In a statement to the press, Usher’s record label have confirmed that the Grammy winner has re-hired his mother Jonetta Patton as his manager. Check out the report via Billboard:

In a short statement issued by LaFace/Zomba, it was announced that the artist “has dissolved his management arrangement with Benny Medina and has re-engaged Jonnetta Patton as his manager.”

Usher split his mother as his manager in May 2007. He then hired Medina, who was integral in the launch of the artist’s recent album, “Here I Stand.” In 10 weeks, it has sold 948,000 units in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s the No. 8 best-selling album of 2008 so far.

However, it hasn’t come close to matching the gaudy numbers of its predecessor, 2004’s “Confessions,” which sold 3.77 million copies in its first 10 weeks and is at 9.6 million to date.

Let the ‘I told you so’s’ ensue lol. For real, this is definitely a good look for Usher IMO; maybe not for the ‘Here I Stand’ LP (which IMO was dead on arrival), but for his long-term prospects.

Your thoughts?

Review up shortly…

In the meanwhile…

What do you think of the video?

Hit or Miss?

This past week, R&B star Ashanti performed at Six Flags new Jersey. Check out her performance of current single ‘Good Good’, which featured a medley mix of Lil Wayne’s ‘A Milli’ and ‘Grillz’. Check out the performance below:

Good performance.

What do you think of ther performance?

R&B star Fantasia appears on the cover of the September 2008 issue of Sister 2 Sister magazine.

Call me a hater or whatever else you choose, but there is no denying that was the pits. She sounded like Billy Goat Gruff with all that bleating. Horrible.

Randomness: It would be great to hear a little of ‘pre-industry cleansing’ Rihanna (aka Caribbean flavoured sound) on her new music – even if just a little. Just a thought…

What do you think of the performance?

In this journey I have been so blessed to come across many faces and spaces that have shown so much love. I hear so many folk who love that the record is a departure from most of the traditional things out right now. I get people who love my steez and encourage me to be me and I THANK YOU!!

Unfortunately I’m in an industry where diversity is not celebrated the way it should be. When some people see and hear something different it feels foreign to them and they don’t like that. Everyone has a choice of what they like and that’s a beautiful thing!!!

BUT Record labels, managers, publicist, journalist, media ect… have a tendency to see something work and try to reciprocate that with another artist thinking that’s what makes success. To me what makes success is letting people be truly who they are.

“When I heard Kanye’s “Everything I Am” I instantly fell in love. I felt my story somewhere in his. I felt his frustration yet acceptance of who he was. So I decided to put my own little twist on it:)

Warning: This song in NO WAY shape or fashion has a negative light to any of the artist I mention…I love and respect them ALL. I am just simply expressing myself and my story. When I say F.U. I am talking to no one in particular, only those that feel guilty of categorizing :)”

You can listen to the track below:

The UK’s leading girl group, the Sugababes, are reportedly looking to serve up a ‘funkier’ sound on their forthcoming sixth studio LP. Check out the report via Digital Spy below:

Despite the girls vowing to take things slowly earlier this year, the new disc is now expected to be released in October – just one year after they brought out Change.

Orson’s lead singer Jason Pebworth, who has been working with the group in the studio, has predicted that the new record will be their best yet.

“I’ve just come out of the studio with the girls and they’re like machines – they don’t stop working,” Jason told the Daily Star. “You gotta admire them. The new tunes are taking them in a much funkier direction.

“I think this next album will be their finest moment. You’re always trying to do something special for Sugababes because they’re no ordinary pop band.”

The group are expected to perform some of their new tracks at the Virgin Mobile V Festival later this month.

In an industry oversaturated with non-singers with pretty faces, the ‘Babes – who are all great vocalists IMO – continue to stand as a refreshing breathe of fresh air. Having enjoyed the girls last record ‘Change’, I’ll definitely be paying close attention to their new LP.

{Do you want to see more of the Sugababes and similar artists on That Grape Juice?}

Mariah Carey took to the stage at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards, which aired in the US last night. The 38 year old diva performed a medley of ‘I’ll Be Loving U Long Time’ and ‘Touch my Body’. Though marginally better than most of her more recent showings, I’m still none-too pleased with Mimi’s live performance game. She was clearly lip-syncing during some parts, whereas in others it was hard to tell. For an artist renown for being ‘The Voice’ her insistence on miming like her life depended on it is becoming a little tiresome. What’s more, her lack of stage presence makes watching paint dry seem more appealing than a 2008 Mariah performance. SMH…

Anyway, here’s hoping the performance helps the, otherwise great song (IMO) on the charts; after an impressive start, the single has pretty much stalled on US radio, iTunes and consequently the Billboard charts.

What do you think of the performance?

Bad Boy’s Cassie appears in the August/September issue of Complex Magazine. The 21 year old ‘singer’ spoke frankly on a number of issues check extracts from the feature below:
On her voice:

“Based on my past and how my last album came out, I really need to come back much much stronger, I wanted to have more personality. I really want to tell a story when I’m doing a song. Vocally, either you like my voice or you don’t. I’m not trying to blow like Mariah, back when she was doing that.”

On the harshest thing that’s been said about her:

Seems like she’s got a thicker skin this go round. That said, if she’s not doing…well…’you know what’ for tracks/checks, how else could her still having a deal be explained?

Your thoughts?