Singer Janet Jackson and boyfriend Jermaine Dupri celebrated their Independence Day in Miami. Judging from the pics, they seemed to have enjoyed themselves….blah lol. Interestingly, Janet seems to have put back on some of that weight she lost last year; continuing her trend of blowing up (literally) in between albums. Still, she looks beautiful. Check that third pic lol….J.Lo who?

What do you think of the pics?
It has been confirmed that ‘That’s What U R’ will serve as the first official US single from Amerie’s new album ‘Because I Love It’. Current single ‘Gotta Work’ will be for the European market only. ‘Because I Love It’ – the singer’s third album – will see its US release this summer; the CD is out now in Europe and other territories.

Though ‘That’s What U R’ isn’t the best track on Amerie’s new album, I’m liking the fact it was chosen as a single. It doesn’t sound like a rehash of her biggest hit to date ‘One Thing’ – whilst ‘Gotta Work’ arguably does. I’m hoping the song gives her the recognition she deserves; she’s a star over here in Europe, yet she struggles to crack the US.

What do you think of the single choice?

That Grape Juice wishes all our US visitors a very Happy Independence Day!
I posted clip of this new Mario track ‘Why’ several weeks back and I’m feeling the song even more now that the full version has surfaced. Produced by The Underdogs, ‘Why’ is a great mid-tempo track that showcases Mario’s matured vocal ability. Aside from the passable lead single ‘How Do I Breathe’, Mario has consistently delivered with his latest material and I’m really anticipating his new CD ‘Go!’ – which is now due on August 21st.

Hit or Miss?
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According to the Miami Herald, Janet Jackson has enlisted the services of Jazze Pha for her new CD. Having produced hits for the likes of T.I, Lil’ Wayne and Nelly, Jazze is also well-known for producing Ciara’s smash ‘1, 2 Step’ and her recent hit ‘Get Up’. Jackson has been in Miami since mid-June recording at Circle House Studios and will continue recording there for the next few months. Other producers set to feature on the project include Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Pharrell Williams and Jermaine Dupri.
Can’t really envision Janet on a Jazze production, but who knows -it may turn out hot. The more I hear about the direction of the album, the more I anticipate it. Janet is rumoured to be going for a ‘darker’ sound on this album.

What do you want to hear from Janet on this album?
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R&B star, Kelly Rowland stopped by MTV studios in New York yesterday to co-host TRL. She was looking on-point. As expected, she also plugged her new solo album ‘Ms. Kelly’ which hit stores in the US yesterday too.

What do you think of the pics?

Many of you will recognize Nicole Scherzinger as the lead (and only) singer from the Pussycat Dolls. Having put the group the hiatus, Scherzinger is set to release her first solo album ‘Her Name Is Nicole’ this September. The above pic is taken from the set of the album’s first single ‘Whatever You Like’ – which features rapper T.I. Produced by Polow Da Don (‘Promise’, ‘Like This’ etc), the track is an uptempo club banger. Be on the look out for the song and video in the upcoming weeks.
Not sure I’m sold on the idea of Nicole as a solo artist; maybe it’s because I’m
not feeling the way Melody (the darkest member of PCD) doesn’t get her shine – the girl is talented.

Are you checking for Nicole?
{Design Credit: GoPlatinum}

That Grape Juice has teamed up with Electronic Arts (UK) for our first video games give-away. Beginning this week, two copies of a particular title will be up for grabs – all you are required to do is to answer the given question correctly for a chance to win. {Please be aware that due to technological variances, some titles will only be available in certain territories. You will be made aware of this when this is the case.} This week’s title is:

The Sims 2 / The Sims 2: H&M Fashion Funstuff (PC Double Pack)

The Sims 2 is the sequel to the biggest selling computer game of all-time. Allowing you to create, control and care for your own ‘Sims’, the game has attracted millions of players worldwide. With the release of ‘The Sims 2: H&M Fashion Funstuff’ pack, you can now dress your Sims in the latest fashion from the world-renown high-street chain.

For a chance to win the games, answer the following question:
R&B Star, Amerie – a big ‘Sims’ fan- recently released a new album. What was the album called?

a) Because of You

b) Because I Love It
c) Because of Me

Email your answer as well as your full name, age, and address to competitions@thatgrapejuice.net. Please be sure to put ‘EA Comp – Week 1’ as the subject. Winners will be selected randomly from all correct answers. Competition ends Tuesday July 10th. Good luck!

Today marks the US release of two of Urban music’s most anticipated albums this year – T.I.’s ‘T.I. vs T.I.P.’ and Kelly Rowland’s ‘Ms. Kelly’.

Whose album will you be picking up this week?


An on-going feud between Michael Jackson’s long-time rep, Raymone Bain, and Fox News reporter Roger Friedman has forced Bain to reveal details of the pop superstar’s comeback. In yet another of his weekly ‘Jackson Bashings’, Friedman alledged the singer fabricated claims of a new CD and is, indeed, ill -with an addiction to pain-killers. Along with denying the allegations, Bain outlined Jackson’s immediate plans for the future. Speaking to MJStar, Bain said ‘He [Michael] is going to release several singles prior to the album being released. He’s finishing up the first 3-4 now’, later adding that the singles will be released before the end of this year. Contributors to the album are set to include Will.I.Am, Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins and Ne-Yo.
I’m hoping Michael releases his new CD this year; it’s been too long. It’ll be interesting to see how he plans on dropping up to four singles prior to the album coming out. With the rumored release date being in November, his new material should start surfacing soon.

Can Michael silence his critics by making a big comeback?

The much anticipated video for Ciara and 50 Cent’s new single ‘Can’t Leave ‘Em Alone’ premiered today. Considering the pre-hype, I found the end-product to be kinda anti-climatic. There was little to no chemistry between Ciara and 50 -with the video looking pretty standard; especially when compared to the videos for Ciara’s two last singles. Nonetheless, both the song and video have a laid-back summer vibe to it and definitely fits this time of year.

What do you think of the video?

Following numerous delays and setbacks, Mario’s third studio album ‘Go!’ was finally set to hit stores on July 31st. However, the CD has been pushed back yet again, with the new release date being August 21st. This is being largely attributed to the poor performance of the album’s lead single – ‘How Do I Breathe’. Despite steady radio play, the song and video haven’t caught on and the track currently resides at #91 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Another song, ‘Kryptonite’, has been confirmed as the next single and will likely be released ahead of the album. ‘Go!’ is set to feature productions from the likes of Timbaland, Scott Storch and JR Rotem.
‘Kryptonite’ is the best track I’ve heard from the CD so far; really, it should have been the first single. If it catches on, the album may actually have a chance of doing well.

Are you checking for Mario’s new album?
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