award

Amerie
Mario
Tamia
Trey Songz

The Please Go Sit Down Somewhere Award

Rihanna
Nicole Scherzinger
50 Cent
Souljah Boy

Most Overrated Artist:

Rihanna
Beyonce
Fergie

Worst Single Of The Year:

Chris Brown – Wall to Wall
Nicole Scherzinger – Baby Love
Souljah Boy – Crank That

Flop of the Year:

Kelly Rowland
Jennifer Lopez
Will.i.am

Most Shocking Event of 2007:

Bobby and Whitney Divorcing
Beyonce Falling Down Stairs
Britney’s Shambolic VMA Performance/Going Crazy

Best Reality TV Show:

Making the Band 4
Runs House
Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is
I Love New York 2

Best TV Show:

Girlfriends
Everybody Hates Chris
The Boondocks
The Game

What do you think of the nominee list?

US visitors: NBC is set to screen the first of a week long music special called ‘Clash of The Choirs’ tonight at 7pm/8pm. The show sees well-known artists travel back to their home towns with the task of forming a choir – which will ‘battle’ against those formed by the other stars. R&B singer Kelly Rowland as well as legend Patti Labelle are two of featured celebrities; check out clips from both of the auditions they held:

The show looks real interesting. I’m hoping Kelly’s choir isn’t full of singers like the woman featured; as bad I felt for her, there’s no denying that she butchered ‘Survivor’.

Will you be tuning into ‘Clash of The Choirs’?

Producer/rapper Timbaland premiered pop star Madonna’s new single during his set at the radio station z100’s Jingle Ball yesterday (December 16th) in Philadelphia. Titled ‘4 Minutes To Save The World’, the track features the producer himself as well as Justin Timberlake. I’m all for unconventional pairings and this one seems to have worked; the song, from what I can hear, sounds great. Timbaland is executive producing her as-yet-untitled album, so it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with.

What do you think of the song?

Producer/rapper Timbaland premiered pop star Madonna’s new single during his set at the radio station z100’s Jingle Ball yesterday (December 16th) in Philadelphia. Titled ‘4 Minutes To Save The World’, the track features the producer himself as well as Justin Timberlake. I’m all for unconventional pairings and this one seems to have worked; the song, from what I can hear, sounds great. Timbaland is executive producing her as-yet-untitled album, so it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with.

What do you think of the song?

Producer/rapper Timbaland premiered pop star Madonna’s new single during his set at the radio station z100’s Jingle Ball yesterday (December 16th) in Philadelphia. Titled ‘4 Minutes To Save The World’, the track features the producer himself as well as Justin Timberlake. I’m all for unconventional pairings and this one seems to have worked; the song, from what I can hear, sounds great. Timbaland is executive producing her as-yet-untitled album, so it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with.

What do you think of the song?

Following reports several months ago that 2007 mega-hit ‘Umbrella’ was first offered to R&B star Mary J. Blige, the 36 year old singer has recently claimed she is “glad” she didn’t release the song – deeming it “too mainstream”. Speaking to WENN, Blige added:

“I’m not going to chase what [mainstream] fans like. It might work for a Mariah. It might work for a Beyonce. But Mary J. Blige is looked at as some sort of organic thing.” {Source}